I'm Breathing

Frankly, I'm surprised that I slept at all last night with the amount of worrying going on in my head. I was SO STRESSED out about my stupid costume last night that I figured I'd be up all night worrying. That thing I got in the mail was just embarrassing, so last night I took two Tylenol PMs (damn, I forgot to get more today), two calms forte and went to bed. Sure I woke up a few times, but I still slept relatively well... considering.

So this morning I was stressed again, and around noon I took off looking for a new costume. I am insanely lucky, because J at work had a skirt that I could use - and it actually FITS! (She's tall.) I ran errands for some extras for me and my coworkers, and then spent the afternoon decorating, ahem, I meant working... and stayed later decorating for tomorrow. My Company does Halloween BIG.

So as I sit hear watching The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, I am breathing. My costume is cute. My belly is full. Sleep is nigh.

It Figures

It figures that my costume came today, and it's TOO BIG. Dammit. I am trying to shrink it now, but it's also a little short (in the back). I don't know how I am going to make this work. Maybe make it a top and wear a skirt? What a pain in the arse this is and it was supposed to be easy.

I don't know.

On top of this I had my second to last dentist appointment today - the second half of my root canal. My head hurts, my jaw hurts and I'm so tired. How on Earth am I going to fix my costume, cook for Wednesday and get sleep?

HELP!

Too Cool For School

I am going to take a glass-blowing class. It is a little pricey for me right now ($385), but I want to do it and I want to do it NOW. So I'm gonna. I am taking it Nov 10th and 11th from 9 AM - 3 PM. It's an intro class, so you learn the basics, safety, and walk away with 4-6 pieces to keep. I am ecstatic. Does anyone want to take it with me? There will only be six spots left when I pay tomorrow.

Corradetti Studio

Alzheimer's Memory Walk

There's nothing like walking 2.5 miles in the pouring rain, but that's what we did today. Today was the culmination of a few months worth of fundraising - over $10k in total - that peaked when 70some of us from my Company walked at 9:30 this morning in the rain.

At least it was 68 degrees or so, but wet shoes, socks, and pants still feel cold at 68 degrees.

Here's a shot of the drive to Towson this morning. There was no real indication of better things to come, unfortunately.





Me and Angie. I'm not crazy about my crooked smile in this one, but oh well, it's the one I have.


Walkers, walkers, and more walkers. Most everyone had umbrellas, but a few folks didn't - I can't imagine. It was really great when passing cars didn't slow down and splashed us all with water. People are so nice.

And the Pièce de résistance - me and my 'in honor of' badge. I hope that I honored your loved ones by raising money and walking today for Alzheimer's. Thank you for your donations and your support. I am grateful.

Irked & Irritable

My day started out great, it really did. I have been focusing on some last minute fundraising for the Memory Walk this weekend, and it was like Pay It Forward all morning. One after another folks started donating - some I've never even spoke to about donating - and I felt inspired and optimistic and wonderful. It was a great morning.

Then something happened, like a switch was flipped, and everything went in reverse - one thing after another, over and over and ending with me getting superglue on my fingers. No, they aren't stuck together, but I spent all evening scraping the glue off with the edge of a pair of scissors.

Ho hum. And now I'm moderately cranky, and I hate me like that.

On top of this, I discovered that my Halloween costume hasn't shipped yet. I ordered it on 10/20 with two day shipping. *Sigh* I could rant right now, but I've sent an email and made a phone call, and nothing that I do within the next 6 or 10 hours is going to make a difference, so what's the point? I just wish I could end my day with something happy. Nothing big and crazy happy, I don't need that. Just something subtle. Something small. Something just big enough to get the ball rolling, you know?

Wednesday...

