Bieber Fever.

On a lighter and more derogatory note, I would like to share this link:

http://lesbianswholooklikejustinbieber.tumblr.com/

I hope I don’t offend anybody, but Big Al in the morning mentioned it this morning, and I have been having a ball looking at the pics. Good afternoon break.

And who are we kidding- Justin Bieber is going down in America’s history books.

Independence

I was thinking today about what Thomas Jefferson was doing on June 30, 1776. My guess, he was proofreading and looking forward to the next few days when he could kick back and relax with a pint of ale once the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress. Two hundred and thirty four years later, I am sitting here proofreading something far less important (just like I do everyday) and looking forward to the next few days when I will kick back and relax with a glass of wine once I make it all the way up to Grand Lake to celebrate my favorite holiday with my favorite people - my family. I love the Fourth of July because it represents two of the most wonderful things in life - fireworks and freedom. Thank you Thomas J., the forefathers, and the Continental Congress for all of your hard work leading up to July 4, 1776. I'm really glad you made that deadline and declared your independence so perfectly. What is better than a three day weekend in the middle of the summer to celebrate our unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by lighting a bunch of stuff on fire and getting a massive sunburn at the lake? I submit to you, there is nothing!! If you can't tell yet, I am a huge fan...

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

That just sets my heart a flutter. I can't wait to have a few drinks this weekend, toast to the USA, and get in argument about politics with my dad...all because I have the freedom to do so :)

GOD BLESS THE USA,

SES

You put the lime in the Coconut.

It’s Thursday….Do you have your hangover kit ready? Getting through a Friday at work after a great Thursday night out can be very painful. There’s something about Thursday nights- it’s like you are partying on a school night, and it feels illegal and oh so right.

Stop feeling the Friday pain. Forget Gatorade, this is the stuff: Coconut Water

While I have not tried this remedy myself, it comes highly recommended.

Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young coconuts. (The green ones are better.) Coconut water has 15 times more potassium than that found in sport drinks. It's also naturally loaded with the five key electrolytes: potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, sodium and calcium. It's what you need to stay hydrated. On a diet? No sweat! Coconut Water is also fat and cholesterol free.

I know what you are thinking- this sounds better than an I.V. I agree.

Pick up some Coconut Water today, and wish your hangover away.

Sarah WITH AN H

I have been blessed with a very simple name. I have never had to deal with people mispronouncing my name or calling me by a silly name-derived nickname, and I have never received a funny look upon introduction. But, believe it or not, I am the victim of a horrible annoyance that plagues my life on a daily basis - name misspelling.

Contrary to popular belief, there is only ONE WAY to spell the name Sarah. S-A-R-A-H. Sara is NOT MY NAME. When I call to order something, I always explain with particularity, my name is Sarah, S-A-R-A-H, Smith. It may not matter to you, but it matters to me. With the most common name in the USA, I take pride in that one element of uniqueness that allows me to say, no you spell it THIS way, please add that H :) In addition I love that not only is my name an alliteration, but my first and last name are both 5 letters long, begin with an S, and end with an H. In this OCD head of mine, butterflies flutter around and bluebirds sing when I think of how much that makes sense and goes together. That H is DAMN important.

So, to those of you who will not be named or singled out, when you write me emails, notes, store my name in your phone, whatever, and you leave off the H, you are simply getting it wrong. And, if I catch it, I will simply be annoyed. So please, remember the H. Because we Sara(h)'s want you to get it right the first time, next time you meet one of us, just take the time to ask about the H. It is the little things in life that make us smile, but it is the correct usage of the H that makes a Sara(h)'s day.

Love,

Sarah with an H Smith

Scattered Brain.

Like Sarah, I don’t have much to say this week. I am sleepy, and I know the minute I leave this place I will be in a great mood ready to set the world on fire again. Till then, I will practice my Debbie Downer attitude. Since I don’t really have just one story line, I will give you a run down on the last few days and what I am thinking.

1st Topic: Last Weekend
Last weekend was great. There’s nothing I like more then spending time with friends and family. (like the rest of America) I got to see two of my great friends babies, and I even got the chance to meet Wayne Coyne.

Seeing friends babies is always a fun thing- you get to see them when they are sweet and leave them when they are fussy. But then it also gets me thinking. You have kids. I am single. Your kid will probably be my ring bearer of flower girl. Why am I 10 years behind? But at least I know I will have cute kids for the time my big day comes.

