tv president sheen endorses dean

hahahahahahahahaha

could it be? could it really, truly be? an opportunity to post? hurrah!!! i was beginning to seriously doubt whether i'd be able to post anything substantial this week, so i'm taking advantage of this time and letting you all know that i'm still alive and kicking...

this week has been madness. absolute, utter chaos. besides the fact that the office was exceptionally busy, with the state of the union address and the first nomination hearings in judiciary leading to an increase in calls and comments, midway through the week, erica came down with something or another and fell ill. so she was out of the office wednesday afternoon and all of yesterday, so i was left with all of my scheduling work, an increase in phone calls and minimal help from the interns (although sam did provide support and i appreciate that, i should say). it was not a fun scene. by the middle of the morning yesterday, i was ready to bang my head against the desk and cry. but instead, i cursed to myself a great deal and put a smile on my face so i could get through the day...

let's see--where to begin? the state of the union address was well-written, i must say, and well-structured, from a strategic point of view. let's butter up the audience with mentoring and AIDS research!!! then they'll like us! but wait--where is all of this money for the war going to come from? the money for mentoring and AIDS research. but they don't mention that part...whatever. i'm not a bush fan, nor will i be a bush fan, so it's just how things are. so the highlight for me was seeing him stumble over a part of the speech and have to squint so he could read the teleprompter, which must have been rewound or something. i took pleasure in that. so sue me. ;)

there was a moment before the address, however, when nbc showed a gorgeous shot of the capitol lit up on top of the hill, and i was, as i often have been in the past, amazed by how powerful and beautiful it was. but then i realized--wait! that's right next to where i work each day! i see that all the time! it added to the surreal nature of this experience, something that was only more evident the following evening (how about that for a transition, eh?)

so after the crazy day of wednesday, i decided to take advantage of the opportunities presented to me here and made my way over to dirksen to sit in on the judiciary committee hearing. i'd been interested in seeing what the hearing experiene was like for awhile now, and the added bonus of being able to sit in on a controversial hearing was too much to pass up. so i sat in for about twenty minutes (i would have loved to have stayed longer, but it was already approaching seven and, frankly, i was exhausted and needed to get home!) and, for a few moments, couldn't wrap my brain around the fact that i was sitting in the same room as influential and powerful people i'd never dreamed of sharing space with. i mean, whether i agree with thier politics or not, whether i like their personalities or not, i still can't help but be impressed by the presence each of the senators have. and when a bunch of them are together--wow. so i was sitting there with this smile on my face as i tried to focus on looking responsible and whatnot, thinking dopey thoughts like, "i can't believe i'm listening to ted kennedy!!! i can't believe my boss is up there!!!" etc. etc.

yesterday just flat out blew. i was stressed, i was tired, i worked open to close--not a good scene. the senator spoke on the floor while i was on lunch break, so i cut my break short to be back at the phones for the rush of calls we would inevitably receive. after work, i met up with chloe at front page for a drink (we agreed it was just one of those days where it was necessary) and then went home (arriving home later than normal again, which continued to mess with my head), took out my aggression and frustration at the gym (thankfully, it was my scheduled lifting day--yes, lifting is a relative term, as i'm still a weakling--so i was really able to use some energy) before enjoying dinner, catching up with some neglected phone conversations and then doing some of the work i'd brought home with me (just organizing that i haven't been able to get through this week) before reading and giving myself up to dreamland.

so at least i have some relaxation to look forward to this weekend. while last weekend was so much fun (as if you didn't know from my raving in earlier posts), it didn't exactly give me a lot of time to unwind from last week. so i feel like i'm approaching this weekend having worked for two weeks straight...part of me doesn't want to do ANYTHING, but i know that i'm hoping we have a happy hour tonight so i can at least hang out with the work peeps for a bit. i might be going out tomorrow night with chloe and her friend betsy (who's visiting) and various and sundry other chloe-peeps, but they're saying they wanted to go somewhere a little swanky, and i'm never really one for the "trendy club" scene--if i go out, i want to be able to relax and have fun, not worry about wearing my trendy, clubby clothes (in fact, do i even have trendy, clubby clothes? i'm not sure...)and "being seen." but it might be fun to get to spend some time out with chloe, as we've been just missing each other for the past few weekend, schedule-wise. so we'll see.

i'm thinking that i'm going to finally visit the holocaust museum tomorrow, which i'm excited about, although describing my anticipation as "exciting" seems somewhat inappropriate. but i think that's to be expected. i've held off on going there for a number of reasons, but the largest being that i wanted to prepare myself for it emotionally. it's not exactly the museum one will go to just for the hell of it, you know? but i'm very much looking forward to the experience. and then the rest of the weekend will be relaxation! and a couple of opportunities to see what lies just beyond my normal travel route in my extended neighborhood--i'm walking up and down the stretch to get to some stores and shops that are farther away than i normally travel for my weekly necessities. it's all about exploration...

oh how i am looking forward to the end of the day!

ok, so i suck at life. another crazy day, but hopefully this'll be the last truly nutty one for a lil bit, so i'll be able to email/blog/communicate with the outside world starting tomorrow. it's been gogogo all day, except for a nice, much-deserved lunch at union station. and i accidentally wound up extending my lunch break by about twenty minutes, but dammit, i earned it, so i don't feel the least bit bad. (see, this is why i truly AM one baddassmamajahamba)

so don't hate me, don't think i'm not thinking of my dear readers, know i'll have fun tales of vickie-style living to send your way shortly, as well as the much-neglected emails i've been piecing together. they'll be quality and will make up for the silence from my end. :)

i am rebelling from work in order to fill out a rather foolish quiz thing.

what can i say? i'm one baddassmamajahamba.

