Is Anyone Surprised?

Sulu is gay. Scooter will be indicted. Rove will not (as of today).

Tales of Concerts Part Two

Def Leppard and Bryan Adams at Nissan Pavilion. It was an interesting crowd to say the least. This outing was inspired by Paul's friend Jorge's love of DL. Melissa and I enjoy Bryan Adams and DL in a completely casual, hey the song is on the radio and we like to sing along with it kind of way. Chris and Paul went because we ladies were going. So when Paul over stressed how vital it was that I leave work early to get to his house when Jorge got there, I complied. Granted, I was a bit annoyed with how little thought Paul gave to the fact that I needed to leave an hour early from a job that rarely lets me do that, but I did it. So, I left work about 15 minutes later than planned and ended up taking a cab to Paul's because he had me so afraid of making Jorge miss part of this concert only to arrive at Paul's and wait for Jorge for a good 20 to 30 minutes. Needless to say I was not in a great mood at that point. All I needed to do was vent for 2 minutes and then I would have been fine, but Paul was not in a great mood either and when I started to say something he bit my head off and I backed away instead of creating more drama. Ugh. To add to this already bad situation, Paul thought Melissa was supposed to call when they were on the way to the concert. When it was about 20 minutes before the concert and she hadn't called, he finally listened to my suggestion that he call her. They were already there. Okay. So we get there, wait around and find them and miss about the entire Bryan Adams set. Paul and I went to get beer and food (neither of us had eaten which added to our surliness) and I tried to talk to him about it in totally the wrong way. "I think it's interesting that the one person you were making everyone stress out about being on time for is the one who made us all late". Yeah, not really the best approach I admit. So when Paul snapped at me in reply I oh so maturely walked away. I grew up and started acting like a big girl and said "Look, all I need is 10 minutes to be grumpy about this and for you to understand that I deserve that 10 minutes" and then everything was okay and we all enjoyed the show.

More Catch Up

1. Tales of Concerts Part One

Weezer and Foo Fighters at the GMU Patriot Center. Originally, Agie and I were going to take our men along with us to this show. Her husband wasn't able to go at one point, then Paul and I broke up for those two hours in NC and I offered the ticket to Katie, then Agie offered her extra to her friend Cindy who is a hoot and a half, then I thought Paul would still want to go so then Agie offered it to her husband, then Paul thought Katie was going, etc.... When all was said and done Agie, Cindy and I went and I had an extra ticket which really kinda sucked but was 99% my fault and I ended up selling it for $20 or so to a scalper.

The girls and I had the day off from work (Thank you Mr. Columbus for "discovering" our great nation) so we headed out early with the thought of grabbing some grub and tailgating in the lot before the show. We stopped and ate some delish bbq, parked at the Patriot Center and broke open the bottle of wine. Keep in mind Paul had warned me not to drink in the parking lot since it was on a campus. Bringing up my numerous drinking in parking lot experiences I pshawed him...maybe even laughed a bit. During the second bottle of wine, the girls and I were laughing and having a great time. Such a great time that none of us paid much attention to the mini-van that parked behind us perpendicular to Agie's car. Nor did we pay mind to the two people in black hooded sweatshirts that walked up to each side of the car. We each thought they were more of the stadium workers being dropped off. Yeah, no. The woman on Agie's side leaned into the window, slid her badge out from under her sweatshirt and said "I assume you all are of age, right?". Oh, the look of disappointment that crossed her face when we said yes. Our word was good enough for her, but not for the Beer Garden peeps inside.

One of the many drawbacks of seeing a show at the Patriot Center is the way they sell "adult beverages". They have these things called Beer Gardens which are fenced in areas that you go to to purchase and consume alcohol. There are only about 4 or 5 of these prisons in the entire arena. You aren't allowed to take any beverages out with you. Basically, if you want a beer during the show you have to miss the show. It gets better. You get carded by a person at a table in front of the BG. They stamp your hand and put a wristband on you. Then you walk five steps to the entrance where you are once again carded while your wristband is checked. Then you enter the BG (which again, is completely walled in) where upon placing your order YOU ARE CARDED AGAIN. Because the double carding, wristband, handstamping and walled enclosure aren't enough. Sigh.

Anyways, the show was fan-fricken-tastic. Weezer and Foo both sound great live so it was worth any hassle. Weezer played My Name is Jonas and Foo played The One. Two relatively unknown but favorite songs of mine. I like to think they knew I was there. And of course, Buddy Holly, Undone, and Everlong.

