Never saw blue like that before

It's getting tedious at this point, I know.

But I can't stop talking about it.

I love it here so much. I love the sky. I love the trees. I love the sunsets as I walk out of my office at night.

I love the star filled skies at night and the inevitable torrential summer downpours.

If you've never been to PA, you need to get here asap!

Or better yet, wait until fall. Fall in PA is what I think heaven will be like.

There are always these amazing clouds every single night when I leave work. My coworkers probably think I am nuts, standing on the sidewalk, taking pictures of the sky with my ipad.

I have a giant window in my office. It is overlooking the hospital where my Jamesaroni was born. And also a great view of crazy PA summer storms.

This picture doesn't do it justice. It was the most intensely awesome shade of blue EVER.


Lori Ann

p.s.- Today I am doing it- I'm finally going to see The Conjuring. Yikes! 

It's (not) Thriller Night

I look up 'scared' and this is what google images gives me. Disturbing.

Surprise, surprise, I talked myself out of going to see The Conjuring last night.

I felt like I would probably be murdered.

I have those feelings every once in a while.

Like "If I go into that port a pot, I'll probably be murdered" or

"If I don't get from the car to the house in less than 30 seconds, I'll probably be murdered."

In that particular case, I actually envision the murderers saying "Ok, set the timer. If she makes it, we walk away. If not..*finger across throat gesture*"

So, yeah.

I watch too much TV about murders,death, and people snapping and hitting their spouse with a shovel.

Speaking of death, it's only 9:48 am. How do I still have 7 hours and 12 minutes until this work day is over?

*I literally just put my head on my desk in defeat for a good two minutes*

Anyway,

Lori Ann

Girls just want to have fun

There are alot of things that I need to update you people on. Ehh..not really. Life is swimmingly monotonous. But there are a few crazy things happening out here..like...

1.A sleepover with my nieces! We ate at a semi shady Subway. Then went to see Turbo in a weird theatre with a piano that plays itself. Then we went to Ritas. Every great Girls Night Out should end with Ritas! It was so much fun. We sat at this picnic table and ate our mango and rootbeer water ice and watched the fire flies while we talked about our next Girls Night Out. (it's going to be bowling!)

2. If you are wondering why I keep writing "girls night out" in all caps is because it was a BIG deal to Elly and Katy. They are new to the concept and kept asking me questions about it all night. "Are we having a girls night out, Aunt Lori?" "What happens if you bring a boy to a girls night out?" "Are girls nights out always crazy, Aunt Lori?". I love teaching the kids new things. American history. New recipes. And yes, the secrets to a great Girls Night Out.

These ladies know how to party!

3. Lastly, I met up with Danielle at the gym today. It reminded me of the old days, when we used to run together in high school. And by run, I mean I would jog slower than most people walk and Danielle would run backwards in front of me, yelling "You can do it, Lori!". Yeah, the gym was like that today. We were on treadmills and just walking 2 miles. Danielle's was on a crazy incline and; even with a several minute bathroom break, she still completed her miles well ahead of me.

We are both preparing for a 5K on October 5th. It's a color run! I've got to shave 6 minutes off each mile to finish in 45 minutes. (My personal goal)

Wow..this has been a painfully wordy and long update on really not that much. My apologies.

I'll be back to classic TSC form tomorrow.

 Or maybe late tonight- I am thinking about going to see The Conjuring at 10:50 pm.

On a work night, baby!

Brace yourselves for a crying, freaked out post at 1 am!

Lori Ann

YES!

You guys,

I heard the BEST THING EVER today.

Someone said to me

" I come to therapy with you because it's cheaper than a hooker".

I'm thinking of making a sign for my office door that says

"Therapy: cheaper than a hooker".

My apologies to sex workers everywhere...you are losing your customer base because they are coming to see me! And I don't even have to wear knee high plastic boots to get them here. (I wear them because I choose to.)

Dang, it feels good to be a therapist today!

