The One Where I Die

No seriously...

I'm wearing these shoes today at work and I've tripped 1,000 times, rolled my ankle about 500 times, and slipped them off under my desk 5 or 6 times. Not to mention the fact that I can't walk completely upright in them for some reason - I'm kind of scrunching, maybe it's to keep the distance from my head to the floor in check.

OH, and I'm pretty sure they're a 1/4 size too small, but unfortunately the 6 was a 1/4 size too big - and I'd rather have too small that too big...especially if you're going to be wearing tights. Only problem is, the toes on my left foot are starting to doze off.

Oh well, it won't be long before I really can wear tights - it was 58 degrees in my car this morning, and I slept with no air conditioner and my window open last night. It's finally fall, my only problem is that I store all of my semi-warm clothes and I need to pack away all of my white dresses, and espadrilles so that I can make room for cashmere and cowboy boots.

The One About Etsy

Has anyone ever shopped on Etsy?

I know that people do - I've heard enough about it, but I'm not sure how it works. Sort of like eBay, but without the bidding? I've been rummaging through the site and it's UNBELIEVABLY overwhelming. They do their best to keep it organized and easy to navigate but seriously...I typed in "Halloween" and it returned 81,324 results. Trying to boil it down some, I tested out "Halloween pumpkin" and got 14,935 results. Going back to "Halloween" it popped out 81,349 - does that mean that there were 14 items added in the 30 seconds it took me to complete the "Halloween pumpkin" search?

Needless to say...I'm overwhelmed, but I did find some things in all of the hubbub that I would really love to have, if I could ever figure out how to actually buy it and get it to my house.

It's finally Fall around here, so now I want to decorate my apartment for Halloween. I'm not a huge fan of the whole orange and black color scheme, I really hate spiders (not to mention we have about a million real live ones outside our door) and ghosts aren't very pretty - so I'm looking for something simple and classic that I can use for both Halloween and Thanksgiving. I really like this pretty pumpkin made from old wire but I'd really like a grouping of different sizes, and those don't exist.

I've also found this little gem. It's adorable and graphic, plus I have the perfect place for it. The woman who makes them is working on a set of all 50 states and if she would go ahead and do Alabama I could hang both, one over the other, on this little skinny wall space next to my bedroom door. It would be such a cute little reminder of Texas every morning and I think they would transition well into another apartment, another bedroom, another home - they would be really adorable in a kitchen, a bathroom, or kid's bedroom. I think they're especially fun when you have a connection to multiple states and can group those together. See - I told you I would have Texas-themed shopping on the brain when I got home.

And aren't these sweet apples so cute. They'd be adorable sitting on a desk, in a kitchen, in a baby's room, on the coffee table, on my bookshelves....anywhere you or I want them to go. I actually almost think I my mom could make these myself herself, but I'm not exactly sure how you make them actually apple shaped. I love that they're a neutral, crisp, cream color - but I wonder if all of the dust in my apartment would make them a yucky brown color instead.

This shop also carried really adorable wedding gifts for your friends (since I have that on the brain lately). I ended up getting my friend a plate to celebrate her marriage this weekend, and while I understand the concept of registering so that you end up with the things you want and need - it just felt so impersonal. So why not try something like this?

I also really love that Etsy carried handmade items like the little apples, but also allows true, technical, amazing artists to showcase their artwork. I've seen some pretty gorgeous pieces, like this (which isn't super expensive), this or this, but I've also been interested in some prints of original. Clearly I'm not living on a "growing my art collection" kind of budget - so prints are ideal for my little apartment. This one (to the left) is really beautiful and I love the bold colors, plus I could buy a few different ones and have myself a little grouping. This artist has other prints in a similar style, similar color palette and all birds. My apartment could use a little color here and there, and I really just think these are gorgeous.