Thanks for all of the info and well wishes. This morning was a bit rough for me, but I feel a lot better more than 24 hours after the procedure. I'm a bit sore and very tired, but I have a feeling that I will continue to feel better from here. Of course, getting a facial (and nap during the facial) after work didn't hurt. :)

Unrelated - but possibly because an achy tooth makes me feisty - I was at Target today and some guy completely cut me off in line. I let it go (what was I going to do?) and watched him as he tossed the items in his basket one by one onto the conveyor. I just had a facial, so I sighed and ignored it. Fast forward a few minutes later and he is paid and packed up. The cashier starts scanning and bagging my items, and the guy won't move. He's reading his receipt right in front of the credit card machine where you scan and sign. I waited about ten seconds (as he continued to read his receipt), and finally said, "excuse me." He didn't look at me, he didn't jump, but slowly grabbed his bags (one at a time) and only moved after he was holding his bags and they were properly weighted in his hands.

It probably had nothing to do with anything, but it actually felt sexist... or that's how it came across. He never looked at me or recognized that I even existed, and he seemed entitled to be wherever was convenient for him.

I'm not angry, just surprised by his behavior. It was silently degrading, you know?

Ouch

Okay... I have officially had a root canal. My belly has been uneasy for hours, and my tooth has just started aching. That doesn't really make sense though, because it doesn't have nerves anymore. I wonder what is actually hurting me.

Next up - another root canal visit Monday and my crown on Thursday. I guess it's official. I'm all growed up now.

Coming Soon

This is the funniest thing ever. Oh - and please don't be offended if you are you-know-what. Or, if you are offended... please feel free to make fun of me back.

This is too funny not to post.

The Power of Suggestion

For over a week now I have felt like I am starving almost every second of every day. It is an insatiable hunger. I have no idea what is happening, but can only guess that my body is trying to compensate for my lost weight by fattening me back up for winter. I feel like I can never get enough food.

So that said, I was talking to my parents on my drive home today, and my mom mentions (casually) they are running out to dinner... to Taco Bell. Hmmm. I want Taco Bell. But no, I am going to the grocery store for healthy food. (TACOS, I want tacos.) No, I want delicious celery. (NACHOS...) No. I will eat bread and butter. (SODA... sour cream... cheese!)

DAMMIT. So I went to Taco Bell. I just ate Nachos Bell Brande and a taco supreme, and I am stuffed beyond imagination.

I am SO glad that spiky hair boy doesn't know that I have a blog yet.

Hometown Pride

You can't see Canada across lake Erie, but you know it's there. It's the same with spring. You have to have faith, especially in Cleveland.

~Paul Fleischman

C'mon, Indians. We believe in you.

Update: Go Rockies.

Abrupt Endings

I planned to go to Arundel Mills today and drop off my watch for a battery change at Jared, but I slept in. WAY in. When I did finally get up, I worked on the door for three hours... but I reached the point of diminishing returns - where I've done as much as I can do before I start damaging the door trying to beautify it. My landlord is going to take over now, because some more sanding is needed, but with the mega-sander. Apparently it's too heavy for me to use. Normally, I'd fight that. I don't like people telling me I can't do things... but this door has been so much work. I'm not done done with it, but I won't mind a break from the responsibility. At least we settled on a color (wilmington tan) today, so maybe I can help paint it once he's done.

In other news, I gave up on that puzzle today. It has been on my kitchen table for weeks and weeks, and in order to keep the cat off of it, there was a ton of other stuff (stools, cereal boxes, etc.) piled on top of that. I just couldn't take it anymore. I need clean. It's a shame that I didn't finish it, but at the end of the day, it served its purpose. I started the puzzle to keep my brain busy after work so that I'd stop working from home every night. For the most part, it worked. Puzzle over. I hope you aren't all terribly disappointed.

Lastly, why the hell isn't the Indians game showing up on the FOX schedule for 8 PM? The ALCS schedule says that the game is on FOX, but my guide shows The Simpsons. They're going to play it, right?

Going Crazy

I woke up late this morning after staying up late last night reading. I have a lot to do so that I can feel like I am taking control of the amount of stuff that is hitting me right now. A very important 'to do' list:

1. Deposit expense check - done
2. Go to toy store for hula hoop (Halloween) - done
3. Decide on Halloween costume - done
4. Go to 2910 gift store - done
5. Go to post office, ship packages - done
6. Drop off goodwill clothes - done
7. Call dentist (Monday)
8. Go to scrapbooking store for calendar supplies - done
9. Work on calendar - done... maybe?
10. Work on holiday cards - in progress
11 Dishes - done
12. Laundry - in progress
13. Find or buy new sunglasses (I lost mine, dammit.) - done
14. Send in watch for battery change
15. Buy/borrow temporary watch (I must have a watch.) - done
16. Return library book - done
17. Work on door (Sunday)

More items TBD.

