Kara Bo Bara Got Married!

I promised more on the wedding event I attended in Rochester, NY, so here it is!

My friend Kara or as I call her, Kara Bo Bara was married to Matt last Saturday. The wedding was held downtown at a place called Artisan Works. It's basically a huge warehouse full of art and eclectic items. They had both the ceremony and the reception in the building. This worked out really well because after the ceremony we were given free range of the place to explore all the quirks it had to offer.

I must say this wedding was very Matt and Kara and done in their own style. That was pretty refreshing to see two people tailor such a special ceremony in a way that best represented them. They wrote their own vows, used song lyrics for readings, and had their wedding design as their backdrop on a giant projection screen behind them.

The reception was a lot of fun. We were given our table markers that looked like rock concert tickets with our names and the name of a band which was how they designated tables. On the tables they had old records glued together as a center piece and guitar picks laying around like confetti. For your favor, they had a table set up like a concert vendor stand with different jars of candy and little bags for you to fill. What an awesome idea!

There was no detail overlooked, but it didn't seem over done and no one seems uptight or spazing about anything. Just comfortable and fun, the best kind of party. I know they both put a lot into designing their wedding, but it was totally worth it and noticed. Almost everyone we talked to said positive things about it.

I just want to say how happy I am for the both of them and wish them the best and their start their life together. I am sure it's going to be a rockin' good time. :)

Beach on the Brain

Most of the people who read this blog either know I am going on a beach vacation and/or are coming with me on this vacation. Rob's friends started a tradition of going to the Outer Banks in North Carolina while they were in college. After they left college they realized there was an opportunity to keep doing the trip and make it a sort of reunion event. So they continue to plan a week at the beach each year over Memorial Day Week. Hence the term Beach Week.

This will my fourth year in attendance. I love this trip and look forward to it more than all others I take. What's better than having nothing planned aside from relaxing, swimming, drinking, and being around friends for an entire week? Not to mention it's relatively cheap since we get a big house and split it with whoever wants to go.

So, by the time May rolls around each year I immediately switch to a special mode of vacationitis I call Beach Weekitis. I told my boss sometime last week I already mentally checked out of work. I set my out of office and it's ready to go. I have made the various lists, shopping trips, and all necessary work to prep so far aside from the actual packing. Each time I do something like that I chant in my head, Beach Week! Beach Week! Beach Week!

I am also going to hopefully purchase a body board this year so I day dream about what kind I am going to get and how awesome I am going to out there on the surf. I am praying for warmer water temps and some bright bright sunshine. :)

I got so excited, I did a little jig in the hall today which one of my senior managers saw and laughed at. Whatever, they know I am crazy, it's just more pronounced when I am excited. :) So with 2 working days left, you can imagine I could be quite useless in the office. After a big meeting tomorrow, that will be entirely true. I'll probably be thinking about what kind of drinks I want to make. Hmmmm...... :)

Weddings, Friends and Family

This past weekend Rob and I got out of town and flew to Rochester, NY. The main reason for going was a wedding of one of my college friends, but we managed to squeeze in some visits to places and with people. The wedding is going to get it's own entry because it's that cool. :)

Friday we landed and checked into our hotel. We stayed at the Rochester Airport Marriott Hotel just north of the airport. I was impressed with the hotel as it was one of the nicer hotels I have stayed at in a while. From there we drove east to meet Josh for dinner and general visiting. I only get to see people in NY about twice a year, so it's a big deal when we do. Computer and telephone hugs can never beat the live ones. :)

Saturday we got up and went to Wegmans for some muffins and coffee. Let me just say, DELICIOUS! From there we visited my alma mater, RIT. A LOT has changed on campus. What used to be a grassy corner on the far side of campus is now filled with our future bookstore with some shopping centers, apartments, and town homes. It is called Park Point at RIT and seems like it's trying to bring the city feel to a campus on the outskirts of town. They also built two brand new buildings and are clearing spots for the next few. A lot of existing buildings were updated from total brick fronts to ones with tall glass fronts on the bottom floors. This allows a more modern feel as well. I popped by my old work place and said hi to Paul, my old boss for a short visit. I randomly drop in every few years or so just to keep them on their toes. :) We hit up the very tasty Dibella's Subs for lunch and went back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding.

The wedding was was a lot of fun, but you'll have to read more about that later. :) *Enter Jeopardy music here*

Sunday proved to be the day of visiting = eating. For each person we met, with we shared a meal. This works out well, however, by the end of the day, you feel like you ate an entire buffet. Not that you did it on purpose mind you. Just sort of happens. We started with breakfast with the newlyweds and then traveled over to visit with Rob's grandfather who lives in Victor. He and his wife Linda were very nice people and greeted me with a giant hug. We went to lunch with them and then headed slightly more east to meet up with my sister and my brother-in-law. We ate dinner and just enjoyed each others company chatting about whatever came to mind. I miss my sister and brother-in-law a lot, so it's great when I can see them.

