Peer pressure!

KK updated, Rosa updated...FIIIIIIINE. Though fair warning, I did NOT go dog sledding or run a half marathon. But I have been traveling for work a lot. I went to Ann Arbor, MI about a month ago, Cleveland two weeks ago, Penn State last week, and as we speak I am in Austin. And I leave tomorrow...and a week from tomorrow I will be in New Orleans for JAZZFEST 2012 (!!) with KK, Dan, and Rosa!

Other things: Went to a Jeopardy taping. Went to an a capella concert with Kelley, Missy and Meghan, where I fell in love with live-looping and is now my "holy shit I wish I could do that" obsession. Went to the Americans for the Arts' Arts Advocacy Day Nancy Hanks Lecture (this year featuring Ben Folds and Alec Baldwin). And a board meeting. Also a while ago I went to a basketball game with Franklin, but I can't even remember when that was...but I *do* know I have two tickets still sitting on my dresser waiting to be redeemed for a Dunkin Donuts coffee...which I could really use right about now. I went to Richmond for Allison's birthday.

Fotoz I haz them:

As part of my Cleveland trip, swung by Columbus to spend the night with Vince and Lauren. We went to Jeni's ice cream. Which, if you don't know it...YOU NEED TO. Ask KK. IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. 

Ohai I'm just teh cutest.

see: cute, not at all troublemaker.
except for totally being a troublemaker.

I OWN THIS. I CAN'T NOT TALK ABOUT THIS SHIRT IN CAPS LOCK FASHION.

I wasn't supposed to take this picture but I did. Boom.

Our JetBlue flight circled us around  so we could all take pictures. Awesome. 

It's like West Wing except not at all West Wing

Today at work, headed into a meeting with my boss - we head towards his office and he goes "oh! - no wait, walk with me, I have to show you something, we'll walk and talk...in fact, our whole meeting will just be laps around the office" (he was joking, we did in fact sit down with the other members of the meeting) and I say "How very Aaron Sorkin of you!" and...reference lost on him. But that's okay. He likes to see pictures of the Pepperton* and always asks about him, that totally makes up for it.

In other work news - sadly not Aaron Sorkin related - business trips I haz them:
-Ann Arbor, MI - March 23-24
-Cleveland, OH - April 5-6
-Penn State - April 12-13 (or 13-14, something like that)

Plus there may be a work trip or two to Austin in my future. Fancypants is my middle name.

In other travel news but NOT work related, I am going to California in August for two weeks! Hooray vacation! Two weeks without the air feeling like soup! Blech. (Yep, it's February and I'm already complaining about DC summer humidity.)

In other news that has nothing to do with anything, Ben, Jess, (and Puck!) Franklin and I spent Superbowl Sunday together - Franklin hosted, I made Nutella Cheesecake (same portion but did a whole pie as opposed to individuals)  Buffalo Chicken Bites, and Potato Chip Cookies, and Ben/Jess brought potstickers, chips/pretzels and dip, homemade guac, and homemade pizza bagels. Serving roughly 30 people, oh wait, THERE WERE FOUR OF US. But it was awesomely delicious. And I was basically full until lunchtime of the following day :-P



*I may or may not also sometimes call him Pepper P. McSquirmyPants. Because I am a ridiculous, ridiculous individual.

beagles, beagles, and more beagles!

i volunteered for BREW again today! - i transported two beagles - picking them up from a giant panel van filled with crated rescues in centreville to the main BREW vet office in purcellville.

this was miss piggy, a non-stop-on-the-go beagle (clearly, this was the most in-focus picture i got!) that gave my hand leash-burn from trying to keep her from running amok, but very loving and happy! :

this was jewels, a little one that was so sweet and quiet and a bit timid:

and this little troublemaker is all ours!!!!!!

Pepper Benson
10 weeks old

Likes: chewing things, snuggling, food, going up stairs

Dislikes: going down stairs, closed doors, empty food bowls

GET HYPED

COUNTDOWN CLOCK

Foo Fighters. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. Florence + the Machine. Eagles. Ani DiFranco. Glen Hansard. Esperanza Spalding. My Morning Jacket. Better Than Ezra. Zac Brown Band. Bonnie Raitt. Ne-Yo. Bonerama.

a perfectly acceptable form of currency

me:  move back down here, you can teach me [yoga] and i'll pay you in hugs :-)

  Rosa:  hahahah

hugs don't pay the bills!

 me:  they pay the bills in your heart

things i want to do in 2012

*go to jazzfest
*go camping more than once
*read all of the song of ice and fire books in time for the second season of game of thrones to start
*save money
*do yoga more regularly
*get stronger. literally and figuratively.
*learn something new
*get as many people on board (pun absolutely intended) with the Guess Who Halloween costumes as possible
*give clothes away
*love

that's all i got for now, but i think it's a good list.

Halloween 2012

Get ready for it.