Day 305: If you never try than you'll never know

Today was pretty much an awesome day, with lots of good new. (Long post, lots of pictures.)

It began with my company's annual staff meeting/Halloween party. I wore a tutu that I made. Both new as I've never previously worn nor made a tutu. I'm afraid it could be addicting. I tried it on the night before and did a load of laundry whilst wearing it. Best load of laundry ever.

Making the tutu with a red carpet of tulle. Tutorial on laptop on left, Giants game on TV on right. Doesn't everyone make their tutus whilst watching football?
In progress.
Final product. My only caveats are that I couldn't find wings, and that it's too poufy, as it wasn't techinally tulle, but another kind of netting, that refused to lie down.

We had breakfast and lunch and played games, including taking the latest citizenship test. I was one of two people, out of 60 total, to get all the questions correct! Now not only am I a knowledgeable U.S. citizen, I'm also $50 richer in AmEx gift cards for my dedication! (Sadly, I don't have pictures from the party, as the ladybug had no pockets, thus the ladybug had no camera.)

After actually having to work in the afternoon, and then an almost-nap at home, I set out for the Coldplay concert in downtown D.C. This is my first concert in almost three years, my first concert in D.C. and of course, my first time seeing Coldplay.

I had great lower-level seats (also a new thing) and they played all of my favorite songs. Chris Martin has manic energy that was catching and it just got better and better. And I mean that, as a little more than halfway through the show they took off the stage and into the crowd, to perform "The Scientist" and one other song, 3 ROWS FROM ME!!!! I was second seat from the aisle when they ran by and could have touched Chris Martin. (I tried, but didn't quite make it. And honestly, I may have recoiled, as he was 90% sweat. I love Coldplay, but I don't love sweat.)

They didn't glow this much in real life, even with the sweat. And Mr. Big Head in the black shirt is not a member of the band. Had I had an apple with me, I would have thrown it at his big neck.
Overall it was an amazing night and I have so much respect and admiration for them as artists and performers. My pictures aren't great as I stupidly adhered to the "no cameras" rule on the ticket and only had my phone, but they'll do until I can get some from the guy who sat beside me.

Day 304: "Oh, that's not swearing. They came out of the sinful category an age ago! " (Delysia, Miss Pettigrew...)

In the history of greatest inventions ever, Netflix certainly finishes in the top 10. Maybe even the top 5 since they added the "watch instantly" feature, which has resulted in me replaying the first season of 30 Rock over and over again. I currently have the one-at-a-time plan, which is usually a great investment. Except for when I accidentally keep one for more than a month and the movie ends up sucking, i.e. Casino Royale, or love the movie but still take three weeks to watch it, i.e. Out of Africa. But today I got my Netflix movie, watched it, and mailed it back, all on the same day. Specifically I watched Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, which was really cute and gave me the lovely Lee Pace with a British accent, i.e., perfection.

Day 303: Playing around

I made a quick trip to the mall tonite to find the last piece of my Halloween costume. Which, of course, I did not find. To console myself I wondered into Sephora to play around. This resulted in trying on $42 concealer and "intuitive" blush. The absurdly expensive concealer did nothing to conceal the absurd pimple above my lip. And the intuitive blush, which goes on clear and then apparently magically determines what it thinks is your best color, decided Barbie doll hot pink is what looks best on me. Needless to say, the concealer and blush are safely in their bins, while the top coat and lip butter went home with me.

Day 302: And the world spins madly on

Day one of a two-day meeting means I am exhausted. It's shaping up to be a busy week and what better way to make it seem crazier than by spinning around in a circle on one foot with my eyes closed. The sad part was having to think about whether or not I've ever done this in my life before. I really hope not. And if for some reason I have the new thing can also be stepping on my work computer, which I did as I spun like a crazy person. I couldn't make this up if I tried.

Day 301: "How do I look?" (Holly G., Breakfast at Tiffany's)

As usual, the weekend went by far too fast. Back to the grindstone today, and back to an accidental nap when I got home. (It's getting harder to call them accidents when I take one everyday.) Anyway, I attempted to rejuvenate myself with silly internet distractions, including playing with virtual Audrey Hepburn paper dolls. I love Audrey, and I used to love paper dolls, so playing with them online - which instantly makes it mature - was a great combination.

