It seems to be that the month of February, while short and sweet (no pun intended), seems to be taking its lovely time getting to the finish line. Perhaps I find that it is going so slow due to the exciting things that are happening in March but really, February, you're killing me here!
Today marks the last Monday of my three week jaunt in Michigan. While the population in this State are friendly and nice overall, I am greatly missing out on the weather DC has been having in our absence. Just the other day it was 70 degrees there! Its like God woke up one day and said, "I'm going to show those global warming fools who is boss."
These past few weeks have been up and down for several of my friends. While these issues are not my business to repeat, it has still been a wake up call for me to realize that scary things happen to good people. If you people, you know who you are, are reading this: my prayers are with you and your families. :)
Among holidays for the spring, the next several look to be some fun celebrations. St. Patty's Day is coming upon us quickly, and I will be participating in my company's float for a parade! Easter is still up in the air, I am not sure what is happening with that holiday. And before long, hellllllllllo summer!
I have caught the summer bug it seems. My fingers are no longer painted dark hues such as reds and blues, the colors have turned into hot pink and neon yellow. Which, speaking of neon yellow, I would like to discuss this new fashion craze: NEON.
My senses are overloaded in malls currently with the new displays showing only bright pinks, yellows, and oranges. For all of you who don't believe in these bright colors, I urge you to not judge those who are wearing them. I mean, think about it, if you start to judge those colors at the end of February, just think about how angry you'll be at people wearing those colors at the end of May. This spring and summer look to bring us two main designs. Which path you decide to take is up to you, but choose wisely, there really is no detouring between the two patterns. The two patterns, you ask?
1. Sailor happy
2. Neon craze
While many of you think that you know me and believe that I'm very excited for this year's fashion lines...you are correct. Considering that I love bright colors and my closet is almost all reds, blues, and greens....I would have to say that the Sailor happy phase has captured me within its grasp. I seem to look like I'm stepping off of a yacht whenever I leave my apartment lately. This leads me to ask myself, perhaps God is telling me to look for a boyfriend in a yacht club? I mean, I do have a lot of student loans....just saying, God :)
27 February 2012
16 February 2012
Michigan = Allergies
I have come to the conclusion that I am allergic to the state of Michigan.
I know, I know, you're thinking to yourself, "Gee Ashley, that's kind of a ridiculous bold statement." If that was going through your head, then I would like you to explain how I feel fine traveling to and from Michigan, I even feel fine days leading up to the travels. HOWEVER, the moment that plane touches ground in Michigan, my face turns into a blubbering mess. I can't breath, I can't smell, I can't taste, and today, my throat has decided to develop a cough.
When looking at the stupid-ness of this whole situation, at least I have something cool to say to people when they tell me that they're sorry I'm not feeling well. I can turn to them and say, "ya, who would have guessed I was allergic to the state of Michigan?" Even saying that out loud makes me feel silly inside.
If you've made it this far in this post, you are guessing that yes, once again I am living in Michigan. This time my team is here for three weeks. There are many positive things one could say about this state although I would prefer to leave those things to people that actually enjoy this state. I would prefer to mention things such as its cold, snowing every day, and has lots of yucky things that I'm allergic to.
In conclusion to this rant...I am sitting in my hotel room working with a Kleenex stuck up my nose.
Life continues to go on. I have several exciting weekends coming up in March. We fly back to DC (!!) on my birthday and Brittany arrives a week later! I'm extremely excited for her to come visit and I'm not just saying that because she will be reading this :) Being able to show my friends the life I am living in DC is something I am very grateful for. Once these people see everything I have going on, they often stop asking me when I'll be moving back to Kansas...or Florida as my father asked me last week. Now, just to be clear, Brittany does not bother me about when I'm moving back. Let's not confuse this.
After March comes April then May. May arrives with excitement as I will be traveling back to Kansas for a week!
I know, I know, you're thinking to yourself, "Gee Ashley, that's kind of a ridiculous bold statement." If that was going through your head, then I would like you to explain how I feel fine traveling to and from Michigan, I even feel fine days leading up to the travels. HOWEVER, the moment that plane touches ground in Michigan, my face turns into a blubbering mess. I can't breath, I can't smell, I can't taste, and today, my throat has decided to develop a cough.
When looking at the stupid-ness of this whole situation, at least I have something cool to say to people when they tell me that they're sorry I'm not feeling well. I can turn to them and say, "ya, who would have guessed I was allergic to the state of Michigan?" Even saying that out loud makes me feel silly inside.
