As a social media connector, I’ve enjoyed meeting an array of people through my various outlets over the last few years. It’s kind of funny how many of my friends I’ve met entirely through a social network connection of some sort. Gosh, I must have terrified my parents growing up. I probably should have been (and maybe still should be to some extent) one of those kids on a milk carton or in a Lifetime Movie… like the Craigslist Killer… well maybe not that intense… I’m not a craigslist-personal-ad-peruser.
Today, though, I’m not here to talk about what could have been with my friend-making, but instead the successes of one in particular. One of my most recent connections has become a very trusted voice of reason and idea-bouncer over the last couple of months. Tomorrow is a very exciting moment for him and I’m honored to have the opportunity to share with you his talents.
Jae Jin is a talented musician and writer in the Baltimore, MD area and I’m proud to share his newest released Holiday CD with you. I’m not much for holiday music long before Christmas arrives, but his voice is angelic and sends chills down my back. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the peaceful sound that echoes in his voice and must admit that I’ve had these songs looping continuously.
Congratulations Jae on another successful collection. Best wishes tomorrow on your release and celebration!
Let your ears enjoy and happy holidays to all of you!
Guys always say that girls have it so easy when we go out because we don’t have to pay for anything. Well this girl right here has never really had that luck. Me being one of the few single ones in the group was puzzled by the fact that the married ladies got free drinks long before a guy even looked vaguely in my direction. What’s the deal? Is it that whole single-must-be-desperate vibe radiating off my skin? Is an immediate alert sent out when I walk in a room “[sound sirens] Stage 5 Clinger on the loose! Abort! Abort! I repeat stage 5 clinger on the loose!”
Finally one night, I felt an urgency (because this is important in the life of a woman, evidently) to learn the trade… “adventure woman, what is your secret?!” So adventure woman decided to walk pretty lady who shall remain nameless and me through the 7 rules of how to get a guy to buy you a drink. I must say, Chicago (once again) was blindsided by the trio-storm that happened that weekend. And I must admit, girl’s got skills… we only paid for one drink all weekend. How about them apples.
So the new wave is to hop online, shop around, and find yo-self a new man just like those pair of Jimmy Choo’s you bought on eBay from shoemaniac867 last night after 22 hours of clicking refresh to make sure you outbid jcsbiggestfan01. Unfortunately (or I think fortunately… as guys are very different from shoes)… I’m a bit behind on this new fad. I just can’t see myself hopping on Match.com or eHarmony to find my soul mate no matter how convincing, heart throbbing, or fairy-tale-esque those commercials make the process out to be…you are still sitting online just scrolling through pages of pictures “shopping.” Have we really become that lazy? (Wait that was harsh… sorry). Seriously though, I’m not necessarily knocking those who do it… but why is it that our culture has become so consumed with being “busy” (or maybe I don’t need quotations there), that we expect everything… even our soul mates at the snap of a finger. Don’t you miss the excitement of meeting someone new through some coincidence and wondering if it’s fate (like that movie Seredipidty… not going to lie, I want to try that sometime… what happened to the day of writing phone numbers in random books and letting the guy search for years to find it before being able to call you… how romantic… yep, those were the days).
Our society has justified the online dating to such a high extent that you no longer blink an eye when someone boldly says, “I met him on Match.com.” Knowing in reality this really means, “I looked through his pictures, attempted to read between the lines of his profile, fell for his exaggerated description, looked past the fact that he didn’t look like his picture, ignored the red flags that screamed I live in my mom’s basement and torture little girls in the corn field after dark… basically I stalked him, but it’s cool… because the commercials tell me it’s romantic.”
I just don’t get it… I think I’ll give the Lemon Law (talk about bucket list worthy – that’s change for America, Barney Stinson style) a go-around before I attempt online dating 101.
Chicago is by far my favorite city out of all cities I’ve visited thus far (which doesn’t mean it can’t still be beat, but it’s a tough one… so cities, you better step up your game in 2012). Since my very first visit when I was about 11 with my mom, sister, and brother, I was hooked. I was fascinated by how nice everyone was, how clean the city appeared, and the weather… incredible (of course it was Summertime… so I was clueless to the reality of this statement). When two of my best friends moved there about three years ago, I cannot even begin to express how envious I was (and still am). However, I benefit from this (muhahah… evil plan inserted here), I now have a place to stay when I’m needing a get-a-way or an escape from reality – and what better place to escape – sorry guys, you’re stuck with me. Between my last two trips, I have experienced a side of Chicago I had never met before… (now hooked is just an understatement).
