-I throw spaghetti noodles against the wall to see when they're ready. Because they stick there when they're done. Then I put it back in the pan. I don't know why I do that. I guess I don't like waste.
-While we're on the subject, I also follow the infamous 5 second rule, except, I never count the seconds, so really it's more like the "Doesn't matter how many seconds rule". (Disclaimer: I usually only do this in my own house, but not when I have company over, I promise) : )
-I once picked up 2 hitch hikers in Richmond, VA. I was driving from Washington D.C. to Fayetteville, NC alone and wanted some company. Okay, that's not exactly how it went down, but I did give them a ride. R and my mom weren't too happy about it though.
Moving on...
-I sometimes wear socks twice in a row before I wash them. Disgusting, I know. But that's the price I'm willing to pay to not have to do laundry so often.
-R and I occasionally share the same toothbrush. Which I understand grosses some, okay--probably most, people out, but we don't mind it. I do sanitize it frequently though, so maybe that's why it doesn't bother me.
-If R and I are playing Phase 10 (or any other board game for that matter), and I'm losing by just a little, I may or may not cheat just enough to get me even. Then it's "fair game". I usually get caught though, which just makes it all the more challenging :)
-Me and R both like to watch "The Bachelor". (R may say otherwise, but don't let him fool you. I know the truth).
-I use Crest Whitening Strips to whiten my teeth.
-If I could change one thing about my body, it would be that I was completely hairless from the neck down.
-I sometimes pee in pools. What?! Sometimes it's just too much of a hassle to get out and dry off and then go. The toilet paper sticks to your wet bum and your suit is all sticky when you pull it back up. Plus, it's warm : )
-I eavesdrop on strangers when I get the chance.
-I like to people watch.
It would make me feel better if everyone who reads this please post a confession of their own in the comment box. For example: perhaps when you say your prayers at night you say something like this,
"Lord, if you can't make me skinny, then please, dear Lord, make my friends fat"?
Or what about this?
"Dear Lord, As I lay me down to sleep,
I pray thy Lord, my soul to keep.
But if I die before I wake,
I pray for all my toys to break.
So none of the other kids can use 'em.
Amen"
(Shel Silverstein wrote that btw).
Now, I'm not saying I do that, per se, but come on, give me something here!
I confessed. And now, my friend, it is your turn.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Freebies!!!
Most who know us well, know that we love to play a game, we like to call Freebies. It goes a little something like this; we make a little bet, and the winner gets a Freebie, to which can be used on, yep--you guessed it, anything. Sounds simple enough, right? Not so fast. We have learned, through trial and error, that we have to play fair, so out of necessity, we added some rules to our little game. Two to be exact. The first: you are not allowed to cancel out someone else's freebie with your own. For example, if I pull out one of my Freebies and use it on my choice of movie, R is not allowed to "overrule" mine, and whip out one of his Freebies to go against what I chose. Make sense?
The second rule is that there must be an end in sight; no Freebie can be redeemed if it is permanent. Allow me to illustrate: R once used one of his Freebies on me to make me grow out my hair "until he says stop" (which he hasn't said yet in case you were wondering). In fact, that is the exact reason for why we had to put Rule #2 in place. Other things to note when playing the Freebies game: you can save up as many Freebies as you want and you don't have to use them right when you win them. You (we) must keep track of how many Freebies each person has at all times, otherwise you (we) end up having to "clear the slate" and you (we) both go back to having 0 Freebies because you (we) can't agree on how many each person had to begin with. Not a fun part of the game, FYI. And lastly, this game is best played when you use your Freebie when it is least expected by the other person.
Now I will share with you just a few of the ways we each have won well earned Freebies:
-Which route home was quicker. The back way is. R won.
-Whether or not there was a Subway on Ramsey Street. There is. I won.
-Definitions of words. R usually wins these ones.
-The correct spelling of words. I usually win those.
-One time I was trying desperately to fix something on the laptop which after 10 minutes I gave up and insisted it was impossible. R kept telling me to try this or try that. After much frustration, I told R I would give him 10 freebies if he could fix it. That was encouragement enough, because a few minutes later, he had certainly earned himself a whopping 10 brand new beautiful Freebies (which later on, all got "erased" due to the reason above when we disagreed on how many Freebies each of us had). So sad for him.
