Foggy

We had a very dense fog descend on our area the other day. It was quite eerie.

On a good day, you can see the valley (trust me on this one guys) and miles and miles down the road.

Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting

I'm SO ANGRY right now.

I can't breathe.

My heart is hurting.

I cannot hold back the tears.

I swear I hate some people sometimes.

I keep thinking about my cousin and his little adorable buddies.

Having to save each other from a gun wielding mad person who is on a mission to kill anyone who got in his way.

No compassion whatsoever.

How can anyone be so evil and cruel?

Children at school, as young as FIVE years old.

Elementary school, kindergartners, KINDERGARTNERS!!!!

The babies, they were just babies!

Oh God I'm so mad.

My heart is aching and I cannot breathe.

TWENTY.CHILDREN.ARE.DEAD.

Tears.





 Gun control.

I got time on my hands

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today, so I made a list of things that don't tickle my fancy....

Straight to the list

1. Tags: clothes tags are a given. No one likes them. They are a nuisance and a waste of resources in my opinion. However, if there is one thing I despise more than clothes tags, it has got to be bedding tags. I HATE THEM! Nothing makes my skin crawl worse than the sensation of comforter or pillow tags rubbing against my skin. While I make sure to cut the tags off my bedding, I cannot do the same with other people's stuff.

2. Orange and/or citrus scented/flavored anything: I love a nice chilled glass of orange juice. My go to breakfast of choice is a toasted bagel with cream cheese and a side of orange juice. I also enjoy the occasional orange/mandarin/tangerine fruit and that is as far as my love for orange goes. Orange candy, orange soda, orange/citrus fragrances I cannot tolerate and they go straight to the trash. The smell of the fake stuff makes my stomach churn.

3. Cops

4. Flu shots: fact: the flu shot will not give you 100% protection against the flu. Fact: flu shots are mandatory for healthcare workers...unless you have a doctor's note. Fact: I've gotten the flu shot for the past 5 years. Fact: I've gotten the flu the last 3 out of the last 5 years. Fact: I currently have the flu. Fact: to hell with the flu shot. 

5. Uneven roads/potholes/craters in roads/steel plates: DC is notorious for uneven roads and crater sized holes in their roads. Some roads are so uneven, it feels like the car is going to lose a wheel, if not the entire vehicle falling apart while driving on it. NoVa on the other hand has a problem with manhole holes. There is one particular section of Rte 1 that feels like an obstacle course from having to constantly navigate around what seems like hundreds of  random sunken manholes which might as well be potholes. 

6. Hot drinks: they are great in theory. Nothing better than a hot cup of coffee, chocolate or tea on a cold day. But as soon as I finish a cup of whatever, I immediately feel really hot, like burning sweaty hot, and then my stomach starts to feel funky and I must chase it with an ice cold drink of water which gets me back to feeling as cold as I was before I had the drink. Lose-lose situation for me. Maybe I'm just weird. 

Something else happened

Oh me oh my! I just realized I never followed up on my last post.

My ticket got dismissed y'all, YES!

After parking in what I later found out to be a spot reserved for motorcycles only, and being skipped in line because of a broken  number machine (you know, the pick a number and wait to get called system), either that or workers not doing their work like they were supposed to which ended in me staying for close to 2 hours instead of 45 minutes, which meant I had to keep feeding the meter for longer than expected, I was finally called to go in front of the adjudicator along with two other gentlemen.

I the first person to be called and I was asked to sit at the end of a table and look directly into a tv monitor with an attached camera...definitely not what I was expecting. I was in the hot seat. Well the adjudicator proceeded swear me in, read me my rights and violations and ask me for what I was pleading (not sure of the technical term here) and then he proceeded to pull A VIDEO FILE of the events from that faithful day. I must admit, my heart skipped approximately 10 beats when he mentioned the video. All I kept thinking at the time was OH CRAP. Then came the moment of truth when he asked me to provide an explanation as to why I shouldn't have to pay. So I told him exactly why I shouldn't have to pay. I said: BECAUSE I GOT CAUGHT IN THE RED LIGHT. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE VIDEO, THE LIGHT TURNS YELLOW RIGHT AS I APPROACH THE CROSSWALK BUT I DID STOP!!! I DID NOT RUN THE RED LIGHT. I was also thinking about saying GEEZ, CUT ME SOME SLACK. WE ALL KNOW DC TRAFFIC/PARKING TICKETS ARE DESIGNED TO RIP OFF PEOPLE ANYWAY WITH YOUR PHONY WORKERS AND TRICKS, HENCE THE REASON WHY YOU BROKE A RECORD IN THE NATION BY MAKING $120 MILLION IN PARKING TICKETS ALONE LAST YEAR. YEAH I KNOW THIS HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH MY MOVING VIOLATION BUT I JUST NEEDED TO REITERATE. Well, I didn't say it in those exact words but it was close enough. I was then asked about my driving history, whether I had any other tickets from the past two years. Answer: NO. So, he agreed that though I was in the crosswalk, I did stop and since I had no previous tickets I wouldn't have to pay up.

