Harry Potter 2010

This trip was months in the making and it was a complete success!  One day months ago, my friend Keri & I were catching up, recalling our college days - all nighters, History class & Harry Potter marathons.  I mentioned that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was about to come out in a few months.  Keri and I decided that we wanted to get together and see it!  Keri lives in Lynchburg, Virginia where she attends the Liberty University School of Law.  So I did a little mapquesting and realized that the half way point between Lynchburg and Philly was WASHINGTON D.C.  The last and only time I have been to Washington D.C. was when I was in elementary school.  I have fond memories of the trip but I was a little young.  I picked a date and suggested the idea to Keri.  She was down!  Then I thought about my lovely roommate Katy because we have been reading all the books together.  She was also up for the trip and thought of her friend (now my friend due to some stalking), Heather, who was also reading the HP books herself.  The word got out and we had four people excited about what I officially named, HARRY POTTER 2010.

Saturday, November 20, 2010.  It's twas a sunny day with the high being in the 60s and the low in the 40s. Fahrenheit.

It would take us about three hours to get to D.C. from Philly so I suggested we left at 6am to arrive in the District of Columbia around 9ish.  However, it turned out that I was the only one on that train.  I get downstairs at around 5:50am, ready to go.  I'm running a little late and am hoping that Katy isn't having to wait on me.  However, when I came downstairs there was no movement.  So I texted Katy and told her that I was ready when she was.  So I'm sitting on the couch watching tv when I hear Katy's door open.  She walks down the hall and whispers "Lauren?".  I respond with, "Um, yes?".  I mean, who else would it be but I'm running with it...  She therefore giggles, pauses and says "I'll be ready soon".  I then hear the bathroom door close and the shower starting.  I assume Katy slept in a bit too late...  That was ok with me.  We both did not get much sleep the night before because of work.  Katy gets ready in a speedy 20 minutes and is downstairs apologizing.  It's no big deal as we head out the door to make a pit stop at Wawa (coffee and breakfast hoagies - BOMB) and then on our way to Heather's house to pick her up.  We arrive at Heather's while I wait in the car.  Katy jumps out to get Heather because she hasn't responded to her text messages...  Katy knocks on the door and waits.  And waits.  And waits.  Finally, Heather opens the door in a sleep coma panic.  She goes and grabs a tiny bag and starts to walk out the door in her pajamas.  She finally realizes what she is doing and says, "I'm going to need a few minutes".  Long story short, planned to leave Philly at 6am.  Did not leave until after 7am.  Oh well, we are not on any time restraint!!!  However, I text Keri that we are on our way with no response as well...

We finally arrive in D.C. and to (thanks to Katy's bro-in-law) the W Hotel downtown.  It is located off 15th street NW, within less than 1 block of the White House.  Our room overlooks the United States Department of Treasury building.  The architecture of Washington D.C. is overwhelming.  I'm in heaven.

I text Keri that we are at the hotel.  She calls me and says that she is running a bit late and that she hasn't left yet.  Oh well, guess she's gonna miss out on some sites!  We were able to check into our hotel room which was really nice.  The room was gorgeous and in modern style.  I was able to figure out how to turn the sink on/off at this W unlike the W New York City.

We revamped ourselves and headed out to our Monuments/Memorials tour.  Enjoy the fun facts.  They are all legitimate.  Found them on wikipedia.

Washington Monument

*Marble, granite & sandstone
*World's tallest stone structure & the world's tallest obelisk (555 feet 5 1/8 inches)
*Robert Mills designer
*began 1848, finished 1884
Fun Fact: A difference in shading of the marble, visible approximately 150 feet up, shows where the construction was halted for a number of years.

National World War II Memorial

*Granite pillars, bronze eagles/wreaths

*consists of 58 pillars and a pair of arches surrounding a plaza & fountain

*Plaza is 337 feet, 10 inches long and 240 feet, 2 inches wide.  Contains a pool that is 246 feet, 9 inches by 147 feet, 8 inches.

*initial design by Friedrich St. Florian, Raymond Kaskey created the bronze eagles/wreaths

*started September 2001 and opened to the public in April 2004

Fun Fact: Each pillar is inscribed with the name of one of the 48 U.S. states of 1945 as well as the District of Columbia, the Alaska Territory and Territory of Hawaii, the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Guam American Samoa and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

View of the Lincoln Memorial from the WWII Memorial across the Reflecting Pool

Lincoln Memorial

*Marble

*The structure measure 189 feet, 7 inches by 118 feet, 5 inches and it 99 feet tall.  It is surrounded by a peristyle of 36 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the 26 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death, and two columns in-antis at the entrance behind the colonnade.

