Going to the Chapel

The most beautiful bride EVER.

Congratulations, Merrick and Gerald!

(See all pics here.)

At Meijer - In the British Foods Section

Always a Bridesmaid...

Well, it's official: my little brother and his girlfriend are no longer going to be living in sin like common heathens... he proposed last night.

With a house, one child, and another on the way, he still thought that it was important to ask her father's permission. Aw. He called me last night when I was cheering on the Nats at RFK Stadium (which was a total blast - thanks for the invite!).

I was practically in tears. This was a long time coming, folks. I am SO happy.

A2

I love Ann Arbor. Every time I return, I get this amazing feeling -- that I belong. Don't get me wrong, moving to DC was the best decision I've ever made, but feeling so comfortable, so at home? That's something you just can't buy. Well, unless you cruise L Street, NW, at 12:30 a.m.

After a quick stop at Steve & Barry's, I forced FORCED Mike, Kelly, and Brent into the Exhibit Museum. I missed my friends, the dinosaurs:

Big Al. Allosaurus.

Edmontosaurus. Duck-billed dino.

Deinonychus. Bigger than velociraptor. THAT'S RIGHT.

Heather and the Mastodons.
Hmmm, that sounds like a sitcom.

Wolverine! Schnicky schnicky schnike!

Mike doesn't know what he's gotten himself into.
And I don't mean the canoe :)

I also found out that if I do decide to move back to A2 for yet another degree, there will always be a job there for me. Very, very nice to hear. I loved working there.

Channel 1

Who else had Channel One in school?

I remember being forced to watch it in middle school. We hated it at the time, but it really did present unbiased news - something that I doubt most would have gotten at home. On the flip side, it was underwritten by huge corporations like Pepsi, Doritos, and the like, so we were subjected to an immense amount of advertising by companies that probably creamed their pants with the chance to advertise in schools.

But Channel One didn't just bring us painful, forced consumerism! No! It contributed to the early careers of super fantastic people, like:

Rawley Valverde - Okay honestly? I have no idea what he's doing now. I just love saying his name.

Serena Altschul - She moved around from MTV to CNN to CBS. Plus, she's hot.

Lisa Ling - From The View to the National Geographic channel to being on a first name basis with Oprah, Lisa Ling has MADE IT. Or whatever.

Kathy Kronenberger - Again, I just like her name. I think that she had a sweet perm, too.

Maria Menounos - I don't remember her on the show. But she's done well... especially with the pre-teen set.

Tracy Smith - My AP Calculus teacher was OBSESSED with her. If she wasn't an anchor on Channel One that day, he would actually turn off the tv and refuse to let us watch it. This is also the same teacher who prepared us for the AP test SO WELL that none of us bothered to take it. We knew that it would be a tremendous waste of money because we learned NOTHING. And then I almost failed regular Calculus in college. THANKS. He had alopecia... I don't know why that matters...

And the most awesome of all?

Anderson "The Silver Fox" Cooper - What can I say? He's beautiful and he reports damn fine news: he was the only non-pussy Channel One anchor who reported from the Middle East during Desert Storm. Plus, he gorgeous.

Onion Karma

Do you see what you get? Do you see what you get when you mess with karma? ("Do you see what you get, Carla? Do you see what you get when you mess with The WARRIOR?")

I have the worst luck with planes. Awful. I was lucky enough to avoid any problems on my London flight, so I guess I was pretty much asking for this:

On Friday, waiting at Reagan for my flight, I got Five Guys, just for the onion breath (okay, for the actual burger. I love me their little hamburger). I knew that my US Airways Express flight would be chock-full of businessmen (it was) and I wanted to annoy them because they annoy me. But I couldn't go through with it - I popped a piece of gum anyway. I felt bad for thinking like that. No one wanted to smell my onion breath.

I proceeded to have an amazing weekend in Michigan with my family, friends, and... new friends. I watched my niece turn two, I played some euchre, I went to Ann Arbor... I just didn't want to leave. I went to the airport extremely happy, but a little sad that I had to get on a plane.

And then, after waiting in line for twenty minutes (what the hell, US Air? Why do you not have separate lines for those of us not checking luggage?), my Sunday evening flight got cancelled. Flat out hope- you- have- somewhere- to- stay- because- we're- blaming- this- on- the- weather cancelled. They got me on a 7:15 a.m. flight the next morning, which was awesome because I got to attend to some unfinished business, but when I checked in, I didn't have a seat.

Standby. Sweet.

Then, I entered the longest security line ever. This jerk guy deliberately cut in front of me, and I was NOT having it. "Excuse me, sir? Where are you going?" and I made him move. Then, before the detectors, he stole my bin. "SIR" is all I said. He gave it back. Jackhole.

I got a seat, and then a layover in Philly. Scary, huge airport. Delayed plane.

Where's the GD plane?

We finally arrived in DC an hour late, and I made the mistake of going into work. I had been up since 4:30 a.m., and I promptly fell asleep at my desk. So I went home and fell asleep on the couch instead.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Do not eat onions with a wicked heart. Karma will bite you on the ass.

Blogiquette

I've been doing this bloggy thing for over two years now, but I'm still a little foggy on the etiquette involved. And yes, I know that there is etiquette.

For example, I know that responding to one's own comments is considered polite and borderline necessary, so I respond. I like that it builds up the comments and I love that it encourages dialogue amongst my readers (did I just say, "my readers?" Oh jeez...)

Also, I know that you're technically supposed to ask someone before linking to their blog, so I generally do that. But honestly, I don't think that it's a must. If you like a blog and appreciate its content, link away! I am flattered when it happens to me, and will most likely link back to you, too. It seems to be a win-win situation, but if anyone ever requested that I remove their link, I would do so immediately.

