Alli's Equivocal Hodgepodge

Alli's List of You know It's Winter When....

2005-12-12T16:18:00.000-08:00

I've got lots going on, but I'd rather share another favorite list of mine with the rest of the world. So if anyone's listening here's a short list of my favorite things that make you know it's definitely winter outside.

You know it's winter when:

1. People start falling off their roofs while trying to put up Christmas lights (wow, Jews are so smart, I guess we know better)
2. People start heading to NYC to go ice skating (such good memories of last year...)
3. You fall as you're walking up the steps into your apartment/house and you have no idea why (yeah, that black ice really sucks huh?)
4. The only thing on your stomach's mind is grilled cheese and tomatoe soup
5. When the boots come out of the closet for the first time this year
6. When you can see your breath in the air and people look at you like, "when the hell did that kid start smoking?"
7. When you flip the switch from your air conditioner to HEAT
8. When you hear your friends who moved to cold climates complain that it's always below freezing
9. You reach for your nose and you can't find it cause you have no feeling in your face
10. All you want to do is sleep!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope you enjoyed this one. I know, I make lists of too many things...but I thought this one was a good one to share for it being the middle of December.

Catch ya on the flip side...

This and That

2005-11-11T11:16:00.000-08:00

Having control over your own life, making it fun, making crazy, making wild and exhausting, exhilarating, I have found my fun again. I have also found my friends again too. Helping to write a cookbook, in the middle of writing a script, figure skating on a Syncro team and doing some recreational freestyle sessions, and just hanging out with my friends again. My new job is going well and the people are fabulous. It's hard to do your job when you're working some place you hate. But when you love where you're working, things just seem to flow. I'm working in HR doing anything and everything that needs to be done. I'm learning how to run an office. My friends' lives are changing all the time, and keeping up with everybody gets more difficult. But I have to say, as you get old and life gets harder, you call your friends more and more everyday for support and guidance. Sometimes it's imperative to ask for help. And there's no shame in that.

You'll never know unless you try

2005-10-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

Yes I am alive, and no the Phi Beta Kappa office didn’t leave me selfless with no motivation to work. Although it was close. So here I am, on the other side of the table. I made it through an awful apartment experience, and a job that made me mostly crazy, miserable, and hoping for any type of salvation that might come my way.

The new apartment is amazing! Way to expensive, but I was already wasting my money being unhappy, and if I cannot afford to purchase anything in this city, I might as well invest in my happiness.

The apartment is like this little hotel suite. It’s got a washer and dryer, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and an exhaust fan in the bathroom. All my furniture fit into the apartment, and it’s very cozy. Just ask Alex’s parents who were guests of Shea Alli last week.

The new job is completely amazing. I’m being treated fantastically. The people are so nice, and the team I’m working with is just a great group of women. I am helping to head up Human Resources, starting out in the HR Assistant position. Hoping to become and expert in the field, I’m concentrating on being productive with my work day, getting my work finished promptly, and helping out in any way that’s going to make the firm more productive. This position is an organizational heaven for me. I get to touch something different everyday. My job is never the same, there is lots to do and I get to problem solve my way in and out of things. I feel important, well-liked, and capable of handling more responsibility. So it turns out that working two jobs everyday, and interviewing on my lunch break ended up being worth it in the end. You just have to try things. That’s how you know your life is real. When things are hard, when they’re difficult, and you keep testing your limits, and eventually it ends up being worth it.

Once you realize that you’re worth it, then you remember to fulfill other pieces of your life that you left behind for whatever reason. Now that I’m more relaxed and have time for myself, I have taken up two of my old hobbies. I have started skating for a second time. I was asked to join a Syncro Skating team in Maryland. It’s the most fun activity I’ve been involved in a long time. I’ve never skated like this before, unless you count the ice shows at Shaker every May for my entire childhood. Last night some of the girls from the team and myself went to a freestyle session. I landed doubles. I was spinning pretty well. I only fell once. It’s amazing how normal it felt to be back on the ice and inside my skates. We’re going to compete in Atlanta at the end of January at Easterns. How cool is that? I’ll be sure to keep everyone posted on more skating events in case anyone cares to waste their weekend at a skating event.

The other hobby I started back up with is my writing. I have missed it so much. But with everything that’s been going on, I haven’t been in the right mindset to be writing. Kleinman and I are writing a script. We’re writing a comedy. Just for fun. We’re character building, and having fun playing around with the conversations and dialouge. It’s really fun throwing pieces of yourself into other people. Essentially that’s what we’re doing. We’re creating people with lives of their own, conflicts and aspirations they have in order to eventaully achieve goals. The character and the plot are coming along nicely. Thanks to a little miniscule program call “Final Draft,” I won’t have to continue formatting each line every time I’m writing a scene…thank you John, it’s not miniscule by any means. It’s the most amazing, thorough, complete, and organized writing program on the market. This program is going to allow me so much more freedom while writing. Kleinman and I have to get back to it. So email us if you’re interested. But don’t be surprised if we give you little to no details. Have to be careful with your work, cause some people are just out to get you. It’s fun, we’re having a blast, and we’re not taking it or ourselves too seriously. Sometimes you just have to take life into your own hands and make it worth something. So Kleinman and I are creating lives and hopefully making them worth reading about. Who knows, maybe this fun and games will turn into something someday. You'll never know unless you try.

Finally...I'm in the home stretch

2005-09-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Just like my Indians, I'm coming down the home stretch, looking for the sun, the light at the end of the tunnel, some sort of indication that I'm almost finished with this endless work-day, 75 hour a week life.

I finally did it, I accepted a fabulous job, at a corporate law firm just outside the district. I'm going to be helping to head up Human Resources, and learning all about HR and it's many ins and outs.

This is my last week at Phi Beta Kappa and Palena. Soon I will be on to more opportunities that were hidden from me in all the hours I was putting in. It's like trading in the old life, for a new one. I can see my friends again, have time every night to chill out, make dinner, watch my Gilmore Girls, Law and Order, and the rest of my TV lineup. I'm going to start going out at a reasonable hour, and not having to show up at parties at 11:45pm with my change of clothes after working an 18 hour day. Hey man, if you want to see your friends, you gotta figure out a something.

Getting rid of the old jobs means bringing in the new one. I was also found by a girl my age who asked me to join their adult precision skating team out in Maryland. Practice is one night a week and I'll do one freestyle session a week, and getting back into skating was part of this "getting a new job" plan. Now I can skate, work, be with my friends, and see my boyfriend. Boy, I don't even have to tell you how excited Alex is to get his girlfriend back. You know your schedule is really bad when you're boyfriend is in law school, you're not, and your schedule is more ridiculous then his. Now that's just crazy talk.

Sorry if these updates on my life are really boring. I haven't had time to write in my journal in a while, and usually I try to save the blog for more stupid/funny/ridiculous everyday life encounters. But it is what it is.

Well...It's been a year

2005-09-22T14:58:00.000-07:00

It's already fall again. Not that anyone would be able to tell by the weather we're having. Please God, a few more days of this beautiful weather, and I'll shovel all the snow you ask of me. But once again, the weather is changing and so many other things in my life.

My perspective of this city has gone through many changes, and currently I'm feeling as though D.C. only finds a place for you if you push yourself to become part of it.

