Sunday, May 31, 2009

Big fat writer's block and my teeny bopper junk drawer

So I've been suffering from a ginormous case of writer's block over the last few days and it's not a lot of fun, let me tell you. I have about 5 different starts to posts from last week that just kind of fizzled out. (sigh) I promise to be better soon. 

Anyway, I had a great weekend. I got to sleep in for the first time in months, went to Target, had a blast out on the town last night (which I definitely paid for this morning) and got some much needed relaxation time. And today I finally got the peanut butter chip ice cream I've been craving for weeks when I met up with Jessica from The Everyday Adventures of Me in the City. It was a ton of fun. It's so nice to meet someone who enjoys a good ice cream run as much as I do. 

In order to catch up on some of my random thoughts, I've decided to collect them into another one of my junk drawers. I'm calling this one my "teeny bopper junk drawer" because I'm still a little giddy after seeing the New Moon trailer and so my mind is in an "OMG!" kind of place.

• Could Kristen Stewart be any more awkward? My God, she made it seem like the biggest pain to be at the MTV Movie Awards. Sure, it's not the Oscars, but at least pretend to be appreciative. But she definitely got brownie points when she dropped her award and said, "Yep, I'm just about as awkward as you thought I'd be," or something like that. I'm glad she realizes how she comes across.

• I swooned at the trailer for New Moon. Why is Edward so attractive? I guess Robert Pattinson is, too...but still. Real life Rob is an odd duck.

• Loved the clip from the new Harry Potter. I can't wait to see it in July. Nerd alert: I might even go to the midnight showing because I'm that excited. Did I say might? I mean I definitely will. I did it for the last 5, so why stop now?

• Pixar's new movie "Up" is amazing. I laughed, I cried (no, more like sobbed) and then laughed some more. It not only made me appreciate the adventure in every day, but also really made me want a talking dog. It could happen. If you haven't seen it, go!

• I made pasta for dinner tonight and the directions on the back ever-so-kindly said, "Please do not overcook." I find it refreshing that the pasta company cares so much about my dining experience that they nicely tell me not to overcook the noodles. I couldn't let the packaging down, so I sat and watched those darn things cook so they came out just right.

• I feel like everyone is getting engaged lately. Yikes. Do I feel pressure? Perhaps. Does that excite me? Yes. But then again, I'm only 23 (almost 24!). I guess I better live in the same city as J before we discuss wedding bells. It sure is fun to think about though...

• My laptop gets hot. Really, really hot. As in, it literally almost burns my legs. Hm. What would cause that? It can't be good. 

Ok I'm off to bed to dream about hot vampires and ice cream and pleasant things like that. And seriously, if I don't get this darn computer off my legs in about 2 seconds, it's going to burn a hole through my pants. Happy almost June, everyone! (Woohoo, birthday month!)

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

My junk drawer (and an award!)

I'm really random, I'll be the first to admit it. At any given moment, my mind is jumbled with a million different thoughts about a million different things. Some make sense, but most are completely out of the blue, which can be a problem when it comes to talking with friends, telling a story or writing a post. 

So I've decided to start a feature on my blog called "My Junk Drawer." Why the name? Well, because junk drawers are filled with random odds and ends, crumbly bits, hot pink Post-Its (or maybe that's just me?), misplaced birthday candles, capless pens and a dirty old rubber band or two. Who doesn't love a junk drawer? You just never know what treasures you may find. And just like the contents of a good junk drawer, this feature is going to be completely random. Much like the thoughts fluttering about in my brain all the time.

So off we go:

• At a fabulous Memorial Day mimosa brunch, WG2 found the way to my boyfriend's heart. Apparently, all it takes to win him over is baked French toast. (Note to self: Learn to make baked French toast. OR hire WG2 to be personal Sunday morning chef.)

• If you go to a Northwoods-themed bar that has posters plastered on EVERY wall advertising the special Leinenkugel's drink of the month, you would expect the bartender to know what it is. Apparently not. He claimed not to know what a "Honey Bear" was, even though there was a sign with the "recipe" right above his head. When I told him what was in it, he said they were out of Berry Weiss, one of the two ingredients in the drink. Hm. Maybe they should take the posters down so as not to frustrate overly excited girls who fell in love with Leinenkugel's concoctions while living in Wisconsin. 

