Day 13: My Sweet Boogers

Date: February 13, 2010
Friend: Charlie
Activity: Movie Night
Location: Becky and Bryan's House
Total $ Spent: $2.50 - UH OH! I SPLURGED!

Warning to Readers: I adore my nephew and I get a little gushy when talking about him.

Charlie was born the very same day I left Maryland and moved back to Omaha. I had to wait two whole days to meet him since my dad and I were trekking across the country in a moving truck and my little Elantra. But as my sister points out, I didn't have to bear witness to the grody parts of labor and by the time I held my sweet nephew, he looked like a normal baby.

I have a hard time describing the bond I feel for my Charlie. He is a major part of my happiness, and I sometimes think I'm more attached to him than the other way around. While I always looked forward to being an aunt, I really didn't know the kind of unconditional love I would feel. I know, this is all sounding dangerously close to what a normal girl would say and we all know I'm not normal. But what can I say? I fell fast and hard for my nephew. He nick-named me "Dee Dee" when he first started talking and it has stuck ever since. I started calling him "sweet boogers" as an accidental cross between "my sweet baboo" from Peanuts, and "my boo" from the hip kids on the street. It's not the most glamorous term of endearment, but he likes it.

I freely and honestly admit that I went over my $1 spending limit, but I'm not really sure if it counts because it was spent on his Valentine present. He is, after all, my sweetest Valentine of all time. I got him a Cars sticker/coloring book and his current favorite candy - jellybeans which he then tried to drink out of his fireman cup.

Originally, I planned to take Charlie around town to get various free samples of ice cream, but he has been stricken with the croup and a bad ear infection. So instead of mooching from unsuspecting teens wearing tie-dyed t-shirts, our date was spent watching the movie Up between bites of tater tots, car chases, Buzz Lightyear leaps, and wrestle mania. All of this was slightly subdued considering his sad little cough and puffy eyes, but still. Try to keep a 2 1/2 year old from running around without his pants on! I guarantee you will not win this battle.

I'm not sure if this is the typical expectation of an aunt, but during our date I taught Charlie about wedgies. His big boy underpants are too big for his tiny little tush, and everytime I would try to pull them up, he pulled them down. What choice did I have but to hike those bad boys up as far as they would go? I took advantage of this teaching moment and told him "I just gave you a wedgie!" He looked me square in the eyes and said "no, Dee, I don't want a wedgie!" Who could blame for me laughing hysterically???

As bedtime approached, we turned off the TV and got ready for story time. We talked about our date and he gave goodnight kisses to all of his pets. I said, "are you my sweet boogers?" And he said "no, I don't want to be sweet boogers because I'm sick." A little sad, I replied "will you be my sweet boogers tomorrow?" He thought for a second, snuggled into Woo Woo (his favorite blankie) and said "yeah, I'll be your sweet boogers tomorrow."

On deck for day 14: Angela. I'll be seeing you.....

Day 12: Oldest and Dearest Friends

Date: February 12, 2010
Friend: Traci Barker
Activity: Office Visit
Location: Traci's Office
Total $ Spent: $1.07


On my first day of high school, some bazillion years ago, I sat next to a petite, blonde girl in choir. I specifically remember thinking, "I bet we'll be friends." And obviously, I was right. Traci swooped me up and introduced me to her friends and I did the same. Some of her friends greeted me with resistance....I was clearly a threat. See, Traci and I are both originally from other states and moved to Omaha within a couple years of each other. So we had a different kind of bond. We didn't grow up with all these kids who had known each other since first grade - we were just trying to fit in. But before long, we were all passing notes, eating lunch together, and scheduling sleep overs. We even had crushes on the same boys (who always chose Traci and her ice blue eyes over me - wah wah). Our friendship was strengthened by being in musicals, plays, and other activities together. There was a lot of dancing to Madonna, but maybe I'll spare her the embarrassment.


Traci became an honorary member of the Hamilton family early on, but she actually lived with my dad and me on two separate occasions. I'm pretty sure we had to share my twin bed at one point and if we can still be friends after that, then you know we have a high tolerance for each other! We even worked together at TGI Friday's (oy, I can still smell the fajitas). It was during these years that my parents divorced and my big sister moved out on her own. Had it not been for Traci and her nurturing care for me, I would have been severely lacking in female companionship. This is probably an overshare, but Traci taught me how to buy a bra and how to flirt. She and our other girlfriends picked up the pieces of my broken little heart.

Our dollar date was slightly thwarted by my schedule at the Loft. I had to work the closing shift so Traci and I decided I would meet her at work for lunch. Now, it should come as no surprise to anyone that I was running late. Super late. I knew she had to be back to work at noon, but darn it if I didn't fall into that time vortex anyway. One minute, I was totally on time and feeling reliable. The next minute, I'm zooming down the Dodge Expressway, obsessively checking for cops in the rear view mirror. Here's the ironic thing - Traci was ALWAYS the late one when we were in high school. I used to joke that I spent half of my life waiting for my sister and the other half waiting for Traci. The roles have reversed and she's now peculiarly punctual and I'm.......well.....not. But we still had a nice time together, albeit short.


Here's the thing about me and Traci - we can literally go months without contact and yet it feels as if no time has passed. After high school, I remember being terrified that we would grow apart. While there were definite growing pains, there is something so deeply rooted between us that we will always be connected.

We went to the cafeteria in her building, and I ordered some waffle fries. I thought she was going to eat lunch, but it turns out her team was holding a birthday party and had brought in lunch. So, we chit chatted over waffle fries, which only cost $1.


She and I are both doting aunts so we talked a lot about our darling nephews. I gave her the "skinny" on my dad's progress (omg, I really just said that and I really just laughed at myself). And after like a year and a half, I finally returned her Harry Potter box set. It's not that we haven't seen each other during all that time. I just kept forgetting. For a year and a half.


I follwed her up to her office and was tickled to see that many of the doors are still decorated from a few years ago, when this building was dorm rooms for Methodist College students. Then we arrived at her door and I was so proud to see that she has a door plaque! She introduced me to her co-workers and told me a little bit more about her job.

Even though we didn't spend hours upon hours reminiscing, I was still happy to hang out with her. How many other opportunities have I had to grab lunch with one of my oldest and dearest friends? Traci Lynn, I love you truly, madly, deeply!

On deck for day 13: Charlie. I'll be seeing you......

Day 11: Mimi-n-Me

Date: February 11, 2010
Friend: Mimi Boswell
Activity: Window Shopping
Location: Oakview Mall
Total $ Spent: $0 (although Mimi bought a couple things)



Two hip chicks. One tall, one short. One brunette, one blonde(ish). One married, one single. Both slightly crazy and totally fabulous. That's Mimi and Me. Friends out of mutual fascination, we spent our date window shopping around Oakview Mall, and I didn't even buy these amazingly novel hot pink cords at the Gap which were on sale for $4.97. I know, talk about some serious self-control.

Mimi lost her full-time job the very same week as I lost mine. She is an artist and graphic designer, married to an artist and graphic designer. She and her hubby, Todd, are by far my favoritest couple of all time. After like 10 years together, they still call each other "Sweetie" and send each other love notes on Facebook. Normally, I would be all "love is blechy," and then stomp off like Veruca Salt. But Todd and Mimi have that something that makes even the staunchest non-believers find a sliver of hope.

I first met Todd at.....you guessed it......the Museum. He was on the young professionals planning committee. I must have met Mimi at an event along the way, but it was at the Conversation with a Curator in April 2009 that she stole my heart. She referred to me as a "cute little fashionista" and I was smitten! How freakin cool that this beautiful, trendy woman thought I was fashionable! Yay! I'm pretty sure we jumped up and down and squealed. Each event thereafter, I looked forward to seeing her. I realized that not only was she super cool, but she thought I was super cool too. Dontcha just love it when that happens?

We have a mutual love for shopping so it was only natural that it became the focus of our date. We started at New York & Company on the search for the perfect interview top (for her, not me. If I had an interview, trust me you would ALL know about it). I like to live vicariously through Mimi because she can wear any color and look amazing, unlike me with my strangely yellow-tinted skin. I'm confined to a life of earth-toned neutrals. But I guess neutrals are essential. Much like Switzerland.

I pretended to be her personal shopper as I swooped through the store picking out this and that, and convincing her that she can pull off bracelets (power twins unite!). She tried on several cute outfits and one very, heinously unfortunate sweater. My reaction is captured below.

