Is It a Surprise My Mind is Working Like This?

Blog, is it weird that I fell in love with this song about three days after Ryan gave me the news that he wanted to break up?

I've never been one to overly examine fate, but sometimes I notice these things and can't help but think that there is something there working behind the scenes.

In any case, I love this song regardless of my connections to the country after which it is named.

FIN (that just happens to be French, FYI)

Crap on a Monday

Blog. I'm just going to take the winnings from the bet I placed with myself back in March and call it a day. Yes, this is the second time within the past month that I've linked to that post. Yes, I'm depressed that it's May and I'm still referencing it. And yes, I'm sad that I actually knew what I was talking about (despite my crazy hate for the snow and everyone at the gym). I'll move to amend the bet though and say that even though there isn't snow on the ground here in Minneapolis, there certainly was snow on the ground up in my home state of North Dakota yesterday. And since I'm the one who owns you blog, and I'm the one who is making up the rules to this game so I can win, I'm going to do just that. Pay up blog. You're the one who thought it would actually be spring time by now. Fool me once... shame on you. Listen to my wintertime predictions amidst a crazy ramble... shame on you again. Samantha wins!

Fuck. I need to stop writing about the weather. It's starting to not make sense anymore. Then again, when did the weather around here make sense?

But then what is there to write about? I'm out of specifics in my life at the moment since all I can really ponder these days is the fact that I leave for Italy in three days. I've never anticipated a trip so much in my life. I can honestly say this. I'm anticipating this even more than that time I went to the whole of Europe for two whole months. I think it's because I'm learning that people are more important to me than places. If the opposite were true, I wouldn't be living in a place where it's still winter in May. I'm going to Italy and England purely to see people who are near and dear to my heart. I've already seen the churches and mountains and rivers and history in each country. I'm sure there's tons more to see on top of what I've already experienced, but I feel good about what I've got under my belt site seeing-wise in each place. It's a great feeling to go so far away to such different places, but know that you'll have the comfort and company of people who you know and whose company you enjoy.

Blah blah blah. Ok, I'm done with the sappy travel talk. All there is left to do now is finish this glass of wine, wait for my hair to dry and recover from the intense yoga I did tonight. While I liked the instructor for this class, I did find I have a pet peeve of a yoga instructor who just tells you what to do instead of going through the class with you. Sure her instructions were clear and I understood the movements and all that, but really lady? You just gonna walk around and talk at us? The least you could do is help us enhance our poses if that's the road you're gonna take. But no, walk and talk. That's all Bre did this Monday evening. It's official. My favorite so far is Blake on Friday evenings. Partially because I really like the sequence she does. Partially because she does the yoga along with us. And partially because she's probably one of the most beautiful people I've ever seen up close. Rock on Blake. I'm about .00007% sad that I'm going to miss your Friday happy hour yoga class this week. Why the small percentage of regret for missing such a great class? Because I'm missing it for Europe bitches!!

Out.

Of Course I'm Poor and Leaving for Europe Next Week

Blog. I've been trying so hard to save money and it's just not working. Right when I get a handle on building up my savings, the United States of America comes in and is all "GIVE ME MONEY. AMERICA HUNGRY FOR CASH." and I'm suddenly wiped out of all the progress I've made over the past three months. So now I start over.

Sure I didn't need to get that coffee at Starbucks this morning. Nor did I need to eat that Jimmy John's sandwich for lunch. And you know what? Calling overseas tends to be expensive and a fun fact is that expensive things tend to drain my bank account faster than necessary. I can only imagine how rich I would be if I wasn't looking for excuses to call England all the time.

Rein it in Samantha. Rein it in.

I mean, I'm not completely broke, but I'm certainly not gaining any ground here. I was getting so motivated by seeing the number in my savings rise to a point where I was getting excited about the growing possibilities before me. But now that number has been slashed in half, and as much as I can blame myself for irresponsible spending, I'm also going to just go there and throw America under the bus while I'm at it since it just took $438 from me... and for what? No. Don't tell me. I'd rather not know what stupid shit my money is going to. I'd rather fabricate some story of it giving orphaned children a mansion with a swimming pool and playground in the back yard so they can have all the joys that the rich, unorphaned children have.

Isn't that the way though? Every time I go overseas, I'm broke. Last time I had a whole $50 in my account when I landed in England. This time it's going to be more like $200. I'll get paid while I'm over there... after 5 days. Good thing my brother revealed to my mom and I today that we can stay in his spare apartment for free. I don't know what that means, but if it's not costing me anything I'm going to roll with it.

I guess if I had to find a bright side in all of this it would be that the day I do get paid, I'll be in England where the dollar is worth even less than when in Italy. This means one thing: ENGLISH SPENDING SPREE.

Samantha. Remember? Rein it in.

I guess I should stop being a spoiled brat and acknowledge that the other bright side to this situation is that I get to go to Europe at no cost to myself. I'll just be responsible for food, alcohol, and whatever useless crap I want to buy. It's a pretty sweet gig when you put it that way and having $200 in Europe seems to be less awful.

Yoga time blog!

It's a Strange Island, but I'm Willing to Look Past It

Blog. If you live on the island pictured below, underwear are pants and pants are trousers. Fries are chips and chips are crisps. Pounds are money and stones are weight. God takes a back seat to the Queen and no questions are asked. Most importantly though, you are the luckiest because if you live on the island pictured below, despite of the backwards language and weird politics, you are within driving distance of a guy named Clive.

This island is called England, BTW.

Even if you have to drive on the left side of the road to get to him, it's totally worth it. And blog, three weeks from now I get to go to this island and not only teach Clive that pants are what you wear on the outside of your underwear (obviously), but I also get to see him in person once again. Finally. After five long and cold months of waiting from the moment I left him in a hotel stairwell back in December. Doesn't that make us sound like a classy duo...

Video Embedding for the Win!

Ok blog, I'm not one who is savvy with pop culture by any means, especially music. I like music. I listen to music. But I know nothing about music nor do I know about the people who make said music. I don't even know words to songs. I just know the songs that I like, the songs I can have on in the background, and the songs that I despise.

So it comes as a surprise to me when I make a musical connection like I did tonight. I have my grooveshark up, which if you are like me and like music, you should totally grooveshark it since it is the best thing ever. Anyway, my grooveshark is groovin', playing tunes and jamming out and some Nina Simone comes on. Now the only reason I know about Nina Simone is the same reason I know about pretty much any other music I have on my grooveshark. I heard a song of hers once on The Current and then looked up her name on Grooveshark and randomly added a bunch of her songs to my playlist. Done and done. I know she tends to sound like a man, can play the piano like a bitch, and is no longer alive. That's about it.

So tonight when this song of hers, Sinnerman, came on I was surprised because suddenly I wanted to buy a cell phone. HTC (and I don't even know what HTC is) totally stole the main lick of this song for some stupid ad campaign of theirs! The funny part is I always liked the little tune they used in their commercials and always wished I could find the actual song they were playing for it. But alas, I accepted the fact that I'm pop culturally illiterate and would never even know where to begin with obtaining such precious knowledge. The end.

And here I am knowing a whole three things about the woman who made up and even played said lick! I continue to amaze myself with this shit time and time again.

Anyway, take a look (or perhaps just a listen) for yourself, blog.

HTC's catchy commercial:

 

And Ms. Simone's 10 minute masterpiece complete with clapping!

I was going to write about how I successfully unclogged my drain tonight, but I'll save that nastiness for another day. Speaking of nastiness though (and for my new found ability to embed videos into you blog), here's a gem that I have no one else but Trisha Grover to thank for: