November 27th and 28th: Thanksgiving Project

November 27th:

Today, I am thankful for my Dickash cousins!

Game nights with Lukas will always be some of my favorite memories of all time and although I don't get to see Moni or Erik very often, they're some of the most awesome people I know! ♥

November 28th:

Today, I am thankful for my Secchiaroli cousins! They have chosen very different paths in life, but Joe, Gina and Michael have each become an awesome adult and a great friend of mine. I always know that when we hang out, we will be having a blast!

Thank you to Aunt Camille for doing such a good job raising them.

(I'm so glad I didn't smack any of you around too much. ;)

November 26th: Thanksgiving Project

November 26th:

Today's Thanksgiving post is brought to you by the letter M!

I'm so thankful for my cousin Melanie who is one of the most focused and well-adjusted (almost) adults I know. I'm so happy we get to hang out all day today and have lots of laughs, particularly while we're seeing the Muppets!

November 25th: Thanksgiving Project

Is your house on fire, Clark?

November 25th:


Today, I am thankful I no longer work retail. I know Black Friday is part of the deal when you have that kind of job and I usually prefered to be busy, but the customers could be particularly evil this day.


I urge you to remember what is important this holiday season and to treat the retail employees with repect. They often work very long hours, usually make minimum wage, do not get holiday pay, don't have control over store prices or policies and are usually treated pretty rudely by people looking to save $2.


That said, let the holiday season officially begin!

November 24th: Thanksgiving Project

"Life's like a movie, write your own ending..."

Just a Couple o' Turkeys 2011

November 24th:


Today, I am thankful for the memories of the kick-ass wedding Mikey and I celebrated 5 years ago today! Feel free to browse through my fb album to see some of the good times. I like to think that the fun and laughs had that day were indicative of the marriage Mikey and I have shared.


I am also incredibly thankful for the time I was able to spend this week with newlyweds Misha and Don while they were here and for a comfy happy weekend with my awesome nephews Elijah, Anthony and my niece Elizabeth.

November 21st, 22nd and 23rd: Thanksgiving Project

I've been crazy busy for a few days, so I'm playing catch up on my Thanksgiving Project. Here we go...


November 21st:


I'm thankful I can drive almost anywhere and not have to worry about finding parking OR having to take the Fn train during weekend construction! I have so much less stress and can accept any meetings when I'm available and even have time to get to the gym because I don't have to worry about the hours spent frustrated by the MTA! I am the boss of my travels!


November 22nd:


I'm thankful for unseasonable warm weather which will has allowed me to continue to run outside well into November!


November 23rd:


I'm thankful for the birth of my OLDER cousin John AKA Gus, who was always like the OLDER brother I never had (to my knowledge...)


Some of my fav Gus Moments:
1. Demolishing our living room and John wrote his auto-biography (I'm sure it was quite extensive at the age of 16) and stuck it in the wall. I'm still dying to know what it said because he refused to tell us.
2. Running around Nana's house like a lunatic with Mike while he calmly read the Sports section of the paper and watched Football.
3. Doing the Nestea Plunge into Nana's pool and singing "Coke is SHIT!"
4. When he stood up for me when I most needed him.
5. Watching him interact with CJ and seeing him as a full-fledged grown-up and awesome dad.
6. Laughing, laughing, laughing...even when we're disagreeing or complaining about something.


I'm so proud of John for following his passion for sports into a career where his opinions and creepy-ass OCD sports knowledge has come in handy, while at the same time actually earning a decent enough living to support his growing family!

November 20th: Thanksgiving Project

Loved my co-workers, but hated the disrespectful way we were treated. 

November 20th:

Today, I'm thankful for laughter. Spending time with friends and family tonight makes me realize how important it is to surround yourself with positive happy people.

I'm starting to accept and believe in the Law of Attraction :

"The law of attraction is a metaphysical belief that 'like attracts like', that positive and negative thinking bring about positive and negative physical results, respectively."

I've wasted so much time in jobs and with negative people in negative situations. I always wondered why I was so miserable & was being treated so poorly. More and more I have begun to realize that my bad attitude was drawing other cranky bastards to me, making me even more unhappy.

I'm so glad I had the courage to realize I deserved better and to move on and find more positive influences!

