This one is a little bit more limited in its application, but if you can make it work for you, it's a great one!
Insist that you are dehydrated/have a headache from some strenuous physical activity.
I first dropped this excuse the afternoon after my 10K; my brother's baseball team was having a fundraiser at a bar, and not a person questioned my decision to drink water once they had heard I ran a 10K a mere five hours earlier. I may have gotten some grief from a few people, but my slight gimp from sore legs and incredibly lethargic demeanor seemed to sell them on the fact that I, in fact, probably shouldn't be drinking.
Of course, this excuse is not only extremely dependent on there being a reason for you to be dehydrated, but also on it being believable that you accomplished said physical activity. If I had tried to pawn my dehydration off on completing a triathlon, it's doubtful anyone would have bought it. But since people were aware the road race was going on, and know that I lean more toward physical activity than being sedentary, no one really doubted me. Plus, my immediate family all knew I had been training, so it wasn't like the whole event came totally out of the blue. But, if you were wily enough, it could be possible to pull this one off as a total lie. Because aside from Darrell, no one was at the race and able to verify whether or not I actually ran.
Update: I also discovered that the 10K/strenuous activity excuse works as a good decoy to distract from the fact that you might be eating more than normal. Because it's totally believable that someone training for a road race, or even just doing more intense than usual workouts, is going to have an increased appetite. But again, it's certainly helpful if these claims fit in with the perceptions people have of you; if they know you are someone who has never ran more than a mile in your life, it might be a hard sell to convince them you aren't drinking/are eating more because you are training for a marathon. So make sure to be realistic.
Tales of a South Dakotan married to a North Carolinian
Monday, November 12, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Imagination Overload
(written July 6, 2012)
So there has been one mildly amusing aspect of trying to get pregnant that I've been noticing. You see, I tend to have an overactive imagination, and lately I've been atributing any and all "unusual" body process to the fact that I *must* be pregnant. A few examples for your entertainment.
--That slight stomachache I woke up with? Definitely not related to the fact that I drank a lot of water before bed and now really have to pee. It's clearly morning sickness.
--That unusual smelling fart (or slightly off-color urine)? Totally a pregnancy sympton.
--That massive craving for Mexican food? Must be a pregnancy craving. Nevermind the fact that for as long as I can remember I've been prone to food cravings that have been known to last until I give into them. It's bad enough (and frequent enough) that Darrell is actually not looking forward to this aspect of my being pregnant.
--That lightheaded feeling when I stood up too fast? It's like it has never happened to me before and must mean my body is adapting to housing a parasitical fetus.
So there has been one mildly amusing aspect of trying to get pregnant that I've been noticing. You see, I tend to have an overactive imagination, and lately I've been atributing any and all "unusual" body process to the fact that I *must* be pregnant. A few examples for your entertainment.
--That slight stomachache I woke up with? Definitely not related to the fact that I drank a lot of water before bed and now really have to pee. It's clearly morning sickness.
--That unusual smelling fart (or slightly off-color urine)? Totally a pregnancy sympton.
--That massive craving for Mexican food? Must be a pregnancy craving. Nevermind the fact that for as long as I can remember I've been prone to food cravings that have been known to last until I give into them. It's bad enough (and frequent enough) that Darrell is actually not looking forward to this aspect of my being pregnant.
--That lightheaded feeling when I stood up too fast? It's like it has never happened to me before and must mean my body is adapting to housing a parasitical fetus.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Wedding Wednesday: Choosing Your Photographer
Last week, I mentioned that many couples use Save-the-Dates as a way to showcase some of the images from their engagement photo shot. Well, in order to have engagement photos to share, you should probably start by selecting a photographer to take the photos. Now, some brides use different photographers for their engagement and wedding photos, but many photographers offer discounted engagement sessions if you book them for your wedding. Plus, shooting an engagement session gives you a chance to get to know your photographer and get comfortable with them so that your wedding photos will feel more natural.
I could list off a million different tips for selecting a wedding photographer, but there are a multitude of articles out there already about that topic (just Google "choosing a wedding photographer" if you don't believe me), and for the most part, the lists are all pretty comprehensive. However, since Darrell and I were one of the unfortunate ones who made an unlucky photographer selection (and have the bad wedding pictures to prove it), there are a few pieces of advice I want to be certain to share that will hopefully save other couples from our bad fate.
