How to solicit money

No, I have not gotten fed up with the looking for work thing and started "begging." What I have been doing is noticing the increasing amount of kids soliciting for money. Here's what happened today while at my parents house.

Doorbell rings.

Me: Should I get it? I don't see a car or a UPS truck outside (damn, no presents for me!). Hmm. I'll go look out the window.

I walk to the door and raise the blinds on the window.

Kid: Are you the lady of the house?

Me: Yes.

Kid: Hi, I live in (ed. note: name of neighborhood omitted to protect the innocent, but it's one filled with ginormous houses). I play for the county soccer team and we won (ed. note: something, I think a tournament?) and now we get to go to England to play soccer and we need to raise money to go since some of the teammates (ed. note: presumably not this kid since he lives in the aforementioned ginormous house neighborhood) can't afford to go and blah blah blah (ed. note: really, he didn't stop talking for like 15 whole minutes). Have you ever been to England?

Me: No.

Kid: Would you like to go? I need a dance partner. (ed. note: Did he just hit on me? Why is he dancing in England? I thought he was a soccer player.)

Me: I'm sorry, I don't have any cash.

Kid: That's OK, you can write a check.

Me: I'm just over here doing laundry. I'm sorry.

Kid: Oh, college kid? You look young.

Me: No, unemployed kid. And I don't have any money to give you since I'm unemployed. But good luck!

Kid: Ok (ed. note: he looked sad). Thanks anyway.

Me: Bye.

Blinds shut and scene.

First of all, if you're going to have kids compete in something and there is a possibility that if the kids are really good they'll get to go somewhere to show off their skills then maybe someone should think ahead and have like a "just in case we do really well and get to go somewhere and show off our skills fund." When these parents signed their kids up to play in this county soccer team or whatever they had to know that if the kids did well they'd go to England. I totally get some people are really good at soccer and that maybe their parents don't have money to send them to England (you don't have to be rich to be a good soccer player) but there should be some sort of preparation for this. Like maybe the team needs a sponsor (a really rich one) that can afford to give "scholarships" to the kids that can't afford to go. It's like the other day on the news I saw this story about how the South Cobb High School Marching Band got invited to play at Obama's inauguration in January. How cool, I thought, for these kids to get to go to DC and witness a presidential inauguration (I've never been to one) and get to show off their talent too! Then the news told me that they had to raise like $50,000 in order to go. Oh, and not only that, but they had to raise the money by Friday. Yikes. Now, if I had won the lottery the other night like I was supposed to (I forgot to buy a ticket) then I would've given the marching band the $50k they needed to go. But I didn't. My point is that if you, President-Elect Obama, are going to invite these hard working kids to come play some jams for you, can't you foot the bill for them to come? You invited them. I saw the other day that you didn't spend millions of dollars that you raised on your campaign. You can totally peel off a few thousand for this band of high school kids, that you invited, to come to your party. I mean if you were going to book AC/DC for your daughter's Super Sweet 16 you would have to pay them. It's sort of like the same thing. And I'm sure that the South Cobb High School Marching Band is way cheaper than AC/DC (but probably not as cannon-y).

So, here's what I suggest since more than likely no one person will ever foot the bill for the soccer team to go to England or the Marching Band to go to Washington. If you're going to have the kids solicit (which I think is a good idea because I'm way more likely to give to a kid who can't miss out on this opportunity of a lifetime that she/he earned) make them look like they need my money. Don't put them in raggedy clothes and dirty up their faces. Make them look like soccer players (or Marching Band members), and most importantly look legit. The kid I talked to today should've been in his soccer uniform with some sort of documentation (or at least a letter written by the coach explaining their hard work, and how this would be the trip of a lifetime and would teach them life lessons, like how to dance without a partner) and something official looking in his hands so that if I did give him cash or a check he could give me a receipt or something in writing saying that I did in fact donate to his cause (then I could show it off to everyone and tell them about how I'm such a wonderful, giving person). But instead, this kid was in a yellow t-shirt with "Spelling B Champion" written on it, but the words were misspelled so it looked like this "Speling Bee Chamion" or something, a pair of jeans and sneakers. The ironic t-shirt did make me feel a little sad for him (ahhh, poor kid, no fashion sense) but not sad enough to give him soccer team trip to England money (more like here's my Nordstrom credit card, get in the car, we're fixing you).

Have you been driving and seen the kids in the middle of the road asking for money? Or been at the mall when two kids approach you and ask for money? I have. And all these kids have is a clipboard with a place for you to write your name and the amount of money you are donating. I'm never, ever going to give to a person when approached like this. If you're trying to raise funds for whatever it is you are trying to raise funds for, dress like you actually participate in that activity and do not come up to me out of nowhere or approach me in parking lots. If it's for basketball, wear your uniform. If it's for school, wear your school t-shirt. That way you look more legit. And don't come up to me out of nowhere and start spitting out your spiel. I feel like you're about to mug me or you're distracting me so I don't notice that your friend is pick-pocketing me. Seriously. And, have a parent or adult with you. When I see two pre-teen boys in jeans and t-shirts walk up to me and ask me for money so their baseball team can get new gloves I don't believe them. I think wow, what a great scam, why didn't I think of that when I was their age. I'd be rich! I'm not going to give you money like that and I doubt anyone else will either.

So, dress up, look the part, look official. The more pathetic you are the more likely I am to give you some money. Homeless people look homeless when they ask for money and some of them make quite a lot being panhandlers. Would you give $1 to a homeless man if he was wearing an Armani suit? Me either.

Yea!

So yea for me because I feel really good about the interview I had this afternoon.  It was a phone interview and I would've felt much better about a face to face (how do I know the interviewer was listening to me and not watching some viral video?).  But I feel REALLY good about how it went.  I think I used all the right words, mentioned all the right companies/sponsors, and really did an excellent job promoting myself and convincing the interviewer that I am the person for the position.  I was told that a second round of face to face (yea!) interviews would be taking place next week so I'm hoping that in the next few days I'll get a call asking me to come in for a second interview.  That would be awesome.  I'm so happy!  Now I'm off to watch Oprah, she's reuniting the Mary Tyler Moore show cast.  Enjoy the Pug puppy pic.  I don't know who the dog is, but he's really cute.

Today will be a good day

It's a beautiful Monday.  The sun is shining, it's nice and chilly as it should be in December and I have a job interview!  Not just a job interview but a job interview for the job I really, really want.  It's a phone interview, and that worries me a little bit.  For some reason I much prefer to meet someone face to face, especially if I'm trying to convince them to give me a job.  I know if I was in person with the interviewer I would ace the interview.  But over the phone, I'll have to try that much harder.  It's going to be difficult without being able to make eye contact and read the interviewer's facial expressions so I can determine the best way for me to react.  But I feel confident that I am the person for this job and I'll just do whatever I have to do to convince the interviewer.  The reason it's over the phone?  The hiring manager is based in the Charlotte, NC office.  The job I want is based in Atlanta.  So it would just be silly for me to drive to Charlotte to interview for a job that will be here.  I'm hoping I can nail the interview with this person in Charlotte and then get called in to the Atlanta office (where I know some people) for a follow up interview.  And then come back in to fill out my new hire paperwork.  So, wish me luck.  I'm about to go get the job I want.  I really, really, really want.  I'll blog later about how it went.  Stand by.

