I'm Not Sorry

By Pete Scully

I've realized that I say "I'm sorry" too often. Even when an apology isn't necessary. It just comes out.

In fact, this is a problem for many women. Ms. Career Girl, a blog I follow, calls it "The Pleasing Disease." Many women, myself included, are too quick to say yes even when we can't take on any more projects. We're too quick to say sorry about anything and everything. Heaven forbid that we hurt someone's feelings.

All of it is unnecessary. Both personally and professionally.

In fact, a good friend said to me recently, "You back down too quickly. I like it when you're sassy." And he's right. There's nothing wrong with speaking our minds and with saying no. In fact, it should happen more often!

So my goal for this next week is not to say sorry. Not once. Not even on the soccer field.

I Work for A Scholarly Publisher

My chosen profession means that I read quick, easy, and fun novels in my spare time. Thought-provoking? Educational? Pfffffft.

The book that I loved and am now telling everyone to read is Got Fight? by Forrest Griffin. This is an often crude and therefore hilarious account of fighting---and of life in general. Because of this book, I've also been obsessed with watching reruns of The Ultimate Fighter. I'm insane---it makes life more fun.

Seriously, read the book. And then recommend it to everyone you know. (This was a NYTimes best seller, so I'm not as crazy as you think.)

The other book I've read within the last two weeks is Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. This book is like the Twilight series for housewifes. Seriously. Poor writing but entertaining as hell. A teenage girl wishing for escape through fictionalized love = Twilight. A middle-aged housewife wishing for escape through fictionalized travel and therefore finding love = Eat, Pray, Love. Both frustrating books and yet you can't put them down. Though I have to admit, I'll probably see the movie. I like Julia Roberts. (Side note: In googling the movie, I realized the website address is http://www.letyourselfgo.com/. I think I may throw up now.)

On my plate now is a book that my friend sent from Texas: Men and Dogs by Katie Crouch. I love my friend and we have so very much in common... and yet I suffer through every book she sends me. Seriously, what is this girl thinking when she reads these things? Our difference in reading materials is amusing, actually. Everyone has their preferred books, their preferred movies, their favorite songs. But because your opinion doesn't match mine, it means that I'm smarter than you are, obviously. You remember that.

Reading is fun.

Nom, Nom, Nom

I've been cooking more lately---yay! Actually, I'm trying to save money and in doing so I'm working through all the leftovers in my freezer. This means a lot of frozen meat. I mean, a lot of meat. I don't eat nearly as much meat as I used to, so this is kind of hard for me. In fact, I'm typically a "weekday vegetarian" in which I don't eat meat during the week and at work. On weekends though, it's fair game!

So in working through my freezer this past week, I have conquered two lovely new creations:

First: Spicy Italian Meatballs

Meatballs!

These are my lovely little spicy Italian meatballs. Perfect for that leftover hamburger meat in the freezer and it makes a boring, old pasta disk soooooo much more exciting. I never knew what a dash of red pepper flakes could to to instantly spice things up. I got the recipe from here.

Heating up some spaghetti and meatballs in the amazing All-Clad pan that I got for my b-day.

I know you're supposed to use regular spaghetti noodles with meatballs, but I had penne on hand. So deal with it. And one day I'm going to have a giant kitchen filled entirely with All-Clad utensils. (I'll keep dreaming in the meantime.)

Second (and definitely a keeper): Homemade Pizza with Carmelized Onions and Grilled Chicken

Get in my belly!

Pioneer Woman kept broadcasting a version of this recipe, so I've been craving it for weeks. Honestly, weeks. I only substituted chicken for the proccuitto (because that's what I had in my freezer) and used a tomato sauce under the toppings. The carmelized onions are to die for.  I typically don't like onions but I'm drooling just thinking about it now.

Strangely enough, I think that working meat back into my diet is helping me both perform better in soccer and (gasp!) lose some weight. Usually by mid-week, I'd feel so protien deprived that I'd instinctively reach for the nearest candy bar just to eat something. But then again, this is probably just an excuse. No matter what I eat, I'm going to be reaching for the candy bars.

A note on the fitness side of things. In the past 4 days I have done a sunrise climb up Mount Quandary and have played four soccer games in a local tournament. AND I had a stellar goal in the tournament! It was a set play across the box---I brought it down with my head and 5-holed the goalie. Goosebumps, baby.

Mount Quandary double-rainbow

Justin & I at the summit

And, because I'm obsessed with my Kindle I took a picture of it while reading in the park on Saturday.

Dear Kindle, I heart you.

Random

Since I've been gone for so long, I'd like to share some of my random thoughts via cell phone pictures taken over the last couple weeks. Yup, that's right: I still don't have a camera. And I like it. Don't hate.

I've been riding my little commuter bike as much as possible. My goal for this week is to not drive my car unless I'm leaving town. It's easier said than done.

It's after 7pm on a Tuesday night. I'm at work. This is what my desk looks like. I hope I don't run into the Creepy Janitor.

I can actually look cute some days! Here's my rockin' new halter and cute scarf. The only good thing about having linebacker shoulders is that I can rock the halter tops.

I love, love, love my Korean shirt from Adam. He has a shirt from Boulder in return. Check out the awesome project, TXP.

Besides the office, I spend a ridiculous amount of time here: Boulder Indoor Soccer.

My office is boycotting Amazon. They're bullies. But I have a huge and slightly worrisome crush on my new Kindle. It's that amazing.

I have been cooking. Not as much as I should, but still. Cookies!

Lastly, I'm debating about going here: Australia. We'll see.

Random Thoughts + Stuck at Work + Cell Phone Pictures + Hot Chocolate = Love

I’m a Grumpy Mo-Fo Today

I have to admit that I hate blog/Facebook/Twitter venting. But today I’m a grumpy mo-fo.

