Its days like these when I’m glad I don’t have my dream house by a river or lake. It hasn’t stopped raining here in Atlanta in what seems like ages. (There has been a reprieve today but we’ll see if it lasts.) We are pretty lucky though. Our house is dry and as far as I know, our friends and co-workers are unaffected as well…
I found some crazy pictures and videos you should check out…
The first place they are taking video of is on my way to work. Normally this creek barely trickles. It is amazing if it flows at all. Wow. The second location is on our way to church. It’s so weird seeing everything underwater that normally is beautiful grass and houses.
Who would’ve thought that the highways would flood?
I guess it was good that I had to work really, really late last night. Driving home I had to take an alternative route because of the flooding and I encountered the creepiest thing. All the power was out on Howell Mill. Super markets, gas stations, traffic lights…everything was pitch black. A car had pulled up with its headlights on to the front window of Fellini’s so the people inside wouldn’t be in complete darkness. It was as if we lived in the middle of nowhere.
What a strange few days in Atlanta. I have a feeling the clean up is going to take awhile…
I love the internet. It can be my best friend, doctor, personal navigator…but today, I’m sick of it.
It is practically impossible to come up with an original idea. A quick google search with inform you that countless others have thought of that very thing long before you.
Is it possible to have a truly original idea? I’m becoming disheartened…
I went to Los Angeles to celebrate the 4th of July with my husband…and to see Death Cab for Cutie play the Hollywood Bowl on July 5th. I first heard about the show just as I was missing them play the Fox in Atlanta and I was determined not to miss them again, so I booked my flight and counted down the days until the tickets went on sale.
Before I continue, I should preface this post with some background (that I’m completely biased). I love Ben Gibbard (the lead singer). One of my very first blog ideas was (and I quote) titled, “Ben Gibbard Rocks.” It’s not that he is particularly sexy so it’s not that kind of love, but there is something about his voice and his words that just get me. I also find it interesting that he studied engineering, yet he can have such a poetic, artistic side. Maybe it’s not so unusual for engineers to have this duality…
Mmm...WINE
We got to the Hollywood Bowl early. We had parked at the Kodak Theater parking and walked the 0.75 miles to the venue. (As advice to future Bowl patrons, this worked out really nicely. It was $10 to park, a short walk, and we avoided the nightmare parking that was at the venue itself. They do stacked parking at the Bowl, so you can’t leave until the guy in front of you returns to his car. It looked incredibly frustrating and like an accident waiting to happen. Just my 2 cents…) Part of neat thing about the Hollywood Bowl is the atmosphere. You bring a picnic, some wine, sit and relax with friends outdoors and wait for the show to start. Joe and I brought some snack foods (peaches and sun chips) and some wine, but quickly got food envy of those around us. These people went WAY beyond the regular cheese, meat and crackers. We saw salads, tortellini, homemade salsas, …everything looked so good! (Second piece of advice: BRING WINE!! If you don’t and decide you want some during the performance, its like $40. Plan ahead and buy 4 bottles instead and make it a REALLY good night.) Our seats were decent. We were about probably half-way up (or down), so far enough away that the people on stage looked quite small, but the could have been a LOT smaller if we were at the top. We had binoculars which came in handy for assisted viewing.
At 7pm, the first to perform was The New Pornographers. I had heard some of their music before (primarily on SomaFM) and they put on a decent performance. I particularly enjoyed hearing “Sing me Spanish Techno.” They also addressed their band name by saying “…We’ve heard that some of you find our name offensive. But you are okay with Cutie getting killed in a Death Cab. That hardly seems fair!!” They played for ~30 minutes and were followed by Teagan & Sara. The banter between the two sisters was quite enjoyable. They made it clear how nervous they felt playing to such a large crowd (the Bowl seats ~17,000 people) when she said, “….I’m sorry I can’t say anything witty right now. There’s so many of you staring at me and you’re making me nauseous….but in a good way.” (…I’m paraphrasing, but you get the idea.) That is something I appreciate in a concert. I want to hear the artist speak. There is something amazing about hearing the music live, but I always appreciate the small dialog that give the audience a glimpse at what kind of people are up there behind the microphone.
Tegan & Sara
Joe and I both liked Tegan & Sara’s performance, with the small exception of some noisy patrons right next to us! Anyway, I was so paranoid about having to go to the restroom mid-performance that I scurried to the ladies room right as Tegan & Sara’s last song was ending. I got there and thought the line was long already, but when I got out…it was the longest line I’ve ever seen. It just kept going & going…so thankfully, we got back to our seats with plenty of time!