I AM NOT: doing work.
I WAS: doing work.
I WAS NEVER: overly organized.
I WILL BE: known.
I WILL: be an extra on "the west wing".
I WILL NOT: give up when the going gets tough.

I LIKE: apples.
I LOVE: hugs. proper ones. and guitars.
I DISLIKE: worrying about the results of decisions i've made.
I HATE: the feeling you get when you're so tired you can't move. as if your body has physically shut down and you are incapable of blinking, let alone coherent thought. and yet you're still conscious and only because you can't move to lie down and close your eyes.

I WANT: to wake up each morning knowing that i'll bring a smile to someone's face that day..
I NEED: to give myself more credit than i tend to do.
I DONT WANT: to waste my potential.
I DONT NEED: to be my own worst enemy.
I SHOULDN'T: be as shy as i am.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE: a dynamic personality.
I'D LIKE TO OWN: a small coffeehouse/nighclub like venue.

I LISTEN: to not enough music lately.
I EAT: apples like it's my job.
I DRINK: amaretto sours like they're going out of style.
I DRESS: warmly because the wind here will go right through you.
I LAUGH: less frequently than in the more distant past, but more than the recent past.
I DRIVE: my friends and family crazy (because i'm so gosh-darn adorable).
I PLAY: mindgames with myself.
I CRY: rarely.
I YELL: very rarely.
I DREAM: constantly.
I FEEL: happy to have someone to come home to tonight.
I MAKE: love, not war.
I SAY: so.
I WISH I COULD: get a job as a theatre critic right now.
I WISH I WAS: capable of seeing myself clearly.
I WISH I WASN'T: cold.
I WISH I KNEW: how to write dialogue so i could write my novel already.
I AM HAPPY: laughing and really meaning it.
I AM LONELY: quite frequently.
I AM SAD: when i worry that the only thing beating me is myself.
I AM MAD: that i know i'll still be watching bloody "joe millionaire" tonight even though i hate the show.
I AM DEPRESSED: at times.
I LOVE MYSELF: of course.
I HATE MYSELF: of course not. just some of the lameass things i do from time to time. ;)
I WANT TO ______RIGHT NOW: get home
I WANT TO ______ TOMORROW: have a good day

i am currently in a twilight-zone of washington living, having had a delightful weekend, but now feeling thoroughly discombobulated (the expression coined during college of "all sortsa discombobulated" certainly applies) now that i'm here at work, kicking off another fabulous week of staff assistant bliss...

my apologies for the utter lack of posting last week--the week flew by, although the hours at the office seemed to drag at a snail's pace. it was a very strange week, to say the least--time was seemed to stop between 9 and 6 (or 8 and 5, as it was for most of the week), but, at the same time, it seemed as if everything was racing by at breakneck speed. i felt a bit dazed, as a matter of fact, with little ability to control the pace at which everything was moving. i had to sit back and let everything happen, which, fortunately, didn't result in calamity (at least not that i know of)...

but nonetheless. went through the week, got to the weekend and went to adams morgan for a party at patrick's, at which i got to catch up with my favorite ben p. of the class of '01! it turns out he's trying to relocate down here--words cannot describe how excited i was to see him! ben was one of those guys that everyone on campus knew and most, from what i could tell, thought very highly of, and i didn't have an opportunity to get to know him until we worked on midsummer (he as lysander, myself as god--or, in less theatrically-minded circles, stage manager), and he became one of my favorite people during the process. so seeing him and being able to catch up was fabulous. not to mention that he gives great hugs, so i received a truly good, quality hug down here for the first time in what feels like eons (which amused me immensely, considering i've been having a good, in-depth discussion about hugs recently).

and on saturday, the parentals descended upon dc. they arrived shortly after ali finished up the moving out process. yep, moving out. i don't really like to think about it, as ali's come to be a great roommate and a good friend. it didn't hit me that she was really moving until she left--but i'll be optimistic. i know i can expect amusing phone conversations after each episode of our reality television and i am hoping to take a weekend in the somewhat-near future to head up to new york to visit.

the parental visit is still occuring--they head back to vermont tomorrow morning. it's been, in a word, fabulous. quick rundown of events--saturday they arrived, we caught up, panera for lunch (for those within range of a panera, i highly recommend the mezo bean & vegetable soup--fabulous), wandering about saturday afternoon, dinner at the cheesecake factory saturday night (score!).

we spent yesterday being fantastically tourist-y, which brought me great joy. we swung by the mellon aud to see if we could spot anything related to the west wing's filming schedule. walking down the sidewalk and past the production trailers and cars, the wires and cables leading from the trailers to the building, where, no doubt, my favorite actors were portraying my favorite characters of my favorite television show--i'll admit it, it gave me a thrill. i'm a theatrical/hollywood/television junkie (but in a good way, not the "ohmigodineverleavemytelevision" couch potato sort of way), and knowing that there could have been only a wall separanting me from bradley whitford, allison janey, matrin sheen and the like was intoxicatingly exciting. it was hard to keep my cool.

