Back to Reality pt.3
2 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 15 January 2009 at 1/15/2009 12:38:00 pm.
In Photos!
I consider this a "Top 10 in Pictures" of all the "Bests" of 4 weeks back home.
here we go...
Best Newcomer on my Scene:
My bff has a new bf. He's the adorable one there on the left, KK. And me and the HG don't look to shabby on his arm, no? Washington, DC.
Best Reunion:
Best Music:
Best Night Out:
Best Comedy Routine:
Best Workout:
I consider this a "Top 10 in Pictures" of all the "Bests" of 4 weeks back home.
here we go...
Best Newcomer on my Scene:
My bff has a new bf. He's the adorable one there on the left, KK. And me and the HG don't look to shabby on his arm, no? Washington, DC.
Best Reunion:
Of all the people we came across on the great trek, we spent the most time with Brandon. Believe it or not, we hadn't seen each other for appx 14 years. Kansas City, MO.
Best Food:
Damn, this was a hard one. But there's nothing better than a simple pulled pork shoulder sandwich, Memphis style, swimming in Central's BBQ sauce, with cole slaw, on a bun. Memphis, TN.
Best Music:
We just *happened* to pick up this amateur act at one of the many blues clubs on Beale St. They're called the Grant Garland Trio, they're all babies (I swear they're 19 or something), and this kid wails like Stevie Ray Vaughan. Memphis, TN.
Best Night Out:
A New Year's Eve to remember for all times. Man I laughed my ass off in that cigar bar! And as Brandon put it: "I even remembered it in the morning"! Me & my mates in the French 1/4. Or as Pete puts it: "the French 1/3rd". New Orleans, LA.
Best Comedy Routine:
Rowdy Texan Bella Adela & Virginia's Finest S.D.Pete aka Bean. These guys were the laughter therapy that I needed, after a stressful year and even more chaotic Christmas. We're still mourning the fact that Adelly's hubby couldn't come, but these 2 were plenty. Seriously, my belly ached. I could never possibly get enough of them. New Orleans, LA.
Best State:
Virginia! It's for Lovers! This is one state I hadn't spent enough time in, til this trip. I was all like "hey! there's life outside of the Beltway!" Mountains, beach, small towns, big cities, etc. It's got it all. I could consider living here. Lynchburg, VA.
Best Travelling Companions:
The Mr. and Jéan aka GBFJ. After countless Super 8s and drinkies in styrofoam cups, nary a cruel word was said nor a nose out of joint. Low Maintenance Grand Central. I swear travelling doesn't get easier than these 2 guys. It doesn't hurt that we all have similar interests.... or that I'm sleeping with one of them. Natural Bridge, VA.
Best Workout:I went on about 6 runs during the trip, and did a gym workout or 2, but the day that the Mr. and GBFJ hiked this trail (and I ran it ahead of them) in the Appalachains, was definitely the best. I'd never run mountains before and this day I just let loose and did about 9 miles (uphill & down) and it was awesome. At one point I was less than 1 metre from a little bambi deer. It was an amazing run. The Shenandoah, VA.
Best Hospitality:
This here is SheofDC (5th floor) and Andrew (2nd floor). Between the 2 of them, they put me & the Mr. and GBFJ up for a few nights in one of Adams Morgan's poshest, lovliest apartment buildings. Honestly, sleeping in til 10am and laying in SheofDC's pillowtop-mattress-bed watching her ComCast-OnDemand-DVR-thingy play a Flight of the Conchords or CSI marathon is probably my new vision of heaven. Washington, DC.
Back to Reality pt.2
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 13 January 2009 at 1/13/2009 07:45:00 am.
There were lots of successes in the big ol' trip. One main one was that I survived 6 days at my parents house with NO AGGRO. That might not seem like much to the rest of the planet, but I haven't had spent time with my parents without any aggro since... what... I was 12???? All I know was that it was a combination of 2 things. Everyone growing up, and compromising. I'll be the first one to admit that I have not exactly reached the pinnacle of the QSI, but I'm getting there. Being positive and taking the high road helps a lot. Planning early also helped, I think... have a strategy and put it to work. It also makes other people do the same, I guess. It reminds me of that episode of My Name is Earl where Earl realizes that if he goes back and makes up for stealing his ex-gf's prosthetic leg, and helps his other ex-gf flip her trailer right-side-up again, then his current wife will buy him lemonade and lemon cream cakes.