• I have way, way, way too many friends/siblings/boyfriends (well, only one of those) that are teachers. I'm so glad you only have 4/7/13/9.75 days of school left, but seriously, for the kids like me who are stuck in a 9-5 job, wilting away in a tiny cubicle, ignorance is bliss. My "school year" never ends. But if you'd like to hear how I have to account for every 15 minutes of my work day, I'd be happy to tell you all about it. It's riveting stuff.

• The season premiere of Jon and Kate + 8 was devastating. I definitely shed a tear or two. I know people have some strong opinions about the whole situation, but I don't know what to think. I literally felt like I was losing a friend when I watched last night. Yes, Kate is not very nice, especially to Jon, but I still like her. And when she started crying while talking about the future of her marriage, my heart broke for her. Though I think they are both very much share the blame, I think Jon seems to be going through some kind of midlife crisis (did you see his car? yikes). I don't know. This whole time I had been hoping that all the tabloids were lying and when the show came back, they'd be one little happy family again. Jon would get a new job, Kate would stay home more and the kids would be cute as ever. But last night it became very apparent just how bad it all is. Those poor kids...they are seriously adorable. Aaden and Alexis might be my favorite kids ever. I feel so sad for them. 

• My phone doesn't work in my apartment when it's windy or raining. What a wuss.

• One of my "secret dreams" (I have a lot of them) is to take a trip to the Ben & Jerry's factory in Vermont. Ice cream is pretty much my favorite food.

• Doing laundry is one of the most stressful things ever. Especially if it involves using washers/dryers from 1978 in the dark and creepy basement of your building. It seriously looks like the set of a horror movie and smells like a skunk (shudder). But it sure feels good when you get it all done...and come out alive.

• And last but certainly not least, I was recently given The Splash Award by the fabulous Ali from The Way I See It (thank you!) It's given to alluring, amusing, bewitching, impressive and inspiring blogs. When you receive this award, you must:
-Put the logo on your blog/post.
-Nominate up to 9 blogs which allure, amuse, bewitch, impress or inspire you.
-Be sure to link to your nominees within your post. Let them know that they have been splashed by commenting on their blog. Remember to link to the person from whom you
received your Splash Award.
-So I nominate:

So there you go, I'm spreading the blogging love. Hope you all have a great night!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

It's a small world after all

I almost didn't write tonight. Almost. Because I'm exhausted, had a grueling day at work and just had a fabulous evening filled with great people, great causes and great wine.

But I feel the need to point something out And that would be just how gosh darn small our world is.

For example (hopefully you can follow me on this one): Vacay Boy (see last post) is engaged to Girl 1. Girl 1 is best friends with Girl 2. Girl 2 not only went to college with me, but was also my sorority sister AND ran for president of student government. And who was her campaign manager? Why, that would be J, of course. And they were pretty good friends, too. Isn't that odd? It's like it all came full circle...

And then there was tonight. Not only did I run into a guy I knew from college, I also ran into a guy that sat at my table at a destination wedding I went to last year. 

But neither of those compared to when my friend introduced me to a girl she knew from college (in the bathroom, of course, we keep it classy.) She immediately looked familiar to me, but I kind of brushed it aside.

A little while later, we ran into her again and I suddenly knew exactly how I knew her:

Her: Pam, do you remember Kate O?
Me: Oh my gosh yeah, we were friends in grade school.
Her: You want to Camp Ondessonk right?
Me: Yes! I knew you looked familiar! This is crazy! (pause) God, I hated that camp.
Her: Yeah, you were miserable. We all knew it.
Me: (a little uncomfortably) Yeah, sorry about that. Remember when we had to crawl on our stomachs through the mud in that claustrophobic cave?
Her: Oh yeah, definitely.

She then quickly flashed me her phone, said she had to take a call and left. Not sure if the phone call was legit, but still. How bizarre is that? I went to camp with her in 5th grade. She was a friend of my friend from St. Louis and we had only ever been together that one week at Camp Ondessonk.

I was a bit embarrassed that after all these years she still remembered how much I hated camp, but I couldn't help it. It was my first time away from home and on the very first night, I found a 5-inch long cave cricket on the "roof" of my bottom bunk, which I discovered only after his long antennas brushed against my forehead. It didn't help at all that the next day we were taken on a "nature" walk and had to slide on our stomachs through mud and squeeze through a horrendously narrow passage nicknamed "Augustine's Agony"...after a cow that got stuck between the rocks and died. Throw in the 1 latrine for 60 girls and the 3-walled treehouses we slept in and you have my personal hell. 

