Category: friends

two down, two to go… time to celebrate!

Time to celebrate!!Yesterday, I finished my second final of my second semester of nursing school. As many of you know, this summer has been a whirlwind of a semester, and it has been more than trying at times. However, I worked my ass off, and studied hard, and all my hard work paid off; another semester is complete, and I have officially made it through two semesters of nursing school.

A (VERY) nice bottle of champagne, and a delightful afternoon with some of my fellow nursing student friends was a great ending to a hellish summer semester. We all deserved it, and I had a blast yesterday! Now, a couple of weeks of R&R, and I want to knock these other two semesters out of the park as well. I’m well on my way!!

get yer swimmies on!

While I wasn’t able to move heaven, I definitely moved a lot of earth to make the pool possible. The “easy set” pool has to be on level ground, and if you look at the picture, you can tell that it STILL isn’t on totally level ground:
guess what
However, it is REALLY close, so I am not going to worry about it anymore (next year, James and I agreed that someone else will be coming out to level the ground before we try to install the pool ourselves). I have a very sore back, and I just hope that this damn thing was worth all of the headache, blood, sweat, and tears that went into making it a reality. I am going to focus on enjoying it, and try not to dwell on the minor leaning thing.

I got in it yesterday after it filled, to put the salt in, and it was very cool and nice, even though I didn’t actually “go for a swim”. It is only about 3 and a 1/2 feet deep, so it isn’t really enough to “swim” in, but it is surely enough for me to float in and drink a well deserved Mai Tai (which I am still trying to find my favorite recipe) or seven. I just hope that I can enjoy the fruits of all my back-breaking labor, and hopefully have a few friends over to share in the fun. Who’s in?

big fucking circle of dirt

So as I previously mentioned, I got a pool. It is an Intex above-ground, “EASY set” 15′ X 42″ pool. The reason why easy is in quotations, is because while it may be easy to set up, it is only easy if you have a level yard to set it up on. Well, we don’t. So, I decided that I could level it, because I was getting the pool goddammit, and shifting some dirt around would certainly not deter me.

On Saturday, my friend John helped me empty and spread the 500lbs of sand we bought on Friday, and while that was a difficult task in and of itself, it was then that I painfully realized that this was going to be a task that would be more intense than I was expecting. We discussed getting a truckload of dirt to level the yard, but renting a tiller seemed more realistic to me, so on Sunday, that’s just what I did. James and I got home about 3:30 with the instrument of death ahem, I mean, tiller, and we took turns tilling the ground until about 8pm last night.

EVERYTHING on me has been rattled to within an inch of completely falling off of my body. I am sore in places that I didn’t know existed, and the ground STILL isn’t level. While I am beaten, bruised, and certainly exhausted, I will NOT give up. When I am soaking in my sweet ass pool later this week, I want to be able to look back and think about this very moment, because it will make it seem even more amazing than I am sure it is going to be.

I hope that the ground will remain somewhat level for next year, or I making myself a promise here and now, that I will hire someone before I step behind a tiller again! Stay tuned for more, exciting pool news (that will actually include details ABOUT THE POOL!!!)!!

*cricket cricket*

Yeah, I know I didn’t post a 5SF for this week… but with good reason!!! I was looking for a pool all day, and as such, was pretty quiet on the internet. Then yesterday, I was busy most of the day with house stuff, and a party. Today, more house work.

So we’ll just have to wait and see what greatness I can come up with next week to make it up to you, okay? I hope everyone has had a great weekend, and wish me luck as I go and rent a tiller to level the backyard for my pool today!!

what’s going on wednesday

I have been a bad blogger lately, but I blame my new PSP, in part. Lumines II has proven to be a highly addictive game, and so has Loco Roco. I can’t get enough of them, and find myself playing a lot in my free time. It seems like it was a good purchase after all!

I have been listening to music, and just trying to get through each day; my sinuses are still angry that they are expected to work properly, so they have been on strike for a few weeks now.

I am a quesadilla phase. I loves the cheesies and the crunchy tortillas. Yum.

I went on a photo stroll with Brody recently, and eventually, I will get around to posting the pictures. I really do love doing things with friends, and wonder why I don’t do more, more often.

Mr. Pickles has been a lot of fun, albeit a lot of annoying, overall. I am glad we got him. He’s a cutie, but I just wish he would stop biting at Sydney. If he would cut that out, he would be almost perfect. That and the chewing random things (like the eyes out of a toy… who does that?!).

I also blame twitter for my lack of blogging. I tend to think nonsensically, and twitter is PERFECT for that. I could seriously do movie quotes, song lyrics, and random thoughts all day long; and I tend to do just that on twitter. All of those people that wonder what the point of twitter is, well, that’s my take, so put that in your bonnet.

Other than this random crap, not much else is going on of note with the old duane. How’s everyone else?

a burst of creative energy

…and maybe even a well needed kick in the butt. This weekend, I managed to hang some kitchen things we bought at IKEA (one of which has been in the cabinet for well over a year!), and did a little tidying up around the house; both of which were much to James’ surprise. It was also a surprise to me, because I have been overwhelmed with apathy lately (see, it’s going on in many, many aspects of my life… not just the blog!). Well, the best part, was that I kept that momentum going, and ended up going for a long overdue, much needed photo stroll with Brody and Broderick (my “Bros”… Come on, I thought it was funny… HA!) in Little Five Points.
fierceness, you're doing it right.
I had an awesome time hanging with those guys, and managed to get more than a few pictures that I consider to be pretty darn good. I went with only my 10-22mm lens, because even though it is my favorite, I don’t feel like I use it enough, and I need practice with it. I am glad that they set it up, because I have been neglecting my camera and photography for months now, and while it has been largely because of my apathy, sometimes little steps like this are monumental for me. I hope that it signals an upswing of photography, and potentially, other hobbies of mine to take more time in my life. I do know that I mentioned to Brody that we should make this a regular thing, and I have to say, that I believe that to be a great idea indeed… so where do we go next?!

dining out for a cause

Last night, I participated in the Atlanta Dining Out event, and I was pretty moved by how many people were present at the participating restaurant we were at. We went to Stella Trattoria, which is near the scene of the crime that the event was held to fund a larger reward for, and it was PACKED. Our wait time was about an hour and a half, but I had plenty of great company with great friends, and a few delicious peach bellinis while we waited. Overall, my dining experience was great, and it was amazing to see so many people coming out to make a statement against crime in Atlanta. I hope that the city and the police force will take notice that we are not going to stop talking about this, and that the horrible murder of John Henderson was the last straw. We want change, and we are going to get it.

Things have to change, and it felt good to be at least a small part of that momentum. I hope that things get better soon, and I really hope that they catch the horrible people who killed John. I want my community to be the safe place that it can be, because it’s long overdue.

mingafred/bobaling wedding

However you want to call it, mingafred or bobaling (the combining of mingaling and bobafred), two of my close friends, Lori and Brian got hitched this weekend. It was an intimate, and beautiful ceremony. They had their own flair, and added a crazy tradition (which was effin’ cool) or two, which made the ceremony both enjoyable, and lovely. After the ceremony, we all ate a gourmet dinner, and after dinner, there was dancing and fun; everyone seemed to have an amazing time. They also had a photo booth at the reception, which was such a great idea, and provided for lots of fun, and I am sure, some amazing memories.
the send off
I wish these two the utmost luck and congratulations… I love you guys, and thanks for inviting us along for your special day! Oh, and Lori… I will be definitely requesting some of your services for our wedding; you have got some mad craft skills!!

There are a ton of photos up on flickr, and by clicking on the one above, you can go there and check them out for yourself.

Lady GaGa @ Bazaar Atlanta 10/29/08

Lady GaGa @ Bazaar ATL, 10/29/08Last night, I had the distinct pleasure of seeing the amazing Lady GaGa live, at a very intimate venue, the bar Bazaar, in Midtown Atlanta. The place was standing room only, and the place was packed with eager fans waiting to see Ms. GaGa take the “stage” (which was just a big plywood box that they put up at the front of the bar).

We arrived early, so as to make sure we had a great view, and ended up being in the front “row”. After waiting a couple of hours, the white limo pulled up outside, and the tension in the room grew; we were ready for our diva to take the mic and turn out the beats. I have to gripe here for a second, though, because people who think that they can just come up to the front, and stand in front of people that have been patiently waiting for two hours can get a freaking clue. Seriously, no less than 3 people tried to do that, and I told them to shove off… I usually just deal with it, but I was NOT going to stand behind someone at this show. After waiting for a while after the limo pulled up, and after telling several people to move to the back where there was plenty of room, Lady GaGa busted in, and seriously brought down the house. Just before she came out, her dancers came down to make sure they had enough room, and the one dancing in front of me said, “make sure to keep this area clear; there will be a LOT of dancing right here”. Hell yes.

She was full of energy, dancing and gyrating through several of her major songs, like Just Dance, Beautiful Dirty Rich, and her current single, Poker Face. After an energetic performance filled with complicated choreography, a dance with a disco stick, and acrobatic routines, the Lady treated us to one of the songs that was included on the American release of her record (which was finally released earlier this week), Starstruck (which I absolutely LOVE).

The beats were massive, the sound was booming, and her vocals were flawless. I consider myself extremely lucky to see someone as hugely talented as Lady GaGa in such an intimate setting, and I enjoyed the concert thoroughly; as did everyone else in the place by the feeling of all that energy. I was also completely happy that Stu, John, Michael, and Broderick were there… we all had a blast. GaGa came in, completely delivered, and even stuck around for autographs after her show (which was incredible, considering that she opened for the New Kids earlier that night before playing for us!).

Overall, it was a massive show, and it was amazing. When I met her after the show, I excitedly told her that I loved her, and she simply told me that she loved me as well. *squee!* This is definitely a show that I won’t forget for some time. I’m glad that I had the chance to go out and “just dance” with the Lady that is GaGa.

Be sure to check out the other photos that I took on flickr; you can get there by clicking on the one above. I got some freaking great shots, and I am so glad that I defended my up front position so that I could get them!! (note: a post similar to this one is posted on Jiingo as well!)

we’re back!!!

Thanks to a well placed government holiday, I have all day to relax after our wonderful cruise to the Bahamas.

A great time was had by all, and the consensus is that we must DEFINITELY do future cruises. It is so nice not to have to worry about a thing, other than, “what am I going to eat… since there are so many choices!?!?!”. The only thing I didn’t like about the cruise (other than having to drive/ride 8 hours to the port from ATL), was the Bahamas itself. It is definitely a very poor area that has been consumed, and the culture has been completely displaced to make way for touristy trinkets and duty free shops. It was kind of sad to see, so I don’t know if I would want to cruise back to the same destination.

We did learn that gambling doesn’t really pay… however, I only lost about $200, so it wasn’t TOO bad. Needless to say, that will not be the activity I will use to pass time and have fun with in the future.

All in all, we had a blast, and can’t wait to go on another cruise. Let’s hope the next one doesn’t include the first day at sea being turbulent, and causing all of us to feel very dizzy and disoriented. Thank goodness it was calm for the rest of the trip. I hope everyone had a great weekend, and remember, the 5 song Friday will be back this week, so stay tuned!!! I will also eventually get around to posting the few pictures that I took on the trip… stay tuned for that as well.