Week-long Re-cap

My handsome boyfriend made a trip down to MD to see me this week.  He showed up Tuesday afternoon with his roommate while I was still at work.  I got off of work at 5:30 that day and the hours seemed ten times longer with my built up anticipation for hanging out with them.  As soon as I got off of work, I brought the boys to the gym.  We got our work out on, showered, and had a fun dinner out.

Unfortunately I had work early Wednesday. The boys navigated their way through campus while I was at camp and worked out on their own, visited the pool while the Purple Room had pool time ("Whoa, Ms. Palensis those boys are strong. I've never seen anything like that before" -Curious Purple Roomer) and surprised meat the CYC where they got an impromptu tour of that happy place! (Their comments and observations were more than amusing, to say the least.)

Photo Cred: Lauren Levine 

In the evening we drove to DC to go out for the beautiful Kelly's 21st birthday dinner.  Dinner was on the outdoor patio of an Irish restaurant, complete with "tubes" of beer and yummy food. We had a great time celebrating with friends, despite the scorching temperature. Love ya Kell!

Mike and the Pie he bought before dinner @Dangerously Delicious 

Thursday my boys had to leave me. I hated that they had to leave, but I am so grateful they drove down to spend the time they could.  I went to work feeling a little sad, but was immediately refreshed babysitting the cutest 3 year old around to be followed by a night out on the town with my roomies.

Sarah kicked GRE butt earlier on Thursday so we popped some bubbly and got all dressed up to dance at Cornerstone. It was a blast. And now I am paying for it in the 110 degree weather at summer camp.

Oh well. It's almost 5:30 and then I venture down to Ocean City, MD for more of Kelly's bday celebrations!! Woot-woot.

Sorry for the mild post this week. I've been clearly preoccupied as hostess with the mostest and fiesta friend. Hope everyone is having a great week too!

Word of the Day Wednesday

Pertinacious. 

(adjective:) holding tenaciously to a purpose, course of action, oropinion; resolute.

-dictionary.com

I am not proud of my tendency to concede to the opinions of others in order to avoid confrontation and expedite everyone's happiness. I am often irresolute in my opinions and always tentative to stand my ground in front of "authority" and those ranked higher than me in my mind's made-up hierarchy. In other words, I'm a wimp.

 Today, I decided to change. Today, I was pertinacious. ...for 10 seconds ...in the most trivial way possible. 

I finally gathered my 6pts of identification and drove to the DMV to trade in my underaged vertical license for a grown-up horizontal license(!!!). I knew the question would come...

"Are we keeping the same picture or taking a new one?"

 Joe was a dorky little man with a Pittsburgh Steelers pin on his shirt, a Chicago Cubs paper weight beside him and a Stanley Cup hat perched on the corner of his desk chair.  He was softspoken, the type of guy that tries too hard for people to think he's cool. He probably didn't even like sports, he seemed more like the kind of guy to prefer a game of Call of Duty over watching the NBA finals. I felt bad for him because the loud-mouthed woman sitting next to him, Tanisha, drowned him out with her own booming words, and her shoulders were twice as broad with her head soaring at least a foot over his.  He seemed invisible next to Tanisha. I so badly wanted to make his day easy and reply to the inevitable question with a passive "Oh, my old picture will due." 

Sorry Joe, not today. Today, I am pertinacious. I am stubborn. I've wanted a new ID picture since five minutes after I took it the first time. 

"I think I'll take a new one." I smiled.

Joe shrugged his tiny shoulders and counted to four to prompt me for the flash. 

"Is this okay?" he asked patiently.

At this point, like on my 17th birthday, the passive Maggie would answer "Yes it's fine," without even looking at it in order to speed the process and avoid irritating the photographer. 

Sorry again Joe, not today.

I had two chins, my face was shiny and the hair on the left side of my part was sticking out like Sideshow Bob. 

"Oh, can we do that one more time please?"

Luckily, Joe seemed amused, not irked.  He probably noticed my efforts to smooth my hair and moisturize my lips before my number was called. He expected a re-do. 

After another dull four counts, the camera flashed, I looked at the picture - and was only slightly more content. 

"Much better," I lied. 

I only had the appropriate single chin in this picture... but my face still shined like a new penny and my hair was only mildly more in place.  And why did he have to zoom in so much??

One stubborn re-do was enough though. Could you imagine if I asked for a third picture taken to be put on my license that probably no one will ever ask to see aside from the obligatory alcohol server? 

I'm glad I stood my ground in taking a new picture. It felt good to be pertinacious, at least for a few seconds. I'm now looking forward to the next opportunity to change the picture on my drivers license. Oh and the next opportunity to be a stubborn hard-ass who gets what she wants ;) 

I'm just happy to flash my horizontal the next time I get carded! 

