The Christmas Lights Post

We finally got the Christmas lights up and running at Mum and Dad’s house and its pretty impressive. Light up trees, hanging icicles, wreaths, moving reindeer and a sleigh all dot the lawn and light the path in flickering colors at night. I meant to get some pictures but have yet to unpack my camera battery charger (who packs it separate form their camera…honestly! So disappointed with myself). But fear not I got a video of the guy across the street’s set up. It’s a bit ostentatious, to be honest, but considering that I don’t have any pictures to share it will have to do. Show off.

Update: Ok snapped a shot leaving the other night. Here's the house all festived-up.

The Back From Iraq Post

Stefan touched down in the US earlier this week and today he is back in Virginia after making the trip up from South Carolina. I’m sure he’s glad to be back. Tonight we have a Christmas Eve/Welcome Back dinner together as a family at the Russia House which we have all been looking forward to for a while. Knowing that Stefan will actually be able to make it is really making everyone’s Christmas. He’s off at his own apartment after getting back into town to drop off his stuff, re-acclimate for a little bit before we all meet up in Herndon for dinner. While the timing of his return is very ‘Christmas-Magic’y for all of us, I imagine he’s pretty stressed running around getting back into town one day before the holiday. That’s doesn’t mean he can get out of getting me a present. Far from it. I just feel bad that he has to. I am really looking forward to seeing him later tonight.

The local paper did an article on both Stefan and his friend Greg who where deployed and returned on the same day. You can check out the newspaper here: Vienna Connection December 2008

The New Apartment Post

A week and a half after getting the keys to our new apartment and I’m finally able to squat in front of my computer and get together some semblance of a posting. Over the past few days Sarah and I have been making attempts to get the apartment in some sort of functioning order. To our credit there is a lot going on with the holidays so progression has been slow and limited to short bursts of effort after work before collapsing and falling to sleep. The apartment is looking pretty good though and despite it’s very apparent ‘temporariness’ it is starting to feel like a home. If you ignore the abundant shipping boxes and rolls of bubble wrap, you’ll find that we have a bed setup, as well as our TV stand with all the electronic gubbins. Mum and Dad where really generous and gave us an early Christmas present in a dining room table and chairs that we have set up (well 2/4 chairs still require assembly), the Hunt’s gave us a two-seater sofa and coffee table on loan from their basement, which really pulls everything together nicely for now. Cable and internet are up and running too. I am typing this sitting in front of my monitor that lays in the spare bedroom corner, cross legged, surrounded by milk crates filled with Sarah’s LPs. The holidays are here and Sarah and I both agree that the apartment can wait. It will be great…but give us a few weeks before calling up for a visit though.

The Bad Blogger Post

So lot’s has happened in the past few weeks but I have not had a spare moment to sit down and get any posts off. A new job, new apartment, Stefan's entering US airspace any moment, friends are getting married, Christmas is going into full swing with holiday parties and light hanging, there was a fire… Living in a separate location to one’s computer makes blogging rather difficult I’m finding. This weekend we will attempt to get the internet running over at the new place so until then I’ll have to leave off with a dot dot dot and ‘to be continued’. Stay tuned.

The Mad Trucker Post

So yesterday evening the office was surrounded by blaring sirens and a ton of police activity. It started out relatively distant but got extremely loud. A few of my cubicle neighbors went to windows to see what was going on, and I overheard a lot of comments along the lines of “There goes another cop”, and “That was a state trooper”. I didn’t check as I has a lot on my plate at the time and didn’t want to rubberneck if there was an accident or something close by. On my way home I listened to the news and heard the reason for all the hubbub;

Apparently it was the tail end of a high-speed police chase. It started in Maryland when a murder suspect-truck driver was going through a routine truck station. Apparently his information red-flagged him (as most murder suspect's information usually does I assume) and he fled. Driving all the way down to Tyson’s, rolling over spike strips and being chased by a cavalcade of cop cars. Eventually they stopped him when he finally lost control and crashed into some trees right down the street from my office building. After the crash he refused to get out of the cab and was tazered… I’m starting to wish I took a look now.
I couldn’t find any actual pictures that where any good so he’s one of another madman in a runaway truck. A Dark Knight came out on Blu-ray this week so it seems fitting. (Christmas shopping hint. wink wink, nudge nudge)

The Stefan's Return Post

“You stay classy Iraq. I’m out!” is the Facebook status on Stefan’s profile at the moment, which he posted just before leaving his post and starting the trek back home. We are all hoping his return trip doesn’t have too many layovers and that the Army do a good job of getting him back for Christmas. That’s the plan, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will pan out that way. Having him back would really make Christmas. I’m sure he’s far from the only guy over there hoping to make it back on time for the holiday, and I know many wont. I really feel for those guys, especially at times where family ties really mean everything. Being away from the country you love and the family you are protecting during the holidays must be awful. I can’t imagine what it really must feel like, and selfishly hope I never will. I know I’m not the only one looking forward to Stefan’s return, and I’m sure he will be somewhat of a local celebrity with all the visits he’ll be making and people who will want to spend time with him. I really can’t wait though. Having my little brother back home, and the family all together will be terrific.

