tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41938401535034597812024-03-05T18:36:29.924-06:00Ronni and AdamLove, life, and marriage.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-15989354862090707912015-06-20T18:15:00.000-05:002015-06-20T18:16:04.430-05:00Oops! :DI COMPLETELY forgot about this blog...just happened to be reading over my Live Journal profile and saw the link. Yikes!<br />
<br />
It's been more than five years since I last posted here. Wow. I'm a bad blogger.
I blog very infrequently on my <a href="http://anywhere-is.net/" target="blank">personal</a> blog as well. Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram... all of those are faster-moving and probably cooler (well, I don't know about FB), so we all spend most of our time on those sites. I miss the days when Live Journal was such a community.<br />
<br />
Let me see if I can give a rundown of the biggest events from the past five years...<br />
<br />
01. I lost my stepfather. :(<br />
02. Adam lost his grandfather.<br />
03. Many Disney trips, including one when I got to bring my Mommy! :)<br />
04. Aidan growing into an awesome person. He gets straight As and just had a trip to DC for a conference.<br />
05. Adam got his own car, a Toyota Prius. I still have my car as well, but I'm not sure how much longer she'll last. She's chugging along, though. She's a tough cookie.<br />
06. I enrolled in yoga teacher training in 2012 and got certified to teach in 2013.<br />
07. Adam sold a few more books.<br />
08. I started writing again!<br />
09. I took some acting classes.<br />
10. I got to be an extra in movies and on TV shows.<br />
11. My sister-in-law Cassidy had a daughter named Lola and Lola is soooo awesome! I love her so much!<br />
12. Lots of jobs that have come and gone.<br />
13. I've been doing work-trade for Moksha for a long time in exchange for free yoga.<br />
14. I got a passport, but I haven't used it yet.<br />
15. Met some A-list actors.<br />
16. Traveled to Los Angeles, Atlanta, Orlando, Jekyll Island, and back home to visit family.<br />
17. Met so many amazing authors!<br />
18. Fi came to live with us and I am crazy about that cat.<br />
<br />
I still have a like/hate relationship with Chicago. Weather, traffic, cost of living, crime, intensity. Those are things I still dislike. But I love Moksha, my yoga community, the opportunities to make money (working from home!) even though most don't seem to last as long as I'd like, the shopping, Millennium Park, Anderson's Bookshop, the cool people I meet, even if we just have one awesome evening together, cool places to eat. The friends I've made. I try to focus on those things when I get frustrated living there--and believe me, I get frustrated almost every day--or else I'd be even more depressed.<br />
<br />
Anyway, that's all I can think of for now. I guess that was my five year check in. :) Hopefully I won't go so long before updating again. (Is anyone even reading this anymore?)<br />
<br />
So long!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Florida, USA27.6648274 -81.515753500000017-50.5417356 113.24987149999998 90 83.718621499999983tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-48512785390412807212010-04-12T03:57:00.002-05:002010-04-12T04:16:58.068-05:00Shifting PrioritiesAs Adam and I freewheel in our second year of marriage, our priorities are changing and shifting. I suppose it's only natural. I remember when I was so bored and frustrated in Columbus, but I am wondering how much of that was a "home is where the heart is" type of situation. Adam wasn't there, so I was unhappy. But now, I'm finding myself missing it very much.<br /><br />Over the past several months, we've dealt with a few low blows, but they were more than counteracted with highs. We've met new friends. Adam's book I Kissed A Zombie and I Liked It is getting rave reviews and he's selling foreign rights like crazy! Things work out just the way they're supposed to.<br /><br />Even thought I grew up in Cleveland OH, a big city, I am not used to the intensity of a big city. I'd spent 13 years in Columbus, which is a mid-sized city in central OH. I miss Columbus, even with all its Ohio State insanity. I miss not having to pay sales tax on groceries. I miss cheaper groceries (oh Marc's) and not being scared to drive without being honked at. I miss my friends and I really miss being close to Aidan. I'm pretty homesick. And for the love of God, I need to see lots of green grass and trees and flowers and stars at night.<br /><br />We've been weighing our options. I went on Craigslist yesterday and compared housing prices there with housing prices here. The difference is astounding. Book checks would stretch SO MUCH farther there. And there is Aidan. He's there. I should be. And again, the fees and prices and nickel and diming here is outrageous. 10.25% sales tax. 13.25% for pop (which is part of the reason I stopped drinking it). Parking tickets. Parking in general. The fact that they make it SO inconvenient to own a car, yet threaten to shut down the CTA every six months. The competitiveness in the job market. Hoops, hoops, hoops. Having to jump through so many hoops for and during interviews. Taking 25 minutes to go three miles because there are so many traffic lights, cars, cyclists, and pedestrians on the road. People on top of people because dwellings are so close together. Schools aren't great. Crime's not great (I really am tired of people breaking out my car windows). Rush hour happens at any given time. You just never know around here.