On my way to work today, I saw a man pushing a shopping cart full of random items down the street. He wasn’t clean, he was extremely thin and his clothes were torn. The expression on his face was not angry, rather, resigned. Resigned to his way of life – toting his possessions along with him wherever he goes.

During the rest of my drive to work, I wondered about this man. I wondered if he had ever been married, had children, etc. I wondered if at one time he had a great job that he enjoyed going to every day. I wondered when he ate last. I wondered what happened to him in his life that left him the way that he is. Without a job, without a home, without the basic necessities of life…and being “wondered about” by a twenty-something-year-old in her luxury car on the way to her office.

So much of where we go in this life is based on luck and opportunity. I have been given far more opportunities than most people, and while I am grateful, sometimes it takes seeing someone with nothing to remind me just how lucky I am. It shouldn’t take me seeing a homeless person to realize my blessings. I should recognize them every day. I will recognize them every day. So should you.

Gchatter:

Me: BEN. Meigs just told me that I had “high self-esteem”
Ben: what does that mean?
Me: Also known as “you are a little full of yourself today”
Ben: well you were pretty sassy last night
Me: I need to get off my European high horse
Ben: is that what it’s from?

I will write more about my fabulous trip later, but since I’m a bit brain dead – this is what you get for now.

Some things I learned on my European adventure:

1. I can live without the internet. Barely.
2. Wine “over there” is a whole lot cheaper. This is not necessarily a good thing, people.
3. The French love President Obama, but still hate us.
4. The siesta is the most genius idea ever. Ever.
5. Eating dinner at 10:00 in Spain is normal. And, it’s still light out then – I was amazed.
6. Watching the movie Taken makes you paranoid into thinking everyone wants to “take you.” They asked, “So, where are you staying?” I said, “I can’t tell you that – I’ve seen Taken.”
7. Being confined to a small room with three girls is hilarious. My abs look amazing from the laughter.
8. Walking the entire Champs-Elysées in heels is not a good idea.
9. European men can wear some suits. Ooh la la.
10. There are some words that are universal. They are: no, taxi, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.
11. I’m not good with foreign languages or maps.
12. In trying to describe what states we were from, it helped to give related things/people. For example: North Carolina = Marlboro cigarettes or Georgia = the Olympics in Atlanta, or (more effectively) the home of Outkast and Usher.
13. Oven mitts are necessary when using the hotel hairdryers in Paris. Maybe it was just our hotel, but I feel the need to warn people nonetheless.
14. When an airline loses your luggage, they give you these cool t-shirts and a bag of toiletries – and they deliver your luggage to your hotel. It’s actually not a bad deal.
15. Those really ugly/dorky donut pillows for your neck work. I don’t care what I looked like – I slept on planes and trains with that thing.
16. Cabs in Paris are nicer than anything I’ll ever drive.
17. Americans are prudish, but I’m ok with that. The PDA/lack of clothing was a bit much at times.
18. All the change those euros give you make you feel like you are spending less money that you are. Hello, it’s not a nickel, it’s $1.50.
19. The Europeans embrace their animals. I’d fit right in – they take their dogs everywhere, even to restaurants.
20. Sleep is overrated.

I’ll be out of touch for a while, my loves. Headed off to that European vacay I booked about a month ago. I can’t wait to see the sights, but I’m a little worried about my lack of internet/blackberry/gchat/emails/blog/facebook obsessions. I can make it, I can make it, I can make it.

Look for a post on July 15th, when I return. Adiós and Au revoir!

Cameron Diaz was probably the first tall, leggy blonde that I took one look at…and hated. I remember seeing her in The Mask alongside Jim Carey and thinking, “Wow. I will never look like that.” But, despite her ability to make me want to throw a punch at my mirror, I still like her. She’s bubbly, giggly and goofy, and I can’t help myself – I want to be friends with her.

Here’s that precious Cammy D looking outstanding in a white mini-dress at the premiere of My Sister’s Keeper the other night:

There are, of course, many other pictures in which her stance is a bit more flattering, but I chose this one so you could see the entire get-up. I love the fabric of this dress – you ladies out there know that when it comes to wearing white, the fabric makes all the difference in the world. Cheap fabric = lumpy marshmallow, not “summertime chic” as Cameron is here. Paired with the dress are very pale pink strappy heels and, I have to say, I like the little kick they give. Like, “Surprise! You thought you’d see boring shoes, but nope, here we are. Pink and perfect.”

Well done, Cam. But ease up on the botox, would ya?

People have argued all day about what he was and was not. What is undisputed, however, is that he was the King of Pop. An innovative musician who most of us attempted to imitate with bad hair and even worse dance moves.

Holy moly, this song reminds me of being a kid.

1) He realizes he looks like a homeless person. I’ve always wondered if he was aware.
“Afternoon projects had me outside and by days (sic) end I pretty much looked like a homeless person … but in this case a very content one.”

2) He loves him some tan lines. Guess that proves my theory about a tanning bed being in the mansion.
“I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificently gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curves of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of night’s light — but hey, that would be going into the sexual details we spoke of at the steakhouse at dinner — and unlike you I would never do that!”
Hey, Mark – it’s not digressing if you continue. I think you meant expand.

3) He’s cheap. Seriously, even he called the gift “insignificant.”
“P.S. I do not want to raise expectations, when I say I will send something insignificant I promise I will do as I say! It wont (sic) be worthy of bedside placement … was just going to find the movie the Holiday as we had spoken of it last Thursday.”

4) He signs his letters just like me. The “M” part, not that other mushy crap.
“I love you … sleep tight. M”
And, swear to God, y’all – those were not my emails. Latin women are hot, but I don’t swing that way.

5) He never forgot that he was, in fact, a governor.
“Tomorrow night back to Philadelphia for the start of the National Governor’s Conference through the weekend.”




All quotes were taken from The State newspaper (and, of course that Danielle Steel wannabe, The Honorable Mark Sanford).

Mark had me thinkin’ he had a nervous breakdown. Well, well, well – it is so much worse (better?) than that.

I really wish he would’ve read my letter to John Edwards. (You know, the one where I told John how ridiculous it is for politicians to have affairs because they always get caught?) Or at least paid attention during that whole Clinton/Lewinsky thing. Cheaters, Mark – they never win.

Big ups to Jenny Sanford for not attending the press conference along side that lyin’, cheatin’, no good, hypocritical, self-absorbed jerkface. Sidenote, y’all – she’s the one with the money. A lot of money. Holla back, Mark. Holla. Back.

This little development does clear up some of my confusion about Sanford’s staff, who until the press conference today, looked like the biggest bunch of idiots in the country. They still look dumb, mind you, because they should never have said they didn’t know where their boss, THE GOVERNOR, was. Big mistake, guys. If communicating with the public or the press is your job, then you should probably be good at it. (That’s a pretty big hint to his press secretary Joel Sawyer, there. Joel, call me – I can help. I am a much better liar than you are.)

Wallace decides he’ll sleep on his toys and treat, just in case I wanted to chew on his rubber chicken…

The governor of South Carolina is missing, and according to the story in The State newspaper, his wife is not concerned. I wouldn’t be either, but I’ll stop there.

Is it just me, or does this situation scream nervous breakdown? Either that, or plastic surgery.

I kind of hope it’s both.