Anyway the other success was the Mr. and his time there. I have a whole new husband, one that is relaxed and rejuvenated. We had the best time ever and it was such a positive impact on "us" because it was a full 4 weeks of nothing but what WE wanted to do, and relaxing. Not one of those typical holidays where you spend 2 days getting there and back, and one week trying to relax, but only about 2 days of actual relaxing before it's all over. This was full-fledged HOLIDAY.
AND he got along with all my friends really well (well, DUH!)... I'm mainly talking about those he hadn't met yet, most of them he had. It made me feel really good when I asked him (after we got back) who he missed the most and he said probably Brandon. "I finally felt like I had a best friend again" which I thought was sweet. ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh how I just wish I could import all my buddies to BW. Then everything would just be all rock n' roll, all the time!!! Or is that just naive??
Anyway the other success was the Mr. and his time there. I have a whole new husband, one that is relaxed and rejuvenated. We had the best time ever and it was such a positive impact on "us" because it was a full 4 weeks of nothing but what WE wanted to do, and relaxing. Not one of those typical holidays where you spend 2 days getting there and back, and one week trying to relax, but only about 2 days of actual relaxing before it's all over. This was full-fledged HOLIDAY.
AND he got along with all my friends really well (well, DUH!)... I'm mainly talking about those he hadn't met yet, most of them he had. It made me feel really good when I asked him (after we got back) who he missed the most and he said probably Brandon. "I finally felt like I had a best friend again" which I thought was sweet. ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh how I just wish I could import all my buddies to BW. Then everything would just be all rock n' roll, all the time!!! Or is that just naive??
Labels: mi familia, mis amigos, QSI, xmas 08
Back to Reality pt.1
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 12 January 2009 at 1/12/2009 12:16:00 pm.
Since one of my New Year's resolutions is to work harder and face work with a more positive attitude, I'm going to have to make this one short because I have made an appointment with L. that I'm going to be punctual about keeping. But I wanted to do some more reflecting after getting back and finally getting some rest (albeit jetlagged rest, i.e. waking up for no reason at 4:30 am and not being able to get back to sleep, etc - 4 nights in a row now).
Right, so in a whirlwind the way we finished the holiday after Memphis (which the Mr. was a really big fan of, as far as US cities go, btw), was to cruise down to New Orleans, have a great New Years down there with Pete, Adelly, Jéan, Brandon, and the Mr. This deserves more mention, but I'm in fast mode here.
After that, the above-mentioned J man and the Mr. and I cruised on through Mississippi, Alabama (ate some wicket cheap bbq), over to Pensecola Florida, back into Alabama (Super 8 in Opelika and amazing mexican food in the parking lot), up through Georgia, into North Carolina (pit stop overnight at Mike's in Greensboro), into Virginia (Quality Inn in Waynesboro, fabulous Learf red wine out of plastic cups to celebrate the Quality), up through the Shenandoah with some hiking to boot, and finally landed back at SheofDC's pad in DC. After showing J. around our lovely capital city for a day and a half (with the obligatory feast at Ben's Chili Bowl, and tapas at Jalero), we dropped him back at the airport to fly off to Scotland, and the Mr. and I spent our last day of the trip with our favorite couple and bff the HG & her K. Definitely the best way to end the best holiday ever.
I have lots of highlights I want to write about but that will have to come one at a time between short bursts of work.
One highlight which segues nicely into my plunge back into life here however, is a story Brandon told me about this lackey he had at work, who needed to carry a little notebook around with him 24/7 in order to write down ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING that people told him to do, in order to remember stuff and not fail at everything. The moral of that story is that it works, and that even you can grow up to be a dependable sherriff....? Well, my first purchase since I've been back in town, is one of those "idiot notebooks". It's small enough to fit in my palm, and I'm keeping one for personal life and using my work diary (calendar) for work life. The year of the lists! Fingers crossed this might just be what I need to not be miserably confused, bamboozled, disorganized, and a pain in my husband's corn hole in 2009.
Labels: xmas 08
Back in town again
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 10 January 2009 at 1/10/2009 10:51:00 pm.
it's almost 1 am on saturday night and I can tell I'm missing the USA because I'm actually watching Baltimore vs. Tennessee on the ESPN football wrapup. hmmm... interesting.
