The Hunt!

Thank you to Tom for talking me off the ledge yesterday. Time to think about positive things...

We leave for Boston on December 16 and will be looking at wedding venues during our ten-day stay on the East Coast! So excited to finally start getting details for our wedding nailed down!

We are looking at nine venues, which might seem excessive, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable narrowing them down because I don't have a clear vision for a location, and I know I couldn't commit to a spot unless I had seen a good number of them in the flesh (obsessing over website photos just doesn't work for me). When Tom and I were looking for an apartment in Denver, I scheduled almost 20 appointments, so you see where my head is at when it comes to making these types of decisions!

I tried to be smart about scheduling the appointments so that we won't burn out - we're only looking at two places a day, with the exception of our visit to the Cape where we'll look at three. We'd like to find a place that can accommodate our ceremony, although I'd be open to finding a non-denominational church in the area if the ceremony isn't possible. The issue is that we are looking at a late fall/early winter 2011 wedding, or a March 2012 wedding, so an outdoor ceremony isn't an option. I'm a little bummed about that because a lot of the venues we're looking at have incredible outdoor spaces where we could have a beautiful ceremony. Although I refuse to sweat AT ALL on my wedding, so maybe it's best if we just keep everything in the air conditioning.

THANK GOD for Tom's sister, who has been a huge help in getting me acquainted with how this wedding business works so that I don't feel like I'm going into these appointments completely blind. I feel confident that the spots we're looking at are within budget (HI, DAD!), except for maybe the Cape locations, which could still work since we're looking at off-season dates. I'm not ruling you out yet, Chatham Bars Inn! :)

When we first started looking at venues, I was focusing on downtown Boston because I thought it would be most convenient for everyone, most importantly out-of-town guests. But then I saw that downtown Boston comes with a downtown pricetag and my priorities shifted. I'd rather have a really nice wedding that people have to rent a car to get to, rather than an ok wedding that people can walk or take a cab to. We're looking at two Boston venues (Artists for Humanity Building in Southie; Harry Parker Boathouse in Brighton), but the rest of them are on the outskirts... Beverly, Topsfield, Cohasset, Ispwich. And, of course, the Cape.

I'm so excited to set a date and know where all of this will be happening. Then I can really start planning!!

What's the word?

In the six days since I've gotten engaged the only issue I've had is the word "fiance." It might be one of the most awkward words to enter my lexicon, and I make it even more awkward by always dragging it out in a mock-pretentious French accent, even though I know it just calls even more attention to how awkward I feel saying it. "My feeeeeoooonnnnncaaaaaaaa."

Every time I'm talking with someone who doesn't know Tom and I know that I need to reference him in the conversation, I have an internal struggle in my brain over, "Do I say 'boyfriend'? Should I say 'fiance'? Boyfriend? Fiance? Boyfriend? AARRGGHH!!" It's quite painful, and I end up just sounding like a bumbling idiot.

I just googled "alternate words for finance" and found nothing, except for this expert Jezebel post, http://jezebel.com/5097803/is-there-a-better-word-for-fiance. As the blogger mentions, "betrothed," which is the suggestion WikiAnswers provides, sounds even more archaic and stupid than fiance.

So, I think I am just going to refer to Tom as "Tom" in all conversations from here on out and people can look at my left hand if they want to know what's up.

Oh, hi.

Remember me?

The past few months have gone by way too quickly, mostly because I started a new job in July that has basically dominated my life and we had a busy summer filled with visitors and short East Coast jaunts. I can't believe it's already almost the holidays. And we've been in Denver for almost seven months. Yowza!

A few short musings...

1) Excuse me, weather gods. Did you know that it's almost the end of October and I live a mile above sea level? Can we please get some cold air up in here? I'm hot. I would like to wear a jacket, or at least a long-sleeve shirt sometime in the near future. (Yes, I realized that it's probably going to be freezing in a few weeks. And, no, I won't wish that it was warm again.)

2. Today when I took Chowder outside to pee during my lunch break, he tried to run away with a homeless man who was walking a bicyle. I had to chase after Chowder (and the homeless man), screaming, "CHOWDER! CHOWDER! COME BACK HERE!!" None of that phased the homeless man (or Chowder) until I screamed, "EXCUSE ME!! EXCUSE ME, CHOWDER!" Then the homeless man thought I was yelling, "EXCUSE ME!" at him and stopped, whipped around and looked at me all offended. And I had to be like, "Oh, me so sorry!! My silly dog wants to run away with you!! And you don't want that! Har, har, har!!" Ugh. I think it's time for obedience school.

3. We are taking a trip this weekend - and I have no idea where we're going! Eeek!

Giving it away for free.

Denver's Museum of Contemporary Art (www.mcadenver.org) is literally two doors up from our apartment building, and it is a very cool space with rotating exhibits and lots of special events. Before we moved to Denver, I knew that I wanted to get involved in the community through volunteer work, and I immediately looked into opportunities at the MCA when we arrived.

The MCA relies on volunteers for almost all aspects of its visitor services, and, luckily, I was selected as a summer volunteer! Yay! I go to orientation on Saturday and I'm very excited to work with one of Denver's most exciting arts institutions while meeting new people!

Now if I could just find somewhere that would like to pay me to work! :)

Moving Pictures

I uploaded some videos of Chowder to my YouTube channel...

http://www.youtube.com/user/missmelissajean1980

He is a handful!

