Alert Alert

The pool is closed indefinitely. Repeat. THE POOL IS CLOSED INDEFINITELY.

How could this be? Even the pool deck is off-limits? Sad Lucy....Guess it's time to go find a good beach....

Welcome to Miami...

Oh if only I had the Will Smith song on my iphone so that I could have listened to that as I drove into the (hopefully) awesome city of Miami. I don't even own that song, and I am actually pretty okay with that.

So, here I am...in Miami. Why am I here? TSA and my leadership development program feel that it is beneficial and crucial for our skill-set to spend 30 days working at an airport. There are 30 people in my program and we have all been sent to different locations. I somehow ended up with Miami. Now, most people would have been jumping for joy but Miami is just not one of those places that I have been itching to spend time in. But, that was my initial reaction when I found out my location last summer....since then, I have embraced my location and tried to make the best of it. Thus far, I had the fabulous luxury of choosing my dates....therefore, it's 30 degrees (average) in D.C. right now....it's about 70 in Miami.....therefore, Lucy chooses to go in February to get some sunshine on my face. I never realized how much of an impact the sun truly had on me until I moved to the east coast. (but hey, this sun issue will have to be addressed in another post).

Back to Miami - here's how my trip has gone so far...My flight was rescheduled to leave at 5pm instead of 1pm, meaning I got to Miami after dark. In my planning stages, I wanted to get to Miami in the afternoon because I just hate getting to new places after dark...it throws me off. American Airlines apparently doesn't care about my feelings though. Finally land around 745pm and gather my two large bags from the baggage claim (insert ridiculous image of that typical girl walking around with giant luggage and having some issues). I got me some muscles though and pushed through. Of course the car rental company I use has a line with about 50 people in it, and all others have 0....bad choice. Got myself an awesome car and GPS on. Start driving...GPS is in kilometers.....pull over....reset GPS....start driving again......make it to my corporate housing apartment no problem.

The apartment building itself is huge, much bigger than I thought it was going to be. My room is on the 13th floor, which I think is awesome...I've always wanted to live on the 13th floor as I like that superstitious feeling. Maybe I can adopt a black cat while I'm here? Only complaint so far...the hallway kinda smells like the chemicals they put in porta-pottys. Ew. Hopefully, today was a cleaning day and the smell only lingers for a short while.

Feeling a little off tonight - I'm always weird when I get to a new location. I'm banking on some sleep and sunshine in the morning to get this Miami trip kicking. More to come so keep checkin in on me!

Scented Lashes

I was in dire need of some new mascara, so I took a little hop and skip over to the mall to visit Sephora. Lately, I've been obsessed with Dior's Extase, which advertises that your lashes will look as good as fake ones....I was skeptical at first but was amazed at how long and non-clumpy my lashes turned out. After using this one over the last couple of months, I decided to try another Dior...Diorshow....see if it would changes things up a bit. And wouldn't you know it....they put perfume in their mascara. Why? you might ask.... Here's what I've come up with... 1) When you are rushing out the door and forget to put on a spritz of perfume...you are covered because your eyelashes will smell pretty 2) When you inadvertantly start crying because of the cold and wind blowing into your eyes while waiting outside for the metro to pull up....people around you will wonder where that floral fragrance is coming from...but you will know, you will know. 3) When that certain someone (for all those who have one, certainly not me) gives you little kisses on your eyelids or possibly an eskimo/butterfly kiss...he won't help but be intoxicated by the aroma coming from your lashes. pretty soon, all-out sniff fest of your eyelids. (forget the makeout sesh) For all of the silly reasons I can think of as to why it is a little ridiculous that mascara be scented...I must admit that when I went to apply it this morning, the scent brought a little smile to my face, put a little kick in my day, and I walked around wondering if anyone could smell my lashes...

Panic of 2011

Spent Sunday feeling like I was getting a sick...tight chest, slight cough, achey Took some Nyquil to squander my insomnia and sickness Woke up at 515, fall back asleep...phew one more hour to sleep Woke up to the ping of my blackberry receiving an email hmmm that's odd, it's very light out for 615am... Check my phone to see what time it is.... YIKES! 815am!!!! I'm late for work! Jump out of bed....get light-headed...realize that I am still feeling sick. Turn in circles for a minute trying to figure out what to do first. Wash face, brush teeth, turn on flat iron to fix my rat's nest normally called hair Email boss, thank goodness I have the sickness as an excuse. Feel the worry inside of me building Get in the car to drive to work....it's cold. 30 degrees out, put on gloves Try to drive fast and feel the pressure mounting... Then bam...I take a breath and realize that stressing will get me nowhere. I turn on some tunes, drive to work, park in the garage that will cost me at least $20 and realize that I'm starting 2011 off in a strange, yet liberating way.

The Piano

I admit that I will never be a concert pianist. Not even close....but this year for Christmas my parents surprised me with an electric keyboard! Now, I know that may sound lame to some of you....but my lovely piano is sitting in storage in Half Moon Bay, where it will remain until either I lug it to wherever I am living, or my parents move back to HMB. That being said, I miss it. When I lived alone for 6 months, I played every night...practicing songs I had memorized or learning new ones. I found it a great challenge to listen to an instrumental movie soundtrack and try to learn it by ear. (Guess when you live alone you reach far for something to pique your interest)! But there was great satisfaction for me in learning even one bar of new music. And now, I get to try for these small accomplishments again. This small window in my crazy life that makes me slow down for as little as 10 minutes, put on some headphones and play just for me. Even if it's just to bust out some chopsticks...chopsticks will maybe lead to sanity.....