Plus, all of our treehouses were named after Beatles' albums, which I didnt know at the time. So when I first saw that I'd be living in the "Magical Mystery Tour" for a week, I was really creeped out. Thank goodness I wasn't in Revolver or Sgt. Pepper (they were our next door neighbors).

Wow, now that I've revisited that experience, I have a lot more to say on the matter. And on summer camps on general, but I'll save that for another day. I went to another camp a few years later and absolutely loved it. I think it was just that camp I wasn't a big fan of.

But anyway, how random to run into that girl after such a long time. It must have been almost 13 years! And we both recognized each other.  Very strange. 

Ok, I'm off to bed. Sorry I've been a tad negligent lately. I can't even being to tell you how busy I've been....yikes. I should finally have some free time soon, though. Yay!

Monday, May 18, 2009

Whoa. This news makes me feel funny.

This is a short one. It has to be...it's late, I've been out playing pub trivia all night and to be honest, I'm freaking out a little bit. 

Remember that story about my vacation movie moment? The one where Vacay Boy sang me my favorite song in the talent show? Yeah, that one.

Some of you asked what happened to him. I didn't 'fess up to it because it's very anti-climactic. We had our little fling until I left for Ireland at the end of August. We kept in touch until New Year's Eve, when I was between my Irish boy and J. We made plans to get together, but somehow they fell through, I was a little ticked off and that was that. We talked once in awhile after that...but it wasn't the same. I started dating J, he started dating a new girl. End of story. 

And now, literally 3 minutes ago, I logged on to Facebook and saw that he is engaged. ENGAGED. Oh.My.Gosh. My jaw literally just dropped to the floor.

Now I feel all weird. Is it because at one point in time I was so smitten with him? Is it because he's been dating his girlfriend (now fiancee) for a shorter time than I've been dating J? Is it because some part of me is still hanging on to that amazing vacation moment? I guess he's my first "ex" (but I wouldn't recall him that...more like ex-crush) that is engaged? Maybe...

And while I'm really happy for him, I just feel funny. I don't know what it is, but I felt the need to blog about it. It can be so therapeutic sometimes. Yikes.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Chaperoning makes it okay to be a creep

Last night at prom, I felt like I was smack dab in the middle of an MTV show. It was a little bit of Made, a whole lot of High School Stories and definitely a touch of True Life: I Live for Prom. The night was surprisingly drama-free—only one girl cried (boyfriend troubles, naturally), one couple got caught making out in the curtains, and there was an incident when a boy was spending way too much hanging out in the bathroom. Sketchy.

My night started with the following exchange: 

HS Principal: You Catholic, Pam?
Me: Yeah.
HS Principal: Good. You're going to need to go to confession after seeing these kids dance.

And for some odd reason, that got me really excited. Is that wrong? A comment like that meant there would be great stories to tell, and I was not disappointed.

The Attire—I've never seen so much orange in my entire life. Orange dresses, orange skin (Everyone was tan...totally normal for Wisconsin in May. Ha.), orange vests and orange bow-ties. I didn't know tangerine was the color of the season until last night, but now I'm very aware. Throw in all the bright yellow, hot pink, vivid purple and neon blue dresses and you've got yourself a party. I only saw one black dress and 3, yes 3, wedding dresses. A white ball gown? Might as well start playing "Here Comes the Bride". I'd say about 95% of the dresses were exactly like this:
Most of them were more than a little scandalous. Everywhere I looked there was cleavage. Yikes. Very, very different from my own prom experience 6 years ago. We were all about A-line and princess dresses. Luckily, most of the girls could totally pull it off...until they started pulling up the bottoms and tying them up to their thighs with rubber-bands. Oh dear. For a girl who grew up in a very sheltered environment, I felt like I needed to cover my eyes at times. 

The guys seemed to be loving white tuxes, which I found interesting. There must have been at least 30 guys rockin' the all white ensemble, with vests and bow-ties to match their dates' dresses. So the guys were running around in pink, purple, green, orange, yellow and turquoise vests, looking like they came straight from their shifts working at Disney World. I kept trying to find the little Mickey Mouse lanyards around their necks.

The Music—Apparently, it "sucked". Why? I have no clue. I didn't think it was so bad. I was totally grooving to the beat on the "sidelines".  There were a few too many of those "is it a slow dance or fast dance" songs. And at one point they played K-Ci and JoJo's "All My Life" which made me and J laugh out loud. I used to love that song in 7th grade. But it's definitely not cool in 2009. 