He then wrote me the dismissal letter, handed me a copy and I was out of that building so fast. It was such a relief to know I didn't have to pay that ticket. 

It happened....again

Sigh... It seems I just can't do great things while behind the wheel anymore. Why won't the universe just let me be great? Why I ask?

Got a ticket in the mail.... $150

What the stupid camera didn't capture was me stopping to let some pedestrians cross (that lady and guy behind the van in picture 2. I remember clearly because I was checking out their store bags, you can see them if you maximize the image)...and also the fact that I was making a right turn on my way home from church!!!!!!!!

I will be in court (or wherever it is that people go) to contest and adjudicate this ticket. 

I just need find my power suit so I will look right for my day in court!

It happened

I got in my first fender bender and I was at fault.

Good news is: I was surprisingly calm soon after it happened.

Better news is: the damage to both cars was very minimal; my license plate and the holder is a bit banged up...nothing too noticeable. The man's car had a punch hole in his rear bumper from one of the screws that hold my plate in place. My plates also left color indents on his bumper but that will come right off after a couple of washes.

Best news is: the man decided to let me go. God bless him for the kindness he showed me. I'm very very grateful for that.

Thank God for little big mercies.

It could have been much worse.....pic borrowed from sfcitizen.com

I want to Eat Mor Chikin

All this talk of Chick fil A these past couple of days is making me crave their diabetes in a cup lemonade, artery clogging nuggets and yummy waffle fries :-)

Un/fortunately, there isn't one remotely close to me.


Go fried chicken!!!!

Drinks for the Summer Heat

During these dog days of summer with particularly oppressive and borderline unreal heat outside, nothing beats the temperature better than an ice cold drink. Some of my favorite summer drinks are Starbucks Iced Apple Chai, a good old Sweet Tea from Micky D's, yum yum...not to be confused with Iced Tea, or worse, Lemon Iced Tea, yuck!!! A cola Slushee or Icee isn't bad, neither are fraps or iced coffee, although I'm not a huge fan of the latter. But for those days when I crave imitation Mexican food, nothing compliments my steak quesadilla and mystery meat taco while cooling me down better than a delicious meat flavored mango and strawberry Fruitista Freeze from Taco Bell. No the drinks aren't flavored with meat, but I find that my drink is always somehow mysteriously infused with a hint of meat!

2012 Olympics

I was glued to my tv on Friday evening like the millions of other viewers across America to watch the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympics and the show was rather anticlimactic for me. I couldn't finish the whole show because I had an emergency and had to leave halfway through the show and I wasn't even bothered by it. Anyway....

Go team USA and team Ghana!

These are the athletes I'm rooting for this year:
1. Team Gabby Douglas: besides the fact that she bears an uncanny resemblance to one of my friends, who can resist her charm?? She's SO cute and I hope she wins gold in all her competitions.
2. Team USA Women's Gymnastics: I get the fact that everything needs to be technical and what not but let's face it, these are a bunch of high school sophomores and are nowhere close to women. They are such an adorable bunch and I want to adopt them all. I just saw the breaking news that they won team gold, yay. I had no doubt in my mind that they were going to crush the competition, which they did with ease. Congrats Fab Five!
3. Team Ryan Lochte: this is an old classmate of mine from high school. He won many swim meets for our school back in the day and it's great to see him do so well on the world stage. Go Ryan!
4. Team Missy Franklin: another cute teen sensation. She's so poise and she's determined to showcase her talents to the world by winning gold in the women's 200 free (um...free what? Lol. I guess freestyle).
5. Team Duke Micah: Ghana's representative in fly weight boxing who won his first match! Woo hoo. I hope he wins all subsequent matches and brings home the gold.




RIP John Evans Atta Mills.

Phone Conversations

Have you ever had one of these conversations?

