The Four Right Chords

Polar Bear Plunge 2/27/10!

2010-02-27T18:50:00.000-05:00

Today was the big plunge day! I'm currently sitting in my sweats after a steaming hot shower trying to defrost my limbs. Let's just put it this way; the air and water were f'ing freezing. Like, really really flipping freezing. Sadly, the sun decided not really to show up today...but that didn't stop 300 participants from taking the plunge anyway on behalf of the amazing kids and adults the Special Olympics benefits :)

As promised, Zach and I dressed up in "Jersey Shore" gear for our costumes. Behold, Pauly D and Snooki:

I even purchased the wonder that is the "Bump-It" for the occasion. I tried to pay for the Bump-It in the back pharmacy check-out of Walgreen's, thinking that would be less embarrassing somehow...but my plan was mega foiled when it wouldn't ring up on the register and the pharmacy tech thus had to shout to her manager "Mina! How much are the Bump-Its? No...a BUMP It...Yea the hair thing..." I swear my life is a cartoon at times. I can't decide if it was the best or the worst $10 I've ever spent in my life;

A Special Olympian gave an adorable speech before the countdown letting everyone know how much the program has meant to her over the years and expressing her gratitude for those participating today... which was so sweet to hear. She also announced that this year we'd raised $131,000 (and counting as people were still donating today) for the Northern California Special Olympics...$10,000 more than last year! Recession or not, people are still reaching deep into their pockets to help a good cause. Generosity gives me goosebumps;

I tried to capture the true Snooki spirit by doing gymnastics to the music (including a flash of the panties aka bathing suit) and fighting back the beat...not a bad view in the background!;

When it came time to run into the water they announced our team as "GTL, Baby!" and I got so excited when the announcer said, completely unprovoked, "which of course stands for Gym, Tanning, And Laundry...which you won't be getting any of today!" Here is me and my fat butt (dang girl, time to hit the gym...too much of a Snooki booty) cheering when he correctly identified "GTL";

The crowd was too big for Nik, my trusty camera gal, to get a shot of us actually getting in the water...but she sure did grab a few gems once the frozen/in shock/drowned rat version of myself emerged...prepare yourself...I'm cracking up....

I basically squealed and screamed the whole time in the water. Since we were the first ones in (we wanted to get it over with!!) we ended up getting a bit trapped by the following crowds in the bay much longer than we had anticipated. Some (most, actually) folks didn't go under water but we figured if we were going to do this, we were going to do it all the way. Thus, my Snooki bump-it was a sad, wet sight post plunge. Is this how she looked after her hot tub antics? I love that Aubs told me I looked more like Amy Winehouse than Snooki because I'm not orange and 'a twig'. It's kind of ironic that I chose Snooki for my costume since when, on the wet walk home, these 2 blonde bitches stared at me with their judgey eyes and not-so-whispered 'what.the.hell is she wearing'...I turned around and shouted "It's a freaking costume! Snooki? No? Keep staring, whatever..." in my most Jersy-esque accent. My neighborhood is occasionally too vanilla for my liking. Might be time to explore less yuppy hood options....

Thank you again so much to everyone who donated to my plunge...it was truly a fun experience and I'm so grateful for your support! Love!!

xo,

trish

It's official. It's love. Part 2.

2010-02-23T18:19:00.000-05:00

I think I love taking the bus. It's not always very clean and sure, occasionally you'll run across the Asian woman with a nasty swine flu-esque cough who doesn't seem to grasp the idea of covering her mouth while hacking. Or the drunk old man who awkwardly shouts "San Francisco! The city of all kinds of races!" each time a black person enters the bus as if it's 1950 and he expects them to sit in the back. Or maybe even the child who decides it's completely socially acceptable to try and pee in the corner...(I have experienced all of these)...but overall, the bus can be a pretty clutch spot for people watching. With my ipod on it can even be relatively relaxing and distracting and calming. Plus, I never get tired of the tiny old ladies whose feet don't touch the bus floor:

I also love clutch interactions with the quirky folks that call SF home. Just last week I rode the bus and encountered Calvin O. Davis, an adorable, super skinny, elderly black man with either teeth so small I couldn't see them or just a total lack of toogles in his mouth and wearing pinstripe pants. He was holding on to the grip above where I was seated when our conversation began;

Calvin, in a perfectly smokey voice: Hello there. Do you like poetry?

Me: Hi! Yep, sure do.

Calvin: Oh well I'm Calvin and I'm a poet...(pulls out 6 sheets of slightly crumpled computer paper stapled together from his little filing kit)...here is some of my work.

Me, taking the papers: Cool. Let me read.

Calvin, pointing to the second page: That one is a loooove poem...(*sigh*, shakes his head slowly)....loooove...

Me: Ok I'll read that first...Calvin, are you selling these poems?

C: Yes m'am I am. $5. But I'd take anything you can offer. It all helps. That's my email at the bottom there...codpoetry@gmail.com...

Me: Hm, well I need $2 to take the bus again later...but can I have the poems for this other $2?

C: Oh yes, yes...thank you lovey. You can email me anytime. I enjoy sharing my work. Words are powerful and beautiful...yea...gotta share your thoughts...gotta spread the truth.

Me: Agreed.

The last page of Calvin's 'poem packet' contains a bit of a bio which includes the facts that he works to help end homelessness in the city, is a self employed "Tourist Information Guide", used to train and manage a number of IHOP's, and uses the computer lab at the St. Anthony's Foundation Learning Center to do work on his fifth career as an artist. So cute. My favorite stanza from his poem "One Day At A Time";

So now we see our own individuality has been responsible
for the uncertainty of our peace of minds. So let me
suggest that we neutralize our indifferences and realize that
we are all one.

I love that San Francisco does a lot to bring awareness to the homeless population. Regardless of how they got to that point in their lives, they're still people. It's sad to see them struggle while having so little. Makes me feel grateful for what I do have. I mean...they're still people. My friend Lindsey's good buddy Sean is the photographer/videographer for this Tenderloin project, which is pretty fascinating and also strangely beautiful; http://thetenderloinproject.com/

If you have time, watch at least this video. The part where Flash compares people to his orange is simple and great:

The Tenderloin Project x Black Scale from Sean Desmond on Vimeo.

I also love that so many people don't care much what others think about them, including what they wear. If they like it, they wear it. If it makes them happy, they wear it. So many quirky fashion freak flags flown high as the sky. I really love it:

the neyPod:

City & Colour- the whole album, Bring Me Your Love, is amazing. "Sleeping Sickness" will rock your world. Promise.

xo,

trish

Three Cups of Tea...and various other random thoughts.

2010-01-31T13:18:00.000-05:00

I have nothing else to say in this post besides this; I'm 10 chapters into my new book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin (sent to me as a Christmas present from my darling girl Kelly) and I'm literally having to pace myself so that I don't fly thru it and miss out on truly absorbing the beauty of the story. Read it!

OK, fine, I have a few more things to say.

1. I'm a vegetarian now. I know, I know...Tricia Louise DiGaetano, the girl who once ate a cheeseburger for lunch and dinner everyday for 8 days straight (yes, that'd be 16 cheeseburgers in 8 days) in Las Vegas in the first grade (my parents begged me to eat something else but I was a woman possessed) has now given up meat. I guess officially I would be considered a pescatarian since I still eat fish, but c'mon...salmon will never come close to beef. I wish I could pinpoint what exactly caused me to make this switch all of a sudden, but I think it really just has been something I've considered trying for a long time. Living in San Francisco just makes it so much easier since there are tons of vegetarian and vegan options around. I've slipped up a few times (oh, this is bacon in my new england clam chowder?) but so far I'm not doing too badly. I also recently snagged a book from the library called Eat Right 4 Your Type which discusses different diets based on blood type; the first sentence of my Type A chapter states that we thrive on being vegetarians! I like to think of this as a good sign. I will state right up front, however, that even if this vegetarian kick ends up sticking I will always make a meat eating exception for two things; 1. my mom's amazing meatballs and 2. the occasional Wendy's chicken nugget.

2. I'm addicted to my crock pot. My mom gave me a recipe book of just crock pot meals and I'm in love with it. Nothing says home made goodness than a feast made in a slow cooking pot. Tonight I'm trying out a butternut squash soup recipe that I'm hoping makes me positively squeal in delight. If it's a winner, I'll post the recipe :)

UPDATE: I just tasted the soup. It was awful. Mega fail.

3. I'm getting another tattoo in the next 2 months (that is my get-the-courage deadline). Pictures will be posted, and in response to my sister sighing "But why?" on the phone...because I'm bad ass and I do what I want.

4. People's social network internet behavior has been irking me more lately than usual...especially if they are over the age of 16. And if you are 30, I really cannot help but smh you (smh = shaking my head). There is no excuse for your lameness. These are two of my biggest irks. I am about to get snarky;

1. When you add a smiley face to your facebook posts or statuses please put a space in between the smile and the words/punctuation. This looks ridiculous: Can't wait to see you:)! Also, you don't have to add 3 smilies to one post. We get it, you're so cute and happy. This looks ridiculous: Can't wait to see you:)! Thinking good thoughts for you:) Love you:)

2. You are a grown up. Love is not spelled luv. Words ending in 'ing' should not be ending in just 'n'. You is not just u. This looks ridiculous: Can't wait to see u:)! Thinkn good thoughts for u :) Luv u:) ....Twitter is a different story because you only have 140 characters, but on facebook I truly expect more from folks. It's not endearing that you talk like a 14 year girl. It's embarrassing.

Thanks to all of my fabulous, kind, generous and supportive friends I have reached my goal of $500 for the Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge! I am *so* fortunate to have people in my life who step up for me. Also, my costume for the event has been decided...drum roll please.....Snooki!! Yep, I'm gonna bump-it my hair, spray tan, wear a too tight outfit, and carry around a pickle. And since Zach is such a good sport, he is going to be Pauly D...blow out and all. Our team name is GTL, baby. Life is good.

xo,

trish

Polar Bear Plunge!

2010-01-12T00:27:00.002-05:00

In the spirit of new beginnings I'm kicking off 2010 by diving (literally) right into every adventure I can get my hands on; starting with the Polar Bear Plunge in San Francisco that benefits the Northern California Special Olympics. Can I hear a collective "brrrr!"? I have yet to decide what my costume will be (this is San Francisco, after all...it seems that all events here are enhanced by flamboyant costumes and outfits) but I have a few ideas in mind.

In addition to my love of new and exciting things, I'm participating in the plunge for another important reason. My sister very actively volunteers with the Special Olympics through the barn where she boards her horse, so my family knows first hand how great this organization is. Belle always speaks so highly of the participants and is amazed at the connection the kids make with the horses. It's so touching to see their excitement, the confidence they acquire and the pride they feel over competing.

Knowing how dedicated she is to the mentally and physically handicapped community I wanted to do something to support the cause on her behalf. As part of her Christmas present, I've signed up to freeze my ass off in the Bay next month to raise money for this cause. I love that little bug so much I'm willing to have my nipples get so hard I don't know that they'll ever un-harden. That may sound creepy to some people, but that's why I don't love those some people as much as I love Belle.

Here is a slightly edited cut and pasted piece from the Special Olympics Polar Bear Plunge site to help give you a little info on the event;

Special Olympics provides year round sports training and competition opportunities for children and adults with developmental disabilities. But it is so much more than a sports program. It is training for life, empowering these individuals with self-confidence and self-esteem that carries over into their every day lives. What is most amazing is that Special Olympics is free to all for over 13,000 Special Olympics athletes in Northern California! It costs approximately $500 to support one athlete's participation in Special Olympics for an entire year, so I've set my fundraising goals at $500. The opportunities Special Olympics provides to people with developmental disabilities is truly commendable, which is why I want to show my support by being a part of the Polar Bear Plunge. The funds I raise will go a long way to ensure that Special Olympics continues to enrich the lives of the developmentally disabled children and adults in our community for many years to come. I realize these are financially trying times for many (I've started obsessively collecting change and keeping it in a piggy bank, trust me I understand 'tight budgets') so I thank you in advance for any support!

Follow This Link to visit my personal web page and help me in my efforts to support Special Olympics.

xo,

trish

Do You Viv?

2009-12-30T17:30:00.000-05:00

My new gal pal Jessica told me about a pretty fabulous (free!) program in San Francisco called Viv this week and I can't wait for my Viv stickers to come in the mail! In a nutshell, you put a Viv sticker on your credit or phone or wherever and you have it scanned at businesses that are a part of the Viv community. Then Viv will send you eco-friendly 'gifts' like energy efficient light bulbs and share specials with you! All of the businesses involved are committed to creating a more sustainable world.

In their words:

So how does Viving help communities and the environment?

We Keep it Local - Viv exposes you to more local businesses who are invested in their neighborhoods. Lets face it, a healthier local economy results in happier communities!
Behavioral Change - Viv makes ethical choice more accessible by making "good behaviors" more visible. You'll notice that many of our businesses offer enhanced specials when you do things like bring a reusable shopping bag, or show your bike helmet or bus pass. By rewarding positive action and making it more transparent, good gets mainstream!
And Beyond- Suffice it to say, there's more in the mix and we look forward to unveiling a whole lot'a "good clean fun" real soon. Stay tuned as this gift keeps on Viving!

Thanks Jess, can't wait to start Viv-ing!!

the neyPod

Any song of Otis Redding's....he's amazing and I'm so glad I rediscovered him in my music library :)

xo,

trish

mini rain dance

2009-12-26T22:50:00.007-05:00

I just walked about 8 blocks to my apartment in the rain with Passion Pit's "Manners" album playing on my iPod. I don't know if it was the drizzles on my face, the great beat in my ears, the excitement of going home to Pyramid's Audacious Apricot Ale and left over baked mac n cheese, or a combination of all of these things but I literally could not contain myself from stopping multiple times to dance a bit on the sidewalk (with a huge shit eating grin on my face to boot).

I know I've never been a particularly shy person, so this is certainly not shocking Tricia behavior.

But there were definitely plenty of other people on the street (walking and driving).

These people definitely could see me.

I definitely looked ridiculous.

And people definitely did not seem to mind at all.

(I may have even opened my mouth to catch a few drops before entering my building...)

I love my city. I loved the rain today. I love "Manners". I'm so thankful for such a silly 8 blocks.

xo,

trish

Happy Holidays, from the shoebox of memories!

2009-12-25T21:20:00.014-05:00

It's been a while kiddos. Apologies to all 3 of you who read this and have probably been completely lost in life due to my lack of banter. I could come up with a hundred excuses as to why I've been m.i.a. but instead I will just say lo siento, happy holidays and dive right into the blogging...

If you hadn't realized already from previous posts, I come from a family of slightly sentimental pack-rats. Us Diggy's tend to hold on to things...a lot of things...that mean something to us, and over the years the pile of 'things' will grow and grow (as briefly explained in my earlier "Living Lighter" blog posts). To keep myself from drowning in a sea of 'this is special!' I have to to do my regular closet cleanings as well as allow for only one shoe box full of letters, cards and photos (as these are always my most favorite keepsakes). Just like with my closets, I have to occasionally open up the ol' shoebox and gut it of some of the contents to make room for the new. I thought perhaps you would enjoy some of my favorite findings during yesterdays shoe box ....

1. A "crush" poem written by a high school friend of mine, whose name I will not reveal because...well....just read it and you will know why. And before you get all huffy about how I could post this on a public forum, please note that he's a great guy and would totally understand that it's posted with nothing but love and is all in good fun. Also, I haven't blogged in over a month and this is good material to reengage my 3 readers. Desperate times....:

Dear Tricia,

Great job! You were awesome in the play! The following is a poem I wrote for you. It is an attempt to express my feelings.

Night after night, I lay awake,

Thinking about what it will take

To be together with only you.

That would be my dream come true!

I was once told, to be a good actor,

At a young age you have to be a big sensation.

It hasn't happened for me, but I know it will

One day, because I have you as my inspiration!

For every performance that I do,

I always dedicate it to someone new,

However, this year whether it was a

Football game, or theatric production,

They've all been dedicated to only you.

Your beauty is so great and so grand,

If you wanted to, you model

For Abercrombie & Fitch or any other

Famous clothing brand.

When I hear your sweet soft voice,

And see your beautiful, angelic smile,

I seem to forget everything in the world,

That is ugly, repulsive and vile!

Listening to your voice is wonderful music to my ears,

Honest to God, you're more beautiful than Britney Spears!

I wish I may, I wish I might

Maybe you and I will go

Out on a Saturday night!

Now as all things do, this poem begins its end.

And I know you'll always think of me as just another friend.

That's okay, that's all right,

I just want you to know my feelings for you will always burn bright.

From, (name removed for privacy sake)

P.S. Did it hurt, you know, when you fell from heaven?

2. Have you stopped cracking up yet? I probably should've saved that one for last, but I needed to captivate you early on :). Ok so #2...this was a joke 'crush poem' written by a good friend in college (at least I'm pretty sure it was a joke). It makes me giggle to read it now but at the same time I have to say it's oddly flattering in a weird way if I try and take it some-what seriously. I feel very eerie admitting that. So be it.

Your body leans, enshrined by a glow,

shapely and graceful, but nobody knows,

the secrets you hold, tucked behind lock and key,

most take what they can get, but not me.

I bet there's more beside your milky silk skin,

as smooth as the peach colored shirt you're wrapped in.

The world hears your whispers quiet, your laughter,

and sees your smile,

maybe you were perfected through trial.

You haven't known me for long, but this should be trusted,

I really don't hate Jersey, and I just got busted.

But it's alright,

getting you to stay for even a little bit longer last night,

was my delight.

So in closing, please believe,

I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leave.

3. My college roommate and I were mildly obsessed with the cartoon website Homestarrunner.com all four years at PSU...particularly the character of Strongbad and his emails. If you've never been to that site, make your way over when you have several hours to kill...it's hilarious, weird, and addicting. The *best* Strongbad email ever on the site can be found here (and if you don't think this is funny, you should never come to my blog again because you clearly do not get me as a person):

http://www.homestarrunner.com/sbemail68.html

As part of her THON dancer mail to me in 2006 Miss Billings crafted this likeness of Strongbad to help cheer me up...it puts a smile on my face still to this day:

4. My favorite college professor, Frankie Clemente, was one of the most kind and insightful men I've ever known (and many other PSU grads would say the same, I'm sure). In one of his last lectures in his sociology class he passed along his 10 rules of life. At first I was completely bummed to find that I no longer had my notebook from that class and couldn't pass along all the details of each point below, but then I thought that perhaps they are better shared in this simple state. I try very hard to generally follow these rules and am glad I re-stumbled upon them. I needed the reminder;

1. Know yourself-respect yourself.

2. Live a full, passionate life.

3. Keep your health.

4. Don't be too proud to change.

5. Give something back.

6. Don't be afraid of risk or failure. (Without the sour, the sweet ain't so sweet).

7. Always take the high road.

8. You are never weaker than when you are strongest- or stronger when you are weakest.

9. Follow your own dream.

10. Tomorrow belongs to you.

I highly recommend keeping a single shoe box of memories for yourself. It's my go to for rough days when I just need a little pick me up or a giggle...I hope you liked them too!

xo,

trish

Watch Trauma this Monday!

2009-11-21T15:01:00.003-05:00

This Monday, 11/23, at 9pm is the airing of my Trauma episode! Here's a little summary I sent to my mom to help her find me in the background that you can use as a cheat sheet if you care to attempt to find me...

First off, I was wearing dark blue pants and a navy peacoat with a grey sweater underneath. My hair was down.

In the scene on the airplane (before the crash) I'm sitting in a middle seat on the left hand side (if you were walking to the back of the plane), the second row after 1st class. I have a laptop, and am sitting next to a blonde with short hair (aisle seat) and an older woman in a sweater that has fall leaves on it w/pumpkins I think (window seat). I'm in the row next to the couple that has speaking lines...I think the woman says something about going home and the 'husband' makes a joke about spending time with her mother. How rude! Just kidding, just kidding. They did have a camera right next to my face at one point where the oxygen masks come down, which is probably the best bet of anyone seeing me if they use it.

Now, after the plane has crashed they shot about 40 different angles with me all over the place. At one point an older man is walking me towards the trauma triage tarps and I only have socks on, another I'm sitting on the ground near the ambulance that Boone (black EMT) exits. Another time I'm talking to a cop, and yet another time I'm sitting on the back of an ambulance getting treated by an EMT. Basically, I'm all over the place so keep your eyes peeled :)

Happy Tricia-as-an-extra hunting!

-t

Life List: Have Dark Hair...check!

2009-11-18T00:22:00.019-05:00

I was born with dark blonde hair. I remained a dark blonde until I was probably 3, and then the transformation to a brunette began. I consider this difficult transition time the dark ages of my life...

When I was 17 years old I was spending a typical high school evening at my good friend Kelly's with our gal pal Katie; giggling over boys, eating Nonna cooking, watching bad TV, eating Nonna cooking, gossiping, eating Nonna cooking. You know, the usual. In one of those very "we're-bored-and-have-car keys" teenage moments it suddenly popped in my head that we should go to the local CVS (where I once was bullied into buying condoms for a friend who was too chicken to do it for herself. But I digress.) and buy hair dye. The era of Tricia blonde-hood thus began. The era has been good to me.