Now, for the things we generally cash in our Freebies for:
-Massages or back/neck/feet rubs.
-Choice of movie or restaurant.
-R likes to trade in Freebies for nap time with me because I don't like taking naps in the middle of the day. (Take note, this is where Rule #1 comes into play, because believe me when I say I have tried this several times before, but it never works out as planned!)
-Who has to drive when we are coming home late at night or taking long road trips.
-Turning out the lights or going downstairs to get a glass of water after we are both already in bed. (Both are to be used sparingly however; as you would not want to waste a precious Freebie on something so easy unless you have lots saved up).
-I once cashed in to have the final say on how the house was decorated. R wanted to rearrange the living room, which I did not want to do, but he insisted. So being the loving and caring wife that I (usually) am, I agreed to "try it out", on one condition: I would use my one and only (at the time) Freebie in exchange for the final say of the setup. Needless to say, all the furniture was back in it's original place later that very same day : ) (Take note here, the use of this Freebie did not violate Rule #2 because it was clear that I only had final say until we moved out of this house, and therefore, it wasn't permanent).
Bottom line here, Freebies are not only fun, but they can make you a better person too. We have learned to do things for each other even when we don't want to do them. That's called service. We have learned to stand up for something we know is true and back it up with action. That's called courage and commitment. We have learned the value of small things that many people often take advantage of. That's called gratitude and appreciation. And lastly, we have learned the importance of a positive attitude, because whether or not you want to follow the rules of this game, that doesn't matter--you must do it anyway, so you may as well do it with a smile on your face and make the best of it : )
The End.
The second rule is that there must be an end in sight; no Freebie can be redeemed if it is permanent. Allow me to illustrate: R once used one of his Freebies on me to make me grow out my hair "until he says stop" (which he hasn't said yet in case you were wondering). In fact, that is the exact reason for why we had to put Rule #2 in place. Other things to note when playing the Freebies game: you can save up as many Freebies as you want and you don't have to use them right when you win them. You (we) must keep track of how many Freebies each person has at all times, otherwise you (we) end up having to "clear the slate" and you (we) both go back to having 0 Freebies because you (we) can't agree on how many each person had to begin with. Not a fun part of the game, FYI. And lastly, this game is best played when you use your Freebie when it is least expected by the other person.
Now I will share with you just a few of the ways we each have won well earned Freebies:
-Which route home was quicker. The back way is. R won.
-Whether or not there was a Subway on Ramsey Street. There is. I won.
-Definitions of words. R usually wins these ones.
-The correct spelling of words. I usually win those.
-One time I was trying desperately to fix something on the laptop which after 10 minutes I gave up and insisted it was impossible. R kept telling me to try this or try that. After much frustration, I told R I would give him 10 freebies if he could fix it. That was encouragement enough, because a few minutes later, he had certainly earned himself a whopping 10 brand new beautiful Freebies (which later on, all got "erased" due to the reason above when we disagreed on how many Freebies each of us had). So sad for him.
Now, for the things we generally cash in our Freebies for:
-Massages or back/neck/feet rubs.
-Choice of movie or restaurant.
-R likes to trade in Freebies for nap time with me because I don't like taking naps in the middle of the day. (Take note, this is where Rule #1 comes into play, because believe me when I say I have tried this several times before, but it never works out as planned!)
-Who has to drive when we are coming home late at night or taking long road trips.
-Turning out the lights or going downstairs to get a glass of water after we are both already in bed. (Both are to be used sparingly however; as you would not want to waste a precious Freebie on something so easy unless you have lots saved up).
-I once cashed in to have the final say on how the house was decorated. R wanted to rearrange the living room, which I did not want to do, but he insisted. So being the loving and caring wife that I (usually) am, I agreed to "try it out", on one condition: I would use my one and only (at the time) Freebie in exchange for the final say of the setup. Needless to say, all the furniture was back in it's original place later that very same day : ) (Take note here, the use of this Freebie did not violate Rule #2 because it was clear that I only had final say until we moved out of this house, and therefore, it wasn't permanent).
