12.04.08
Posted in randomness at 6:15 am by eighty5original
On Wednesday afternoon around 12:15pm I pulled up to the new Chick-fil-A on Johns Hopkins Road in Laurel with my bags and a couple of folding chairs, prepared to camp out and become a winner! The first 100 people in line there were to win a years supply of food from Chick-fil-A! My mom had told me about the promotion and planned to do it with me, but ended up changing her mind, so I told a friend about it instead and we went for it. It was really fun, and not difficult at all.
The company made sure we were comfortable, with lunch, dinner, a snack, outdoor space heaters, games, a DJ, water, coffee, hot chocolate, sweet tea, an ice cream social, bathroom access, the list goes on. Around 9pm we got to hang out in the restaurant while we listened to Dan Cathy, President of Chick-fil-A gave a question and answer session, along with an awkward 15 minute prayer that made me very uncomfortable.
We actually didn’t realize that we needed to be there as early as we were. But my mom drove by around 10am to check out the situation, and said there were already 20 tents set up! So I called my friend Kristina and we got our stuff together and headed out. The first contestant was there around 12am the night before, waiting in her car, because you weren’t allowed to wait on the property until 24 hours in advance (6am) Eventually a group came to wait in line that brought a generator, a projector and screen for entertainment. I watched part of Entrapment in the Chick-fil-A parking lot.
A good time was had by all, from families with young children, college students, engineers from the physics lab across the street, and the unemployed, like me! At 6am we gathered in line to claim our prize! I packed up my stuff and headed to my rents place nearby to get some sleep since I had none in the parking lot.
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10.21.08
Posted in randomness at 5:43 pm by eighty5original
I just snagged some complimentary tickets for a Photography Showcase for The Pros. They are one of the vendors I found from the Bridel Expo I went to a couple of weeks ago. They have this amazing deal where you can get Photography, Videography, and a Disc Jockey for a little less than 2k! With a price like that, who knows if they’re any good… but you know me, always being thrifty when I can, so naturally this deal wasn’t something I could pass by without a little research. So I am dragging a friend along with me to check them out. Plus… we get free wine and cheese!
The event is November 18th, I’ll write about it afterward.
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09.13.08
Posted in randomness, wedding planning at 10:32 am by eighty5original
This morning I woke up to an article that my fiance had left for me to read.
“
The Anti Wedding” printed in the Washington Post Magazine on September 7th.
As I read the article, I started to become offended, was Chris trying to tell me that he thought I was becoming a crazy bridezilla (gasp)?! Did he not want to see me in a beautiful white dress?! Does he not want flowers?!
But I read on. This is one interesting article. They are obviously going for shock value. But the point that I think they are trying to make is that a man and woman shouldn’t feel like they are supposed to have a traditional wedding with calligraphist addressed invitations, flower center pieces, an individual favor for each guest, and a white dress.
The bottom line though, is this: Every bride and groom should plan the wedding that they want. Not the wedding that the wedding industry leads them to think they want. It makes it difficult when anything with the word “wedding” stamped on it comes with a higher price tag. I think that the writers are trying to change this fact, or at least take the first step to it. Because everyone doesn’t want the OTT wedding. But the ones that do, that’s great too!
This is definitely making me rethink some things that I have been planning for my wedding. Because I want the event to reflect the couple that Chris and I are and have every guest remember our special day for its uniqueness. Our location is one thing at least that won’t be at all traditional.
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09.11.08
Posted in randomness at 5:45 pm by eighty5original
Baby Kaleb
Baby Victoria
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01.31.08
Posted in food & drink, randomness, travel at 4:39 pm by eighty5original
It’s been a little over a year since I was in Lesotho and South Africa. There was an article today in the New York Times about ongoing electricity outages in South Africa. Apparently the company that powers the country doesn’t have enough power grids, so they are scheduling rolling blackouts where each town takes a turn without electricity. Lesotho, which is an independent country within the borders of South Africa, is most likely effected by this situation as well. I emailed my host family to find out more about the situation. Ironic though, considering they might not get the email since they don’t have power!
This article got me reminiscing about my trip. I was actually able to find the town that my host family lives in on google earth. None of the roads or neighborhoods are labeled (not that I would recognize them anyway), so I just searched for landmarks that I recognized. I wasn’t able to find the actual house that I stayed in, but here is downtown Maseru. I recognized it by the distinctive shape of an art museum roof, that is large and round and made of straw material.
Location of Maseru within South Africa
Downtown Maseru, Lesotho, Art Museum is marked
There was a lot to do in South Africa for the few days that we were there. One night we went to a 24 hour bar called The Cat’z Pyjamas. Another night, on my birthday, we went to a restaurant in Sandton that was amaaazing. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name and can’t seem to find it online. I do remember that we all signed the guestbook and basically got all of our food for free! Here is a photo of us with the chef.
It was basically the best night ever!
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01.18.08
Posted in randomness at 10:52 am by eighty5original
and go to Catalog Choice to stop delivery of those triplicate Victoria Secret catalogs and others. Most catalogs nowadays are available to view online, so you won’t miss out by not having it in print.
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01.11.08
Posted in randomness at 10:44 am by eighty5original
The New NYC Public Restrooms
Seems a little excessive, but what do I know?
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10.31.07
Posted in food & drink, randomness at 3:27 pm by eighty5original
Check out the Eerie Eyeballs that I made for our Halloween office party today! They were super fun to make. They are made of lemon jello, marshmallows, pineapple juice, and cream cheese. You can get the recipe here. I would recommend tracking down a truffle mold, because the melon baller technique produced irregular and sometimes broken eyeballs! Also, be sure to use an electric mixer, my old school whisk is what made these eyeballs chunky-looking.
Happy Halloween!
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10.02.07
Posted in randomness at 9:36 am by eighty5original
This was forwarded to me by a coworker today. It is from a newsletter called The Daily Kabbalah Tune-up, from The Kabbalah Centre International.
“The Zohar says that our actions are like grains of sand on a scale. Notice it doesn’t say rocks or coins or some larger object. In his choice of words, Rav Shimon Bar Yochai (author of the Zohar) is telling us that we never know which little action will tip the scales in our favor. Every act of sharing and every moment of restriction ends up on the scale –which side it goes to is up to us.
When students ask me what they can do in response to the horrors of life — the starving children in Asia, the AIDS epidemic in Africa, the war in Iraq — I tell them what the kabbalists have been teaching for millennia – change yourself. Giving your friend those five minutes you don’t have as you are rushing off to an important event, treating your competitors with human dignity, loving someone when you dislike them – that’s how you change the world.
Today, effect change in remote areas of the world by effecting change in your home, in your school, in your workplace.”
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09.26.07
Posted in randomness at 3:48 pm by eighty5original
Inspired by one of the web designs I’m working on for a client, as well as some of my coworkers, last night I attended a Yoga class. I had nothing to lose, as the first session was free. The Well, in Historic Ellicott City is a center for Yoga and the Healing Arts. The studio has a peaceful atmosphere, with comfy couches, bright colors, and a shop that sells only locally made merchandise like bath and body products and jewelry.
My experience there was great. The instructor was very friendly and knowledgeable, and the other students were welcoming. I know nothing about yoga, so I was appreciative that the other students and the staff didn’t judge me for that. I really enjoyed the course and I am going to go to a workshop for beginners this Sunday to learn more about the practice.
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