Where is she?

So, I have this roommate. She's great, but a bit random. She has a crazy work schedule since she works at the hospital next door, and leaves at either 6 in the morning, or not until 4 in the afternoon. She comes and goes, and I'm never quite sure when I'll see her, and my Mom thinks she's made up, but I promise she's real.

Anyways, the artist asked me on Thursday if I had seen this roommate lately, which I hadn't, but it's also not at all weird for us to go a couple days without seeing one another.

By Saturday, we still hadn't seen her, or heard anything from her. I was perplexed, and the artist was convinced she was lying in a ditch somewhere. I checked facebook, and saw that she had at least responded to a wall post made the day before. So, we knew she wasn't dead.

Eventually, we got in touch with a friend of hers. Turns out, she went to Florida. Without telling any of us. We're not sure when she'll be back. I feel weird leaving the house without telling someone where I'm going, she goes on vacation without so much as mentioning it.

Oh Canada

Type A's like to do things well. However, as one gets older, one discovers that there are certain things one will never do well. Like mental math, or playing halo, or dancing. I've come to accept most of these things that I will never be good at and instead use calculators, avoid most video games, and embrace the fact that I dance like a middle-age white woman.

One of my family's mottos growing up was, Always dance when you've got the chance. I was raised with 5 family mottos, but that's another post for another time.

Back to dancing. While in Toronto, I found myself at a birthday party for a couple of Australians. It was apparently a themed birthday party, but I didn't get the theme, because everyone just seemed to be dressed like most of the Canadian's I saw that weekend. There was a lot of flannel.

At one point I was dancing, doing the arm pop, and not caring, when this German guy leans in and says to me, "Keep dancing. You look like a 1920's diva when you dance."

My first reaction was "what does that even mean???!!!" Instead of asking, I just went with "Thank you!" and returned to my arm popping.

I'm just going to assume it was a language barrier thing, and take it as a compliment. The funny thing about dancing is, while I may be bad, most of the Europeans and Canadians I've seen are even worse. It's like sarcasm, and being loud. We Americans are just good at some stuff.

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far From the Tree.

This post is really less about my trip to Toronto and more about how I am absolutely my mother's daughter.

Toronto is great. We spent Saturday wondering around the city, eating brunch, checking out hip furniture stores, drinking the best latte I've ever had... Anyways, we come to the Drake Hotel, where they are having a flea market/yard sale including selling things that used to be in the hotel, and are no longer being used. Among these items was a very cool chain-mail curtain. Precisely saw it first, and we both agreed that it would look fantastic in la loft separating the dining area from the living area, or something. I love a good yard sale bargaining session, so I tracked down the guys who were selling it.

They offered it to me for $20, which is awesome, and I was all excitedly ready to take it, when the Lady of Leisure reminded me that we did drive here, in her car, which is a small hatchback.

I've grown up with very resourceful DYI parents. My mother especially, has a penchant for finding "treasures", at yard sales, at flea markets, and in the trash. Usually, she can fix these finds up nicely. I have a chair in my room that she found curbside before I moved to Pittsburgh. We painted it, and gave it new cushions, and it's lovely.

My mother is very good about fitting these "treasures" into vehicles and transporting them home. Sometimes though, she has had to convince my father that rescuing these pieces of furniture is a good idea. Luckily, her persistence, is apparently hereditary.

When the question of transporting the curtain back to the States came up, I found myself making the arguments I've heard my mother make a thousand times. "Oh, it will fit, no problem! We'll make room. The suitcases can sit in the back with me, and we'll put it in the trunk. I'll carry it, I'll take it in a cab now. It will be great."

And just like that, I found myself walking down the streets of Toronto with a chainmail curtain slung over my shoulder.

At one point, I was stopped by a man in an SVU. "Where did you get that wonderful object?" He asked. I told him, and assured him that they did indeed have another one, and he sped off, presumably to go get his own chain maille curtain.

The day of our departure arrived, and the curtain coiled up in the trunk, with me and the luggage sitting in the back. We get to border control, hand over our passports, take off our sunglasses, and answer the questions of how we know one another, what we were doing in Canada, how long we were there, etc.

"Are you bringing anything back?" asked the border patrol official? "Did you purchase anything while you were there?"

