Wednesday Words

"The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned."

"When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time."

"Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time." 

-Maya Angelou

Wednesday Words

"By 30, a writer's vitality is gone, and his unique vision with it. Anything he's got to say about the world has to be seen through his youth, his unjaded--or less jaded--eyes."

-F. Scott Fitzgerald in Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Ann Fowler

I Didn't Fall But I Can't Get Up

I alluded to this in an earlier post, but I injured my back about a month ago. Though it didn't start hurting until a week after the fact, I think it's the fault of the trampolining. To say I feel betrayed by something I love so much, that I've loved my entire life, is an understatement. I am, of course, talking about the trampoline.

On the Wednesday or Thursday after I trampolined on the Sunday, the middle of my back started hurting. I have frequent lower back problems so I was surprised to have the middle start hurting. This was also a different sort of pain, less achey, and more throbbing. Every time I took a step it hurt. Which is inconvenient if, you know, you are used to taking many steps.

After a week of it hurting, several days of working from home, and a lot of moving as little as possible, I finally went to the doctor. She said it was a spasm and not anything more severe and prescribed me lidocaine patches and a high dose of ibuprofen. Almost a month later it isn't painful but now more occasionally achey. By the time I get home most nights I go straight for the heating pad. This is what 30 looks like, people.

This really isn't meant to complain, but to provide background on the following list. Things I Have Learned About Having a Hurt Back:

• If you whimper, people will move away from you.
• If you walk bent over like a hunchback, people will move away from you.
• If you wince or moan every time you move your bag, people will move away from you.
• If you moan every time the metro hits a bump or brakes harshly, people will move away from you.
• If you can't handle the patch on your back any longer and take it off while walking down the street, people will move away from you.
• If you look healthy on the outside, people won't offer you a seat on the metro no matter how longingly you look at their seat.
• If you want a use for those frozen potatoes and green beans you keep putting off trying, they work well as an ice pack.

• If you buy two really big bags of groceries, and have to walk a mile with them, you will cry when you get home.
• If you don't want to spend any money at Target, walk around folded in half until you can't take it anymore.
• If you fall asleep on a heating pad, you will wake up thinking you're on fire.
• If you have to empty the dishwasher, get something off a high shelf, do laundry, pick up more than two books, or vacuum, you will use your back muscles and it will hurt.

One Man's Jacket and Another Man's Boots

My last few years of high school, denim jackets were popular. I had a stretchy, light-colored one from Gap but I also "borrowed" my Dad's denim jacket from the '70s. The Gap one was donated at some point but Daddy's has moved with me from place to place to place. Now that denim jackets are popular again, and it's light-jacket weather, I pulled his out.

I safety pinned the back to pull it in a bit and stitched up some of the holes. The shoulders are quite boxy so it would be great to take those in, too. I can do this because I have no intention of giving it back to Daddy. Sorry. It's been in my closet for more than 10 years so I don't think he misses it.

My grandfather, Poppy, was a born and raised Texan. He also lived in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida, but he spent his last years back in Texas. After he died, there were two pairs of cowboy boots in his closet. He had small feet so the men couldn't fit in them, and the women either couldn't or didn't want them. So one pair went to my small-footed great uncle, and one pair went to me.

I've worn them once before and always mean to wear them, but am afraid of messing them up. I tend to do this with important things, especially things that belonged to my grandparents. Yet I don't think Poppy would want them just sitting in my closet. He also might not have wanted them paired with a dress and pearls, but hey, I'm a country girl in the city, that's just how it is.

Let's not go to the movies

Some people attract people with money. Some people attract people with luck. I attract people in movie theatres with the need to talk to the screen.

To some degree, I get it. When I'm alone at home watching TV or a movie, I talk back to the characters like they're in the room with me. The key words here are "home" and "alone." (Though "alone" often means "with my roommate.") I don't go out in public with a room full of people who have paid $10 to see something and then act like I'm home in my living room.

Here are some of the memorable asides I've heard the pleasure to overhear at the movies.

The movie: Wanted
The perpetrator: Large man watching the movie alone
The scene: Every time Angelina Jolie came on
The words: A five-syllable “Daaaaaamn, girl.”

