Archive for My glamourous life

PomJob’s Excellent Chicago Adventure

{ August 15, 2008 @ 1:33 pm } · { My glamourous life, Uncategorized }
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I learned yesterday that Chicago PomJob is much more fun than regular PomJob.

When she found out that I was spending additional time in Chicago after our training, my colleague S invited me to her home and then we went to Wicker Park for dinner. (In case you’re wondering, the Wicker Park dog park smells like a chicken coup.) After debating the merits of delicious sangria versus a novel of beer options, we decided to head to People to introduce me to the world of tapas. How have I lived 27 years without tapas in my life? It was divine. I tried many new things: sheep’s milk cheese, goat’s milk cheese, mango chutney and spaghetti squash cakes.

Speaking of 27, as we enjoyed a bottle of wine at S’s house before dinner, the subject of age arose and S stated/questioned whether I was around the same age as her and M, right? I knew I was several years younger but as I was trying to tactfully correct her, she said, “You’re what, 34?” Um. Yikes.

After two carafes of sangria, several plates of food and great conversation, we interrupted a kickball league celebration at the bar next door. When they lined up for a game of flip cup, I almost asked to join in. After a beer, M and S said their goodbyes and I headed for the L to head back to my hotel. At the fare machine I realized I only had a $10 and a $20 and I didn’t really want to put it all on a card. The info booth doesn’t give change, so I went back outside to the Blue Line Lounge. I couldn’t just ask for change, so I ordered a scrumptious social mojito and became engrossed in the Olympic gymnastic competition.

The regular me would never go to a bar by myself. I over think it - people will think I look like a loser; I won’t have anyone to talk to. But that’s the beauty of having a few drinks first, my inhibitions were lowered. Almost immediately, the guy sitting two barstools over starting analyzing the Olympics then a couple sat on my other side and we started chatting (oxymoron of the night: they guy’s name is Little John and he’s probably 6′4″). That’s when I discovered the Blue Line has board games! At this point, Olympics Announcer tells me he’s married to one of the bartenders but he paid for his drinks and left without saying bye to her. I don’t know if I believe him but why would be lie about it?

One mojito turned into two as a group of friends came in and I pointed out the board games. I challenged them to Candyland then we broke out Taboo. Two a.m. rolled around and the bar’s lights came up. The group headed back to the bar where I had already had a beer but I took my sweet time paying my tab so I could avoid having to rebuff the advances of my Taboo teammate who made suggestive comments throughout the game.

I finally had change for the L but unfortunately it doesn’t run very often that late and P.S.? Chicago gets chilly at night. After about 30 minutes of sitting next to a woman who I am pretty sure is a prostitute and her pimp, I started pacing the platform so I wouldn’t pass out on the bench. That’s when I met a HOT surgeon who was in town to take some kind of surgeon test. And then the L decided to show up.

The only downside to lowered inhibitions is the lowered sense of safety. Is it smart to run around a strange town by yourself and talk to strangers who offer candy-flavored drinks? Probably not but I survived and had a blast. Although now I do have an awesome script in mind for an episode of “Without a Trace.”

On a Jet Plane

{ August 11, 2008 @ 8:31 pm } · { My glamourous life }
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I’m leaving tomorrow for a week-long business/pleasure trip to Chicago so not only will posting be light to non-existent for the next week, but now is the time to brag about Shytown. Please share your favorite parts of Chicago. What’s the one (or 10) thing I need to do while I’m there? Thanks!

Bar Review

{ August 6, 2008 @ 8:16 pm } · { My glamourous life }
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Do you remember those commercials from about 20 years ago, warning people not to drink and drive? I remember badgering my father one night because he was drinking a soda or some other beverage as we drove to our friends’ house. Alcohol didn’t play a big part in my formative years (I honestly think my first taste of alcohol was via Jello shots at my childhood BFF’s high school graduation party) and so my young mind interpreted the warnings about drunk driving to be about consuming beverages in general while driving.