Bottom line here, Freebies are not only fun, but they can make you a better person too. We have learned to do things for each other even when we don't want to do them. That's called service. We have learned to stand up for something we know is true and back it up with action. That's called courage and commitment. We have learned the value of small things that many people often take advantage of. That's called gratitude and appreciation. And lastly, we have learned the importance of a positive attitude, because whether or not you want to follow the rules of this game, that doesn't matter--you must do it anyway, so you may as well do it with a smile on your face and make the best of it : )
The End.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
In All Honesty
So as I'm finishing up at the gym today, I'm climbing off the elliptical when an old familiar face walks over to me. His name is Van. We are on a first name basis at the gym. He is an older "gentleman" (you'll see why I put that in quotations later on), probably around the age of 63 or so. He works out frequently and says hi when I pass him by. But today was different. Today, he came over and had a seat on the bench in front of my machine. He looks up at me with squinty eyes and says, "Is that you? You look so different, I barely recognized you." I mention that it was probably because my hair is getting longer or perhaps because last time he saw me, I was blonde. He agrees that my look is always changing and then, ever so bluntly says, "You've gained some weight girl; Are you pregnant?!" (See where the previous mentioned "gentleman" comes into play?!) I answer truthfully with a stern no and then tried hard to replace the irritation on my face with a friendly smile. He guessed I had gained oh, I don't know, maybe 4 or 5 lbs (actually, it's closer to 6 or 7, but thanks for the compliment ???)
So, after much thought, and serious consideration to jump back on the elliptical for a few more hours, I have come to the conclusion that I am grateful for honest people. Mark Twain said that honesty is the best of all lost arts, and I agree. I got to thinking just how big of a part honesty plays in a marriage, or any relationship for that matter. Is honesty always the best policy? I think so, just maybe not when it's put so bluntly. I mean, come on, I'm not opposed to a little sugar coating, if you know what I mean.
For example, when R doesn't like the food I cook for dinner, he usually says something along these lines: "Honey, maybe next time you could try using a little less lemon to marinate the chicken and a little more pepper" or "Babe, I like this pasta sauce, but it would be even better if you didn't cook the spaghetti so long" or my personal favorite, "How do YOU think it tastes?" (as if he is trying to get me to admit it doesn't taste good first, then he won't feel so bad about it!) Smart boy!
Here are some other areas in which R and I do not hold back when it comes to telling the truth; they may be small (or big!) to you, but hey, it works for us.
-R does not hold back when telling me he doesn't like my outfit. Like the time I had just bought this adorable new bright pink bohemian blouse and he told me I looked like the crossing guard. He actually told me he wouldn't go out in public with me if I was wearing it.
-Or how about the time I put on a white shirt and he told me white wasn't my color?! Hahahaha!!! I still crack up over that one!
-And for me: I can't hold back when it comes to hygiene. Stinky feet, stinky breath, stinky pits, you name it. If it stinks, I'm calling you out. End of story.
Well, that's all I can think of for now. Maybe next time I run into Van, I'll tell him he has a few more gray hairs on his head than he did last time I saw him or perhaps it's just that he's thinning and it's getting harder to see the actual color. I don't know. I guess I"ll just have to play it by ear.
But until then, remember what Shel Silverstein said:
Telling a lie is called wrong.
Telling the truth is called right.
Except when telling the truth is called bad manners,
And telling a lie is called polite.
:)
So, after much thought, and serious consideration to jump back on the elliptical for a few more hours, I have come to the conclusion that I am grateful for honest people. Mark Twain said that honesty is the best of all lost arts, and I agree. I got to thinking just how big of a part honesty plays in a marriage, or any relationship for that matter. Is honesty always the best policy? I think so, just maybe not when it's put so bluntly. I mean, come on, I'm not opposed to a little sugar coating, if you know what I mean.
For example, when R doesn't like the food I cook for dinner, he usually says something along these lines: "Honey, maybe next time you could try using a little less lemon to marinate the chicken and a little more pepper" or "Babe, I like this pasta sauce, but it would be even better if you didn't cook the spaghetti so long" or my personal favorite, "How do YOU think it tastes?" (as if he is trying to get me to admit it doesn't taste good first, then he won't feel so bad about it!) Smart boy!
