Taxi Strike in DC

Okay, so maybe it's a little mean of me as I do have a car and as such am not dependent on taxis to get me places. But really, a taxi driver strike? Best day for driving ever. No crazies cutting you off and honking at you if you don't leave within .5 seconds of the light turning green. No super slow cab blocking your way as he trolls at 5 mph for a fare. They should have these more often.

Oh, and happy halloween. I barely even remembered it was today, except that all my tutoring students had to reschedule, because duh! Halloween is totally like today, and they totally do not want to be studying French while all their friends are at the cool party. Can't say that I blame them :).

Follow Up: Whoa, Y'all

Okay, so I'm a bit impulsive. I know it doesn't seem like it sometimes, but every now then I just jump directly into something with so little forethought it is quite incredible.

Take for instance, this contest thingy I posted. I don't regret this a bit, mind you, but now feel totally like the weird kid who thought that this fall party was a costume one, but it is fact NOT and now I'm the only person in a room full of adults dressed like a lady bug (or a rabbit, a la Elle). I did NO research whatsoever, and come to find out this group of bloggers are all some serious moms. For the real. Except for Anne, who got me into this in the first place :). I have no problems with moms. Really...I read some mommy bloggers regularly, I have a mom, I would like to be a mom someday, but I'm soooooo nowhere near that now. So imagine my surprise that most of the other blogs are giving away kid/baby related stuff. Awkward.

All that being said, I still think the concept is awesome. And I'm still totally making that hat and scarf. And if you're here reading because of this, and you're a mom with a blog (and probably a church-goin' one at that!), you are more than welcome and I will gladly check out your site as well.

Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway

Okay, so I got this from Anne, who got it from here, and I completely love the idea.



I'm giving away a matching hat and scarf set, made by me, and in fall colors like dark red or brown or orange or yellow or really whatever your little heart desires.

I'm going to ask Anne about this random number generator thingy, otherwise I'll just ask someone in my office to pick a number. I'll choose and post the winner on Friday afternoon. Don't forget to shop around at the other sites, as they have tons of cool stuff!

The Trip for Ginger's Wedding in Review

Flying: D-
I seriously had the most hellish trip getting from Philadelphia to Houston. The only reason flying didn't flunk entirely was that my trip home was uneventful (albeit a little tight, as I was in a window seat with two rather large people next to me, and they encroached on my seat space a bit). Getting to Houston involved being bumped off a flight, melting down at the ticket counter (at which some nice lady took pity on me and gave me her seat and some kleenex), hanging out on the runway for an hour, running low on fuel and having to stop in Shreveport, having mechanical problems in Shreveport and waiting there for two hours, and finally landing in Houston approximately 4 hours late. And then my taxi got a flat tire on the way to the hotel, which technically doesn't count as flying, but was a fitting end to the journey, I think.

Clothing: B
Mercifully after that trip everything in my luggage arrived on schedule, with nothing spilled or damaged (including my dress for the wedding, which I was stupid enough to pack in my checked luggage, but it all worked out). Unfortunately, the red dress for which I spent a great deal of time hunting in the spring ended up being a wee bit snug in the um, bosom area, so I was not the most comfortable person on Saturday night. I got a few compliments though, so apparently I was the only one aware of the squeeze situation.

Food: A+
I ate so well - favorites included my fish (trout with almonds) at the rehearsal dinner, Dos Salsas in G-town, and of course some good old-fashioned BBQ at Rudy's. I think the wedding food was pretty good too, but I wasn't all that hungry due to adrenaline and such. And the dress, as mentioned above, did not really lend itself to comfortable eating.

Book, Devil in the White City: A
Now I really, really want to visit Chicago. And am very glad I wasn't born in like 1880 or anything. If you like history/architecture/murder psychology, this is a good book for you too!

Amtrak Station at BWI: F
Seriously, BOTH of the elevators are out of service? Both? What the heck am I supposed to do with this giant suitcase and a freakin' sewing machine in a box, huh? Better yet, what do people in wheelchairs do?

