End of the month...

Wow. I need to dedicate more time to this. Just figured out my NY resolution. Once a week, whether it needs it or not, this blog is getting updated. Unlike my 12 resolutions of 2010 (all of which I failed at, I think), I'm going to stick with one and do it. Pick one thing, and it gets done, excellently. 2-3 things and maybe 2 get done, marginally. Any more than that, and it's setting yourself up to fail. And I hate that. Failing. Almost as much as being helpless.

So, let's start the new year off. Almost a month late, but whatever. My first thoughts on new years day this year included, "how did I get home?", "how did I get to wherever I am (which clearly is not home)?", and "where are my pants?". To answer them, I didn't get home until later in the day, for I was dogsitting my dear friends dear friend. I believe a couple of saints delivered me to the couch, though I don't really have any recollection of the ride home. Other than talking a lot. I think. Pants were safely recovered....for some reason, I thought under my pillow was a good place for them. And to answer the question I know you're all asking, I woke up alone, save for my friends pup.

It was a good new years, as good as one can be. There was flip cup and friends and Patron Cafe and gummi bears and keg stands and hats (not just party hats, fedoras!), and champagne and dancing and most importantly of all, no frakking snow! The only way it could have been better would have been to have my friends from MN here. After getting through Christmas sans friends and family (but with a cute Brit), I was a bit blue about starting the new year off with people I've known less than half a year. I'm keeping a positive attitude about this move, but there are some days when I sit back and think, "I wish I could click my heels three times, and be back in the 612.". Maybe my friends and family will wise up and move south.

The Monday following, kickball started again, and all seemed to be right with the world. I joined another drinking team with a kickball problem, full of cute boys and fun girls, not the catty kind that I want to punch. We all get along pretty well, but aren't that great at kickball. Flipcup, however, we are undefeated. I feel as though I may have unintentionally created some drama, not because I wanted to, but because I made a decision last year without really thinking or understanding the situation. Obviously alcohol was involved, and I likely would have made the same decision, but only because I wasn't aware of the other entity present. I rarely make decisions to consciously hurt someone, and while that decision wasn't the one that could have hurt, it was the decision to make it known. I probably could have kept my mouth shut, but anyone that knows me knows that's rarely an option either...hence my kickball nickname, "Record Skip".

We've played three games, two losses and one tie. This week got rained out again so makeup games are on Saturday. Unfortunately half of our team won't be there, so hopefully we'll be competitive. I also signed up to edit our newsletter. It's a lot of work, but there was free tequila involved. Plus, it's nice to be a part of something new. And also, I'm super nerdy, so this is right up my alley.

My counterpart at work is leaving at the end of this week, off to brighter pastures across the city. He'll be doing the same thing at a bigger hotel and while I'm extremely happy for him, I'm sad. I'm really going to miss him, though I'd never admit it to his face. We're like siblings and I'm going to miss the camaraderie and the venting and him making me cry at the bar all the time. He makes me think and asks the tough questions and while I don't always agree with his process or opinion, I love and respect him. And I really, truly hope he's happy in his new role.

Along with him leaving, comes twice as much for me until we get a replacement. We are also down an admin assistant so I've been super crazy at work the last couple of weeks. I had a big group in this week and an even bigger one next week, and I know I'm not at the top of my game. I can only be in so many places. I'm not responding to e-mails as quickly, and I think I'm missing the spark in my eye. That twinkle that is there when I'm really happy with something. I should be happy with my work, my clients sure are. For last year, my overall customer satisfaction was over 90%. I'm striving for perfection this year, and knowing my responsiveness is slower than normal is really hitting me hard. Harder than it should. Because I want so desperately to be 100%. Because if I am, I'll feel validated. That this move was the right thing to do. That this job is my passion. That I can overcome. And I'm worried that it's starting out all wrong.