Day 300: The things I do

I've had these slippers for a few years now that are not only warm and comfortable, but that I think strongly resemble actual shoes. I was tempted several times in college to actually wear them as shoes, but never had the nerve. But today, heading to the grocery store a block away, I decided to wear my slippers as shoes.

Hmm, looking at this picture, they do look like slippers. Oh well, too late now.

Day 299: I live for the weekends

I know I do a pretty good job of showing the hip and exciting life of a 20-something singleton in the city. Really. I mean, what's more hip than sticking a spoon on your nose or putting your clothes on backwards - on purpose? And then blogging abou it. It's ok to be jealous. Especially as I present today's new thing: making an animal out of pipe cleaners and fuzzy ball things! I know, you can barely contain your awe and jealousy.

I ran errands all day today, in the rain, mostly centered around getting a Halloween costume together. And as I required pipe cleaners and fuzzy balls, I ended up buying a kit that not only gave me these, but also the option to make little animals. And thus I present, Siegfried, the cat. (Personally, I think he looks like a bear, but whatever.)


Chilling with Hillary the donkey and my fuzzy Carolina thing.
Now to make this post even cooler...

I went to Toys R Us today, mainly to look for a piece for a costume, but of course I ended up in the Barbie section. This section has been on the decline in most stores for the past few years, but today it was pretty good. And it had the most kick-ass Barbie of all, Barbie for President! In Caucasian brunette or blonde, or African-American. Sadly, as much as I wanted it, I didn't buy it. Too much other stuff to buy and do and I didn't want to carry it around. But I will be back.

Day 298: Kriss Kross will make you...

...accidentally fall asleep for two hours, groggily take a shower to wake up, then accidentally put your pants on backwards, which you then turn into a new (sad) thing by putting your hoodie on backwards, too.

My lyrics convey much more than "jump, jump."

Yes, taking the cue from Mr. Kriss and Mr. Kross, a decade or so too late, I wore my clothes backwards. For just a minute, as it looks and feel creepy.

Day 297: Bye bye

First, it was the actual moving away. Then, it was the taxes, voter registration, and checks. And now, begrudgingly, I shed yet another vestige of my life in the Old North State by getting a DC ID card.

And what is my punishment for moving away and making this leap? A wonky eye. Yes, continuing the tradition started in my permit picture, where my shoulders were at my ears, and my last ID card, where my hair was messy and too dark, I took another bad DMV picture. This time, the flash made me blink, but only with one eye, thus making me look like this:


Since I've been making fun of her eye for years. I suppose you could call this karma. But when I typed "wonky eye" in Google image search, the first 20 were her, and I laughed some more. Oops.

I don't like the card colors and while the shot of the Capitol in the background is nice, it's not the Cape Hatteras lighthouse or Wright Brothers plane. Though, I am quite happy to no longer have the "UNDER 21" emblazoned by my head in yellow. At least I maintain the 919 area code and my continual payments to UNC, can't quite shake my sweet Carolina just yet.

Day 296: At least the sweater is a new color

I spent time last night unpacking all my winter clothes and packing up all my summer. Naturally, after seeing how badly I don't need any more clothes, I went to Gap after work to check out their sale anyway. After narrowing down my seven items to three, and getting in line, I ran into a co-worker with a Gap discount who got me 30% off my already discounted purchases. I now feel 30% less guilty for buying them in the first place.

Day 295: Tossing and turning

Despite being monumentally tired when I get in bed, I have not been sleeping well lately. It may be the cup of tea I had that I thought didn't have caffeine but clearly did. Or the fact that I have started writing and checking email in bed, which you aren't supposed to do. Or maybe it's the front and back somersault I did tonite in my queen bed as a new thing, that is keeping me from getting the rest I need. Who knows? (If you are wondering how many bones I broke in this endeavor: none. But I did come dangerously close to flipping in between the mattress and the footboard.)

