Yes Ma'am?

One thing no one prepared me for when I moved to Louisiana, was the differences in etiquette or manners if you'd rather. The first time I met the boy's parents I was told to be on my best behavior. Turns out we had a different definition of what, "best behavior" meant.

In the South when you're asked a question you're not really supposed to say "yes," defiantly not "yeah," and probably not even "no, thank you." It turns out the correct response is actually "Yes, Ma'am" or "No, Sir" or any combination of the like. I didn't realize people said this in real life still! It completely sounds like something from the movies or 100 years ago. Needless to say I did not make a very good first impression.

I have however, tried to improve. I did try it out on my parents when I was home that first year for the holidays. (My dad told me it sounded awkward and like I was trying to hard.) I got most adept at using those responses at work. Particularly when I had to make phone calls to people, or when I worked after school care and had to talk to parents. Honestly, most often now I'll be in a situation where I'll answer yes (or more realistically yeah) to a question, and my immediate thought afterwards will be, "That would have been a perfect time for a yes, sir"

Of course, if I do wind up having children with the Boy, he (and his parents) will expect our children to be well versed in their Ma'ams and Sirs. Maybe be that time I will have been here long enough to recognize when you're supposed to say it. We can hope...

8 Crazy Nights

So tonight is the last night of Hanukkah. I finally made latkahs tonight, and I think they turned out pretty good. At least a WHOLE lot better than last year when I didn't have enough oil. So I figured a quick recap of my favorite, or at least my most amusing presents.

So my parents send me dresses for my American Girl dolls. (Yes, I am 24, but I figure it's a collectors item! And worse case scenario I can pass them along to m daughter.) First was an outfit my mom actually sewed. A Renaissance Faire out! It was so cute. A shirt, bodice, an underskirt, an overskirt, and a belt. Pretty much the cutest thing ever.

Then actually sent by Pleasant Company, or I guess really Mattel now, was Felcity's new pink holiday's dress. Second was a Silver-y outfit for my doll of today. Now, they have stated sending mini stories along with the Doll of Today outfits (or Just Like You dolls, as they call them now). I guess to try to get girls to read more. They don't really tell you what book included is about, but more of, "This is a book about friendship." So imagine my surprise when I turned over my copy of Friends on thin ice to read

Shoshanna and Gemma are two girls from very different worlds. Read how they find out what it really means to be best friends.

How funny is that! Now obviously it is a different spelling of Shoshanah, but it was still pretty surreal to read a story with my name in it. I can't say that happens very often when your name is Shoshanah!

Merry Christmas?

So Thursday was Christmas, clearly. It's funny I was definitely looking forward to it, and was awfully excited about it. But once it was Christmas, it was kind of like, "That's it?" We sent the day at the Boy's parents (that's their tree in the picture). And we opened presents, and ate food, and watched the Boy's niece play with her mini-basketball hoop. It all just felt a little off.

I think part of me doesn't feel like it was Christmas, since I'm not at home. That maybe if I was spending time with my parents, and my grandparents, and my aunt and uncle and cousin and brother then maybe it would feel like Christmas. But that's kind off taking the easy way it. It's definitely much more than that. It's been a long time since I've woken up early on Christmas, all excited because, "It's Christmas!" And I don't really think it's going to happen again. There isn't going to be a time when the holiday really lives up to all the hype. Maybe when I have kids, and I'm able to see Christmas through their eye, but even so... it won't be quite the same. I not really a big fan of this whole growing up thing...

So tonight is Christmas Eve. It so does not feel like Christmas time at all. I think part of it is that for the first time I have a full time job and am not in school this year. We were supposed to go see the Bonfires in Lutcher, but it's been raining all day and it looks like it'll be raining all night. So it doesn't look like that is going to happen. :( I figured I'd at least post a picture of the bonfires from last year.

So Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all!

