We had an idea that Halloween was going to be a little crazy in our neighborhood for two main reasons:

1.) The Greater Columbus Area staggered their Trick-or-Treat nights depending on the city or township. A lot of cities had it on Thursday, we had ours on Halloween proper. So, to optimize their candy collection, many families trickled into the other areas to Trick-or-Treat more than once.

2.) Our neighborhood….is decked out in decorations. I’ve seen neighborhoods with pumpkins and maybe some yard decorations before, but in our neighborhood it’s probably an average of every other house that has pumpkins, lights, decorations, and in some cases fog machines or strobe lights. It’s just really fun and they have a good time with it.

So, keeping this in mind, we went out and bought a lot of candy to pass out to the kids. Trick-or-Treat was from 6:00-8:00…we ran out around 7:15 and had to retreat inside.

The good news about Halloween is that the kids were very polite (with the exception of one that requested strawberry Laffy Taffy– which I didn’t have– and one Hermione that told me I didn’t give her what she wanted.) But, for the most part, they said “Trick-or-Treat“, “Thank You“, and some even told us to have a good night!

The other good news is that Liam was a little gent with all of the little kids that wanted to pet his head. He was a little skittish at first, but then he would just sit there and let them pet him. He was a big hit in his little red shirt that said his name on one side and, “Bad to the Bone” on the other. I wanted to get him a Halloween shirt, but we waited too long and ended up not getting one after all. I don’t really want to dress him up to the point where he has a lot of clothes, but a seasonal shirt or collar isn’t bad! But…to be fair and to give credit where it’s rightfully due, his little shirt was in no way as awesome as Lisa’s (Condo Blues) creativity of making Blitzkrieg into the Balloon Boy.

All in all, it was a good evening…even if we had to retreat a little bit earlier and watch Ghost Hunters for the rest of the evening. I hope that you all had a really wonderful Halloween and if you had the chance to dress up, hope you had fun!

Here’s to being festive and combating tidal waves of polite children by giving them good candy!

-M.

There really isn’t much of an entry here because there’s so much going on that there’s really no way for me to put it all into words. It went from Brett’s car being broken into on his birthday and the only thing they took was a “wiring harness” (left everything else) to a man at our family garage sale asking me if we had any guns for sale (followed up by him telling me, “people don’t know what to do with them“), and then ending with even more unpleasant surprises today that I can’t really go into. And realizing now that I should’ve flexed for the garage sale patron who was asking about guns.

Lately, I’ve been focusing on listening to my “happy songs” to keep me optimistic. As I’ve said before, while I stick to indie and alternative rock, I have eclectic taste in music. This can be seen in my happy song for today, “Roll With the Changes” by REO Speedwagon. Anytime REO comes on the radio, I rock out– this is also true for Bob Seger. So, ladies and gents– rock on and be merry!

So, because you kind people have brought so much happiness to my life…let’s have a happy moment. Pick a question or questions and tell me all about it.

Has anything funny happened to you recently, if so, what? What’s the best advice you’ve received about what to do when the going gets rough? When you’re down, what is the one thing that can always make you smile? And lastly, what’s your “happy song”?

Here’s to not getting all of us down about the crapola in our lives, but rather celebrating the happiness!

-M.

Excuse the quality of this photo and if you can’t make it out…it is one shiny, gold ballet flat. So shiny that the camera on my phone even made it look like it was glowing (and I had to pretend like I was sending a text message rather than taking a picture of her foot). I can pick my battles, ladies and gents, and this one I just had to pass. Even with my shaky legged antics, this just took the cake. I thought that a black boot was distracting; I was proven wrong.

But here’s where the journey ends and the moral of the story is produced: this whole entire situation, no matter how annoying it was at times, has left me with a smile on my face. You can ask nicely for people to change a habit, but it won’t change over night and you can’t expect people who don’t know you to stop something that they aren’t even aware that they’re doing.

It did play out like a movie today, though. I wasn’t really paying any attention until she sat down and she had her bag in front of her feet. Then, she crossed her legs and showed off those goldies and then I just had to shake my head (and of course, take a picture).

All in all, lesson learned and unless we are in a situation where I simply can’t stand it…she can tap-tap-tap away. I mean, hell, she’s really good at it and I’ve even started to learn how to zone it out — a life lesson learned!

Here’s to conquering our annoyances by waving a white flag at some shiny ballet flats!

-M.

I am an incredibly extroverted person by nature, but when it comes to the classroom– I put on my “thinking cap” and my personality takes a backseat. I look at college like a job and thus when I’m in the classroom I am very focused and quiet, it’s just how I operate.

Now onto the point of all of this! The current bane of my existence is this dame in one of my classes that has a very annoying habit that drives me crazy– she is a constant, consistent leg tapper.

I’m sure a lot of you do this, but seriously– this girl would destroy you in a leg tapping constant anytime, any day, any place. The lecture is 2.5 hours long and throughout the entire class…she’s tapping. The same beat. Over and over again.

Now, because it’s a large lecture hall, I have moved to a different seat…and she has followed me. It’s not like she talks to me and I don’t even know the girl, but I’ve already decided if she sits next to me during an exam I will get up and move because yes- it drives me that crazy.

One reason it bothers me so much is that our seats are connected and when she’s shaking like that, it’s shaking all of us. We should be able to take a vote or set a limit on her shaking as we’re all an equal part of it. The other thing that bothers me is the motion out of the corner of my eye. When I’m focused, I have my blinders on, but seriously…it distracts me.

It doesn’t help that I have an anxiety disorder and combining that with the stress of the class makes a situation that would be moderately annoying– very annoying to me. I’ve been tempted to drop off a Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) brochure on her desk before class. I’m not even trying to be mean about it, I seriously think she could have it. “People combat the sensation of restless legs in a number of ways– by stretching, jiggling their legs, pacing the floor, exercising or walking. This compelling desire to move is what gives restless legs syndrome its name.”

If it was RLS, that would explain her need to constantly do it, but as for now…there seems to be no reason other than she’s bored. And in a complex theory class it’s just one of those distractions that I can’t avoid no matter how many times I move my seat. 

Have you ever had to sit next to someone that had a habit that drove you up the wall? What was it and how did you deal with it?

Here’s to impressing ourselves with our personal coping skills when people are unknowingly driving you nuts!

