Bits Of My Life... Wine, Restaurants & Downtown

Scanned Nipopotamus

2006-06-16T11:21:00.000-04:00

Is It Wrong to Scan Your Ferret...?

2006-06-13T21:50:00.000-04:00

Review of 2006 Resolutions

2006-01-19T15:39:00.000-05:00

I have just stuffed myself absolutely silly with Beef Lo Mein... miserably full is a good description of me right now. As much as I would love to, I don't think I'm going to ponder too much on the mystery of chinese food. You all know what I'm talking about... you eat hardly anything, you're full to the brim, and then an hour later you're hungry again. It's just plain weird is what it is.

Anywho... today is the 19th and I would like to review how my 2006 resolutions are going:

1. Stop Procrastinating: Well, there are other things I should be doing right now so I'm going to say we aren't doing great on that. But better, I am more aware now.

2. Stick to my Social Budget: Ummmm... well.... that isn't going so well. But it has improved. :)

3. Find a nice, handsome, successful man: Pssshhhh... I'll have better luck finding a Leprechaun!

4. Be in bed by 11pm on weeknights: Here I have to say that I've been more successful. However there have been a couple nights where I missed my bedtime by a landslide. Here is where I will insert all blame that is to be laid at Tracy's feet.

5. Go to the gym at least 3 times a week: Doing good with this one. Meeting Ginny at the gym at 7:00pm tonight.

6. No more social/alcohol induced cigarettes: HA! That never even lasted a day. Paleeeeze!

7. More Personal Enrichment: Well, I have to say yes. Tracy and I just went to see the play Macbeth at Live Arts last night. Wonderful performance. Bravo!!!!

8. Limit number of currently reading books to 4: Still working on finishing the 7 or 8 that are on my night stand.

9. Spend more quality time with the fuzzies: Of course I have done this!!! That's a fun resolution. I have also spent more time yelling at them. I believe the two go hand in hand.

10. Drink more water: I believe I have done this. If I'm not drinking coffee (which is what I drink from 9am to 5pm) then I will probably be drinking water. Or Iced Tea.

So, things are going mildly successful... and it is only the 19th. Okay... it's time to get back to work... #1: Stop Procrastinating.

Salvaging Blizz's Reputation

2006-01-09T16:48:00.000-05:00

It has been brought to my attention that the precious picture of Blizz yawning was considered more along the lines of a scary, evil "Vampire Ferret" with big fangs. Not so good. So here to salvage my babies reputation is a very cute picture of her:

Now that you can't say isn't cute!!!!

Sunday Night/Monday Morning

2006-01-09T01:53:00.000-05:00

Okay... so I decided that I would meet Tracy for a late cocktail tonight... Sunday night. This was considered okay because of the special occasion being Tom's birthday. However, according to my resolutions, I'm supposed to be in bed on weeknights by 11pm. Not doing so well on that. Didn't even leave the house until almost 10:30pm. So here it is almost 2am... sigh. Not only that but I smoked 2 and 1/2 cigarettes tonight!!! That's two resolutions forgotten about this evening... "Self, I'm very dissapointed in you!." Oh well... what's a girl to do? Anywho... so I sported the pig tails tonight and as usual got mixed reviews. Psshh.. I like my pig tails.

PIG TAILS RULE!!!

Yawn!!!

2006-01-08T20:50:00.000-05:00

Here, for everyones enjoyment, is a picture of my precious Blizz yawning:

You just don't get cute pictures like this everyday... I love my camera phone!

Ohhhhh... My Head!!!!

2006-01-07T09:45:00.000-05:00

Okay... I have to say that I am officially hung over. How did this happen? Why did this happen? Damn it. Not only that but I smoked a lot of cigarettes last night. I can still smell them. Ugghhh. I spent a good seven (7) hours drinking last night!!! Okay... that might be the how and the why of how this happened. It all started at Zocalo and their fabulous mojitos. They are so good it's almost like drinking fruit punch... dangerous. Here is where I met our new friend Tiffany. Once Ginny finished up at the salon she came down to Zocalo and had a drink with us. Then off to Shebeen for some scrumptious Shepherds Pie (made the right way... with lamb) and some more alcohol consumption. After that we headed off to the parking garage to enlighten Tiffany on the correct way to park downtown... as in NOT THE GARAGE. After moving her to a free spot we made our way to the new spot in town... Kiki's. Ummmm... what can I say about Kiki's? Small. Very Small. Makes Atomic look big. Gigantic really. We stayed there long enough to order drinks, decide we didn't like it and leave before the drinks made it to us. Sorry Kiki, but I can't take the elbow to elbow crowd. After the discovery of nothing we ventured into what I believe to be very cold weather and headed up to Millers. Ginny had met a sexy trumpet player the other night and there was a chance he might be there. Once at Millers we order drinks and I have the first of many cigarettes for the night. Bad Becca... BAD! Here is where I had a shift in companionship for the evening. Tracy and Andrea get to Millers and Tiffany and Ginny go home. Eh... what can you do. After drinking at Millers off the new three of us head to Rapture. Woo hoo. More drinking follows... more smoking follows that... and now I'm beginning to see where this hangover has come from. The sexy man with the pony tail comes over to talk... and yes, he is still gorgeous. Punk. After boredom settles in Tracy decides that he wants to see what the polished hole in the wall (Kiki's) is all about so we leave Andrea for a bit to go check this out. Now is where I point out that Kiki's claim is that they have the best Mojitos in town. I will go on record right now to say... Bull S**t. They suck. C&O makes a better Mojito and they use too much mint. But I will give plenty of praise for the cheesecake... AWESOME. Excuse me while I wipe the drool. One drink and 6 lbs added to my ass later we leave the polished hole in the wall. Back to Rapture. Andrea is still there... yells at us for taking so long and then leaves. After another drink at Rapture Tracy and I decide to call it an eventful evening and leave. But not before he decides to harass the sexy man with the pony tail. So after harassing and my wishes for the earth to open up and swallow me... we leave. And that, boys & girls, is why I have a hangover. Now I must go nap so that I can do it all over again tonight... ooooohhhhh. :(

