Christmas List Or Not?

I always have difficulty when put on the spot to immediately come up with something(s) that I want for Christmas, or any other time for that matter. Therefore, I am going to compile here what I have been lusting after today...and will probably be lusting after in the days leading up to Christmas.

Without further ado, here is my Christmas List Or Not:

1. Shu Uemura eyelash curler...the "Rolls Royce of eyelash curlers". (I happen to know from an inside source that this one is taken care of. Okay, so I told my sister to get it.)























2. The rest of my Diane von Furstenberg Runway luggage set in black/pewter. This is probably my most challenging request because many of the pieces in this line aren't being made anymore so they're getting increasingly difficult to find. Currently I have the tote bag and the 26" suitcase, which is so g-o-r-g-e-0-u-s (singsong voice) that I have threatened to snuggle with it. Here are the remaining pieces I want slash need:

Runway Wheeled City Bag in black/pewter.
I am really bitter about this one. A certain online luggage retailer, *cough* self-proclaimed to be the world's largest *cough*, has downright refused my requests (I say requests because I have literally asked 3-4 different people and keep getting the same answer) to ship this bag, which they have at their UK location, to the U.S. so that I can buy it. They say there is NO WAY they can get that bag from there to here. That is absolutely crap, I say. I am considering asking a friend over there to just buy the darn thing for me and I'll pay her back. Too bad it's a good deal more expensive to buy at the UK price.























Runway Garment Sleeve in black/pewter.
















Runway 21" Expandable Rolling Carry-On in black/pewter.
This might be instead of the city bag above. I haven't decided yet whether I am able to exist without possessing both.


























3. Shoesshoesshoesshoesshoesshoesshoesshoes. Especially Cole Haans.

4. Gift card for Banana Republic.

5. Gift card for the beautiful, delicious Ann Taylor Loft store that just opened down the street.

6. My DNA mapped (okay, this one's for Dave...GEEK).

7. Booksbooksbooksbooksbooksbooksbooks.

8. Gift card for Starbucks, basically for the rest of my life.

9. Kate Spade glasses frames.

10. Soft, lovely argyle sweater.

11. Shopping spree, anyone? Mom? I'll buy lunch?

12. Almost forgot....DiorShow mascara to go along with my new eyelash curler. Of course!

13. And, finally, the bonus one that I will nevereverinamillionyearsoratleastuntilwe'rerich get is a Burberry giant check scarf and a coordinating check wallet.

That should do for now until I come across more delectable delights that I can't live without. I know this probably comes across as being terribly materialistic, and if you knew me in person you would probably think I was decently nice if not a little materialistic and occasionally annoying with good teeth, so it's all good. When I'm not busy admiring my feet in the scrumptious luminescence that is a new pair of shoes, I have been known to be charitable.

Long Time No Blog

Wow. *blush* It's been a while.

I suddenly got the urge to blog tonight and tried to sign in here. It took a few tries. Yeah, it was pathetic. Anyway, I will give a quick update of all that has happened over the past almost two years.

Job: My job as Executive Assistant to the CEO is going well. I have been here for almost two years now. Over the last two years I have traveled for work and attended some heavy meetings, made a year-long foray into software sales, then decided I didn't like selling, begun training in Project Management, and done more random crap than you could ever imagine.

Hobbies: I have gotten into event planning. I work as an Assistant Event Consultant in VA for an event planner who does events all over VA as well as around the country. I do about one event a month plus meetings and marketing work. So far I've done all weddings but expect to do corporate events as well. Last month we ran a 150-person outdoor wedding in a hurricane. That was interesting, though fortunately a huge success.

I have also started volunteering with the local chapter of an international nonprofit organization in helping to plan their events. I attend a couple of meetings per month and just enjoy the exposure to a cause that is something other than getting rich (not that that's entirely a bad thing. Rich can be good. I'd love to be rich. But it's nice to have a break sometimes).

I am noticing a theme starting to develop in my life. Project Management, wedding/corporate event planning, fundraiser event planning. I have also begun office events at my company to bring our local branch closer together. In August I threw a dessert pot luck. This month will be a Halloween take-out party. I think I'd have to be completely dense not to realize that my life is starting to actually take direction! Sweet! Direction is good.

Home: Things at home have been going well. We actually live fairly uneventful lives so I can't say that much has changed aside from the fact that we are getting our house in order (finally). We recently redid our home office after a year and a half of waffling over it (bad Sam and Dave!). It's still a work in progress but it is definitely working better for us.

Travel: I have traveled a hell of a lot over the past 22 months and loved every bit of it:

December 2006 - PA, NJ
March 2007 - Salt Lake City, UT; Park City, UT
June 2007 - Seattle, WA
October 2007 - MD
January 2008 - MD
February 2008 - NYC
March 2008 - Seattle, WA
April 2008 - Road trip: WV, KY, IN, IL, MO, IA, NE, WY, CO, AZ, NM, TX, LA, MS, AL, GA, FL, TN, VA. I think I'm missing a state; I think we hit 20 in all. Let me just say that that will not be the last of our road trips FOR SURE. It was unbelievably awesome.
June 2008 - Charlotte, NC
September 2008 - Leesburg, Herndon, Woodbridge, Vienna VA
October 2008 - will be Herndon, VA and College Park, MD
November 2008 - Boston, MA, and I'm also cruisin' in the Bahamas for a few days with some girlfriends.

I just got a new piece of luggage so that makes it even better! Oh w00t.

It matches my work tote perfectly. If there's anything better than matching DVF luggage I am not aware of it.

Let's see, what else.

Britney Spears went off the deep end.

Our economy went off the deep end. Our house dropped in value about 8%-10%, which is fun.

We have a new vehicle. We bought it from my parents back in April and sold them ours. The new car is pretty sweet. 2007 Toyota Rav4. Great mileage, great handling, truckload of trunk space for my projects at home. No more 10 year-old boring sedan. Woohoo!

Both of our sisters have gotten married. Dave's brother and his wife are expecting the first grandchild in both of our families. Exciting! We will probably visit them out in Seattle next year to meet the baby.

Last time I spoke to you I was 24. I am now 26. Heavy, I know.

Anyway, that's about the gist of it. There's probably more but I don't feel like thinking. Plus, I've put off work long enough. Gotta get some things done before bed. It feels good to be back, though! Good night and (hopefully, good grief) see you soon!

New job

This has been a fairly long time coming but I didn't want to discuss it until it was done. As of November 28, 2006, I am officially leaving accounting and starting a new position as a Director of Operations/Executive Assistant for a small software company. Everything about the position is great so I'm very excited.

I have a lot of respect for my current employers as they successfully run an entire tax accounting firm as a huband and wife team while maintaining a terrific sense of humor and a spirit of integrity and kindness. They, along with my coworker, are like family to me. It is because of this that I had a very difficult time making the decision to leave even though I have known for a while that accounting was not for me. I will truly miss working with them. Fortunately we don't live far from each other so I'm sure it's not the last I will see of them.

So that is the big news in my life right now. Thanks for reading. :)

White and nerdy

I freaking love this.

Weird Al is white and nerdy.

I fell down the stairs.

Obviously I'm not dead, although it did hurt quite a bit. That is what happens when you're a sock-wearing moron carrying dishes down your wood stairs in the dark. I ended up with an extremely sore spot on my lower spine and an x-ray this Monday to make sure nothing's chipped. I can't say as much for the poor dinner plate that tumbled down the stairs ahead of me. :(

In memory of the departed (largest in back):














Its shards left a nice little chip in our wood floor and I estimate its replacement value at $15. This is one reason why we do not own fine china. It would not last long. I did, however, manage to somehow spare from the wreckage two glasses that I was holding.

Speaking of The Departed, we saw this movie last night and were pleasantly surprised and entertained. The acting and storyline were terrific. I give it two thumbs up, and an extra kiss for Leo DiCaprio, who looked a delicious amount like McSteamy from Grey's Anatomy. I think this is the first time that I have ever agreed with many of my enamored peers who say that Mr. DiCaprio is a hottie. I finally agree. I think he's gotten a lot more attractive as he's grown older and filled out a bit.

In other news, my parents are moving across the country for my dad's job in the next few months and have decided that they need to sell their house sans dogs. Therefore, they are shipping (driving, rather) their two dogs out to Dave and me for a month. My sister is coming along to watch over them and contain the damage as much as possible. As a precaution against said destruction, I went to Home Depot yesterday and invested in over 700 sq. feet of thick painter's plastic and some tape. I am going to cover our entire first floor with this plastic to ensure that our wood floors don't get horribly scratched. Then I'll cover our wood stairs (which I just realized will make them less deadly, and therefore less likely to kill my sister...hooray!), and the carpeting in the guest room where my sister will be staying with the dogs.

It will be interesting and probably funny to see where our other guests, friends of Dave's whose visit will overlap my sister's and the dogs' stay, will end up sleeping while they're here.

Well, that's all I've got for now. Lots of other things are going on but none of them are newsworthy yet.

I'm leaving you with a fun little video. What has history taught us? Let's see: Chasers - Trojan Horse.

Avast, ye land lubbers!

Aye matey, today be Talk Like A Pirate Day...one o' me favorite days o' the year! Arrr! Swab the decks or be keelhauled!

Yes, support your fellow pirates and drink a mug o' grog in honor of this wondrous day. To read more about Talk Like A Pirate Day and to learn how to talk like this most despicable yet endearing creature, go here. I'm way ahead of you because, as you can see from my profile picture, I dress like a pirate every day.

For the super n00bs who are only able to communicate in leet speak, read this most amusing article and start talking like a pirate on the internet.

Why should ye talk like a pirate? For the GWMD, o' course (guns, women, muskets, and dubloons...although in my case it's more like GMMD)!

Load t' cannon and drink up me hearties, yo ho!

Crazy

I don't usually like covers but I liked this one. Obviously not nearly as awesome as the original but it's still funky!

Nelly Furtado & Charlotte Church - 'Crazy' by Gnarles Barkley

No dumping allowed

Ew, someone just took a clearly righteous dump here at work. The stench has already begun peeling the paint off my car in the parking lot.













Actually, it really wasn't that bad. I just wanted something to talk about.

9/11

Our thoughts and best wishes go out to those who lost loved ones five years ago on September 11, 2001.

Mushy pirate, anyone?

Of course I decided to walk to Starbucks today when the sky was clearly thinking about raining. Who wouldn't? Walk to Starbucks, I mean. Not think about raining. I think about raining all the time.

Gross?

It was sprinkling when I left Starbucks but I wasn't too worried since it was only a 15 min. walk. After buying my drink I managed to get 85% of the way home before someone decided I wasn't drenched enough and the sky opened up, angels flew down, and a crap-ton of water came pouring down onto my head. I felt smart for wearing flip flops.

I thought this must be what it feels like to be a waterlogged pirate. I was wearing my new skull shirt (see below), large hoop earrings, an eye patch, and feeling quite saucy. Just kidding about the eye patch. Fortunately, and I'm not sure how, I managed to keep my cell phone dry during the entire walk home. Sam - 1, World - 20. I now have a towel wrapped around my head, which I think makes me more of a gypsy pirate at this point.

I'd totally do it again assuming the same noob doesn't make my frappuccino next time. It had a strange after taste that reminded me very much of pepper. How bizarre? How bizarre.

Soaking peppered gypsy pirate, anyone?