M-I-Z & more

It's been a great sports weekend in this part of the Midwest.

Some of the headlines include --
Missouri Upends BCS-leading Oklahoma
The Tigers Upset No. 3 Sooners 36-27 and even Coach Pinkel agreed, “It’s huge, it’s gigantic, it’s a long time coming. I’m just real proud of our team.”

M - I - Z!!

Actual pic from a friend & Mizzou alumni of the field storm

Blues Celebrate Sweep Success
The Blues swept the last two Stanley Cup champions at Scottrade Center this weekend,
winning 4-2 against the Blackhawks on Friday night and completing the exacta Saturday night with a 1-0 overtime victory over the Penguins.

I've been critical of our goal tending in the past, but this guy (Halak) is definitely earning my respect!

Danica Patrick Ready For Gateway Debut
Unfortunately she finished 22nd in the race, but good news for Brad Keselowski, he finished what he couldn't get done three months ago, winning Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Series 5-Hour Energy 250 at Gateway International Raceway.

The positive vibes started on Friday night and the weekend has continued to be an exciting one.  The week ahead already appears to be jam-packed.  That fact alone is enough of a reason for me to enjoy the rest of my Sunday.

(By the way, I'm ignoring the loss that my beloved Rams just suffered to the Bucs in the last few seconds of the game.)

Perfect Start to the Weekend

On Wednesday, I got an email that peaked my interest. 
It was for one of our local radio station's annual holiday concert events.  In the past, I've gone to The Point's Ho Ho Show and seen Alien Ant Farm, Puddle of Mudd and even Bush -- all great bands.  This year, the radio station decided to put on 4 shows. 

The first being....

That's right, the boys from Shinedown are coming back to St. Louis!!!

Tickets for the show went on sale today at 5 pm. 
I was aiming to be home in time to order tickets as soon as possible since the venue is a fairly small one, holding only 1,000-2,000 people, and I knew tickets wouldn't last that long.  Well, I got outside, started talking to a few co-workers and ended up not pulling out of the parking lot until 4:59 and that definitely didn't leave enough time to get home so I promptly pulled back in, parked and ran upstairs to log back onto my computer.


I BOUGHT MY TICKETS!!!  I'm so excited!! 
Not only do I get to see my favorite band, but they are performing an acoustic show.  Awesome!!!

After a seriously busy and nearly catastrophic (ok, maybe not in the sense of the entire world, but for my purposes it could have been) week at work, I didn't mind sticking around a few minutes longer. 
Now, let the weekend begin!!!!

Checkin' In

Finally, a day to just say, "Ah, I think I'm gonna take it easy."

It's been go-go-go here for quite some time and today, I decided to just spend the day at home enjoying the peace and quiet and awesome fall weather.
Even though there isn't much on the agenda for Sunday, here are some high points from the weekend --
* 2 date nights with Broccoli after I dealt with a highly stressful week.  Cooking dinner together Friday night was not only a lot of fun as we compared cooking notes from Alton Brown but it also provided some much needed comic relief.
* Working at my side Accounting gig yesterday and finally getting all pending items cleaned up.  DH and I have been trying to accomplish this since I went back to work for him in April.  It's a huge relief for me that his books are up to date and that we'll actually be ready for the end of the year when it rolls around in 10 weeks time.
* Rams winning their 3rd game of the season by beating the San Diego Chargers 20-17 today!!  Woo hoo!!!
This actually might help me in my football picks for the week considering I was the only one to have faith in my guys.  Also, I love Steven Jackson's comment after the blood bath they took last Sunday in Detroit -- 
"Sometimes you need a butt-whippin' to let you know where you really are."
Yes, Steven, I totally know what you mean, happens for me in the corporate world on a regular basis too.
* Jamie McMurray scoring another victory at Charlotte last night.  (Ironically, I missed the race and ultimately his win.)  But, it made me smile to see this when I checked the results earlier today --

Yet, I'm still wondering why the heck the guy who won the two biggest races of the year and has continued to prove himself with decent finishes all season isn't in the Chase???
(NASCAR officials, if you are reading this post and some of my previous comments on the topic, please fix the points system for next season.)
* Finding out that one of my favorite Food Network personalities has a new book coming out in less than a month.  YES!!!  Claire Robinson is releasing 5 Ingredient Fix based on her show and I'm thinking this cookbook presents the perfect opportunity for a personal challenge.  Haven't totally come up with a plan of action yet, but there are a few things milling around in my head.  :)
* Topping off my weekend is the fact that both The Next Iron Chef and Iron Chef America have new episodes premiering tonight.  And since I've made this a day of rest (well, besides the two hours at the gym this morning), you will find me on the couch absorbing all I can about great chefs and interesting cooking techniques.

10 cubed

Happy 10/10/10!! 
Besides it being a cool date, it's also a special day here.

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!  

Thank you for all of your wisdom and for always looking out for both mine and Ryan's best interests when we had other ideas in mind.  And sorry for the few gray hairs we've left you with, but I know I can speak for both of us and tell you that we are grateful for all of your support and encouragement as we've grown up. 
Enjoy your day!!!

Another Rams Victory

From stlouisrams.com --

Total Team Effort Yields Rams' Second Straight Win

It’s called a winning streak and don’t look now but the St. Louis Rams are officially in the midst of one.
With an emphatic 20-3 win on Sunday at the Edward Jones Dome, the Rams claimed a victory for the second week in a row. And they did it in total team fashion much like they did last week against Washington.

The win was even bigger for me as me and my long-time friend from Seattle have been ribbing each other for the past two weeks.  He's been to town for previous showdowns between the Rams and Seahawks and couldn't make it in for this one, but I was sure to provide text updates of the score throughout the game.  His response at half-time, "we're a 2nd half team."  Yeah, don't think so bud.  It was with great pleasure that I sent him the final score Rams 20 - SuckyHawks 3. 

Don't worry, I'm sure he'll get me back with future sporting events.

The Time Has Come!

Season 3 of The Next Iron Chef starts tonight and we're pumped!! 

Broccoli and I can't wait to see what's in store for these 10 contestants and we're excited to find out who joins the likes of Season 1 winner Chef Michael Symon and Season 2 winner Chef Jose Garces along with Iron Chefs Morimoto, Flay and Cat Cora.
I've read the chef bios and seen some of the previews and haven't determined a favorite as of yet.  I'm sure that will come shortly.  Usually within an episode or two I've picked my winner and root for them throughout the competition...we'll just have to see who reigns supreme (in my eyes).

In the words of the Chairman of Iron Chef America,
"So now America, with an open heart and an empty stomach, I say unto you in the words of my uncle, Allez cuisine!'"

Let the battle begin!!

Less than 100%

I still don't feel all that great but thank goodness I have a weekend to recover a bit.  I ended up feeling so yucky the last few days that I came home early from work on both Thursday and Friday, which is something I NEVER do, no matter how awful I feel.  But, I finally decided to give up my fight and just take care of myself before it got any worse.  Plus I can't let this linger either, especially with all of the stuff coming up in the next two weeks.
I think the combination of the weather going from highs in the 80-90s to highs in the 50-60s in a matter of days had something to do with it along with the fact that everyone else has been passing stuff around at work for the last month.
It's times like this that I wish I worked in my own little bubble or at least had the option of working from home when I felt it necessary.

Because my head is not fully with it at the moment, I've decided to just throw out other random facts from this week --
- Dairy Queen emailed me their Blizzard of the Month Flavor -

Looked delicious, so I went to check out the nutrition facts for this yummy treat -- umm, yeah, not ordering one of these ever again!  The mini (which I could eat like 5 of those) has 14 grams of fat (10 grams saturated) and 370 calories.  The calories alone would equal a meal for me and I'm sure I'd still want dinner after this treat.

- Speaking of pumpkin, my dad picked up two cans of pure pumpkin for me to cook and bake with this fall and I'm very excited at the possibility of using it.  Who knows, I might try to make my own healthier Pumpkin Pie Blizzard with some of it!  Pumpkin was hard to come by last year due to a bad harvest, so he made sure as soon as it was shelved at his store he grabbed a few.  Thanks Dad!

- On the Dad front, I called him Thursday night just to check in and see how his week was coming along.  We chatted about our normal weekly events and then started talking about football and how well the Rams played against the Redskins.  My dad tells me that on my lunch hours, I should go visit Rams Park, which is conveniently located across the street from our office.  I asked him why and his response was -- "Sam Bradford is worth about $50 million right now and your cute, you could nab him in a second." 
I just laughed.  Don't want to break it to my dad that I don't think Sam Bradford would go for it nor would Broccoli be to thrilled that I'm trying to nab a quarterback at lunch time.  LOL

- I went to dinner with some of my girlfriends the other night and we reminisced about our dear friend Sherri and our lake trips.  Tomorrow is the two year anniversary of losing her to breast cancer.  It's still hard to believe that she's not here enjoying life.  With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I urge you or for my male readers, urge all of the important women in your life to be aware of the importance of early breast cancer detection.

I believe that's all the randomness for now.  Hope you're having a great weekend!

Dinner of Champions

And the verdict is in....
My Sunday dinner featuring potato soup, while not perfect (we decided it needed chives or chili powder), was absolutely delicious!  I paired it with an Italian panini and was thoroughly pleased with my first attempt at this hearty soup.

Broccoli and I were also able to watch this guy put up his first win as a St. Louis Ram while enjoying our yummy meal!

Congrats Sam Bradford and the rest of the St. Louis Rams!
You pulled off an exciting win against one of the best in Donovan McNabb and the Washington Redskins.  And for me, there is not much that beats a Sunday afternoon at home watching pro football and when your home team puts up a big win, it's that much sweeter.  Overall, the weekend was pretty great.

I headed back into work with a fairly clear mind and felt I had a decent grip on what my week had to offer even with month-end falling on Thursday.  Yesterday was a good day.  It was busy but I was able to get all of Monday tasks accomplished, help out with some AP data entry and leave 5 minutes early because I had to run home and grab my tennis shoes so that I could go to the gym.

Today, I woke up not feeling 100%.  Not totally sick, but my head was pounding and my stomach was in knots for some unknown reason.  I made it through my day even when I convinced myself I was going to take a half day because there still was quite a bit I needed to take care of today and leaving early would just push me that much farther behind for month-end.
I've decided to take it easy tonight and watch the marathon before the BIG FINALE for one of my favorite shows on Food Network --

That's right -- tonight, four Chopped Champions compete for $50,000!!  I can't wait for Ted Allen to say, "Chef Madison, you are the Chopped Champion." 

It's almost as nice as hearing Chef Lindsay.  (Yeah, I'm dreaming a bit.)

Happy Fall Ya'll!

It's gone from 90 degrees on the first full day of fall (Thursday) to a whopping 54 degrees today.  That's St. Louis for ya.  I'm definitely not ready for fall or winter!  The one good thing though is that the cool down has got me in the mood to start cooking soups and stews and other hearty dishes.  I made a pot of chili in mid-August and it just wasn't the same.
So tonight I promised Broccoli one of his favorites for dinner -- potato soup.  I hope I can live up to his expectations because this is one of his signature dishes.  I've never made it before and I can't even say that I've tried it, but you know me, I'm always up for a challenge.  I'm trying to put a healthy spin on it as well so we'll just have to see if my little experiment works. *fingers crossed*

Speaking of dinner, I was on my own last night and usually when that happens, I stick with leftovers or a bowl of cereal.  However, last night, I decided why not try out something I've been meaning to test anyway -- a homemade low-fat tuna cake.  I would have to say it turned out fairly good.  I probably could have added a bit more spice to it (the hot sauce and jalapenos just didn't cut it), but other than that, I wouldn't mind making it again.  I paired it with steamed broccoli and cherry tomatoes.  Overall, a fulfilling dinner and it was extremely colorful on the plate.

The weekend has been an enjoyable one.  It's always easier for me to justify staying in and getting some things done at home when the weather is cool and crisp and I've done my fair share of that the past two days.  Now I'm ready to watch the Rams take on the Redskins and catch the end of the race at Dover.

Stuck in my head

Actually listened to a song from Paramore on the radio yesterday evening while I was driving home from the gym.  Now, I've heard this song numerous times before and I've even caught the video on VH1, but I never really paid attention to the words until I listened closely to them yesterday and now I can't get it out of my head.  It's seems so true and relate-able.  If you haven't heard it before or if you're curious about the band, I encourage you to check it out.
I'm posting the lyrics just because they seem so powerful to me, especially after the last few days I've experienced.

