Spoilers, Sweetie...

Yikes!!

I can't believe it's been over a week since my last post! Time has certainly gotten away from me this week. I have been thinking about posting, I really have. I've spent the last few days in a Doctor Who-induced frenzy between baking an awesome 50th Anniversary cake and the special episode airing on Saturday! It was so much fun! What do you guys think of this cake I made?

Neat huh?? I love how it turned out! As you can see "The Day Of The Doctor" was a huge deal for Yeti and I. It was hard to really focus on much else. I know I've missed out on a week of posts about what I'm thankful for but I think today's post needs to focus on the Doctor. Becoming a Whovian was one of the best and worst decisions I've ever made. It’s very much like my relationship with my husband.By that I mean I always knew it was there, never thought in my wildest dreams that I would like it and now I don’t know how I went so long without it! And here's why - 

I can't say I've been a "Whovian" since the beginning. Hell, I haven't even been one for the past five years. But it certainly feels like I have been ever since Yeti introduced me to it less than a year ago. That's the thing about the Doctor. You don't have watch it from the very beginning (meaning William Hartnell) to get ALL of it. Once you know the basics and you understand who the Doctor is and what he does, you can jump right into his world at any given moment. I can watch that video up there and know exactly whats happening because even though he is portrayed by different people, his mission remains the same. Let me tell you my story about being immersed in his incredible journey through all of time and space. 

Back before my husband and I were married, he went on this crazy kick of re-watching all the recent Doctor Who episodes, beginning with the 9th Doctor and onward through 11. He had always watched it as a child but wanted to catch up with the new series. I thought it was the silliest thing. He would often ask “Well didn't your parents watch it? They were Trekkies after all. I bet you they watched Doctor Who.” Every time I would vehemently deny it. Because they didn't. They hardly even knew what it was when I would ask. 

Despite my harsh criticisms of the stupid looking Daleks, I tried not to discourage his enthusiasm. I even went so far as to make him a T.A.R.D.I.S.  birthday cake even before I cared enough to know what a T.A.R.D.I. S. was. That year I got him a Doctor Who book written by Douglas Adams, a Sonic Screwdriver keychain, something called a 500 Year Diary and a Fob Watch. What the hell were these things? I had no real idea, but I knew my husband would love them. I later learned after giving him those gifts that I had actually got him the Master’s Fob Watch (Oops!). A few weeks after his birthday we made a deal with each other. Since he didn’t understand why I went to the gym all the time and I didn’t understand his obsession with the Doctor, we decided that for every episode of Doctor Who that I watched, he would agree to go to the gym with me. That way we both get to do something we enjoy while spending more time together. Was I skeptical about this plan at first? Of course I was. My husband at the gym? Me watching Doctor Who? Yeah. Right.That’ll happen. This resulted in me watching a ton of Doctor Who and totally forgetting that the gym exists. That's how it all started.

We began my Whovian journey with Christopher Eccleston. At the end of the very first episode, I realized I didn't hate it. I wasn't crazy about it either. But it certainly was interesting. I was engrossed in the first few episodes but I could never let my husband actually know that. “It was alright”, I would say when he asked what I thought. I remember being concerned that Rose just decided to up and leave her mom and boyfriend behind. I remember being pleasantly surprised by an appearance by Simon Pegg as the Editor. I remember my first encounter with a Dalek and thinking that yes it actually IS that stupid looking. “Why are all these people afraid of that thing?" I would ask. Then I found out they could fly. And shoot lasers. And were virtually bullet proof. Yet I still couldn't understand why they looked so silly. Why would anyone do that to such a supposedly harsh and terrible being? My husband patiently answered all of my silly questions. I even found myself asking questions while we WEREN'T watching Doctor Who. What was happening to me? I couldn't believe I was taking an interest in this. Then Christopher Eccleston left us and in came David Tennant.

Then it all went downhill from there, in the best way possible of course.

