In Case Anyone Was Wondering....

My all-time favorite dance from the So You Think You Can Dance stage....

Still Allison.

I'll let you know if anything changes, but I really don't forsee that happening.

Volkswagen Bug.

So the other day, I was on the expressway out to Aurora for the spectacular Coach outlet store.  On the way there, I encountered a Volkswagen Bug.

Do people still drive these cars?  I mean, apparently, the answer is yes.  I remember them being the super hot back when I was high school - and I'm not going to go into how long ago that was, but it was a while ago.  Anyhow.  They were trendy moreso than functional.  However, at this point in time, haven't they gone out of style?  I realize that some of them might still work - I'm not really sure.  However, I just can't wrap my head around someone owning a bug out of functionality.  I seem to remember (and I could be totally wrong) that they weren't particularly safe or cheap.  They were a fashion statement.  I've made quite a few of them myself - no judgment, bug owners.  However, I just can't wrap my head around why anyone might own a bug in the year 2011.  I can hear Ross Gellar screaming 'You've got a blacklight!  It's 1999!'

Your thoughts?  Any Volkswagen Bug enthusiasts out there?  Are these really cool out in the suburbs (like, say, Applebees)?  Can anyone think of a good reason to own a VW Bug in 2011?!

Update on Lee DeWyze

Last year, I spent a good amount of time following Lee DeWyze and his American Idol journey.  I also followed his personal life.

I have recently learned an update.  Per the American Idol facebook page, he is now engaged.  Her name is either Joanna or Jonna Walsh (I've seen both in the American Idol article).  Apparently, they met while casting for his video 8 months ago.  So, apparently, any rumor of him dating Lacey Brown was just that (or it ended quite a while ago).

Anyhow.  I send my sincere congrats Lee's way.  This does make me a little sad that I won't marry him.  (Another complication that would prevent this is that I've never actually met him in person.)  Anyhow.   It looks like our nice little young Mount Prospect boy has a fiance.  Best wishes, Lee!

Third Date Rule.

Ok, so as my readers know - I have been dating lately.

In order for me to accept a first date with a guy, I have to think the guy seems like he is nice, normal, not psychotic, meets most of my general criteria, and has something in common with me.  Kind of like a first interview phone screen.

In order for me to decide if I'm going on a second date with a guy, I usually judge based on how the first date went.  If he was polite, I had enough in common to talk to him about and there were no red flags, I'll usually go for a second date.  Again, pretty much if he seems 'worth a try'.

Now this is where it gets tricky.  How does a girl decided whether or not to go out with a guy a third time? Does she have to be interested in him romantically?  Does she have to want to date him?  Should she know she's interested?  Also, how about the guy - should he be interested in having a relationship with the girl?  How interested/invested should both parties be at this point?  I imagine the first two dates count as 'giving someone a chance'.  Where should one be when one initiates/accepts a third date?  How do most of my readers feel when accepting a third date?  Does one really like the person?  Is one still 'giving someone a chance' or should one be confident of one's interest?  Your thoughts?  

Delinquent Blogger

So this has totally been me.

There are no excuses.  Well, actually, there are.  I have been super busy.  I have had a lot of life changes lately, which I will soon touch on in some more posts.  I have been online dating.  I am soon going to be starting a new job.  I have been (trying to) update my apartment and spring clean.  That, and it's the summer - I have been trying to log a good amount of beach/lakefront time.  Also, I have been working on my excel and google product skills.

Please don't unsubscribe.  I am on my way back.  Like vampires and Britney Spears, I will rise again.  

How to Tell You've Made your Mark at a Company

This, right here, is why it's dangerous to facebook friend your coworkers and let them have access to your tagged photos.

The Notebook?

So twice today - once while at the beach, the second time while walking down the street, past a coffee shop - I witnessed something:

A person sitting and writing in what looked to be a journal.

I find this interesting.  Was said person seriously journaling?  Do people do this?  I did this when I was in junior high/high school.  It's not that I think is this a juvenile activity, per se.  It is just that there is something unusual, to me, about adults doing this out in public.  What else could they be doing?  I assume if it was something work or academic related, there would be some other books/notes/paperwork spread out, and, more noteworthy, it would be being done on a computer (or some form of electronic device).  I can't imagine, these days, doing any form of writing or work on paper for this reason.  This is mostly because paper doesn't have a backspace key.  Or an easy way to insert an idea.  Or to simply edit something.  How did people possibly write pre-word processor days!?!?!  I guess there must have probably been a lot of committing to one's original ideas and less editing.

I digress.

Is it possible that someone sitting and writing in a notebook is doing something other than journaling?  If so, what?  Does anyone else see these people sitting around, writing in notebooks, or is it just me?  What do you think of these peeps?  What's their deal?  

Book Review!

It's here!

As I've mentioned before, I'm part of the BlogHer network.  About a month ago, I partook in their book club.  We read Sarah Dessen's 'What Happened to Goodbye'.  The link above features my ever-so-insightful commentary on the matter.  In all seriousness, it was a good book and I'd recommend it.  Details in the link above.

New Purse

Time to lighten things up.

So one of my very good friends, Nhan, bought me a gift certificate to elemental threads for my birthday. It is a design your own bag website.  Prior to receiving this gift, I had never heard of said company.  However, that being said, I had no trouble just diving right in.  I really like the purse I made; I'm very happy with how it turned out.  There were a good selection of options.

