Fleeting Questions

Sometimes I feel like I have ADD.  My focus is all over the place.  One reason I really enjoy writing this blog is to help me focus and organize my thoughts.  Here are some of the questions that went through my head today…

• When is the best time to paint steps that are your only way into and out of the house?
• What exactly does an urban designer do that a planner or architect with similar skills cannot do?
• Will my right rear car tire explode on the way to a business meeting tomorrow morning?
• Where does one get new tires anyway?
• Can I get my to-do list done before next weekend?
• Who sings this song?
• Should I leave the office if the fire alarm is going off upstairs?
• What are the decorating rules for lamp purchases?
• Will my colleague get fleeced in this side business deal for a letter that I am editing?
• Can I get some feed back in class?
• What food and drinks are best (easiest) for baby BK’s shower and does it all have to be organic?
• How long is too long for a blog post?
• What am I going to say to this guy at our lunch meeting?
• How much painting can I get done in a weekend?
• What is the best way to clean fan blades?
• Who would be there to give me a hug if I were surfacing from being trapped in a mine for two months?
• What would I be doing in a mine?

If you know any answers to the above questions, please let me know.  I would appreciate it.

Boy Talk

My blog is clearly an open book about my life.  I discuss all sorts of personal things to a world of mysterious readers in the tubes of the interwebs.  Kind of cool to think about.  Even though I’m more open and honest than most people would be, I do have some rules.  Well, one rule at least: if I would not tell a complete stranger on the bus then I should not post it.  Yes, I admit I have a tendency to share too much sometimes.  And don’t worry if you see me on the bus, I wouldn’t actually tell you these things…that’s what the blog is for.  Duh.

You may have noticed that there is a lack of information on this blog about the men I date.  Or really any man that I see in that way (including crushes, flirting episodes, hook ups or boyfriends).  I really only talk about boys after they happen, partly because most of them have access to this blog and partly because I just don’t want to share that part of my life with the public or my coworkers.  A true lady never kisses and tells.

Occasionally, I wish I had an anonymous blog to post funny stories about my run-ins with the opposite sex.  Trust me, there are some good stories!  I’ve been a single lady for quite some time and the stories do stack up.  I reserve those for my marathon gabbing sessions with my closest friends.  Yes, I wish I could post about my love life, but alas, that is mine.

However, I read some fantastic blogs about other folks who are in similar situations in their lives, and I’ll share my favorites so you can get something juicy.  They are much better writers and have a lot more to say on the subject of men.  My newest favorite is Simply Solo about a 25 year old girl who broke off her engagement a few weeks before her wedding and how she’s trying to piece her life back together.  I feel her pain even though I’ve never even remotely been in a situation like hers.  I can’t figure out if I’m drawn to this blog because she writes so well or if I really have a past event in my life that this reminds me of.

Another blog written by a young lady (in her 20s maybe?) in Wilmington, NC, 52 Squires in a Year tracks her attempts to date a guy a week for a year.  Not my favorite writing style, but the stories are entertaining and relatable.  The concept is cool, too.  I also wonder if this is what my life would be like if I were dating in North Carolina, bless my heart.  (Can I bless my own heart?) Finally, A Sheep in Wolves Clothing is about a grad student in Arizona writing about her first year as a believer in love after finding her Captain.  It is adorable and lately she’s been on a healthy eating kick which I can appreciate.

 

Cabin in the Woods Friday Dinner

 

So here is what I will share:  I date a lot and I somehow manage to enjoy it.  I have surrounded myself with some pretty awesome guys, and I’m lucky to have them in my life to guide me through the turmoil of dating.  I will say yes to anyone who asks me out, but I’ll only go for one date if I do not have a great time.  I have something to learn from all the men in my life, no matter how long they stick around.  I have one profile posted on a dating site and got recognized as being in Subsidized Corn, which is actually pretty cool because I only have one small vague reference to improv.  I have some high standards, but it’s mostly about chemistry and not about height or degrees held or background.  I am open to being set up with your friends, though do not take it personally if I’m not as into them as you are.  I am also interested in your dating advice, though I would appreciate it if you waited for me to ask for it.  And despite some outward presentations and loving life tremendously in my current situation, I want to settle down and find one person to share my chaos with.  And I would like that to be sooner than later, please.  I guess that’s what two weddings in two weekends will do to a person.