<br /><br />And yet, I know that if I leave Chicago, I'll miss it. I like knowing I can hop on the Blue Line and go shopping on State Street. I like having the American Girl store be a 15 minute bus ride from the apartment. I can walk to the bank, to the CVS, to Subway, to the Italian grocer on the corner for a good sandwich (provided the line's not out the door, as it tends to get at lunchtime). I would miss the friends I've made here, and the opportunities for networking as an author are amazing. The downtown is beautiful, especially in the spring. There's the lake. I can walk to the yoga studio. It's not unusual to randomly see a celebrity walking down the street (this is more Adam's thing than mine, with his early morning walks and all). That kind of stuff is really, really cool. And I'd miss that.<br /><br />So I'm really torn. I am scared that I'll go back to Columbus and get bored and frustrated again, but I am frustrated here as well. Adam and I weigh the pros and cons all the time. Of course, the family wants us in Ohio. It'd make sense financially. It's familiar (to me). Well, it used to be. I read old journal entries and I get sad because well, I don't remember those streets anymore although I used to travel them all the time. Finding freelance proofreading work there would be quite a challenge, as the market's already pretty saturated. <br /><br />Once upon a time, Adam used to say he'd ALWAYS want to live in the city. But now, he's changing. And I change all the time. I think the best thing to do is to be open at what the Universe has in store for us. No matter what, it'll be what's meant to happen.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-83275737059667981452009-09-22T13:08:00.002-05:002009-09-22T13:10:39.073-05:00:)Things very good.<br /><br />I'm back to being a house husband for a while, as Ronni is back in the office (the GOOD one - there are so many horror stories of companies who have their heads in their butts). Cooking, cleaning, the whole bit. Still working as a tour guide and writer myself, and probably teaching a class out in the burbs in November. <br /><br />Ronni is a kick-ass proofreader.Adam Selzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16068653440362135301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-68723602876981146202009-07-28T01:59:00.003-05:002009-07-28T02:01:52.554-05:00One Year!Adam and I made it one year! And it was a fantastic year. He put up with my moodiness, my many "voices," my obsession with Disney and American Girl dolls. He makes me dinner. He does the dishes and the laundry. He surprises me with donuts. He supports me. He has my back. He cares about me. He loves me. I love him.<br /><br />For our anniversary, he bought me an American Girl doll. I got him Punch Out for Wii, and boxing gloves to go with it.<br /><br />He's a keeper. I'm going to keep him.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-61155282269630368632009-05-29T06:43:00.004-05:002009-05-29T09:47:13.407-05:00It's Been A While!Adam and I are still settling nicely into married life. I can't believe that our anniversary is in less than two months! The year (even the everlastingly long winter!) seems to have sped by!<br /><br />Adam takes really good care of me. He does most of the cooking, and he keeps the kitchen fairly clean. He also handles a great deal of the laundry. I love that he helps so much around the house. But that kind of stuff aside, he is just an incredibly supportive person. He's on my side, you know? And it's nice to know that someone will always be in my corner. After all, that's what being married is about. Having that partner. That commitment. Working to build a wonderful life together.<br /><br />Since I last updated here, Adam and I went to Columbus to visit Aidan for Christmas, which was a lot of fun. Within that visit, we drove to Cleveland to see my mom and to see Andy. Aidan got loads of stuff. His dad was able to throw out all of Aidan's old clothes and replace them with all new things, that's how much he got. It was overwhelming!<br /><br />Shortly after that, Adam and I went to Los Angeles to visit friends and family. We got to hang out with Eli and Melissa, Amy, and Tasha. I got to visit a lot of places--the Disney Studios, Griffith Observatory, Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles--and Melissa and Eli took us to Disneyland! Visiting L.A. in winter is nice, I'm not going to lie. But coming back to cold Chicago was hard!<br /><br />Aidan's come to visit twice, and both times he was a complete joy. He'll be here for the whole summer on June 20th. At the end of the summer, we're taking a family trip to Disney World! I figure I should do it now while I can, and before he decides he's too cool for such things.<br /><br />I'm looking forward to the summer. I hope to hit the beach more and generally do more stuff outside. <br /><br />And I'll try to update more here! I promise! 'Til next time!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-42505983855017041662008-12-16T20:56:00.003-06:002008-12-16T21:08:56.947-06:00Marriage Survey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYWLpDawbhoPuMc0kceCmRk745huf2be3jsGn2LUhnhPEXC99a5ppg0euAAGDHeUuSnnxxryXuvFVhiNvAJ921iNv6lrxYJnVP7F8VRADOKWu7plX-gJ6fOkKCBZ9J9c_NVQKIdEaA9k/s1600-h/Ronni+%26+Adam+Fine+Art+%2824+of+25%29copy.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkYWLpDawbhoPuMc0kceCmRk745huf2be3jsGn2LUhnhPEXC99a5ppg0euAAGDHeUuSnnxxryXuvFVhiNvAJ921iNv6lrxYJnVP7F8VRADOKWu7plX-gJ6fOkKCBZ9J9c_NVQKIdEaA9k/s200/Ronni+%26+Adam+Fine+Art+%2824+of+25%29copy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280590384535479586" border="0" /></a><br /> 1. What is your spouse's name?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Adam <3</span><br /><p></p>2.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>How long have you been marri<wbr>ed?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">142 days</span><br /><br />3. How long were you toget<wbr>her befor<wbr>e you got marri<wbr>ed?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Just over two years.</span><br /><br />4. Where<wbr> did you get marri<wbr>ed?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Edgewater Beach, Lake Michigan (Chicago)</span><br /><br />5. Where<wbr> did you propo<wbr>se or were propo<wbr>sed to?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Margie's Candies</span><br /><br />6. Have you ever been marri<wbr>ed befor<wbr>e your curre<wbr>nt marri<wbr>age?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yes</span><br /><br />7. Who "wears<wbr> the pants<wbr>" in the house<wbr>?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We share the pants. </span><br /><br />8. Who is the "bread<wbr>-winne<wbr>r"?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We take turns.</span><br /><br />9. Do you have any child<wbr>ren?<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Not together. I have little Aidan from my first marriage.</span><br /><br />10. Do you have any pets?<wbr><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Two cats. One is currently sitting on my lap, purring, and putting his cold, wet nose on my hand.</span><br /><br />11. How many times<wbr> a week do just the two of you go out?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We don't go out a lot, we hang out at home mostly.</span><br /><br />12. Do you have separ<wbr>ate check<wbr>ing accou<wbr>nts?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Yes.</span><br /><br />13. What side of the bed do you sleep<wbr> on?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Right</span><br /><br />14. Who does the laund<wbr>ry?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">He does most of it.</span><br /><br />15. Who cooks<wbr>?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">He does most of it. :)</span><br /><br />16. Who clean<wbr>s?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">I do most of it, but he cleans the kitchen.</span><br /><br />17. Do you share<wbr> a vehic<wbr>le or each have your own?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We share one, but most of the time we walk, or take the train or bus.</span><br /><br />18. Do you get along<wbr> with your in-laws?<wbr><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Definitely. I love them!</span><br /><br />19. Do you argue<wbr> with your spous<wbr>e?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Not really.</span><br /><br />20. Are you good at pampe<wbr>ring?<wbr><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Not so much. :O</span><br /><br />21. What is your favor<wbr>ite physi<wbr>cal featu<wbr>re of your spous<wbr>e?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">His hair, his face, his lips, his butt, his stomach, his voice... oh man, he's cute. :)</span><br /><br />22. Name one thing<wbr> you would<wbr> chang<wbr>e about<wbr> your spous<wbr>e?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">*shrug*</span><br /><br />23. Name a movie<wbr> that will alway<wbr>s remin<wbr>d you of your spous<wbr>e?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hmm. Juno. We saw it together in NYC just over a year ago, the first movie we ever saw at a theatre together. Wait, no it wasn't. Hairspray was. But still. Juno.</span><br /><br />24. Do you own a home or rent a place<wbr>?<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">We rent a cool place close to downtown Chicago.</span><br /><br />25. What is your weddi<wbr>ng date?<wbr><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">July 27, 2008<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-22162734185856063062008-10-21T12:59:00.002-05:002008-12-16T21:09:18.744-06:00Love<div style="float: left; text-align: center; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 15px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilrongal/2959644533/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3042/2959644533_e7b59ccf5a_t.jpg" alt="Love" /></a><br /><span style="margin-top: 0px;font-size:0;" ><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilrongal/2959644533/">Love</a>,<br />originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/people/lilrongal/">LilRonGal</a>.</span></div>Adam and I went to Disney World for our honeymoon. This is one of the Photopass pictures, taken by photographers on site. It's also one of my favorites.<br /><br />See all of our honeymoon pictures <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilrongal/sets/72157607551410737/">here</a>!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-85591860681589159372008-08-24T12:48:00.003-05:002008-08-24T13:26:41.790-05:00Wedding Pictures<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilrongal/2761135511/" title="Ronni & Adam In Love by LilRonGal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3132/2761135511_b0dcfab804.jpg" alt="Ronni & Adam In Love" width="333" border="0" height="500" /></a></center><br /><br />This picture was taken by Kelly of <a href="http://www.kellyheasleyphotography.com" target="_blank">Kelly Heasley Photography</a>.<br /><br />See more of hers and photographs of others <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilrongal/sets/72157606423631675/" target="_blank">here</a>. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-79495718638804650062008-08-24T11:30:00.006-05:002008-12-16T21:09:39.168-06:00Significant Other Quiz<p>1. They are watching TV… What are they watching?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">West Wing on DVD, The Simpsons, My Boys, How I Met Your Mother, or an old black and white movie.</span><br /></p> <p>2. You’re out to eat. what kind of dressing do they get on their salad.<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Italian or Ranch or something new and different.</span><br /></p><p>** (He says he wouldn't get Ranch)<br /></p> <p>3. What’s one food this person doesn’t like?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Okra.</span></p> <p>4. You go out to the bar. He/she orders……<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">We wouldn't. But if we did, it would be some sort of beer.</span> <span style="font-style: italic;">Or an Effen Black Cherry with 7up, if we were at The Liar's Club.</span><br /></p> <p>5. Where did he/she go to high school?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">He went to two different high schools. One made him miserable, so he transferred to a cool alternative school.</span><br /></p> <p>6. What size shoe do they wear?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Wow, I don't know this one. I'm going to guess a 10 or 11.</span><br /></p> <p>7. If this person were to collect anything, it would be?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Music. And he's got a collection of Star Wars figures, and also weird historical stuff like Bull Moose party flags.</span><br /></p><p>8. What is their favorite type of sandwich?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">He likes just about every sandwich they make at Bari.</span></p><p>9. This person could eat __________ everyday<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">cereal or pizza</span><br /></p> <p>10. Favorite cereal?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Hmmm. I don't know if he has a favorite; he tends to rotate.</span><br /></p> <p>11. This person wouldn’t be caught dead wearing…<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Pink. Unless I made him wear it.</span><br /></p> <p>12. Favorite sports team?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cubs.</span></p> <p>13. Who will he/she vote for?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Barack Obama. He's a very outspoken supporter.</span><br /></p> <p>14. What is their sign?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Cancer.</span></p> <p>15. What is something you do that he/she wishes you didn’t?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Talk in a baby voice so much.</span><br /></p> <p>16. How many states has this person lived in?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Three.</span></p> <p>17. What is his/her’s heritage?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Russian and I think German.</span><br /></p><p>**(He says Irish and a buncha other stuff)<br /></p> <p>18. You bake them a cake for their birthday, what is it?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I wouldn't bake it, I'd get him an ice cream cake.</span><br /></p> <p>19. Did he/she play sports in high school?<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">No.</span></p> <p>20. This person could spend hours…<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Playing on the computer, researching history, writing, and reading.</span><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-41388218146336186692008-08-13T13:25:00.002-05:002008-08-24T12:30:59.226-05:00<table width="350" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td bg="" style="color: rgb(238, 238, 238);" align="center"><br /><span style=";font-family:Georgia,Times New Roman,Times,serif;font-size:14;color:black;" ><br /><strong>What Your Ideal Wedding Dress Says About You</strong><br /></span></td></tr><br /><tr><td bgcolor="#ffffff"><br /><center><img src="http://www.blogthingsimages.com/theweddingdresstest/dress-4.png" width="100" height="100" /></center><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br />Your Personal Style:<br />Classic and elegant. You prefer to make a statement with a few quality pieces.<br /><br />Your Ideal Wedding:<br />Traditional and formal, but not tacky. You think the most beautiful weddings are understated.<br /><br />Your Philosophy on Marriage:It's a serious commitment, and the couple entering it should be ready to work for their relationship.<br /><br />Your Perfect Marriage:<br />Is calm, stable, deep, and meaningful.<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://www.blogthings.com/theweddingdresstest/">The Wedding Dress Test</a></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-52211398453425130932008-07-28T16:58:00.001-05:002008-07-28T16:59:42.043-05:00Married!We're married!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY!!!<br /><br /><center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilrongal/2711329352/" title="Ceremony by LilRonGal, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3002/2711329352_7caba44b17.jpg" width="500" height="325" alt="Ceremony" border=0></a></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-73098049374284031002008-06-26T17:53:00.003-05:002008-06-26T18:34:35.674-05:00Wedding Stuff & RegistryToday, Adam and I went and got our marriage license. It was surprisingly hassle-free. There was no line, and we didn’t have to swear we weren’t drunk or there against our will. He did ask if we were related, though. <br /><br />Anyway, the details consist of this:<br /><br /><center><span style="font-weight:bold;">Ronni & Adam’s “Elopement”</span><br />Date: July 27, 2008<br />Time: 10:30am<br />Location: Edgewater Beach (rain or shine!)