June 21, 2011 by info.

It is with deep sorrow I report the conclusion of our marriage. After nearly a year of separation, our divorce will be final on June 16, 2011. We love and respect each other immensely and will continue to support each other as friends in our lives’ endeavors. 

Thank you to all of our friends and family that supported us during our relationship.

With Love,

David & Adri

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November 3, 2008 by Adri.

So, I voted. But, WTF, it wasn’t what I expected AT ALL. I have to admit, I am nearly 27 years old, and this is the first election I voted in. I did a absentee ballot, so I already mailed it in with a scowl on my face and a begrudging spirit.

I didn’t want to vote. I felt pressure by everyone (media, friends, husbands, parents (well, just mom), etc.). They pressed that it is our right and responsibility as America citizens to vote and how could I NOT VOTE? If you don’t vote, you might as well push the American people into a boiling vat of doom and depression. If you don’t vote, you will be the one jerk that swayed the election the WRONG WAY and ruined billions of lives, so get out there and VOTE!

I watched the debates, I listened to people telling me that Obama will change the country and bring it back to life, vote OBAMA! And, others telling me McCain is the answer to a brighter future, vote McCAIN! But, to be honest, there were some fundamental aspects of both of their campaigns and past voting records that I didn’t agree with. I didn’t want to vote for either. And voting for any of the other no-name candidates for underrepresented parties was the equivalent of just rolling my ballot through the shredder and dancing a jig on resulting mess.

In addition to the presidential candidates, there are local candidates too, a majority of whom I had never heard of. I didn’t feel right voting for someone that I knew nothing about. Are there any suggestions for getting good information on national and local candidates without dedicating 787324 hours researching and wading through the biased bull *ish to to find out who most deserves my vote?

Short story extremely long and boring, I voted. I thought and thought and weighed out my options, and eventually I picked the lesser evil. I wrote in William Hung, the guy that got voted off American Idol; I figured it was time that he won something. HUNG ‘08! Good luck and Happy Voting to the rest of you skipping off to the polls tomorrow!

Ginger hugs and cinnamon kisses,
Adrienne

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October 22, 2008 by Adri.

Dave’s car got towed on Friday morning from our street; he parked in a spot that had faded white lines painted in it. He parked at midnight, woke up at 7 and the car was gone. As I drove him to the towing lot, I boasted that I had NEVER had a car towed and lectured on the importance of following praking lot rules.

That night I worked a promotion in the city. It is nearly impossible to find street parking, so I parked in a lot for $6. When I came back out to the lot 2 hours later, I didn’t see my car. The lot was empty, save for maybe 2 or 3 cars, but where was mine? Could they have…? No! There is no way it was towed…I paid to park here!! So, I continued to walk around the empty lot, rubbing the disbelief out of my eyes. Finally, I found a number to the towing company that monitored that lot and called.

“Did you tow a red…you just got it in? 2 minutes ago?! But I PAID TO PARK THERE! I know you don’t care about my problems, sir, but you don’t have to be rude to me. I *sniffle* just need to get my car back.”

I took the address of the towing company and sat down in the lot and cried for about 15 minutes, hailed a taxi cab and ended up spending $125 in towing expenses, $18.85 in cab fare and $6

TO PARK

! I should have knocked on wood that morning when I boasted about my non-existant towing record. But seriously, what are the odds of both our cars getting towed in the same day?

I hope that never happens again…(knocking on wood as I type).

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October 14, 2008 by Adri.

A little birdie suggested that I make an update to the website since my last post glorified my unemployed status. Well, I no longer have a Big Girl office job, but I am working weekends and occassionally during the week and I am a slave to academia the rest of the time. School is going great! It is a challenge, but I am finding that I am rising to meet it…and successfully so!

I am already doing clinicals in the hospital and using Dave as a guinea pig on which to practice all my new nursing techniques. He is a somewhat unwilling participant though; the first 18 quadjillion times I asked him to lay in bed while I pretended he was an ailing patient was fine, but now he complains he doesn’t want to subject himself to being poked and prodded again. I have to lure him with promises of a backrub or promising not to talk for a half hour for him to allow me to use his body as a learning module. Usually, the promise of a half hour going by in sweet silence without me talking is enough to get him to lay still while I complete a head to toe assessment on him. I wonder what I will have to use to entice him to be my guinea pig when we start learning catheter insertions?

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July 24, 2008 by Adri.

So, it’s official…I am unemployed. I left quietly without any glorious Braveheart-esque goodbye speeches. It felt right - it felt quiet, and right. After 3 years, I was simply ready to go. I had a great time there and learned a ton about myself and about other people. It was a ride! That’s all I’ll say about that.

So, today, in true Rocci fashion, we have packed up some stuff and are setting out on a semi-spontaneous road trip for a couple weeks. We were going to stop at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, OH on our way out, but you know what? My life has had enough ups and downs, twists and turns and enough ‘I am so scared I want to barf’ moments lately that the thrill of a roller coaster seems to pale in comparison to life right now for me.