David Tennant. The 10th Doctor. I've seen some amazing acting jobs in my lifetime but David truly BECAME the Doctor in a way that made him so enjoyable to watch on so many levels. Maybe it was his crazy hair or his snazzy suits or his uncanny ability to pull the feels right out of you through a television screen! There is a story that's been passed around the Doctor Who fandom about a young David in primary school being asked what he wanted to be when he grew up. His response was "An actor so I can play the Doctor", which is precisely what he did. He is the ultimate example of turning your dreams into reality. I'd say it took less than 3 months for Fred and I to get all the way through his run in those iconic red high tops and in that short span of time I cried more times for a fictional character than I ever have in my entire life. I learned to fear the stupid looking Daleks and the Cybermen because of what they were capable of. Especially when they were paired together! I watched an incredible bond and love grow between the Doctor and Rose Tyler, then watched them get ripped apart. Literally. I developed an intense hatred for Martha Jones (the companion following her) because of this.Who did she think she was anyway? Coming in and trying to take Rose's place. Horrible, I say! I remember being completely and utterly amazed by 10's compassion towards the villainous Master, even after he tried to destroy him just so he wouldn't be the last Time Lord left in the universe. I realized just how important every single person in the world is, no matter how insignificant they may feel thanks to the sassy Donna Noble (played the incomparable Catherine Tate). My heart broke for her in the end, it really did! Then when I was just about on the mend, we came to the regeneration of David Tennant. I still can't listen to "Vale Decem" without getting misty eyed. Who would've thought that 5 little words could open up the flood gates? "I don't want to go!" We didn't want you to go either, David. But all good things must come to an end, right?

Enter Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor. Now i'm not gonna lie. It took me a bit to warm up to a new Doctor AND a new companion at the same time. But Matt's charm and sometimes goofy demeanor won me over eventually. It's hard to hate a man who makes you believe that eating fish fingers and custard is really delicious. He's often been described as "an uncoordinated house-cat who acts like he meant to do that after falling off a piece of furniture". I think that pretty much sums it up. The only negative thing about his run as the Doctor is that he has to spend 2.5 seasons dealing with Amy Pond and her husband Rory Williams. They're just awful! Now Matt may look young but he certainly knows how to make you believe that he really is over 1000 years old.  He also has this amazing capability to go from calm and collected to intense and in your face in what feels like an instant. The speech in the above video clip is actually from the "Rings of Akhetan" which is one of my favorite Matt episodes. His ability to deliver meaningful monologues with such a passion is one of the reasons why he won me over! The onscreen chemistry with he shares with Alex Kingston, who plays Professor River Song,  is only rivaled by that of Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) and David Tennant. I feel like the only thing that has made his run as the Doctor better is the introduction of Clara Oswin Oswald. The Ponds never really looked out for the Doctor, but Clara does. Of course I can't tell you why in case you haven't seen the episode dealing with it but she really does blow Amy and Rory out of the water. 

Unfortunately, Matt's run is coming to an end in less than a month. This will be my first "live" regeneration since i'm all caught up with episodes now. I'm not exactly sure how i'm going to deal with it. Matt hasn't hit me as emotionally as David did but I've certainly gotten used to him in the role. I'm sad about it and really excited at the same time.I'm looking forward to what Peter Capaldi brings to the table! It's been a while since there's been a older Doctor. I mean, seriously, we just got this quick glimpse of the 12th Doctor in the 50th Anniversary:

And I can already feel that this guy means business!! Look at those eyes! I have to agree with one of the comments I read about this scene which was  "OMG The Daleks just shit their pants!" I'm pretty sure if they could, they would. It's going to be amazing!!

I guess since this is technically still part of my "Grateful" month of posts, the only way I can close this out is to say that I am extremely grateful for the Doctor. Happy 50th Anniversary, Doctor Who! Cheers to many many more years of adventures!! 

Days 15 -17: OOOOOPS

Missed a few days again!! What can I say? On Friday I was baking and decorating all day. And I must say, I'm pretty pleased with the results:

I've always loved Edward Gorey so I was extremely excited when I was asked to make these a few weeks ago. Now I know i'm not Picasso when it comes to the art department but I think I did pretty o.k. drawing these by hand. Time well spent I think! I'm actually EXTREMELY thankful for having an uneventful baking day on Friday! Normally at least one major thing goes wrong/doesn't cooperate with the plan I have in mind for my baking projects.  These were pretty labor intensive but I kept my cool and came out of it unscathed. Yay for growing and learning as a baker! 

