I have arrived safely in Stara Zagora and will update with a thorough (and, dare I say, exciting) account of my adventures thus far. It is so great to see Ryan and to explore my new environment and I can't wait to share more details!
However, as I have a job interview in Sofia tomorrow, for now I will leave you with a belated Merry Christmas. We hope your holidays were happy ones!
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Safely in Stara Zagora
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
48 Hours
In less than 48 hours I leave for Bulgaria.
Holy crap.
Needless to say the past few days have been a bit of a whirlwind.
Last Wednesday was spent packing... praising Jenn for somehow managing to fit absolutely everything into my car (you were right, Brent)... and, of course, freaking out. Sometimes all three at the same time. My last night in Orlando would not have been complete without also joining Laura, Jenn, Sherri, Thera and Michelle at the Melting Pot for dinner, conversation and wine.
Thursday I boarded the Auto Train. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this, the Auto Train is a beautiful invention brought to you by Amtrack. For a low, low price you can load both you and your vehicle onto the train and cut out all those tedious driving hours between Sanford, Florida and Lorton, Virginia. It features a tasty dinner, large, comfy seats and plenty of older folks to get your grandparents fix. Except this time it seemed there were an awful lot of college kids coming home for the holidays and because I am a card carrying member of the Lollipop Guild the staff evidently thought I should be sitting in the same car with all of them. I was instantly on alert since the last time I rode with fellow young people aboard the Auto Train I experienced a tremendous adventure worthy of a true pioneer.
Picture it: it was August 1997 and I was returning from my second internship with the Walt Disney World College Program. To my delight, I found myself sitting across from a young, attractive lawyer and after some conversation, wound up sharing dinner and more than a few drinks with him and a female medical student seated a few rows in front of us. After several hours, the doctor-to-be left us. Undaunted, the lawyer and I continued chatting until the wee hours. Recognizing, as they were closing down the lounge, that we were tired... and more than a little drunk... we stumbled back to our car. As I settled in to my seat I found myself pondering some of life's greater mysteries (If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a noise? How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? What is the square root of 3,786 and, more importantly, why does anyone care?) I also spent an inordinate amount of time staring dizzily at the ceiling. It was spinning. That's probably why I didn't immediately notice the young, attractive lawyer was tucking his blanket into the overhead bin, creating a curtain of sorts. Once this caught my attention, I was understandably a bit mystified. Why, I wondered, would my new friend be doing this? Why? Then he took off his shirt. This was a man who looked good without his shirt and I confess I could not tear my eyes away. Then he took off his pants. He was wearing a G-string. He. Was. Wearing. A. G-string! He proceeded to sit down... toss me a grin... and motion for me to join him in his little... um... Nest O' Amtrack Love.
This, you understand, was a most unexpected turn of events.
Now, I was undeniably intoxicated and, okay, definitely intrigued... but I was also amused in a horrified sort of way. I mean, come on... a G-string? This was the Auto Train, not the Thunder From Down Under. No one... and I do mean no one... is that hot. So I politely declined his very generous offer. I did this by mutely shaking my head in a frantic manner and clinging to my armrests. Suave, yes? Naturally, he was not happy with me and proceeded to ignore me for the rest of the trip.
But I digress.
Nothing quite so interesting happened this time around. Instead, during the 19 hours that it took for me to get home, I rented a video player and watched several movies I had missed in the theater, read a little and tried to sleep for a few hours stretched out across two seats. Not an easy feat... and I was exhausted when I arrived in Virginia. However, I was rewarded with an Amtrack mug as my car was the second to last to emerge from the bowels of the train and I feel satisfied with the experience. After all, last time I did not get a mug.
Anyway, in the days since I returned to the DC area, I have spent a lot of time hanging out with my family and friends, as well as tying up loose ends and packing my suitcases.
And in less than 48 hours I will be on a plane bound for Bulgaria... and Ryan... I anticipate neither mugs nor G-string clad lawyers... but regardless, I am headed for a terrific adventure.
Holy crap.
