With real life BF Penn Badgley

THANKFUL day 30

Here it is! The last day of being thankful. And am I going to sign off with a nice "I'm so thankful I have so much to be thankful for!?" HECK NO! Today, I'm thankful for the complete whackjobs.

Odd signing off choice, I know, but I had a field day today with crazies. At first blush, I thought it would make perfect fodder for today's blog, and I hate to disappoint, but that's not what today is about. Today it's about the good in these crackpots, how I am thankful that they are out there because they remind me of how sane and centered I am, and how sane and centered my true friends are. I am thankful because without the crazies you don't know just how good you got it!

On a more important note, however, I do want to say I am also thankful that I am so blessed and have not only the 30 listed items to be thankful for, but a countless number of more things ranging from serious, funny, or somewhere in between.

THANKFUL day 29

Today, I'm thankful for the tennis ball I finally remembered to buy. I'm sitting here rolling it on my foot that has the severe plantar fasciitis, and it feels amazing. Amazing in that "ohmygoshithurtssoooogood!" Painful, yet soothing. I'm having a massive flareup today, really have no idea from what, but this tennis ball is doing the trick!

THAKFUL belated day 28

Yes, I know this is a little belated, but I'm going to go right on ahead and get in the holiday spirit with today's Thankful item. I'm thankful Lite 98 has all Christmas songs from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas. Now, I'm not saying I listen to Christmas music nonstop that whole time, but if I'm in the mood for Holiday songs, I like to know where I can find them. I like they have a mixture of classic Perry Como and then new artists like Taylor Swift Christmas songs. It's just a good feeling to have that whenever I want insta-Christmas pep, I can find it!


My favorite Carol has always been O Holy Night, and seriously, I think in the history of all versions, no one comes close to Josh Groban.

THANKFUL day 27

So, today I'm just thankful that there's nothing I need/need to get for someone else that badly that would warrant me joining the 2 am Black Friday crowds of bargain-hungry crazed shoppers, still high from their turkey and stuffing meal, eyes glazed over from pumpkin pie overdose, running on little to no sleep because they were up at 7 am yesterday to start cooking, cranky because their jeans are uncomfortably tight and holding in gas as they push to get the last Sony Playstation. As much as I'll  be the first to admit you can get some pretty decent bargains on Black Friday, I just can't justify getting up at 2 am, risk getting trampled on at Target, waiting in hour long lines at Best Buy, and getting mauled by a grandma at Old Navy. I think my sanity is worth the extra money.

Not that I"m judging.

THANKFUL for the 26 days of thanksgiving

Well here we are! Finally the big day! And you know what, I am thankful for Thanksgiving! It's nice to know we have a day where we can get together with family and loved ones and enjoy eachother's company and eat until we can't breathe anymore.

I just got in from a 2 hour bike ride with my dad, trying to get in some early morning cardio before the big meal starts, and although I know I probably only burned 500 of the 3,000 calories I'll likely consume today, it does make me feel a little bit better.

As I've gotten older, but not quite old enough for my brother or I to have children of our own, I've noticed that the Thanksgiving gathering has gotten smaller. Obviously, we need to remember our loved ones that no longer can celebrate with us, but there's also the extended family that now celebrate with their new family.

Something else that's changed as I got older is the traditions. I remember growing up, the day after Thanksgiving, my dad would take my brother and I on a hike in the Blue Ridge mountains. It was something I always looked forward to. We would get to invite friends, or sometimes our cousins would come too, but it was a nice tradition to work off the extra food we ate the day before. Another tradition I remember is after the big meal, we would always get together and play board games. Now that we're older, the day after Thanksgiving is spent golfing, and the board games of choice have changed to poker. But still, the general idea of tradition is there, it's just changed to keep up with the times.

Here are some pictures of Old Rag Mountain in the fall. I'm at my parents house, so I don't have access to pictures of our table or us playing poker (specifically, me winning poker!)

As far as food is concerned, obviously it's pretty much the same on everyone's table, and I'm sure your mom is a great cook, but mine's better! :) It's funny how turkey is supposed to be the centerpiece, but I think it tends to get pushed to the side among all the other delicious side dishes!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!! Enjoy  your meal and time with your family!

THANKFUL day 25

I am super thankful for short weeks! I get out at noon today (in less than 30 minutes!!) and "don't have to be me 'til Monday!" I love holidays, I love not going to work, and I am thankful I get these extra few days and hours off around the holiday!

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone! And remember all you have to be thankful for!

THANKFUL for the 24 different hairstyles I've had

Since we're in the spirit of hair (earlier post), today I'm going to give thanks for my hairdresser Lee. He is super amazing. I've been seeing him for going on 4 years and have witnessed him from a single chair in a shady duplex to owning his own upscale salon. He has taken me through all sorts of various haircuts and took me from the "Serena" (seriously, a version of it, I had long blonde thick hair), to my current dark, sleet bob. He truly is amazing and can do wonders with hair, both with color and with the cut. There was a spell there I was cheating on him, summer 2008 when the cost of everything skyrocketed, but I humbly came back and he welcomed me with open arms. I'm thankful I found him and I'm thankful for how he always makes me feel beautiful and knows what I want with my hair, even if sometimes I don't know myself!

Blake Lively's Hair is the new "Rachel"

Word on the streets (New York Times streets to be exact) is that Blake Lively has the new “it” hairdo. Apparently, “the Serena” is the most commonly requested hairstyle across salons, taking its place among the other top requested hairstyle of all time “the Rachel.”

Editor's note: You know what's funny about the above photos? Jennifer Aniston is probably 25-27 in this photo, and Blake Lively is about 22, but doesn't Jennifer look way older? I like to think that while I'm only 4 years older than D, I hope the age difference isn't as drastic as in these photos! Although, I think Jen looks much better now than she did back then... Keep on getting better with age girl!!

Back to the regularly scheduled program.