Me: hello

Me: hello

Me: hellooooooo??

Caller: Hello (with a cacophony of everyday Accra street sounds in the background)

Me: Hello

Caller: hello?!

Me: yes hi, May I speak with Mr. A?

Caller: Hello? Ei, I can’t hear o.

Me: silence and a blank stare

Caller: hello?

Me: (Deep, heavy sigh.) Um, hi…I’m trying to get in touch with Mr. A

Caller: Who? Who do you want?

Me: MISTER A!!!

Caller: please I’m coming

Me: ok, thanks.

Caller: hello, who is this?

Me: I’m Miss Raine and I was calling to speak with Mr. A?

Caller: who?

Me: Wrong number

Caller: hel…

Me: click and hang up

Sigh.

My calling card has been wasted.

Oh My #$%^!@& Goodness!!!!!!!

A few days ago, I had THEE single most unpleasant test in my whole entire life...hands down. 

LONG Back story version: 

I never had allergies while I lived in Florida. The word allergy was a very foreign concept to me and it wasn't even part of my vocabulary. I don't even think I knew anyone who had allergies....either that or I was completely oblivious to people who suffered from this horrible, HORRIBLE condition.

Fast forward to 2006 and my move to the DMV, no not the Department of Motor Vehicles. DMV as in DC (D), Maryland (M) and Virginia (V) metro area, for those of you who don't know. You're welcome.

Anyway, one spring afternoon, my throat and ears were really really itchy and my eyes were watery but I didn't really think anything it. About two years later, I got really sick, so sick I was out of work for a couple of days. I had the chills, the worst pressure headache which was so bad I would feel really dizzy, sniffles, terrible coughing, the works. Turns out I had horrible sinus infection and was given a cocktail of medication, 6 pills to be exact, never mind the fact that all but 2 of the medicine worked and I was back in my doctors office 2 weeks later to try some new medication which thankfully worked. But I digress. My doctor then informed me that I had allergies and put me on Nasonex and told me to also start taking Zyrtec. Zyrtec by the way cost a little over a dollar per pill and is almost never on sale :-(

Fast forward again to the beginning of this year...I was dreading the spring pollen season, dreading it so bad that I took a vacation to Accra to escape the peak pollen season. But that plan didn't work out...I was sneezing and itching away while I was in Accra too. I've been sneezing, itching and sniffling since late last year ergo I decided to make an appointment to see an otolaryngologist and this is where my story begins....

Short version:

I had an allergy test done and I got pricked 75, SEVENTY FIVE(!) times. In one hour. Nurse wanted to do an additional 10 shots. I declined. I had no idea what I was in store for as I was thinking it was going to be an allergy scratch test the whole time. It wasn't. I got 75 different allergens of various  concentrations placed under my skin on both arms. I considered 'breaking free' and running out of the office each time she poked me. Oh, and I also happen to have a deep fear of needles... Each shot costs $13, multiply by 75. Thank God my insurance covers it 100%.

I was numb when she opened up the pack of syringes (about 40 per pack) and the only thought that kept running through my mind was surely, she will not be using ALL THOSE on me. She did. She also opened up a second pack. I started to shake. I went into panic mode when I set eyes what seemed like a million and one vials of allergens. I kept telling the nurse that I was in a nightmare. I repeated a lot, too many times to count. Torture ended. I drove straight to the shopping center and treated myself.

This is what the test looks like...35 on one arm and 30 on the other. IT SUCKED

My head hurts again just thinking looking at this picture.

Ugh!!!!

Some people are just unfit to be parents!

Why are you yelling at a three year old...A THREE(!) year old to sit his MUTHAFUCKING ASS down?? Really? REALLY?? In front of strangers?? At a children's hospital, possibly the worst place to do that nonetheless?? And threatening to BEAT HIS ASS. Perhaps you want CPS to take the child away!


Maybe its just me, but why does it seem that most of the individuals who just have no business being parents are usually the ones who have MULTIPLE children? Ugh.

Case of the missing passport

What do you do?

You are getting ready to head out to the airport to board an international flight in a few hours…when you realize your passport is no where to be found.

That happened to me about 2 months ago.

About four hours to my scheduled departure time, as I started to do one last check of everything I would need for my trip back, I realized I had everything else but my passport. Now I’m usually the calm in the face of adversity type of person so my first natural thought was, “it has got to be somewhere in here, just look around”. So, my first line of action was to empty my purse and thoroughly search through it. Nothing. Next, I unpacked my luggage and went through every single item just in case I had accidentally packed it in there somewhere… still nothing. I then looked under the bed, inside and underneath all the night stands, dressers, drawers, trash can (ew!) and every other piece of furniture in the room like a crazy person, in the event that it had accidentally ended up there somehow. Same result, NOTHING.

