Why moving sucks...

Other than obvious reasons of all the packing, moving, unpacking, blase blah one of the worst things about moving is finding that new clutch Chinese Restaurant.
We used to order from Ho's and they would be there within 15 minutes with perfectly spicy General Tso's, yummy crab rangoons, egg rolls not just spring rolls and everything else on the menu that we tried was delicious.
But now that we moved we have to work our way through a couple disgusting, bland restaurants before we find the right one.
We did ask for some recommendations from Jason's family and whether or not they ate there or just don't really know what GOOD Chinese tastes like I don't know...
So we tried Oriental Cafe one night and I should have known from the fact that they didn't offer egg rolls that they were no good but I didn't listen to my instincts and instead listened to my grumbling belly. Damn belly.
And the other one I think was House of Dynasty and we ordered from there our enagement night and they SUCKED so bad. I got chicken that came with JUST chicken. Not a shred of broccoli or noodles, nothing.
Ick.
So I will continue on my quest for the replacement for Ho's but I will shed a small tear whenever I drive past and know that I am no longer within their delivery route.

Pentagon Memorial

Sissy and I were trying to get somewhere when she was here a few weeks ago - and we followed the GPS lady onto the "hov" not H pause O pause V pause but like a word "hov" lane. Only in DC do they have an HOV lane that doesn't let you exit whenever you want but instead takes you on a trip straight to the Pentagon. Even if you don't want to go there its either the Pentagon or you end up in the City. I found this out one of my first weeks' here but I hadn't been in the HOV lanes in so long I forgot and we listened to the evil GPS lady.
So moving on...as we were coming around the exit I suggested that we go see the new memorial they had just dedicated to the victims of the Pentagon attack. It was a really emotional experience and I felt that I should share it since many people won't get a chance to see it. So here are just a few of my pictures...I felt strange taking them but at the same time it's a really pretty memorial and pictures felt appropriate. So take it for whatever you will...

Oh and I forgot

I was out for lunch the other day with Lauren and Ashley and we were walking back to the car and I happened to look over at Olsson's and realized that it was CLOSED. So I walked up to the door not realizing that they were actually taping I really thought the 2 guys standing there looking mildly interested were just scouting not really working.
Here I am in all my Valley Girl glory...do I really sound like that??

http://www.myfoxdc.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7557217&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=3.2.1

More TV, please

I just checked when 30 Rock will finally be returning to TV and I have to wait for October 30!! WTF? They are WAY too late on the schedule, all the other shows have started back up. At least this explains why I can't find it on the guide. I have been scrolling through as far as it will let me go - which is about 1 week and finding NOTHING.
But tomorrow is the series premiere of Kath & Kim which looks hilarious. I will be queueing up the DVR for that one.
And yes, I am still watching The Hills, 90210 and Gossip Girl they are still guilty pleasures but I did find out I'm not alone. I know all your secrets....hahhahahhahahahhaha. Sorry it's still a bit early and no one is here AGAIN - why is my department empty? Guess I have to amuse myself.

And presents

I have been told that I am very hard to shop for something I don't understand at all...

But I have made sure to inform those around me what I would LIKE for birthdays, christmas, etc. so I never again receive a sports Jersey for a gift (he tried, it was Derek Jeter who he HATES and it's the thought that counts).

So I was half-surprised but very pleased when I opened this years gift - the new Ugg Cardy's!

I guess they were really hard to find and the color I originally wanted, grey was impossible. But I don't care the brown or Stout as they call it are adorable and I love them! I know I am going to hear comments from everyone about how ugly they think they are (yes, Sissy that would be you) but as past shoe purchases show, I don't care if I like them that's all that matters. Now I just need to figure out what work pants I can wear with these damn boots - I don't think they make skinny khakis that I can wear to work. So come on cold weather I'm ready with the appropriate footwear!

Birthday - hooray!