Alan picked us up at Joburg yesterday, we went back to his place and went to O Basket for dinner and then tried to watch the Dark Knight but the Mr. and I kept falling asleep. Then we went to bed at midnight and slept til 3am. till some joker a-hole decided to ring my cellphone and woke us up. then we couldn't get back to sleep. so we watched video ipod episodes of Scrubs til 7am and then actually fell asleep til 11. damn! that's not gonna help for going to sleep at a decent hour tonight. oh well. thank god we've got tonight and tomorrow before having to be back in order for work monday. my travel tip for jetlag avoidance: always return on a friday!
anyway, I won't write the whole 9 yards now, but I will say that returning is bittersweet... why? because I had such a fantastic holiday that I didn't want it to end. I'll be honest, I dont want to go to work monday, but as 2009 is the year of positivity, I'll just focus on the fact that I missed the puppies and couldnt wait to see them, and it's nice to be not-cold again.
although I am in a bit of a post-holiday stupor. I'm confounded. Like, sitting here on the couch I'll think "hmmm, why am I so hot??" totally forgetting that it's summer. here.
and all the tv commercials are different... like, where's the Snuggie infomercial? and the "wow" shammy-sponge-thing?
anyway, it'll take me ages to type out all that I have to type post-trip, but I'll try to get it all out there as soon as I can. In short = it was brilliant. But I realized I really like my friends over yonder and will miss them so much for quite awhile now. :(
Alan picked us up at Joburg yesterday, we went back to his place and went to O Basket for dinner and then tried to watch the Dark Knight but the Mr. and I kept falling asleep. Then we went to bed at midnight and slept til 3am. till some joker a-hole decided to ring my cellphone and woke us up. then we couldn't get back to sleep. so we watched video ipod episodes of Scrubs til 7am and then actually fell asleep til 11. damn! that's not gonna help for going to sleep at a decent hour tonight. oh well. thank god we've got tonight and tomorrow before having to be back in order for work monday. my travel tip for jetlag avoidance: always return on a friday!
anyway, I won't write the whole 9 yards now, but I will say that returning is bittersweet... why? because I had such a fantastic holiday that I didn't want it to end. I'll be honest, I dont want to go to work monday, but as 2009 is the year of positivity, I'll just focus on the fact that I missed the puppies and couldnt wait to see them, and it's nice to be not-cold again.
although I am in a bit of a post-holiday stupor. I'm confounded. Like, sitting here on the couch I'll think "hmmm, why am I so hot??" totally forgetting that it's summer. here.
and all the tv commercials are different... like, where's the Snuggie infomercial? and the "wow" shammy-sponge-thing?
anyway, it'll take me ages to type out all that I have to type post-trip, but I'll try to get it all out there as soon as I can. In short = it was brilliant. But I realized I really like my friends over yonder and will miss them so much for quite awhile now. :(
Labels: xmas 08
Whenever I'm back in Memphis it's funny - I lived here during college for awhile, and I typically have an amazing geographical memory but for some reason I'm totally lost for the first few hours. This place changes dramatically all the damn time.
Anyway I'm glad we're staying at the posh ol' Comfort Inn in downtown - it's great, central, and wireless.
I miss it when I'm here, but I remember when I lived here I missed every place else. Typical me.
So the last few days were great, but it was time to go. Even though there's always 1000000 other things to do and people that didn't get seen, etc. I can catagorically say, however, that even with our few frustrations here and there, this was by far the most successful trip home I've made (family-wise) ever. Probably the least eventful and least painful ever. My concessions and patience re: the mominator payed off in spades and my tight micro-management of every single day on the schedule enabled us to spend only minimal time in the house around the potential dynamite situations that loom around the place. I consider it a winning trip back to the parents. At last! Here is the Mr's take on it all.
The flu that hit us the last couple days of our time there were a bummer, and the Mr. is still feeling "off", but we didn't let it ruin anything. Mainly because it was xmas day that it was at it's worst, and we had nothing planned that day outside of the fambly 'do. But it kinda took away a few restaurant trips that had been anticipated with excitement, until you're sitting at the table and looking at melted cheese and little balls of sausage going "eeewwww I'm gonna hurl!"