My home township is dry. Like Prohibition-era dry. There was a speakeasy near my cousins’ house, but it was raided so many times they finally just ripped off the roof effectively ending the one alcohol outlet in our small farming community.

The next township south isn’t afflicted by the same antiquated laws and it has TWO! alcohol-filled establishments. I saddled up to the bar at the nicer depot a time or two and I drove past the other but never had reason, or the inclination, to stop in. Let’s just say it’s less Denim and more bar from Sweet Home Alabama without the nice glasses and bright lighting.

After a rousing high school graduation party hosted at my parents’ the other weekend, my youngest sister, her boyfriend and I were faced with a Saturday night and no plans. Light bulb! She’s 21 now, let’s go ghetto for the night.

We pull up and quickly find a spot among the other five cars in the lot. The welcoming committee is there to greet us: two women, one with bleached-blonde hair and chipped teeth, the other a 40-something wearing a bright orange tank top proclaiming BITCH.

After climbing a set of concrete stairs with a gaping hole big enough to swallow a small child between two steps, we pause to let our eyes adjust to the movie-theater level lighting and our ears adjust to the sounds of goats in pain. Karaoke night… awesome.

We began this adventure under the assumption that we’d find cheap beer and a few good laughs at the people “clubbing” in the Trails. We failed on the cheap beer; bottles are $3; mozzarella sticks $6 for 5, steaks start at $25. They don’t have no draught. The air condition was either never installed or was broken because my legs quickly stuck to the vinyl bar stool. We could have sat at a table, but the white resin lawn chairs were farther away from the prompt service offered by the bartender who puffed away on cigarettes between passing out poker chips from men buying drinks for the ladies who already had two lined up. I forget what smoke-filled bars are like, and such things make me eternally grateful for Philly’s smoking ban. The crowd started getting bigger, the smoke started getting thicker and the music started getting more unbearable. So we took our party to the other bar in town, about 10 minutes away, where the air worked, beer was on tap and cheaper and I won a free lottery ticket.

Suffice it to say we were the only patrons at bar number one that had all of our teeth.

Congrats to You

{ August 4, 2008 @ 8:52 pm } · { My glamourous life }
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I’m alive, my life is just really boring right now. Send entertainment! Fortunately, these people are more exciting than me:

Happy first day of work, Caitlin!

Happy blogiversary, Katie! (Aside, I get these PR leads from around the country and one reporter was looking for sources who have been asked to undergo cosmetic procedures, such as teeth whitening or Botox, to be a bridesmaid. I thought getting a spray tan was in imposition.)

Cass just had a beautiful baby, Lexi!

Thursday is Lawyerish’s birthday, Wednesday is Noelle’s. My fingers are crossed that your birthday present is another step in the adoption process.

Miss Doxie’s back, now with 100 percent more Sasquatch Senator.

It’s been five years for Janet and Will!

Pocklock is commute-free, lucky girl.

Audrey has a new job!

Did I miss an exciting update in your life? Let me know in the comments.

Cell Phone Calls

{ July 31, 2008 @ 9:19 am } · { My glamourous life }
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Unlike everyone else in my company fortunate enough to have a PDA, I have this dinosaur of a contraption that I have to carry in addition to my cell phone. It receives e-mails, yes, but only when you hit a button and the wind is right and all the stars are aligned. There is a phone function, but no voice plan, hence the need for a supplemental cell phone.

The T-Rex was resting in its nest, er cradle, atop my PC tower, when a chime drew my attention from my Google Reader. A phone call! On my PDA! Hark! Who could it be?

Not wanting my company to incur a huge bill for an unknown caller, I hit ignore and dialed the number from my desk phone.

“Hi! I think someone from this number just tried to call me?”

“It was an inmate at a correctional facility,” the man replied.

“Pardon me?” I’m trying to bring “Pardon” back.

“It was an inmate at a correctional facility,” he said.

The number popped up again and when I picked up the PDA, the battery popped out, ending the call and effectively resetting the device. Hope it wasn’t someone I know calling for bail.

