WEEKEND PLANS

Tomorrow I am leaving for the weekend to spend some time with a few of the women I met in June during my trip to the Women’s Leadership Institute. We’re not going to do anything responsible. We are going to be hanging out in a crowded hotel room, having some drinks, laughing and being ridiculous. Plus we’re going to talk. We like to talk. We may even play truth or dare or something along those lines because basically this is one giant sleepover. I’m totally not warning anyone that I snore.

SCHOOL UPDATE

So my adviser hunted me down and forced me to talk about school. It’s something I really haven’t wanted to discuss with anyone and I have been feeling really overwhelmed and hopeless about. We decided to up my schedule a little this semester and get me on a payment plan. She also assured me that while my math class doesn’t count towards graduation credits it does count towards financial aid credits.

She further assessed that it’s just not worth me taking on a third 3 credit class in order to get my financial aid back in place when a one credit course would work and save me a bunch of money. Plus I need to take a phys ed anyway.

My new schedule is:

• Intro to Communications Studies - MWF - 9:00am to 10:00am
• Dance 1 - MW - 11:30am - 12:45pm (Starting next quarter)
• Intermediate Algebra - MW - 3:00pm to 5:15pm

I do feel a lot better. This isn’t what I had hoped for right now, but it’s enough. Slowly, but surely I will keep getting there. I just have to be patient.

My math class is a Pass/Fail class so we have tests every week. We have to get at least a 75% on all tests to be allowed to take the final. We have to get a least a 75% on the final in order to pass the class. A little bit intense, no? We’re allowed to retake class tests until we get a passing grade, but that is still a lot of pressure. Plus it sucks knowing that I could pass all the class tests, but if I fail the final I still fail the class.

I guess I have to keep my game face on and really strive to get the best grades possible at all time. Which I sort of do anyway…

NON BLOGGERS JUST DON’T UNDERSTAND US

Me: Yeah…I’m really interested to see what our eBay auctions are at today. I left my computer at work so I would be more productive at home last night and not knowing what they are at is killing me.
Kasey: A whole night without your computer? I bet you were ready to malfunction.
Me: I was just fine! I’m only saying that I like to keep an eye on the auctions in case people have questions or whatever.
Kasey: Yeah, okay. [at this point she pretends to be a malfunctioning robot] Must update Twitter, check email, blog reader, ebay, email,Twitter…Must tell people what I am doing at all times. No one knows what I am doing right at this exact moment. Oh my god. Malfunction. Malfunction!
Me: You think you’re so funny.

1. Dyed my hair red. It has been sort of reddish the past few times I dyed it always fading to a light brown, but this time the red is unmistakable and I am smitten. I also learned Kasey prefers darker hair so I’m glad I didn’t go for the box of Lightest Auburn I was leaning toward in the store. This one is called Summer Sunset or some shit. Check out the results!

Are you kidding me? How much better does this look? It also cost me $6.99 where the salon costs me $70. I realize the quality is much different, but for a color that fades so quickly I think I am going to keep dying it at home for a while.

2. Went to Philadelphia for the official celebration of Kasey and I being hopelessly in love for a year. (It actually seemed like we celebrated for a month which goes to show the level of our gross loveyness. I apologize.)

3. While in Philadelphia as I mentioned I got a facial at Rescue. There is no doubt that I will be going back there. It was such an experience. I don’t know how much immediate difference it has on my face. (See photos below) However, the effect on my self confidence was huge. I felt like a million dollars afterwards. It felt like I was glowing. I loved it!

The woman who did it also gave me a lot of great skin care advice and recommended I get one every season to once a year. If I can afford it I will be getting one every season. This was my first trip to a spa and it will not be my last. I am in complete shock that Kasey got this for me. It really was amazing.

I know my skin looks similar, but the confidence aspect was huge and my face felt cleaner than it has ever before and for someone like myself who always feels like their face needs washing that was huge. I also bought a fancy bottle of scary liquid exfoliant. (Side note: Did we make up the word exfoliate?)

Also I started to break out the next day as my skin expunges all the grossness that has been trapped and that isn’t very fun for me. I can’t wait till this process is over and the clean happy skin part comes along.