The Delightfully Piney Post

This morning the family, Sarah and I met up with Ali and Bob out at Ticonderoga for the annual Christmas tree selection. The last few years we have gotten some really nice trees from the tree farm out there, and used Bob’s trailer to lug them back to the house. After wandering about scoping the options (and freezing our buts off) we settled on a really nice shaped one that we where all pretty happy with. Except Sam who was torn between a few other trees- I think she came around in the end though.

Bob’s trailer proved to be invaluable again, as we ended up picking a 14 footer that wouldn’t fit on any of our vehicles by a long shot. Ali and Bob picked out a tree for their house too and tethered the greenery to the trailer securely before making the trip back. As usual getting the sucker inside and standing upright was a bit of a task, but with the extra hands proved to be pretty painless. No lights or decorations on yet, as we want to let iot settle and see where the branches fall before sticking any adornments on it. We’ll probably have to trim back in a few spots and possibly rotate it so the nicest side faces the room, but right now its looking pretty good. I am loving how potent the tree is. The whole house smells delightfully piney, which is putting me more and more in the Christmas spirit. Mum took some snappies and has them up on FaceBook.

The Vapiano's Post

Yesterday Sarah treated me to dinner at Vapiano’s in Dulles Town Center. We had often wandered past and thought it would be interesting enough to warrant a visit but never really found ourselves particularly hungry around the place. Well we decided to make a trip of it and headed up to the mall to try it out. We are really glad we did.

The restaurant is unconventionally charming and offers great food and an interesting dining experience. When you walk in you are given a RF I.D. card and a mini-menu to peruse. The majority of the menu is pasta oriented, but there are some antipasti and pizza options also. Once you have picked what you would like you walk up to one of the counters and specify the pasta you’d like. A chef will whip it up in a wok right in front of you while chatting with you. They where brutally efficient but still entertaining to watch as they steamed our pasta and fried up our chicken (or mushrooms in veg-head’s case). Once the grub is up and you’ve ordered your drinks, you hold your card up to the counter top device and away you go.

It’s a sit where you want sort of arrangement with wooden Ikea looking high-stools and raised countertop seating. Stylish and simple is how I'd peg the decor. A very nice balance of feeling chic but not overly so, while still really fresh and clean. Each table has fresh herb plants for you to break off and add to your food if desired. The food was excellent if not overly filling and is definitely something we’d recommend checking out. There is a trendy little bar at one end of the restaurant also that looks equally worthwhile as well. All in all it’s a great place for reasonably priced food, in a different setting that really delivers an interesting and fresh feeling meal. Check it out next time you are out that way (There is also one is Ballston).

The Black Friday Post

Turkey sandwiches and deal-crazed shoppers are the two things that the day after Thanksgiving is good for. While I do love a good turkey and stuffing hoagie I must say that if I had to pick one of the post holiday traditions, I’d side with the Black Friday madness. There is something about rampant merchandising that gets my blood boiling, and with the temperatures outside at 4am in Virginia, that’s a good thing. This year I didn’t have anything in particular I wanted to pick up, even after hours of flyer scouring with Sarah. Regardless of my own shopping agenda we rose at 3:30 and blitzed all the major retailers to catch the best of the holiday fervor. We managed to score some excellent deals on behalf of other (more sleep oriented) people but largely didn’t put any dents in our own shopping lists. I don’t know what it is about holiday merchandising that gets me going, but I can’t stand not to be a part of it, even if I don’t actually buy anything. The Christmas music in the car while we wait for the sucker to warm up makes it all worthwhile. Is that sad? That’s what my shrink said… till I got him a great deal on a Cannon 6 mega pixel camera!

The Twilight Post

Being that I am not a 'tweenage girl with a vampire fetish, Twilight is not aimed at me. That said I came out of the movie not being totally upset. That I left to Sam, who was incredibly outraged at ‘what they did to the book’. My sister has read all of the Stephenie Meyer books and is a pretty big fan of the franchise, and apparently the big screen adaptation of the first chapter is not close to what the books offer. I can sort of relate as I am constantly let down by how much they manage to shave off of every Harry Potter storyline each time the red carpet rolls out. Pretty much if you are a fan of the books you will either love the movie or hate it, but this film won’t exactly reel in any non-believers.

The acting was a bit wooden and I couldn’t get behind Kristen Stewart as the lead girl for whatever reason. The family of vampires came across as a Disney channel TV show gone wrong- I half expected them to all start rocking out High School Musical style in each scene. The movie is pretty much a Robert Patterson vehicle, as he plays Edward the lead vampire slash heartthrob that the movie largely centers around. They really did tailor the vampire legend to fit into a Gossip Girl formula- for example sunlight doesn’t kill vampires, it only makes them sparkle like glittery angels. Apparently it’s every adolescent girl’s dream to be swept off their feet by the undead, providing of course they have chiseled features and a crap-load of hair product going at all times.

