Things I Learned This (Long) Weekend

Dante was foreshadowing the Crystal City underground when he wrote "The Divine Comedy."
Because Crystal City is a circle of hell. There were many metro delays on Friday evening that had me stuck on a train for about an hour at the CC station. I finally gave up and thought I'd find a bus. Wrong! I wandered around the impossible underground maze of stores, which were eerily devoid of shoppers and owners, for a half hour. On my third trip outside to find a bus, I instead found a cab. Best $25 I've ever spent.

If you love fruit dip and have no self control you shouldn't make fruit dip.
Especially when you're the only one around. But that damn fluff/cream cheese/vanilla mixture is just heaven on strawberries. And a fork.

They really mean "rummage" at a Rummage Sale.
A church at the end of my block had a rummage sale on Saturday, my first rummage! And they really mean rummage. They had tons of clothes in heaps on tarps. I skipped them at first, heading for books and housewares, where I picked up 4 books, a "Votes for Women" packet, a basket, a divided tray, and a solid tray. I then meandered back to the clothes and after spying some nautical flag napkins -- I'm kind of obsessed with nautical flags -- decided to jump in to the heap and dig. (I didn't actually jump, but there was digging.) I found 1 hat, 2 skirts, 1 dress, 1 pair of pants, 2 J Crew wool sweaters, 1 Old Navy sweater vest, and a child's Vineyard Vines polo dress I thought I could wear as a dress. (See more on that below.) What was the grand total for all of this? A whopping $16! (Actually $20 because I donated the change. It's a church!)

I have a big head.
Or at least a head that's too big for a child's dress. I gave it to my co-worker for his daughter. At least it was only a $1.

A sewing machine and a little patience can lead to a new wardrobe.
Or what feels like a new wardrobe. On Saturday I took in six skirts! Two were from the rummage sale and four were from my closet that I've been making fit with safety pins for the last two summers. It was alarmingly easy to take them all in and I'm so happy to have six new (to me) skirts in my repertoire.

The inside of an iron with a retractable cord is a mess.
I dropped my iron for the 100th time, but this time from a distance of about 3 feet on to hardwood floor. The iron still works, but the cord can no longer be stored neatly within.

The Jonathan Adler store is pretty.
And expensive. His store opened in Georgetown in the fall but this was my first visit. I only took one picture, as inspiration for what I can put under my own new (to me) cloche. But the entire store was lovely and modern and bright.

You know you're in for an interesting show when you have to take off your shoes and wear these.
This is B and I before a dance performance at the Kennedy Center. We knew ahead of time we would have to remove our shoes, stand for 45 minutes, and there would be nudity. Wowza was it a show. (See more on that below.)

Some people play fast and loose with the word "art."
I won't get too specific out of respect of the "dancers," but we saw what was billed as a dance show. We walked in to a long, white room with various large squares on the floor. Some squares had plastic cubes, some had piles of paint, two had a disgusting amount of fake, dark hair, and most squares had a person, wearing only flesh-colored undies. Yep. For 45 minutes the crowd walked around and amongst the squares, watching the performers dance, move cubes, freeze, and eventually roll in the paint. (And the hair, which was awful.) It was different, to be sure, but at least we have a good story to tell.

I seriously love a weekend trip to pool.
As I blogged repeatedly last summer, I'm sure I'll be blogging the same this summer in terms of trips to apartment pool. I just love it so. And this year they have new chairs that can lay completely flat! Hello, easy reading on my stomach.

I seriously love a weekend trip to the pool...even if my knees look like a "weird butt."
Or so says an FB friend after I briefly posted this photo. Umm, pretty sure everyone knows those are my knees, and not my butt.

Too much foot soak + electronic foot bath = bubble madness
I made three trips to the kitchen sink with a handful of bubbles before giving up. I bought the bath on crazy sale on Sunday, thinking it would be great for use with all my assorted foot products. I'm hoping it was just user error or else this thing will be going back.

Here I Am

I’m alive! I’m alive! And I should be alive for a while since my crazy project is (more or less) over. It was so much work and so much stress, but overall I was happy with the product and thought it was a good experience. Until this week when it came crashing down a bit and now I want to use certain people’s names/faces as targets on a dart board.

