I started out with the lame “Post-Collegiate Lessons”, then very quickly switched to “hopelessly yours…” (the name of my old radio show)… from there I went to “Wench”.  I committed with purchasing a domain and even printing blog cards.  The past few months I’ve been wondering if this is what I want.

Wench stems from a college joke.  The summer after my first year, I was going to work at a saloon in a thrill park.  I was going to be a Beer Wench.  From that summer on, the Wench joke popped up here and there.  And well, honestly it made a decent bowling name.  And from the moment I bought my domain, I was sure and confident in choosing Wench.

But for the majority of the populous, Wench has not-so-great meanings and connotations.   Does that truly represent me?

I’m cool with my tag line, “Damn Awesome and Damn Cute”…. plus, tag lines are much easier to change.  I’m not so sure how it’d work with any other possible name though.  I don’t think it’d work with “hopelessly yours…” (though I’m starting to like that one again).

So, my lovely internet friends and colleagues, what’s a girl to do?  Does anyone have any suggestions that might be more fitting?  Also, it must be said, the pink dinosaurs won’t be going anywhere.  (I also don’t want to take “Pink Dinosaurs” over here, it fits my tumblog much better.)

Do I keep Wench?  Do I go back to “hopelessly yours…”?? Do I attempt to buy “Must Love Geek” from Jenn?  Do I create something completely new?  (If anyone is up for brainstorming, online or off.. I’d be grateful.)

How did I get my hands on this blessed gem?  Thanks to the DSiware shop, I was able to download it on my lovely little DSi.  And then proceed to forget about all other things going on around me.  Well, other than tweeting about the fact that I’ve been playing Oregon Trail.  A lot.

It’s an updated version of the game for sure.  And the features of the DSi have given it a new feel.  As is typical with a lot of DS/DSi games, you use the stylus for everything.  Definitely makes hunting easier — though that didn’t save me from a few bears and buffalo.  Anyway.  It’s my new craze.  Totally worth the 800 points and the small bit of memory on your DSi.

So.  For a little bonus, I decided to name all of my wagon’s party after blogging friends of mine.  The first group: Seb, Rachel, Awesome Face/Jenn, Pham and myself.  Being that it’d been a while since I’d last played, and the main character is always male, I gave Sebby that title.  This meant that outside of a few boots to the head while fishing and a few maulings during hunting, nothing really happened to him.  Now, this isn’t fair.  So this new trip is being led by Gustuv.  A random immigrant farmer who has nothing better to do than lead a (virtual) group of 20-something bloggers out west.

Last trip’s highlights: Rachel was kidnapped by an eagle, and later found in a tree; Pham was attacked by at least 2-3 snakes; Awesome Face came down with every type of sickness, and often; and I was attacked by a bear.  But we all made it to Oregon.  And on time.

This trip, Gustuv is leading myself, Nico, Chrissy, and the other Jenn B.  So far just a couple broken arms and maybe some cholera.  I may or may not post results of this and future games on Pink Dinosaurs.

But this weekend I did something, albeit awesome and fun, that I wasn’t looking forward to (well, yes, I was, but not what it meant).

This weekend, a small, but spectacularly awesome (if I do say so myself) group of people gathered to say goodbye to our wonderfully awesome Jenn — our own Awesome Face.

No.  She’s not dead.  The interwebs would probably break and even Chuck Norris would cry if that happened.  (It might only be one tear, but he’d be all a mess inside.)  Currently, he’s a little vaclempt… but he’s holding up sportingly.  Our Jenn is moving.  All the fracking way across the country. Yeah.

As these things are, they’re bittersweet.  You’re excited for all the new possibilities for them, but you’re also damn selfish and sad because you want to keep them here.  But I’m pulling out a jar and starting to collect my nickels and dimes so I can fly out there to visit.  We’ve had a lot of great Chicago memories and I’m excited about creating some west coast fun.  (Not has she already had celebrity sightings at work, but she gets a slide too.)

Anyway.  Saturday was a great night.  And I’m very glad I was there.

Yeah, even Tim Gunn showed up to say goodbye…*

I need to go stock up on stamps and postcards now….

*okay, maybe not.  But we did have cake.  A just a lot of fun.

1. Beatles Rock Band came out. I almost feel like I’ve been raised on the Beatles.  My mom has been a fan for ages (hell, that’s her generation.. ish), so being a small child and having Beatles paraphernalia around the house was nothing unusual.  Beatles mugs, throw blankets, sheet music, VHS movies… Soon it turned into figurines, a music box figurine, a Linda McCartney photograph, and numerous tshirts.  Oh course we had a lot of the albums on CD too, and I started getting their movies on DVD for my mom.  Last year? Beatles Monopoly.
So, I can’t afford Beatles Rock Band just yet — and yes, I’d want the complete set, all the guitars and everything.  But I’m hopeful that one day it’ll be in my home.

2. I ate a bacon cupcake. Seriously.  Okay, so it’s a buttermilk spice cupcake with maple syrup infused in it, with a maple buttercream frosting, and caramelized bacon on top.  I’ve seen these at Phoebe’s all summer, and two of my friends had tried them on cupcake dates.  But Lovely and I had steered towards the other ones (mostly the weekly specials).  But I was going on a cupcake date with a dude who’s pretty much obsessed with bacon.  If it came to bacon or sex, I’m not sure which he’d choose.  But yeah.  I ate a bacon cupcake, and it was good.

3. I met another blogger. I had heard little bits about this person, Frank of Frank (Slept Here), via his older sister Rachel.  I didn’t know much about him, other than how to destroy him and um, yeah, this kid likes bacon.  My first interaction with him was one of the weekly Mario Kart games… I seem to remember hitting him with multiple red shells… right before he tried to cross the finish line.  It was kinda awesome.

4. I made out with said blogger.  Hehe.  Um.  Yeah.  Also awesome.

So yeah.  That whole, “I sort of have a little bit of a crush on someone… and I honestly don’t care if it develops into anything” thing, um.. totally lying.  Very happy dinosaur right now.  Frank’s pretty awesome.

I woke up this morning and just sort of pondered over all of that… Did it really just happen?  But well, given the messages in my inbox, I’m sure it did.  And well, if anyone wants to, um, donate, a complete Beatles Rock Band set (or hell, any part of it — beggars can’t be choosers, right?)… You know where to find me… (At Jenn’s playing her copy! or, oh yeah, enjoying some time with a bacon-loving guy…)

I’ve been here visiting family, and a friend… it’s been good.  However.  I miss Chicago.  I miss the kittens.  I miss walking places.  I even miss getting my ass handed to me by Rachel in Mario Kart — though, I’ve heard rumors that Jenn’s someone to watch out for…

Lovely’s been wonderful AMAZING and watching the kitties for me…  And I can’t wait to get home and go on a cupcake date with her!!

Anyway.  I do have things to do here… like take a trumpet in for a mouthpiece pull… but yeah. Updates. You’ll get them. Family stuffs of the best kind.  And I’ll get the next installment of the boy drama… But yeah. I miss Chicago and my lovely friends who inhabit it.

I never thought I’d have so much going on now that I’m not working 40-hours a week!  I can really thank BlogHer for almost all of it.  There’s also some other stuff, personal stuff I guess… but yeah.  It’s really hard to believe that I’ve only been out for just a couple days.

Well, here’s a run-down of what’s been going on in just those few days.

• I went directly from my last day of work to a networking event hosted by Webgrrls.  It was interesting to meet a lot of really talent women (and one man!) and to get some great advice from people who’ve been freelancing for a while.  Not-to-mention meeting another 20sb girl, Rabbit White.
• I had a little bit of drama.  Some not so happiness, which I guess started early on Wednesday… I’m still dealing with it.
• Played Mario Kart with Rachel & Jenn (and Rachel’s husband, Dan) rather than going to a huge cocktail party (that had swag).  This game was improved by three-way conference call.  Seriously, so much yelling.  Um.  Needless to say, Rachel owned.
• Met one of my neighbors.  Well, he’s about a 7-minute walk from my place.  But it was a good visit.
• I made a good outfit choice for my debut at BlogHer.  Not only did I look good — and get some nice glances (and occasional stares) from guys and gals — but Rebekah was able to recognize my vest thanks to some “WHAT DO I WEAR” tweets.
• Received SO MUCH free stuffs from the BlogHer sponsors at the expo hall.
• Had another change in plans for the BlogHer parties…  And I really want to thank Justine from Brand About Town for extending me an invitation to join the Nintendo Enthusiast dinner.  Horse-drawn carriages to take us to the Hancock Building… A great dinner up in the Signature Room on the 95th floor — and even more spectacular views of the city than I could even imagine… I got to spend the evening with my amazing friends and some really awesome other women.  Not to mention a great surprise at the end of the evening.  I am so very grateful for the opportunity to join this event and to be able to stay with my friends that evening rather than going off to parties by myself.  I was so taken aback, that I had tears in my eyes.  Top it off with another carriage ride back to the hotel with my friends.. Perfect evening.

Go check it out… but here’s a little preview:

This whole “going on dates” thing is fairly new to me still.  It’s something that started happening after I moved to the city.  I’d been used to the school yard “Will you go out with me” simplicity. (ha! sorry, it was a pain in the ass back then too…)  But with dating… it’s weird.  I mean.  Where the hell is this going?  And I don’t want to be the one to ask that, but I mean, you sort of have to, right?  When do you go from “going on dates” to “this is my boyfriend”?  There’s no clear answer… and really, that blows.  (Or Awesome Face’s response would be “BALLS.”)

