Sunday, November 30, 2008

end of the contest

So I really loved all your stories about the best thing you received in the mail. They all made me laugh and smile and I was glad to find that I'm not the only one who loves sending mail. Long live the US Postal System!

On that note, I decided that I couldn't possibly pick just one of you, so you all win! Keeping in the holiday spirit, I will send each of you who sent me a story a little love in the mail.

Comments are being moderated for this post, so please comment with your mailing address, so I can send your treats. I won't allow your address to show, but if you have something else to say, I may allow that to appear :)

Sunday, November 23, 2008

are you a little cold?

If so, go check this out...what a fun idea, eh?



Friday, November 21, 2008

my new penpal!

A couple of months ago, I posted about an organization called In2Books, where I had signed up to be a penpal with a child and discuss books that we'd read "together." By that, I mean that we are nowhere near each other, but read books at the same time, and then discuss them via online letters. Tonight I got my first "letter" from my penpal- his name is Therrion and his favorite food is shrimp :) I don't know what book we'll be reading yet, but I am really excited about it. If you didn't before, go take a look! It seems like such a neat project, and I am really excited about getting involved with it.

In that previous post, Sara asked what happened to real life penpals, which I think is a very good question. As you may have gathered from my contest, I am a HUGE letter writer. I lovelovelove finding mail in my mailbox that isn't a credit card bill (or a birthday card to a friend that was returned to me for having the incorrect zipcode....oooops!), and I love sending notes to others. When I was younger, I LOVED penpals and I had many. I remember when I was in 4th grade, there was a trip to Lithuania by a group of high school students and they brought back some addresses for students and I got one and had her as a penpal. Her name was Vera and I loved hearing about her life and how different it was from mine. Sadly, as it happens, we lost touch, but I think of her and credit her for my love of letter writing!

So yes, while email and blogs take over the world, I proudly remain a loyal supporter of the US Postal System!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

question du jour

Okay, so facebook again (clearly I spend too much time on there...)

So when someone pops up on my "people you may know" area, does that mean that I'm showing up on theirs as well? At the same time? Or is it totally random?

Just curious!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

gahhhh

Um, if you know anything about Italy's stance on GMOs with regards to the WTO and the US, feel free to send it my way.

I'm so not a European Councelor, ughhh.

you know you love me, xoxo

So I'm a bit behind with my tv (LOVE tivo!) and just watched Monday's Gossip Girl. Is it just me or is Jenny really, really awful? She's horrible, horrid, horrific and hateful.

Oh, and her hair? Even worse.

Barf.

musica?

I've recently decided that I really like Rascall Flatts. Does anyone listen to them? What's your favorite song?

ohhh facebook

I've been acquiring many new facebook friends, most of them from days long ago. This is the point of facebook though, is it not? I like the search aspect (oh admit it, you totally stalk people too, don't lie to me!)

I'm amused by the "people you may know" aspect. I wonder how, just because I might know someone who also knows that someone, facebook assumes I know them. Yes, sometimes facebook gets it right, but sometimes, um, no, not at all. Tonight I was searching my high school (which I found out today totally has a wikipedia entry!) and was searching my graduating class, then each before me. I found that the love of my freshman life is on facebook. He was a senior when I was a freshman, and I loved him like any young freshman girl loves that senior boy they never really talk to. Okay, we talked very occasionally, but that is another post for another day.

Tonight I noticed that we had one mutual friend. Curious was I, so I clicked to see who. It was a girl who was in my class, but I don't know if they spoke much more then I did. She had friended me very recently, just a couple of weeks ago and I don't think we've spoken since graduation. Again, the joys of facebook come full force. Still though, since a lot of new people are popping up on facebook every day, I am just waiting for the day when that love of my life pops up on my people I may know, via many mutual friends.

Then, the big question will be, to poke or not to poke....

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

in love

I've found a new love. It's called Better World Books. Go check it out.