I remember cracking up during the entire dying process, which looked pretty similar to the Clueless scene where Cher is washing the Kool-Aid red out of Ty's hair in the bathtub; the chemicals were burning my eyes and throat, my shirt got all wet, Kelly was forcefully holding my head under the faucet while yelling at me to stop wiggling...a happy memory indeed.

I was admittedly a little nervous to go home that night. But by mom, surprisingly, didn't give a crap that I'd colored my hair. "As long as you don't have piercings or tattoos, you can be a purple head for all I care." For the next 8 years I continued to torture my locks with bottle dyes, professional highlights, and lemon juice summers. After a quick calculation I recently realized that I've literally spent a few thousand dollars on being a blonde. Several. Thousand. Dollars. So ridiculous!! Considering the budget I've put myself on, I came to the conclusion it was time for a change. I'm living in a new city, trying on a new version of me. A drastic hair color change may be a bit cliche and superficial, but it also feels slightly symbolic. When I told Zach about my plans I said "It's gonna be weird for you! You don't know me as a brunette!" to which he replied "No, *you* don't know you as a brunette...". A simple yet very good point.

Several deep breaths, 2 hours, $65 and a few tears of shock in the car, I went from this....

to this....

In general, I like the change. It's still kinda weird to look in the mirror, but just thinking of all the money I'll be saving makes me giddy. Confession: I'm hoping to go out-out with girlfriends soon to test whether or not blondes really do have more fun and whether my old theories that boys didn't look at me until I was blonde were actually true.

I'm looking forward to getting to know myself as a brunette :)

-trish

Trauma!

2009-11-17T14:35:00.002-05:00

http://www.nbc.com/trauma/video/clips/thank-you/1176402/

recognize anyone in that still frame? yep, that's me (looking so horrible) with my hand over my mouth and the oxygen masks hitting me in the face....hence why I had my hand over my mouth, those things were straight old and nasty.

Watch next Monday, November 24th for the whole episode...and dvr it, too!!!....I have a feeling I may be making another appearance!

I'm laughing so hard.

-t

Adventures in "Fun"employment

2009-11-04T21:54:00.063-05:00

Being unemployed in this city suits me. While I can, I'm taking full advantage of my free time to try and experience as much as possible...and I plan on being "fun"employed for as long as I can! Very small sampling of some adventures thus far:

San Francisco Food Bank (http://www.sffoodbank.org/):

The SF Food Bank is pretty amazing; a huge warehouse full of all kinds of packaged and fresh foods that are delivered daily to soup kitchens, pantries, public schools, senior and childcare centers in a number of neighborhoods throughout SF and the surrounding area. They also open their warehouse up to some 300 plus charities a week to come and 'shop' for packaged and fresh foods. This city certainly has a high population of homeless folks, but it also tries to have a lot of outreach and support. Basically my shift was from 6pm-8pm and come 8pm I never wanted to leave I was having so much fun. This may sound like an odd compliment to give, but I was incredibly impressed with the organization of the Food Bank. I hate when you show up as a volunteer and the people running the event are all over the place, giving unclear instructions, not utilizing your resources...it's really discouraging and makes it not the most efficient use of time for anyone. The Food Bank was the opposite of inefficient. Along with about 30 other volunteers, 2 main "jobs" were neatly set up and assigned for the 2 hours; sorting donated packaged goods into bins, and packaging brown rice.

The food sorting didn't take very long at all seeing as there were so many of us (high schoolers, college students, peeps in their 20's and 30's). Once we got to the packaging of brown rice, I was in my glory. I swear I could work in a factory and be happy as a clam as long as I had two things; someone to have good conversations with and music playing in the background. I lucked out and was matched up with 3 fun women in their 30's and a male new college grad. I knew I'd like the ladies when one of them replied to my inquiry of 'what brings you to the food bank?' with "I drink too much. This is how I repent.". We instantly bonded over our desire to be the "winning" table (there was no contest, but I'm very Monica Gellar with competition) with the most packaged rice. College grad and my job was to seal the bags, label them, box 'em, weigh 'em....truly orgasmic as I got to use a sealer (I'm not kidding- I loved it). We did fake high kicks every time the girls in charge of bagging rice hit 1lb. exactly on their first scoop (the kicks were my idea), the wave when we filled a box, and created a team name of "The Mamas and the Papa"...which in retrospect is actually really gross considering all the controversy surrounding Makenzie Phillips' incestual relationship with her Dad, a founding M&P member. Woof. I digress. Mega props to the college grad for going along with this group of coo-coo women. We may have looked ridiculous to other tables, but I believe they were just jealous of the ass whopping we handed them. Even the volunteer coordinator for the night, JC, got into our antics--we were his favorite table and he eventually told me his life story while I sealed and labeled.

I can't wait to go back!

Glide (www.glide.org):

JC from the Food Bank recommended this place to me as a good soup kitchen to volunteer at...he did not disappoint with this rec....

I was accompanied by new friend Nicole in signing up for the lunch hour shift...and thank goodness she went with me. What JC had failed to tell me was that this church organization was located in a pretty poor, "rough" neighborhood...at least by the looks of it. I still have so much to learn about this city :-/. Nic and I took the bus where we were accompanied by a cute old African American man who had not one, but 2 lazy eyes. We had no idea where he was looking the entire ride. He spewed out advice and theories to us such as "everybody wants to get to heaven, but nobody wants to die!", and "you can't be scared to live or die." Thanks for the tips, cute old wonky eyes. Upon exiting at our stop Nic looked at me and accurately stated 'Toto, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore'. In the 8 minute walk to the church one man on the street leaned in mere milimeters from my cheek and made a huge kissing noise (this both startled me and made me laugh) . Another had incense burning in his hair which I didn't realize at first so I said 'sir, your hair is on fire!' upon seeing smoke rise from his head (Nicole promptly pulled me away and pointed out the incense). It was certainly the most (and I use this term very generically) 'less fortunate' I'd seen in one 6 block radius in my life. I hated myself for wearing Coach sunglasses.

We arrived about 30 minutes early for our shift so were escorted to the kitchen where we, for the next 3.5 hours in our hair nets and gloves, chopped onions, celery, and peppers as well as made a plethora of ham sandwiches. The coordinator was named Bobby but nicknamed Bernie Mac--which was dead on. He teased Nicole for crying so much while cutting onions (suck it up, Nic!), was very organized, fast and sassy. He was also pretty funny. When he caught me putting 2 slices of ham on a sandwich he said "Two? No no, one...one! I'm not feedin' the Obamas!"

We also made friends with another volunteer named Willard, a tall, older African American man. My favorite things about Willard were our joint love of and sing-a-long to Whitney Houston's Million Dollar Bill (he was very impressed at my lyrical knowledge of the Motown radio station they had on) and his little one liners (which I'm so mad I didn't write down because I can only remember 2);

Me: Willard, where is your favorite place to live? (he's moved quite a bit)

Willard: My favorite place to live is in peace of mind! Don't matter where you are, it's what you make of your time there....

Fellow volunteer Willard is teasing: Hey! That's not funny!

Willard, cracking up: oh don't mind me, I'm just being serious!

I don't want to get all preachy now, but spending even just a few hours at the kitchen was a good reminder for me of how fortunate my family and I are in life. When it comes down to it, I know I will *never* have to worry where my next meal comes from. I can't imagine what some of these people deal with on a daily basis and I try really hard to not pass judgement...everyone has a story to tell, and hardly anything in this world is truly what it seems like it is from the outside.

I'm really excited because Bobby confirmed that I could volunteer at the kitchen on Thanksgiving! I can't think of a better way to spend the day if I can't be with my family.

Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival:

Who doesn't love a fall festival!? This one had more pumpkin flavored foods than I'd ever seen in my life...so yum! My favorite little take away from the day was an art booth of the family run company called Village Clayworks (www.villageclayworks.com). Adorable pottery, ladies...would make super cute gifts!

the neyPod:

The Temper Trap- Sweet Disposition

Taylor Swift- Jump Then Fall

Glee Cast- Bust Your Windows

-trish

Bay Bridge boo hiss

2009-11-02T21:12:00.024-05:00

Last week as I was driving home from my last day of shooting on the "Trauma" set I wound up in a sticky Bay Bridge closure situation. Not knowing the area and having arrived at the bridge just after the accident and before they shut it down (for those of you who do not live in SF; a cable snapped and hit a bunch of cars...it was closed for basically a week) I was instantly stuck in massive amounts of traffic. The entry to exit points were a genuine parking lot.

Now, it's important to note that old Tricia would have honestly had a kinipshit over this. Old Tricia would have freaked out at the fact that her phone was dead so she couldn't call anyone, that she was dying of thirst from being in special effects smoke all day, that she had itchy blood and soot makeup all over her face, and that she had homemade pizza waiting for her at home. But new Tricia...the one who does yoga regularly (awkwardly, of course), meditates and reads books that tell her to let it go...she was quite calm. I quickly realized I may be in this predicament for the long haul so I took a deep breath and put the car in park. For 2.5 hours I sat in my idling car and finished reading my book Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster (SO funny, ladies. I highly recommend). For awhile it was actually quite nice. I'd been standing for most of the day so sitting was a welcomed relief and the book was making me laugh out loud (which I'm sure was quite a sight for the other cars...I probably looked insane).

After 2.5 hours, however, old Tricia was beginning to itch a bit. Just when I thought I may have reached my breaking point I noticed a sly little car weaseling it's way over to the grassy median (I hadn't even made it *on* to the bridge the traffic was so bad), eventually making a hugely illegal u-turn and being set free. I believe my exact words, out loud, to myself were: "Fuck yes, I need to do that". A few minutes, middle fingers and honks later I was leading a troop of fellow law breakers over the median to freedom....I genuinely squealed in delight for a good 30 seconds. I may have also done a fist pump or two.

Maggie, my GPS, was being a bit of a bitch. She kept trying to reroute me all these coo coo ways. Eventually we got on a good path but what she failed to mention to me was that I would be approaching *2* tolls and not just the one I knew about. Having just used my last amount of cash to not even make it over the Bay Bridge and having planned to get more cash prior to the toll I was aware of I was in quite the pickle. I thought perhaps if I politely explained my situation there was a chance that the toll booth worker would take pity on me and either somehow bill me or let me slide.

False. This woman was awful. Our conversation with my internal thoughts in italics;

Me, still wearing Trauma makeup, frantically trying to explain the situation: Hiii! I was *just* stuck on the Bay Bridge which is a complete disaster right now and used the last of the cash I have to pay for that toll and I'm not from here and I'm just trying to get home and I didn't know there was this toll and I'm so so sorry....

TBS (toll booth snitch) rolling her eyes and exhaling the most exaggerated sigh I've ever heard while interrupting me: UGH. You have no cash?! Hold on....{gets on radio} Hank, I gotta girl here who *says* she was stuck on the Bay Bridge and has no cash...should I write it up or let her pass?

c'mon Hank! Let her pass! and she *says* she has no cash because she doesn't, snitch.

{muffled response from Hank that sounded like the teacher from Charlie Brown}

TBS: Ugh, fine, alright, I'll write it up.

damn it, Hank. what does being written up even mean?

{gets out of her booth to look at my license plates, which I have not yet had changed over from PA...oops}

TBS, gasping in unnecessary horror: WHERE IS YOUR LICENSE PLATE!

Me, shouting over traffic: Well you see I just moved from Pennsylvania and so I haven't exactly had my plates changed yet and in PA you don't have to have a plate in the front, but there is one in the back and I'm going to get it all changed this week...

TBS: You are gonna get fined!

Me, lying: Well I JUST moved here like a week ago...

TBS: You BETTER get them changed!

easy there, doll. can't you see that I'm bleeding from the head and nose and clearly was just in a fire? where's the love?

Me, getting irritated: I PLAN to, thanks.

TBS then waved me on and I seriously have no idea what is going to happen because she didn't give me a slip of paper or anything. I don't even know how they are going to find my new address considering the car is still registered in PA. Lawyer friends...am I going to have a warrant out for my arrest? This is a legit concern of mine. It's giving me anxiety.

Seeing as I still had one more toll to cross I made a detour into a gas station to use the convenience store ATM, where several people pointed and stared at me. I forgot that I was still covered in dirt and blood so naturally gave them my token Jersey girl "what the F are you looking at?" glare. Even after I caught a glimpse of myself in the ATM security mirror I still felt irritated; none of these pointer/starers had even offered to help or question why I was so dirty and bloody! So. Rude. Old Tricia could be repressed no longer. To teach them a lesson I hammed it up as I left the store; moaning and limping a bit back to my car while muttering "my baby...my baby...". Serves them right. I hope they lose sleep over regret of not helping that poor injured girl.

-trish

Life List: Victim on a crime show...check! (well, sorta)

2009-10-28T19:11:00.026-04:00

When I heard that NBC’s Trauma was a show filmed in San Francisco I googled to see if they had any upcoming shoots in my area. I got a kick out of the idea of watching them film locally and am never one to turn down a possible celebrity sighting. One of the first google results to come up was from a casting agency in SF looking for folks to play background people in upcoming episodes. Seeing as my life list includes a “goal” of being a victim in a crime show and Trauma is a show about EMT’s and the emergencies they encounter...and also seeing as I currently have the time to spend 12 hours on set....I thought what the the hell, you only live once and this is close enough. One awkwardly filled out “acting” resume and a head shot later, I got a call.

Now let me just start off by saying that a) I’ve seen one episode of the show and I fell asleep during it and b) the drama series is already listed as being canceled, though they may still air the remainder of the episodes....fingers crossed! So if you haven’t seen the show, you’re not really missing anything...and if you have seen it, feel free to laugh. I filmed for 3 days, about 11 hours a day. The chances of me actually being seen on this episode are sooo slim to none, but it was still such a fun experience and I'm really happy to have had the opportunity to meet some really nice people and have a behind the scenes glimpse into TV production.

I’m not sure if you’re allowed to take photographs at a filming (lawyer friends, be prepared to represent me in court) and more so even if you can take pictures if you are allowed to share them via the web prior to the episode airing. Never being one to follow the rules, here are a few pics from my time on the set;

To kick things off we have this lovely image of my new friend Anthony, or as I like to call him, Stanley Hudson from The Office. Stanley/Anthony was a fellow extra who is seen here reapplying his chapstick while singing Luther Vandros to me. We talked mostly about baking and food in general and his most common phrase to me was "Girl you are too funny!". I miss him already.

This blurry image was my attempt to be sneaky in snagging a picture of the plane used for this episode about a crash. It was on this plane that I sat with my fellow passengers and was shook around to recreate turbulence. It was also on this plane where a camera was placed *directly* next to my face to film. Now, you may be thinking how exciting that is--to be captured in a close up for a TV show! What you do not realize is that they put no makeup on me...none... so I looked like a 'natural' college student and wouldn't you know, in true college student fashion, I managed to have a zit on my forehead that day. Natural is NEVER my friend but I especially hate it when I happen to be 6 inches away from a camera, have a pimple, and may end up on a program broadcast in High Definition. Again, the chances of them actually using that shot are so slim to none, but it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if it managed to get cut since "pimple on TV" actually is not on my life list.

Here's a pic from day #2 of filming; post crash. It was hot as hell this day and my Felicity Porter outfit the wardrobe department gave me to wear was not my friend. An itchy wool sweater is one of my, I kid you not, top 10 most hated objects on earth. I finally found some shade to hide in during our down time and ended up talking to one of the leads, Derek Luke (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1035682/) for about a half hour. Turns out he's from New Jersey, so clearly we instantly bonded. I honestly had no idea who he was, which was a good thing, because it kept me from being pathetically star struck and we managed to have a very pleasant conversation. When he asked me if I was trying to be an actress I explained how it was actually just something on my life list of things to do and he *loved* this notion...he even gave me the "pound" while saying "That's wassup!". The only somewhat strange thing to come out of his mouth was a statement made during his life story (we seriously had a heart to heart); and I quote "I dunno man, I just like words. I just...like words, you know?". Errr...sure? Words are cool?

This is filthy me with my two new friends, Ethan and Trish (another Trish! woot!). Both very cool people and were a blast to hang out with. Some of the other extras took this job ridiculously seriously to the point of hilarity. When one older woman found out I applied for the gig on a whim just to check it off my bucket list (and then she was removed from her seat on the plane set so that they could put a camera next to me) she bitterly said "Oh, well I guess some people just always get what they want." My other favorite quote from an extra was "I'm an actress. This is my craft."...really? You have no lines and there were no auditions for this. $8 an hour + overtime and lunch to act 'injured and scared' is your craft? I'm sad for you.

And finally, here is me looking absolutely disgusting after arriving home. I'm so hideous I almost didn't put this photo up, but oh well. I admit I did love driving home like this and having cars pull up next to me and do double takes while I drove off apparently bleeding from the head and nose. I'm *still* trying to wash all of the soot out of my hair 3 showers later.

Overall it was a great experience that I'm so thankful for...if you ever get the opportunity to do something like this, don't pass it up!

-Trish

Just so amazing...

2009-10-28T14:34:00.002-04:00

Another Cloud Reel ... from Delrious on Vimeo.

Be Jealous.

2009-10-28T14:32:00.002-04:00

One Evening in San Francisco from Delrious on Vimeo.

A belated moving in story...

2009-10-19T15:34:00.004-04:00

If there is a personality trait of mine that can probably be seen as both a blessing and a curse it would be that I pretty much tend to fly by the seat of my pants. The morning we were to officially move into our apartment I spent a half hour on craigslist looking for some hired help to get a few big pieces of furniture up the 3 flights of stairs in our building. Zach is pretty much the hulk when it comes to lifting heavy things (he moved a love seat into our PA apartment by himself, without dropping it once, including up a flight of stairs...it took 2 men at the furniture store to get that same chair just in the car) but we knew we’d definitely need help with 3 or 4 bigger pieces. Even at “full strength” I’m worthless with helping move a couch (have you seen my chicken arms?). After several calls I finally found a guy who seemed decent enough to work with a partner for 2 hours for $100. His posting was professional and signed “Shane, the hardest working man in America”. Seeing as it was so last minute (sorry, Zach) we made arrangements with said hard working man and I crossed my fingers...

Shane, my furniture moving Irishman, strolled up with his German buddy Arturo about 25 minutes late, smelling of booze, and was clearly high. Faced with the decision to either ask them to leave or suck it up and hope for the best, I once again flew by the seat of my pants and held my breath as they began to move our things...

I can’t decide what I loved (hated) most about Shane; his inability to look at my face while I was talking to him, his cursing fights on the phone with a girlfriend in my living room, or how he tried to finagle more money after only an hour of work. Oh wait, I remember now...it was how he pushed too hard on the dresser he was carrying with Arturo down the truck ramp, causing Arturo to fall off the ramp into the middle of the street, sending our dresser crashing to the ground. Poor Arturo twisted his ankle pretty badly in the fall. I know this because he proceeded to roll around in the street grabbing his leg moaning “Ow sheet! Oh fack! Ow sheet!” (ow shit, oh fuck, ow shit) for a solid 5 minutes. This was both unnerving and hilarious....it was *so* hard not to crack up because people falling is clearly so funny but I felt so bad he was obviously in pain (I also didn’t want to wind up sued after less than 24 hours in my new city). Luckily the dresser only sustained a dog bite sized injury on its base, which we’ve cleverly hidden behind a mini trash can. Realizing that even a few more minutes with these cats could be catastrophic we decided to pay them their unearned money and struggle with the rest of the pieces ourselves.

Shane was clearly *not* the hardest working man in America. Craigslist mega fail.

In other news, my buddy Chris comes this week and I couldn’t be more excited!! I’ve got a day/night of fun planned for us on Friday, including dinner at Tony’s Pizza Napoletana (http://www.tonyspizzanapoletana.com/index.php) and a bar visit that he has yet to figure out. **Hint, Christopher: our favorite band** Can’t wait to do so much catching up with such a great friend :)

the neyPod:

I’m currently shamefully addicted to several radio hits including Britney’s “3”, Beyonce’s “Sweet Dreams”, Black Eyed Peas “Meet Me Halfway” and Miley Cyrus (I know, I know) “Party in the USA”...but I also have a few slightly lesser known new faves:

Kerli- Walking on Air

Empire of the Sun- We are the People

Train- Hey, Soul Sister

Speaking of Train, they have a new album coming out Oct. 27th called “Save Me, San Francisco” and since the first single Hey, Soul Sister is so good (and in honor of being saved by SF myself) I’ve pre-ordered. I’ve never been a huge fan of theirs but couldn’t resist a bonus track called “Half Moon Bay”, named for a small coastal town I have a crush on here.

-t

Male Chauvinist

2009-10-12T19:38:00.005-04:00

I think I may kinda be a male chauvinist. Here are some shameful...so, so shameful...examples (please note how I say “do not like” instead of “hate”...my mom would be so proud).

