Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Save a horse, Ride a COWBOY!!

Right now I am on my way to CHICAGO!!! One of my uncles on my Dad's side of the family is getting married this weekend so I am on my way there. My brother, cousins, and I are planning on going out tonight around the town and then the wedding will be on Saturday.

My past week has pretty much been me getting ready for this trip!

On Monday I hung out with my friend Sean and his family. His parents went to his and his sister, Lisa's house and cooked dinner which, as always, was very good!!

On Tuesday Sean let me do laundry at his house so I could have some clean clothes for the trip! I have a hookup for a washer and dryer in my apartment but I haven't bought them yet. Lisa and their mom visited their grandfather (or father, respectively) in the hospital and then Lisa, Sean and I watched hours of Will & Grace!! We LOVE that show!! It is so funny!!

Wednesday was packing night and I got most of everything packed up and got it all to fit in 1 suitcase!! I was so proud of myself!! I did bring two suitcases figuring I will probably be bringing home more than I am taking with me. That some how always seems to happen!

Yesterday I visited with my friend Victor. He cooked dinner (I love having friends who know how to cook!!) and we watched the very last episode of Six Feet Under!! How I have got so hooked on that show after only watching a few episodes but it was so good!! I am now going to start from the beginning and watch all the episodes!! He will be going to Miami with a whole bunch of friends the day after I get back from my vacation and has invited me to meet him down there and hang out at the beach... I just have to see if I can get Friday off from work and see if I can still afford it after this weekend. It would be so much fun as long as I can get it to work!!!





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I am now on the flight back from Flint to Atlanta... vacations are never long enough!!

Here is the recap of the extended weekend:

I arrived without a problem in Chicago's Midway Airport. My mom came in to get me while my Dad and Dan drove around the airport and waited for us. It only took a few minutes for the bags to arrive and mine was one of the first out!!

We went to Uncle Kevin and Donna's new place. I met Donna's children, Kelly and Kevin (aka Buddy). On the way to their house we passed a Harley shop so you know when we left their house we went right there. My mom found some new pants and my Dad and Dan found some Harley shirts.

On Friday night the 'kids' went to downtown Chicago. Dan, my cousin's Adam and Marie, their friends Josh and Melissa, and I all rode in Uncle Rogor and Aunt Sherry's van and it took a little over an hour to drive down there and find some parking. Marie and Melissa had been told about a club downtown that was good so we got directions from the bartender at the bar in our hotel. We didn't find it while driving but knew we were close so we decided to walk around to find it, that way we could ask for directions.

While walking one of the bouncers at another club said we all could get in without paying cover so we decided to go for it. There were quite a few people already there, I was surprised since we got there around 10:30 pm but there were not many people on the dance floor, so of course we took it over!! The 6 of us had a great time dancing to the music and within a few songs the dance floor was packed!! After about an hour or so the music selection that the DJ was playing started to go downhill so we decided to go on a hunt for the club we had originally came for.

After asking around we found out we were only about 2 blocks from the club, called Bar Chicago. When we got there the music was going and there were a lot of people on the dance floor. We got a couple of drinks and then decided to start dancing. We saw there were a few people dancing on the elevated DJ booth and Marie and I wanted to join. So after a few songs we asked the DJ if we could dance there too and he was more than happy to let us dance up there!! It was a ton of fun since we were now dancing well above everyone else!!

After a few songs Marie and I decided to go back to dancing with the rest of our party. But the DJ stated that they needed to have girls dancing on the bar... Marie and I were more than happy to oblige. We spent quite a while dancing on the bar… and when we looked down we had a circle of guys around us watching. Quickly Dan, Adam, and Josh stepped into action and became our body guards and stood between us and the rest of the boys but there were a ton of pictures being taken!! We felt like celebrities!!

Saturday was the wedding party!! I have a ton of pictures from the reception on my camera that will soon be added. After the beautiful wedding was the dinner and reception. We heard a lot about how wild Donna's family is and how we had competition but by the end of the night we were being called CRAZY by her family!! You will see why from some of the pictures! After the usual rituals and the 'salutes' the hunting boys did their normal hunting ritual... bringing out the Butter Shots. We then danced and danced and danced some more.

After the reception we went back to the hotel. In our hotel was a bar that a few people had talked about going to so we took the party back to the hotel bar. We didn't have high expectations to begin with but the bar was 2 stories and had a pretty good dance floor and had an elevated stage that Marie and I quickly found and decided we would soon take it over. But there was 1 problem... there was no one dancing!! This problem was quickly and easily rectified by the same 6 as the last night and my parents. We started dancing away and quickly Marie and I were on the stage and getting free drinks from the DJ. We spent the rest of the night rocking away.

The next day my family and I drove to Grand Rapids and saw my Grandpa in the Vets facility. Aunt Linda was there and took our picture with Grandpa... if I get the picture I will add it to the blog. Uncle Rogor drove his new motorcycle over so we could see it as well. Grandpa was doing pretty good but he was very sleepy since he had not had his nap yet that day. Grandma was also there giving him a recap from the wedding.

That night I went out with my friend Angie and her husband Kevin (whose wedding I just went to in Jamaica). Angie showed me around her new house and then we went out to Buffalo Wild Wings (aka BW's) and had a few drinks. Kevin is a manager there so we met him there after his shift. The place brand new and really nice. There are like 40 or 50 TVs all over the restaurant and bar... there is even TVs in the restrooms! We played some games and caught up a little bit.

Angie then drove me home and we got pulled over by the police!! We had no clue why either since she was driving the speed limit and we had been chatting. After he asked for her license, proof of insurance and registration he had to take a few minutes to get all the information right because her name and address had just changed and the names and addresses on all of her documentation were different on each piece of identification. He then stated that the reason he had pulled her over is that she had her brights on and when he flashed his lights at her she didn't turn hers off. On her dashboard she had a wedding picture in front of her symbol showing that her brights were on so she didn't even know they were on. He didn't give her a ticket but told her not to drive in the city with her brights on anymore.

Later that night my friend Sean called from Atlanta to inform me that he wasn't able to pick up my car on Friday night and when he went on Sunday to pick it up it was no longer there!! Luckily later I found out it had been towed and not stolen but it make for a fun few days as my Mom had been quite curious to find out what had actually happened to my car. He and I will be picking up my car this afternoon when I get back in to Atlanta. Also speaking of Atlanta I picked the perfect time to be gone with Hurricane Katrina plowing thru... I have been very lucky that with every big hurricane I have been up in Michigan and have not had to be around for the high winds and lots of rain!!

On Monday Dad, Dan and I went up to Sebewaing and had Rosties at Sportys Bar. It was the first time I was allowed to go with the guys and get a Rostie... I was a little nervous at first because I was told it was a combination of a hot dog and a bratwurst (and I like neither) but they are really good!! After my Rostie we all went and checked out the hunting blinds that Dan and Dad have set up. I went up into a blind too!! We then visited Grandma at their house and picked up Aunt Dawn and Uncle Scott's camper for my parent to take up to Mackinaw this weekend.

At night Grandma, Grandpa, and Dawn came over to my parents house and we had Butt-Pan Chicken for dinner... YUMMMM!!! My dad takes full chickens and seasons them and then uses a can of beer and cooks them on the grill. We all chatted and caught up on all the current events. It was a lot of fun to have a night to be with my family.

On Tuesday my Mom, Dad, and I went shopping around Bay City and at at Jimmy John's... I so wish there was one in Atlanta!! We went to Mill Ends, which is having a going out of business sale at the Bay City location and I got 2 belts... at a penny each!! Can't get any cheaper without them being free!! We also went around the Bay City Mall and MEIJERS!! If I could bring any shopping center back with me to Altanta it would be Meijers... there is nothing like it any where around me. I got a black set of salt and pepper shakers while we were there.

At night we picked up Angie and had dinner at Tommy V's... the best pizza in the world!! After dinner we went to Double J's... Angie's parents bar and had a few drinks. There was a Texas Hold'em Tournament going on so her mother did not have much time to sit but we had a lot of fun seeing her keep busy!!

Today my parents and I went shopping at Birch Run... there is a Pottery Barn outlet there and I found the exact couch that I want in the price range that I was looking!! Unfortunately I have no way of getting it back to my house so I will have to keep my eyes open down by my house to see if I can find a Pottery Barn outlet close and see if they have the couch there as well. I did however find a ton of cute cloths at the Banana Republic store!!

After I got off the plane Sean picked me up and took me to get my car from the towing company. I had to get my registration out of the car and when I took the registration in the lady behind the counter says to me 'I need your CURRENT registration.' I couldn't believe it... to add insult to injury my registration expired on August 9. So, now I have been dropped off at home and I am getting the information together to get my registration renewed tomorrow and Sean will take me back to get my car tomorrow. Wish me luck!!

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Not too much new has been going on for me... but I thought I would update anyway.

I have been reading the book Le Divorce and which is what the movie is based on. I am very curious now as to what is better... the book or the movie. So, when I am done with the book I will watch the movie.

Yesterday I spent the evening with one of my friends. He lives by the Braves stadium and there was a game going on so it was a little busy around his house but I found parking alright. We took his dog for a walk, ate dinner, and then I helped him get together some information for a paper he is writing for one of his classes while watching this weeks episode of Six Feet Under. Somehow I got hooked on that show when there were only about 5 episodes left and Sunday is the last episode. Now I will have to go back to the beginning and watch the episodes from the start.

Monday, August 15, 2005

The week in review

So, the latest update from the ATL...

My job has been CRAZY busy lately that we have decided that we need to make a t-shirt named after the NOC and call it CHAOTIC!!! I generally go in early, don't take a lunch, and then leave a few hours late and I am still buried!! They (or at least I have heard it said before) 'work hard, play hard' so on Friday a few friends and I decided to have another night on the town.

We started out at my house. It was all people from work so we spent quite a while talking about work... not much fun on a Friday night so we went out went to a bar called The Mark. There was a big event going on that they called The Pharmacy and it was supposed to be a big event. One of my friends has gone to this bar a couple of times before and said that generally when there is an even like this the place is packed but there were surprisingly few people there. But, we still had a ton of fun and spent the night dancing away!!

On Saturday I really wanted to lay out by the pool and when I woke up it was sunny... I was so excited. I really wanted to read a book while lying out so I went to the library and picked one out, came home, and got changed. As I was walking to the pool the sky clouded over and started to sprinkle!! I thought "well, I will try to wait it out" but by the time I got to the mailboxes to pick up my mail it was pouring. I walked back home and it rained the rest of the night!! So, I spent the afternoon watching my new TV. I then went to a friend's house and a few of us played Monopoly. I hadn't played that game in so long; it was a lot of fun.

Yesterday a couple of friends were supposed to stop by my house and work on a school project for one of my friends, so on Sunday morning after church I went to the supermarket and got some food to make us for dinner. When I got home it was (finally) sunny out so I went to the pool and laid out (yeah!!) for a few hours! It felt so good to be out by the pool in the sun! After I had gotten enough sun (I was starting to burn) I went home and started getting food together. One of my friends showed up but the friend that we were doing the project for didn't.

So, instead of doing work we watched TV... not just any TV either... we watched the HDTV channels on my TV. And what was playing on my HDTV you ask... GOLF. HEHEHE!! It was crazy how clear it was since the cameras were high-definition as well as my TV and the channel. After watching golf we went to his house and his family all stopped by and we ate a huge dinner that was so good!! Yummm! After dinner we watched the new Phantom of the Opera movie and played Monopoly again! It was a lot of fun!

Since I had food that I had planned on making last night a friend came over this evening and we ate dinner of chicken and corn on the cob. I made chicken with a recipe that one of my cousins had given me and it was so good!!

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

The Day After

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

The original plans changed... but I still had so much fun the entire night!! We had planned on a group of us going out to eat at a restaurant in the city but changed plans for the evening to drinks, but we were not quite sure where to go. So, we all met up at my apartment to finalize the evening plans and we came up with a new bar next to my apartment called PieBar which was built in an old building of a bank. The bar has only been opened for about two weeks and it was packed. But it was very open and it was different because it had a lot of windows so we could see out... and since there was a storm going thru the area it was cool to see outside.

We drank a few bottles of wine there before heading off to one.midtown kitchen. The style of each bar was completely different but both places are restaurant/bars owned by same people, and the people that I went out with know them! We had a lot of fun drinking and talking there before a few of us went back to my apartment and listened to music and danced!!

I had a GREAT birthday night!!

Saturday, August 06, 2005

August 3, 2005

I wrote the following on August 3, 2005 but was unable to post because I couldn't keep Internet access long enough... so here it is now...


I now have a TV!!! Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeet!! I ordered the TV online about a month ago and it seemed to take forever to get here but it was well worth the wait!! I get cable hooked up on Friday!

Since they delivered the TV yesterday I took the day off work and it was a beautiful day to have off!! I spent the morning by the pool getting some sun. After the TV was delivered I spent the afternoon shopping for the stuff to go with the TV. I got a DVD player as well. I now need something to put the TV on... but that can wait until I find the exact one I want.

Today I had to go back to work and then after work I went with a friend to Sam’s Club and got myself a set of pots and pans. It is a really nice set and it is actually the same one that my friend had and it came highly recommended. Now to learn how to cook with them… hehe!!

I HAVE ACCESS!!

I now have Internet access and cable television!! Woo Hoo!!

I got my cable installed on Friday... they were supposed to be at my apartment sometime between 5pm and 8pm to install the cable but at 8pm no one had shown up so I gave Comcast a call. They said that there was a technician still scheduled to be at my location but they were running behind (obviously) and someone would be here by 8:45pm. At 9pm I called again... this time they said that there was someone still on their way but they didn't know when they would show up. I was so happy at 10:30pm when the cable guy finally showed up!! It didn't take him too long and I had cable!!

I didn't have them install my Internet access at the same time because it would have cost $100... and me installing it myself... free (I love free)!! So, this morning I got up and drove to Comcast and picked up the cable modem.

After I picked up the modem a friend and I went all over Atlanta looking for furniture for my apartment. In particular, we were looking for a computer desk, a couch, and a stand for my television. After a couple hours of searching and being no closer to actually finding any of the above we decided to give up the search and visit another friend for dinner.

We ate dinner and then washed our vehicles... then they had homework to do so I went to Ikea and there I did find a computer desk!! It is the perfect size (small) for my apartment. The only problem with Ikea is that I had to put the desk together myself and it gave me a challenge for about two hours!! It is now set up and I have my computer on it and it looks fabulous!!

Once I got the table set up I worked on the Internet access. It took a little bit of troubleshooting on my end and a phone call to Comcast to get the service working but I now have Internet!! Once I got the cable modem working I put together my wireless network so I can get my laptop online anywhere in my apartment!! I was so proud when I got it all set up!!

Now it is time for me to go to bed!! I am so sleepy!! Have a great night!!