The LAST thing that I needed in my life was another reality TV show.
But, I couldn't stay away.
EVERYONE- and I mean everyone- on twitter is OBSESSED with Big Brother. (Even Trista Sutter watches).
As of two weeks ago, I had never watched it and I had no idea what it was about. Fast forward to now and I've obsessively watched every episode. THANK YOU VERIZON'S Version of ON DEMAND.
I'm not even sure why I like it. It's the trashiest, most low budget, and most ridiculous show that I've ever seen but I can't look away.
I looked forward to laughing at Rachel's voice when she talked. Oh, and the costumes that they wear during competitions? Straight from Walmart.
Any show that has a cheap dollar store bedazzled veto sign is good in my book.
I'm on team Britney, how about you?
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Reality Bites
Ten on Tuesday (45)
1. Pretend it’s Monday morning–take us through a day in the life of you.
6:20am- Husband wakes me up searching through his closet for his clothes. I grunt and fall back asleep
6:40am- Alarm goes off. Grumble because I don't want to wake up. Sigh because my weekend is over.
7:30am- Arrive at work after rushing to get ready. I allow myself no more than 35 minutes to shower, do my make up, pack my lunch, make coffee and to attempt to pack my gym bag. Something usually falls to the wayside.
3:30pm- Leave work. Thank the lord it's Monday afternoon. Hit the gym or go home to catch up on girly DVR shows. Spoon with my cats.
6:00pm- Dinner with my hubs
7:00pm and on- TV, Read, Clean, Talk, Laugh, Cuddle, Play with kitties, BED.
2. What’s your favorite reality tv show?
Right now, Project Runway
Historically, Survivor and The Bachelor
3. What motto do you live by?
If life hands you lemons, stick them down your shirt and make your boobs look bigger.
4. If you knew could you try anything and not fail, what dream would you attempt?
I would attempt to win the 45 million dollar lottery jackpot.
5. What was your first job?
First random job, babysitting. First real job, sandwich artist and cream cheese applier at Einstein Bros Bagels.
Although I cannot wake up for the life of me (now that I'm a grown up), I used to be up by 6 am for high school 5 days a week and I'd be due at Einsteins by 6:30 am every weekend. I don't know how I handled that.
6. What is your current job?
School Psychologist. I usually enjoy it, today- not so much.
7. What would you call yourself if you could choose your own name (and you cannot pick the one you already have)?
Amazingly, I do NOT know many other Ashley's in real life. Unfortunately, every blogger and their mother happens to be named Ashley. I'm not sure how that worked out.
If my dad had his way I'd be Rebecca or Allison. I could have passed for an Allison, but I prefer Ashley.
If I HAD to pick I'd probably go with Audrey. I love that name and my husband won't let me use it for any of our future kids. Oh, or i'd go with Nicole, which is my middle name. I love Nicole.
8. What musical instruments can you play?
I played the cello and the piano from 4th grade to age 16ish. My mother made me play the cello. I wanted to play something glamorous like the violin or the flute. I quit because lugging a cello around school is not cool. Plus, dorky boys made fun of girls who had a cello between their legs. Jerks.
9. Is it easier to forgive or forget?
I think it's easier to forgive. You'll never forget unless you have dementia.
10. What is one food you’d never want to taste again?
Olives, Bananas, the gross craft beers that my husband loves, Pecan pie
Sunday, August 29, 2010
BLOG SALE!!
I've seen other people have success so I figured I'd give it a try before returning to ebay.
All items are first come first served. Email me at ashleyantics@gmail.com to reserve your item(s)I will send you a paypal invoice shortly after I receive word that you'd like to purchase something.
All prices included shipping within the continental US. If you'd like me to send it somewhere else shoot me an email first.
Look 1: Target Dress (doesn't fit me and didn't return it within target's short return period). This dress is new with tags. Chocolate brown with white polka dots. Size Medium
disclaimer: the threaded belt loop on this dress is not attached on one side. It's still totally wearable without this loop and it's fixable if you like having the loops.
19 dollars shipped
Look 2: Ann Taylor Loft Cable Knit Cardigan
Vneck, 3/4 length sleeves. Size medium, but it fits more like a small. This item has been wash/worn once.
10 dollars shipped
Look #3: Ann Taylor Loft Brown Cardigan
64% silk, 32% nylon, 4% spandex. Size small. Wash/worn twice-- I simply have too many brown cardigans in my life
12 dollars shipped
Look #4: Ann Taylor Loft Blue Polka Dot Empire Waist Shirt, Size Small
10 dollars shipped
Look #5: Ann Taylor Loft Blue Shirt, Size Small
It looks better on than on the hanger. It's great for work and I always received compliments when I wore it. It's too small now.