If you've made it this far in this post, you are guessing that yes, once again I am living in Michigan. This time my team is here for three weeks. There are many positive things one could say about this state although I would prefer to leave those things to people that actually enjoy this state. I would prefer to mention things such as its cold, snowing every day, and has lots of yucky things that I'm allergic to.
In conclusion to this rant...I am sitting in my hotel room working with a Kleenex stuck up my nose.
Life continues to go on. I have several exciting weekends coming up in March. We fly back to DC (!!) on my birthday and Brittany arrives a week later! I'm extremely excited for her to come visit and I'm not just saying that because she will be reading this :) Being able to show my friends the life I am living in DC is something I am very grateful for. Once these people see everything I have going on, they often stop asking me when I'll be moving back to Kansas...or Florida as my father asked me last week. Now, just to be clear, Brittany does not bother me about when I'm moving back. Let's not confuse this.
After March comes April then May. May arrives with excitement as I will be traveling back to Kansas for a week!
10 February 2012
Happy Valentine's Day
In case you ever ever need to know...this is what the whoopee pies (Valentine's-Day-style) look like.
They were pretty yummy...thanks Farah :)
So how does one celebrate Valentine's Day best? Make amazinggggg cupcakes? Check yes.
As you can see by the previous photo and this one, I spent HOURS on these cupcakes.
I have pretty good cracking skills...not gonna lie
I got nothing for this photo.
I have mad macro skills...and like the color red
FROSTINGGGGG
The pretty cupcakes without the frosting
oops, snuck a picture of the chicken I was frying at the same time. That's right people, I'm a baker and a cooker.
Ta-Da!
If you didn't get one of these...they wish they could've have been welcome in your stomach
And at the end of every great baking experience is a clean kitchen.
08 February 2012
04 February 2012
Yes it's the month where everything you see is pink and red and is in the shape of a heart. But considering the amount of neglect I have been giving the layout of my blog, it was time for a change. Therefore, consider the blogging I am about to do this month to be tainted with a sickeningly sweet deposition. And for those of you who are feeling blah humbug about this particular holiday, I designed my blog especially for you :)
02 February 2012
Krazy Glue = Miracle
After you read my last blog post, I know you were all sitting on the edges of your seat waiting to hear the results of what happened to the fire pot. Well, luckily I thought fast enough to snap a few photos when I lit it last night.
The fire pot lives to tell its next story...
You can barely see the crack....right?
Almost good as new. Thank you krazy glue.
31 January 2012
Why I hate the UPS...(and other non-sense)
Let me put a disclaimer on this post right from the beginning that I have had multiple wins with the UPS. But everything good must come to an end at some point. I suppose I should start at the beginning with this story:
Christmas vacation: Mother and daughter invest in too many purchases for daughter to fit in suitcase. Them, being great problem solvers, decided to trust in the wonderful agency our Government has put in place, the UPS. After carefully wrapping up the items, they were shipped off to greet so said daughter in DC. Now, just because this story makes me soooo angry, one would think that the service would respect packages going to Washington-freaking-DC out of all places. But no, they do not.
Daughter leaves for two week work trip and is gleeful at the thought of coming home to that wonderful package. (I am purposefully leaving out what was in the package.) Arrives home two weeks after the package has arrived and goes to pick it up. The package is delivered to the daughter in three pieces. Slightly befuddled because the daughter knows that her mother only sent two packages, she carries the boxes back to her apartment.
It is at this point in the story that I would like to point out: ASHLEY WAS VERY PISSED OFF. So due to extreme feelings, please excuse any ramblings or language or rabbit trails.
We don't need to talk about what happened next, let me just give it to you blunt-style:
1. Blu-ray player is missing from package. The stupid, idiotic thieves left the HDMI cord though. I mean, really? What sort of stupidass thieves are we dealing with?
2. EXPENSIVE (definitely the most expensive item in the whole box) LENS for my SLR camera was still nicely wrapped in the box. Once again, let me exclaim, WHAT STUPIDASS THIEVES. If you're going to properly steal from someone's box...at least take the things that are worth more money.
3. It was not until later that evening that I realized I had a 450 thread-count brand new sheet set in that box that was gone. Okay, now our stupidass thieves are just taking home goods. I mean, a sheet set?! It probably doesn't even match their stupid bedroom like it matched mine.
4. Harry Potter Christmas ornament was...(I know you're holding your breath for this one)....still nicely wrapped. If that thief had taken that ornament...ohhhhh man. It would have been on between me and the UPS for reals.