My Guest Star Appearance on South Park

2006-01-05T17:00:00.000-05:00

This website is too fun:
http://spstudio.linda.hosting-friends.de/spstudio.html

You get to design yourself as a South Park character... very entertaining for those blocks of time that you should really be getting work done!!!

2006 Resolutions

2006-01-04T16:35:00.000-05:00

So here it is 2006... what are my resolutions?

Stop procrastinating
Stick to my Dining/Entertainment/Bar budget
Find a Nice, Handsome, Successful, Honest Man (riiiiiiiiigggghhhht)
Be in bed no later than 11pm on weeknights
Go to the gym at least 3 times a week
No more "social/alcohol" induced cigarette smoking
Spend more time on "Personal Enrichment"
Limit number of "currently reading" books to 4 & finish the 7-8 books on my night stand
Spend more quality play time with the fuzzies
Drink more water, drink less coffee.... wait no... just "Drink more water", still drink lots of coffee :)

I think those are pretty good. Now if I just stick to them 2006 should be a pretty darn good year!!!

Mid-Day Musings

2005-12-27T14:59:00.000-05:00

Okay... so I've returned from the hideously ugly state of Texas and am now back at work... finally! I did have a wonderful time... but I love Virginia!!!! CMT is definitely guilty of mis-leading this girl over the past few years. This is about as much of a cowboy as I found down there...

What sucks is that my luggage actually did more traveling than me since United Air decided that it should switch tags with another bag in Dallas. So it ended up in Denver, Colorado and someone else's bag was delivered to my house!!! You would think that the airline would get all this straightened out but no, it was me. Being the stealth 007 agent that I am (riiiiiggghhhht) I did a reverse phone look up for the number on the suit case and called it... but no answer. So then I did a neighborhood search of the number on the suitcase and called the next door neighbor who just happened to know where their neighbor had gone and gave me the number. I called that number and found the owner of the bag on my patio and successfully located my bag... in Colorado!!! After doing the airlines job I called United and let them know where my bag was and to please have the correct bags delivered. Pretty easy, eh? Apparently not... they couldn't even locate my bag after picking it up from Colorado until Friday evening... I had called and told them where it was Thursday morning! Morons. Frigg'n morons.

Anywho... so I will be 25 years young in January and Ginny and I have decided to rock Cancun like no other. I turn 25 on the 25th and then we fly to Cancun on the 26th for 4 days and 3 nights. Can you say "STOKED"?!?!?! Because that's what I am!!!!

Must get back to work now... haven't been here for two weeks so I really shouldn't be blogging right now... Toodles!

Kodak Moments with Macchiato

2005-12-12T17:15:00.000-05:00

If this isn't one of the cutest pictures you've ever seen then I seriously recommend popping a couple happy pills and realizing that you and I will never see eye to eye...

My Social Life Line... GONE!!!

2005-12-12T16:19:00.000-05:00

If there was an award for procrastination I can assure everyone that it would be easily awarded to me and I would thank my friends, agents, attorneys, accountants and last, but not least, that darned social calendar of mine that usually seems to take precedence over things that just aren't fun!!! I'm flying to Texas in less than 48 hours and I haven't done anything to prepare for my trip. I don't even know what I'm going to wear... big decision there!!!! I don't even know where I'm staying... somewhere about 30 miles north of Dallas... uh, right. Is it the country or the city... warm or cold... metro or boon docks...? Anyways....

