The Dixie Chicks strike again!

Hot digidy!

I’ve been out of the music loop lately (um, was I really ever in it?) but I heard from Darling Beth today that the Dixie Chicks are releasing their new album later this month so I did some snooping online and found that aolmusic.com released the video of the single, “Not Ready to Make Nice” today. Watched it. Loved it. Voted on the poll afterward expecting to see that most others loved it too. Wrong-0.
I was in the minority. About 30% of viewers loved it. The rest hated it. Someone must have organized some sort of a Vote “Hated It”-Clear Yer’ Cookies and Vote Again! Rally somewhere down in Texas, as there STILL seem to be some people who are pissed off about the Dixie Chicks. So much so that they can’t recognize a good song when they hear it. Oh, maybe that explains the success of Toby Keith…. Ah, I see. Now THERE’S Someone with good, strong ass-kicking American family values exemplified in these lyrics outlining the benefits to just knocking one out in a one-night-stand rather than dither about with all that relationship garbage (which apparently is “too demanding”.)


Sorry… back to the Dixie Chicks-The whole song was very angsty, full of emotion and a big old “Screw You!” to all who reacted so violently against them after they voiced their disapproval of GW however long ago that was. And when I say “violently” I mean it- the lyrics allude to death threats received by Natalie Maines received as a result of her opinions. Because God knows, there is nothing more un-American that having an opinion and voicing it. Sheesh…

So my plea to the people who are going to get all worked up again about the Dixie chicks and spend a bunch of energy hating them: just save it. It’s a great song, they’re great performers and they can rock their instruments and voices. Besides, as I’ve already mentioned, there are PLENTY of other country artists out there who will sing you nice songs about America Kicking Ass etc. Go listen to them if it makes you feel better. Or just, well, open your mind a bit.

For now, I'm going to go on loving country music among other genres, wishing that a lot of it was better, enjoying the good stuff when it comes around, and simply changing the channel when there's a song that I don't like.

Things that have happened since you heard from me last:

1. Had too much to drink at the Army Navy Club. I’m sure many people throughout history have said that, and now I’m proud to be among their ranks. Proceeded to go out for oysters at a near by restaurant and assume role of “Oyster Aficionado/Goddess” solely because I am from the State of Washington.
   
2. Went to see the WILD PONIES(!!!!) on Asseteague Island off the coast of Maryland.
   
3. Got a scoffed at by teen-aged waiter at a local crab restaurant because I’d never had soft shell crabs. (I mean he was really looking at me like I was an alien- I think he thought I was lying to him or something? His exact words were “Um, you’ve never had soft shell crabs? Um, that’s weird.” Regardless, I’m proud to say that Dungeness are way better. Soft shell crabs can get off their high horse as far as I’m concerned.
   
4. Learned that J will be leaving in 2 weeks. Then found out yesterday that he actually has to leave a week earlier than that to go to a class back in Washington State before he leaves… I swear.
   
5. Looked at a Condo for sale in a not great but not too terrible part of town that was tiny, had one bedroom, a den/office, kitchenette and 2 bathrooms that was selling for 360K. “Cozy” would be an accurate description.
   
6. Went back to the Middle Eastern restaurant with the great dessert- paid attention this time and learned that it is called “Namoura.” I think that is Arabic for “Best three dollars you’ve ever spent in your life- period.” The place is called Mama Ayesha’s and I highly recommend it on your next visit to The District.

That’s about it. What have y’all been up to? Plans for tomorrow’s St. Patrick’s Day? Me? I’ll probably throw on the trusty “Everyone Loves and Irish Girl” shirt, have a Harp or two and… end up singing Molly Malone until the downstairs lady calls the police again??

1) I totally forgot to mention that the downstairs lady called the cops on us last weekend at around 9:15PM on Friday night for being too loud. Lisa had just arrived for the weekend and we were playing Kareoke Revolution. I guess her version of Bobby McGee was just too good to ignore? Or perhaps it was me...
So my new mental notes to self: No bone chewing at after 9PM for Daphne, and no fun-having past 9:15 for the rest of us.

2)There is only one dog park in the DC city limits, and when we go there, we always park (illegally) in the neighboring restaurant’s parking lot because there is really no parking for the park- which is just a little quirk of DC... I always feel like a sneaky bad-ass with a guilt complex for parking there, but its usually just for 15 minutes or so.

