Canton Dockside Revisited

This time around, Jodi, Odell (spelling?) and Meredith met Angie and I at Canton Dockside for dinner as they passed through town. They were on their way to DC to see a friend of theirs in a show, so we were able to make quick arrangements for dinner.

I'd like to say that Odell and Meredith have TOTALLY won me over. I see why Jodi adores them and I am so happy that she's got such kick ass friends/BFs in NYC. I promise to visit soon, friends... I just need to be careful with my very limited vacation time right now. Love you all.

(Left to right: Odell, Jodi, Meredith, Me and Angie)

Worth the Wait

I have been looking for a media cabinet for two years... and in that time I have seen many that might have been "the one," but they never were. This cabinet that I bought in Ohio is perfect. This one was worth the wait. Yes, yes, it was.

Hightopps Happy Hour

I organized my first happy hour at the new job yesterday... and I thought we had a decent turnout. I'll estimate fifteen people showed up. It was originally scheduled around Wes and Drew playing at Hightopps, but that was cancelled, so we went there anyway.

I stayed later than I meant to, but my cold is getting the better of me, so when I finally went home I took a nice bath and curled up in pjs and a robe on the couch.

Here are some pics of my HH participants! (I promised them they'd make it on the blog this time.)

I totally won $1 for this picture. That rabbit fur charm is quite masculine, yes?





The Rog Mahal and Leslie








Charissa and Dale








Brian and Charissa








OKAY - GROUP VOTE NEEDED. Girls, would you use a charm like the one Dale has on his phone? Would you use any cell phone charm? If so, what would it be?

A Day in History

Many of us will likely blog about Saddam Hussein's execution, so I don't want to take the time now to react in a long, drawn out post, but this is certainly a sad day for us all. Not that Saddam wasn't a bastard or that he didn't deserve it... in fact, he may be one of few men in history who deserves punishment the most... but I find it difficult to celebrate.

I'm not feeling overly religious or overly political in my current views about this, only that I will always find it difficult to rejoice in the death of another. American culture allows us to almost be at ease with a dramatic showdown of gunfire that saves the innocent from imminent danger, but that isn't what happened here.

This whole war business has been so drawn out, so much so that I am admittedly emotionally absent at times when discussing it. I'm not proud that I am able to block out current events so that I can enjoy my daily life, but on a day like today it's just not possible. We are experiencing history. We have participated in the execution of a world leader. Saddam was a horrific ruler, and I admit that I hope he burns in whatever hell you or I believe in, but it's still not a happy day. I find it strange that anyone could possibly see today's events this way.

Two Day Headache Cocktail

Four Ibuprofen
Two Excedrin
Two Tylenol
One Excedrin and Two Ibuprofen

Thanks, Boss!

Netflix and Napping

I just watched Water, a glorious movie about the lives of Hindu widows. The cinematography alone was beautiful, but the story - the awakening, if you will, of a people - was moving. It was both sweet and tragic at different moments... and the end was powerful.

Netflix recommended this movie to me because I rated the following movies 5 stars. If you have similar tastes, I would recommend adding this movie to your queue today.
- Born Into Brothels
- Whale Rider
- Frida
- Hotel Rwanda
- Pride and Prejudice (2-Disc Series)
- The Red Violin
- Amelie
- Elizabeth

In my opinion, the only weakness of the movie was its dialogue. But because it's originally in Hindi, and I was reading subtitles, I am choosing not to hold that against the movie. I'm rating it 5 stars as well... I loved it.

Love & Memories

So I'm home... I rolled in last night and spent all of today being tired. I am so glad to be home in PJs watching Netflix. Before I lose myself to an intriguing independent film, I wanted to post a few photos from my lunch with Angela, JB and Scott. It was so good getting together and catching up. I would have loved to sit around, grab a beer and chat more, but the road was calling and our little party had to break up. Even Scott's tempting invitation to drive to Niagara Falls was abandoned. Home called...

Helllooooo, Charissa!

JB playing with my scarf. "What am I, a toy to you??"

JB taking a bite out of crime!

Angela, JB and Me

Angela, Scott, and Me (Lucky boys!)

What fun we had. Hopefully I can see you all in Florida this spring!

Christmas: The Day After

So I slept in the den last night, which is a wooded room with huge picture windows and a sliding door to the deck. It's chilly in here, so I had an electric stove going all night and Antonio and I slept on an air mattress under fifty some blankets.

Overall I slept fine, although when I was on my laptop at midnight, it occurred to me that I couldn't see the outside, and someone could've been standing at the glass watching me and I wouldn't have known. Creepy. I am just letting my imagination run wild though, because this is Akron, Ohio, not Baltimore. Not that scary things couldn't happen here (Jeffrey Dahlmer lived about 15 minutes away from here)... but it's far more likely to happen in B-more than in Akron.

I'm in the den rather than the spare room because my grandparents and my Aunt Mary slept over: Grandparents in the parents room, and Aunt Mary in the spare room. This was the first time that they haven't stayed at a hotel because my parents' house is big enough now to accommodate family staying over on holidays. It's been nice, because after Christmas at my sister's yesterday, we came back here and chatted, drank wine, and watched TV. It was good private time with the grandparents that I don't always get.