27 so far, in pictures

{ July 30, 2008 @ 2:37 pm } · { Cows, My glamourous life }
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The Beautiful

Pretty

The Unusual

The Coolest/Most Appropriate

Opportunity Rings

{ July 22, 2008 @ 9:04 am } · { My glamourous life }
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Scene: In the mailroom. The door bell rings and my Ukrainian coworker announces the visitor.

U: There young man here for Jean.

Me: Is there a young man here for Pom?

U: Ah… Not that young. You date my son.

Shiny New

{ July 17, 2008 @ 9:19 pm } · { My glamourous life, Philly }
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Please tell me I’m not the only one that goes through weeks of boredom and then bam! There’s a week or so that’s fill with all kinds of shiny new THINGS that totally make you forget what a loser you were last week. Here’s what’s made my week sparkle:

  • Hersheypark on Tuesday with the nephew. He doesn’t get the concept of sitting down during rides. And he almost fell out of one of them. Whoops! We had so much fun on the water slides.
  • Things are going to be changing ’round these parts because I just won a superfab new blog design from the fabulous Jen at Jayesel. Thanks Janet for the heads up about the contest. I owe you!
  • I do have plans for this weekend now thanks to KTS. Her blog reminded me to volunteer for this weekend’s 20in24, a road race to benefit Philadelphia’s homeless. I recruited a couple sorority sisters and you can still help, too!
  • I had so much fun at happy hour last night that I came home and fell asleep promptly at 9:30. Do I know how to have a good time or what? For some reason I woke up at 3 a.m. and didn’t fall back asleep until 4:30. Did you know there’s nothing on TV at 4 a.m. if you don’t have cable? Is there anything on at 4 a.m. if you do have cable?
  • I went to a cool luncheon today with the founder of HelpAReporter.com. PR folks/journalists: Did you know about this service? Am I the last to the party, as usual? And speaking of last to the party, Peter inspired me to Twitter. Stalk Follow me at twitter.com/pomjob.
  • Today was my friend Mel’s birthday! (Happy birthday, Mel!) She invited me out on her family’s boat to celebrate. It was amazing! Tonight’s sunset was spectacular over the Delaware River. Raindrops were falling on our heads as we floated into port and mosquitoes swarmed as we said goodbye in the parking lot but it was awesome none the less. I might get to go along next week for her sister’s birthday. Whee!

What shiny new things did you do this week? Or tell me something fun you have planned for the weekend.

Everybody Dies Famous In a Small Town

{ July 2, 2008 @ 3:00 pm } · { Gone Country, I heart TV, My glamourous life }
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I’ve had my five minutes of fame on my hometown news station.

http://www.wgal.com/video/16715458/

PS-Great song by Miranda Lambert!

Defining Salad

{ June 30, 2008 @ 6:59 pm } · { My glamourous life }
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This being my tenth day on the road, I decided to take it easy on my poor, overfed body and ordered the salad and baked potato combination for dinner at Bob Evans. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this before but I’m a “selectarian” and rarely eat meat (usually only at fine establishments like McDonalds or Taco Bell) and only eat eggs when mixed in something (like cakes). It’s a texture thing that I’ve been harassed about dealt with since childhood.

Heads up: most family dining establishments don’t offer a wide array of selectarian-friendly fare. And the veggie food they do offer usually is lacking in good nutrition, e.g. pasta alfredo, fried eggplant, grilled cheese.

Tonight’s salad featured three cups of lettuce mix (iceberg lettuce, shredded carrots and red cabbage), three grape tomatoes and a quarter cup of croûtons. I’m brutally blunt, so when the manager asked how everything was, I complimented the delicious ranch avocado dressing and then remarked that the salad was a little lacking. He looked at me like I had two heads. In Bob Evans wold, cucumbers, onions, peppers and cheese are delicacies to be used only for actors, dignitaries and royalty. Guess they don’t know I was the dairy queen.

But don’t worry, I finished off my healthy meal with a hot fudge sundae. I looove dairy!

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