Birthday, Love and Honor

Ah hmm, two weeks and a couple of days ago I celebrated a birthday. It wasn't a big one, per se, that is to say that I didn't just turn 21. Or 30 (what?) Or 35... so stop guessing. I really didn't want to do much. I mean, I wanted to hang out with Lefty and my birthday was (finally) on a Saturday, so relaxation and Ohio State Football was at the tippy top of my list. Lefty asked what I wanted to do and I left it up to him.

Originally we were going to go to the Penn State/OSU game. But Happy Valley was not cooperating. We could find tickets (but not sit together) and there was not one freaking hotel room available. I was not going to see a night game in PA and drive back to OH to sleep, no thanks. So I decided that maybe we should head on down to the most beautiful campus in all of colleges, my alma mater, Miami University. They had an afternoon football game (which I was not feeling that great about... our record is a little... lacking) and I knew that we would be done watching them play in time for the Buckeye game. Again, I left the details up to Lefty and waited for the weekend!

I had NO worries. I took Friday, the following Monday and Tuesday off work because HEY, It's my birthday!! And I didn't have to plan a hotel stay or anything like that. It was magical. So magical that I didn't even trip out when Lefty told me that we were staying in Indiana. I mean I raised my eyebrow, but I didn't say anything. Well, let me just say-- IT WAS AMAZING. Lefty found the CUTEST Bed & Breakfast just over the state border. While we did laugh about the fact that while driving you could totally tell when you crossed the state line back into Ohio because the roads improved (significantly) that drive was totally worth it. It was about 15 miles from the B&B to Oxford, so the drive was an easy one. More information on the inn can be found here... We stayed in the East Fork Room. Let me just say, if you get a chance to stay here, do it. The owner is amazing, the remodel done on the house is flawless and the small town feel is just what the doctor ordered for me. We will be back, for sure. Loved it.

The football game was second only to the lovely weather we had. It was family weekend in Oxford, so the college kids were more or less on their best behavior, saving me from wanting to slap the hell out of smart ass college kids. Win/win situation :) Our team won! Second win of the season and I was there to witness it... on my birthday! Amazing! We had hours to burn so we decided to head back to Brookville and do something daring. Something that we had never done before. Something I more than likely will never do again. But, start the new year of life off with a bang, right? We went back to BFE... and zip lined. In the DARK. What?!?! Listen, I'm no sissy with most things, but honey... no. Just no. I didn't do too bad, going down the MOUNTAIN that we were on, however, getting from the platform to the ground, was NOT one of my finer moments. I am okay with it.Without going into great detail about my possible *screaming* for the stairs to be brought to me, I will just say that the people at Skyward Adventures will not forget me anytime soon. And I am ok with that too.

It took me two weeks to recover, but I started off my new year with a bang! I wish every birthday started with a new (and sometimes exciting) adventure. What do y'all do for your birthdays? Anything as shocking as zip lining in the dark? Here are some pics of our weekend trip!

Love and Honor

Historic Black's Covered Bridge in Oxford

Getting some Vitamin D at the game- What a Beautiful Day!

Lefty practicing in the dark. Zip lining is not for the faint of heart. 

Brookville Lake, Indiana

Tis The Season for…

Hello capitalism and those who love it! Tis the season for you to go out and buy a whole bunch of shit you don't need, so you can seem just a little cooler to people who don't (shouldn't) matter! Oh happy day! There are deals to be had! There will be small lines (woo hoo) and most things are on sale (supposedly). And hey, if you get the shopping done on Thursday, there will be less pressure when you are out shopping it up on Black Friday, right?

And you know what my vote is? Get your asses out there and shop it up!! I see all this fake concern on social media about stores opening on Thanksgiving. How we need to "keep family traditions" and not feed into the hype. Listen, get your asses in line!! No one was talking this Thanksgiving shit when the iPhone 5 came out. (BTW- why do people still stand in line for shit like that?) Get out there! Help strengthen the economy! Shop before, after and possibly while eating your turkey dinner. Get to the stores and buy your limit of deals under $100 and find a place to hide that shit so your bad ass kids don't find it before Christmas.

