Wednesday Randoms

Last WRs of 2011!

I'd have to verify it for sure, but I believe the birth of your favorite weekly blog post was sometime last April or May.  I tried my best not to miss one since then and I don't think I did (is anyone really going to check me on this?)

• I don't think I've ever witnessed anyone complain at Wawa. It must be the land of happiness, or the most perfect retail concept ever designed. I've been to one location or another thousands of times, and not once have I ever heard anyone complain. You know why? It's probably because their logo is a Canada goose. This is coming from a huge bird lover, mind you. But really, Wawa is amazing. Their hoagies can't touch Lee's or Primo, but that chocolate milk is soooo good.
• Christmas... was great! Got a few new toys, some that are fun, some that are functional, some that sparkle and have such important meaning. I loved them all. I was just as pleased, if not more, at the gifts I gave. I put a good amount of thought into picking the right things, and it's pretty rewarding to see someone appreciate your thought and effort. So sad it's over though... and again we begin the countdown until next year so I can my yearly fix of 'It's a Wonderful Life'.
• I DLed this app called 'My Horse', where you have a virtual horse you care for and feed and enter in competitions and muck the stall. It's absolutely ridiculous, but I've been playing it for a few minutes and when it's grazing out in the pasture, there are birds in the background, meanwhile my birds are going crazzzy listening ot them. (Should I mention there's clean dishes that need putting away and here I am uploading a pic of a virtual horse to my random blog)

Here's my horse! Quite an affordable alternative to regular equestrian activities (but not even close to the same. Do you think I'm nuts yet?)

• A well deserved break from Job2 for a little. Ended 2011 with an easy Bailey's promo at an Irish bar in Philly. January tends to be slow, the weather is unpredictable, and midway through the fiscal year means budgets are still getting sorted out. Then Guinness hits hard in February and rolls right into March... and the cycle begins again...
• Olive Garden needs to get served for their joke of a performance the other night. We went there based solely on convenience of location and long story short, they dropped the ball on the food, took forever, and the server tried to buy our happiness at the end by giving us a cup full of those Andes mints they stick in the leather thing that holds the bill. (It worked, we didn't take it out on his tip) I was writing my masterpiece, expressing my displeasure via OGs website when my PC suddenly had to perform a random 'restart' and I lost the entire thing! ugh! Maybe after this entry I'll give it another shot.
• I laid on an $11,000 mattress set this week and it was incredible! Makes my junko bed feel like a rock covered with spikes.
• I'm praying the gym isn't going to be packed with workout wannabes after January 1. Hurry up and get over with winter, I need to run outside again!

WRs will see you next year... 2012 might be the year we go big time! (Probably not)

Merry Christmas!

Last night I watched my favorite Christmas movie 'It's a Wonderful Life' and after one last dinner today, Christmas will be nearly over. I thoroughly enjoyed the holidays this year, and the entire month of December. The live tree is still looking good in my house, the cookies I baked are long gone, and plenty of wrapping paper was used to wrap all my special gifts (instead of my past 'wrapping' jobs which included throwing everything in gift bags #lazy)

Love everything I got, and so happy for those who came into my life in 2011. I really can't wait for 2012!

Since it's not PC for all of us to say this at our jobs (unfortunately, I fall into this category) ... I'll say it a few extra times here:

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!



Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!


Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!


Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!


Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!


Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!


Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!


Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!

Wednesday Randoms (Merry Christmas!)

Bet you thought I forgot.... well....I didn't. The chaos of the holidays gets to me as well, but I can't leave my randoms hangin now, can I?

• Two nights in a row, out drinking on a school night. My running "program" is definitely gonna be struggling once I get back on a treadmill. Broad Street again this year, and a goal of running a half some time after that. Mid January is when I started getting my act together last year. I think that sounds like a plan for 2012.
• This overly-PC culture we live in is getting real old. About 20 years ago you could say Merry Christmas and not have people cringe like you were committing a crime. Can we rewind the clock on that issue? I don't care really what you celebrate, but don't lessen the meaning of my Merry Christmas.
• My mattress sucks
• Super duper excited for this weekend. I have some gifts to give that I'm really excited about. Sometimes it really is more fun to give than receive.
• Cocoa Pebbles > Cocoa Krispies
•  It's Dec 21, the Winter Solstice and pretty positive I hear a mild thunderstorm happening outside
• Travel Zoo is where it's at for vacations. Check them out- some crazy deals.
• If you don't agree that 'It's a Wonderful Life' is the greatest Christmas movie ever made (besides Home Alone), then you're...... just....... wrong.
• I've seen some crazy displays of Christmas lights, decoration, and inflatable animals on people's lawns this season. Come on now! When your Christmas polar bear is deflated both during the day AND night....it's time to call it on you and your misguided idea of holiday decor.

That's all I got for tonight. If I don't post before Saturday... Merry Christmas!!

Wednesday Randoms ~I| |I~

What a perfect time for Wednesday Randoms as I wait for the cookie dough to chill in the fridge for an hour.

• Yes, it's Christmas cookie time! The cookie factory is up and running and I have all the icing, crystals, sprinkles, and cookie cutters to make some fabulous goodies. I don't want to do too good of a job decorating... then I'll feel bad scarfing down all my hard work. Keeping it simple with just sugar cookies. That's about all my facility can handle!
• Next year I want to put the Christmas tree on wheels, so I can enjoy it at night in my room. Fortunately, my 2 feathered friends get to enjoy it 8hrs a day while I'm at work. On another side note- always make sure your tree is straight in the stand, or you'll come downstairs in the morning to a toppled tree and stuff spilled all over the floor... like a certain sister of mine did this week. I laughed when she texted me the pic. I guess that was rather Grinchy of me, wasn't it?
• Does anyone's else town have to put a plastic enclosure around the baby Jesus for the nativity outside of their church? There's some bad people out there with sticky fingers who steal Jesus and expect that karma isn't going to come back and bite them. I'll have to consult my pal @Jesus_M_Christ on Twitter, but I'm pretty sure a move like that comes with some seriously bad juju.
• I really realllly want one of those glossy, jewel-colored LG front loading washers!
• Not sure how I feel about Amber Rose fronting the Smirnoff Whipped/Fluffed advertising campaign. The other (celeb-free) adverts I've seen on signs and buses are impressive. I still think Pinnacle is running away with all the whipped cream vodka sales because they were the first to carry the flavor. You can't deny that after burn though theirs has. Yuck.
• I had an idea recently. One that I really liked and seemed feasible to carry out. It involved food, and the idea I could author a small cookbook on one particular topic. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I only pull cookbooks out every now and then- if I'm making a special dinner for someone or a group. The internet is definitely the way to go, and from what little research I've done, I could buy the website (with a creative name chosen by yours truly) and create a site based solely on this particular food; something manageable and easily searchable. I have no idea about complex web design, so that would be a pain to sort out. I always like to think of stuff that would be a fun side project. I have a really fun side job now that pays, but that's not a forever thing. I would love to sit and make some $$ without leaving my house... but don't think I'm gonna spill my secret on the blog!
• Can't think of anyone famous who deserves to make the SYAD list this week. Those who received the honor this week are mostly coworkers and random jerks I encountered on the street. I know, don't be so disappointed. Someone is bound to do something stupid and the list will be alive!
• Haven't done a Twitter shout out in a while. Join up people. The only ones missing out on the hundreds of funny follows is... you!