'Tis the time of year of parties, socializing, egg nog, and apparently random trips to Texas that make it one of my busiest times of the year... outside of work... because real estate is slow as poop right now. However, one of the worst things that can possibly happen to the social butterfly that I am is to lose her phone!!! And yes, that happened to me. Over 120 people's numbers in that thing and I manage to misplace it somewhere in a one block radius between Rapture and my car. I don't care so much about the phone as I do about all of those numbers!!! Those were my social life life!!! I didn't even know Ginny's number... I had to call her salon and get it. That's sad! What is worse is that now I have to answer all of my calls. I am a card carrying screener of phone calls. A good third of the people that are/were programmed into my phone were there for the sole purpose of giving me the opportunity to avoid talking to them. Yes... that isn't very nice but at least I'm honest about the whole thing. I even broke it down for some dude (James?) at the bar the other night. I am finding it much easier to be honest with dudes and tell them that if I give them my number and they call me that I'm just going to turn around program their number in my phone so that I can avoid their calls from there on out. Wow... I'm evil. On the upside, I got to get the camera phone that I've been craving forever and a day... as you can see here is a picture of me at my office... I'm not to hard please!!!

Anyways... I must go to the post office and buy a butt load of stamps. Christmas Cards... need to send them out before I leave. Procrastination... should have done this last week.

"You know, Sissy, ...

2005-11-23T14:02:00.000-05:00

you really should embrace the change in season."

This is what my wonderful big sister told me this afternoon as I griped about the cold weather. Just so everyone knows... it's like 35 degrees outside. Brrrrr. But I'll have to give her credit... she does have a point. What would it be like without the change in season... absolutely boring. After we parted ways (after a delicious lunch at Henry's) I thought about what she said. While we were waiting for our food I watched this adorable little girl turn around to her mother and ask, "Can we stay up until snows!?!?". Her mother, like most adults, didn't respond so much and probably gave the notorious "We'll see" response. Think about it... remember when snow was exciting, when cold weather meant school was out, and warm weather meant the pool was about to open? As an adult, have I learned only to focus on the negative things in life? Instead of thinking that it might snow outside and loosing sleep because of the excitement I think it might snow outside and lose sleep over the fact that I won't be able to drive my car. Even as I walked to my car after lunch I looked around... downtown is still so pleasant to look at even when there is no sun and your fingers are considering loosing all feeling. (Mental note: Break out the gloves) So all of this being said I'm going to try and not focus on how cold it is but instead try and relive the innocence of childhood. Is it really necessary to have such a gap in the optimistic mentality between children & adults. I don't think so. Both want so much to be in the shoes of the other... obviously that is quite impossible. But maybe look for the bright side a little bit more in life. As adults we have already lived both lives... they have not. So we have the ability to take our experiences of adolescence and apply them to our sometimes pessimistic and, at times, way too pragmatic ways of thinking.

P.S. Please note the title of my blog has changed... one week without ciggies. I know, you're all so proud!

Who's the Lazy Blogger...?

2005-11-22T10:58:00.000-05:00

I'm the lazy blogger!!! I haven't posted anything for a week. What's sad is I really don't have anything to post. Congratulations to myself for having reached my week mark of not smoking. However, on Saturday and Sunday I did take a couple drags off other peoples cigarettes. But only four on Saturday and one on Sunday. Everyone will be happy to know that the drag on Sunday actually tasted awful. I have also started going to the gym with Ginnie and I need to make an appointment so that I can become a member. We worked out on Saturday and I am sore as poop. Not as sore as I've been the last two days but still hurting. That's okay... it just means that this chickadee was way out of shape. So we're supposed to go again tonight and I would like to start working out about 3 - 4 times a week. Can you say "motivated".

I also have Thanksgiving to think about. My family is coming around 7pm Thursday so I seriously need to figure out what I'm going to fix for dinner and then go to the grocery store. My plan is to prep everything on Wednesday so that Ginnie and I can crash Tracy's dinner Thursday afternoon. After we crash Tracy's place then we will head back to my place, serve dinner, send everyone home and then call a cab to carry our tails DOWNTOWN. That is where we will meet up with everyone else and rock Thanksgiving like you just don't know.

Then Ginnie is going to color my hair brown the next day... again. Apparently my hair is having issues with not being blonde anymore. Whatever... it's going to be brown whether it likes it or not.

Oh yes... on a final note: I think Mellow Mushroom puts "something" in their pizza. Every time I've eaten there I'm in this weird "fog" afterward. Not saying this is bad or anything... if you want to veg out definitely eat at the Mushroom. But I wouldn't operate heavy machinery afterward.

Am I the Stereo-Typical "Whipper Snapper"?

2005-11-15T13:22:00.000-05:00

Okay, so today is Tuesday and Tuesday is the day for Realtor Open Houses. Realtor Open Houses are different than Public Open Houses in that you only know about them if you have access to the MLS or if you happen to see a sign that says "Open House". Their purpose is to expose your listing to other Realtors. Now the key to getting other agents to your open house are knowing two very important things about your colleagues: a) We don't like to drive very far and b) We really like food. So if your house is in town and you have some good stuff to munch on then you should attract at least a handful of agents out there. So before my open house starts I head over to Kroger to pick up some snacks (cheese, fruit, veggies, dip, water). Pretty simple list, you think. But what did I forget? What else is Tuesday famous for?

SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNT DAY!!!
Oh My God. I am an evil, evil person for getting upset. But I pulled into Kroger and the thought crossed my mind, "Hmmm, I wonder why there are so many cars here at 10am during the week?" I'm a quick one, aren't I? I didn't realize what I had gotten myself into until I walked into the little area where the shopping carts are and witnessed and traffic jam of three carts. And that was not including me. I maneuver past this horrific site, take in the "over 55" crowd and head straight toward produce. Now when I go to the grocery store it is completely different than when I go shopping for shoes or a new outfit. I know what I want, I'm in & I'm out. Done. I don't get five feet into my mission and I'm hit with another road block. This time it's a lady looking for something in her purse. Now is it just me or is my generation the only one that pulls off to the side when looking for something or browsing shelves? You don't block the entire aisle!!! Okay I've got my fruits & veggies, now it's on to get bottled water. At this point I feel like I'm in Super Mario Brothers and all the little mushrooms have turned old yet are still trying so hard to keep me from saving the princess.

See here is what is even worse about Senior Citizen Discount Day... they all know each other. So this is such the perfect moment to catch up on each others bridge games, retirement, and new prescriptions. (I have accepted the fact that I am going to hell for this blog). So every ten steps I run into a little social gathering. But some of them are in the motorized chairs and almost every one seems to be on a 10 second delay from my watch... cause time is ticking and that open house isn't going to hold itself. I am nice through this whole thing (believe it or not), I get my cheese cubes and I think I may have cut a lady off on the paper plate aisle but I get plates, napkins & forks. Check out. My new goal at this moment is to pay and get out. But I am then caught as a caravan traveling .00001 miles per hour comes by. At this point, I've decided I'm not going to make it. Then comes my saving grace!!!!

SELF CHECK OUT!!!!
They don't know how to use it so they are all piled up on the "cashier run" registers. I am saved by technology! I ring em, bag em & pay. I see the door. It's sooooo close. But there is another social gathering blocking my exit. So I swing around a way too early Christmas display and start a dead run. Almost running over two more elderlies that are discussing today's purchase of scratcher lottery tickets. So I back up and realize I'm trapped. Forever I will be stuck in Kroger on Senior Citizen Discount Day. No one is moving. No one cares. They don't have anywhere to be. Desperately I look at my watch and then miraculously there is a break in the latest Medicare debate and I snatch my leave. As they all watch this young, hyper-ventilating lady escape their world I'm sure we were all thinking the same thing... she doesn't belong here. No she does not. Never again. I will be chastised and yelled at for this blog... but I'm just going to have to accept that I am a &@#^ whipper-snapper who needs to learn a thing or two about respecting her elders. Which my response is, I do... as long as we don't have to grocery shop together.

Mmmm... Turkey & Wine at Noon

2005-11-14T15:21:00.000-05:00

"So, what did you have to do at work today? Show a house or something?"
Classic Andrea moment,
last night on the way downtown.
I guess you had to be there....

I have just consumed more food than a lady of my size should really be able to consume. And on top of that I drank a glass of wine. I could pass out right now! My office had our Thanksgiving Dinner this afternoon and my head has been blurry ever since. I brought in the mack-daddy popular dish... Green Bean casserole. It is so easy to fix and so good at the same time.

Now if I can just digest what I've already eaten then I will have enough room for the fajitas I'm having with Ginnie tonight. I don't know where we are going to go but just as long as they have a smoking section and good margarittas I'll be fine!!! Yes, that is correct, I have not yet quit smoking. But I still have until January 25, 2006. That is the day I turn 25. After that I'll just be on my way to 30 so I definitely can't smoke then!!! Translation... on my way to looking old. Anyways... I am now going to get everything that I need to get done and then go home early and hit my couch!!! My head kinda hurts so I might pop some excedrin too.

Saturday...

2005-11-12T12:33:00.000-05:00

Yes, that's correct ladies & gentlemen... it's Saturday. The day that everyone scurries around their house and yard trying to do everything that needs to be done before your week starts again. My list of chores today:

1. Litter Boxes (this is actually done almost everyday)
2. Vacuum upstairs & the ferrets cage
3. Sweep and bare floor vac downstairs
4. Put dishes away
5. Laundry
6. Change bed linens
7. Clean bathrooms
8. Sweep back patio
9. Sweep off front walk and stoop
10. Dust (uggghhh!)
11. Update checkbook & quicken files
12. File papers in office
13. Buy new batteries for cordless phones

Sounds fun, doesn't it? For all you kids out there that just can't wait to grow up... Get over it. Live the life now... you don't have a job, you don't have a mortgage, you can have fun without dropping $50.00-$100.00 in a night... but most importantly, you don't spend your Saturday marking things off your "to do" list.

