toto, we're not in the north anymore

On my recent trip to Austin, Texas, I saw some very unique-to-Texas sights. Below are some pictures of the traditional sightings.

(Behind the Lonestar fence is the capital building.)

Terrible Flights - 28 Hours of Hell

Recently, I went to a conference for alumni relations professionals. It was in Austin, Texas, which was warm and sunny for my entire visit. And the conference helped me connect with people and discuss issues and develop ideas. (Pictures on a future blog.)

But before you get jealous of the 85 degree weather, the great hotel, the tasty restaurants, and the unique shopping, I wanted to share with you my return trip from hell.

I was scheduled to leave at 8:30am from Austin, fly to Detroit, and land in Erie at 3:00pm, with plenty of time to celebrate my 25th birthday with my family (and Spaghetti & Meatballs and cheesecake). This was not to be. But this will be a birthday I will never forget.

Below is a picture of the first plane with problems.

At boarding time, the Northwest Airlines worker came on the loud speaker and instead of calling our flight to board, she said there were "mechanical problems" on the plane and we were all going to be re-routed. Personally, I am glad we did not fly on a dangerous plane, but this certainly put a damper on my celebrating 25 years on the 25th of February.

After standing in a long line of disgruntled passengers, I got to the desk, I learned I would be traveling to Memphis, Tennessee, on a 12noon flight, connecting to Detroit, and landing in Erie at 10:40pm. This was terrible news because it will not allow for any birthday cheer and it doubled my travel time - 14 hours in airports and planes - definitely not the way I wanted to spend my birthday.

I was quite happy to land in Detroit at 8:00pm; I walked straight to TCBY and got myself a celebratory frozen yogurt. I had a pity party for myself all day and was ready to be home.

Normally, the Detroit-Erie flight is a short one - maybe about 45 minutes. Twenty minutes in the air, the pilot came over the intercome and said a warning light came on in the cockpit and we were turning around and heading back to Detroit. After the scary 20 minutes back to Detroit and several minutes maintenance, we de-plane - these "mechanical problems" could not be fixed.

Fortunately, NW found another plane and we were all going to head out on that at 1:00am, but, unfortunately the crew timed-out.

We were then all put up in hotels for the night and scheduled to fly out on the 8:45am flight from Detroit to Erie.

But the story does not end here. After boarding, I learned that there was a light covering that had loosen and popped out of place above the seat in front of me. The man sitting next to me had pushed it back in - to avoid the inevitable delay. Maintenance was called in and the captain announced there would be a slight delay because of a minor "mechanical problem."

I was (and still am) absolutely sick of the phrase "mechanical problems," but, luckily, it was fixed in about 15 minutes and we arrived in Erie at 10:10am - 28 hours after my initial arrival at Austin's airport.

I am glad we did not fly in unsafe planes and it also makes a wonderful "Trip from Hell" story to tell my friends, family, and blog readers. It will be a birthday I will never forget and I thank all the not-so-strangers on the Erie flight who comforted me after the final pity party I threw for myself - where I was audibly and visibly sobbing. Things could have been a lot worse and I am happy I am safe and sound.

The good news: with all the confusion, re-routing, and de-planing, the airline did not lose my luggage.

I know these types of trips happen more often then people talk about. Do you have any stories? Or do you have any words of comfort?

3 Cheers for Bread

Hip, Hip, Hooray! Hip, Hip, Hooray! Hip, Hip, Hooray!

The previous ban on throwing bread to the fish at Pymatuning State Park has been repealed!

"Forget those pellets. We want stale bread. Bring it and feed us! Yum. Yum. Yum."

Quarter of a Century

Happy 25th Birthday, Staci!

PepsiCo to the Rescue

Diane Sawyer recently reported on the children of Appalachia and the extreme poverty they live in. Central Appalachia has up to three times the national poverty rate, an epidemic of prescription drug abuse, the shortest life span in the nation, toothlessness, cancer, and chronic depression. While the mountains are beautiful, these ignored rural regions are an embarrassment to our country. [Read more about the Children of the Mountains.]

