Road Trip...

Last night we shopped for road trip supplies. Our shopping list included red vines, gummy bears, beef jerky, trail mix...I felt like I was twelve when we got to the checkout. I half expected Mom to come around the corner and say, "Put those back! No. Get the smaller bag!" We got some responsible stuff, but mostly we'll be having whatever the hell we want on our way across the eastern half of the states.

I'm way excited! There's something about driving from where we are to somewhere hours away and coming home by a different route that makes the country feel small, accessible, and mine. And I wouldn't want to spend hour after hour in the car with anyone but Robb. He's never lost, always adventurous, and hey, as long as he's around, any place feels like home.

The only thing I'm really going to miss is the cat. But a week isn't too long. And he'll have a cat-sitter while we're gone. It's not like the apartment is going to be empty.

So tomorrow morning we're setting out for Virginia Beach. We plan to stop on the way and get a hotel room for the night. We'll get there Friday, see Harry Potter with some friends, hopefully have nice weather so we can go to the beach, and let our friends show us around their city. Then, on Sunday or Monday, depending on their work schedules, we're off to home. There's talk of stopping in Washington D.C., since I've never even SEEN our nation's capital. And all this without a working camera...

We'll probably just share Robb's camera. I'm taking my computer, so depending on internet connections, you might get a few posts while we're there. I'll be keeping a handwritten journal of our escapade, if nothing else. I'm sure you'll hear all about it. However it goes, I'm way excited! I've never been any further east than Eastern Ohio.

Alright. Now? Time to go to work for the eighth day in a row...

Out

SUSHI!

It's like a taste sensation...like a trip around the world in first class with people you love the most! It's like...oh my gosh. It's so friggin' good!

The texture made me want to just keep eating them over and over. Eww...that just grossed me out. I meant one right after the next. It's like...the perfect firmness and the perfect give, a little crunch, and a ton of flavor.

I got spicy crunchy tuna rolls, and our friends got snow crab rolls. Both were absolutely divine. The spicy mayo on our sushi was the perfect amount of spice, and the wasabi? Oh man...I could just EAT that stuff. Yum.

Needless to say, I was a happy camper. Happiest. Camper. EVER.

Out

Top 5 Tuesday: Ice Cream Edition...

Everyone love ice cream!  And if you don't, you must be one of those Commie Nazis.  And sure, it wouldn't be hard to list your top five favorite flavors, would it?  Cake Batter, Fudge Brownie, Moose Tracks...BORING!

No, no! 

Today I am here to give you my list for the Top 5 Failed Ice Cream Flavors!

5)  Spewmori

Spewmori is the offbeat cousin of an already questionable flavor:  Spumoni (chocolate, pistachio, cherry).  Spewmori is a tantalizing blend of three flavors we think you'll go gaga over!  Pomegranate, Onion, and Chutney!  Oooh.  Yum!  With real chunks of onion and pomegranate seeds (all the rage nowadays), you'll be a hit at any party when you serve this!

4)  Dill Pickle

I know, I know.  They HAVE this.  It's true.  Go to a very specialty ice cream stand and you'll be able to get a dish of this for $4.  It's a delicacy.  Yeah...right.  So are snails, but you don't see me chomping them down.  I'veh ad it, people.  Don't waste your money.  The combination of sweet and...dill...NO GOOD!

3)  Al Gore-gia Peach

This delicious blend of flavors pays homage to one of the leading political minds of our time!  Without his global warming scare film, people may not know enough to conserve our nation's natural resources, like the Georgia Peach!  That's why this blend features Peach, Corn, and Toupee flavors!  Mmm.  Nothing says delicious like a Georgia peach combined with one of the U.S.'s most abundant natural resources!  Corn?  No!  HAIR!

2)  Beef Jerky Fudge Swirl

You love fudge!  Who doesn't?  And you love beef jerky!  Why not put them together and swirl them just for fun!?  The salty, chewy jerky combined with the sweet, chocolatey fudge will make instant memories at any birthday party!  And with a base of vanilla, you can't go wrong!  Serve it with cake or steak!

1)  Neighborhood Stray Tracks

You've had Moose Tracks, Bear Tracks, Fox Tracks, Elephant Tracks, and any other tracks they've put out there.  I can guarantee you've never had this!  New, from the people who brought you all those tantalizing flavors comes Neighborhood Stray Tracks, featuring fur, caramel, and mystery chunks!  People love mystery, and this carton has it in droves!  Cat fur?  Dog fur?  Ferret?  Rabbit?  I certainly hope those brown chunks are chocolate and peanut butter!  Slap this into a dish and call up yer kinfolk!  It's time for fun!

And there you have it; the Top 5 Failed Ice Cream Flavors.  Who knows, with the publicity they'll garner here, you may see them in your grocer's freezer the next time you're looking for a late night snack!

Out

Day 7 - Going Solo...

By now we'd been together in the same hotel room or attraction for a week.  Robb and I were over halfway done with our vacation, and the girls were leaving tomorrow.  So, it's understandable that we were all getting on each other's nerves.  I'm sure the girls were sick of me, and rightly so.  I'm obnoxious. 

