itsbeenclaireified

[itsbeenclaireified]

Update on my friend and the whole hotel debacle

The hotel wasn’t refundable, and I basically told her that I wasn’t going to contribute and maybe she could find like a third party vendor (or still go herself) so they didn’t just eat the cost.

She accepted that they got swept up in the moment and she hoped it didn’t impact our friendship. Which I told her it hadn’t, and it hasn’t, but it has re-certified that i will need to communicate stricter boundaries if we ever try to plan again.

#man that was stressful #and a real test of my confrontation skills #phew it’s over #claireified

[itsbeenclaireified]

[itsbeenclaireified]

Last night my friend asked me if wanted to go see Taylor Swift in Scotland in June, and I was like “I’m interested” and then she called me and was like we should do it!! And then I was like well what are flights etc? And spoiler it was very expensive (read $3k for 30 hours in Scotland), but last night I was like YOLO.

And her/her husband were like looking up a bunch of flights and options and stuff, but they never presented me any options and stuff? And they are two hours behind me so I said I’m going to bed, let me know what you find in the morning.

Well in the cold light of morning I was like actually…I’m having second thoughts. So I texted her and apparently they booked a nonrefundable hotel and like our plane or train tickets from London to Edinburgh? Which I did not agree to, and was like we’re still in the 24 hour window for any tickets just cancel those.

So now I feel like an absolute asshole asking for things to be canceled because I didn’t realize she was doing things. I’m just not really in a financial place to just drop $3k??? Like I could figure it out if I really really wanted to and that is a privilege but also ughhhhh I’m not in a place where that is a small amount of money.

And I keep looking at my texts and now I’m interpreting them differently and being like…did I lead her on??? But I was expecting them to like give me options on like what flight and what hotel and stuff??? And I didn’t expect her to book a nonrefundable hotel without asking me.

Anyway, she spent $1.4k on the nonrefundable hotel and maybe I will have to help split that cost with her unless I can talk to her into just going alone or having her husband go or the hotel decides to be merciful.

#don’t message me to tell me I’m an asshole #I already feel like one #I just am upset my friend did a bunch of stuff without asking me #and I think it’s reasonable to take 24 hours to have second thoughts #because I didn’t realize she was doing anything!!! #I thought it was still theoretical!! #or at the very least she would have booked flights and could cancel them #she didn’t like send me her flights to copy so I thought maybe it hadn’t happened yet #anyway I feel like a bitch and an asshole and also know it’s reasonable to have second thoughts about something that is twice my mortgage #ughhhhhh #maybe next time I update it will be goofy fun things again lol #claireified

[itsbeenclaireified]

it's been a while... life update?

It’s been busy!!

I went on a ski trip with (new) friends to Taos, New Mexico (February)

Then skiing with my family in Utah (February)

And then lastly to Snowmass, Colorado for a ski instructor spring rally. (April)

I also went to a conference in Chicago for my role, and it was both educational and also damnnnn it was fancy. (March)

My job has been busy as we start to gear up for a BIGGGG test we’re going to run in October and basically every time I went on vacation shit hit the fan while I was out. And that’s a whole other story of shenanigans. Like you shouldn’t try to plan life around work, but also it’s hard to come back on a Monday and be like ughhhhhh. But all the trips were worth the pain.

And then on top of all we wrapped season 7 of fine pairings and then recorded a bunch of bonus episodes 👀 and yeah…that was a lot of work but also fun.

And now that it’s starting to be spring in Minnesota I feel the energy returning to me! And I’m getting excited for projects! And organizing!

And look! My bulbs are growing!! We’re getting close to flowering.

And most importantly, Trixie remains cute.

Stay turned to see if the 20+ seed packets I’ve purchased turn into an interesting garden this year!

And I’m going RAGBRAI again this year (pray for me because its gonna be HILLY). I’ve started training, but this week I need to start incorporating hills training.

#claireified #life update #I know I keep saying this but I want to get into the habit of blogging more #and I tell myself that I should do it because I can also copy it and send it to my grandpa #but lol you guys know I’m a mess #but I gotta work on the perfectionist tendencies #anyway #exciting stuff!

[itsbeenclaireified]

Sylvia Plath

#literally me

[itsbeenclaireified]

not to be insensitive but some of the salem witch trials were so funny bitches like “i saw her at the devils sacrament!!!” girl… what were YOU doing at the devils sacrament 👀

[itsbeenclaireified]

#me next time someone asks about my knickknacks

[itsbeenclaireified]

I am wearing press-on nails for the first time, and out of the box they were way longer that I imagined for my first attempt. They’re the Olive and June non-glue ones so you put some like sticky pad down and so far they’re holding up!

I was just reflecting I thought I was bad at nail shaping but actually I think the real reason is that my natural nails curl so unpredictably I can’t know if the shape I do will stay. But now I’m seeing that I actually do an okay job.

Anyway, if feels sort of crazy on my hand because my nails are much much thicker that normal, and also feel weird when I try to pick something up.

