The Curtain and Pen

Nebraska Copywriting Services for Small Business

Blog

By

Dudes . . . What?

Dudes. I beg of you, please explain this to me. I don’t get it.

Why in the name of Gravy do you people want to sleep on the couch?

I’m not talking “random nap on the couch,” because those are generally great. I’m talking about bedtime on the couch. Not fully stretching out, not using a real bedtime pillow . . . sleeping on the couch. I just don’t get it.

This has been a recurring point of tension between Paul and me for a while now. I was just pretty sure that my husband had some weird couch-sleeping disorder that I was going to have to live with until the end of time . . . but every once in a while, Charlie proves to me that it’s either hereditary or something inherent to men.

This morning, I woke up to go running with my friend (didn’t go; I couldn’t find my other sports bra because I have to wear two and that’s just a dealbreaker for me), and about peed my pants at seeing Charlie sprawled out on the couch. He didn’t wake up and yell, “Mommy. Mommy! MOMMY!” . . . he got up, went to the couch, and fell back to sleep. I sat next to him, read my book for a while, then fell asleep myself. When we both woke up, I asked him why he had come out to sleep on the couch, fully expecting something about bad dreams or being cold. What he said was this:

“My bed was too comfy, Mom. So I came out to the couch.”

WHAT. IS GOING ON. IN YOUR BRAINS. DUDES?

Is this a dude-thing? Is this a male Bonk thing?

I’m serious, guys, please enlighten me.

By

Goals Again!

Our camera’s broken right now, so instead of posting a progress picture of myself in my new “reward shirt,” I’m posting a picture of me from college (about to start debating something, I think), because I look quite good in it and I’m feeling incredibly nostalgic about college this week.

You know, in the few times I’ve done “goals posts” in the past, I’ve always been pretty disappointed in myself when it came time to update . . . so I probably just didn’t update. This time, however, I’m trying to hold myself accountable.

Practically ten minutes after I posted that last post on goals, I went on a solo-trip with the kids. It was a family affair (which means plenty of deeeelicious, mayonnaise-coated salads . . . I’m not being sarcastic; I love mayonnaise), and Paul had to work, so I was by myself with the two kids. This meant that I didn’t have many opportunities to exercise . . . kind of. I’m sure I could have gone, but I just hated the thought of having Lucy scream her tiny, powerful, ear-splitting lungs out at someone for 30 straight minutes while someone else had to watch Charlie. ANYWAY, what this all amounts to is that I was a full week behind my friend in Couch 2 5k.

Now, if you’ve been with me for a few years, you’ll have probably noticed that I CANNOTFOR THE LIFE OF ME stick with an exercise program. That makes the fact that I ran extra that week to catch up to my friend kiiiind of a big deal. We are both now on the same page and are plowing through Week 5. Oh my goodness, get out of my face, Week 5.

Week 5 has been . . . rough. It’s teaching me that all or nothing isn’t always the right road to success. I tend to quit things that I feel I’ve already screwed up. For example, this program is an “8 week” program . . . but we’ve honestly been doing this for probably 8 weeks already, and we’re only technically on “Week 5.” Things come up, and some of the workouts are difficult enough for us that we decide to do them again before we move on. What I’ve decided, though, is that it all looks like exercise, regardless of what week we’re on, and that is nothing but good.

It’s all worth it, though. Since I started, I’m about 9 lbs down and feeling pretty good. Imostly fit into one pair of my non-maternity (you know, sometimes you just have to unbutton the top button in situations that call for it) jeans, and they look pretty darned great with the “Week 2 Reward” shirt I got a couple weeks ago. I’d show you a picture, but our camera broke. Boo.

After all this talk about immediate, physical goals, I think it’s a good idea for me to look ahead. I need to look waaaaaay into the future and carve out some goals for myself. Eventually, my kids will be in school and I don’t want to be caught with my pants down. Well, if they just happened to fall off because I went down a pant-size, that would be cool . . . but you know what I mean. I don’t want to be standing in my living room without a plan, wondering what the hell to do with myself. Here are 2 SUPER BIG goals.

Be Debt Free.
We drank the Dave Ramsey Kool-Aid a few years ago, and have been trying to stick with it ever since. Since we don’t really have the income right now to be tackling any debt snowballs, we’re simply trying to maintain. When Paul graduates and gets hired, though? We’re going to be Debt Ninjas. Jeeze, can you imagine not owing any money to anybody? Not even your parents? Some of you might be there already, but I’m not, and I’m hugely looking forward to it.