One more WR and then it's Christmas!

No Thanks, Dragon

My morning routine is like a song on repeat. A pretty mediocre song. Same thing every day. And because this pre-6am hour certainly isn't my favorite time of day, I find going through the same mindless motions and cross referencing the clock to make sure I'm on track keeps me in line and on time.

{it's 6:30am.... I should be half finished drying my hair by now... it's 7am... Matt Lauer is doing the Today Show intro... I better be dressed and my teeth brushed}

Yeah, it's a little much. I'm not like that with everything in my life. Just the getting ready for work part. It does make this dark and depressing time when I'm forced to leave the warm cloud of my bed a little more manageable.

Anyway

Because of this total type A personality strict routine, I see many of the same commercials every day. One I've seen nearly every morning, and I'm sure this directly relates to Christmas coming up, is that one for the Dragon speech recognition software. Some elementary age kid is sitting there with his headset, all pumped up with enthusiasm as he tells the tale of some pirate, and it shows the verbal corrections you can make to edit your words, which are then typed right on your PC as you speak...

I think it's cheating

Anyone can tell a story, but not everyone can write one. It's a whole different game to get your point across, a story told, humor properly conveyed- while using only words, and no body language or changes in tone to help you. It takes away the need to review and analyze what you wrote. I'm no English major (Oh, you look shocked!), but some kid who needs to write a paper will sit there with the mic on and just ramble on with some kind of story. I doubt they'll go back and review it to make sure the word placement is correct, or to see if they could have used a more powerful adjective in a certain sentence.

Part of the reason I enjoying blogging (obviously not for my huge following of subscribers) is the fact it helps you write better. Of course, my need to express all my thoughts, opinions, rants, and raves is the #1 reason, but I wouldn't mind getting better at the writing thing too. There's nothing that irritates me more than a never ending chain of simple sentences- all written by an adult! No wonder I always enjoyed getting out the red pen and proofreading my co worker's memos or presentations. It's so frustrating trying to find the perfect word or closing sentence, but when you do- it's thrilling! Well... perhaps thrilling is exaggerating a little, but it feels in a way like you've solved the puzzle. (Only, it's not Wheel of Fortune, and there's no prize, no cheesy hosts who look like they've only aged 5yrs in the past 20...okay, okay I'll stop)

I'm sure there will be plenty of Dragon software sales this Christmas, but if it were up to me... I'd rather write the story myself, no matter how many drafts it takes :)

Wednesday Randoms

• The Christmas tree is up, the branches have settled, and I'm happy to see my ornaments again. Such a shame they spend 11months hidden away in a dark closet. Then again, they wouldn't be special if they were on display all year.
• Alec Baldwin gets kicked off a flight after refusing to stop playing Words With Friends before takeoff. Hmmm... Can't say I blame him. He could've have a TL/TW combo on deck ready to drop hard on someone. He's too much of a wild card. For the comedic talent he possesses, he should really amp up the common sense at his age. He's genius on 30 Rock, but the next time he pulls something, he'll be first on my SYAD list!
• Capitalized on an early morning wake up by hitting the dreadtreadmill. It's not often I naturally wake up at 4:45am, full of energy.
• Am I the only one wary of leaving the house with the dishwasher running, for fear of coming home to a flooded, gigantic mountain of bubbles? I hear things like this happen.
• Less than a month until 2012. I've never really had a list of 'resolutions'. I prefer to set and achieve my goals year round, instead of waiting for a big glass ball in NYC to drop and tell me it's okay to start. In my mind, when I think ahead 1, 3, or 6 months, it's like this big circular track graphic, divided into 12 pieces, pops into my head. Every time. This might sound nuts, so I'm going to include a drawing so the random readers of the world can see just what I mean. (This post isn't called Wednesday Randoms for nothing folks)

________________________________________________________________________________



That's about it for the randomness. Today has a much bigger meaning, something fairly personal, and although I'm reluctant to get personal on my... um... personal blog... I'm going to.

16 years ago today, my best friend Amy was tragically killed in a car crash on the way to school. She was less than 1/4mi from our high school on a narrow back road, and I was about 2min behind her. For whatever reason, I didn't get out and see what was holding up the backed up line of cars down the hill at 7:30am that day like I usually would. I can only imagine I'd be horrifed at what I saw . Instead, I turned around, took a side road, and as I walked into school I watched under an overcast, gray, cold December sky as 5 ambulances raced past us towards that back road.

"Must have been a bad accident" I thought to myself.

It was. She was driving and they hit a tree at 50mph. Her boyfriend walked away with scratches. She didn't make it.

I was fortunate during my early years of life to have never looked real devastation in the face. I have a small family, and no one was ever sick, nothing tragic occurred, and those who died were in their 90s, and I barely ever knew them. I never dreamed the shocking and painful first experience with a sudden death (and a funeral) would be that of my best friend at 16yrs old. I saw her the day before... and then she was gone. Forever.

Personally, I didn't know how to process grief at that age. I never remember feeling completely numb like that in my entire life, and I haven't felt that since that very day 16yrs ago. Her family was obviously devastated, and I'll never forget that feeling of walking up to her house and her brother opening the door, and me just standing there, frozen, and not being able to find any words. It still saddens me to think she never had the chance to graduate, or go to college, or travel, or skydive, or buy her own house; all the things I've done in the past 16yrs. Knowing her enriched my life for sure, and I've yet to meet anyone else like her.

Here's a pic of us from the first day of school in 10th grade, taken outside my house. Her brother drove us to school in the convertible, and my dad insisted on taking a picture despite my begging him not to, that we were "too old for that". Amy, of course, made some funny remark which had me laughing and looking at her when the (non-digital) pic was taken. She would give me props right now for posting a terrible old pic of myself online... and then rip me like crazy for all this blogging :)

Kids Today...

So I figured I'd get in some treadmill time before Operation Laundry commences tonight. Why go all the way to LA Fitness when there's a treadmill in the basement workout room? It's not like their automatically debiting $ from my checking acount every month. And going up the road several miles on a rainy night during rush hour is just... plain... irritating.

