:: days go by ::

why i hate dry-cleaning & other ramblings...

2007-05-02T00:08:00.000-04:00

ever have one of those days? mine started yesterday. normal errands to run... easy, right?
notsomuch.

after work, i headed out to burke to pick up my dry cleaning. i get there and they can't find it all. the girl comes back with 3 of my things and says, "the others are being treated.."

i look at her like, "#($*%"
"well.. there was a spotting issue," she says.
"spotting?" i ask.
"they were fine when i brought them in??"

now, i've had some terrible luck with drycleaners in the past. one in harrisonburg used some crazy chemical on 2 of my sweaters that left bleach marks and holes in them! holes! they weren't even paid for and i had to throw them away.

ever since then, i've had serious issues with dry cleaning. so much so, that when i found this one in burke, that did a reasonably swell job with a 24-hour turnaround, i stuck with it. i could live in maryland and i'd still go to this drycleaner.

ok.. so back to my story. the spotting thing.they tell me, "you can go ahead and take these items. the rest will be ready tomorrow after 5."

that means i get to make ANOTHER trip out to burke. another night of sitting around, waiting on traffic to die down just so i can drive 11 miles and not have it take an hour. fine.

then - with the company of my rad roomie, i decide to go to ulta [awesome girly store, makeup, hair stuff, etc.] i was in search of the chi curling iron, 1 1/2 inch. i used rita's last weekend and decided my life was incomplete without this hair appliance in it.

except..we get there and the chi curling irons are MIA. we ask a lady and she says, "let me check, everything has been moved around..."

she comes back only to tell me, "we're all sold out."

i learn the next shipment will be in on friday. friday?! i'm going out of town friday and i wanted the chi before then... you know.. to take it with me.

so i ask her to call the other fairfax location to see if they have one..just when i get my hopes up, nope. they're sold out too.

WTF. when did the big chi curling iron become so effing popular?

to end the night on a better note, i made the executive decision to take my roomie to barnes & noble. i got us chocolate chip frappuccinos and some good chic lit for myself. sigh.

cut to today. i head back to burke. luckily, none of my clothes had bleach marks OR holes in them. success. maybe things are looking up?

i then drive over to target. just to look around. [deonna-i might be turning into you.] nothing caught my fancy so i decided to hit up the mall. oops.. gas light comes on. stop at the exxon in fair lakes.

so the $3.00/gallon gas is pumping really slow. i decide i won't fill up all the way.... but i will get a car wash. the downside of having a black car is all the pollen. wash one day and see the magical green dusting cover your car overnight.

so i get my receipt and pull around to the carwash. there are 2 cars in front of me and 2 behind me. i call my dad, like i usually do when i'm out running errands. i happen to look down at the receipt and it says...

"Your car wash code is"

**End of receipt**

It cut off my number! and i'm stuck between 4 cars! what do i do? after pushing the "help" button by the carwash, and unsuccessfully getting any help, i drive through the bay when it would have been my turn (i bet the folks behind me thought i was nuts) and drove back up to the front of the convenience store. run in, dude prints me a new receipt with my oh-so-secretive car wash code.so i drive back around to get in line. yep. i'm back behind 2 cars again. all in all, i was at the exxon station for about 35-40 minutes.

when i got home, i was a) surprised my roommate hadn't called yet, but b) glad to learn she was going to call if i wasn't home by 10. that was comforting.

i am going out on a limb here, but i think my bad luck has ended.

some highlights of my day:
a) i did find the chi at a salon in tysons. so take that ulta, and your friday shipment. (and it was cheaper there too!)
b) tori & dean: inn love came on tonight and i really dig that show.
c) i learned my very favorite chay lee is going to be in harrisonburg this weekend. that's the best news i've heard since leaving tv3.

so i guess my point here is...
i hate traffic
and the entire dry cleaning industry
i have a weird thing for curling irons
and i'm indefinitely ready for the lake.

love to all...
drd

Bugaboo

2006-06-29T22:08:00.000-04:00

I get to see my boo in less than a day-and-a-half. Who's excited?

This guy!

Happy 4th weekend ... Enjoy hotdogs, fireworks, and all things American.

Mani Gone Wild... Mani Does Dallas...and other inappropriate blog titles...

2006-06-28T21:12:00.000-04:00

Warning - This blog entry is dedicated solely to The Manicure. Males might have a hard time relating, unless they have ever gotten a bad haircut....

-- BEGIN SCENE --

My roommate flew to Cleveland yesterday - she is in a wedding this Saturday - so that leaves me at our apartment ... alone... for several days.

Last night, I passed the evening with a long happy hour with some friends - 2 Bud Lights and a yager bomb and I was a happy little lamb.

Tonight, I decided to treat myself to a manicure / pedicure. Those who know me well can tell you I rarely get manicures. First of all, I'm a chronic nail-biter, so there usually isn't anything on my hands to manicure. But many, many weeks ago, I decided to stop biting my nails. I was going to let them grow out. And I did. And they grew, and grew, and grew. So long that they were getting in my way when I typed.

So before going to visit my boo this weekend, I thought, "I'll get my nails shaped and they'll look so good!" The place that I've been going to does a great job with pedicures.. so why should I expect less from my mani?

So I get there around 6:45 or so... Pick out my pedi color - this always takes me forever. It's like picking a mate. I'm stuck with this color for the next 2.. 3.. however many weeks. That spells c-o-m-m-i-t-m-e-n-t. They rub my feet, paint my toes, yada yada. Then it's time for my mani. I tell her I want more of a square-shaped nail... I hate the full on round shape on my hands... it is simply not flattering when you have skinny fingers like me (the only part of me that I can genuinely call skinny..)

So she starts filing away. And I notice my left pinky nail is not filed evenly across. It's filed like a steep hill... one that you stalled out on the first time you drove a stick. I ignore it and think to myself, "I can fix that when I get home." She proceeds to file the other nails, and slaps a clear coat on them. Then I'm off to the nail dryer for 6 minutes.

Once at the nail dryer, I realize I have smudged the polish on my left thumbnail. (Please feel free to stop reading if you are yawning.) Again, I think to myself, "I can fix that when I get home." My other nails, minus the left pinky/steep hill, look good, so I'm pleased.

When I get in my car, just after 8 p.m., I realize all my nails are just filed weird. Not smooth, some with really sharp edges on the corner and that just means they will snag everything they touch. I proceed home and think, "I ..... can .... fix that..."

So here I sit at 9:28 p.m., in my uber quiet apartment, with freshly painted nails - this time from myself.. As I got home, and realized my nails were filed so poorly that I'd have to basically file them all off and start over. So the growing process begins again. Dateforthemoment - Don't worry, I have enough nails for some back scratching. But I wish you could have seen my nails pre-poor filing job.

