He's Not a Morganstern : Shadowhunters 2x10 Review

YA'LL.

Excuse me, please, while I channel my inner Christine [@xtinemay] here and gush over the Winter Finale episode of Shadowhunters.

To preface, let me say that if you didn't know, I am among the ranks of those who've read all the Shadowhunters books so far - which, for clarity, they aren't technically called that:

The Mortal Instruments:

... and yes, I bought these also, because SPINES: 

same books, different covers... 

The Infernal Devices: 

The Dark Artifices [at this point, Lady Midnight]:

& the author, cassandra clare

And naturally, I spent 3 months hunting down and fiiiiiinally obtaining the UK version of LM:

this was worth every day waiting & every penny. 

And Lord of Shadows has been pre-ordered. And I finished up both The Bane Chronicles and Simon's conversion journey in Tales from the Shadowhunter Academy. So we're all set.

Mmkay, mmkay, mmmmkeehhh. If you don't want the Shadowhunters experience spoiled for you, then stop reading this. If you have only watched the show so far, and have not read the books, please, please, please go and READ.THE.BOOKS. I would recommend starting with The Infernal Devices, even though they were released after The Mortal Instruments. They're intended as a prequel trilogy anyway, so start there and I DARE YOU not to fall in love with Tessa, Jem & Will.

And then read The Mortal Instruments, and I dare you then to not fall in love with Magnus. Clary's a little grating, and Jace is sassy as can be, but in the end, if you're like me, you'll love it all the way Cassandra Clare wrapped it together for us. 

That brings me back to the show. It goes without saying that the writers of season 1, at best, LOOSELY based the show on the books themselves. I feel like the conversation surrounding plot departures in general is a song for another day. Now that we're in season 2 with all of these new plot departures, I have finally accepted that that's how it is, but honestly, I'd find it hard to believe that I'm the ONLY ONE who was leary after episode 9, of how they'd pull this back together and at least make some nods to the books. 

SPOILER: The creepy clown warehouse, neither Iris Rouse nor Madzie even exist in the books [same for Lydia Branwell], Jocelyn doesn't die AT ALL, EVER in the books, and Clace don't find out they're not related until after Sebastian comes along in the books. Oh, and Alaric doesn't die that way in the books. OH, and shape shifter runes? Definitely a show thing. 

So it's been a rough ride for me and seemingly some others who hold the books dear. But that brings me to tonight's Winter Finale episode.

I.. did.. not hate it. I can't decide if I'm embarrassed for not hating it. I didn't love it the way I would like to, but if nothing else it's refreshing to watch the show and not know exactly what and when things will happen.

********And sidenote, I'd kinda started writing this with the intent of just including this show as part of what I did today, but now that I've unintentionally launched into full review mode, let's go with it... ********

I'll start with the Hmmmmeehh?!:  

- Oh heeey, kinda-recovering DOT, on Magnus' couch?
- Are we supposed to believe that Madzie is the warlock "baby" that will be eventually adopted by Magnus & Alec? She's just kinda here now, and since Iris is in Idris..... I just.. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ?
- Simon GETTING HIS THROAT CUT BY VALENTINE was exceptionally unexpected, gross and chronologically weird for me to digest. Especially given that
- JACE then uses a SHAPE SHIFTING RUNE to be Clary, and then Simon drinks his blood instead of Clary's and now Simon is a Daylighter but doesn't understand it but it happened at the INSTITUTE and that's not how it goes in the books someonepleaseexplainthis.
- Shape. Shifting. Runes. 
- And then Clary, being very Clary-ish, is all "No Magnus, go on ahead. I'll WALK THROUGH THE INSTITUTE ON MY OWN BECAUSE WHAT COULD GO WRONG IN THIS SPECIFIC SCENARIO."
- Alec got locked in an elevator by a kid warlock. MehhhIIII dunno.
- Maia's brash tantrums don't seem at all like the more calculated, precise book Maia. 

- Alaric and half the wolf pack and a handful of seelies die in the institute after Jace accidentally activated the soul sword.
- JACE JUST ACTIVATED THE SOUL SWORD. 

- Jocelyn is still dead. Again, Jocelyn's not dead at any point in any of these books. WHO is Luke going to marry now?! *sniffle.
- #RAPHSWERVE: For SOME reason, Raphael is the only one of the downworlders who went raging into the room to attack Valentine, but left just before everybody else died. Which was only like 4 seconds after they ran into the room. So did he like, U-Turn as soon as he got there?!
- So the soul sword can wipe out the entire downworld.... but only if they're in the same room?! (Mmmkay.)

