Thursday, February 28, 2008

Fingers Crossed/Prayers to be Said

So, the condo is back on the market as of Monday 2/25/08. It is looking good and priced to sell. We had our first showing on Tuesday and then another one on Wednesday. The people who looked at it on Tuesday liked what they saw - said it look really nice. Woo Hoo. All the work and money put into getting it that way may have paid off - at least people are saying it looks good. Jason and I both think it does as well. We were commenting that we need to sell the house and move back in it's looking so nice :-)

Our realtor e-mailed us today and said that the Tuesday people might be putting an offer in this afternoon, so, please, please everyone keep your fingers crossed and say a prayer that 1) they do, 2) it's for the asking price (since we are so underselling) and 3) there lending (is that the right term) is up to snuff and everything will and does go through - that is if we accept :-) The open house is on Sunday and their is a side of me who wants and hopes that people come and look and we get multiple offers, but I just really, really want to get rid of it so I'm still hoping alot on the offer that might come through this afternoon.

fingers crossed, fingers crossed

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

San Francisco Trip

We got back from out three-day trip to San Francisco this morning and I am just about wanting to crash. I have to say that I am proud of myself for making it to almost the end of my work day before it really, really hit - though I haven't been my usual bubbly self.

This weekend was very fun and interesting. It was the first trip for both of us away since we got married and it was a little like a mini honeymoon - though we hung out the whole time with Jason's cousin Matt who was gracious enough to put us up in his house, play tour guide and chauffer us around and generally just put up with us. Thanks Matt!

Now, I'm not a very good tourist. It's not that I'm bad in an awful sense - like treating the locals rudely or getting in everyone's way. I just like to see things quickly, get a general idea of the place, unless it totally grabs me, and then I'll look deeper. I don't like to walk around alot staring at things, having my picture taken in a very touristy style - unless amongst mostly tourists. I don't know why it bothers me to have people who live around the area look over and smirk at us like oh yeah, they're tourists, but it does.

Anyways, we had a good time. We stayed at Matt's place in Pacifica - he is renting a place which has three bedrooms, hard wood floors throughout, an awesome kitchen, etc. the downer part is that his landlord is trying to rent or sell the place and recently just took out all the furniture that was there besides Matt's stuff. So we slept on an air mattress and when we hung out for a little while at the house, we sat on the hardwood floor and played games - mind you, they were drinking games, so that helped take away some of the soreness ;-)

We started out our touring at a pier in Pacifica where we got breakfast and watched the waves crash up on the shore and into the pier - I think I got some pretty good pictures. We then drove over to San Francisco and around Golden Gate Park, where we went to a museum where we went up into an observation tower and saw most of the city, we also saw a number of groups of people practicing the art of Tai Chi at various places in the park and trees called grandmother hands. There was this little art sale going on in the middle of the park and as we were walking by I was listening to this one artist giving instructions to his assistant, I guess, about what to get him for lunch - I wanted to fall out laughing the way he was going on about, "now get me a large orange, not the small oranges, you know what I mean, right, I don't want the small oranges, I want a large orange and my coffee I want a large, not a medium, do you got that" It might not sound that funny, but if you've ever seen that show on HGTV where the guy is a house flipper and he has a bunch of assistants and he talks to them like he is "god" or something and is very specific you'd know what I was talking about - the artist guy sounded just like him - I think he could tell I wanted to laugh at him or maybe he could see it since I probably have no poker face at all and I was giggling.

From there we went over the Golden Gate Bridge and after driving around Sausalito for a little while, we ate lunch at a restaurant with a deck on the water - Horizons. We then went back to San Francisco and visited a couple different areas - I have to look them up - where there were excellent views of the bay and Alcatraz. Can't even begin to say how many different pictures but the same basically we have of Alcatraz. "Look there's Alcatraz, that's a good angle - snap - oh, this may be better - snap - oh, we are a little closer now - snap. We went down to Pier 39, after I was told to stop being a whiney wife; we walked down the pier and saw the sea lions and bought salt water taffy which made my day.

We went out with our friend J.P. who is out there going to law school Saturday night. Played some pool and darts and had a fun time.

I know I'm leaving stuff out, and need to go over this and finish up the trip, but it's almost the end of the day for me and I just want to go home, pick up my babies and sleep in my own bed. I'll finish up tomorrow and hopefully be able to post a few pictures.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Fun Vacation???

