Carrabba's

As I was down the shore this weekend, I went to Carrabba's Italian Grill -- one of my favorites! There aren't too many up in northern New Jersey, so typically I take advantage of if when I visit my family down the shore. So the next time you have the opportunity to go, I highly recommend it, plus they have the best Spinach Raviolis, it's a dish called Mezzaluna and it's delicious!

Y2Fred Compliant

So, Chrismtas did not fail -- I received my Fred Society Shirt! Check it out!

The Fred Society

So as Christmas arrives, I'm anxiously awaiting one of my usual gifts from my brother from the Fred Society. A club for people named Fred. I have pads, T-shirts that say Fred Sox (Red Sox), Fred Rock (Hard Rock), Built Fred Tough (Ford), the list is endless. So if you know anyone named Fred, make sure you buy them a special gift this holiday season from the Fred Society -- FredMart is open and ready for business!

We Can't Let This Bank Fail!

More than 35 million Americans, including 12 million children, either live with or are on the verge of hunger. In New Jersey alone, an estimated 250,000 new clients will be seeking sustenance this year from the state's food banks. But recently, as requests for food assistance have risen, food donations are on the decline, leaving food bank shelves almost empty and hungry families waiting for something to eat.
The situation is dire, no more so than at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ), the largest food bank in the state, where requests for food have gone up 30 percent, but donations are down by 25 percent. Warehouse shelves that are typically stocked with food are bare and supplies have gotten so low that, for the first time in its 25 year history, the food bank is developing a rationing mechanism.
As the state's key distributor of food to local banks – serving more than 500,000 people a year and providing assistance to nearly 1,700 non-profits in the state – the stability of replenishment of the CFBNJ is essential to ensuring that individuals in need have access to food.
If everyone could just do a little, it would help those in need a lot. To help, people can:
Make a monetary contribution: Visit http://www.njfoodbank.org/.
Donate food: Drop off a bag of food at your local food pantry. Click here to find a food pantry near you: http://www.sefan.org/.
Organize a food drive: We can help explain the logistics of starting a food drive. Just call 908-355-FOOD.
Help "Check Out Hunger:" Look for the "Check Out Hunger" coupons at your local supermarket and donate. No donation is too small!

Red Sox Nation -- Monster Pack!

So while I was in Florida this past week, my worst fear was realized -- Red Sox Nation citizenship went onsale and I was no where near a computer. So in a panic I called my brother and asked if he would purchase my Monster Pack (Check out the benefits!). Thankfully, he was on his way home from Christmas Shopping and came through for me! Woohoo! Brian get's the hero hat and my extra ticket for my day on the Green Monster! See those seats on the top -- I'll be there glove-in-hand, ready to catch a home run by Papi!

Happiness is Contagious!

It was confirmed in the most recent edition of the British Medical Journal that Happiness is Contagious! Can I just say -- it's about time. I'm a firm believer in smiles go a long way and the saying that is on my desk, "Because Nice Matters." Now I have the research to back it up. Granted they also say in the same article that obesity is also contagious...but let's stick with the positive!

Threading!

So my latest beauty favorite is something called eye brow threading. All you ladies out there are probably aware of it and I'm sure you've walked by a threading station in your local mall. Let me just say -- it's great. I was extremely nervous the first time I worked up the nerve to go, fearful of the pain, not to mention the potential tears that the shoppers who walked by would see-- but let me tell you -- it's well worth the $10. First off, no more hot wax, no more anticipation of the bandage being pulled off (not to mention the dreaded burn) and the best part in my eyes (no pun intended) no more of the gloppy oil after your finished. Instead, tolerable pain and amazing line definition. I highly recommend it!

How Can You Not...

Want to be a part of Red Sox Nation after this Thank You!

Fred

I have had many people ask me over the last few days why my blog is titled Fred's Fun Forum -- so here's the back story. As many of you know I have an older brother named Brian. We are very close and he is two years older than I am. In typical older brother fashion, I was picked on incessantly growing up; but I always went back for more. I was a little brother and little sister all rolled into one. I'd go outside and play baseball with him, we'd play tackle football on the beach (lots of fun for him, not so much for me!) and as we grew older he'd make sure no guy I was dating ever treated me badly. Again, in typical older brother fashion he bestowed many nicknames on me ranging from Ocean Annie (Ann is my middle name), Orstil, CC and RB -- whose explanations are too complicated to explain. However, the one name that stuck was Fred. We had a distant cousin named Freddie, who was a bit "strange" and one day Brian decided it would be funny to call me Fred -- and boy did it stick. The latest iteration of name is Fredfu, which stemmed from a night that I was at his condo doing work on his computer. I was saving my work typed in Fred Fu instead of Fred's Folder and the rest is history. Brian unfortunately was right behind me and bursted out laughing. I have to admit it was pretty funny. So now, birthday cards are addressed to Fredfu and messages are left for Fredfu.

