35 is the new mommy

I still haven't fully recovered from the sting of Kris Allen actually winning this past season of American Idol. The fact that someone can win based not based on talent really kills me. That, coupled with a nasty sinus infection has rendered me useless for a few weeks.



Anyway, I just returned from my annual exam with the lady doctor, and I'm really ticked. She asked me if I was TTC (trying to conceive) any time soon, as I had indicated last year that I might start trying right away. When I told her that Shawn and I wanted to wait a few months - like - our first anniversary - she suggested that I "should really think about trying sooner." After all, she droned on, I AM going to be THIRTY-FIVE next year, and if I wait until next year, by the time I give birth I will be THIRTY-FIVE.



...the emphasis on 35 is no accident.



Wait a minute...

You mean I'm going to be 35 next year? Really? Are you sure? Positive? Absolutely positive? Because, quite honestly, I had absolutely zero idea that next year I would be 35, so please, let me completely redo my life plan based on the fact that my gyno reminded me I will be 35.



Here's the thing...

I KNOW I'm going to be 35. I'm fully aware of it. Yes, I am aware and cautious of the risks involved in TTC or giving birth at 35. My question is this: You mean to tell me the minute I turn 35, my chromosomal make-up completely changes thus resulting in a higher risk pregnancy? Like, what if I give birth when I'm 35 and 3 weeks? What if I give birth when I'm 34 years 9 months 2 weeks 5 days and 57 minutes? Does that mean I'm still safe?



I can't help it if all her clients at USF (University of South Florida) are fresh out of Gainesville, at 23, already married, and wantin' to have youngin's. I can't help it if we are living in what is considered the Deep South where Confederate flags still fly and being barefoot, pregnant, and not even getting the car insurance discount because you're not 25 yet is the norm 'round these parts.



...but I'm not bitter.



The fact of the matter is, there are always risks involved, no matter what age, ethnicity, social or financial situation, health matters, etc. Yes, I have studied, and yes, I do know plenty of amazing women who have had successful experiences TTC and having a baby after 35. I know to expect difficulties and that there are no guarantees, but are there really any guarantees in life? No.



I'm still waiting until Feb. 7, 2010.



...and another thing! Why is there a University of South Florida in Tampa, when Tampa is NOT South Florida?! I'm baffled! Please explain!!!


Also, can anyone believe that the Magic are in the NBA Finals? Again...not bitter. Yoga breathing.

I'm not 60

I realize I have neglected my duties as a blogger, and as a result, I apologize to all 3 of my readers (Dad, Neep, & Shawn). You know me - I have to have 457 things going on at once as to give about .15% of my effort to each activity.

Anyhow, I have an entire list of topics to discuss, but I use this blog to vent (if you haven't already noticed), and therefore, need to vent about an incident that occurred about 7 minutes ago.

There is a young lady in my office, whom I refer to as "KinderCare2". She's 22? I think. Anyway, bless her heart, she's a Florida Hick, and she sadly thinks that she and I have much in common because I'm from Texas, and she is country.

Clearly...this is not the case.

Anyway, she's perfectly nice, but a few minutes ago, she was behind me while I was at the water cooler. She said in her twangy voice, "Melissa, I can only hope that one of my legs is half the size of yours when I'm your age!"

I stopped fresh in my tracks to the point where my cup runneth over. (that was for you, babe)

WT Fat?

Let's break this down...

First of all, what she said could have been taken in the context that my legs are big, and that she hopes her legs get bigger to where they are "half the size" of my big legs. Fortunately, for her sake, this is not what she meant.

Secondly, "when I'm your age"?!?!? I mean...I'm 33! I'm not 60!!! Not that being 60 isn't fantastic (Jenn), but, really??? Who says that?!?!?

Sigh...do I have to teach these people EVERYTHING?

On another note, this past weekend we had the pleasure of visiting San Antonio (Texas, not Florida, I always have to say that b/c people in Florida never actually think you leave this state, and there does exist a San Antonio, FL) . I was so happy to be back and to take Shawn, because it was his first time to visit. We had a marvelous time, and I got to revisit some places that took me back to childhood.

A funny story:

I kept telling Shawn how excited I was to visit my grandparents on Saturday, and that I couldn't wait to stop and get homemade breakfast tacos along the way. Old Boston Boy kept thinking that I meant tacos, as in, Taco Bell crunchy shell with beef tacos, because I kept saying "tacos". San Antonio has a few areas that may not be entirely pleasing to the eye, so to speak, and so on the way to my grandparents house, we entered the barrio, and I told Shawn (who was driving) he could stop at a number of establishments along the way for $.99 cent tacos. He said, "Babe - I don't want tacos!" Thinking, that I meant regular tacos, and I'm like, "Why not?! It's breakfast!" Long story short, we finally clarified that I meant breakfast tacos and not tacos regular. A breakfast taco, by my definition to him, is a delicious homemade flour tortilla filled with any number of items including eggs, potato, bacon, chorizo, and barbacoa. He finally said "ooooohhhhhhhhh - okayyyyy - I get it now."

Gringos...

Anyway, continuing along the road, we were sort of in an unfamiliar area, and Ern called about the time we were arguing about tacos. Ern was (of course out of worry) somewhat flustered that I had not followed his directions, nor did I entirely know where I was located at the time. He told me to "head south" to get to my grandparents house, to which I responded "I don't know what that is." He said, "Don't you have a compass in your car?!"

Seriously? Who has a COMPASS???

I'm thinking, "Dad - I have an iPhone! An iPhone with a GPS that will get me directions to anywhere at any time. " Sigh...

As we continued down the road, I told Shawn to stop at another place. He took one look and said, "With bars on the windows?" I'm like, "Honey, we ain't gonna find a place around here without 'em, and besides, it's just an extra precaution, we are perfectly safe."

So, finally, after passing several establishments, we stopped at a place. Shawn reluctantly went in, and asked me what he should order. I told him he would enjoy the egg & cheese, and any other egg option on the menu, so he ordered three tacos (breakfast). $7.00 and 5 tacos later, we were satisfied and happy. I think I gave Shawn a new reason to love Texas.

The wedding was absolutely fabulous. A truly gorgeous celebration of two beautiful people. We could not be more thrilled for the wonderful couple. I do have at least 3 hilarious stories to tell, but I'm afraid my parents will be mad, so I may have to direct you to my "secret blog" where I can say anything and everything and not be in trouble (even though I'm 33, married, and live out of state).

Cougarville?

I had so many topics to write about today, and perhaps I will find a way to incorporate them or save for another day (which is impossible because I am impatient chicken and have to get everything out immediately - word vomit). This morning has been entirely too productive, and I feel the need to share such comedy and entertainment with the world. I would hate to deprive people I know of the humor I experience on a daily basis.



This morning, as I drove Shawn's car with the XM radio, which mine doesn't have because my car sucks but I'm not bitter, I was listening to the 90's station. Sidecar: The first time I heard of a 90's station, I nearly had heart failure. I mean, 90's is now so distant that we have stations and club nights dedicated to all things of that decade? Am I really that old? Anyway, I was listening to the station on my way to work, and what should be playing? "Pump Up the Jam". Is this one of the ultimate 90's "pump it up" songs, or what? As many times as I've heard it (overkill), and as cheesy as it has become, I simply could not bring myself to change the channel. Besides, "Dead and Gone" was on all the other stations - one was playing the radio version, another playing the club remix, and still another playing the instrumental T-Lake piano-only version. You can only hear Justin sing "I've been battling down this road too long..." so many times in one sitting.



