Good things/positivity thread

It's going to be 60 today and tomorrow and in the words of the great poet Miley Cyrus, "That's pretty cool."

My hemorrhoids went away.

i wore my scarf today. this weather is getting me all flummoxed.

I've only had to break out the scarf once this year.

Tomorrow starts February, which is 29 days long this year.
I consider spring to start in the beginning of March...(I know! Shut up.)
So...SPRING IS ONLY 30 DAYS AWAY!!!!!

Why are you b****ing about winter? We haven't even gotten but a couple inches of snow so far this year.

I'm still patiently awaiting the -1F wind chill and snowdrifts.

I'm faxing the North Pole to tell them to get with the program.

Way to poop on my happy parade.

No one is complaining about winter. We're saying how great it is to not have it right now.

Don't you use your superhero powers to turn this positive thread into a sniping contest.
I am very glad the winter has been mild.
If you adventurous type, who are so missing climbing K2 this year, are all sad cause you not going to get to use your eight hundred dollar windproof coat, and custom made carabiners...go get your own "Oh How I Wish There Was Ten Feet of Snow Outside" thread, and keep your snow wishing to yourself.
We're trying to be happy here, dammit!

- Our eldest daughter got a call-back for "Anything Goes" at The Prep . Then at the closing matinee this past Sunday of "A Night of Scenes" she was told by the playwrite of "Perspectives" (Will Dennis) that the scene was from, that "your portrayal was EXACTLY what I had in mind when I wrote that!"
- My 12 year old won first place in her science fair at her school, and went on to win First Place at the subsequent highschool science fair!
- My 4 year old read a book to me and can correctly answer when you ask her "What is 1 plus (insert number here)" up to 1,000.

The first daughter takes after me. The second and third daughters definitely take after Nunzio!! :)

Had an absolutely amazing last few days.

Helped host 500 or so of my closest friends for a great weekend of dancing at the Ramada by the airport.
Had an incredible Sunday morning worship service at Summerfield.
Had a great date night with my beloved wife!

we do counting cards on skype with my 5 year old step daughter. its so much fun to watch them get excited over learning 3+2=5 without using any fingers!!

i love getting free things. yesterday my free stella glass came. tonight im going to use it!

oh, and and.. how can i forget this! my mom gave us her slow cooker after christmas. were finally making use of it - my fiance is just starting on a batch of chili. our house smells delicious.

ooh, yeah, lots of good food-related stuff here too!

Between last week's Farm to Families box, some new recipe websites, a Thanksgiving grocery-receipts turkey we finally thawed, and a box of produce we were given by some friends, there has been some amazing food preparation and consumption going on at the Roth household. Kudos to my beloved!

food is always a positive thing! we have to get ourselves to the farm to families. somehow we seem to forget until its too late. do they really have a dozen eggs for $1.09??

The sideyard that I applied for 6 years ago has finally closed. I now have a yard! I envision the following taking place this coming summer:

Smoked Food
Movie Night
BBQ
NP's Beer Garden
Other amazing outdoor stuff.

Yes!
In fact, they have a "buy 9 weeks, get the 10th week free" deal. This week was our 10th week, so all I paid was $1.09 for the dozen eggs add-on.

Just don't fence it in out to the curb!

- I lost five lbs and I can feel it. Plus, I've already lost another half lb this week, but I've vowed not to get on the scale again until Monday.
- I made the best salad yet, today: arugula/spinach mix, hearts of palm, green peppers, carrot ribbons, little bit of shredded mozz, little bit of avocado, pulled pork, some awesome pickled onions I made this weekend, and a homemade bacon dijon balsamic vinaigrette. Mmmmmm!
- My little boy went to the doc with 103 degree fever, double ear infection, pink eye, and major congestion yesterday. I cried alot. He's doing WAY better today. I cried again when I got the first smile from him in almost 48 hours...but it was a happy cry!
- One our local elected officials has been helping us deal with an issue on our block and I've asked to volunteer for his office as my way of thanking him for all his help. And shocker of all shockers - the guy's a republican! ;)

