So What Wednesday

It's that time again when I hook up with Shannon over at LAID and tell the world SO WHAT.

So what if...

• I made cookies before going to the gym last night? They are my mom's fave, she gets into town Thursday, and they are amazingly easy to make. What my trainer doesn't know won't make me do more burpees.
• I got a trainer and told him that I will complain and tell him I don't like him? I also explain that it's not truthful, it's just that I'm not a fan of inch worm push-ups in the middle of the gym.
• If I'm not complaining, I'm saying, "That's what she said," and giggling? I can't help but make the good jokes.
• I have my trainer convinced that my workout playlist has the phrase "Breathe in, breathe out" overlaid so that my blonde self remembers to breathe? This is reinforced from him having  to remind me to breathe (I do forget).
• I had chicken salad for breakfast? It's high in protein with the chicken, greek yogurt, and almonds. Now I can carb load Indian food at lunch.
• I read tweets and fb statuses before bed? These create crazy dreams that are mash ups of things I've read. Explains why my kickball team busted out a la Glee in SexyBack on the kickball field after we found out we didn't win the overall season.
• I read and walk to work/home? I sing Belle's song from Beauty and the Beast in my head and it makes me content, so as long as I pay attention to the intersections, I won't be, you know, hit by a car.
• I'm dreading and uber excited for tomorrow all at once? I have back-to-back-to-back-to back (that's four) meetings, but my mom arrives from Denver. Thankfully it means that tomorrow will breeze by!

Now, go link up with Shannon and tell the world SO WHAT.

So What Wednesday

So WHAT if...

• I just caught on that Shannon is using a new button. Oh well. You get the point.
• I may have gone a little creeper on that guy that flew to Stockholm? It's not like he'll ever read this, and if he does he can take it as a compliment and rest assured that he'll never see me again. 
• I'm eating green chile for lunch and dinner. My dad made a lot while he was here and it's so damn good. It's super easy to take to work and heat up, so it's happening.
• I have no drive to grocery shop. I'm very content eating what's left in my house even if that means it's limited in produce, veggies, and dairy.
• I do have drive to get some self-tanner, new nail polish, more speed top coat, and various other things that I don't really need from CVS. The irony? I have to walk PAST a Whole Foods to get there.
• I'm considering getting another advanced degree in meteorology just to understand the weather patterns in DC. In Colorado, all the storms move east, sometimes northeast, southeast, but ALWAYS east. And those storms? Can haul ass. They don't hover for hours on end. In DC, though it's like a disorganized rotating storm that can move to any point on the compass, if it chooses to move. It's like a slacker storm. It doesn't have ambition to move anywhere, just rain down wherever it happens to be.
• I'm also considering spending my next paycheck on H&M. Their clothes are cheap, so this should prove amazing in the number of pieces I get. First thing on the list is replacing the pair of $7 aviators I lost in Phoenix.
• I am booking my time in my trip home like I have meetings and important things to do. Well, I guess I am meeting up with people and they're in important in my life, so that works. I just have to make sure that I get to see everyone.
• I plotting ways to take Harry everywhere with me while I'm home. I don't want to waste one second away, but I know I will have to.
• I'm editing this post from couple of days ago like a pirate because I'm home with the, now remnants, of a migraine and I'm still a little light sensitive. I have to do my post, damnit!

Go link up with Shannon at LAID and tell the world, SO WHAT!

Phoenix or Bust

Last week, I went to Phoenix to celebrate my little baby cousin's graduation from Arizona State.

Time out:
Little Lisa is amazing for being summa cum laude in Interior Design on a full-ride scholarship. Homegirl has her shizz together more than me and her sister combined during our undergrad days. Seriously proud of Lil Mama.

Strike a pose.

Time in.

So, to get to Phoenix, I had quite the experience.

