Photo Challenge - Days 18, 19 and 20

Day 18 - A picture of you and a best friend

Here’s the thing, this isn’t an awwwwwww moment. This is a confession moment. I didn’t marry my best friend. I married my boyfriend. When we were dating, engaged and even newly married I had several really close girl friends who shared the title of best friend. The handsome hubby was my boyfriend. BIG DIFFERENCE. Sure, he was my friend too. But he was NOT my best friend. It has only been because of our marriage that he has become my best friend. As our marriage grows through the good, bad and ugly so does our friendship.

Day 19 - A favorite picture of yours

This picture is one of my favorites for several reasons. First, I love the subject. How amazing is this sculpture (Igor Mitoraj’s Eros Bendato)? Second, I love the setting. As you can see from the Cardinals propaganda in the background, it was taken in St. Louis – a place for which I am feeling particularly nostalgic today. But, I think the main reason I love this picture is because it was taken while I was enrolled in a photography class, so I had a LOT of fun taking pictures that day and was really thinking about composition. I’ll admit it isn’t a brilliant photo, but it is special to me.

Day 20 - Any picture that you want

I chose this picture because it was a surprise. As I sat watching my nephew in awe at the Tennessee Aquarium back in 2007, I had to capture the moment. I had turned the flash on my camera off for some reason and “mistakenly” snapped this picture. His silhouette was a revelation and an unexpected gift. I had just wanted to capture him in a quiet moment, but because of my “oopsy” I got so much more than I bargained for… kind of a metaphor for my life.

TA-DA

I did it! I finally finished the 20 day photo challenge(in 2.5 months!!). I said I’d finish it by the end of August and I was able to meet my goal. Okay, so here’s what's next. You need to head over to Krystal’s blog Village (first to check out her adorable new header) and then to encourage her to host ANOTHER photo challenge. Who knows, maybe this time I’ll even play by the rules!

But before you go, tell me... Did you "marry your best friend" or is that just something we've been trained by Hollywood to say?

Emmy Fashion 2010

As I’ve mentioned before, award season (mainly because of award show fashion) is kind of my favorite time of year. And you know what I didn’t think through when we decided to get rid of cable? Red Carpet – Pre-award show fashion coverage.

Ahhhhhhhhh.

Thank you, God, for the various sites that pretty much immediately broadcast the amazing works of art worn by celebrities on various red carpets. I’ve been trolling the Internet for the past couple of hours and here’s what I’ve come up with as my Emmy favorites so far.

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Tina Fey in Oscar de la Renta

 

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Julie Benz in Pamela Roland

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Jayma Mays in Burberry Prorsum & Neil Lane jewels

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Keri Russell's dress was gorgeous on the telecast, it was actually a super hot pink

and I haven't been able to find the designer. Help?

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Lo Bosworth's jewelry was really pretty...

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January Jones gets an A+ from me from the neck up

And I know that bee-hives are all the rage right now... but, um, I'm not sure I'm on board with this trend.  What do you guys think???

I Just Needed an Answer

Everyone can relax because I've discovered an answer to the great "Nutella" debate of 2010.

First, thank you for all for voicing your opinion. According to the commenting readers of A Foreign Land the correct pronunciation is “nuh-tella.” This was decided in a vote of 14 “nuh –ters” and 10 “new-ters.”

However, I couldn’t rest with that answer. Most importantly I couldn’t stand to believe that I had been pronouncing it wrong for all these years. And secondly, I'm not sure I got a random sampling or that it was a fair count – considering the inordinate amount of Canadians visiting the blog that day. I LOVE YOU CANADIANS!!! KEEP COMING BACK. I needed a more definitive answer.

I went straight to the source. It was originally my intention to send the corporate office an email asking for the proper pronunciation. But that step wasn’t necessary. Check out the corporate website:

Right there for all of the world to see on their “faq” page is the correct way to say nutella!

“new-tell-uh”

There are two reasons why this is so joyous for me. First, because I have an answer that I believe to be straight from the horse’s mouth. Second, because I WIN, I WIN, I WIN. (not that I'm competitive or anything).

