Let me begin this post with a big, fat EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!! Yesterday was basically a perfect storm of awesomeness. Try and follow this set of events:

I've been saving up air miles for a while in preparation to go on a fabulous trip to South Africa with Emma. We figured out the dates a couple of weeks ago and when I tried to get my *free* ticket, they could only get me a flight to South Africa, but not one coming back in a reasonable enough amount of time to prevent me from being fired. I reserved the flight to SA with hopes that a return trip would open up before my reservation expired. Well, after calling almost every day for two weeks, I gave it one last shot yesterday, THE DAY THE RESERVATION EXPIRED! And what do you know-the agent at American found a flight on the exact dates I wanted. The slight hitch is it's a business class seat. While I am in no way opposed to business class on a moral level, it requires a significantly greater number of miles than I currently own. However, due to the immense generosity of two people I call "mommy" and "matt" we're pooling our miles so I can get it! Yippee!!! Now I don't have to pony up the money for a regular ticket (although I would have-how can you skip out on a trip to South Africa??) and maybe I'll get free toiletries. Actually, the best part can be summed up in two words---"leg" and "room."

While the above is certainly fantastic news, you may ask how does that equal a "perfect storm of awesomeness?" Well, two reasons:
1. It finally stopped raining yesterday and I was able to come home with dry feet
2. After said ticket was reserved and I was feeling pretty good, there seemed to be an endless loop of power ballads on the radio to make my walk home that much more enjoyable. Which is better, I ask you: a walk home listening to cars and buses honking or listening to "Don't stop believin'" by the always enjoyable Journey? I know my answer.

Dudes-in a month and a half, I'll be here

I participated in ANOTHER music focus group last night, so basically if you're coming to the DC metropolitan area in the near future, you'll be listening to what I like to listen to. "And all was right with the world."

It was a dial focus group where they played long sessions of 8 seconds of different songs right after each other and you turn the dial between 0 (lowest) and 100 (highest) depending on how much you loathe/love the song. Now, in my opinion, a ratings system is of no use without a very top and very bottom standard. Luckily I established them pretty early. At the first hint of Belinda Carlisle, I turned that sucker up to 100 because heaven IS a place on earth. I knew even before the session started what my definition of 0 was and sure enough, not 5 minutes into it, that freaking "I hope you dance" song came on. Not to sound like too much of a NC hick, but i turned the dial down to 0 right quick. From then on, it was a pretty good mix of crap and enjoyable song snippets. Anything by Madonna started out with an automatic 60, while pre-1995 Bon Jovi hits landed in the 90-100 range. Conversely, anything by Dave Matthews Band or Hootie was relegated to the below 20 group, if not 10. (Before anyone starts getting all uppity, it was all pop music so these were my only options)

Want to hear a deep, dark confession? When they played "When I see you smile" by the fine folks of Bad English I laughed out loud and shamefacedly turned the notch to 90! What can I say? It's a nostalgic fave from my formative years. Which reminds me of an interesting, if not lame, dilemma. I was in the car the other day and was faced with having to choose between "When I see you smile" and "Patience." I was in a pickle! It was like Sophie's Choice. I ultimately went with Patience because I always did like how Axl did the snake move. And I like to whistle along.

Before the focus group, I stopped into Anthropologie (what? It was nearby and I was early!! Stop judging me.) and was faced with a most unfamiliar feeling. I had absolutely no desire to buy anything. ANYTHING. AT ANTHROPOLOGIE! That's like going to a goat cheese store and not wanting any of their goat cheese (see last blog). This could be serious. I think I need a doctor. Oh wait, Emma's coming up this weekend. She's close enough.

I realized this morning that I have four, separate containers of goat cheese in my fridge. All different brands and all opened so that I could have a taste. Is that weird??

Good, I didn't think so.

A week at the beach and a wedding are apparently enough to kick my ass because I am freaking tired. But don't fret, I've been extremely productive at work today. Absolutely. No doubt about it.

I'll post more about the beach and wedding later but had to jot these two things down before I forgot them. The bookends of any trip to NC are the drive down and back up and I am always blessed (love puns!) with some ridiculous religious anecdote, courtesy of the many Christian radio stations in southern Virginia/northern NC. Well, this time I've got two! And yes, I'm obviously more hostile to religion than your average schmo but anyone with half a sense of humor has to find these things hilarious, no matter how many Virgin Mary pictures you've got hanging in your house.

Ok, the first was just the promo break for some radio station in god-knows-where Virginia. It was "Get your praise on at 104.7. The inspiration station."..........Seriously? I realize any organization needs to be conscious of recruiting new members, hence the moronic attempt at popular vernacular, but come on. Christianity has been around for 2000 years--they're pretty much past the "word of mouth" stage, in terms of publicity, so there's no need to resort to slang.

The second is the real cherry on top though. And let me preface this by telling you that I have tried and tried to find a picture of it but alas, Google images has failed me. Anywho, on US 1, somewhere in Henderson, NC there is this church called "Freedom Life CHURCH ON FIRE" and they've got one of those tall fast-food signs that displays the church name and a message and underneath the name are actual flames painted on the sign! The message this time was "Stop, drop, and roll doesn't work in hell."

Now, A) Why do churches have these signs? Everytime I see one I feel like it should be saying "Biggie fries-now only $.99" and B) WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN!!!! If they're trying to use the prospect of eternal hellfire as a deterrent to sinning, well they've failed with me. Now I'm more curious than ever about a place where the fine teachings of NC Fire Dept officials are no longer valid. Maybe "Just say no" doesn't work in hell either?

Finally, a big shout-out to Anne-Marie (and Eph) who are back with us stateside after a year in Greece. I'm happy to have you guys back but I'll always remember your former home fondly if for no other reason than it introduced me to the glorious cheese pie.