Currently 11.6

one of our engagement photos. taken by Etherea Studios. 

Happy election day, everyone! What a wonderful day-- to express your opinion for your president....and then bite your nails and clench your fists and pray strongly that the right man wins. However, I'm also sitting here asking myself... when will we have a "Madam President" instead of a "First Lady"? This question then leads to...what would her husband be called? "First Man"? That makes him sound like a link in an evolutionary timeline. "First Husband"? But then what if she's been divorced and he's not her first husband? That would make things confusing in the presidential household. If we're going to match with the lady moniker... would it be "First Gentleman"?
Is there actual protocol for this? If so, please comment and let me know.

Anyway, let's get past my ramblings and on to my actual blog post.
Here is what is happening currently in the Amp and Abi Hobbs household.

Watching: The Mentalist. Now, we realize this show has been around for a few seasons, but Mark and I just started seriously watching it last week. We caught an episode on one of those piped-in channels aired on the cruise and both instantly fell for Patrick Jane and his wily ways. Those who know me know I have always been a strict Bones and Castle fan when it comes to these detective shows...But it seems I must now widen my cop-show-circle to include the team from Sacramento. Also, the Mentalist tends to be less bloody-juicy-icky than Bones, thus allowing for a better supper time show.

Listening to: Mumford & Son's new album Babel. I've had it for several weeks now, but somehow it is still the CD of choice when I hop in the car. Much to Mark's dismay as he is not the biggest Mumford&Son's fan. While still maintaining the moody soul I love about this band, his album is somehow different from the previous one. To put it in the terms of a good friend of mine, it's "louder and twangier" whereas the last album is quieter, more chill (I really want to correct the grammar here and type "chillier" but that changes the meaning entirely). Either way, I love me some rocking banjo on these blustery fall days.

Planning: The holidays. Where to go. Who to see. How to get there.

Thinking about: today's Big Choice. Will we have a new "Mr. President"? A new face to represent our country, a new person to whom we doff our caps with respect, despite our own values and views? Or will the news announcers report that the same man has won again? Four years to eight. A continuation and amplification of the same. It's so fascinating to me, watching America teeter-totter at a crossroads, wondering which direction we'll shoot off in, wondering if much will change at all, or if we've already changed  well past recognition. And wondering what my place is in all this hullabaloo.

Looking forward to: Mark's kickball playoffs! Go JoJo's!! Yes, their team is named JoJo's. Businesses around Frederick sponsor the kickball teams as a form of community advertisement. Mark's team is named for a downtown restaurant that serves particularly yummy hamburgers. The playoffs start tomorrow night, provided the fields are sufficiently repaired from Sandy's havoc. Wish them luck! I sincerely hope they win, because apparently they have the kickball equivalent of a Superbowl ring. Except these are called "super-ball" rings. Oh yes. It is happening.

Reading: This title caught my eye in Target and Barnes&Noble. It touted its status as a "National Bestseller"  but. for some reason, I kept doubting whether I wanted to read it or not. However, I finally caved and bought it. Girls In Trucks by Katie Crouch. I'm only about a third of the way in, but I'm enjoying it more than I expected. Honestly, the jacket description and title made me expect a light read, one of those girl-from-the-country-goes-big-city-heartbreak-loveaches-back-to-your-roots type things. And, essentially, that may be what this is. But the writing style took me by surprise. Although its listed as a novel, the book has a short-story quality. You get glimpses of the main character's life, as she passes through different phases and stages. Not always in chronological order, either. The author gives you information and clipped scenes and leaves you to interpret them as you see fit. You can place them where you need them to go, to understand the characters. Its very episodic. And I'm growing increasingly fond of it, the more I read. So, long story short, I'm glad I finally bought the book.

Making me happy: Waking up to my best friend and sweet husband every day. Even if his alarm clock does go off five times before he fully wakes up. While I do usually wake him with a poke and an incoherent grunt ("turn-that-thing-off-for-pity's-sake"), I am over the moon happy to have him there to poke and grunt at. I'm pretty blissful these days.


Happy Tuesday! Don't forget to vote!