Photo Expeditions

It is the fall time! My favorite time to take photos!

Only working, technically, 3 days a week, I have had a lot of time off (sometimes…). Thus, I am compiling a list of places I want to go this fall most likely by myself for a few day trips to take photos. (But if you are off and bored, feel free to tag along! Be forewarned: I might insist on taking photos of you. )

Anyhow, I am looking for suggestions. The only place on my trip list so far, is Bushkill Falls near Philly. The only rule for the location is that it cannot be more than 2 hours away. But Danielle, Philly is far! Calm yourselves, it isn’t that far.

PS – It is nearing Christmas photo time! Fall is the best time to have those taken care of!

The Chronicles of the Married Couple and Mike: The Bathroom

Taco Bell –
Dani: You’re going to let me decorate your/the guest bathroom, right?

Mike: Hell no, I got an idea for what I want. We had this see through shower curtain at school. It was nice. I’m going to get one.

Dani: You’re kidding, right?

Mike: Nope.

Subject Dropped


AIM (a few days later) -
Frank: Mike, you know she isn’t going to let you decorate that bathroom.

Mike: I know, but that’s okay because she is going to clean it too. As long as it’s not pink.

*(Pictures to come soon of his tasteful see through shower curtain I have found him that does not require a liner and his hookless! Right up his alley.)*

Joshua Radin and Schuyler Fisk - Paperweight

I'm not sure the sound quality is so hot on this one. But this is my current fav song. Mostly because it isn't on Rockband. :)

The Chronicles of the Married Couple and Mike: The Check

I had texted Mike a few days ago asking if I could come pick up his security deposit and first months rent… I pull up to his house a few days later, and he hands me a check for the appropriate amount of money. I was in the middle of joking about how this check better not bounce when I look at the name on the check and realize that it definitely is not going to bounce…Why you ask? Because his mom wrote it.

Cute.

I am jealous.

It's Official

The Chronicles of the Married Couple and Mike begin!

My search for a place to live in Howard County has ended at a beautiful condo in Woodland Village. I have been neglecting to post anything because I didn’t want to get my hopes up. But, I found out today that it is officially ours anytime we want to go sign the lease.

Frank will be only 20 minutes from school; I will be able to cut 270 out of my drive. We have more counter space, new appliances, an even bigger closet, a loft, and….a roommate for at least a year.

I’ll post photos soon!

Foutains of Wayne - Hey Julie

Hey Julie! Call me back! I miss you!

Is it just me?

Please tell me that I am not the only one who when they see some sort of straightaway, a hallway, or sidewalk, holds back the urge to attempt a front handspring into a perfect aerial into 3 black flips and end with some sort of triple twisting flips? And then land perfectly?

I know I am not the only one.

Nil Lara - Fighting for my Love

Yay! The Office Version!!!

The Dentist

I recently got a cute little postcard from my dentist’s office stating that it is time to go back for my cleaning. Dun dun dunnnnnnn.

I see it and immediately my heart sinks, noooooooo it can’t be time already. I am already stressed and it isn’t even here yet. Nor have I even scheduled it but the postcard that is under that magnet on my fridge just means impending doom is near.

When I was little, I had a beast dentist. His name was Dr. Becker and he was in some office building far away from here that had a huge glass cage as big as the wall with birds in it and a Pac Man machine which made him instantly awesome. He was so cool, he could even understand me when I talked with his cold, metallic tasting tools in my mouth. I let him pull so many teeth because my mouth was so crowded with no complaints. But ya know what happened to my favorite dentist? He got flippin’ carpal tunnel and was forced to retire. And you know who I got instead? Some very angry, stern, old, white chick that had bad breath and was always getting on me for not flossing or wearing my retainer 24/7. She would also always make my gums bleed and didn’t always let me get a sticker, which made me think I was not worthy of a sticker, and to me getting a sticker was a big deal. Dr. Becker wouldn’t have done that.

This is when the Klonopin usage started specifically for the dentist.

We then moved to Columbia and I went to Eugene Sambataro. He looked like a robot, yes a robot, with the most perfect white robot teeth. They didn’t even look real. I hate dentists with perfect teeth. It just angers me. But if they didn’t at least somewhat perfect teeth then I probably would think twice about going to them. Dr. Sam, as I referred to him, was okay. But I never left his office without crying. I was one of those miserable middle/high school students who were constantly getting picked on for having braces and acne and just being pretty unattractive (one day, one of the stupid cool kids Mike Delarusso, he plays MLA soccer now, boo him if you ever see him, tried to run me over with his car! My mom called his dad though and he never made fun of my again or try to kill me, I like to think he got beat badly…haha just kidding……kinda, he did try to kill me). I was so glad I didn’t wear glasses then or I would have had the tri-fecta and probably would have committed suicide.

Dr. Sam tried to make me feel better though. He would send me cards in the mail after my appointments telling me how beautiful my smile is going to be when this is all over and blah blah blah. That was so not encouraging to a 15 year old girl who is getting passed notes at lunch on napkins saying You’re Ugly. (And seriously: thanks seniors that year who made it miserable for me. I love that I believe in Karma.)