Last night we listened to a few blues bands and downed a few southern comforts on Beale after dinner (soul food - the Mr's first ever - and with a rumbly tumbly he didn't quite "absorb" the 100% dreaminess of chicken fried steak, gravy, greens, mac & cheese, and bbq beans), which helped fill the No-Live-Music-Ever void of our last 5-er-some-odd years.
Tomorrow it's off to Nawrlins which I'm excited about. Hope all goes smoothly, hope no one gets cranky, hope it's everything we're all dreaming of. I really don't want this month to end, that's for sure. As soon as me and the Mr and J. get in the car to drive northward on the 2nd it's gonna be the official LAST LEG of my vacation. :'( I'm dreading it!!
Anyway I'm glad we're staying at the posh ol' Comfort Inn in downtown - it's great, central, and wireless.
I miss it when I'm here, but I remember when I lived here I missed every place else. Typical me.
So the last few days were great, but it was time to go. Even though there's always 1000000 other things to do and people that didn't get seen, etc. I can catagorically say, however, that even with our few frustrations here and there, this was by far the most successful trip home I've made (family-wise) ever. Probably the least eventful and least painful ever. My concessions and patience re: the mominator payed off in spades and my tight micro-management of every single day on the schedule enabled us to spend only minimal time in the house around the potential dynamite situations that loom around the place. I consider it a winning trip back to the parents. At last! Here is the Mr's take on it all.
The flu that hit us the last couple days of our time there were a bummer, and the Mr. is still feeling "off", but we didn't let it ruin anything. Mainly because it was xmas day that it was at it's worst, and we had nothing planned that day outside of the fambly 'do. But it kinda took away a few restaurant trips that had been anticipated with excitement, until you're sitting at the table and looking at melted cheese and little balls of sausage going "eeewwww I'm gonna hurl!"
Last night we listened to a few blues bands and downed a few southern comforts on Beale after dinner (soul food - the Mr's first ever - and with a rumbly tumbly he didn't quite "absorb" the 100% dreaminess of chicken fried steak, gravy, greens, mac & cheese, and bbq beans), which helped fill the No-Live-Music-Ever void of our last 5-er-some-odd years.
Tomorrow it's off to Nawrlins which I'm excited about. Hope all goes smoothly, hope no one gets cranky, hope it's everything we're all dreaming of. I really don't want this month to end, that's for sure. As soon as me and the Mr and J. get in the car to drive northward on the 2nd it's gonna be the official LAST LEG of my vacation. :'( I'm dreading it!!
Labels: xmas 08
Holiday diary: Week 2 (or is it?)
1 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 24 December 2008 at 12/24/2008 05:29:00 am.
Not really sure where I left off but what I do know is that HELL YEAH my laptop is finally connecting with the wireless network in this house!!!
SO Thursday was spent hanging out in the office of brandon (after experiencing THE MALL in my hometown - which still sucks, but is yet still the only mall in this booming town???) bothering him and taking the world's best office tour. Then onto The Posh Grocery Store in town with him and the Mr. where I proceeded to be my obnoxious usual grocery shopping self (yes it DOES take at least an hour to buy 10 ingredients). Then we hung out at his place cooking chilli.
Friday = drive to KC, do some fambly stuff that night, stay in b&b with the rents
Saturday = more fambly stuff with the g'parents/cousins, then dinner out with brandon & his posse who were all very cool and easy to get along with. Followed by trip to the (loud horrible sterile) irish pub with the cousins.
Sunday = insanely frigid trip to Mecca (the stadium) inclusive of tailgating in 2 degree weather (that's like minus 40 in metric) with B., the Mr., the bwudda, his new gf, and 3 of B's friends. It was so cold I can't even describe it. Feet = falling off. Exposed skin = frostbitten. Snot = frozen.
I dont even know what else to say about that except for that it was awesome due to the fact this was like my life-long dream. And of course my team failed me but hey, it was once in a lifetime.