#claireified #nails

[itsbeenclaireified]

I finally cracked a break thru in my personal skiing yesterday in carving and it felt absolutely amazing!

I need to figure out how to get a photo or something of me doing it because it felt crazy. And the clinician I was working with is one that I’ve been working with for 10 years so I just really value his input and so it just felt extra special.

It’s just been a while since I’ve felt like I’ve made a big jump in level, and when you’re at my level everything is at such a fine tune that sometimes I gaslight myself and think “you can’t really tell what’s wrong there, you’re just guessing”. But yesterday I really felt like it clicked and it felt amazing.

#of course that means I had a canceling day at my regular job #but here we are #highs and lows #so I’m gonna focus on that break thru #and to think I almost didn’t go to that clinic lol #claireified

[itsbeenclaireified]

January is for logistics.

The first week of the new year I got quoted $17k to have my sewer line dug up and replaced, after multiple hours of inspections from my basement drain backing up.

Then I called MORE plumbers and got the sewer line snaked instead for 1 million tree roots and it’s appears to be fine now.

While all of that was happening work stuff was also happening. Because this week I had to fly to Chicago for a study so everyone was getting me parts for that.

Luckily the sewer thing got resolved before I left because that was stressful, and then at the study I was do MORE logistics for the study and having to call people and do all sorts of things to fix things that were happening.

Now I’m home again, virtually watching the study and my colleague who has also been there the whole time with me is sort of useless? So it’s like why are you here if you are no help? And even now that I’m not there it’s still me he wants to fix things. Like no my dude, you are tapped in.

So let this be a reminder: if it’s more than a couple hundred bucks definitely get another opinion and also damn adulthood is expensive and tiring.

#claireified

[itsbeenclaireified]

[itsbeenclaireified]

[itsbeenclaireified]

Also I looked back and I wanted to also update that the mouse count got to 12…..and now it’s quiet. So that’s another win.

I had sort of a tough day at work where I got some feedback from my manager that I talk too much in the smaller room my team has been assigned to work in. So I’m a distraction. And this has struck an insecurity of mine, so I’m working thru that.

But I didn’t cry about it until I got to the car and that’s also a win! And I’m trying to reframe it that this is feedback just like I would get skiing, and it’s just meant for my improvement and not that I’m in trouble.

Because I’m an adult and we don’t get in trouble.

But yeah it’s hard because it’s a sensitivity of mine. So I’m gonna try to be better and instill some quiet hours at work.

I also finally ordered my Christmas cards (now new year cards) and I’m happy with them.

So here’s some Christmas cheer to also lift my own spirits.

#claireified #christmas

[itsbeenclaireified]

Update, I passed my ski certification. 🎉🎉

It was a lot of work prep which meant that on test day I was very prepared and thus was like why was I worried? But still, glad it’s over.

So then I could focus on other things, like making gingerbreads for work for our Christmas party. I made 4 little ones that I now displace under my TV and they give me great cheer.

Here they were displayed on the day:

#claireified #gingerbread

[itsbeenclaireified]

I’m studying for a ski racing certification I’m taking in early December. And if they had told me how much reading and note taking there would be I would have thought about it more before signing up.

#they were just causally like this will be 21 hours of work at least #and you have less than 3 weeks to complete it #and that was an ESTIMATE #I am losing my mind #claireified

[itsbeenclaireified]

Listen…I want to tell you about how for the last week I’ve been fighting god damn mice in my basement ceiling for the last week.

(The kill count is 11, and I’m basically getting numb to it but also please pray for me that it’s almost over because I think I filled the various holes they could have gotten in. Last weekend I manically replaced a vent with one that had a pest guard on it and I bulked up the guard with metal mesh, and also I spray foam’d some holes around my stairs near where I’ve been catching them and I’m gonna basically gonna walk the perimeter of my house and just spray foam the whole way round now.)

But, positives: the rate of mouse trapping is slowing…to like one per night so that is good. And Trixie is spending less time in the basement tracking them in the ceiling (I think).

So let’s focus on some other positives, I planted over 100 bulbs in my front yard because I didn’t pay attention to how many were in each bag so I think spring should be exciting….or maybe it will be disappointing. The bulbs are where the previous tree was so idk if it’s a hospitable place for bulbs idk.

And the rest of the photos are just Trixie being cute, and the tv stand I built. Which I was building when I had to really admit that there was something in my ceiling lol.

#pray there are no mice in my ceiling #because sometimes I have prayed that the electric trap is empty #and then god laughs at me and the trap is empty but because the trap misfired and so I just have proof there was a mouse but I’m not closer #to a mouse free house #beatrix #my face #claireified

[itsbeenclaireified]

The way I just SUDDENLY was openly weeping to Taylor’s Version Out of the Woods this morning. It’s like something needed to release and I just couldn’t stop it.

#it’s my favorite song from that album #but dude where the f did that come from #why has that just been sitting inside me #also I’m gonna have to fix my makeup before I go to work dude #claireified