1. I do not like female sports announcers. Yes, this includes Erin Andrews...who, by the way, is the only attractive one. Most are not very nice to look at and have awful hair. That is just the icing on the cake of what I don’t like about them. I think they ask the dumbest questions during on field interviews, make the coaches and teams seem more awkward than they are, have very little (if anything) to add during commentating, and quite frankly just seem so out of place.

2. I do not like the WNBA. If I were a company asked to sponsor them (i.e. Nike, Gatorade, etc) I would say no thank you, don’t waste my time, let me know when Lebron is interested. Are they a profitable enterprise yet? I don’t think so. My most favorite sign held up during a College Game Day broadcast at Penn State simply read; “The 3 Things I Hate Most in Life- 1. Ohio State 2. Lee Corso 3. The WNBA”. I cracked up for several minutes at this.

3. When thin celebrity women have babies, I expect them to get back in tip-top shape asap. They have access to the best nutritionists, personal trainers, and chefs around, so I never want to see any post baby fat jiggling in the gossip mags. Tighten it up, ladies.

4. I feel safer flying when the pilot is a man. Once during a particularly awful flight with turbulence to the point of nausea and pleading with God to make the eminent crash painless, the man sitting across the aisle from me moaned out loud after hearing the female pilot’s voice “oh great...a girl...we’re all gonna die!”. Instead of being entirely offended at this comment my immediate thought was “ugh, he’s right”. I’m mortified that this was my gut reaction, but so be it.

5. If I walk by a construction site and don’t receive a whistle, a crude comment, or stare down of some kind I am highly offended. Clearly part of their jobs are to momentarily boost my ego. Sure, they may be fat, balding, missing teeth and overall fitting of ‘pig’ status but that doesn’t matter. While I’m still young and fabulous, I expect a shout out.

This is all I can bare to admit right now.

-t

Tweet Tweet

2009-10-09T16:23:00.001-04:00

Despite having sworn up and down that I would never succumb to the world of Twitter (who really cares what I ate for lunch? Isn't a facebook status self indulgent enough?), I've finally decided that it would be in the best interest of my marketing and communications degree to be sure I'm knowledgeable on all current forms of social networking. In other words, I've caved and I fully admit to being a total grandma about this Twittering stuff. Forgive me?

I also figure since it's difficult to often post full blog entries about all the day to day silliness that is my life, this is another way to share my new life in sunny California; restaurants, shows, trips, new friends, etc etc.

Feel free to follow (and judge, it's ok) me :)

@dishwithtrishSF

2009-10-07T17:29:00.028-04:00

As part of my birthday present this year Aubs got me the cutest little flower growing kit from the funky fresh store South Moon Under (www.southmoonunder.com). Made by SF Imports, the kit makes it super easy to add some cheerful company to your home in the form of a home grown plant....

After only 3 short days of watering, sunbathing on the windowsill, and silly whispers from me (grow...grow!), my little buds popped up to say hello:

And then after only 3 weeks, they are already starting to outgrow their pot:

They're kind of growing a little cockamamie (how does one spell that?) so I'm thinking I should transfer them to a bigger home before they get depressed and wilt. I love this gift not only because it keeps giving me things to look forward to, but because every time I see it I'm reminded of my best friend :). Damn my manicure looks cute in that last picture...

I feel that almost every day since we've been here, San Francisco has offered up another little gem for just me (clearly just me and not the other 750,000 peeps inhabiting this city). The other week I randomly stumbled upon a sign for a big used book sale taking place at Fort Mason that would benefit the public library system. Being the library/book loving dork that I am, I of course dragged Zach to the event to peruse the 300,000 titles they had. Between the beautiful bay views, the rows of library smelling books (I may or may not have snuck in a few creepy whiffs) and 1 or 2 dollar prices, I was in my glory!

$10 and 5 books later (2 hard covers!), I was one happy Cali camper. This weekend is Fleet Week in the good ol' SF Bay and we'll have the most amazing views from our rooftop of the ships, sailors, and Blue Angels Air Show. To be enjoyed, of course, with a few pitchers of sangria, constant munchies and the company of our new San Fran buddies (and PA natives) Bri and Nicole. Have I mentioned how much I love this city?

-trish

2009-09-30T20:18:00.006-04:00

I just want to come out and say that I think my brain is already on it's way out. I may only have a few good coherent years left. A trip to Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday ('I dunno, I dunno if we'll have enough time') is a perfect example of what I mean.

Having picked up 3 big plastic stacking drawers to help fit my excessive wardrobe into the closet, I needed to use a shopping cart and the elevator to get back up to my car on the second level of the parking deck. Squeezing in just before the doors were closing an older woman turned to me and said "Normally I'd take the stairs...but...you know...". To which I replied "Oh no worries, the doors were open just as you walked by, so it was meant to be!". Silence for the next 25 seconds. Older woman as she exited the elevator, "Bye Bye!" Tricia's reply (a twisted combination of take care and bye bye?); "Pad Thai!"......

Nice.

I miss NFE.

2009-09-29T22:30:00.021-04:00

Despite having lived *directly* across the hall from her for about a year, I never bothered to try and get to know new friend Erin (or nfe...pronounced niffy) until about 3 months before we moved. It only took a 2 hour chat session by the pool for me to realize this girl was someone I could really learn to love and wouldn’t you know, 3 months later, here I sit missing her dearly. Sometimes I get pretty annoyed with myself for not having sparked a conversation sooner; feeling like I missed out on 9 months of laughter and bonding because I was being stubborn about making new friends. But then other times I’m comforted by the thought that she came into my life at just the right time, when I really needed someone like her. That if I had tried to know her sooner perhaps we wouldn’t have clicked the way we do. When a friend like Erin comes around...someone you instantly spark with...I’m a big believer in appreciating that person and what they add to your life. I refuse to let 3,000 miles stunt the growth of our new friendship. I’m also currently on the hunt for a nfe of the west coast, but I’m not having much luck...womp....

Here are my 3 favorite things my lil’ nfe has introduced me to...

Pesto Pizza:

Eating this is, hands down, an orgasmic experience. The first time she made it on our ‘first date’ (my meatball soup, wine, So You Think You Can Dance, the Ney’s couch) I had to control my When Harry Met Sally-Meg Ryan in the deli reaction. We didn’t finish it only because it was so big, and thus my breakfast the next morning was tupperwared. This picture is off of the web, so it seriously does not even do the real Erin dish justice.

As a test of whether or not Erin actually reads my blog, I’m calling her out to post the recipe in the comments section!

Dermalogica Sebum Clearing Mask

This is the company that E-money currently works for. I don’t know if was the stress of moving, the heat of summer, hormones or what but my skin started to be not so fabulous a few months ago. Thankfully Erin hooked a sister up with this sebum (gross shit under the skin) mask and voila! Skin is a zillion times better! Now, as Erin likes to remind me everytime I use it, the stuff is super strong so it’s not recommended to use it more than 3 times a week (I listen to that negative amounts and use it probably 5x’s per week...sorry nfe). I've tried so many skin care lines in the past, but Dermalogica is one that I stick by now. It just works.

shopteary

http://www.wix.com/erinred21/shopteary

A shameless plug for my friend’s business, yes. A truly personal, thoughtful, and unique gift idea...also yes!

Nfe took me to A.C. Moore (only after we spent 40 minutes online trying to find a printable 40% off coupon that she swears by) to pick out the fabrics/colors and then she whipped “The Aubrey” up in no time for my bestie’s 25th birthday. And, because I loved Aubrey’s so much, nfe was sweet enough to make one for me as a going away present! They’re very well made, personalized, and just really awesome home decorations. Give her a shout and see for yourself!

.................................................

In other news, the 5k on Sunday was a success. The weather was so beautiful and there was a great turn out of folks so hopefully they raised a lot of money for a good cause! My favorite parts were:

a) Zach telling me that he thought a girl in line for the porta-potty was hot and, having forgotten that I just changed my shirt, then realized it was actually me he was oogling at while saying to himself 'oh, it's my wife!'. nice, zachy.

and b) Zach wanting to run so badly but me sticking to walking out of some weird complex I apparently just acquired about looking foolish while running. It was hilarious to hear him point out people and say things like "oh c'mon! look at that guy! I could totally beat him!" and cringe while moms pushing strollers and jogging toddlers passed us "are you kidding?! tricia...this is embarrassing...". Such a good sport he is ;)

-t

Save the Ta-Tas

2009-09-23T19:12:00.003-04:00

After recently going in for a routine mammo (which, ladies, is so important to do), my Aunt never heard back from the doctor’s office with her screening results. Realizing this, she called up the office to check in and make sure they hadn’t forgotten about her. Turns out they had. In a major way. This post is dedicated to my beautiful, strong, fun loving, dancing queen, fabulous Aunt Susan.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I can’t encourage everyone enough to get involved in some kind of fundraising/support effort. It’s weird to me that, statistically speaking, heart disease is the #1 killer of women. Yet while I’ve never had any female in my life have heart problems I have known way too many great women who were diagnosed with breast cancer.

In honor of both my Aunt Debbie (a survivor, woot!) and my Aunt Susan (a current fighter) I’ve decided to participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K this weekend in good ol’ San Fran. At first I was feeling ambitious and thought oh I could totally run this no sweat! But then I remembered how long it’s been since I’ve done anything besides pilates tapes in my living room and running up 3 flights of stairs to my apartment (which has been known to wind me). I’ve seen some of the people who run 5k’s, and they mean business. In reality of course I could run it. I mean, I’m not so out of shape that I would keel over. I can dance for hours and feel like a million bucks afterwards. But I’m admittedly having some superficial concerns about looking like I’m moving in slow motion compared to the other runners. Plus, I pretty much hate to run and would prefer to do it only when being chased. Thus, I’ve decided to walk it briskly and will be thinking of The Office’s Fun Run while I do it. “ ...and while I eventually puked my guts out, I never puked my heart out. And I am very proud of that.” I’ll let you know how it goes!

Luckily for you fellow non runners, there are dozens of other options to show your support! Even signing up to volunteer at these kinds of events is a huge help to the programs. Best place to start for information on events in your area: http://ww5.komen.org/ The Susan G. Komen foundation is certainly not the be all end all of breast cancer organizations, but it certainly has had much success in its endeavors and is a great place to get some ideas on how to help save the ta-tas.

I may have small boobies, but they are fabulous. A few months ago I found a lump in righty, had a panic attack (breast cancer officially runs in the maternal side of my family), and finally sucked it up to go have an ultrasound. Everything checked out OK for now but for a brief moment while waiting in the small exam room for the nurse to return with my results I thought, what if I have cancer? What if they have to remove my breasts...like they did my aunt? They may just be two (little, for me) lumps on my chest but for a woman they signify so much more. Cancer is a bitch no matter where it chooses to reside in a body. But as a girl, I guess you can say this kind really hits home.

On a completely unrelated note, for a good laugh check out the following blog (but start from the beginning, you won’t be disappointed): www.jesusismyroommate.wordpress.com . Living with an Italian Catholic grandmother has never been more hilarious.

-t

World Food Programme Feed Bag

2009-09-22T17:30:00.005-04:00

I meant to write about this a lot sooner and was recently reminded of my love of this bag this past weekend while using it to travel back east for a wedding.

I scooped this puppy up about 2 years ago and have used it countless times as a purse, on picnics, for food shopping, at the beach, etc etc...it's a great, sturdy, reversible bag that has a pretty awesome connection to the United Nation's World Food Programme.

The quick facts:

* Buying one World Food Programme FEED bag feeds a child in school for one school year.

* School feeding acts as a magnet, dramatically increasing enrollment, sometimes by as much as 100 percent. It also improves performance at school; children concentrate better on a full stomach.

* Girls who go to school not only marry later, but have half as many children than illiterate women. Furthermore, these children are healthier and better educated.

The idea of children around the world going hungry as often as they do is a really hard image to swallow. I've been so blessed to never want for any basic human need, let alone many fluff human *wants*, so I'm a big advocate of this program.

You can snag this fabulous bag at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/World-Food-Programme-Feed-Natural/dp/B000M3OP6A/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=shoes&qid=1253654906&sr=8-2

-trish

Tara Wheeler is badass

2009-09-22T17:06:00.003-04:00

How amazing is Tara Wheeler? Shaving her head in support of St.Baldrick's (http://www.stbaldricks.org/) last night in Arlington, Tara has helped to raise funds for the pediatric cancer foundation for the last year. From their website:

After months of waiting, the time has finally come! On September 21st, Tara Wheeler, Miss Virginia 2008, shaved her head at the Crystal City Sports Pub in Arlington, VA. Tara has dedicated herself to the notion that "Beauty is as Beauty Does."

Her original inspiration for shaving came from the time she spent visiting children during her reign as Miss Virginia. "I have befriended many children suffering from cancer who have forever touched my life; little girls who have lost their hair due to cancer treatment, and who are often made fun of at school for being bald. Imagine if those little girls got a visit in the hospital from Miss Virginia who was also bald...I am doing this for them."

Those little girls are not Tara's only inspiration though, " I'm also doing this for a young woman who did not win her battle with cancer. I recently spoke at a middle school and, after giving a presentation, a 6th grade girl came up to me and gave me a bracelet that said "Kassidy Our Champion" on it. She told me that Kassidy was her sister who had died last year of cancer when she was 12 years old. I wear it every day. And every day I work to be worthy of having it."

Tara is a fellow PSU grad and a mutual friend of mine that I'm truly honored to know. Anyone can write a check to a charity (and writing a check is certainly a great contribution) but it takes someone really special to make this kind of commitment in support of a cause. She's an inspiration and I am so proud of her!

Newly motivated to be a better person, I'm off to research all the volunteer opportunities in my new city...

for the kids,

t

It's official. It's love.

2009-09-17T20:48:00.003-04:00

I’m in love with my new city.

I’ve loved San Francisco since I first came here at 16, and now that we actually call it ‘home’ I feel myself falling more in love with it everyday.

I love that I already know the first names of my mail lady (Maybel, cute little Asian), the coffee shop girl (Sarah, very tall Asian), and corner grocer (Kim, gum snapping Asian with hot pink lipstick).

I love that while trying to figure out the bus schedule today (while sitting on the wrong bus, courtesy of yours truly) a friendly European couple gave us their 3 day bus passes because they thought we were confused tourists.

I love walking to the neighborhood Safeway wearing my iPod and shopping while listening to my favorite music. I find myself half dancing down the aisles and occasionally making music videos in my head and simply not caring if anyone notices. I know I probably could have done this at Wegman’s back east, but it just feels *different* here somehow. I used to do this when I lived in Cali 2 years ago, and I really missed it. Note: I also miss Wegmans quite a bit.

I love, and am ashamed to admit, that when walking out of said Safeway two stoner (homeless?) men whistled and said “Nice legs!” to me just as I was contemplating whether or not my shorts were a little too short. Note to self, shorts a good length.

I love that while walking to the Museum of Modern Art a man pointed to me and said to Zach “You got nice taste! Real nice...” but then said to me while pointing to Zach “But this is San Francisco so it’s him you should be worried about!”.

I love our apartment. I love that the sun shines in so strongly in the afternoon that if we forget to close the blinds it’s a furnace in the living room (this will be awesome in the winter). I love that the hardwood floors creak in certain spots, and the shower nozzle squeaks when you turn off the hot water.

I love that our neighbor across the hall told us she works in the wine industry, and asked me if it’d be OK if she brought over bottles of wine from around the world since she and her roommate couldn’t possibly finish all the free wine she gets.....ummm, twist my arm? Our first bottle is from Panama and I can’t wait to try it!

I love that just 15 minutes away over the Golden Gate Bridge is a cute, quiet, tiny town with some of my favorite pizza and chocolate cake.

I love that when I was sitting at the laundromat trying to teach myself to knit while waiting for my wash a strange old Asian woman came up and wordlessly snatched the needles out of my hand. Thinking she was going to pass on some ancient knitting wisdom I let her take them, but then was severely disappointed to hear her say repeatedly (while making knots) “Oh! I forget! Hehehehe! I forget!”. The laundromat owner (also Asian) then claimed to me that in China all the girls learn how to knit and that I could stand to learn a true art from this giggling woman.

I love that there is a lululemon in my neighborhood. My wallet, however, does not.

I love that I found a Philly cheesesteak bar in my neighborhood just in time for the Birds game last Sunday (http://www.jakessteaks.net/home.htm ). We were surrounded by Eagles fans, received free jello shots with every Philly touchdown, and downed authentic cheesesteaks served on real Amoroso rolls. They also sell TastyKakes! And there coincidentally was a girl from my high school at the same bar....Small.freaking.world.

The list I’m sure will just keep growing and growing and hopefully....like all true loves...the exciting newness of it all will magically, without me even noticing, change into one of the best, most comfortable and fun, long term relationships I will ever have.

see you soon,

t

The Indie Rock Coloring Book

2009-09-13T20:21:00.015-04:00

I've been talking so much about myself that it was time to post something not about me or my move. (But in case you were wondering, the move in went well and we are falling in love with the apartment and the area more and more everyday).

I stumbled on this little diddy in our travels and, as a fan of Indie Rock, coloring, and charity organizations, I immediately fell in love with it:

From the Yellow Bird Project website (http://www.yellowbirdproject.com/products/indie-rock-coloring-book);

"From the creative womb of the Yellow Bird Project, we are proud to introduce the newest member of our family, the Yellow Bird Coloring Book. The coloring book offers an interactive and colorful journey of creativity, artistic expression, music, and charity. Andy J. Miller, a talented illustrator, collaborated with YBP to produce this unique expression of art and music. Wiggle yourself through the intricate Broken Social Scene maze, marvel in the colourful carnival of Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, color Bon Iver's enchanted water supply, or slide down the psychedelic playground of MGMT. Profits from this colourful venture will go towards our project and the charities we support, ensuring amazingly fresh new artists and their tee-shirts will be available for your purchasing pleasure! With over 25 hand-illustrated designs dedicated to indie and YBP musicians, including Iron & Wine, Bloc Party, The National and Devendra Banhart, this book is a sure fire pleaser."

How fun is that?! I also love the testimonials listed below this summary, including: "This is the greatest coloring book since coloring was invented. I've decided to have kids just so I'll have somebody to give this book to." - Matt Berninger of The National. So cute.

The charities they support range from Amnesty International to St. Jude's Children's Hospital to the World Wildlife Fund, so you can buy your merchandise based on the charity that may strike a chord with you.

the neyPod:

Why am I just now learning about Blind Pilot? Holy Hannah Montana I am in love with them. Check out The Story I Heard and One Red Thread.

-t

Ick. Ick. Double Ick.

2009-09-08T09:42:00.006-04:00

i'm so ick'd out that i'm not even going to bother using proper grammar or capitalizations.

a story for you: last night while reading my book in bed i got a strange feeling that i was being watched, but brushed the feeling aside as one of my many passing weirdo thoughts. and (i hope you appreciate my honesty here) i know i felt like i was being watched because right after that thought i scratched my nose and thought 'if someone looked at me right now it would look like i was picking it!' and then ran down the whole Seinfeld episode about that in my head..."I am not an animal!". moments later we get a knock on our cabin door from 2 of our neighbors, informing us that a kid and his dog i had seen earlier in the day (a husky, so clearly i had said hi and 'huskies are my favorites!' to) was PEEPING TOMING around our cabin. then, moments after that, i begged zach to shut off the lights and look out the bedroom window because i *still* felt like i was being watched...

me: zach, please shut off the light and look outside this window.

zach, putsing around: there's no one there. they saw him earlier.

me: zach, i'm serious, please do it.

zach: alright, alright i'll be there in a second.

me hissing: no, zach! please look now!

zach, shutting off the light and going to the window: there's really no one....wait a second!

(runs out the front door)

and sure enough, zach busted him watching me through the bedroom window. he *actually* saw the kid duck when he looked out. the boy was without his dog and was clearly flustered as zach was like um what's going on man? what are you doing? please stay away from our cabin. he claimed (in a shaking voice) to be 'looking for his dog' and that he 'dropped his leash' when zach saw him duck...but the neighbors said he'd been snooping all night!

now, in the timing of the neighbors seeing him and me feeling watched, there is a 98% chance (and zach agrees, so you know it must be true) that he watched me getting completely undressed. completely. to my birthday suit.

84697 showers are needed immediately. i slept maybe 4.5 minutes total.

tomorrow's apartment move-in cannot come soon enough at this point.

-t

Prairie Dog Town. Sure, why not.

2009-09-06T11:15:00.018-04:00

Along I-70 you'll find a heck of a lot of billboards ranging from your standard food, lodging, and local business ads to your not so standard signs for adult superstores (we saw at least 50) and images of Jesus' head peaking out of a wheat field as if to say 'come find me' (so mad I couldn't get my camera out in time for this one). When I saw the hand painted ghetto wooden signs advertising a Prairie Dog Town fully equipped with rattlesnakes, a 6 legged cow, baby pigs, etc I convinced Zach it had to be worth a stop.

It was.

