Thank You Nice Boys!

I love how a blog post sometimes just hits you. That is what happened to me last night...

I met up with two friends in Washington DC for drinks. We all had a good time and sometime after 1:00 AM we decided we should head home via metro. It was there at the Chinatown metro stop that we met LeeAnn. She had gone to the Capitals hockey game with her boyfriend (who was no where to be found) and I would say wasted is describing her nicely. She had tears running down her face, was disoriented, and had no clue which metro train to take. Unfortunately she couldn’t get cell phone service in the metro station [GET ON THIS AT&T!] and couldn’t call anyone for help. Since I have a Verizon cell phone I tried calling her boyfriend’s phone. He didn’t answer. Her response was “Of Course.” They had had a fight or something.

Oookay.

I think I AM going to “go there” and say that she had an oversized black t-shirt on with a Space Invaders print on the front. For some reason I found this extremely amusing and made me want to help her more. I remember playing that video game when my younger brother was obsessed with the PlayStation version. My dad bought the game for us because it was his favorite at the arcade as a child.

Anyway, she kept saying she needed to get to Virginia where she had parked her car. I was the friend in our group who was headed the same direction as her, so I helped her get on the Orange line train with me in the right direction. In talking to her, it became apparent that her car was NOT parked at any of the metro stations in Virginia. It was someplace else and she needed a Metro Bus to take her to her car. I didn’t really trust her to:
A) Find the Metro Bus
B) Know where to get off
And C) if she magically completed those first two tasks, attempt driving home.

One of my close friend’s parents were in a terrible car accident caused by a drunk driver a few years ago. She lost her mother and her father is now disabled. This was all before I met her, but I see the pain that she deals with EVERY DAY because of that accident. As a result I’m pretty passionately opposed to drunk driving.

I figured… I NEED TO PUT LEEANN IN A TAXI. If she can get to her parents’ house everything else can be figured out in the morning. We got off at my metro stop and easily flagged down a taxi. She was able to recall her parents street address and said she had $20. The taxi driver said that wouldn’t be enough…..

I gave him a $20 and made him swear to me he wouldn’t kick her out of the cab. He promised he would take her where she was going and I went home for the night.

Currently, I can’t throw around $20 dollars like it is not a big deal. When I had a job, maybe. But I guess I felt like if I didn’t help LeeAnn, who would? Clearly she had made some bad decisions, but her trying to drive scared the shit out of me. I’m assuming she made it home…

As I was thinking about those $20 I realized…gosh… guys do stuff like this all the time. Not saying they don’t have some kind of interest, most do.

But, I would like to say THANK YOU nice boys when you pay for cabs, drinks, food, etc. without even flinching. Especially if you have done this without receiving a thank you. I [and the nice female poplulation] sincerely appreciate it.

Love, OhMyLaughter

But, I LIKEd You So Much More On Wednesday

So, I’ve been doing pretty well with my How To checklist for dealing with a layoff. I often need to “get away” when things get bad…then I come back with a new, refreshed perspective that allows me to better tackle my problems.

Since losing my job, I took a trip with my parents and younger brother to Boston. In Boston I met up with a friend from college who introduced me to the Boston nightlife [and paid for everything.] I have to say Boston is an AMAZING CITY. People there are so much nicer than in DC. I’ve seen most of the major cities in America and in my opinion it’s one of the best.

This trip was followed by a visit to see a friend who lives right outside of NYC. Originally our plan was to go out in New York City, but we ended up going out in New Jersey both nights. I unexpectedly hit it off with one of her guy friends from college. (And NO he was not wearing a wife beater.)



Here is where we get to the title: “But I LIKEd You So Much More on Wednesday.” Wednesday night consisted of trivia followed by hanging out at the house of another guy in our group who was recently laid off. (I was in good company.) I liked my friend’s college friend more on Wednesday because I don’t think he went out of his way to impress me. He was just hanging out with his friends, teasing me when appropriate, and we joked around quite a bit. I really like teasing! As our interaction got more touchy feely…I got the sense that…okay…something might happen. This was absolutely not the reason that I went to New York/New Jersey; I was there to visit my friend!! But alas, on the streets of New Jersey there was a goodbye smooch ;-)

On Thursday plans were made to hang out in this group again that night… Thursday night is when I got frustrated. I felt he was trying TOO HARD to seem confident, funny, and impressive.