Here's me and my Aunt Mary watching a video on my laptop. I have always adored this woman; she has always been the glamorous Aunt. Yesterday my mom said that we looked alike, and that was a huge compliment to me. She's so fancy.

Today I have breakfast with the family and then lunch with Angela, JB and Scott. I owe Jacqui and Jessie each a call as well, and maybe I'll stop in and see my grandpa if he's feeling better. This is really too ambitious for someone who wants to be on the road by 3 pm at the latest.

As promised, a few photos from yesterday, although if you are family, email me for a link to the full album on Ofoto, er... I mean Kodak Gallery.

Antonio resting while we scramble to get ready for the day.







Jude and my grandma Costa.








Zavier and Jude playing together.








Calista has the longest tongue on the planet. Jill, she might just have you beat.









My dad and Zavier.








Me and Aunt Mary.








Jude playing with cars at my feet in the kitchen.










Aunt Mary, Dad and Zavier watching a sponge take shape in water.










Calista dancing to her favorite new singer, Zach, a local artist.

Christmas! Yay!

Good day today! Mom (mostly) and I cooked all morning, then we went over my sister's house at 2 PM. We had tons of family there, and so much food that I had guaranteed leftovers this year! That thrills me... it really does.

I haven't gone through my photos from today yet, so here are two pics from Saturday and Sunday for your enjoyment.

This is me in a cool circle spinny chair at the furniture store. I might've bought this, but I'd have to take everything else out of my living room to fit it in.



Antonio and I at the pet store that he came from. There weren't any weiner dogs there Saturday so we didn't bring anyone home... but it's nice to go back and visit when we can. Antonio likes it there, but always wants to come home with me when we leave. He's very happy to have me as a momma. (He told me so.)

Christmas Eve Family Fun

I spent a lot of yesterday doing fun stuff. My parents and I went furniture shopping and I bought the PERFECT media cabinet. I have been looking for something for two years, and once I frost the glass on this cabinet, it will be EXACTLY what I've been looking for. I am so excited. We also went to lunch and did some last minute grocery shopping - all before my sister's family came over.

Here are some photos of our immediate family opening gifts. We do it on Christmas Eve now because Christmas Day is too much of a production anymore...
A squirrel on a covert mission to steal the birdseed.







Jude in a rocket ship "going to mars."








Is this Zavier? Or is it Harry Potter casting spells?







Calista in her new hat (with no front teeth)!







This is Jude lying down because he's tired. Check out the Curious George slippers!






Antonio loves sausages. Yummy!

The Trip Home and Day One

I slept in until 10 AM today... of course that doesn't include coming home at 12:30, letting out the dog at 5 AM and again at 7 AM. I feel rested for now. I love that feeling.

Well, even after waiting until Saturday morning to make the drive, it was still quite foggy on parts of 70E towards western Maryland. You can see in these photos that visibility was poor, but there were also sections where the fog started about ten feet off of the ground, so visibility was great, but the fog hung thickly over our heads for miles.

Although not comparable to many places in the west, I do appreciate the beauty of the Appalachians.






I took a few quick (not artistic) shots of some of the foothills.







I missed a few pretty shots because I was talking on the phone, but oh well.

After arriving at my parents' house, Antonio and I were given a tour of the new house (photos later). It's really nice. It's a 1950s ranch and even has the original tile in the bathrooms. It's so cool. (J$ would love it, I think!) After the tour, we headed to Max McQs in Merriman Valley for dinner, and then I cleaned up and went over Marie and BJs.

Here is a picture of gorgeous Lily and me. Marie and I went for beers and nachos (yay!) and tons of catching up before we went back to her house and did a little crafting. Oh how I miss crafting. I need to consider turning my living room into craft central for a few weeks this spring because I am in serious craft withdraw. More details on that to come at a later date.

(Me, Marie and BJ - These are two of my very best friends.)

That rounded out Saturday. Lunch with Ang, JB and Scott has been postponed to Tuesday before I drive back, so today is 100% family time (unless Jessie calls me back!). I hope everyone is having a great Christmas Eve (or whatever holiday you may celebrate)!!

Safe in Akron, Ohio

I arrived back in Akron, Ohio safely... and up until about an hour ago, I haven't stopped running since. I have a slew of photos to upload, a few stories to tell, and one night of sleep to do before all of that.

Sweet dreams. Happy Christmas Eve-Eve!

Country Road Take Me Home...

.... tomorrow. I've been so tired this week, and as I get older I'm a wuss about driving tired, in the rain and in the dark. It used to be so easy. Now, I'd rather delay my travels a few hours, drive in the morning, and arrive safe and sound.

Boy, do I sound old or what?

Rocket Me Nowhere

Anyone watch Conan? If you do, you know the story behind hornymanatee.com, a web site owned by the Conan O'Brien show. Apparently he made the site up as a joke on the show, and due to some FCC regulations, the show then had to buy the URL. Whatever. Anyway, the site is getting an unreal number of hits, and this band, called Rocket Me Nowhere (great name!) wrote and performed a song for the web site.