I'm Making Good on a Promise

It's a good thing I find myself so amusing, because otherwise I wouldn't have gone back through some of my old postings and I would've totally forgotten that I promised to post our pictures from Halloween.  I'm just a month late so back off!

So in the above picture you will see me, a baseball player, in the middle is Jamie, and to the right is our friend Randy.  Jamie was the best Ugly Betty you have ever seen (save for the real Ugly Betty).  You'll notice his wig, his authentic Mexican pancho, his purse, the glasses, the perky plaid golf hat, and the big "B" necklace around his neck (that you can't really see because of his hair).  Jamie was also wearing an old (ugly), long hippy skirt of mine, pink argyle socks (also mine) and his Nike's that are blue and orange.

Well, I had two other pics I wanted to post, a solo one of me and a solo one of Jamie but they are in someone else's online photo gallery and I can't figure out how to capture the pics.  Oh well.  But with this, I make good on my promise and that's all that matters.  I am a woman of my word.

Call me Missy Duke

Just them good ole' boys, never meaning no harm...

So I got my rental car today.  Unfortunately it sounds a lot cooler than it is.  I got me a Dodge Charger.  But not the cool Dodge Charger that the Dukes of Hazzard drove.  The new Dodge Charger that doesn't look anything like the old school Charger.  I don't like it.  It's hard for me, all of five feet tall, to drive.  I took the long way home from the rental place today to get used to driving it.  I was driving on roads I know, roads I've driven on a million times before but in the Charger everything felt weird and I felt like one of those annoying "Sunday Drivers" from out of town.  I can't wait to drive it to my job interview tomorrow.  Oh, the job interview, it's like 30 minutes away from the city, it's going to be fun highway driving and then even more fun finding this place off the highway.  But I'll be fine.  I'll leave with plenty of time to get there and I'll stay in the right lane the whole way so as not to piss off the normal people driving their normal cars.  I miss my Jeep.  I don't know when I'll get my Jeep back.  I should get a time estimate today.  Hopefully it will be a week or less.  

So I got a gig on Friday!  Yea!  I'll be working merch at some show at The Loft.  That means I'll be at the band's merch table so if you're at the show and you decide you want to buy a CD or a t-shirt I'm the one that will handle it for you.  Most bands bring their own merch people (like the drummer's little brother or the bass players buddy) but whoever the band is on Friday doesn't have their own merch person (or maybe they do but they'll be sick come Friday).  Whatever.  It's something to do, it's extra money and it'll be fun to be back in a music room.  Plus the people that run The Loft are buddies of mine so it'll be nice to see them.  I don't plan on doing merch or any other sort of work like that for the long term, and normally (like if I still had a job) I would've said no thank you, but this, for some reason at this point in my life seems like it could be a neat opportunity.  If nothing else, it's a change of scenery and I'll get to do something out of my norm.  Which I've been dying for.  Plus the $50 I'll get for basically 4.5 hours of easy work won't hurt.

The picture today is me as my new persona, Missy Duke.  Instead of the short shorts I wear leggings and Uggs.  Normally I would use my Photoshop skills to put my head on Daisy Duke's body or impose myself into a picture of the General Lee but since I don't have/can't afford Photoshop, this is what you get.

Anyway, I'm off to jump into my fancy Charger Duke style, through the window.  Yee haw!

P.S. it's election day (run off election day) so make sure you VOTE!  Everyone looks hot in their "I'm a Georgia Voter" sticker.

Day Who Cares

Sorry I haven't blogged.  I either haven't felt like it, couldn't get online, or forgot.  All of those are the real reasons.

I hope your Thanksgiving was good.  Mine was.  We went to Nashville to stay with my uncle.  It was fun.  The most amazing part about it?  My 87 year old grandpa is really good at tennis and golf on the Wii.  Yep.  Like probably couldn't beat a 12 year old who has been playing Wii for years, but he totally kicked my ass.  Wii is totally fun.  In about eight years when they cost like $70 (the original ones, not the souped up versions that will be out then) I'll get one.

My cousin taught me how to get on the web on my BlackBerry (it's harder than it looks, for me) and I was trying to blog from the Thanksgiving table but it was going so slow I didn't have the patients for it.  Before he taught me that I was trying to figure it out on my own so I could blog from the waiting area at Fidelity (the bank) because I wanted to talk about how amazingly comfy their chairs are and what people would think if they read a headline in the paper that said "Bank Robbed... Nothing Taken But Waiting Area Chairs."  Of course I would have them re-upholstered because bank waiting area-chic is not my style, but man were they comfy.

The job hunt continues.  I'm sending out resumes, applying for jobs, sending emails, and making phone calls.  I found my dream job of sorts.  It's not my dream job, but it's at my dream company.  I would take a job shoveling poo (not that this company does that) just to get in the door.  Fortunately for me I know three people work there so I'm harassing them.  Not to the point of them beating me up but enough so that they'll help me in a timely manner.  If I got that, it would be a dream come true and it would put this whole getting laid off thing into perspective.

Oh, so now, not only am I job-less, but I'm also car-less.  Yep.  Stranded at home.  Luckily I have no where to go...  I got rear ended on Saturday night.  I am totally, 100% fine, but my car was not so lucky.  I *THINK* mechanically it's OK, but the body is not.  It needs major reconstructive surgery (like butt lift, tummy tuck, breast augmentation, the whole nine).  I'm waiting to hear back from my insurance company about how I can go about getting my rental car.  Not that I have anywhere to go, but it's nice to have options.  The accident was totally not my fault so I'm not going to have to come out of pocket for anything, but it still sucks.  I'm inconvenienced and my car will never be the same (in my mind).  It will always be damaged goods.  But I'll love it just the same.

I don't feel like taking a picture today.  It's freezing in my apartment (and outside because Jamie just called and said it was snowing at his school) and I'm not dressed appropriately to be photographed (read = embarrassing).  So here's a picture of me and Jamie when we went to Capers Island (see this post).

Day 25

Yep, Day 25.  

So I made cookies today.  I haven't had one yet, but they are cooling on a rack right next to me as I blog and they smell delish.

Had dinner with some old co-workers last night at The Original El Taco.  I absolutely recommend this place.  It was sooooo good.  It's at the corner of North Highland and Amsterdam (in the space that used to be Sala).  This El Taco place was divine.  I had a bunch of guacamole (chunky and incredible), a tilapia taco and a chorizo taco.  And a few margaritas.  Normally I'm a huge supporter of Pancho's and nothing will do in the Mexican world for me what Pancho's does, but this place, came a very close second.  I suggest going anytime after 7:30, that's when the kids clear out.  But if you have a child (or like being near them while you dine and they whine) then they open at 5:00.  So far, not open for lunch but I anticipate that will change soon as every night of the week they are packed.

That was that.  

I have a job interview on December 3.  I'm not going to share with you, Internet, the details of with whom or where.  I don't want to jinx stuff.  But I'll fill you in post interview.  That's exciting.

Otherwise not much going on.  I missed the finale of The Real Housewives of Atlanta so I'm hoping to catch up on that today or tomorrow (who needs a DVR when Bravo reruns everything 97,000,000 times?).  