At A Loss For Words

Paul has been under a lot of stress lately and very busy picking up extra shifts at his part time job. This has made him a bit grumpy and forgetful (both understandable under the circumstances). It sucks having someone I care about unhappy, plus I don't get to see him as much as I'd like, but IMHO I am being very understanding and non-demanding. The one thing I really like is him calling before going to bed. I like to hear his voice before I fall asleep (which given recent events I don't think is unreasonable - more later) and given what little contact we do have during the day is through im or texting on our phones, one one minute call at the end of the day isn't too much to ask, right? Not hearing the voice of the person you are involved with for an entire day (sometimes more) has an odd effect. It tends to make you forget things like how just a simple interaction with that person makes you feel better about just about anything or how funny they can be or the reasons why you like them. So when I got this im from Paul this afternoon I busted out laughing and smiled, remembering why I like the guy so darn much.

"My day got so much better now that I have underwear".

It's No Aquagirl

But I guess I'll deal.

Your Superhero Profile

Your Superhero Name is The Lion FlareYour Superpower is Extra-dimensionalYour Weakness is SnakesYour Weapon is Your Kinetic PitchforkYour Mode of Transportation is Dragon

What's" your Superhero Name?

Small Break

Okay, that should tide you over until Monday when I promise to continue getting up to speed. Things to look forward to:

1. Tales of concerts - Weezer, Foo Fighters, Chris Isaak and last but not least the double bill of Bryan Adams and Def Leppard. No, I'm not kidding.
2. Weekend in NC with Paul's dad.
3. Planning for trip home.
4. Work woes.
5. Wedding bells.

Boston Trip

I had such a great time in Boston. I flew up Thursday morning, got picked up by Paul, his dad (Mr. E) and nieces and then went to the hotel for a nap. Thursday evening we had the rehearsal dinner for Paul's cousin's wedding (hereafter known as S&P). It was nice, small and without a great amount of drama. We rode out with Paul's aunt and uncle with Mr. E following with Paul's brother's family (bro, wife, two daughters). Unfortunately, we got lost.....even with GPS. It was pretty funny to us, but I'm sure Mr. E was about to kill us.

Friday we went shopping at the mall to pick up some stuff (belt for Paul, sweaters for the ladies), had lunch and then went back to the hotel for a nap (hey - I was on vacation) and to get prettied up. I must say Paul and I clean up pretty damn well. About 1/2 an hour before the ceremony I got a text from Agie saying "I'm so sorry". I figured my boss was freaking out about something so I texted back "Why?". Little did I know what it really was.

Turns out a coworker of mine (the one in the office that I had the least amount of good feelings towards) was killed in a car accident in KY. Every year we do a media tour through KY and TN right after our big MV event and she was on it this year. Blind intersection, hill, fast truck. She was killed instantly thank God (for the instant part, not the dead part). Just awful. She was only 28. I pretty much felt like a chump having fun the rest of the weekend.

The wedding was at the family church where Paul's mother's family has all been married, baptized, funeraled (yes, I made that up just now - deal). After the ceremony we headed over to the reception which was at a restaurant on the water. Great view, good food and wine and most importantly, a bar adjacent to the reception room that was showing the Sox/Yankees game. Even with the DJ giving end of inning updates, most of the wedding party (including the groom) and the guests ended up in the bar at some point. We ended up catching a ride back to the hotel with Adam, the bride's brother, and his wife. I was done at that point so Paul put me to bed and went to get food and party with his aunt, uncle and cousin among others. Paul and Adam ran into a bunch of San Diego Chargers in the elevator, which I imagine can be a bit disconcerting when you are drunk.

Saturday was spent recuperating and watching more baseball. We rallied and headed into the city to meet up with my brother, sister-in-law and mother for dinner. After trudging (ahem, strolling) around Beacon Hill we finally got a table at a small Italian restaurant and had a pretty good dinner. It was great spending time with my family and Paul. I miss having fun and laughing with my brother.