What the Hell?? I just received this wonderful vacation package information from Kayak.com Travel. This is a real "vacation" package being offered. I would love to know how many people are taking advantage of an experience like this one? I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be interested. Umm, I thank the lord I was born a US citizen so that I never have to go through this, don't want to pretend to go through this at all. Crazy, crazy, crazy.


top Mexico City → Flights Hotels Cars watch fares
Immigration and border patrol seems to be at the top of every political conversation. At Parque Eco Alberto, you can go on a pretend 'Night Border Crossing Experience.' The parque is owned by the Hnahnu Indians in Hidalgo, about three hours from Mexico City. The $18, four-hour night hike starts with the Mexico National Anthem. Your 'coyote' guide, Pancho, pulls off his black ski mask while actors gather around to scare you senseless along the way. Run from border control agents; dodge hidden actors shooting (blanks) at you, and make your way through barbed-wire fences. Survivors are blindfolded, led across a rickety bridge, and then set free to run across the border to freedom!

Valentine's Day

Today is the day that so many people go crazy for. Rushing around buying flowers or having them sent at exorbitant prices, going out to eat at expensive restaurants, buying candy and even proposing. Every year I feel myself being pulled into all the hype at the beginning of February but find that by the time the actual day gets here I've actually regained most of my sanity. Now, don't get me wrong, I still like to be thought of and maybe receive a little something, something for V-day, but I am more and more feeling along the lines as a few of my friends that it's just another day thought up so that massive money is spent on things that don't even last that long.

Flowers to me are the biggest frivolity. You can get a dozen red long stem roses delivered in the DC area on any other day for about $40 or $50 and that might even be high. On Valentine's Day most places want about triple that amount - just because it is V-day. Ridiculous, it's not like the flowers are any different, it's just because they can control supply and demand - I'm thinking price gauging myself! Even the street vendors charge more for their roses - normally $4 for 1/2 dozen, v-day $10-$20 for 1/2 dozen. Once again, I wouldn't sneeze or turn away flowers bought for me on this day, I actually even love getting them, just for the fact that it's a show-off point - haha, someone loves me, they sent me flowers, are mine prettier than yours? But, I prefer when my husband (wow, I can say that this year) would buy them from a vendor (yes, paying their jacked up prices, but not the florists jacked up prices) and deliver them himself in person. Very loving and thoughtful.

Ways in which I've heard Valentines this year being celebrated - not with flowers:

I was talking to my friend Renee about this phenomenon of having flowers sent, she actually received a really, really nice bunch last V-day from her husband, and she has said that she talked it over with her husband and asked him not to do it again, especially once she found out the cost of them. She told him that she loved him and really appreciated what he had done but that she believes that spending that much money on something that is going to die in a matter of days is not worth all that and that she would prefer to receive something else from him that she would be able to enjoy for a lot longer. And, no guys, she wasn't hinting for more diamonds or anything like that, but hey, I'm sure if that's what he decided to get her she wouldn't say no - I know I wouldn't. So, this year, they went out together and she was actually going to go look at clothes when he said that he would prefer to buy her something like a nice watch which she could wear when they went out and got dressed up. She agreed and together they bought her a very nice watch bracelet - I've seen it and like it very much. This way, whenever they go out and she wears it, she will be using and remembering a gift given to her for Valentine's Day.

Amanda's husband cooked her dinner, the same dinner he cooked on the night he proposed to her so that brought back those memories as well as creating more memories. I also hear they had a "wonderful, wonderful" night together after dinner - you go, A!

Camala says that she's not into it at all and doesn't believe in celebrating it. She won't fall prey to the cooked up materialistic holiday, but I hear that she may have bought some cologne to bring home to her husband.

Cindy has opted to do a family dinner at home with her husband and kids to share the love in a family way and show her love to all of them together.

My friend Kerry picks up her friend's two girls and takes them out to dinner and a movie to celebrate the day with them while also giving Andy and Niki a chance to go out to dinner by themselves to celebrate.