What's strange.... is that it's GOOD! Very funny, good lyrics and upbeat. There are plenty of entertainers out there with songs that don't match this level of funny. It's almost Weird Al Yankovich-esque.

Watch it by clicking HERE. Let me know what you think!

Five Things You Don't Know About Me

Well JJT had it right: I'm a sucker for memes. I guess I should feel more ashamed at my blatant childishness, but I just don't.

FIVE THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME UNTIL NOW

1. I was a semi-finalist to get on Season Two of Big Brother on CBS. Yep, I was about 24 years old and I auditioned for the show. My roommate Jessie and I rented a video camera and taped my submission video. The theme of the video was that I was small, so I wouldn't take up any room in the Big Brother house. We taped me crawling into boxes, stuffed in a freezer, and climbing out of a filing cabinet, amongst other things. It was pretty funny. I actually got a call back and went to Philadelphia for an interview, but alas... it wasn't meant to be. (I saw the Liberty Bell for the first time that day, though.)

2. I once won Myst by playing it for two days straight. This was obviously when I was in between jobs... I had just moved to Baltimore from Ohio and I was interviewing, so I had a lot of free time on my hands. I LOVE Myst because it's a logical game, and not only did I win the thing in 48 hours, but I took notes on how each puzzle was solved so that the next player would have a cheat sheet.

3. I've kissed a girl. Well, that's misleading because she kissed me. Once when I was about six, a neighbor girl french kissed me. (I don't think my mom knew this story until now.) I guess I kissed her back, but I'm sure I didn't know what I was doing. What can I say? She had older brothers... she must have learned it by watching them.

4. I won an Elaine look alike contest in college. You know, Elaine from Seinfeld. I used to have curly hair and that barrette 'poof' thing that Elaine used to sport on her head. Every once in awhile I am still told that I have some of her mannerisms, even all these years later. Anyway, after the contest, the guys who won Jerry and George and I would meet up occasionally for drinks, and to this day, we still never call each other by our real names. I walk into a bar and hear "E-laaaaaaaiiine!" And I quickly respond, "Jeeerrrryyy. Geooooorrrgge!" Good times.

5. I've had my body airbrushed to look like a cheetah. My sister took an airbrushing class six or seven years ago, and I think I earned $50 or so being the guinea pig/model for the class. I wore underwear and a tube bra and the students practiced airbrushing techniques on me - head to toe. It made for some cool photos and a neat experience!

Now I tag Jess, Angie, Julie, and Summer!

HOLY. HELL.

Can anyone tell me why all of East Baltimore smells like manure? I can't go outside... my gag reflex kicks in as soon as I take my first breath.

What the hell happened??

My First Email From My Neice (She's 7!)

Viva La Friendship!

Okay, okay... myspace is good for a few good things, one of which is reconnecting with people you haven't seen in a long while. I have certainly had my share of those... but a postcard from Paris? That's just sweet.

The postcard seen here is from a college friend, Scott, once known for his love of Willie Nelson and Union Jack flags.

Today, he is a park ranger and world traveller, and from the photos that I've seen, he is sporting one fierce lumberjack beard. He's always been a hottie though! (Right, girls?)

Snail mail just rocks.

Weird Day, But Reasons To Be Thankful

I was so tired this morning after staying out at Russ and Jess' company party. It was a lot of fun, good friends, delicious steak, and good music. I'll post more about this when I get a few pictures from friends. I didn't take many.

Anyway, I was sleepy this morning and felt moderately cranky. The day started turning at lunch, when our entire team went to our holiday lunch at a Japanese steakhouse. The first two signs of good things to come came during the gift exchange. First, I bought the PERFECT gift for my person. He liked it so much, and I felt so darn thankful that I found it. Second, I got this gift (see right) from my person. How is it that these people know me so well already?

Next, one of our vendors brought in free PIE. It's your run-of-the-mill apple pie, but it was the third thankful thing to happen to me today, and it made me smile. (Did I ever mention that J$ likes pie?)

By the time I got home, I had a message from an awesome friend of mine, Lezlie, who I haven't talked to in a few months. This was my fourth thankful moment of the day. This girl is a kindred spirit to me, and I just ADORE her. She used to live in Baltimore while she was interning at Johns Hopkins, but she moved to San Francisco and then northern California once she got her doctorate in psychology. Technically, she's my only doctor friend - that's so cool.

Anyway, this girl and I have been through the ringer together. When we first met, me and my ex and she and her ex were inseparable. We were like four peas in a pod. Obviously the bfs didn't work out... but Lezlie and I leaned on each other quite a bit when everything was going to hell. It's no fun to love someone who insists on self-destruction, and Lezlie and I share those unfortunate and wasted memories.


Through all that, we are fast friends and I am blessed to have her in my life. She's in transit as I type from AZ to CA, but we have a lengthy conversation scheduled later this evening. (I dug up these photos from my visit to San Francisco in 2005.)


Once I changed into lounging clothes, I slipped on my new slippers. After I blogged about my long lost slippers last month, they quickly started deteriorating until I had to toss them. I bought these simple replacements last weekend, and I love them. It might seem insignificant, but I am very thankful for my new slippers.

