I totally recommend BGE Home.

My situation is described here -- #2 (and when I said it's been happening for a while I mean ... YEARS!!!)

Monday morning I went to the BGE Home website and scheduled the appointment online (YAY! for that, if you know me you know I HATE talking on the phone and usually avoid it at all costs :P).

You pick a day and then time period... ie AM or PM. I picked AM. Which means they can come anytime between 7:30am and 12:30pm. They call when they are on their way... no answer means they move on to the next appointment! 7:35am my phone rang ( I was ready!)... The repair guy said he was on his way and would be here in approximately 30 minutes... and he was! Less than 45 minutes later and he was done...I thought the price was reasonable... and he even adjusted the fridge so that the front is higher than the back (this has something to do with the door closing...)

I was very pleased :D

Luckily it's very short!

1. Get the ceiling in the Kitchen/Living Room/Dining Room painted. - - You may be asking yourself why... The reason is I used to put Yankee Candles ( the big 22 oz jars) on my countertop that divides the Kitchen and Dining Room... and after a few years it caused a nice brownish discoloration to form. It wasn't obviously noticeable... but I knew it was there so of course it bothered me. So about 2 years ago when I painted my kitchen cabinets white... I had the brilliant idea to attack the spot with the white paint! Bad idea because it didn't match the ceiling white :( And now it is very noticeable (as my mother likes to point out whenever she comes over :P). So I need to get an estimate and have it painted...
2. Have someone look at Refrigerator - It's dripping water from the freezer area into the fridge part. This has been happening for a while... actually and I have been using a cup to catch the water (and then water plants - see I can "think green" when I want to! :P) But since you can't sell like that it needs to be fixed. Google-ing assures me that it is a common problem, and easily fixable... (something about water draining from the freezer... some hose may be clogged). BGE Home is scheduled to come Wendesday morning!

There may be more after a real estate agent gets in there...so we shall see!

Track Santa's journey online :D

I managed to show some major shopping restraint today....

So my Daily Shop-It-To-Me alert arrived.. and Ann Taylor Loft was having a major sale... and the pictured handbag caught my eye.

But I thought A) I already have a "quilted" black handbag and B) I already have a hobo style black handbag.

So I restrained myself from adding to cart (oh and I thought about the impending house search :))

Perhaps I should unsubscribe from these shop-it-to-me alerts ? :P

Don't watch if you've never seen 6 Weeks. (cause this is the end!)

I have been thinking for a while that if my job was looking stable around May 2009... I would seriously start looking into moving into DC (I work in SW). Job looks very stable...and this event of 2 weeks ago may have finally been the straw that broke the camel's back.

I love my condo. I bought it new about 7 years ago (after a horrific experience with a real estate agent that I am not looking forward to repeating) with NO HELP FROM MY PARENTS! I have painted every room (except the master bedroom) by myself, I picked out the flooring myself. I bought curtains and furniture, and all kinds of other things...I love the location - can't beat being halfway between DC and Baltimore

My commute is not terrible but I want to live in the city.... (and luckily DC just approved Verizon to bring in FIOS)

I hate that we have a never ending trail of renters rolling through the building that have no respect for anything or anyone.

My employer is going through a major growth spurt (good thing in these rough economic times)! So the branding is on the upswing.... today we all got shirts (Land's End polo's with the company name embroidered on the top corner)... The guys got gray shirts... the gals (of which there are 3) got pink!


Am I odd for thinking that is odd??

Perhaps the owner just really thinks I am a fan of pink.... (MacBook Pro Skin is Hot Pink; iPod is green, bit I have a pink skin for it (with stripes... so the green partially shows through), and a new pink skin for my BlackBerry). :D

In your work life, things are about to get busy -- so you might want to tidy up your work area so that you can be ready for the onslaught.

You have no idea!

Sent from my BlackBerry

on NBC tonight!

on ABC tonight! Linus rocks!!!




.... and i want my rug back :(

Be sure to catch the two day season premiere... starting Sunday January 11 @ 8pm EST

We all know by now that I love to shop! (Thanks to Visa for raising my credit limit this week! What credit crisis ?!?!) When I was younger I used to make fun of my mother for using coupons...I even went so far as to say I would NEVER use coupons (for retail... I was fine with them for groceries). Fast Forward 20 years (WOW! that sounds crazy to even type)... Ulta coupons, Macys' coupons... Yankee Candle coupons, and my fave - Lord & Taylor coupons!

I have not met a coupon I don't like :D Except for the restrictions... Luckily this is one reason Lord & Taylor is my fave (unlike Macys) L&T will at least try a coupon even if they think it won't be valid... and actually I have had a salesperson at the Columbia L&T override the register and apply the discount anyway!!

Yesterday was my flex day so I used it wisely to finally go pick op my Notary Commission.

First up entered the address for the court house in my navigation system (I had been there once before for jury duty... many years ago).. and interesting thing too... after living in Odenton for over 6.5 years.. I learned a new way to get to RT 32.

