I'm back!

Why, hello Internet! Long time no see...So, about that book review I promised to write...Oh, let's see about  two months ago. I sort of forgot to you know... write it. It has been so long since I've actually read "Gods behaving Badly"  that I am a little foggy on all of the details. So, I am sorry about that, but rest assured it was a fabulous book! So read it, enjoy it, and make sure to tell me what you thought of it in the comments.

To clarify, I did not come through on my book review promise, and I am not really intending to any time soon. But, if it is any consolation  I am finally updating this blog, so that's something. So, If  everyone can please stop sending me hate emails that would be greatly appreciated, thanks. Not, that I don't enjoy reading emails about threats on my life, but they were starting to accumulate over the past 2 months or so.

So, the past few months have been kind of hectic. Not hectic in the sense that I have been on a world wind trip around the globe, I wish, but rather hectic in the sense that I am actually having some resemblance of a life. I know shocking right? There was a time in my life when I rarely went out with friends, actually scratch that. I rarely went out period. But, lately it seems like I am out late almost every night, and it is starting to affect my sleep. Which in turn at some point will probably affect my income when I get fired for falling asleep in my cubicle, or going postal on some lame broker.

Anyway, over the course of the last year or so, I have reconnected with old friends and made a few new ones, and now I feel like I am always busy. My weekends are practically non-existent and I feel like I am running tired because of it. But, that is about to change. I can't do that anymore. I need one day to do nothing and get errands done. I need to go to bed at a decent hour, and I need to stop making so many plans. By balancing out my social life I am hoping to make more time for blogging, or at the very least laundry. I am seriously running dangerously low on clean socks, so sorry hate mail writers...socks come first then witty blogs.  I need to get my priorities straight.

Anyway, enough rambling. I just wanted to let everyone know that I am still alive and breathing, and that there will not be a book review coming for "Gods Behaving Badly". I am going to have to re-read it before I can write a review. In the meantime, I will try to make more time for blogging and laundry.

Until next time, Internet.

--Bridget

Gods Behaving Badly

I have a wonderful book I wanted to suggest. It is called "Gods Behaving Badly" by Marie Phillips. Now, don't judge a book by it's cover. I know the cover screams "WTF?!?!?! Why is that statue wearing smiley face underoos?!?!"... And I know this looks like an add for a Greek porn shop, but try to ignore the smiles and winks from those little purple underoos and read this book. I assure it is very funny, witty and clever and I am recommending it to you internet. So enjoy :) Let me know what you think in the comments
--Bridget

P.S. Book review to follow shortly so stay tuned.

Chipotle-vana

Tomorrow, will be the day that all of my Chipotle dreams will come true! Tomorrow, is the day that a Chipotle opens up in West Hartford, CT! I will no longer have to make the hour plus jaunt to Shrewsbury, MA with my friend Joel! Now, we can make the 25- 30 min journey to West Hartford the land of synagogues, overpriced clothing stores and unaffordable housing.

I have been super excited about this all week! I even made dinner plans with  Joel and Sally for tomorrow night. Sally's a chipotle virgin, but I suspect after tomorrow night she will fall in love with chipotle's tacos. I mean who doesn't love their delicious tacos?

Anyway, I thought I would share my taco excitement! Until next time, this is Bridget peacing out girl scout!

 P.S. 

Today's book suggestion is "God's Behaving Badly" by: Marie Phillips. This book is hilarious! I have not been able to put it down yet. So, get it,read it and  fall in love with it!

Book Suggestions

So, I received quite a few emails over the past week asking for good book suggestions. Generally, I read about 2-3 books a week; and I have more than a few suggestions for a good read at any given time. I know that there are a lot of people out there that tend to read only certain types of books. I find that very boring, and I should point out to any new readers of this blog that I literally read everything....and when I say everything I do mean everything. I love everything from biographies, romances, historical romances, historical fiction, historical non-fiction, controversial science research papers, science fiction, horror and gore, thrillers, mysteries ...and everything in between. I love to read and if it's interesting and thought provoking I am willing to give it a try.

I decided to write this post today when I received an email from Kyle Kosick from Boston, MA. He said he "missed my weekly book suggestion posts from before I sold out, and started posting through blog spot." I'm sorry Kyle, but I should point out that my domain was costing me damn near a fortune to maintain, and the coding was a HUGE pain in the derriere. But, that is beside the point. Anyway, I've gotten quite a few emails like Kyle's over the past week or so, and it has made me realize that I miss writing my weekly book suggestions posts.