Lastly (and sixth), how lucky am I to have a girlfriend with an ex-husband that cooks too much food for her family? WAY LUCKY. CJ had far too much yummy soup and sent some home with me yesterday after our facials. It's delicious.


I love ex-husbands. Especially when they're not mine.

A Little Pampering

Oooh-la-la. CJ and I got facials today. It had been at least a year or more since my last one, and it was CJ's first facial ever. As I predicted... SHE LOVED IT. When she walked out her skin was just glowing. I think she was shocked how good her skin could look without makeup.


With mine, the facial girl all but eliminated my dark undereyes. I always thought that genetics played a significant role in why my undereyes are dark, but as it turns out, I have a Vitamin K deficiency. Who knew?

So of course I bought $100 worth of cleanser, equalizer and lotion... and I need to up my Vitamin K intake.

I am just thrilled... and tonight we head to Jess and Russ company holiday party (we're honorary employees) in Reisterstown. Wes and Drew are playing, and except for the fact that I have to work at 8 AM, this has been a splendid day.

Oh yeah, and GO BROWNS!

Christmas Shopping

DONE.

Angie and I did a marathon 5 hour shopping trip today, and I'm done. There's just one gift left to be delivered, but it's on order so I still consider myself finished. I am super relieved right now. I even bought wrapping paper so I'm all set.

I think we are going out tonight (surprise, surprise, surprise)... either to see Crushing Day, Wes and Drew, or both. We bought the boys presents today in the form of 100% cotton t-shirts. Wes' has a drawing of a squirrel and says, "I'd like to hide my nuts in your mouth" due to his unusual fascination with said body part(s). Drew's says, "I'm just not that into you (when I'm sober)" because it's FUNNY. (Sorry for the crudeness, mom.)

Hahaha.

Wes McDonough's 'Slide From Grace'

I love this song, but that's probably because I know what it's about. Some acts of betrayal are simply unforgivable.

Thanks, Wes for playing it. It's a beautiful song, and it meant a lot to me.

I was FINALLY TAGGED!

Oh, Marie, Marie.... how I love you. :)

A - Available or single: Both, I guess. Depends on the day.
B - Best friend: Ooohhhh.... I can't pick just one. M, C, J, S, & J. :)
C - Cake or pie: Pie (J$ likes pie).
D - Drink of choice: Milk or Dr Pepper.
E - Essential item you use everyday: My watch.
F - Favorite color: Red.
G - Gummy bears or worms: Bears.
H - Hometown: Stow, Ohio.
I - Indulgence: Facials.
J - January or February: January. It's my unlucky month so I'll tempt fate here.
K - Kids & names: No human ones.
L - Life is incomplete without? Singing.
M - Marriage date: Uh, am I supposed to guess? I'd better not.
N - Number of siblings: 1
O - Oranges or apples: Apples.
P - Phobias or fears: Abandonment.
Q - Fave quote: "It is true that nothing will happen in this world unless someone takes seriously the need to be a leader." - Tom Madden (not the football guy)
R - Reasons to smile: Movies, nachos and companionship.
S - Season: Autumn.
T - Tag 3 or 4 people: Angie, Jess, Cherylann and Danielle.
U - Unknown fact about me: I like to color on occasion. I have a 64 crayon carrying case and coloring books in my closet. I haven't done it in almost two years though.
V- Vegetable you don't like: Asparagus.
W - Worst habit: Biting my nails.
X - Xrays: Gallbladder, uterus (fun!) and brain.
Y - Your fave food: NAAACCHHOOOS!
Z- Zodiac sign: Cancer.

Curiosities From The Motherland

My mom and I were wondering... if you had to give up one forever, which would it be: TV, radio, or the Internet?

[Aaaannnddddd.... GO!]

Lager's Again

Angie and I met up at Lager's again Thursday.... she finally got "Sliding From Grace" on video - also known as the "F You" song. I will post that when I have it. Seriously a great song.

It was SUPER foggy, though. We (read: ME) were a bit tipsy, so we thought it would be clever to take a video of our walk to the car. Hee hee. We're dumb, but so dang fun! :)

Remember My Pet Peeve?

Remember this? Well, unfortunately the folks at the new Company are culprits as well. Why aren't people capable of pressing "cancel" when they've finished using the microwave? It's not hard. It's not a lot to ask at all. So why must they walk away and leave those seconds hanging like that? I just don't know.

Please, please, please be pro-button and press cancel.

Claddaghs Last Night

Angie, CJ, Keith and I went to Claddaghs last night. Once again it was a mellow show, which I am really learning to enjoy. I think the boys were tired because they played a private party before, but that made it fun for some of us old school folks because I heard songs that I hadn't heard in years. They sang "The Dance," by Garth Brooks, "Rocket Man," by Elton John (one of my favs), and "My Selfish Breakup," which is a Wes original but he rarely sings it on guitar.

I'll update this post with the videos once they are uploaded, but it takes forever, and patience is not a virtue that I possess.

In the meantime, I present you with PHONEHENGE.



UPDATED! Here are the videos from Claddagh. Wes and Drew singing 'The Dance...'