You're just a fixed parking ticket and a patronage job away from voting for Santorum. ;)

I like the old-school money hustles that still exist in this hood. There was a knock on my door this morning,. I look out and see dude on pavement. I open door. He asks me if I want my windows washed. I say no, thanks. Then I realize they are gonna do my neighbor's, she is a long time customer of theirs, so I ask how much, and I get a very fair price. So, I change my mind and they get out the ladders and wash all windows--including third floor--on front of house in like 15 minutes. Must be getting old, because this service made me just about as happy as when I first moved to Fishtown and discovered that Fishtown Beverage would deliver beer right to my door.

thanks for that! we just called and are about to register. well be sure to stop by thursday to place our first order! :) weve really been meaning to get on this.

edit - i obviously dont know how to " properly, but this was meant in re to farms to families.

but, now im ready to place my first beer order too. so, thanks for that too!

I walked the streets today without being beaten. Nary an animal.

And finally learned how to properly tie a scarf this weekend.

Camera installers are working on my house. Yay.

But that has been negated because I got called for Jury Duty. Boo.

Man...I didn't know there were rules.

I can picture you walking around Belgrade sporting an ascot. Next thing you'll know you'll be starting a thread on the cost of hired help.

Proletariat.

Oh, you're supposed to pay the help?

They were a poor family. The mom was poor. The dad was poor. The kids were poor. The maid was poor. The butler was poor. The chauffeur was poor...

I need to know how to tie the scarf, as Esme and I intend on doing our best
Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale imitations some day.

can this "someday" be tomorrow night, please?

I am happy that it is backword day. I like eating eggs for supper.

Just found out 15 minutes ago that my company was sold to a Canadian Company! Oh wait, that might be bad news for me.....

Start learning French.

Codergrrl, your boy, Dave Grohl, is on Fresh Air -- that ought to make you happy.

That's fantastic, congratulations! Now send some good sideyard vibes my way!

Oui. Le magazine. I think I'm good.

-I FINALLY quit smoking! I was giving myself til Jan 31, that's what I do for "resolutions." It's been 2 days and I haven't hurt anybody! I have an e-cigarette for when I really feel I just need to "smoke." So I feel like that is a win!!!!
-Feeling a little bit more confident on the track at derby
-and have only drank water for the past 2 days (well, ok, I had 2 servings of GT's synergy enlightened raspberry chia kombucha tea which is pretty dang tasty.
-gonna go running tomorrow in this 60˚ weather!!!! YEAH!

Nothing bad happened to me this week. That's about the best news I have.

awesome!

Ooooo...I just saw this. I will have to find a podcast(?) and listen.

I believe that is referred to as "brinner".

I had a dream last night that my dogs left puddles all over my kitchen but IT WAS ONLY A DREAM!

Springboad - the Apple repair place at 22 and Walnut, may have just saved my job.

The guy there spent an hour trouble shooting my problem and let me use a piece of hardware I didn't have in the store - and didn't charge me a thing.

By the way this is not the only great story I have about them. They have the best customer service ever. Can't recommend them enough.

Having too good a day today. Something is bad is going to go down, I can feel it.

taco tuesday?

My pedicurist just told me that I have beautiful toe knuckles!

- Lovey

Got a bunch of awesome recommendations on LinkedIn from some very important industry people. (Have alot of requests out there since my company was bought!)

I would like to invite "Lovey" out to have a drink with us tomorrow evening.
I think you would enjoy it.

It might be beneath me, but let me ask Thurston. He thinks for me, after all.

- Lovey

I think we've scared away pretty much everyone else. I did meet a young couple that lives around the way from me last week and told them to come check quizzo out. Fortunately they don't know any better and may show.

i'm sure that they won't come back, just like the others.

I am 100% serious, Lovey. We probably would get along famously.
The first drink is on me.

Oh yeah, we might be bringing fresh meat with us too (to quizzo, as in a human, not some venison laying around in the trunk of the car), but I don't want to jinx it.