The movie: Slumdog Millionaire
The perpetrators: Two senior citizens
The scene: When young Latika is running to get on the train with the brothers.
The words: "Noooooo! Run faster! Grab her hand! Grab her hand!"

The movie: Eat, Pray, Love
The perpetrator: The 30ish woman beside me watching the movie alone
The scene: Any scene where Julia Roberts' character is being whiny. So every scene.
The words: "Girl, you gotta love yourself, first."

The movie: The Other Woman
The perpetrators: Two young women in back row
The first scene: Any funny scene
The words: No words, just a high-pitched shriek before the booming laugh.
The second scene: The one scene where Leslie Mann gets deservedly sad
The words: "She needs some anti-depressants."
The third scene: When the dog licks Leslie Mann's face
The words: "Eww, eww, eww! That tongue went in her mouth!"
The fourth scene: Me getting up and walking to the front section, which I hate, just to get away from them.
The words: [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted]

I realize as I look back at these, that none of them were at the theatre in Chinatown, which I’ve stopped going to. I mainly stopped going because of SCREAMING children during very non-child friendly movies. Seriously. A screaming newborn at “Hunger Games” and a 3-year-old at “Gangster Squad,” in which a man is literally torn in half in the first scene. Great parenting, DC!

Maybe I'll just wait for videos to come out on DVD.

Wednesday Words

"You have to stop acting like a lunatic."

-Don Draper, Mad Men

What I'm Doing Instead of Blogging

This is what  my work calendar looked like this morning. Four meetings at the same time. Though one by one, all but one, got cancelled. Nowadays I have more meetings in a day than I used to have in months. And all are on the phone. And some are in French. (Just the invite and, interestingly, the conference call dial in recording. Either I remember enough of my college French, or I just know the con call script so well, that it barely phased me this morning.)

I want to blog, I want to not have 7 am phone calls. (That was Friday.) I want to not actually cry when I see that the call that was supposed to be at 8 am was pushed back to 9 am, meaning I get a precious additional half hour of sleep. I want to get to work on time for a call so I can stop taking a cab from my work metro to work. (Which is only a 15-minute walk but every minute counts for me.)

I want to be in bed but instead I just spray painted a necklace in my shower. I'm not even kidding.

But all is not bad. The brilliant TV show "Orphan Black" is keeping me entertained. I just spent a lovely night watching TV and laughing with K. I got a $50+ West Elm floor pillow cover at the thrift store today for $3.50. I missed a couple of work yesterday because a friend just needed to talk, and when we got back and apologized to our boss, she just said, "I don't care! You all work so hard, I really don't care." I get to wear red, white, and blue and wave an American flag tomorrow to celebrate a co-worker's new citizenship. With an exceptionally and newly (spray-painted) red necklace to top it all off.

Best of all, my only scheduled con call isn't until 2:00. In the afternoon. Eastern standard time.

You Wish You Had My Friends

"Look at me. I'm your new something shiny."

-MW, trying to get my attention

"But they can look at your chart and see that you're 

actually a toddler."

-Karey, after we discussed that I'm glad for a different doctor 

each time I go to urgent care since I've gone for an iron burn, pink eye, 

a cough, and a hurt back after trampolining

Wednesday Words

“There were always in me, two women at least, one woman desperate and bewildered, who felt she was drowning and another who would leap into a scene, as upon a stage, conceal her true emotions because they were weaknesses, helplessness, despair, and present to the world only a smile, an eagerness, curiosity, enthusiasm, interest.” 

-Anaïs Nin

Wednesday Words (on a Friday)

"The minute you settle for less than you deserve, you get even less than you settled for."

-Maureen Dowd

Things I Learned This Weekend

Yeah, yeah, I know it's almost the next weekend. Better late and short than never and ever.

It is possible to drink sangria and not lose your mind.
We had happy hour on Friday at my most favorite HH place with sangria! Sangria has featured quite heavily in previous things I've learned, but I do believe this is the first time it's been featured for not making me do something stupid. I had my three glasses--that were severely lacking in the fruit department--lots and lots of food, and then was on my sober way.

