My Little Crack Squirrel

Reagan, my almost two year-old Yorkie Terrier, is pretty much the best thing ever. Whether I've been gone for 2 seconds, 2 minutes, 2 hours, or 2 days she is always happy to see me...and me to see her.

(The day I brought her home)

(After having her for 2 weeks)

She has put up with a lot from me. I have dressed her up in ridicules outfits (football jerseys, lady bug costumes, angel wings, light up Christmas sweaters, hoodies--just to name a few), she has adapted to always wearing a bow in her hair, and she has become my trusty travel companion whether flying (yes she flies with me) or roadtripping.

(Cheering on the K-State Wildcats!)

(In her bows---red this time)

(In her angel wings)

(As a Lady Bug at Halloween)

Reagan is also quite the cuddler. Its not uncommon for her to be napping on my lap or chest, or for me to have to wake her up out of my bed at 10 a.m. to go out. However, she hasn't earned the nickname "crack squirrel" for nothing!

(Yep she's still in bed with a pink bow in her hair)

The nickname came along right after I got her (she was a whole 2 pounds), and she would get excited and run laps at the speed of light and run under furniture no one thought she could get under (ie: the coffee table and bookcases). These "crack squirrel" episodes usually happen out of nowhere. She could be dead asleep and wake up and then immediately start running these crazy laps around my place...but they always happen after she has a bath. The poor thing looks like Splinter from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles after a bath...I think thats her way of drying herself off...running laps at the speed of light and then throwing herself on the floor.

(Watch out she moves at the speed of light!)

Needless to say I don't know what I would do without this little fireball of mine. She's always there, knows my moods, makes me feel better when I'm upset, is always happy to see me, and she tolerates to torture I put her through :)

Red Carpets and Premiers

So I haven't been very good lately about keeping this thing updated so I apologize if it gets a little long winded.

First and foremost: I got the email yesterday saying that my thesis proposal was approved--party time! Okay, not really...more like its the email reminding me that my social life is over this summer and I will be back on my coffee diet and no sleep lifestyle.

Okay now back to how the rest of the month has gone:

A few weekends ago the girls and I attended the Mutts and Models: Wizard of Paws fashion show. It was also the second time in the month of May that we also got a walk a red carpet. This event was a fundraiser for the local animal shelters that was put on by the Colorado Veterinary Medical Foundation. The models in the fashion show were local celebrities such as radio personalities and local news broadcaster, and also store owners. The event was in full Wizard of Oz (one of my favorite movies!) theme and you could also bring you own dog to watch the show.

(Our red carpet picture)

(Yellow Brick Road Runway)

(A model and his companion)

After the fashion show I turned into a hermit because the deadline for my thesis proposal was fast approaching so there wasn't a lot of play time for me. All the hard work ended up paying off though since as I said earlier...APPROVED! And then it brings us to last night.

Yesterday nothing could have gotten me down. I was pretty much flying high all day after I got my email so I was ready to celebrate--and no better way to do it than to go see Sex and the City 2 with seven other girls and then have a night out on the town. We went all out for this...we had bought tickets weeks in advance and we all got dolled up to go to the movie. The movie was fabulous...I want all of their wardrobes and I want to take a vacation to Morroco!

(All the girls after the movie)

After the movie there was only one thing to do ... have Cosmos and head to Suite 200 at Larimer Square! When we get there it turns out that The Nik (www.thedirty.com) was there doing a promotion. He ended up inviting a few of my friends and I to come hang out with him in his VIP area...we happily acceppted his invite...I mean how can you turn down Grey Goose, Patron, and Champagne :) ... However, with the headache I've had today it might have been a good idea to turn it down!

(With The Nik)

Now that my proposal has been approved, its back to being a hermit for me. I have until
August 13th to complete it ... which seems like a long time, but its not. The one thing I have to look forward to is the girls and I are planning a trip to Vegas, leaving the day its due. The girls and I will also be competing in the Denver Flip Cup tournament benefiting leukimia and lymphoma in June. Our team name is the Druken Sailors and we will be dressing accordingly!


I believe that is all there is for now. I will try and be a little better about keeping this deal updated!

Be Prepared: Soon to be asking a favor of you all!