Needless to say the past few days have been a bit of a whirlwind.
Last Wednesday was spent packing... praising Jenn for somehow managing to fit absolutely everything into my car (you were right, Brent)... and, of course, freaking out. Sometimes all three at the same time. My last night in Orlando would not have been complete without also joining Laura, Jenn, Sherri, Thera and Michelle at the Melting Pot for dinner, conversation and wine.
Thursday I boarded the Auto Train. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this, the Auto Train is a beautiful invention brought to you by Amtrack. For a low, low price you can load both you and your vehicle onto the train and cut out all those tedious driving hours between Sanford, Florida and Lorton, Virginia. It features a tasty dinner, large, comfy seats and plenty of older folks to get your grandparents fix. Except this time it seemed there were an awful lot of college kids coming home for the holidays and because I am a card carrying member of the Lollipop Guild the staff evidently thought I should be sitting in the same car with all of them. I was instantly on alert since the last time I rode with fellow young people aboard the Auto Train I experienced a tremendous adventure worthy of a true pioneer.
Picture it: it was August 1997 and I was returning from my second internship with the Walt Disney World College Program. To my delight, I found myself sitting across from a young, attractive lawyer and after some conversation, wound up sharing dinner and more than a few drinks with him and a female medical student seated a few rows in front of us. After several hours, the doctor-to-be left us. Undaunted, the lawyer and I continued chatting until the wee hours. Recognizing, as they were closing down the lounge, that we were tired... and more than a little drunk... we stumbled back to our car. As I settled in to my seat I found myself pondering some of life's greater mysteries (If a tree falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, does it make a noise? How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? What is the square root of 3,786 and, more importantly, why does anyone care?) I also spent an inordinate amount of time staring dizzily at the ceiling. It was spinning. That's probably why I didn't immediately notice the young, attractive lawyer was tucking his blanket into the overhead bin, creating a curtain of sorts. Once this caught my attention, I was understandably a bit mystified. Why, I wondered, would my new friend be doing this? Why? Then he took off his shirt. This was a man who looked good without his shirt and I confess I could not tear my eyes away. Then he took off his pants. He was wearing a G-string. He. Was. Wearing. A. G-string! He proceeded to sit down... toss me a grin... and motion for me to join him in his little... um... Nest O' Amtrack Love.
This, you understand, was a most unexpected turn of events.
Now, I was undeniably intoxicated and, okay, definitely intrigued... but I was also amused in a horrified sort of way. I mean, come on... a G-string? This was the Auto Train, not the Thunder From Down Under. No one... and I do mean no one... is that hot. So I politely declined his very generous offer. I did this by mutely shaking my head in a frantic manner and clinging to my armrests. Suave, yes? Naturally, he was not happy with me and proceeded to ignore me for the rest of the trip.
But I digress.
Nothing quite so interesting happened this time around. Instead, during the 19 hours that it took for me to get home, I rented a video player and watched several movies I had missed in the theater, read a little and tried to sleep for a few hours stretched out across two seats. Not an easy feat... and I was exhausted when I arrived in Virginia. However, I was rewarded with an Amtrack mug as my car was the second to last to emerge from the bowels of the train and I feel satisfied with the experience. After all, last time I did not get a mug.
Anyway, in the days since I returned to the DC area, I have spent a lot of time hanging out with my family and friends, as well as tying up loose ends and packing my suitcases.
And in less than 48 hours I will be on a plane bound for Bulgaria... and Ryan... I anticipate neither mugs nor G-string clad lawyers... but regardless, I am headed for a terrific adventure.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Uh Oh Or Why I Love My Roommate Jenn
Yeah, so ordinarily I don't post twice in one day. But today I am so moved because I sold, threw away or donated a lot of stuff. I mean a lot . At least 20 bags of trash made their way down to the dumpster. Salvation Army came twice and picked up about 10 boxes and 10 bags each time. I accepted money for my knick knacks, CDs and furniture and gave away what was leftover.
This is all I own in the world... right here in this picture. You'd think this is not a lot, right? You'd be so wrong.