But I’m trying not to think about that because it really is just the nature of the line of work I’m in. I sound very adult saying that but truth be told there was some holding back tears, biting my tongue, and partaking in comfort shopping the past few weeks.

I feel like it's been so long since I wrote anything substantial, I almost don't remember how to do it. I hate that. So I'll start small. Very small. And I'll start selfish.

This is what I wore today. I ordered new boots on Monday thanks to a crazy sale at Bloomingdale's and the assistance of my Mom. They were delivered yesterday and I love them like a child. (Also wearing a Gap dress I bought at a consignment store and clock hand* earrings I made.)

Can I brag about the boots? They were originally more than $300 and I got them for just over $100. I'm more of a clothes person than a shoe person but, seriously, I get why people spend hundreds on shoes now. (Though my feet are quite sore now, I hope I just need to break them in.)

Now to counteract some of this vanity. I spent so much time on the computer and typing on the crazy project that my left wrist started hurting. I've self-diagnosed myself with a little carpal tunnel and had to buy a wrist brace. Yep, I've been rocking this super sexy thing most of the work day. And then at night for the bowling league I joined.***

*For the wedding shower my sister and I threw for our almost sister-in-law -- which I will blog about -- I ordered 60 clock hands off Ebay for use in one of the favors. They were delivered late so now I have 60 clock hands to work with. So if you have a desire for some clock hands, let me know.
**Wow you can tell how torn my earring holes are. They've been like that since I was a kid, I think because I slept in earrings one night and got them caught on a pillowcase. I'm so used to buying mostly post earrings and never buying heavy ones that I forget how bad they are. I'll get them fixed, one day.
***Ha, no. Have I ever written about my disdain for bowling? I should.

Life Lately

I know, I suck. But in my defense I had a crazy deadline last week that had me taking my computer home every night and working over the weekend. But it was all worth it because the client loved the work and had minimal changes. Which never happens. Ever.

So get ready for a whole bunch of "Ooh, I should blog about this!" stuff from the past two weeks.

March Madness
It's that time again! And even though my Heels have been up and down this year, lately they've been more up than down. This was the ladies and I watching the State rematch at B's.

Best. Trial. Ever.
I've become completely obsessed with the Jodi Arias trial. It's just riveting and disturbing and amazing. I can't wait for it to become a Lifetime movie. She's just so clearly guilty and crazy. And, also, a guilty crazy liar! She's changed her story so many times on the stand, in ways I thought only happened on courtroom TV shows. If she isn't convicted, I will go to Arizona and protest outside the courtroom.

Wedding Fever, part 1
Karey and I are just in love with "Parks and Recreation" and the main characters Leslie and Ben. When they got engaged earlier this season I said we were going to throw a party for their wedding. Well, the wedding was a lot sooner than I expected, so no party, but we did have Funfetti cake and ice cream. If you don't celebrate the wedding of two fictional characters with a bestie/roomie, I feel sorry for you.

Jennifer Lawrence is perfection
I'll join the throng of ladies who want to be her best friend. I have 3 best friends already, but I would really love her for a fourth. I think she'd work really well in our group.

"The Book of Mormon" better be good.
The play is coming to the Kennedy Center next year and I was in charge of getting tickets for me and two friends during their member presale. (I got a membership for my birthday, thanks parents!) A full 24 hours after they went on sale, after hours and hours of refreshing the site, and having the entire site crash, I finally procured three tickets for August. Whew.

Wedding Fever, part 2
On our first group trip to David's we settled on a bridesmaid dress. I don't know the rules about revealing wedding details on someone else's wedding, so I won't say which one, just that it's in one of the pictures and we love it.

Audrey, re-incarnated
The sons of my idol, Audrey Hepburn, authorized a digitized Audrey for use in a British chocolate company commercial. I must say, I don't hate it. I actually kind of love it. It makes me wish I could have been alive, even just for a day, when she was at her peak in the 50s or 60s, so I could see her do things new.

