This one's for you, Blue Eyed Bride...or how Fleetwood Mac saved my relationship and my life

(not only an accurate title...but also words that Stevie Nicks said in dedication of Landslide to her Daddy (replace Blue Eyed Bride with Daddy...you get it. It will make more sense in a few seconds. Just keep reading.)

So Blue Eyed Bride mentioned on her Twitter that she loves Fleetwood Mac's The Dance album, and I responded that I had quite the story involving that album's DVD, peach margaritas, candles, and my ex-boyfriend's mom who told me that since I was from California, I must be crazy.

Seriously.

To my face.

During our very first conversation.

Bless ex-boyfriend's heart for standing up for me and telling his mom the next morning that what she said was really offensive. She then spent rest of that day trying to make it up to me.

Let me set the scene.

Ex-boyfriend Colgs and I were in town (Chicago) for our friend's wedding. We had just started (secretly) dating, and we were going to be spending the weekend at his folks house. Colgs comes from a very close-knit family, and I knew that their approval would seal my fate, either way.

I thought I was charming and they would love me at once. However...

...during the introductions (the INTRODUCTIONS! I had literally JUST met this woman 2.5 seconds ago!) this is what ensued:

Mama Colgs: Bea, so you're from San Diego, right?

Bea: Actually, I'm from San Francisco - the other part of the state.

Mama Colgs: Oh. Well it's the same thing, everyone from California is crazy.

Bea: {awkwardly} ummmm...yea, we are, heh...it's what we're known for (?????)

Colgs: {quickly} Um, so Mom, can we help with dinner??

Yea...basically called me a crazy to my face. Awesome.

So the next day, Colgs had to go to work (we flew in on Thursday night) and left me alone in his house.

With his mother.

It was tense, to say the least. She knew I was pissed and offended, and didn't know what to say to apologize.

So we were talking about the wedding over a late breakfast and who knows how, but somehow Fleetwood Mac came up.

Well I guess she realized that I must not be crazy if I like Fleetwood Mac, so she decided that we needed to put on the DVD.

Now we can enter the margaritas.

When Colgs came home a few hours later (he left work early, worried about me and his mom alone...) Mama Colgs and I were several pitchers of William Sonoma peach margaritas deep, the DVD was STILL on (and had been repeated a few times), every single candle in the house was brought to the family room and lit, and Mama Colgs and I were dancing and singing* in the middle of the room to the blasting DVD (because we had spent much time enjoying our frosty margaritas on the patio, and we had to hear the music out there too, obvi!)

He took one look at us, dancing and swaying and singing, and walked back out and headed back to the office.

The world may never know if he left because he knew his mom and I were getting along famously and didn't need a babysitter...or because he was simply scared of what he saw in that family room that day.

The rest of the trip was fine, and Mama Colgs and I remained very close throughout our year-long relationship. In fact, Colgs and I are still very good friends, and as his parents are both in the pharmaceutical field, whenever I have questions about medications (I'm very allergic to a few common ones) I still call them for advice.

When we got back to DC, I wanted to send them a bottle of wine (I tried to find more W&S peach margarita mix...but they were sold out for the summer and I've never seen them again) to thank them for letting me stay in their home.

Attached to the wine was a note that read: A bottle of California wine from your favorite crazy Californian.

And there, Blue Eyed Bride and all my sweet friends, is my story of how Fleetwood Mac saved my relationship and my life.

Happy Friday!



*I believe the song on at the time was Tusk...in which case we were also playing air instruments alongside the USC Marching Band...

UNEDITED FLORIDA PIC

(my photo)

;)

What?? You didn't really think I'd show you his FACE on here, did ya?

Oh, you did?

Oh...

Well hmmmm...

Sorry! :)

Cheers,

(a very naughty)
Sweet Bea

PS: Dugout Daisy- this pic is for you :) Enjoy the tattoos!

Will You Marry Me?

Dear Florida,

Can we please get married this summer? I would like this to be present at my wedding:

J.Crew's 'Sophia' Dress in Silk Chiffon

in this color for the MOH (because she has the most AMAZING blue eyes):

and in this color for the rest of the girls (because green is my fave color, obvi!):

and perhaps someone in this color too (or maybe just for me to wear!):

Thank you very much, honey.

Love,

Sweet Bea

PS: There is still time to enter my GIVEAWAY! Click here for all the details! It's super easy and a PERFECT item for the summer!! :)

Circus Mexicus...or how I like to pretend I am still in college

So when I was in college, I was *slightly* obsessed with a local band, Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers.

photo courtesy of Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers

(My college friends who are reading this are probably laughing at the number of times I dragged them to concerts!)

Anywho, they are amazing and I don't care and I still go to see them every time they are in town (usually once a year.) their music is always positive, about living life to the fullest, never having regrets, and tequila. :)

They are a Southwestern rock back - so a little country, a lot of rock, and some Latin influences too on many tracks.