4. We also had dinner at Buddakan where our first date took place. That was nice and sentimental. We also had a whole lot of amazing food. Also ducks? Adorable and yet extremely tasty, which makes me feel guilty. (That is a topic for another day. Sigh.)

In any case, here we are after dinner!

We were standing outside waiting for the valet when some kind stranger offered to take our picture for us after watching us struggle to take a good one ourselves. Thank you stranger!

5. The next day we were going to go to Atlantic City to spend a glorious day at the beach. We packed sandwiches, beach bags and I wore my bathing suit under my clothing.

Upon arrival to Atlantic City it became clear that everyone in the world had come there to see some sort of air show. The boardwalk was packed, the beach was full of people standing around and looking at the sky and surly teenagers were trying to start with me via glaring. (It also made me feel old to realize if I was there age I would have said something, but alas I simply glared back and walked away.)

We didn’t even get to look at the beach. We were going to eat something, but prices seemed to be hiked up at the buffets ($29.99!) and the restaurants had 2+ hour waits. We stopped to get Kasey her favorite candy (sour belts) and decided to head back to Philadelphia.

Once there we hit up our favorite place to eat Delilah’s and headed to Duross & Langel to get some soaps. Then I even got some gelato at Capogiro. So it was still a nice day, but I had really been looking forward to spending time at the beach.

On the plus side my sister and her boyfriend are renting a house in Ocean City, NJ for the week and told Kasey and I that we are free to stay. So we are hoping to go there for 4 nights in September. So all is well.

I started a new blog! It’s a super dorky blog about what bath and body products I am using. Fun, right? I know. I realize not that many people care. That’s why I created the new blog. So I don’t make you guys nuts. It’s called I Wash My Face. I know, I’m so damn creative that it’s scary.

In other news, people please go get a facial! It’s amazing. I felt like I was glowing for the rest of the day. Now? Not so much. I think it brought all the grossness to the top and I’m breaking out now. Hopefully that will go down soon. I bought some sort of fancy facial stuff I have been using and I’m excited for it to work. More about that on the new site.

Besides getting facials, eating fancy dinners in Philadelphia and starting new blogs I have been pretty much just playing The Sims 2: Castaway on my DS. It’s so addicting it’s scary. That’s why children shouldn’t be allowed to play video games. They are like crack. Then again I need all those tweens to help me out when I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. I did an obscene amount of google searches. How did people solve video games before the internet?

I got back on Monday from my birthday trip to Philadelphia and it was wonderful. I enjoyed every moment of it. I’ll do some highlights in list for because that is how I do.

1. The class at Duross & Langel was so much fun. I’m going to have a full description of that up tomorrow complete with pictures. Kasey and I had such a good time that we signed up for another on scheduled for October 5th. It’s one on Autumn Soaps. We’re going to be making Pumpkin and Cider soaps. I’ll talk more about the items we made at this class tomorrow.

2. The hotel stay was AMAZING. To all of you who are coupled right now, please at some point try to stay with your significant other in a room with a two person jacuzzi. This is going to be my new piece of relationship advice. We stayed in a Howard Johnson in a room with one of those cheesy heart shaped jacuzzi baths right in the main room. It ended up being so wonderful I can’t even tell you. It wasn’t even about being sexual. It was just nice to share that intimate time with the person you love and feeling a different level of comfort and security with them. We checked in at 6:00 pm and out at 11:00 am and in that time we took 4 baths. Heck yes. Complete with Bath Bombs and Bubble Bar Slices from LUSH. It being in the main room was great because we could take our bath and just fully relax while watching Clean House.

I’m one of those nuts like Miranda on Sex and the City that just have a really hard time relaxing and not worrying about what we are going to do next. So this was really great in that it let me be at peace and not think about anything else.

There is also this feeling of becoming even closer to Kasey. There is something intimate and special about just being naked around someone else and knowing that no matter what they find you beautiful. I don’t know…there were several moments when I was very struck by that.

