Week Long Celebration (pictures)

I turned 28 on June 28 last week. It was my golden birthday so to speak. Since it was such a big day, I packed my week full of fun activities! I was a little too ambitious and I'm still exhausted from all my celebrating.

Last Wednesday I went to see the Beach Boys in concert. I love love love the Beach Boys. I've seen them in concert at least 6 times. They were my first concert ever and I've been hooked since. The place was packed. We got lawn seats but even on the lawn we have to squeeze into a spot. They look terrible, but they still sound AMAZING. Seriously I can't even believe how awesome they were. It was one of the better concerts I've ever been too.

Here I am at the concert with my friends.

Then on my Birthday I had to go to work. However after work a bunch of my friends from work we all went out for drinks at this local dive. I drank way too much. I don't know what got into me but I went to town.

Here we are doing a shot in my honor.

Me using a pool cue as a microphone....

It was so much fun, we were there for a really long time. I got pretty sick once I got home too. What's worse was I had to go to work in the morning. That was not fun. Then that night on Friday, for my birthday my friend got my concert tickets to see Badfish on a boat that went around NYC. It was beautiful out but really hot.

I thought it would be cooler on the water but it was really hot out. Everyone on that boat was a sweaty mess. It was still a lot of fun though. The band was awesome, they sound just like Sublime. And it was gorgeous being on the water. It was a great birthday gift.

Here I am on the ship

My friends and I next to the Statue of Liberty

Then to wrap it up on Saturday I went out with my gym family. We went to a resturant that looks right onto the ocean. It was a lot cooler on Saturday thankfully so we were able to sit outside and enjoy the night. It was a great way to wrap up my week long birthday celebration!

My trainers

Enjoying the night out!

I had a great Birthday. I know a lot of people dread getting older and getting closer to 30, but I'm in the best place right now. I am looking forward to what 28 will bring me. I have a feeling it's going to be a wonderful year. If it's even half as good as 27 treated me, then I know it'll be amazing.



Good Times with more to come! Some Pics

Last weekend was probably one of the best weekends I've had in a long time. Start to finish is was awesome. The St Patty's parade I went to was amazing. I definitely drank way to much though. lol

Since losing all this weight, I am a totally different person. Especially with my confidence and how I carry myself. I don't know if it's because I'm much thinner or because of how I carry myself now, but for the first time in a LONG time men were actually hitting on me! Buying me drinks, chatting me up. One guy practically never left my side the entire night. It was flattering but also so foreign to me. I am not used to it. On guy actually asked me to go home with him that night!

I said no of course. I will never be that kind of person to sleep with random people. I even sang Karaoke that night! haha. I mean I was totally gone by that point, but even in the past I would have never done that.

It's just so great now. I feel so much lighter, and not physically though. I mean I am so much more relaxed now. Whenever I used to go out, I would be awkward. And worried about finding a place to sit, and thinking about when I can finally go home, and if I will be able to pass by people to go to the bathroom. Now I just go with the flow. I don't over analyze situations anymore and it's just so freeing.

This weekend I have a 5K to look forward to. Hoping to get under 30 finally! And then I'm going out to dinner with some friends and then going out for another friends' birthday. In the past I would have never loaded up my day with so much activity. Now I love it! I am looking forward to just so much more good times. I cannot wait for this summer, I have a feeling it's going to be a blast!



Out at the bar.



Singing Karaoke! lol

Oh Hey there!

I didn't mean to disappear like that. Last week was just totally crazy. Work was crazy busy, plus I had visitors. Which meant little time on the computer. I missed you all!!! I hate not being able to catch up on blogs!

Here's a quick recap of what I've been up to.

Spent some time with my niece and sister in law before they headed back to India. It will probably be a full year until I get to see them again. Sad face. I am going to miss my niece SO MUCH. She is just the cutest kid and has the best personality.

I saw Wicked on Broadway with my SIL. I LOVED it!!!! I have been wanting to see the musical forever. It totally lived up to my expectations. We had lunch at the Stardust Diner (a total tourist trap) but it was really fun! Then followed it up with the musical. It was a matinee but the theater was completely packed! I'll admit, I got a little teary eyed at the very end! Highly recommend it!

Friday, I saw Ke$ha in concert. I don't really care for her or her music, but it was still a lot of fun. We got cheap lawn seats and there was a good group of us. It POURED though. I had a poncho and I was still soaking wet. Good thing for the beers I drank. It helped me not care about it. lol. At the end of the concert, my feet were caked with mud and confetti! lol. It was still really fun though.