The lights went out and Death Cab for Cutie took the stage. I started to cry a little. Out section was pretty mellow so as they were walking out, I started to muffle my shouts of joy. Then Joe whispered to me…”Its okay to yell, Sara.”….so ater that, I certainly did. Oh, it was beautiful. Song after song, I was so happy when each started as I thought to myself, “Oooo, I love this one!!” It’s such a wonderful concert experience when you truly enjoy all of a group’s music…then you aren’t waiting through the entire concert for that one song to come on. I thought it would have been funny had they played “Why’d You Want to Live Here” a song that details his LA experience, stating that the city smells like an airport runway and discusses people having trouble breathing. I wonder if that would’ve gone over well with the crowd…
I was unsure how the concert was going to happen as they were scheduled to play with the LA Philharmonic Orchestra. I really wanted to hear them play some of their normal stuff with their typical sound, as that is what I fell in love with, but I was excited to hear this unique performance with an orchestra as well. The broke it up into 2 main sections: 11 songs with just Death Cab, the closing out with the Philharmonic playing behind them. It seemed that sometimes the orchestra with the band didn’t mix perfectly, but overall I found it to be very enjoyable. The set list is below…
Death Cab for Cutie set list:
“Marching Bands of Manhattan”
“Your Heart is an Empty Room”
“The New Year”
“Crooked Teeth”
“President of What?”
“No Sunlight”
“Photobooth”
“Summer Skin”
“I Will Possess Your Heart”
“Little Bribes”
“Cath…”
“The Sound of Settling”
With the Los Angeles Philharmonic:
“I Will Follow You Into the Dark”
“You Can Do Better Than Me”
“Grapevine Fires”
“Title and Registration”
“A Movie Script Ending”
“Soul Meets Body”
“Transatlanticism”
I particularly enjoyed “The New Year”, “I Will Possess Your Heart”, “Grapevine Fires”, and “Transatlanticism”. The finale, “Transatlanticism” was breath-taking. There were fireworks going off behind the stage, timed perfectly to the music. I watched a youtube video that someone had made of the finale, and the best thing it does is remind me of the amazing feeling I had while I was there. It doesn’t even come close to portraying how fabulous it was.
We finally made it home around 12:30AM, and I had to catch a 7:50AM flight that morning. I was so tired the next day, but it was more than worth it. So from that night, I have a DCFC tshirt (that reminds me of Santa Monica as it has a big ferris wheel on it), a ticket stub, crappy, blurry photos from the concert, and some amazing memories….I just can’t wait to see them again.
I had a 9:15AM appointment the other day. It was 9:16AM as I’m circling the levels of parking decks when I see one lone spot. The car to the left had parked a little over the line, but I pulled in anyway and managed to squeeze my way out (I have quite long doors) just to run to the elevator to try and make my appointment. I came back less than 1 hour later to find this gem on my drivers side window.
The most amusing part to me is that as I was walking up to my space I thought to myself (I KID YOU NOT)…
Wow. There is a lot of space on that passengers side of my car. Hmm….I guess I could’ve parked more to the right to make it easier to get in and out for myself. Eh, it’s okay. At least I parked between the lines unlike that guy. (-referring to the car to my left-) Oh look! A note….I wonder if its a Bible verse or something telling me to go to church…
I have conflicting emotions about this little note.
First, I do feel bad for getting someone so upset to the point they felt they needed to write me an anonymous note.
…but then I realize that I was completely parked in my spot…between all lines. There wasn’t anything I could have done differently to avoid making said lady so upset.
And when I realize that she just made me feel bad about something I really couldn’t change, then I kinda laugh to myself picturing a pregnant lady trying to crawl over the seat fuming the whole time. (Does that make me evil??)
Then I wonder if all 7.5 month pregnant ladies are as emotional?
…And if she couldn’t get into her car, how in the world did she squeeze her belly in between my car and the guy on the line to the left just to leave me the castigating note?
I thought about putting on the next car over as they actually had parked poorly but that would just transfer the animosity, so I opted not. Oh the joys of random strangers. Would you feel bad? Do you leave random notes?
Sketchy places (most likely) will do sketchy work. [If you go to a sketchy place to get your flat tire fixed, plan on ~1-2 months later, having it go flat again....at 11:30PM...after you just got back from the airport...and you haven't eaten all day...hypothetically speaking of course.]
Check the tire pressure in your spare BEFORE you really need it. [It turns out, your spare tire will not always be full and ready for you. You should routinely check the pressure to ensure that it does in fact have air in it so that when you finish changing your flat...now at midnight...after getting back from the airport...you can actually go home rather than have 2 flat tires and no idea what to do at that point....again, hypothetically.]
