Viva La V-Day!

I've spent the past six months excited about my trip to Las Vegas and now here I am, a mere three days away from this trip and I find myself in an emotional slump. I've spent at least 180 days saving up on cash, stocking up on cute outfits and planning the most wild getaway of my life so how come I'm suddenly not excited anymore?

Maybe I've spent too much time thinking about all the fun to be had that I'm tired of thinking about it. Maybe my new responsibilities at work have stressed me to the point of being a walking zombie that I can't focus on the drunken joy that's about to ensue. Maybe it's the calm before the storm and I'm subconsciously conserving energy and emotions until V-Day is officially here and I can officially "let loose". Whatever it is, I hope my slump goes away soon because nobody likes a party pooper...especially in Las Vegas!

Bicycle, Bicycle, I WANT TO RIDE MY BICYCLE!

Christmas came early (but techincally late) for me today. Several weeks ago I ordered a stationary bicycle from Walmart as an attempt to combine my two great loves of Watching reality TV and Excercising. Plus I could avoid the $19 shipping fee.

One lesson I have learned already from this great experiment of mine is to NEVER select Walmart's Free Site-To-Store shipping method ever again. Delay me once, shame on you; Delay me twice, fuck you! This is my new shipping and handeling motto. The first time I selected the free shipping option was back in January when I upgraded from a cubicle to a real live office. Walmart had just what I thought I needed so I ordered....only to have the shipping of a $20 table delayed by 3-weeks. Ugh. I ended up finding something better (and 100% free) to use in my office so I returned the order once it arrived and was reimbursed $20 a few days later. In the end it was a blessing, a huge inconvenience, but a blessing none the less to save a few bucks. 

Being a believer in second chances I decided to test their free shipping method once more, this time on a stationary bicycle. I wanted to get in quick shape for my Vegas trip and I could think of no better at-home cardio workout than bicycling. I ordered the bike in the first week of March expecting to recieve it in time for at least 2-weeks of sweat before I strut my stuff on the Strip. Wow, was I wrong.

The first delay was the fact it took Walmart.com over one week to even process my order. That's one week of workouts missed. *Sigh* When it finally shipped the only tracking information I ever recieved throughout the whole process was that my bike was on a truck somewhere between Hurricane, UT and where I live. Upon a Google Maps search I found the drive from UT to my neighborhood Walmart was around 15-hours with not many possible stops in between. My delievery truck must have gotten seriously lost because it took that truck six days to arrive. Finally the bike arrives but I've only got 9 days (minus a weekend out-of-town) to get my buns (and thighs!) in shape. Time to put the pedal to the metal!...er...carpet.

Ready to Defect

I'm super pissed at America right now. More specifically, I'm pissed at the Congressional Representatives who are seriously screwing up in the world of budgeting. I won't claim to be the most-educated person on any of the issues but I'm looking forward and these cuts have some serious negative implications for our future. Who are these people approving of these budget cuts? I did not vote for these people and if I did, I am seriously regretting that vote.

Proposed cuts to Planned Parenthood funding.

I've never personally used planned parenthood's services but I have several friends who have. Whether for a pelvic screening, family planning, or birth control it is a fantastic resource for women who either have no insurance, have no alternative or are trying to be responsible about their sex life even when mom and dad disapprove. Cuts to this institution will no doubt have a negative impact on the health and financial strain on America.

A. I guarantee unplanned pregnancies will skyrocket which in turn will cause strain on the welfare system from these mothers who now need financial help for themselves and their child (maybe even multiple children) for 18+ years. Kids aren't cheap, I am fairly certain it is a lot cheaper to prescribe some birth control pills (to prevent a pregnancy in the first place) than to expect taxpayers to foot the bill for the hospital bills plus 18+ years of welfare checks.