I step in the elevator and begin to browse the latest tweets on the timeline. Down goes the elevator and it stops at the next floor. The door opens and there stands your typical short, rather round woman in her late 70s who resembles about 80% of the residents here. 
What happens next plays out like a well rehearsed script:

(Woman steps in elevator... woman stands to my left and I feel her stare as I'm continuing to look down at my phone.)

I glance up for a second, give a half smile (and I don't mean it) and she does exactly what I predicted she'd do in the 5 seconds since she stepped in. I take pause; fully aware I only have to endure whatever she's going to throw at me for no more than 28 seconds (the exact time it takes to get from Floor 8 to Floor 1). And then she goes (verbatim):

"You know... those things... let me tell you, I was in the hospital recently, and the woman on the other side of the room from me, lovely black woman she was, had her grandchildren come to visit her. All four of them. They walked in, said Hello, and then their faces were down in those things for the rest of the time! [shaking head] Kids today..."

It's important to note this elevator statement of hers was expressed in the most objective way; no hints of condescension or judgement, just a huge failure in understanding what could be so fascinating about a little hand held device that could divert your attention from any human interaction in your immediate surroundings instantaneously.

"It's called Twitter, Grandma!"I thought it... but didn't say it.


Ahh! This was a huge missed opportunity on my part. Gigantic. I so dropped the ball. Dropped it, then watched it roll away.
She opened the door (figuratively) by throwing in her two sense about my smartphone usage while in an elevator by myself, and I passed up the chance to sell her on all that is wonderful, funny, constantly updated, and jam packed full of trending topics... the awesomeness otherwise known as: Twitter! She could have followed @AARP and @BettyCrocker!

Yes. Yes I did.

She wouldn't understand. She wouldn't appreciate the # or @. I wasn't going to share something so amazing with her, and open her eyes to the beauty of social media in a random elevator meeting.

No. She was not worthy.

I gave her the other half of that initial smile (still didn't mean it) and probably fanned the flames of her inner smartphone-hating fire by saying:

"Well... I put it on silent during dinner"
(Keep in mind I'm still looking down, browsing Twitter during all of this.)

She gives a half exasperated "Hmmpf", and with an indifferent expression, walks out.

Then I smiled. And I meant it.

Yes I am

'Yes I am' what, you ask?

Smiling. Like I mean it. Just like the name of this blog I borrowed from a most fantastic Killers song.

No real reason for this post. No randoms or rants. While I'm on the topic of randoms though, it seems I need to put a closer eye on the spell check to the WRs and all blog posts in general. Apparently I've gotten sloppy on some spelling and typos (this paragraph will be checked 34 times) and some other general info (thank you astute reader, for pointing out that liar on TV campaigning (I told to SYAD) is indeed named Herman Cain, not Howard.)

Anywaaaay

I was delighted with some cooking I did this weekend. Refer to early 2011 post re: spicy shrimp angel hair recipe. I made it this weekend and it was fabulous. I really enjoy cooking and baking, and especially when I'm making it for someone special, it's even more important I get it just right. Just a tad obsessive :)

Totally excited for Christmas. Hoping to get my tree tomorrow, and get the shopping started and completed soon. I always loved the holidays. Last year was good, but this year my excitement is palpable. What a difference a year makes. You never know who or what will appear and turn that pretty convincing happy smile into one where you really, really mean it.  So... recognize what's good, who's important, and live each moment fully in the present. Whoever or whatever this may be, which allows you to truly smile like you mean it, be sure to keep them in your life.

Wednesday Randoms

Welcome back to our weekly favorite: WRs! As Christmas gets closer, I have a feeling that theme will dominate the WR topics...

• I have to admit- my building is pretty nicely decorated for the holidays. See what good things happen when the degenerate management is ousted? We get big, sparkly red bows on the doors, and a Christmas tree, albeit fake, that looks fairly impressive.
• Am I the only one who thoroughly enjoys wrapping presents and must get the transparent tape so the beauty of my carefully selected Mickey Mouse wrapping paper can be admired without opaque tape ruining the presentation?
• They must be hard up for cash. Check out this story and have a laugh
• Update: My lobster tail request for Christmas dinner was denied. I always make good on my followups with ya
• I miss my old job this time of year, when my sappy coworkers and I would bring a donation to the SPCA, and get so sad about all the homeless pets we'd have to leave as soon as we dropped the crap off
• I asked my birds what they wanted for Christmas. I wasn't sure about their answer. I'm hoping Petsmart sells "chirp tweet screech chirp tweet tweet"
• Who needs to SYAD this week?? I'll tell ya who:
• Howard Cain. AGAIN. Sit it dowwwwwn brother
• The US Postal Service, for delivering our mail at... 5pm? Really? You suck
• SJU. Maybe I'd give to the alumni fund (you kill 45 trees sending me notices about) if you didn't make those 12 credits of Theology mandatory to graduate.
• Any station who plays any Barbara Streisand Christmas song.
• Everyone at Occupy Philly. On second thought, maybe they need to stand their ass up, and get out of there finally!
• I wish I had a mini helicopter I could fly from my roof to Whole Foods, so when I crave a delicious cupcake, I can hop in without all the elevator and red light nonsense and go get one.
• I'm sorta craving a Florida getaway. Just a short one. It's been a few years and I'm really wanting to see some palm trees without flying more than 3hrs. Speaking of travel, I wonder how Dublin looks at Christmas? Probably wonderful and spectacular like it does all the other times of the year.

One of My Biggest Dislikes

Hunting.

I hate it.

This time of year especially, when the news announces the big "first day" and the proud hunters who stare into the eyes of an innocent animal minding it's own business and shoot it dead, and then brag to the news stations about who shot the biggest point buck.

Yes, overpopulation. Yes, danger to motorists on busy roads, blah blah and all the other reasons you can think to justify it. I understand if someone has to hunt for food to survive, but that's not a place where a grocery store is on every corner- like our entire area. The deer were here first, and now they are stalked by gun-happy, Cabella's-frequenting men with guns because we had to develop every square inch of land with cookie cutter subdivisions, and push these animals out of their habitat. 

The hunting will continue, but my problem is with the person who can look an innocent animal in the eye, pull the trigger, and kill it for the sake of hanging it on the wall as some kind of sick trophy. Can you guess I'm anti-hunting? I'm obviously mature enough not to preach my opinions to others, similar to what I've done for those (now dwindling) smoking friends of mine, but I could never have anyone in my life who enjoys this type of thing. It's not sport- it's killing.

Wednesday Randoms <|

My blog- how I've missed you. I've been looking forward to a WRs entry all day.

Oh, and that pathetic looking triangle in the title- in the spirit of Thanksgiving and WRs- it's supposed to be a slice of pumpkin pie. Lame, I know.