I am planning on doing a little video diary of our trip. We will see if I am technologically inclined enough to figure out how to upload that thing when we get back. I am sure it will be boring and awkward, but I am going to get in touch with my creative side, damnit!

Well, in I’m-signing-your-yearbook-before-summer-break style, I would like to say Have a gr8 summer and stay cool! LYLAS/LYLAB!

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July 21, 2008 by Adri.

So, in going back to nursing school, I am quitting my job so that I can focus on my studies and prepare for a new career. But, Oh.My.God. This change is scary. I have worked at the same place for over 3 years. I have a 401K, insurance, friends…I have a routine! I thrive on routines!

I am so happy for a change, also happy to be losing the 2-hour-a-day commute, but damn, why do I want to barf every time I think about it? I am quitting this week which means I won’t be covered by my super awesome insurance anymore. The closer I get to quitting and losing my insurance, the more sick I get. My ear hurts, my hair is falling out at what seems to be a more-rapid-than-normal pace and I saw a raccoon the other day, so what if I have rabies? I mean, I could have an ear infection, some sort of ‘-itis’ causing my hair to fall out and rabies!! I need this insurance! I am not ready to give it up! *sob, whimper, barf*

pause to allow for cycle of hyperventilation and crying

Ok, change is good. I will make it work…I will make this work.

pause to bang head on desk repeatedly – oh shit, stop! If I hurt my brain, I will have NO INSURANCE TO COVER THE RESULTING BRAIN DAMAGE

longer pause to massage head and try to undo any self-inflicted brain damage

Ok, I am back! I’ll be fine. Sigh. Deep breath. I’ll be fine…

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July 16, 2008 by Adri.

Well, hello there. This page has become a little hoarse since I haven’t posted in, oh I don’t know, 6 or 7 months. I am pretty sure anyone that might have been reading it pretty much lost interest (unless my previous posts were so darn entertaining that you read and re-read them obsessively in the last 180 days).

So, anyway. It’s July. A lot has happened over the past half year. I could tell you what has been going on, but you know what? I don’t feel that there is any way to write a post that can capture 6 months worth of my life. So instead of word vomiting all over this page with nonsensical strings of events, let’s just move forward. You know, today is the first day of the rest of your life (that is totally something you can say EVERY day – that’s how cool that statement is!).

So…I start nursing school at the end of August. I found out that I got accepted on April 15th (see, we are already catching up!). I am really excited but really freakin’ scared!! We are changing everything about our lives for me to go back to school. Dave is getting a big boy job, I am quitting my job and looking for PT positions to help get me through school. Anyone know of anything that will pay me $40 an hour for about 10 hours worth of work per week? Keep it legal, people!

I am giddy about taking classes again in a classroom. I feel like I am going to my first day of Kindergarten – should I wear my dress with the primary-colored buttons all over it, or the one with a glitter-encrusted Barbie on the front? Decisions! I really want to do well this time. I was looking at my transcripts from my Bachelor’s degree and, eek, my grades were not so great. I was never put on academic probation or anything like that, but I just didn’t try like I should have. I really want to try this time around and be the geeky class know-it-all that everyone harbors a secret jealousy for. During my first two years at Virginia Tech, I was the girl that walked into her first day of class and realized that, shit, it’s actually the 3rd week of class and we have a quiz already?! Then, you have to go to your professor’s office hours and somehow explain how you were dropped on your head as a teenager baby and you are always running 3 weeks behind in everything. Embarrassing.

Anyway, to anyone who will ever need my medical servies as a nurse, please know that I am planning on studying very hard and learning everyhting I can so that I can made a positive impact in the medical field!!

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April 6, 2008 by Adri.

OMG - it has been, like, three whole months since I have updated on here. There hasn’t been much to post. We have been on the winter lockdown cycle of work, sleep, work, sleep, work…you get the picture. Dave has been elbows-deep in taxes this season. His business has really picked up since last year - more than doubled, actually. His schedule is definitely a byproduct of the increased business. He works from about 8 am to about 10:30 every.day.of.the.week. Weekends are shorter days at the tax office, but are supplemented with piles of schoolwork, so we really have been pretty reclusive.

Today is beautiful. The sun is shining, the bitter, biting winter winds seem to have ceased blowing and it is actually nice outside! Dare I risk saying that Spring is here?! I better not count my…eggs before they are chickens? um, better not count my eggs before they are laid? uhh…I better not get my hopes up!

I am so excited for the upcoming Spring weather and events! I can’t wait to get to hang out with my husband again! And do fun things! Can you believe we have been married for almost a YEAR?! And we still love each other! Score!

Next weekend our great, great friends Ashley and Charlie are getting married in Charleston, SC and we are really excited to share in the experience with them! Hopefully I will get some pictures up!