Anyway it was a quick drive to Annapolis... then I got to look for parking. Luckily my navigation system lists Ps on the map where a Parking facility is. Except I have a weird habit of not being able to commit to a parking garage. It's very odd. I drive up, and I know where I should turn but I just can't do it! I usually end up driving around and around... (except if it's somewhere I have been before .. then I stick to the garage like glue.) So I was meandering through downtown Annapolis... and come to City Dock aka Main Street. I turn and start going up the street and notice that there are red bags over all of the meters! FREE PARKING (2 Hour) for the holidays!!!! Yay...except I am really bad at parallel parking... especially if there is moving traffic...but I got lucky! 2 spaces in a row.. so I could do the pull in manuever and then straighten out by backing up and then pull forward again!

So it's off to the courthouse. I signed in... raised my right hand and took the oath of office :D

Now I just need to order my stamp and I will the be officially open for business!

I forgot to charge my ipod at work today. So now I am charging it using a hallway outlet at the New Carrollton Marc station. While a homeless person watches me.

Sent from my BlackBerry

As I walked into my office, a co-worker walked in behind me... with the above item!

Not again! It's barely been 2 weeks since the last one! and the fallout...

So when we last left the stolen rug situation...

I had my note's on the front door...well today passed the 48 hour mark. I called the local non-emergency number and stated that I wanted to file a police report.

Dispatch - What was stolen?

Me - The welcome mat in front of my door.

Dispatch - We have 2 ways your can file the report - using an over the phone service or send an officer out.

Me - (being honest) -an officer please.. I want the people to see the car.

Yes the whole thing sounds stupid to me even typing it :(

The office arrived in about 20 minutes... he was very nice. He was amazed .. and kept calling the person a grinch... I said I just thought it was someone who liked it so much they wanted it for themselves.

So I have a case #.

So now I took my wreath off of my front door (don't want anything of value out there).
and replaced it with this sign:



:D

Kiefer Sutherland was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame today.

Congrats!!!!!!

I came home from work yesterday to find my Winter themed welcome mat missing... (the above image is a snapshot of the box).

My mom made this rug for me years ago (she told me last night it took her 6 months!!). I have put it outside my condo unit door ever since I bought it and moved in...6.5 years ago :(

Never ever had a problem before (it's a "secure" building) ... I have packages delivered all the time (see my shoe habit :P), nothing has ever gone missing ... not the boxes from Dell, or Amazon, or Nordstrom, or Sephora.

So I was really upset ... and debated calling the police. After talking to my mother, I decided to put a sign on the building's front door... (with a pic of the rug)

Still no sign of the rug... :(

as my mom said last night ...

The ring in the picture is a nice $4 job from H&M. I love cheap jewelry because I can buy lots and if I lose it ... no big deal (True story - My parents gave me Diamond studs for college graduation.. I made my mom return them because I thought they were a waste of money :P - oh and I hadn't discovered designer handbags yet!).

Anyway... after wearing the ring I ended up with a nice green ring around my finger. Which I proudly displayed for all at Zipcode's Blogger Happy Hour last week. :D

After I did that, Zipcode told me that I can paint the inside with some clear nail polish and it will prevent it. So this weekend I painted 3 coats (what can I say.. I'm anal :P). Today I am wearing the ring.. and my finger is green free. YAY!!!

Thanks Zip!!!

Sent from my BlackBerry

I got this email in my Inbox on Friday! Sounds good except that monthly ticket holders are getting screwed! You would think they would allow them to be used, because that one monthly ticket holder may be bringing 5 more new ticket buyers along with them. Now they may just skip MARC and drive to an outlying Metro station....I wonder what VRE is doing?

INAUGURATION DAY SERVICE

Presidential Inauguration Day is January 20, 2009, and MTA is working with event planners to accommodate the large crowds expected to attend. MTA will operate special MARC Train and Commuter Bus service that day as well as the prior day which is Martin Luther King Day.

MARC Train

Inauguration Day: Penn, Camden and Brunswick lines will operate between 5 AM and 9 AM and between 4 PM and 9 PM. MTA monthly and weekly passes, 10-trip tickets and previously purchased one-way tickets will not be accepted. All trains will be reserved and tickets must be purchased in advance. For the Penn Line, there will no service north of Penn Station.

Martin Luther King Day: Penn Line will operate on a regular schedule; Camden and Brunswick lines will operate on a limited schedule. Regular fares apply and passes will be accepted.

Commuter Bus

Inauguration Day: Buses will operate to Metrorail stations between 4 AM and 9 AM and between 4 PM and 9 PM. MTA monthly and weekly passes and 10-trip tickets will not be accepted. Special tickets may be purchased from drivers.

Martin Luther King Day: Buses will operate to Metrorail stations between 5:30 AM and 10 AM and between 4 PM and 9 PM. MTA monthly and weekly passes and 10-trip tickets will not be accepted. Special tickets may be purchased from drivers.

Details about schedules and tickets will be available Friday, December 12 at www.mtamaryland.com.

My favorite X-Mas commercial -- Cause I'm an M (to my friends ;))

I have had my BlackBerry Pearl for about a year... and if you know me you know I am never without it (because i'm addicted to it ). I take pics with it of random things... like Macy's Birthday Cupcakes, my lunch, or my cat. I blog with it. I Tweet with it.