Sunday I went to visit my grandma to celebrate her 89th birthday. There is just no slowing this woman down. She's 89 and in better shape than most people. It was a great day celebrating and lots of good food!!



How cute is she????

Well that sums up my week last week!! Now back to regular programming.

Longest week ever

Always around this time a year I get antsy. I just need a break from work and relax!! It seems everything and everyone is getting on my last nerve. I hate being snippy like it. I try to go on vacation to recharge my batteries but that just wasn't in the cards for me this year. Instead I'm doing a mini staycation next week!

First up this weekend two friends from college are coming up to visit. My BFF's friends from college are also coming down for the weekend. In total there will be about 15 people! I cannot wait to see everyone! My bff friends are my friends too. We've gotten to know each other really well over the years. Last year we had a similar gathering and it was a blast. I hope this will be a repeat.

Most people aren't coming down until Saturday. One girl is coming Friday and the plan is to go see the Harry Potter movie together. Which has been our little tradition together.Saturday will be beach all day, followed by a BBQ and then going out for the night. Sunday if we are up for it, we'll hopefully go to the beach for a few hours before everyone heads home.

Then I have to work Monday and Tuesday. Boo. Then I'm off Wednesday through Friday! My niece will be back up for the week. I can't wait to spend time with her. I plan on taking her to the beach for the very first time. I also plan on taking her to this kiddie water park that's nearby. She just loves the water. Which is amazing for someone who's just 13 months!

Hopefully this weekend and those few days off will be just what I need! Until then, I'm counting down the days and hours until Friday!

Tis the Season

I can't believe it's December!!! November flew by and I have a feeling December will too!! I am really looking forward to this month and the upcoming holidays. Now that I'm all done with my shopping, I can just enjoy the season.

Last night was spent cleaning out my room and moving my furniture. My room is getting painted today and my new furniture will be here on Friday!!! I can't wait to see it all together. I looked it up online, the whole set that I got is around $5,000! I got it for under $2000! Talk about an amazing deal! Plus I know I will be able to use this for years to come.

This weekend, my friend from Connecticut is coming down and I will finally be seeing the Harry Potter movie!!! I am sooo excited. I love the books and I think they do such a great job bringing everything to life in the movies. Although I lot of stuff tends to get left out, which is why the books are a lot better.

The following weekend, my brother and his family are flying in from India! I haven't seen my niece since she was about 8 weeks old. Now she's 6 months old and I can't wait to see how big she is! I have missed them so much. It will be great to spend some time with them and be with my niece for her first Christmas.

How will you be spending the holidays?

Vacation!

On Sunday I will be flying out to beautiful Florida!!! I can't wait!!

While I'm still a little nervous about how things will go, it's just in my nature, I'm still really excited. I'm just looking forward to a week that I can sleep in each day, and my biggest worry will be should I sit by the pool or on the beach that day. lol

Also on Saturday I have a big party to go to! So in general I just can't wait for this week to end and start having some fun!!

I kinda like the fact that I'm taking my vacation during the last week in August. It's like one last adventure/party before the summer ends. While I am looking forward to the fall and the crisp cool weather, I will miss summer a lot. This is the perfect goodbye for me.

So this will be my last blog until I get back. Have a great weekend and week ahead!!

Let the Good Times Roll

This past weekend some friends of mine from college came up to visit. It was a blast. Seriously I couldn't have asked for a better time. They got here bright and early on Saturday and we headed right to the beach. My BFF's friends from college also came down to visit this weekend, so it was a really good group of people. About 7 in total.

The beach was perfect. The weather was great, and the water felt cool and refreshing after being in the sun. In the afternoon we headed to BFF's house to chill by the pool and have a little BBQ. The pool felt like bath water, so I pretty much sat in there the whole time. After dinner we headed back to my house to get ready. After primping we went back to BBF's for a little pregame and then it was out to the club.

My friend from school was awesome enough to be the designated driver for us. I was so happy about that!! I really really didn't want to drive. We went down to Belmar which is like 25 minutes from where I live, and has great bars and clubs. I literally danced for like 3 hours straight. It was so much fun.