Here's to Annie

To my wonderful friend, Annie Leach, who has inspired me with her own words at http://eatyourapple.blogspot.com/ to start up my own dismal blog again. Thank you! You have this incredible ability to write just like a conversation - I read your posts and feel like we are just sitting in our house again, drinking tea and chatting about work, or school, or the many mysteries of life. I only hope I can keep everyone as entertained as you! Love ya! KPKP

New Years Resolution

Seeing as though it's been over a year since I've made a post, one of my New Years 2011 Resolutions is to start it up again - and....not to make it so damn serious.

HMB

I find it hard to believe that I have been living here for over four months now...it is even harder to believe that I have not seen my friends in longer than that. With that being said, I cannot wait for Thanksgiving and this week to end because come 7am Thursday morning, I am bound for Half Moon Bay. This picture just feels like home...

I'm looking forward to spending some time with the people I miss the most and enjoying the small pleasures of HMB that make this town feel like home. (mainly Tres, San Benito, and the beach...)

Observations...

1) While waiting for the bus outside the Braddock metro, I see a courtesy shuttle for Audi and wonder why the shuttle is a mini-van and not an Audi...are they too cheap to shuttle their valued customers around in their own vehicles? I mean...it wasn't even a nice minivan... Audi...cheap bastards. 2) While walking around the mall on a rainy Saturday - Why do I feel like I am the only person who moves out of the way of others? I have just as much right to be walking down the mall as anyone else, yet they all think they rule the world. So I suppose I will go through life weaving my way in and out of the masses who are too self-absorbed to notice anyone else. 3) The Yankees - Why all the hate everyone? They are a great team of great players (with cute butts), who yes, do have way more money than most franchises, but that is no reason to be bitter. However, I suppose I'd be upset too if my baseball team never won. And for all those people who think I am a fair-weather fan...get over it. I've been a Yankees fan since I was born...not much of a choice when you grow up with my Dad. 4) Brick sidewalks, concrete sidewalks, streets, gravel -- you win! I have come to accept the fact that I will trip on a daily basis, whether I'm in sandals, heels, or shoes. Chipped toenails can be easily remedied with a pedicure, and temporary embarassment is good for the soul.

October!!!

I cannot believe it is already October. The past couple months have gone by so quickly...it's hard to believe that I've been living in DC for two whole months. I'm still adjusting - in life and in my job, but it's been a great time so far. I've gotten to spend some quality time with the parents and it's a weird adjustment but for the most part, it's been really beneficial. We haven't lived together in 5 years, and I've changed a lot over that time - so it has taken some getting used to. But truthfully, I can't complain that the fridge is stocked with food and wine is supplied in copious amounts! And I have my own space, my little 4th floor tower that I can escape to when I just want to be alone. But anyways, the real reason for the update today! It's OCTOBER!!! My favorite month of the entire year...and not just because it's my birthday month but because fabulous things happen during the month of October. And maybe I wouldn't be so appreciative of October had I not grown up in Half Moon Bay, but there is just a strange feeling I get every fall...maybe it's the change in the light, or the winds that pick up, or the fact that everything just looks so pretty. I almost feel like instead of January being the start of a new year, my renewal comes in the fall. It's probably because yes, I do turn another year older (24 this year, yikes), but the fall just makes me want to smile. Old Town Alexandria (my current city) is pretty f'in quaint...there is no better way to describe it. Old historical buildings, walks along the river, ice cream shops, great restaurants, people walking with families and dogs, farmers markets...and for someone who comes from a quaint town such as HMB, I can truly appreciate the beauty that is Alexandria. And now that the leaves are starting to change, I literally just smile everytime I look out the window or walk out the door. One main difference is that when Fall comes to HMB the weather gets warmer, that is sooooo not the case here...yes it's beautiful and sunny but the chill is getting to be brutal. Only a sign of what is to come, I better start getting out my winter coats but I can't wait. I love my coats! And to anyone who has ever seen "Hocus Pocus" -you will appreciate this. Apparently, one street in Alexandria with a bunch of older houses, block off the street to cars on Halloween night and put lanterns on their porches and all the trick-or-treaters run around and according to my Mom, "it looks just like Hocus Pocus". So needless to say, since I watch this movie about 20 times every October, I cannot wait!!! But, now comes the horrible task of thinking up a costume for Halloween. Even though I am truly a pirate hooker at heart, I think it might be time to retire that costume...so, any suggestions will be graciously accepted. I'm gonna be majorly bummed to miss Pumpkin Festival this year though. However, I guess I can go one year without drinking a few too many with my friends, having mini-reunions with everyone from high school, and attempting to ride my bike home while hiccuping and avoiding children in wagons, pumpkins and potholes...yea, that happened. Good times though for sure. Wouldn't trade those memories (or lack thereof) for anything. So...time to go buy some pumpkins!!! Happy October everyone!