On a more pleasant note and also an opportunity to procrastinate from my chores even longer... I had the best duck in the entire world last night. And a pretty good time too! After rounding up Ginnie & Tracy from Rapture, we linked up with Brett at the Tavern. Swung by and grabbed Andrea and off we went for our Friday night out. Having our plans up-rooted by the fact that Kokopelli's will be closed until after Thanksgiving, the group of us headed to Mas in Belmont (Tapas... not Topless). There we munched on Duck, Tenderloin & Squid... Mmmmm, Duck. It was fabulous. I can't believe I'm even typing this, but it was better than Duner's. Surprising, I know. Somehow Brett managed to get drunk at Mas. I'm not sure when it happened... maybe somewhere between the first and fourth jaeger. So his last stop with us was the Tavern (again) where he slipped out the door at like 9:30pm. Early... very early.

So minus one, the remaining four of us head to Miller's to meet Dave and a couple of his friends. The chickadee at Miller's singing was very good and I need to make a note to find out who she was. By now the rest of us are all about 3 sheets to the wind so us girls cut ourselves off when we left Millers.

Next and final stop... Fellini's & American Dumpster. Awesome, awesome, awesome band. The four of us, plus Dave and his two friends, pile in... it was crowded as poop. But we danced our tales off... I sat down eventually because my little feet were tired. Andrea headed home about 11-ish and Ginnie followed around 12-ish. Now comes the fun part. Getting Tracy home... who was beyond drunk. Waaaaaaay beyond drunk. Plastered doesn't even do his state justice. I had sobered up at this point, having not had a drink for over two hours. So I drive Dave home and then Tracy. I never realized how much bigger Tracy was than I until I had to walk him to his door. Got him inside, got back in my car and looked at the time. It was only 1am. Not one of us had stayed on the DTM past 12:30am. Either we started early or we hit it hard once we started... either way, that was one incredibly early night. For us, at least.

Wanting to go home....

2005-11-11T15:33:00.000-05:00

I need some coffee... that's what I need. I'm so tired it's not even funny. If I could lay down on my desk and take a nap I would. Stupid floor time... come on 5:30!!!!

But anyways... so we were supposed to head out to Crozet this evening and visit Kokopelli's but Tracy called and left me a message saying that they were closed until after Thanksgiving. So much for that idea I guess. This is our effort to vacate the DTM for a little bit. I've been informed that out of "respect" I should not go to Rapture for a month or so. I'm going a long with the idea but not out of "respect". I acquired my reason and now I am in exit mode. Or maybe I should call it "shut down mode". It really does suck though because that is where I go to dance... there isn't anywhere else I can go to dance. (insert sympathy music here.) Not only that, but it's my FAVORITE bar. I should have known... oh boy, I should have known a hell of a lot better. Yep, I'm a dumb ass. Dumb Ass.

So, this is soooo sad... I've actually broken out the Bites & Sights book to figure out where we are going to go this evening. Definitely going to stop in and see my Tubby Bear at Court Square and American Dumpster is playing at Fellini's tonight. So maybe it won't be so bad. Tracy and I always dance our butts off when they're playing. I'm sure we will figure things out. I just don't feel like hanging at Miller's all night long. Maybe we will check out Escafe... Oh my god, I completely forgot about Blue Light!!! I'm saved... my weekends will be okay!

Really... I do need some coffee, though.

Kim Hits Downtown... on a Wednesday!!!

2005-11-10T09:57:00.000-05:00

Last night was awesome!!! My best friend actually came downtown with me...
and went to a...
wait for it...

BAR!!!

This was very exciting for me because she never, ever, ever goes out. We've been best friends since we were 17 and smoking up after school. Ahhh, how times have changed. She is (gasp!) married and has (yikes!) two kids. So needless to say there was a point in our lives together that we came upon a rather large fork in the road. Kim chose the simple family life style. I, on the other hand, took the road of a career and living my twenties for all they are worth!!! Both of us are very happy in our choices but we don't have as much time together anymore. So I took her to Miller's last night and she experienced a very low key night out. Ginnie was on the corner (ugh!) and who knows where Andrea was. But she did get to see Brett and meet Tracy. It was too fun... I just hope she feels okay this morning!

So, now I must actually do some of this career that I love so much. And just for kicks & giggles, here is a favorite character of mine... DOGBERT THE REAL ESTATE AGENT.

Late Night, Good Morning & Good Coffee

2005-11-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

Not too much to post about this morning... I kept Miss Andrea out pretty late last night. I was on a mission!!! Although I have to say that even though I accomplished what I set out for the answers that I received were some what unsettling. I was glad to hear that the ex-girlfriend wasn't the problem but then disappointed at the same time. Strange. Like every other warm blooded male out there, he wasn't ready for a relationship. (this is me biting my tongue...) That's all fine and dandy but why can't people bring themselves to be honest instead of running away. Oh well... I'm glad I know or at least that I now have a platform to launch my exit from. I've felt like Mighty Mouse with an anchor the last couple weeks because I had no ground to take off from.

ANYWAYS....

