Under the Arch

Guess who got a new camera for Christmas? Guess who hasn't completely figured out how to use it?

As far as New Years goes, I don't really do resolutions. (I think last year I called them self-delusions, though I did manage to follow through on a couple.) I do have the new camera that needs to be broken in and Moosh in Indy mentioned a 365 project she will be participating in, so I thought I'd give that a try.

I do have some ideas for things I'd like to try this year, but I think I'm going to keep those secret a bit longer til I figure out if I can. ;)

I did volunteer to write about my online dating experience and to round that out a bit, I'd love to hear stories from others, blogger or not, especially guys. Email me, k?

Yes, I did start dating someone new since Christmas and we are getting along swimmingly. My head is sort of spinning actually and I'm not sure whether to be thrilled or terrified. ;) (He's not a blog reader, isn't that nice? lol)

Until, I can get the photos I've already taken uploaded, here are a few posts from last year that I especially liked.

My resolution to keep knitting is off to a roaring start

Making fun of my brother

Enjoying the weather

Where I first talk about my issues with food

Taking a walk in the park

One of my more popular Naked Monday posts that was discussed over drinks

Bossy's visit

The first time I was mistaken for a hooker

Meeting a Cardinal's baseball player

My cat goes crazy

The post with the most hits (it's the bikini post, are you surprised?)

The ones about my car accident

The BlogHer posts, plus the hostel and my first troll

Exposing my messy side

Blogging while online dating can be hard

Update! I found this. GM is offering hybrid vehicles for BlogHer attendees. But, the closest city to me is Chicago. Anyone from the Chicago area interested in a carpool? All you would need to do is slow down long enough for me to jump on!

I chickened out last year when it was practically in my backyard. Now, not only would I get to see San Francisco, a city I've never been to, but meet bloggers that I've been stalking...er, following this past year. Paying for the conference itself isn't a biggie, they have a student price which is affordable. I'm stuck on the airfare and hotel costs, though. Around $400 for a plane ticket, more than that for hotel, even if I share. Do I say, oh well, I'm poor and just mope around that weekend feeling sorry for myself? Or, do any of you lovely people have any ideas? Suggestions that don't involve hooking? Begging I'm ok with, hooking would be a bad idea. Any St. Louis publications that you think would sponsor me, even though I'm not a Bossy, or Pioneer Woman? I would be willing to work, write something, tattoo their logo on my butt, even. Please, please, please let me know if you have any ideas. Thanks!!

Update: I have entered any contest that I could find that would pay for the trip, including the GE Caulk singles thingy. (I realized that, duh, a $1000 would pay for quite a lot.) If you know of anything else like this, that info would also be appreciated.

After being a nervous twit about it for several days (one of my frustrated friends yelled at me over the phone, "Yeesh, it's not a date!!) I left my apartment in a new top and heeled sandals to meet MP at The Chocolate Bar in Lafayette Square. I had looked up the address from the website and studied the map (I have a ridiculous ability to "see" maps. It's weird and I don't know how to explain it, but I was a pizza delivery driver for a while and I rocked at it.), but I neglected to write down the number, so I knew that if I took a certain exit and went down two blocks and turned on Park, it would be there before I hit the park. BUT, for some reason I thought it was on the left, rather than the right, so I passed it and didn't see it. So, I knew I was in the right place, I parked and walked, figuring it would be easier to see on foot. MP called as I was walking and she waved me down from the door. We hugged and giggled, because how else do you greet someone you've been talking to for months but had never actually met in person? ;)

MP and I decided to get started with the drinking (and yes, I downloaded the menu at home, so I would be able to pick what I was going to order. am. FREAK.) and ordered a couple of chocolate martinis. And, as I said last night, took pictures before we even tasted them. Hee. They were delicious, but we'd barely even started when BOSSY arrived with her host, Tempered Woman.

Let me tell you, Bossy really is as gorgeous as she looks online, maybe more. She was so funny and just natural to be around, I would NEVER have been able to do what she has done, travel around meeting strangers every day, I thought I was going have a nervous breakdown and I didn't even have to drive, but for a few miles. We all settled in at a back table on their patio and just chatted like we had all known each other for years.