Don't go to Target when you're sad.
So last week I was sad. I don't know why. In "Breakfast at Tiffany's" parlance I had the mean reds. It happens and you just have to deal. When I get like that I have to do things to make me happy. One of those is Target. Of course, since I spend too much money at Target on a good day, this probably wasn't the wisest decision. But just being out and around pretty things did make it better.

You can never have too many sets of sheets.
How many sets of sheets do you have? I just bought my sixth and I don't see a problem with it. My mom, however, thinks I'm crazy. But I say that there is nothing in life that can't be fixed with a good set of sheets and some chocolate. Just not at the same time. Aren't they pretty?

Decorating for spring is a great mood lifter.
Bright colors were another solution to getting me out of my funk. Some plastic eggs, some glitter eggs, a vase, and some felt flowers plus some stuff I already had certainly helped brighten things up a bit.

Trampoline jumping is just the best.
On Saturday B and K and I went to a trampoline park! I'm still excited just typing that. I first heard of these some time last year and have been dying to go to one. I found one in Northern Virginia not far from where Brandie and her husband just bought a house. So on a rainy and bleak Saturday two late 20-somethings and an early 30-something got their trampoline on! And it was exhilarating and exhausting and electrifying and exhausting. I'd definitely do it again, but not for a whole hour, probably just a solid 15 minutes.

Good and true Mexican food does exist in Northern Virginia.
We're super picky about our Mexican food but we found a good one on a random street across from a car dealership. Thanks, Brandie's GPS! We stuffed ourselves silly whilst sitting at a beautiful calla lily table. It doesn't get much better than that.

A little kid singing "Let it Go" on the metro is way preferable to a little kid screaming her guts out on the metro.
The metro trip out to see Brandie isn't short. It's not quite an hour, which really isn't terrible when you have a book and music and a good friend. However, when you add a screaming, screeching, howling child to the mix, it feels interminable. We had such a raucous child on the ride down I thought she was being murdered. (She wasn't; I checked.) Then on the ride home we got an adorable girl who was so excited to be riding the metro that her and her Dad sang a little "Let it Go." It was almost worth the devil child from earlier.

Wednesday Words

Only need the light when it's burning low 

Only miss the sun when it starts to snow 

Only know you love her when you let her go 

Only know you've been high when you're feeling low 

Only hate the road when you're missin' home

Only know you love her when you let her go

-"Let Her Go" by Passenger

This is one of those songs that, within a day of buying, was second on my most played list. I just love it. It sticks with me, though, because I'm opposite of what it's portraying. When it's snowing I don't think it will ever be sunny again, and when I'm feeling low I can't remember what it's like to feel high. I don't know which way is better.

A New Obsession

Several months ago, from some other blog or link or something, I discovered the website Darby Smart.They're a craft website offering DIY kits that you order by the project. Each kit comes with everything you need to complete the project. They also have a monthly subscription box that sends a mystery project each month; I've done this twice.

All the projects are reasonably priced, in my opinion, and they frequently offer coupon codes and deals. (I'm not sure I've ever paid full price for one. Though I gladly would.) So far I've completed four, ordered two for my sister's Christmas gift, have two waiting for me to complete, and one more on the way. (For the latest three, I had a coupon code for one, a gift card from my brother, and a $10 credit for coming in second in one of their giveaways.)

I also just submitted my own idea for a project. If they like it, and can source the materials, they will offer it for sale as one of their projects. I'll let you all know if that happens. For just being considered they gave me a $30 credit to use in their supply store. I got paint, jewels, and stencils. I used the paint and jewels and submitted this wine cork memo board as my project idea.

Projects waiting for me: Cutting boards to woodburn, pillows to embellish, and champagne flutes to dot.

 
And these are the four I've completed so far.

I just loved these tilted teacups. It came with two and I made one for me and one for my sister. These are the first candles I've ever made and they smell so good. It came with hot pink spray paint but I used the gold paint pen I got with another kit.

There were so many options for what to do with this states stencil. I finally decided on stenciling all of the states and coloring the ones I've visited. I look forward to coloring in more. (Provided the paint doesn't dry up.) The stencil is reusable too.

