Narp?

So I just probably did what every nerd has as at least one of their wet dreams. No, There was no princess Leah costume involved. I met Simon Pegg. Don't know who that is? How bout Mr. Shaun of the Dead? YEAH. him. There is a little more story to this epic day of epicosity. Lets back it up to 10:00AM this morning.

So this is basically the only free day I have until I leave on my Study Abroad/Hike across Italy trip. I started waking up around 9, but didn't really get moving until 10. I was up and about but I didn't leave the house til 10. Anyways... I had to go shopping. I kind of had this thought like "oh great, I get to see how my progress has REALLY panned out... Well I had a huge issue when I got to JC Pennys. Everything fit. Yeah, being a size 16 now isnt exactly skinny, but there were about a million more choices now. I tried on some sun dresses, evening dresses, and social occasion dresses. I was in the dressing room for about an hour. THAT NEVER HAPPENS. Seriously. I narrowed it down to a few clearance dresses, and a couple "full price" dresses. They were on sale, but not as cheap as the clearance dresses. I ended up with a dark champagne colored dress that is classified as a "social occasion" dress. Since I'm going to a wedding I think its perfectly appropriate. Its not long and gowny, but its short and fun. but not TOO short. It is a wedding and all. So there goes $65. Not really a bad deal considering it was originally 100.

So after my excruciating trip in JCP I celebrated with some tacos. I was hungry and didn't eat breakfast so whatever. I did some stuff on the internet and decided "hey, I have a book signing to go to tonight, I'm gonna wear makeup!" So I was watching some 3rd rock from the sun, and putting my face on. I must say, I looked damn good too. So sometime between 2 and 2:45 I decide to leave for Austin. There was an argument on the time frame that I left. I say I left at 2:15 and other say I left at 3...

I get into my car and I drive off into the sun! Except lo, there is a problem. I get to about exit 213 on IH 35 and my tire EXPLODED. Not just went flat... but fucking blew out. I was able to pull over safely, and as someone in a truck passed me I got flipped off. Sorry, its not like I wanted my tire to explode or anything... asshole. Anyways, I pull off to the side, and see that I can't safely open my door on the side of the highway so I keep pulling forward and exit (lucky for me the exit was right there) and I pull into the first lot where someone else was also broken down. I get out of the car to see what the fuck was going on, and why was there some kind of crazy noise coming out of my car. I take a look at my tires and I see the rear driverside was all smokey and exploded. I was pissed cause I have so much junk in my trunk (which is now all in my backseat) that I had to get through to get to my donut. I've never changed a tire before in my life. I've seen it done a million times but never myself. Usually there is some man around to do that kind of stuff. Alas I am manless. But I had my big girl panties on and I changed my tire myself. The hardest part of the whole process was jacking up the stupid car. I had issues figuring out which way the knob turned to go up or down, but I got it all settled and even did alright undoing the bolts. I did have some issues with how tight the bolts were tightened but leverage was on my side. Its a good thing being heavy, I can't imagine my skinny friends successfully doing what I did today :) After I get the tire changed I got back on the road pronto. I didn't have time to waste. The exploded tire was in the trunk and now I had to get a move on. I had an extra errand to run. I informed my PIC of the day that the tire blew out and I was going to be late to the book signing so save me a seat. Him and his brother totally took up enough space for me to squeeze in! But before that...

I spent a good two hours at Discount Tire. I felt like that commercial where that old lady throws a tire through the window. That is what I wanted to do fo reals. So after I finally started getting antsy and irritated they worked on my car, and it literally took 15 minutes to change out the tire and put the new one on and the donut back in my trunk. I was kinda pissed about that but I didn't have time to complain! I had a date with destiny.

So of course, its 5pm now. TRAFFIC! Yaaaaaaaaaay! I wanted to bang my face on the steeringwheel. How did my simple 30 minute drive in the afternoon turn into a hellish escapade in the sun?! No fair. But somehow I kept my composure enough to get into a decent part of town where I could maneuver the access road. Good thing I've done this drive a million times before... So I get to some streets, curse the day that people were born, scream at traffic lights... took a picture of a bum with an interesting sign "Need fuel for my Private Jet" and then some how I make it to BookPeople.