spending time at the national gallery, where we spent the afternoon, was outstanding. we viewed only a fraction of what is available, and i plan on returning there in the very near future to roam about and explore. the work we saw was gorgeous--as a youngster visiting museums, i completely lacked the appreciation for what art can provide a person's soul--i felt so comfortable and at peace as we milled about (as did my mother--my father enjoyed it for the first couple of rooms, but then, i think we can all agree, got a little on the bored side and wasn't exactly pained to leave--it was adorable).

we left the gallery and walked up past the capitol to my office building so they could see which entrance to enter through this afternoon when they meet me for lunch and get a short, vickie-led tour of my office (ha--my office? like i own the place...that amused me). we then traveled to union station (where my mother, who had been consulting the aaa-provided capitol walking tour the day before, was amused by the fact that the roman statues on the outside and inside of the station had to be modified to provide a little more, shall we say...coverage...so as to not scandalize the passengers when the station was first opened) before traveling out to wheaton for the inevitable shopping excursion (it always works this way--they want to buy me things, i feel bad and get upset with them for spending money on me--warm fuzzy feelings abound and i ultimately wind up with some things that i love but would never spend the money on myself--it's always very nice), after which, we stopped at dupont on the way home to pick up wraps from wrapworks (which i'd always wanted to check out but never had--i was a fan and recommend it. dad and i built--custom-ordered--ours, he opting for steak, mashed potatoes and barbecue in his wrap, myself opting for grilled veggies, red rice and charred salsa in mine, both of which came with a garden salad with corn and red peppers--while mom had the "state of confuscious"--basically a chinese chicken salad in a wrap. all were tasty, all three of us were satisfied. for the record, you can tell i miss alison when i start answering the questions she'd ask when i think back to dining excursions--she always asks about what each of us selected for an entree and how it was.) before coming home to relax. i went grocery shopping and worked out, then we all watched the super bowl--which disappointed me across the board--the game wasn't overly exciting (while i'm always a fan of good defense, as a former soccer fullback who believes the best offense is a good defense, i think the game was demonstrating weaknesses in both teams' offenses more than any standout defensive play) and the commercials were, for the most part, much less entertaining than normal. the only ones i really enjoyed were the budweiser "jackass/zebra" commercial, the "yo/yogi" commercial and maybe a couple of others. the snl halftime special, however, did amuse me greatly (i heart jimmy fallon).

but i've been having a wonderful time with the folks. my father paid me one of the greatest compliments as we were enjoying dessert at dinner saturday night--he commented on how much he enjoys visits to dc now because it's not just like he and my mother are visiting one of the kids--they look forward to being able to visit a good friend. i was thinking the same thing at that very moment--as we were laughing about some story over our drinks and dessert--it was a truly great moment that embodies the experience (thus far, anyway--knock on wood). it's been comfortable, relaxing and fun.

and, since i should probably mention it, i picked up some fun treats for my room through the aforementioned shopping. while at the national gallery, mom and i came across a reproduction of van gogh's "cafe terrace at night" and i just fell in love with the painting. i've always loved "the starry night" but never bought a copy of it because it's so known and so many people have it--"cafe terrace" is just as gorgeous and i'd never seen it before. while i was looking at vintage poster prints in the gift shop, my parents found a print of "cafe terrace" and bought it for me, as well as a frame while we were in wheaton. it looks absolutely gorgeous and works so well with my bedroom (which has a blue and yellow scheme to it). we also bought a burner (of sorts) for the yankee candle fragerence tarts i'd been given for christmas (mmmm...). i put my foot down when mom tried to buy me the new (ok, it's not new anymore, but i still haven't bought it) david gray cd, however, promising her that i would buy it for myself soon.

ok, i've got a pile of work to get through, some fun emails to write (expect mail this afternoon) and a lunch with the folks, plus a possible big surprise for them, to look forward to. whew...as well as my rambling about why i'm discombobulated (funny how i start off with that and i write a book without really addressing that--but hey, that's just me, so deal. bwahahahaha).

ok, quick note...we found louns! now i'm trying to find an email addy so i can email him, because there is the possibility of attending a play at the college he's working at now during the weekend i'm home for tori. how cool would it be to see him????

i'm still alive. will post more later. things have been nuts. but i send love.

it never fails. once i get an invitation to do something on a particular night, i get multiple invitations for that night. they're never spaced out. tonight, for instance. ali wants to get a group of her friends together for one last night of debauchery before the moving gets too crazy, so i thought that would be nice. then i got an invite to a pimp & ho party in adams morgan that sounds fantastic, so maybe i'll make an appearance (a cameo, if you will--hehe) later on in the evening? and then i hear whispers of an office happy hour after work--which we haven't had in ages, so i need to swing by that...

seriously, though. it gets so frustrating--there's nothing and then a bunch of things at once, then nothing again. why can't it be an offer for something friday and saturday? is that so much to ask?!?!? particularly since this p&h party gives tons of opportunities to meet people...so here's my plan: depending on what's going on with ali's thing, i might duck out early and head over to the other party. i'll spend some time with her AND be able to meet some people and what have you. i won't be able to be particularly ho-ish, but that's alright--it's not required, only preferred.

so yeah yeah!

so i'm waiting for clara to get into the office this morning so i can hit her up for a day off. specificially, the 28th of february.

why, you might ask?

so someone can fly back to vermont on the 27th, attend a concert on the 28th and enjoy a weekend up north.

what concert, you might ask?

tori tori tori tori tori...

i'm hoping hoping hoping she gives me the ok...

file this under general amusement:

remember how i had my photo taken with the senator the day of the "big snowstorm"? the group photo with three other staffers and all that? well, i was finally getting to take my individual photo with the big guy today, so i dressed up all snazzy and professional-like (my god, twice in one week--this is getting scary) and came into work, only to be given my signed copy of the FIRST photo. so i felt all silly, having another photo taken with him, but i figured what the hell. individual photo, post-haircut so i look different and dammit, the offer was there, so i was taking it.

so the bunch of us who were getting our photo taken traspe down to--the same place we'd had the group shot done. haha. i was playing it off like the senator wouldn't remember, but maybe the fact that he'd just signed my first photo stuck in his mind, because as i stood next to him, he commented with a twinkle in his eye (yes, his eyes do twinkle from time to time) that he wished it was sunny outside so the background would look different in this photo, instead of the same backdrop as "the other one."

hehehehehehe. he's a cool fellow.

yet another example of classic mraz-ism:

I was also able to sit down with my favorite sandwich, the BLT, a special sandwich, a sandwich that deserves a serious study. Think about it. If you consider mayonnaise as a dairy product, the sandwich contains all of the four major food groups. If you don't think of it that way or do not prefer mayo, have a glass of milk. No matter where you order this fine deli delight, as it is served everywhere, you will find everyone makes it different. Such a simple sandwich yet so diverse to each diner's doing. The biggest difference remains to be the price. I often get sick of the BLT even though I'm infatuated with it. Today I had to order it since it was 15 dollars. End result, delicious.

ok, i need to find out how far away norfolk is from here--as dave matthews is going on tour again with tim reynolds and i would love to hit up this show!

time for my friends at mapquest to hook this girl up (you're getting a stream-of-consciousness type of entry here--bear with me!):

ok, three and a half hours means a big "nice try, v" for me. c'est la vie...more money to spend on shows closer to home. :)

the eternal optimist...

yes, things here are still busy. day is still flying by. i'm a fan of this...

ok, i'm thinking about checking out spoon's "kill the moonlight," as i've heard a ton of good buzz about it--anyone had a listen yet?

i'm taking advantage of the calm before the storm--this being the hour before most people get into the office and i can't leave my desk (god forbid someone calls while i'm trying to outwit the fax machine!) to catch up a bit...

the last two days have been hectic, to say the least, but in a good way. for the first time in awhile, i've left work both days feeling energy and pride about what i was able to accomplish. as if i've finally been able to contribute something--more than simply answering the phones or running back and forth from the flag shop.

i walked into work tuesday determined to get all of my necessary tour work done, organized, updated and consolidated. so i did just that--touched base with all of the groups, made copies of all relevant information, put in any requests that were pending, blah blah blah. i now have an easy-to-access, easy-to-understand collection of any and all pertinent information (something i was sorely in need of) and have a bunch of constituents who love me for being energized and excited about their pending visits.

yesterday was spent helping out with scheduling--i had offered to help kevin out in any way i could, so he again took me up on my offer. again, organization and productivity were the order of the day, and i was able to bustle about and run from area to area to get things done--which was fantastic. as soon as i was caught up, kevin or jen would come in with more, which i would happily take. the day raced by and i was loving it.

i hate sitting around, feeling as if i should be accomplishing something, but not having anything to accomplish, so this change of pace has been a delight. i'd much rather have it be far too busy than not busy enough--something that harkens back to my college days, particularly senior year (balancing--or trying to balance, anyway--the newspaper, the play, classes, work-study and working at the free press, not to mention a social life). i love the rush of adrenaline and the feeling of PURPOSE. i suppose i'm much like homer welles in "cider house rules" (more so the book than the movie) in that i feel a need, a desire, to be of use. otherwise, what's the point?

today i will be posing for a photograph with the bossman, so i had to make sure to look extra-presentable when preparing for work this morning. i decided to go the dark, sleek route, but i'm also braving the chaos yet again, as it meant i had to go with a suit--but this time, only the jacket, as it was far too cold outside for the matching skirt. no way in hell you're getting my bare (or nyloned) legs out in that cold...

this week is rushing by, but they've been good days. i've felt better the last couple of days than i've felt for awhile, and i'm hoping that carries into the weekend as well. we're going out friday night for one last evening of revelry before alison gets completely bogged down with the moving process, so that should be fun. other than that, who knows what the weekend could hold! i know i plan to sleep in nice and late on monday, i can tell you--i love holiday weekends now that i'm on a federal schedule.

ok, back to the flags. i get those done, i get to get some much-neglected emailing done as well. :)

i admit that i'm as much of a sucker for cheesy, reality-based television as anyone (save the various versions of "survivor". i've never seen a full season and never had any interest in most of the seasons except for the final few episodes of the spring '02 season, whatever that was. marquis, maybe?). i've been a long-time "real world" junkie and enjoyed the last season of "road rules" as much as anyone else in the mtv generation. i missed the first season and a half of "the bachelor" but was hooked on aaron's quest for "love" once i started watching this fall. and i've been looking forward to taping "the west wing" (my all-time favorite television show) so i can lounge in the living room with my roommates and make snide yet invested comments about "the bachlorette". and i was all sorts of excited about the fact that "the it factor," which i missed most of first season, is back on bravo at a time at which i can actually see it. i admit this and still love myself for it.