Pretty sure Walt just had a kid. Wonder if a bottle of Jameson is an appropriate baby gift.

Does the kid like whiskey? Get two, one for him and one for the bar.

Just got approved for Section 8 and SSI. Happy days are here. Thank you everybody for your love and support.

last night, no joke, not a drop of irish whiskey in the house.

Should have just left and gone someplace else.

At some point he's going to have his "Irish Bar" card revoked. A green bar top only gets you so far.

shelley was there. despite the lack of jameson, a good time was had by all.

Indeed. We were all introduced to the term "no-no hole".

epic.

I just realized I've been stripped of my avatar.
Hmmm. Okey doke. I guess "someone" finally noticed it.

I am reviving this thread. I think my "Can we talk about something positive already..." thread was lost in the switch to the new site.

I DO have positive conversations....I swear! They just usually end up on FB, Twitter, or Pinterest - where my real life friends happen to be. Yes, I have those too. Har har.

Anyway, my positive thing today is that I've started food blogging again and have gotten some great feedback. I even got mentioned in the cooking section of another site, today, and got a comment to my blog from one of my favorite Philly food bloggers. Not big things at all, but they felt good.

Okay, now it's your turn...

where is your blog?

Dmandy, check your PMs

I got published in Rolling Stone.
Of course, its only a letter, but I'll frame it anyway.

hey, that's awesome! what was the letter about?

It was a thank you note for an article on Patrice O'Neal. (my recently departed hero)

Fire up the grills!

yeah. he will be missed.

Luckily I have pictures.

I am starting to feel a little better after my horrific hernia surgery on the 17th. That is a huge thing for me since I didn't think I would ever feel better.

And congrats coder!!!

that's great, kat!

You know, when you think about what they actually do to you in the OR, its amazing you can live through any operation. God bless the anesthesiologists.

We'll never have to hear from Andrew Breitbart again.

I do not know this truck. Details, please! This sounds awesome.

No cabbage in the produce share this week.

F2F has blueberries and apple cider. Yeah...I'm bout brocollied to death.

Holy crap that thing is awesome. I'm jealous.

It can't be better than Tyson Bee. No sir.

Wow. Hard to believe that short rib burrito could be improved on.

The sauce on that cap'n crunch tilapia burrito is real good, but i think the use of cap'n crunch is just a gimmick.

Look, im just saying it would be just as delicious if they called it a fish burrito, and most likely just as delicious if they used a standard breading/crust.

Just went out back and noticed a bunch of shoots sprouting out of my perennial pots. I'm so starved for green it's ridiculous.

shhhh....it's a secret. We must save all of the tequila for us.

I guess we're not invited then.

I will make an exception for you.

I know! I find myself wandering the estate every few hours now that buds have appeared -- it's so exciting.

I just got a text message from my 5 year old (using her sister's phone) that said "I <3 U Mommy love Em" :)

50% of my yard has been re-leveled and cleared out, when they built my great wall. I have a blank canvas this year...I'm thinking lots of containers. I don't want to get so involved that everytime I walk out into the yard in the summer, there's work to do. I'm all about making it an urban oasis where I can just sit and drink, or cook, and watch soccer balls bounce off the walls.

Containers are the way to go. Very few weeds. And if you find that something needs more/less sun, you just move it. You just have to remember to water a lot more.

I'm shopping for an 18'x18' piece of some astroturf type material. I'm going to use it to put in a part of the back yard, to keep weeds down, and make a soccer pitch. (Not regulation, but good enough!) I used to put rug padding back there, to do the same thing, and give the kids a place to play without mud, or weeds, or whatever to deal with. Plus, cats don't poop on it.

i just read "rug pudding" instead of "rug padding".

That woulda been more fun.

My positive stuff for this Friday:

My middle daughter won the bronze medal in the Carver Science Fair at Temple!

My youngest daughter won a Target gift card for selling the most pizzas in her school

My eldest is going up next week to her new college (I am tagging along) for a sleepover and full class day. She got a scholarship and accepted in the honors program.