Think you've never heard them? Think again, if you watch King of the Hill - they wrote the theme song. Remember the song "Banditos" by The Refreshments? Yup...that was them too, before they became the Peacemakers. (Apparently Banditos is on Guitar Hero 2...which makes me NEED to go buy it. Like NOW.)

Well, each summer they do a weekend long performance in Puerto Penasco (Rocky Point) Mexico, and I've NEVER been.

So I'm trying to decide if I want to throw caution to the wind, put on my tank top, jeans, and flip flops, don a beat up cowboy hat and hop on a plane to Phoenix to head down to Mexico.

Just wanted to share my Sunday mornings thoughts with ya'll! :) I know how much ya'll love it!

Here are some vidoes for your viewing pleasure:


The official video for Banditos


And of course, one of their signature songs, Mexico (from Circus Mexicus 07)


Girly/Baba O'Riley


Green and Dumb


Mekong (from Circus Mexicus 08)


One of my absolute favorites, Switchblade (this song is nothing less than HAUNTING live)


And, since this is how they often close out the sets,I thought ending this post with Nada was appropriate. Hearing this song in an Arizona monsoon is an incredibly spiritual experience. (And yes, I know that sounds nuts but you'll just have to trust me on this.)


So, as Roger says...

Thank you for your time, and here's to life!

Sweet Bea

St. Patrick's Day!

Hello my little shamrock friends!

AP Photo/Ron Edmonds

Happy St. Patrick's Day to each and every one of you!

Of course, your dear Sweet Bea loves this "faux-liday" because (in case you couldn't tell) green is my favorite color.

I started my celebration with a second interview at a retail establishment here in DC, and I got the job! It will certainly be a change from political life, but I think it will be a battery-charging change for the time being.

The celebration then went on to a Mongolian BBQ joint for an early lunch (seriously, we opened the restaurant at 11:30 a.m.) with a friend, complete with ginormous beers. YUM. We took pictures of us with our beers and sent them to our friends. Ha ha.

For my job interview, I decided to keep is simple - old Gap white camp shirt, black J Crew cashmere tee, and my Ann Taylor kelly green patent belt, jeans (yes, it was a jeans appropriate interview), and my black boots.

But now I'm conflicted as to what to wear tonight!

Green polo with jeans?

Green long sleeve t-shirt?

Green cardigan?

Green argyle sweater?

Green J Crew Sophia dress? (HAHA that would be totally ridiculous, but hey, it is green!)

So confused... :(

But, this is a wonderful type on confused - it means I am fortunate to have a closet full of wonderful green things to choose from. Many people these days aren't so lucky.

I hope you all have a wonderfully fun and SAFE! St. Patrick's Say!

Cheers,

Sweet Bea

An Irish Blessing

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rains fall soft upon your fields,
And, until we meet again,
May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

-St. Patrick

My life list - just for funsies!

So I've been finally catching up on all your lovely blogs finally, now that my computer and I are friends again. I saw this on DC Prep's site, and thought it would be a fun thing to do - I love things like this! :)

Basically, you put an X next to the things you have done.

(X) Gone on a blind date (It was a really blind date...neither he nor I knew we were being set up. Turned into a year and a half relationship...)
(X) Skipped school (um...like all the time??)
( ) Watched someone die
( ) Washed, groomed and dressed someone after they died.
(X) Been to Canada (technically...I've been to the Calgary Airport...)
(X) Been to Mexico (TJ and Rocky Point (Puerto Pensaco)...classy, eh?)
( ) Been to Florida (not yet! We shall see...)
( ) Been to Hawaii
(X) Been on a plane (::shudders:: I hate flying!)
( ) Been on a helicopter (hell no!)
(X) Been lost (teehee! Many, many times. My favorite was the first weekend I lived in the DC area and my bestie and our roommate decided to go to Ethiopian food. We didn't know how to drive around the city, and bestie was driving, with me in the backseat looking at a map. All 3 of us are chain smoking out the window (note: I have not smoked in 2 years and 2 months!) and she turned on some random street and hollers to me "I'm turning, find me!" The night ended 3 hours later with us hitting up the Wendy's across the street from our apartment...we never made it to the restaurant - we couldn't find it!)
(X) Gone to Washington, DC (um...yes?)
(X) Swam in the ocean (Pacific, yes. Never actually seen the Atlantic...pathetic, I know!)
(X) Cried yourself to sleep (Many, many, many times. Too many to count.)
( ) Played cops and robbers
( ) Recently colored with crayons (no...but Roommate has. She looooooves her crafts...ugh!)
(X) Sang Karaoke (DUH!)
( ) Paid for a meal with coins only
( ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
(X) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't. (yea...they often have names...)
(X) Made prank phone calls (teehee, who hasn't! The best was in the days before cell phones when you had to make COLLECT prank calls from a PAY PHONE! Like at the local skating rink. AWESOME!)
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(X) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose (it burns...)
(X) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( ) Danced in the rain-naked
(X) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe (sigh...any year now!)
(X) Watched the sunrise with someone (umm, with Florida this weekend? Though, does watching imply you are actually watching...or that you are still awake when the sun rises? He does look lovely at magic hour though...yum yum)
(X) Blown bubbles
(X) Gone ice-skating (technically when I fell I slid on the ice...that counts, right?)
(X) Gone to the movies
( ) Been deep sea fishing (I really, really want to though!)
( ) Driven across the United States (ugh...Mama Bea won't let me. Seriously.)
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
( ) Been sky diving (hell no. Scared of heights AND falling)
( ) Been bungee jumping (see above)
( ) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets (that will be my plan this summer in the back of a certain boy's truck...)
(X) Seen a falling star and made a wish (never seem to come true...)
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
(X) Seen the Statue of Liberty