Tonight is Girls Night... this is something that my sister-in-law, Michelle, and my best friend, Kim, and I do every Wednesday. I have no idea what we are doing tonight but I am sure it will involve eating and spending money. I do need another shower curtain and a rug for the downstairs of the ferrets cage. Apparently vinyl and ferrets don't do very well together. This can all be accomplished at Target I believe. That or Bed, Bath & Beyond. We'll see... hopefully they will show up. Back to work now... not getting paid to blog. Actually, not getting paid period. Isn't commission great!?!?!

The Characters of My Crazy Life

2005-11-08T16:31:00.000-05:00

I know everyone says that their life is a soap opera but I'm really going to put it out there and say that my friends lives take the ultimate cake!!! The one good thing about it is that it doesn't give me time to focus on my problems... which suck, by the way. Basically we all come from the famous Court Square Tavern in one way or another. Let's see if we can explain this one:

Me (Becca) - Full time Realtor, former part-time CST waitress. Not too many issues in my life except men. But I am completely willing to accept all responsibility for my problems... excluding this last one. That one I'm still trying to figure out. I don't know if I ever will. To put my screwed up way of thinking into perspective for the world wide web, I was involved with a guy I worked with (still friends with him) that ended up in me getting hurt. Shocking... right? Anywho... was completely celibate for all of 2004 and then some. 2005 hit and I just got angry. Decided that I would treat men how they treated me... just a girl out to have fun. That worked great until I had fun with someone I was actually interested in (another person I worked with... Travis). That fell to pieces and then I meet this latest one. I decided to go about it a different way and things were going great. Now he has disappeared.... I think back to his ex-girlfriend, but it's not like he is telling me or anything. So, I have to say, I'm sad about that. That basically sums up my issues. Pretty low key if you ask me.

Andrea - Ahhh, yes. Andrea. ABC clerk, former Tastings waitress (owned by same guy that owns CST). She has been my downtown partner in crime since early 2005. Was there when the good girl shoes came off and a couple other things. >:) So we've basically made our mark on the downtown mall and can probably now officially be considered "fixtures". But Andrea has one big problem in her life... his name is Brett. Friend of mine, former lover of mine (see above), but not good for Miss A. She is tee-totally in LOVE with this boy and he is just not getting it. I can't explain it... he wants her back, then he doesn't, then he does, then he doesn't. So most of Andrea's days are spent trying to figure out what in the world is going on in this crazy "relationship" that they have. Yes, do take note of the quotes there. She is also in a custody battle for her son so that makes her life even more hectic. Yeah... no good.

Brett - Bartender at Millers, former CST Bartender... involved with me in late 2003. Now having an "open relationship" with Andrea. I'm telling you right now, that's not going to fly. When I met Brett he liked Cuervo & Coke. Then it changed to Cuervo on the rocks... now it's just Cuervo. He likes to drink, he likes to party, and he is usually either extremely happy or looking for a rock to crawl under. He and Andrea live together and are the biggest hermits I've ever met. Seriously... they disappeared for like 4 days a little while back. They were in their bedroom the whole time!!! Freaks! Yes... I am very good friends with his current girlfriend (or whatever) and no it does not cause any problems.

Tubby - Full time Podcaster, Part time CST Bartender. My best guy friend in the world. Knows everyone but doesn't hang out all the time. Every once in a while he might come out. He was my bartender when I waited tables and when he left Monday's I just quit. I wasn't going to work without my Tubbopotamus! We would have some of the best talks at 1am after we closed the bar down... a true friend that will always be there. And basically my own personal therapist in that he knows everything about me... probably even when I start my period. He certainly knows when I have PMS. Tubby just had a daughter with his wife/fiance Amy. I like Amy... I think she probably thinks we are all lunatics, but can you blame her? Tubby pretty much hangs on the proverbial fence and watches all the craziness unfurl. That would be because there isn't a bit of info that I know that Tubby doesn't find out about... I keep him well informed. And probably entertained, too!!!

Tracy - Full time... I don't know. He works at a law firm and runs around a lot. Former CST Bartender/waiter. This would be my wonderful gay fiance. If I don't find a nice guy in the next 10 years, well 9 now, then Tracy and I are going to just go ahead and get married. We can both be very materialistic and shallow and we can both admit it. The two of us have too much fun together!!! Tracy is probably more like me in that he doesn't have too many problems except finding ways to get home after he has gotten hammered on the downtown mall. Sometimes he and his roommate fight... but not too much. They are too funny. They just went out to eat at OXO with Ginnie & I and we had the best time! Definitely the loudest table in there.

Ginnie - Full time hair dresser, former girlfriend of Tastings/CST dishwasher (weasel). Awesome chickadee who is loving being single right now! First really met her when we skinny dipped at KOA. That was awesome! I did cut my hand pretty bad but it healed. This is my restaurant girl! Boy, do we love to eat out! This girl has some serious style and she can make your hair look fabulous in a matter of minutes. Ginnie from the Block!!! She just cut & colored my hair and I have to say did a wonderful job. Don't use box color if you know this girl cause she will seriously jap slap your butt. She is fairly new to the group so nothing big has come up with her... or nothing that I would post on my blog! Well there was the crazy dude that was waiting outside the salon & banging on her door... but that was taken care of.

