My Inner Monoblog

The slackiest of slackers

2011-01-11T21:22:00.002-05:00

Wow. One post in December? I lose at blogging.

AS you can probably gather... things have been fairly busy if I haven't blogged AT ALL since December 1st. That would be an understatement. Work has been increasingly busy (which is good) and wedding planning has gotten a touch more stressful. I'm officially under 6 months away from the wedding, and it's creeping closer and closer to 5 months. I still have a lot of details to work out!

But it's okay. I'm not stressing out. I'm not. I'm going to make it through these 5 months and a few weeks without turning into a crazy person, and without having one or many panic attacks. I'm going to be just. fine.

Instead I'm going to focus on the more important things in life: my desk at work. We're renovating at work currently. For two whole days (during the first bout of snow we had in the middle of December) I had no windows. Sure, there was plastic over the window. You know how insulated a plastic tarp is? Not very. I had three damn shirts on at work! Now that I have new windows, they tell me that I'm moving.

My desk is turning into a closed lockable office. I am moving on the other side of the cubicle wall... which means I'm on the same side as Gzilla. We'll have to stare at each other all day. They had to sit us down and ask us permission. It was kind of hilarious. But now I have construction guys building walls next to me... and building a door in my way... and it's slightly distracting. I'm kind of looking foward to my new desk, despite the fact that I'm going to have much less space in my new work area, but that's all right. I'll be on the side of the cubicle wall with all the people I like.

Now I just have to figure out how to not have any snags in this wedding planning business so that I dont have some kind of epic meltdown.

It just keeps getting longer and longer...

2010-12-01T15:02:00.003-05:00

I feel like every list I'm keeping right now has been doused with Miracle Grow and it's going to turn into the world's largest cucumber soon. For example... wedding stuffs. When we figured out the budget (read: when my dad said I have this much money to give you) we crunched the numbers and figured out that the magic number was 180. 180 total guests. That's it. Right now? My number is 192.

It was 186... which is okay because we're anticipating a few people declining (like my aunts who already booked their July 4th beach house in Florida... my cousin who lives in Texas... and a few of Gzilla's relatives who are across the country) but then my dad had a few additions. I forgot my two aunts who divorced my dad's family(these two are very smart women--just as my mom). At first, Daddy Dearest was unsure about inviting them, and since he's paying... if he's uncomfortable, I feel awkward saying "No, they are my aunts whether or not they have my last name anymore or no" but he finally caved on that one. And then he adds that he wants me to invite my uncle's new wife's two adult children (did you follow that?)

Now, I have no problem with these two people... but if we're trying to limit the numbers, especially since the ONLY friends that I'm inviting are in my wedding party, I don't exactly feel comfortable not inviting the women that I lived with for years in college, but I can invite these two people who are practically strangers that I've met all of twice. But, again, my dad is the one paying for the reception... and he already mentioned it to his brother... so they're on the list. And he's right, it IS a nice gesture. But these are the side of my family that I'm trying to distance myself from, so it's hard.

The other list that's growing is the things I need to pay for. Trying to fit Christmas in the midst of all the wedding payments is a bit difficult this year to say the least. But, Gzilla and I decided to set a limit on our gifts, and then we'll save up to go to a fancy dinner in Philly. We'll probably go back to 10Arts and have Jen Carroll from Top Chef make us dinner again. That place was amazing...

Anyone have lists that keep growing and growing?

PC Prison Recap

2010-11-15T10:21:00.003-05:00

Well, Gzilla and I survived. Actually... we had FUN. I know. Inconceivable! But we did. We even made friends with another couple. I was really worried about the whole roommate situation, but it ended up being fine. There were 11 couples on the retreat. All the women stayed in one house and the men stayed in another, and each house had 8 bedrooms... so only a few people had to share a room, and I wasn't one of them!

The one thing I will say is that I'm TIRED. We were on retreat from Friday night at 7 until Sunday afternoon at noon. We didn't actually get home until 1:30 or so because we hung around for a bit and then stopped for groceries on the way home. We were very ambitious in our cooking that evening. I made NY strip steaks with carrots and parsnips for dinner (by the way... parsnips are flipping awesome) and a pot roast for the next night. I was going to put it together this morning and we could eat it tonight. Except I didn't know that I have to work tonight. So I made it last night... we put it away this morning, and we're going to eat it on Tuesday. My house smelled amazing this morning. However I was up cooking until around midnight, after an emotionally draining weekend. To say that I'm tired is a huge understatement.

I feel a bit silly because I was so worried about the retreat, but there ended up being nothing to get worked up about. We liked it so much, and think that we got a lot out of it, that we're considering being 'team couples' for future retreats and leading some of the discussions.

I'm gonna do it this time; I swear!!

2010-11-11T10:22:00.002-05:00

I mentioned that Gzilla and I joined the Y last month... well, it took us a month to get there. We went for the first time on Monday for a personal training type meeting, and then we went a second time separately to learn the different machines.

I've been trying very hard to be supportive without pushing Gzilla into doing anything. He's unhappy with his weight, and it's gotten to the point where he's having back problems because of it. I think that finally got him motivated to actually try. Before he's complained that he needed to change his eating habits, but what that really means is that I have to change his eating habits for him. And whenever I try saying "Hey, let's get a salad for lunch today" I get shot down because that doesn't sound like a very good lunch (i.e. it's not Wendy's).

I'm letting him set the times when we go to the Y and exercise... but the one thing that I'm highly suggesting that he do is keep track of his calories. I found a really good calorie tracker at www.livestrong.com and has the nutrional value of a lot of brand name things already in there. And! you can create your own recipes so that you don't have to enter "tomatoes, 2... steak, 6 oz" every time. It's fancy!

He told me that his goal is to lose a pound a month. Which would mean by the wedding, he would have lost 8 pounds. When I set up his livestrong account... I set it at a bit more than that, because my options were "1 pound per week, 1.5 pounds per week, 2 pounds per week, or maintain current weight." So I set it at 1 pound per week.

I have some goals for myself, too. I just want to strengthen and tone what I already have. Every single person at the Y so far has brought up the pilates classes, so I think I'm going to do that... and I think I might do a Zumba class, too. When I go in the mornings with Gzilla 3x per week (I think that's good to start off) I'll concentrate on cardio and some weight training... and then I'll add on a few classes here and there. I think that since we have each other to keep motivated, we'll keep up with it... but we'll see. It's one of those things where if I blog about it...then y'all will hold me accountable. So please, feel free to yell at me if I slack off. Because it's not just me slacking off, it's Gzilla now, too... and if this extra weight is doing a number on his back, I don't want to think about what it's doing to his heart.

For a moment... I'm going to be a girl.

2010-11-10T09:49:00.007-05:00

Not just a girl. THAT girl. That girl who is obsessed with shoes.

I bought my wedding shoes the other day. From this website Rue La La where you can designer stuff discounted. Sometimes it's last season stuff... sometimes it's sample sale. I belong to another one called Gilt Group, but I'm starting to like Rue La La a bit more.

Anyway, a few days ago... they had my favorite designer. kate spade. I LOVE kate spade. I actually have a bag of hers that I bought at a charity store for $39 (because I'm awesome and know how to shop). Lately I haven't been looking at the Gilt Group or Rue La La pages because I'm saving for the wedding and all that jazz, but this time I thought "Well... let me just SEE if they have any shoes..."

THANK GOD I DID. I found my wedding shoes. And I bought them. They were sold out of every size except mine and a few others... and I thought about it. I even asked Gzilla, but he was of no help. So I texted becklette and she convinced me that HELLO I should buy them. And I did. Now I'm $129 poorer, BUT I HAVE KATE SPADE SHOES FOR $129. I'm going to wear my favorite designer's shoes on my wedding. And they're THE PERFECT shoe. Perfect.

See? Perfect wedding shoes. I can't wait until they get here.

All my m's sound like b's.

2010-11-09T10:58:00.002-05:00

Well... you know how I'm supposed to be going to "Pre Cana Prison" this weekend... sharing a room with a stranger... sharing my relationship with 9 other couples... and all that fun stuff?

GUESS WHO HAS A NASTY COLD? this guy.

I currently can't breathe through one side of my nose... I sound like I have a clothespin over said nose... and my throat hurts. Luckily, I haven't lost my voice or anything yet. It's just sore.

I'm doing all of those things you're supposed to do when you're sick. Drink lots of water... drink lots of tea with honey... take cold medicine... use an entire box of tissues per day... surround myself with hand sanitizer... use my neti pot a whole lot... but I'm really worried that it isn't going to do anything! I have to stay in a room with a stranger this weekend... and I'm totally going to get her sick. I'm going to be that person that everyone thinks in their head, "I hope I'm not rooming with THAT GIRL."

Any other cold remedies I should partake in to try and bust this cold before Friday?? Staying home and sleeping is not an option.

Nervous Ambitions

2010-11-04T10:06:00.002-04:00

I have all these grandious ideas of what I want in life. Yes, I love working in radio... but do I see myself in radio for the rest of my life? I don't know. I really have no idea. I wanted to be an actor for so long that I never bothered to see if I was good at anything else. But there IS something else that I was always good at... I'm just terrified to do it.

I can tell a good story. And I can tell a good story with a lot of words. I've been talking about writing a novel for the past 5 or 6 years? But I've never actually DONE it. I've talked about it. Thought about it. Even outlined a novel! But I'm so critical of myself that I don't actually DO anything. I have 2 great ideas for a novel that are both grounded in things that have happened either to me or to people around me, and Gzilla pointed out that maybe that's why I'm having such a hard time. I need to start with something that's entirely fiction before I start borrowing.

Then I remembered that November is NaNoWriMo. Only problem? I haven't written a single word. If I started on November 1st, I would have had to write 1667 words a day to get to 50,000 by November 30th. Since now it's November 4th...that gives me 26 days instead of 30 days, so that means I have to write 1924 words every day to get to 50,000 words. It's not going to happen. Especially since I lose two whole days because of "Pre Cana Prison" next weekend (that's what I'm calling it. You better believe I'll have a full report after next weekend!!!).

Anyone else doing/did do NaNoWriMo? I can do this, right?

Oh Happy Day!

2010-11-02T10:37:00.002-04:00

I know a lot of people are excited about election day... and I'm excited about it for an entirely different reason. I finally get my life back. I don't have to stay at work until 9 at night because someone wanted to change their advertising and we're waiting for the commercial. I don't have to wear makeup to work every day in case I have to record a politicians commercial. (The one day I DIDN'T wear makeup to work last week... I had to record a guy. He was nice though. And worked REAL HARD for my vote!)

I hate election day. I used to love it. I used to feel like my vote made a difference, and maybe it does. But I hate it now because I have to deal with these people...and they affect my every day life. And I don't like it. I really think that every single person in America should work in the media for one election season...and see what these people are like. It's a real eye opener.

Some of them are really nice and considerate people. Those are the people I vote for. The people who change their advertising 6 times in one week... who keep changing from :30 second commercials to :60 second commercials in the middle of the day, and the change HAS to be made before the next commercial airs in 13 minutes? I don't vote for those people. Those people make me cry.

I'm just really happy today. Because now these people will leave me alone for two years. No more phone calls on my cell phone... no more TEXT MESSAGES telling me who to vote for (please tell me someone else got text messages...I got THREE of them!). No more annoying politician jingles. I just have to get through the rest of the day. And cross my fingers.

Give up the FUNK

2010-10-25T10:20:00.003-04:00

I'm in a bit of a funk right now... and I have no idea why. I have no desire to knit ANYTHING, but I want to make things. I don't know if that makes any sense. I keep looking at projects like "oooh, I really want to make that!" but when it comes to actually MAKING it... I have no desire to do so.

I still haven't finished the sweater I "gave" to Gzilla last year for Christmas. I really want to make myself a hat and a cowl for the winter, because I have nothing like that. I also am supposed to be making a sweater for my sister with the yarn I bought for the baby blanket. I started winding the yarn over the weekend, and the one skein is SO TANGLED that it took be four hours to untangle 3/4 of it. It's still tangled.

Maybe I'm in a funk in other ways as well. I haven't done ANYTHING in the way of wedding planning. I still have no cake place. I haven't called any florists. Nothing. Maybe it's because work is really busy right now. Maybe it's because everyone keeps asking me how the wedding planning is going. And I just want to scream "LEAVE ME ALONE OR ELSE I'M NOT DOING ANY WEDDING PLANNING! ARGH!!!"

Am I the only one who's in a funk right now? How do you get rid of your funks?

Operation: Fitness Guru

2010-10-12T14:21:00.002-04:00

(she says, while eating Doritos...)

Okay, not so much fitness guru... BUT! I took step one today, and I actually activated my YMCA membership. The card is in my purse. AND! I took the tour. That means serious business. Serious. Gzilla dosen't have his card yet, because he did not come with me to activate said Y membership, but that's okay. Because when we do go, we're going to TAKE CLASSES! GO TO THE GYM! USE THE EQUIPMENT! BE HEALTHY!

This all started about a year ago, when Gzilla discovered that he was the same weight as his other friend who is considerably taller than he, so that motivated Gzilla to figure out how to lose weight. What did he do? He asked me to count his weight watchers points for him. Um, no. Hence, Y membership.

I mentioned to the woman giving the tour that I used to dance for about 8 years. Now, I am by no means a "dancer" but I can fake it REALLY well, and I was a cheerleader for 6 years (shut up) so movement and I are actually pretty good friends. Everyone's doing the Zumba thing, right? Apparently... they're always looking for Zumba instructors! If I end up loving Zumba... and getting really good at it... I could be TEACHING a Zumba class! How cool is that?

But first I have to actually go...

It's official. I'm dumb.

2010-10-04T12:03:00.002-04:00

You know how people talk about "pregnancy brain?" Well, I officially have "wedding brain." My brain has just completely stopped working altogether, and it won't start back up again until July 3rd.

At work, we frequently have meetings in the mornings. They're always ass-early on the weekends, and they're always annoying. Sometimes it's watch training videos on random skincare/makeup lines. Sometimes it's going over policies and whatnot, but the BIG MEETING every year involves the entire store (not just my department) and it's mandatory. I believe the exact words my manager used were "you better be dying or have a dying relative if you aren't there."

Well, I looked at the date of the meeting and went: CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP CRAP!!! THAT'S MY PRE-CANA WEEKEND!!! As in...mandatory retreat by the Catholic church in order to get married there... I have two choices. Six three-hour classes on Sunday afternoons (which means I miss 6 weeks of work since I mostly only work on Sundays) or do it all in one weekend. The weekend of the all important meeting. I spoke with my manager, and she totally had a gasket.

Now, this is the Christmas meeting. It's important because Christmas is a very very busy time for us, and there's a lot of new blood. But this is my 4th Christmas season with the company. I know how it works. Unless there's something drastically different, I can go over the info with a manager after the fact. But she was having NONE of it. I was seriously trying to figure out how I was going to quit and find another job within the next 2 weeks.

So Saturday, I'm doing some cleaning and throwing away of papers that have accumulated underneath the coffee table, and I find my paperwork for the Pre-Cana retreat...which is the week AFTER the big all important mandatory meeting. Whoops. So I got my manager all mad at me for no reason whatsoever.

My brain needs to start functioning again soon... I can't take all this forgetfulness I'm having!! I think I need a nap.

Bella Senora and other vocal warmups

2010-09-20T10:43:00.002-04:00

In order to appease the Evil Nun at the church Gzilla and I are getting married at... and to hopefully make this whole "getting married in the Catholic church" thing as easy as humanly possible, I agreed to cantor at Mass. For you non church goers (which to be fair, was be up until two months ago--ha!) that means I stand in front of the church at the little pulpit and lead all the songs. All of them.

This past Sunday was my first time singing in front of people in over five years. Needless to say, I was slightly terrified. Especially because I did everything to prepare. I got my music ahead of time... didn't know ANY of the songs... taught them to myself via virtualpiano.net and learned that I actually DID know three of the songs, just with different lyrics. I met with the organist a week ago to rehearse, and I borrowed a digital recorder from the radio station (that my boss said he would never forgive me if I lost or broke it, so I guarded the damn thing with my life). We didn't check the battery beforehand... and because the battery was so low, it didn't record ANYTHING. So the processional/entrance hymn that I didn't know, I couldn't rehearse. The mass parts that I wasn't terribly familiar with, I couldn't rehearse. I did all my homework! This was supposed to work!

Plus, when I went to rehearse, I warmed up my voice and everything was fine. Right as I go into church...I get some weird allergy attack and I totally lose any note that's above a C. Now I'm worried that I'm going to suck, get thrown out as a cantor, and get on the Evil Nun's bad side again. But yesterday, I woke up 2 hours before Mass. Drank more water than was probably necessary, and warmed up my voice a whole heck of a lot. And I didn't suck.

I might not be acting anymore... but at least I can still keep up with my singing at Mass. They have a choir, but they rehearse on Monday nights (I have knitting group!) and they perform on Sundays (I have work!) so I'm not joining that choir. I'm hoping that by cantoring at Mass, some of the other newly engaged couples will ask me to cantor their wedding. That'd be awesome.

This is either going to be a great idea... or an epic fail.

2010-09-16T09:48:00.002-04:00

I'm going to this "event" tonight that a local magazine is throwing... it's a "Beauty Bash" and I can't help but picturing a bunch of nicely dressed ladies beating up other nicely dressed ladies with hair dryers, make up bags, and other beauty paraphanalia.

The website for the magazine has little to no information about what to expect (just where it is, how much tickets are, and a very short list of the goings on of tonight... no details) so I'm a bit nervous. I have little expectations, because I have no clue! I know QVC does a Beauty Bash every year, and I KNOW what they have in store (most of the time, women who go walk away with close to $1000 in gifts from the QVC retailers. I want to go so. bad. but I can never get tickets...they sell out in SECONDS.)

I'm hoping to do a bit of bridal espionage tonight... check out salons, see what they have for bridal parties and whatnot. I haven't decided if I'm going to just have everyone do whatever they want with their hair, or if I'm going to pay to have their hair done. I don't know if I'll have a budget for that, that's the problem. By then, my sister will have her cosmotology license, but she's in the wedding, and it would be a lot to ask for her to do everyone's hair. Even though she's already offered (to do either everyone's hair or everyone's makeup). We'll see.

My biggest problem right now... when I look at pictures of last year's Beauty Bash, everyone is all dressed up! Like LBDs... heels... updos... CRAZY. I don't have time for that! I also don't have anything to wear! At the moment, I'm wearing my fancy jeggings (leggings that look like jeans) and a gray tunic sweater. But the sweater is very casual looking, and I'm afraid I will look frumpy. Ack! Do I completely change and put on a dress? Do I run over to the mall and pick up a fancier tunic to go with my awesome jeggings? I'm leaning towards the latter...

Great. Now I'm going to get lost ALL the time.

2010-09-09T10:17:00.004-04:00

Gzilla's car was broken into last night. But they didn't smash the windows. In fact, we can't figure out HOW they got into the car. The alarm on the car is very sensitive, and that didn't go off. He's pretty sure he locked the car, but it's possible that he didn't.

Last night as I'm sleeping in a Benadryl-induced coma (or trying to) Gzilla wakes me up and asks me if the GPS was in the car. It was. Then he says "well it isn't anymore." Sometime between 10pm and 11:30 someone got into his car, took our GPS, and left. Didn't take the Sirius radio. Didn't take the briefcase (which had school papers in it, so it wasn't of use to anyone, but still). Didn't take anything...except our GPS. Which, honestly, was kind of a piece of shit anyway. I'm just glad they didn't break the windows of the car, because THAT'S a pain in the butt.

Luckily, I was able to get back to sleep just fine. But this morning... when I got into MY car, I noticed that there was an X (written on the inside of the windshield with a finger) on the drivers side. I noticed it yesterday... but didn't think anything of it. Didn't think "Gee, I didn't draw an X on my windshield... how did that get there?" That is... until after someone was in Gzilla's car. My car doesn't have anything of value in it. There's an X on my windshield because there isn't a GPS in it. But I always lock my car door! How the crap are these people getting into my car without breaking a window or triggering the alarm?

How To Survive Wedding Dress Shopping

2010-08-30T11:14:00.002-04:00

I picked out my wedding dress, y'all. I went shopping with my entourage. My sister was there through blackberry pictures that my mother was sending her. And, she hates the dress I picked out. That's how I know it's the right one. HA!

Things I wish I had figured out before I left:

1. Eat something. I ended up having a meeting at work before meeting everyone, and then I was running around trying to get changed, so I forgot to eat. Whoops. Luckily, my MOH had a granola bar in her purse, so I had that.

2. If someone is going to be taking pictures of you, put on some makeup for christsake. I look washed out in all the pictures my mom took. I had mascara on, but that was it.

3. Have a specific idea, but be open. I actually did have this figured out. I knew what I wanted: non-strapless, mermaid dress. Not a ton of crazy beading. What did I get? Strapless, mermaid dress...crapton of beading. And the dress I picked was by "Private Collection" so they don't have pictures of their dresses on websites or in magazines.

4. Know your sign when it's "the one." For some, it's when they cry. For me, it was when my MOH cried. And when I said "Ooh, get a picture of this one for becklette."

5. It's okay to say no. I tried on a couple of dresses that the person at the store pulled for me. Some of them I liked, some I tried on because she wanted me to, and I felt bad saying I didn't like it. Also the one woman (not my person) kept trying to pressure me to put something in my hair. I don't like veils. I don't want a headpiece that is $141 when I can make that from Claire's for $20.

And while I'm confident that I found "the dress" and it's amazing and gorgeous and I love it... it was more than I planned on spending. Not by a lot! And it's still under $1000, so I think that's totally a win! But there was a dress that I tried on that was the silouette I wanted (mermaid) but was the sample gown, so it was $99. It's a discontinued style. Alfred Angelo. Gorgeous. And it fit pretty well! And that was the #1 dress, until I tried the one on that was ten times that price and fell in love with it. Stupid, me. I should have stopped after the $99 one! I am incredibly happy with the dress I have. And no, I'm not posting a picture... you'll have to wait until next year. Okay...one picture. This is some of the detail on the front of the dress.

