Alright stop-collaborate and...

...listen.

Vanilla Ice's real name is Robert Matthew Van Winkle

Word to ur mother.

Throw that out at your next cocktail party. You'll be so cool.

Dear Argentina,

You have changed and saved my life.

Period.

You will see.

Muchas muchas gracias.

The other 72%

I have just read that apparently only 28% of Americans have a passport. Yikes.

What a great gift idea the next time you're stumped. What else could you buy someone that could give them endless opportunity for exploration and last for 10 years? Not to mention under a hundred bucks. Try to find a deal like that at your local Crate and Barrel.

Yes, I know that all of us aren't jet-setters and some people could care less about traveling. (That's OK) -but get yourself a passport anyway. Those random situations or bargin trips pop up sometimes when you could just use a little break and room to breathe.

You don't want to be that person stuck working your vacation week when your pals are off surfing in Australia, having a Guiness with a random Irishman, or shopping in Paris.

Forget you Italy!

Argentina is my new favorite place to stay in January. Best pizza I have ever had. Until I get the pix up- just imagine the deliciousness and drool...

Wishes for today:

1.) Buy a little casa in San Lorenzo
2.) Steal those pizza recipes and bring them back to the states. (Who knew the pizza would rival all others here? Steak?! Nah-I'll take the pizza.)
3.) I'll leave this one to the imagination

Priceless

*Raft boat ride into Iguazu Falls; 75 pesos (WOW)
*Bus ticket to Salta; 185 pesos ("I am going to design a new line of bus food")
*Learning truly not to worry about things because you can't control everything, knowing that none of us (regretfully) can go back in time, having patience, and feeling right just being and moving towards a settled life you were afraid of before: Priceless

Some things money can't buy, but it sure can get you a ticket out of the country for a while so you can start to become the better person you've always wanted to be.

Thank you thank you thank you Mastercard. It's flippin hard as hell, but so far I am making progress...

Shrinkage

Brrrr...

Naked bike ride in December? No wonder they do it at midnight at UVM! You've gotta have plenty of time to get good and toasted first. Negative five degree temps with your wanker swingin feels like a blast after a shot or ten of tequilla.

Glad you kids are having fun and that college tuition is being put to good use. 

Thanks Mom!

2009 Resume Challenge

About a gazillion people have recently lost their jobs. They are likely scrambling to polish resumes that are a total bore (it's OK.-that's how we were taught to make them!) in hopes of gaining some type of employment before they have to give their houses back to the bank. 

Lets try something different.

Shred the eggshell colored bore of a resume that you have used before. The one that has all those terms and words like "Facilitated", "Assisted with", or "Lead a team". Everybody has that resume. Do you really expect to stick out or wow anybody with that? What usually happens is a potential employer sees you went to the same university as their son, or grew up in the same state they did and then they become interested in you. No one really cares that much about the massive list companies you have "Lead a team of" so and so's at. There are millions of people who have your degree or have held a job for at least a few years. Employers want to know if you are driven, reliable, honest, and great at what you do. They usually find that stuff out when you just break it all down and start a normal conversation.

Sure you have to have some professional background and experience, but if at some point in your interview you can get your potential new boss to say: "Me too! I played soccer in high school!" or "I backpacked through South America after college too!- It was amazing, and man did I love that food!" I promise you'll be first on the hire list.

Type up (on whatever color card stock you damn well please that fits your personality) your contact information, a few bullets about:

*Your experiences (work, volunteer, certifications, etc.)

*What you are fabulous at and take pride in

*What you suck at or are continuously working on. (Nobody's perfect. Be human) 

*3 References that you have experience with that have offered to truthfully promote you as nothing less then stellar to anyone who asks

If you want you can close your new resume with a short, sweet, honest "I want this job because (blank) and I am the best. Try me" Or whatever works for you.

At very least you'll get a chuckle, interview or "I've never seen anything like this before-you're hired!" Sure beats the alternative of X amount of your years and experience typed lifelessly on a piece of plain paper just piled with the other hundred on someone's dusty desk.

Fa la la la holy crap

My friend Allison says; "That is what happens when you live somewhere it doesn't snow"

She's right. And this is hilarious. Best part? This picture only captures about half of what was at this house. 

Kind of makes you wonder what these people are "rocking" around their Christmas tree. Man I bet they make some good Eggnog!

