Halloween Post

Clearly I had to write a blog post about Halloween. I will admit, it's not my favorite holiday. I'm more into the candy than I am into the dressing up. However, here are some photos of me in costumes since 2007. Although I won a a DC EcoWomen Halloween costume this week, I did not take a photo because I simply recycled my 2008 costume. I'm assuming I will never buy a new costume again because I can always just re-use what I've got!

 2007: This was my freshman fall in college. I had not planned on dressing up because it's just not my thing. But my friend wanted to celebrate, so I had to throw something together from whatever I had in my closet. Hence the "Slutty Office Woman" outfit. Blouse unbuttoned, bra hangin' out, condom tucked into the bra, and a hickey I drew on my next with a pencil. Ta-da!

2008: This is now my go-to costume. It's so easy to dress up as a cat once you have a pair of ears (and I just happen to love leopard-print). The heels really make the outfit, though. PS: That was a friend's messy dorm room, not mine!

2012: I had this dress in my closet for ages and finally actually got to wear it! This flapper dress is super-cute when paired with some long gloves, sexy thigh highs, and the slimline cigarette holder is just the finishing touch (no, I don't actually smoke).

What did YOU dress us as this year?

Favorite online games

I'm not one for video games. Sure, I grew up playing The Sims on my computer or the PlayStation version of Frogger. But all in all, I've simply got better things to do with my time.

However, sometimes you just want a brain break. Well, I like puzzle games, so I guess they aren't really brain breaks. But they certainly take your mind off of more serious things! I've already written a post about my favorite smartphone games, but here are some for your computer:

1. Luminosity "Word Bubbles": This word game definitely makes you think! You are given the first three letters, and then you need to think of as many words as you can that start with those letters (in that order). It can help you with you vocabulary (especially if you cheat by looking at dictionary.com at the same time). I consider anything over 2000 points a good score.

2. Christmas Tree Light Up: I just recently discovered this game, and I am hooked! It's sort of like you are building a maze rather than going through one. The electricity to light up the tree has to go through the maze to reach all of the twinkly lights, and you have to make sure there's a clear path for the energy to get there. This brain teaser is addicting, I'm warning you!

3. Akinator: This genie can literally read your mind. It's like playing 20 questions, and he always figures out what/whom you're thinking of!

4. How well do you know your world?: This geography games has you try to pin-point on a map where you think cities are in the world. I'm not sure this is one of my favorite games (since I'm not very good at it), but you certainly learn something!

*For LOTS of games, I recommend visiting Sporcle.com. They have so many to choose from!

"Are you seeing anyone?"

I never know how to handle this question. 

First of all, that is none of your business. I don't care if you're my best friend, a colleague, or an ex-boyfriend. My love life is no one's business by my own, so all of you busy-bodies should just keep to yourselves.

But what is the definition of "seeing" someone anyway? It seems like everyone has their own idea on this subject. Some feel like it's as soon as you've gone on one date; some say it's after a couple of dates; some say it's the same thing as calling him your boyfriend. Is "seeing" the same thing as "dating"? The nuance is killing me. I feel like we need to just cut to the chase and ask people, "Are you having sexual intercourse with a specific person on a regular basis?" Who are we kidding? People want the dirty details (well, most do. I prefer to keep my own tales of conquest to myself, and I really don't care about yours). Stop pussy-footing around and just ask the question that you really want the answer to!

Review: Smashburger

Now, I usually don't eat burgers. Occasionally I'll go to McDonald's if I happen to have a coupon, and if there's a backyard barbeque in the summertime, I will partake. But because they aren't very healthy, and I don't own a grill myself, I just doesn't eat them regularly. However, I went to Smashburger for the first time the other night, and it hit the spot! I was out drinking, and clearly needed to eat something if I wanted to be awake for the rest of the night. So I went to Smashburger and got the regular Classic burger with a side of regular fries. Both tasted just like they're supposed to. They were the epitome of what the burger-and-fries combo should taste like. The fries tasted just like McDonald's fries, but they were really tiny and cute. And my burger was delicious, though a bit messy because I drowned it in ketchup and mustard. My bad. And there was no way I could get a milkshake that night, but since I love shakes, I will definitely be back!

