First Wedding of 2006: Arista Sims Kiffney

Arista's wedding was this past weekend in Savannah, Georgia. Moe and I flew down on Friday and met up with Lori to form the single girl's posse. Because Mike (the groom) has NO SINGLE FRIENDS. That's right, every dude at this wedding was married or engaged. But the wedding itself was gorgeous and the reception was a blast. Here are the pics:


This is the square that was next to our hotel. Savannah is an absolutely breathtaking city. Look at that tree!


Here are us gals outside right before the ceremony. The wedding was held in the garden of the Davenport House, one of the restored bed and breakfasts/museums in Savannah.


The forecasters had been calling for severe showers with hail (!!!) all day, and while it did rain in the morning, about an hour before the wedding, the sky cleared up and it was a perfect day for a white wedding (tm Billy Idol). Arista begged and pleaded and got the Davenport House people to move the ceremony back outdoors, per the original plan. They were setting up chairs just minutes before the ceremony was scheduled to start! But the garden was beautiful.


Arista being escorted down the aisle by her Dad. *sniffle*


Sharing a laugh with the judge who conducted the ceremony. Arista's hair looked amazing.


Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kiffney!

I would highly recommend traveling to Savannah. The people are nice and things are cheap! However, DO NOT GO IN THE SUMMER. My GOD it was 90 degrees there in April, I cannot imagine what it is like there in July or August. If I go back, part of my wants to totally dork out and go tour all the "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" sights, or as they call it in Savannah, "The Book" and "The Movie."

United Airlines Flight Attendant Quote of the Day: "I will soon dim the lights to enhance the appearance of your flight crew." HA! Best steward ever!

Currently Watching: "The Young Riders" Anyone else remember this tv show?

Currently Reading: "The Secret Supper" by Javier Sierra

Jeremy Irons?? HELL YEAH!

So, I'm watching Kingdom of Heaven. And I was sitting here thinking it wasn't that bad. And then Jeremy Irons came on. And it instantly got upgraded to pretty good. Because how much does Jeremy Irons rock? He rocks so much I will watch the following movies because he is in them: The Man in the Iron Mask, Die Hard III: Die Hard With a Vengeance, and Dungeons and Dragons. I'd pretty much watch him sit in a chair and flip through a magazine (as long as he was reading out loud). Because the main attraction of Jeremy Irons is his voice. Sigh, remember him as Scar in The Lion King? Good times!

In concert related news, I scored tickets to see Jewel and Kelly Clarkson this summer. It's getting positively Lillith in here. But girls kick ass. So woot!

Oh, and look for an entry about Arista's wedding coming later this week. I need to get my picture CD back from CVS. Yes folks, I am still not in the digital age. So you will wait for my pictues. WAIT I SAY!

Mom's Birthday Quote of the Day

Gordon: Everybody gets to march or demonstrate for something. There should be a march for the Good Old Boys.
Mom: There is. They're called the KKK.

I cut my finger today. It was a not a paper cut, it wasn't with scissors or some other sharp instrument, I cut my finger with my own fingernail. I was reaching for a book and somehow managed to slice myself with my own fingernail. Sigh. Even my own body is out to destroy me.

In other news, I am getting nominated for a special achievement award at work for the idea I had for the mini-mentor program. Basically, when an attorney starts at our office they are assigned a senior attorney to teach them the law, and now a mini-mentor to show them the ropes. The mini-mentors are attorneys who have been at the Board about a year and remember what it's like to be new. Then the new person has someone close to their age they can go to lunch with, etc. My team chief says I could get a day off or a cash bonus out of it. Whoo cash!

Mom's Quote of the Day: :" LIAR! You LIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" (Mom yelling at the EHarmony commercial guy)

Currently Watching: West Wing *sniffle* Goodbye John Spencer.

Currently Reading: "In the Company of the Courtesan" by Sarah Dunant

Fame Is A Fickle Mistress

My adoring public has asked, and so I must deliver. And by adoring public, I mean two of the four people who read my blog. You have demanded more random trivia (claiming you already knew some of the things on my other list) so here you are. Random Maggie Facts Part Deux.

1. When I'm listening to my Ipod in my cubicle I will often make up and act out music videos to accompany them. But I can't leave my cubicle so they would probably be really boring music videos. Thank goodness for those high cubicle walls!

2. I really like the Conan movies. That would be Conan the Barbarian and Conan the Destroyer, starring Ahnold. But I do not like Ahnold, just the movies.

3. Sometimes, when deciding what to wear, I will pick my shoes first and design an outfit around them.

4. I have never been arrested. But I secretly want to be. I need some more street cred, yo.

5. My favorite color is purple, but I tell everyone it's blue so I don't seem as girly.

He's Lump, He's Lump, He's In My Head

This is Lumpy.



Lumpy is my Dad's dog. He is an 85 pound lab/retriever/boxer mix. While he is large, he is the biggest wuss in the world. He once ran and hid when my beagle barked at him. Did I mention my beagle was 15 years old and wearing one of those cones around her neck they put on dogs after surgery? Yeah, Lump has the heart of a lion. My stepmom refers to him as the Longhaired Wimpdog.

Having said that, Lumpy simply loves to destroy his toys. For Christmas he was given a stuffed Santa. Within days he had ripped off Sant's head, arms, and legs. But then he would walk around with the little arm or leg sticking out of his mouth. And he still loves to gnaw on Santa's torso. Charming.