I can't believe that was are almost half-way through the month of May. Its crazy to think that summer is almost here. I am so ready for sunshine, to play a little golf (I can't wait to show you all my new golf shoes!), lay out by the pool, sit on rooftop patios, plan a trip to Vegas with friends, hopefully take a trip home to California, and spend afternoons with my dog in the park. This can all happen once Denver decides winter is over...which I'm really starting to question will ever happen--I mean really...snow in May? Thats for the birds!

Thanks to working on my thesis all summer, I will have to limit my time when it comes to doing my favorite summer activities. So this brings me to discussing my thesis with you all. Come the start of June I will be asking a favor of all of you. As part of my primary research I will be conducting a survey regarding my topic of integrating social media in to the traditional marketing mix. It would be so helpful to me if you could all participate! Also, by responding to the survey you will all be put into a drawing to win a fabulous prize (more details to come)! So please be looking for me to post the link to the survey sometime the first part of June!

Leave Sooner, Drive Slower, Fewer Tickets

I made it!

So I have a less than stellar driving record. Getting pulled over for me used to be a regular occurrence when I drove anywhere. Whether I was going a long or short distance I seemed to be a target for law enforcement, but thanks to my charm and ultimate power of persuasion (yeah right) I somehow was able to finagle my way out of tickets and get off with written warnings. While I was at K-State I even had a bulletin board devote to a collage or written warnings I received while in school...I had to of had a good half dozen or more.

Well unfortunately my luck of written warnings wore out and for the past 18 months I have been in danger of having a 30 day suspension of license. Thanks to California driving law you can only get 3 traffic violations in an 18 month period of time...and I had 2. I had to make it May 2nd without getting a ticket, and guess what I made it! I think I only even got pulled over once in that period of time (and got off of course) which is some sort of record for me. But I do have to say, thank goodness the tickets you get when going through an intersection (the camera ones for speeding/running lights) don't count cause if so it would have been public transportation for me.

But I can now say I have learned my lesson to slow down and pay attention to road signs! I don't need to start another collage anytime soon.

Big Hats, Champagne, and Horse Races

I can't believe that May is finally here...time is just flying by! With the start of May it brought a highly anticipated event for my friends and I--the Kentucky Derby.

Although we did not get to attend the real derby, we got to attend the second largest derby party that is held outside the Kentucky Derby which just so happens to be here in Denver.

The event is put on Colorado State University and all proceeds to go to a scholarship fund to benefit under privileged college students, so not only not just for fun and games but it all goes towards a good cause! It was held at the beautiful Denver Botanic Gardens and had amazing sponsors such as Ceren Vodka, Tommy Bahama Rum, Perrier Jouet champagne, Mumm Napa Valley, Coors/Blue Moon, and various Denver area restaurants who provided food. They also had TVs set up all around the gardens and in the tents so that everyone could watch the race when it was going on.

(Walking the red carpet with ladies: Cortney, Stephanie and Jill)

We started the day by attending a Pre-Party at a mansion in downtown that was completely empty inside so it was full of party goers.

(On the steps inside the mansion)

Once arriving at the event we got to walk a red carpet and were immediately handed a mint julep (the traditional drink of the Derby--which is gross by the way in my opinion) to kick things off right. Everyone who attended were decked out in head-to-toe derby attire, with fun dresses and over the top hats while the men were all well dressed in suits. It was definitely a target rich environment for good looking well dressed men. A few of the party goers chose to forgo the suits and dress as jockeys instead--it was totally fitting!

(Cortney's neighbor Brian and I...he rocked the striped suit and pink tie well)

(Loved this guys suit with the horse embroidered on sleeve. He also had a tie covered in race horses)

As you walked around the gardens there were different themed tents. The girls and I spent most of our time in the Mumm tent which was decorated in all shades of pink and served Brute Rose champagne and oysters. It was amazing! Also to keep the party going while we all waited for the race there were several stages set up with DJ's playing a variety of dance music. This was one event I can't wait to attend next year!

(outside the Mumm tent)

(Oyster bar care of Max's Gill and Grill...YUMMY!)

(hanging in the Mumm tent enjoying champagne and oysters)

(With the girls at the end of the night out on the town)

Dear Thesis: Please don't be the death of me!