Bar Review: Board Room DC

Photo from: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/youngandhungry/2012/09/24/board-game-themed-bar-opens-in-dupont-tomorrow/

I've been to this bar called Board Room a couple of times near Dupont Circle, and I think it's worth a trip. For one, their main attraction is the fact that they have TONS of games (boardgames as well as others). This includes classics like Monopoly and LIFE, card games like Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity, two-player games like Battleship and Connect Four, and my favorite: Boggle. People love playing games: you grew up with them, and you shouldn't have to stop liking them just because you're a grown-up (or pretending to be one). So this place let's you combine the childish activities with the adult drinking. Which gets me to the second reason I like this place. I tried their "Mrs. Peacock" cocktail (in honor of the game Clue), and it is delicious. I cannot begin to tell you how yummy it is. It's a citrus-based drink involving lemonade and strawberry-basil syrup, and it is VERY sweet. Tasty drinks like that can be dangerous; three of those and I'd be out like a light! Plus, this bar does not serve food, so you can bring food in, and even the pizza place nearby will give you a discount if you show them your Board Room receipt. How cool is that?

PS: While writing this blog I did a little research, and this bar has only been at Dupont since September of 2012! It fits in so well with the vibe of that area, and the decor feels older, so you'd think it had been around forever! 

Eating for Pleasure vs. Sustenance

Food is a huge part of our lives. For one, you need it to survive (duh). But because of that importance, food is also an integral part of culture and society in general. Food is a social thing, bringing people together (when was the last time you got together with a friend and had absolutely nothing to eat or drink? Exactly.). It's a comforting thing, bringing back memories of your childhood or other fun times. It's about family and friends and yumminess.

But when I make food for myself, it's usually about just abating hunger, not about the flavors of what I'm eating. I mean, don't get me wrong: if something tastes bad, I'm not going to eat it. But my usual meals tend to go like this:

Breakfast: Cereal with banana, glass of orange juice
Lunch: Spinach/salad, pasta/rice, and chicken/some sort of meat casserole
Dinner: Quesadilla (usually just a tortilla and cheese) and a glass of milk
Snacks usually include: fruits, nuts, granola bars, or yogurt

Making Hamburger Helper is about as much flavor as my meals at home get, and that's because a spice packet comes with it. Of course part of this has to do with the fact that I'm still learning how to cook. And when I go through the effort of making a recipe from a magazine, the food is quite good and tasty; I just don't usually have time to do that.

When eating out at restaurants, I always try to order something I won't make for myself at home. And I indulge myself and enjoy whatever delicacies I'm tasting. It's just that my attitude toward food is quite bi-polar. I like eating good food and can rave about a wonderful dessert, but I also will eat just for the sake of eating, even if the taste is "meh." The "meh" food seems to be healthier in general, so maybe that's why I lean towards that route.

Does anyone else have this struggle with food? Is it okay to eat food just because it's food? Or should I always enjoy what I'm eating?

All I can say is this: The only reason I get away with eating like this is because I'm single. No man would put up with this shit. So I'm trying to practice cooking sometimes but also relish in the low-caloric intake for now.

Bagels

Although I usually have cereal in the morning, the other day I had a bagel. Therefore, the obvious thing to do was to write about bagels on my blog. Duh.

This was a Dunkin' Donuts bagel, so clearly it wasn't the best ever (nothing can compare with New York bagels. Nothing!). But it was one of the healthier ones (well, it looked like it had oats and grains sprinkled on the outside), and I already happened to have cream cheese in the house (how convenient!).

The only reason I took this photo was to show how perfectly toasted this bagel is. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful before 7:30 in the morning?! Also, this pic demonstrates how much I love cream cheese. I want people to say, "Is there enough bagel for your cream cheese?" when they see my frosting skills.