I don't have the Darby version for this as it was the December DIY For mystery box. Once the supplies were revealed, I snatched it up, knowing it would be great for my 20s party. It came with a full stencil alphabet, though I connected the lines for a cleaner look. (Those stencils are also resuable.) It came with two sets of battery-operated twinkle lights, which you can sort of see. I added the cursive words using my Silhouette machine.

This kit was also bought for my 20s party. The glitter got out of hand so I strung the balls like beads for a garland instead. Had they been used for cocktail stirrers, I feared my party guests would be drinking glitter.

With no easily accessible or fully stocked craft store near me, I love that everything you need comes with it. I also love that while they give you a photo and steps, you can still exercise your creativity to customize. There's also a showroom where others post what they did, giving you even more ideas.

Wednesday Words

"When do the things we once wanted more than life itself, get replaced, by life itself?" 

-Jan W., in a Gchat conversation with me

Things I Learned This Weekend

A new escalator not moving looks the same as an old escalator not moving.
About four months ago, Metro closed one of the entrances to our metro to replace the escalators. They were unveiled on Thurdsay morning and by Thursday evening when I got home one was already not moving. I had predicted it would last until at least Friday, and Karey was generous and gave it a week. It turns out we both have more faith than we thought in our embarrassing metro system.

Sitting at home reading and watching a Carolina tournament game is a good way to end a crazy week.
I watched the game from home on the couch with my PJs and my book. It was a good start to a weekend that would end not good.

Reading even a slightly scary book makes sleeping slightly difficult.
Last week I read "Night Film" and as a result had some trouble sleeping. I just can't handle even a little mystery. Luckily, a trash can in front of the door helps keep out even the mightiest supernatural threat. Or so I tell myself. It was a pretty good book though.

Everything really is better in miniature.
Even mid-century modern furniture, which isn't my style but I do appreciate the aesthetics of, especially when tiny! I broke down and bought this furniture for $2.50 at one of my thrift stores. It's been there my last few trips and when the whole store was 50% off last week, I took it as a sign. It's from the 80s so it has a record player, big speakers, and giant headphones. We had a similar setup at home.

Carrying flat pieces of wood is only marginally safer than carrying a dowel.
A few weeks ago I carried a dowel and almost killed myself/others. This week I carried a few pieces of balsa wood, which was still kind of dicey.

Duke students don't say thank you.
This unopened box of thank you notes was at my thrift store for 50 cents. I assume it's because Dukies never say thanks. Or maybe they just don't write. Remember the sad memo block I found?

It's really important to realize the effect your purse strap is having on the buttons on your shirt whilst shopping at a thrift store attached to a church.
Can you read behind the lines on that one? Yeah, I think I inadvertently flashed the elderly workers at my fave religious thrift store. But it's Episcopalian, and they're super liberal, so it's probably ok.

Spring is trying to arrive.
These little buds were just trying to bust through that stubborn winter ground. After today's snow, they've probably retreated and are considering never busting through again.

Dremel-brand bits fit my generic-brand Dremel and routing is fun.
I basically want to rout all the wood in my apartment. But I won't. For now.

A new lamp can really brighten things up.
See what I did there? The cheap medusa lamp I've had since the summer after college was sort of burning itself. I bought this pretty thing from Target and had to do some rearranging. It was also a good spark to get some organizing done.

Organizing can lead to found and lost things.
I had to move my bookcases in order to accommodate the lamp where I wanted it. This meant I was able to retrieve two of my Breakfast at Tiffany's posters that fell several weeks ago. In the process, however, the wrap and purse for my Holly Barbie fell behind the bookcase. But doesn't it all look so pretty and clean? And now another found lost thing...

It's easier to save money when you remember you're saving it.
Short story: I found $60 in my saving place in my room.
Long story: About 4 years I lost my college class ring. I was devastated. Even more so when I learned Carolina had started offering only one "official" class ring, which I didn't like. Then last summer I saw that they were offering some additional options, including my original one! My first instinct was to buy it immediately and put it on my credit card. Instead I took out some cash every paycheck and kept it in my secret saving place in my room. By the end of the summer I had enough saved and ordered (and received) my ring. I must have decided to keep saving for something else, but then must have forgot after one withdrawal. Oops. On the upside I found $60!