And let's be honest - you want these too! They're rough diamonds, and stackable. They come in the most beautiful colors - but still have a natural, and neutral look. They would be the perfect things to start a small collection of - one for graduation, one for a first job, one for getting married, one for having a baby, one for that one time that we went to such and such and did this and that. If you're a mom - one for each kid. I think stackable rings are so much more fun and interesting that a single band. Here's a good question about Etsy though - do these people ever just disappear? What if I wanted one now, and one in 3 years...how do I know I'll be able to locate this individual with the pretty rings?

The One About My Weekend

Unless you have been living under a rock (or not reading this blog) then you know I went to Fort Worth this weekend. I apologize for the complete lack of pictures - I did take about 5, but nothing interesting or appropriate for the blog. It was completely amazing and wonderful. I had a great time, with fabulous people and absolutely LOVED getting to watch two amazing people marry each other. The wedding was beautiful and fit them so perfectly.

Image from here

Top Ten Things I Learned This Weekend:

10. It is best not to fly so late at night - you're sleepy, the people that pick you up from the airport are sleepy, and the people that work in restaurants are sleepy. This results in no food for you.

9. You will survive giant black heels all night. You're feel will want to kill you - but you'll be tall and that's all that matters.

8. Sometimes, the best things ARE NOT free. Sometimes they are, but in the case of my super adorable new red clutch that I'll be taking to the Auburn game...well, that wasn't free.

7. Pei Wei is delicious at all times of the day.

6. It is best to NOT lose your drivers license, but if you absolutely have to - make sure to have another, legitimate, get-you-in-the-bar type of ID. This is true of Dallas, Fort Worth AND Vegas.

5. While Dallas is cool, the best people are (or were) in Fort Worth.

4. If you have a flight at 8:10am, it is best not to stay out until 4 in the morning - and you shouldn't even try to get to the airport if you're still packing things up at 7:35am.

3. Taking vacation is fun, calling is sick is better.

2. Toms look perfect with a wedding dress, and sparkly Toms look perfect with bridesmaids dresses.

1. The very best part of vacation is seeing all of the people you've been missing - but the second best part is all of the new people you DIDN'T know before you got there.

The One About Vacation

I am leaving for Fort Worth tonight, and will either be there or on a plane until Sunday afternoon.

In case you're board while I'm gone...another list of wonderful bloggers.

Pink India Ink

Greedy Girl

Little Green Notebook

Design*Sponge

Orange Beautiful

Jordan Ferney: Oh Happy Day!

The City Sage

Oh Joy!

Elements of Style

I Suwannee

and A Hungry Bear for yummy foodness.

I hope you all enjoy your weekend (be it 2 days or 4) as much as I'm going to. I'll be taking lots of pictures, so get excited for that...and maybe I'll even attempt to blog along the way. And ditto the other post similar to this one - I'll be sure to get these in the sidebar at some point. GOSH! I'm going to have a long sidebar if I keep doing this.

The One About Flying

I have done a LOT of flying in the last five years. I decided it was a good idea to go to college in Texas (most brilliant idea of my whole life), but I live in Alabama - so there were a lot of trips back and forth. PLUS the BF lived in Virginia, so that required a place as well. During all of those plane flights I have discovered some invaluable information.

So, in honor of my upcoming (30 hours and 18 minutes from now) trip to Texas and the millionth plane flight I'll be taking, here are my top 10 things to DO or NOT DO on planes, in airports, and during the packing process.

10. Try to wear flip flops, or flats. I don't actually adhere to this rule - but I always regret it. The security people are going to make you take off your shoes, there is no way around it, so the easier they are to slip on and off the better. I like to be comfortable on planes, so I have frequently left for the airport in UGGS, or walking boots - trust me when I tell you, this is not a good decision.

9. The best way to sleep is folded in half, head down on the tray table. Granted, this only works if you're a reasonably small person - but I am, so good for me. Don't fall asleep BEFORE you get on the plane. Airports like to change things, and they don't come find you when they do. I almost missed a flight home once because I was asleep at gate such-and-such when they announced that the flight had been moved to gate far-enough-away-to-take-the-train.