- Izzy is [still] addicted to Yin Fen. WHAT IN THE ACTUAL......
- P.S. - Yin Fen is made from Vampire Venom?! For REAL?
- Aldertree: Since show you is doing whatevs you want except for knowing the password to the iPad on the roof of The Institute, please go find Izzy a cure for the Yin Fen that YOU. GAVE. HER. 

- Clary is alladasudden an expert at hand-to-hand deathblows with a seraph blade, but looks like a toddler being dragged across the room by Valentine. Plausible. *dry cough.
- Climon. I'm still cringy. Nothing to do with the acting, just... romantic Climon is cringy.
- I. Want. SASSY Jace back. Not this brooding, moody Alec-ish character. Alec is Alec for a reason.
- Who's the Assassin's Creed-looking person who strolls off with the Soul Sword at the end?! WHO IS THAT?!
- Lastly, JUST LIKE THAT, Valentine tells Jace he's not his son, and Jocelyn's not his mom and by the Angel, Maury, Clary is NOT his sister.

Which brings me to this clip. In my opinion, I thought the acting was very well done, and even as I sat wide-eyed shaking my head because Valentine would never just make it this easy, I still felt that moment, and for all intensive purposes, that's how it should be. I should feel things. 

  Poor Jace. Poor, poor broody show Jace.  Here are some things I found redeeming. Again, my opinions - feel free to agree or wholly disagree! (And share them freely, but politely). 

The Yasss Moments: 

- Maybe not in any particular order with these, so I'll start with the Simon-drinking-Jace's-blood thing. NO, it didn't happen in the institute [per books], but I got pretty stoked once it clicked in my head that THIS was the moment that Simon drinks Jace's blood, becomes a daylighter and erego doesn't die. And Jace doesn't die, either. And even though it didn't happen on the ship, this moment is a real catalyst for all the core characters......... at least it is in the BOOKS.  - Jace finds out he's not Clary's brother. Yeah, THAT part. Can we get this Climon crap off the table STAT, please?!  - MALEC. - Luke. I just.. I love Luke. Regardless of how weird the assembling of the downworlders at the institute was, I felt like the show painted Luke correctly in that he leads the pack and speaks for both Shadowhunters and Downworlders.  - Meliorn's back, making calm but snarky comments at Luke. Fun.  - Show-y plot twists that were fun to watch: i.e.: Jace shape shifting as Clary. Jace not having demon blood [sure, at the expense of accidental soul sword activation & destroying a room full of well-intentioned downworlders]. Valentine spilling that Jace isn't his son.  - MALEC.  - Aldertree's FACE on the rooftop when he realizes what a turdbag he is. And presumably also for what he did to Izzy.  - Izzy & Alec having a sibling moment, after some clear dissension over the Raphael.... thing.  - Madzie. I do and I don't know how to feel about her as a character, but if she's here to stay, well then.. ok. I did like the scene with her and Magnus, I think more so because it highlighted Magnus' compassionate, candid side.  - I liked how the writers wove this sense of unity into this episode, to tie together all the various downworlders and Shadowhunters. It's a little early for all that, if we're comparing it to the chronology in the books, but we're really not, I guess, so I'm willing to let the show stand on its own in this way. I think [hope] this sets the stage nicely for June, when 2b starts.  - And.. MALEC.
I never would've imagined myself so wholly entrenched in a book series, or so adamant about holding a candle to the show version, but here I am, and here that was, and here we go, fingers crossed looking very much forward to June and 2b.  I am not ashamed by any of this. :) 
Happy Monday!  xo | cms 

Pancakes, Big Screens & Knitting [Of Course!]

On our never-ending quest to try all of the foodie places in Cincinnati, Rob & I gladly obliged a breakfast invitation with Chip, Beth & Shane at the Original Pancake House, which is just a short drive down a straightaway from our house [go figure!]. It was excellent dining, and adorably accessorized to boot!

original pancake house

After breakfast, Rob and I parted ways with the Silcox family and embarked on our day of Christmas shopping. We both knew we were crazy for agreeing to the crowds, long register lines and traffic that is Christmas shopping in EASTGATE of all places, but against our better judgment, we went, we bought... we conquered.