Last night, knowing that there were no groceries in the refrigerator, we decided to have dinner there after the dog park. It is a really lovely Middle Eastern place. I just wish I would have known how great the food was a long time ago. The dinner was great (I had stuffed cabbage, very ugly but very tasty) but the dessert was out-of-this-world fabulous. It was kind of like baklava, but lighter- kind of fluffier, not quite as dense. I forget what it was called, but god-willing, I’ll be able to recognize it on a menu again some day. Essentially, I wanted to embrace our waiter for having recommended it to us in the first place. If I knew his name, I’d likely put him in my will (though Lisa already has first dibs on my most valuable asset: Daphne).

So- not only did I feel like I finally supported the restaurant at which I regularly park illegally, but I food that made me want to jump up and down and clap. All in all, a good night.

Hello Friends

Funny how things like oh, say, blogging just don’t seem as appealing when I am mentally taxed all day at work. Kind of says a lot about my last job eh? Just imagine that you are about a year old. You’re standing at one end of a hallway. Someone at the opposite end is standing there, looking at you and says “Walk over here.” Now, as a grown person (or even a 5 year old) you see no big challenge in walking across the room. But friend, you are only one. You can barely walk. This molehill seems like a mountain.

That’s how I feel at work now. I know that soon I’ll look back and realize how not hard this really is, its just all so brand new that I have to learn every tiny aspect from nothing.

So imagine me, as a one year old. When someone asks me to walk across the room, I want to do it. I see how easy it is. Millions of people do it everyday… it even looks kind of fun… But first I’ve got to figure out how to balance, flex my muscles, bend my knees and pick up my feet.

You dig?

Now let’s talk about my car:

I got a new battery at Sears for my car. While I was there, I figured I’d get new tires too, as I would be pushing my luck to continue driving on my old ones for much longer. And I mean really, what’s not to love about dropping $500+ on your car in an afternoon? But now I can stop each and every time I hit the brakes, which is good.

I thought I was driving a really hard bargain by opting out of the road hazard extended warranty after I noticed that it was automatically added to my work order and bill. (PS- if you want to really irk me, sell me something and charge me for it without asking me first- I love that!). So after opting out of said extended warranty protection (I mean come on, tires are thick and strong- and they have a manufacturers warranty in case anything major happens…) I promptly hit a massive curb/drain/pothole-like thing on the street when I was trying to park at night. And when I say “promptly,” I mean “the very next god damned night after buying brand new tires”. Huge gouge in the side wall of the new tire. Swear words were spoken. A guy in a wheel chair stopped on the sidewalk and told me I should have my alignment checked. I was furious. The kind of furious that you get when you have no one to blame but yourself, and even then, it really isn’t your fault. So to speak.

So with my head hanging low, I returned to Sears and told them my story, and fully expected to have to pay another $100 and some change on a new tire. But they guy said, ‘Oh, you might be okay- it’s probably covered under the warranty… (reads through paper work…) Oh shoot- looks like you opted out of the road hazard warranty. Too bad.”

We had a laugh about Murphy’s law and he was an agreeable enough guy. And then the unthinkable happened:

Guy at Sears: “Listen, why don’t I just charge you the $45 for the extended warranty as if you bought it yesterday, and then the cost of the new tire and realignment is covered under the warranty.”

Gina: ______________(that’s the sound of me being speechless with delight).


So- Thank you guy at Sears, you really made me feel like less of an ass for nearly popping my tire while parallel parking!

And advice to all others who live in cities with terribly maintained roads*:


Just pay for the warranty.



*I’m not complaining, just making an observation.


Car Topic 2: I took my car in for its 60K mile tune up today, and I get a call that both of my “marker lights” are burnt out. After a far-to-long conversation with the gal on the phone about not only what “marker lights” are (the lights in your head light unit that are neither headlights or turn signal lights…?) but also their function which apparently is to accompany the headlight and tell others that they are in fact, viewing the front of your car rather than the back (Which I was only able to ascertain after loudly stating “I understand that they are MARKER LIGHTS, I need you to tell me what they DO- what is their reason for BEING), she gave me a repair quote:

“that’ll run ya $154.”

I guess this dealership has a woman service manager available to speak with other woman clients so we don’t feel like we’re getting screwed over, but its hard not to feel like your village was just pilfered when someone tells you that they’re going to change two light bulbs, and charge you $154 (in addition to the super spendy 60K service, about which I am already conflicted, given that they’re really just changing the oil, checking the fluids and changing my spark plugs…).

She said that the parts are only $6, but the labor is what costs so much because they have to remove the entire headlight assembly.

Maybe I should have learned my lesson re. “getting what you pay for” with the whole tire warranty deal, but can you blame me for wanting to see if I can fix the damned lights on my own before I spend that much to have someone else do it?

And its not even for my headlights (which work fine) but for my MARKER LIGHTS, which truth be told, I didn’t even know existed before today.

So… anyone know how to take apart a headlight assembly in an ’02 Subaru Outback Sport?