I know bagels are supposedly pretty bad for you and are sort of sneaky because they seem healthy (like muffins). Dieters are supposed to say, "NO!" to bagels. But I don't think they're all THAT bad. Better than eating a piece of chocolate cake for breakfast, no? Everything in moderation.

Besides, without bagels, how would I get the cream cheese into my mouth?

Another quote post

“The best way to predict your future is to create it.” – Dr. Stephen Covey 

I saw this quote on Beliefnet. As a planner, I'm always trying to plan my future. I would be one of those people who would totally pay for a crystal ball to tell me every detail of my life so that I wouldn't have to worry about what would happen next. However, life doesn't work like that, so instead I must use my planning skills to try to guarantee what I want to happen as best as I can.

I definitely believe in making your own destiny. Yes, I like to think God has some path for me that I'm supposed to follow, or at least milestones that I'm going to meet during my lifetime. But how I get there is my choice. I'm not one to just let things happen (go figure); I'm taking the bull of life by the horns! If you want your future to hold a good education and a job, you have to WORK for those things: you need to study hard and fill out those school applications; you have to write and re-write your résumé 100 times and go to who knows how many interviews. That's what I did, and now look where I am. I made it happen: YOU can make it happen.

The future doesn't have to be a nebulous thing just waiting for you. You can't predict everything, but you can have a say in some things. The future doesn't have to be a guessing game: you can make the answers up yourself! Be the creator of your own future!

SONG: Laura Story's "Blessings"

 I heard this song the other night on 95.1 SHINE-FM. Here's the music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CSVqHcdhXQ

This song is all about how hard times can actually be good for you. It can be difficult sometimes to see how pain and suffering could actually be gifts from God. But once you look back at how you've overcome obstacles, you see how that adversity has made you a stronger, better person. I know I certainly feel that way about my past heartbreaks, time of unemployment, etc. It all works out in the end, so take the hard times in stride, because they are blessings.

Lyrics:

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

'Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It's not our home

'Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise

Movie Review: A.C.O.D.

Photo: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1311060/?ref_=nv_sr_1

I don't know how mainstream this movie is. I never saw commercials for it on TV, and I ended up seeing it at E Street Cinema, a Landmark movie theater, where they mostly show independent films. But with such a great cast (including Adam Scott and Amy Poehler, both of whom are in Parks and Rec[reation] together), I was certainly curious.

This comedy is definitely laugh-out-loud funny, and has plenty of cringe-worthy awkwardness. Although I can't relate to dysfunctional families (this movie is all about how divorce affects children, while my parents have been married for 27 years), I still enjoyed the movie; their dysfunction was cute and funny rather than scary and turbulent like in more serious films. The last scene leaves you guessing what happens, which is fun for the imagination but frustrating because you really want to know the full ending! I think this is a great date movie and fully recommend it!

International Gold Cup Horse Races

Last weekend my girlfriends and I went to the International Gold Cup Races in Virginia. I had seen a Living Social deal for tickets months ago, and I thought it sounded fun. Once I found out that my aunt had gone when she was younger and said it was a great time, I bought the tickets. Here are some photos from our fun day. Definitely a perfect girls' day outing!

I got my name on a reserved parking space and everything! So fancy!

Even on such a cloudy, chilly day, hundreds (if not thousands) of people came out to tailgate and enjoy the races.

 When we first arrived, it was quite blustery! But, fashion before comfort! Notice all of our riding boots. It's like we stepped out of a Ralph Lauren catalog!

 

Before the races began, patriotic parachuters came falling in! I was very impressed by their graceful landing. 

And here are LOTS of horse pictures!

 

And of course we had to try on some lovely hats! 

Umm, I think it's a little big...

 

So stylish! I can't pull of hats, but my friends can!

 

Kaila ended up buying this purple hat to match her skirt. This is just too cute for words!