8. Speaking of taking the train...check your bags in the most convenient location, and then get on the train to actually find your gate. It's a lot less complicated than trying to figure out where you should check your bags so that you're close to your gate. Note: this doesn't apply to BHM, there aren't that many choices. In other transportation news, it's sometimes worth it to pay the extra $2 a day for Express parking at DFW - Remote is like parking in Siberia. It's a long way from Siberia to the airport.

7. DO NOT EVER SET YOUR iPOD DOWN. do. not. do. it. People in airports love finding preloaded iPods to play with. Don't even try - they won't give it back. I don't care if all you did was sit the thing down, walk to throw your trash away, and then come back to your seat. I promise, the guy that just took your iPod is not giving that sucker back.

6. When packing, socks will fit inside your shoes, but shoes are the biggest thing you're packing - so this is an essentials only situation. Don't worry - I understand, some things are essentials to you that aren't to other people. This weekend I'll probably have casual flip-flops, nice sandals, dress shoes for the wedding, heels of two kinds (black and brown), and cowboy boots. I know that seems nuts - but didn't we just talk about not judging other people's shoe habits?

5. It's more expensive to buy anything in the airport. Magazines, books, iPod headphones, gum, lunch at Chick-Fil-A. It's all more expensive, so try to avoid it. That is not to say that I won't buy the new Martha Stewart Weddings if it's staring me in the face, and I spent a lot of time purchasing perfume in DFW because that was the only place I could find what I like - but, be aware that you're probably paying more for it just because you don't have another choice. Supply and demand people.

4. Wear the heaviest and largest items on the plane. This advice is good for two things. 1. If your cowboy boots and winter coat aren't in your suitcase, you can pack two more pairs of jeans and an extra pair of shoes. 2. Planes are ridiculously cold, it's a fact, so having covered toes and your coat isn't going to hurt you.

3. Bring all the paper you have. If you have a confirmation number, and it is printed out - bring it, that makes it easier to check in at the speedy kiosk. If you don't, you have to go talk to the people at the counter. If you have to talk to the people at the counter, they're much more likely to weigh your bag...just a fun fact I've noticed. In my experience, it's always a good thing when they don't weight my bag.

2. They're pretty seriously about that liquids rule. One time they made me throw away lip gloss that can only be purchased in Birmingham - unfortunately, I was leaving. HOWEVER - I sometimes forget what counts and what doesn't. Handy idea - keep a quart size baggie in your suitcase and you can put things it if necessary. They used to sell them in the airport, right next to security - but I'm not sure if they still do it. Either way, it's not a good idea to buy Ziplocs from the airport. See #5.

1. Don't be late, and if you're late - be really nice. The airport helper people are just as annoyed that they work in an airport as you are that the airport makes life difficult. The catch is that they have a LOT of control over your life. If you're really nice, they'll be really helpful. If you're not - they won't be. Being nice could get you on an earlier flight, get your luggage on the flight with you, get your 53 lb. bag on the plane...there are endless possibilities. Don't get me wrong...sometimes people are just rude for fun (I'm talking to you US Airways) but that's their problem - not yours.

The One Where I Find It

Look!

This would look pretty perfect in my little reading nook - and guess what? It's only $249 + $29 for an extra slipcover...just in case my pristine white original gets a little messy. I think I've officially found a good reason to give up my in-bedroom TV, and I've always wanted a swing-arm task lamp!

The One About My TV

I have a big, pretty TV in our living room, but I keep another TV in the bedroom. This TV has a teeny-tiny screen, which apparently is good at concealing its rather large bum. It's really a monster in disguise. I need something for the TV to sit on, but I still want it to look good in my room. Right now we're working with this horror.

My problem is two-fold.

I have no money, and space is limited. I have a large cabinet on the same wall so ideally, this TV stand will carry no weight at all. I really don't want to even see it.