And all this for a car when I’d just prefer to take the metro everywhere so I can listen to the Ricky Gervais Show Podcasts on my iPod…

Almost Heaven, West Virginia...

Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River….

Hot Damn, isn’t it great that just the thought of John Denver can put a smile on your face? What? It didn’t put a smile on your face? Okay, just the thought of John Denver puts a smile on MY face. And probably Anne’s. And Kari’s too!

I was a real live Mountain Mamma this weekend- I went to West Virginia!! J and I went skiing at Snowshoe for the three day weekend and had a lovely time. I was prepared for crappy ski conditions, as I was advised that all snow on this side of the country is pretty much 100% pure garbage, but really- it wasn’t too bad. Not great, but ski-able. The double black diamond runs were closer to hefty blue squares in my book, and there was a fair amount of man-made snow, but it did the trick.

And here’s what put me over into the “I’d ski there again” category: The West Virginians.

Seriously the nicest people- as a whole- that I’ve ever encountered. Real salt of the earth types. Sure, our waitresses generally had sideburns that reminded me of my grandfather in the early 80’s, but what they lacked in fashion and dental hygiene, they made up for in good-hearted wholesomeness. No other way to word it.

I’m looking forward to going back there in summer- I predict that it will be a beautiful drive when everything is alive a green. Daphne will also appreciate a return trip to her homeland. I don’t know that she really has roots in WV, but I’d like to think that she does.

So aside from skiing, there was soaking in the hot tub after said skiing (much needed), Trivial Pursuit Pop Culture (at which I totally RULE!), eating of good food, and watching of Olympic level curling, bobsledding and ice dancing.

Ah- there was also a flash lesson in auto care and maintenance, as my car wouldn’t start on Sunday or Monday morning- well, it did start, but not without heavy prompting, channeling of positive vibes and looking through the owner’s manual with a crooked brow. I think it was one part old battery that “needs replaced” (as they say in WV) and one part FRIGGEN FREEZING cold outside in the mornings. As in… my entire car was frozen solid because I parked in the shade. So cold that when I released the clutch after trying to start the car, it stayed completely engaged. Guess that’s why they plug in their cars in Alaska… Or maybe my battery just never fully recovered after “The Great Stuck- on-Snoqualmie-Pass-With-Lisa-Whilst-Running-All-Accessories-on-Full-Blast Capers of ‘05”??? The world will never know…

In any case, a trip to Sears is in order this weekend. And not the Softer Side. I hear DieHard’s are the way to go.

Is this irony or just plain crap?

J is supposed to be driving a desk these days, pushing paper etc. We just got to DC about a month ago (well, I did at least, he's been here for about 2 months). We're finally unpacked for the most part, I found a job that I like, things have been going swimmingly. This was supposed to be our time to finally be normal young people in love...

But he found out yesterday that he's getting deployed again. For a year. And he leaves soon. I have milk in the refrigerator that expires after he leaves. This time, he won't be on a ship traveling around through bad-guy waters, but actually on land in bad-guyville. You can imagine how thrilling this is to me.

As much as I've been wanting to scream "BUT YOU CAN'T DO THAT- THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO!! HE JUST GOT HOME!" I realize that it really doesn't matter how/why/who this is all coming from. Regardless of why its happening, or how incredibly... not fair... it is, it's happening. And it very well could turn me into a bitter, bitter person. In theory, I should get pissed, I should be bitter, I should lead the protest march. I should help stick the "Step Down Bush" stickers all over DC.

But I don't want to be bitter and mad because that's not who I am. I like being happy. And I need that trait right now more than ever. I'll be damned if THIS ("this" being a very broad term here) is going to change my core. I've learned that, for me at least, having the capacity to be pissed at "The Man" is a luxury I don't have. For now at least.

And in response to a comment left on my last entry, yes, I did like McDreamy when he was just a nerd in Can't Buy Me Love. Duh...

Valentine's Day Observation

I stopped into Rite Aid today on my way home from work today(Oh yeah, the new job is going really well by the way- totally overwhelmed, but in a good way. I think.) to get a card for J. Granted, tomorrow is Valentine's day, but really, who needs more than a day of lead/prep time to buy a card?

I was irked to see that all of the cards for men including the "Love, for him" and "For Husband" etc were pretty well picked-over. Only some cheesy ones left. Then when I did find one that was okay, I couldn't find a matching envelope for it... (It was oblong).


Interestingly enough, the cards "For My Wife" "Romantic- For her" were completely well-stocked. And looked as though they hadn't been touched.

Not entirely surprising.


