I LOVE big storm clouds!!!

I am here. I'm alive.

[I started this post over a week ago, but due to training at work... I have had ZERO time for the internet! And it's the very last thing I want to do on my weekend!]

We're back. We survived Charleston.

Unfortunately, I have to say that I'm glad we're back. I did not miss that city or state.

Day 1: Wednesday 5/20.

G and I flew from Denver to Atlanta. I tried to save us some money by checking one bag (G and I shared a suitcase) instead of two, like usual. I thought it was $15 a bag... Boy was I wrong. Those bastards charged me $54 to check a single bag. Why? They said it was "over sized." By their standards, it was, but it was under 50 lbs.

Here's their sign:

1st checked bag: weight: 50 lbs. or less; dimensions: 61 inches or smaller

Fee based on reservation booking date:
Booked on November 12, 2008, or later
Booked on November 11, 2008, or earlier




$15
Free
2nd checked bag: weight: 50 lbs. or less; dimensions: 61 inches or smaller

Fee based on reservation booking date:
Booked on August 14, 2008, or later
Booked April 22 – August 13, 2008
Booked on April 21, 2008, or earlier



$25
$10 online, $20 at airport
Free
Excess baggage (each piece after the first two bags) $50
Overweight baggage
51-70 pounds
71-100 pounds

$39
$79
Over sized baggage (length + width + height)
62 to 70 inches
71 to 80 inches

$39
$79

They charged us $15 for the bag, plus $39 for it being over sized. Is that how that sign would read to you? I would read it as $39 for an overweight/over sized bag. Not one plus the other. To top it off the girl was an illiterate bitch. She gave us seats C and E. I asked "Are those seats together?" She said "Yes." Last I check there was a 'D' in between C and E. Freakin' moron, the seats weren't together.

When I get angry, I cry. I can't control it. I was so livid at the bitch I started crying and G, instead of saying something to the effect of "It's okay. It's not a big deal. We're on vacation!," gave me a hard time and decided to be a big jerk the rest of the day. Way to start a vacation! Unfortunately it set the tone for the rest of the trip.

We got to Charleston Wednesday evening around 6:30. We stopped at La Hacienda on the way home for some yummy Mexican food and gigante Dox Equis!

Thursday we spent the day with Sarah and Baby Amelia, and later in the afternoon went and saw G's grandparents. We also made it over to Dog & Duck. (You can read about it in my FOOD post. Lol.) Of course we ordered the Fish n' Chips and German JoJos! At about 2:30 in the morning, my stomach hurt... bad. I rushed to the bathroom for a poo and puke fest! Awesome! After I had relieve myself I went back to bed, only to notice that G was not there. I thought "maybe I woke him with all of my retching and such and he got up to pee." He wasn't in the upstairs bathroom, so I went downstairs. Nope, no peeing. He was retching as well. AWESOME times two. We both got food poisoning. G is convinced that it was the fried fish... I think maybe the tartar sauce. Maybe it wasn't food poisoning. Maybe it was more along the lines of "someone didn't wash their hands after wiping their ass and we ate their shit particles." Probably the latter. I felt better the next day, but G was still sick.

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday are a blur of doing the same thing... Sarah and Brian's house, G's grandparents house... dinner... sleep. Same, same, same.

The weather sucked. It was nice one day out of seven! And on that day, I ran the bridge! Oh sweet joy, running that bridge was the highlight of that friggen trip! That, and food, and seeing old friends, and seeing G's grandparents.

[Trying to finish this post over a week later...]

I've lost my train of thought. I know that the trip to Charleston just reaffirmed the fact that G and I made the right decision in moving away from that place. I don't miss it.... at all. I guess when you're away for awhile, it's easy to forget the things you hate and remember only the good... kind of like an old relationship. Part of the reason I HATED living there was the lack of manners. South Carolina does NOT have "Southern Hospitality." Most people and straight-up assholes. You tell someone "thank you," and they say "uh-huh." WTF. Have you heard of 'your welcome?' When G and I were waiting for a table for dinner, one opened up and G walked toward it. Some mother-effer elbowed him. I guess someone needs a talk about using their words and not being physical. Welcome to the world of adults with mannerisms of three year-olds (and that may be too much credit.)