Whew. Doesn’t it make you feel better just knowing?

The Giver

I kind of have first day of school butterflies in my tummy as I write this post. I’ve been so excited to be a part of the bookclub bloggers. Now as I write and post this I feel all nervous and giddy. Eeeeee, it’s finally here.

In case you don’t know what I'm talking about, I’ll give you the quick and dirty. Charlotte over at The Daily Snapshot is hosting the inaugural meeting of the bookclub bloggers. Once a month we’ve committed to read a selected book and then, since we’re all spread out and can’t get together to chat about it, we’re having a linky party at her blog to share our thoughts.

This month we read Lois Lowry’s The Giver.

The book was first published in 1993 and won the 1994 Newbery Award. It also holds the distinction of being one of the most frequently challenged and banned books since its publication. Dubbed “The Suicide Book” the controversy was covered by USA Today in 2001. That, for me, just made it so much more exciting to read. Though, I must admit I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. (And I rarely am when it comes to banned books… probably a whole other post.)

The Giver was a treat for me from the moment I picked it up. Having never read the novel before, I had no idea what I would discover inside that easily recognizable cover. I was tickled when I learned it was a work of science fiction. Though I’ve only read a handful in my life, science fiction (well, well written science fiction: Bradbury, Huxley, Atwood, and now Lowry) is fast becoming one of my newest indulgences. The world created by Lowry in The Giver did not disappoint.

I must admit I was initially intrigued and enticed by the seemingly "Utopian" society in which Jonas, Lowry’s 12 year old protagonist, inhabits. A world free of stress and strife, where the tough decisions are either dictated or removed all together sounded a teeny tiny bit appealing for a moment or twenty. Deeply felt emotions can get messy and who wouldn’t like a world where people are forced to be polite. (Well, I wouldn’t want to be forced to be polite, but it would be nice if everyone else was forced to be polite to me.) So, I'm admitting that maybe for a second I considered Jonas’ world to be enviable. Which, I believe, is the beauty of Lowry’s prose; she draws the reader in and you become invested in this world she has created. But just when you feel bizarrely at ease she flips the script. Slowly that initial comfort and attraction is stripped away as more and more truth is revealed.

And boy oh boy do I love a book where the ending is left up for interpretation. Certainly there are some clues that point toward Jonas’ actual fate, but there are more than a few questions the reader is left asking. I. Love. That. For me there is nothing better than a book that continues to mess with your mind long after you finish its final paragraph. I believe I’ve finally settled on an ending that I find satisfying for now. (I won’t share it here in case you haven’t read it… and if you haven’t read it, go read it. Like now.) But, I have a feeling that if I were to pick up The Giver and re-read it several years from now, I may come to a totally different conclusion. It is that kind of book. The Giver is nuanced and rich without ever feeling overworked or dense. Lowry packed a mighty story into a mere 180 pages, and she did it with style and intelligence and most importantly she did it without making the reader a passive observer. When reading The Giver I couldn’t help but engage and interpret and imagine and analyze.

That being said, I did find myself occasionally having to just let go and go with the story. There were a few loose ends that I had difficulty connecting. With a couple details that don’t seem to fit the reader is asked once or twice to suspend disbelief. But when we’re talking about science fiction, is that really a surprise?

In the end, Lowry manages to present a compelling story, characters that the reader quickly cares about and a world that will mess with your mind.

I'm curious about Lowry’s companion pieces Gathering Blue and Messenger written several years later. Apparently the three are part of a trilogy. Has anyone read them? Are they worth my time?

Thankful Thursday/ Episode 59

I'm in the midst of a closet overhaul. As I mentioned here, I'm sorting through what needs to stay and what needs to go. I set up a few rules to easily decide what made the cut.

1. It had to fit WELL
2. It had to be in great condition – either easily altered or in no need of alteration or mending
3. It had to be versatile (versatile = it could be worn in at least 3 different outfits)

In the midst of the overhaul the craziest thing happened. I found clothes that I haven’t worn in nearly five years (so, pre-marriage). I’ve kept them around even though they haven’t fit because I love them and spent a considerable amount of my single girl income on them. They were all just a size or two below where I was living, so depending on the time of the month I could squeeze into them if I really wanted to look awful. These were sufficient reasons to convince me to hold on to them until now.