So readers, what are y'all doing for Valentine's Day? And if you respond with "Nothing- its just a holiday created by the greeting card industry to make us feel that spending money on our loved ones is the only way to show how much we care!" Please, be honest- do you really feel that way, or is that the opinion that you've had to adopt in order to avoid pending disappointment?

Huh. that was uneventful

Okay we lost, even though we played what many would consider, a better game. I found the whole thing entirely anti-climactic. Perhaps a product of being a Cougar fan where we blow big leads in the last minute in heart-breaking, but exciting (for the other team) losses.

I found myself saying, "well, there are 3 minutes to go and... looks like there's no way we could win. Darn."


But how 'bout those Stones?!? Sheesh! I never thought I'd say this, but I think Mic and Keith might be in better cardiovascular health than me. Or anyone I know for that matter.

Even the commercials weren't all that glorious. I did like the streaking lamb and the little colt trying to pull the Budweiser wagon. What was your favorite?

Off to watch Grey's Anatomy.

Future blog topic: Saw Brokeback Mountain this weekend and fear that my new fascination with Jake Gillinthal might be stronger than my feelings for Dr. McDreamy. I'm shocked.

Kidding!!

Perhaps I should have clarified in my most recent post...

Of COURSE I'm kidding about my money being transfered to a no-access-by-me account! It was just a little joke... perhaps not so funny in some situations, but when we're talking about gina-money-maven-palooza, its at least... silly.

Now I really want to comment about me starting to assume responsibility for his child-support payments- at least until he starts working again, or collecting on that disability claim... But I won't. Becuase some women really DO do things like that.

And no, he doesn't have any children... That he knows of.

The end is near

The end of sleeping in everyday and not having to go to work every morning that is.

It looks as thought I'll be starting a new J-O-B next week, and while I'm happy about it, as I think its a good fit, I'll miss my early DC days, and all of the long walks and daytime television programming that it brought to my life.

I was even able to watch Days of Our Lives two days in a row, and (not) surprisingly enough, was able to pick up right where I left off back Junior high... And yes, it seems that Marlena Evans is once again, brainwashed. Not sure if it (again) was all the work of The Evil Stephano (who has likely died and come back to life at least a few times in the past 10-15 years) but its still the making of good TV.

On a seperate note, J and I have recently opened a joint checking account with which to pay our joint expenses, (he's having me do direct deposit of all of my pay check into it, and is taking out about 90% of it each month and putting it into a special account I don't have access to "for our future," this is a good idea right?? No silly...) and the checks arrived yesterday. The first set was free. This sounded fine until I got them, looked at them, and found that the free checks are kind of a sample-pack of about 5 popular styles that we can choose in the future. A good idea in theory, until I realized that an Anne Geddes design is included, which means that every 5th check we now write will have BABIES IN GD FLOWER POTS on them...

Hey, that sorority girl from 1998 called: she wants her checks back! Good lord...

So on that happy note, here's a little somethin' for y'all. Have a super day. And remember, shoot for the moon. 'Cause even if you miss, you'll still be among the stars!!

When it's good, it's good

I was reading the DC City Paper a couple of days ago and had to tear out an ad that really spoke to my heart. It was a small black and white ad in the corner of the page for Madams Organ, a bar that I've been to only once, but liked quite a bit near our place in Adams Morgan. It caught my eye because I'd been there before and recognized the name. But it captured my heart when I read:

"Rolling Rocks 1/2 off for Redheads Everyday"


Thank you world, for understanding the plight of the American Redhead.

Not trying to jump on the anti-corporate/Supersize Me band-wagon but...

I think I have the short answer to America's weight problem: Let's start looking (with both eyes)at how much food we're eating! As a Registered Dietitian, I feel that it is necessary to stay up-to-date and current on availability of fast food at popular American franchises. So I went to Popeye's Chicken the other day for an evaluation. Which involved eating a three piece chicken strip meal...

Which enjoying my meal (which ironically, I didn't enjoy at all because, well, it was pretty gross- I honestly don't know why I went there, other than I remember that the biscuits were really tasty when I went there in New Orleans... which is about all I remember. Which should have told me something.) I was reading through the flyer on my tray and discovered that it contained 4 columns of coupons for use at future visits. What I'm about to tell you is not an exaggeration, I'm reading it as a type (yes, I took it home because I planned to mail it to Kelly, who I knew would appreciate the insanity of it).

column Number 1 "Snacks": 3 pieces and a biscuit

Does the world need a reminding that HALF of a chicken is a bit more than a snack? Maybe this is why people think that a dietitians mantra of "at least three meals and two snacks a day" sounds so impossible. At that rate, there would be no more chickens pecking this earth... A string cheese and some raisins... celery and some peanut butter people... THAT is a snack!

Column 2 "Meals for 1": Free 2 Piece Meal with the Purchase of 2-Piece Dinner.

I hope for the sake of our nation's total LDL levels that they're considering this for a total of 2 people, but I fear all 4 pieces will head toward the same mouth...

Column 3 "Meals for 2": 10 pieces, 1 Large Side and 5 biscuits $9.99

That's it, no buy one get one free, just 10 pieces of deep fried chicken, a large bucket of side dish, and 5 biscuits. Between 2 people though, I'd hate to see the fight about who gets a third biscuit, and who gets stuck with only two measly biscuits, (plus 5 pieces of chicken and about 2.5 cups of mac and cheese, baked beans or mashed potatoes...)

And yet, as a nation, how much do we spend on the diet industry???

Column 4 "meals for the family": Buy a bunch of chicken and then go hide the bones in the cracks of the sidewalk for the neighborhood dogs to choke on!



Alright, that's all for now. I'm going to go drink some water and maybe have an apple. And 15 pieces of chicken. Cause I'm trying to watch my portion sizes.

The things I like, the things I don't care for.

Because my mother always said that its more polite to say "I don't care for XYZ" than "I don't like XYZ". She was referring to food at the dinner table, but I'm hoping it’s still the case here.

So- it's been a week and two days, and here is what I have gathered so for about DC:

Top 3 Things I don't care for:

1) The unbelievable number of chicken bones that litter the sidewalks of this city. I can honestly say that not once in my life have I ever felt the urge to eat a piece of chicken while walking down, or sitting on the street. But if pressed, I suppose I can see a certain appeal in such a mobile snack. But when finished sucking all the meat off the bone what kind of person says to him/herself, "Self, I think I'll just drop this chicken bone right here on the street, after all, the rats are looking awfully skinny these days, I'm sure they could use a nice meal. Or may it will just biodegrade?!"

To and/all people who may assume the above: In reality, the fate of your chicken bones is a little different: Here's the real deal- the bones don’t just disappear, they get kicked aside and slough off into the cracks of the sidewalk, the medians, or the strips of dirt that run between the sidewalk and driveways, and share their new home with broken glass, dirty band-aids, and a plethora of other unsavory human waste items. Then, when people are walking down the street with their dogs, specifically, dogs with extra keen senses of smell...the hound group for instance... their dogs take great joy in finding the bones and stealthily snapping them up in the mouths. Unfortunately, cooked chicken bones splinter, and are a big safety no-no in the world of domestic dogs. Because of this, the owners have to pry open their dogs' vice-grip jaws, reach their hand into the dogs' mouths and fish around for the bone fragments, pull the dog-saliva coated hand/arm out of said mouths (all the while cursing and rumbling things like "son of a BITCH! Where the HELL are all these GOD DAMNED chicken bones coming from?!?!?"). Then the dog owners are sitting there with shards of dog and human chewed chicken bone in their hands, and wander around like that until they find a proper trash receptacle in which to toss the bones.

So my proposal to the world of chicken-bone-throwers is this: I'll continue to pick up and throw away my dog's poop, if you drop your bones in a trash can instead of the sidewalk. Deal? Great, thanks.

2) Customer Service Attitudes (or lack thereof)
Wow. I'm only basing this on my experiences at the DMV, the grocery store and the Vet's office, but g-wiz, the only thing I have in my memory bank to compare it to would have to be... Eastern Block Europe- in the early 90's.

Granted, DMV employees are typically not known for the outstanding personalities, but these folks were real peaches. But I suppose I did eventually get my car registered and get my license. But I did a lot of research online and got all my ducks in a row before stepping foot into their offices, (and I only got sent home once to get more documentation...) I felt really bad for the other people I saw there who needed some help figuring out how things worked, and they clearly were not going to get that help. Ever.

As for the grocery store and the vet's office, its just a general feeling of apathy toward long lines of waiting customers, and an "I'll get to you when I get to you" type of attitude that I -now that I think about it- rarely saw in Seattle.

3) Our downstairs neighbor that started pounding on her ceiling last night with a broom handle (in what I can only imagine was an aggressive attempt to tell us to be quiet) while J and I were quietly filing papers and organizing our book shelves. It was about 9:50 PM. We finally realized that it was Daphne. She was on the floor, chewing on her new bone that I got her at the pet store after her trip to the vet. Apparently the sound of her chewing was just too much for this lady to handle.

Am I a bad person if I am eagerly awaiting her next session of (what is routinely audible) sexual intercourse during which I plan to jump up and down on the floor?

Payback can be a bitch. And sometimes, so can I.



Things that I LIKE!

1) The Metro.

I just can't help it. I think its fun, exciting and just so damned great!