When we got home, I quickly got my friends settled and then passed out. lol. Unfortunately they decided to wake up at like 8AM so I didn't get very much sleep. We ate breakfast, hung out for a little, and then they had to get on the road. As soon as they left I went back to bed and didn't wake up until 2:30 in the afternoon. I was tired!!

I am so happy that they came up. I'm the one who usually has to travel to Maryland to visit them, so I'm grateful that they made the trip to NJ. Also they had a great time, so hopefully they will come again next summer!

Melting

It is way too hot out!! Its days like this that make me start craving the fall, with its crisp cool air. I know I need to enjoy the rest of the summer and this heat, but we need a little relief here!! It needs to rain or something. Ugh, it's so gross.

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend!! Mine was spent sunning myself at the beach and the pool. I also got to see some fireworks on Saturday. It definitely brings the kid out in me when I see them. I went to a BBQ on Saturday and the person lived right near where the fireworks went off. It was great to see them from the backyard and not have to deal with the massive amounts of people that were in town that day.

How was your weekend? Did you see any fireworks?

Stay Cool!

Speechless

Yesterday was one of the most crazy, wonderful, and exciting days ever. Even today I feel like bursting and I can't stop smiling.

I know I'm being vague but I honestly have no words to describe my day. Also I don't want to speak too quickly yet anyway.

It was just AMAZING.

Tune in next week to hear all about it!

The Party never stops

I’m officially 25 years old!

I can’t believe I’m 25, sometimes I still feel like a teenager.

Also it’s my 200th post!!! I can’t believe that either!!

Despite being really freaked out about turning 25 I decided to celebrate the occasion right. By right I mean basically celebrating from Thursday until Sunday my actual birthday!

Thursday I left work early and came home to spend some time with my family. Then some friends and I went to a bar nearby. I proceeded to drink way too much. I was happy though because my brother who has been away for the past year came out for a little while. I had barely seen him since he got home on Tuesday so I was happy to have some time with him out. Also I managed to run into a ton of people that I knew so it was great seeing all of them and just having fun.

Friday I was supposed to go see No Doubt in concert. A bunch of us gathered at my friends to have a BBQ and drink before going to the concert. The venue no longer allows tailgating. Anyway one friend was stuck in a lot of traffic so we were waiting for her to get here. When she did arrive, 30 minutes before the concert was supposed to start, it started to downpour and there was crazy thunder and lighting out.

Since our tickets were for lawn seats the going to the concert was quickly forgotten about. While I really wanted to go to the concert, I was happy I didn’t get stuck outside in the rain and lighting like that. Also the tickets were only 15 dollars so I wasn’t to upset about missing it. We just ended up staying in at my friends drink and laughing. Which was just fine by me. Oh and the best part!?!? My friend got me a special ice cream cake with a picture of me when I was little on it! It was seriously the best ice cream cake EVER. I put a picture below!

Saturday my brother had some friends over to visit since he hasn’t seen them in 6 months. I too had some friends stop by so it turned into a nice little gathering. My brother’s friend made chicken wings and his secret sauce and they were delicious! Also he brought over a beer pong table. The whole day was centered around drinking, eating and playing beer pong. I had a blast.

That night I decided to ring in my actual birthday at this bar/club near by. It’s half outside and half inside with like 6 different bars and even a little beach and volleyball field there. There must have been some event going on because they were giving out t-shirts, hats, glow sticks, stuff animals and towels. I managed to score a t-shirt, hat and even a little stuffed duck. The duck got annoying to hold onto so that was quickly discarded but I kept the shirt and hat! Well the hat I eventually ditched too because it got way to hot. See below for an awesome pic of me wearing the hat!

Finally on Sunday my birthday my aunt and cousins came over and my mom made homemade pizza!! It is seriously the best pizza EVER. I basically ate an entire pie all by myself it was that good.

All in all I had a pretty great birthday!! It was great spending time with friends and family and doing it up right. It defiantly made up for the awful birthday I had last year!!

Hopefully this celebration is great foreshadowing as to how 25 will be!!!

Best Cake EVER

Me now and then

Me and the crazy hat!

Welcome Summer!

This past weekend was really lovely. I got out of work at 1pm on Friday (thank you summer Fridays!) and spent the day just unwinding and relaxing after a crazy week.

Saturday it was cloudy so my friend and I decided to hit the outlets. I got the cutest pair of Cole Haan flats for half off!! Did you know their shoes are made with Nike Air? It makes them super comfy.