Last week I went to my Grandmother's house and Lumpy and my Dad were there. Grandma had another one of the Santa toys Lumpy had previously destroyed, and she gave it to him right before I arrived. When I walked into the room and saw Lumpy chewing on it, the following conversation took place:

Me: Isn't that the same Santa toy from before?
Dad: It's his favorite kind.
Me: So he hasn't managed to decapitate, disembowel, or defenestrate it yet?
Dad: Marg, just give him time.
Lumpy: *pops off Santa's head and runs off with it dangling from his mouth*
Dad: See?

You know what they say about good things and those who wait. Go Lumpy! Or as I affectionately call him, Lumpy McLumperson.

Even My Ear Canals Are Messed Up

I have had a cold for the past 5 days and, as they are want to do, my ears clogged up. When I get sick, my ears tend to go on wax production overload and they inevitably get clogged. Why am I telling you this? Because I went to the health unit here at my office to have an ear irrigation, and the very nice doctor told me I have crooked ear canals. As in, me ear canals, are not straight. WTF? Of all the random things to to have wrong with you, my frickin EAR CANALS? Ah, the betrayal that is my genetic legacy.

This news has inspired me to create a list for you. The Top 5 Things You Didn't Know About Maggie. Proceed at your own risk.

1. My ear canals are crooked.

2. When I am alone in my car, I sing along with the radio and imagine I am on American Idol. And Simon only says nice things to me.

3. I enjoy going to the dentist. I never have cavities, and my mouth feels so good afterwards!

4. My feet sweat. Like, a lot.

5. I once had an unhealthy obsession with the anime cartoon "Sailor Moon." Hey, I was 18. And I haven't seen it in like 7 years. God, I was a dork.

Maybe I Am a Good Lawyer

Today I got my first Outstanding rating on a case write-up. Whee! Here at the Board, an attorney can receive three possible ratings on a case: Unsatisfactory, Satisfactory, and Outstanding. And today I got my first Outstanding! *happy dance in cubicle which suspiciously resembles the Snoopy dance*

I also had my six month review last week, and I'll be honest, I was a bit nervous. I have been going through a phase where I had been doubting my skillz as an attorney, a lot of my cases were being heavily revised by my judge, and I just felt kind of down. But then I had my review and received all Successful ratings (out of either Successful or Unsuccessful)! I am "conscientious in [my] approach and cooperative in all [my] relationships. Ms. Riley is an asset to team and to the Board."

I'm an asset! Take THAT high school gym class people picking me last. I am conscientious and an asset. Oh, snap!

Mom Quote of the Day: "Have you updated your blog lately? What's my quote of the day? I need to think of something funny to say!"

Currently Listening To: "We Used to be Friends" from the Dandy Warhols. Not only is this the best song ever because it is the Veronica Mars theme song, it was also featured in the Wonderfalls episode I watched last night. Awesome.

Currently Watching: I'm at work! Duh.

PS: I switched the background here to a darker color. Let me know if you prefer the white background. I can't decide! I think the darkness adds an air of mystery and class, but it is kind of harder to read.

Oh, Yes, There Will be Drag Queens

I am horribly late at writing this post, and am therefore a horrible person. Two weekends ago, us law school gals took out Arista for her bachelorette party. We were wild and crazy, or actually just kinda kooky.

The festivities kicked off on Saturday night when we all gathered at Moe's fab apartment in Courthouse in Arlington. For those of you not from Northern Virginia, this is a very swanky area of Arlington, kind of straddling the edge of yuppie-ville without being completely of it. I arrived, inflatable mattress in tow, ready for a night on the town! The group was comprised of me, Arista (duh), Caroline, Monique, Lori, Janice, and Virginia. Yes folks, we got Virginia to go out! Clearly the end is nigh because this is the first sign of the Apocalypse.


All of us trooped down to the Metro and went to Dupont Circle where we dined at this really adorable restaurant called "Al Tiramasu." Even though we had to wait 45 minutes for our table, and I managed to knock a wine glass off the bar and break it, we burned our way through 2 bottles of wine and were all feeling happy when we sat down. We had this great table right in front of the fire place, and the food was amazing. I even broke my veal taboo and got the fetuccini with veal ragu. Which was, hello, delicious, but I still feel guilty about getting the veal. I mean, little baby cow, people! HOW COULD I??

So, back on topic...after we had all stuffed ourselves, drank three more bottles of wine (and perhaps a gin and tonic here and there), we went back to Moe's for some good old fashioned chick flicks. Specifically, Bridget Jones' Diary, which only improves upon multiple viewings. Although I stand by my opinion that Colin Firth, however hot and amazing he is, does not look like a good kisser. After stuffing ourselves further with cookies, I inflated my mattress and went to sleep. Except I kind of forgot to put the cap on and in the morning it was almost flat. On the good news side of thing, I forgot my sleep shirt and Moe lent me when one of her t-shirts, and her size medium shirt fit over my boobs! Yay!

Sunday morning we all rose and shone (except for Virginia who was so hung over she had to go home, sad!) and went to brunch in Adams Morgan at a delightful little establishment called Perry's. They have a Sunday brunch that is delicious, and includes a free showing of drag queens! Yes, you read me right, there is a drag show at Perry's every Sunday. I had been before, and knew it was awesome, but truth be told, I was a little worried Arista wouldn't be into it. But she rose to the occasion and danced with all the drag queens that came her way, and I think had a great time! And she even danced with the one that was only wearing pasties, and let me assure you, that drag queen had undergone the reassignment surgery. There was no doubt. We had three pitchers of mimosas, danced and shimmied with drag queens, and enjoyed a delicious brunch.


Thus endeth the bachelorette party. Now only three weeks until the wedding and the trip to Savannah for the social event of the season!