--Trust your instincts
When Darrell and I had our initial meeting with our photographer, his "studio" space was nothing more than a converted garage/shed (in a not-so-nice part of town). I was slightly uncomfortable, but we found out soon that they were in the process of moving to a new location (in a much nicer area), so we ignored that concern.
--Take a look at the quality of their equipment
While meeting with the photographer, Darrell--who had recently purchased an SLR camera himself--noticed that they had one of the models that he had been considering. He asked how they liked it, and they responded with "we've actually found that it doesn't take very good pictures". In retrospect, this should have been a major red flag. From the research he did, Darrell knew full well that the camera they had was more than capable of taking quality pictures, so if it wasn't performing well it was probably due to user error. But, we dismissed it, because they started bragging up a different camera model that they had, and we (foolishly) trusted that they knew what they were doing.
--Don't be influenced by extra bells and whistles
Our photographers came from a strong graphic design background, and we were certainly impressed with some of the things they were able to do with their images. However, no one really wants a wedding photo that has a trendy "ripple" design, and superimposing images on each other is only so cool. And besides, none of those "edits" are really all that impressive when the quality of photo that you start with isn't very good. So if your photographer is offering all sorts of extras or is strongly advertising something other than their photography skills, be warned that they might be compensating for something.
--Be thorough when you look through their portfolio
The best way to guarantee that your photographer will be able to get good shots of your wedding and reception is to look at images they have shot at the same venues you are using. Photographers are naturally more comfortable shooting at a familiar location, and they'll know where and how to get the best shots at that particular place. However, even if they haven't shot a wedding at the exact same location, make sure they have at least shot a wedding at a similar location.
This is the piece of advice I really wish I had known prior to choosing our wedding photographer. We looked through their photos, and the images were pretty great and had the type of style we were looking forward, so we really didn't have any pressing concerns. However, after getting back our (terribly awful) images from the church ceremony and family pictures at the alter, we realized something about the portfolio: all the weddings he had shot had been outdoor weddings--a far cry from our church where no flash was allowed during the ceremony.
--Make sure you are totally comfortable around them
If you leave your meeting with you photographer feeling like you were biting your tongue about something because you weren't comfortable saying it, chances are they aren't the right photographer for you. While this kind of goes back to the idea of trusting your instincts, feeling guarded around your photographer will ultimately have a negative affect on your photos. Darrell and I had an engagement shot that we really wanted to take out at the Palisades near Garretson that would have involved some careful maneuvering on rocks in the river. At the last minute, we chickened out about asking them to take it because we didn't think they'd be comfortable with it--and I still regret that. Additionally, they put us into some poses that were not very "us", but rather than say something we just did what they said. And wouldn't you know--the pictures of us in those poses were not keepers because we (shockingly) looked uncomfortable. To this day, one of my favorite wedding photos is one that our photographers did nothing to stage; I simply asked Darrell to pick me up and carry me, praying that our photographers would be intelligent enough to capture the image (which, thankfully, they were).
I know photographers can be expensive, but you (hopefully) only get married once, and it's worth the investment to hire someone you know will give you quality images of the shots you want. I read this in about every article I looked at prior to our wedding, but foolishly dismissed it. My logic was that everyone takes pictures at a wedding, so we could save some money on our photographer and then I'd just compile photos from my family and friends to fill in any gaps. Well, I'll tell you from experience, that logic only works so well. Sure, my friends got some decent shots of me getting ready, and lots of guests got pretty good shots from the reception, but not many guests take pictures during the ceremony. And those formal shots at the alter? There aren't a whole lot of people around to snap extras of those. And even if there are--your photographer is likely the one with the best angle. To my knowledge, there is not a decent picture out there of Darrell and I at the alter (with my gorgeous bouquet), nor a salvageable picture of Darrell and I with his family. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but it's just as true that not having those pictures will leave a hole so large that even a thousand words won't be able to fill it. So choose your photographer wisely.
I could list off a million different tips for selecting a wedding photographer, but there are a multitude of articles out there already about that topic (just Google "choosing a wedding photographer" if you don't believe me), and for the most part, the lists are all pretty comprehensive. However, since Darrell and I were one of the unfortunate ones who made an unlucky photographer selection (and have the bad wedding pictures to prove it), there are a few pieces of advice I want to be certain to share that will hopefully save other couples from our bad fate.