Books are my favorite topic to discuss, and I can't believe I haven't written one single book review for this blog yet. That is something I am determined to rectify immediately. While I can't promise that I will update with one of my famous book reviews each week I do make the promise to make them more frequent. I will also make a promise that I know I can keep. Every week I will post the books that I am currently reading or have read recently that I think my fellow book nerds will enjoy.

Since, I haven't done this in a while I will give you a list of 5 books that I really enjoyed recently:

1) "A Brief History of Time" By: Stephen Hawking.
First off, I should mention this book is a total mind fuck! It will change the way you think about the world, and about the universe. I had picked this book up from the library after it was suggested to me by my friend Joel. I highly recommend this book if you were not forced to read it for your freshman year of college physics class.

2) "Lord Loss" By: Darren Shan
"Guaranteed to gross anyone out!" is right! This book series like Shan's Cirque Du Freak is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Shan is a master when it comes to gore and making me go "EWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!" If you were a big fan of Goosebumps as a kid you will fall in love with this series and fast. It is fast paced and the plot has so many twists and turns it will definitely keep you on your toes. Be prepared to make a trip to Barnes and Nobel the day after you finish this book to buy book 2 in the series the "Demon Thief."

3) "Demon Thief" By: Darren Shan
This book was just as good as the first book in the series. The ending comes way out of left field. Enjoy:) 

4) "The uninvited" By: Tim Wynne-Jones
I loved this book! I literally spent a whole day and night reading it. It was very good and the ending was so unexpected. I loved Mimi and now I definitely want a mini cooper.

5)"Real Vampires Have Curves" By: Gerry Bartlett
This book actually made me laugh out loud in public! It is very clever and the main character Glory is very relatable...and it kind of made me want a talking dog/bodyguard named Valdez. 

Well, I hope you enjoy my book suggestions. Let me know if you agree or disagree in the comments and as always stay tuned.
--Bridget

P.S.
I went to the Agawam book sale this weekend with my friend Marcie and here are all the books I bought. All for only $5.00!

365 Photo Project

365 Photo Project

Have you ever devised a crazy plan with a friend over drunken IM's only to decide to implement said plans over sober IM's two years later? Have you ever been threatened with death by bulldozer for not implementing said plan? Or how about with a naked baby picture sex scandal? Well, I have and more than once I should point out.

And this is how the photo 365 blog came into existence on April 12th, 2010. Not only was I threatened with death by bulldozer, but I was also blackmailed with nude baby pictures, and nobody wants their nude baby pictures leaked all over the internet. So, to avoid a baby sex scandal and being flattened to the circumference of a pancake here I am taking daily photos of my mundane life.

Every day, I post a new photo of something exciting or something that made me happy over the course of the day. Generally, my pictures feature  everything from books that I am reading, signed copies of books I have received from authors I have stalked on the street, my dog, and me just being an all around nerd. Some of the pictures are entertaining, and some just make me wish I never picked up the camera that day, and they can all be found in my Photo 365 Project album on my facebook page.

 I never thought I would ever want to do this project. I hate getting my picture taken let alone taking a picture everyday for a whole freaking year. However, I am over a month into the project, and I am not as bored/ annoyed/lazy as I thought I would be. Sure, there were a few days where I was too busy to post, but I always post to make up for the days I have missed. The project has been fun thus far, and it is kind of cool knowing that  I have photographic documentation for a whole year of my life. I know Mike feels the same way, but then  again he lives in Vegas, and lives a more exciting life than I do. However, it is still nice to know that we are going through the same experience together no matter if one of us was threatened by the other to participate.

Anyway, I thought I should explain why this mysterious photo 365 project has completely taken over my facebook page.

And, just in case anyone was curious about the drunken conversation...don't worry we saved it for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy:)

( To protect our privacy AIM screen names have been deleted)

Mike: "I don't take any photo's! I spent $500 on this damn camera and I don't even use it. It just sits here on my desk collecting dust. It's a $500 knick knack."

Bridget: " Don't blame the camera for your lack of an exciting photo taking lifestyle. It's not the camera's fault you're  boring and don't take enough pictures."

Mike: " Thanks Bridget! True words of wisdom right there! Thanks for the clarification I never realized I was boring."