Just 2 days ago I celebrated the ending of my youth - my 29th birthday. I decided nothing would be worse than to spend the day at work trapped in a cubicle so I took the day off and Jason did too. Our original intention was to drive to Skyline and take the dogs and have a wonderous day. Those plans started turning sour when he mentioned something about waking up early. One of my favorite things to do is to sleep in and on the holiest of days why would I want to rise early? oh NO. So we scratched the plans of Skyline - and considering what gas prices are is taking a scenic drive really the smartest thing?

After sleeping in I woke up, got some coffee and sat on the couch with Pugsley and watched some TV - I gotta tell you Lifetime in the morning is so much better than any other time. I watched Frasier and some Will & Grace then decided to get moving.

We went to Ikea and did some shopping - 1 item I had to get was this lamp that I broke and was so sad about. While we were painting the bedroom I brilliantly left a glass lamp on the bed and when I was hoisting a nighttable over the bed - wonder of all wonders the leg of the table hit the lamp and all that was left were a million shards of glass. I'm still finding them.

Soooo moving on...had a glorious cinnamon bun from the Ikea kitchen and we went on our way. Somehow we spent like $400?? How does that happen?!

Rest of the day was spent searching for an Apple store and the Fair Oaks Mall - casual errands and such. The night ended with going out to dinner and the topper of the evening - we built the first fire in our new house in 1 of the 2 fireplaces. It was so cozy watching a scary movie with all the lights off and the fire crackling. This is one of the things that makes me appreciate living in the Suburbs - can anyone afford a place with 2 fireplaces in the city without making millions?

Black Keys?

I was watching the first episode of Private Practice this season and kept wondering what the music was that I was hearing...I turned up the sound only to be interrupted by a commercial - darnation!! So another scene came back on and there it was 10 AM Automatic by the Black Keys! I was way too happy to hear the noisest 2 guys in Rock and Roll!
After seeing them this past summer I really couldn't stop listening to them over and over and appreciate any show that features their skills.

John McCain already tapped that

I do follow politics and how could I not living where I live but I usually refrain from watching the debates out of embarrassment...
I am an Obama fan but when I saw Big Joe Biden invite a handicapped man to stand up I was thoroughly mortified and started to question my chose of VP.
But out of sheer curiosity I decided to watch the Vice Presidential debate and woo hoo what fun it was. Sarah Palin - you are a MORON.
From her "shout outs" to school kids and her "gooly gee, Say it 'aint so Joe" nonsense I really felt like telling her that someone had flattened her pickup truck tires and shot her bird dog. Her accent alone would be humiliation - how are our foreign allies to understand a hillbilly? I didn't know they sounded like that in Alaska - she sounded more like Fargo.
I think it's a crock and she is either very cunning and trying to cover it up or she really IS this stupid. My votes lies with the latter...
So go on Tina Fey keep on ridiculing the woman that is doing just as good of a job on her own.

iPhone cupcakes

Not what you were thinking...

Mother of the Year

Cake Wrecks

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2008/08/this-calls-for-celebration.html

I was emailed this blog by a co-worker today and OMG I almost peed myself laughing. Not only is there the sexual harassment cake but creepy baby cake, when brides have no budget or taste (and I've seen too many of those recently)...the list goes on and on. So go on treat yourself (oooh that could be a bad pun) and relish in these disasters!

I got engaged!!!

Oh yes my time has come finally. I am better than all of you non-engaged, non-married girls! Just kidding! But my days of being the girl who congratulates people but secretly hates them are gone!
Now the fun stuff begins, planning a wedding. Thankfully I have a co-worker who is a part time wedding planner, bless her! But it was a huge surprise and I had NO idea it was coming and the first thing I said was "really?"
It was amazingly romantic and sweet and unexpected and my ring is gorgeous and now I am happy girl!!