Just a minor setback....

2010-08-18T09:26:00.002-04:00

I no longer have a wedding dress.

I'm kind of a little upset about it, but it's going to be okay. My friend Heather is an amazing fashion designer, and she asked to see the pattern I picked out for my wedding dress. Naturally, I wanted her opinion because I trust it a lot. Immediately she says "Oh... this is cut on the bias..."

Basically, fabric has grain. For most garments, the grain goes up and down or side to side. On bias cut fabric, the pieces are cut out so that the grain line is diagonal. What this does is it makes the fabric less stretchy. More form fitting. Less forgiving. Altering a dress that is cut on the bias drastically changes the shape of the dress. You make one half in tuck on two seams... and all of the sudden the top is buckling, the side has a weird bulge, and you want to shoot the dress with a bazooka. Gzilla's mother and I played this game with a ball gown that I needed for a fundraiser last year. It didn't go well. I looked fat. Really. I looked about 30 pounds heavier than I am. And unless I stood PERFECTLY STRAIGHT, the dress would fall down.

So now I have to go dress shopping. I made my appointment at a local bridal salon, and now I'm waiting for the terror to set in. I thought this was going to be so easy... I found a dress pattern I liked. I was just supposed to go fabric shopping and be done! Now I have to try on a bajillion dresses in front of the half dozen people I have to bring with me because I can't make a decision for myself, and I need to find the dress that makes me cry when I put it on (cry in a good way, not in a bad way). So I'm forcing my mother, Gzilla's mother, my maid of honor, one of my other bridesmaids, my flower girl, and becklette to accompany me in my quest for the perfect dress.

Kill me.

yarn dyeing: an experiment

2010-08-17T09:59:00.002-04:00

Short story: my hands are pink.

Long story: I decided to overdye some yarn that I bought. I got this really beautiful peach yarn from The Loopy Ewe for a baby blanket. Well, I'm no longer making the baby blanket, but I wanted to make something for my sister with it, but no one wants a peach garment. So instead of returning it and getting other yarn with it, I decide that I'm going to overdye it RED.

I go over to my friend's house and start playing around with acid based dyes. You basically fill the biggest pot known to man with water, heat the water up. Put the yarn in and make sure it's soaking in there. Mix some of the powder dye and pour it in the pot. Stir things around. Mix together some citric acid. Dump citric in the big pot. Stir things around. Repeat last 4 steps until its the color you want.

Sounds easy, right? Well, it mostly is. Except I had A LOT of yarn in there. And the spoon we were using to stir the pot kept getting tangled in my yarn, so I started just using my hand. My left hand. Well, guess what. Now my hand is pink... AND SO IS MY ENGAGEMENT RING. Don't tell Gzilla...

I'm pretty sure that if I just cleaned the ring really well, it wouldn't be pink anymore. I can't imagine that the diamond itself has been dyed, just some soap scum or dirt or something on the surface of the diamond has been dyed pink.

I don't know how the yarn turned out yet. It hasn't finished drying. It should be dry tonight. Right now it's hanging out on the clothes line in my basement. It's not completely solid, which is what I wanted. Some parts are a bit more saturated than others, and I really like that look. So hopefully my sister will like a red cardigan... because that's what she's getting!

My little town blues are melting away

2010-08-16T16:21:00.002-04:00

Other than that week in Ireland... I've had zero vacation this year. No beach. No mental health days. Mostly because the volcano that took me hostage ate up the rest of my vacation. But I can take a few days here and there.

I spent my weekend in New York City visiting friends and galavanting about town. I got to see a baseball park before Gzilla, which I think is a big achievement. Now I've only seen two ballparks other than home-of-the-Philles... Nationals Park in Washington D.C. and Citi Field in New York, home of the Mets.

It was really nice to get away and be in the city... but dear god my legs still hurt. I wasted all my good subway luck on Friday. Every time I walked to a subway station, the train was just approaching. Every. Time. I took it for granted. On Saturday, my friend and I went downtown by Canal Street to try to find a yarn store that we love, Purl Soho. After getting turned around (because there are two different Broadways in that part of town...) and then walking around for another 20 minutes trying to find someplace to eat, we decide to nyx going to this other store we like Pylones which we THOUGHT was in that part of town but was ACTUALLY in Greenwich Village, aka nowhere near where we were or where we needed to be later. We need to get to the 6 train to go back to the apartment we stayed in, so we walk about 10 blocks up to Bleecker St. The station is blocked for contruction. So we walk another 6 blocks to the next station. Also under construction. Well, we needed to go to Union Square (which guess what, is where the next station was) to get back to the apartment, so we had to walk another 15 blocks to the apartment. It ended up being around 28 blocks when it was all said and done. We went from Soho to Gramercy. Took about an hour walking.

But, see... this was GOOD because we were pre-emptively working off the delicious delicious food we were having for dinner! We went to this FABULOUS restaurant called Butter. And it's as delicious as the name of the restaurant suggests. I wish I had taken pictures of my food, but it was really dark, and I felt weird, so I didn't. I had lamb chops, my friend had lobster, and we split an order of DUCK CONFIT POTATOES. POTATOES COOKED IN DUCK FAT. Holy. Crap. It was the best meal I've ever had... and I had dinner at Jen Carroll's restaurant in Philly, so... that's saying a lot.

Oh, and if you're keeping up with "what's wrong with your face..." I got my biopsy results back. Negative. Not cancer. Not pre-cancerous. Just a pimple. Seriously. I had a freaking PIMPLE biopsied.

hope is a thing with feathers

2010-08-09T11:07:00.003-04:00

Okay, so I don't dole out hope in feathers. Maybe yarn.

In the midst of all my knitting projects (Gzilla's 2009 Christmas sweater... still about 60% done... my "Ireland Cardigan" isn't finished... and I'm making a comfort shawl for my sister out of the yarn I purchased for her baby blanket. I'm dying it first, since I don't think she wants a PEACH shawl) I am taking on another one that needs to be finished SOON.

I'm making another Ysolda project...her Snapdragon Tam. I purchased her two books (Whimsical Little Knits and Whimsical Little Knits 2) back in February for a Haiti fundraiser that ravelry had. I've always loved pretty much everything that Ysolda does (and she's a total sweetie! I met her at my LYS a few years back). So when I found out that my high school drama director has breast cancer, I knew I was going to make her a hat. And I knew it would be a Ysolda pattern.

My drama director, aka "The V-ster" was a very influential person in my life. She's the reason I went on to study acting in college. I spent many a holiday and summer at her house. I'm very close with her daughter. When she called me to tell me that her mom had breast cancer, I think she expected me to have a mini breakdown (like I did the previous year when she called to tell me that her dog had cancer. Her dog was my Toto in high school, and she was the sweetest little girl in the world) but I didn't. I was very "Okay, well, your mom is a fighter, and we'll get through this. Call me when she has her surgery, and I'll come spend time with you. It's going to be fine."

And so far it has been fine. Except that I FORGOT to make the hat!! She started chemo in July, so she probably hasn't really started losing her hair yet... but I wanted her to have it beforehand. So now I'm RACING to get this hat finished and sent to The V-ster before she starts losing her hair. I was thinking about making one for my friend, also... because once her mom starts losing her hair, she's shaving her head. I like my hair too much (and Gzilla would kill me...haha) so instead I'm showing my support by making hats.

Anything I can do to inspire hope.

I'm just resting my eyes.

2010-08-02T10:50:00.003-04:00

I think I'm getting to that point when I wear myself out and then get REALLY sick. No sneezing or coughing (that isn't allergy related) yet, but I think it's coming.

Saturday night, Gzilla and I drove about 2 hours to see a bunch of friends in The Crucible. I kind of hate The Crucible, but they did a great job. But because we went out afterwards, we got home around 4:30 am. And we had to wake up at 8:00 to go to church. Because we have to pretend to like church now... because WE GOT THE CHURCH! The one with the evil nun, even! She has backed off a bit. And now she likes me because I may or may not have signed up to be a cantor...

Sunday afternoon, I had a family party... and experienced my first people-butting-into-my-plans. My uncle's partner expressed his "concerns" about us having the wedding on July 4th weekend. Well, it's a year in advance. And I'm not planning my wedding about my aunt's vacation schedules. I don't know that they go away every July 4th weekend. And at this point, we're locked into that date from the Church and the reception site, so tough cookies! And I like having it July 4th weekend. I get free fireworks!

That wasn't pleasant. But I tried not to let it ruin my time with my family. Everything else was going great. Until I had to go to work. I worked overnight from 6 until midnight... because we had to move entire sections around. Um. We were nowhere near done at midnight. We probably could have stayed until 5am and continued working. But of course I still had to work this morning! And my back hurt so badly last night that I had to take the big guns. I could barely sit. So two days of no sleep, plus walking around like a zombie today.. means that by the end of the week, I'm going to have a MONSTER cold. Awesome.

Any tips to ward off my inpending monster? Besides sleep... because we all know that isn't happening.

Because I need aide in enabling my reading habit

2010-07-28T11:19:00.005-04:00

I like to consider myself an avid reader. Sure, I read a lot of fluff books and chick-lit. Yes, I love Charlaine Harris's Southern Vampire Mysteries and her Harper Connolly Series. I don't read enough "classic" literature, but that's okay!

For my birthday... Gzilla was awesome and got me a nook

I decided to go with the nook rather than the kindle for a few reasons. One, if something happens, if there's a problem, if I'm confused... i can take it into a store and say "fix it." Every day, I can go into any B&N store and read any book I want for an hour. There's expandable memory for the nook (granted, downloading 1500 books is going to take a while, but still). I like the interface of the nook better.

I do highly recommend getting a cover for the nook or the kindle. It makes it feel more like a book. I got this one because it says "I am Oz, the great and terrible" on the front and "curiouser and curiouser" on the back. What can I say, I'm a sucker for The Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland.

Now I just have one small problem. Before, when I was finished a book... I had to make a trip to the book store. Now when I'm finished a book? I push the "shop" button and download a new one, and I have it in 60 seconds! Great, right? I think Gzilla created a monster...

Quick update on my face: the spot that they scraped (which is dangerously close to my eye, by the way) ITCHES LIKE THE DICKENS! But I think it's looking better. I should know what's going on in about 2 weeks.

...I look like Quasimodo.

2010-07-26T10:44:00.002-04:00

I had this little pimple-like growth on the skin just under my eye. I thought it was a pimple, so I (very carefully) put pimple stuff on it. Nothing. Then I put some neosporin on it. Nothing. I had estheticians look at it... they had no idea. So then I called a dermatologist.

My dermatologist is not bad to look at (which is nice) but it took me almost a month to see him. By the time my first appointment came around (2 weeks ago) the hard, tender bump had shrunk considerably and was no longer tender (but still hard). He gave me this gel stuff to put on it... a steroid cream for eczema and flakiness... but if this was something inflammatory and not a growth, it would have gotten rid of it. I put it on twice a day (and developed a little stutter, but he says it wasn't caused by that. I disagree) and there was no change.

Today, Hot Doctor in the Phillies scrubs gave me two choices. He could freeze it and hope that it goes away and keep an eye on it forever. Or he can biopsy it. If he freezes it, and it doesn't go away, then he has to biopsy it anyway. I picked biopsy because I hate not knowing things. So now I look like Quasimodo.

My eye is all swollen. I can see out of it okay, but it feels very strange to blink. It's almost like I have a black eye without the broken blood vessels under the skin. Now he thinks it's one of two things: either an infected hair follicle or the C word. I hate the C word. I don't like thinking about it, and whenever the C word comes up around me (twice my gen prac thought I had breast cancer. Both times that I had to have a mammogram and an ultra sound, the technician laughed at my doctor's silliness.) it's the only thing I can think about. What happens if it is the C word. It's totally going to screw up my wedding pictures (I know. It's dumb to think that way, but would YOU want to be bald in your wedding photos? No. You wouldn't).

Right now I'm just focusing on the fact that I look like I lost a bar fight and go on with my day not thinking about the C word. But just in case, can you send good thoughts that it's NOT the C word anyway?

Happy Accidents

2010-07-21T09:18:00.002-04:00

Anyone who has known me for a while can tell you that I'm arguably the pickiest eater ever. I used to never try new foods... I'd eat the same 4 or 5 things for dinner every night (especially in college when I was responsible for my own cooking). Absolutely no seafood. And then I told my mother that I loved calamari and I think she just about peed her pants.

I'm still wary of trying new things, but I'll try it. I tried the Ethiopian food, didn't I!?? Last night, my mom and sister and I went out for my birthday (it's next week) and we were trying to decide between two restaurants: Rock Bottom Brewery and Bahama Breeze. Ultimately we decided on Bahama Breeze because it looked more fun. Except there was a 45 minute wait. It was already 6:45. I was hungry. I wasn't waiting 45 minutes so that I can wait another 20 minutes for my meal. Rock Bottom Brewery won by default.

AND THANK GOD. Because seriously? This might be my new favorite restaurant. There's a local chain around here called Iron Hill Brewery. They make pretty good beer and pretty shitty food. Rock Bottom Brewery is Iron Hill with good food and better beer. I tried their seasonal wheat, and it was really nice. Didn't order it because it would have been a lot, but it was nice.

One night out in Chicago, Gzilla went to this place out there (I knew it sounded familiar when I was looking at the restaurants yesterday...) and called me immediately to tell me how great it was. When I told him that I was going there for dinner, I swear it was like I just told him that I won the Powerball. Wait... There's one at home? WHERE?

So what about you, any happy accidents lately?

That's okay, I don't need to actually see my food. Or hear.

2010-07-19T09:05:00.002-04:00

Gzilla is away on vacation without me. Which is, I suppose, fair since I went to Ireland without him. And I'd take Ireland over a baseball vacation (but not by much). Gzilla watched the Phils beat the Cubs on Saturday (the one time they beat them...) and today he's seeing the Phillies take on the St. Louis Cardinals. And crap! I just realized I forgot to tape the game AGAIN. (just in case he's on the tv. You know. Because of his Phillies jersey.)

Because he's away (and because I got a surprise day off on Sunday!), I got to do some galavanting around town that I normally would do. There's this really nice restaurant up in one of the local snooty towns that does a pajama brunch. If you come in your pajamas, they'll give you half price on your brunch. It's a good time, actually. I've only been able to go three times (including yesterday) since I work every Sunday. I was really excited because they have this AMAZING coconut banana french toast with walnuts. And really good coffee. And mimosas. And apparently good bloody marys if you like that sort of thing (I don't).

After driving around the freakishly small parking lot (there are MAYBE 30 spaces. maybe.) for a good 20 minutes, we decide to park across the street. Sit down fairly quickly for this place. Normally it's a 30 minute wait for brunch. Put our order in with our spritely waitress. Five minutes after receiving our coffee, orange juice, water, and bloody mary (obviously not mine..) the power goes out. There was no pop, no noise, no indication as to why the power went out... just blackness. I mean it was daytime so there was sun coming through the windows, but it was still pretty dark.

Then the fire alarm started going off. For a good 15 minutes. Every five minutes... IT GOT LOUDER.

Apparently this has been happening all summer. Once it happened during dinner service (aka no sunlight. Blackness. Pitch black. It's like eating at one of those restaurants where it's all about the senses, except you're mad). The fire company shows up. Fire alarm goes off. Our poor waitress came over and told us that she had no idea if we were getting our food or not. Then she comes back 5 minutse later (while the fire alarm is still blaring) that they ARE making our breakfast because it was being cooked BEFORE the power went off.

I know. Why didn't we leave. The food is REALLY good. And I had been looking forward to some coconut banana french toast with walnuts for THREE DAYS. I was getting my damn french toast. I didn't care if I was sitting there all day. Luckily I only had to wait until just after the fire alarm went off.

One good thing happened on Sunday though. I went to this cute little clothing boutique in one of the snooty towns, expecting to see freakishly high price tags. I picked out this really cute black jersey dress with lace cap sleeves for $34 (I know, right!?). When they rang it up... $9. Win.

Man I feel gullible right now.

2010-07-16T15:25:00.002-04:00

I'm that person that sales people drool over. I'm that person that you say "Oh this product does x, y, z... I've had great feedback, etc" and it's in my bag. Normally, I get good results from it, too, and I'm happy.

I just got back from the mall. I went to GNC because they have a new line of vitamins out called wellbeing, and they're getting good reviews. A bunch of people had recommended their new hair-skin-nails vitamin called bebeautiful, and so I decided to get it. I decided to pick up another multi because the one I have is almost gone. Plus it's really hard to swallow.

One thing I will say about the new vitamin, it's easy to take. That's a big thing for me. It's coated so it's easy to swallow, and it also tastes good. Kind of like coated Advil.

But here's why I feel gullible: GNC guy talked me OUT of buying the store's brand of hair health vitamin and into buying this other one called Shen Min. He said he used to work for VitaminWorld, and he sold a crapton of this stuff there. Said it was the best on the market. I went online after I got back, and on GNC's website, it's the worst-reviewed hair-health vitamin. On other sites that are non-affliated with a store, it gets good reviews. I almost feel like this guy talked me into buying this one because it's twice as much as the GNC brand.

What do you think? Is gullible written on the ceiling? Or did this guy give this vitamin to me because it's actually awesome?

Bridal Espionage

2010-07-12T09:39:00.004-04:00

Now every wedding I attend, I feel like I'm doing research. So when my cousin asked me if I would be her date to a wedding that her husband couldn't attend last minute because of his new job, I jumped at the chance!

I really wish I had taken pictures. I really really do. Because this wedding was an EXPERIENCE. It was outside of Washington DC, and about a 2 hr drive or so from my cousin's house. And the drive would have been magnificent had it not been for her amazing, adorable, wonderful little boy who is in the worst mood of the century. He's teething, so if you look at him wrong: TEMPER TANTRUM!!! Oddly enough, he was only a little monster in the car. In the church he was great and he slept through most of the reception.

The ceremony was beautiful. Quiet little church at a preparatory school. The bridesmaids all wore purple, but all different dresses. And not the same pruple, either. I think the bride said "just buy a purple dress... I dont care what color or what it looks like." And that had been my attitude earlier, but now I'm happy that I decided to have everyone in whatever pattern of the 5 they choose, but the same color.

We get to the reception, and the escort cards were on lollipops! The big multcolored flat ones? Very cute idea. Don't know if I'll steal it, but very cute idea. And the bride and groom had a guest book made that had pictures on it. All of her aunts, uncles, and cousins had their own page with pictures from THEIR weddings. That's really cute for a small family, but I have 28 aunts and uncles... and 4 cousins who are married. That's 32 pages of guest book for JUST my family. No thank you!

When we get to our table... there was a menu sitting at our seat. And the menu was not in English. The groom is Ethiopian. So we had Ethiopian traditional food for dinner. Basically we had this special flat bread called injera that kind of looked like a sponge. You roll out the injera on your plate, and fill your plate with various foods. There were 2 kinds of chicken, 2 kinds of beef, and lamb... plus 2 vegetable dishes. And this crushed wheat with butter. All traditional Ethiopian foods. The beef and lamb kind of looked like hamburger helper. And the way you eat the food is you tear off little pieces of the injera and pick up bites of the other dishes, and you eat with your hands. It was really tasty...except that it tasted like everything had been marinating in jalapenos and habeneros and any other kind of OMG MOUTH ON FIRE spices. My throat felt like it was on fire. Even the wheat with butter (which I thought was going to be totally safe) was HOLY CRAP FIRE. And my vodka made it burn more... and the water didn't help. So I was totally screwed. Luckily, there was also lasagna! So I had mostly lasagna.

When it was time to start dancing, there was this tribal-sounding music, and these two people in costume came in and did a dance for the couple. Actually they did about 10 dances, and each dance had its own costume. Some of the grooms family knew some of the dances, so they were all joining in. It was very cool! I don't think I'm going to steal it for my wedding, but it was very cool!

In which things don't go as planned...

2010-07-09T09:59:00.002-04:00

Daddy Dearest and I met with the venue that I want for the reception this week. It's at a hotel that he used to work at YEARS ago (before my brother, who is now 22, was born), and there are still a few people who work there now that worked with my dad back then. Luckily for me, my dad is a bit of a charmer. We got A DEAL on the venue. It doesn't hurt that my dad knows catering and food prices better than anyone I know, so when he makes a counter offer, he knows its fair. They have to check the number with the big boss (who worked with my dad...) and she gets back from vacation on Tuesday. If we get what we want, then I'll be able to invite everyone from list #2 (the 180 list) and still have $87.

Originally, we wanted to get married on Sunday because a lot of reception venues will charge less for Fridays and Sundays. But the hotel gave us the price we wanted for that Saturday... so I called the church Monday morning. The church that we want (Gzilla's grandfather's church) was being a bit of a jerk about us getting married on Sunday. Now, I know that Sunday is the "day of rest" for Catholics. But we wouldn't have even considered a church wedding on a Sunday had a PASTOR of another parish not SUGGESTED IT! Because his church does Sunday weddings all the time! In fact, every parish in the diocese does Sunday weddings. Gzilla's aunt was married on a Sunday 42 years ago. But apparently not at this church.

I didn't tell the nun that we booked the hotel. I didn't! I know how to play the Catholics. I know the Catholic answers. I went to Catholic school from kindergarten to college. I have an aunt who is not only a nun but was a Mother Superior! And they asked her to be Mother General (that's head-honcho nun)! So I know how to play the Catholic Game. Apparently this crazy nun doesn't like to play this game. She's waiting for masses to be said in Latin again.