Oh, Jamie and I went to see the Kings of Leon at The Tabernacle on Tuesday night.  Man, were they awesome!  What a great band.  I had doubts about them live for some reason (maybe cause Jamie said he saw them on SNL and they sucked, but really, since when is SNL a fair judge on good live performances, unless your name is Justin Timberlake and you have your D*ck In A Box or your Paul Simon in a turkey costume?).  But they rocked it.  The show was sold out and we ended up snagging a pair of seats on the fourth row of the first balcony all the way stage right.  I was able to see the entire band on stage the entire show (which being five feet tall is sometimes not possible).  I wanted them to play all night, but instead I got two really rocking hours out of them.  If you care and you don't already have their new album, you must get it now.  I like tracks 3, 7, 8, and 9.  I don't know the names of the songs, just what numbers.  But the whole album is fantastic.

So that's that for now.  Hopefully in the next few days my life will get more interesting and I'll better things to blog about.  

Here's today's pic.  Jamie said the picture looked like I was a whore looking for a john.  But that's no the case.  I think if anything I'm more like one of those tractor trailers you see driving around.  Maybe I'll get a load of Kings of Leon CDs to deliver to Maine...

Day 15

Hello Internet!

Here I am, day 15 and still no job. Does this font look weird? It does to me. I'm pretty sure it's the font I always use but today it looks strange.

Anyway, no job. Yet. I just found a ton of cool jobs at Turner. It's not music, but I'm slowly starting to branch out. I want to stay in music. That's my passion, that's the career I want, but with the economy being so shitty the music industry is in the dumps. See, when someone like the Allman Brothers Band get paid close to $1mil (I'm not kidding) to do two nights over the summer the venue has to charge a ridiculous amount of money for tickets in order to recoup their costs. Since the economy sucks guess what, people aren't paying ridic amounts of money for concerts. Therefore shows aren't selling and therefore the music business is in the crapper. Ticket sales for concerts (not just over priced ones, Madonna) are down overall. I guess when people can barely afford gas (but now it's under $2) they stop spending money on frivolous things like concerts.

Anyway, the boredom is starting to get to me. I'm so bored I think I might get depressed, sign up for one of those studies they advertise for on daytime TV and make $500. Then I'll be happy again for a minute. I kid, I kid!!!

If you have any leads or need someone to book your next band please call me.

The pic above is not very flattering but I'm not in a flattering mood. :)

Day 11

Excuse me for not posting for a while.  I've been on the computer so much lately working on my resume, searching for jobs, reading dlisted, that I haven't had the energy to blog.

Not much has changed since the last posting.  We recovered from Halloween (save for the three pieces of candy I've hidden from Jamie).  I still don't have a job.  Same old same old.

Today I tackled the box of stuff I brought home from my old job.  Mainly personal things like photographs and for some reason a ridiculous amount of pens.  I don't know why I felt it necessary to take home every pen I ever touched at that place, but I did, and now I have approximately 750,962 pens.  And I assume they all work.  

In order to put all the things in the "stuff from the place I used to work" box away I had to clean out the closet.  Not the scary closet (the one where the water heater lives), but the much more intimidating junk closet.  The closet that is meant for a washer and dryer.  Luckily I don't have a washer or a dryer, because if I did I wouldn't have room for them.  This closet has everything in it from fishing poles and camping stuff to an extra comforter for the bed, from wrapping paper and ribbon to every single cord that has ever come with any sort of electronical (I totally made that word up!) device I have ever owned.  That closet is now the proud keeper of all of the above mentioned pens.  It was a tough job, but I did it!  I threw some things out but mainly just reorganized so that everything could fit.  The only thing that got evicted were Jamie's golf clubs, but in all fairness he snuck those in the closet one day behind my back and even though I had since discovered them I allowed them to stay until today.  But the trade off is that I now made room for all of his camping stuff (as well as mine), and that stuff all used to live in the trunk of his car.  I have a feeling his golf clubs will end up living there from now on.  Hey, you never know when you'll get involved in an impromptu game of golf.

Above is today's pic.  I know I look naked, but I'm not.  I also know my hair looks gross and stringy, but it's just wet.  I just got out of the shower.  

Anyway, I'm off to look for more work on the web.  If you need a pen, call me.

Day 6

Halloween was fun.  

We went to dinner with a group of friends at Matador in Glenwood Park and then headed to the North Highland Inn Ballroom.  Nothing too special, but a fun night.

I dressed as a baseball player and Jamie was the most hysterical Ugly Betty you've ever seen.  I wish I had some fabulous pictures to show you right now, but in typical fashion we schlepped the camera around only to find out the batteries were dead.  Jen got some pics of us and as soon as she emails them I will post them.

I only saw one Sarah Palin last night and it happened to be a friend of ours and to tell you the truth, she looked really good.  The best part of her costume was the $150,000 price tag she left pinned to her dress.  Good stuff.  Nothing we saw was all that out of the ordinary.  A woman at Matador was wearing space (like outer space) pajamas and this gigantic UFO thing on her head with lights and everything.  There was a Little Bo Peep and a sheep at the North Highland Inn Ballroom, but Mom pointed out they did that on some TV show she watches.  Otherwise it was your typical Halloween fare - slutty firefighter, skanky nurse, scantily clad cat, the usual.  

I promise I'll post the Halloween pics as soon as I get them.  In the meantime, I actually posted a picture taken today for my Out Of Work Photo Journal.  Enjoy!  It looks like I need to shower.  The lighting in here sucks for photos.

Don't forget to fall back tonight!

Day 5

Yesterday I didn't post because I gave myself a lazy day to bum around and reflect. Day time TV sucks. I did watch this awesome Lifetime movie called The House Next Door. Lara Flynn Boyle and Zach Morris were in it. It was about this creepy house that made all the people that lived in it go crazy. It was so awful I enjoyed it. I didn't do much else. Once Jamie got home he entertained me and then we went to trivia. We didn't win. We didn't even place last night. We normally come in third. We totally blew the second half of the game. Trivia guy actually had some hard questions, for once.

So today I've been working on my resume. I finally got it all down on paper. Now it's time to move in to the editing stage. The best advice I can offer anyone based on my unemployed experience thus far is to update your resume on a regular basis! If I had been doing that over the past five years I wouldn't have had to waste any time doing this (read = I could've hit the ground running) and racking my brain to think of things I did and all that jazz.

I leave you today with a picture of me and Kitty I took on my BlackBerry (I finally figured out how to email them to myself).

Oh yeah, Happy Halloween!

Day 3

I'm at my parents house today working on stuff. I came here to work on my resume since my Mac at home doesn't have Microsoft Word. You can buy it for Mac, but it's like $1,000,000 or something. Plus I can just come over so what's the big deal. I'm also surfing the web since my Internet connection at home is spotty (see previous post).

So far, I got nothing. I don't know if it's the economy, the end of the year, a combination of both or something else completely. But it sucks.

Yes, I can always go back to Mellow Mushroom, but I don't want to. I'm afraid if I do I'll get sucked back into that world (fun, easy work and easy money) and lose sight of my goal - to find a career. I do not want to be a career server. No thanks. Plus Brianne pointed something out to me on the phone last night. I'm sure she meant it as a joke or maybe she was bragging, but it scared the hell out of me. She said (in reference to me MAYBE going back to Mellow Mushroom), "isn't it funny that at 26 years old you, me, Katie, and Jennifer will all be working in pizza?"

