VISITED: Hall of Flame Fire Museum

A few weekends ago, Mike and I visited the Hall of Flame museum in Tempe/Phoenix (honestly, it's right there on the border so who knows?). He got a Groupon/Living Social/Amazon Local deal or something (these sort of things fall on deaf ears when it comes to me) and we went.

If you have kids, I definitely suggest it. It's very interactive -- you can sit in a truck, try on helmets, meet Smokey the Bear, slide down a pole, etc. And what kid doesn't want to pretend to be a fire fighter? At least for a little bit.

And some of the fire trucks were really neat to look at -- especially the ones that didn't look like fire trucks. Unfortunately, Mike and I just zoomed through. It's actually the biggest fire museum in America and it took us probably 30 minutes to walk around. We just have no ties to it. It was informative and educational, but not suited to my interests.

You Don't Just Need These Rules for Drinking on St. Patrick's Day.

I firmly believe that St. Patrick's Day is the greatest drinking holiday of all time. We're not reflecting on the past like on New Years. Nor are we getting sunburnt on the Fourth of July. We don't have to create a costume like Halloween. Everyone has a green shirt in their closet. The weather is usually great and by this time of the year, we all need a drink. 

Whether you're drinking to celebrate the Irish or drinking just because, here are a few drinking tips from an old pro. 

Rule #1: Never Drink Anything Blue.

Nothing is as horrifying as throwing up something blue. Nothing. Except, pooping green. Which will happen to you if you drink one too many blue drinks. Nothing good ever happens when someone hands you a blue drink so stay away. Stick with more traditional shades of beverage and you won't be mortified in the morning.

Rule #2: If a Bar Only Exists When You're Drunk, There's a Reason.

We have a local bar that I swear only exists when I am drunk. I have never been able to see it in the cold, sober light of day. I drive on that road everyday and nope -- not there. But when I'm drunk, I am suddenly transported there. There is a good reason why and that is -- no sober person will drink at an establishment that smells like piss. 

I think the moral of this rule is don't go there sober if you want to keep the illusion alive that it's a great place to be. 

Rule #3: To Say It Is to Summon It.

We usually only use this rule when it comes to shots. Someone drops that S-word and suddenly there are shot glasses lined up and the Jameson is flowing. However, I'm going to expand this rule. If you say something is going to happen, it will. "I'm going to puke" -- and you will puke. "I'm going to fall" -- and you will fall. Keep this in mind when you're friend is telling you and you might be able to get there in an appropriate place.

Rule #4: Live Within Walking Distance.

Cabs are expensive. Provided you can walk, do so. Always have a decent bar within walking distance. You never know what's going to happen. 

Rule #5: Take Your Pictures At the Beginning of the Night.

Oh, everyone looks so cute at the beginning of the night. So take the group pictures then! Do not wait until the mascara starts running and the hair ends up in a weird place. And the boys start removing their ties. Trust me. My friends and I seem to only take pictures after we've been drinking and if that picture up at the top didn't scare you, I've thankfully deleted all the ones that could.

And with that, all I can bid you is good luck on this glorious holiday or ... any day that you decide to go out and enjoy yourself. 

Weekly Round Up // 41.

What I've been up to lately? Hmm ... a lot of work. Last night, I spent the evening with my family. And currently, I'm rewatching Bob's Burgers on Huli before heading off to work. I will say that the best part about working late is getting to actually enjoy the mornings. I should be out running, but let's be honest -- it's Friday and finding the motivation to get up early is difficult. 

As always, if you have any links you want to see featured on next week's Weekly Round Up, tweet me or comment here and I'd love to include your links. 

- Powerful images.

- Not all of these are technically puns (Trust me. I once wrote a 12 page paper on them), but this is still a funny list.

- A squirrel feeder...in the shape of a horse head.

- A ring for Star Trek fans.

- It's not a weekly round-up if I don't include a Buzzfeed link -- Food Truths. 81beba554b24386e2ba894d7f938df85cf163550ea7952931f

The Balance Act.

I could sit and complain for hours about how hard this life and work balance is, but everyone already knows that. Because it's tough. It's tough to work all day and come home and know that other things need to be done. The laundry. The dishes. Dinner needs cooked. Groceries need bought. 

I'm having a hard time adjusting to this. I don't come home in the middle of the afternoon anymore. I don't get to take a nap around 1 pm anymore. The times are a changin'.  

And that leaves me in a place for growth. 

I'm making an official commitment to working on the balance act between work and life. I want to be able to do all the things I enjoy, such as blogging, running, hiking, spending time with Mike, and so forth while working full-time. I know it's possible because everyone else seems to have a much better handle on it than I. 

Any tips are greatly appreciated. I am serious about getting my life back.