Yesterday, however, I don't have much of an excuse for. I did work but I let my crazy brain get in the way of me posting anything worthwhile. I tried! I really did! I just happened to fall into a depressed slump after the crazy cupcake high. I think it's because reality set in and I had to come into work at me real job. BOOOOOO! One day (hopefully soon) I'll be able to just wake up and bake every single day instead of sitting at this cold, boring, desk. 

Over the past few days, there have been a lot of things to be thankful for regardless of my irrational mental state at times. I suppose I should be thankful that I at least have a job in this troubled economy. I'm thankful that I get the opportunity every day to help people because of it. Yeah, a steady paycheck, health benefits and a 401k are all good things to have too. I'm also really lucky to have the boss I have. I've heard horror stories from people about their horrible bosses.Considering I've known the guy 10 years and I don't have one bad thing to say about him should say a lot. And as stressful and busy as my job gets sometimes, it's really not a hard job. Maddening? Sure. Mind-numbing? Absolutely. Does it make me question the intelligence of the overall populace? Every single day. But is it hard? Not really.

I'm thankful that we got to help a good friend out over the weekend! That made me feel really good. We don't often get to see Craig because he lives so far away, but it was nice to have him with us! I hope next time it will be under better circumstances though.

I don't think I have much else to say. My mind is racing and can't seem to focus on any one thing today. But I feel good knowing I got at least SOMETHING written down and posted. I feel like I did something today!

Days 12 - 14, respectively

So I missed a few days. I kinda knew this would happen. It's so hard to post from work! I've had a bunch of ideas swirling around in my head. I even wrote a first draft of a post for the past two days! But work kept getting in the way (of course) and it never sounded the way I wanted. So i'm sitting down, while it's somewhat quiet around here, to write this one just to see if I can make some progress and get something posted!! Like I said when I started, it's important everyday, no matter how bad things may get, to look for what makes each day worth it! I'm really enjoying writing these entries for that very reason. Maybe i'll even keep this up after November is over :). It's especially important for me to get it done today because, well, today has been a ridiculously bad day. I need to reflect on at least SOME positives that have helped me get through this. 

On Monday when I woke up to snow falling, I was not happy. Winter is coming after all.  I knew it was only a matter of time, but it still made me sad. I hate bundling up to go outside. I hate wearing gloves and I always end up losing gloves in the winter. I hate plows and sand trucks all over the road. I hate shoveling snow. I hate getting wet FROM shoveling snow. But most of all, I hate being cold! You'd think that living in New England all my life would make me used to it by now. But no. The cold and I are not friends. That's why one of the things i'm extremely thankful for is none other than HEAT. 

Now, I'm not talking about summer heat. That's something else completely. Summer heat is something you can't escape easily. Which isn't always bad, but it can be. I definitely prefer it over winters icy chill. What I'm talking about specifically is, well, heaters! Things that make me warm again WHEN I'm feeling super cold. I feel very blessed and lucky during the winter months to be able to turn on the heat, curl up under a blanket, throw on my fuzzy slipper socks and drink cocoa. Huzzah for heat! The heat in my car is one of my favorite things in the world! I can make it as hot as I want or as cold as I want and no one can tell me no! Well except maybe Fred, but he's usually all about keeping me happy which means making sure I'm warm. Last night at work, I had to walk a blind patient out to the bus stop while it was a frigid 33 degrees out!. Coming back into the warmth of my lobby after, even though I was at work, was such a great feeling! I'm lucky I have so many places to go and  resources around me to keep me nice and toasty during these chilly months coming up. Aren't you?

Part two of my post today is all about something that accompanied me during my hour long walk into work this morning. It actually helps me get me through most things! It picks me up when i'm down, mellows me out when i'm freaking out about nothing, gets me through workouts, and is even a pretty integral part of the success of the Jostess Bakery! I'm surprised it's made such a late debut on this list considering just how often I use it! I'm talking of course about.....