Till my next entry -- Fredfu has left the buidling.

I Still Love My Sox

I have to acknowledge last night's loss and although my beloved Red Sox will be off for the next 150 days...I still love them! There is always next year! I will still be a Fenway Faithful and a proud member of Red Sox nation. Woohoo!

Weekend with Mema

I'm blessed to have one super grandma. We are very close and I adore her. She is everything I want to be when I grow older and have grandchildren of my own. (First I need to find Mr. Right, so if you're out there -- call me!) Usually, at some point every weekend I make a point to get to down to see her. She lives about 45 minutes from my house and is always just happy to have people pop in. She had a doctors appointment this past Friday where it was confirmed that she had a stroke in her eye and will no longer be able to see out of it. Thankfully, it was only a stroke in her eye -- so I took it upon myself to cheer her up! She really didn't need too much cheering. I came walking through her kitchen in a hooded sweatshirt and baseball hat...I don't think she was too impressed by looks on Saturday afternoon and gave her a hug and kiss hello. Even with one good eye, she was still crocheting a blanket and telling me about the latest news her brother told her -- his grandaughter Melissa is having a baby girl. Congrats Melissa! We then started to chatter about my brother's wedding -- the gossipy stuff (A and B list), what she should wear, my parents vacation in Houston, a wedding Ihad to go to that Saturday night and why I wasn't starting to get ready 6 hours before it. Then as most grandma's do, she wanted to cook me something. Here is Mema walking into the kitchen and offering to make a sandwich, or have some grapes or eat a piece of apple pie. She is a great cook and she taught me how to make her homemade Pierogies last year (Pierogie Day is pictured above). How come my recipe never tastes like hers? Nevertheless, we had a very fun afternoon and by the time I left she was saying how happy she was I stopped in. These are the types of moments that I've learned to take advantage of. I've already lost two grandparents and have two left and truly appreciate the moments I get to spend with both of them. I'm fortunate, that my grandfather lives in the same town as my grandmother (my parent's were high school sweethearts and their parents never moved out of their hometown). So once I left Mema's house I drove over to my grandfather's house, who I'm also very close with. He was telling me all about my parent's trip to Houston (even though I had spoken with my Mom an hour before) and how he found an article in the paper that he cut out to show my brother. As you can see, I have two wonderful grandparent's in my life. Each of them hold a special place in my heart and bring their own unique joy to our family. Here's to you Mema and Pop-Pop!

Singing in the Car...

I'm blessed to have a long commute -- and I'm not joking. It allows me to do many things: catch up with friends, exceed my lease mileage allowance by roughly 60,000 miles (haha, I'm not exaggerating) and my favorite -- SING IN THE CAR. Yes I'm one of those people you probably point at when driving on the highway. I sing and dance and drive all that the same time. Plus, (knock on wood), have never received a ticket -- you don't need to know how many times I've been pulled over. (Please note in the picture to the right, I was stuck in traffic -- not taking pictures while driving) I have discovered in my nine or so years of driving that I love to sing in the car though. I do not have a good voice and have a huge range of songs on my iPod that I choose from and depending on my mood I select a playlist, sometimes by artist or sometimes by type of music. However, back to my point of singing in the car, if you are not someone who sings in the car, there is just one question that is begging to be asked? When you are driving and pass someone in the lane next to you who is singing, you likely smile and think that the person is nuts -- but I'd have to imagine that your second thought is -- "gosh that person is happy". I'm a big fan of happiness. So if a complete stranger passes me tonight after I leave work or even in the hallway and sees me singing or hears me humming as they walk by...is it all that bad if they think I'm nuts and happy... I don't think so.

A True Fan

I've come to realize that although I'm living in the New York metropolitan area, it's been a difficult couple weeks for a Red Sox fan. That made me ask myself, what makes a true fan? Is it the fan who is always bragging about their team or is it the fan who sits quietly and enjoys the game. I think it's a question that can run both sides of the line. I consider myself the latter, I am appreciaitive when I can watch a Sox game on TV and have truly been enjoying the playoffs, even in the midst of their struggles on the mound. I've encountered many friends of mine who are not Sox fans who are cheering for Tampa since they are Yankee fans. Would a true fan cheer another team on out of spite, I think between the Yankees and Red Sox rivalry -- Yes. However, when you come across one of the "quiet fans," I think the respect that they've shown you the past should be reciprocated. Friendly banter is fun and enjoyable for everyone, don't get me wrong -- sometimes, though, people should just be aware of what has been said to them in the past.