After her highly successful purchases, we stopped for a caffeinated beverage at Starbucks. I still have my handy-dandy gift card, so my tall skinny chai and coffee cake didn't cost me a thing. It was here that Mimi and I discussed some of the pros and cons of non-profit work. When she started taking notes, I thought to myself, "huh, how about that? I actually know what I'm talking about." After like 10 years working in the industry, I still seem to have my insecurities. But it's okay because Mimi so totally gets me. She even understands (yet doesn't judge) my PWT roots (yes, I really just typed that but since I was one it's okay for me to say it. The PWT Rule Book allows it). I think she is prepared for her interview, and I'm confident it will go well. We've already decided that she will go shopping with me when I get an interview. The fact that I don't need to buy anything is absolutely not important.

I can't remember how it came up, but it turns out we are both avid bird lovers! And....we both name our woodland creatures! See? I'm not the only one! Her yard is home to a woodpecker named Tina and I told her about my pheasants, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Quail. And we both love red tailed hawks, except when they squeeze doves. That's not so loveable.

We decided to do a drive-by of Gap but failed when we ended up in the dressing rooms. She picked out a khaki smock dress for me to try on. Jewish friends, this dress was a schmata. Full-on schmata. But Mimi is so hip I humored her. This was also where I tried on the surprisingly fantastic hot pink cords. I seriously considered buying them. I will accept no judgement for this admission since I know many of you wear leggings, much to my disapproval.

Mid-afternoon, we both started to get a little panicky. Mimi had a million bazillion things to do (not the least of which includes taking down her Christmas tree....in February.....) and I was feeling guilty for not yet job hunting today. Also, I was starving and Taco Del Mar was looking at me longingly, and I didn't want to tempt myself to spend money. I felt too weak after walking away from the pink cords. So Mimi and me parted ways, only to text each other a few hours later.

On deck for day 12: Traci. I'll be seeing you.....

Day 10: Blondes Do Have More Fun

Date: February 10, 2010
Friend: Barb Bergantzel
Activity: Lunch and a Frosty
Location: Wendy's (the restaurant, not my house)
Total $ Spent: $1.06 (remember, tax is allowed)

On a rainy Thursday morning a couple years ago, a woman with fiery red hair appeared in the hallway. Her fanciful Mickey Mouse coat was damp from the rain, and her purple umbrella with images of tiny shoes and purses was dripping. "Kacie, I think your volunteer is here," I said. "Oh yeah, come meet Barb!" The first thing I noticed (besides the aforementioned red hair), was her eyes. Barb's warm, loving eyes. And so it would come to be that every Thursday, Barb and her warmth came to volunteer at the Museum. A mother, grandmother, dog lover and Disney fanatic, Barb and I were fast friends. Our $1 date was, as she put it, "Wendy's with Wendy."



The sun was so bright and strong today that most drivers had their windows cracked just a bit. I couldn't help but think about my friends and family on the East Coast who are being completely overwhelmed with snow. We've certainly had our share of the white stuff this winter, and I think that's why the occasional clear sky days like today are so glorious. I arrived at the Wendy's near Nebraska Furniture Mart and found that Barb was waiting for me in her car. And she was BLONDE! A hot blonde! I knew she was in the process of lightening her hair, but I haven't seen the final product. She had her vacation pictures in hand, and we mosied inside to order our food.


You probably already know this, but Wendy's has an entire $.99 menu - perfect for my $1 dates! I was torn between the Biggee fries with a small water or a kid's Frosty. Naturally, I wanted both so I could dip my fries in the Frosty, but clearly that was not an option. Frosty wins. Barb ordered a jr. bacon cheeseburger and a baked potato. I'm not going to lie, had she ordered fries, I would have stollen some. We sat in the sun and dove into conversation.





First, a little catching up. Barb caught me up on her kids and grandkids, and I updated her on my dad's post-surgery progress, and how I've been busying myself in my luxurious time of unemployment. She told me about her daughter in Boston who is starting to feel some of the very real stress of debt. And I didn't know this, but Barb once aspired to train her Soft-Coated Wheaton Terrier (that's a dog to you novices) to be a therapy dog, but that plan ended when her daughter took him to Boston. I still think she should consider training one of her other dogs, or at least volunteer with dogs. She is a natural-born animal lover and that is a gift not to be wasted! She has even been babysitting her son's chihuahua, Romeo, for like a month or something. This obviously opened up the door for me to share stories about my darling cats. Unlike SOME people, Barb doesn't tease me for having multiple pets!