B. STD's will spread like wildfire. With no affordable/free alternative for women I'm guessing many will skip their annual pelvic exam...not like it's a treat to visit the lady doctor anyway (even with health insurance). With women skipping their annual exams and continuing to have sex at the rapid and random pace modern-America's do, STD's will spread like crazy and there's no stopping it. I'll admit, I found out I had an STD (curable with antibiotics thank god) that I never would have known about had I NOT gone to the lady doctor and been tested. There were no symptoms, I NEVER would have know, and now thousands (maybe hundreds of thousands) of women will be walking around with an STD that can and will cause serious health problems down the road if left untreated...not to mention spread to others.


Proposal to end funding for National Public Broadcasting.

This cut not only impacts National Public Radio (NPR) but it impacts Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) like Sesame Street, Frontline, NOVA, Clifford and also my job. Needless to say I'm a little bias and I've been social networking like crazy to get people to contact their congressional reps to fight for PBS. We need public broadcasting. In fact, PBS and NPR combined cost the government $1 per person in America each year. I think that's quite a deal considering all the entertainment and education you get out of public broadcasting. Plus, public broadcasting is FREE to anyone with a radio, car radio, or television with an antennae. You don't have to pay for public broadcasting like you have to pay for satellite or cable...it's FREE thanks in part to government funding and viewer support...but that's about to go away. About 75% of most PBS budgets comes from government funding, and with that money gone, you can bet there will be thousands of people out of work and hundreds of thousands out of luck if they were hoping to watch some educational TV....unless you consider Spongebob Squarepants to be educational television. I have no children but I greatly fear for the idiot children America is asking for by providing no truly safe and educational alternative.

I recently sent a premade email to my members of congress thanks to the 170 Million Americans For Public Broadcasting campaign for which I received this reply from Washington's 5th District Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, "Since its inception, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has received more than $9 billion dollars from taxpayers. In FY2011 alone, more than $430 million in tax dollars will be directed for public broadcasting. It is alsoimportant to remember that the Corporation of Public Broadcasting was established to bring information and content to Americans at a time when broadcasting was in its infancy. Now with internet, television, cable and satellite being more cost effective and easily accessible, families have many options to receive the information and content they want and need. To that end, I supported efforts to limit funds available in all facets of government spending including federal funding to the Corporation of Public Broadcasting." 


At first I understood her reasoning. Yes $9 billion dollars is a lot of money from taxpayers. But now I'm rethinking her statement and have a few rebuttals for her ridiculous reasoning. 


A. Funding has been happening since at least the 1970's so $9 billion divided by 40+ years and millions of taxpayers really isn't that much. 
B. Public Broadcasting's mission is to provide neutral information to educate and entertain viewers. You can't tell me there's any other un-bias station broadcasting in America, and even if PBS isn't completely neutral 100% of the time, it certainly strives to be, and thats more than I can say for (cough cough) Fox News or John Stewart. 
C. While the argument that public broadcasting was funded to help during the infancy of television is valid, her alternatives for this service include the internet, cable and satellite. ALL of which you have to pay for. As stated above, public broadcasting is free...until this cut  eliminates it all together. 


At this point I have limited options to combat this ridiculousness happening in America.


1. Make myself a fabulous cape and save America one referendum at a time.
2. Defect to Canada, marry a foreigner to gain dual-citizenship, or establish my own colony on an island in the tropics
3. Go into Politics


I'm leaning toward Number 3....but only after I finish my cape. 

Vegas Pizazz

Here's a few outfits I'm working on accessorizing for my upcoming Vegas trip! 

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This is outfit number one. The Motel Rocks brand dress makes my boobs look good and my legs look even better! I ordered this hot little diddy from Karma Loop several months ago and I think I paid around $60 for it. I've also seen this dress on ASOS but was able to get 25% off with a Karma Loop discount code.

 I'm pairing the dress with a pair of $80 hot pink peep-toe satin heels from B.P. at Nordstrom. 

I'm also adding $4 earrings from Forever21 which match way too perfectly to not be fate. 