MUSIC!! Music has always played a super huge role in my life.I listen to music all the time! I never realized just how much until today though during my walk! In elementary school, I played the recorder and the violin. One of my favorite things to do when I was little was listen to Disney soundtracks like "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast" and "The Little Mermaid" and learn every note and song.I sang in the choir when I went to church.  Now that i'm older, I love just driving in my car (with the heat blasting of course ;) ) and zipping around to fun tunes. I think the iPod is one of the greatest inventions ever. You mean I get to carry over a thousand songs on a tiny little device that fits in my pocket that I can listen to whenever I want? That's the best thing EVER!! And with the addition of Pandora and Spotify, i'm in music heaven! Especially since my musical tastes are pretty wide-ranging. It's always interesting when one minute i'm listening to Lady Gaga and then it switched to Johnny Cash and then from there it goes to Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. I wouldn't have it any other way though!

And last but not least, what else am I thankful for today? All the little things that made me smile despite the general aura of horrible that seemed to be stuck to Thursday. I'm thankful for "The Night Of The Doctor". I'm thankful for the adorable little boy who asked me for stickers. I'm thankful for the nice old lady who called me lovely. I'm thankful that, unlike some of the folks I met today, I did not have surgery. I'm thankful for my boss who talked me down from my ridiculously high-almost-panic-attack-inducing anxiety this morning. I'm thankful for being able to leave in 40 minutes. I'm thankful for my day off tomorrow

But most of all, I'm thankful for the wine that I know is in my fridge waiting for me right now. I earned it today. 

Day 11: To Our Veterans

4 days in a row. I'm on a roll here!! And I'm glad I get the chance to write this. Today's post is a no-brainer.

My Grandfather Warren

My Grandfather George

Today is Veterans Day. Despite what you may think of war or our current political situation in this country, there is one thing we can all agree on: All of our veterans, retired or currently serving, put their lives on the line so that we may live freely and for that they deserve our utmost respect and admiration. Some have returned from the front lines to tell the tale. and others paid the ultimate price. It's a day to thank those who voluntarily put their lives on the line so that we may live freely.

Somehow I have pictures of both of my grandpa's in their military garb ready and available but I can't find one of my dad amongst all the random photos I have. He belongs right up there with those two men, serving this great country of ours in the United States Air Force in the late 70's/early 80's. The next time i'm at my parents house i'll have to grab one and add it on here a little later. My grandfather Warren served in the Army and fought in World War 2. My Grandfather George also served in the Army and fought in the Korean War. He still reminisces about his time served over there. He may be falling prey to Alzhemiers as he gets older, but he can still remember those days. These men are true heroes, as are all our veterans, and I am extremely proud of them!

Happy Veterans Day to all!

Day 10: Zzzzzzzzz.....

Y'know some people say that once you do something three days in a row it becomes a habit. I certainly hope that's true! This is my third consecutive post since I started this project! I gotta say, I'm kinda proud of myself! I just hope I can keep this kind of momentum up starting tomorrow when I throw work and the next few Jostess Bakery projects into the mix! Who knows? I may even jump back into my fiction writing if this keeps up. Only time will tell I guess :).

Today I had a few ideas on what my post would be about. How great is that? So many things stood out that i'm ultimately so thankful for in my life. But one in particular seemed to keep popping in my head more than the rest. It's something that we all do and need at the end of the day. Literally. Today's entry is all about being thankful for sleeping. I'm serious! Sleeping is amazing! I'm so thankful at the end of a long day for my pajamas and nice warm bed. Aren't you?

There are two things in my little realm of existence that can turn me into a walking nightmare. The first we already discussed in my previous entry about coffee. The second, that subsequently goes hand-in-hand with the first, is lack of sleep. But it wasn't always this way. I remember being younger and never wanting to go to sleep. Staying up late was soooo cool and sleep was dumb. Back in my old days of working at the Ritz-Carlton, I would work 2:30 p.m. to 11p.m., go home, eat, go to sleep for 4 hours, wake up and be back at work for a 6 a.m. shift. I don't know what the hell I was thinking! I'm not even sure how I did that! Nowadays, I'm rarely in bed later than 10 p.m. If I stay up later than 1130, forget it! It throws of my entire rhythm and I just can't seem to fall asleep at all. This makes me pretty lame at New Years Eve parties. So, once again, i'm doing everyone else a favor by making sure I get a sufficient amount of sleep at night. No one wants to meet the un-caffeinated, sleep-deprived, glasses-less Jo Monster.   

