On a whim, I bought Music & Lyrics with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. I basically picked it out because there was a 4 for $20 deal, and it was between that and Semi-Pro. I didn't have the highest expectations, but oh boy! It was such a feel-good movie!

Not the best movie ever. Not too much depth, not too much happened, but it's very cute and heart-warming!

Earlier this month my dad bought me tickets to see my grandmother. When she heard I would only be there for a couple nights, she insisted I change the return date to one day later.

PROBLEM! My dad used Travelocity. My return flight was on American Airlines, so I called them. They said I couldn't change it through them, since it was bought through United. I called United, and they said (in very heavily-accented English) that it would cost $150 to make the change through them. They suggested that I call the agency to avoid that fee, and gave me the number (not toll free) for Travelocity customer service.

I called the number. After letting the hold "music" rape my ears for an HOUR (I had to put on my coat and catch the bus in the middle of this, I was on hold so long) another heavily-accented man answered. Without any confirmation number whatsoever, he let me change my flight. He said that it would now cost $300. I balked and asked if that was the total, he was talking about, not the changing fee itself. He said the service charge was $30 and $300 was the total. I thought, well, it's not as good a deal as it probably was before, but $300 seems like a worthy amount to spend to see you grandmother.

I got a confirmation email (my dad did not) without any reference number, no list of fees, or anything.

My dad got a charge for $300 on his credit card. IN ADDITION to what he had spent on the ticket.

Today he spent time on the phone talking to customer service person to customer service person, to a supervisor, who finally said he would get a hundred dollar refund.

Oh wait, did they say refund? How silly! In the email they sent him, apparently they meant a hundred dollar CREDIT TOWARD ONE OF THEIR HOTEL PACKAGES THAT YOU GET AFTER BUYING A TICKET.

Since they won't give him his money back, and because I'm contributing toward the fee (for which I really should be the sole payer, if anyone pays), the only thing I can do is bitch about it and never use their service ever again.

And maybe ask others to never do so again? Please? NEVER USE TRAVELOCITY!!!!!

Arrived in Mexico around noon.

I'm here sharing the ginormous house with their teen cousin...and I think I'm already brown from 15 minutes outside with the old SPF 50! There's unlimited flan in the fridge, plus some nummy guac and enchiladas. Crazy.

Also, I must have my own personal poltergeist. Between the plane and here, my bathing suit has disappeared! ??? Not in my backpack. Undies: still there. Bathing suit: dispierto. (Spanish for "disappeared.")

I had a repartee in Spanish with they guy checking passports--after I said I learned Spanish by being in Peru for two months and saying I'd be here for 5 days, he wondered why I'd give Peru so much time but not Mexico. I could have said something mean, "porque Mexico es susio," but I just shrugged.

There is a HUGE $5 SALE AT THREADLESS!

(use the link here so I get credit.)

Since not drinking for the past 20 days, I have not noticed any change in health or happiness (I did get over my cold...but it was totally time for it to go, seriously--three weeks?). I think if I keep it up, though, I will notice some change in my pocketbook.

And apparently I can be MUCH MORE AWKWARD when not drinking! I mean, I was awkward in high school before I drank, and I was considerably less so in college, but I thought maybe I had matured and become more comfortable conversing with people. This is apparently not so. I have now controlled the experiment for alcohol consumption and despite being 26-years-old I am back to being awkward.

Example from the Couch-Surfing Meet-up (at a bar):

Person: Want anything to drink?
Me: No, I stopped drinking. Well, a couple weeks ago, but if I were to drink now, that would not attest to my will-power.
Person: OK. Um...
Me: I have to pee.

I then made several wrong turns and eventually found the loo.

What I don't understand...why is Louisiana dark red?

But! By this map, if you gave McCain/Palin all of the Strong and Lean Red and the Toss-ups, that still wouldn't be more than the Strong Blue electoral votes! (225 < 234)

Also, by this map, if you give McCain/Palin the Strong Rep, Weak Rep, Barely Rep, Tie, and Barely Dem, you'd get 252, which is fewer than the Strong Dem's 264.

In both of these instances I did not include the weak or leaning Democrats, as that number would sway the vote in favor of McCain/Palin (304 > 234) (274 > 264)

Hi Readers!

I have recently quit my after school job for a nanny job in Evanston. The family is very nice, and the amount I'll be helping them is almost palpable. Also, I'll be making more money, which will help me pay for classes, rent, maybe even buy a microwave!

I'm thinking of having a celebratory nanny movie binge this weekend:
The Sound of Music
Mary Poppins
Adventures in Babysitting
The Nanny Diaries
The Princess Diaries (Julie Andrews is in it, but it is not about babysitting.)

Any others?

So far the only mix-tape song I can think of is "The Babysitter's Here." There are really not very many songs in my bank regarding babysitting!

P.S. They have a Ragdoll kitteh.

This morning I rode my bike for 8 (maybe more?) miles after 4.5 months without riding. I rode slower than usual, I stopped at nearly every stop sign, and took a route that somebody told me was safe. I got a little confused at the turning point and ended up where Ridge, Peterson, and Paulina converge, so I waited for the pedestrian lights for all three corners, and ended up taking Paulina to Devon--where I rode on the sidewalk.

It'll be a while until I feel as natural at this as I used to, but I also want to not take my life for granted this time!

Oh yeah, and bicyclists? Riding should not happen while you are fixing your sweater vest with both hands and not wearing a helmet.

And motorists--just because the bike lane disappears for a few meters does not give you the right to use it as A) a passing lane or B) a parking lane.

Before Ariel's wedding, I need to fly into Las Vegas, and I need to spend the night there!

So I joined Couch Surfing, and found a very nice woman to host me (for free!) and she found a very nice couple to pick me up from the airport because she didn't want me to bus it to her house after dark.

I've loved home-stays in the past--I'm sure I've stayed at more than a hundred different homes throughout my life, what with being in various traveling choirs--and I've always felt completely safe. I'm really looking forward to this completely undeserved hospitality, and hope I have the chance to give back so much in the future!

When you see this, post another Buffy quote in your LJ. Let's see how long this can go on.
Spike: You Englishmen are always so…Bloody hell! Sodding, blimey, shagging, knickers, bollocks, oh God! I’m British.