Exhausted

The last two days have been nuts. On Thursday we had a company event at M&T Bank Stadium (Ravens' Stadium) where teams from my company competed against each other in punt, pass and kick games. I didn't compete - I cheered - but it's a neat opportunity to spend time on the field of an NFL team. Afterwards, we went up to the club level, where we ate and drank and were generally merry. Haha. This year was a bit different than last year, though, because a good 15-20 folks from work came out with me to see Wes play in Canton. I fully admit that I stayed up too late, drank too much, and - as a result - spent all day today extremely uncomfortable.

Today felt the longest day. I dropped off my car at the mechanic on the way in to work, and after an oil change and bulb changes, they diagnosed the creaking that I've been hearing as a "bad" ball joint. He said it's getting "play" or something, which essentially means it's going bad. Cost? He quoted me $400. I called the dealership and he quoted mt $290. I made an appointment for Monday.

I spent all day feeling like I wanted to be in bed, and honestly, it took major effort to buckle down and get work done. I was supposed to meet a bunch of gals after work for drinks, but I had to cancel because even by 5 PM I didn't feel much better. I came home, ate soup, and fell asleep on the couch for an hour and a half. Now I feel better - but not great. Still, I wish I had been able to go. I bet they had so much fun.

On top of all of this, I am reluctant to admit that I am feeling the exact same pain with my temporary crown that I did when my tooth was in tact. That's not good. Not at all. I'm not a dentist, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I am going to need a root canal. I don't know why else my tooth would be so sensitive to pressure. I don't know how much root canals cost, but I've already paid $400 for my crown. This is just not my month. I have an entire credit card to pay off within two weeks, a car repair, a crown and a potential root canal. I am feeling extremely uncomfortable - both physically and mentally.

*sigh*

An Impressive Distinction

It's a shame that I never thought of it, but MSNBC.com was clever enough to invent a pretty cool "Top 5" list - songs by fictional movie bands. What a great idea!

Starting at #5, they chose On the Dark Side by Eddie and the Cruisers... this is a killer song. (From Eddie in the Cruisers, the movie.) It's like Springsteen, but apparently "absolutely wrong" according to the MSBC experts. They say a bunch of stuff about the guitars and lyrics (whatever), but this is a song that has outlived it's roots in my opinion. I'm definitely adding this one to el iPod. I can't believe I haven't downloaded it yet.

Next at #4 is Pretend to Be Nice by Josie and the Pussycats (from Josie and the Pussycats). I admit that I never saw the movie, it was one of those bands/movies that came and went before I ever knew what they really were, but after watching the video for this song I don't think I missed out. Wow. This song is a new breed of horrible. The only highlight for me was the 5 second glimpse of Alan Cumming in the video - what a neat actor. Otherwise, this song is incredibly disappointing.

Rounding out the middle of the lineup at #3 is How Silly Can You Get by Nick Rivers. This is from the movie Top Secret and hahahaha... this is a funny one. I guess you could call it catchy, but it's all straight comedy (unlike On the Dark Side). I don't think I've ever seen Val Kilmer looking so cheesy. Are those the same teeth he has today? They can't be. Ah, well... I've added this one to my Netflix. I couldn't help myself.

In the runner up position at #2 is God Give Me Strength by Denise Waverly. This is from Grace of My Heart, yet another movie that I'd never heard of. This one was really quite sweet, and although not particularly memorable, has a bit of an quiet inspirational quality to it. I found it interesting that this song (although made for the movie) never made it onto the soundtrack. Why? I wonder. It's a cutie.