yet i've got to say, "joe millionaire" pisses me off like you wouldn't believe. i've seen two episodes now and find myself sitting there the entire time, one eyebrow arched in disbelief and disdain.

i thought it would be like "the bachelor" in the respect that our "prize" man, evan, would get to know these girls and find himself engaged in meaningful conversation and whatnot. torn between the deep connections he's making as evan the multi-millionaire and the deceit he's weaving as evan the construction worker. we could feel for evan and his beloved as they come closer together, only to inevitably be ripped apart when the truth of his life comes to light. etc. etc. etc.

instead, we get a cocky, slightly jeering guy who parades these money-hungry, ridiculously superficial women around, making them do embarrassing tasks like shoveling manure out of a stable for two seconds of face time on national television and a cheesy piece of jewelry. he goes through this whole thing about how he's looking for someone who loves the "real" him, yet then selects a woman and says the reason he chose her is because she's hot. meanwhile, when a woman is selected, she's too busy drooling over her necklace to spend any time thinking about the fact that she had intended to fall in love on the show. deep and meaningful? not so much.

but it doesn't even make for interesting television. the entire show is choppy, cheesy and anti-climatic. i keep waiting for something good to happen, but it never comes around. do i care about who evan chooses? nope. is there any character (and yes, i use the word character intentionally) that i like? maybe zora, but even that's pushing it. they're just all so greedy and despicable that i'm completely turned off.

ugh.

indeed, 50s rock and high school reunion made for the beginning of an enjoyable weekend.

so i headed out to whitlow's on wilson on friday to meet up with brian and check out his friend's band without fully knowing what to expect. i was hoping that things wouldn't be too awkward, and fortunately, it was cool. met some of the people he was there with, all of whom were very nice, and spent the night catching up, listening to the band and cracking up as the musicians got completely into the music and the crowd started in on some swing dancing. some drinking, some conversation...fun times. we're supposed to meet up again next time he's back in the area.

i implemented my "damn, there are enough museums and whatnot here to keep me busy for eons" plan early saturday afternoon, as i finally visited the folger shakespeare library. i wasn't into sticking around for almost an hour to take a guided tour of the library, so i decided i'd just wander a bit...however, wandering was limited to one room that was being used as a special exhibit room. there was very little to even do with shakespeare. perhaps i'll take the tour sometime, but for now? i wasn't overly impressed by the experience. but it was a gorgeous day, not too cold, and it felt great to be able to walk around in the sunshine and enjoy the lack of snow...

and yesterday i attended what i like to refer to as "the women of the senator" brunch. ;) the senator's former personal assistant invited all of the present (and some of the former) female staffers over to her place for a brunch (apparently, this is a tradition that just hasn't been followed as of late) that gave us all the chance to talk without the constraints of the office--i had a lovely time. caught up on gossip and basic information about the office that i'm sure will prove helpful, got to talk to the other staffers more casually--and was able to enjoy an incredible brunch. good times.

krissy gave me a ride back to union station so i didn't have to stay on the metro forever on my way home, and driving into the city from virginia gave me a whole different perspective--it really is a beautiful, driving over the key bridge towards the capitol, the monument rising above everything while we rode past museums and office buildings--it's nice to have to see things in a different way every once in awhile. helps clear one's head a bit, i believe.

i am determined to be proactive today and get all of these loose strings taken care of. i will be victorious...

in what should prove to be an interesting experience, i have made plans to meet up with a guy i graduated high school with (back in archaic '98) tonight out in arlington. i'm sure there'll be a bit of awkwardness involved (i mean, the inevitable "so what have you been up to for the past four and a half years?" is bound to come up), but i think it should be a lot of fun. his friend is in a 50s cover band, so i think it'll be a lot of fun. good ol' 50s rock, a few drinks, and catching up with an old friend and possibly meeting some new ones?

count me in.

it's one of those deals where you have to get your foot in the door and hold it there long enough to move in a little more, i suppose...i had applied for a job a little higher up in the office, dealing with press and whatnot, and i was pretty much told that i haven't been here long enough. which i fully expected. so i explained that my applying was primarily for the next time the job opens up--just making sure they're aware that that's a path that i'd be interested in taking after i've established myself a bit more in my current position. so, while i'm going to be going through the interview process a bit (as well as having the general "what are you thinking about the future?" discussion we're all having right around this time of the year), a promotion is highly unlikely. which i'm fine with, because i knew that i'm still definitely at the bottom of the pile within the office, simply because it's only been, what, four months? i'm glad i applied, however, because it shows initiative and it shows that i'm interested in the press side of things.

much as i've been a little tired this week, the days have flown by, and i can't believe it's already friday--a couple of days of relaxation will be very enjoyable. i intend to make the most of them and get out to the mall this weekend to explore some museums, as it's been awhile since i've headed that way. i still can't believe how much is out there to see and experience--i suppose no matter where one lives, one tends to forget that there's so much in the area to see and explore. taking things for granted comes as part of the territory.

imagine my shock last night, as i half-listened to "scrubs" while carrying on a hilarious conversation with beth, to all of a sudden hear howie's "she says" coming out of the television speakers--how unexpected was that!? but incredibly fitting for the episode (i love that show) and a huge boost for howie--i was very impressed! it's strange to realize how long i've been hearing that song now--it'll be three years this february--and how i still get a smile on my face each and every time i hear the beginning chords. he'd come up with new songs over the years, but "she says" remains my all-time howie favorite and, i reckon, always will. to think how things have changed since the first time i've heard it...

today's haiku:
the office is cold
brrr, i say as i shiver
i wish it was warm.

it's too early for lucid thought. as a result...a boring and meaningless personality thing:

1. Single or Taken: single
2. Sex: female
3. Birthday: 3 november 1980
4. Sign: scorpio
5. Siblings: brother, 19
6. Hair color: blonde
7. Eye color: blue
8. Shoe size: 7.5

.:.R e l a t i o n s h i p s.:.