But, guess what? Apparently all this dancing and running and eating food from the farmer’s market has changed my body. Because all those pre-marriage, single girl clothes that I loved fit me again. Isn’t that exciting? I got a bunch of my wardrobe back!

Episode 59: “Today I am thankful for … unanticipated benefits to lots of fun work.”

Let’s get something straight, I didn’t start exercising again because I thought I needed to lose weight. I wasn’t unhappy with the way I looked. But, I can say that I'm way more satisfied with how I look and feel now. It’s not necessarily because I'm down a pants size. But more because I feel better, my clothes fit better and if I ever have to compete on Battle of the Network Stars I could totally kick ass.

So today, I am thankful.

Photo Challenge Days 16 & 17

Day 16 – A Picture of Me more than 10 Years Ago

Mardi Gras (in STL) 2000

This picture is kind of a perfect indication of where I was 10 years ago. See that girl? She’s at the beginning of the journey toward rock bottom. …and apparently carrying 10 extra pounds on her journey.

Day 17 – A Picture of what you wore Today

This is why I could never be a full time Fashion Blogger

Sometimes I really enjoy wearing cutoffs, flip flops & old t shirts. Plus most summer days I leave my hair in a messy bun and hardly wear any makeup or jewelry. Regardless of my “fashion don’tness”, I am pretty stoked about this picture. Both Lexi & the handsome hubby are out of town, so I figured out how to use the timer on my camera and get a full body shot WITHOUT the aid of a tri-pod. This might lead to many, many more self indulgent self portraits. Consider yourself warned…

You guys! I'm almost finished with the photo challenge. It’s making me a little sad! Just one more day and I’ll have to come up with a whole new reason to sort through old photos and tell you guys to visit Krystal’s blog Village.  I'm just trying to enjoy it while I can.

An Earned Reputation

One of the items on my Ultimate To DO list is to try 25 foods that might make other people gag. There are very few foods that are as universally gag-worthy as beef liver. That fact made it an obvious contender for my list. So, when we bought a portion of a cow a few months ago and there was liver up for grabs, I knew I had to nab it, cook it and share the adventure with you guys.

Growing up I was never subjected to eating liver. My only experiences with liver have been fried chicken livers (yummy) and Foie Gras (double yummy). So, I was surprised by the negative feedback I received when I mentioned to several friends that I was making liver for dinner. My favorite and the nicest response was, “Why?” Let’s just say that nobody was jockeying for an invitation to dinner. I had been warned.

But I was on a mission. Even when I opened the packaging to find this I wasn’t too terribly deterred. I don’t typically eat with my eyes. What I mean is that just because something looks unappetizing doesn’t mean that it tastes bad. But, sometimes looks are NOT deceiving.

But, WOW.

I still gave it a try. I had discovered a recipe that sounded amazing. Bacon, 2 sticks of butter, mustard, red wine vinegar those are some strong and delicious ingredients. If this recipe can’t make liver taste good, what can? (we found it odd that there was no picture to accompany the recipe... until we started cooking)

But, cooking it did not make it look more yummy.

Unfortunately, sautéing several different types of onions and drenching it all in a delicious sauce didn’t look too good either.

But, looks aren’t everything, right? The important question is, “how did it taste?” Well, I’ll tell you. It was not good. I can confidently say that liver has earned its bad reputation. The gritty consistency and off putting flavor couldn’t even be saved by a pound of bacon.

A POUND OF BACON and TWO STICKS OF BUTTER, PEOPLE.

I can happily report that the hubby and I tried it and actually finished almost our entire portions. But, we do not intend to ever eat beef liver again if we can help it.

I'm wondering, was it my preparation? Is there anyone out there that is in love with beef liver?