November 19th: Thanksgiving Project

November 19th:

I'm thankful for my cousin Mike Gworek! Some of my favorite memories:

-Playing with my Jabba the Hutt playset after Christmas and he was still bitter he had R5D4.
... -Watching old skool Batman w Adam West on a tiny black&white tv.
-Playing rock em sock em robots and breaking open stretch armstrong's arms to reveal that weird goo.
-Making fake newspapers and writing letters to Michael Jackson.
-Drinking red rose tea at Nana's.
-Going to see Weird Al and the Monkees at Melody Fair w Misha Gatto Beeler and getting in trouble because he held out his drumsticks and touched Mickey Dolenz (not as dirty as it sounds).
- Picking fights with the girlfriends of his and John Gworek's "rivals" at Gus Macker (sorry about that!).
-Singing Living on a Prayer with him and Mikey the first night they met and knowing that the fact that he approved, meant Mikey was a keeper.

♥

November 18th: Thanksgiving Project

November 18th:

Today, I am thankful for my goddaughter Mariangela. We went to see her perform in Godspell at Mount St Mary's tonight and she rocked it! She is an awesome dancer and looks so comfortable on stage.

I'm so proud of her!

Also, she won "Best Costume" because they had to provide their own and the description she was given was "hipster", so she wore fitted jeans, chucks, button down, tie, vest and fedora. It was like being back in Brooklyn!

(I'll have to add a pic later, but she's in previous posts...)


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November 17th: Thanksgiving Project

Dear George:-

Remember no man is a failure who has friends.

Thanks for the wings!

Love
Clarence



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November 16th: Thanksgiving Project

My cousin Melanie and I at the Harry Potter Exhibit in Toronto

At the WWoHP

Mischief Managed

Zooooooming on a speederbike at Disneyworld

Posing with Melanie and Mariangela in front of the new Muppets display

November 16th:

Today, I am thankful for Geek Pride! Gone are the days of Susan DiNatale and Myself hiding our Star Wars love while we pretend to have Luke Skywalker and Han Solo over for lunch in her kitchen. 


No need to be ashamed of my Harry Potter fixation or my obsession with the Muppets. 


Thanks to sites like ThinkGeek and successful tv shows like The Big Bang Theory, we can easily embrace our geekiness and we now know we are not alone. There are many other proud geek girls respectfully representing us all over the world and I could not be happier about it!

November 15th: Thanksgiving Project

November 15th:

Today, I am thankful for free time, construction paper and occasionally functioning right brain activity.

I may be challenged when it comes to useful craftiness, but at least I am able to festively decorate our home!


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November 14th: Thanksgiving Project

November 14th:

Today, I'm thankful for my sense of humor. As I sit here watching Uncle Buck & laughing way too loud, I realize that nothing makes me happier than enjoying a great comedy or helping other people laugh. If not for humor, life would be way too overwhelming.

I now feel pressure to post something funny here. Unfortunately, I'm way too distracted by Buck Melanoma, Moley Russell's wart.

Next up: Planes, Trains & Automobiles


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2011 Dash for Dad

November 13th:


Today, I am thankful for the ideal conditions that made my run a possibility:


1. My health (Word.)
2. Decent weather (Did it really hit 60 today?!?)
3. Respectful drivers (Yes, there actually are a few)
4. Wegman's Mistletoe coffee (SPoT visit later)
5. Well-kept sidewalks (Thankfully, North Buffalo has decent ones)
6. Great Fn music. 


Just to expand a bit on #6, I'd like to encourage drivers who may see me dancing at corners while waiting for traffic to pass to quit staring and either join me or hand over $1. Either choice will make me very happy.


Also sidenote: Does anyone around here go dancing anymore? I need to shake my booty soon.

November 12th : Thanksgiving Project

Ruby and I laughing at something (or someone) in Coney Island

November 12th:


Today, I am thankful for Lady Ruby Babushkah, the Bitch of Buffalo. She can always make me laugh, has adapted well to our moving situations and can pull off a green mohawk better than anyone else I know. 


She may currently have an unhealthy fixation on running through her doggy door and treats Mikey and I (and anyone else who visits) like we are furniture, but she's my baby girl and I couldn't have chosen us a better furbaby.

November 11th : Thanksgiving Project

My dad and Uncle Tony checking out 1950's...blue car (?) at the last car show of the year

November 11th:

Today, I'm thankful for all those who have served our country in the military services, especially my dad and uncle Tony!