Pantone's color of the year -- radiant orchard -- really is quite radiant. AKA bright.
I'll write about this later this week, but I'm working on a DIY project for my favorite new website, Darby Smart. I got comped some supplies to make it and one was a pot of Pantone paint. It really is a lovely, and bright, color.
 

 
Having friends turn 30 is way better than turning 30 yourself.
I was the first of my close group of friends to turn 30. Now the others are starting to fall over that hill, too. Finally. This was the first of at least four 30th birthday cards I'll have to make this year.

I hate basketball.
Sunday evening wasn't good and I don't really want to talk about it. Except to say that it kind of sucks caring about something sometimes. And sometimes I want to go back to when I didn't care about sports. It'd be easier.

The Only Thing I Learned This Weekend

Tar Heels are everywhere!
Because this happened on Saturday nite at a bar in D.C.

If you don't know, that is former Tar Heel basketball player and 2009 National Champion Marcus Ginyard.

So here's what happened. On Saturday nite I went out with my friend who, for the purposes of this blog, I will call Mr. Wit (MW)*. We had considered going to Georgetown but since I hate it there, had just spent the afternoon there, and people were out celebrating St. Patrick's Day there, we decided to hit Adams Morgan instead. This is a very popular part of D.C. that I've never really cared for. I have reasons but they're all pretty lame so I'll just move on.

We had dinner at a small New Orleans restaurant I had visited years ago with my book club. After jambalaya and beignets we set out for a new-ish bar that I'd only been to for brunch and was entirely new to MW.

After sitting at the bar for a little while, this tall man walked in. I took one look at his face, dug my nails into MW's arm, and squealed, "Oh my gosh it's Marcus Ginyard! No, wait, it's not, it can't be. Oh my gosh I think it's him. No." After letting me carry on like this for a minute, MW had me pull his picture up on his phone and he confirmed it was him.

He tried to get me to talk to him but I refused. I didn't want to bother him and I just knew I'd make a fool of myself. Somehow I got distracted, by a drink or the TV or something shiny, and MW took that as his cue to talk to MG. He told me it went something like this:
MW: So, if I went to UNC, would I know you?
MG: I don't know, would you?
MW: Would I?
MG: Maybe.

Then MW pulled me over and said, "Well, I didn't go to UNC, but she did." And then I died.

I couldn't stop smiling and apologizing for bothering him. I asked him what he was doing in town and he asked me what I did in D.C. I asked if he'd seen UNC's atrocious game the day before. (He had not.) He was so polite and nice. I had no reason to think he'd be otherwise, having only ever heard good things about him, but it's always nice to see.

I asked him if he'd hate me if I asked for a picture, and he laughed and said no, so that's what I did. MW left for the bathroom so I'd have a minute alone to talk to him, which was nice but nerve-wracking because I'm such a goober. When he got back, I moved back to my seat and we continued doing our thing. Well, not true, we continued drinking and dancing interspersed with my periodic "Oh my gosh! I'm so happy! Oh my gosh!"

It was just a fun nite anyway and to have that as part of it definitely made it even better. Had I been alone I would have just been happy to see him at the bar, without saying anything, so I'm glad I had MW to break the ice for me.



*There are certain aspects of my life I keep off this blog for various reasons. But sometimes these areas are important and it feels wrong to ignore them. So my solution is Mr. Wit. Which was one of many suggested monikers. As you might expect from someone called Mr. Wit.

Wednesday Words

"For the impenetrable prison with the impossible lock is your own head."

-Marisha Pessl, "Night Film"

Wednesday Words

"'How easy it is to feel the goodness of God on such a day?' he whispered. 'Sometimes I wonder why we shut ourselves up in churches. What can man make, after all, that evokes the Divine as a place such as this?'"

-Geraldine Brooks, "Year of Wonders"

Getting My Fix

Several months ago, my friend Cynthia told our book club about the online personal shopping service called Stitch Fix. For $20 a stylist will pick and send five items of clothing or accessories based on a style profile you complete. Then you have three days to decide what you want to keep and return any remaining items in the included envelope. The $20 fee acts as a credit toward anything you buy.