I'll leave with a thought, one that I discovered this morning on something so insignificant as a luggage tag. "We wander for distraction but we travel for fulfillment." -Hilare Belloc It's true. It hit me like a sock full of oranges. I'm at my happiest when I'm traveling. The only trip I took last year that wasn't home was to Arizona for 48 hours. I'm sad that I'm not going to Mexico next month with the greatest people I know, save for my parents. I'm sad that the only trips I have planned for this year are back home. I'm scared that I won't make it to Europe or the Caribbean or somewhere else fabulous. It makes me want to cry that I didn't go to New York last year. Because all of those places fulfill a simple need in me to be completely anonymous. To be able to walk around all day and night and not know a soul until we're sitting across the bar, or exhibit hall of a museum and one of us catches the others eye and says "Hello.".

It may not be this year, but next year, I will definitely have those moments again. Because I'm tired of wandering.

100 random facts....

1. I'm a terrible liar.
2. I have incredible beginner's luck.
3. My nickname (name) is in reference to my father's favorite Stooge.
4. I do 95% of my shopping online. I hate shopping with the exception of the grocery store.
5. I could eat Thai food and gyros every day of the week and never be sick of them. And ice cream..
6. I don't intend to reproduce.
7. If I had $5 for every time someone said "oh, you'll change your mind about that", I'd likely be retired by now. Without kids.
8. I have clown feet.
9. I want to join the mile high club.
10. I never thought I'd have any use for e-mail on my phone, but I cannot live without my iPhone.
11. My favorite painting is "Nighthawks".
12. Skydiving is the coolest rush I've ever had.
13. I'm a sports freak.
14. I've never broken a bone.
15. I've given up on trying to impress people.
16. Flying bugs and birds terrify me.
17. I've been on TV, the radio and in a movie.
18. I don't think I can count the number of famous people I've met.
19. I didn't used to get along very well with my mother, but it's gotten much better.
20. My father is one of my best friends.
21. It takes a very long time to get to know "the real Me".
22. All of my closest friends could blackmail me.
23. My favorite food is anything of the Mediterranean variety.
24. I do not have a Minnesota accent. I am starting to acquire a southern one though.
25. I am the only child of my parents. My siblings are amazing.
26. I take exceptional care of my hair.
27. I think Krav Maga is the hardest thing I've ever attempted.
28. I can't do anything cool with my face, like raise one eyebrow or roll my tongue.
29. I sleep on satin sheets - one of the best purchases I've ever made.
30. I own my dream shoes.
31. My favorite photo of myself is my first day of kindergarten. My second favorite photo...well, you'll see it if you're lucky.
32. I have zero artistic talent. Stick figures are impossible for me.
33. My left hand is pretty useless for anything other than typing.
34. I'm usually extremely shy, and my job forces me to be outgoing. Alcohol also works.
35. I still sleep with my baby blanket.
36. I dream of beating Ken Jennings and Eddie the Blind Guy on Jeopardy. I'm undefeated at Jeopardy on PS2.
37. I will bet on anything.
38. My underwear always match my bra.
39. I can go over a month without doing a single load of laundry and without wearing the same outfit twice.
40. I love cats but am extremely allergic to them.
41. I share a b-day with George Clooney and Sigmund Freud.
42. I'm claustrophobic in elevators, sleeping bags and crowds of people.
43. I refuse to write with a pen that's any color than black.
44. I have slept in my car on more than one occasion.
45. I have a beer named after me.
46. I have a 36" inseam.
47. I miss Phil Hartman.
48. My favorite color is blue.
49. I buy a different kind of cheese every time I go to the grocery store.
50. I have developed a serious case of insomnia since moving away from home.