*architect Henry Bacon, sculptor Daniel Chester French, painter Jules Guerin

*started March 1914, dedicated May 1922

Fun Fact: The north and sound side chambers contain carved inscriptions of Lincoln's second inaugural address and his Gettysburg Address.

This fellow on the bottom right (in the jeans and blue/green jacket) found himself walking into a trap.  Katy decides to say loudly: "What monument is this again?"

To which I replied: "I think it's Washington."

This guy hears us, gets angry and yells, "IT'S LINCOLN."

We saw him later with his significant other.  We figured he was babbling on and on about the youth of America being in trouble and how their education was meaningless.  I am sure there was also something said about his tax dollars going to waste.  Oh, how I am overjoyed at making strangers frustrated.

This became the running joke of the trip.  As we would pass strangers, we would loudly say something incredibly wrong just to see if anyone would correct us.  Mostly people just looked at us strangely but sometimes we would get responses.  Most of them angry responses.  Classic.

This picture was in ode to the Honest Abe Geico ad.  I made Katy take a picture of me re-creating Mary Todd Lincoln's "Does this dress make me look fat?" scene.  I thought it was funny.  

Others?  Not so much.

This is our one and only normal picture from the trip.  Heather could not seem to ever get her face pleasant for the whole trip...

I also wanted to open a couple of champagne bottles, an ode to Wedding Crashers, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.  Security guards not a fan of this.  They were also not a fan of me recreating Jenny jumping out of the Reflecting Pool from Forrest Gump.  

Security Guards, limiting human interaction for years.

Korean War Veterans Memorial

*Granite; steel

*Walls: 164 feet long, 8 inches thick; more than 2,500 photographic, archival images representing the land, sea and air troops who supported those who fought in the war are sandblasted onto the wall.  Within the walled triangle are 19 stainless steel statues between 7 feet, 3 inches and 7 feet, 6 inches tall; each weighs nearly 1,000 pounds.  To the north of the statues and path is the United Nations Wall.  The circle contains the Pool of Remembrance, a shallow pool 30 feet in diameter lined with black granite and surrounded by a grove of trees with benches.

*designed by Cooper-Lecky Architects; statues designed by Frank Gaylord

*started June 1992, dedicated July 1995

Fun Fact: The statues represent a squad on patrol, drawn from each branch of the armed forces; 14 of the figures are U.S. Army, 3 are Marines, 1 Navy Corpsman and 1 is an Air Force Forward Air Observer.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

*Gabbro, bronze

*Walls: at the highest tip it is 10 feet, 1 inch high and they taper to a height of 8 inches at their extremities.

*Wall designed by Maya Lin, bronze statue by Frederick Hart, Vietnam's Women's Memorial designed by Gienna Goodacre

*Wall completed in 1982; The Three Soldier's statue was dedicated in 1984; Women's Memorial was dedicated November 1993

Fun Fact: Inscribed on the walls are the names of servicemen who were either confirmed to be KIA or remained classified as MIA when the walls were constructed in 1982. 

We stopped for a little lunch and they served beer.  So naturally Katy & I indulged.  I went to sit down by these trash cans and all of the sudden, this squirrel popped out.  So I named him Mark.

Mark was a sassy little trinket who was chilling in this trash can - eating, scraping, trash diving, and learning our most treasured secrets.  

Then it was off to the Jefferson Memorial.  It was a bit of a walk from the rest of the monuments/memorials but well worth it.  The walk itself was gorgeous - fall leaves and parks along the Potomac River.

Jefferson Memorial

*Marble

*composed of circular marble steps, a portico, a circular colonnade of Ionic order columns and a shallow dome.  The interior has a 19 foot tall, 10,000 pound bronze statue of Jefferson showing him looking out toward the White House.  The interior walls are engraved with passages from Jefferson's writings.

*designed by John Russell Pope; main sculptor Rudulph Evans; Adolph A. Weinman sculpted the pediment relief above the entrance

*construction began in December 1938 and dedicated in April 1943; bronze statue added 1947

Fun Fact: The most prominent engraving in the memorial are the words inscribed in a frieze below the dome: "I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."  It is taken from a September 23, 1800 letter by Jefferson to Dr. Benjamin Rush wherein he defends the constitutional refusal to recognize a state religion.

This is Heather re-enacting the 'Slippery When Wet' sign.  This was right before we headed into the memorial where we decided to take some glamour shots.  Normal.

We decided to head back to the hotel because Keri had arrived.  However, by this point we were really, really far away from the hotel.  So we decided to taxi it.  We got back to our hotel room where we found Keri drinking a red bull.  It's go time.  After refreshing ourselves, we decided to go up to the top floor of the hotel which housed a bar named the 'Point of View' Bar.  