Over the next few hours, I met Angie from Fluid Pudding, Raquita from WOBL in Training(wise old black woman, how funny is that?!), Heather from Three Boys and Me, MP from My Second Journal, Sonrie from 1017, Jenny from Mommymae (it turns out that Jenny and I went to high school together in Southern Illinois, though we didn't know each other), Kelly from Mocha Momma, her daughter, Mallory, Tempered Woman, and her sister. (I can't remember her name at the moment, she doesn't have a blog and for a while, we were calling her Dooce.)


Conversation was fast and furious as we chatted about, I swear, everything under the sun. I found myself telling Heather and Raquita about my clothing woes and at one point, we all talked about my eyebrows, again.


With a short bit about The Chocolate Bar, I'll end this longer than normal post. Yay you, if you've made it this far!!!

More expensive than a casual night out would warrant, it's perfect for a special date or birthday celebration. The cheese plates were amazing and the drinks strong, I certainly felt like I got my moneys worth. My only complaint? The bathrooms, while completely charming and nicely appointed, are down a set of steep stairs and the bathrooms are unisex, so not marked with ladies or gentlemen. While it is probably more convenient that way, my inebriated self had the worst time figuring out which door to choose. ;)



To sum up....had a great time....food and drinks were good....company was excellent.

If you haven't already, please visit everyone else's blogs!!!!

I know I said I would have the Bossy entry up today (yesterday), but between a laptop that starts and stops randomly just to annoy me (turns out I had a virus, wheeeee!), and the most ridiculous hangover on the face of the planet, the only thing I've managed to finish is posting the photos on flickr, which now tells me I'm not a pro member(say what?).

Tomorrow there will be two posts, including a Naked Monday confessional, wait until you see how many pairs of shoes I own!

Until then, I will leave you with this little tidbit before firefox decides to freeze again...I watched The Boondock Saints tonight. Great movie if you enjoy the occasional gratuitous violence. I know a guy who has a quote from that movie tattooed on the back of his hand. All this time that I've known him, I thought I had seen that movie before. I knew of the movie, I knew what the case looked like, but after watching it tonight...not so sure that I've seen it before today. I find this really embarrassing. How did this happen? Maybe I "watched it" with friends, in that, it was on, but I wasn't really paying attention. I don't know, exactly. It's a mystery. A really boring mystery. ;)

Milk Chocolate Martini (yum!)

My statcounter is just about to roll over to 3000 hits. That may not seem like much, but to me, it's amazing. I started this blog in July of 2007 and it just keeps growing and growing. I'm involved in this amazing community of people, communicating with perfect strangers everyday.

And this Sunday, I'm going to meet a bunch of them face-to-face! It's like going on a blind date with a handful of people! (I'm still not sure how many people will actually be there...6? 10?) I'm equally excited and nervous as hell. The weird part is explaining it to non-bloggers.

"There's this woman, she's a fairly famous blogger in the community and she's driving around the country, meeting other bloggers and encouraging us to meet each other. How awesome is that? "
"Uh, sure?"
"And, now, I'm going to meet her and a bunch of other women who also write on the internet and we're going to drink cocktails and, I don't know, braid each other's hair or something!"
"Um, great? What's a blog, again?"

I don't consider myself an antisocial person or a particularly reserved one, (hello, Naked Mondays?) but I think as bloggers, it's often easier to maintain this community of internet friends when we only have to expose ourselves via the computer. And as a woman who spends a majority of her time in school surrounded by 21-22 year olds, I'm thrilled to have an opportunity to make real live grown up friends. Ugh, I'm not sure what I'm saying here, but I'm excited (and nervous!) about meeting everyone and judging from the other Bossy meet-ups I've read about, we're all going to have a great time. So, look for my reactions Monday, or if you're going to be at the chocolate bar Sunday evening, I'll be the dork drunk from two chocolate martinis, and please, don't let me dance on anything!

Bossy is coming! Bossy is coming!

Bossy will be in St. Louis on April 20th, which is a sunday. I'm not sure what the count is at this point, but 10 or more of us are meeting up with her for drinks and silliness. If you are a blogger from the area and would like to get in on the fun, you can go to iambossy.com for details, or you can just email me and I'll let you know where the fun will be and when.

crap, I just can't shut up today. The badge on the right side of your screen is new. Bossy had this great idea. A crazy idea. A great, crazy idea. She is going to travel around the country, visiting bloggers. I have volunteered my couch and my time as a guide. I figured it was the least I could do for this woman who has clearly lost her mind. (Hee. kidding.) Go to her site, join in the crazy.

iambossy.com