Overheard at Our House

The handsome hubby went running with me last week.  It was the first time he'd exercised in over a year and he ran farther and faster than I did.  I was so impressed, his performance blew me away.  He basically put me to shame.  Two days later this conversation happened...

Hubby:  "Man, my legs are killing me."
Wife:  "Want me to grab some icy hot or ben-gay when I'm out today?"
Hubby:  "I don't need any ben-gay. I'm fine."




Hubby:  "But, I mean, if you're going to be more active it probably doesn't hurt to have some icy hot around the house, just in case."
Wife:  "Alright then, I'll grab some just in case I need it."

Bake-N-Blog

Q: Who opens a jar of Nutella and thinks to themselves, “You know what this needs? A little bit of heavy cream and a couple mounds of confectioners sugar?”
A: A mad genius, that’s who.

Today I'm happy to be taking part in a Bake-n-Blog hosted by Staci Edwards Design Blog. Staci had a brilliant idea a few weeks ago. She’s gathered a group of bloggers to make a whole bunch of cupcakes and get back together to report on how they turned out. Which brings us back to the mad genius… the cupcakes are all the brain children of Ming at Ming Makes Cupcakes.

I volunteered to make Cupcake 22, otherwise known as Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Frosting. They sound pretty delicious, yes?

Let me start by saying the recipe was incredibly easy to follow and even an amateur baker like myself was far from skeered to attempt them. Here’s what I ended up with:

Actually, they're not too far from the original, huh?

Here’s my review:

The cupcakes were ok. They weren’t the moistest cupcakes I’ve ever eaten. But, it wouldn’t be a stretch of the imagination to believe that that was baker error. I mean, we all remember the cupcake incident of 2007, right? It could be that I over baked them. I did follow the baking instructions, but you never know. Maybe I’ll add a little more sour cream next time I make them.

Now, the icing is a whole other story. It is ahhhhhh-mazing. It’s the work of a mad genius, for sure. We licked the electric beaters and wished for a little more. In fact I ate so much of the icing; I couldn’t eat a cupcake for hours after baking them.

And let’s get something straight. These cupcakes weren’t so dry that I haven’t eaten a LOT of them. I got no complaints from my sweet friend that I shared one with right after baking them. And a cold glass of milk and one of these cupcakes was the first thing on my mind after dinner for the past two nights. So, my actions should speak louder than my words, probably.

The frosting alone has tempted me to try some of the other 33 cupcake recipes Ming has posted to date. So, I'm headed to Staci’s Bake-n-Blog link up today to see which ones other bloggers have had success with today. You should visit too!

On a whole different note, how do you pronounce Nutella? My cousin recently told me that she’s always called it Nuh-tella?!?!? I’ve always pronounced it New-tella? Thoughts?

Hey, I've Lived There

One of the items on my Ultimate To DO list is to visit each of the 50 states (& D.C).

My only rule is that I need photographic proof of my visit – preferably with ME in the shot.

Back in July I posted the first installment of the pictures I’ve collected so far. Now, even though I’ve probably been to about 46 of the states (I'm including DC in that number) I either didn’t take a picture or I can’t find a picture that I took. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It just means I get to visit a few places again. I’ve found 26 pictures and am proud to be half of the way there! Yahoo! Having only 26 means there are still plenty of excuses to take trips around these beautiful United States.

As I mentioned last time, instead of overloading you with all the pictures at once, I'm giving them to you in smaller batches. Today’s installment is entitled, “Hey, I’ve lived There!”

First up, we have the great state of Iowa.

While I wasn’t born in Iowa, my poppy was transferred there shortly after my birth. We lived in Des Moines for the first five years of my life. See that little boy sitting on the mustachioed man’s lap, that’s me. Meet my Mom, my Pops, and his parents who are better known to me as Grandma and Grandpa - 30+ years ago. This is one of my very favorite pictures of all time (yes, I say that a lot) and I am convinced it is partly to blame for my giant sized love of little brick bungalows.

Some day, I intend to live in another one as wonderful as I remember this little house on 32nd Street being.

Next comes The Show-Me State, Missouri.