If anyone needs me to make choices for her on bag styles, fabrics, colors, etc. - I would be more than happy to do so for a very nominal fee.  Please inquire within.

The Silent Treatment

So, I won't say too much on this matter, however, let's just say, in recent history, on more than one occasion, I have found myself on the receiving end of...dum dum dum...the silent treatment.

I am not going to play innocent here.  I have also been a giver of said treatment.

I was discussing said issue with a coworker today.  She presented a theory.  Much like hatred - usually giving someone the silent treatment causes more hurt and pain to the giver rather than the receiver, mostly because the giver is the one who is more conscious of the act and putting more time, energy, effort, and thought into the situation.   I think I might totally agree with this.

Anyhow.  What are your thoughts?  Is the silent treatment effective?  Does it ever actually accomplish something?  Is it more detrimental to the giver than the receiver?  I'd like to pretend the receiver of said treatment can completely ignore it and brush it off, but realistically speaking, here I am writing said blog on said subject, so I clearly am not succeeding at it completely.  What is the best way to react to said treatment?  What's a better way to handle a situation other than said treatment?   Your thoughts?

Promiscuity.

So as most of my readers know, I am now part of a blogging network.  I've discovered quite a few interesting, hilarious, insightful blogs out there - one of them being Hooking Up Smart.

A couple of this blog's recent posts have stirred some thoughts in my mind.  There's a point brought up that men who've, ahem, been around the block, are not the best husband material (don't buy the floor model, ladies!).  Also, there's another post in which the potential economic consequences of promiscuity are outlined.

This lead me to a question.   Let's say, for argument sake, one is completely careful in protecting oneself and others from unwanted pregnancy and any disease (which I know is a bit of a big leap at times) - are there other potential negative consequences of casual hookups?   Are there other unforseen problems with promiscuity?  Or, can it, in the right context, if everyone is on the same page, be harmless?

I know the church and various elders/traditionalists have their views on this.  I have, on many occasions, heard various people insist that there would be no harm to a casual encounter.  Are there other consequences to individuals (or society on the whole) that are not immediately seen by the blind eye?  Or, is there a safe place for some casual, ahem, encounters?   Do some people, at times, see them as necessary?  Your thoughts?  Your own experiences?

Please share.

Refriended.

Editor's sidenote:  File this blog post under 'slow news day'.

So someone 'unfriended' me.  I know this for several reasons - two of them being a) this person updated ad nauseam, so the missing newsfeed fodder was noteworthy and 2)  this person just tried to 'refriend' me.

A little background - this is someone I didn't know very well in real life in the first place, so I wouldn't be offended to have been 'friendship cleaned'.  However, I did find it a little surprising because he did semi-regularly comment on my statuses, etc.

Well, apparently, somebody was going through withdrawals of his daily Jaime fix.  In the words of Kellie Pickler, I'm gonna show you just how missing me feels.  Is this that 'redemption' thing people talk about?

Now, I am not sure the protocol for 'refriending'.  I don't really have anything to hide, and despite the fact that I'm writing a blog post on this matter in the first place, I can't say I care all that much.  I'd be fine with letting him be my friend again, although, a small part of me feels like I should, for whatever unknown reason, hold out on him.  What if I take him back and he dumps me again?  Although there are really 0 consequences to said potential situation, the words 'screw me once, shame on you....' run through my head.

What are your thoughts?  Has anyone else out there been 'refriended'?  Should I let him out of the limbo of 'pending friend request' status?   Should I hold out on my friendship?  Do you feel you just lost two minutes of your life reading this blog post?

Please let me know.

On the Watch....

So a little while ago, I wrote this post on the subject of whether or not people still wear watches.

It looks like I'm not the only one weighing in on the subject.  I found three other posts on the matter.  I know that, in the world of blogging, if I know of three blog posts on a subject existing, there must be at least another 100 of which I'm not aware.

Anyhow.  What are your thoughts?  Love the watch?  Can't live without it?  Forgot it exists?  Is it already obsolete in your book?  It seems like there's room for a discussion.

As I stated earlier - I love my watch.  I will go down with the ship that is my watch.  I might be the last person walking around with a distinctive watch tan line.  I will wear it proudly.

The Biggest Problem with Facebook

So as you all know, I love facebook.  However, despite its flaws (the high school-esque drama, the time-eating, the potential lack of privacy), I really only have ONE issue with it.   Facebook makes it much more difficult to successfully lie about one's whereabouts.

There are the status updates.  Even if one doesn't update her status on her own, perhaps other people she's with might broadcast where they are and who they are with.  Same thing with the check-ins.  And the chance of someone posting and tagging a picture and tagging it saying 'last night, omg, so much fun!'

Now, I am not one who habitually lies about my whereabouts.  However, there was a point in recent history where I had to tell a white lie.  While I was out doing what I was actually doing, I kept finding myself having urges to update my status and I almost caught myself doing it once or twice.  Additionally, I can think of a friend who was told by another friend that they couldn't hang out because she was too sick, then later, said friend saw a status along the lines of 'out and about in the city'.

Is facebook going to ultimately keep us more honest about our whereabouts?  Or, is it going to expose all the liars?  Does anyone else have a problem with facebook serving as a GPS on us for all of our network?  Your thoughts?

Keeping Tradition

"Snoopy 4th of July!"

Strange Discovery

Isn't it strange that a restaurant would have this when said restaurant does not accept the discover card?  How is this legal?  Your thoughts?