These are just the main characters in my day to day life... and only the downtown ones!!! But this is where all the drama is! You've got to just love it!

Ulysses and the Sirens

2005-10-31T19:14:00.000-05:00

The Greek hero Odysseus (English: Ulysses), advised by the sorceress Circe, escaped the danger of their song by stopping the ears of his crew with wax so that they were deaf to the Sirens; yet he was able to hear the music and had himself tied to the mast so that he could not steer the ship out of course.

Painted by Herbert James Draper. This is one of my most favorite paintings. We won't discuss how much I paid on e-bay to get a print of it...

Seven Years

2005-10-31T17:44:00.000-05:00

For Seven Years
The shadows of my past have followed me,
Haunting & observing my every stride.
My past is the definition of my present.
One faithful heart ache.
It’s not their fault, yet they have all paid.
They are all, yet they are one.

For Seven Years
The shadows of my past have created me,
Designing & building my every thought.
Anger has built many walls.
My mind has turned against me.
Hurtful and indifferent.
Anything to avoid falling again.

For Seven Years
The shadows of my past have strengthened me,
Shaping & guiding my every reaction.
I have walked away from many.
I have turned away from even more.
How proud I am that I can do this!
Am I really that proud?

For Seven Years
The shadows of my past have scorned me,
Maiming & destroying my every passion.
A heart that is indifferent to loss.
Love once known has faded away.
Empathy is nothing more than a black hole.
Absent are any tears that once could have been shed.

Is strong-hearted nothing more than cold-hearted?
What I would give to cry over him.
What I would give to feel the warmth of tears on my face.
What I would give for my shadows disappear.
What I would give to love again.
Absolutely Invaluable.

Halloween Ferret... You've Got to Love It!!!

2005-10-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

Just because I know everyone out there loves these guys just as much as I do...

Soon to be: Wine & Downtown (no ciggies)

2005-10-24T10:22:00.000-04:00

Okay, this time I am going to do it!!!!

I WILL QUIT SMOKING! I WILL, I WILL, I WILL!!!!

Ginnie, Andrea, Tracy and I all pinkie swore on it last night. Tracy doesn't even smoke but he wanted in on the pinkie swear. Andrea... well, I don't know if there is much hope for her quitting. She is chimney if I ever saw one. Ginnie and I though, we can do this!!!! But you know, there really is no real need for it. It has got to be completely mental. Because it's not like I even light up until the evening rolls in. I do not smoke at work & I try not to smoke in my car. So really it's not an addiction until I get in situations where I am used to smoking. Not only that but I don't want to look old. Yeah, yeah... so I'm sounding rather prima donnaish and superficial but I'm young and I fear wrinkles more than I fear death! That and it's getting rather expensive and I don't want to smell like smoke all the darn time. But I'm going to be honest... when I put what was my last cigarette out last night I was a bit remorseful. I wish I could pin point when I became addicted. It took forever I know that. Over half my life I've smoked. That's right... 13 YEARS!!!! There was a time where it really didn't bother me. I remember asking my ex-boyfriend what it felt like when you really, really wanted one. He described it as a feeling of hunger. Yep, that's what it was (is). This is not going to be easy...

Jeans, No Make up & some Crazy Hair

2005-10-18T15:46:00.000-04:00

It's Tuesday and the DSL at my office has been down since Saturday. So here I am kicking it in jeans, no make up and some crazy hair working from home. But it should be back tomorrow so I can get back to my professional days.
~~sigh~~
Speaking of professional and work, let me tell you... when you meet someone that you're super interested in, spending time with them sometimes works its way into your sleep schedule. Therefore effecting when I wake up to go to work. NOT GOOD. It's time to get back to my 11 o-clock bed time and start getting to work at 9am. Anyways... back to work, nothing too interesting to post today.

Boots, Sexy Ryan Reynolds & Maryland

2005-10-07T10:40:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's Friday morning and my coffee is definitely better than the other day. Probably because I have the good creamer today. The day I find out who it is in the office that is using up all of Gail's & my creamer is going to get some serious jap-slapp'n. The weather is rainy and it's 68 degrees outside. Today I wore my boots to work and I have to say that it may be one of the bigger highlights of my week. Well maybe not the biggest, but there are some things (or some ones) that just don't get discussed on my blog. :-) Anywho... yes, boots. There is a fabulous pair in the Victoria's Secret catalogue that I think I may have to sport this fall & winter. I love boots...

So if there is anyone out there who would like to see Ryan Reynolds (sexy, sexy, SEXY) with his shirt off and a very chiseled body I would suggest watching The Amityville Horrors. I just hope you don't mind him turning into a psychotic bastard. But, man, oh man... whew, catch my breath. Ginnie & I watched that last night as we avoided the insanity of Charlottesville and the Rolling Stones. Slightly spine tingling.