So this is pretty much the most useless review I could really offer anyone. I havn’t read the books so I don’t really have anything to compare it too and the fans apparently galvanize at the love or loath ends of the spectrum. For Twilight felt a little rushed, had some pacing issues and needed to highlight the vampire fights/conflicts a little more and less on the high-school drama. Take my opinion for what its worth considering I am not the target here by a long shot. But as a movie, it’s as average as they come and won’t really do anything for the typical movie goers unless you are at least three of the following:

1: A Girl
2: Shop exclusively at Hot Topic
3: Cringe at the sight of tans
4: Own a vampire backpack sticker
5: Are in a Cederic Diggory fanclub

The Thankfull Post

This Thanksgiving I have a lot to be thankful for. Beyond having friends and family all together for a celebration at Ali and Bob’s tomorrow I am also looking forward to December 1st because that is my first day on the job as the new Marketing Designer at Avectra. I received the offer yesterday and have accepted the position. I’m really looking forward to getting started.

In other progress related news, Sarah and I have been approved for a terrific apartment in Reston. We are getting a great deal on a 2 bed, one bath (or 1 bed with den depending which floor plan you look at) right down the road from Reston Town Center. Avectra is based out in Tyson’s Corner so I will have to contend with the traffic to some degree, but Sarah’s commute will be less than 5 minutes. The apartment has all kinds of shops and the bike path within walking distance, as well as extremely easy access to Route 7 and Reston Parkway. Getting around will be easy. I am particularly excited about being a 1.6 mile cab-ride back from the Town Center (we measured it). There are so many new and interesting bars and restaurants out there I am sure Sarah and I will be taking advantage of the social scene there a lot after the move. As it stands we have a hold on the apartment and will be moving in on the 15th of December. Making the move right before the holidays is not the best timing but the special rates we where offered made the offer to hard to pass up.

I am really excited going into the holiday with all the progress that has happened these past two days. It seems Virginia is finally come around and is ready to have me back.

The Netflix 360 Post

The Xbox 360 is pretty much my entertainment hub for everything besides Blu-Rays (that hat is worn by you alone PS3- I still love you) and it just got a lot more hubb-ier. With the latest Xbox update Microsoft added tones of new features including adorable little avatars of gamers, a new menu and party system and live Netflix streaming. I can add movies or shows to my DVD queue at Netflix then watch everything from a list on my Xbox. I now have full seasons of shows I never got the chance to catch at my fingertips, as well as a large library of movies I can watch without having to wait those pesky disks to show up in the mail. It’s really a terrific service and a nice perk to being a subscriber to both Live and Netflix. First on my list of must-see’s is 30-Rock, closely followed by seasons 2 and 3 or Heroes. Finally my comeuppance for having no television for the past two years! Time to play catch-up!

That’s me in avatar for the record. I know the limited customization doesn’t allow for rugged awesomeness quite on the level I was hoping for, but considering my options I think the nerd-ladies will be pleased.

The Birthday Girl Post

Last night was Sarah’s birthday celebrating her 25th. We went out to DC with a group of our nearest and dearest and had a great time in Adam’s Morgan and the surrounding area. Sarah’s friends from work came out to celebrate with her, and she had a great time. Kevin, Alex, Matt, and the elusive Patricio made it too which was awesome. Paul is in town for Thanksgiving so he and Christina where able to make it out also, so there was a lot of good times to be had for me chilling with my Virginia peoples. I had a really fun night, as did Sarah, though I think I was the only one really hurting for it this morning (not fair- she’s the old one!). Pictures will be on her facebook shortly.For the record that’s not a middle finger salute. That’s simply me trying to mimic impromptu posing while holding a beer. That and it’s probably the most flattering picture of me in the whole set.

The Return to Florida Post

Last week Sarah and I where in Orlando paying the sunshine state a visit. Bruce was kind enough to let us stay in his pool house for the few days we where there which was great. It was nice to see everyone back at the office and to see that I hadn’t been forgotten. We caught the tail end of the space shuttle launch from the top of a multistory parking deck. Its one of the last few shuttle launches out of cocoa so it was a pretty big deal and had people coming from out of state to watch it blast off. Being a light launch you can see if for hundreds of miles as it lights up the night sky. We spent some time chilling down in Kissimmee with Sarah and Neil as well as grabbing some food at Elephant Bar with Tony, Amanda and Fabbio. All in all I got to see a lot of my Florida people while in Orlando and had a really nice time.

After Orlando we headed down to Tampa for Sarah’s bio availability conference which she was working for HGL. She spent long days down at the conference center manning her booth and playing ‘booth babe’ for the crowds, leaving me to my own devices for the majority of the trip. I have to say, Tampa is rather dull for a major city, and surprisingly quiet. I was expecting to blown away with things to do in the area, but found that everything was largely closed on weekends and only commuting office workers pay the area any attention. There where some great little venues, bars and restaurants along the channel, but everything was deserted which was rather disappointing.

