3 Years

So, yesterday was my three year anniversary of working at George Mason University. I can't believe how three years have just flown by. But this officially marks the longest that I've every worked concecutively at a job. I am only 30, but I think that definitely means that I am a product of my generation.

The List Report 2011

I accomplished 82 out of 100 things to do on my list this year. I was hoping for an A, but I guess a B- is still a passable grade. And if I was in any British schools, that grade would get me distinction (as good as you can get).

There are definitely some other fun and important things that I accomplished this year, but I think this is a pretty good look at my 2010.

update resume~go to iskandar's restaurant~restaurant week~download google chrome~get a visa in my passport~learn how to knit~go on a pentagon tour~volunteer~tie a longer string to attic light~go to a caps game~get a sweater shaver~watch lost on a bigger tv than mine~make a road trip cd~skinny dip somewhere new~learn to cook a new ethnic food~see a sundance movie

travel international for work~march ski trip~watch old clash of the titans~make a peep wreath for easter~see terracotta warrior exhibit~cherry blossom picnic~detail inside of car~see wicked~buy sexy shoes~be somewhere really cool on my birthday~tim burton exhibit at moma~hamburgers at shake shack in nyc~have same sized legs~fix car radio~bob and edith's~steeplechase at great meadows~make sushi~sleep in a treehouse~go to scottish festival~learn all the words to gilligan's island~camp on the beach~national arboretum~kayak on the potomac~dc united game~go to hon fest~get a henna tattoo~pick berries~bake a pie from scratch~tubing at harper's ferry~road trip~camp in the woods~go to a new u.s. city~drive someone waterskiing~eat a meal at coco sala~eat a cheesesteak.... in philly~go to ben's chili bowl~watch a meteor shower in the country~make an entire meal from eastern market~art day with erin~eat something from the garden~see an outdoor movie~go to a county fair~learn to tie a tie~take stuff to goodwill~make bread pudding~go to a frank lloyd wright house~listen to Jesus the Christ~go to newseum~visit monticello~thrift store prom~ride a roller coaster~lotr marathon~make tin photo frames~run a 5k~host thanksgiving~sell some art~see a parade~go to american city diner~go to a mason dance concert~colonial williamsburg at Christmas~send one letter a month~reupholster horse and hound chair~blog at least 5 x's per month~go to lunder conservation center~go to national postal museum~read beowulf

And I'm making my list for next year, so if you have any suggestions at all, let me know.

Williamsburg etc.

This last weekend was pretty fabulous.

We took a little drive down to Colonial Williamsburg and took in all the colonial sites.

The decorations were all so beautiful and natural- I never thought of oyster shells as a Christmas decoration, but who knows, they might replace the marshmallow wreath next year.

Marching behind the fife and drum band was kind of ridiculously fun.

And you wouldn't think that it would be possible to top a colonial band that marches through horse poop, but you'd be wrong. It just so happens that the guy we were staying with in Norfolk is in the Army. And it also just so happens that is office his across from the ship yards. And it also happens that if you ask nicely, they will take you on a tour of an active nuclear submarine; this submarine to be specific http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Albany_(SSN-753).

I would imagine that anyone would think this was pretty cool. But for someone who counts The Hunt For Red October in her top three movies (and is currently watching while typing this very sentence), the whole experience was absolutely thrilling.

ICE!

I don't know if you can tell from this picture or not, given that we all have matching, gigantic, blue coats on, but there is only one boy in this group- what's the deal with that?

Anyway, we took a little trip to see the ICE exhibit at the Gaylord hotel. Can they really say that it's at the Gaylord when everything is actually in a big tent across the street? It was pretty darn cool either way- hah, and no pun intended, the exhibit is actually kept at a constant 9 degrees, brrr. It was all pretty fascinating though- the entire story of How The Grinch Stole Christmas carved in ice.

Okay, we're ready to go....

And the best part: an ice slide at the end- very reminiscent of the Christmas Story department store "You'll shoot your eye out kid, Ho Ho Ho"

Alexandria Scottish Walk

I am now at 79% on my list of 100 things to do, with a couple more on the way, so I definitely see a solid B in my future.

One that I crossed off earlier this month was seeing a parade. And not just any parade, a Scottish parade. I'm not exactly sure why I love everything Scottish so much- it could be the way the pleats in a quality kilt swish, it could be that their sports include throwing things like rocks and trees, or maybe that my grandmother was a McClellan. In any case, I think the Scotts are fun, and I like to see them march.

Twice!

I made dinner twice this week! And other people were around to eat it- I still have left overs, but I'm trying to be good and actually eat them.



Monday was a waxing party. Let me clarify...... a ski waxing party. Two of my lovely friends came over to get ready for the snow (which came today by the way) and I helped them wax their skis. It was a pretty near perfect evening full of good food, fun projects and great stories.



Then last night another friend came over and in return for setting my computer up with some movies, I made him dinner. Because it's nice and cold here, we decided on some sukiyaki, a traditional one pot Japanese meal. Don't be afraid, but after you pull out whatever deliciousness you find in the pot (the oyster mushrooms were my favorite) you dip it in raw egg and then eat it with rice. So yummy!!

Karson

From an unknown 801 number, Dec 8, 5:04 pm- Hey karson!:)

From an unknown 801 number, Dec 8, 8:05 pm- Hey karson!:)

From an unknown 801 number, Dec 9, 4:24 pm- Hey karson!:)

From an unknown 801 number, Dec 9, 4:33 pm- Woooww! Love how u tell me to txt you...then you never reply...

From me, Dec 9, 4:36 pm- sorry to break it to you, but he gave you the wrong number as well, because i have no idea who karson is.


Now you might ask why I didn't just reply in the first place. I might have, if it had just been the first message. But I saw the first TWO messages at the same time and it just felt strange that there was no variation in the text at all. I do actually get spam txts from a number that I have affectionately named "bad people" in my contacts so I know to just go ahead and erase whatever they are sending me.

Then I got a third text today and was bothered enough that I went and asked some guys in the office about it. My real concern was that all of the messages were exactly the same and if I had sent someone a text and they didn't respond, I believe I would at least try to change my tactics.

Low and behold, 4:33 brought a new message, and then I just felt bad for the poor girl who'd been given a fake number. And then I thought back to the rejection hotline- 206-949-0827. If only Karson knew that number instead of mine.