SO much fun! I'm already thinking about going to the races next spring!

See more incredible photos from my friend Steph Han here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephyhan/sets/72157636734905345/

Movie Review: Captain Phillips

Last week I saw Captain Phillips, starring Tom Hanks as the title character. This movie is based on the true story of a cargo ship that was taken over by Somali pirates in 2009. The whole time I was on the edge of my seat: this film is VERY intense! You're wondering if someone's going to die, and if so, who is it going to be and when. What makes the movie scarier is the fact that this really happened: I can't imagine how frightened Captain Phillips must have felt! Although, Hanks did a very good job of portraying that fear. I felt for him the whole time, especially at the end when he was finally rescued and he's in total shock. I was very moved by the film and would definitely recommend it if you like the feeling of suspense!

Photo from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1535109/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Chutter's Candy Store

I bet you didn't know that the longest candy counter is the world is hidden in Littleton, NH. Well, it is.

Chutters boasts 112 feet of candy, from chocolates to gummies to gumballs to everything else you can think of. Every summer my parents would take my sister and me to this store, and we would go crazy picking out candy. And every time I go up to New Hampshire, I still have to stop in for some sugary loot. Last weekend I picked out mainly sour gummy candies, which are some of my favorites.

But now I have a dilemma: to satisfy my sweet tooth after lunch, am I going to have some of these, or stay true to the Halloween spirit and eat the candy corn hiding in my desk?

Old Man in the Mountain, NH

I should preface this post by saying that the Old Man in the Mountain is no longer there. I saw him several times before he finally fell, but at least now there is a park where you can relive his glory days. Below are some photos.

There's the sign for the park, and a glimpse of Profile Lake, where the Old Man's reflection would have been.

That cliff is where the Old Man's face used to be.

This sign is hanging in the visitors center. Daniel Webster was a critical character at Dartmouth, so of course he already has a special place in my heart. But I love this quote from him.

Because of my family's connection to New Hampshire for the last 30+ years, we decided to buy a stone at the park to remember the Old Man by. Now every time I visit I will have to try to find our brick!

Dartmouth Homecoming 2013

Last weekend was my first homecoming since graduation. I'm actually glad that I waited until two years out: everyone else goes back the first time, but I had moved on from college at that point. The second year is better because you're going back to enjoy Hanover and to feel the Green spirit, not to relive your college days and lament the fact that you're a grown-up now. Plus, very few of my '11 classmates were there, which is exactly what I wanted: I just wanted to remember Dartmouth for me and no one else.

The fall foliage was amazing in Hanover. It was fun seeing all of those old building surrounded by the yellow and orange leaves from the trees. Autumn is one of my favorite times to be in New Hampshire, which is probably why I never took a fall term off while I was at Dartmouth.

Baker Library is probably the most beautiful building on campus. Every time I'm in Hanover I can't help but stare in awe of it!

Dartmouth now has a new president, Phillip Hanlon '77, and this is his humble abode.

Occum Pond looks quite different when it isn't frozen and covered with ice skaters!

Epsilon Kappa Theta, my sorority house. One of the reasons I joined the sisterhood was for this castle-like building. I lived there for a year (my sophomore summer through my junior spring), and I loved it. While visiting last weekend, I got to meet a few of the new sisters. They were so sweet and reminded me why I joined the sisterhood in the first place.

During Homecoming, people are invited to take tours of the bell tower of Baker. You can see the little people in this photo! And we snuck into Sanborn Library, which makes everyone think of the library in Beauty and the Beast.

This is the structure of the bonfire before it becomes engulfed in flames. There were these ugly plastic borders around for safety, but luckily they were removed before the festivities started. And before everything got underway, I did meet with two friends (a '10 and a '15), and it was absolutely wonderful to see them. I was glad I got to pick and choose exactly who I wanted to meet up with!

