Valentines Day Weekend - I spent it with my true love(s)

How was your President's Day weekend? Entirely Presidential? Oh, and how was Valentines? I kept forgetting it was Valentines weekend - not that it’s a very significant holiday to those of us still in the Single's world. It's not significant in the way it is to those lovey dovey coupleys. Naw. It's usually a day to remember that yes, you are alone and may possibly be alone forever and everyone else has restaurant reservations or ballet tickets or fluffy stuffed bunnies gifted by well-meaning but forgetful husbands on this very special night.... and you don't. Congratulations. Sweeeeeet. ;)

Juuuuust kidding. I've never thought too much of Valentine’s Day since the childhood days of 'knock and run' and Hello, Kitty Valentining my friends came to an end. Well, maybe not the Hello Kitty part - but really - it's one of those kitchy, overrated, pressurized holidays conceived by corporations to trick you into thinking that if you don't buy your darling those dozen long stemmed roses resting snuggly in the paws of an over-stuffed forest animal declaring in sweet melodic push-paw tones "I luuuve.. yo". Well, you fail. Your love fails. You've screwed up your entire relationship because of this ONE DAY! So, how did it come to THIS? Is THIS how Americans define LOVE for their very special 'other'? Through consumerism? Can I ONLY tell the one I love (uh.. future tensed) how I truly feel about him by picking out that perfect Hallmark greeting card and new razor??!??!? It's the only day! The only way! Well let me tell you something about love...

I love warm weather and I love books. So what did I do for my presidentially epic Valentine’s day weekend?

I went to Phoenix Arizona with some fellow-bibliophiles and purchased me 37 (37!) beautiful, new (to me... though actually slightly used) books at dirt cheap (read $1-$5) prices found in a large warehouse brimming wall to wall with books of all shapes, sizes, genres, and usage...ness. Doesn't that sound AWESOME? Doesn't that sound like LOVE??? Yes is the answer. Yes it does.

Explanation:

The VNSA (volunteer non-profit service Association) has put on this extraordinary event for 54 years running in happy Phoenix, AZ. The purpose of the VNSA book sale is to raise money for the following: Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, Literacy Volunteers of Maricopa County, and Toby House, Inc. Oh, and to make all of us who have a strange love and attachment to all things literary very happy. Very. Very. Happy. You might even say... to make us fall in love. Have I told you I smell books? I do. I sniff them as I thumb through them.. and sniff at the bindings as I examine it. Sniff, examine, thumb... enjoy. That's about the same thing one does with a vase of roses - EXCEPT - my books are forever.

Naturally, Phoenix Arizona was the ONLY place for me to spend Valentine’s Day weekend. Plus, I'm so sick of cold weather I could cry. Snow tears. Gr.

Fellow bibliophile, Miss Heidikins (who will naturally have an excellent post on her blog about this adventure as well), is a X number of years (4 years Heidi?) veteran of this extravaganza, gave us (myself and new friend Megan) sound advice in advance: have a lot of extra room in your suitcase for the plane ride home (note to self - bring bigger suitcase(s) - 37 books is child's play), be first in line so you can get a cart (which otherwise would've made this venture near impossible), and sort it all out later. I'll be honest - I thought she was NUTS waking us all up at 4:45am (shudder) so we could be on the road at 5:00am headed toward Downtown Phoenix and this fabled book sale I'd only heard rumors of. Little did I know what lay in store for me. There were easily several hundred people in front of us when we arrived close on to 5:30am (many of which clearly had camped out all night waiting for this moment) and though I felt good about our spot in line, it became evident that being first in line allowed you the privilege of not only first dibs on the extensive collection of used books available (no really, they had EVERYTHING and duplicates of those everythings!), but also a cart. Oh a cart. We are very lucky we brought our very tallish (6 foot), blondish, assertive friend Megan along who procured a cart for us lickity split. Bless you Megan. Bless you. We also made a new friend, Steve, who had been attending this book sale for years by himself (now that's dedication) with whom we enjoyed passing the wee morning hours. I think he found us entertaining - especially when Heidi alluded to us doing drugs which we don't actually do but how she said it made it seem like we did. Ha. Oh dear... you would've had to of been there I guess. Ahem.

The doors opened at 8:00am... and naturally we ran right to the classics section. I might've cried a little - either from the dust (and there was dust) or from the fact that my eyes instantly fell on hundreds upon hundreds of old, beautifully bound, hard back copies of such favorites as: Gone With the Wind, Candide, Around the World in 80 Days, Pride and Prejudice, Homer's Odyssey, The Iliad... sniff... I'm getting choked up just thinking about it (note I got ALL of the above), for a mere $1-$2 a piece. Can you really put a price on such treasures? Yes you can! And at a bargain! Thank you American capitalism. :)

New friend Megan and Moi in line. Book bond people. You see?

We had bags and a cart and our hands LOADED by 9:30 and were out the door by 10:00am... all of us touting 50lbs of books and books and books. Reminder previous note to self - bring more suitcases!

Many of the books I came home with were classics (as noted above) one fantastic Lonely Planet Thailand travel guide book (wishing I would've picked up an Australia one too.. durn it!), biographies, David McCullough's 1776, and children's books (ALL Roland Dahls, The Indian in the Cupboard, Charlotte's Web, Holes, and so on .. and so on.. until 37). Currently, they are all dusted and in 3 stacked piles in my bedroom. It's truly a beautiful thing. What's even MORE awesome is now I get to buy another book case! Huzah! As the one built into the wall in my apt is brimming with about 210 books already (smug grin).

Here is the loot... mmmm... loot

Of course, aside from the books (that's like saying 'aside from the plot') Phoenix was a balmy 73-77 degrees for the 2 days we spent there. Oh bliss. Miss Heidi and I just basked in the glow of sunlight as we shopped all day on Friday and ate delicious food outside, OUTSIDE, at a fantastic little restaurant called "The Green House." Mmmm hmmm. We also stared bemused at the inordinate amount of Arizonians dressed head to in black generally 'winter-esque' apparel. Wha?!??! These people don't know what cold IS!

So there you have it. That my friends is a truly happy Valentine’s Day Weekend. I spent it with the loves of my life - my darling books. I love you books! And I hope you had a great Valentine’s Day! You made mine worth doing over and over again. And you better believe we'll be doing this again next year! Except NEXT year we will be those happy suckers camping out all night. You just wait and see.

*Pics curtosy of Heidikins (as I havent' dowloaded any of mine... fail for me).

Gummi Request

So... super boss says that his daughter gets them at the Meijer Thrift Store in Michigan. However, the gummy bears aren't listed on the website THUS, you must befriend someone who lives near this thrift store (or have a super boss who has someone who lives near the thrift store) that will go scoop large bags of these delectable gummys out for you and send them with the sort of love that can only be woven between those who appreciate fine chewy candies.

And my friends... these are fine chewy candies.

Would you like a sample? Maybe I'll send you a baby bag. Maybe. A little bag.

LINK for MEIJER HERE

Gummi Bears! High Adventure Beyond Compare!

So, my super boss (like my bosses, bosses, boss) gets these delicious gummy bears shipped in from some factory in Michigan. Why does he do this? Well naturally because they are the BEST gummy bears in the WORLD! And I will happily support that claim because they really are, in fact, the best gummy bears I've ever eaten. Ev-er.

Anyway, the super boss mentioned to us today that he had gotten another shipment of these crack-bears and we should partake of them. My co-worker and I decided to immediatly leave our desks and grab a handful of these addictive little creatures for our mid-afternoon pick-me-up/hit. In my gummy induced euphoria I started singing the Gummy Bears theme song. Oh the childhood memories! What a perfectly themed song to a perfectly tasting snack!

Well, after several repeated versus of "Gummy beeeeears... bouncing here and there and everywhere!" my co-worker felt she needed to convery her skepticism that this song and subsequent show evern existed (apparently she thought it was a side-effect of the gummy bears). I immediatly set out to prove her wrong!

I submit to you non-gummy bear believers - the theme song from Gummi Bears the cartoon! C/O 1986-1992(ish)

I would also like you to know...

...That e-harmony just told me that out of 12 million users and thousands of compatability scores  - they were 'unable to find any matches for me at this time."

Lip quiver...