UGH. I didn’t care so much about his job as a consultant or hearing stories that I’m sure he has told before. It wasn’t BAD conversation; he was definitely a nice guy, but 3 weeks ago I was working with consultants. I have gone out with these [ex]co-workers before in DC and I know all too well what it looks like when they “turn it on” in conversation with a girl. I guess it’s nice that he wanted to impress me, but what I liked about him on Wednesday Night was how CHILL he seemed.

If we were in the same city one could talk about giving him another chance, but we’re not….
So how do YOU deal when the person you originally liked for their personality tries too hard to impress you? End it? Give it another go? And actually what is the guy perspective on how girls make the same mistake.?

The Sgt. Jeremy Ross Watch

I am clearly going to need to make the Sgt. Jeremy Ross Watch a more recurring feature.

Ladies, if you have not been introduced to Sgt. Ross before, take a look at my other posts:

• Like oh my BOYS


• OhMyMarines, and


• Like, but he's so cute

I'm an original headline writer, aren't I?

Anyway, as a recap, I stumbled upon this video as part of my job. I'm a lucky girl, I know. I've crushed on Sgt. Ross from afar before - in his previous role in Afghanistan.

It appears that now he has a spot at the Pentagon Channel.

Which is filmed inside the Pentagon.

I work, like, literally, almost across the street from the Pentagon!

So, I've come to the following conclusions after giddly giggling over this video (and also recognizing the important content actually being reported on in the video):

1. Sgt. Ross is back safely from Afghanistan!


2. I will go across the street to the Pentagon! Hopefully on official business!


3. I WILL meet Sgt. Ross


4. (And we will have lots and lots of pretty babies. Uhhh I meannnn)

Right, ladies? I'm right in making the move, yeah? Anyone want in on this super-secret mission?

Becoming a California Girl...or NOT

So, I recently arrived in the glitz and glamor that is southern california. Its a fascinating place.

I've kind of had secret fantasies of being a total "california girl" since I was like...seven years old. Being an authentic "california girl" includes: blonde hair, perfect body, tan skin, lots of money, sass, and blonde hair. Great aspiration, right? I know, I'm so deep. Anyways, I figured since I'll be here for a while(until the end of May) I may as well go all out.

So, I decided to dye my hair blonde. I've been a brunette all my life--and that has been the key component keeping me from being an authentic California girl!(well, one of them at least) I didn't want anything permanent...just like a scientific experiment to see what it was like. I've always been curious.

I went to my hair dresser, Marsha, here in orange county. I walked in, confident that she would do a remarkable color job...expecting a life changing experience. With incredible enthusiasm, I exclaimed "Marsha, I wanna go BLONDE!!!"

She didn't say anything but just stood there staring at me for about five painfully awkward seconds. "What?" I asked sheepishly...obviously my idea of going blonde wasn't sitting well with her.

She finally spoke. "I hate to break it to you, buuuuut you actually wouldn't look good with blonde hair. I'll give you some highlights but you would hate it blonde."

WHAT???!Before I could even defend myself, two other hair dressers simultaneously joined her force criticizing my little dream of blonde hair. "Yeah...she's an expert in color--you would hate it." Suddenly, I was so confused. Ten minutes ago I was anticipating a radical decision that would turn my life around...and now my dreams were coming to a catastrophic HAULT. Maybe she was right, maybe I would hate it...I mean, it would be a huuuge change....

...But I want the blonde hair for the pure sake of being blonde--I really do not care whether or not it actually LOOKED GOOD WITH MY SKIN TONE AND EYE COLOR. GEEZE MARSHA I"M PAYING YOU LOTS OF MONEY CAN'T YOU JUST DO WHAT I WANT??

Although my mind and little innocent heart were absorbed in a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, I was defeated by the "anti-blonde force" and settled for...measly stinking highlights! I mean, they look good...like really good...but I couldn't help be slightly disappointed.

So, after thinking the situation over and trying to be wise and mature,I visited the local Beauty Supply Store(theres one on every corner here) and literally bought my OWN hair dye. No one can stop me now! Not even you Marsha, and your little fleet of anti-blonde Nazis!

So, I'm going to re-highlight my hair today, and I really hope that I am at least somewhat successful...This is very dangerous and probably not a very good idea but I am determined. I dont really even know what I'm doing. Something with foil and a long metal thing literally called a "rat tail." YIKES.

Has anyone highlited his or her own hair who can offer some advice? Thanks!

