So What Wednesday

Linking up with Shannon at "Life After I Dew" for some more so whats....

So WHAT if...

• I expected to have a "Bless you" from my fellow Metro riders this morning when I sneezed? Then again, I would have made stink eyes as someone on the train that was sneezing. But hey, I sneezed into my elbow, not the hand I would touch anything with.
• I am beyond excited to be a bridesmaid again? This is number will be #6, but that doesn't matter. You know the one that you can seamlessly hang out with? Can laugh with, cry with, laugh some more, shop, road trip, visit, be away from, and all in a span that doesn't change anything because no matter how much you change, she's changed just as much and we are closer as the years pass.
• I'm planning Friendsgiving and I'm obsessing over what to make? I love to make the entire meal, but given my small apartment, we're having a progressive Friendsgiving which means that I only need to bring a couple of my favorite dishes. But in the mean time, I want to make all of them?
• I have no idea what I'm going to do for Christmas? I don't know when I would go back to CO, if it would be around Christmas or before, or after. I have the time and work picks up the tab on airfare, but the time away from work is what kills me. 
• I have no idea who that person is that wrote that last So What? I mean, really, I'm not one to die to work. I'm more of the, it's time off, I'm not working mindset.But yet, there's so much to be done. Oy.
• I'm ridiculously behind in blog reading and commenting? I can stalk a little, comment a little, but mostly, I'm limited to twitter stalking at this point because my attention span doesn't last past 140 characters.
• I succumbed this morning and had some caffeine? I am nodding off at my desk everyday, feel like I need a nap, and I'm not falling asleep any faster. I'm not going to slam a Red Bull or anything, but a cup of coffee or a soda won't kill me if I have one a day. 
• I plan on having to go back to my doctor-advised sleep cocktail? Advil PM and melatonin will help to get back to sleeping 8 hours since I've jolted my system with caffeine. I know that won't last, but I know that's an out if I need it.
• I am wicked pumped to be going back to Boston this weekend for Halloween? We're dressing up as baseball players a la A League of Their Own. But, apparently, whomever made the costume doesn't know woman proportions, so I will get to channel my future housewife self and tailor our costumes.
• I am so glad that I suffered through a DC summer to not have a snowstorm to deal with today? Colorado had record highs near 80 on Monday and currently have a snowstorm parked over them. Suckers.
• I kind of miss that snow? Not enough to want to live it in real life, but enough to know that it's gorgeous, makes the world quiet, and makes you want to be cozy by a fire.

Fall Fashion - Connecticut Edition

I'm off to Connecticut this weekend for another wedding. This time, I am the plus one to Mrs. Kalyn Roark. You may remember her for her goat-riding good luck antics at her own wedding here.

Not kidding. Rode. A. Goat.

For this trip, I have managed to make layers and my versitle packing work. Although, unlike my last trip with just ONE pair of boots, I have 3 pairs with me for 36 hours. It's what happens. And to be fair, one of the three pairs is for working out. And since I like to dress up for flights, those will not be what I will wear flying. Besides, my little TB Reva flats take up negligible space...but then again, those are on my feet, but whatever.

Work to Flight - Fall by anaosborn. Simple. Preppy. Chic.

Fall Day in CT by anaosborn. A simple look for running around during the day. Must have scarves/pashminas to add to the layers.

Fall Wedding Chic by anaosborn. The New England Fall Wedding look. The pink coat is more of a wool mid-calf jacket, but you get the idea for the chilly evening temps.

Flight Chic by anaosborn For the early flight back, some leggings, but the blazer dresses up the travel.

Have a lovely fall weekend!

When Meds Takeover

I'm a lucky girl this week with my hacking cough, smoker-like husky voice, and fatigue. So, that means that I'm getting down on some DayQuil, NyQuil, and Mucinex. On the reg. Just to keep my office mates from gagging and throwing things at me. And myself sane.

Moving on from the ucky stuff.

Here's when I know that I'm a little zoned out:

1.  I concentrating on work. Well, not right now, but it's my lunch break.

2.  I had to stop a second to consider if Microsoft Word's suggestion made sense to change or not. You decide.

I had to remember that I'm waiting for Scotty to get back to me before I can teleport to work.

And I'll leave you with this:

Mass Transit and Societal Norms

I ride the Metro to and from work every day. I take it for only 6 minutes, but sometimes it takes longer because of asshats (back by popular demand) jumping in front of trains, not letting the doors close, or general idiocy. You would think that people would catch on. Oh, wait. They're tourists.

