Hey, Cupcake!

Last Sunday was cupcake day. I spent about seven hours making chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and pineapple cupcakes with lemon buttercream. I am a little bias, but they were delicious.

The pineapple cupcakes were a new recipe from a cupcake cookbook I picked up a couple of weeks ago. The pieces of real pineapple made them perfect for the cookout we attended on Monday. The only complaint was that the batter didn’t go very far given my propensity for filling the cups almost to the top.

I find that it is hard to be unhappy when you bite into a cupcake. They are slightly messy and oh so tasty and completely take you back to your childhood.

Priceless

Hepatitis A Vaccine - $80

Yellow Fever Vaccine- $90

Typhoid Fever Vaccine - $65

Tetanus and Diphtheria Vaccine- $40

Office Fee - $30

Going to Africa and not coming home with any of the above - priceless.

Time Of Death

I had a full evening planned. I was going to run to the craft store after work. Pick up some dinner. Have a good night.

I walked from the Metro station to my car parked across the street from my apartment. I thought it was a little weird that the button on my key chain wasn't unlocking my car. Oh well, that is what they have keys for, right?

I unlocked the door and slid into the seat. I put my foot on the brake and the key in the ignition. Silence. I looked around the dash board. Nope, didn't leave the headlights on. Was it the anti theft acting up again? Then I saw it.

The switch for my hazard lights was on. D'oh.

Car Battery Time of Death - 6:37 pm.

Thursday Thirteen # 21 - International Travel

I finally booked my flight to Kenya. This will be the first time I'm travelling to another country. Here are my thoughts. 1. The longest flight I have ever been on was 4 hours from Ohio to LA. 2. I'm pretty much cringing at the thought of two 8 hour flights. 3. My layover is at London's Heathrow Airport. 4. I have always wanted to go to London so I am super excited. 5. We have a six and a half hour layover at Heathrow. 6. I'm investigating a layover tour of London that I read about in a New York Times article. 7. I am just incredibly worried that I will miss my connecting flight. 8. I'm still not sure how I'm getting from the airport in Kenya to the hotel. 9. I'm putting together a reading list for my trip. 10. I am going to get all my vaccines tomorrow. 11. I heard that the Yellow Fever shot hurts. Yuck! 12. I am sure that getting the Yellow Fever vaccine is better than actually getting Yellow Fever. 13. I need to make sure that I get my perscription for the anti-malaria pills tomorrow too.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

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Meet Jimmy

That's right, Jimmy is my new orchid. Van took the liberty of naming him.

The roses from Trader Joe's bit the dust. We accidentally left the window open one of those days last week when it was almost ninety degrees. I came home and the ends of the leaves were crunchy. I tried reviving it, but it was too far gone.

So while I was in Ohio, Van picked up this little beauty for me. I am hoping that it fairs better than my roses.

To ensure my success, I have been reading up on orchid care. For example, our little Jimmy is a Phalaenopis Orchid. I also learned that the redish color on the ends of the leaves meant that it was getting too much light. Whew - another plant disaster avoided!

Thursday Thirteen 20 - My Cousins

I'm flying back to Ohio tonight for my cousin's wedding this weekend. I thought I would do a Thursday Thirteen about My Cousins. 1. My dad is one of six kids so I have lots of cousins. 2. A quick run down of everyone - Morgan, Jason, Brian, Paige, Keri, Lisa, Erin, Ryan, Me, Megan and Adam. 3. Erin, Ryan and I were all born within six weeks of each other. 4. My brother is the youngest of all of the cousins. 5. Erin is getting married this weekend. 6. My cousin Megan was married last summer. 7. I caught the bouquet at my cousin Keri's wedding. 8. Most of my cousins already have kids. 9. My cousins live in cool places like Seattle, Boston and San Diego. 10. A big family makes for lots of celebrations. 11. Most of my cousins are also in their 30s. 12. My cousin Paige took us to South Beach on Easter Sunday. 13. My Dad is my cousin Jason's Godfather.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Weddings 101

As I have experienced over the years, there is a right way to have a wedding and a wrong way. I have seen everything from beautiful ceremonies and gracious hosts to complete disregard for guests and lack of planning.

I am, admittedly, slightly obsessed with being the perfect hostess. It explains my subscription to Martha Stewart Living, why I have read all 896 pages of Emily Post’s Etiquette and the fact that I will go so far as to monogram chocolate covered strawberries.

On the advice of Van’s sister and to appease my own obsession, I bought Emily Post’s Wedding Etiquette even before Van and I were engaged. I have, of course, already read it cover to cover and most of the guidelines have been committed to memory.