We did catch a Tampa Bay lightning match though which was pretty cool. Even cooler was the fact that I got cheap nosebleeds for eight bucks at a special fan rate because I was at the box office early after walking Sarah to the conference hall. Then when we where inside getting our grub on before face-off a stadium employee came over and traded us our tickets for seats six rows from the glass. Nothing quite like getting $200 seats at nosebleed prices! Our last day in town we drove out to St. Pete and visited the Salvador Dali museum, which I had long wanted to check out after hearing about it in Orlando. The museum itself was rather drab considering the subject matter they had on display, but getting to see so many of Dali’s original works was very cool. I was heartbroken to find that they didn’t have ‘Les Elephants’ though, which is my favorite Dali piece. It was really nice to get to spend some time with Sarah though and we had a great time overall.

The Zune Post

This is a real advertisement by Microsoft for the Zune MP3 player. All I can say is ‘wow’. This is a horrible advert and so inappropriate it’s not even funny. That being said…well ok it is funny. Consider this a warning though. Play at your own risk. And wash your hands afterwards.

The Quantum of Post

I first have to admit that Quantum required a repeat viewing for me to catch everything and not be left with a few unanswered questions. I found many of the important parts where mentioned in brief or otherwise assumed, and the various entanglements between the various parties to get rather convoluted at times. That said the action sequences where really engaging and had the edgy new grittiness that made Craig’s first Bond a crunchy delight. They seemed to break up the more melodramatic moments and keep an aggressive pace in a movie that could potentially be a tad too reflective for a Bond flick at times.

In Casino Royal we where introduced to Mr. White, and Quantum deals with new color coded villain; Dominic Greene, both parts of the mysterious group known only as ‘Quantum’ an evil organization that is delightfully reminiscent of Bond’s former foes ‘Spectre’- though I doubt they can find anything that Q.U.A.N.T.U.M could possibly abbreviate.

M, Felix, and Mathis are all back and on point. Olga Kurylenko plays the new Bond girl and does a great job but unfortunately has her hotness downplayed for some reason or another in the film. The ladies’ names this time around are pretty weak. Olga is known only as ‘Camille’ which is fittingly frumpy, and ‘Strawberry Fields’ might be the worst name for anything ever, let alone a Bond bed-bunny. ‘Money Penny’ is sounding like the most logical and attractive name ever by comparison.

Those wanting vodka martinis, laser watches and Q branch to make appearances will be disappointed, as it seems that this new Bond is saving those franchise staples for a later date. Craig is on for two more films after this one, so there is plenty room for their comebacks. For the most part ‘Quantum wraps up the birth-of-Bond plotline established in ‘Casino and introduces the potential league of enemies James will butt heads with in future episodes. One could argue that Greene is not a strong enough evil entity to carry the main plotline, but as part of a whole this is a great entry to the Bond collection and as sophomore effort since the reboot that proves that Bond still delivers twenty-two movies later.

The Super Post

Feel like storming Alaska and defeating an army of lipstick wearing pigs? No? Oh well don’t click below then because you wont find this very funny at all. That said, if you are more the McCain type you can always repeatedly send the little guy off cliffs.

The Hunt Continues Post

This past week has been an interesting one for me in regards to my job hunting. After a relatively quiet reception since moving back last week turned out to be a great step in the right direction. I did a few working interviews though my temp agency with a solutions company in Tyson’s, making graphics for proposals; had an interview with a magazine in Maryland that is looking for a layout and advertising designer, and had a very interesting review with one of Bob’s friends who is looking to bring on a designer in some capacity in upcoming weeks to his company’s marketing team. All in all things are starting to look like working might be in my near future! I’m looking forward to hearing back from them soon. If you, or anytime you know might have graphical needs in the DC metropolitan area please don’t hesitate to pass on a link to my portfolio. Much appreciated!

The 5th of November Post

Remember, remember the fifth of November
Gunpowder, treason and plot.
I see no reason, why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

Happy Bonfire Night to everyone. If lighting a bonfire isn’t your thing (or not permitted in your apartment complex) may I suggest catching V for Vendetta. Once I have my own place with a bit of land to my name I think I am going to start a yearly celebration and have people round for some fireworks and an effigy. “Guy Fawke’s Night at the Guy’s”…I like it! According to a few historical recounts of our family name, we are related to the poor bastard, so it is really the least I could do.

The Presidential Post

Yesterday was a big deal for America, and I am so happy that Obama won out and will move into the White House in January. I met up with Sarah down in Arlington for a happy hour at Rockbottom Brewery to hang out with her coworkers and watch the polls come in. Not being able to vote sucks, especially on a day like yesterday, but its great to get to be a part, in a small way, of the big change that Obama symbolizes. I envy those of you who got the opportunity to wait out in the record breaking lines to cast your ballots, but being a part of history and being able to say that I supported and was there watching brings a grin to my face. I can’t wait to see what is in store in the next four years- and I will keep rocking the car magnet with pride. Congratulations America, you did good.

A lot of people are pissed that McCain is out, and I can understand their reservations, but I have to say I really think the better man for the country right now, won. McCain’s concession speech was fantastically done despite the idiots yelling during his heartfelt words. I was never a big fan of his stances on many issues, but when push comes to shove he would have been a good president. (Palin….not so much.) Obama’s acceptance speech was nothing short of fantastic- his statements and humility really drive home the feeling that this is a big turning point for America, and one that makes my stomach jump with anticipation. I can’t remember ever being this genuinely heartfelt about anything political. It feels really good. Well done Mr. President.

Oh and check out Lando Calrissian's political ads if you have a free minute. Hilarious.

The Body of Lies Post

Body of Lies is the latest Ridley Scott vehicle and another attempt to shed a different light on the conflicts in the Middle East. It centers around Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprico as they speak a lot to each other via earpieces as they attempt to track down Muslim extremists. Crowe stays in Langley while Leo runs around a myriad of countries as they try to bait and track a particularly nasty terrorist organization.

Not that he does a poor job, but DiCaprio always seems to play the same role with slightly different facial hair to me. His character Ferris in this film is just too goody-goody and cliché for my liking. His apparent love for the Middle East feels hollow considering all he does there is pick up pieces of his either deceased or untrustworthy comrades and generally gets his shit kicked every time he’s there. The love interest feels tacked on and very unrealistic, and its attempt to mesh opposing worlds is largely unsuccessful. I also found Russell Crowe to be a bit of a waste here. We’ve seen this guy play all kids of exciting and dynamic roles, but Scott has him do little more than talk into an earpiece ands stare down his own nose over the top of his glasses. His character feels desperately undercooked despite his star status.

The movie’s pacing issues made a two hour movie feel substantially longer and had me loosing interest at the halfway mark. The payoff for the audience’s patience’s is unfortunately not on the level that I was expecting and could have been accomplished more concisely and effectively in half the time. Body of Lies is not a bad movie, it’s just really not what I look for in entertainment. It felt too slow, too dry and didn’t deliver the emotional experience a cross cultural action/dramas should.

The Rocknrolla Post

Guy Richie made Snatch- one of my favorite movies in recent memory. Unfortunately he also managed to squeeze out Revolver a few years back, which ranks as one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen (proof). Despite the conflicting quality to his films I was excited for Rocknrolla and his apparent return to making good movies. Fortunately I wasn’t let down as Rocknrolla is an intertwining, gritty crime drama just as much as Snatch or Lock Stock ever where. There is a notable lack of Riche’s regulars, namely Statham and Jones, but that aside the movie matches up with all of the trademark elements needed to get the movie off the ground and as far away from Revolver as possible. The plot, as it has been in the past, is too convoluted to summarize, but primarily focuses on a ragtag group of crooks who end up stealing from something a lot bigger than they had originally expected. Throw into the mix a Russian billionaire’s lucky painting getting stolen by a cracked-out rock star (who is supposed dead) and you’ve got a rough idea of what to expect.

Some of the interactions, particularly between Gerard Butler and his team where brilliantly amusing. The indestructible henchmen where priceless, and the ‘lucky painting’ has me scouring the galleries for a magic canvas of my own. I think I’ll find myself quoting this one just as much as its predecessors and I have already perfected the ‘Famous Archie Slap’ so watch out. I found that they where really over-milking the gay jokes and the rant about Cigarettes was twice as long as it needed to be- also the inclusion of Ludacris and Piven was an unnecessary tack-on that felt undercooked and little more than a couple of American name drops. That aside I have nothing bad to say about the movie. Fun. Action packed, clever and hilarious. Check it out.

The Halloween Post

Friday night Sarah and I headed down to THE CITADEL to meet up with Eric and a few of his friends. We took a bit of a cop out approach and rehashed our costumes from last year. It’s really no foul though because we never really got to use them properly in Orlando and it’s not as if anyone here had seen them. Don’t tell them. The rest of our group consisted of April O’Neil, 80’s Girl, a giant Taco, and…well whatever it was that Reed decided to call his knight-with-bowtie concoction. We hung around THE CITADEL for a good while before heading down to a couple of places in Clarendon. Afterwards we jumped in on a reservation at Ihop for some late night/early morning eggy-ness. Jackie ended up signing-off Channel 6 a bit early (see picture below- then recognize how awesome our Ninja Turtle references are). Fun night, weather was perfect for it.

The Little Big Post

Little Big Planet is the latest gaming craze, this time on the Playstation 3. The game has a really modest approach to gaming and focuses on creating and sharing your own levels with other gamers online. You can customize everything by adding your own photos, objects, background elements and the like. What’s really refreshing is that the online community with game is all about creating, sharing and having fun, rather than the goal of most games (which are maim, shoot and/or relentlessly ridicule). If you have a PS3 I strongly recommend picking it up. And if you don’t have one, and where on the fence then maybe this is one of the games that will make the purchase worthwhile. Sarah loves it, which pretty much is the green gaming light (so far Tetris and the Lego games are the only ones to gain the coveted seal of approval.

The Doner Time Post

Last night I went to hang out with Ali and Bob out in Leesburg for the evening. A local German restaurant called Hamburg Döner was having an Oktoberfest celebration so Bob and I wandered over to check it out. The place was teeming with people chowing down on German grub and drinking from their extensive collection of import brews. There where people wandering around in full lederhosen getups and a couple of St. Paulie Girl looking ladies, which I had a hard time determining if they worked for the place, or where just German enthusiasts. There was a polka band playing in the back and tents setup outside. Bob grabbed us some gigantor beer steins loaded with tasty goodness…a full liter to be exact. We got to keep the steins too which is cool, as neither of us could manage a refill on the monster. The things are so big it’s actually hard to drink out of them. Bob kept splashing himself in the face every time he set his down, and I swear my wrist popped out of its socket trying to tip that thing for a sip. Good times, lots of fun and a wonderful atmosphere on a Sunday evening.