It started off with a TSA agent on her phone and incapable of using words. Not all TSA ID checkers have the mobile boarding pass scanners, so I wanted to double-check who I should get in line with instead of wasting time in the wrong line. The TSA agent I approached was at the check point, but on her phone. She pointed to someone else that was not a TSA agent. No words, no grunts, just a point. So when I asked the person she pointed to, he told me they are all on the left. See? I knew I needed to ask. I apologized for asking him since it was a TSA based question, but since homegirl/nasty face was on the phone, I had to ask him. She proceeded to give me the stink eye as I walked back by her. Go ahead, lady. Try to piss me off. I'll win. Clearly, you're not paying attention when there are studies that show being on your phone is a distraction. If it's not work related, you'd be in trouble. If it is work related, I know that you use walkie-talkies. I win. Oh, and you're a TSA agent, I win at life in comparison.

Next up was my new favorite person. Seriously. How can you NOT want to be BFFs with a grandpa that sports this neck pillow?

You're my boy, Blue!

Once I landed at JFK, waited on the tarmac because we were almost an hour early, I went into the terminal for some dinner before boarding my insanely long flight. (Did I mention it was SIX hours?) While enjoying my dinner the fire alarm went off with alarms and lights. Being New York, no one did anything. Everyone was business as usual. Whatever. I'll be a lemming and wait for someone to tell me to evacuate. I think this may have triggered the cooling system to shut off though because it was more than 80 degrees on the concourse. DYING of heat.

Nerd Alert: The Airbus A380 double-decker plane.

While charging up my phone, I sat outside the gate for a flight to Stockholm. I may or may not have developed Stockholm Syndrome/Stockholm Stalking (still working on a catchy name) with this guy. Yum. But then he put on a newsboy hat and clipped his cell phone to his belt. He's out.

No. This isn't at all creepy. At. All.

JFK also has waiting areas that are more like library and restaurant tables with iPad for fliers use. It was pretty cool that you could mess around with an iPad while waiting for your flight.

On my next flight, the plane was equipped with video, so the safety announcement was done via video. Maybe it's because lately my office mate and I have been in a Goodfellas frame of mind, I swear that Ray Liotta was in the video putting on his oxygen mask before putting it on a little kid. It looks like he's talking to the kid before he does it. I imagine he said, "F*ck you, pay me." (Watch Goodfellas. Do it.) Once the seatbelt light went off and I could move about the cabin, I went to the bathroom and pushed on the door that was slightly ajar. I met some resistance because someone was in there! How do you not see that the door is ajar and the bathroom is really dim? Dumbass.

Apparently last Wednesday had a lot of weather systems that I had to fly around because I was about 30 minutes late getting in (10pm AZ time, 1am my time). I landed to a flurry of text messages and voicemails from my aunt and my mom to call or text when I landed. One of the texts? A picture of my mom's plane in Denver covered in SNOW. That's right. It snowed in Denver in May.

Through various delays, I was the first to arrive got to wait for my cousin to land so one trip out to my aunt and uncle's house would be made. So my planning of landing with everyone was for not and I beat everyone by a big margin. Needless to say I was a little cranky pants before I got into the giddy stupor of sleep deprivation.

My mom's flight was delayed a second time when they ran out de-icer and had to get more. Once they were looking like they were going to take off, the de-icer bucket clipped the wing of the plane and grounded the flight. At this point, it was almost 2am and my mom threw in the towel and went home.

Although my mom didn't make it, it was nice to see my grandma and the AZ branch of the family tree. I hadn't been to their digs in the desert since they moved 4 years ago, so it was good that I finally made it out there.

Note to self: Smooth out the dress so I don't look preggo.

Now, if I could just get my jet lag under control. Seriously. This morning I had two cups of coffee and a 5 Hour Energy and I still felt like I needed to tape my eyelids open. Guess who's getting an early bedtime tonight? This kid.

Desert sunrise. Waking up at 5am has its perks.

So What Wednesday

It's that time of the week when I link up with Shannon at Life After I "Dew" (LAID) and tell everyone so what.

So what if...