I lived with my adult cousins when I first got here. Then to an apartment that ended up becoming the worst living experience. The building I moved into was built in 1939 and the floors were never insulated. There was no carpet or sanding to redo the floors. The laminate was pealing from the moment I signed my lease. Along with cracks in the paint job all over the walls. I received noise complaints about me on nights I didn't sleep at home and while I was in Europe for part of the summer. I'm barely home and I work two jobs, so someone please explain to me why this place thought i was making the noise. So I stopped using my hairdryer and my alarm clock. I tried to never walk around in shoes. And apparently walking around in my slippers woke up the woman underneath me at 7:00am on a Sunday a couple of weeks ago. I refused to live like this anymore. I recently, within the past week have moved into my new building. New building, carpet, my own washer and dryer, lots of storage, and a dishwasher and garbage disposal. I'm a happy girl. I feel like my new apartment is a hotel. It's really frickin cool.

One another note...I have also taken another step in improving my work situation. I have been searching around for new jobs. I have interviewed like crazy and was finally given two offers. I needed to get out of my office and things just aren't working out there. My boss doesn't understand how to be mindful of what others are doing, and I can't work some place where people treat you like a kid instead of an employee. So I'm going to be moving into the HR field. Working as an HR associate to help thin out the work load at a prestigious law firm. I'm going to be working with tons of different things everyday, being mentored with hopes of moving up quickly. The women I'm going to be working with are great, and I'm anxious to get my feet wet.

I gave notice at the apartment, and then moved. And I got a great new job, and gave notice to quit the other two. So now I only will have to work one job. I can't wait to see my friends, relax and go to happy hour after work.

One piece of advice for other DCers...Don't run yourself down to the point where nobody wants to spend time with you. It's not worth losing your friends, family, or your mind over. It's just life and you only get to do it once. Can't live it up if you're working all the time.

Sports to the Endth Degree

2005-09-13T10:43:00.000-07:00

This title really explains the craziness going on in mid September. Baseball begins to wined down, while the NFL season has just gotten underway. We have hockey schedules being posted on websites, while College football takes up every ounce of every Saturday until the beginning of winter.

This past Saturday my Sun Devils went out onto their home field and sweated and toiled until the very last play. There was amazing defense along side some amazing catches. One mistake cost Arizona State the game. But they went out there and really gave it their all. And in the end, can you really be overly pissed that ASU lost to a team that now has nowhere to practice or a home to go back to. Not so much.

My Cleveland Indians are another team working their tushies off this week. The baseball season has been one for the record books. Everyone in every division is playing extremely well this year. Even if you're team is in the NL east, even the team in last place is playing well. The NL west isn't doing that great, but they're all pretty close to each other in terms of how they're playing and their records to date. But my Tribe is on a tear. The Yankees and the A's are contenders for the wild card along side the Indians. Cleveland is up a game and a half on the A's and only one game up on the Yankees, but we're playing the A's this week. We need to keep the momentum going and win against the A's. We're six games back from Chicago in the division and the only way we're going to overcome their hitting is to beat them in the last six games which are coming up shortly. If a few other teams can put away a couple of wins against Chicago, that would really be a huge help to the Indians. If Cleveland could beat up on the A's for the next couple games, and Chicago could lose a few, we'd be in really good shape. Anything to keep the Yankees from getting into the playoffs. Other teams getting a chance to move on and move up in the eyes of baseball fans all around the country is really what's best for the game. If the Yankees keep nudging their way into the post season, it just makes every team's momentum concentrate on beating up on the Yankees. But we'll all have to keep watching to find out who gets the wild card spot. Baseball really is the all American sport which brings people together of all ages. It really is the greatest game on earth.

My Cleveland Browns lost on Sunday, hoping to bring themselves back to life this coming weekend.

Hopefully Cleveland can keep all their athletes pumped up and ready to kick a little ass. Can't kick any ass without concentration and a lot of enthusiasm. Bring on the week of Sports madness, it's time to show people why Cleveland really Rocks.

Car Repairs

2005-08-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

You would think when you have a car that is still fairly new, that repairs and costs would be pretty minor. Nope, Wrong. I just received the phone call from the dealership with the list of replacements and costs for each one. Sometimes you just think they're trying to screw you, but I kept getting a heads up that eventually the breaks would need replacing. Along with the fluids and other such things. But it seems as though the time has come to throw all my money into the car. Check out this list. Can we say OUCH!

Timing Belt and Tensioner $725
Anti Freeze Flush $110
Battery Corrosion $48
Replacement of three belts which power the power steering, alternator and the a/c $170
Front Breaks $250
Wiper blades $45

Total $1450

Walking to work on a sunny, breezy, clear day, PRICELESS

The Big Move

2005-08-08T13:17:00.000-07:00

Does anybody know how it's possible to get a noise complaint while you're on another continent? Yea, me neither. Well after the numerous noise complaints, awful management, and annoying inconveniences, I have made the big decision to move once again. I know what you're all thinking...Why the hell does Alli move so much. Well, with lots of patience, planning and strategy this move is actually just down the street. I'm sick of scheduling my laundry in between having two jobs. I'm done eating on paper plates and would like to start using my dishes again, and carpet is really the way to go when it comes down to the noise issues. So I'm moving into a building with a washer and dryer in my unit, a dishwasher and lots and lots of carpet. Next month when those keys are put into my hands I'll be such a happy girl.

My European Adventure

2005-07-22T12:07:00.000-07:00

Well, it was mostly a fairy tale vacation, although there was most definitely Schlepping involved. I had no idea what Europe had in store for me. The only countries I've been to are Spain and Israel, and we weren't hitting up either of those countries on our journey. This trip was days of sun and wonderful food, resting on trains, and planes and lots of coach buses. However, suffice to say I found the fun and excitement through the exhaustion of moving around and hopping from town to town. Hopefully this play by play won't be too painful to sit through, and if so, please go waste what's left of your brain power on something productive.

I arrived in Milan on the 13th of July, ready to see Alex after being apart for most of the summer. I came through the double doors and he was no where to be seen. I walked up and down and waited, looked over peoples' shoulders and thought maybe he was playing some kind of evil trick on me, that maybe he was hiding. Well, within 10 minutes I see him flying across the room with a gigantic smile glued to his cheeks; and there after the excitement of Europe subsided instantly with no knowledge of where I was or what time of day it must have been.

Eventually we left the airport and he began to tell me the lengthy story of why he was late and about the various modes of transportation he needed to take to get to me at the airport. Throughout the trip we seemed to end up in airports that were not very close to things we needed to get to, ie: hotels, trains, metros, etc. Although Munich turned out to be perfect and everything was close by. More details of that later.

Milan was disgusting, gross in fact. Dirty and hot, much like D.C. in the summer. After relxing at a hotel for the afternoon, showering and feeling as though I was slightly human again, we eventually made our way to the train station and began on our adventure. We spent time on trains passing through European country sides and farm lands. But once we hit our first destination we were ready to chill out and see the sights.

First stop was Monaco in the Monte Carlo area. I have a cousin that lives there, we stayed in his building and actually got to stay in a maids quarters and have our own little place for two nights. I got to know my cousin who I haven't seen since I was a toddler. He treated us like kings, gave us a place to stay for two nights, kept putting alcohol in our hands and treated us to meals. He took us out with him and his girlfriend so see their friends. Alex and I hung out on this little secluded beach, where we ate and watched the sunset on the water. We spent time on the beach there and went into the tip of France for a few hours. The town was beautiful and colorful, with Astin Martians and Mercedes for days, Ferarris everywhere, the most amazing cars I've ever laid eyes on.