So today, they went back to Seaport Village to shop, and I decided to strike out on my own. 

I went to the Horton Plaza outdoor mall to mail postcards and get my glasses fixed after having lost the nose piece off of them on day 3 or so.  I also went in to all those clothing sotres I couldn't afford and tried stuff on, got talked to about sales, and basically pretended I was someone I was not.  So fun!  After that, I grabbed lunch at Panda Express in the mall and (I later found out) just missed Robb also grabbing lunch at Panda...probably by mere minutes.  Like, he was probably inside ordering when I left my table outside...and then he sat down EXACTLY where I'd been.  So weird.

I decided to wander around a bit, since we didn't have any plans.  This is what I saw:



That would be a balloon Mario.



This lovely fountain was in Seaport Village.



These were pretty much everywhere.



I found this sculpture slightly disconcerting.

And then there was this; something that I saw from the harbor tour AND the ferry, and couldn't figure out how to get to.  Finally, I found it.



Unconditional Surrender.

You may know it better as that kiss from the end of WWII.  Although...you may know it on a smaller scale.



That's the biggest kiss I've ever seen!  And no, you can't see her panties.  I looked, because I knew someone would ask.  It's just all kinds of vaguely painted white up there.  I kind of hoped it would be polka-dotted panties or something fun like that.  Guess not.

After I found it, I went back to the hotel because I was getting a burnt scalp.



This was on the way...sort of.

You can see it's a little bit north of where our hotel was:

   

So, we hung out until Robb got back, and then we headed out to Burger Lounge for a swanky bite to eat.  And maybe a cool drink...



And after that it was off to the Blick art store where I found this:



The Helpful Hippo pencil sharpener.  And, hippos being my favorite animal, I just had to buy it.  He actually chomps when you turn his tail to sharpen the pencil!  Adorable!

A quick photo before we stopped for frozen yogurt:



Oh, Robb...

Let me tell you about Yogurtland.  If you live in the SoCal area, I'm sure you've seen a yogurt bar.  They charge per ounce for yogurt and toppings together, and you can get MANY flavors of yogurt and TONS of toppings.  I had strawberry and blueberry yogurt with strawberries and blueberries on top...along with fruity pebbles and a few or those frosted animal cookies for fun.  It was AMAZING!  Seriously.  If you've never been, go!

And really, that was my day...pretty laid back but very enjoyable.  I saw four different areas of the city, and the day ended with a sunset in Little Italy:



Out

The Fabulous Adventures of Five and the Birthday Weekend...

My birthday weekend was super-fun. End of story.

Not really end of story, actually.

Friday night my family and Robb and I went out for Chinese at Yen Ching. Yum. And my mom decided that leftovers in their fridge would just sit there, so she sent me home with SEVEN chinese takeout boxes. Seven! We're down to five, I think. But we had lemon chicken, two plates of happy family, twice-cooked pork, and two plates of Hong Kong chicken steak...oh, and Yen Ching Fried Rice that my mom ALWAYS orders and NEVER eats. And now...we're out one happy family and one lemon chicken and one twice-cooked pork. Holy hell...rice is coming out my ears!

Oh, and speaking of being out one happy family, Sunday was a delight. Note sarcasm. We crashed at Robb's dad's house Saturday night after hanging out in Chicago with his friends Amy, Erin, and Cari and going to thrift stores and finishing at Nookie's for dinner and dessert. Sunday morning we got up and showered, got ready for church, and Robb's dad was making breakfast. Robb asked who was coming over for Easter dinner, and his dad said that hateful brother-in-law and sister were coming with their kids. We expected that.

What we DIDN'T expect was Robb's dad suggesting we leave before they got there, so as to avoid trouble. Because apparently one side of this disagreement can't be trusted to be civil to each other over Easter dinner (although he never said that specifically, it's what the message meant). And I don't really fault Robb's dad for saying that. He doesn't know what to do about this while situation any more than we do. He's just trying his best to keep everyone happy and, well, up to now, failing miserably at keeping us happy at all.

So...we were both pissed off, and we packed our bags and left before church or brunch or anything. His dad wanted us to stay then, positively pleaded for us to stay. But really, the damage had been done and the day had been tainted, so...Robb and I left.

I called my mom and asked if they were doing anything for Easter, and she said no until I told her what happened. And then we went over there and had a delicious steak dinner. So...something was salvaged out of this while mess.

Ugh. Crappy Easter.

And the worst part of it all is that Robb is so torn up about this. It just makes me sick to see him hurting.

So...yeah...until Sunday morning, my birthday weekend was amazing! Blah.

Out

The Power of Ten--or Fifteen...

My friend Melissa (check her out) ran a feature on her blog today that I think it would be fun to emulate.

She did a "10 Things About My Disability" post that I thought was very informative and witty. And while I don't have a disability, per se, I do have a unique perspective. So I thought it might be fun to tell you fifteen things about myself.

So, onward!

1. I am not contagious. I know, this was Mel's first point, but really. You can't catch gay. What you can catch from hanging out with me, though, is well-timed humor and maybe a laugh or a yawn.