3. If you want to see a bit hot mess I recommend you go to the Torrid store in Cherry Hill, NJ. Good lord. I could say a lot about them and my experience there. I do wish I had my camera during this particular moment of my trip so you guys could share in my trauma. The people working there and shopping there were just too much. Suffice it to say that I didn’t buy anything. I did however try on a pair of pants that I will be buying online eventually. They covered my butt and sat on a proper area of my hips! Hoorah! Low rise pants can suck it. Who wears these?

Also I have complained about the horrible addition of pencil skirts into the plus size fashion world. (Please someone shoot me because they are still the main style of skirts available in my size.) Now I have to contend with skinny jeans. Skinny jeans!!!!! No one (NO ONE!) looks good in skinny jeans. Seriously. I’m just being a friend. Even if you do have the legs for them they make your torso look like the top of a strange misshapen lollipop.

There was also a hoody there that was Wal*Mart looking quality for $40. I don’t think so.

4. Kasey and I had thought about going to The Franklin, but we decided to forgo for the moment and spend the day walking around the city. That ended up being a lot of fun and we went into a huge number of awesome little shops. I started a Yelp account (if you’re on yelp add me as a friend!) so that I could review all of the fun places that we went.

This was one of my favorite days spent in the city. It was just so fantastic walking around and taking in the sites. Now I can’t wait to go back again!

Full Philadelphia Trip Set Here.

*I’m sorry, I just can’t get down with the whole “binkies” lingo.

I’m not actually here right now. This is one of those fancy posts from the past. Woo! Do you feel creeped? I guess not, right? I think it would only be creepy if I died and then you kept having these posts I wrote before I died that keep popping up like everything is normal. Wow, that would be super creepy. I’m kind of freaking myself out now. Wait…this isn’t where I wanted to go with this at all. What was I saying again?

Oh. Right. I’m not actually here because Kasey and I are taking a little trip for my birthday! I’ll be back late on Monday and I probably won’t have the whole fancy post with the pictures up until Thursday. So until then I will have other posts set up to talk to you. Don’t think you should skip out on them either.

So I guess I will give a little insight to what we will be doing, but no so much so that you are don’t look forward to the photo post.

FOR TODAY

• Kasey and I will be leaving at 7:00 am in order to be on time for our soap class in Philadelphia that starts at 10:00 am.
• After the class we are going to have a quick lunch and maybe run to some shops.
• Then we are checking into our suite* and closing ourselves in for the rest of the day.
• We are continuing to be hermits until 11:00 am when they kick us out.
• After that it’s off the The Franklin museum! We are hoping to see both an IMAX and a show at the Planetarium because I love that stuff.
• Then we’ll be heading home.

I can’t wait!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. - I will also have wifi so I will be reading blogs and replying to comments still.

*Yes!

So, what do you guys think? I realize I am not going to win any blog awards, but with my ZERO computer skillz this is the best that I can do. Is it summery enough? I sure hope so because I really don’t like trying to figure this stuff out. It makes me feel terribly inept.

Oh and for me and the one other person who thought bunnies would make for a cute theme check out my little image down on the bottom right. It’s Tula! Really though, I’m glad to be back. This theme is just really crisp and fresh looking. The other one was pretty, but it made me really miss the things about this one that I love so much. Hopefully we can deal with this one until I have to change it for Autumn, or whatever.

Guess what! Kasey got a job yesterday!! She went in for a trial at the cafe of a community center at one of our local communities and she went home with a schedule for the next two and a half weeks!! They must have really liked her. She is going to be cooking in the cafe and making sandwiches. She also has some cleaning duties. She said she really enjoyed her first day and I am thrilled for her. Getting a job these days is rough and it has been a discouraging few months. Well, she is back in the swing of things now and hopefully this job will go well and she will be able to stay there for a while. It’s less than a mile from our home too so she’ll be able to get there in the Fall when I have to go back to school. It’s perfect.

I have been recouping the last few days from my trip to the Women’s Leadership Institute. I feel like so much happened and I experienced so much that it is hard to figure out what to tell you about. The sessions were alright, but honestly being someone interested in women’s studies as much as I am it was a lot of things I knew already, but it’s always fun to have a refresher course and it’s not like I have that stuff memorized anyway.