Back to the lecture at hand...

So I'm listening to "Pump Up the Jam", my foot can't stop tap-tap-tapping, tap-tap-tapping, and I'm on my way to work thinking - THIS song should be streamed into the office every morning as people arrive. It doesn't have to be loud, just loud enough to get the foot tapping and blood flowing before we start our day. I even thought that maybe we could all engage in some office calisthenics before selling our little hearts out. (BTW - Bucs Season Tix - pick-a-seat May 15-16th)



I then changed the station to the 80's channel only to hear one of my all-time favorites - "Maniac" from the movie Flashdance. I have deemed this my personal theme song. Let me tell you, it took every ounce of me NOT to get out of the car and start twirling around in the classic Jennifer Beals Maniac run in my office parking lot. No, I had to suppress my dancing energy and go into the office, where no "Pump Up the Jam" was playing as I had hoped. Sigh.



I come into the office and speak to my "niece," Amy. I quickly send an email to the cool kids (all 25 and under) and tell them about my ideas for "Pump Up the Jam" and "Maniac" and I proceed to ask them about their personal theme songs. Amy reminds me that "Pump Up the Jam", the Space Jam remix, is a better mix for the song than the original. She stared at me dumbfounded when I told her I never saw the movie Space Jam. She says, "How can that be?" I proceed to tell her I was 19-20 years old when the movie came out, and she quickly reminds me she was 10. Thanks.



I then realize that she probably has never even heard of the movie Flashdance or the song "Maniac" because, oh ya, she wasn't even BORN when it came out. I was 7. I had to BEG my parents to let me watch the movie, and they didn't even allow me to watch it until I was 10, or maybe older, so I had already fallen in love with the soundtrack but had no reference because I wasn't allowed to watch the movie!



Now, I have to laugh, because I was not allowed to see the movie at age 7 as a result of the stripping and the two times they dropped an F-bomb, yet my children will be born into strip club mania because Tampa has one on every corner next to every grocery store and Kinder Care. It's pretty amazing how things have changed.



So, Amy and I continue to discuss the phenomenon that is Space Jam, and MJ in his early days. We move on to the topic of MJ, and Amy expresses her disdain for him, not as an athlete, but as a cocky, pompous, philanderer (ok, those last two were my words). We are then reminded of an interesting story that Neep told me, and I passed on to the next generation (Amy). Just call me a modern day Aesop, if you will. We discussed the story again (you'll have to wait for my memoirs), and I guestimated that this event occurred probably somewhere around 1990-92, when Amy was 5-6 years old. She continues to ask me how old Neep is, and says (sorry, Neep), "Oh - she's a cougar."



Pause



Pause



Pause



Um...what?!?!?



I said, "UH, NOOOOO!!! A cougar is FORTY!" She says, "Noooo. A cougar is 35 and older." Am I wrong to be arguing with a 22-year-old about this? So, I proceed to tell her that I am a cougar, and she says I am not because I'm not 35...yet. I tell her that I am when it comes to Jacoby or Rondo (whom I would never actually like, but I just LOVE Rondo - he's the bomb - another triple double last night, THANK YOU! and did you see that dunk?!?!), and she gives me a weird look.





This has been my day thus far, and it's only 10am. I can't wait to see what is in store after lunch.

Unadulturated Hatred

Yesterday, I was talking with Neep, and we were discussing various Neverending Basketball Association players we admire and adore. Of course, I went on a tireless rant about Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, etc., and I proceeded to "dis" (is it one 's' or 2?) her boys Kobe & Pau Gasol.

Hint: I'm not going to write this blog as if you all do not know who or what I'm talking about. You have Google...use it.

Anyway, I went on and on and this rightfully disturbed my friend. She proceeded to say "Man, I am SO nice to you about people I don't like." For example, Paul Pierce. She said she keeps her thoughts to herself for my sake, and I just say whatever I feel. I said this to pc last night and told him that I have made it my mission to be nicer about people I don't like to Neep (only - baby steps) because she holds back. He said, "Right pm. And you don't hold back - EVER."

As a result, I'm going to make a conscious effort to do this.

So, today, we were discussing this exchange, and she said, "its great though, in contrast, when we can gar on rotags and other weaselly teams and individuals." To which I replied, "there is the occasional misfit that one supports and not the other, also i have an unadulterated hatred for $c for ewe." I went on to say, "What does that MEAN anyway? Unadulterated?"

I mean, we hear people use it all the time, but what does it truly mean? So the definition she found was this: Not mingled or diluted with extraneous matter; pure. See synonyms at pure. Out-and-out; utter: the unadulterated truth.

PURE HATRED

My thought is this...when you are a child, you are pure. As an adult, you become corrupted and jaded, thus losing all purity you once had as a child. As a result, you are UN-childlike, hence, an adult. Also, it sounds like adultery. (most) People hate adultery because it is not pure.

You following me?

I have unadulterated dislike for the following items: Cilantro, Bugs, and Joakim Noah.

Do you think that Brad Miller (not you, Sours, you're "the guy") has an unadulterated hatred for people who hit him in the mouth?

I wonder if the Celtics are developing an unadulterated hatred for double and triple overtimes? Do you think they might want to go ahead and develop such a hatred so they might actually WIN a game WITHOUT going into OT and keeping me up all hours of the night on the edge of my seat????

...but I'm not bitter.

Why Playoffs Why

It has been a few days since my last entry, and I am sorry to have gotten off rhythm, so to speak. A lot has been happening, particularly in my little sports world bubble, not to mention all my worry with the Swine Flu. That is probably for another day.

First, since it is fresh on my mind, I would like to address the significant increases in my stress and anxiety levels, courtesy of the Boston Celtics. I had two heart attacks in one week - ONE WEEK! Sunday, the Celtics caused me nothing but grief and dispair in their losing battle to the young yubs.

Can I just say this...I do not like Noah. I sports hate him. (pc tells me this is ok to say - maybe I've said this before - I don't care - I'm saying it again)

Anyway, between Sunday and last night? Are you kidding me? If I have to watch one more Celtics OT, I'm quitting the Celtics.

Did I mention that I am not even an NBA fan?!

What hurts the most is that I'll probably end up disappointed. I'll feel like I just got dumped when the Celtics eventually lose. I pray for a miracle every day in that KG and Powe will miraculously return. Although, you have to give it to the Celtics and their bench. They have kept fighting all along. Yes, making stupid mistakes, like Marbury's missed opp and Tony Allen's foul last night, but they keep working at it.

Why do I even care? One friend pointed out on FB that I'm not even from Boston!

Also, what a PHENOM Rondo has been. I'm going to make a t-shirt that says "I liked Rondo when Rondo wasn't cool" because I truly believe I am the OG fan. I made the first t-shirt, with iron on letters (yes, you can still find those), and I accidentally put on the D backwords so I had to cover each letter with puffy paint. Did that prevent me from showing it off and even telling Rondo himself the story in Grand Cayman? No. He rocks the party. Rondo Fitzgerald for a little boy's name...hmm???





In other news, the Bucs and the NFL Draft was exciting enough to pay attention and have a reaction. I did have the opportunity to meet our latest QB addition, Josh Freeman. I told Amy (my co-worker) I would pay her $1000 to propose to him during the meet and greet. I knew she would choke. (Thank God, secretly, I don't have $1000 to just throw out like candy.)


