random on a friday night

After a rough day at work, I left a little earlier than usual. My boss was working from home, my coworker/officemate/all around awesome lady and great friend left early, and my last appointment for the day canceled. The weather was 70 degrees, the sun was shining, and I had music to listen to. If that doesn't call for a 4pm departure, I don't know what does.

I went and hung out with one of my all time favorites tonight - Wendi. We've been friends for years (a mutual teacher once told me "You and Wendi should be friends, I can just see it") and I wish I got to see her more. She's a great listener, always fun to hang out with, and just a nice person in general. She's quite the world traveler and I admire what she's done -study abroad in undergrad in Italy and returning for grad school, coaching in Denmark - I feel so lucky to have a friend like her. It was a "girls party" thrown by her sister, so I didn't know most of the people, but I knew Wendi's friends that came. My friends as well, I suppose. All great girls and I think we had a fun time. I wish I got to see them more. I'm definitely making that a priority as of now. I miss my girls and I need that time.

Cody's good friend and groomsman Jonathan is visiting this weekend. They're all playing music and hanging out, and I'm enjoying my magazine-internet-cat time. I'm not really big into these surveys, but I thought it'd be fun to do one for once.

1. What time did you get up this morning? Alarm went off at 6:15; however, I dragged myself of bed at 7:15.

2. How do you like your steak? Medium with lots of A1 and seasoning.

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Avatar - overrated!! Visual effects were great and the plot was ok, but the acting was awful. I just don't get why it was nominated for Best Picture.

4. What is your favorite TV show? The Office is my absolute favorite. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention some other favorites: Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations and Lost. Off the air favorites include 90210 (don't judge), Arrested Development, and ER. Oh ER. Definitely ER.

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? In a little flat in Prague. If I had to pick a more realistic place to live, it would probably be somewhere out west like Colorado, Oregon, California.......

6. What did you have for breakfast? Iced coffee.

7. What is your favorite Cuisine? I love Mexican, Thai, Spanish tapas, and all that good stuff, but my absolute favorite is my mom's meatloaf with a side of tater tots and veggies.

8. What foods do you dislike? Bananas and stinky cheese.

9. Favorite Place to Eat? In the backyard on a blanket.

10. Favorite dressing? I'm partial to French and Honey Mustard, but I also enjoy a good balsamic.

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? Chevy Prizm...it's hot.

12. What are your favorite clothes? Well-worn jeans, tank top, a cardy, and my black flats. Standard uniform.

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? That's about the hardest question ever...if I had to pick ANYWHERE, I'd pick Rio.

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Depends what kind of morning I had.

15. Where would you want to retire? Silly question since I'll probably never be able to afford to do that...in my dreams, probably Northern Arizona, Utah...

16. Favorite time of day? Dusk.

17. Where were you born? Atlantic City, NJ.

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? Anything involving the Olympics, I'm there.

19. Bird watcher? We don't exactly get anything worth watching here in Philly. Pigeons?

20. Are you a morning person or a night person? I was always a night owl, but I'm better with mornings now.

21. Do you have any pets? 4 cats and a chinchilla.

22. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I'm not working tomorrow. Yey.

23. What did you want to be when you were little? A writer....teacher....diplomat.

...interpreter...editor....it changed a lot. My friend Heather said tonight "I remembered when you wanted to be a diplomat." I think that's funny.

24. What is your best childhood memory? Summers and Christmas with the cousins.

25. Are you a cat or dog person? Always was a dog person, but now I think I'm partial to cats. This is mainly because I don't have to walk them twice a day.

26. Are you married? Not yet ;)

27. Always wear your seat belt? YES!

28. Been in a car accident? Unfortunately.

29. Any pet peeves? People who eat smelly food on the bus (especially McDonalds), those who are not tolerant of other peoples' beliefs, being taken advantage of on purpose

30. Favorite Pizza Toppings? Pineapple - my dream pizza is pineapple, sundried tomatoes, and corn. Don't knock it til you try it.

31. Favorite Flower? I do love lillies...and gerber daisies, and mums.

32. Favorite ice cream? Ice cream = no good for me. I love frozen yogurt with crazy toppings like gummy bears.

33. Favorite fast food restaurant? Sonic!!

34. How many times did you fail your driver's test? 1 time, but my teacher said "Those questions were trick questions!!" and marked them right and so I passed. That was the written test. The driving test was a joke. The parking lot was a sheet of ice, so my test lasted 3 minutes. The instructor told me "you look like you can parallel park" so that was that. That story may disturb you, but take comfort that I'm a darn good driver.

35. From whom did you get your last email? The Cheesesteak Team...they make Philly-themed t-shirts.

36. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Being that I will never do that, this is totally hypothetical. I would say Ann Taylor Loft.

37. Do anything spontaneous lately? I'd say the last year has been spontaneous.

38. Like your job? Hm. Yes, but I feel like I am called to do something else. Just trying to figure it out.

39. Broccoli? I love it in all forms.

40. What was your favorite vacation? Fall 2006 in Europe was a damn vacation. If I had to pick one vacation from that vacation, that'd be damn hard. Going to Italy and having solo and together time, traveling with Jessana, Spain, Germany with Tim the Germ, Dresden with Ana........how could I pick?!

41. Last person you went out to dinner with? The ladies from Epic last Friday...twelve of us went and had Mexican.

42. What are you listening to right now? Last FM.

43. What is your favorite color? Green.

44. How many tattoos do you have? Too many?

45. Coffee Drinker? Yes!!

46. What Magazines are you reading? National Geographic, Nat Geo Traveler, Readers Digest (shut up), Martha Stewart, Glamour (it's free ok)

47. Favorite smell? Clean laundry, Chinese food, fresh flowers, spring time on my mom and dad's porch.

48. Favorite movie of all time? Forrest Gump, Dirty Dancing, Labrynth, Princess Bride, Sliding Doors, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Hangover, Tropic Thunder

49. What are you listening to right now? I'm so excited to have my Sirius back - New Wave, 90s, Contemporary Christian........

50. How is the weather right now? Amazing!! 70 today and will get higher tomorrow and Sunday. It's great!