--Trust your instincts
When Darrell and I had our initial meeting with our photographer, his "studio" space was nothing more than a converted garage/shed (in a not-so-nice part of town). I was slightly uncomfortable, but we found out soon that they were in the process of moving to a new location (in a much nicer area), so we ignored that concern.
--Take a look at the quality of their equipment
While meeting with the photographer, Darrell--who had recently purchased an SLR camera himself--noticed that they had one of the models that he had been considering. He asked how they liked it, and they responded with "we've actually found that it doesn't take very good pictures". In retrospect, this should have been a major red flag. From the research he did, Darrell knew full well that the camera they had was more than capable of taking quality pictures, so if it wasn't performing well it was probably due to user error. But, we dismissed it, because they started bragging up a different camera model that they had, and we (foolishly) trusted that they knew what they were doing.
--Don't be influenced by extra bells and whistles
Our photographers came from a strong graphic design background, and we were certainly impressed with some of the things they were able to do with their images. However, no one really wants a wedding photo that has a trendy "ripple" design, and superimposing images on each other is only so cool. And besides, none of those "edits" are really all that impressive when the quality of photo that you start with isn't very good. So if your photographer is offering all sorts of extras or is strongly advertising something other than their photography skills, be warned that they might be compensating for something.
--Be thorough when you look through their portfolio
The best way to guarantee that your photographer will be able to get good shots of your wedding and reception is to look at images they have shot at the same venues you are using. Photographers are naturally more comfortable shooting at a familiar location, and they'll know where and how to get the best shots at that particular place. However, even if they haven't shot a wedding at the exact same location, make sure they have at least shot a wedding at a similar location.
This is the piece of advice I really wish I had known prior to choosing our wedding photographer. We looked through their photos, and the images were pretty great and had the type of style we were looking forward, so we really didn't have any pressing concerns. However, after getting back our (terribly awful) images from the church ceremony and family pictures at the alter, we realized something about the portfolio: all the weddings he had shot had been outdoor weddings--a far cry from our church where no flash was allowed during the ceremony.
--Make sure you are totally comfortable around them
If you leave your meeting with you photographer feeling like you were biting your tongue about something because you weren't comfortable saying it, chances are they aren't the right photographer for you. While this kind of goes back to the idea of trusting your instincts, feeling guarded around your photographer will ultimately have a negative affect on your photos. Darrell and I had an engagement shot that we really wanted to take out at the Palisades near Garretson that would have involved some careful maneuvering on rocks in the river. At the last minute, we chickened out about asking them to take it because we didn't think they'd be comfortable with it--and I still regret that. Additionally, they put us into some poses that were not very "us", but rather than say something we just did what they said. And wouldn't you know--the pictures of us in those poses were not keepers because we (shockingly) looked uncomfortable. To this day, one of my favorite wedding photos is one that our photographers did nothing to stage; I simply asked Darrell to pick me up and carry me, praying that our photographers would be intelligent enough to capture the image (which, thankfully, they were).
I know photographers can be expensive, but you (hopefully) only get married once, and it's worth the investment to hire someone you know will give you quality images of the shots you want. I read this in about every article I looked at prior to our wedding, but foolishly dismissed it. My logic was that everyone takes pictures at a wedding, so we could save some money on our photographer and then I'd just compile photos from my family and friends to fill in any gaps. Well, I'll tell you from experience, that logic only works so well. Sure, my friends got some decent shots of me getting ready, and lots of guests got pretty good shots from the reception, but not many guests take pictures during the ceremony. And those formal shots at the alter? There aren't a whole lot of people around to snap extras of those. And even if there are--your photographer is likely the one with the best angle. To my knowledge, there is not a decent picture out there of Darrell and I at the alter (with my gorgeous bouquet), nor a salvageable picture of Darrell and I with his family. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but it's just as true that not having those pictures will leave a hole so large that even a thousand words won't be able to fill it. So choose your photographer wisely.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
"I'm Not Drinking" Decoy #1
One of the most challenging things about trying to get pregnant, and then hiding said pregnancy, was coming up with reasons why I wasn't drinking. For many people this isn't an issue, but for those of you who know my family you know that alcohol and my family are 100% synonymous with each other. It doesn't matter if it's my brother's amateur baseball game, a trip to the lake cabin, or a Sunday afternoon watching the Twins/Vikings--you can bet there will be booze. So in order to keep our efforts a secret, Darrell and I came up with a variety of schemes to keep them from noticing that I wasn't drinking--and as they'll tell you, the decoys worked!