Next stop was Italy. We hung out in La Spezia and a little area called Cinque Terre. We ate wonderful pasta, drank amazing wine, watched a puppet show in Italian, and had the best Tiramisu of my life. The town was peaceful and angelic. A little fishing town just on the tip of the Italian Riviera.

Continuing along the coast of Italy we then ventured toward Florence and went to the Ufzzi, and saw some incredible art. Florence was hopping with tourists and shopping, and we saw the famous Pointo Vechio, the bridge with the shops located on it, the last standing bridge of its kind after WWII. The town was full of life and energy, and I would have loved to stay longer.

Venice became the spot on the trip that was most suprising. People told me before I left that it was crappy and I wouldn't like it. Boy were they wrong. It was magnificent and the Grande Canal was fascinating. Our boat trip was fun and we stopped at the very end and walked around. We stumbled upon the beach where there was a bar with music and volleyball and lots of queen size beds everywhere. People dancing on the beds and lying on the beds, and dancing in the sand. It was a really neat private beach. We checked out the scene until the mosquitoes came around. We found one of the squares where people go after dinner hour to listen to music and people watch. We danced a little and just listened to the live music.

Germany was last on our trip and we had no idea that Muich was going to be as amazing as it was. We had a long travel day to get there and it was coach bus after coach bus until we reached our destination. We spent time at Dachau and the fears and emotions of stepping on the grounds of a concentration camp flooded my eyes. We had a tour guide who was so incredibly knowledgeable of the camp. I ended that three and a half hour tour feeling as though 80% of what he had told me I didn't know before hand. I felt it was important to go and see what my family survived. I can't imagine what life must have been like for them. But I feel as though they were watching me, that they knew I was there visiting the camp. It was probably the hardest thing I've ever done.

We took train after train, and the last one we were on was a dream. It was fancy with electric sliding glass doors and a bathroom big enough to spin around in. It had a bar cart where you could go and drink to your hearts content. We sat with two seats on each side facing inward to another two seats with a table in the middle. And my seat reclined. I just sat there staring at Alex, listening to my music, checking out Germany through the windows of the high speed train. In that moment I couldn't remember being more content, more relaxed, or more happy. It's kind of funny realizing that treating yourself is in fact a good thing and not a crime.

I'll look back on my trip to Europe and remember that I was in good company, seeing the most amazing places, eating by the water, swimming in the sea, while schlepping my luggage around and sweating up a storm. Europe was fantastic and I cannot wait to return.

Back from The Old Country

2005-07-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

I'm back in the States with many stories to tell. However I must get back to work and will write some sort of long, boring entry about my travels. Stay near by...

Europe Bound

2005-07-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the day I ship myself off to the Europeans. I am ready to leave my jobs behind, relax, and go on Vacation. Milan, Italy awaits my arrival along with Mr. Benezra who has been roaming around Europe for a few weeks now. I can't say that I'm sad about leaving D.C. It's time for a break! Tomorrow is just around the corner and I'll have so much to talk about when I get back. I'm packed and ready to go.

Real vs. Ridiculous

2005-07-01T15:56:00.000-07:00

There are so many things going on in the world these days, it's hard to know what to pay attention to. Iraq and Israel, Capitol Hill issues, what politicians are being brought up on charges for different things, and the local issues facing us everyday when we wake up in the morning. One thing I know we shouldn't be paying any attention to is Hollywood Gossip. We have celebrity garbage that is posted all over yahoo news and AOL news, and for what purpose?

The Tom Cruise escapade on Oprah, along with the TOMKAT proposal, the media feels that we need this knowledge in order to survive. I guess we're supposed to raise our glasses and toast to the terrible/ridiculous escapades that cloud our vision while we're trying to watch the 5:00 news. Sometimes you just got to know when to turn the channel.

No one should care that Paris Hilton is taking time out of the spotlight in order to have a life of her own. Paris Hilton has never taken one ounce of my attention until this very minute. I don't care what she's wearing or who saw her breast fly out of her shirt, or how she ended up on a farm way out in the middle of no where.

All I want to know is when my friends are coming home from Iraq. And how long its going to be until Cancer is cured. And how many people do we have walking in the breast cancer walk. Please give me anything that's real, anything that's about anyone that lives in real life in real time. I shouldn't care about Katie Holmes hooking it up with the Tom Gun hottie (who is now crazy by the way). Although I feel bad for her cause now he's going to make her into a crazy person. But that's her deal. I just want to know what's going on in real life. Don't we have enough on our plate without adding the Hollywood sign into our daily routine? Give me one example of celebrities in real life! And no "Chaotic" and "Newlyweds" don't count.

Getting my life back

2005-06-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to report that after this week I am getting my life back. I am cutting my hours at the restaurant to only three nights a week. I cannot wait. Seeing friends, having a life, so excited. So I thought now that I'm going to have some free time, can anybody think of ways for me to spend this time. All suggestions will be taken into consideration. Thanks for your help!

elated and relieved

It's Tribe Time

2005-06-21T16:22:00.000-07:00

The Cleveland Indians have been on a hot streek of late. Before losing to Boston 10-9 late last night, the win streek was 9 in a row. C.C. Sabathia gave up a whole bunch of runs to which he later discussed as letting down the team. The Tribe hasn't won that many in a row since 2002, and the young boys in Cleveland are beginning to pick up the pace. Jake Westbrook helped push the team to nine straight. The guys are excited, they're hitting, and the smiles keep making their way to home plate in the 9th inning. Somehow this team has shot themselves back into the lime light. The Red Soxs are powerful, but the Indians are pumped and ready to take on the world tonight. These guys are excited for whatever's next. Cleveland Still Rocks, bring it on Boston.

New Outlook

2005-06-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

Did you ever have a couple days where you thought you were headed for disaster from complete exhaustion? Well, I thought I was on my way there. But over the last couple days something has changed. I'm not sure how to put my finger on it but I feel different. Maybe it's my long emails with Tamara about growing up, or maybe it's listening to Theresa tell me how insane I am for working so much, who knows. But I've realized that this two job thing I've got going on right now is not going to last forever and that's ok. It's something I have to do for now, and I'll reassess later on. Something inside me has become happier and even more excited then I've been. Work has been tiring me out, but now I feel like I've got a handle on my schedule. I don't know if it's the thought of being in Europe next month with Alex, or talking to my friends again now that I've figured out when I can use the phone, or if it's just that I've come into my own in Washington and I've finally figured out how to work this city. But I'm over the exhaustion and ready for whatever's next. BRING IT ON!

Random Thoughts

2005-06-14T10:15:00.000-07:00

It has occurred to me recently, within the past two weeks that I'm having more trouble just living than a normal person should. Washington is full of life and energy and activities to do. Going down to the mall and doing Smithsonian activities on the weekends, laying out on the rooftops in the city to grab a little sun, doing a midnight monument tour just to see the city in all its glory all lit up. There are numerous things to do in Washington, especially when you live here. However, when I dove head first into the fast paced city I realized the difficulty of living in this vibrant town.

I miss my car. I only get to see him on the weekends. Joshua (that's the car's name for those of you who don't know) sits in his parking space waiting to be driven. Although I have become less lazy, now I don't get to drive ever. Unless I'm going out of town or I'm going to Ikea or the airport, I just don't see him much anymore. Joshua's feelings are hurt by this. He misses Alli driving him.

