It's Been A While...

So, not a lot has been going on lately. So why the lack of posts then, you ask? Because the past couple of weeks, I've either been sick or working and/or tired. Not a lot of fun there. But cool news, John and I (I have his permission to use his name, so I don't have to call him "the boy" anymore...which will make him happy) will be heading to San Diego to see the Phillies play. We're both pretty stoked and we have our Phillies gear ready to go (red, red, red!) and we're excited to see the guys in action again. Plus I'm excited to visit San Diego (we're going to the zoo too!) and enjoy their nice weather. I just hope it's not too "cold" for me!

John took this during the one day I was sick: Nova and I napping together.

How I Came Up With The Name

Since it's been an uneventful couple of days (err...weeks?), I thought I'd give the short story of how I came up with the name for this blog. Most people probably won't find it that interesting, but I'm throwing it out there just in case anyone down the road is ever curious (hey, it could happen).

First off, I'm horrible with coming up with ideas for blog titles. I'll literally spend days and weeks trying to come up with something witty or cool until I get too anxious about not coming up with anything that I'll almost use anything that comes to mind first just so I can get started. How I could feel the pressure for a journal that wasn't even created yet, I don't know...but that's what I do. Anyway...

For this blog, I tried to think up something that would be related to both me and the Boy. Something that would tie us together without being too cheesy or too boring. It's probably a little nerdy, if anything.

Depending on your age, you've probably played - or at least seen - one of these games (or if you're not into video games, it's called A Boy and His Blob). The old NES version was hard! First, you had to figure out what each jelly bean flavor did to the blob (for example, the vanilla jelly beans turned him into an umbrella). That wasn't really the hard part. The way the game was made, it's just impossible to beat. The Wii version is almost nothing like the original. It's so much easier and frankly, a lot cuter. You don't have to figure out what the jelly beans do in the new version and the levels are fairly easy to beat.

So what does that have to do with this blog? Both the Boy and I grew up on old S/NES video games. We've both played ABAHB. And as I already said, I thought the new version was cute and I could picture us as the two characters in the game (although to be honest, I'd probably be the blob...I follow his lead more than he follows mine!).  I guess the whole idea of the two being friends and depending/trusting each other made sense and honestly, it was the first game that came to mind that I could remotely tie to a relationship. And that's about it!

Maybe some day I'll find someone to create a cool header of the two of us as a mock-up of one of the games (hint hint).

And FYI, the Boy does not look like a blob...and I do not look like a boy.

Flash Mob

I first saw this on Bloody Brilliant! and I thought it was pretty awesome. Why can't I ever be somewhere when they do a flash mob? I think it'd be so insane (and awesome).

Not much else to report today. I worked all day and it was rainy and I hung out with the boy (which always makes me happy) and...that's about it. All in all, not a bad day.

A Late Valentine's Day Dinner

Last night the Boy and I went out for a late Valentine's Day dinner. Neither of us like the craziness of Valentine's so we always decide to do something special a couple days before or after when the crowds have died down.

Taken by Mark Voss

We decided to go to Athens of 4th, which has quickly become our favorite Greek restaurant. It's a bit expensive, but the food has always been worth it (at least the two times I've gone so far).

Taken by Mark Voss

We started off with an order of tzatziki (which is a Greek yogurt, cucumber, and garlic dip served with pita bread) for an appetizer and then I got the britzoles arnisies (lamb chops) and he decided on the fish of the day (which was a crab-stuffed Idaho trout). Everything was delicious and the staff was friendly.

Athens on 4th has quickly become our new favorite (Greek) restaurant.

Afterwards, the Boy really wanted to play Castle Ravenloft, so we spent the last two hours playing his new favorite board game (which we lost in the end).

All in all, it was a good night!

Bad Habits

We all have our own bad habits. And living with another person, they can sometimes get on their nerves. I'm sure I have a few that the Boy finds annoying and I know he has a few. I try not to let them get to me because I have a lonnng road ahead of me of dealing with these habits and I'm trying to look at them as quirks rather than something negative.

Well, last night the Boy made me a little dinner after a long night at work. I was feeling crappy and a little feverish and he offered to make me something to eat since I hadn't eaten all night. After I gobbled down the food, I went out to the kitchen to find not one, not two...but three cabinet doors open. That's one of his "quirks". I don't know why it annoys me so much, but last night instead of getting mad I simply took a couple pictures. He didn't even remember leaving them open, either.

One of my bad habits that probably annoys him? I hardly ever make the bed. So you can guess what I forgot to do this morning! It doesn't help that our cats love to lay on the bed and I feel like I'm being mean when I have to push them off (not literally, of course) to make the bed. Oh well, I better get on that!

Hello!

First, I would like to thank you for visiting my new blog! There's not much here right now, but I hope to change that in the future.

To start things off, my name is Nichole. The boy and I are originally from Central Pennsylvania (which means we're not from Philly OR Pittsburgh). We met 10 - almost 11 - years ago when we both worked at Hersheypark. When he graduated college, he went off to Arizona for grad school. I stayed behind in PA for a couple years before we both realized how miserable we were with only seeing each other for a couple days every three months. So I ended up moving out to Arizona where we currently reside.

A little more about ourselves? We're big Philadelphia Phillies fans (don't get me started on Jimmy Rollins...he's my boy!). We own two cats - Chase and Nova. We love to read (I'm currently reading The Day of the Triffids & True Grit) and watch movies. The Boy loves to garden and all things nature. We like to hike and be outdoors.

This blog, I guess, will be about my/our adventures as we navigate the crazy world of academia. The Boy is almost done with grad school (he's so excited) and the next chapter of our adventure will be starting. The uncertainty of where we'll be heading next is both frustrating and exciting for us. Where will we end up next? Only time will tell.