So back to Wayne. We were having a casual dinner at a sushi restaurant in OKC. Someone pointed him out, and I had a mild freak out and had to get my picture taken. I get real weird around Celebs. (the few times I have seen them) I really can’t remember what I said… I know I said, “I hate to be that girl…but we spent new years eve together” What?! I remember thinking how skinny he was. (we did the arms wrapped around for our photo opt) But yeah, that’s about all I remember. Really, really cool guy.

Speaking of being weird around celebs. We once saw Tara Reid (I know, D list celeb) in NYC, and I ran around Urban Outfitters stalking her… so strange. I followed her, but I never said anything.

2nd Topic:
Toms now have heels. Aren’t these fun? This pic really doesn’t do them justice.

3rd Topic:
The Simple Life. Remember the show with Paris and Nicole? Well as stupid of a show it was, I really think everyone should have to try out odd jobs. It really makes you appreciate things more. On Monday, I had the chance to help out in a fast food restaurant, and let me tell you, it wasn’t easy.

I took on the task of changing the “reader board” outside. (you know the boards high in the sky with marketing messages on them?) Let’s just say that 30 minutes in 100 degree heat made me appreciate the people that have to change reader board signs.

However, this new found appreciation is not making this day at work any easier. All I can think about is the pool and the new book I am reading, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Wow, I sound lame.

Hopefully next time I decide to write, I won’t be so scattered and actually have some material. USA.

USA USA USA

I don't have much to blog about this week because all I can think about is the World Cup and work. I am the kind of soccer fan that comes around about every four years for the World Cup. I pay attention to a few matches here and there, but I can't say that I am truly devoted. But, for some reason, I just absolutely love love love the World Cup ALMOST as much as college football. Weird, I know.

Today's game was INSANE. I think Landon Donovan is really helping me get over the royal eff up that is les Bleus. Somewhere in an office in Oklahoma City, OK my dad is snickering thinking "told you so" when I picked France to win every game in my bracket. I really really miss you Zidane...

Regardless, we are AWESOME. I really feel like we are getting a summertime game day this Saturday courtesy of Team USA. Thanks guys, I am super pumped to stress out all afternoon just like I did this morning.

Cross your fingers I get some more points in the bracket today...After residing at the bottom of for a full two weeks now, I'm REALLY gunning for 5th place...out of 7 :)

USA USA!!!

SES

You've Been Iced.

You’ve been iced. These are three words I hope I never hear. The thought of chugging a Smirnoff Ice literally puts my stomach in knots. Nothing that sugary and malty should be consumed at such a fast rate, bent down on one knee.

As you may have noticed “BrosIcingBros.com” has been shut down. Who shut it down? The one and only Smirnoff Ice brand itself. When I read this news today, I was shocked. This whole time, I thought this was some genius marketing guy’s idea at Smirnoff. As it turns out, this is not another viral marketing stunt.

Smirnoff Ice has taken measures to stop the misuse of its Smirnoff Ice brand and is making it clear that “icing” does not comply with their marketing code. So basically what I am telling you, Christmas came early to the Smirnoff brand. With no marketing dollars, they have boost sales, and they owe it all to this cheesy little game.

So who is behind “icing?” The face behind the “Bros” website is actually a 22-year old recent college grad using the name “Joe.” “Joe” better hope Smirnoff does not take legal action, because they would definitely have a case:

“They [BrosIcingBros.com] are using the trademark in a way that disparages the product and exposing Smirnoff to liability. The Bros site included the name of the product, which is a trademark, as well as pictures of the product that include the brand's logo.”

My only advice- you best be packing a Smirnoff Ice at all events this summer. While the website might be down, the game has just begun. You’ve been iced.

Viva Las Vegas

First, I apologize for being MIA this week. I've been tired, sick, and busy. But, It's Friday and I'm back!!

I thought since Ande did a recap of her Vegas trip, I should knock one out of mine this past weekend (yes it started a week ago, get over it). We here at WWandGS have a policy of always posting about vacations. So, get used to that. Even if you don't care, you should pay attention :)

Friday:

Got to town super early after about two hours of sleep the night before. Met up with Kirby, Bonnie, and Stephanie. Got our room upgraded to a suite on the Prestige level at the Palazzo. Hello free champagne, happy hour, appetizers, desserts, and rubber ducky bath (no joke). Had lunch at Dos Caminos where I enjoyed an El Camino. Would like another one of those right now. Followed lunch with a champagne toast in our AWESOME suite and an afternoon at the Azure pool at the Palazzo. Thanks yankee boys for cannon balling into the pool and soaking the girl who clearly didn't want to play. Post pool we all got ready and I took the girls on their first tour of the strip. We stopped at Harrah's for cheap black jack then made our way to the Bellagio for a drink and then Mesa Grill at Caesar's for dinner. YUM. We were all super tired so we retired at Midnight and declined an invitation to party with some Dallas friends at Ghost Bar. The Bachelorette's flight had been cancelled out of Denver so we were all slightly bummed and wanted to be in tip top shape for her arrival on Saturday morning!