The draft and all the excitment surrounding the Bucs has kept me a busy bee! If anyone wants season tickets, we have a killer schedule....

GUEST BLOGGER: Neep Howley

One of my dearest lady friends in the world, and Maid of Honor in my wedding took it upon herself to re-write Shawn's vows for our wedding. I am thrilled to have her entry as a guest posting on this blog. Please read and enjoy what she had to say to my husband...

XP – It has been called to my attention your love for phrases, adages and the like. I have rewritten your vows for you to read to Mija. LOL My dearest Mija, Today is the first day of the rest of our lives. I look forward to being 3 sheets to the wind together as we begin our journey down life’s path. I want you to know that I am in for a penny, in for a pound in this relationship and no matter where life takes us, we will get the lay of the land together. No matter where I travel, as the crow flies we will always be close – absence makes the heart grow founder, you know. A house divided against itself cannot stand, my love, so I assure you I shall slay my demons. I have learned that my “Chickens” always come home to roost. I promise not to be the proverbial bee in your bonnet, but instead your knight in shining armor. No matter what comes our way, you and I will batten down the hatches of life and come out smelling like roses. When times get tough, bread always seems to fall butter side down but I will be there to pick up your toast and make it edible again. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, so take a chance on me baby! If I fail, I know I will end up in Davy Joneses Locker, so don’t worry melady. I am in this for the long haul…until we are long in the teeth, we will be together.

I love you for all you are, lock stock and barrel!

American Idol - getting down to it

I'm so fired up right now discussing American Idol. For the last however many seasons, you couldn't PAY me to watch this show, however, this year, I am completely and totally sucked in. It's justified, however, in that it is a genuine talent show, unlike many of these other loser reality shows. (thank you, pc - and yes - even he is sucked in)

My personal favorite is Alison. She's amazing. For 16, this girl is just a hard core rocker chick with an incredible voice and a sweet disposition, and I just adore her. However, we all know that Adam is going to win, so why put us through the next 6 weeks or so and just crown him the AI Prince '09?

Shawn said something funny last night, that Ryan Seacrest should be in the bottom 3. Of course, this generated hysterical laughter from yours truly. I said, "Don't let me forget to put that in the blog." So, here it is.

Neep and I are just discussing at how horribly they treat Lil'. As she pointed out "Lil' is the dopest name of all time." I have to agree. Lil' Fitzgerald...hmmm....

Anyway, why are the judges so mean to her?! She has an incredible voice, is a very sweet girl, she tries so hard. Her song choices and arrangements are not any worse than some of the others including Adam and Danny, IMO. Danny was a bit too Vegas for me, even though September is one of my all time favorite songs. My least favorite, Kris, managed to win me over, however, with his super-cool, acoustic rendition of "She Works Hard for the Money." I even voted for him, but HELLO?!?!? Is it just me? That is NOT a disco song!!! Just because it was sung by a famous Disco singer, does NOT make it disco! It debuted in 1983 for crying out loud!

I was also excited to hear Adam's rendition of "If I Can't Have You". GREAT song. Horrible rendition. I'm sorry, I didn't like it. There, I said it. Is it going to stop him from winning? No. I just thought the judges were way off on that one. Finally, I, personally, loved Matt's version of "Staying Alive". Tough song, I agree, but I thought he put a cool style into the performance. Guess, I might be the only one.

I told Shawn that I should be a judge, and he said "pm - you ARE judging." To which I replied, yes, but my talents are being wasted on this couch! The world should hear what I have to say!

Hence, the blog....tell your friends.

Triple Double Rondo

Go Celtics. What's with all the knee injuries, though? Depressing.

Last night, there was a promo on TNT to have a shot at playing one-on-one with D-Wade. Shawn apparently had a phenom game at the HIC, and has become the object of admiration from one of his hoops brothers. I promptly encouraged him, after hearing about his phenomenal athletic ability yesterday, to text the number and win a chance to go against D-Wade. He said "absolutely not." However, he did state that he would have a chance against Kobe (silent-e). Consider that a challenge, mister.

The schedule was in our favor last night with the Celtics playing at 7pm EST, ending close to 10pm, and giving us the opportunity to watch the best show EVER - 24. All I wanted to cry out was "Say it ain't so - Tony! Say it ain't so!" I sure was mubbed. I'm not looking forward to seeing what this blonde bimbo who persuaded him to join the dark side is all about (I'm convinced this is what happened). I would really like to see her and Olivia get into a violent cat fight resulting only in death. How's that for excitement...

I did make a comment that once 24 is over, the only shocking twist that remains would be the death of JB. (I can't really say it out loud) Shawn wasn't happy that I mentioned the potential ending of 24. I agree - I wish it would go on forever.

Disco night on Idol. I very much love Disco, and may even dress up for the occasion. I might also start a Twitter campaign to save Matt Giraud aka: T-Lake Junior. Yes, I realize some of you have pointed out that you thought his voice was too off-key last week. Again, I say to that, "You're entitled to your opinion, but your opinion is wrong!"

NBA: Neverending Basketball Association

I'll admit, I am completely clueless when it comes to the NBA. I have never followed the games, never really picked a team to root for, and I have never paid attention to playoff season...until Shawn.

I was just saying this past weekend how I am absolutely dreading the next two or so months because of the NBA playoffs. The Celtics are in it again this year, and defending their championship status will be a difficult one if KG is not in the game and Jesus Shuttlesworth decides to only score 4 points each game (Thank God for Rajon Rondo - all-star snub of the year 2009). Anyhow, for those of you who know Shawn, you know that this will be a few months of sleepless nights, potentially endless frustration, and a lot of hitting of the pillows. At least the hitting will get the dust off of them.

Anyway, after Saturday's Celtic defeat, we "fondly" relived the memories from last season's playoffs. To recap: the Celtics finally made a legit run for the title after 40 years or something like that, and all (that I knew) were hopeful they would eventually defeat the Lakers. Neep has a deep and unrequited love for her Lakers, so you can imagine that being caught in the middle of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry (aka: fiance-best friend) added more stress to the situation. Oh yes - lest we not forget - that my beloved pc also had a ruptured Achilles last season, as well. It was painful not only to a) have every Celtics game start at 10:30 pm EST every other night when I had to work, get up extra early, etc. b) again, suffer through the agony of any loss, but c) that Shawn had to watch from the couch, on drugs, and not be able to pace in frustration to release some of the anger/tension/energy he desperately needed to release during some of those games. Needless to say, last summer was a nightmare* for me, and I feel like it was just yesterday all this was happening.

Fortunately, all's well that ends well (sorry Neep), and we celebrated a Celtics championship victory in June, on the couch, with champagne, at 1:30 am on a Wednesday night (I think).

So - you can imagine that I shuddered a bit at the first Celtics loss of this playoff season this past Saturday, and, the way in which they lost. I mean, not a big fan (or, at all fan) of Noah (blahhhaggghhh) and Rose (ya ya, phenom, whatevs), thus, it was especially painful for me to hear updates. Which brings me to my next question: Why are the NBA Playoffs so terribly long and agonizing?! If any sport should go on forever the way the NBA does, it's the NCAA Men's Hoops Tournament. I think we can all agree...or...most can agree. I proceeded to ask Shawn last night, just how many stinkin' teams are in the playoffs? When he told me 16 out of 30, I nearly fell out of my chair. SERIOUSLY? How did I not know this, a, and b, you mean to tell me that over half the league gets to enter the playoffs?! At that point, I really felt sorry for Sabrina and her OKC Thunder. I mean, to only have to be slightly over half good? That's too bad, especially since Kevin Durant is phenom, IMO.