It's been a good day :)

Whoa - you go, girl[s]!

This weekend, we turn the clocks forward. That hour we lose pays big dividends.
I will also probably be shaving my beard off. No more facial security blanket. I will probably be sporting a terrible mustache Saturday night.

I just found my old rap from high school on youtube.

I am pleased.

Skip to 1:20.

I just purchased my ticket for a friend's Dining Out event always a blast so looking forward to it!

As I was backing into a parking space on Locust this morning, the car behind me beeped; I thought she was thoughtfully letting me know that I had mote room to park but I looked over and she was holding out her parking slip with over an left on it. How nice was that?

Sweet.

Awesome.

this weather.

breaking out the grill later.

Started the nighttime gardening. Yeah! Instead of hibernating, I get to see what survived getting trampled under foot by the worker last month. You apparently cannot kill day lillies, poppies, and or lilly of the valley. Now, I have to stop wasting time comparing grills, and buy a new one.

My cat, who either jumped or fell out of a third-floor window two nights ago, returned home this morning unscathed. Oh happy day!

That is awesome news. Congrats!! :)

Wow!

Wow. the garbage men actually came and picked up the trashcan they did not feel like taking yesterday. 311 actually works. Now I hope they don't retaliate somehow.

Tonight is my daughter Claire's opening night at The Theatre Company of Port Richmond's "The King and I" I am so proud of her!!!

http://www.tcpr.org/images/King/King.htm

We will NOT be dinning on Milkshake.

Sorry, I'm doin the Pez instead.

we may, however, be dining on milkshake's kin.

I had a dream that Septa functioned like a water park; customers carried their rafts through the turnstile and hopped onto currents flowing where tracks would be. Seems sort of impractical though. I don't know if it could work.

If the smell of the el and concourse in the morning are any indication - a water version of SEPTA would be the equivalent of a giant toilet.

As a big fan of lazy rivers at water parks, this is only the best idea I've ever heard.

Agreed.

Pouring rain, sweat pants, Flyers win, leftover Easter ham = a perfect day!
I wish it would rain all day long more often, sometimes you just need to put the brakes on.
I don't know about you guys, but I had a killer weekend, from Friday morning until Sunday night.
Happy Monday.

Hats off to Philly Tree People; they're so organized, appreciative, and enthusiastic that even planting in the rain is a good time.

we installed a new kitchen floor this weekend, which we've been meaning to do for over a year. even with saturday's hangover, it was a productive weekend!

I didn't punch the arrogant and stupid VP of my company in the face like I wanted to on Friday, so I still have my job. Yay me.

I got an $800 check today courtesy of the junkie who hit my car back in July. I'm looking for ideas as to how to spend it irresponsibly.

You could treat us all to Fried Pickles at the Taproom Just a suggestion.

Or you could treat us all to Fishtown Ice Tea at Interstate.

I know this is going to be taken by some as just another parent bragging about her kid - especially if you are a person who hates kids - but I say this more in amazement than with some inflated sense of pride. I have a one year old and he does something new/hilarious/amazing every single day. I can't get over how fast this kid (any kid this age, really - he's not THAT special) picks up new skills. Child development is a seriously amazing thing to watch.

You're not bragging, just telling the truth. It is amazing and beautiful to see a child grow.

Here's one that will make everyone feel good. Junk Car Guy's voicemail is full again.

Try it: *672157406116

I have goosebumps.

I was at the supermarket this morning and there was a baby with a wonderful laugh. I don't think there are many things sweeter than a laughing baby.

Today is my birthday! After some shopping, we're going to Cross Culture in Haddonfield for dinner (Indian food!) and then, if the weather holds out, we're going to the Camden Riversharks home opener.

Happy Birthday!!! Sounds like a perfect plan.

The Teens4Good farm at 8th and Poplar has a really good/cheap farmer's market every Wednesday, 3-6. The stuff was beautiful and dirt-cheap: kale, lettuce, mint, collards, radishes, etc -- one buck per bunch.
Check it out.