Tonight I head to Maryland to see Terri & Mark. Coleman is riding with me so that should be rather entertaining!!! I'm just going to hope and pray that they don't have some poor soul up there to hook me up with. I've had my eye on one in particular for a few weeks now so I'm not so much in the mood to be set up or whatever. Oh well... lots to do before I leave.

Crappy Coffee

2005-10-05T11:18:00.000-04:00

I would like to point out that my coffee tastes like crap!!! It has crappy sweet-n-low, crappy creamer, & crappy taste. Other than that things are good. Heading to Maryland this weekend to see a good friend of mine and I believe that we are going to be going to a dueling piano bar... sweet!!! The Rolling Stones are playing at the Stadium tomorrow night so I doubt that you're going to catch me anywhere near that mob scene. After the Pixies... NO WAY!!! Anywho... I'm going to go get some more crappy coffee. Then I need to get some work done. I've added a rather cute picture of a ferret to the page for everyones enjoyment and entertainment. I know... he is quite adorable.

The Pixies = Downtown Madness

2005-09-30T11:11:00.000-04:00

My best friend in the entire world is Kim... I'm talking almost a decade of friendship here. Eat your heart out Lavern & Shirley. Although, you probably won't catch us skipping to work or anything. We don't work together... She does something at the hospital. Ner nada clue what though. She is the nomad of UVA... worked in like 5 different departments in 3 years it seems. Anyways, we spent a butt load of money MAC Cosmetics yesterday evening. Now if I can only figure out how to do my eyes.... arrrrggggh.

After she headed home to tend to husband and children (take note here where our lives have become rather different) I headed downtown to meet Ginnie. Cute new friend of mine that works at a salon downtown. So okay, The Pixies played at the Pavilion last night and the DTM was a mad house!!! We were some of the frugal listeners on the Avon bridge ($37 a ticket my foot!!!). I didn't even make it until the encore and it was frigg'n freezing outside... really it was in the 50's, but I had flip flops, jeans, and a single sweater on. Brrrr. Anywho, saw my lovely sissy and her "friend" Marty... really nice guy, although my sister does spend a lot of my time with him. Damn, and we go back 24 years!!!! Oh well... at least we're spending some quality time together this weekend. Yea!

So anywho, after the bridge concert Ginnie & I headed to Miller's for a quick drink. OH MY GOD!!! There wasn't a seat to be had at all on the patio (keep in mind... 50's) and there was a line out the door onto the mall. For those who know Millers it's not that great if it's that crowded. So off we go to Rapture where is wasn't' a whole lot better but we did get in the door and into the warmth... sort of. Lucky for us we nabbed a booth by the door and I scooted off to pee (had been holding it since shopping w/ Kim). Some crazy girls almost got into a fight outside of the bathroom... hellloooo priority here: Becca's need to pee!!! Once I got out of that mess I attempted to hit the bar and grab a Cape Cod. Not happening. Circling for a while looking for holes but there were none to be found. At one point I think my stomach got burned with a cigarette. There was another time when I was blocked between three very tall men. I have never seen Rapture that crowded EVER. Eventually I gave up and headed back to Ginnie to say forget it, lets go and guess what? We had a waitress!!!! She got me a drink within minutes... she was my hero!!!! Seriously though... how anybody could have been in there last night is beyond me!!! You really couldn't move, it was shoulder to shoulder. I'm just as much into the bar scene as the guy sitting on the next stool but heck no... I draw the line somewhere. Crazies... a bunch of crazies!!!

The Siren

2005-09-29T15:26:00.000-04:00

Waterhouse paints a Siren gazing regretfully at the drowning sailor she has drawn to his doom through her beautiful music.

'The sea-nymphs chant their accents shrill;
And the Sirens, taught to kill
With their sweet voice,
Make every echoing rock reply,
Unto their gentle murmuring noise'.

Thomas Campion (1567-1620), 'In Praise of Neptune'

John William Waterhouse - I would marry him if he would just spend all day painting for me... oh yeah, & if he was alive.

Let's start this thing...

2005-09-28T16:17:00.000-04:00

I don't want to say that wine, ciggies & downtown are all of my life, but a fair enough amount (outside of work) to be mentioned. I sat on the mall today drinking coffee, smoking cigs & people watching with my downtown partner in crime, Andrea. For an hour and a half we sat, sometimes not speaking for several minutes, just watching as people from all different areas of life walked by. Business men, women coming from yoga, the homeless, construction workers, my sister, etc. It's amazing to have a place like that in this town where so many people flock to. Fall is on her way in and I have to say that I'm not looking forward to the bitter cold that will keep us inside the restaurants & shops on the mall. Although I remember this past winter when Andrea and I headed to Millers with snow pouring out of the sky so that we could enjoy wine, lobster bisque & several cigarettes... that was "good times." (RUFUS!!!)