That is why I must now compose a horrifically bad, but totally inspired poem entitled:
Ode to Jenn
Jennifer, Jennifer
You're so great!
You've helped me pack
Without complaint!
You make me smile!
You make me cheer!
Please help me fit
All of this stuff into my Chevy Cavalier!
I know, I know. Not gonna happen. I will now take suggestions, please.
Celebration
Throughout the month of December, it snows every night in Celebration. Yes, that would be Celebration, Florida... and as you've probably ascertained all on your very own, it is not real snow. Soap bubble snow, though, can still be very fun - particularly when it is 70 degrees and breezy outside. As I expect I am trading it in for the real thing, I will sorely miss it. In fact, there are a lot of things I will miss about Celebration. The fabulous sushi restaurant. The lakes and the running paths. The post office that boasts pleasant employees and rarely has a line. Even the Farmer's Market (even though I've only been once and only recently learned it actually takes place every Sunday). From its annual Pie Festival to 4th of July festivities to the Taste of Celebration, this little town is truly unique... family friendly... and a heck of a lot of fun.
This past weekend Celebration's own Town Tavern hosted my going away party. It was a really great time and I enjoyed hanging out with all of you who truly have become my surrogate family here in Florida. I want to extend a very big THANK YOU to everyone who showed up to help me say my goodbyes.
Celebration is not the only thing I will miss by far.
However, I am very much looking forward to a Celebration of another kind. I depart for Bulgaria in 9 days... 9 days!!... and if a reunion with someone I love very much is not a cause for celebration, I don't know what is.
Saturday, December 02, 2006
If I Could Save Time in a Bottle
Alot of my energy as I prepare to leave for Bulgaria has been expended on slightly less than fun things. Trying to find a job in a country in which I am not currently located. Paying off my car. Attempting to sell or give away all my worldly possessions. Completing graduate school. Flooding my kitchen.
However, even with all the craziness, I am constantly reminded that I have a truly amazing family. What's more, I've made a lot of incredible friends over the years. So now that the majority of the logistics are out of the way, a good deal of what I will find myself doing in the coming days is saying "see you later" to people who mean so much to me that I can't imagine my life without them. (This means they had darn well better stay in touch. And come visit. And send care packages. Haha! Just kidding. Except not really!)
I must also bid farewell for now to Orlando... a town that has provided a fabulous backdrop for some outstanding experiences. Last night Laura, Jenn, Sherri and I went to the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at the Disney MGM Studios, rode Tower of Terror - my favorite Disney ride, and indulged in appetizers and adult beverages at the Outer Rim Lounge in the Contemporary. And there's yet more in store! Thanks to everyone who will help make my remaining days in the States spectacular and unforgettable...
And Ryan, gear up babe! I can't wait to get there to start creating some new memories...
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Why You Should Not Use Dishwashing Liquid in the Dishwasher by Meagan P.
It was Laura's idea.
Well, first she suggested Tide. But I wasn't sure that would work as well. In our defense, we were out of detergent... there really were an awful lot of dirty dishes... and, after all, "Palmolive® dishwashing liquids are formulated to be tough on grease yet soft on hands!" So although I think I knew deep down that the prudent idea would be to wait to run the dishwasher until we purchased the stuff formulated for just that purpose, I embraced Laura's suggestion with tremendous enthusiasm. As swift as I am to point out that my awesome and creative roommate provided the inspiration... it was I who gaily poured about half a tablespoon of neon-green dishwashing fluid into the dishwasher and turned it on.
Now that I think about it, I do recall hearing that this method has the potential to produce bubbles. Lots and lots and LOTS of bubbles. I have confess, then, I wasn't entirely surprised when I heard Laura gasp "Meagan!" and I rounded the corner to find we were just minutes away from being able to host a thoroughly exciting foam party right in our very own kitchen. In another day and age, I might have gone running for my bikini. Instead... I dashed for the towels.
Anyway, in the spirit of kindness and generosity, I want to share with you now some valuable lessons gleaned from this experience in case you totally ignore this post and inadvertently flood your kitchen with bubbles.
