While blissfully thumbing through the latest edition of InStyle (Oh Renee! Please change your hair!) on the tarmac of Logan Airport in Boston, I found myself gagging.

In the middle of an article on the hot dresses of the summer was an ad for this.

I literally gagged. This isn’t Adrienne exaggerating the details in order to write something pithy. The horror of a high-heeled Croc hit me and my gag reflex went off.

It’s not like the bastard child of the Ugg and the Croc was bad enough. Now they have ugly, plastic shoes that make you taller and masquerade as “tasteful.”

There is also a wedge version. Somewhere on earth a beautiful Louboutin or Ferragamo died for these shoes.

It seems that I heard rumors of these shoes. However, I blocked it out, like I block out other awful concepts, such as the Vols losing or Obama winning the presidency.

The ad* is awful. Aside from having three types of fonts, they use the word “anti-microbial” as a selling point. Shoes are on your feet. They’re going to get dirty. Dirt carries germs. Trying to have germ-free shoes is a losing battle.

Someone please make them go away. Send them to anti-microbial hell. Please.

*The ad isn’t online, so I’ll try to scan it in and post.

I’m tempted to do an American version of this. It would be a simple blog:

1. Buy food
2. Prepare it
3. Take pictures of the packaging and the food
4. Compare the food to the packaging
5. Eat the food

There’s probably some political point about how giant corporations mislead innocent consumers for fructose industry profits by using pictures of fake or altered food on labels to make highly processed and unhealthy food seem appealing to grocery shoppers, who being tired and hungry, are incapable of making reasoned decisions about their food purchases, thereby sentencing millions of Americans to a lifetime of obesity and disease.

I just think it would fun to compare the two.

H/T Boing Boing

Does anyone else find this picture of President Bush and the Easter Bunny disturbing?

It looks like he’s enjoying the death grip he has on the bunny’s paw.

Back to being a Croc-hater today.

Yesterday, I decided to keep the Crocs on and call in Maven Mom’s bet. I wore them on the Metro at rush hour to Union Station and then Ebenezer’s for the NCC Good Friday Service.

It was an interesting experience. I got a lot of strange looks from people. Probably the same look I give people when they wear the ugly shoes in public. I deserved it. I had orange boats on my feet.

Normally, I adhere to the 75% black clothes ratio that people follow in DC, so I didn’t feel too bad about being a “What Not to Wear” victim for one day.

Now that I spent a day walking around in Crocs, I’m wondering what the deal is.

Most people justify their ugliness by exclaiming how comfortable they are. Umm…they’re just not that comfortable. Numerous Croc lovers had told me that they feel like walking on pillows. Didn’t get that feeling.

Several pairs of my shoes were just as comfortable or more so. My Uggs (also ugly, but more allowable), trainers and many of my ballet flats. All very comfortable. Aerosoles are more comfortable and the brand has gone a long way in the past few years towards designing cuter shoes.

Argue with me if you remain a lover of Crocs, but I spent a day in those shoes. There is absolutely nothing on earth that justifies something that ugly.

Last night, one of our VPs at nonprofit job declared today to be Spirit Day in honor of March Madness. I almost felt sorry for him since he’s a UGA alum, but then I thought, “Ugh. Georgia. HA! Y’all LOST!”

This was perfect since I’ve been plotting all week how to wear UT stuff to work. We have casual Friday, but a zip-up hoodie is pushing it. Someone has to show these whimpy AU fans how it’s done in the SEC.

The declaration of Spirit Day allowed me to take it to the next level.

I went home and dug through all my orange regalia. Should I wear my orange polo or “Smokey Is My Homeboy” shirt? (It’s the office, so I went with the polo).

I couldn’t find my Power T dangle earrings, but I still had Volunteer ribbon for my hair.

• Orange polo. check.
• UT zip-up hoodie. check.
• Orange muffler and gloves. check
• Canvas UT purse with Power Ts. check.
• Volunteer ribbon. check.

Then I realized that I had one more UT item. Did I dare wear them and officially become a hypocrite? When Maven Mom gave me the UT Crocs, I swore that I would never wear them in public. Then she offered me $100 to take pixs wearing them in front of monuments. The money is tempting, but I haven’t had time to take her up on it.

I made a compromise today.

I wore my black Converses on the Metro and changed into my UT Crocs at the office. Since my cube is mostly decorated in orange, I figured my co-workers would let it pass. Everyone knows how much I love the Vols.

Today, I temporarily resign as president of the Anti-Croc Coalition and hand the reigns over to Mrs. M. Tomorrow, I’m back to being a Croc-hater.

A Tennessee girl has to show her pride. As the Vol Abroad says on her blog, “You can take the girl out of Tennessee, but you’ll never get her out of orange leisure wear.”

GO VOLS!

I just realized today that I move in exactly three weeks. 21 days and counting.

It overwhelms me to think about everything that needs to get done before I leave. I’m taking week-by-week, or a freak out will ensue. Hopefully, I’ve learned something about stress management over the past two years.

*The movers are booked and final schedules set. It ended up being far cheaper to go with U-Pack than renting a truck and driving home. The truck rental was the same cost as the pod-type moving companies, but it cost extra to include the trailer to haul my good Honda home and gas. With gas at $3.50 a gallon, that’s a few extra hundred bucks. I’ll make a full report on using U-Pack. The concept is great–the drop off the “ReloCubes” and give you a few days to pack them. Then they pick them up and deliver them to your address. So much easier than U-Hauling, especially after my previous experiences.

*Hopefully, I’ve told everyone that I need to tell. I hate that a few people found out through Facebook. I’m sorry if you found out that way.

*The DC Roomie is throwing a going away part for me on March 29. Contact me if you should be invited, but haven’t been. I tried to get everyone in the DC area.