Crap. That is not funny. That is the farthest thing away from funny. At least for me. Brianne has never really had a real job, Katie can't hold a job (not being mean, being observant and sometimes the truth hurts, but in her defense she is back in school), and Jennifer, though she does work in pizza, has a really good job as a manager at California Pizza Kitchen, a place with infinite possibilities for her to move up in (and a great salary).

I know lots of people lose jobs due to no fault of their own, but it sucks. I'm bored. I'm discouraged and I'm mad.

I'm going to watch last week's Ugly Betty on the DVR now. How's that for dealing?

In keeping with my photo journal, since I'm not at my house I can't take a picture of myself, so here's a picture I found of my Dad's truck. There's no significance to it, but I can make one up... This truck represents me! Shiny and tough and ready to take on any challenge. Like me, this truck is ready to get a job!

Day 2 Part 2

Wouldn't it be fun if I kept a picture diary of me on every day of this new journey?  I think so, if for no other reason than it gives me something to do.  I'm so bored.  All I want to do is go shopping and that's the one thing I can't do.  

So here I am.  I making a thinking face.  And my hair is lovely as always...  No Mom, I will not brush it.

Day 2

As you probably already know, I am now a member of the unemployed world.

Long story short, I got laid off yesterday.  Blah blah blah.

I'm already bored.  Really bored.  I was totally one of those people that hated to get up and go to work, in fact I dreaded it sometimes.  But once I got to work I was fine.  Now I miss it and it's only been 28 hours.  Ugh.

So today I went to the Department of Labor to file for unemployment.  I was expecting a DMV like experience with long lines, cranky people and bad attitudes.  But I was pleasantly surprised.  Yes, it's an awful building with folding chairs, stained carpet, and cardboard like desks, but the people there were super nice.  I guess they all feel bad for the people that come in there, knowing we're all out of work and based on the unemployment guidelines, unemployed by no fault of our own.  

I checked in (there was no line to do that) and was instructed to sit on the right side and wait with everyone else.  There were no chairs that I could sit in where I wouldn't be directly next to someone so I picked the chair next to the lady in the cute denim jacket with the cute purse.  Her and I were both so involved with our BlackBerry's that we didn't even look at each other.  The Dept of Labor lady then started calling people to move to the back side of the room (and I assume sit some more) and she called a name I recognized and the woman next to me stood up.  It was a woman I worked with who also got let go yesterday.  Small world.  I wish I would've realized it was her earlier so we could've talked (read = bitched about getting let go).  

Soon after she got called I got called up to a Dept of Labor lady at another desk.  Turns out that because of my severance I can't file for unemployment until December 25 (when my severance runs out).  But since like most places the Dept of Labor is closed on December 25 I can't come back until December 29.  But the nice lady promised me that if I got there at 8:30am I would be out of there by 10am.  So, that's what I will do.  Because the people at the Dept of Labor were so freakin' nice I wasn't even pissed I went over there for no reason.  Plus it killed an hour of my day!

So now I know where it is.  And in case you are wondering it's in the same shopping center as the best deli in town (Mom doesn't agree, but Daddy and I do), Bagel Palace.  I think in December to celebrate my unemployment I'll treat myself to a lox sandwich on an everything bagel.

Dear Mother Nature,

I understand that we are still in drought. I also understand that rain is nature's spin cycle and it's good for the plants and the tress and the grass and all the dirty cars. But, come on, for the second Friday in a row you've had it dump on us. It hasn't rained on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday in forever. But the past two Friday's, rain. Not just a sprinkle here and there, but all out, drenching, soaking rain.



Now, you know I've always enjoyed the rain. I like to play in it, I'm never concerned about getting my hair (clothes, whatever) wet, and I believe that a rain coat and galoshes are the most perfect outfit, but it's Friday. It's sort of a buzz kill to have beautiful weather all week, the kind of weather that makes you want to play hooky from work, and then have it be dark, cold, and rainy on Friday. Hell, today doesn't even feel like fall, it feels like winter. In Atlanta I know we go from summer to winter and winter to summer, but earlier this week the highs were in the 60s. Today the high is 42. What is that all about?



So, in conclusion, Mother Nature, it's hard to go out and celebrate the wonderfulness that is Friday when it's dark and rainy.



But, you're the boss.



Lots of Love,

Melissa



P.S. Why not a rainy Monday? The Carpenters wrote a song about Rainy Days and Monday's and it seems most people have already come to terms with that. I'm just sayin'.

Saturday's Alright For Parading!

So, here's the rest of my weekend.  Saturday was the best.  I don't know if you've ever been to the Little 5 Points Halloween Festival, but you need to make sure you hit it up next year.  They do a huge parade every year and it is by far the best and most unique parade in town.  

Our day started with a lovely breakfast consisting of scrambled eggs and onions, turkey bacon, and pancakes all courtesy of Chef Jamie.  It wasn't brought to me in bed or anything, but that's OK.  It was just as special at the table.  We putzed around the house and then headed over to Adam's.

Adam lives off McClendon in Little 5 Points so it's just a convenient place for everyone to gather.  We walked up the parade and the fun really got started.  The thing about this parade is it's huge.  At least an hour or so.  And the floats are so creative.  Some of my highlights:

-  A dachshund in an alligator costume

-  El Mire's float in which everyone (there was a band) was dressed as Muppets (like the drummer was Animal) and what sealed the deal was the two guys dressed as Statler and Waldorf that sat on top of the float

-  Ace's float was a wrestling ring and all the people on it were wearing those Mexican wrestling masks (except Hulk Hogan and the Nature Boy Ric Flair) and body slamming each other

-  Some dude dressed up as a really good Jack Sparrow with an entourage of people holding up "Vote for Sparrow" posters (with Obama and McCain crossed out)

-  a whole gaggle (is that correct word?) of giant, bigger than life skeletons

You take all that and add in all the other amazing costumes and hilarious get ups and it was the parade of all parades and definitely surpassed years past.

We hung around the L5P area for the rest of the day.  Met up with my co-workers at Star Bar, Jamie and I danced to a really crappy DJ, went back to Adam's, ate hamburgers, and then headed over to the Variety Playhouse.

The Wood Brothers are my most favorite musical act (save Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, and the Grateful Dead) and they were amazing on Saturday.  You should check them out if you've been living under a musical rock and aren't familiar with them.  Chris Wood is the Wood of Medeski Martin & Wood and Oliver Wood was in my friend Chris' band King Johnson.  Together, the Wood Brothers are heaven on your ears.  Sort of bluesy, sort of jazzy, but always incredible.  I try to see Oliver play around Atlanta whenever I can (he usually does a few Wood Bros tunes) but if they are both together then I will cancel whatever plans I have to see them.  They only have two albums out as of now, but both are perfection.  

Sunday was Sunday.  We bummed around, went to the new Fresh Fare by Kroger (the old Disco Kroger, which you should check out because it's awesome and I got chicken for $2.50, like raw boneless, skinless breasts), stopped in to Marshall's where Jamie got a new blue shirt (I'm not being a snob when I say this, but Marshall's gives me a rash), and that was that.  I took a three hour nap (hooray for Sunday's) and then I went to Jennifer's new place to have dinner with her, Johanna, Emma, Brianne, and Jennifer's Mom and Clint.  It was a lovely weekend.

Then I came home and watched trashy TV (Rock of Love Charm School and The Pick Up Artist 2) and went to bed.

I love the weekends.