The little girls' gifts are bought.
Our parents' are all taken care of.
Our siblings are good to go.
And we.... well, Rob took the plunge for an upgrade at our home, after the retail spirit got the best of him. That little inkling of a thought turned into THIS:

welp... there's that.. haha

Yeeeeup, thank you, Santa! ;)

We finally settled in for the day; Rob switched out the TV's and basked in the glory that IS this monstrosity mounted above our mantle... and me? Well, I finished THIS:

all done! 

This is a Christmas gift for one of my friend's girlfriends; he requested this one a few days back and I surprised myself by completing it within two days, when I was counting on at least three or four. Yay!

I'd say we're good to go here; just five days until Christmas! Yiiieee!! ♥

xo | cmd

♥ Hello, February ♥

Ah, February.... Je serai poète et toi poésie ... or something like that. I'm not quite sure I buy fully into February being the dictated month of love and all things ooey gooey romantic-like, but it is no less February FIRST... today. Where is 2014 going?! Wasn't it just Christmas?! *Sigh. Slow down, '14... haha.

Anyway, to celebrate the new month, we can proudly announce that we are OFFICIALLY moved and settled [well, settled for the most part] into the new house! That means all of us.. together.. under one roof. I'm a happy girl.

Today's big ticket item on the agenda was decorating the wall above the mantle. With what, you ask? Sixty inches of plasma, to be precise. We'll surely enjoy it, but Sydni quickly pointed out that this entire scenario was devised solely for her cartoon-viewing pleasure. First world problems, kid.

I took to the ongoing process of homing miscellaneous things throughout the house while Rob busied himself readying the wall mount. He is so handy. I love that.


my project man!

And after we both carried and lifted the itty bitty "decoration" [don't ask me how I keep lifting and carrying all these things. It's a miracle I haven't broken myself or my things.. haha].

bam. 60" of over-mantle decoration. done.

It's starting to feel, one inch at a time, like a home. I will be elated when the last random item is shelved and we can kick back without a thing on the list. Maybe we'll have more time to do things like this: 

weight lifting with meatballs.
works, huh?

Haha.
Happy Saturday, and Happy February FIRST!!

xo | cmd 

Ikea Part One: BUILT!

Remember when I mentioned the little outing Rob and I took to Ikea a few weekends back? Well, those boxes have been parked smack dab in the middle of his basement floor since we got them in the house. Tonight he decided he was going to break into the TV stand boxes and put that sucker together. I had offered my assistance back when we bought the stuff, but ended up just laying idly by nursing my migraine as he went to work and had the stinkin' thing put together in no time at all. It's amazing how having a handy guy around changes things; it's kinda nice not having to build all the furniture myself.. haha. Really, though, this thing looks nice! Stupid me didn't take a before shot of the set up, but this new stand is definitely sharp looking (:

yay, ikea!

And uhhh, yeah. Other than getting out for dinner with both Kelly & Mike, this was the highlight of the evening. We're exciting, I know.

Oh, and I may or may not have.... but probably MAY.. in fact DID... snag this today. Ali got the same one. We won't be hanging out on July 4th together [sad, sad face...], so it's okay (:

trueeeeee story.
... except kansas.
make that 49 states of awesome ... and kansas.
jk. :)

So uhhh.. yeah :) Not a bad little day, even in my current phase of sinusitis [okay, I don't really have sinusitis, but it feels like it....]. Time to call it a day and SLEEP [aka, poor man's remedy]. GO AWAY, SINUS PAIN!

xo | cmd

Soft Kitty : Tribute to The BBT

I love The Big Bang Theory. If you've not yet seen a couple episodes of this show, I would recommend it iin your downtime (:

One of my [&probably every BBT fan out there] favorite clips from the show is the Soft Kitty song.... if for some reason you've never seen it, or have a million times and wanna see it just once more, well...... here :


Also, I came across this today and that's one of the other things I thought was pretty funny... 

peeeeeeeerfect. [minus the weird face down there?]

Hahaha...
Ohhh... I love some Sheldon Cooper... don't you?

Penny...Penny.... Penny.....

xo | cmd

A Zombie Show.. Who Knew.

