Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Roach Attack!

Dallas has not been treating me well lately. Last week, I experienced a host of transportation related problems such as:
  • Getting hit by a car on my bicycle
  • Closed ramps on the Tollway, thus not allowing me to get to where i need to go
  • A flat tire (of course, at night, on a deserted street, and i'd left my cell phone at home)
  • My carpool forgot to pick me up the morning after my flat tire

This week, it's been cockroaches galore! And yes, they are "Texas sized". These are monster cockroaches, and they have nine lives. Here is what went down:

  • On Friday night, my boyfriend came to visit and and he encountered one coming out of the bathroom. He said it was a big one, but I didn't see it.
  • On Sunday night, I was out on the balcony nursing my new plants and i saw one crawl off the edge.
  • On Monday night, after 2 hours of reading on my couch, I get up, turn around and see one crawling right where i was sitting. I beat it with a rolled up newspaper and start crying. I called my parents and my boyfriend in despair. My mom encouraged me to save the roach in a plastic bag to show to my building manager. I refused, but i did take a photo of it to email (i would post it but it is too disgusting). As i was typing up the email to send to the building manager, i turn around and see another roach! I beat it again with said newspaper and thought it was dead. I turned around to finish my email. When i went to clean it up, it had disappeared!! I looked for it, and found it on its back in the bathroom. I beat it again, and it only flipped around and started running. I then beat it one more time, and it seemed to be dead. I tried to scoop it up with a piece of paper, but then it started running AGAIN. Finally, i beat it with all my might without smooshing it into my new bathroom tile. At that point in time, I was crying my eyes out and trying not to throw up. In desperating, I called the only person i know in the building, who is a very sweet 23 year old guy who lives downstairs. It was 12:30am, and he had been sleeping. But he made his way up to my apartment to clean up the guts.
  • Tuesday morning, I called the building manager bright and early to make sure she got my email and to ensure that the exterminator was going to come ASAP. They were able to get the exterminator to come that afternoon. whew!
  • Because my neighbor cleaned up roach guts at 12:30am, I baked him a few cupcakes from scratch tonight (Thursday). I decided to open the balcony door to get some fresh air in. My neighbor called to let me know that he was home. The minute i answered the phone, I noticed a gigantic roach crawling up the wall near the balcony door. I asked if he could come over instead to not only pick up the cupcakes but also kill a new roach. I was on roach patrol until he got to my apartment and then he made three attempts to smoosh the roach, but it was running around like crazy! It was perfect timing that he was coming up, otherwise, I have no idea what i would do.
  • I called my dad, and he said that roaches are harmless, just dirty. That did not make me feel any better.

So tomorrow, I am going to call up the building manager again, because i pay way too much money for this luxury apartment to deal with a roach infestation!!!! I really think that someone is rotting in the apartment below mine, and the roaches have decided to camp out for awhile. I live on the 6th floor - i should not have roaches in my apartment!! Even in 10 whole years in New York City, in the dumpiest of dumps, i never had roaches. I did find 2 dead roaches (two different apartments, 5 years apart), but that was nothing.

Hummer count - more than usual this past week...at least 5-6 a day

Sunday, September 14, 2008

my 1st time getting hit by a car and other transportation related events

Today, i was hit by a car while riding my bike to yoga. Definitely not zen-inducing! A woman was at a stop sign and I was crossing the street, and she wasn't looking in the direction she was turning! Of course, I fell off my bike and hit the pavement and my first thought was "OMG, i'm screwed." but then i stood up and everything felt fine. Then i got mad. The woman definitely took a minute to get out of the car and I tried to be mean, but she helped me readjust my bike, and she stood there for quite some time to make sure i was ok. A guy who was working valet parking at a nearby restaurant ran across the street to make sure I was ok. He also said his friend had just hit another bike rider 20 minutes ago on the same corner. A guy in a gigantic SUV stopped and told me he would help me fix my bike. Turns out he didn't have any tools, but he told me i had a cool bike. I appreciated that everyone was so helpful. My left ankle and front wheel are a little mangled, but otherwise ok. I was really shaky though and it took a few minutes to calm down before class.

Luckily, I was GOING to yoga! The yoga really helped me take my mind off it, and i had a great class.

Of course, a few minutes later, a blond bitchy girl in a shiny new Audi zoomed out from a driveway and didn't stop when she saw me, and I had to majorly brake to avoid hitting her. She didn't seem to care.

On the way home, there was a lot of traffic on McKinney for some reason. The weather was amazing today, so everyone was outside eating and drinking. There was some honking and then i saw this girl pull up along side another car and start screaming her head off with both middle fingers in the air. Is it really worth it?!