People to whom I would send thank you letters if I knew their names and/or addresses:
Nice lady at the PHL airport
Two guys at BWI that helped me lug suitcases up and down the train station stairs
Taxi driver who continued all the way to the hotel on a flat tire
The people who invented champagne

Happy Marriage, Ginger and James!

It's Tuesday, But I Want it to Be Friday

And not just in that "I'm so done with work and wish the week were already over" sort of way (even though that's a little true as well...).

Here are the lovely activities I have to look forward to this upcoming weekend:

Arlington Library Book Sale! I limit myself to $20, and usually walk away with a sack full of books. I know it's uber-nerdy of me to be so into it, but if the books were not on shelves, but in a big pile on the floor, I would probably roll around in them, because they are THAT EXCITING.

Dupont Circle Farmer's Market! Not for shopping mind you, I will be selling this super smelling soap. I don't exactly know why I'm so into farmer's markets anyway, but the thought of working at one is a whole other level of happy. Plus there's the added bonus of taking a twenty minute break and buying all of my fresh veggies and fruits for the week.

And then there's also sleeping, which is going to be exciting too.

**EDIT: There's also Crafty Bastards, featuring stuff from Joi!

Signs I might be aging

Hello interweb,

Today is my birthday! I am now 28. I've spent most of my birthday so far writing work emails and answering the occasional birthday call/email. Getting in touch with all of you lovely people out there is my favorite part...but the presents, they are also nice too :).

I took off yesterday as a present to myself, since it just wasn't going to happen for today with my work schedule, and let me tell you, I sure do know what I need, present-wise. I didn't even do anything exciting: I slept in, I ran errands, I began a major overhaul of my room. Everything just seemed nicer though: I slept with the windows open with a hint of a fall breeze coming in, I ran all of my errands in record time since no one was around, and my room is actually approaching some form of organization, which it hasn't in well...years. I also picked up my new glasses (which are very nerd chic - I like them). Then later I met up with friends and ate Caribbean food in the park, picnic-style. There was (and will be) no big party, no bar hopping, no super fancy dinner, but I am already relaxed as I head to the beach for the weekend, and that in and of itself is a lovely birthday place to be.

I'm it, apparently...

Courtesy of Joi. See comments in last post for details.

Seven (oh so very) random facts about me. In the order that they popped into my head :).

1) Any time I get really nervous or stressed out, I get sick to my stomach. I inherited this trait from my father, who got it from his mother, so basically anyone on that side of my family is ill at any given moment. Actually, my father promptly threw up after I was born, because there had been some problems with the delivery, and as an OB, he knew what that might mean. I think with that sort of christening, I never really stood much of a chance to avoid the stomach thing.

2) I love just about anything that is cheese flavored - cheeze puffs, cheetos, cheese straws.

3) I have read (and own, come to think of it) practically every book that L.M. Montgomery ever wrote (there are LOTS more than the Anne books, in case you were wondering).

4) I have terrible, terrible eyesight, and sometimes have nightmares where I have to do something very important or there's a big emergency but I can't see anything.

5) I took a semester of beginning figure skating in college for a PE credit, and was pretty good at it, if I do say so myself.

6) I love snuggling into bed when there's a big thunderstorm raging. I don't find them the least bit scary.

7) I can still perform the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in it's entirety, although probably not that well.


Whew...

I tag Ebony, Barbara, Stephanie, Ava, and Anne (Like I have much choice. More of my friends need to start blogging. Not that y'all aren't fabulously entertaining...you get what I mean...I hope :).

Re-Entry

As a few of you may know, I recently ventured back to Texas for a long weekend. Which ended up feeling like a week (at least) due to a lot of activity. Not that I had anything planned mind you. Actually I had no plans at all, beyond eating things and visiting and staying up too late and sleeping in, at which I was remarkably successful.