For lunch we ate at this new restaurant called Bobby’s Burger Palace. It’s actually a restaurant chain by the food network guy Bobby Flay. Let me just say that I don’t really eat hamburgers but I am obsessed with these!! I had the best burger there! I can’t wait to go back and try a different kind.

After we ate the weather cleared up so I got my dogs, went to my friend’s house and went swimming with my dogs! They have never been in a pool before but they swam so well! It was the cutest thing ever. I think they even liked it. They kept on going to edge of the pool looking like they wanted to jump in. I would take them and put them in the water and they would swim right to the stairs!! I wish I had a camera. It was adorable.

That night a bunch of us headed out. We went to a club that is near the boardwalk and while I don’t really go to those places in the summer because of the traffic and, no offense, bennys, I had a blast. There was a great crowd and not too many people that you felt like you couldn’t move. Everyone was just having a good time and dancing like crazy.

Now I know some people have a problem with Benny’s, I do on occasion like when I’m stuck in traffic for an hour to get home which is five miles away, but they know how to have a good time. They just want to have fun and enjoy the summer. I only get mad when they are stereotypical and act like they OWN the Jersey Shore. That gets annoying. The only downside of the night was the fact that we parked about a mile away from the place to avoid paying for parking. My shoes that I wear all the time decided to fail on me that night and I got huge blisters that are still hurting me.

Sunday was an amazing day so a few of us hit the beach. The water was FREEZING but you got so hot that you didn’t even mind it. I still haven’t bought new sunscreen so I was forced to use a bottle that I found on the bottom of my closet. Not the best idea. I have sunburn in random places now. Like on the right side of my neck, the top of my left thigh, my feet (I always forget that part) and my forehead. lol. Nowhere else did I get burned. So now I look like a freak but that’s okay. Hopefully it will even out soon.

I feel like the summer has officially started. I’m not taking into account this crazy weather we are having today. Thunder and hail storms in June??? WTF.

Ouch!

Beach + really old sunscreen + faulty application = Really bad sunburn blotches all over. I look AWESOME.

Saturday Night + "comfy" shoes + parking really far away from bar = massive blisters on my toes that is so bad I can't even wear sneakers, only flip flops will do.

All is all a pretty awesome weekend. It was just what I needed after all that self-wallowing I've been doing.

More details to follow.

Officially the start of summer

Memorial Day weekend was so much fun! I really hope it’s foreshadowing to how the whole summer will be.

The weather was amazing, I went to a couple of BBQs, and went out a few times to places that had just the right amount of people. Crowded but not so bad that you want to leave and just everyone having a good time. Best of all I got to catch up on some much needed sleep. One morning I actually slept til 10:30 in the morning and that never happens anymore!

It was a much needed three day weekend. Also it’s already Wednesday and we’re almost to the weekend again! I love that. Yesterday was crazy busy at work, it was like I blinked my eyes and it was time to go home. Which I was happy about, there is nothing worse then sitting at work and the day just won’t end.

Today my dog is getting neutered. He was at first really mad at me for not feeding him. He was freaking out, running around the house and even jumping up to the kitchen table to look for food. Then when I dropped him at the Vet he was shaking and holding on to me. I just wanted to turn around and take him home. He looked so sad. I know it’s necessary and he will be fine in a few days.

Thursday Thoughts

After spending what seemed to be months of searching I finally booked my vacation for this summer!!!

I am going to Jamaica!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I couldn’t be more excited. I have never been there before and the place we my friends and I are staying seems really nice. It’s all-inclusive and there are tons of daily activities offered that is included that most AI places don’t usually offer. Such as water skiing, banana boats, snorkeling, glass bottom boat rides and so much more!

Have any of you ever been to Jamaica?? I would appreciate any tips you have to offer.

The only downside to this is I have to wait til the end of August for my trip! It seems way to far away. I might have to take a few long weekends to help me along.

Have you ever been in a good mood but it just seems the world is out to make it gloomy? That was yesterday for me. I woke up in a good mood and it was like everyone tried to bring me down. Co-workers, my boss, my mom, friends, and even my dog!

The little shit (literally) had diarrhea yesterday and pooped on the floor. Luckily it is hardwood floors so it usually easy to clean up, but either my family didn’t notice the poop or just ignored it because by the time I came home last night it was STUCK to the floor. It took me having to get on my hands and knees and scrub vigorously until it was off.