The fine folks running the 'town' were a glorious mix of small town and wt; cracking jokes about the rattle snakes escaping from the cage to get me, handing me two baggies of dog treats to feed to the prairie dogs (?) and telling us 'ya'll are gonna have a good time out there' while selling their goods of trucker hats, stuffed game (rabbits, deer, snakes, sheep), snakeskin belts/wallets/purses, and a slew of cheesy tourist crap. They were really nice but clearly starved for conversation.

The worker you see in the pic below followed us around pretty much the entire time we were walking the grounds, telling us stories about the animals that I can only assume were made up. Who could possibly be able to name any of the 300 prairie dogs let alone identify them as they popped in and out of their little holes? "Oh I think that's the one I named Rusty..." Yea. Ok. "You see that brown goat?" (there were 20 brown goats) "She has a crush on me." (you probably have a crush on her).

My favorite parts were feeding the little pd's and petting the week old piglet...because of him I will be swearing off pork for quite some time. The grossest thing was definitely the cows that had extra limbs growing out of their backs. It was just disgusting and not right. At all.

\

We stayed with my aunt in Colorado Friday night-this morning, so I'll try to get some pics up of our visits to Denver and Boulder, soon. Right now we are shackin up in Utah at an RV park that has mini cabins that look like a disney display of the Berenstein Bears or something. I don't hate it.

-t

Kansas, check! (I'm so Monica Gellar with my checks!)

2009-09-04T21:14:00.027-04:00

Why Dorothy wanted to get back there so badly when she could be surrounded by singing little people, witches traveling in bubbles, and dancing scarecrows/lions/tin men is beyond me.

The day before we set off on our cross country journey I decided it might be a good idea to snag one of the many road trip guides available at good ol’ Barnes and Noble. The book, so informatively titled USA, summarizes and highlights a few of each states attractions, lodgings, festivals, etc...both small and large. I figured that although we wouldn’t really have the time, money, or parking ability to hit up most of the highlighted points it couldn’t hurt to have it on hand just in case.

While flipping through the pages on Kansas I came across a little blurb about a town called Lucas, only 16 miles off of I-70. In the blurb they described the town as being “one of the world’s foremost centers for outsider art” and explain that “Samuel Dinsmoor began it all in 1907 by filling his yard with enormous concrete sculptures espousing his eccentric philosophies”. Called Garden of Eden, I immediately desired to see it. A funky fresh art town in the middle of miles of grain farms? Lay it on me.

Ho-ly small town.

Let me be clear about something; to me, there is a big difference between being white trash and being ‘small town’. In my humble opinion white trash are folks who take pride in their complete lack of manners, are crude and crass, unkept, and very closed minded. Small town, on the other hand, are people who lead hard working but simple lives and have lived in the same area their whole lives...there’s not a lot of fluff to these people and quite frankly I sometimes wish I didn’t rely so much on the fluff of my life and could simplify drastically.

The drive into Lucas was, as promised, very scenic:

Once there I knew it was, by far, the best example of a small town I would probably ever encounter. Admittedly I loved every second of it while simultaneously waiting for the Texas Chain Saw massacre man to come around the corner and strip me of my face. Observe (these pics do NOT do it justice...zach was just too scared of me ‘provoking’ the folk to take any really good ones):

The waitress was your typical small town woman; calling the other patrons by their first names, putting out fresh baked pies, dressed very homely with no makeup and a receding hair line (sorry, but it’s true). I'm from NJ so I know full well what a diner looks like and this place was worse than a diner. This place was a diner trying to distinguish itself as a cafe when it should have just been striving to be an actual diner. It was, in a word, sad. The salad was rabbit lettuce soaked in ranch dressing, but the cheeseburger was pretty delish. I dedicated it to Zach as I thought perhaps it may be our last meal (I promise this place was seriously children of the corn).

The Garden of Eden ended up being just plain weird. I’m a huge fan of quirky things but this was just...weird. I was bummed we didn’t get there early enough to actually pay the admission to get a peek inside, which includes a nice display of the artist's decaying body in a glass coffin. I’m not kidding that a) he really is dead inside of there for all to view and b) I really wanted to see it. Le Garden:

Garden of Eden weirdness was trumped only by the following days stop at a Prairie Dog Town. More to come on that later...

-t

Indiana, Illinois, Missouri...check, check, check.

2009-09-03T20:57:00.019-04:00

After driving through what felt like an entire planet’s worth of corn fields (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois) we arrived in good ol’ MO yesterday. Since this beast of a truck is, again, way too hard to try and maneuver around a city we decided to set up shop at a campgrounds just a few miles past St. Louis. Flying by the seat of my pants suits me, I feel. I found this place via my Blackberry about 3 hours before we arrived and it turned out to be a quite a beautiful facility. It reminded me a lot of my summers spent at sleep away 4-H camp in New Jersey, minus the horrendous nickname of “Gibler” (as in the Full House Kimmie variety) given to me by a group of my bunkmates. Thankfully I grew out of my Gibler awkwardness by my second year and was then referred to as “Britney” (as in the Baby One More Time variety, not the bald head and a c-section scar kind).

The grounds had a full bathroom w/showers facility, a lake, power to plug in our phones (because we took up a RV spot) and cost a whopping $19. My sister’s two person tent along with cool, dry September weather provided for a great night’s sleep. The only negative was being woken up at 6am by the screams of one of our fellow campers; “I WANT TO GO HOME NOW!”. Seeing as this was a camp grounds in middle America, it probably shouldn’t surprise you to hear there were some...interesting...folks parked in their trailers alongside us. I’m just going to throw this out there; White Trash is, by far, the scariest bread of human being on earth. I typically do not like it when people say stereotypes are built on facts, but in the case of WT...all are applicable. In fact, just as I was typing this, a smoking, tatoo’d man in an old pickup truck with a fishing boat attached to the back tried to merge into our lane but failed since there was legitimately no where for us to maneuver the beast. While passing by us he stuck his whole arm out of the window and flipped me off while screaming at the top of his lungs through his snaggle teeth...well, you can imagine what he screamed. eek. terrifying.

the neyPod:

I have a whole case of mixes and full lp’s sitting up in the truck cab with me, but the one full cd that seemed really fitting for the corn-filled drive was Jessie Baylin’s Firesite. If you’ve never heard her she’s definitely worth checking out; folk/bluesy/country style with a killer deep, soulful voice. I saw her open for Matt Nathanson in Philly and not only is she really talented but she’s gorgeous, too. You’d never expect to hear her voice come out of her cute little blonde self. She sort of makes me want to put on a cute dress with a jean jacket and my western boots. Have I mentioned her before on here? I feel like I just repeated myself...

Crashing in Hays, Kansas now, a few pics of the trip thus far....

Packing up Zach's pride and joy. I think we ended up using, no joke, two football field lengths worth of bubble wrap.

The Beast and my cute tiny car.

cute :)

Zach apparently has a 'heavy head' that needs to occasionally be supported by a neck pillow. Too funny.

Zach told me to flip off Ohio.

le arch

It was my job to set up the tent...

Luckily it is a pop out.

Ta-da!

A little morning yoga in the woods is good for the soul.

Just WAIT until I tell you about our Kansas experience today in what could literally have been a movie set for a small town horror film...

-t

Ohio, check!

2009-09-01T19:21:00.018-04:00

The first leg of the road trip is complete! Only 2 stops (for gas, that truck is a freaking guzz-ler) and I nodded off for only 8 minutes!

I'm sorry if this ends up offending anyone but I feel like I need to throw this out there; Ohio is a pretty lame state. Truthfully we only stopped here because after 2 weeks of packing we knew we needed a place to crash sooner rather than later. Which, in case you weren't aware, packing is the worst and not only do I hate it but I'm terrible at it. I never considered myself to be a pack-rat...and I love my Living Lighter rituals...but I don't know how else to explain the fact that after 6 trips to Good Will, one much needed tough love "Tricia! Get it together and throw it out!" session from my dear Kelly, and closing my eyes so Zach could toss out a Native American traditional gift because I didn't want to get bad juju from doing it myself...I *still* managed to fill a 16ft truck. To the brim. Oy.

Refusing on principle to stay in Columbus (any Penn State fan will understand that), I found a random Holiday Inn Express in London last minute. Free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, AAA discount, Wendy's across the street? Winner winner, 10 piece chicken nugget dinner.

Next up, camping in Missouri....though I'm not 100% sure where yet. Luckily I have 6 and a half hours to figure it out :)

Now if I can just find my usb cord to upload some cute pics we've already collected...

-t

And it begins....

2009-09-01T07:33:00.004-04:00

The 16ft truck that Zach and I will be living out of for the next 7 days is packed. My civic is hitched to the back (dear lord don't let it roll off). Our PA apartment keys have been dropped off. I cried hysterically saying goodbye to Aubrey (and my cat, Sage, who is now the background to my computer which makes me choked up pretty much every time I turn this thing on). It's official....we're moving.

First stop is somewhere in Ohio (didn't I tell you this was fly by the seat of our pants?) where hopefully I'll snag some free WiFi and be able to upload some pics and go into detail of the last/next few days.

I knew this was going to be a great adventure when my usually graceful and athletic husband tumbled out of the driver's seat of the Penske truck mid-sentence (he, unfortunately for humor's sake, caught himself)....

I have butterflies :-/

-t

Life List: Move back to California....

2009-08-20T20:59:00.002-04:00

I started writing this while sitting in my friend Jenny’s house catching up on some email and I’m still feeling entirely grateful for her generosity in temporarily housing her friend Trish. It’s time to officially announce my big ol’ life changing plans (as if you couldn’t already decipher from the title of this post)...drum roll please...

I’m moving back to Cali! Yayyy! In 10 days! Whaaat?!

Yes, I’ve quit my job and found a ridiculously over priced, old and small apartment in San Francisco for me and the hubster to trek out to via a giant Uhaul. I know what you’re thinking and I don’t really blame you because I *feel* like a crazy person about once every other minute. I mean, who does this? Who quits their good, steady job in an economy like this and takes such a huge financial risk? A crazy person, that’s who.

And yet, despite recognizing how much of a risk this is, I can’t help but to feel good about it. It feels....right. I’ve wanted to live in SF since I was 16 and I’m tired of waiting around for my life to happen. To become what I want it to be. I believe whole heartedly that we are the makers of our own destiny, that we are responsible for own happiness. I’m just so grateful to have a partner who is willing to make this journey with me. In short, it’s not something he would choose for himself on his own. He has been kind, supportive, and loving to me and my crazy pipe dreams from day one. I might be the one having the quarter life crisis, but he has assumed the role of enabler quite well :)

The apartment is adorable. With a little bit of elbow grease and TLC (not the Jon & Kate type) I truly believe it will feel like home in no time. It has hardwood floors, a bay window (with the tiniest view of the GG Bridge!), a bedroom window with a view of the back of the Ghiradelli square sign, and a pretty garden yard. It’s about a block and a half from the water, and another few blocks from a park, shopping, restaurants, and bars.

I’m actually a little bit choked up writing this because I feel like I have to pinch myself; this is really happening and it’s happening FAST.

I hope all (5?) of you will join me in our cross country trip and through the trials of our first weeks as West Coasters. Wish me luck (or send us pity money, whatever works)!

The highlights of my trip last week....

The first day of apartment hunting I went at alone, which was kind of nerve racking. After a quick train ride up from San Mateo, I began my schlep all over the hilly city by the bay. 8 miles is apparently kind of a lot to walk over the course of 4 hours, or at least it was for me and my out of shape grandma body. My legs hurt like a bitch. I had muscle soreness in my ass, a place I gave up believing had any muscle long ago. I was basically hobbling back to the train station to the point where I didn’t look much different than some of the homeless people that frequent this city. That, combined with me giggling at myself for being so pathetic in aching so badly and having a wickedly sunburnt nose was a sight for sore eyes. I’m pretty sure more than one tourist almost dropped some change into the soda cup I was holding.

The second day of apartment hunting was way more fun because I was accompanied by my darling college roomie who traveled from Sacramento to be my moral support (and entertainment). I feel so blessed to have friends like her I can really count on. During the day we did a crap load of more walking and window shopping, with one interesting stop at the giant Old Navy. Here’s a little story for you...

While Ashley perused the store I parked myself on a bench to give my sore legs a rest. After only a few moments of sitting down I noticed a young girl awkwardly holding up her Blackberry towards me as if she were taking a picture. After I shiftily glanced around to be sure there were no celebrities in sight, I then attempted a half smile-half “what the crap are you looking at” face. She approached me.

Blackberry girl: Are you from around here?

Me: No, I’m sorry.

BBG: Oh...well where are you from?

Me: Err, Philadelphia...do you need directions or something?

BBG: Oh perfect, we have offices there! No no, no directions, I actually work for an acting and modeling agency and I just really love your look and was wondering if you wanted to come to a free event tomorrow for photos, acting basics, and runway techniques!

Me (laughing): Wait, seriously?

BBG: Yea totally! I really love your look! (please note I was wearing shorts, sneakers, a zip up lululemon hoodie, and had messy hair with little makeup on...there was no ‘look’ to be found)

Me: Um, that’s really sweet of you but I don’t really know...

BBG: Ok, well can I least give you an invitation?

Me: Yea, sure, why not.

BBG: Great! I hope to see you there!

Ok so that part of the story is all well and good, but here is where it gets humorous. After she walked away I flipped open this invitation and was automatically confused upon reading the bottom line which said “A parent or legal guardian must be present. Please no children under 6 as space is limited”...huh? why does my mom need to come? Confused, that is, until I scrolled my eyes to the top and saw “This is a complimentary even for tweens and teens! Ages 6-17!”.

Yea. I got scouted to be a tween model. At 25, I apparently look 17 or younger.

That night we managed to snag $25 Wicked tickets thru a lottery the theater holds nightly, which we were THRILLED about (if you pictured Ashley yelling and hugging strangers and me doing spirit fingers and high kicks while squealing in delight at the sound of “Ashley Anne Billings” being pulled from the lottery jar, you would be correct).

Ash and I then hung out in her home of Sacramento for the rest of the weekend, and honestly it was just so great to be with such a fun and faithful friend. One of the highlights for me was eating dessert at Big Spoon Yogurt (www.bigspoonyogurt.com) : This place is a version of my own personal heaven. Why I’ve never seen them on the east coast is beyond me, but I think it should be a law to have one in every shopping center in the US. It quite literally turns me into a kid in a candy store. The concept is that you make your own ice cream/toppings concoctions and then pay by the weight of your final masterpiece. They had 6 basic soft serve flavors and about 60 toppings to choose from, including a range of chocolates, gummies, fruits, syrups and fudges. My hand was literally shaking as I began to fill my cup with low fat peanut butter soft serve (I usually skip ‘low fat’ as that tends to = sucks, but this is actually really good). Anyone who knows me well will tell you that my eyes are typically bigger than my stomach, and my visit at the Big Spoon was no exception (though I tried *really* hard to finish). My final product was bursting with pieces of twix, snickers, cookie dough, and peanut butter cups (among other things that I can’t even remember). Even though my stomach was stuffed to the point where I thought vomitting was inevitable, I managed to polish off the tasty treat before our movie.

Well I’m headed to the shore this weekend to spend some much needed time with some friends and family, but there is so much more to share so I hope you’ll check in soon!

-trish

the neyPod:

Third Eye Blind’s new album, Ursa Major. It.is.so.good.

An Open Letter: Happy Birthday Aubrey!

2009-08-14T11:18:00.006-04:00

To my darling best friend,

Right now you’re probably doing some version of rolling your eyes and saying “T! Stop it! do NOT write about me!” and wishing you could hack onto my account to delete this post...but I made my mind up weeks ago that I was going to write this, so for now my Little General, you can pipe down.

I’m not sure I could ever totally convey just how thankful I am for your presence in my life. Almost 15 years of friendship is a pretty considerable amount of time and experiences to summarize in a few words, so let me just say the following things before you text me that you are embarrassed by this;

You have saved my sanity and my life on more than one occasion...more than you probably even realize or would admit to. I have shown the ugliest parts of my being to you; a selfish side, a depressing side, an obsessed side, an unkind side (among others) and you have loved me through it all. You have supported me by listening when I need someone to vent to, by offering honest advice when I am lost, and by shaking me to my senses when I am being ridiculous. You always call me out on my bullshit and make sure I never get an ego too big to function with. But you also encourage me, defend me, and stick by me. You have never judged me or my mistakes, though many of them deserved some judgment. You are the type of friend worth fighting for, no matter what.

We are the silliest of sillies together and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love being able to float seamlessly from mature, serious conversations to ridiculous behavior most appropriately found in elementary schools with you. I love that you will play ‘paparazzi’ at my parents house with Lindsay Lohan’s “Rumors” blaring in the background, hippie dance via video chat to Sarah McLachlan, do arts and crafts or color with me, and share my love of a good meal...followed by a snack...then another snack. I also love that while you get humiliated by some of my public antics and refuse to participate in things like dressing up to go see Harry Potter, you will purchase jean suspenders to wear to a day of volunteer barn cleaning on behalf of my birthday.

I adore you, Aubrey. I think about my future and find so much peace in knowing you will always be such a huge part of it. I love thinking about the years of adventures to come. It cracks me up that even my therapist tells me how lucky I am to have “an Aubrey” in my life....and she only knows you by stories! The people who *have* met you when you are with me almost automatically can tell how deeply I value what we have. Whenever I’m in a funk around my mom the first thing she says is “Can’t you just go call Aubs?” Whenever I’m having a rough week Zach’s first suggestion is “What’s Aubrey doing this weekend? Is she around?”...

So, my Little General, I hope today you are having the most wonderful of birthdays and know that while I couldn’t be there to celebrate by your side, I am sending you all the love I can possibly muster from 3,000 miles away.

Loveyoumeanit.

xo,
t

Mr. AZ

2009-08-11T17:57:00.009-04:00

If you're a fan of Jason Mraz and have never seen him in concert, I recommend changing that status as soon as humanly possible. My new friend Erin and I schlepped into Philly on Sunday to catch him at Festival Pier and, despite the wicked humidity and brief thunder/lightening/rain storm that turned my pretty straight hair into a fraggle rock head, witnessed an awesome live performance on his behalf. His opening acts were pretty great, too; G. Love and Special Sauce (a Philly native who was clearly so happy to be back in his home town) and K'naan (a rapper from Somalia).

I was ecstatic when JMraz played my favorite song off his last album called The Dynamo of Volition but was even *more* ecstatic when he taught the whole crowd his personal dance moves to it...and they were pretty much exactly how I've been dancing to it for the past year! I know, I know, I'm the coolest.

The only things I did not enjoy about this concert were the $7 beers (I realize that is pretty standard but seriously, what the crap), the pushy snitches who pretended to 'lose their cellphone' at the front of the crowd so they could get closer to the stage (I knew Erin and I were destined to be friends when she told them off to the point where their friends were too nervous to walk past us), and the idiot who insisted on leaning on us while she tried to shoot video of the show. When I turned around to ask her to stop she patted my back and randomly said 'it's so good'....err, what? It was also hot as balls that night and being the beast that I am I'm pretty sure I sweat off at least 6lbs...

Here's a little hint towards my big personal announcement coming on Friday; I'm looking forward to spending some long overdue quality time with my college roomie Ashley B out in Cali this week/weekend as she helps me do a specific type of searching...

The neyPod:

G. Love and Special Sauce- Peace Love and Happiness
G. Love- Bootycall
K'naan- Take a Minute
K'naan-Bang Bang (ft. Adam Levine)
K'naan- America
Wilco- You and I (ft. Feist)
Imogen Heap- First Train Home (this is the first single off her new album due out at the end of this month, and if it's any indication of the rest of the album I'm completely obsessed already)

peace,

trish

Life is about to get a little crazy....

2009-08-05T17:11:00.015-04:00

Oh man are there huge things brewing in my life right now that I honestly cannot wait to share with you! I need another week to finalize some plans before I announce anything but after that I promise you will not be disappointed in the adventure me and my little blog are about to embark on. This is a pretty crazy/scary/exciting time and I just have to have faith that I've made and am making the right decisions...I'm going with my gut. Please, gut, don't be a liar. Are you totally on the edges of your seats? I am.

the neyPod (some newbies and some oldies that have resurfaced on my iTunes):

The Very Best- Warm Heart of Africa ft. Ezra Koenig
Elbow- Grounds For Divorce (you've probably heard this in the previews for a new season of House)
Owl City- Fireflies
Regina Spektor- Us
The Matrix ft. Katy Perry- Damn
The Cure- In Between Days
Modest Mouse- Missed the Boat
Frou Frou- Breathe In
Joe Purdy- Mary
Bjork- Hyperballad
Meg Hutchinson- Seeing Stars
Anya Marina-Whatever You Like (badass cover of the TI hit)

I'm ashamed of this one....but in my defense I really think I like it so much because of the performance done to it on So You Think You Can Dance (if Brandon the strong hot gay black man doesn't win, I will be so upset)

Jordan Sparks- Battlefield

-trish

Pizza By Elizabeth's

2009-08-01T10:36:00.017-04:00

Aubs introduced me to *the* cutest pizza place a few months ago, called Pizza By Elizabeth's, just outside of Wilmington, DE. In a nutshell, it's a girly flatbread pizza joint/wine bar that is completely adorable and pretty in its decor and makes a wide variety of really delicious pizzas (all named after famous Elizabeth's...Hurley, Queen, Taylor, Boop, etc). I tried to snap some pics with my iPhone during our dinner there last night but apparently I was shaky mcshakerson and they're pretty fuzzy...especially the one of my actual pizza, which I blame on the fact that I was starving. I love that you can choose a low fat honey wheat crust and that they use big chunks of fresh ingredients. I also love the honey wheat bread sticks you can order with 3 dipping sauces (alfredo, pesto, tomato is what you see below). If you are ever in the Wilmy area, I highly recommend checking it out for yourself!