The Only Exception by Paramore

When I was younger
I saw my daddy cry
And curse at the wind
He broke his own heart
And I watched
As he tried to reassemble it

And my momma swore that
She would never let herself forget
And that was the day that I promised
I'd never sing of love
If it does not exist

But darling,
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception

Maybe I know, somewhere
Deep in my soul
That love never lasts
And we've got to find other ways
To make it alone
Keep a straight face

And I've always lived like this
Keeping a comfortable, distance
And up until now
I had sworn to myself that I'm
Content with loneliness

Because none of it was ever worth the risk

Well, You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception

I've got a tight grip on reality
But I can't
Let go of what's in front of me here
I know you're leaving
In the morning, when you wake up
Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream

Ohh---

You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception
You, are, the only exception

And I'm on my way to believing
Oh, And I'm on my way to believing

Busy day

I definitely didn't take it easy today, which might cost me when I head back to work tomorrow, but I'll take my chances and hope to goodness that I can at least manage to tread water for another 5 days.

Cooking has definitely been a therapy for me today.

Wanna see what I've been up to?
I wrote and posted a few of my recipes to contests online --

Seafood Creole

Sauteed Chicken with Creamy Garlic Sauce

Peaches and Cream Smoothie

Made a healthy and yummy meal for my Monday lunch date from my sauteed chicken recipe --

Sauteed chicken with creamy garlic sauce, smashed potatoes and green beans

Planned and prepared my lunches for the week -- 

Monday: Parmesan zucchini and a fruit medley

Tuesday: Sauteed chicken and roasted veggies

Wednesday: Veggie pizza and a tomato salad

Thursday: Sauteed chicken and steamed broccoli

Friday: Fruit and yogurt parfait and veggies with southwest dip

This is all in between catching the NASCAR Sprint Cup race (still bothered that McMurray didn't make it into the Chase), watching the Rams fall short and lose to the Raiders and tuning in to numerous cooking shows for further inspiration, surfing the web for further recipe research and dinner ideas and trying to absorb a few chapters out of the book I started reading yesterday.

Hope you had a relaxing weekend!

Raining on Sunday

Around 9 pm last night, it started raining and it stormed through the night.  It's not too often that we get an all night storm with thunder and lightning but when we do, most people in St. Louis freak out about it.  So when I headed for the gym around 6:30 this morning, I figured I'd be the only insane chick in there.  Would you believe there were 20 or so people in there that early?!?  Usually on weekend mornings, you're lucky enough to see maybe 5 of the "regulars" working out that early, myself included.
 I guess I'm not the only one who had enough of the storms and tried to put their early morning to good use...

*By the way, did you catch the title of this post?  It's a classic Keith Urban song.  And no, I'm not planning on hiding under the covers all afternoon.  :)

Dinner: Possible!

While at lunch yesterday, Broccoli mentioned dinner possibilities for our date night tonight.  He was thinking we could stay in, watch movies and make homemade pizzas.  As soon as I heard that, the wheels in my head started spinning, nearly out of control, but I contained myself before it got too crazy!
I have been wanting to try to make flat breads for a while now, but never found the courage to buy and use yeast.  This was the perfect opportunity!  I even went so far to tell him that I would try to make my own pizza sauce.  He was a bit hesitant for me to do all that work, especially since I had told him I was always nervous when trying out completely homemade dishes that I've previously thrown together using store-bought semi-homemade ingredients, but he humored me.

This was a great learning experience for me because usually I try to find quick ways to make a healthy and yummy meal but with this I had to take my time and not take as many shortcuts as I normally do.  I followed the instructions for the packet of Fleischmann's yeast and was extremely patient with my dough.  I threw together my tomato paste, stewed tomatoes and numerous herbs and spices for my sauce and let it simmer for a good length of time.  I also shredded my own mozzarella cheese, cut up numerous veggies and cooked up pork sausage, which incidentally I was able to turn into Italian pork sausage with little effort.

And the result -- SUCCESS!  We had the best pizzas either of us could have asked for!  The crust was perfect, the sauce was hearty and our toppings completed the masterpieces.
Broccoli made a traditional pepperoni and sausage pizza with provolone and mozzarella cheese and I went for the healthy veggie alternative with peppers, onions, tomatoes, zucchini and crushed red pepper.

Because apparently I was thinking more about eating and less about my camera, I didn't get pictures before we cut into them, I do however have pics of the leftovers --

The "Broccoli"

The "Lindsay"

Delish!!!

Like my Dad told me a few weeks ago when I made homemade blueberry muffins, you never realize what you're missing using store-bought ready made ingredients until you go back to homemade items and then there is no comparison.   Now I'm wondering how many other dishes have I cooked over time that I can go back and make my own.  It will have to be an ongoing weekend project, but I just may take on this mission.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

Sam's the Man: Spagnuolo Names Bradford Rams' Starter

“We’re confident, the staff’s confident, the team’s confident,” Spagnuolo said. “It’s well-deserved. He deserves this opportunity.”

I'm confident too -- so confident that I picked the Rams to beat Arizona in today's game!  Don't let me down Sam!!  You better bet I will be watching today's game. 
Perhaps its the start of a new Greatest Show on Turf era.  We'll just have to wait and see...

I'm definitely pumped and ready for football season!!

Just call me Jamie

I drove out to celebrate my triplet cousins 13th birthday earlier today and while I was there I dropped off my car with my Dad so that he can get some work done on it for me next week.  Since I need a car for practically every aspect of my daily life, my Dad and Aunt agreed to let me use the "extra" car (previously my Grandma's) until I can come back out and pick my car up.
In case you are wondering, the "extra" car is a Chevy Impala and on the ride home tonight, I was totally pretending to be Jamie McMurray.  Of course, I had to obey the speed limit somewhat, but it still was fun.

I'm still pulling for McMurray and hoping that he can pick up the last few points to make it into the Chase.  (A girl can dream, can't she?!?)

As for the birthday party, we had a blast!  All 4 of my cousins are hilarious and definitely keep me on my toes. 

Happy Birthday Sam, Zach & Em!  And thanks to my Uncle and Aunt for being such great party hosts!

What a bargain!

I was so proud of myself for this purchase that I had to post a pic.

This is the dress I wore to Joe's wedding.  I bought it on clearance at Kohl's last weekend. Not only was it on clearance, but I also had a $10 coupon since they are remodeling my local store and my extra MVC pick your day 15% off coupon.
Total price for my amazingly awesome black dress -- $4.00!!!  I clean up quite nicely too!  LOL

Broccoli and I had a great time at the reception.  It was a bit of a road trip (70 miles) but well worth the drive.  The location was cozy and beautiful, especially as the sun set and stars started to light up the night sky.  In fact, I actually wouldn't mind driving back out that way another weekend and visiting some of the areas prominent wineries -- maybe not to drink wine, but at least to enjoy the scenery.