What started out as me being in a really good mood quickly deteriorated into me being completely pissed off at the world. Luckily I woke up again this morning in another great mood and so far the world doesn’t seem to be coming after me!

How could I be in a bad mood when I just booked a vacation, my office is having a pot luck lunch today, it's gorgeous out, and I get to leave at 2 tomorrow to enjoy a, hopefully, beautiful three day weekend!!

What is your mood like today?

Peak at summer

What a beautiful weekend it was. It hit 90 degrees both days and was a nice little glimpse to summer that is quickly approaching. It may have even been too hot out. My house was a sauna on Saturday. Thankfully my mom caved and put the air on Sunday.

Saturday I went to a wedding of my brother’s really good friend. My brother was supposed to be the best man but couldn’t because he’s still overseas. It was beautiful though. It was at a place that was right on the beach. Really random, this is the place that the Craigslist Killer was going to get married. A bunch of people was talking about that on Saturday.

I’m not a person who cries at weddings. However this one defiantly had tears welling up in my eyes. It was just so heartfelt and you can just see how unbelievably happy the bride and groom were. Then during the exchanging of the vows the groom’s speech made everyone cry. Even grown men had out tissues and were wiping their eyes. It was just so touching.

Once the party got started everyone was talking, laughing and dancing. It was not a wedding where no one even gets up to slow dance; everyone seemed to have a great time. Some more than others. There was one person who got so wasted at the wedding that he puked ALL over himself and even left a little path of puke on his way to the bathroom. It was disgusting. Since our table was right near the bathrooms we got to see the whole thing unfold. Not fun.

Who gets that drunk anyway? I understand drinking and having a good time. I myself have gotten a bit tipsy (read drunk) before but you don’t drink like you’re at a kegger. It’s a wedding. Have a little restraint. Plus you will forever be known as THAT guy who puked at the wedding. I felt especially bad for the women who took off their heels and were walking around barefoot!!! Just thinking about it makes me gag!

Speaking of inappropriate can we please talk about how people dress for weddings? There was a bunch of woman at the wedding that looked like rejects from “Rock of Love”. I couldn’t even understand how they could sit down with their dresses that short. Again we are at a wedding people, not a club. It just baffles me that a person going to a wedding would think a dress that just barely covers your ass would be appropriate wedding attire.

Besides that it was great. I sat at great table with all our family friends and there was never a lull in conversation. The best part? There was a candy bar at the wedding! During the dessert there was a buffet table set up with all different types of candy. They gave you a little bag and you just pilled everything in. they had everything from gummy bears to mini snickers bars. That was the best idea ever! The perfect little gift to bring home with you.

Sunday was so hot out that I actually laid out with my friend by her pool. Her parents decided to open it up early. The pool was way to cold to go in, but it felt nice to just have you feet in. Then we had a little BBQ outside on her porch. It was a great way to spend a lazy Sunday.

What did you do this weekend?

We are the Champions

My little mini break was awesome. It was exactly what I needed!! There was no drama just good times. Spent the whole day walking around, going to the outlets and gambling a little and spent the whole night drinking.

I honestly can’t remember the last time I was so drunk. I didn’t even realize how much I drank until the next morning where every part of my body hurt and I had the most massive headache ever. I wasn’t even sure I would be able to drive home. I couldn’t even eat a bagel for breakfast. I was a mess, but honestly it was totally worth it. The hangover didn’t go away for TWO days. lol.

In other news, my friend and I are beer pong champions at the Tropicana. I am usually really bad at the game and I was awesome that night. Well for the first few games. Then I apparently couldn’t aim straight anymore, but my teammate carried me and we won every single game we played. People were actually lining up to try and beat us. It was pretty unreal.

We weren’t planning on playing, but we went to one club that was basically empty. We decided to leave and come back when there were more people. Instead of losing more money gambling we saw the beer pong table and went for it. We never made it back to the club, but we didn’t even care. The bar we were at was playing great music, there were a ton a people and everyone was talking to each other and getting along. It was defiantly one of those nights were everything just seems to click and it ends up being an amazing night.

The rest of the weekend was relaxed. I really couldn’t move on Friday and most of Saturday. However, Easter was great. It was at my aunt’s house and I love when my whole family gets together. There was a ton of food and everyone just enjoyed each other’s company.

Now it’s back to the daily grind, but for the first time in a long time I don’t really mind it.

How was your holiday?