OMG and I dreamed that I made out with Adam Lambert.....uhhhhhh

Oh, WE ARE OBSESSED WITH THIS!!!

I think I have lost count on how many times I have disscussed/watched Chelsea & Mark's "Bleeding Love" Dance with the other Like, OhMyBlog! Girls.

If we hear the song or if someone mentions So You Think You Can Dance, our love for this number DEFINITELY comes up in conversation. But often one of us will mention this dance for no real reason. Except that we love it. So...BOTTOM LINE... it's time that it made its way onto our blog.

If you haven't seen it... OMG get ready. Or if you are like us... why not watch it for the 1, 430,987 time?!

Love,
Like, OhMyBlog!



Update: So You Think You Can Dance comes back Thursday, May 21st.

http://www.tvguide.com/News/Fox-Dance-Mental-1004493.aspx

Auditioning for the DC "Hills": "The Hill?"

Dear Producers of The Hills and The City,

In the wake of the revitalized interest in the nation's capital, you have decided to create a new reality show set in this glamorous city. I'm writing to you to prove how I would be a great candidate to be the new LC.

I'm currently "like, the lowest totem pole on the food chain" - to quote Heidi, Season One - just like all the Hills girls when they started. While my job isn't in the fashion, PR, or music industries, I do frequently work with the military, which has just as many parties ("They're taking shots?" Again, quote thanks to Heidi, Season 4). My life goals also include creating a fashion line and a music album where I can really show who I am as an artist.

As for my love life, well, there's no Brody, Spencer, or even "homeboy wore combat boots to the beach" (Lauren, Season Three) kind of guy currently in my life. But I figure you can cast someone really good in that role. I totally trust you. I do have a cute neighbor next door, but he's engaged. (Ooh, drama starter, maybe? As you can see, thanks to my writing background, I'm very good at coming up with potential plot points and storylines.)

I have a few different circles of friends up here too, from college (Heidi), work (Whitney), and high school (Lo). I would be more than happy to take time off work and go have lunch and coffee dates with these people all day long. We could have fake conversations and make up stuff about people to create drama. And of course, stare at each other back and forth at the end of the scene. Although, I suppose if I were hired for the show, I would "have a job" and not actually have to work. Well, except to further my fashion and music careers as well as my celebrity status.

Here are some of my concerns:
- The DC/MD/VA paparazzi level is kind of low. What will you do to ensure that I can't scratch my nose without being photographed?
- Is a sex tape, rumored or not, required or optional?
- What's the starting salary? I'm sure I'll be a fan favorite, so think high.

Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to working with you!

xoxo,
Gossip Girl (Oops, wrong show. And network.)

P.S. What kind of hair trend will you set for me to start? More LC braids or something new?

EDIT: I just found this article about a boy shortage for the show - so true!

2nd EDIT: Okay, so this show is really coming to a TV near you. Not with me, of course, but it'll be on the CW (so I did get the right network!) this summer under the name "Blonde Charity Mafia" because that's what the girls call themselves due to their philanthropic work. Apparently all of young DC follows what they do and wants invites to their events. Um sorry, I hadn't heard of any of them until today.

A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes

Taking OhMyLaughter's lead, I want to follow up my more serious post with something more lighthearted. Fairy tale, if you will. No, nothing yet that is worthy of Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty, but oh, a girl can dream, because dreaming is what I'm good at. Those who know me know I love princessy things and long to have an official title as something.

And it's not like I'm asking for William or Harry. No, I've decided that marrying a prince would be entirely too much to handle. I mean, all that paparazzi? Very stressful.

So thanks to the wonder of Wikipedia, I have discovered my ticket to a British title. Wikipedia has a list of all the dukedoms and earldoms in the United Kingdom. So when I'm bored, I'll go on there and click on random titles - Earl of Surrey, Duke of Norfolk - and see if there are any eligible and appropriately aged men.

And I found one.

He's only two years older than I am and isn't married - check appropriate age, check eligible. He is the heir apparent to the Duke of Northumberland, whose ancestral home I happened to visit last year while on vacation, little knowing he could have been behind those stone walls.

my future home

(Side note: The home, Alnwick Castle, is also used in the Harry Potter films as a stand in for Hogwarts. The producers were not granted access to the real Hogwarts. :) As you can see, I have both feet firmly planted in the real world, haha.)