I like this guy.  And this whole uncertainty of what’s going on has occasionally made my synapses explode.  I don’t want to rush things.  And I don’t want to sound… ungrateful?  I mean, I’m seriously enjoying this.  I don’t want to stop seeing him any time soon.  So, I mean, yeah.  That’s sort of why I wish there was something more defined.  I don’t even know how to introduce him.  We’ve gone on two dates and talked quite a bit — does this mean I can say we’re “seeing each other”?

I know.  BREATHE.  I don’t want to come off as the crazy chick.  But guys, I really like him.  And I guess there’s always that slight fear that if he’s not mine, that he might still find someone else…  Why is laying one’s claim so important?  I hate feeling this way.  (Make it go away.)  …. Because I do trust him — as much as one can after two dates and a month and half of talking.  And other than my own mental stupidity, things are going well.  This confusions only a small part of everything.  We’re taking things a day at a time and I’m enjoying every bit of it.  It’s hard not to get all gushy and annoyingly cutesy when I think about him.  I am trying though. He’s just a lot of fun to be with, someone I enjoy talking to, look forward to spending time with… and yeah, he’s freaking hot.

So just bare with me as much as you can.

So this morning when I received a great compliment on twitter, I definitely blushed a little and went “awwwwww”.

I have one of my bloggy loves to thank for this too.  Awesome Face herself: Jenn.  She’s been writing guides on Guidespot.com for a while now.  Now, I’m writing guides too.   And I love it.  You can expect geek-girl guides.  Local food, drink, music, and shopping guides.  Dating guides.  Guides, guides, guides — I think I’m addicted.

Currently, I’ve only finished two guides. However, I have a small handful of others in draft form… and like I said, addicted, so expect a lot more.

Also, the amazing Jenn has also agreed to let me do some contributing on her fantastically geeky blog, Must Love Geek. There’s so much win going on in my life now. It’s awesometastic.

Though I had met a small handful of these amazing people before, most of them were just text and pixels to me.  Some of them I hadn’t seen or even heard of their blogs.  But with our shared connection in 20sb, and the few interactions we’ve had (okay, some more than others), there was a distinct trust that was built and we completely ignored the fact the we were really meeting these people for the first time.  Now, I am a person that will make connections quickly.  I can make a best friend in a matter of hours — in fact, Chrizzle and I became besties rather quickly, and I definitely don’t regret it.  I think more so than ever, you don’t necessarily need that long shared history to really connect with a person.  If you click, you click, and then you run with it full force, completely ignoring the fact that you may have only known this person for two hours or only online.  I love that bond.  Don’t get me wrong, I love shared pasts too — but to just decide, “yes, you are indeed awesome, I approve” after a short while just great.

So many things happened this weekend.  And yeah, while I knew I was going to be hanging out with great people, I didn’t really go into this weekend thinking that when the weekend was over I’d be missing these people like crazy.  We spent so many hours together drinking, talking, joking around, dancing, eating, getting sun burnt, and twittering together that those few days felt more like a few months.  Maybe some of that was from the long hours together, but some of that feeling might also be from that connection of being in 20sb together and having read blogs and tweets from various people in the groups.  It’s as if we already knew them…

Leah Christine and I

I generally think of myself as someone who’s quiet and shy.  Anyone from this weekend will probably say otherwise.  And I’m glad.  Being able to be in such a great group as this and just be myself — all of myself — was fantastic.  Everything from sort of quiet awkward Rini, to OMG what is she on awkward Rini…  And I loved it all.

Dino Nico and Dini Rini (aka T-Rex v. Velociraptor)

And being able to just feel comfortable enough to express my more… touchy-feely side.  Being able to hug people, lean on them, poke them, or…

… yeah, don’t let his face fool you.  Mr. McBastard loved it.

This weekend was about connecting with new-old friends:

Look! We found DShan!

Awesome Face and I

And of course, creating memories and doing crazy stuff with new friends:

Lovely Anomaly, aka my new BFF neighbor

Tall glass of Phampants anyone?

Oats really isn’t evil. I promise.

Anyway.  I got to meet a ton of people.  And there’s so many little detaily stories I could try to include (like getting mani-pedi’s with Awesome Face, Doniree, and Katie — or various Nico quotes “What does 70 pairs of underwear sound like?” “How did you know I drive a Scion?” — or dancing with the coolest 4-year-old ever at the Pride Parade, see below — or acknowledging that yes, Mom In Real Life does indeed Own my phone..)

So… how do you say good-bye to all of these amazing people?  Well, outside of a hug, you don’t.  Within a few minutes we’ve connected again through our usual means — 20sb, facebook, and twitter.

Anyway.  I rounded out my weekend with a great phone call in which, well, I’ll give you details later.  But it was good.

okay.  So some of these photos are mine, some aren’t.. but to get the full weekend go to our Flickr group.