I couldn't believe it...16 teams out of 30. They start in April, end in June. I hear wives/girlfriends/baby momma's complain all the time about playoffs and sporting events and their men spending endless time in front of the TV (teevee) watching games, but none is so terribly lengthy and again, agonizing, as the NBA playoffs. I also have bad memories of the playoff season, but we won't go there.

At least tonight's game starts at 7pm EST. You know where to find me.

For more on the subject, please read the following by ESPN's Bill Simmons:
http://tinyurl.com/dz6cqa

Yeah...what he said...

*=potential exaggeration

Grammatical Errors Corrected

I type these things so quickly, my fingers can't keep up with my mind. I corrected previous posts below so that they actually make sense and to show that I am not a complete moron and can use spell check.

NFL Sched, Keith Morrison, AI, & Shawn's Job

So much to blog about, so little time.

The 2009 NFL Schedule was released yesterday. The Bucs have the 5th toughest schedule in the NFL this coming season, or something to that effect, according to tbo.com, and according to Albert Breer on Sporting News.com it is THE toughest. Home opener is with my beloved Cowboys coming to Ray Jay on Sept. 13th. What better birthday present can you get?

Though my emotions will once again be conflicted. On the one hand, of course I would love for the Cowboys to have the season they should have had 1,2,3 seasons ago and start the year off with a W. On the other hand, being in sales for the Bucs, well, an opening win against the Cowboys would look very promising for my bank account. Not to sound all fairweather, but even Jerry Jones would understand, it's business, not personal.

Two days ago, Shawn found out he has to work the NFL Draft with Drew Rosenhaus again this year, as he has had to do for the past couple years. Typically, Rosenhaus rents a cushy cabana at The Shore Club in Miami. I have not been able to participate in such lavish accommodations, and this year, not having to work the draft for the Bucs, I thought would be my chance. No such luck. This year's festivities occur in Pittsburgh, the armpit of America and Steelers' Nation. We have now dubbed Shawn the Pittsburgh Bureau Producer since he made at least 5 trips up there in the past 9 months...or something to that effect.

Anyway, we got onto a discussion about Twitter, Facebook, blogging, etc., and Shawn expressed his disdain for shelling out TMI. He said that the last thing he wants is to post a status about him working in Pittsburgh for the weekend and having 50 people respond "So cool!" and "Have fun!" and "You're lucky!" when in fact, he is not having any of those things. Rather, he's freezing his bum off, sitting in the press box or truck, and running around with his head cut off. The point being, many peeps think his job is all glamour, when it is a lot of hours of tiring work. I pointed out that "Right, it's not like you're calling the plays from the sidelines or something." He seemed to enjoy this answer and will proceed to use it. Anyhow, the main point being, he doesn't need everyone to know what he's doing at all times (like me), nor does he want the attention of people knowing (like me), nor does he want to take the time to keep up with all of that (like me). The man can barely check email, therefore, I don't blame him.

I have to briefly comment on American Idol last night, which, I can't believe not only am I watching this stupid show, but I'm actually voting, as well. I have a solution to the running out of time problem - CUT RYAN SEACREST'S POINTLESS BLABBERING AND UN-FUNNY JOKES! His presence, to me, is a complete waste of time, and more annoying than I can possibly describe. I don't want to hear just TWO judges comment, I demand to know what Simon thinks about EVERYONE. Maybe not so much Paula. I feel, as a viewer, that I am totally getting the short end of the stick, so to speak.*

While we're on the subject of Fox Television, if you watch 24 - OMG! Just when you think nothing else could possibly happen...BAM...right in the kisser. I won't spoil it if you haven't watched your TiVo/DVR, and if you haven't, really? Please get caught up with the rest of America before Jack Bauer comes to beat your arse. Anyway, Elisha Cuthbert as Jack's daughter returning to the show was a nice touch. She looked absolutely beautiful, which, it's rare for me to say about blondes, as I typically prefer brunettes. Anyway, I also had a random thought that she may be susceptible to "Alyssa Milano Syndrome", only with hockey players? I'm pretty sure I have a "girl crush" on her. Add her to the list of Vanessa Marcil, Gina Gershon, and Anne Hathaway.

Moving on to NBC, Shawn and I have an unhealthy obsession with Dateline & 48 Hours Mystery. We especially enjoy Dateline because of Keith Morrison. If you have not had the pleasure of experiencing this man's reporting, you are truly missing out. Here is a hilarious spoof of our Keith on SNL:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULKC5auyGHQ

Have a lovely day!

You, too, can make a difference

I'm so happy today. Besides the fact that it's Friday, I met my good friend Lecia for lunch at our favorite place in Tampa, Lee Roy Selmon's. For those unfamiliar with Mr. Selmon, he was a Tampa Bay Buccaneer, and the first from this team inducted into the Hall of Fame. He is a legend and a staple in this community. Mr. Selmon owns a restaurant specializing in BBQ, being that his home state is Oklahoma. (http://www.leeroyselmons.com/)

Anyhow, because there is no decent Tex-Mex in the city of Tampa (by my standards), the next best thing, other than Chili's, is Lee Roy's. Lecia introduced me to this fabulous place, and every time we visit, I order the garden salad with their creamy homemade Ranch dressing (delish!) and the infamous BBQ pulled pork nachos. It is quite the delectable meal.

The last time we dined at Lee Roy's was for happy hour about 6 weeks ago. Lecia and I were so excited because we typically only go for lunch, and had made it a dream, if you will, to have happy hour there. We naturally ordered the nachos, and were immediately told by our server that they had "changed" the nachos.

Changed? What do you mean "changed"?

Basically, the server described to us that the nachos no longer consisted of a collapsing tower of freshly baked tortilla chips dripping with cheese and drizzled with the unbelievable pulled pork, and fresh okra and tomatoes, rather, the format had changed. They were now serving the nachos as separate chips and each chip had a healthy amount of the ingredients. Fine, we thought, can't be much of a difference, right?

Alas, we were wronged. The new format was certainly not as satisfying or appealing as the nacho mountain. Our nachos arrived cold, however, the chips were burned! As well, there was merely a dollop of pulled pork spread throughout 12 or so nacho chips - not nearly the amount of pork we were accustomed to with the old nachos. They were still good, but not out of this world, and we were truly disappointed.

I strongly believe in providing feedback, so the next day, I promptly visited the Lee Roy Selmon's website to inform the management or nobody of my experience via the web form. I merely suggested that the nachos were not up to par, and as a faithful nacho fan, I was thoroughly disappointed. I suggested that if they were going to serve in the new format, the nachos should arrive fresh, not burned, and with more pork than a teaspoon sized serving. I was very positive and complimentary, but I did feel they had a right to know a loyal customer was disappointed.

About 2 weeks later, the manager called to thank me for submitting the feedback. He said that nobody ever provides feedback, positive or negative, thus, he appreciated my efforts and my time in letting them become aware of my experience. He also said that my experience was unacceptable and proceeded to tell me that he would send me a dining certificate for a dinner and he insisted I introduce myself the next time I visited. I didn't even have to "pull the DCC card"! (As Amy would say, I never do this, but she always teases me that I should, and I'm like - who cares?!?!)

