Posts (page 2)
Rental Car Follies II
Today, my rental car saga came to an end (until the next time I need a rental car).
I drove the skank truck back to Enterprise, did not lose my temper while telling them exactly what was wrong with it, and they comped my rental. I walked across the street to Hertz where I had reserved a car, and after 40 minutes the car showed up, I was given a AAA discount, and I headed to work. Four hours later my car was ready, so I returned the Hertz rental - the guy there gave me an extra $10 off because I had to wait for the car to arrive. So, big ups to both the Enterprise staff and the guys at Hertz, for a satisfying end to this whole mess.
Bigger ups to Hanagan's, my car looks amazing and was ready in two days flat.
The Fresh Kicks Story Continues
While waiting at Hertz for the car to arrive, I stepped outside to enjoy a cigarette and the nice weather, and also because I was sick of sitting in there. Up the block come walking three dudes, and as we do in Silver Spring, I gave them the nod. One stepped close to me, and as it turns out it was Fresh Kicks, a dude I randomly met while drunk on a sidewalk in a different part of Silver Spring. True to form, he was sporting the grillz, but instead of the sideways hat he was wearing some stunnas. And of COURSE he had some fly kicks on, which coordinated perfectly with the shirt he was wearing. And homeboy looked good - I don't know if he's been hitting the gym or what, but he was looking arright! Anyway, he stopped, looked at me and said, "You know why we can never be together?" I said, "Why?" He says, "Because I'd lust you all the time!" and kept going up the block.
I was shocked. And heartbroken.
All I could do was yell "But your shoes are so flyyyyy!" with my cigarette between my teeth. He stopped, turned around and said "Thank you, mami," and then went back into the Hertz. I really like Fresh Kicks.
Dig if you will a picture.
Imagine the worst hotel room you've ever stayed in. You know that film of scum all over everything? The fine layer of what seems to be ash, even though it's a non-smoking room? Recall the stench of ass, feet, and Febreeze? The strange dampness? The mystery stains on the soft surfaces? The constant desire to shower while you're in it, or immediately after you exit it? And how after exiting, all of your gear still carries the scent?
Now imagine that room is on wheels, and you're driving it. In keeping with the quality of the room, you can literally see the gas gauge move down while you're moving. Because of this, you're afraid to run the heat. You have to press the brake pedal a good four inches before the car actually decelerates. Although there's no blind spot to your right, you can't see anything but c-pillar when you look over your left shoulder. While in motion, the room shakes as if there's a wheel out of whack.
NOW imagine that you sat in the hotel lobby for half an hour waiting for a smaller room, having been told that there were in fact smaller rooms available, and were forced to take the upgrade-really-downgrade (albeit at the price of the smaller room) because THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE AVAILABLE. No rooms at the inn. Hope you're not pregnant, Maria.
Okay finally, back to real life - imagine that you drive a leather-smelling, fully-aligned, somewhat fuel efficient, clean, easy-to-brake car. CAR, as in regular-ass sedan. And the "hotel room" is actually a FULL SIZED PICKUP TRUCK THAT YOU CAN'T PARK AT ALL. And it was "all [they] have except SUVs and minivans."
This damp, stinky, filthy, malfunctioning piece of crap is the worst vehicle ever. Enterprise, go to hell. There's a Hertz right across the street.
Dance like it hurts, Love like you need money, Work when people are
watching. - Scott Adams
I've done a gang of stuff since I last updated. Went to CES at the beginning of the month, went to Cincinnati over MLK day weekend (which I loved, by the way, much better than Indianapolis, it was a good city). Bought a Wii, some clothes, said goodbye to a friend who went back to her "winter home", started drinking wine (on purpose, no less), started school. School will be the subject of this entry.
I'm old. I'm not saying that derogatorily, I'm saying it because the average age in my history class is 19. That's a full 10 years younger than me. And not only am I old, I feel like a foreigner. I have a career (sort of), I have friends that I didn't meet in high school, I have a *real* ID with which I can purchase liquor for myownself without fear of confiscation. I had a laughing fit (granted, it was completely out of exhaustion, and I was laughing to myself, looking like the weird girl sitting by the wall laughing about something only she knows about) over Merlin Mann's choice of Twitter username, for pete's sake. Have you ever tried to explain Twitter to a bunch of community college students who all seem to be majoring in International Business or Finance, or a history professor? How about explaining who Merlin Mann is, and doing it in such a way that you don't sound like a total herb for drinking the Kool-Aid prepared by a personal productivity "expert"?
There is a plus to this situation - luckily I look closer to their age than my own.
There is another plus to this situation - I've scoped out a few allies in both of my classes. One of them carries a Moleskine. He's kind of cute too, though I'm sure he's probably about 19, and that's if I'm lucky.
That seems to be all of the plusses to this situation so far - I'm up at six three days a week, I'm driving an extra hour a day those three days, I have to do things like "studying" and "homework" and "writing things that are over 140 characters and aren't in the form of blog entries and are not about myself, technology, or sneakers."
Sweet Jesus that was a big show.
It was a busy ass week, too, lots of walking around and schmoozing and talking to people and some electronics were around as well. From what I hear, almost everything was just an improvement on what was being shown last year, and since I wasn't there last year, I have no comment on that whole mess. I did see a laser, wireless extension cord that was sweet as hell and I hope it takes off.
What I can comment on is the fact that I went to the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood and tore up the racks in Metropark and Urban Outfitters (who flies five hours to shop at stores that exist 40 and 20 minutes away, respectively? This girl!), the fact that I had a lot of fun meeting other bloggers at the show, at Bloghaus and at the party that was at the nuclear testing museum.
Here's to my girls, without whom I wouldn't be half as sane as I am now (which truthfully isn't saying a lot, but thanks anyway!).
Here's to my guys, who persistently prevent me from thinking that every man is horrible.
Here's to Savannah's, our home away from home, Cheers, Moe's, Bearded Clam, et cetera, for just being there. (special "Here's to" to Casey S. and Jesse T. - I would probably still hate if it wasn't for you both, whether you dragged me there and got me lit off of SoCo limes or convinced me that fun is fun, period).
Here's to 2008 - May it be better than 2007 for all of us, no matter how good aught seven was.
What was your major or field of study in college? Did you wind up working in that field or using that degree? If not, what field have you wound up in?
Submitted by sneuf.
Oh, education. My majors have included International Business, Nursing, Business Administration, and Radio and Television Production (I've had the longest freshman year in history - I started college in August of 1996 and I'm still six credits shy of sophomore status). After conferring with my latest in a long string of academic advisors, I changed from RTV to General Studies earlier this year. I have my eye on a communications degree of some sort, from some educational institution not in the DMV - my focus is currently on the University of Cincinnati or Indiana University at IUPUI (they don't offer that degree at the Bloomington campus, and Lord knows I'd have an easier time finding employment in Indianapolis proper).
Oh, employment. I've spent the last six years in the radio industry, and the last couple of months I've also been freelancing for a blog not of my own creation. At this point in my life, I don't plan on majoring in something that I don't already have some experience in, because I have no desire to start at the bottom when I'm in my 30's.
That pretty much describes how I feel.
I've put on four pounds in the three weeks since Thanksgiving without any effort whatsoever. Usually if I put a marginal amount of effort into it, I maintain. Lately I've been knocking back the sugar-free skim gingerbread lattes with light whip like they're going out of style. Little piece of something here and there, meals made of appetizers, and zero exercise.
I'm putting myself on blast, starting today. Back to the food diary, back to the fatblog. I fell off of both. Revamping my Shuffle's playlist, and going to the sports store today for a beanie, some running tights, and gloves. And God bless local heroes Under Armour, they make an awesome v-neck with a Terps logo which will do me quite well.
Christmas present to myself: Reduced Fatassery!