It didn't take long at all for us to have to implement one of our decoys. Not but a week after we started trying we went over to my parent's house to help them move some furniture, and it took all of five minutes for them to offer us a drink. Now, we were well aware that the likelihood of my being pregnant was slim to none, but we didn't want to take any chances (plus I was dying to try out some of our "tricks"). So it was time to implement ploy number one:
It didn't take long at all for us to have to implement one of our decoys. Not but a week after we started trying we went over to my parent's house to help them move some furniture, and it took all of five minutes for them to offer us a drink. Now, we were well aware that the likelihood of my being pregnant was slim to none, but we didn't want to take any chances (plus I was dying to try out some of our "tricks"). So it was time to implement ploy number one:
Request a drink, but make sure it's something you know they won't have available
Mom: Can I get you something to drink?
Me: Sure. Do you have a bottle of wine open? (I made sure to check their counter first to ensure that in fact, they did not)
Mom: No, your Dad just finished it last night. We can open another bottle though.
Me: Don't worry about it. You don't need to open a bottle just for me.
Mom: Well, can I get you something else then?
Me: No, that's fine. I'm not really in the mood for anything else. Besides, it's getting kind of late and I have to work tomorrow anyway.
The beauty of this decoy is that you are still asking for something, so it doesn't look like you aren't drinking. And when they tell you they don't have what you are requesting and offer you something else you can easily play it off as you aren't really in the mood for anything else. And now if you slide in a "piggyback" excuse (I have a big test tomorrow; it's getting late, etc), that excuse won't look as obvious because you've already asked for a drink. This decoy could work at a bar setting as well; just make sure you know in advance what their drink selections are. Order a seasonal beer that you know they just took off the tap, and when the bartender says they don't have it, say you need some more time to think about it. And if they don't ask again what you want, great. And if they do, just say you'll pass. And then lament to your friends about how all you really wanted was the Boulevard Chocolate Ale.
(Oh, and by the way--in case you've been living in a hole for the past two months, it's Election Day. Celebrate the end of political ads by getting out and casting your vote!)
(Oh, and by the way--in case you've been living in a hole for the past two months, it's Election Day. Celebrate the end of political ads by getting out and casting your vote!)
Monday, November 5, 2012
Disappointment
(written June 2nd, 2012)
Missing your period while on the pill and not trying to get pregnant? Totally worthy of inducing a panic attack.
Missing your period while not on the pill and trying to get pregnant--but then not actually being pregnant? Totally disappointing.
Guess there's always next month.
Missing your period while on the pill and not trying to get pregnant? Totally worthy of inducing a panic attack.
Missing your period while not on the pill and trying to get pregnant--but then not actually being pregnant? Totally disappointing.
Guess there's always next month.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Pumpkin Doughnut Holes
Look at me posting two food recipes in one week! Clearly evidence that I'm back to feeling more like myself, and not some tired, run-down version of me that doesn't have an appetite for food.
I was immediately drawn to this recipe because it reminded me of our baked doughnut holes that we love. And the inclusion of some pumpkin/fall spices? Brilliant. So brilliant, in fact, that I don't really have much else to say about them. Other than you need to make these. Maybe multiple times (I know I will be!). I'm thinking they'd be the perfect addition to a Thanksgiving brunch--or, you know, any breakfast in November?
Baked Pumpkin Doughnut Holes
(original recipe found here)
Yield: 24 mini doughnuts
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a mini-muffin tin and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (cups will be full!). Bake 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Pour sugar and cinnamon into a plastic bag, add doughnuts, and shake until well-coated.
A few additional notes to make. We felt like the taste and texture of these was a little bit more like muffins than doughnuts, but that certainly isn't a deal-breaker. Also, I felt that the pumpkin flavoring was a little under-whelming for what I was expecting; next time I might try adding a little pumpkin pie spice to amp up the pumpkin. Lastly, if you don't serve these immediately, don't expect them to stay nicely coated like in the picture. I've found that it's nearly impossible to dry out a dessert recipe with pumpkin in it, and the moistness of these doughnuts are no exception. As a consequence, the cinnamon-sugar coating soaked into the doughnuts overnight. It certainly doesn't affect the taste at all, and I still got lots of compliments on them this morning, but if you are going for presentation points when you serve these I would recommend tossing them with the cinnamon-sugar mixture shortly before serving.
