Upcoming Festivities

This weekend will be filled with all sorts of festivities and shenanigans. It's been a busy week and I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to have a couple days devoted to jumping out of airplanes!

But, before any of that, I'm going to an event that's a whole different breed of excitement.

So get this - Cleveland is in the running to host the Gay Games in 2014. How cool is that?! We're up against Boston and D.C. in the bidding process, but Cleveland definitely has some qualities that make it stand out, such as affordability and a Midwestern location.

I'm not going to sit here and preach to you about the bid, you can read about that here, and here.

(Thanks Randy and George for the great posts).

One of the best parts of my job is that I get opportunities to attend fun events. Tonight I get to hang out at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for an event called Frivolity. 

Our ProBono work with the Cleveland Synergy Foundation has led us to this opportunity. This event provides a chance for the Cleveland community to come out and support the Gay Games coming to the city. It's a chance for our voice to be heard.

This event will not only host the Gay Games' Site Selection Committee while they are in town, but will have appearances by a number of public officials and a host of community supporters.

Find out more about the event here and get your free ticket to attend.

After tonight's event I'll be heading home for some much needed shut eye before heading out bright and early in the morning. With a friend coming into town from Michigan, we'll be headed out for a weekend of skydiving.

See y'all on the ground on Monday.

Cheers!

-A

3-day Detox

As many of you who follow me on Twitter may already know, I'm a fan of the detox diet. More specifically, the 3-day fruit and juice detox.

Now you might be thinking, why on Earth would someone eat only fruit for three whole days? Well let me tell you - after a simple detox like this one, words can't even begin to describe how much better I feel.

Personally, this detox works wonders:

• I have more energy, even first thing in the morning.
• Cravings for salty, fatty foods is nearly gone.
• I'm better hydrated without even trying (constant water intake from eating alone)
• 3-5 pounds of permanent weight loss
• My mood boosts 10-fold

Those are just a few of the reasons I detox.

Add in a little exercise you'll feel even better - and sleep better too.

Now, before you get all crazy on me about messing up my body chemistry and not eating enough protein and all that, let me say this (about to preach, sorry).

The human body was not made to eat and digest meat (note our flat teeth and long intestines). Our ancestors lived off what they could gather from berries and fruit and nuts. Natural foods. Sure, they hunted, but who's to say they all consumed the meat, anyway?

Stepping down from my soapbox now.

Besides, how can you really say that consuming fresh, organic fruit for a few days is bad for you? With increased nutrients and water intake your body is probably thanking you. I know mine is.

I used to do just juice and water, but found that my energy was extremely low and I was beyond irritable. Consuming raw fruit keeps your body working, digesting. After a while, you don't even think about the cheeseburger or Chinese buffet you normally visit at lunch.

This is my take on the 3-day detox. If you don't like it, don't do it.

But if you do, and if you can make it past the cravings of day 1, it's easy sailing from there.

I highly recommend a detox every now and again (once every 6 months or so) just to reset your palate and start fresh, without those nasty cravings. There are a number of available guides you can find, just by Googling. I make my own plan based on what works for me. But I'm sure you can find one that will suit you, too.

All this coming from a girl who loves to eat more than almost anything. If I can do it, anyone can.

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Seafood in West Cleveland

Yesterday, the SO decided for his birthday dinner that he wanted to try Salmon Dave's in Rocky River. 

This is something we'd been meaning to try but had yet to get around to - mainly because of the price.

But, if you go into the meal expecting to spend $30+ a plate, you won't be disappointed when the food arrives at your table.

Upon entering we were welcomed with friendly smiles from the hostess and manager, then seated promptly. The decor was cool, it was clearly upscale with white table cloths, but the atmosphere was rather relaxed. Walls were decorated with moose heads and large chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

Our server arrived promptly, was friendly throughout the night, but didn't interrupt our conversations (aka, my yacking on about God knows what). He kept our water glasses full too, which is saying something. We don't find that very often. As the SO says, we aren't properly hydrated in most restaurants.

I haven't had service like this in quite some time!

For starters, he went with the Lobster Bisque that everyone at his work was raving about. I passed on the soup initially, as I tend to fill up rather quickly. But one taste of the SOs and I was flagging down our server to order a cup of my own.

It was quite rich, and the SO ended up helping me finish it after he polished off his bowl, but it was by far the best bisque I've ever eaten.

Then it was on to the bruschetta. This girl likes to have a little Italian flare in every meal!

The bread was yummy, and the tomatoes were so fresh I couldn't get enough of them. I wasn't thrilled with the goat cheese fondue that was included on the side, it didn't have much flavor. But, what did I really expect from a seafood restaurant, anyway?

For the main course I really wanted to get crab and lobster, but I could hear my wallet screaming at me as I looked at the menu. So I went with the pretzel-crusted salmon.