One final note, look out world because I’m going blond on Sunday!  I’m naturally a blond but I’ve been dying my hair red for two years.  Blonds do have more fun and now that my hair is getting longer (my man-hunting hair I call it), then it will be lots more fun to be a blond than I probably remember!!

Interview: Chick-A-Pen-Parish’s Jacob

About a year ago, my sister married Jacob, who I still call “my sister’s husband” because “brother-in-law” just sounds too funny to me.  I’m not used to having a brother anything.  Now, he’s gone and knocked her up, which means I will now refer to him as my “sister’s baby daddy”.  I don’t think I can get used to having a nephew, so I will call da bahbeh “my sister’s baby”.  I’ve been calling him Hey-sus since he will be born in late December, though I hear that Shadrack is in the running.  I’ll call him Baby Shadrack, but will not be tempted to call him BS for short because that’s just mean and I’m very happy to have little Baby Bang-Knudsen join us! 

The point is that they recently built a fabulous chicken coop in their backyard on Bainbridge Island, WA.  Because it’s way cool and I’m very curious about all of it, I thought this would be a great piece for my first interview blog!  So, I’ve asked Jacob, head of the Chick-A-Pen-Parish and my sister’s baby daddy, to answer a few questions.  Here is what transpired… 

What is your name?  Jacob Van Helsing
Where do you live?  On an Island.  That isn’t a reference to, “No man is an Island”
Tell us about yourself.  I am a 4th generation vampire slayer.  Not the traditional Twilight vampire, but the mosquitos variety.  I have zero tolerance for them. 
What is your Spirit Animal?  Platypus, or a Flying Platypus. Those are more rare.
What is your death row meal?  Probably Shrimp Scampi from Red Lobster or Red Lobster from House of Scampi.
Name your top three items in your “Bucket List”.   1. Fire a laser pistol  2.  Become a black belt in verbal Judo  3.  Watch the Bucket List staring Morgan Freeman and Jack Whatshecalled.
Can you draw a representation of what you picture yourself as? 

Jacob’s vision (www.moomoobovine.com/images)

What inspired you to get chickens, much less keep them in your back yard?  I have been inspired by the locovore movement and thought there is no better way to know what goes in to your food than to feed them yourself.  Plus, they are great at weeding.
How long have you had chickens?  We got our chicks in April.
Who built your coop?  My friend and worst enemy Mead Trick.  I helped when I could, but I am a highly unskilled craftsman.  I painted and lifted things.  My wife Enid made the curtains and made it really nice for the ladies. 

Enid's work

 

What was that process like?  Emotional.  Trying.  Cloudy (both in a physical and a proverbial way)
What was the hardest part of getting the coop built and ready?  Forging the nails and milling the lumber…  Just kidding.  [editor’s note: oh, now he’s just kidding?] I think the hardest part was finding the recycled materials for the coop and making them all fit.  Over 90% of the materials were recycled/reclaimed and when you are trying to make precise cuts and fittings it isn’t easy.
What was the most fun part?  Talking to all the chicken heads (what we in the industry affectionately call all of the chicken admirers) during the Tour de Coop.
   

This ain't no 4-H project.

 

How many chickens/roosters/hens do you have?  We have 8 hens.  We didn’t end up with any roosters which is nice.
Can you explain what the difference is to my city friends?  Well this country bumpkin would love to explain the difference.  A Rooster is a male, is made for fighting, and will fertilize all the ladies if you’re not careful, thus making no eggs for eating, but rather eggs for chicks.  A Hen is a lady, likes real housewives, gossips non-stop, and lays eggs for eating… unless old Mr. Rooster gets at her.
What is the hardest part of keeping the chickens?  Picking up a tiny dinosaur.
What is the most fun part?  Owning a tiny dinosaur!  And they are just really fun to watch.
  