• First, the SYAD awards of the week:
• That db who sprayed the protesters at UC Davis like they were a swarm of bees. Have fun deflecting 8 million lawsuits
• The senior citizen in the (sweet) Mercedes who almost t-boned me in the parking lot the other morning. I'd love to steal your car and go for a joyride
• The 50+ yr old dapper men who frequent bars on the Main Line and think they can sweet talk me with a sly smile and a flash of their wallet #backoffgrandpa #yuck
• The ghetto Cosi worked who complained obnoxiously and loudly: "If people gonna leave trash on da table, dey betta leave a tip!" Get a real job. And STFU.
• Speaking of that last gem of a rant- I'm glad I worked all those crazy PT retail jobs when I was younger. Without them, I never would have learned to deal with how vile and nasty some of the general public can be- and how to handle them without stressing myself out.
• Had a little deja vu watching the news this week. NBC10 followed up on the story of a kidnapped 11yr old NJ boy in 1991. 20 years ago this happened, and the minute that red haired, freckle-faced picture of Mark Himebaugh appeared on the news, I remembered it like it was yesterday. One of those tragic tales of a (likely) non-family abduction, happening right near his house... and he just... vanished. Where did he go? I probably remember it so well because he was is was from Jersey and was just a year younger than me. Kidnapping is right up there with the super scary things that no one should have to worry about, but sadly, in the world we live in, it's a real live danger.
  
• Cheerios are so pure and satisfying after you've run through your Cocoa Pebbles and Cinnamon Toast Crunch stash.


• Gobble Wobble tomorrow. And then I promise, you won't have to hear me talk about any more holiday, rhyming, cutesy, alliteration types of runs. (Still debating that Reindeer Romp- oops! did it again)


• I came dangerously close to forgetting about the wet clothes in the washing machine. Hate when that happens, and you become a victim of your own fabulous multitasking. (For the record, I've only had it happen once; long enough that a rewash of everything was mandatory)


• This Friday's it's shopping insanity and... 1 month until Christmas! I can't wait to put up my tree! This will only be the 2nd tree I've had in 8 Christmases here- a fact I'm not proud of. No one like coming home to an un-festive house at Christmas. My Josh Groban Christmas album play list can only carry the holiday spirit so far...


• Looking forward to this weekend. It's really amazing when something is so fun, and so easy, and happens so naturally. You get to a certain point in your life when you really recognize and appreciate things. Not on some superficial level, but from a standpoint of maturity, where you wouldn't have realized those same things 10yrs ago because you hadn't gained the life experience needed to become fully aware.


• I'm getting smoked on Words With Friends this round- in about 5 different games. Ack.


• Thanks to the few who read the blog and are commenting! Ooh the excitement! I'll keep up my blogging, whether 2 people or 200 people ending up reading this. It's my voice, my chance to projects all these thoughts, opinions, rants, and raves from my mind straight to the pages of the internet. Some days I want to try and figure out how to fancy it all up... but I like the no nonsense, simple format.
  
  

That Stinks

I find every time I turn around I'm running out of something. So off I go on a Target run during the day today, since it's only a few miles from my office.

During my usual stroll around the store I was pretty shocked to notice an entire aisle devoted solely to air fresheners! Yes, here's the proof:

Filled with about 50 different scents of various air fresheners, am I the only one who stops and thinks knows this is complete overkill? If there are 3 different aisles for cleaning products alone, why do we need another 30ft of product to cover up or mask our supposedly clean rooms and air? Ugh. I'm all in favor of a soy candle (safe for the little lungs of my birds) or the occasional reed diffuser, but why oh why do some people plug in a different scented plug-in in every room of their house?

I have allergy issues as it is. The last thing I need is an artificial 'Berry Breeze' or 'Tropical Waters' smell covering up the clean, fresh smell naturally found in my house. But the truth is, if we keep buying it, they'll keep making it, and the crazy cycle continues. #toomuch

Wednesday RandomZzzzz

Since I never fail to explain my clever twist on the 'Wednesday Randoms' title post, it doesn't take a genius to figure out this week's... I'm draggin! A 15hr day followed by a 12hr (rainy) day today is rough. But there's no whining on this blog- only thoughts, opinions, rants and raves... and incrediblyt awesome midweek recurring randoms!

Ready? Okay....Go!

• I love to talk. Not just to anybody, but with select people I can yap all day. Last night was the annual Whiskey Fest in the city. I think this is the 5th year I've worked it and Diageo puts on quite a show. The Crystal Tea Room is such a gorgeous venue too. How fitting I'm assigned the Bushmills/Bulleit table. Nothing greater than talking about Irish whiskey when you love Ireland and began your love of said drink while vacationing there. And I still think to myself: I'm getting paid to do all this? Yes. So lucky and thankful. Yes.
• The Middle is such a great show on Wednedays on ABC. If you're not watching it, you should check it out.
• So siked to see Breaking Dawn, the final movie in the Twilight series. Nothing like a Turkey Trot to start my morning and vampires to finish it off.
• I requested lobster tails for Christmas dinner. To my mom. Via email. I have a feeling my request won't be honored...
• I use the Tweetcaster app on Android solely because it has the cutest blue bird cartoon thing and icons within the app. I'm a bird lover- don't hate
• This Occupy (fill in city) is getting out of hand. The homeless people are jumping in on the cause and mucking it up even more. They'll need to hit up Costco for some 20gallon bottles of bleach to disinfect the place when they finally clear out.
• This is bad, but I'm gonna admit it anyway. Instead of taking the 8 minutes to make a grilled cheese, I toasted the bread, threw the cheese on it and put it in the microwave. Only took 1:30. Look at all that time saved! Only to waste it away later tonight surfing the internet tonight I'm sure.
• Christmas decorations are getting unpacked this week. Anyone who's not excited is a Grinch!
• I decided while brushing my teeth last night some furniture in the living room needed rearranging. In 5 minutes I stopped the toothbrush, ran and out rearranged, and finished brushing. That's called acting on an idea and gettin it done.
• My Josh Groban and Michael Buble Christmas albums are both so good. Time to shuffle them up on the iPod.
  
  Another WR blog means the weekend is almost here! Almost.

Faked out...almost

Ever open the mailbox and get a glimpse of what looks like a handwritten card, and then at a closer look see it's really junk mail in disguise?

Today wasn't the first time try tried to dupe me with this crafty cursive font. I wised up to their trickery years ago, and it led me to the conclusion that an actual handwritten anything is so rare anymore. So of course you grab that piece of mail first before all the other credit card applications and roof-fixing brochures. Why hand write and mail someone a note when you can...  wait for it ...email them? How many (non-coworker) friend's handwriting can you describe in detail? (Friends you've known pre-email era don't count) Not many, right?