We had gotten so engrossed in our conversation, that we nearly forgot to open up her Disney World photos! This was Barb's fourth trip to the resort, but it was her baby granddaughter's first time. It wasn't hard to notice that her grandchildren are the apples of Barb's eyes. She narrated each photo so that I could feel like I had been there with them. I could hear the music at the parades, I could feel the freshly planted flowers in the English garden, and I could imagine meeting all of the Disney characters, and following them around with my very own autograph book. I only teased Barb a little bit for renting a scooter to get around the resort. She said that it really made a difference with her energy level, except that "no one respects the scooter!" But seriously, she assured me that aside from her aching legs, she is feeling well.


Barb and I can talk about anything - absolutely anything. Before we realized it, we had been sitting in the sun at Wendy's for 2 1/2 hours. That's how you know you're enjoying yourself...when time isn't even a factor. Barb encouraged me to keep my chin up, and to remember that patience is a virtue. She's a woman who is too hard on herself over too many things, and I try to be as equally supportive for her. As she continues to acclimate into retirement, I hope she allows herself to explore her own wants. Why is it that so many mothers deny themselves simple pleasures? Do I not get it because I'm not a parent? My wish for my friend Barb is that she can rediscover herself. She deserves to more than just "okay." She should be fantastic.


On deck for day 11: Mimi. I'll be seeing you....

Day 9: Let's Talk About Sex

Date: February 9, 2010
Friend: Kacie (Gerard) Baum
Activity: Science Cafe
Location: Slow Down
Total $ Spent: $0

Tonight, I attended an event "with" my friend Kacie. See, technically, she was working at said event, but I figured it would be a good time to see her, here a stimulating lecture, and catch up.


"Sex, Sexuality, and Sexual Health" was the topic of this month's Science Cafe sponsored by University of Nebraska Medical Center. The Science Cafes are held at the Slow Down, and they are totally free with pizza provided. And for a sweet little cherry on top, a few of my other friends were also in attendance.

Like so many of my $1 dates, Kacie and I are former co-workers. She and I worked in membership at the Museum and she basically trained me for my job, even though I was officially her supervisor. Her laid-back attitude was a good balance to my high strung tendancies. We had a lot of things in common too - we both used to live in the DC area, we both love music, dancing, and fashion, among many other things. About a year after I'd been at the Museum, Kacie submitted her resignation and I was devastated. I felt so insecure and lonely. How could I train a new person when my trainer was leaving? I even teared up on her last day, and I am SO not a crier. Kacie smiled her cute grin and said, "You know you can do this. You just have to believe you can." We were always friendly, but I think that's the moment we actually became friends.

Not long after she left the Museum, she and her long-time boyfriend, Matt, got engaged. They had an informal engagment party during an Oktoberfest celebration at the Crescent Moon. Later that night, she sent me the sweetest text which I may or may not still have on my phone. She said, "I am so glad you moved back to Omaha." Kacie and Matt's wedding was one of the most unique and fun celebrations I've ever witnessed. She was an exquisite bride. So grown up, so sophisticated, even when she was dropping it like it was hot to Britney Spears. We have maintained our friendship over emails and texts, and I saw her quite often when I was still at the Museum since she is also a member of the young professionals group. She and our friend Jill, even karaoked Single Ladies with me on my birthday.

The speaker at tonight's Science Cafe was well-educated and a good lecturer. Not too many "ums, or uhs" and just the right amount of comic relief, given the potentially awkward subject matter. His confidence and frank approach to the topic created an easy vibe, although there were definitely some giggles when certain terminology was said out loud. See? I'm such a dork I can't even write words about bodies in my blog. Has anyone noticed, by the way, that I have not used one curse word in ANY of my blog entries? That's crazy! Back to my point, if I may take just a moment to stand on my soap box.....



I asked a question regarding Omaha's statistics of sexual abuse and how it compares to the national average. Unfortunately, his response was, "I don't know," and the conversation went in a different direction. In my mind, I had hoped my question would lead into greater detail about the effect (affect?) that sexual abuse can have on one's sexuality. But since his response was so finite, the conversation didn't happen. I found myself festering a bit, and feeling quite critical. How could this subject not come up? We talked about sexual orientation, sexual behavior, societal influences, childhood traumas, yadda yadda yadda. Was I really the only person in the room who felt that sexual abuse was being grossly overlooked? And then I realized that the conversation in my head didn't actually play out in the room, so it wasn't his fault. I should have asked another, more direct question. But someone else beat me to it. A woman gave a very specific example of a sexually abused child and wondered if that might cause the child to "become" homosexual. Finally, he spoke about sexual abuse and how it can shape a person's views on sex and sexuality.