Sawyer had a follow-up to the story about the toothlessness and how one dentist, Dr. Edwin Smith's, created the program Kids First Dental, a mobile dental van that services school-aged children in 16 eastern Kentucky counties. Smith invested $150,000 of his own money to build a mobile dental clinic inside an 18-wheel truck to combat Mountain Dew Mouth.

This condition was coined Mountain Dew Mouth, not because these children live in the mountains but rather because they consume excessive amounts of Mountain Dew. A 20-ounce bottle of Dew contains 19 tsp of sugar, 93 mg of caffeine, and large amounts of acid. A University of Maryland study revealed roughly 2-5 times the erosion damage compared to regular colas - dissolving 6% of tooth enamel.

After this report first aired, PepsiCo did not take much responsibility for the problem, but placed the onus on the family members and blamed much of the issue on improper tooth care.

However, after additional outrage, PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi spoke to Sawyer yesterday and stated the company wants to work with a dentist in eastern Kentucky to help save children's teeth. Nooyi expressed concern "about any overuse or misuse of the soda among small children." Nooyi said PepsiCo will work to recruit more dentists in the region and will give Dr. Smith another van for his work.

Thanks to Diane Sawyer and ABC News for revealing this tragic addiction to pop and for drilling down on PepsiCo (dentist pun intended). And thanks to PepsiCo for making a commitment to educating the region and helping enforce healthy teeth practices.

Complaint Department

• Use your turn signals, people. IMO not signalling is basically indicating to the other drivers they just aren't worth your time.
• Time Warner:
• Time Warner's HD might be free, but I guess that means subscribers have to be very diligent and patient if they want to receive it.
• Time Warner's call center is filled with idiots. Don't schedule my appointment for the wrong day ("I can't call off work again. Saturday would be better.") and then insult me when I call back ("Hi, my appointment was scheduled for the wrong day." "So, you want to reschedule?")
• What is up with Gannon's WERG radio station? They were off the air for days and now they are back on with a weaker signal.
• This weather change has given me a headache.
• I wish I were taller.
• American Idol's Hollywood week final day was terrible. It seems they were just trying to make "good TV" and didn't care whose dreams were crushed.
• And why did they let through Drama Queens Tatiana Nicole Del Toro and Nathaniel Marshall?
• I wish produce stayed fresher longer.
• Why can't someone regulate refineries? Oil prices are going down, yet gas prices are going up because refineries are halting production. I don't think their greed should force the American people to pay more.
• One word: Economy.
• Did you know Macy's does not offer free shipping? That's just bad business. They have lost my online business twice.
• Why do clothes makers still produce Mom Jeans?
• Airports/Airlines have a racket on selling drinks now. Since you can't bring them in from the outside, airports can hike up the prices and charge whatever they like. It's ridiculous.
• And speaking of airlines and ridiculous: US Air charges for drinks on the plane now.
• Am I getting older or are dresses getting shorter and shorter?

If you have taken the time to read all my complaints for the day, thanks! As your reward, I have included a Seinfeld reference in my list. Can you find it?

Frozen Cola

While Erie is in the mist of its Winter thaw, I am busy freezing... my Pepsi can, that is.

Our water cooler at work has a refrigerator in the bottom, seemingly very convenient, since the building's frig is in the basement. However this handy location is outweighed by the fact it tends to freeze anything you put in there.

I put in my Pepsi and forgot it for a couple days. Here are just a few pictures to capture the fail.

... and after I opened the can of pop and waited for it defrost, I found $5 inside.

Ghastly Grammy's

While the Grammy's have always been well-known for the non-traditional, funky gowns. The 2009 Grammy's was much more a huge miss for the fashion on the red carpet then ever before.

