Things I Learned This Weekend

Nordstrom has very pretty dresses. 
Friday night was our first attempt at finding bridesmaid dresses for B's wedding. Since we'll be wearing black, we're trying out a few national chains in addition to the standard wedding sources. We haven't found "the one" yet, but it was fun to try pretty dresses on. 

It never gets easier to watch your team lose.
Oh, Carolina basketball. I'll love y'all forever, but you're kind of killing me.

Never let your freakishly strong friend handle the wine stopper.
I have the cutest/tackiest wine stopper with a woman's legs coming out of the stopper. Brandie, who you'll recall is an arm wrestling beast, was trying to get it out and ripped her poor legs right off! 

Playing Wii games with friends is a good antidote to bad basketball.
This was our second Wii Game Night and it was another success. I finally got a second remote and we played Wii Sports. And laughed a lot.

We're a little too good at punching.
The boxing game is awesome for pent up aggression. Which we had a lot of apparently.

Tennis is really really hard.
For me. B and K did great. We may have to credit B's commitment to the game, as she's seen here pretending to bounce the tennis ball, just like the pros.

Rameses makes a good bowling partner.
At least according to Brandie.

Vindication can be found in Wii bowling. 
For years, my family's made fun of the way I leap a little when I Wii bowl. My friends were making fun of me too, until I had 2 strikes and about 6 spares, all because of the leap. How do I know it was the leap? Because as soon as K and B tried the leap, they too, scored higher. It's all in the leap, people! 

 
I can quote the vast majority of "Clueless." 
And not just sporadically. 

Justin Bieber needs to stay away from my "Saturday Night Live."
I've seen every episode of SNL since 1997. Even the ones where Eminem was the musical guest. So I feel confident in saying that Bieber seriously needs to leave my show alone. 

Every Sunday should start with "Sabrina" on the big screen. 
My friend Sasha alerted me to the fact that a D.C. theatre was showing Audrey's "Sabrina." I, of course, leapt at the chance to see it and to introduce Sasha to another Audrey film—it's only her second one! (Her first being BAT outside a few summers ago.)

I could listen to "The Weight" on repeat forever. 
I found myself really enjoying the Grammy's this year, no part more so than the collaborative tribute to The Band's "The Weight." I seriously love that song

Things I Learned This Weekend

Even a Friday can't help me enjoy snow.
My love/hate affair with snow has been well-documented on this blog. And even though it's been three years since Snowmageddon I and II, I'm still not quite over my hatred of the white stuff. Even when all I have to do in it is make it to the metro, then the mall for a haircut, then back on the metro over the Potomac, then a bus home. Actually, yeah, even that stuff is annoying when there's white and wet stuff everywhere.

There is such a thing as a good haircut.
Another topic I've exhausted on this blog: my hair. But I think I finally found a good hairdresser up here, and it only took me five and a half years. She cleaned up my tragic split ends and then gave me some good face-framing layers. Pieces are still a bit scary short and don't quite stay up in my ponytail, but it's actually a good haircut, which really makes all the difference.

There's nothing like a bunch of pro-life high-schoolers to ruin the taste of Taco Bell.
One of the main reasons I'm able to handle the tourist madness that is Pentagon City Mall is because of the Taco Bell in the food court. On this particular visit there was a large group of Catholic high schoolers in town for the pro-life march held earlier in the day. One boy was quoting Revelations and there was a Father trying to round everyone up for the buses. As I fought the urge to instigate, they got up, leaving some of their trash beyond. Would it have been wrong of me to stand up and tell them what to do with their trash, since I so despise them telling women what to do with their bodies? Or would it have been a public service to remind them to work harder to protect this planet they're trying so hard to populate.

Taking down Christmas decorations makes a room seem very empty/clean.
Finally took down my decorations on Saturday, a week earlier than the end of January but I had the time and got to it. At first the room just felt very empty, now it just feels right.

There's nothing quite like watching a Carolina game with a room full of Tar Heels.
The ladies and I went to this year's new Carolina bar to watch the Carolina v. State game. There was lots of room, drink and food specials, and lots of fellow Tar Heel alums cheering on our (less than stellar) Heels.

Buffalo Billiards has an interesting interpretation of "side order of fries" .
Karey said side order of fries, and she got fries on the side of her chicken fingers. I said side order of fries, and got this massive basket for $6.99 that we ate off of all night, and still never saw the bottom.

If your team can't look good, at least you and your friends can look good.
Not that we looked good, that would be cocky. But compared to the team, we looked like super models. Except for my demon red eyes, which I can't get rid of.

The best way to mourn a bad basketball loss is with Krispy Kreme.
Carolina girls can't turn down the "hot now" sign. Thankfully, Krispy Kreme is always a win.

The coolest bumper sticker ever is in NW DC.
Doctor Who for the win!

Ikea thread is not very good.
Among other sewing problems I had on Sunday, the thread I bought from Ikea kept breaking. Apparently the Swedes don't sew as fast as I do? Or they buy their thread somewhere else, too.

The "Shawshank Redemption" is amazing.
This was the first time I saw this movie and oh my word was it amazing. Now I know why it was one of my Poppy's favorites.