Well readers, I still write out my Christmas cards. No massive e-card blast (although they do have some super cute song/animation combos), no generic "Merry Christmas to all my friends!!!" Facebook post as my only Christmas greeting. I carefully choose my cards, find my favorite pen with the most consistent ink flow, and write whatever I'm feeling at the moment. And I will feel satisfied mailing my authentic handwritten card amidst a sea of junk mail wannabes.  

Wednesday Randoms

• 'Where in the World is Matt Lauer' is one of my favorite segments of all the news and morning shows. Probably because traveling is so fun and he's getting paid to go visit all these fabulous places. This week he's already hit Namibia, Madrid and Kuala Lumpur this week. Lucky!
• And this week's list of those who deserved to be told to SYAD:
  The Duggars, Herman Cain, The entire Penn State football clan who lied and covered everything up, "Dr" Conrad Murray, all the Twilight haters, and anyone who doesn't agree that pumpkin pie is the most delicious part of Thanksgiving dinner.
• New developments today: Errrbody's 'retiring' at Penn State. See ya!
• Noel Gallagher show this Friday. Can't wait! Got a peek at the set list from a previous show and it's looking pretty good.
• I've expressed this before, but does anyone else feel just a little sad that an evergreen spends years and years growing, only to be chopped down and marveled for 3 weeks in someone's house, and then thrown in the trash? Poor trees. I will admit though, nothing looks or smells as good as a real tree. I'll have to devote more time to solving this dilemma another day.
• Guess who's making grilled cheese for dinner?
• I was browsing the SPCA website this weekend, because I feel bad for all the furry friends with no homes, and I saw they have bunnies! I already have 2 feathered children, so chances are slim to none that I'll add a bunny to the mix. It would be the cutest thing ever to sit and read, watch TV, (or blog!) while a bunny is hopping around.
• The past 2 days I've fallen asleep earlier than usual (before midnight) and woken up way earlier than usual (3:30am!!) Along with this has been the most vivid dreams. Guest appearances from all sorts of people which I can't trance back to any of the week's happenings. I'm thinking DST is not a factor, but I did run a humidifier the past 2 nights. (Next blog topic: The correlation between dreams and humidity)
• Little bit of a rant here. Facebook status posts, in my opinion, should be an outlet to express the spontaneous thought, a humourous experience, a brag-worthy vacation check in (guilty) or some other witty remark on current events or life. 
  What Facebook status updates should NOT include:
• Constant advice or suggestions on child rearing; there are parenting forums for this purpose- Use them!
• Stating the obvious: i.e. "Is it Friday yet?" or "The weekend went waaay too fast!". Yes, we all know/think this and you're wasting everyone's time and news feed space
• Thoughtless fragments: i.e. "Tired", "Freezing!" or "Bored". Really? You can't think of anything better? Thankfully I don't follow too many of these lame status-posters, but when I see one, or several in one day, I cringe.
• Vacation 2012? Already thinkin about it  : )

I Don't Buy It

So this Penn State scandal has spread like wildfire the past 48hrs... and it keeps getting uglier. Given what the media and their 'facts' are saying, no one knew this disgusting creep was doing this in the 30+yrs(!!!) he was coaching there and running his 'charity'?

Lies
Lies
Lies

Come on!

So what... you're a big deal football coach at a big name school. When did it become acceptable to abandon your moral conscience, or fail to recognize your responsibility to do what's right?

It's not just him we can blame. Anyone in that football wolf pack had to know what was going on, or had some kind of suspicion. Sounds like the game was top priority and now they're paying the price for exercising the "Maybe if we ignore it, it'll go away" theory.

Here's hoping the guilty get the book thrown at them. Have fun in prison!

#Scumbags

Super Fast!

How on earth does the winner of the NYC Marathon run 26.2mi in 2:03:02? I sit here and simply can not comprehend running that fast for that long. Congrats to him, because that's incredible.

Now I've admitted outright I don't run to win or set course records. (I'm not just saying that because I never have either) I'm trying to keep myself fit, basically, and I happen to like running outdoors. I'd be willing to bet this guy, after finishing 26.2 miles, could still beat me in a 1mile race if I were well-rested and feeling my best. I could train my entire life and still wouldn't come within an hour of him for 26.2. I know Kenya and Ethiopia are the places that produce insanely fast  marathoners and not the PA suburbs, but this is still so ridic!

Well, go me.  I did 4miles today... in....38min. Not exactly record breaking pace :)

Those marathon winners- this is prob who they train with

Wednesday Randoms

Note to self: When you come home from work and your place is a little cold, turning the heat up to 80deg means you'll instantly fall asleep while trying to write your Wednesday Randoms blog. I am now awake and the heat is off. Let's try this again.

• Entire Kardashian family: SYAD and STFU
• I had some Frank Sinatra Christmas songs playing today and I don't care what anyone thinks about it. Halloween is done, bring on Christmas!
• I've had to charge my completely drained Kindle 3x in the past month and I haven't read a thing. Need to find some good reads and #getonthat... maybe 'A Christmas Carol'?
• That crazy blast of unexpected snow this past weekend brought back one of my favorite winter people-watching activities: Cleaning snow/ice off your car with anything and everything- brooms, credit cards, books... I love it. I guess not everyone is as psycho as me with their seasonal rotations of ice scrapers and gloves ready in the car.
•  As I sadly pass this deer carcus in the weeds near the TP off-ramp for the 3rd day in a row, I was reminded of a funny story from my past. I remember browsing the newspaper for a PT job when I was about 16, you know, before online job searching really existed. I came across something like "Wildlife Caretaker". Wow! Perfect! I love animals and the outdoors, so I called the number... and instead of filling bird feeders or rescuing ducks stuck in a frozen pond, I come to find out the job was... picking up roadkill!
  Um... no thanks!
• Lauren Luke tweeted me back this week- twice! Yay
• In 2012 I'm making it a point to realize my dream of throwing a grilled cheese-themed dinner party. I'm talking uber gourmet combinations. Oh you know you want to do this too- or be invited to mine. This will be the most delicious event I've ever hosted. Simultaneously occuring will be the 'Help Me Drink All This Liquor' party, as I have enough to supply a small wedding right now.
• If it wasn't so dark, and I wasn't so comfortable sitting in my bed right now, I'd walk drive to Whole Foods and get one of those special fancy cupcakes. Chocolate banana, of course.
• As I watch my usual episode of Nightly News, I can't help but notice the products in their commercials all have a similar theme: Touch of Grey, Centrum Silver, Tums... I not sure who their intended target market is, but how about we not assume everyone watching is 65+?
• 9hr school days in Shanghai China? No wonder they're killing us in math, science, reading and everything else.
• The primere of Rock Center was great this week. Well done BWill

Ireland 2011

I'll finish off the weekend with the Ireland recap I've been talking about for the past month. Sorry to the hundreds of readers I've left hanging the past few weeks  ; )

I kept talking and talking about this 2011 vacation I was taking, and right up until the last minute, I was undecided about where I was going and who, if anyone, would accompany me.

