Honest and Juicy

Transcending

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 02:33:41 GMT

This touched my heart. Thanks for the link, Shelley H-R.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_4qwVLqt9Q

They Lied About The Free Beer At The Finish Line

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:56:27 GMT

It seems like I have written about a million entries about running and how much I love/hate it, and how I would totally kick it's ass in a bar fight if I had enough beer in me. Then I would kiss it's boyfriend just for good measure. Regardless, running and I had a fun weekend together, and we are sort of friends right now. I ran in the Cooper River Bridge Run> with about 35,000 of my closest friends on Saturday. I had trained intermittently since early February, and though my time was thwarted a bit by a pesky leg injury that haunts me every time run more than two miles, it was exciting and soothing to hear that many running shoes softly padding across the bridge and through downtown Charleston. Considering I wasn't even able to run a mile a little over a year ago, I am super proud of myself that I ran/hobbled over six miles in such a jubilant atmosphere. I am pretty sure that I would have finished faster if I had worn this shirt, but I couldn't get it shipped here in time for the race. Guess I will save that for next year.

Kindle 2 Is My New Know-It-All Boyfriend

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:40:08 GMT

There is new gadget love in TPO town, and it's name is Kindle 2. I love my Kindle 2, and it loves me back. And no, contrary to some criticisms of the item, I do not hate books. I love books. Kindle 2 actually makes me love books more, because I can immediately look up unfamiliar words instead of marking it for later to look up in my dictionary. (Like I am going to do that. Please.) I can also refer to google or wikipedia immediately if I would like more information on any topic. Right now I am reading The Hour I First Believed by one of my favorite authors, Wally Lamb. In the book, there is a character who is a Quaker, and her religious background is important to the story. Since the only thing I really remembed about Quakers from my high school history class was that they were called Quakers because they "quaked" when they experiencing God, or something to that effect, I read extensively on the Quaker religion and history on my Kindle 2, and the already spellbinding story has become that much richer for me now that I know about their role in the abolition of slavery and ideals of the equality of men and women. There is a part of my love affair with Kindle 2 that concerns me a bit, though. Reading on it has become so ingrained in my habits that I sometimes find myself wishing that I have a search function for conversations that I am having when I don't recall or understand the context, or when a word is used that I don't know. Kind of like when I am listening to the radio and want to rewind it when I missed something like I do with the DVR on the television. Technology is awesome, even when it messes with my head like that.

Voter Exploitation

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 05:19:25 GMT

It is no secret that I love "American Idol". I also love to hate some of the fan favorites because, well...because they suck. This season my disdain is extended to Danny Gokey because he, um, sucks. While reading www.ew.com the other day, I read a quote that sums up why I dislike him so. Unfortunately, I can't find the quote now, but it basically said that Danny Gokey first exploited his dead wife to get votes, and then after his abysmal performance of "Jesus Take The Wheel" last week, he was exploiting Jesus to get votes. I doubt either of them appreciate him doing that.

Proactive Regrets

Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:40:24 GMT

My girl Jenny O. sent me an email yesterday saying that she thought of me when she saw these. Not because she thinks that I need them, but because she knew I wouldn't judge her for thinking that she might. A likely story. I MUST have some. STAT.

Savannah Has Nothing On Baxter Village, Y'all.

