Song of the Day

Getting ready to go to an Indian Association picnic.  But while I'm gone I'll leave with another song of the day.

There are certain bands that I will love no matter what.  Along with Death Cab for Cutie and Blink182, Jimmy Eat World is one of them.  Coincidentally, my first concert EVER was the Pop Disaster Tour with Blink182, Jimmy Eat World, and Green Day.  My favorite tshirt was my Jimmy Eat World shirt...until my mom bleached it by accident :/It's ok...I got to see "J.E.W." another time after that.

I don't think there's been a single song by them that I haven't liked.  Their Futures album was one of few that helped me through my dad's time in the hospital (although, I have to admit the album's a little hard to listen to now...especially "Drugs or Me".)

Anywaaaays...I'm picking just one of all the great songs they have.  This one is "Dizzy" from their latest album "Chase This Light".

Hanging Out Jonas and Coullias Style!

When in Naples, you have to take advantage of any events in town to change up your life every once in a while.  Erika, Holly and I had plans to get dinner and maybe go out after.  Instead we decided to hit up the annual Greek Festival at the local Greek Orthodox church.  I think the rest of Naples decided the same thing.

We mostly went there for the food.  Holly and I went on a mission to get gyros while Erika went for the vegetarian friendly spanakopita.

(Sorry we never got that pic of you, Erika!)

Speaking of spanakopitas, when I was getting a gyro, I asked the lady if they also had spanakopitas at the booth.  She gave me a puzzled look and I told her I was probably saying it wrong.  She starts laughing at me and says "Oh I understand what you're talking about but I didn't know what you were saying hahahahaha".  Apparently, I was saying "spanakoPIta" when it's really "spanaKOpita". Pff.  I felt like all the white people do at our Indian festivals.

 

 

Note: "Jonas and Coullias Style" refers to the two awesome Greek girls I know...Antoinette and Angela :)  I thought about these girls the whole time I was at the festival, especially when people started dancing.  OPA!

Strike Three...I'm out.

After careful consideration, I've decided that God has no sympathy for me when it comes to my initials.

All my life, I've been PP.  As a 24 year old, these initials haven't really affected me lately (with the exception of some immature friends...coughcolleenscardinoandkalenmickeycough).  However, as a child growing up in Miami..."PP" was the source of a lot of ridicule.  I can say it may have even scarred me for life.  If any kids ever made fun of me by calling me "PEE PEE!" then I would say "Well, my full initials are PMP...and that, as a word, spells out PIMP. So there."  It never worked.

Well now's my chance.  I'm getting married and here comes an opportunity for a change.  My initials will now be a safe PS.

Then I thought about my full initials.  Some of us Indians usually take our husband's first name as our middle name when we get married.  So I'd be Priya Ojas Sampat.  Or POS.  Great.  I'm not peepee anymore...I'm worse.  A piece of...well, poop.

But again, I'm escaping this seeing as how I had decided a few years ago that I would keep my dad's name as my middle name.  Ultimately, that would make me Priya Mahendra Sampat.  So let's see...that would mean that I'm...

PMS. (smacks hand to forehead) I give up.

DC Part 2

The only other time I had been to DC before this New Years Eve trip was with my family.  I have to say that my parents definitely spoiled us kids with some awesome summer vacations.  We've been to Europe, India, RVing through Yellowstone/Grand Canyon/Las Vegas.  We've gone on cruises to the Caribbean and to Alaska. 

I think it was the summer before I moved to Naples that my parents had decided to take us on another trip.  So about 13 or 14 years ago my dad mapped out a route that would take us from Miami to Toronto (yeah...the one in Canada).  We took our old Isuzu Rodeo and hit the road...stopping, site seeing, and collecting photobooks and postcards along the way.  We got to see Philadelphia, Atlantic City, New York, Niagara Falls.  We visited my aunts family in South Carolina and rented a cabin in North Carolina.  And we went to DC. 

I think I had forgotten how impressive the monuments looked in real life.  They seriously took my breath away.  I envy cities with old architecture.  That is one of the things about Naples that I'm not too fond of...everything was built from the 70's on.