I think, as a public service (read: for my benefit and sanity), I need to break down how to function on the Metro. This post came about because of my ride in this morning. First this woman was pissed that I chose to make her move her reusable grocery bag so that I could sit down next to her instead of the skeezy looking guy and later by the woman "using" headphones that were so far from her ears and in her weave that I was able to hear every backbeat, syllable, and note of Lil' Wayne. Now, I like me some Wheezy, but not at 7 o'clock in the morning when it gets me all agitated and worked up. That's why the mother effer is on my workout play list, not my casual ride into work playlist.

Let's review, shall we?

For residents:

• Don't try to rush and make the doors open and close. You've heard the announcement that the doors are closing and will not reopen. This isn't an elevator.
• You know that there's a train every 4 minutes or so between 5:00am-9:30am and 4:00pm-7:00pm. So why do you have to jump on this one? You doing so makes us run 4 minutes behind so you would have gotten there at the same time.
• This isn't Greenbo, Alabama. Move over. That seat's not taken. Not by your knock-off Gucci and not by your 2-year old who's running up and down the train like an animal. Move. Over.
• Yes, I will make you move your knock-off Gucci if my choices are you and some skeeze that smells like urine. Deal with it.
• You know that the Metro have 5 rules: no food or drink, no music, no animals, no hazardous chemicals or bombs, and don't litter. So don't open your Chipotle burrito bowl in the driver's car where they can smell it. Don't listen to Wheezy (Lil' Wayne for you non-hip folks) so loud I can rap along. Don't bring your yappy rat dog up in my face. Don't leave your bag so they have to evacuate the station. And for God's sake, take your damn newspaper with you and throw it away.
• You know it's walk left, stand right on the escalators all over this town. It doesn't change because you take more than one to get out of a station.

For TOURISTS (aka anyone that doesn't ride the Metro at least 5 times a week):

• Walk left, stand right. Walk left, stand right. WALK LEFT, STAND RIGHT. Wherever you're walking, riding, escalating, DO NOT stand still on the left. MOVE.
• Don't cram near the door. The train will stop at every station. People will get off the train. You, too, will be able to get off the Metro with a well-placed, "Excuse me". Don't try to stand at the door because you, your fanny pack, and 10 moody teenagers don't think you'll make it.
• Listen to the announcements and read that damn placards. They were put there so I don't have to educate you with, "Move. Move, damnit. Are you deaf? I said move it."
• Those doors don't open again after they start to close. Don't try it.
• There are 4 doors to every train. Move your group equally among them. Or better yet, move them between the other 28 doors on the train (with a chaperone, obvio), and you'll all get to the same place.
• Sit down and shut up. The train is not a shouting contest. I don't need to hear about how Skyler dissed Madison because he wanted to hold hands with Sienna. And no, you don't need your cell phone.
• Move over. Just because there's a seat next to you open does not mean it's for your to lounge on. Oh, and if you're a guy, offer the seat to anyone who is your mother's age or older. (This day and age with botox, that means that you might have to offer your seat to me.)

So What Wednesday

It's that time that I link up with Shannon at Life After I "Dew" and say SO WHAT!

Side note: Today she has a guest post. I die. B be hysterical and the woman I imagine myself to be when I get around to popping out kids.

Carry on.

So WHAT if...

• I wore my wellys into work today and it wasn't raining? Luck favors the prepared, so you're welcome for having a dry commute in, asshats.
• I take time to come to the realization that seeing the ex is a bad idea and accomplishes nothing? Sometimes I really want to get the last word in, but it doesn't matter. Back to ignoring him.
• I like to be courted? Bullet number two was helped by the fact that a gent is courting me in all the ways a gent should (and the ex didn't). Boys, take notes: open doors, be on time, plan the dates, walk street side, offer your jacket, find out about her, ask her out in person, don't be a douche.
• All of the things listed in number three are a small percentage of the present gent's actions on the first date? Dude got a second date. Earn it.
• I forget that this is what a gent is supposed to do? Sometimes my life is a little cray cray - not Snooki/Dina cray cray, but more playing college cray cray - so I easily forget that a gent should court a lady.
• I snickered when I referred to myself as a lady? Clearly, I can be one, but I also called people asshats in this post, so there's some refinement needed.
• I'm going a little risque with the costume? I'm not letting my Snooki out, so I'll be in leggings, bloomers, spanks, and undies to make sure that doesn't happen. 
• I let someone decide on my costume for me? I'm really good at brainstorming, but bad at the follow through. Especially without a car to take me to 5 different stores to find what I'm looking for.

Go link up with Life After I "Dew"  and say SO WHAT!

Hair-Spiration

So, if you follow any of my pins on Pinterest, you know I've been pinning hair-spirations for my first hair appointment in 6 months. (Don't judge.)

