Why do they call it golf?

All the other four letter words were already taken.

That's what my dad told me tonight to try and comfort me after my craptastic driving range outing.  You see, I am playing golf with my mechanical/plumbing subcontractor and some coworkers on Wednesday, and I haven't played golf in ohhh probably a year.  I like golf.  I find it enjoyable, but my biggest incentive in agreeing to play was spending the afternoon outside rather than staring at my computer checking submittals and answering email after email.  I consider myself a decent golfer for a girl, not good by any means but my mediocre skills combined with the fact that I can use the girl excuse keeps me on a respectable level.  I decided it was probably a good idea to go hit a few balls tonight so I would be loose for the 18 holes Wednesday.  Was the practice necessary?  Absolutely.  Was it reassuring?  Not in the least. 

Here's hoping we play best ball and not traditional golf because God help me if I have to fend for myself for 18.  Looks like golf lessons are in my near future.  Can you say Christmas present?

This is what I felt like today.  I probably looked better but didn't hit the ball as far as this chump.

So You Think You Can Dance? ...I wish

I'm sitting here watching my DVR'ed SYTYCD from last night, since I was out being all social and whatnot, and I have to say I'm underwhelmed.  Maybe the novelty of the show has worn off a little.  SYTYCD Season 2 was like my first love, I'll always keep that season on a pedestal, and so far, nothing has lived up to it.  Thankfully, Travis Wall is choreographing now and he is freaking brilliant!  He and Donyelle were my faves on Season 2, so I'm glad to see he's returned to television in a respectable fashion instead of forming a lame girl group and going on Randy Jackson presents America's Best Dance Crew(cough...Donyelle...cough).  The name of the show is lame enough that no one should want to be on it, but I digress...here's fun little pick of Travis stretching:

(don't act like you didn't know he was gay)

Ramalama

Here's my rundown of the dancers who I currently have any emotions toward (good or bad)...

• I'm really sad that Billy Bell had to leave the show before it really began, and I'm wondering if his "illness" they were referring to was puberty?  Can't the makeup staff help the kid out with a little powder for his pimples???  Everybody gets 'em Billy, we just now how to cover them up (or choose to stay off national television). 
• Ballroom Barbie (aka Ashleigh).  Hate her.  She just looks so fake and has zero personality.  PLUS she's not very elegant, especially considering she's a ballroom dancer.  My advice:  head on back to Utah and pop out a kid or 12 my dear (they'll be pretty at least).
• Ryan says he's "very strong, very masculine, very physical"...as Mary would say, 2 out of 3 ain't bad.  You're a ballroom dancer dude!  Everyone knows I love the gays, but this guy is married to a Ballroom Barbie and maybe that's why I question his sexuality (at least Travis just puts it out there).  It's like he's trying to hard.
• Kathryn...really?  do you even have to ask?  I love her name, but her routine was sick last night.  Sometimes I like the hip hop routines more than the judges and I was worried that I would miss the mark with my critique, but fortunately for this pair the judges and I were on the same page.  Just awesome.
• I'm really excited about Mollee and Nathan as a couple.  Nathan is so amazing and Mollee has everything going for her, but her name (Sorry sweetheart, but I guess you're of the generation where your parents decided to spell your name funny to make you standout...it didn't work, it's just spelled wrong).  Their routine was full of some really outrageous tricks and the dancing was decent, but Molls looked like a frantic high school cheerleader.  This pairing was definitely catered for the teeny boppers, which is totally fine.  I was once a teeny bopper myself (mmmBop)*.

*Did anyone know that Hanson was touring right now?  Oh boy do I wish I had!  The brothers Hanson were in Atlanta tonight...lucky GA bitches.  I will say that I am really glad it never worked out between me and Taylor; his wife's uterus seems like it has a revolving door...yuck!

I cheated and checked the website before the end of the show, so I know who's going home, and I'd say that it's fair.  And now that I've reached the end of the episode, I'd say it's especially fair, since Nigel is going to try to renew his eligibility.  All in all, a mediocre episode with a few standouts, but it was no Tranji.

Goodnight my pets! 

Mini CSM Reunion

Yesterday was just what I needed!  I found out one of my favorite CSM (Construction Science & Management...my major at Clemson) boys, Chad, was in Raleigh for a few days.  Chad's always been the life of the party, so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see him.  Carly and I decided we should all go out for drinks and made Johnny Mac come out too.  I remembered just how much I loved my classmates and my major.  I love being around these guys; they are just so much fun!

The Bermuda Triangle

Coincidentally, with the start of Fall I have turned over a new leaf. I have been in Raleigh for almost a year and a half now and literally have not made any new friends outside of work. For one reason or another, I have been in a funk for about the past year, but no more! I was so busy focusing on my career that I forgot to have fun, and I'm a fun person, dammit!

Here’s the rundown…

I have never liked change. In middle school I got upset when my parents decided to buy a new kitchen table - no joke. So needless to say, moving 7+ hours away from home to a city I’d never set foot in was a huge adjustment. Looking back on the only other major transition I've had in my life (going off to college), I realized that I have about a one year adjustment period with change, although I'm really hoping it was less than that with the kitchen table. It took me about a year to get used to college, granted CUET (the Clemson University Equestrian Team, for those of you who don't know) helped immensely. For as outgoing as I am around my friends, I am painfully shy when meeting new people. Moving to the Triangle was an experience...it was more like the Bermuda Triangle, and I lost myself for awhile.

I had spent the past four years of my life in the best place on Earth, with the best people on Earth. (Just FYI: People aren't lying when they say that college will be the best time of your life!) I truly could not have created a better college experience in my wildest dreams. I made many lifelong friends and I didn't want to replace them. Moving to Raleigh meant I was going to have to meet new people. After four years of carefree fun, I was a freshman again, but rather than sifting my way through 15,000 people, I had to find my niche in 1.5 million people. I was alone again (except for my roommate Carly) and the shyness returned. There honestly isn’t much to report over the past year, my job is going really well. I love what I do even though I need to bitch about it every once in awhile, but if I didn’t bitch that would mean I didn’t care. I have a new best friend, my rescued Golden Retriever, Reagan (yes, named after Ronald) and my first real house. My leaf turned about two weeks ago, when I finally said “off you” to my stubbornness and shyness.

I have finally let go of my stubbornness and in the past two weeks have done more social things than I probably have in the past year. I joined a kickball team - yes, me, the girl who can't run, or throw, or catch worth a damn. We’ve had one practice and everyone on the team seems really nice. I’m one of the youngest, but everyone is still under 30. I went to the UNC vs. FSU football game this past Thursday night and it was such a great experience. It was perfect football weather, a night game on ESPN, and I had a fun little piece of arm-candy (my friend “Pretty” David who I worked with at the marina years ago). Saturday, I ventured out to the Triangle Clemson Alumni Association to watch my Tigers take on Miami. I got to see an old CSM classmate (Johnny Mac), and to the surprise of everyone there, we pulled out an amazing win! Clemson fans are diehard, we always cheer, no matter what the odds, but we were all stunned when we won. Clemson fans are so used to close losses that the narrow (albeit HUGE) victory over Miami was a shock.
Well that’s all for now folks, I’m back among the living and taking the world by storm. Stay tuned!