So Long, Dear Friends

We lost two very dear friends today. Two friends who have been with us since Day 1 of our marriage. Two friends who have faithfully followed us from Charlottesville to Fairfax, to another apartment in Fairfax, and finally, to Arlington. However, after six faithful and exciting years, our journey together has come to an end.

So long, awesome red couches, so long.

Hopefully, trips to our various apartments over the years have been known for good food, interesting conversations, and plenty of laughs. However, other than a yappy and semi-annoying dog, our apartments have been mostly known for our red couches. They were our anchor and our centerpiece. They were also our very first major purchase as a couple. Plus, many have slept on these couches over the years, including Amanda, as she sought refuge here during quite a few "grumpy" evenings.

Alas, as we'll be moving to our new home in less than a week, it was time to finally say "goodbye." We were originally going to sell them on Craigslist, but a wonderful newlywed couple in our church LifeGroup wanted these beauties, and so they are staying in the family.

Goodbye, red couches, thanks for the memories.

Someone Like You

Dearest Adele,

Thank you. We needed Someone Like You. Desperately. Although I very much love our world full of cheesy pop stars and hip-hop artists, it's hard to find much soul, rawness, depth, and emotion in the latest hit from Britney, Usher, or Gaga. In our Ke$ha-filled world of auto-tune, dance beats, and synthesizers, it is marvelously refreshing to hear you rock out with a piano, microphone, and one stunningly awesome and amazing voice. Here's to hoping you keep doing your thing for decades and that you're able to steer clear of Amy Winehouse. We need you. Desperately.

Thanks,

A.M.

PS-Sorry, Britney.

Daily Perfection

Although it's not New York City or Paris, DC has a ridiculous amount
of superb restaurants. Whether it's a soulful and grungy Ben's Chili
Bowl or an enthused and lively Lauriol Plaza, the dining options are
just about endless.

In fact, within a few blocks from my office, you can probably get your
eat on at 40-50 different establishments (having three food courts
nearby doesn't hurt). Although Chop't, Potbelly's, Cosi, random food
trucks, and free meals at the office have powered me through the last
eight months, with the rays of spring pleasantly warming the
afternoon air, I have a new go-to destination.

Or obsession.

FroYo.

I'm not sure how Michelle Obama, Dr. Atkins, or Shaun T. would feel
about this, but sorry, dudes and First Dudette, it's the truth. I've been
eating "ice cream" for lunch just about every day these past two
weeks. When faced with the choice of eating another sandwich or salad
for lunch OR a big ole' bowl of frozen yogurt covered with Oreos,
coconut, and white chocolate chips, the answer is obvious. Plus, a
trip to Fro(zen)Yo is $2-4 cheaper than hitting up a more traditional
lunchtime eatery. And if my (rough) calorie estimations are somewhat
accurate, it's "close" to a wash nutritionally. Close.

So, if there is ever an emergency and you need to reach me between
1:45-2:15pm on a weekday, I'll likely be at FroYo. 10th and G Street. But you better not interrupt my "lunch."
I take my frozen yogurt seriously. Very seriously.

A Date with Destiny

It is good to have goals in life.

Graduating from college. Getting married. Owning a house. Making babies. Becoming an expert in your field. Running a marathon. Losing weight. Traveling the world. Beating Halo in a single sitting. Going to the Super Bowl. Retiring at 65. Living a life of service. Not eating the entire package of Oreos. Earning enough money to be able to give it all away. Writing a book. Meeting Britney Spears.

What?

Yes, meeting Britney Spears.

This will come as no surprise to anyone who has known me since 1999, but I'm a bit of a Britney Spears fan. Although other starlets, such as Katy Perry and Justin Bieber, have tried to steal my awe and attention, none have been (completely) successful. And, on July 31st, that big ole' life goal, which reaches back nearly a decade before there were even Bucket Lists, I'm crossing that seemingly unobtainable goal off my to-do list.

Armed with a backstage pass, a scheduled meet-and-greet, and a front row ticket, I'll finally be meeting the Princess of Pop. Although I'm certainly not the obsessed fan that I was in high school (I could never fully recover from Britney's "What's up, West Virginia?!?!" comment in Virginia Beach in September 2000), my excitement level is immeasurable. Not only because I'll be meeting Britney Spears, but even though it is a terribly cheesy life goal, being able to reach such a far-fetched wish is pretty exciting. Heck, having the chance to rock out with a backstage tour, meet-and-greet, and front row experience with a semi-lame musician, such as Josh Groban, would still be super cool. But with Britney Spears? Let's just say that I only have 1117,890 minutes left until the big night.

Since twelve years of waiting demands a unique outfit and a memorable "pickup" line (I'm not just wearing jeans and a t-shirt and saying, "hi, i'm a big fan."), I've already got both all planned out. With this life goal soon to be crossed off my own Bucket List, I'm not quite sure what's left for me in this world. Except for Goal #2: getting on stage with Britney and dancing to "Slave 4 U."

Duh.

The. End.

Gentlemen, unless you're Matthew McConaughey, you have to wear a shirt just about every single day of your life. For most of us, at least five times a week, that means we're wearing a dress shirt. They can be uncomfortable, they can be boring, they can be billowly. But after thousands of years of efforts, they can also be perfected.

Proof.

Let me introduce you to Charles Tyrwhitt, which should be your new go-to hotspot for affordable dress shirts. In addition to a slightly burdensome name, Charles T. offers gorgeous, comfortable, and well-fitting dress shirts. Even better, you can get them for a really good price. Similar to Jos A. Bank, it seems like the entire "store" is always on sale and the prices are quite good. You can certainly find cheaper dress shirts at a few other stores. You can also find finer and fancier dress shirts elsewhere too. However, Charles T. unquestionably offers the best value and you will not be disappointed.

Prior to our trip to Budapest/Vienna, I received a random brochure from Charles Tyrwhitt. I instantly fell in love with a few of the shirts and became absolutely smitten when I saw some of the "first time customer" prices. All I needed to do was enter a simple code and these "$150" dress shirts could be mine for $30-40 a pop. Five pops later and I had just acquired a few new toys.

I was welcomed back home to a box with these five new shirts. I loved them so much that I was Charles Tyrwhitting every single day last work week. As I've said many times, if you want the best pants you've ever owned, go Bonobos. Nothing else comes close. If you're looking for some great dress shirts, look no further than Charles Tyrwhitt. I guarantee that you will find no better bang for your buck.

So Long, Friend

I know it's a little pathetic to be overly sad about the "end" of a fictional television show, but it's been a great run. Tonight, after seven years, Michael Scott walks away from The Office. Although the show will limp on for another year or two, this is certainly the true end of a show that has been so good, and so funny, for so long. It's provided hundreds of laughs over the years and has often been a hilariously priceless break from the "real world." In fact, one of the best days of my life was one special lazy Saturday when I watched 19 episodes of The Office in a single day.

So, Michael Scott, thanks for the memories. It's been a long and fun ride.

(That's what she said.)