The bar has this view of the White House (thus, it's name):

We could see the tiny snipper man making his rounds atop the White House.  However, no sightings of Obama.  I'll preface this next statement with this: I love Keri to death and have known her for many years.  Her being a some-what obnoxious, gun-toting Republican, it made me nervous for her being so close to our Democratic President...  She would never do anything.  Or would she?

This nutcracker was in front of a hotel on our way to the White House.  Keri decided it was a good photographic opportunity, so naturally we jumped at the chance.  Katy took a couple of pictures of us and when I went to grab my camera from her, she had this very awkward face.  I asked her what was going on and she told me to check out my pics.  It turns out she was referring to this girl behind Keri who was inside:

Not only was she being a huge creep, the picture does not encompass everything she was doing while plastering herself to the glass.  She was also sticking her tongue in/out like a snake.  

What a bizarre little girl.

We traveled around the White House, viewing the grounds.  It was another opportune moment for our running joke.  Katy asked us if that was the Taft Monument and some girl yelled: "IT'S THE WHITE HOUSE."  Oh how we revel in people's frustrations...

After our White House trip, we headed to Tyson's Corner where we were going to see Harry Potter at the IMAX.  We found an On the Border which had us Texans sucked into its tractor beam.  While we waited for our food, we decided to have an Ugly-off.  Now let me explain.  It is when you take a picture of someone while they are trying to make the ugliest face they can possible muster.  The Ugly-off ended in a tie which I was not happy about.  I take pride in being the Ugliest person on the planet.  Here are a couple shots of some amateurs:

Katy: Katy likes to use props when she is Ugly.  Here she is using her lime for some teeth with her arms in some 'raising the roof' motion.  She also has some wide eyes.  Silly, silly girl.

Keri: This is the best Keri could come up with.  She used here top teeth as an anchor.  She then stuck a tiny bit of her tongue our and also chose wide eyes to finish.  Amateur.

Now to the good stuff: Heather was my only competition.  Katy and Keri could not decide on a winner so I'll let you form your own opinions.  Round 1:

 

Round 2:

 

So what to you think?  Heather?  Or me?  Ugly-off 2010.

So after dinner and drinks, we headed to Tyson's Corner which was a really nice mall in the Washington D.C. area.  We got our tickets and were there pretty early for our 10:50 showing.  We decided to get some more drinks before we waited in line.  We went to TGI Fridays where we sat at the bar.  Heather scoped out the movie theater and decided when we should start waiting in line.  A very nice older black man sat by me at the bar.  The first thing he told me was that I should not be drinking such a big beer because I was too skinny to handle it.  Suffice to say, I fell in love with him at an early stage.  We talked about why we were in Washington D.C. and college football.  When we left, he told me that he enjoyed my loud 'ha, ha' laugh.  I told him that I called it my 'jackass laugh' and that it only comes out unless something is really funny.  If you are gonna laugh, better make it a loud, obnoxious one.  Those always feel better.

Heather & Katy got in line while Keri and I went back downstairs in search for a deck of cards to pass our time.  We found a Barnes & Noble but there only deck of cards was a poker set that was $25.  I settled on a cheaper Uno.  We started playing Uno and chatting about various things.  I kept Keri & Katy up to date on the A&M vs. Nebraska score.  They took this into singing the Aggie War Hymn while we waited in line.  They sang it very loudly while they motioned their arms vigorously in a somewhat running matter:

I was really embarrassed.  But someone so nicely pointed out why I was so embarrassed?  Since I was waiting in line to see Harry Potter.  Touche, touche.  

We asked some nice guy in front of us to take a group picture of us.  However, someone (Heather) cannot take a normal picture.  So we eventually just kicked her out of the picture and we got it captured. Classic.

The line started to move and it was Harry Potter 2010 time!  All three girls entered ahead of me and all of the sudden I hear Heather say, "Oh my, they're running."  I realize that Katy and Keri are gone.  And Heather's starts to run after them.  I put my trust in them and followed, walking.  See, I'm not THAT gay.

I made my way into the theater and looked into the vast group of people.  I finally found them.  Middle row, center seats.  Best seats in the house.  I knew I could trust them.  I make my way to my seat and I comment on the running.  Keri states that she saw Katy knocking over women and children to get into the theater.  I knew I loved her for a reason.  

After some terrible and disappointing previews, it was finally Harry Potter time.  The movie was excellent but left you hanging for more (which was why it was called Part 1).  This was the first Harry Potter movie I have seen where I have read the book BEFORE the movie.  So I had my moments where I wished they had done things differently or concentrated on certain parts of the book more.  However, I was completely satisfied with the movie itself and the performances.  I think all three leads are amazing but something about Emma Watson's performance is heart wrenching.  She is a brilliant, selfless and loving Hermoine Granger.  So props to her and the gang.