(can you tell I loved it? what a beast....)

Back to best friend weekend!

-trish

10 Things I Learned From My Mom

2009-07-27T12:53:00.024-04:00

The life as a daughter to Kath is filled with lessons learned, but here are a few of my favorites:

1. Hold the door

People who enter a room, building, whatever via a door and don’t bother to check behind them to see if someone else is soon to be entering annoy the crap out of me. I understand that sometimes a situation presents itself where a person is juuusssst the right amount of steps behind to allow for the awkward ‘should I keep holding this as he now tries to hurry up?’ situation, but I’d much rather notice the gesture in this moment than be smacked in the face by a closing door. I’ve seen my mom hold the door while balancing shopping bags, kids, car keys, etc and it’s always stuck with me to make the best effort I can towards the courtesy of holding a door for others.

2. Thank you notes, particularly hand written snail-mailed ones, speak volumes.

If someone took the time to think of you (via gift, gesture, or action), you should take the time to acknowledge it and express your gratitude (regardless of whether or not you love the gift). The act of being grateful is practiced too infrequently these days. And who doesn’t love getting a little note in the mail? With the amount of emailing that goes on every day a hand written thank you card is practically a vintage gem.

3. Get your fingers out of your mouth

People, your fingers are filthy. It cracks me up to hear about women who take 30 seconds before any public peeing to cover the toilet seat with 3 layers of TP or attempt to hover over the seat while trying not to miss the mark and stay balanced...but then manhandle the door knobs and faucets once they’re finished. I’m not telling you shouldn’t bother to avoid the pee dribbled seats but seriously, think about it, in comparison to the amount of fecal substance that lands on the door knobs and faucets via dirty hands...how absorbent really is your ass? Even if you *scrub* your hands post pee, touching the doorknob pretty much puts an unknown amount of icky germs back on your fingers which inevitably will make their way in or around your mouth. So, stop biting your nails, licking your fingers, and chewing on your cuticles. You can choose to think I’m being anal about this if you want...I’ll just choose to judge you for eating pee, etc.

4. Cover your mouth when you yawn

“What are you, catchin flies?”- K. DiGaetano. I hate to admit it, but she’s right. It isn’t pretty:

woof.

5. Never arrive empty handed

I’m pretty sure every mother tries to imprint this little diddy on their children, but my mom was (is) especially nuts about it. I can recall many a night spent as a teenager making last minute pans of brownies (which I suck at) or trips to the store for a bouquet of flowers to ease my mother’s panicked conscience over the idea of me arriving someplace empty handed. To this day I get major anxiety over the idea of Zach and I going to another house without an armful of something.

6. For any onset of illness, bodily pain, or injury always ask yourself first; ‘When was the last time I took a good poop?’

As a nurse my mom has doled out some pretty useful healthcare and first aid tips over the years, but this one is always my favorite. I swear the woman would react to a paper cut with that question....just like how the school nurse always insisted on taking your temperature, regardless of the injury. Hit in the head by a stray ball in gym class and bleeding over your eyebrow? Let’s take your temperature. To this day if I call my mother and even *hint* at the fact that I’m not feeling well, I’m immediately asked to recall my last ‘good poop’...not just a regular poop...but a good one. Keep track of your digestive behaviors...apparently the key to good health lies within them.

7. Don’t say ‘hate’, say ‘I really do not like or care for’.

I’m not very good at following this one though I’d like to be better about it. The idea here is that “hate” is a really strong, dark, angry word that we apply to so many mundane things or situations, making them a much bigger deal than they are. Hate can truly be an ugly word that conjures up bitterness and negativity within us, doing damage mostly to ourselves. Unless completely applicable (i.e. I hate Hitler), try using “I really do not like” instead.

8. Don’t do anything half assed, or ‘H-A’ as she likes to say.

If you’re gonna go for it...really go for it. Don’t waste yours or anybody else’s time by doing something half assed. It will get you nowhere.

9. “Fart” is a curse word.

My mom has been known to curse like a sailor and pretty much excuses my sister and I for most of our own potty mouth antics...except for when it comes to the word ‘fart’. That word is so offensive to her that I still feel a little bad ass when I use it. She suggests ‘toot’ as a substitute. I offered my sister a book called Walter the Farting Dog (hilarious little kid book) for use in her classroom this year and my mom practically leapt across the room to knock it out of my hand. What makes this pet peeve of hers even more humorous is the fact that the actual act of ‘tooting’ is not a faux pas in our house...better out than in, we always say....just the word for it is. So, feel free to pass gas around the Diggy family...just be sure to pardon yourself for ‘tooting’ and not farting.

10. Hydrate, hydrate, and then hydrate some more... “Your kidneys will thank you” -K.DiGaetano.

Come to a Diggy house and I guarantee you will soon liken the experience to a dinner at a Chinese restaurant...your glass will always be topped off. Trust us, your kidneys will thank you.

-trish

2009-07-22T16:45:00.011-04:00

I’m not a huge fan of the latest trend in store parking lots, as seen here at my local Wegman’s:

1. Admittedly it *does* crack me up that they are basically equating having a kid/kids to having a handicap of sorts...which, frankly, I can’t really argue with!

But at the same time...

2. I feel like people with legitimate handicaps should be offended...I would venture to guess most people with disabilities did not *choose* to have them, whereas having a child/children is clearly a choice. Kids and their soccer moms take over so much of society as it is, and now they are pushing their way into the best parking spots at crowded grocery stores. In fact, I counted, and there are more spots available for moms than there are for handicapped folks. That just doesn’t sit well with me.

Wegman’s gets a mega-fail for this.

I’m slightly obsessed with my new journal from Barnes and Noble’s eco-friendly product line, partially because it’s adorable and funky fresh, and partially because it’s made of entirely recycled materials and soy ink! Woot woot! If you like journaling at all, I'd highly recommend this guy (you can't really see it, but it does have the band that wraps around it to keep it closed):

the neyPod:

One of my greatest musical loves, Whitney Houston, has a new ‘comeback’ album to be released September 1st. If you think I have it marked in my planner with hearts and stars and musical notes...you would be correct.

I've pretty much had Jason Mraz on repeat this week since I'll be seeing him, along with Dave Matthews Band, on Friday night up in Hershey...I of course will let you know how fabulous it all goes :)

-trish

My betta fish is horny...I think maybe for me.

2009-07-17T16:36:00.016-04:00

Seriously, he is, and here's how I know;

Usually when I approach his tank the pretty little guy (his name is Sharkbait) swims all around and blows bubbles in excitement but over the last few days his behavior has taken a really odd turn. Basically, when I put my face up to the bowl, he comes to meet it head on and puffs out his gill flap thingys as far out as they can go...making him look like one of those crazy lizards that run on their hind legs and puff out that ugly red neck ring. At first I was upset that maybe he was getting defensive towards me, but after some research I came to discover other new fish characteristics of his that point to a different cause. Sharkbait has always been a bubble blower but recently he's been building himself quite the impressive bubble 'nest' of sorts near his plastic tank plant...a behavior used by males as they prepare a nest for a females eggs. He also has new vertical stripes that appear and get darker when I'm around, which apparently is a sign of sexual maturity and that he's taken a liking to me...yikes!

This situation is both oddly flattering and also wildly uncomfortable. I feel bad that the little guy has all this pent up sexual frustration. I mean, should I pick up a female at PetSmart this weekend for him to get it on with? The idea of that makes me feel kind of like a pimp and sort of dirty on behalf of the poor female...what if she's younger than him and it's not consensual? Also what kind of a mother would I be to pay for a strange hussie to mate with my pet? And what if they have all these babies together? You know grandma (me) is going to wind up stuck taking care of all of them. But then again the kid is getting a little too Oedipal for me so I feel like I need to break it off before he gets too hurt...I'm so torn! What do you think I should do?

-trish

2009-07-16T11:52:00.027-04:00

I've been pretty sick the last few days so life has consisted mostly of watching Felicity DVD's (my love of Ben Covington growing deeper with each episode), drinking 423 cups of peppermint tea, and trying not to get addicted to Afrin. Until I'm 100% myself again here are a few random, slightly medicated, thoughts to share;

I thoroughly enjoyed a relaxing reunion of elementary, middle, and high school girl friends last weekend....lots of wine and giggles were shared. One of my favorite moments of the weekend took place at a delish restaurant in Princeton called Mediterra. Basically it started to rain pretty heavily in the middle of our dinner, and the only person not covered by the outdoor awning was...naturally...yours truly. Noticing that I would momentarily be soaked, a kind member of their wait staff hustled to pop open an extra umbrella for me...and then proceeded to awkwardly hold it over me until our table could be moved. Most folks would probably feel uncomfortable having someone do this for them and maybe offer to move on their own, but I felt quite pleased with the fact that at last, someone was acknowledging my princess status. Exhibit A:

In all seriousness the guy was super nice and we had a good laugh over it. Mediterra's menu kicks ass and they make awesome sangria...but now I have even more reason to go back...particularly when there is a chance of rain...

I tried to drag my sick butt to a showing of Harry Potter last night, but was foiled by a power outage at the movie theater. Normally I would've been at a midnight showing, light up wand in hand, dressed in black, scar on my forehead...but this year circumstances did not allow for my tradition to take place so I settled for at least opening day. I was pretty kawawa when, moments before the film should have begun, a ghetto mall-cop-esque man made the announcement that the whole theater would be closing due to a power outage. I probably would have shed a few tears, but I was with my new friend Erin and didn't want to scare her away. Missing Harry Potter on opening day = mega fail.

OK that's about all the strength I can muster right now.

see you soon,

trish

2009-07-10T12:50:00.019-04:00

Ever since my multiple to-die-for experiences eating chocolate lava cake at Marin's Small Shed Flatbreads I've been on a hunt to find a recipe that matches as close as possible to that orgasmic dessert.

After making another box this week, I've decided that my next best choice lies in Dr. Oetker's Organic Chocolate Lava Cakes. They take all of 15-20 minutes to whip up and are perfect everytime...just add some fresh fruit like strawberries or raspberries as well as some whipped cream and you've got yourself a panties-need-to-be-changed treat. Plus, it's organic and as far as desserts go is actually not *all* that bad for you (just let me tell myself that) :) The only downside is that it'll run you about $4 a box and it only makes 4 mini cakes...but once you've made them I think you'll be ok with the loss of $4 (if I'm wrong, I'll even send you $4 in the mail, promise).

the neyPod:

Imogen Heap is one of my favorite female singer/songwriters...pretty much everything she touches is musical magic to my ears. She's quirky as hell, too, which by now you've probably figured out is one of my favorite human (and non human for that matter) characteristics. Her new album launches next month and I'm positively giddy about it. Check out an adorable little video teaser she made:

see you soon :)

-trish

Living Lighter, Part Two aka “Hawe Crsa”

2009-07-08T17:05:00.008-04:00

Louise Hay says we need to ‘make room for the new’ in our lives by doing some physical cleaning, including things like gutting the refrigerator, and de-cluttering your closets. A little while back I had at it with my clothing closet and I definitely felt so much lighter after getting rid of things I clearly did not need. Now with renewed energy that I’m desperately trying to harness, I’ve begun to attack every other closet and box and drawer and cabinet in the house in preparation for a move (details to come later). Here’s how it’s going so far...

As I’ve admitted before, I am a bit of a pack rat. I could probably find sentimental value in an old shoelace if need be. So, when the energy of “ugh I don’t care, get rid of it!” comes upon me, I try really hard to take advantage by sorting thru my never ending supply of...well...*stuff*. My first order of business was to dive head first into the guest room closet where Zach and I had jammed in everything our parents kicked out of our childhood homes. Opening the door was like a scene out of the most cliché Disney movie (and you know I love me some Disney)...things literally fell on my head, including a life sized Sex and the City cut out of Sarah Jessica Parker aka Carrie Bradshaw, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley Cole Hamels figurines, and a wall clock.

Some of things I actually paused before discarding or adding to the Good Will pile were just ridiculous. A $1 bill folded in the shape of a little Hawaiian shirt? These are tough economic times, Tricia, unfold the damn dollar. My childhood Easter basket? The thing isn’t even big enough to hold more than a single chocolate bunny...what is the point in keeping it?

My favorite finding was probably my elementary school diaries. These little beauties were filled with many detailed, thought provoking entries from my first grade mind such as:

January 12, 1991

Donnie from the New Kids is fat.

and...

February 20, 1991

I love my cat. I like the name Ana.

and...

September 1, 1993

I like Matt sooo much! I feel like I talk about him all the time in here but its not like I’m going to marry him or something! I’m just a regular old girl..not a movie star!

(well put, 3rd grade Trish, well put).

The best entry, by far, has to be the first grade one you see below:

I don’t even know where to begin with this....

A) Is this normal spelling/grammar for a first grader?
B) Did my parents never mention to me that I was/am mentally challenged?
C) What is ‘hawe crsa’?
D) Why did I write half in red and half in black? Is this symbolic?
E) Why do I have no arms in that self portrait, and why is my head so fat?

After careful study I believe what I’m trying to say is “Who Cares” in response to the boys winning a gym relay race. Even back then I was quite the sassy broad.

Some of my findings were difficult for me to part with for genuine sentimental value, though. A box of my grandmother’s costume jewelry still smelled of her, which immediately flip flopped my stomach upon getting a whiff, and admittedly put a small lump in my throat. Having to pick out only a few pieces to keep (she had some bad ass, timeless style) was hard, but what am I going to do? Carry around unusable old baubles from house to house for the rest of my life? Set it free, I say. Hope that someone else finds enjoyment in them.

My closet purging shall continue for the next few days...wish me luck...

-trish

Ayurvedic dosha massage

2009-07-07T18:22:00.006-04:00

My parents gave Zach and me gift certificates to a holistic healing place a few blocks from their shore home as birthday gifts this year, and we decided to cash them in yesterday.

“Sensibilities” offers an array of services ranging from your run of the mill Swedish massage to facials to acupuncture to ear candling (yea, don’t ask, cause I dunno). I don’t know what’s up with me and my holistic curiosities these days but I loved the joint within 2.5 seconds of walking in. Candles, oils, incense, funky jewelry and art decorated the wooden shelves holding apothecary-esque books while your typical massage parlor music (think a medley of ocean, rain, windchime, piano sounds) played softly in the background.

While I wasn’t brave enough to try ear candling or hypnotherapy, I did venture to test a Yogi (as in practitioner of yoga, not the Yankee or bear) favorite called Ayurvedic Dosha Massage. Cut and pasted from various hippie internet sites:

Ayurveda, the science of life, has brought true health and wellness to millions of individuals throughout the ages with simple changes in daily living practices... This is an ancient art of healing that has been practiced continuously for over 5,000 years....Ayurvedic practices restore the balance and harmony of the individual, resulting in self-healing, good health and longevity... Ayurveda places an emphasis on moderation in food intake, sleep, sexual intercourse, and the intake of medicine...it incorporates an entire system of dietary recommendations ... Ayurvedic healing includes herbs, nutrition, panchakarma cleansing, acupressure, massage, Yoga, Sanskrit, and Jyotish ....

...According to Ayurveda, each of us has a unique mix of three mind/body principles which creates our specific mental and physical characteristics. These three principles are called 'doshas'. Most of us have one or two doshas which are most lively in our nature, with the remaining one(s) less significant.

The three doshas are known as: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. To find out your dominant dosha, take the Dosha Quiz (it’s free!): http://www.whatsyourdosha.com/index.php

After taking a brief quiz at Sensibilities I found that I’m apparently of the Vata type, which means the following things;

· I’m very enthusiastic, thin, fast, mobile, vivacious, and nice.

BUT...

· I also have the tendency to be agitated, nervous, unstable, stressed, and irregular in my sleep and eating habits.

My massage therapist, Juliet, used this finding to choose a specific oil for the massage and chatted with me about factors that can unbalance Vata including; cold, dry, spicy hot, sour and astringent food, smoke, alcoholic drinks, and exposure to cold and wind. Vata in excess can cause dry skin, numerous thin wrinkles, and early aging....woof!

It was a great massage and interesting to learn about the theories. I walked away ridiculously slicked up with oil, though, and despite Juliet suggesting I remove my undies to prevent them from getting oil on them I opted to keep my britney covered. I mean really, Juliet...we just met...panties off is clearly a 2nd or 3rd massage date maneuver. I am a lady, afterall.

see you soon,

trish

Positive Thoughts Request

2009-07-02T17:03:00.008-04:00

When I started this little blog my goal was to be as honest and open as possible about the goings-on in my life in the hopes that my own experiences, trials, and errors could possibly offer something to someone else. I’ve tried to steer away from too many personal details regarding my friends and family as I would never want to share information that is not mine to share. I feel, however, that I need to make a pseudo-exception here.

A close friend of mine had a student whose family she’s become very close with, including her students 7 year old brother named Jonathan, who is battling with two incredibly rare forms of cancer. My friend and her fellow teachers held a fundraiser a few months ago on behalf of the family which myself and another close friend attended in support of both our friend and Jonathan. Since being introduced to this family and their struggles, I’ve been following the mom’s Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania blog...keeping up with Jonathan’s progress, his setbacks, their hopes and their fears. Having only my friend in common with this family, I find myself glued to their situation, sending out daily prayers for good news to be posted on the next blog.

Unfortunately, the last few posts have not been so positive. His cancer is so rare and advancing so quickly that the doctor’s recently had “The Talk” with his family, essentially preparing them for the possibility that this is a fight they cannot win.

Jonathan and his mother are the definition of inspiration to me. They are the definition of fighters, the definition of what it means to have hope. She often writes about finding joy in simple life pleasures, about never giving up, and about just appreciating life and loved ones as much as possible. Despite her pain, she is always thankful for the good in her life. Quite simply, it amazes me.

In her latest post she writes a request for prayers. If you have a few free moments I would ask that you send out some positive thoughts for Jonathan and his family. It doesn’t matter what your faith may be...I for one am not picky about where I find God...good thoughts in any form can make a huge difference (and sure as hell can't hurt).

A simple yet poignant reminder from her last post:

“Stay positive and BELIEVE...hope is something that no one can ever take away from you. Miracles happen everyday, SOMETIMES you just have to open your eyes big enough to see them.”

happy holiday weekends to you all, thank you for your prayers.

-trish

SIGG

2009-07-01T12:17:00.011-04:00

I’m loving my funky fresh new water bottle by SIGG (http://www.mysigg.com/).

There are a lot of different figures floating around out there concerning the amount of plastic water bottle waste in the world, how much is actually recycled, and how long it really takes to decompose...but the bottom line is the numbers are not pretty. Plastic bottles are just not recycled as much as they should be (think in the 20% of 50 billion range) and take several hundred years to decompose. I understand that we all find ourselves in situations where a plastic bottle of water is our only choice, with no recycling bin in sight (I cringe at that reality), but for a lot of occasions I think we can make the effort to avoid use of them. Reusable bottles like the ones made by SIGG are the perfect solution.

SIGG makes a variety of different styles and you can even customize your own bottle with skins. Plus, some of the styles are linked to non-profit orgs like the Sierra Club and the Jane Goodall Institute. Of course I pick the one that isn’t related to any charity (in my defense I bought it at Wegman’s and not online) but I think these would make cool and unique gifts. If you have a birthday in the near future, prepare to be SIGG'd by me.

The neyPod:

Thanks to my music hook ups I snagged the new Regina Spektor album, Far, yesterday and it’s as wonderfully quirky as one could hope from her. Check out “Eet”, and “The Calculation”.

I highly encourage you to download Does It Offend You, Yeah?’s song “Dawn of the Dead”....it’s yet another song intro’d to me via Ashley B and it’s my current drive-with-the-windows-down addiction. It reminds me a little bit of an Angels and Airwaves tune but with steel drums in the background (seriously, who doesn’t love steel drums?).

see you soon :) ,

trish

Lemon squares, the sex, and a foot rub.

2009-06-29T16:36:00.017-04:00

I knew the zoo day was going to be great the moment I saw Logan wearing a monkey book bag with the tail being long enough to make him a token ‘kid on a leash’. Tori, I love you and you know I think you’re a kick ass mom, but this really cracked me up.