2) The insanely aggressive driving. I was toying with putting it on my things I don't care for list, but in all honesty, I think I'm growing to like it. At first, getting honked at for not driving like a total spaz make me nervous and defensive, now it just fuels the fire that is... me. Now that I have my DC plates, I feel more justified in honking at people with out of state plates when they say… need to get out of a turn lane and the last minute, or take more than 1/8 of a second to accelerate when the light turns green. Kind of like hazing...

3) The best things in this town are all free!

All the sights, museums etc- all free. America: Membership has its benefits.

4) This is where its ALL HAPPENING. And its not like I'm part of it, heck, I'm really not involved in any of it. But it feels more real. And I have a front row ticket.

5) I'm on the East coast, but I don't feel like an alien. Everyone is from somewhere, and there is a little bit of everywhere somewhere.

6) I can see the Capitol and the Washington Monument every time I take Daphne out for even the quickest walk.



So- for now at least, there are more things that I like than I don't. And you can't ask for much more than that. I'm off to dabble in the job hunt... which I admit, is still half-hearted, as there is so much to do here, that who really has time to work?

...until I run out of money...

Abrir la ventana

Or... "Open the window" to those of you who not in the Spanish-know.

It's something that I can do now. After living in a 420 square foot studio in Seattle for over two years with NO windows (which I really didn't realize until after I signed the lease- that's what happens when you find a place that allows big dogs, has a washer/dryer in the unit AND is in your price range- you just TAKE IT.) It had French doors that led out to a little patio, so I didn't feel boxed-in, but you can't exactly leave those all night. Well, okay, I did all the time. And I'll publicly admit that now, since I no longer live there and feel fairly confident that no one will come looking for me there anymore, but really- that was right up there with driving drunk as far as risky behaviors go.

Anyway...

Now we have more windows than I can shake a fist at. And we're on the 4th floor, so I can leave them open at night, during the day etc without worrying that someone is going to meander into my place unannounced.

So let me just say, after not being able to open a GD window for so long, I am loving fresh air... while I'm inside! Without fear of being stabbed to death by a night stalker!!

And as it were, its unseasonably warm in DC right now, so its just delightful. Until I start thinking that its due to the effects of global warming, and that my grandchildren will have to wear space-suits on the playground to avoid having skin cancer and growing tails by age 3 1/2 if we keep going at this rate...

But hell, for now, I'm a happy girl.


That's about it for now. On a side note, I'd like to throw this out there: I'm thinking about referring to Daphne as "My Bizo" from now on. Thoughts?

Ummm... Chili Mac for Breakfast...

Here is the scene. Its a little after 10:30AM, I've just woken up and have already done some preliminary e-mail checking etc, Daphne is still asleep in her bed in the other room. I've just pulled some re-heated left-overs out of the microwave and I'm trying my best to enjoy the "5-way Chili Mac" from last nights trip to Hard Times for Wing Night, and type at the same time. A challenge, but if anyone can do it, a Registered Dietitian can do it. After all, we ARE experts in food and nutrition...

We got into DC on Tuesday night, arriving from State College. The trip to Pee Ayyy was unplanned and somewhat last minute, but I think it turned out nicely. But lets start at the beginning.

Loyal readers know that I stopped in Ashland, OR on night one. This was somewhat uneventful, as I simply drove down I-5 all day until I got there. I did make one two stops in Oregon. 1) Barnes and Noble in Portland to pick up some books on CD, and 2) Burgerville for a Hazelnut shake, which was fabulous, though technically it was a "Smoothie" because it was made with frozen yoghurt instead of ice cream. All I wanted was a kid's size shake, but they only do those in boring flavors. A full-on Hazelnut shake while delicious, can be a bit much on a poor souls stomach if you know what I mean...

So the girl at the counter swore that the smoothies were easier to handle. The jury is still out on that one.

So I stayed at a Super 8 because they allow dogs for a small fee, and that was that.

Woke up early and made it to Mountainview, CA to stay with Beth and Tim that evening. It was great to see them, even if it was just for a short night. Beth and I took Daphne to a California Dog Park. Daphne felt hip and trendy. Beth felt normal, as she was finally at the dog park with a real live dog. And she make Sloppy Joes from a recipe that someone gave her at a Bridal Shower that were- no joke- out of this world. Pretty sure I've never used that term to describe any food item with the name "sloppy" in it before.

The next morning I was on my way to Nevada or Utah (whichever I could make it to) via Reno. I crossed over the Sierra Nevada Mts with little in the way of ice or snow, but as soon as the coast was really clear and you could actually start driving again, I got a speeding ticket. I was speeding. And it was in Truckee, CA, so I guess I just have to accept it. But now I can say I was pulled over by a CHiPs officer. Would have been a whole lot more fun if it were Ponch and/or John though.