After the movie, we made it safely back to the hotel.  It took Keri less than 3 minutes before she was asleep.  Now for a good nights sleep so Katy and I could get up early for some more sight seeing!  Stay tuned for Washington D.C., Part 2!!

"Sometimes it would stop raining long enough for the stars to come out... and then it was nice.  It was like just before the sun goes to bed down on the bayou.  There was always a million sparkles on the water... like that mountain lake.  It was so clear, Jenny, it looked like there were two skies one on top of the other.  And then in the desert, when the sun comes up, I couldn't tell where heaven stopped and the earth began.  It's so beautiful."

-Forrest Gump played by Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump

Halloween 2010

We all know how excited I get about Halloween (notice the written sarcasm).  I hate everything there is to do with dressing up.  I just cannot seem to get into it.  And when I am actually in costume, I constantly think about how embarrassed I am.  And lets face it, when do I get embarrassed about anything I do or say?  Um, never.   I do not know what it is about costumes that make me feel like that.  And I'm going to be an actor...  Maybe I'll feel different when I'm getting paid for it...

Before I expose my Halloween 2010 get-up, lets go on a journey.  A journey that begins with me discovering Halloween at a young age.  I was around 8 years of age and decided to throw on an old dance costume (kitten) that no longer fit me.  And by 'no longer fit me', I mean that it was a white leotard that was so small that it gave me a severe camel toe and the arm holes no longer reached over my shoulders.  It also had a tail attached.  I then made my dad take me trick or treating which consisted of me walking up and down my street (which only had 4 other houses) while my dad watched from the front lawn until I returned 5 minutes later.   Lets call this journey 'Past Halloween Costumes That I Have Pictures of on my Computer'.  I am not creative.  And here we go:

Year: 2001+

Costume: Bumble Bee

• Makeup: 1 black dot on each cheek.  Cause bumble bee's have that.
• Explanation: This was the best $10 I have ever spent.  The costume was simple.  Wear black shirt and shorts with optional fish-net stockings as under armor.  Then apply actual costume which consisted of a felt tie-on facade that just consisted of yellow and black stripes.  Wings.  Then felt hat with antennas.  This picture is not a testament to what I actually looked like in 2001.  All my pictures from Halloween 2001 are in storage (sorry, no braces pictures for you).  This costume was so simple and easy that I reused it for many Halloweens to come.  This picture is from a 2005 Halloween event I believe.  I put a lot of mileage in this costume and actually looked for it this year's Halloween festivites.  However, I believe I finally threw it away.  I think the antennas fell off...
• Memorable Story: Every Halloween I can remember in Middle School and High School, we always met up at my friend Danielle's house before we went out trick or treating.  This specific Halloween of 2001, my friend Megan and I were bumble bee's together.  We were running from house to house to collect as much candy as we could, pushing children out of our path.  Because that was what you did when you were sophomore's in high school.  But my feet were not quick enough for my body.  And I fell face down on cement.  So after some laughing, my friends dragged me to the nearest house we knew so I could get cleaned up.  My body was scraped head to toe in blood.
• Summation: The bumble bee costume was awesome because it was simple and reusable for many Halloweens.  However, it did not manage to stop me from being a spaz and eating shit on some cement.

Year: 2003

Costume: Fat Bastard

• Makeup: 4 small rectangular pieces of velcro that I glued cotton balls to.  I used a red marker and transformed them from cotton balls to Scottish eyebrows/sideburns.  Or as everyone else referred to them as: Cheetos.  
• Explanation: I ordered this costume right before Halloween and spent oodles on the shipping cost.  It was also like $90 itself anyway.  It was my senior year of high school and I wanted to go out with a bang.  There was also a costume contest with a financial reward.  I was gonna win that shit.  Not only did it have a really cool hat, the rest of the costume was all 1 piece.  Attached with a battery pack inflation device that blew air inside the costume so I would become fat.  The Bastard part came naturally.  
• Memorable Moment: As most of you know, my accents are not the best in the world.  So suffice to say, my Scottish accent sounded like a Southern bag piper with a stick up his ass.  Now imagine me saying, "Get in my BELLY.  I ate a BABYYYYY."  I blame my loss on the accent.  Everyone in the school loved it but when I went into the judge's room, I walked into a room of dead silence.  The three judges were teachers who had no idea who Austin Powers was.  So I lost.  I should of burned the school down then.
• Summation: Funniest. Costume. Ever. But not for teachers in there late 50s.

