List for Lindsay

Today is Lindsay's birthday and there's no way I can top the ode that she wrote for me on my birthday, so I thought I would just list just a few of the things that make Lindsay great (in no particular order).
1. She's a master of delicious treat making. One might even call her Betty. She often shares these delicious treats with me.
2. She's one of the most generous people I know.
3. She likes to sing random songs in random places and always has my back on my random songs.
4. She can laugh at herself (as well as at other people).
5. She always gets it done. She makes a plan and makes it happen.
6. She owns a full set of power tools and knows how to use them.
7. She convinced me to buy a guitar and let's me have "family jam" with her even though I'm not very good.
8. She has a jewelry stand full of plastic bracelets and wears at least 3 every day.
9. She owns a BeDazzler.
10. She shares my love of television, books, music and Max.

Happy Birthday, Linds!

NY152

It's fall in Seattle - at least for now it is. And I love it. Love, love, love it, I tell you. Today it was in the low to mid sixties, the air was crisp, the sun was shining, I got a hot chocolate from Starbuck's, wore a sweater and it made me happy.

As I was walking to the bus after work it smelled like fall.

I just kept thinking to myself, "Don't you just love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies."

Straight from The Creek

I have a new show. Fringe. I watched the first two episodes this afternoon and it's kind of strange, but I think I might like it. Lindsay described it as House + LOST + 24 = Fringe, which is a pretty accurate description. I have watched or still watch all of those shows so it has to be pretty good, right?

But the part that makes it even better? Pacey is back people! And he looks good.
That's enough to keep me watching...

That's What I Like

Around 6 pm this evening I went up to my room, opened the window to let in the crisp air, crawled in bed, pulled the covers around me and slept for 3.5 hours. Heavenly.

I've spent the last hour surfing the internet in bed and I'm debating on whether or not to go downstairs and eat something or go back to bed. Both ideas are pretty compelling.

Assistant to the Regional Manager

Guys. Today I could have met Dwight Schrute. And by "met" I mean "could have watched him from really far away in my seat at Safeco Field". But I didn't.

The company that owns my company had their annual meeting today...at Safeco Field because there are so many employees that they needed a stadium. And guess who emceed the meeting? Rainn Wilson! Apparently he's a Seattle native - who knew? I was planning on attending but client stuff took priority. Boo. I told Lindsay she could take my badge a pretend to be me to get in, but she wasn't up for it.

A few questions:
1. Why does a company meeting even need an emcee?
2. Where did the word 'emcee' come from and does it stand for something?
3. Can't Rainn do better than crappy corporate gigs?
4. How did I go from company meetings in the shop with lemon bars that smell like turkey to company meetings at Safeco Field with celebrities emceeing?

Conversation of the Day

*Overheard at work.

Co-worker 1: It smells like butt in here.
Co-worker 2: Yeah, I kind smell something funny too.
Co-worker 1: You smell butt. B-U-T-T. With two T's.

I think co-worker 1 and I would make pretty good friends.

On the bus today...

...it smelled like poop. Not like a bad smell that I'm just saying was similar to poop, but actual feces. Like someone - no, a few people - had dropped a deuce in their pants.

Or like I was being crop dusted for several minutes straight. Crop dusted by an elephant.

It was powerful. And awful. And made for a long ride.

The Guilt Trip

Lately I've taken to listening to music on Pandora from my work laptop when I work from home. If you've used Pandora before you know that you can either give a song a thumbs up or a thumbs down to help the system refine what is played on your channel.

But what they don't tell you is that when you give a song a thumbs down you also get a guilt trip.

Exhibit A

"...and we'll never play that song again on this station."

Okay, okay...I'll listen to the song. Don't be so touchy.

It's My Party...

So, another birthday has (almost) come and gone. I'm now on the downward slope to 30. I have to say, this was probably the most low-key birthday I've ever had...well, minus those years when I was banned from having parties because of the drama that was guaranteed to ensue. This was also the first birthday I've ever spent without my family - or really even friends - so it was different, but still good.

I celebrated on Saturday and Lindsay, Breann and I started off the evening with a round of mani/pedi's. Who doesn't love that?
The good news is I have officially found "my" nail salon in Seattle. Some of you might know of the soft spot I had for Tracy, Lani and Kim in Bountiful. They may have called me Jennifer at times, but I still loved them and was a very loyal customer. There has been a lot of trial and error over the last 4 1/2 months but my loyalties now lie with Princess Nails.

After the pampering we made a stop at Easy Street Records. That place is dangerous! I only allowed myself to purchase two CDs and was very proud of my restraint.
I was craving lettuce wraps so I decided on PF Chang's for dinner. While we waited for our table we hit up LJL's favorite store, Fireworks. It's basically a store full of crap. Not crap as in poorly crafted, but crap as in completely useless. Oh, and completely over priced. But fun to wander around in nonetheless.
Dinner was tasty and after almost dying twice on the way home (not our fault) and playing Breann a few tunes on the guitar, I got to open my one and only birthday gift...
A Chi hair dryer! And no, that was not fake excitement. Lindsay told me she bought me something I 'wanted but would never buy'. My guess was a Sonicare toothbrush because, although she swears by it, I can't bring myself to spend $50 on a toothbrush. But she couldn't have given this to me at a better time because I'm pretty sure my current blow dryer was going to burst into flames within the next 5 days.
Next up was cake. Banana split cake is kind of a tradition in my family and Lindsay was nice enough to keep it going. After a stellar rendition of Happy Birthday by Lindsay and Breann, including killer harmonies, it was time for me to make a wish and blow out my non-existent candles. I'm pretty sure I got them all on the first try!
The cake was good but Max wasn't a fan.
My actual birthday consisted of church, Grey's Anatomy season 4, more banana split cake, being home taught, peach pie, cleaning my room and doing laundry. Sunday birthday's = not much fun.

I realized tonight that on every birthday I think, This is my year. This is the year I'm going to do amazing things. And every year I'm disappointed because, deep down, I think what I really meant was This is the year I'm going to find someone, fall in love and get married. Which officially makes me the lamest person ever.

In my 25th year I did some pretty great things:

• I saw Brandi Carlile in concert for the first time (and 2nd - 5th).
• I discovered my love for Friday Night Lights. More specifically, Tim Riggins.
  
• I bought a Mac.
• I went to Sundance and stalked celebrities.
• I met Perez!
  
• I took a risk and moved to a new city for no known reason.
• I stopped complaining about my old, crappy job and actually did something about it. Now I work for a top digital agency with super smart, experienced people that I'm learning so much from.
• I strengthened my testimony by acting on faith and was reassured that my prayers really are heard and answered.
  
• I overcame my fear of the bus.
• I bought a guitar and started learning how to play (Something that had been on my "Life List" for quite some time.)
  
• I went to Portland for the first time.
• I went to A LOT of concerts and deepened my love for live music...and music in general.
• I got a passport because I committed to go on a cruise in February (and get excited because BC is involved!)
  
• I gained two nephews and a niece.
  
• I went to my sister's wedding!
• I lost 9 lbs.

So I'd say 25 could be considered 'my year'. And I'm sure, if I allow myself to view it that way, 26 will be just as great.

?

Is it just me or is Starburst packaging made of steel?

Embarrassment

I've had a couple of embarrassing moments recently. Yesterday I got stuck in a stall in the bathroom at work. No joke. I used a stall I don't normally use because I was trying to follow the one stall in between rule. But when I tried to open the door the handle was spinning but the pin keeping the door locked didn't budge. I started to panic slightly while envisioning myself having to crawl under the door. I kept working on the handle, but it wasn't moving. In a last fit of panic I grabbed the top of the door and shook it. Lo and behold, it worked! And I was free. I'm sure the person in the other stall was a little worried about what was going on.

This morning I had to run to catch the bus for the first time ever. Running for the bus is not my style, but this morning I had gotten up early and I wasn't going to let that effort go to waste. So, when I saw the bus slowing down at my stop I started running. In heels. Up a hill. Somehow the bus driver knew to wait for me (someone at the back of the bus must have seen me running) and I made it on huffing and puffing. My hair suffered the brunt of the experience. When I told Chats McGee about it he said, "So you were that girl, huh?"

Yes, yes I was. The girl that gets locked in the bathroom stall and runs a block to catch the bus.

Hello

The weather could not have been more perfect this weekend. Sunny, 70's and no humidity. Sounds like the perfect weather for an outdoor concert, right?

Tristan Prettyman sounded great and when she pulled out this guitar (she had three) I wanted to jump on stage, grab it and start running for the car. Isn't it pretty?
A few things:
1. I wanted her to talk more. I like it when people show a little personality.
2. She's brave for wearing a dress on stage.
3. When her guitar strap broke right before the chorus of War Out of Peace and she had to stop playing, I had her back on the chorus. I think she should consider taking me on tour with her just in case that ever happens again.

Next up was John Butler Trio. Turns out his fans like to smoke weed. A lot. I didn't know who they were or even realize that they were part of the line-up but they pulled gems like those tie-dyed beauties in the middle. Needless to say, Lindsay and I did not get bored during their 1+ hour set with all of the people watching going on.
PS - Don't be fooled. They didn't just stand there. There was much dancing.