The one thing I have to look forward to tonight (now that I've spent my evening redoing the mani that I paid good money for) is The Hills.... My new favorite obsession on MTV. If you haven't seen it, I recommend at least watching one episode - 10/9 CST. Let me know what you think.

-- END SCENE --

Where is Jay Webb when you need him?

2006-06-25T23:19:00.000-04:00

Things I wanted to hear while driving during a flash-flood warning:

- how the traffic was on my current path (I66-East)
- why there are fire vehicles whizzing by (accidents?)
- new construction patterns - a heads up would have been nice

Things I didn't like hearing while driving during a flash-flood warning:

- "If you don't have to be out on the roads, driving, walking, PLEASE stay inside."
- (radio reporter in the District) - "I'm lucky because I know the roads, but there are cars stopped everywhere since visibility is so limited."
- "Route 28 to Dulles is blocked by standing water... if you're flying out tonight or picking someone up, please use the access road."
- "Fairfax City, Fairfax County, and your house in particular, Ms. Dovel, are all under a flash-flood warning until 11:30 p.m."

With a little bit of luck and some help from the Man upstairs, I made it home safely tonight. I have officially decided I will work from home tomorrow, as Mondays are the best day to do that.

Be safe out there, kids.

Nuclear runoff makes for warm swimming water..

2006-06-11T16:42:00.000-04:00

I spent this weekend with my roommate and friends at Lake Anna... I don't know the specifics, but this lake has something to do with the nuclear facility located nearby -- the water is always warm (even at 4 a.m.) and the fish have 3 eyes. Just kidding about that last part.

Anyhow, Rita, Denise and I got to the lake Friday night. Our friend Kat invited us as her parents rented a 6-bedroom house for a week...so we had Mom & Pop, Kat, two brothers, sister-in-law, James & Killian (dogs), and lots of girls. We started the night by making smores outside by the firepit, followed by one of our traditional game nights. We played the highly competitive game of "Wise and Otherwise." The jist -- there are cards with ancient sayings on them. Someone reads the first part, and then everyone else has to fill in the phrase. The goal is to trick everyone else into thinking your phrase is actually the right one. This game is bizarre and I officially suck at it. Evidenced by me filling in a Swahili saying "When a squirrel is pulled from the water..."

I wrote, "An angel gets its wings."

Everyone got a good laugh out of that one, and referenced it while talking to me for the rest of the trip. (I did make the statement that I wanted to make people laugh, not to win. Done.) Around 4 a.m., as previously mentioned, the water was very warm so we decided to go swimming. It was pretty dark - not a ton of lights around the lake. Eventually, the air was so cold above the water that we decided it was time for bed.

Woke up Saturday a.m., it was freezing in the room that Nise, Rita & I were sharing. After a quick shower (wanted to at least wash my hair from swimming the night before) we all headed down to the water. Soon came my first (of many) adventure(s) on a jet-ski -- I was the passenger with Kat, who I thought was driving very fast. I was holding on to the handles so tight that I got a blister. Then a little later, I took one of the jet skis out with Rita, and eventually by myself. Kat's brother (aka Naked Shaver -- a story for another time) taught me how to do a sweet 180 and I unofficially decided that I will purchase a jetski when I'm older and can afford one.

Lunch and dinner passed, consisting of chicken kabobs and pizza, with margarita drinking and lots of story telling. Then we had game night #2 followed by a round of smores.

We drove back this morning, and made a quick stop at Cracker Barrel (one of my faves). The rest of the day will consist of laundry folding and SATC. Hope you've all had a great weekend as well! :)

Things omitted from this story but not on purpose:
*I accidentally threw Rita off the jet ski at one point and proceed to speed off.
*I am viciously sunburned.
*I will never travel without my white hoodie again.
*Aerobeds are the best invention ever.

Notsosecret guilty pleasure

2006-05-19T20:04:00.000-04:00

Anyone who grew up when and where I did has heard of Tanya Tucker. What you might not have heard of is her reality tv show that appears on TLC called - Tuckerville. I've yet to figure out if this is an actual place (due to a roadsign shown in the show open that says "Tuckerville" with a population number. Regardless, in this land of Tucker stands a huge mansion, 3 kids, along with dogs, goats, and ponies - big and small. This show has become my not so secret guilty pleasure, as I added it to my Tivo list months ago, and have somehow gotten my roommate hooked to where she'll watch it even when I'm gone.

If you'd like more info on the show before tuning in, visit http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/tuckerville/about.html. Or you can just watch it on Saturday starting at 10 p.m. EST. It's truly great. An old-school country girl (or woman) that carries Louis Vuitton bags bigger than most dogs AND rocks the fanny pack at her local Wal-Mart. It just doesn't get any better than that.

The week has ended.... so now it's the weekend...

2006-05-05T23:48:00.000-04:00

Heading up to Annapolis this weekend for a maritime festival. So we'll head to Envy Isle - where all the rich folk dock their boats. Eat lots of seafood hopefully and drink some - well, drinks. I'd like to catch a movie this weekend as well but I'm not sure if that's gonna happen. United 93's out but I think that's going to pretty much consume my head for the day(s) after I view it. Read some reviews and seen many documentaries on the subject.... but you can never really be prepared for that.

Maybe I'll just veg out with some SATC or Match Point. Gotta love those cheatin' Brits!

Anyway--probably won't be updating anytime soon. Luckily I don't have my page sponsored by Mountain View Dental Team or other equally lame business.

Have a great weekend!!! Happy Seis & Siete de Mayo!

Zoos are fun!

2006-04-30T21:45:00.000-04:00

I accomplished one of my goals for 2006 - seeing the baby panda at the DC zoo. He was playing with what I assume was his mother... climbing trees and participating in other panda-like activities. I forgot how much pandas look like stuffed animals. Makes me want to bring one home - although my roommate says she doesn't have the time to take care of a real-life panda.

In other news, I am officially becoming cheap. After having purchased a new Coach bag a few weeks ago, I realized on Friday night that I was not 100% happy with it and decided to return it. Today I said goodbye. With the extra change in my pocket, I was able to fill up my gas tank ($46), pick up my dry cleaning ($20), and purchase soap, shampoo and detergent ($15). All in all, a productive day.

There's a five-days-in-the-office week looking at me so I should get ready for bed. Have a great week!

drd

Penelope Princess Clearwater says, "No one wants to smell rotten eggs."

2006-04-20T15:40:00.000-04:00

Hazelnut Bridgewood and Penelope Princess Clearwater (alter egos of myself and the roomie) have struck again. This time, in search to make the stairway a cleaner place for us all. Our actions stemmed from an egg that was broken on the first flight of stairs at our building.

Please see below. First picture: Crimescene. Second picture: Our initative.

Check back soon for updates to this developing story!

Dream girl....

2006-04-19T11:50:00.000-04:00

So last night, I had 2 dreams, both awesomed.