Of course a good night's sleep is made all the more better by my bed of course! The best part of going to sleep is settling in for the night and curling up under a nice warm comforter and clean sheets! Especially in winter! My awesome mother-in-law actually got us these fuzzy "teddy bear" sheets to use when it gets colder. It's literally like sleeping in a bear suit. It's fabulous! 

Like most people, bed time is usually the time when every single bad thing you've ever done that day/in your life comes back to haunt you. It's about that time, especially in the colder months, I'll curl up, shut my eyes and listen to the wind. Just hearing hat icy breeze swirling outside my window always brings me right back to reality. No matter what happened that day, or ever I guess, doesn't even matter. It doesn't matter because  at that exact moment, I am in my bed, safe, warm and have no reason to worry. It could be so much worse! I could not have a bed, or pajamas, or even a place to call home.

I think that's the part of sleeping I love the most. 

A Grateful Month #2: Day 9

Wow! Look at me go! Posting two days in a row is virtually unheard of for me these days! I must really be serious about this whole month of things to be grateful for. I just hope I can keep up this momentum!

Today I'm thankful for one of the more material things in my life and in most peoples lives for that matter. It seems kinda ridiculous to put something as trivial as this on my list of things to be grateful for but it makes such a positive impact on my day that I had to include it. I'm talking of course about that sweet, sweet nectar of the gods: Coffee.

Yup. That's right. I'm thankful for coffee. My day cannot start until I've had my first sip of it and god forbid you have to be near me before I have any at all!  The only thing that prefaces my first cup of the day is a hot shower! As I type this, i'm just finishing my delicious purchase from Dunkin's. I don't care that it's gotten cold! Every little sip is like a precious "zen moment". I was almost upset today because they had forgotten to the pumpkin spice in that I usually get but then I thought better of it. At least I have coffee. At least I have access to coffee. At least I can afford to buy a cup. Although I should add that my daily coffee consumption isn't just for me though. It's really for all of you! 

I'm serious! If I didn't get my coffee everyday, the lives of all those around me might be pretty miserable. Literally. My husband often compares me before coffee to Gollum from the Lord Of  The Rings. Yeah it's bad. I wouldn't be nearly as nice as I normally am without coffee. I'd probably be terrible at my job because I would lose focus easily. My cakes and pastries would turn out to be hideous monstrosities that would be beyond repair. I'm frightened by what would happen if I'm coffee-less and forget my glasses on the same day. Disaster might strike! So it's really a public service i'm doing for the betterment of society! 

And now I leave you with one of my favorite coffee-related things of all time . It's also one of my favorite moments ever from The Office:

Until tomorrow, friends.... 

A Grateful Month! #1

Today marks my first blog post in about two months.....and i'm ok with that.

I'm not going to start this post the way I typically do which is to bitch and moan about how I never have time to blog anymore and how bad I feel about it because I've been preoccupied! And for good reason! I've officially opened up shop with the Jostess Bakery! I've been baking up a storm and keeping myself pretty busy! I couldn't be happier! Even though my focus has been turned from writing slightly, I still think about it and am eager to get back into it. When the time is right, of course :). 

What brings me back to the blog today is a specific little "meme" going around Facebook where everyday for the month of November you post a different thing you're grateful / thankful for. What a great concept! But instead of posting a simple status update, I've decided to put a spin on it. In an effort to get back in the habit of posting and writing regularly, even if it's just a short paragraph,  ill be posting one entry a day as reminder to myself that there is always something to be grateful for. Even outside of the month of November, it's extremely important to always look for the little things that make your life wonderful even on the hardest days!

Seeing that it's already the 8th, I have a ton of catching up to do! Let's get to it, shall we?

1) My wonderful Yeti: He is my rock and my best friend. I don't know what i'd do without him! He is truly remarkable. He makes me laugh constantly and he puts up with way more than he should when it comes to my strange emotional baggage. Not once has he ever abandoned me during one of my strange emotional fits. He's always right there with a hug and kiss for as long as it takes even if it's a couple hours. Not one day passes where we don't dance together just because :). He drives me into work everyday and picks me up every night just so we can spend a little extra time together each day. I like to think of him as my Doctor :). Because only a Time Lord could go through life with the wealth of information he has stored inside his noggin. I learn something new from him every single day and I couldn't be more proud to call him my husband. He's my constant reminder that sometimes taking a risk is absolutely worth it. 