Forgetful Fran
I felt the need to name the forgetful side of me. Because when she shows up, she does it epically. Like the day last week I didn't have my wallet. The day that also happened to be "deadline" day. The day that also happened to be when I forgot my lunch. Oh, and also the day where I had no money on my metro card to get home. Thankfully, I have ample people in my life at work I knew I could lean on. One officemate gave me a $20 without hesitation, and another bought me a drink and dinner when I wanted to celebrate my deadline. (I gave him $20 the next day.) So Forgetful Fran became Grateful Gail.

Good and Bad Showers
This weekend I'm very excited to go home to North Carolina for the wedding shower I'm co-hosting with my sister for our future sister-in-law. I'm not excited, however, for the snowstorm (not really a shower) we'll be getting tonite. In fact, I'm quite pissed about it. Please send me all your good travel vibes, if you will.

The End
Hopefully only for a day. 

Last Week

I feel so behind on blogging my life. And you know my belief: If I didn't blog it, it didn't happen. But until work calms down and stops sapping all my energy, creative and otherwise, the blog will suffer. And now for some really random tidbits from the last week.

The roommate brought me this sticker from her recent trip home. It's now hanging in my office.

 
The roommate also left me this note. If I want to be sure to take something in the morning, I'll leave a note on the door. A few weeks ago after doing so, I dreamed that K left a note for herself that said "take overalls." I told her this hilarious dream because, no offense to anyone, but we just aren't overalls-type of ladies. This note was a good start to the day.

My PM was out for a week so I was left to handle a lot of project work on my own. As a thank you, she brought me this huge block of chocolate and peanut butter fudge. It's amazing.

My cousin's wedding is next weekend and I don't really have a good non-black dress. And as much as I loved this one, with the tightness, shortness, and low backness, it's hardly wedding appropriate. I did, however, manage to score a $125 Banana Republic dress for $23 at a consignment store later in the week. (That had some weird twisty fabric bits going on that three of my co-workers were able to fix for me while I was on a call.)

The most bittersweet part of the week was saying goodbye to my friend and co-worker, Gloria. I was in charge of the bon voyage party which meant balloons, cupcakes, stripes, champagne, and bright colors.
I miss her tons already but know she's in for quite an adventure.

Finally, it's no secret that I'm quite the grammar nazi. (Though you can find any number of errors in any of my posts because sometimes I just don't care.) But as punishment, I'm sure, for all the times I correct them, my family loves to comment on any errors they find.

Daddy left me a comment last week about a mistake in this post, and then followed up in an email: I left a comment on the last log you wrote. Don't worry, Daddy, I'll be more careful on the next log I write.

The Best Laid Plans

This week was the week to get back into blogging every day and to write about my beach vacation and the dozen other things I haven't written about. This week was the week to go to bed at a decent hour, go to the grocery store, eat at home every night, and keep my room clean.

Or not.

This week was the week for three meetings, none of which started on time and one that had both the location and time changed at the last minute. This week was the week for early mornings, long work days, and not enough sleep. This week was the week of sending more emails, logging more client comments, and answering more questions than I can count.

It was also the week of having to dress like a grown up not once, not twice, but three whole times! Since I so rarely have to dress professionally, and have so much trouble when I do, I documented them for future reference. (Yes, my hair is shorter in the second photo. Despite last year's butchering, I went and got a cheap haircut again last week and she cut too much. However, it really did need it.) (Yes, those are seersucker pants in the last photo. I love them.)

Now, this weekend is the weekend I get more sleep, clean, go to the movies, read, and lie by the pool. No "or not" allowed.

Scenes From My Childhood Bedroom: 5

When I was home earlier this month, my mom suggested I try and clear some stuff out of my old closet where I've been storing things. (Specifically, the notes and papers from high school and college taking up a large bin.) I got energized and decided to go through everything to trash, donate, or keep. I'm a sentimental pack rat-- remember the Fn key -- but it felt very good to clear out a good half of the closet. And find -- and yes, even trash or donate -- some old treasures. I'll start with t-shirts.