I also managed to make a purse for Ebony (happy birthday Ebony!), and make coin purses for others with the leftovers, visit with both sides of my family (all of the grandparents, which is a miracle in and of itself, and no less than 6 cousins if you count spouses), and track down our repeat offender escapee cat. My mom talked me into yoga twice, and I am still feeling the after effects. It was freakin' hot in Texas...like lay in your living room languid on the couch because you have lost the will to move hot. I shopped at my favorite cheap jewelry store, went to a Target that was not completely stripped free of sale clothes, and visited the new hip store that Sarah's managing. I woke up at the crack of dawn this morning and still managed to miss my flight, and as such had to take one that left four hours later. Yep, FOUR hours. So I finished reading one mindless fluffy book and then bought another. Part of me felt a smidge guilty, in that I should probably be reading something more high brow, and even though I recognize it's pretty much a waste of time, I still have to admit that I enjoyed myself immensely, and it was a great way to push through an entire day. Plus, a girl can only be so intellectual on 4 hours of sleep.

Coming home to Arlington is a little less hot, a little more crowded, and a little bittersweet. Apparently I'm going to be straddling between here and there for quite some time.

Oh, and my car died. Awesome. So for another $600 (that brings the total to a whole, whole lot that I've put into my car this year) it will be fixed and ready to trade in for something more reliable. Any advice on that front would be very, very welcome, if any of you are so inclined :). It seems like such a grownup sort of thing to face.

So tomorrow, back to work. And oh, there is so, so much work to be done. So. Much. Work. But it was totally worth it.

Sound investing

- Aquaphor lip balm
- Cetaphil lotion
- Planter's Cheeze Balls
- OPI nail polish
- Mylanta
- Gap clothing
- Nine West shoes

Given the amount of business that I personally give to each of the above, I'm thinking buying stock in some of them might be a nice way to balance myself out.

Of course, that assumes I have money with which to buy stocks :).

So cool

This couple (along with their two sons) dropped by my work today. Check out the website, and then try to make me believe that you aren't the littlest bit jealous.

I am too. And planning a road trip :).

Adoption link

I don't know if any of you that read this are particularly interested in the topic, but adoption is something that always seems to lurk in the back of my brain as a "someday" sort of idea. Not that I am anywhere near something like that, but there are lots of ways to get involved with adoption and orphan care that doesn't actually involve bringing a child into your home.

Just today, I heard a really wonderful story as part of a series on adoption on NPR. You can listen to all of them here, if you're interested.

What does your Netflix queue say about you?

Mine says that I'm into French and Spanish-language stuff, random dance documentaries (krump, anyone?), BBC miniseries, satire, social change, weird independent films, old school heist adventures, classic Disney, Agatha Christie mysteries, and handsome leading men of the 40s and 50s.

Woohoo split personality disorder.

Association

There's been a lot of talk amongst my various groups of friends about showers, both baby and bridal. And most of the time, I end up thinking, "Hmm, I could really go for some cake right now."

Mind, changed (a little)

After all of my railing against reality television, I would like to state here and now that I'm most definitely hooked on "So You Think You Can Dance." This show, in a word, rocks.

That is all.

How to Find Out if You Are a Nerd of Incurable Proportions

Take this quiz:

1. What music do they play on NPR's "Marketplace" when the stocks are up? How about down?

2. Name your three favorite BBC miniseries.

3. On a beautiful summer day at the beach, your preferred discussion would be about:
a) the fashion magazine you are currently reading
b) your favorite gulity pleasure summer television show
c) the impact of human rights legislation on global trade

What others did I miss?

With all of my talk of crafty-ness, I still haven't posted a darn thing. That's not going to change today :).

However, in my recent craft-like activities, I attempted iron-on transfers. I, along with girls in my church small group, decided that volunteering to help out with the t-shirts for the vacation Bible school would be great. I loved going to VBS as a kid, and the thought of helping out with that is great. Also, how hard can it be to make t-shirts? I'll tell you...really effing hard.