10 dollars shipped
Look #6: Target Merona Argyle Sweater, Size Large
Purple, turquoise and white. Brand new with tags (19.99 retail). It simply is too big on me and I didn't return it to target in time.
11 dollars shipped
Look #7: American Eagle Purple Camisole, size 6
This shirt is really cute and looks great under a cardigan. I've only worn it once or twice and it doesn't fit.
8 dollars shipped
Look #8: Ann Taylor Loft 3/4 sleeve cardigan, size Medium
Red/White stripes with cute button detailing
11 dollars shipped
Look #8: Old Navy Purple, Blue Cardigan, Size Medium
Never worn, but it may have been washed once. Really cute, I just own a ridiculous amount of cardigans.
12 dollars shipped
SALE PENDING Look #9:London Times Color Block Tank Dress, Size 6
Fits like a medium. Really cute, only worn once. I have the same dress in purple color block and don't need two of them.
15 dollars shipped
Summer Reading: Book Thirteen
Greg and Tess MacAvoy are one of four prominent Nantucket couples who count each other as best friends. As pillars of their close-knit community, the MacAvoys, Kapenashes, Drakes, and Wheelers are important to their friends and neighbors, and especially to each other. But just before the beginning of another idyllic summer, Greg and Tess are killed when their boat capsizes during an anniversary sail. As the warm weather approaches and the island mourns their loss, nothing can prepare the MacAvoy's closest friends for what will be revealed.
Oh, I sure liked this book. It was the perfect mix of trashy chick lit with a little mystery thrown in there. Have you checked this one out?
Labels: What I'm Reading
Friday, August 27, 2010
WTF Gretchen?
Are ya'll watching Project Runway (I love it, it's always the first show that I watch in my DVR).
This chick is such a hokie-- bossy-- witch.
Her attitude ruins her talent-- oh, and ps- where's her sense of personal style? She almost has a mullet and was wearing mom jeans to panel.
Does anyone else share my views of her?
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Whining
The worst part about summer ending--- the pool closing. I hate that our pool closes on labor day weekend. Maryland has pool weather straight through September so if I were in charge, I'd keep it open.
I'm going to have to sit my ass poolside all weekend to get my fill.
What will you miss about summer?
I'm still Kicking
Sunday, August 22, 2010
I love seeing this
Pumpkins on my magazines?
You know what that means..........
Fall is almost here!!!!
(ps. do you like my ghetto attempt to cover up my address. I suck at computers so this is easier than trying to photo shop it out).
To be honest, there isn't a season that I don't like.
(okay, I lie-- I don't like winter. It is my opinion that Christmas does not make up for the cold weather, snow and dreariness of that time of year. Add that to the fact that January and February are THE most dreaded months to a school employee and you'll agree that winter sucks).
To me, spring means that it's finally getting warmer, the snow is melting and there are tulips everywhere.
To me, summer means no teachers, no kids, BBQs, porch time, pool time, vacation time, my birthday, and dress time.
To me, fall means football (go steelers), our wedding anniversary, Halloween, haunted houses, cooler weather, scarves and sweatpants.
Life is so good. I can't wait!
Friday, August 20, 2010
I Want, SIGH.
In the event that you'd like to sponsor my fall wardrobe, here's a few things that are on my wish list.
Budgeting sucks. (I won't see any of you unless you hit the sale racks).
All images courtesy of Anthropologie
Labels: shopping
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Summer Reading: Book 12
I know, my reading ability has slowed because it's back to school time. I hope to keep up with my reading, but I probably won't be able to read a book in five days like I did all summer.
I actually finished this book a few days ago, but I forgot to post my review. OOPS. Technically, this book is a Young Adult Fiction book, but I probably wouldn't let anyone under 18 read it-- it's racy. It was also not a funny, happy, easy, breezy beach read-- BUT-- it was good. The writing wasn't really my style (very weird- almost like reading code), but the overall story was super interesting.
The intensity of emotion and vivid language here are more reminiscent of Anderson's Speak (Farrar, 1999) than any of her other works. Lia and Cassie had been best friends since elementary school, and each developed her own style of eating disorder that leads to disaster. Now 18, they are no longer friends. Despite their estrangement, Cassie calls Lia 33 times on the night of her death, and Lia never answers. As events play out, Lia's guilt, her need to be thin, and her fight for acceptance unravel in an almost poetic stream of consciousness in this startlingly crisp and pitch-perfect first-person narrative. The text is rich with words still legible but crossed out, the judicious use of italics, and tiny font-size refrains reflecting her distorted internal logic. All of the usual answers of specialized treatment centers, therapy, and monitoring of weight and food fail to prevail while Lia's cleverness holds sway. What happens to her in the end is much less the point than traveling with her on her agonizing journey of inexplicable pain and her attempt to make some sense of her life.—Carol A. Edwards, Denver Public Library
Have you read this one?