Unfortunately - an ugly plastic rolling cart is hard to miss.

So I've come up with a few options...

I've contemplated getting another one of these shelving units - just this time, in the 2x2 size...but those are pretty bulky. The advantage is that I would have one more place to put picture frames and books. More storage is always good.

This might work - but I would have to measure. I have two side tables that look fairly similar to this but are better looking. I wouldn't want to repeat that type of thing in another area of the room. Plus, I'm not a HUGE lover of the folded leaf - I think the fact that it was always down might annoy me.

I have no idea! I need help - professional help, but since I'm looking to spend about $100 (or A LOT less) on this thing...there probably aren't a lot of interior designers our there ready to help me.

Maybe I just need to scratch this idea entirely and use this lovely corner for something like this or this...or maybe even this. I would LOVE to have a little reading nook. I could put something like this behind the chair and be perfectly happy.

Especially since my brother never did build me that radiator cover.

On a completely separate note - I could just do this, hang it on the wall, and not worry about the TV having a place to sit.

Do y'all have any thoughts?

The One About Texas

Today begins the week the I get to go to Texas.

I'm leaving Wednesday night and I'll be there until Sunday morning.

I'm getting to hang out with my some of my very best friends, and watch one of them get married!

It's going to be bliss.

Isn't it weird that I WANTED to move back to Alabama, and I LOVE it - but I'm still beyond excited to be headed back West. I wish there was a home football game - so that we could all be dressed like this.


And I definitely plan on wearing this top mom bought me at Urban on the plane trip, probably + boots, because you just can't head to Texas without boots, and it's cold on planes.

I probably need to start making a to-do list for this weekend...I'm not planning very well, and I'm poor so I would really love to not have to check a bag. Although...that would hinder my ability to bring makeup and such. Planes annoy me.

By the time I get back I'm probably going to be so hopped up on Texanness that I'm going to be spending all of my money purchasing myself the Texas things I always wanted...

This for instance.

I also found the James Avery catalog in the mail the other day and now I want a new charm to add to my bracelet. Isn't he cute!? Don't worry - I'm not bailing completely on the South. I want him too.

My only concern with going to Texas is that I'm going to spend too much money and gain too much weight chowing down on all the food I've missed these last four months.

Pei Wei
Fuzzy's
JD's Chippery
Yogi's
Yucatan
Joe T's
Einstein's
McKinley's
Taverna

It might be impossible to fit it all in.

I'm taking my camera too - obviously, I haven't been sticking by my goal to practice a lot, but I figure this weekend is a good opportunity to try.

I can't even express how excited I am.

The One With Lots of Boots

For some reason - maybe it's because I'm hoping for fall weather, but I've been shopping for fall necessities lately. I need to start a "fall clothing" account at the bank - one reserved just for shopping sprees. I'm not sure Dave Ramsey would approve.

I've been looking for great boots lately. I have two pairs of cowboy boots - one classic brown pair, and another pair (cream Frye) that my mom gave me for my birthday freshman year.

**sidenote: If you have the money - buy Frye, they're IMPOSSIBLE to destroy. My Justin's are slowly (or not so slowly) dying...but my Frye's look brand new.

I have a pair of slouchy, black suede boots from last season. I need to pull them out and make sure they're still presentable - I might have run them into the ground during Mardi Gras. They're similar to these.

But I'm really feeling incomplete without some great, brown, non-cowboy boots. I keep seeing boots that I think are wonderful - but I'm not even sure what exactly I'm looking for.

Heel, no heel?

Cognac, chocolate, tan? There's even a few I like that are closer to gray.

I would LOVE over-the-knee boots but we all know that's not REALLY going to happen.

And I am legitimately considering booties...

These are some I think might work...but I'm SO confused.

On another note - this is my 100th blog post, seems like a lot doesn't it? This weekend I'm just hanging out with the fam mostly, my sisters back in town from school so hopefully she'll want to go boot scouting with me. She's going to get to see my "completely" put together apartment tonight - my roommate had ordered dining room chairs MONTHS ago and they finally came in yesterday. Now that everything is headed towards finality, maybe I'll break out the camera and take some pictures of this apartment I keep talking about - just to prove it exists.

Happy Friday!

The One For Anyone BUT Mom

Last weekend my mom bought me some pretty wonderful things at Urban Outfitters, so this is NOT directed at her, unlike the last post...just anyone else with free-flowing cash and a giving spirit.

The Top 10 Things From J.Crew I Want: The Not For Work Edition

OK, so I would wear some of this to work. I'd love this in red please.

This works with the jeans further down the list. I could also probably swing it (with a cami) for work. Multi-purpose is good.

I'm not sure where you wear a Maribou clutch - but I could find out.

The perfect jean (for this girl). A "love it - should try it on" situation.

I don't have a place to wear this - but at $2,000, I'm not buying it anyway.

Ruffles - on leather gloves.

It's cashmere, and there is a bow.

This would be great for dinner out - jeans, white shirt and there you go.

It's a great color, and HOW cute tucked into jeans with a belt like this!?

Does that make this list 11 items long?

And...I just desperately want this bag. The strap is long enough to make it a crossbody - but could still be carried on my shoulder (at least I think so...)

J.Crew is my new favorite place to fake shop. It used to be my favorite place to real shop but unfortunately I'm not in the market for expensive clothing.

Bummer.

On another note. My sister is coming in town today! I haven't seen her since July 4th and it's about time she get her butt back to Alabama. She hasn't seen my (much more adorable than when she left) apartment - and she's going to provide me with entertainment this weekend.

I'm sitting here contemplating delicious places to eat dinner tonight...

The One About FSU

This afternoon has made me seriously contemplate keeping my camera on and at the ready at all times. Unfortunately, I don't do this - so you're going to have to imagine.

I was on my way back to work from my lunch break. I pulled onto Highway 280 and guess who I was behind? Florida State football's #1 fan. Excellent.

This man (or woman, couldn't tell) drove this...

And had 12, I counted - I am sure, TWELVE of these attached to the car...

Two in each door window (two in the driver's side, two in the passenger's side and two in each of the back windows) plus four in that amazing window in the trunk door.

If that didn't make his Florida State fanness clear enough - he also plastered the back of his car with two different magnets that looked like this (except much, much larger)...


and one bumper sticker that looked like this.

Now I understand people that are obsessive, I live in Alabama. People drive around with tiger tails coming out of their trunks, they wear t-shirts about their "National Championships" even when they're losing every week, and bumper stickers come in every form and fashion...

But let me explain - it is NOT game day, you are not in Tallahassee (or even Florida) and you did not recently give someone a major whoopin' that you're attempting to brag about.

In actuality, you just BARELY beat Jacksonville State on Saturday and you're probably going to get destroyed by BYU tomorrow night. This is the moment to be discreet. I'm not saying stop cheering for FSU - go ahead and do that if you're so inclined - but PLEASE do not obscure my view of the road with the obscene amount of maroon covering your car.

It's embarrassing, or at least it should be...

maybe that's the problem.

The One About My Project

I'm a pack rat.

In my defense, this only affects a few, very important things.

I save all of my t-shirts. Every single one. My roommate can attest, because there are three giant boxes in the top of our storage closet that contain shirts from college, high school, before high school. They're in the top of my storage area - so obviously I don't wear them. Why are they still hanging around? I'm convinced one day I will need them (want them) for something and then I will be really sad that I let them all go. I'm aware that this is irrational.

I also have MASSIVE binders filled with recipes from magazines we get at the office. We work for a food company so we have loads of food magazines. One summer, before I was working here full time, I was in charge of cleaning out our library and chucking all the magazines printed before 'X' date (classic intern assignment, right?). Well - it's against my nature to chuck things without knowing what they are, so I took them all home, pulled the recipes out that I wanted, and THEN recycled all the now almost empty magazines. Now those recipes are in sleeve protectors, in binders, in my apartment. I've convinced myself that one day I'm going to organize them all and suddenly become Giada.