The biggest thing that impacted me was the other women there. I was really feeling my age a bit as I was one of the three oldest attendees, but that wasn’t an issue. Though it did lead to a funny moment (for me) when I was talking about something I watched when I was little and no one knew what I was talking about because oh-my-god-they-weren’t-born-yet (or old enough to watch TV).

I really hope I get to keep in touch with the people that I met because I feel like in one short week through sharing my experiences and hearing theirs and just being able to talk honestly without any judgement, I changed so much. I can home feeling lighter, happier and more at peace with myself.

One night me and a woman named Shaneka stayed behind from a trip to Wal-Mart (the only store around there) and had a really awesome 2 hour talk where she told me more of her story and I shared more of mine. It was amazing and really stuck with me. It felt so good to be able to talk about things without a fear of retribution. I also felt like in telling her I was able to let go of some feelings that I had been hanging on to.

I didn’t hold myself back on this trip. I decided that I was going to make an effort to be outgoing and open and meet as many people as possible. I really feel like I lived up to that goal and I hope that I am able to keep in touch with these women for years to come.

If you have added me as a friend on Flickr you will be able to view the pictures in the Women’s Leadership Institute set. If you haven’t added me as a friend on Flickr, then you should. I’m nice!

I am very tempted to start a birthday countdown on my blog, but I as I get older I suppose I should be more mature about these things.

Oh, screw it: IT’S 16 DAYS UNTIL MY 24TH BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

1. If you haven’t taken the poll from yesterday, please do so. I will be using the results when I get back for the new theme. Very important!

2. I am painfully aware that one of my buttons is squishing my main body of text, but I removed them from the design and yet they are still there. So I really don’t know what to do about that, do you?

3. Are you swapping? I bet you’re not. If you are over 18, a woman and have a Flickr account you can sign up right now to be part of the July Creature Comforts Swap. Doesn’t that sound like fun? I know some of you have seen the swap stuff around. The minimum is $15.

This time we are swapping a pillow and a book or magazine! Fun! Sign up! You can read more about it at that link to. I’m just saying that besides OMSH the only other active swapper I know is Rhiinpink. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I’m just saying that it is fun and exciting to get packages in the mail. It’s also fun shopping for someone else and trying to find something they would love. Okay. I am done pimping the swap group.

4. Holy crap, I am leaving tomorrow morning to go on a week long trip to somewhere I have never been with people I have never met. What was I thinking? Seriously. What is someone with an anxiety disorder and minimal conversation skills doing going on a trip like this. Oh thank you for selecting my university, I’m sure I’ll do a stand up job.

Also, I don’t mean to sound like one of those girls, but this will be the longest I haven’t seen Kasey since last June. That is scary for me. I don’t like change. It’s only a week though, right? I’ll be fine? I hope so. My nerves are starting to get jumpy and I actually had a NIGHTMARE about it. For reals. I did make Kasey a cutesy little package for while I am gone with a letter for each day and shiz because I’m corny like that.

Honestly though, is it really too late to cancel?

5. Today I am picking up my rental, going to Target, packing and worrying. Heavy on the worrying! Tomorrow I leave home at 7:00 am, meet the other 3 girls at 8:00 am and then I will be driving us the 5 hours to the institute all while trying to subtly keep my shit together.

I’m a little spent now. In 8 days I have been to Philadelphia, Atlantic City, New York City and then Philadelphia. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining, but I think I need a little recoup time.

Kasey got her economic stimulus check in on Saturday and we thought, what better way to spend George Bush’s money but to use it to attend Philadelphia Pride day? So off to pride we went.

Kasey had never attended a pride parade and I hadn’t been to one since I was 16 so it was really fun to be able to attend this one together. We are even talking about going to New York Pride later this month, but that will be another post.

Before we went to the parade I needed to pick up some must have items from Duross & Langel*. They weren’t open yet so we stopped next door for a gelato at Capogiro Gelato Artisans. This place was recommended on Oprah or some shiz and I have always wanted to try it. It did not disappoint! It is well known to most people that the weirder a flavor is, the more I want it. After sampling a few flavors I got a small cup of Rosemary Honey and Goats Milk with Cioccolato Banana (chocolate and bananas). It was AMAZING. (If you like gelato, Kasey realized she doesn’t.) It’s pretty pricey too. It was almost $5 for what would be a children’s size at most places. Still the quality, to me, is worth it.