</center><br /><br />If you want a ride, Adam’s planning something with the Weird Chicago bus. Will probably meet at the Rock & Roll McDonald’s at 10am or so and head down from there. I’ll get clearer details on that soon. <br /><br />Also, the Disney honeymoon registry is up. Disney's site isn't the most stable, so if it errs, try it again. Here's the url:<br /><br />http://www.mydisneyhoneymoon.com/booknerds<br /><br />And you can search for Adam Selzer or Ronni Davis, July 2008. ºOºUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-65056881844042014542008-06-17T13:29:00.004-05:002008-08-24T12:31:25.578-05:00New wedding date!Hey, everybody!<br />No offense or anything, but we decided that rather than blowing a pile of money on a ceremony, we'd rather blow it on Disneyworld. So that's we're going to do.<br /><br /><br />We're moving the date to Sunday, July 27th. The ceremony will be a quick "before anyone asks for our permit" affair at a beach on Lake Michigan - probably Edgewater beach up on the North side. Some transportation from downtown may be available via the Weird Chicago bus.<br /><br />We'll update with time, etc, very soon! Anyone who wants to come is welcome!Adam Selzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16068653440362135301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-54601054645337585332008-05-05T18:23:00.002-05:002008-05-05T18:37:45.152-05:00Settling InIt's been a while since I have posted. (And Adam too, for that matter!) It's been weeks of getting settled in, looking for a job, and trying to figure out my way around here. Things are certainly interesting. The cost of living is definitely higher. I see it mostly in food and fuel, but I guess that's being felt by everyone everywhere. Gas here hovers at around $4 a gallon, so I try not to drive anywhere except the grocery store. Thank God Chicago has a decent public transportation system. Well, the trains are cool, at least. The buses--I've never been a fan of buses and here, give me the train any day.<br /><br />We do most of our grocery shopping at ALDI. If I am DESPERATE for some Hunts tomato sauce or Doritos or Quaker granola bars, I'll go to Bari or CVS. The grocery stores here are not that cheap, but if you catch a sale on the things you need, it can work out great. The 25 oz. box of Froot Loops I got for $4 at Jewel-Osco? SCORE. The 65 cents for a can of Hunts tomato sauce? Unscore. :(<br /><br />The job search is hard. On the one hand, I like taking my time waking up in the mornings, and having the day to do whatever. On the other hand, I don't like not making a lot of money. Bills don't stop just because you don't have a job, and the market is soooo competitive and discouraging at times. In a few weeks, I'll be poised to seriously panic.<br /><br />So, I think once I am working, I will feel more at home. Plus, in a month, Aidan comes for the summer, which should be fun and interesting. <br /><br />All in all, I'm getting there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-28469000094978848792008-03-30T19:07:00.002-05:002008-03-30T19:07:55.105-05:00Our Crib!<center><object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/goKo0ouoLE8&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/goKo0ouoLE8&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object></center>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-87526758121101305862008-03-20T22:20:00.002-05:002008-03-20T22:26:01.318-05:00All Moved InWell, all my stuff is moved in, anyway. Whether or not I am actually all settled is a whole different question!<br /><br />The kitchen is unpacked. The bedroom and bathroom are pretty much set up... except there is some outstanding stuff that I need to figure out what to do with it. Will probably be in Aidan's/guest room for the time being. The office stuff/desktop computer will be the most challenging, I think. But I'll get through it.<br /><br />Adam's home! See ya! :)<br /><br />----------------<br />Now playing: <a href="http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/nelly+furtado/track/no+hay+igual">Nelly Furtado - No Hay Igual</a><br />via <a href="http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/">FoxyTunes</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-90917999665675955472008-03-14T21:49:00.003-05:002008-03-14T22:02:20.885-05:00A Meme??<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2279/2102280444_bfea8d85e5_t.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 100px; height: 66px;" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2279/2102280444_bfea8d85e5_t.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />1. How long have you been together? <span style="font-style: italic;">Time flies when you're having fun.</span> ♥<br />2. How old is he? <span style="font-style: italic;">27</span><br />3. How old are you? <span style="font-style: italic;">33. I'm a cougar. :)</span><br />4. Who eats more? <span style="font-style: italic;">He definitely does.</span><br />5. Who said "I love you" first? <span style="font-style: italic;">He did. :)</span><br />6. Who is taller? <span style="font-style: italic;">He is.</span><br />7. Who sings better? <span style="font-style: italic;">He can actually hit notes sometimes. Me? Not so much.</span><br />8. Who is smarter? <span style="font-style: italic;">Well, he's full of the weirdest facts, but I have my own talents. I'm sure of it. :O</span><br />9. Who does the laundry? <span style="font-style: italic;">That remains to be seen. I know he likes to do his own, but I actually enjoy the washing and drying part. It's the folding and putting away that I'm not so great at.</span><br />10. Who does the dishes? <span style="font-style: italic;">I'm <s>thinking</s> hoping that'll be his job. *innocent look*</span><br />11. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? <span style="font-style: italic;">You know, it'll probably be me. That side'll be closer to the bathroom.</span><br />12. Who pays the bills? <span style="font-style: italic;">We'll pay our own personal bills but he'll probably handle the household stuff.</span><br />13. Who mows the lawn? <span style="font-style: italic;">No lawn.</span><br />14. Who cooks dinner? <span style="font-style: italic;">He says he's going to do most of the cooking, which is probably a good thing. He'd be eating lots of spaghetti if it was up to me.</span><br />15. Who is more stubborn? <span style="font-style: italic;">Eh, I think I am.</span><br />16. Who kissed whom first? <span style="font-style: italic;">I kissed him first but he took over for the next ten or twenty. :)</span><br />17. Who asked whom out? <span style="font-style: italic;">Hmm, there really wasn't that. It was more "I like you. I like you, too. OK, then."</span><br />18. Who proposed? <span style="font-style: italic;">He did.</span><br />19. Who is more sensitive? <span style="font-style: italic;">I am.</span><br />20. Who has more friends? <span style="font-style: italic;">About the same, probably.</span><br />21. Who has more siblings? <span style="font-style: italic;">He does.</span><br /><br />EEEEK! I move in just a few days! WOW!!!!<br /><br />----------------<br />Now playing: <a href="http://www.foxytunes.com/artist/sara+groves/track/when+the+saints" title="'Sara Groves - When the Saints' - open on FoxyTunes Planet">Sara Groves - When the Saints</a><br /><span style="color: rgb(153, 153, 153); font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >via <a style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" href="http://www.foxytunes.com/signatunes/" title="FoxyTunes - Web of music at your fingertips">FoxyTunes</a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-70710916170421448312008-03-02T17:58:00.002-06:002008-03-02T18:03:20.974-06:00Panicky Me?Today, Adam called just as I was getting into packing up clothing and singing Les Miserables. I asked him if I was panicking about packing, and he told me that I was. I mean, I DO have two weeks to get it together, but I really don't want to be rushing around at the last minute, throwing things wherever, making a mess. I want to be organized.<br /><br />With that said, I have my high school graduation and my college graduation gowns still. Caps, too. For some reason, I can't bring myself to get rid of them! I'll see if they make the cut this time around. I guess if they fit into the knickknack bin, they can stick around for a bit longer. And hey, if I go to grad school, I'll already have a cap and gown for it. (My college cap and gown is black, the high school one is gold).<br /><br />The hardest thing has been the OFFICE SUPPLIES. I had a lot of knickknacks on my desk when I worked at Nationwide. I need to get ruthless. I also found a stack of letters. I can never resist letters. Hmm, knickknack bin, I suppose. Oh, and I found my BoysIIMen CD with Motownphilly on it, plus a bunch of other CDs I'd "lost." Good times. <br /><br />Anyway, this was a pretty pointless post, but the fact remains that two weeks from now, I'm going to be finalizing things for my move to Chicago. HOLY CRAP. Three weeks from now, I'll actually be living there. *gulp*<br /><br />Send good and productive vibes my way, please! :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-3519675998479711192008-02-24T11:26:00.007-06:002008-03-01T00:09:33.106-06:00On The MoveHeehee, yes, my finacé is right. And even though I should be up to my ears packing right now, I'm posting here. I will do some packing this afternoon. All my office and desk stuff, and all the clothes that are not in season, and my decorations is what I hope to have done by Tuesday of this week.<br /><br />It really is not much longer 'til I'll be heading west for the next adventure of my life. OK, it's only about 400 miles west, but it's still west!<br /><br />Am I nervous?<br /><br />Heck yes! This is the biggest move of my life! The only other big move I did was coming to college. Even then, it was only from Cleveland to Columbus, Ohio. This is two states, a 6–7 hour drive. But people do much bigger moves than I do all the time. I know I can do it.<br /><br />What am I nervous about?<br /><br />1. Not having my place all packed up in time! I have a lot of stuff, and although I am planning to get rid some of it, it's still hard to get motivated to do something like packing. AND the bad thing is that I usually get motivated around 10am, while I am at work. By the time I get home, I'm ready to crash on the couch. But that's the life of the working person. I have to force myself to do it. I do not want to be scrambling two or three days before Andy shows up with the U-Haul. The sorting is going to drive me nuts. I already have a pile of stuff to give to Goodwill, but bags and shoes I don't use, and clothes I don't wear is easy. Stuffed animals and certain knick-knacks is what's going to be hard to part with. Keeping the big picture in mind helps me be more ruthless, though.<br /><br />2. The drive out to Chicago. Adam will be with me in the car, and we will be able to switch off, which is good. But I have never driven more than 2.5 hours on my own before. And I have driven 3 hours... but 6–7 hours? I'm a <s>bit</s> lot nervous. I think we're going to split the drive in half, or switch off every couple hours. I plan to make a MOVING playlist for the iPod. Anyone have any recommendations for songs to keep me awake while I am driving? Adam is threatening me with NPR.