Kudos points if you know what this is from....

credit : jaimie

A friend of mine recently got me addicted to this. I'm not usually one to hunker down on TV shows [we have a love-hate relationship], but I'm adding this one to the short list already containing The Voice, The Big Bang Theory, and The Big C. 

Oh, and before you ask, NO, I'm not obsessed with the zombie apocalypse; this is just an addictive show and that's where it stops for me. I promise. No bath salts here. (: 

Go get 'em, Daryl. 

xo | cmd

El Voce! [Night 4]

More of The Voice.

I'm gonna start singing eventually, if these auditions keep inspiring me to do so.
I might also buy Christina a shirt.
Really it's all up in the air, still. Haha.

Top picks from tonight:

 

I think I was drawn particularly to these two tonight because they're both so quirky, in a fun way.

|| EDIT! ||

I totally forgot about this guy...


^Guess how many vocal lessons that kid has had? (Zeee-ro.) Guess how old he is? (Sixteen). That's natural talent, friends :)

There were more, of course, but I have to say these two three were by far the most fun for me :)

It's been a manic monday, for sure.

Happy WEEK!

xo | cmd

Dora

Hello, land of toddler-girl-mothers!
& Hello, Dora.

Sydni said something really funny today while we were watching an episode of Dora. Let me set this up for you just a little bit ... :
Swiper was at it with his swiping [which, btw, he's a little punk - taking everyone's stuff.. and then making sure to throw it as far away from its owner.. little turd... haha], and at one point Dora said, "Where DID Swiper put the crown?" On cue, Sydni said aloud, "IIIIII Dooooon't KNOOOOOW!!!"

Okay, it was funnier if you'd been there, but she was so upset by the question that I couldn't help but picture one of those randomly viral photo-edits that cycles around on Facebook and Pinterest for a few weeks. Pretty funny stuff. :)

Speakin' of Dora :

early birthday present :)

^ Nuff said. She's pretty stoked... hopefully this might aide in the whole please-sleep-in-YOUR-bed-tonight,-Sydni thing with which we've been working. Totally worth it to see the sheer elation on her face over some bedsheets. Haha.

We did some digging on the voice behind Dora, because for some reason I just realized that there probably is a human being behind that pint-sized animated adventure-seeker and her talking pet... and backpack .. haha. I found out that Dora has so far been two different gals: the more recent one on the left side.. Cute girls, and since I'm that person that likes to know the names of all the actors/actresses I'm watching at any given point, I feel like a much more evolved Dora viewer. Hahaha. Whatever.

dora... and dora! 

Random, but yeah. Dora is taking over this house one phase at a time... so I figured we'll enjoy it full throttle. That being said, I think it's about time to finish up the latest re-re-re-re-re-re-re-run episode of Dora.. for about the 749217402183092 time before bed. We're a wild bunch here, I know. :)


xo | cmd

INSPIRED.

I wanted to take a break from the typical recounting of my day to share with the world some of the things and people by which I'm inspired. While I do have a rewarding life, I love to live that little bit of myself vicariously through others, or if nothing else at least draw some inspiration from things, places and people that move me.

Just SOME of the motivations in my head today :)
In no particular order... 

christine ha | master chef

1 | Christine Ha. I don't watch the show Master Chef, but a couple of my co-workers do, and they share with me the day after each episode how this girl is still hanging in there in this reality show competition for amateur chefs. She's adorable, and quite Asian, yes, but she's blind, too. That's right. The girl who can't see is on national television kicking tail and taking names in the kitchen. I have 20/10 vision, according to my doctor, and I am absolutely positive that I can't cook better than this gal. 


rissa. nancy. yun. joann
august. september. october. november

2 | Adorable Prego Friends. You're lying if you don't think that all four of these girls make the cutest pregos ever. These are four of my girlfriends from back in Cincinnati who are all [obviously] pregnant, all due one right after the other. They got together recently and had i2 studios do a shoot; this is just one of the many killer pictures they got back. They look like pretty little autumn skittles. This one confirms that there's a slight chance I will be this cute in the event I'm pregnant again. Now I just have to find 3 other girls to share the pregnancy journey with, hire an awesome photographer, and we're good. Haha. Seriously, I really was moved by this in that it highlights the innate and natural beauty of a mother. There is so much complexity to the process of literally growing a human being from essentially just a few cells; to have that captured as a complete picture should be a moving reminder to every mom out there. :) I love everything about it and am excited for all of them!


see red.