As for my Sunday, well, it was back to reality. 
The nice thing is that I have one more day off and I am taking full advantage of the fact that I have no firm plans for my day!

3 Day Weekends are the Best!

We've made it to September and I have another 3 day weekend!  Woo hoo!  It's just exactly what I needed right now!!
Besides a few celebrations on Saturday and some side Accounting work, I think I'll plan on some major relaxation during the remainder of my time off.

Saturday is the big Arch Rivals game here in the Lou -- Mizzou vs Illinois.  My boss is throwing a Mizzou game day party on Saturday at his house along with a last push party for the slumping St. Louis Cardinals.  I plan on stopping in for a bit mid-afternoon before I attend a friend's wedding.
One of my best friends from my college days is getting married on Saturday and the reception is later in the evening.  It's crazy to think about Joe getting married!  We have been Blues hockey buddies and he and I got through some silly times together when we were in college years ago.  I'm very happy for him and his fiancee and I wish them a lifetime of happiness together.

As of right now, I have nothing formally planned for Sunday and Monday besides a couple hours of Accounting for another friend's business and a few good workouts at the gym and considering the next few weekends will probably be booked with other family and social events, I'll take the free time with no complaints!  This may just be the perfect time for me to do more cooking research and recipe creations.  Who knows, I might even come up with a spectacular idea for another food competition!

Hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable Labor Day weekend!

Let The Battle Begin!

Minus a few bonehead moves on my part, this weekend has been a great one.  And I'm definitely glad I decided to make it a 3 day weekend -- having Friday off was a welcome break from the bedlam at work.  I have no clue as to what I'll walk into tomorrow but I'm going to try my best to walk in with a clear mind and a positive attitude and just see what happens.

As for the weekend, I spent Friday night and a good part of yesterday out at my Dad's.  The local Catholic Church was holding their yearly picnic and it's a family tradition to spend some time enjoying the festivities.  I got to hang out with my bro and 4 cousins and had a blast joking around and goofing off with them, especially since it's not all that often that our schedules work out to where we are all around at the same time. For teenagers, they have busy social calendars!

Today, I got back into my routine and hit the gym first thing this morning for a much needed workout.  After only taking a day off from there, I missed my stride elliptical workout and was happy to hop back onto it as well as push myself through my weekend weight-lifting.  I really needed the good workout this morning after I found out what was in store for my weekly food-themed date with Broccoli.

If you remember, last weekend he cooked for me.  The weekend before, I cooked for him and probably everyone else in the bi-state region (based on the amount of dishes I made for different functions).  This weekend, he had a competition of sorts planned for us -- think Chopped and Iron Chef America rolled into one.  While we could use ingredients I had in my kitchen to make our meal, we also went to the grocery store to pick up 2 ingredients we had to use in our meal. 
The secret ingredients from the store --  boneless pork loin chops and navel oranges
Our challenge --  our meal had to include an entree with a vegetable and a fruited dessert and it must be completed within 40 minutes in my tiny galley kitchen.

It's a challenge enough for both of us to be in my kitchen at any given time (and neither one of us is big by any means!), let alone both be cooking a separate meal to wow the other person with, but we completed the food challenge and had so much fun while doing it.  Broccoli's Iron Chef impressions are hilarious too and I spent a good part of my cooking time just laughing like crazy -- he's the Chairman, Alton Brown, Kevin Brauch all in one!!
So without further ado, I give you our creations for the We're Inspired By Food Network meal challenge.
Broccoli's dinner -- Taco Pork Loin Chop and Chocolate Cookies with Orange Marmalade Sauce and Whipped Cream

My dinner -- Grilled Pork Loin Chop with Peach Chutney, Mozzarella-topped Grilled Zucchini and Sour-Cream and Orange Glazed Sugar Cookies

Both meals were amazingly yummy and while we know we're amateurs in the kitchen, this definitely allowed us to experiment a bit.  I know it also proved to me that some of the food ideas that I have in my head, may actually be successful in practice.  And as you've probably guessed already, we're working on our next cooking challenge.  Stay tuned!

In any case, hope you had a terrific weekend!  I'm off to watch the new episode of Iron Chef America, which ironically is featuring the secret ingredient BROCCOLI.  :)

One lucky girl

After watching the season finale of the Next Food Network Star with me last Sunday and feeling inspired, I was treated to a fabulous dinner tonight....

Broccoli grilled these yummy shrimp and served them over roasted tomatoes and green beans and in that cute little bread bowl is a homemade cheddar cheese dip.  He even whipped up a delicious dessert of homemade strawberry turnovers!  (Sorry, no pic of dessert, I gobbled it up before I got a picture!)

It was an amazing meal and an overall awesome date night.  Gotta love a man that knows his way around a kitchen!!  I'm heading to bed happy and with a full tummy and it doesn't get much better than that!

Just Breathe

The past week at work was nearly unbearable.  Business has somehow skyrocketed in the past few weeks and it finally hit my workload.  Both my Accounting and HR/payroll positions required my full attention and I couldn't offer it to either one.  It was extremely strange, given that this week is usually the week I fly through numerous projects and even have the time to help my department get caught up, but by this Friday morning, I just about convinced myself that maybe I was no longer cut out for the craziness of the corporate world.

Of course there is a silver lining to most obstacles I face when it comes to dealing with work and nearly all of it involves that boost of confidence.  A quick phone call at lunch time on Friday was the start, even though I wouldn't admit that at the time and then a relaxing dinner at home topped it off.  After dinner, I decided to hit the gym for a mind-freeing workout.  It's amazing what one hour of cardio can do to clear my head and help me de-stress.

I'm still not 100% certain what I want to do in regards to work and I thought that I'd have a better idea after stepping back and spending my weekend at home taking care of my household stuff and spending time with my favorite people.  I know there are some things that are only going to get worse unless I speak up, but right now I'm hoping to steer clear of any major transitions.  For now, I think I'm gonna hold on tight and see what the new week brings and act on one of my options as I see fit.

You're my best friend...

At 2:30 in the morning, this song might not make a whole lot of sense to many people.  Heck, you might be wondering what I'm doing up thinking about music at this hour, but it speaks volumes to me at this exact moment.

Queen -- You're My Best Friend
Ooo. you make me live
whatever this world can give to me
It's you, you're all I see
Ooo, you make me live now honey
Ooo, you make me live
You're the best friend
that I ever had
I've been with you such a long time
You're my sunshine
And I want you to know
That my feelings are true
I really love you
You're my best friend
Ooo, you make me live
I've been wandering round
But I still come back to you
In rain or shine
You've stood by me (girl)
I'm happy, happy at home
You're my best friend.
You're the first one
When things turn out bad
You know I'll never be lonely
You're my only one
And I love
The things that you do
You're my best friend
Ooo, you make me live.
I'm happy, happy at home
You're my best friend
You're my best friend
Ooo, you make me live
You, you're my best friend.

By the way, Freddie Mercury and John Deacon were pure genius.

Did you see it?

Just finished watching the finale for the Next Food Network Star and while Broccoli and I made fun of Aarti and her Aarti Party, we didn't want to see her actually win!  Since I'm such a good sport, I will offer my congratulations.

So, congrats Aarti on getting your own show on Food Network and congrats to Herb and Tom for being such fierce competition!!

Oh, also if you're wondering about the challenge from earlier today, passed with flying colors!  Woo hoo!!

Today's challenge

I'm testing my cooking experience and patience today...we'll see how well I hold up.
Today's tasks:
 1.) Lunch with my parents
    - fettuccine with veggies and bacon bolognese
    - chocolate chip cookies
2.) Dinner with Broccoli
    - Mexican stuffed green peppers
    - grilled peaches
3.) Birthday cake for another work birthday tomorrow
    - Chocolate and whipped cream cake

Tonight is the finale to this season's Next Food Network Star.  It's something silly that Broccoli and I have become hooked on over the last few weeks but we will be anxiously awaiting to find out who wins!  (Go Herb!!)

Enjoy your Sunday!!

Best brownies ever

My chicken burritos were a hit at lunch today AND I made what was declared the best batch of brownies ever!!  (Previously, my brownies were ranked in the top 3 of all time for one of my co-workers.  This time there was a general consensus that these were the absolute greatest.)  It's definitely nice to know that my cooking and baking is appreciated and enjoyed. 

I tested out another new recipe tonight for tomorrow's promised lunch with Coco.  In the words of Rachel Ray, it's more of a chicken and veggie stoop instead of a soup or stew but it was simple enough to make, while being extremely healthy and flavorful.

I've been intrigued with cooking and baking in between trying to catch up on the latest food programs on tv and I've been inspired to keep pushing the envelope with new flavor combinations and even healthier dishes.  We've joked that I should apply for one of the many cooking contests on Food Network but I know better than that.  For me, this has been a fun and creative outlet and an enjoyable hobby.  I'd probably be the biggest disaster on a set -- wait, that might make for good entertainment, maybe I should reconsider.  Nah....not unless I can take my food supporters with me to cheer me on and keep me sane through the challenges.  :)

In other news, I finally won Cardinals tickets at work today and I'm able to go to the game on Saturday!  Cardinals and Cubs in STL on a Saturday afternoon...woo hoo!!  Doesn't get much better than that! 
I owe a tremendous amount of thanks to SS for drawing my name.  Thanks SS, you're the best!  Hopefully I won't let you down and I'll bring home a winner!

Wonder Woman

An amazingly busy night but I feel on top of the world right now.  It's crazy how some nights I can get so much done when I put my mind to it and other nights I feel like a blob.  After work, I ...
-- hit the gym for an 65 minutes on the elliptical (burned 933 calories!  woo hoo!!)
-- made a fabulous lunch for my weekly lunch date (yummy chicken burritos)
-- baked brownies with chocolate ganache for a birthday at work
-- did a 20 minute core workout at home
-- watched the season finale of Hell's Kitchen
-- gave myself a manicure and pedicure and repainted my nails

and now, I'm catching up with all of the latest news on the web while trying to decide what kind of food experiment I'm going to try to create this weekend.  (I'm thinking kabobs, but that could change before the weekend gets here!)

Work wasn't too bad today either.  It was busy, but the day flew by and I feel like I got a lot accomplished.
I love days like today...

All 10 of us made it home from Chicago in one piece -- albeit a bit (ok, majorly) tired but it was a fun-filled weekend for sure.  Here are a few highlights from the weekend.

Alabama Slammers @ 9 am on the bus ride north

Looking out our 18th floor window @ the Renaissance

Posing before the concert

Bon Jovi -- One Amazing Concert!

Jon Bon Jovi -- dreamy, even in a Blackhawks jersey!

Being the "responsible" purse lady, while...

The 9 other girls, took a ride on this! (My fear of heights held me back!)

Watching scenes for the new Transformers 3 movie being filmed outside our hotel

-- Experienced a water taxi on the Chicago River
-- Caught the end of the Chicago Blackhawks Stanley Cup Convention (only because we needed a potty break on the way back to the hotel from the concert)
-- And, also attempted to run through (not in, but through) a half-marathon with our luggage when we were trying to get to the bus stop yesterday to come home.

Overall, it was a great trip and we can't wait for our next big adventure!

Chicago, here we come!!!

Day off -- check
Suitcases packed -- check
Bus tickets -- check
Hotel reservations -- check
Concert tickets -- check

I think we're ready to go!!

In a few short minutes, the girls are heading out for our MUCH anticipated trip to Chicago to see these boys...

I'm definitely looking forward to this trip with some of my favorite girlfriends and getting away from the 'Lou for the weekend.

I trained my boss to handle my cash receipts and month-end duties yesterday.  It's the first time in 5 years I won't be there to close the books.  Hopefully I succeeded at training him on one tiny aspect of my job so that I don't walk into any craziness on Monday.  Wouldn't be so bad, but my backup (Coco) is going on the trip with me, so she won't even be there to lend a hand should he have questions.  Sure, I'm available by phone too, but month-end will probably be the last thing I'm thinking about today.  :)

Hope you have a great weekend too!!

Kissing bricks

From Nascar.com --
Thanks to a genius pit call from Kevin Manion, Jamie McMurray became the third driver to win Daytona and Indy in the same year, putting his owner in the record books.

Congrats Jamie on another spectacular race at the Brickyard!!  

I was sitting on my couch sweating bullets the last 10 laps of the race, but I had my faith in you pulling off the win.  Even Broccoli, who could care less about Nascar racing got into it and was intently watching the finish.  He wasn't nearly as excited as I was by the win, but he'll come around soon enough.  :)  

And as for you Mr. Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, who said that Jamie McNobody was a fluke in the world of Nascar and should have let Earnhardt Jr. win the Daytona 500, you might just wanna eat your words now.

Finally, congrats to Chip Ganassi Racing winning the 3 biggest races of the year.  That's definitely one for the record books!

Flashback

I was at the gym this morning doing my hour of cardio and watching the Top 20 Countdown on VH1.  I felt like I was back in my teenage years with the music artists that they were showing -- Hanson, Eminem, Christina Aguilera all had songs in the Top 20 this week.  They have all change dramatically from their debuts, but its nice to see them making a comeback.  Plus, it kept me entertained.

I am a bit disappointed though...in 8th grade I told everyone that I was going to marry Taylor Hanson when I was old enough.  Guess I should forget about that dream.

5 years and counting

 
Today is my 5 year anniversary with my employer.  For most people, this day would come and go and they wouldn't care less about it, especially since it's work.  For me, this day is extremely special.
For one, I have met amazing friends and some of the greatest people in my life while working for this company.  We have had some terrific memories over the years, we've faced hardships together and we've maintained our "family" through all of our experiences.

This anniversary also signifies a milestone for me personally.  My position here began my career as an Accountant.  Sure, I had been an Accounting clerk while in college, but this was my leap into the real world.  I had never made a commitment to an employer like I did when I started.  I was an unknown to the President and all of the Directors at our company, a small detail that made them somewhat hesitant to bring me aboard, but I made a promise to them that if they hired me, they would not regret it.  Two and a half years into my position, I was promoted and received more responsibility in the form of Administrative payroll, 401k and HR guru.  You know that you've made a name for yourself and the job you do when your given the task of processing the President's bi-monthly paycheck.

I go into work grateful for the opportunities and learning experiences the company has provided and even through the stressful times, I know there is no other place I want to be at this point in my life.
Most of all, the past 5 years have taught me to be confident in my abilities and work hard to achieve success.
July 18, 2005 was more than just my first day at a new job, it was the start of a great journey and another day of that journey starts tomorrow morning at 7:15.

Feeling spoiled

Finally decided to pamper myself after working my tail off for the past few months. 

Thursday night Coco and I went and got manicures and pedicures.  Usually this is something I do as soon as the open-toed shoes are pulled out for the spring and summer but time just got away from me this year so when Coco mentioned it while we were at work on Thursday, I decided to tag along.  We had so much fun!  And I still giggle every time I think about the color I chose -- Burnt Buns.  Not sure why it's named that considering it's a cross between coral and hot pink, but it still is funny to me.
Next week I have an appointment for a much needed hair cut and highlights and then finally on the 30th we leave for our Girls Trip to Chicago filled with shopping, sunbathing, the Bon Jovi concert and a night out on the town.

By the time August rolls around, I might be so spoiled, I'll have a hard time dealing with my normal self.  I guess I should start warning everyone else to slap me back to reality if my head ends up too far into the clouds.

Reminiscing and Cooking

Last night Broccoli and I were talking about our upbringing and our grandmothers and how they spoiled us with such amazing home-cooked meals throughout the years.
He told me about the homemade pizzas, breaded pork chops, fried chicken and warm lunches his grandma made for him while growing up and I told him about my Grandma R, who I lost in 2007, and how she continues to inspire me to cook, create recipes and recreate her signature dishes that she just seemingly threw together.  I truly believe my Grandma is the reason why I love cooking and baking so much now.  I can remember as a kid we'd watch PBS together on Saturday afternoons catching Julia Child, Jacques Pepin and Yan Can Cook, among others, hard at work.  I am still inspired by my Grandma's self-taught cooking abilities and wish that I would have had a little bit more time to learn from her.

A friend of mine sent me this cooking meme and thought there was no better time than the present for me and others to learn more about my cooking style.
What is your go-to ingredient?
Chicken, I can turn it into just about anything.

What nationality of food do you like the best?
Mexican, I love testing new taco, burrito, enchilada and quesadilla recipes.

What’s your favorite meal of the day to prepare?
Lunch or dinner, I feel like I can be more creative with those meals.

What is/are your signature dish? (What dish are you ‘known’ for?)
Chicken quesadillas with black bean and corn salsa.

What is your favorite comfort food?
A hearty bowl of chili

What cooking shows do you watch?
Top Chef, Hell's Kitchen and just about everything on Food Network

Your top three favorite cookbooks are:

Fast & Fit
Rachel Ray's - 2, 4, 6, 8 Great Meals for Couples and Crowds
The Complete Cookie Jar

Your must-have kitchen accessory is:
George Foreman Grill

Do you ever eat fast food? If so, what?
I really do not eat many meals out.  I have found that I can cook healthier and cheaper than most restaurants.  However, about once a month I will splurge for a Lion's Choice Roast Beef Sandwich or 6 inch Whole Wheat Roasted Chicken sub from Subway.

Most memorable meal you’ve had while on vacation:
There were two dinners in Puerto Vallarta that stick out in my mind - Pipi's Puerto Vallarta was an experience because it was the first time I'd ever had authentic Mexican and then Garibaldi's where we had the best red snapper appetizer I have ever tasted.
I also enjoyed Memphis tremendously.  Dinner at Neely's was one of the best BBQ meals I've ever tasted and Rendezvous was also everything I expected and then some.

What restaurant do you want to eat at that you haven’t yet?
Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill or Paula Deen's The Lady and Sons

What’s your favorite dessert?
Toll House Pie from Miss Aimee B's.

What scent in the kitchen do you love?
Sweet - vanilla
Savory - sauteed garlic and onions

What ingredient(s) do you avoid/dislike?
Even though I love to cook Mexican dishes, I'm not a fan of cilantro.  I just don't like the flavor.  I stick with flat leaf parsley if a recipe calls for cilantro.

What’s your secret splurge at the grocery store?
I don't splurge on much at the grocery store, I plan menus around items I can find on sale and in season and stock up on staples for everyday meals.  If anything, it's probably herbs and spices.

What’s the most decadent dish you’ve ever had?
The BBQ sampler from Neely's.  Not only were all of the meats smoked and cooked exactly the way I like it, all of the side dishes and their sweet tea made it an incredible meal.  I'd make the drive again just for more BBQ.

What’s your favorite midnight snack?
Marshmallows, they satisfy my sweet tooth and are not loaded with too many calories.

Summer fun

Went a little crazy at the grocery store last night.  There were so many different fruits on sale with the 4th of July holiday and for the simple fact that just about everything is in season.  I figured since I've been on a major healthy, unprocessed foods (minus my marshmallow obsession) kick for the last couple of months, it wouldn't hurt to pick up some variety either.

