Last Splash

The gene pool could use a little Chlorine.

I'm bored. I haven't posted in a while because I haven't really felt that passionately about anything. Or had anything interesting happen that doesn't have to do with sports, work, or the wedding. So, in true 13-year old chain letter fashion, I'll just post some random facts about myself. I'm sure everyone wants to read that.

1. I drink my coffee in the morning with lots of sugar, milk, and if I'm really lucky I can find some fat-free whipped cream somewhere in the house.
2. I have one tatoo, at the top of my spine. Fairly large. I want to get another one (tiny) on the inside of my wrist but my fiance' says it will make me look like trailer-park trash.
3. Most people from the South can't pick up on my Southern accent...they think I'm a Yankee. Most people from the North think I'm a redneck. How does that happen?
4. I really, really wanted to elope. But I figured out early that if I can't (J doesn't want to, my mom doesn't want me to) then I will throw one hell of a party and at least have fun.
5. Before I met J, I was convinced I never wanted to get married. That it was just a "piece of paper".
6. I had the same cat for over 15 years. She used to walk me to the bus stop every morning and sit with me. Then she would sit at the corner while the bus turned around, and only when we were safely on our way would she turn to walk home.
7. I thought that I would go to school and move to New York to direct stage plays. I directed a play at my high school.
8. I love New York City. Love it, love it, love it. I visit about every 18 months and am totally comfortable getting around. But I hate the Yankees and I'm a Bo'Sox fan.
9. I have always been a reader. I need to occupy my mind no matter what I'm doing. Cereal boxes during breakfast when I was younger, shampoo bottles now while I'm waiting for my deep-conditioner to set. Fashion mags, newspapers, trashy chick-lit novels, historical non-fiction, I'll read almost anything (except crap like Danielle Steele).
10. I really hate sleeping naked (I think my boobs are too big) but am totally comfortable in jeans with no underwear.
11. I'm very flexible because of years of performing arts. I weigh close to 200 lbs, but if I stretch, I can still do a split.
12. The ugliest part of my body is my feet. I love being barefoot.
13. J and I already have names picked out for our children. (Although that is still a few years off in our master plan.)
14. I love dancing and ice-skating competitions, and I'm a sucker for reality-tv, but I haven't even thought about watching "Dancing with the Stars" or "Skating with Celebrities". No reason, just haven't cared to watch them.
15. One of my favorite immature pasttimes is to take out some pens and markers and re-work models in fashion mags. Give them goth make-up, tatoos, blacked-out teeth, whatever I feel like. It's about the extent of my visual art talent.
16. I'm a natural born flirter. I rarely take myself seriously, and very much enjoy cat and mouse, tongue in cheek conversations.
17. I don't wash my hair every day. I can't really...I'd run out of shampoo after a week and my hair would be frizzy and dry. I've been growing it "for my wedding" for over two years now, although I've decided to wear it up. Go figure.
18. I'm very frank, abrupt, and open with salespeople. Especially when it comes to wedding dress shopping. I think it puts them off and they think I'm rude.
19. I'm a gossip. I hate being one, but just can't stop myself sometimes.
20. I'm OCD about things matching. Numbers, etc...I can't set my alarm clock for a normal time (it's usuall 7:47 or 8:21) but I still somehow feel that I can't end this little fact sheet on any number but 20.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 14:59 | link | comments |

For those of you that didn't watch the NCSU-Duke game last night, don't let the 13 points fool you. We played a hell of a game for 35 minutes. It was just the last five that we couldn't hang. I'm disappointed in the loss, but I am still happy about our team this year. Julius is a distant memory, and we actually have a team now. What most sports writers don't comment on is that a lot of the Wolfpack nation were not big Hodge fans. Sure, the first couple of years we were excited at his potential, but when it came to his senior year, the true colors came out. He's a ballhog, a sloppy dribbler, a trash talker, and he couldn't make a layup. So, we weren't as sad as the sports world made us out to be when he graduated (although we were glad he had the decency to graduate...something I really wish you'd see more of in college sports). Anyway, my point was we played a hell of a game. And just once, I would love to see Coack K stand at press conference after a game and say "the officiating was skeptical...they got a couple of calls that they shouldn't have; we got some calls we shouldn't". Wouldn't you just love it?