5. When you think about things I have listed off already, note that many of these things are larger sized and would be used when packing a box to cradle a more fragile item. Lastly but not least, the final item in the box for the fire pot. Now, many of you are saying fire pot say what? You need to realize that this was one of my favorite pieces in the Kansas house, my father brought it back from Kansas to Florida with him for me, and it was slowly making its way to DC to me. These large ceramic items are also not cheap to a broke ex-college student. Some take gel and some take liquid fuel...to say the least, it was the most important item in the whole freaking box. Due to the STUPIDASS THIEVES' actions, the fire pot and its lid were cracked in half. At this point, when I unwrapped the broken fire pot from the bubble wrap, I was literally foaming at the mouth due to my angry state. Since this fateful day, I have invested in krazy glue and melded the item back together. It has been lit already and works properly if you ignore all of the missing chunks of paint around the middle of the pot.
Let's just put it this way, after a unpleasant screaming visit to the RUDE-ASS employees in one of the Washington DC's UPS offices, Ashley will NEVER, I REPEAT NEVER, use their services again. Hello Fedex.
And let's point out that if my company ever audits UPS....bring it on.
On a positive side note, I found Skittles latest development called, "Riddles," in Target a couple of days ago. The colors do not match the flavors. For a girl who color codes her candy before eating, this is a strange experience.
Christmas vacation: Mother and daughter invest in too many purchases for daughter to fit in suitcase. Them, being great problem solvers, decided to trust in the wonderful agency our Government has put in place, the UPS. After carefully wrapping up the items, they were shipped off to greet so said daughter in DC. Now, just because this story makes me soooo angry, one would think that the service would respect packages going to Washington-freaking-DC out of all places. But no, they do not.
Daughter leaves for two week work trip and is gleeful at the thought of coming home to that wonderful package. (I am purposefully leaving out what was in the package.) Arrives home two weeks after the package has arrived and goes to pick it up. The package is delivered to the daughter in three pieces. Slightly befuddled because the daughter knows that her mother only sent two packages, she carries the boxes back to her apartment.
It is at this point in the story that I would like to point out: ASHLEY WAS VERY PISSED OFF. So due to extreme feelings, please excuse any ramblings or language or rabbit trails.
We don't need to talk about what happened next, let me just give it to you blunt-style:
1. Blu-ray player is missing from package. The stupid, idiotic thieves left the HDMI cord though. I mean, really? What sort of stupidass thieves are we dealing with?
2. EXPENSIVE (definitely the most expensive item in the whole box) LENS for my SLR camera was still nicely wrapped in the box. Once again, let me exclaim, WHAT STUPIDASS THIEVES. If you're going to properly steal from someone's box...at least take the things that are worth more money.
3. It was not until later that evening that I realized I had a 450 thread-count brand new sheet set in that box that was gone. Okay, now our stupidass thieves are just taking home goods. I mean, a sheet set?! It probably doesn't even match their stupid bedroom like it matched mine.
4. Harry Potter Christmas ornament was...(I know you're holding your breath for this one)....still nicely wrapped. If that thief had taken that ornament...ohhhhh man. It would have been on between me and the UPS for reals.
5. When you think about things I have listed off already, note that many of these things are larger sized and would be used when packing a box to cradle a more fragile item. Lastly but not least, the final item in the box for the fire pot. Now, many of you are saying fire pot say what? You need to realize that this was one of my favorite pieces in the Kansas house, my father brought it back from Kansas to Florida with him for me, and it was slowly making its way to DC to me. These large ceramic items are also not cheap to a broke ex-college student. Some take gel and some take liquid fuel...to say the least, it was the most important item in the whole freaking box. Due to the STUPIDASS THIEVES' actions, the fire pot and its lid were cracked in half. At this point, when I unwrapped the broken fire pot from the bubble wrap, I was literally foaming at the mouth due to my angry state. Since this fateful day, I have invested in krazy glue and melded the item back together. It has been lit already and works properly if you ignore all of the missing chunks of paint around the middle of the pot.
Let's just put it this way, after a unpleasant screaming visit to the RUDE-ASS employees in one of the Washington DC's UPS offices, Ashley will NEVER, I REPEAT NEVER, use their services again. Hello Fedex.
And let's point out that if my company ever audits UPS....bring it on.
On a positive side note, I found Skittles latest development called, "Riddles," in Target a couple of days ago. The colors do not match the flavors. For a girl who color codes her candy before eating, this is a strange experience.
Boxed water is the thing to do in Michigan.
Proof that it is getting cold somewhere this winter as DC is only believing in 60/70 degree weather.
Dessert on the last day that we were in Michigan...seriously the largest piece of carrot cake I've ever seen.
How the box looked when it arrived. Someone, a criminal that works for UPS, literally cut the top right off the box.
The fire pot base broken in half
The lid and two spare pieces.
What the bag of Skittles looks like so you can go buy some at your local Target.
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