So this is what it's like to own a dinosaur...

How many eggs do you get a week? Currently we get two a day.  We originally bought 6 chicks and then got 2 adults from a friend who had to give them up because of Home Owner Association restrictions.  The two adults are producing each day and the other six are about a month away.
What the hell do you do with all of those eggs?   Out here in the sticks eggs are like gold (golden eggs?)  We barter for pelts and Wampum.  We also eat them from time to time.  People will do just about anything to get fresh eggs.
Do you have before and after cholesterol scores?  No, but both of our SAT scores raised by 25 points.  This was a nice surprise. 
How does Dolly feel about them?  Dolly loves them…  Loves chasing them.  You’ve never seen a 150lb. Newfoundland look so fast and agile as when she chases them around the coop. 

  

Mel, Jake, and the new chicken coop

 

Thanks, Jake!  We have a joke in our family and the punchline is “ha, ha, joke’s on you…you married him.”  I think that applies here quite nicely!  Just kidding, we love Jake and I appreciate his creative candor for blog interviews, his love for my sister, and the excitement he brings to my family at the holidays…especially this one with the buh-bay!  Someone had to give my parents a grandbaby and it certainly wasn’t going to be me first! 

If you want more photos of the awesome chicken coop and chickens, check out their website.  And here is some press from the 2010  Tour de Coop on Bainbridge Island.  It will make you wish you lived on a nice plot of land and want to grow your own chickens.

Imagination Trip

I often asked myself when I lived in Los Angeles what type of job I would have if I were forced to be in the film/television industry.  Being the planner and lover-of-public-places that I am (is there a word for that?), I decided I would like to be a location scout.  And working with Neutrino the other day got me thinking about camera shots and visualizing only what is captured in the shot instead of the entire context that buildings/street/parks, etc. are in.  As planners we think about the whole, but location scouts look just inside the frame.

On my walk to work this morning, I decided to look through the frame and see what types of locations I could find.  DC has some fabulous (and not so fabulous) architecture that could pass for other spots, making it a great place to film.  Here were some of my thoughts as my overactive imagination got carried away.

New Orleans

This one looks like New Orleans for a few reasons: the buildings are right up against the sidewalk, the windows are extremely high (you  know how I love tall windows!) and the house is slightly elevated over street level but the store is not.  It’s also a little bit shabby, but not in a neglected way.  To make this more like NoLA, I’d rough up the infrastructure and figure out a way to get a porch in the shot.

The Bronx

This reminds me of a trip I took to Yankee Stadium about 8 or 9 years ago, so it may not even look like this!  Or I may be confused.  But I remember seeing a part of NYC that looked very similar….wide boulevards, flat faced buildings of about 4-5 stories without much character.  Does anyone know what part of town I’m thinking of?

Philadelphia

I associate Philadelphia with lots of parks and historical monuments on every corner.  The Liberty Bell is in a great park with lots of trees, so Logan here could by stretch of the imagination be in Philadelphia.  I guess this could be any historical city or even a small town in middle America.

Savannah

Ahh, Savannah.  This house could be located on any one of those gorgeous squares (this one happens to be on a circle).  I am instantly taken to scenes from “Midnight in the Garden of Evil” with this house, though it could use some good ol’ spanish moss hanging in a tree.

Chicago

Chicago used a lot of bricks and arches so this could look like Chicago.  Chicago looks like so many other parts of the country that really there isn’t one thing that defines the city – except it has such great architecture!  Because they have a range of architectural styles, it’s a little hard to pinpoint one.  Guess I would be siting this one for a specific historic movie.  Which is really a question of the culture of each city and the identifying characteristics have vs. what we imagine and associate them to have.