Let me start with the worst gown of the night. Paula Abdul was "Ugly Little Miss Sunshine" in this yellow, pleated, metallic gown. Not only was the dress a flop, but her hair and makeup made her look like a drag queen. Who in the world styles this lady?!
Another hot-tranny-mess was Lisa Rinna - and not just for her interviews for TV Guide. Lisa's hair and make-up are like an arrow pointing right at her Adam's Apple. Plus at age 46, she is showing incredibly too much skin, (silicone, and collagen).
Paris Hilton either forgot she was an adult while wearing this 80s-looking dance costume or forgot to put pants on under this tank top. Either way, she was a "hot" mess.

Leona Lewis did her curvy body no flattery in this boring, outdated, prom-like dress.LeAnn Rimes missed the fashion boat with this two-toned combination bohemian / gladiator dress. P.S. LeAnn, have you ever heard of an iron? And don't get me started on the hair.

Jordin Sparks, you are a very cute girl - too bad your outfit isn't. The thing I hate most about this dress is the print, next I hate the one long earring trying to offset the asymmetrical neckline.

Criticized for their outfits, Coldplay looked like they were part of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. While it was definitely not appropriate for the red carpet, I did find it a colorful performance and like how the outfits translated from the stage.

Speaking of performance outfits, one that did not high any high notes was Carrie Underwood Warrior Princess's outfit. The short skort, leather straps, and pirate sleeves were an utter mistake anyone could see from a mile away.

However, Carrie Underwood did have a successful red carpet look. The gold tones she wore looked great on her skin and the dress also hugged her curves. And, unlike many other carpet walks, she finally wore her hair up and it looked great.Ne-Yo wins my award for best-dressed man. I loved the informality of the pants and jacket set (rather than the matching tux) and the wonderful texture of the jacket. I am also always a fan of a fedora and ascot.

Who is Marisa Miller? This Sports Illustrated and Victoria's Secret model takes my 5th placed medal for "Best Dressed." She might have been ranked higher if she would have worn a different necklace. Remember the rule, ladies, always take one accessory off before walking out the door.

Kim Kardashian looked ephemeral in this taffeta/organza baby pink dress. I love the how light and airy this dress looked. I don't know how the designer Maticevski did it, but Kim was finally made to look almost angelic and helps her to take 4th best dressed.

The dress that Sara Bareilles donned reminded me of a little girl's ballet dream. I loved this light pink tulle dress. It had a hint of the dress Carrie Bradshaw wore on her "last night" in New York with the girls. She receives 3rd place on my best dress list. However, she could have earned higher if she didn't wear the red belt, red shoes, and red lips - careful with the matchy, matchy stuff, Sara.

Finally, Jennifer Hudson (and her stylist) picked a nice, fashion-forward, and flattering outfit; the assymmetry and structure look great on Jennifer. She looks beautiful from head to toe - hair and makeup deserve props too. She is my runner-up for best dressed. Audrina Partridge takes first place in my book for best dressed. Although I had no idea who she was (a star from the Hills), I love everything about her look. The dress has a modern, sweetheart neckline; a flattering-on-anyone cut; and, if that's not enough, it's in my FAVORITE color. To add to her fantastic look the deep side part and side bun looks fantastic and her makeup helps her green eyes pop. Gorgeous!

Woah, Pupils!

The infamous dilated pupils picture. Staci started it.

I felt like I looked like a vampire and couldn't read things up close. I must have looked a mess trying to read the menu at lunch.

... And in the end, nothing was wrong; my eyes were fine. While, I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry, everyone in my office was looking at me weird because I was wearing sunglasses this entire afternoon.