A great weekend

My Ski weekend was amazing. I can’t believe just how great it was. There was no drama or fighting, just good times. It was the perfect way to give me that extra shot and make everything seem OK.

Friday my friend and I headed up. There was an accident so we hit some traffic but it didn’t even matter. We were too busy catching up on our lives and just making each other laugh. Honestly the drive up was one of my favorite parts of the weekend.

We got to the place and we stayed in the nicest little apartment. There were 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, the living room was huge and the kitchen was a great size. Since there were 7 of us, it was 2 to a bedroom and one slept on the pullout couch. My friend and I got to snag the bedroom that had 2 twin beds in it. I hate having to share a bed. I toss and turn like crazy and I always feel like I’m disturbing the person in the bed. Plus I like to really stretch out in the bed. I’m worried that when I get married this will cause a problem. I’m going to end up like a 1950s housewife with 2 separate beds.

Anyway.

Friday night was kind of a chill night. We just hung out, catching up and drinking some free wine that we got. Our room had a fireplace that wouldn’t work. The maintenance man tried to fix it but couldn’t. To make up for it he brought over a couple bottles of wine for us. I’ll take free wine over a fire any time.

Saturday we got up real early. We got breakfast then broke up into groups, the skiers and the non-skiers. The skiers spent the day skiing, and we broke off and did our own thing.

First we went snow tubing. Which was SO much fun!! I’ve never been before and it was great. I can’t believe how fast you go down the hills. When you go the guy asks if you want to go straight or to spin. I told him to spin and boy did he. I was spun so fast and went flying down the hill. By the time I stopped I was crazy dizzy and a little nauseous. But totally worth it, it was exhilarating. Also? Snow tubing is actually a good workout. Dragging the tube all over and going down the hill was exhausting. When we finished I was covered in sweat. This morning, I woke up spore all over from it!

After that we went to the hot tub. The perfect way to sooth your muscles and relax afterwards. That afternoon since the skiers hadn’t gotten back yet we went to a wine tasting. That is probably the only disappointment we had. We all had never been before and were excited to learn more about wine. However the lady was a total bitch to us. She didn’t explain any of wines and when giving us our taste gave us WAY less then she was giving the other participants. I don’t know if she thought we were too young to appreciate it or something, but I was furious. However the wine was delicious and a good price so I still ended up buying 3 bottles from there.

We got back in time to have dinner with everyone and start the evening’s festivities. We meant to go out to a local bar but we started drinking early and no one was in a state to drive. But it was okay. We had a so much fun just playing drinking games and laughing all night. All in all a great way to end the day.

Sunday we got up headed to breakfast and left shortly after. My friend and I got a little lost on our way home, but we still made good time getting back. As soon as I got home I went to my room and proceeded to take a good three-hour nap. I needed it. However it wasn’t enough and I’m defiantly dragging today at work. But I don’t mind. This weekend made me feel really good and okay with where my life is right now. No need to rush growing up.

How was your weekend?

Back to Reality

Wow, work really piles up when you’re not at your job for over a week. From the moment I walked in today I have been nonstop busy. It took me an hour to just clear off everything that has been piled on my desk. Another 2 hours to just go through my e-mails. I haven’t even made a dent in the work that I really need to start doing.

It was worth it.

These last 12 days of not having to worry about work was great. It really reenergized me and today when I woke up I didn’t groan at the thought of going to work. Don’t get me wrong I still hate my job, but having time off makes me feel a little better.

As I mentioned before I am determined to make this year better for me. I always put people in front of myself and it’s time that I become a little selfish.

Anyway, my vacation was really nice. Christmas was great. My mom, I mean Santa got me a new camera!!! I really didn’t want her to spend a lot of money on me, but this is one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten. It’s a Sony Cybershot and the quality of the pictures is so much better then my last camera. I also got gift cards to some of my favorite stores.

My best friend actually got me a necklace from Tiffany’s. We always go a little overboard with our gifts but I was so surprised by this! The charm looks like a lock and it has my first initial in the center. She has the same one for her and I always loved it. I still cannot believe that she bought one for me it. Also, my godmother got me a Coach wrislet. She too likes to spoil me. I feel so blessed to have people that care for me this much. However I do feel guilty when people spend so much money on me. Even though I spend just as much on them, I still feel guilty. I’m working on being able to just accept a gift gratefully and not worry about the other person.