51. I knew within a week of working at my first hotel, that this was the career I wanted.
52. The best thing to do when I'm mad is leave me alone.
53. I hate people that don't know how to drive.
54. Slow people also irritate me.
55. My favorite band is DMB.
56. I snore. And talk in my sleep.
57. I've never camped out for tickets to anything, but I have camped out for beer.
58. I can do an impression of Apu. And that's it.
59. I love to cook.
60. I interrupted MC Hammer's dinner at Glamorama.
61. I'm not nearly as witty as I would have you all believe.
62. I was born a blonde.
63. I will get liposuction someday.
64. You can tell how drunk I was the night before by how many times I throw up the next day.
65. I have a Magic 8 Ball in my office. You can tell if it's working by asking "is Moe going to hell?".
66. I have made it halfway through my list of places to go before I die - Ireland has been checked off, Greece remains.
67. My favorite song to sing for karaoke is "Copacabana".
68. I've been on the Jumbo-tron at the Metrodome (both football and baseball), the Target Center, Target Field and the X.
69. It perturbs me when people say they'll call you back, but don't. I am frequently guilty of this.
70. I want to throw someone else's steak at a cyclist and I want to throw a Molotov Cocktail at an abandoned brick building.
71. I refuse to spend more than $50 on a shirt, but will cough up $300 for shoes without batting an eye.
72. I'm extremely shy - ISTJ.
73. I have two collections of shot glasses: One for places I've been and one for places others go.
74. My goal is have them match by the time I die.
75. I'm the nerd of my friends.
76. I have managed to buy one thing and one thing only at Target.
77. I may be the only female on the planet that doesn't crave chocolate.
78. I am deathly afraid of never being able to ski again.
79. I walked around the set of 'Days of Our Lives'.
80. J-Lo is my guilty pleasure.
81. My idea of coffee is a double espresso.
82. I have been classified as a flirt.
83. Cranium is my favorite game.
84. I do not own a TV.
85. I dance better alone.
86. If I could take back one moment of my life, it would be the moment I sold my U2 tickets right before the show.
87. As much as I enjoy being single, I miss the little things about having a boyfriend.
88. I've worn a coconut bra and grass skirt - it's a funny story.
89. One of my many nicknames is "Fun Moe". $1 if you get the reference.
90. I hate Jaeg, but love Jaeg-bombs.
91. My favorite bar is Brit's Pub.
92. I tried out for "The Weakest Link".

93. I've mastered the recipe for lemon ricotta pancakes from Hell's Kitchen.
94. Apparently I am the reason Surly cans Coffee Bender.
95. My "list" includes more women than men.
96. I miss being able to see stars.

97. I'll rarely admit it, but I'm a closet romantic.

98. Selling everything I owned that didn't fit in my car was one of the most freeing moments of my life..
99. I would fail miserably on the Atkin's Diet. But I'm going to try. Have to look hot for sister's wedding
100. I have the most amazing friends and family anyone could ever hope to have.

Not to brag or anything.....

But it's pretty effing sweet to have a beer named after you (it's the first limited release one). They made it for me for my going away party and apparently brought it to a beer festival in Madison, WI. You may have heard of it. Hope you enjoyed it. :)

Red Dress Run....

Wow. I'm pretty sure that's the only way to describe the train wreck that is the Red Dress Run. It's an event put on by the New Orleans Hashers, a running club with a drinking problem. Or is it the other way around? Either way, it was a blast.

6,000 plus people bar hopping down Bourbon Street, all in red dresses. Male, female, older, younger....everyone. It was pretty cool to see all the dresses and how creative people were with their outfits. I loved the sparkly shoes and the miniature hats, the stripper like outfits on guys that shouldn't be wearing them, and the banana hammock.

There were Everclear soaked cherries, daiquiris galore and plenty of free beer. There was dancing, there was laughter, there was bonding, probably some stripping and a whole lot of photos taken. The best part? Last year they donated $93,000 to various charities around the city. $93,000!!!!! Based on a quick calculation, they should easily be able to donate $150K this year. This city most definitely needs the charity dollars and they go to great local causes.

I'm happy to have been a part of it, and will definitely be back for it next year. My limit on cherries however will be one and not two. I shall also stay away from the daiquiris, though the mudslide/white russian combo is a thing of beauty.

If anyone needs me on Saturday....

....I'll be here. I'll be the one in red. I'll probably have a cool backpack thing too.