And last but not least (and the reason I wrote this post), is our winner at #1 - That Thing You Do! by The Wonders from That Thing You Do! My family loves this movie. I have this on VHS, and I have to be honest that I'm not sure if I bought my own copy of if I took this one from my parents house when I moved out. Hmmm... anyway...the MSNBC experts have it right when they call it "raw, energetic, clever, and wildly catchy." The movie and the song are just a joy to watch, and it has Tom Hanks, Liv Tyler and Tom Everett Scott (I heart him) - a winning combination. Written, directed and starred in by Tom Hanks, That Thing You Do! is just adorable and worth the watch.

And why not take a listen?


Find the article on MSNBC HERE.

This Cat Needs a Home

A coworker of mine needs to find a good home for her cat, Simon. I have met Simon, and boy, is he handsome. Here's a little note from her (only slightly edited because she wrote it so well).

"Simon loves his people, but has not been socialized for kids. He has yellow eyes that turn green when he is extremely happy. He is chatty when he wants something but otherwise quiet. His gray tabby coat is soft and thick from his occasional love of salmon and fish.

Simon is a youthful 8 years old, fixed, and is currently on a "slim down" program... down 2 lbs now to 20 lbs. He is up-to-date on all shots and would come with a bunch of toys, his litter box, and a carrier.

He likes to play, but he needs a friend. He LOVES watching birds and butterflies and squirrels from the window ledge inside. He likes cooked fish and catnip. His only dislike is touching his tummy. He is protective of that area. He has an affinity for men more than women.

Simon will be best in a quiet home. He grew up around a few dogs, and he got along very well. We think that he's just bored with just the two of us."


Anyone know of a good home for Simon? Call 517..526..2060.

I Am Going to Hell

No, not because I sold my soul so that the Indians would win tonight (GO TRIBE!), but because I have had this book in my possession for four years. Notice the plastic dust cover. Yes, my friends. It's a library book. And right about now I am praying that my mother, Marie and Danielle don't write me off forever for this, because they are lovers of the library, and I have committed a mortal sin.

I have excuses. Plenty of them. 1) I used to live near the Enoch Pratt main library, and now I live inconveniently far away from it. 2) They have horrible parking at the library. 3) It's been four years. 4) Did I mention how far away I am? 5) Okay, I'm embarrassed.

So I am going to return this darn thing... and I'm going to do it in the safest way possible - at the branch closest to my house and in the drop slot so that I don't have to face anyone. They'll get it back to the main branch, right? Do you think they have security cameras on the drop off slots?

I wonder how this will affect the status of my library card.

Not that I've used it...

Ten on Tuesday

Here we go...

1. Neck is getting better by the hour. It's still painful when I turn my head left or up and left, but so much better than it was on Monday morning.
2. Eye is better, although I had crazy attack-of-the-allergies this morning - they wouldn't stop watering.
3. Day one of getting a crown went... well, I guess. It wasn't painful, but it was uncomfortable. About an hour ago the Novocaine wore off and my tooth started aching. I don't blame it - I'd be angry, too.
4. Why have I been so freaking hungry lately? For salt. All of the time. It's aggravating that I lasted all summer and lost weight, and now all I want to do is eat.
5. Did I mention I ate a snack bag of Frito's today? dammit.
6. I realized this morning that my 'interest free' promotional period on the credit card for my eye surgery payments ends next month. Where will I come up with the remaining cash to avoid paying interest, I wonder?
7. Game 4 of the ALCS is on in 9 minutes. I'm getting nervous.
8. I have two weeks to get my Halloween costume together. I'm screwed.
9. I have four weeks to complete my calendar page. I'm not screwed yet, but it's coming.
10. Let's not even talk about when I should've had my oil changed...

Another Win

And the Indians bring home another win in the ALCS. These games are going to give me a heart attack - I am way too emotional when I am watching them. Let's hope we are in for another win tonight.

Quickly, I'd like to report that the neck is better, not normal, but better. I am surprised I didn't OD on ibuprofen yesterday with the amount that I took. I think the heat actually did the most though, but I am headed to work today (I worked from home yesterday), so no more heat at twenty minute intervals.

Finally, today is day one of the crown process. Today is drill day. Wish me luck.