Lori Ann

That he was here with me

My sister Erin is hilarious. She is my therapy, I swear.

On an unrelated note, I found out my dad has been mowing the neighbors yard. She is a single mom. I think I was the first person he told. (in the 3 months since he's been mowing)

Even though I know they'll hate it (my family loathes emotional crap) I have to say that I am daily amazed by the incredible people I am blessed to be related to. They are how I know that God loves me.

Lori Ann

p.s.- On a related side note, I decided to man up and help my dad mow just a small part of the lawn. My lily white office workers hands are now literally blistered. It's a sad state of affairs.

And then I don't feel so bad

A few of my favorite things: The (evil) Summer edition.

I figure that I am about 2-3 posts away from Mormon single girl blogger fame. So, people are going to be clamoring to find out what my very favorite summer things are.

Well; you, my faithful readers, will be privileged to hear it first.

Let's do this dance.

1. The fruit mix I am packing every day for lunch. It's watermelon, strawberries, pineapple, and grapes. Best. Lunch. Ever. (unless there are donuts or beefaroni available..that goes without saying)

2. Lightening bugs. Or fire flies. Whatever you want to call them. It's so cool to drive home on my late nights, through the back roads, past farms- it's all twilight and crazy blinking fire flies.

3. Laying under piles of covers with the AC turned all the way up. Illogical, perhaps. But awesome none the less.

4. The smell of grass in summer. It reminds me of playing field hockey. And anything that takes ones mind back to Jersey in the late 90's is a winner.

5. And lastly (and this should come as no surprise to anyone) PA in summer. I loathe the weather but I cannot deny that the rolling hills of corn fields, quaint little farmers markets, and endless miles of trees that are in full bloom and just the right shade of green, are absolutely stunning.

I hope everyone is surviving summer. T-minus 44 days until Sept. 1st!

Lori Ann

Self proclaimed Irish/French American

I know every one's been waiting; most likely breathlessly, for my thoughts on the Zimmerman verdict.

Alas, you shall have to continue to wait.

This trial has made me realize that I have a lot of conflicting thoughts about how we treat each other and what we expect from each other as Americans. 

I think the part of me that is hardest for me to describe without sounding...well...evil, is the part of me that struggles with people who think other people owe them something.

Whether it's a racial thing, an ethnic thing, a poverty thing, a disability thing.

I honestly feel like no one adult person owes another (non related) adult person anything. (and I get that this doesn't sound Christian. That's a whole other topic I won't veer off into) 

I think we all owe children safety, good health, opportunity, education, and as much happiness as we can help them achieve.

And I think the government; or at least our laws, owe everyone equal treatment. That is not to say that all outcomes will be equal, but all treatment should be fair, colorblind, and as unbiased as biased people can make it.

I usually don't talk about stuff like this because I have this deeply ingrained idea (probably from going to public school in Jersey) that I'm not allowed to talk about this. That I don't and could never understand what other people go through and how they feel.  That I have it easy so my thoughts and feelings don't count. That I shouldn't share them anyway because they are most likely inherently biased, prejudiced, and self serving.

I wouldn't want anyone to not feel ok sharing their thoughts and feelings. Even if they were directly opposite of mine. If we are ever going to move forward as a country, there shouldn't be a list of things that we can't talk about.

I think we all too often try and fit our world into a movie narrative (helped along by the media.) There are the good guys and the bad guys. There is right and there is wrong.

And anyone that suggests otherwise is naive to reality. 

Well, I suggest otherwise.

I didn't see one hero and one villain in the Zimmerman/ Martin case. Nor did I see one martyr and one devil. I didn't see one thug and one heroic almost cop. Nor did I see one skittle popping little boy and one vigilante.

Ironically, it's not as simple as black and white. Or rather, black and 'white hispanic'.

This concludes the Spinster Chronicles Thoughts on Life, Politics, and famous trials until Jan. 2014 (when the mid terms start!)

Lori Ann