Well about a month or two ago I got an email that one of my photos had been submitted for inclusion in a City Guide called Schmap.

Yesterday I got the email that I had been included! My photo is from a Happy Hour with co-workers at Tortilla Coast in Capitol Hill! (So follow the link and scroll through the list until you see Tortilla Coast!)

Based on the results of the poll...and my desire to not do anymore research :) I gave Granite Transformations a second chance. I contacted them earlier in the week, and asked to set up an appointment for a date in early January (I need to decorate for the holidays... and don't have the room for holiday decorations and cleaned off countertops...). They agreed to the date so I asked for the earliest appointment available. They responded 11am. ( really?) So I responded and asked them to please confirm the requested appointment day and time (so I could add it to my calendar.

Almost 48 hours goes by....


No response. It's almost like they really don't want to commit. So I contacted them again, and told them to cancel.

So I am back to square one on my new kitchen countertops project :(.

So it was about a year ago that I canceled all Verizon services due to horrific customer service. At the time I was told that I would lose my Flickr Pro account (Verizon + Yahoo! were somehow tied together... and Yahoo! owns Flickr). And for the past year I have been waiting for my little "pro" icon to disappear from my Flickr page. But it has remained! However, today when I went to my Flickr account there is a big yellow warning box at the top of my page telling me that due to not having Verizon internet service anymore.... my Pro status will expire Feb 1, 2009.



Haha! Good thing I am geting FIOS soon.

Just heard that Oprah is coming to to DC (for the Inauguration of course!) and plans to tape some shows around it :D

Seeing a taping of the Oprah show is on my list of 101 things in 1001 days!

I am going to try for tickets, but if anyone can help me out in case I miss out on the tickets, I would be forever grateful :D

And I am not ashamed to say I watched the MTV special and I will be downloading the album from itunes!

So I've been wanting to upgrade my kitchen countertops ever since I painted my kitchen cabinets white... about a year and a half ago.

This past summer my my recommended a place she saw featured on the Today show ( and I then did some further research). Their big selling point is they do the entire job ... install and plumbing (to do the new sink and faucet) and no demo needed - new counters fit over old!. Lowes and every other place I checked will not do demo or plumbing... they want you to find your own plumber.

So last week I set up the appointment for Saturday at 11:30am. They called back a little later and asked if we could move it to 1pm. I agreed. Saturday morning arrived and I cleaned off all my counters. 1pm arrives. No sales guy. 1:30.... 2:30... 3pm Nothing. No phone call! So I gave up. I sent them this email:

Hello --

I spoke with Lisa on Tuesday and st up an appoint for an in home consultation for Saturday November 29 at 11:30am. She then called me back a bot tlater and asked if we could change the time as that would fit better with the salesperson's schedule. I agreed. Saturday arrived and I cleaned everything off my countertops. 1pm arrived and no Granite Transformations. 1::30, then 2:30 and then 4pm. Still no Granite Transformations, not even a phone call stating there was a problem. Is this common practice for your company? I am not sure at this point that I want to work with a company with such poor customer service.

I look forward to you explantion.

Then I got this response today:

Hi Michelle - I apologize for your inconvenience - this is not the way we operate. I visited with the Design Specialist and he said he had car trouble in Virginia (where he was for Thanksgiving) and he tried to call but the number he had for you was incorrect. Again I apologize, we are very customer service oriented -- I would be happy to send you a list of customer refereneces. Also I will call to reschedule if you like.

Sincerely,

Lisa

Saturday night a friend and I went to a Pros in the City event. We attended a 4 minute mini-dating event. It was held at Cafe Soleil in DC (last call at 10pm- crazy!).

Basically the premise is this.... An even number of guys and gals sit at tables and the guys rotate every 4 minutes. So you meet every member of the opposite sex there, and make small talk (or whatever you want to talk about).

So if you know me you know I hate making small talk with people I don't know (actually I am pretty uncomfortable talking to people I don't know in general.... it takes me a while to "warm up" - this is why Potluck Bitch trying to force me into some "friendship" is really not going the way PB wants it to go :P) ... so this was definitely out of my comfort zone!

Going in ... I had no real expectations except hoping that I wasn't stuck sitting at a table staring at someone! Luckily that didn't happen :D There were some characters there, but no one that I felt a connection with....

One guy brought out a mini-hungry-hungry hippo game... for those people where he felt the convo was dragging :P Probably because when he asked me what I did, after I responded he told me he was IT Porject manager, and proceeded to ask me about a software design concept (test driven development).

Me: Never heard of it

Hippo Guy: Yeah... that's the question I use to see if someone is lying to me about what they do.

Me: Thinking to myself... OMG did this guy just call me a liar??!? :P

Other than that the evening went fine :)

Afterwards my friend and I got a drink from the bar (we were parched! with all that talking... I wish they had water at each station) and mingled. Shortly after 10pm (aka Last Call) we left and went to another bar/club with a few participants...and hung out for a while...actually a long while... I didn't get home until almost 3am :P

I am glad I did it...and may even do it again! (or another event... like Rock Climbing!!)