Anyway, as soon as I figured this out, I called my friend who is from Newcastle, about an hour away from Alnwick. She was very supportive.

Me: I have my life plan figured out now and you can help make it happen.
English Friend: What is it?
Me: I'm going to marry the heir apparent to the Duke of Northumberland.
English Friend: Um, okay.
Me: And since you live so close and in such a small country, you two are obviously best friends so you need to hook me up. Get on that when you get back to the UK, okay?
English Friend: Yeah, I'll work on that. What is it with Americans and titles?
Me: What is it with British people and yellow school buses and corn dogs?!

Actually, it's my Scottish friend who can't wait to visit to see the "little yellow school buses" and to eat a corn dog - "I have no idea what that is, but it sounds so American!"

Back to the point, which is...wow, I sound silly. Can I blame Disney? But hey, it gets me through the day sometimes, dreaming up little fairy tales for myself. And I'd like to point out that it isn't my fault that all this information is readily available on the internet!

Maybe he's not going to find my glass slipper and whisk me away, but it's something to dream about until the real Prince Charming comes along.

Like, Confidence is Attractive

Okay, so I wasn't really planning on posting today, but after the two incredible (yet more serious posts) by OhMyHeart and OhMyFancy... I felt a need for something more well, light-hearted. I don't think our blog needed that, but I DID. Yeah me....OhMyJobless ;-)

On Saturday night I was out dancing and celebrating the birth of three friends. Not that this night had anything to do with boys (IT DIDN'T), or I have to have a guy with me to have a good time (I DON'T)... but the guys I met that night seemed to be generally VERY douche baggy.

OUT OF NO WHERE...I managed to run into a guy friend who was standing on the edge of the dance floor.

I think he may now like a mutual friend (or she likes him??!... Hi5!!!!) and I wasn't about to get into the middle of THAT on Saturday night. But dancing with him = Totally permissable.

I remember thinking he was a kind of awkward/goofy dancer the first time we went out together. But on Saturday night I was more than excited to see a familiar face. He was still just as awkward/goofy of a dancer... but you know what... I had a lot of fun. We kind of owned the dance floor (or according to him we did) because we ended up with more space then most of the people around us.

This was wayyyy more fun than wasting time talking to boring guys with nothing to say and who didn't want to dance. And with that I would like to say: Confidence is Attractive.

Duh? Right. But why do so many people miss this?
Willingness to put yourself out there and have a good time is a (Plus 1) maybe even a (Plus 2) or (Plus 3).
Whether just at life in general or when it comes to with someone you like.

How appropriate that the birthday card I gave my friends said:

"You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough!"

Living in the Present

This past week's episode of Lost as well as OhMyHeart's post about nostalgia got me thinking about time. Being in the moment and enjoying it has always been difficult for me. I'm always wanting to look ahead to what's coming, to what I think is going to be so exciting. Unfortunately, this leads me to pay less attention to things happening in the present, or then to look back as well, at those events that I neglected while they were occurring.

At each stage of school, I couldn't wait to graduate and begin the next one. By sixth grade I was so done with elementary school and ready to start middle school, the first land of teenage-dom, not realizing that I was leaving some of the easiest days into some of the hardest. Elementary school was a time where popularity wasn't that obvious and kids didn't care about it. And then to go from that into middle school where everyone is insecure and some are goofy looking (myself being both of those) and those that were pretty turning their insecurities into meanness - well, all that just stinks. Today, I'd love to go back to my elementary school days with lunch AND recess and no worries about the next step of school, career, etc. I had always wanted so badly to grow up that I don't know how much I actually appreciated what I had at the time.

In college, I again just wanted to hurry up and get out into that next stage, the real world, thinking that getting and having a job in my field would be so much easier than worrying about taking GenEd classes in subjects I didn't care about. Let's just say I underestimated the ease in getting said job, and did not account for having a job in a field that I had little interest in. I did manage my last two years though to enjoy what I was experiencing, and even hoped that time would slow down a bit as I got to live the dream - independence with financial support from the parents.

I do have my moments when I live in moments that I never want to end. My British friend came to visit the other weekend from Canada - I met her while studying abroad and now she's studying abroad in our northern neighbor - and I didn't want the weekend to be over. Every trip to Disney World is exactly the same. I suppose it's because I never know when those events will happen again so I want to embrace that time fully.