Go back to School.
Guys, sometimes I just want to close my eyes, snap my fingers, and find myself sitting in an uncomfortable little chair/desk combo, sipping on a latte, and listening to one of my favorite professors talk about a Victorian novel while simultaneously mesmerizing me with her light-up pumpkin earrings. I miss college like crazy. Even the pompous douchebags who talked in class just to hear the sound of their own voices. I want to listen to their stupid, arrogant voices and think about literature. If I’m going to be totally honest, I really don’t know what my end-game would be. Do I want to teach? Publish? I don’t know. All I know is that I miss English classes. A lot.

So, there. I updated. I’m not exactly where I’d like to be on all of my goals, but I’m working on them. So, in the spirit of forced accountability via the internet, what are your goals? Remember, if you put it on the interwebs, you have to achieve them, right?

By

Liebstah!

Erin over at E Custom Cardsnominated me for a Liebster Blogger Award! Thanks, lady! Erin’s got one of the most honest blogs around, and she also makes some suuuuuper cool custom cards.

I got nominated once before by another Erin, but was at a not-so-settled place in my life, and I wasn’t able to participate at the time, but this time I’m definitely going to do it!

What’s a Liebster Award? It’s an award passed around between up-and-coming (less than 200 readers) bloggers, and is a great way to build community. You get to find out more about your blogger friends, as well as spread the word about them. Here are the rules:

1. Choose 11 other up-and-coming bloggers and link to them in your Liebster post.
2. Answer the 11 questions the previous blogger set for you, then create 11 different ones for the bloggers you will choose.
3. Let those bloggers know you tagged them!
4. No tagging back to the person who nominated you!

Questions Erin asked me.

1. What is your earliest memory?
This is so foggy for me, but I vaguely remember a time in my Grandma and Grandpa Anderberg’s old house. I remember playing in a living room that was separated from the rest of the house by a sliding door. I don’t remember any details of the event, other than I think that our old dog, Arlo, was there? Maybe? Fuzzy.

2. What is your most embarrassing memory? – You can be vague if it’s TOOembarrassing!
One time I peed my pants in front of the whole class in 3rd grade when I was answering a math question on the board. A pretty good example of what my future social/math life-landscape was going to look like, now that I think about it.

3. What was or were your favorite childhood book(s)?
Small childhood? Mercer Mayer Little Critter Books. Elementary childhood? Fear Streetsby R. L. Stine. Hours . . . hundreds of thousands of hours of my elementary years were spent reading those books.

4. What is your favorite book to read to your kid(s) right now? Paul’s usually the one who reads to Charlie at night, but I love reading Peter Pan to him. Peter Pan became one of my favorites after I read it in college, and it’s so cute to hear Charlie OBSESS about the fairies.

5. Is there a movie you love and couldn’t or can’t wait to watch with your kid(s)?I’m soooo excited for Charlie to be mentally prepared for the Harry Potter series. Books first, of course, but I have grand images in my head of Harry Potter movie parties with Butterbeer and chocolate frogs!

6. If you had to choose a “uniform” to wear for the rest of your life a la Marge Simpson, what outfit would you choose? Perfectly fitting Jeans, striped t-shirt, cardigan. Spectacular haircut. Maybe a tiny little baby woodland creature to constantly sit on my shoulder and chitter adorably at me when I’m in a bad mood.

7. If a war broke out between the Smurfs and the Gummi Bears, who would win and why? If you are too young to answer this question insert your own beloved cartoon characters. I didn’t watch the Gummi Bears, but I’m pretty sure that Jem and the Holograms would come in and blast the Smurfs away with their 80’s-tastic musical prowess.

8. What is the first record/cassette/CD you remember purchasing by yourself?
I think I had to buy TLC’s CrazySexyCool because my dad REFUSED to pay for it.

9. Do you have a role model or unofficial mentor? Who is it and why? There is a small collection of women in my life who manage to create art (in its various shapes and forms) with reckless abandon, while still having a very fulfilling family life. This is most definitely one of my greatest goals.

10. Would you rather be wealthy and idle, or famous for a career you enjoy but financially struggling? I think if you talk to me after Paul is out of grad school, I might have a much more profound and dignified answer. Yeah . . . talk to me then.

11. Who is your favorite Baldwin (question submitted by my husband)? You know, I can’t help it, but the scene in Biodome when Stephen Baldwin is collecting cigarette butts to make an air filter, singing “Making a filter, MAAAAAKING A FILLLLTER!” really pushes him to the top for me. Also, I have the sense of humor of a 12 year old boy.

And now for my questions.