Boston

Boston is such a lovely historic city, but so is NY, Philadelphia, Baltimore and DC.  This shot reminds me of a family trip to Boston we took long ago and specifically of a certain street that sticks in my memory.  No clue where we were, but I remember it looking a lot like this with a wide tree median with lots of shade.  I love this street on my commute because I know I’m near New England and the east coast.

Miami

Welcome to Miami!  Now, I know Miami has some great buildings and architecture, so it’s really sad that I associate that horrible 80s style and art deco with the city to this day.  It is what it is.  I halfway expect Don Johnson to walk out in the morning with his white sports coat and hop in an early 80s Corvette convertible.  But I digress.

New York, Central Park Adjacent

This reminds me of some of the beautiful buildings along 5th Avenue on the Upper East Side across from Central Park.  The buildings are not usually the absolute most spectacular you’ve ever seen, but you know because of the location, historic value and wealth that resides in the building that there are some fabulous, jaw-dropping places inside.  And note, this building must be across from Central Park since there is so much sunlight on the upper floors – most places in NY are identifiable because of the adjacent building shadows.

Newport, RI

Once the playground for the wealthy, Newport RI can be seen in many embassies around town.  If I knew more about architecture, I would tell you that these stone buildings in Newport, embassies in DC and other spots in New England were built around the same time then tell you what the influence was.  But alas, I have no clue only hunches.  Funny thing is, today this building is the American Coatings Association and they’ll never be able to coat/paint/side their building!

Washington, DC

In case there is any doubt, yes, we are in Washington.  When I walk to work I pass by the White House and even after a total of six years living here, that’s still pretty cool.

Anywhere, Europe

Since most of this tour was a domestic tour, I figure I’d better give a shout out to Europe who influenced the rest of this country so much.  Well, the east coast more so than the west coast.  I don’t think Europe built their beautiful churches with brick, so I wouldn’t use this in a movie.  By the way, this is where Kennedy’s funeral mass took place in 1963 (Cathedral of St. Matthew).

Houston

The least favorite part of my journey to work is getting downtown (not because I’m getting close to work, I promise).  This reminds me of downtown Houston, though I doubt there would be so many pedestrians…maybe it’s a winter shot.  I’m just not a fan of this architecture, or of Houston in general, so I’m putting the two together.

My office window view

And this is the view once I get to work.  I love it.  This one reminds me more of Chicago than the previous one.  I overlook Connecticut Avenue, and that’s very much a part of the city that feels like Washington.

So, what did we learn?  Planners see things in context so it’s good to step outside (or inside) of that from time to time.  I have a beautiful commute.  Cities are branded and marketed in ways that our images/memories of each can be vastly different from the truth.  I am well traveled as I have been to all the places mentioned.  I should stick to my day job for sure.

July 2009

I was reading through memory lane on my blog a minute ago.  I’ve had the blog since June 9, 2009, so it sort of catalogs my life history…makes me appreciate where I am now…helps me remember feelings and activities because I have a terrible memory, etc. 

Most of the time I’m not too specific with my timelines, however, exactly one year ago I was very specific.  What a pleasant surprise!  Turns out, this very evening last year I was doing improv!  Last year I was in a Level 1B class, this year it’s performing on stage with my troupe, Subsidized Corn at the DC Improv.  If you doubt how far one person can come in a year, let this be proof.  Well, I have better examples of proof – new office, new house, same friends, no boyfriend, better outlook on life.  Another example is my sister, Melissa (aka Melly Sue).  Last year at this time she was planning a wedding.  Now, she’s planning for their baby to arrive in December (Mel – are we telling people what the gender is? No spoilers here.)

I’m off to the gym, thanks to my Groupon for the Y.  Then meet up with the SubCo folks then to the DC Improv for our 3rd ever performance…just in case I need documentation for 2011.