The highlights included me trying to keep up with the kid on a rope, watching Tori have to pull him back to the point where he would get knocked off his feet from struggling so hard (I know I shouldn’t laugh at that but c’mon, it was funny), and being squished in a sweaty mini train with 3 kids and a mom saying ‘choo chooo...chooo choooo’ the whole time (the mom was clearly the most annoying....we know you know what sounds a train makes, so please pipe down).

The absolute *best* part, however, took place in the petting zoo where I accidentally dropped a piece of goat food into an old lady’s hair...and we’re talking the most stereotypical old lady hairdo you can imagine; fluffed out, thinning, sprayed to high heaven. Seconds after falling into her hair the goats were leaning over the fence trying to nibble it while I was miserably failing at my attempts to inconspicuously knock it out. The poor old gal ended up walking away with the food (a little bigger than the size of a cocoa puff) still lodged in the side of her hair. Hilarious.

*******************************************************

In honor of summer I’ve whipped out my adorable and funky fresh ice tea maker that was a fabulous gift from my cousin Court. It’s made by Tea Forte (see Tricia’s favorite things blog) and is really easy to use; steep the tea in boiling water in the top part for 3-5 minutes, then add it to the ice below. Voila!

I’ve talked about my hokie love of Louise L. Hay before but wanted to share a little quote of hers I recently found in my inbox via my Hay House email subscription;

“So many of us hide from ourselves and we don't even know who we are. We don't know what we feel, we don't know what we want. Life is a voyage of self-discovery. To me, to be enlightened is to go within and to know who and what we really are, and to know that we have the ability to change for the better by loving and taking care of ourselves. It's not selfish to love ourselves. It clears us so that we can love ourselves enough to love other people. We can really help the planet when we come from a space of great love and joy.”

As someone who can be really hard on herself, I think that’s an important thing to remember.

Lastly, today is Zachy Ney’s birthday, and I love how simple it is to ensure he has a great day:

Me: What are your 3 birthday wishes?

Zach: Lemon squares, the sex, and a foot rub.

So far we’re 2/3 today (I'm humming the tune of "Birthday Sex" ) with plenty of birthday left ;) Happy Birthday, boo!

see you soon,

trish

10 things that suggest I'm not really 25

2009-06-25T16:08:00.012-04:00

Since turning 25 almost a week ago I've realized how much I really do not *feel* 25 (whatever that even means). The following list includes some of my very non 25 year old behaviors:

1. Radio Disney is a preset on my Sirius Radio. I go to it frequently. I got choked up listening to the Miley Cyrus/Nick Jonas single “Before the Storm” when I heard it for the first time on Radio Disney and I also made Zach listen to it 3 times in a row in the car on my birthday. “Rewind it again, Zach, it’s my birthday”. Rumor has it that they are back together now and I am irrationally pulling for those two crazy kids....young love has me oddly emotional these days. I really want them to get married and have Disney babies that will make more music for me to listen to on my preset Radio Disney.

2. I saw the Hannah Montana Movie by myself. Yep...by.my.self. I have 2 nieces who are major fans so I tried to take them as an excuse to go see it, but when that didn’t work out I was left with no one to go with. After days of hemming and hawing I finally said ‘oh screw it’ and went to go see it alone. The theater was empty except for me, 3 moms with their kids, and a dad with his daughter. I’m pretty sure the parents eyed me the whole time to make sure I wasn’t a pedophile. I loved it and will probably buy the DVD.

3. I don’t like to wear pants. I’m not throwing this out there as an ‘oooh picture Trish with no pants on’ ploy, but rather as a comparison to toddlers who love nothing more than being pants-less. They’re like little nudists and I applaud them for their courage of showing off their mini thunder thighs. Working from home really helps me with this clothing preference, as most days I sit at my desk with no pants on. Sometimes when I’m on a conference call that isn’t going well I get a real kick out of the fact that I’m not wearing pants.

4. I water down juices and cannot drink orange juice with pulp. The first is too strong without watering down, the latter makes me gag. I will specifically ask a waiter/waitress if the OJ has pulp and promptly scrunch my noise with an “eek, no thanks” if they say yes.

5. I secretly wait for my acceptance letter to the Hogwart’s School of Witchcraft and Wizardry daily. If a bird flies by my window my heart will often skip a beat in thinking perhaps it is an owl delivering said letter. I also think that by not having a chimney this is really hurting the school’s ability to get the letter to me. I hope my next home has one.

6. I use children’s detangling hair spray. I’ve tried fancy hair salon brands, and while I do enjoy a good Bumble and Bumble spray, my go to is still Suave Detangling Spray for Kids in Double Dutch Apple... “Tearfree”, of course, as no one likes to have burning eyes if you slip up. It smells so yummy and is super cheap. Plus, I like the apple green colored bottle with the happy octopus combing his nonexistent hair.

7. I push little kids out of the way at zoos and aquariums to get the best view (I consider it more of a gentle nudge, but some say otherwise). Once at the Monterey Bay Aquarium a short little girl tapped on my butt and said “excuse me, I can’t see” when I was standing with my face practically smushed against the glass watching the sea otters. I replied with “Sorry for ya.” and did not move.

8. I consider the fact that I can cross one eye and not the other to be an actual talent that people want to see. Even though my parents have seen me do it 1000 times I still say “Dad, Dad! Look!” and expect a very praiseful response. Fortunately, my Dad usually comes through with a fairly sincere “oooh! look at that!” or “wow that’s talent!”. Thanks, Dad.

9. It’s not unusual for me to cry if I don’t get my way. 98% of the time it is just a few tears and they happen in private, but still....I have a very hard time understanding how I could *not* get my way. I’m adorable.

10. I can’t do a pull up, hold chopsticks, bake brownies (no lie, I’ve ruined every single batch attempt since childhood), parallel park, resist picking scabs and peeling sunburn, or name all 50 states.

**********************************************

Plant a tree with Odwalla's help! Odwalla is a company that makes delicious drinks and is based out of Half Moon Bay, California (one of my fave Cali spots). Bonus points to them for this project, and to Aubs for finding it:

http://www.parkvisitor.com/odwalla/

see you soon,

trish

3eb/current music addictions

2009-06-23T10:58:00.023-04:00

Do yourself a favor and snag these songs! I'm addicted to them and want you to be, too. Great windows down/summer drive tunes.

Thanks to Sirius Radio, Ashley Billings, and Tom Pavlo for sharing with me:

Phoenix- Lisztomania

Phoenix-1901

(note that the whole Phoenix album is super duper, but those are probably the catchiest)

Grizzly Bear- Two Weeks

Ra Ra Riot- Too Too Too Fast

Port O'Brien- I Woke Up Today

The Gaslight Anthem- Old White Lincoln

Matt & Kim- Daylight

Band of Horses- Ghost in my House

***************************************************************************

So my boss put on his rockstar shoes and flew me out to our California office last week for some work/meetings, knowing that there was a free Third Eye Blind concert in San Jose that I was pining to attend. How fabulous is that? Third Eye Blind twice in one year...somebody pinch me...

The concert took place at a Downtown San Jose Music in the Park shindig, and actually only ended up being about an hour and fifteen minutes long. But, it was free and the weather turned out to be lovely. The highlight was of course when they played, what else, Motorcycle Drive By. I made friends with the mom and 2 preteens standing next to me over our mutual obsession of MDB and annoyance of the pot smoking chick in front of us who claimed to be on chemo (and who was clearly lying based on her perfectly healthy look and smirk/eye-roll at the end of that comment). I mean look, I could care less if you smoke pot or not, but don't claim to be on chemo if you're not. That's just bad karma, and really uncharming. Mega fail.

California + Third Eye Blind certainly did yield quite an interesting mix of people; the high school hoochies who probably changed their outfits in the car (God bless 'em), the pot smoking uncle with his nephew on his shoulders, the creepy old men oogling the high school hoochies...There were more tattoos in one place than I've ever seen in my life combined....I could've people watched the whole day! I'm really thankful I made it out for the show and can now doubly cross out "attend 3eb concert" from the life list.

Stephen Jenkins rocking out, for your viewing pleasure:

New 3eb album drops mid August...get excited!

see you soon,

trish

Work to Ride

2009-06-22T10:56:00.045-04:00

Part of me feels like I should be apologizing for having such a boring life these days that I'm majorly slacking on the blog posts...and the other part of me feels way too conceited for assuming anyone even cares! That said, sorry for the lack :-/

My 25th birthday (damn I'm old) was this past Saturday and since I've never really been a big fan of my birthdays (they make me, someone who doesn't typically shy from attention, really uncomfy) I decided to spend the first half of the day trying to do something for someone other than myself with the help of Zach, Aubs, Belle, and Frank.

The program I ended up finding thru Kells and the philadelphiacares.com site is called Work to Ride; http://worktoride.net/ ....and it's awesome! From their site:

Created in 1994 by Lezlie Hiner, Work to Ride is a non-profit, providing disadvantaged urban youth from Philadelphia with constructive activities centered around horsemanship, equine sports, and education. Located in Fairmount Park, the setting provides a unique opportunity to bring 7-to 19-year-old youth in contact with animals and nature.

While most participants are trained in several sports, polo has proven to be the perennial favorite of Work to Ride youth.

In 1999, the Work to Ride polo team became the first African American polo team in the nation, and in 2005 the team won the Eastern Regional Interscholastic Polo tournament. The program has been featured in Sports Illustrated, and was twice highlighted on HBO’s “Real Sports”.

Do you love it already?!

Unfortunately the June gloom weather we've been having made it an icky morning with lots of rain, so we had to stick to indoor barn activities that included; sorting riding boots, sorting blankets, sorting random pieces of wood...and Aubrey's personal favorite....knocking down the years worth of cobwebs from the rafters.

My favorite part was of course the kids. They were all so stinking cute, and were working really hard at their chores while we were there. We brought them snacks (my secret to getting people to like me...feed them...) and you would've thought they'd never seen a mini Gatorade or bag of Doritos before in their lives. They also were all extremely polite and well mannered, which I think is lacking in so many kid personalities these days. Kids can be so damn annoying in general, but rude or impolite kids are by far the worst. Mommy has no patience for that, and mommy is me.

My two faves for the day were Mark and Brian, pictured above and below. They were as chatty as they come, and I ate up every word their cute little selves said. I was incredibly impressed with their knowledge of all things horse related, as well as their comfort around the animals. They both work for lessons, come during the week for school tutoring, and *love* being there. I can't remember if, in the picture below, I'm just intently listening to their stories and being amazed at their knowledge, or planning how I can fit Mark (the smaller one) into my purse and take him home with me. I told Zach he is what I wanted for my birthday, but Zach said he was unwilling to go to jail for kidnapping for me.

I'm always so happy to find cool local organizations like this and I hope to continue to be involved in some way in the near future! If you live in the Philadelphia area, you should definitely check it out....

see you soon :)

trish

You've got guts, Glenn.

2009-06-10T11:18:00.009-04:00

A bunch of our college buddies rallied for a trip up to NYC this weekend for a little birthday celebration for our friends Jim and Thompson, and it really was great to see everyone and spend some time together in perfect June weather. After the last bar stop on Saturday night a few of us decided (well, mostly I decided and whined until others agreed to come along) that we wanted a slice of late night pizza before bed. Heading just a few doors down to a pizza joint, we took our places in line.

Also hanging outside of the pizza place was your stereotypical ‘homeless’ man, asking folks to spare some change. I say ‘homeless’ in quotations because while I honestly don’t know his true story, I do have a soft spot for people in any form of that predicament. It saddens me to know that a person can literally reach a point in their lives where they feel there are no other options for them; that they have no one to turn to. I can’t help but wonder, what happened in their lives that lead them here? What is their story?

I witnessed him get denied by about 12 twenty-somethings back to back, and could tell he was making his way over to us next. I do not typically give money to those begging for it on the streets of any city. Regardless of how I may genuinely feel compassionate towards them and the struggles they must be facing, I don’t think it’s wise to blindly offer money to someone who perhaps does not have the will power to spend it appropriately. This sounds kinda harsh, I realize, but I think there are just better ways to help them.

Since we were in line for food, I replied to his request for cash with “I won’t give you money, but I will buy you a slice if you’d like.” (this is where it gets good...)

HM(homeless man): Oh, yea, yea, that’d be good, ok yea...

Me: Plain ok?

HM: Yea, yea, ok yea thank you...

Me to the pizza man: 2 plain slices please!

HM: Yea, plain, ok...oh and a mango Snapple!!

(......I’m giggling just at the memory of this....)

Me: Huh?

HM, completely dead pan: Yea, and a mango Snapple.

Me laughing to the pizza man: Ok 2 plain slices and a mango Snapple!

As the pizza guys were hustling about trying to get all the orders taken care of my homeless man kept shouting over the counter “Don’t forget my mango Snapple!”. This *really* cracked me up.

I found out over our slices (and a mango Snapple, of course) that his name was Glenn, he lost his job a year ago, he needed some change for the subway, and he could house a slice of cheese pizza faster than any human being I’d ever witnessed. Glenn and I parted ways shortly after our snack together, wishing each other well, me still giggling at his (as they say in Yiddish) chutzpah.

You've got guts, Glenn.

***************************************************

On a completely unrelated note to a story about a homeless man finagling a mango Snapple out of me, I want to take a second to wish my baby sister a very happy 22nd birthday!

Anyone who knows me well knows how much I completely adore my sister, so I don't need to get into just how entirely fabulous she is......ok maybe I will just a little....

Laura Belle Jones Wiggly Jiggly Butt (seriously, kid Tricia is so clever with her nicknames) is THE most amazing sister I could have ever asked for. She has been my partner in crime, my best friend, my giggle buddy, my shoulder to cry on, my sounding board, my therapist, and my twin since they day she popped out of our mom's sticker-decorated (courtesy of yours truly in the hospital room) belly 22 years ago today. She is kind and patient, selfless and generous. She is silly and fun, smart and beautiful. Her heart is huge.

I am *so* proud of who she is, and who she is on the path to becoming. My adventures with her are some of my most favorite life memories, and I cannot wait to continue making many more for years to come. In short, I love her stinkin guts.

Happy Birthday, Belle!

:)

Trish

I hate you, Rachel from the lab

2009-06-05T13:17:00.007-04:00

I should've known I was in trouble at the diagnostics center today, where I was to have bloodwork done, the second I saw the highly advanced level of office technology they were using below:

That brown sucker was barely half a notch up from a rotary phone, and rang with the intent of scaring the bajeezus out of anyone within 50 feet of it.

The lab tech in charge of ol' brownie was just as frightening in her needle stick skills. I've given blood dozens of times, and generally have a fairly high pain tolerance (I didn't flinch once while getting my tattoo) so I really believe this broad was just either completely incompetent and insensitive or enjoys watching people in pain.

After commenting on my scrawny arms, Rachel shoved the needle (that she noted afterwards as being too big for my vein) in. I yelped and looked down expecting to see blood filling up the little viles...no such luck. She hit the vein incorrectly and thus had to *wiggle* the needle around until the blood starting flowing to fill all 6 viles. During this time I repeatedly told her "OW! This *really* hurts!" , only to get the response of "Well your arms are so tiny!"

.....So be more gentle then you old kook! Seriously, what the crap?!

After the last vile was filled she ripped the needle back out and...I kid you not...basically slammed a cotton ball over the entry point, resulting in another yelp from me. "Oh, sorry, that hurt?" she said. "Um...YEA!" I replied, as those were basically the only none 4 letter words I could muster at that point. She then asked me to pee in a cup and I think my urine was so afraid of being mistreated that I could barely squeeze out a trickle. My body is traumatized.

Rachel from the lab and her blood taking abilities = MEGA FAIL.

My arm hurts :(

-trish

Heifer Project International

2009-06-01T14:29:00.005-04:00

In case you were worried that the title of this post was referring to a new Ashton Kutcher produced reality show about the slimming down of some plus sized ladies, rest assured, it is not.

I keep meaning to talk about this organization because it’s pretty bad ass, and I think if you haven’t already heard of it you’ll really get into it, too. Heifer Project International (www.heifer.org) is unique in that the dollars you spend have a lasting effect on the people benefiting from them through the project’s main goal; helping people obtain a sustainable source of food and income to end poverty and hunger. Essentially they provide families and individuals with the livestock and agricultural pieces needed to foster long-term development rather than short-term relief. As their founder says, “Not a cup, but a cow”.

From their website;
A typical Heifer project consists of three essential components:
* Livestock and other material goods
* Training and extension work
* Organizational development, which includes planning, management, record keeping, passing on the gift, reporting and evaluation.

In summary; you gift someone an animal, the project teaches them how to benefit from said animal (i.e. selling the eggs of a chicken or milk from a cow), and the beneficiaries of the animal then pass on the gift (i.e. donate the offspring of the animal to another community member). Everyone wins!

I often worry that my donations to charitable organizations don’t really go directly to the folks I’m looking to help, but instead wind up in a general pool of funds for things like direct mail pieces, or junk advertising gimmicks like pens or key chains. While I fully understand that these things are often necessary to help grow the organizations reach (I was an advertising major in college, I promise I get it), it just doesn’t really settle well with me. I think this is magnified in my mind because, if I may be honest for a moment here, it’s not like I’m writing whopping checks every month. My contributions are as sizeable as I can afford at the time, so I want to be sure that it’s yielding a tangible, positive outcome. With Heifer Project I’m literally gifting another human being a tool to sustainability. Now, I suppose there is no way of knowing for sure that all of the money put forth goes to the purchase of the animal or crop seeds. Perhaps a portion does end up finding its way to a key chain or two. Despite this, I whole heartedly choose to believe that in the end if I’m picking out a pig to give to a family in Africa, that family is getting a pig. Period.

Happy farm shopping; http://www.heifer.org/site/c.edJRKQNiFiG/b.204586/

-trish

Punk'd by guidos = mega fail.

2009-05-29T13:37:00.002-04:00

While walking the Point Pleasant boardwalk last weekend with my family, I fell victim to the oldest beach trick in the book (much to my Mother’s delight). Chatting with my sister’s boyfriend I happened to glance down at the ground and saw a dollar laying on the planks, half slipping thru the cracks. Immediately, I lunged for it....

I don’t know what the most embarrassing part of the rest of this story is. The fact that I squealed in delight at seeing a free $1 bill laying on the ground? Yes, that’s pretty bad. The economy may be in the pooper, but squealing over $1 is really unnecessary. The fact that I jumped for it to make sure Frank, my sister’s boyfriend, didn’t notice it too and get to it before me? Yes, that is also quite bad. I have a full time job and a 401K, and Frank is a new college graduate trying to make it in this rough job market...I couldn’t let the kid have the dollar? Maybe it’s the fact that upon getting the dollar bill in my grasp it was quickly yanked via fishing line right through the cracks by the group of teenagers (or degenerate guidos as I will refer to them from now on) fraternizing on the picnic benches. In case the disappearing dollar was not sign enough that I had been ‘punk’d’ the degenerate guidos made sure to chant “assssholllleee...assshoooollee” while hysterically laughing and pointing at me.

No no, none of those were the worst part. The worst part was having my mom die of laughter along with the degenerate guidos, also pointing and practically going over to high five them. This, along with her saying things like “I can’t believe you fell for that!!” and (my personal favorite) “I hope they put that on the youtube!!” was definitely the worst part. Yes mom, I’m sure the degenerate guidos will take the time to put a video of me on ‘the youtube’.

Ugh, Tricia. Mega fail.

2009-05-22T15:09:00.002-04:00

I completely forgot to update you all that the Cheeseburger Challenge was postponed! My bro in law woke up not feeling so hot that morning (a likely excuse) and although by dinner he said he was ready to dominate, I didn’t want him using his morning ickys as an excuse when he lost. Also, we went to Stewart’s anyway and it was a weird one with not as good burgers as the one in Lawrenceville so I’m glad we’re going to wait.

I got notification last week that I’m officially part of the national bone marrow registry (it takes them about 6 weeks to type your tissue), which is great. It was such an easy process of just swabbing my cheeks with the provided swabs (very CSI, I liked it) and sending it back with the little bio-hazard sticker on it. Once again I highly encourage you all to sign up :)

My dance classes have sadly ended and I can’t seem to get motivated to drag my butt to yoga lately (which seems to be paying the price the most for my lack of exercise...damn my jeans feel tight). I’ve eaten a whole package of Double Stuf’d Oreos in under a week. I had to have my husband force me to throw away the last of an entire bag of Cheese Doodles that were totally stale and yet I simply could not put them down. Last night I ate 2 hot dogs and 2 cupcakes, actually using the excuse that my 2nd hotdog deserved a dessert of its own. That is so wrong on so many levels.

Besides the fact that summer is basically here which means bikini season is upon us, I feel a little rotten on the inside. Do you ever get like that? Like you just keep putting gross things in your body and you feel like you need a major detox? It’s making me grouchy, I keep finding mystery bruises on my legs, I’m breaking out more and I think it might be making me sleep like crap, too. This past week I’m so restless and keep waking up sweating like a beast (and I typically sleep in underwear and a t-shirt, so it ain’t like I’m wearing footie pjs). Zach blames our obese cat for exuding too much heat in the bed but I think it’s my insides trying to sweat out the toxins.