I call and she's on the defensive when I ask to speak with her. I say that I know that she and the church was hesitant about a wedding on a Sunday because... and she cuts me off and yells BECAUSE IT'S INAPPROPRIATE! Okay, easy there sister. Then she goes on to tell me that we really need to speak with the priest because it's ultimately his decision if we're "allowed" to get married in the church (even though she told FMIL that everything needs to go through her...). She also told FMIL that they need at least a year to book the date, but she told me that the schedule for 2011 wasn't finished yet. Um. It's July. If you need things at least a year in advance, what happens when people want to get married in February? Or anytime before right now?

My initial reaction was: The Catholics don't want me... screw 'em! We let it sit for a few days, and decided to try another church, which is really a shame because Gzilal really wanted this church. So if this crazy nun calls back next week, I'm going to tell her that she made me feel very unwelcome, and I'm not comfortable getting married somewhere that I'm not welcome. So I've decided to take my ceremony and my church membership elsewhere. I just hope that Gzilla's grandmother doesn't hate me now because I was mean to the nun, which I wasn't... but I'm sure this bitch will spin it differently.

I hate having to jump through hoops.

The Best Voicemail Ever.

2010-07-08T16:17:00.002-04:00

I just received a voice mail that was ALMOST the best voicemail ever. It's one of those voicemails where you listen to it... and you think "can this person REALLY speak like this to real people?" I haven't called him back yet, so I don't know if he really speaks like this to real people. And I'm hoping it reads as funny as it sounded.

Hello. My name is XX. I am an elderly person. I need a job. I need the number for ABC Company. I do not have a computer. I need a phone number. Goodbye.

It always amazes me that people think that because I work for a local radio station that I know every business and that I have all the time in the world to look up phone numbers for other businesses for you. That's what information is for. I'm not information. I write commercials. Now, I did happen to know what business he was talking about. And in the hour and a half it took me to get out of the meeting I was in, this gentleman called back FOUR TIMES. He kept harassing our receptionist!!! I swear to Pete, people make me crazy.

But that's not the best voicemail ever. The best voicemail ever was received by the box office at my college theatre back when I was a freshman or a sophomore.

Hello. This is XX. I need to speak with a real person. I keep calling and no one is there. I need to get my tickets. If a tree falls in the middle of the forest, and no one is there to hear it, how do I know if I get my tickets? Can I talk to a real person? I need to speak with a real person now. Hello?

Ah, the good ol' days

2010-07-05T13:52:00.003-04:00

I think the reason I love the 4th of July (besides the fact that I loved hot dogs that are so cooked and burnt that they're shriveled and black.. and I love the smell of barbeque) is because when I was younger, we would throw one hell of a July 4th Party. My best friend lived caddy-corner behind me, and our other friend lived caddy-corner on the other side. The neighbors behind us were the good crazy neighbors, not the bad crazy neighbors who were so crazy that all their dogs tried to commit suicide, and we were close with both of our next door neighbors. So the collective of the six families would host the neighborhood block party.

Except we'd only invite the neighbors that we liked. We had some unsavory neighbors. There was the drunk woman who totalled my neighbors parked car, the crazy woman whose daughter was a juvenile delinquent, all her other juvenile delinquent friends (and I did hang out with those people for a while...), and the woman whom I was convinced was a witch.

One particular year, I think I was about 9 or 10. My best friend's parents were still married (whether they were speaking was another story) and her dad decided that he was taking over the fireworks show, except that he was so drunk he couldn't stand up... so he was lighting the fireworks between his legs. He's really lucky he didn't blow off any of his bits. Later in the evening, around midnight or so? After I went upstairs to bed, but I definitely wasn't asleep, and I definitely watched this whole thing unfold out of my parent's bedroom window... my dad, the ringleader of the drunken idiocy in this particular case, came up with the BRILLIANT idea to have a race. He and his knucklehead followers all got out their lawn tractors and plotted out the course across the backyards. But our one neighbor didn't have a tractor... he only had a gas push mower. So about 5 wasted dudes on lawnmowers are racing across the backyards of a suburban relatively quiet neighborhood with one dude sprinting behind them. It was priceless. Then the cops came.

Luckily no one was arrested, but it's antics like that that make me love July 4th. However, this was also the year that I accidentally ate a sparkler. I had a granola bar in one hand, and an unlit sparkler in the other. I bit down on the wrong thing.

Freedom!!!

2010-07-03T11:35:00.002-04:00

I love the 4th of July. I think fireworks are absolutely beautiful...and I never really get to see them otherwise, unless I go to a baseball game fireworks night. And even then, we always leave during the fireworks show because we can sneak out and get right back on the highway to go home. It's wonderful. So I always turn around and watch the fireworks as I'm driving away.

Today, Gzilla and I are going to a barbeque with our poker buddies. We can never make the Memorial Day or the Labor Day picnic because they always have them on Sundays... and I'm working every Sunday! Luckily, they're doing the Independence Day BBQ Extraordinaire on Saturday. My July 4th (well, July 3rd really) plans involve good wine, hot dogs, other barbeque awesomeness, and most likely poker.

I don't know what I'd do without these poker friends of mine. They're insane... loving... and completely unpredictable. And they're the main reason why my guest list a year from now (holy crap, officially 365 days until The Big Party) is at just about 200. We have about 18 people (other than Gzilla and myself) in our poker group...and only a few couples. They take up about 30 people on my list. And not one of them is getting cut. I refuse. I'm sure we'd have fun regardless, but something would be missing.

Any weekend plans or July 4th traditions?

The Big List of Things To Do

2010-06-30T16:42:00.002-04:00

I feel like I'm getting overwhelmed again, with work and just everything going on. There are a lot of things that I'd like to do for myself. A lot of times that means knitting something that's just for me, or getting a pedicure, etc. But right now I'm thinking of other things.

I want to start exercising again (I know. I keep saying that.) I think it's time to give my friend Jillian Michaels another try. She kicked my ass in January, and hopefully I can stick with it this time. February kind of exploded in my face, and there was no way I could do anything besides wake up, work, go home, sleep. Eating took up too much time... haha. Maybe I won't do the 30 Day Shred 5 days a week like JM suggests. Maybe just 3 days a week. Maybe. There's also this yoga place that does classes that are just $12, so maybe once a week I'll do a yoga class. I don't know.

I started taking vitamins in hopes that my hair will grow faster. I want to whiten my teeth (yikes) but don't want to spend oodles of money at the dentist doing it. I could either do the Crest strips... or there's this system called GOSmile? Has anyone tried that? It's pricey, which is what's keeping me from buying it. Either $89 or $120 depending on which box you buy (and you have to do the actual whitening part twice a year, so $89X2 really) which is a lot of money! That's a pair of shoes! A pair of really nice shoes!

I did decide that I'm NOT doing Christmas knitting this year. No way, no how. I still haven't finished the super-secret sweater I was making for Gzilla LAST Christmas! And I need to finish my vine yoke cardigan and make my sister a blanket. Someone make a comment (a serious one, too... I mistakenly thought it was a joke) that I should knit favors for the wedding next year. DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG THAT WOULD TAKE ME! No way! I'm NOT knitting 200 of ANYTHING. But I still feel like the ceiling is going to fall down on me at any second. So far no nervous breakdowns, but I'd definitely due for one.

What do you do to prevent meltdowns? My go-to is Ben & Jerry's, but if I'm trying to be all healthy and exercise, doesn't my go to "AH MY LIFE IS DRIVING ME CRAZY" fix-it not make any sense?

Need to De-Stress

2010-06-28T08:55:00.002-04:00

The past four days have been really hard from me. Entirely unrelated to wedding planning. I don't want to get into a ton of details, but my mom has details posted on her blog if you're curious (yup. my mom blogs. and she has way more followers than I do. hurts the ego a bit. haha)

Thursday night I had maybe two hours of sleep, and then had to work all day, which wasn't smart. Unfortunately for my well being, there was no way I could have stayed home. There were too many things that I needed to do, plus the fact that I was also filling in for my boss on Friday because he needed to be home with his daughter. Everything that happened Thursday night kind of hit me on Friday, and I was a hot mess. I was sobbing. I was unnecessarily yelling at people. There was a moment where I wasn't sure how I was going to get home because I was so upset, I didn't know how I could possibly drive a car.

Saturday was a bit better because we went to the Phillies game and tailgated beforehand. I got to show off my ring, but it felt empty because all I wanted to do was go home and be with my sister. It's funny, because five years ago...even LAST year, my sister and I weren't that close. I've always loved her because she's my sister, but now I know how much I love her.

Normally when I'm stressed out and upset, I go get myself a pedicure and a pint of ice cream, put on some terrible rom-com, and forget why I'm so upset. I don't think I can do that now. I don't know how to fix this... and I always know how to fix things. I was going to make my sister a blanket, and I'm still making it for her.

How do you deal with the big stuff?

It starts.

2010-06-21T11:52:00.003-04:00

I'm going to try my damndest to keep this from becoming a wedding blog, but I do suspect that when things get going, that is going to be the main stressor in my life and since I can't yell at actual people, I'll yell about them through my blog. But I will try VERY HARD not to do it all the time.

As things are just getting started, I'm already dizzy from numbers. I've called I think 10 different venues (not to mention the ones Daddy Dearest keeps sending me... all in Pennsylvania). So far we've made a few decisions. I've picked a dress. I've picked bridesmaids dresses but not in that color--in purple. And any of those dresses they want. FMIL is making them all (she offered. And I picked simple, I hope, dresses). And we've decided that we want to get married on a Sunday in the summer of 2011, tentatively July 3.

We have what we call The Cadillac. The Cadillac is never going to happen. But it's nice to dream. The Cadillac would be at Citizens Bank Park (that's where the Phillies play) in the Diamond Room which is behind home plate. If we had The Cadillac, the girls would wear powder blue dresses with maroon sashes and the boys would wear maroon ties (those were Phillies colors from the early 80s, and Gzilla's favorite Phillies uniform). The Cadillac is going to be balls expensive, especially since everything is a la carte and there are no "per person" package deals. And we have 112 family members between the two of us. And our poker friends. And Gzilla's college friends that we're very close with. I have like 5 friends that aren't included in poker friends. So we're talking MINIMUM 180 people. I can easily go to 250. With my eyes closed.

I've already had one potential Bridezilla moment... I called a local country club who happens to be a client of my place of business. I did not play that card. I called, requested to speak with who deals with events, and asked her nicely to email me prices/packages, etc... and I got "Well. Our packages start at $105 per person." Okay. Yes, that's out of my price range, but that isn't what I asked you. I asked you to email me information. And if you want my business, MAYBE you shouldn't be a bitch to brides. Maybe. Just a thought. And then I got a request from work to write a commercial about how great this place is to hold your wedding reception. I got a good laugh out of that.

Make it grow...

2010-06-18T11:07:00.002-04:00

I'm sure I've complained about the horrible haircut I had 2 years ago when the "curly hair specialist" at some froofy salon RUINED my hair by doing a razor cut. Word of advice: Unless you have POKER STRAIGHT fine hair... don't ever let anyone razor cut your hair. Especially if you have a lot of curly hair. It grows in frizzy and horribly layered and takes a bajillion years to grow out.

It's been almost exactly 2 years since that haircut, and my hair is STILL not right. I've had a number of cuts since then (including one where I had a reverse bob.. short in the back, longer in the front... with long hair underneath that. Try to picture that shape. Horrible.) and I'm still not happy with my hair.

Recently, I started seeing my friend Nikki who is awesome. I love the way she cuts my hair... I love the color she uses (Goldwell. It's glossier than Redken I think) and she finally gave me a normal shape that can grow in better. Except my hair isn't really growing. I'm way past my usual 8-10 week cut (I know it's supposed to be 6 weeks. I always go longer because I'm trying to grow it. This is a vast improvement from the 2 haircuts I would get a year). My roots are horrible (they're white. Srsly) but I don't want to get it colored and NOT get it cut, but I don't want to get it cut yet.

Nikki suggested that I start taking a multi-vitamin (which I should anyway since I can't eat fruit... I would get some of the vitamins that I would normally have) as well as Biotin which says that it "promotes healthy skin and hair." Granted I've only been doing this for a week, but I haven't really seen a difference. And the funny thing is, the bottom of my hair always grows just fine... it's the TOP of my hair that's the problem. That's where the shortest layers are, and they look horrible!

And now that I have this whole big party to ACTUALLY plan instead of play-pretend plan... I don't want funky ass hair for my wedding pictures!!! So please--give me all your wives tales. How am I supposed to get my hair to grow?

The Reverse Surprise

2010-06-14T09:32:00.003-04:00

I was really nervous about the surprise party. Gzilla kind of knew about it (knew when it was, not where it was or who was coming) but I was still very nervous. My sister came up the night before to help me (AND ALSO TO TELL ME THAT I'M GOING TO BE AN AUNT!!!!) but instead of setting up the hall the night before like i had planned, we instead stayed up late, ate junk, and watched Enchanted. Like you do.

The party seemed to be a big hit! Everyone ate a lot of the food, I picked good beer, and my friend Alli made what is quite possibly the BEST cake ever. It has dogs playing poker on it!!! She's amazing.

Shortly after we cut the cake, my mom, Daddy Dearest, and nuWife show up. Little weird seeing the three of them together, but my mom said that they decided to crash the party (didn't set off any alarms that my parents don't KNOW where the town we were in was... nor did I give them the address or anything) Then Gzilla starts giving a birthday toast, and people start shoving me to the front of the room. Someone hands me a glass of wine. My sister demands my camera and then points to a chair and tells me to sit in it.

And then Gzilla says that today is the day that we're going to get engaged and I start crying. A lot. He got down on one knee, gave me a ring, and everyone was cheering. He cried, too. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

My poker friends got us champagne flutes (Kate Spade! And they say "Mr" on one and "Mrs" on the other! So cute!!!) and a bottle of my favorite champagne (Veuve Cliquot in case you're wondering)

Things that should have tipped me off:
1. His friend gave him a bottle of champagne for his birthday.
2. Everytime I went into the kitchen, 2 of my poker friends came with me (to prevent me from seeing the champagne in the fridge)
3. My parents
4. My sister getting my camera and demanding to sit

But, no. I'm dumb. I had absolutely no idea. Apparently he got the ring while I was in Ireland. Went to the jewelry store (a real one... NOT one in a mall) and picked out the diamond himself. I'm a little really excited, not gonna lie. And no, I haven't even THOUGHT of a date yet.

Party Preparations

2010-06-10T10:53:00.003-04:00

Okay, we're getting down to go-time for the big surprise extravaganza this Saturday. I have harassed most of the people who haven't RSVPed. I think about 30 people are coming, which is good. Too many to fit in my house, enough to justify renting a hall. Gzilla's mom is taking care of the food for me because she's amazing. My sister is helping me decorate and stuff because she's amazing.

Here's what I have left to do:
* Buy decorations
* Set up tables/chairs at the hall
* Decorate
* Update my iPod (well we need to have music! Updating my iPod means taking off the Glee and the musicals and putting on stuff like Better Than Ezra, Billy Joel, Nirvana, and a plethora of Scottish & UK bands that Gene is gaga about)
* Buy beverages (soda, beer, iced tea vodka, lemonade)
* Put my face on
* Par-Tay!

Am I missing anything? I'm not missing anything, right? This party is going to be grand, right? I feel like I'm forgetting something. I forgot to tell my boss (who is close with Gene) but I did that. He's busy and can't get a baby sitter for the cutest little girl EVAR. All our poker friends are coming. We have poker chips. I still need to get fresh decks. We're having a chocolate cake (my friend Alli is making it. She's the shit) because Gene loves chocolate cake and because our poker friend who passed away in November 2008 always brought chocolate cake. That's why we called him The Chocolate Cake Man.

We're having a lot of dinner food. And cake. Do you think I should get other snack-y food? Like chips and salsa, cheese, fruit, anything like that? Because I'll get some of that, too. Goddamn parties are expensive. He better appreciate this.

Officially Gleeked Out

2010-06-09T11:03:00.003-04:00

I don't know WHY I didn't watch Glee when it was first out. Seriously, this show was made so that I could be a huge obnoxious fan of it. I think I didn't watch it because I was pissed at FOX for cancelling Dollhouse, and DON'T THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN! I haven't!!! But I'll stil watch and love Glee.

Sue Sylvester may very well be my favorite person in the entire world. Every time she says something, I want to immediately put it on a tshirt and wear it around proudly with "Go Cheerios" across the back of it. And every time Brittany says something remarkably stupid (you know dolphins are just gay sharks) same thing. I also need a t-shirt that says "I'm like Tinkerbell, Finn... I need applause to LIVE!"

Remember way back when American Idol was cool in like 2003? And musical success was measured by if you had your own American Idol-themed episode? Well, times have changed. Now musical success is measure by whether or not New Directions (or their arch nemesis Vocal Adrenaline) covers your song in an episode. And musical-theatre success is measured by whether or not you appear as a guest star in an episode of Glee (as yourself or someone else, say a washed-up, alcoholic, former glee club superstar).

All of this bad press has been coming out recently about Lea Michelle about how she's a diva, hard to work with, kinda bitchy, etc. Who cares! She's fabulous! And I'm sorry, but have you MET anyone in theatre? This ridiculously talented girl started out on Broadway (in the biggest musical of two years ago: Spring Awakening). ANYONE who works in theatre has to be a bit of a diva. It's how you survive. That's one of the reasons I quit... I couldn't be cut throat. It's a cut throat business. Film is like that too, but it's all passive aggressive because you still need to come out on top. "Hard to work with" in theatre is code for "I hate her because she has so much talent." Seriously. And I do kind of hate Lea Michelle because her voice is so amazing. No one should have a voice that versatile.

Seriously though.. if anyone finds any t-shirts with Sue Sylvester or Brittany quotes (or especially the Tinkerbell one) PLEASE LET ME KNOW!! I need them all.

I'm turning into a domestic goddess. Help.

2010-06-08T09:24:00.002-04:00

I got really excited yesterday, because I bought a new steam mop. I know that there are a variety of steam mops out there now, and after much research and asking knitterly friends on ravelry, I decided on the Shark Steam Mop. There are 2 version, and I picked the larger of the two.

My kitchen floor is this really ugly peach linoleum type floor? And since I bought my house, there have been these two fairly large grey stains that have become one with the linoleum. No amount of floor cleaner could get these puppies out. So I tried my steam mop on the stains. I have a completely peach floor now. I've never in my 2 years living in this house ever seen my floor that clean before ever. AND this thing cleans hardwood, so when we finally get our floors redone (we have hardwood floors throughout our house because our house is 80+ years old) I can use my steam mop!!!

Seriously, help me. I'm getting excited about a MOP? That's one step above getting excited about a vaccuum cleaner. Last month I got excited about our new iron. I'm still a terrible house keeper. But now I'm a terrible house keeper but with really clean and sanitized kitchen and bathroom floors.

I'm Mostly Useless

2010-06-04T09:10:00.003-04:00

Why did I join a kickball team? Why did I think that was a good plan? It wasn't!

At my game on Wednesday... I pulled BOTH of my quads. Do you know how hard it is to walk when BOTH of your quads are screaming in pain? Really hard. It's even harder to walk down stairs. Up stairs, surprisingly not so bad.

I stretched before the game, too!! But in the outfield, I was going after a line drive (?) and pulled my left quad. Then when it was my turn to kick, I pulled the right one. And I was out of the game by the 2nd inning. And crying. I'm kind of a big wuss. BUT it hurt A LOT!!!

I listened to my track coach friend who is on the team and I iced my quads and stretched them... stretching them by the way hurt like a bitch. My poor next door neighbors probably thought I was being attacked. Or dumped. And to top it all off, I was by myself because Gzilla was at the Stanley Cup game watching the Flyers KICK ASS!! (Claude Giroux... I love you.)

At least I can walk now. It still hurts, but it's more of a muscle burn from exercising rather than from muscle strain, muscle pull, whatever it is. My track coach friend said that they aren't pulled, they are tweaked. Whatever that means. It feels freaking pulled to me!!!!

I'm trying to do some things to cheer me up and help me forget that my legs hurt all the time. First night, it was muscle relaxers and Glee. Yesterday, it was finishing the newest Sookie Stackhouse novel and whiskey. What shall it be tonight and the rest of the weekend?? Tonight, another Flyers win would really cheer me up, so if my boys in orange could do that for me, I'd really appreciate it.

A Dream Worth Fighting For

2010-06-01T09:28:00.003-04:00

I don't know if I've confessed this to the blogosphere or not, but one of my biggest goals in life is to be a publish romance novelist. Only problem? (it's a minor one, really...) I haven't actually finished writing anything.

I've started maybe 3 or 4 stories, and I hate every single one of them. Instead of just continuing on and editing later, I reread everything I've written and edit it, and then decide it's crap, and erase it.

Since returning from Ireland, I'm on another writing kick. Originally, my best friend was going to be the subject of my romance novel. Because seriously, the things that happen to her and the wackos that she finds is just too funny for words. And I think that's the problem. Also, I can't figure out how it ends. So I've decided that her fictional story is NOT going to be my first novel, but rather my second. Or third.

So my first is just going to be a novel without any real borrowing from real-life experiences. Some borrowing, but not REAL borrowing.

Originally when I started this novelist kick, it was something that my therapist (what, I had a therapist) suggested that I do to deal with my parents' divorce when I was in college. Because seriously that story... if it happened on television... would make one HELL of a comedy.

I just hope that I can stick with it... enough that I actually finish it.

I just love setting myself up to fall.

2010-05-28T15:39:00.002-04:00

I don't know what to do right now. Last night, I come home from a friend's house and find Gzilla on the phone (not unusual) with a shit eating grin on his face (tiny red flag).

Me: Who are you talking to?
Him: Jack.
Me: But that's a girl?
Him: Uhh... Laura (my best friend)

...

Weird, right? Kid can't lie to me. Can't say "My mom" or "Jack's girlfriend" (who is his female best friend). Nope. This idiot tells me the truth. Which means he's doing one of three things.

