|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Remember our road trip? Remember our caption contest from the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Of course you do. What you probably don't remember is the announcement of who won the contest.
Without 3 more monthsfurther adu, here are our fabulous winners!
Option 2:
He who smelt it, dealt it!!
The good folks at Kaspersky Lab will be sending the goodies to you faster than what it took us to announce your awesomeness!
We're going to spend some time rewinding the trip. What better place to start than In The Beginning.
In the beginning there was Sarah, and she was good, there was also Devra and she was ridiculous. See for yourself....
Here is a little known fact: I was born in Ohio. I moved to Florida when I was 11 and I lived there until we moved to the DC area about four years ago. I never lived in Cleveland, but as a child I was always under the impression that Cleveland wasn't really a place anyone would ever want to go unless they wanted to catch a Browns game.
I had no idea.
Cleveland is really cool. We had an amazing hotel.
Cleveland has a huge culinary community and we had two amazing meals.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is something that every music fan should get a chance to see once in their life.
Don't listen to the stories about The Cuyahoga River catching on fire. I mean, yes, it happened but that was 40 years ago. Cleveland is a beautiful city right on Lake Erie that is full of culture and wonderful people.
We even made some new friends.
Devra, Michelle, Sarah, Alexa, Amelia
I hope we get to come back soon.
Goon Squad Sarah's other work can be found on Sarah and the Goon Squad, Draft Day Suit, DC Metro Moms Blog, MamaPop, BlogHer, and Loser Moms.
P>That's as far as I got before we got a flat tire. Nothing like leaving our dream hotel, where we treated like royalty(and a prince was staying there, so we know they must do that a lot) to cruising down the road, hooked up to theMiFi all set to write about our adventure in Cleveland, and then hearing, Sarah say, "Dude. I think something's wrong with the car. I think we have a flat tire." Sure enough, that's what we got. Exit off the highway and straight into the closest filling staion. Which by the way, my use of the term "filling station, just resulted in a 3 mile discussion as to the use filling station versus gas station. To sum it up in fewer than 3 miles, we decided it's regional. Sarah uses gas station, I use filling station. Which is ironic since wee only live about 10 miles from each other. But back to our adventure...
Given our rental car status, it came with "Avis 24 Hour Road Side Assistance" and the quotation marks around those words is no accident my friends. I phoned "Avis 24 Hour Road Side Assistance" and explained our situation. "Yes, we are in a safe place," I answered when he asked with the same level of empathy and concern if one is asked, 'Would you like fries with that?" At the same time, two men approached and offered to change the tire. We waved them off as we knew "Avis 24 Hour Roadside Assisance" would be helping us any moment. The reality? We would be helping ourselves any moment because "Avis 24 Hour Roadside Assistance" told us, "We will have someone out there in about 30 minutes and they will put the spare tire on the car, then you will drive the car to the nearest Avis location and pick up a different car." So I ask, "Can you please tell me where is the nearest location?" Turns out it's a a whopping 6 miles from our present location. I make the suggestion that a car be brought to us and we switch them out and be on our way as it is only 6 milies way. The gentleman, and I am being kind here, tells me to hold and he will see if that is "even possible." He returns after I age about 3 years a few minutes to inform me, "We can't do it. We contract with an outside company. They will have to change your tire and then you will have to drive it to the Cleveland Airport." I thank him. Why? I dunno, he's done nothing for me at all. Because I know I can change a tire in under 20 minutes and we will be on our way. So I change the tire as Sarah gets on the phone to call Customer Sevice and explain what is going on and why this isn't making us feel all warm and fuzzy. At this point, we're not angry, just annoyed. We are 6 milies away! It's not rocket science and how did we ask to be caiught in an eddy of bureaucracy?
Andrea from Avis Customer service gives it a try, she connects Sarah with the folks at the Airport Avis and listens in as Sarah is told "We will have to have a tow truck tow the car back to the airport." And Sarah again suggested, very nicely, if we could just have someone bring us a car to swap out since it was only 6 milies away, Sarah was told, "No. You have to wait." Sarah asked to speak to Andrea again and the resonse Sarah received made her just say "Wow." into the phone because it was just that rude. Andrea sadly had been disconnected from the call. We can only imagine the "Avis 24 Hour Roadside Assistance" folks wanted to keep their rude behavior a secret from Avis Customer service. Maybe they have a reputation to protect. Sarah missed Andrea very much. She was nice, this was hell. And while Winston Churchill said "When you're going through hell, keep going," but he probably never had to deal with "Avis 24 Hour Roadside Assistance."
I was happy I had decided to wear something casual for our drive, because I don''tchangie tires when I am dressed up. In under 20 minutes tire was changed, donut in place and we were on our way to the airport to change out the car. We are now cruising down the turnpike in another car without sattelite radio and it smells like someoen must have shaken up a carbonated canistor of Febreeze and let it go.