Finally came G. Love & Special Sauce. Let me just say that I can't even play the guitar and sing - it's like patting my head and rubbing my stomach. But this man rocked the guitar, harmonica, sang, busted some moves and worked the mic. And was likely high, drunk or both while doing it. Impressive.
I ventured from our safe seats in the grass into the mass of people at the stage to get some pictures. It was an experience. And this was the only clear picture I got so I'm not sure it was worth it. When I saw the puffs of smoke mysteriously making their way into the air from the crowd, heard the guy behind me freak out about security roving the crowd and noticed the way my head was starting to ache, I knew it was time to make my way out of the crowd and back to my seat.

Of course he sang Rodeo Clowns (which I loved) and then when he sang Who's Got the Weed? I realized that I was even more out of my element than I am with crowd at Brandi Carlile shows.

Football.

I'm watching the BYU vs. UW game and a few questions are coming to mind.

1. Who names their kid Bronco?
2. Why can't FSN get camera men that can hold it steady?
3. How is protecting a ball worth getting jacked so hard by 300 lb. men?

Ok, so those are my only questions, but I feel like they're pretty important.

An Old Flame

Did you see Michael Buble on The Today Show this morning? Boy is lookin' good! In his chat with Perez he said he's having meals delivered. Whatever he's doing, it's working!

Remember last July when I went to his show and wrote roughly 3.2 million posts about him? That was fun.

Two Things

Number One: I went sailing today. Sailing. On water. In a sailboat. We sailed across Puget Sound to Bainbridge Island in a 70 foot boat, sat there for a while and then sailed back. It was very peaceful minus the moments of terror when the boat felt like it was completely on its side. A co-worker told me that we weren't in trouble until the sail touched the water. I'm not sure that was very helpful.

Number Two: I talked to the most fantastic British man while waiting for the elevator. Fantastic is the only word to describe him. 100% eccentric. I was waiting for the elevator on my floor, with my wallet in hand, so I could head down to quickly grab lunch at the dirty "deli" in my building (it was baked potato Thursday). My wallet is similar in style to this:

As I'm waiting, a man I've never seen before walks out into the hallway and stands right next to me. Facing me. I'm facing the elevator. I look over and he's rocking some serious pointy toed boots, crazy tight black jeans, a giant belt buckle, white button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a black vest and sunglasses (Note: We were indoors). He's still facing me as I quickly take it all in, so I say hello and turn back to the elevator. He says he likes my "purse. Or what do you call them here? Wallet." So, not only does he mean business with his outfit, he also has a hard-core British accent.

I say thanks and he continues to go on about how everyone is carrying them these days. He even reaches out and takes it from me, turning it over in his hands. He said, "I see them everywhere. I went out the other night and this woman opened her black patent leather wallet and it was bright red inside. It was f'ing gorgeous!"

Something about the way he was dressed and the fact that he had such strong feelings about a wallet made me refrain from telling him that I got it at Target for $12. But I did want to be his friend.

There are tears on my cheeks right now...

Linds: How do you spell pulley? P-O-L-Y?
Steph: I don't even know what that word means...
L: Like 'ropes and pulleys'.

{After a few minutes of me laughing at (and with) Lindsay.}

S: Umm...P-U-L-L-E-Y.

{After a few more minutes of laughing and wiping away tears.}

S: Are you really blogging about ropes and pulleys?
L: I thought that was going to be your first question.

Maybe I'll Invite Him to My Party

Almost every night when I leave work the same security man is sitting at the desk in the lobby when I step off the elevator. And almost every night, unless I'm lost in my own world, I say, "Have a great night" as I walk past his desk.

Tonight I got off the elevator, walked past his desk, and said the same thing I always say. But this time, instead of smiling and saying, "You too" he pointed at me and said, "September 14th".

I stopped, turned, and gave him a confused look. He said, what to me sounded like, "That's my birthday." And then I was really confused because 1) Why is he giving me unsolicited personal information? and 2) What are the chances that our birthday would be on the same day? So I clarified and said, "You're birthday is September 14th?" and he said, "No, YOU'RE birthday is September 14th".

And just as I started looking for the nearest exit/soiling myself he said, "I saw it on the board upstairs - I didn't mean to creep you out". I tried to play it cool, remembering the bulletin board on my floor where every month they post pictures of everyone in the department who has an upcoming birthday, and hoped he didn't notice the wet stain on my pants and awkwardly said, "I was going to say...'How crazy that we have the same birthday'!" {Insert nervous laughter.}

I smiled and as I turned to walk away I said, "Have a good night" and he said, "You too".

Parental Advice

This was my favorite conversation from my weekend in Utah. It may not be word for word, but it captures the spirit of the conversation. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

Dad: Have you been tanning?
Steph: Yup.
D: You should stay out of the sun. Look at your Mom, she stays out of the sun and has great skin.
S: I look less ugly when I'm tan.
D: Well, there's no doubt that being tan looks nice, but when you're sixty it won't look as good.
S: I'm really more concerned with finding a husband now, and he can deal with what I look like when I'm sixty.
D: {laughing} All you have to do is go to choir. And touch people.