Day 294: More warm and toasty

According to Made of Honor, the little cardboard thingies that go around drinks at coffee shops, is called a coffee collar, and was invented by Patrick Dempsey's character circa 1996.

Just an interesting fact.

I've been looking for a more "permanent" coffee collar, so as not to have to waste the cardboard ones everytime I go. I bought one a few weeks ago at the craft fair, and used my felt cup muff for the first time today. (I like cup muff better than coffee collar. It rhymes. I like when things rhyme.)
I doubt my caramel apple cider even contains caffeine, but it's still environmentally friendly.

Day 293: Nice and toasty

There is a definite chill in the air here today. And what better way to usher in Fall than with a nice, big pot of chili. Of course, I do not have a big pot, and I do not know how to make chili, but that was only a minor set-back. A few phone calls to Mom, trips to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and the grocery store, and I made chili!Yes, you should be impressed. It was quite good, and that's just not me talking, the roommate thought so as well. (Yes, she could have been lying.) There were a few burnt pieces, but that just adds protein. And it won't stop me from eating the leftovers all week.

Day 292: UVa sucks

There are some days when the need to be in the outside world is highly overrated. Like today. I left my apartment exactly once, to take out the trash, and that was it. I had planned all week to sleep until I woke up, and to lay in bed watching How I Met Your Mother season three on DVD, which I specifically ordered from Amazon for the occasion. And that is exactly what I did. But I also cleaned my room, did laundry, organized papers, and sorted through a bunch of random junk. I also took a long shower and then lit candles to relax, using some Mary Kay products that the sister gave me, my first use of "her" stuff. It smells really good and is purple, and I like purple.

Day 291: Thank God it's Friday!

Ever since I had my first sushi a few weeks ago, I’ve been craving it again. But I’ve been too busy to head to a new restaurant to try it so today I bought supermarket sushi at Harris Teeter. Even before I tried it at all I always thought it was kind of nasty to buy it from a case at the grocery store. But other than being too loose, and having far too much cucumber, it wasn’t too bad.

I also broke down and ordered the Caramel Apple Spice at Starbucks, instead of calling it the Caramel Apple Cider. I don't know why they changed the name from cider to spice last year, but I resisted just because I'm petty like that. And because it was probably for the same non-existent reason they can't just call a small a small instead of a tall. Or venti. Or whatever.

And got a pink contact lens case with my saline solution in support of Susan G. Komen breast cancer research. I feel like there are more products than ever this year that are going to support breast cancer research, which can be nothing but good.

Day 290: It pays to complain

I develop overly strong attachments to certain drink and food items. And these often end up being the so-called "seasonal" items that are only available certain months of the year, for no apparent reason other than to have me clump a year's worth of purchases into a 3 month period. (And royally piss me off, of course.) When I went to Cosi today with the intent to finally get a meatball sandwich that has been off their menu since May, I was told it was "gone, no more." I was quite upset but got another, far more inferior sandwich anyway, and whilst eating it wrote an email all but begging them to put it on the menu.
I've been threatening to do this to Bojangles for years in protest of their delectable cinnamon biscuits only being available in western NC, but have yet to do it, so this is my first letter to a restaurant demanding the return of a favorite food item.

And lo and behold, the next day I got a response! Thus, come November 4, I will either be celebrating a certain candidate's victory with a warm, meatball aurora, or crying into my basil and provolone.
I think it's time to have a chat with Bojangles now...

Day 289: She works hard for the money

I am in the midst of a massive project at work, with lots of content and deadlines and meetings. Oh the meetings. Until now all of mine have been teleconferences, but today I had my first in person client meeting. It continues tomorrow, but for now I think it's going pretty well.

And now, to see if I can make it three for three this week by crashing and napping in the evening before really going to bed.

Day 288: More Jacob

A few months ago I tried to make a Jacob's ladder out of string and failed, miserably. Tonite I played with a Jacob's ladder toy, with moderately more success. I love the illusion it creates and trying to get it to do different things. I wasn't that great at it, proving that even the smallest requirement of coordination escapes me, but it was entertaining for a few minutes nonetheless.