*Oddly enough, I think I sold my car. A coworker is interested in buying. The IKEA chairs on the other hand–no buyers! Oh well, it’s just more furniture to lug around. IKEA will likely follow me for a while. They’re great chairs, and Maven Mom can be bribed to make slipcovers for me.

*Last week, the Roomie forced me to start throwing stuff away. I fully confess to being a pack rat, so I needed de-junking counseling. I literally hauled box after box into the living room, and she helped me sort through it. Thus far, I’ve donated two car loads of stuff to Goodwill. When the Roomie hasn’t been around, I’ve asked myself, “Would Mrs. M keep it?” 9 times out of 10, I toss it. Thank God for friends who don’t have clutter addictions.

*I went through my box of miscellaneous papers and found parking tickets from UT and bills dating back to 2000. Did I mention that I was a pack rat? Shredding those UT parking tickets felt like sticking it to the Big Orange Screw. I’m four years out of college and still relish getting back at UT. Does that feeling ever go away?

*My last week in DC is pretty crazy, so I’ve started packing. The apartment will look sad for the party, but it’s the only time that I can do it. I actually developed a packing strategy. Apparently when you go to grad school for a degree in strategic communications, you approach everything by developing a plan. It’s second nature now.

*Right now, my prayer is that this doesn’t happen the day that I move.

Over lunch, I took a few minutes to walk outside and look at the anti-war demonstrations going on around my office. Sadly, there were no conservatives near me to join in my mockery.

These people are supposedly protesting the deaths in Iraq. Personally, I think they look more like followers of the Dark Lord Who Can Not Be Named.

These guys seem to have the utopian progressive platform down to three lines.

More power to the protesters for assembling and expressing their misguided and naive opinions but don’t disrespect my flag. The upside down flags really bothered me.

A few tourists on their Segways stopped by the hullabaloo.

I also may or may not have passed Cindy Sheehan. I’m rather grossed out if I did.

My whole problem with peace protesters is that they’re disruptive, inefficient and disjointed. From a strategic perspective, I get your point, but it isn’t effective. Why have five or six small protests around the city? Focus on one thing and make a lot of noise. Furthermore, you don’t win any fans by disrupting traffic and morning commutes. If you want us to pull out of Iraq, present reasonable arguments to win people over to your side. Don’t piss us off by causing traffic jams.

Knitting Grandmas outside the Veterans Administration? WHAT DOES THAT ACCOMPLISH?

At this point, President Bush has about 10 months left in his administration. It’s time to drop the Impeachment line! Think back to the 90s. It took years to bring Articles of Impeachment against Clinton. If you insist on rallying around one message, make it a worthwhile one. Take a few minutes and lean how a President of the United States is impeached.

Stop being whiny and focus on articulate and accurate points. But then, perhaps that’s why I’m a conservative. Aging Hippies and spoiled college kids aren’t known for their reasoned viewpoints.

Over the weekend, I got this IM from John Brown:

John: whoo, Tennessee plays American in round 1! who will Adrienne pull for?!

In a bizarre match-up, both of my alma maters will play each other in the first round of the NCAA Basketball tournament.

The no. 2 seeded University of Tennessee Volunteers (B.S. ‘04) will play the Patriot League champions, American University Eagles (M.A. ‘07). I never saw that one coming.

While I enjoyed grad school at AU, my blood runs orange, John.

Actually it’s kind of funny to see this at AU. The school is better known for activism than sports. It’s a new type of excitement for AU students. Usually, it takes a Barack Obama visit to campus or a Karl Rove protest to get them riled up. Without realizing it, the NCAA is bringing two completely different types of fans together.

UT Fans

vs. typical AU Students

One of the things that I’m going to miss the most about DC is Trader Joe’s. The grocery store is really that awesome. Organic and healthy food at cheap prices with witty signs and labels. Who can beat that?

Trader Joe’s also has a great wine selection in states that allow grocery stores to sell wine. Framboise Lambic at $9 a bottle and Two Buck Chuck. Those are things that I’ve become accustomed to buying with ease. As of now, I’m going to have to drive to Atlanta for my favorite beer, hormone-free chicken and organic pita bread.

The movement to allow grocery stores to sell wine and alcohol gives me hope that Trader Joe’s may come to the Volunteer State.

Sure the issue is fueled by special interests. Yes, there’s a stupid and rather naive debate going on about PR firms engaging in advocacy issues. But isn’t it time that we liberate our alcoholic beverages? What about our “right” to buy wine on demand? Plus the law of supply and demand would lower the prices if grocers could stock alcohol. Alcohol would be cheaper for poor people. Thus, the free market rules and poor people are helped. It’s the perfect bipartisan issue.

Basically, I’m for anything that brings Trader Joe’s to Chattanooga.

Have any of you ever donated a car?

Remember Baby, the beloved 1989 Accord? Well, I haven’t ever gotten rid of it. Thank goodness for lazy property managers! It’s been sitting dead in the parking of my apartment since October.

Yeah, I’m aware of how redneck that is. At least it’s not on cinder blocks, and we have free parking.

Originally, McGuyver Dad was going to up and tow it home. Now, that’s not really possible with his work schedule and the tight time frame in which I’m moving.

It’s listed on craigslist, but the only person to contact me was a scam artist.

Since I can’t sell it, I really need to get rid of it. Does anyone have a good charity that they like? I’ve never donated a car before, and I’d like it to go to a good cause. Thus far, American Lung Association and Children’s Cancer Fund of America have been suggested. Any experience with this? Are there any ministries in the Maryland area that accept car donations?

BTW, I’m also selling these chairs on craigslist. Anyone need some extra IKEA around?