Now, as I'm in a job that I'm not thrilled with, but am also working towards my dream job, I finally have a life plan. Well, a 2 1/2 year plan really. It involves grad school for Fall 2010 entry doing something I love - writing - in a city I love - Edinburgh, Scotland. It's a degree that isn't necessary to succeed in the field, but is one that I can't help but want to achieve. Me, the girl who couldn't wait to get through school, discovered upon leaving that she loved it. It really is a grown up OhMyFancy plan though, because I'm actually thinking of ways that I can achieve it through my own financial means, not completely relying on my parents to figure it out. Thanks to this great plan though, I'm once again not living in the present. I find myself thinking, "I can get through this because at x time I will be living in x place doing what I love." I just have to make sure I get accepted.

In the meantime, I know I should just appreciate where I am right now. I don't want to be 800 years old and regretting that I never just lived in the moment. The 9 to 5 is getting better, I have great friends, a loving family, and am no longer at the goofy looking stage of my life. I'm young, with good things to have been thankful for, a lot to look forward to, and even more to enjoy now.

Like, nostalgia's a bitch

I feel like I've been missing from LOMB lately. I've been quite torn because all my LOMB-worthy juicy boy stories (or commentary on the odd state of dating in our day) have to do with guys...who..may or may not read this blog. So I may or may not have put myself in a little conundrum by wanting to be more transparent with my online presence. Anyway.

It's spring! Oh man spring is such a rebirth. Skin comes out, flowers bloom, allergies sneeze, and Nostalgia comes roaring her ugly head to bite me on the ass. Hard.

Spring comes with so many specific memories for me. I came to remember that this weekend exactly a year ago was a big one for me:

• I had a huge dance concert on the "main stage." It was a pretty big deal, and I was pretty proud of myself and my dancer gfs for our accomplishments.
• It was my roommate's birthday party. She's a hottie. We threw good parties.
  
• Uh...BOYS! duh. **
  

**We had a list up in our apartment for the things to accomplish before the end of the semester. One of the bullet points (with extra stars next to it FOR EMMA ONLY) was: "Make out with...." and then I had the names of at least seven different boys I had more or less been flirting with. No joke. I can't actually remember more than three of them today, but anyway! Two of the boys came to said roommate's said birthday party, and I thought myself pretty slick for being able to flirt with both of them. (One of which was this jerk. You remember him. )

The other one I ended up dating pretty seriously soon after that. I think he's the one who stopped me from being so nostalgic about the whole college experience ending. I was so excited to have a new boy who I was totally, completely in to, and we were planning our careers and futures together...that I forgot to get sad about OMG COLLEGE IS ENDINNNNNG CRYYYY.

Nostalgia is not a new problem for me. Please see my old-school totally immature blog for that. I think OhMyDrama and OhMyGoodness! can attest to how poorly I handled the transition from high school to college. I cried all the time and went home like every other weekend, and then thought it was weird that I didn't exactly fit in at high school football games. Yeah. Awkward.

At the end of every semester at JMU, I sat in my classrooms for the last day of class awkwardly longer than everyone else. I was all too acutely aware that I would never again sit with this same group of people in this room of learning. So while everyone was cruising to get out of the academic setting, I silently mourned the end of every class. Every semester.

But for some reason, May 2008 rolled seemlessly into the rest of my adult life. There were no hiccups and few tears. What the heck? How did I get through it? I think it had something to do with said boy, getting into a new job super fast and said job being freaking awesome. Plus all my closest JMU friends (most of which happen to write here) tend to be in the same area, so we still get to go out and have fun together.

But today, Nostalgia snuck up on me, that crazy bia. She was hiding in the brilliant sunshine and the sweet dreams I had been having of the fun night with fun friends and the next time I get to see my new cute boy. Somewhere in the discovery of what a monumental weekend this was last year, I started crying. I couldn't blame it on my allergies, and I couldn't explain it to my concerned parents. I just sat on my porch, crying and crying.

It didn't help that I misssed this year's dance performance (too many scheduling conflicts!) or that I happened to go through those Facebook pictures from a year ago. It didn't help that I am headed to JMU next week to talk to this year's stressed-out seniors, or that the cute boy I was so crazy about last year sent me a few scintilating text messages.

It didn't help. But feeling nostalgic didn't hurt, either. I've been building up that nostalgia for a whole year, and I didn't even know it. It felt good to cry her out of my system, and now I'm excited to fully live in the present, and enjoy every step of the way through this next stage of life I will one day feel nostalgic for.