Chez Melisse

It's no secret that Tom is the chef in our relationship. He is great in the kitchen, and he can sometimes get a little possessive of his domain. He hates it if I ask to put the toppings on one of his pizzas. When he made homemade tortillas, he didn't like the way that I rolled them out. Since he prefers--and sometimes insists--on doing the important stuff himself, I've settled into the role of sous chef and my duties usually include chopping onions and grating large hunks of fresh mozzarella. The really glamorous stuff. I'm also really good at hovering in the kitchen, picking up dropped paper towels, putting the tops back on things and being a general dishwasher.

Truth is, I feel guilty that I'm not more proactive in the kitchen, and I genuinely want to improve my cooking skills. So, I decided that every time Tom returns from a business trip at a reasonable hour of the evening, I will make a new dish/dinner. It's a little tough because his ETA home is never entirely certain thanks to airport delays, so the past two meals I've made have been of the one-dish variety. Call them casseroles, if you will.

The first dish I made was Mexican Lasagna, courtesy of Rachael Ray. I'm not a fan of hers, but, as she might say, this is, "SOOOOOOO GOOOOOOD. MMMMMMMMM." Recipe is easy and it makes good leftovers. (I was not raised eating leftovers and kind of hate them, but Tom forces me to eat them and I'm finding it's not that bad.) I know that Mexican Lasagna is not exactly fine dining, but it's sort of a guilty pleasure and probably great to bring to a party or serve to groups. Here's the recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/mexican-lasagna-recipe/index.html

Tonight, I tried to get a little more adventurous, and I'm attempting Cooking Light's Sausage & Bean Casserole. It looks like it's going to be good, but I don't know yet because Tom's airplane is sitting on the runway at DIA, waiting for a gate to open, and I have to wait until he's on his way home to put this baby in the oven. Check out the recipe, though, and see what you think:

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1673012

Hopefully it comes out good. I'M HUNGRY.

Bi-Polar Weather

The weather in Denver needs a strong dose of Lithium. I've never lived somewhere with more crazy, unpredictable and downright bizarre weather. This weekend we experienced 75 degree, clear-skied sunshine, freezing torrential rain and a nice little hail storm, and this past week the weather vacillated between sunshine, rain and snow with temps ranging from 30 to 80 degrees.

On Friday, I left the house around 3PM for a nice $50 pedicure. The skies were blue and it was warm enough for me to comfortably wear a jean skirt and flip-flops. Of course, I walked to the nail salon. My pedi only took about half-an-hour and when I went to the front of the shop to sit and dry my tootsies, I looked out the shop's window to find that the sky was black and it was pouring. Like sheets of rain coming down sideways. I panicked for a second about getting home, but (luckily) Tom was working from home and had already e-mailed me about coming to pick me up. Some of my other salon-goers were not so lucky. One girl rode her bike her there and was stuck - like me, she thought is was a beautiful day and didn't expect this meteorological moodswing. And this rain didn't let up after ten minutes of dumping. It went on for a good two hours straight. So strange. So inconvenient!

But I'm not complaining too loudly because when the weather here is nice, it's nice. I've never seen bluer skies and fluffier, whiter clouds, or felt such pure, unfiltered sunshine. I just wish Denver weather would start taking its meds and even itself out!!

Chowder!

This weekend we traveled to Canon City to meet Mr. Chowder! Might sound cheezy, but we are so in love! Although he is the runt of his litter and is tinier than his brothers and sisters, the Chow Man has no trouble keeping up with them and he's a very friendly, curious pup. We bring him home on Sunday and I think I might become one of those dimwit girls who carry their doggies everywhere because he's just so cuddly! Everyone keep fingers crossed that potty training is easy. I can't believe that I'm going to be an official dog owner in less than a week - YAAAY!

Unemployment: Pros & Cons

It's been a little over a month since we arrived in Denver and my quest for gainful employment has already had its share of ups and downs. I interviewed for and was offered a community relations position that paid okay but would require me to commute 45 minutes each way to a Po-dunk town in the middle of absolute, God-forsaken nowhere. After much discussion and a mini-meltdown (Tom is a lucky man!), I decided against taking the job because one of the positives about moving out here was that I didn't have to take the first job that came along and I didn't feel like that was the right job for me. But what if that's the only job that's going to come along? I've been torturing myself with that question, but I have to believe that another opportunity will appear... hopefully sooner rather than later. In the meantime, I need to embrace the more laid-back Denver lifestyle and attempt to enjoy unemployment instead of obsess over it. Much easier said than done...

Here's my breakdown of the pros and cons of being sans job...

PROS

• Stress-free evenings and Sunday afternoons. I mean, what do I gotta do tomorrow?
• Unlimited gym time. If I can't make money, I will be buff. I am making working out my unofficial job.
• No annoying alarm clocks and not having to make the decision to either sleep another 20 minutes or blow-dry my hair.
• Getting to see a lot of Tom, especially when he isn't traveling and is working from home.
• Discovering that I enjoy doing chores like making the bed, laundry, sweeping, dishes, cleaning countertops, etc. All this free time has awakened the sleeping clean/neat freak in me.
• Oprah. Yes, I am embarassed to admit this one. But she doesn't come on until 4PM, which is basically the end of the day, so I don't feel that guilty sitting down for a little tube time.
• I am reading books again. It used to be that I only had it in me to read the New Yorker each week, but now I've made a pact with myself to read books too. Currently reading: Little Bee and Housetraining for Dummies.
• The mall is not crowded on Tuesdays at 11AM!
• Enjoying the sunshine! Not being cooped up in an office from 9AM - 5PM gives me plenty of opportunity to get my vitamin D.
• Exploring Denver. I need to get a little bit better at this one. I've gotten to know our neighborhood, but there's so much more to see and discover.