Before I get too far into this blog, I want to reassure my readers I do love Blake's hair (what’s not to love about big, blonde and beautiful?) but I just don’t get what all the hype is about!

First off, I don’t think it counts as a “haircut.” The Rachel was a haircut; there was definitely definition and texture that differentiated it from other shoulder length haircuts of that time. Hairstylists needed to be skilled to give someone the Rachel. You go in now and ask for the Serena, and I think besides being told to grow your hair long and make it blonde, there’s nothing much else that can be done to you other than adding extensions to make it more full. Clearly she has extensions in there people! That’s the beauty of being in Hollywood. You can have gorgeous hair all the time. Look at Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, constantly fluctuating between butt-length hair and a short bob. How ever do they do it!? Extensions! And all movie stars have unbelievably thick, luscious hair. Once again, however do they do it!? Extensions!

Secondly, I don’t think there’s anything “new” about her hair. Long and blonde has always been coveted, and the tousled beach waves have been in for about 5 years now. So, really there’s nothing new here, other than Blake being the new “it” girl. I can think of hundreds of young Hollywood starlets with the exact same haircut: Jessica Simpson, Lauren Conrad, Carrie Underwood, Hilary Duff, Miley Cyrus. I think it must have less to do with her hair, and more to do with people just want to look like her and it’s easier to emulate her hair than it is to lose 50 lbs and grow 5 inches.

I currently have the exact opposite haircut.

THANKFUL day 23

Today I want to give thanks for Panera. Yes! That's right! I love me some Panera. My favorites are the creamy tomato soup, the french baguette, the strawberry poppyseed salad, and the orchard harvest salad. Unfortunately, all but the french baguette is seasonal. But I never fear! If it's not the right season, I'll just order the broccoli cheddar soup (a bowl, instead of the you-pick-two with the salads), and I'm quite content.

Guess I know what I'll be having for dinner tonight! :) Yum!

THANKFUL day 22

I'm thankful for my little Yipster, aka, my Honda Civic. I love my car. I've had it since 2000, so it's seen it's share of wild college times, commutes to work, cycle of friends that ride in it, road trips, trips where I'm sobbing because of some boy, pumping out some Britney jams, taking me and my girls out, closing her eyes when I have a makeout session like I'm still in high school, all the while, being my ever loyal friend. Even though it's bordering on 10 years old and has over 150,000 miles on it, that car runs like new, everything works in it, other than regular repair, I've never had a problem (knock on wood), and it's still purring along like a brand new car (not unlike it's owner). I'm thankful I don't have a car payment, and I'm thankful this car is so dependable. When I do get a new car, it'll always be a Honda. Mark my loyal words. ...Unless some rich boyfriend wants to buy me a Mercedes-Benz, then how can I say no? :)

Football in the Fall

This weekend, my cousins came into town for the big UR v. W&M football game here in Richmond. Both my cousins went to W&M, so the group of us were all decked out in Tribe gear. It was a perfect day, complete with gorgeous football weather, a nice brunch, and a nice walk from my house over to the Stadium. It was set to be the perfect fall afternoon. Unfortunately, in literally the last seconds of the game, UR took possession of the ball and scored a touchdown, winning the game. It really was a downer, but I had fun with my cousins, they're always such a hoot!

While we were at the game though, we went to take our seats in the visitors section, and some guy was sitting in our seats. We asked him if he could move, and he started getting really snippy with us. "No one sits in their assigned seats." We, at the time, being amicable, said "Ok, we'll take these other seats behind, but if someone comes to claim them, then we'll need our seats back." Coincidentally, at the same time, the people whose seats they were came and said they were sorry, but those were their seats, so we move back to our original seats. Did he get snippy with those people? No! He starts smack talking us, calling us ridiculous, basically being a complete jerk. My one cousin goes "well, I guess we're ridiculous then." It was funny, because throughout the whole game, people were coming in and claiming their seats. This guy got shuffled around 10 times, finally, he was forced to leave the area altogether because the place was packed and every seat was taken. It was just ridiculous, I thought, for this guy to be such a complete asshole. I mean, I get in the spirit of the game, we can make a little bit of a compromise, but if someone wants their seats, then you give it to them, they paid for those seats. And it wasn't like there were empty seats all around, if there were, we'd be happy to move, but the stadium was packed. But what got me most about that guy, was he didn't say anything to anyone else, just us. And you can probably guess why. Because we were four "lil ladies that didn't know nothing about a big manly sport like football, oh dearie me!" What a jerk. 

While at the game, I saw a lot of people I knew, people that I hadn't seen in years from college, old boyfriend's sisters, and Newspaper Boy (from earlier gym entry)! I actually got excited thinking "this is fate! He's going to ask me out!" I really wanted to say something to him, he was standing about two people in front of me in the concession line, but I'm sort of shy when it comes to that sort of stuff. Plus, I didn't realize how skinny he was. I guess his gym shorts hide his thinness, and I am not one for a skinny boy. But I didn't know how I could introduce myself without looking like a complete stalker. Reaching around the other two people to tap him on the shoulder "Excuse me mister. I know you don't know me, but I work out with you. Yes, I'm a complete whack job, thanks for asking!" I just hope he's at the gym tomorrow morning, maybe he'll say something to me! I better have a cute outfit on!

THANKFUL i'm not 21 anymore

Now don't get me wrong, I loved college, sometimes a little too much. That's not what I'm trying to say here. What I'm thankful for is all the things I've learned since then. I know it's a trite saying, but I'd love to do it again knowing what I know now. In the 8 years since then, I've learned how to stand up for myself, act confident, dress for what looks best on me rather than blindly following trends, how to act around men, how to respond to catty women, how to say no sometimes, how to be the bigger person, how to not worry so much about what other people think of me, how to be comfortable in my own skin, how to handle constructive criticism effectively, how to respond to negative people, etc., etc. You really do get older and wiser with age, and I'm thankful for what I've learned and how I'm a better person for it.

THANKFUL for the 20 tubes of mascara in my makeup case

Mascara is certainly a product I am thankful for. While I am blessed with long, thick, dark lashes anyways (don't hate me!), I still love me some mascara! And boy oh boy, do I coat it on! Lots of coats, the thicker, the darker and the longer and the more obvious it is that I have mascara on, the better!

(Photo from maireclaire.com)

Did you know "modern mascara" was invented in 1913 by a chemist for his sister Mabel? Yes it's true! This chemist went on to start a company, you guessed it, Maybelline! Now, I've tried high end and drug store mascaras, and I will tell you time and time again, I am a loyal mascara buyer of Maybelline. I started off with the old standby green and pink tube in highschool, progressed through the 3X, 5X, 7X and now, I'm currently using the Colossal, to which, IMHO, no other mascara (not even high end Lancome) can hold a candle in the wind. I was very pleased to learn that Maybelline was the modern day inventor of mascara, must be the reason why it's so awesome!

But regardless of which brand I happen to be using that day (today, it's Givency Phenomen'Eyes Mascara), I am thankful that I am able to quadruple coat my lashes in my favorite black thick paste on a daily basis.

Gym Rats

I work out in the morning and there is quite the cast of characters that start my day off with a smile.

The Sexual Deviant. This guy is one sick mother effer. He's about 55-60, and can't do a single move at the gym without turning it into some sort of porno warm up. For example, when he does bicep curls, he does it with a full on pelvic thrust. This is not the same as those guys that are doing weights that are too heavy for them and they are using their body to help propel the weights up. No no no. This guy is dry humping the air as he does the bicep curls. Then, he has this move where he's on all fours (mind you, he does this in the middle of the exercise room where there's several other people in various stages of working out) and he does this weird back and forth movement with his body. His knees and arms are slightly bent, and he looks like a cat about to pounce. Then, he starts into this rhythm, in a sort of back and forth circular motion, once again, resembling dry humping (but a much slower, more passionate dry hump this time) to the invisible person beneath him. Sit ups = pelvic thrusts, push ups = pelvic thrusts. I wish I could describe his actions better for you, because they are sick. He is sick. SICK!

The couple. Now, it's one thing if you are in a couple and you go to the gym together, but once inside, you should part ways. It's the couple that actually works out together that is annoying. This couple holds each other's feet while doing sit ups. Now, I don't know about you, but I can't recall the last time I needed someone to hold my feet to do situps. They'll run side by side, then go do some sort of weird yoga moves. Wednesday, the guy wanted the girl to do pushups. She, being a girl, did not have as much upper body strength as I think the guy would have liked. He kept yelling at her "Go all the way down!" She couldn't do it, which is totally understandable, so he kept repeating himself "all the way down, all the way down, all the way down!" It was all I could do to restrain myself and not scream at him, "She's going down as far as she can go! Leave her alone!" It made me wonder about this couple, and couples that work out in general. Obviously there's something off here that they can't even be apart for a second. Is it one of those situations where the guy is saying "I don't find you attractive anymore, you need to get to the gym and lose some weight?" Or are they just that annoying couple that has no other friends, no other interests, no other life outside of the other?

Newspaper Boy. I will preface this with saying I think Newspaper Boy is super cute, and if he's available, I want him to ask me out. But he reads the newspaper the whole time he's at the gym. And while this is acceptable while on the elliptical, it is absolutely not acceptable while you are doing pushups. And never acceptable while you are doing side leg lifts like some sort of Jane Fonda from the early 90s. He shouldn't be doing those anyways! Yikes!

The old Flirt. Every gym has at least one of these. The guy that is always at the gym, sometimes married, sometimes not, but always older and always knows the name of every girl at the gym.

The cougar. This woman barely works out, she spends more time getting ready in the morning than actually working out, but she knows the names of all the men at the gym. For spending years at the gym every morning, it's confusing why she doesn't look better.

The obnoxious girls. You know, the girls that come in together and lift weights and gossip the whole time...uh oh. Wait. Is that me and D?

I tried to find some pictures to post with this blog, because you know how much I love that, and for "some" reason "guy at gym humping" popped back with all kinds of porno photos, haha!!

THANKFUL day 19

I'm thankful for early summer mornings. You know, when you get up for a run and it's already bright out because the days are long. The weather is perfect, maybe 70ish, even though it'll hit 90 later. There's just something so peaceful about being up at that hour with the dew still glistening on the grass, knowing that the majority of people are still fast asleep.



You know you have a million things going on in your life and you know it's going to be a busy day at work, but for that precious hour, you are calm. You are serene. Your mind is clear and you think with a clarity that only comes at this special hour of the day. You have the chance to meditate, think about all the things you're thankful for (even if you forget them for your blog a few months later) and think about how beautiful the day is. How amazing your body feels running along the pavement and how you feel like you could run forver. This is when you are able to be one with yourself before the heat of the day and the heat of your life start to feel oppressive.

THANKFUL 18 times over for technological advancements

Today, I'm thankful for how far we as a society have come technologically. Can you imagine our grandparents at our age even being able to imagine cell phones (heck, even cordless phones), internet, email, computers, calculators, Skype, Facebook, GPS systems, microwaves, and all the other things we take for granted on a daily basis? It's hard not to take this technology for granted, but at one time, this was just a "aha!" moment in someone's mind. Someone very smart and I am thankful that this person made my life so much easier! But, just like my grandparents, I too can't even imagine all the amazing advancements that will be around in the next 20/30/40+ years.

Yowsers!

It's just a little crush

Ok, I have a female crush, I'm not ashamed to admit it. I have D call me S in real life, it's as close as I'll get to being my wannabe alter-ego Serena's real life actress Blake Lively. (Did that sentence even make sense?).