This week I'm looking forward to doing lots of laundry tomorrow night and catching up on Ugly Betty, and trivia on Thursday.  As of now, no weekend plans.  We might hit a pumpkin carving party on Saturday.  If you have any pumpkin carving ideas let me know.  Last time I was so uncreative I carved a pumpkin in my pumpkin.

Oh yeah, the picture above?  It's some wild turkeys (not Wild Turkey) we saw up at Lake Hartwell last year.  It's almost Thanksgiving so this is time appropriate. Right?  Gobble gobble.

What I did over the weekend...

Here's my Monday breakdown of the past weekend. It was a GREAT one.

First of all, I would like to welcome reader number 2 to the world of Melissa Blvd. My BFF Emma confessed that she reads my blog (which = fun!). So hello Emma!

Speaking of Emma, she's been in town for the past week. And because of that the weekend really started last Wednesday. Emma got in on Tuesday, but late night (9pm). So Wednesday the girls (me, Emma, Jennifer, Katie, Brianne) went to our traditional dinner spot, Roaster's, for some exquisite dining. We headed back to my house afterwards (minus Katie who went home to shower) for the Project Runway finale.

And OMG, can I just say how happy I am that Kenley did not win. I personally liked Khorto's collection a million times better (as did the rest of the girls in my living room), but Leanne's was cool too. As my fave PR website (www.projectrungay.blogspot.com) pointed out if you took all the color out of both of their collections (Khorto and Leanne) then Leanne's was definitely the best. And I do agree. Without the beautiful greens and yellows that Khorto used her collection was just your basic pieces. Don't get me wrong, I still wish she would've won (her beading = amazing), but I have Project Rungay to thank for helping me see things from a different P.O.V. and now I'm not totally annoyed. Bee-Tee-Dubs, on another PR note, I know you aren't watching Rock of Love Charm School like I am, but the guest judge for the fashion (and I use that term very loosely, have you seen these girls?!?) challenge next week is non other than PR Season 3 winner Jeffrey (otherwise known as Tattoo Neck). Yeah, they showed a quick clip of him in the "next week on..." segment and he has a creepy, 1970's, porn star mustache. Think the Beastie Boys in the Sabotage video. I only knew it was him because of his neck tattoos.

But back to the weekend. After PR we went to Stout. It used to be McDuff's, but now it's called Stout and it's owned by the East Andrews people. I'm totally not a fan of East Andrews (it's just not my scene or my people) but they did a good job cleaning up McDuff's and still maintaining the pub feel. Needless to say I was very rough to get going on Thursday.

So Thursday Emma came and hung out with me at work for a little bit. Then we went home and I made spaghetti! It was delish and Emma was very proud that I cooked something all on my own (hey, if it involves browning ground beef then watch out, cause I am the master!). And in typical Thursday fashion we headed over to the Little 5 Points Corner Tavern for trivia. As always we came in third. And as always it was the same two teams that came in first and second. I'm so tired of being beaten by the same two teams. Annoying. But, it's bar trivia, it's not that serious.

It was REALLY hard to come to work on Friday. I had stayed out too late for the second school night in a row and it was raining. And Emma was at my house, it would've been so awesome to play hooky and hang with Emma all day. But I have responsibilities and all that crap. Here's why Emma is the best house guest ever! She called maintenance for me and had them come and snake the drain in my tub (we've been showering with a few inches of water at our feet for about two months) and fix the light bulb in the kitchen that had burned out the night before. Yea for Emma!

Friday night Jamie and I were so tired we stayed home and sat on the couch all night. It was actually quite nice. We watched some horrible movie on TV called "Wrong Turn." Yeah, don't even waste your time. It's about these dumbass kids that get lost in the West Virgina woods and are being chased by inbred mountain men. The only amusing part of the whole movie as Elton from Clueless was in it (for about 45 minutes until he died). Remember, Elton? He was the one Cher was trying to hook Tai up with but he liked Cher instead? You totally remember. Well I hadn't seem him in any other movie so it was nice to know he had a little career after Clueless.

Saturday was a super big, super fun day, so it deserves its own post. Stand by. That will come soon. Kisses for now!

Sand in every nook and cranny

Hello Internet! I'm back from the wilderness.

This weekend a few us went camping on Capers Island, SC. It's a beautiful island off the coast of Isle of Palms (near Charleston). There's nothing on the island but sand, sand fleas, mosquitoes, and alligators. There were plenty of the first three, but I didn't see any gators.

The forecast called for a 70% chance of rain, but being the optimists we are, we ignored that. When are the weather forecasters ever right? Uh, this past weekend they were.

We arrived at the Isle of Palms marina on Friday at about 4pm and took a boat out to the island. I'm guessing we were about 1,000,000 miles off the coast of SC, but I'm horrible at distances. The boat ride took about 10 minutes. We unloaded all the gear (No men in my life can ever call me an over-packer again as I packed the least amount of stuff, seriously, these boys packed as if we were going to be gone for a month) and hiked to our camp site. We chose a nice stretch of beach maybe half a mile from where we were dropped off. We set up camp, built a fire, and all the jazz. Then it started to rain. It pretty much rained the whole time we were there, but rotated between heavy rains and not so heavy rains.

On Saturday we hiked around the island into the marshes. I met about 70 billion mosquitoes. And even though I was wearing long sleeves, pants, shoes, and socks, I still got murdered. I probably have seven types of Malaria. The marshes were pretty. Lots of fish. So many fish I believe the water was overcrowded as they were constantly jumping out of the water. Fisherman Jamie was unsuccessful at catching dinner for us, but in all fairness, he didn't really try. I kept my eye out for gators, there were signs posted everywhere warning us of the dangers of alligators and what not to do if we saw one (under no circumstances should you feed one or insult it's mother), but alas, no gator sightings for me.

We hiked back to camp, got the fire up and roaring, I took a fireside nap, and then the sky opened up and we camped through what I like to call Hurricane All Your Clean Clothes Are Going to Get Wet. The rain pounded us, the winds were upwards of 30 MPH (I know this to be fact because the charter captain told me so), tents were blowing over, it was scary. I kept anticipating that any minute the coast guard was going to pull up on one of those yellow inflatable boats and rescue us. I wasn't completely freaked out because there were some other people camping on the island (like people that weren't part of our group and I figured they were likely to call for help if need be and they knew we were there as well and they would have us rescued too or their karma would forever be tainted). The worst part was that Hurricane AYCCAGTGW got all my clean clothes wet. For some reason we stayed dry in the tent but everything else got wet. I was so excited because I had packed just right and would have one clean pair of jeans and one clean t-shirt (and bra) to wear on the five hour car ride home. But, alas, that was not the case. Everything was soaked. And sandy.

For someone who stayed completely covered up the entire weekend I managed to come home with sand on every part of my body (really, half the beach was in my belly button), a whole bunch of damp to soaked clothes, and bug bites (damn you sand fleas!) on every part of my body. I look like I have chicken pox. And I'm just as itchy.

But it's OK. Because, at the end of the day I survived and had a great time. I'll be going back to Capers Island, it really is beautiful, but next time I'll believe the weather reports and I'll be going back in December, when the bugs will be non existent. I hear they migrate to Florida that time of year.

It's Monday!