The Save the Whales Post

On Sunday I headed down to the Mall with Eric, just to wander and enjoy the nice weather. It’s nice being back in DC and having an appreciation for how much ‘stuff’ goes on here. We walked the length of the mall and saw some pretty interesting things. The Marine Corps Marathon was finishing up right when we got there so we got to see people jaunting across the finish line while the onlookers cheered and applauded them. 26 miles…yikes. Well done guys. A little bit further down we ran into Mr. Can Head, posing by some landmarks in his trademark bin-on-head outfit. Don’t ask me why, here’s his myspace. I went over and asked him why he had a bucket on his head and he gave me his card and disappeared. Strange. Very strange.

The best part on our walk of seeming randomness was the Save the Whales rally going on in front of the Capitol Building*. Heroes’ Hayden Panettiere was there giving a press conference about the importance of whale conservation and whaling regulation. After she finished guys from the Whaleman Foundation staked out an area of the lawn and positioned people in the shape of a giant whale. They needed extra people and where giving out free t-shirts, so Eric and I joined in and became part of the whale's tail. A large cherry picker across the street with photographers took pictures…which I am yet to find on the net yet (here’s one they did elsewhere). Afterward we where going to stop for a picture with Hayden, but a reporter grabbed her for an interview that my bladder just couldn’t wait for (I had downed a large bottle of water on the metro and had spent the last hour laying on the grass as part of a whale butt), so we bailed and I sprinted for the Smithsonian bathrooms. If you’d like more info on the foundation you can find it here. While I personally agree that whaling and polluted ecosystems are destructive and need attention, I find it hard to focus in the issue at the expense of other travesties that are happening across the globe. That said I support the movement and think it’s great that people want to do something about it, I mean who wants to actually harm whales??

* I say seeming because we where actually looking for it.

The Maryland Theater Post

Saturday the family, Sarah and I headed into Maryland to American University’s Greenburg Theatre. Stefan’s girlfriend Courtney is headlining the current production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. The show centers around naive Millie Dillmount (Courtney) moving to the hustle and bustle of 1920’s New York city with nothing but a dream in her pocket. She quickly finds that life in the big city is not all its cracked up to be and an aspiring actress has her work cut out for her. Along the way there are evil fake-Asians, white slavery hostels, stints in speakeasies and hanging off of rooftops. I am not big into going to theater, but I really enjoyed it. It was funny, catchy and all around a lot of fun. Courtney did a phenomenal job, as did the rest of the cast. It’s a shame Stefan isn’t back to see the show while it runs, but the family wanted to be there on his behalf for her, and we where all proud and very impressed.

The Obama Rally Post

Yesterday Sarah took off work early to pick me up and take me out to Leesburg for an Obama rally. We piled into the van with Patti and Jacob and headed off down the Greenway along with 10,000 other vehicles who all has the same hopes of seeing Obama speak. Traffic was INSANE and considering how much time we left in advance I was amazed to see how off the mark we where. It took us about 2 hours to travel a distance that should have taken 25 minutes. Had I know the rally was on I would have spent the day down with Ali and Bob who live within walking distance of the park where the rally was being held. Oh well. We made it there and marched down the street at a quick clip to the park and managed to shuffle through the crowd to the top of a hill overlooking the rally. There where so many people there it was ridiculous, elbows and arms where in people’s faces, children where getting trodden on, and moving was all but impossible. It’s amazing how pushy and rude people can be at these sorts of events when they think they might catch a glimpse of celebrity. Everyone was vying for a view, and some seemed to want to get onto the stage with the amount of elbows they where throwing. Negativity aside I am really glad I got to go and see him speak before the election in two weeks. I hope to say I was there at something historical when he becomes the next president but I don’t want to jinx anything yet. I was there. (albeit at a good distance). I can’t imagine what DC will be like the day the new chief is sworn in…

I think the best part about the whole rally though was the aftermath. There where McCain supporters who posted up on the opposite side of the street shouting things like “Don’t’ Vote for A Terrorist!” and various ramblings about how they don’t want to be taxed more (I really wish they would read the plan and see that's just crap…but whatever they seemed happy). The worst of it though where a group of children that had duct tape over their mouths and hand-painted signs that said “Aren’t you glad your mother chose life?” which I thought was ridiculous. I felt bad for the kids if anything, standing their in the cold while Mom and Dad tossed jibes back and forth with the exiting mob from the rally. Said mob was rather entertaining walking down the Leesburg streets. Everyone was chanting OBAMA! OBAMA! And booing at any McCain signs people has on their lawns. Crowd control was rough when the motorcade came and went with people lingering the streets and in many cases wandering aimlessly in the middle of intersections. All said and done it was quite the experience to say the least, and well worth getting to be a part of even if I can’t vote for the guy.