The last few weeks have flown by at warp speed.
Work is unbelievably busy to start with and then we've had vacations to cover on top of it.  I have the pleasure of working the 4th to try to get caught up on billing.  Not that I want to spend my 4th working but at least there will be peace and quiet in the office so I can get a good chunk of it caught up -- plus it doesn't hurt that I'm picking up some comp time to use when I decide to take off for our girls trip to Chicago later in the month.  It's funny that for nearly a year and a half the transportation business was declining due to the economy and all of a sudden every company needs trucking services ASAP.  It's definitely nice to see pick up, but geez, I can't work much more or harder than I am without losing some serious brain cells.

Last weekend my dear friend Sherri's daughter A got married.  It was such an honor to be invited to the wedding and to celebrate A's big day.  A was a beautiful bride and Sherri would have enjoyed the day immensely while being extremely proud of her daughter.  However, it was bittersweet for all of the Lake girls knowing Sherri wasn't there to party with us at the reception.  The Lake girls spent the night exactly where Sherri would have wanted us, out on the dance floor, laughing and giggling and having a blast together.
I did feel somewhat old though because I met A when she was just finishing up high school and heading off to college, now some 4+ years later, she's married and starting a new journey.

That's about all from here right now.  Hope you have an enjoyable 4th of July weekend!!

How is it possible that I have been invited to or have been given tickets to 4 Cardinals games this season and I haven't made it to a game yet?  My timing stinks!

This week alone, I won tickets to Monday nights game, which I gave to Coco and then she and I were given tickets for tonight's game and she went home sick.
The one good thing is that every time I go and see a game in person, the Cardinals lose, so maybe I should stay away from Busch Stadium.  We could be headed for the World Series if I don't catch a game all season.

Go Cards!!

Ta da!!!

Well, I finally did it!  Tonight I entered my recipe in the Signature Dessert Recipe contest as well as the Spectacular Strawberry Desserts contest.  Really, it should have been a no brainer after taking the finished product into work today for the office to sample and having it devoured in no time flat, but I still was a bit nervous.

So for your viewing enjoyment (sorry I couldn't save you a piece!), I give you the Strawberry Milkshake Cake:

Feel free to vote for my recipe in either (or both) contests -- you can vote once a day through the end of the contests too.

For the Signature Dessert contest go here: Signature Dessert

For the Spectacular Strawberry Dessert contest go here: Spectacular Strawberry

It's actually kind of funny that I brought this into work today since over the weekend one of our better drivers quit to pursue a culinary career.  My co-workers wanted to know if I'm taking this so seriously that I would give up my Accounting position and some of them even joked that I better not leave without training someone else how to do payroll.  I ensured them that this was just a fun hobby and while I am available for hire (for the right price), I'm not taking off for the Culinary Institute of America anytime soon.

What a week! Hold on!!!

A lot of miscellaneous things happening here, nothing too bad, ugly or too crazy to handle, just enough to keep me on my toes and really busy.

- My boss left for Italy on Tuesday morning for a 2.5 week vacation.  While this is on much better terms than the last time he planned a big "out of the county family vacation" (1 short week after I started my position there nearly 5 years ago), we still had so much to take care before he left.  Didn't help that I had to leave early for my doctor's appointment on Friday and that he's a major procrastinator because Monday turned into one whirlwind of a day.  It's not been quiet since he's left, but I haven't gone completely insane, yet!

- Created a 30th wedding anniversary party invitation for Coco and she was so thoroughly impressed by my mad skills that she thinks I have a knack for party planning.  I did offer to make her cake/cupcakes as well, just to stay creative with my baking.

- Heading out to my Dad's tomorrow after work to celebrate Father's Day with him a bit early.  Rather than taking him out to dinner, I'm going to impress him with my new found love for creating healthy, yet flavorful recipes.  I hope my little experiment works!  I also hope that he likes the Father's Day gifts I picked out!

- Renewing my apartment lease for another year this week.  Hard to believe that I moved in here 5 years ago already.  It's nice to know that after shuffling around growing up and then moving around numerous times in college, I'm somewhat grounded for the time being.  Sure, I know I'm renting a 700 sq. foot apartment, but it's cute and right now, I don't think I could handle much more than this amount of space.

- MO is having the work crowd over for a BBQ on Saturday afternoon and I intend to let loose and have some fun.  It's been awhile since we've all gotten together and it's a great way to spend a hot Saturday in June.  And since I RSVP'ed to this event, the pool table jokes have been in high demand too.  I just may have to take a break and lay down on it again if I deem it necessary.

- Sunday I'm finally working on my signature dessert recipe.  I've got it all planned out and now I just need to execute it.  I'm feeling really confident and I'm already thinking ahead for another dessert contest using strawberries.  I'll post more info and maybe even a picture of my creation once its all finished.

The best news of the week is that tomorrow is Friday and we're heading into summer!  Woo hoo!!

Bruce!!!

BRUCE!!!  

If you were an outsider visiting the Edward Jones Dome for a Rams game from the time they moved to St. Louis until 2008, you probably thought we were all booing our team.  Yet, any die hard Rams fan would disagree with you, we were just cheering on our beloved wide receiver who lead our team through the winning seasons and even the losing ones.

On Wednesday, Issac Bruce retired as a player of the team that drafted him back in 1994 after San Francisco graciously traded him back to his "home" team.  As a franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, Bruce can be considered one of the all time greatest players for the St. Louis Rams.

Congratulations on an outstanding football career Issac Bruce and good luck in all future endeavors!  There are not many athletes of your caliber and with your great character!

Have spatula, will travel

Besides being passionate about keeping fit and staying healthy, I'm also somewhat of a foodie.  I love to cook and create or tweak recipes and often times think about a career as a personal chef if I ever got tired of being an Accountant. 
I found a contest online to create an original signature dessert recipe earlier today and I'm really thinking about taking a shot at it.  My baking skills are fairly strong and I think I could put together something I would be proud of.  This afternoon while trying to finish up my last few projects for the week, I started throwing ideas around and got a few nods from my co-workers.  I'm going to give it serious thought this weekend and see if I can nail down a good recipe and start testing it out.  Thank goodness I also have co-workers and friends that will try my masterpieces and give me their honest yet supportive opinions.

I've got one month to perfect my signature dessert...wish me luck!