Labels: What I'm Reading
Oh, that Reminds ME
School Humor
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Maintaining Motivation
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Ten on Tuesday College Edition!
Monday, August 16, 2010
Birthday Weekend
I had the BEST birthday and I appreciate all of the birthday well wishes from you all!
On Thursday night we were supposed to stay home and cook burgers, but the hubs surprised me with a text in the morning. He said, "I'm so excited for your birthday! Lets go out to celebrate." Um, okay! We had the most amazing dinner and shared a bottle of wine.
I ended up going into work on my actual birthday which is pretty much unheard of for me. The day was quite rainy and I had some slight work drama that I wanted to take care of. If you can't spend the morning at the pool, you might as well deal with some spazzy parents. After a bit of work, it was off to the shops, lunch and then pedicures and massages with a friend.
Later that evening the hubs and I joined a couple of friends at our local crab shack. The weather could not have been more perfect. In Maryland, it's usually 10900 degrees and humid in August. On my birthday the rain stopped and the air cooled down into the 70's. We sat outside for about three hours and ate, drank and laughed a lot. Seriously, we laughed a lot.
On Saturday we headed down to Northern Virginia where we visited my parents. We did a little more shopping at their town center. I love shopping with mom because she'll buy me Anthropologie. It's my all time favorite store, but of course I can't afford anything there usually. After she bought me a dress we headed down to the Mexican place in town for margaritas and a Mexican feast. The weather continued to be cool so we sat outside again (seriously, my favorite thing to do in the summer). After dinner we opened presents and went back to my parents house for the night. My aunt and cousins came over and we spent the rest of the night having a drunk fest. My family knows how to have fun.
Next weekend we'll celebrate with my husband's family. I love when I can turn birthDAY into birthDAYS.
A Product Review
Well happy belated birthday to me! CSN stores have contacted me to review a product. This couldn't have come at a better time as my "I want list" is quite long at the moment.
The husband and I are looking forward to our one year anniversarymoon so we're definitely going to check out CSN.com for all of our luggage needs. Oh and our camping needs, and our decorating needs, and our cooking needs. Seriously, this place carries everything.
Friday, August 13, 2010
It's My Birthday!
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Cool Technology
Beach Bum and Baby just had her baby and she's blessed with some pretty wonderful friends. They are all feeding her new lil' family for the next few weeks/nights (I'm not sure) with the help of THIS website.
What a cool idea. I can't wait until one of my local friends get knocked up and/or have a baby so that I can try this out.
Labels: Helpin my sisters out
Ten on Tuesday
1. Do you have an innie or an outie?
I have a scarred innie thanks to a belly button ring. I thought it looked hot when I was younger, but I could have lived without the scar.
2. What kind of milkshake do you order?
Gag me. I hate, hate, hate milkshakes. I'm not even that into ice cream to be honest. I have to be really in the mood for it.
3. How often do you repeat outfits at work?
I'm a repeat offender. I work at four schools so I'm at school 1 on Monday, 2 on Tuesday, 3 on Wednesday, 4 on Thursday and I'm back at 2 on Friday. This schedule is especially useful when I come up with a cute outfit. I can wear it 4 days in a row if I wanted to (I generally don't), but I will wear the same thing two days in a row if I can get away with it.
I think that if you are raised right, you always send a thank you note-- unless you thank the person in person. I love getting mail, so I think that they are fun.
I do--- more so now that I have a husband who is addicted to spicy stuff.
6. How many toilet paper squares do you use?
I have no idea, but probably more than is really necessary.
7. Were you in Girl Scouts?
I was a brownie and a daisy.
8. Notebooks/Journals: College ruled? Wide Ruled? No lines? Spiral Bound? Plain front? Decorative?
I like spiral notebooks with lines. Bonus points if the notebook is plaid, argyle, polka dot, or if it has my monogram.
9. Do you snack throughout the day? What do you pack for snacks?
I am the worst night time eater. I could go all day without eating anything, but I'm always starving and need 2342353432 meals between the hours of 4-10pm. I usually snack on 100 calorie packs, string cheese, apples, oranges, preztels, watermelon or purple grapes. I'm trying to convince my husband that we need to stop eating in front of the TV so that I do not subconsiously associate food with television. He's not buying it.
Bit of a Dagger
Monday, August 9, 2010
Housewives
Television confuses me lately.
I'm still trying to figure out whether or not the Hills was real and now this....
DID SHE or DID SHE NOT file for bankruptcy?