I never did receive the certificate, which is fine, no harm done. However, when I dined with Lecia today, and (somewhat reluctantly) ordered the pulled pork nachos, lo and behold, they had returned to the original format. You can make a difference!

Now, here are some real causes where you can truly make a difference...

Posted by my good friend, Jany Collaco - http://www.bhope2her.org/ - a site that brings awareness to the trials and tragedies faced by women and children daily in Africa. This site publishes real life photos and stories of the less fortunate which whom they serve. Please check it out and lend your support!

Posted by a few friends on Facebook - http://www.aspca.org/about-us/aspca-april/ - the ASPCA launched a campaign for the month of April to be designated as awareness month for the cruelty of animals. The theme is "Go orange for animals" in which supporters sport their most fashionable orange pieces in honor of animals. Being that I have two little kitties, I now better understand the cause and have developed a passion for preventing animal cruelty.

Recently, I read a memoir titled "The Butterfly Garden" by Chip St. Clair. This book recounted a horrifying tale of the violence and abuse this person experienced from childhood through adulthood. He was raised by convicted felons on the run, and the shocking tales of such abuse brought out emotions in me of sadness, frustration, and anger. http://stclairbutterflyfoundation.org/index.htm - The St. Clair Butterfly Foundation gives children who have endured comparatively frightening experiences the opportunities to overcome their abuse and grow through art, music, and other programs.

Have a safe and happy Easter - and please remember why we celebrate Easter in the first place!

Food Food Food

I think about it. I dream about it. I consume it every few hours. We're talking about food. I love food.

Really, though, I was going to mention this funny text I received yesterday on my iPhone. (Isn't it funny how iPhone users don't call it a phone, rather, refer to it by it's proper moniker?) I subscribe to "text tips," if you will, from Self.com. Self.com is a women's magazine focused on...well...self...mind, body, and spirit. Yesterday, I received one that said something to the effect of:

One study shows that participants who ate dark chocolate (before eating pizza) with at least 70% cacao consumed less pizza than those who did not have the chocolate. Make sure to have your dark chocolate before pizza!

I'm thinking to myself (and the other Self), "Self - if I'm trying to lose weight/be healthy/stay in shape, why the hell am I eating chocolate or pizza, let alone together in one sitting?!?!"

I am so easily amused. That text made me laugh. So, you mean to tell me that if I eat a bunch of dark chocolate before I eat pizza, I'll only eat 7 pieces as opposed to 8?

Also, today, a poll on TheNest.com (a site for married chicks) asked "What is your least favorite fast food restaurant?"

Is it sad that I can't name a single one, well, actually, I can only name one, and that is Subway. Ewww. I hate Subway! I remember in high school, when we had off campus lunch privileges our senior year, Julie used to make me go there with her! She always ordered the cold cut combo with creamy Italian dressing. I was forced to choose between the lukewarm meatball or the Subway club. Disgusting.com.

Anyway, I really cannot think of a fast food place I don't enjoy. Many of the girls stated Long John Silvers, KFC, Taco Bell. Speaking of Taco Bell, my beloved husband claims he's never eaten at Taco Hell. Seriously? Who has NEVER eaten at Taco Bell???? That's crazy talk if you ask me. Long John Silvers I loved as a kid. I used to enjoy ordering fish and fries in a little boat and would always ask for extra "crunchies" - the leftover fried dough pieces from the fried fish. Is that bad? KFC, I can't even talk about. Popcorn Chicken? Forget about it. I order the jumbo.

My fast food awards are as follows, and you can agree or disagree. A great man once said, "You're entitled to your opinion, but your opinion is wrong." (That man would be Shawn.)

Best Burger:
CA - In and Out
FL - Five Guys
TX - Jack in the Box

Worst Burger:
Anywhere - McDonald's

Best Fries:
A 3-way tie between Wendy's, Chick-Fil-A, Jack In the Box (curly or regular)

Worst Fries:
Five Guys

Best Chicken Tenders:
KFC

Best Shakes:
Jack In the Box & Frostee at Wendy's

Worst Shakes:
No such thing

Worst Chicken Tenders:
McDonald's

Best Chicken Sandwich:
Chick-Fil-A

Worst Chicken Sandwich:
McDonald's

Best Sandwiches:
Quizno's

Worst Sandwiches:
Yawbus

Best Mexican:
TACO CABANA!!! The black bean nachos are TDF.

Worst Mexican:
Pollo Loco

Best Breakfast:
Whataburger Breakfast Tacos

Worst Breakfast:
McDonald's Pancakes

Honorable Mention:
Arby's - Melts & Fries
Dairy Queen - Everything is good, especially the chicken finger basket & Blizzards
Sonic - Tater Tots!
Dunkin' Donuts - Coffee & Donuts

Bumper Sticker Rules & Editing

I had a wealth material from the weekend trip to Boston, none of which I recorded on any sort of device, therefore, my aging mind got the best of me and I have since forgotten everything I was going to write. What a nimrod! Regardless, if the material were that entertaining, I'm sure I would have remembered what to post.

We did have a lovely trip to Boston, and want to thank the Fitz's for throwing us a fabulous party. We also appreciate the entire family making the trek to see us and to Mal Barringer for the most delicious cake. I'm hoping Raegan will keep her promise and figure out how to ship the leftovers to me.

This morning I was driving to work, and the car in front of me caught my eye. The driver had proudly displayed a ginormous & colorful Ball State sticker on the rear window of his car. I'm all for people exhibiting school pride, but the sticker was on a beat up Geo Prizm. It made me chuckle for some reason. Nothing against the beat up Geo Prizm, I drive a beat up Nissan Sentra, but I'm thinking, if you are going to proudly display an obnoxious alma mater sticker on your car, shouldn't you be driving, like, a Maserati or something?

Allow me to clarify obnoxious...

There are subtle bumper stickers that simply state the school name, or maybe are a smaller size of a team logo, or the small color ribbons that represent something like breast cancer, and then there are the obnoxious stickers. You know the ones. They take up the entire rear window of the car, such as the obnoxious orange & blue Gator head, or the sticker where the little kid is peeing on something. I get that you're proud of your school/team/cause - you should be - but is it really necessary to find the biggest bumper sticker around and slap it on your car? Maybe it is...who am I to judge.

Anyway, I think it is a fun game to guess what the owners of such stickers are like. For example, a visitor in our condo building drives an SUV, and I see the car every day. I think it's a Forerunner. Anyhow, the sticker on the back is a Florida Gators sticker, but it's one of the girly stickers that has a fancy font and flowers surrounding the words - if that makes any sense. It looks like this, but is much bigger and takes up the entire rear window:

Continuing...there are a higher number of "young kids" than desired renting units in our building (which is an entirely different topic for another day), and so I naturally assumed this person is a young girl who visits her older, sugar daddy boyfriend or something. No problem - young kid - she likes the girly sticker and it's cute, so why not. Then, I finally see this person yesterday dressed in scrubs and she's about 47 years old. Again, made me chuckle.