1. When your roommate is doubled-over, nearly wetting herself with laughter... you absolutely must stop laughing and snorting hysterically yourself. Otherwise the phrase, "Stop laughing! Help me! It's not funny! Stop laughing!" really has very little meaning.
2. Colanders and white vinegar are surprisingly useful for respectively scooping out bubbles and diminishing the foam in a swift and effective manner so your other roommate doesn't find out and yell at you for stupidly using dishwashing liquid in the first place. (Hi Jenn! We love you! Thanks for finding it funny!)
Um, yeah. That's it. I got nothing else out of the experience. Oh wait. Except this:
3. Go for the camera before the towels, colander and vinegar if you want to capture the moment on film. Otherwise, when you try to take a picture after the drama has occurred and the bubbles are winding down... it doesn't look nearly as impressive or wildly humorous when you try to post it on your blog later for posterity.
Friday, November 24, 2006
Into the Dragon's Lair
Today I did something I have never before dared.
Today I opted to be brave. To buck the system. To journey where many fear to go.
Today I woke up very early... and I went shopping.
There was a time when I loved shopping. I mean, really, really loved it. I embraced it with every fiber of my being. So much so that I would happily head out the door to buy, like, a pair of shoes... and wake up several hours later with armloads of stuff I had no recollection of purchasing. It was like I went into a fugue state or something and the other Meag... the impulsive, wicked Meag... took over, running amok at the mall.
I really don't know what happened, but somewhere along the line I went from loving shopping to positively loathing it. Trips to the mall for me have become more of mini-missions that I approach with dual senses of dread and impending doom. This is probably because I know that somewhere - just beneath the surface - seethes a Meagan that finds it virtually impossible to tell herself, "No! You do not need a $200 pair of boots! Or a rice cooker! Or the Complete Works of Mozart with 170 CDs."
So going to the store today was absolutely the last thing on my agenda until last night, after a tasty Thanksgiving feast, my friends pulled out the newspaper to explore the Black Friday sales. And that's when I was lost. It was not the $130 Digital Mini Camcorder that snagged me. Or the 3 frying pans for $20.
It was the luggage. 6-pieces for $60 at Target. They tantalized me... drawing me in like a fly to a porch light. Understand I do not currently have a good set of luggage... and these bags were so clean and new and pretty. What's more, they actually had functioning zippers. I was utterly seduced.
Still, I held out. When I went to bed last night, I fully planned on following through with my initial goal of waking up as late as possible, enjoying a cup of coffee and starting to wade through my last paper in my two and a half year pursuit of my MPA. But fate took over and I awoke, sans alarm, at 6:30 AM. "Huh", I thought and lay there for a few minutes trying fruitlessly to fall back asleep. When, after five minutes I was still staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, I came to the realization that this was clearly a sign. That luggage had to be mine. So I threw on a pair of jeans and a shirt and ran off to my local Target.
I expected mayhem. Women running down the aisles with shopping carts, body-slamming anyone who got in their way. Kids digging through toys, tossing aside undesired Barbies and Thomas the Trains like so many pieces of garbage. Men wrestling those who dared to take the last $100 6- megapixel digital camera.
Instead, I parked easily, acquired a cart with minimal effort and strolled leisurely to the back of the store where I found exactly what I sought - a bright-blue 6-piece Embark luggage set. No one grabbed the other side of the bags, engaging in an impromptu game of Tug-O-War. Nary a person bargained with me for the privilege of taking them home. Nor, I found when I got to the front of the store, did I even have to wait in line. Sure, Target was a bit busy for 6:45 AM on a Friday... but all in all, it was a painless and civil process. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. I was so inspired by this, that I drove to Rack Room Shoes and purchased 3 pairs (for $60) and had a similar experience there. No insanity. No violence. No bloodshed. What I thought would be an all-morning adventure worthy of a Medal of Honor wound up taking less than an hour and being actually sort of... boring.