CONS

I started to write this list and then I got freaked out and it reminded me that I need to be positive and not dwell on the negative. :) Anyway, you all know the cons - no money, guilt over not contributing, stress and uncertainty of the job search, daytime TV sucks, not having a set schedule gives me anxiety, etc.

When I'm at the gym at noontime on a Thursday and I look at some of the women who are there with me, I wonder - what do you do? how are you able to be here? is this just your life? or is this how you keep yourself sane? Because it's how I'm keeping myself sane right now.

I hope that everyone will remind me of how I was crabbing about being unemployed when I am working again. Because I know that when that day comes, I'm going to wish that I could stay home and go to the gym!

A few photos...

I'm not ready to post interior photos yet - there are a few things that we still need! But here are some of the exterior of our building and the surrounding areas...

This is the front entrance of our building and the bridge at the end of the street goes across the Cherry Creek. That's also the entrance to the Cherry Creek bike path.

An exterior of our unit, which is on the corner bottom level. Look at our little balcony and the floor-to-ceiling windows!

The access to the Cherry Creek bike and walking path, which wraps around to Commons Park, REI, Riverfront Park and where Cherry Creek meets the Platte River.

A view of where the Cherry Creek meets the Platte River. That's the big REI on the right and there is green space all around where people hang out. Kind of like Denver's version of the beach!

Denver Observation #4

#4: People in Denver like fancy cars. Much like California and much unlike Massachusetts, cars are a big status symbol in Denver and the roads are filled with Mercedes, BMWs, Range Rovers, Audis and other high-end vehicles. It's funny, though, because it's pretty obvious that people here would rather drive the lowest-end Mercedes or BMV than the most tricked-out Nissan or Toyota. In the garage of our apartment complex, Tom's car (Honda Accord) and my car (Scion TC) pale in comparison to our neighbors', which include fancy-dancy Beemers, Range Rover Sports, Audi TTs and Mercedes of all shapes and sizes. After living in Boston, I sort of forgot how much cars mean to certain people and in Denver they seem to mean quite a lot.

Domestic Bliss...

Today Tom and I were the picture of domesticity...

Early to rise at 8AM so I could make it to 9AM boot camp class at my gym and he could go work out at his gym. After sweating out the three beers we each had last night, we headed out to get my flat tire fixed (yes, I got a flat tire this week - PAIN IN OUR ASSES.) and found out I needed to get two new tires. UGH. We hit up Home Depot and Triple B while the car was being worked on. When we returned home we didn't think we'd have the energy to tackle our to-do list, but we both rallied and made some real headway on a few things, including getting rid of another 500 pounds of cardboard and Styrofoam, hooking up the Bose 3-2-1, prettying up our new ladder bookshelf with photos, organizing the guest bedroom and setting up the lighting in our bedrooms and living room. We are getting there - slowly but surely!

Now we are headed out to get some dinner and a few drinks, although I'm sure we will be home at the same time we were last night - 10PM - because there is lots of stuff to do tomorrow too.

Oh, and it's raining today in Denver... boo.

Under $100!

In my last post I lamented the high cost of pedicures in Denver, but I've found something that negates that gripe: $92 (w/o tip) for a hair cut and highlights! I can't remember when - or if - I've paid under $100 at a salon, except for when I was working for Riviera and I got a discount at one of the salons the magazine advertised with. So hooray for Ashley at Luxe Salon in Denver for giving my lion's mane a great revamp on the cheap!

Denver Observations #1, #2 and #3

I've been noticing things about this new city...

#1: Perhaps it was my own preconceived notions about Denver, but I figured that this city would be overrun by vegetarians and those who only eat "organic," "raw," "macrobiotic," or (the absolutely worst diet on the planet) "vegan." Much to my relief, though, Denver is surprisingly carnivorous. Don't get me wrong - I love veggies, don't eat red meat on a very regular basis and I have no problem with vegetarians - but I was slightly concerned that there would be a surplus of overly-healthful restaurants and I would feel extra guilty indulging my fairly regular burger cravings. Turns out this place is overrun with places that serve great burgers, along with steakhouses, bbq joints and hot dog stands. Who knew? I guess the really granola-crunchy, veggie folks are hiding out in Boulder?

#2: There is no H&M or Ikea. Now, I am not a huge H&M fan, but it's a good place for shopping on the cheap and I've gotten a few cute shirts and dresses there in the past. As for Ikea, I'm definitely missing it. Tom and I decided that we were ready to move past Ikea furniture and invest in nicer, more durable pieces, but everything else at Ikea, including lighting, random decorations, kitchen stuff, photo frames, etc., is great, and, more importantly, cost effective! Boo. Bring Ikea - and, okay, H&M - to Denver!!