In the first, I was in an auditorium with thousands of people. It was similar to a graduation, except I only recognized two of the names I heard.. Mine and my best friend from childhood.

The only difference in my dream was this:

The person at the podium would say a number and then the corresponding name. The number was the salary that you would be making going forward.

The voice says,

"$72,000."
"Dana Shovel (this is not my last name, for safety purposes in my blog, it will be)."

And then he continued. "$42,000." and so on.

So that meant I was making 72K!!! I was so excited.

It wasn't until a little while later that I realized the name came BEFORE the number. An overwhelming sadness came over me as I realized I was really only making $42K -- which keep in mind -- is still more than I make now. Then I realized he said my best friend's name before the "$72,000." So SHE was the one making the big bucks. I knew I should have been a nurse.

Life sucks, even in dreams.

Then I had another dream closer to my rise-and-shine time that my roommate and I ordered pizza. We had leftovers, and that was what I would take to work for lunch.Until I woke up and realized it was a dream and there would be no pizza for lunch.

Here I am, with no monies and no pizza. Hungry and poor.

And it's only Wednesday!

Is this worth my job?

2006-04-06T23:51:00.000-04:00

I got my hair cut earlier in the week (and free highlights might I add... good things happen to good people) and I found an article in whatever salon magazine I was reading at the time... Glamour, something like that. A woman who blogged about her job, as she was in the fashion industry and knew tons of celeb gossip. The blog ended up making her famous, and later jobless (x 2). She appeared on several morning shows, radio shows, newspapers, etc.

And I found myself wondering, "Could that happen to me?"

I have deleted some of the blogs I had written about a certain someone that I worked with.... Ahem. Notice how I said "worked." As in, other people thought she was a snatch face as well and she was let go last week!! Hip hip hooray!

So I think my job is safe. Plus I never mention the actual name of the place where I work. Let's just call it "Target" to be safe.

In other work-related news, I am just now able to get ready for bed... as we have a large day of doing the things we do at my company. Again, nothing specific here as I have bills and I like to eat.

But I do find it ridiculous that it is 11:53 and I'm still awake. Especially since I have to work at "Target's" other office tomorrow morning so I will be leaving my house around 6:45 - ish. Awesomed.

Thank goodness it's a Friday. I can drink heavily tomorrow night and hopefully gain back any of the weight I managed to kick this week.

At least I'll have my job to complain about as I'm drinking...

my flatmate hearts me big time.

2006-03-26T21:12:00.000-05:00

is it weird that my roommate is lying on me now? and also that she can see me typing this and doesn't think it's odd?

are we dating?

jb, watch out. i think she's trying to steal your girl. first she wants to "live" with me.... and also "cook" for me every night....

and claiming that the baby living on the other side of the wall in her bedroom is so loud that she might "crawl in my bed"... hmm...

just a thought.

She responded!

"YOU WISH, SHOVEL!"

Tivo my BMW?

2006-03-23T20:20:00.000-05:00

I'll admit I don't own the actual Tivo branded digital video recorder. But through my cable company who shall remain nameless, I do have a DVR and it has become one of the highlights of my evenings. Some of the shows that we tivo:

The Gauntlet
Project Jay
Top Chef
Desperate Housewives
Grey's Anatomy
8th and Ocean
America's Next Top Model
The Real World
CSI
American Idol
Blow Out
The Real Housewives of Orange County

So I come home from work, sometime around 5:30 or 6... depending on the traffic situation. My rommie and I have dinner and then proceed to park ourselves in the living room and turn on the DVR (after of course, watching The Simpsons).

Luckily I have the weekends to take a break from Tivo. I usually reserve those for episodes of Newlyweds.

Nonetheless, in only four months, I have become so accustomed to Tivo that I have found myself listening to the radio and wanting to rewind to hear what was said. Does anyone else experience this?

I wonder if maybe one day that will be an option. If they can iPod my BMW, certainly they can Tivo it too.

Brunch at the Willard...just another standard Sunday.

2006-03-06T12:57:00.000-05:00

So I receive emails from Daily Candy.. the DC edition. About three weeks ago, they featured the Willard Intercontinental Hotel's Sunday brunch. I forwarded the email to my roommate, who took the initiative to make a reservation for a party of 2 for noon on 5 March. So yesterday morning, we got dressed up, with Coach and kate in hand(s), and headed to the District to partake in what became a 2-hour experience, complete with mimosas, seafood, Belgium waffles, fresh fruit, veggies, barbeque pork, coffee, desserts, and more. Valet parking was included in the tab... which ended up being about two benjamins altogether. Absolutely worth it. Felt a bit like a princess. We continued the day with shopping in Georgetown... bought some fabulous things for our place and I found a bag that I shall begin saving for .. immediately. Feels like spring here... I hope it continues!

(click on photo to enlarge..)

Pictures above 1. Washington Monument with lots of tourists. 2. The lobby entrance of the Willard. 3. View looking toward the room where brunch was served. 4. View looking across Pennsylvania Ave. at the Capitol.

:: reading can change the world ::

2006-03-01T20:22:00.000-05:00

Last night, I found myself slightly lost. Nothing substantially good on tv. Nothing really to do. So I dug into The Tipping Point. One of the books I got for Christmas that I have managed to place next to my bed and not yet open.

Up to page 12 and I dig.

The idea that small acts can be contagious, can cause a dramatic change and all of this happening very quickly. The point at which that change occurs - the tipping point.

Crime dropping significantly in New York - because a small group of people who were in situations that could have been violent and deadly decided to take the higher road and act in a moral way.

Teenagers in New York City wearing Hush Puppies to trendy bars and clubs, being seen by designers like Anna Sui and Calvin Klein who then incorporated the shoes into their runway shows..revitalizing the company who previously sold 30,000 pair a year to over 400,000.

Making small changes in your life can have a huge impact across the globe...whether it's a moral issue or a new fashion trend. Take the idea and exercise it in the future.

I can't believe you still read this...

2006-02-25T22:33:00.000-05:00

After checking my Sitemeter, I realized that I am the lamest blogger to have ever blogged. Or pretended to. Can't believe anyone still checks this with my lack o' updates, but I have decided it's time to type. So with the latest from Torino blaring in the background, I am here.. to blog.

Let's see... How's life? Good. Work - Busy. I worked out of the Alexandria office Friday...located in "Old Towne" or however you spell it, this office is next to impossible to find. If it weren't for my roommate, I would still be driving on Duke Street trying to find it (or in that private residential area that I drove into by accident). So I got to the office shortly after 8 a.m., which to me is just ridiculous. Who gets to work that early in northern Virginia? No one. Exactly. I prefer rolling in at 9:30 - ish. After all, I was told that was the latest I should get there. 9:30 it is.

Other aspects of life... Friends - Good. Learning more about myself lately and what I enjoy about other people. Also learning what I do not enjoy. Participating in game nights, baby showers, and soon a wedding, they are definitely keeping me busy.