I must say I am a little disappointed. However, I was able to vicariously share in Tara, Garrett and Kelli's 4:45 AM quest for the $999 42" plasma TV and feel most uplifted by their courageous and lengthy battle towards success.
Onward, Black Friday Shoppers! Onward!
Today I opted to be brave. To buck the system. To journey where many fear to go.
Today I woke up very early... and I went shopping.
There was a time when I loved shopping. I mean, really, really loved it. I embraced it with every fiber of my being. So much so that I would happily head out the door to buy, like, a pair of shoes... and wake up several hours later with armloads of stuff I had no recollection of purchasing. It was like I went into a fugue state or something and the other Meag... the impulsive, wicked Meag... took over, running amok at the mall.
I really don't know what happened, but somewhere along the line I went from loving shopping to positively loathing it. Trips to the mall for me have become more of mini-missions that I approach with dual senses of dread and impending doom. This is probably because I know that somewhere - just beneath the surface - seethes a Meagan that finds it virtually impossible to tell herself, "No! You do not need a $200 pair of boots! Or a rice cooker! Or the Complete Works of Mozart with 170 CDs."
So going to the store today was absolutely the last thing on my agenda until last night, after a tasty Thanksgiving feast, my friends pulled out the newspaper to explore the Black Friday sales. And that's when I was lost. It was not the $130 Digital Mini Camcorder that snagged me. Or the 3 frying pans for $20.
It was the luggage. 6-pieces for $60 at Target. They tantalized me... drawing me in like a fly to a porch light. Understand I do not currently have a good set of luggage... and these bags were so clean and new and pretty. What's more, they actually had functioning zippers. I was utterly seduced.
Still, I held out. When I went to bed last night, I fully planned on following through with my initial goal of waking up as late as possible, enjoying a cup of coffee and starting to wade through my last paper in my two and a half year pursuit of my MPA. But fate took over and I awoke, sans alarm, at 6:30 AM. "Huh", I thought and lay there for a few minutes trying fruitlessly to fall back asleep. When, after five minutes I was still staring wide-eyed at the ceiling, I came to the realization that this was clearly a sign. That luggage had to be mine. So I threw on a pair of jeans and a shirt and ran off to my local Target.
I expected mayhem. Women running down the aisles with shopping carts, body-slamming anyone who got in their way. Kids digging through toys, tossing aside undesired Barbies and Thomas the Trains like so many pieces of garbage. Men wrestling those who dared to take the last $100 6- megapixel digital camera.
Instead, I parked easily, acquired a cart with minimal effort and strolled leisurely to the back of the store where I found exactly what I sought - a bright-blue 6-piece Embark luggage set. No one grabbed the other side of the bags, engaging in an impromptu game of Tug-O-War. Nary a person bargained with me for the privilege of taking them home. Nor, I found when I got to the front of the store, did I even have to wait in line. Sure, Target was a bit busy for 6:45 AM on a Friday... but all in all, it was a painless and civil process. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes. I was so inspired by this, that I drove to Rack Room Shoes and purchased 3 pairs (for $60) and had a similar experience there. No insanity. No violence. No bloodshed. What I thought would be an all-morning adventure worthy of a Medal of Honor wound up taking less than an hour and being actually sort of... boring.
I must say I am a little disappointed. However, I was able to vicariously share in Tara, Garrett and Kelli's 4:45 AM quest for the $999 42" plasma TV and feel most uplifted by their courageous and lengthy battle towards success.
Onward, Black Friday Shoppers! Onward!
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving
In honor of Thanksgiving, I thought I would take the time to write about some of the many things I love... and for which I am most thankful....
- My awesome, amazing, fantastic family
- My incredible and enduring friendships
- My absolutely fabulous boyfriend Ryan
- Dogs, cats and other fuzzy creatures
- And also turtles (I have a soft spot for turtles)
- Happy kids
- Sunrises and sunsets
- Being in love
- Naps
- Curling up in front of a hot fire
- Red licorice, Jujubes and Sour Patch Kids
- Poker (I am surprisingly very good at it even though I am a rotten liar)
- The long stemmed red roses currently on my dresser
- Running outside on a chilly morning and feeling so alive
- Chinese food (eggrolls... yummmmm!) and Thai food (Pad Thai... yummmmm!) and Japanese food (sushi.... yummmmm!)
