Saturday Night Recaplet

So of course The Killers were a no show on Saturday night but it was a great night nonetheless. Since I'm pretty much dead to the world until Thursday and my blackberry is having issues the story may have to wait a couple days, but it's a good one. It involves injury (to me), a bar fight (independent of my injury), a really cute head of security who I may just see again and early morning spent with the staff of the bar (felt like college all over again). All in all, a very fun night.

Song of the Day

Good Life - Francis Dunery

Putting together some music for the party tonight and came across this oldie.

Speaking of good music I've been told by a friend of a friend of someone in the know that there is a good chance The Killers are going to be playing a bit in a small club after their concert tonight. And I will be right down the street. Hopefully word on the street is right and Matt gives me a heads up if he hears anything more. Man, that would rock.

Is It October Yet?

Just leaving the office for home. Cancelled plans with Matt and am going to go straight home, pour a glass of wine, get in my jammies and go to bed since I need to get up by 8 am tomorrow. Second interview went well today, should find out about the job early next week. I have an interview with another firm Monday. I am ready to move on. I really don't want to go through another Mount Vernon.

I'm Alive

But just barely. Good God it's been a busy month! I've been on dates, interviews, out with friends, reconnected with a dear friend from high school who has missed me as much as I've missed him, need to finish telling about my trip home to CA, I get to hang out with The Duke of York a couple days next week (which is part of why I've been so out of touch), saw a couple really good shows, had 2 coworkers give notice so their last days are the same week that Katie leaves for Guatemala, which may also be my next to last week at work (be kind to me the first week of October - it is going to be really rough). I'm exhausted just typing this and I know I'm missing some stuff.  I promise I will return to normal after September 27th.

Be Kind and Don't Roll Your Eyes

I know. I know. I've been bad again. Work has kicked into high gear and I feel like I'm slowly dying from lack of fresh, outside air. I will try to catch up on the past few week/ends' activities this evening while watching mediocre television and talking to the new boy. New boy you say? Yeah, and I'm invoking first trimester rule and not talking about him anymore. So there.

Have I Told You Lately That I'm Brilliant?

We're in the midst of planning a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of a museum we've helped fund the building of and I am in charge of finding enough fabric to serve as the ribbon. I had the height and width of the building and needed to figure out the length diagonally across. I busted out the Pythagorean theorem and lo and behold the hypotenuse is 36 feet. Who knew Mr. Parr was correct when he said we would need the things we learned in Geometry?!

So Totally Stoked

The Snow Patrol concert that I've been looking forward to since May is finally happening this Sunday night. Oh, wait, it gets better. Just found out a little band called Augustana is opening for them who, thanks again to Debby even though I figured out I had one of their songs already, I have been listening to a lot lately. Two good bands for one low price. And, I might have a date that night before the concert with a real live, nice cute boy. Oh, it's a good week.

Song for a Rainy Day

Anna Nalick - Paper Bag

As I was running through the park to work with my jacket over my head (no umbrella at home because I left it in New Jersey) my iPod gave me this song to enjoy. Good album, totally underrated and eclipsed by her song "Breathe (2AM)".

Song of the Rainy Day

Evanescence - Call Me When You're Sober

Getting ready to head up to Philly for the day. Should be a really fun time.

California Love

'Cali is where they put they mack down'

By default and due to sheer exhaustion on my part in addition to being the title of this post, that is now the song of the day. Thank you Tupac.

I went home this weekend to visit a very few friends and see babies (oh goodness they were cute). It was a quick trip but probably my favorite one I've taken since moving here almost four years ago. It was relaxing and fun and the first time I've not been ready to leave and come back to DC. Calm down Debby, that does not mean I'm moving back.

Friday Debby picked me up at LAX in her convertible and we cruised down to Venice and had yummy Mexican food and margaritas on a patio. Then we ran a couple errands, including her buying a new 27" TV. I'm convinced the moving and installation of this new TV was a not so subtle attempt by Debby to make me think she can't possibly be okay not living with me anymore. It almost worked when she sprayed the cleanser into the cable box to dust it. We watched a movie and took a nap (as is our pattern whenever we visit each other, dating back to when we would have 'cave day' at our house and watch movies all afternoon) then headed out to drinks with her friend Paul and his roommate (name is escaping me so we shall call her Kathy) Kathy. We started at this neat little eclectic bar/cafe and then headed over to Barney's Beanery on 3rd Street. That's where the trouble began.