I'm back. And with the start of the Jewish New Year (tomorrow is Rosh Hashanah so tonight is New Year's Eve?) I am making a resolution to be better about updating the blog. You would think with so many things running through my mind on a daily basis it would be a cinch for me to update this thing all the time. But alas, that is not the case. It's not that I don't want to blog, it's that sometimes I just forget.

But anyway, Happy (Jewish) New Year. It's time to eat apples and honey and sit in synagogue.

I haven't decided if I'm going to go to services tomorrow. I went last year (I think that should cover me for at least five years) but only because I don't want Poppy to sit alone. Usually my Dad goes, but I have no idea if he is planning on it or not. I'm going to call and ask him tonight. I'm sure my Mom isn't going. I think I've been more recently than she has. Wait, I take that back, she did go last year when I went. But that was only because we were going to her friends' house afterwards for lunch so she couldn't not go to synagogue because then she would have been banished to McDonald's. OK, when she reads this she will argue that that is not the only reason she went (so as not to be made fun of at lunch), but we all know the truth.

So think of me tomorrow, when I'm sleeping in and relaxing and in my own way making my New Year's resolutions and meditating for a great 5759 (is it 5759 already?).

I'm not dead!

Hello Internet! It's been a while (too long) since I've shared my thoughts with you. And I apologize for that. I've been so busy I haven't had time. I've wanted to, there's just no time. But I promise I'll be back with some profound thoughts and hilarious anecdotes just as soon as I can (tomorrow?).

Loves and Hugs,
Melissa

I was going to post about something else...

I had every intention of posting something about Kitty today. So in preparation of that, like all good bloggers, I took a picture of him to post with the blog entry I was going to write about him so you (Mom) could see what I was talking about. I took the picture on my fancy new, PINK, BlackBerry. The pic came out as well as any pic of Kitty (which is not so good) but I was content. So I went to email the pic from my BlackBerry to my email at work so I could open the picture on my computer and then post it here and that's when I ran into trouble. I opened the picture on my BlackBerry selected "email" and it cleverly opened an email with the picture attached. I entered my email address and then went to send it. But there was no option to send! I had options to edit, save, add, delete, decorate, morph (I'm making some of these up) but no send. I even had someone else (the person who's had a BlackBerry longer than anyone I know) look at it and even he was stumped. So, I'm working to rectify and solve this issue. Until then, here's an artist's (me) rendition of what the picture of Kitty looks like. What you can't tell from this picture is the anger he has shooting out of his eyes. Also, this is not to scale.

BEE-TEE-DUBS

I just learned how to post with pictures! Yea for me.

Saturday Night's All Right for Photographing

So this past Saturday Jamie and I attended a Bat Mitzvah (his first, my first in about 100 years). We got to synagogue around 11am knowing that services were over around noon. He was excited to go to synagogue and experience that part of my religion. I on the other hand was not. Something about going to synagogue and the very thought of it makes me feel rebellious. I have no idea why. Probably because I was forced to go a lot when I was younger and it made me angry. But in hindsight I can't blame my parents for wanting me to know about our religion. I just didn't care. I've always been of the mindset that religion is just another way to separate people and is the root of all wars. But I digress. Anyway, we went to synagogue. Blah blah blah. He was intrigued, I was bored. Blah blah blah. Saturday night, however, was the party. I know the Bat Mitzvah parties are for the kids but I always remembered my parents having fun at Bar/Bat Mitzvah parties so I figured that there had to be something there for the "grown ups." Besides, I'm not one to turn down free dinner and drinks. Plus there was dancing. Sort of. The DJ wasn't so great, but you know what, the kids were having fun so who cares... There was a 45 minute game of Musical Chairs at which point I went to the bathroom (twice) and then my Mom and I sat there and picked the kid with the messiest hair and the smallest kid to cheer for. Messy hair will always win you points with me - the self proclaimed Queen of No Hair Brushes! But, by far the coolest thing at the Bat Mitzvah (or just about any party I've ever been to and I've been to a lot) was the Photo Lounge. Basically it was a tent set up outside. When you went in the tent there was a black curtain background and an entire box full of dress up stuff! As any girl will tell you, we love playing dress up. There were boas, tiaras, plastic swords, necklaces, Groucho masks, funny hats, wigs, bunny ears, and all sorts of other fun stuff including an inflatable alligator. So you go in with as many (or as few) people as you want and you all dress up. One person gets to be in charge and is handed what is basically the key-less entry for your car. In the tent is the camera and below that a TV screen showing you what is in the screen. Once everyone is in "position" whoever has the keyfob snaps the picture or pictures. Then you un-dress up and leave. A few minutes later you come back and your pictures are printed and waiting for you. Jamie and I probably took a million pictures. It was so fun. And the line never went away. This was obviously the hit of the party. The pictures were also rotating on flat screen TVs that were set up around the party room. Very cool idea. The company that did it is called Clik Simple and I fully intend on hiring them for my next event. Anyway, yes, the picture above is from the party but we are also using it as the cover for our next folk album, due in stores the minute either of us become musically talented. Right now all we're good at is listening to music and dancing and of course, posing for pictures (and playing dress up).

Please send me some Internets

It's been over a week since I've posted anything. Sorry about that, but it probably doesn't matter since no one is ready my blog except my Mom (hi Momma!). Not a lot has been going on, I've just been getting things done at work and then when I'm not here I'm not on a computer. That's for two reasons. Reason one is that I'm on one all day at work so the absolute last thing I want to do when I get home is get on another computer. The the second reason (the more likely one) is that our Internet is gone.

For the past year and a half I've been using other people's networks. My computer can pick up like 20 networks in my complex and I can usually find at least one that is not password protected. We don't do anything weird on the Internet so it's no big deal. Seriously we just check email, read the paper online and Jamie visits these Auburn fan sites for whatever, but they are totally harmless and not strange. For months now we've been using a network called Dlink. Well, Dlink moved away (I assume) and now it's hard to get on. And it's driving Jamie crazy (me not so much but I am annoyed that a luxury I use to have is now gone). And people are getting smart, almost every network is password protected (mine totally would be if I decided to pay for one). My computer is better than Jamie's so I can pick up networks he can't. I've had success getting on one called Big10Rocks (the things people name their networks is so bizarre) but it's a weak signal and you can only use it if you're sitting in a certain spot in the "dining room" (half of the "living room" which is really just the apartment but since there's a table you dine at that isn't the coffee table it's considered the dining room). But Jamie likes to use his computer (he has a PC and as I've mentioned I have a Mac) because he just does so I've caught him on the balcony a few times with his lap top. Hey, whatever works. So we're hoping that someone new moves in soon, and like really close to us and forgets to password protect their network. Until then we'll be wearing aluminum foil hats and dancing around with our computers stretched high over our heads until we can get a stronger signal.

Tetris

There's a problem in my house. The problem is we only have one Gameboy and two adults who are extremely addicted to Tetris. Yes, I'm talking the old school, big, fat, block like Gameboy and the Tetris, the block game where you have to make lines that came with said Gameboy. I have this knack for keeping things forever. And keeping them in excellent condition (I inherited the pack-rat from Gramma). I have no idea when Gameboy came out, but I remember taking it to camp with me when I was 10 (back in 1993). I only had Tetris and Yoshi for it (Yoshi is a dumb, not fun game, but Yoshi is cute so I think that's why I wanted it). So I've had this Gameboy for AT LEAST 15 years.