It''s definitley someting we're both going to have to get used to. The other car smelled like weed.
If you've never been to Pittsburgh, then don't go. Not because it's a bad place, just the opposite, we want to keep it all to ourselves. We're not going to share Pittsburgh with you. If you even think about going there, even if you need to change planes in the airport, you're going to find yourself in big trouble, mister (or ma'am). Realistically speaking, we cannot hoard an entire city. Particularly if it doesn't belong to us. But that doesn't stop us from wanting to own it. First of all, a big shout out to our host ClumberKim who not only arranged our meet-up, she found fablous sponsors (Hello iTwixie! andIsidore Foods!),an incredible space (Hello AlphaLab!) and she fed us. I am running out of adjectives to describe the dinner and desserts made by Clumberkim, KDiddy and Rebecca.
After last night, I can now say I know, not one, but two guys named "Spike." And neither one of them happen to be a football player, a biker or in a punk band. And considering the plethora of "Paul's" who attended my highschool, it was down right refreshing to meet a Paul living outside of Hamden, Connecticut and he wasn't even from Hamden, Connecticut. Together Paul and Spike gave Sarah and me the capability of Live Streaming! So look for some action from us later. Not that kind of action, we signed a strict "No Porn on Vivo" agreement, but we may sneak in some Shoe Porn. Sarah has some nice wedges. Wedges, not wedgies. Crack kills and we''re fairly certain we can't post that on Vivo anyway. Nick Pinkston showed us what can only be called the Rubiks cube of business cards. It folds in many different ways and we easily could have spent hours folding it, but it didn't belong to us and we had to give it back to him. KDiddy, I had hoped for a farting contest, but I didn't get enough roasted garlic to make myself a viable contender. Besides, I think the folks from Abby? Left To Right? Are you reading? I hope so because I don't have your URL and want to give you a shout out too!
Looks like we may have a trip back to Pittsburgh in our future for Pod Camp, so please have the salad fixings, broccoli slaw, and homemade Ho-Hos ready!
Thank you again to our wonderful host and sponsors for Phabulous meet up in Pittsburgh!
...and now a word from one of our sponsors. Sort of. Really this is more of an insight into Sarah's mind. You see Nikon let us borrow these Nikon D90s. Since I recently purchased my own Nikon D60 I was interested to see what made this camera 30 better than mine.
I found out.
Now I am all about sponsorship, but I am not a big fan of talking a lot about products that I am not a big fan of. That is not a problem in this case.
Meet Precious:
I named her within 45 minutes of meeting her. The first picture I took out of my car window (Devra was driving) came out crisp and clear even though we were on the beltway going about 70 miles per hour.
I mean 60. Devra would never knowingly disobey the posted speed limit.
Anyway, I love camera and I may have become a little bit obsessed.
The D90 is a beast, and I mean that in the best possible way. It is amazing. My pictures are insanely good, and I've taken most of them on the auto setting. I haven't even learned all of its tricks yet. It even takes video!
Luckily, I have the whole summer to figure it out.
Then I promised Nikon that In would return it.
Sure, they can have Precious back.
When they pry her from my cold dead hands.
Of course Sarah is going to give the camera back if they make her. She exaggerates on Sarah and the Goon Squad, Draft Day Suit, DC Metro Moms Blog, MamaPop, BlogHer, and Loser Moms too.
I haven't been back to Cleveland since 1989. Take that back. I've only been to Cleveland once in my entire life. Now it's twice. Frankly, I wish my body from 1989 was still here, but that's really not the purpose of this post.
If you are a blogger in the Cleveland area, we're having a meet up at The Green House Tavern at 6:00 this evening, That would be July 20, 2009. AKA TONIGHT!
We look forward to seeing you there!
PS I snapped this picture of the Cleveland sign in the car, through a windshield at 80 exactly 55 MPH!
Now that Catherine and Katie are safely home with their families Devra Renner and I are getting ready to head back out on the road.
That is right. We are driving to BlogHer again.
(By the way - feel free to call me or leave a comment below if you want to give us a car to drive.)
Ahem.
So, yes. We are thrilled to be going back on the road. (What? Why are you looking at me like that. Last year was fun, and Chicago is a lot closer than San Francisco.)
This year will include blogger meet ups in Pittsburgh and Cleveland (details forthcoming) and trips to the Pro Football and Rock N Roll Halls of Fame.
Hall of fames? Halls of fame has to be right, like attorneys general, right?
Anyway, lock up your daughters or what have you, but we leave Sunday morning. If all goes well we will be having giveaways and contests and probably a good deal of silliness.
CHICAGO OR BUST!