Looking forward

Since I am turning 25 this month, I have decided to list the things I’m looking forward to in February:
1) The end of this season’s Lake Effect Snow (Feb.)
2) Ingesting Vitamin D supplements (Feb. 5th)
3) Seeing my Mom’s Tuscan Gem Show Purchases (Feb. 7th)
4) Starting and Finishing my taxes (hopefully Feb. 7th)
5) Purchasing the midnight blue, satin, belted dress from Macy’s (Feb. 7th or 8th)
6) Grammy’s (Feb. 8th)
7) Wearing all my new shoes (TBD)
8) Valentine’s Day – eating the Ghirardelli chocolates I bought myself (Feb. 14th)
9) Watching “He’s Just Not into You” with Staci, Amy, and Nikkie (Feb. 15th)
10) Digital TV Transition (Feb. 17th)
11) Trying to attend yep’s Dollars and Sense program (Feb. 17th)
12) Going to Amy’s and Staci’s volleyball game (TBD)
13) Staci’s Birthday (Feb. 19th)
14) Finishing eating the Super Bowl Soup (TBD)
15) Oscar’s (Feb. 22nd)
16) Going to the CASE Conference “A Workshop for Newcomers to Alumni Relations” (Feb. 23-24th)
17) Travelling to Austin, TX (Feb. 22-25th)
18) Making Gumbo for Mardi Gras (Mardi Gras is Feb. 24 but I won’t have access to a kitchen)
19) My Golden Birthday (Feb. 25th)
20) Eating Ice Cream or Cheese in the form of Cake (Feb. 25th)
21) Blogging about my trip and conference (Feb. 26th)
22) Penn State Night at the Erie Bayhawks (Feb. 27th)
23) Going to see all the Academy Award Nominated Movies (TBD)
24) Planning the Alumni Achievement Award Recipient’s visit to Behrend and Penn State (TBD)
25) Putting away all Winter/Snow decorations (Feb. 28th)

What can you buy for $3 million?

...at least 6 Erie restaurants including their business, building, and recipes.
...3,000 MacBooks.
... 30 second Super Bowl commercial.

Here are some of my favorite 2009 Super Bowl Commercials:

• Pepsi's "Forever Young" generational Ad.
• Coke Zero's remake of Mean Joe Greene.
• CareerBuilder.com's "you need a new job" repetition.
• Budweiser's Clydesdale and Daisy love story.
• Coca-Cola's bug heist.
• Bridgestone's Mrs. Potatohead stops yapping.
• Pepsi's MacGruber, or should I say Pepsuber.

Which ads were your favorite?

My top 3 were Pepsi's MacGruber and Forever Young and Budweiser's Clydesdale lovestory.

Icicles

... six more weeks of winter. Thanks, Phil. (Gus may have just become my favorite groundhog.)

I Have an Addiction

...to shoes.

After many years of indulgence, I came to this realization after my shopping expedition this weekend. Please refer to the photo below for proof. I accidentally purchased six pairs of shoes. Don't worry they were on sale, however, if you look closely at the shoes, I bought the same style in two colors (I think I need to return one of those).

Do you still need proof? This is a picture of my shoes in the linen closet. This is a 25 pair shelving unit, but I try to wedge in more than one pair in certain slots. There are actually 37 pairs stored in this area.

I know what you're thinking. "Okay, kc, that's still only 37 + 6 = 43. That's not exactly an addiction - although 6 pairs in one shopping trip might qualify as extreme."

No doubt. But just for fun, let's take a look inside my closet storage in my bedroom.

(I love my herringbone shoes and my purple, suede loafers. Also in this drawer are my plum booties and slouch, tan ankle boots.)

(I can hardly pick a favorite shoe in this drawer. I love the gold/brown tortoise pumps, the patent leather grey heels, and the green suede, buckled shoes.)

(Those teal pumps are a newer pair - I'm still in search of another teal pair that will be more comfortable. I love the snake skin peep toes. I can't wait to wear those when spring comes, and also, those multicolored wedges.)

I really don't have a favorite pair. I love them all (sorta like how parents love all their children).

"So what's the final number?"

Drum roll, please. ..... 74

So, maybe it's not an addiction, but I think it would be considered an obsession.

Shoes, gotta love 'em! And I do!

P.S. I have 29 handbags. (I purchased another one of those on this weekend's shopping trip too.)