The Lady of Leisure looks in her rearview mirror before responding, "Just this chain maille curtain."

He pauses for a second before shaking his head and saying "Move along."

So now, the chain maille curtain is home, and I just need to figure out how to hang it. Listen up Pittsburgh. I'm going to have an actual Steel Curtain in my home. THAT's how devoted a Steeler fan I am.

Margaritas, Bar Bands, Canada, and Growing Up...Literally.

Tomorrow is my Birthday (23). It's been the kind of week where there's been a lot of stuff happening, so I've been kind of celebrating all week. And by celebrating, I mostly mean drinking margaritas, which has been a great choice.

Part of the celebrations included seeing my favorite, favorite band The Hold Steady play in the Southside last night. (Disclaimer: My favoritism in no way diminishes the love I have for Pittsburgh band Big Hurry. They are awesome.) Anyways, The Artist and I went to this show, which was appropriate because she's who introduced the Hold Steady to me in the first place. The artist also has a great talent for working her way through crowds at shows, and so I found myself right in front of the stage jumping up and down like a 16 year old at a Good Charlotte concert, and screaming along to Craig Finn. My neck this morning is incredibly stiff as a result of this.

I love them a lot.

Tonight I celebrate my birthday in Pittsburgh, with more margaritas naturally, because tomorrow I leave to go to Toronto for the weekend! Precisely, the Lady of Leisure and I will be roadtripping up to Canada for a weekend of brunch, and partying with University of Toronto grad students. I still haven't packed surprise surprise, and really don't know what to bring, so I asked Google "What should I wear to attract cute Canadian Graduate Students"? And Google had nothing. Internet fail.

Finally, this is perhaps exacerbated by recognizing my being older, but I'm becoming more and more convinced that I've grown. As in gotten taller over the past month. It started when I seemed to be hearing a lot more comments than usual on "my height". I'm certainly not short, and wear heels a lot, but 5 foot 6-and-a-half isn't exactly Cindy Crawford height either. I think actually, it's pretty average. But then, last week I tried on a pair of pants I hadn't worn in months and they were way too short! Like inches too short! They looked ridiculous. And this morning, while I was at the ATM, it seemed like my vantage point was higher than usual, and I was wearing flats! And no, I haven't just measured myself to see because I'm mostly thinking "Who on earth grows taller when they're 22?!?"

It's Still Spring, Let's Dress Accordingly

Nature decided to play an April Fools prank on Pittsburgh by making it summer for the last couple days. Warm and sunny for like 3 days in a row now. It's been super great. More than super great. However, this "summer in April" has brought a few things to my attention, particularly in the world of Pittsburgh fashion.

First, ladies, it may be almost 80 degrees, but it is April. This means it's still spring, and while it is wonderfully awesome to finally wear dresses without tights, it is not quite time for full on summer sun dresses. I know you're excited. We're all excited. In 2 months, those dresses will look great. Until June, let's keep it to skirts and dresses with more seasonally appropriate prints. This is Pittsburgh, not South Beach.

Secondly, bros, unless you are running, or doing some kind of outdoor construction or landscaping work requiring heavy lifting, I fail to see why you need your shirt off. It's warm, for sure, but it's still only 80 degrees. It's not that hot. T shirts are not that stifling. And the dudes who find it necessary to walk around sans shirts, never look like Jake Gyllenhaal.

Other than that, you're all looking great. Enjoy natures way of saying, sorry for making this past winter the snowiest, coldest, most miserable 3 months of your existence. Drink beers outside, read while laying on the grass, eat Rita's water-ice. Don't forget sunscreen.

April Fools

Confession. I am the gullible-est. Exhibit A being the following g-chat conversation. Thanks @RUBBERsoulLess.

RSL: Big Ben confessed to the rape charges, he's looking at a year of prison.

Me: OMG

RSL: Steelers are about to have a press conference. He's going to be cut.

Me: I would hope so

Who'll play QB?

RSL: Don't know yet...but Ben released a statement

Me: what an ass

RSL: Yeah, in the statement he said: April Fools

pause

Me: Every year, I try to remind myself throughout the day that it's April Fools, and EVERY year, someone gets me.

Well played sir

RSL: I've tried it on three other people, and you're the only one its worked on

Me: palm forehead slap