Year: 2004

Costume: Lucy Ricardo

• Makeup: Bright red lipstick.
• Explanation: This was a blue and white pock-a-dotted dress with white apron that had the 'I Love Lucy' logo on it.  Just in case people were confused.  I also purchased the red curly wig with a white bow in it.    I thought this costume was pretty fitting since Lucille Ball is a comedic icon.  In this day and age, to do comedy without vulgarity is pretty uncommon.  But she did it for decades and laid the brickwork for female comedians to come.  And also, she was a redhead so hollaaaaaa!!!!!
• Memorable Moment: This was my first year in college and Halloween was spent with old high school friends in College Station.  We were at a friend's apartment pre-partying then went to a house party.  After some frivolity, we headed back to the original apartment.  My friend though it would be a good idea to dance on top of his '97 red Mustang.  As he was trying to get off, he fell down the back and broke the back windshield.  With his hand.  Glass was everywhere including the back seat where my wig had been tossed.  FYI: wigs are hot as balls.  I got rid of that shit in a heart beat.  
• Summation: Lucille Ball Female Comedic Icon. Mustang 1. Wig 0.

Year: 2005

Costume: Ghost

• Makeup: Black circles around eyes.
• Explanation: I took a sheet from middle school with pink stripes all over it and cut 2 holes in it for eyes.  Boom.
• Good idea but when you put it into play - there are various problems that arise.  Such as, how to drink?  I simply cut a hole around the mouth and put a straw through it (as seen in this picture if you look hard enough).  And lets just say, having something on your face for long periods of time is extremely claustrophobic.  It reminds you of being strangled and murdered.  Well, how I imagine it to feel like.  
• Memorable Moment: My friend Weatherly twisted her ankle at a frat party we were attending.  So I gallantly threw my 'ghost' sheet off to expose the spaghetti strap top and cheerleading shorts I was wearing underneath.  I drunkenly swept Weatherly off her feet and carried her to the car.  With dozens of drunk girls and frat boys staring at me in wonderment.  Ghost one minute.  The next, running out of a frat party carrying someone wearing hardly nothing with black circles around her eyes.
• Summation: Ghost costume - funny idea, sucks to wear.  And not sexy.  At all.  

Year: 2008

Costume: Slutty Little Red Riding Hood

• Makeup: Slutty eyeliner.
• Explanation: Borrowed this costume from a friend.  This is the first year I've ever gone slutty.  Which is what women are expected to do for Halloween.  Apparently.  Costume with red cape/hood accessorized with black stockings.  
• Memorable Moment: The person I borrowed this costume from was hosting a Halloween party.  I was excited to go to meet new people and show her costume in action.  There was an attractive guy there that I hit it off really well with.  I even got up the nerve to offer my phone number which has NEVER happened in my life and has not happened again since.  He responded with, "I'm married."
• Summation: Slutiness doesn't always pay off.

Year: 2009

Costume: Cat in the Hat

• Makeup: None.
• Explanation: I knew I was going to be able to squeeze out of work early and wanted to go out with my bestie Lizz because Halloween is her personal Christmas.  She works for an online costume store and always has fun outfits.  However, this being a last minute get together - I had nothing.  My sister had rented a costume for work and she was the Cat in the Hat.  Welp, Cat in the Hat it is.  It was a onesie with a red bow at the neckline.  It also came with the large red/white striped hat.  
• Memorable Moment:  Lizz and I were walking home from the bar when some guy passed us and yelled, "Oh look, it's a bitch in hat."  And I responded by laughing as I turned to Lizz and said, "hahahaha that guy called you a bitch."  She was like, "I believe he was referring to you."
• Summation: Onesie's are way too hot and sweaty.

Year: 2010

Costume: Flapper

• Makeup: Silvery eye shadow.
• Explanation: We were told a couple weeks before Halloween that there would be a costume contest on Saturday.  It was basically preached to us like it was mandatory.  Lord knows I hate dressing up especially while waiting tables (in college I was bartending in the bumble bee costume running around frantically because we were unexpectantly really busy.  So all the guests were saying, "Well, she is just as busy as a bee."  I'll kill you.).  This flapper costume was made of polyester and was the itchiest material ever.  I thought I was having an allergic reaction all night.  It also had the feather lining on the bottom of the dress and a little feather/sparkly head band.  I completed the costume with non-slip black shoes, TR name tag and maroon apron.  I accessorized with a pearl necklace, huge diamond earrings and my huge diamond engagement ring.  I get to work and like 3 other people are dressed up.  Apparently, not mandatory at all.
• Memorable Moment: I lost the costume contest to a dude in tights.
• Summation: Everything that is polyester should be burned.

This is one of my managers Jen, she is amazing!!