....and 'Write Me A Song."

'The Dark Crystal'

Who remembers 'The Dark Crystal'? My g-friend, Angie, and I have spent the last week quoting lines from this movie. (By the way the gelflings are Jen and KIRA, Ang. Grrrrrr....)

I have decided that my next cat will be named Fizzgig, after Kira's fuzzy pet (see photo above). Then the cat after Fizzgig I can name Aughra, after the crazy scientist lady. Who knew this movie would be such a great place to find droolie cat names?

More Holiday Party Photos

My Tarot Card Reading

I stole the idea from Julie, but did one for myself.

SERIOUSLY... how appropriate is this?!?!

You are Strength

Courage, strength, fortitude. Power not arrested in the act of judgement, but passing on to further action, sometimes obstinacy.

This is a card of courage and energy. It represents both the Lion's hot, roaring energy, and the Maiden's steadfast will. The innocent Maiden is unafraid, undaunted, and indomitable. In some cards she opens the lion's mouth, in others she shuts it. Either way, she proves that inner strength is more powerful than raw physical strength. That forces can be controlled and used to score a victory is very close to the message of the Chariot, which might be why, in some decks, it is Justice that is card 8 instead of Strength. With strength you can control not only the situation, but yourself. It is a card about anger and impulse management, about creative answers, leadership and maintaining one's personal honor. It can also stand for a steadfast friend.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

DEE-LICIOUS

Because there are two things in life that can turn a horrible day around...

...and Modelo is the other one.

Watha Eff?

I am extremely frustrated this evening. Today I dealt with a very challenging vendor, and as the day went on my moods ranged from calm and fun to irritated beyond imagination. I walked out of work at my limit, and because I can't go jogging or scream... I'm finding it hard to let this anxiety go. I sure as hell hope I can sleep tonight.

If I wasn't so against being an alcoholic, I'd take up hard liquor. Alas...

Sunday Cleaning: Live Blogging

Here we go again... I am posting my to do list and updating it as I complete tasks. This keeps me organized, and more importantly, it keeps me honest. I think I'll add timestamps to this one as well.

1. Shower & clean self - DONE by 2:00 PM
2. Vacuum - DONE by 6:45 PM
3. Finish laundry - DONE by 5:00 PM
4. Put laundry away - DONE by 6:15 PM
5. Create Goodwill clothing bag - DONE by 4:00 PM
6. Cook food for lunches - DONE by 6:45 PM
7. Launder sheets - DONE by 6:15 PM
8. Cut Antonio's toe nails - DONE by 3:35 PM
9. Dust - DONE
10. Wet Swiffer the kitchen floor - DONE by 5:20 PM
11. File paid bills - Postponed until tomorrow
12. Empty cat box - Postponed until tomorrow
13. Change out candles - DONE by 4:00 PM
14. Launder bathroom mat - DONE by 6:15 PM
15. Empty/load dishwasher - DONE by 2:30 PM
16. Prep Victoria Secret sweater return - DONE
17. Create grocery list - Underway
18. Clean refrigerator - DONE by 5:00 PM
19. Take out trash - DONE by 5:20 PM
20. Drink beer - Underway

The Holiday Party

I am super impressed with myself. I only had 3 1/2 glasses of wine. Not drunk, but I was nicely buzzed.

The party was at the Maryland Club, an exclusive club (for men, I think) in Mt Vernon. This place is so exclusive that it doesn't even have a website. It's rumored that women (typically) aren't permitted, but that our CEO is a high-ranking member, so he rented/borrowed/demanded the whole building for our party.

This was one of those old school, classy, gorgeous architecture places in Mt Vernon. It's a block away from the Belvedere and two blocks from my old apartment on N Calvert St. It's huge: it is probably fifteen or more Mt Vernon rowhomes long. It seemed like there was always another room I hadn't seen. In each major room there was a bar and a food station. There were meat stations, cheese/breads, sushi, fruit,etc. I had the sushi. The only negatives to the place were the multitude of dead animals on the walls. Name it and it was there - more deer heads that I have ever seen. Luckily, the ceilings were really high, so you had to look up to see them. They weren't in your line of sight.

Anyway, I had a fun time. I was told not to bring a date, and for the first hour or two I wasn't sure that I agreed. Wes had said that he would've come, but like I said, I was told that it's more fun on your own. After awhile, I partnered up with two gals, one who works with me and her friend/date, and we had a blast. Here's a closeup of us below: My New Friends.


There was a dance floor which was packed by midnight. The band started off playing classy crooner-type tunes for the first few hours, and by midnight or so they were playing "She was a brick... house..." Funny. At 1 PM we booked it over the the 13th floor at the Belvedere. We weren't there for super long, but it was such a fun night.

A few photos are below, but more to come when I get pics from K's camera. YES, I got permission from all of these folks before I posted their pictures. ;)
Me and one of the funnest sales reps! This lady harasses me all of the time - I love it!
Me and a gal on my team (Beyonce!) with some super sexy hair!
This is me and a guy that a few people were trying to set me up with. I think I have his number in my purse.


Who does this look like to you? This was the wife of an employee, and it is crazy-weird how much she looks like Beverly D'Angelo from the National Lampoon's movies.