I'll leave you with some pictures... because yeah, I don't have anything else to share about that shitty ass trip.

The food that made us sick.
Woo! Bridge run with Saxton!
Four+ miles. :)
Mmmm... Dunkin. That's the way you end a run. Lol.Downtownage...
Southend Brewery w/ my favorite stout beer!Beach day with Sarah and Amelia.


Before dinner downtown at Basil.
Yay! Taco Boy! Yummers! (This was after a few margaritas, sangria, and spicy beers! Yay for a tab of $168, when tacos are only $3 each. Lol.)
Taylor, Chad, and myself. (I can't believe she's only 11!)
Brian and Sarah - our buddies!

Yummers!

Yum! Andolini's in Mt. P!

Last day in Chas... Headed home tonight and happy about it! We don't miss this place at all!

@ Poe's Tavern on Sullivan's Island, SC

having the best burgers evar!

My favorite Charleston Stout.

Southend Brewer - O'Ryans Stout. Yum!

At the Dog & Duck

German JoJos, Fish n' Chips, Guinness, Anchor Steam and my G.

Day 1

This trip couldn't have started any worse. Well, realistically, a lot else could've gone wrong. The last 3+ hours have been shit. Joy.

We're on vacation!

G and I are off to Charleston tomorrow! We'll be back on Tuesday the 26th... late nite.

So if I don't update... you know where I am. I will try and update as much as I can... as well as add some mobile uploads.

Hoping for safe travels... and that our luggage arrives!

XOXO

Holy schmoly.

This is the building I work in downtown. (Nope, don't work for ING.) It's the Security Life Center and it's a really nice building. BUT we have an AC (or should I say heat?) problem.

Building management doesn't ever get us AC or get us at an acceptable temperature. It's always flippen hot when it warms up in Denver. All the other departments are fine, but ours, NO. We have a room thermometer up here this morning and it's 84 degrees in our department right now. WTF mate?

As the sup said, "Time for Coronas."


Wolfram Alpha

Interesting site...

For G:

Input interpretation:
Wednesday, May 23, 1979

Time difference from today (Monday, May 18, 2009):
29 years 11 months 26 days ago
1564 weeks 5 days ago
10 953 days ago
29.99 years ago (hehe... he'll be 30 this weekend!)

Time in 1979:
143rd day
103rd weekday of 1979
21st week
2nd quarter
38.90% of 1979 elapsed, 61.10% remaining

Daylight information for May 23, 1979 in Denver, Colorado:
sunrise | 5:39 am MDT\
sunset | 8:15 pm MDT\
duration of daylight | 14 hours 36 minutes

Phase of the Moon:
waning crescent moon

For me:

Input interpretation:
Friday, January 29, 1982

Time difference from today (Monday, May 18, 2009):
27 years 3 months 20 days ago
1424 weeks 3 days ago
9971 days ago
27.3 years ago

Time in 1982:
29th day
21st weekday of 1982
4th week
1st quarter
7.67% of 1982 elapsed, 92.33% remaining

Notable event for January 29, 1982:
Birth of Heidi Mueller (actor)

Daylight information for January 29, 1982 in Denver, United States:
sunrise | 7:11 am MST\
sunset | 5:16 pm MST\
duration of daylight | 10 hours 5 minutes

Phase of the Moon:
waxing crescent moon

G is: 2 years 8 months and 6 days older than I am!

Pictures from the Erie Hot Air Balloon Launch!

(Click the photo to go to the album.)

A small makeover.

So, I finally updated my header and my colors!

Let me know if the color scheme is annoying/hard to read etc. Suggestions to improve it?

Keywords.

A fellow blogger, former schoolmate, and friend RizzDizz, posted about keywords (through Google Analytics) people search to pull up your blog.

What have people searched that have yielded my blog?