That's probably one of my biggest gripes about being this far south. Visiting friends and family gets to be a real struggle any time you enter the respective home states. You are only home for such a short period of time and you want to visit everyone, but then all the visits are short and hurried, but it's what you can do. It sucks, but will have to do for now.

We left the gray skies of Rochester on our 6am flight back to Atlanta. The flight was cheaper, but my productivity at work was about a 3 on a 1-10 scale. Granted, even with a good nights sleep, it would have only been a 6 at the most (can you say beach weekitis?), but still. Overall, it was a pretty fantastic weekend. Now to coast until vacation!

I Have Pretty Feet

This statement is not always true. Sometimes they are quite nasty if I have been mucking about in the mud or worn an uncomfortable pair of shoes that have left me with blisters. But today, it IS true. Last night I went for my first ever pedicure!

I have been on the fence about getting a pedicure for a while. Everyone has told me how wonderful they are, but all I ever think is, who wants to see my feet in that much detail? So I finally worked up the courage and asked for places that people have been to. So I finally settle for one of them and make plans to go. Well, wouldn't you know it, that one was closed to due a family emergency and would remain closed for two weeks.

At first I got a little mad. I mean, here I am, finally worked up the guts to go have someone play with my feet and the place isn't open! How rude! After about two minutes sitting in traffic, I told myself, people always say these places are everywhere, I am going to find one and just march right in and get it.

I ended up at what I would consider a normal nail salon. Nothing fancy, but never having done this before, I have no idea what to do. So they sat me in a massage chair (which was pretty fabulous by the way) and filled the foot bath for me. Then they let me hang out for a while. I got a pretty nice lady to do my toes. The pumice stone tickled a little, but overall felt pretty nice. Since I am going to a wedding this weekend, I got the French pedicure.

I have the home pedicure kit, but I have never gotten my feet to look this nice. And it wasn't that expensive. As one of the girls in my office told me, "Sometimes, when I am having a bad day, I will just go get one to sit in the chair and get some pampering." I totally know what she means. I wasn't that relaxed this time around as I was unsure of what was going on, but next time I'll know and be more so.

I've decided when I win the lotto, I am going to have a full service salon that will be at my disposal as well as all of my friends. Of course, I will have to start playing the lotto for this plan to work... Detail details...

Karma - The Universe Balancer

If you are really lucky, sometimes you get the instant gratification of watching the universe balance. My newest favorite is my co-worker who was the first car at a red light being cut off by 2-3 solid red light runners that turned left to get in his lane. He honked at them and the last car had a little old lady in it who apparently flipped him the bird (after she ran the light mind you) and then proceeded to smack into the car in front of her. And for that split second, you see how things could all work out in the end just like our parents told us they would.

Tonight I went shopping at Macy's to find some dresses that would be appropriate to wear to some upcoming weddings over the next few months. I found two nice dresses highly discounted and decided to get them both. Since they were having one of their super clearance sales, I decided to meander a little bit.

I tried on some hideously uncomfortable shoes, played in jewelry and finally into the hand bag section. I wasn't really looking for anything in particular but I am always drawn to the Fossil bags. I usually dig around looking to see if any are marked at what I can afford. This has yet to result in me buying one, but I always look anyway. Well tonight I found one I fell in love with, but it had no price. Huh, what to do?

I found the lady working in the department and asked her. She doesn't know, but is sure there is another one somewhere in the mix. So as we dig through the multiple clearance bins without success, she tells me she wishes some rich person would come buy them all and give them away. I've got to say, there were a LOT of them laying around. She said, "Ok, well I can't find one like it, let's see what something like it would be priced for." She grabs the first Fossil bag and gives me it's price, still in the range of, umm, not really selling me, my dress costs less than that. She says, well how badly do you want this? I said, "Well, I just wanted to know how much it was." She grabs another purse and says "How about *enter ridiculously low price for a Fossil bag*?" Sold! So we walk to the register and she goes to grab her glasses to ring me out. On her way back, she has another purse similar to mine in her hands. She tells me, "Well this one says $XX (more than twice the price she gave me), but this will be our little secret. I would rather give it to you for the other price and make your day." Ten minutes to closing and she just wants to make someone happy and go home.

It's nice when people do nice things for you just like you do for others for no real reason. Spread the love around.

Girls Night In

This past Saturday I did something different. Instead of doing girls night out, four of us, Ashleigh, Heidi, Jen and myself all stayed in at the estate de Ashleigh and Dan. Dan went to play in Vegas for a bachelor party so the girls took over the house.

We started out with a trip to a matinée to see the undoubtedly biggest chick flick in the theaters, Made of Honor. It was a decent film, but probably not going to be nominated for anything. The annoying part about seeing a chick flick in the afternoon is that all the chicks want to chat through it. That aside, it was a good time. Ashleigh even put the top of her convertible down on the way home. WHEEE!!

