The Lost Period

When someone asks, “Where have you been?” there’s always a good story behind it.

A lot has changed since January, and yet only one thing in my life is actually different. I’m unemployed. Although it hasn’t been long since I left (four weeks ago today, actually), it feels impossibly long ago. Like the people I worked with for one year are like high school acquaintances. Like my desk was some residence I occupied, now empty and waiting for whoever will be next. And now my apartment, where I spent less than a third of my waking hours (I may or may not have calculated that a month after I started work…), forms the perimeter of my life.

Before I left, some of the people at the firm advised me to enjoy my time in between jobs, for it may be the last time in my career I have this much time on my hands (“Go to the park!” “Catch up on TV!” “Explore your town!”). Easier said than done when you’re constantly wondering if you’re doing enough to find work, calling the unemployment office multiple times a week to see if you’re even eligible for unemployment, and trying to block out the downstairs’ neighbors kids when trying to write your fifth cover letter of the week.

Still, it’s been nice to go to the rec to run at 10:00 a.m. on a weekday (I will run that 5K this year!). I’ve started DJing again at my college radio station. As for blogging…well, I definitely want to start posting again more regularly. I also bought a journal yesterday. I haven’t journaled regularly since junior year of college, and I’m sure my child self is not pleased. Part of the reason I journaled so much as a child is because I knew if I didn’t write my memories down, I would forget what my life was like at age seven, ten, thirteen. As an adult, it may not seem like I have much to journal about, but I already know that there are memories of my work achievements, dates with Josh, and nights out with friends that are being lost to time.

There’s no need to wait for something to start, whether it be a new job, season, or birthday. Life floats on no matter where you are. One day I’ll miss having enough time to watch an entire Sex and the City marathon. Or maybe ten years from now I’ll need a reminder that my early 20s might not have been the best time of my life. Whatever I end up learning from my memories, I’ll need something to draw on. And although I’m dying to get a new job (four interviews so far!), I’m not going to wait around for my life to start – it’s already begun.

What’s there to do in January?

I’m dusting the cobwebs from my blog here. It’s been a while (22 days, to be exact) since my last post. Whatever happened to three posts a week while writing a novel while working full-time? How come I’ve hit such a blogger’s block? What was so different then, than now?

Like many Clevelanders, I could blame the weather. This winter has been strange in the fact that we’ve had 50 degree days interspersed with 15 degrees and one inch of snow. Not ideal for that ski weekend to Brandywine Josh and I dreamed about all summer. Our cabin fever isn’t from being snowed in – it’s from being on the receiving end of Mother Nature’s mood swings.

Or I could blame the month of January. Sunday blues are a lot bluesier this time of year. After the holidays pass, what’s there to be merry about? The Super Bowl, maybe, but this is Cleveland. (I think I’m most excited for artichoke dip and puppies.) But until then, I’m sitting here watching Sex and the City marathons while Josh (finally) puts together his photo collage.

only took him ten months! (but hey, it took me eight…)

Maybe a slow season in life is a good thing. I can only imagine that our future together holds a lot of gymnastics classes, church fellowships, and weekend chores to keep us busy throughout the unpredictable Cleveland winters. This stage of our lives – early 20s, not many responsibilities, not much to do – is a blessing in disguise. Aside from our downstairs neighbors, it’s quiet here. We don’t have much going on in our lives. And I know this won’t last. The whole purpose of starting my blog was to learn to slow down and appreciate the moment I live in. In this moment, we have stillness. And that’s okay with me.

Maybe there is a such thing…

…as too much chocolate.

Okay, let me explain this absurdity. Josh’s family (bless their hearts) had no idea what to get me for Christmas, so I gave him a few ideas to pass along. “Well, I like Forever 21, H&M, Marshall’s…oh, and dark chocolate.”

I came home on Christmas evening to find gifts from his mom, dad, brother, aunt, grandpa, and grandma under the tree. As I unwrapped everything, my thoughts went from “Ooo, chocolate!!” to “Hey, more chocolate!” to “…did everyone get me chocolate?”