I honestly think Blake is absolutely beautiful and stunning. Her smile is contagious, her legs go up to the sky, her body is amazing, and her clothes are beyond fantabulous. Like I said, I have a crush.

Starting today, whenever I find a picture of Blake Lively, I'm going to post it. I'm not sure how long this endeavor will spark my interest, but I'm committed at least until the near foreseeable future! I'm posting a few to get this started. Enjoy!

Side note, I do not troll the internet, so there may be lots of pictures in magazines, etc., that will not be posted on this site, it's more of a "if I happen to stumble across it, I'll post it" type thing.
 

I'm kind of hoping that constantly being reminded how put together, fashionable, and gorgeous she is will prompt me to lose 40lbs and all of a sudden be able to afford a designer wardrobe! :)

i'm THANKFUL paris hilton's 17 minutes of fame is over

Do you remember a time not so long ago when American pop culture was obsessed with a dumb, do nothing, plain jane socialite turned "celebrity"?

Who was this Paris Hilton and why did we care so much? Oh! Don't you sit there and deny it! We did care!! Her sex tape, who she was dating, where she was out partying, what she was wearing, what her hair looked like, who was stalking her house, how her grandfather was going to cut her out of the will, her uncomfortably small pool of men she slept with, the whole painfully detailed ordeal of her bestie turned frenemy turned bestie turned into nothing relationship with Nicole Richie, the kidnapping of her chihuahua, her perfume, her clothing line, her Funny or Die video, her TV shows, her Carl Jr. ads, her just awful attempts at acting, her jail stint, ugh, does this list ever end!?

For 5 long years, we as a society were bombarded. You couldn't turn around with out some breaking news on Paris. It became obvious just how bad it was when my grandma, who only has basic TV, knew who she was. It was sickening. Image after image of her bobble head, complete with her not pretty, totally clueless face would appear before you. On TV, at the movies, in the checkout line at the grocery store. It was enough to make you feel physically nauseated.

But as of late, I'm encouraged by a positive trend. I'm noticing the reports are fewer and fewer and gossip magazines rarely print photos of her.

I'm devoting today's blog to saying I'm thankful we as a culture are saying "TTYN" to Paris! Now "that's hot."

 

THANKFUL for the 16 different views of yosemite

Today, I'm thankful for my vacation I took this past September. I went on the most amazing trip with my family to Yosemite, and it was unbelievably breathtaking. I had the most amazing trip and was thisclose to swearing off all worldly belongings and becoming a mountain woman up in the high Sierras. The view was awe-inspiring and left you amazed at how old and incredible the earth is. You couldn't help but want to explore and be one with nature.

Yosemite was one of those places on my must see places, so I am very fortunate and thankful that not only was I able to check it off, I was able to enjoy it with my family.

Flowers always make the day sunny

Warning! If you do not like overly sappy stories, this is not the entry for you.

The Richmond Half Marathon was this past weekend, and I'd been suffering from a severe case of plantar fasciitis for about 6 months. However, I was pushing through, the race was something I really wanted to do, and the pain was "manageable." Granted, I was hopping around like a gimp, could barely put weight on my foot, but I was going to do it! And I managed to get through about 3/4ths of the training. In mid October though, it caught up to me, and I literally was incapacitated. After a run, I literally could not walk, I was in so much pain. I had gone to physical therapy, had seen two sports medicine doctors, a podiatrist, was wearing a night splint, was doing all the stretching, got inserts for all my shoes, was wearing Sanitas, doing Yoga toes, got two cortisone shots, and nothing was helping. Finally it was time to head the doctor's advice and stop running. Needless to say, I was very upset. I don't think it really makes sense to a non-runner, but this was my first half, I was really looking forward to it! I had trained, made friends, was part of the team, and then bam, it was all taken away from me.

During the same time as my painful training, I had taken up company with a certain handsome young fellow that we shall call Beefcake. We only went out on two dates before he was deployed as he's in the Navy. Those that know me well know this was all too typical of me. 1. Of course he was in the military, as mentioned in earlier posts, it's a well known fact I have a military fetish, and 2. I always like guys that leave (Coach and Major). So, of course it was only fitting that he was a combination of the two.

Beefcake was very very cute. He was polite, smart, and hot as all get out. A real beefcake! I couldn't be too upset that he was being deployed since I barely knew him, but thought I'll keep in touch and chances are I'll still be available in 8 months when he gets back and if he's interested, then we'll see what happens.

And that was about all I thought about it. I'd been meaning to get to the store for sometime to gather his care package, but things came up, etc etc., and next thing I know, he'd been gone for about a month.

This past Friday, as I'm walking up to my front door, I notice a odd shape in front of my door (it was already dark at this time due to a combination of the bad weather we'd been having and the time change). I wasn't really sure what it was, but as I neared, I noticed it was flowers! Who could these be from? I wondered, thought maybe my mom, she knew how upset I was, maybe for my next door neighbor and the delivery people made a mistake. I didn't know, but I would find out when I got inside.

As I opened my screen door, I noticed another bag sitting in between the screen and the regular door. Now, my interest could barely be contained. I ran inside and opened the card and almost burst into tears. (I tend to be a little overly dramatic and can cry easily, plus I'd been on the verge of tears all day thinking about how I wouldn't be running in the half, I know I know, constant PMS, but what can I say?)

The flowers and teddy bear (what was in the bag) turned out to be from Beefcake! He wrote he was sorry I was feeling down, and if I needed a hug (a reference to a facebook post I had up on my wall), I could hug the bear, otherwise, I could take out my frustration out on him. Then, he left some inspirational quote. I really can't describe the emotions that I was feeling. I was just so overwhelmed that I didn't deserve something that sweet from anyone, especially not Beefcake when I couldn't be bothered to go out and buy some gum and magazines to send overseas to him.

This seriously was the sweetest thing any guy has ever done for me. 