Debby and I had joked about what the plan would be if we got separated. I kabashed the talk because it was supposed to be a quiet night since we had to get up early the next day. I really should know better than to curse myself that way. We get to Barney's and during the course of the next couple hours about eight to ten men come up and make friends with us (mostly Debby - she's way cuter and I was more interested in baseball than the boys). I ended up spending a lot of time talking to a young man (26ish) named Scott whose friend James (also 26ish) was quite taken with Debby. James was a sweet guy, very nice, funny, smart. Totally not Debby's type physically. He isn't an unattractive man, but he's a software engineer - I'll just leave it at that. We all do the exchange cards bit and most everyone leaves. Scott left with Debby and I and walked us (well, me, Debby was way ahead of us) home.

We all went up to the apartment, Debby went straight to bed and Scott and I hung out for a little while. Next thing I know I'm waking up around 7:30 and see a note on the coffee table by my head. Let me make it clear I was alone and fully clothed. Here's the note:



Such a sweet boy. After I stopped chuckling I read it to Debby who joined me in wondering where he got the paper. After she finished giving me grief I checked my blackberry and found this from her suitor:

"Subject: So yes, I'm skeptical :)

Plan B,
So yes, I'm writing right after I got home because on the skeptic scale of if Debby is going to call my # I'm about 90%. I hope you had fun with Scott, though at the time of writing it remains to be seen how much fun...heh.

Anyways, if you put in a good word for me that's great. I know Debby is not the forceful type and that's ok. And its ok that she's 30 something or whatever (doesn't matter). What really matters is that I know she has a brain w/ intellect and a job that she loves.

I hope all is well.

-- James (from Barney's in Santa Monica) :)"

Thank God she has a brain with intellect and isn't "the forceful type". What does that even mean? Young boys are so sweet and cute when they are sincere.

Screaming Mimis

What kind of person lets their kids run around LAX at 10 pm screaming in what can only be described as a high pitched squeal? Bad parents, that's who.  I hope they are not on my plane. Although if they are on my flight I suppose I will be grateful they were being unruly hellions in a big terminal rather than a small plane for 6 hours with no hope of escape. There is always a silver lining.

So This Is The South

One of the things I do before any flight is have a Bloody Mary, unless I am traveling for work and then I have 2 (just kidding). It was too early to have one at National so I decided to partake in my ritual during my brief stopover in Charlotte. It's a damn good Bloody, but man the atmosphere is making me work to enjoy it.  The bar is smoky and filled with what look to be rabid NASCAR fans on their way to a fishin' trip with the good ole boys. I don't know that I've ever been more aware of the fact I have breasts than I am now. Thank God I said yes to the dollar more extra shot!

Code Orange Travel

About the only complaint I have is that they made me take my flippers off to walk through security (which was this odd chamber type thing that blows air on you). Oh and they didn't announce that we couldn't take onto the plane any beverages we had purchased after going through security until about 5 minutes to boarding. More warning would have been nice. All in all a fairly pleasant trip so far even though we haven't left the gate yet.

Befuddled Bothered and Bewildered Am I

I'm flying home tomorrow and decided it would be in my best interest to find out what I can and cannot have in my carry-on so as to avoid any unpleasantness at the gate tomorrow, because believe you me I would throw down before throwing out my lip gloss.

The link above will take you to the official TSA website but here are some highlights:

Aerosol spray bottles and cans No (Makes sense. Off to a good start.)

All creams and lotions including Neosporin or first-aid creams and ointments, topical or rash creams and ointments, suntan lotions, moisturizers, etc. No (Argh. I get dehydrated when I fly and like to keep moisturized. So much for the hand lotion.)

Cigar Cutters Yes (Really? Okay I guess.)

Corkscrews Yes (For all the toasting to the feeling of safety instilled by not allowing hand lotion on the plane? I could use it to stab someone if they try to nab my lip gloss though.)

Cuticle Cutters Yes (Another sharp object. Awesome.)