Monday = awesome day. Did everything in the world. Literally. Did EVERYTHing there is to do in the WORLD. Woke up, said good bye to cousins/g'parents/etc. B picked us up and we drove to the Harley-Davidson museum. Took an excellent tour. Drove to Famous Dave's BBQ. Ate. Shopped at Cabelas. Spent good quality bonding time in the car bugging the CRAP out of b. all up and down the interstate for a couple hours solid. Got dropped off in the COU to be met by Johnny who then promptly shuffled us off to the hometown, his 5-yr old in tow. Catch-up-on-the-last-10-years-time in the car. Get to the winery back home, meet up with the Mer. 2 hours of catch up with her and Johnny until 5-y.o. hits expiery date. J&kid head back home to the COU. The Mer & us continue. Listening to band of old buddy Dave at the winery at the same time. Major multi-tasking going on here.... "hi dave!" between sets "so where did we last leave off.... '97?" with Mer. "baby are you doing ok?" to the Mr. Finally Brandon makes it in. The gig is over. We migrate across town to the pub. More catching up. Less multi-tasking (thanks to B who gets quality bonding time with the Mr.), no drinking. Sick. cant swallow. Leave.
Tuesday = that's today. Wake up. Run over to the BFFs house to say hi and welcome back into town. Run home before the mominator knows we're gone. Aunt/Uncle rock up at 11. Big fambly feast all day. 6pm they leave. I run errands. Swing by T&S's house to pick up present. Awesome present. Huge thing for the office to hang on the wall. Our logo involved. Hard to explain. Swing by Mike "hi! howzit! I'm sick! gotta go!" Wal-mart. Last presents. home. gotta rip cds. gotta install new ipod thingy in the running shoes. Bwudda man sick as a dog, puking in the front yard. (not drunk - just sick) like me. like the Mr. we's all damn sick. late. DOH! lunch tomorrow in the COU - gotta call about 10 people. Cant! it's frickin midnight! DOH! holy poop! and the thingy isnt in the shoes yet and i gotta do the treadmill in the morning and.... oh jeez here comes the Mr. and it's gonna be bedtime.
TBC
SO Thursday was spent hanging out in the office of brandon (after experiencing THE MALL in my hometown - which still sucks, but is yet still the only mall in this booming town???) bothering him and taking the world's best office tour. Then onto The Posh Grocery Store in town with him and the Mr. where I proceeded to be my obnoxious usual grocery shopping self (yes it DOES take at least an hour to buy 10 ingredients). Then we hung out at his place cooking chilli.
Friday = drive to KC, do some fambly stuff that night, stay in b&b with the rents
Saturday = more fambly stuff with the g'parents/cousins, then dinner out with brandon & his posse who were all very cool and easy to get along with. Followed by trip to the (loud horrible sterile) irish pub with the cousins.
Sunday = insanely frigid trip to Mecca (the stadium) inclusive of tailgating in 2 degree weather (that's like minus 40 in metric) with B., the Mr., the bwudda, his new gf, and 3 of B's friends. It was so cold I can't even describe it. Feet = falling off. Exposed skin = frostbitten. Snot = frozen.
I dont even know what else to say about that except for that it was awesome due to the fact this was like my life-long dream. And of course my team failed me but hey, it was once in a lifetime.
Monday = awesome day. Did everything in the world. Literally. Did EVERYTHing there is to do in the WORLD. Woke up, said good bye to cousins/g'parents/etc. B picked us up and we drove to the Harley-Davidson museum. Took an excellent tour. Drove to Famous Dave's BBQ. Ate. Shopped at Cabelas. Spent good quality bonding time in the car bugging the CRAP out of b. all up and down the interstate for a couple hours solid. Got dropped off in the COU to be met by Johnny who then promptly shuffled us off to the hometown, his 5-yr old in tow. Catch-up-on-the-last-10-years-time in the car. Get to the winery back home, meet up with the Mer. 2 hours of catch up with her and Johnny until 5-y.o. hits expiery date. J&kid head back home to the COU. The Mer & us continue. Listening to band of old buddy Dave at the winery at the same time. Major multi-tasking going on here.... "hi dave!" between sets "so where did we last leave off.... '97?" with Mer. "baby are you doing ok?" to the Mr. Finally Brandon makes it in. The gig is over. We migrate across town to the pub. More catching up. Less multi-tasking (thanks to B who gets quality bonding time with the Mr.), no drinking. Sick. cant swallow. Leave.
