C is for Chocolate, Cookies, Chips and Cheese Dip

I have a serious weakness for many foods that begin with a C: chocolate, cookies, chips and cheese dip to name a few. Seriously, I wonder why I don't lose weight when clearly it doesn't take a genius to figure it out.

This picture of chocolate chip cookies looks so decadent that I really want to reach in my computer screen and eat it right now. Oh yummy.

So, these foods are some of my weaknesses...especially the sweet ones. And who can resist kettle cooked barbeque chips and cheese dip at a Mexican restaurant? Lots of the goodies start with a "C" and I definitely lose willpower when these are around.

Yummy for my tummy.

Labels: alphabet

B is for Bert (I'm sure you were on pins and needles.)

Of course, B is for Bert, my wonderful husband! Marrying such a wonderful person is truly what I consider the greatest accomplishment of my life. I am lucky to share my life with this unbelievably HOT man who is just as smart, sweet and helpful as he is HOT. ;)

Whether we are talking about politics, sports, celebrity gossip or laughing until our sides ache about total nonsense, every day with him is a joy. Our marriage gets much stronger and better each year.

I am definitely a lucky girl.

Labels: alphabet

A is for Anchor

Well, I've decided to join the masses and begin the alphabet game. Seems like a fun way to talk about a variety of topics.

Here's a picture of me at the CNN Center posing as an Anchor. It really was incredible. When I was a little girl, my family went to India for my uncle's wedding. There is footage of me pretending to be a broadcaster. My name - Sandra Annette Coverdale. Yes, I was 7 years old and had a huge crush on Whitesnake singer David Coverdale. Strange, I NEVER hated boys. Loved them from Day 1.

No, I'm not an anchor, but I am in communications and have a pretty fun job. However, given the chance, I would love to sit in that anchor seat for real some day - as long as it wasn't for Faux News. :)

Labels: alphabet

La Cucaracha

Friday was my work's annual awards banquet. It is the biggest event each year and always a bit of a relief when it's over. However, due to budget cuts, I had to plan to have it at work, rather than at another location. I chose FIESTA! for the theme and it was a great time! It actually made it much less stressful to have it there, as I had no choice but to make it a low-key affair. This reduced stress enabled me to actually have a great time, so it all worked out for the best.

P-U

"Matty, you farted and you stink!" Bert exclaimed, as he began to pick Matty up and get him off the couch.

"No!" I exclaimed, before thinking. Oh boy. Now I was stuck. "It was me," I said while laughing. This is my first ever admitted you-know-what.

I think we have entered a new phase.

The Dream

There's nothing like your own bed.

After spending the past few days at a media conference and a bed with feather pillows, it feels wonderful to be in my own home where I do not sleep on the dreaded feather pillows (I hate sinking into pillows). The hotel was fabulous, as was the conference...but still, no place like home.

Sunday I had the opportunity to tour the CNN Center. Ever since I was 7 years old, my dream has been to be an anchor. And as soon as I knew what CNN was, that's where I wanted to work. This was my first time at the CNN Center and I was thrilled. I walked inside the huge building, which looked nothing like I expected. It almost had a warehouse feel. I expected it to be much more posh. Anyway, I was taking it all in and was soon on the tallest freestanding escalator in the world, heading up to the beginning of Inside CNN.

Excitement/Sadness.

I was interested to see everything...the cramped areas where producers sat, a glimpse at a Headline News Anchor and more. I did not in any way yearn to simply work at CNN; I just wanted so much to be on TV. I have no interest in being a producer. I found myself daydreaming about what ifs. What if it was my face on that poster? What if I was part of the welcome video?

The TI-lookalike showed us around and I couldn't help but wonder what I could've done differently to end up on the other side of this tour. Don't get me wrong - I have a great job as Director of Communications for a school at a prominent university. But still, it's not exactly sitting in an anchor chair.

Is it too late? Well, in a sense. I am not at a point in my life where I would be willing to travel the world at long stretches of time. I enjoy stability and would like a family one day.

But I will never give up hope that all those "Excellent!" remarks I get for giving presentations will one day result in me being on air. Maybe I'll find an unorthodox way to get there.

Spring Cleaning

I'm in love with Whole Foods.  If you are ever near one, eat lunch there! Just delicious.

Labels: spring, weekend

Ariana

It was a beautiful early spring day and the azaleas were stunning. Luckily, I had my camera so I could take pictures of a day I wanted to be sure never to forget.


We ate a seafood lunch in a little restaurant by the river. She told us about school and how she learned about a photographer who made designs using only naturally-found objects. She told us that she sees things in nature that other people don't see.


"Look over there," she said. "That looks like a giant foot!" She was referring to a design in the sandy parking lot and sure enough, it looked like a giant foot. And the way a large piece of wood lay in the river against some rocks made it look like an alligator.

"I wonder if it was meant to be that way or if it just happened," she pondered.

"My little philosopher," Bert replied.


She found a "poor little pink" flower that had fallen off the azalea bush. "Look, Anisa! It's your favorite color!" she said, before placing the flower in my hair.


It was an ordinary, yet completely magical Saturday afternoon...just the way Saturday afternoons are meant to be.

Labels: Ariana, Bert, spring, weekend