Spy Tricks

Recently, my job has had me doing some spy work.  Not real spy work (obviously), but work that in my creative and over-active brain could pass for spy work.  (A real spy would never say she’s a spy…or would she?  It’s something to think about.)  In DC, one in four people are estimated to be spies…or is that one in four people hold a JD?  Anyway, in my two spy dealings in the last two weeks, I’ve learned a few things that I thought I’d share in case you find yourself needing some spy advice.  My other qualifications include a fun visit to the Spy Museum with Cosette Z over two years ago, working on the same block as the Uniformed Secret Service (which cracks me up everytime) and being a snoopy big sister.  Clearly I know what I’m talking about here…I’m practically a professional.

Lesson 1: Observing without being noticed.  I spent 1.5 hours watching how security screens cars before entering a secure building (it all comes down to parking, right?).  I sat for 90 minutes out in the open within 20 feet of this operation and not one of them even noticed me.  Here were my tricks:

• Have a watertight story created in case someone asks, and add extra imagination for added fun.
• Arrive on foot.  I could have been on my bike, but that would have been too conspicuous.  Drop-offs are even more mysterious.
• Dress average and plain and do not call attention to yourself.  At 8:00 on a Monday morning, this was pretty easy to do.
• No earphones and no eating.  You need all your senses in peak condition.
• Look distracted, but watch out of the corner of your eye.  Don’t be distracted, just look distracted.
• Write stuff for the hell of it in your notes.  Like drafting your next blog post.  Pretend to be a pensive writer because no one ever messes with them.
• Suspect everyone as a counterspy.  Sidewalk sweepers, pipe smokers, smokers in ties.  Say hello to people that say hello to you.  Just because you are a spy doesn’t mean you can’t be polite.
• Find a cool shady spot to sit.  Granite in this town can be found everywhere.
• As Salsa would say, “Stay alert!”  If the observations are slow, find something similar to observe to keep your mind awake.  And get a good nights sleep the night before because it isn’t always fast paced like it is in the movies.
• Carry a phone with a timer application, not a stop watch, for ultimate undercover work.  Look texty.  Make sure the phone battery is fully charged.

Lesson 2: Gaining access.  I went to have a look around in a building under construction without permission.  The shell of a building had security people.  I showed my ID and walked in the hard hat area, no questions asked, almost like my ID was psychic paper.  A construction worker walked me around and gave me directions.  Seriously, what kind of operation is this?  Basic tricks:

• Act like you know where you are going.  Don’t look lost or confused…it’s a dead giveaway if you do.  I typically use this trick to get by most security in lobbies in DC.
• Do a minor bit of background work, like knowing the future tenant of the building.  Just say you are with them.
• Dress appropriately and plain.  Again.
• If you take photos, don’t have the camera sound on.  Duh.  I learned this the hard way.

That’s all I have tonight.  If you have your own tricks, feel free to share them!  DC can be a fun place to live, even with these extra pains.  But, it makes for more of a challenge to try to get your spy work done.  Oh, and one additional note, don’t mess with the Department of Homeland Security because they don’t mess around.  Play it cool.

Odd thoughts

I have been really busy at work recently, so I’ve not had much time to think about the fun extra stuff.  I am certainly in the mood to write something tonight, however, I do not really have a topic or photos.  (I know, these are the worst posts….groan.)  I’ll be quick, I promise.

Things I’m excited about right at this moment…Karen’s coming to visit this weekend, Maria will be in town on Tuesday, my trip to Yosemite and San Francisco in September, staying in adult cabins at “camp”, the black-eyed susans in my front yard, starting Dr. Who from 2005 “season 1” episode 1, finishing my parking project at work, the house is almost in order and feels like home, new ideas for decorating my bedroom and living room, Caitlin moving in downstairs, the new season of Jersey Shore, cooking in my kitchen, performing on Friday at the DC Improv with Subsidized Corn!

