"The time is now, the place is here. Stay in the present. You can do nothing to change the past, and the future will never come exactly as you plan or hope for."
-- Dan Millman
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
La Di Da
I sat down yesterday to write my weekend recap and realized that I would probably put you all to sleep by recounting last weekend. And you know what? It was fantastic!
Friday night we did go see a friend’s band which is always good times. Other than that it was working out, hanging out, chores and yoga. Nice and relaxing. Sometimes a girl just needs that.
Work (hypothetically) is finally ramping up after the lull for the holidays and I’m just slammed so I apologize in advance for the sporadic blogging. I do have several posts in the queue though, it’s just finding the time to finalize them!
In the meantime, I actually got tagged legitimately. As opposed to me just stealing these things from other people because I want to. Y’all know.
(thanks Kate!)
Four things I love about spring:
1) The re-emergence of nature (flowers, green grass, etc…)
2) Crisp mornings and warm afternoons
3) Baby animals
4) The days getting longer
Four things I love about summer:
1) Warm, sunshine filled days
2) Wakeboarding / camping trips to the lake
3) The beach
4) Open toe sandals and sundresses
Four things I love about autumn:
1) Warm days with cool evenings
2) Barbeque / Dinner parties with friends
3) Football season
4) Thanksgiving
Four things I love about winter:
1) The extra coat of fur my cat gets (so snuggly!)
2) Holiday lights
3) Christmas
4) Okay this is hard for me, I really hate winter!
Four U.S. cities I’d visit in a heartbeat:
1) San Antonio, TX
2) San Diego, CA
3) New York, NY
4) Washington DC
Four jobs I've had:
1) Retail Sales / Wedding Invitation Specialist
2) Nanny
3) Licensed Real Estate Assistant / Buyer’s Agent
4) Assistant Mortgage Banker
Four favorite Singers/Groups:
1) Antigone Rising
2) Dave Matthews
3) Josh Groban
4) The Rat Pack
Four most romantic songs:
1) At Last – Etta James
2) Glory of Love – Peter Cetera
3) Because You Love Me – Celine Dion
4) You’re Still the One – Shania Twain
Four movies I could watch over and over:
1) Dirty Dancing
2) Top Gun
3) Finding Nemo
4) Center Stage (shut up!)
Four television shows I love to watch:
1) American Idol
2) The OC
3) anything on Food TV
4) umm… that’s about it.
Four places I've been on vacation:
1) Hawaii (big island, Maui, Kauai)
2) Aruba
3) Las Vegas
4) Sun River, OR
Four blogs I visit daily: (I actually read about 12 but here’s 4 I think you should read!)
1) Post Secret
2) Crazy Aunt Purl
3) She Just Walks Around With It
4) Greek Tragedy
Four favorite foods:
1) Mexican
2) Greek
3) Italian
4) Japanese
Four places I'd rather be:
1) Hawaii
2) Mexico
3) Greece
4) Italy
Four people I'm tagging:
I tag anyone else who hasn’t done this yet and wants to!
Friday night we did go see a friend’s band which is always good times. Other than that it was working out, hanging out, chores and yoga. Nice and relaxing. Sometimes a girl just needs that.
Work (hypothetically) is finally ramping up after the lull for the holidays and I’m just slammed so I apologize in advance for the sporadic blogging. I do have several posts in the queue though, it’s just finding the time to finalize them!
In the meantime, I actually got tagged legitimately. As opposed to me just stealing these things from other people because I want to. Y’all know.
(thanks Kate!)
Four things I love about spring:
1) The re-emergence of nature (flowers, green grass, etc…)
2) Crisp mornings and warm afternoons
3) Baby animals
4) The days getting longer
Four things I love about summer:
1) Warm, sunshine filled days
2) Wakeboarding / camping trips to the lake
3) The beach
4) Open toe sandals and sundresses
Four things I love about autumn:
1) Warm days with cool evenings
2) Barbeque / Dinner parties with friends
3) Football season
4) Thanksgiving
Four things I love about winter:
1) The extra coat of fur my cat gets (so snuggly!)
2) Holiday lights
3) Christmas
4) Okay this is hard for me, I really hate winter!
Four U.S. cities I’d visit in a heartbeat:
1) San Antonio, TX
2) San Diego, CA
3) New York, NY
4) Washington DC
Four jobs I've had:
1) Retail Sales / Wedding Invitation Specialist
2) Nanny
3) Licensed Real Estate Assistant / Buyer’s Agent
4) Assistant Mortgage Banker
Four favorite Singers/Groups:
1) Antigone Rising
2) Dave Matthews
3) Josh Groban
4) The Rat Pack
Four most romantic songs:
1) At Last – Etta James
2) Glory of Love – Peter Cetera
3) Because You Love Me – Celine Dion
4) You’re Still the One – Shania Twain
Four movies I could watch over and over:
1) Dirty Dancing
2) Top Gun
3) Finding Nemo
4) Center Stage (shut up!)