Too much foreshadowing can ruin the moment.
This is in reference to this week's devastating "Downton Abbey" which didn't make me cry once. And I cry at everything. I'm going to blame it on all the dramatic moments that preceded it which made it not a shock to me. But I'm still a bit worried I'm broken.

Things That Happened in March

On Sunday afternoon, armed with iPhone photos and an actual desire to write, I flopped on the couch with my laptop ready to blog. And then that thing happened that I don't want to talk about. So instead I spent several hours in a depressive funk, stress-cleaning my apartment before attempting to forget about it entirely by watching "Mad Men." Which did work for a few hours and then it was back to trying not to think about that thing that happened that I don't want to talk about.

But now, several days later, again armed with iPhone photos and a desire to write, I'll post some thoughts and photos of my March happenings. All of which are things that happened before that thing that happened that I don't want to talk about.

March 13

I've been so lax about going to the theatre this year. As in, seeing "Spamalot" with my roommate the second week of March was my first show of 2012. Shameful. But what a good show to see! And my second time doing so. Unlike the last time I saw it in London, when my only Monty Python knowledge came from Wikipedia, I now know more about the group and have seen the "Holy Grail" movie, making the play all the more enjoyable. As was seeing it with the roomie, since I rarely seem to go to plays with others.

March 14

The officemates and I celebrated Pi Day by taking an afternoon trip to La Madeleine for some pie/mini-tarts. And why yes, we may have timed it so we ordered at 3:14. Because we are that cool. And also, as we're all writers, any time we can actually enjoy numbers, we pounce on it.

March 20

Grocery store blooms purchased to honor the first day of Spring. When will I stop forgetting how happy fresh flowers in the apartment make me?

March 22

 I try to get out and about during the day on Thursdays when I work from home. Last Thursday I had an appointment and took a different route home to my apartment. It was a route that happened to be flanked by flowering trees. Perfection.

March 23

Before that thing that happened that I don't want to talk about happened, there was still hope, fun, and a Friday in the office in which I wore a Carolina tshirt and a "5" on my wrist. And then there was Brandie and me at a sports bar for 4 hours talking, drinking, eating, watching, stressing, and then sighing. I also drew a "5" on her wrist and we think the waitress thought we were exchanging numbers. Oh well, we're both great catches.

My last post mentioned me trying to find something to wear for this game and I think Mom asked me what that ended up being. (And if she didn't just pretend she did to justify yet another lame bathroom mirror post.) So I went with this year's official student shirt. (Which prompted one of my coworker's to feign shock/concern and ask, "Wait, what? Together we are Carolina?") But since I'm such a diva who can't just wear a plain tshirt out and about, I cuffed the sleeves using hem tape and tied a knot in the back to make it fit better. We'll just call this tricks of the trade.  

March 25

My first pedicure of the season! I also splurged and got a manicure, only the fourth professional one I've ever had. But considering it started chipping the next day, there won't be a fifth one anytime soon.

 

Other things that happened this month: brunches with a friend, book club, Parks and Rec rerun watching, trans-continental Facetime with Jan, basketball, basketball, basketball, and a broken heart. The end.

Saturday night's alright for fighting

Except this past Saturday wasn't so much of a fight. (Unless fight=lay down and die.) In case you missed it, this happened:

Thank you, Did Duke Win?.com. (Though, to be more accurate, maybe we should have a separate domain for Did Duke Get Annihilated?.com Or, even better, Did Duke Get Annihilated On Their Home Turf And Did A Bunch Of Crazies Cry?.com.)

After last month's devastating loss -- still heartbroken, still don't want to talk about it -- we had high hopes for Saturday's rematch. The roommate/bff/fellow Tar Heel, Karey, and I set out for our other bff/fellow Tar Heel Brandie's place on Saturday night to watch the game.

Both decked out in our Carolina gear, we got on the metro and sat in two seats facing each other, beside two boys. We each immediately noticed that vomit-inducing shade of royal blue peaking out of their jackets. But we didn't say anything. I saw the one beside Karey notice my Carolina socks, but still, he didn't say anything. We continued like this for six metro stops before they got off, I shot them a nasty look, and then Karey and I burst out laughing. Sometimes, D.C. is just too small.

We didn't think to take a picture, but I've created this artistic interpretation to fully set the scene.

Thankfully that was the closest we got to Dookies that night, which was closer than Duke ever got to Carolina in points. Which was closer than Duke was ever able to get to the basket. Which was closer than Duke ever got to hitting a majority of their three pointers, field goals, or free thows.

I took this picture during halftime. It's hard to read, but the little stat box is titled "Duke's First Half Woes." That's right, not stats, but WOES. As I'm a classy Tar Heel I will say nothing more.

This was also taken during halftime. We wanted photographic evidence of what Carolina Girls look like when their team has twice as many points as Duke.

We got a little tense when they got within 15, but good prevailed over evil and Roy's Boys did what they came to do.