They did. Pictured above is the final count:

• Chocolate covered sunflower seeds
• Two Malley-Ohs (chocolate dipped Oreos for you non-Ohioans)
• A Crockpot recipe container that clearly does not belong in this photo…
• One bottle of Chocolate Shop dark chocolate-infused wine
• Two bags of milk chocolate coins
• An Aero 2-in-1 bar
• Two Malley’s dark chocolate pretzel crunch bars
• One Malley’s crunch bar
• One Malley’s Santa bar (aka a Malley’s crunch bar with a Christmas wrapper)
• Two Godiva dark chocolate bars
• One box of Godiva dark chocolate pearls
• One box of Pocky
• A snowman jar stuffed with hot chocolate packets
• One bag of Malley’s dark chocolate coins
• One bag of Lindor dark truffles
• Two Malley’s dark chocolate-dipped pretzel rods
• One GIANT Malley’s milk chocolate pretzel bar
• And a diabetic partridge in a pear tree.

It’s not like I don’t appreciate it. I’m flattered that Josh’s family all thought of me and got me things they knew I would really enjoy. The only problem is, nearly two weeks later, I’m sitting here noshing on a Malley-Oh and still wondering “Now what?” It took Josh until last week to eat his chocolate bunny from last Easter. How can we possibly eat through all this? I’ve got a few ideas for the solid chocolate – melting it down and making chocolate kale chips, chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day, and re-freezing some to make homemade chocolate chips.

Other than that, I can’t think of much else. Josh knows to not get me any chocolate for Valentine’s Day, and that bottle of chocolate wine is long gone (burp). I might be having Wonka nightmares in the near future.

Maybe next year I’ll just say I like kittens and hope for the best…

What would you do with this much chocolate?

Silver Bells…

Silver bells -

It’s Christmastime in the city.

Ring-a-ling, hear them sing -

Soon it will be Christmas Day.

Working in downtown Cleveland has given me a new appreciation for the song this year. To see Tower City and the heart of Cleveland all lit and decorated in the spirit of the holidays was something I’ve been waiting for ever since I moved back here in February. (So I guess it makes sense that I was planning my holiday party since then, too.) I was able to walk along the city streets and listen as Christmas music played from the shops and restaurants, as well as the Public Square saxophone player in his spring-loaded Santa hat. Our office got together to donate toys to United Way (pictured above). Some of the women in the office formed a cookie exchange, so we all now have 9 dozen assorted cookies, and my mom does not need to do any baking when I come to visit her

Yet strangely, it doesn’t feel much like Christmas this year. I really think Sandy Hook certainly played a major role in stifling the Christmas spirit across the nation (but maybe a certain Twitter movement is bringing it back…?). Yet even before that, Clevelanders were faced with an unusual quandary – it’s been mild, dry, and completely snowless the entire season so far. For a city where snow in October or two feet overnight is barely out of the ordinary, yet we gripe, shovel, and slog through it until April, a green Christmas is no Christmas at all here in Cleveland. Everyone I’ve talked to has been confused – even anxious – over the lack of snow that Northeast Ohio has been getting. Even when West Virginia was getting pummeled with snow during Hurricane Sandy, we got 80-mile-per-hour winds, and tidal waves on the highway. What kind of holiday season would it be without revving up our snowplow? Screaming at ODOT for knocking over your mailbox? (this happened to my neighbor twice, by the way.) Or even skating in Wade Oval as the snow falls gently on our puffy jackets? Or a Winterfest that feels like…well…winter?

Today, though, we got hit with all the wind and snow we were supposed to get these past two months. And everyone in Cleveland, at least for the time being, is glad to have it back. People are saying it finally feels like Christmas now that we’ve had our first real snowfall. It’s only a few inches in accumulation, but it’s enough to cause three accidents on the highway, me to listen to Cleveland’s Christmas station, 102.1 the entire hour ride home, and for the city, just for this one day, to believe that the holidays are truly upon us. Although Josh and I won’t be venturing out to look at Christmas lights (earth to ODOT!), we’ll instead be spending the evening tucked in and drinking hot cocoa while the snow falls outside. I think it’s a fair trade. I’m leaving town tomorrow to visit my family out of state, but tonight will be the one night I spend here where it truly feels like Christmastime in the city.