Home life - Couldn't be better. Can you believe that since I moved, I can't remember crying at all? Not even once. That is not normal for me. I usually cry all the time. I think I did cry once when I came home to my parents house. But not in my new residence. The roomie's making me a hardass. That's a good thing.

Sleep - Lacking / needs serious improvement. No matter what I do, I can't get to sleep before 11:30. I have realized the reason behind this is I hate having only 3 or 4 hours to unwind after work. There's dinner, laundry, errands, catching up on tivo. It's too much for one 25-year-old to do in 4 hours a weeknight. So I stay up later than I should and therefore, I get progressively more tired as the week goes on. Like now... If I closed my eyes for more than 3 seconds, I would be asleep... Even typing that made me yawn!

Love - perfect. Missing JB but as that cheesy saying goes, "Distance makes the heart grow fonder.."

Weekend - Those are always good. Especially when you get the chance to sleep. AND blog. That's bonus!

New game: Find my car!

2006-02-12T18:53:00.000-05:00

There is much joy in living with me? I'm Ron Burgundy?

2006-02-07T23:45:00.000-05:00

The theme of tonight's post comes from a recent comment that my roommate posted on my myspace page:

"i have much bloy in living with you. i think you might be drunk from osmosis, doval. sometimes i wish people could sit in our living room to see what you're like in the evenings. yes, shovel, the party never ends. "

Let's dig a little deeper into the meaning of this comment, shall we?

bloy - also known as "joy" as in "Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea. Joy to you and me." Except the girl on American Idol tonight said "Bloy to you and me..." like she forgot the words.

drunk from osmosis - Re likes to kick back and have a few every now and again... or daily.

doval - On a recent email sent to my entire team at work (about 50+ people), I noticed that my last name was misspelled on our new and improved org chart - Doval. Either that or they've hired someone with a very similar name and have yet to tell me I'm fired.

shovel - Weird and embarrassing "nickname" from high school / college / and present day. I'll share that story in a later post.

And finally - the party never ends ... Tonight Rita got to hear me brag about "rollerblading in my dorm in college" and how I wore these black spandex shorts with an *Nsync tee shirt (the spandex shorts as a joke / the tee shirt because I LOVED them)... The floor I lived on in college was in the shape of a V so once I got to the end of the hall, I had to stop, turn around, and rollerblade back. I soon came up with an idea that all college dorms should be circular in shape. That way, I could really have a great workout by rollerblading around and around ... never having to turn around and therefore never "lose momentum."

I will show Rita my rollerblades this weekend, for which I owe thanks to Amanda Lupica, who gave them to me when she saw how happy I was wearing them. I have never worn them on anything other than carpet so I'm probably not great. But they are black with neon green laces and in my book, that qualifies me as h-o-t!

Until then,

I hope you know I'm kidding. (About being hot). Goodnight!

Super Bowl-ing...Girls can celebrate, too!

2006-02-01T23:59:00.000-05:00

So my roommate and I have decided to have a little gathering at our house for the Super Bowl. I'm looking for party theme ideas. Wegmans, being the ingenius grocery store that they are, has made Super Bowl themed cookies, cookie cakes, regular cakes, etc. Very cute. I will definitely purchase something of that nature. But what else is appropriate? Beer, ok. Chips and lots of dipping sauces. Got it. Do we need decorations? Balloons? I guess it isn't really a birthday party. It's more of an excuse to drink on a Sunday and then have "the shortest commute ever" as Rita and I each stumble to our respective beds. Anyone with ideas on how to throw a cool Super Bowl party, please feel free to respond. *Also, if you live closeby, you are welcome to join.

*To join the party, you must know me and know where I live. I'm not telling if you don't already know. Thanks!

Walking on the sunny side

2006-01-30T22:59:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to my other half on an exciting opportunity.

Simply wonderful and well-deserved.

Blogging at work... Is this legal?

2006-01-23T10:43:00.000-05:00

For once in a long, long time, I find myself with so much free time and nothing to "catch up on." I guess I could clean up my emails... that is something I've been putting off for awhile. But I have managed to:

- Delete all unnecessary text messages from my cell
- Enter invoices in my possession into our system (and check them twice)
- Schedule all interviews I've been given (or at least contacted the candidate several times)
- Read my favorite blogs
- Fill up my water bottle
- Inquire about the bagel situation (Mondays are Bagel Day here and for the past few weeks, no bagels. This situation has been taken care of, I believe. And... next week is my week anyway.)
- Tell a funny story which got a funny laugh
- Respond to all emails which needed a response

I think I am good for the day. I should just cut the nonsense and go to the mall right now. I have no one to greet, just one person to meet with later today (potential coordinator)... I'll tell her that today is the best day I've had since starting with the company. By best, I mean.... slowist. This never happens to me! Myspace, here I come...

Don't hate because I've got a life!

2006-01-19T22:30:00.000-05:00

I feel an obligation to informally apologize to the readers of my blog. RG, JB, JG, TM, I am terrible at updating. My revelation about this is as follows:

Now that I am no longer spending my evenings in a 10 x 11 room, in which I eat my take-out dinner while sitting on the floor, and then proceed to go to bed slightly thirsty, as the act of getting water from the kitchen could involve seeing a roommate and that equals just plain awkward, I just don't feel like blogging. I have less time to think about my life, how crappy or wonderful it may be. And also, I am now obsessed with myspace.

I do, however, want to share with you a post from a site I frequent: www.danasdirt.com. I posted my two cents on one of her posts regarding Nicole Kidman. Let's take a look at what followed:

"I'm So ASHAMED of Nicole Kidman."

Maybe since she's engaged to a country singer she thinks she can start dressing badly... I don't know. Nicole Kidman has ALWAYS been the epitome of class, style, grace, etc...What the hell happened? This is something I'd expect to see Paris wearing... with the arse nearly showing, etc... not Nicole Freaking Kidman!
posted by D*ana at 5:08 PM on Jan 17 2006

****My Comment****

youngblueyes said...
Dana - I have always been a fan of your blog but your comments are getting a little absurd. Does anyone else think this?Nicole Kidman dating a "country music singer" has nothing to do with the way she dresses. Reese Witherspoon's hair would still be beautiful even if she wore it in a cafeteria hairnet. I love the pics you post but I could do without your immature comments - "She's too skinny" .. "Her hair looks better down" ... May I remind everyone that you have the luxury of working in RADIO so no one sees what you look like all of the time. Maybe you should remember that the next time you feel negativity spewing out of your mouth.
8:54 PM