The biggest change for me however, has definitely been the humidity. It is so sticky, and grossly damp outside, it takes all the fun out of going outside on my one day off during the week. Who wants to take a shower and get all dressed and go outside to feel like they just stepped out of the shower? NOT ME!

Lastly, working both of these jobs has definitely made me feel more comfortable living in this expensive city, I'm not stressed out about my financial state. However, nobody should have to work 14 hours a day to feel less stressed about money, that's just no way to live.

So I keep moving with the humidity, showing up at both my jobs everyday, and take a peek at my car every night when I get home on my way upstairs. Washington, D.C. still is my favorite city just as it was growing up, subsequently I have come to realize that it's hard enough being an adult without all these pressures, this city makes you go until you drop.

It's amazing and fun, vivacious and colorful, but it's harder to live here then I thought it would be.

Still Awake I Think

2005-06-10T10:08:00.000-07:00

It's been two wonderful days with Alex. Friends came to hang out at the bar. Lots of time to pack, relax and and spend some time together. The past two days have been great. We planned our Europe Trip till 4:30 in the morning last night. Sleepy Alli.

14 Hour Days

2005-06-06T10:42:00.000-07:00

The days get longer, I get more tired, but the second job is paying off. Things at the Restaurant are going smoothly. I go in, do my job, and keep the cheerleader smile on till at least 10:00p.m. Organization is the key to keeping my schedule straight.

Instead of constantly thinking about how much I"m working, I'm thinking a lot about my trip to Europe that's coming up next month. My first vacation since I was 15. No more summer sessions or winter sessions for school, I'm taking this hard working girl to Europe for 8 days. So much to look forward to this summer. I'm working on a trip to Phoenix to spend a weekend with Theresa. Europe. Milwaukee in August.

I have to keep a positive outlook through all these long hours, otherwise I'll let the fast-paced city swallow me whole. No way, not this girl.

Weather is Nutty

2005-06-02T14:25:00.000-07:00

Some people say that the weather affects attitudes and behavior. To some extent this is fact. Multiple studies have been done explaining how weather affects individuals depending on their moods, personality and whether or not they're taking any medication. I'm too lazy at the moment to begin citing different social scientists. However, I would like to mention that the weather in DC is absolutely nutty. It's been in the high 50's and rainy recently and will be in the upper 90's this coming weekend. No wonder I'm sick.

The differences I've noticed since moving from Phoenix to Washington are great. I am normally and annoyingly happy person most of the time, but living in Phoenix made it that much greater. Living in the sunshine all day everyday was so much fun. All this rain in DC makes me more quiet and subdued, more mellow to say the least. Most people, especially Alex will disagree that I'm never quiet or mellow. The sun shines in the district but never fails to leave as quickly as it comes. Sunny days are not normal occurrences around here. Sometimes I just miss the sun so much that I get a little homesick.

Revitalization

2005-05-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon I was taken through a fantastic experience. For the first time in my life I went for a massage. It was incredible. The woman who gave the massage had a soothing voice and an light presence about her. Although I felt more comfortable with the massage with each minute that passed, I felt slightly awkward at first. You go into a room filled with machines and cabinets for days, get naked and then lie on a table underneath the most comfortable sheets imaginable. Then the masseur enters the room and turns on soothing music and preps all her lotions and potions. After coming to grips with being completely naked underneath these sheets with a woman in the room that I had never met, I soon began to relax and let the tension in my back subside. I closed my eye, having prepared myself for the butt and legs to be massaged, my body fell into this scene of lightness and ease. Since preparing myself for the full body massage I was not weirded out by the butt and legs portion. I feel so great today, revitalization suites me well.

I've decided the only way one can go and enjoy a massage is to be comfortable with your body and not be nervous to let people touch you. It's one of the greatest experiences I've ever had.

Top 10 Things to Do when it's Raining Outside

2005-05-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

Most people would be down in the dumps on a day like today. However, the rain doesn't get me down. I'm as happy as a kid in a candy store. Smiley and full of energy. Got to work right on time, 9:00am exactly. So I thought I would come up with a fun entry for today. So here's a fun top 10 list which I hope will bring on a few chuckles.

Top 10 Things to Do when it's Raining Outside

10. Party like it's 1999
9. Play drinking games
8. Hit Adam over the head with really hard objects
7. Have makeout sessions like it's eighth grade
6. Watch every episode of Law and Order until you pass out
5. Make grilled cheese & tomato soup & pretend it's actually the first day of snow
4. Play flashlight tag on the ceiling
3. Watch the 80's movie collection including, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo's Fire, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High
2. Sleep till the cows come home
1. And the # 1 thing to do while it's pouring cats and dogs is to reenact the scene from Singin' in the Rain with the umbrella and music, and a really handsome guy or pretty girl next to you with big galoshes on your feet.

Anyone have any better suggestions for more fun activities when it's pouring outside?

It's a Happy Week

2005-05-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

The warm whether is bringing great things. This past weekend was incredible. Alex and I went to Cleveland and spent time with the fam. I took him to Cleveland for an awesome, fun-filled weekend. We went to the best sports bar in the city with the best ribs on the planet. Went out with friends of mine and got to explore some of my old stomping ground. This may shock some of you who've known me forever, but I finally did it, I went back to the ice rink. It was creepy being back in that building. I haven't been since I graduated from high school. Of course other must-visits were also implemented into the travel plan including the high school and the mall. We spent a whole day at Cedar Point.

For those of you who have never heard of Cedar Point, you're missing out. It's only the best rollercoaster park in the world. It has the highest, fastest coaster in the world. The millennium Force is the craziest adventure ever. The rollercoaster takes you up and drops you at 310 feet at 98 miles per hour, just about at a 90 degree angle. It's completely insane. We had a blast and pigged out. We didn't wait in line all day for any of the coasters except for the millennium Force which was an hour and is the best coaster in the park. It was our only wait, and it was worth it.

The weekend was packed filled with food and an Indians game and friends and family. I have lots of work to catch up on this week and working two jobs for a couple days before another crazy weekend begins. Work and then more play. D.C. is awesome, but everyone needs a break once in a while.

New Dilemma

2005-05-13T14:26:00.000-07:00

Well, work hasn't killed me yet. Surprisingly I had lots of energy last night when I got out of work. Nobody should have that kind of energy after working 9-5 and then 5-11. I thought about going out to the bar, but I wanted to stay home and rest my feet, eat some dinner and watch some Law and Order. However, I'm having trouble with a work related issue.

Ok, it's not work related at all. It really just interferes with work. Here's my new dilemma. Now that I'm working in the evenings, I'm not home to watch my TV shows on prime time. Tuesday is really problematic. The nights begins with a date between the Gilmore Girls and myself, followed by One Tree Hill, and then Law and Order SVU. Tuesday isn't the only night that is creating this problem, that was just one example. I have shows that I watch a few nights a week. I really need to order DVR, but it's expensive, and probably not worth the money unless I'm taping lots of shows every night. So I was thinking it might be time to switch the VCR's out. I have two VCR's in my possession and neither of them work. Of course they don't work, it would be way to easy if that were the case. So I'm trying to decide, DVR or new VCR. Cast your vote and I'll tally them up and make my decision.