First due date of thesis proposal for edits: Week of May 9-15.

Official proposal due date: May 21st.

How is this going you ask? Well aside from the anxiety, night sweats, random panic attacks, and the same recurring nightmare of me failing graduate school, its rolling right along.

My finalized topic (in a nutshell) is: The uniqueness of social networks and how it has changed the approach businesses are taking towards marketing. Finally, what do businesses need to do in order to adapt to this growing trend.

Due to the rise of social networking, organizations are now being forced to develop individual, real-time communications with their customers, whether they want to or not. The deal with social networking is if your not talking about your company, someone else is....so it might as well be you talking! There are some companies that are totally on the social networking bandwagon but other are still dragging their feet, which in my opinion (which probably doesn't mean much) is not the smartest move because you gotta keep up with the times :)

So if anyone has any sort of advice, reading recommendations, websites to check out, suggestions, know people to talk to etc please let me know...I need all the help I can get!

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch...

Walking into my parents house after not visiting for months always makes me smile. Nothing like walking into a house and having the feeling of comfort, familiarity, and seeing pictures on the walls that bring back amazing memories. Also mom always has a stocked pantry!

(the ranch)

When I finally got back to the ranch it was game time. I headed to Visalia to see Amanda, my preggo PIC, and help with getting things done for her pirate themed baby shower that was taking place over the weekend. Let me just say my PIC has the coolest scrapbooking tool and I want one!

Its called a Cricut (pronounced like cricket) and you get different memory sticks for it and each memory stick has different images on it. You just pick an image, pick a size, and then press th

e button and it cuts out what ever shape you chose. Its amazing!

(See all the anchors and skull and crossbones...all done on the cricut!)

One thing about living in a small town is that no matter where you go, you will run into someone you know whether you like it or not. While shopping at Target for baby shower goods it seems like I ran into everyone...including Granny, who lives about 50 yards from my mom and dads. That is one think I miss about living in a small town is running into people you know when you are out and about. Its nice to see familiar faces and catch up with people you haven't seen in years in some cases.

The baby shower was a smashing success and absolutely adorable! Every even stuck with the pirate theme! Now normally I am not a big fan of baby/bridal shower games, but there was one game that was right up my alley.

I have a guilty pleasure of watching trash TV and reading trashy magazines, and for once my guilty pleasure got me somewhere. For one of the games we were given a list of celebrities and we had to name their babies. There were 19 celebrities on the list and I ended up name 31 names...the next closest person had 23. I ended up with a beautiful basket filled with wine, wine glasses, cheese, crackers, etc. Great job on the prizes ladies!

(Love these girls! Been friends since we were toddlers!)

(With the baby shower hostesses and mom to be)

It has been a while since I had gone hiking in the hills so I somehow convinced my brother to take me turkey hunting one morning. After having moms amazing Sunday morning breakfast paired with dads amazing bloody marys (I finally got one!) my brother and I set out to find a bird.

Now since I am not an owner of any sort of hunting camo I had to borrow some from my brother. Needless to say it was a sight to see. If you have ever met my brother you would know I am considerably bigger than he is and I somehow crammed my expanding behind into a pair of his camo overalls, and by crammed I mean they were skintight and I wasn't quite sure if I would be able to get out of them...I was afraid a pair of scissors may need to be involved in order for me to undress.

(My brother calling birds)

Unfortunately, I didn't bring home a bird but we did get one called in pretty close, but he must have seen something he didn't like because he hightailed it away from us before I got the chance to shoot. Even though we didn't get anything it was great to spend a morning with my brother and catch up! It was also beautiful, lush, and green in the hills and some of the flowers were still in bloom.

It was great to be home for the long weekend and spend time with family and friends and get caught up with everyone and I'm already itching to go back! Its hard to believe that the next time I go back my PIC will by a momma to her baby boy Blake...I can't wait to meet this little man!

I lucked out and my flight back was much less eventful than my flight to LA. The only thing that was marginally exciting about the flight was the Barbie Benton was on my flight. For those of you who don't know who that is, she is a former girlfriend to Hugh Hefner and has been on several episodes of the The Girls Next Door...remember I have a thing for trash TV :)