-M.

Our game plan has been solid: find at least three new recipes to try a week and allow ourselves only one night a week to eat out. We’ve gotten it down to a science with a Menu of the Week and Grocery Shopping List template that we use every week– we are hardcore. We pick the recipes and then we sit down together and go through it to add all of the ingredients to the list, starting with “vegetables” and running through all of the recipes to make sure we have them all marked down. Then, we add our basic essentials and other food items and off to the store we go (with coupons, too)!

Two websites have been extraordinarily helpful in our quest with the first being the Food Network’s Official Website.  I would recommend anyone interested in cooking to truly explore this website. Search for dishes that you’re curious to try and then look at some of their suggested favorites. Here are some of my favorites: Rachael Ray’s Stretch a Buck Turkey and Bean Burrito Burger, Ina’s Turkey Lasagna, and Robin Miller’s Vegetarian Chili.

The second source of yummy goodness is the EatingWell website and actually, the Food Network website uses quite a few of their recipes. The thing that I love about this website over other “healthy food” websites is that the food actually tastes really good while being good for you. So search around on this website, too, and especially look into some of their suggested recipes!

Brett continues to amaze me as he masters these recipes and delivers delectable dishes. Obviously, there are many things that I love about him, but one of the things that I adore about him is his willingness to try new things and his eagerness to learn. All in all, he has proven to me that yes, real men cook.

Here’s to trying new things, cooking yummy food and actually saving money by eating at home!

-M.

I am in the fall spirit! But this list isn’t dedicated to my favorite fall things, but just in case you were wondering…1.) pumpkin spice latte, 2.) Pier 1’s Harvest Spice candle, 3.) Cable knit scarves, 4.) Fall TV Season Premiers and 5.) hardy mums.

1 Shark Tank:

Normally, I hate talking business. In fact, that was why I got out of the business major…right after I completed three levels of business calculus that I ended up not even needing. All of that aside– ABC’s Shark Tank is smart. “The series stars five “Sharks” (multi-millionaire business tycoons) who hear investment proposals from entrepreneurs  and consider whether to invest in the businesses.” If the Sharks want in, they will make an offer. If multiple Sharks want in…then it gets interesting. It’s a little complex, but very easy to get into. Do you watch?

2 Writing Letters:

I’ve said it before and I will say it again– I love writing letters. Notice that I said writing…not typing. Sure, I’ll send an e-mail to say hello, but I prefer writing out a letter on pretty stationery or a nice card– it’s much more sentimental. Having said that, I have been writing more letters than usual because it makes me happy. I’m encouraging everyone to send someone “Happy Mail” — so do it! Check out those cute “Paint Your Own Greeting Cards” from Uncommon Goods. Love it!

3 The Shins:

If you haven’t heard of The Shins– you are officially missing out. They happen to be one of my favorite bands of all time ever. They’re just talented, normal guys and apparently to some knuckleheads, that’s a little off-putting. Let me tell you, I was put-off by the amount of comments on Youtube that said these guys needed “image consultants”…Are you kidding me? Listen to the music and then listen to more and enjoy their personality. I’ve been listening to them a lot lately since they provide a great soundtrack for chilling out and/or studying. The song: “Australia”

4 Panera:

With the recent move we are now very close to a Panera and it reminded me of how much that I love it. I always associate Panera with classical music because that’s what they play in their restaurants and it’s the perfect complement to the food, which is classy and affordable. I have been getting the Mediterranean Veggie Sandwich on Tomato Basil Bread and it’s delicious. We recently tried their Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich and it was so yummy. Mm…I am just getting really hungry talking about all of this! Hoorah for Panera!

5 Under the Radar:

I love this magazine and after the first time I read it a couple of years ago, I immediately subscribed to it. Basically, this is a one-of-a-kind indie rock magazine that gives interviews, reviews and other interesting information about the indie bands on (and off) the scene. One very cool thing is that they send a music sampler with each magazine and then they feature the artists from the sampler in their magazine; it’s a great way to find out about new music! Check out their website and maybe pick up a magazine next time you’re at a book store.

So that’s what’s going on with me so far this month. There’s actually a lot more than just my kicks…one big thing– Brett’s birthday! His birthday is Oct.9th, which is a Friday, and we have a jam-packed weekend to celebrate with our family and friends. Yay for Brett! Happy Early Birthday!

What’s going on with you guys? Anything fun and exciting for October?

Here’s to having a wonderful and exciting October…and trying very hard not to eat all of the candy before the trick-and-treaters come around!

-M.

So, of course there is a reason that I am telling you all of this– I scored a booya bargain!! It went like this: I finally figured out what I want to do with the design of our upstairs bathroom and I have found the perfect shower curtain (from Macy’s) and towels to match the shower curtain (also from Macy’s). While I don’t mind the price of the shower curtain, the towels were a bit much, especially because they are “decorative towels” that just look pretty on the towel rod that we don’t actually use.

These Macy’s towels are a part of the Hotel Collection meaning ultra lux and extra fluff. These are the Hotel Collection “Microcotton Border” Towels and they look (and feel) heavenly. The price, however, is out of this world and not in a good way! I needed a total of four towels: two bath and two hand. For these towels, this would cost me a whopping total of $90.00! In fact, one bath towel on it’s own is $25.00. I just couldn’t bring myself to buy them at that price. So, I bookmarked the page and checked for a sale every single day. They would go on sale, but just $5.00 off making them still $70.00 at the sale price. But then…it happened, my booya bargain.

It actually didn’t happen at Macy’s, rather the magic was made at Kohl’s. I was simply just searching around for whatever, clicked into the towels– and behold! I found a similar towel that would absolutely do the trick and the best part, the booya part, it was half the price of one Macy’s towel and then they were having a Buy One Get One Half Off sale! So, basically, I paid only three dollars more than the price of one Macy’s towel for all four towels that I wanted. Sure, the picture isn’t as glamorous as the Macy’s set-up and the towel doesn’t look nearly as lux or plush, but it’s a good towel and it serves it’s purpose well…and saves me from feeling any sort of buyer’s remorse!

So that’s my wonderful story about how I managed to save around $60 on some towels for the home. I am pleased with my purchase, obviously so much in fact that I have decided to tell you all about it! Here’s your time to inspire me with tales of savings, deals and wahoo moments:

What is the best “booya bargain” that you’ve scored? Would you consider yourself to be a bargain shopper (or even hunter) and what do you think is the best way to find a great deal?