Pain in the Neck

So I did something to my neck. Mildly appropriate after doing something to my eye, right? What a mess. I woke up at 2 AM with some serious neck pain - I think it's a pinched nerve, but I woke up multiple times last night and kept applying heat over and over. This morning I tooke 600 mg of ibuprofen, and I'm still applying heat.

Fun.

Chicken Soup for the Soul

I made homemade chicken soup today. Yummy.

These Things I Hold to be True

1. My eye is still irritated.
2. My house is once again a wreck.
3. I should feel a lot worse after last night.

I can't believe I scratched my eye. I'm an idiot because the last time I sanded the door yesterday, I didn't wear eyewear. Completely my fault. My eye doesn't hurt, it just won't stop watering. Somewhere I have steroid eye drops from my eye surgery, and I wish I could find them. They'd be great to have right now.

In better news, I found a new fav bar - Harvey's Pub. We went to a charity event there last night, and it was so much fun. Rob and Jill guest bartended, I sang karaoke, and the INDIANS WON GAME TWO. Seriously, it was an amazing night. I think the fact that I'm not hungover today must be testament to the amount of adrenaline pumping through my body last night. At times, I could feel my heart beating through my chest during the game, especially after a zillion innings of a 6-6 score. The extra innings made it all worthwhile. I think I paid $20 the whole night total. That bar definitely deserves more of my money. (It helps that I know the owner, I suppose.)

Here are Jill and Rob behind the bar during their 'shift.' Most of our group went up to the bar to harass them while they worked, but I stayed at our table to watch the playoff game. I wasn't going to give up my front row seat to the big screen.

My BFF, Jill and I hanging out at the bar.

Angie and Donna came out to join in the fun and raise money for charity. (We still can't figure out how to get a photo with Donna's eyes open.)

All-in-all a fabulous evening on all accounts. The Indians won, I got to spend time with some great people, and I found a great new hometown bar! That will be a hard night to beat.

The Door Project Continues

I spent another five hours today working on the door. The detailed sanding is only about 50% done, and the major sanding (around the perimeter of the door) is maybe 90% done. It's a lot of sanding, chemical, strip paint, and sanding. Repeat the process. I'm tired and I think I have sawdust in my eye.

Here's the current status of the door. I swear - some of this paint will not come off. It's frustrating.

Here's a closeup of some detail work.


It might not look like much, but this was time consuming.




As I was cleaning up, the mail man came by. I really liked our conversation.

Mailman: Working hard?
Me: Yep, I've been sanding this door.
Mailman: I thought you already did that?
Me: Nope, I stripped the paint off last week. Now I'm sanding.
Mailman: Well, keep up the good work.
Me: Will do. Have a nice day.
Mailman: You too.

Simple conversation, but I've never even met him before, and yet he had noticed the work I did to the door. I love it. It's like I live in a small town or something.

Rise and Shine

After last night's loss, I poured myself a bottle glass of wine and fell asleep on the couch. At 3 AM, I was awaken by a youngin' screaming on the street. So, of course, I promptly shuffled my middle-aged self to the window and reminded her that it was 3 AM. I got some attitude back in return, but she quieted down. This is why I hate kids.

Anyway, this morning I got up at 9:30 (nice!) and am updating my iPod and eating some food before I throw myself into working on the front door again. Today is sanding day. Some chemicals may be used for some leftover paint, but there's a lot of detailed sanding work to do on this project. We'll see how long it takes, I guess.

Wish me luck.

Game One: Dammitalltohell

Seriously.

We Done Good

Our charity happy hour is over... SUCCESS! Even though there aren't any work folks represented here, I'll leave you with this photo.

Netflixing Ben-Hur Part II

Okay. I just finished watching Part II of Ben Hur, and I definitely get it. It was amazing. Sure it's dated, so I don't know how to explain how much I enjoyed this movie except to say that it was just done fabulously well. I truly, honestly don't know how to convey why I like it as much as I do.

The chariot scenes were both awesome and brutal. I saw one too many people crushed by the wheels of a chariot, but there are so many moving parts in these scenes - I can't imagine what production must have been like. I also had my eyes peeled for some mistakes that are said to be in those scenes, but I didn't see them.

