Last minute procrastination...

It's fly day!! Am I ready? Sort of. I'm packed....I'm just not dressed....and my room is a mess. Ironically...I clean my room before I leave on trips. Something about being rushed? It's ridiculous...but it's true...and how I function. I can't decide if I should bring a book or not...I rarely read, though lately have been trying to, but I'm not traveling alone? And I've recently downloaded Ms Pac-Man on my phone, so it's not like I'm lacking in things to do! lol I also need to study for my NY text-tour guide test-so perhaps I should do that....Hmmm....all these choices! Anyway, I should be off. Packing, bringing downstairs, last minute trips to the bank, mail box, and maybe a bagel and lox for lunch?! Yumtastic! KNOODLES here I come!!

München BOUND!!!

I'm actually pretty stoked for a trip...and yes, that's rare. I love what I do, I love traveling, but I don't get JAZZED. Good, Bad, or otherwise...it's true...but this time? I'm not in charge! I am excited to say things like "I don't know" or "Who cares when it was built"! I also get to see great friends...and eventually....see great family! YAY! So...French? Deleted...Deutsch? It's time for you to be recovered! Uh-oh. Here's a great shot of Silvia, myself, and GQ....note the delicious knoodles and Spezi! YUM!!!!!! (Thanks Fraus for the photo!)

BOO to XM Radio!!

Dear XM,

Never again. NEVER AGAIN! My brother bought me the radio in January of 08....not with the service...my first sign of a problem should have been when hooking it up, the automated person kept getting my zip code wrong, and once I asked to speak with a real person, the set up was an extra $10. So...I had it for a year...loved it, and in January 09, with all my touring, I decided to cancel...they decided to ignore and automatically take it from my debit card. So the calling began. I tried to cancel....they said, how about we give you the year for half price....? Um....okay....well, come July, the service was off....so of course I had to assume that in fact, they charged me for half for the full year, but only gave me half the year....whatever, I couldn't be bothered....I was finally done with them. Oh no no no....so January 10, bills....I call....the guy says, you've had xm all year....I say no, I haven't, he says yes you have, maybe you just need a new station, or it needs to be re-somethingorothered. What? So he gives me a new code, I try it, it works, so in fact, they changed whatever that was, so I thought it was done....whatever, I try and cancel....but then he gives me two months free...I was still naive. So...I take the two months free. Come March....I get a bill....FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS!!! I call...go over my situation again, and he says, okay, how about if I take that price, and delete it, and charge you $24 for another 6 months. I'm still naive, I take it, and he's swearing up and down that it will be canceled in July, and I call in July....to make sure. Fine. Done and done....though, I still receive HEAPS of mail from them. Okay, so then I am GONE forever, and YESTERDAY, in the mail comes a BILL for xm for $55....WHAT?! DUE a WEEK AGO!!! So I call, to cancel....and get transferred, and cancel, and we get "disconnected"....after she offers me a "free month"....I said you couldn't offer me 3 years! So then I call back, and get some other ninny, who tells me I have TWO radios on this account and have a balance of $30....NO I DO NOT!!!!!!! So....we cancel that....and I make sure...AGAIN, that there is NO account whatsoever with my name on it, and put me on any do not call list you want to, but I would like to NEVER hear from you again. Done. And what comes in the mail? ANOTHER BILL FROM XM! And so, I assume it was sent before the conversation, that's fine, but then, literally 3 hours later....the house phone rings. "Hi, this is Sarah from XM....we just wanted to confirm your billing address?" ARE YOU KIDDING ME!????? I said seriously? FOR WHAT?! I am NO longer a customer, she points out the two accounts, (that I do not have) and then says oh....I see they are canceled, I said right, do you see the part where I am on a DO NOT CONTACT? No. Of course not, she puts me on that, apologizes, and does not offer me a free anything, but wishes me a Happy Holiday. I wish her a Merry Christmas, and am PRAYING that xm never contacts me again. BOOO TO XM!!!! I loved the satellite radio...I do, but trying to quit? Worse than a break up! FOR THE LOVE, LET ME GO!!!!!!!!!

Theme? VOLCANO!

Tonight....heading out to play....I grabbed my zip up fleece...and then I saw my hat sitting there...neglected and all...so I put it on, it deserved some play, I wear hats all the time, how could I pass up the chance!? So I get downstairs, and realize? I'm one giant VOLCANO!! My fleece if from Mt. Etna in Sicily (YES, that is ALWAYS in EVERY CROSSWORD PUZZLE! ETNA!), and then my hat....cool as can be....made by hand in Iceland...to represent "Eyjafjalljokull" (the volcano in Iceland that apparently blows up all the time, but because it really messed up flights to/from Europe this spring, was a bigger deal than normal!) So how cool is THAT! Heart me some volcano apparel! I have a volcanic ash necklace from Santorini I should have thrown on for the photo shoot...

Dear Zappos,

I think I might love you....don't tell Amazon.com...

Love, Carrie

(BLOG. Zappos...is sort of new for me. I JUST ordered sweet boots, plural, 3 pair, from them. NONE of them fit right....for that I blame the reese cup I had for dinner, not Zappos. Either way, I mailed them back, done and done. They mailed them to me for free.....I mailed them back-for free. Gorgeous. So then, I received something as a gift that I wasn't head over heels about-pun intended, and well, I took just short of FOREVER to send them back, and they were AWESOME on the phone about it-thankyouReginanotapuppet? Anyway, so she said they'd be there "tomorrow".....WOW...really!? So....okay....crazy quick, but okay. So, then TODAY-which was "tomorrow" yesterday-ya with me? Anyway, I got an e-mail from Zappos, with their SINCEREST apologies about the fact that I wouldn't be getting my shipment today/tomorrow as promised! What? "Due to this situation, and as an apology, we want to give you a $15 off coupon to assure you this was not indicative of the level of service we provide to our loyal Zappos customers." WHAT? YES PLEASE! AND THANK YOU!!! Cool. Very cool. Not at all necessary, but FAB!! FAB! Thank you Zappos, could you now call ebay and tell them to step up!?)

VOTE FOR ROB!

www.127definingmoments.com

Click the thumbs up next to Rob Vernon! JUST DO IT!!

We went to college together! So...keep him in the top 10...pretty please!

The Antibac Angel!

I may have a problem. Isn't admitting it the first sign!? I knew I had extras...but I didn't know I had a LOT of extras!! In my defense...I use the stuff. NOT CRAZY, but enough to go through them, if I quit buying them for a little while! What are they? Anti-bacterials...MINIS! "POCKETBACS" as the Bath & Body Works world calls them! And they attach with that little rubber holder! They are IDEAL when traveling! I attach them on every bag, so I have one, at all times. (Also? They serve well for attaching zippers together, makes it a little harder to pick pocket, just a deterrent...) I think it's what kept me healthy ON the trip with the "GERM". I didn't nickname him that-the bus did....he was an open mouthed no cover cougher. He got a LOT of people sick-I didn't know it was only him till too late, or maybe I'd have booted him?! Nah...I wouldn't have, but I'd have handed him a box of tissues and said "COVER"! Anyway, I didn't get sick till AFTER the trip was over....so THAT was good! lol Anyway, that said....I obviously have too many. I even gave one away to my last Paris guide...I should have given her more huh!? Well, maybe next year! :-)
For now, don't they look like and ANGEL!? Antibac Angel. I love it.