After Reno I had a decision to make: stay on the slightly longer more northern route on the major interstate (which was advised by mapquest), or go in a straight line to Denver, on a state highway through Nevada...

I probably should have chosen the interstate, even if it was a little longer, but I didn't.

About 100 miles into it, having seen absolutely NO signs of life other than the white steaks across the sky from airplanes that let's face it- Could have been on military training missions about ready to drop dummy bombs on me- I started to panic, as I only had a 1/4 tank of gas, and the cell phone reception was spotty (at best).

A few broken/panicked calls to J (as we will now call my live-in life partner, since he has a super secret job and can't be tracked online...) which had me explaining that I was probably going to run out of gas out in the middle of NO WHERE and would then proceed to shrivel up and DIE, also helped me to learn that there was a town with gas about 50 miles away. He even called them and confirmed that they were open...

But would I make it 50 miles... No.

So by the grace of god, after about 20 miles a tiny little middle-of-no-where motel with a gas pump appears in my line of vision... And it was real!

I practically had to pump the gas manually, but I was happy to oblige, and happy to pay the $3.60 a gallon that they were charging. It was there that I learned that Highway 50 is also nicknamed, "The Loneliest Highway in America" and rightly so. Needless to say, I nearly learned the hard way that when driving in unknown places, fill up at every opportunity.

The gal at the motel/gas pump (it really wasn't a gas station, it was just a pump) gave me a map and tried her best to tell me about each bend and turn in the road that was coming up until the Utah border. Which was actually quite helpful later on when things got dark and icy and really curvy.

Her last words were, "And keep an eye out for cattle, because they're really out there!". The entire area was open range land, which gave me a better appreciation for the Old West, and make me understand that the "cow catchers" on old trains were not in fact, just for show.

I made it to Ely, Nevada that night, which I assumed from its bold type on the map was going to be a thriving metropolis. When I got there, it seemed to me more like a Ronald, WA. Only not conveniently neighboring the bustling Rosyln and CleElum.

But there were a few hotels, a some places to get food, and the next town over in Utah was over 100 miles further, so that was my stop for the night. I stayed at a small but clean/comfortable Best Western, and it was so late when I checked in that the gal at the counter didn't even charge me for Daphne. Gold Star for Ely Nevada!

From there I made it all the way to Denver, which was a great drive until the very end, which had me dealing with the Rocky Mountains at night (I had to pay so much attention to driving, that I couldn't even get my John Denver CD's out!) and navigating unexpected exact-change-only toll roads after I got into town.

It is here that I met up with J, we stayed at his sister and her husband's house and I met a large portion of his family. This was largely a blur, as I was really tired from driving, and trying my best to keep track of everyone. Also by the time, Daphne was starting to give me the "Do we live here now?" eyes every time she got out of the car. We stayed two nights in Denver which was a great rejuvenator, and were back on the road again to Kansas City, KS for the next night.

I ate a lot of beef in Kansas City. On recommendation, it was steaks the night we got into town, and a copious amount of BBQ the next day for lunch. Very tasty, but way too much of everything.

The next day, we were likely still in a Beef-Induced haze, as I had the hair-brained idea that maybe we should drive to Chicago after all! Visit Jennifer, have deep dish.... I wasn't noticing however, that it was already 2PM.

So we both agreed it would be fun, and set out toward Chicago. About 3 hours in, we realized that it was going to be another 9 hours of driving, which wouldn't put us into town until well after midnight, and Jennifer had to work the next day. So with great sadness, we aborted the Chicago mission and pressed on to Indianapolis where we found another Super 8.

J and I both agreed that this had to be the worst hotel either one of us had ever stayed in. Period.

It was a non-smoking room that smelled like an ashtray, with cigarette burns in the sheets, pillow cases and curtains. The sheets were threadbare and yellowish, and the towels were just as bad. If it weren't already 2AM, we likely would have had more energy to get our money back and move on, but at the time, it just seemed like too much work. No Gold Star for Indianapolis.

From there we probably could have made it to DC, but we'd already thought about going to visit Lisa in State College, PA as part-two of the "let's drive to Chicago to see Jennifer and get deep dish!" plan, so we continued toward PA, arriving that night just in time to catch the end of the Golden Globes, and get some cheese steaks. We stayed at Lisa's (yes, Daphne stayed there too- unbelievable!) and had breakfast at the Corner Room the next morning before Lisa had to get to work. There we met Lisa's friends and fellow bloggers Josh and Emily (in real life!) and then got back on the road.