Other things that happened:

• We had Bojangles for dinner.
• And wine.
• We also took a sip of wine every time a Duke player flopped. I know you know what I mean.
• As a result we were really happy all night. However, was that the wine? Was it the beating Duke part? Was it the Bojangles, the chips and dip, the girl scout cookies, and the peeps? Was it three best friends hanging out? I'll have to answer all of the above.
• We re-created the game with a good old fashioned Peeps Duel

1. Karey marks the UNC peep.
2. Peep Duel: Dook v. UNC
3. Brandie pauses the duel to re-align the swords. The refs look the other way.
4. Another UNC victory! While the UNC one expanded to twice its size -- much like our halftime lead -- the Dook peep, curiously, barely expanded at all. It clearly had a pact with the (blue) devil, too.

And just for fun, our first Peeps Duel, circa  spring 2006, when we were undergrads:



It was a good night all around. (Unless you were a Dookie or a Dook Peep.)

In closing, as part of the pre-game, I wore this shirt to work on Friday. Because nothing says professional like an angry ram on your chest. (And I may or may not plan on wearing the same shirt this Friday for the ACC tourney.)

The more things change, the more they stay the same

April 4, 2005

National Championship Night

The Battlehouse, Chapel Hill, NC

December 22, 2011

2005 National Championship Trophy

Carolina Basketball Museum, Chapel Hill, NC

May 12, 2006

Two days before graduation

Old Well, Chapel Hill, NC

December 22, 2011

Three days before Christmas

Old Well, Chapel Hill, NC

Holiday Rewind Part 2a: Carolina Girls By Day

Three days before Christmas, four ladies, coming from four cities, gathered in the town where it all started, at a place where they'd always wanted to stay, for 24 hours of talking, laughing, eating, walking, drinking, and gifting. And this is what they did on a dreary, but unseasonably warm, December day.

After Jan and I checked into the hotel, we waited for B and K to arrive. Once they did, and after a little catching up, we set out for Franklin Street, a mere 3 blocks away, and had Sakura for lunch.

After lunch it was a walk through campus, stopping to make sure Davie Poplar was still standing, take a group photo with the Old Well, make note of all the still-loose bricks, and pretend, just a little, that we were students again.

A stop at Student Stores was in order, of course, in case there was any Carolina paraphernalia we didn't already own. For instance, this amazingly chic ram's head toboggan. (I didn't buy it though. Have to draw the line somewhere.)

After debating waiting for a bus or risking the likelihood of a downpour if we walked, we started hoofing it to South Campus to visit the basketball museum. First we had to walk by the recently remodeled/rebuilt football stadium. It's big. Really big. Especially for a never-going-to-be-a-football-it's-always-going-to-be-a-basketball school.

We got to the museum shortly after the skies opened up, and only 15 minutes before it was to close. (A fact NOT advertised on the website, by the way.) This was extremely disappointing as Brandie had never been, the four of us had never been all together, and we couldn't watch the awesome video introduction. However, we made the most of our 15 minutes and sped through.

There was even some time for some fun photos. We each posed "hugging" some of our favorite players. (Karey and Hansbrough, Brandie and Felton, Jan and Jamison, and me and Montross.)

When we finished the museum we headed out in the pouring rain and caught the RU back to our hotel to rest and then ready for the night's activities.

Here we go again

On Friday evening, I heated up one of these:

Poured a glass of this:

And got under the covers here:

To watch this:

And I was so happy. Like, a little worried about how happy I was lying in bed watching a bunch of 20 year olds do silly dances. (Except I’m not actually that worried.)

Yes, this was the third Friday in a row I haven't had plans. The first Friday I was so ecstatic I practically skipped home. The second Friday I was still happy but not skipping. This Friday I was happy because there was basketball involved. The past four months have been so go go go go go that I am trying to just take it easy and enjoy the change of seasons. For at least a few more weeks, anyway, before the holiday madness begins. But, at least with that madness comes the basketball madness, too. Finally.

Six years ago

I can tell you exactly where I was six years ago tonite. (As can 95% of the people who read my blog.) I still can't adequately describe the range of emotions on that day except to say it was one of the best days of my life. For many reasons. 

Things I remember most:

• Watching it at BSU, the organization I was a part of for 4 years.
• Spending halftime trying to get a cell phone signal to call home. And once I made it through, having my brother freak out because I had not called during halftime for the other games and I was jinxing it.
• Knowing the game was ours when Sean May got the rebound and everyone around me started jumping up and down. And I got elbowed in the eye but it was totally ok.
• Walking to Franklin with Jan as we kept skipping, squealing, and saying, "I'm just so happy! I'm just so happy!"
• Running into my former roomie and friend, Ashley, amidst the 55,000 other people.
• Getting back to my room and IMing one of my best high school friends, which basically just consisted of me typing "AHHHH!!!!!"
• Feeling invincible.

There is more but I'll end it here for now. And bid adieu to college basketball-related posts until October. Probably.

*I know the time stamp says April 5, but I never could fix it on that camera, my last non-digital camera. Which  ate many of my pictures from this night and the coming home ceremony. Of course, I can't get the date right on my current digital camera either. But at least it doesn't eat my precious memories.