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 01:43:18 GMT

So, Saturday night Devonda and Jose, party planners who pride themselves on making sure you feel like total poo the next day, executed perhaps the most ridiculously fun evening of pre-St. Patty's Day debauchery I have experienced in a long while. They rented the Zebra Party Bus from Ragin' Uptown, which is a fun and inexpensive way to chauffer a group of up to 35 suburbanites to the bright lights of uptown. If Devonda and Jose are your hosts, they will insist that you take a shot of tequila before you even leave the neighborhood. Haven't done that in a while. And I remembered why as soon as I did it. Gross. I am getting the 'I might puke. Give me a minute' feeling in my cheeks right now just thinking about it. When we arrived uptown at the Epicentre, I was floored. That place is super fun. I wish it had been there when I was growing up, or even seven to ten years ago when I was going out a lot in uptown Charlotte. It has totally changed the feel of nightlife uptown, and definitely for the better, in my opinion. We spent the evening at Whisky River, home to a mechanical bull (of which I did not partake, but I am now regretting, because all of my friends who did looked to be having a blast), a huge mulit-tiered dance floor, semi-clean bathrooms, and a DJ who definitely knew who the audience was-playing songs from the 80s to Garth Brooks classics, to "Cotton Eye Joe" (not sure there was a real need for that one, but it got a huge response), to more current Top 40 songs that make white people dance, throw out pretend gang signs, tell random strangers that they are going to expose their bad ways on their blog (was not me. definitely not. okay, was me. really can't believe I didn't get a can of whoop ass opened on me). It was so much fun, and most of that fun was due to the company, and of course, the beer. Can't wait to do it again, and thanks again to Devonda and Jose for orchestrating the whole she-bang. Oh, and no pictures to protect the guilty. You have to be my facebook friend for that.

facebook In Real Life

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:48:24 GMT

This made me giggle. A lot. Thanks, Kristen, for the link.

facebook In Real Life

Maybe I Should Try Pig Latin Instead

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:15:20 GMT

Here is how I know I am parent, in case the waking up in the middle of the night to cries of "MOMMY! CHOCOLATE! EAT! EAAAAAAAT! JUICE! DOWNSTAIRS! MOMMY! DADDY! MOMAS! (that would be 'Thomas', as in the Train, to those of you who do not speak FOO) on a regular basis isn't enough. I was at Bunco last night talking to another adult, in a room full of adults, and I was spelling out cuss words while I was talking to the other adult, and then realized after I had done it several times that I did not have to spell them out to her. Yeah, so I am a suburban mommy with no job, but I am still relevant. And edgy. And I look up words immediately if I don't know them. Shut up.

We Are The World

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:29:04 GMT

Saturday night we went with the Gearys and the Robinson (just Timmy. Shelley was out of town) to Red Sea Restaurant and Bar, which is an Ethiopian place run by authentic Ethiopians in the Elizabeth area of Charlotte. As an aside, I am shocked that the place has a website, since it looks like nothing has been done to the decor in at least 20 years, and you would think that they would do something about the wallpaper border peeling off of the wall in there if they know they need a website, but whatever. Regardless, the food is excellent, and is served sans utensils: you do it Ethiopian style by tearing off pieces of the spongy sourdoughish flavored bread, and then choosing your meat and toppings of choice, and then stuffing it in your pie hole. Not nearly as messy as one would imagine, and mmm, mmm good. I haven't been to Red Sea since I was pregnant with FOO, so I needed a reminder on how to do it, but it is easy, and everyone's meat and fixings is served on a large round plate, which is good for sharing. We had lamb, fish, two different beefs, and a chicken selection. There was a good bit left on the plate after we were finished, so I would say that four meat selections would have been enough for five people. The other thing that struck me about this place is that there always seems to be a meeting of the Ethiopian-American mafia going on in the corner with about five old men sitting and drinking in the corner. There were also some super hippies in the other corner, dreadlocks and all, which I loved, because we don't see much of those types in the Pleasant Bubble in which we live. Yum!

Mean Thursday

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:45:56 GMT

It is Day One and A Half since I have given up soda for Lent, specifically the sweet nectar that is known as Diet Dr. Pepper, and her not as pretty older sister, Diet Coke. I have a headache, and I am exhausted, but not nearly as ornery as I anticipated. My trainer is convinced that carbonation is of the devil relative to all progress in physical fitness, and she also burst my bubble on the Crystal Light mixed with soda water recipe that I LOVE-apparently that counts as soda, too. So, I am flat busted and stuck drinking boring plain old water. I am aware that Jesus dying on the cross for me was a tad more uncomfortable than my detox from the sweet, sweet Coca-Cola products that have ensnared me in their wiry grip my entire adult life, so I am trying to get over myself, but I am also pretty sure that chugging a two-liter of Diet Dr. Pepper would cure all of my ills for about five minutes. Oh how I miss you, my sweet.