1. Trying to get dirt on his surprise party (unlikely)
2. Trying to plan something for me for my birthday (which is in July and not a milestone...26)
or 3. Something sparkly. You know what kind of sparkly I mean, and now upset that whole situation makes me.

Naturally, given the above reasons, I try my best NOT to think about door #3, which means that's all I think about. And now I'm paranoid. I start thinking that any time we go out could be "that time." The last time I thought that? When we went to Jen Carroll's restaurant for dinner? I was horribly depressed. I felt so stupid for letting me get my hopes up.

And what am I doing now? Getting my hopes up. I talked to Jack's girlfriend about it... and she tells me the one thing that I don't really want to hear. He's planning something really big for your birthday. Which is wonderful. That's absolutely wonderful. But guess what? I've spent most of last night and most of my work day today NOT getting my hopes up, accidentally got them up, and now I'm really upset. Again. And we're supposed to go out to dinner tonight with Jack and his girlfriend, and I don't feel like doing anything but eating ice cream and watching horror films.

It's starting to get to the point where I really start seriously thinking "what the hell am I doing?!" I really hate feeling like this.

My Everything Hurts

2010-05-27T10:31:00.002-04:00

Remember when I said I did something dumb and joined a kickball team? My first game was last night. Kickball. Why do my arms hurt if I was playing KICK ball?

It wasn't my TEAM'S first game, just my first game. My team's first game was last Wednesday. You know. THE DAY I got back from Ireland. Last week I came home, sat down for about 40 minutes, brought Gzilla some clothes to play kickball in, and then watched everybody play kickball. My body hated me because it just wanted to go to sleep.

This week, after having a mostly shit day that started with a check engine light and ended with me wanting to punch the next person who looked at my funny, I had to drive my car to the dealership (6 months old.. 4200 miles... CHECK ENGINE LIGHT? WTF?) then drive all the way BACK to basically where I work to play kickball.

We lost.

But we lost 10-8, so it could have been worse. Especially because the score WAS 10-4... and then we scored 4 runs in one inning. I did not score a run. But I did get on base! Twice! Once I even got to third! And I got someone out at second base! I'm awesome. And the team was played was really good. One of their guys kicked the ball INTO THE NEXT FREAKING FIELD. That's just wrong. But the highlight of my night wasn't losing at kickball, or even playing kickball. It was going to the bar afterwards with the team and just hanging out for a few hours.

But now, my everything hurts. I'm so out of shape. I can't handle it after one 7-inning kickball game. And I realized just now that because I got a ride into work by a coworker who happens to live by me, and I didn't pack a lunch, I don't get to eat lunch. Balls.

The Big One

2010-05-26T16:23:00.002-04:00

Gzilla turns 30 this year, or as he's calling it, it is his 20-10th birthday. So naturally, I'm throwing him a surprise party.

Except that it's not a surprise party, because Gzilla kind of sucks.

He ASKED me to throw him a party. Um. How am I supposed to throw someone a surprise party WHEN THEY ASK YOU TO? sigh. So I'm planning this whole thing, and he is just uninvolved. He knows that it's happening, and he knows what day it is, but he doesn't know where it is, what I'm doing, or who is invited.

The whole thing is becoming very tricky because I'm not inviting any of his friends from high school, nor am I invited family. Just a few select members that we're close to. Why not high school friends? The ones we spend the most time with? The ones I get to play Kick The Ball with tonight? I'll tell you why. There are 4 of them who all have birthdays within 2 weeks of one another, and they're all turning 30 this year, so they decided to have a big bash Memorial Weekend. But Gzilla is tired of always having to share his birthday with 3 other guys (I never said he wasn't ridiculously selfish) so he's also doing something on his own. AND when they sent out the evite for the big bash this weekend... they left Gzilla out of it, and instead said that we're celebrating the birthday of this guy whose birthday is on SAINT PATRICKS DAY. I'm highly considering wearing a t-shirt that says "Happy Birthday Guy" on it, just to be a bitch. Haven't decided if I'm gonna or not.

Back to the thing *I'm* throwing. I've invited a boatload of people. Originally, Gzilla wanted only his college friends to come (they call themselves The Wolf Pack. It's weird), but then got all depressed and mopey that none of them would come, and whine whine whine, so I invited all of our poker friends as well. Well, then it became something bigger than my house could take, so I rented a hall. Already paid it in full, so I don't have to worry about it. Gzilla's mom is taking care of the food for me (because she's the shit!) but now I have a new dilemma:

HOW MUCH FOOD AND BEVERAGE DO WE NEED? I invited a good 50 people. So far, 17 have responded via facebook (and I think that includes me) and I think 2 or maybe 3 have responded via evite. What if I get all this food, and no one shows? How much do I get to drink? Do I get a keg? If I'm getting liquor, do I get big handles, or just 750 mL bottles? I DON'T KNOW!!!

I wish I were in Kindergarten. Then I could take a nap and it would be acceptable.

2010-05-24T09:48:00.003-04:00

I'm not doing a LOST reaction post. I will, eventually. But I won't for a little while simply because I don't want to spoil things for someone who hasn't had a chance to watch it yet. I will say that I loved it. Gzilla hated it. But I loved it, and the more time goes by, the more I love it.

I haven't stopped since getting back from Ireland. I landed on Wednesday, stayed up until 10:30 at night (after essentially waking up at midnight after about 3 hours of sleep) so that I could catch up on the penultimate episode of LOST. Thursday I was back at work, and Friday I worked both jobs. Saturday I couldn't sleep in because I had to go to a wedding, and I still needed a dress and a present for the couple. After seriously debating whether I should go to the mall or wear the dress I've already worn to two weddings or the jersey knit dress that might be too casual for this very laid-back wedding, I decided to bring the dress already worn to two weddings AND go to the mall. I went into Anthropologie, and while I LURVE their clothes normally don't buy then because they are EX-PEN-SIVE. I found this ADORABLE navy sun dress with a cream layer underneath that peaked out because of the eyelits in the navy? Adorable. Fit perfectly. Half price. DONE.

The wedding was beautiful... it was a non-religious ceremony at a country club, and the actual ceremony took place on the pier of a lake. The bride's dress was made by a costume designer that they work with (the couple is theatre people) and before the wedding started the groom gets on the mic and says "For those of you who work with me, you will find this funny. For those who don't work with me, oh well. 10 minutes to places for the ceremony...10 minutes to places." That's what stage managers say before start of every show. So all of us theatre people responded how you would if you were in the production. "THANK YOU, 10!"

Needless to say, I'm exhausted. I'm actually worried that at some point this week I'm going to pass out at work. Maybe I'll be able to go home sick one day and take like a 4 hour nap or something. A nap sounds good.

We have to go back!

2010-05-21T09:24:00.010-04:00

I couldn't very well have all these posts about Ireland without PICTURES. I can't put up ALL of my pictures (because there are like 150.) but here are just a handful.

While we took a tour of the Guinness Storehouse, I learned how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness. I also learned that Italians will stalk you around the Guinness Storehouse and be completely blatant about it. There were a group of about 15? 20? Italian guys, and they basically circled us throughout the ENTIRE tour. You can see them over my shoulder at the tap learning how to pour their own pints.

This is the view from my best friend's balcony. Seriously. I woke up every morning to that and drank tea while watching the sheepies play. There was one baby lamb who would jump around. So cute.

At The Old Jameson Distillery, enjoying my whiskey with some cranberry juice. By the way, that's my new favorite drink. Jameson and cranberry. Delicious! I also drank my friend's because she doesn't like whiskey. Darn.

The one castle I got to see in Ireland was Malahide Castle. It's along the coast of the Irish Sea. Gorgeous.

This is Malahide town. HOW CUTE IS THIS TOWN? I feel like this looks like a postcard. In fact, I'm pretty sure I saw a postcard in the gift shop at Malahide Castle that was this street.

This is where my friend GOES TO COLLEGE. Seriously. That is actually the seminary, I believe, and I took that from the GARDEN that's on campus.

This is Wicklow. On my last day there (Tuesday), one of my new friends kidnapped me for the day and took me out to Wicklow. This was on the road on the way there. The streets were so narrow that any time another car came in the other direction, we had to pull off on the side of the road. And we were in this big honkin' Jeep. But he used to race cars on roads like this before he learned how to drive for real (seriously.) so I felt perfectly safe.

The place that he took me to was Glendalough. It used to be a monastery, and it's REALLY old. And absolutely beautiful. I seriously could have just sat there and hung out for a solid hour, but we needed to get back so that he could run the pub. Doesn't that just make you want to lie down in the grass and stare up at the sky for hours?

Change of Plans

2010-05-18T05:45:00.003-04:00

I don't know if you've been following news of the ash cloud at all...but I've been stranded in Ireland. My original flight home was scheduled for Sunday...cancelled. Then I was put on a flight on Tuesday, but there was a seat on the Monday flight, so we switched it to Monday...cancelled. The Tuesday flight is now BOOKED, so the earliest flight out that I could take was tomorrow, Wednesday. So far, everything looks good. All of today's flights have left Dublin Airport, so that's a good sign. I should be home Wednesday afternoon. Three days late. Darn.

In my extended stay, I've managed to be awesome at Quiz (pulled a question OUT OF NOWHERE only to get one wrong later. We still won the game, but didn't win the chance to get the jackpot of 750Euro. Balls), I sang backup vocals during band rehearsal, and I'm going to the Wicklow Mountains today.

For the whole band thing, my friend used to work for this company that is launching anew product that is sort of like an iPad except it displays music tablatures? It's called an iTab. The launch party is Thursday (I'll miss it..) and my friend is singing backup vocals for BOBBY KIMBLE FROM TOTO. She's also doing Stevie Nick's "Edge of Seventeen" with another friend. The girl singing lead on that is a for serious musical genius. I helped pick out where the harmonies were (because I'm awesome like that) and then at rehearsal with the whole band, they asked me to fill in for the other girl who couldn't make it. It sounded DEADLY. I'm really jealous that I won't get to see it on Thursday, and they were actually a bit bummed that I wouldn't be there to sing backup vocals. Then we hung out with the band while they practiced some of the other songs they're doing... Brown Sugar, Don't Stop Believing, Cowboy Song, Boys are Back in Town, Hold the Line, and Sultans of Swing. It was like my own private concert in song random apartment in Ireland. I was in complete heaven, let me tell you. Seriously. That was my life yesterday...singing backup vocals at a band rehearsal IN IRELAND.

I'm excited for today, though, because I was bummed that we didn't get to go to the Wicklow Mountains last week. I was going to go solo since my friend has band rehearsal and has to do a ton of schoolwork, but one of her friends offered to drive me there (which is way faster... by like an hour at least) and give me a tour of Wicklow himself. It's going to be gorgeous. I just wish the sky was as blue as it was yesterday. It's a bit cloudy, and looks like rain. Maybe I'll be lucky though and it will be as warm as it was yesterday. I didn't even need a coat or a sweater.

Safe and Sound

2010-05-11T02:26:00.003-04:00

I made it to Ireland okay. It still hasn't hit me yet that I'm IN Ireland, and I'll be here for officially 24 hours in about 30 minutes. I still haven't adjusted to the time, really. My first day was fairly uneventful. We came back to my friend's apartment, and IT HAS THE MOST DOORS I'VE EVER SEEN!!! I think there are 8. Possibly 9. And they're all right next to one another. Basically, my friend's apartment is a farce.

She has a gorgeous view from her sitting room.... a field of sheep! I'm in heaven. I fully intend to take many pictures of this adorable sheep. They're grazing right now. We walked all over her town yesterday (my legs are a bit tired) and today is Day 1 of Dublin Exploration. We'll see how good I am at pouring a pint of Guinness.

I also saw her ex yesterday... he decided to impose on us. We went to dinner, and he left her with the check! Jerk! But you'd be proud (as would Gzilla). I didn't ACTUALLY harm him, and I was mostly nice... but I did get all of my little digs in. And let him know to be nice to my friend since they gave me all these pretty metal weapons at dinner. The worst part of it is, he's so damn charming! I didn't want to see him, because I knew that if I did, I couldn't stay mad at him for long.

I don't think I'll be able to post any pictures until I get home on Sunday, but I will be taking plenty. Don't worry!

Thems Fightin' Words

2010-05-06T12:29:00.002-04:00

I realize that I can be the not nicest person in the world. I am mostly polite, but I don't tolerate stupidity, nor do I tolerate ignorance or flat out rudeness. And I'm not afraid to let you know how I feel about that anymore.

Last night, I was RIDICULOUSLY lucky and managed to score 2 seats at the Flyers game. I'm a huge Philadelphia sports fan, mostly Phillies, but I do love me some hockey. Something about dudes on ice skatings beating the crap out of each other really turns me on. Anyway. I'm really excited, because I've never been to a hockey play off game before (so the Flyers are in the playoffs for the Stanley Cup. We beat the NJ Devils to advance to the second round... and we're now playing the Boston Bruins).

We get to our seat, guy behind us flirts with me in front of Gzilla, I give an awkward smile at him... and then realize that he's wearing a Bruins jersey. As are all of the people sitting next to him. I SURROUNDED by GD Boston fans. Great. And these guys are LOUD and OBNOXIOUS about it. Less than 3 minutes into the game, the Flyers score off of a deflection. Gorgeous goal. The Wachovia Center erupts. Orange is everywhere. It's great.

And then the Flyers gave up. I have no idea what the heck they were playing, but that wasn't hockey. The passing was pathetic and sloppy, they wasted 6 power plays, and our goalie wasn't as awesome as he has been. We lost 4-1. And I've been to hockey games where the Flyers lost before, but this was just bad. And the douches behind me made everything worse.

We went out to get food, and found two of them in our seats when we got back. Gzilla and I had talked about moving up a row so that they weren't directly behind me anymore, since I was starting to get very testy and Gzilla was afraid he was going to get punched because of my anger? But when I saw those two guys in my seat... and saw the look on the face of the girl who was sitting next to us "help me, PLEASE!" I couldn't let them do that. So I sharply said "Excuse me. I'd like my seats back, thanks."

Then, flirty loud guy tries to get my attention my poking me. IN THE SIDE BOOB. He dropped a $20 and it was under my seat. But who pokes a stranger in the SIDE BOOB? Who pokes any woman in the boob, side or not, and stranger or not! That is not acceptable!!! I gave him some shit (like I should) and did eventually give him back his money (what? I know I'm a bitch, but I'm not rude). Gzilla was pretty proud of me though that I didn't get into a blowout with these jerks, I didn't get punched or punch them and get arrested, nor did I get Gzilla punched. But I did hold my own against these guys with the smack talk.

In all honesty, they were obnoxious, but they weren't wrong nor did they cross the line (except for that poking my side boob thing, but I honestly don't think he did that on purpose. At least I hope not). At one point, Aaron Asham (a Flyer) made a shot towards the goal, and from our angle it looked like a goal, so we started to get excited until we found out that there was no goal, so obnoxious guy yells "OPTICAL ILLUSION!!!" That was actually pretty funny.

This was a good idea.... right?

2010-05-05T12:15:00.003-04:00

I think I may have done something epicly (is that a word?) dumb.

I joined a kickball league.

I am mostly unathletic. I used to be a cheerleader, but that was about 10 years ago. I used to dance, but haven't in 4 years. I don't exercise, despite trying Jillian Michaels in January. And I genuinely LIKE exercising (in the I like how my body feels AFTER way, not during) but refuse to get up early to sweat.

Gzilla talked me into it. And our very pushy friend that we play Quizzo with. So for the summer... I get to play kick ball on a team with a hilariously offensive name every Wednesday. I haven't told ULTA yet. I'm supposed to get a review tomorrow (I don't THINK I should be nervous about that)

Our hilariously offensive team name? Chaos Under New Terms.

Despite my lack of athletic skill, both Gzilla and our pushy friend feel that I would be better than most girls? Maybe that's because I'm fiesty and competitive. I have oft dreamed of becoming a Roller Derby girl, but Gzilla says that I'm not hard core enough for Roller Derby. I really think I could kick ass. And I would totally have some punk knitting name. I can't think of any bad ass knitting puns at the moment, but I'd find one!

Welcome to hell

2010-05-03T14:01:00.002-04:00

We're at the start of hell week for me... squeezing two weeks of work into five days. It's already gotten better than it was going to be... I almost lost all of my Friday because I almost had to drive up to NYC, pick someone up for the station, and drive all the way back to Delaware... in one shot. That's about 8 hours in a car. Thanks, but no thanks. Luckily, I was able to avoid that long ass drive and now just have to pick someone up from the train station that is a mere minutes away.

I picked the busiest time of the year to go away on vacation. This is the week of our big charity event at the station, and we're supposed to volunteer our time during the week. Well, not gonna happen. Sorry, kids. You can't take my Thursday and my Friday away from me this week, but I'll gladly give you all of my Saturday.

So far today, I really want grilled cheese for lunch, but no way of getting any. I have to be my boss today because his daughter is sick, which means all of my work + all of his work. I have a crushing headache that makes me want to fall over (but a bit better once I drank some Dr Pepper). AND I have so much to get done that I don't know where to start, hence blogging.

I've been slacking a bit on my knitting as of late... I am halfway finished my Vine Yoke Cardigan, but I need to wind more yarn! I'm also 1/3 of the way finished a top secret project I'm working on for a knitting swap that is based on LOST (what? I know. I'm uber nerdy). And then I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival this past weekend (and met some LOVELY ladies from ravelry!) and bought TOO MUCH YARN! I haven't even used the stuff that I got from LAST year's MDSW! But it was so pretty!!! And so soft!!! I just need to figure out what to do with 560 yds of worsted superwash merino that is black, grey, and white. Thoughts? Not enough for a little short-sleeved cardigan.

Time for a Change

2010-04-28T09:35:00.003-04:00

I decided to change up my look. I went over to Shabby Blogs and picked out some new elements. Thoughts? Concerns? Lewd remarks?

Things are changing around here, too. I'm finally getting recognition for something that I work very hard on at work (finally!). Gzilla is trying his hand at new and exciting things (please send lots of crossed fingers and mojo our way!!). And I just think that things are moving the way they should.

I'm still slightly panicked about Ireland (the flying, the getting lost, the not enough time) but I'm super excited! And I promise at least one Ireland recap post... and TONS of pictures. I'm most likely not going to post while I'm there, even though I will have internet access. Maybe a teaser post. We'll see.

We decided that we're doing The Dublin Pass which gets us access to a bunch of different Dublin attractions, including St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse, but most importantly, The Old Jameson Distillery. YEAH WHISKEY! And even though I'm not a fan of stout (though in my defense, the only stout I've had is one that is from New Jersey and brewed with OYSTERS. Talk about GROSS. Thanks, Jersey) I promise I WILL try Guinness. I also want to try a Guinness here first before I go over, because apparently they taste completely different.

We're also going to a play in Ireland. This is probably what I'm most excited about, because my favorite Shakespeare play OF ALL TIME is playing at The Abbey Theatre in Dublin. The Scottish Play. It's that play that you don't say outloud because bad things happen? But since I'm not speaking, I have no problem typing it. Macbeth. I LOVE THAT PLAY. I can't wait!

Seventeen.

2010-04-22T09:58:00.002-04:00

I promise I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, things have just gotten a bit crazy at work! For four consecutive work-days (Thursday, Friday, Monday, Tuesday) I had to be two people simultaneously, which is never fun. I really needed a drink after work yesterday, but unfortunately it was one of my other-work days so I didn't get home until 11. Boo hiss. But I did have TWO drinks Tuesday night at Quizzo (but only because the kitchen lost our order, so our server gave us a round)

The Ireland countdown is at 17 days. It seems like I just bought my ticket... and that was when the countdown was like 2 months! I can't believe that I'm just WEEKS away from leaving the country. WEEKS. I have luggage (thanks, Daddy Dearest) and I have new clothes (thanks, Urban Outfitters and Ann Taylor Loft). I don't have any travel-size items yet.

I have no idea what I'll be doing once I'm over there. My friend that I'm visiting doesn't know her work schedule yet, but there will be a few days I'm there that she'll have to work. I don't want to just sit around while she's serving beer to the locals (how boring!) but I have no idea what to do!! I won't be in Dublin... we're going to be a little further inland. And a little more rural (I think).

The one thing I know I WILL be doing is Thursday of the week I'm there, I'll be calling the radio station from a pub. We do a segment on our AM station called "Thirsty Thursday" (real original, I know, but it isn't my show, so.) where we taste-test beer on the air (my job is so hard). When I told them I was going to Ireland, I immediately saw the glimmer of an idea in their eye, and I agreed to call the station during the Thirsty Thursday segment. And since my friend works at a pub, that's where we'll be! Everyone over there loves her, so if she tells them to participate with what I say, they totally will. I hope it goes okay. There's going to be a bit of a delay because of the overseas-ness of it all.

I'm starting to get really pumped, though!! We finally figured out how I'm getting to the airport. And I need to get myself some Unisom so I SLEEP on the plane, since I'll be landing at 2am for me, but it's really 7am where I am? So I'll be ASLEEP on that 7 hour flight thankyouverymuch. I'm still a little terrified of flying. Not so much the plane crashing-part, but more the I get lost in the airport and get stuck there for a week part? Yeah.

Breaking up is hard to do.

2010-04-12T10:07:00.004-04:00

Not with Gzilla. Don't worry. With my hairstylist.

Two years ago, I had a horrific haircut. I have wavy/curly hair. A lot of it. If my hair is too short, I look like a boy. I mostly have long hair. But after 8-12 years of never being allowed to cut it (because of theatre) I rebelled, and chopped my long hair up above my shoulders (gasp!). Then after 4 years of the same haircut, I got tired of it. I went to a really fancy schmancy salon here, asked for their curly-hair specialist, and paid $75 for a haircut.

I know.

