In Preparation

I have a lot of loose ends to tie up at the office today, most of them not really work-related however. First off, I have to say, I don't care how long the lines get at that "place over in Georgetown that has a TV show", my cupcake allegiance lies with Hello Cupcake in Dupont Circle. I snagged a Living Social deal about 2 months ago that I plan on redeeming this morning for a dozen cupcakes to enjoy after Thanksgiving dinner (and perhaps some tonight if we can't hold out!). I also have to remember to drop off a check for my order of White House Christmas ornaments this year. Our office does a group order to get a lower price.

I don't really don't mean to be crude (seriously, I don't!) but given the various scandals and stuff in the news of late, I can't help but think this ornament unintentionally seems a touch inappropriate. Okay, sorry, this is just my own stupid opinion.

I skipped my morning workout because we were out last night (I'll get to that in a second) so I'm hoping for early dismissal so that I can go home, bake my pie, go to the gym and finish getting stuff together for tomorrow in a timely manner. Of course I'm thinking I might skip the workout, order some pizza and make sure I get a good run in tomorrow morning before the all-day eatfest begins. My brother and sister-in-law are spending tomorrow at my parents' house as well. Her family is apparently doing Thanksgiving dinner at the Ravens tailgate. Sounds like a lot of fun but I guess not if you don't have tickets to the game. The brothers Harbaugh are facing off in Baltimore tomorrow night but we won't be watching as the game is on NFL network. (Don't even get me started about how I've tried to convince Jake to upgrade our FiOS so we can get NFL network and more importantly Fox Soccer Channel. I haven't won him over on that yet.)

So last night we went to Tattoo Bar in D.C. for a party sponsored by the non-profit group Falling Whistles. They are a great organization that fosters awareness of violence and abuse as a result of the on-going war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their focus is mainly on women and children affected. We weren't really sure what to expect other than drinks in return for our donation. Unfortunately they fell victim to what I am deem as 'Tuesday before Thanksgiving in D.C.' syndrome. In a city full of so many transient people you're hard-pressed to get a good turnout an evening before Thanksgiving. We chatted with a few of the road crew members. They are fantastically excited about their cause and bummed that their 2-month road trip is winding to an end. We attempted to have a conversation with their founder but the music was just too loud. I would have liked to hear more of what they had to say but after two hours of being there, music thumping, there were less than 30 people in the bar and no one was dancing so we headed home. I think they are a great organization and I hope to get the chance to hear them speak in the future about everything they're fighting for. If you are interested in learning more about them, visit their website and maybe buy a whistle. I put one on my Amazon Wish List, with the holiday coming up and all. (Special thanks to my friend K for recommending I look into this group and a few others! My research has been incredibly enlightening.)

Oh and I must mention that we had never been to Tattoo Bar before as the scene on K Street isn't typically Jake's and my style (we're more brewery/pub/dive bar folks with the occassional club visit thrown in). I know my friend Matt will be happy to hear though that we didn't think Tattoo was so bad and we'd likely be willing to go for happy hour sometime.

Alright, time to comb the rest of the blogosphere. It's going to be a slow day here so you can bet if I find anything entertaining, I'll share it.