Rings and hairs: switching up styles
21 May 2012 4 Comments
in me
I change my wedding rings like I change my hairstyles — OFTEN. This week I changed both! Wanna see ‘em?
Here’s what my ring used to look like:
All vintage and pretty and EXACTLY what I wanted when I found it. But over the years I stopped wearing the engagement ring and instead wore various wedding bands and rings that I had accumulated (original engagement ring, my wedding band, and a ring I got for doing an Offbeat Bride ad) but NEVER the pretty vintage engagement ring. I just noticed that my tastes had changed and I was drooling over more modern styles. So I decided to change it up!
Here’s how the ring looks now:
I love it! It goes with all my wedding bands and various rings, to the point where I’m switching up which rings I wear every day now. Oh, and did I mention it cost me NADA!? I traded my old ring to have this custom made, and that was that. FUN!
Speaking of fun. Let’s talk about my hair. More
Got a gift from my late grandfather in the mail today
10 May 2012 6 Comments
in happy spurts
My grandpa giving me a gift. Perhaps this was a Rolex or keys to a Porsche.
He bought me my first diamond when I was a freaking BABY! And it’s not like it was a tiny diamond, it’s almost the size of my half-carat engagement ring!
I also remember one time my grandpa called me up and said that my (10th, maybe 11th?) “special birthday gift” was on its way to me and — oh no! — he hoped that he had poked enough holes in the box! So, obviously, I got super duper excited about the awesome animal-type present that was on it’s way, only to open up a freaking Audubon print!
Of course, I love it today. That’s it up there on the left, over the miniature piano. It looks perfect in my apartment… but what a strange gift to give a kid!
Today I got a package in the mail from my mom. She recently stumbled upon of some things my grandfather bought for me as a child. It was a small package containing A LOT of gold jewelry, including this necklace:
Apparently he purchased this for me in Hong Kong when I was little. It’s also, yet another thing, I would probably have turned up my nose at as a child. Who needed jewelry when there were toys to play with!? But today, I LOVE IT! It’s absolutely my new favorite piece of jewelry.
The gifts he gave me as baby-Megan were clearly more for for adult-Megan — becoming decor for my grownup apartment, and delighting the 30-something who loves gold jewelry. Sometimes I wonder if that man had some sort of sixth sense that he wouldn’t be around for my adult years and purchased accordingly.
Though that thought really makes me smile, I’d totally trade all these gifts to have kept him around for longer. I miss that guy.
A beautiful glimpse of New York via Facebook
30 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
The best part about being real life, as well as Facebook, friends with my favorite author is that I get to enjoy amazing status updates like this:
Now THAT is the way Faceboook status’ should be. WOW. I loved that little glimpse of New York so much I just have to save it here.
In other Hirshberg news, I got Ariel to read my favorite of his novels, The Snowman’s Children since it just became available on Kindle. I’ve read it now three times, and if you haven’t read it at least once, you should start reading it now.
Now we’re cooking
29 Apr 2012 5 Comments
I’m between lunch and dinner on day one of my Offbeat Home Cooking Challenge and I’m already exhausted. Between making food, writing about my experiences, and begging asking for help over the SMALLEST things, I have to squeeze in Offbeat Bride work, and, since it’s the weekend, I’m also spending time with Aaron and friends whom I never get to see.
Still, this is kind of one of the most exciting things I’ve been involved in. And I’ve been super touched by the outpouring of people who’ve gone out of their way to help. From Alex who went on a two hour shopping trip with me, to my mom who video chatted me through slicing an apple, and Ari who not only gave me farm fresh eggs, but showed me how to chop them. Thank you thank you thank you ALL of you.
If you want to keep updated on my trials and tribulations OR if you want to cook along with me, keep checking in with Offbeat Home. You can also follow me on Twitter to get real time updates.
Megan’s Offbeat Home food challenge
25 Apr 2012 5 Comments
in me
THIS is my idea of the perfect meal: a HUGE pizza and beer.