November 10th: Thanksgiving Project

November 10th:

Today, I'm thankful for my nephews Elijah and Anthony and my niece Elizabeth.

I've always been awkward around children and they "broke me in" by simply not accepting it. They force my cold heart to thaw a little every time I see them...which is simply not often enough.


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November 9th : Thanksgiving Project

Suzie, My mom, myself and Lisa watching the Queen City Roller Girls

My mom's family at my cousin Mike's wedding.
Strangely enough, my cousin and his wife aren't in the pic. Oops.

My dad's family. This one may explain a lot about me.

Kellie. Nuff said.

November 9th:

Today, I'm thankful for my Buffalo friends and family. After a stressful few months of moving and readjusting, Mikey and I have been embraced and welcomed home with open arms. Thank you for the happy wishes and endless laughs!

Sidenote: Happy Birthday to Kellie, who has played a big role in the warm welcoming we have received here!

November 8th : Thanksgiving Project

November 8th:

Today I am thankful for having the right to vote and actually utilizing it, which sadly, is something that women are still fighting for in other parts of the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women's_suffrage

November 7th : Thanksgiving Project

SRL Represent!

MMMmmm...Bonz meat

Pochie-kins!

 

Too bad Mabel and I were with a few drunk psychos this night...HAHA!

November 7th:

Today I am thankful for social media like facebook and twitter. I have been able to reconnect with many old friends and make all kinds of new online friends, some of whom I've never met IRL, yet prove to be some of the most supportive people I've ever known (particularly, my Bitchin' Broads).

I've been able to watch so many of my friends across the world, as their lives changed and their families have grown. I'm so glad I have my "invisible" friends!

November 6th : Thanksgiving Project

 

November 6th:

As I "virtually" followed the NYC marathon this morning and afternoon, I thought about how I will be running it next year, along with my awesome friend and inspiration Sheryl and we are going to rock it!

So today, I am thankful for my health, my ability to realize how much my body is capable of and my strength, which increases every day. I am also thankful for friends who constantly remind me of this.

November 5th : Thanksgiving Project

<3 Thursday Dream Team and Friends <3

November 5th:

This morning, I had my first meetings, since I transferred as a Receptionist for Weight Watchers here in Buffalo. I miss my co-workers in Manhattan terribly, but I'm hopeful my new territory will provide me with even more friends and success.

I'm thankful for the experience of working for a company that has treated me with respect, provided me with a program that helped change my life and has introduced me to some of the most amazing people I've ever known.

November 4th : Thanksgiving Project

My brother and I at the Buffalo Marathon relay point

 

November 4th:

Today, I am thankful for my brother Jeffrey aka Freffer aka Frappy McGee. He has taken a really crappy situation this past week and completely turned it around in just a couple days.

He was brave, faced his fears and is really rocking it! I am lucky to have him in my life and hope to follow his lead...

November 3rd : Thanksgiving Project

November 3rd:

I'm thankful for Mikey. I honestly could not have asked for a more supportive and understanding husband. He's there for my good days, still sticks around for the rough ones and can always make me laugh through it all.

Added Bonuses:
He makes a great piece of furniture for Ruby.
He joined WW and is a runner again, so he appreciates my interests.
He saves me the cookie dough pieces in his ice cream.
He only had stinky feet once in all the years I've known him.

November 2nd : Thanksgiving Project

My parents came out to support me for the Turkey Trot in Buffalo, despite the frigid cold last year!

 

November 2nd:

I am thankful for how lucky I am to have parents who love and support me and Mikey. After all the craziness this summer, they helped us without even thinking twice about it.

They have never treated us as a burden or bother in any way. 

Love. Love. Love.

November Thanksgiving Project 2011

 

This year, I will again do my November, Month of Thanksgiving project (inspired by my Aunt Camille in 2009) .  See my post from last year here: 

November Thanks 2010

So please forgive my dramatics and schmaltziness for the next couple weeks. I have had a mind-blowing year and I suspect that my emotions will get the best of me several days this month. I struggle to be comfortable expressing myself so freely, as I'm not a fan of being this exposed, but I also believe it is very important for me to face those fears. It is the only way I will change and grow. 

That said, here is my Thankful post for November 1st:

Today, I am thankful that I have the ability and drive to fight for myself and what I believe. Some unfortunate things have happened to me in my life and I cannot control that, but I realize that if those events continue to affect me, it's my own fault. I am not a victim. I am a survivor.