1. Who are your best friends?: beth, michelle, becca
2. Do you have a boyfriend/girlfriend: suuuure, rub it in...
3. Any Crushes? a quasi-crush, but nothing major at the moment (very uncharacteristic of me, eh?)

.:.F a s h i o n S t u f f.:.

1. Where is your favorite place to shop? b moss
2. Any tattoos or piercings? ears are pierced. used to also have the following piercings: navel, tongue, cartiledge (both ears)

.:.T h e E x t r a S t u f f.:.

1. Do you do drugs: define "drug"...hehehehe. nope.
2. What kind of shampoo do you use: at the moment, this yummy tangerine stuff. but it varies.
3. What are you most scared of: being alone.
4. What are you listening to right now: the today show
5. What vehicle do you wish to have? black jeep cherokee. or my car, red (a green saturn). but no car is necessary right now.
6. Who is the last person that called you: beth
7. Where do you want to get married: not sure.
8. How many messenger buddies do you have on right now: 23.
9. If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?: i wish i was more outgoing and that i knew more people around here.

.:.F a v o r i t e s.:.

1. Color: royal blue
2. Whats your fav. food?: chinese or chipotle. or the veggie/salsa thing i make.
4. Boy's names: andrew
5. Girls names: claire, julia, caitlin
6. Subjects in school: i loved theater, english and journalism courses when i was in school. in no particular order.
7. Animals: wallabees. fun name and they're australian.
8. Sports: to play or watch? play: soccer. watch: hockey (if i'm at the venue), baseball.

.:.H a v e Y o u E v e r.:.

1. Given anyone a bath: no.
2. Smoked: haven't we all?
3. Bungee jumped: not yet.
4. Broken the law: i maintain that i was framed. ;) yes, of course.
5. Made yourself throw-up: i didn't intend to...but i had a lot to drink and...well...
6. Went skinny dipping? no.
7. Ever been in love: honestly? i don't think so.
8. Made yourself cry to get out of trouble?: yes.

.:.What C o m e s T o M i n d.:.

1. Red: lust or rage.
2. Cow tipping: poultney.
3. Socks: fuzzy.
4. Greenland: cold.

.:.w h a t ' s w o r s e.:.

1) Barfing on your date or your date barfing on you?: definitely barfing on your date. although my date barfing on me wouldn't exactly be a turn-on.

.:.F i n a l Q u e s t i o n s.:.

1) Do you like filling these out: don't really care one way or the other.
4) Gold or Silver: silver.
5) What is the last film you saw at the movies: lord of the rings: the two towers. *drool*
6) Favorite cartoon character: bubbles and mojo jojo of "the powerpuff" girls.
7) What do you have for breakfast in the morning: water or tea and a special k cereal bar (blueberry, ideally).

DESCRIBE YOUR
[ x ] Wallet - black, worn, much-loved (or at least, much-used)
[ x ] Jewelry worn daily - beaded hemp necklace made for me by christine when the fuck yeah tour came to dc and a silver irish braided ring on my ring finger right hand.
[ x ] Coffee cup - large white mug with a cartoon girl holding a news camera. says "newsgirl" below it and came from the newseum.
[ x ] CD in stereo right now - jason mraz, "waiting for my rocket to come" and a mix i made eons ago.
[ x ] What you are wearing now - black pants, white shirt, mulberry-colored zip-up duster with a hood. black loafers.
[ x ] Hair - bobbed short, blonde, currently behaving itself (surprisingly enough).