I wanted to talk to him, to call him, but I couldn't, his phone wasn't working anymore. Instead, I sent an email, where I tried to articulate how thankful I was, and how sweet his gesture was.

Isn't that the sweetest thing you've ever heard? I just felt very blessed and fortunate at that point to have met him, even if it has only been for a brief period of time.

am i really THANKFUL for 15 bags of leaves?

Well, maybe not. But I'm trying to think on the bright side. I just finished an hour and a half raking my yard (and it's not even that big!). The largest tree on the block just happens to be in my neighbor's yard, a little too close for comfort to my property line. I swear I am not making this up, but I have more leaves in my yard than they do in theirs! Must be something how the wind blows through, I don't know. And every year, I hold a grudge against them and their monstrous tree.

But on the other hand, as much as I dislike raking, I have to think on the bright side. If there was no need to rake, we'd never have the beautiful changing of the leaves which makes Virginia so beautiful in the fall. Autumn is my favorite time of year, and part of the reason I love it so much is I love the colors of the leaves and the mountains alive and on fire with golds, oranges, reds and yellows. I guess if I have to spend a few hours raking on a Saturday, I can deal. So I am thankful that I live in a state that has the best autumn has to offer: hayrides, apple picking, fall festivals, rides in the mountains to look at the leaves, the smell of the crisp fall air, football games, spiced apple cider and pumpkin pies.

 

i'm THANKFUL for my 14 shows waiting on my dvr

Yes, today, I am dedicating the day to DVR. I really don't think I was ever really living before. How could I call it living? Now I can live my life, and in the downtime, catch up on my shows on my time.

I'm not usually around in the evenings, some shows come on at the same time as others, and some come on after my bedtime. Oh the horrors! Therefore, DVR is a must have in any busy girl's life who also is addicted to trash TV. There's nothing I love better than the night I finally have off. I curl up with a snuggly blanket, some wine, and watch all my shows back to back.

Yes, I know this post is reminiscent of Miranda in Sex and the City with her TiVO, but I understand, sister!

i'm THANKFUL for 13 miles

Ok, technically 13.1 miles.

But that was more lame attempt at a clever teaser for what I'm truly thankful for today.

I'm thankful that I have such wonderful friends and family that they were willing to come cheer me on this weekend at the half marathon before I hurt myself. I know I already put friends and family, but this is different. This is a characteristic of the aforementioned friends and family. Not only do I have amazing friends and family, but specifically my mom, dad, and D were willing to get up and the crack of dawn to cheer me. That really means a lot to me. Not everyone has friends and families that are willing to do that, and even though they lucked out with me being injured :), I still wanted to extend my gratitude to them and highlight them today as something I'm thankful for!

xo

Picture courtesy of Sportsbackers.com

Tis the Season to Be Thankful

Charlotte started a really fun blog thread. In honor of the Thanksgiving season, each day she is going to post something she's thankful for. I think this is a great idea because too often we get caught up in all the things that are going wrong. All these negative thoughts can really run a toll on a person and leave you feeling empty and depressed. However, looking on the bright side of things does just the opposite. It makes you happy inside to think of all the amazing things you have going on in your life. Charlotte challenged us to join her, and I am game!

Since it's already the 12th, I will need to make up for some lost time.

1. First and foremost, I'm thankful for my salvation and that I know Jesus as my Savior. I know that's a little heavy for what you're used to on this blog, but it's what I'm most thankful for. I know no matter what comes my way, I can face it because I have Jesus on my side.

2. I'm thankful for my family. I really have such an amazing family, from my mom, dad and brother, to grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, and cuzzles. They are fun, they are smart, and I'm thankful for how much love there is in my family.

3. My friends. I know a lot of people like to clump family and friends together because they like to think of their friends as family. And while I think this is true, I think it's also important to separate them, because you can pick your friends, you can't pick your family. But I am truly blessed to have such loving, smart, fun, beautiful (on the inside and out) friends. They're there through the good, the bad and the ugly, and I love them for it. I just hope I'm being as good of a friend to them as they are to me.

4. My adorable bungalow in the city. I love taking care of it and having people over. It's just so cute I can't even stand it.

5. That I live in America and the freedoms that we enjoy.

6. I'm thankful for our service members (and not just because it's a well known fact I have a fetish for military men). I'm so grateful that they risk their lives to protect the above mentioned freedoms. I have no idea who these men are below, so full credit goes to the guy whose flickr page I stole it from.

7. I'm thankful for my supervisor. I know I really lucked out here. Mine is amazing. She's smart, she's fun, she's knowledgeable, she's a great consultant, and I believe she has my best interests at heart (both professional development and in my personal life).

8. As long as we're talking about work, I'm thankful for my cube mates that make me laugh during the work day. They make being at work not so terrible.

9. I'm thankful for my bus driver David who gets me to work on time to make my 6 am work out every day safely, through rain, snow, sleet, and pitch black darkness. He also keeps me motivated and tells me I'm getting skinny! I think I love him!

10. I'm thankful I've never gotten a DUI. Ok, that's pretty serious, and not really a joke, but what can I say? Just to clarify, I've never had any close calls, or anything like that, but looking back on my life, I think this is something to be immensely thankful for.

11. I'm thankful I have great boobs.

12. I'm thankful that Gossip Girl came into my life.

Carrie Underwood at CMA

OMG! I want this dress! It is so gorgeous! Carrie looks so amazing in it! It's a Theia dress, and has platinum jewels on it. I also love how she kept everything else so simple like her hair and how she isn't wearing any loud jewelry. Just gorgeous. 

It's reminiscent of my high school prom dress (except mine was in red, and also circa 1998), but you can tell it's totally my style. Too bad I would never have an event to go to in which this dress would be appropriate! *tears* 

I'm feeling good from my head to my shoes...