I find this representation fascinating. I enjoy trying to guess what people are like by their bumper stickers, and more important, I enjoy a pleasant surprise! Just like when I see an old, crusty, beat up truck with a Pittsburgh Steelers sticker or something, and I think...naturally...a Steelers fan. (Heehee) Or, the person who has all of these "Support America" stickers literally covering their vehicle, and they are driving a Toyota. Not that you can't support America and drive a foreign car, but if you are all gung-ho and outward about it, then you should go American all the way, right? Another favorite example is from Cindi Burck-Alsobrook's observation in Jacksonville, FL. Seeing a woman with "Roar 87" on her custom license plate (because Roar 1-86 were taken?) representing the fact that she was a Jags cheerleader. Finally, we have my personal favorites, the "My kid made the A-B-C-D honor roll at Saddlewood Elementary School" or the "My kid barely made a B+ on his 3rd grade division test" stickers. Typically seen on mini-vans, these descriptive stickers provide something to read during a traffic jam. Again, all fun examples of the game.


To me, bumper stickers & general car decoration tell a lot about a person. Just like the ring tone you choose for your phone. I love the Dallas Cowboys and always had a Cowboys star on the back of my window. I thought about continuing the tradition on my Sentra. So, I look at my Sentra and think, no way am I putting that sticker on my car. I don't want to do the Cowboys or DCC like that. If I'm driving around Tampa with a Dallas Cowboys sticker on my car, then my car is a candy apple red Mercedes Kompressor convertible. Isn't it funny to observe the decisions people make?

Am I making any sense? Probably not. I just enjoy playing the bumper sticker game, and hey, maybe I taught you a new fun car game, too. It
is meant to be lighthearted, so please, do not be too critical of people...except for the lawyers in their sports cars displaying the obnoxious Harvard Law sticker who flashed his lights behind you on the highway while you were driving 85, and then blew past you giving you the finger like you were a grandma (no offense, grandma) in the left lane...you know what I'm talking about.

Moving on, I just read an article in Fox News that caught my eye. As someone who is trying to write more frequently and develop my skills, I had to laugh at the error in this reporter's post:

If you scroll down a bit to the LiLo-SamRo story, you see this: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,512967,00.html

"the 22-year-old was denied entry into the launch party for Charlotte Ronson's JCPenny line at Bar Marmont"

I don't think James Cash Penney would appreciate seeing that.

My Sweet Boy

I just wanted to post a picture of my sweet baby Biggio from this morning...

80's Night a Bust

So, I'm a little annoyed today. Last night, a few girls from work & Jenn attended what we thought might be a spectacular event at The Melting Pot (Simply Fondue if you're from Texas). The restaurant advertised 80's night last night, complete with a prize for the best dressed. Naturally, we were on it, and have been planning our outfits for weeks! (Sadly, everything I had on last night was directly from my closet that I wear on a regular basis including the jellies (they're cute - I get a lot of compliments on them) except for the very mini balloon (noollab) skirt - which I acutally used to wear out clubbing about 4 years ago - and the neon green fishnet socks.)

Anyway, what could be better than getting back to our roots and re-visiting the 80's and eating cheese & chocolate while having a few drinks with some good friends?

A lot of dollars more than I expected later, we decided the evening was a bust. First of all, we were the ONLY ones in the entire restaurant, except for the servers, who were dressed in 80's garb...and trust me when I say, we went all out. I don't know if you have ever been to The Melting Pot, but it's a dark place and the tables are basically private cubby-hole type pods a la 70's decor, if you will. Sure, they had music faintly playing in the background, but it wasn't even 80's music AND the volume was turned down so low and the other parties were so quiet, you could hear my stomach rumbling. We also had to show our server the email we received advertising the night in order to win the prize from the manager for dressing up since we were the ONLY ones who actually followed through. $10 off my next visit - oh no - couldn't use the coupon that night. Thanks for nothing, Gary.

Finally, eating at The Melting Pot requires work. You have to actually time your food cooking and concentrate on it so that you don't undercook and get salmonella, thus not allowing us to properly socialize over dinner. It was good, but it didn't satiate me, and I left contemplating a stop at Burger King for a Whopper with cheese. I didn't - calorie counting wouldn't allow it - oh - and I ran out of money because dinner was so expensive.

Sigh...so much for 80's night. I'm actually still mad and plan on writing an email giving them a piece of my mind. Maybe I'll get a gift certificate.

Tonight, Shawn & I are headed to Beantown...er...North Reading, Mass for a family "reception". The weather says 58 degrees and a 40% chance of rain, so the BBQ should work out well. Actually, we are very grateful to the Fitz's and the family for making the effort to come out and support us. We are very excited to see everyone since we didn't get to make the trip this past Christmas. Keeping our fingers crossed it won't rain after all.

One of the best parts of our trip is that we get to go to Chili's at the Tampa airport. This is my favorite part of traveling - going to Chili's on the way out of TIA. (I also enjoy the Bijoux Turner store where everything is $10.) They have the absolute best frozen margs and chips & queso, and I dare anyone to argue with me. (Chili's originated in TX, so it makes sense) Anyway, being at Chili's this evening before we board will melt The Melting Pot frustration. Hee!

Pictures of 80's night soon to follow. We are currently plotting where they can strike again.

Cilantro is for the birds!

Today, when I walked into the office, I had the most wonderful surprise. On my desk was a package from Cafe Press (http://www.cafepress.com/). I found this odd, since just two days ago, I was looking at their website for "I Love Liger" t-shirts (another story). I thought to myself, "Self - surely you didn't accidentally order anything did you?" Even if I had, I would not have addressed it to my office?

I looked at the package with a puzzled expression while my friend/niece, Amy, eagerly looked on. I stared at the address label only to see "Aheem" in the midst of my now married name. Could be only one of two people, and usually, they work in collaboration.

I opened the package to see what Heather (aka: neep) sent to me, since it was obviously her crafty doing. I burst out laughing hysterically...literally doubled over...and Amy was a bit "cornfused", to say the least.

Here is what I found:



Please read my previous post "Eat to Live or Live to Eat" if you have not done so already to fully understand this story.

What makes this funny, is that Heather thoroughly enjoys such pranks at work. They rarely occur, which makes them fabulous and surprising treats. Another time she pulled such a stunt was in California.

Do you remember those Time Life Books commercials? You know, the ones were a deep voice would say, (por ejemplo) "In a town, a black cat crosses a street. In another town, another black cat crosses a street. Coincidence? You be the judge...", and then they would advertise a Time Life Book about ESP or something? Remember? You have to be old enough...but these commercials were classic!

Here - I even found an example!


Anyway - Neep and I always make fun of those commercials. So, one day, I arrive at the office - I was working at e2k at the time, and I have a package. I open the package, and inside is...you guessed it...a Time Life Book on UFO's or something. I open it, and it appears to be an old library book from Houston. I'm thinking, "What the...???" I mean, I did live in Texas, but not Houston, but I DID meet pc in Houston...and...what kind of weird coincidence is this? I'm thinking - did I not return a library book and it has come back to haunt me?

A little spooked, I proceed to do some research, and email the company stamped inside the book. As it turns out, Miss Howley sent me the book, anonymously, and yes, freaked me out.

Maybe that was one of those "had to be there stories", either way, I'm having fun reliving it!

So, after all this, I have to tell you what I had for lunch. The other day, I bought a delicious looking salad with spring mix, blueberries, walnuts, raisins, apples, and I added chicken. I could not wait to dig into this salad today. I fixed it up before I got in the car to run an errand. Took a few bites, and then I almost threw up.