"My ungodly book speaks to you. On All Hallow's Eve, when the moon is round, a virgin, will summon us from under the ground.  Oh Oh!  We shall be back, and the lies of all the children of Salem will be mine!" 

-Winifred Sanderson played by Bette Midler in Hocus Pocus

Shayla's Philadelphia Trip, Day 2

Of course we slept in.  However, I was super tired and probably slept in too much.  I ended up arising around 1PM.  We got ready and discussed what we wanted to do for the day.  We decided on starting at Valley Forge.  I have not been yet and really wanted to go.  Shayla was nice enough to partake in my enthusiasm.  We made our way to Valley Forge which is located in a town called King of Prussia.  It houses the largest mall in the world according to store count.  We decided to eat at TGI Friday's because I figured they would have something low calorie that I could eat and still be good with the diet.  There was a wait but I noticed the bar had seats so we headed that way.  We got carded for ordering waters, I hate when that happens.  After receiving our food, Shayla turned to me and said, "I feel like we have switched roles".  I was eating healthy and Shayla was eating something fatty and wonderful.  Hopefully I can keep this diet up!  Then I'll be as skinny as Shayla!  YAY!  Without having to run the 15 miles a day.

After our late lunch, we headed to the Valley Forge Historical Park.  We parked our car and headed for the visitor's center where I saw this:

Look!  I'm George Washington!

We walked around the path for the rest of the day.  We visited the barrack's they built, buildings, and all the various statues.  We came upon these sexy bastards pretty early in the trek:

Anyone else turned on?  No?  Just me?  Nothing like re-enacting non-battles to get a girl's engines going.  Who talks like this?  Me.

Here is an example of where they slept.  Do I want to sleep there? No.

But if I had the choice of laying on some wood or freezing to death.  

Wood wins.

Gorgeous Memorial Arch

It is absolutely beautiful here since the leaves are starting to change.  Valley Forge was quite a site.  I am obsessed with historical parks because they can never change.  Here are a few pics from our journey:

Washington Memorial Chapel

Breathtaking, us Episcopal's know how to do it.

After our wonderful trip to Valley Forge, the sunset sealed our day.  We traveled back to Glenside to get that movie to return.  Then we traveled to Bensalem to visit Katy Anne at Texas Roadhouse.  I cheated and had some rolls because I was getting a migraine.  Well 1 roll turned into like 6.  With the honey cinnamon butter.  Those are definitely not on the diet.  Dinner was great but I had to get Shayla back to the house so she could get some sleep.  We were leaving for the airport at 3:30AM so Shayla could make her flight at 5:30am.  She was going to arrive in Houston at 8am and then she was going straight to work.  Yes, she is a crazy person.

I couldn't sleep of course so I just stayed up.  We got up at 3:15am and got ready by putting on pants and heading out the door.  No traffic and we made it to the airport in plenty of time.  I dropped Shayla off and began the water works.  I am so lucky to have such an amazing best friend.  I would do anything for her.  We have so many wonderful memories together.  I am so thankful to have her.  And on that note, here is a quote from our favorite comedy.  Next to Out Cold, the funniest comedy on record.

"I chose Mount Rushmore.  'Cause to live in a country where you can take an ugly old mountain and put faces on it, faces of great Americans who did so much to make our country super great.  Well, that makes me Rebecca Leeman, proud to be an American."

-Rebecca Leeman played by Denise Richards in Drop Dead Gorgeous

Shayla's Philadelphia Trip - Day 1

Last Saturday I got to pick up the bestest best friend ever from the airport!!!!  Shayla arrived around 11:30 am and I decided to park to give her a real warm and friendly attack by baggage claim.  I got there a little early so I decided to use the restroom.  I was walking a few steps behind a woman who was going to the restroom as well but was headed into the men's room.  I tried to warn her but she just went in.  Oh well, welcome to Philadelphia.  I glanced around the visitors brochures for ideas of what to do with our two days.  What to do?  Both days doing all the historical stuff or to sit around the house without pants eating ice cream and watching movies?    Well, little of both then.

Got a call from Shayla saying that she was headed my way.  I sat there looking at the people around me noticing that most of them were holding signs for there passengers.  So I decided to join.  I dove into my gigantic purse (no exaggeration, I keep my wallet, sunglasses, phone, iPod, lip accessories, eye wash, mail, 2 server books, pens, server apron, book, & camera inside it) for paper and pen to write my sign on.  I wrote STEPP-FRIESEN on it in large letters.  Including the 'Stepp' part for hilarity reasons.