#3: Pedicures are like WHOA expensive. So it's flip-flop weather here in Denver and my hooves are hurting. This morning I researched some of the run-of-the-mill nail salons in the area and the average price for JUST a pedicure is between $37 and $50. I know I was spoiled in California where it's possible to get ones toes done for $20 including tip, and I got used to paying more when I was living in Boston, but the prices here in Denver are unbelievable. And this is horrible to say, but I think I can correlate Denver's low Asian population with the high cost of nail care in the city??

What day is it?

That's what I keep asking myself every morning when I wake up because the days are running together and I can't keep a clear grasp of the calendar. Is it really Wednesday, April 14th? Have we really been in Denver for 12 days? It feels longer... or maybe shorter? I'm not sure.

Anyway, I've learned a few things in the past 12 days. 1) Moving is really hard work. 2) Disorganization causes me major anxiety. 3) Tom is good at putting things together, even though he doesn't think so.

Since we got here, we've been going non-stop. Between making big purchases like bedroom and living room sets to the daily trips to Target and/or Bed Bath and Beyond, we've been spending money like it's going out of style then coming home to either put stuff away, put stuff together or organize stuff. Our living room stuff is all here (except for the side table that won't be delivered until sometime in May) and our bedroom stuff is coming today (assembly required, unfortunately). I've been trying to decorate here and there as I can, but the insane amount of cardboard and boxes in our kitchen and living room has made that difficult. We are getting there though, slowly but surely... I will post pictures once I feel like the place is picture-worthy. The apartment itself is beautiful and we are going to be really happy here once everything gets done!

This morning I put together our vacuum, which was a much more difficult feat than I expected. Turns out I am horrible at reading directions and Dirt Devil is horrible at writing them. I kept at it, though, and managed to get it assembled and working. Yay!

Tom is off at meetings in Denver this week, which is nice because he is home every evening. Next week he travels to Austin, then the week after he will be in Houston. It's good for him to get into a work routine out here, and it will be good for me to figure out my routine while he's traveling.

Ok - I need to go use that new vacuum that I just put together. There is a major amount of stubborn Styrofoam specks all over our floors that are driving me CRAAZY!

Proud to Say...

That yesterday I drove from Boston to Philly all by myself and I didn't make one wrong turn or have any complications whatsoever! Not to pat myself on the back too much, but I think I'm pretty good behind the wheel! :) Although this morning I noticed that my shoulders are really sore - I think it's from gripping the steering wheel like a madwoman for six hours straight. And speaking of wheels, the car transport people are here picking up our cars right now. Yay!

We also learned yesterday that the movers will be delivering our stuff to Denver on Monday, so we will only have two nights of camping out in the apartment. Also, we decided to celebrate Easter by going to the Pour House in Denver on Sunday night to watch the Red Sox opener! :)

Today we are just hanging out and enjoying a day off before we take off tomorrow... !!!!

100 Things I Will Miss About Boston...

Last day of work... last night in Boston. Not going to lie - I'm feeling a little sad. I LOVE Boston and I am going to MISS the hell out of this city. While driving to work this morning, I started thinking about all the things I will miss about Boston...

1. that accent
2. spring flowers in the Garden
3. Red Sox baseball caps
4. Boylston Street
5. reading the New Yorker on the bumless side of the Common
6. the boutiques on Charles Street
7. mounted police in the Common
8. cemeteries
9. Mayor Menino and his mumbling
10. Boston pride
11. Swan Boats and how they reminded me of being little
12. the Pour House
13. the Red Line
14. Frog Pond
15. Police/Fire/EMS guys
16. September 11th at Fenway Park
17. Marathon Monday
18. Stop n Shop
19. Ken Oringer
20. Tom Brady/Wes Welker/Vince Wilfork
21. Halfway Cafe
22. Dylan Dryer
23. Fenway franks
24. Eastern Standard pre-Red Sox game
25. Charlestown bars (Warren Tavern, Tavern on the Water)
26. Raspberry cookies from Mike's Pastry
27. feeling proud of myself for mastering Boston driving
28. Fourth Street Bridge
29. South Boston Parade
30. my roomie
31. late-nite Dunkin' Donuts
32. old school Southie people
33. the Jimmy Fund
34. Cape Cod jewelry
35. Lord & Taylor's dress sales
36. b. Good
37. Prezza
38. calling liquor stores "packies"
39. the first warm day of the year
40. NECN
41. the Improper Bostonian
42. the front page of the Boston Herald
43. the breakdancers in Faneuil Hall
44. South Station
45. spin class on Wednesday nights
46. the Seaport District
47. the Boston Harbor Hotel
48. walking from the North End to South Station along the waterfront
49. 371 Dorchester Street
50. Love Letters on boston.com (luckily I can still read this online!)
51. Cambridge hipsters
52. bike messengers
53. Kingston Station
54. meeting Ray for after-work drinks
55. knowing the "back roads" home from work
56. 20 Concord Square
57. Finagle-a-Bagel
58. Phillips Candy House
59. calling Dorchester "the Dot"
60. J. Pace chicken salad sandwiches
61. cobblestone streets
62. Roger Berkowitz & Legal Seafoods ads
63. good clam chowder
64. the Inside Track & Names and Faces
65. Poland Springs water
66. being on the field at Fenway Park a few times a year
67. the Banana Republic on Newbury Street
68. Macy's in Downtown Crossing
69. Parish Cafe's patio
70. "bean" references
71. Harpoon IPA
72. Sam Summer
73. living in Southie but always having a parking spot on the street
74. 617 area code
75. the Playwright in Southie
76. Scampo at the Liberty Hotel
77. Abe & Louies for brunch
78. the leprechaun stickers that have been on my apartment windows since last St. Patty's Day
79. Franklin Cafe
80. "Beat LA" Celtics t-shirts
81. Beacon Hill Pub
82. Yawkey Way before a Red Sox game
83. the Red Sox store
84. "Booze cruises down the greater Newbs."
85. being afraid to go into Louis Boston
86. Silvertone
87. City Sports t-shirts
88. easily identifying people from the North Shore while out at bars
89. the man at the halfway house a few doors down who keeps his cat on a leash
90. Sal's pizza
91. making fun of Brookline
92. Fourth of July fireworks on the Esplanade
93. the Charles River
94. Make Way for Ducklings statue
95. Wachusett blueberry beer
96. Haymarket farmers market
97. the Christmas trees at the Pru and the Common
98. Tellos in Downtown Crossing (only window shopping!)
99. fish n chips
100. my family and friends!