What I've tried to do this year is have 14 days of Valentine's stuff, but I didn't fully succeed. What I did do though is:

  • Bought a little plastic duck - white with red, pink and purple hears on it and gave it to him the 1st day of February
  • Picked him up some Peeps Hearts
  • Made him breakfast - eggs, bacon, waffles, English muffins (all while hung over on)
  • Made him a breakfast sandwich to eat on the train on the way to work and packed him up a lunch
  • Made chili from scratch
  • Made pancakes for Shrove Tuesday dinner - cut them into heart shapes to incorporate the V-day theme
  • Was "nice" to him
  • Made a little flip book from Kodak with our engagement pictures in it
  • Ordered him personalized M&M's - red and hot pink - that say: "143 Pooks" and "J-n-Drea 4ever"
  • Got up and sang karaoke at Ed's in front of all his friends - sure he loved that one - especially since the only song I ever sing is "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor

For the actual day I was going to ROCK in trivia at Applebee's but that got cancelled, so I don't know what I'm going to do now - think of something I'm sure. We still have to pack for our trip to San Francisco tomorrow, so maybe I'll pack for him - like I wouldn't be doing that anyways - LOL.

I wish a Happy Valentine's Day to one and all.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Picking Someone Up

If you drive to work with someone and they pick you up at the office at the end of the day or if you are just picking up someone from their office at the end of the day, should they be outside of the building waiting for you or should they be called when you arrive and then come down? This has been a big question/issue during my courtship and now marriage.

I can see it being both ways and have even tried to institute a compromise - the person in the car should call when they get within a few blocks and the person in the office should head down. This should eliminate long waits by both parties. It just doesn't seem to be working though. Some, has do with the fact that my husband doesn't always remember to make the call or maybe he doesn't have his phone with him or better yet it has died because he has forgotten to recharge it once again. All this has led to me standing outside of my building or, in the lobby of my building (which I don't like to do, because then you are more likely to have to make conversation) for unspecified amounts of time waiting for him to pick me up. I have come to resent this and become admittedly not so nice a person. I shriek, I rant, I rave about this injustice which has been put upon me. I do this mostly because I am lazy and I don't want to be standing around when I could be sitting around up at my desk waiting.

Scene from Monday (it is bitterly cold outside):

J (calls): I'm getting ready to go get the car.
A: Cool. Call me when you get close and I'll be downstairs.
J: Sigh, ok, why don't you just be down there in 10 minutes.
A: Fine, even though you are not usually here in 10 minutes.
J: See you soon.
J (calls again): The GD traffic is all backed up, K Street is a frickin mess. This is ridiculous. I hate this. I'm not even going to be able to pick you up for 25 minutes.... blah, blah, blah, rant, rant, rant.... oh, wait, it's clearing up. You had better shut down your computer and be downstairs when I get there. See you soon.

So, I dutifully, shut down computer, clear off desk, go to bathroom and head on downstairs. I bring with me a small box, 2 prints and 2 prints in frames since we have the car and I don't have to lug on metro. I go outside to wait because I figure that it's been about 15 minutes since his phone call and he's either sitting outside or will be there very shortly.

Outside - no sign of J. I lean against building and begin waiting after checking time to see what time it is 6:23. I wait and wait and continue to wait. Debate about going into warm building, decide fool heartedly not to. Look at watch again, it is now 6:37. I decide this is frickin ridiculous, I need to call him - I'm actually quite worked up by now. The phone rings though before I can call and it's him.

J: Hi. I'm almost there. I'm at 11th and H. Are you downstairs?
A: What??!!! Yes, of course I'm downstairs. I've been downstairs for like the last 15 frickin minutes standing out in the cold. What the hell took you so long?? You need to call me before you get here and then I'll come down. This is frickin ridiculous, rant, rave, rant, rave – I basically pulled the full-on Bitch card!
J: Traffic got bad. Why didn't you wait in the lobby? It's your own fault.

J pulls up. I get in and give him the evil eye. He then has the nerve to cold shoulder me as if I was the one who was in the complete wrong. As if he had done nothing whatsoever wrong and that I should be grateful that he came to pick me up instead of my catching the metro to his office which is in the opposite direction from my office - which he basically has to go by to go home. (I know that's not making the best of sense, but I'm too tired to figure out how to write it more comprehensively - maybe I’ll edit later.) I figure it is bad enough that when we drive in, I have to jump out of the car at union station and catch the metro from that point to my office so that he doesn't have to go two blocks out of his way.