You might find a blog you like and decide to link to it, but you can't get upset if he/she doesn't link back to you. It's nothing personal. If you make it personal, it starts to get weird. Don't let it get weird.

But then, things get a little confusing. What happens when someone removes you from his/her blogroll without notice? Do you take offense? Do you call him/her on it? Do you remove the link on your blog?

I know that it's probably not worth worrying over, and I really shouldn't take offense. If this is the worst thing that happens in my little online world, then I should consider myself lucky, right? I'm going to get over this slight, and continue to enjoy this little niche I've carved for myself.

The Anti-Bridezilla

My lovely, wonderful friend, Merrick, is getting married on June 9th and I am honored to be a bridesmaid. It's going to be a beautiful wedding, I'm really excited to get dressed up, and I am just so, so happy for her.

I went for my fitting on May 19, and that's when they discovered that they had forgotten to order my dress.

Awesome.

I talked to them today, and it's not due to be delivered to the bridal shop until June 6th or 7th. And I need massive alterations because I am what you would call petite.

Again, the wedding is June 9th.

Super fantastic.

I didn't want to bother Merrick with this ridiculousness, but they called her anyway. After she came down from her mini anger cloud, she somehow talked them out of the alteration fees (and at $90.00, I'm glad they insisted on calling her), and made everything all better. They swore up and down that the alterations could be done in mere hours. She didn't freak out, she didn't get stressed, and she didn't raise her voice.

She's going to make a good wife.

Heath-ohLordkillmenow-row

Oh LORD.

K-10 dropped me at the Russell Square tube station on Tuesday and I took the hour-long trip to Heathrow for my flight back to the States.

So after getting through security and getting frisked (yes, she was hot and she totally touched my boob), I walked into the largest Duty-Free area that I've ever seen. I've never understood the whole duty-free thing, but I guess some people DO need gallons of perfume and pounds of chocolate. It was like a food court, but the eateries were replaced by Chanel and Burberry.

Vomit.

So I was stuck in the giant perfume court, waiting for my gate to be announced. I bought like, twelve bottles of water and sat down. And then, Christina sat down next to me.

How do I know her name? Well, you know the type of girl who cannot stop talking? Put her in an airport with nothing but her cell phone to entertain her, and see what happens.

She was an American studying in the UK somewhere, and instead of buying a magazine or something, she found it necessary to call every. single. person in her phone. And she said basically the same thing in every single instance:

"Hey (insert name here), it's Christina! I know you're in class, but I just wanted to tell you I'm in Heathrow waiting for my flight. I'll be in tonight at ten. So excited to see you! Okay, bye. I'll call you when I get in. Can't wait. Okay, love you. Bye! Hope you're having fun. We'll catch up. Yeah, okay. Talk to you later! Okay, bye!"

It was bad.

I got her whole name (she spelled it out for someone at some point), and if I had been really evil, I could have copied down her social security number as she recited it for two different people.

Just put down the GD phone and READ A BOOK. GOD.

When my gate number finally appeared on the giant screen, I all but RAN out of there. I waited in yet another line and got frisked AGAIN. Then we sat and waited. Again. They finally announced that we were boarding, and "will everyone please stay seated until your row is called? Do not block the doors. Cheers!"

People pay attention OH SO WELL. This is what it looked like:

We just want to get on the plane and sit there for an hour! Yay!

The flight was... not as good as last time, but still not horrible. I had a window seat, which was fantastic! I watched a few flicks: For Your Consideration & Fast Food Nation (which deserves its own post, eventually. Once I get the vomit out of the back of my throat), and a few television shows. We got skipped over for dinner, but once we got it, it was very nice. Then I got super bored and stared at this for about an hour:

Almost home!

Glad to be back, and I will definitely fly Virgin Atlantic next time. Even if it means dealing with Heathrow. Still totally worth it.

And now... I'm off to DCA. Gah. I am SO getting Five Guys.

(Oh, and I'm flying a US Air Express flight or something, which I think means asshat businessmen. Enjoy my onion breath, suckas!)

Cool Aunt Heather?

This afternoon, I'm hopping a flight to Detroit for my niece's 2nd birthday party. It's unreal to me that I even have a niece, let alone a two-year-old niece!

I remember pacing around the Memorial Day barbecue back in 2005, my cell phone glued to my hand, waiting for any news from Michigan. Kari had been in labor for hours and hours and things were getting a little tense (while watching the video later that week, seeing her father punch the wall in frustration was just heart breaking). There weren't enough doctors, and when complications arose, no one knew what was going on. Alexis was finally born by Cesarean section late that night. Watching my brother hold his daughter for the first time left me with tears running down my face. (Obviously.)

I never thought that I would be one of those far-away relatives. Growing up, I had friends with relatives who lived out of state, but I never thought that I would be one of those people. Then again, I didn't think that my little brother would have a child before I did (actually, two. The next one is due in December. Gah).

But I guess that's life!

I'm excited to see her, but I am a little nervous that she won't remember me. I haven't been back to Michigan since Christmas, and even then it was only for a few days. I want to be Cool Aunt Heather, but that can't happen if I'm only in town once in a blue moon. Something to ponder, I suppose...

It'll be good to be back, though. I'll get to hang out with Tonks and have some margaritas at Mexican Gardens. I might even take a little trip to Ann Arbor. I'm not all that anxious to get my ass back on a plane after that 8.5 hour flight on Tuesday, but since it's less than an hour, I'm thinking that it's going to be nothing more than a hiccup!