Last night I had my first wedding nightmare. I don't remember how it started but basically it was just everything falling apart. My bridesmaids (2) weren't wearing their dresses (in jeans and t-shirts) and one of the bridesmaids was this really random scary girl i used to know a long time ago - that FREAKED me out.... No one was in their seats and as I went to meet my dad to walk down the aisle he wasn't in his tux. He too was in jeans and a t-shirt.
The first caterer we met with said that he has women calling him in the middle of the night worried about stuff and I said, oh no, i won't be that person.... oh my god i think i am! I was sooo freaked out by the dream. I just want all of this planning stuff to be done with.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
30 x 30: response
so... Capitol Swell posted a list of things he wants to do in his lifetime and things that he has done so far that he is proud of. Going along with that spirit I thought i'd do the same. Since I too have already reached that wonderful milestone these are things I want to do in my lifetime.
My to do list:
Run another half-marathon
Visit Japan
In general do more international travel
Skydive (dad would be so proud!)
Cook an entire Thanksgiving meal
Buy a house in Blacksburg and retire there
Finish a triathalon
What i've done so far:
Visited Taiwan, Canada, and Mexico
Ran a half-marathon (sweet!)
Hmm.... wish this part of the list was longer....
My to do list:
Run another half-marathon
Visit Japan
In general do more international travel
Skydive (dad would be so proud!)
Cook an entire Thanksgiving meal
Buy a house in Blacksburg and retire there
Finish a triathalon
What i've done so far:
Visited Taiwan, Canada, and Mexico
Ran a half-marathon (sweet!)
Hmm.... wish this part of the list was longer....
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Getting ready for Halloween
S.O. and I carved our pumpkins and made Halloween cookies today.
We realized that this is the only holiday that we look forward to and actively participate in.
odd. anyways, check out our carvings!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Pooped Upon
so.... when i was 8 years old my friend's mom took us ice skating in DC near the U.S. Mint. This was over 20 years ago, so i doubt the rink is still there. While unlacing my skates after a tiring 30 minutes I was pooped upon by a pigeon. It was gross and scarred me for life. Ever since that happened I have had this fear of being pooped on. It usually only manifests itself when I am in an area that several birds congregate (outside Union Station, at the beach, near any body of water really...). My S.O. likes to make fun of me but it totally freaks me out to be around a large number of birds.
Fast forward 22 years to Sunday. A lovely unseasonably warm day in mid October. I decide to go for a walk since it is so nice outside. S.O. and I walk to Tide Point (his idea). We lounge on the promenade and while we are sitting there the sea gulls are circling. I know they can feel my hate for them emanating from me. After about 20 minutes we decide to head back to the house.
On the way back - minding my own business - i get pooped on. Right on my sunglasses and shoulder. GROSS!!!! AAAAHHH!!! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN! It was just a matter of time before they found me those bastards. Now i have to be extra vigalent when in the presence of birds.
Fast forward 22 years to Sunday. A lovely unseasonably warm day in mid October. I decide to go for a walk since it is so nice outside. S.O. and I walk to Tide Point (his idea). We lounge on the promenade and while we are sitting there the sea gulls are circling. I know they can feel my hate for them emanating from me. After about 20 minutes we decide to head back to the house.
On the way back - minding my own business - i get pooped on. Right on my sunglasses and shoulder. GROSS!!!! AAAAHHH!!! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN! It was just a matter of time before they found me those bastards. Now i have to be extra vigalent when in the presence of birds.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Bar Review: Aloha Tokyo!
S.O. and I went to a new bar/restaurant down the street here in the LP called Aloha Tokyo.
In it's previous incarnation the location used to be a bar called the French Quarter. I've lived in this part of town for over 5 years and never set foot in the old place...
Aloha Tokyo is a VERY small bar in the first floor of an end-of-row row home in Locust Point.
Do NOT expect to go to this place with more than your Significant Other. The TOTAL seating in this place barely reaches 30. Comfortably the place can seat 28. There are 10 seats at the bar - chairs are large wicker high-tops with round backs. Comfy yes - but you could probably fit 5 more chairs at the bar if different style chairs were used. The bar is on the inside wall. Along the outside wall are 6 2-person booths and an exit door to the alley. (which was open when we were there b/c the bar was a little stuffy - but it was nice b/c of the breeze and it just started to rain so it was nice and cool.)