Spotted

I saw a girl this morning in a full-on winter coat with lining and everything. I understand it was a bit chilly this morning and it is OFFICIALLY Fall but its still 60 degrees out! I really don't understand people at all. And she looked pretty damn healthy so I'm sure it wasn't because she was that sick. And if you are then why are you walking in the alley behind Whole Foods??

Viva La Vida

I know Coldplay's newest album has been out for a few months but I kept forgetting to blog about it! This has become almost my favorite Coldplay album. I keep it in my car and listen to it over and over again. It has a great mix of faster songs, sing-along songs and some of their spacier sounding songs. My favorite is Parachutes which has more of the "spacey" songs and some of the best lyrics ever written.

But as of my favorite album of the summer it was Viva La Vida.

I will say the videos are WAYYYY out there and the first time I saw Violet Hill I was like WHAT THE F is that?? But it's a finger-tapping good album and if you haven't bought Coldplay yet I would recommend this one.

The things you find on craigslist

Sent to me by Sissy:

CLAWFOOT TUB THURSDAY MORN ONLY
THIS IS A STILL IN USE CLAWFOOT TUB . THURSDAY MORNING ONLY MUST CALL FIRST MS.TOOTSIE 215-479-1844 AND YOU MUST BRING A CASE OF SODA FOR THE KIDS. THEY LIKE GINGER-ALE OR ORANGE. THANK YOU. MS.TOOTSIE

I don't understand - do you bring the soda in exchange to use the tub or to take it or even to clean it???
I'm tempted to call Ms. Tootsie but am afraid that it is a dirty phone-sex number.

Why Maria is an Evil Woman

Letter from the landlord:

1. Turned off of gas $60/transfer $45. – Difference $15.--------------------- 15.00
2. Cover hole above refrigerator Laundry Room
and sanding basement and holes across the townhouse
(Pictures taken)------------------------------------------------------------------200.00
3. Pillow missing from table/stool taken and not returned --------------------15.00
Shelves freezer refrigerator in basement missing ---------------------------75.00

So she is charging ME for turning off the power so I could have it on at the new place
And $15 for a stool cover for a table that is MAYBE worth $20 total
and the BEST ONE - $75 for a shelf in a freezer in the basement that is from 1970
Real nice huh?
I HATE this woman and she is horribly mean and just wants to keep my entire security deposit which is really horrible and from what I've heard commonplace for most dragon-landlords.

These are a few of my embarassing things

I must admit that I have become very interested, dare I say addicted to some shows that I think I am too old to be watching as my 29th birthday is looming in the near future.
It all started with The Hills. I did watch Laguna Beach the first season and as I enjoyed it I wasn't that girl that went to work to discuss every detail of what Kristen said to whatshisname and who is now dating whom blah blah. But while I was out recovering I discovered that MTV repeats old episodes of the Hills like crazy so I got a bit into it. Now it has become a regular on my DVR and I have watched each episode whilst expressing perfectly coinciding emotions. Like when LC and Adriana had their little talk a few episodes ago and they were crying I must admit dammit I started to tear too. Maybe it was the 4 glasses of white wine I had that might have contributed but when Stephanie went on a date with LC's ex, Doug I freaked!
I know I know I am usually much more picky when it comes to my entertainment but with writers strikes and the summer lull it's been hard to watch movies every night.

I also started watching the new 90210 and even though some of the actors really bother me, the blonde who flares her nostrils WAYYYY too much and the main girl who is always sweeping her hair back and making "cutesy" faces but they've already had cheating husbands, cheating boyfriends, lavish parties, the main boy character pulling a "Brandon Walsh" and getting a job at the new Peach Pit, drugs and some sex talk.
I missed 90210. When I watch it now I grimace from embarassment from what they wore and how bad of an actor Ian Ziering really is.
And the worst of all is Gossip Girl. I really like this show dammit and the characters names are easy to remember it is deliciously wrong. Stepmom's sleeping with their own step-sons and paying high school age boys to sleep with them and blackmailing to send their fathers into the arms of the FBI. The girls are evil and backstabbing and dress in some great fashions. I think this may be the show that I've been secretly waiting for.
Now that I think of it The Hills might be a bit more acceptable to 30-somethings but it is a fake reality show and at least GG is supposed to be scripted.
But some good shows debut this week including The Office and I can't wait to see if Jim will really propose to Pam and if Angela will break it off with Andy. It's tomorrow night - woo hoo!
Too bad I'll have to cut my Happy Hour short to get home in time...I know I am recording it but I don't think Jason will wait for me!