2. I am a bibliophile. My room is filled with stacks of books in front of shelves full of books. And on top of those shelves? Books. I adore them, how they look and smell, the sound of turning pages, the magic of words passed through time. It's a vacation in the comfort of my home, and I love it.

3. I always wanted a Chia Pet. Since the first time I saw the commercials during Thundercats and Transformers when I was just a tiny Viewtiful_Justin. I asked my mother to get me one. I wanted them for birthdays and Christmases every year for what felt like ages. And I never got one.

4. I have a thing for firefighters. It's true. Joe Regular? Meh. But when I find out he's a firefighter, his hot points go up five-fold. The hat, the coat, the trucks...all of it. I don't know any reason why this is. I've tried to explain it, and I've plumbed the depth of my childhood. Nothing. But I do.

5. I have an irrational fear of being abandoned in a public place. I don't care if it's a grocery store I go to three times a week and I'm the one with the car keys; if I look up and I can't see you, I get nervous. Anxious. And I have to stop shopping and come find you. I've never been abandoned in a public place. I've never really been abandoned anywhere. But if I can't see you...I'm afraid.

6. I used to have a great memory, but now...not so much. I was a vault. Lock it away and never lose it. Now? It's more like a sieve. Lots of holes...I put something there, and when I go to look for it again in ten minutes...gone! Names, dates, ideas...gone! That is, unless I write it down. If I put pencil to paper and make those marks,

7. I had a great one for number seven, and then I forgot it while writing the last one...hrmmm....oh! I got it! I was going to say that I love to sing. And I do! If there is a song on the radio that I know, I will be singing along. Not well, mind you, but singing along nonetheless. And if I don't know it? I'll be singing along by the second chorus. And, because of that, I judge a lot of music based on its singability. If it's not fun to sing along, I probably don't like it.

8. My feet are cold. Unless I am wearing shoes, I can guarantee you that my feet are cold. I'm sure it's poor circulation, although I've never been diagnosed or even checked out. But I've heard "Your feet are like ice!" enough times to know it's true.

9. I try to figure you out. When I am in public and I see two people together or a group of friends are all around one table at a restaurant, I try to figure out the dynamics of the group. I like to see if they seem like they're on a first date or it it's someone's birthday, if it's a work group or a school study date. I love figuring people out. People watching...to the extreme!!!

10. I find rudeness deplorable. When I say hello to a cahsier, I expect a response. When I talk to someone, I expect their attention. I hate seeing people come through the drive at work while they're on their cell phone. It bothers me even more to see them talking while they're inside and I'm waiting on them. I can't imagine how people could think that it's okay to do this. It's rude, and it's unacceptible. It's important to be polite.

11. I have written three novels. Each year I participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), and every year I've participated, I've won, which means I've finished three 50,000 word novels, each in 30 days in the month of November. It's crazy amouonts of fun. But...the funny thing is that I've never edited one of them. Never even gone back and read them.

12. I'm a gamer. Many, many hours of my childhood were spent (not wasted, spent) in front of the television with a Nintendo controller in my hand. Not Sega. Not Playstation. Nintendo. I am and have always been a die-hard Nintendo fan...although right now they're working very hard to lose my affections--what with their lack of games for true gamers and their mountains of shitty shovelware crap. But, I digress. The fact is, I play, and I always have.

13. I like pirate slang. When I greet people, it's "Ahoy-hoy." Sometimes when I finish packing things at work I say, "Thar she blows." And sometimes, for no reason, I let fly with a "Yarrr." But I don't particularly care for pirates or the Disney Pirate movies. It's just...a love for the sound of it all.

14. It's a texture thing. This is the line I use when I don't like a food. I love cheese, and I love yogurt, but cottage cheese? Those little lumps turn me off. Baked beans, kidney beans, navy beans? Grainy texture. Ick. Same with peas. And marshmallows? Don't even get me started on marshmallows! I don't understand how something can be simultaneously puffy, slimy, chalky, and squishy at the same time. Eww. Add Peep's crunchy sugar coating and you've got the most revolting thin on the planet.

15. I love. There is so much hatred in this world, and only love can set it straight. I want to try to do my part to reverse the ravages of hate. So, I love. I love people and animals. I love quirks and mannerisms, accents and hair colors. I love facial tics and fashion, expressions and emotions. I just try to love. And I fail at this regularly, but I'm always trying. And really, that's all that matters.

What are some things that people don't know about you? Post them up and let me know about them!

Out

Economic Problems Hit Home...

So, apparently EVERYTYING is closing. Good to know.

Yesterday the Baker's Square in town announced that on Wednesday at 2 they were done for good. Apparently Mason, their renters, doubled their rent at lease renegotiations. We (at the bank) all think that they probably have someone else ready to move in there, and our manager has heard a rumor that it might be IHOP. That would be kind of exciting, although I would never go because of the policies of the renters. Assholes.

And on top of that, I just found out that Filo Spinato, the Italian restaurant in town, closed its doors forever last Saturday. Without a peep.

Add to that Italian Express's closing a month or so ago and I'm starting to see that people in this town don't like Italian food...I blame Pizza Hut and their pasta crap.

It makes me worried for who is next...especially when all our business customers keep leaving for another bank or going out of business.

Out