There is also 1 large table at the front of the bar near the main door that can sit 6 - 8 depending...
The music was a little odd. It was definitely some Hawaiian/Japanese fusion type if thing, but it was most certainly the "smooth jazz" version.... it was tolerable, but could have been a little more up-beat. The decor was.... there was a lot to look at. We sat at the bar and there were a lot of little knicky-knack type of things all over the back wall - sumo wrestlers, funky sake jugs, little miniature people... - a lot to look at. There were 4 flat screens behind the bar and one of those picture screens that looks like a TV but is really just one "moving" picture. The picture looked like Bora Bora. - I totally want to go there for our honeymoon....
When we got there there around 7:30 on Friday there were only 4 - 5 people in the place. We sat at the bar and got menus. We started with a round of Miller Lites while we looked at the menu (i know...)
Fried dumplings, soup, noodle dishes, skewered meat, and sushi were on the menu. It seemed to be a pretty limited menu but for such a small place I wasn't surprised. We started with the fried shrimp dumplings and then got the skewer platter and some sushi - tuna roll and California roll. B/c the skewer platter was taking a while to prepare (no explanation really) we also were served a bowl of miso soup.
The dumplings were great! I usually preferred steamed, but the fried shrimp were great. Nice and crispy and you could taste the shrimp filling.
The miso soup was good - again, not a big fan of scallions, but there was just the right amount in the soup - along with some seaweed i think...
The California roll was standard (i forgot to ask for no roe - and it was caked in the stuff) - but it was still good. (i'm just scared - the first time i had roe i broke out in hives...) the roll was fine, but the pieces were actually a little to big for me to eat in one bite so it was a little difficult for me to eat.
The tuna roll was good as well. Simple with no roe. SPICY. I don't know if it was the wasabi - i only but a little dab - or if it was the spicy tuna, but these were bite-size and good - spicy.
The skewer platter was pretty good too. The chicken was great with a little soy/bbq sauce. The beef wrapped in bacon needed help. there were only 3 pieces of it and i had two, but S.O. said his piece of bacon was not cooked all the way through. Mine was the same, but (ewe gross) i didn't have a problem with it (and no upset stomachs the next day so it was all good...).
By this time we were pretty full and S.O. had had two beers and i had one. We decided to stick around (the place was filling up and there was pretty good people "watching" - b/c we were at the bar we couldn't really see who was behind us, but we could hear them and that was entertaining...)
We got the sake menu and decided on a $14 bottle. They serve theirs chilled. The decanter was really cool with this little blue bubble in the middle for the ice cubes. Add one little hole and it could have been a tobacco pipe.
The sake was awesome! I've never really liked it b/c it thought it was too strong but this stuff was SMOOOTH and a little fruity. We finished the bottle and then decided it was time to go. We got the check - $57 - i think a reasonable about and headed home.
Of course at this point it is POURING down rain. Oh well. We walked the 6 blocks, changed clothes, and watched a movie.
Life Aquatic with Steve Zisso - another story....
anyways, all in all, i totally want to go back... next time maybe do it a little cheaper....
also - follow-up: no hangover from the sake. Sweet....
In it's previous incarnation the location used to be a bar called the French Quarter. I've lived in this part of town for over 5 years and never set foot in the old place...
Aloha Tokyo is a VERY small bar in the first floor of an end-of-row row home in Locust Point.
Do NOT expect to go to this place with more than your Significant Other. The TOTAL seating in this place barely reaches 30. Comfortably the place can seat 28. There are 10 seats at the bar - chairs are large wicker high-tops with round backs. Comfy yes - but you could probably fit 5 more chairs at the bar if different style chairs were used. The bar is on the inside wall. Along the outside wall are 6 2-person booths and an exit door to the alley. (which was open when we were there b/c the bar was a little stuffy - but it was nice b/c of the breeze and it just started to rain so it was nice and cool.)
There is also 1 large table at the front of the bar near the main door that can sit 6 - 8 depending...
