Muffin-tops!!????!!??!!???

Okay so I am talking with a girlfirend today and the topic of muffin-tops cam up.I explained to her that in my mind, once you are over the age of 35 it is no longer a muffin-top, it's a loaf-top. Muffin-top implies something cute, that could be found a woman under the age of 25. When you are 35+ or in my case a newly minted 40, it is no longer a muffintop, it is exposed fat. Which means one of two things either the shirt shrunk in the wash or there is too much me in the shirt! I tend to believe that I have a rogue washing machine that shrinks not only shirts but also my underwear. I am sure it has nothing to do with the amount of cake that I eat...though I have been thinking that I should switch from beer to wine, less calories and you don't get all bloated. (Way easier than extended excerise)

But here is the crux of our philosphical discussion, can men have a muffin-top? If yes, when does the muffin-top convert to a spare-tire and is it ever attractive in men? More importantly, somehow it has become fashionable for women to show the muffin-top (I do not agree), is this socially acceptable for men? Yes, these are the questions that I spend my day at work pondering....

Ahh...the pleasures of business travel

So anyone who has had to travel for business knows that on many levels it is a mjor pain in the ass. Packing, dealing with the airport, living out of a suitcase, eating heavy meals, way too late in the day, etc. Oh yeah and did I forget to mention leaving your family!!! It definitely sucks, because Benajmin is so little and he doesn't understand why Mama isn't there.

On the otherhand when you have the opportunity to travel overnight for one day, it almost feels like a vacation! Since I am in Las Vegas, I slept in by east coast standards, got in a great workout and now I am going to eat a quick breakfast before the convention opens. Just the idea of having a few hours to myself, where I am not obsessing over something in the house or at work is a treat! It makes me feel very fancy...but not fancy enough to pay $20 for the day pass to the gym!! Can you believe that they charge that much to use the gym at the Hard Rock? The pre-40 Kelly would have taken that as a sign that God didn't want me to work out. The 40-year old Kelly knew that was just God's way of saying walk outside for free and use the $20 for slot machine!!! :) I actually think I walked about 5 miles this morning, which means that while I feel great my feet are killing me. So much for wearing my cute heels to the convention. Looks like Mama is hoofing it in sneaks. Oh well....

What Happens in Vegas....

Okay so here I am in Las Vegas, Sin City...and where am I? In my pajamas in my bed at the "ungodly hour" of 11:25 pm (est) or should I say 8:25 pm Vegas time! What has happened. 5 years ago, hell 5 months ago, I would have been out on the strip looking for fun. You know a good meal, good wine followed by a few hands of black jack. Now I am exhausted by the thought of all that. A quiet dinner, a couple of beers and I am done. Oh yeah did I forget to mention that since I am on east coast time I practically had the restaurant to myself, if you don't count the random senior citizens who were there as well. At least I put on a cute outfit and did my makeup to go out. That has to count for something even if the only people who saw are the hotel security guys who monitor the video cameras. On the plus side I have never stayed at the Hard Rock, very nice hotel. It's kind of like being trapped in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but there is a lot of really cool stuff to look at. There are these huge pics of rock icons all over the hotel and oh yeah in the rooms as well. Facing the bed in my room are two really large pictures, one of Keith Richards and one Robert Cray. It is a little surreal because it's like they are staring at you. I think I am going to have to sleep the blanket over my head so it doesn't freak me out too bad. I am only in Vegas for the night, I have an all day convention tomorrow and then I fly home at 5:00 pm arriving in Detroit at 1:00 am. The best thing about this trip is that I can sleep late tomorrow and when I wake up it will still only be 6:00 am here.

Cider Mill Memories

So today in Michigan we had a rare occasision, it was bright sunny and almost 80 degrees. Now for those of you unfamiliar with the Michigan climate, we very rarely have Indian Summer so today was a rare treat espeically considering that we have had the heat on in the house for the past 2 weeks! So to celebrate the good weather, we decided to take Ben to Blake's Cider Mill and Orchard. If you are local to Michigan I would highly recommend it. Ben had an absolute ball! There is a petting zoo, hayrides, pony rides, etc. I chased Ben through the maze made of corn stalks and then a separate one made of bales of hay. We played in the pumpkin patch and he laughed his little heart out. It was one of those days, the kind of days where you will replay the smiles & laughter in your head forever. It was a really great day. Pictures to follow....

The debate is on...

So I am sitting here watching the Presidential debates and I am nervous. Never have I been so emotionally invested in a political campaign...It will be an interesting few weeks until the election. Thank goodness for Satuday Night Live! I haven't watched SNL in years but the parodies of the candidates is reason enough for me to stay up to watch. (actually I record on TiVo, but I feel like that counts). At this point I think I like Tina Fey as Sarah Palin better than I like Sarah Palin as Sarah Palin.

On the more positive side, the birthmonth continues! Today was another birthday lunch and I got a box of gourmet cookies! Yummy! On the negative side if I keep eating like this, I am going to have to buy new pants in a much bigger size!

It's my birthmonth!

Over the past few days I have received phone calls, emails, cards, presents, drinks and even a bouquet of fruit to celebrate my birthday! It is such a wonderful feeling to know that there are so many people out there who are a part of my life who care about my birthday!

What I love the most is acknowledgment that my birthday is the month of October. (They decorated my cube at work in honor of my birthmonth, pictures will follow soon) As anyone who knows me knows, I celebrate from the 1st to the 31st, it is an on-going fiesta. For those of you who are new to the birthmonth, this all started many years ago. At first we would celebrate for a weekend, but we had so much fun we then it extended itself to a weeklong party and eventually it morphed to the entire month. The beauty of the birthmonth is that it takes the pressure off of friends and family to acknowledge a specific date (excluding Michael and the parents, my brother and really close friends) and I get celebrate all month long. Now of course I have to admit that when it comes to my birthday I am a raging 3 year old, but that is part of my charm.

At this point it is not so much about me as it is people getting together to have fun and enjoy themselves. If my birthday is an excuse for that then so be it. Hell I don't even need to be there when the fun happens, as long as it happens. So the next time you are out, order a round of drinks or have the server bring you a slice of cake with candle in it. When people ask what you are celebrating tell them its my birthday!

Happy birthday to me! 40!!!!

Holy crap! How did this happen? 40? It seems like only yesterday that I was turning a mere 30 and felt old....apparently I didn't know what old was. They say that you as young as you feel/act, so if that is the case then apparently I am in my late 20's! For the past 30-45 days I have been hanging out, partying and nursing some of the most extreme hangovers of my adult life. I think that could be called denial, but I have been have a lot of fun. What I love the most is my group of friends who are either over 40 or staring it down themselves who have chosen to help me burn it at both ends to celebrate this new decade! Which is what leads me to this moment, my 40th birthday, nursing a slight hangover, starting a blog.

I have decided to start blogging because sometimes I have a lot to say...Okay, most of the time I have a lot to say. I will try to keep the Rosie O'Donnell style rants to a minimum, but I can't promise anything, especially in an election year! Not to mention that on a daily basis I am amazed, overjoyed, baffled, delighted, annoyed or angered by someone or something and I am sure that will also find its way into my commentary/rants.

I hope you enjoy reading this blog...and for those of you who were fans of Benjamin's blog, I promise to update this one (and his) on a regular basis.