Ready for a challenge

With the season finale of The Biggest Loser last week and now NBC premiering Losing It With Jillian last night, I know there are a lot of people that are jumping on the health and fitness bandwagon.  I might be considered one of those individuals since I get even more pumped about being healthy and staying in shape while watching these shows.  Heck, I'd even go so far to say that even while watching the hell that some of these people face while trying to reach there fitness and weight loss goals, I would still love to spend an hour being trained by the one and only Jillian Michaels.

Sure, she's rough and seems unsympathetic at times but it's all about mind over matter.  Determination and hard work are two principles that spread in all aspects of life, not just weight loss.  You push yourself to work harder and success will follow.

Plus, I want the secret to her stellar abs!

The Perfect Pair -- Memorial Day Weekend & Racing

You ask any of my close friends and they will tell you that I have a passion for NASCAR racing.  As I watch the sport, I see more strategy than just speeding around an oval track.  I usually try to catch the stats from the truck races and Nationwide series and then try to tune into the Sprint Cup
With yesterday being a big race day with the Indianapolis 500, I decided I was going to check out that race too.  I know there is not much similarity between stock cars and Indy cars, but I figured why not see what all of the fuss was about.  I know the names of a few Indy car drivers, Danica, of course, (who's not really feeling the love in NASCAR), Dario Franchitti, and Helio Castroneves, but by far, my favorite driver of the Indy car series,

#12, Will Power.  Yes, that's really his name!  I giggled every time they mentioned him.  What's a race without Will Power?  Nothing I tell ya!!
Seriously though, it was a fun race to watch.  Congrats to Ganassi Racing and Dario for the big win!

In other racing news, the Coca-cola 600 was last night and MacMurray finished 2nd!!  There is a good possibility he could be in cup contention this season if he keeps racing this way. 

Hope you're having a great Memorial Day.  A former Marine and friend of mine posted this earlier, 
As you lay poolside with a drink in your hand, remember those who are in the sand. 
As you eat that delicious bar-b-que, remember those who fought for you. 
As you shop for the shoes with the perfect price, remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. 

Thanks to all of you who have served, continue to serve and have paid the price for our freedom.

Yes, I'm seriously that organized

With the upcoming holiday weekend we got to talking about schedules and things going on and just run of the mill items to take care of over the next few days and how it compared to years past.  No doubt, when asked a simple question like, "well, what did we do last year?" I whipped out my trusty 2 year planner from my purse and had that weekend, along with every other, noted in complete detail.  I don't know if that's something truly to be proud of or something to have myself committed for.

But, we got the answers we needed and overall I think my obsessive organization came in handy  Hmm, maybe I could make it as a personal assistant....

Completely random

Holding true to the title of the blog and since I still have a lot running through my head, I've decided why not just put some of what's happening right now out there...bad, good, or otherwise.

-- Today I got some unsettling health news from my doctor.  I was a bit shaken and concerned and still had to try to hold myself together.  I couldn't ask for 2 better people to help me through this and while I'm hopeful that everything will turn out ok in the end, I am extremely grateful for Broccoli and Coco's concern and willingness to do whatever possible to help me.  Broccoli had to deal with the tears at lunchtime, something I wouldn't wish on anyone cause I'm a pain when I start crying.  Yet, he was awesome as always.  Coco continued to stay positive and reminded me that I've gone through something like this before and everything worked out for the best.

-- My vitamin supplements and protein shakes were delivered today which made me extremely happy and I was even happier to see the extra bottle of supplements at no extra charge.  He did leave me a note to let me know that it wasn't a mistake too.  It's nice to know that someone appreciates my business.  Guess he's glad to see my order every 3 months for the past few years.  I'm gonna take this as an opportunity to pay it forward as well.

-- I'm planning 2 birthday celebrations at work this week.  SS turns 40 on Wednesday and of course the Party Planning Committee has to do something spectacular!!  I hope he likes what I've thrown together...strawberry jello cake (his favorite) and all!  Thursday is the President of the Company's birthday.  Usually, we throw an office-wide party but we always have someone try to rain on our parade.  This year, a select few of us decided to take him out for his birthday.  While we may be considered brown-nosers, we are also still very grateful for our jobs and we would like to show our appreciation to him.

-- I've had some kick ass workouts the last week or so.  I don't know if I'm just that full of energy right now or if I'm just determined to see my abs pop out before I put a swimsuit on.  I'm soooo close and I'd probably look like I'm even closer if I wasn't this pasty white.  (Note to self: On your extra day off for Memorial Day, try to get some sun.) 

-- I've already thought ahead about Father's Day and got the perfect gifts picked out for my Dad and even ordered one of them last weekend.  He's so hard to buy for because he always claims he doesn't need much.  This year, I thought outside of the box and BINGO!

Ok, enough randomness for now.  Have a good night!

Couldn't have said it better myself...

"If you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best."
 -- Marilyn Monroe

No good reason that I'm up at 12:48 in the morning when I have to get up for work at 5 am, except for the fact that I've got way too much on my mind and can't make it quit.  The one good thing is that tomorrow is Friday and a fairly quiet day on the work front.  The bad thing is that if I don't get myself sorted out by lunchtime tomorrow, my weekend will be a complete mess and I will have wished that I had to work the next two days.

Ah, the joys of being Type A Lindsay.

Sometimes all it takes is a hug

Working in an office and an industry that is male dominated sometimes has its disadvantages.  Many days are stressful and some days pass with no more acknowledgment than a mean spirited joke or a sarcastic remark.  Most guys there don't understand why I get upset and get emotional over something that is a big deal when it seems so trivial to them.  I can usually get by though and I understand that men and women are most times on opposite ends of the spectrum.
Today is one of those days when I saw a different side of one of my male co-workers.  I left for lunch early because I had something to take care of and when I came back I went into the kitchen to grab my actual lunch.  While I was in there one of the guys that I see as a a "tough manly man" came in and we were making small talk as we were warming up our lunches.  He asked if I was alright and said that he noticed that I didn't seem like I had been myself all week and more so this morning.  I told him that it was an overly stressful week once again but that I would get through it and try to be that spunky chick again next week.  He laughed and I walked back to my desk to get back to work. 
A few minutes later, he walked back and asked if he could give me a hug because hugs from "CH" made everything better.  Yes, I know he was trying to be funny and it did make me laugh but the thought was nice.  Often times I think that these guys fail to realize that their female counterparts are human and have feelings, I was proven wrong today.

And yes, the hug did help....my afternoon was better.