<br /><br />3. Learning a new way of life in Chicago. Columbus is not very urban. I drive everywhere. The thought of driving in Chicago scares me a bit. There is almost always loads of traffic, and there are insane cabbies all over the place. And people are MEAN and aggressive. Columbus is full of either right assholes in big vehicles or people who trudge along at speeds well below the posted speed limit. Right now, I am pretty centrally located in Columbus, so I just hop in my car and 5–10 minutes later, I'm where I need to be. My commute to work is about 12 minutes. In Chicago, I am going to have to get used to twice that long, or 3–4 times that long if I'm taking the train or the bus, even if where I need to be is 2 miles from where I live.<br /><br />I don't worry much about getting lost while driving. Not only is there Mapquest or Google Maps, but I have a decent sense of direction, and usually once I find my way somewhere, I can get there again without any help. But I'm going to have to learn public transportation all over again, and I can totally see myself going the wrong way on the trains or hopping on the wrong bus. Thank God I'll be living in a centrally located area in Chicago, but it's still a bit unnerving!<br /><br />Plus, they make it such a pain in the butt to own a car out there. The whole "City of Chicago" sticker that is required of residents out there is just a money-making ploy. Parking for work downtown costs a ton. And just getting my license and registration transferred over is going to cost well over $100. But I doubt I'd get what I still owe on the car if I sold it, and I will not be paying for something I can't use!<br /><br />I will be looking for a new job shortly after I move out there. There are plenty of opportunities that look interesting, but we're going into a recession and that worries me a bit. In the best of times, companies aren't that great to potential employees. But we'll see. I'd like to get a job doing what I do now, but again, I'll have to see what's out there, and who is willing to take me on. Just getting an interview proves challenging when the economy is like this.<br /><br />My life has been one huge milestone after another since 2000, so this whole ordeal is just another one to add to the list. That's why I know I can do it, I know I WILL do it, even though my nerves sometimes try to overtake the excitement.<br /><br />Chicago-bound 2008! :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-57919531286196527552008-02-24T07:34:00.002-06:002008-02-24T07:34:58.587-06:00Moving!I've booked my ticket to Ohio to get Ronni moved out to Chicago next month. YYYAAAAYYYY!!!!!!Adam Selzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16068653440362135301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-29574892623118959412008-02-01T19:28:00.000-06:002008-02-01T19:59:33.504-06:00Not House HuntingAdam and I decided not to look for a new apartment for now. We weighed the pros and cons, and decided it made sense to stay where we are. My main concern was the idiot college boy neighbors, but I figure I have a few months to figure out how to put the fear of God into them so they won't be too loud and obnoxious.<br /><br />Because honestly, his current place has all we need. He's got it all customized. Crookshanks is there, and Lucy is welcome. It's nicely sized, and it has a dishwasher and central air. It has a bathtub as well. It's close to bus and train stops, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sip</span> is a 5 minute walk away, there are yummy restaurants around, a CVS nearby, and some street parking. If the obnoxious idiot with the big truck wouldn't HOG...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">So, we saved some money. And decided to seriously redecorate his current place. Okay, it was more like I planted the seed and as I hoped, he ran with it. :) He's really into decorating. Me? Not so much. He was so ready to set up a new place, so I told him to rearrange. He did. He'll have to do a lot more when I show up with my U-Haul of crap.<br /><br />So now that he's getting things set up, it's starting to feel a bit more real. There are still a few months before I actually move in, but every day brings me closer to that time.<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-27121398601406667422008-01-06T21:47:00.000-06:002008-01-06T22:01:07.775-06:00299Okay, so 299 is still a pretty big number, but when I checked the counter today and it said 299 days until your wedding, I panicked. Just a little. Not because I don't want to marry Adam, but because of all the PLANNING I have not done recently. So what did I do? I hopped over to theknot.com to check on the planner. Now I am down to 168 things I need to do. Most of it needs to wait until I get some extra cash. And I have not tried on one dress yet. For some reason, the wedding still seemed so far away, but seeing that first number go from a 3 to a 2 is kind of showing me that time is indeed moving. Pretty soon, <span style="font-style: italic;">serious</span> planning will have to take place. I have no idea what that means, but eeek.