I think things just got a little more bleak...

Alright - another Planet Date morphing from mediocre to downright demoralizing

Alright - the online dating saga continues. Yep. Remember the guy that canceled on my last Saturday? Well we went out last Monday. Just a simple dinner right at the Gateway. This was nice because 1. I don't let them come to my house (for clear reasons) and 2. he 'had' to go the Jazz game at 7 so naturally, the Gateway was a good place to meet. Shore. Let’s meet there.

So we did...

And... well... I'm going to report the series of events that led me to the conclusion that I'd likely not go out with him again. Not even just because he'd proven incredibly... inept at dates in general... but because he's too 'into what he does and his life' to properly plan anything anyway. You see where this is going, right? Flush... spin... disappear.

I made it to Happy Sumo first and he said "Hello!" upon seeing me. Well, I said "Hello!" back and just then, his friend walking up suddenly behind me said "DUDE!"

DAH!

Response, "Dude!" high five, hand shake, fist pound... commence to completely and utterly ignore me for at LEAST 10 minutes of dude conversation and walking into the restaurant. I literally question if I should follow or just make a run for the escalators while I had the chance. I chose to follow... awkwardly... weirdly... 'hi... I'm here... I'm ... girl.. here... ahem..." Was this the right guy? Am I following some stranger into a resturaunt and freaking him out as much as I'm weirded out? These are the plausible thoughts going through my mind. Is this guy REALLY that inconsiderate? Well, turns out...

So 'dude' leaves and guy says 'yeah that was my friend.' Oh really? Weird. I thought dudes just had unspoken code where they high fived, hand-shook, and fist pounded random other dudes as a sign of their dude commrodery (that looks really poorly spelled, doesn't it? Meh). Huh. Learn something new every day.

Dinner: "Get anything you want! I'm not paying for anything!"

I.... what? Am I... paying for something? Are we gonna eat and run? I can't do that. They'll catch me. I know it.


He explained that his company pays for him eating out anywhere anytime - so he can go eat out (at expensive sushi places - which is where we were (the one saving grace of the entire ordeal)) all he wants and not pay a dime. What a perk right? Shore I guess so. Though, I don't know why - but this kinda made me feel cheated a little bit. I mean yeah that's cool, but I dunno, I've yet to see where he's put in some time and effort on this little date. Is that archaic of me? I'm coming to truly find how important the guy 'planning' and 'paying' (in some small fashion... ice cream) really is. I guess it does help with first impressions - it’s indicatory of how.... oh... what's the word... how much of a priority dating is? Or rather, a matter of respect? I mean, he asked ME out right? Someone decode. Go ahead. Why did that slightly bother me? And while you're decoding... I shall commence with the torture. Oh, not to interupt the decode, but after he said his company pays for that he blithely added, "or we'd be at KFC." WOW! Wow....


Next, he answered his phone twice. Yep. Now listen, I've been in situations (aka dates) where I did need to take a phone call or check my texts. There is an appropriate situation where this is acceptable. Example: my little brother went gallivanting off in a blizzard and my mom couldn't get a hold of him and was rather upset about the situation. So she was going to text me when she was finally able to hunt him down. This is a reason to check your phone on a date - and ADDITIONALLY - I communicated this to my date out of respect and common courtesy. Right? Right. "Just so you know... my mom is texting me if my brother is alive." So if ya gotta take a phone call - which sometimes you do - there does need to be some sort of explanatory precursor. In this instance? Nope. Just answered it... twice. Sigh. I hate that. I really do. I now I really feel... unimportant... or.... not like a date in any respect of this world.


So, I've saved the 'best' for last. THIS is the weirdest part of the whole thing. Shore the 'hey dude ignore girl' incident was rude, shore answering the phone is an incredibly impolite dating faux pas, and SHORE maybe I'm a little traditional in being slightly bugged that he let me know this date wasn't costing him a single thing and if it was, it was only worth the dollar menu at McDonalds..but ALSO, he did NOT once... not ONCE... look at me the entire time.


What? What do you mean he didn't LOOK at you?