Tuesday = that's today. Wake up. Run over to the BFFs house to say hi and welcome back into town. Run home before the mominator knows we're gone. Aunt/Uncle rock up at 11. Big fambly feast all day. 6pm they leave. I run errands. Swing by T&S's house to pick up present. Awesome present. Huge thing for the office to hang on the wall. Our logo involved. Hard to explain. Swing by Mike "hi! howzit! I'm sick! gotta go!" Wal-mart. Last presents. home. gotta rip cds. gotta install new ipod thingy in the running shoes. Bwudda man sick as a dog, puking in the front yard. (not drunk - just sick) like me. like the Mr. we's all damn sick. late. DOH! lunch tomorrow in the COU - gotta call about 10 people. Cant! it's frickin midnight! DOH! holy poop! and the thingy isnt in the shoes yet and i gotta do the treadmill in the morning and.... oh jeez here comes the Mr. and it's gonna be bedtime.
TBC
Labels: xmas 08
Holiday Diary: the first week
1 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 18 December 2008 at 12/18/2008 03:34:00 pm.
This is just to prove that I did it and survived.
Thursday 11th: Arrive DC 7am. Get picked up by Amanda, shuffled back to her house for coffee and more coffee and more coffee... and cinnamon baked goods and a good healthy dose of motor-mouthing.
Get deposited at the train line around 12, before she has to go to work.
Train into DC, bus up to AdMO, break into SheofDC's apartment and start making phone calls.
6pm: go to SheofDC's gym with her, work out.
8pm: back to the 'partment, eat greek food with Andrew & SheofDC.
Friday 12th: Lunch with El Wingnut in her hood (cheap ass tacos). Mega catch-up. Walk straight down to Happy Hour with SheofDC & the HG & random assorted people at Mai Thai. Dinner with same crowd at Malaysian restaurant at M & 18th.
Saturday: Free workout class with SheofDC's personal trainer in Georgetown. Get ass beat down. Then lunch with El Wingnut & the new husband at the Diner back in AdMo. Then off to the 'burbs with the HG & her new (unbelievably gorgeous & lovely) BF, but not until after drinks at Grill from Iponema and dinner at 2Amys (Napoli style pizza to rival Shakes in columbia!).
Sunday: Wake up, drink coffee with the HG & gorgeouslovelybf in their laundry room, then off to racquetball courts for the boys to play while we piss off and go walking. Then there was this whole Fractured Prune thing which I recommend exercising EXTREME caution when partaking of... and later dinner at a fantastic Indian restaurant, and then saw Four Christmases at the cinemar. It was funny! Dwight Yokam was in it! I can't help it, I love xmas movies at xmas.
Monday: start driving. allllllllll the way through the entire state of West Virginia (the Mr. enjoyed very much) and into Kentucky (the snow and ice was NOT cool, but we made it). Only just made it to Morehead. Ate at Ponderosa. The Mr had his mind boggled by THE BUFFET BAR. "you mean you can just go back over and over and over??"
Tuesday: back to driving. More Kentucky, more Indiana, more Illinois, more Missouri. Home before 7, but not before dropping by Brandon to say HOWZIT! and drink a beer and piss off again. Rendezvous with the fam and the bro and the bro's new gf, eat dinner, hang out, go to bed, feel a little eerie sleeping in that room with all the pink. eew.
Wednesday: Run on the greenway (in the snow), lunch at the deli with the Brandon, dinner with T&S and dessert back at their place, home, kick it with the drunken bwudda at the 'rents, and that was that.
OK and I'm still alive and still no aggro. Amazing! Perhaps scheduling yourself right down to 5-minute intervals is the way to go. No time to hate.
Thursday 11th: Arrive DC 7am. Get picked up by Amanda, shuffled back to her house for coffee and more coffee and more coffee... and cinnamon baked goods and a good healthy dose of motor-mouthing.
Get deposited at the train line around 12, before she has to go to work.
Train into DC, bus up to AdMO, break into SheofDC's apartment and start making phone calls.
6pm: go to SheofDC's gym with her, work out.
8pm: back to the 'partment, eat greek food with Andrew & SheofDC.
Friday 12th: Lunch with El Wingnut in her hood (cheap ass tacos). Mega catch-up. Walk straight down to Happy Hour with SheofDC & the HG & random assorted people at Mai Thai. Dinner with same crowd at Malaysian restaurant at M & 18th.
Saturday: Free workout class with SheofDC's personal trainer in Georgetown. Get ass beat down. Then lunch with El Wingnut & the new husband at the Diner back in AdMo. Then off to the 'burbs with the HG & her new (unbelievably gorgeous & lovely) BF, but not until after drinks at Grill from Iponema and dinner at 2Amys (Napoli style pizza to rival Shakes in columbia!).