In high school, my best friend, Genie, claimed I had no t-shirts and dared me to find one and wear it to school. (And it "couldn't be from Abercrombie and Fitch or American Eagle," she said.) I was really particular about what I wore in high school and never wore anything too casual. I dress far more relaxed now, at my job, than I ever did back then. So her challenge was difficult. But I eventually wore my Napster t-shirt, which also doubled as a pajama shirt, thus proving to her I did at least have one t-shirt.

Fast forward four years and by the end of college I had 50 t-shirts related to UNC, activities, or travel. After my last move, I sent a bag of them home with mom because my drawers were overflowing. The whole closet clean-out process started because I was looking for the shirts to make a t-shirt quilt and in the process came across some other shirts from my younger days.

This was my t-shirt from baton. When you first joined you got a blue one, and then later, I can't remember how, you earned your way to wearing the red one. (This was the name of the baton group. It only occurs to me now what this probably sounds like to others.)

 
I bought this my senior year of high school from A&F because it reminded me of the Jim Carrey sketch on Saturday Night Live. (Please note the text at the bottom: "Rescuing hot bods daily." So offensive to me now.)

This shirt is from the fourth grade and still fits. (It's a large/extra-large and I wore it big, as was the style.)

 
I came downstairs wearing this to show Mom and we both immediately remembered everything we had bought that day. Mom splurged at Gap Kids with this shirt, a peach pair of shorts, a peach t-shirt, a denim button up shirt/vest thing, and a stretchy fabric headband that matched. (I also still have the headband.) I brought the shirt back to D.C. and plan on either sleeping in it or taking in the sides and wearing it. I love that Mom's splurge is still paying off 15 years later.

Friday Nothings

It's time to say goodbye to Francisco Dell...

...and hello to Guillermo HP.

This is only my third laptop in 10 years, and the first one I've bought without the financial assistance of a loan or my parents. (I did, however, have the advisory assistance of my dad.)

I had Javier Thinkpad for five and a half years and Francisco for four and a half years. Guillermo is so shiny and fast I don't know what to do. I forgot that it's not supposed to take a full minute to open a program, that the computer shouldn't randomly disconnect itself from the internet, that there should be no Blue Screen of Death, and no nearly audible groan from the thing every time iTunes is opened.

So Guillermo will help me knock out some of yesterday's to-do list. And even though it has nothing to do with my laptop, I wore my new bright pink jeans today and they make me very happy.

Things I Learned This Weekend

Updated because I forgot one.


Nothing ruins a Friday like the death of a Beastie Boy.
I'm honestly still in shock that MCA is dead. Beastie Boys don't die--they rhyme and steal, they fight for the right. They were the first rap group I ever listened to and the first CD I ever owned with a "parental advisory." He will be missed.

There's always something new to see at the National Cathedral.
For the third time I went to the National Cathedral Flower Mart. I'll write more about it later this week (and the Cape Party I mentioned I last week) but it was so nice to be on the Cathedral grounds. This year I walked through the gardens and a wooded trail, which I didn't know existed, and just smiled the whole time. I love the city but I'm still a country girl at heart.

Eli Manning + Saturday Night Live = Hilarious

As much as I love Eli, I was worried about him hosting this week since he's so quiet and shy. However, he blew me away and I laughed until my face was numb. Highlight: The portion of the Madden motion capture sketch where they ask him to fake throw a grenade. Also, everything else.

Dressing for The Kentucky Derby is fun. (And the race is ok, too.)

One of my friends has a Derby party every year and this year I went. It was a double party, a Derby Fiesta if you will, since it was also Cinco de Mayo. The occasion required a fascinator, of course, which I put together with some flowers from a cheap Forever 21 headband and another headpiece I already had.

 
What the occasion didn't require, but that I purchased anyway, was a very Donna Reed but also very Derby dress for $24 from Forever 21. I'm in love.

Mint Juleps are gross.

And very strong. I probably only had the equivalent of 4 tablespoons and could still feel it starting to take hold. This is why I don’t drink liquor.

Betting is fun when you only lose $3.

Everyone bet $1 per horse. I placed my money on Creative Cause, Rousing Sermon, and Sabercat. I didn't win.