Are you getting a lot of snow where you live? Does it feel like the holiday season to you this year?

Adventures in Cleveland: A Christmas Story House & Museum

During the holiday season, Clevelanders take pride in the fact that the house from A Christmas Story is located in our hometown. Although the modest house on West 11th Street was used more for outdoor shots than indoor shots, it’s the same house where Ralphie and his family lived in, recently restored to its original state. Across the street from the house are a gift shop and museum that contains genuine artifacts from the film. Josh and I made the pilgrimage to the house on Sunday…

…but not before waiting 40 minutes in line first. Looks like everyone else wanted to use their Groupon before Christmas.

At least the line moved fairly quickly, and it was warm outside. (57 degrees in mid-December? In Cleveland?!)

We also had entertainment in the form of A Christmas Story trivia. She explained to us that the tongue-on-the-pole scene was filmed using a PVC pipe spray painted to look like a metal pole. A hole was drilled in the pipe where Flick’s tongue would be, and a dental vacuum gave the illusion that his tongue was stuck to pole.

We finally made it to the front porch! Outside, vendors were selling fresh-popped kettle corn and cinnamon-roasted nuts. I spent all my cash on parking, though…

Now we go inside the house:

After the filming of A Christmas Story, the house remained a normal residence until 2005, when the owners of the house put it on eBay. This prompted a die-hard A Christmas Story fan to buy the house and convert it into the movie replica.

Visitors were allowed to lift the leg lamp out of the box for a photo op.

And grope the lamp, if they so desired.

The house was primarily re-designed to replicate the movie – most of the actual artifacts from the film are across the street in the museum.

Including the Red Ryder BB Gun!

And the Little Orphan Annie comics!

Both the house and museum were extremely crowded, so we headed over to the gift shop…which was just as crowded. I think that was the main reason Josh and I refrained from buying anything:

If you’re a fan of the movie, I would definitely recommend checking out A Christmas Story House & Museum any time of year (and maybe get that Groupon first – it doesn’t expire until next October!). If you do go around Christmastime, be prepared for a long line, getting stuck behind tour buses, and up to $15 parking in someone’s driveway. Nonetheless, it’s a fun, interactive tour, whether you watch the entire marathon on AMC every year or have only seen the movie once.

The Inaugural Holiday Party + Cranberry Clove Punch

Josh and I had this party planned ever since we moved in together in February, as part of our dewy-eyed dreaming about our future in this new home. We would have this great, huge party one Saturday in December with all of our friends over delicious food and plenty of drink. It would be the start of our bright future as expert party hosts. All of our friends would tell their friends, and our party would grow and grow every year to the ultimate event of the holiday season.

Okay, maybe that last part was a little over-ambitious. But our apartment had been cleaned, food and drinks laid out, and when our guests finally arrived, they all had a great time. We ate, drank, and were merry – the recipe for holiday cheer is as simple as it sounds. Honestly, I was afraid that everyone would be bored. We only had five guests, and I was afraid that it so few would make things awkward. And the only entertainment we had, other than each other’s company, were the carols playing from our Music Choice channel. But despite my worrying, everything went off without a hitch and our guests were happy to be there. I learned last night that a “grown-up” party is much different than a college rager. The amount of alcohol present does not necessarily correlate with your guests’ enjoyment. Although we had plenty of Great Lakes Christmas Ale, champagne, and two bottles of Loopy, that wasn’t the main reason everyone enjoyed themselves. And although there wasn’t a ton of people present (Josh and I had originally planned for ten…mind you, this was February planning), everyone had fun because they all got to spend more time with each other, unlike at college parties where you have to weave through the crowd to find that friend you haven’t seen all semester, and then five minutes later, you lose her to a different group of people you’ve never met.