Bridget: "Happy to help."

Mike: " Well that still doesn't solve my  lack of camera use dilemma."

Bridget: " So start taking pictures with the damn thing! Get your money's worth. For five hundred bucks you should be using that thing on a daily basis."

Mike:"OMFG! Your right! I could take daily picture of whore's on the strip turn it  into a book and make millions. I could call it "Sluts of the strip a daily adventure"

Bridget: "Or not...who are you the guy from girls gone wild?"

Mike: " Ummmmmm yeah"

Bridget: " It would be cool to take pictures everyday and document your life though. It would be something cool to show the grandkids."

Mike: "OMG! Bridget! You are a genius! I should take a picture everyday for a year. That would be seriously cool and I would get some use out of my camera. It wouldn't even have to be pictures of me.  It could be pictures of hot chicks at the mall and freaky midget dogs on the strip."

Bridget: "Statutory rape much? Or they could be pictures of you know like Bruno your quirky dog or Janelle your equally quirky girlfriend."

Mike: "Don't call Janelle quirky she doesn't like that. I did that once and she punched me in the face and let me tell you that broads got bite. But I guess it would be cool to see Bruno and Janelle progress over a the years. You know Bruno's drool and well..."

Bridget: " Janelle's drool?"

Mike: " Yeah! You should see when she sleeps it's like Niagara Falls is coming out of her mouth"

Bridget: "EWWWWWWWWWWWW"

Mike: "Tell me about it. I feel like I'm taking a bath every time she sleeps over"

Bridget: "That's gross"

Mike: I might do this photo thing though. You know...like do it like over a year or something. Just take a pic and post it on my facebook.

Bridget: "That would be cool! I've seriously missed Bruno's drool. I think you should do it!"

Mike: "Me too and I would get to see how Bruno and Janelle's drool progress over a whole year! That would be sick!"

Bridget: " Do it!"

Mike: " I will and you should do it too! But yours should be like books. You have that whole naughty librarian thing going on."

Bridget: " Ummmm...thanks? I think?"

Mike: " No babe it's a good thing. Like drinking water when you are thirsty. So, you gonna doooooo it?"

Bridget: "Maybe"

Mike: " I'll do it if you will? So is it a deal babe?"

Bridget: "Uhhhhh...sure but you have to stop calling me babe. It's not like you will remember this is the am anyway."

Mike: "Fuck yeah I will! The captain can't bring me down! Unless I get the altzhiemers then well I'm screwed and tattooed with a dirty needle. Hello tetanus."

Bridget: "Whatever."

Mike: "So bardot do we have a deal?"

Bridget: " Sure Meyers...we got a deal."

Mike: " Well have to shake on it when I'm back in CT for x-mas. But no spit. Spit can totally ruin mexican food."

Bridget: "Ummmm....ok"

Updates Coming Soon!

I just wanted to let everyone know that updates will be coming soon...I promise. I have quite a few updates written, but I just haven't had time to edit them all yet. Expect  many posts over the coming weeks and as always stay tuned.
--Bridget

P.S. Here are some new pictures from a project I am working on with my friend Mike...Don't worry I'll explain everything in my next post!:)

Customer Service

   If you have ever worked in customer service you know that it is not only a job it’s a daily dose of torture with a dash of stress thrown in for good measure. I have worked in customer service for over 10 years, and I can say with great conviction that I have encountered some of the most unintelligent people America has to offer. Everyday, I am constantly amazed by all of the dim-witted things people do.

   For example, why would anyone go into a bank where you do not have an account--or any identification for that matter-- with half of a $12,000.00 check that is drawn off of a Bank of America (which is NOT the bank I work for), and expect that I will cash that half of a check for you?  I mean how dense can you be?!?!? Why would anyone expect that I would cash a check that has obviously been ripped in half? Judging from the rough shape that that particular customer was in I suspect that the other half of the check is probably M.I.A. in some drug infested alley somewhere, but that is beside the point. Furthermore, why would I cash any check for you that is not drawn off of my bank when you do not have an account with a sufficient balance to cover the check being cashed? Where would these magical funds come from to cover the check that will most certainly be returned by the FED? Just because the outside of the building says bank does not mean you can cash your half ripped checks here. There are rules in banking people!
     