3 | RED. This is one of the blogs I follow: Tewfic El-Sawy. He's the Travel Photographer, and posted this collaboration recently. Read about it >here<. This is from a tribe of people in Northern Malabar. I wouldn't say I follow the ritualistic tradition behind this customary getup, but I am so intrigued by the cultural concept of such elaborate decoration. Plus, I love red, and the monochromatic way he put this together is quite appealing. I stand to learn so much from photographers like him! This reminded me that I need to travel more, photograph more, and make a constant, proactive effort to maintain an appreciation for worldly culture even while I'm living in the good old midwest, USA.


toms | boot wedges!

4 | TOMS BOOT WEDGES. I'm such a prolific lover of TOMS, not just because their classics won me over from the start, but because I am fully-aware of the impact they have as a grassroots operation gone-global. Sure, their gear is a little pricey for what it really is [truth, sorry], but I've read the articles on their advocates going directly into the hearts of undeveloped territories and putting shoes on the feet of kids who otherwise use whatever they can find in the woods or in a trash can to keep their feet protected. Call me a hippie, but TOMS are comfortable and supportive of a good cause. These new wedges are adorable, and I'm thiiiiinking about checking them out. We.. shall.. see. I use TOMS [& coincidentally the store in which I get them, shout out to Peace by Piece in Belleville] as motivation for my future potential endeavors of entrepreneurship, too. It could happen ;).

that's love! mama & daughter
[borrowed from fb, christine... it looks like a magazine ad :p ]

5 | SINGLE PARENTS. I work in a small office, but there are two single moms on our staff. It's a weird emotion having sympathy for but lacking the experience to have empathy for single parents and the strife that comes with the territory. I had a[nother] conversation with Christine today, with whom I've grown fairly close in our time working together, and was so moved by the current challenges she faces being a single parent. Sorry to single you out, Christine, but it was in something of an odd way, compelling to be reminded of the strength and courage it takes to continue on with blinders focused on objectively raising a happy kid. My respect for the single parent has exponentially increased over the last few months. Make no mistake, either, I share an equal admiration for single fathers, because I know the indwelling of maternal instinct may come a little rougher to them, but they hold down the cycle with the best of them. I had the privelege growing up with two parents; many of my friends did not. I am so grateful for the blessings I've had in that arena. I look at the broken world in which we live sometimes and I can't help but think I couldn't do what these parents do. The ones who choose to raise their kids right in spite of circumstance amaze me. My job as a co-parent looks like a cakewalk compared to what you do. It's parents like this that remind me of the human capacity to overcome and succeed, if the will is there.


happened across this online

6 | NOT JUDGING BOOKS BY THEIR COVERS. I just needed that reminder. Sure, there are exceptions to every condition, but loving art and expression as much as I do, I just have to say that while I wouldn't necessary canvas my body out to the extent this guy and many of my great friends have, I absolutely believe that a heart is a heart and that doesn't change. 'Nuff said.

rick & dick hoyt

7 | TEAM HOYT. If you haven't heard of them, seen their pictures, watched their videos, or checked out their journey, quit reading my amateur blog and go look it up. I'll get ya started: It's amazing. If you need some motivation to work out, or quit complaining about your workout.. or really your life in general, this is a good place to start. Yeah, this is a bit of an extreme example of how my circumstance could be different, but there is so much that I stand to admire about this father and his son. If there's been a testament of dedication, sacrifice, endurance, and unconditional love in this century, I'd say these two are strong contenders for a top spot. Notice that the wheels say, It's a Good Life! Talk about motivating.. :) 

8 | BEADS. I've had these for a few weeks now and finished up the last one tonight. These look like simple little charms, but there's much to them. These are for my pastor's wife, Debbie, who has a severe version of asthma, and has to wear a medical plaque on her wrist as a failsafe in the event she would have an episode. The way she's got it figured, if you're gonna wear the thing, wear it in style! < Totally adoptable principle, and clearly it works, since for the longest time I thought it was just a regular - but stylish - interchangeable bracelet of some sort. She had asked me some time ago if I could make some minor repairs to a few of the adorning bands; I finished the last of them tonight and thought I'd share. It's been a little while since I touched jewelry-crafting... I made a mental note that I must start making time for it: I love it and it's relaxing. Thanks for the reminder, Miss Debbie! 