In the hockey world, I guess JustMe will be waiting for me to address the infamous Ovechkin goal. I submit...he is the Rookie of the year, no doubt. And has been for some time. But the time will come when Crosby makes his mark. I've seen him make a play like that, it just didn't happen to fall his way. And I can't wait to see him play on Feb. 10. I'm buying my tickets this afternoon! And in the hockey world...what a game Tuesday night! Our games with Philly are always outstanding, but with the back and forth on top this season they've been even better than usual. I can't wait for my first live shootout. And how long will the Canes keep this number one spot? Who knows...the other top teams are all looking good. Detroit could be back on top very quickly. Ottawa and Philly are both amazing. I'm glad we don't have to play Nashville again. And they won't be on top, but Atlanta's play lately may very likely earn them a playoff spot. Wouldn't you love to see them play Ottawa? Anyway, hockey has me in it's grip this season.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 15:05 | link | comments (3) |
the sports report

You didn't think with all this wedding crap I'd forgotten about sports, did you? No, duh...I had hockey tickets to the Cane's game Tuesday night (thanks parents, Merry Christmas to me). Great hockey tickets, lower level, directly behind the South goal. And yes, it was the game where we beat Detroit (the only time we play them this year) and became league leaders. For 30 minutes, anyway, until Ottawa's game finished up and they were 1 point ahead of us and Philly. For anyone that knows hockey and the tremendous style of play that the Western Conference teams have always held, did you ever think the top 3 teams in the league would all be Eastern Conf?

In other news, NCSU also kicked some ass on BC, but it's not like BC was playing their best. And I am officially done with Dickie V. *WARNING* UNLADYLIKE SAILORLY TALK ABOUT TO COMMENCE* AVERT YOUR EYES IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR SOME HARD-CORE, DIRTY TRASH TALK* So, how many Duke/UNC dicks can he suck at once? I know that's awful, but it's the only way I can put it. I almost didn't want to watch the Duke/Maryland game b/c he was commentating, and we know how much Dickie V loves Duke. I have no problem with Duke. I think they're great. I think Coach K is amazing (if one step away from having a stroke) and I do agree that they have the best homecourt advantage in all of college basketball. But do you really want to spend the whole game talking about how great they are? Could we actually get some basketball analysis? And why even bring UNC up during a Duke game? Yes, they're great again this year, too, even with all the youngsters, but we all new ahead of time that Hansbrough (or however you spell it...don't care that much) was the best recruit of this season, so we don't have to keep pretending like he's a surprise phenom. And hey, I know we're slightly overrated, and we lost to Carolina, but while you're on Tobacco road and spewing forth your love of NC basketball, how about mentioning the team that's currently ranked in between Duke and Carolina? Okay. Done with that. I am glad Duke kicked that Maryland team down, though, because 85% of State fans will tell you that after Carolina, our least favorite team is Maryland.

In other news, I had to work late last night, so J thought he would enjoy some breakfast-for-dinner, something he can never talk me into. And he loves me, so he made extra, and I have two crepes, some peach-amaretto jam, and homemade whipping cream in a neat little bowl in the fridge. Yummy.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 15:13 | link | comments |
the sports report

Hidden fees and charges are the bane of my existence. A simple outdoor wedding shouldn't cost $1000 (for the ceremony), right? I mean, if you find a public park or lake the facility fees are nominal compared to an already set-up site, right? Right, until you call the chair rental people and they come up with a ream you quote of 2.50 per white wooden padded chair. Nice. Not bad, pretty good compared to what I've seen. What about set-up, and if we only need them for three hours? Oh, yes, we can set them up for an extra .50 per chair (yes, that amount of labor is worth $70). And we can "negotiate" the delivery fee for the drop off and pick up times you need. What?! So, my options are to ask two or three of my cousins to pick them up, set them up (even though they'll be all dressed and ready for the wedding), and then rush to get them back in the truck and dropped off before getting to the reception site, or I can pay you twice as much to drop them off, set them up, and clean up after us...yikes...I am finding a wedding planner today.