We arrived in DC on Tuesday afternoon, hauled my things up to our place and cleaned out my car. So now here I am... Still surrounded by boxes, but making some headway. We bought some hangers last night, so I'll be able to unpack clothes today and hopefully feel a bit more settled in.

Okay- Daphne is officially awake and giving me "let's please go outside.... now!" nudges. So I'm of to walk around the block with her and get some fresh air.


One of these days I'm going to have to actually get a job and go to work everyday. Until then, I'm going to enjoy these lazy mornings :)

Landed... Finally!

I made it! I'm all the way on the other side, in the "Other Washington." I thought I'd be sprightly and full of vigor, ready to take on the world, but after a week of driving and far too many mediocre audio books, I'm just tired and need an actual night's sleep (free of the ash trayesque odors of the Super 8 rooms that claim to be "non-smoking" though they certainly were, at some point, rooms that housed many, many puffs.)

I've got my first load of integrated laundry (AKA "our laundry") going now, and lots of bags/boxes that await the unpacking process that I hope to tee off tomorrow morning at some reasonable hour.

Daphne is tucked-in to bed, sleeping like she's lived here for years and I am going to follow in her foot steps shortly.

Good night from the east coast, I'll write more soon about my first experiences with co-habitation!

Alpen-G

That's from last weekend's quick trip to the Alps. Or Maybe it was Plain, WA? Regardless, the sledding was fantastic.

Just a little reminder that I'm still here, but I've been a little frazzled with packing/cleaning/trip planning in the last few weeks.

But I'm officially on the road now. Dialing in from the Ashland, OR Super 8 to be specific... They allow dogs, for a very fair price. What can I say, Daphne loves this chain.

Off to grab some take-out at an Applebees-like food establishment. My only obligation for the rest of the evening is to be back by 10PM for the premiere episode (and certainly the most dramatic premiere yet...) of this season's Bachelor....

Ta-dahhhhhh!

It's official: I'm moving! I know it, you know it, the American people know it. Even my employer finally knows it!

Moving to a little town called Washington DC, have you heard of it? I went there a few weeks ago to visit this guy I know. I kind of like him, so we found a really great place to live and I'm heading out on the open road with my dog in about two weeks.

My true plan is to have him support me so I can pursue my true passion: making babies and scrapbooking. But alas, I think I should probably have a job- you know, something to fall back on...

Nope, don't have one lined up yet, which is strange for me. This is the first time I'm moving anywhere that isn't just because of a job. Feels kind of weird, kind of nice- but pretty freaky too. Come to think of it, since I graduated from college, I've never taken any actual time off... Just went straight to work and never really stopped. So maybe this will be a good thing.

The job I really wanted, and thought was a perfect fit is now having "funding issues" where the higher ups are apparently trying to rearrange things to avoid hiring on an additional person. Its in negotiation now, but things don't look good. These are the aspects of the public health world that I'd forgotten all about.... "funding issues."

So, rather than fret about it, I'm just going to enjoy my morning Bloody Mary at my desk at work this morning (yes, there actually are a few things that I will really miss about my current industry!), which will hopefully segue into some libations throughout the weekend that involve the words, "Nog," "toddy," and "rum."

Happy Holidays to all, or "Merry Christmas" if that suits you better. It's all the same to me.

And if you know of anyone who wants to hire a fabulous Registered Dietitian/Stock Broker in the DC Metro area, please be sure to drop my name!

Always Be Cobbling

Ahhhh... big sigh of relief. I have been frantically searching for an online clip of this SNL sketch for the past two weeks since it aired. If you've never seen Glengarry Glen Ross, then you probably won't find it to be comic genius. If you have, you'll likely agree that it is one of the best sketches of all time. ONE of the best- I'd be hard pressed to name a single best sketch. I can think of several that could compete for the spot of worst though...

Okay- on with the show: Enjoy!
http://youtube.com/watch.php?v=b1V3pb3hnRY&search=snl%20alec%20baldwin




(and if you want to watch a few clips of the original, you can see them piece by piece here.

The Dickens Caroler: Friend or Foe?

I’ve noticed lately that there are fewer and fewer things in this world on which I do not have an opinion. The Dickens Caroler concept is one of them. On one hand I love Christmas, Christmas music and all things Christmasy. Their musical quality is generally quite good, and a general admiration for performance art is called for in most social circles. But on the other hand, there’s just something about them that’s a little weird. I often feel as if they should turn the volume down on their stage-friendly facial expressions. And they generally remind me of the girls that used to walk down the halls of Evergreen Junior High singing “Wind Beneath My Wings” in an over-processed three part harmony.


And so my clever reader, I put the ball in your court. Discuss.