Hair-raising

So last night we went to go see "8 lbs," the new Will Smith. I actually did like it. The big plot twist the critics didn't like? Well about 20 mins into the movie the Boy says, "This is what's going to happen..." and sure enough the movie played out like clockwork.

So after the movie we get to the car, and the Boy opens my door for me like normal. He waits till I get in and closes the door behind me. I go to reach over to unlock the door for him, and realize I can't move my head. He had shut part of my hair in the door!

He gets to his door expecting it to be unlocked, and I kinda gesture to my head. He pretty much ran around the car to free me.

In hindsight, I could have easily unlocked my door and freed myself, but I think I was so shocked by the whole situation that I never thought of it!

Sunday Afternnoon

So I spent the afternoon at Starbucks, which is quickly becoming my favorite weekend pastime (Gingerbread latte, a pastry - a apple pear harvest bar, and magazines). Being there and reading all of these different magazines, makes me want to be doing all these different hobbies. I want to blog more often. I want to do project 365 and take a photo every day in 2009. I want to start scrapbooking again.

I feel like every time I think, "I want to be do [this]", I always end it with, "when this happens" Like once I move into a new apartment I will have a place to scrapbook. Or once a get engaged and have to start planning a wedding I will have things to blog about. Or once I have children I will have reasons to make a scrapbook. So often I feel like I'm living the in between right now. That I'm in the middle of being a grown-up and a little kid, and I'm not quite sure where I fit in. It's kind of like I'm not really living right now, so I need to wait around till real life starts.

But life is still going on right now. This isn't just me wait for life to start. Real life is already here, and unless I stop making excuses, I'm always going to be waiting for something... Even when I hit what I consider to be, my "real life". So I'm making a vow to myself to try and make the most of what's here, right now.

~Shoshanah

2008 In Review

1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Alot of things now that I'm thinking about it. Got a full time job. Went to Japan.
Went to Isreal

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I actually did keep my new years resolution.
And my goal for next year is maybe to work out and lose weight? Nothing official yet, so we'll see

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I don't believe so

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No body close to me

5. What countries did you visit?
Japan and Isreal!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Better control of my finances

7. What date(s) from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 15th is when I started working at my company as a temp. I can't think of any other dates that correspond with anything... except of corse my birthday

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a Masters in Math... who would have thought

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not neccessarily a failure, but I feel like I should have started looking for a job, way before I did.


10. Did you suffer any illness or injury?
I can't think of anything, so I guess nothing serious

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I'm really not that big of a spender... Samantha maybe? But only becuase that just happened

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Myself, getting a MS

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Sarah Palin

14. Where did most of your money go?
Student loans and food

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Going to Isreal

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
"I kissed a Girl" by Kate Perry

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, esp because I don't have to worry about studying
ii. thinner or fatter? def a little fatter, yuck
iii. richer or poorer? Richer becuase I make more money.
Poorer becuase I am acutlly paying off my loans

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Saving money

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Started paying off my loans BEFORE I was required too

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With the Boy's family

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
I already was... wow that sounds chilched

22. How many one-night stands?
0

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Jon and Kate Plau 8, Brothers and Sisters

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I don't believe so

25. What was the best book you read?
"The Host" I did read the Twilight books this year but I liked this on better.


26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Ummm Kate Perry? I'm not much of a music person

27. What did you want and get?
A full time job

28. What did you want and not get?
More money?

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
The only one that stands out of all of them is, "Miss Pettegrew Lives for a Day"

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 24. My parents came to visit me, and we went to Commander's Palace for dinner.


31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I'll get back to you on this one.


32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
out of...

33. What kept you sane?
The Boy maybe

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Brad Pitt? I like the whole dad thing I guess

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I guess the election kinda encompasses them all

36. Who did you miss?
All my friends not in Louisiana

37. Who was the best new person you met?
I like everyone I work with

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008:
How about, I would much rather stay kis forever.
Does that count?

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Childhood was for fantasies, nursey rhymes, and toys"