The Chicken Tika Post

Over the past two years I have mainly been eating two types of food. Those that are microwavable and those that begin with 'Mc'. Sufficed to say I am a pretty shitty cook, or at least a very out of practice one. Since being back Mum has taken it upon herself to include me in the preparation of a few meals that she things would be things I could take away and cook myself in the future. Last week we made Tuna Cakes or as I like to call them Poor Man’s Crab Cakes, which where tasty and really easy. And this past weekend I cooked one of my favorite dishes; Chicken Tika Marsala with thick Naan Bread. It was a lot of work, particularly the bread, but after a good few hours in the kitchen, when it was time to eat, everyone seemed to agree that it worked out well. I took a snappy to prove my culinary prowess, though I promise it tasted better than it looked. Next week’s menu: 13-fish Bouillabaisse and Beef Wellington!Also pictured: Lankshark Lager. Now available in Virginia. Woo hoo!

The President Palin Post

If anything you shouldn’t vote for McCain solely on the off chance that he cops it and THIS happens. Hilarious little flash site that gets updated every day up to the election. Poke around the office and see for yourself.

The Parking Lot Poser Post

When you leave the dentist you expect to have a sore mouth and new appreciation for the your newly reacquainted gaps between your teeth. You don’t generally expect to walk into a bizarre photo shoot featuring a BMW and a model in a Halloween costume. On Tuesday I had a cleaning over at my new dentists office (that reminds me, I need to call them today), and was experiencing the usual oral unpleasantness that one would expect when I was walking to my car afterwards, when I noticed a small crowd of people right by the Celica. I look over and there are 3 or four photographers taking snappys of a heavily chromed out BMW in the parking lot by the Bank. In said car was a chick modeling the thing, so I assumed it was for a local car dealership or something along those lines. Then she got out of the car and started posing on the hood, wearing what can best be described as a skanky, racer-chick outfit (or better described as: awesome) She posed some more then got back in the car for some more shots, at which point I figured I should probably stop rubbernecking and get home. Random yes. But better than getting a lollypop*.

*I know that's dentists not doctors, but....shaddup.

The Religulous Post

Religulous is a biting, no holds barred stab at organized religion from Bill Maher. It’s Borat without the moustache and silly accent, mixed in with a Moore-style documentary. Most people won’t care for it, and it will do particularly poorly in the box office when there is a talking Chihuahua movie out- that said, I wish it all the best. Now I must admit I get the same guilty pleasure watching religion getting torn a new one, but I just don’t really like Bill Maher. He has a huge unfair advantage in these debates with people simply because he can edit and cut things to make him look like the victor. That….and the fact that he is right and a lot of these people are really rather disturbingly out of touch with reality. He knows his stuff. He makes good points and his stabs are cynical and snidey enough to make anyone laugh, but somehow I just can shake the notion that this guy is a real ass. If you can put up with his pretentiousness though, the movie is hilarious, insightful and dishes up a lot of quotable debate fodder the next time the topic comes up. Hell, even if you are devout, you should see it so you have some good comebacks and something to dole out on ‘the infidels’ in your lives.

The film says nothing that people don’t say about other religions when they attempt to undermine or belittle the absurdity of what ‘they’ believe, but the real joy in this movie is that it gives everyone a fair share under the spotlight of shame. Some of the character’s Maher meets and interviews are priceless and need to be seen to believed. My main regret is that I never went to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando when I was there. I lived just under half a mile way from the Christian Theme park and never went. After seeing the sheer hilarity that its fiberglass walls contain I really wish I had made the pilgrimage.

My only real beef with the movie besides it’s host is the ending. Considering his movie is about the absurdity of organized religion I find the level of preachyness that the film ends on to be a tad unnecessary. Yeah it’s a problem, and yeah people who are not of faith are not getting a fair shake. But “Grow up or die!” is not the way I’d choose to phrase that particular point.

The Old Gang Post

When I moved away I knew I was leaving behind a lot of friends and that things wouldn’t ever really be the same when I came back to visit. When it became evident that I was coming home I was excited for everything to be the way it was before I left. Unfortunately that is not the case, what with graduations, jobs and moving taking place in everyone’s lives, not just my own. While I understand this it is sad to think that there probably wont be another chill session in Kevin’s basement, or meeting for brews up at the Auld Shebeen. That said however I was really pleased to hang out with a few of my friends this past weekend out in Arlington (where all the cool kids live these days). Kevin and Alex are rooming together in Ballston, so Sarah and Jevan and I headed out to hang with them for a night, along with Nico and a group their friends who had a birthday amongst them. It was great just to sit around with a DVD on, a case of crappy beers and just shoot the shit with my old friends. Everyone seems so grown up now, (and by that I mean everyone has a collar). It’s great to see everyone making headway in their own life-directions too, but getting to chill with the good-old-boys definitely wins out As my favorite.