   I think the dumb questions and the constant moments of WTF?!?! have finally started to take their toll. There is only so much idiocy one person can take in a lifetime, and I have reached my quota. That is the reason I have spent the last year and a half searching for a new job. I have applied to so many jobs that I have lost count and after a year and a half I have finally found a new job. Thank god because I don’t think I could handle any more dumb questions, comments or actions.

   Well that is enough ranting for now!


--Bridget

Music

Music is absolutely essential to my daily survival. I can't stand silence it's just so...what's the word I'm searching for...LOUD! I need music even if it's only background noise. Most of the the time I don't even care what it is. I love everything from classical to alternative. Except country. I must admit that is one music genera I just can't bring myself to like. Anyway, since I have been pretty much attached to my ear buds I thought I would post my top 20 most played songs.

So, here they are my top 20 songs most played:

1) Fake it- Seether
2) Joker and the thief- Wolfmother
3) Movin' Out- Billy Joel
4) Denial Twist- White Stripes
5) Champagne Supernova- Oasis
6) Positively 4th Street- Bob Dylan
7) No Rain- Blind Melon
8) Psycho- Puddle of Mudd
9) Something in your mouth- Nickleback
10) Love you madly- Cake
11) Live your life - T.I. and Rhianna
12) Gives you hell - All-American Rejects
13) I'm yours- Jason Mraz
14) Paralyzer- Finger Eleven
15) Short skirt long jacket- Cake
16) Uprising- Muse
17) Young folks- Peter, Bjorn and John
18) If you only knew- Shinedown
19) If your wondering if I want you to I want you to- Weezer
20) Last resort- Papa Roach

New Years Resolutions:

So, I have a small confession to make. I have never truly made a New Year's resolution. Every year when my family starts to proclaim they are starting a strict diet starting January 2nd I mumble something intelligible, and pray to god nobody asks me when I am starting my strict diet. I try to be honest, but I feel that every year I have to lie when it comes to my New Year's resolutions. I have never felt that I needed to make any drastic changes to my life. Key word drastic. Until recently, I have always thought of New Year's resolutions as having to be some unrealistic, drastic, life-changing goal. I always thought what is the point of striving for a goal that is unfeasible, and will be given up in 2 weeks time when eating salad for every meal has finally lost its charm.

I am all for making improvements to quality of life, but I think some goals are just too big. So, this got me thinking why can't I make goals that I have a decent chance of actually attaining. So, for the first time in my life I have decided to make some New Year's resolutions. I think that if I keep my goals within reason I have a shot of not only attaining them, but improving my life in some way. I may not drastically change my life in 2010, but I do plan on improving it. I'd like to think of 2010 as a work in progress, and I hope that this works, and that it will inspire me not to shy away from making further New Year's resolutions out of fear of unrealistic goals.

So, here it is my New Year's resolutions:

1) Write more often: I think this is one goal that I really want to work on the most. I love to write, and I have about 20 projects half written, or half planned. I think this is the year that I should focus not on finishing them, but at least working on them.

2) Blog more often: I have found over the past few years that I really like blogging. I think that it is nice to have a written record of my life. In a few years, I can look back on past posts and re-live all of the fantastic events that have affected my life both significantly and insignificantly. I hope I will keep it up.

3)Expand my book reading horizon: I find that I always end up reading the same types of books, and I would like to use to 2010 to expand my horizon's, and read books from other genera's that I may not have even considered. I read a lot, and by a lot I mean at minimum 2 -3 books a week. Even If I make one of those books a biography, textbook, mystery, thriller, or a even a classic I will be happy, and feel that I have achieved something.

4) Stop swearing!: I'll be the first to admit it I have to mouth of a sailor, and my French is quite fluent. This is a goal I have been working on for a while. I have made some progress with this, but I still find that when I am angry, flustered, or upset I still use those four letter words. I hope this is something I will be able to make some progress with in 2010.

5) Find a new job: Yes, I said it...I need a new job! I can't take mine anymore, and I really just need something that pays better. I am hoping that I will find one sometime early this year, and hopefully it will be in Florida, so I can be closer to my parents and family.

6) Be more prepared/punctual: I want to get in the habit of forcing myself to get up earlier, so I don't feel so rushed in the morning to get to work on time. I really need to stop hitting the snooze button.

7) Take more risks: I am not much of a risk taker, and I think that I hold myself back a lot in life. I want to take more risks this year even if they are only small ones.