I was actually born in St. Louis and we moved back there from Des Moines when I was 5. I lived in St. Louis until I left for college and just travelled a few hours away to attend the University of Missouri in Columbia. This is a small portion of one side of many sided family. We were all getting ready to walk the track around Busch Stadium, the home of the St. Louis Cardinals. It’s hard for me to choose which is most iconic when photographing St. Louis… the Arch which you see in the background or anything to do with Cardinals baseball. (I guess Budweiser Beer comes in a CLOSE third) I figured this picture captured both AND communicates just a taste of why I miss St. Louis so very, very much. They look crazy, and they are (both those pictured and those who aren’t), but my family is indescribably fantastic.

Third in line we have a state that in my mind is dominated by one city, New York.

I moved to NYC (I actually lived in Queens) after college. I got a job working for the now defunct TWA as a flight attendant and was super stoked when they informed me that my base would be NYC. I only lived there less than a year (because among other things, I went totally broke making NO money and enjoying everything the city had to offer) but it was enough to prove to me that it IS the most magical city on Earth. Sometimes I sound like a broken record, huh?

Last but not least (depending on what day you ask me) we have Tennessee.

This is where we live now. You all know the story. If you’re new here you can catch up HERE. Tennessee has been a real roller coaster ride in the almost four years that we’ve been trapped lived here. And though on a map it isn’t so far away from the Midwest, culturally it might as well be on the other side of the Universe. That has been difficult and amazingly rewarding since it’s forced me to re-evaluate so many things and get to know stuff about myself I might never have discovered otherwise.

There you have it, and there you are. Those are the four states in which I’ve lived. I'm not opposed to adding to the list or even expanding it to include international locales. Is anyone looking to hire a pilot?

A New Week

Last week was a little bit of a bummer. Between “hormonal” issues, some personal stuff and the stifling heat that drained me every time I stepped outside, I was in a constant battle to choose contentment.

Do you have weeks that are like that? Do you have weeks where you just want to crawl into the funk and wallow there for awhile?

Well, today I'm making a fresh start. Boy oh boy do I love a new beginning. Inspired by sweet Josie at with a wink and a smile, I’ve compiled a list of things that make me happy. I intend to fill my mind with these things today should that nasty funk try to reclaim my heart.

answered prayer

even when the answer is "no"

(OK, OK, so I'm working on the "even when the answer is 'no'" part)

spontaneity

the arrival of a new netflix

texting with friends through trashy tv

travel

(or just dreaming of travel)

puppy kisses

laughter

anticipation

literary escapes

farmers market treats

momentary realizations of just how small I am

the awesomeness that is the blogging community

and of course my friends and family who continue to faithfully return to

A Foreign Land

Cheers to a new week and to discovering new items to add to the list.

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Photo Challenge - Day 14 & 15

Day 14 – A Picture Taken using my Phone

Vance

(our VERY hungry Cat)

I had SUCH a hard time picking the picture that I wanted to share from my phone. I have bazillions of them on there, so it was tough to pick just one. I'm not sure if it’s the same for you but most of the photos on my phone require a little explanation. So, I chose this one because I’ve already told the story behind it. You can read its super short explanation HERE.

Day 15 - A Photo that You Edited

My Beautiful Sister & her wonderful husband on their Wedding Day

Yes, yes, I know. You’ve seen this picture already HERE. But, here’s the thing. I'm not an expert at photo post – production work (shoot I'm not an expert at photo PRODUCTION). The photos are few and far between that I doctor much beyond a simple crop. Considering I use Picasa for all my photo editing, that’s probably a wise choice. It’s wonderful FREE software, please, now, don’t misunderstand, I looooooove Picasa. It is just not in the same ballpark as photo shop or the other big guns. It doesn’t do the heavy lifting that the more fancy schmancy software does. So, my options were limited in the "Photo that You Edited" department.

When I took this shot I wanted to include as much of the sky as possible because it was a gorgeous day! But once I saw it on the computer I realized that I wanted Erin’s gorgeous smile to be what pulled your eye not the clouds. I feel like washing out the blue blue sky and softening the image up a little bit accomplished what I wanted.

