I had a lot of good moments last year.

I discovered my professional trajectory and freaking LAUNCHED myself down it. I traveled all over the country, for work and for pleasure, and found them equally rewarding (and often equally drunk. What?) And I made countless new friends in DC and beyond; people I now can’t imagine my life without.

But without a doubt, my greatest moment last year was the four days I spent in Las Vegas.

And I don’t even like Vegas.

Most of you are not new around here, and so you’ve undoubtedly heard me mention Bloggers in Sin City before. But I’m not sure I’ve ever really been able to do it justice. And so, with registration for the 2012 event winding down and just a few precious spots left (EIGHT, at time of publishing!)… I’m going to try.

Bloggers in Sin City (#BiSC) is basically this:

1. Take 60 bloggers, place directly in Vegas.
2. Add booze, sun, cupcakes, cheese, booze, brunch, chocolate, gambling, booze, dancing, bonding, belly laughs, and booze.
3. Mix.
4. Pour directly into face, and also heart.
5. Repeat for FOUR FREAKING DAYS.

BiSC is, honestly, a family. But it’s the kind of family you build, because you love them dearly and want them in your life; not because you’re blood. It’s an endless Friendsgiving where everyone is welcome at the table. The door is constantly revolving and new faces come, but the sentiment always stays the same.

It’s love and friendship and acceptance, and an openness to building relationships that’s such a mature kind of affection and bond. One that will last through us all getting hitched and knocked up and divorced and middle aged crises and retirement, until one day we’re all living together in our Golden Girls (and Guys) house in Florida, playing cards and drinking whiskey.

Also, and perhaps most importantly… someone is going for FREE. 

Yes, amigos, you read me right: the awesome Paper’d app (providing endless entertainment via hilarious iPhone wallpapers) is going to pick one of us lucky registrants and just pay for the whole damn thing. (All deets about how to enter are here.)

So if you’re wondering if it’s worth it, if you should pull the trigger… the answer, IMHO, is abso-freaking-lutely. And you should do it fast, because the number of tickets left is dwindling as we speak!

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Let’s Get Snarky This Sunday

by rachaelgking on January 13, 2012 · 9 comments

So, you may have heard about this little “awards show” that’s happening on Sunday. I’m not allowed to mention it by name for top secret legal reasons I don’t understand (see sponsored note below), but I’m pretty sure y’all know the one I mean. The one about all the TV shows, with the prizes that are shiny orbs, and most importantly, they brought one of my favorite Brits BACK to host again after he brutally trashed nearly all of America’s Hollywood royalty last year. Which, let’s be honest, I thoroughly enjoyed every second of.

So this year, I plan on backing Ricky up with some cutting witticisms of my own on the tweets, with the help of my three new sassy gay roommates. WATCH OUT.

Why? Because Lean Pockets is hosting a Twitter party for their Live Famously Sweepstakes during the show this year, which means that myself and a bunch of other lovely ladies will all be live tweeting the awards, AND giving away free swag to you all to boot. Each of us will be raffling off a Live Famously swag bag full of all sorts of lovely, shiny things (most notably a $50 spa gift card, what what!)

Even cooler, the #LiveFamously Twitter party is merely a taste of the actual Sweepstakes, which are being hosted by one Perez Hilton and involves a grand prize of a trip to Tinseltown to hang out with him. (NBD.)

The winner and a BFF will be flown to LA to, quite literally, “live like a celeb” for a day. This involves ridiculously fun things like a swanky hotel stay, car service, a $1k shopping spree, a $250 spa experience, and a special concert experience, all hosted by Perez. Imagine how much celeb dirt you’d hear? Answer: ALL OF IT.

The promotion goes until March 31, so you have plenty of time to win one of their daily prizes as well – just head over to their Facebook page for all the deets.