****The Reaction Shots****

jeesh, youngblueeyes! i totalllllly agree with you, dana. she is such a dignified, graceful and age-appropriate dresser. this photo looks SCARY! i love your comments - you can find the photos on the web at other sites but your comments are so funny and right on! keep it up.ps we see all of your photos on your site, of course you have nothing to hide by 'working on the radio'
12:19 AM

that's harsh youngblueyes.. damn.anyway, that dress is pretty scary.. she looks scary in that second picture.
2:49 AM

youngblueyes.. is that even you in that picture? i'm thinking.... NO : )
3:19 AM

I think she looks tacky but I don't think it has anything to do with her being engaged. I like your comments too Dana, they are hilarious and you're just telling the truth. Youngblueeyes, if you don't like her comments then you can go to other sites to just see photos.
9:59 AM

Is everyone forgetting that Nicole did a play on Broadway where she appeared completely nude on stage? Blue Room or something. Eyes Wide Shut ring any bells? I don't think any of that was classy. She likes to show her goods.
1:16 PM

does anyone notice that youngblueyes is using L.C. from laguna beach as her picture? How lame is that. Did she really thinkpeople wouldn't notice
4:19 PM

Hello Dana?! Sort it out! This picture is really old - you of all people should be onto it! This was around the time when she and tom split and publicising moulin rouge. Considering what the trashy Hiltons wear constantly (even their mum, apparently), I don't think it is so bad.
5:12 PM

I think she looks hot, a lot better than that skanky Hilton. Not that I think she should always wear such a reavealing outfit, but once in a while why not. She has a nice body, who cares?Why can't anyone make a comment that isn't the norm around here without people making comments about it. It was in her opinion that Dana's comments are immature just as it's ours that Dana's funny and to the point.
6:12 PM

**************************************************************************
I love that everyone is so stirred up over this. It's just fantastic! RG thinks that it's harsh and can't believe that I enjoy it. I had to explain to her I am a long-time expert on mean blogging.

And like I'm going to put my real picture on here, let alone say which one of the 50 I live in.

With that said, I'm off to sleep. Hoping my sore throat will go the heck away. I'm tired of feeling like poo. G'night, all.

Game Night - Don't get it twisted!

2006-01-07T02:10:00.000-05:00

Game Night (used as a noun) : A gathering of 5 girls, between the ages of 23-25, playing the hippest new board games, eating pizza and washing it all down with Bud Light. Said gatherings generally last 5.5 hours and also include conversations too inappropriate to mention in a blog.

What I learned from Game Night, as described above:

Rita rocks out on Indian wrestling and simply put, will kick your ass!
It is possible to misplace your beer 58 times in one night.
The game "Guesstures" is going to make you feel anxious and a little awkward. But it's fine. You'll get over the butterflies the first time you have to make a "potbelly" or "saliva" gesture.
In the game Scattagories, "Granny" will not be considered a term of endearment. However, "delicious" is a type of sandwich, and by God, "Elkton" is a city!
When in doubt, use adult-like words or phrases in Scattagories, such as "open mouth sore"- guaranteed to get a good laugh.
Kat had the best new year of all, what a way to wake up! VOM

And not to mention, tomorrow is the night of 100 Elvis's in Arlington. Really? 100? That's it? Can I at least go around singing, "Like a river flows... surely to the sea..."

:: Case of the Mondays ::

2006-01-05T13:24:00.000-05:00

Got a headache & apparently a case of the Mondays. So I am working from home today. Actually working. Using my cell and participating in conference calls, however mediocre they may be. Calling candidates. Emailing confirmations. Kicking butt and taking names.

Oh, and I also ate one of Rita's Drumsticks. Yummy, it was good.

Summing up 2005 ... in 2006

2006-01-04T19:29:00.000-05:00

So I'm a little late on this one. Year's end slipped right by me and I have been officially pathetic with updating my blog. I saw this on a friend's site and thought I should take the time to reflect on the past 12 measurements of time we call months. Here is my version:

January / February / March / April - (Basically a blur.) Worked too many hours and complained equally as much. Developed HTML and graphic design skills. Saw play with Annika & her fam at JMU. Dog-sat little Belle for Deonna & Andy on lunch breaks. Visited State College, Pa. several times. Saw Paul Westerberg at 9:30. Purchased another Kate Spade & entered the ipod world.
May - Attended funeral for mother's first cousin. Saw new baby cousin for first time. Seriously began thinking about changing jobs and/or moving. Went on 2 interviews - including one with current employer.
June - Received semi-lucrative offer from current employer. Provided former employer 2-weeks-notice. Saw newly-married Kenny Chesney (and not to forget Keith Urban) at FedEx Field and the Old '97s at 9:30. Car broke down. Found place to live. Moved. Began new job. Met wonderful new friends. Attended Beer Festival in Ashburn - was slightly buzzing & later hungover all by 9 p.m. Developed severe farmer's tan.
July - Celebrated 4th of July by shopping and later watching fireworks on tv and eating ice cream with JB. Attended Happy Hours with coworkers.
August - Attended 3-day orientation for current employer. Went to wedding shower for Jayme Langford. More happy hours. First trip to Leesburg outlets.
September - Went home for wedding early in the month at the country club. Visited Georgetown for the first time on Labor Day. Caught Washington Nationals game and Dr. Dremos in Arlington (back when beer pong was alive).
October - Visited Bris in Memphis & went to my third college homecoming in Missouri. Saw many friends and partied Christian-school style. Smoked something like 50 ciggies in one night. Celebrated my 25th birthday with lunch at the Food Court (I'm officially old). First visit to the Clarendon Ballroom.
November - Began a housing search with current (and awesomely awesome) roommate. Found awesome place to live and began the process of packing. Last single friend from home got engaged which caused excitement and screaming. Visited Leesburg outlets (again). Together, JB & I cooked our first Thanksgiving dinner for my family. Saw Walk the Line and mourned ending of Jessica & Nick.
December - Moved into swank apartment. Began using fireplace and doing laundry more regularly. Thought about suicide as traffic around Tysons was terrible as holidays approached. Cohosted 'Night Before Christmas' party with girlfriends. Saw Sean Paul at 9:30 and Harry Potter in IMAX. FINALLY saw Office Space. Got really sick and visited ER on Christmas Eve. Celebrated Christmas with my family and took 2-week vacation from work. Ended year with my faves, JB, Hank('s), and Dick Clark.

:: You are muchly loved ::

2005-12-29T01:21:00.000-05:00

Dateforthemomentleftblank, you are muchly missed and muchly loved. Looking forward to seeing baby pictures and more. Safe travels. Hurry home.

More is better?

2005-12-27T18:53:00.000-05:00

#0.
Number of times I have missed work and normal life. I love having nothing to do and being able to sleep all day if I want!

#2.
Tonight I saw The Family Stone with my mom... the second time I've seen it. Justin & I caught it late last week. Again, I liked it but this time I was able to hold back the tears.

#4.
I purchased my fourth magazine claiming to hold the secret story behind Jessica & Nick's break-up. This one in OK! Magazine. I haven't read it yet but the grainy pictures prove it must be an uber-sneaky story.