Saturday:

Everyone woke up early but me (surprise) and had breakfast in the Prestige lounge. Did I mention that was included too? Well, it was. I got down there at about 9:50, wearing makeup from the night before, glasses, and a sun hat. Betsy, are you proud? I enjoyed some grapefruit, an omelet, and some blueberry coffee cake. YUM. Then, I went back and cleaned up and met the other girls for some shopping. We stopped at Victoria's Secret and purchased some "decor" for our room as a little added gift for our bachelorette, then we headed back to the room to prepare for her arrival.

We decorated, cleaned, set up our bar, and giggled as we waited for Ashley and Ashley to arrive (yes, there was another girl named Ashley who was traveling with THE Ashley). Finally at about 12, I got the text, they were on their way! So Stephanie and I ran downstairs to get them and Bonnie and Kirby waited in the room...to avoid any extra charges for too many people :) We took the Ashleys right up to the room and we all had some champagne while The Ashley opened her girlie gifts. Then we all put our suits on and headed to the pool...only to find it was raining :( So, instead we spent the afternoon playing black jack and winning money...and drinking.

We all got ready for the evening and went for a visit to our complimentary happy hour in the Prestige lounge. After multiple glasses of champagne, we made our way to Sushi Samba for dinner. The bachelorette was a little feisty and enjoyed half of her meal with some friends we made at the restaurant in protest to our urging to get her to complete several dares before the night's end...but we did get her to kiss a couple bald guys at the bar. The sushi was amazing, the best part for sure was the lobster tempura and the tuna sashimi. And, we had this pink sparkling sake that was pretty unreal.

After dinner we grabbed a limo and headed to Excalibur for THE THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER!!!! The crowd was trashy, the girls who went up on stage were downright nasty, but the men were oily, ripped, and flexible, so it was nice to watch them dance. In retrospect, I wish we would've paid a little bit more for the VIP seats, but then we would have been with more of the trashy crowd, so I don't know how much our bachelorette would've enjoyed that. My favorite dancer was the milkman.

After the show we went back to the hotel for a bit of pre post-partying, and freshened up for the rest of our night on the town. We chose our destination, TAO, met up with our friends from dinner, and traversed the Venetian canals...barefoot. We only had to wait for about 10 minutes before we made our way inside. Upon arriving, we were greeted with a very special treat. Flavor Flav himself drinking Hennessey at the bar. We bought him a glass (I think), took several pictures, and told him he was "a good man." (See above). My co-blogger wants to know if he smelled bad, and the answer is, I don't even remember smelling him. But, his skin was real dry. And, he had a glazed over look fo sho. But, he was LOVING the attention. FLAVA FLAVVVV!!!

Then we all made our way to the dance floor sans Flav.

Somehow or another, we all ended up separated after about 30 minutes at Tao. Some girls went to bed, I met up with a friend from Dallas, and the Ashleys proceeded to lose The Ashley's wallet in the bathroom, only to find it again with all of the cash missing. After a visit to Tao Beach and an unsuccessful search for the girls on the dance floor, we met back up with them at the Palazzo after more barefoot walking through the Venetian. Next, we stumbled about trying to find an open $15 table to no avail. One Ashley stayed and played craps until the morning. The Ashley and I went upstairs and raided the mini bar of peanut M&Ms and went to sleep.

The next morning, everyone left early except for me and the bachelorette. We had lunch by the pool and gambled for about an hour. Poor thing only won back about 1/6 of her stolen money. Just another reason why NOT to leave your purse in a Las Vegas bathroom stall...

In the end it was a lovely trip. I took away some winnings, an upper respiratory infection, and some great memories. Next up, the big day on July 31, 2010, when the bachelorette Ashley Kipping marries my little brother :) I'm so excited about that I could pee in my pants...

Winner winner chicken dinner,

SES

Three Shows: One Week

Hi Kids. I am so tired today. The reason for this is last night marked the third show I attended this week. That's right, I saw Miike Snow on Monday, MGMT on Tuesday, and LCD Soundsystem on Wednesday. Today feels a lot like the morning after OU/TX, except a lot more musical than sporty and with no Jill in town. Anyway, I digress...