Here’s to being loud and proud about my money saving accomplishment that has brought a little more style to my bathroom in the process!

-M.

It seems simple enough though, right? Just get a basic table with chairs and call it a day. Unfortunately, there are a lot of factors that go into the process– especially when I am the one doing the searching. I can narrow it down to three things that I am taking into consideration:

• measurements, we are working with a small amount of space in the dining area.
• staying power, just because it works in this condo doesn’t mean it will work in the next, so I’m taking it’s longevity into consideration.
• design, I am an interior-nut and if I get a table that I only sort of like then there is a distinct possibility I will hate it in a month and even the idea of looking at it will piss me off. The severity of the last issue is something I’m working on, but it’s me….and it’s what I do.

An issue that we keep running into is that with modern furniture you are often times compromising comfort for sleek design and a “wow” factor. This is problematic because we like to have people over and want our guests to want to like sitting in our chairs.

Another issue has been the limitations of the chairs. Take for example this Pulp Chair (featured left) which I instantly fell in love with and was even more mesmerized when I discovered the chair is actually made out of handwoven, paper rattan fiber. Paper chairs?! Hell yes…but then wait. What exactly is the weight limit on these chairs? We’re friends with a lot of people of different sizes and I wanted to make sure that these chairs would be suitable for all of our guests. Weight limit: 200 lbs. max. …next.

The search is still on and every time I think that we’ve found “the one” there is a flaw that is significant enough to make us think again. I realize that there probably isn’t a perfect fit out there down to the last detail, but I also know that there are flaws that I can live with and ones that I cannot– so the hunt continues.

Here’s to exploring the depths of the internet in search of the perfect dining room table and chairs. Wish me luck!

-M.

The truth of the matter is that I have always been a cat person, Persian cats to be exact. But it occurred to me the other day that I’ve never really had a normal pet owning experience. What I mean by that is I’ve never had a pet for the entire duration of it’s life. We unfortunately had to give up our pets for one reason or another (mainly complex family matters) and I’ve never been able to have an animal for a long period of time. The one cat that I had the longest, Chloe, we only had for three years before we gave her to some friends of the family. So…having Liam for the long run is still very new to me.

The reality of truly owning my own pet kicked in as we were kneeling over Liam with a treat in our hand, patiently and persistently asking him to, “sit, down, stay” and then rewarding him and giving him lots of love. Yes, training is a pain, but a necessary one and already I’ve seen the improvements in his behavior.

Actually, CBS Sunday Morning recently aired an editorial by Bill Geist about this exact thing! I was so happy to watch it and even happier to see that they had it available online for our viewing pleasure. Enjoy!

It’s crazy how fast they grow up and how quickly they become such a big part of your family. I can definitely see strong evidence that proves what researchers have been saying for so long about pets being a great stress reliever. Having Liam has encouraged us to take more walks and play a lot more.

Here’s to loving our fuzzy little friends who are consistently so excited everytime you come home that it simply has to bring a smile to your face!

-M.

So if you’re curious about the top names of your birth year, check out the Social Security Administration website where you can see the Top Ten Names for 2008 and you can also search to see Popular Names by Birth Year and also the Popularity of a Name, which lets you see how the popularity of a name has changed over time. In the last thirty years, my name has only picked up popularity (and almost made it onto the top 20 list) in 1997 where it was ranked as the 22nd most popular name!

Another component about your name is it’s meaning. I always think that it’s interesting how certain cultures have special meaning behind their names. The meaning behind my name…hm, well, here’s the meaning behind my name, Brett’s name, and Liam’s name! You can check out the meaning behind your name (according to this website) by checking it out: name-meanings.com. This website will give you a short answer, generally just a word or two, but it’s still interesting! You can also check out this website, which is actually a baby names website that helps parents pick the perfect name.

I’ve been told that my name is another name for a horse and I actually had a book growing up titled Misty Morgan by Stephen Cosgrove that was about a magical unicorn named Morgan– and I loved it. I also read on the Baby Names website that it can mean “bright sea” — “From the Old Welsh masculine name Morcant, which is derived from Welsh mor (sea) or mawr (great), and can (bright, white) or cant (circle, completion).” Too bad I’m not really fond of the sea, but my name? Yep, I love it.

Brett actually knew the meaning of his name before I told him and his understanding matched up with this website, “British”. So, is Brett really British? He’s British and French, actually, almost equal parts. Interesting!

Liam is actually a derivative of the name “William” which we learned a few months after we named him. In Hebrew, the name means, “my people”. I think it’s cute that his meaning is “determined guardian”, except he’s really nothing like a guard dog. He’s just my little snuggle buddy.

There really are only a few downfalls to my name with probably the biggest being that a lot of people call me “Megan” and it drives me crazy. There is a definite “r” in my name and while I realize Megan is more popular than Morgan, don’t be lazy and just say the damn “r”, argh! I would say another is that I get a lot of mail delivered to Mr. Howard Morgan…given the fact that I have a masculine name (both first and last), the two names seem to be interchangeable and belonging to a man most of the time. But, all in all, I do love my name and applaud my parents for picking a good one!

So what about you guys?

What does your name mean and does it match up to what you originally thought it meant? Do you have any cool stories about why you’re named the name you have? How do you feel about your name?

Here’s to celebrating all of the aspects that make us unique, especially the identifying factor of our names!

-M.

But, now that I have some free time, I haven’t the slightest clue what to write. Really, during the day I write down a list of things that I could potentially write about, but then when I get home I think to myself, “what the hell was I thinking?” I even do this in my sleep! I will wake up in the middle of the night because I was “semi-dreaming” about a really great writing topic, so I’ll jot it down in the notebook I keep at the side of my bed and then when I wake up..I’m just really confused. It reminds me of that great Seinfeld episode when Jerry wrote down a great joke in his sleep and can’t figure it out the next day.

So rather than just sort of rambling in an effort to get some blog-vibes going, I’m going to put 10 seemingly random thoughts into a list and go from there.  Here we go.

3 September kicks off our “at least one birthday a month” stretch; it goes from the beginning of September to March! Put that with the holidays and there’s quite a bit to celebrate.