I had the answer right in front of me the entire time. It even says so in one of my posts from early 2011. After lines and lines of indecisive back and forth with myself, I said: "That's it. I'm going back to Ireland."

And back I went. Solo.

Best.Decision.Ever

Let me give the strongest recommendation I can for everyone in this world to take a solo vacation- if only just once in your life- do it. Unless of course, you're one of those codependent types who can't spend 5 minutes alone in a public place without constantly playing on your phone or texting, because you're too uncomfortable doing anything in this world by yourself. Then I probably wouldn't recommend the solo vaca for you. Honestly though, you're really missing out on a completely unique and unforgettable experience.

Okay, so because I was already familiar with Dublin, it made sense to go back there. Last time I was there was only for 2 days, so I had much more exploring to accomplish. I seriously considered making Belfast my destination and then travel more and see the Antrim Coast. Some reading between the lines after comments by a certain parent who didn't think this was a safe city to visit solo confirmed the plan that Dublin was the place to go. Even with this slight change in original plans, I was absolutely determined to hit Belfast and Giant's Causeway on this trip; and when I set my mind on something, nothing can stop me.

If you've spoken to me since I've returned, you've heard the whole tale. I'll do a little recap here, much like I did for my other big trips in previous posts.

I arrived on one of the hottest days in Dublin- 80deg! They never see temps like these, so after my flight, when I had a few hours to kill before the hotel check in, I made my way to St Stephen's Green for some reading, people watching, duck picture-taking, and just taking in the perfect day. Great start to the vacation  : )

A duck-less pic, but still pretty perfect

After a few hours there, I checked into the same hotel I stayed at last time I was there- Temple Bar Hotel Love this place I really love this hotel. The location couldn't be more perfect, there's a Tesco right across the street, 20min from the airport, 5min walk from the train station, and you're right in the middle of all the fun at night in Dublin. Great place.

Next I did a little bike tour around Dublin. This was a group guided tour and we rode everywhere; from the Docklands to Merrion Square to St Patrick's Cathedral. All around the city for 2.5hrs basically. In and out of traffic, between parked cars and buses. It was a little nuts, but still fun. And no one got ran over. I took one self pic of me in the bike helmet after riding for 2hrs in 80deg. That pic will NOT be posted. haha

Next day was the sailing trip in Dun Laogahire. See previous post http://smilelikeyoumeanit-3118111b.blogspot.com/2011/09/sick-sailing-trip.html for that whole story. I'm still doing my sailing weekend next summer in Delaware, where the waters are calm for an amateur like myself. (Dramamine will be in hand)

Not my fav pic, but keep in mind the wind was ridiculously strong and it's hard not to squint.

The next day... pouring rain ALL day. No big deal. I was anticipating this happening at least once. I had some contingency plans in case the weather wasn't cooperating on any given day. So it was Saturday and raining, so I decided to hit some museums. How about a former jail outside Dublin? Cool. So I went. Kilmainham Gaol is pretty fascinating. I enjoy these tours, so this was my kind of thing. Got some creepy shots too, outside the jail where they held executions, etc.

Inside the jail

Sunday was spent in Howth, which is a short train ride north of Dublin and absolutely worth spending a day there. See previous post http://smilelikeyoumeanit-3118111b.blogspot.com/2011/10/hiking-in-howth.html for some pics and a video on that. What a great day that was. I definitely got a workout in that day. After trips like these, I wonder how I could ever go back to, say, Cancun for a week and enjoy it. Call me crazy, but I'll take hikes and spectacular views over palm trees and crystal blue ocean water any day. This town is a must if you visit Dublin!

The pictures don't do these sights justice

Monday was my last full day, and I saved the big trip to Belfast and Giant's Causeway for last. It took 2hrs to get from Dublin to Belfast and another 2 from Belfast to Giant's Causeway, and then the town of Derry. This is another must see. 4 hours was worth it to drive from Vegas to the Grand Canyon, so I figured this wouldn't be much different of a day trip from a timing perspective. Belfast is pretty cool, but the ride along the coast is amazing! Reminds me of the drive from the Ring of Kerry up to the Cliffs of Moher last time I was there. Sites like this are so worth it, and next time I'm spending at least half a day there. I have tons more pics in my web album. I'm really pleased how these turned out. I was careful to try and not take duplicate shots and also not get other tourists/people in the shot.

So that concludes my fabulous trip. Such a good time and I can't wait to get back and do the NW part of the country such as Donegal and Sligo. Everyone needs to visit this country at least once in their life, and I will do my best to convince them to do so!



Wednesday Randoms

Hitting you fast and furious on this edition of WRs

• Why on earth are there shopping carts at Wawa? I hit the ATM today (which is right next to the lottery machine, where those scratch-off ticket addicts hang out and piss away their $$) and noticed there were 3 small-ish carts. Who walks out of Wawa with more than 3 items or enough items to warrant needing a cart?
• Ohhh Antique Roadshow I see right through your 'expert' appraisers. You know that guy who claims to be the expert on cuckoo clocks from 1785 from a small sleepy village in the mountains of Germany Googles and Wikipedias the shit out of that clock 10min before taping. "And this clock has really exquisite beveling along the outer edge, which is exactly what the clockmaker did as his signature mark in those times... "The best part is the actual $ figures; it's always either worth $15K or $50.
• Busy weekend, 4 jobs between happy hour tomorrow and Saturday afternoon. I'm glad I took my vacation when I did, as things will only get busier right through New Year's.
• Next month I'll be 5K Turkey Trotting and Gobble Wobbling. I still giggle every time I hear those names. Hopefully I can keep the momentum right through the New Year and then start preparing for Broad St again. Time is going by too fast!
• 59 days til Christmas! I'd like to do a day in NYC. Not for shopping, just wandering around...and eating of course.
• Tommy Lee Jones has sold out doing financial advisor commercials now? Ugh. I thought it was just Jack McCoy from Law&Order. He's better than that #butitpays
• Why is it I can't stand rice in burritos, or the various other kinds of rice, but I love the sticky white rice from the Chinese restaurant? (And I hate Chinese food) Prize for the best reader explanation.  
• I used to spend hours watching this guy. Check it out---> Love Ali G I swear this is his best character hands down. Uh oh, here I go again getting sucked into the YouTube vacuum...
• I need an elf to help me with some of these chores I don't feel like doing. My motivaition dwindles as the daylight disappears. Thankfully we have the holidays to get us through these tough months between fall and spring. We could live in Alaska... so I won't complain. But then I could see moose and wolves in my backyard. Hmmm. Worth the trade off? Definitely not.