Lots of Good News

2005-05-09T13:29:00.000-07:00

The weekend ended up being a blast. Kleinman and I had a great time. Partied in D.C. and hung around. Guster and Gin Blossoms were amazing, wish you all could have been there. Over the weekend great things happened. I found out on Friday that I got a B- in my grad class. And I'm super proud of it because it's a much harder school and its graduate level. I'm not sure if the B- is going to count toward the masters program that I'm seeking, but I'm super excited about it. On Saturday I went and interviewed for a job at a restaurant. I really need a second job. So I interviewed and got the job right there on the spot. It's hostessing at a small Italian restaurant in Cleveland Park. It's an awesome place to work, and my new boss seems really cool. Friday night Kleinman met some of the law school people. We went to the bar and totally danced and drank up a storm. Things are good here in D.C. and I'll let you know how the new job goes. I start tonight.

Fun Weekend Ahead

2005-05-04T19:52:00.000-07:00

I'm getting ready for a fun weekend. Kleinman is coming in from Boston, and it's going to be party time all weekend long. Bars, food, fun, and the girl who puts my life into perspective. I'm psyched about our fun DC weekend. We're going to the music festival in College Park, and we're going to see the Gin Blossoms and Guster. I love going to outdoor shows. Beer, sun, music, and chillin on a blanket. Gin Blossoms and Guster live, nothing's better then that. Listen to the Gin Blossoms this weekend and think about us.

-Peace-

My Sanity is Slowly Returning

2005-04-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

Well I did it, I finished my first graduate class. Last night I turned in my take home final. I worked for days on this final which never seemed to end. Two nights in a row of staying up till 3:30 in the morning, it's time for a nap. The first of the two essays turned out great, the second one, well, lets just say I'm sure if it had a message. I reread it and I think there might be some valid points there, but who knows. Sometimes you just need to finish a project and let it completely leave your mind in order to regain your sanity. I'm excited for the weekend and lots of sleep.

The Weekend Update in Case Anyone Cares

2005-04-26T13:15:00.000-07:00

Well, Passover with the fam was awesome. Cleveland was a super good time and I think Alex enjoyed meeting my old friends from high school. It was crazy though, it snowed all weekend. Yes, you heard me right SNOWED ALL WEEKEND. It was blizzarding and windy. It was so bad out, my dad had trouble getting us back from Akron. It was absolutely gross out. Welcome to the end of April in Cleveland. Alex just laughed, he couldn't even believe it. My mom's mini van got stuck in the driveway and three of us had to push her out. And I must say, I witnessed Alex's first shoveling experience. The snow was deep and wet, and not what you would expect to see the week before May. It's a good thing the Tribe was playing away this weekend. They would have been snowed out. It was a fun weekend with lots of food and friends and family.

And the Lack of Bread Begins

2005-04-22T13:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it's just about that time of the year when I say goodbye to everything grain for 8 days. No beer, no bread, nothing with even a crumb. Its rough for the girl who loves pasta. It's amazing that I don't weigh 3oolbs. Anyway, so I'm all about the pasta, but starting tomorrow evening, it's sayonara bread products. Passover is the spring holiday for Jewish families to come together in celebration and remembrance of our ancestors. It's important for us to take the time to drink, recline, and think about how the bread didn't have time to rise. For those of you who do not celebrate Passover, let me give you a little background on what the big fuss is over this thing called Matza. When the Jews had to escape from Egypt they had to rush their departure. Because they had to leave immediately they didn't have time to wait for the bread to rise so they grabbed the dough that had started to bake and took off. Because they didn't have time to wait for the bread to rise the bread cooked itself from the desert heat and it cook into a flat cracker-like food. So we have blessings that we say over the Matza during the Seder. (Seder is another word used to refer to Passover, aka the Passover Seder, the meal that we eat) So that's the short short version (just a little Spaceballs reference for Eric) in a few sentences or less. We have blessings over the Matza to thank god for at least giving us Matza to eat while trying to escape fro Egypt. We are also supposed to recline in our chairs and not sit upright. We're not supposed to be thinking about our posture, we're supposed to be thinking about out past. Another custom on Passover is that we leave the front door open for Elijah. Jews believe that Elijah is the Messiah and that he may stop in for a visit during Seder, and b/c of this, Jews leave out a full cup of wine for Elijah as well as what we call a Seder plate which has each of the foods that we eat throughout the meal placed on it. This way if Elijah stops by he has a plate of food to eat. Throughout the meal we drink four cups of wine, and we're pretty much drinking to thank God for letting our ancestors survive the terrible time in Jewish history. And of course there's more to it then that, but I'm just trying to give you an idea. There are a hundred other things I could tell you about Seder, but I'm sure you have more important things to be doing now like studying for law school finals or actually working while you're at work. Ask Theresa if you get a chance, she'll tell you all sorts of crazy stories about Passover and how Jewish people have some interesting holidays. She's super fun to bring to Seder.

And with Passover beginning tomorrow night at sundown, Alex and I are leaving in the morning for Cleveland. He's going to meet some friends of mine who have only heard stories. Going home is going to be such a blast. I can't wait to see some of the girls I haven't seen in a long time. Shout out to Jana and Jess since I haven't seen either of you in over a year and a half. Happy Passover everyone.

It's Just a Great Week

2005-04-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

Hi all...didn't want people to think I fell of the planet. Things are so great in D.C. right now. This great city, it's vibrant and it's exciting. I've just finished up my first graduate class and I'm still alive. That's a good sign. I have a take home final coming up, after that it's a little break before the stats class begins. I've got some cool things on the horizon. I'm a bridesmaid in Jacob's wedding which is in August. I've been helping Alexandra out with the wedding as much as I can over the phone and running errands for her, anything that I can help out with. And I'm working on finalizing my Europe trip. Yep, I'm going to Europe. I'm procrastinating at work so I got to get back to it. Later peeps.

The New Age

2005-04-17T00:00:00.000-07:00

This weekend was particularly fun. Lots of hanging out with friends and being outside in the beautiful weather. Saturday night Alex and I went to see Maroon 5 at Marriweather Post Pavilion in Maryland. It was an outside pavilion much like Blossom Music Center in Cleveland, or Cricket pavilion (formally known as Dessert Sky) in Phoenix. It was a pretty venue which backed up into the woods. Under the stars, sitting on a blanket, we waited in anticipation for the show to begin. It was a fun show and the biggest crowd that Maroon 5 has ever played for. I realized how much the world has changed in the moment prior to the encore. The lights went out in the entire pavilion and everyone started screaming and cheering for the band to come back on stage. Since it was completely dark everyone pulled out their cell phones to light up the place. I realized in that moment that when my parents were in their early 20's they used to pull out their lighters to light up the sky at concerts. Now in this day in age we don't pull out lighters, we just pull out our cell phones. The world has changed so much since our parents were in their early twenties. First lighters, now cell phones, what could possibly be next?

Venus and Mars: The Gender Differences Continue

2005-04-14T16:52:00.000-07:00

Thanks so John I have now been inspired to write my entry for this afternoon. Well, Mr. Messinger asked for it...girl-on-girl action. So the other day a friend of mine and I...yea right John in your dreams. My father reads this blog, are you kidding me.

Boys and girls, ahhhhh, the nature of God's most creative yet secretive creatures on the planet. The man who wrote Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus, John Gray is a complete nut job who hardly studied relationships and did not present his ideas in the book through any sort of theory.

Some background:

John Gray
Born in Houston, Texas, in 1951, after high school Gray attended St. Thomas University and the University of Texas. He spent nine years as a Hindu monk, working in the Transcendental Meditation (TM) organization in Switzerland, as personal assistant to its leader, the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and obtained a Masters degree in Eastern Philosophy.

Back in the U.S., Gray became a doctoral student and received his Ph.D.in Psychology and Human Sexuality from Columbia Pacific University in San Rafael, California. He is a certified family therapist.

Are you kidding me, a Monk telling people how they should live their lives. We need someone to tell us why guys crave girl-on-girl action, and why girls think that anything porn is portraying women in a poor and vulnerable fashion. Hey ladies, have you ever watched a porn, it shows both sexes in anything but a classy manner and makes both sexes look like pigs.

Gray is particularly insidious because he never presents his views as a theory, simply saying this is the way things are (biological fact). His millions of readers, caught in a marketing storm, are blinded to the alternatives and the fact that gender roles are actually culturally conditioned. The ultimate aim of Gray consciously or not is to make women feel better about their subordinate place in a hegemonic masculine culture. However, women and men have one thing in common, both sexes are lost in the wilderness of life and sex, relationships and love. This book does not teach us about why we crave things like watching girl-on-girl action or romantic walks on the beach. We're on two different ends of the planet if you ask me. Dr. Gray would tell you that we're so different and that we'll never understand one another. However, I feel that if we work on compromising a little more and listening a little harder, maybe the boys will just tell us why they crave the lesbian action.

When it comes to understanding the male/female sex differences we still hit a brick wall. And I don't think we'll ever let our boyfriends talk us into girl-on-girl action nor will we talk them into watching Steel Magnolias. But save yourself from the book of many planets. The Monk shouldn't be giving out relationship advice.

Graduate School Must be for Dummies

2005-04-12T14:35:00.000-07:00

So we're going back a bit to a previous entry where graduate school and the rest of Alli's life were all encompassed in one short passage. I finally received my rejection letter from Georgetown after they had denied admission three times over email. So mean! But the letter from Georgetown was a letter stating that I was denied from the Ph.D. program. Wow, that's interesting because I didn't apply to the Ph.D. program. Also over the weekend I received two letters from George Washington University. Both rejections. I was extremely confused as to why a university would need to waste time, money and some old lady's energy in the admissions department sending out two tiny envelopes. I opened the first letter and it was a rejection letter from GW's Masters in Economics program. Well now that's a relief, they're really lucky they denied me from that program, my math skills would run that program straight into the ground. But you have to remember...I did not apply to the school of economics. Then the second envelope was another rejection letter. It was from the program I actually applied to along with a letter explaining their mistake in sending a rejection letter for the economics program. Wow, wouldn't you think that schools like Georgetown and GW would be able to get their letters right? Guess not. It's comforting to know that the school I actually want to attend is more organized. Silly graduate schools making peoples' lives a living hell. However, if you can laugh about it and not take it too seriously then you're doing just fine. I'm thinking that graduate school must be for dummies if all they do is send out letters telling people they have been rejected from programs they didn't apply to. If that's the case, then quite possibly people are also being accepted to programs they didn't apply to. For all I know the administrations are completely a mess and nobody should go to graduate school ever. But a masters from American University seems right up my alley. Hopefully by the fall I'll have some answers.

Cherry Blossoms

2005-04-10T01:34:00.000-07:00

I know I already wrote a few entries ago about spring, but I cannot let this one go. Eric and Debi came into town this weekend and spent the weekend hanging with me and Alex, doing fun DC stuff. Part of the weekend was seeing the cherry blossom festival down by the basin. Hundreds of people went downtown to see these magnificent trees that spread all along the basin. The Jefferson Memorial was covered in people, and everyone was out and about, friendly and ready to grab a blanket and a beer and lay out under the trees all afternoon. We met some other friends downtown and it was a fun afternoon full of smiles and sweet glances, photographs and the wondrous smells. The springtime and the beautiful sky, everything was perfect. It's kind of like when you first fall in love and smiling non-stop. You don't understand why you can't stop smiling, and it's the best feeling in the world. Today was like that. Everything was the way it should be when great friends get together and hang out. The cherry blossoms we in perfect bloom, today was just an amazing sight. If you live in or near DC try to get downtown. They're an amazing sight, absolutely worth seeing.

Oy Vey

2005-04-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when I'm frustrated or confused I come up with Yiddish words which don't mean anything to people who aren't of Eastern European decent. Oy Vey is my favorite phrase because it covers all the bases. If I'm confused about something I can use it in the form of a question (ie: Oy Vey?) Pretty much rehtorical, not waiting for anyone to concure, mostly when talking to myself. I always use Oy Vey after someone tells me a story and the ending has some sort of down fall, I always feel bad for the person in the story and use Oy Vey as my form of sympathy. I know I know, I'm already an old Jewish grandma, but I can't help it. Anybody have another phrase that I could use instead I would greatly appreciate it.

I use it a lot at work...

Boys Boys Boys

2005-04-07T15:40:00.000-07:00

It amazes me how many girls really play games with the male species. I'm not saying I've never done it, but I was younger, more incompetent, more helpless, and let’s just face it, more naive. But I'm 23 now and I'm still watching friends of mine get dicked over by girls that feel that playing games, or not calling when they say they're going to is just making all the guys bitter. I can't stand the male-bashing and the cynicism and how some women feel they are completely helpless and don't know how to get a man that's worthy of their presence. I'm sorry ladies, get off your asses and make shit happen. How many times can you sit and complain that you don't have a guy around, then when you get set up or you meet someone through a friendly outing and have a good time, then you play games and you don't call, and lets face it, you make girls like me look like crap. Why do you play these games? I know the boys play games sometimes, but they're not doing it because they're trying to make you nuts, they're doing it cause they don't even realize that there's a game going on. The boys don't always see what's going on. We're getting too old for this bullshit. So girls, seriously, stop playing the games. Don't say yes when you mean no. Don't ask a boy who really likes you to fix your computer when you know they're just going to be let down later. If you want to meet a nice guy get off your butt, get outside, go hang out where great guys hang out, specific bars, political action activities, the grocery store, the bookstore, the cafe, the frickin AU law library for god sake. Just stop your bitching and all your thoughtless games.

Spring has Sprung

2005-04-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

Well at last the winter has gone and the spring air has come to stay. The cherry blossoms will soon be in bloom and baseball has begun. There's something about spring that makes people fall in love again, something that makes people become friendly. The weather has a major affect on people's attitudes and lives, with the snow gone people are starting to come out of their shell. Spring is a time for outside play and Frisbees in the park, picnics on the front lawn of the house, and baseball bats in little kids' hands. I put on the flip flops for the first time yesterday since I moved to Washington, and you know what, they felt just like home. Comfortable back in what I know, what I like and how calm I feel when the weather is cooperating. I really need to make all my friends move from Cleveland, at least if you're going to stay in the cold, get yourself a new experience. But those flip flops are still molded to my feet and the comfort I feel when I put them on, well, there's just no place like home.