Sheesh:

Musheroo
Ed Westwick girlfriend
song about first trimester blues (WTF?!)
"key west" body pump
"wonders" clocks charleston magazine
12 months apart? pssh we got this
body pump addiction
bodypump men
dooce engaged
ed westwick girlfrien
ed westwick girlfriend 2009
ed westwick nasty
ed westwick nostrils (I only have ONE post about this dude!)
esfjs focus on the outside world and assess their experiences subjectively. they largely base their judgments on their belief system and on the effects of actions on people. esfjs are literal and concrete, trusting the specific, factual information gathered t (A search that long? Really?)
girlfriend is selfish and careless of my stuff (Really? What in the world?)
girlfriend stinks like smoke
good morning to girlfriend
how to tell what a smoker looks like
i don't want tomorrow to come
logelin cincinnatti
memories to a girlfriend to remember
nadya suleman idiot
pet peeves about girlfriend
smoking weed in yellowstone (Huh?!)
tales of a 4plus year girlfriend
vista ridge balloon festival
"key west, fl" les mills

Some of these I can understand. I had a post about my disgust for smokers. I had a post about Ed Westwick and his flared nostrils. I had a post about Liz, Matt, and Madeline Logelin. I had a post about Nadya Suleman. The rest though... what in the world?!


Florescent Yellow Man!

Really, you should see his tight rolled jeans, yellow leg bands, and clip-in shoes. It's bright in here!

People watching...

I people watch, a lot.

However, on the bus, it's more "people staring."

Right now I see:

-a man in too much floresent yellow, with tight rolled jeans.
-a lady with the SHORTEST fingernails ever, and she keeps picking at them.
-a man with glasses that are too small and making the bridge of his nose very red.
-a lady, dressed for winter, with black lace socks, and UGLY brown loafer things.
-a lady that is SO round, she looks like she ate a giant Ballzac!
-a lady with a "kate gosselin" hair do.
-a girl that is a "guy."

That's all for now. Back to people watching I go.

Food.

Is it sad to say that one of the biggest reasons I'm looking forward to going back to Charleston is for the food?

Charleston doesn't have chains like PF Changs, Cheesecake Factory, B.J's etc. Instead they have a thriving privately owned restaurant industry with amazing and different foods everywhere! The cuisine is superb!

So, what foods am I looking forward to getting fat off of in Charleston? (Check out the links to see these great places!)

Vickery's
I'm looking forward to consuming (do I have to pick one? All of their food is SO GOOD!) their Fried Green Tomatoes, Warm Artichoke Dip, Ranch Burger, and their Warm Bread Pudding with Caramel Sauce. (Those are my usuals!)

Poe's
This place has the BEST BURGERS EVAAAAR! My personal favorite is the Amantialldo (Guacamole, Jalapeno Jack, Pico de Gallo & Chipotle Sour Cream). The Pit & Pendulum is a classic (Apple wood Bacon and Cheddar! YUM!) The also have a great selection of beers!

Sette (no website)
Their Pancetta and Pea Risotto is THE BEST. I can't wait to STUFF. MY. FACE.

Andolini's
Where else can you get two pieces of pizza and a beer for $7? Za is goood. Two to three pieces good.

Bodacious Bagels
Yes, a "bagel place" is on my list. My favorite is the Bagel Melt. It's a cheddar bagel, toasted, with sliced tomato, cheddar cheese, red onion, and chive cream cheese. It's heaven on a bagel. (I've tried to make it at home and it's just not the same!)

Boulevard Diner (no website)
This places has great Cajun Cheddar Shrimp n' Grits, Fried Green Tomatoes, and open-face Tuna Melt. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Dog & Duck
G and I frequented this place for their happy hour deals and because it was 1.5 miles from our apartment! ;) They have the BEST Fish n' Chips and German JoJo's (Super JoJo potatoes tossed with bacon and green onions then smothered with melted cheese and ranch dressing). They also have Guinness on tap at the right temperature, which is always a bonus in my book. They also have make-your-own-Bloody Mary Sundays! ;)

Giuseppi's Pizza
I know I already mentioned pizza at Andolini's, and they're good for the cheap pizza and beer, but Giuseppi's has the BEST pizza creation EVAR! They're called Weggies and they're AMAZING. Check out their menu. Our favorite was the Weggiedilla, which has marinated, shredded chicken, cheddar and jack cheese, bacon, onion, and BBQ sauce. They also had the best ranch that was perfect for dipping it in. This is probably the first thing I want to eat in Charleston!

