Always Anna

A new iPod.  To be out of debt.  To find the motivation to actually start working out, instead of just talking about it.  For someone to come up with a way to make a nice sharp, hard cheese (like an asiago) that isn’t ridiculously fattening.  Perfect black boots to wear with my “dressy” jeans: not pointy-toed but not too square or round, not knee-high but not ankle boots either, with 3-inch heels.

A full month of vacation time.

Winter in Boston not to last 6 months.  Spring in Boston not to involve so much rain that I think I need to build an ark.  Summer in Boston not to be so humid that I can’t go outside.  Autumn in Boston to last more than a month (because it is, by far, one of the most beautiful times of the year).   

To live in California again soon.

To sleep in every day.  A new comforter or quilt for my bed.  And new sheets.  To spend more time creating - whether it’s paper crafts or home decorating or graphic design.  To make this the year I finally visit somewhere in Europe.  To finally decide whether to focus on learning French or re-learning Spanish, then actually do it.

To go to the Packers vs. Giants NFC Championship Game this Sunday.  And for the Packers to win!

Thanks to Molly for this fun idea!

Yesterday I said I love nature.  And I do, I do.  But… ummm… not when they’re invading my space.

For example, let’s take a chubby brown mouse.  Super cute when I see them on some nature show, or nibbling on a blade of grass in Central Park.  Or, you know, in Cinderella.  But running from my desk into my boss’s office, then streaking around like a maniac?  Not so cute.  And when the office cleaning guy almost falls over laughing because I’m screaming like a stereotypical girl and JUMPING in the air every time the mouse moves?  Well, let’s just say it’s a little bit embarrassing.

Last night, after I rocked the kitchen and produced a healthy and yummy salmon dinner (with asparagus!) in only 35 minutes (including prep time!), the BF and I settled down on the couch to watch the first episode of Planet Earth.

I admit that I’m a tree-hugger (or at least a wannabe one), and I love pretty much all nature-related movies.  March of the Penguins?  An Inconvenient Truth?  Loved them.  Discovery Channel and Animal Planet?  So amazing.  But Planet Earth takes nature viewing to a whole new level.  In “Pole to Pole” (the title of episode one), the views that they were able to photograph and film are just heart-stoppingly beautiful.  I cried and laughed, and can’t wait to watch the other 11 episodes.  Can. Not. Wait.

It’s dumping snow here in Boston, and I love it.  Ever since I moved out east, I’ve felt that if I’m going to suffer through the ridiculously cold weather, I’d rather have snow on the ground than not. 

Snow makes everything seem more peaceful.  Cars seem quieter.  Sirens sound muffled.  And while I’d love to be bundled up on my couch with some Spiced Original Oregon Chai (my favorite make-at-home winter drink), walking to the T stop this morning felt… calming.  Which is totally bizarre, since it’s a Monday morning and I was heading to work. 

I only wish my digital camera was working properly.  I saw so many gorgeous photo ops on my walk this morning: snow weighing down branches against a white sky, brick buildings and evergreens covered in blankets of white, and - my favorite - one person walking through the black-and-white world wearing a bright red puffy coat. 

Note to self: get camera fixed, or buy a new one.

Thanks for bringing to my attention, Marta!

Sometimes, when the stress level at work has been ridiculously high for too long a period of time and I’ve been running around trying to do a million things at once and no matter how much I manage to complete my to-do list keeps getting longer, I get the giggles.

Everything sets me off.  Things that made me lock myself in the bathroom yesterday in an attempt to get tears under control are just making me double over laughing today.  It’s totally bizarre… but at least I’m past the point of wanting to shoot anyone that crosses my path.

Back again? Poop is back.  Tell a friend!

Finding this out just made my day.

Food and books are at the very top of my list of favorite things.  So when a friend introduced me to Traveler Food and Books yesterday, I was in my very own version of heaven.  The food was pretty standard for a diner-type restaurant: good but not great (although I did LOVE their french fries).  But the restaurant walls are lined with books, which guests are allowed to take home with them for free!  For most of the year, diners are allowed one book each, but they are having a special this month that allows diners to take home THREE free books.  THREE!

After ordering my cheeseburger and fries, I wandered around the restaurant to check out my options.  It was like a treasure hunt - I had to sort through books about dieting and spirituality to find the mysteries and trashy romances I like to use as light reading.   And since additional books are super cheap, I didn’t even bother limiting myself to three. 

Of course, since I have no impulse control when it comes to book shopping anyway, my living room is currently over run with books.  Maybe I can bring some of my extras back to the restaurant on my next trip as a donation!

Since moving out to the east coast in the fall of 1998, I’ve generally only been able to swing a trip home twice a year.  And - as much as I liked Providence and now love Boston - I will never feel completely at home here.

Don’t get me wrong - I have a ton of fun living out here.  I have amazing friends that I don’t want to leave.  I love the history and beauty that you see everywhere around Boston.  I love being able to travel to other states really easily, and in just a few hours.  I really love being able to visit New York (and, of course, shop in New York).  And - all complaints about the ridiculous amount of overtime that I work aside - I actually really like my job.

But I think Jolie put it best last August, when she wrote:

There was something about growing up in California that felt unimaginably special; we were on a different time schedule from most of the country, Disneyland was just another thing to do on a Saturday afternoon, and Christmas meant barbecues at the beach. Your tan never faded (and in my case, neither did my freckles). Everything had a sense of fresh promise…. Other places have captivated my attention … but California is my soul.

I was able to spend an entire week at home over Christmas - the longest time I’ve been home since graduating from college - and it really hit me again… I may live on the east coast, but I’ll always be a California girl at heart.

I’ve been on vacation the past few weeks… and for once, I think my time away from work actually refreshed me.  Like, when I woke up this morning?  I didn’t want to kill myself at the thought of heading back to my desk.

I’ll have more to post on later… I just wanted to say Happy New Year!

And on a random side note - how amazing were my USC Trojans in yesterday’s Rose Bowl?