Some new friend love.
This guy was totally sleeping at the bar on the 13th floor of the Belvedere.








(Okay, I lied above, because I did not ask this guy's permission to post his photo.)
The last shot of the night. Nice closeup.

Getting Ready For The Party

So I just got my hair highlighted, cut and styled (photos to come later after makeup is done), and I wanted to post a quick snapshot of my dress for the company holiday party. It's flapper-ish, but not costumey.

I'll try to get pics from the party, but my coworkers know that I blog so it may be tough to get them to pose for photos. They might fear that I'll post photos of them without their permission.

I like this dress a lot, though...

This Cracks Me Up

Thursday

I didn't post last night because I went out and stayed out until the bars closed. Yep. I got 3.5 hours of sleep. I'm dumb. Angie, CJ and I met at Lager's to watch (surprise!) Wes and Drew. It was a terrific show because it was so mellow. We sat back, chatted and enjoyed the music without the drama of a regular bar night.

It was so bloody COLD though. I had to park about 3 or 4 blocks away and I wanted to die just from the walk. It was riduculous how bitter cold it was. I hate being cold. The guys are lucky we like them, and I told them so.

Here are photos of Serg holding Wes. Wes actually sang 'Untitled' for a bit while in the air. We were impressed. What? Tonight? I'm staying in. I'm resting. It's about time...

Charissa Sleep Test #4

I felt pretty good today. I had a few stress-filled moments at work (no shocker there), but a few of us did sushi for lunch, and I accomplished a lot in the afternoon. The worst part of the day actually occurred after work when I went shopping for that infamous cocktail dress. Grrrrr....

You know, most days I like being short. Being short probably made me loud because I had to speak up to be noticed. Being short is my body, my humor, my confidence and my character. It is everything I am, and I am happy about that. But today when I was searching for a dress, and when every single dress fit me on top but was way too long... my confidence, my good mood, and my humor all went out the window. It's so frustrating to try on skirts and dresses and have them be ridiculously long. And the solution isn't as easy as having those clothes altered. Nope. When a dress has a chiffon layer, or a lace overlay, or a special bottom hem... it's way too much of a pain in the arse to have it altered. So you take the dress off, hang it back on the hanger, and you walk away.

I hate dresses.

After an hour and a half walking around Towson Towne Center, I left MACY's with a flapper-ish dress. It's black and instead of the typical fringe, it has squares of material that are layered. I'll try to take a photo of it to show, but it's black, simple and (at least) mildly fun. I know I have to adjust the straps a little, and I may take the lowest layer of fringe/squares off (I think I can do that with a seam ripper), but I think it will work. It will also help that I'm getting a spray tan tomorrow and my highlights done and hair cut on Saturday. After trying on dress after dress and looking at my white legs, I'm gonna need this pick me up.

* ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * ** * **

I feel like a terrible friend... once again I skipped out on Wes and Drew, but I have to keep up this sleep thing for a few nights in a row to see if I can make a difference in the way that I feel. They play at Lager's tomorrow, so I think I'll go and see them then. (Let me know if any of you are interested!)

I can't wait to climb into bed. Tonight I am repeating the DreamScape Tea, Calms Forte and Carlos Nakai mix. Sleep is good.

Sleep Thieves

My mom sent me these photos of the sleep thieves in my family. No wonder I haven't been sleeping! Some people are taking more than their fair share!

On the right, my Grandpa Tom, and on the left, my nephew Jude.

THIEVES!

Charissa Sleep Test #3: Results

Success! At least partially...

I didn't go out last night which I think was a good choice. Using Calms Forte, I actually had difficulty falling asleep when I hit the sack, but once I was out I slept better than I did previously. I know that I woke up once or twice but honestly don't remember when. Maybe around 3 AM? I'm not really sure because I wasn't that awake.

Calms Forte is interesting because it not only claims to be a sleep aid, but also claims to be a stress reducer. I took three pills (per the directions) before bed, and I actually felt myself relax. Weird.

The website claims that the results improve with continuous use, so I am definitely trying this again tonight. I'm still sleepy, but I took one pill (okay per the directions) at 5 AM, so maybe it's more relaxed than groggy. We'll see how I do today. Yay!

Charissa Sleep Test #3

It was a long day today. I finally left work at 7 PM and didn't get to any of my errands, but still made it to Walgreens to buy Calms Forte (Jessie's recommendation) for tonight. Of course, I'm still missing a cocktail dress for the company party on Saturday, but whatever.

Yes, JJT... my mind is definitely racing. I have a lot of stress and anxiety at the new job, although it's not worried anxiety, just the I-want-to-kick-arse anxiety. I'm usually tired enough to fall asleep, but not always... it's the constant waking that is driving me buggy. I've always described myself as a bit of a three year old when it comes to going to bed. No matter how much I know I need the sleep, I always feel like I'm missing something if I give in. I just hate going to bed. But the one thing I hate more than going to bed is getting up. I seriously can't recall the last time I woke up and felt rested.