If there is one thing you don't do with curly hair, or even very thick hair for that matter, you don't razor cut it. What does this "curly hair specialist" do? Razors my hair. It's been 2 years. You'd think that my hair would grow out by now, but it hasn't. This could partly be because of my current stylist.

It all started with that Keratin treatment. I ended up having the salon manager at my place of business cut my hair. Then we had this "free haircut" thing where we had to get one of 3 haircuts. And the one was really cute, so she did my hair with that one. Except it looked nothing like it, and I have no idea wtf she did to my hair. In fact, you know that current popular bob style where it's way shorter in the back than it is in the front? Okay, picture that... except now picture long layers UNDER the bob. Doesn't work right? It doesn't work on my head either.

WHAT THE HELL? I have this weird shelf on my hair right at my ears. You know, where my hair is most POOFY. I had this one amazing cut by my friend's wife, and I think I'm going to go back to her. She's fabulous. Except I don't get discounted haircuts and color there, because I don't work there. So I need to shell out a bit more for cuts & color now (boo). But how do I break up with my current stylist? It's not like I can just never go back. I WORK THERE. And she can be mean.

Get me out of this funky town.

2010-04-09T11:08:00.002-04:00

I'm feeling very "woe is me" today. I'm running on maybe 3 hours of sleep. I haven't seen Gzilla in two days, pretty much. Wednesday night he saw a concert in Baltimore with his best friend, and last night I had a shopping date with becklette while he was at a friend's house. As soon as he got home, we went immediately into epic battle. It's not something I want to get all into at the moment (no it wasn't the big marriage fight again) but today I'm all puffy and can barely keep my eyes open.

It doesn't help that it's been 90 degrees here in April (wtf.) and everything is in full bloom, meaning my allergies are on overload. Plus, I started allergy shots this week, so Wednesday I was injected with everything I'm allergic to. I can't tell if I'm puffy from allergies or from crying. Or both. Probably both. I'll blame it on allergies.

But now I am emotionally drained. I want to just go back to bed, and watch bad movies. I feel like a horrible person, a failure, and I don't know what to do to snap out of it. Even the super cute ATL tops and capri jeans and my new sheep pajamas can't bring me out of this horrible feeling. I also have to work at my second job tonight, so I have another 14 hour day today. At least I can sleep in tomorrow? But then we're going to a friend's house and I have to pretend like everything is wonderful and I'm not terrified that one day I'll be homeless because Gzilla kicked me out.

But I have so much stuff!!!

2010-04-07T15:44:00.003-04:00

I did some reading on TSA's website, and also for the website of the airline that I'm taking across the pond (IN 33 DAYS!!!!) and I'm starting to get nervous. They don't charge for the first checked bag (good) but they do for a second bag (that's okay, I think.) but it has to be a certain dimension... it can't be above a certain weight.... I don't own a scale. How the hell am I supposed to know if I packed too much crap!

And! All my toiletries must fit in a clear bag 8.5" by 11"? I'm sorry.... have you SEEN my bathroom? I use a variety of face washes, makeup remover, a serum, moisturizer, eye cream, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and I'm sure I've forgotten something....and you expect me to fit this into something the size of a piece of paper? HA!!!

I'm also worried about my knitting. I think I've decided that going over, I don't want to work on a project on the plane because I WANT TO SLEEP (unisom, be my friend). I leave at 7pm, and land at 7am... but it'll still be 2am at home. Seven hour flight, 5 hour time difference. So I figure if I sleep for 7 hours on the plane... I'll be good to go. I'm also afraid that they'll take my knitting! While knitting needles are TSA approved, there are many a story of projects being confiscated. There is even this facebook group called "Is this your knitting?" of a very nice person who found this lovely half-knitted sweater in the lost-and-found at an Alabama airport, and is trying to use the power of the internets and ravelry to find its owner. What if that happened to me? That would suck! I would cry! So methinks I will check a bag (since I get one free--yay!) and put my knitting in there. I'll probably still have a carry-on bag (probably my Namaste Hermosa Bag which is the LARGEST KNITTING BAG/PURSE EVER.

I am a bit nervous about flying, though...

So you had a bad day...

2010-04-01T11:08:00.003-04:00

I had an epicly bad day yesterday. I'll spare you the badness of my day, but just know that it made me cry more than a few times. And computers hated me yesterday.

To combat my bad day, I decided to blast the soundtrack for 9 to 5 the musical and sing really loud. This may not have been the best of ideas that I had (since my bad day was work related). The lyrics? I'm gonna shine like the sun, let these clouds roll away from my door. When it's all said and done I won't be at your mercy no more. I am taking what's mine; I'll be fine. I am second to none. And when the losing's all done, I'm gonna shine like the sun. Which made me SOB like a child. The next song I listened to? is basically about how the things in your life are going to suck unless you change them. Which made me cry harder. While I'm driving.

I didn't have time to relax when I got home, because we immediately went out to meet Gzilla's parents for dinner. It was one of those 20% of your dinner goes to charity things, and it was my friend's company's fundraiser, so we went. Alcohol was needed. After a pretty good glass of chianti, some cheesy stromboli, and the best part of it all, homemade GELATO (apple. pie. gelato. omb.) I was starting to feel better.

Normally when I have a sucktastic day, I listen to sad music. Apparently this doesn't work anymore. Apparently what works is wine, gelato, and sitcoms. I went home and watch the two-week old episodes of How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory... and laughed so hard I cried. And THEN I felt better, finally.

What's your bad-day remedy?

The numbers game.

2010-03-29T16:30:00.002-04:00

My father is a strange fellow. I've seldom spoken of Daddy Dearest, and it's usually when he has done something asinine, which is more often than I'm sure he's willing to admit.

This weekend, I'm driving to my dad's (after hijacking a minivan) and dropping off the unfinished TV stand I bought last year. You remember.... I had those great plans of staining and putting it together all by myself!!! Not so much. So Daddy Dearest is going to do it. Let's hope he doesn't put it together backwards like he did to the bar that is in my house now...which I fixed.

It was supposed to be a lovely little weekend. Gzilla and I would get up early for his radio show, we would have lunch, then go to Daddy Dearest's house, have dinner, come home. But no. Daddy Dearest can't leave it at that. He bought four tickets to see The Lion King, which is a really cool show for the record.

The second the words "So my dad got us tickets to see the musical..." came out of my mouth, Gzilla was already saying "no way in hell you cannot pay me enough." So I had to LIE to my father and say that he was busy (Gzilla not liking Lion King is not answer enough). So instead I'm kidnapping my friend and we're going with my dad to the theatre.

This is not the first time Daddy Dearest has pulled something where he just buys things without stopping to think if A. it's practical or B. anyone is available. My first concert was to Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. There are 5 members of my immediate family (parents, two siblings, me). My dad? Bought 6 tickets. Because he liked the number 6 better. So I got to bring a friend because my dad is sometimes an idiot.

I can stop anytime I want to

2010-03-25T09:47:00.003-04:00

I think I might have a slight game addiciton. A coworker of mine teased me about buying a PS3 when I already have an X-Box 360 and a Wii. But! The PS3 dropped the price so new ones are only $299, and I won a $200 gift card courtesy of Clever Girl Goes Blog and Gzilla had a $100 gift card to the Evil Store of Evil. After stalking said evil store for two weeks (after taunting me with boxes in the back that were spoken for) we finally found one!!

So I bought Final Fantasy XIII for the PS3, despite already having it for the 360. Before you say "but Recovering Actor, that's really stupid." it's prettier on the PS3 and my work husband is buying my 360 version from me. So there. I just have to start over. I did, however, learn something very important. If you skip all the scenes and just do the battle part the second time through, it goes A LOT faster!!! I am already 5+ hours in, and only played for half that time. The beginning of the game is a LOT of cut scenes. I was 14+ hours in... so I still have a ways to go until I'm back to where I was before.

I've always been a fan of video games, though. I got my first Nintendo for my 6th birthday from my parents... and fell in love with Mario. In fact, I exclusively play Mario games on the Wii. Mario games and old skool Nintendo/Sega games. That's it. When I was 7, my dad put this game called Cosmo on the computer. It was a platform game with this little dinosaur guy? I beat the game in 2 days. Seven years old. I also beat Duke Nukem and Super Mario Brothers that same year.

But today??? I'm wearing both of my wrist braces. I don't have carpal tunnel, but it acts like carpal tunnel? I have a laxity in my joints. I have slutty joints. And when I overuse my wrists they act up (like when I handwrite a lot). Maybe I overdid it with the gaming? Or it could be the socks I'm knitting. Either way...ow.

A Lasting Impression

2010-03-20T09:05:00.004-04:00

Warning: not for the weak of stomach.

Last night I met some of the friends who live in my computer. Some knitterly friends. Fiber friendly-if you will. We went to a very popular dipping-encouraged restaurant, just 3 of us, and it's something I've been excited about all week.

I made the reservation at 8... we all go in and sit down.. and we get all four courses at the place. The first course is always my favorite, because it's cheese. And I love cheese. Especially melty cheese. We're all getting along, laughing, and talking about the crazy things that have happened lately. We're taking goofy pictures.. everything is wonderful.

I didn't really want to get a salad, but I also didn't want to be the only one who didn't get one? So I get the caesar salad because I've had it before and it comes with toasted pine nuts which are AMAZING. Lettuce was kinda wilted and soggy. Tasted funny. Didn't think of it.

Dinner course. We split two entrees to cut on cost since this place is 'SPENSIVE. One of the girls is allergic to fish, so we cook the fish last, but we're all still laughing and having a great time. Then I start to feel funky. Kinda woozy. So I stopped eating. Sometimes that happens to me when I'm eating out and it's really rich food... my stomach just can't take a lot of it so I have to just calm done for a bit. Also I wanted to make sure that I could eat dessert, because it's always delicious.

The Dessert course (chocolate.. with Grand Marnier in it) is where things got bad. As soon as I ate my first banana (the ONLY fruit I am allowed to have without going into anaphylactic shock) I knew I was going to have problems. So I run to the bathroom, and get sick. A lot of sick. Kind of felt better, but just felt really weak. In fact, I still feel kinda weak, and my stomach still feels really sore. But I've only had the one incident, so I know it isn't food poisoning and I'm pretty sure it isn't the stomach flu that's been going around because I wouldn't be able to keep down water. The only thing I can think of is that damned salad. One of the other ladies got the caesar, but didn't use dressing because she's allergic to fish, and there are anchovies in caesar dressing. So I'm the ONLY one who ate the caesar dressing.

But what a way to make a first impression on people you've never met before, right? Just vomit during dinner. They'll love you forever. Sigh.

The Work Husband

2010-03-19T09:42:00.005-04:00

I was talking my work husband the other day (one of them...I have three....I'm a slutty work wife) and all kinds of hurtful, I suppose, hidden things came up. I don't know how, but I always end up becoming the relationship therapist at work. I guess I have a trusting face? Which is really funny, because I can be a real bitch.

This time though, I opened up. My work husband and I were talking about music, and I learned that he plays the piano, which really surprised me. I can't play to save my life. I can read music. I know what notes are what on the piano, but put sheet music in front of me and ask me to play? I will fail. Miserably. Anyway. Piano reminds me of my ex. Not The Ex, but my ex before Gzilla. I really thought that this guy and I were IT. He wrote me a song for Valentine's Day (I know, swoon, right?) and then slept with someone else. And didn't have the balls to tell me himself... he broke up with me instead because he felt guilty.

And I told my work husband all of this. No one at work knows this stuff. But why is it that this guy I feel safe telling this stuff to? And there are certainly things that I know about him that I don't think a lot of people know. It's nice to know that there's someone that if I'm having a problem, I know that I can say "WHAT THE HELL" to, and there's no judgement. Just a third party view and an "I know your pain."

I do have three work husbands though. Each of them serves a different purpose. My original work husband is my gay work husband. And I'm his straight work wife. We pick on each other, but know that there's love. My second work husband and I watch all the same TV shows, so we discuss LOST at great detail as well as How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory. But mostly LOST. What's funny about him is that I had never even heard the term "work husband" or "work wife" until his ACTUAL wife introduced me to her sister as the "work wife." Anyone else have work husbands? (Gidget, the Grouper doesn't count... as he is your ACTUAL husband.)

It's like it knows...

2010-03-18T09:17:00.002-04:00

You know when you have a lot of stuff going on... and you have to push through it no matter how tired or worn out you are... and then you stop for a second, and get a wicked cold?

Yeah. Thanks, body. Thanks for that.

I took a mental health day off on Tuesday. I mean, I did have 8 hours of comp time left over from the big project that took over my life last month (which paid off, BTW) so I decided that since I haven't had a day off in a month (I. hate. Saturday. morning. meetings.) Tuesday was perfect.

Gzilla woke me up because he forgot that I wasn't going to work, but I still managed to go back to sleep at wake up at 10:30!!! I was super excited. But then I swallowed, and it felt like daggers. And then I started sneezing. And now I'm sick.

My body used to do this all the time when I was in theatre. I'd be healthy the entire time during rehearsal, during the run of the show, and then immediately following strike (taking the set/costumes/lights apart) I'd contract the plague. I know it's my body's way of telling me to slow down, but I don't wanna! That's not how I function!

And I have so much to do this weekend! I have fun dinner Friday night with new knitting friends, and on Saturday I have fun baby showerlike outings with my friend from work!! AND Saturday morning after my final 8am meeting, I'm supposed to play volleyball for charity. I don't have time for this.

The Evil Store of Evil

2010-03-11T08:57:00.004-05:00

I think I may have mentioned that I'm a big ol' nerd. The nerdiest of my nerdyisms is my love for the Final Fantasy series. Love. But since we've given up Sony in favor of Microsft (bye bye Playstation, hello X-Box 360) my hopes of Final Fantasy were over. Except that the newest FF game, Final Fantasy XIII has been released to both systems.

I've been toying with getting it... decided I was going to wait until I could get it used. And then Gzilla wanted to go to the mall to use up some gift certificates from Christmas (meanwhile mine have been gone since January 15...) so I changed my mind. Then I NEEDED it. After consulting with Final Fantasy experts (my brother, facebook, and my cousin) I decided it was necessary.

Then I saw it. Pre-Owned PS3 for $280. When the PS3 came out, it started at $500. I nearly squeed out loud. I told Gzilla after we left the store... we called my brother who said that new systems go for $300 so just get a new one. So we do. We go back to the Evil Store of Evil and ask the guy for a PS3. I was even going to exchange FF13 for the PS3 version (which has 4 hours more content. No, that's not a lot of content, but it's more content, okay? And FF was designed for Playstation.)

"Well, I have seven systems in the back... but they're all reserved. So. I can't give any to you."

Why, universe? Why are you spoiling my impulse buying of a gaming system I really don't need BUT WANT? Plus? It's a blu-ray player. That was the biggest check in the "pro" column. And why does the store guy have to tell me that he has 7 of them, and no I can't have any neener-neener-neener? It's just evil! See! Evil Store of Evil!!

Now Gzilla doesn't even want to get one. He says that it's the universe's way of telling us not to get it (which is bullshit. He's never said any of that granola crap before) but that if we REALLY want it in a few months... we can get it then. But I want to play FF13 NOW on a PS3 damnit!!! I was really disappointed.. and I pouted.. but I opened my game and I played it before bed last night. And you know what? It looks like a movie.

We're going to play a little game.

2010-03-10T10:51:00.002-05:00

It's called "What movies haven't I seen?" I never win this game. There are A LOT of movies that I haven't seen... and everytime I tell people I haven't seen said movie I get open-mouths, "ZOMG YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THAT? YOU HAVE TO" and other various responses.

This all started because one of my coworkers was quoting "The Lost Boys" after learning that Corey Haim died. Which I've never seen. And I got yelled at. So here are all the movies that I haven't seen that I do plan on watching at some point in time! It should be said that it's entirely possible that I DID see these movies when I was little, and just don't remember.

The Lost Boys
The Goonies (I have seen pieces of this)
A Christmas Story (which at this point I just refuse to watch)
It's a Wonderful Life
The Big Lebowski
Funny Face (despite being a HUGE Audrey fan)
The Nun's Story (see above.)
Ghostbusters (I'm pretty sure I have seen this. I just don't remember it. And it's Gzilla's favorite movie)
Big
Shawshank Redemption
City Slickers
Fatal Attraction
~~Dark Crystal~~ saw it a few months ago
~~Silence of the Lambs~~ saw it a few weeks ago...
Joe Versus the Volcano
Mighty Aphrodite
Saving Private Ryan
Good Will Hunting
Soap

Any others I should add to the list? Am I alone on all of these? I feel like I'm always the one who says "Yeah.... I haven't seen that movie..."

The Fundamental Problem

2010-03-09T12:04:00.004-05:00

It's been a good few months since my last wedding freakout. I think it happens every 3-4 months where I get really down on myself and the whole situation and it boils over. This was a really big one. And it was the night of my best friend's birthday party. We were about an hour late, and I LIED TO HER and said that I had fallen asleep. I felt so guilty, but I couldn't dump what was really going on at her birthday party. I called her the next day to tell her everything.

It's not that something HAPPENED that sent me off the deep end. Nothing did happen. A friend I hadn't seen in a while gave me the "and when are you two finally getting married" dig... to which I responded "Oh, I'm not getting married." And honestly, that's how I feel most of the time. Not that I don't want to get married, it's that I really don't see it every happening. Ever. Genezilla (I'm trying it out. We'll see how it feels) really doesn't like weddings. It's not the marriage part that terrifies him, it's the wedding part. The expense, all the people, having to schmooze... all of it.

He told me that weddings are fake, and that he no longer believes in marriage. Both of our best friends and my parents are divorced. But we have so many friends who are happily married... and his parents are happily married. I'm really trying to understand. I'm also trying not to get upset. I know that the expense terrifies him, which is why I just want to elope. I did want to have a party afterwards, but he really doesn't, so no party afterwards I suppose. And this is if anything even happens. Honestly, I don't know where my breaking point is going to be, but I know that I have one. The one thing I don't want is for him to propose/marry me just to keep me happy, so I'm not depressed. I want him to do it because he wants to. I didn't think that was such a hard thing to ask. But I've pretty much completely lost hope. I used to be able to picture getting married... now I can't.

The thing that cracks me up is that he wants to have kids. But doesn't want kids without being married. Um. There's a bit of a contradiction there, buddy. What I think is really going on? I know that he talked about looking at rings with our really good friend. Two weeks later, he had a heart attack and passed away. He was getting remarried in a month. That was a year and a half ago. There are still moments when I miss The Chocolate Cake Man. Baseball season is hard without him... poker is hard without him... every time I hear Maroon 5, his favorite band, it stings a bit. Though what's funny is every time we play poker with our friends, the first song we hear on the ride home is a Maroon 5 song. Every time.

Genezilla keeps saying all the right things. That he loves me, and he wants to be married to me, he just doesn't want to GET married. And that if he could fix the way he feels, he would... but that he doesn't know where it came from or how to fix it. Never does he make me feel like it's something to do with me... but I can't help feeling that way. How else am I supposed to feel? When the person I've spent the last seven years with says that he doesn't want to marry me, but it has nothing to do with ME. It's nothing that I did. I don't want to leave. I really don't. And if one more person tells me that I'm wasting my time with Genezilla, or that he's damaged and I should get out while I can, or that I need to just get rid of him... I'm going to lose my shit. My manager the other day told me the reason he won't marry me is because he won't buy the cow since he's getting the milk for free. Way to make me feel bad about myself. I don't need any help with that... I do just fine all by myself.

Unrelated: my radio station is playing "Ghostbusters" right now, and it's made my entire day.

I didn't suck!

2010-03-08T09:24:00.002-05:00

After a bit of a driving snafu (big accident on the main highway.... right at the exit ramp I needed) and getting there 30 minutes late (but traffic!) everything went fairly smoothly. There were only 2 other makeup artists there, and a LOT of models and a LOT of photographers, so I was going to be so busy, right?

Not so much. One makeup artist in the back (who was set up where the models were changing) was being a little bitch. I was told to set up in there, and he told me to leave. When I asked if he needed any help with the giant line he had in there, he said No, he can handle it. Fine. So I sat out with the photographers and made friends. When my friend who was running the event asked me why I wasn't in the other room, he pulled people out of there for me to work on (take that! ha!) And then he came out to check out the competition I guess? But he was acting like a total diva. I didn't like him. I was going to introduce myself, but decided it wasn't worth it.

The one girl that I did the most work on looked great. She kept saying "I don't wear a lot of makeup, I don't want a lot" but I had to keep explaining to her that if I don't put makeup on her, she's going to look washed out in the pictures. The photographer loved what I did, so that's really my concern. Yes, I want the model to be comfortable, but I want the pictures to turn out nicely. I haven't received any of the shots (and even if I did, I don't know if I'm legally allowed to post them anyway). But I've made like 4 contacts! I've already started talking to one photographer about a future shoot... one asked me if I do weddings (yes, please--that's what I want to do! I am more than great with brides. especially ones who are freaking out. I'm so good at putting out fires and distraction. I'd make one HELL of a wedding planner).

Note to self: get business cards (whoops.) and set up an online portfolio to send to said new contacts.

I hope I don't suck. Or that I feel like I'm trapped in "Fame."