Sunday we headed back home but of course no Paul and PlanB travel is complete without some sort of delay/trouble with transportation. Our flight was a bit late bording, then we were told once we had boarded that it would be about 1/2 an hour because one of the a/cs wasn't working. Then we were told to deplane because it was going to take an hour to fix. So Paul was chipper at this point. I hate when stuff like that happens, not because of the inconvenience (that is a pain, but it is manageable) but because Paul can get really, um, what's the word..... pissy. He tends to become very selfish in situations like that. He gets mad, complains and pretty much makes it so I can't be grumpy and mad because two of us like that would be awful. I usually try to make it not so bad, he usually foils my attempts and continues his grump. So it was a delightful trip home to say the least. And we didn't even have the worst of it - we were only three hours late getting back. Paul's brother's family didn't get home until after 1 am. Talk about a nightmare trip!

Stop Bothering Me

I realize I have been remiss over the past month. I am sorry. It has been completely crazy here. Let's go back to the start of it all. Mount Vernon. Ugh. Man that was a long, long week. On Friday the 23rd I ended up getting a root canal which I think y'all know about. Well, I worked that entire weekend out at MV and didn't have the opportunity to fill my prescription for antibiotics. Big trouble in little molar. It was bothering me so badly by Monday that I was sleeping maybe 3 hours total a night. So I went back to the dentist Monday morning where she prescribed Percoset and then rethought giving it to me when I said I would be going straight back to work. I talked her into it (I'm persuasive that way) and off I went. She warned me there would be some swelling the next day, but that the pain would be better. Wow was she right. I woke up Tuesday morning with a small country protruding from my lower right jaw. It was awful. I felt like a mongloid. Anyways, I called the dentist later that morning concerned that it was so swollen (I had a big event Wednesday and a wedding with Paul's family Friday) and he prescribed a stronger antibiotic and a steroid. I worked a good 12 hour day on Tuesday and woke up Wednesday with a smaller, but still swollen jaw. At this point I wasn't complaining because I actually got four hours of sleep in a row and the pain was almost gone. Wednesday I worked a 12 hour day on my feet (ankle seems to be pretty much better - YAY) with about 3 bites of a bad Subway sandwich fueling me and my jaw hurting again from talking so much during the day/evening events. So when my boss decided that 9 pm the night of my 10th day in a row working in pain with 3 hours sleep a night and virtually no food was a good time to chew me out for seating people at his table that he told me to seat at his table I was ready to quit. If I wasn't on vacation Thursday and Friday I probably would have. Ridiculous. Instead I walked away after he told me to sit down and have some food (he always hugs after he hits) and burst into tears when one of my coworkers asked what was wrong. Ugh - how unprofessional of me. Anyways, she took me home and I started my vacation hating my job and boss.

An Entertaining Read

A bit long, but highly entertaining. I do believe I have received some of these spam emails. Too funny. And yes, I do realize I need to do an update. Count on it today or tomorrow!

Victoria Has Been Bitch Slapped

They caved and changed their displays. Sigh.

Little Shop of Whores?

You gotta get more original than that lady. Let me start off by saying that under no circumstances should a 13 year old be shopping for a bra by herself, especially at Victoria's Secret. She will have no idea how to make sure it fits properly, nor will she know what style or color to buy. I realize these sound like simple things. Trust me when I say they are not. Also, no one who is the only one taking off their bra should be buying bras that expensive. So to the woman in the above article outraged at the new Victoria's Secret and wondering if this is the message we want to send to our children, I say "No. This is not what children should look like. Which is exactly why this display is not a Limited Too or Wet Seal. It is at a store for adults." People really need to get over themselves.

For Those of You With Standards

In anticipation of next week's World Standards Day, today is World Standards Day Happy Hour - the one day each year to officially celebrate all standards. Raise a pint and toast the fact that there is an actual international organization with the sole purpose of promoting standards around the world.

What Kind of Cheese Are You?

Cheese Test: What type of cheese are you?

Medical Evidence Proves I'm Special

And no, I don't mean short bus special. Man, my week keeps getting better. Turns out my tooth is cracked down to the jaw bone which is the reason anything being done to it is fine for a day or so and then starts to cause me indescribeable amounts of pain. So I had a root canal this afternoon. During the procedure I found out I have four canals instead of the usual three and they are 25 somethings long instead of the usual 23.