Alright, guys, I'm in the home stretch of Krystal’s 20 day photo challenge. Just five more days! Head to Village for more photo challenge fun!
You’ll just probably have to check her archives since she finished it weeks and weeks ago…

Pink Sparkly

Next stop on the tour of Chattanooga was SUPPOSED to be Warehouse Rowe. Warehouse Rowe is this stunningly beautiful and nearly abandoned mall downtown. It is incredibly sad that most of the mall sits vacant since it has the most luscious wood work, gorgeous interior design and it sits in a fantastic (in my opinion) location. The reason I say it was SUPPOSED to be the next stop is because we took a few pictures inside but the “mood” lighting was not conducive to great shots.

closest we came to a usable picture… not ideal, see?

It 'twas a bit of a disappointment. But the thing is, these pictures were more about the outfit anyway. I'm kind of in love with it because it won me an award. A few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to be included on the guest list of a third birthday party with a “pink sparkly” theme. There were two prizes awarded, one for best adult outfit and one for best child outfit.  Guess who won the adult prize??

I'm pretty sure the headband made by sweet, sweet Alyssa of just putting it out there… won it for me.

I can't believe I've taken this long to thank you PUBLICLY.  Thank you, Alyssa!!!

Before I tell you anything about my outfit, I have to show you a few shots of the party.  The hostess, Charissa, really is one of those amazing moms that you hear fairy tales about.  One of my friends recently described her as the kind of mom who does it all and does it all in 4 inch heels.  She's pretty spectacular!

Check out the itty bitty champagne grapes!

Oh, and may I introduce the birthday girl! Totally cute, yes?

Now for the particulars:

Shirt: Isaac Mizrahi for Target

Pink Hawaiian Pants: Old Navy

Sparkle Flip Flops: Last Seen Here – Probably Target

Handmade Pink Petal Headband: Courtesy of Alyssa’s giveaway several months ago

Pink Sparkle Cocktail Ring: Vintage (meaning I've had it for at least 10 years)

Oh, and before I let you go... Please check out my interpretation of high fashion posing. I wanted to share this just in case you were compiling a list of reasons why I DON’T have a modeling contract.

I just figured this belonged on the list.  You're welcome.

Thankful Thursday/ Episode 58

This whole thing started when I read THIS great post over at Clothed Much. Elaine has what she calls a "minimalist closet." She’s conscientious about what she keeps around for a couple of different reasons. You’ll have to check out her blog and let her explain all of that to you. But, it got me thinking. I REALLY need to purge my closet. There are clothes in there that haven’t seen the light of day (except when they are transported during a move) in years. Some of these clothes don’t fit me. Some of them are in disrepair. Some of them I’ve just forgotten about. So what is the use of cluttering up my closet with all these extra clothes? All they are doing is obstructing the view of the lovely pieces I want to bring out to play! It’s time for a closet overhaul.

I cannot believe I'm posting my closet for the world to judge see

As a lover of clothing, these types of purges are never easy for me. Inevitably, there will be something I will throw out that I will reach for next season. Even though the item hasn’t been worn for years, suddenly it will be all the rage next year and I WON’T have it anymore. But, that is a risk I am willing to take. Will it be inconvenient? Sure. But, will it be life threatening? No, probably not.

Elaine’s blog post wasn’t the first time I contemplated my packed out closet. I’ve stumbled upon a few blogs (THAT I LOVE) that also subscribe to the less is more mantra. It isn’t a new idea. I'm sure you’ve all heard of 30 for 30, right?? Kendi at Kendi Everyday first announced a 30 for 30 project in April of this year. (I'm not sure how many re-mixes she’s done since the first one, since I only discovered her blog recently.) But, the idea is that she picks 30 items of clothing and wears just those items, mixed and matched, for 30 days. To top it off, there is no shopping allowed during the project. In the end it’s pretty inspiring how cute she looks with so few options from which to pick. If that doesn’t impress you, what about this? There was this article in the NY Times about a group who’s doing a similar project except they only allow themselves 6 items for 30 days and have vowed to not shop for a year! That, my friends, is hard core.