10 I have had more Pumpkin Spice Latte’s from Starbucks than I care to share and it’s not even October yet.

And that’s all. I actually enjoy doing this because it frees my mind of all of the floating thoughts and ideas that are lingering around in there and supplies me with a post to share with everyone. Sure, it’s lacking proper subject material, but it does help the overall thought process (and there are some talking points in there, too!) So, I promise I will get a real post up here shortly. I’m shooting for two a week!

Until then…

Here’s to just sitting down and writing and hoping for the best as far as the outcome is concerned, even if it’s not technically subject matter to begin with!

-M.

Now, onto the purpose of the blog– my kicks for September. I have a lot of things that I’m kicking this month, but I’m going to stick to the traditional five set up, so away we go!

1 Project Runway (on Lifetime):

It’sssss baaaack! The show that features talented designers whipping up gorgeous clothes in a matter of hours is back in our lives…and on Lifetime. I’m glad that the set-up is pretty much the same as it was on Bravo. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but I’m glad that I didn’t get any surprises. Here’s my beef: none of my favorite designs have won so far and the show is kind of, hm, boring? The challenges are more interesting, but there aren’t any big personalities this season (like Jay, Christian, Santino, etc.). I’m hoping that it keeps me entertained enough to keep watching this season, yawn. But! I am glad it’s back.

2 Quotable Cards:

I don’t really know how long the average life span for a greeting card is, but I’d say probably a week or so and then store it or toss it; well, unless it’s a Christmas card and then I think it stays out a bit longer. Anyway, the point is– it is quite the accomplishment to give a greeting card that stays out on permanent display. These Quotable Cards are the first cards that I’ve given that remain on display while being featured in cubicles, refrigerators, cork boards, etc. It’s a simple concept; take a great quote, add a simple design, and you have a great card. The website features a variety of quotes on mugs, journals, and of course– cards. And to make it even better, the cards are a great price! Go check them out: quotablecards.com.

3 Marcella’s Ristorante:

Mm…one of my kicks this month has been Italian food. Not that I couldn’t go for Italian food all of the time, but it has been the preferred cuisine this month. One of my favorite Italian restaurants is Marcella’s, a Cameron Mitchell Restaurant, located in the Short North Arts District in downtown Columbus. Holy mackerel, is this place good. The setting is reminiscent of an authentic Italian cucina; close tables, dimly lit, and a stack of small plates to share the food. From the delicious Parma Prosciutto Bruschetta to the delectable Penne Alla Arrabiatta– it’s all wonderful. Definitely a recent addition to our regular restaurants!

4 Arcade Fire:

Now here’s a band that is way overdue for a new album. Dear Arcade Fire: please oh please get all 1,000 of you together to do another album! Okay, so there aren’t a thousand members…but there are quite a few. There’s the husband/wife duo of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne and then a lot of other members who play everything from the guitar to the hurdy gurdy. They are simply wonderful and I hope to see them someday. Until then, here’s one of their songs off of their album Neon Bible titled, “Keep the Car Running“. Enjoy! (p.s.: no video, just a picture, but it was the best sound quality).

5 Petco:

We are so happy to report that Liam will be starting Puppy Kindergarten next week on Tuesday, hoorah! We are excited because we’ve been meaning to sign him up for quite some time, but haven’t had the time and now we’re making time to get him trained. I’ve been kickin’ Petco ever since we got the little rascal, but we had one special trip last week that made me realize how great they are. While we were signing Li up, the manager came over to answer some questions and he was so helpful. He even did a quick training with Liam and taught him how to sit and stay in a matter of minutes! He was so nice that I wrote corporate to let them know about my positive experience. Petco is also great for their P.A.L.S program which sends you coupons and you earn points towards a free bag of food or a free grooming. Check out their website and if you have a pet and have a store by you, stop in!

So there you have it! My kicks for the Snazzy month of September! I hope that you all have a wonderful month and enjoy the last of the summer weather and get ready for fall. Oh and in case you were wondering…I’ve realized something about my coupon usage: I stick to the store and restaurant coupons and they do save you a bit of money! I’ve really studied this to see if it is a better deal and it is in the end, even though most of the time you’re only saving a dollar at a time. So– I will continue to hold onto these coupons and use them wisely.

Talk to me, sugars. Let me know what’s going on with ya!

What do you have going on this month, anything exciting? Do you live in a place where you get a “fall season” and what’s your favorite thing about fall, if anything?

Here’s to having a great month filled with lots of laughs and good times, oh– and caramel apples!

-M.

My biggest issue with coupons is remembering to use them and of course, they all expire. My mom used to have a coupon holder that she’d bring to the store and she would make sure that her grocery lists corresponded with the coupon she had (i.e.: instead of just putting cereal, she’d put the brand). But believe it or not, my overly-organized ass just can’t seem to get the hang of it. I’m getting better, though, especially now that I’m really getting serious about grocery shopping.

When I first moved out on my own, I was a living-single vegetarian so grocery shopping was a piece of cake. It has since gotten a lot more complex after I moved in with my “foodie” boyfriend and also after I realized how much more affordable (and healthy) it is to take the time to prepare meals at home.

So now, I am going to make a valiant effort to save some money on all of my shopping expenses by using coupons when I can. Because really, why not? I’ve always used the Bed Bath & Beyond coupons for 20% off that they send you in the mail and I have a designated “discount card pouch” that I carry around because they were getting to be excessive in my wallet, so now I just have to throw some manufacturer coupons into the mix and see if it really does save you anything (without having to buy a ton of items in bulk for a household of two people).

Now is the time to get some valuable input from you dear, sweet people…share the goods!

Do you use coupons and what’s your opinion on their value? Do you really save anything in the end or is it just a clever way to get you to buy more for a small percentage off the cost?

Here’s to attempting to save a little bit more each month by clipping some coupons and actually using them!

-M.

The point, and inspiration for the title, happens to be the thing that I hate the most about phones– a small tiny detail…a personalized voicemail greeting. Now, to just come out and tell you where the title came from: I spent roughly ten minutes recording and then re-recording my voicemail message this afternoon to get it perfect. Five times later, fifth time is a charm, I had one that worked…or I was just so tired of saying the same damn thing over and over again that I made it work, I’m not sure which one yet.