I work out in the mornings before work because if I don’t work out in the morning, it just ain’t going to happen. There’s a Y in my building, which is VERY convenient. The only downside is the disapproving glare of the Eye of Sauron that glares at me on the days I don’t work out. (Yes, I compared the button for the third floor YMCA to the eye in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, but sometimes I feel the gym is just as evil, if not more so).


Today, after I finished putting on my makeup, I went to put on a new blouse I bought for work. When I looked at the finished product, I thought I looked pretty darn good. Yes! Today was a good day. I was feeling skinny, my face was having a good day, my hair looked great, and my new outfit was cute! As I headed out of the locker room, I had a slight bounce to my step (or was that due to my boot?), today was going to be a good day! However, the feeling didn’t last long. As I stepped off on the 10th floor into my office, I realized, “there’s no body here to impress. No one is going to care that I look good today besides D.” Basically, all the time I spend flat ironing my hair, buying cute clothes, and worrying about make up is lost in my office. And my bounce immediately stopped and became a limp (due to my boot, of course).

There are three reasons why anyone would want to look good at work.

1. You have a crush on someone in the office and want to look good for them. This was the case not so long ago, but with OC gone, the eligible bachelors at my office are far and few between. They’re either way too young, are married, are total geeks, or a combination of the above. Pathetic isn’t it? That’s the number one thing I hear from well meaning aunts and friends “Isn’t there anyone at your office.” I usually spit up whatever I’m drinking at the time, or if I’m not drinking, manage to make a very unladylike snort, which probably leaves them thinking that’s the reason I’m still single.

2. You want to look good when you go out for lunch in case you run into another professional cutie. But ever since D and I got on our super healthy kick, we go out to lunch very rarely. We usually bring our lunch and eat our measly salad in our breakroom. When we want a change of scenery, we’ll eat in the Atrium, but usually the meat market there is comprised of middle aged men, usually balding. Also, even if we did see a cute guy and he thought you were too, what’s he going to do about it? Tell his boss and coworkers, “excuse me. I’m going to go over to that girl I don’t know, who is surrounding by her boss and her coworkers, and introduce myself to her and see if she wants to go out on a date with me.” I don’t know why I thought working downtown would be an easy place to find a date.

3. (And probably the most important reason to look good at work). It helps further your career when you’re sharply dressed. You’ve heard the old adage, “dress for the job you want, not the one you have”. While it’s tough to hear that your qualifications aren’t all employers look at, it’s the truth. Your personality, ability to work with others, and overall appearance all play a role.

So, the question is, how much, and to what level, does appearance count? Let’s assume 5 is enough to ensure you’re safe. Your clothes allow your work to be the focus. You look good, put together, and are professional and client ready. Now, the question is, how much more do you get for each step above a 5? For example, is looking a 7 going to give you this same as a 5? As a 10? Or once you’re a 5, is that it? Once you’re to a point where your appearance allows your work speaks for itself, is there no incentive to look any better? If that’s the case, what’s the bare minimum I need? What is the point where anything above does not pay dividends? What constitutes a 5? Could I get away with just a smear of mascara? Is someone wearing a tapered leg suit getting the same respect as me with my suit with the most current leg cut just because we both look “put together”? I guess no matter how smart and a good worker someone is, if they look like a homeless bum, people aren’t going to take them serious. Once you’re to a point to be taken serious, is that it? No more is needed? So, therefore, what’s the point of looking good, when looking average will suffice? Think of all the money I could save if I never had to buy new work clothes!
4. Yes, I know I said there was only 4, but as I was writing this, it dawned on me, that I don’t really get dressed up for people at my work. I do it for myself. I feel good about myself when I know I look good. Therefore, I have a more positive attitude and am more confident which translates into a positive vibe in both into my professional and personal life. And that’s enough for me! So, I guess despite all the reasons to not care, I’ll continue with my current habits. And who knows, you never know when that cute brown haired boy in the building next door will notice me!

Seattle: More than just Rain and Granolas

As you probably inferred from a few posts back, I was in Seattle recently, and I have to say, despite the whirlwind trip, Seattle is a great place. Apparently all the rumors about the rain and it being cold are just that, rumors. The weather was gorgeous while I was there. Apparently there is a rainy season that can be a little miserable, but other than that, not too shabby. On the other Seattle stereotype, all preconceived notions you may have of tree huggers wearing Baja Hoodies and Teva sandals are spot on. Seattle was definitely a green and healthy city full of yoga going young professionals. Most of the women didn't wear makeup and I was the only fool to be seen in a suit and leather (horrors, I know!) pumps.

While there, I got to enjoy the world famous Pike's Place Market. I really wish I could have been there on a Saturday to see more of the "show" it's famous for, but I did see a few fish being tossed through the air by the suspiciously attractive fish farmers. There was some sort of chant or song they all sang, but I wasn't able to understand them. I also, of course, had to get a cup of java (ok okay, hot chocolate, everyone knows I don't care for coffee) at the original Starbucks. I bought this tall White Hot Chocolate knowing full well I was buying into a total tourist trap that Starbucks, founded in the original city known to love the locals and hate the big bad wolves that come in and close down the mom and pop stores, milks for all it's worth. I wasn't able to go up in the Space Needle, but I did get to walk around the base. I'm sure it would have been a lot cooler up in the Needle, down below, it was neat and all, but maybe not worth the walk on my injured foot.

One thing I noticed is how residential friendly the city was. All the condos/apartments were gorgeous! Richmond's trying, with the lofts on the Canal, but we still have a ways to go. These apartment complexes were so gorgeous, you could easily forget about the gorgeous mountain and water view. Ok, I won't get carried away, but I think you can get the general idea. Here's a picture I took of Mt. Rainer.

Since it's getting late and I took the red eye home this morning and basically just now washed my face for the first time in over 36 hours, I think it's time for me to head off to bed.

Hope you all have a great Friday tomorrow!
xo, S

McDonnell Leads Sweep of Statewide Races

That was the title of today's Times Dispatch front page, and it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! Really restored my faith in Virginians after the whole 2008 Presidential debacle.

