No man made uppers

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to shop. I love nice things and I have very expensive taste...too expensive for my paycheck. Don't get me wrong I love a good Forever21 bargain and I always look for the best deals, so I'm not a snooty shopper. Anyway, I've been looking for a Metro bag, oh...since January. I always carry a ton of stuff around with me in DC since I don't use my car and because I travel so much. I want a bag that will last me a long time, but I also want something cute. I've been searching for months upon months with no luck. Well tonight, God has smiled upon me. While browsing one of my favorite shopping aggregators ShopStyle I found a bag that could possibly change my life. It's by the designer Sabina, I've never heard of it either, but the company seems to make a pretty stylish bag for a fairly reasonable price. I haven't seen it in person, but when I do I will definitely do a review. Urban Outfitters has a good selection of the bags, although I'm not sure if they're available in the stores. Check 'em out and let me know what you think.

Keep rollin'

My bff sent me the link to this story. Although the words and illustrations are very simple, the story has such a strong meaning behind it. It also has a very significant meaning to my life at this very moment. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The Future of America:

So, I was in my car the other day listening to the newest radio favorites while I was out running errands in the District. Since I moved to the District I don't drive very much, which in turn means that I don't listen to the radio often. Sometimes when I'm in my car I don't listen to the radio at all because it often gives me a time to think. Since I'm trying not to let my brain have thoughts I turned on the radio so I could catch up on what's going down in the streets. And low and behold, this foolishness came on the radio. Please judge for yourself:



W...T...F?!

Why?! Is this what the youth of America is doing with their cell phones? Lol, smiley facing?! This is appalling, I am completely flabbergasted. I am never letting my children have access to electronics. We will live in bomb shelter like the 1950s and they will be home schooled with church six nights a week. It's the only way to prevent them from lol smiley facing with these other nasty kids. BTW, I originally thought this was some Souljah Boy crap, but Trey Songz is the culprit. Somebody should cuss him out, isn't he like old...no man I'm dating better EVER send me that crap.

UGH!

I'm no punk b!t$h

Yeah I said it, I'm no punk bitch, although life is trying to make me out to be one. I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs today, but I didn't. Why you ask...because I'm no punk bitch. Peep the vid...

A toast to super single-dom

I've recently been introduced to the world of super single-dom. For those of you who are unaware of what it means to be super single, it is when you are not dating anyone, you don't like anyone and you don't even have anyone that you are casually flirting with. I haven't been in super single mode in many years, but anyway, when life hands you lemons you make lemonade.

So today, Saturday, August 22, 2009, I have officially accepted my membership into this club, which means that I'm sitting at home on a Saturday night doing odds and ends. This is definitely by choice since I sometimes don't get a lot of time at home on the weekends due to traveling for work. Because I like to go hard in the paint I thought I should spend my first Saturday night as a super singler, building a bookcase. Most of you are probably thinking, woopty doo, but this is a great feat for me. I've never had to build anything ever in my life. My dad was always there to build various things I bought no matter how many he had to screw together. When he wasn't around my college boyfriend would build them. Even though my father made sure I knew how to build things (although I didn't want to) my college bf never wanted me to lift a finger. So needles

s to say I became a spoiled brat.

Well blogosphere, I would like you to know that I built a pretty fly bookcase. I did get a little confused on step one (don't judge me), but I feel like I did a pretty good job. Judge for yourself...

BTW, I would like you to know after I sent my dad a picture of the bookcase he said he didn't believe I built it by myself...go figure. Now it's time to finish the rest of my Super Single Saturday night with magazines, homemade spinach dip (by moi) and GChating with the homie VB.

Just one of them days

It's one of those days again, so here's some funny stuff...

(P.S. Sorry I'm not technologically advanced enough to put the video into the post...I do have a full-time job you know.)

Could you dance like that at her age? I think not!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbYgWtDjP-Q

And a Friday afternoon classic, because "it's fun to do bad things".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcqOgnQyXp4

Happy Friday! Make sure to go out and do hood rat stuff with your friends!

Really America??? Pt. 2

So, my confidence in the American people has been restored. The Today Show poll I referenced earlier today stated that 83% of people thought the First Lady's casual attire was A-ok. 17% of haters had an issue with it. Here's the link to the story.

My favorite quotes this week...

I like funny stuff...

"...I'm going to revert to my ethnic heritage and ask you a question: On what planet do you spend most of your time?" - Congressman Barney Frank

"Trying to have a conversation with you would be like trying to argue with a dining room table, I have no interest in doing it." - Congressman Barney Frank.

Who knew he was so funny?! I sure didn't. If you want context, check out the CNN article.

And lastly, a quote from my new fav blog WTFMetro.com.

"If you use Blue Magic, Dax, Jam!, Royal Crown, Pump It Up, or Soul Glo, I hereby forbid you to rest your head on metro windows." - WTFMetro.com

Really America?!

So, supposedly there was an uproar about our wondeful First Lady wearing shorts when she departed Air Force One during the Obama family's trip to the national parks out West. My first thought was really...really? We're worried about Michelle wearing shorts, hell, I didn't even notice. At first look I noticed a wonderful family, that was dressed casually to go hiking in a freaking park. Is she supposed to have on a St. John suit and a pair of Loubiton's? I remember during the campaign voters continually exclaimed that they wanted a First Family just like them, one they can relate to and I feel like they got just that. The Obamas reminded me of my family on vacation, dressed casually and having fun spending time with one another. If that's what any normal family would wear on vacation and you want the First Family to be a reflection of "real" America, why would you have an issue with what she was wearing? The Today Show is supposed to have a poll later about what the American people really thought about the shorts...update coming shortly.

Why do fools fall in love?