• Technically, I'm starting this post on Monday? I am working a half day on Wednesday before I fly out for my cousin's graduation from Arizona State. I'm going to have a lot to do.
• I am pondering ways to get upgraded for the second leg? It's a SIX hour flight from JFK to PHX (brill planning on my part), so there's got to be a sob story that would get me ungraded, right? (Probably not and this would be where the ex and all of his platinum/diamond/160K miles per year would have come in handy. Oh well. He's an ex for a reason.)
• I am addicted to my "Hot Mess" playlist? It's a combination of Brit Brit and Ke$ha. They are completely manufactured, but they are catchy, up beat songs that help me go through a work out. And make me feel better about my life choices.
• I had the foresight to book my flight back for Saturday? OK, I actually did it to match the outgoing flights from other family members, but now I'll be able to go to the kickball mid-season party...which means that I will need Sunday to recover...most likely.
• I kind of want to wear false lashes everyday? I put some on for the Gold Cup this weekend, managed to keep them on until Monday morning and really like that I look like a mascara commercial. Although I've had times where I sleep on them and they are all bent out of shape...not pretty.
• I think that Bethenny and I would be best friends? If you don't know her last name, then don't even bother to keep reading. I'm not a stalker, but I think we would get along famously.
• I make my libraries compete? I have my library card for Colorado and now one for DC. In getting audiobooks and eReader files, I will list myself on both and see who gets me to the top of the list first. It's worked well so far so I can have a couple of choices for my SIX hour flight.
• Did I mention I have a SIX hour flight? I'm dreading it. I know that it will go one of two way: I'll sleep through it or I'll be awake for every moment and next to a screaming child.
• I'm in love with Happy Endings? If you haven't seen it, I suggest that you check your local listings to make sure that you're DVR-ing or in front of the boob tube to watch this comedy. Seriously. You'll thank me.

I might do some posts on the fly this weekend with my observations from people watching at the airport and the graduation. (I've been inspired watching people on the Hill and Union Station lately. I feel like a round of She Needs Better Friends might happen.)

Look At My Nook

For awhile I had been debating an eReader. I have found that I have a lot of time available to read on the Metro, so I should take advantage of it. There was a debate between Kindle, the Nook, and an iPad. Each one has pros and cons. An iPad reads everything, Kindle only reads Kindles, and the Nook reads ePUB files. There's also price, connectivity, availability, libraries, and so much more.

In the end, I went with Barnes & Noble's basic Nook (no color, no 3G). It plays the books that I can download from my library. So, it expands my selection of books, too. I chose the eInk black & white because the backlighting of the color screen (on any of the eReaders for that matter) makes it hard for me to read for long periods without wearing my glasses.

I also searched for a cover that would protect the screen while it was toted to and fro. I didn't want something too bulky, could fold behind, and was more like a book instead of a pouch. Since the black and white version doesn't have back lighting, I would also need a nook light so I could read in the dark or less than ideal light. I managed to find exactly what I was looking for at Best Buy...and with a tattered box, I also got a 20% Open Box Discount. Score!

So far, my nook library is limited, but I have several books in queue at my actual library. I might finally get around to reading Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I also have If You Were Here from Jen Lancaster. I haven't figured out the LendMe yet, since I don't really have books to lend and I haven't asked any of my friends with nooks to try it out. But, while I'm here, anyone have any suggestions for other must-reads? Perhaps a summer reading list of chick lit, humor, thrillers?

I hope to get through a lot of books in my summer travels. This nook should help the time pass as I fly about the country. Especially starting with a SIX HOUR flight from JFK to Phoenix for my cousin's graduation. Seriously. Six. Hours. The longest flight I've ever been on was seven hours from Denver to London. Like traversing an ocean is faster than getting across the country. Oh well. I'll have my nook and a neck pillow.

Here's to happy reading!

So What Wednesday

Another installment of what I'm saying, "So what" to and linking up with Shannon at Life After I "Dew".

So what if...