Okay.....time to back track and try to think of the last time I saw it then I realized- about 5 days prior, I had brought my passport along with me because we were going to go to the airport and I was told to bring it with me to allow me entry into the airport. We ended up not going to the airport that day but then I remembered, I had briefly taken out all the contents of my tiny satchel to get to my wallet while we were stopped over at a tiny restaurant for dinner….and that’s when panic begun to set in. OH MY GOD, I HAD LOST MY PASSPORT!!!!!

So I freaked out, but only for about 5 minutes lol. Then I started to think of the next steps...call the airline to let them know about my situation (like they would really give two craps), report my passport as missing and then begin the process of applying for a replacement passport or some sort of emergency travel document the following day. I stopped dead in my tracks when I realized; I had absolutely no proof of citizenship with me, yikes. That was when I really started to panic. How was I going to prove to the consulate that I was indeed a lawful citizen and needed assistance? I couldn’t think straight after that realization, so I stopped everything I was doing, including thinking- and at the time, the million thoughts running through my head each second were very irrational- to clear my head for a few minutes.

After I cleared my head and calmed down, I had a strong inclination to go through my wallet for some odd reason. I wasn’t sure what I was looking in my wallet for, but I just knew I had to look in my wallet…and that was when I found my voter ID card. YES! One proof of citizenship!!!!! Woo hoo! Coming off of the excitement of finding my voter ID, I reached for my iPad for another unexplained reason and what do you know, my passport comes flying out from behind the case…yeah. Needless to say, I said a quick prayer of thanks and did my happy dance for 10 straight minutes with the biggest, cheesiest and goofiest grin on my face, and then I was off to the airport to catch my flight with ZERO problems after that.

I’ve never ‘lost’ any document of such importance and as such, learned a very important lesson from that experience. I heeded to the advice from the Department of State as soon as I got back home: Always have at least 2 copies of your passport handy when traveling…one copy should be in your possession and kept in a safe place, and the other copy should be kept by a trusted person.

I have 10 copies of my passport now, because I never want to be caught in a situation like that ever again!

Bernhoft!

Street Lights Wow, where have I been this whole time? For anyone who doesn’t know who Jarle Bernhoft is, let me break it down to you really quick. Think the Norwegian version of Robin Thicke, or maybe better?...but that could be up for debate depending on who you ask. My goodness, this man has A LOT OF SOUL!!! I was completely in awe when I found out that not only is he a one man act! This guy oozes talent and I mean the real kind. I’m looking at you __________. I’m sure he is big in his native Norway, and probably Europe, but why is he practically unheard of in the US? Or maybe he is and I just missed the memo? Either way, I’m glad I was introduced to his music by my co-worker Jermaine and I’ve had his song on repeat the whole time. Quality music!!!


You can listen to him on his YouTube page located here: http://www.youtube.com/artist/Bernhoft?feature=watch_video_title

Jarle Bernhoft, who happens to look like a high fashion model in this pic lol
Image borrowed from http://stereofonik.com/post/4951778802/bernhoft-stay-with-me

Photo Dump

Wow- it's definitely been a while! Reason for my absence? Well, I hit the jackpot and have been living the high life ever since. I really don't have one. 

Anyway, I have a bunch of photos on my phone and I just wanted to share a few of them...so enjoy!

Beautiful butterfly at the Museum of Natural History Butterfly Exhibit

Random car with a neat license plate in the middle of traffic

Discovered this cheap cotton candy ice cream...yum yum

Current pedicure design. I'm a sucker for nail art hehe

Dear Cricket Wireless...please get it together. Spray painting your name on this awning doesn't speak well of you.

More toe art.

GIGANTIC slice of pizza on U Street. I believe this is were all the college kids go to get a bite for cheap after their nights of parting and drinking

English breakfast. I miss the bacon the most.

Can't get enough water. Note: I also recycle

Parked cars in Paris. Why can't we park in any direction, regardless of traffic flow in the US of A? I'm drafting a letter to my senator NOW. 

Ikea! Love their food spread.

Approximately 3,837 miles from my desk [lol] to the Eiffel Tower

DC OJ for a DC work morning.