The Ireland recap is next!

Tiiiiired

Well, the good news is my OctoRun 13K was a success this morning. A success in 40deg weather no less. It was sunny and brisk with little wind, so a perfect fall morning really. Keeping with my promise of posting my results- the official online results aren't up yet, but I'm pretty sure the clock said 1:17:00 when I finished. Definitely off pace from my Broad St time back in May, but I put a lot more into preparing for that one. So I'm satisfied with this effort. I guess I'm more satisfied with the fact I can slack off for 6wks and still jump out of bed on a cold Sunday morning and run 8 miles in a fairly decent time. I'm not looking to set any course records here.

These runs still have the same super tiring effect for hours afterwards. I suppose that's normal considering I'm not a professional athlete. It seems anytime I do more than 6, it just sucks the energy out of me for the rest of the day... and this leads me to the conclusion that a full marathon will never be in my future! yay

I mentioned that I was done with races until next Spring, BUT... that intoxicating runner's high got the best of me, and with a little browsing I saw there's a Turkey Trot and Reindeer Romp (same one I ran last year) coming up. Knowing this, how could I possibly turn down completing the holiday race trio? Thankfully those two are 5Ks, which seems easy breezy after this morning.

With the cold weather upon us, it's time for me to head back to good ol LA Fitness and start the strength training again, which I've abandoned for strictly cardio since last Spring. Too bad there's not a Crossfit gym near me. That would be a rude awakening for sure!

How cute is this? It was a fun race. Love Halloween!

';';';';' Wednesday Randoms ';';';';';

It's that time. And that alternating pattern of apostrophe/semicolon was meant to symbolize the rainy day outside. (There's only so much I can work with here.)

• Efficiency is when you come home from work and start some laundry before 5pm. It's also a sign you're getting closer to that mature, responsible thing known as an adult (still fighting it!)
• When are we going to learn that lions, monkeys, and wolves don't belong in captivity in suburbia? This is the latest story of another idiot So because this guy decided to let all the animals free, then kill himself, the animals suffered by the rifles of the police. I get that 10 tigers running around a town isn't exactly safe, but again, animals pay the price as a result of human stupidity.
• Am I the only one who swears there are a few Cool Ranch Doritos snuck into every bag of regular Nacho Cheese ones?  I feel the same way with M&Ms. I'm positive I taste a peanut butter one every time I eat a bag of regular (which, for the record, isn't that often)
• Still gotta do that Ireland recap. I haven't forgotten, but I'm too busy picking out which photos I want framed! There's several great ones.
• In other news, Soulja Boy swears he's innocent after being arrested on felony drug and weapons charges. Hmmm. He may be a liar, but I'd be a bigger liar if I didn't admit to attempting the Crank That dance after seeing the video My version didn't look quite like this
• I'm kinda glad to see Two and a Half Men dropping in the ratings after an impressive start. Charlie Sheen is crazy, but I'd be having a little laugh if I were him after the show bombs with Ashton Kutcher as a stand in.
• Winter is just around the corner (so is Christmas!! yay) and I'm considering giving the snowboarding thing another go.
• Stories like this are awesome! Dig up the Vikings!
• Who's excited for 'Rock Center with Brian Williams'?? Me! One of my favorite anchors/journalists, this is a show I will make it a point to watch. I wish I could work on this show or Dateline. I would do it for free. Maybe NBC will see one of my tweets and DM me  : )

Ugg [Ugh]

Nope, not a misspelling on that post title. You usually see that word punctuating my many tweets as #ugh, but the purpose this time is me telling the world- it's time to retire the Uggs. They're played out! It's fall, the leaves are changing and everyone from 10 to 60 is pulling the furry boots out of the closet and sporting them in some ghastly fashion ensembles. Maybe I'll throw that on the Fbook status. I can already hear the collective "hmmph!" from those die hard Uggers.

Anyway

Wow am I hurting today! Actually more so this evening it began. Did a little kayaking yesterday...for 2 hours, on a windy lake that sometimes made it feel like I was paddling through peanut butter. Not complaining- the scenery and company were fabulous. The water was the deepest blue, and the sun shining and sailboats going by made it a really nice afternoon. It seems my upper body strength could use a little...strengthening. And let's not forget the run this Sunday! Oh yes, my fitness ego will take a nosedive by the end of the weekend  : )

Random statement: If I ever make it big- for whatever reason- one thing I'm doing is recording a Christmas album. If Justin Bieber and that 'No Talent Ass Clown' who stole my name can do it, so can I. I can think of about 8 songs right now. Top of the iTunes chart!

Is everyone on board with Twitter? I'm still loving it. Oh, and to follow up my previous post on following the Ireland/Dublin related Twitter profiles- it didn't really serve any benefit while I was there besides some weather updates. The hotel where I stayed tweets some music updates, but doesn't really help me now that I'm home. Got to share some of my knowledge with a guy who booked a trip there for December. Since everything is so fresh in my mind, I was able to bang out a sizable email with all my hints for him quite easily. I want to go back so so bad.

That banana bread I have cooking smells so amazing right now.

Bye until WRs!

Wednesday Randoms

• Alright, these references to the lame 90s pop singer have to stop. Someone did it again tonight! I simply said my last and there goes the famous question. Again. #ugh
• Typically the red light to make a left into my place is unnecessarily and annoyingly long, but tonight it allowed me to listen to The Backstreet Boys 'I Want It That Way' in its entirety. Yes. I so loved that song in... 2002
• I heard Ryan Howard was spotted at my Whole Foods scooting around on a Rascal. Heeey big boy, how about lending me the keys to that Bentley while you're ridin ghetto injured? I'll return it with a full tank. Pleeeaase?
• Tabbouleh is fabulous. Not as fab as my quinoa salad, but fab nonetheless.
• Happy hour event in the city this Friday. Haven't worked one of those since the jam packed sessions of Bushmills at Tir Na Nog, where you could barely move. Should be good though. Guinness always promises a good time.
• Saw my friend's 5 month old baby for the first time tonight and he's oh so cute
• I realize I still need an Ireland recap on here. Pics are all sorted and posted to an album and now I need to find the best ones and share the highlights. I'll get on that. Promise.
• Anyone else notice Joe Biden has been virtually muzzled since the beginning of Obama's presidency? I think after a few weeks they realized they need him to shut his mouth and go with the program. As for the other side... like I said in a previous post- get the hair and makeup team ready for Mitt Romney!
• Really big craving for pumpkin pie and chocolate milk right now, and I've got nothing but a gallon of cranberry juice and some bananas. No help.
• I haven't used my food processor in a while, so I think I need to look up all the pumpkin-related snacks I can make with it and just go all out. Pumpkin everything for everyone!
• Okay, this Halloween run is in 2 weeks. I've slacked on preparation. Who wants to train when you can be hanging out with some drinks, running around Ireland, driving to the beach, etc etc? I need a strategy. Do I show up that morning and just try to bang out a steady 8mi or do I try and do another couple long runs between now and then? Ah, the choices I have to make in this life. Like I said, I'm reporting back the results- good, bad, or indifferent.
• I'm putting up a Christmas tree this year. No fake ones. The real thing.
• Audience participation- love it! It's about time someone spoke up on the blog (ahem, all you other readers). Well, reader GMAN, I do happen to have a picture of said "bad ass" car. Take a look. It's quite a thrill to ride in. Just imagine... you're the guy driving that car all fast... trust me, the girls totally dig it.