Take off your rings while changing a tire even if your hands are already dirty and you don’t want to stick them in your pocket. [Not only will they stay cleaner that way, you will also avoid cracking the band on your antique engagement ring unknowingly while jacking up the car only to find it days later on an airplane and burst into tears as a result.]
[Some after-the-fact details: That night, I borrowed Emma's car (thanks, Emma!), took my 2 flat tires to the gas station, filled them up, put the spare on, and eventually made it home ~1AM. The ring has a hairline crack in the band. It is soldered to my wedding band so it is safe, but has yet to be fixed.]
So, Joe is in California for the summer. We have done the long distance thing before, and knowing that he is your husband and is only going to be gone for 12 weeks is mighty reassuring. That said, the telephone becomes a vital instrument for keeping a relationship happy. So when my phone decided to konk out on me at the end of May, it has made life a little hard.
Joe + Sara: Summer 2009 (haha!)
Granted, the phone still would receive calls and whatnot, I just could not hear the person on the other end unless the speakerphone was on. With all the traveling that I have been doing, it has gotten a bit awkward. Sometimes it was okay sharing my entire conversation with strangers in the terminal. On the way to San Francisco (on my birthday) as several people overheard my conversation and wished me a happy birthday as a result. But the other day, coming back from LA, the plane had landed…my phone beeps indicating that I have a new voicemail. Typically I wouldn’t listen right then, but I was trying to coordinate plans for a airport pickup. So, I dial my voicemail, and put it on speakerphone to hear my messages…
Message 1 was from Emma and was completely normal.
Message 2….
Hello. This is… (self thinking, “Oh great. Automated message from a telemarketer or something.”)
your Atlanta OB/GYN… (“OB/GYN?? Oh GOD! Hang up, Sara! HANG UP!!’)
calling to confirm your appointment for…. (“WHERE THE *$%# IS THE END BUTTON????”)
I finally got over the flusteredness, hung up, and shared with the entire plane my womanly medical appointments. (I guess I just shared it with the internet world too, but at least that was willingly.) Anyway, as everyone was staring at me as I tried to blend into the wall, I was laughing and cursing at my phone simultaneously. After a month and a half of speaker phone usage, I needed a new phone.
I did a lot of searching around and realized that getting a phone without signing a new contract is a huge pain. I went to the AT&T store to play around with some options that are out right now, but even the low-end phones (read: crappiest one available) were so expensive w/out a contract. So I looked on ebay…I looked everywhere. From my expeditions to the AT&T store, I found I really liked the LG Vu so I ended up getting it in wine color, & ‘pre-loved’ as it saved me ~ half the cost of the phone.
Introducing my new phone…Viola.
So far, I really like it. I’m honestly waiting for the bottom to fall out as that is typically what happens with technological devices that I like. I have 30 days to try it out so hopefully, if something breaks, its in the next month. It is pretty responsive & easy to use. It allows you little customization of buttons, but there is little need for many shortcuts as most applications are a few taps away. It has the silly, “watch tv on your phone” feature, and I just avoid that button like the plague. It also has a few fun tools standard: tip calculator, world clock, and (my favorite) unit conversion calculator. I sent Joe a test text message and the full screen keyboard is very easy to type on. No word on battery life yet, but I’d imagine that its not that great. I also liked it because of the color! (Note: Please ignore my smudges. That’s one of the negatives. It smears up w/fingerprints constantly!)
It’s not the typical boring black, but it’s also not so flashy (bright pink or red…) that I would feel unprofessional using it at a meeting or conference. It also has some fun voice commands like it will read me my missed calls. (You should hear it (try to) pronounce Joe’s last name. )
Perhaps, I’m amazed by this because my phone was pretty simple before. Even with no internet flashy-ness, it still has a lot of stuff to play with. Perhaps, I’m happy just because I can actually hear people. That is itself makes it an amazing phone to me.
I have been traveling a LOT lately. My most recent work trip took me to Dayton, Ohio. I went up for the weekend before the meeting to spend some time with my friend from college, Lauren. We took a short drive down to Cincinnati/Newport area to visit the Newport Aquarium. Really, its a decent aquarium – lots of differnt exibits, but much like the Georgia Aquarium…way too many people for my comfort!
The highlight (and the reason for going) was the behind the scenes tour where we were able to interact with the penguins. It may sound silly, but one of my life goals was to pet a penguin. I just have been so curious what they feel like.