- Having a roof over my head, good food to eat and a job I like
- Music - all kinds!
- Road trips and singing along with the radio at the top of my lungs
- The ability to go where I want to go... and do what I want to do... provided it doesn't hurt anybody
- Spearmint flavored gum
- Volunteering
- Putting stuff together like desks and tables and stuff... (it's weird, I know)
- Cell phones, digital cameras and computers
- Books, candles and bubblebaths
- Funky purses and jewelry
- Bulgaria (Even though I haven't gotten there yet)
- Back rubs
- A good haircut
- Surprising someone I love
- The option to travel
- Brown socks, lint brushes and the "I Love the 80's" boardgame
- Red wine... and white wine too!
- Sexy tank tops, soft sweaters and comfy jeans
- Snow and sunshine at the same time
- Smiling people
- Laughing until my sides hurt
- Starry nights
- The health of my family, friends and self
- Playing in the rain
- The smell of fall leaves and pumpkins
- Dancing anywhere I feel like it
- Dolphins
- The beach and the mountains and the ocean and trees and lakes and the forest and pretty much anything to do with nature
- Except spiders (but I suppose even though they scare me, I am thankful for them too since they apparently keep our world from becoming overrun by flies and other insects... but why oh why do they need so many LEGS???)
- And since we're on the topic of spiders... Charlotte's Web... this includes the book AND the old movie AND the new movie that is coming out SOON!!
- Thumb wars... (Be prepared to LOSE, Ryan!)
- Birthdays, Official Holidays and Made-up Holidays that have really funny but intriguing titles (Today is "Flossing Day"... who knew?)
- Hugs and Kisses...lots, please!
- Weddings
- Turkey cooked in a pillowcase (the best kind), and "Holiday Potatoes" and "Woodchip Salad" and Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce and Pecan Pie
- And much, MUCH more!!! I feel so incredibly lucky for all of the gifts in my life... I can't even begin to name them all!
Have a great Thanksgiving!!
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Reasons Why I am Freaking Out
I leave for Bulgaria in 33 days... I'm not sure I can wait that long.
I cannot find my bedroom floor.
I miss Ryan. A lot.
Soon I'm going to miss everyone else but Ryan. A lot.
I do not currently own snow boots and I'm not really convinced I can find cute ones in Florida.
Laura hates all my clothes. (Okay, so I'm not really freaking out over this one, but it does make me paranoid that I have bad taste and everyone looks at me going "How did her roommates let her leave the house looking like that? Gawd!")
I have one more super yucky paper to write for Grad School.
I still haven't found a job in Bulgaria, although let's hear it for those few promising leads.
I have 17 people that I know with birthdays in November (including both myself and Ryan)... and 12 more in December and I'm sadly short on birthday present funding.
I haven't cleaned my bathroom or my bedroom in 5 weeks. That is just gross.
In the next month I must: go to my 9th wedding in just over a year, play in the Disney parks one last time, pack, make my outstanding Eggplant Parmesan for my roommates per their request, graduate, thoroughly clean both my car and my room (this will take a very long time), sell my bedroom furniture, my textbooks, my CDs, my dining room table and my car, give away a bunch of stuff to Goodwill, pack some more, give Power of Attorney to my mom, double-check to ensure Verizon and various and sundry other services really will be turned off the day I leave, and have I mentioned the packing?
I leave for Bulgaria in 33 days... and I have no idea how I'm going to accomplish everything I need to.
But I'm really, really, really freakin' excited...
** Edited to add: Laura read this blog and felt she sounded like a bitch. She wants me to let you all know she is really very nice and that she doesn't hate all of my clothes.... She only hates some of them...
I cannot find my bedroom floor.
I miss Ryan. A lot.