I hate summer.

I met a couple from the West Coast last night who now are staying in Mt. Airy, but they are looking to come live in Fishtown. They absolutely love it here, and it warms the cockles of my heart when strangers just go on and on about how great the neighborhood is.
Some days, insteading of crying about everything, (and I know I do it too), we should really just sit back are realize how lucky we are to be here. The area is amazing, and only getting better, and I thank you guys for that.
Have a great weekend everybody....Summer's here!

Were you at home when you met them or out and about? I talked to them last night also. If you met them at Atlantis I was the one who sent them there.

They asked me if I knew of any house for rent. My neighbors a few doors down are moving soon so I sent them down to talk to them. So maybe I'll have new nice neighbors. Glad they found Atlantis.

Oh how funny, they kept asking me if I knew "Donna"...I didn't put two and two together.
Sweet folks. Austen gave them some contact info and invited them to "Meet the Neighbors".

They should have shown up for the "Great & Glorious Frankford Ave Pub Crawl of 2012" It would have been a real eye opener for them.

Where is atlantis?

More West Coasters! YAY! Where on the West Coast? You know, because I have mentioned it a bajillion times over the past 6 or so years, I am a 5th gen So Cal Gal. Actually I thought I was 4th gen, until my cousin started doing this whole geniolgy thing and I found out we go waaaaay back.

http://youtu.be/leI7sfmipuI

You probably don't know that I've moved from Fishtown to Sepvia Plantation so you didn't make the connection. I'm taking care of my father now. And to be honest, I've always been a Kensington girl at heart.

I was out of the country when this song was on the charts.

Glorious day out.
No work tomorrow.
Quizzo tonight....
Life is good.

lucky you don't have to go to work tomorrow. i'm just glad that tomorrow's friday.

I have the next three Fridays in a row off.
YES!

i guess when you've worked at a place for 100 years, you amass a lot of vacation days, huh? :D

105...five more and I'm vested in the pension.

I got an award at school recently. :)

Good for you! That can only great news.

'Tis a glorious day today. GO OUTSIDE!

Beautiful. Hubby and I went to Loco Pez for brunch then walked to Greensgrow.

It was a beautiful day, indeed. Now that my kid is mobile, I try to get him up and out of the house first thing on the weekends, so we go get breakfast somewhere local and then hit a playground. (I travel all over the city for the good ones!) This morning we hit Clemente Playground in Fairmount. I just loved watching him do new things, like play "catch" with another little boy or check out the different flowers in the community garden across the street. Kids are awesome like that. The best part about these weekend jaunts is that I'm getting to explore the city more and more. It's nice.

I just realized that it was only laundry I hung earlier and not bodies swaying beneath my tree in the backyard. PHEW!

Always a huge relief.

As for me, my good news is that I'm at PHL headed back to Florida for a few days of intensive zombie slaying. It's time I faced this issue.

worst. pun. ever.

George, I'm so frightened -- do be careful!

A. Awesome

B. You need to start a thread about your adventures and the pros and cons of each spot. (I'm always looking for new spots or adventures for the fam).

C. Have you tried Smith yet?

Sorry, getting caught up on threads.. but this is glorious!

Pool is up...carrots are planted...good weekend.

pool?

No white men allowed.

Oh the burden.

So-crates!

Wait, that's not the correct way to pronounce it?

Yeah, that one is stuck in my head now too.

I just accepted a new job. Whoo-hoo!

Got a clean medical report about something that was concerning me.

Found a great, honest mechanic near me here in Bella Vista (I still love Garrison's, too!)

Set up a trip out to San Francisco and Big Sur in July.

I liked this past week!

Iron Maiden concert tonight. I've been waiting to see them since I was about 8 (31 now). I imagine this is what 13 year old girls feel like when Justin Beiber comes to town.

That is awesome. I am just a little bit jealous.

You didn't even mention that Alice Cooper would open.
Man, I used to really love Alice Cooper.
My generation's Marilyn Manson.