Satisfied

Coming at ya from the kitchen counter here. Figured I'd do a little multitasking after my 15hr day (not seeking pity, stating facts). I have a very gourmet frozen pizza cooking, which is exactly what I'm craving at the moment, so props to me for having one on hand.

It was a little tough pulling a double shift on a Monday, especially after I had such an incredible weekend... but... I did it and everything turned out fine, just like it always does when I plan properly and think everything through. I've mentioned in previous posts how I'm always torn when asked to name my favorite season. Spring or Fall? It always depends on what you're doing and the other details surrounding it, but this weekend was enough to make me say Fall is my favorite. (Bonus- I got to ride in a really bad ass car on a most beautiful fall day and I loved every second of it)

The event tonight was a success. I was on Crown Royal/Bulleit Bourbon duty at my Diageo table. Pleasantly surprised at the number of women requesting some bourbon on the rocks. You go girls, branching out with the brown liquors. Not just for hillbillies and old men!

So I'm exhausted, this pizza is almost done, standing in 4in heels all night is quite uncomfortable, but these things are trivial when you look at the big picture. Alright, enough waxing poetic... time to eat  : )

Wednesday Randoms/I'm Back!

Back home at blog HQ after a spectacular trip. I'm running out of adjectives to describe the past week. I'll be careful not to turn this edition of WRs into a total vacation recap. Plenty of time to do that in future, non-Wednesday posts.

• Funny, no mention of the Phillies in Ireland. Haha. I did see guys going nuts over some rugby game. Coming home to all this bashing of the Eagles on Fbook/Twitter is laughable. How many times are people going to keep saying to fire Andy Reid? Guess what? As long as people have season tickets, they're going to the games and as long as the stadium keeps filling up, Jeffrey Lurie will keep raking in the piles of money.
• I'm feeling out of the loop on current events, as I only watched about an hour of TV the entire past week. Of course, I was online. You can't take all my technology away from me!
• How much you wanna bet the next vacation Amanda Knox takes will not be an international one? I bet she'll be behaving herself and have the address of the US Embassy on speed dial if she ever leaves the states.
• Coming home from vacation and having zero food in the house is the worst, and now I have to go back out again tonight and buy everything when all I really want to do is lay in bed with my window open and the fall breeze coming in. Need a personal assistant some days.
• Mini rant time. The airlines aren't cutting back that much, at least not in first class. Sitting in the front of the plane both to and from, I had a clear view of all the hot towels and lemons wedges they were handed (what seemed like) every 10 minutes. Maybe I'm a little bitter. Sure, I could have hit yes when at check-in it asked "Would you like to upgrade to first class for $500?" One of these days I'll fly somewhere far, and it won't be in coach! I'll make sure they fluff my pillow and bring me endless cocktails.
• I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love going to Europe because everyone is so much better looking! Maybe if we walked everywhere and didn't have a fast food place on every corner we wouldn't be a nation known for overweight, out of shape slobs.
• An Aussie guy I met on the trip was telling me how he got his ass handed to him by a bunch of Irish guys in Dublin on a pub crawl playing beer pong with Guinness!  How they can drink like alcoholics, look fit, and still function continues to mystify me...
• It was so nice not having to drive the past week. Efficient and clean public transportation in a major city (not Philadelphia) is a beautiful thing.
• Yes, I realize I have lifted the veil of anonymity on the blog with a pic of my looking straight into the camera (gasp!) Is everyone shocked? I thought that pic turned out pretty awesome, so I threw it on the background.
• What's a blog entry of mine without a food mention? I had the most delicious option when I was in the town of Howth. Take one guess which one I got. Too easy, right? Although choice c) was tempting for a minute. I need a crepe pan so I can make one whenever I want.



Yes, Nutella and banana!!

Last blog entry from Ireland

So sad to be leaving tomorrow, but had such an amazing trip. Here's another movie. Don't worry, I wasn't all touristy like some certain groups of tourists famous for taking a million pictures of each other and posing in front of everything. (Guesses anyone?)

That new digital camera I got a few weeks ago is a real gem. So tiny, lightweight, and takes some great videos. Here's me crossing the Carrick-a-Rede bridge, trying my best to take a steady movie in the wind.
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

I had to squeeze this post in before I left. Not that I've been up for 18hrs or have my entire suitcase to pack before I go to bed  : O

Bye Ireland! I love being here... and I will be back!

Hiking in Howth

Some consider a vacation to be lounging by a pool all day. If you know me, you know I'm not one of those people. In fact, I actually get more of a workout on vacation than I do at home. Every minute today was enjoyable because, let's face it, you can't get views even close to this at home. Here's one of several videos I took today in Howth as well as some pics from my 4mi hike around the peninsula, high above the cliffs. A serious workout, yes. Worth it? Absolutely!

Sick Sailing Trip!

Sick as in, it was me who was sick for the last portion of it. The first half was pretty sick though, as the boat was going fast, and the wind and water made our outing today especially aggressive according to the guys sailing it. I'll write a more thorough recap later, but here's a video I took from the boat, pre-sickness. This is a good size boat, 54', so it's meant to handle some rough seas and is capable of sailing from one country to another, if one desired.


Not sure if you can tell by this video, but the boat was at definite angle, I didn't have my protractor on me, but it was not upright, part of which contributed to the thrill of it all, and also my close encounter with the toilet/bathroom floor for about 30min. Downing some Lucozade now and feeling much better, but puking your guts out does take a little out of you! Another story to add to my book of life.


I didn't feel so bad when I found out our boat had to call the coastguard on another smaller sailboat who was whipped right into the side of a cliff and pretty much stuck. I missed that little bit of drama because I was too busy locked in the bathroom. There go my dreams of racing sailboats.... :)