Southend Brewery
This place hast he best smoky stout beer ever! And they offer a rockin' Margherita Pizza and grits! Not everyone else's favorites, but mine for SURE!

Basil
G and I only went here once, two nights before we moved to Colorado, but I want to go back SO badly. All of their food is phenomenal. We especially loved the Tom Kha Gai Tureen (Chicken Coconut soup). It's coconut milk, with galanga roots, lime leaves, lemon grass, button mushrooms, cilantro and scallions. We had a mix of everything that night, including the duck! Sooo good.

That's all I can think of for now... you hungry yet?! ;)


Reblogging... (from personal experience!)

Taken from Aziz is Bored.

REBLOG THE FUCK OUT OF THIS. WARNING: AMC theaters are running FAKE IMAX's and charging $5 extra for a slightly bigger screen. Boycott IMAX, AMC, and Regal. Don't let them fool you.

I went with a friend of mine to see Star Trek: The IMAX Experience at the AMC Theatre in Burbank today. I drove out of my way to see the film on the large IMAX screen and paid an extra $5 for the ticket, which felt worth it at the time.

HOWEVER, we get in the theatre and its just a slightly bigger than normal screen and NOT the usual standard huge 72 ft IMAX screen. I was very upset and apparently this problem is happening all over at Regal and AMC theatres. Here’s a graphic representation of what’s happening at these “FAKE IMAX” screens:



If you don’t want the whole long story, I did some research online and found this article that explains it. Basically IMAX is whoring out their brand name and trying to trick people. These new “IMAX” theatres are really just nice digital screens with good sound, but they ARE NOT IMAX, in that they don’t have the huge 72 ft gigantic screen which people would expect. However, they still charge $5 more for tickets as they would for the regular IMAX.

REGAL, AMC, AND IMAX - YOU ARE LIARS!

Boycott them. Fuck them for taking advantage of people and charging them $5 extra. If you’re in LA, go to the Arclight from now on, and fuck the IMAX screens (fake and real).

Some people at Regal and AMC both wanted to call these screens IMAX Digital so as to differentiate it somehow from the giant IMAX screens people are used to associating with the name IMAX. Apparently IMAX doesn’t see anything wrong with duping customers like this and insisted on simply keeping it as IMAX. Well, I have a better term how about - “BULLSHIT IMAX.” Cause that’s what it is.

According to this piece, IMAX CEO, Richard Gelfond said the company only puts IMAX digital systems into multiplex auditoriums that meet certain criteria. He jokingly said, “It’s a very scientific test. It’s called the ‘wow’ factor. So if you don’t go in and go ‘wow,’ we won’t do it.” HAHAHA! REALLY FUNNY RICHARD!!!! What happens if I go in the theatre and go “This isn’t a fucking IMAX screen, I just got ripped off for $5!!” Do I get my money back?

At the AMC theatre this was my experience at guest services:

Aziz: Yes, I’d like my $5 back. I paid $5 extra for an IMAX screen and that’s not nearly as big as what I have known IMAX to be.
Guest Services: I can’t sir. Its IMAX quality picture and sound.
Aziz: But the screen isn’t big, that’s the whole reason I pay $5 more for IMAX.
Guest Services: Well sir, you watched the whole movie, you could have come out and we could have given you tickets to a different one.
Aziz: Why would I do that? I’d leave Star Trek, the movie I wanted to see and you’d give me a ticket for Ghosts of Girlfriends Past? Oh yeah that’s fair! No, you need to give me the $5 back, its the principle of it. Can I see a manager?