WHO or WHAT (was/is/are)
[ x ] In my mouth - a piece of trident gum. freshmint. because cvs was out of cinnamon last night and the shop at union station i always frequent in the morning doesn't open til 7:30 and i didn't have time to wait the five minutes.
[ x ] In my head - thoughts of being tired as well as thoughts about what i should accomplish today.
[ x ] Wishing - i wasn't tired and that we have an office happy hour tomorrow night.
[ x ] After this - work til 5. then either running, dinner and relaxation or, depending, perhaps a trip to front page, dinner and relaxation.
[ x ] Talking to - alone in the office and everyone online is wisely sleeping.
[ x ] Eating - nothing. just chewing this gum, wishing it was red and cinnamon-flavored.
[ x ] Person you wish you could see right now - in no particular order, the list would include beth, michelle, becca, jason mraz, orlando bloom or my brother.
[ x ] Some of your favorite movies - shawshank redemption, the two "lotr" films, anything james cagney, james dean, john cusack or audrey hepburn, the lion in winter. and moulin rouge.
[ x ] Something you're looking forward to in the upcoming month - weekends. and an impending visit from the fam, i believe.
[ x ] The last thing you ate - special k cereal bar.
[ x ] Something that you are deathly afraid of - lack of concern.
[ x ] Do you like candles - very much so.
[ x ] Do you like hot wax - yep. wow, that sounds like i'm all sorts of kinky. ;)
[ x ] Do you like incense - for the most part, but it does depend on the scent.
[ x ] Do you like the taste of blood - about as much as i like the sight of it. not so much.
[ x ] Do you believe in love - i'd like to think so. but i'm rather cynical at the moment.
[ x ] Do you believe in soul mates - of course. and when orlando's eyes meet mine, he will to. ;) see answer to previous question.
[ x ] Do you believe in love at first sight - see answer to previous two questions.
[ x ] Do you believe in Heaven - no comment.
[ x ] Do you believe in forgiveness - forgiveness? yes. but forgetting? no way.
[ x ] Do you believe in God - no comment.
[ x ] What do you want done with your body when you die? sealed in westminster abbey. i have no idea, to be honest.
[ x ] What is the latest you've ever stayed up one would have to assume it occured during the playhouse summer, but i'm not sure. or wait--i bet it was actually probably a defender night when i didn't sleep after putting the paper to bed...or...let's just say there have been a lot of long nights in the life of victoria.
[ x ] Ever been to Belgium - haven't been anywhere in europe. at least not yet. soon, i tell you...
[ x ] Can you eat with chopsticks - i'm sure i can. might not be very good at it, but i'm sure i'd be amusing. i was last time i tried.
[ x ] What's your favorite coin - irish coins.
[ x ] What are some of your favorite candy - i don't really eat a lot of candy, but i'm always a fan of the mike and ike, sugar babies or peanut butter cups.
[ x ] What's something that you wish people would understand - that i'm independent but craving friendships.
[ x ] What's something you wish you could understand better - how to be outgoing and meet people.
[ x ] Anyone you miss that you haven't seen in a long time - various friends from college. i'd say my family and close friends, but i just saw them.
[ x ] What's one thing you want to make happen for tomorrow - i'll say two things, since i'll probably only accomplish one of them by tomorrow. 1) to up my running distance or 2) to talk to someone new or talk more to someone i know.

what follows is my mraz tale of woe...

so i finish up my night at work, change into proper concert gear and head out to arlington so i can find iota and be there nice and early so i'm sure to get in. after arriving, i order a drink and follow that up with some dinner (a gardenburger with fries, for those who were dying to know--may i note that it was an exceptionally tasty meal) and prepare to wait a couple of hours until showtime.

when i walked in, i immediately recognized toca from the cbs morning show, but didn't see mraz right away. eventually, however, i saw him and realized that he's just as attractive as everyone says. i was prepared for a fun evening of music and, if i felt gutsy enough, conversation with him. or at least the chance to hear him play and then buy one of the live cds i've been wanting.

after eating dinner and realizing i had about an hour and a half to kill, however, it hits me. all of the people, the smoke, the music (cd music over the pa, the quasi-soundcheck mraz and the guys were doing, plus some guy playing guitar in the corner)--all of the stuff i normally love about shows--it hits me like a ton of bricks and i realize that 1) i feel incredibly sick, to the point of wanting to faint or throw up and 2) there's no way i'm going to make it until they start to take money for tickets, let alone make it through the whole show. since i'd already traveled out to arlington and had eaten dinner there and everything, this was the most wretched of realizations and i fought my quickly fading body and tried to stick it out. i walked around the little club area, searching for a spare seat where i could curl up for a bit--anything. but there was nothing for me to do except stand there and try to not fall over or leave. i tried the standing bit for about five minutes before finally accepting that i was going to lose that little game (and, while i wanted to make an impression on mraz, i didn't want it to be "hey, that's the girl who passed out at my virginia show!"), so i was sensible and left.

i didn't want to, i was cursing myself during my entire walk back to the metro, trying to psych myself up to turn back and go back in. but i was so dizzy and felt so nauseous that i knew going home was the right thing. knowing it was the right thing, however, didn't make it suck any less. and, adding insult to injury, i wasn't able to get one of the live cds because they didn't have the merch table set up when i was getting ready to leave. so i'll have to order it online, i suppose.

i think it was a combination of factors that led to my feeling so ill--but the biggest thing was that it was yet another example of how the day after the day after a very long day sucks. sunday was a ridiculously long day, with waking up at 4:30 a.m. to get to the airport and then getting back down here, and i was wired on monday, but i was dead to the world while at work yesterday. this was perpetuated by being at the club and having everything going on around me.

but it wasn't a total loss. i got to see mraz, techically. i even got to hear him during soundcheck. i know where iota is, so going there for future shows won't be a problem. and i had a tasty dinner. i was right in leaving, and i feel ok today, although i think i still need to get another good night's sleep because i'm a little tired today.

but i'm still pretty disappointed about how it panned out.

that said, i need to say that my suspicions about last night's episode of "the osbournes" was correct. while watching the previews and hearing ozzy talking about burritos, i thought they looked like chipotle goodness. and, sure enough, america's favorite father was addicted to chipotle! i was cracking up and called beth right away to laugh about it. i TOLD you they're addictive!

but i digress. time for another day of work, which i will get through with the most energy i can muster today before returning home to run (get rid of some of this pent-up frustration), eat some dinner and enjoy an evening of "the bachelorette" and my taped "the west wing." gotta love my incredibly exciting life, eh?