So, is it wrong of me to think that he should call before he shows up or maybe he might have to wait 5 minutes downstairs if he even calls me when he gets here? I don't think so. When I used to pick him up I would have to wait most days for him to get down to the car and this was when we worked a block away from each other and I would call him to let him know I was leaving and getting the car. He still wouldn't be downstairs on time. I don't know. I love being able to play the martyr :-)

Follow up to Cuteness


I had to post this picture sent in response to my post yesterday from a friend (Bruce, 567 Miles from Home) who really knows the dogs well, as you can see by the "thoughts". It is soo, true.

P.S. Bruce is trying out to be Teddy Roosevelt - one of the running presidents at the Nationals games this season - keep your fingers crossed and all the best wishes to him.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Total Cuteness


I keep meaning to get on and type up stuff, but then the day seems to fly right by. But, I have been meaning to post this picture of Lucie and Kira, the Schnoodle Sisters. In my opinion, they are the absolute top-most in adorableness.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Football Season is Over - Ok we still have the Pro Bowl, but...

I am seriously bummed that football season is over for all intents and purposes. I know that there is still the Pro Bowl to be played, but that's the AFC v NFC. There are a number of players that I just find it hard to cheer for even if they are in the same conference as one of my teams. I prefer to have one complete team to cheer for, whether it is an AFC team (Steelers) or a NFL team (Redskins). Maybe I need to add on a countdown to next season clock like the one Bruce (567 Miles from Home) has on his for the beginning of baseball season.

I know people think that I'm fickle for even having or cheering on two different teams, but I don't care I like both of the teams and I have never ever claimed that I am a football aficionado or even specifically a Redskins’ or Steelers’ aficionado. I am just a fan of football and I like in particular to cheer for the Steelers and the Redskins when they play. I do try to make a bit of an effort to find out more details about these two teams than I would any other team in the league, but I would never ever say that I am able to rattle off players’ names or stats, perhaps next season.

I love watching football - pro or college. If it's on TV and I'm sitting around at a friends house, restaurant, or, ok a bar, yes where I am most of the time, I will follow whatever game is on and I will either pick one of the teams to cheer on or I might even cheer on either team, depending on the play being run - if it's exciting.

Ok, so yes, I will more than likely be watching the Pro Bowl this Sunday to get in my last fix of pro football for the season, but don't be shocked if I am seen cheering on both sides!!

GO FOOTBALL!!!

Friday, February 1, 2008

Go Giants -- Hitler - Die hard Cowboy Fan

This is hilarious - Go Giants!!

Ladies Room

Seriously, what is wrong with people - women. I recently changed floors in my office and therefore go to the bathroom on the floor I am located on and it is nothing like the way it was on my last floor. I still work for the same firm so the same type of people would be using the bathroom as on the other floor. But, on this floor every time I go into a stall or nearly every time there is pee on the seat in that stall - sometimes I go down the line and this is the case for almost all of the stalls (5). This is just disgusting. This did not happen on my other floor - there might be an occasion where you'd run into this but definitely not every single time.

I work in an office of professional women. Do they think that they are too good to wipe their pee off the seat after sprinkling it all over the place or something? I mean, women, please use your manners. I don't want to see your pee, I don't want to have to search for a new stall to go to the bathroom in when I've already been holding it way to long and I not only merely don't want to wipe someone else's pee off of the seat, I really most sincerely don't want to wipe someone else’s pee off the seat, either.

If you can't squat and pee and get it into the bowl - then wipe it up when you are done - wash your hands and be on your way - it's your pee. If that doesn't work, use a seat protector and sit on the seat and pee into the toilet so there is no chance that your pee is going to get all over the seat. I am quite sure that your mothers did not teach you to pee all over the seat and just leave it. I’m sure that they would not have tolerated this type of behavior. I know it’s not your house (and I sincerely hope that you don’t do the same thing there) but at least treat the bathroom and the stalls next occupant with appropriate respect that you would expect be taken in your home bathroom.

I read about this in a magazine once where it was noted that women's bathrooms where or could actually be more disgusting than men's bathrooms - especially if you worked in what would be considered a professional working office, but really hoped it wasn't true. I'm really learning that this could be the case - though I haven't gone into the men's room to confirm - not something I really want to do either.

Women - clean up your damn acts!!!