Date: 2008-05-26 21:51 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

I don't post here anymore. And there is a reason why.

But I have to say, this was probably one of the greatest weekends of my life. From Friday at 10 p.m. until today at noon, I've had nonstop laughs, smiles, inside jokes, and amazing times with amazing people.

I'm ready to come home though.

Date: 2008-05-20 00:36 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

FRIENDS:
I arrive in PGH on May 27.
Has it become the obvious plan to watch the games outside the Arena? If not, I'd really like to do this next Wednesday.

And I've already got my ticket for Game 4!

Oh, summer.

Date: 2008-05-16 20:09 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

Just to make sure we're all on the same page...
NOTE: I'm probably moving my PGH trip up a week...

Last day Allison has to report to work: May 23.
Allison's Bye Bye Boston Party: May 23.

Allison to PGH: May 27

While in PGH...
- Kennywood
- B-Day Party
- Baseball Game
- Patrick's play
- New York Dolls/Three Rivers Arts Fest
- La Fiesta
- O Fries
- Karaoke
- Lots of time to hang out

ROSS & CUNNINGHAM: Rob is officially backing out of the Toronto road trip in June. Would either of you still be interested? How about an abbreviated weekend jaunt to Clarion, PA? I can promise a bonfire party and a drive-thru strip club. Let me know.

Depart from PGH sometime end of June. Date TBD.

Chicago for sightseeing and all-night bike ride! July 10-14

MGMT at Paradise: July 23

Florida for beach with Milana and then work meeting: July 24-31

North America Train Trip: August 5-31

I'm. So. Excited. For. Summer.

Date: 2008-04-30 08:58 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

I don't care if you look like a serial molester or a dirty hippie. DO. NOT. SHAVE. THOSE. BEARDS.

Date: 2008-04-24 11:45 Subject: This is way too accurate. Security: Public

My Personality

Date: 2008-04-22 20:57 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

I am so excited for Pittsburgh in June. 

Date: 2008-04-17 09:20 Subject: Oh, life. Security: Public

Since the last weekend in February, my weekend have been out of control. Between trips to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and DC, I've been making sure to stay out late Fridays and Saturday. I can't remember the l ast weekend night I arrived home earlier than 1 a.m. So I am totally ready for a calm, relaxing weekend of nothing. 

Except that's no longer happening.

Tomorrow I am renting a Budget truck with my friend Evan and we're driving it 3 hours west to Amherst. How nice of me to help Evan move? Not even. We're going to a party. Because neither of us is 25, we cannot rent a real car. Hence, Budget rental.

Gah. The weekend after this one I'll likely be flying home to go to a Pens game with my dad. The weekend after that my parents are in town. The weekend after that it's three concerts in four days (The Teenagers, Death Cab for Cutie, and Cut Copy). THEN I have a weekend with no plans. That's the third week in May. Gah.

Date: 2008-04-13 01:54 Subject: COLLEGE! Security: Public

I do believe that I am no longer welcome at Brown University.

I had a KILLER weekend. From beginning to end, I felt 110% alive.

I think that because all of you are on Facebook anyhow, just see the pictures/read the captions there.

A few minor details:
a) We may have stayed in the same hotel as Vampire Weekend. We're not sure. And Courtney and I were kind of pissed that we didn't realize it until this morning.
b) Gregg Gillis: I love you. Please crowdsurf in my general direction whenever you want - 'specially if you're going to be in your boxers.
c) College kids are YOUNG. Who'd've thought?

Date: 2008-04-06 10:39 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

This morning was the first time that I woke up and said to myself, "Where the fuck am I?"

The things I do to myself. Last night was planned as a low-key work night. It turned into a night of not low-key but awesome instead.

Highlights
- Band names...
- Ned! (who I still can't believe I ran into, the 'hette is a magical place)
- house party (which is where I got myself into trouble - hard alcohol and random mixers + Allison never = good results)

There are more, but I'm beat.

Date: 2008-04-05 04:09 Subject: My life... Security: Public

...over the past 12 hours has been somewhat unreal at times.

5:15 p.m. - Guitar Center - bought a new, nice acoustic/electric guitar. Played it for a little when I got home. Holy shit - I've been playing with a garbage guitar. This thing makes even my shitty songs sound good!

8 p.m. - Arrive Downtown - Meet up with two friends to go see a concert on Boylston. BUT beforehand, the one kid's car gets hit and we have to stand around FOREVER waiting for either the cops or the driver of the car (that remained parked in front of my friend's). Magically - both the cop and the driver arrived at the same time. Did I mention we had been waiting for over 90 minutes?! Somewhat all right - due to the Upper Crust across the street and the CVS runs for Red Bulls.

9:30 p.m. - Arrive at concert - OWEN OWEN OWEN OWEN. God, I love me some Owen. He makes me think nothing but good. Jack tried to get me to say hello to him after the show, but I'm way too shy for that. I admire Mike Kinsella from afar and I'm all right with that.