Five Days Til Denver

It's hard for me to believe but Tom and I will be living in Denver in just five short days. I am so excited, definitely stressed and feeling a little nostalgic.

Tom and I rented a U-Haul van two weekends ago to bring all my stuff down to his apartment in Philly, then movers came on Friday to pack up our stuff and transport it to Denver. Everything should be there between March 31st and April 9th - I'm hoping it arrives on the early side because I've been living in an empty room and out of a suitcase for 15 days (who's counting?) , but since the movers get paid per day I think we'll be sleeping on an aero bed for at least a few nights.

The past two weekends have included a lot of goodbyes, which aren't easy and I'm not particularly good at. Last Saturday we got together with Tom's buddies at, of course, the Pour House and it was a great night that reinforced to me that Tom has a very solid group of friends. Since my friends in California are scattered all over the place and comprised of different people from college and work, it's nice to hang out in a cohesive group of Tom's college buddies who have a long history together and know how to have a good time. Plus, the guys all have great girlfriends, wives and lady-friends who I really enjoy. I am going to miss thePour House, Dugal, Manzi and the whole bunch, but I know that we will be back in the Bean sooner rather than later and it will be just like we never left.

This past Saturday we spent time with Tom's family, which was a great time, as usual. We started off with a visit to his gram, who lives in Medfield and reminds me so much of my gram that I got a little choked up over it when we left her house. She is such a sweet, tough and funny lady - she had us all laughing with stories about her neighbors' antics, which even included a little bed-hopping amongst the residents in her assisted living community! That evening we went to dinner with Tom's parents, his sister and their very good family friends, and it was filled with lots of food, wine and excellent company. Tom's family has really embraced me and made me feel like one of their own. I'm going to miss them and can't wait for them to come visit us.

Tomorrow night I'm visiting with my cousin and his new baby to talk about the baby's upcoming christening because I'm going to be the godmother! Is it terrifying to anyone else besides myself that I am acquiring a title with the word "mother" in it? :) Truthfully, I am so honored that he asked me to do this for him and I plan on being the best godmommy that I can be!

My last day of work is Wednesday, which will mean more goodbyes. I'm staying strong, though, and sticking with "See ya soon!"

Reason #27 Why I Am Not Sad About Leaving Andrew Square

Last night when I returned home from work I was greeted by a heap of men's clothing piled atop my doorstep. Heap included multiple pairs of tightey-whiteys and boxer shorts.

???

The Thrill of the Hunt

Ooooook, I'm going to back-track a little bit with this post...

Tom and I survived our apartment-search trip to Denver! We saw, I think, 17 places over a two-day period and we managed to keep our heads from spinning completely off our necks by taking copious notes, photos and Flip-cam videos. Before we left, I put together a nifty Excel sheet with all of the info for each appointment, which helped to keep us organized and on track as well. We saw everything from an absolutely gorgeous four-bedroom town home with a giant roof deck in the absolute ghetto (legit junk yard next door) to a teeny-tiny loft that's location right across the street from Coors Field made its teeny-tininess almost excusable. We were pleasantly surprised with what we saw, and I was relieved that no one was blowing off our appointments, which was something that I was definitely losing sleep over prior to our visit. (We are flying in all the way from Boston to look at these places - everyone BETTER respect our time!!!)

The blessing and the curse of our visit was that we found two awesome places on Friday - and they were so great that we sort of lost interest in looking at places on Saturday. On Friday, we hooked up with amazing Realtor Rachel, who showed us multiple properties, including the two that we really liked. She was easy to work with, she listened to what we liked/didn't like and she was knowledgeable about Denver in general. Plus, it didn't feel like she was trying to screw us or shove us into a rental just to make a buck. Friday was a good day.

On Saturday, though, we met the antithesis of Realtor Rachel. His name was John Patterson and he was our nightmare. John is about 55-years-old and he specializes in rentals only. Of course, he had a big explanation for why he is a 55-year-old rental realtor - he likes to talk (yes, he said this), he likes to keep his eye on the "trends" in real estate (it's a renter's market!), he got really burned out helping to develop the private residences atop Denver's Four Seasons a few years ago (riiiiiiight), and, as a life-long Denver resident he just likes to help people find places to live in the city he loves so much! At first I felt bad for John - he was shortish with a grey puffy hair-do and he wore tight, belted jeans and cowboy boots. He drove a 1992 BMW 5-series. Like his car, he was about 15 years past his prime. But the sympathy I felt for John quickly faded away when he took us prisoner in his car and proceeded to completely disregard anything and everything we told him.