I always say, the biggest mistake Aaron and I made in our marriage was NOT marrying someone who cooks. We both have TERRIBLE eating habits and no skills when it comes to cooking. I happen to love eating food, I just don’t happen to love creating food. Aaron is one of those people who, if he could, he’d just take a pill in order to get all his nutrition — he has no love of food and hardly any time to eat anyway. If either one of us married someone who knew how/loved to make meals, we’d be so happy. So folks, if you’ve got a partner who loves to cook, CHERISH THEM.
I just came back from an Offbeat Empire work retreat on Bainbridge island. Part of the deal with the trip was that we would all take turns making each of the meals. As I know there’s no Trader Joe’s on the island, my go-to meal of frozen pizza and pre-packaged salad was NOT going to be a possibility. Barring that, I got NOTHING when it comes to feeding the masses. So I offered this up:
Also, reminder to anyone who is partnered with me — I’m more of a hinderance then a help in the kitchen. So, if you don’t want to have to instruct me like you would a toddler when it comes to making food, I’m MORE than happy to pay for everything we (you) need if you’re more than happy to turn it all into food.
Which then got turned into useless Megan does all the dishes, while the other, competent, Empire workers created the edibles.
I was MORE than happy with that arrangement. I washed and cleaned and, in turn, ate wonderful things like grilled cheese and pear finger sandwiches, pancakes, black beens and homemade tzatziki and dutch babies for breakfast. My stomach gurgles just thinking of it all.
Today Ariel contacted me with an idea for an Offbeat Home post
Ariel: Basically, CAN THIS PACKAGED FOOD NON-COOKING PERSON SURVIVE WITHOUT PACKAGED FOOD FOR ONE WEEK?
Cat provides meal plans/recipes for you.
Megan: HA!
Ariel: You document your experience.
Megan: that would be hilarious.
i would totally try that
And so it’s looking like, starting next week, I will be totally trying that! I’m going from eating like this…
Breakfast: toast
Lunch: pre-packaged salad or turkey sandwich
Dinner: frozen pizza or frozen beef and broccoli
To something like this:
* Three meals + 1 snack + 1 sweet/dessert each day
* Prep time must be less than… 30min
I’m thinking that if Aaron or Coco (or anyone else that knows how to run a camera and possibly edit!?) are around while I’m attempting this experiment, I’ll have them capture video. Because that way, even if I fail at my meal attempt, at least will get some HILARIOUS footage. Possibly including panicked shopping trips? 
So stay tuned to Offbeat Home and see what comes of this idea.
Spring time for Megan in West Hollywood
24 Apr 2012 4 Comments
I woke up the other day to find that my Japanese Maple has also woken up! When you live in LA, you don’t really get to see Spring happen, but this was a small and beautiful sign in my own little balcony garden.
Since then I’ve been seized with the desire to spend more time in the outside worldz. I’ve been going on hikes and stuff. You might have noticed this Earth Day tweet:
On Earth Day we went on a hike & the Earth totally kicked my ass. You win TODAY Earth, but tomorrow isn’t your f-ing day anymore. Watch out!
— megan finley (@meganfinley) April 23, 2012
Yes, physical activities and I have not always been friends, but it HAS been rewarding. I’ve gotten to spend more time with friends I barely see anymore, meet llamas on Bainbridge, and explore parts of LA that I’ve never seen before with Aaron.
Here’s an Instagram-y photo dump of my adventures in nature:
Now, I must go, I’m off to another Runyon Canyon death march hike with Erik and Kimmy.
Why part-Vulcans don’t make good wives
05 Apr 2012 5 Comments
Stealing my french fries? That would be unwise.
See, there’s a reason why Aaron calls me “Spock.” We both believe that I’m part Vulcan. (For my non-geek readers, from Wikipedia:
“Vulcans are an extraterrestrial humanoid species in the Star Trek universe who evolved on the planet Vulcan, and are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic with no interference from emotion.”
Yup, that’s me — I see emotions as something to be squelched, something to be avoided, nothing but trouble. And logic, ah, logic is my happy place. It’s safe and it’s easy to understand. I have been known to end friendships, and avoid family members that don’t display enough logical thinking. And you know what, I credit that with the fact that I have ended up surrounding myself with some of the greatest people on Earth.