This is definitely a five star movie. Hands down. I really liked it.

Did You Know?

"The term "Posh" is sometimes said to have its roots as an acronym for "Port Out, Starboard Home", referring to the idea that on ships bound from Europe to the Far East and back, the land-side cabins were more desirable. While the origins of the word are dubious, it does serve as a useful mnemonic device."

Netflixing Ben-Hur

Okay. Just watched Disc 1 of 2: Ben-Hur, the Collector's Edition. It is dated, certainly, and I admit that it took me ten minutes or so to get over some of the mediocre acting elements (you know the dramatic hugs, the dramatic looks of shock - okay, the dramatic everything). But... it's good. I am surprised it's as good as it is considering the film is so freakin' old.

Now let me provide some clarification, because I'm not someone adverse to old movies. I've seen my fair share of classics, black and whites, musicals, old sci-fi movies, etc. The film was made in 1959, and that's fine by me, but it won ELEVEN Academy Awards. It's known as one of the best movies of all time - which, of course, is why I am watching it in the first place - so there is a certain quality that one would expect from a film that has this much distinction. Maybe it's hard to understand the shock that I'm, but this movie is old in the way that the original Star Trek is old, and it's still good. I think the only major differences between Star Trek and Ben Hur might be the presence of aliens, and that the hot women in Ben Hur wear longer skirts.

So I am off to bed, but hopefully I can finish watching the second half tomorrow. At this point I'm very much into the story right now, and if it was the weekend, I'd be pulling an all-nighter to finish it. Responsibility calls, though... so tomorrow night it is.

A Date with the Dentist

Hmmm. I had an appointment for a teeth cleaning today. I love getting my teeth cleaned, really I do. No complaints - I go and leave happily. Then there's today.

Now don't get my wrong, the teeth are sparkly and hardly any tartar! The problem lies with an ache I've been having since the Spring. At the time, the dentist took x-rays and did an exam, but nada. Nothing. No obvious reason why I was having pain. Fast forward many months later and the pain is still here. There's still nothing of significance to see, so the outcome is.... a crown.

Apparently the only reason for this type of situation is a hairline fracture... a break so small that it can't be seen. The only way to avoid significant damage down the road is to replace the top of the tooth with a crown, which essentially means making my molar a nubbin and capping it. *sigh*

I feel so old.

On the bright side, a coworker of mine who is about my age just got one. She says it's not all that uncommon. And apparently my grandma had something similar. I guess I'll just live with it. No one will be able to tell except me (although you will all know, right?).

So here's my reader poll:
1. Do you have a crown?
2. If yes, how old are you? (You can always post anonymously. Ha.)

6-4, Baby

The Indians won the series against the Yankees in 4 games. I'm trying not to let myself get too excited...

hee hee

Monday Nights

Are disappointing. I used to LOVE Mondays - especially with Supernanny on week after week - but I've been so over The Bachelor for a few seasons now, and as I sat and watched Dancing with the Stars at 8 PM, I must admit that I think my attraction is waning on that show as well. So what do I do?

I watch the Cleveland Indians vs. the New York Yankees.

Speaking of the Yankees, I saw a game played in Yankees stadium a few years back when I was dating someone who lived in NYC. That stadium BITES. It's old, dirty and giganimous. And honestly, the fans suck, too. I waited in line for over two innings for food, and all I heard for the whole time was "You gotta be kiddin' me" over and over and over again. I thought that was all a joke, but those New Yorkers really do say it.

Okay, break time. I can't watch the Indians and type at the same time, so instead I'll watch the Indians and go through my craft paper. I'll probably blog again before bedtime, so tune in later.

Much Ado About Lots of Things

So I was up entirely too early this morning after staying up entirely too late last night. I had so much fun, though, so it was worth every minute of lost sleep.

Anyway, I started a project today that I've been wanting to start for some time - restoring the front door. The front door to my house has been in a sad state of disrepair since I moved in almost three years ago. It's a gorgeous door, and there's no other door in the neighborhood with the same pattern, but it just looks awful. It's probably the original door, so it has been weathered to say the least.

