All posts filed under: Lovelife

Marriage, and all kinds of love leading up to it

Connecting the Dots (the beginning)

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When I was in the 3rd grade I asked my mom to buy me a set of Return of the Jedi pencils.  I liked the whole Star Wars trilogy.  I saw the entertainment value  in the R2-D2 and C-3PO dynamic and was excited by Ewoks on Speeder Bikes in the forest.  But that is not why I asked for the pencils.  I wanted them so that Spots and Specs, the boy in my class that I was crushing on since second grade, would ask me if he could borrow them.  It’s not like I was pretending to be interested in something I wasn’t.  I always appreciated playing with toys geared towards boys and liked sporting the basic look of varied  shades of blue play clothes as much as I liked small purses, dresses, ribbons in my hair, and wearing apple shaped sunglasses while shopping in Plaza Sweet for Smurf miniatures.   I did know though, that if I wanted him to look my way a little more it wouldn’t be because of my hair clip …

Dropping the ball

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Good old fashioned fun.  Happy New Year!  Photo credit.  The New Year.  It is at once the last night and the first morning in the year that we all care about.  Be it in your pjs or party dress, everyone goes into the evening with a firm decision about how he or she wants to spend it.   Whether you love NYE or hate it, I know we all have feelings about how we rang in 2014.  In classic husband fashion, Boyfriend wanted to stay in, while I wanted to go out.  Contessa was in town, but instead of cooking it up for friends, the plan was to have an easy but festive New Year’s shindig in her gracious home, similar to the one I missed last New Year when Boyfriend/ Husband (I alternate between calling him both, depending on mood/ circumstance) convinced me last minute that we should stay in.  Though he and I shared a memorable farewell dinner to 2012 trying to digest my failed attempt at Working Class Foodies’ Bo Ssam, I really …

What I’d Give …

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I may not have pursued the Merchandise Marketing career I studied for in FIDM in 2004, but I do still know how to shop the market and put together things I think are cool… to me at least.  I still get a real high from going to stores, seeing what’s out there, how things are laid out, what moves, what doesn’t, what people are buying, and what motivates the makers behind their brands at the craft fairs I frequent here in San Francisco.   I take pictures, write notes, and ask questions.  I’ve been mistaken for a secret shopper/ evaluator, shop owner or editor more than once.  Hmmm… could be fun to look into that one of these days.  I just like it so much.   When I was invited to contribute to the Classic Play holiday gift series, I jumped at the chance.   Visit the little Holiday Gift Guide 2013 that I compiled for kids, for her, for him, and for couples right here.    Mine is the sixth contribution in a series of picks from …

How He Shines

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Surprise, surprise!  An actual photo I took myself, thank you very much! I did not post yesterday because I have been under the weather and slept practically the entire day.  First on the full sofa, and then scrunched up on the love seat with my iPad and journal,  I must have taken three long naps between 11am and 10pm.  As I was in and out of sleep, my husband exited to do errands, returned with lunch, did laundry, washed dishes, and cleaned up.  When I glanced over his way during the early evening, the side of his face basking in the light of the 60 watt floor lamp bulb, and our orderly apartment surrounding him, I thought, “Wow, I love him.”  I am always surprised when Cupid shoots an extra arrow my way,  even when I am already in love. Even though we have monthly deep cleaning service, when my husband cleans, he cleans.  He will hand wash each dish, and put them in the drying rack, wipe out the sink, run the garbage disposal …

The Seven Year Itchies

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When one begins to blog, a personal set of guidelines to abide by is normally established.  What is your tone going to be?  What types of topics will you cover?  Are you going to use all original content or borrow from the big boys?  Are you willing to be controversial, and if so how will you handle touchy posts and hot headed comments?  What will you not ever write about?  Will you post daily?  Share pictures of your family?  It goes on and on. I decided early on my guidelines would be simple but solid.  I knew what I would not write about, because as candid and open as I can get, there are still things in my life that are off topic.  One of them, I promised to myself, was to never complain about my husband or family members or do anything to risk putting any of them in a negative light ever, because I vent privately (sort of), and this blog is not a venue for that.  So no matter how confused, how …