What I mean is - he did not LOOK at me - my face - the entire date. Oh no we talked just fine. That's what sucked about this date truly - on paper (aka email) he looked fantastic! But in person - wow - WOW - wow. Can I blame online, electronic, networking blah blah blah, for this boys lack of interpersonal skill? I think I can a little. He needs to practice looking at a person’s face when he's talking to them, I think, more than gluing his eyes to his Iphone and/or computer screen. It's called human interaction. He literally was talking and not looking at me - staring off at the TV to the left or at a spot in the wall near the door. Maybe he was expecting more dudes? Dunno. Again, this made me feel... weird and... awkward... and like he didn't want to be there in any way. I've been out with a number of strange individuals - but I don't think any of them have made me feel as completely unimportant as this guy.


Subsequently - we had two more 'dudes' come up and "DUDE!" him at our table (was this planned? I kinda think it was) before the night was over. They got more respect then I did as he looked at their faces when he interacted with them. Ironically, one dude seemed really nice and cute and introduced himself to ME, shook my hand, and mentioned how lovely it was to meet me. "Thanks... uh.. is it weird if I get your number? I don't think this guy will mind - he's on a phone call anyway."


Well the date ended (praise the Lord - these things are but a small moment!). Of course, to sum up a rather disheartening evening, guy mentioned "You should plan the next date!" while of course looking at a what must've been a very interesting spot above my head. I responded, "Well, I'm pretty sure I practically planned this one... so if you want to go out again... you probably shouldn't leave it up to me." Har har har... yeeeeeah... I need to work on making my sarcasm more apparent it seems. Kinda wasn't a joke. Nope.


We walked out of the restaurant and I was happy to leave. I considered going and buying myself a new pair of shoes as a little pick me up since I now felt like the biggest waste of time ever. To clench the deal - dude waved me a quick goodbye and said "Alright cool! See ya later for sure!" and took off to his 'must go to' Jazz game. Not so much as a handshake... a nice to meet you... a 'sorry but I have this condition that keeps me from looking people in the face when I talk to them.' Just peace and he's out.

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. ... ... ... cricket chirp.

Soooooo, I'm seeing a pattern developing with these 'Planet' boys. They're all socially retarded and thus turn to e-dating as a resource but neglect to remember that one day you WILL have to meet someone IN PERSON and thus practicing your basic social etiquette will come in very useful. I don't think they've invented e-marriage yet... oh except... I think they have! Oh someone save us.

As a follow up - dude did gchat me saying "Hey! I'm planning something really great for us to do!" I responded with a rather bland "Alright, cool." And really, thought maybe that first date was a super fluke and I MIGHT consider going out ONE more time with this witless wonder (he sounded THAT good on paper I tell you!) - but surprise of surprises - I've heard nothing. Makes it easier that way though. I was about 5% hope that it was a fluke and 110% sure it'd end up just as... demoralizing as the first. (I am aware my percentages are skewed... it was to prove the point). Yes that's it. I felt demoralized in more ways than I can count. I don't think the Colts felt as demoralized as I felt that date - well - maybe a little more. But only just.

New York Times - 31 Places to go in 2010

I pretend to be well-informed by getting 'the Times' emailed to me daily. I checked the little boxes of 'interest' that told the New York times what particular stories I'm interested in reading. Thus, they send me such things dealing with politics (sometimes twice a day... what did I expect?), education (naturally), style (duh), aaaaaaand travel (mmm hmmm). So what did I get this week? Well, another barrage of headlines tearing Obama's state of the Union address a part gerund by gerund, verb by verb, "what did he mean by "is"?", nothing entirely notable in style other than 'jump on the Spring fashion now!' (No. it's cold. I'm cold. I don't believe in Spring anymore), and education, meh, it's still underfunded and we're still falling behind everyone else. No news there.

But travel. Mmmm, travel. What a bliss! What a happy moment to escape from the day (or a long long long class (come on 9:00! COME ON!)), even if only on your computer screen. Care for a 15 minutes break in Hawaii? Here, let us show you what you could be doing there right now if you weren't chained to a desk. Perhaps you'd like to spend your lunch in Sydney? Not a problem, google image Sydney and download some outback-esque notes onto Itunes and dream yourself away. Maybe jump onto Kayak.com for 20 minutes and, just for kicks, see how much it costs to head to Scotland in August ($1300 thus far) or a weekend jaunt to San Francisco. Yes, travel. I like getting the travel updates.