Manager: Sir, we can’t refund the money, you saw the whole film.
Aziz: I don’t want $15, I just want $5 cause AMC lied about IMAX.
Manager: Sir, I can give you popcorn and a drink.
Aziz: I don’t want to go home and drink a nasty soda and eat nasty ass popcorn. I want my $5 back. Its not about the money, its the principle of the matter, ITS NOT IMAX.
Manager: Sorry, I can’t do anything.
Aziz: You know what Twitter is? I have 25,000 followers, I’m tell 25,000 people you run fake IMAX’s and that they should boycott AMC.
Manager: I don’t really care sir.
Aziz: Yeah, I wouldn’t care either if I worked here, but you know you are in the wrong! You should give me $5!!
Manager: SIR, I CAN GIVE YOU POPCORN AND A SODA.
Aziz: I DON’T LIKE POPCORN AND I DON’T LIKE SODA, I WANT MY $5!!!
Manager: Ok here’s two free passes.


Next weekend.

Next weekend is the Erie Town Fair.

Why am I excited for a town fair? Because they do the annual hot air balloon launch off of the golf course we live on.

And it looks like this:

(FYI - there are 36 hot air balloons in the picture! Count 'em!)

G is getting a new lens for his birthday for the 40D and it should yield some spectacular shots next weekend at the 6am launch!

What else am I looking forward to?

G decided that he wanted to go to Charleston for his 30th birthday, so next Wednesday (5/20) we are off to our old stomping grounds!

It will be great to see old friends. I mistakenly said "it's funny we're going home for vacation." And when I said "home," of course I had to explain to G that SC is HOME for us. It's where our relationship really began and grew! It's where we had our first apartment, our first big fight, where we got both of our dogs... where we grew as a couple and individuals for almost FOUR years! So yes, call it a Freudian Slip, but we are going home for vacation.

What am I not looking forward to?
Skeeters! Or mosquitoes! Or the state bird of South Carolina. Those suckers LOVE me. They have and will bite me through JEANS! I lived in OFF Deep Woods bug spray through the four years we lived there... and I guess I'm lucky that 1) of all the bites I got, I didn't contract West Nile and 2) of all the spray I used, I didn't get cancer or some sort of poisoning! The picture above is what ONE mosquito will do to my small portion of exposed skin. Not only that, but they itch forever. I'm SO servery allergic it's pathetic. I'm afraid of those suckers... no pun intended... and you would be too if you were as allergic as I am and you received a freakin' bite on your lip. FML, right? Lol.

Unfortunately, it's also sand gnat aka no-see-ums (that I can SEE!) season and those are even WORSE than the skeeters are to me. Their bites make my lymph nodes swell to the size of marbles in my neck and groin. OH JOY.

Either way, I know we'll have a great time... even if I do come back with close to 100 bites. :D

To cut or not to cut...

Wordpress.

I am tired of Blogger and would like to move to wordpress.com.

BUT I know nothing about redirecting my domain to wordpress or how to change name servers, etc. Or how to rehost the pictures and videos that didn't come over when I imported my LJ and Blogger posts...

Grr.

I may just have to stick it out here.

Does anyone know if you have to actually PAY to redirect to your own domain? Maybe I'm missing something...

G starts his new schedule today. He'll be working Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10am-8pm. I'm happy to say that now I get whole. entire. Sundays with him!

We have continued spending mass amounts on money on landscaping and planting... whew, is nesting the expensive part of buying a home! Lol.

Thank goodness it's Wednesday. That means Body Pump for me... and halfway through the work week. I'm hoping for gorgeous weather this weekend so that we can grill out on the back porch and put our new, gorgeous, slate table to use! :)

Happy hump day all!

Oh the things you see...

on a Saturday at Home Depot.

I love it!

No more glamor... all punk! No Doubt is back!

Dah, dah, dah... ...

This will be a r.a.n.d.o.m. post.

First on the list: I like country music. This morning I heard a song by Brad Paisley called "I'm Still a Guy." (Apparently it's an old song, but I don't care.) Too funny and totally cute! I think that's why I like about country music. Songs can be funny, sad, goofy, sappy, heart felt... anything! Here are the lyrics:

When you see a deer you see Bambi
And I see antlers up on the wall
When you see a lake you think picnic
And I see a large mouth up under that log

You're probably thinking that you're going to change me
In some ways well maybe you might
Scrub me down, dress me up but no matter what
I'm still a guy

When you see a priceless French painting
I see a drunk, naked girl
You think that riding a wild bull sounds crazy
And I'd like to give it a whirl

