The Bins of Vancouver...

Ever since I've moved to Portland, I've heard people talking about this mystical place called The Bins. Locals described a magical store where you pay for your items by the pound and wrestle with plastic-glove-wearing women (who are speaking to each other in Russian)to see who gets to take home prized goods. I had never been to The Bins...until today.

I ventured out to the Goodwill outlet store in Vancouver with some co-workers on our lunch break today. I was especially excited because rumor has it that the bins in Vancouver are even better than the Portland store because their less picked over. When we walked in, I was stunned. I don't know what I expected but the cavernous warehouse space filled with row after row of bins of random stuff was overwhelming-so overwhelming that it took me awhile to get acclimated. I just wandered up and down the rows while my seasoned co-workers dug out amazing treasures like ottomans and croquet sets! Eventually, my eyes started zeroing in on anything that was leopard or zebra print, and I started scooping up everything a GnR could possibly wear. I quickly realized I could have filled 5 shopping carts with everything that was GnR appropriate so I put it all back except a leopard print horse finger puppet and a zebra print dress. By the end of our adventure, I managed to score:

1. The aforementioned finger puppet. He is coming with me to our team meeting today.
2. A stretchy velour zebra print dress. If it doesn't fit me, I think it will fit Punchkin.
3. A sweater and a blue lacy blouse for work. Actually my co-worker found these but gave them to me because they wouldn't fit her.
4. Dolly Parton's biography (or autobiography?)
5. A blue raincoat with hearts on the lining
6. A book about canning and freezing (I'm optimistically hoping I'll need it for all the fruits and veggies I'll grow this summer!)
7. Glitter Fun in the Artic!!! There is a whole series of books about glittery animals in the wild. I'm now on a mission to collect all 6!

My grand total was a little over $6. All in all, I think it was a successful first trip.

I want to quit the gym!

I love Friends. I've seen every episode. I've taken a quiz and found out I would be Monica. But lately, I've been relating more to Chandler.

Specifically Chandler in this episode. The one where he wants to quit the gym.


I don't like gyms very much. They are sweaty, smelly places. I feel like everyone is looking at me. They make my muscles hurt, there's never anything good on the t.v., and I get bored biking in place.

But I go because I need strong muscles to play roller derby and if I don't do stretches and cardio for my IT bands then I'm in so much pain it hurts to just sit at my desk or drive. So the gym has become part of my regular routine.

I felt pretty good about 24 hour fitness when I joined last year. It was the cheapest, it was close to my work, and it had a Pilates teacher I liked. But my affection for 24 hour fitness was fleeting. Bally's has a waterfall. And a rock climbing wall. And not one, but 3 pools. And right now they're running this really good deal with the Discovery channel where you get 3 months free and after your first year your monthly fees are only $20. That's even cheaper than 24 hour fitness! They won me over. So I did it. I quit the gym.

And promptly joined another gym. Now I just need to find the willpower to actually go.

Sorry for the unexpected hiatus!

We got snowed in!



Portland has gotten a record breaking amount of snow since mid-December, and I couldn't get access to the internet!!!

I almost didn't make it to North Carolina to see my family for Christmas because of the storms. Which would have been a shame because it would have made pulling off our New Year's tradition a bit tricky.

In tenth grade, my friend Alison and I started buying "New Year's bras". Every year since then, my friends and sisters and I have carried on the tradition. Whenever possible, my sisters and I shop for our New Year's bras together. I love traditions.

The way it works is that you buy a bra that will symbolize what you want for the upcoming year. Then you make sure you're wearing it at midnight on New Year's Eve, and (hopefully) all your wishes for the upcoming year will come true.

This year my bra is hot pink and black (GnR team colors), so that GnR will have a winning 09 season, and I'll have my best season yet. It's also just a little sexy, and a bit romantic with some lace and ribbons. And it's a whole size bigger than last year's! I guess I was part of the 70% of women who wear the wrong bra size. A Victoria's Secret salesperson set me straight. So hopefully this year will be comfortable and a perfect fit! Apparently playing derby will not only give you derby booty and rock hard quads, you also get bigger boobs!!!

Do you have any silly traditions or hopes for the New Year?

Happy Election Day!

This is my first presidential election in Oregon. Since I rarely bother to actually *read* my mail, I didn't realize I was supposed to mail my vote in. I had to drop it off at a drop box outside a Goodwill on my way home from practice Sunday night. I must say, it's a little anti-climatic when you don't go to the polls to cast your vote. You don't even get a little "I voted" sticker. I suppose the upside is you don't have to wait in line for 4 hours to vote either. So all in all, I guess it's a pretty good system. Maybe they could insert an "I voted" sticker in the ballots they mail out, then I'd be 100% satisfied.

Knox cheered me up yesterday when she gave me this button though.

It says "Roller Girls for Obama". Awesome. Way better than a little red and blue sticker.

I'm going to meet up with Knox and a couple of other derby girls later tonight at Kay's to watch the election results. Fingers crossed!!!

30 going on...16

I'm going to be 30 a week from today and to celebrate I get to... go to the DMV and retake my drivers license test? Lame.

I've been in Oregon for, um, awhile now. I own a house here. I'm registered to vote here. I have a library card, and my car is registered here. But because I am lazy and I despise going to the DMV and taking tests, I still have a Virginia license. Sadly, I can't put off a trip to the DMV any longer, my license expires on my birthday. So by this time tomorrow, I will officially be a card carrying Oregonian...IF I can pass the knowledge test at the DMV so I can get my new driver's license. I failed the online practice quiz today. But come on, do you know who has the right of way at a T intersection when there are no stop signs or lights? I do now.

Test your own driving knowledge here-
It's almost kind of fun. Unless you're facing the prospect of losing your license.

I think the worst part of the whole thing is that they're going to take my old license away for keeps. I like my Virginia license because the photo might be one of the best photos ever taken of me, and it says "Death to Tyrants" on the actual license.

I hope the Oregon license says something cool. Maybe "Don't drink organic microbrews and drive". Or "We frown upon running over bikers".