No Game, No Digists, No Nothin

2005-03-25T14:46:00.000-08:00

Ok girls, have you ever been to the bar with a big group of people and you decide to remove yourself from the group and two of you go up to the bar for drinks? The infamous male and his friend see you together without your guy friends/boyfriends around and decide you're free game. My favorite pick up line was from a few months back when Vanessa and I were at Bar Review with Alex and a bunch of his friends from school. This guy and his friend start talking to us as I'm ordering drinks. I ordered swiftly, "2 Stoli and Sprites please" and the guys were like, "wow you sure know how to order," speaking to me as if I've never ordered liquor before. The guy looks at my tight zip up hoodie I was wearing (meaning he obviously was checking out my breasts) and saw that it was monogrammed. He looks at me and says, "I bet your name starts with the letter A." And I was like, "wow, you're really smart, how on earth did you ever figure that out?" Vanessa was giggling slightly behind my back so the guys wouldn't see her laughing. I was completely mocking them. They both went on trying to charm us with their wit and we eventually went back to hang out with our table of friends. Guys think they don't know when they are being completely transparent and using ridiculous pick up lines to hopefully get a phone number before the evening is over. Suffice to say that later on in the evening this gentleman proceeded to hit on me directly in front of my boyfriend. Alex watched in complete embarrassment for this guy as he proceeded to try and lead me to believe he was a charmer. Boys think they have game and that they're going to get a phone number on a napkin or on their wrist, or another favorite of mine, a guy once asked me for my number and wanted me to write it on his you know what so when he went home to masturbate he would see my number on his penis. Yea, that'll get you a phone number real fast. I don't know why the pick up lines and the gross analogies to their body parts think that's going to get them phone numbers. I think if guys would think a little less about their anatomy and a little more about what a girl is really saying to him, maybe he'd eventually get that phone number. Girls don't care if you don't have game, we'd actually prefer the ones that don't over the guys that try so hard that they just make complete and utter fools of themselves. We don't care about game or how good you are in bed, just say hi, be nice, and the less game you have the better off you are. Theresa might tell you that I'm completely lying and that yea we do care if you're good in bed, ok she's right we do, but don't put on the act, we don't need it. Just ask Alex to tell you the pen cap story, that's my favorite story of all.

Vote for Pedro

2005-03-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

Last night I received the last part of my Valentine's Day present. By the way I was told about the first part in the car with Theresa on the way back from Richmond, and I was so excited I was jumping. Alex bought me Garden State. If you haven't seen this movie, then I'll do a quick promo for you right now. This movie has a special quality, a subtle, quiet, uncomfortable feeling at first, but becomes this beautiful, sweet centered film. The actors are excellent, and reveal the inadequacies about being young and vulnerable in this country. Go see Garden State, better yet, don't even rent it first, this is a must have. So the second part of my present was given to me last night. Alex got me a "Vote for Pedro" tee-shirt. I'm so excited about this. If you've ever seen the Saturday Night Live, Will Ferrell, the "More Cow Bell" skit, then you would recognize Alex's "More Cowbell" tee-shirt and laugh. He wears it out in public and people see it and they laugh, they get it right there on the spot. So the "Vote for Pedro" shirt came out after "Napoleon Dynamite became a huge hit and I really wanted it. I walk around quoting the movie constantly. When Alex showed me the shirt last night I was very excited. Hopefully I'll get to wear it this weekend and make some people laugh. Vote for Pedro, he's your man!

Question of the Day

2005-03-17T10:04:00.000-08:00

Waiting on letters from graduate school is one of the worst processes ever. I'm nervous to check my mail everyday after work. The schools have sent me emails telling me when to expect a letter and it hasn't come yet. Is no news good news or is no news after the date when I was supposed to receive the letter extremely bad news? Anybody got the answer?

Scott Peterson Trial

2005-03-16T19:24:00.000-08:00

Redwood City, California was on edge today, awaiting the death sentence for Scott Peterson. Judge Alfred A. Delucchi formally sentenced Scott Peterson to death within the next 48 hours. Laci Peterson's family was given a chance to speak in court after the sentence was given. Emotions were boiling over in the courtroom this morning. Laci's mom called her son-in-law an "evil murderer." The judged ruled that the death penalty was warranted. The court ruled that they were certain beyond a reasonable doubt that Scott Peterson is guilty of first and second degree murder. Only Laci's family was allowed to speak in court. Sharon Rocha, Laci Peterson's mother addressed Scott Peterson with words of anger and frustration, "You're selfish, heartless and self-centered. You're a coward and an evil murderer." ''You decided to throw Laci and Conner away, dispose of them like they were just a piece of garbage.'' ''I would hope that you regret the choices that you made. Maybe you don't,'' Rocha said. ''Did you really hate Laci and Conner that much or did you just dislike yourself?'' Sharon Rocha along with other members of the family fought for Laci throughout the entire trial. Scott Peterson broke a family, he caused more people pain then just himself. He lied and cheated, played everyone near him for a fool...yet none of those things make him a murderer. What makes him a murderer is that he's a good enough liar to commit such a devious crime and think he could get away with it. What makes him a murderer is that Scott Peterson kidnapped his own wife and killed her and dumped her body into a lake. No emotion and no shame for what he's done, Scott Peterson chose to not say anything in court after the judge gave him permission to speak. He's a coward and he killed his wife. Maybe we'll never hear him speak publicly about the trial, but this man was proven guilty and now he's being put to death.

There's Nothin Better then Friends

2005-03-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

This past weekend has been one of the best of all time. Theresa came to Washington to visit. Friday we road tripped to Richmond, VA and had the most wonderful time. We check out the University of Richmond law school and then spent the rest of our Friday partying and going out to eat. We found the cutest little bar with only a few tables and ordered a bottle of wine and sat there and ran our mouths off for three and a half hours. I don't think it's possible to remember how wonderful your friends are till you don't spend time with them for a while and then once you get them back, even if it's just for a few days, you realize how great they are and how you wouldn't be anywhere without them. It's amazing how the different choices place us on different paths, and the choices that we make change our direction in life and take us places that we couldn't even imagine we'd ever end up. I woke up one morning and realized that I was in Washington, DC. It's funny; we look back on where we chose to go to school and how that affected the friends that we made and friends that we lost. We all had to deal with those people from high school who got angry with us for going out of state who decided that we weren't keeping touch with. And then we wound up in a place we never thought we would and made the best friends that we will keep forever. And then there are those true friends that you grew up with who were there for you when you chose to go away for college, and they were home for you when you chose to come home and visit. Friends are tricky things. We're taught at such a young age to not waste our time with people who don't really care and who don't show us love. But I can definitely tell you after this weekend that I'm really glad that I went to ASU b/c Theresa and I would never have met; I would have missed out on so much. I'm a really lucky girl, and I try really hard to not take my friends for granted. And if you're reading this and you and I have just met, just began our friendship, trust me, you'll want to stick around for this ride. We have fun, we travel, we play jokes on each other, and we rip on each other like crazy. But I can tell you one thing, good friends are worth all the heartache, the fights, the shopping trips, the dinners, the movies, and the Law and Order at 3:00 in the morning. Theresa and I had the best time this weekend, no regrets, no fights, no heartache, but lots of shopping, lots of dinners, and some Law and Order. For everyone who's reading this who's far away from me now, I miss you and I hope that we keep up the friendship. And if you're here, and you live in Washington and I get to see you I'm really lucky. Lots of nice things are fun to have, but when all the electronics are outdated and the cars get boring and the alcohol gets boring if there's no one to drink it with, friendship is what lasts. Theresa will vouch for this, just ask her.

