What Goes Around, Comes Around

I'm in the middle of a quandary. My mom's brother has mostly absent from our lives, expect when one of his wives each took a brief interest in us. Now he's trying to make us feel bad about what to do with the remaining pieces of my Gram's life that he hasn't already hoarded for himself or given away to charity (without asking us first). His 3rd wife (he's been through all of them in my lifetime so that makes an average of 8.5 years/wife) took my Gram's ring and turned it into jewelery as soon as it couldn't be worn anymore.

I was lucky to get a lovely few pieces of storage furniture and lots of china. But now all of a sudden, I asked for some figurines and I have to send a letter to the estate lawyer. Geez, thanks a lot!

When my other Grandmother passed away about 14 years ago, my aunt went through her things and mailed us a lot of things both of sentimental and monetary value. She neither charged us nor made us sign a letter of receipt.

The stark contrast in these situations has made us all particularly confused about his intentions or lack thereof. I cannot say anymore because it gives power to an absurd situation that the estate lawyer can mesh out.

I just miss my Gram now more than ever!

Fake It 'Til You Make It

I had a very enlightening weekend in the domestic department. I hosted my third house party, this time pitching my new part-time gig, Tastefully Simple. I was a nervous wreck and finished setting up moments before my first guest arrived. She was an old friend and it was nice to start off with just her instead of a bunch of people at the same time. I learned that as a business owner, I'm better interacting one on one to close a deal. In fact, the business model I'm using pretty much requires it or else you could lose the sale in theory.

I did the clean up in stages, a little before and a little after dinner, while George and his friends chatted in my living room. Much to my surprise, I was not completely wiped out when the evening was done. I think it was because I'm as involved as I want to be in this job, I set my own hours, etc.

Yesterday, we took half the party area down and I counted out my sales, not too bad for 3 hours work.

Today, back at my day job, I found out one of my co-workers left my business card out and our nosiest co-worker inquired. Since I'm keeping this biz to myself from my boss, I just let them believe I'm a caterer on the side. I didn't want to explain that I'm in direct sales, not food service.

Cliques are Cliche

The closer the date of my high school reunion comes, the more I'm relieved that I cannot go. The notes are popping up on Facebook "are you going?" between my classmates. The class prez. reached out to me last week to find out and I politely said no. I do not want to "re connect" withpeople I frankly thought were stuck up and shallow. The friends I have from high school I keep tabs on via Facebook now but that's it.

In an interelated issue, apparently the national average age to tie the knot is 28. In an increasingly alarming frequency, wedding pictures are going up like a Trojan horse on Facebook. There's a lot of clevage, expensive floral arrangements, and an absurbly large amount of bridal attendants. These are the same girls who went to the prom at least three out of four years, with a different dress each time. They are marrying older men or at least guys that graduated ahead of us in h.s.


I've officially lost interest in reading the NYT's Vows column because I simply cannot take another sappy "how we met" story. Instead I make George recall in his own words what it took for him to ask me out. That's enough for me for a while. He's stuck with me, no refunds no exchanges. That's a whole of a lot cheaper and less stressful than joining this tidal wave of wedded bliss that I'm letting pass me by.


I am a "road not taken" girl, I don't follow trends- I'm a classic which means I will never go out of style and I do my best to follow the rules. For now that means thriving in dating bliss with George.

What am I looking forward to?

1. Carols in the Round: my 11th year and counting! Good times and a great way to get into the holiday spirit.

2. Making Thanksgiving dinner for my parents: I'm not making turkey but that's the way we like it.

3. Launching my TS business: The market is bad for jobs so you have to make up your own work these days it seems. I'm ear-marking the moola to pay off my windows. I really want to built my business enough to make this a year round gig and have more control over my working hours.

4. George's vacation: I don't know when he's going to get off of work but it better be soon! He REALLY is more than overdue for a break and I want him to enjoy it.

5. The 'Jamin's first Christmas: He's officially hit that curiosity stage of being a toddler. Yesterday he was found licking the pedals to my sister's piano and he likes to take the plastic covers off the floor vents. That can only mean one thing: wrapping paper madness ahead!