After meeting with my landlord this morning and much discussion on the amount of work that I am in for, I started stripping the paint off of the door around noon or so. This is the door before I started.

Here's is a close up of one of the bad spots. You can see that the wood is totally exposed and the paint is peeling away completely.

So today I used a heat gun as well as a chemical stripping agent, and I worked on the door for about four or five hours straight. For those of you who aren't in Baltimore, I'd like to mention that it was 90 degrees today. Yep. I am not a person that appreciates sweating. I loathe sweating, and today it was unavoidable. I was pouring sweat as I stood on a ladder in my foyer with no cross breeze and holding a heat gun. Ugh.

About halfway through, I took another series of photos. Here are two 'in progress' photos. Neither the heat gun or the chemical worked best everywhere, so I used the heat gun for the wide, flat sections and the chemical for some of the more detailed areas.





As you can see, the exterior color was a red/maroon, and underneath there is a white and a yellow. The white and yellow are nearly impossible to remove. God only knows how old that paint is.






At some point I had to pack it up for the night, so after cleaning up the piles of peeled paint and collecting all of the tools, this is the status of the door after Day One. I'm quite proud of my progress!
Here's another close up of the detail. I still have a long way to go, but I think I am making good progress. Not bad for a girl who has never done this before, eh?


So after a lovely shower, I realized that my apartment is a wreck because I haven't devoted any of my normal Sunday time to cleaning. Cross your fingers... because this is my to do list before bedtime:
1. Take out trash - Done
2. Unload dishwasher - Done
3. Load dishwasher - Done
4. LOTS of laundry - In progress
5. Vacuum - Done
6. Swiffer - Done
7. Clean bathroom - Done
8. Dust - Done
9. Put laundry away - In progress
10. Choose outfit for tomorrow - In progress

Fells Point Fun Fest and Then Some

So I met some friends at the Fells Point Fun Fest yesterday, which basically means I found them at the beer garden and never left that area. I didn't walk the rest of the festival with exception to travelling to and from the beer garden. It's sad, but probably better for my budget overall. I was there for a few hours and only spent $2 on a beer bracelet (the one you get when they check your ID). My drinks were all paid for. Totally cool.

I left around six or so though because I had plans for dinner with work friends and their friends. We went to (you guessed it!) Canton Dockside and spent the rest of the evening at Cosmos on Canton Square. It is probably only the fifth time I have spent any significant time in the place. It's nice, it's posh... but it just isn't me. I had fun, don't get me wrong, but it's not a Charissa-place. I spent most of my time watching the Philly v. Colorado game on the flat screens. (By the way, I was rooting for the Rockies - booyah!)

We ended the night at my friend's house watching "Rock of Love." Man that's a horrible show. Okay, it's funny, but seriously... how many bandanas does Bret Michaels have?

Refusing to Stay Still

So I'm done at the distribution center, I've cleaned up, and I'm heading to Fells. My poor feet, though. I gave myself blisters on Thursday, and then I walked all over a warehouse today. Argh.

I was supposed to have a calm weekend, and after volunteering to go to the DC today, I now have plans for the rest of the day and into the evening. How does this happen? Oh well. It's all been worth it, though... you know how much I hate to be bored.

Ashes, Wine and Silver

Well, it's official... I am being haunted by a song. I can't get "Ashes and Wine" from A Fine Frenzy out of my head. The chorus simply will not leave my brain (or my mouth because I've been singing it for days). Here is an MP3 I found on some one's site. I know - it's not nice to link to her site like this, but I haven't yet figured out how to host audio. (JJT can you help me?)

"Ashes and Wine" MP3

That said, my week is finally over (Thank God). I came home today and discovered that I received the jewelry I purchased at the party I went to last weekend. Yay! Look how pretty! The bracelet is sterling silver, and the necklace is sterling silver and turquoise. I wanted so much more at the party, but I was trying to be smart. I can't wait to wear them. And now, due to my excessive shopping lately, I am off to our distribution center tomorrow morning to help out and offset my insane spending. My job is salary, but when we work at the DC they pay us hourly. It's good extra money during the holidays, and it's good for the company, too. Every little bit helps...