Soon I'm going to miss everyone else but Ryan. A lot.
I do not currently own snow boots and I'm not really convinced I can find cute ones in Florida.
Laura hates all my clothes. (Okay, so I'm not really freaking out over this one, but it does make me paranoid that I have bad taste and everyone looks at me going "How did her roommates let her leave the house looking like that? Gawd!")
I have one more super yucky paper to write for Grad School.
I still haven't found a job in Bulgaria, although let's hear it for those few promising leads.
I have 17 people that I know with birthdays in November (including both myself and Ryan)... and 12 more in December and I'm sadly short on birthday present funding.
I haven't cleaned my bathroom or my bedroom in 5 weeks. That is just gross.
In the next month I must: go to my 9th wedding in just over a year, play in the Disney parks one last time, pack, make my outstanding Eggplant Parmesan for my roommates per their request, graduate, thoroughly clean both my car and my room (this will take a very long time), sell my bedroom furniture, my textbooks, my CDs, my dining room table and my car, give away a bunch of stuff to Goodwill, pack some more, give Power of Attorney to my mom, double-check to ensure Verizon and various and sundry other services really will be turned off the day I leave, and have I mentioned the packing?
I leave for Bulgaria in 33 days... and I have no idea how I'm going to accomplish everything I need to.
But I'm really, really, really freakin' excited...
** Edited to add: Laura read this blog and felt she sounded like a bitch. She wants me to let you all know she is really very nice and that she doesn't hate all of my clothes.... She only hates some of them...
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Confidence
I'm a confident girl. I mean, I look in the mirror and like what I see. I am comfortable noticing other beautiful women and will exuberantly point them out to my boyfriend. I graciously accept compliments and very much enjoy giving them in return. Plus, I'm really pretty fun. (I would hang out with me, at least.)
I'm convinced, though, that this self-esteem is due primarily to the fact that over the years I have accumulated more than my fair share of embarrassing moments and have internally built up my confidence level as compensation to avoid permanently curling up in a ball on the floor. I embarrass myself a lot.
Case in point - this past weekend I went to my adorable cousin Jess' wedding and had a fabulous time. Congrats Jessica and Nick! However, I decided to wear a super-cute strapless black dress that won out over all the other super-cute dresses mostly because it was the first one I tried on and it only cost me $25 at Charlotte Russe. It was a flattering little thing and since I hate shopping, I didn't really examine it too closely. It serves me right, then, that I learned this weekend in addition to being cute, it also had a very special zipper that would periodically decide to just unzip itself all the way down my back. Yay! After the zipper split for the 10th time, opening my dress to my waist as I entered the reception, I clutched my dress around my chest in a frantic effort to prevent it from puddling around my feet. Luckily I turned to my left and found a girl who had been a stranger barely an hour before, and said - and this is a direct quote- "Hi Natalie! Can you zip me up, please?" Thankfully my stepmom had brought a sewing kit and took care of the situation so I could dance freely without fretting that I might, in the middle of Aretha Franklin's "Respect", turn the reception into something that ordinarily necessitates $1 bills and a pole.
This was not my first wardrobe incident. When I was 16 I went to a water park. For the occasion, I donned a new pale pink bikini in which I looked quite smokin', if I do say so myself. I went down a few water slides. I frolicked with my friends. I played like a Baywatch Babe in the wave pool. And then I noticed that I was getting quite a bit of attention from both men and women. I made a guy walk into a table. I am not kidding. He walked into a table. Cool, right? I strutted my way through that park thinking, "Oh yeah. You want me. You know it. Uh huh." Then a friend ran up to me and wrapped a towel around me, saying "Meagan. Oh God. Please don't cry!" Turns out my brand new pretty pink bathing suit was entirely see-through. It literally looked as though I was walking around Cameron Run celebrating the joys of public nudity. Swell.
These scenarios are in good company. Over the years I have:
I'm convinced, though, that this self-esteem is due primarily to the fact that over the years I have accumulated more than my fair share of embarrassing moments and have internally built up my confidence level as compensation to avoid permanently curling up in a ball on the floor. I embarrass myself a lot.