Source: meggielynne.tumblr.com via Ana on Pinterest

Source: skincareblog.net via Ana on Pinterest

So here's what we had to work with:

That's two days, two workouts and a blow dry post-gym. (Don't judge.) I have shorter "layers" in the front than the back. (Layers is a loose term for "breakage".)

Here's the salon's style. Not my fave, so I re-did it. The color is less yellow and still looks natural.

This pic also has makeup on my face. I'm also rocking a little more straight a la JSimp.

I ended up taking 3" off the length in the back to match my front "layers". I like that my hair is the same length, can still rock a pony, and keeps me blonde. I still want to grow out my hair, but at least it looks like I upkeep my hair unlike my 6 month hiatus.

Colorado-Style Green Chile

After making a batch of green chile last weekend at my dad's and finally getting to the grocery store, I made a batch of the oh-so-delicioso green chile for myself.

It's so easy, well, in theory, but the roasting of the chiles can be tricky. Once you have it, though, you'll smother everything or eat it like soup with a tortilla sidecar. Maybe some cheese. Maybe some nachos. You decide how awesome you want to make it.

Green Chile
2 lbs. chicken, pork roast, steak
1/2 white onion, chopped
garlic salt to taste
5-10 Anaheim peppers
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 c. water

1. Heat oven to 375. Coat cookie sheet with nonstick spray, arranging peppers on top. Spray top of peppers with cooking spray. (You have to turn them, so it makes it easier.) Put on the second rack from the top. As the peppers roast, the skin will bubble and brown. You want that because it makes it easier to peel the skins. As you see one side brown/blister, turn the peppers.

2. While the peppers roast, brown meat in stock pot with onion and garlic salt. Once that is cooked, cover with water and bring to a simmer.

3. Once your peppers are blistered and roasted, remove from oven. Carefully remove the stems, and seeds, then pull back the thin skin from the pepper. Cut into little pieces and add to the stock pot with the meat and onions.

4. Mix cornstarch with water until the consistency is close to a milkshake. Add to stock pot with everything else. Add the diced tomatoes, too.

5. Let chile simmer for several hours to thicken, stirring occasionally. (The meat will shred as you stir.)

6. Enjoy!

Peppers roasting in the oven.

Chicken breasts (whole) with onions.

Roasted peppers.

Peeled peppers, awaiting de-seeding. (Make sure you don't rub your eyes after touching the flesh. Ow!!

All the ingredients ready for a long simmer.

Finished product! (I told you the chicken would shred itself!)

My Trip to Fripp

So, two months ago, I went to Fripp Island, SC for a week with my friend from high school and her family. From a change of events, they were one man down for the house and I have the experience and understanding to be with another family for the week.

I had just wrapped up a week in Phoenix for work. (Do the math, I was there the last week of July and it was decidedly cooler than DC. Not kidding.) I did eat like I got the tip on a famine from the Thai place across the street and drank Firefly Arnold Palmers like there was a drought coming (sweet tea vodka and lemonade - amazeballs) so I had a great time, too. I saw my work life PIC, met some new contacts in the "biz", and avoided a whole week of humidity.

This is the church that my grandparents were married in 65 years ago. Just down the street from the hotel.

Now, onto Fripp!

Here's the itinerary for Fripp:

Wake up
Pack the cooler
Get to beach
Have lunch
Lounge on beach
Go home
Play games
Go to bed

That's all you really need. We had the system down pat and by the time we left we would be set up and ready to go in 10 minutes and packed up in less. But lord, there's sand everywhere when you get back. We also got to celebrate my friend's son's 2nd birthday while we were there. It was great because he really gets that something special is going on. That and his faces are too freaking cute.

I ended up getting a lot of sun and had a great tan for the rest of the summer. Thankfully, I didn't get tan lines that were too prevelant for the strapless bridesmaid dress I had to rock for my cousin's wedding. But, I will say that I should lay off massive amount of vitamin D without first having experienced some vitamin D. Ouch.

Everyone had their name on it so we would lose track of our drinks over the week.

Having been on a plane or traveling for 12 hours of the previous 24, I kicked back with some Firefly Pink Lemonade and stole Austin's hat.

Austin's first steps into the ocean.

The marsh side of the island

Vino and cigars in the evening.

Austin is too cute.

See? That's his "cheese" face.

His birthday banner

Custom birthday plates.

Learning balance and wakeboarding

We learned where the alligator outside the house did it's business.

Case time!

Gorgeous sunset

Erin and I

Sporting Uncle D's shirt/dress

Cleaned up and bronzed for out dinner out

Showing DDD pride at the restaurant

Sand art on the beach

Trying desperately to break in my Rainbows with salt water this time. Jury's still out.