(*Note: This moment was later re-enacted outside the Liberty Bell)

After a couple minutes, we locked eyes and I ATTACKED.  I ran at her at a kind of retarded skip and then went for the full embrace.  Not gonna lie, started to tear up.  I could not be more excited that my best friend came all the way to PA to visit me!  Shayla informed me that they didn't even give her peanuts on the flight so she was starving.  We headed to find my car to begin our journey.  Got to the car ok but managed to not understand parking garages.  Took a few wrong turns because this certain parking garage was budgeting there EXIT signs.  Suffice to say, couldn't figure out how to fucking exit.

Made our way downtown.  After 30 minutes of me not being able to find it, we finally arrived at Reading Terminal Market.  We walked around a while until we finally decided on Chinese.  I decided to cheat on the diet this one time.  Well, day.  Well, two days.  Frick.

After lunch, we headed towards the Historical area.  Arrived behind Independence Hall in the park area.  Took a view glamour shots before we made our way to the front to go through security to get to the Constitution.  It took them a few minutes to go through my luggage AKA purse.  Tickets were already sold out when we got there around 1:30pm.  This is the second time that I've almost seen the Constitution.  I'm started to think it is a conspiracy.  I find myself wanting to blame Nicolas Cage for some reason...

This story probably explains why.  We were in the Great Essentials wing of Independence Hall.  The Great Essentials room houses copies of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence & Articles of Confederation.  While touring around the wing, this woman in stripes

proceeds to ask the guard/information guy if that is the same Declaration of Independence that Nicolas Cage stole.  When the guard proceeded to, in more words or less, make fun of her, she began to defend her question loudly.  I turned to Shayla and said, "I got to get out of here."  Yes, people like her exist.  Everywhere.  Frightening, isn't it?

Before we left Independence Hall, I decided to make Shayla take this picture next to the line for the Constitution:

Afterwards, I noticed the people in line staring at me.  So I responded with, "I'm taking a picture of her almost seeing the Constitution.  That's why she came up here."  Moving on.

Then we made our way across the street to see the Liberty Bell.  We walked through the introductory museum area.  I noticed that it was separated into time periods (revolutionary beginnings, Civil War, Civil Rights, women's suffrage, etc.)  And for each time period it said, "The Liberty Bell means...".  And it changed for each period.  Whoa, this bell has a lot of power.

It's cracked.

There was this couple taking kissy pictures in front of the bell.  I was like - are these people trying to bring sexyback to the bell?  I thought that was really funny and repeated it throughout the day.  Also, another dude was leaning over the railing taking pictures from the bottom of the bell.  I exclaimed that this fool was feeling frisky with the bell.  You know, looking up her skirt.  

I'm going into comedy.

Shayla and I paused outside the Liberty Bell building for some glamour shots.

Normal.

Not so normal.

And on down historical lane we went.  We traveled to the Independence Hall Visitor Center, Constitution Center & Benjamin Franklin's (BF) grave.  After giving a shout out to BF, we made our way to Betsy Ross' House.  I warned Shayla that there wasn't a lot to see at Betsy's casa.  You walk in the gift shop and can purchase a ticket for the tour.  I have managed to fight the system by instead of actually buying a ticket, you simply lean over the railing to look at the rest of her house.  Cause it's tiny.  They sell a lot of interesting stuff at Betsy's gift shop.  Like little bottle cap magnets that say things like 'America Rocks' on it or t-shirts that say BRH on it.  

"Hey dude, cool t-shirt.  What does BRH stand for?" 

"Betsy Ross' House." 

"Sick."

This is the fountain outside BRH.  It has kitties.  So I did what any normal person would do.

I petted the kitties and made loud, obnoxious cat noises.

We made our way to Elfreth's Alley and then back towards Independence Hall to check out the banks near by.  After that we walked back to my car and I gave her my personal driving tour of the rest of downtown.  We went to South Street, Rittenhouse Square and the Avenue of the Arts.  South Street was bumpin' because it was a Phillies play off game that day.  There were a lot of fans and freaks making there way around town.  Outside the comic shop, I witnessed this:

Yup, a few men were in capes light saber fighting.  However, only one of them was up to my standards costume wise.  I'll probably go back there later to cruise for dudes.

We made our way back to Glenside where we decided to go out to eat for dinner.  We chose a place called Earth Bread & Brewery that Jonathan & Katy have been wanting me to try.  The food was good but we had the worst service ever.  Apparently, I slept with her boyfriend and don't remember it.  Oh well, luckily Shayla & I are used to shit like this happening to us.  There is nothing worse than being a server and getting bad service.  Somehow, I still wanted to blame Nicolas Cage.