Thanks to you all for kind notes. I really hope that I can find a resolution, even if it's short term. Cassie, I'll be home the weekend right before Christmas, so provided these next few days don't show any results, I may ask you to talk to your hypnotist neighbor for me. (You know what? Can you see if s/he can stop my nail biting? If so, I might go ahead and make that appointment.) Lisa, acupuncture for sleep apnea? Really? I never would have guessed that. Why did you get it done? Anonymous... I know. I am due for a physical anyway, but that will likely have to wait until after the holidays. It can't hurt to have my thyroid checked, I guess. It looks like I have many of the symptoms anyway (minus the skinny). :)

Well, I haven't decided if I am going to see the boys tonight or not. The smart woman in me is screaming at the stupid woman in me to stay home. But I haven't seen the boys in exactly, what, three days? Haha. I'm a groopie, I know. But at least I'm not a droolie.

Tonight
Tonight will be a combination of DreamScape Tea, Calms Forte, and fluteboy (AKA Carlos Nakai). Maybe that will be the key mix. Although if I go out to watch the boys, the tea will likely be replaced with beers, so I'll have to let you know in the morning what the final combination was and if it worked.

Charissa Sleep Test #2: Results

Better. Last night I only woke up at 1:40, 3:25, and 5:45 AM. Two hours at a time ain't bad, right? The tea was delicious, and fluteboy was super-calming. Thanks, Cherylann! I actually dreamed, which is a good sign because it means I went into REM. There is a girl at work that is very pregnant, and I dreamed that we were out and about and she went into labor. We're not even that close of friends in real life, but a lot of my girlfriends are pregnant right now (Jessie, Lisa, Cassie, etc.) so maybe I had babies on the brain. I still feel tired, but hopefully today will be a bit easier since I slept a little better.

My mom also recommended hypnotism, so if anyone knows a good hypnotist...

Thoughts On [Not] Sleeping

Hmmm... a lot of things to think about.

1. To Steven. I mentioned in my previous post that I am on seizure medication. Thanks for the recommendation to take sleeping pills, but they are dangerous little boogers for someone who's seized. So no thank you... but thanks for reading.

2. To Anonymous Hyperthroid Person - My mom and sister have underactive thyroids which makes me a candidate for a thyroid problem, but my mom says I'm far too, ahem... curvey... to be hyperthyroid. Apparently one major sign is weight loss, and, well... I've got me some curves. Of course this isn't to say that I shouldn't see a doctor anyway. I'm overdue on a physical because I hate my GP. Anyone know a good doctor in Timonium? Please let me know.

3. I made catfish for the first time this evening. (This actually has nothing to do with my sleeping problem, but I did a decent job for my first try, I think. It's a little too salty, but tasty just the same.)

4. I am drinking a beer, and I may drink another. I know that a few of you said this won't help me sleep, but I worked in the distribution center again today from 3:30 to 6:00 PM, and all of that manual labor made me want beer. It's very CHEERS in my living room right now. Well... it is if Antonio is Sam, Elliott is Dr. Crane, and I am Cliff Claven.

5. I still have to go out and buy Calms Forte (Jessie's recommendation) and Rooibus Tea (Cathy's recommendation). I'm hoping for tomorrow on those, but I have other errands to run at lunch. We'll see.

Charissa Sleep Test #2
As for tonight, I am planning on the Wegman's version of SleepyTime tea, which is called DreamScape. I unwrapped the plastic around the box, and already it smells delicious. I'm also downloading "Island of Bows" by Carlos Nakai (Cherylann's recommendation). I heard a few clips, and I have high hopes. It sounds lovely. Wish me luck, my friends.

Charissa Sleep Test #1: Results

Well that didn' t work. I fell asleep nicely at about 11:30, but I proceeded to wake up at 1:40, 2:30, 4:45, and 5:15 AM. I'm sleepy. The molasses and milk was okay, not great, and the music (which I put on repeat all night) was calming. I think I should have gotten up during the night and written down all the things on my mind like Danielle suggested. I guess there's always tonight.

Charissa Sleep Test #1

So starting tonight I will try different combinations of natural drinks and rituals to improve my sleep quality. Sometimes I have difficulty falling asleep, but mostly I have problems staying asleep. We'll see if anything works.

As a caveat, I want to mention that I am on seizure medication for two seizures that I've had in a five year timeframe, so using OTC "sleep aids" is really out of the question unless my doctor gives the go ahead. Read the labels on those babies and they say that a rare side effect is seizures. Not exactly a risk I want to take, so natural remedies are my preference.

That said, tonight is warm milk with molasses, recommended by Cathy, as well as a calming new age CD, Crysalis, which was pseudo-recommended by Danielle (she recommended yoga, but this is the closest thing I have readily available. I'll have to get a yoga DVD sometime this week.)

I've never bought or eaten molasses, and I gotta tell you that I wasn't that thrilled with the smell. Hopefully it will taste better in the warm milk, if not... I'm gonna have to chug it.

Sweet dreams my friends!

Saturday at J. Paul's... and Sunday

I spent today with a bit of a hangover. Yeah... I had a good time last night. Not a unique Sunday by any means, but unfortunately I got up this morning and headed back to my company's distribution center where I worked from 10:30 to 3:30. The first few hours were uncomfortable - my head hurt, and I felt that "ugh" feeling so common with hangovers. But once that passed, maybe by 1 PM, I was just HUNGRY.