2) My parents: Obviously, I would not be here without them for starters but I also wouldn't be who I am TODAY without them. My parents always taught me that even though we didn't have a lot, what we did have was enough. We had each other, a roof over our heads, food in our bellies and clothes on our backs. Through some of the roughest times in my life, my parents have always been there to support me even if they didn't understand what I was doing at the time. I can never repay them for the immense amount of love and support that I've received from both of them. I often hear stories of parents disowning their children for the most trivial things or children not speaking  to their parents anymore over unneccesary arguments, I couldn't imagine giving my parents up for anything. Nothing is worth losing their love :). I just hope that one day when my time comes I can be as great to my kids as they were to me! Love you mom and dad!

3) My grandparents: Most 30 year old's are lucky if they still have one grandparent living. I've been blessed enough to still have 3! Both of my dad's parents and my mom's mom are all still with us thankfully :). I have so many fond memories of them all from my childhood and I dread the day I will lose them. My grandmother Lorraine is actually one of the strongest  women I know. She cooks Sunday dinner every week for the family and takes care of my grandfather who is currently losing his battle with Alzheimers. I don't know how she does it. Of course my Nana Natalie is the same, always crocheting fun little things for the family and people she knows. I only wish I could do more to help them now in their old age the way they helped me throughout my life! I'm thankful for every additional day i'm given with them!

4)My brother: So my brother and I haven't always seen eye to eye but this happens with siblings.However, his mere existence is a living testament to picking yourself up, dusting yourself off and starting over again. There was a time when I wasn't sure if the next call from my mom about him was going to be the end of it all. There was also a time when I wasn't sure who he was anymore. But in the end, he came back swinging! He went to rehab, got himself cleaned up and he's on the right path to success! Sure he may have his moments when he falls of the wagon but, don't we all? My brother is still here with us and that is all that matters. I love him dearly! 

5) My niece and nephews: I'm not a mother myself yet but I'm luckily enough to have 3 lovely little children in my life to fill the kid void until we are ready to have our own: Ellie, Michael and Sam :). I'm so lucky and grateful to help out and be a part of their lives! It's so amazing watching them grown and learn all about this big crazy world of ours. No matter how bad my day can get, it always gets better if I get to spend time with them! Even when my niece insists on brushing my super long hair with her tiny Rapunzel brush, it's totally worth it if it makes her happy :). I love them all to pieces and can't wait to see what their life has in store for these amazing little people! 

6)My friends: I have some of the most amazing and supportive friends on the planet. It's kinda hard for me to make new friends being the introvert that I am but the few really good friends that I have are incredible. They're supportive and fun and are always there to lend a hand or an ear or a shoulder to cry on if I need it. And vice versa, of course. They all have so many unique qualities and hobbies. Some of them are even just different versions of myself. My friend Alicia and I actually experience physical/emotional ailments at the exact same time, it's the weirdest thing! Each and every one of them holds a special place in my heart. They seem to get me which is weird, so I think i'll keep them around for as long as I can :).

7) Baking: Yes I know, it's pretty far down the list but for good reason of course. I've mentioned this several times before on this here little blog but baking has always been a huge part of my life. My dad before me and my grandmother before him have always been baking up a storm. My kitchen is a place where I can escape with a glass of wine and create things that I hope will bring a smile to people's faces! I am so lucky to now have the opportunity to try and create a living out of something I love that will make people happy in the process! It's such a great feeling! 

8)This blog: Or any blog I've had in the past for that matter. What an amazing and bizarre thing the internet is. I love having a place to go when i need to get something off my chest, have a story idea gnawing away at me or when something incredible happens that I want to share with everyone! Being able to share stories and ideas with friends and family that I may not see everyday is such a wonderful thing! We're incredibly lucky in this day and age, dear readers. Without it...you wouldn't be reading this obscenely long post now would you? Which may be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it ;). I will always be grateful for this little web space to call my own. 

Phew!! That was a long one!!  I just hope I didn't blow my blogging fuse so I can continue on for the rest of the month! 22 more days to go, friends! :-D