public encounters, treating myself, and misspelling my name

I feel like I should tell you that it isn't a lovely spring day today. I don't want to put forth the perception that Georgia is some kind of weather utopia, and lately it kind of has been, so...just so you know. It's 30something right now and it'll probably only get into the low 50s today. Womp womp.

I have a slightly better attitude than normal about the (hopefully brief) returning cold weather. I'm trying to look at it as an opportunity to get one last wear out of my favorite cold weather clothing/shoes/accessories. Today's outfit has been one of my favorites this winter, which is why you've probably already seen it twelve times. Let's make it thirteen.

I will miss you this summer, not-remotely-breathable polyester triangle shirt and comfier-than-I-ever-expected Toms wedges!

Also, I'm having a good hair day today. Please take note.

Despite not blogging yesterday, I really don't have anything to talk about today. My life hasn't been super exciting this week. I did make a triumphant (haha) return to Zumba yesterday. I've missed it the last few weeks. And afterwards my friend Tiffany dragged introduced me to the sauna. We sat in a tiny, log-cabin-like wooden room and sweated to death as we chatted. It was basically like summer camp in Georgia. Only there were no mosquitoes, so...win?

 I think we should tackle some of the more serious and important Q&As today. PS- I am eternally grateful for all of these questions. When I run out and have to start thinking of my own blog topics again, it's going to be a sad day for us all.

Anonymous wants to know:

Have you ever been recognized in public from your blog which resulted in an awkward encounter?

Um, yes. More than once.

(I thought about not elaborating, but that would just be wrong.)

Several times I've received emails saying "hi, I know you don't know me, but I read your blog and I just saw you at Target/the mall/wherever! I thought it would be weird to say hey, but...hey!" or something along those lines. 

Sometimes I get 'seen' and the person won't tell me, but they'll tell someone they know that knows me that tells me...like this:

I seriously laughed about this one for about a week.

But sometimes people do get bold enough to just come up and introduce themselves. Most recently (and Laura commented about this on the original post underneath this question!) it was at the gym. Obviously I'm not above the occasional gym selfie, but I swear that I do not normally POSE for pictures at the gym. However, I had been going on and on about the gym stretching machines at work and was hugely failing at describing them adequately. "Take a picture of it," a coworker suggested. So that's what I was doing that day-- fake-using the stretching machine while Matt took a picture. It was for educational purposes!! I never blogged or IGd those pictures!! But wouldn't you know, a stranger (to me!) saw someone doing a photo shoot in the gym and then realized that she 'knew' me from my blog. Ha!! So we chatted for a few minutes and I felt like the lamest person on earth because she busted me POSING ON A GYM MACHINE. So...that's how awesome I really am in real life, in case you were wondering.

Other public encounters have been much less embarrassing, but I think Matt gets weirded out every time.

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Diana asks:

Do you get annoyed when people write letters to "Erica"?

To be honest, it really doesn't bother me much anymore. Sometimes I go through phases, but as of now, it's pretty low on the list of things that annoy me. I know my name isn't spelled the most common way. Now, if this is coming from someone who's known me a long time, it's a little more hurtful...but if you're a relatively new acquaintance, I won't hold it against you. I will say that a couple of years ago my FATHER...like, the guy who had probably a 50% say in naming me and choosing the spelling of my name...went through a phase where he spelled it that way in text messages. This infuriated me on many levels. For one, why does he even need to say my name in a text? I presume that if you're TEXTING me, you know who the memo is going to and who's reading it? I don't really think using my name is necessary at all...but ESPECIALLY the misspelled version of my name?!?!? I let him feel the fullness of my wrath.

As it turns out, my dad basically doesn't write any of his own texts. He uses the voice-to-text (like Siri, only whatever it is on an Android) thing. And so the phone robots were actually misspelling my name, and he didn't feel that it was important enough to go back and fix it.

Now he understands that it is.

But as for the rest of humanity, you get a pass. When I was in high school and college and did a lot of babysitting, people misspelled my name on checks so often that I even developed a signature with the 'c' version of my name. I'm adaptable like that.

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Casey asked a question that required days of thought:

I am planning on taking a "treat yo'self day" (ala Parks and Rec) now that my mom's estate is closed. What would you do on a treat yo self day?

Casey, I can't commend your decision to treat yo'self enough. I think that was one of the most inspirational episodes of Parks & Rec ever; I'm glad it changed your life, too. My first rule for my day is that someone else needs to fund it. Otherwise it won't be nearly as much fun to blow a lot of money. SO. Assuming someone else (rich, of course) is footing the bills, here are some things I'd definitely include:

-Amazing food. In restaurants, of course. Cooking at home is not a treat. 

-A two-hour massage. I've never had more than one hour, so I'm guessing this would be the greatest thing ever.

-A helicopter to take me to Atlanta malls. I hate sitting in traffic and wasting time; this would solve both of those problems. 

-A few hours of shopping (and buying!) at all the good stores we don't have in Athens, like Sephora and Nordstrom. And also mall pretzels.

-A mani-pedi after I'm tired of shopping.

-A play at the Fox...since it's my day, I'm picking Wicked. I haven't seen it and I'd like to. So it'll need to be touring then, thanks! After the play, I would like the opportunity to go put on any costumes I want (which will magically fit) and reenact my favorite songs and scenes with the other actors and orchestra.

-After the play, I'd like to go somewhere and have creme brulee for dessert. And some kind of amazing coffee drink.

-Then the helicopter can take me back home. While I was out, a team of maids would have cleaned my entire house from top to bottom. Oh, and professionals would have come and replaced all the flooring in the house, too. And they would be gone already and everything would be back in its place. And someone would have given Lola a bath and trimmed her toenails.

BEST DAY EVER. Maybe I should start a GoFundMe or something to make it happen?? Anyone want to sponsor my helicopter ride? Or one dog toenail clipping? Hahahaha.