Jill and I made it through a rockin' 10 shirts in 2 1/2 hours...and most of those didn't look all that great. How many are we supposed to do, you might ask? 100. 100 preschool size t-shirts with four iron-on transfers per shirt. It's going to take FOREVER. And in the end some cute kids are going to be walking around in some wonky-looking shirts, so I apologize in advance. At least know they were made with love (and some minor amounts of curse words, burns, plastic melted on irons, etc.).

At Sarah's Suggestion

This is currently my favorite thing on the internet.

Here comes Peter Cotton tail...

Oh, internet...where did a whole month go? More than that even. I have been one busy girl, if I do say so myself. So what happened?

Well, first, Barbara got married to this great guy named Zach. And I flew back and got to hang with everyone. And it turns out, there are a lot of you that read my blog, and I had no freakin' clue. So now I feel like such a slacker, and since the wedding was May 5 and that's where I heard all about you blog-readers, you would think that I would have updated more. But that's where you're wrong...

Because I came back to a new position at my job! It's only a seasonal promotion, but it comes with an office, with a door that I can close, should I choose to do so (although I haven't yet). I have to give the office back in October, but it's good experience for me, and lets me use my brain in all sorts of new and interesting ways. But leaves sadly little time for internet perusal and/or blog writing.

Last weekend I went to West Virginia, home of...John Denver? Was he from there? I mean, I know "Country Roads" references it, but it just could have been that he liked it there. We had a very historical afternoon at Harper's Ferry, and then drove through a town with the world's best diner-like/hometown fastfood place (they had FUNNEL CAKES, people. And FRIED CAULIFLOWER. I cannot begin to tell you how delicious fried cauliflower is...I don't think I'm going to be able to go back to it healthy-style). If you ever find yourself in Fairmont, West Virginia, give me a call and I will totally hook you up.

So after the grease-binge, we drove on to a state park that also had a nice lodge to stay in (they called it a resort, which sounds fancier and snottier than it was, though it was really very lovely). It was right next to a lake, where we kayaked. That's right, I, Rachel, paddled a kayak around a lake. And LOVED it. Wasn't even sore the next day, which I think is totally a fluke thing. I felt like such an Amazon though...I mean, KAYAKING. Me! We also spent a ridiculous amount of time at Wal-Marts (yep, plural) because we first needed snacks, and also I forgot pajamas. At the first Wal-Mart stop, Kandi found $1 sequin tube tops for each of us (there were exactly 4 left! Providential!), which will perhaps be making an appearances at an upcoming 80's concert, assuming I'm feeling brave :).

My most recent adventure today involved a last minute decision to stop into the so-named "Oriental Grocery Store" that is across the street from my house. I have all these fresh herbs, because I had this romantic idea that I could grow them in my window box, and holy cow, I can, but whoa are there now a lot of herbs and I really haven't had a great deal of time to cook with them. So I decided to make spring rolls, and what better place to buy the wrappers and noodles than the local asian dive grocery store? The best part though was the 10 minutes I spent gawking in the frozen section. Have you ever seen an entire frozen eel curled up in ziploc baggy? I have! Also, whole frogs, crates of fishes with scales and eyes still there, and random bags of stuff labeled (helpfully) as "seafood." It was the most fantastic and horrifying thing I have seen in a while.

Well, I do believe that is enough rabbit chasing for the night. I'll be back soon...er than last time, anway.

You can take the girl out of the south...

"Do you remember hearing the word 'wampum'?"

"As in, I'm goin' to womp' um upside the head?"

"Um, no, not exactly."





(Just for the record, neither of these people is me.)

Hold the presses!

I am cat-sitting for a friend for a few days, and I packed for the night in quite a hurry. So this morning, I didn't have the following: toothbrush, clean socks, or makeup. You read the last part right - MAKEUP. None of it.

For the first time in my entire adult life (at least that I can remember), I am at work without a stitch of makeup on. No mascara, no powder, nada. It feels surprisingly the same; however I will be avoiding any mirrors and will be operating under the illusion that I look pretty much the same. Is it Wednesday yet?