2010-03-05T11:43:00.003-05:00

I'm still a good 6ish hours away from this makeup event this tonight... and for serious I'm still terrified. I heard back from a few of my favorite artists, and I feel LESS terrified, but still terrified. I still have the foundation problem. Still not sure what to do about that. But I'm stopping by a few key places on my lunch break so I can get a few necessities from my kit:

* black gel eye liner (I have green, brown, and blue... no black. Go figure.)
* mascara (still have to get mascara wands...)
* matte bronzer
* this really awesome concealer that is the best: Paula Dorf Special Camouflage Concealer. It's peach & yellow, and you custom mix it. I've actually wanted to get it forever. I lurves it.
* eye makeup remover (BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE ANY! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?)
* Q tips, cotton pads, tissues, and preparation H (works to de-puff. magic secret. don't tell)

That's all the stuff that I don't already have. All my brushes are packed. I have all the lipsticks at my disposal (um. 3. I don't like lipstick. Whoops.) and a bunch of glosses. I might pick up one or two more just to have on hand? Maybe? My kit is mostly all put together... now I just have to wait. My friend Lisa, who is a makeup artist, said to me earlier, "Just act like you know exactly what you're doing...and you'll be just fine." It's nice to know that my friends in the industry are very encouraging and helpful. Ideally, I'll make some future bookings. What I would really love to do is weddings. But everytime I let someone I know who is getting married that I freelance, they say "Oh, well... I'm doing it myself." or "Oh, well... I was going to do to *this place.*" But I'm good! I promise! Hopefully now with a portfolio, I can say, "See? I'm good."

What do you mean I have to "build a kit?"

2010-03-04T15:37:00.003-05:00

This amazing opportunity just fell into my lap. I'm one step closer to makeup artistry stardom! Okay, not really. BUT! I have this meeting? tomorrow with photographers, models, and other industry people for a "shoot out." It's all a win-win situation. Photographers get new models, stylists, and makeup artists. Models and stylists and makeup artists get pictures to build their portfolio. Contacts are made.

Problems:

1. I don't have business cards. Not even for the radio station.

2. I don't have a "kit." Not really. I have a crap-ton of makeup, don't get me wrong. But I don't have a kit. I have more eyeshadow than God. I have like four mascaras, a ton of eye liner. Lots of stuff! But. I don't have any foundation (kind of important for photography, don't you think?) or concealer for shades that aren't exactly my shade.

3. I'm SO NERVOUS

OMG. So I need to magically come up with uber amounts of foundation and concealer and stuff.... I don't know what to do. I am really worried that I'll look like a stooge. I think eventually I'm going to order foundation palettes from Cinema Secrets but they won't be here by tomorrow, so I'm not worrying about it at the moment. I've heard great things about Cinema Secrets on the professional level.

I'm going out tomorrow before the event to get the following:
* mascara
* mascara wands (NO IDEA WHERE TO GET THIS.)
* mass amounts of foundation? No idea.
* matte bronzer (I have 4 bronzers. Are any of them matte? Nope.)
* something makeup related that doesn't begin with the letter m
* lipstick palette? Does anyone even have any right now not in holiday season?

AH!! I'm so nervous. Maybe I should bring whiskey...

I'm surrounded.

2010-03-02T10:17:00.004-05:00

I know that I'm at "that age" where everyone I know is getting married and having babies, but seriously. Stop. Last year, I had 8 weddings to go to, and half of those weddings either Gene or myself was in. This year? 6 babies. My cousin had a baby in September, one of my friends had a baby in February, my other friend is having a baby at the end of this month, my coworker is having a baby in April, and Gene's cousin is having a baby in... I forget. But her shower is this month, so I think maybe soon? I'm missing a baby. Oh, Gene's other cousin JUST had a baby. TOO MANY BABIES. I don't have enough time to make things for all these babies!!!

The September baby (who is super cute had needs a haircut at 6 months because he was born with a full head of hair and never lost ANY of it) was the receipient of my first baby sweater.

February baby (and I don't have pictures... I don't think.) got my last baby blanket. I'm done with baby blankets. They take TOO LONG. But a friend and I did this one together... it's a patchwork blanket that we made in bold colors (red, gold, brown, kelly green, blue, and purple). March baby is getting the sweater I worked on for Ravelympics (knitting challenge during the Olympics... begin and finish a project in that time)

And it has alphabet soup buttons!

I'm about half-way through another secret project for my coworker (don't know if she reads this, so... that's all I'm saying about that).

I can't keep up with these babies. I actually decided I'm not making anything for Gene's cousin, because I didn't make anything for any of his other cousins and since they're on the same side of the family, I don't want someone to feel hurt. I have so many other things I want to do! I want to make a sweater before I leave for Ireland. I still haven't finished Gene's Christmas sweater. I want do make a shawl, I'm taking a class on socks, and I have three sweaters-worth of yarn that is waiting to be made into something.

Last year I made a resolution to challenge myself in knitting. Do new things. And I did! I did a lot of firsts. My first sock (not pair of socks... sock.), my first cable project, my first sweater, my first non-blanket baby item, my first mittens. This year, I'm making a resolution (I know. It's March. whatever) to FINISH projects I start. I get so excited about other new projects that I get distracted. But if people I know would just stop having babies, then I would get a lot more done!

Also, unrelated. Gene wants me to change his name on my blog. Not that he has a problem with me using his name, but because he's jealous that Fidgeting Gidget has a nickname for her husband, The Grouper. So he wants me to call him Godzilla. Thoughts?

This is what a theatre education feels like.

2010-02-25T10:56:00.002-05:00

Most of the time when I tell people that I have a BA in Acting and Directing, they say "And how's that workin' for ya?" Actually, my college education taught me a lot of important things about life thankyouverymuch.

1. Vodka doesn't just get you drunk, it also works like scentless febreeze.

No seriously. Cheap-ass vodka... a little bit of water... stick in in a spray bottle, and you have yourself some home-made scentless febreeze. Theatres use it on the costumes between performances, because hot lights + lots of dancing and moving around = sweaty, smelly actors. And if you're doing a show that has like 10-15 performances and don't treat the costumes? They'll get pit stains and be really smelly. So, vodka!!

2. A little bit of cornstarch goes a long way.

Theatre makeup is cakey and heavy and melts easily. And yet, you never see makeup running down an actors face while they're onstage after a big dance number. Know why? We use this translucent powder over our makeup that keeps it on. It's basically cornstarch. It also works WONDERS on lipstick. Put on lip stick... separate the plys on a tissue... put tissue over the mouth... brush on the powder... put lipstick back on. Works.

3. Condoms: Not just for sex.

Every theatre I've ever done shows at has put the body mic into a jumbo unlubricated condom before it is attached to the actor. Even at my CATHOLIC high school. When we got a new principal my junior year, he wanted to be very involved in the drama club. He reviewed all of our receipts. Including the ones for multiple backs of jumbo unlubricated condoms. He totally lost his shit at our director when the sound guy calmly went up to him with a mic and said, "Excuse me, Father, but we use the condoms to go over the mic packs since they cost $600 each and if they get wet from sweat, they'll break. Unless you want to buy us new mics after every show?"

4. Brandy doesn't just get you drunk.

Brandy is actually excellent for the vocal chords. A shot of brandy before singing is actually great when you have a sore throat. It also calms you down a bit. That's also why you can use brandy in a hot toddy. And if that doesn't work, cortizone shots in the back of the neck will do just fine.

5. Push-ups: Not just for working out.

I had an acting teacher who is one of my favorite people in the world. And she used to use push-ups as a technique for getting people energized. Getting them pumped. Jumping jacks does the same thing. Have a job interview? Feel like shit? Do 10 jumping jacks... you'll wake up, have energy, and your voice will be more clear because you're awake now. I've actually made a client do jumping jacks in the voice studio because A. he was pissing me off and B. he sounded DEPRESSED. DE-PRESSED. I don't want to invest with you if you sound depressed, guy.

But the one thing that I learned with my theatre degree that you really can't apply anywhere else...

Crying in acting class ALWAYS guarantees an A. Always.

So much LOST hatred...

2010-02-24T10:29:00.002-05:00

I feel like there are two kinds of people. Those who love LOST, and those who HATE. IT. Most of my friends? Hate it. I think it's brilliant. It makes you think... it's very well written and incredibly well acted... and you really get invested in these characters. At least I do. I've said before that I'm not just a LOST watcher. I theorize... I watch episodes multiple times... I post about it on the internets (LOST boards, facebook, etc.) and I discuss LOST with a small handful of coworkers.

But I've found that while there is a large amount of my IRL friends who hate LOST, there is also another sub-set of LOST fans. Those who hate Jack. You know. The main character? I love Jack. Yes, he's whiny... and yes, he's mostly wrong. Why people didn't figure out in season 1 to never listen to Jack and always listen to Sayid, I'll never know. Jack is never EVER right. And he can be kind of a dick. But I love him. Maybe it's because I LURVED Party of Five and the rest of the Salinger gang. Maybe it's because I have faith in Darlton that they'll bring back S1 Jack in a redeeming way. He isn't my favorite character, but I don't despise him the way that a lot of fans do. And a lot of fans hate Kate, too! All of this surprises me. The only characters I hated were Nikki and Paolo, and Shannon. And look where they are now.

One of my friends promised me yesterday that he found spoilers for the end of LOST (yeah right) and he's just waiting until he can spoil it for me like the day of LOST's final episode. What an ass, right? I don't look up spoilers. I used to, but I don't anymore. And even when I did look up spoilers, Darlton is REALLY good about keeping big stuff very tight-lipped.

I really hate it when things are spoiled for me. The day I saw The Sixth Sense (with the whole family... including my 8 yr old sister who thought horror films were hilarious) I was on the phone with a friend. She asked what movie we were going see, and then she says "The Sixth Sense. Isn't that the movie where Bruce Willis is dead the whole time?" WHAT. THE. HELL. Why would you even say that?

And speaking of movies that are good that you need to watch before someone opens their big mouth about it... go see Shutter Island. Holy crap was that movie good. And despite what the trailer looks like, not even remotely a horror film. Not even close.

Ticead amhain go dti an Baile Atha Cliath, le do thoil

2010-02-23T11:29:00.002-05:00

I have reached a milestone. I applied for my passport... and I am traveling overseas for the first time. No longer can I say that the only foreign country I've been to is Canada, and it was so long ago that you didn't even need a passport.

For two years, my best friend has lived in Ireland, and I haven't been to see her once. Because it's expensive. Because anytime it might be possible, some expense comes up (like my water heater breaking). Because Gene wants to come with me, and sending two people to Europe is considerably more expensive than just sending one. Especially when just one person goes, you don't have to worry about lodging but two people can't stay at a friend's apartment.

It was actually Gene's idea. He decided that it was silly that he was the only reason I wasn't seeing my best friend while she's living in another country. Opporunities like this don't come up often, and I don't know when else I'll be able to see another country without having to worry about a hotel AND get to spend it with one of my favorite people. Plus all of the stuff that we'd want to do is NOT exactly stuff that he'd want to do. And he gets severely motion sick, so he'd be no good most of the trip.

OMG I'm so excited. I need to get a larger memory card for my camera. I need to get rain boots. I need to knit myself a sweater. I'm thinking of the Vine Yoke Cardigan by Ysolda Teague. I have the pattern, and I had started it in a different yarn but wasn't crazy about it (non superwash, yuck) and I messed up the first sleeve. And then I got super yummy Lorna's Laces for Christmas in Dusk. SO PRETTY.

So... I need travel tips! I haven't flown on a plane since 2003. I've never had a flight more than 1 hour before, and this one is almost 7 hours. What's your best travel experience?? I don't want the worst... I live in a land where your luggage always gets there, there is never turbulence, and airplanes fueled by magic and rainbows.

(oh, by the way, my title means "One ticket to Dublin, please.")

And this is why I don't go to bars.

2010-02-22T09:13:00.003-05:00

It's not that I'm anti social, it's just that I don't see the need to go to bars. I'm not trying to meet anyone. I don't see the point in spending ridiculous amounts for alcohol. And I like to have conversations with people I'm with at normal volumes, instead of shouting in their ear.

As you can imagine, I know a lot of DJs. And one of my friends DJs at a bar in Philly pretty regularly, so we went to see him mix on Saturday night. The place was packed, mostly with bachelorette and bachelor parties. Can I tell you how much I hate bachelorette parties? Hate. My favorite bachelorette party I attended was when we went to a bunch of dive bars and tried to make the bartender do a swedish fish shot, but they were always out of Jager. But I digress.

I could barely move. This one really drunk girl (who kinda looked like Snooki from Jersey Shore) kept trying her best to knock me over with her drunken dancing. I had one vodka and ginger ale, except I didn't detect any ginger ale whatsoever which makes me believe it was out of syrup, so I really had a vodka and soda. It was pretty good. It needed a lime though.

When Gene and I do go to bars, we like to play a few games. One of them is "spot the celebrity." Not actual celebrities, just people who kinda look like other people. That night in addition to Snooki we also saw James Marsden, who was sucking face in a really awkward way with an overly drunk, barely standing girl. We also like to play "who is going home with the DJ," but we didn't play that yesterday since we were with the DJ's girlfriend. She was going home with the DJ (despite one angry blondes sad attempts). Last night we got to play a game called "How much is too much?" Girls started standing and dancing on the speakers (bad for the speakers, by the way). Started with 2 girls. Girls got down on their own, and 2 boys got up. 2 boys, not allowed to dance. Too heavy. Then, 3 girls got up to dance. 3 girls are okay. One boy got up with them, too much. Boy has to get down. Then 2 more girls get up there. Apparently 5 girls on expensive speakers is a-okay, but 2 boys is TOO MUCH.

Also, some advice for those girls... if you're wearing a skin tight black mini dress probably made of spandex, and no underwear, you PROBABLY shouldn't dance up on something where creepy drunk guys can rub your legs and see your vajayjay. Just a thought.

Around 1am, I had had enough loud for the evening and wanted to go home, so we go back to our car. Outside, there is some dude with blood POURING down his face, and he's screaming at some guy and there's a girl in between them saying "Do me a favor. Baby, do me a favor. Just do me a favor" while bloody guy is still screaming and trying to go after who I assume punched him in the face. Then we see some guy smoking SOMETHING... that was NOT a cigarette, and I'm pretty sure NOT pot (I know what pot smells like. That wasn't pot). THEN!! I saw a hit and run. Well. I didn't see the ACTUAL hit and run. But I heard a car-crashing noise, saw silver car against black car, and 4 drunk people trying to walk, black car sped up... silver car chased him.

The only thing that would have made my night venture into Philly complete would have been some gang blocking off streets. Luckily, we got right on the highway back home after like a mile and everything was fine. And I love my friend and all, but I'm not going to see him again.

In case you weren't sure, I hate snow.

2010-02-12T09:37:00.003-05:00

The greater Philadelphia area has officially broken it's record as the snowiest winter. It was 1995-1996 with 65.5" of snowfall that winter. I remember that winter.. I was 11. It was awesome! We had like three feet of snow at one time. My brother and I built forts in the backyard, as in we would pile all of the snow up in one big pile, and then dig a whole bunch of tunnels and have a snowball war. Strangely enough, it was very warm in our ice-houses. So far in the winter of 2009-2010, we've had 72" of snow. That's six feet. Six feet of snow.

I'm a little sad that I can't do that now. I mean, I could... but people would definitely look at me funny. Now that I'm a responsible adult (ha!) I really dislike snow. Though, this has been the first time that I've been able to stay home because of snow. Because I couldn't get out of my house. And even if I could get out of my house, if a cop found me on the road... I'd get a ticket with a pretty hefty fine. So I was going NO WHERE. Two whole days being stuck with Gene and no way to go anywhere else? You think I'd like that. I didn't. I was SO READY to go back to work today.

You would think that being home, and having plenty of time, that I would have exercised my little heart out. Nope. I haven't turned on Jillian since Feb 1. It's been a while. But I've been shoveling! A lot! My biceps are tired!! Tonight I'll get back into it. I've just been so unmotivated. I was so stressed out from the big work project... then it was "that time," so I was so not in the mood to do any physical activity... and then we got a shit-ton of snow. So shoveling was my exercise. I think I may have thrown out my back again. Stupid snow. I didn't even get a lot of knitting done! I can't find a single tapestry needle. I have no idea where they all got to. I have five... and I can't find a single one!

For now, I'm just going to imagine Mexico. Or Hawaii. Or Bermuda. And PRETEND like I'm not surrounded by snow and ice. Yuck.

Snowpocalypse 2010

2010-02-07T09:26:00.003-05:00

The sky vomited snow all over me yesterday. They were predicting 6-12 inches. Then it became 12-15 inches. Nope. 26.5 inches of snow. It's officially the second highest snowfall in this area, only beat by 1996 when there was three feet.

I'm not a fan of snow. In fact, now that I'm not a student... I hate snow. Yes, it's pretty. But then I have to drive in it and put my life in danger because I have to go to work. It didn't stop snowing until 3pm Saturday. They didn't think it was going to stop until 6pm or 8pm, so luckily it moved out of here earlier. However around 2pm yesterday, I get a phone call from one of my "managers" at work. This girl has no real power over any employees, really, but thinks it's her responsibility to boss me around all the time and treat me like a child.

She called to tell me that I was scheduled on Sunday... that they WILL be open... and that she EXPECTS to see me. My response? Well.. I live in the city, and if they haven't plowed my street yet, I'm not going anywhere. Because I'm not shoveling 2 feet of snow in the STREET so that I can put my life at risk to go to a retail job. Sorry. You have a problem with that, then you can talk to the GM and get me fired, and I'll just get a different second job. It's not a problem. Here's the thing though. I'm one of those people who doesn't call out. When I call out? I'm severely sick (or just got in a car accident and am being taken to the hospital...). I feel so guilty about calling out when I'm sick or when it snowed and I honestly don't feel comfortable driving that I just go in. So she didn't have to call me and basically threaten me. She didn't say "or else" but it was most definitely implied. Anyone, except her apparently, who has ever worked with me or who works with me now knows that I'm very reliable and loyal.

I'm so fired up about it! And honestly, the roads might be okay now because it stopped snowing at 3pm and they had all night to plow and salt the major roads, but when she called me, it was still snowing really hard. AND! We were in a state of emergency. As in, if you're on the road... and you're not a government employee... you will be ticketed for driving. I am also not getting a ticket! The state of emergency is still in effect for today, but the ban on non-essential drivers has been lifted, so now I can't use the Governor as my excuse. We managed to dig one of the cars out (not mine... the road mine is parked in still hasn't been plowed. We didn't even try to dig it out). I haven't been outside yet, but I imagine that everything has been effectively salted.

Stupid retail.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

2010-02-04T12:06:00.002-05:00

Tuesday was a very emotional day for me. Very. I finally watched the finale of Dollhouse and LOST returned. I watch a lot of television, okay?

Personally, I think Joss Whedon is a genius. If you don't know who I'm talking about, he was the creator/head writer of Buffy and Angel... but more importantly of Firefly, Dollhouse, and Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog. Check out the last three. Not that I have anything against Buffy and Angel; I loved those shows. But Dr. Horrible is hilarious. And Firefly and Dollhouse were GENIUS. Absolute genius. And FOX totally screwed Joss over. Firefly only lasted one season... Dollhouse managed to get two (and I really think it was because of major campaigning done on the cast and crews part, and campaigning by the crazy fans) but was cancelled with six episodes to go. Firefly has a cooler story, I think. Firefly was the best show on television that never got to finish its story. It was on FOX in 2002... and then was promptly cancelled. FOX showed the episodes out of order, put it on Friday nights (aka where TV shows go to die), and didn't promote it AT ALL. This was season 1 of American Idol, after all. God FORBID they plug anything else. A few years after Firefly was cancelled... Joss Whedon received a miracle. Someone wanted to make a movie to finish the story. It was called Serenity. I actually saw Serenity FIRST. Which was a big mistake. Because Joss Whedon LOVES to kill main characters. Angel? Anya? Joyce? Cordelia? Fred? He loves it. Loves to kill main beloved characters. So I watched Firefly KNOWING what is going to happen... and I cried the entire time.

Now for Dollhouse. If you have never heard of this show.. go get it. Now. It's awesome. There are a few weak episodes, but in general, this show is amazing. And it actually got a nice concise ending that makes sense. FOX actually never aired the original Season 1 finale. The Season 2 finale, Epitaph Two, was a continuation of the un-aired season 1 finale, Epitaph One. I cried like someone had just shot my puppy in front of me. I was puffy... I wasn't forming words... it was bad. Poor Gene comes downstairs to watch LOST, and I'm curled up in a little corner on the couch ready to punch people.

AND THEN I WATCH THE SEASON 6 PREMIERE OF LOST. Oh my god. It was such a mistake to watch that much emotional television in one sitting. Three straight hours of crying. Not. Good. LOST is my favorite television show. It's the only show where I own all of the seasons... and I often go back and rewatch. Mostly because I'm trying to prove some new theory I have. Yup. I'm one of THOSE LOST fans. The ones who pause the DVR because "Namaste" is written backwards on a painting in the background... the ones who write down whenever the numbers 4 8 15 16 23 42 are used. I've seen the first four seasons in their entirety twice. And multiple episodes I've seen more often than that. Luckily, Gene is ALSO one of THOSE people, so it works out. But unfortunately, Gene is really pissing me off about LOST. Because he is convinced that there is inevitable disappointment in the series finale. You see... Gene was a Sopranos fan. I don't think I need to elaborate any more.

Darlton... please prove Gene wrong. Please give us the best season of LOST ever. I'm still a little upset with you for killing a few people that I really realy liked. But I have faith.

The burn is supposed to go away soon, right?

2010-01-26T11:58:00.002-05:00

I took Monday off from cursing Jillian Michaels, but I did work out this morning pre-work. I do actually think it's a good time to work out. Not getting up any earlier. Just actually getting up when I wake up, go downstairs, and want to die for 20 minutes. When I was finished and walking out to my car... I felt GREAT.

My back.. still doing good. I'm trying to be very careful not to do anything too strenuous for my back. My quads? Totally different story. It hurts to walk... it hurts to stand up... it hurts to sit down. It hurts thinking about doing those three things. I did run across the street at get smaller weights though. I think my 5 lb weights are a bit much, especially for shoulder exercises. So I'm using 3s instead. I think it's a good plan.