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lilrongal/2142125413/" title="Piggy Back! by LilRonGal, on Flickr"><img align="left" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2331/2142125413_a8299124c7_m.jpg" width="240" height="160" alt="Piggy Back!" border="0" /></a> Adam hung out with Aidan over the holidays, and that was a really fun, special time. All Adam had to do was play <span style="font-style: italic;">Alpha Butt</span> for Aidan to warm up to him, but Aidan had been warm to him anyway, and he gave Adam a hug the second he walked in the door. They played together very well, and Adam has a gentle way with Aidan that even I can't master completely. I don't know if it still kind of makes Adam nervous, the prospect of being a step-father, but I think he's going to be a great one. It helps that Aidan's such a great kid. :)<br /><br />So, on the one hand, it seems like AGES and AGES until the wedding. I'm ready to settle into life with Adam. I'm ready to not be alone all the time. I mean, it can't be healthy, how much I like being by myself. I often forget how nice it is to have someone around just to make random observations with, watch TV with, or to even bring me a cup of tea. <br /><br />But on the other hand, in terms of planning, it seems like it'll be here in a flash, and I'm not doing a damn thing about it. Eloping sometimes sounds like such a great idea, but I'm not selfish enough to do that, not when there are two families plus lots of friends who want to be there for when Adam and I tie the knot. <br /><br />So, I shall prevail in the planning. Whenever I actually resume planning. Which will be soon... I think. ;)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-85522948102374519442008-01-02T08:17:00.000-06:002008-01-02T08:22:18.973-06:00House hunting!We're now knee-deep in the process of finding a new apartment here in Chicago - I hope to meet with our leasing agent down at the landlord's office.<div><br /></div><div>I have looked at one nearly perfect place - it's about a block away from my current place, right across the street from an elementary school. It's slightly smaller than my current place, I think, but it has some definite benefits, including:</div><div><br /></div><div>- free electricity</div><div>- washer and dryer in unit</div><div>- storage space</div><div>- pantry</div><div>- lower rent than I currently have</div><div><br /></div><div>The big problem with it is that I'd have to wheel and deal a bit to get to move there, since it's a different landlord than I currently have (my lease isn't actually up til October), plus there's a month-and-a-half security deposit that might go up after the credit check. </div><div><br /></div><div>So here's hoping the landlord can find us a deal to match it!</div>Adam Selzerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16068653440362135301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-8572826992221737282007-12-04T21:04:00.000-06:002007-12-04T21:09:30.490-06:00In Sickness and In HealthOne hard thing about being in a long-distance relationship is when one of us gets sick, and the other can't be there. I was sooo sick Sunday night, and yesterday, and I felt so alone and I felt like crying because no one was there to hold me or rub my back. I can't wait until I don't have to be alone when I am sick anymore. And I can't wait until I can take care of him as well.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4193840153503459781.post-66299400046418424182007-11-25T19:37:00.000-06:002008-12-11T09:20:34.152-06:00Registered, New Family, Marriage<div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgv3uIRGB4wpfE_YvMQmd2fHnRy7vs181Ot4tMGlKT-iCx4jPkrtTbuVWfd0Z1VUx9I3QMQ0yPfoyMba6lo40f_w8zuL6ElQdFIaLeqsot3f0SUOrYQgfXDca4hcsoD5UBqZJYqVRP0g/s1600-h/IMG_3897.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136959913377627218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgv3uIRGB4wpfE_YvMQmd2fHnRy7vs181Ot4tMGlKT-iCx4jPkrtTbuVWfd0Z1VUx9I3QMQ0yPfoyMba6lo40f_w8zuL6ElQdFIaLeqsot3f0SUOrYQgfXDca4hcsoD5UBqZJYqVRP0g/s200/IMG_3897.JPG" border="0" /></a> Adam and I spent last week together, with his family, in Atlanta. We popped in to Target to do our first <a href="http://www.target.com/gp/registry/1BCQ6R88TLFTD" target="_blank">registry</a>. Good times. :)<br /><br /><div>We both had fun with the gun, even though it yelled at us from time to time. We tried to register for things that'll be around for a while there rather than seasonal stuff; the wedding is still almost a year away. What's challenging is that he and I both like fall colors, like oranges and browns and reds, and those are seasonal! </div><div><br /></div><div>Speaking of the wedding, I haven't done anything major with plans in a while. Well, I did pop into the Jessica McClintock store to peep at some of the dresses, but that's it. I'm not sure I should even be worrying about much until I move. It'll just be easier once I'm living in Chicago.</div><div><br /></div><div>But, we're registered at Target. At first, I thought about registering at least one more place—probably Bed, Bath & Beyond or Linens & Things, but we'll see.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_OJVOkA3tG4HEDiV52UlW2m4Cj3prtYKvzSSM8Ux3Zj6PspFkcvWKS6p0GlCbs3K5PRlsp7vfe8GH5ATtZ-QdhtOrhOPZ47M8S5dZdRS75R54KrzrJLhweRn2thqTT1__Tggm1I7vRo/s1600-h/IMG_3855.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5136963667179043954" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL_OJVOkA3tG4HEDiV52UlW2m4Cj3prtYKvzSSM8Ux3Zj6PspFkcvWKS6p0GlCbs3K5PRlsp7vfe8GH5ATtZ-QdhtOrhOPZ47M8S5dZdRS75R54KrzrJLhweRn2thqTT1__Tggm1I7vRo/s200/IMG_3855.JPG" border="0" /></a>I had a great time with the Selzers in Atlanta. We celebrated Thanksmas, which is a fun combination of Christmas and Thanksgiving. With Eli & Melissa in California, myself in Ohio, and Adam in Illinois, it's hard to travel a lot this time of year for both holidays. Sooooo, Adam's mom, Sharon, decided to combine the two holidays.</div><div><br />It was a lot of fun. Sharon had told me once that I really fit in with the family, and I really felt like it all last week. :) I hear these stories about in-laws not getting along and I feel fortunate that won't be a problem for me. I'm going to like being a Selzer.</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0