john mayer has two grammy nominations.

best new artist.

male pop vocal performance - "your body is a wonderland."

wtf?!?!!? i can't wrap my brain around this.

congrats, john...

ok, while i've been running around frantically (well, ok, i lied--i've been sitting here, but juggling a shitload of paperwork), just wanted to say i'm back in dc, back at work and pretty happy to be back, i'd say.

and i get to see mraz tomorrow night. yippie-ki-yi-yippee-ki-yi-yay (whoa, there was some "billy k" action from this summer at the o'neill going on there--i'm better now)

so this is jumping the gun a bit, as far as going through my vacation, but i got a kick out of it, dammit. especially since i was having difficulties coming up with any decent new year's resolutions of my own (besides the musician one and the hgc one, obviously):

http://users.rcn.com/leviadams/seduce.htm

so a bit of time has passed since last i jotted down a line here--which has actually been rather refreshing, to be honest. not that i don't enjoy documenting my comings and goings here (obviously i do, since otherwise i...well...wouldn't...), but i've enjoyed being away from computers for a good solid week and a half. it's given me time to relax, do other things and otherwise enjoy my vacation here in new england.

but, as is the case with any extended absence from blog-dom, my return to the blogging world brings a dilemma: how on earth do i catch up my dear readers (and those who randomly wander across my site by typing disturbing things into search engines)? what follows is my best attempt (well, an attempt, anyway, as i do have some things to do before i head into rutland to go shopping--i know, materialistic am i--and visit with the two beccas):

christmas was exceptionally pleasant. being at my grandmother's house in beverly gave me such a sense of warmth and balance--things were as they were supposed to be because i was in the same place i am every year with the same people i'm with every year and feeling the same love i feel every year. that was the greatest christmas gift i could have wanted.

that said, santa was pretty damn sweet this year (bwahahaha). a varied selection of gifts were given to yours truly, some practical (the lamp i've been searching for ever since i saw it at linens 'n' things in september), some fun (a new pair of adidas sambas, which i had made a comment to my mother about months ago, saying how they still stick in my mind as the greatest pair of sneakers i ever owned). tom pulled through with some musical selections, including jeff buckley's "lost songs" and beck's "sea change," which is a bloody fantastic album. had shades of david gray going on in it--good times. my first official dvd is "say anything" (yeah, john cusack!) and i have numerous new items with which to decorate my bedroom so it doesn't quite resemble a dorm room as much. always a bonus.

nonetheless, most thoughts about christmas focus on lounging around the living room, laughing, talking and otherwise spending time together. visited various family members in the area, so that's always a good time (not to mention an ego boost). it was a very pleasant holiday.

following christmas, i headed over to quincy to spend some time with michelle, so i had a few days there chock full of holiday goodness. she thoroughly enjoyed my collage, and i was ticked pink by the calendar she made featuring the three of us (random side note: you can tell beth, michelle and i share a brain, as we each gave each other a personalized item and a book we knew each would enjoy--it was too cute). more relaxation occurred, including going to see "my big fat greek wedding" (really cute, i enjoyed it) and the day of "lotr."

yes, i did finally view "the two towers." this was prefaced by an afternoon enjoying the extended dvd of "fellowship," so i was primed and ready to go once we hit up the movie theater and took in the second installment. and i can say with authority that "the two towers" not only exceeded the first movie, but my exceptionally lofty expectations as well. absolutely bloody brilliant! humor, brisk pace, impressive storytelling and the most astounding CG effects.

gollum is absolutely perfect.

needless to say, i was giddy while watching the film. my eyes were roaming each bit of the movie screen to make sure i didn't miss anything, and as the film came to a close, i was in agony because i knew it would be another year before i would get to see the next--ack! final!--installment.

and yes, orlando was smashing. naturally.

anyway, saturday was spent in boston helping out jess with a video project for her geology class back at college. i actually got a real kick out of the project (hey, i'm a journalism girl in withdrawal), but it was just too cold for me to really be able to get into it 150%. but i gave it as much as i could and had fun--just shivered a lot.

and then, saturday night, we saw averi at the sad cafe in new hampshire.

i'll be brief about the sad cafe, primarily because i don't feel it deserves more than a few sentences. it's sad. dismal. not a fan. i'm all about the idea of a "family friendly music theater," but you can't have a band like averi performing there. call me an alcoholic, but for a rock band, the best times are had when musicians and audience members alike can have at least a drink or two in them. people loosen up, they laugh, they interact, they dance. at the sad cafe, everyone sat. that's it. not to mention that the audio equipment left much to be desired. chad's mic was way off on its levels, and even i (who hasn't had the opportunity to play with sound equipment in over a year--i miss louns!) knew that they were too busy trying to mess with the input instead of tweaking the trim. that was all it needed!

that said, averi was great. it was neat to be able to see and hear them perform for the first time in a few months, and they put on a fun show. mike shocked me--he looked completely different than the last time i'd seen the band. i had to ask michelle who the new guy was. ?!?!? "she waits" is quickly becoming a favorite song of mine.

after the show, the band signed photos, cds and whatnot, which i found adorable. so i stood in line and got a photo signed--chad gave me a big hug, which was sweet, but i don't think anyone else remembered who i was, at least not initially. mike picked up on it right towards the end.

ok, that's it for part one of "where has victoria been?" part two to follow. stick around...