I've been roaming around, I was looking down at all I see

So I just embarked on my first trip out of the country (that I can fully recall) and here's the recap.

Canada is pretty much just an extension of America. Same restaurants, stores, street signs, school buses, music, etc. etc.

In order to end on a high note, the disappointments of the trip include: not getting a stamp in my passport (what's up with that Canada?), Canada hasn't reached spring yet (a season in which everywhere in the world is infinitely more beautiful), and gas is twice as expensive.

Ok, now on to the funny things from Canada!



They had these funny animal hats. I liked the monkey the best, but the pig was pretty funny too.

Loved these t-shirts. Very Clever.





And these are Tissue box holders. I laughed so hard when I saw them, so of course I had to take a picture.





This is a beer ad. We laughed so hard, we decided we had to get a picture on the way back. So we pulled over and then I ran across the interstate to the other side to get a picture of this billboard. Why is it beer ads are always the best?

They say it's your birthday... But nobody likes you when you're 23

22 was a pretty good year. Twenty two in review:

It all began with a birthday buddy celebration. A friend at work and I share the same birthday so we went to Macaroni Grill with 14 of our co-workers (we only invited the cool people :)). Normally going to work for my birthday dinner would royally suck, but it was a blast with everyone there and with all our discounts we got a $240 bill down to $70 bucks. So we tipped Peter a hundred bucks. It was awesome!

So I started the year off extravagantly, and it quickly turned into the year of travels! Cassie and I embarked on a trip to San Fran (beautiful) and ended with Reno (not beautiful... ha and that's an understatement). It was a blast. Then Heather, Emily and I went to Chicago. It was the perfect trip. Beautiful weather, awesome city, great food. If I had to pick a big city to live in, Chicago would definitely be it ... (from late june to september that is). Then Cassie and I got sick of Provo again, so we planned a trip last minute and headed down to L.A. followed by San Diego. Of course I had to hit up N.C. for Christmas, which is always more relaxing than adventurous, but N.C. still has my heart so that's ok. And to start the year 2009 off strong Heather, Emily and I went to New York and Boston. Very cool! And I recently ended the travels of my twenty second year with a trip to Canadia! It's been awesome! And summed up in one paragraph it all just seems even cooler.

There was also a decent number of firsts in the year 2009. My first broadway show (followed by several more... and I saw WICKED!!). My first NBA game (jazz, and then I saw the bobcats beat the knicks). My first international travel (that I can remember). First pair of designer jeans (it's so worth the money... i promise you don't have to wear clothes that don't fit). My first year of TiVo (we don't have it anymore, but it was glorious while we did). My first time hiking Mt. Timp (and what a hike!)

So, yeah, though the day to day seems pretty mundane and repetitive to me, when I look at the year in review... not too shabby. So bring on 23! My descent into the mid-20's is official (yeah, liz, I'm old... I know). I have high hopes for this year. It pretty much started with the news that I'm going to germany and well what better omen for a good year to come. So... bring it.

I wake up every evening with a big smile on my face

A little belated Easter Happiness for all of you. Many of you may know my extreme fondness for peeps, especially my love of microwaving peeps and my sister shared this with me, so I felt I should pass it along, Enjoy!




Also, I am basking in the Great White North this week (aka Canadia ((yes, I know how to spell Canada, but if they're Canadian's shouldn't it be Canadia)). So in honor of Canada, one more video...

Danke Schoen, darling Danke Schoen

I know that I receive validation from the funniest sources. Such as, I'm not crazy because a character on a tv show arranges their closet the same OCD way that I do. Or I'm a great cook because some guy proposed to me over a piece of pie. Or I'm an intelligent human being because I kicked your trash on the spelling section of Cranium. I don't always need this validation (I enjoy my cooking, so who cares if everyone else does), but it feels good none the less.

This validation however, I needed.

I'm going to Germany!

I am going to Germany for my job. Yes, I still wait tables for the Macaroni Grill. I am going to Germany to open a new store for Macaroni Grill. They will pay for all my travel expenses, room and board as well as regular pay. I pretty much get paid to work for three weeks in Germany, and since you can't work 24/7, I will get paid to see Germany!

It may seem weak to those of you who feel that a job should fulfill you and give you a greater sense of purpose in life, but for me where this job pays the bills in a sucky economy and allows me the schedule to go and do things I have never previously had the opportunity, it's AWESOME!!! I finally feel like all this working my butt off at a job that doesn't require my education is finally paying me back. This is an incredible opportunity and all I can say is Ich bin so aufgeregt!

Cause it's you and me.... and all of the people

So my roommates hate me. Well Jo, and me. But we have decided that they definitely direct the hatred towards me.

"What?" You say. "Nobody hates you and Jo. Everyone loves you guys!"

I know right.

So here's the breakdown of the past two days. Yesterday, Jo said I could have one of her mom's homemade rolls. Yum. So then I ask if I can borrow some lunch meat and cheese to make a sandwich to which she of course responds yes. So I go to make the sandwich and grab 2 slices of meat. Well, apparently I grabbed McKenna's meat, not Jo's. So McKenna informs me of this, to which I apologize and explain that I thought it was Jo's (not to mention there's 5 packs of meat in the fridge, so how the crap am I supposed to know who's is who's). Well she then feels the need to in detail explain how to tell which meat belongs to each roommate, all over 2 slices of meat.

Then Jo gets home and she proceeds to inform Jo, "that she's not mad, but Carla took some of her meat because she thought it was yours." Jo, of course, says "oh yeah I said she could have some, but didn't tell her which was mine. Sorry."

Seriously.

It's 2 slices of meat. Is she really that concerned about what... ten cents. Let's calculate all the things I cover, such as utilities and how every roommate borrows my cooking ingredients. And we need to split hairs because of some lousy meat that was in all actuality probably going to go bad anyhow.

Well, then I get home from swimming this morning and Jo tells me that she is going to Mexico! She's rightfully excited and I guess we were talking kind of loud, so McKenna opens her door and says "Carla, I'm still trying to sleep!"

Geez, it's 8 something at this point, we're just talking and laughing, I'm not blaring my music, and this is a FIRST! We're never loud in the morning, I never blare my music when the roommates are home, I'm never up really late, and I don't make a lot of noise in the morning. (I kind of want to write WTF, but it's so offensive when written, this is when I need a camera, so you can all picture Peter saying WTF in a tone that is reminiscient of a punk 6th grade girl).

So, basically I'm thinking I must have done something else to tick her off. Nobody is that uptight about meat, right? At any rate, Jo says I shouldn't care because they're moving out in less than a month. Well, cosmos, or divine ruler of roommate allocation, please oh pretty please (it's been 2 years of crazy's and just plain not fun roommates (minus Rachel, who unfortunately was never home)) bless Jo and myself with some chill roommates that we can actually be friends with. I beg, I plead, I'll even offer my cooking skills as bribery. The end.