Anyway, something made me think about it the other day (2 weeks ago) so I went and got it out of hiding. At first it was just something we did when spending a "longer than normal" amount of time on the toilet (Tetris was made for entertaining while pooing). But then it found it's way out of the bathroom and on to the coffee table. Now we fight over it. Yes, two well adjusted, seemingly normal adults are fighting over a video game. We both grab for it and yell next game when the other gets it. We're to the point of watching each other play to make sure that no one is starting a new game and not telling the other person. My highest score is 143 lines. I think Jamie can do like 50 (he obviously hasn't been playing this game for the past 15 years like yours truly). It's sick. We probably need help, but I keep telling myself we're not playing Pac Man or anything like that, we're actually using our brains to fit those awkward shapes into a line and minimizing the least amount of "wasted space." So I think there are some benefits in there somewhere (brain exercise!).

Now the Gameboy has found it's way into the bedroom. While most couples read or watch TV, we play Tetris and fight over who gets it first. We sleep with it on one of the bedside tables. I'm seeing falling blocks and things falling from the sky in my dreams.

If my radio gig doesn't work out, I'm sure I'd be great at building buildings and stuff...

I have sold my soul...

Yep, that's right. I have sold my soul. I'm not sure to whom, but it's sold. You see today I ordered a BlackBerry. No, not the delicious fruit in pie form, but the little device that not only received phone calls, but also emails. And it can send them too. And you can play all sorts of games on it (and therefore feed my Tetris addiction - see that in a later post). After seeing the BB take over my co-workers lives, watching them become so dependant on this device that if left in the car, at home, or on a desk they suffer from major panic meltdowns I swore I would never drink the Kool-Aid and get one. But then something happened, I started to change my mind. It might've been when I saw a commercial for BlackBerry's and this cute baby pink one showed up on my TV screen. That could've started it. After weeks (yes, weeks) I've been thinking and thinking about it. Then I found out my Mom has one, she only uses hers for emails, but still. Then in passing conversation I happened to mention I was considering one but I was also going to wait until it was time for a new phone (I get a new one every two years per our contract with Verizon) when my Mom pulled a letter out of her purse from Verizon saying she was qualified for a free BlackBerry (meaning we had a $100 credit). So that was the final sign from above that my soul was about to be sold. After an hour at the Verizon store on Saturday I went online and ordered my pink BlackBerry today. It should be here by Wednesday. My soul might've been sold, but I'm going to look so damn cute carrying that pink BlackBerry.

Cranky

I don't feel good today. I have cramps and it's making me crazy and hurt. And now I'm cranky. And I wanted all of you to know that.

I'm not sure I belong in the Zoo

I went to the Zoo yesterday. I haven't been to the Zoo in years. And I think I know why.

First of all, kudos to Zoo Atlanta for letting residents of Fulton County and the City of Atlanta in for free this weekend. That was much appreciated. For having a free weekend, the Zoo was not nearly as packed as I had anticipated. Of course it was busy, but I don't think it was any more crowded than a normal weekend (but how should I know as I haven't been to the Zoo in years).

Not a lot has changed since I was kid spending my summers at Zoo Camp for a week every summer, and going on field trips and family outings. It still stinks when you walk in (thanks to the flamingos) but you get used to it really quickly.

The elephants are still the same, living in what I think is too small and too desolate a habitat. We were lucky enough to approach the elephants right after feeding time. Watching these giant beasts eat bamboo (?) was very cool. But I couldn't help but feel bad for them in their tiny area.

We moved on to the warthogs (how ugly! Disney definitely glorified the warthog in the Lion King, I would want Pumbaa as a pet) and they were all sleeping. Next was the Meerkats, all but one was sleeping. And thank God. Because the one that was awake was doing his best to entertain the crowd by climbing on a log and posing and being adorable. I would totally adopt a Meerkat if it was (a) legal and (b) I knew how to take care of one. We continued along to the zebras, giraffes, gazelles, and rhinos. The rhinos were sleeping. The gazelle was so far away we needed binoculars to see him (at least this habitat has room for the animals to be so far away), and the zebras and giraffes must be so jaded at this point that they all kept their backs to us. We saw the lion cubs, which looked cute, but they were piled on top of each other sleeping. Watching an animal sleep is like watching paint dry.

The highlight was for sure the gorillas. I remember Willie B in his awful little box with his television, I also remember when he got upgraded to the seemingly vast gorilla habitat. I think the gorillas are used to being the stars (thanks Wille B) and enjoy showing off for the hundreds of visitors that stare at them every day. The Silverback sat facing us eating something. We watched a momma and her baby (What are baby gorillas called? Cubs?) walk around. It was very human like the way the momma took care of her baby, very human like, in fact we watched her scold him (her?) when he did something momma didn't like. Then there were my favorites, three young ones I called Larry, Moe, and Curly (because that was the only trio I could think of at the time and Manny, Moe, and Jack didn't seem to cut it). They were playful, adorable, and hysterical. We watched them chase each other, wrestle, climb all over each other and then take part in one my favorite childhood activities, running up a hill and then rolling down it. I would've watched Larry, Moe, and Curly play together all day, but everyone else was getting bored.

We saw Ivan (the eldest Silverback) in his habitat (he's separated from the rest for reasons I can only assume have something to do with territorial issues). I felt sad that he seemed to be isolated. Pretty much every other animal we saw was sleeping. The lion cubs, the organutangs, the pandas (more on that in a sec), the birds (owls and toucans), something called a bongo, the lemurs, and a few others.

We spent a lot of time in the reptile house because it was dark and cool (temperature wise). I don't like snakes, and I really don't like being near them. I know the glass or whatever their tanks are made out of is strong and will prevent them from breaking through and killing me, but it's still an uneasy feeling. I will say the alligator snapping turtle is super cool (and probably deadly). We saw some other kind of turtle (I don't remember what it was called) that blew my mind. He totally looked like a dinosaur. He might've been my second favorite (after Larry, Moe, and Curly).

We had to wait in line to see the pandas. I don't like waiting in lines, but I had no choice since everyone else wanted to see the pandas (I did too). Only the male and the baby were on display since the female is on birthwatch. The male and the baby were each in separate boxes and it reminded me of Willie B's old habitat. A box with not much in it. It made me sad and the fact that they were just sleeping made me feel like they were depressed.

All that being said, we did have a great time at the Zoo.

I would like to leave you with this. A while back Jamie and I went camping and a few people were camping with us that we didn't know (they were friends of someone else that was with us). One of the guys had been a lion tamer (or something) and had worked with animals and the planet his whole life. Jamie asked him about the inhumane and cruelty factor that is usually associated with zoos and circuses. He made a good point. He said to us that while these animals are captured from the wild and put in captivity a lot of them may not survive in the wild. Some are born in captivity and never know the difference. But animals in zoos and circuses (the humane ones) are so well taken care of, they spend almost 24 hours a day with their trainers and handlers. He equated it to having a dog. No one can spend all their time with their dog, but the more time you can spend with your dog the happier the dog is. And knowing that makes me feel that much better about the zoo.

However, I will NEVER go to the circus. Clowns scare the crap out of me.