Well love makes a man do some things he ain't proud of
And in a weak moment I might
Walk your sissy dog, hold your purse at the mall
But remember, I'm still a guy

I'll pour out my heart
Hold your hand in the car
Write a love song that makes you cry
Then turn right around knock some jerk to the ground
'Cause he copped a feel as you walked by

I can hear you now talking to your friends
Saying, "Yeah girls he's come a long way"
From dragging his knuckles and carrying a club
And building a fire in a cave

But when you say a back rub means only a back rub
Then you swat my hand when I try
Well, what can I say at the end of the day
Honey, I'm still a guy

I'll pour out my heart
Hold your hand in the car
Write a love song that makes you cry
Then turn right around knock some jerk to the ground
'Cause he copped a feel as you walked by

These days there's dudes getting facials
Manicured, waxed and botoxed
With deep spray-on tans and creamy lotiony hands
You can't grip a tackle box

With all of these men lining up to get neutered
It's hip now to be feminized
I don't highlight my hair
I've still got a pair
Yeah honey, I'm still a guy

Oh my eyebrows ain't plucked
There's a gun in my truck
Oh thank God, I'm still a guy

Continued from my like of country music, has anyone else listened to the new Rascal Flatts album. It's awesome. I'm a HUGE Rascal Flatts fan, and I especially love this song. It's sad, but it hits home. It's called Why:

It must a been a place so dark, couldn't feel the light
Reachin' for you through that stormy cloud
Now here we are gathered in our little home town
This can't be the way you meant to draw a crowd

Oh why that's what I keep askin'
Was there anything I could have said or done
Oh I, had no clue you were masking, a troubled soul, God only knows
What went wrong, and why you'd leave the stage in the middle of a song

Now in my mind I keep you frozen as a seventeen year old
Rounding third to score the winning run
You always played with passion, no matter what the game
When you took the stage you shined just like the sun

Oh why that's what I keep askin'
Was there anything I could have said or done
Oh I, had no clue you were masking, a troubled soul, oh God only knows
What went wrong, and why you'd leave the stage in the middle of a song

Now the oak trees are swayin' in the early autumn breeze
The golden sun is shining on my face
The tangled thoughts I hear a mockingbird sing
This old world really ain't that bad a place

Oh why, there's no comprehending
And who am I to try to judge or explain
Oh but I, do have one burning question
Who told you life, wasn't worth the fight
They were wrong
They lied
Now you're gone
And we cried

Cause it's not like you, to walk away, in the middle of a song

Your beautiful song
Your absolutely beautiful song

Secondly, does anyone else out there believe in pheromones? I'll tell you, G seems more attracted to me, and I tend to get more compliments from males during my days of ovulation. It's weird!

Next, I have noticed that when I wear heels, I walk so much slower! Is this because the step is shorter because of the heel being elevated? It's SO frustrating!

Another random - I LOVE Ann Taylor Loft's clothes. Someone please gift me a gift cert. so I can stop my brains out at the store... pretty please?!

Oh! G and I planted some items in our garden last night! We planted strawberries, cherry tomatoes, big tomatoes, red peppers, green peppers, oregano, chives, mint, and red onions. We're still debating what else we'd like to put there. We have quite a bit of space for a garden... so we have quite a few options. Some other things we're considering are cucumbers, blackberries, and some more herbs! I also think we're going to put a (small) lime plant out on the front porch by the door, as well as a couple hanging baskets with some geraniums. We're also going to put some bulbed flowers (Lilys, Tulips, and Daffodils) in the planter boxes. I love it!

I have to add how impressed I am with G. He is such a handy person! He has fixed our (old) washer AND dryer (he replaced the belt and the heating element). He took off the old exhaust system on his car and installed the new one. He has fixed multiple things on my beater Jeep. He can fix any computer problem. He can wire anything. And now, he's good at working in the yard. His skills are impressive! There really isn't anything he can't do and I'm glad to say that unless our toilet explodes all over the bathroom, we won't ever have to call for outside help! :) I'm lucky.

Well, that's all the randomness I have for now.... maybe I'll think of something to add later!