I also took a long bike ride down to the farmers market this morning, and it was awesome! I had a little bit of anxiety because it was my longest ride in the city yet, but it was amazing.

Hummer count: 7 huge ass gross Hummers!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Do Asians love Tom Jones?

My dad is a huge fan of Tom Jones. That struck me as weird when he told me because i thought older women liked Tom Jones and thought he was foxy. And maybe Europeans because i saw his music video playing over and over at a cafe in Auxerre, France in 2000. Today, I was watching "The Cho Show" on VH1, and Margaret Cho's parents are ALSO huge fans of Tom Jones.

Hurricane IKE hasn't really affected Dallas yet. It's windy and overcast but no major issues yet.

Hummer count: 4

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Recycling Rules! and the Samosa Sale Farce

I AM SO EXCITED!!!!! Recycling of everything but glass is starting in my building on Monday, Sept 15th. This is a major breakthrough and now, I am finally and completely happy with my Dallas life.

Yesterday, I saw all these flyers around the office for a Samosa Sale...right on my floor! I was so pumped and was prepared to have a delicious greasy spicy samosa with my lunch. At 12:30pm, I walked over to the room and it was empty. I thought maybe i had the wrong room so i circled the area. Then i circled the area AGAIN. No Samosa Sale. I went downstairs to eat lunch and saw more flyers. I double checked and confirmed the times of the sales, and afterwards, I went back up to the fourth floor to try and find it. No dice. My appetite was totally unfufilled and i was cranky for the rest of the afternoon.

This morning, I spoke with someone in my department and she said that they had sold out. She went at 11:40am (the sale started at 11:30), and most of the samosas were already gone. Also, there was only one tray being sold. 1 tray a samosa sale does not make!!!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

RIP but great weekend

So i think i've officially killed my babies. Last week, i returned from my long weekend and found Bammy, my arugula sprouts keeled over. Tonight, I got back from my weekend and found Gennifer brown and crusty. I don't understand how it dried up considering how much i watered her! I am distressed, and I'm not sure what to do. I replanted the arugula, and i have some baby sprouts again, but not as many as the first time around. I'm worried to say the least.

I just got back from an amazing weekend NYC! I went straight to the city on Friday night for mac and cheese and sangria from the airport with my sassy uptown friend and her friends. I saw my ex-roommate, who is dating a really cute girl. I almost fell out of my chair when i realized that he was almost 36 years old. It was awesome to see him and i want him to be friends with my b-school friends who had a housewarming party this weekend in Park Slope. These friends found an awesome apartment and had a cute party where we (I) drank lots of vodka and wine. Of course, i stayed with my favorite bestest friend, A-plus, in Carroll Gardens, and we brunched it up, shopped, and boogied in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and back in Brooklyn. Here are some highlights:

1. We witnessed, in Williamsburg, lots of hipster boys dancing solo to 60s soul, shimmying up a storm. I know my bestest friend doesn't think it's that big of a deal, but she danced with a guy with a humongous beard!!!!

2. She convinced me to buy a pair of butt-hugging overalls (on sale), and I had to get up the nerve to wear them out Saturday night. No one batted an eye in NYC, but not sure if they will be appropriate in Dallas. Also, am i too old to be wearing booty shorts?

3. Drunk hipsters grinding to slow jams is not a pretty sight.

4. My hair embraces humidity.

5. I had the most amazing iced coffee at Gorilla Coffee in Park Slope, and bought the cuuuuuutest coffee mug for work.

6. I LOVED seeing 2 of my favorite MBA friends living in Park Slope. It's as if they were born there.

7. It's still possible to look cute after standing in the middle of Hurricane Hanna, waiting for a cab.

I feel amazing after the best weekend in NYC, and am ready for Monday.

Monday, September 1, 2008

my first whataburger

I was fortunate to share a very intimate meal with a very very special friend of mine at restaurant called Whataburger. I know it sounds like a fancy place, maybe too fancy for me, but we decided that we deserved it after a few hours of travel, and a few more to come.

Apparently, Whataburger is a TX establishment, and is making enough money to advertise during the Olympics (at least in the Dallas market). Many of these restaurants are right off the highway, and I pass at least 20 of them on my way to work.

I was determined to have Whataburger, especially since my friend only had a 45 minute (we missed our skytrain stop, and then circled the highways for 20+ minutes trying to find the right exit) layover, and I needed to get this particular Texas experience out of the way. A) i was very impressed with the cleanliness of the place B), they bring your order to your table, like a real restaurant C), they bring you a well organized platter of condiments and mints with your meal.

Overall, I had a great experience! It helped that I had low expectations to begin with. I will definitely consider patronizing a Whataburger again.