They also seem to update their flavors daily. If I was going in today I would get Cucumber and Rhubarb no doubt. It seems to be only available in Philadelphia though. If you’re in the area check it out and invite me!

After the gelatos Duross and Langel was open. They opened at 12, which was right when the parade was supposed to start. (Had we known it would be starting about 15 minutes late we would have relaxed and looked around more.) Since it was our first parade we didn’t want to be late so I went in a grabbed the items I had been wanting.

They make soaps so pretty they are almost art.

I got a big bar of Violet Baby Bar soap. It’s described as, “our gentlest base of olive oil, aloe and shea + soft notes of spring violets make this delicate bar perfect for mom’s and babies alike”. It has such a soft pretty smell, I love it. I mentioned in a previous post that I am switching from LUSH to Duross & Langel soaps. They just feel better and come in many more scents. This time I couldn’t really shop around. We didn’t have the time or the money, but I am very excited to go back and get more. I have also been hinting that I want to take a class there for my birthday. There is one the day after so hopefully that will happen. I know I would absolutely LOVE it. Fingers crossed! The other item I bought was Moroccan Cedar deodorant. Last time I bought Sandlewood Lavender, but quickly lost it and since then I have been using Kasey’s Peppermint, much to her dismay. Now I have a new one and I can leave hers alone. This deodorant has been working great for me. I adore it.

After that we rushed over to where the parade was and had the misfortune of having teenage lesbians (who honestly looked 12) make out in front of us. (One girl had the biggest nastiest looking hickey on her neck. Why do teenagers still do this to each other?) We soon found a better spot right by the street and waited for the parade to begin. It was super hot out! The weather said 99 degrees and by that time it felt every single bit of it.

Still we were in good spirits and the parade was enjoyable**.

After the parade we walked until we thought our feet were going to fall off from where the parade started all the way to Penn’s Landing. This is only about a 30 minute walk, but with bad shoes on in the sweltering heat it felt oh so much longer. My feet are now covered in various cuts and blisters from it.

The festival at Penn’s Landing was nice and we certainly got some nice free items, but ultimately with absolutely no shaded areas and the only places to sit being hot stone we didn’t stay very long. We saw all the vender’s and then left. We got out of there just in time too. As we were leaving the line to get in was crazy.

We grabbed a taxi and took it back to the Reading Terminal Market where we had lunch at our consistent favorite, Delilah’s. Kasey had fried chicken and I had fried whiting. We both had collard greens and macaroni and cheese.

Hers:

Mine:

Afterwards we rested a bit and decided to indulge in some Crepes before we left. Right across from Delilah’s in the Reading Terminal Market is Profi’s Creperie. I happen to think the woman who is usually working the register at Profti’s is rather rude and on the three occasions we have had crepes here they have been out of ice cream even though they are adjacent Bassett’s Ice Cream. If you can get past that this is the place to go for delicious crepes. They have every kind you can think or, but we like to go there for dessert.

Kasey got one with Nutella and Banana.

I got the Mixed Berries and Cheesecake with Honey.

Then we drove home and passed out in bed.

…and now I am hungry since I made myself look at pictures of delicious food…except I am back in the Poconos where for those prices there is none. Boo. I can’t wait till our next adventure to Philadelphia.

Oh! And can someone please make sure I always have SPF 50 or above on my person whenever I go out into the sun? These burns have got to stop.

* Full post on Duross & Langel coming soon in a new Angela Recommends section.
** Set in it’s entirety can be found here on Flickr.

Yes! I saw Kathy Griffin at the Borgata in Atlantic City on Saturday. She was AMAZING! Now because I care about you and I’m a little obsessed I made a bunch of videos for you*. Yay!

We took off around 2:00 pm and it was POURING. We headed into Philadelphia for lunch.

Us leaving Philadelphia heading to Atlantic City. I rant a little about a girl who hits on Kasey.