I love that place. It smells like heaven. So many good memories there! I used to ride my bike down there when I couldnt afford Harry potter books and read them. I eventually bought them, but I had to make due. So there is literally no parking. Except for ONE spot. Compact car parking! Huzzah! I have a compact car!! Except that the open spot is almost half the available space, next to a curb and some asshole in his bronco. Last I checked, broncos were not compact in any way, shape, form, or fashion. I wedged my car in. I had to fold in my mirror too. I literally had 3 inches between my car and this assholes car. I was almost ON the curb. Curb my enthusiasm I could not. I was not happy about the parking but I wasn't about to roam the lot searching hopelessly. FUCK THAT. I compacted my car into that hole like there was no tomorrow. There really wasn't at that point. I run upstairs and I find my buddy Travis and his brother who were holding my little wedge. It was 5:30/45 by the time I sat down. That mean about an hour and a half of sitting on a hard wood floor dodging people. Yep. I sat my happy ass down and I wasn't about to budge for NOTHING. I even saw the other cripple I was in line behind buying the book. I smiled at him but I don't think he recognized me without my sling. Whatever, no sweat off my brow.

So while we waited patiently for the most part, they gave us free pizza (one slice per person), and they made various announcements like "stay behind the blue line you ingrates!" fire hazzards and what not, and then explaining the wristbands "if you don't have red, you suck because you can't get up early like the cool reds" and stuff like that. Not really, but the wristbands determined what your place in line was. I was a red! I HAD RED ON ME! YAAAAAAAAAAY! I was second in line at the book grabbing, and I was third in line to get signed. Seriously, awesomeness! So Finally the clock struck 7, and the worlds most famous ginger came out! Except for the fact that he is naturally a blonde and is not a ginger at all.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED NEXT!
(you can see me at :41 sec)
So after that announcement and he went back upstairs to prepare for the signing. I hopped up immediately and claimed my spot in line and up the stairs I went! We got stickies saying what our names were if we wanted it personalized at all. DUH, you know I wanted that shit personalized. So while I was in line some guy asked me to take his pic for him and I did. I also felt a pang of sadness cause nobody was there to take my photos, and I wasn't about to hand over my camera to a perfect stranger. This guys camera was a film camera... WHO OWNS THOSE ANYMORE?! But whatever. My turn came up and I had a big dumb smile plastered across my face the whole time. I walked up to the table and he looked very nice and happy to see me! He asked my name and thanked me for coming. I told him about my wretched nightmare of a time getting there today. Told him about how excited I was and that I was second in line to get my wrist band and that I was there at 6:30 in the morning. He was surprised that I did all that crazyness in the same day and he said "oh my god, thats awful. Thanks so much for coming, and we are totally best friends now!" I couldn't stop smiling even though I was telling him all about my horrible time. But he was totally cool. A few people were like "wtf mate, your day suxors." But ya know what? Karma. totally karma. All that shit added up to more than 3X awesome.  As I walked away clutching my book the guy with the film camera walks up to me and says "lemme get your address" and I'm thinking "da fuck are you asking for my info!?" and he says to me "I GOT YOUR PIC! When I develop it I will mail it to you!" and I was just so excited! See what I mean? Karma. So since I have a PO Box I slapped that info right down and handed it over with a smile. Someone got my photo. But wait. It gets better. As I walk out of bookpeople (my friends nowhere in site, I was bursting to tell my story to someone) I see a photographer. I walk past him at first, but I stop and turn around and ask him "Where can I get those photos?" and he tells me its all private blah blah blah, but then he says, here is my card. Email me and we can work something out. So I hope that doesnt mean I have to go on a date with him cause he was actually kind of really unattractive. Since I was going to have to contact him anyways I asked him to take a picture of me and my signed copy which reads: "Alyssa, WELL DONE! ~Simon Pegg" Hopefully that will all work out and he is just an awesome guy who sends me those pics with no date or money required :)

But yeah, my experience today went from pretty good, to total shit, to REALLY FUCKING AWESOME!

How was your day?