Christmas itself was great. My brother and his fiancée showed up and my family was so happy to finally meet her. My cousin that is in the Air Force was able to come and we hadn’t seen him is so long so it was great to see him. The food was incredible as usual. My aunt loves to go crazy with it. I was full just from the appetizers.

The next day we had people over for my brother, it ended up being a sorta engagement party so that was nice for him. It got a little crazy at my house; lots of people, food, and a beer pong game that ended up being moved into our living room. I suck at beer pong but I actually ended up winning a game against my brother! Score! After that, Christmas, plus Christmas Eve, I was exhausted when the weekend came. I was happy to have a break.

The rest of the week was fun: lots of activities, visiting with friends, and relaxation. Besides getting sick on New Years, this week was pretty great.

Tomorrow expect a full report on my road trip to Virginia. I was going to write about it today but then I went off on a tangent. To avoid writing the longest post ever, I will blog about it tomorrow.

The good stuff

Okay now onto the good stuff that happened last weekend. I am feeling better today especially after writing yesterdays post. But I really do need to step back and really start to figure things out about my life. Otherwise things will get worse. Anyway, moving on.

On Friday I went to Baltimore. I met up with the birthday girl and we got pedicures and then went out to dinner to celebrate. We went to the Macaroni Grill. I have never been to one because I always think of it as fake Italian food. I didn’t love my meal, but it was a lot better than I thought it was going to turn out. However I probably won’t be going back any time soon. We got back to her apartment got ready and waited for our friends to get there so we could make our way downtown. We went to this place called Max’s that is in Fells Point. If you ever go to Baltimore Fells point is a great place to go out. It’s has a dozen of bars within close proximity of one another. The best night to go there is Halloween. It is absolute chaos. Anyway, this place has tons of beers on tap that are from all over the world. I love it because they serve Strongbow which is my favorite thing to drink but very hard to find in the States. It’s a cider, and my drink of choice when I studied abroad in London. It was a good time and there was a lot a laughs and drinking to be had. I hadn’t seen my friends since May so it was good to catch up. I only wish that they lived closer.

On Saturday the birthday girl and I decided to ease our hangovers by going shopping. We went to Filene’s Basement. I love that store and I got a new tote bag for work. Followed by DSW where I got 2 new pairs of shoes. They are amazing. Adidas and Nike make them but they look like cute flats. Which means I can wear them to work, walk around and it feels like a sneaker but look like a dress shoe. It is the best of both worlds! I can’t tell you how excited I am about them! I tried finding a picture online but couldn’t locate something that was close. Maybe I will take a picture later.

The rest of the day we just chilled until it was time for me to get going. I left there around 3 and got back home at 6:45. Not to bad but still not so fun. When I got home I had to change, eat dinner, and was out the door again. I told my friend I would drive because there was no way I could drink again so shortly. We ended up going down to Belmar, which anyone who knows Jersey has heard of Belmar and their bars. I have a love/hate relationship with them. Its fun to go there, but a pain to drive down, and the cops/bartenders/bouncers are assholes. They kind of have to be because the places get really insane. I also hate them because I got into a little trouble with the law a couple of years ago and was “arrested” for not doing anything wrong. It’s a long story and I’m still not sure if I was or was not officially arrested. I can tell you another time maybe. We went to this place called 507 Main (which is just their address but for some reason people think its an amazing name). I was a little cranky because I was tired from the night before and also the place was packed. You couldn’t even move an inch to dance. But I was glad to be out with my friends and we made the best of it. We even stayed until way past last call, which I very rarely do. I didn’t end up getting home until after 3:30 in the morning.

I passed out when I got home, happy to be back in my bed. I ended up sleeping in late, but my friend and me still wanted to go to the beach. Not a good idea. The traffic wasn’t so bad considering we took back roads and live so close but when we got the beach it was CLOSED. Sandy Hook beach that is literally over 10 miles of beach was closed. I could not believe it. I know it was Labor Day and what did I expect? But seriously I have never seen a beach actually close down. Oh well we just turned around and set up shop at her pool. Which to me was better because the pool was nice and quiet and didn’t have any jellyfish. The only thing was a bee stung me! I haven’t been stung since I was like 10 but there I was minding my own business sitting in her pool when that little shit stung me. I did no provoking and I didn’t even see it. All I felt was a pinch and then searing pain. Seriously I forgot how painful that shit is. My skin puffed up and was bright red. It looked awful. My arm is still red from it, but thankfully the swelling went down.