This week, the New York Times posted a gem of an article encouraging just such mind-world wanderers like me to continue dreaming of palm trees and historical sites entitled "The 31 Places to Go in 2010."

Yep. 31 Places. In 2010. If there's one thing I like more than mind-trips to the Bahamas, it's making travel goals within specified time-frames. Besides, I'd like to know where I should GO in 2010! I've already planned a small trip to Phoenix (Valentines weekend - oh how excited I am to visit my long lost friend, Mr. Sunshine), and as you all know, a grand 14 day venture to Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam this Spring. I've also been tossing around the idea of Christmas in Japan and then hoping over to Australia for New Years (best fireworks in the world... so I hear...). How close did my travel goals of 2010 come to the New York Times list of 31 places to go? Mmmm... not too close. You should go check it out but first, I will say I'll get close to Sri Lanka and have a lay-over in Seoul. So that kinda counts. And I don't care for Vegas. Don't care for it at all.

Now you have a taste...

Go forth my fellow dreamers - and see where you should be planning your trips for 2010.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever

WELP! To rememdy a rather long and disappointing weekend - I did what any sensible girl would do - I went shopping on Saturday bewteen reading about Public Human Resource Management and Environmental Case Law (wake up you! This post isn't done!).

Generally when I 'therapy-shop' I hit up the regulars: JCrew, Anthropologie, Gap, Aldo, Nordstrom, Barnes and Noble, Target, Barnes and Noble... these are the places I enjoy purchasing things. Or at least trying them on and bouncing around the dressing room for a couple hours (in the case of Barnes and Noble I sniff them. True. I smell books... I love the smell of books! No, you're weird!).

However, this 'shop-therapy' concluded with my owning something large, black, and shinny. Something I'd been contemplating for awhile - but hadn't really committed to buying yet. Something any respectable LOST fan would truely consider if they wanted to feel the full force of the final season of this ridiculously addictive show starting TOMORROW NIGHT!!

What is it?

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BEHOLD!!!

32 inch, Toshiba, LCD, flat screen, TV.

Siiiiigh. Isn't she beautiful?

Now listen, I've never been one for gadgets or gizmos or electronics. I'm pretty content with basic things. I mean my phone is the 'free one with the plan' and doesn't do any fandangled anything but make calls and receive them (perhaps I should take a chapter of 'how to be cool' from my grandparents book). The most high-tech thing I own is an IPod.... and a car... (Hyundai Elantra)... and a Kitchenaide? Sooooo... buying a TV is a huge commitment for me! Many times I look at the price of TV's and compute how many books or Anthro dresses or plane tickets I could buy instead... and then go do that. However, this Saturday was different, this Saturday I needed empowerment! I needed relief! I needed to blow some CASH! I needed a 32 INCH TOSHIBA!!!

And that's what I got.

I also signed up for Netflix to commermorate the event... and subsequently fell into some self-reflection about how buying this piece of electronic awesomeness really solidified me as a true adult. A working professional! A young American! Long passed are the days of "hmmm... SHOULD I BUY oranges? Produce is so expensive!" Now I buy all the produce I want!! I will even buy things I WANT and don't necessarily NEED... I'm beginning a life of independent luxury... and my Toshiba is the gateway drug.

Also, I want you to know the first show I watched the minute I hooked up my new friend was Johnny Depp and Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow on TBS. I'd never seen it because I was sure it would scare the crap out of me - but it was so vivid and rich and the oodles and oodles and oodles of gushing blood was so BRIGHT, I sat through the whole thing - scared and happy and entranced and freaked out all at once. It was a rather emtional roller coaster. I watched Disturbia with Shea LeBoef (love) after that and pretty much hid under my blankets the whole night. So worth it.

In conlcusion! This particular 'therapy-shop' was a HUGE success and when I sit down to LOST tomorrow night with a bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream and Lila the cat at my side, I will truly feel being a dateless single (aka young professional)  isn't so bad when it's in HD. When Dr. Jack is in HD. Mmmm, not so bad at all.