photog credit : dk

9 | THE BIBLE. Duh. I know this should've been at the very top of the list, but I decided to save it for end so it would be the last thing we leave with for today. There are a million ways to dive into how this one book has revolutionized my life; I will keep it simple and succinct by just saying that there are so many paths down which I tried to take my life on my own terms, but by this book and all the wisdom in it, I found that real peace, that real happiness, and that real fulfillment I wanted, but never had. It's the instruction manual for creating and achieving my short and long-term goals, raising my children, coping with trials, and appreciating my blessings. It's a link between myself and the Lord who so willingly sacrificed his everything so that I could have everything, without hesitation or doubt. It is unchanging, unfailing, and hugely underestimated. It's my lifeline; by and through it I am who I am, and growing, still. TRULY.. Inspired.

What's inspired YOU today? :)

xo | cmd

I'm a Closet Gleek

Yeah, about that. So the phenomenom that took over every closet theater nerd a few years back, known to the masses as Glee, is among those shows I classify as fun to watch, whenever I happen to catch it. I don't schedule my evenings around weekly Glee showings, but I'm guilty of YouTubing videos of their musical numbers and live performances, just to check 'em out.

This particular Glee interpretation of the F.U.N. song We Are Young came to mind today, after sitting at work for eight hours and hearing the original version about .. oh, I dunno,.... at least 400 times. You all know what I'm saying: most radio stations, especially the top 40 frequencies, typically have a playlist of 10-15 songs, if that, and it is those 10-15 songs that play on rotation .. alllllll... day..... long..... .

shyeah.

So before I get sick of this song, I figured I'd post up the Glee version of it. Quite frankly, I like it better, even without the visual of all the little Glee characters bopping around in their noted carefree styles. There really is a mass of vocal talent on this show, pained as that may be to admit. Hah.

It's off to church for now, before Joe has to start packing for his little vacation next week.
See ya!

xo | cmd

Monday It Is

Hey Meagan -

welcome baaaaaaaack ...... =P

It was absolutely a Monday. There's something almost tangible in the air in our office on Mondays. Each time, I find myself debating whether it's the fact that two days have passed without hint of human traffic, or if it's the remnants of cleaning product from our owners' son doing his routine scrub-down of the entire place. Today I realized that it's probably a mixture of both of those things, along with the naturally occuring vibe that just is ... Monday. Yep. It's just Monday: the constant rhythm of phones ringing, messages flying between desks, unread emails, and an invisible sense of urgency to get caught up on two days out of the office: two days that we were closed. Hah. Mouseclicks reach triple digits within the first five minutes, and we hit the ground running, at lightspeed. 

So Meagan [&Rob] returned safely from their Mexican cruise over the weekend, and I completely empathized with her on flipping the switch from relaxing vacation to the mayhem that is our job :). We are so, so glad you are back. By we, I primarily mean, I, but nobody's counting.

Once the blur slowed down enough for me to start processing it [that happened right about 5:00pm], I headed home to unwind before The Voice aired. I became a huge proponent of this show last season when it originally debuted, and I am completely fine with repeating myself this time around. I also know that Team Adam [or whatever his team name is] won last season. I'm all about his team again this season; he's got a solid group of talent!

the voice | team adam 2012

It's definitely been a Monday!

That being said, it's about time for this little trio to settle in and watch the show.

Let's go Team Adam!

xo | cmd

Twenty-Seven!!

Oh my word.
I made it!

I think I’ve decided that my next endeavor in this earthly life is to cure Deceptive Birthday Syndrome. Allow me to explain.

You see, each year, this thing comes around that seems to get people excited when it has their name on it. [Duh, birthday.] So today is mine, and when it was all said and done, the day was wonderful, save for the fact that I am indeed getting older. Call it a quarter-life crisis, call it ridiculous, call it whatever you please, but sooner or later, I think most people would argue that turning the clock back wouldn’t be such a horrible thing. So, to solve the dilemma of actually getting older, I think I’ll start working on a way to preserve the customary fête – small or large – just sans the whole … aging part. I don’t think the odds are in my favor on this one, but hey, 27-year-olds can still dream, yeah?

There’s a special something about birthdays that will never fail to elicit well-wishes from an enormous chunk of friends, family, and facebook connections. Don’t lie; I’m one of those, and so are you! J I compiled just some of the blessings and wishes I got throughout the day, and I realized I am truly one fortunate girl. Be it a week, a year or five years, I’m grateful for all of my friends and extended family who took the moment to send annual congratulatory wishes via text, web, and/or phone call. Thank you!!