I've written many times here about how much I love clothes. But I've actually cut way back on the amount of clothes I buy. Especially new clothes. I'm far more likely to get items from a thrift or consignment store. I resisted doing the service since I'm so particular about my clothes and since I know my self control goes way down when I have pretty clothes in my hand. I couldn't imagine how low it would go if they were at my doorstep.

As you could probably guess, this resistance didn't last long and I ordered my first "fix" back in October. I kept a pair of jeans and a blouse. I am most particular about my jeans and was shocked that these fit so well.

I got my second fix yesterday and decided to write about it. I debated writing about this but I've read the reviews others have written, including Cynthia, and I think it's fun.

As soon as I opened the box I smelled this bag. It was made of polyurethane and smelled like a tire. It also made everything else in the box smell, too. I don't have a problem picking out accessories myself and I like them cheap, so this was an automatic no.

Next was this thin, striped t-shirt. I wasn't crazy about how the stripes were different widths on the front and back. It also hit at an odd place and was way too thin to justify that price tag.

I thought this would be shapeless on but it actually had some structure to it. I love the color and it feels so soft and comfy. This one was a yes.

I liked the size of the stripes and the color blocking on top, but it was too big. If it was a bit cheaper I may have justified buying it and taking in the sides myself. It also was a bit too thick for summer and too thin for end of winter/spring, so I fear it wouldn't have got worn much anyway.

It's hard to capture the color of these pants, but they are a beautiful royal blue. (NOT a duke blue, thank you.) There are no zippers or pockets and they just slide on to fit me perfectly. I really am shocked that yet another pair of pants fit me so well. These are more than I pretty much ever pay for pants but I talked myself into them because: I have nothing like them; the quality, fit, and feel is great; and since I had a $25 referral credit that covered the styling fee, which normally I'd pay, it basically works out to $50 off and I can swing $45 for pants.

The other three items went in the return bag and the pink cardigan went on my body to wear today. (With the jeans from my first fix.)

I think I'd like to use Stitch Fix once a season. I'd love to do it more but I don't trust myself. However, if you want to use it too, and use my referral link, maybe I'll do it more. (Hint hint.)

Wednesday Words

“The mind of a writer can be a truly terrifying thing. Isolated, neurotic, caffeine-addled, crippled by procrastination and consumed by feelings of panic, self-loathing and soul-crushing inadequacy. And that’s on a good day.” 

-Robert DeNiro, 2014 Academy Awards

Tar Heel For Life

As I briefly mentioned before, the Toronto Raptors recently came to play the Washington Wizards. If you're like me, you may have thought one or all of the following things:

• The NBA is still a thing?
• Why in the hell is DC's team named the Wizards?
• When did Tyler leave that team he was on somewhere in the Midwest?

Those first two questions I ask myself repeatedly. The last question wasn't asked until after tickets were purchased to see the Raptors vs. Wizards, leaving me to assume he had indeed been traded.

Why do I care about the Raptors? Because, of course, one of the greatest players to ever wear the Carolina jersey happens to be on that team. And with a vibrant UNC alumni community in the DC area, and enough of us that bought tickets and committed to form a fan tunnel, we were allowed on the court prior to game time to do just that.

It was really neat to be on the court. (Especially in heeled boots. The coaches at my high school would've died.)

I was with two of my favorite Carolina girls, of course. Plus about 30 other alums, including a few we've met at events in the past.

After just a few minutes on the court, the Raptors (unexpectedly) emerged and ran through our pom pom-waving, Tar Heel-loving, Tyler-cheering tunnel. Well, some did, others avoided it all together and others just mocked our cries of "Go, Tyler!" Tyler himself just look embarrassed. Oh well. Guess you shouldn't be a beloved UNC player, buddy. Tar Heel is a lifetime title.

We were able to stay on the court long enough to see him take a few practice shots.

Then it was up to our nosebleed seats for the first half. Tyler put in some good time in both halves.

For the second half we snuck in to lower level seats. The stadium was less than sold out but it was surprisingly difficult to sneak past the guards. We ended up in a section with the dance moms of the halftime show, so we didn't exactly blend in, but it worked out.

