A perfect day to jump on a bandwagon…

Where was I ten years ago - July 4, 1998.  Washington, DC.  My first 4th in Washington.  If you have never done it - you should.  It’s kick ass.  A moving and wonderful way to spend the holiday.  I had finished college in January earlier that year.  Finished in 3.5 years and spent my last semester “working” full time for a professor.  Ha!  In May I had  moved to Manassas, VA, I lived in an old carriage house in the Manassas National Battlefield (that would be the Battle of Bull Run to us northerners).  This was by far one of my most favorite places I lived.  That park moved me in many ways.  You could literally feel the history there.   I was there as part of an Student Conservation Association / Americorps internship.  I worked to help restore some of the natural ecology of the park while still keep the historical landscape intact - not an easy task.  I was dating a very weird boy (completely lost track of him, I wonder where he is) and nursing a broken heart.   I was generally having a good time in DC.  Life was good.

Five things on Today’s to-do list - well it’s late and my day is done so I’ll do tomorrows.

1.  sleep in (Sophia didn’t sleep much while we were gone, therefore neither did i)

2.   spend time with Sophia who will hopefully not be as grumpy as she has been these last few days. (see number 1 above)

3.  go to the wedding of one of my nearest and dearest - Vinnie.  We have known eachother since we were 12 (?) - 20 years.  We grew up together and managed (along with a few other mutual friends) to stay close.  He is one of the reasons why coming back home was more pleasant.  It’s amazing to watch your childhood friends become adults and turn in to more incredible people every day.

4.  go to the wedding reception - rob and i are spending the night at the inn where the reception is located.  initially this was supposed to be our first “weekend” away since having baby.  but our trip to kentucky had to take place and the weekend was cut to a night.  we’re only going a short distance from our home….but it’s long enough to warrent a night at the inn.  it’s on a lake and we’ll be able to have a bit more fun this way.  i hope.

5.  Relax and be young.   It’s really a shame that we have to remind ourselves to do this.  But, there it is - relax and be young.  You should put it on your to-do list as well!

Snacks I enjoy.

I have a bit of a sweet tooth.  I inherited it from my Dad, who inherited it from his mom, who likely inherited it from her parents.  Damn Italians.  It’s bad - but not out of control.  Lately (and most of the time) ice-cream kicks it…but I also love chocolate, store bought cake, fruit (especially strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and mangos), fresh cannolis (they cannot be old, I destest old cannolis).

Funny story about my Grandma.  When we were cleaning out her kitchen cupboards after she passed away we found a box filled with chocolate bars hidden up on a top shelf.  hehehe.  None of us were surprised.  We all had similar ones in our cupboards.  We learned from the master!

Things I would do if I was a billionaire.

Blah, blah, blah.  I really don’t have anything new to offer here.  I would pay off my debts and the debts of those close to me.  I would quit work and start a foundation to help disadvantaged women in my city.  I would travel.  A lot.  But I would bring Sophia’s entire bedroom set and walls with me wherever we went so that she would sleep and I could sleep and we could all sleep and that sleep would bring us happiness and bliss and non-sleepy days and sleep filled nights.  Man, that would be great.

Places I have lived.

(in order of appearance, with duplicates removed)

1.  Dallas, TX  - where i was borned until i was 9 months

2.  Rural upstate NY, outside of Rochester, NY - from when i was 9 months until i was  11

3.  Suburbs outside of Rochester, NY - from when i was 11 until i went to college at 18

4.  Oxford , Ohio - during four years of undergraduate

5.  Luxembourg City, Luxembourg - for a semester of undergraduate

6.  Manassas, VA - for nine months after undergraduate

7.  Athens, GA - for two years during graduate school

8.  Boston, MA - for six years after graduate school

Guess where my heart still is?

Jobs I have had

babysitter, pizza parlor worker, waitress, camp counselor,  garden store worker, fund raiser, research assistant, lab tech, national park service intern, database manager, nanny, teacher, environmental scientist, research manager

That’s all - enjoy the long weekend..