Funny of the Day

Email from Dwight - the trust fund baby, McCain voting, SUV driving, Republican

Hey Went to Whole Foods to pick some bread, because its soo good... but funny when i left someone put a note on my car saying i was a racist becuase i had a McCain bumper sticker on my SUV then said i should be ashamed to be driving an SUV. - Whole Foods now is a place i refuse to go to now like Trader Joes...

Crapping Mondays

I am tired, it was still dark when I woke up this morning and it was 7 ish so that just means that it's going to get worse and harder for me to wake up early. Yes, 7 ish is early for some of us who cherish sleeping in as much as....hmmm what else means that much to me? My Ugg boots :)
Then I forgot my giant water cup at home - you know the one they give you in the hospital the giant ass pink cup with the handle, top and bendy straw? I LOVE that thing so now I'm stuck drinking water out of a Starbucks mug that I bought and some dumbass put in the dishwasher and the red paint is cracking off and I'm probably swallowing it and contracting the China milk disease from.
Also, it is SO cold in our office - and I just ate at my desk in hopes of leaving early and now I'm fighting the urge to fall asleep at my desk. I also squeezed not too much squeezed this morning into my size 4 pants but now post-lunch they are slowly cutting off my blood flow.
Hmm what else about today? Oh yeah I had a sliced Kiwi in a small tupperwear in my purse and it leaked all over my checkbook! Kiwi juice attacks!! Thankfully it's not very sticky so the situation was resolved with a few tissues. I wonder if it got my Shuffle? Hope not...
But the day is more than half over - kinda...so that's a good thing!
Off to read Perez Hilton and make it LOOK like I'm working because I don't have the motivation to work right now. I did a LOT this morning.
One more thing - our copywriter quit 2 weeks ago when I was out for my surgery and now I'm stuck writing copy for our ads. I am NOT a copywriter and somehow it all doesn't suck but whereas I used to enjoy creating ads I now shudder at the mere thought of it and now we have about 6 ads due for different publications and I don't want to think about it!
Can't I just do all pick-ups?

Emmys

I missed the Emmy's last night doing yard work until 8 PM and my cable shows were on so I didn't even know that they were on. However, I did get a lot of brush and rotted wood moved to 1 big giant pile in the yard. And the ECO in me was soo happy that underneath the rotted pile of wood was a bigger pile of gardening appropriate soil. It was full of nutrients from the wood and had lots of worms in it - gross to some but if I don't have to touch them I know they're good for gardening. So I filled the little cart with a big pile of dirt, 3 total piles actually and covered up the poor excuse of what I call concrete dirt that is already on our land with big glorious piles of brown, worm filled soil.

So moving on, True Blood and Entourage were on last night so I was distracted by them and was very tired so I went to bed at 10:30 but this morning I checked the Emmy winners and was delighted to see that a lot of my favorites were rewarded for being so.


Among them were 30 Rock, one of the best shows on TV in a LONG time, Ari Gold/Jeremy Piven from Entourage - he is one of the best things about that show and Stephen Colbert - lots of people hate him but good god that might be one of the reasons that I love him so much.


I just perused a few hundred pictures from the ceremonies last night and came across these few:














































The first 2 are self-explanatory but I had to include this picture of Cheryl Hines. I loved her on Curb your Enthusiasm and even more in the movie Waitress but in this picture she looks absolutely plastic! Even so much that I titled the picture "plastic". She needs to relax and wear something more comfortable.