All that being said, it’s detox time. No cupcakes, hot dogs, doodles, cookies, or processed foods allowed. Lots of water, fish, veggies, tea, nuts, and fruits. I’m sure I will do a miserable job of starting this over the weekend since I’ll be down the shore and the beach = junk food, but I’m going to try really hard. I’m also going to fit in some runs on the boardwalk and bike rides around town. I don’t know where this boost of motivation to not be a chunker anymore has come from...but I plan to capitalize on it! Getting the dancer body back needs to come soon.

Happy 3 day weekend, hope it’s sunny!

See you soon,
trish

Mini Celeb Sighting

2009-05-18T17:10:00.002-04:00

Just as I was about to deem my flight from San Francisco back to Philly this Saturday as the worst flight of my life, I befriended (out of mutual annoyance with the screaming kids behind us) Madeline Carroll, the up and coming actress from Kevin Costners “Swing Vote”, and her mom: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1630992/

Let me back up...

The travel time from SF to Philly is usually a solid 5 hours, give or take a few minutes depending on the weather. Of these 5 hours, the two children sitting directly behind me (ages 1 and 2) screamed...no joke...no exaggeration...for 4 of these. Four. Flippin. Hours. Have you ever listened to even ONE child scream non-stop for 4 hours? How about 40 minutes? How about 4? My blood is boiling just remembering the shrill sound of their screeching voices. I’ll paint you a picture;

I have no idea what ethnicity they were but the father’s voice sounded 100% like the king of the lemur’s from the movie Madagascar:

Imagine this voice repeating over and over and over “What? What do you want? Tell me what you want? Please. Please tell me what you want”. What made the screaming even worse was that they were clearly taking advantage of their parent’s obvious lack of any structure and discipline. I don’t even know where to begin with my complete disgust over the parenting. Do we really think you’re going to get anywhere trying to reason with a 2 year old? Why are you changing a poopy diaper in your seat and not in the restroom? Since when did the ABC’s become a suitable lullaby? I don’t think I can ever hear anyone sing that song again without cringing at the memory of the mother trying to soothe the kids with it.

Then there was the fighting between the parents. And by fighting I mean completely calm Madagascar lemur voices saying some nasty things.

Mom: You are a f*ing idiot.
Dad: Please do not insult my intelligence.
Mom (singing to the 1 year old): A, B, C, D, E....
Dad: Stop singing. Hold him. He wants to be held. You can handle him.
Mom: I cannot handle him. Don’t touch me.
Dad (being hit and bit by his 2 year old): Ow. Yes you can. Ow. Ow. Listen to me. Ow Ow Ow. Take him.
...and so on and so forth.

I *do* feel slightly sympathetic at how embarrassing it must have been for them considering the ENTIRE plane was about ready to jump out the window. People actually *ran* out the door when we landed. In the end, however, it’s your own fault for not being more prepared for a 5 hour flight. They’re called drugs, people. Drug the little suckers next time.

My only saving grace during the trip was when 3 hours into the flight the woman seated in my row and I sparked up a conversation, leading to my eventual discovery that her daughter was an actress. Long story short, they were a really sweet family. Madeline, who just turned 13, was well spoken, polite, and seemingly on the non-Lindsay Lohan child star path. She just wrapped a movie with Jackie Chan and was headed to Philly to film a flick by the creators of Napolean Dynamite that also stars Jennifer Love Hewitt and Jamie Kennedy. She complimented my lululemon shorts, so clearly the girls got style ;o)

Here’s a little clip of Madeline rockin out on Grey’s Anatomy:

Seriously, such a sweet family. Best of luck to her!

xo,

trish

Cheeseburger Challenge

2009-05-08T13:05:00.003-04:00

This weekend the Neys and DiGaetanos are headed down the shore for a little Mother’s Day relaxing. On the agenda is a bbq cooked by the kids, some bike riding into town, a Diggy photo opp on the beach with matching outfits (if you’re nice, I may post the results) and a cheeseburger eating contest with me vs. my brother in law. Under normal circumstances I would be woman enough to admit that I can’t beat a 29 year old man in a cheeseburger eating contest...but we’re hosting it at Stewart’s (see blog post below) and I’m feeling pretty confident that I will smoke him.

I haven’t laid out all the rules yet but I’m thinking it shouldn’t be a timed event as the jitters from timed pressure will inhibit my ability to eat more. I think it will also up my chances of booting. And I’d like to avoid that. I’m willing to sit there as long as it takes, which I think could give me the upper hand.

Don’t tiny girls always win those ridiculous food eating contest? Everyone always assumes the big dude is gonna clean house, and then along comes an itty bitty who ends up packing it away. I’m channeling my inner itty bitty Asian girl this Saturday. Wish me luck!

In other news...

My friend Jim shared a site with me that’s a great tool in finding volunteer opportunities in your area as well as nonprofit jobs: http://www.idealist.org/ They make it easy by sending you email alerts and updates for the types of events or jobs you specify ahead of time in any region you designate. I always feel like I hear about great events and opportunities after it’s too late, so this is an easy, cool way to stay ahead of the game. Thanks Jimmy!

I’m headed to Cali on Monday for the week...lots of sunshine to be had! Cali usually yields some good blogging material, though I wish I could post more stories about the people I work with as they usually produce the most “wait...what?!” situations. We’ll see what I can finagle...

see you soon, happy weekends!

-trish

I'm hungry.

2009-05-05T11:42:00.017-04:00

I don’t know if I’m extra hormonal or something but all I can think about lately is food...more so than my usual cravings and constant grazing (which is really saying something because mommy can pack it away, and mommy is me).

In honor of my beastly appetite I’ve compiled a mini list of some of my favorite treats for you to drool over.

Cheesesteak Eggrolls at The Continental Midtown in Philly: http://www.continentalmidtown.com/

My first encounter with the cheesesteak eggrolls from The Continental was during my bachelorette party bar crawl in Philly last summer. I was very bossy that night and used the “it’s my party, damn it” excuse to get away with quite a bit (breaking Jessica’s shoes, dumping water on Jessica, forcing Jessica to make out with strangers...sorry Jessi!)...including bogarting the egg rolls. These little suckers are an awesome twist on the famous Philly cheesesteak.

Flatbread Pizza at Small Shed Flatbread in Mill Valley, California: http://www.smallshed.com/

This is by far the best flatbread pizza I’ve ever had...and I’ve been to Italy! The woodoven baked breads and treats are all made using local and organic products. It’s mini hippie Trish’s dream restaurant. Delicious. Organic. Sustainable.

My perfect meal from here starts with a simple Caesar salad that has flatbread crisps, aged parmesean, and the perfect amount of dressing. I keep it simple with the “Virgi” pie next; Local Mozzarella Fresca, aged grana, fresh tomato sauce and herbs. The finale is practically an orgasm in a mini dish; muddle chocolate sinkhole with rosemary cream (aka a warm molten chocolate lava cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream). Sigh. Excuse me while I go change my panties.

Cheeseburger, fries, and a black & white shake from Stewart’s Rootbeer

I am a cheeseburger connoisseur and anyone who knows me well enough can vouch for that. I’ve eaten enough burgers to last 3 lifetimes. During a family trip to Las Vegas at the age of 7 I refused to eat anything besides burgers for 8 days during lunch and dinner. You do the math. It’s a lot of beef. I would average 4 per day during summer days working at the Quarry Swim Club snack bar. One cheeseburger for the customer, one for me, was my motto.

I don’t like a lot of fluff with my burger, just the straightforward cheese and a little ketchup route works best for me. Stewart’s get this right every time. Add in crispy fries dipped in a frosted mug full of vanilla and chocolate ice cream and you’ve got yourself a Trish approved meal.

Hot fudge sundae on a Belgian waffle from The Windmill on Long Beach Island.

Only place to get them on LBI, both literally and figuratively. Smelling the waffles from a few shops down it takes all of my strength not to break into a full on sprint towards them. My hands practically twitch until the plate is in my hand and I barely make it to an open picnic bench before the first bite of melting ice cream over a hot waffle is dripping down my chin. I’m such a catch.

Spaghetti and meatballs at 17 Donna Lynn Lane, Lawrenceville NJ.

I know every Italian will point out a relative and make claims that they produce the best sauce with meatballs. It’s practically in our DNA to do so. But I’ve eaten at many of these Italian’s homes, and while I always walk away more than satisfied, I stick by my choice. Kathy DiGaetano makes the *best* sauce w/meatballs. So good, in fact, that on more than once occasion growing up I would come downstairs as they were simmering on the stove and sneak one in my mouth...regardless of how badly it burned my mouth or (I can’t believe I’m admitting this) if it was even cooked all the way. Yes people, I’ve popped partially raw meatballs in my mouth because they are *that* good.

Grilled Cheese from any kitchen containing my sister.

Little Belle, I bow to you and your grilled cheese sandwiches. You may not think this treat takes much effort and skill to create, but I’ve literally begged her to make me one before...and she doesn’t even like cheese! I like to think they taste so good because they are made with sisterly love :)

see you soon :),

trish

StoryPeople

2009-05-04T16:12:00.004-04:00

If you haven’t noticed by now, I like things that are a little bit quirky. My girlfriend Kelly introduced me to this site of art by Brian Andreas a few years ago, and my affection for it was rekindled back in February when I spotted some of their pieces in a cute shop in Boulder, CO. : www.storypeople.com

As I’ve been a bit lost lately about the next steps of my little life, I’ve been visiting the site pretty much daily...it’s a great procrastination aid and I love when you read something that really feels like it’s exactly what you wanted to say but couldn’t quite figure out how. The art here has a lot of that.

My personal favorite is the saying pictured above;

I asked her what she planned to do with her life and she said she was way beyond that point already...I’m just happy I remember to be there when it happens, she said.

Trying to remember to be here while it happens,

trish

2009-05-03T20:52:00.009-04:00

Remember that time when I didn’t post anything for over a week? Or that time I said I’d be posting all these little eco-friendly tips and never did? Who knew I was such a bold faced liar...

Slightly delayed, but still good suggestions to help you make a contribution towards a healthier, more sustainable community and planet;

* Find green hotels for your travels via The Green Hotels Association: www.greenhotels.com

* Use the sleep mode feature on your computer, and get rid of the screensaver. A screensaver uses 100 watts of power, vs. just 10 watts used in sleep mode. Unplug that sucker once it's fully charged and shut down, too.

* Donate your old prescription eye glasses to an organization that will repair and distribute them around the world to people who can’t afford to buy new glasses. All of the following should be able to take those no longer used specs and put them to good use: Lions Club (www.lionsclub.org), Goodwill (http://locator.goodwill.org), LensCrafters (www.lenscrafters.com)

* Utilize Coinstar’s “Coins That Count” program and donate your spare change to a nonprofit.....just bring the ol’ piggy bank to a Coinstar machine, select the ‘donation’ option on the screen, and pick from a variety of organizations to give your pennies to such as:The American Red Cross, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, The March of Dimes, The U.S. Fund for UNICEF and The World Wildlife Fund. www.coinstar.com to find a machine near you

* Buy a houseplant! Plants improve indoor air quality by releasing oxygen and suppressing airborne mold spores and bacteria (yuck). My personal favorite indoor plant is bamboo as it’s super easy to take care of and is, in my humble opinion, very easy on the eyes.

I have to take a second to send some very heartfelt congratulations to my dear friends Jim and Jill on their recent engagement. Although it wasn't a surprise to hear of your fantastic news (I mean, you have been together for 126 years), I was still so happy to get Jim's really personal "engaged!" mass text.... ;) While I would never presume to know the dynamics of your relationship from anything more than an outsiders perspective, I just want you to know what a pleasure it is to be around you both, especially when you're together. Cheers to many more years of love, laughter, and adventure :)

xoxo,

trish

Life List: Third Eye Blind concert...complete!

2009-04-23T19:54:00.007-04:00

Amazing.

A.maz.ing.

I don’t even know where to *begin* about that amazingness that was last night at the Electric Factory...let’s see....

Well, first there was the incident with the girl on the balcony above where we were standing who was spilling her beer on me and the peeps surrounding me. After screaming up “HEY DOUCHEBAG! WATCH YOUR DAMN DRINK!” and getting no response from her, I told my little crew that had formed in unified hatred over her to save my spot, and I stormed up to take care of the situation (which yielded fist pumps and hurrahs of encouragement from the crew). After making my way thru the tight crowd up to the balcony level I stopped to inform a security guard of the situation, only to be told “Well if she’s not doing it on purpose....”. What? Is this guy serious? “Fine.”, I said, “then I’m letting you know that I’m dealing with it myself.”

Marching over to her I could immediately tell that the snitch was drunk. I tapped her on the shoulder and shouted (not so much because I was annoyed, but because the opening band was really loud) “SWEETHEART, YOU ARE SPILLING YOUR BEER ON EVERYONE BELOW YOU, AND IT’S REALLY NOT COOL.” She managed to slur out a somewhat comprehensible apology while still swirling her cup around “omgggg I am liiiike sooo sorry...” to which I said “OK, well, just make sure it stops” in my best ‘I’m a badass’ tone.

I really don’t know where I get off having such balls. I’m a 5’5”, buck-twenty soakin wet white girl from Lawrenceville, NJ. I’m shocked drunky didn’t dump her whole beer on me, but I lucked out and became the champion for my crew back downstairs. I was even greeted by high fives! Point, Trish.

Then there was the incident with the girl trying to push her way up closer halfway through the set, which is clearly unacceptable. She made it past another female crew member after a bit of a scuffle, and shouted in my ear “EXCUSE ME”. What? Is this girl serious? After shouting several times for me to move and pushing her weight a little more on me with each shout I finally turned to her in response to “I’M ASKING YOU NICELY TO MOVE” and shouted back while scrunching my nose “Ew...your breath....it’s so kitten.” (Kitten = harsh). Pushy did *not* like this comment, and thus shoved me to the side. Luckily I got a piece of her leg during the shove so she stumbled into the 2 women standing in front of me, whom I affectionately will refer to as ‘the bodyguards’. The bodyguards had been warding off concert creeper-uppers all night with a fierceness I would never wish to encounter myself, so once Pushy stumbled into them, I knew she was toast. Almost instantly the bodyguards were on her, and her attempt to undeservedly snag a spot closer to the stage resulted in a fabulous MEGA FAIL!

On to the music....

Here is, to the best of our memory, the set list:

Faster
Losing a Whole Year
Non Dairy Creamer
Crystal Baller
Wounded
Graduate
Never Let You Go...with a mini mix in of Nelly’s Ride Wit Me (so great)
New song I don’t know
Motorcycle Drive By...(I cried)
Palm Reader
How’s It Gonna Be
Blinded
About To Break- New song
Jumper
Semi Charmed
Encore-
Slow motion
Why Cant You Be- New son
New song I don’t know
God of wine

They were better than I ever could have hoped for. The perfect mix of improve ‘jam sessions’, crowd sing-a-longs, old and new stuff. They were engaging, quirky, funny, humble and thankful. It was definitely the best concert I’ve ever been to, and I’m so happy to be able to check it off my “Life List”.

I'm *so* thankful :)

-trish

3eb

2009-04-22T12:24:00.004-04:00

Third Eye Blind. Siiiigh....I've loved them since the 7th grade when scrawny little preteen-angst Tricia would rock out to them in her bedroom in front of her tri-paned mirror...put the fan on, close the door, and make music videos in my head. Fast forward to high school and blasting their songs in a mix with 311 and DMB, passenger side of the good ol' Mitsubishi Galant driven by my high school sweetie. They hail from San Francisco, which of course makes them cooler in my mind. They are highly...*highly*...underrated. And I'm seeing them tonight for the first time in concert :)

If you are a skeptic, please listen to the following 3eb playlist of songs and I guarantee it will help to change your mind about them;

1. Motorcycle Drive By
2. I Want You
3. The Background
4. Deep Inside of You
5. Wounded
6. 10 Days Late
7. Blinded
8. Crystal Baller
9. Wake For Young Souls
10. Narcolepsy
11. Can't Get Away
12. Red Star **From their new LP**!

I'm *so* happy that my fellow 3eb loving buddy, Chris, is coming too. I'll fill you in tomorrow about how it all went :)

xo,

trish

Earth Day!

2009-04-21T21:31:00.004-04:00

Happy Earth Week!

I’ve personally felt on more than one occasion that ‘going green’ can be a) expensive and b) not that easy as well as time consuming to implement. I’ve also had my fair share of ‘how is this one little thing going to help reverse the immense damage already done to the earth?’ moments. That being said, I also know that the old adage of ‘if everyone did just one small thing a day...’ is completely and entirely true. I may not be able to save the planet simply by switching my lightbulbs to compact fluorescents, but it’s a contribution. In honor of Earth Day (which is officially tomorrow, but why not stretch it out to the whole week? The earth is a pretty big place ya know...) I’ll post some easy, eco-friendly, community oriented tips I’ve picked up recently over the next few days. Enjoy!

1. Place a couple of clean tennis balls in the dryer with your laundry: The balls keep your clothes from sticking to the sides, which speeds up your drying time, thus saving energy. They also help to fluff up things like pillows and blankets!

2. Pack your lunch in reusable containers and bags. Styrofoam takes centuries to decompose in landfills, as do many other types of containers used in takeout meal packaging. Plus, you will save a couple bucks and can monitor your healthy diet much easier when packing. I know you’re thinking what a pain in the butt it is to remember to pack your lunch, but think of it this way; What seems like the better way to spend the afternoon at work....feeling like you have a brick in your stomach after downing an $8 burrito from the taco truck in the parking lot, or feeling like you just nourished your body with a well thought out, balanced meal? Think carrot sticks, granola bars, pretzels, fruits, nuts, cheese, yogurt, tuna/chicken/egg salad...no one is expecting you to be top chef about it. Stop whining and do it.

3. Swap your books and magazines through sites like http://www.paperbackswap.com/ or http://www.bookmooch.com/ . I will forever hold on to copies of some of my favorite and classic old reads (Tuesday’s with Morrie, The Giving Tree, all Harry Potter’s), but otherwise could probably stand to clean out the rest. You could also donate your books and mags to local hospitals, libraries, community and senior centers. Share the literary love!

4. Buy organic produce whenever possible, as the toxins from a lot of pesticides pose potential risks to us and the environment. The top 12 pesticide-prone fruits & veggies are as follows; strawberries, raspberries, imported grapes, peaches, nectarines, cherries, pears, apples, spinach, potatoes, bell peppers, and celery. I don’t care about spots on my apples, just leave me the birds and the bees :)

5. Avoid idling in your car. It’s actually more fuel-efficient to turn off your engine when you’re sitting in your car (for example waiting for someone) than to let it run idle. Plus, that’s gonna cut carbon emissions you’d be unnecessarily pumping out. So, idlers, stop polluting my air and wasting my fuel.

see you soon :)

-trish

Playing For Change

2009-04-19T14:15:00.011-04:00

It's no exaggeration to say I re-fall in love with music in one way or another pretty much everyday. So, when something like the Playing for Change "Stand By Me" collaboration comes into my life it's not surprising how blown away I feel.

This video is *amazing* ...please do yourself a decent and watch it all the way through. Really speaks to the beauty and power of music as a community and global unifer:

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2539741%3E

And, if you've got a few minutes...and if you're reading this blog I know you have a few minutes :), check out the projects website:

http://www.playingforchange.com/pop2.html

In a nutshell, quoted from their blog;

"PLAYING FOR CHANGE is a musical exploration that glides across four continents, revealing a relentless insight of humanity that strives for global unification. It is a story of hope, struggle, perseverance, joy, and celebration. It is a story of human ambition to overcome prejudices, separation, natural hardships, and evil existing in our world today. It’s passion, it’s path, and at times, it’s weapon, is music....

The Playing For Change Foundation (PFCF) is dedicated to connecting the world through music by providing resources (including, but not limited to facilities, supplies and educational programs) to musicians and their communities around the world. The foundation will support projects inspired by the communities featured in the Playing for Change Documentaries."

This was a much needed wake up call for me today. I've been moping around all morning/afternoon for a variety of reasons, and am grateful for the reminder of just how incredible this big ol' world can be. I was also inspired to begin the process of checking off an item on my life list...though I can't talk about it just yet :)

I purchased the t-shirt pictured above, as a portion of the proceeds goes to the PFCF, and can't wait to start wearing it. Hope you all are having great weekends!

-trish

Susan Boyle

2009-04-17T12:47:00.007-04:00

I hope this post doesn’t come off as too preachy. Please keep in mind that everything below can be prefaced with ‘in my humble opinion’, and I welcome any feedback.

My mom sent an email to a few of her lady friends (and my dad, somehow the old man always gets popped into that mix) telling us to please watch the YouTube video of Susan Boyle on “Britian’s Got Talent”, noting that it will “fill our hearts”. Considering that this video already has over 18 million views, there is a good chance that most of you have seen it or heard of it. Even if you have, do me a decent and take another 7 minutes to view it again (sorry for not being able to embed...man that irks me);

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

First off, let it be known that my mom loves to forward emails. Especially ones with dirty jokes. So when I got this one, I was already fairly cynical of the video’s contents. But, after viewing, (and please don’t tell her I’m admitting this) it turns out my mom was right. Consider my heart filled.