...the salad contained pieces of cilantro...

Karma - it always comes back!

Home Sweet Home

I'm happy to say that Shawn will be returning home from Vegas today. Coach really enjoyed working with him and said he would definitely be putting in a good word to the big boss. This will be good and definitely offset some other Knight-like behavior that occurred earlier last year. Just kidding.

Anyway, it was a lovely weekend. I worked the Bucs' Cheerleader auditions, which is always the most entertaining part of my year. I was only not super cordial to 2 girls - but hey - they need to learn. It was a lot of fun, and I hope I get to return next year.

Other than that, I cleaned...got my hair done...met a new lovely friend named Hope. It was nothing crazy. Oh yes - went shoe shopping.

Looking forward to xp's return this evening.

Happy Hours?

Last night, Jenn and I got back to our roots and met for our formerly long-standing tradition of Thursday night happy hour. I miss those days! We've gotten smarter in 3 years. We actually used to meet at Timpano - a lovely steak and chop house with absolutely no drink specials. We now frequent our favorite new Hyde Park hot spot - Cheap. They DO have happy hour specials on food and drink. Much more budget conscious in this economy, especially since we are both in sales.

Anyway, it was a lovely evening, and we had a blast carrying on like two giggly little school girls. I am very much looking forward to returning to this tradition, although from now on, pizza should be involved.

After happy hour, I came home to watch Duke (tank). What a depressing ending to what seemed like a promising season. While this was going on, Shawn, back in Vegas for the 3rd time this month, had a Bob Knight Special. Apparently, Coach became very impatient at the studio prior to the post-game live shots. The games were lasting longer than expected, and after waiting and waiting, Coach said "Let's GO!" and refused to sit there and wait any longer.

Maybe you did or did not notice the missing Coach commentary on the 11 o'clock Sportscenter last night. Anyway, that was a fun moment for Shawn.

Sigh. I'm ready for him to come home. This trip has been brutal. Lee keeps telling Shawn to thank him. I have a thank you for you Lee!!!

The fortunate thing for Shawn is that at least he has visitors for the weekend. Wags was kind enough to fly out from LA and re-live the days of the dynamic duo out on the town. Only this time, Shawn is the married wingman. We saw a dude last week at the Wynn pool wearing a shirt that said "Don't get excited - I'm just the wingman." I promptly went out and purchased the exact same shirt. (no, I didn't, but I meant to!)

Also, Beatrice will be in town this weekend, and she, too, is an avid college hoops fan. They will have the chance to bond at the sportsbook and watch some games.

I will be working the Buccaneers cheerleader auditions tomorrow morning. Don't get excited, I'm only working registration, but at least I get to see (intimidate) the girls as they walk in. Should be fun. Hopefully, next year, I can watch them dance.

Have a great weekend!

Eat to live or live to eat?

Today, we are going to talk about my favorite subject: food. Probably because I cannot stop thinking about it or consuming it. Either way, I have it on the brain, and so what better way to medicate myself than to discuss.

First, I would like to say a special thanks (or curse) to Heather Deskins for introducing me to the Lose It! application on the iPhone. It is basically a food diary/calorie counter application for the phone that you can take with you everywhere you and your iPhone go. You record your daily intake and calorie expenditures, and you can create your own custom foods. It basically asks for your weight and your goal, i.e. lose 1/2-1lb per week, and calculates the amount of calories you need to accomplish this by a certain date.

I had an excellent question yesterday, from Neep, and that was: Can the calories come from anything or just healthy food? Good question. I prefer to think that I can eat anything I want within my limit. Hey - baby steps! For example, on Sunday, I consumed an entire smoked salmon pizza and later that evening before boarding my plane, I had a large Burger King fries. Believe it or not, I remained under my caloric intake. This is what I call living, people.

Anyhow, I have never been one for weighing or counting calories. Probably due to the massive scarring put in place by the DCC rules for weight. Until this past Saturday, when conveniently, a scale was available in our 1000 sq. ft. bathroom at the Wynn, I had not weighed myself in at least 3 years. Fortunately, I was actually about 7 lbs. less than I thought. Maybe they rigged the scale; I prefer optimism.

Also, I would like to thank Jenn for keeping me jealously motivated by her sudden burst of energy to perform two-a-days and jog her little heart out on a daily basis. Her being so motivated reminds me of, again, days as a DCC, when we would all compete to see who could exercise more and remain off the dreaded weight list. Jenn does not know this, unless she's reading it now, but her motivation has forced me to become motivated, because if I have to go out with her fabulous self in South Tampa, I had better keep up.

South Tampa...that's a whole different subject in itself. We won't got there today, let's just say, when you live in South Tampa, you have a priority list of surgical procedures to get done.

So, keeping within the topic of food. I joined a fabulous group today. IHateCilantro.com. If you loathe the taste and smell of cilantro, then this site is for you. You can share your tales of disdain for all things cilantro-related. As well, I suggest reading this article: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123446387388578461.html

Other items of food that I refuse to consume include: avocados (yes, guacamole, too, people, given that avocados are the main ingredient!), onions (but not fried), peas, and refried beans. Many of you have questioned my ethnicity when I have spouted off this list. Especially since the main ingredients in Mexican food happen to be cilantro, beans, onions, and avocados. Tortillas don't have any of these things! Neither do tamales - so there!

Still Tired...

WARNING: The following entry really has no purpose. I'm rambling.

I'm still tired.

I didn't take a nap yesterday before Shawn got home last night. I was thinking that if I did take a nap, my body clock would be even more confused, and I would not sleep later or wake up at 2am. Thus, I decided it would be best to stay awake.

Mistake.

Shawn got home at around 10:45pm last night. We went to bed around 12:30am. We also took Nyquil. Oh happy day...

Goodnight.

Somebody put me out of my misery

I could continue my diatribe of how much I detest the Vegas airport, but quite honestly, I am way too exhausted to expend the last morsel of energy I have to do so.

Yesterday was absolutely brutal. My flight that was supposed to take off at 5:05pm, was, SURPRISE, delayed.

I have never seen so many people packed in like sardines at the Vegas airport. I mean, yes, we all know it is one of the busiest weekends of the year. Yes, we know that no matter what time of year you go to Vegas, Sunday is hectic. However, in the many times I have been to Vegas, I have never seen such a mob scene as I witnessed yesterday. I had to stop and ask myself a few times if, in fact, I was at the Tokyo airport. There were people everywhere and you literally could not move from gate to gate.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get a flight for Monday, so I had to weather the storm, suck it up, and take my flight, whenever they decided to take off, back to Tampa. I think I got in bed somewhere between 4-4:30am. I chugged some Nyquil, and passed out until 11am. Now, I am sitting at work with my eyes barely open and an odd head spinning sensation. Oh happy day.

I love Vegas....

Oh yes, I did get to meet Coach Knight yesterday. I was terrified. He couldn't have been nicer or more friendly to me, but I was still feeling scared. He also took a picture with me & Shawn. It was certainly a highlight of March Madness.

Shawn returns tonight, hopefully, in one piece, only to return to Vegas on Wednesday. God bless him.

Other highlights of the trip that I'm too exhausted to describe in detail included Le Reve - the amazing acrobatic aquatic (say that 5 times fast) show at the Wynn, and, the soon-to-be-legendary XS club at Encore. This place was unreal. I felt like I was in Monaco. Incredible.