I was immediately drawn to this recipe because it reminded me of our baked doughnut holes that we love. And the inclusion of some pumpkin/fall spices? Brilliant. So brilliant, in fact, that I don't really have much else to say about them. Other than you need to make these. Maybe multiple times (I know I will be!). I'm thinking they'd be the perfect addition to a Thanksgiving brunch--or, you know, any breakfast in November?
Baked Pumpkin Doughnut Holes
(original recipe found here)
Yield: 24 mini doughnuts
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk
1 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cloves
For topping:
1/3 cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350*. Spray a mini-muffin tin and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (cups will be full!). Bake 10-12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool slightly. Pour sugar and cinnamon into a plastic bag, add doughnuts, and shake until well-coated.
A few additional notes to make. We felt like the taste and texture of these was a little bit more like muffins than doughnuts, but that certainly isn't a deal-breaker. Also, I felt that the pumpkin flavoring was a little under-whelming for what I was expecting; next time I might try adding a little pumpkin pie spice to amp up the pumpkin. Lastly, if you don't serve these immediately, don't expect them to stay nicely coated like in the picture. I've found that it's nearly impossible to dry out a dessert recipe with pumpkin in it, and the moistness of these doughnuts are no exception. As a consequence, the cinnamon-sugar coating soaked into the doughnuts overnight. It certainly doesn't affect the taste at all, and I still got lots of compliments on them this morning, but if you are going for presentation points when you serve these I would recommend tossing them with the cinnamon-sugar mixture shortly before serving.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Belly Pictures: Weeks 10-16
As promised, here are my belly pictures from weeks 10 through 16. They're perfectly awkward and I really want to crop my head out of each one of them, but I'll just swallow my pride and post them as is. I suppose that there will be plenty of opportunities for me to over-share and embarrass myself throughout the course of this pregnancy that I shouldn't let a few goofy photos bother me that much.
There is no rhyme or reason to us starting with Week 10; when we found out I was 5 weeks along, but hadn't noticed any changes, so didn't think to take a picture. By Week 10 I still hadn't noticed any change, but it dawned on me that once my body did start to change it would probably be a good idea to have a reasonably normal body picture of me to compare it to. So we took a picture that week and haven't looked back. Maybe once things start to change significantly I'll post pictures more often, but for now expect to get them in groups (because otherwise trying to identify any change is practically impossible).
This is really the first week that I've actually felt like I'm starting to show; I've even had a few co-workers commenting on my bump so I know something's visible (of course, to people who don't know I'm pregnant it probably just looks like I've let myself go--definitely looking forward to looking unquestionably pregnant and not just like I'm putting on pounds). The only other difference that I've been able to notice is in the boobs--you can tell in Weeks 10-13 that they are definitely growing, and then by Week 14 I caved and bought a much more appropriately-sized bra so they are back to looking a little more like normal, albeit larger (and not like they are threatening to fall out of my bra and shirt).
In (mostly) unrelated news, we had a successful Halloween yesterday with plenty of trick-or-treaters, although we did end up with a little bit of leftover candy.
I swear it's totally a coincidence that we started out with 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Skittles, Snickers, Starbursts, and M&Ms and only had 3 Musketeers and Milky Ways left over. Honestly.
There is no rhyme or reason to us starting with Week 10; when we found out I was 5 weeks along, but hadn't noticed any changes, so didn't think to take a picture. By Week 10 I still hadn't noticed any change, but it dawned on me that once my body did start to change it would probably be a good idea to have a reasonably normal body picture of me to compare it to. So we took a picture that week and haven't looked back. Maybe once things start to change significantly I'll post pictures more often, but for now expect to get them in groups (because otherwise trying to identify any change is practically impossible).
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| Week 10 |
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| Week 11 |
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| Week 12 |
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| Week 13 |
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| Week 14 |
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| Week 15 |
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| Week 16 |
In (mostly) unrelated news, we had a successful Halloween yesterday with plenty of trick-or-treaters, although we did end up with a little bit of leftover candy.
I swear it's totally a coincidence that we started out with 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Skittles, Snickers, Starbursts, and M&Ms and only had 3 Musketeers and Milky Ways left over. Honestly.
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