I was the lucky person who grabbed the very last slice of pizza, and even better is that it was cheese and I could actually eat it. I asked the bartender for a water, and there you have it. I spent no money at all.


After the lecture, Kacie and a few other friends of ours had the chance to chat while enjoying delicious 1-calorie TicTacs. Kacie apologized for being a bad $1 date (which is totally silly since she had to work), so we said that this was our "fifty cent" date and we'll have to schedule something else. In between her husband's mockery of my 3 cats and Frances's mini-meltdown over being a bad pet-owner (she has a pet snake and she's feeling inadequate), Kacie and I had some great quality time. And just for the record Matt Baum, you can call me a crazy cat lady all you want. I still wouldn't change a thing. ;)



On deck for day 10: Barb. I'll be seeing you.....

Day 8: Common Things

Date: Monday, February 8, 2010
Friend: Julie Berger
Activity: Burritos and Cupcakes
Location: Qdoba and Cupcake Island
Total $ spent: $0


At high noon, I met Julie for our $1 date: lunch and cupcakes! What could be better than burritos and cupcakes with a friend? Not much! Well, okay, it could have been warmer outside, considering it was only 10 degrees. Can I get a "BURRRR!!!" At least the sun was shining and the snow had temporarily stopped falling. I had earned a free burrito on my Qdoba Club Card (everyone should have one because you get free stuff) and Julie had a gift certificate to Cupcake Island. We're just a coupla cheap dates!

Random thing in common #1: we have both been laid off from the Museum.
Julie and I used to work together at the Museum, although it was only few months. I was always taken by her quiet nature and serene presence. I remember wanting to be her friend, but thought that maybe I was too outrageous for her. Then I got all insecure and weird and figured I was just annoying her. Either I calmed down or she realized that I wasn't a freak of nature, and we became friends. I saw Julie quite often since she was a member of the Museum's young professionals group, and because we have mutual friends.

Julie is never late. In fact, Julie is usually early. This is very motivating since I'm ALWAYS late and NEVER early. So when I arrived exactly at 12:00pm, it wasn't a surprise that Julie was already there. I ordered my free burrito and she ordered a naked taco salad. Waters for both of us. You can only imagine that two chicks who have been unemployed by the same place would piss and moan about said workplace. Yeah, we did some of that. But mostly in a constructive, therapeutic manner. She was supportive about my job search and reminded me that if it takes a while to find a job, it isn't a reflection of my skills or my qualifications.


Random thing in common #2 - we've both had kidney stones! I had posted a Facebook update today worrying that I might have a kidney stone. I took it upon my self to tell her all about my history of kidney stones, the various surgeries and procedures I've had, and the crazy funny time when I had to take prostate meds. Yes, that's a true story. So I'm babbling on and on about my weird health issues, and Julie casually throws out this comment, "yeah, I had a kidney stone over Christmas." Wha???

This prompted a lenghty conversation about medical mysteries and unsupportive doctors and specialists. We have both been incredibly frustrated by improper diagnoses and feeling like no one is listening. We talked about the frustration of eating healthy, having a normal sleeping pattern, exercising, and yet still feeling like poo. Random thing in common #3: we both suffer from migraines.

We finished our scrumptious lunches and headed to Cupcake Island. Ooooooohhhhh....cupcakes. Julie had received a gift certificate from our friend Kent, and I was all to happy to help her redeem it. :) It's a small little shop with every color every invented. Super delicious sprinkles, frosting, and cake mixes.

Of course they were all decked out for Valentine's Day, and while Julie and I are both unlucky in the dating department, we both chose heartsy fartsy flavors.

Let me be clear - chossing the flavor was not easy! Julie settled on red velvet and I went for the simple yet satisfying, "classic." I didn't realize the irony of this until later, but the majority of the time we were at Cupcake Island, we talked about fitness and eating right! It's okay, you can laugh. Random thing in common #4: we both have exercise-induced asthma. (I actually have asthma-asthma, but it's worse when I exercise.)

Our dollar date was quite lovely and refreshing. Julie is a gentle soul and I think we complement each other nicely. I'm short and loud, and she's tall reserved (until Journey's "Don't Stop Believin" plays and then she's out of control!). But we are both career driven, close to our families, and ultimately want to be the best people we can possibly be. Of all the random things we have in common, I think that is our strongest connection.

On deck for day 9: Kacie. I'll be seeing you....