"Silly woman, come here let me hold you" - Eli Young Band

Fact: I am an over-analyzer.

Pro: I make sound and reasonable decisions based on meaningful thought.

Con: I read into almost everything.

Result: Freaking out before coming around to sound and reasonable conclusions.

To drill it into your heads for the bazillionth time, I'm very happy. I owe part of this great happiness to *ahem* a certain person (there ya go, Aubs, tease away). I haven't had much to say about this undefined relationship because for the first time, I'm not "pulling a Christie" and completely over-analyzing it. I am simply going with it and taking things a day at a time. Ya know when it's too early to actually have meaningful things to say to a person whether it be because you don't want to freak them out or scare them off? Well, in this case, it's just because I don't have the words. I'm sticking with the mindset that right now, it's working. Actually, it's better than working. It's keeping a smile on my face and that's all I need to know. However, I am entering the scary zone. The zone where you feel your tiny sense of control fading away because you know you care. Whenever I start to feel an over-analyzing moment coming on, I turn to my good friend, la musica. I have heard a decent amount of positive feedback concerning the "DJ CFabb" posts, so I thought I'd let the music speak for me. This selection of songs is a bit different from the norm aka it's not house music, mash-ups, and anything Guetta or Avicii (sorry to those hoping it was) but instead I took things low key and a lil bit country! Remember, sometimes change is good and you might be surprised by what new songs you like. Keep an open mind and set of ears!

"Lost and Found" by Katie Herzig


"Lucky Now" by Ryan Adams


"One Life" by James Morrison


"Blood" by The Middle East


"Be Easy" (Acoustic) by Radical Something


"Words I Say" by Justin Timberlake


"Give A Little More" by Maroon 5


"Never Gonna Leave This Bed" by Maroon 5


"Take a Back Road" by Rodney Atkins


"Wagon Wheel" by Old Crow Medicine Show


"I Got You" by Thompson Square


"Crazy Girl" by Eli Young Band

"take your time, let it go, live freely and be easy"

- Radical Something

Happy 100th, Sassarella!

Harriet Lerner once said, "only through our connectedness to others can we really know and enhance the self." In my opinion, my real life experiences with those around me create the strongest posts. Those posts then form a relationship between anyone who reads it and myself. We learn from each other. I've learned from you that I'm kinda good at this and that I absolutely love writing. And I hope you have learned some lessons from me in the last 100, but just in case you forgot, I'm going to bring back some of my favorite posts.

1. "These days pulled me out of my funk and changed my life forever."  Weekend Warrior: "WE ARE NOT NORMAL" - Deon Butler

2. "Yes, of course, let me pick up those half eaten wings you dropped on the floor and bring you 3 more pitchers of beer while I'm at it....no fricken problem." Runnin' Around: Witch with a B

3. "It was one of those 'We're seniors, we don't care that Christie has a thesis proposal due Monday, we love that the dance floor is empty because we can dominate it, and you can't stop us' nights." Thirsty Wednesday?: I'm in L.O.V.E with Times Like These

4. "The truth, a dash of maturity, and a sprinkle of class saves us all a lot of time and energy, don't ya think?" Weekend Warrior: Double U Tee Eff, That's What She Said

5. "B!tch back up, YOU GOT BAD BREATH!" Best of 2010: Photographs

6. "Little Louis, this is the Lifetime gym, where I'll work on looking good for you." Save the Drama for Your Mama

7. Oh Sexaholic J! "I mean because, let's be serious, you with the penises are always looking for sex."  "MACHO does NOT prove MUCHO" - Zsa Zsa Gabor

8. You gotta date a bunch of second stringers before you find your starting short-stop! "The #4 power hitter, the guy I put a lot of faith in, I was hoping he would hit it outta the park. Unfortunately, he struck out looking....the WORST way to go down. I turned him on just enough, hit him with a killer change-up and walked out...sucker." "There's no crying in baseball!" - A League of Their Own

9. "Ohh Joshua, you kill me. You're so funny and cute and wonderful...." "Some kind of magic happens late at night" - Joshua Radin

10. The first time a person shows you who they really are...believe them. Magic 8 Ball what a waste you turned out to be. "Oh I was scared. Wtf is in the Potomac, it's cold, I'm with a relative stranger, it's gotta be illegal, and there's no way in hell I'm getting in that water...I got in the water." Thirsty Thursday: Would You Like Potomac or Bottled Water?