• I posted about meeting Jen Lancaster on here and Adventures in the District? It's that AWESOME. So awesome, I bolded, italicized, and underlined "that".
• I may have started an uncomfortable conversation with my co-worker and her child? After a mimosa (or six), we were showing each other pictures on our phone. She showed a pic of her daughter and her boyfriend who was holding his keg cup with the "Shocker". She didn't know what that meant, so I explained it. (Every parent should be educated.) Well, after finals, there's going to be a conversation about the inappropriateness with her daughter. Whoops.
• I'm motivated to clean based on people coming over? I'm religious about the kitchen and bathroom for obvious reasons, but as far as dusting and vacuuming, I have better things to do. Since I'm having people over this weekend for a little brunch before the Gold Cup, so I need to get my apartment together more so than normal day-to-day.
• I'm going to be sporting a purse that could also be a small piece of luggage to the Gold Cup? It's an all day event, so I'll need to pack sunscreen, flip flops, water, hand sanitizer, cell phone, advil, tickets, sunglasses, and my hat if I get tired of it. There's a lot going on there, so I need to be prepared. Luck favors the prepared and when betting on the races, I'll take it.
• I jam out to New Kids on the Block, Backstreet Boys, and Justin Timberlake radio on Pandora? They have good jams, catchy hooks, really what they were engineered to do to sell records. Whatever. I'm pumped up and get through my day with them. Ah, memories.
• I'm still on a high from meeting Jen Lancaster. Seriously. It was a Bucket List check. I just wish she and I would have become drinking buddies over wine afterwards.
• I had a Coconut Mocha Frappacino Light last night for dinner? I was waiting for Mrs. Fletch and Barnes & Noble only had a Starbucks. Since their food selection is little servings of death for anyone with a gluten allergy, I didn't have much choice. Except for the gluten-free, vegan chocolate chips cookies at the register. Which was my dessert.
• I keep going on about the Coconut Mocha Frappaccino? It's that good. Like, change the quote from Zoolander from "What always makes us feel better? Orange Mocha Frappacinos!!!" to "Coconut Mocha Frappacinos!!!" good. Go out and get one right now. Do it.

Go link up with Shannon and tell everyone so what.

Meeting Jen Lancaster

Last night, I checked one thing off my Bucket List: Meet my favorite author.

For years now, I have been reading Jen Lancaster's memoirs Bitter is the New Black, Bright Lights Big Ass, Such a Pretty Fat, Pretty in Plaid, and My Fair Lazy. Yesterday marked her debut novel If You Were Here. To commemorate the book, she has set out on a month-long book tour. Her first stop? Well, right here to Washington, DC!!

For years, my friends and I have contemplated making a weekend trip out of somewhere she would be on tour. Chicago, New York, Houston, basically anywhere that Southwest flies. However, her schedule and ours never seemed to pan out. However, now that I live in a city that she not only comes to, but returns to, I HAD to make sure that I was there to see her in the polo, pearls, and Wayfarer glory.

I'm all ready for the reading and signing.

To meet Mrs. Fletch, I had to alter my work schedule so that I could go to Barnes & Noble at 8am to get my hard copy and wristband for the signing. I wasn't the only one there at 8am waiting to pound the doors down. There was a line of about 15 people doing the same thing. Naturally, I had to tweet about it and mention Jen. And to my surprise, Jen tweeted me back!! Proof:

anaosb Ana 

No joke. Line at Barnes & Noble to get wristbands for#IfYouWereHere and @altgeldshrugged. Before it opens.

23 hours ago 

in reply to ↑

@altgeldshruggedJen Lancaster

@anaosb - Holy. Crap! See you tonight! Promise to be full of inappropriate stories and covered in flop sweat! Swearing imminent!

I literally SQUEEEEEED in my office.

Not kidding. May have made the sharing-of-an-office dynamic a little awkward.

On the high from the tweetback, I was itching to get back to Barnes & Noble to get a seat for an awesome reading and Q&A from my fave. We managed to snare the last two seats with some switching and got SECOND ROW. Alright, by this time, I'm DIE. YING. DYING.