I thought I would give you all a run down of these three bands based on my own professional amateur opinion of them. Without further ado, and in chronological order, my thoughts...

Miike Snow Monday night at the Granada

I was not an original ticket holder for the Miike Snow show. In fact, I only begrudgingly decided to attend after SEVERAL attempts by our friend over at SOTW (the one and only JZ) to get me to go. I finally said yes, Little Liz found me a ticket, and I was set. I have to say this, one of my FAVORITE things to do in life is to have a "blind date" with a band. As in, I love seeing bands I know nothing about because 9 times out 0f 10 I end up falling in love with them and I always hold a special place in my heart for them because my first real exposure to them was live. Going into the show on Monday I had only listened to Miike Snow for about an hour the day of while I worked. I will say, I have now officially listened to the album everyday since. This blind date was a full on success! Thank you JZ for setting us up! I loveeeee Miike Snow. The Granada was so hot and we danced so much that by the time I got home, I really thought I had turned into a robot. Paul was a little confused, but I was blissful. So Miike Snow gets a solid A from me. Do yourself a favor and take a listen. You will definitely start to gyrate those hips ON THE SPOT.

MGMT Tuesday night at House of Blues

So, I do not have such glowing things to say about MGMT on Tuesday. While my group was great, and we did dance to some of the familiar songs, the rest of the evening was slightly mediocre. First of all, almost everyone in attendance was under the age of 18. I really think I knew everyone there over 25. I literally had a guy ask me how old I was after he told me his age (24) and respond with "whoa!" Shut up kid! I'm only three years older than you!! But, the night was a success if only for the company I was in, so I did have a very nice time. However, I am not a huge MGMT fan beyond the first album. I was pretty disappointed this go round. My advice, get into Miike Snow and let the 15 year olds support MGMT. MGMT you get a B-.

LCD Soundsystem Wednesday night at Palladium

OMG!!!!!!!!!!! Last night was one of the best concerts ever. I'm serious, ranks up in my top 10 I've ever seen. I have to say, I even think it was literally just a millionth of a degree less awesome than Yeasayer earlier this year at the Granada and I really think that might just be because of the venue. I really don't like the Palladium all that much. But, seriously, this band is amazing. I love them more now than I ever did before, and I have loved them a whole whole lot for awhile now. If I could give them a 150% I would. The third night of concert fest 2010 was the best by far. While I loved getting to know Miike Snow on Monday, I just was fully enthralled with seeing LCD Soundsystem last night. I really wish I could do it all over again...except this time I'd probably skip the Double Wide for a post show beer because now I am a little too tired. OR I'd move the show to a Friday and dance even more than I did last night even at the risk that I might get whiplash from all of my crazy moves. LCD Soundsystem you get a resounding A+++++. I cannot wait to see you in Austin in October!!!! Anyone who loves them (or who just likes good music) and hasn't seen them, do it as soon as possible, I promise you will not regret it!

That's all I've got for now.

I dig music!

SES

PS: I'm going to Vegas tomorrow! Happy Bachelorette Party Weekend to my wonderful future sister in law!!!

More Touch Machines

As the world continues to grow…(and I am not talking population, I am talking waistlines), the last thing we probably need is a coke machine that can dispense 106 different beverage varieties, but get ready friends, it’s here, and Dallas is a test market.

Coca-Cola will be launching the “Coca-Cola Freestyle” machine this mid June. This new machine has the capability of dispensing 106 different drink varieties. When I first heard this, I was thinking a kids dream- “suicide!” (Suicide, as in the drink- when you go up to the coke machine and take a little of every drink the machine has to offer.)

But no, the drinks are pre-determined. For instance, I would pick “Coke Zero.” It would then take me to the next page and let me pick a flavor… grape coke zero? Well, why not! The machine will also come with different varieties of water, juices, teas and sparkling beverages.

So what’s so cool about this machine? I’ll tell you. It’s all touch screen, so it’s like a big iPhone. (see picture below)

This is the future kids. If you don’t already feel like George Jetson, get ready to.

I think the only thing that could make this machine better is if there was a button for liquor… .okay, I will take a Diet Coke with a splash of Jack….. mmm hmmm…. I wish I were writing to say this was coming to a bar near you. Make that a double Jack and Diet Coke, it's Monday.