The Raptors won by quite a bit so that was nice to see. It's so weird to me still that a professional basketball team is just a few metro stops away. I guess I could try and go more but I think we all know my heart lies with a certain college basketball down South.

Things That Have Happened

It's been awhile since I caught myself up on my life. And since technically I haven't left my apartment in a few days--but I did get a ton of stuff done around said apartment, except for putting away the laundry I did on Thursday--I'm writing about stuff that has happened in the past few weeks:

• I went home to North Carolina for a long weekend to see my parents and also Billy Joel in concert! It was wonderful.
• At dinner before said concert, the power button on my iPhone jammed, rendering it useless.
• I bought a new iPhone. It was time for a new one but I was hoping to wait a few more weeks.
• While at Apple store, I had a nice conversation with the "Genius" and learned that they don't get commission on what they sell.
• I took a friend out for their birthday and learned that one of the bartenders at a whiskey bar in DC likes to pretend he's Belle from Beauty and the Beast whilst climbing the big ladders in the bar. (Ladders are to get to all the whiskey on shelves on the wall.)
• Snow Storm #1 left about 10 inches of snow on this fair city and we were snowed in for several days.
• I didn't leave my apartment the entire President's Day weekend. It was lazy and sad but also glorious.
• Tyler Hansbrough came to DC with his NBA team to play the Wizards and the UNC DC alumni group went on the court for a fan tunnel. It was wonderful and amazing and I'll post about it later.
• I made my Grandma Bonnie's potato soup for a competition at work. It only took two Facetime calls and a death grip on my phone to prevent it from becoming part of the soup to make it happen.
• Snow Storm #2 hit today and we got about 8 more inches of snow.
• I've watched the first two seasons of "Veronica Mars" over the past week and it has consumed my life.

Things I Learned This Weekend

A UNC win over Duke and a celebratory outfit make for a great Friday.
While I have worn just a plain UNC t-shirt to work before, and will surely do so again come March Madness, I thought I'd fancy it up a bit on Friday in honor of the joyous events of Thursday night. (Ignore the spots on my mirror; I clean on Sundays.)

Fun nails also make for a good Friday.
I painted my nails during the first half of the game. I rarely do anything complicated so this was a nice change.

A perfect blue-skied day is a great antidote to the Winter blues.
On Friday I was so sick of the weather and city and people that I thought about maxing out my credit card and flying somewhere warm. Luckily both Saturday and Sunday were clear and warm and put a little pep in my step.

Fill-a-bag day at the thrift store is as good as various bloggers have said. 
My fave thrift store had $7 fill-a-bag last week. By the time I went on Saturday, it was pretty picked over, but it was still awesome to not even look at the price of things and just toss it in the paper bag. I got a skirt, shirt, two books, vintage hot curlers, a board game, a small picture, and I think that’s about it. 

Carrying a dowel around is dangerous. 
It really is a miracle I didn’t poke my eye out or the eye out of someone else. 

If I need help at a hardware store, I should just call my Daddy. 
I needed to buy drill bits for my drill but was confused by all the options. I’ve written before about the over-eagerness of employees to help me at said store, and this time, when I actually needed help, they didn’t know what I was talking about. Calls to the four different phones of my parents—and finally a call back later—I got help from the father. 

Just because you were born in the ’80s, doesn’t mean you actually know anything about the ’80s.
Included in my fill-a-bag was Trivial Pursuit: ’80s version. Karey and I played it Saturday nite and it was hard. Really hard. We called it a draw after a few hours and after I had been in and out of the center circle for the win so many times I lost count. And the most upsetting part to me was that I completely bombed at my best and favorite category: News/Headlines/Events. 

It is difficult and exhausting to try and attach casters to vintage wood. 
I don’t know if it’s my wood, or my drill, or my cheap casters, or just me, but there’s a good chance that this soda crate is just going to have to make it on one wheel. 

There's only one way to celebrate the closing ceremonies of the Sochi Olympics.
With a slightly offensive banner, some vodka, and a Mexican dip. (Because there was no Russian food that seemed appealing.)