My photo, from my Memorial Weekend trip to visit Badger in NYC :(

( ) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle
( ) Been on a cruise
(X) Traveled by train (LOVE train travel!)
(X) Been horse back riding (almost got bucked off...I did not get back on the horse!)
(X) Ridden on a San Francisco CABLE CAR (yup!)
(X) Been to Disneyland OR Disney World (the ORIGINAL Disneyland!)
( ) Truly believe in the power of prayer
( ) Been in a rain forest
( ) Seen whales in the ocean
( ) Been to Niagara Falls
( ) Been to the Olympics (been to the Olympic Village in Munich and Squaw Valley...)
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
( ) Saw and heard a glacier calf (I don't even know what this means?!?)
( ) Been spinnaker flying
(X) Been water-skiing
( ) Been snow-skiing
( ) Been to Westminster Abbey
( ) Been to the Louvre
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean
(X) Been to a Major League Baseball game

I HATE the Yankees...I spent this whole game taking photos and playing with the settings on my new camera because I was soooooooo bored. Also from Memorial Weekend trip to see Badger.

(X) Been to a National Football League game (Cowboys, baby!!!)
(X) Been to Las Vegas (Cousin's 30th bday last December - AWESOME!)
( ) Been snorkeling in any ocean
( ) Been naked or topless on a beach
( ) Called 911 because McDonalds was out of McNuggets...

Wordle!

Have you Wordled yet?

I hadn't, but am finally catching up on my blogs that I have so mistreated since le flu took hold me late last week, and was reading Sweet Soft Southern Thrill (I just love that bloggy name!) and she posted today her Wordle, and asked her readers to post theirs as well.

Since there ain't a whole heck of a lot going on in my world lately, I am happy to oblige!

So I don't get sued: Photo courtesy of http://www.wordle.net/

Now, gangrene doesn't show up in my Wordle, luckily, (and you'll have to head over to Sweet Soft Southern Thrill to find out why I write that) but there are a few words that surprise me:

Like: Ugh...I'm embarrassed that shows up so large. Same with OMG. I must really be 15...sheesh! Oh yea - new bill came...2700 texts. WTF!

VOTE: Given that I am in politics (when of course I'm not unemployed and spending my days in bed with my laptop and a 2lb box of See's chocolates, like I am today...) this shouldn't surprise me...but I thought I refrained from political speech here!

Death: I know that this is just in reference to KttD (which, as you can see is apparently my favorite word EVER!) but it still is a bit morbid to have it that big!

Happy: it's teeny tiny and smushed into the bottom right corner! That makes me sad!! Laugh and Awesome are also small :(

Florida: Well, natch he's in there, and fairly prominent :) BUT - where is Badger?? Not even on here at all. That surprises me...and frankly, makes me kinda happy (which just got a teensy bit bigger I hope!)

So, sweet friends - PLEASE create and post your Wordle today...not only will it be fun for us to read - but it could also be eye-opening for you as well!

That being said, I'm off to shower and maybe get some *real* food in my tummy because my bestie and I head out to Leesburg for some retail therapy, outlet style. They have a J. Crew over there...and as Hopsy over at Monograms and Manicures let us know today, the J. Crew outlets are stocked to the gills with fabo finds! :) I'm hoping that since J. Crew proper updated it's website with some new AWESOME things like this:

I die! Image courtesy of J.Crew, obvi!

it means that they have sent a bunch of stuff to the outlets and it's just waiting for me to peruse through!

Have a LOVELY, wonderful, happy, cheerful, AWESOME Thursday, sweet friends!

Cheers! (Ok - how was this NOT my top Wordle word??)

Sweet Bea

PS - and shame on me for not writing this as the FIRST THING in this post: THANK YOU to everyone who emailed and commented wishing me a speedy recovery from le flu!!! It was so wonderful to read your kind words. I apologize for not responding to the posts, but my email and I seem to be in a bit of a disagreement about it's behaviour...and well frankly, it's being insufferably insubordinate and must be dealt with. XOXOXOXO to all! ~SB