Jen was her tan, preptastic self with a Lacoste, Lilly, Yurman, Tiffany's, pearls, and Wayfarers.

Jen read an excerpt from If You Were Here with the inflections that I would have in my head. She also chose a passage that, if you read her books and blog, would realize that Mia, Mac, and Tracy are very close to Jen, Fletch, and Stacy (her BFF).

The Q&A portion was great because she was candid about writing, her life, and advice that people were seeking. The highlight of which was when someone said that she asked her writing teacher about making her life a fiction novel, she was shot down. Jen replied with you have to write what you know and maybe there's a reason that person is a teacher and not a novelist.

At the signing, I had already decided that I had to point out that it was me that she tweeted back and I've been so excited to meet her since she's my fave and I love her, blah blah blah. Nervous chatter, basically. I'm glad that I made it to the store when it opened because I got in the A group which meant that I didn't have to mill about Barnes & Noble while everyone else was meeting her.

As I walked up, she complimented me on my dress! (Kohl's) We chatted about how we like them. When she saw my name she asked me if I was the one that tweeted about the line. ME. She asked me. She's amazing. That? Right there? Made my night, week, and month. (I would say year, but the whole move to DC will probably trump all of that.)

Of course, I took a picture with her and it's now my profile picture on fb. I can't help it. I'm so freaking pumped.

The first thing people comment on is that we both have on our pearls. On a related note, I need a tan.

Do yourself a favor and get yourself a copy of If You Were Here. It's a great read and I look forward to more novels from Jen (and of course all of her memoirs).

p.s. This is posted on both Caffeine & Cocktails and Adventures in the District.

Quick and Dirty Little Post

Here's a quick little post of my life as of late. There are some times when I'm in a total blogging mood, but unfortunately, those coincide with times within which I cannot blog. Sad panda.

But, I can do a quick list of things going on right now.

• Part of my hiatus was based in my dad visiting for the weekend. He had some business in the region, so he tacked on a long weekend to check in on his princess, make sure that I was in a good part of town, spoil me a little, make me my favorite dishes and stock up my fridge. (I didn't have this in college since I lived in the sorority house, so I'll take it at 28.) We also played tourists. I'll post more pics on Adventures in the District once my dad loads them up.
• I made it out to Sprinkles cupcakes in Georgetown this weekend to cash in on my free 6-pack. I had blogged about my trip to this little cupcakery and they found out about it. I received and email with a code and got my taster pack. It was amazing. The shop was excited too to meet someone with a code from the headquarters. While in the shop, I also spread the iPhone app word to the people in front of me to get a free Choco Loco cupcake with a secret whisper word. They were delighted to get a free Sprinkles cupcake! I was spreading good karma with their good cupcakes.
• I decided to get a nook. I have been contemplating an eReader for awhile to make it easier to read. Granted, I could get a library card, get a book from the store, but it takes time, weighs a lot, and makes moving heavier. So far, I love it. I have found some free downloads, got online to my library in Colorado, and signed up for the pre-order of Jen Lancaster's new fiction novel If You Were Here.
• I'm going to meet Jen Lancaster!! After reading her FIVE hilarious memoirs Bitter is the New Black, Bright Lights Big Ass, Such a Pretty Fat, Pretty in Plaid, and My Fair Lazy, she's venturing into fiction with If You Were Here. She's posted some excerpts and they are hysterical. I'm sure none of her inspiration comes from her real life whatsoever. At. All. Anyway, she's going to be in DC on the day that If You Were Here comes out! I cannot believe my luck! In Denver, she wouldn't come within 1,000 miles. Can't say I blame her. I mean, Denver is an oasis in the plains. I would have to go to Dallas, Chicago, or San Francisco to see her. Which I have plotted to do. But alas, I would sigh and read her blog. But, my dreams are coming true and I get to see her in the preptastic, polo popped, pearl-wearing glory this Tuesday!

There's a little about my recent life and I'm sure I'll have more. I'll post as I go, though, I promise.