Good Boy

Recently my mom came in town for our first annual mom's weekend in Dallas (think mom's weekend in college but with older daughters and no dancing at the Fiji house). While in town, my mom suggested that I totally reassess how I am training Paul. Her advice: just like I give him treats when he sits on command, I need to start giving him treats when he pees and poops outside and stop punishing him if it happens in the house. Well, I officially started this method that Sunday, May 23rd. And, as of today, Paul has not had a single accident in the house since. This is a huge breakthrough for us because he has never been potty trained in his life, and he is already 9 in dog years (one year and four months times 7, right?). Could you imagine if you peed on your mom's new carpet when you were 9? I bet you would've felt pretty dumb. So, I am very happy about this not only for reasons pertaining to my own sanity/olfaction, but also because I am very happy for him that he no longer has to be humiliated because he can't follow the rules. I think our relationship is just getting better and better, and little Paul is wagging a lot more and barking a lot less these days. Now, if only I could teach him to sit still in the car...

Ruff ruff,

SES

When a car becomes more than just your ride....

Is it weird how a car can become you…or how close you can feel to a car? It’s a car for goodness sakes! But if you think about how much we rely on cars, why not treat them like a family member? They get us from point A to point B, they shield us from the weather and they can even be home to a mini concert.

This post is dedicated to my good friend Goldie… better yet, Goldie Hawn-Da. In less than 3 hours, Goldie will be going to live with a new family.

Although we are losing a good friend, it’s also a new beginning. As some smart person once said, “Nothing ever really ends, it’s just a new beginning.” Cheers to new beginnings and to Goldie, and Mary.

I know this split must be hard on you both, if EVEN I am even feeling the effects.

You were a good ride, Goldie. If you would’ve stayed with us longer, I know we had a shot on MTV’s “Pimp My Ride.”

I hope to see you in OKC one day ZOOOOOOOOOOMING like Mary used to drive you.

Farewell. It’s not goodbye, it’s just see you on the road real soon.

My Memorial Day Weekend in Review:

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of going to Las Vegas. I have decided Las Vegas is just a Times Square on steroids with lots of gambling and peddlers selling water for $1. Unfortunately, I do not gamble, so I was unable to “call in rich” this morning, but I still had a good time. Here’s a recap of my trip… because I know you care:

Saturday:
We arrived to Vegas around 2pm and headed to the Bellagio to check in. From here, we went to Serendipity for lunch. There was an hour wait, so I thought we should have some drinks while we wait. 24 ounces of beer later, I was not even hungry for lunch but as usual, managed to eat everything. I have to tell you that the Serendipity in Vegas is nothing in comparison to the NYC location. The food was good, but much more franchise tasting…and the atmosphere was not there. In NYC, you are greeted with a quaint, setting. In NYC…modern and franchise-like. Needless to say, I was not impressed.

From here, we did some shopping. I know, I know, Dallas has just about the same shops… but in Vegas, you lose all your inhibitions. For some this is with gambling…. For some, this is at the bunny ranch… for me, this is with shopping. When I go to Vegas, I forget about rent and bills and pretend I am Donald Trump’s long lost kid. Sin city, baby… you just have to decide your “sin.”

Saturday Night:
CHELSEA HANDLER! She did not disappoint. And she had a surprise guest- Chewy, her Hispanic nugget on the show. When Chewy rolled out in his motor wheel chair, I screamed so loud and spilled my wine. I had hopes of him being there, and then, there he was. He was a hoot. (Image below of him on his scooter.)

Chelsea was a hoot, as usual, and very nasty with her language. I was beginning to think that the “F” word was acceptable and you could use it in any setting to make things funny.

(Side Note…speaking of office noises, the man down the hall sounds like he’s choking on a chicken bone. Seriously dude, go to lunch and hack on someone else. So annoying.)

Sunday:
Sunday came, and it was a time for relaxation. Big breakfast by the pool and then massage time. This was by far one of the best massages I have ever received. For some reason, I like to get deep tissue, and so I leave feeling beat up more than I do relaxed. This time, I just went in for a “relaxation massage.” Now I finally understand why people like massages so much. For the first time, I didn’t leave my massage feeling like I got my ass kicked. It was great.

Sunday night, we went to LOVE. It was wonderful. So much going on, I never knew where to look.

Monday:
Here’s where the trip ends. Big breakfast and then off to the airport.

I am not the biggest Las Vegas fan, but the way we did our trip was very fitting for me, and I had a blast. Wish I were still on vacation. But alas, I am back at work, listening to awful noises being made by co-workers and trying to figure out when and where I can go on vacation to next.

Till then…..