Now, let me say this before I proceed. I'm a girl who likes my fish raw. I could eat sushi every day and be a happy girl, so cooked seafood isn't something I typically eat.

But, even with that, this was one of the best pieces of salmon I've ever eaten. It was thick and flavorful. The pretzel crust added just enough texture without taking away from the flavor of the fish.

Served on a bed of green beans and chopped potatoes, I highly recommend this dish.

The SO got shrimp and scallops that I didn't have a chance to taste before my stomach called it quits, but based on the moaning across the table it must have been pretty good.

We passed on dessert to come home and head to bed early.

Given the price and the portion size, next time we go there, we'll probably get soup and split a crab or lobster platter.

Oh yes, there will be a next time.

Here's a snapshot on Salmon Dave's:

Price: $$$$ (about $30 a plate)

Menu Selection: **** (wasn't expecting so much to choose from)

Taste: *** 

Service: ***** 

Atmosphere: **** 

So if you find yourself in West Cleveland and have a craving for seafood, head over to Salmon Dave's in Rocky River, you won't be disappointed.

Cheers!

-A

What do you want to know?

Editor's Note: I'm opening this up to questions at the end...what do you want to know about me for an upcoming interactive Q&A. I can link to you or keep it anonymous, your choice. Comment or write me at meadface88@gmail.com with your questions.

.................................................

So as I sat here and stared at a blank screen, thinking of what I could review today, I headed back to my Google Reader to procrastinate some more.

When wouldn't you know it, I encountered just the inspiration I needed from LiLu's post today. It's a type of meme that, well, I typically don't participate in. But since the change (in my blog, not like the change. c'mon now, I'm 25 people!) I've noticed there are a significant number of new readers who may want to know a little about this author.

All y'all who are regulars are LOLing right now because you know just how uninteresting I am...but, per usual, I'm going to do it anyway.

Odds are, you'll hear way more than you ever wanted as you proceed. What can I say, I'm an oversharer (consider that factoid number 1). So, let the TMIing commence.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can't...

...start my morning without coffee. Unless of course you're okay with my moodiness.

...be without something to obsess over. If it's not one thing, it's another. I'm always eyeball deep in something crazy.

...sew a button onto a shirt.

...make up my mind. This is why I move, change and update so frequently.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I can...

...cook a mean Italian meal. 

...control my potty mouth. I just choose not to.

...eat an entire box of cereal in one sitting. Yes, I've done it. Yes, I felt like shit after.

...do anything I set my mind to. Seriously, anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I won't...

...give up. That's not my style. If I want something, I go for it. Balls to the wall.

...use a tanning bed. I've tried. My skin is just too sensitive and I end up miserable. Pasty and Proud!

...bungee jump. Jumping out of airplanes, no problem. BASE jumping, I'll consider it. Plummeting to the Earth hoping the cord doesn't snap, not a snowball's chance in hell!

...quit eating ice cream; even though this little lactard really should steer clear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will...

...get back into photography. I miss having an artistic outlet.

...fight for you.

...be a good mom one day. Even if it's only to a dog.

...continue doing what it takes to make myself happy. This is one New Year's Resolution I've stuck with since 2006 - there's no going back now!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I shouldn't...

..be so trusting sometimes. But I can't help it. I like to see the best in everyone, until they give me a reason not to.

...buy fruit roll ups at the store. I eat them like it's my job. Yes, I'm embarrassed. 

...spend so much time on the interwebs. But I love it so much, so I will.

... ____. Some of you know what belongs here. And y'all know I'm not going to stop. Sorry, a girl's gotta have some secrets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I should...

...be better about hydrating. I don't drink enough water.

...budget. This little skydiving hobby is eating a giant hole in my pocket. I need shopping money, damn it!

...talk to my dad on the phone more. My mom and I are the talkers of the family, but that's no excuse.

...learn to control my mouth. It gets me into trouble, a lot. Ha! Who am I kidding? We all know that'll never happen.

So there you have it. Did you learn more about me or did I just confuse you? 

I'm going to open this up to questions, now: if there's anything you want to know about me, let me know, and I'll do a cute little Q&A sometime down the road. 

Comment here or e-mail me at meadface88@gmail.com with what you want to know about me!

Cheers!

-A

P.S. I'm not going to tag people to do this...I'm too lazy. But feel free, it's actually kinda fun!

The Ugly Truth

This weekend the SO and I decided to see a movie - since it was too windy for him to golf and me to skydive.

I'm kidding. We really do like each other.

Anyhow, we decided to see The Ugly Truth since we both like Katherine Heigl - though I'm sure for very different reasons.

We were both expecting it to be quite funny, which, for the most part is true. But as you can probably imagine, it was a little too predictable. 

I won't spoil it for those who have yet to see it, but what you think is going to happen from the beginning, does.

Then again, what romantic comedy doesn't, right?

What I liked most about it is that it goes beyond the male/female stereotypes. This is not a longer version of Everybody Loves Raymond.

There are events that occur in the movie that everyone can relate to because it's happened to you before. At one point in the movie the SO and I both turned to each other and laughed.

Needless to say, it's a cute, funny movie, but definitely not one you need to spend 10 bucks to see in the theater. Save that money for the G.I Joe release - can't beat the action on the big screen.

This critic gives the movie three stars: a decently funny romantic comedy.

Cheers!

-A

Taking my time

Patience is not a virtue that I possess. It never has been.

When I want something, I want it. Waiting isn't an option. Unfortunately, this has worked out pretty well for me over the years. Yes, unfortunately. Maybe I've just been lucky, or spoiled, but as I look at it now, I wish life could have forced me to learn patience long ago.

I've become a little too comfortable with instant gratification.

Events as of late have shown me that I need to be more patient with the world, and myself. I can't rush the things that matter most. Putting one foot in front of the other, carefully, deliberately, is more important now than ever.

Sometimes, meeting a pre-set deadline isn't what's most important.

If I take a step back and look at what's happening around me, maybe I'll learn something and allow it to stick. I may just surprise myself with how much I'm enjoying right now - there may even be contentment in the now.

In the end, taking my time and being patient is only going to make me a better person.

I've said I love challenges, and this may be the biggest of my life. I truly believe it'll all be worth the wait.

Cheers!

-A

EA Sports Active

As many of you may recall, I decided a while back to man up and take the 30-day challenge on EA Sports Active for Nintendo Wii.

Saturday will officially mark the 30 days since I began the challenge. And no, I will not have completed the workouts by this time. I'll be going about three days over - due to soreness and rests because of skydiving and such.

Anyhow, I think I still have some pretty good insight into the program that I'd like to share with y'all today.

As expected, there is some good, some bad and even a few surprises in the following review.

Has anyone else tried this? How does it compare with say, Wii Fit? As a non-Wii Fit user, I'm intrigued. Maybe one day I'll try it out and do a head to head comparison...

Until then, here's my review on the first 30 days using EA Sports Active for the Wii.

Raves:

• It's harder than you might think, and really gets your heart pumping.
• You can choose your level of intensity depending on how you feel that day.
• You can create an avatar that looks like you.
• It doesn't track your weight. This is good for those of us not trying to lose pounds, but more to shape up. 
• It really focuses on your legs - something I've always needed help with.

Rants:

• The resistance band doesn't do enough for my arms.
• It's very sensitive to movement - if you're shaking from the intensity of the workout it'll make you redo it.
• No matter how well you perform, your "trainer" tells you that you could be doing better. These must be canned, automatic responses.
• Even when you choose to listen to all types of music, the songs repeat frequently.
• Often the trainer tells you to set your own pace, then a minute later tells you to wait for the ding sound to switch positions. MAKE UP YOUR MIND!

Surprises:

• You sweat, a LOT. (+)
• There's a journal section that allows you to track other activities and lifestyle choices. It provides basic advice on how to make better choices. (+)
• Trophies are earned for milestones - positive reinforcement and an additional challenge to earn all the awards. (+)
• Goal setting options are very basic and don't provide much detail on progress. (-)

I'd really love to try out Wii Fit to see how it compares. In the past month I've seen a few changes in my body, but it's hard to tell if it's been from that or my other activities.

For instance, my arms have toned up, but I have a feeling steering a parachute every weekend helps with that.

Bottom line - I recommend this product. It's a great at-home option that's sure to make you sweat and get your heart rate up. And it's surprisingly challenging. 

Sure, you may look funny running in place as your avatar travels around the track, but it beats the smell of a sweaty gym any day.

Cheers!

-A

My Jamaican Queen

Hi All. Please welcome Andrena from Theories of Anything. As part of the biggest 20SB blog swap ever(!), and Drena's first, please welcome her with open arms. That means comments, lovelies! And if you give a crap, I'm over at her pad today. Cheers!

Today, I’ll be focussing on my love for anything and everything that is Grace Jones and try and do a review that will be worthy of this blog. Thanks Ashley for agreeing to give me this chance to reach a wider audience and to add a post to your quality blog. Thank you all for reading and I hope that my love for music and going to gigs will rub off on a few of you. London is one of the best multicultural and artsy capital for live good and quality music. I’ve spent most of this year going to underground rock and funk gigs at times for only a few quid (pounds). I’ve become a groupie for many up and coming unsigned bands like Astroman, Love Revue and De Tropix. If only I could be Grace Jones groupie.

The Icon, model, performer and singer that is Ms Grace Jones has been seducing London and the rest of the UK for over 6 months now! It seems that Ms Jones has awoken from hibernation and is taking the stage by storm every where she goes. She is still larger than life as she has been twenty seven years ago along side Arnold Schwarzenegge in Conan, The Barbarian and even long before then in the 70s when she transformed from Jamaica girl to the Queen of Gay Disco, the New York underground and Studio 54.

Grace Jones is indeed a true legend. I had the good luck to see her performed live a few months ago. I say good luck because all tickets were sold out and it was only at the last minute that I was able to obtain a ticket through a work colleague. She updated her facebook status with “free extra ticket to Grace Jones concert tomorrow night” and I quickly messaged her and literally begged for the ticket. My heart was racing at the intro when the hard based of Jamaican Reggae beats came on.

"Welcome," she purred seductively before bursting into the throbbing Nightclubbing. "Tonight I'm gonna blow you softly. Then I'm gonna blow you hard. Mmmm, I think you're ready."

And that was what she did! The Grace Jones of today is still scary and sexy. Appearing in a black basque, stockings and those heels, with a toned body that doesn’t look a day over 30 – even though she is now 60, this Jones is all woman and doesn’t appear to be slowing down one bit. Grace just oozes a very special kind of magic, madness and raw talent.
The highlight of my night was the encore.

Few people can hula-hoop flawlessly for five minutes. Fewer still can do it on a podium, sporting a catsuit and mask. Practically none can do it simultaneously belting out muscular, new wave world disco (Slave To The Rhythm) to thousands awestruck viewers.
I’ll leave you with this… The video that I was able to record on my camera of that amazing multitasking performance by the one and only Grace Jones that made the Roundhouse's collective jaw drop an extra half inch! Enjoy this highlight of the best gig I’ve ever been too. This was bigger than John Legend… much bigger than Linkin Park’s Projekt Revolution… even greater than Linkin Park… Only one person alive can bring art, performance and music together in one show. Enjoy this preview of the one and only Grace Jones!



Als Simmons is the owner of the blog Theories of Anything.

Geek or Nerd?

...but definitely not dork.

It's the ultimate debate among those of us who are engrossed in social media and love technology so much that it often consumes our conversations.

Does being computer savvy with a drive to be at the forefront of emerging technology make us geeks or nerds?

I've always considered myself a nerd when it comes to all things technological. There's no real logical explanation for why I chose this word to describe myself - maybe it's because I just feel nerdy when I go on and on about the latest iPhone software update or decide to edit my own HTML rather than use a standard compose feature.

But after reading this comparison chart that was shared with me by an equally tech-happy friend yesterday, it's clear that we fall into the geek category.

Of course, this site is bias toward the geek, making nerd appear to have high degrees of social awkwardness. 

Don't even get me started on what it makes dork sound like. Sorry SO, when I call you a dork, it's because I find your quirks endearing, not because I think you play with your own snot.

So tell me dear readers, where do you fall on the geek vs. nerd vs. dork scale?

Cheers!

-A

That's quite the fantasy

Before you proceed, one thing to note is that this is in fact NOT a rant. It's purely an observation that I find highly interesting. It provides a little insight into the male mind. It's rather entertaining, really. Enjoy!

(Haha, I don't actually believe this, but it's F-ing hilarious!)

I'd like to talk candidly for a minute about a little thing called fantasy football.

Now ladies, for those who are unaware, fantasy football is more than just a game to the people who participate - it's a sport in and of itself.

I used to think fantasy football was for all those short or gangly, unathletic men out there who could never make the cut in high school and this was the closest they'd ever get to real football. But the more I've been around it, the more involved it really is.

Let me just say, before I proceed, that I'm a lover of sports. I really am. I look forward to football season to see how my Spartans are going to be this year, and just try to pry me away from the TV during March Madness. What can I say, I love me some college sports.

And I've always been a huge fan of hockey, what with the Redwings being an institution. But I've never really been able to get into pro football. Maybe it's because I grew up with the Lions in my back yard, I dunno. The only time I have comfortably sat down to watch a game is on Thanksgiving - a family tradition.

Though I do give myself quite a bit of credit for watching so many Brown's games with the SO last year.

Anyhow - this fantasy stuff is quite the ordeal from what I've seen. Prior to the start of the season there's a draft day where everyone gets together to draft the players they want onto their fantasy team. Personally, I think it's a reason to get together and drink and talk about football, but anyway...

In order to be fully prepared there's LOTS of preparation that goes into making the best strategic picks - we're talking full out research here folks. Sports Illustrated even has an issue dedicated to this fantasy stuff.

Don't even get me started on the number of e-mails about this stuff. I swear it's like they sit at their computer (or iPhone) all day just waiting for the next message about one of the leagues they're in. Yes ladies, most guys are in multiple leagues!

From there it's non-stop obsession throughout the season - not only watching and cheering on your favorite team - sometimes while on the phone with friends who are watching the same game to analyze every play, but watching every single game to make sure all your players do well and don't get injured.

That's a shit ton of football.

According to the SO, it's only Saturday (college), Sunday, Monday in the beginning of the season, then Thursday gets added, then Tuesday...or whatever, you get the idea.

Needless to say, ladies, if you don't participate in these leagues - if you're not from Ohio or Texas you probably don't, but you'd be surprised how many do in these super football states - you get lots of free time in the fall.

Or maybe you'll get drug to the couch for every game and to hear all about how his team is doing.

Personally, I'll be spending my extra free time flying through the sky, making it back just in time to catch the last five minutes. I do like a good ending!

What's your experience with fantasy football - or other fantasy sports?

Cheers!

-A

Deja Vu

Have any of y'all seen the new Palm Pre commercial out there? The one where the woman with the procelin skin is talking about a juggler.

You know, this one.

Am I the only one that finds this commercial a little creepy?

At first, I thought it was a cool idea for an ad. It grabs your attention and somehow manages to hold it while you wait to see what's going to happen. It's different than all the other ADD commercials out there that jump around from frame to frame, making quick cuts to hold our attention.

But the more I see it the more that woman gives me the willies.

Her skin is so perfect it looks plastic. Did she just jump out of a painting or something?

And that voice is just a little too perfect too. It's like she's trying to put me into a trance.

I can't decide if I love it or hate it. Either way, when it comes on, I just can't look away.

Thoughts?

Cheers!

-A

Apple a Day

(What I imagine the following interaction would have looked like face-to-face.)

Okay, before I get into an actual review here, I have a personal rant. That's allowed, see my tagline. 

I thought sleep would help refresh my emotional tie to this, but it didn't. I'm still pissed.

So yesterday was busy. Work was crazy, I have some administrative stuff I'm taking care of in my life at the moment, and Twitter was suffering. But in the afternoon I finally had time to settle in and share some valuable info with my followers (valuable being subjective, of course).

I won't share with you the gruesome details of the exchange, but I posted something that one of my doucheface followers didn't agree with. That's fine, it's my opinion, you are certainly entitled to yours.

HOWEVER...

I don't feel he was entitled to speak to me the way he did; a man I've never met before. He was elitist and acted as though he was a better human being than I - given that he called me a moron, childish, and pathetic, all in a single Tweets. That's saying a lot in 140 characters my friend.

This was even after I controlled my ego and sent him an apology Tweet for any confusion I may have caused with my previous update.

Not only that, after his last direct message where he was clearly fuming, he immediately unfollows and blocks me on Twitter.

Who's being childish again?

Anyhow, at least I don't have to worry about him anymore...

Okay, I feel better. Thanks for listening. On with the show.

.....................................................................

I have to admit that I'm an Apple junkie. No, not the red (or green) crunchy variety, but Apple as in Mac, iPhone and iPod.

It's gotten to a point where I just have to admit to myself that I'm a junkie. I've done things like drop $2 grand on a new MacBook within 5 hours of thinking, "hey, that might be a good idea," and replacing my iPod purely because I walked by the Apple store and saw a pretty purple

one I liked.

I even paid $200 to get out of my Alltel plan so I could dump the BlackBerry for an iPhone. And of course, I eagerly awaited the latest software update so I could be one of the first to make the switch.

Yes, I may have a sickness.

But of course, these products do not come without their issues. We're all aware that Apple has serious battery problems. Though I have to admit, my iPhone battery lasts way longer than the one in my BlackBerry Pearl did, especially when I am using it as a phone.

So in keeping with the negative trend, here are some things that irk me about the Apple products on my shelf.

iPhone:

• The latest software upgrade is screwing with my passcode. Because I use the device for my work e-mail, I have a passcode to get into my phone. Now, every 24 hours, it's asking me to change that code. No one knows why or how to fix it. Damn.
• The battery life, as I've already covered, is something to be desired. But it charges quick, so that's a bonus.
• Why isn't there a flash available for the camera? C'mon, BlackBerry even does it!
• Shazam: let me preface this by saying I LOVE this app. But why does it take so long to load prior to tagging? Hurry up, the song's almost over!

MacBook:

• Again with the battery - I've already had mine replaced once because it completely died. It's only a year old!
• Internet connection speed - sometimes it takes this beast two minutes to connect to my wireless. What gives?
• Overall speed - I used to be impressed, but lately it's been running really slow, and pictures on Facebook and Flickr sometimes never even load.

MacBook Pro:

• I love this computer, it's for work, but parallels are a bitch to use.

iPod:

• There needs to be a function that allows you to shuffle a playlist, not just all the songs you've uploaded. Sometimes I want to listen to the upbeat songs in my running playlist, but in a different order, without having to skip over the songs from my mellow playlist.

Of course, I must admit that the battery in my iPod still works swimmingly and I've had it almost a year now. GASP!

If you have any recommendations for my issues above, please let me know!

So tell me dear readers, are you a Mac, or a PC? And why?

Cheers!

-A

RAVE: Dante Lucci Salon

Yesterday was unlike any day I've had in months. It was hectic, and stressful, and whirlwind.

Between work, planning a long weekend that includes driving home to Michigan for my dad and big brother's birthdays, stopping in Tecumseh for a skydive at a new drop zone, then coming back for a typical Sunday at my home drop zone, I've been dealing with some personal stresses that I won't burden you with.

Hey Alexa, maybe I will take you up on that wine offer...

All that stress and worry seemed to disappear as soon as I stepped into Dante Lucci Salon in Rocky River.

*Photo courtesey of Dante Lucci Salon.

This has been my main salon since I moved to Cleveland. They have lots of professionals on staff and they use really gentle products - Bumble and Bumble. This girl's hair is just too sensitive for harsh Aveda bleach. 

And you have to admit, the decor is just so freakin' cute! If you're a Westsider, this is definitely a salon to check out.

I met with a new stylist yesterday as I was in desperate need of a cut and color - now!

Shari went the extra mile for me. She took the time to analyze the current state of my hair, and recommended I go in a slightly different direction than what'd I'd originally come in with.

So instead of adding in more damaging highlights, she simply added some lowlights and used a gloss all over. She finished with a trim to clean up my layers and split ends and we were all set.

My hair finally looks even and healthy!

(Ignore the less-than-excited smile, I'm still working on my first cup of coffee).

There was also a girl there who was new to the salon and watching for a couple days. She did my shampoo and blow dry - and was amazing. If you want the most relaxing shampoo of your life, go to Dante Lucci and ask for Gretchen. I was in heaven!

Here's what my hair looked like before - blonder and longer.

(Yes, I know I'm wearing the same jacket. Give me a break.)

Of course, once I walked out feeling great with my new hair, the whirlwind continued as I went and picked up the SO who was stranded downtown - long story - and acted as his chauffeur for the night.

I'm making it a point to hold my head high and not let today get the best of me. But if you see me after work toting a bottle of wine in each hand you'll know the day won.

Cheers!

-A

Dim Sum...yum!

As I sit here and devour my takeout from China Sea in the Theatre District, I can't help but rave about their buffet.

Prior to moving our office over here, I struggled to find good Chinese within walking distance of Public Square. There was a place in Tower City but it just didn't do it for me.

China Sea offers everything a good buffet should, including two kinds of noodles, white and brown steamed rice, and they even have sushi.

The price isn't bad either!

Since we moved here a few months back, most of my out-to-lunch options have bounced between Subway and Bricco (when we've got a little extra time).

I can't complain about either, Subway is fast and healthy and Bricco is so yummy - it's also got a great atmosphere for a business lunch. I still need to try to fried pickles. I hear they're freakin' amazing. That'll be a review for another day!

China Sea definitely helps mix it up a little. It's quick and satisfying - that is, if you can ignore the food coma after. Good, greasy Chinese food always gets me.

Cheers!

-A

Upgrade in Lakewood

This weekend one of my bestests (yes, it's a word, I just invented it, okay?) from college came into town for a wedding. Since she was staying with me it was only appropriate to take her out and show her a good time.

I had been meaning to make it out to Around the Corner to check out the recent renovations but have been hard pressed for time lately. So, what a great opportunity.

We headed there around 11 p.m., expecting to hit the peak of crowdedness. But to our surprise, once we made it back out onto the patio we had more room to breathe than we could have imagined.

We even found a table!

(Not the bar where we were...)

My first mission though, was to check out the new space. 

It wasn't what I had expected, but rather quite nice. They took over the building next door, knocked out the adjoining wall, and built another bar inside. This extra bar is great because on busy nights, it can take upwards of 15 minutes to get served from the bar there.

For some reason I thought it was going to be an extended outdoor patio. It was much nicer than I'd expected.

We didn't spend much time in the new area once a table outside was spotted, but I was impressed. The added space was much needed for this popular Lakewood bar.

My only beef with it was that they had a band tucked away in the corner that was entirely too loud for the small space. Another reason we perched outside that night.

Because we'd all had long weekends and were preparing for a busy Sunday, we headed home after one round of drinks.

On the way out, I had one last little treat as I ran into Alexa during her post-wedding party. We had just been talking about getting together for drinks, and this was a sign that it must happen soon!

Anyway, if you're in Lakewood, Ohio this summer, I highly recommend checking out the new space at Around the Corner. It's a great outdoor destination for any weekend socialite.

Cheers!

-A

Switching it up

Well my little blogger friends, as you know I'm constantly dying for change, so I've decided to put my money where my mouth is - or rather, my blog.

That's right, kiddos, there's about be a change up in hizzle. 

You may have noticed that my bio at the right has changed recently. 

No? Okay, well now you know.

Starting next week, Encounters of the Human Kind will no longer exist as we know it. But don't get too upset yet, I'm not gone for good.

What's actually happening is that the name will be changing, and we'll all be heading over to a new domain name. One I actually own.

See, I am putting my money where my mouth is!

So, here it is - my new blog name: Raves and Reviews

http://www.ravesandreviews.com

This move is highly appropriate as I've already been providing rants, raves, and reviews on a regular basis (yes, of course rants are included. check the tagline). So the switch is less about changing focus and more about building a site around what I've already been doing.

Because really, when was the last time I actually posted about someone that I met - especially someone that doesn't skydive. Besides, that's what Skydive Chick is for (my uuber cool blog about skydiving).

In essence, this doesn't affect y'all as much as you might think. Blogger will continue to be my platform. It'll still be me and my smart mouth, everyday, providing the same opinionated crap as always. But hopefully now, you'll be able to take away some good, bad and ugly of everything I consume and encounter on a daily basis.

See, I'm doing this for you. My dearest readers!

And of course, if there's something you're curious about but don't have the guts to try or buy, let me know. Odds are, I'll do it and give you the rundown.

Now, in theory, given that I'll be exporting the contents of EHK to the new site, Blogger is supposed to continue directing y'all who visit recentencounters.blogspot.com to that domain, but I'm not all that trusting of how the interwebs might actually function with this change. So...if you have me bookmarked, or I'm in your Google Reader, now is the time to add the new domain.

Please and thank you!

Of course, until that time comes I'll be banging this into your head, a la LiLu and her recent move.

Hope y'all are as excited for this change as I am. It's bound to be an enlightening experience for us all.

So keep coming back for my raves and reviews, and of course, some rants in my typical cynical fashion, as a 20-something consumer.

Cheers!

-A

You don't want my shoes

Late last night the SO and I were talking about our day. Thankfully, mine was rather uneventful, as his was fairly high-stress.

In the recap he was discussing a conversation with a man on his team that was so intense it got me worked up just listening to it.

Here's a little background for you: apparently in his prime this man used to be an executive of sorts, making "six figs" as he puts it, but given the economic decline and the near disappearance of his line of work, he's stuck working with the 20-somethings, doing work that he believes to be beneath him.

Editor's note: I don't understand half of what the SO does for a living, it's so complex. But of course, this is coming from a communications professional, what do I know?

So while arguing with the SO about leaving early, regardless if his work is done, Mr. Executive says, "try walking a day in my shoes."

Now, this brings me to my point.

No one, no matter what they've been through in their life, has the right to say that to someone else. Ever.

You just don't know what the person you're saying that to has gone through. You have no idea.

Giving this guy the benefit of the doubt, I'm sure he looks at the SO and thinks to himself that a 20-something kid has no idea what it's like to work his way to the top only to be smacked back down by elements that are out of your control, all the while trying to support a family - and so on and so forth.

But the fact of the matter is, he really doesn't know. Just because someone looks like they've lived a charmed life, it doesn't mean they have - nor does it mean they don't understand stress.

Oh, did I mention that he said "you don't know what stress is." Yeah, right. That too.

And truthfully, what this guy was complaining about is nothing in the grand scheme of the kinds of stress life can bring. Really, anyone who's ever endured true stress and life hardships, only to be left standing tall on the other side, doesn't go around rubbing it in others faces. They just don't.

So take a lesson from this douche - don't be one - and never assume you know how someone else leads their life. They could be two, or twenty, or ninety, you just don't know what kind of life experiences they've live through. No one has the right to assume their life is more difficult than others around them.

Seriously, you just don't know.

Cheers!

-A

4th recap

Okay, so as y'all are probably aware, I'm not a huge fan of weekend recaps. However, this weekend was especially eventful, and honestly I don't have much else to talk about. So here goes.

Like most people in the corporate world, I had Friday off. Even better, our office closed at 3 p.m. on Thursday. So I had a couple more hours of weekend to enjoy.

Of course, I spent it cleaning and working out*, but that's just what a girl's gotta do. 

Then I had a 9 p.m. appointment for an airbrush tan with Lisa from Optima Sun Labs. Which by the way, I have to say was fantastic. She was quick and super personable. And I even recruited her for skydiving! It was a little pricey, but definitely worth it for the occasional tan.