Yes.

Congrats!

I was hit in my left eye by a projectile blueberry and was not blinded!

That is WONDERFUL news, Kat!! So much better than projectile papayas or yams.

(I'm starting a band named Projectile Yam)

George you are so right. I was once hit with a projectile avocado and it was quite painful.t left quite a mark. I can imagine the mess with a papaya. All those seeds!

Hearing my dog howl at a passing ambulance gives me a laughter that can lift me from any bummer. It's only happened maybe five times, and tonight was his best performance ever. He really laid into it.

Also, 200.

Before my dog became too old to care, he used to do this too -- classic stuff. Aside from maybe the 3-4 times that he barked @ other dogs who were annoying him, it was the only time I'd ever heard his "voice".

Tupelo Honey is on the radio.

We'll be at the New Deck at 2.

I think I'm done with work for the rest of the week. This is only going to lead to a series of increasingly poor life choices.

Starting at 2, I am as well. I am celebrating my anniversary, a new job, and a friend's birthday, among other things. It's gonna get ugly.

I want to play wiffle ball.

It's raining. Finally. My lawn was starting to look like hay.

Too much thinking about modern day atrocities...
After a weekend of having no running water, except in my kitchen sink, I can happily announce that we are once again cleaned and showered.
Very interesting, living like hillbillies.

The handle in the shower was stripped, which meant hot water pouring into my tub...the shut off valve was corroded, you couldn't turn it off...it would have snapped the pipe...Plumber comes, on Saturday at double price, and has to cut out the old shut off valve to put a new one in, but my 200 year old house, with 200 year old plumbing I guess, somehow the cold water going upstairs is diverted and coming back down, so it all had to be shut down. The sink, washer and outdoor hose were the only water we had. Thank god pops is in the hospital, (still fine by the way, complaining about the food)...they came back out Monday to do all the things that needed to be done, and finish the job. Someday, I'm getting brand new plumbing and electric...from top to bottom. And then I'll die.

Gotta love the Hughes boys.

Thank you, black eyed susans, for continuing to look fresh and lovely in this heat.
Thank you, gazpacho, for turning out somewhat edible this time.
Thank you for winning on Sunday, Phillies; first win at a game I've attended this year.

I saw Iron Maiden, Foreigner, Loverboy, and Ted Nugent all together in one show.

The good thing is that that is not possible anymore.

That would have been such an awesome show.

Not only that, they reproduce like crazy. I had one last year, now I have four, full size flowering plants, and could have had many more if I weren't vigilant in pulling out the volunteers.

Pulling out the volunteers?

Yep. If you don't deadhead them quickly enough, they go to seed, and before you know it there are many, many black-eyed Susan plants growing. They're pretty easy to ID, as soon as they have two leaves, they look just like the full grown plant's leaves, sans flowers of course.

I'd like the yard to be full of them -- should I just let them go? I never heard the term "volunteer" before.

Yes, let them go to seed. They'll be everywhere. Just don't pull out the two dark green leaves when they come up.
I get "volunteer" portulaca every year. And snapdragons will self seed too. Occasionally impatients will also, but not as sturdy as the original plants. You just need to be patient when weeding and make sure what your pulling out is really a weed, as opposed to a flower.

I actually got 4 volunteer tomato plants this year, which was really odd, but I'm grateful for it!

Volunteer just means leftover from the previous year?

No...it means that a plant you previously had has dropped seeds and they've grown. Without your help.
Also can be attributed to birds.
If you have a tomatoe plant, and you let any of the fruit fall and rot, next year you probably will get volunteer tomatoe plants.
Plants you would have paid to grow, just sprout up and grow on their own, (mostly) because somehow the seeds got dropped in your yard.
I have alot of perennials which will grow next year too, but volunteers are new plants, grown from seeds.

How much do you pay your plants to grow?

Minimum wage, after three months probationary period they're eligible for benefits.

Coffee House Too. Finally went there today for lunch with bromance. White wine in a plastic cup while you wait? Genius.