I didn't plan on staying until 3:30, but there was a big order that a group of coworkers wanted to finish before they left, so I decided to help them out so that they could leave as soon as possible. I was actually quite proud of myself because I did a 300 piece order all alone. That's not a large order in the grand scheme of things, but I did it on my own with no errors, so I felt pretty good.

When I finally left, I went to Ann Taylor Loft to shop and hit up Wegman's looking for Cathy's African tea. (It wasn't there - so if anyone can find Rooibus Tea, I'll PayPal you for it if you send it.) My mom is going to check the Mustard Seed grocery in Montrose (Ohio). I came home with green tea, nighttime chamomile tea (Wegman's brand of sleepytime, I think), molassas (another Cathy recommendation), and Italian Wedding Soup. When I ate that soup at 5:30, it was my first meal of the day.

I'm going to blog my sleeping aid trials starting tonight, so stay tuned for nightly updates...

Here are some photos from J. Paul's last night. Wes and Drew got quite a bit of attention from families, especially families with kids. I'm not exactly sure why I think that is rather funny.
I call this photo "Family Enter- tainment."
This is Wes' youngest droolie.

She got her picture taken with him, then came back later and asked him for his phone number. I believe he said to her, "You don't have a phone!" She was not the least bit happy about leaving him... although none of them are, are they?
Angie is an angel - she's so kind. I, on the other hand, am going to hell.








We ended the evening at Brewer's Hill Pub. I fell in love with Beyonce at Brewer's Hill Pub. Her songs were the only ones I knew. Well, hers and the guy that sings like Michael Jackson. What's his name again?
Jess, Angie and I with a mystery middle finger (sorry, Mom).




Update: Mystery finger revealed. Wes, put it away, dude.

Girl's Night Bowling: UPDATED

** Angie posted a bunch of GREAT photos from our girls night on her blog HERE. As a bonus, I've included two photos below.

Girl photo taken by our waitress. We had so much fun!






Bowling Shoes! (like 'Skating Shoes' and 'Dancing Shoes?')



Last night Angie, Donna and I went out for a girl's dinner and followed it up with some girl's bowling. We went to Canton Dockside, which is on Boston Street by Merritt Athletic Club. The girls had been there before, but it was my first time.

The hostess was delightful - she asked if she could join us next time we come because she could tell how much fun we were having - and our waitress was so sweet with her Spanish accent. The music? VERY questionable. Anyone who wears one of those newsboy caps for hours at a time clearly has issues. Anyway, the food was delicious. I had grilled salmon, green beans and mashed potatoes with a glass of Chardonney. I wish I could remember the vineyard.

Afterwards we went bowling in Parkville. This was the girls' first times playing duckpin. First - we all suck at bowling. Second - I sucked the most. By our last game they were both kicking my butt. How embarrassing.

Funny stuff: We realized at bowling (ok, I did), that my name is more black than theirs. I mean, if you heard that three girls had the names, Angie, Donna and Charissa... who would you guess was the white girl? So we decided to change up our names during bowling. Donna was Shaniqua-nay-nay, Angie was Aquanetta, and I was Amy. Haha. Funny.

Here's a photo of Angie in all of her kicking-my-butt glory.







And here's a photo of me getting all up in Donna's space. "Do you want some of this? Do you want some of this?" Hee.

You Have GOT To Be KIDDING ME

So here I am sitting comfortably on the couch watching a Six Feet Under marathon on Bravo, when the show goes to commercial. "Oh look," I thought. "What cute little kids on this commercial. I wonder what it's about." The commercial shows the tops of kids' heads, and the kids talk about all of the clues that prove they're getting older/bigger... such as brushing their teeth by themselves, getting taller, etc. Finally the commercial declares its point... "But if they're under 4'9" they need a booster seat."

WHAT???????

Is it wrong for a 29 year old 4'11" female to feel a little AWKWARD at this announcement? Seriously. I am a mere TWO INCHES away from needing a booster seat? OH. MY. GOD. Not to mention that at my last visit to the doctor's, the nurse INSISTED that I measured 4'9". I, of course, disagreed with her knowing that I am 4'11", but this is all a little too close to home for me. I don't even know where to go with that.

Still Sleepy, But...

... I'm still going to go out tonight. I actually CRASHED on the couch last night at 8:30 PM, (I was kinda sorry I slept through the whole game, but after hearing about how the Bengals slaughtered the Ravens, I got over it) then I woke up at about 11:30 PM in a coma-like state. I could barely convince myself to go to bed I was so out of it, but somehow I managed it. Sounds great, right? Except that I woke up at 4 AM feeling rested, then woke up again at 5 AM, 6 AM, etc. Grrrrr.

Oh! I posted a photo on Found Beauty (Melon's and my photo blog) that I am pretty proud of. It's very David Lorenz Winston - who is my favorite photographer. Check it out. I think it's one of my best. I wish I could have spent a few hours in that fog. I would have gotten some good stuff.

Off to get ready for dinner.