Here are some other areas in which R and I do not hold back when it comes to telling the truth; they may be small (or big!) to you, but hey, it works for us.
-R does not hold back when telling me he doesn't like my outfit. Like the time I had just bought this adorable new bright pink bohemian blouse and he told me I looked like the crossing guard. He actually told me he wouldn't go out in public with me if I was wearing it.
-Or how about the time I put on a white shirt and he told me white wasn't my color?! Hahahaha!!! I still crack up over that one!
-And for me: I can't hold back when it comes to hygiene. Stinky feet, stinky breath, stinky pits, you name it. If it stinks, I'm calling you out. End of story.
Well, that's all I can think of for now. Maybe next time I run into Van, I'll tell him he has a few more gray hairs on his head than he did last time I saw him or perhaps it's just that he's thinning and it's getting harder to see the actual color. I don't know. I guess I"ll just have to play it by ear.
But until then, remember what Shel Silverstein said:
Telling a lie is called wrong.
Telling the truth is called right.
Except when telling the truth is called bad manners,
And telling a lie is called polite.
:)
Sunday, August 1, 2010
The Art of Love
Over the years, we've learned a thing or two from each other. Actually, I have learned a lot more from R than he has from me, but that's only because he snatched me up so young :)
R has taught me how to shoot guns, change a tire, drive a ginormous U-Haul truck cross country, drive a boat, play tennis, play chess, play poker, ski, and how to use a stud finder.
I have taught R how to make homemade ice cream, the importance of (and how to) tweeze his eyebrows, helped him refine his freestyle, the difference between they're, their, and there, and how to play phase 10.
While writing this post, I asked R for his input. He said, without taking his eyes off his video game, "You taught me the art of love, baby". Lol What a charming man I married :)
R has taught me how to shoot guns, change a tire, drive a ginormous U-Haul truck cross country, drive a boat, play tennis, play chess, play poker, ski, and how to use a stud finder.
I have taught R how to make homemade ice cream, the importance of (and how to) tweeze his eyebrows, helped him refine his freestyle, the difference between they're, their, and there, and how to play phase 10.
While writing this post, I asked R for his input. He said, without taking his eyes off his video game, "You taught me the art of love, baby". Lol What a charming man I married :)
Savardism's
Everyone has those little corky things about them that make them unique, and R and I are no exception to that. So for your entertainment, I'm willing to share some of those things with you along with some other various interesting (or not so much) facts about us. Here goes...
-I have an ear fetish. Obsession. Fascination. Infatuation. Call it what you will, bottom line, I love ears.
-R has to decorate the back side of the Christmas tree even when it is in the corner of the room and no one will see it.
-I eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
-R has to carry the same amount of grocery bags on both arms, otherwise he feels unbalanced.
-I like to wash my feet before I get into bed and there's nothing I love more than clean sheets (okay, that may be a bit of a stretch, but I do LOVE clean sheets).
-R wanted to be professional athlete when he was younger.
-I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher.
-I never flush the toilet with the lid up.
-R always puts the seat down after he pees. Seriously, every time. It's awesome.
-I hate when people say "supposably". It's supposedly, people.
-R bites his nails.
-It drives me crazy.
-I play with his ears.
-That drives him crazy.
-Our first kiss was in the airport in Manchester, NH.
-We have names for all of our vehicles. Our first is Suzi Q. She is a Suzuki Esteem. She's old but has been so loyal and is very low maintenance, so we keep her around. Our second was Jeffery, a Lincoln LS named after the butler on Fresh Prince of Bel Air. We loved him but he was extremely high maintenance, so we sold him on the lemon lot a couple years ago. He went to a good home. Then we found Palmer. He's a Jeep Commander, named after the late President Palmer on the hit tv series, 24.
-Speaking of 24, we love Jack Bauer. Seriously, we love him.
-R once spelled out my name in bullet holes while shooting. So romantic, I know.
-When the doorbell rings unexpectedly on a Sunday afternoon, we rarely answer it.
-We have driven through every state between California and Florida and from Florida to New Hampshire.
-Our friends just had a baby girl and named her our last name, Savard.
-Valentine's Day, R's birthday, my birthday, and our anniversary are all within 3 weeks of each other.
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