"Mom, why the hell is there a homeless man staying in our garage?"

Where I grew up in VT, people don't live in ski-chalets, milk maple syrup from trees early in the morning, or live next door to Ben&Jerry.

Oh no. Who would want to be that fancy? Instead, my family has "Deer Camp".

Deer Camp where I am from, is a place (whether in your 2 car garage at your actual house, or at a log cabin in the woods), where hunters and random vagrants sit around telling stories, playing cards and drinking liquor and beer until they pass out. Wake-up call is something absurd like 3am, at which point the gents make and feast on a huge breakfast (usually something like bacon, eggs, venison sausage, or anything that would make a vegan puke at the thought.) Next it's out to sit in the woods before dawn, likely up in a tree, most always in sub-zero temperatures, snow and all- in hopes a deer will stroll by that you can shoot at.

If you are "lucky" you'll shoot one dead and get to drag it about 17 miles out of the woods and hang it in a tree until it's ready to hack up or eat. (Example displayed in these lovely and completely unoffensive photos I took when I was home last week.)

Here's to simultaneously loving where you came from and thanking god you got the hell out long ago. Although, I guess visiting home and being called "City Girl" by a bunch of deer campers has it's charm on occasions.

Breakin' the law

So this morning as usual, I used the mens bathroom instead of the women's-even though I am female. I do this about 50% of the time because my fellow ladies always take way too long and it drives me bonkers. Ladies; What the hell could you possibly be doing in there? Seriously, does my pee come out faster than yours or something? I manage to pee, wash hands, mirror check and still get in and out in under a minute or two. 

Check out this sign and article on the subject. 

Illegal to use the bathroom of the opposite sex?! WHAT!? Lock me up then and throw away the key then! I am not going to start waiting in that freaking line with the rest of the ladies of the world anytime soon.

GET UP!

I shared the Hungry Hiker breakfast the last week at Up For Breakfast. Oh how yummy the pancakes were at this Manchester, VT spot. (Oops, I forgot to take the picture before I starting eating. I got excited, what can I say?)

Yeah, I know I write about food all the time. Noshing is one of my favorite things to do. Particularly at mom-and-pop joints where you can meet the coolest and most interesting people and typically leave with your pants popping you're so full. Not to mention other great things like spending very little money, tasting homemade/local fare and being referred to as "honey" or "sweetie". oh the pleasantries. 

They aren't kidding when they say up for breakfast. This place closes at noon, so forget sleeping in and getting late brunch drunkies. UP AND ATEM!

Wouldn't it be fabulous to get paid to eat? That Road Food guy should call me. I'd be a swell sidekick.

Honesty is the best policy

I drove past this sign on the side of the road on my way from Vermont to Virginia yesterday.

You can't help but love the honesty of some people. This is hilarious.

Enough said.

Erasers are cool

Yes-I am talking about pencil erasers. I used one today and thought; Huh, I wonder how these things work. 

Little things, little things.

Go take a flying leap

Someone told me a long time ago when I was stressing about what I should do "with the rest of my life", that "You just have to find something to give a shit about". Makes perfect sense actually. If you give a shit about something-you will most likely do it well or be good at it. 

If you are having one of those days (ugh, yes I can totally relate), ask yourself; What do I really give a shit about? And then beg, borrow and steal until you can figure out a way to make money at it.

I am currently attempting this because I know first hand trying to convince yourself to do something you don't really want to do, or hating your job pretty much blows. On the flip side- it pretty much rocks when you decide to do what you truly love. 

Rock it out people. There's no time like the present.

No raw sugar!?

Bfast this morning at Penny Cluse in Burlington, VT was good. A scrambled egg and white cheddar cheese sandwich on crispy and buttery sourdough is what I opted for. The rest of our table was filled with corn muffins, biscuits, chunky home fries, and huevos rancheros. YUM. 

This place is usually always packed, but being a Monday morning with the temperature at 1 degree (Brrrr...) left a few seats empty and ready to welcome us, along with a group of friendly and smiley hippie waitresses. The floors were wet and muddy from snow, and that fantastic chill, Vermonter relaxed mood made me happy. Too bad it is so effin cold there in the winter I could never hack it for more than a visit.  

At least I have this perfect spot to warm and fill me up when I'm there! Now if they could just stock some raw sugar for my coffee...