I know they're expensive, ladies, and you may think you don't need one because you're creative and all, but trust me, it's not fun to haggle with people, and she can do it much easier than I can. I still get to pick everything out, but maybe she'll get me a better price on it, and I won't be stuck worrying that Uncle So and So will get lost and the chairs won't make it to the reception.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 15:06 | link | comments (3) |
bridezilla

Wedding Shows

A thought occured to me this morning. I am going to my first wedding show on Sunday and the admission is $10 per person (the bride and groom can each get in for $8 if they pre-register, but moms, maid of honors, etc. have to pay full price). Now, how does this make sense when they aren't offering free meals or anything, just a bunch of contests that you have to be put on some mailing list crap to win, and I know all of the 200 exhibitors there probably have to pay some exhorbitant $500-1000 fee to rent the space they're set up in. So this company that produces bridal shows is making a SHITLOAD of money. I mean think about it: they make minimum $100 Grand from all the exhibitors, and the thing is in a state-owned building and you KNOW they don't get charged more than $10,000 to rent the building for the weekend (because the state has my taxes to pay for that building, so they only charge what is considered a 'nominal' fee) and then they make $8-10 off each person that even walks in. I mean, if only 1000 people showed up that's enough to cover the cost of the building. So where does the rest of that money go?

And why are weddings so freaking expensive? If I was just throwing a party for 100 people and got it catered do you really think it would cost $3000? (This is just for food, people.) I have a BIG family. And I've cut out a lot of the people I thought I would want to invite, (like my best friends from high school, that I talk to like once a year) mostly because they have long-term boyfriends/husbands, and I can't afford to invite them both. And I read in a survey that having a cash bar is tacky and guests think you're cheap, but really: how do you guys honestly feel about that? Because if we are going to have anything but barbecue, it's pretty much going to cost $3000 and up, and I cannot afford the extra $1500-2500 that beer and wine tacks on.

Thoughts, opinions, anyone want to try to convince my fiance' that eloping to Hawaii is really not a bad idea anymore, we can have a fabulous vacation and start saving for a house immediately instead of paying off the loan we have to get to pay for our wedding, and my mom and his grandmother will be disappointed, yes, but in the long run they'll understand, or at least they'll understand once we have a baby [AG, keep your karma away: I know you couldn't be happier (and your baby is beautiful and we all love her), but I don't want to get pregnant in the first year]. Anyone?

posted by: Cannonball14 at 13:45 | link | comments (5) |
bridezilla

A note to all of you would-be shoppers out there:

When you are done trying something on in a store, give it to a sales associate or leave it in the fitting room. Do not leave it in the floor, hanging on any sharp knobs, or God forbid try to hang it back on the rack yourself. You may think you know how to button, zip, and arrange clothing on racks, but it's a much harder talent than it looks. Plus, you're lazy, and most of the time you don't bother to pay attention to how your piece of clothing looks compared to all of the others you're about to hang it with. We are there for a reason. It's boring in Jauary, and we really want something to do, and we've been trained on all of that crap. Plus we have boards to help us fold stuff, so you throwing an unfolded sweater on top of a stack is not necessary. It makes our store look junky. Really, if one of us offers to put something back for you, part of it is because we want to make your life easier and save you time, but the other part of it is that we know that later, while we're trying to sell someone that pair of size 4 jeans that are the last one in the store that you've accidentally hung backwards and unzipped in the petite section so that we can't find them, we will lose what just may be the $78 we need to hit our sales plan that day. And much later, when we stay for an hour to fold up everything you've gone through (which especially pisses us off when you either stay late or unfold every medium sweater in a stack b/c you just swear that they all fit differently) we will find it and a string of expletives will leave our mouths, all realeasing bad karma for you. You don't have to treat us like shit, either, because chances are we work just as hard as you do (especially if you are shopping at 2PM on a weekday) and actually enjoy offering assistance most of the time. Nope, when you're done in the fitting room, and you come out with your "yes" pile, a simple "is it ok that I left the stuff I didn't want in there?" will do. You uphold your end of the bargain, and we will uphold ours: to be pleasant, cheerful, honest, and knowledgable about our product so that you may actually enjoy shopping for clothes for once.

posted by: Cannonball14 at 20:56 | link | comments (8) |
the retail beast