I don't care if you want to shop on Thanksgiving. And truthfully, no one else does either. They just want to raise some hell about something… anything. And if they do truly care about what you do on designated holidays (that you are not celebrating with them, in their home, with their families), then… I'm not going to say they are stupid, but those would NOT be the people I would look to for smart advice. The truth is that not everyone HAS family traditions that they participate in every Thanksgiving/holiday season. There are some people with NO family. There are some people (actually some people that I know) who think that Thanksgiving is just another day, and they don't celebrate. And that number is seemingly on the rise. I mean, the stores aren't just opening for one person. There has to be an economic win for stores to one on a holiday, pay people holiday pay wages and stock the store. Someone is going to show up.

And if that someone is not you-- don't worry about what other people are doing. It is not stopping your show. It is not stopping your family get together. It is not stopping the thousands of fake smiles and "yes, we should get together more often" conversations. Is it? No. You won't be on this high and mighty horse when you are opening presents on Christmas, or pushing old ladies out of the way on Black Friday. You definitely won't be saying that at around 6:00 on Thanksgiving evening when your family members are getting on your nerves so you leave to go to the movie theater, right? So you go right on ahead and enjoy your gluttonous holiday, celebrating the stealing of land; the downfall of the Native Americans; the original sin, as it were, on these shores of America. Now, how does it feel, Debbie Downer? Let those people shop if they want to!!

I, for one, will be hanging out with the Hot, Black and Bitter family and Lefty's family throughout the whole weekend. I will be laughing, taking pictures of my food and drinking more than I should. I will have on elastic waistband pants and an extra large t-shirt and I will fall in love with every piece of pie, every bit of my mashed potatoes and gravy and every forkful of my momma's macaroni and cheese. (Don't you judge me-- my mom makes the best Mac and Cheese around… and no, I will NOT be sharing). I will be thoroughly content and too busy (and thankful) to sit around judging people for not celebrating like I do. Whatever it is that you do during this season… do it and have a blast!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

You'll Take Happy Holidays... And Like It!

Lefty and I have been traveling fools lately. We have spent the holiday season all over the Midwest (Ohio, Chicago, Green Bay). I have some fun posts about eating because we enjoyed some fabulous food in the last couple of months, but that is not what this post is about.

Picture this: Chicago, the day after Christmas. Less than a dusting of snow on the ground, but the winds were blustery. I do mean that they were bowl you over on the street strong. Wow. And guess who forgot her gloves in Columbus? Yep, they were doing me all kinds of good in Columbus. Duh. So, Lefty and I set out from our hotel to do some glove shopping on State Street. We couldn't find scarves and gloves in Macy's -- and what the fuck was that about?! We asked employees and still could NOT find them. Customer Service sucks at that store. Anyway, we made our way to TJMaxx, found some gloves and stood in a forever line to check out. When we were called to a register, we passed someone who was done and this is the conversation that took place.

Cashier: "Here is your change and receipt, thank you and Happy Holidays!"

Customer: "Um, Christmas is over."

And he walks out.

Now, I don't know if this man was brought up in a barn or not, but I was taught that when someone says something nice to you, you respond with "thank you." What the hell? I actually had to unfriend more than a few pages and people on facebook because their biggest gripe wasn't about the fiscal cliff we just averted, the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary or ending the war in Afghanistan, bringing home troops, finding a cure for cancer... Nope, their biggest complaint was that the holiday card that was sent out by the White House didn't have a Christmas tree on it. Bitch, please find your life. Let me let you all in on a little secret that I was hoping I would never have to type because people should REALLY just know: Um, the United States of America is NOT a Christian nation. Everyone who lives here does not go to a Christian church on Sundays. Christmas is NOT the only holiday celebrated during this "holiday season." You really seem like a jackass when you are unable to meet a nice gesture with a thank you.

I mean, have we devolved into this? Whatever holiday season you celebrate (or if you don't celebrate at all) would it kill you to be nice? I mean, think about that... and who it is coming from. I have perfected being mean and tactless and even I was bothered by the egotistical, Christian centered behavior that I observed last month, especially. Would it kill you to take a "Happy Holidays" without bitching about how politically correct life has become? How about a "thank you" or "same to you"?? How about thinking: "wow, that was nice for this person to take the time out of their day to say something nice to me"?? There is no rule stating that everyone has to celebrate the same. Some of us need to resolve not to be walking dicks this year... and for the first time, that I can remember... that group does not include me.

Happy (all) Holidays!

Happy New Year- make it count!