#1,000,000.
Number of times I've missed the bf and wished I could be in Tennessee with him.. just so I could tell him, "You're the only 10 I see!" and it actually get a laugh..

Is it Christmas yet?

2005-12-26T21:45:00.000-05:00

I can't believe the holidays are almost gone.. with the exception of New Year's... there is not much to look forward to this year. For those of you that I have not talked to in the past few days - who actually read this - err Rita, Joey, yep that's all - I have been sick. Super sick. Since doctors typically don't work on Christmas Eve, my dad and Justin took me to the ER to see what the heck was going on with my joints. We think I had the same thing my mom had a few weeks ago... I really felt like an 80-year-old. Or what I would imagine one would feel like. It hurt to walk, stairs were a killer... Moving the hands, elbows, shoulders.. putting on a shirt made me want to cry. I was lucky enough to get a Doogie Howser, Jr. only not as cute and not as bright. This excuse for a doctor gave me a prescrip. for Vicodin after he had a nurse draw blood testing me for rhemutoid arthritis and lupus. Too bad they can't test me for death.. I felt like I was catching a bit of that.

So needless to say, I am not in Tennessee with my bf, as I was also told I was anemic... Surprise. This requires me to sleep more hours than are in the day... Along with taking iron pills and trying to avoid caffeine. What a holiday. And I miss my brown guy more than ever!

During the next few days, I will sleep a lot, continue to take drugs... and rest up so that when my bf gets back, I have energy to hang with him. Until then.. I'm going to sleep. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! :) I'm gonna snuggle under the down blanket Santa brought me...

:: Things I'd like to do in DC - in no particular order ::

2005-12-09T20:12:00.000-05:00

Visit baby panda Mei Xiang at the zoo
Spot a celebrity - or the Laguna Beach cast?
See a show at the Kennedy Center in the winter and Wolftrap in the spring
Take in professional football and basketball games
Win something.. anything from Elliot in the Morning
See the National Christmas Tree lighting in '06
Save money and drop it in Georgetown
Not curse so much in traffic
Memorize the metro system
Invite all my friends to visit & show them a good time!

Life is good.

2005-12-05T22:55:00.000-05:00

I am officially moved into my new place and I am so happy. Honestly. I have not felt this content in a long time. Maybe because I was living in a room the size of a twin bed, or maybe because I was not sleeping well because my feet hung off the twin bed. Regardless, I have a big bed now, a huge bathroom, an amazing roommate, a kitchen I can use, along with a washer and dryer and even space for guests. Life is so good. Until I have to wake up for work... but that is 8 hours away. Until then, I'll be dreaming (hopefully Jimmy Fallon won't try to roll Justin's hand up in the car window) and maybe even snoring... Yes, girls can snore sometimes. I guess. Did I just admit that? No? Okay. Good.

What is the world coming to?

2005-11-28T16:03:00.000-05:00

Newly-single Jessica Simpson promptly visited the tanning bed in LA after her Thanksgiving retreat to Texas.

All I have to say is Newlyweds will never be the same. MTV should follow them around on their new search for love. Maybe Jessica can date Ryan Cabrera - I know that's somewhat gross as her sister dated him, but they are somewhat of a sick family. And Nick could date Jessica's best friend/personal assistant CaCee Cobb. After all, he seemed to like ditzy girls from Texas.

Current mood: Grumpy.

2005-11-27T20:46:00.000-05:00

Room smells of paint and dirty men who painted it.
Bathroom is even worse.
TV is green & blue where painters have dropped it and busted the picture tube.
Want to punch something but feel that smelly room and crappy tv are likely better than the local jail.

Moving on Friday.
Thinking of buying air mattress to sleep on for 1 night until my bed is delivered on Saturday.
Also thinking of sleeping in car. BMW leather is comfy and even heated.

Miss my diploma. And him.

The ups and downs of the holidays are extreme, especially when you're away from family and childhood friends. And especially when you work with a snatch face.

May the drama of Wisteria Lane be enough to entertain me tonight and put me to sleep at the same time. Goodnight, all.

Update from Randomville...

2005-11-20T22:47:00.000-05:00

I feel obligated to blog, especially since I have witnessed or participated in many blog-worthy events as of late.

First all, the work situation is likely to explode this week, and I am very excited. By excited I mean nervous. Email me for details, they are oh so juicy.

Second, Mister Days in Arlington = not cool. I believe this past Friday night was "MTV Reality Show Rejects Night," as there were many shady, trying-to-look-super-cool folks there. A few highlights from the night include:

-Creepy guy trying to 'grind' on Rita. She acknowledges him, realizes there is nowhere else for her to go to escape, and says:

"Hi.

Okay.

Peace out!"

-A guy named Brendan recognizes our friend Alina from P4 (it's the floor of the parking garage at work where everyone goes to smoke). But Brendan refuses to tell us his last name and says if we can figure it out, he'll take us to lunch. Later in the night, I attempt to get the last name from his friend. Turns out the friend is a douche and in actuality, the name 'Brendan' may be a lie. So whoever he is - 'Brendan' and his friend find us on the dance floor and they're laughing and saying, "Good luck finding out my last name" to which I respond:

"That's okay, you're probably not worth knowing anyway."

'Brendan', being an immature 23-years-of-age fights back with, "Ahh sweet, that's what I've been working for my whole life!"

To his smart ass comment, I say, "Mission accomplished!" and swiftly turn my back.

-Arriving back at Alina and Robin's apartment, we see a lack of (or no) empty parking spots. There are some people walking towards their car, so Rita rolls the window down, and yells to the tall, cubby, fangster (fake gangster) in the group wearing an Adidas warm-up jacket:

"Hey Track Suit.. Track Suit... are you leaving?"

'Track Suit' did not like this! He yelled back, "What'd you call me?" and proceeded to stand in front of Mariel's car staring into the headlights... as we laughed about his new nickname, Robin warned us to be quiet since he might have a gun. That makes me a little nervous as we are moving there in 2 weeks. I was told it was a safe area!

And in final news... I drove home to my parents this weekend to do laundry and figure out what I need for my new apartment. Realized I don't have as much stuff as I thought but this is a good excuse to buy things.

Also realized I cry way too much. My mother thinks this will change with maturity. She says I am tender-hearted and when she gets to the point of crying, watch out because she is mad and she'll rip your head off. (Just an FYI)..

So here's to praying I don't cry at work tomorrow - refer to Snatch Face blog - this person is evil.

Ahh.. goodnight all.

All good things must come to an end...