On Saturday I headed back out to Arlington to hang with Eric and Coy at THE CITADEL (Eric’s Arlington Condo- always in caps*). We chilled for a bit and did some my of my favorite; reminiscing with the TV on, before heading downtown to Lucky Bar- a pretty cool Welsh Bar in DuPont. We met up with a friend of Coy’s (Chelsea) who was particularly cool, and spent most of the night standing about making fun of ourselves. I ended up crashing at Eric’s and making the drive back in the morning. * Please note that Eric does not necessarily endorse the naming of his condo THE CITADEL…which is why it shalt be named thusly.

The Gym Member Post

One thing that this move has really messed with is my gym routine. Now I am far from a gym-rat, but Tony and Amanda and I have had a pretty good routine going for the last few months, and I was definitely noticing it’s absence. Sarah was kind enough to spot me for the first month at Sport and Health, which is the gym she goes too, and the one I was a member of before leaving. Sam is also a member so when I don’t go with Sarah (which is often because she goes ridiculously early most days) then I have some sisterly workouts with Sam. How anyone can make themselves get up at 5:00 to drive 20 min to a boxing class I don’t know. But maybe it has something to do with the fact that I can barely get 3 good pull ups before falling dead on the floor? Maybe. I am enjoying getting back into the swing of causal workouts though. Hopefully I’ll start seeing some results and maybe even get to that 4th pull-up on of these days.

The Footballicious Post

Football is on and this season I am enjoying it a lot more than I have in the past. Last week I stopped by Madison with the family to watch Jake’s Freshman game. The score didn’t exactly go the way we would have like (at all) but it was nice to spend time with everyone cheering on the little brother. Odd to be back at Madison though after…what is it now… six odd years. The place is much nicer now and seems more established and well maintained. Gone are the days of hallways to nothingness and exposed ceiling insulation. Sniffle.

Sunday is always Redskins-Day at the house now. We all gather to watch the game, have a few beers and cheer on the skins. It’s really nice, and a great way to get into the game again. I ran out and bought a Portis jersey and have taken it upon myself to dance around like an idiot pimping my shirt and taking all the credit for anything he accomplishes in a game. It’s cool, cus he does the same thing whenever I do something awesome. Which is ALL THE TIME.

The Fiesta Post

Sarah and I headed out to Fairfax a the weekend before last for Heather’s Mexican Fiesta party. The theme was as expected, of Hispanic origins, and required festive attire to attend. Fortunately for me Stefan brought back a ridiculously large sombrero from his trip to Mexico with Courtney last summer so I was spoken for. Sarah fashioned a fantastic piñata handbag that was perfect. There where an awful lot of fake mustaches (who new Mexico was so hairy?) and an assortment of over sized hats going around Heather’s townhouse. Her roommates who I’d never met seemed like fun people, and overall the crowd was a lot of fun. Jamie (girl) was there with Kayvan too which was cool, as I hadn’t seen them since my going away party two years back. They where relaxing and enjoying the week before they headed down to Key West to get married (congratulations insistently Mr. and Mrs. Romarzis!) It was nice to see Heather again, and everyone seemed to have a great time. A real piñata made an appearance, but was quickly swatted down on the 2nd batter’s attempt. The scary thing was though that after it fell down, it didn’t break open, so out of nowhere a girl yelled “I got it!” and pounced on it with a knife. She hacked it up and the candy started flowing. Now I am all for a little battery and piñata abuse but where the hell did the knife-ninja come from!? Needless to say we let her get first crack at the goodies.Pictured: Sarah stole my hat. Not pictured: awesome pinata purse

The Portfolio Post

A big part of getting a job for us graphic designer types is to have a solid online portfolio. In my current job search I am no exception and have been working this past week on getting an assemblage of samples up for prospective clients to take a look at. Colorvision has been instrumental in getting some big names and fun projects under my belt, and Bruce has been helping me out with getting some examples of my work on a site. Unfortunately there is a fair bit that I can’t put up due to the nature of some of the projects we where working on, but I am pleased with what’s on offer and think as a whole, the portfolio does a good job of showcasing what I am capable of in graphical capacity.

You can check it out over at guyfolio.com using the password JG0567U. Remember that it’s case sensitive.

The Opening Statement Post

What is this? And who am I? Not that either of those questions where on your mind, but here are the answers anyway: This is a blog, and I am Jamie. Two years back I moved to Orlando (proof) and now I am back here in northern Virginia slash DC metropolitan area. During my absence I got up to a fair bit and found blogging to be a great way to keep people who missed me in the know. Now that I’m back I plan on continuing the tradition for those I left behind in Florida, as well as the fact that I seem to really enjoy the habit of posting about my daily goings-on. There is no real rhyme nor reason as to what merits a post, but I’m pretty consistent at keeping my life on display in small (poorly spelled) entries. You’ll probably see I like to review a lot of things, particularly movies and pass judgment when I really have no authority to do so. Don’t let it bother you, and if it does, chime in and comment on my ramblings. I’m always open to suggestions and love to hear from people either they like the blog or not. So that’s that really. I’ve been back almost two weeks now and have a fair bit to catch up on so best get to it. Thanks for stopping to see what’s here. I hope you’ll do so again in the future.
Sincerely,
-Jamie