A room full of intelligent, educated adults can't handle even the thought of the death scene in "The Lion King."
After the Derby, my friend channel surfed for something to watch. We all agreed that "The Lion King" would be good, as long as we didn't see the Mufasa death and Simba tugging on his ear scenes. She kept checking back every few minutes, and at one point it was right on the stampede scene, and every adult in the room gasped or screamed as my friend scrambled to change the channel. Crisis averted.


Even screaming can't ruin a good night's sleep. 
I slept for about 12 hours on Saturday night. I also had dream after dream after dream. None were nightmares, per se, but two resulted in me yelling and waking myself up as a result. (I know the first time I yelled "Help!" and the second time I just yelled.) Luckily, I didn't wake up the roommate or neighbors. Or if I did, they didn't say anything, so I'd rather not know. 

I can never buy another little black dress. 
I finally finished switching out my summer and winter clothes, sorting through clothes, reorganizing scarves and belts, and hanging up skirts and dresses even though they'll end up in a pile for most of the summer. I can't really buy any more clothing of any kind, but especially black dresses as I have…several. 

Having your kitchen in your living room is a real pain.
That's right, the contents of our kitchen are still in our living room. We're still seeing bugs and our complex told us if we still see them after a week, they'll come out and re-spray. So to avoid putting everything away and then taking it back out again, we're just leaving everything in the living room. You can imagine how much fun it is to try and put together a meal.

The Great Doily Incident of 2002...and 2012?

Last week I posted a picture of my thrift store clothing finds.

My mom left a comment regarding the white blouse at the top:
hmmm....could that whitish/cream color top be confused with a - umm, let's see - A DOILY !!!????? At least, that is what I thought it was at first!!!

Now, to an outsider this might just seem like a random reference to a doily. But to my mother and me, it's a direct reference to what I like to call The Great Doily Incident of 2002.

Scene: My grandfather's dining room, San Antonio, Texas
Occasion: My sister's college graduation
Players: Me and Mom
Culprit: The Giant Doily Shirt
Background: Mom had bought me a white, crochet top to wear with dress pants to the graduation ceremony. While I am notoriously picky, about everything, my mom knows me best and is usually very good at picking out clothes for me. As best as I can remember, it was similar to this but with long sleeves:

After trying the shirt on the, following exchange occurred:
Me: I look like a tablecloth.
Mom: No, you don't.
Me: I'm wearing a giant doily.
Mom: It looked good on the mannequin!

Needless to say, I didn't wear the shirt/doily to the graduation. And ten years later, it's still discussed. (Despite the fact that my mom has picked out probably a hundred other things that I love. It's just more fun to harp on the one mistake.)

Now, back to my thrift store shirt. I bought it knowing it would need to be altered. This is what I started with.

These are the front and back details that caught my eye and made me think the shirt could be more chic than homely. Hopefully.

I started by removing the elastic at the bottom to separate the outer layer and inner lining to make it easier to alter. This was by far the most time-consuming part as the stitches were small.

The full width of the blouse became apparent after the elastic was removed. But there was still some tension in the thread and as I not-so-gently tugged it, ripped the shirt some. Plus side: While ironing and starching, the heat brought out a flowery smell, meaning it's freshly laundered.

I marked 2.5 inches in on each side for a new seam and sewed. It fit a bit too snug so I let it back out an inch.

Then the scary part: Cutting. No turning back now.

Next was the hem and fixing the rip in the back.

Finally, about 2 hours later, the final result.

So that is my potentially fancy top made into an actually fancy top. Or at least fancy in my opinion. I think there's a certain chicness to it. On Friday night I wore it to a sushi dinner with a friend, paired with skinnies, heels, and a high ponytail.

For only $3 and two hours of my time, I now have a new blouse. Or a giant doily. You decide. I've put an anonymous poll so everyone can vote and tell me what you think. Do I now have a Great Doily Incident of 2012? (Be honest, I need to know if I'm walking around wearing a tablecloth.)

What do you think of the blouse makeover?

• Love it! It's simple and chic.
• Hate it! It belongs on a table or the back of a couch.

Acepolls

More polls: Smslånmäklare Phonera Free online polls

Crochet top image source.

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.