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Outfit number two was purchased last August and has yet to debut in Vegas. It's another purchase from Karma Loop and the Mink Pink brand dress rings in for about $70 if I recall correctly. I'm pairing the dress with $70 Steve Madden Royal Blue Pumps purchased from Nordstrom. These 2-inch pumps are extra comfortable, great for those of us who are already tall, and the color makes any outfit pop. 

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Outfit number three is mostly a backup outfit should I decide I don't like outfit number one or number two. It's a Free People brand bandage dress, again from Nordstrom, but I got a great deal for it, paying $40 for a dress originally costing over $80. Score!! I need some accessories to jazz this up a bit more but not sure what to add. I'll likely add some gold bangles and maybe a necklace...though I'm not sure what kind of necklace would go best with this style and fit.

I am however pairing the dress with these FABULOUS $20 shoes from Rue21. I need to wear them a bit more around the house to loosen them up but I'm hoping by the time I'm in Vegas, they'll fit perfect!

Confessions Of A Las Vegas Addict

I'm a HUGE fan of Las Vegas. It's a quick 3-hour flight from just about anywhere and you only need to be there for a weekend to understand and/or to experience its full potential. I've frequented Vegas about five times since turning 21 and along the way I've learned of a few must-do savings options. I've also found quite a few outfits with just the right amount of pizazz for the amount of money I'm willing to spend on a sexy-but-not-slutty dress, I'll share those secrets later. Tonight I'm going to open up my "Vegas Vault" and share the savings I've found along the way.

Travel Tips 

1. Check Allegiant Air several months before you plan to hit the Strip. I got my tickets for $59.99 each way and even though Allegiant adds on a ton of bullshit taxes and fees, you still get a cheap ticket. Southwest Airlines is good too but they've gotten pricey since the economy started coming back.

2. Use an Airport Shuttle Service. Grayline's Airport Shuttle provides round-trip service to hotels on the Vegas Strip for only $12. You can use that extra $20 a taxi would have charged you towards something much better, like a drink!

3. Unless you're a Sleeping Beauty or a Prostitute, your hotel room accommodations shouldn't really matter much. If you party half as hard as my crew does, you won't be in your room for more than a cat-nap between dusk and dawn. I've never really cared if I'm staying at a 3-star or 5-star hotel as long as there is a clean bed and bathroom involved, and that perspective has helped my save HUNDREDS in hotel room costs. My top pick as of yet is the Hooters Hotel. Technically it's "off the strip" but its right across the street from the MGM Grand, right by the monorail, AND was $19/night when we stayed there a few summers ago. It was a nice hotel, good pool, good crowd, and of course, yummy wings! This upcoming trip we're staying at Casino Royale. It's smack-dab in the middle of the strip and we got an AMAZING deal of $79.99/night with my AAA card discount. The reviews look good and their $1 beers, $3 Margaritas, and $3 gambling tables make this deal even sweeter!



Nightlife Tips

4. If you plan to enjoy the nightlife, check out FreeVegasClubPasses.com for some good offers. The site offers "free entry/reduced entry" to every club for $1 per pass. I usually get my club passes 3-4 days after ordering them and they've always come in handy, especially for the guys trying to get in.

5. Dress to I-M-P-R-E-S-S. If you thought sports were competitive, you haven't seen Vegas. It's vicious waiting in those lines hoping a bouncer will see you looking HOT and let you in. Everyone is trying to one-up the next person to get into that dance heaven called The Club and don't be shocked if you see someone pull out a $20 or $50 to get in. Despite the free entry or reduced entry, Bouncers expect a little somethin'-somethin' to let you in and they are total douche bags about it, even to the ladies. Now, most of the time I haven't had trouble getting into the clubs, I just put my long legs out there and *boom* we're in! The only downer is I tend to roll with a lot of dudes, which is a no-no in Vegas Land. Prepare to wait, and have that $20 handy for the Bouncer should you need it.

6. Pack Flats. You will be walking, standing, dancing A LOT. No matter how comfy cozy your heels are, your feet will scream bloody-murder eventually. Pack some flats, and maybe a little bag you can keep your retired heels in so your hands aren't full for the rest of the night.