12:30 a.m. - Arrive at Great Scott - After stopping at Evan's to pound beers and listen to some tunes, we get to GS and of course there is a line. We stand in line for like five minutes when... (only one of you out there will understand the fucking significance of this) ...IA walks up. RIGHT INTO LINE BEHIND US. Rob, just call me tomorrow. This shit is too messed up to explain in coded LJ posts.

3 a.m. - Receive pizza! - Back to Evans for pizza and Degrassi Spring Break movie, which was a total letdown.

Now to bed. Oh, life.

Date: 2008-04-02 23:59 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

This photo.

Am I supposed to be
a) embarassed - I am at an Everclear concert
b) proud - look how many MLH pounders I've got!
c) indifferent - eh?

Date: 2008-03-31 16:49 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

Weekend in DC. 
Markedly different than the weekend I spent there a year ago.
Less time in douchey bars with douchey dudes named Wally.

Highlights:
- Cut Copy twice!
- Flannel shirt dancing
- Yelling "DAY" at the top of our lungs from the corner booth during the random U2 interlude
- Dancing and yelling at each other in cockney accents
- Bike ride all over the place
- Watching Chemicals Can Do Anything for the first time in years
- Blop blop blop. Jah Rule. One Love.
- Calling out the cute boys/girls with Rob at Black Cat

Now I'm back in Mass with a list of things to buy:
computer (check), bike, camera (i think this might be checked tonight?), guitar, keyboard, train ticket

Good dates coming up:
4/1: Girls Night
4/4: Owen concert, perhaps Great Scott?
4/5: Band trip to Guitar Center
4/7: VHS or Beta
4/8: We Are Wolves
4/10: Courtney and Allison throw a Dance Party
4/11: Vampire Weekend
4/12: Girl Talk
4/15: Colin Meloy
4/17: Jason Collett
4/24: Tokyo Police Club

Then it's basically May and I basically don't have to work anymore.

Date: 2008-03-27 22:45 Subject: Yays and Nays Security: Public

+ DC this weekend! I love my trips to DC. Here's hoping my delayed-DC-flights streak does not continue.

+ I found out just how much money I made for Pearson in 2007. Come Monday, my bank is going to think I robbed another bank. Hello, new acoustic guitar. Hello, synthesizer I need to learn to play. Yay!

+/- I feel like I'm slipping into one of those WEIRD moods inspired by Bret Easton Ellis. This is largely due to realized the Bloc Party song "Song for Clay (Disappear Here)" is inspired by Less Than Zero, which has caused me to dive headfirst into everything BEE again. This mood can be good and bad. Eh?

- Phone number removals are never fun. Stupid stupid stupid.

+ I know how to download music now and I like it.

Date: 2008-03-23 22:52 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

 Life right now = good. crazy. fun. stressful.

This week = shaping up to be pretty awesome!

Tuesday night is a free EVERCLEAR concert at a bar in Boston. Um, yes?! Seeing Gin Blossoms and Everclear within a year... When is the free Third Eye Blind show? Apparently I'll also be seeing Preseidents of the USA in May when they open for Death Cab (what?!).

Wednesday Debbie and I try our hands at trivia again. We came in DEAD last last week. So we have to be somewhat better, somewhat.

This weekend I'll be in DC.

RIght now what I need is rest. So to bed I go.

Date: 2008-03-20 14:08 Subject: Saving my life and sanity. Security: Public

So much awesomeness.

Date: 2008-03-17 20:45 Subject: Things I'm a Fan Of, Vol. 1 Security: Public

We're all aware that I go through obsessive periods with things, people, music, movies, tv, foods, whatever.
I'm going to start documenting these. Beginning today.

1. The Stills
Holy moly. You have no idea how much I've been listening to these Canadians. I must listen to Without Feathers three or four times a day. My favorite song right now is Helicopters.


2. Here's another music video: Band of Horses, The Great Salt Lake. Not so much obsessed with the song or video, but of the concept of summer. It. Is. So. Close. Naps in the park, traveling, PGH June, birthday, naps in the park. And I should be coaching a softball team in the spring. So spring/summer thoughts are good right now.

3. It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. 
a) I'm in love with Charlie.
b) I'm in love with Dennis.
c) I'm in love with how inappropriate it all is.
d) Day. Man.

4. Parking Wars
This A&E show is amazing. It follows the Philadelphia Parking Authority around.
The No. 1 highlight of my Philly trip this past weekend was when I was at the sweet dive bar and watched through the window as a ticketer gave a car a violation and walked away. The owner came up like 2 seconds later, started yelling and bitching. The ticketer came back. Shook his head. And had some words. And walked away. I felt like I was in the show. And I loved EVERY minute of it. Simple pleasures. I tried to tell my mom this story and she did not think it was amusing or interesting.