Sunday: Wake up, drink coffee with the HG & gorgeouslovelybf in their laundry room, then off to racquetball courts for the boys to play while we piss off and go walking. Then there was this whole Fractured Prune thing which I recommend exercising EXTREME caution when partaking of... and later dinner at a fantastic Indian restaurant, and then saw Four Christmases at the cinemar. It was funny! Dwight Yokam was in it! I can't help it, I love xmas movies at xmas.
Monday: start driving. allllllllll the way through the entire state of West Virginia (the Mr. enjoyed very much) and into Kentucky (the snow and ice was NOT cool, but we made it). Only just made it to Morehead. Ate at Ponderosa. The Mr had his mind boggled by THE BUFFET BAR. "you mean you can just go back over and over and over??"
Tuesday: back to driving. More Kentucky, more Indiana, more Illinois, more Missouri. Home before 7, but not before dropping by Brandon to say HOWZIT! and drink a beer and piss off again. Rendezvous with the fam and the bro and the bro's new gf, eat dinner, hang out, go to bed, feel a little eerie sleeping in that room with all the pink. eew.
Wednesday: Run on the greenway (in the snow), lunch at the deli with the Brandon, dinner with T&S and dessert back at their place, home, kick it with the drunken bwudda at the 'rents, and that was that.
OK and I'm still alive and still no aggro. Amazing! Perhaps scheduling yourself right down to 5-minute intervals is the way to go. No time to hate.
Labels: xmas 08
Notes from the cold country
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 17 December 2008 at 12/17/2008 10:18:00 pm.
After 2 days of driving across the frozen states of WV and KY, we're now in MO and sitting at the 'rents house. This is after 4 glorious days in my favourite metro area of the eastern US, DC. We had a great time eating and hanging with the DC posses. Highlight probably had to be meeting the Mr. of HG. Not only is he gorgeous but he's a total 10 in every aspect, and makes a damn good cup of coffee. Actually so does Amanda (my school friend who fetched us in the airport).
I'm not sure what I wanted to write here, so maybe I'll try again when I think of something.
Everything has been fabulous so far, with very low levels of aggro. awesome.
AND I'm still fit. 4 workouts so far in 1 week. That's pretty good for being on holiday. OK but the running in the snow thing today was a bit much. Horrible, actually. But excellent once it was over.
So far the biggest problem I'm experiencing is dragging the laptop halfway across the globe only to get NO LOVE WHATSOEVER from any wireless network that we've encountered. WTF!? I have a wireless connection, but can't get on the internet.... HUH!? I need IT help *now*.
I'm not sure what I wanted to write here, so maybe I'll try again when I think of something.
Everything has been fabulous so far, with very low levels of aggro. awesome.
AND I'm still fit. 4 workouts so far in 1 week. That's pretty good for being on holiday. OK but the running in the snow thing today was a bit much. Horrible, actually. But excellent once it was over.
So far the biggest problem I'm experiencing is dragging the laptop halfway across the globe only to get NO LOVE WHATSOEVER from any wireless network that we've encountered. WTF!? I have a wireless connection, but can't get on the internet.... HUH!? I need IT help *now*.
Labels: xmas 08
Tis the Season to be Planny
0 Comments Published by Oh Wayward One on 03 December 2008 at 12/03/2008 12:02:00 pm.
I have officially got a schedule with no empty space in it.
OK well there are some "pencilled" entries, but no empties. But I'm feeling awfully organized, and Plan A of my "avoid the aggro" strategy regarding bridging the gap between
Actually Enjoying my Holiday <-----and-----> Seeing all/Doing all/Pleasing all
has worked quite well so far - that being: Send completely full (semi-doctored) schedule to the Fam, (including all minute details right down to "23 December: Between 10:00-11:30 - Coffee with HG" and "18 December: from 5:30pm - late - Cooking Chilli for Tailgate party with Brandon") and announce that all timeslots have officially been filled. Thereby hoping to avoid any potential occurrences of "but we scheduled lunch out with your brother and New GF!!" Where ever there was a day that I actually haven't INKED (per se) something in officially, I just put those people's names in that I do intend to see, somehow, on one of those days (e.g. "Shakespeares with SK", and "Bottle Rockets concert with JB") so as to convey "I will be doing this", even if the actual dates might vary.