Rejecting most of my emotions as useless crazy-making bullshit has generally helped me out in life with almost every relationship, but the one… More
In happier news
27 Mar 2012 Leave a Comment
Jackson turned six last week!
I bought him this bone and he was a super good boy waiting for the “okay” to gnaw away. I also took him for a nighttime jog.
Oh man, I can’t believe he’s six! They grow up so fast.
My thoughts on the Trayvon Martin murder case
27 Mar 2012 13 Comments
in angry megan
I have been consumed with the Trayvon Martin murder case. I think about it all day and night. It bothers me most when I’m out walking the dog, hoodie on and hood up to protect my ears from the cold. I mull the details over like a mental worry stone. So many things bother me about it and I just have to vent.
I’ve spent my time in a few gated communities. My parents have lived in two of them since they moved from Los Angeles, and they were both predominantly white. Even so, as I’m walking around the neighborhoods and I happen to see a person who is *gasp* not white, my first reaction is not ‘SUSPICIOUS PERSON! CALL THE POLICE!’ Hoodie, or not, my first reaction, as a person who is not crazy, is ‘Hello person who more than likely lives here.’
The fact that Zimmerman’s first thought was immediately of suspicion because he sees a person of color walking around with a plastic bag, wearing fucking sweatshirt, tells me that this dude is clearly not right in the head.
Then I think, well fuck, Florida gave this nut job a gun and the permission to cary it around as he sees fit. This brings up the whole problem of gun legislation and all my worries concerning that.
And THEN I think… where the hell is Zimmerman anyway? There’s a dude, who’s not right in the head, who just murdered an innocent person, out there in the world somewhere, and he’s carrying a gun. And that freaks me out to no end.
And THEN I think… if that Invisible Children dude suffered a nervous breakdown from all the pressure of his instant and not necessarily positive fame, that could EASILY happen to Zimmerman… and he’s been known to shoot people when he gets freaked out.
And THEN I think… HOW HAS HE NOT BEEN ARRESTED?
An innocent child is dead and his murderer is wandering free. How is this fair? How is this okay? I don’t want to live in a world where this okay. And THAT is why I can’t stop thinking of this case. It’s so all kinds of wrong that I’m just having a hard time accepting this unbelievable reality.
Allow me to brag about my Big Dick for a sec…
29 Feb 2012 Leave a Comment
Big Dick doing "Long Tall Sally" with Little Richard's original drummer at The Mint.
Last Saturday night I went to see Aaron’s Little Richard tribute band Big Dick play a three hour show at a bar in downtown LA. It was a super fun night — I got to meet up with Jessica, one of our Offbeat Bride DIY editors, and her equally awesome husband, I got to dance like mad at hour three with some other awesome chicks, and then went out to karaoke until 4am.
During the show, I kept either getting approached by people, or overhearing people, talking about how great Big Dick is and how much they were into the band, etc. During their down time I like to check Twitter and see if I can find people tweeting about the band because I’m always tickled to read the hilarious tweets from folks who have just discovered this awesome new band AND discovered it’s crazy name.
So I asked permission from Kate, the lead singer, to take over the Big Dick Twitter account, so that I could reach out to these enthused Twitter fans and gain a bigger following. She happily handed the account over to me and I officially took it over yesterday. And I have to say, I’m super proud of the results…
On the first day I almost doubled their Twitter followers (from 32 to 62) AND got a celebrity retweet. (Timothy Bloom is HOT!)
SO, if you want to follow my newest social media account, or want to keep updated on the happenings of the greatest (and only) Little Richard tribute band, OR if you want to see some hilarious retweets of people just discovering that a band called Big Dick exists, then follow @bigdicktheband!
Plus you'll get to see more awesome pictures of the HOTNESS that is Kate.
Aloha there, I'm Megan Finley. I'm a 30-something girl, living in Los Angeles with that guy I married and our rescued pets. I work online (a LOT) for the 