My Favorite Kind of Date

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Quite possibly the best moments I have had getting to know another person are the times we’ve spent while walking and talking.  Of all the memories I have with friends, my husband, and the boys I used to know, the ones while talking on a walk are by far some of the sweetest ones. The walking date is underrated.  There’s never a preplanned topic of conversation when you find yourself on foot, and I find that the words exchanged from points A to B are often the most candid and heartfelt.  With every step, my theory is, the soul opens up allowing us to become more confident sharers and willing listeners.  Good weather or starry nights help kick up the romance factor too.   There is nothing to get in the way of a conversation walking side by side, except for his hand on the small of your back to guide you or an unintentional brush up against the arm, but that’s not really a bad thing, is it?   The walking date is all …

International or IHOP?

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A good scenario:  international pancakes while on an international flight Unless you are living under a rock, you have been thinking about your retirement.  Now before you start gasping and screaming at the screen, “Are you serious?   I can hardly figure out my grocery budget AND we’re pregnant AND Petmeds is not covered by my FSA AND my parents might have to move in with us pretty soon, so ….. NO I’M NOT THINKING ABOUT  MY RETIREMENT!”   …..  deep breath….   that’s why I said, “thinking about” not “ready for” … calm down, people! My husband and I were driving our Zipcar one carefree afternoon , when I asked,  “Do you think when we’re old and retired our lives will be more international or more IHOP?”    I like IHOP.  I like their commercials featuring piles of pancakes and efforts to creatively stuff them with sausage or fruit (and in some cases, sausage AND fruit AND cream AND chocolate chips – oy vey!).  I love that it is family and budget friendly.  I love that …

Not Havin’ It

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Perfectly illustrated scenario c/o CartoonStock.com If you are married or have been in a committed relationship for quite some time, I beg you to back me here:  Sometimes, he’s just not having it, is he?  And when he’s not having it, you suffer right along with him.  My mom used to complain that my father definitely was going through some kind of male menopause when I was in high school.  Although I heard what she was saying, I did not understand what she could have meant. Flash forward two decades- I. Finally. Get. It.

The Funny Thing About Love

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Waking up at 6:45 a.m. on Sunday morning is not something most sane urban couples would ever do.  I don’t mind it though.  Not the waking up so early, but the reason why we do.  Every Sunday morning we have a routine:  7:30 or 8:00 mass (depending on which of the two churches we go to), breakfast, & food shopping.  We absolutely adore this time together.  We both look forward to it before going to bed on Saturday night.  But by 11:00 a.m. with our refrigerator stocked, meals planned for the day, and a load of laundry running in the wash, we go our separate ways, no fail, unless we have something previously planned together.  He plops down in front of the t.v. or computer while I do whatever I would like.   Usually I will leave the apartment for a little while just to meet up with a friend, do an errand that had been hanging over my head for the week, or get in my 50 minutes of cardio or yoga.  Oftentimes I will …

Every Girl Has Her Paul

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Sir Paul himself told the crowd something like, “I thought it was going to be hot here, and you are all wearing overcoats! I should have taken this off (jacket) by now.”  He then held onto the lapels of his jacket, shaking his head while mouthing to the audience, “NO.”  That’s the San Francisco summer for you.  In between each song, he’d do things like a funny chicken-type dance move,  or tease fans with little comments such as, “Yes, I DO remember you!” in a cheeky reaction to a sign (Hey Paul, I saw you in 1964 at Cow Palace, do you remember me?). While my husband could not believe he was sitting through live performances of Jet, Helter Skelter, and Two of Us, I couldn’t believe I was getting charmed out of my pants by the 68 year old man on stage.  He’s sweet.  He’s completely delightful.  For God’s sake, of course he is.   Now I get it.   Wow, I never realized that he’s, dare I say…. cute????  Can you still call him that?  …