I (surprisingly) got back only one response with a potential glitch, that being the Aunt/Uncle unit from "the other side" of the family are arriving at noon, nay not 2pm as I had guessed, for our xmas with them on the 23rd. Which meant one of my lunches with the BFF got bumped back to brunch, but hey, tis the season to hold negotiations. I'm fine with that. Coffee/Lunch/Happy Hour/Dinner, it's all the same to me, I just wanna see my friends & relax.
Last night we made a humble effort to pull our heads out of the dead puppy depression and tried our darndest to have a nice night with no tears or gloom. It worked pretty well and it was lovely and romantic even. First of all, we left the office at the UNPRECEDENTED hour of 5:20pm (begging forgiveness from SheofDC for dumping the gchat! we're talking Once-in-a-Lifetime-Miracle here!) meaning we were home by 6 after the grocery store where we got the makings of a dinner that the Mr. has been craving: homemade burgers and corn on the cob. I made it while he broke out the xmas decor, and we dined outside on the stoep before putting up the tree and making the house festive (and listening to our ONE, LONE, PATHETIC CD of xmas music). Sure we'll be gone, but Eric is gonna house/dog sit for us so we wanted him to have some Christmas cheer. He comes from a background where this would never have been a tradition, let alone afforded, so literally the concept of "decked halls" is one he's only ever seen in Hollywood Movies, and he's just completely over the freakin' moon about it!
I feel like all is heading in the direction of "good in the world" again, and am very much looking forward to next week. Well, with the exception of that whole FINAL EXAM DAY-thing on monday... eish! Some one have a margarita on ice for me!! 6pm C.A.T. please, in the parking lot of the British Council, please. With MY NAME ON IT, please!!!!!!!
OK well there are some "pencilled" entries, but no empties. But I'm feeling awfully organized, and Plan A of my "avoid the aggro" strategy regarding bridging the gap between
Actually Enjoying my Holiday <-----and-----> Seeing all/Doing all/Pleasing all
has worked quite well so far - that being: Send completely full (semi-doctored) schedule to the Fam, (including all minute details right down to "23 December: Between 10:00-11:30 - Coffee with HG" and "18 December: from 5:30pm - late - Cooking Chilli for Tailgate party with Brandon") and announce that all timeslots have officially been filled. Thereby hoping to avoid any potential occurrences of "but we scheduled lunch out with your brother and New GF!!" Where ever there was a day that I actually haven't INKED (per se) something in officially, I just put those people's names in that I do intend to see, somehow, on one of those days (e.g. "Shakespeares with SK", and "Bottle Rockets concert with JB") so as to convey "I will be doing this", even if the actual dates might vary.
I (surprisingly) got back only one response with a potential glitch, that being the Aunt/Uncle unit from "the other side" of the family are arriving at noon, nay not 2pm as I had guessed, for our xmas with them on the 23rd. Which meant one of my lunches with the BFF got bumped back to brunch, but hey, tis the season to hold negotiations. I'm fine with that. Coffee/Lunch/Happy Hour/Dinner, it's all the same to me, I just wanna see my friends & relax.
Last night we made a humble effort to pull our heads out of the dead puppy depression and tried our darndest to have a nice night with no tears or gloom. It worked pretty well and it was lovely and romantic even. First of all, we left the office at the UNPRECEDENTED hour of 5:20pm (begging forgiveness from SheofDC for dumping the gchat! we're talking Once-in-a-Lifetime-Miracle here!) meaning we were home by 6 after the grocery store where we got the makings of a dinner that the Mr. has been craving: homemade burgers and corn on the cob. I made it while he broke out the xmas decor, and we dined outside on the stoep before putting up the tree and making the house festive (and listening to our ONE, LONE, PATHETIC CD of xmas music). Sure we'll be gone, but Eric is gonna house/dog sit for us so we wanted him to have some Christmas cheer. He comes from a background where this would never have been a tradition, let alone afforded, so literally the concept of "decked halls" is one he's only ever seen in Hollywood Movies, and he's just completely over the freakin' moon about it!
I feel like all is heading in the direction of "good in the world" again, and am very much looking forward to next week. Well, with the exception of that whole FINAL EXAM DAY-thing on monday... eish! Some one have a margarita on ice for me!! 6pm C.A.T. please, in the parking lot of the British Council, please. With MY NAME ON IT, please!!!!!!!
Labels: xmas 08