Another great part about having less people? More food for everyone:

Aside from the springtime-printed paper plates (at least we had paper plates – we never use them!), we had a festive spread that everyone enjoyed. I’ve already noted for next year that we will need more plain crackers, less crispy on the bruschetta, and a LOT more cranberry clove punch. It’s a very simple recipe that everyone enjoyed, and festive without being overwhelmingly spicy. All you need is:

64 oz. 100% cranberry juice

2 c. lemon-lime soda

1 navel orange

Whole cloves

Combine first two ingredients in punch bowl. Slice the orange into 1/2 inch slices. Insert  10-12 cloves into each orange slice (about one per wedge)

Place oranges in punch and let steep. Serve.

I made the punch non-alcoholic for a few reasons; I knew people had to drive home, there were plenty of other alcoholic options, and if they wanted to, people could add some vodka or champagne to theirs. In actuality, everyone added a little bit of Loopy to their cup, and loved it. Adding that to next year’s notes…

Oh, and in addition to the second bottle of Loopy, my friend Shannon also brought a plate of iced persimmon cookies. Check persimmons off my foodie bucket list!

Everyone left around 10:30, which was fine with us – we didn’t have to stay up all night cleaning. I went to bed giddy over the fact that our party was, although small and low-key, a success. I can forget about my haphazard Sweet 16 that took place in a park pavilion with my mom, an ice cream cake, and two other girls from marching band, and my clarinet party where everyone was most excited over the Nerds. Until now, I had some major hostaphobia. Now I’m sitting at our kitchen table drinking some leftover champagne, wondering when our next party will be. Hopefully it won’t be too soon, because I don’t know how much longer we can live off leftovers that consist of mini hot dogs, cauliflower, pepperjack cheese, and beer.

Maybe longer than we think.

Leah Likes: Makeup Edition!

Looking at me, one wouldn’t think I’m much of a makeup person. I’m not the kind of girl who has 50 tubes of lip gloss or spends an hour getting her face ready every morning. I only wear foundation if I’m sunburned. But like most girls, I love to experiment with new products and colors, and there are a few things in my Caboodle I can’t live without:

L’Oreal Colour Riche Lipstick – Laetitia’s Champagne

I wear this lipstick almost every day to the office. It’s without a doubt my favorite. It feels light on the lips and isn’t overpowering in color – and being fair-skinned, bright lipstick can look more like clown makeup on me.

Although the color is called “champagne,” it’s more of a shimmery medium pink. I nearly had a heart attack when I saw it wasn’t in drugstores anymore – but it turns out it’s now under a different name, Sugar Plum. Which still isn’t accurate…

Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm – Red Dahlia

Just as I wear lipstick on the weekdays, I wear this stuff on the weekends. I can’t leave the house without it! I don’t care if I’m just heading to the grocery store on a dreary Saturday morning- my lips have to look like they’re more awake than the rest of me.

This stuff is a lot sheerer than the photo makes it out to be. It’s casual and light even on fair skin like mine, which is nice, because I don’t want to look too hoochie walking into Marc’s. It’s bad enough that I wear – gasp – leggings in public.

Yves Rocher Eye Pencil

This is the other thing I absolutely must put on without leaving the house. I’ll admit it; I’m strangely self-conscious of my eyebrows. They’re blonde, sparse, and are only properly visible when I shade them with my eye pencil. Don’t believe me?

Never mind the creeping clown…where are my eyebrows?!

Even my Mii has no eyebrows. When I pluck my them, I’m pretty sure only I notice a difference. So my magic eye pencil comes in, even if I’m just going to the grocery store on a lazy Saturday morning, and puts a little more expression on my face, and keeps people from asking, “Do you only have half an eyebrow?” Believe me, it’s happened.

C. O. Bigelow My Favorite Night Balm

I don’t know about anyone else, but my lips get extremely chapped this time of year. Plus, the air in my apartment is dry, and my lips are always cracked when I wake up. Or maybe all that lipstick dries them out. But on a Bath and Body Works run, I came across this 8-hour repair lip balm. And I was pleasantly surprised! At $7.50 for 1/3 ounce, it’s a bit pricey, but worth it to me. I like to be able to open my mouth in the morning without feeling like my lips are shattering. My lips are soft enough that I can – gasp – kiss Josh good morning! (awwwwww)

What beauty products can’t you live without? How many lip glosses/lipsticks are in your Caboodle? (Please don’t tell me I’m the only one who still uses hers…)