1. Did you like coffee the first time you tried it?*
2. Quick. Fast. Most beautiful celebrity ever. Male or female, I don’t care. Go.
3. Which book have you most enjoyed in the past 5 years? Why?
4. What is your favorite season of the year? Why?
5. Is there a blog that you read every day? Which one?
6. Milk chocolate or Dark chocolate?
7. Which cartoon did you watch the most when you were little?
8. If you could be any kitchen appliance, what would it be? Why?
9. How do you feel about the Oxford Comma?
10. If they made another Austin Powers movie, who would you choose as the newest leading lady?
11. Which are cuter, puppies or kittens? No saying “baby hedgehogs,” because obviously they would win.

And now for my nominations! If some of you actually have MORE than 200 followers, that’s awesome! Please correct me and I’ll choose someone else!

Meghann Chapman : My cousin; a beautiful dreamer and an elegant Southern dame.

In the Blink of a Blue Eye : One of my old college English buddies. She’s teaching, cooking, and loving life.

Ren Was Here: Lauren is amazingly good at balancing huge adventures with the minutiae of her daily grind.

Pieces of Me : One of my favorite favorite blogs. Danell is a very real lady who is inspirational and realistic. Just one of my favorites, plain and simple.

Newly Wed Newly Bred : Let me just say that this chick wrote the most hilarious review of a feminine hygiene product I have ever read in my life. She’s also a great photographer!

Finding Joy : Baker of delicious cupcakes, maker of adorable things, lover of life.

Goldiblog : Erin nominated me last year, and I wasn’t able to follow through. I greatly appreciated it, though, and wanted to pay it forward! Goldiblog is chock-full of dazzling event planning and great party ideas. Check it out!

Flies Over Nebraska : A blog about fly fishing, being a dad, and doing what you love.

Blue House Fotos : My FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHER EVAH. Seriously, so good.

Krafty Kash : This lady makes some awesome, crafty crafty stuff. She refurbishes things, makes awesome necklaces, and has an awesome family to support her. Did I say yet that she’s awesome?

The Wheeler Weekly : Brooke is an old friend, and may be borderline on the “less than 200 followers” rule. Why? Because she’s a lady of beautiful words, tasty recipes, and seriously helpful info. Also check out her blog “Finger Prickin’ Good;” a blog about living with juvenile diabetes.

Is that 11? I think it is. Thanks again to Erin for nominating me! I can’t wait to read everyone’s answers!

Update!
I can’t believe I forgot about one of my favorite blogs to read! Sheesh. Britni over atMoustaches on Strings is cool enough for me to break the rules and add a #12. Check her

By

Gooooooooooooaaaaallllll(s)!

I’ve got some goals up in here, kids.

. . . Was that offensive? That I referred to you guys as “kids?” One time a lady called me “young lady” at a speech meet I judged in college and I swear I got so pissed all of the liquid in my eyes evaporated and turned into steam. So . . . sorry about that.

Anyway, I’m just coming down from a shopping high, and I’m in a pretty good state of mind about these health-related goals I’ve set for myself. So, here they are.

 

Complete the Couch to 5k plan. For realskies. No, seriously, I’m serious.
I’ve started this plan a few times, and the furthest I got was the 5th week in this 8 week program. We were living in Lincoln, and Paul and I were running it together with Charlie in the stroller. After the 5th week, we moved away and never picked it up again. I’ve tried it a few other times and never gotten past a week and a half.
This time, I’ve started it with one of my spunky and beautiful friends. (Yeah, I’m talkin’ about you, lady.) We have officially finished Week 2, and we celebrated this afternoon with iced coffees and a shopping trip. We set out to buy one shirt that we felt good in, and we both met with success. I actually did a little dance in the dressing room when I put it on.

 

Get the ever-living hell out of these maternity clothes.
Full-panel pants when you’re pregnant? A very comfy miracle. Full-panel pants when you’re not pregnant and it’s summer time? About as much fun as wearing full-panel maternity pants in the summertime.

 

Fit into my NaNoWriMo T-Shirt.
So, I’ve got a fairly small frame and I usually order a small T-shirt, despite the size of certain assets that I possess. This time, however, the NaNoWriMo people meant business when they said “small.” There is no way I could fit into that shirt right now, but I earned the damn thing and I SHALL WEAR IT! I SHALL!

 

Please note that I’m not throwing out any goal-weights here. I do have a goal-weight in my mind, but it’s not really a huge priority. I swear you’re not going to find me mumbling to a stalk of celery in the closet and drinking my own tears. I just want to avoid the soul-crushing experience of having to go jeans shopping, which means that I need to fit into my old ones. I want to have more energy, and I don’t want to spend 25 minutes grumbling into my closet every time I want to go out somewhere.