But what do I do about this burning? This hurting to bend over.. hurting when I bend my legs.. hurting WHEN I KNIT (for serious--my biceps and pecs hurt really bad when I'm knitting. Who knew those muscles were engaged while knitting!) Anyone have any "oh dear god make it stop hurting" tips besides rolling around in a tub filled with icy hot? I don't want to smell like icy hot.

I know that when it hurts like this, it's good hurt. And that I should keep going. Let me tell you how difficult that is. I did some MAJOR cheating today (did not do all the pushups. did not do all the shoulder presses, or the side lunges). I know it's supposed to get better. But right now, it doesn't feel like it's going to get any better. This is the part where I usually quit. But I can't quit this time. My chiropractor and my doctor will yell at me again... a lot... if i quit again. I need some non-quitting "you can do this" mojo.

I can no longer feel my legs.

2010-01-25T09:17:00.002-05:00

I did something dumb yesterday. I finally did the 30 Day Shred that has been sitting, unopened, in my living room for the past 2 1/2 weeks. I'm pretty sure that Jillian Michaels is the harbinger of the apocalypse.

The good news is that my back didn't revolt and try to kill me. In fact, my back feels pretty okay. It's my legs that are KILLING ME. From my butt all the way to my calves, I feel just about numb. You know that "I haven't exercised in months and months and now I feel like jello" feeling? Jello legs. I haz them. Mainly glutes, calves, hamstrings, and thighs. Those are now made of jello. My arms, surprisingly, are just fine. And there was weight strength training, and I used FIVE POUND WEIGHTS (because I could only find one of my three pounders...)

The way this work out (and I think all of the Biggest Loser workouts) are set up is a three-part system. As in you start on level one, and then after two weeks you move on to level two, and finally level three. Each level is a bit more challenging. Right now, I can't see moving past level 1. Dear god. But I am very determined this time to stick with some form of exercise and hopefully I'll prevent throwing out my back in the future.

Right now I wish I had some epsom salt... a really hot bath... some tea... and a good book. Then maybe I wouldn't feel like jello. But I have to do it again tonight. My legs hurt just thinking about it.

Little Miss Overachiever

2010-01-20T10:37:00.002-05:00

Remember those books from way back when? The Little Miss and Mister Men books? Little Miss Sunshine... Little Miss Chatterbox... Mister Grumpy... Mister Nosey?

Meet Little Miss Overachiever. (me)

Ravelympics 2010 is coming up, and for you non-knitters and non-ravelers, it's this challenge that the awesome folks of Ravelry came up with to coincide with the Olympics. We start new projects during the opening ceremonies of the olympics, and the projects have to be finished by the end of the Olympics. 17 days. What do I decide to do? A SWEATER. A really pretty sweater. That I started and screwed up, so I have to start again, but I have new really pretty yummy yarn for Christmas that is itching to become this sweater.

But before Ravelympics happens... I have two baby sweaters to do. One for a good friend from work, and another for friends from college. One is due in March, the other in April... and baby showers are SOON. As in "Oh shit I have to do this in two weeks? Both of them?" Whoops.

The plan is to finish BOTH sweaters before Ravelympics starts. Or, have the March baby sweater finished and the April baby sweater halfway finished, because her shower isn't until late February-early March. And I'm planning it. So I can push it until I'm finished.

Oh yeah, and I'm not finished Gene's Christmas sweater yet. Whoops.

Fancy Pants Dinner

2010-01-18T09:00:00.002-05:00

I had my Top Chef dinner!! Jen made my dinner Saturday night... and it was DELICIOUS! I was so excited to go... and the inside of this restaurant is AH-MAZING. It's in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton Hotel, and the architecture was very similar to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

We had a bit of a snafu in the beginning of the evening... we were a bit late running out of the house (because SOMEONE didn't check to see if his clothes needed to be ironed...) and we weren't sure what the parking situation was. So we're on Broad Street, and see a parking garage... and park there. And then had to walk HALF A MILE to the restaurant. Half a mile isn't all that far, except when your reservation is at 9:00 and it's 8:58. So we didn't get to the restaurant until like 9:15-9:20. I did call them to let them know that we hit a snafu and would be there shortly.

I had a short rib, and Gene had homemade pasta with a bolognese sauce. I was really expecting Gene to pick up his plate and lick it. I also had the second best glass of pinot noir of my life. (the first best was at the Red Square in Atlantic City with my dad on my 21st birthday. I haven't been able to find a pinot that tastes quite like that... it just melted) The whole atmosphere was wonderful... the food was ridiculously good. We didn't order an appetizer... it was a lot of seafood dishes. Gene LOVES seafood, but I'm really not a seafood fan. We split a dessert though. BANANA CREME BRULEE. ZOMG. It was made of win.

The only thing that discouraged me was that the server for the two tables next to us took his tables back to meet Jen. My server didn't do that. I don't know if that's because we didn't order like $500 worth of food, or because we weren't staying at the restaurant? (or because we were late?) But it didn't make me feel very good. Though I am just happy knowing that Jen totally made my dinner. I could see her in the window!

Glam Rock, Revisted

2010-01-15T09:05:00.003-05:00

I ventured out to West Chester PA last night to see Spacehog at The Note. The song you'd remember most by them is "In The Meantime," which is a GREAT tune... and they have a ton of others. The band is two brothers who sing and play guitar (both play bass, piano, and guitar, actually), a drummer, and lead guitarist... all from Leeds, England. Their biggest audience was along the Eastern seaboard back in the mid-90s through early 2000. They used to wear these jumpsuits and platform shoes? So when we walked past them on the street an hour before the show (for serious) we had no idea it was them.

Gene: Huh. That looked like Anthony and Royston (the brothers)
Friend: Nah. They aren't tall enough. Remember? They were really really tall.

Nope. Totes them. No more jumpsuits, either. Anthony had his Buddy Holly glasses, skinny jeans, button down shirt, and snipped off tie... Royston had an oversized (and very comfy looking) sweater... and his hair looked like he stuck his finger in a socket. But these guys are still awesome. They played some new stuff, so hopefully a new album is in the works.

It was the first time I'd ever been to The Note, and if you're from this area than you know The Note fairly well... and you know that it's owned by West Chester's own Bam Margera. Who was totally there! I knew he owned The Note, but I didn't expect to sit next to the guy at the bar! And before the show started, we were talking about how I hope the opening act is good... they're local and that's all we know because we've never heard them before... AND THEY ARE SITTING NEXT TO US. They were awesome, by the way.

I really love small venues. I usually only get to see concerts at like the Wachovia Center or the Susquehanna Bank Center (formerly known as The Tweeter Center) with 50,000 other people. Much cooler to stand in a big room with a hundred or so people, sometimes less. This show and Better Than Ezra at The Troc were two of the best shows I've seen. Not flashy.... not overcrowded... just really good music.

Next time I'm at The Note though (because we're totes going back) I need to try the Grilled Cheeseburger. Burger in between two grilled cheeses? NOM.

You need to SLOW DOWN when...

2010-01-11T10:16:00.002-05:00

It's no secret that I work two jobs and that I'm really stubborn and have to do things for myself. Thursday night, I was ULTAing... doing my usual stuff. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary (except go outside without a coat on next door because I was chasing a shoplifter, but I doubt that's related). Friday, I woke up and my back had seized. I mean... I couldn't bend over AT ALL. Two inches was about as far as I could go without screaming. I cried most of the day. Went to the doctor, they gave me medicine (that I'm pretty sure isn't working at all. Aren't muscle relaxers supposed to make you all drooly? not drooly. In fact, mostly still in pain)

Saturday... I had to clean my entire house. Like CA-LEAN. It was my friend Sara's 30th birthday party... we had it at our house bc the building she was going to have it in was way too big for the number of people coming. It was a bit snug at my house, but we had plenty of food (even vegan cupcakes! which were delicious! who knew?) and plenty to drink. But me, being stubborn, had to everything myself. So I basically cleaned the whole house. Sara came over to help me.. and I wouldn't let her. As soon as I finished... I was completely exhausted, but on muscle relaxers... so I was pretty sure that if I took a 20 minute power nap, I wouldn't wake up until tomorrow.

Today it's a bit better. I tried to take it easy at the ULTA on Sunday, and left early. I feel like if someone grabbed my legs... and someone else grabbed my arms... and they both pulled, THEN I'd feel better. I really need to call my chiropractor.

The only good thing that came out of this weekend is that I'm no longer panicking about the Big M Word. I've been feeling really bad about myself lately. Gene and I got into a really big fight on New Years Eve (great timing, right?) about weddings and all that... and he said something really hurtful that he didn't mean, but I haven't been able to get it out of my head. I mean, I've spent seven years of my life with this guy... we're not engaged... I want to be... I want to get married... he just wants to go to the JOP and "get it overwith." Real romantic, right? But my best friend was over Saturday night, and she talked me off of the ledge. I'm not entirely confident that it's going to get better, in all honesty, but she at least convinced me to stay.

How much is too much?

2010-01-05T11:54:00.003-05:00

How many times a week do you need to eat out for it to be too much? I went out for my friend's birthday last night to a fondue restuarant (seriously. Do you need to charge me that much to cook my own food though? And our server wasn't very nice at all. And spilled wine on our table and didn't clean it up). I'm going out to this little tavern tonight (with AMAZING food) because myself and two of my coworkers each have $40 gift certificates for there, so we're having a little date.

Next week, we're going to the restaurant OF MY FAVORITE EVER TOP CHEF CONTESTANT AND I AM SO FLIPPING EXCITED I CAN HARDLY STAND IT. I can't wait. I just want to skip over the rest of this week and go right to next Friday so I can eat at her restaurant. It was my Christmas present. I love Top Chef. I think it's the best reality contest show on television. My fave girl was from Philly.. and she was FIERCE. Also her restaurant is the closest to us. I was PISSED when she had to pack her knives. But now I get to eat her food (hopefully she works on a Friday night.. I figured that would be a good night to go)

I wanted to go this week, because I'm just so excited.. but Gene said that I'd be eating out three days this week and that is too much. I think that's just dumb. I think eating out 5-7 days a week is too much. And it's not like i eat out 3 days a week every week. This is a special week! Birthday! Top Chef! and gift certificates! That one almost doesn't count.

Who carries a machete?

2009-12-31T11:53:00.002-05:00

What a way to say goodbye to 2009.

My friend was a little nervous when she saw a homeless man sleeping in her hallway. She didn't want to call the police, so she called her landlord (who lives downstairs) to inform her. I guess the landlord called the police, because there was quite a scuffle in the hallway.. and my friend heard,

SIR. DO NOT REACH FOR THAT. DO NOT PULL OUT THAT MACHETE. SIR. DON'T TAKE THAT OUT... DO NOT RESIST! WE HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE THAT YOU CAN'T BE SOMEWHERE YOU DON'T BELONG.

Um. Why was a homeless man with a MACHETE sleeping outside my friend's door!??? And where does one acquire a machete? It's not like there are specialty machete stores. Not here, anyway!

I don't think she's going to mind that 2009 is over now... Happy New Year, everyone!

No, I'm fine. Really. I'm fine.

2009-12-30T16:20:00.002-05:00

Do you ever find yourself being unnaturally upset about something that in all honestly shouldn't mean that much?

My ex is engaged. Which is great. And honestly, I'm happy for him and I think that his fiancee is good for him. And really the problem isn't that my ex is engaged to someone else. It's that my ex is engaged before I am engaged. My ex who was terrified of committment and sabotaged our relationship by sleeping with someone else because we were getting more serious than he wanted to be. My ex who spend the following YEAR actively trying to sleep with me and get me back. My ex that I am still friends with, but there's that strange tension everytime we see each other because it's like I'm "the one who got away."

Should I be upset that this guy... mr. committment-phobe is engaged, and I, who has been in a very serious relationship for seven years, am not? Everyone is getting engaged and getting married before me. And every time someone else gets married or announces that they're getting engaged, I get more and more upset. Like actual tears upset. I don't know what to do. I'm never getting married.

I knew there was a reason I hated snow.

2009-12-21T09:06:00.002-05:00

Saturday was actually very lovely. Even though outside was ridiculous, I basically didn't move all day. We ended up with 17 inches. Gene did go out in the morning, because he had to work at the station, but he got there and came home without incident. The party in Jersey ended up being cancelled, and probably for the best because my friend would have made his 1000 shrimp, and then he would have been left to eat them all by himself.

Sunday, the roads were still a bit scary, and of course I had to go to my retail job. God forbid they take the safety of their employees into consideration. This morning everything was okay though.

The worst part of this whole thing is that my best friend is now stranded in Ireland. Her flight from Dublin to Philly was CANCELLED. She was supposed to come in on Sunday, and the earliest flight she could get out of Dublin was on Thursday..Christmas Eve. And I don't know if her trip is going to get extended, so that means that I probably won't get to see her since she'll only be home for 5 days instead of 10. Needless to say, I'm a bit angry at Mother Nature right now. She's only home twice a year. If worse comes to worst, then I'll just go to her house after Christmas Brunch with Daddy Dearest and hang out at her house. I know her family won't let me kidnap her for the day. I really hope that it works itself out...

Snow comes up, Charlie Brown. It comes up!

2009-12-18T12:36:00.003-05:00

You would think that living on the east coast, I'd be used to snow by now. I hate snow. People become stupid when it snows. Last weekend, my plans were ruined by snow. And THIS weekend it looks like they're going to be ruined by snow again. It's my friend's annual Night of 1000 Shrimp Party. This is the 4th year we've been invited (we've only known these people for 4 years) and it's the first time we've been able to go. And are we? Probably not if it's snowing.

The party is about 2 hours away... and after the fiasco driving to the Lehigh Valley last week, I'm absolutely NOT going ANYWHERE NEAR Jersey and their ridiculous drivers in this kind of weather. No thank you.

Don't get me wrong... snow is pretty. And when I was in school, I LOVED snow because that meant I got to stay home and play in it! But now? When it snows? I have to go to work. Because radio still happens when it snows. In fact, more people listen to the radio when it snows.. because we tell people what is closed. So I HAVE to go to work (unless it's a state of emergency I think, in which case that never happens here). If I got to just stay inside, drink hot chocolate, knit, watch movies, and LOOK at the snow... I'd be all for it. But instead, the snow is just going to screw up my weekend plans and then make me cry on my drive to work because everyone around me has completely forgotten how to drive in the snow.

This also makes me think of this one time Gene was pulled over last winter, and he had a shovel in his backseat. The police officer started grilling him about it... and I think he wanted to search the car or something, and Gene just said, "Um, officer? We live in Delaware. It snows here. I need the shovel to dig my car out, and last time it was in my trunk, the trunk was iced shut."

Eight more hours

2009-12-17T11:47:00.002-05:00

That's how much extra time per day I'd like. Mainly do I can go for 24 hours, sleep for 8 hours, and then go for another 24. Honest to Pete... I have so many things that need to be done. I'm much farther along in my knitting (haven't worked on the sweater at all, though.. I'm pretty sure he's getting sweater pieces for Christmas). But my other Christmas PURCHASES I'm slacking on.

I also don't have a Christmas tree up. We did a major clean of the downstairs (I even cleaned out THE CLOSET) in preparation for the tree. And then life happened. So... no tree. And unless Gene can grade and I can knit WHILE we put up the tree, I don't see it happening anytime soon. Our first Christmas living together, I put up our tree BY MYSELF on Christmas Eve. I'm not doing that again!

I'm not baking cookies this year. Usually, I have a battle with my aunt. She always brings cookies. 24 cookies. For 30 people. I bring 300 cookies. And have little left overs. And she gets SO MAD when I bring cookies... and I think it's hilarious.

I also have to deal with Christmas with 3 families. We've never had a problem before this year. Since Daddy Dearest effed things up five years ago, we have 3 families to deal with instead of 2. Christmas Eve we spend with Gene's parents. Christmas morning we drive an hour to my mom's house, then I go to my dad's for dinner. Wonderful. Well, last year... we switched it up. We had Christmas dinner at our house Christmas night, and saw my mom on Christmas Eve instead so that I had all day to cook. Because of that, my dad, my brother, my sister, and myself got to exchange gifts by ourselves like we used to, instead of in front of our extended family. I think my dad really liked that.

Because of that, this year Daddy Dearest is trying to convince us to drive to his house (which is out of the way for everyone involved) Christmas morning. Well, that doesn't work. I'm not driving an hour away to go to dinner 20 minutes from my house and turn a 20 minute drive into a 2 1/2 hour drive. No. So then he wants us to come over on Christmas Eve. No. So now we've compromised. We're having Christmas brunch on Saturday (which is also my sister's birthday). It was dinner, but it became brunch because my brother has to work and blah blah blah. Seriously... this is getting to be way more of a hassle than it needed to be. But if my dad had thought of this, oh, SOMETIME earlier than 10 days before Christmas, then we could have worked something else out!

And in the midst of all of this, I'm trying to figure out when I can see Ireland Girl when she's home for all of 10 days. Of those 10 days, there are only two where I am available. But she doesn't know what her family has planned, so it's entirely possible that I won't see her at all while she's home. And then I will have a sad.

Nomination Time

2009-12-15T14:45:00.003-05:00

I love Golden Globes and Oscar time. I love speculating who is going to win vs. who I want to win. And this year I have some very strong opinions. So I decided to break down those categories that I have strong feelings about.

Best Motion Picture - Drama
Avatar
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
Up in the Air

The only film I've seen in this list is Up in the Air, so obviously I want that to win. Based on other buzz and reviews I've seen, however, I think that Precious is probably going to take it.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Sandra Bullock, The Proposal
Marion Cottilard, Nine
Julia Roberts, Duplicity
Meryl Streep, It’s Complicated
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

I saw The Proposal. And I saw Julie & Julia. I am going to see It's Complicated, because apparently one of my friends from college has a scene with Meryl and Alec (HOW AWESOME IS THAT??), and I intend to see Nine because I love that musical. I haven't heard of Duplicity. But, again, based on what I saw and what I've heard.... I think (and want) Meryl Streep to win for Julia Child. It was just awesome.

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Penélope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Mo’Nique, Precious
Julianne Moore, A Single Man

I LOVE ANNA KENDRICK. I love her. I thought she was hilarious in Camp... she's my favorite part of that movie. She's perfect as Jessica in the Twilight Saga (in fact if you ask anyone who knows me... I SQUEALED when I saw that Anna would be playing Jessica. Because I love her). She was great in Up in the Air. I really want her to win. She won't. But I really want her to. I think Mo'Nique is probably going to take that... or Julianne Moore.

It's not that I don't CARE about the other categories, but these are the categories that I have strong feelings about. I do hope Clooney wins for Up in the Air. I really thought that was a great film.

I also have strong opinions for the television nominations also. I hope Mad Men wins again for best drama. This season was I think the best yet, and if you aren't watching Mad Men yet, what is wrong with you? Mad Men is the awesome! But I'd be just as happy if True Blood won. I'm torn on best actress for drama... because I love Anna Paquin, Kyra Sedgwick, January Jones, and Juliana Margulies (not that I hate Glenn Close because I loves her, I just don't watch Damages).

The only thing that I will be upset if it doesn't happens... I love my NPH. And Barney Stinson is (wait for it) legendary. I think it's Neil's time.

Christmas Knitting check-in

2009-12-11T10:00:00.002-05:00

We are 2 weeks from Christmas. And how's my knitting going?

People who are done:
* Sister
* Mom
* nuWife

People are are started:
* Brother (90%)
* Gene (60%)
* Colleen (50%)
* Future MIL (5%)

Not even started:
* Gene's gramma
* Gene's dad (if I have time...)

I had to do a few switcheroos. If you notice... Daddy Dearest is off the list, and Brother is in. Why? Because when I asked my brother what he wanted for Christmas he said, "But I thought you were making something for me..." in a very disappointed "but I was really looking forward to that" kind of way, and I melted. So my dad's scarf is now for my brother. So now my father is the only person in my immediate family who isn't getting anything handknit from me. But you know what? I've never IN MY LIFE seen that man wear a scarf or a hat. I think once I saw him wear gloves. And if he really wants something, then I'll make something.

I also changed the MIL's gift from mittens to a cowl. Why? Because the pattern I picked for the mittens is written in Dutch. I don't speak or read Dutch. There is an English translation, but it isn't written as clearly as I like patterns written... and I'm not doing math nor am I guessing. So cowl it is. It's still in the same yarn (white alpaca... very elegant and VERY warm) and I started it yesterday.

I finally found the sleeves for Gene's sweater. And even though his is my largest project, and I started his first... his is the last on my list. It's probably good anyway, because if I give it to him unfinished... I can have him try it on and make sure it's fitting. He really has no idea that it's coming, though. I think. I think he's tried to pry and SEE if I'm giving him a sweater, but I'm really good at the "I'm never making you a sweater, damnit" game.

I totally forgot that I told Gene I would make his grandmother something. Hers might not be done by Christmas. It's most likely not going to be done by Christmas. She's getting a hot water bottle and a lovely cabled hot water bottle cover.

Colleen's HAS TO BE FINISHED. Her mittens don't take me very long, but I also wanted to do a hat to match. But I don't feel like international shipping. She comes back to the States Dec 20 and is here for about 10 days... so hers needs to get done fairly soon. I want to be farther along in the MIL first.

WHY WHY WHY did I do this to myself!????

Why can't I just give it up?

2009-12-09T10:39:00.003-05:00

We all know that I consider myself a "recovering" actor. Every now and then, I have a relapse (like when I did the 2008 NYC Fringe Festival) but then I go back to my regularly scheduled life. I do keep many actor friends. Most of my friends from college were actors... and most of them live in NYC or LA trying to make it work in "the business."

Then I have my poker friends who are also actors, but I met them post college (and I'm the youngest by I think only 5 years, but most of them are 10+ years older than I). One of these friends is an agent, and he's the agent for all these guys. Then I have my friend Kevin who lives in NYC and keeps trying to get me to give him my resume (both acting and professional) because he thinks I'd be "awesome" in New York. And I have a guy who works with me at the station who tells me every. day. how I have a great voice and a lot of talent (he's never seen me act before, for the record) and that he thinks I need to pursue it.

