Whoopsie!

On the radio today I heard that in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle, a new trolley system is being put in that was originally called the South Lake Union Trolley until it was discovered that the acronym would be "SLUT". Some guys in a coffee shop are selling t-shirts that say "Ride the SLUT - South Lake Union Trolley". The name has now been officially changed to South Lake Union Streetcar.

Here just outside of Chattanooga in Dunlap, TN there is a wings place called Tennessee Wings And Things. Locals affectionately refer to the joint as "TWAT".

It's a small world after all

I played soccer in college. I had three different coaches in four years. The first was a grad student who knew more about running than soccer. That year I prayed it didn't rain. The next two knew a lot about soccer and made me completely hate the sport for several years afterward, it was that miserable to play under them. And now I am coaching skill sessions with one of them.

Sigh.

It's going to be a long season. At least he has matured. Slightly.

Reading

Recently I decided to subscribe to the magazine "Every Day with Rachael Ray". I found my first issue in my mailbox today amongst several offers for credit cards and to refinance my mortgage at a lower rate. I read the issue while eating leftover pizza from the Mellow Mushroom. As I was reading I could hear Rachael Ray's voice. "Yummo!" And it wouldn't stop.

If this keeps up I may have to cancel my subscription.

Because I decided all by myself

Normally when I'm going to do anything major, or even slightly major, I ask everyone I know for their opinion on my pending decision. This applies to all house renovations and any major purchases, meaning it costs over $50. I think I do this because when I first bought my house and moved it, I painted the hallway three different shades of yellow before quitting and moving to the next project. Painting the same area three times and still not being satisfied with the results sucks. So I tend to take the proactive approach and do my research via my friends.

I am currently redoing my guest bedroom. I origionally wanted to paint it a lavendar gray. I went to every paint store in town, collecting various paint chips of purple before settling on the grayest of them. I bought a gallon and painted a wall. Very purple. So it was back to the drawing board. I had no idea where to go from there.

This morning I was surfing the net and came across a paint color I liked. After work I went to the paint store and bought a gallon. I came home and painted the guest room. I love the color. And the number of people I asked for their opinion: zero. That's progress.

Surprise!

This weekend I went to Memphis for my dad's surprise birthday party. Since his birthday was two weeks ago on August 1, he was really thrown off. My dad's girlfriend told him that a couple she had been friends with since high school was coming over for a dinner party. Earlier this week my dad brought over two expensive bottles of wine for the event.

Because of the extreme heat wave, I couldn't leave my dogs out all weekend and so they had to come with me. When my dad arrived, his girlfriend's children and their families were hidden in the den with Tinsley and I. Sierra greeted my dad at the front door. We all heard him say "That's my daughter's dog!", meaning that the dog looked like mine. Then he finally said, "That looks just like Sierra!" When she turned her head, he still hadn't figured it out until he walked into the den and saw me. He had absolutely no clue that we had been planning this for a month!

The dogs partied so hard they were hungover on the ride home.

The place I call home

Tonight one of my college best friends came over to help me replace some rotten subfloor in my master bathroom. It's one of those projects that are really easy if you have the right tools and he just so happens to be that guy. We don't get to hang out much any more as he has just celebrated his third wedding anniversary. When you're married you have two people's schedule to manage, not just one and that leaves little time for much else.

As with any home improvement project, we had to make the trip to Lowe's. We had a good conversation on the car ride, as we always do, catching up on each others' busy lives. It's funny how much things change and how much they stay the same.

I'm a person who has a hard time making a decision about anything that costs over $50 and always have to get a second opinion. In my master bedroom I am replacing the cheap counter with two pedistal sinks. I had picked out two at Lowe's that were a little more than I wanted to pay but were exactly what I wanted. Then I went the slavage and found sinks that would work and I would be most likly be fine with once I got them in. The price difference was $58 compared to $178 with a 10% discount, a big difference. So I do what I normally do and ask at least three other people what I should do.

A little over a year ago, I was seriously considering picking up and moving out west. After all I didn't have much holding me here. I was in a job I hated, didn't have many friends, and I don't have family here. I got serious into researching the perfect town for me, one that had everything I could possibly want in the place I called home. Every town that seemed ideal came with a big price tag and being the penny pinching tight ass that I am, I just couldn't pay twice as much for half of what I have here. While I would make more, it would not be enough to compensate for the dramatic increase in cost of living. And then there was that other thing. I didn't want to be the new girl again. I had such a hard time meeting people here, that I wasn't ready to do it again. And while my family may not be right here and I am really glad they are not, they are just a few hours away, the furthest being Marit seven hours away in O-H-I-O. If I moved across the country the people who matter most to me would be a plane ride away.

So I've decided I'm a Chattanoogan. This place really has grown on me. And I bought the expensive sinks because I know five years from now I'll be glad I paid the $200 extra dollars. Guess I'm getting a little sentimental in my old age.

The Great State of Vagina

Chattanooga has an event downtown for the Fourth of July called "Pops in the Park" where a fireworks display is set to orchestra music. We opted out of the elevator music and headed to the other side of the river for our own celebration which we called "booze and booms". We left the bar and headed down to the grassy sprawl in front of the aquarium just in time to see the fireworks. Amongst us was a friend of my who is very fun to hang out with after only two beers. As we popped ourselves down in the grass, she announced that she thought the aquarium looked like a bunch of Virginias.

This thought had never occurred to me before and I have to say that I disagree. I don't know what she looks like down there but I hope to God not a pointy glass triangle. Ouch!

So would the appropriate word be "virginic" aquarium?




Photo curtesy of Matt Dunmore Photography from my favorite photography blog. He's incredibly talented and I love his local work.