The King of Pop is now the King who Dropped

2005-03-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

Any smart individual knows that he or she cannot believe everything they read. And there will always be a devil's advocate on the other side claiming to find the opposite of whatever the media is portraying in order to remind us that there are always two sides to every story. Michael Jackson was back in the court room yesterday and the accuser's brother testified. I will not reveal the grossness of what I read in numerous articles from yesterday's testimony. However, I will advise you to pick up different papers and check out what journalists are saying about Michael Jackson. I will say in defense the devils advocate position, the mother of the accuser is crazy, she's absolutely nuts. And I do believe that she would try and convince her child to lie. But the brother will not be able to keep his story straight if he's lying and the truth will come out sooner or later. I didn't believe that Michael Jackson would do this, but I'm beginning to change my mind. Kids make up stories, but eventually they'll get them all confused and the truth will come out that Michael Jackson was inappropriate. Doesn't anyone find it strange that parents would leave their children alone with other children to play at Neverland for days at a time, let them sleepover there. It was children and then a 45 year old man hanging out together. Sleeping in kids beds, and other things too. Read as many articles as you can, inform yourself about what's going on. A man like this should not be allowed to have children or be within 20 feet of someone else’s children. Why would any parent let there child sleep over a mans house who has been accused of sexually abusing children in the past. I believe that people can change, but I would never let my kid sleep in a place where this sort of thing is going on. Michael Jackson used to be a singer, a performer, he used to make people jump out of their seats and dance till they dropped, he used to have money...he used to be a lot of things. And now, all he's got is his team of lawyers and the rights to the Beatles music. He'll never get his life back, even if they do prove him innocent.

The Absolute Best

2005-03-03T18:50:00.000-08:00

If you are an avid television watcher then you know the lineup for the week. NBC has got a new one that will probably top the charts. Even when I think that it just can't get any better, Creator/Executive Producer Dick Wolf surprises us once again. The fourth and final series of the famous drama of Law and Order begins tonight at 10:00pm on NBC. Trial By Jury is the new series. The show is supposedly going to take us behind the scenes of the courtroom and into other places that Law and Order has not taken us in the past. If you're a Law and Order fan be looking out for a few famous names. Of course the beloved Jerry Orbach who will appear in the first couple episodes, he plays D.A. Investigator Lennie Briscoe. Fred Dalton Thompson who plays District Attorney Arthur Branch and BEBE NEUWIRTH who plays Asst. District Attorney Tracey Kibre (who played Lilith on Cheers). This cast is fired up and ready to join the running with the other three Law and Order series. Check out nbc.com for more scoop on Trial By Jury.

A Place to Call Home

2005-03-02T16:15:00.000-08:00

There's something about this time of year, the air is still chilly on the face, the snow still comes down once in a while, and the grass has high hopes of growing back soon. The middle of February marks the beginning of this excitement, and as March means that our country's favorite past time is just around the corner. I'm not sure if there's a correlation between my mother's birthday and the pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training on February 15th, but for those of you who know my family know that my mother is crazy about the game. She knows all the intricacies about the teams and the players. She knows who's injured and who played poorly last year. She knows how to gang up on me with Alex and dish out some pretty heavy duty trivia questions. Plain and simple, she's a fan. Something about baseball brings friends and family together, it brings hope and enthusiasm for a dream, it brings happiness and anxiety during the playoffs. But no matter your favorite team or your eagerness to know every fact about every player that’s ever existed, if you crave baseball you have something to enjoy forever. Baseball is our country's favorite past time, and no matter who wins the NCAA basketball tournament or whose going to be number one in the NFL next year, baseball stays our favorite. America gave Baseball a home, a place where it could grow and prosper, and become great. Baseball reveals truth and hard work, it’s about going to the ballpark and eating a hotdog and drinking a beer. Baseball is about magic and about teaching your 2 year old to swing a bat that they can barely hold above their head. These game reminds us that the it is unique and historic, its about doing what people thought the Red Soxs could never do again. Some people talk about the money aspects of the game, and how players are greedier these days. Money has become an issue in the sport and I feel that baseball needs to regain its past time. Names like Wrigley Filed and Dodger Stadium, The New York Yankees and The Red Soxs, these are names with a past. The game is about history and strength, power and wisdom. If you've lost the heart throw Field of Dreams in the DVD player, it'll bring you right back to baseball's heart. Check out espn.com and read up on your favorite teams, read about your favorite players, and find in baseball what baseball found in America, a place to call home.

Phi Beta Kappa Who

2005-03-01T19:45:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, I work for a non profit organization that is considered the most prestigious academic organization in the United States. This organization runs by way of bylaws and boards, with chapters at more than 270 Universities Nation wide. It's a three year process when applying to Phi Beta Kappa for a chapter, it's a lot of hard work and should be used in a way that looks positively on the particular university. There was a Washington Post article that came out today which tries to glorify the education and administration at George Mason University that indeed by way of nailing Phi Beta Kappa to the wall. There was an incident which has kept GMU from getting a Phi Beta Kappa chapter, which has now escalated to an even larger misrepresentation of what Phi Beta Kappa stands for. Sitting back and reading about journalist bashing your company isn't a tea party. If I was put up on the stand I would have to say that yes, the facts in the article are true, however, the article is incomplete and misrepresented. Michael Moore was supposed to come and speak that GMU, and the administration ended up pulling the deal off the table right at the last minute, and Moore did not speak to the students. Some people say it's the $35,000 that was going to be publicly funding this speech and it was too much of the school's money to spend, other people say that outside forces, people in the legislature and other aspects of politics had an influence on the decision making. Well, only those who work at Phi Beta Kappa actually know the truth, and sometimes in academia it's nice to know that the people you work for take care of your reputation. If GMU wants a chapter they better learn to let their administration handle themselves and not let outside forced wreck the experiences they could and should be having. I guess the lesson here is, don't believe everything that you read, you just might realize that you don't have all the facts.

Strep Must be Good for Something

2005-02-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

It's no fun getting sick, trust me, I've been in bed for the past four days. I've decided that Strep must be good for something, so I thought a top 10 list would be appropriate for this posting. So here they are, the top 10 reasons why step does a body good...10. Go breath on a guy who just won't take no for an answer, in a few days he'll be sick as a dog. 9. You can take a swab and swab the throat and make the new wall paper full of white polka dots. 8. You can't talk well, but you can hum the national anthem night after night at the ball park. 7. In case losing weight didn't make it on your "to do" list for the week, you've just bought yourself three to four days of weight loss. 6. Since talking is at a minimum you have enough time to look up the dictionary definition of "depraved indifference." 5. Its a good way to keep off the carbs for a few days. 4. Strep is an excellent way to get out of work for the week. 3. The same goes for class, no sitting for two and half hours in lecture when strep is visiting. 2. Tell your younger sibling that you'll blow on them if they don't give you all of their money (its too bad I'm not in cleveland, this one would have worked wonders on Neil). 1. And the number one reason why strep must be good for something is that you get to sleep a whole lot!!!!

So now that you've read the top 10 list, does anybody feel like having a makeout session with a step filled throat? Nope, not me either. Oh well. I try to put on a silver lining on everything, but I guess Strep is one I should have just let lie. Thank you Mr. Alex for taking such good care of me. The doctor, medicine and a little rest does a body good. Guess I'm a lucky girl, today's the first day in four days that I've smilied.

Something's in the Air

2005-02-18T16:43:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it is or why, but some greater being has forced the blog trend upon us. Whether we talk about the misguided work day or our mindless afternoon in class, we all feel the need to discuss our meanderings with one another. We feel that making our friends read extensive paragraphs regarding the middle east or lashing out about the hockey leagues nonsense. It has forced us each to break down and discuss while we should be doing our homework or being productive in the office. The blog is now the slap bracelet of 2004. It's our new excitment, yet it is repetitive and we continue to crave more. I have now become one of the lemmings, certain to create pandemonium and shake up the earth just a bit. Something is definitely in the air!