Last fall, for the first time in 44 years, Virginia voted for a Democratic President. Virginians, like the rest of the country, were excited for change. "Yes we Can!" While I did not vote for Obama, I have to admit, it was an exciting time to be alive. Record number of voters, people excited, the whirlwind of emotions and sense of excitement was intoxicating. Little did we know how hard the crash would be. I don't need to get into the details, we all know Obama's ratings have dropped tremendously over the past few months. Rather than the Agent of Change, he's the Agent of Do Nothing. People, Democrats and Republicans alike are upset. Where was this promised change? Where was the man they all voted for? The real issue was who was the man they voted for to begin with? Someone with a proven record of change? I think not. Obama made a political career of doing nothing. Are we really that surprised? His whole career was spent trying to get to the next level, forgoing all duties at his current level. Now that he's at the top, he has nowhere to go and is actually (gasp) expected to do something. Expected to do something great! Of which he's miserably failed. Prior to the election, many Republicans would warn "not all change is good change." Now, we can say we were right, and Obama agrees, hence proving why he's lacked in making any change at all.

This is why I'm proud that McDonnell won by a landslide. Virginians are making a stand. I don't care that the White House says these election results aren't about Obama. How come the Democratic Senate landslide in 2008 was because of Obama, but now you feel as though you can claim the opposite true? How convenient. If they were so sure it wasn't any fault of Obama, then why did he "throw Creigh Deeds under a bus?" He wanted to make sure he was as far removed from the race as he could be, while still appearing to support Deeds. He wanted everyone to know that if Deeds loses, it's not because of any connection with Obama, it's because he's not as slick as McDonnell.

Ok, this blog is getting off target. I wanted to say it's a good day to be a Virginian! Take back the Governor’s mansion, and let's get this state headed back in the right direction!

Plane Etiquette for Travelers and Airline Management Alike

I’ve had the recent pleasure lately of doing some traveling for work. The prospect of traveling was well received by me for many reasons. First (and I guess on paper, the most important), I was excited about what this meant for my career. While I am always welcome at client meetings that are in driving distance and require little time from me, it is not very often I get to travel to a client site. With the CEO breathing (or should I say screaming) “MORE BILLABLE HOURS” down my everyone’s throat, time spent traveling is time not spent billing. Also, with the obvious cost sensitivity clients feel these days, it wasn’t necessarily justified. However, as I am invited to more client meetings that require travel, it is apparent that I am in fact an important part of the team, and am a valuable resource at these meetings. Gosh, it sounds so much like work gobbledygook doesn’t it? (Can you believe gobbledygook was in the spelling dictionary?!) The other reason being the more obvious; traveling is fun! I really enjoy seeing new cities and exploring while I’m there, even if it is for a few brief hours.

In the past two months, I’ve been to California twice, Cincinnati, Baltimore, and I am currently somewhere over the Midwest flying to Seattle. So, needless to say, in the past two months, I’ve been on a plane quite a bit, and a few things really irk me nerves. Here are my top three annoyances of flying in order of least annoying to most.

Why do people think it’s okay to fart on a plane? Disgusting! Just because we’re 30,000 miles up doesn’t mean your stinky funk disappears into the atmosphere. No! We smell it and we are disgusted!

The most important rule of travel: Don't talk to me. No one wants to talk to a stranger on a plane. We want to watch the movie, catch up on a good book, take a nap, or even just sit quietly and stare ahead. We do not want to talk to you! Sitting next to someone on a plane does not give you the right to talk to them. Simple as that.

Specifically, there are three types of people that will talk to you on a plane.

The first is the creepy old guy that wants to flirt. Gross. I don’t want to talk to you ever. Much less for three hours because I’m the unlucky girl that was assigned to sit next to you. I can only be rude and curt with you for so long before I want to snap.

Then we have the young (may or may not be creepy) guys who want to flirt. In addition, these guys also may or may not be cute, and if you’re one of the cute/non-creepy ones, take warning. We do not want to go on a five hour first date with you when the likelihood is very high that we will never see you again. Too much effort. If the return on my investment ain’t worth it, I ain’t putting it in. So basically, don’t talk to me either. If you happen to be cute, you have a little bit more room. Do not just jump into the conversation while we’re still sitting on the runway. A little small talk (emphasis on the small) now and then is fine, then with a few minutes left in the flight (perhaps 15 or so), you can start the conversation. Get it going, find out just enough to know if either of you want to see the other person again without actually going on the first date. I’m not talking to you for five hours without you buying me some dinner and drinks. This approach gives you both just enough to know that you want a little more.

The last category of people that talk to you is anyone else that talks because they talk too much. Listen! You are annoying! If you find the need to talk to a stranger and tell them your personal stories, you talk too much, and I bet people find you annoying in real life as well! I’m just saying! Strangers on the plane don’t care about your children, your house, your job, etc. I don’t know you and will never see you again. Don’t talk to me.

The planes with their luggage rules have to be my number one annoyance. As a result of most of the major airlines charging for checked bags, no one is checking bags anymore. I’d love to talk to the moron whose grand idea this was! Delta/American Airlines/United/US Airs/etc. Are you reading this? You charge for bags because you need to make more money, and guess what!? People stop checking bags. Duh! Instead you screw over everyone. People who legitimately only need carry-ons are screwed because everyone and their mother is bringing the hugest carry on bag I’ve ever seen. Then, since you aren’t making the revenue you thought this brilliant idea would bring, you start charging for everything else, jacking up the prices on airfare, etc. I’m ready for the day when it costs $5 to use the bathroom. And don’t get me started on the 50 lb limit for bags. Whooo boy!