Introducing: A Fine Frenzy

I'd like to give some props to the band that opened for Brandi Carlile, A Fine Frenzy. The lead singer, Alison Sudol, is pretty darn talented. They did an acoustic-type show because they were missing their guitarist, but she is freaking good. And she's a mere 22 years old.

This song is one of my new favorite songs. Perhaps it hits me a certain way because of the topic, but her voice is really fabulous, and this song showcases it well. I also lovce "Rangers," "Ashes and Wine," and, well... the whole freakin' album. It's just so good.

Give her a listen.

"Almost Lover" by A Fine Frenzy

Thursday's Top Ten

This has been a long (and yet successful) work week. My big work event was Wednesday, and although we didn't get quite the turnout that I was hoping for, I'm proud of the work that we all put in to make it successful. It's a strange balance between pride and relief. I'm proud for what we accomplished, but relieved as anything that it's over. (Now let's hope I stop stress eating!)

Today I attended the PGA golf tournament at Baltimore Country Club. It was a work event, so I only stayed for a few hours and then went back to the office. I have never gone to a major PGA event before. It was pretty cool. We had a "tent" on a major hole, right near the green, so we ate inside, grabbed drinks, and sat on a private deck and watched the players putt away. I know very little about golf, but after eating and chatting for awhile, I finally sat with some gentlemen in our group who didn't mind answering all of my stupid questions.

Oh, and I really like saying "OH!" when a golfer misses a putt, and golf clapping when he makes one. It's almost as good as a fight during a hockey game (almost).

To close out, here's my Thursday Top Ten.

10 Fingernails bitten
9 Hours (times TWO) for the number of hours I worked Wednesday
8 Hours left in the work week
7 Hours of solid sleep that I need
6 Blisters on my feet
5 Hours I went without access to my phone, email or the Internet today
4 Different foods I have eaten tonight (bologna, mac and cheese, edamame, milk)
3 Pillows under my head right now
2 Pets that need some TLC
1 Mystery bruise on my body

Killer Tired

Well, I am just barely back in the groove of things - yesterday's work event went great - but I am so tired. I get to watch the PGA tour today live and in person, but all I want to do is sleep. Somehow, I still can't wait until 5 PM to roll around.

My Baltimore Snacker-esque Report

The Safeway brand of Roasted Garlic Hummus is simply not as good as the Whole Foods version. I know... surprise, surprise.

Happy Birthday, Antonio!

You know it - Antonio is SEVEN years old today. I can't believe it. SEVEN! Seven is a grown-up dog age. (I don't suppose it helps that I call him "old man" sometimes, does it?)

Elliott turned ten in August, so we are definitely going to get presents this weekend to celebrate. In the meantime, I am going to make an effort to be home on time tonight. Tomorrow I'll be at work events from 7 AM until 10 PM. Sorry, poo.

Brandi Carlile: Live from Bawlmer

I heart Brandi Carlile. Seeing her live at Ram's Head on Saturday (9/29/07) was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. She is just amazing vocally and so pure and uninhibited. She sounds absolutely incredible live, and if you don't know her work, I encourage you to go out and buy her CDs or download them off of iTunes. She ranks pretty high on my list of favorite artists right now... right up there with ABBA (so you know how serious I am about this).

Seriously, watch these videos. I know there are a lot of them, but watch these videos and tell me if you think she's not awesome. (Most videos credited to the talents of Angie. I am an idiot and forgot my camera.)

"Raining in Baltimore" - She actually said, "I've been lookin' forward to playing this for you guys all night." I heart Baltimore. I bet Brandi does, too.


"Follow" taped by Angie


"Hallelujah" taped by Angie


"The Story" Part I (Angie's batteries ran out halfway through!)


"The Story" Part II


"How These Days Grow Long" completely unplugged! From someone on YouTube. (Marie - this video is going to be your favorite. There is no doubt in my mind. Can we please learn this and sing it together at Christmas?)


"Happy" from the same person on YouTube.


"Love Songs" from the previous fellow.