Now, as I contemplated attempting a project like this, I started to break out in a cold sweat. I mean, even the idea of purging unworn clothes is a little bit daunting. To scale back to only 30 items for a whole month is terrifying. And NO SHOPPING AT ALL?!?!? That’s difficult to grasp. And I'm not even that much of a shopper!

Total disorganization and overwhelming closet chaos

Let’s just stop for a minute and objectively look at my situation. I have too many clothes to fit in my closet. I have so many clothes that many of them don’t get worn on a regular basis. There is such abundance it will be an ALL DAY project to sort through and pair down. The kicker is that this has caused me a teeny bit of stress. seriously. Now, we won’t get into the greed entitlement issues this is bringing to the surface. I'm gonna go ahead and talk to Jesus about those on my own time. Instead for this post I’d rather focus on the gratitude.

Episode 58: “Today I am thankful for … too many clothes being an issue.”

How fortunate am I that I live a lifestyle in which wearing only 30 items of clothing for 30 days sounds like a challenge I could possibly fail? What a blessing that I can (and do) look at clothing (what I wear and what others wear) as a way of expressing oneself, as a creative outlet, and when it’s done right as art, instead of as a mere necessity for survival.

So, today I am thankful.

It Wasn't Me

With all the talk of Chicken Nuggets around here lately, I just wanted to make it VERY, VERY clear that I this news story is NOT about me.


 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Just further proof that "juicy, tender and irresistible" Chicken McNuggets occasionally persuade people to do wacky things.

Photo Challenge - Days 12 & 13

I'm going to double up days in the hopes of finishing up the Photo Challenge THIS MONTH!
 I was absolutely tempted to join another Photo Challenge today, but figured I should finish the one I've started first.  

Day 12 – A Black & White Photo

SNOW DAY!!!

Snow fell in Chattanooga a couple of times this year and I was in heaven. Even though it usually melted by lunch time, just seeing the flakes fall made me smile. I’ve told the hubby a million times how much I miss wearing all my super duper adorable winter hats, scarves and mittens. Thankfully, last winter I got a chance to pull them out of storage.

Day 13- A Picture from Last Summer

Jellyfish at the Tennessee Aquarium

I actually posted this picture last summer along with a few others that I took at a Jellyfish exhibit hosted jointly by the Tennessee Aquarium and the Hunter Art Museum. I heart Jellyfish.


Wondering what all this Photo Challenge business is? Check out Krystal’s blog Village for more information and general merriment.

Asian Jealousy Inspired

Sometime last year I was at a party where I met Yuki. Yuki is 5ft nothing, probably weighs 100 pounds soaking wet and REGULARLY eats 20 McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets in a sitting.

I’ll give you a minute for that to sink in.

20. Chicken. McNuggets.

I'm pretty competitive. I also have the appetite of lumber jack. So when I heard that that sweet little girl chows down on 20 chicken McNuggets on the regular, an idea popped into my head. I decided I would eat 30. There was absolutely no reason to do it other than to top teeny tiny, itty bitty Yuki. I intended to eat 30 McNuggets just to be able to say that I could. Of course, there were doubters. Several people didn’t believe I could eat that many McNuggets. I tell you with assurance that their disbelief only motivated me more.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t successful.

When I got to 21 (plus fries & a drink) I had to stop. I had hit the wall. To say it was tragic would be an understatement. I couldn’t ingest 30 McNuggets. My only consolation was that at least I ate more than sweet little Yuki. It’s a sickness.

So, recently I received this text message:


I mean she was basically daring me to eat 50 chicken McNuggets, right?

When I mentioned the challenge to the hubby, he fully doubted me. OUT LOUD. This disparaging treatment couldn’t stand.  It sealed it.  I WOULD EAT 50 McDONALDS CHICKEN MCNUGGETS.

Here’s how it all unfolded…

I'm definitely counting this as one of the 25 foods that might make others gag. Don’t know what I'm talking about? Check my Ultimate To DO list for more info.