Things I’m not excited about…the gross reaction on my forehead from the eyebrow waxing this weekend, the meeting we have tomorrow with our clients, all the little projects that are left to do to get unpacked, the temperature and humidity outside, the weird dreams I have when I sleep with my closet door is open, the extra five pounds I’ve gained…that’s all I can think of, so I’m not doing so bad!

Goodnight!

DC Earthquake!

This week has been a very productive and demanding week at work.  I’m truly exhausted.  So last night, as soon as I got home from one of the most difficult first dates ever (note to self…maybe ask if they have Asperger’s BEFORE going on the date), I completely crashed on the sofa.  Not sure what time it was, but I put myself to bed…barely.  I was practically asleep, which is why I just turned on the alarm and took off all my clothes and crashed.

Well, the alarm was set for 5:00 a.m. since I had to be at work at 6:00 yesterday.  Ugh.  So, of course the alarm went off at 5:00 this morning…well, really 4:53 because I set all my house clocks to 7 minutes ahead because I can only subtract in 5s or 10s, thus giving me an extra two minutes.  So, I’m sort of in and out and I feel my bed shake.  It was enough to wake me up.

Here were the thoughts that instantly ran through my head at that hour…

The “box spring” is homemade so it has a little play, but play from what?  Well, anytime someone closes the front door, the house shakes, so I’m used to shaking.  But Corey is out of town for the weekend so it wasn’t the front door.  Or could someone have broken in?  Shhh, stay quiet…crap, I’m not wearing clothes.  Why was I so lazy and tired last night that I couldn’t put on pajamas?  Should I put on clothes now in case the robber comes upstairs?  No, that’s dumb, I locked the front door and what idiot would shut the front door hard enough to have the house shake?  It really felt like an earthquake, much like those little ones that woke me up in California.  That’s certainly a familiar feeling.  Makes me feel like I’m in California a little bit.  Geez, Megan, that’s even dumber and less practical than a loud robber.  Go back to sleep.

And what did I find out this morning?  Earthquake.  Turns out I was not being ridiculous after all.  And it made me miss California a bit.  As weird as it sounds, I felt like I was in California, like my brain was tricked for a split second, and that was sort of a nice feeling to wake up to!

In other news, two pop quiz questions for you:

1. This morning I woke up feeling gross and sick because a.) the mediocre sushi I ate for lunch yesterday, 2.) the mediocre Thai I had last night, 3.) complete lack of sleep for the week or 4.) heat exhaustion because I was so tired that I did not turn on the A/C before I went to bed.

2. I have nothing to eat in this house, so this morning I mixed together the leftover ingredients from gorp from camping last week.  I’m eating it in bed for breakfast because I took a sick day today.  Next time I get out of bed, which of the four ingredients and in what quantities, will I find in the sheets?  Ingredients include M&Ms, peanuts, raisins and sunflower seeds.  Keep in mind that since I have food and drink and a computer, it may be awhile before I get out of bed.  Discuss.

This post is dedicated to Goli, one of my favorite CA girls.  Even though we have our differences, something tells me our thought processes were the same this morning!

Bragging about my homemade box spring master storage compartment

Ex Lessons

It’s 1:39 a.m. and I’m wide awake.  I think I may have overdosed on a medium mocha knowing I was working late tonight, but now that I’m done (aka, I left my stupid memory key at work when I left just before midnight), I can’t sleep.  So, hopefully by getting my brain off medical office building parking, I’m thinking about something completely unrelated…my exes.  Yeah, it was a weird jump for me, too.