The music was a little odd. It was definitely some Hawaiian/Japanese fusion type if thing, but it was most certainly the "smooth jazz" version.... it was tolerable, but could have been a little more up-beat. The decor was.... there was a lot to look at. We sat at the bar and there were a lot of little knicky-knack type of things all over the back wall - sumo wrestlers, funky sake jugs, little miniature people... - a lot to look at. There were 4 flat screens behind the bar and one of those picture screens that looks like a TV but is really just one "moving" picture. The picture looked like Bora Bora. - I totally want to go there for our honeymoon....
When we got there there around 7:30 on Friday there were only 4 - 5 people in the place. We sat at the bar and got menus. We started with a round of Miller Lites while we looked at the menu (i know...)
Fried dumplings, soup, noodle dishes, skewered meat, and sushi were on the menu. It seemed to be a pretty limited menu but for such a small place I wasn't surprised. We started with the fried shrimp dumplings and then got the skewer platter and some sushi - tuna roll and California roll. B/c the skewer platter was taking a while to prepare (no explanation really) we also were served a bowl of miso soup.
The dumplings were great! I usually preferred steamed, but the fried shrimp were great. Nice and crispy and you could taste the shrimp filling.
The miso soup was good - again, not a big fan of scallions, but there was just the right amount in the soup - along with some seaweed i think...
The California roll was standard (i forgot to ask for no roe - and it was caked in the stuff) - but it was still good. (i'm just scared - the first time i had roe i broke out in hives...) the roll was fine, but the pieces were actually a little to big for me to eat in one bite so it was a little difficult for me to eat.
The tuna roll was good as well. Simple with no roe. SPICY. I don't know if it was the wasabi - i only but a little dab - or if it was the spicy tuna, but these were bite-size and good - spicy.
The skewer platter was pretty good too. The chicken was great with a little soy/bbq sauce. The beef wrapped in bacon needed help. there were only 3 pieces of it and i had two, but S.O. said his piece of bacon was not cooked all the way through. Mine was the same, but (ewe gross) i didn't have a problem with it (and no upset stomachs the next day so it was all good...).
By this time we were pretty full and S.O. had had two beers and i had one. We decided to stick around (the place was filling up and there was pretty good people "watching" - b/c we were at the bar we couldn't really see who was behind us, but we could hear them and that was entertaining...)
We got the sake menu and decided on a $14 bottle. They serve theirs chilled. The decanter was really cool with this little blue bubble in the middle for the ice cubes. Add one little hole and it could have been a tobacco pipe.
The sake was awesome! I've never really liked it b/c it thought it was too strong but this stuff was SMOOOTH and a little fruity. We finished the bottle and then decided it was time to go. We got the check - $57 - i think a reasonable about and headed home.
Of course at this point it is POURING down rain. Oh well. We walked the 6 blocks, changed clothes, and watched a movie.
Life Aquatic with Steve Zisso - another story....
anyways, all in all, i totally want to go back... next time maybe do it a little cheaper....
also - follow-up: no hangover from the sake. Sweet....
The Next Race
So i've decided the next race i am going to do is the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 miler in April 2008. I figure 6 months between BIG races isn't bad and then i will do the Baltimore Running Festival half-marathon again next October. My friend T and I are going to run them together. He said he would come up to baltimore for the half next october. That will be fun!
Wedding Plans....
things are progressing. We have a location, a date, a caterer, a photographer, and a dress. Next things are ceremony musicians, a DJ, and a florist.... after that i need to find someone to do my hair and make-up, officiate the ceremony (in discussion now), drive our asses home after the wedding, need to decide what to do about the tux situation and bride's matron dresses (both of my bride's maids are married so they are really matrons...)
oh yea, so i found a dress today. i went into a bridal dress shop for the first time today and decided to purchase the 4th dress i tried on. My friend J picked it off the rack and said "this is a D dress." heck yea! Sweet! no need to do any more dress shopping.... i will need to find some ivory pearls though. The dress is ivory... and the fiancee will have to buy an ivory shirt to wear for the wedding....
The lady at the dress store told me today that i am almost behind when it comes to getting my dress - but since i bought one off the rack (fit me perfectly) i am no longer behind. YEA! Now i just need to go back in the spring to get my vail and a fitting. Fun times!
oh yea, so i found a dress today. i went into a bridal dress shop for the first time today and decided to purchase the 4th dress i tried on. My friend J picked it off the rack and said "this is a D dress." heck yea! Sweet! no need to do any more dress shopping.... i will need to find some ivory pearls though. The dress is ivory... and the fiancee will have to buy an ivory shirt to wear for the wedding....
