Random Updates and Dis and Dat

Well, there is never a dull moment in Tova-land. I am on day 2 of my diet. Things look bleak. But maybe after my coffee, I will look on the brighter side of life. No beer and no sugar makes Homer....

Anyway. I post all sorts of things and don't always follow up on them so I thought I would take a moment this morning and catch you all up to date on random things - there are like, 3 things. Let's go!

Good Housekeeping: Back in January I had an all out war with Hearst Publishing regarding my missing Good Housekeeping issues. And by war, I mean strongly worded letters. Here are copies of the e-mails I sent them:

Dear ....,

The situation is a little frustrating considering I ordered this subscription back in September. I am a Canadian living in Vienna and sometimes a girl just needs an English language magazine to read so that she doesn't feel like she is stuck in some war film. Seriously, Vienna is great but sometimes.... Did you know that shops are not open on Sundays? And that we just got Dunkin Donuts a few months ago. Don't get me started on the fact that I have to practically offer my first born to get a pack of aspirin from a pharmacist.

I know this is not your fault but I hope that in the future the other issues are not delayed. Reading a January issue in February makes me feel sad - that I missed out on articles that most likely featured new year's resolutions and weight loss tips and now I fear that I will spend the rest of 2015 fat. I probably also missed out on tips for discovering the new me and how to organize my life. So not only will I be corpulent, my apartment will be a sty and I will be unable to find anything and I will eventually curl up into a ball, drinking wine and telling my husband and son to leave "chubby not new me Mommy alone." That can't be a good thing.

I don't want to burden you with the what ifs but I also have to wonder about your choice of courier. How does it take 28 days for a magazine to come to Austria from England. Is the magazine taking a little trip to the Lake District, with a weekend in Nice and then perhaps a quick jaunt to the Alps. Or is the magazine trying out its new Fitbit it got for Christmas and therefore walking itself over here. I have to wonder...

But again, I know that none of this is your fault, [...] but there can be such ramifications to a 30 something year old woman missing out on the first subscription of the year. This could be a butterfly effect/chaos theory that could have been prevented if my original contract had been honored. Oh the implications!

I hope my January issue has a fabulous time at Apres-ski and I can only hope that when he finally arrives, that he at least has the good sense not to smell like fondue and sex.

Kind regards,

Tova

And then there was this follow up one after a less than satisfactory response:

Dear N.

Thank you for your e-mail. I guess I shouldn't have used the word "frustrating" because at this point I am more "miffed". It is now January 21st and still no January issue in my post box. I continue to miss out on Good Housekeeping tips for cutting calories, tips to organize my home office, finding good life/work balance and probably so much more. But I wouldn't know because I still don't have the magazine. I received my U.S. Good Housekeeping for January (IN DECEMBER - I don't want you guys to feel bad (comparison is the WORST and I say that as a middle child))  and while I am not that great at geography (N., literally I spent an afternoon watching skiing, confusing Borneo with Bormeo and silently wondered why a tropical island had chalets and snow) but I do think that the United States is just a touch further away from Austria than the U.K. and so it "miffs" me that I continue to sit empty handed. You know who was on the cover of the U.S. Good Housekeeping? Jillian Michaels, that's who. She's great. I follow her on Twitter. I have a couple of her DVD's that I should really start again. But I'm lacking that motivation because I'm lacking your fine fine magazine. Who was on the cover of the January U.K. issue? Oh nevermind, I guess I will find out in a timely manner.

Now, N., I know that L. (say hi for me if she is around!) assured me that a new copy would arrive in 28 days and you assured me that "all magazines are sent out in a timely manner" and now I am a little confused. Not Borneo/Bormeo confused, buy still confused. I know that it isn't your fault that my magazine didn't arrive. You don't control the mail... but I thought that maybe, just maybe, I would get something to make me feel a little bit better about missing valuable days where I would be learning to use non-fat Greek yoghurt versus regular, or how to make my marriage stronger, or even how to navigate a MAN'S WORLD in business but alas... I just got an e-mail. No keychain... no oven mitt...no t-shirt.Hey! A t-shirt would be great. If I weren't overweight and looked good while running, I would totally sign up for a 5K just for the t-shirt but seeing as that isn't going to happen, I was thinking maybe I could get a t-shirt. And you know what would be awesome? If you could write with a sharpie something like "You Number 1, Tova!" and I would wear the crap out of that. 

Oh no. I've made myself too excited. So I'll let you get on with your day. How's the weather over there? Here it is grey. But that's o.k. I'll get through it thinking about my awesome new t-shirt I should be receiving in 28 days or in a timely manner.

Kind regards,

Tova 

In the end I got nada... not even a key chain. But the good news is that my magazines are now coming on time, if not early. Actually, kind of too early. Now I get them 2 weeks early and by the time the actual month hits, I have already read it and then I am sad. I will never be satisfied. True story.

Tovaness project: Yeah. So about that being nicer to the Husband. Well. Let's start that challenge as of tomorrow. I haven't been very good. But I did bring home McDonalds last night so I'm a little bit closer to being a good wife. Cough, cough. But otherwise, the picture taking is going great!! And my Lighten Up plan is going well. Kind of. But I am actively looking for ways to actively find things that match my list of 12. And based on the past week, here are some things I have done that have made me happy and maybe others happy, too:

1. My son - Hearing him say Mommy was incredible.
2. The Husband - I got him McDonalds. THAT IS SO NICE OF ME
3. My friends - Fun pm's and chats
4. My apartment - I bought pretty flowers
5. Praise (oh God I need constant praise. Not compliments on physical aspects because I don't want people to lie, but more awe about my centerpieces, insane energy and cooking skills. PAY ATTENTION TO MY TALENTS! PRAISE ME!) - A lot of FB likes and that made me happy because I am a teenage girl.
6. Planning parties and events - Deep in the throes of planning the Meet and Greet (So fun!)
7. Writing - Yeah. Doing that.
8. Bad TV - None of this in the past few days but soon.
9. Getting exercise - Have done a couple of runs. Yay! Me!
10. Culture, food and wine - Went to the Opera house on Sunday going again tomorrow to see Madame Butterfly because I AM SO FANCY.
11. Fashion - I saw a purse I want.
12. Getting and giving gifts - No reason for that right now but y'all can surprise me.

I need to work more on my Tovaness project. I'll start tomorrow.

The old daycare: Well this just happened and all the feels (angry, sad, vengeful) have come back. If you have read my blog within the past year, you will have read all about the traumatic time we had at the Kid's old daycare. So, yesterday the Husband received a call from the old daycare (a.k.a. Hades). He missed the call and then called back leaving a message. They then called back and pretty much said that they had been thinking about the Kid and were wondering how he was doing and asking if we would like to come by for a visit with him. I don't know exactly how the Husband responded but had it been me it would have been something like "AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Not bloody likely! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Listen, I don't hold grudges and I try to see the good in every situation (after some therapy and time) and in most people, but what we went through with that daycare was akin to psychological torture. There were so many times I cried, I wanted to scream, I felt so lost and now they want us to stop by?!?! Sure, lemme bend over. May I have another, sir?!? Gah! I'm angry that they contacted us. I'm angry that all these emotions have surfaced again. I am angry that my font up above is all wonky because there is no damn paintbrush function on this blog site and I'm angry because I want a cosmopolitan and I can't have one. Gah!

I don't want to end this on an angry note so I will leave you with images that always seem to calm me down. Enjoy.