And my fools I mean women. Of course these aren't fools in the literal sense - these are smart, beautiful, talented, inspiring and all around dime piece women. This question first creeped into my brain Saturday night as I was preparing to get dressed to go out. I was flipping through the channels and came across the movie Titanic, I hadn't seen it in awhile so I decided to watch. As soon as I began watching I was mesmerized. I was sitting in front of my TV like a little kid cheesing from ear to ear. The love story was absolutely beautiful and what girl doesn't want to feel that type of love, in fact it's what we live for. That feeling that takes your breath away or when you're with someone you completely lose track of time and don't care about being anywhere else but in the arms of the person you're with. I've had that feeling from time to time and needless to say it didn't last long, but that one teeny weeny, itsy bitsy fleeting feeling still has me and so many of my other friends dating and falling in like when the odds are heavily stacked against us. So, why on God's green Earth do we keep doing it? Let's think of loving and liking this way. Say you own a company and you're looking to hire a new employee. You look at this future employee's resume which includes her job/dating history and she was fired or quit every single job/relationship since the age of oh...15, would you take a chance on that risk? As the potential employer you would most likely say, "Look, maybe this field isn't for you." I hate to sound fatalistic about the situation, but if you look at the factors realistically and without the blinders of love and like on, you'd feel the same way.

BTW ladies, a few months ago I learned a guy's perspective on the movie Titanic and he saw it as a bunch o' crap. If you're looking for the Jack and Rose type of love I wish you well, but the odds are stacked heavily against you. Happy dating! :)

Great outdoor spots to exercise in DC

Due to the cakes, cookies, pies, sour gummy worms, Yo Crunches, Garrett's popcorn, sour peach rings and multiple cups of Tangy Sweet yogurt my waistline is beginning to suffer, so I need to start some type of exercise regimen pronto. I also think that my youth is wasting away before my eyes and I would like to start some type of exercise routine before my metabolism begins to slow down. You're probably wondering, "Ashley, why don't you take your behind to the gym?" And I would reply to you: "One, because I don't want to and two, because I'm allergic to the gym". Okay, so I'm not really allergic, but I absolutely despise it. It's the most boring thing I have ever experienced in my life. Unless I could watch Justin Timberlake, David Beckham and TJ Holmes simultaneously work out shirtless in front of me then I really don't find it interesting. I like doing activities, such as tennis and....uh....I bought a yoga mat a few weeks...well...two months ago. The bottom line is I need to stop being lazy and just get up and do something. I know I won't be a hardcore exerciser, but I would like to walk/jog and take a yoga class four times a week. My roomy, the yogi-in-training has the scoop on the yoga studios (check out her blog), but where are some good spots to do an outdoor walking session? PLEASE don't tell me Rock Creek Park, I like my life and plan on keeping it for awhile so I don't want to take any chances by going into that urban forest alone where I don't get cell phone reception in some places...NOT cute. So please give me any suggestions you may have, gracias.

I should just say (actually yell) YES!!!

So, there's this man that lives in my apartment building, who my roommate and I call Homeland Security. We don't actually know his real name and don't dare ask because we might get roped into a useless hour long conversation. The name Homeland Security derived from a conversation he had with my dad when my parents were visiting back in May. Since Homeland Security is ALWAYS outside he noticed my father was new prey and began a conversation with him. My dad proceeds to tell the man that I work for the President's Administration, so he tells my dad that he works for the Department of Homeland Security. Like I said, he's always outside smoking on squares at various time of the day, if that's what it's like to work at DHS, sign me up (minus the ciggy's of course).

Anyway I seem to always catch Homeland Security when I'm on my way to work and EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. I see this man he asks me "Have ya seen him yet?!" (referring to our current President). I politely say no, smile and pick up the pace on my way to the Metro. Today, after being subjected to this question for two and a half months, it occurred to me, why in the hell haven't I said yes?! Of course my main issue with saying yes is that I would be lying. Lying is something that I don't like to do, so it never crossed my mind that if I told this man that I have met the President that he might leave me alone. I'm sure I will be subjected to a 15 minute conversation about what happened, what was he like, what color draws did he have on, but I think this one little, teeny weeny lie would be okay to relieve me from listening to this question for the next eight and half months of my life. I'll let you know how it goes.

Food for Thought

Yesterday, my favorite morning show, The Today Show, had a segment about the benefits of incorporating elements of a Mediterranean diet into your everyday eating habits. A study by the American Medical Association states that individuals who ate a primarily Mediterranean diet and exercised regularly had a 60% less chance of developing Alzheimer's disease. That's HUGE! My paternal great-grandmother died from Alzheimer's a few years ago, and my maternal grandmother is currently battling the disease, so this is something I need to consider implementing. I think I'm good to go on the diet part (except for my occasional candy and cookies...don't judge me), but I'll have to work on that exercise. Here's the link to the vid...

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/32384606#32384606

A life with no regrets?

I love a good inspirational quote as much as the next person, but while I was reading various tid bits of inspiration today I came across one about living life with no regrets. My first thought was "Hey! That's what I want to do!" But upon second thought: what if you take an action and you later decide that it wasn't the best decision does that then make it a mistake? And if it is a mistake and you wish you could have taken another course of action, does that then make your decision a regret? Yeah...I'm confused too. I've made several decisions in the last few weeks where I've felt as though if I didn't take a particular course of action I would later regret it and after I took the action I ended up regretting my decision anyway. So, is there a middle ground for doing something you know you will regre , but love every second of it? Too many doggone questions.

In the meantime I will try to live my life with no regrets when I'm a little bit older and have learned from the mistakes I've made and are currently making. Until then I guess I'll keep regretting the dumb crap that I do! :)