John: "Are we getting too far outside downtown for you?"
Tom and Melissa: "YES!"
John: "Ok, well before I turn around, I just want to show you..."

There is nothing worse than sitting in the backseat of an aging BMW and listening to a little man drone on about... actually, I don't know what he talked about because I was very carsick and had to tune him out. Tom did an excellent job of pretending to have a conversation with John and of feigning interest in the horrible pieces of property he showed us. When we were finally freed from Mr. John Patterson's greedy clutches, Tom and I ran to the nearest street corner to call Realtor Rachel and tell her to start moving forward with the two properties we had seen the previous day.

Anyway, we ended up signing a lease on a great place near Riverfront Park in LoDo. It's three bedrooms, which means visitors are welcome, has a great kitchen, plenty of open space, a patio for a grill and easy access to bike trails and green space. I can't wait to get out there and start decorating!! The place is ours as of April 1, but we are still working with the relocation company to get an ETA on our stuff in Denver.

Finding a place was one giant hurdle we jumped over and put us that much closer to being in Denver. Only two weeks to go!!

Do Flu Shots Wear Off?

I've been very neglectful of this space, but you don't need a blog post to tell you that.

The past two weeks have been so busy - and eventful! I promise a full recap here as soon as I stave off the horrible cold I came down with this weekend. My mind is not working at full capacity and it hurts to look at this computer screen. :(

Enough of my whining... I promise to be back with something more positive soon!

Relocation Package!

It looks like the magic "relocation package" that we've been waiting for since January will come through any day now. Fingers crossed!!

Friday...PHEW!

Hooray for Friday, especially since my secret is finally out in the open!

Yesterday I e-mailed my landlord about my lease, which was actually a piece of cake. Haven't heard anything back from her yet, but I'm not going to stress about it. Deep breathes, deep breahes!

Today I talked with Donna--she was in the loop that Denver was a possibility, but I hadn't told her yet that it is official. When I talked with her this morning and told her that we were moving, she couldn't have been more genuinely happy for me and supportive of my decision. She is almost more excited than I am, and she is definitely going to keep me in check when it comes to preparing for the move, etc.! She said she is going to miss me (obviously!) but that I am ready to move on and she knows that I'm destined for great things. One of the things Donna is great for is a good-'ole confidence boost!

But in all seriousness, Donna has been like my Fairy Godmother in Boston. I really believe that there are people who you are supposed to meet at certain points in life and she is definitely one of those people for me. She has been an amazing professional mentor, and she has also showed me how far confidence, assertiveness and a great smile can go in this world. I will never have her gift of gab or magnetic charisma, but she's taught me that sometimes it's ok to be a little be less self-aware and that (as cliche as this sounds!) no one can make me feel insecure but me. When she walks into a room--whether it's a meeting room, a restaurant or a store--she owns in, and she never lets anyone make her feel anything less than fabulous. And while she can sometimes be a little over-the-top (today she bought a tiara for herself at Frugal Fanny's...and, yes, she will wear it!), I can sometimes be a little too uptight and reserved. She's taught me that sometimes it's ok to let go and just not give a crap what people are thinking--they might be looking at you like you are crazy, but they are probably also jealous that they aren't more like you! She has really looked out for me these past two years, and, to be honest, she is the best friend I've made in Boston. I know that when I move to Denver that we will stay close, and I am truly fortunate that I had the opportunity to work for her.

Tonight, Tom and I are going down to the Cape to see Regina and Bill, then we are going to see Gram & Gramps tomorrow. It will be nice to see everyone and celebrate. Don't worry, Dad. Regina and I will stay in check. :)

Moving Along...

It looks like April 1 is D-Day! I've been busy sloughing off my real work and diving into the apartment search because we are headed to Denver next weekend (March 5th - 7th) to find our new home. I'm frantically refreshing my Craigslist page every two minutes to see if new rentals come up, and I've already pissed off one realtor by contacting one of his colleagues about a property instead of just telling him I was interested. Sorry - I didn't know that you two work together, considering CL offers minimal realtor info and oftentimes only a blind e-mail contact. I just want to make sure we see as many places as possible when we're out there, and since I've spearheaded the apartment-hunt project, I feel responsible for ensuring that finding a place only requires one trip to Denver. FYI: last-minute plane tickets are expensive so book ahead when you come visit.

In addition to the apartment search, I also have knots in my stomach about giving notice at work and contacting my landlord. The landlord issue really isn't cause for much stress, but I still don't like telling people that I'm not finishing what I started (my lease). I know - totally crazy since I'm obligated to pay my rent through May, so it's not like I'm telling her that I'm skipping town never to be heard of again. Anyway, I need to compose that e-mail shortly and hope that I can help her find someone to take over my lease and live in my dungeon before I leave.