I can't keep it straight. After watching her daughter's christening last week I wouldn't be surprised if she did. Budget is not in her vocabulary.
That being said. Her kids are cute.
If and/or when I have myself a daughter, you better believe that she'll be sporting giant bows a la the Giudice girls.
Seriously, what is cuter than a giant bow and a cute little bikini?
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Wedding
Last week we went to a friend's wedding.
Why is it that whenever we go to a wedding we show up looking pretty classy?
...
We manage to look like the classic Maryland couple with our classy friends
....
But within an hour we're back to looking like the real animals that we are
....
I call it the curse of the open bar
...
Does anyone else have this problem?
Speaking of Mutes....
I've been one lately.
I'm turning 29 on Friday so I'm not sure if I want to be a hermit or celebrate. :)
Summer Reads: Book 10
Description from Publishers Weekly:
Gudenkauf's tightly plotted debut packs a lot of unsavory doings into a few unfortunate summer days in Willow Creek, Iowa. Seven-year-old Calli Clark hasn't spoken a word in the three years since a particularly nasty run-in with her violent, wife-beating father, Griff. During a bender, Griff suddenly decides to haul his mute daughter into the nearby forest, where they get lost. At the same time, Calli's best friend Petra goes missing, and a manhunt is launched, led by deputy sheriff Loras Louis, who still carries a torch for Calli's mother. Gudenkauf moves the story forward at a fast clip and is adept at building tension. There's a particular darkness to her heartland, rife as it is with predators and the walking wounded, and her unsentimental take on the milieu manages to find some hope without being maudlin.
I really liked this book! It was well paced and interesting. That being said, I should put another disclaimer out there that I'm a psychologist, so I enjoy reading about Selective Mutes. You may not. I wouldn't call this a light and airy beach read, but it was great nonetheless.
Labels: What I'm Reading
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Ten on Tuesday
1. What is your current favorite television show? Probably the bachelor/ette and Survivor.
2. Apple juice or orange juice? Neither, I'd rather have soda, soda water, or water
3. It’s Shark Week on Discover Channel. Do you watch? Why or why not? I don't even know what shark week means. Everyone is saying it, but I'm too lazy to find out why.
4. What are the non-blog websites that you visit regularly? Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Etsy, Google Reader, Dealcatcher.
5. What is your favorite way to prepare green beans? Asparagus? Potatoes? Carrots?
Green Beans- sauteed with garlic, green onions and soy sauce
Asparagus- grilled and sprinkled with truffle salt
Potatoes- Baked with butter, sour cream and chives
Carrots- Raw dipped in ranch
6. What is your favorite flower? Tulips
7. How do you feel about handkerchiefs? Yuck. My grandpa uses one and it drives me insane.
8. If you could only shop at 3 stores for the rest of your life, what would they be? (You probably should include a grocery store.) I'd go with Safeway (although I'm pissy that they don't sell my favorite pasta), Target and Ann Taylor Loft. Those are pretty much the only three places that I shop now.
9. If you could only use wine for one purpose for the rest of your life, which would you choose? Are you shitting me? I don't waste good wine on food.
10. What’s your bedtime? Usually 11-11:30. I need to go earlier.
Monday, August 2, 2010
The Most Dramatic Rose Ceremony
Holy CRAP Ya'll. This was the shock of the century.
As you know, I've been faithful to Chris Harrison for many, many years so no matter what the shitty outcome, I'll keep watching. This season was rumored to be like most of the others (read: no lasting romance). Reality Steve ruined last season for everyone and he was correct every step of the way. When he determined that Ali was in fact single and picked neither man, I figured it was true.
This was the first season of the bachelor where both men were absolute hunks and absolute gems. She couldn't go wrong with either pick. It's almost unfair because I find her highly annoying. How did she score two major winners? I'm still scratching my head about that.
If Chris does not become the next bachelor, I will puke. or cry. or be mad. But don't worry, I'll keep watching regardless.
Oh and that proposal by Roberto? I die. I promptly told my husband that he needs to reenact that for me tomorrow night.
Despite not liking Ali all that much, she seemed so happy tonight and Roberto appears to love her more than anything. Seriously, I don't think it's possible to show that much love on live TV. They may be another Trista and Ryan.
Summer Reads: Book 9
The actual premise of this book is a bit ridiculous-- dead aunt's ghost returns and she's obsessed with the 1920's-- but it was actually the perfect chick lit type novel.
I love a good girl dates wrong boy (who she thinks is right), only to find the right boy (who she things is all wrong) story.
The book was super long, but super entertaining and it was a fast, easy, carefree read. It's most certainly appropriate for a weekend by the pool.
Labels: What I'm Reading