7. Pre-Funk. No matter who you are, drinks at nightclubs are expensive. If there's one thing I can't emphasize enough it's the beauty of a Pre-Funk. Alcohol can be purchased and consumed cheaply in your hotel or from one of the many mini-marts/CVS/Walgreens stores scattered along the strip and it will totally be worth it when you see the cost of a drink at the club.  Boyfriend and I got two drinks at The Bank inside Bellagio and it was $36. Ouch. Lesson learned: Pre-Funk is KEY!

I'll share more tips as they arise but for now I'll be practicing walking in my new Vegas heels!

Cover Letter Conudrum

Once upon a Blog rant I mentioned I plan to move to Austin, Texas. (Yee Haw!) Part of the reason to move is the fact there is nothing for me in the town I currently reside. No friends, dislike my job, and though the rent price is right, the weather is all wrong. My body was not made for temperatures below 75-degrees and I'm hoping Austin, despite a few cold days here and there, will satisfy my climate needs. This 2-feet of snow in March is just not cutting it...

So far the only hard decision about moving is the fact I will be giving up a great job. Throw out all the bullshit, the fact I'm not doing what I want to be doing, and the people who treat me like I'm incompetent, its not the worst job in the world and lets not forget I'm fortunate to even have a job.

I thought perhaps having a new job ready and waiting for me in Austin would make the thought of moving easier...but in this economy that's not the case. I've applied for at least five jobs and haven't heard back from a one. In my current work world filled with health insurance, sick days and paid vacations, am I really ready to pack up and move with no plan?

Even before I became an official college graduate I was applying for jobs all over the country. In fact, I think it's good to keep in the swing of job applications as you never know what might come along. I mostly apply for the practice but also with secret hope (and fear) I might actually get the job. So far this plan and positive thinking hasn't paid off. I've had only one job offer and I'm starting to get really tired of writing cover letters.

When it comes to writing my CL I never know what to say or how to say it without sounding full of myself or completely uneducated about the position. I've learned from reading student employee applications that some cover letters come off sounding very snooty while others don't impress me at all. I worry that my words come off all wrong when I spend hours (literally, this last CL took me 2-hours) to perfect them.

Perhaps some of my frustration today is the fact that all the past applications were just for fun, no pressure if I didn't get the job. These new applications however are jobs that A. I seriously want and B. I seriously need if I really plan to move to Austin.

If there is a Cover Letter Writing For Dummies book, I need it ASAP!

Diet Riot

“Love is a game in which one always cheats.” Honore de Balzac

GUILTY. Ok, so I bet you're expecting some horrid story of infidelity which I will tell you right now won't be happening. Though I did cheat, it's not what you think. And though I know you're thinking, "Yah, that's what they all say...", this truly is a case of "it's not what you think."

In lieu of our fast-approaching vacation to Las Vegas, boyfriend and I are attempting to get our buns in shape! (Literally!) One such tactic was to spend an entire week, this week, eating ONLY fruits and veggies. I type this as I've just finished eating a peanut-butter-rice-crispy-treat-snack. Crap.

I think I've done really well for the majority of this diet but I'll admit, I'm a cheater. Though I've stuck to fruits and veggies for most of each day; come dinner time or that 2pm sugar depletion, I'm in need of some real food and apple slices just aren't cutting it. So I cheat. And I've been doing it all week.

I do feel bad, not because I'm eating (we need food!), but because I'm cheating on a pact boyfriend and I made together. Boyfriend is doing AWESOME on this plan and I'm not 100% into it. Though I had good intentions, I can't stick to this plan, I need food and I shouldn't have to feel bad about that, should I?

Boyfriend is bummed I'm letting hunger get the best of me but to prove that I'm dedicated to being a hot lady in Vegas, I'm going to purchase a stationary bike so I can work out at home while simultaneously watching my favorite reality shows. Multitasking as it was meant to be! I'm going to purchase the bike right after my lunch break which will consist of a banana, an apple, sweet peas...and a mini snickers bar.