We got ready for bed and snuggled in my bed.  Shayla put on 100 pounds of warmth because she was freezing.  I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt.  We rented It's Complicated because I was in the mood for something comical and I had heard good things about it.  If you haven't seen it, rent it now.  You cannot go any longer in life if you haven't seen Alec Baldwin post-sex grabbing/cupping Meryl Streep's crouch saying "Home Sweet Home."  Perfect.  I can die now.  Alec Baldwin brought up past memories of our youth.  When we were little, my Ken doll was always named Alec Baldwin because I was obsessed with him.  When I was in primary school.  It was Alec Baldwin in a sea of Days of our Lives soap opera barbies.  I would re-create the show's happenings.  Shayla & I would call it a day, then re-set for the next days continuance.  Normal.

Sexy.

"It reminds me of the heady days of Sputnik and Yuri Gagarin when the world trembled at the sound of our rockets.  Now they will tremble again - at the sound of our silence.  The order is: engage the silent drive."

-Captain Marko Ramius played by Sean Connery in The Hunt for Red October

You thought it was going to be a Nicolas Cage movie quote, DIDN'T YOU?!?  Well guess what, it will NEVER be.  Because he is TERRIBLE.  And he STEALS SHIT.

Weather Change, Friends n Marriage

The weather here has changed which means Fall is here!  The leaves are changing which is gorgeous.  Also the temperature has dropped which is really great in aiding in my hot flashes.  They seem less severe.

The first cold day was last Tuesday.  That day I got to see one of my old friends Eli.  He and a friend were driving from Richmond up the eastern roads through Baltimore, Philly, NYC then to Eli's home in New Hampshire.  They were nice enough to stop in Philly to have lunch so I could meet up with them.  It was really nice seeing an old friend.  You know things are good when you talk like no time has passed.

After a brief lunch at Tony Luke's which is downtown, Eli & company hit the road in there rented Impala.  Bawlin'.

And a very special shout out to two wonderful best friends that got engaged recently!!  I am so happy for you both!!  YAY MARRIAGE!!!  Please don't make me wear orange or yellow.

"Anything?  Well, uh I guess I, deep down, am feeling a little confused.  I mean, suddenly, you get married, and you're supposed to be this entirely different guy.  I don't feel different.  I mean, take yesterday for example.  We were out at the Olive Garden for dinner, which was lovely.  And uh, I happen to look over at a certain point during the meal and see a waitress taking an order, and I found myself wondering what color her underpants might be.  Her panties.  Uh, odds are they are probably basic white, cotton, underpants.  But I sort of think well maybe they're silk panties, maybe it's a thong.  Maybe it's something really cool that I don't even know about.  You know, and uh, and I started feeling.... what?  What I thought we were in the trust tree in the nest, were we not?"

-Frank Ricard played by Will Ferrell in Old School

How to Quit a Job

Hello blog family, sorry I haven't updated in a while.  Nothing really exciting has happened but a few minor adjustments here and there.  As I stated below, I put in my two weeks at the Fox.  My GM found out and I noticed he was ignoring me.  I eventually approached him and asked him if he was mad at me for putting my two weeks in.  He responded with, "No. I tend to not get close to anyone anymore.  You have to play in the big leagues to work downtown." To which I replied saying, "Ummmmmmm ok."  I guess being in the big leagues means doing drugs, boning everybody and making no money.  I'm really sad I missed out on that.

So on to bigger and better things...  I hope.  Katy Anne got me a job at Texas Roadhouse in Montgomeryville (which is about 20 miles from the casa).   The people there are really nice.  A variety of interesting individuals.  Lets just say I have competition for being the weirdest person there.  Me.  Competition?  What?

There is a guy there who is a shit show to the fullest extent.  He performs in a drag show and his stage name is 'Britney Queers'.  He is suffice to say in love with Britney Spears, Zac Efron & Justin Bieber.  So he's straight.  NOT.  I love me some gays.

There is a bartender there that I constantly feel is raping me with his eyes.  So that's nice.

But other than that, working there is good.  They are a reallyyyyyy slow store so that sucks.  Also,  they are not open until 4 pm Monday-Friday.  So I'm trying to get another job for the mornings.  Any ideas?  Remember, I'm trying to stay off the pole people.

And on an awesome note, I have officially finished reading all of the Harry Potter books.  This done mainly in preparation for Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 1 movie, opening November 19th.  Which I'm super stoked about.  And by stoked I mean that I had a dream last night that I was Hermione Granger living in my Comanche house.  I was involved in a battle in my vast backyard but could not fight back because my wand turned out to be a golf tee.  I tried to get wand help inside my house but it turned out that Magic Johnson was my dad.  And let's face it, he hasn't engaged in any magic since the early 80's.

Golf Tee

"It is not our abilities that show what we truly are.  It is our choices."

-Professor Albus Dumbledore played by Richard Harris in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets