Back in the 'Burg

Hello all,

So in my last post, I talked about finally taking a day off. I refused to take a day off until I had actual plans because sitting around my house, trying not to check my work email wasn't going to do it for me. So where did I end up, you ask?

Harrisonburg, of course. (You can take the girl out of JMU, but you can't take the JMU out of the girl).

On Friday after the Fourth of July, I packed my bags and headed up to the 'burg. Because Jeremy had to work until late afternoon, I decided to burn sometime at the Book Fair. 

Never been to the Book Fair? You are missing out. The Green Valley Book Fair comes to down for three weeks at a time about 6 times a year. I've been visiting the book fair since my sophomore year of college back in 2007. They sell books of all subjects for 60 to 90 percent off retail prices. I could seriously spend hours there. I left there with a novel, a cookbook, and two books for my niece. 

Another major highlight of the weekend was helping Jeremy with a website for Packsaddle Ridge Golf Club by playing photographer. It was so great to have a reason to get back behind my camera. I got some awesome photos and tons of compliments. I'll post the link the website once it is finished.

iPhone shot

The other highlight was the feast we prepared on Saturday after being at the golf course all day. Jeremy and I came home and got to cooking! We had shrimp and chicken kabobs with green and red peppers, rice, pasta salad, and fried squash. A couple of friends joined us and we ate until we were stuffed and then we sat around the nice, warm bonfire, listening to some 90's music.

Dinner by the citronella light!

All in all, it was an amazing weekend! But hey, that was only the start to my travels this summer. Keep up!

Game 2: JMU vs Alcorn State

The weekend of the second home JMU football game was definitely more of a whirlwind for me than the first weekend. I worked wayyyy later than I supposed to the Friday before the game; therefore, I did not drive up until Saturday morning. As I was driving up, I heard on the radio that there was a threat of inclement weather. But I wasn't going to let that stop my fun.

The Outfit

Yes this was taken in the bathroom
Outfit: Yellow T-shirt (JCPenney < $10), Purple mini skirt (Rave, forever ago, don't remember the price)
Not pictured:   Shoes (Converse, Journey ~$44), Shoelaces (Journey, I can't remember the price. <less $10.) 

Earrings (a gift from my sister, maybe from Rue21)

The Tailgate

Since Patti and her family were not attending the game, I met up with Steve, Tyler, and Danielle as soon as they got to Harrisonburg. They picked me up on campus and we headed downtown to grab lunch at Capital Ale House, which I had never eaten at before. Here, admire this photo of the burger I ate.

BTW, that pickle on top was not a regular pickle. It was like a relish pickle. Ew.

After lunch we headed to campus. After making a couple of stops, we made it down to P-Lot to hang out with that crew, which was fun. I got to hang out with some people that I'd only seen briefly the week before and we got to introduce Danielle to our friends. 

Thomas and I

I didn't take as many pictures as I did Week 1 because I was having too much fun and running my mouth (Imagine that).

The Game

So remember when I said that there was a threat of inclement weather. Well it poured while we were at lunch and they ended up postponing the game until 7 p.m. That just meant we had more time to tailgate. 

The opposing team had the same colors as us, which was very confusing, and had driven all the way up from Mississippi (make sure you say that with a Southern accent). I hope the drive was worth the loss they suffered, 42-3. Again this game got boring so we all ended up leaving early again. I then headed to Jeremy's to celebrate his birthday with him and some close friends!

Fantasy Football Draft 2012

I can be super competitive. Know that. That's why the Saturday before last I partook (is that even a word) in one of my favorite end-of-summer activities: the annual Harrisonburg Fantasy Football League draft. 

I've been participating in this league for 4 years. The league has been around for 6 years. I am currently the reigning fantasy football champion.

On September 1, at noon, we gathered at our favorite fantasy football drafting location, the Buffalo Wild Wings in Harrisonburg. This year our league was made up of 8 teams, all of whom were present for our live draft, with the exception of one, which led to us having a celebrity drafter. That celebrity drafter happened to be:

My birthday twin!

With the help of your awesome sticker girl, Jessica, we all successfully drafted our fantasy teams. I had the 8th draft pick while Jeremy had the number 1 draft pack. Patti drafted 7th, which often caused problems when we tried to share her boyfriend consultant, Ben.

Jessica and I

Anyway here are the members of my nameless team!

Matthew Stafford, QB Detroit Lions

Steven Jackson, RB St. Louis Rams

Stevan Ridley, RB New England Patriots

Marshawn Lynch, RB Seattle Seahawks

Victor Cruz, WR New York Giants

Antonio Brown, WR Pittsburgh Steelers

Jermichael Finley, TE Green Bay Packers

Ravens D/ST

David Akers, K San Francisco 49ers

Dwayne Bowe, WR Kansas City Chiefs

Kevin Smith, RB Detroit Lions

Philip Rivers, QB San Diego Chargers

Robert Meachem, WR San Diego Chargers

Denarius Moore, WR Oakland Raiders

Kenny Britt, WR Tennessee Titans

Michael Bush, RB Chicago Bears

This league is one of two fantasy football I am participating in this year. Here's to hoping I can have a good season with both!

Do you participate in fantasy football? Who are your favorite players to draft?

Top 11 of 2011

I would say that it seemed like it was just yesterday that we were ringing in 2011, but in reality it seems like it was a long time ago!


I decided to make a couple of lists to commemorate 2011.

Top 11 Books I Read During 2011 (in no particular order)

1. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins - Read it now if you haven't already.
2. Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
3. Mockingjay by Suzanna Collins
4. Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe - One of the best classic novels I've ever read
5. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
6. Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
7. Something Blue by Emily Giffin
8. Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee by Hoda Kotb
9. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
10. Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow
11. P.S. I Love You by Cecelia Ahern

Top 11 Roadtrips of 2011 (in no particular order)

1. Maine (July) - By far this was the best roadtrip ever! I am so grateful to Patti and her family for taking me. I got to spend a week with one of my most favorite families that treat me as if I am their own!
2. Harrisonburg (April) - I had the opportunity to meet one of my tumblr friends and tour the new performing arts center. I gotto attend two of Beau's baseball games and hang out with some of my absolute favorite JMU/Harrisonburg loves.
3. Charlotte (April/May) - Though I was down there for a job interview, I got to spend time with my old roomie, my birthday twin, and my boys! And I actually got to stay in the city this time and see more of Charlotte.
4. Arlington (January) - I brought in the new year with my roomies and got to go to Tyson's, which reminds me - I need to go back there.
5. Harrisonburg (August) - I always love going to Harrisonburg for fantasy football weekend. On this particular weekend, I got to catch up with one of my MCCs, go to the book fair, and go dance like a crazy fool at The Blue Nile, which was the absolute highlight of my weekend!
6. Norfolk (May) - I traveled down to Old Dominion University, a place I always feel at home, to celebrate my little cousin's graduation! A good time as always!
7. Arlington (August) - It was my first time in Northern Virginia during the warm months in years! I had a blast walking around D.C. in the heat and visiting museums and monuments!
8. Arlington (September) - I went to D.C. for some job interviews and it was the first time I rode the metro by myself and I did it correctly!
9. Harrisonburg (October) - Homecoming 2011 was amazing! I got to surprise my favorites! And watching the game with Jim in the brand new stadium was AMAZING!
10. Arlington (February) - This trip happened so long ago that I can't remember what I did. But I do remember not having to spend Valentine's weekend alone and I got to see my Bea! I think I also went to Potomac Mills and IKEA for the first time ever!
11. Blacksburg (August) - Moving my sister into college was fun because it brought back memories of my 4 wonderful years at JMU! And I got to spend time with my Little Duke turned Hokie, Tori. 

Top 11 Moments of 2011 (In no particular order)

1. My little sister being crowned Miss DHS in March.
2. My little sister graduating as valedictorian of her high school class.
3. My cousin graduating from Old Dominion University.
4. Watching my JMU Dukes beat those Richmond Spiders as my first game in new stadium for Homecoming 2011.
5. Watching the Dinwiddie Girls Cross Country team become regular season district champs and win the district championship. And I was there every step of the way!
6. The birth of my niece, Raina...but maybe not the part where I was actually in the room for it.
7. Being invited to vacation in Maine with Patti and her family! I swear the whole week before I went I was so excited, I'd just say Maine and smile like a goober because I could not wait!
8. The Earthquake of 2011
9. Seeing Wicked at the Landmark Theater
10. Having two articles and photos published in The Progress-Index
11. That moment when they announced that there was actually was going to be football this year, which led to me drafting not one, but two fantasy football teams!

I'm coming home, I'm coming home...tell the world that I'm coming home

So due to my poorness, I was planning on doing an extremely unbearable thing a couple of weekends ago.  I was going to miss JMU Homecoming for the first time since my freshman year of college. Anyonewho knows me (and some that don't) know that I love JMU and JMU Football almost more than anything in the world.


So Monday, the 26 (of September), my uncle offered to buy me a JMU Homecoming ticket. So we get online on JMUsports.com and low and behold they are all sold out. I saw a couple of overpriced ones on Stubhub and Craig's List, but not being crazy about sitting by myself, I decided that I would simply live JMU Homecoming vicariously through all of my friends.


Fast forward to Wednesday. I'm eating pizza at Giuseppe's after the cross country meet when I get a text from Jim, who asks me if I'll be attending homecoming. I tell him about how I tried to buy a ticket but to no avail. However, Jim had found some homecoming tix and needed some to sit with! I quickly agreed and that was it; I was going to homecoming!


Except I decided to keep it on the down low because I wanted to surprise everyone (a decision that would later come back to kinda bite me in the butt). So Friday after I get off work, I start my trip to Harrisonburg. I talked to Matt Rummel on the way up there and he talked about how sad he was that I wasn't going to be able to make it up to homecoming. In my head, I'm thinking, "Yesssss this is going to work out so well!" 


I get to JMU say about 7:30 and I start texting one of my baby Dukes, Erica, while I am still texting Matt, trying to stealthily figure out where I can park on campus. As I am texting both of them, my phone cuts off. I walk from the baseball lot all the way to Showker, where I plug in my phone that I've been trying to restart for the entire walk over and nothing is working.


Here I am, very close to my baby Dukes' dorm (in the treehouses) and I have no way to get in touch with her.  What am I to do? I turn around and walk back to my car and head to the Verizon store. Which they moved! It totally was not where it was, the last time I went to it. And strange enough, as soon as I walk into Verizon, I run into people from Dinwiddie. They were up there because their son goes to Bridgewater. 


I wait for awhile in Verizon while I am silently freaking out on the inside. You see, no one knows I'm coming to Harrisonburg except Beau and Josh because I was planning on staying at their place. The problem is, I don't have either of their numbers and I don't know what time Beau gets off work. 


Finally a lady comes and asks me what's going on with my phone. She looks at me, frowns, and says, "This is the third time I've seen this problem with this phone in the last two days." Umm yeah, that's exactly what I want to hear.  She takes it into the back to see if she can get it to power on. 


Guess what...it doesn't turn back on. And I'm telling her that I am 3 hours from home, going to a football game the next day and I don't have my ticket or the number of the guy who has my ticket. So she's like, let me set you up with a sales associate if you want to get a new phone tonight. And I am trying not to cry. 


So the sales guy comes over and I start explaining to him how I need a phone ASAP. He gives me two options: I can use the upgrade on our account (which is my dad's) and pay $130 for the phone I already have (with a $50 mail-in rebate) or pay $99 and file an insurance claim on my phone and get a replacement mailed to where I am staying in Harrisonburg by 11 AM the next day.


Obviously the smarter decision of the two is to file the insurance claim, so after talking to my mom, my dad, and Jeremy (he was the only person in Harrisonburg whose number I had memorized), I called the insurance people. The first time I called (yes, I said first time), the person would not let me continue because I didn't know the billing address on our account  (um, my dad lives in a different state than I do so no, I do not have his address memorized). 


So I had to call back with my dad's address and then the insurance lady informed me that A) my phone was still under warranty because it had been less than a year since I got it and B) that there was no way that they could have mailed me a phone by the next day (the Verizon guy said she was lying).


Here I am, stuck again. The Verizon guy (his name was Mike by the way) goes into the back and comes back out with a phone. He tells me that it is his backup phone and tells me to use it this weekend and then ship it back to him. He tells me to come in the next day to file an extended warranty thing to get a new phone the next week. 


He programs my number into his phone. Then I finally leave the Verizon (btw it was technically already closed when I left). Luckily, when I turned this phone on, Josh had texted me so I had his number. Jeremy texted me Beau's number so I was semi-connected again.


Then by pure coincidence I had an address book in my car that I bought for Stephanie because she is always losing her phone and losing all her numbers (is this not ironic or what?). Well since Jim is her brother, I had his number. So I called him and filled him in on the situation. I told him that he had jinxed me because I had made fun of him hours earlier about not having a smart phone and here I was in the same boat. 


I finally get dinner, get to Beau's, and then Jessica, Josh, Beau, and I head downtown to meet Jeremy for a little while. The next morning, I get up and get all JMU-ed out and head to the store to do some last minute Homecoming shopping. All the while I am texting Patti (her number was in Steph's address book as well - it's convenient when all your friends are related), telling her that I am going to have to live vicariously through you. She was sad because Aunt Patti had mentioned that she thought I was coming to Homecoming. 


Then I stalked out P-Lot waiting for Patti and her family to arrive, which I thought they were never going to! But then they finally did and I kinda jumped out and surprised them. Kinda. Patti will tell you that she thought something was up. 

Patti and I
Photo credit: Ben

And then began the task of trying to see everyone (which is difficult when you have no one's phone numbers). I was really happy though because Natasha, Tony, and Matt Rummel were truly surprised to see me and that made my day!! 
 

                                               

                                                               Tony and I




Matt and I



Matt, me, and Natasha



3/4 of 13 I-know-you-want-to-be-us

 After a couple of hours of tailgating, we headed to the stadium, which was very exciting since neither Jim nor I had been to a game in the new stadium! Our seats were way up there but they were awesome. We could see the entire field and the scoreboard. It was like having that view you get to see when you watch NFL on tv! 

Jim and I ready to watch JMU beat the Richmond Spiders!

The game was awesome! JMU won, of course! It started raining about halfway through the 3rd quarter so Jim and I snuck a couple of rows up so we could be under the awning and stay mostly dry. We stayed for the post game show and went down to the field with the MRDs afterwards to watch the trumpets do their thing.

Our view of the game.

View of where Jim and I sat from the student section.
 MRDs taking the field for postgame show.

The Jumbo Jumbotron!

Then we headed back to the car, in the rain. Needless to say, we were pretty cold and wet at this point. We grabbed dinner at Sheetz and headed to Matt Rummel's to hang out with him, Natasha, and Tony for a bit. Then we headed to SouthView.

Sunday, I got up and headed to campus where I saw 3 of my baby Dukes (Erica, Josh, and Tricia). I had D-Hall breakfast! Yum! Then I went to Jeremy's where I watched some football and had some taco salad...which was always the highlight of my football seasons in Harrisonburg. 

Then I went to Richmond to watch some football with Jim. We ended up going to Buffalo Wild Wings (yes, I was really well fed on this particular Sunday), where we couldn't decided what flavors of wings we wanted to try (there were two new flavors) so we got 24 wings between the two of us! Then we hang out for a bit before I finally headed back to Dinwiddie. 

Fantasy Football Weekend

I am so far behind and I know it! It's been a crazy couple of weeks, but let's go back to fantasy football weekend cuz it's worth talking about!


The Highlights

• Patti, Ben, and I drive to Harrisonburg on Friday, August 19, after stops in Richmond, Caroline, and Stafford. We arrive at Jeremy's new place, which I finally got see for the first time! And the best part: Jeremy had cooked us (and Josh) dinner!

Yum! Steak and vegetables!

Fantasy draft

• Our fantasy football draft took place at Buffalo Wild Wings (as it has the last 3 years). This year I got to write all the names on the board which may have affected the thought I put into my team but I got to enjoy some wings at the same time so it was all good! Patti got the number one draft pick! 
• After fantasy football, we went to see Matt and his new place! We dragged him to the book fair against his will. Where he blamed me for making him buy too many book (too many books?! As if there is a such thing!) I bought a book about presidents! 
• Later on Saturday, I met up with Candace, one of my MCC chicas, and we caught up over some frozen yogurt! I am so glad I got to see her because I kept missing her every time I was in Northern Virginia. But since she's at JMU for grad school (lucky!) she's a little easier to pin down.
• On Saturday night, we headed over to Beau and Josh's (so weird since I'm so used to it being Beau and Jeremy's) to hang out with the boys and Jessica! We ended going to the Blue Nile to go dancing after Beau begged us. I'm glad he did because I secretly wanted to go I had a blast dancing with everyone!
• On Sunday, I went to Catholic Church with Ben and Patti in Fredricksburg, which was interesting since I hadn't been to Mass since I was like 9 years old. 
• Monday morning, Ben and Hannah (Ben's little sister, who is taller than me!) made breakfast! 
• Patti, Ben, Hannah, Jake, and I went bowling in Massaponax! I hadn't been bowling in a year and it showed. We played three games and I lost everytime. I bowled a 49, a 48, and a 48. At least I'm consistent.
• That night, Patti, Ben, and I played a board game called Sequence, which might be my new favorite game. I lost everytime though! 
• On Monday, I spent the the night at Patti's!