We'll always love you, Fuzzy's, but now we get to party with Zuffy's

I got some really fantastic news today. But first, let me tell you the whole story. A while back a favorite bar of mine (and most cool people in Atlanta) closed down. The owner died, the brother took over, yada, yada, yada, they went out of business. This left a huge hole not only in my heart, but also in my social life. I loved going to Fuzzy's Place. I loved the live music, I loved the history, I loved the food, I loved everything about it. For lack of a better term, you could call it a dive bar, except it was anything but. It was a place you go and get a drink, eat dinner, bitch about life, dance your ass off, laugh like there's no tomorrow, get hit on, not piss off the drunk guy when you tell him you're not interested, be with friends, make new friends, and not remember a single second of any of it when you woke up the next morning. But you woke up smiling and knowing that through the fog in your brain you had one of the best nights of your life.

When Fuzzy's closed a piece of Atlanta went away. But then, it was saved. Some of the former Fuzzy's employees got together and set out on a mission to not let this Atlanta tradition die. I don't really know what was involved but I know it took a lot of hard work, lots of money (I'm assuming), and even more time and patience. And that says something about the employees and the people that made Fuzzy's a part of their life. I think it says a lot.

So, people, Zuffy's Place (cute name? not sure.) will be opening on Monday, August 18. The email I received (thanks Jen) mentioned Joe Dale's kitchen will be open (with some additions! yum!), Java Monkey will performing, and all again will be right with the world.

Who knew I would come to love that corner on Buford Hwy next to the Pink Pony in the old Denny's building. But I do, and I can't wait.

I won't be going to G.A. anytime soon...

I just got back from the Golden Moon Hotel & Casino in Philadelphia, Mississippi. I have $5 more in my pocket than I did when I left, and I could not be happier to be home. The Golden Moon (part of the Pearl River Resort) is nice. The rooms were pleasant and comfortable, the staff everywhere we went (except for that one DB server at dinner on Friday night) was totally accommodating, and the dealers were nice (except for Jesse who didn't know the rules of roulette - oh poor Jesse). But I have learned that gambling is not for me. I had a blast at the slots for about an hour. The roulette table was so much fun (I put a $20 on the table and then walked away with $101) for a little bit. The video black jack sucked, but I was too intimidated to sit at a table. The damn video black jack took my $101 I had just won and then some. It's nice that they bring you free (but not very strong) drinks, but I don't want to play your stupid games anymore. Just give me a cocktail. Short of leaving the casino floor and going to a restaurant you can't get a drink unless you're feeding your hard earned money into the damn machines (or tables). Well, you know what? I'm bored of playing your games. I just want to drink and hang out with my friends, but no, you are forcing me to keep spending money if I want to stay and hang out and drink. And I'm not talking about $1 here, $3 there, I'm talking like the $101 I just won and then some. It's quite a little scammy-scam you casino places have going. But I've learned my lesson. Sure I might visit Vegas one day, I might even go back to the Golden Moon, but I will be bringing my book and my own booze. I'll be damned if I'm forced to feed money to glorified ATM machines only to get served cranberry juice with a splash of vodka. Hi, my name is Melissa, and I do not have a gambling problem. In fact, just the opposite, I have a casino problem. My problem? I don't like casinos.

Happy Monday

Hello Internet. It's been over a week since I've been here. Not for any reason in particular. I've just been busy not being online. Last week I went to 3 concerts, 1 baseball game, and 1 trivia night. So I'll recap all of my experiences for you here.

Monday, July 28 - Turner Field. Jamie and I go to the game with Sully, Renee, and Matt Ross (who doesn't work where I work anymore, who knew?). We're playing the Cardinals. Charlie Morton is pitching. And we get our butts beat. We ended the series 1-3 against the Cards. Unfortunately we only won one game and unfortunately it was not the game I was at.

Tuesday, July 29 - Chastain Park. Jamie and I ate the most delicious HoneyBaked Turkey (I don't do ham, it's not a Jew thing, it's an I don't like ham thing) sandwiches while taking in the very grown up sounds of Mark Knopfler. We enjoyed some wine (I did) and beer (he did) and a beautiful rendition of Romeo & Juliet, which I was thinking was such a romantic song until I thought about the famous story (Shakespeare) and the lyrics to the song. Pretty song, pretty sad story.

Wednesday, July 30 - My Parents' House. I did some laundry. We ate some yummy food (chicken, mac & cheese, green beans). Played some Jeopardy. Then I went home to watch Project Runway.

Thursday, July 31 - Little 5 Points Corner Tavern. Jamie and I met some peeps to play trivia. Last week we ended up there on a Thursday just to hang and didn't know it was trivia night. When I found out, of course I had to play and by "I had to play" I mean the whole table had to play, because really trivia is more fun when I can tell other people how stupid they are for not listening to me. Oh, and it's adult trivia which means the questions can be anything from music to STD's. And the trivia dude says cuss words on the microphone, and who doesn't get a kick out of that. Anyway, we came in second place last week, and third place this week. Which is good because either way we won house cash.

Friday, August 1 - Chastain Park. It's time for another show. This time it's Hootie & the Blowfish (don't laugh). We had to get there early-ish as I had to run a meet & greet with the band. Yes, I met them. I didn't really greet them. But I did take pictures of them with about 16 attendees. We stayed for most of the show. They are a great party band. Fun rock music and a great stage presence. I get why they are still doing this after 22 years. The crowd was fun too. They were there to party, just ask the old guys behind me passing the Jager bottle.

Saturday, August 2 - Chastain Park. Yep, back again. After the city of Atlanta almost got washed away and I was just about to pull the Ark out of storage the clouds cleared and we were ready for Crosby, Stills & Nash. No Young on this tour. For being a combined age of 72,000 years old, these guys totally rocked. Their voices still sound great and they appeared to be having a blast on stage (or maybe it was the drugs they did backstage, but either way). The only thing they didn't do (or at least that I heard them not do) was Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, which was all I wanted them to do. But they did Our House, Teach Your Children was the encore, a fun version of Love The One You're With, even For What It's Worth (which always makes me think of the Sesame Street bit - if you haven't seen it, YouTube it, it's one of my fondest childhood memories and introduced me to great rock music - so thanks Sesame Street!). After that and some wine, it was time to go home.

Sunday, August 3 - 14th Street Playhouse. For some reason we're still going... I'm not sure how. Yesterday we ventured to the 14th Street Playhouse to check out Jewtopia. Which is a play. And it was actually very funny. I noticed the poster one day at Starbucks (I not being a coffee drinker was there waiting for someone, probably Margot, and thus was entertaining myself by reading the community bulletin board). It's about this dude that wants to marry a Jewish girl so he never has to make another decision again and enlists his Jewish friend to help him become a Jew. Meanwhile Mr. Non-Jew has to help Mr. Jew find a girlfriend. As my grandpa said last night "That sounds funny already." And it does. And it was, and the people in the play (a small seven person ensemble) was incredibly talented. And I'm a tough critic since I did drama for YEARS and therefore that makes me the know all on this subject.

Before I leave you today, I would like to take a moment of silence. We lost a legend yesterday. Skip Caray, this is for you.

Mac vs PC

So, real quick. I just posted for the first time from home. At home I work on a Mac. At work I use a PC. I like to use this fancy font when I'm posting (not the font I'm using now, but the one used in earlier posts). But now that I'm posting from home I don't get a font option. I am a huge stickler for consistency (just ask any of my co-workers) so it is driving me crazy that the post fonts are inconsistent. But now you know why. And I am sorry.

The spell check option isn't working on my Mac either. sO ecxuse speling errrosr. :)