11. Things to remind your 30 or 40 year old self about being a 20-something! "The epic benders, perky boobs, smooth skin, hours of television without any real consequences, getting paid cash to serve beer, believing you are awesome, wearing sunglasses at night, never having the answers, and when worst comes to worst, still having mom, dad, and all 50000 of your roommates to turn to." Yo Sass Pot, "prepare for the best and the fastest ride" - Angels and Airwaves

12. "She told me how she once found an open diet coke in there (her Louis Vuitton bag), 'My shit was swimming in it!'" Weekend Warrior: "What if he can't open the pickle jar?!" - Lauren

13. Fools like me. "If I had to choose between being a 'fool' who allows herself to feel real emotions and to get swept off her feet, only to be burned and have to start all over again versus someone who is a scared, closed off, and willing to keep everyone at arm's length...well, no doubt, I'd pick the fool." Weekend Warrior: So what if I'm an impatient fool? Deal with it.

14. With every date, I learned a little bit more about myself. "Yes, yes how exciting but it's a miracle you don't see 20 somethings dropping like flies in the middle of the street from exhaustion." Weekend Warrior: "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose" - Friday Night Lights

15. "I think to really move on, you have to know what it is exactly that you're moving on from." Thirsty Thursday: I am woman! I am invincible! I am pooped!

16. In the words of Johnnie Walker, ya just gotta keep walking. "Ok, so you're allowed to give your number out but only if he has a pee pee." Weekend Warrior: Keep Walking

17. "...and as I walked through the halls I questioned why anyone would want to come to a med school that looked like a dingy high school. But then it hit me why: We are Georgetown. Plain and simple." Dream Diary: Babies, Hit Men, Hair Cuts! Oh My!

18. A hilarious story of women and their struggles. "In a split second I went from skinny girl heaven to chubby kid hell." Runnin' Around: "GTI: Gym, Tan, I'm not buying it" - Pauly D

19. You guys really liked this one about the men in my life and how I constantly kept putting myself in destructive situations. "Give me the hammer, I'll just start hitting myself now." Weekend Warrior: "Where's my girl?" - My favorite Uncle Fred

20. Fear: "It makes us bomb other countries, it makes us move away, it keeps us around, it makes us work even harder, it makes us confess our love, it makes us deny love, it makes us hesitant, it makes us bold." Fear: "that's the way we get by"

21. Happy Mother's Day! "The six women I just described all have something in common: me :-)" "Oh you're gonna have to walk faster than that! You're gonna have to turn into friggen Flo Jo to get away from me!" - Lorelai

22. This group of people and weekend trip to NYC changed my college experience forever. Hound Dog Sweet Tea Vodka and "Free Samples!" "As I sat there and watched, listened, and even participated in the bouncing of ideas back and forth, I realized that this is what I have craved from my Georgetown career." Weekend Warrior: Meet Your Unofficial Soulful Striver

23. Hot damn, I really graduated from Georgetown University. "On this day last year... I had no idea how much I would miss walking into Allie's room to play." "Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm" - JFK

24. Thank God I don't have to write about Roller Coaster anymore. Quite possibly the most traumatic post I've ever written. "All I kept thinking was, 'If I treated you the way you've treated me, you'd actually hate me.'" Weekend Warrior: I'm Through the Fire, Now Where's My Honey?

25. Mumford & Sons will forever be apart of my life. They get me through the good, the bad, and the ugly. "The camera men zoomed in on their faces and the looks in their eyes was that of shock and acceptance when 'it' happens, when the dream comes true." DJ CFabb: "Align my body, my heart, my mind" - Mumford & Sons

26. A letter to society about dating and double standards. "Society, why did you make navy and black polos, pair them with jeans and the perfect cologne so that it's even more difficult for me to resist temptation while I'm trying to decipher his motives?!" "When men are persistent, it's romantic, they make movies about that. If it's a woman, then they cast Glenn Close" - Ally McBeal

27. "I'm absolutely awful at pretending to give a sh!t about something I don't give a flying flip about." 13 Things I'm Absolutely Awful At

28. "I'm absolutely awesome at faking it when I'm sober" 13 Things I'm Absolutely Awesome At

29. The time I saw my ex-boyfriend after 2.5 years. "It taught me that if you want to ask a grown-up question then you have to be grown up enough to handle any answer." "Girl, you've never known no one like me up there in your high society" - Tim McGraw

30. This was a HUGE hit. "'You know I think the world of you BUT...I don't want to ruin our friendship. I would hate for us to not be able to hang out and talk.' Yeah? You wanna braid my hair too?" Sassarella, I love you BUT...

31. Oh the lessons I've learned from men! "Is this person really who I want, who I love, and who I can't live without or is it the idea of this person that I love and want?" Weekend Warrior: Love at first sight is possible, just be sure you're seeing clearly - Anonymous

32. "This one time I almost broke my butt in a police car." This One Time I...

33. What makes you feel alive? "We want to feel alive in every aspect of our lives and we're young enough to do it." "A moment, a love, a dream aloud, a kiss, a cry..." - The Temper Trap

34. All of my wishes! "Sassarella Says...sometimes I just wish I knew what to wish for." I Wish...

35. Sometimes you can't always get what you want, but you get what you need. "The moment when you kinda feel like the world stops and nothing else outside of where you are even matters." "And if I share my secret, you're gonna have to keep it" - Maroon 5

Sassarella Says...I highlighted the ones that I particularly like and I hope you enjoyed looking back on them with me. It's crazy how emotional I get re-reading posts about my life and how I felt at any given period of time. It's absolutely amazing how much this blog has changed my life and has connected me to people I would never have had the opportunity to get to know. "Sassarella Says..." makes me feel alive, a theme I bring up a lot, and I'm looking forward to the next 100!

4 Reasons to Watch "Pan Am"

"A dame who knows the ropes isn't likely to get tied up" - Mae West

New addiction: Pan Am on ABC. I watched the first four episodes over the last few days and this is a must watch. These days I think it takes a certain something for a show to make it in my book (other than ridiculously addicting reality shows) and this one is actually holding my attention. Here's why...

1) The 1960s. I love the '60s. I have no idea why but there's something about this decade that always turns my head. The clothes, the language, the attitude, and the music are reasons enough to watch this show.

2) The big guns. The show is written by Jack Orman, who formerly wrote for ER, 'nuff said. And the director is Thomas Schlamme of Ally McBeal, Friends, and most importantly, The West Wing. Again, 'nuff said. The show has some big guns behind it aka you know it's of the highest quality.

3) Her accent. She's French, she's fabulous, and she's my favorite of the four main female characters.

4) And him. Jeremy Davidson.

Sassarella Says...watch Pan Am. The story lines are interesting, the editing is stimulating, and the characters are developed. I was also in desperate need of a 99th blog post so I can finally write a special 100th post, so get ready for it! Oh and one more thing, Christina Ricci is in it...ohhh haaaay girl haaaay!

Weekend Warrior: Meatball (Sassarella) Problem: Insomnia

"One person's craziness is another person's reality" - Tim Burton

If you haven't caught up on Jersey Shore then you don't get the "Meatball Problems" part of the title but what matters is that too often I have trouble falling asleep. The last month was crazy active and fun which kept this problem at bay. I'd get home at whatever time from whatever event of the night and pass the eff out...but not tonight. I'm not sure what the issue is considering the past three nights I've been up later than 3am and woken up early to work all day (yikes a bunga). So you all know by now that Sunday nights are usually a high quality night out for me but at around 7:30pm I crashed. I could barely keep my eyes open at Rhino and decided to head home instead of venturing out with the group. I got home, had something to eat, and popped on a television show for an hour or so but could feel my eye lids starting to close. Why is it that as soon as I turn the light off to go to asleep that all of a sudden I'm wide awake? Tossing and turning and completely unable to turn my g.d. brain off...FML.

So one of the very irritating (yet hilarious) parts of this is that all throughout the thinking, I'm also singing, "Hopped up out the bed, turn my swag onnnnnn" over and over and freakin' over! My Little Mermaid and I have been loving on this song all weekend and now I'm paying the price! Other than that my thoughts are all over the place:

1) What time will Brittany want to go to the gym tomorrow?

2) I wonder if I'll work upstairs or downstairs at Rhino tomorrow for MNF.

3) What the heck am I going to wear to the golf tournament next week?

"Hopped up out the bed, turn my swag onnnnn!"

4) OMG I get to go to The Whale with Meghan on Friday!

5) I should ask Britt if she wants to go to Tyson's to look for a Zinzi dress.

6) I can't believe it's Oct 17th already, it's almost freakin' Thanksgiving!

"Hopped up out the bed, turn my swag onnnnn!"

7) Shoulders and back hurt, could use a massage. How much does that cost?

8) Oh hey I need another job.

9) Maybe by next football season I'll be sitting on the customer side of the bar watching the games. "Hopped up out the bed, turn my swag onnnnn!"

10) My feet are hot.

11) That sushi was yummy on Wed night. What the hell is the name of that place?

12) Will I have to dress up for Halloween? Probably, what should I wear?

"Hopped up out the bed, turn my swag onnnnn!"

Sweet Jesus.

Anyway, I caught up on Grey's Anatomy tonight. The quote that is said over the montage of final clips in the episode from two weeks ago got me thinking. Granted, it is an incomplete thought because it's 2:30 in the morning and I'm close to delirious but it was still a thought none-the-less.

"Be a man," people say all the time. But what does that even mean? Is it about strength? Is it about sacrifice? Maybe it's more simple than that. You have to know when to not man up. Sometimes it takes a real man to set his ego aside, admit defeat, and simply start all over again.

I say it all the time, "be a man!" Actually, I usually prefer to say "man up" but what does that really mean? For me, to "be a man" or to "man up" is less about what it actually means to be a man and more about doing the opposite of what a child or a weakling would do. To "man up" in the situation of say doing a job that you don't want to do, you are recognizing that whatever it is just needs to get done. To "man up" in the case of Oscar lining up a row of shots full of liquor you know you don't need, you are "playing like a champ" and steering clear of the "wuss" label by just doing it. To "be a man" in the sense of confrontation is to be brave enough to stand up for yourself or your friends. Basically, we use this saying all the time in both serious and stupid situations.

Oh my gawd, Brain, shut the hell up!

However, in terms of actual men, I often find myself wishing, hoping, whining, and complaining that they "man the eff up!" But what do I mean when I say that? Is it about strength? Yeah, I want him to be strong and steady. I want him to have physical strength, duh because it's hot, but I also want him to have the emotional strength to say what's on his mind. Is it about sacrifice? Hmm, that's tricky because I'm feeling like "sacrifice" can carry negative undertones in this type of scenario. I don't think it's about sacrifice. I wouldn't want a man to feel like he's giving up a part of his life for me, it doesn't work like that. Go do you. Do what makes you happy and only let me enhance that. "Be a man." Maybe it's more simple than all of that and it's about knowing when not to man up. It's knowing when to live and let live without worrying about being a man, a testosterone and penis driven man.

Maybe I just shouldn't even go there about you with the penises and I'll apply it to myself instead...Sassarella, it's time to man up. I had a melt down last week because I can't get motivated. I can't get my ass in gear to get another J-O-B. I figured out by the end of the melt down that it's partly because I'm not ready to be that serious about life in general just yet. I remember throughout most of college, until senior year that is, that even when I was supposed to be having fun I had that "should be" feeling. "You're having fun right now but you should be in bed because you have class in the morning." "You're having fun right now but you should be in the library studying for that midterm next week." It was the worst, nagging, sub-conscious feeling and I'm avoiding it like the plague. However, it's game time and I, Sassarella, need to man up. It's unfortunate but true. Ahh well.

13) I need a face-to-face vent session with Lauren.

14) How long is this happy gonna last? Why do I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop? "Hopped up out the bed, turn my swag onnnnnnn!"

15) I'm going to get sh!t at work for this post so I'll just say it now...no, that part of the post was not written about a certain dude. It was merely general thoughts, ya buttheads! "Hopped up out the bed, turn my swag onnnnnnn!"

16) While you guys are making fun of me, remember, YOU READ MY BLOG :-)

17) And I love that. I really do. "Hopped up out the bed, turn my swag onnnn!"

Sassarella Says...so here I sit, sleepy and weird at now almost 4AM writing a blog post. Hope you enjoyed the word vomit, stream of consciousness, & words of wisdom but I think I'll go back to bed.

"Excuse my charisma, vodka witha spritzaah" - Lil Wayne

You know you still have growing up to do when you move out of your parents' house, into an apartment all by yourself, but still hang picture frames full of your friends faces. My new "grown up" pad walls are covered with pictures of girls in dresses and high heels doing the "skinny arm" pose at some bar. Maybe it's a generational thing? I keep waiting for the day I actually want to decorate with something other than a cloth board full of memorabilia but I'm starting to think that it might not ever happen. Why wouldn't I want to stare at all of your b-e-a-utiful faces errrry day?

You know you have growing up to do when you wear sneakers equally as often as you wear high heels. I guess it's partly because of my job that I wear sneakers so often but they are a staple to my wardrobe none-the-less.

You know you still have growing up to do when you can't count your friends on one hand. What you actually have are many acquaintances, however you still refer to all of them as your "very good friends." I know that I probably only have about eight high quality friends but even the fact that I'm sitting here counting them means that I still have a lot of growing up to do.

You know you have growing up to do when you very often have BOTH the wine and the ice cream cone. Ok, that actually sounds gross but you know what I mean. You can stop in 7-11 for a couple bags of candy before heading to a bar. And don't forget to put Bacardi in your Slurpee! You know you have growing up to do when you think it's totally acceptable to eat like a bird all week knowing that you'll make up the calories at 3am on Saturday.

Yes, this actually happened in real life with Brittany.

You know you still have growing up to do when you start crying in the middle of a restaurant because you don't communicate so well with your dad. You're too stubborn to just give in and let go of the wall that somehow got there (a trait you inherited from him, by the way)! And you know you're still a big kid when the next time you talk to him on the phone feels like a big bear hug because you know it will all be just fine!

You know you have growing up to do when you have to ask how you actually go about paying those bills that are in your name. How does all of this crap work?!

You know you still have growing up to do when you need your friends or even your mom to "talk you off the ledge", as we women call it, when we're going crazy over a guy. You can know all of the reasonable, sane, and logical explanations why he didn't call you yet today or ask you to hang out but your emotions, your boredom, and your God given irrationality kicks in and suddenly you're pulling a Sheila and going all Sammi Sweetheart!

"And I ain't making you a g.d. frittata, you ass face!"

"Maybe I should make you a tit-tata, huh? A fluffy tit-tata!"

You know you have growing up to do when you can frequently believe that everyone you encounter has the best of intentions for you. You always believe that in the end it will all be okay.

You know you still have growing up to do when you make impulsive and dumb decisions. You hear "what the hell" run through your head and do whatever it is that you want to do even though you probably shouldn't! You know you still have growing up to do when you have no idea what you're going to do with the rest of your life. Your elders see that as a gift but you see it as a burden. You know you still have growing up to do when Sunday nights are not meant for relaxing and watching television but are your most favorite nights to go out (SUNDAY FUNDAY)! And add that to the list too....if the days of the week have nicknames, you have growing up to do. You still dance on bars, play outside in the rain, and say things like, "this is the best song everrrrrr!"

Sassarella Says...you know you still have growing up to do when this list was easier to write than the one about knowing you're growing up. Although some of these traits will fall away or be tweaked as I continue to grow up, I hope some of them stick! And maybe that's me being naive but if there's ever going to be a 70 year old woman dancing on a bar, it will be me (and Lauren). I will still have to call Meghan to "talk me off the ledge" when my husband does something absurdly stupid and I'm going to love peanut butter M&Ms and a glass of wine until the day I die! Growing up is inevitable but hold onto what you can because I believe it will keep ya young and hot.

"I'm a big kid now!" - Huggies

You realize you're growing up when you move out. You don't leave half of your stuff at your parents' house because you're not going to be home for Columbus Day weekend to get the other half. You realize that this new studio apartment is what you call "home" to people you socialize with in your new city. You realize that the cleaning lady isn't going to come every other week so you have to clean. You realize that apartment living, although on the surface looks similar, is very different from dorm room or student housing living. You have to actually give a sh!t about your neighbors because they are adults and not punk ass college kids. You realize that the building manager isn't going to say it's okay when you're late paying rent. The landlord isn't a family friend who will understand and give you a pass when you break something. You realize you're growing up when you live completely by yourself, no roommates, and really enjoy it.

You realize you're growing up when you wear high heels on the reg. As each year passes, the heels get higher and the pain gets less and less.

You realize you're growing up when you start to have old friends. When you're young, all of your friends are new but now I have had friends for 10+ years. You realize which friends really matter and which don't. You can separate the friends for the now from the friends for a lifetime. However, you are also more open to new friends becoming lasting friends as opposed to "these are my four and only biffles forever and no one is ever going to change that." You realize you're growing up when you can look back on pictures from high school and have it feel like a million years ago. I found a stack of pictures from Full BBC's trip to Notre Dame and I thought, "Who are these little girls?! That can't be us." Without thinking, I still might consider some friends new but seeing those pictures almost brought me to tears because we really are old and solid friends.

You realize you're growing up when you can have guy friends and not fall in love with every single one of them. It's not all about sex but instead it's about the jokes, the memories, the shoulders to lean on, and the heavy lifting.

You realize you're growing up when you'd rather use calories for a glass of wine instead of an ice cream cone. And hey, while we're here, you realize you're growing up when you say things like, "I'd love a glass of wine tonight."

You realize you're growing up when you start paying closer attention to your family relationships. For years I never got involved with the standard issues that every family encounters but I think everyone is noticing that "the baby" is finally growing up. I can handle the conversations, the details, and the bits of information that my family has lovingly (and often rightfully so) kept from me as a child. You realize that you might not communicate as well with your dad as you might like. You realize you're growing up when you can acknowledge that and want to fix it instead of letting it slide yet again.

You realize you're growing up when you start to have more "real world friends" instead of "college friends." A few of my closest friends are still in school or taking classes, whether graduate or undergraduate, and our lifestyles are completely different now. I can't just get home on a whim or ditch class on Friday because oh yeah, I don't have class on Friday....I have work. You realize you're growing up when you notice that those "college friends" might not take as seriously as you do the commitments you made to your new life. You also realize that you can't fault them or be mad because in another year or so they will be on the same page and will see where you're coming from now.

You realize you're growing up when the gas and electric bills are in your name.

You realize you're growing up when you can look back on past relationships or flings and see all of the flaws that you never saw before. You can see exactly why a new relationship is better for you because you have others to compare it to. You realize that you don't have to like any guy that likes you. You realize that sex doesn't have to just be sex, it can be mind blowing. You realize that you're liking someone for who he is and for what he brings out in you not just because he's around and paying attention to you for a hot second. You realize you're growing up when you learn that you can only find another person to be happy with when you are happy on your own first.

You realize you're growing up when you spend time with someone younger than you are. Recently, I spent time with a girl fresh out of high school and I couldn't believe how much older I felt. Seriously, I'm only three or four years older than she is but it felt like ten or fifteen. She has yet to go through the immense learning process and transitional years of college. She has yet to experience different types of people, places, and situations that I have, simply because I went to college, live in a city, and have worked at a variety of jobs. The lil cherub has a lot to learn.

You realize you're growing up when you have to see it to believe it.

You realize you're growing up when you don't give a flying f*ck that no one understands your taste in music. You realize you're growing up when you can write about your personal life online and not care who reads it or what they think of it. You can write about mind blowing sex, know that it will make the male members of your family cringe, and then think, "Hi, get over it, I'm growing up!" You realize you're growing up when you can take a step back from a situation, look at it from all sides, and then take action, instead of impulsively (and stupidly) making rash decisions.

Sassarella Says...you realize you're growing up when you can actually sit down and acknowledge the moments in time when you feel yourself maturing. Obviously I'm somewhat introverted and can do this relatively easily but I bet if you tried, you could think of your own moments. You realize you're growing up when you recognize that you have a lot more growing up to do and that you don't actually know everything. Stay tuned for the moments when you realize that you're not quite yet a big kid!

"Shut up. Wake up. Grow balls." - My Tanya Bo Banya

So just in case you haven't noticed, the number of posts per week is down compared to what it was over the summer. Why? Partly because it is infinitely harder to write when I am happy. As an author on thoughtcatalog.com put it, when you're happy you go out and seek more happiness. However, when you're sad, you sit around trying to figure out why you're sad, which writing can often help you do. I'm happy in DC because I have a sense of urgency about me, meaning that I can't sit around and watch television for hours on end. If it's nice out, I want to take the extra time to walk home from yoga or to take the long way to work. Instead of sitting at home every night, I can easily go out and try a new place, new class, new movie, new something! It also helps that the people I am surrounded by all the time are do-ers. They get up and do things. They go places. I'm much better off if I keep moving and they are all helping me to do that. I'm using this post as a means of explaining why I've been absent from the blog and to share some of the experiences I've had in the last month. I also want to encourage you to DO SOMETHING with your lives. We get so stuck in our routines that life gets boring and Sassarella is here to demand that you don't let that happen!

In the last month, I went to a gay club for the first time. After a long Saturday of college football at Rhino, Brittany and I found ourselves wandering from bar to bar in Georgetown but feeling like we wanted to do a little bit more. Brittany: "We could either just go to The Whale for the gazillionth time....OR....we could step a little bit outside of our comfort zone and go to Town." Umm yeah, that was simple, LET'S GO! Men walking around shirtless + shots of Jameson + Michelob Ultra + "Chaaachiiii" = a fabulous night. Oh my gawd did we dance, like really and truly hard core danced with gorgeous guys who could have cared less about what we looked like. "So wait, you can dance with guys without feeling like you're being molested?!" Perfect. We will be back soon, I'm sure of it.

In the last month, I saw Pepper at the 9:30 Club. When Brittany and George asked me to go, I almost said no. I was tired and had no idea where I would find the energy to listen to a band that I had never heard before. However, I can confidently say that this concert jumpstarted my new "you can sleep when you die" attitude. We met Chachi, Nick, and a few other friends at the venue and I instantly fell in love with the music. Maybe it was because I had a few beers in me or because Terry got us into a V.I.P section (yes, I'm bragging) or what but I loved it. It was such a release and I was again reminded of how much I absolutely love live music.

Two days later, Brittany asked me to meet her at Cleveland Park Bar & Grill, a bar I had heard of but never been to. Up at the outdoor back bar, I met the famous Tommy, Brittany's friend Matt, and of course chatted with the lovely Sophie. All I can say is, I'm so happy that I've crossed over and opened myself up to this new life. I never in a million years would have done any of this while living here in college. It sounds so stupid to say but when George drove us from there to the Mighty Pint and then onto Sign of the Whale, I just remember feeling so happy. I laugh a lot when I'm at any of these places and with the group of people we would eventually hang out with that night.

In the last month, Lauren got WHALED! My best friend came to DC for a night and day to celebrate her birthday! I was so excited, I could hardly stand it. She came down on a Friday, just making her train, and we headed out to Sign of the Whale to see Oscar, Misty, and Trey. Within minutes, I knew this had potential to be a disastrous idea. Lauren, a vodka only kinda gal, was handed a shot of Jameson, a car bomb, and a shot of something sugary. After some time, I decided it was best to evacuate the situation and head to McFadden's. At McFadden's, we danced on the bar with Aubrey and sang along to Dirt Road Anthem! The next day she made quite a Jersey scene at Rhino for college football. She got the table of PSU fans chanting at half time and played flip cup as I worked. I watched my worlds collide and was again, happy.

That night I got to see my Meghan at McFadden's! I swear we both almost cried three or four times over the course of the night because we were over-joyed to reunite. It felt like old times but better! She looked UH-MAZING and quite content herself :-) The next day at Rhino I was recognized by a customer as "the girl in the black dress dancing on the bar by herself at McFadden's last night." Embarrassing but awesome.

After work, I went to Front Page with the Rhino crew for Sunday Funday. Again, I had never been here before so of course I was pumped to try yet another new bar. The night didn't go as planned but in a sick and twisted way, I think it helped strengthen the up-the-butt relationship between Brittany and I. The night ended in a full on love fest on the side of the road about our friendship, why we LURVE each other, and how much fun we've been having together. #lesbehonest

That Tuesday was Misty's birthday celebration! Walking into Old Ebbitt Grill, I was again thrilled to be somewhere NEW. The salt and pepper crowd threw me off a little bit but at some point in our walk around the restaurant to find the group, I could hear the yelling and screaming. I could only assume it was my friends and it was. (Definitely need to go back here for a full meal, the raw bar is out of control). Dave drove us to McFadden's (I think at this point I can call it "OH MY GOD MCFADDEN'S") and No Fun The Most Fun Joe hooked us up with a bottle of Jameson 12 Year Old. Put it this way, the night would eventually be called "Misty's 21st Birthday Celebration" because that's just how we were acting. Misty girl is the best birthday girl in the whole wide world!

In the last month, I had the privilege of going to Capital Grille. This was the royal treatment if I ever saw it! Champagne, wine, and a handful of amazing courses of food. I had my first (and second) Stoli Doli, which is Stoli vodka infused with pineapple juice for EIGHT, yes EIGHT, days. I'm obsessed. It was the best meal I have had in a long ass time - two different types of steak with different sauces, veggies, gourmet mac & cheese with lobster, fresh tuna...I'll stop now, sorry.

In the last month, I've had sushi with Sophie and Brittany at Mate twice. Can't get enough of those volcano rolls!

In the last month, I saw White Ford Bronco at 19th. Another new band and another new bar...need I say more? No but I will. Brittany (I know, you must be shocked that she's involved with this story too) and I met a random assortment of people there to see this '90s cover band. We rocked out to the Spice Girls, Garth Brooks, the Goo Goo Dolls, and I'm pretty sure they played "Mmmbop" and Ace of Base too. I sipped my Johnnie Walker Black in a plastic cup and thoroughly enjoyed myself. After Sophie met us there, we left to go to...."OH MY GOD MCFADDEN'S!" Here I witnessed a hilarious display of drunkenness by the lovely Brittany RyRy and belted out "Wagon Wheel" until I lost my voice yet again!

In the last month, I've tried hot yoga at Down Dog in Georgetown. As part of the "look amazingly hot for Halloween/Zinzi plan" us girls are on a mission. I was always hesitant to try this form of exercise but hot damn do you sweat! I'm continuing to increase my flexibility and enhancing my already at peace mind. It's a win-win-win-win situation and you should try it.

In the last month, I saw Moneyball with (ready, wait for it...) Brittany. I mean we had just gone to yoga and Mate...why not continue the date for another couple of hours at a movie? Anyway, the movie was good but it really made me miss my dad. Hi Dad!

"The Show" by Lenka

By the way, Little Mermaid, this is the song!

Not Regina Spektor or Colbie Caillat...fail.

And in the last month, I finally tasted the famous margaritas, delicious sangria, and tasty fajitas at Lauriol Plaza. I also got my Rumors cherry popped with a "Chugger" from Joe K (Brittany's high school graduation bartender, which she will be sure to tell you awwwwl about).

Sassarella Says..."OHH HAAYYY BOOO HAAAY!" Get the eff out there and DO SOMETHING! You'll feel better about life and if you don't, well then you can blame me.