Sure, I could do the automated option where the creepy robot voice takes what seems like an hour to go through the phone number to tell the caller I’m not there, or…record my name and have it slapped into a prerecorded statement. But unfortunately, that’s just not me. So I opted again, as I always have, for the “personalized greeting”.

Generally, I stick with the traditional set-up:

“Hi, this is Morgan. Sorry I missed your call, but please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!”

The issue was– well, there were a lot of issues. First, my phone died in the second recording after I flubbed half way through and managed to save, “Hi, this is Morgan. Sorry I….BLAHHHHH”. Secondly, I was going too fast like I was nervous I’d be out of time or something. Lastly, I was having a hard time ending it when I finally realized that “thanks” was suitable.

I think all of the pressure comes from growing up in a family that would record very clever voicemail messages. The Three Ladies (momma, sister and Morgan) would change the voicemail every so often with different themes. One time, we did a paraody of the “Bud Light: Real Men of Genius” commercial and we had my mom do the speaking part and my sister would sing what she said (”We have missed your call, so it seems…” *sings* “We really are sorrryyyy!”). We’d do Christmas themed ones (say the message to the tune of “Deck the Halls” in harmony), silly voices (”Hellloooo!” Mrs. Doubtfire style), and even had our British friend record it for us. Telemarketers would call twice just to get our voicemail…

But now that I’m left as a solo project to record the voicemail on my cell phone, I have to keep it professional and short…even though the process takes me well over ten minutes in most cases. The first time that I ever had to record my own voicemail I actually read from a notecard that I wrote down my greeting– I’ve gotten better I think!

So what about you guys?

What does your voicemail message say– do you opt for the personal greeting or keep it simple with the automated one?

Here’s to realizing that my voice is a lot higher than I thought and finally…getting the voicemail greeting down pat!

-M.

There are five main themes and/or events that are currently taking place in my life that I feel are some of the reasons why I’m experiencing this sudden inability to think clearly enough to write a post! To avoid literary transitions between each subject (yes– I’m that drained) and to make my life easier, I’m going to put it in a five point format…otherwise known as a list, in no particular order.

So after writing all of that…I’m feeling a little bit “wah wah wah”, but my intent isn’t to get a whole bunch of inspirational messages, rather it’s just sort of an explanation to what’s been occupying my time that isn’t this tiny little chunk of blog that I tend to every once in awhile. This is an unusual turn of events for me to take in my blogging style, but eh– what the hell.

I hope each and everyone of you is doing very well right now and as always, I’m looking forward to checking in with your blogs to see what you’ve all been up to! But in the meantime, here’s my question to you–

How do you keep yourself organized? Do you use a day planner, cell phone, wall calendar, the “post-its all over” system, or just sort of play it by ear?

Here’s to taking a break from the busy schedule to engage in my own method of relaxation– blogging!

-M.

Anyway, let’s get back to the point here. The point is that I’m overdue for an Indie Music blog and the fact that Alice had mentioned in my August Kicks that she looks into the bands I list…well…I was inspired.

The fact that we’ve been unpacking a lot of boxes has left us with the need for musical accompaniment and this list reflects the songs that have been getting very high hit counts on our iPods. Some are new…some are new-ish, some aren’t new at all, but all are good. So, without further leading into it– here’s the list!

If you happen to come across any of these songs, listen to them, love them and let me know what ya think.  And….what are you guys listening to right now? For some of you, I’m very aware of your music taste and others I’m just not so sure yet. If you fall into either category, feel free to share with me what’s on your current grooves playlist.

Here’s to dancing around the grocery store to the music in your head or the music on the loud speakers– either way, it works!

-M.

The process is simple: go to yearbookyourself.com and select Student Photos tab on the left-hand side. The best advice that I can give at this point is to take the site’s advice and pick a photo that features you facing forward. The results of your yearbook photo will vary depending on how well your photo fits into each shot. There are some photos on there that I just couldn’t seem to properly fit my face into at all…but for the most part, the results were hilarious.

So! Get on there and try it out for yourself and let me know how your results turn out in the end! It provided me with at least an hour of entertainment during my extended resting period (compliments of mono), so I’m sure it will help another bored soul out there. I ended up trying it out for my mom, sister, nana, boyfriend, etc.

So, dear friends, I will share with you one of my favorite school pictures that was taken wayyy back in the day when I was in first grade. Obviously, just by looking at that picture, two things are apparent: 1.) I am a natural blonde and 2.) I had some rocking fashion taste. I insisted on wearing those pearls every single day and I almost always wore a dress or some sort of matching jumpsuit on a daily basis. Nowadays, an outfit like that would get some strange looks, but when you’re young you can get away with get-ups like that. In fact, I wonder what the grown up version of that outfit would be. That would be an interesting challenge for Project Runway to design an adult version of an outfit that was worn in a childhood picture. Yes, sign me up!

Try out  Yearbook Yourself 2009 and let me know what you think and in the meantime…

Looking back on your old school pictures today, what do you think about them? Do you have any embarrassing yearbook pictures that you manage to hide away from friends and potential mates? Do you have any school pictures that you really like and/or your parents have hanging up still today?

Here’s to giving into an internet trend while taking a trip down memory lane…yearbook edition!

-M.

Though I had mono, I also had a move coming up, so I had to work at a snail’s pace to get the old house packed up and get ready for the big move! I ended up packing up until moving day and continued the process on the actual moving day. It down poured on moving day and twelve hours later….we were all moved in. I love the new place, it’s absolutely wonderful and the three of us are very happy here!

Last week, I had to unpack only to repack for a short weekend trip to Maryland for a wedding (not ours). We returned Sunday and I am still very exhausted. But, through all of this– I missed the blogosphere and I’m glad to be back, hopefully to bust out some blogs like I busted out moves at the wedding (yep– I totally did the Beyonce “Single Ladies” dance).

Onto the purpose of this blog– the things that I am kicking over for the month of August! This is actually going to be like a Late July/Early August list.

1 Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams:

I’ve always loved Jeni’s, but now that we’ve moved within walking distance of one of their locations– I’m simply addicted.  To play on the nature of ice cream, everything about Jeni’s is cool– the ice cream is delicious, their story is honorable, and Jeni is insanely creative with a great personality. Taken from the website, “Each batch of Jeni’s ice creams is carefully tended to; each flavor artfully achieved with fresh ingredients found in the Ohio countryside as well as responsibly-raised exotics from around the world.” I could go on and on about how great the ice cream is, but I encourage you to try it for yourself or at least check out the website: jenisicecreams.com. (Check out their blog while you’re there!).

