Five for Friday

1. Ahhhh... she returns. After a few week hiatus from five for Friday, I thought I'd take a shot at it this week. Not that I really have any more to say than I did in the previous Friday's that I skipped because I didn't have anything to say...

2. So, my birthday was Wednesday. I turned ripe ol' age of 28. And this year, I felt old. Now, I know, there are many of you out there (friends, co-workers, etc.) who are telling me that you would kill to be 28 again. I just feel like my life is going by so fast. There's so much I want to do. So many places I want to travel. So many things I want to experience. So many things I want to learn. Yet, I spend every day sitting in an office, cranking out press releases, followed by reluctantly going to the gym after work, followed by a so-so dinner, followed by going to bed way too early for someone my age. The next day, repeat.

I need to shake things up a bit, I'm just not sure how. What I really want to do is quit my job, empty my savings account and then go bum around Europe for a few months. Something tells me that Brad may not exactly be on board with that plan though. Other suggestions that are less drastic/expensive/non-marriage-wrecking are more than welcomed.

3. Despite the previous post, I did have a good birthday. I got some great presents, including some cookware from my Dad (boy, you know you're old when you're asking for pots and pans for gifts!) and a camera lens I've really been wanting (sorry Penn Camera, just lost you my rental business every time we go on a trip!). We went to our favorite French bistro in Alexandria, where our favorite waiter gave me way too many complimentary glasses of champagne and "upgraded" wine pairings. This was followed up by the cutest little cake from one of my favorite bakery's, Cakelove. I won't share any pictures from me opening my presents (b/c I was slouching on the couch (see too much champagne above), so they all make me look about 20 lbs heavier than I actually am), but here's one of my super cute cake:

4. The weather lately has been heavenly. 70 degrees and a bright blue sky. I even noticed on my walk home from the Metro last night that some of the dogwood trees are blooming. Which then had my reciting quotes from one of the most all time quotable movies, the "American President" (Michael Douglas? Annette Benning? Surely you've seen it. Fantastic movie from the late 90's. I especially enjoy it when they re-write the entire State of the Union merely hours before the speech.).

President Michael Douglas, on the phone ordering flowers, says to florist: "What's the state flower of Virginia?"

P.M.D.: "Hang on" (intercoms assistant) "What's the state flower of Virginia?"

Assistant Janie (hand over intercom, embarrassed she doesn't know what the state flower of Virginia is, asks the older, wiser assistant): "What's the state flower of Virginia?"

Older, wiser assistant: "It's the dogwood."

Janie, back on intercom to P.M.D.: "It's the dogwood."

P.M.D. to the florist on the phone: "It's the dogwood." ...."Really? Janie! The dogwood is a tree not a flower."

Janie looks at older, wiser assistant who says: "Actually its a tree and a flower."

Janie: "Sir, its a tree and a flower."

P.M.D. "The dogwood is a tree and a flower, I'd like a dozen please. Really? No dogwoods?"

Ohhh... I love that movie. I could go on quoting for hours.

5. Not much else to say. I need to hang curtains this weekend. We'll see how that goes :)

Happy weekend everyone!