After that the day flew by. We decided to go out again, but this time close by and to a place that we hoped would not be packed. We went to the perfect place. It had an outside patio and there was the perfect amount of people. It was good to just sit and relax will having a beer, or in my case 7. I ended up getting really drunk. I didn’t even mean to. I just kept drinking. Then the bartender gave me a free beer on the house and that caused me to drink even more. I have no idea why he gave me the free drink. I wasn’t dressed up and I wasn’t even talking to him or trying to flirt. I just walked up asked for the beer and he gave it to me and said “On the house”. I was so excited about that! That stuff never happens to me. The fact that it happened on a really low-key night made it all the better. Needless to say that might just be my new favorite place to go. I also ended up seeing a few friends from high school, which inevitably always happens whenever we go there. All in all it was a great time. It might have been my favorite night out this past weekend, and not just because of the free drink. All the elements were there and everyone just had a great time.

Monday was spent in a catatonic state by my friend’s pool. It was a great holiday weekend and one of the best times I’ve had in a long while. I needed it to boost myself and start living my life again.

Journey to Beantown

I’ve basically been going through this day like the walking dead. I am utterly exhausted from my trip to Boston. The weekend was amazing, I only wish I had a day to recuperate from it instead of going to work. I swear when I walked outside today to the pouring rain, I was THIS close to just turning around and calling in sick. But the good worker I am I went into work and I am now counting down the hours (6 by the way) until I can crawl back in to bed.

Anyway back to the weekend. It wasn’t off to the greatest start. To save on money I decided to take the bus up to Boston. I found a good price and was on my way to Boston at 2 pm. NOTE: Do not ever leave a city on a Friday at peak rush hour times. Instead of taking the projected 4 hours to Boston, it took me almost 6. With no stops and the worst bus driver known to mankind (I’m almost puked), I was pretty cranky when I arrived. However the perfect summer night, seeing my best friend, and getting food in my belly, I was in a great mood and all set to explore the city.

Friday night we went out to a couple of bars near Fenway that was fun. There was a game that night so there was a ton of people there. They lost but everyone still seemed to be in good spirits. We were having such a good time that the bartenders basically kicked us out and refused to give us more drinks. Which was fine because I had a very long day ahead.

Saturday was spent exploring the city. I must have walked all over Boston. It is such a nice city and I didn’t really mind that fact that my feet were starting to throb after a few hours. We went to Faneuil Hall and explored all the shops around there and ate lunch at this place called Dick’s. Their whole gimmick is that they are mean to the customers, like the waiter tied a balloon into my friends hair, and refused to give me my glass of water. But it was all in good fun, and the food was delicious. Also can I just say that one of my favorite things in the world is being able to have lunch outside. I swear the food taste better and the atmosphere is so much better outside. Even better than eating lunch outside? Having afternoon drinks outside, near the water. Which is exactly what we did. We ordered a huge drink that came in a fish bowl and enjoyed ourselves nears the Boston Harbor watching the ships go by. Then we decided to partake in such activities.

We took a boat called Codzilla. It blast music, and drives all around the harbor at 40 miles per hour. Which may not seem that fast, but when you’re on a boat it feels like 90 mph. It’s this whole skit that they put on saying the harbor has a huge Cod fish that everyone tries to keep a secret but then it like “attacks you” and we have to get away. While making out get away the boat makes these really sharp turns and you end up getting wet. I should say wet, more like drenched. On the brochure it says it might happen, but we figured it would be a few drops. Nope. We were completely soaking wet, but it was totally worth it and very refreshing after walking around in the hot sun all day. However riding the T afterward was not as pleasant, especially for the other passengers.

That night we both were exhausted, and even though we had planned to go out again we were fried. So instead we just stayed in and watch some movies. Which was ended up being a blast and it was good to just catch up.

My trip had to end eventually, and I was sad to leave. I took the amazing Acela Express home and got back in no time. When I got home, a bunch of my brothers friends were home and having a bit of a BBQ so I was glad to have food waiting for me and wasn’t as sad leaving Boston because I was being entertained by some good friends. Also, hearing stories of your brother making an ass out of himself always puts me into a good mood.

It was a great weekend. I really want to try and make another trip up there while my friend is still there. I will try to post some pictures of my weekend at some point (no guarantees though). What did you do this weekend?