2 Method Cleaning Products:

I am one of those weird people that enjoys cleaning their house once a week. There’s just something about the smell of a clean house that makes me happy…and I really don’t mind the process either! Brett and I have been using Method Cleaning products for quite some time, but now that we’ve moved into the condo which has granite countertops and a whole lot of stainless steel– we’ve become fans of the rest of their product line. Though the instance is very few and far between for me, this is one time where I wish the Internet had smell-o-vision so I could mist some of the cleaners and you could take a whiff of their lovely scent. Check out their website: methodhome.com.

3 Shirley Temples:

It is advised that you refrain from drinking alcohol and caffeine while dealing with mono and my solution to this problem was ordering one of my favorite childhood drinks, the Shirley Temple (also known as a Kiddie Cocktail). Simply stated, this drink is a mix of Sprite (a decaffeinated beverage), grenadine (a cherry flavored syrup) and maraschino cherries. Brett makes fun of me a little bit when I order one of these drinks even though I always refer to them as the more adult title of “Shirley Temple”….which really isn’t even much more mature seeing as how it refers to a young, curly-headed actress with poofy dresses and tap shoes.

4 The Microwave:

I realize that this is far from being a new invention, but it actually does fit as a current kick…except for the fact that we are currently without a microwave. The absence of the appliance occurred as a result of the move; the old house had one built in above the stove, the new one does not. We haven’t really had time to go get a mikey, but we are planning on doing so very soon. I never even realized how much we used it until we didn’t have it! We haven’t been able to bring home leftovers or make popcorn! So– yes, the microwave belongs on this list.

5 Fever Ray:

Karin Dreijer Andersson has stepped away from her brother’s side to release freaking amazing music in her solo project, Fever Ray, and released the self-titled album earlier this year. Brett introduced me to the wonders of her music and I have been loving it ever since. So– to answer the question of how do I describe the music…I simply cannot. I’m not sure if there are words in the English language to describe her music, it’s just freaking cool. Check out the video for one of the songs off the album titled, “When I Grow Up” and pay attention to the fact that the gal is wearing Chucks in her crazy outfit.

So– this post served two purposes: 1.) to share with you the things I simply cannot get enough of lately and 2.) an explanation as to where I’ve been! Hopefully you have enjoyed my list and as always, I want to hear what you cannot get enough of lately…as random as it may be.

Also! I just wanted to let you know that I realize the amount of blog reading that I need to get caught up on, but I just wanted to give a shout out to Latrina and Chris and say a big, “Congratulations!” to them both (they recently got married). To the rest of you, can’t wait to see what’s been going on with you!

Here’s to sharing what you simply can’t get enough of and looking forward to discover new kicks in months to come!

-M.

I think one of the greatest things about the Blogosphere is that it gives you the opportunity to really learn about the author of the blog: the blogger. Even if it’s a very detailed, specific niche…it’s great when the writer infuses some of their own personality into the posts to let their readers know a bit more about them. When I first started blogging, I didn’t really know what to do and had no idea if people wanted to learn about me or not! But, as I started getting into and reading other blogs, I realized that people really do have a general interest in each other. It’s really one of the reasons why reality TV has had such success, well…that and the fact that people like to realize how normal they are compared to the other featured hot messes, ay-yai-yai!

So, having said all of that about how you should get to know the blogger, I decided to do Six for One– and I encourage you to follow suit and do the same, m’loves! Basically, Six for One [6-4-1] is something I just created all on my own (actually, it probably exists out there, just not by this name), where you have one category, “Personality” and then you pick out six images that you feel convey your personality–without using any words! Go, go go!

With Brett’s Photoshop skills we busted this out and let me tell you–the planning of this was really hard. I didn’t realize that coming up with images that describe myself would be this difficult, but I think the difficulty came up when I was trying to find an image that would reflect a certain personality characteristic, like “happy”. But! I’m pretty pleased with how it came out.

I was going to describe why I picked out every image and how it represents my personality, but…I honestly would prefer that people assess my personality based on the images on their own. I kind of feel like one of those singers who won’t tell people what the lyrics to their songs mean because they want people to have their own interpretation, except I’m not a singer and this isn’t a song, it’s a collage of my personality!

What images do you think you would use in your own 6-4-1 and what would these images reflect about your personality?

Here’s to getting in touch with our creative side while doing something as “simple” as describing our personality…without words!

-M.

All in all, the concentration and focus that has been placed on the Big Move has left me with very little time to explore new and wonderful kicks. So, after giving it a lot of thought, I realized that there are some things that I’m kicking this month– so the list can go on!

1 Dinner Parties:

I am such a nutty hostess and I absolutely love to throw dinner parties. It works out perfectly: Brett is a great cook, I am good at making things pretty, and our friends and family love to eat. It’s the greatest set-up ever. Hopefully someday I can make the parties even better when I have more time and more funding– but for now I’m left with only my creativity. I will have to start documenting some of our dinner parties with the food, decor, people, so on and so forth. With the move we haven’t been able to have people over lately, but after the move…oh, it’s on.

2 Bagels with Cream Cheese:

I have such bitter-sweet feelings about bagels– for starters, they are delicious, but in terms of health…they really aren’t the best for you. They are high in calories, contain significant amounts of saturated fats and one bagel is the equivalent of three to four slices of bread. But, all of that aside, bagels are great. Last week, I had my first bagel with cream cheese (I always did peanut butter or butter) and I am hooked. It was a blueberry bagel with a little bit of strawberry cream cheese– yum yum! So now that I’m eating healthy, I “treat” myself to a bagel every once in awhile and the whole cream cheese topping is a new kick for me!

3 Architecture in Helsinki:

I received a copy (a free one) of an Architecture in Helsinki CD and I honestly wasn’t sure what to think. It was truly unique and unlike a lot of things I had heard before, so I think my brain didn’t know how to properly translate it. But…after listening to it because Brett plays it in the morning, it started to really grow on me via getting stuck in my head.  I posted a video of one of my favorite songs, “That Beep“, and I encourage you to first play the video and not watch it and then watch it. The video is weird and a bit distracting if you’ve never heard the song before, but the random video fits them perfectly. Listen to them, love them!