2005-11-14T21:20:00.000-05:00

Even Season 2 of Laguna Beach. But I'll be fine.. On Wednesday, I will receive the book I just ordered from Amazon entitled something like "Inside the Bubble," sure to include pics of these rich kids having fun and looking perfect. It was $10, what can I say? :)

I must go now, to prepare for the finale of my favorite show. Half-an-hour and commercial free! That never happens! Some predictions for this episode:

1. Jessica whines
2. Jason still pines for LC
3. LC wears big sunglasses and packs her entire wardrobe before moving to LA
4. Stephen forces emotional moments with both Kristen and LC
5. Talan continues to be a pimp
6. Kristen drives off in her new BMW

And at the end, a nice montage of the season. Oh, Laguna Beach editors, how I love thee..

I met a real-life Survivor...

2005-11-12T20:52:00.000-05:00

It's true.

When: Friday, November 11th, around 11:30 p.m.
Where: Clarendon Ballroom in Arlington, Va.
How: My crazy friend, Alina, began singing to a stranger... who ended up being Ian (see picture). He finished in 3rd place on Survivor Season 10: Palau.

Alina learned that Ian lost "40 pounds on the show and has gained 20 back." He's still skinny and I thought about that today as I ate lunch from Popeyes. But I can imagine being 6'8'' makes it difficult to be anything but thin.

Google tells me Ian was Homecoming King and student body president in college...a very ambitious boy.

Also turns out Ian is younger than me and apparently much richer. I asked him if he got "a sh*tload of money when he finished the show." He simply and confidently replied, "Yes."

This was after he told me he had a house "in LA and .. um..Pennsylvania."

He seemed hesitant about sharing the latter, as if he realized how random it sounded. But when I told him my bf lives in State College, he shared with me that he went to Penn State and asked what the bf's name was.

This made me nervous - insert internal dialogue influenced by tang & tonics: "Why does he want to know Justin's name? Does he think he knows him? Or is he looking to network in the non-profit television market?" I just told Ian where Justin works and the music was so loud that I'm still wondering if he heard me.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I am somewhat obsessed with meeting famous people. I don't seek them out - but when I meet them, I add them to my "list." That's another post.

I think Ian is the first "famous" person I have met since living here. Is that safe to say? Does being on reality tv make you famous?

Maybe not - but it does get you a "sh*tload of money."

:: Guess who's going to Georgetown ::

2005-11-10T10:56:00.000-05:00

This guy! 30% off at Kate Spade, November 10th-13th. In the words of Denise.. "It pays to Discover." And might I add, Visa and Mastercard.

Let me know if you want a clean version the coupon and I'll email it to you!

Enjoy!

Subject: When did Email take over my life?

2005-11-08T22:29:00.000-05:00

So I realize the Real World: Austin is not the best show in the world. But for some reason, I feel compelled to watch it.

Call me dedicated.

Tonight's episode found me asking myself, "Oh God, am I like Nehemiah?" He was the ultimate procrastinator. Like.. getting really drunk, being thrown in jail and therefore, failing to complete the editing assignment that lay before him (and his six roommates).

Similar to Nehemiah, I went to jail last night... No wait. I didn't. BUT today was terribly unproductive for me. My computer was down for the count all day long! Outlook would not open to save my life... not until 6:41 p.m.

That's right. All day, no email.

Do you know what my job consists of? Staring at my email and then completing whatever b*tch task I get. So to not have any access to those b*tch tasks, and for people to care less and still want their requests done NOW ... was very painful.

So now I am going to pop too many Advils in hopes that I oversleep tomorrow to make it a truly inefficient and stoopid week. I hate being me today.

Worth 4,000 words... Fall in State College, Penn.

2005-11-06T22:52:00.000-05:00

Now I know why Justin posted on Fall..

2005-11-04T16:07:00.000-05:00

I'm here in State College and driving today, I saw streets lined with yellow trees.. some with red and orange, and it's totally bizarre. I feel like I should take a picture... like I'm living in a postcard that you'd send your friends who live in a land with no trees - to brag to them, "Ha ha.. see how beautiful it is here!" I did bring my digi so tomorrow I'll get one of the trees and post.

Must go now - loud noise outside and it's kind of freaking me out. Sounds like the rapture.. if the rapture was a lawnmower trying to suck up leaves and failing miserably.

"Celebrity-Style Rooms On A Limited Budget"

2005-11-02T19:55:00.000-05:00

And as in limited, I'm thinking, negative dollars. I want to walk into and store where they give me furniture, just because I'm me. And they also throw in some money for the heck of it.

I'm watching a show on the Style network, amazing how many channels I get... but this designer is remaking a couple's room into a LeAnn Rimes-ish room. I'm guessing LeAnn has good taste? I've seen her house on an episode of Cribs and the only thing I remember is the Buddha statue that her and the hubby frequently rub... Yeah.

So the room is coming together but they spent $3000 on it. To me, that's a substantial chunk of money. If I had $3000, I wouldn't spend it on furniture. Maybe because I don't have a house?

But I'd rather go on a swanky vacation or just quit my job. No, I realize three-grand is not that much. But if I had that laying around.... I'd probably just blow it on a purse. (Louis needs a friend!)

So with that said, if anyone has ideas for furniture, I will be buying some in the next month for my new apartment....and nothing LeAnn Rimes-ish, mkay?

Rosa Parks - A Brave Little Lady

2005-10-31T18:18:00.000-05:00

As I drove back to northern Virginia last night, I listened to news talk radio, as I tend to do.. And when the time came for traffic, the deliverer suggested riding the Metro into DC for those paying respects to Rosa Parks, who was lying in honor at the Capitol Rotunda. (Another reason I love living here... amazing history, being able to pay respects to monumental figures - wow!)..

Now, I've known who Rosa Parks was since I was a little girl. And then that Outkast song came out which brought her to the front of everyone's minds and to the top of the charts .. even though she sued the duo for defamation (that's another story)...

But this woman was well-ahead of her time... she saw something bigger than the issue at hand on that bus in 1955.

And it wasn't about the seat ... or the view from the seat ... or the fact that she got there first. By sitting, she took a stand... as a woman and an African American ... ultimately sparking a movement that changed our country... I can't imagine living in a world where people are segregated because of their skin. It really blows my mind and at the same time, breaks my heart.

And now that she's passed, I realize what a brave little lady she was.

DC Traffic... on a Friday at 5 p.m.

2005-10-28T21:18:00.000-04:00

On Fridays when I am going out of town (which let's face it, is basically every week), I try to leave work around 4 / 4:15... Just to give myself a head start. Hoping that by 5, I will at least be somewhat out of northern Virginia. The trip to my parents house, which should take 1:45, ends up taking 3:00.

And I always get the same response when I'm home at 7 p.m. (having left at 4, this is not what we call "making good time").

"You made good time!"

I always reply with... "Not for leaving at 4 o'clock.." When my usual drive is doubled, that is the most lousy time I could possibly make. And I have this thing.. this tick if you will.. where I have to make the best time I can. If I get held up in traffic / construction / inclement weather, at some point during that trip, I will somehow manage to speed just enough to "make up" for any time I may have lost. This is not always successful though, for example, today.