Ideally, I'd LOVE to be a voice over actor. I would love nothing more than to just voice things for the rest of my life. That's actually been my dream since I was young. Then, I wanted to be a Disney princess. Now I'll settle for whatever. I have the resources. I understand the business. I'm just a little bit chicken, and a lot overwhelmed. I didn't deal well with rejection, which was why I left acting. But a large part of me wants to ask my agent friend to maybe send me out on a few commercial auditions. Or ask my friend Kevin if he knows a voice agent who would work with me or at least listen to my demo.

I don't know... I'm torn.

Weekend SNAFU

2009-12-07T10:03:00.002-05:00

I was so looking forward to this weekend. Gene and I were going on a date (out to dinner at this GREAT local restaurant we love, and then drove up to Philly to see Up in the Air at one of the limited release theatres--it's great. Go see it.). We were taking a trip up to see our friends on Saturday, and then I was getting my hairs did on Sunday.

Friday night, as I said, was wonderful. The food was awesome... the movie was great... I had a really nice time. I should date my boyfriend more often. Then Saturday happened. It snowed here on Saturday, and by snowed... I mean, snow came out of the sky and melted as soon as it hit the ground. So when we made our decision to still do our little day trip and go to our friends' house, we didn't know what we were in for. We felt a bit obligated to go. They just bought a house... and we're close with them, but don't see them often since they live an hour and a half north, up near where we all went to college. Before we left, I had a pretty nasty vertigo spell and thought about convincing Gene to stay home, but felt guilty and decided to suck it up.

As we're driving north, the weather is getting progressively worse... but we still think we're doing all right. We're driving slowly, taking our time, being safe. It's annoying, but it isn't dangerous. Then we get a few miles away from the college.. and there is easily 3 inches of snow on the ground, and no one around us knows how to move in it. They all accelerating quickly, then slamming on their breaks, and sliding all over the place. That's not how you drive in snow. When you're driving in snow.. you need to keep steady motion. If you stop, that's when you get stuck... so you just have to keep moving. Even if it's really really slow.. KEEP. MOVING. Gene is yelling at everyone around us... but we make it through. We're moving at a good pace (for driving through snow...) and then we get to the other main road in the area. This road is very VERY hilly. In fact, it's the only road that leads to the town we're going to, and it's up a giant hill, and then down a giant hill.

As we're approaching the giant hill, my GPS tells us to turn left. Okay. I probably should have looked ahead to see where it was taking us. Since we had never been to our friends' house before, we just thought maybe they lived behind the chinese place we used to always eat at. But no. The GPS brings us BACK to the giant hill. Only this time, we have to make a left turn at an awkward angle IN THE SNOW to go UP A HILL where people are sliding all over the fucking place. Luckily there are less people going down the hill... and we decide to make a right, go down the hill, and decide from there.

Except I just kept driving. We made the decision to just go home. If those people were having a hard time, us turning around and getting back in line isn't going to make things easier. And then we still have to get HOME a few hours later. We stop at the gas station with the big convenient store (not Wawa, sadly. I love me some Wawa) get some snacks, fill up the tank, and try to go home. I'm FREAKING out at this point, because the snow is getting worse, and I'm convinced we're going to have to sleep in an Econo Lodge or something and go home in the morning, or worse, sleep in the car in the middle of the road because we're stuck. We get back on the road to immediately stop. For 30 minutes. Because a sports car on the opposite side of the road is disabled. Twenty feet in front of him, another sedan and a jeep are disabled, and there are two tractor trailers that can't get by them. So we're at an impass.

The guy in front of us in camo WITH A GIANT ASS KNIFE storms out of his car and talks to the cop that's helping the sports car, gets back in his car, and drives AROUND the tractor trailers in the MIDDLE of the road. Everyone follows. Once we got past that little cluster, we were home free. The farther south we drove, the warmer the ground was, so nothing was sticking. By the time we got home, it was just raining. But I still had vertigo.

The lime... it burns...

2009-12-01T10:49:00.003-05:00

After months of borrowing Gene's car... and being dependant on other people for rides and whatnot... I finally have a car of my very own. It's the second car that I've purchased for myself. All my other cars were hand-me-down or Daddy Dearest E-Bay Specials (my dad has a problem. He likes to buy cars off ebay. It isn't a good idea. We're pretty sure that one of my cars was hot..).

This is also the very first ever NEW car. Not new-to-me car. I've never driven a new car before, let alone OWNED one. Well. Technically I don't own it YET. Not outright anyway. But it's mine.

After three hours (God, that was a long day) at the dealership... I drove away with a 2010 Hyundai Accent... lime green. Why lime green? Because that's the one that they were knocking a whole shit ton of money off for me (because I'm awesome... or because car dealerships are desperate). I loves it. It's funny because when I test drove it, I drove a black one. I said to Gene when I got home "they are all really cute... and I really don't care about color, but there is this light green and light blue that I don't really care for." And what do I get? LIME GREEN. It is cute though. And I can mock the brightness of my car because it's just that... MY CAR.

Wedding number 7... DONE.

2009-11-24T10:48:00.002-05:00

This wedding was becoming a big source of terror in my life for about a month... for a few reasons. The bride and I used to be best friends. Used to be being the important part of that sentence. We didn't speak for almost 6 years. And the music that I was singing was challenging music. And I haven't sung in a public setting in over 3 years. So, you can imagine my fear.

The singing went great, actually. My voice didn't crack... I wasn't flat... and I made people cry. That's always my goal... making people cry when I sing. It's a weird goal, but to me, that's the best compliment. Because I always cry when I think someone is amazing, and that's a big compliment from me. One of my friends said that she didn't like the rendition that I sang of Ave Maria because it was too fast... and it could have been. I'd never sang Ave Maria before, so I really don't have a concept of pacing. I thought it felt slow, actually. I like when songs feel like they're moving... it helps me breathe better.

The ceremony was beautiful. The bride looked gorgeous... and her son was waving at her throughout the entire ceremony. And when the priest pronounced that his parents were married, he said "YEAH YEAH YEAH!!" He's one. And awesome. The music was beautiful (and I'm not talking about the singing here.. I'm talking the accompaniment). Her friend played the guitar. Before the ceremony started, he played The Rainbow Connection, God Only Knows, In My Life, and Over the Rainbow (last minute addition). The bride walked down the aisle to I Will, and they left the church to I've Just Seen a Face followed by Let My Love Open the Door. I was dancing in the choir loft to Let My Love Open the Door.

At the ceremony... instead of signing a guestbook, we signed Home Plate. For serious. Their cake topper was a model of the couple in their wedding attire with Phillies jerseys overtop. We had rally towels with the date printed on it, and when the couple came in (after being announced like the starting lineup at a Phillies game) we all waved our rally towels. It was so cool. If you can't tell... the bride and groom are big Phillies phans. She told me that she was trying to hire the Phanatic to come to the wedding, but I guess that didn't happen.

We did have a really good time... I danced a lot. My whole body was sore the next day. The only downside to the whole day was that I was forced to sit at a table with people I severely dislike from high school. People who didn't bother to show up for the ceremony... barely said congratulations to the bride and groom... didn't dance... and wouldn't even say hello to me when they first showed up. As soon as they figured out they were sitting with me at dinner, they started sucking up real fast. They also MOVED MY STUFF so that they could sit closer to the bride. And they didn't even have cameras. But. Against my better judgement and lack of a filter, I was very polite... I didn't call then the four letter word I really wanted to... I didn't start a fight. I just put up a wall, spent my evening with the people who attended that I did like.

And then I went home and played my new Super Mario Brothers Wii game. Because I'm a big ol' nerd.

It's an honor just to be nominated

2009-11-23T09:13:00.003-05:00

Wedding update to come later today or tomorrow.. I promise.

But! Apparently, I've been nominated for a contest over at Candy's Daily Dandy! And I needs your votes. So vote for me please!! I'm #10.

I can't believe it's here.

2009-11-20T08:51:00.002-05:00

No, not Thanksgiving, Black Friday, or even Christmas music that is already driving me crazy. I can't believe my final wedding of the year is here. Wedding #7. This wedding is the one that I've been dreading.

It's my "best" friend from high school... and I'm singing. I haven't sung out loud in front of people in almost 3 years. I've been practicing my ass off... I've already warmed up my voice today (8am! My neighbors LOVE me). I have my music with me at work... I have lots of tea and lots of water (cuz oh yeah, I still have a cold and nasal congestion! awesome.)

The music has already been changed once a few weeks ago. I'm singing Schubert's Ave Maria (that's the one everyone knows), You Were Mine (which I thought was a funeral song...), the funniest Responsorial Psalm EVER (May your children flourish like olive plants. I have to sing that. And not laugh), and then the bane of my existence.

I suggested to the bride that we do Panis Angelicus for the Eucharistic hymn. She said that she loves that song... and that it's a great idea. Wonderful! Well, I couldn't meet with the music director when they all wanted to do that, so I met with my accompanist the next day. We go over the Panis Angelicus...and it is SO not the version that I know. And I even said to them "MAKE SURE IT'S THE CAESAR FRANCK VERSION." That's the one everyone knows. It's beautiful. Apparently, the music director said "I have two versions of this song. A really really complicated version and a much simpler composition." Guess which one I know. They picked the simple one. I only discovered this seriously like 9 days before the wedding, and at this point, that's way too late to say "Yeah.. um.. we need to do the other one." I did call the bride IMMEDIATELY and warn her that the Panis Angelicus that we're singing is not going to be the Panis Angelicus that she thinks it is. She asked if it was still going to sound good. I mean, it is.. it sounds like it belongs in a funeral because of all the flats.. but it'll sound fine, I suppose. It's a bit boring because it's the same 4 notes over and over again.

I'm still not comfortable with it. And I no longer have a piano (well, keyboard) on my person, so I couldn't even teach myself the song. I'm hoping that it'll just come to me at the rehearsal tonight. I'm a bit terrified. It's funny, because I was fine with the Panis Angelicus and worried about the Ave Maria before this... because it's the song the bride was most excited about.

Please let this go well.

Overwhelmed by the Christmas.

2009-11-13T09:26:00.003-05:00

I know it isn't Thanksgiving yet, but Christmas is already giving me an ulcer. This is my first Christmas since I've "rediscovered" knitting, and I decided to do my first handmade Christmas. I know. I'll regret it. But for right now, that's the plan. One of my Christmas presents is 95% finished... my sister's. They're completely knitting, but I need to line them with fleece. Because I'm an overachiever.

The rest of my Christmas knitting?
* Mother = not started. And I can't even talk about it because my mother is in the blogosphere and follows my blog.
* Gene = 40% done? He's getting the biggest knitting project. I started it in September. I'm pretty sure he doesn't read my blog, but just in case he's a little sneak... I'm not saying what it is. But it's full of win.
* My brother = no idea what I'm making him. I don't even have yarn or a pattern picked out.
* Daddy Dearest = yarn is purchased, pattern is picked out. He's getting a scarf. I don't know if he's a scarf wearing person, but his job takes him to very cold places (Vermont, Canada, Washington... it's cold in those places)
* nuWife = I feel if I'm making something for EVERYONE else, I should probably make something for nuWife. So she's getting a scarf too. Ridiculously easy pattern that looks more difficult than it is. Win.
* Gene's dad = Don't know. I have the yarn. Don't know what I'm doing. It's Eagles Green... Gene says scarf. Maybe I'll do a similar pattern to what I'm making for Daddy Dearest.
* Gene's mom = super cool mittens out of ALPACA!! I loves alpaca. Not as much as I LURVE merino, but I loves alpaca.
* Gene's gramma = don't know, but she's so fascinated that I'm a knitter and loves looking at all my projects, so I HAVE to make her something. Ideas??? Gene thinks maybe slippers.
* Best Friend = I don't know if she reads this blog either, but she already knows she's getting mittens because that's what she asked for. It's cold in Ireland.

Here's my dilemma. Now, those of you who are NOT crafters are the ones I'm talking to. This notion is highly debated on ravelry often... where the people who make gifts for don't understand the work and love that went into making it. I've heard many stories of knitters making socks (which take a long time! For me anyway) for people who say "Oh, thanks." and then never wear them. I know that my sister and the best friend will appreciate what I make. I know my mom and Gene's parents will appreciate what I make. It's my brother, Daddy Dearest, and nuWife that I'm worried about. I've never made anything for them before... so I can't really gauge their reaction. Also, my craft bloggy friends know that yarn ain't cheap. At least GOOD yarn ain't cheap. And I like the good stuff. I wasn't planning on getting much else for people for Christmas. Usually I'll do one big gift and then a few little things. Well. This is the big gift. What if they hate it? What if they think I'm a cheapskate, even though I KNOW that I'm not... and I KNOW that I spend a lot on yarn, and spent a lot of my time making the project.

It always amazes me when people who aren't crafters of any kind discover that I'm a knitter. They almost always say, "Well, you must save so much money on sweaters!" Not really. I've made 3 adult sweaters. The yarn on each of those was around $60. It could easily have been $100. I had someone I work with ask me to make her a sweater. I said, well... a sweater is between 30 and 40 hours of work, so let's say it's a complicated sweater and it takes me 40 hours. At $10 an hour (which is actually a low price) that's about $400 plus cost of materials. Her jaw dropped to the floor. You wouldn't ask a carpenter to build you a bookshelf and pay him $50.

I'm just so worried. I want my family to love my work... and to love what I do.

ROAD TRIP!!!

2009-11-09T10:47:00.002-05:00

Okay not yet. But this week! Road trip! With my mom!

We're driving out to western Pennsylvania to see my baby sister in her first college play. She's a freshmen this year, and she was cast in a Mainstage show (it's a BFD) so we're driving out to see her. It's about a four hour drive... and we're staying about an hour away, bc I have hotel connections there. So free hotel! yay!

We used to do family roadtrips all the time. Mama Gigi (my gramma) lived in Maryland, and while she was alive, we would drive the three-ish hours once a month to see her. We would ALWAYS have the following for family road trips (that never included my dad. Ever. That really should have been a red beacon of a clue) Taco Bell Supreme Doritos (REMEMBER THOSE??? THEY WERE GOOD!), Cool Ranch Doritos, pretzels, gatorade, water, and some kind of soda. And we always played the license plate game (keep track of all the different states you see), and this other band game. I don't remember the name. I think we called it the band game. We were very inventive. I would say the name of a singer or a band, let's say The Beatles. Then you would have to say the name of a singer or band that began with the letter S because Beatles ends in S. And so on and so forth, until you get stuck. And you can't repeat bands.

On one road trip (to North Carolina.. NINE HOURS) we saw every single license plate in the US and a lot of Canada except for one state. North Dakota. It took me almost ten years to see a North Dakota license plate... and it was last year in a random parking lot in Delaware. I was so excited. I was convinced that cars didn't exist in North Dakota.

For this road trip, we have a book on tape! Now, this book on tape has been a bit of a controversy. I originally wanted to get Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (IT'S AMAZING. READ IT NOW.) but there were 3 problems. It's expensive to buy, it's hard to find in a library, and it's 32 hours unabridged. The abridged version is 8 hours. That's A LOT cut out. So I refuse to get it abridged. My library does have it, but the waiting list is 8 people deep. So I'm not getting it by Friday. I did find a website where I could download it for $7.50, but then there was the 32 hours dilemma. It's only a 4 hour trip. So we'd really only listen to about 1/3 of it.

I got a backup book on tape (ok, cd) from the library... an Alex Cross James Patterson novel. We both like James Patterson (and Alex Cross) and neither of us have read this book. It's also only 8 hours unabridged. So it's a better fit. But I REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to listen to Outlander, because I know my mom would love it. I'm a bit disappointed.

Now I need to figure out what else we're bringing for road trip snacks! Doritos are a must. But as for the other stuff? Suggestions??

At least I no longer sound like Mrs. Turnblad

2009-11-02T10:33:00.004-05:00

Halloween was a mixed holiday for me this year. Normally, I love getting dressed up. I usually spend an entire year trying to come up with the perfect costume. Every year, we go to this big Halloween party with our poker friends and it's always a lot of fun. But this year was bittersweet. Last Halloween was the last time I saw my friend, the chocolate cake man.

So this year, we decided to boycott all things Halloween related and celebrate the Phillies being in the World Series instead. You can see how well that went for us (they lost... in case you aren't paying attention to baseball. They have to win tonight, or else the bastard Yankees get yet another World Series win.)

My Halloween weekend started on Friday, when I went into work for a whole hour... went to the doctor... discovered I had a fever (I don't get fevers hardly ever, and when I do... I'm REALLY sick) and went the hell home. I had to pick Gene up from school, and we went to the drug store to pick up a few things. I decided to stay in the car, so I didn't cough all over everyone inside, and he went inside. When I went to start the car up to go home and make dinner, the car wouldn't start. It just clicked. Because our battery was starting to die. Luckily, we have AAA... they came out to give us a jump, and we had the battery (which was only about a year old) replaced the next day. Thank goodness it was only a faulty battery and not something like the starter. That's the last thing we need right now... zero car. I spent my Halloween evening locked in my house with the lights off watching a really really bad movie upstairs. Wolverine: Origins. It was really bad. And because I'm sick, I didn't want to spread my germ love around to the neighborhood kids.

On the bright side, I no longer sound like Harvey Fierstein... my fever is gone... and I get to see my sister in two weeks. I guess things are starting to look up.

Being sick sucks monkeyballs.

2009-10-28T12:22:00.002-04:00

I really hate being sick. I hate leaving work because I'm sick, because I feel as if I'm bailing on some obligation. I know that's silly... and I should take care of myself, but still. That's how I feel.

I'm not one of those people who comes to work when they're at death's door. I did go to work today, but that's because there are things that I HAD to get done (things that no one else but me does) and once they were finished, I went home.

I woke up yesterday feeling kind of icky... throughout the day it was getting worse. And that area right behind your jaw hurt SO BADLY (apparently, that's where your ear tubes are? And mine are CON-GESTED!!!) that I couldn't think straight. I also had one hell of a sinus headache. Convinced that I had a sinus infection and needed an antibiotic, I went to the doctor. I see the one PA that I can't stand (because she keeps trying to make me get blood work done once a year... I was tested ONCE for arthritis, and it was negative, and now she's up my butt about it) and she condescending told me that I needed to take my allergy medicine and get some Mucinex-D. She's often condescending. I'm sorry for WASTING your time, but I'm sick. So... there.

By the time I got home from work yesterday, my entire body was aching and I kept switching between being FREEZING and sweating. So I guess I have a flu...

One of the lovely ladies at Ravelry suggested a bunch of things, one being a hot toddy. Have you ever had one of those? Because they are DELICIOUS. And made my throat instantly feel better. Where were these in college!????

For a hot toddy... you boil some water, and steep cloves in it. Whole cloves. I took them out after a few minutes, because who wants to drink whole cloves? Then you put in a lemon wedge. Then you put in a few tablespoons of honey. Then you put in a shot of rum/whiskey/scotch/bourbon. I used the rum that my mom got for me at St. Marteen's. It's called Guavaberry rum? It's awesome.

Unrelated to being sick, however, was the sight of my lawn this morning. I live in the city... but in my neighborhood there is this strip of land (a parkway, if you will) that a lot of people play baseball on, walk their dogs, etc. And the parkway runs the entire length of my neighborhood. This morning.... the parkway in front of my house was COVERED with black birds. It was a scene right out of The Birds. And I thought about going inside to get my camera to take a picture... but I was seriously afraid that the flash would make them attack me.. and then I WOULD be in a scene from The Birds. And that's the last thing I need today... being sick AND attacked by HUNDREDS of black birds? No thanks.

Who has their party panties on?!?

2009-10-26T09:04:00.005-04:00

The party started at 4pm... as expected. And went until 3 am... as expected (or rather, 3am is when I got home.) Dinner beforehand was okay. I had a poor excuse for a cheesesteak, but delicious spinach and artichoke dip with old bay seasoned pita chips. Then we hung out at the bride's house before it was time to go to Philly.

Of course, we had obnoxious bachelorette paraphranalia: pink mini tiaras... a tiara with a veil on it... NAME TAGS... and that was it. We had some interesting names. Brinks, Party Panties (bride), Tinkerbell, Wendy Moira Angela Darling (me), Tits McGee (Maid of Honor), Kitten, Rizzo, and I forget the last one. I guess only Party Panties and Tits McGee were inappropriate. "Party panties" was a phrase that was used often throughout the day. At one of our other friend's wedding a few years ago, some older woman made a comment about our friend's lack of underwear... so she told the old broad that she was wearing her "party panties." I wasn't there, but it's pretty damn funny.

I have a question though. And it's a serious one. I know that Philadelphia as well as some other big cities with fancier clubs (that charge $8 for a jack and ginger? That's the price of a martini at home!) have dress codes. As in, don't wear sneakers.. don't wear a t-shirt. Is it normal to have 50% of the men in said bar in a suit? I mean SUIT. Suit pants, suit jacket, dress shirt, and a tie. Suit. Because at one point, a dozen Barney Stinson's walked in. Together. I'm pretty sure as they got ready, one of them said, "Suit up!" One told me friend that if they had a dance off, he would win. So I started tap dancing. He went away.

For serious. Time steps. In a bar. To club music. Clearly... I'm awesome.

I was really expecting the night to be a lot crazier than it was. And I didn't have a whole lot to drink. A bit at the bride's house, a shot, and one jack & ginger (SINCE IT WAS $8!!!) that was mostly jack.. but that was it. But I really thought that people would try to mess with us and get all in our faces... and we did have some of that. We had the Barney Stinsons and the hot dog. Yup. Someone dressed IN A HOT DOT COSTUME. It's still a week until Halloween, sir. Put the hotdog costume away.