4 Do-it-Yourself Magnets:

I’m sort of in love with switching out the magnets on my fridge with either magnets that I’ve found while out and about, or even better–ones that I’ve made myself using magnetic strip, like these Avery Printable Magnet Sheets. I’m a basic crafter and these are right up my alley– they’re easy to use and you can turn pretty much anything and everything into a piece of fridge art. Just be careful what you make into a magnet, let me give you an example of this. Several years ago, my Mom was testing out her new camera phone and snapped a not-so-flattering-but-hilarious picture of my Nana. Well, because the picture made me laugh so much, I made it into a fridge magnet. Long story short, she came over and saw it and was none to pleased with it’s presence on my fridge, but has a good sense of humor and granted me permission to keep it up there, hoorah! But because I won’t put it up here for all to see, there’s a cute-as-hell Anne Taintor magnet to take it’s place.

5 Pitchmen–Tribute to Billy Mays:

The Discovery Channel has been doing a marathon of Pitchmen as a tribute to the life and times of Billy Mays. I actually was really upset to hear that Billy Mays died because I think he seemed like such a nice guy and I was enjoying the show Pitchmen. The Discovery Channel has been airing a lot of really sad/uplifting specials about his life and it kind of made me step back and think, “Wow…he was a celebrity from doing infomercials“. That has to be such a hard gig to land and he managed to do it and be incredibly successful. I just really liked the guy and it’s sad to see him go, but we’ll all remember his yelling voice. My little tribute is sort of late compared to all the rest, but at least I got it in there.

So there you have it– a huge hodgepodge of July kicks that includes an ode to Billy Mays and a craft idea of turning embarrassing pictures of your Nana into a fridge magnet!

I hope you all are having a really wonderful July so far and that you have even more great days coming your way!

Here’s to enjoying all of your kicks and sharing them with everyone, every month!

-M.

This post might be a really terrible idea for a gal with healthy food on the mind, but I’m going to be strong and get through it because let’s face– how wonderful will it be if we all get the chance to discuss our favorite desserts together…maybe swap recipes…debate the greatness…it will be fun.

You know, it’s not even worth hyping up desserts when I’m going to do it in a list, so let’s just get on with it, shall we? And just a little side comment: these are in random order because it was hard enough for me to just pick five let alone put them in order!

1 Carrot Cake:

I get a lot of beef for liking carrot cake because a lot of people question the “dessert title” because it has a vegetable in it (and who wants to eat a veggie in their dessert?). But– when done correctly– I think that carrot cake is one of the most delicious things in the dessert world. In fact, I sort of consider myself to be a carrot cake aficionado. In Columbus, my favorite carrot cake is the 10-layer Carrot Cake at Mitchell’s Ocean Club. It is huge (it takes me at least two days to eat all of it) and it is perfection. I can’t be the only person that likes carrot cake, right…!?

2 Bananas Foster:

This is another one of those desserts that is either delicious or really gross– I’ve never had just an “okay” bananas foster. Bananas Foster is a dessert made from bananas and vanilla ice cream, with the sauce made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana. You put all of the ingredients in a skillet, pour in the rum and then light it on fire and let it all blend together to make one delicious dessert. If it’s not lit on fire, it’s just really not bananas foster to me.

3 Strawberry Shortcake:

I am very, very picky about my Strawberry Shortcake. I do not like it when they make it with a biscuit or a cookie because the flavor is too overpowering for me. I prefer mine to be made with a pound cake or sponge cake, fresh strawberries in a strawberry sauce, vanilla ice cream and then cool whip on top. Mm… delicious, it’s one of my favorite summertime desserts, especially because the strawberries are the best in this season. My favorite Strawberry Shortcake is homemade because you can customize all of the ingredients to make sure that everything is just right– and of course, that you’re using sponge cake or pound cake!

4 Cheesecake:

I am a sucker for cheesecake– oh my gosh. There are so many different types of cheesecake, too! The American Style which is basically cream cheese, the New York Style which is similar to the American style but it uses heavy cream and eggs, the Chicago Style which is hard on the outside and soft on the inside, Pennsylvania Dutch with the use of cottage cheese, and Roman style that uses honey and ricotta cheese…just to name a few. I prefer the New York Style above them all and I’m pleased to report that I’ve tried all of the ones listed!

5 White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies:

I’ve been told that I could possibly be the human, real life version of Cookie Monster. While I think there are plenty of other people out there that fit the better far better, I can admit that I am a nut over cookies, especially cookies with delicious nuts. I first had this type of cookie at Max & Erma’s and I’ve been a fan ever since. My mom actually whipped up a delicious batch of these cookies for Christmas and I ate a ridiculous amount only to realize that this has to be my favorite type of cookie. Mmm. . but I won’t turn down a plain old chocolate chip, either!

So there you have it– a list of my absolute favorite desserts, mmm. I’m pretty shocked that I managed to narrow it down to just five out of hundreds! And now I must ask…what about you guys?

What is your favorite dessert in the world? Do you consider yourself to be an aficionado or at least really picky about how it’s prepared?

Here’s to enjoying sweets in moderation and engaging in conversation about sweets because it’s much healthier than eating all of them!

-M.

…and he is getting older, and bigger! He’s almost seven months and he’s grown quite a bit. It’s crazy to look back on the old photos that we took when we first got him and then to look at him now. We didn’t even realize that he grew; maybe because we see him everyday. But honestly, it was like one day he was a tiny little puppy, he went through this awkward teenage phase and he’s finally coming out of that a bit. Still not quite the Cesar dog, but he’s getting there.

But while we’re on the topic of “crazy dog people”, it always reminds me of the movie Best in Show which just so happens to be one of the fantastic Christopher Guest mockumentaries. For those of you who haven’t seen this movie, you simply must. The movie follows the lives of several people who all have one thing in common: they’re setting out for their dog to win the prestigious title of “Best in Show”. They each have their own styles of training and doggy-parenting, but in this clip you will see Parker Posey go absolutely nuts because she can’t find her dogs favorite toy, the busy bee. It’s short and sweet, but it’s hilarious.

