This is why I Hate Moving.

But didn't I move a month ago? Why yes, actually it was a month and a half ago, which is apparently not enough time for me to unpack all of my worldly possessions. I hate moving for a lot of reasons, one of which is the fact that it uproots your life, processes, and any semblance of organization you may have had, for months.

So it's July 1 tomorrow, which means that rent is due, which means I have to put the rent-check in the mail today. Of course when I go to write the rent check, I find I'm out of checks. Which is fine cause I have extra. Until I realize that's not at all fine because I have no idea where I would have put my extra checks during the move, and I have no idea where they are. Also, I have to catch a bus so that I can get to work like the responsible adult I try to be 76% of the time.

So I tear around the apartment, and dig through the boxes that haven't been unpacked, and bang things around, and shout some expletives, and generally make Precisely probably really glad that he's living with me as he's trying to work in the other room. I do the thing where I think, "If I were me. And I am. Where would I have put those extra checks?" And they weren't in the closet, under the pile of clothes in my room, or in the bathroom/kitchen/behind the bar. I had no idea where they could be.

I was about to resign myself to getting a money order, when I found them literally as I ran out the door. They were in one of those plastic jack-o-laterns used for trick-or-treating at halloween which was under a table in the entry-way. Of course they were. Why didn't I think to look for extra checks in the jack-o-latern in the first place???

I swear, sometimes even I can't begin to fathom how my mind works.

Math

Good Weather + Amazing friends + 3 outdoor concerts + 7 bands +1 World Cup Soccer Game + Soul Night + 2 runs + 9 hours of sleep total + margaritas, wine, and Peroni, + Love of Friends meetings + Lots of walking + short shorts and mini skirts + Thai and Mexican food + 2 episodes of True Blood = One Freaking Awesome Weekend.

It's Summer in the City. Much love.

I grew up without cable...

I grew up without cable.*

Maybe this is why I enjoyed babysitting so much. "Oh sure I'll make mac n' cheese, then put your kids to bed at 8pm and watch Sex and the City re-runs for 3 hours until you get home."

The point is, that now, I once again live in a house with cable. Good cable. Like, On demand.

Meaning, that while I had every intention of writing tonight about my cousin's wedding, and being in Minnesota, and missing my WIL graduation, I'm instead watching True Blood. And am too distracted by the campiness of it all to be bothered to multi-task.

So, I blame my parents. I'm still so engrossed with On Demand, I can't possibly do anything else. That's when you're cured in therapy right? When you blame your parents?

HI MOM AND DAD!

* I actually had awesome parents, and if I can raise my kids half as good as they raised me and my sister, my kids will be great.

SIlver Screens

There's a lot I could say about this, but I'll keep it simple. Watch this.

You're welcome.

You can listen to more from them here.

Convenience and Camera Apps

It's been over a year since I got my iPhone, and we're still pretty in love. In fact, it's safe to say that the only other material possession I own and use and rely on as much as my iPhone would be my MacBook Pro, and sometimes when I'm working on my MacBook, while simultaneously using my iphone, I'm almost overwhelmed with happiness. Shallow and materialistic? Maybe. But, as Sheryl wisely said, If it makes you happy it can't be that bad.

Anyways, one of the reasons I was SO EXCITED to finally get an iphone was that it combined a lot of gadgets into one thing. Now my phone, my camera, and my ipod were all one. I mean seriously, you have the entire internet on that thing too. And this was sort of revolutionary because it means that when I leave the house, all I bring is my iPhone, my keys, and my wallet. Simple, so simple.

Now the problem is, that despite being able to transfer money in the palm of my hand while listening to music, the iphone's camera sucks. And I was ok with that because I'm not the biggest picture taker. Other people are, and since photos all end up on line anyways, it's just not necessary. So, I didn't worry too much about the camera thing.

Except that it did bother me a little bit. So one day while reading the NY Times, I saw an article on the best camera apps for the iphone. Apps that were supposed to really improve your pictures.

So, I read through it, and broke my rule about never paying for apps, and bought camera genius. Which is ok. Except that it takes forever to actually snap the picture, no matter how many times you hit it, and then the miss the shot, or people get angry, or you get bored.

A couple of weeks ago, I was reading some blog, and there were all these great photos of the California Coast, and the chick who writes it was all "I took these great photos on my iphone using the hipstamatic app, so I bought that. The problem, is I haven't really figured out how to use this hipster camer app. Probably it's just so obscure, I haven't heard of how it works.

All of this is to say that I spent this last weekend in D.C. And it was lovely. We chose a very nice place for our capital. I saw monuments, and memorials, and the Hope diamond, and Michelle's Inaugural Ball gown, and danced, and drank, and ate, witnessed a basement record deal, and caught up with a friend from college, all while capturing none of it on film.

Today, a friend emailed me about some new great camera app, and I was about to buy it, when I stopped and thought really? 4 camera apps? Isn't that getting a little ridiculous?

Especially since they've come out with the new iphone which features a camera so good that were they to improve the resolution of the pictures any more we wouldn't even notice with our mere mortal eyeballs.

So obviously, the clear solution to this is that I should get the new iphone. Isn't that always the answer? Buying new apple products will solve your problems. Now, if Steve would go ahead and hook me up with the iPhone4, that would be swell.

Will Walk for Ice Cream.

Somehow, the month of May completely disappeared, Memorial Day happened, and it became summer. Summer's in Pittsburgh are special. It becomes a completely different city. And it's awesome.

I didn't fully experience a Pittsburgh summer until after my junior year of college, since I spent the summers after my freshman and sophomore years running away to Europe (I know, I know, first world problems). After that first full summer here, I was hooked. I'll take my vacations throughout the year thanks. The summers, I want to spend in Pittsburgh.

This summer, I've found a new activity which combines two of my most favorite things about this season. Ice cream and walking.

I walk a lot. All year 'round, in all kinds of weather. But walking in the summer is great. Especially when done at night. And Ice cream. Ice cream is good all year round too, but especially good in the summer.

So, I walk for ice cream. It started with the new frozen yogurt place in Squirrel Hill. The other #1 Big Hurry fan and I walk there from Bloomfield. Then this week Precisely and I walked from La Loft up to Oh Yeah.

It's perfect. Walk for an hour, get ice cream, walk back. Rinse and repeat every time it's a nice evening. Spend time with friends, enjoy not wearing a coat, eat ice cream guilt-free.

HAPPY SUMMER!!!