My first surprise was a box of donuts from Meagan; they arrived on my desk as soon as she walked in the door, and, although I did share, I have to say it was tough to decline eating every single one, in their delicious-looking state. Thank goodness for co-workers, hah.

Anyway, the second surprise came in the form of a text message from Joe telling me he’d left a work-related document in the backseat of the Murano. I went out to retrieve it, only to find a beautiful wooden decoration painted with my namesake verse, 1 Corinthians 13:13. [Yeah, for those of you just tuning in: I've since shortened my AKA to Cori, but post-adoption, I was given the name Corin, derived in this case from that exact verse, 1 Corinthians 13:13. Yenno, FYI.] In any sense, it’ll harmonize beautifully with the [Goodwill] frame I’d re-done with a picture of Joe and me.

For lunch, Diana treated me to my first visit to Peel, a relatively new but phenomenally delicious pizza dig in Edwardsville. With enough salad and pizza to fill up both us and a few takeout boxes, we headed back to the office. I’m certainly taking Joe there when we have the chance!

After work, I headed home with just enough time to change clothes before I was whisked back out the door for a double dinner date with Ryan & Stephanie Lopez at the Sushi Bar off 159. I’ll say this: that place definitely looks a little sketchy from the outside, but it is well worth the trip if you’re ever in the area. After dinner, we came back home with plans to watch a movie; of course Joe left me in charge of film selection, and as always, my answer: “Surprise me!” Well, he surprised me all right. He flipped on the T.V. and suggested we watch… maybe… Sportscenter?! Yeah, we have channels now, too! It’s been a long time since we’ve had satellite, and I’ve gotta say that while we were just fine without, it is a nice perk to have it.

That being said, it’s about time I call it a day. I had an excellent birthday, and for the time being, I’ll leave it at that and forget I’m inching my way closer to completing my third decade. We’ll cross that bridge when the time comes. Hah.

G’Nite!

xo | cmd

Gift Cards Galore

So, clearly this isn’t the stash of gift cards we opened from our [generous!] friends and family as wedding offerings; these are a little more diverse in color J. Either way, Joe and I sat last night as we tore through envelopes and wrapping paper, trying to decide how we would trade these little plastic treasures. Joe won, with the suggestion of us getting a new T.V. for the master bedroom upstairs.

So tonight…

Ta-da!

While Joe was occupied putting together the new display on the dresser in the bedroom, I took the opportunity to convert Sydni’s crib to the toddler bed rails. She’s been climbing up, over, and out of the crib on and off recently, so I figured it’d be a better bet for her to accidentally fall one foot instead of three in a misstep.

We’ve had an super-productive night, but we both have early days tomorrow.

Ciao!

xo | cmd

The VOICE. Can I just say....

With all the reality show competitions now, I try to just stay away from all of them just because I feel that we've quickly become over-saturated with the 'next big' [you name it]- everything from piccolo player to cathedral architect it seems. That's why I was so hesitant to settle in and watch not just the season premiere of The Voice [on NBC], but the 2nd episode, too [yeah, believe it].

For anyone who hasn't caught any of this: A quick rundown...

On shows like American Idol, the televised nation gets to watch a fame-craving artist audition in front of a jury of experts in that field. What I found interesting here was that while there is a panel of 4 celebrity musicians/recording artists, each person(s) auditioning had to rely solely on their vocal abilities, because the judges had their backs turned. Sure, it's not a mind-blowing concept, but it's definitely a breath of fresh air on the spin of things.

So once a judge [Blake Shelton, Cee-lo Green, Christina Augilera, Adam Levine] decided he or she liked the 'voice' they heard, that lucky auditioner became a part of said celebrity's "team".

Following?

K.

Well, for the 2nd episode, each celeb had to pit two of his/her own teammates against each other at the same time, singing the same song. It's not often that I watch a performance more than twice, but this one got me hooked. I'm admittedly jealous of the vocal talent of both of these girls, and as a kinda-sorta singer myself, I absolutely loved this rendition of Perfect, by Pink. Whether you like the song, like Pink, or like singing competitions, you have to admit.. this is talent :)

Kind of inspiring, to me at least.

xo | cmd