I'm tired. More later.

Livin' Large at the Wynn

Well, we have had a highly productive Saturday thus far, courtesy of the NCAA Tourney and the Wynn Las Vegas. I arrived last night into what I consider the most clustered airport in the country. Funny how you always feel like a stick of dynamite ready to explode into the environment that is Las Vegas, but you have one giant obstacle ahead of you - the Las Vegas McCarran airport. I prefer to think of it as the gate of hell, leading into and out of Sin City.


Anyway, I made it in one piece. My flight was delayed (really? shocking!). I could strangle the flight attendant for seating a 9-year-old precocious little girl in the window seat of my row. She had 47 lbs. of candy, and enough trash to fill her own dumpster. She talked the entire time and had this plastic frog that she kept playing with and screaming "ribbit!" I suppose she represented the grim reeper, leading me to gate of hell into Sin City...so to speak.



Moving on. Shawn picked me up and we arrived at the Wynn Las Vegas. If you have never set foot in this hotel, it is all things extravegant complete with it's own Ferrari dealership and Chanel boutique. It is time to trade in the Sentra...hmmm.



We are staying in the luxurious Tower Suites complete with our own VIP check-in, concierge, and private pool. You would not believe the size of our room and this unbelieveable view with it's floor-to-ceiling windows on the 21st floor. Which, by the way, we are staying on the 21st floor and have an incredible view overlooking the 5 pools, golf course, and city. There are 60 floors. We aren't even halfway there. I can't imagine the view/nose bleeds from the top floor.



Back to the room... Is it a crime that our suite here is BIGGER than our condo? Our bathroom is about the size of our living room - no lie - that is, if you don't count the walk-in closet with its' own dresser. We have not one, but two bathrooms in the suite. Also, I have my own private vanity complete with make-up lights and TV (teevee) set. Shawn has his own sink, and I have my own sink, too. This place is amazing. I wish we had brought the kittens.



Last night, we hit the ever-popular Blush lounge. Shawn has been rubbing elbows with the PR girl (wait, what?) and she was generous enough to get us into Blush, the show Le Reve, and the hottest new club in the Encore, XS. Blush was a smaller-than-I-expected lounge, but it had a cool vibe. It was my magical night last night - complimentary champagne and Malibu rum. (Granted, the champagne tasted shockingly similar to Coors Light with sugar, but hey, it was free. Ok, confession, I took one sip and decided the headache as a result of a couple of glasses of this stuff would not be worth it on Saturday, so I dropped $18 on another glass. Dad - I don't want to hear it. xoxo) After about an hour of the best DJ ever, who ran circles around Case's amateur efforts pre-wed Friday at the Undertow - we decided we had enough club people watching and hit one of the hotel bars. There, we played video blackjack until my eyelids shut right there at the bar. Shawn asked if I was sleepy and I said, "Why am I so tired?" He said, "Because it's 5am at home." Ohhhh...you mean it's natural for a (cough) twenty (or thirty) something woman to become sleepy after being awake for 23 hours?



We won nothing on the video blackjack...



Today has been a lovely, but cloudy day. We spent the morning/afternoon at the Cabana lounge and pool. This place is simply fantastic. It is a bar with TV's (teevees) to watch the games, which is fabulous, and there are blackjack and craps tables outside. Plenty of chairs for comfy seating are situated at the pool, and the DJ starts spinning Ibiza style tunes at noon. It was definitely the place to be, especially to see all these hoops fans turn into sharks searching for fresh meat (ladies) at the pool. What better place to judge than at the pool when girls are in swimsuits?

As far as betting, and tourney luck, we are doing ok. Washington, Maryland, and A&M screwed us. I mean, really, who bets for the Aggies anyway? Shawn just walked downstairs wearing his Duke t-shirt to place a bet for Texas to win. We'll see what happens!

I do have one Coach Knight story for the day. Producers called Shawn earlier today to see if Coach would be willing to shoot for Sportscenter earlier than the scheduled 8:30pm. Shawn called Coach (I love how I'm capitalizing it like Coach is his name) and said "Coach, I just want to run someting by you."

Coach's response? CLICK.



Lol! Humor!



About 5 minutes ago, Coach called to apologize for hanging up on Shawn. He said he was so pi$$ed off after coming off the golf course that he didn't want to talk to anybody. Who better to understand this sitch than Fitzy...



More Vegas updates tomorrow!

Vegas & March Madness - An American Tradition

So, I fooled "all y'all" (yes, that is an acceptable English pronoun). See, I started the first post on March 2nd, but actually did not finish and post until today. Here is today's post. I hope to make this a regular thing. You may not be entertained, but I am easily amused, therefore, writing this blog is entertaining to yours truly.

I am off to Vegas for a 41-days-past mini-moon, if you will. Is there any place better to celebrate anything at the end of March than...drum roll please...VIVAAAAA LAS VEGAS?!

I can't really brag. Shawn is out there for work. He is working with the infamous Coach Bobby Knight. In fact, our producer/glorified babysitter worked with him last week, went back to Vegas Wednesday through the weekend, and will return yet again next Wednesday for another weekend of the God of College Hoops himself.

We are staying at a lush pad known as the Wynn tower suites. You will be able to read a full review after the weekend on Trip Advisor.com, where I first became "published". As well, I am on a scouting trip for Jenn & Wen's Birthday weekend on July 4th of this year. Vegas baby, yeah! (That's an Austin Powers reference, Daddy)

Anyway, I am super nervous to meet Coach Knight. I asked Shawn the other day - what do I say? Do I say "Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you, Coach." Or, do I say, "It's a great honor to meet you Mr. Knight." Do I bring a folding chair and hurl it across the casino then shake his hand? I don't know what to do! I'm afraid he'll yell at me for SOMETHING. I have promised myself not to sport any Duke/Texas/UCLA t-shirts for fear of prompt criticism.

So, I am off to Vegas today. Go ahead - be jealous. Hate hate hate hate hate.....

Welcome to the blog!

Greetings and welcome to my blog! I had so much fun posting entries and writing for the wedding website, I followed the natural path of developing a blog post-wedding as most of my friends have done. Actually, now that I think about it, most of them waited to start blogging once they had kids. Here, you will only read about kittens.


I would first like to say that we had (to quote many times in The Bachelor) an AMAZING time during the wedding week and the honeymoon. We are filled with sadness that the adventure has come to an end. Yes, I am supposed to say that we are excited about the new chapter, and we are, but I'm still sulking about missing the wedding, 41 days later, so please, let me continue to mourn.

I promised myself I was going to start this blog the minute we returned from the honeymoon, and no such luck. I even took notes on the high-end paper note pad provided by the Ritz Carlton. I felt like a real writer...furiously recording my memories down on paper, but they remain unpublished, to no avail.

Speaking of hotel note pads, I want to thank many of you for your generous compliments regarding our vows at the wedding. I was honored that many of you were so touched. I will have you know, I recorded those vows on paper, the Don CeSar hotel note pad to be exact, that morning. Just letting you know...great note pads can be an inspiration for the wordsmith (thanks, Jenn) in you.

Anyhow, as I figure out the world of blogging, maybe I will go back and create some archives or something. I won't make any promises. Regardless, welcome, and to quote the famous words of a former Dallas Cowboy (if you can call him that) - "Get your popcorn ready."