What I love about The South…

THURSDAY - March 4th

• Las Vegas to New Orleans
• Watched a crazy lady at the Las Vegas Airport
• Ate Dinner at Oceana (soon to be on the Food Network)
• Wandered around Burbon Street

FRIDAY - March 5th

• Went to the 9th District - Huricane Katrina and Tom Cruse's "Make It Right" (crazy early so we wouldn't get kidnapped… really bad part of town)
• Bignets (fried scone-like goodness) at Cafe DuMonet
• Wandered Around the French Quarter - Lots o' Shopping
• Lunch at New Orleans Hard Rock Cafe
• Nottaway Plantation
• Drove to Baton Rouge
• Amazing People Watching at Wal-Mart and Applebees

SATURDAY - March 6th

• Houmas House (My Favorite Plantation)
• LSU Basket Ball game (Pathetic)
• Aligator and Crawfish at Chimes
• Dancing at Boutin's
• Cheese Cake

SUNDAY - March 7th

• Baton Rouge Singles Ward (Amazing)
• Lunch at Whataburger (gives In-n-Out a run for their money)
• Oak Alley Plantation
• Drive to New Orleans
• Fly Home

Random side-note about the picture below...yes, I know I am wearing Leggings, but I was not going to the Airport in just a sundress. Sorry my Dear Sweets.

Here are a few random tidbits from my 4ish days in Louisiana.

The Best People Watching Ever.

I got my first taste of Southern Amazingness at the Airport before I even left Las Vegas. I was sitting in the airport and this lady in a LOT of Bling sat down a few chairs down from me and proceeded to have a full blown conversation with the rat-dog that she had in a bag on her lap. She had such a deep accent that I could hardly understand her. (Not that I was eavesdropping and if I was I am not sorry.) But I was just so amazed that she was talking to the DOG on her LAP.

Then, Pauli and I went to dinner on Friday night and witness a superb display of Southern White Trash. There was a table of women, it must have been a "Sisters" night because they were all related and the "Mom" was one of my favorite to watch. But they were talking about not driving drunk, but "Sipping and Swerving", and how one of the ladies needed a new frier and how the "Piggly Wiggly" (a grocery store) had started carrying Wine. Oh wow.

The next morning we went to the "Waffle House" and when Pauli asked what I was having I told her I was thinking about having a normal waffle with Blue Berries, she laughed at me and said that the only fruit in the entire restaurant was the orange juice that came out of a dispenser. Its a breakfast place, shouldn't they have fruit?

Amazing Houses

This trip has solidified my desire to have a wrap-around porch when I (finally) grow up and get my own house. During our long hours in the car, we found some of the most amazing houses that would almost (note the ALMOST) make it worth living down there.

Holy Humidity

The humidity made my hair go crazy curly and kinda resembled a clown wig, but because it was so curly, it only took a few minuets to do. (which is a huge plus because when it comes to getting ready I am kinda lazy) And humidity = rain… which I love.

Hot and Spicy but Dang Good

The food was one of the things that I was most interested in trying while I was down there. We ate…

• Blackened Shrimp pasta (so hot my nose ran and eyes watered)
• Bignets - Fried Scone like things with enough powdered sugar to ski in
• Fried Aligator - I kinda liked it
• Hush Puppies - Fried Corn Bread…interesting
• Shrimp and Corn Chowder - There is some form of Seafood in everything
• Wataburger - Pauli had told me of its goodness and she was right

A Joyful bit of Random

So, in accordance with one of my New Years Resolutions, (one of many) I am trying to Blog every week…we will see how it goes around April, when the gym finally empties. But the problem with this is, that I am having a hard time coming up with anything even semi-worth reading this week. All I have got is a few random side notes to life. Sorry.

First, I got my graduation pictures back, yes I did graduate almost a year ago. But I really like them (which is unusual..normally I HATE taking pictures) I will post some up later.

Next, I have decided that I really like Vegas "Winters". An average of 60 degrees in February is fine with me. I like visiting and playing in the snow, but after 5 years, I have decided that I don't ever want to live in it again.

Third, (My Dear Sweet Ashley this one is your fault) I like painting my fingernails fun colors. Before Ashley I liked nude colors and clear on my fingers, funky colors were for my toes were they were hidden. But now, I change them at least once a week and the colors range from gold to "I'm not really a waitress" red to "Sapphire Snow" blue and almost everything in-between. (I say almost because I have yet to paint my finger nails pink) And I mostly like OPI because of the Amazing names that they call their colors.

Oh I wish I was a Spy

I was meandering through Barnes and Noble the other day, when I cam across a book titled, "If I told you l loved you, I would have to kill you". Needless to say, I was intrigued and bought the book. It tells the story about a girl at a prestigious boarding school for "gifted" students which is a cover for a spy school. Told with a very personable voice, the book was a joy to inhale.

I have always been a fan of spy stories, but never wanted to BE one of the characters mainly because the stories were about the killing/assassin sort of spy. This book however is more about the sneaking sort of spy, which I defiantly want to be. So, after finishing the book in 2 days, I found the second and third books and am defiantly enjoying them. Being a sneaking sort of spy some days sounds much more enjoyable than being an editor (even though I really do like my job). It makes me want to write my emails in code, and wear a watch that really isn't a watch but something much cooler, like a holographic Oxford English Dictionary that is always current.

Organized is not OCD

I was talking to a friend last night who very kindly informed me that I am OCD. I told her I thought she was exaggerating "Just a bit". She said acceptance is the first step to recovery. Right. So I was thinking about this as I was on my way to work this morning (I have a longish sort of drive which leaves a lot of time for thinking) and she might have a point. Not that I think I am in any way OCD, but I have "perfectionist tendencies" that might not be normal to most.

-I have to make my bed in the morning because I don't like going to sleep in a messy bed. If I forget or run out of time in the morning I make it at night before I slip in.

-My closet is organized according to article of clothing, then color, then "length"

-Movies are alphabetized according to Title then Release Date

-Books are alphabetized by Author then Publication Date

-I don't like writing in pen because I can't erase mistakes

-I hate floating files on my computer

In my opinion, none of this points to OCD. I just like being organized.

Powder and Madness.

Ok… So my lack of a post is being blamed on my CRAZY work schedule. We had all of magazines go to press in the same week (this only happens 2x a year thankfully!) and so the past two weeks have been kind of hectic. I didn't do a lot except work and sleep (a little) and dancing on thursdays (required stress relief). So there hasn't been much to share… I even had to work through a Rebel game. No good.

Although the weekend before the madness started, I got to go to Snowbird with my Dad, Hailee and Spencer, which made me crazy happy. After a week of rain in Vegas, and a week of snow in Utah, the powder was Amazing. And to make a great weekend complete, I got to have dinner with my Dear Sweet Ashley as well as Josh, Lanni and Jessica… some of the people that I have missed the most since leaving Provo. It made the whole weekend Perfect.

Green Man

I L-O-V-E Rebel Basketball!

Oh my holy goodness! I shook Coach Kruger's hand last night! The Rebels beat San Diego State 76 to 66. And as I was walking out of the west tunnel after the game Coach Kruger was walking back in from the locker room. I saw him coming and realized who it was and got really excited, as he passed I said "Good game Coach" and he said "Thanks" and reached out and shook my hand! So Excited! I wanted to say, "Did you know I have a Basket Ball signed by you, and it is one of my most prized possessions? I LOVE you!" But I didn't want to scare him. And the game was amazing for so many other reasons!

First, I sat next to Seat Williams who is a commentator for ESPN (for real, not joking) and he talked me through the whole game. I thought I knew a lot about basketball, but this was something else. I think he might have been the guy that sat behind me at the Louisville game...I think.

Second, my seating arrangement got even better because I didn't have our season tickets for that game, my Dad gave them to a customer, so I just bought a cheep ticket, then made my way down to where our seats are because I know people around us and was praying that someone would have an extra seat and they did! So I got to sit the row in front of our season tickets. Oh the joys.

Next, there was a green man at the game. And by green, I do mean GREEN. He was wearing a green spandex suit that covered him from head to toe. Pictures to follow.

Finally, after a close and well fought game the Rebels came out on top. Happy Day.

But shaking Coach Kruger's hand was still the best part of the night. (possibly the entire month.)

Random Thoughts from my Morning Drive

So… A bunch of random thoughts meandered through my head this morning as I made my usual commute across town.

First, people who drive Mercedes Benz are rude. I work in a wealthier part of town, and I have been cut off by more terds driving Mercedes than I can count. Maybe it is the predominance of them in the area that chances are, it will be a luxury car that swerves in front of me, but still. I like the cars themselves, but the people who drive them, not so much.

Second, I love cute sunglasses. I stole a pair from my little sister Hailee (well she let me borrow them and never asked for them back, and they have been living in my car for almost a year now so that makes them mine.) They are black and have big frames (not bug eyed, but cuter) and they make me feel like a movie star.

Next, Kindle on my ipod continually saves my life. I am a book junkie and I always have a book in my purse or backpack, or somewhere in my general vicinity. (this is the reason that I carry around big bags…to fit my books in. I feel like you never know when or where you will be stuck with nothing to do, and it pays to be prepared.) So when I discovered Amazons Kindle for iphone/ipod app, it changed my life. Now I can put tons of books on my ipod and it fits in my pocket. And is easily hide-able in my lap during those fall-asleep-borring talks in church. Thank you Kindle.