Gel-filled Bras Yes (At least we'll have good cleavage to distract from our dry, withered, unlotioned hands.)

Knitting and Crochet Needles Yes (Rad. The sharp objects keep coming.)

Lip gels such as Carmex or Blistex; Liquid lip glosses or other liquids for lips No (Now not even my mouth can be moisturized. Grr.)

Liquid sanitizers No (Sweet. I'm totally picking up a cold on my trip.)

Nail Files Yes (And the sharp objects keep coming.)

Personal lubricants - Up to 4 oz. Yes (Insert mile-high club joke here, ie 'See? Parts of you can be moisturized.')

Safety Razors - including disposable razors. Yes (What reasoning did these people use? Seriously.)

Toy Transformer Robots Yes (Don't they know they're more than meets the eye?)


Before you get all up in my grill, let me say I get that due to recent happenings there needed to be changes in what can and cannot be in a carry on and I am more than okay with it. I would much rather be inconvenienced for a bit and arrive safely than be on a flight that had something harmful on it. But could you make the new regulations make a bit more sense please? How is it okay to bring on RAZORS but not Carmex??!?!??

CA Terminology of the Month

In honor of my upcoming trip home I have decided to bring back the phrase "macking".  As in "I can't believe they were macking in front of everyone". Use it well, use it wisely, just make sure to use it.

Booze and Strangers - A Classic Combination

Friday after our staff lunch Courtney and I headed out to find a fun happy hour. Local 16 wasn't open yet, neither was Bar Pilar so we ended up at Saint-Ex, or rather the location at which The Night Of Which We (Katie and I) Never Speak occurred. It was daylight and we stayed upstairs so I figured I would be safe. And I was. James met us out and we headed over to Bar Pilar. More friends met up with us, a couple of each of our friends and it turned into a really fun evening.

So one of James' friends was getting ready to leave and I gave her my card since we had a really nice time talking with each other (she won me over when she kept telling me how great my hair is lol). A couple minutes later she and her boyfriend reappeared and she asked "do you know anyone in Marblehead?". I told her that my brother and sister-in-law live there. Turns out she knows my SIL. Random. She was invited to the wedding, which was beautiful, but was unable to attend and has since lost touch. So I got SIL on the horn and they chatted enough to trade info. See? Boozing with strangers can be good! Just not on TNOWWSNS.

Sissy Move

I was all for intentionally walking Bonds for the rest of his career so that he wouldn't get any more home runs and set a new record. The guy is a complete asshat who plays the game for fame and money not (to quote the title of a Kevin Costner movie) for love of the game (my 2nd favorite of his movies btw). In any other circumstance I think it is a sissy move.

I'm home watching the Boston/Anaheim game (go Angels) and Snyder (Sox pitcher) just did it. Granted they are coming off losing 5 straight at home to the Yankees which hurts anyone except a Yankees fan.  Even given that, sac up and pitch and don't hide behind "strategy". 

And now I'm paying for popping off. Sox have bases loaded with no outs. Argh.

"I Asked You to go to a Green Day Concert

You said you never heard of them. How cool is that?"

Even though my day started with basically being sexually assaulted on the bus (Mr. Man just could not keep his crotch from rubbing against my shoulder. Then when I stood up he kept touching my ass.) this song snapped me out of my funk and has turned the day around.

El Scorcho - Weezer

Song of the Half Day

We have our staff lunch today at Lauriol Plaza so we only have to work until noon. Woo Hoo! iTunes is on Party Shuffle for the occasion and I found myself singing aloud to this song in my office (which I rarely do).

Heard the World - O.A.R.

Not exactly an uplifting party song but the chorus is catchy as all gets.

Hair Today, Blonde Tomorrow

I've been in a rut with my hair the last few years and am totally bored with it. The most change I make is with color (lighter brown in the spring/summer, dark brown or auburn in the fall/winter). So I went to a new sylist yesterday. She does the hair of a girl here in the office and it always looks amazing so I figured "Why not? What do I have to lose?". She was fantastic, spent a long time with me figuring out what I want, what makes me happy, what I haven't liked about past haircuts/color.

So 3 hours later (hello short work day) I walked out of the studio much blonder than I've ever been and somehow I'm kinda liking it.