These people I’ve met make my desire to stay longer that much stronger. Their electrifying personalities, contagious giggling, outrageous jokes, obscene adventures, and laid back attitudes are like none I’ve stumbled across before. There is this lack of fear or care of how they may come across to the world, they are who they are, regardless. This I admire.
Back in October when I was there with my married & engaged amazingly-awesome friends we were all planning an adventurous exploration of speed dating for the meer fact that I wanted to write about this experience. Seriously that was the reasoning and my friends are that awesome that they were willing to play along, take their rings off and entertain my curiosities (thanks friends you rock). However, upon looking into it we realized it was $50?! Oh heck no… sorry it’s not that serious. Still I was bummed, I was really looking forward to the alias we each had, the outfits we’d discussed, and our stories we had developed… oh well, just wasn’t meant to be.
But of course “just wasn’t meant to be” didn’t keep me from harping over my disappointment (yep, I brought it up on more than one occassion… get over it and welcome to my life). Just so happened I mentioned it to the “wrong” (or right depending on how you look at it) person. I explained my blog idea and development, my want to go speed dating, and my excitement for getting back into writing again. He stopped mid-step at an intersection, pointed to an abandoned table and a closed bar. “So let’s do it, you wanna speed date, what’s stopping you, there’s a table. Get your story straight, turn your camera on and sit down.” Ha. Talk about being put on the spot. I sure do talk a big game, never had someone really hold me to my shenanigans. Okay… crap, forgot my story. Time for a new one. (It sucked, not gonna lie, very uninventive and unoriginal… oh well. roll with it.)
Disclaimer: if you can’t handle adult language, sarcasm, dark humor, or made-up obscene stories – this video is not for you – sorry, the truth hurts.
Evidently Black Friday is more than just an early morning with incredibly good deals… it’s a day (or days for some) that families have turned into a holiday tradition… Who needs turkey and mashed potatoes, when there are 42″ flat screen TVs for $199 at Best Buy? I can’t say I’ve ever experienced this desire that so many Americans seem to have for shopping at 12am after the turkey puts its magic sleepy spell over you. Not only that, I can’t say I’m much for shopping in the first place. Add a stampeding crowd full of feisty old ladies and cranky teenagers hopped up on energy drinks and coffee into that mix and you can most certainly eye me headed in the opposite direction, no matter how much of a steal these sales may be. So I can’t say Black Friday has really ever been a dream of mine or made it to my bucket list, although, I can see where those deals would be appealing… or at least energy drink & sleep deprived worthy. So obviously, I was naturally intrigued by the thought of camping out days in advance just for a sweet deal… and so tonight, my friend and I wondered over to Best Buy to get this week-long-Black Friday camper’s story. What was the underlying motivation here? Please.. please enlighten me. I’m all about trying new things, so lets hear this guy out.
So, I walk up to his tent and simply introduce myself, I ask him “Why so early, why now, and when exactly did you set up camp?” And with that, he tells me his story. Evidently he and his nephew have been doing this for six years, when they started they found themselves in the back of the line wrapped behind stores further away than a multi-zig-zagged Kings Dominion Amusement Park line could ever dream of becoming. Each year arriving earlier and earlier, putting them closer and closer to the front. The last three years, however, he told me he’s been first in line (immediately my mind pictured Charlie running through the streets with the golden ticket from the chocolate bar… normal thought though right?).
But why set up camp on Monday, four days before the sale? Eh that’s simple. While he was prepping for his campout, filling up his kerosene for his generator, he ran into the brother of guy who landed in second last year. Brother, talking candidly and quite unfiltered, (kinda bad for any sneak attacks or sale snaggin’ strategies… if you ask me, brother just can’t be trusted) tells all of guy #2′s plans for being first… little did he know, he was ruining guy #2′s chances… “Oh so he has plans for setting up camp earlier this year, huh, how interesting…” Well uhduh… good job brother, way to lose out on your chances of a sweet Christmas present, way to ruin that one. So, my buddy Pat Davis, of course he decides, no sir… third time’s the charm… first place is the only place to be (my kinda man). And there you have it. He hangs out, gets Thanksgiving brought to him (and gets out of that horrendous cleanup we all dread after the tryptophan sets in), his nephew gets to play video games all day for free, annnnd he’s going to get TWO 42″ flat screen TVs for only $199 this year… I’d say, pretty good storyline, but that’s just me. Whaddayathink?
Pat Davis, retired Navy, Fredericksburg resident of 13 years. I think you’re awesome (seriously)