On Friday the SO and I headed to Cedar Point for our first trip of the year. It was rather nostalgic for us as this is where he first kissed me - in line for Top Thrill Dragster actually (awww).

We hit up all the big rides - Raptor, Millennium Force, Maverick, and of course Dragster. By that time we'd had it. Our feet were tired, our heads hurt, and we were sunburned. Being stuck in an office day in and day out has really made us soft, yeesh!

So we headed home for a nap, woke up absolutely ravenous, and headed to the Winking Lizard in Lakewood to feed my craving for nachos. Mmmm...

We followed this up with a trip to visit some friends who recently got a puppy - a 3 month old coonhound-ridgeback mix. Other than the constant digging and attempts to dominate the SO, he was adorable. Corona's and cornhole ensued.

The night closed with an at-home viewing of Gran Torino. If you haven't seen this movie, it's a MUST. Clint Eastwood is beyond phenomenal in this role.

Saturday was a sleep in day. And boy did that feel great. The day actually started out pretty slow - leisurely breakfast, got in another workout and then I had to bite the bullet and get some groceries (given that breakfast included my scraping the sides of the peanut butter jar with a butter knife in hopes of getting a little more sustenance). 

So off I headed to the cluster-f**k that was Giant Eagle. A minor panic attack rose to the surface as I tried to figure out the logistics of how to maneuver the last-minute picnic shoppers and their carts full of hot dogs, but then I realized I had no choice. I literally ran around the store to get the basics, found the shortest checkout line and peaced out as quickly as possible.

With fridge fully stocked, it was off to the East side with the SO for a cookout and cornhole - again. Now I have to stop and say this was a big step for the SO as he's one of those West-siders that doesn't cross the Cuyahoga. EVER. In fact, this may have been the first time we'd been to the East side together.

Anywhosits, it was a great time. I tend to get a little squirmy when I'm around a group of 10+ people I've never met before, but everyone was so nice and so laid back, it was easy to relax. I felt like I fit right in.

The food was great and the SO and I even beat the old guys in cornhole. The night was capped off with a walk down to Lakewood park for fireworks and then back home where we both passed out on the couch.

Grandma and Grandpa were tired!

Sunday was another early start to head to the drop zone for a couple jumps. It'd been two weeks so I was definitely nervous, but of course I fell right back in (no pun intended) like I'd never missed a day.

(All smiles in my new gear!)

I got to fly my new jumpsuit and altimeter and even got Lonnie to come up with me for jump #13 and get some new solo pics. You can find some here. Or on my Facebook or Flickr pages.

So tell me dear readers, how was your 4th of July weekend?

Cheers!

-A

*I'm keeping up with my EA Sports Active challenge. Entering a successful 3rd week on the program. What's up!?

Morning person

I've always prided myself on being a morning person. My brain seems to work so much better in the early mornings. And the fact that the office is dead until 8:30 really helps my concentration too.

But what I'm not that best at in the mornings is talking to people. At least not until I have my coffee.

I've found that on the days where I decided to get a little extra shut eye and get into the office after my cube neighbors that, until I've had time to caffeinate and settle in, I'm rather annoyed by the pure existence of others.

In fact, I find anyone who has already consumed caffeine to be highly irritating first thing in the morning.

I need a sign that says: BEWARE! Use caution when speaking to the Bitch before 9 a.m.

Even on those days when the SO sleeps over it's not usually a problem because he's just as mute as I in the mornings.

That is, until today. Given that we both have so much work to do before the holiday weekend, we decided to set the alarm earlier and get into the office for a productive morning.

Groggy, I pull myself from the warmth of my bed and stumble toward the bathroom, only to be met by the SOs foot swinging through the air - you know, as if he were attempting to kick me in the face.

He was chipper and had energy like I'd never seen before 10 a.m. What gives, SO?

Thing was, with only 6 hours of sleep under my belt I didn't have the energy to do more than grumble a "you're hyper this morning" in his general direction.

Hindsight, if he would have kicked me in the face maybe I could have called off today. Only kidding...unless he broke my nose.

Ha. J/K again! He couldn't get his foot up that high anyhow.

Just kidding, Just kidding. SO, you're the best.

Really, his chipperness was a refreshing change from our typical silent mornings. But when it comes to anyone else, if I have to see you before my coffee, I prefer a silent interaction.

Though I'd love to not see you at all!

So tell me dear readers, what does your routine look like prior to coffee consumption?

On another note, it's a long weekend! YAY!!  I'm excited to report that I'll be spending tomorrow at Cedar Point riding roller coasters and Sunday falling through the air at 120 mph (skydiving, naturally). I'll get to put my new jumpsuit and altimeter to good use. And I'm hoping to have some solo skydiver pics to share with y'all next week!

Any big plans for the 4th?

Cheers!

-A