At one point one of J's students came over to complain about the music and I tried to help:

HS Girl: Ugh. This music seriously sucks.
Me: Really? Why?
HS Girl: We can't dance to this. It's all jumping. I don't want to jump. I want hip-hop. 
Me: Is there a specific song you would want? Maybe you could request it.
HS Girl: (blank stare) No. This music sucks.
Me: Oh, ok then.

But then again, this very drugged-out kid ran over and starting yelling, "I almost puked 3 times because I was dancing so hard! I love this music!" So apparently at least one kid liked it.

The Dancing—Ohhh my goodness. I didn't realize that being a chaperone required you to literally stand/sit on the side of the dance floor and watch the kids up close. I felt like a super creep as I watched all the guys grind up on the girls. So awkward. When watching it from behind, it seriously looked like the guys are doing a series of very off-rhythm squats. Almost like a drunken ballet dancer doing a plie while trying to cop a feel. The best part was when the kids discovered the mirror behind the djs and started watching themselves dance. J and I couldn't stop laughing.

The kids went nuts when the djs played "Get Buck in Here", apparently a "good" song.  Being the old lady I am, I didn't know it, but it's probably one of the dirtiest songs I've ever heard. So naturally, the kids loved it. I've never seen so many thrusts, hip sways and off-beat hip shakes in my entire life.  

I had a total blast at prom. It was so fun to see everyone all dressed up and so excited. The kids were great. I especially loved when J's students came over to meet me. They all shook my hand and said they'd heard so much about me. A few guys even asked if I was, "the famous Pam". It was so cute. And it was so fun to see J in a school setting with his students, who so clearly look up to him. 

As soon as prom was over and the kids were out of the ballroom (but not even on the buses yet), J, me and few other chaperones went straight to the bars. We proceeded to gush about the night and drink delicious martinis until bar close. It was a total blast. And while we were out, I was determined to run into Jimmy Fallon (love him) who was in Milwaukee last night. But after the most amazing flirtini ever, I forgot all about my mission. Whoops.

Oh and sorry, I didn't take any pictures. I'm pretty sure I would have been arrested if I whipped out my camera to snap a pic. It was creepy enough sitting there close and watching them dance. But I wore the black dress and it worked out perfectly. Thanks again everyone!. Woo. Prom 2009!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed

I love Legally Blonde. Always have, always will. And while I know it's not quite the deepest of movies, I don't care. It's one of my favorite feel-good things to watch. My Mom and I are always quoting it to each other randomly, like "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't shoot their husbands. They just don't!" and "I'm takin' the dog, dumbass!"

So when I found out a couple years ago that Legally Blonde the Musical was coming out, I was thrilled. Though I never got to see it on Broadway, I was hooked to last summer's MTV Show "The Search for the Next Elle Woods" to replace Laura Bell Bundy. Now that was definitely quality TV. 

And then I learned that they were putting together a national tour and some of my favorites from the show  (Rhiannon and Lauren) were in it. I watched the tour schedule for months, hoping they'd come to Chicago. Good news! They were coming here for 3 1/2 weeks. As soon as dates were announced, I made it my goal to get tickets.

So after months of waiting, Legally Blonde finally set up shop in Chicago and I went to see it last night. I LOVED it. It's pink, sparkly, hilarious, cute, energetic and romantic. What's not to love? And when you throw in the sexy UPS guy and  two adorable dogs, you've got perfection. Plus, some of the lyrics are hysterical, like:

Gay or European?
So stylish and relaxed.
Is he gay or European?
I think his chest is waxed.


Probably one of the funniest songs ever. Plus, there is a whole song about Ireland. I'm really not sure where the heck the Ireland spin came from, but I don't mind. A musical with lots of pink, catchy songs and Irish love? It's my heaven.

Wow. I am such a girl.

But anyway, if you're in Chicago or on one of the tour stops, go see it!  

In other news, prom is tomorrow. I just got a call from J, who is out with his fellow teachers drinking the night away, and he informed me that I get to set up the women's bathroom at the hotel. Translation: I have to arrange a huge box of tampons in a "pretty" way for the girls. A pretty way? Really? I think I love this job already. 