Date: 2008-03-14 06:55 Subject: It's Not Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Security: Public

I've been dreading this work trip to Philadelphia for some time and for many reasons. It's a waste of time and money to drag us all here; we could have has this meeting over the past two days in Boston. 

Now I have another reason to be spiteful: They lost my luggage.

Here's the thing. I PURPOSELY brought a tiny duffel bag with me so that on Saturday, when I'm supposed to leave, I could breeze into the airport, onto the plane, out of the Boston airport, into a cab and then to the Justice show.

I had a seat in the front of the plane TO Philly, and apparently my plane was full of complete DOUCHES who all brought like 4 or 5 carry-ons. Which meant that when it came time for me to board, I had to gate check my tiny duffel bag. I had a bad feeling about it from the start. 

I get to Philly, wait around for about 30 minutes and don't see my bag. It's not in the Boston pile. I'm told to wait another 10 minutes or so. STILL NOTHING.

How and why was this tiny duffel bag lost? All they had to do was take it from the gate, down a set of stairs, and throw it into the plane. 

The best part of all of this: I'm at a work conference/meeting. We're supposed to dress business casual. Here's a list of the clothes I have on my back, i.e. the clothes I'm now wearing today and Saturday unless my bag shows up: Steelers T-shirt, jeans, lounging around the house sweater, and my Sauconys with paint all over them. Great.

Date: 2008-03-09 17:46 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

I thought I had a handle on what happened last night. Apparently not, because the stories I've heard about my level of ridiculous are pretty outstanding. We went to three bars (I swear it was only two...), I threw up in the men's room of one of the bars (yeah, um... a bit foggy there), and at some point I believe I tried to start a dance party between Marc, John and me. I was a busy girl. I woke up in a tent. We all know how excited that makes me.

Fantastic adventures of the weekend: E&P after the BBT. The Scoop on Poop (where I learned that it would take an elephant only 7 hours to produce my weight in number twos) and the new dinosaur exhibit. Hemingway's grilled cheese (how I've missed it!). The entire Saturday night. 

Fantastic purchases of the weekend: Two pairs of boots for under $50 (together - not apiece - which is really unheard of), five new knit dresses, a Malkin jersey, six Pittsburgh t-shirts (I had toss a bunch of old t-shirts last weekend; my dresser drawers are a little out of hand), an "Allison" PGH keychain, and a PGH magnet for the boy who is picking me up from the Boston airport tonight (I hope - no delays, no delays!), a new Warhol book.

Now that the glorious reunion weekend is over, I've really nothing too grand to look forward to. The end-of-March DC trip gives me something to look forward to, but - after that - it's straight on to summer...

I really DO NOT want to go to Phildelphis this weekend. I would prefer to stay in Boston and go out with friends. Dancing. Needs. To. Happen. Soon.

Date: 2008-03-06 17:43 Subject: (no subject) Security: Public

There are few things I hate more than delays at the airport. It's like getting your heart broken. Especially with a trip I've been looking forward to as much as this one. Grrrrrr. So not only am I going to miss Lost, I'm missing out of precious hours with my favorite people in the world.

And I SWEAR I will unleash a firey temper tantrum if my flight back from Philly next Saturday is delayed one minute. I am going to that Justice show. Period.

On a happier note, they raise 'em nicely in IA.

Date: 2008-02-21 11:29 Subject: Post-Its and Concerts Security: Public

For my friend/co-worker/bandmate Jim's birthday, I got a few people together and we Post-It-Noted his office:



(Oh, yeah. There were also 144 blown-up balloons on his floor...)



It was pretty awesome. He took them all down the next day.

Concerts. Last year I got back into going to shows. And the trend continues.
Already I've been to four. (In order of how much I enjoyed them; though it's hard with so few. I mean, I enjoyed them all, but it makes it seem like I had no fun at #4. I did have fun! It was  just that dude was sick and only played like 45 minutes. Same with #3. Awesome show, but it no way compared to the rock-outness of #2. Venue and crowd-obnoxiousisity also factor in.)
1. Vampire Weekend @ MFA
2. Band of Horses @ Paradise
3. Daniel Johnston (last night) @ Roxy
4. White Williams @ Middle East

And there are many upcoming.
3/15 Justice @ Paradise
3/30 Stars @ Mr. Smalls (What?! A PGH show? This is more than likely going to happen. We have tickets, now we just need to get in the car and go.)
4/4 Jens Lekman @ Paradise
4/7 VHS or Beta @ Middle East
4/15 Colin Meloy @ Somerville Theater
4/17 Jason Collett @ Great Scott
4/21 Kate Nash @ Paradise (I'm iffy about this one though... The tipping point is that it's at Paradise, which is only a 30-minute walk from my apt... If it was at Middle East I would say "no dice.")
4/24 Tokyo Police Club @ Paradise
5/12 Cut Copy & Black Kids @ Paradise

Yay. Fun times.
Hungry now.