The lady at the dress store told me today that i am almost behind when it comes to getting my dress - but since i bought one off the rack (fit me perfectly) i am no longer behind. YEA! Now i just need to go back in the spring to get my vail and a fitting. Fun times!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
2:20:15
Yea! I did it! I ran the entire time (with a few stops for water and gateraid)! It was pretty hard. I didn't really train on any hills or on the street too often so getting used to that was hard.
My friend N finished a few minutes ahead of me. My joints are killing me but it was totally worth it! 2:20:15 A pace of 10:44 / mile. A lot better than i was expecting to do. I am definately going to do it again next year!
Friday, October 12, 2007
13 hours...
So, my race starts in 13 hours at 9:45 am. I am nervous. I had a hard time falling asleep last night. I have no clue when i'll be able to go to sleep tonight.
S.O. has a gig tonight so i'm home alone. Usually when i stay home and he has a gig I clean house. It takes me all night and when we wake up in the AM we have a nice clean house all weekend. I want to clean but I always have a hard time breathing after I clean b/c of the cat hair and dust - and i do it every weekend! These cats are killing me... i want a new couch.
ANyways, back to the race.... aaaahhhh!!!! it will be interesting. If anyone I know reads this you can track my progress or lack thereof by going to www.thebaltimoremarathon.com and click on "runner tracking." all you have to do is create an account - super easy - just enter your email and a password and then search for my name.
YEA!!! Good luck to all of the runners! See you on the other side!
S.O. has a gig tonight so i'm home alone. Usually when i stay home and he has a gig I clean house. It takes me all night and when we wake up in the AM we have a nice clean house all weekend. I want to clean but I always have a hard time breathing after I clean b/c of the cat hair and dust - and i do it every weekend! These cats are killing me... i want a new couch.
ANyways, back to the race.... aaaahhhh!!!! it will be interesting. If anyone I know reads this you can track my progress or lack thereof by going to www.thebaltimoremarathon.com and click on "runner tracking." all you have to do is create an account - super easy - just enter your email and a password and then search for my name.
YEA!!! Good luck to all of the runners! See you on the other side!
Sunday, October 07, 2007
coming along...
so... training for the half marathon has been slow but i have been making progress. FRiday i ran 8 miles at once. It was pretty cool. it started to get a little painful on the knees around 6.5 but i kept going. i wanted to go further but i was limited on time... I'm going to run again tomorrow and then do a short run (5 or 6) on WEdnesday and that will be it. The big day is only 6 days away!
Monday, October 01, 2007
Seriously
Not sure if I mentioned this before, but geeze people, please! Please don't do personal hygene tasks on the train! Especially your nails! For god sakes! No one wants your nail trimmings or filings flying on to them! Why is this so difficult to understand? I wonder if MARC management can post a notice about this or something...
Overheard on the train....
Last week I overheard this conversation on the train.
While the train is delayed waiting for a disabled train to be pushed into Union Station:
Puma sitting across from me..."Man - this train is late. I'm going to have to hurry up and get ready so I can catch-up at the bar!" - talk about a drunk.
Ladies standing in the aisle next to me:
"My wedding was expensive.... We had nice food and everything - this one couple who came who have a multimillion dollar house got me only a 10 dollar vase from Pier one imports" - talk about greedy.
Same ladies... on keeping your wedding dress (By the way - what's the point of preserving it?)
Lady on the train with her dress preserved in a box... her friend says to her: "You got that done in Chinatown? Wow! You must be trustworthy."
How racist is that?? Racism - its everywhere.
While the train is delayed waiting for a disabled train to be pushed into Union Station:
Puma sitting across from me..."Man - this train is late. I'm going to have to hurry up and get ready so I can catch-up at the bar!" - talk about a drunk.
Ladies standing in the aisle next to me:
"My wedding was expensive.... We had nice food and everything - this one couple who came who have a multimillion dollar house got me only a 10 dollar vase from Pier one imports" - talk about greedy.
Same ladies... on keeping your wedding dress (By the way - what's the point of preserving it?)
Lady on the train with her dress preserved in a box... her friend says to her: "You got that done in Chinatown? Wow! You must be trustworthy."
How racist is that?? Racism - its everywhere.
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