Doubtful.

And it's fairly obvious that I have a large collection of books.

My current obsession? I want a cork board. NOT a board made out of prefab cork, a bulletin board made out of CORKS...from wine. I worked it all out and I need about 1,600 to make the cork board that I want. I want it to be the width of one side of my desk, and very tall.

In my room there is already a large collection of frames above my bed, and my desk sits on the same wall. I don't want anything else hanging on the wall so my solution is to build a bulletin board that could fit on the wall to the right and be exactly the right width for my desk, about 26 inches - or 28 corks. Now, if I want this cork board to be 28 corks wide, and a little more than double that height - 56 corks high....then I need 1,568 corks. That's a lot of wine.

You can buy similar cork boards from really cool stores like SkyMall - but they are much much smaller than what I am looking for and VERY expensive compared to how much it costs to buy the corks themselves costs. Plus - if I make it myself, then I can pick exactly how big I want the board to be.

So...now I'm moving on to making it myself.

At the Widget Manufacturing Co. you can buy used (because they have to be used) wine corks, they've just adjusted the price based on how many you are purchasing. For my little project it would cost $128 in corks alone - that's still pretty pricey.

There are a few people who are selling them on Ebay. Here, here and here. They have groups of anywhere from 20 corks to 1,700+. The 1,700 corks only costs $85, so at least thats less than on Widget.

Is it bad to buy the corks?

Should I just be saving up mine so that the bulletin board is meaningful? Does it matter if my bulletin board is meaningful? Should I just get a plain one and wrap it in fabric?

How long would it take me to save up $1,600 corks? Even if I drank a bottle of wine a day which is not happening it would take me close to 5 years to save up that many corks.

Oh, the conundrum.

The One About Bloggers

I had a wonderful weekend, and I hope you all did too. I went to work today and spent the majority of the day trying to get 500 coupons mailed out to our client's consumer. TEDIOUS. There was a majorly large Excel document, that I translated into a majorly larger Word labels document. Then - when all the entries didn't translate properly I went through the list and corresponded it to the envelopes - highlighting every one. Needless to say, it's been a long day. SO. Here is a list of blogs I check daily. New ones - not my friends, and not the ones to the right of this post. Brand new.
**except of course to you people who also blog stalk.

The Lil Bee

Twig and Thistle

Abbey Goes Design Scouting

Cupcakes and Cashmere

Unruly Things

For Me, For You

A Cup of Jo

Peonies and Polaroids

Inchmark

Desire to Inspire

and O Pistachio for yummy foodness.

So enjoy those, and unfortunately - not mine today. It's just been too crazy. I'm sure I'll be back tomorrow with lots of riveting information, but for now it's lay-on-the-couch-watching-mindless-TV time.

And I'll be sure to put all of these links over in the blog list, wouldn't it just be miserable to have to find this page every single time you wanted one of these links? Because it's not like you can Google them...

The One About Fall

from here

I have the usual first of fall cold, football has started, it's still raining like it does during the summer - but it's also gotten a little less stiffling and muggy when it does. I'm pretty sure that means it's fall - right? I think we're pretty close, because all I want to purchase these days are things like this, this, this, this and this. Oh, and this, filled up with Starbucks Caramel Apple Cider (no whipped cream please). I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. And for anyone living anywhere colder than Alabama - put on a sweater for me.

The One With Funny Things

Funny things, lately...

I went to this last night. Is that nerdy? Probably. I'm hopefully going to learn to not want to buy things I don't have money to buy, although that is pretty doubtful - it's worth a shot, right? The BF came with me, which was fun, but we were the youngest people by 10 years and the only ones not married, or headed that way. Oh well, we can be nerdy together.