Day 287: Au revoir

As much as I love my job and apartment and most of the time my life in DC, I did not want to leave home home today. It just went by too quickly. But leave I had to, and this time I left on a train out of Wilson train station, instead of Rocky Mount. It was smaller and a bit sketchier than the other, but it was closer to home, and meant I got 20 more minutes of chilling on the couch, which was exactly what I needed.

Day 286: Sleep, where are you?

After the frenetic pace of the past few weeks, today was the first day in awhile I just got to sit and breathe. More or less. A houseful of family meant lots of talking and eating and fun times, more than worth my having to abandon my plan to sleep all day. And it ended with the brother, cousin, and I at a near-empty sports bar on a Sunday night, in downtown Goldsboro. Too much new in that sentence, that's for sure.

Day 285: Going to the chapel (more or less)

And that's that. My big sister is now a Mrs., Joey finally has a brother, and our family gained three new members in the end. Melissa was the prettiest bride I've ever seen, and one of the happiest too. And Mike wasn't too shabby, either. :-)

It was a beautiful ceremony and great reception with the much-loved wedding soup and full of lots of fun and laughing. And full of lots of new too. Obviously my new doesn't compare to Melissa and Mike's, but...

It was my first wedding of a sibling, my first time in a wedding, and first time catching a bouquet. (Which only took two threats of bodily harm and minimal elbow action.) I also helped a bride go to the bathroom and gave a speech only about five minutes after writing it. But we'll leave those last two out of the official compendium of new things.

I am so happy and proud of my sister, and my new brother-in-law, and my new nieces. That's all.

Pictures from the amazing family and wedding photographer, Aunt Shannon. (Let me know if you would prefer I not post them.)

Day 284: One more day

As the title reflects, only one more day to the Big Day! And today was full of lots of pre-wedding preparations, including decorating and a trip to a scary Wal Mart for last minute supplies. But before all of that there was the bridesmaid's luncheon at a country club, my first country club lunch. And then the wedding rehearsal and dinner, my first wedding rehearsal.

The country club was very nice, good food, great familial company, and of course, mimosas aplenty. The rehearsal was short and sweet, but served its purpose. Not long now...

A blurry shot of the soon to be Mr. and Mrs.
Another blurry, and cropped, shot of me and the best man.

Day 283: Perfection

Let the wedding festivities begin! What is the best way to recover from weeks of hard work and late nights, getting in at midnite on the train, and most importantly, celebrate the impending wedding of a sister? Spa day! My first trip to a spa, complete with my first ever manicure, massage, and facial. (Had a pedicure too, but I've had those before.) It was a wonderful gift from the bride-to-be, complete with mimosas and too much talking in the "quiet room." Like we could have it any other way.

Day 282: Title

Another trip home, another train ride. Finally I got a window seat, and finally I had no one sitting beside me. Though I did have one little boy that kept staring at me, and three people with the need to comment on the "Doctor Who" episode I was watching. Note to self, maybe not watch the one with a very large and scary Satan-like creature next time, as everyone behind you can see.

Anyway, that doesn't matter. I always get the cheese tray when I'm on the train, because I love cheese and crackers and it's cheap and good. But as I was quite hungry I also got a hot dog, microwaved to perfection for 45 seconds, on a train.

Day 281: You don't mess with someone named Wolfgang

I like food as much as the next person, particularly when it consists of chocolate or carbs. But I'm not a big fancy food person, never watch the Food network or read recipe books just for the heck of it. But I can recognize a famous chef when I see it, so when I saw that Wolfgang Puck had a line of soups at Harris Teeter, I grabbed the can of vegetable, continuing my neverending quest for the perfect canned vegetable soup. Tonite I tried Mr. Puck's veggie soup, my first "famous" soup. Yeah, I think good old Wolfie should stick to the restaurant biz. Or at the very least chill out on the spices. If I knew about spices I could tell you which ones I've been choking on for the last four hours. Oregano, maybe? Or, my favorites, parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme? Never mind, the quest will just continue.