Even on a cold and misty day, the Capitol looked great.

I hadn't been to the National Gallery before.  I was glad that Natalie suggested it, because I loved it.  There she is with Terence, Karl, and Jon.

Our visit to the Gallery reminded me of that part in Ferris Bueller when they go to the museums.  Somehow, I always manage to relate everything to a part in a movie, show or song. 

 

We spent 2 or 3 days in DC on that trip with my family.  We got to see every monument in the Mall.  But...we didn't get to see them at night.  That in itself was a different experience.  It was a cold walk but totally worth doing.

 

 

 

 

See the US Treasury below?  It kinda glowed green and I immediately thought that if Beetlejuice had to settle, he'd probably pick this place to live. (D'oh...I did it again)

 

While the Metro isn't exactly a landmark, I thought it was one of the very cool things about DC.  I liked it so much better than the subways in New York.  It was nice going to a place where you didn't have to rely on cars.  Someday...oh someday...I will find a job and get to move to a place like this.  Even if it's just for a little while.

This is my friend, Karen.

We have been friends since middle school and in just a few weeks she will be getting married.

But before she gets married, she will need one last night out as a single lady.  Which is precisely why we're having a bachelorette party for her in Tampa next weekend. 

I hope you're ready, Karen.

Two Bodies One Mind

I weighed myself tonight and it turns out that I've lost 14 pounds since I graduated. Holy moly! I guess there are benefits to not having money afterall.  I don't eat out as much and exercise is usually free.

I been really into running lately because a) i've been unsure about paying for another month of membership at my gym and b) because running in this weather is one of the best feelings ever.

I played some Paramore to get me pumpin' tonight and it reminded me of when I used to go running with Brittany at the UF track. She was such a good Weight Watchers buddy last year. Oh how I miss ye, Brrrritneh. I still don't use that Irish/Scottish accent with anyone but you. That's weird.  But then again, we are weird people (See below)

Song of the Day + Washington DC...Dang Cold?

I've been wanting to visit my friends in DC for a loooong time.  When my friends suggested that we meet there for New Years Eve, I was all for it.  Well I'm glad we made it happen because not only did I miss those friends a lot, but I also got to visit our nation's capital!  Now...I knew it would be cold, colder than Florida that is.  Being born and raised in this state, I haven't experienced the cold much...ok maybe I've NEVER really experienced cold weather.  This is why I've dedicated this post to my experience in DC's freezing climate.

 First day out and we come to find that Natalie's car is lined with little tiny icicles.

 Since I had never seen snow, I was naturally fascinated with the large piles of ice that sat on the sides of the streets.

 Wait...so you mean ice skating rinks are actually really supposed to be on frozen bodies of water and not in indoor hockey arenas?

The Reflecting Pool in front of the Washington Monument was completely frozen over.  I'd like to see Jenny try to get to Forrest over that!

And this is me for about 90% of our late night walk through the National Mall...and about 50% of the entire DC trip.

And now for a song...Take it away Selma and Rainn!

A Very Patel Christmas

So many things have happened in the few weeks that I've been away.  I guess the first thing to start with is Christmas.

This Christmas we were lucky enough to have my Binamasi and my three little cousins come to visit us.  The nice thing about having a 5 year old, a 4 year old, and a 2 year old around for Christmas is that everything about this holiday becomes exciting again.  There is such a thing as Santa.  We know that because...well...why else would we have put those cookies out?

It was the first time we had carolers around in years!

It was really cute seeing them open their presents, realizing that Santa had gotten them of few of the things they had circled in the toy book.

 

 

Along with all of this excitement, our usual Patel shenanigans took place.

Drunken Pictionary.  Note how happy my cousin Samir is, how my mom is complaining of the pinch her sister just gave her, and how my brother is just sick of all the yelling. Ah, family.

Lunch was make-your-own subs...

My mom was very proud of her arrangements.

 

And then there was the usual portraits.  We only get to see our family every once in a while.  Wish Ninamasi and Sonal could have been there too!

 

Merry Belated Christmas everyone!  I leave you with our stolen Picture People photo.