My Boyfriend Kicks Ass

So I'm having an awful day. I had a tooth fixed last week which was supposed to mark the end of my dental misadventures for the year. It started bothering me Tuesday, so I went in, they tinkered and told me to come back in 6 weeks. It was bothering me a bit and I hoped it would get better, but instead it has gotten to the point where I didn't sleep last night and even my tongue touching it makes a shooting pain go through my jaw. I called first thing this morning and was told my dentist wouldn't be in until Wednesday, which happens to be the day of our huge annual event. So, they got me in to see another dentist today. Hopefully it will take care of the problem. In addition to my tooth problems, I got to the Metro this morning and realized I had left my smartrip card at home. I didn't have anything close to a small bill in my wallet so I had to dig for change for a fare card. Plus, I've been stressed to the gills about next week. I've been on the verge of tears all morning (which usually doesn't happen, but no sleep plus pain plus unfortunate circumstances in time of high stress will do that to you).

So when I got a call from the front desk that I had a delivery I thought "what else?". The delivery turned out to be flowers with a note saying "Hope that your day gets better, Paul". He really is a great guy, not because he got me flowers, but because he took time to try to make me feel better. This is why he was worth a second chance. I am so glad I was able to give it to him.

My Name is Earl

I love Jason Lee. There, I said it. There is just something about him that I really adore. So when I heard he had a show premiering this season I was very excited. It's a good thing I like Mr. Lee not just for his boyish good looks otherwise this show would be a total wash. 70's CHiPS stache, check. Mullet with receeding hairline, check. T-shirt with sleeves cut off to show non-existent muscles, check. So I watched, nervously, hoping it wouldn't be some redneck comedy. Since moving to what is technically "the South" what little tolerance I had for that type of people has completely vanished due to people like the guy who had a tatoo on his arm of West Virginia filled in with the Confederate flag....viewing made possible by aforementioned t-shirt with sleeves cut off. Moving on. The show was great. See review above.

Romance Update

Real quick update on the Paul sitch. He and I have been spending a lot of time together the past few weeks and 95% of the time it has been great. There have been a few moments of angst, but they have all diffused relatively quickly and well. He's headed to Baltimore this weekend to hang out with the boys. I am a bit nervous about it, but trust him not to do anything that would hurt me or our relationship. I will be working at least all day Sunday, possibly Saturday as well and there is a possibility of hooking up (not in that way) with a former co-worker who may be in town Friday, so that should keep my mind off what he could be doing. Again, I trust him, but can't help the fleeting thoughts. I always had an overactive imagination. Damn my brilliant mind! Okay, it's probably statements like that that make Paul think I'm arrogant. Eh. Bygones.

One World Currency

After sitting with my boss for 40 minutes trying to make sense of his receipts from a trip that took him to two countries and used three currencies I have come to the conclusion that the world should have one currency. That's it. Just one. It would be so simple. It sure as hell would make my life easier and really, isn't that what it is all about? This idea is going up on the wall, right next to my Midwest Plan. If you know not of what I speak, you're totally missing out on gold.

Avast Me Hearties!

It is September 19th and you know what that means..... National Talk Like a Pirate Day. I really do believe my co-workers and I need to get out more given the level of excitement and amusement we are getting from this holiday. Any complainers? I'll make 'em walk the plank.

Foreign Affairs

The last two days have been very busy, stressful days here at work. It sucks. Especially because my boss is in Europe, arriving back in the office tomorrow. Monday, Tuesday and today were supposed to be kick back days. Yeah, not so much. I worked about 11.5 hours yesterday, all of them hectic.

Today I get in to find the following emails:
8:42 am "Hour delay in sofia. Unless delay too out of Frankfurt I'll never make connection. Check with airline/agent to find options. I should be on ground in 1 hour. I'll call. Have options ready. Tnx."
8:47 am "Business a must. Aisle too. See what they can come up with. "

Because that won't be difficult to do. Why on earth would you want to deal with the ticketing people in front of you who know what is going on? Instead, let's have someone in another country with limited to no access to flight information spend FOUR HOURS arranging your travel and hotel. Oh, and call and email every five minutes (no exaggeration) to get updates. And then, after having said person look up hotels in the bustling metropolis that is Sofia, Bulgaria and call five of them to hold rooms, go with the hotel that the airline suggests. He was lucky there were miles and an ocean in between us otherwise there would have been a world of hurt coming down on him. I felt for him, really I did. He'd spent close to 7 hours in a small, Eastern European airport. After hour three that went away and I wanted to inflict pain.

So now he will be back Friday, not tomorrow. I plan on having a leisurely day tomorrow. I will work hard, get my task list done, but I will do it at a calm pace. I don't get paid enough to stress like this.