Case in point - this past weekend I went to my adorable cousin Jess' wedding and had a fabulous time. Congrats Jessica and Nick! However, I decided to wear a super-cute strapless black dress that won out over all the other super-cute dresses mostly because it was the first one I tried on and it only cost me $25 at Charlotte Russe. It was a flattering little thing and since I hate shopping, I didn't really examine it too closely. It serves me right, then, that I learned this weekend in addition to being cute, it also had a very special zipper that would periodically decide to just unzip itself all the way down my back. Yay! After the zipper split for the 10th time, opening my dress to my waist as I entered the reception, I clutched my dress around my chest in a frantic effort to prevent it from puddling around my feet. Luckily I turned to my left and found a girl who had been a stranger barely an hour before, and said - and this is a direct quote- "Hi Natalie! Can you zip me up, please?" Thankfully my stepmom had brought a sewing kit and took care of the situation so I could dance freely without fretting that I might, in the middle of Aretha Franklin's "Respect", turn the reception into something that ordinarily necessitates $1 bills and a pole.
This was not my first wardrobe incident. When I was 16 I went to a water park. For the occasion, I donned a new pale pink bikini in which I looked quite smokin', if I do say so myself. I went down a few water slides. I frolicked with my friends. I played like a Baywatch Babe in the wave pool. And then I noticed that I was getting quite a bit of attention from both men and women. I made a guy walk into a table. I am not kidding. He walked into a table. Cool, right? I strutted my way through that park thinking, "Oh yeah. You want me. You know it. Uh huh." Then a friend ran up to me and wrapped a towel around me, saying "Meagan. Oh God. Please don't cry!" Turns out my brand new pretty pink bathing suit was entirely see-through. It literally looked as though I was walking around Cameron Run celebrating the joys of public nudity. Swell.
These scenarios are in good company. Over the years I have:
- Fallen down the stairs at my senior Social Work ceremony in front of 200+ classmates and their families
- Almost set my hair on fire with the candle I was holding at the same ceremony because I was staring at a cute boy in my class on whom I had a crush (to my eternal chagrin, this did NOT go unnoticed...)
- Gone wind surfing with my friend Kristin when I was 26 and blatantly flirted with our incredibly hot instructor who ultimately turned out to be 16 years old and still in high school
- Upon watching a preview for Showgirls (yes, yes... the one with Elizabeth Berkley) in college, got excited and tremendously inspired... and proceeded to show off my considerable dancing skills with... the closet door (you will not be surprised to learn that this did involve consumption of some alcohol)
- Lost my snorkel while on a cruise and spent some time searching for it with the help of my friends and three very attractive divers... only to have my dear, sweet pal Christy point out quite loudly and enthusiastically that the snorkel was, in fact, resting gently on top of my boobs
- Introduced a guy with whom I went on a few dates to my friends whereupon he got extremely intoxicated, barked ferociously at the waitress and suggested a provocative group activity to Steve and Garrett, two of my guy friends. Neat, huh?
- Thrown up on a classmate's bare foot in the high school locker room (In my defense, I had the flu)
- Gotten excited over something someone said and wound up inadvertently flipping an entire plate of Chicken Parmesan in my lap on New Years Eve
- Fallen up the stairs at the Boardwalk Resort at Walt Disney World and... later that day... fallen actually into the lap of a young boy on one of the Disney buses (What can I say? Some of those bus drivers are worse than me!)
- Went with some friends to the Food and Wine Festival on my 29th birthday and, after some drinks, decided spontaneously to get a piggy-back ride from my friend Sherri by launching myself at her and slamming us both into the ground
I walk into doors and trip over the sidewalk. When I think I'm really ultra-hot, I'm actually trailing toilet paper behind me or something. I sometimes snort when I laugh. Yep! The list goes on. And on. And on some more.
But I have confidence. And it's a good thing, too, because the next time my skirt splits up the back or I run headlong into a wall (probably tomorrow), I'm gonna need it.
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