Also, I was recently given a very exciting award from Ali at The Way I See It. Thank you so much! I promise to write more about it and spread the love when I have more than 2 minutes to write. These last couple weeks have been insane!

Ok off to paint my tootsies hot pink. Have a wonderful weekend!

P.S. Any thoughts on the Grey's finale last night? Oh.My.Gosh. I was SHOCKED. I literally sat here with my mouth hanging open for about 5 minutes. So sad.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Staying classy

Thanks for all the input, everyone! I really appreciate it. And of course, the winner is definitely the black dress. I was hoping you all would choose that one! I'll try to sneak a prom pic of me and J to show you the final ensemble. I hope we can get one in front of an awesome balloon arch or something. 

I'm getting kind of excited for prom. But honestly, it's going to be really weird to be at a nice event and not be able to drink. For the last 5+ years, I've been able to have a glass of wine, beer, etc (though not always legally) to loosen up and kick up my heels and dance. I kind of associate dressing up with drinking. Not heavily, of course, but still. I like to feel classy with high heels and a glass of wine. I guess they just go together in my head—which became apparent to me when I asked J if there would be an open bar. Whoops. 

Ok, this is going to be a short post. I had my fiction writing class tonight and then had to race home through the crazy thunderstorms to watch the finale of America's Next Top Model. Tomorrow night is going to be nuts. I'm going to see Legally Blonde the Musical (SO EXCITED!) and then I have to come home and watch the season finales of The Office and Grey's Anatomy. Normally I wouldn't stay up so late to watch TV, but I  just know someone will totally spoil the endings for me on Friday if I don't watch them. And that would be heartbreaking.

I better make sure I have a fresh box of Kleenex handy for Grey's. If it's anything like last week, I'll probably be crying myself to sleep. 

Monday, May 11, 2009

Help me pick my "prom dress"!

As many of you already know, this coming weekend I'm chaperoning prom. Well technically, I'm not the chaperon, I'm just the date. My boyfriend's the one in charge—I just get to watch the high school kids dance (in a non-creepy way) and wonder if I was ever that awkward/skanky/funny/trendy/dorky/young. 

Now I know the kids really won't care what the heck I'm wearing, but J keeps telling me how all the kids judge him and his clothes on a daily basis. And I know when I was in high school, my friends and I used to rate our hot chemistry teacher's clothes (he was so dreamy). So I don't want to look like some could-pass-for-middle-age, frumpily-dressed chaperon—I want to look cute. 

I didn't know what the heck to wear. J asked fellow teachers and was told I could wear anything from black pants and a sweater to wedding attire. My choice? A dress...because I love them.

Now normally I would try on a bunch of dresses and ask my roommate for an opinion, but my current roommate—a teeny tiny zinia plant—doesn't have a lot to say on the matter. So being the approval-oriented girl that I am, I thought I'd ask you all for fashion advice. Do you mind? I hope not!

Here are my two dress options:

Dress #1

You can't tell, but it has a satin ribbon around the waist and it covered in large black polka dots. This is what I originally planned on, but I didn't know if the strapless was a bit too "scandalous". Also, when I tried this on in the store, a girl asked me if I was going to the turnabout dance at the local high school....how embarrassing. But I loved the dress anyway and had to have it.

Dress #2

This one is a little summery and a bit more casual. It's a lightweight cotton (definitely a sun dress) and could probably be dressed up with the right accessories. I'm worried it might be a bit too short with heels, but I love the print. 

So what do you think? Any suggestions would be a huge help!

Once I tally up the votes, I'll move on to accessories. Now those will be a challenge. Shoes? Jewery? Cardigan? (I'm always cold). YIKES. I freeze up when it comes to the extra things. It's hard enough to pick out the dress.

Thanks for your help!

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Real life movie moments

Last Monday, my friend WG2 and I were recapping our weekends on Gchat, as we do every Monday morning. She asked what my boyfriend and I did in Milwaukee and I gave her a rundown, including our Saturday morning trip to the airport.

You see, ever since we started dating, J and I have loved to go to the Milwaukee airport to watch planes. It's our time to relax together. And I love it because he knows a ton about planes, so he can always tell me what type each one is, when they were made, etc. Usually we get breakfast and sit there watching the runway and trying to guess where the planes are headed. It's our little Saturday morning routine.

So I was describing this to WG2 and she said it sounded like something straight out of a romantic comedy. I suppose I could see it, it's something quirky that we bond over and enjoy together. 

It got me thinking about other times in my life when I've had a "movie moment." A time, a place, an event—anything—which struck me as a scene straight out of a movie. So dramatic or emotional or sweet that it seemed as if someone thoughtfully wrote it down on paper, and I was simply acting it out.

I'm lucky enough to have a few, mostly jumping straight out of the chick flick genre. The one that sticks out in my mind most took place almost 3 years ago, during my annual family vacation at a resort in Rhinelander, WI. 

The same people went back to the same resort year after year, so we all became close. And as luck would have it, I was the only girl my age amid a sea of cute guys. There was one in particular I had a huge crush on and as we had met up a few times during that summer prior to vacation, I knew that was the year we'd have our fling. I couldn't have been more excited.

So vacation rolled around and we spent most of the week together. We square danced, we kissed, we snuck into the kitchen, we had a bonfire—we had a blast. One night, as always, there was a talent show at our resort (sort of like Dirty Dancing, only on a smaller scale). He was all excited to perform in it and had been practicing a song on his guitar for the big show. He told me he was going to play "The Scientist" and as a huge Coldplay fan, I was excited to hear it.

On the night of the talent show, I took my seat in the audience, next to my cousins and my sister. After a few rather lame acts, my guy was called up to perform. He sat down in his chair, looked right at me and smiled, and then began to play.

My jaw dropped in shock as I heard the first few notes. He wasn't playing "The Scientist." He was playing "Green Eyes", one of my very favorite songs. I had mentioned it to him ages before, during a whole conversation about there not being enough songs for girls with green eyes (like me). 

As he started to sing, chills ran up my spine and all time seemed to freeze. There were tons of other people in the room, but it was as if he was only singing to me. My sister squeezed my arm and my cousins poked me, knowing that the performance was for me. I was literally swooning in my seat. My heart was fluttering, my cheeks were blazing red and I hung on ever word he sang. At the time, it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for me.

So that was one of my movie moments. How about you guys? Ever had a heart-stopping, earth-shattering, OMG moment that seemed like it was straight out of a movie? 

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Animated characters get me all hot and bothered

It's time I spiced this blog up a bit. 

Recently, a friend and I discussed which Disney character we found most attractive, AKA who we would say yes to if they propositioned us (ooooh so spicy). 

My answer? I'm all about Prince Eric. I'd go under the sea with him any day of the week. 

Oh God, I just blushed.

Who would you pick? Do you want to make a man out of the guy from Mulan? Have a thing for passed out princesses like Sleeping Beauty? Ready to explore a whole new world with Aladdin? You know you've thought of this before, so 'fess up.

Monday, May 4, 2009

I'm a musical head case

I almost always have a song stuck in my head. I can't help it—it's like my mind can't deal with silence or something. Or else it just likes to keep me entertained all the time, which I definitely appreciate. 

But the strangest part is that I never get current songs in my head...they're always songs from my childhood. Really, really random songs I haven't actually heard in years. 

A few weeks ago, I couldn't get "Rhythym is a Dancer" out of my head. Two days later, "Don't Turn Around" by Ace of Base kept popping up. Every time I went to concentrate on my work, I started humming it. I haven't heard that song since about 1993, but apparently it made quite an an impression on me. Another favorite seems to be "Another Night" by Real McCoy. What a great song. It makes me want to tease my bangs, throw on shredded jeans and grungy flannel and dance...or not.

But oddly enough, the songs that really stick out in my head are cartoon themes from when I was little. I'll randomly start singing the Tale Spin them (Friends for life through thick and thing with another tale to spin!)  and then suddenly launch in to Duck Tales (Life is like a hurricane, here in Duckburg...) and Rescue Rangers (Sometimes, some crimes go slippin' through the cracks...). Those three shows must have been in an afternoon lineup together because they are permanently linked together in my mind. I also think Darkwing Duck and Gargoyles were there somewhere, too, but I didn't watch those. They were boys' shows.

And often times, my mind reverts back to the days when I was obsessed with pink and purple (guess not much has changed) and refused to wear anything but "pretty dresses". Those are the days I'm all about My Little Pony (Something is starting right now, something is starting, oh wow!) Boy, did I love those cute, colorful little ponies...

But there is one theme that gets stuck in my head more than any other. The one I still know every word to, even after all these years:




Yep, Gummi Bears. I don't know why it has such staying power since it wasn't really one of my favorite shows, but it's always there. One moment of silence and BAM! Gummi Bears are bouncing here and there and everywhere right through my head. I really do wonder what is in Gummi Berry juice. Lots of sugar? Flubber? Alcohol? Red Bull? I guess we'll never know. And I love how the song mentions, "They take pride in knowing they'll fight for what's right in whatever they do." What a nice little not-so-secret message to teach kids. I know I sure took it to heart.

Shoot. Now it's stuck in my head again. Oh well. I can't say I mind it...I could think of worse songs, like "Rhythm is a Dancer".

And dear readers, please always remember, when you need help just call Ch-Ch-Ch-Chip and Dale—Rescue Rangers!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

I hate poopin' pigeons

A bird pooped on me today. 

Ew.

But it wasn't just any bird...it was a big, fat bacteria-infested city pigeon. 

Double ew.

In an attempt to describe my hatred for surprise spills/messes made on or around me, I wanted to reference back to a post I wrote earlier about a pregnant woman throwing up on me on a plane a few years ago. I could have sworn such a post existed, but I can't find it anywhere. It's a good/disgusting/overly-dramatic story, so I hope I can find it. Otherwise, I'll just have to retell it one of these days.

So after spending a wonderful derby-filled, mini-golftastic weekend visiting my boyfriend in Milwaukee and a lovely day with him and my parents at the Chicago Botanic Gardens, I hopped on the Metra and headed to the city. 

Once I got downtown, I opted to take the L (or is it El? I should know this...) back to my apartment. Unfortunately, that involved walking down a street that doubles as a pigeon hotspot. They are always hanging out in the gutters, curbs, sidewalks, overhangs, steps, etc taking up space and pooping up a storm. I practically tip-toed through it because my biggest fear is having those damn birds get spooked and fly up in my face. (shudder)

So I made it safely to the covered stairs that took me to the train. But as I approached the stairs, I noticed an extremely fat pigeon sitting backward on the ledge over the entrance of the stairs. His dirty, feathery little bum stuck out, just waiting for someone to walk by. 

I knew he would poop on me, but I heard the train coming and decided to risk it. I held my breath (not sure why) and ran to the stairs.

Immediately, I felt something hot and wet plop onto my right cheek. Sick.

I swore loudly and as I kept walking up the stairs, I wiped it off my face. It smelled AWFUL. When I got on the train, I finally assessed the damage. It had landed on my face, on my jacket, on my springy scarf and all over my new purse. Ew, ew, ew.

I thought I wiped it all off, but when I got home, I realized that I had a huge brown splotch streaked across my cheek. GROSS. I gagged a little bit.

So I heard getting pooped on is a sign of good luck. Any truth to that? I've never had it happen before, but it's a nice thought to have. It kind of takes away the grossness of the actual poop. And I can definitely say that when I came home, I was able to run downstairs and throw 3 loads of laundry in at one time, which NEVER happens. It was pretty amazing because laundry usually causes me hours of stress. Was it good luck? Sure, I'll call it that.

I also just found a long lost memory card from when I first got my digital camera. It has hilarious pictures from my first week in Ireland that I forgot I had. Aww, such good memories.

Ok, off to unpack and put away laundry. Hope you all had wonderful bird poop-free weekends!

Friday, May 1, 2009

The Toasty Posty

That's the ingenious title I came up with while WG2 and I chatted it up over a couple beers at the Cubs game last night. Our conversation had nothing to do with blogging, but I suddenly blurted out my urge to write a post. About what? I don't know. But I sure liked the title.

So I got home after the game, ran up to my apartment and flipped open my computer to write. About what? I still didn't know.

But alas, my internet was not working. Again. And no matter how many times I plugged and unplugged the ethernet cord, it just wasn't mean to be. (sigh)

So I gave up and packed for my trip to Milwaukee this weekend instead. I'm headed up after work to see my boyfriend. And this trip should be very interesting because as of 11am today, his school closed due to swine flu. Apparently 3 of the students might have it, so they closed the school for a week. A week! Can you believe it? All over the flu? Ridiculous.

Apparently he's not allowed to be in public now in case he's been exposed. Please. I'm still going up and we're still going to carry on our weekend like we normally would. I think this swine flu is out of control. It's just the flu, right? Yes, a mutated form of it, but still. All this hype is making people nutty.

And if I do end up getting the swine flu, then so be it. At least me and the people in my office will get a few days off, right?

Have a great weekend everyone!