It’s been forever since I posted and I’m sorry! (Not that I have any readers, but the whole point of a blog is to keep up with it.)

So, a brief highlight of my last few months---which, despite my grumpiness today, have been pretty stellar.

May:

Soccer, soccer, and more soccer.

We sent off one of my good friends, Abe, to his medical residency in New York. I already miss you, dude!

Abe and I

I did a kettlebell session with my friend, Scott. I was sore for days. As in, more sore than I remember being for a long, long time. It was amazing.

Ran the BolderBoulder with my newly-engaged friend, Amber. We were slow, but we finally caught up with every minute detail of our lives. Girl talk while running is the best. thing. ever.

June:

Soccer, soccer, and more soccer.

My birthday month! It all seemed to fly by.

My best friend Christy and her husband Josh stopped into town on their way to moving to Texas. They bought a ginormous house for the cost of a one-bedroom condo here in Boulder. I can't wait to go visit!

World Cup! Despite the fact that I'm a player myself, I know nothing about international soccer. I choose teams by how cute their players are. True story. It's like choosing wine by its label or judging a book by its cover. All infallible methods.

Went to a “Cooking While Camping” course/session/whatever. This man made the most amazing Thai Green Curry off a freakin’ camp stove. I can’t even do that in my kitchen at home.

Signed up and started training for my first triathlon ever. Biking and running? No problem. Swimming? I’m going to drown. By the way, this shiz is still expensive.

Won the co-ed Crested Butte soccer tournament. Had a great time with good friends!

Champions!

July:

Soccer, soccer, and more soccer.

Went hiking with my amazing friend from Australia, whom I affectionately call Baby. It’s been two years since he’s left us. I miss him.

First camping trip and first 14-er of the year---my ninth ascent total. A great weekend with friends, the outdoors, and lots of good food.

View from the top of Mount Bierstadt (14,060 feet)

Emily and I at Guanella Pass

This past weekend consisted of Guns and Garters and fishing with my amazing family. I’ve never shot skeet with shotguns before and it was surprisingly a lot of fun! My shoulder is a little bruised from the kickback but it also makes me feel like a badass. And a day spent on the boat is always good for the soul.


So that’s the quick and dirty of my life right now. All-in-all it has been amazing. So my grumpiness is totally out of line. Maybe I just needed to spew this all out so that I’d realize how lucky I am.

Maybe we all just need a day to pout and then get over ourselves.

Probably both.

Harrumph. Grump. Poop. Frown.

Update 2.0

An update on my last two crazy weeks:

Lake Powell

Below are the few pictures I managed to snap with my camera phone. Remember how I need a digital camera? Yeah, still haven't bought one. I guess it isn't that high on my list. One thing about taking pictures is that you're always behind the camera instead of in front of it---good news.

My poppa catching a fish

Pretty largemouth bass

Bill hanging out

Randy silently fishing in back. If the fish didn't splash, you'd never know he caught anything. The rest of us yell, scream, and proclaim our greatness to the world whenever we reel something in.

This is now one of my favorite pictures. The two fishing pros---my dad and Bill---showing off their loot.

But it wasn't all fun and games. There was a lot of work to be done on the boat. Here are the guys working in the engine compartments. Why is everyone in the engine, you ask? Well, because of this....

We're sinking.

Here's the story: I went for a gorgeous run and came back with a bag of ice for our margaritas (priorities). Sheri then pronounced that we're sinking. I thought she was kidding. Not so much. I went to the back of the boat, snapped this picture of the engines, batteries, and generator submerged in water, and then I started bailing. Yes, bailing. With buckets. Meanwhile we were also hooking up electric water pumps. The picture above was taken after we had already set up a couple pumps---there was even more water before I got there.

Once we got all the water out the guys were able to determine the problem. When OffShore maintenance was replacing a seal, they didn't replace the rubber on seal or put the cap on correctly. On top of this, the bilge pump hose was off so it kept pumping water back into the engine compartments. Insanity. But the crises was averted and we've all lived to sail another day. Hurrah.

So after the long weekend, I am now back in the office. On a good note, I haven't had to play any soccer games this week. Yay! As for my round belly, boooooo.

Cooking

I haven't had the chance to cook in a while, so last night I tried a new recipe. For some reason, I thought zucchini pancakes sounded good. I wasn't thinking straight at the time. The progression:

Food processor! I was able to score this from my mom.

Zucchini! The food processor rocks. I can't imagine grating all this by hand.

So, you're supposed to form the zucchini and spices into little patties, cover them with bread crumbs, and fry them up in olive oil. Sounds easy enough, right? The start of it seemed to go well.

And then this happened. Either my pan is misshapen or the stove is not level---probably both---because all the oil pooled to one side of the pan. So instead of frying the patties and cooking them throughout, the breading just stuck to the pan and burnt. Awesome.

The final result was edible but I also learned that I don't like zucchini that much. Too bad my roomie, Kyle, wasn't home. He usually gets a kick out of my cooking adventures. He laughs, cries, and then takes over because he can't watch anymore.

Finally, I had to post this picture because it cracks me up. (See the pun? Get it? I'm so witty.) It's an ad for a fitness company. Happy Friday!

Road Trip

I'm leaving town again. Hurrah!

My soul is permanently in Lake Powell. My body is going to meet up with it for a long weekend.

I can't wait. I'm literally giddy at work while trying to get something---anything---done. Besides, my white arse needs to see some sun!

Work on the houseboat some, get in a couple of *cold* ski runs, and fish even more. I love it.

Taking a fish off the line in Powell