Celebrations, continued.

Four days later, and I'm still celebrating my birthday. Gotta love it. 

A mid-birthday-week recap:

I woke up early this morning to walk to my TRX class (such a good class, btw) and then I jogged home. I love the challenge of TRX and it felt so good to get that extra fresh air before and after the resistance workout.  

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Jessica, Diana and Bridget picked me up early afternoon to check out the Greek Festival in Westfield.

We were asked once if we were Greek, with which Diana and I (the only blonde girls in the entire venue) hesitantly replied "no,"  and more than once we were corrected on our mispronunciation of Greek cuisine. GreekFest was otherwise uneventful. Whatever, the baklava was worth it. 

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Family came over later for a backyard cook-out and birthday cake. Birthday presents, cold beer, grilled veggies, and family banter made for an awesome evening. I love my birthday simply because I have an excuse to get my family together and laugh until our stomachs hurt. The cake and presents are just an added bonus ;) 

Dad on his brand-new grill! 

Cookie Cake and Funfetti Cake ... de-lish. 

I probably sound like a broken record...but I am so thankful for the friends and family that celebrate with me on my birthday, and everyday. And just so you all know, after this week you won't have to read any more birthday-related posts (as per tradition my bday will be a week-long celebration) but I will continue to try to wake up every morning to "start each day like it's my birthday!" because quite frankly, I think we all deserve it. 

Cheers! 

Life, Twenty-0ne...

It's the Saturday after my 21st birthday and I have a hot date with Will & Grace, a bottle of wine, and a load of laundry to be folded.  Don't get too excited though -- the bottle of wine is still sitting completely full on my counter beside the cork screw; I opted against drinking it when I remembered I want to workout early tomorrow morning.  

...I know what you're thinking. Did she turn 21 or 51? 

Okay, even if that's not what you're wondering, you're probably thinking I am the least exciting 21 year old in the tri-state area. 

Despite my totally boring weekend (I went to bed at 7pm last night...a Friday) I have evidence that I celebrated as a 21 year old should. In Atlantic City with my best friends, I spent two nights dancing and drinking ... leading to  the following two nights spent in recovery mode.  

Julienna and I drove down to AC and met Ashley and Katlyn at our hotel room in Harrahs (thanks Uncle John and Mom!!) on Tuesday, Lauren and Christine met us on the boardwalk for a fun pre-birthday dinner. 

After dinner and an embarrassing restaurant-wide "Happy Birthday," the three members of the 21 club and I returned to the hotel room to get ready for the clock to strike midnight, while Lauren and Christine had to drive back to Philly :(  *Thnx for coming for just a couple hrs girls - can't wait 'til we can celebrate YOUR 21sts!xoxo*

When the clock struck midnight I was in Caesar's Casino with Ash, Kate, Jule, and two spontaneous additions fresh from DC: my beautiful roommate Jill and her bf Matt!  

I proudly presented my REAL ID and ended up dancing the night away at Dusk night club. The "Happy Birthday" tiara Lauren so graciously adorned me with prompted many well-wishes from strangers as well as free drinks. I loved every second of it. 

We enjoyed cocktails and played slot machines until past 4am, but I still woke up at 9am much to my girlfriends' dismay. But I was 21...still! How can one sleep when one is legally able to attend fancy night clubs?!?

We spent the afternoon on the beach of Atlantic City before my parents, my godmother, my sister, and my handsome boyfriend came to take me out for a birthday dinner! They surprised me with a personalized menu - "Happy Birthday Margaret!!!" read across the top of each of our menus. Mom ordered us a bottle of champagne and I never felt more special.  

After the fam left, we were in attendance at Harrah's Pool party. So.Freaking.Cool.

Loved the Pool. Loved.Loved.Loved. 

What I loved even more was the company - not only were three of my closest girlfriends there to dance with me on my 21st birthday, but my favorite Terp alumni were also there to keep me laughing and dancing the entire night. 

Celeb-status outside the Pool. The boys were slightly wet after illegally jumping in. Woops!

Obviously, I had an undeniably action-packed two-day-long birthday. I felt like a rockstar, and I have my family and friends to thank. (And the random strangers who were perceptive of my Tiara that screamed "give me attention") It was fabulous.  Too fabulous? No such thing. 

Although I spent the weekend after my official 21st birthday as a hermit in "recovery mode overhaul" as Katlyn so precisely put it, my two nights in AC were totally, utterly, perfectly worth it.   

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Cheers to a year ahead filled with more spontaneity, dancing, drinking, and awesome friendships. I'll even take the recovery time that comes with the fun of 21.