The bonfire looks okay in this photo, but it actually seemed pretty small and sad this year. The middle was burning low, and the outside structure took a long time to finally collapse. Plus, the freshmen ('17s) were too busy instagram-ing the fire to actually run around it. So all in all, pretty lame. They really are the worst class ever.

My first alumni homecoming brought back many good memories. It reminded me why I went to school in the first place, the amazing people I met while I was there, and of my own freshman homecoming, which was probably one of the most fun weekends of my life (thus far, anyway).
I'm not sure when I'll go back next, but I'm glad I got to make this trip!

"What's your excuse?"

The Today Show had a story on this photo, and I thought I'd give my take on it.

The women of Today found the picture annoying and offensive; the men thought it was more inspiring/motivational, and said if it were a man, they wouldn't be bothered by it. I'm siding with the guys here. Al made the good point that, if you don't like it, don't look at it! So that's number one. But I too find the picture more motivating than anything else. This is a woman who's saying, "I have three small children, and yet I still have a rockin' bod. You can, too!" Now Tamara made a good point that the woman in the photo is a personal trainer or somehow works in the fitness industry. So, unlike most of us who have to make time to go to the gym, this woman gets paid to go, so she does have an advantage there. But that is not the point. The point is that children should not be used as a crutch for your flab. Yes, those kids certainly helped you pack on a few pounds (one of the many reasons I don't want to have kids in the first place), but you can't blame them for keeping you fat. That's all on you. So get with the program and get fit! Start with small dieting measures (ex. cutting out soda or not going to McDonald's), and small exercise routines like taking a walk around the neighborhood. Baby steps are key: you don't want to get discouraged. Start small, make gradual changes, and even with a family, you can look like this woman. There's no excuse.

A Night with the Caps

Every year, the Washington Capitals host a night at Six Flags America where season ticket holders can get the chance to meet some of the players and get their autographs. This was the first year my dad took me, and it was a lot of fun! Below are some photos.

Here we have John Carlson and Eric Fehr. We met them first that night!

Connor Carrick is really young and only just started playing with the Caps. A line a high school girls had him sign each of their jerseys...which they were wearing at the time. So these girls each had their backs to him to get his autograph!

We didn't get to meet Alex Ovechkin (you had to sign up super-early, etc.), but there he is!

Troy Brouwer, who reminds me of Eric Bana a little bit. Mmmm....

 We had to wait in a long line to see Braden Holtby, but he was worth the wait!

My dinner that night. Pretty sad...I hope next year they have cheeseburgers!

Advice from a Security Guard

I'm not even sure how this discussion started, but the other day, I was talking to a security guard. We were chit-chatting, he started talking about his family, and he gave me this nugget about relationships: "It's all about communication, compromise, and spending time [together]."

I thought this was a nice, concise way to sum up what a relationship is all about. Clear communication is key to a healthy relationship. You need to be able to tell your partner what you're thinking about, how you're feeling, what you need from him/her, etc. Some people are naturally good communicators, others need to work at it, and a couple are simply hopeless. So choose wisely, but also keep in mind that communication skills can definitely be taught/learned! Compromise is an obvious one. A relationship involves two people, and in most cases, the two aren't always going to want the same things at the same time (this can be as menial as what kind of take-out to get to something more important like if/when to buy a house). In the smaller cases, just let your partner get what he/she wants. I know I'm used to having my way, but I've learned that insisting on which movie to watch one night is silly; only put your foot down if it's something really meaningful that's going to have a large impact on you yourself or your relationship as a whole. Spending time together is the fun one. If you're with someone, of course you should enjoy his/her company! In today's busy society it can be difficult to see your special someone all the time, so you have to make sure you dedicate time every week to being with that person. And vary what you do together! When you get to the point that all you do together is watching movies and have sex (and maybe not even the latter), you know the relationship is growing stale. So mix it up! Try different restaurants, take a day trip somewhere new, explore a new activity (might I recommend blues dancing?)...anything to keep things fresh and entertaining!

You never know where good advice is going to come from. So keep your ears open!