Day 280: Walk tall

How is it already Monday? Just doesn't seem fair. But it is and it was back to the grindstone and work work work. But the work was broken up a bit when I received my bridesmaid shoes for the wedding, sent to me ahead of time so I could break them in. And what better way to break them in than to strut down King Street, from the office to the metro in high heels, 8/10 of a mile on brick.

And by strut I of course mean hobble and stumble my way along like a drunk person. I'm quite certain had I been brave enough to turn around, there would have been a group of people following me taking bets on when I would faceplant, or exactly how many martinis I had in my system. Oh, if only they knew that not even four years of tripping on the bricks in Chapel Hill could prepare me for fancy high heels on the bricks of Old Town Alexandria.

Day 279: Cgbraimde sylte

A sduty at Cbgarmide sarevel yraes ago pevord taht the oedrr of the ltretes in a wrod deos not mteatr to the bairn, jsut taht the fsrit and lsat ltteres are creocrt. New tnhig of the day: wnitirn my etnry, Cgbraimde sylte. I tihnk it is a vrey initserentg sudty and has pvoern vrey ture, at lsaet for me. But you hvea to wneodr who frsit reilzaed it. Waht sdsuepoply blianlrit Crmadbige mnid sat dwon one day, jlbumebd all the ltretes in his or her wniitrg, jsut for the hcek of it? And tenh pverod, whuitot the aid of hulgneailcionc dugrs, he or she culod siltl raed it? Tehy wulod not hvea so mcuh tmei on tiehr hndas if tehy had an amoewsoe bkeltbasal or falbotol taem.

Day 278: Busy like a bee...or a crazy person

It has been a very busy week for me this week, lots happening at work and elsewhere, and it will only get crazier next week, with a huge deadline and a WEDDING!! Yes, one week from today my big sister walks down the aisle. Sigh, they grow up so fast. But in preparation of this event, I trekked to Maryland yet again to the A.C. Moore, to spend more than I've ever spent on beads, and make jewelry for the bridal party. Nothing like stringing beads to the sounds of Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on SNL to get you in the mood for a wedding.

Day 277: Improving my vision?

I don't particularly believe in nor embrace a lot of the "New Age" doctrines. Or, any, for that matter. And despite the fact that this The Secret stuff is everywhere, I know very little about it. But when I read about this thing called the "Vision Board," where you can collage or list or draw all of your goals and ambitions, and then use all your positive energy to obtain, I thought, meh, what the heck, I'll give it a shot. I made a vision board of some of my goals.

A peak at part of my digital board:
I haven't so much focused all my positive energy on it as I am quite tired and and busy focusing my energy elsewhere, but maybe one day.

Day 276: Psych!

I don't believe in Ouija boards, psychics, or tarot cards. But I do believe in WikiHow giving me ideas at 11:30 at night, so I made a Psi wheel, a post-it note on a needle which you are supposedly able to move through telekinesis.
It moved a few times, but I think that was less telekinesis, and more a combination of my ueneven floor and clumsy knee.

Day 275: Bailout smackdown

One of my favorite lines from Friends is when someone tells Phoebe to "dial down the crazy." I have pretty much adopted this as my mantra in life. I fully embrace my weirdness, my neuroticness, my geekiness - aka my life - and am not ashamed of any of my crazy quirks.

However, I do have just enough social grace to realize you can't let it all hang out all at once. No need to walk up to someone and say, "Hi, I'm Bonnie, I sleep with a blanket, can't touch raw meat, have been known to alphabetize the books and DVDs of others, and have an all-consuming fear of birds. How are you?" That being said, in a discussion at work about organization I admitted to owning multiple label makers, alphabetizing everything, color coordinating my clothing, and having mild panic attacks when things are not as I want them. The multiple label makers and clothes coordination got the biggest reaction. Oh well. At least I haven't labeled the colors. Yet.

Note: my new thing could have been hanging around outside the Capitol whilst the Senate debated the bailout. However, the roommate refused to cooperate with my desire to spy on/wave at/interrupt the proceedings of our government. This is technically also new as I normally attempt to enlist Karey in my plans to infiltrate official business. At least she had a good excuse, she was already infiltrating, I believe Brandie was just tired.