Award-Winning Performance

I had an awesome time at the Twestival last Thursday. There's nothing like being in a room filled with other social networking nerds to make you really feel like you're a part of something special.

For weeks I was anxiously awaiting the Rock Band tournament. I'd come home from work and sneak a little bit of practice in before Rob got home from work to ridicule me. I was gonna WIN this thing!

And here it was, Thursday night, my palms sweating, my stomach churning. The first two bands played. They were good, but I was still confident. I volunteered to go next. I asked my two assigned band mates if they would mind if we did "So Whatcha Want" by the Beastie Boys. They didn't care a bit. I looked out into the sea of geeks, my heart pounding, and began.



The result? I got 100% on Expert, which meant the closest someone could get to me would be a tie! I had succeeded! Take that, Mom! Who said video games would get you nowhere?!?!

I had first choice of prizes. Rob "encouraged" me to take the most valuable prize, two floor seats to see the 76ers play the Miami Heat, worth $305 a ticket. Unfortunately for me, I'll be in Arizona during the game, so I won't even get to enjoy my prize. Rob's going to take his dad instead. It's probably better that way. I wouldn't enjoy it as much anyway. And now, the leverage that I hold over Rob is more valuable than any prize I could have won. He owes me. He owes me big. And there's a room full of nerds that will make sure he repays me.

:::99 things:::

Saw this here and I felt compelled to participate. However, I can't just follow the rules like Adriana did. I'm going to have to make some comments on the items below. I think having not been to Europe eliminated about 20%.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars - (I was in a tent, does that count?)
3. Played in a band - only Rock Band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland - I've been to Disneyworld
8. Climbed a mountain -it wasn't very tall
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo - played flute solos
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - last Tuesday, ehem
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon - hells no!
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse - only "of the heart"
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community - Rob's dad lives in one, but he's not Amish
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - I'm satisfied with what I have now
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud - on the same day as #52
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business - I'm going to say melissahead is more hobby than business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching - I wanted to vomit the entire time
63. Got flowers for no reason - my first bf did this all the time
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma - I don't meet the weight requirements
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - my mom trashed them all when I wasn't paying attention
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle - it was probably barely going over the speed limit
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book - not yet!
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - YAY!
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House - only the outside, is that what they mean?
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox - during #33
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous - define "famous"
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Melissa Through the Years

On my 16th birthday, my grandmother gave me a little album that she titled "From Sweet Baby to Sweet 16", and it was full of photos of me throughout the years. I pulled out the album last night for a little reminiscing and I decided to scan some in.

Here I am with my mom. This was the first picture ever taken of me. Yeah, I was a pretty big baby. Chubby, red-faced, and cross-eyed. Very attractive. I eventually grew out of all three traits.

Look at how happy I am to be with my parents and grandmother! Does this photo scream 80's or what?



There's really nothing like looking back on old grade school photos to make you cringe.



Clockwise from top left:
1st Grade (I think); 3rd Grade (nothing says 3rd Grade like fake forest backdrops); 4th Grade (I was at my tannest); 5th Grade (I was vomiting in the bathroom this day, but I wouldn't go home because of class photos); 6th Grade (the dreaded bad perm phase); 7th Grade (the dreaded denim shirt phase)

And here I am, years later, and I've defaulted back to the banged hairdo.