Getting back to the house, Ashleigh made wonderful grilled deliciousness for us. Grilled fish, shrimp, and veggies. I need to own a grill. Seems silly I have to buy a house first. Whatever... Then we really busted into the cocktails, played on the Ouija board, got answers to life's most pondering questions from a spirit named Be, and got silly and called some boys. In the morning we made pancakes. YUMMY!

So yeah, we are not teens, but teens normally don't know how to cook, need parental supervision and can't drink. So there. :P And no, still no pillow fights, sorry guys.

This is a Non-Smoking Section Sir

I live in a one bedroom townhouse with a fantastic front porch I love to hang out on when it's not the dead of summer hot out. I also enough opening up my downstairs sliding glass door and two windows upstairs. I prefer the breeze method of cooling until it gets too hot outside. This has been a lovely feature of my apartment and hope my next residence can offer something like it.

Recently, well, about 6 months ago I got a new neighbor and I was so happy because I didn't like the sub woofer that lived there before. The new neighbor is from New York (tags on the car) and seems like a nice enough young kid. He is quiet, always says hello, but otherwise keeps to himself. My only really big beef with him is that he smokes. I think there is a policy about smoking inside the apartments around here because he is outside about 5 times a day on the phone and having a cigarette. It sucks because the wind blows it around and if I have my windows open, I can smell it inside.

Then I got another neighbor on the other side of him. I don't know much about him other than he has a motorcycle and also smokes. Two doors down on the other side of me I just got a new neighbor this weekend. As I was walking home from Rob's house, I saw him out on his new patio furniture.... smoking. I kind of cried a little on the inside.

I know they are all outside and following the rules, but what about my clean air? I enjoy my outdoor living space a lot, but don't really want to smell smoke all the time. Now, to be fair, I don't smell it all the time, but it's often enough to get me to write in my blog about it.

I am trying to be upbeat about it, but I just find myself disappointed in the situation. Disappointed for them because they are all young and with what all they tell you in school, I am surprised people still start smoking. And disappointed for me because the side affects of their bad habits are now something I have to deal with which I didn't ask for. Here hoping I won't be smelling much of them....

My Computer Is Smarter Than I Am

My computer decided that I was done using it about a month ago. I said, "Ok fine, two can play at this game", and proceeded to ignore the problem for a while. This is how technology and I get along. If for any reason electronics fail, I tend to say, "I am better off without you anyway." It could be the simplest solution, but I think in my head, I am letting the piece of technologically advanced equipment sit there and "think about what it did wrong". I got to say, this method rarely changes the fact that it needs some sort of intervention to get it working again.

Well, after my computer sat a while and nothing changed, we tried fandangled cables and witch craft to get my computer back up and running without using the dreaded "re-install" feature. This did not work. So I conceded to losing hours of time spent organizing my iTunes collection just so, a few pictures, and installing World of Warcraft. Oh well. I need something to pass time on the weekends anyway.

I held my breath and watched Rob walk through the process. I am not brave enough to deal with these things on my own. The first round of installation didn't go through all the way. But, on the second go around, we made contact! Turns out, my computer archived off all the stuff on the hard drive when it crashed or while it was bringing it back up (details on this are fuzzy to me). Either way, I have all of my old files (music and photos being the biggest concern - who wants to re-organize and label 2G plus of MP3s?) and programs. Some programs are not working, but I reinstalled the easier ones for now like Mozilla (can not stand Internet Exploder), and will sort out stuff like Quicken this weekend.

Anywho, I am back on track with the internet world. Hooray!

The Marriage of Figaro

Last night I attended my first opera, The Marriage of Figaro. Heidi spotted the show and got a group of us together, her, me, Rob, Beth, and Rich. So the five of us met for dinner at a Thai food place for dinner and then drove the 2 minutes to the brand new Cobb Energy Center for our show.

Apparently you can show up in everything from blue jeans to ball gowns for opera attire. I figure, there are only so many times I get to play dress up, so I hauled a dress from the closet and Rob threw on his tux. Even though we were sitting in the last row in the upper nose bleed section, we still looked good!

At the concession stands they were selling everything from wine and champagne to Rock Stars and coffee. I knew people found the opera boring enough to sleep through, but didn't think they would combat that by selling caffeinated drinks. How smart!

The opera itself was pretty good and was silly in a few parts. I had to read the summary in the program to help understand what was going on. The show lasted 3.5 hours, which was really too much for me. There are four acts to this opera and between the third and fourth there is only a pause, no intermission. During the fourth act, I started to nod a little and lost track of what was going on, but because I read the brochure, I knew basically how it ended anyway.

I haven't been to a live performance since college when I saw A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. I enjoy seeing live shows. There's just something about them. I think my true colors are being a music geek, I just bury it with an engineering degree.

Hopefully I will be able to get out and see some more now that they are moving more into the Cobb Energy Center which is approximately 5 minutes from the house. Jim Gaffigan is coming in September and we are going to try to see him. Fun stuff!