Armed with the bible of all etiquette books, Van and I began planning our wedding. Guided by such thorough explanations of decorum for every aspect of the wedding, planning has become a breeze. We know exactly how the bridal party should be seated at the head table, what type of bouquet will match the formality of our wedding and the exact wording of our invitations.

Following proper etiquette doesn’t make your wedding cost more. It simply ensures a pleasant experience for your guests and less stress for the bride and groom. Trust me, I know.

Waiting on the World to Change

I was listening to John Mayer’s song, Waiting on the World to Change, this morning. As I was thinking about it today, I realized that it really summarized where I was in my life.

I feel like I am where I was six months ago and not feeling fulfilled. I have been waiting for things to change. I guess in the back of my head I have always had a back up plan, but I figure eventually things had to change. Maybe I need to change the world. I need to decide what is going to make me feel fulfilled. I need to create a world that I am happy with.

One of my friends is going through the same fight with her boyfriend that she has every three months. She’s just waiting on him to change. I think that it is finally sinking in that she needs to change her relationship. She needs to create the environment where she will be treated the way that she deserves.

So what are you waiting on to change?

Thursday Thirteen # 19 - On My Mind

Here are the 13 things On My Mind. 1. We are going to an outdoor wedding on Saturday and I hope it doesn't rain. 2. I'm also hoping that the traffic isn't bad. 3. I'm worried about my visa letter for Kenya not arriving. 4. I have to remember to make an appoint to get all of my vaccines before the trip. 5. I hope that I will get the rebate for my computer back soon. 6. I can't believe that I will be back in Ohio next week. 7. I have been thinking about all of those people who I need to get back in touch with. 8. My skin has been acting kind of crazy and I think that I must be allergic to something. Possibly my office - just kidding. 9. Everyone has been sick lately and I'm hoping I'm not going to catch their bugs. 10. Thankfully, I survived Van's last head cold without even a sniffle. 11. I have so thoroughly enjoyed the nice weather the last few days. 12. I am very pleased with myself for not killing the small rose plant that I bought for our apartment. It actually has been blooming for the last week and is quite pretty. 13. As I'm thinking about it, that plant was a pretty good use of four dollars. Thank you Trader Joe's!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Another Bad License Photo

My first post from my new laptop! I finally have a have a computer all my own. It is so nice to be able to write this while I’m sitting on my comfy couch watching Van rock on guitar hero. He’s on a quest to get five stars on every song. I’m just happy to make it through the song.

I finally went to the DMV on Friday. It wasn’t nearly as painful as the one in DC. But that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise.

I now have my Virginia state license (my third state in 3 years), complete with obnoxiously bad photo. I managed to wear a blue polo that just so happened to be the same shade as the background and the bad lighting made me look like I had rash.

Pretty hot.

I think I have only had one nice photo the entire 8 years I’ve had my license. I know that it is just some sort of rule that no one ever has a nice picture. I even recall reading an article a couple of years ago in one of my magazines about how to take a good driver’s license photo. Apparently, I should have saved it.

Thankfully the only people who see my license these days are the guys checking IDs at the doors of bars. I’m sure that they aren’t really looking at the picture.

Making A Good Impression

A couple of Saturdays ago, I attended the American University’s PRSSA Regional Activity. I spent 2 hours talking to students as part of a networking lunch and a workshop session. I brought my portfolio and offers to help and much to my surprise students are taking me up on it.

Over the last few days, emails started trickling in from students with notes of gratitude and addition questions. While I’m quite excited to get to know these students better, I’m questioning my level of authority.

I have been out of college for almost two years now and I can tell that there is a huge difference in the level of experience that I have versus someone fresh out of college. I know how much that I have grown over the last couple of years. I will and have always been honest with students about the good and the bad of the working world. I always try to keep my experience framed in the context of my experience and remind students that I just one of many professionals.

Proving advice and guidance is always tricky. I would never want to inadvertently steer someone down the wrong path. Is there a Dear Abby for Dear Abbies?

Home Sweet Home

I know that it has been a while since I have blogged, but I’m back. I just returned from four days in Texas working at our annual meeting. I am down right exhausted and my feet still hurt.

I can’t begin to say how nice it is to be home. I tried to really relax yesterday. I slept in until 11 am, watched a little TV, ran some errands, started laundry and went to the grocery. I made a tomato, basil and brown rice salad with a champagne vinaigrette to accompany dinner. I have to say that it tasted great with the lamb that Van made. We both agreed that it was a very summery dish.