Here’s the proof that this grand theory isn’t working. I’m on a plane to Seattle right now, from DC. That’s a 6 hour flight. I’d be willing to bet that the majority of people who take a cross country flight need a checked bag. Well, while I was boarding, the woman taking tickets took the carry on of every person whose final destination was Seattle and checked it. Well, let me correct that. It was more like every person after about half the people had boarded and apparently hogged up the overhead space. “Overhead space is limited” she said. Okay. So, my bag was one of the ones to go under. Do I pick it up at the gate when I get to Seattle? Heck no! I have to pick it up at the baggage claim. I’m only in Seattle for one night! I am getting there at 3 am my time, I do not want to go wait at the baggage claim for my carry on that has one suit, some work out clothes and make up. So, all this proves to me is that the majority of the majority that should have checked a bag, brought a carry one instead. And I can guarantee we wouldn’t have had that problem if it hadn’t cost $15 to check the bag! And you can bet their bags weigh more than 50 lbs! Ugh! Airline management are idiots! It really is no wonder that airlines are going broke. Shouldn’t being the CEO of a major corporation mean you’re intelligent?

Ok, my angry ramblings could go on forever I’m sure, but I’ll leave it at that. It’s 2 am, maybe I can get a little nap in before we land.

Oh, and as one last side note that really gets me worked up. Who are these airports that charge for WiFi? Cheap jerks! There are many airports where it is free, but some choose to charge. Really, how do they sleep at night?

Ugh, I may have made a HUGE mistake...

One of my friends is doing this totally amazing Peace Corps trip to Lesotho, and she started a blog to document her travels. Awesome! I love it and can't wait to hear and see about her amazing adventure.

I promptly commented on her first post, and realized, a little too late, that I was logged in with this account! Next to my comment will be access to this blog! I'm pretty sure she sent this link to all her friends, which several I'm sure include people I work with! Yikes! I know!! So, now I'm in this dilemma of what to do with my blog. Do I just delete it and pretend it never happened? Or do I continue onward with my self-importance, just knowing now that I need to be a little more censored? Why do I see this not ending well?!?

Choices for awesome Halloween costumes: Skanks or Douchebags

Characters in my life you will be introduced to today; Pool Shark - have known for years, I went to college with her sister, who although is still a very good friend, is married and has babies, so needless to say Pool Shark and I do more of the weekend hanging out. Plays pool almost religiously. Most of her going outs revolve around whether or not there is a pool table there (if out with pool friends), or a dance floor (if out with me). D - we work together, and honestly do almost everything together.

Last night, I realized that I am no longer the appropriate demographic for bars at Halloween. This has nothing to do with my age, but more with the fact that I am neither a skanky slut, nor a douche bag male, which apparently come out in droves on Halloween. While they are always out, not discriminating between the fan or downtown, the sheer numbers that come out on Halloween is impressive. Last night proved to be no Halloween exception.

The night started off with the typical pre-gaming, music playing, excitement about wanting to get into shenanigans that night. (Shenanigans meaning making out with random guys at bars. But that’s where we, or at least most of my friends, stop. We’re more down with the teasing of these guys than the actual following through, hey, that’s what makes it shenanigans rather than promiscuity.)

When we arrive at our first location, the ever popular on holidays bar Banditos, the place was packed. Banditos, in my ever loyal opinion, had been having some off days in the recent months, so we were pleased to see it packed. The bar was pumping, the music was awesome, people were dancing, it seemed to promise a good time. We head out to the dance follow, requisite bottle of Miller Lite in hand, and started getting our dance on. As we surveyed the situation, I recalled some reasons why Halloween is never as much fun as you think it will be.

What are people doing wearing these giant boxes? I hate these people that wear the giant boxes. What are you dressed up as? And good for you for being creative, but have some respect for the fact you’re heading out to a crowded bar. These boxes jam into people, and make maneuvering difficult, therefore pissing off everyone in the bar as you lumber down the crowded bar and drunkenly dance bumping into everyone. A few years ago someone went as a giant Mona Lisa. To give you some perspective, the face was to size as the person’s actual face, and there was a giant cardboard box around the person that served as the rest of the painting and frame. Clever, I’ll give them that, but it was obnoxious as all get out! Last night a group of drunken college students dressed up as some sort of cars or something. I have no idea what they went as. Maybe Mario Cart? I seem to recall seeing a Luigi, but who knows. That’s the first problem with their costumes. If it’s going to be obnoxious and piss everyone off, make sure they at least get it. Then, they were all trying to dance with each other, but due to the boxes, couldn’t really dance down and dirty as apparently they wanted to do, so they started bouncing off each other, then bouncing off the other people in the bar, basically taking up the same amount of space on the dance floor as the entire cast on Day 1 of The Biggest Loser.

The other observation is that only douche bag guys or guys that get forced to dress up by their girlfriends are out on Halloween. Self-respecting guys either go to a house party where they don’t have to dress up, or stay in and watch football. So, our eligible male pool with which to make out was very limited, as the majority of guys were already with their girlfriends, or were hitting on the skanks, due to their douchebagery. We, having chose to dress sexily, but age appropriate and in real costumes nonetheless, were not the target mark for a Halloween booty call.

We left Banditos and headed down to Baja where Pool Sharks’s friends were hanging out. This was a much welcomed scene. While we love to dance, and there was none of that going on at Baja, the scene was much chiller. We were welcomed by 4 dudes calling out everyone’s outfits as they walked in with social commentary. It was cute, they were cute. When you walk into a bar and someone is there to welcome you, it makes you feel, well, welcomed. Pool Shark perched herself up with her friends while D and I mingled and flirted around the bar. There were the mandatory skanks and DBs, of course, but they were kept in line here by the usual Baja crowd. We ended up staying until about 1. The scene was good, the people were good, while by no means a shenanigan filled night, it was a good time.

Next year, I’m either staying in or having a party. What puzzles me though, is I know for a fact, I’d had fun out on Halloween before. Is this skank and DB a recent development? I find that hard to believe as I was certainly never either, and had a good time out several years running.