My very first penguin petting experience
It was pretty cool to have 6 little African penguins waddling around you. The aquarium staff were nice and informative, but you could tell that the majority of the time, they were interacting with 4 year olds. (You’ll notice in the videos below.) There was a lot of talk about penguin poop. The first video caught one little guy (actually girl —they were all girls) shaking her tailfeathers. It was pretty cute until you realize its what they do right before the pooping commences. Also, we felt so bad for the little outcast penguin the corner. She apparently gets picked on, so she hangs out all by herself. I bet I could write a childrens book with that theme. Hmmm…
Here is a little video of me being completely giddy about my up-close encounter with the penguins. You can also hear Lauren say in reference to their feathers, “It looks like carbon fiber.” Yeah, we are totally nerdy.
They were also funny just to watch. They were surprisingly catlike, without the catlike reflexes. They would become transfixed by a fruit fly, only to scurry across the floor in a mad attempt to catch it. It seemed like they really liked to play.
Some more photos from the day…
And of course, no trip to an aquarium is complete without comparing your height to that of a shark.
Overall, a very fun day. If you are ever in the area and like penguins, you definitely should check it out! Now, to the next item on the life-goal list…haha!
Today is my 26th birthday! Wooo!! As you, dear reader, are well aware, I have been struggling with the mid-mid life crisis and the aging process. (read – gray hair post.) But today, is a welcomed and joyous day…how often do you turn 26?
I must admit I am actually writing this on June 4th. I will be traveling tomorrow to San Francisco where I get to spend the weekend with Joe and friends. I couldn’t think of any way I’d rather spend my birthday. Well, maybe swimming in a pool of money like Scrooge McDuck with Joe and friends…but I’ll save that’s for another day.
My random birthday thoughts:
I hope that I never get to the age of dreading my birthday. I realize that time sneaks up on you these days. Being 5 took forever…but being 25 seemed like a quick walk around the block. I think that as long as you are happy with the progress you have made in the last year, a birthday is always welcome and to be celebrated.
That being said…I just pictured Joe and I celebrating my 70th birthday and its pretty cool. Maybe I’ll get a bright pink cake topped with a bonfire of 70 candles just for the fun of it.
My parents always said I was a great child…until it was my birthday, and then the terror was released. (I believe the word my mom used was “brat”.)
My family celebrated half-birthdays. We would get a cake with 5 1/2 candles on top (for example) while being sung to…”Happy half-birthday to you!…” No wonder my full birthday expectations were so high! haha
One of my favorite birthday memories was a surprise party I had when I turned 16. (I think.) Joy, Darcy, and I were at the fair when one of them decided to go for a walk around the park. I look up the hill at this pavilion area and see all my friends…and my mom….and I was so confused. “I wonder what’s going on??”, I asked. “OH! I think its something with Young life, ” Joy quickly replied. I had never been so surprised nor flattered that it was a party just for me.
I’m hard to surprise. My parents tried a first surprise party when I was younger. (5-7ish?) We were carpooling to dance lessons with my friends Darcy and Sarah. When we got to my house and I normally am just let out of the car, Darcy and Sarah jumped out of the vehicle before I could get out, but not before turning and looking at me and giggling. The giggling gave it away. I knew right then something was up…but it was good time none the less.
Summer birthday’s are awesome.
One of the worst birthday memories I have was from a few years ago. I received a carefully wrapped package from my sister. I was by myself for some reason that year and had this one, perfect box to open. I sat down alone to open it…and within the box were smaller items. As I went to unwrap them, I noticed something was off. Item 1 was a little plate that had broken in transit. I was pretty disappointed, but moved on. Item 2 was a little cup….that had broken. Moved on. Item 3 – dish. Broken. I too, then broke down into tears. It was so sad. I have all 3 pieces still. I fixed them with some industrial strength glue, and for some reason, they make me smile about that day when I see them around the house.
My parents were born on the same day. For the longest time, I thought that’s how you knew you’d found true love…if your birthdays were the same. Maybe Mark Wahlberg doesn’t know that we are soulmates yet…
26 has a good ring to it. Nice, even numbers. And, being 25 was great. I traveled to cool places, married my wonderful husband, and made memories along the way. Who knows. Maybe at 26, you are past the quarter-life crisis and just live. That would be pretty sweet.
They played for ~30 minutes and were followed by Teagan & Sara. The banter between the two sisters was quite enjoyable. They made it clear how nervous they felt playing to such a large crowd (the Bowl seats ~17,000 people) when she said, “….I’m sorry I can’t say anything witty right now. There’s so many of you staring at me and you’re making me nauseous….but in a good way.” (…I’m paraphrasing, but you get the idea.) That is something I appreciate in a concert. I want to hear the artist speak. There is something amazing about hearing the music live, but I always appreciate the small dialog that give the audience a glimpse at what kind of people are up there behind the microphone.