The real thing that's making my tummy hurt is giving notice because it's just so AWKWARD to deal with everyone after the bomb is dropped, and since I'm giving more than a month's notice, there will be plenty of time for awkwardness. The good thing is that I have a totally viable, understandable reason for leaving and I have good-will (for the most part) toward the company, so I don't have hard feelings and I don't think anyone will have any towards me. Well, except when they consider that they're losing one of the best they've ever had! :) Anyway, I'm prepared for a few painful encounters with some of the socially-awkward Red Cross folks I've come to know and love. As people hear through the grapevine what's going on and why I'm leaving, I'm sure I will perfect a canned response to, "So! You're moving to Denver!" Honestly, I can't wait to sail through March (although I actually have a few big work projects in the pipe for next month) and get on with our life!

Oh, and after the apartment hunt is over, the job search will begin in earnest... fingers crossed that it's quick and painless!

You Won't See Me on Larry...

I apologize to the four of you out in cyberspace who keep track of this blog - I've been silent lately because I've been traveling for work and there wasn't much news to report, either.

I spent last week in Dallas doing Red Cross Disaster Services media training, which prepares Red Cross staff and volunteers to be national spokespeople for the Red Cross during disasters (floods, hurricanes, wild fire) and tragedies (plane crashes, campus shootings, bombings). Really uplifting stuff! Although I have never reported to a disaster, and I am part of the Red Cross Blood Services, I have been invited to this special training for the past three years. This time around we had a very pared down group - last year there were about 120 of us, this year we were down to 60. Donna and I were among only four Blood Services people to attend. Basically, this was the creme de la creme of disaster chasers. Lots of cargo pants and Red Cross vests with reflective strips on them. See, even though we were holed up safely in the American Airlines Conference Center for four days straight, these people were pretending that they were on the ground and on duty in a really bad place. The "disaster scenario" we were playing off of combined a hurricane that flooded the city of Dallas with a horrific train derailment nearby that claimed the lives of hundreds with hundreds who were still missing. Our days consisted of doing different kinds of staged media interviews that combined Red Cross messaging with accounts from the scene - it was a weird kind of play-acting where I had to make up stories about little kids crying in Red Cross shelters because their homes were destroyed and mothers waiting to hear word about their teenagers who were missing in the train crash.

It was difficult for me to make up these stories and for me to "fake" the kind of empathy that needs to come through on camera because I've never been to a disaster/tragedy to see first-hand what goes on in a Red Cross shelter or family assistance/counseling center. And, after talking to some of the people at this training and hearing their experiences, I don't think I ever want to.

I'm not sure I could handle being in Haiti, especially if my main role there was to talk with Anderson Cooper in between stepping over dead bodies and handing out water to desperate people. And I would feel creepy going somewhere like Virginia Tech in the aftermath of its campus massacre to report to news outlets on the "atmosphere" in the area where families await word on their loved ones. Way too invasive.

Okay, I know that I would get through those situations if I had to, but, again, I'm not sure if I want to. I don't know if I have it in me emotionally, and I think it takes a certain "type" to really thrive in those kinds of environments.

Anyway, it looks like my move to Denver will probably close the Red Cross chapter of my life, and I'm okay with that. I learned a lot about the organization, and promoting blood donation is something I will always feel strongly about, especially since I'm unable to donate blood myself. But I don't think you will see me on the front lines of America's next major disaster, even if it would mean I'd get an interview with Larry!!

Rocky Mountain PoHo

On our first day exploring Denver, Tom and I stumbled upon something that really sealed the deal. As we wandered around a popular section of LoDo named Larimer Square, my sharp eye caught a sign in the distance that read, "The Pour House Pub." What a coincidence! What are the chances? Hey, we need to check this out for ourselves!

For those of you who aren't familiar with a friendly--if slightly dingy--Boston watering hole called the Pour House, it's a bar on Boylston where Tom and his friends are known by name, where the bartenders rarely charge them more than $15 for a night of drinking and where they've spent many-a-night blitzed beyond belief. If you asked Tom what he misses most about Boston, I'm sure he'd say me, but the Pour House would come in a very, very close second. It's Tom and his buddies' clubhouse, and, much to Tom's dismay, he was never able to find a comparable place in Philly.

As we walked into the Pour House Pub in Denver, we weren't sure what to expect. The few bars we had checked out already that day (don't worry - it was only one, for lunch) had lots of fun beers on tap, but the Pour House only had a small tap at the end of the bar with a few beers to choose from. I walked down to get a better look and realized that it was all Sam Adams and Guinness. Hmmmm. That didn't really register to me as being strange since every bar in Boston has Sam and Guinness on tap. We both ended up ordering bottled beers (who wants to drink Sam Adams in Denver?), and then we started looking around. The walls were filled with Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins memorabilia... and then it started to sink in. Tom asked the bartender, "Hey, is this a Boston bar?" Yep, of course it is! The owners are Boston transplants and former PoHo regulars who decided to bring their favorite bar with them to Denver!

I'm not sure if our bartender was from Boston, but he had that chubby, ruddy-faced look of Boston bartenders, and he was very friendly. Tom and I sat and chatted with him for a bit about how they play all the Boston sports games on TV there and the place will be crazy when the Red Sox come play the Rockies this baseball season. Apparently the owners of the Boston Pour House have visited their sister spot in Denver, and it's one of the few bars in Denver that serves Sam Adams on tap.