The worst was after I got my braces off. Now, I am fine with retainers, give me a retainer, top and bottom and night gear, I’m totally down and will wear it too, I have only had to wear one just about my whole life. But nooooooo, you know what this bastardo did? He gave me a mouth guard to wear. Not just a mouth guard, this thing stuck out, I couldn’t even get my gums around it. It was miserable. Yes, Dr. Sam, please make my life even more of a living hell. I would have to wear this thing 24 hours a day but remove it when I needed to speak in class or sing in choir. Great. Seriously, no, that is just wonderful. I’m so excited about looking like even more of a loser. I went back to him a month later and told him how impossible this stupid thing is, how I am tired of slurping my spit out of it before I remove it from my mouth to speak in class and how he should try wearing a mouth guard to school every single day. Especially a high school in Howard County. He admitted he never had to wear one so he does not know what I am going through. Good. At least you can admit it.

Dr. Sam was nice enough to make me a retainer instead. I loved that retainer and I wore it until I accidently threw it away one day at lunch my freshman year of college, my second semester. It was the first time I was ever homesick in college. I bawled my eyes out and begged him to make me another one and he did but it wasn’t the same, it was thicker because I had been grinding my teeth and he wanted to stop that behavior before I had no teeth left so I wasn’t able to close my mouth all the way with this new one. Ugh.

I stopped wearing it and yes, my bottom teeth are crooked but my top teeth are fine. I didn’t go to a dentist for 4 years after that. Amazingly enough, still no cavities. About 2 years ago I found a great dentist named Barry Dahls in Columbia, MD who I love. He doesn’t use any computers and everything he sends you is either handwritten or done on a typewriter. He talks the whole time you are in his big orange chair and he never says anything about how badly crooked your teeth are, and he never makes your gums bleed, doesn’t make you feel bad about anything and he doesn’t even bill you until more than a month later. Frank even started going to him, and my brother supposedly too.

Anyways, even though my current dentist is awesome seeing that postcard on my fridge brings back some terrifying memories. And reminds me how much I miss that Klonopin.

Dear Phelpsiepooh

Dear Michael Phelps (aka my Phelpsiepooh),

I think that you are the most adorable swimmer I have ever seen. I could probably do with a different head but I definitely love what I see from the neck down.

I heard you were moving back to Baltimore. I’m not sure if that was a good thing to announce on national television. I’m not the only girl with a crush on the neck down. Your pool is going to be pissed at the number of sassy females that will be flocking to the doors on a daily basis.

Anyway, congrats on those 11 medals so far, must be pretty sweet. Are you getting tired of our National Anthem yet? Maybe they should just stop the medal ceremonies until you are completely finished all your races so they only have to play it once. I laugh at the way you put your hand over your heart, you pretty much cup that your really big peck, despite the fact that you could just place it on top of it. Makes me giggle every time.

I think I would be so pissed if I was one of your teammates. I mean they never get as much publicity as you even though that one had to carry you through that relay. Thank goodness, or those obnoxious Frenchmen would have won. Plus, they have way to much pressure on them. I mean, if they do poorly and you lose, you are going to be pissed about that it, possibly lash out irrationally, my prediction.

I think it is cute that you give your flowers to your sister when you get off the podium and I think it is so funny that you know the exact routine for the medal ceremonies. You are always putting your arms up for the silver and bronze medal winners for get into them for the photo afterward the anthem is played.

But on a more serious note, you need to stop putting all those medals in your mouth. China might try to poison you. It’s definitely not chocolate. You have proved that enough times.

If you are ever around Frederick, you should let me know. I will see if I can get a day pass from my husband. :)

Love,

Sweet D

Olympics!

I have finally found a website that has portions of the opening ceremony from the Olympics! And wow! How awesome was all that?

I mean, only in China could you get that many people to obey the same instructions and make such a wonderful performance out of it. I am not sure by what I mean by that so don’t take it the wrong way. But honestly, I was beginning to think my eyes were playing tricks on me, were there not mirrors just making it look like there were that many people? (Not to mention the fact that they all looked exactly the same, or was that just my eyes tricking me again…..oh man, this is not going to be a good post is it?, I am being offensive!) I honestly wonder how all that was choreographed. Like who in the world has the capabilities to organize such a huge, huge thing and with soooooo many people, other then Hitler? And what was with that awesome light show countdown? I loved that.

My only complaint: why fireworks? Seriously, we need to create something more exciting then fireworks. Maybe bombs. I dunno. I don't see the wow factor in fireworks anymore. Over played. Done. Kapeesh?

But really, mad props to China. You have definitely made me terrified to ever go to war with you. If you can choreograph that, I would hate to see you in battle.

Observations while driving...

I should note that these are in no particular order whatsoever. It’s just a list I have compiled while sitting in hours and hours of back up on 270 and 495 over the past few months.

1. The best license plate I have ever seen has been spotted: H8 I270. How awesome is that? Seriously. And he was driving on 270! Okay, maybe I am too excited about it. I totally want one. Sign me up.

2. Rain – now come on, why the hell do we have to hit the brakes and act all crazy like every single gosh darn time the rain starts coming down? I mean, even if it is drizzling, we are breaking like crazy, it’s like there are no rules when it’s raining, people drive however they feel and completely forget about what it was like when it wasn’t raining.

3.Motorcycles make me so flipping mad. I am sitting in not minutes but hours of back up after a very, very long day at work, don’t you DARE drive down the middle of two lanes of cars, and don’t even think about driving on the shoulder. My God. Irritates the hell out of me.

4.I can see you picking your nose; your windows are not tinted.

5. Cops: Number One: If their lights are already flashing and they are out of their car at the window of someone else’s car, then for pete’s sake, keep driving, please do not act like you need to slow down to the speed limit. He already caught someone. Yes, you may be next, but he is going to have to get all the way back in his car, and catch up to you. And let’s face it, they are too lazy to do that when they have one caught right there anyway.

6. Cops: Number 2: A cop car is following behind you, yes, go ahead, slow down, but just get over. It’s amazing, as soon as a cop car gets behind someone they are the most perfect driver, checking their mirrors constantly and signaling, not talking on their cell phones, blah, blah, blah. But what you really need to do is get over in the lane next to you, because seriously, what are you trying to prove? If he was going to pull you over, he would have done it already.

7. Please do not tailgate me. Just give me a sec, I will get over. Don’t give me dirty looks as you pass either, that’s just uncalled for.

8. People who use their windshield wipers when it is not raining to clean their windshield when it is so obviously unnecessary. Hi!!!! I now have to put on my windshield wipers because of all the nasty fluids your car splashed onto mine.

9. Car alarms are wildly unnecessary.

10.Babies should not count as two people for the HOV lanes during rush hour. Or on second thought, maybe I’ll just go buy a car seat so it looks like I have a baby too!

10 should be enough for now. I'll save the rest for another day.

Jacob Golden - On a Saturday

Restaurant Review: Morimoto

Like I said in my last post, we went to Morimoto for dinner last night. I have to say for it being talked up as much as it is, I was pretty disappointed. It was a great atmosphere, and it is super cool that it is owned by Iron Chef Morimoto and they had really great rock shrimp tempura but the sushi wasn’t all that great, the drinks disappointed, and all in all it was so hugely over priced. For the amount we paid, I would have been able to eat all of my meals at Roppongi (Frederick, MD) for about a week.

All in all, your money is going towards the mod looking but not so comfy, I-got-this-idea-from-an-Ikea-catalogue furniture, the lights that change colors throughout the restaurant and the crazy amounts of phallic imagery scattered about the restuarant. Check out the lights on the tables…you, first off, can’t move it from the center of your table and second, it looks like a giant butt plug. Gross.

Philly!

I would just like to take a moment and tell you how awesome and unique Philly really is. It really is like no other town, much like New Orleans was like no other town. I am staying at the Hyatt at Penn’s Landing (so are the Florida Marlins...and boys you should never complain about how much your girls pack because you should have seen the amount of luggage these guys had for a 6 day trip!). I have a gorgeous view of the Delaware River and walking distance to really, really awesome restaurants.

If you are ever in this area, I would first recommend Amada, the best tapas restaurant I have ever been too: get all the sangrias until you find the one you like the best (my philosophy) and make sure you try a bunch of cheeses. I would go back tonight if I could. But we are going to try out Morimoto, a highly rated sushi restaurant. Maybe I’ll just stop in for some sangria.

And maybe I will skip the conference to go find my favorite bar: Paddy’s! From It’s Always Sunny!

Kiddin….

Write ya more later!

AC and AI!!!

I have been away for the last few days and really miss my kitties and my bed!

We went to Atlantic City this past weekend to see the American Idol concert. It was surprisingly good. Aside from Ramiele….who I wanted to shoot with a sniper rifle from my seat right down the center but all the way in the back. She just sounded like she was always screaming. Definitely not a good by any stretch of the imagination. David Cook was smug but awesome. And David “Archuletagay” as Frank so affectionately calls him was surprisingly decent. You should have seen all the tweens with their “Arch” Angels shirts, made me want to throw up. But hey, what should I be expecting going to an American Idol concert?

The most entertaining part of the entire evening was the severely intoxicated 50 year olds sitting in the aisle adjacent to us. Oh my God, they were hysterical! Throwing their arms all about and just acting as if they didn’t have a care in the world. They left early into the show and never came back; they were also about an hour late.

Frankie gambled for the first time in his entire life and won a whole $9.75! He was very excited about it, cashed out immediately and redeemed his ticket with the cashier. I couldn’t help but giggle at how cute he is.

Other then that it was same old same old. We went to the beach in the evening to lay and read and had some microbrews at the hotel bar – which had the most amazing Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake ever. Tun Tavern at the Sheraton if you ever go.

Off to Philly for a conference!