And don’t forget to hang with me at the Twitter party (PANTS OFF DANCE OFF!!! – you know, since we’ll all be at home on our couches in our adult onesies, amiright?) starting this Sunday, 7pm ET! There will be snark and snark and FREE STUFF (and more snark) galore.

~~~~~

FYI! This post (and my pending tweets on Sunday) are sponsored by Nestlé/Lean Pockets. Yes, they totally gave me money for this, but all opinions are very much my own, as is the sass they come with.

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And Then I Went to See a Psychic

by rachaelgking on November 28, 2011 · 71 comments

Last Tuesday, I went to see a psychic.

Actually, the preferred word seems to be intuitive, which really makes much more sense to me.

Honestly, I’d never really thought about whether I was a “believer” or not before. I assumed there were plenty of hacks of course – people on the Venice boardwalk who bought a pack of tarot cards and decided to take advantage of some naive and/or intoxicated tourists. But there had to be some version of the real thing, too – why else would it exist?

Plus, I’ve seen “Ghost”, so, yanno. Game over.

Back when I was bartending, we’d often play the game of “reading” the customers who came in, and see who could guess the closest to their real life story (their job, where they were from, what they would drink, WHY they were drinking, etc.) We were pretty freaking good at it, too.

In my mind, an intuitive is that times ten – someone who isn’t just making educated guesses, but actually sees a pretty clear picture of a person’s character, background, life situation, and yes, future.

So when I read City Girl’s account of her reading with her friend a couple weeks ago, I decided that it might be exactly what I needed. A little outside, educated, third party advice about all the changes and upheaval going on in my life.

And I loved it. It was like having a drink with someone – someone really great and fun – who just happened to know a lot about me. Someone I couldn’t bullshit about anything either, ha. (Plus, I totally dug her Masshole-esque ‘tude of real talk, no sugar coating. I’m pretty sure we’d make great besties, actually.)

She only works off referrals, takes a nominal fee (half goes to charity), won’t read someone more than twice a year, and only after she sees a picture of you to see if she can read you. Like I said, no BS, no time wasted. I love her. (Update – yes, she does them over the phone as well!)

The specifics of what she told me are for me alone, but I left feeling so much more clear. It’s incredibly therapeutic to talk to someone you can’t hide anything from – you have no choice but to open up about all the deep dark shit. So, I didn’t – just laid it all on the table and we hashed through it. She may have saved me a year in therapy bills, quite honestly.

If you can find someone you know is the real deal (or would like me to refer you), I highly recommend it, especially if your life is recently in the toilet and you need a little direction. (It’s not all kittens and roses though – just the truth, whatever that may be – so be prepared to handle that. Just sayin…)

Oh, and PS? One of my friends is going to lose an iPhone in March. Watch out, y’all.

<3

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So, yeah. That happened.

On a very related note, I expect I’ll be writing a lot more now. Silver lining and all that.

(Sidebar – thank you SO much to everyone who sent me an email – they meant the world to me, honestly, and made a terrible day much less terrible. I didn’t want to write back until I felt like my head was in a place where I could do the responses they warrant justice, but they’re coming, swearsies.)

It’s actually pretty funny. Whenever you go through something awful, you really find out who you can count on, and who’s suddenly MIA, you know? I received some of the sweetest, most thoughtful and healing messages from people I never would have expected (God bless the Interwebs)… and then there were some noticeably absent condolences that you can’t help but wonder about. C’est la vie, I suppose.

(And if you’re giving me side eye right now, SHUT UP. If I ever had an excuse to be petty, that time is now, biatch, so just sit on it.)

There’s so much change going on in my life right now, my head is spinning. I’ll be living somewhere else by December 18th, with only one cat, a slew of roommates upstairs, a new neighborhood, a new commute, a replacement for Tonic… what will I do without my Tonic and their totchoes?!

Sigh.

But, there is also good. My own bathroom. A whole DVR all to myself. Living on my own (essentially – basement apartment), which is something I always wanted to do. I’ll have a lot more time for work and networking and all those fun things. You think I’m a social butterfly NOW? I was practically a homebody before. Watch out, y’all.

And I’m sure there will be plenty of other great things I haven’t (can’t) even think of yet. Trust in life’s plan, blah blah blah. Most importantly, I’m just really glad you guys are all here for me. People talk about how awful going through a break up is now with social media… I personally don’t know how I’d get THROUGH it without social media, and all of you, and the overwhelming support and love and glitter unicorns you’ve showered down on me.

So yeah, I love you guys. And thanks, truly, for being there.

Oh, and? Um, buckle up, because, yeah… talk about a fresh fucking start for 2012.

All I know is, it’s gonna get interesting.

xo

On Endings.

by rachaelgking on November 16, 2011 · 112 comments

He pulled me tightly to him, holding on as though we could physically fight the decision we had just made.

“I’m so scared,” I managed to whimper, in between sobs.

He squeezed tighter. “So am I. I don’t even remember what life is like without you.”

I sobbed harder.

“Aw, Rach.” He held my face in his hands, looking down at me sweetly.

“You’re an extrovert with a great rack. You’ll be just fine – that’s a recipe for success right there!”

And for the millionth time in four years, he made me laugh…

And that’s how I choose to remember us.

On Being Twenty Eight, AKA “Almost Thirty”

October 16, 2011

I’m twenty eight years old today. Ergo, I’m definitively no longer in my mid twenties. Sure, I’m still a “20 something”, but I know in the blink of an eye I’ll be thirty. It seems like the years pass faster and faster with each one. I’ve defined myself as a 20 something for so long, [...]

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Awesome Things For You To See, Do, Share, Smell – Wait, Not Smell. Probably.

October 13, 2011

1. What to care about this month: It’s October, which means it’s the Month of the Boobies! Or, more accurately, of Boobie Cancer Awareness. A lot of you probably already know my dear friend Stef of CityGirlBlogs (and if you’re not yet following her dating/sex/advocacy blog, um, you’re missing out). She’s a recent survivor, and as [...]

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Atlantic City: Where Dried Up Hookers Go To Die.

October 11, 2011

This past Saturday, Ben and I journeyed to Atlantic City to see “The League” live. We drove up early in the day so we’d have some time to explore before the show. Now, I’ve never been to AC before, and my only points of reference are Boardwalk Empire and that one episode of Sex and [...]

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My Mom is Cooler Than Yours

October 5, 2011

My mama came to visit last weekend, which was an utter delight. It’s not often that we get to spend time just the two of us, andbetween trips to a local craft fair, Eastern Market, the local Tar-jay, a few brunches and happy hours, dinner with the BFFies, and hours of catching her up on [...]

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I Can Always Find Something To Whine About

September 19, 2011

It’s so hard to write anything meaningful lately, and I don’t know why. I struggle all the time with it – I can’t and don’t want to let go of this place, but I’m also not happy with the way it’s going (or… not going). I miss having this place be a true outlet and place [...]

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