They raise money to promote world literacy. They have book drives. They sell new and used books and the money is then sent to various organizations, including one of my personal favorites, Room to Read, which builds libraries in developing countries. They take donations of used books.

The best part? It was started by three college students who simply wanted to promote literacy.

I just purchased four books, two are used and two are new. The total for all four? $24.97. Shipping is free within the US and I had a code for 10% off my purchase.

If you ask nicely, I might just tell you that code too...

Go look, buy a book and help a child who needs it.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

a contest? yes please!

So I've seen other bloggers run contests...and I thought maybe I'd do the same....why not?

Here we go. As you may or may not, I am a big writer. As in, among other things, letters. I love writing letters and sending love notes to people far away from me in DC (ha, I rhymed!). I love coming home and finding something special in my mailbox. It makes the day brighter, I really do think. I spend a lot at Hallmark and I have a lot of stationary. A lot. A lot a lot a lot, like a whole lot. I don't have room to store it all.

So this is where you come in. Do you like mail? Really, who doesn't? This drawing will have two parts. You can enter one, or both, if you like, but there will be two winners. One will be a random drawing. One will not. For the second, I want you to tell me the best thing you ever received in the mail. It can be a love note from an ex (or current!) significant other. It can be a letter from a penpal or a long lost friend. It can be a surprise package or something totally adorable that you ordered from etsy (post pics!). In that one, I will pick my favorite story as the winner.

The prize? Some stationary and notecards! I'll send out a large assortment of fun stationary. It might be a few cards from Hallmark, Papyrus or elsewhere. You'll also get random pieces of stationary and fun envelopes and maybe even some stickers and other random surprises.

The contest will end a week from today- Sunday, 23 November at midnight (eastern time). I'll pick the winners Monday and let them know :)

Questions? Ask!

Now, tell me stories!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

I need a new project

Do you know how to knit? I think I want to learn.

I have a plan....

Monday, November 10, 2008

party this

How do you feel about in-home parties, ie, things such as Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Tupperware, Lia Sophia, etc?



Are you often invited to them by your friends? Do you go? Do you purchase anything? Do you find them annoying? Do you feel obligated to purchase something?



Me? I like them. I find them fun. I like learning about new products and trying new things. I don't seem to be invited to them often, but when I am, I usually go, assuming I can, and I often buy something, not out of obligation, but because I want to.



Tonight Steve and I went to a wine tasting party. I hadn't heard of this company, but we had a lot of fun. We tried a few new wines, had some munchies and met a few new people.

Always a good time.

We didn't purchase anything this time, but did sign up to host a party of our own. Want to come? :)

Sunday, November 9, 2008

food please

Hey all-

Yesterday I bought about a pound and a half of sliced roast beef- as in deli sliced. I had plans to make it for this asparagus appetizer, but it didn't work out (long story!), so now I have all but two slices of it. For some reason, I've never been especially wild about a sliced roast beef sandwich.

Can you suggest anything I might do with it? I thought maybe of heating it up with gravy and then some mashed potatos or something, but what else might work? Maybe some sort of pie? Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks!

Monday, November 3, 2008

sleepytime please

Why am I so tired? It's not even 7pm and I can barely keep my eyes open. I have pierogi cooking for dinner and I'm afraid I may not last long to eat them. Booo.

How was your weekend? Mine was pretty low-key. Steve was excited to hand out candy at the house, but we got two groups of kids. The first group had about 10 kids; of them, maybe three were in costume. An hour later, two more kids showed up...older though, maybe 8th or 9th grade, also not on costume. They were nice though, and commented on how nice the house is. Just for that, they got extra candy. Also, the less leftover and within my reach, the better.

Really though, what was up with the lack of costumes? Did anyone else experience this? What do you make of it? I always spent weeks contemplating my costume, changing my mind many times. My favorite? I was a pink crayon one year, in a costume made by my mother. I should find a picture...