My mom and my sister decided it would be fun to meet each other and go shopping in Atlanta yesterday, without me. Really? I understand that I have to work, but so does my mother (technically) and my sister's (technically) supposed to go be in college, so even if she doesn't have to go to class - shouldn't she be in the library or something? They were very sweet and bought be a few fun things. MOST IMPORTANTLY, a black cardigan which is HUGE in my daily struggle to get dressed for work. I'm thinking I'll wear it tomorrow, when I'm allowed to go to work in jeans.

I had the flu, and it was awful - somehow I felt much better yesterday and I never took any medicine (stronger than Aleve), and now I'm sniffling which feels totally unrelated to my prior illness. I usually get a cold about the time the weather wants to change, is that now? Maybe my first disease wasn't really the flu...maybe someone just wanted to play a really funny joke on me and I will eventually really get the flu and it will be miserable and I will REALLY want to die. Actually, that wouldn't really be all that funny, now would it? I'm going to Walgreens to buy some Cold and Sinus over lunch, so hopefully that will take care of my sniffles.

A tiny, not supposed to be very difficult to manage (because the company we're working with is SUPPOSED to be handling everything) little online coupon campaign has been such a pain in my rear end that it makes me think I have recently been run over by a 18-wheeler. Online coupons are the devil. Seriously, the devil.

Apparently now is the time to get married. Two people in the last two days.

The One About Art

I want to go to this. I'm almost positive I can get Liz to come with me, I'm just hoping some other people will want to too.

Ok, thanks.

This image is by an artist, Claire Cormany, who is showing in one of the galleries (Gallery Lofts) during Artwalk...and also works in my office. She's fabulous in real life too. Click on the image to head over to her site.

The One With Swine Flu

from here

I may or may not have the flu, and it may or may not be related to pigs, but either way I feel like crap. I had a perfectly happy first Saturday of football season and then spent the rest of my Labor Day weekend trying not to die. I'm back at work and trying to not provide anyone else with this wonderful experience. Too bad there's work to be done! Good news is...work went well this morning and everything is going along swimmingly. Hope your weekend was 1000 times better than mine.

The One About London

**from here

Two of my very best friends are moving to London. Unfortunately they both have to go because they're married, and they have to take their child too. HUGE bummer. But, I just figured out a way to travel to London and not pay for it. Excellent.

The woman who sent me my free copy of The White Queen, and who let me do this, has now sent me the link to a contest offering a free trip to London. They're going to fly me over, let me live in a hotel for awhile, send me on a dinner cruise on the Thames, give me a American Express gift card, and some tours and things. Doesn't that sound fabulous for ME? (Maybe if I talk about winning enough, I actually will.)

You can also win other things. like a Kindle-type (maybe it actually is a Kindle) and a leather-bound version of The White Queen.

So click here to try for this wonderfulness (just make sure you're ok with me coming with you).

The One About Saturday

Let's pretend that last night, when I tried to convince my dad to buy plane tickets to Stillwater for the weekend he had said, "sure honey, anything you want." Well then he probably wouldn't mind spending $3,920.55 on the perfect red and black outfit, would he?

How much longer until Saturday?

The One About Cable

So far this morning I have...

Locked myself out of my Charter account
Had someone reset my Charter account
Call and get my bill lowered
**because they tried to charge me for the time they came to my apartment to fix the internet - which, because of Charter, was not working.
Try to login to pay my lowered bill
Somehow lock myself out of my Charter account AGAIN
Get my Charter account reset AGAIN
Login to see that my bill has not in fact been lowered, and is still ridiculously expensive
"Chat" with a Charter helper to get this fixed
Had the Charter man, Edmar, try to make me pay the higher rate AGAIN
Explain to Edmar that I am not paying $35 for Charter to fix my Charter internet which did not function properly
Listen to Edmar get all confused about whether I should pay the higher bill now and receive a credit, or pay the lowered amount
Edmar requests I fill out a survey

The End.