I am a huge Christopher Guest fan, as I’ve said before, and I really want him to release a new movie. Wow, how wonderful would it be if Christopher Guest just randomly came across my blog and read that and it somehow inspired him to do it…

Dear Christopher Guest:

I know you’re busy touring with Spinal Tap, but if you get some time, please release another mockumentary. We are more than overdue for another comedic masterpiece.

Hugs and love,

-Morgan

I was so upset because I found out that Spinal Tap was performing here in C-bus two days before the show and to my surprise (really, shock), the tickets were over $50.00 for the nosebleed section! Which I mean, I’d pay to sit in there because it’d be worth it to even go, but not that much- yikes.

All in all, to summarize this all up, yes– I’m crazy about LiLi, but I don’t think I’ve reached crazy dog lady status yet. And if I do– please oh please tell me.

Here’s to cuddling with puppies while simultaneously reaching out to Christopher Guest (Right!?)!

-M.

So, to go back to the matter at hand– The Fourth of July– as a citizen of Columbus, OH, I am required to tell you all about one of the biggest events of the city: Red, White and Boom. I am writing this on July 3rd at 5:00 p.m. and already I can hear the planes going over with their advertisement banners and I have seen the Goodyear Blimp pass by multiple times– but dear friends, none of this makes me want to journey the three minutes downtown to experience this glorious event.

Red, White and Boom takes place every year on July 3rd in downtown Columbus and believe it or not– people travel far and wide for this firework display. The celebration begins around noon with the majority of the downtown streets shutting down (luckily, downtown offices are closed to observe the holiday). The start time doesn’t reflect the crowd, however; a hefty percent of people will stake out their “perfect location” and camp out the night before the event actually starts– now that’s dedication. The streets are lined with vendors, performance stages and games to play but there’s plenty of room for the big downtown parade to go through. Then when the skies darken and the buildings dim their lights, the sky is illuminated with one of the biggest firework displays in the Midwest– Red, White and Boom! There is even a soundtrack to the show that a local radio station will broadcast and the show is coordinated to the music. Honestly, it gets better and better each year with the advances in pyrotechnics, but yet– I stay home.

Don’t get me wrong; I’ve been there before! Once on the streets with the rest of the crowd and another time my family rented a hotel room, avoided the crowd, and watched the display way up in the air– it was a sight to see. But nowadays, it is a royal pain in the butt, and here’s why.

So what about you guys?

Do you have a big fireworks or Fourth of July display in your area and do you make an effort to attend or stay home? And if you’re not American, what huge celebrations do you go to or avoid in your area?

Here’s to enjoying the comfort of my air conditioner and the company of my boyfriend who always wears deodorant!

-M.

A big issue is that we’re renters– not buyers or potential buyers, no matter how many people tell us the time is right to buy. The time might be right for the buyer in the market, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for us at this time in our lives. So, while I appreciate the allure of buying and getting a great deal, I have been rational through the process…and we remain to be renters. Renters who have embraced Craigslist many, many times.

Every time that I’ve had to use Craigslist my relationship with the service has been a whirlwind; most of the time, I’m obsessed with checking in to see the latest postings, but then I’m frustrated with the slim pickins’ that’s available and when I do find something– I’m ecstatic! We actually found our new unit on Craigslist, but during my scouting period I realized something: there needs to be a Craigslist Committee.

So what would a Craigslist Committee do? Simple, they regulate everything that goes on with the posting process. Let me give you an example of this: if a landlord believes that their unit should be titled, “The Chosen One”, let’s go ahead and let the Commitee be the judge of that. This judgment call will make it a lot easier for potential tenants to weed through all of the crap out there.

The Craigslist Commitee (TCC) would be made up of an assortment of people that would be voted into their position by the general public. Basically, at the beginning of the year, there would be the profiles of TCC hopefuls listed on the site with a profile of their renting past, their rental preferences and what they consider to be nice or gross.  Then, the general public would vote on these individuals to get in a good committee filled with scorned tenants and nit-picky individuals alike!

I wanted to show you some examples of what would be regulated by this said committee, but I’d rather just list out some examples of things that would definitely need to be checked into.

I understand that landlords have to talk up their place in order to get people to click on them among the rest of the postings, but I’d respect an honest landlord over one that embellishes! A landlord should just say “Great location, small bedrooms, but cheap utilities!” That…speaks volumes to me.

Luckily, I am done with Craigslist for awhile. We found a great place with a really sweet landlord (she’s just like me, it’s sort of strange). But what about you guys?

What has your experience with Craigslist or any rental site been like? Would you be a good member on The Craigslist Committee?

Here’s to weeding through the junk to find a gem among a sea of less-than-mediocre rentals!
-M.

Honestly, my direction isn’t really going somewhere completely new and different; it’s just much more refined. The thing that was bothering me was that when I first started all of this blogging– I had no idea what I liked to write about and what I wanted to do. A year later (I just hit my year mark!), I finally realized that the content that I can bust out and love writing about is really…random things. Most of my content comes from fleeting thoughts that I actually jot down in a notebook that I carry with me everywhere.

A lot of people tell you that writing a blog without a niche won’t really get you very far in the Blogosphere and I actually really considered this during my hiatus. The point is this, there are a billion niche blogs out there and I feel like those are just too specialized for my style. I’d rather write about something that we can all talk about– not just a group of people. That is the type of content that I love writing and this is what I continue to do. My blog isn’t niche-driven; it’s based on my love for writing about random things and even, more importantly, starting up a conversation with everyone else! You guys are just too wonderful and I love hearing what you have to say about anything and everything.

So– what we’ve all been waiting for, the new direction! Basically, it’s not all that new– I’ve narrowed my categories down to three: Life, Music, and Scraps.

1 Life: This category is going to cover– yep, you guessed it– my life. I don’t have one of those crazy interesting lives that make for great biographies, but I do have little events that happen that might be of interest and more importantly, it’ll shed a bit more light on who Morgan Howard is. But– I am very particular with my “life” content; you aren’t going to read about how I just saw a red cardinal and I made a wish on it, because quite frankly: who the hell cares? It will be things where I’d make it a point to tell someone in a daily conversation. Oh, and of course more Liam…

So– I’ve missed you all. I’ve been so busy and I need to visit your blogs and read all of the interesting stuff that you come up with. I promise that this will be done with time and I look forward to doing it!

Here’s to a more refined continuation of what’s been going on and a big “hoorah” for what’s to come!

-M.