Each one of them has given me something that I have kept.  Not material items but impressions that surface at the weirdest times and that surprise me with their usefulness.  Tonight, I’m doing a little catalog of past beaus and the enjoyment and insight they continue to give me years after they’ve left.  In no particular order of dating or preference or feelings…

• From S I learned about credits and debits of strength of character, and sometimes it’s okay if you have to cash in some credits.  We are only given what we can handle, even if that’s more than other folks get.  It isn’t fair, but it’s what we get.
• From C I learned about electric cars (well beyond what most other people could probably tolerate) and that age is on the inside.
• From X I learned about natural peanut butter.  Thank god because I had gone without peanut butter for years after discovering I got severe migraines from the artificial stuff.  This guy had two smelly dogs, man toys (boats, campers, awful pick up trucks) up the yang and the most immature sensibility for a 40 year old man, but I’m so grateful he came into my life to teach me about natural peanut butter.  Bless your heart, whatever your name is and wherever you may be.
• From M I learned that it isn’t about who you are or your fabulous dating qualifications, but how you make me feel that’s important.  And how I feel in the presence of others, while ultimately up to me, can still be influenced by others more than I give credit.
• From B I learned how to snowboard and chase three very special people down some sweet long runs.  Those were some of the best times of my life because in keeping up both on and off the mountain, I forgot about fear and learned to just live.
• From A I learned that I need to communicate.  Period.  It has taken me many years to figure out how to do this, but I’m actively practicing and thus progressing enough to make it to the big leagues one day.  Yay me.
• From G I learned how to react to something I’ve never seen before.  I’m keeping this one to myself, but I thank G for this valuable lesson, even if I haven’t come across another one since.
• From C2 I learned that everyone gives and receives love in different ways.  It just takes finding the right person to receive the way you give and give the way you want to receive.  That sounds horribly sexual, but I promise it isn’t!
• From J I learned that I probably shouldn’t date guys who wear pointy shoes, even if they come bearing flowers.  Probably means he spends more time on his hair than I do.  Oh, and he totally did.
• From B2 I learned that throwing caution to the wind can get you a high five from your mother for reasons that seem counter intuitive.  And to follow my gut because it leads in some awesome directions.  And still does to this day.
• From S2 I learned that people I think are hot can also think I’m hot.  Who knew?  I wonder where you are now…
• From C3 I learned that I hate the sound of a Dalek voice and I love The Doctor, even if I resisted at first.  Ahh, open mindedness.  I still watch and enjoy the show because I want to which surprises even me.  There’s more, but he may actually be reading, so I’ll stop this bullet point now.
• From X2, I learned that people who don’t think past today really aren’t for me (duh, I’m a planner).  Also, if you talk to your ex on the phone more than me, you’re out (well, if you constantly answer when I’m around, especially if we’re, ahem, enjoying each others company).  So maybe he needed the lesson!  He taught me about World Cup and loaned me his country’s team to cheer for so I could have a real experience.  That was awesome.
• From C4 I learned to trust my memory.  I knew there was a wedding ring!  Busted.  You were a creep anyway.
• From S3 I learned that there is someone out there for everyone and that forcing it is wrong for all involved.  He found his true love less than a month after we quit dating, so I’m glad we ended it when we did so he could be happy.  And he is.

Wow, that seems like a lot of people…but most were casual and don’t really deserve the title of “ex”.  I figure I’ve been dating for about 15 years or so and not many of those years were spent with just one person, so mathematically I haven’t gotten around!  I’m just “experienced.”

Brazilian Sister

I love the World Cup.  We’ve been over this.  The ratings are coming in, and it looks like we have a winner with Slovenia.  Those boys scored a 6.2 of 10 as a team, my favorite being one of our “true 9s” Jan Durica (minus the mohawk today).  A special thanks to Corby and Corey for the ranking help…full details of the scoring system can be shared if you are interested.  Unfortunately, Slovenia was knocked out this morning in real World Cup play, but I have a new vacation destination for Summer 2011 so it’s not all bad! 

So, in the spirit of the world games, I found this blog post.  I may not know ANY Portugese, but I know exactly what is going on here.  She pretty much got all my picks exactly right.  Well done, my Brazilian Sister.  Hotness is indeed an international language. 

Jan Durica, credit to Brazilian Sister's blog