I’m not sure that Susan, her performance, or her life, could be any more symbolic if they tried. I watched a few other interview clips with Ms. Boyle and the highlights tell us a bit of a back story; youngest of nine children in a coal miners family, never been married (never been kissed for that matter), up until recently spent her life caring for her ailing mom, lives alone with her cat, unemployed. Perhaps the most touching bit of information I learned, however, was the fact that Susan was diagnosed with learning disabilities as a child and has essentially been made fun of for this her entire life.

My Mom made it a point to ensure Belle and I grew up heavily exposed to the mentally and physically handicapped communities. We both babysit for children with autism. We’ve volunteered at the Special Olympics. We pretty much grew up in the deaf community as my mom volunteer tutored kids at a deaf high school in New Jersey for over 10 years, and subsequently taught us the sign language that I now, regrettably, barely remember. Learning the last bit of information on Susan served to deepen my disappointment with myself after I, like the entire audience of Britain's Got Talent, judged the book by its cover.

I honestly try not to be a judgmental person. People are far more complicated than I could ever begin to understand. But when Susan was first introduced I automatically assumed her performance would be one of the ‘funny ones’. A quirky older lady trying to get her 5 minutes of fame. I don’t think I was so harsh as to roll my eyes or laugh out loud like some of the audience members, but I certainly was not giving her the full benefit of the doubt.

And then she sang. And I cried.

I know I had no way of knowing Susan’s life story, so some people would say perhaps I shouldn’t be so hard on myself for my initial reaction to her. Yet I think that fact only serves to prove my point. There is *always* a back story. There is *always* more going on than what may meet the eye in a person’s life. Where do I get off, even in the smallest moments, assuming to have any kind of right to pass judgment on others? People experience pain on so many levels on a daily basis. We are all self conscious to some degree. So why then, are we so quick to make others feel so low, whether it’s directly intentional or not? Why do we presume to have knowledge beyond what we actually do? We are, quite simply, just not kind enough to each other.

The song Susan chose to sing is from one of my most favorite shows, Les Miserable. I remember literally sitting on the edge of my seat in the Broadway theater the first time my parents took us to see it when I was a kid. I also remember crying more than once during the performance....it’s *that* amazing of a show. The lyrics of the song she picked are so eerily fitting for this entire situation;

There was a time when men were kind

When their voices were soft

And their words inviting

There was a time when love was blind

And the world was a song

And the song was exciting

There was a time

Then it all went wrong

I dreamed a dream in time gone by

When hope was high

And life worth living

I dreamed that love would never die

I dreamed that God would be forgiving

Then I was young and unafraid

And dreams were made and used and wasted

There was no ransom to be paid

No song unsung, no wine untasted

But the tigers come at night

With their voices soft as thunder

As they tear your hope apart

And they turn your dream to shame

He slept a summer by my side

He filled my days with endless wonder

He took my childhood in his stride

But he was gone when autumn came

And still I dream he'll come to me

That we will live the years together

But there are dreams that cannot be

And there are storms we cannot weather

I had a dream my life would be

So different from this hell I'm living

So different now from what it seemed

Now life has killed the dream I dreamed.

I don’t want to come off as being a total Debbie Downer about this woman’s sudden rise to quasi-fame. I am also not trying to make this a bigger deal than it is. I’m just so unexpectedly touched she is able to live out her dream to some degree, and I honestly hope that she makes it really far, if not actually winning, the BGT contest. I’m in awe of her bravery. I’m humbled...deeply humbled... by her guts to go for her dream, regardless of her age, her life circumstances, her history. She’s inspiring without trying to be. She’s a reminder of why I hope to become a better person.

I think some people look at the choices laid before them in life and weigh their options, particularly the road less traveled option, utilizing the simple question of “What if it doesn’t work out?”. And others, the category in which I most often fit, can’t help but to look at their options and say....“What if it does?”.

I guess in the end my simple point here is two fold:

1. We can all stand to be a little kinder to one another, myself included. People can turn out to be pretty amazing.

2. There will always be someone who tries to bring you down (again, whether intentionally or not). There will always be someone who makes your dreams seem silly. As Dwayne Hoover says in Little Miss Sunshine, “Do what you love, f*ck all the rest”

70 and sunny here this weekend...couldn’t come at a more perfect time.

see you soon :)

-trish

What's cooler than bein cool?

2009-04-16T16:45:00.007-04:00

My Cali buddy Jones sent me this Youtube clip of Mat Weddle (aka Obadiah Parker) doing a cover of OutKast’s “Hey Ya” this morning and now I’m addicted to the song (it’s available on his album The Tip Jar, Vol. 1);

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-8nkkOA_AM

The snitch who posted that video has embedding blocked, so please excuse my having to post just the url. How have I never heard of him before?! It seems like just when I’m feeling hip about music (the fact that I just said ‘hip’ is where my problem begins), another artist is introduced to me. Thanks Jonesy, great find!

Dance class last night was quite the event, and while I could probably phrase why this was so a lot more delicately, I’m just gonna bluntly put it out there; I made the big mistake of wearing tight stretch pants that were determined to camel toe me. Nothing makes getting down and dirty more difficult for a woman than a pair of panties and exercise pants ridin’ up for front wedgie. I’m usually the one pointing out other ladies who are rockin “the toe”, commenting how I don’t see how they could possibly be ignoring it, but last night every time I looked at myself in the huge wall mirror I had to cringe. Second in mortification level to actually having the toe was my inability to un-toe myself gracefully. I tried to sneak it into some dance moves...do it while the rest of the class was mid-turn or something...but after awhile I got so annoyed I gave up trying to hide it. I rocked out with my c-toe out. Awful. My advice to you; wear loose pants to hip hop class, or fall victim to moose knuckle.

Today was day #1 of my ‘drink more water’ self challenge. We are told over and over again from various sources since childhood to get those 8 glasses of water in a day, but I’ve never been able to remember to do it. And, admittedly, have been too lazy to try. If I don’t feel thirsty, I don’t drink, which apparently is a bad habit. My mom (the nurse) is famous for telling my sister and I that “your kidneys will thank you!”. My acupuncturist tells me I need to step it up a notch and hydrate a lot more throughout the day; he recommends 64oz. Lululemon has “Drink FRESH water and as much water as you can. Water flushes unwanted toxins from your body and keeps your brain sharp” as part of their company manifesto. So honestly, what have I been waiting for? After just one day I can already sense the differences this is going to make in my life (other than the fact that I’ve peed twice as much today as I have any other day in years). There are schools of thought that say it’s great for your skin, keeps you full longer to prevent junk snacking, helps your digestive system stay on top of it’s game, prevent dehydration headaches, etc. etc. and I for one am choosing to buy into them.

Cheers! :)

-trish

'earth'

2009-04-15T16:38:00.010-04:00

I’m addicted to this preview for the new Disneynature film ‘earth’, and was so happy they chose a Sigur Ros song to use in it (it starts when that amazing little baby duck leaps from the tree...so brave!); http://disney.go.com/disneynature/

If you order your tickets on that website for opening week, Disney will plant a tree in your honor, so go see it that week! I need a date to see it, preferably someone who will put up with me ooo’ing and aww’ing and calling everything 'magic!' the whole time, so give me a shout if you’re interested!

Living Lighter

I’m on this kick all of a sudden (me? on a kick? never....) that includes an overwhelming desire to simplify my life from top to bottom. I call it “living lighter”, and anytime this urge comes up it always seems to start with me getting organized. I tend to be a bit of a pack rat (as well as a relatively messy girl), and in these living lighter moments I suddenly feel like I’m drowning in the weight of too much....well....stuff...crap...junk. I need to put myself in check and ask the simple question “Tricia, cmon, do you really need this?” more often, because it’s then that I find out that I am actually much happier making do with a lot less. People do it all the time, all over the world. The less material things I hoard, the more energy I have to put into bigger and better things.

Last night was phase one of living lighter; go through entire wardrobe, get rid of 1/2. This task took me a good 4 hours, and was capped off this afternoon with a *massive* delivery to GoodWill. And I’ve got to say, I feel so much better already. It’s never an ‘easy’ task for me to do as with each article of clothing I pick up from the Kilimanjaro sized heap on the bed I have these ridiculous conversations with myself (sometimes out loud);

Tricia; I *love* these jeans!

Logic; They have a giant hole under the left ass cheek.

Tricia; I know, I know but they still fit so perfectly.

Logic; You look like Bon Jovi in them.

Tricia; Well I am from New Jersey...and I can use them for sloppy days!

Logic; Sloppy days?

Tricia; Yea, like if I ever need to help a friend repaint a bedroom or something...

Logic; Oh, right, of course, I forgot how often you help friends repaint their bedrooms...

Tricia; Point taken. Trash. Ok moving on...oh my “Single and Loves to Mingle” t-shirt!

Logic; Do we even need to go over this?

Tricia; No...got it...GoodWill pile...Tiny black cocktail dress that I’ve never worn? You never know when I could need this...

Logic; Yes actually I do know. And it’s never.

...and so on and so forth.

Every time I’ve walked into my closet today I was literally startled at how neat and clean it is. It seems like such a pain in the ass thing to do, but it’s always totally worth it. I like to blast upbeat music and keep a bowl of snacks on the table during the unloading session. I reward my progress with mini dance breaks. Plus, there’s comfort in knowing that the things I no longer have a need for could be beneficial to someone else. Good karma points *and* a cleaner closet? Can’t beat it.

Next up, the guest room closet full of odds and ends practically exploding from behind the closed door...wish me luck!

see you soon :)

-trish

TOMS Shoes

2009-04-14T17:05:00.021-04:00

AT&T/Blackberry gets major good karma points in my mind for focusing their new ads on a company called TOMS Shoes; a business that donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every one pair sold www.tomsshoes.com

The website explains a current scenario where the simple act of wearing shoes can make a big difference in the instance of a disease called Podoconiosis;

“The disease is caused simply by walking or working barefoot in silica-heavy volcanic soil, a very common practice in rural farming regions of developing countries. This creates a large public health problem in at least ten countries in tropical Africa, Central America and northern India.

In Ethiopia alone, it is estimated that eleven million people are considered at risk, with between 500,000 and 1,000,000 people already affected. In the densely populated southern Ethiopian region of Wolaita, Podoconiosis is more common than HIV infection. Those affected suffer deformity, intense pain, and are treated as outcasts from their society, making them unable to work and make a living to support themselves through subsistence farming.

For millions, not wearing shoes can ruin lives...”

The shoes are pretty quirky looking, but the overall mission is really something I can get behind. And as if the donation aspect wasn’t cool enough, some of the shoes are even “Vegan Friendly”. I’m saving up this month to purchase my personal favorite funky fresh pair, pictured above.

In other news...

My Lululemon wrap came today!! After screaming down the steps to the departing UPS man “THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!” and practically making him stumble down the stairs in surprise, I proudly marched the box into the living room, held it above my head, and began singing “Circle of Life” from the Lion King for Zach. I’m so glad to have it back in my life.

Going Green Update:

* I’ve been trying out some more Method eco-friendly cleaning products and have fallen in love with their naturally derived hand soap in "sea minerals"...plus, I just realized they have it in a foaming version. The only thing better than great smelling, naturally derived hand soap in a recycled bottle is great smelling, naturally derived hand soap in a recycled bottle that pumps out in foam. But you knew that already.

* Good quick read about economic growth and environmentalism working hand in hand, as stolen from cousin Meggie’s gmail chat status; http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/12/opinion/12friedman.html?_r=2&em

Happy Easter!

2009-04-10T15:57:00.011-04:00

As a teeny tiny little Easter gift from me to you, I'm sharing the recipe to my world famous batter dipped French Toast....I know, I know this is big, just please try to contain yourselves. This little gem of a recipe dates back to 1995 when I first acquired it from my 5th grade home economics class. It's practically vintage.

While I would certainly prefer to actually make this delicious breakfast treat for you, maybe serve it up with some OJ, scrambled eggs, and bacon....I think we can admit that in most cases the chances of that are slim to none. And in others...well...it's just never going to happen. So, if you ever sleep over or attend a brunch at my casa I will be delighted to whip you up a batch. Otherwise, let me know how yours turn out :) ;

Batter Dipped French Toast

1/2 c bisquick
1/4 c milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
dash cinnamon

combine all the above
spray griddle with pam, then heat to med/high
dip bread into goop
cook
feast!

*my only adjustment to the original recipe is to sometimes add a drop more vanilla and little more than a 'dash' of cinnamon...mommy likes her breakfasts sweet, and mommy is me.

The Easter bunny came early for me, bringing a fabulous new Lululemon dress! Yippee *fist pump* ! I love it, thanks bunny ;)

Tonight we're headed to a hibachi dinner followed by board games with Kell and Chris...what a lovely little Friday night! I'm always the one who gets picked on at these hibachi places, and I get so embarrassed because most of the time I don't understand what they are saying :-/ I'm also very competitive with board games, so I sometimes worry about damaging my friendships over them, but I will try and not be too Monica Gellar-ish tonight.

Headed to the family shore house for the rest of the weekend....Happy Easter to all who celebrate, happy weekend to those who don't!

see you soon :)

-trish

Dear Universe

2009-04-09T18:23:00.002-04:00

I can be a real snitch. Sure, occasionally I think it’s acceptable to blame a snitch moment on being ‘tired’ or ‘hormonal’ or ‘stressed’, but I also recognize that sometimes I just whip out the snitch for no particular reason. And that’s not cool. As part of my personal project to be a better person, I’m working on minimizing the snitch moments as much as possible.

Whenever I start to be a Negative Nancy/Debbie Downer I try to put myself in check by being overly thankful towards my life. I get slightly hokey by often utilizing the techniques found in You Can Heal Your Life, and The Secret (refer to Blog post #2 ). Hokieness aside, I find them to be pretty helpful. The easiest technique consists of essentially speaking out loud, or writing in a journal, things you are thankful for....or, as the authors would say, putting positive thoughts into the Universe. So, that being said, here comes a thankful blog post....

Man oh MAN did I have a spectacular day today!

First, it was super sunny and warm all day so the windows were up in the apartment, sending Spring air all throughout. Sage was loving life in the sun on the deck, Sharkbait (my fish) was extra swimmy and bubble blowy today, and my little herbs tilted themselves to reach closer to the windows. Then I was able to sneak in a lunch break at the park to soak up some much needed vitamin D, so now my skin smells like sunshine. I’m almost creeping myself out with how much I’m sniffing my arm. How people can live in places where it’s not sunny very often is beyond me. My mood is *instantly* boosted when I’m outside in sunny, warm weather. I’d like to send a note into the Universe right now about it;

Dear Universe,

Thank you so much for this gorgeous day, I loved it! I’m so grateful to have been a part of it. Keep ‘em coming!

Xo,
Trish

I also had my first Rita’s of the season...their custard makes me all bajiggity inside. If you don’t have a Rita’s Water Ice nearby, I actually feel sorry for you.

Rita’s,

Thank you for existing. You make a mean cup of flavored ice and frozen custard.

Xo,
Trish

Thennnnn I found out that there are *two* new episodes of The Office on tonight. TV Jackpot!

NBC,

Thanks so much for airing two new Office episodes tonight! It’s my favorite show ever on TV that makes me laugh so hard I sometimes have to pause mid-episode to collect myself.

Xo,
Trish

But the most essential part of today being a rock star day lies, superficially, in an article of clothing. Let me tell you a little story...

I own a *lot* of Lululemon Athletica clothing (refer to “Favorite Things” blog post). And, like a mother does with her children, I tend to play favorites with my pieces. My most favorite Lulu piece was a ridiculously cute, simple, and comfy wrap that I loved so much I bought one for my sister. Unfortunately, during my move from Cali to Pennsylvania a number of my possessions went missing...including my wrap. Devastation. Actual tears upon realizing it was MIA. Anger to the point of spewing ridiculous and horrible statements like “What if I accidentally put it in my Good Will bag and now someone who doesn’t appreciate Lulu is walking around with my wrap they got for $10!!” (I’m so ashamed).

I called the company as soon as I ripped my closet apart to no avail to see if there were any left in stock...and was heartbroken to find out they no longer manufactured it. To pour salt on my wound, my sister insists on wearing her wrap whenever she is around me. She claims it’s because she likes it so much and I should be ‘thankful’ I can see she enjoys my gift, but I can’t help feeling that she gets some kind of sick satisfaction over watching me pine over her outfit, audibly whimpering slightly when I first see it. My sister is my soul mate, but when I see her in that wrap it takes every ounce of strength in my being not to pounce on her, rip it off, and make a run for it. Whatever I did to her as a kid to make her dangle this over my head, I’ve been paying for it dearly.

Fast forward to today. During these rough economic times I’ve had to cut back on my Lulu spending big time, but decided I would just pop on their site to check out any new Spring pieces. To my absolute surprise and delight, what do I see first....MY WRAP!! Within seconds I was shaky-hand speed dialing the “Education Center” aka the phone sales line to see if they were carrying it in my size, in black (just like the original).

The man I ended up speaking with must have thought I was on drugs. I ended up unnecessarily telling him via word vomit my whole sob story (he actually was cracking up). I then told him that I was in love with him after he spent 10 minutes searching all their warehouses and locations for the LAST black wrap in my size. When he asked if the credit card was under my name or my husband’s (which they have on file...good man that Zachy) I told him “Oh hunny Mommy makes her own money so she can buy all the Lulu she wants, and mommy is me.” I was delirious with happiness, so I forgive myself for that comment.

Dear Lululemon phone sales employee whose name I’ve already forgotten,

I love you. Not only did you work so hard to find my wrap for me but you also laughed at my nonsense jokes and boosted my ego by telling me that I was hysterical. If I could teleport, I may have ended up in your lap with my arms giving you a crushing hug. I am SO thankful for you. You rock.

Xo,
Trish

see you soon :)
-trish

2009-04-08T20:05:00.006-04:00

Did you all miss me? I know I missed talking about myself. The weekend trip to PSU for a family weekend visit with baby sister was a success. See how much fun Belle is having?

Just a quickie update to give you a fix;

The latest news for my life would be that Zach’s company unfortunately did not get the funding they needed to stay open and thus as of Monday officially closed...womp womp. I really believe this is a blessing in disguise, though, because the kid has the most incredible work ethic of anyone I know and, in my humble opinion, has way more potential than what the job was offering or appreciating.

While it’s a little nerve racking to be jobless in this economy, Zach is handling the whole thing really well. He’s even started making hypothetical plans that include a move to California in the fall, which of course has my imagination swirling (and my craigslist San Francisco apartment hunting at an all time high).

Lots of changes in the upcoming months...

Random:

I got an angry email from a customer this week that used an expression I think I’d like to start using myself; “Mega fail!” I’m gonna try it out. Let me know if you hate it.

A mini venting session:

With the NBA playoffs just around the corner I’m finding my annoyance over the Philadelphia 76ers advertising increasing with every viewing. The Sixers marketing loves to advertise themed packages at discount prices, and while I know this is a pretty standard offering for professional sports teams, I get *so* irked over the glaringly sexist differences in the ‘Guy’s Night Out’ vs. ‘Ladies Night Out’ packages (and I would never consider myself a ‘feminist’ but this is just so stupid);

Guy’s Night Out: 4 tickets, 4 beers, 4 hot dogs, 4 Sixers Dancers Swimsuit Calendars, 4 Dave & Buster's $10 Power Cards, 4 Philadelphia Park Sports Bar passes, Special meet & greet with the Dancers.

Girl’s Night Out: Two tickets to a game, two vouchers for a glass of wine and a chicken caesar salad, two $25 gift certificates to Salon L’Etoile and Spa, and two Sixers Ladies T-shirts....

I’ll give you one guess which part of that makes me cringe.

Honestly, I get that girls would most likely care less about a calendar and meet and greet with the Sixers dancers (I’d definitely pass, no offense to them), but wine and caesar salad?! At a basketball game?! ugh. UGH. Gimme a beer, a hot dog, and a pass to the Sports Bar over a freaking salad and plastic cup of wine any day. Insulting! Plus, any girl will tell you that $25 to a salon will buy you next to nothing these days. Maybe half a blow dry, if you’re lucky.

Sixers organization...Mega Fail!

The neyPod:

I’m currently addicted to listening to my new favorite Pandora station “Band of Horses”; focusing on artists like Wilco, The Shins, Elliott Smith, My Morning Jacket, Radiohead, Death Cab for Cutie, Iron and Wine, The Kooks, Modest Mouse....sigh, so good. It’s also introduced me to the band Pedro the Lion, who I’m starting to heart big time. Sometimes I just want to give the creators of Pandora a big ol’ hug for being so genius about sharing music.

My Third Eye Blind tickets arrived today. I *may* have peed a little in excitement. *May*.

see you soon :)

-trish