8) Appearance: I want to wake up earlier, so I have a chance of looking decent for work. I also want to spend a little more time this year maintaining my appearance even if it's something small like getting more haircuts, or doing my nails, ect...

9) Use my Wii more often: I haven't touched my Wii in months, and I want to use it more.

10) Stay organized: I have spent all weekend devising a organizational system for my room, and I want to keep it up, so I will actually know where things are when I need them.

So there it is internet my 10 New Year's resolutions. Some goals are small, and some will take more effort, but in the end I hope achieve some of them, and improve my life in some small way. So, here's to 2010 a year of improvements!

Here are a couple of picture of me from a  New Years Eve Party a few years ago:

The holidays, faith and humanity:

(Written 12/28/2009...Sorry it has taken me so long to post this.)

   So, about those empty promises I made about updating this more often…yeah, well that sure hit the fan mighty quickly didn’t it?  Sorry, about that. I’ve been very busy as of late. Not only is it the holiday season, which as you know causes more and more chaos with each passing year, but I have also been busy studying for finals, and my parents have been visiting for the past two weeks. There has rarely been a dull moment or even a spare moment for that matter over the past few weeks.

   When I wasn’t spreading cheer this holiday season I was trying desperately to survive the department store blood shed that seems to have engulfed the mall this past month. Normally, I am pretty optimistic about the future of humanity, but the West Farms mall has seriously tested my faith in the future of the human race. I was brought up with the belief that people are inherently good. I don’t mean to say everyone is a good person, but I think that everyone has the potential to be a good person. I think that it takes more effort to be a bad person than it takes to be a good person. You have to work to be bad. You have to ignore your conscience and instincts in order to do something that you know is wrong or unethical. I think that is when we end up with the Ebenezer Scrooge’s of this world, and believe me they were holding a convention at the malls across America this month.

   I’ve witnessed all types of madness this holiday season. I’ve bared witness to everything  from a kid being stuffed in a trash can because she was crying, to a five year old boy pushing his father down an escalator because he couldn’t get some toy that he wanted. I even saw a woman slap a sales clerk at Macy’s because her coach bag didn’t ring up on sale. It was unbelievable! I have never seen so many random acts of weirdness, cruelty, and lack of sheer self-control. I mean I know that the holiday season is stressful, but we are not savages. I’d like to think that the human race has evolved somewhat over the past couple of thousand years, but maybe I am just being too optimistic. Maybe I have set the bar too high when it comes to humanity, and I should learn not to expect anything less than animalistic behavior. I mean when you attempt to kill the man who gave you life in order to achieve some trivial impulsive want, I think you have just set the human race back a couple thousand years.

   Usually, I really love Christmas time, but this year was different.  This year I stopped to take a look around me, and I really did not like what I saw. People are not decent anymore, and that is a very sad realization to make...especially at Christmas time. While this holiday season has made a cynic out of me I still have some small hope that there are still some decent people out there.

   I know that the bulk of this post has been angled to focus on the negative aspect of my holiday season experience, so now I think it is only fair that I focus on something positive.  First and foremost, I feel that I should point out that besides my holiday shopping experiences I really did have a lovely Christmas. It was full of  cheer, laughs, food, and most importantly family. I love the whole atmosphere that only Christmas time in New England can bring about. A New England Christmas is different from Christmas time anywhere else in the world. It's full of wonderful familiars. There is nothing better than Hood egg nog, crazy New England weather, snow...lot's and lot's of snow, huge light displays on every block, even bigger tree displays, bright  nights, wreaths on every door, and carolers. It's the best! It is not anything you will ever experience in Miami, Dallas, Chicago, L.A. or even Japan. It's something that is specific to New England and only New England. Sort of like the phrase wicked, or the complete excommunication of the letter "r" when pronouncing words where the pronunciation of the letter r is essential.

   Anyway, I think the point I am trying to make is that I had a lovely Christmas in my favorite place despite the Ebenezer Scrooge's of the world testing my faith in the human race. While I still have my cynical moments I try not to let them dominate my outlook on life. I am hoping that the optimist in me still lives on, even if my experiences these past few months have proved otherwise.

   Anyway, I hope everyone had a lovely time this holiday season, and as always stay tuned.:)

 

 

I'm Alive...I promise.

I am alive...I promise! I haven't forgot about you internet. I am working on some posts, and hopefully I will have them updated this week for your reading pleasure. So stay tuned. Until then here are some recent family pictures...