Special Thanks: 

• Patti, for coming to picking me up in Richmond on Friday afternoon just so I could go to fantasy football and for driving back to Ashland on Tuesday morning (wayyy early) so I could go back home!
• Ben, for driving us to Harrisonburg, the book fair, the bowling alley, buying us pizza, and for making us breakfast (yummy)!
• Ben's family, for letting me stay at their house even though four of them had just met me and for feeding me!
• Jeremy, for dinner, a place to sleep (well, one night) and for a good time as always.
• Beau and Josh, for letting us hang out at y'all's place, for dancing with me at The Blue Nile, for suggesting CiCi's Pizza for lunch, for trying on everything I asked you to in Target while we waited for CiCi's to open and for letting me stay at y'all's place!
• Jessica, for showing up unexpectedly because it wouldn't have been a complete weekend in Harrisonburg without you
• Matt, for letting us see your new place and for going with us to the book fair, even though you bought too many books.
• Candace, for picking me up from Kohl's, eating frozen yogurt with me, listening to me complain about my joblessness, and for taking me back to Jeremy's, though I didn't know quite how to get there!

Things I Want!

I am constantly making lists in my head and on paper and on my phone. One of the fastest growing lists is that one where all the things I see on TV, the store, and the internet go. You know, all that stuff I want to buy (or want to be given to me, hint hint).

What I Want (in no particular order)


1. A luggage set! I felt so cool when I borrowed my uncle's luggage to go to Maine. It felt like I was actually going somewhere; it was way cooler than the two duffel bags I pack to go everywhere else. Also I hope that there's a lot more travelling in my future. (Also my mom and my sister are gonna remark that this is not a grown up looking luggage set but I think it's way cute. Steph has luggage like this and I really wanted to steal it the whole time we were in Maine.)

This set is from Target, $99

2. A new computer. Now don't get me wrong, I love Madeline2 (that's my current laptop's name); we've been through a lot together and a couple of hard drives. (I promise I'm not mean to my computer!) But she's large (15.4" screen). And she only works if she's plugged into an outlet (yes, that's how bad my battery is), which kind of defeats the purpose of the mobility of a laptop. She also makes a lot of noise, freezes often, and has to sit on a cooling fan so she doesn't overheat. And due to all the photo editing I do, sometimes I think it'd be easier to get a Mac. If only they didn't start at $999. Welp, a girl can dream...

3. This necklace or this necklace. Just because they are cute and I love cameras and I wish I had more jewelry...speaking of...


4. Almost any piece of jewelry from Tiffany&Co. I mean it is my company so I feel like I should have a bunch of stuff from there. I do love my Tiffany&Co. necklace I got for graduation though! I wear it everyday!


5. A pet! Of my very own. But I'm not going to be settled in enough probably for awhile to have a dog or cat or any other animal with fur since I like to travel and take mini trips. So I want a betta fish. Or well another betta fish. A couple of years ago, one of my friends bought me a betta fish and seriously it was one of the best gifts I've ever gotten because when I was little I always wanted a betta fish, but being that I had 2 sisters, three betta fish would cost around $12 and then they'd each need their own bowl. Needless to say, we were cheap goldfish girls. Anyway, my betta fish, Voss (long story!), sadly passed away after 6 months (and yes, I cried like a baby). 


Also I want some of those little tetra fish!


Things I Need


1. A job! - That will fund all of this stuff (eventually) and help me get those awful student loans paid for. And trust me, I am working on it. I am job searching everyday (which is why I've been MIA)! If you have any leads, let me know! I'm looking to work and live in Northern Virginia.


2. My own apt - Which is also a want for me cuz I've been dreaming about decorating my own place!


3. And for my student loans to be paid off! I'm so tired of paying them! But that requires that #1 happens and that when #2 happens, I spend less time decorating it and more of getting just what I need. 

Playing catch up!

New site, same me! I've decided to give Blogger a try. I think it will allow me to customize my blog a little differently than Tumblr allows so let's see how this works!

Because of all sorts of reasons, I am so far behind on blogging. So let me try and play catch up!

1. Since my last real post, I turned 23 (on 4/23). I had a pretty low key birthday, but I think that's what happens when you get old! I did get some really nice presents though!
2. I had my interview in Charlotte for the TEACH Charlotte program (5/1). I stayed the weekend with my sophomore roommate, Nikki and had the pleasure of visiting with Daniel, Meghan, Jeremy, and Mike while I was down there.



Bank of America building in Charlotte, NC

3. My cousin, Travis graduated from Old Dominion University (5/7)! I had the opportunity to go to his graduation ceremony and hang out with him, Alicia, Santana, Sam, and Frankie. A good time down at ODU as always.



Travis and I at his graduation



Those are the major things that happened a loooong time ago that I needed to catch up on. Everything else is fairly recent and can probably get its own personal post!

Any advice on how I can be less of an epic fail at blogging? I'm open to all ideas!