But I am home - back at my parents for a weekend of taking baths, sleeping in a queen bed... and actually being able to do laundry. Oh - best of all - NO TRAFFIC! I love it here.

According to Google, "Dana needs..."

2005-10-28T00:44:00.000-04:00

- a home.
- some breathing room.
- a friend.
- a man!!!
- to find another payment processor (or money. Money would be good).
- to tweak (Tweak what?).
- a webcam (for the weather).
- to authorize Randy to go to Japan.
- to be the center of attention, be the prettiest, the most fortunate, the most talented, the bestest...
- new headshots and voiceover demos.
- the Excel file to prepare the final annual report.
- a biopsy.
- to become more efficient.
- a career boost.
- to build a good birdhouse or her entire GPA will drop.
- a lot of help.
- socialization.
- to chill.
- her hands out front for balance.
- to download slots.

Sweaters + Diet Coke + Exposing Stalkers = Ambition, baby!

2005-10-27T20:38:00.000-04:00

As you can tell by the title of my post, life is busy!

I have recently purchased new sweaters (gotta love Banana Republic and my new favorite lady, Ann Taylor - and her Loft). I absolutely love new sweaters. Probably because I wear them forever - until I am embarrassed when I wear them because they are all pilled and worn, and the sleeves are too short. Yeah, that is just bad. So about every 3-4 years, I go on a binge and just buy tons of sweaters. Many of which never get worn... so sad. But I'd like to think I have outgrown the phase of buying clothes just to have them. If I don't wear something, I will usually end up returning it... That's also apart of my newfound old age, I am becoming cheap! But that's a whole other post.

Next .. Diet Coke. I'm drinking one as we speak. I have somehow managed to trick my body into liking diet soda. Weird, because before, I would have rather drank mud than diet soda. After a month though, I am adjusting and loving it. Diet Pepsi is my favorite.... it makes me happy to see establishments that have Pepsi products.. ie Taco Bell. I also just realized that is the second time I have posted about Taco Bell. I think I have a problem.

And on to the last topic, I can't be too specific but I have a stalker, nothing serious. Just this little ... let's call her "Tramp" (capital T) who likes to chat with me online. Except replace "chat" with "IM me in the middle of the night when I am clearly not at my computer, so she can leave messages without actually talking to me." But I know who it is. I think I'll wait until she strikes up a conversation again, what, with her profanity (what classy girl doesn't use profanity, that's my question), and then I'll print it out and mail it to her parents. Just so they can be proud of the 26-year-old they've raised. Heck, she may even be older than that. But she is soooo mature. If anyone out there would like to email her (or call her in the middle of the night = when she's IMing me), please let me know and I'll gladly pass her info on. I just feel silly posting it in my blog.

I will end scene with this line from Golddigger by Kayne West...

He got that ambition baby..
Look at his eyes..
This week he moppin floors
Next week it's the fries.

Ambition, people. It will carry you through!

Quarter-century old... Now what? Quarter-life crisis?

2005-10-24T00:22:00.000-04:00

It's true. I'm 25. Holla! Today was a fab day... probably one of the best birthdays I have ever had. The celebration actually started on Wednesday and now I believe has officially ended. No longer can I use the excuse that "it's my birthday so I can be a brat!" (Sorry, Justin. I know you heard that a lot today!) But a big THANK YOU to everyone who made this day/days so special!!! 25 is off to a rockin' start. Now I must go to sleep - as I am old and frankly, that's what us old folks do. (No harm meant towards any "old folks" reading this blog.)

:: Grown Men in Tight Pants ... Dancing? ::

2005-10-20T20:34:00.000-04:00

I find it interesting - the expressions used to describe certain plays in football. Dancing? I just heard the commentator for the Tech/Md. game say one of these grown men was "dancing." And I must admit, to be as large as some of these guys are, and to be able to "dance" is quite impressive.

And now to sound like my dad, "you couldn't pay me enough to be at that game." Lord..the craziest fans in the country have congregated not even an hour away from me. But here I lie, in my twin bed, fairly uncomfortable as I am too lazy to reposition my head and will likely suffer for this tomorrow.

In other news = finally... tomorrow is Friday! I've been waiting for Friday all week!

** Not to mention ** My birthday is this Sunday! Officially 25 and even better, officially OLD! When did this happen? How did I get to be 25? At least I don't live with my parents! :)

Things I Learned From Elliot

2005-10-18T11:28:00.000-04:00

Oddly enough, it wasn't until I moved to the DC metro area that I heard the state of Maryland pronounced, "Murahland." You should think those jack-knife hillbillies in the Shenandoah Valley would mispronounce it if anyone would.

But then comes Elliot last week (of DC 101's morning show) talking to VA Tech football coach Frank Beamer. Even Frank Beamer said Murahland, as in, he was nervous his Hokies were going to get their tails handed to them by... ha ha

Another thing Frank said, that made me laugh and also connected the dots for me, was that he follows Nascar. Cool? Yeah. Then Elliot asks who he follows.

His answer?

Jeff Gordon.. he has connections to Virginia Tech.. blah blah..

Nice!

I should have known Mr. Beamer liked the gayest driver. It all makes sense now!

"Ashlee, were you ever called 'Trashlee'?"

2005-10-14T22:42:00.000-04:00

Thank God for MTV on boring Friday nights = how pathetic am I? While watching the infamous.. or should I say barely famous, "Ashlee Simpson show," I found myself wanting to ask her if kids ever called her "Trashlee" growing up? And who spells "Ashlee" like that anyway? Rock stars, right? Did Mr. Simpson/former youth pastor know he was raising a hell-raising daughter 20 years ago? As hot as her older, blonder sister is, I think the Simpsons are on the way out.

Final question = why did their mother, Tina Simpson, name her dog Maggie? Maggie Simpson? Are you kidding me! I couldn't cut that cheesiness with that sweet knife I saw on QVC yesterday.

:: Happy as a fat kid at Krispy Kreme ::

2005-10-13T19:32:00.000-04:00

So I just got the nerve to call my landlord and find out what was going on with my rent... See, when I moved in, I paid first and last months rent, along with signing a year lease. Now I'm moving into an apartment the end of November and had no idea how this would work.

But the conversation was totally pleasant and I could not have asked for a better outcome. My landlady said the guy who lives upstairs with me is sad that I'm moving and said, "We'll never find anyone as nice as Dana." Man, I had them fooled. Unless nice means sitting in your room all the time and eating Taco Bell. In which case, heck yes, I'm nice.

Looking forward to moving, luckily Rita and I got approved so it is official! November 28th ish.. Yay!

2005-10-13T00:26:00.000-04:00

Decided that I should begin to blog. Officially. And not the blog with silly little posts ... something meaningful .. if I ever have anything meaningful to say. For now, I must sleep. But hopefully tomorrow will bring me something witty. Stay tuned.