The Denver PoHo is shinier and newer than the Boston PoHo and it doesn't have as much personality - I sort of missed the bathroom stalls scrawled with graffiti and the way my feet stick to the ground of the Boston Pour House. But I think finding this bar was a sign to Tom and me that Denver is meant to be. I am sure that we will be spending plenty of time in the Denver Pour House, but nothing will ever replace the original!

The Secret to Skinniness?

Denver is the skinniest city in the United States, with an adult obesity rate that's just under 13%. (FYI: The national adult obesity rate is around 25%.) This fact is slightly intimidating because I envision lean, toned and tan tri-athletes running or biking to the nearest organic cafe where they dine on spinach leaves and protein shakes. Not my idea of a party, although I am excited to make bike-riding a part of my life again (bye-bye beach cruiser, hello mountain bike!).

So, I was surprised to discover that Denver (and CO in general) is known for it's buffalo meat, which is served in various forms at almost every restaurant. There is buffalo filet, buffalo prime rib, buffalo burgers, buffalo meatloaf, buffalo chili... and many other buffalo varieties that I haven't heard of yet.

Although I have a real soft spot in my heart for the talking buffalo head at Disneyland's "Country Bear Jamboree," I decided I needed to try a slice of these fuzzy beasts for myself. Tom had a buffalo burger when we ate lunch at Wynkoop Brewery, which is one of Denver's best-know brew pubs. Wynkoop is owned by Denver's mayor, John Hickenlooper. (I know - that's a totally make-believe, elf name.) I decided to save my buffalo appetite for a more hard-core venue.

The Buckhorn Exchange is the oldest restaurant in Denver and its upstairs bar boasts Colorado's first liquor license. But it's probably best know for its crazy taxidermy - animal heads hung from every inch of wall space, stuffed birdies and snakes and other critters inside glass cases... if it can be hunted, it's collecting dust somewhere in the Buckhorn Exchange (see above photo). Oh, and there's also a huge gun collection. Welcome to the Wild West!

Anything you can find on the walls of this restaurant is probably also on the menu. Tom was adventurous and had a sampler of ostrich, yak and quail (and we started with rattlesnake dip, which was basically artichoke dip with rattlesnake meat instead artichokes), but I played it safe with the buffalo tenderloin. Um, hello tender yumminess! This buffalo business is one of my favorite Denver discoveries so far!

Could buffalo meat be the magic elixir that's keeping Denver slim? Well, buffalo supposedly has 70-90% less fat than beef, and it has 50% less cholesterol. Plus, it's higher in protein and iron. Hmmm... buffalo diet, anyone?

Blame the Altitude.

I regret not creating a blog to chronicle my move from the OC to Boston, especially since the cross-country jaunt my father and I took in my tiny 2008 Scion TC provided enough fodder for a blog itself. But back in November 2006, I was burned out on writing thanks to my magazine jobs - and I was secretly scared of what the future held for me as I made my way East. I didn't want to put my experiences into words because, well, what if nothing worked out?

Fast-forward two+ years, and I'm ready to embark on another adventure that's going to take me more than half-way back to where I started. Although this time I won't be going it alone, and instead of being scared I'm giddy with excitement and certain that the future holds something great. I'll stop myself from getting too mushy and sentimental about Tom and our relationship, but suffice it to say that I believe I came to Boston for a reason - and that reason was to meet him. We've been through a lot this past year, but it's all been worth it and we are ready to take on this new challenge in our lives. And we both know it will all work out because we are doing it together.

Anywhoo...

Tom and I like to be prepped and prepared. We don't leave things to chance. We are planners. So, of course, we've purchased multiple guidebooks on Colorado and Denver (shout-out to Auntie Lois who got the ball rolling by gifting us with a great Denver book and a precious map that is already well-worn after only one trip to the city). The guidebooks are already all highlighted and dog-eared, and I can tell you which one has the best restaurant listings (Fodors) and which one has the best breakdown of neighborhoods (Frommers). One thing every guidebook has in common though is mention of a common malady that befalls Denver visitors - altitude sickness.

Denver is 5,280 miles above sea level (Mile High City, obviously) and we read multiple warnings about how the altitude plays tricks with the body by making it tired, out of breath, head-achey, tummy-achey, drunker than usual, listless and lazy. Personally, I wasn't buying it, but Tom was a little more worried. There might have been a conversation where I called him a "baby," and, well, that didn't go over too well. (He's not a baby - just sometimes more prone to illness, especially when he's being pre-conditioned to think there might be something to feel sick over.)

Luckily, neither of us felt any severe side-effects from spending a weekend a mile above ground, but I couldn't help thinking to myself that "the altitude" is a great excuse for a few key issues in life...

Got too drunk last night? Blame it on the altitude!

Feel too hung over from last night? Blame it on the altitude!

Don't feel like exercising today? Blame it on the altitude!

Out of breath after walking up a flight of stairs? Blame it on the altitude!

Don't feel like doing anything except for sitting on the couch? Blame it on the altitude!

Yep, altitude sickness gives you carte blanche to sit around all day and be drunk! Although (FYI) once you acclimate to the elevation in Denver, you're expected to start mountain biking, hiking, skiing, camping, rafting and being a general outdoorsman. But newbies like Tom and me... and all of you when you come to visit us... still have that perfect excuse, so don't forget to place blame squarely on the shoulders of the Mile High City!