Princess Charming

The Big Appletini

2oz Red Apple & Ginger vodka [just buy the damn Absolut Brooklyn]
1oz Sour Apple Pucker
1oz apple juice
Maraschino cherries
Candied ginger

Mix the vodka, pucker and apple juice in a cocktail shaker over ice.  Shake it like you're shaking your head wondering how in the hay nay Spike Lee is endorsing vodka - Absolut at that - even if it is super yummy.

Place a piece of candied ginger in the bottom of a chilled martini glass and strain mixture into the glass.  Drop in maraschino cherry and enjoy!

Remember where we last left off? Recently re-employed and all that jazz?  Well I still am, and I'm pretty satisfied with my choice.  So why am I sitting in the Orlando airport rather than at work today?  Because although I was a broke bitch, I'm still fancy, so I went on a pre-planned vacation to Miami, cruise to Mexico and quick weekend in Disney World.  And I suppose I chose a great time to go because the Midwest got hit by a term that I'm incorporating into my vocabulary - lake effect snow.  So much so that my flight and about 1300 other flights to Chicago were cancelled and I had to stay in Orlando another night.

And such is my charmed life.  Charmed not because the only way to access my checked luggage was to choose to drag it around with me for 27 hours.  Charmed not because in that checked luggage are my clothes, toiletries, makeup and duty-free vodka that I certainly could have used last night.  Charmed not because although I'm used to staying at the Omni, I was at a $59/night hotel near the airport.  Charmed not because I miss my bed and the reality shows on my DVR.  But I do indeed live a charmed life.

I am blessed enough to be able to go on a 3-part trip in and out of the country when I was collecting unemployment not even 1 month ago.  I am blessed to get to spend each part of my trip with good friends - some I haven't seen in years.  I am blessed to have the option of not sleeping in an uncomfortable airport lounge and be in a comfortable and private hotel room (where they had free breakfast and Internet woo-hoo). I am blessed that I travel enough to have a gang of free drink coupons that I will be cashing in when we reach 15000 feet.

I live an amazing, charmed life.  And if I complained I wouldn't seem grateful.

A blast from the past...blew up in my face

Fuck the Master Cleanse

2oz of Absolut Peppar

1oz simple syrup

2 tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice

coarse sea salt

1 lemon wedge for garnish

Mix vodka, simple syrup and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker over ice and shake shake shake señora. Take the lemon wedge and rub it around the rim of a frosted martini glass. Rim the glass in the sea salt. Garnish with wedge, pour and sip. No bathroom trips required.

I started the Master Cleanse because I thought that I needed to detox (from bad food, not liquor). Little did I know that it's hard to focus on cleansing your body when you're running to the bathroom in the middle of salivating every time your cat walks by [like I'm ALF] because you're so fucking hungry. I made it 2 days, quit, did day one over and quit again. I figure now that anything clinging for dear life to my colon has earned the right to be there.

So after a delicious meal of actual food, I was heading to work and got an email on my cell phone. It was from me. Me four years ago, thanks to the FutureMe site. I had totally forgotten all about it, but thankfully I keep one of my email addresses for spam, facebook emails and now emails from my past self. So this is what it said:

Dear FutureMe,

Are you happy? Did you cry today? Are you in love? Does someone really truly love you (and ONLY you)?

Hey, remember when you considered starting your event planning business, but you wanted to wait a little while first? Did you ever do it? Around this time you should have finished your PhD. How hard was that? Please tell me you actually did it. I know you always dreamt of being Dr. ______.

how's the family? Is mom still driving you insane with her money issues? did you ever really cut her off financially, or are you still being the financial crutch? Either way, I hope that she's well.

Are you still working at that _______? I figured by now you'd still be working there, but would have your own business off the ground and would be leaving soon to do event planning full-time. I hope so.

Are you married yet? Are you a mommy yet? I know that for a long time you didn't want children, then suddenly it hit you like a ton of bricks. That good 'ol biological clock. Hopefully you have the family you wanted. Hopefully you're on your way to starting that legacy you've dreamt about.

Well, if you're anything like I imagine, you're really busy right now, so I'll let you go. I just wanted you to know that I love you and no matter what you end up doing, I know you'll make me proud.

Love Always,

PastMe

So umm... this is kinda depressing. Why you ask? Well, let's dissect the letter:

Dear FutureMe,

Are you happy? sure! Did you cry today? not until I got this email. Are you in love? no... Does someone really truly love you (and ONLY you)? *sigh*...no

Hey, remember when you considered starting your event planning business, but you wanted to wait a little while first? Did you ever do it? no... Around this time you should have finished your PhD. How hard was that? Please tell me you actually did it. I know you always dreamt of being Dr. ______. I just registered for classes

how's the family? Is mom still driving you insane with her money issues? did you ever really cut her off financially, or are you still being the financial crutch? just "lent" her $100... [READ: another installment on my birth, since I'll never see that money again] Either way, I hope that she's well.

Are you still working at that ________? I figured by now you'd still be working there, but would have your own business off the ground and would be leaving soon to do event planning full-time. I hope so. no...

Are you married yet? no... Are you a mommy yet? no... I know that for a long time you didn't want children, then suddenly it hit you like a ton of bricks. That good 'ol biological clock. Hopefully you have the family you wanted. Hopefully you're on your way to starting that legacy you've dreamt about. *sigh*

Well, if you're anything like I imagine, you're really busy right now, totally NOT busy so I'll let you go. I just wanted you to know that I love you and no matter what you end up doing, I know you'll make me proud.

Love Always,

PastMe

So it seems that optimistic me of the past has just been introduced to procrastinating me of the future. And I must say, it kinda sucks. But on the plus side - I've certainly gotten a kick in the ass from my younger self and changes are on the horizon. I'll still drink though...