SIDE NOTE: In Philadelphia at the convention center there was some sort of Trans Convention for people who are transsexual or transgendered. It was AWESOME. For a few moments I was surrounded by a bunch of hot trans people. I have a serious thing for people who are trans so this was a little heavenish for me. Thank you Philadelphia! You seemed more like New York for a moment there.

We made it to Atlantic City! There was insane traffic for some reason and I am super pumped about the show. Woo!

I don’t know if you can understand me, but I am saying, “This is Tom from the Kathy Griffin show. Do you see him? We’re so not allowed to have this camera. Okay, turn it off.” They were actually taking camera’s from people and we still made this silly video just because I was so excited to see Tom from My Life on the D List. It was great. We also made an illegal video during the show. It’s very poor quality of her talking about the FLDS cult.

Her show was so funny, you guys. I was worried I would be amused, but not laughing to much because I watch her stuff so much. She did all new material and it was great. She even talked a little about her gig hosting the Bravo A-List Awards and that totally thrilled me because Kasey and I are going to see that show in New York City on Wednesday. We’re part of the “casted audience”. Fun, right?

This is after the show it was 1:00 am and we had to drive three hours home. It actually must have been later than that because we didn’t get home until 4:45 am. It wasn’t actually as bad as it sounds and the show was so totally worth it. I’m so glad we stretched our money to be able to afford it. We have to go see her act again sometime.

Okay! So that is our trip and I hope you enjoyed all the movies we made for you. I would have edited them all into one long movie for you if I knew how to do shit like that.

*For those of you who don’t have time or don’t care to watch the videos below them I will say what was going on. Likewise if you watch the movies you can pretty much ignore the text if you watch the videos.

1. There are so many things I would show you if only I could find the freaking charger for my camera battery. A charger that they don’t seem to sell in stores. I could order one from Amazon, but I want to see if it turns up.

2. Kasey and I are going on a mini vacation this weekend to our favorite city, Philadelphia! I’m planning it as part of my very late Valentine’s Day present to her. I’m very excited.

3. They opened a Steve & Barry’s just a half hour from us. It is so interesting the way the towns around me are moving up. This town used to be pretty small, but still had the most to do around us. It had a decent mall and then a Red Lobster and Chi Chi’s nearby. Now there are tons of stores everywhere and much more places to eat. It’s really interesting. We spotted the S&B’s yesterday while going to Old Country Buffet, Kasey’s favorite place to eat. We stopped in b/c they were having an sale, $8.95 for everything in the store. Holy crap! I got a pair of Bitten jeans (Yes jeans! I now own a pair of pants!) and a dress. After we left OCB was closed. I felt really bad that my shopping made Kasey miss eating there so we are heading back there tonight so I can take her there and also so I can get some more Bitten. I so heart Sarah Jessica Parker for creating this line. She could have made plenty of money by making a designer line that only appeals to the rich & skinny, but I am thrilled that she made this affordable line that includes clothing I can fit into. (Even with my recent 12 lb weight gain. Boo.)

4. Yesterday I had my first appointment with my new Dr. It went well. They ordered tons of blood work so I am dreading getting that done. She also deemed my new rash (not the armpit one, the one on my neck) “very interesting” and “something that needs to be looked at”. I have an appointment at the dermatologist next week.

5. Tula is not like Penelope at all. I used to adore having a litter-trained rabbit, but Tula doesn’t seem to be having anything of it. She pretty much goes where she is and she seems to poop her weights worth daily. I think it will balance out once she gets used to eating better food, but for now it is a little too much. She is friendly, but she is also very timid. She is very good with being handled. I hold her several times a day to get her used to it. I clipped her nails a bit today (I have to get better clippers to finish. Mine seem dull.) and she was great. She just stayed still while I did it.

6. Penelope is jealous and hates Tula. Tula is sort of like the overly friendly neighbor that drops by. Whenever she is out she tries to go to Penny’s cage to play and Penny just tries to bit her through the bars. We have to wait until two weeks after Penny gets spayed to try and bond them. Other than her biting me once though she seems to be good. Kasey and I are trying to redo the room so we all have more space so she has been caged more than normal. I think that is adding to it.