Love,
Sarah
GoonSquadSarah also blogs and Sarah and the Goon Squad, Draft Day Suit, DC Metro Moms Blog, MamaPop, BlogHer, Loser Moms... look, she blogs everywhere, okay?
PRE ROAD TRIP
Oh Geez. The CBS crew just left here. If you get the Washington DC CBS affiliate you should be able to check us out on the 5 o'clock news.
They were only here for about 20 minutes total and the lovely Peggy Fox spent half of that time trying to distract my children so that the cameraman could get shots of us in the Tahoe.
I hope we don't sound as burnt as we feel. Between packing and organizing and doing interviews I'm still dealing with the day to day duties of being a stay at home mom. I guess what I am trying to say is that I don't feel like I did a good enough job explaining how important BlogHer is (the conference OR the website) and I really hope that we remembered to talk about this site.
Okay, what I am really here to say is that Devra and I have made a plan. I am going to pick her up at 4:00 am.
That's right. You heard me 4:00 am.
This means that I have to leave my house at about 3:40 am. This means I have to drag my sorry ass out of bed close to 3:15.
PRE ROAD TRIP
Early this morning a very nice man (in a 70 foot truck) brought me a very nice car,
My kids had never seen a car that was so clean on the inside before.
And yes, Ian calls Optimus Prime "Awesomest" Prime.
Sarah also exploits her children on her personal blog Sarah and the Goon Squad, DC Metro Moms Blog and Loser Moms.
Video and pictures taken with Sony DCR-SR45 Hard Drive Handycam® Camcorder. To learn more, please visit www.sonystyle.com.
PRE ROAD TRIP
In preparation for our upcoming road trip (We leave for from Northern Virginia on Saturday, July 12th!)......
I thought I left my new video camera at the mall. I felt like a complete idiot.
It turns out that this new Handycam is so freaking small that it was actually just in the bottom of my purse.
Fine. It is a backpack that I am using as a purse so maybe it is my fault.
Whatever. Let's talk about something else.
****Note**** This was going to be three videos but I am far more skilled than I thought I was and I accidentally made a montage.
1) Devra made me go all the way to Maryland to go shopping. (I wouldn't watch this one if you get carsick easily.)
2) This is us shopping. This isn't even the most embarrassing video. You'll have to wait for Devra's next post for that train wreck).
3) It is just me or does she look like Obi Wan Kenobi here. What are those guys in the robes called anyway? Are those the Sand People or the Jawas?
Sarah also humiliates herself on her personal blog Sarah and the Goon Squad, DC Metro Moms Blog and Loser Moms.
Video and pictures taken with Sony DCR-SR45 Hard Drive Handycam® Camcorder. To learn more, please visit www.sonystyle.com.
Hmph.
So I was trying to post a video with my brand new Sony HandyCam but sadly I am not bright enough to figure how to do that without assistance.
The good news?
I figured out how to take stills. For example:
I got this really great picture of my daughter.
I was totally psyched! I thought I would never figure out how to take a still photograph with a video camera. I was wrong. It was really easy.
I decided to get creative and see if I could get a nice picture of us together.
Not so much.
But I did get this really crazy picture of my finger.
Don't even worry about if I took this on purpose or if it was an accident. Why do you ask?
Whatever. Hopefully I will have some clever video for you here tomorrow. For now I just have a lot of footage of my jeans.
Shut up! Like you know how to work a video camera.
Sarah also attacks her readers and tells them to shut up on her personal blog Sarah and the Goon Squad.
"Video and pictures taken with Sony DCR-SR45 Hard Drive Handycam® Camcorder. To learn more, please visit www.sonystyle.com".
Hello everybody! It is I, Goon Squad Sarah and I am currently reporting from Rehoboth Beach, Delaware where my family is on a short vacation.
Why am I telling you this? Well, there are two reasons: 1) This means I won't be posting any video. My new Sony HandyCam is waiting patiently for me at home (from what my roommate/cat sitter tells me) and 2) Rehoboth has great outlets.
I am psyched about the outlets becuase I have been desperately searching for a sun dress for BlogHer.
Sun dress? Sundress? Whatever.
Either way, one word or two, I found two of them this morning and so I can at least cross that off of my list of things I need to do before we head off on this road trip.
Now all I need to do is find some shorts, get a haircut, get a pedicure, figure out how I am going to bring everything I need without overloading the Tahoe and lose 10 pounds.
Any advice (reasonable or otherwise) is greatly appreciated.
Sarah also complains about wanting to lose 10 pounds on her other sites, Sarah and the Goon Squad, Loser Moms, DC Metro Moms Blog, Draft Day Suit, MamaPop, and BlogHer.
Option 1: {sarah thinks} He's cute and all, but he's so quite. Maybe he's just not that into me. *sigh*