Here’s to happy Spring weather and 5-6 months before winter comes again (toasting a non-existent, but greatly desired, margarita) - CHEERS!!!

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January 15, 2008 by Adri.

Growing up, my mom tried to be the pillar of lady-likeness and femininity in order to make a good impression on an impressionable young girl like myself. She nary used the word ’butt’ for its vulgarity and nearly cried when I used the word ‘wussy’ because it sounded like…well you know. She gave my brothers and me the ‘birds and the bees’ talk when we were only a couple weeks old to fulfill the obligatory parental ‘sex talk’ and she asked me on my wedding day if I wanted to have ‘the talk’ again – um, no, but thanks, Mom!

I remember one time I was in about 3rd grade – my mom picked me up from a slumber party and in the car on the way home, she asked me, apropos of nothing, if I knew what a condom was. After blushing a deep shade of purple and nearly vomiting, I all but shrieked that “LORD, NO, I don’t know what a condom is!!” But, I was lying to protect my innocent mother; of course my 10-year old self knew what a dang condom was! Maybe she didn’t know what a condom was and was asking my help? I decided she wasn’t ready to hear all about how it was a bad, bad thing that only bad, bad people used! I knew a condom was one of those balloon-looking things that my brothers would blow up or put on their heads until they looked like hatching aliens. I also knew that a condom was really used in some way in the devilish act of (gasp and cover your ears!) sssssssssex(!).

My dad’s stance on sex was slightly different. He never discussed how one actually got impregnated, but assured me that if it happened, there would be a couple funerals, one of them being my own. Up until my first biology class in high school, I thought I had a nest full of chicken eggs in my belly and that a boy would put a fish in there and somehow, between the chicken and the fish, a baby was made! And to think – all those years of refusing to swim in the ocean for fear of a fish swimming into my egg-infested belly and impregnating me!

The dangerous thing with telling your children that sex is bad or dirty, or implying so, is that eventually they will find out on their own that it doesn’t feel bad, especially if people get to use those condom balloons – it’s like a carnival or a fair or something (minus the clown face-painting!). Lately I have had a somewhat scary feeling that I will be one of those types of mothers that encourages talk and questions and will give honest, educational answers about such topics as sex, drinking, boys – all the things we want to protect our little girls from. However, I figure that at some point kids are going to experience these things, or know someone else who does, so I don’t want my child getting misinformation or being so ignorant that she doesn’t have the tools to protect herself (or himself – although, I think I will leave the boy talks up to Dave since I have never been a boy). It’s hard knowing what is age-appropriate, but I figure if they are asking, it must be time to answer honestly!

When I went shopping with my sisters over Christmas, I realized just how exposed these young girls are to sex, boys and drinking and all the questions that surround those topics. Dear God, not that I think they are sexually active at all or drinking, (and I am saying that honestly and with confidence, not with the blind ignorance that most adults use to protect themselves against adolescents), but other girls in their grade probably are. Well, this applies more to my almost-13-year –old sister. I think the 10 year old is in the clear for a bit longer. I was trying to remember what I was like at that age and what questions I had. I remember in 8th grade (13ish years old) standing by the lockers with Trish and Jessica and deciding who we thought would ‘go all the way to homebase’ first (back when every sexual act was somehow related to baseball?!) – all I will say is that our predictions were ALL wrong! Anyway, when it happens, I think it is usually the parents who aren’t ready for it.

I don’t really have a conclusion to my thoughts here that wouldn’t open a floodgate of debate, so I will stop here and stay dry. What are your thoughts on talking to your kids about the dirrrty dirrrty? Did you ever get ‘the talk’ and what impact did it have on you? Do you think being more open with your children encourages more safe behavior since it eliminates the mystery surrounding all the stuff running through their heads?

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January 14, 2008 by Adri.

Dave travels a couple times a month for the venture capital startup firm that he works with. He left on Saturday to attend some major conference in New Orleans, so I was left Home Alone (AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh!). I used to get really lonely when he left, but I have gotten used to it and, while I still miss him, I enjoy the time to myself. Usually, when he is home, we are so busy with LibTax and/or other obligations/duties/errands that I rarely get a chance to tend to our home.

The way our furniture was arranged up until yesterday afternoon required us to move the chaise every time we wanted to watch TV - and I would always move it back each week when I vacuumed. This was a pain in the butt to move a heavy piece of furniture at least twice a week, and not really good for the carpet. Sooo (Dave stop reading here)…I rearranged the entire living room!!! I moved the furniture, I hung art on the walls - flowers to be exact, and I took down Christmas decorations (yes, I know it is mid-January!).

Usually Dave and I have different tastes and opinions when it comes to decorating and placing furniture, so I was left with no choice but to do it while he was gone. I just know he will love it. And if he doesn’t then TOUGH COOKIES! I spent a lot of time making it look pretty!

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