Four television shows I love to watch:
1) American Idol
2) The OC
3) anything on Food TV
4) umm… that’s about it.
Four places I've been on vacation:
1) Hawaii (big island, Maui, Kauai)
2) Aruba
3) Las Vegas
4) Sun River, OR
Four blogs I visit daily: (I actually read about 12 but here’s 4 I think you should read!)
1) Post Secret
2) Crazy Aunt Purl
3) She Just Walks Around With It
4) Greek Tragedy
Four favorite foods:
1) Mexican
2) Greek
3) Italian
4) Japanese
Four places I'd rather be:
1) Hawaii
2) Mexico
3) Greece
4) Italy
Four people I'm tagging:
I tag anyone else who hasn’t done this yet and wants to!
Friday, January 27, 2006
Yes it's true
Yes it’s true that I am a natural blonde. I highlight and lowlight depending on my mood but… I’m a blonde. The carpet matches the drapes if you will. Also, I have blonde eyelashes which is SO SO SO annoying. I’m just saying.
Yes it’s true that I have only felt truly loved, cherished and respected by a boyfriend once. It’s the only time in my life where I woke up in the morning and felt beautiful.
Yes it’s true that no matter how many boyfriends I have loved, I’ve only been “in love” with one. That truly selfless, put their happiness first and work every day towards improving our relationship kind of love.
It’s also true that those are two different men.
Yes it’s true that I love to sing and dance. I don’t do either anymore because I was only marginally good at either. I think that’s why I’m so fascinated by things like American Idol!
Yes it’s true that I own 50+ pairs of shoes. And I’m weeding them down – it used to be a lot more than that!
Yes it’s true that I keep secrets. There isn’t anyone who knows everything there is to know about me. I keep it that way on purpose. I’m afraid that if one person knew all of me they would realize that they don’t like me after all.
It’s also true that I wish there was someone I could talk to about everything. But I know that it will probably never be.
Yes it’s true that I used to be quite the “church girl”. Youth group member, worship band singer, if there was a group to join at church or a trip to go on I was there. It was simultaneously the most at home and also the most inadequate I’d ever felt.
It’s true that I miss going to church. I miss the fellowship. I miss the teaching – though I didn’t necessarily always agree with it. I miss the ideals.
Yes it’s true that I went to bible college for a few weeks right out of high school.
It’s also true that I left there because I realized that I was by no stretch of the definition “conservative”. Also, I missed home, my friends and my boyfriend. I wonder sometimes what my life would be like if I’d stayed.
Yes it’s true that I am petrified of meeting new people. If I think about it for too long I will seriously give myself a panic attack. I hate going places where I won’t know anyone. Especially if it’s expected that I will talk to them.
It’s true that anyone I’ve ever told that to has laughed at me. I can be very outgoing with my friends and I think they have trouble picturing the me I am when they aren’t around.
Yes it’s true that I attribute periods of my life and feelings I felt with locations. Also with songs and smells. Sometimes this is a bad thing as it’s hard to overwrite bad memories with good if I avoid certain locations like the plague!
Yes it’s true that I color coordinate my closets and alphabetize my CDs.
Yes it’s true that I hate lending things to people because I know they won’t take immaculate care of whatever it is like I would. I lend things to people because I’m afraid they’ll think I’m a freak if I try to explain why I don’t want to.
Yes it’s true that I have only given two weeks notice at two jobs in my entire life. The others I’ve either been laid off, the job was temp or seasonal and it ended or I’ve sent my resignation in and walked out.
It’s also true that I’ve had more than my fair share of scary bosses. Remember this post? Yeah.
Yes it’s true that I am obsessive about food, dieting and exercise. I’ve known the calorie content of my toothpaste since Jr. High.
Yes it’s true that I’ve recently become reacquainted with a woman I knew from spending summers with Jim in Mississippi. You know what she remembered about me? That I taught her how to count calories and make sure you worked off more calories than you ate.
It’s sadly true that I haven’t spent a summer with Jim since I was 8.
Yes it’s true that my biological father’s name is Jim and lives in Mississippi with his wife Brenda. Brenda has two children (now adults I’m sure) whose names I can not remember. I feel like he chose them over me.
Yes it’s true I miss him sometimes.
Yes it’s true that I drink a lot. Sometimes I wonder if maybe I drink too much?
It’s true that typing the above statement made me laugh!
Yes it’s true that I despise winter. I thought I was crazy until I read about this thing called seasonal depression. I hate cold and dark. Also, I hate rain.
Yes it’s true I am an avid reader. I’d much rather spend time reading than almost anything else. I have a small fortune worth of books crammed into my apartment.
Yes it’s true that I have only felt truly loved, cherished and respected by a boyfriend once. It’s the only time in my life where I woke up in the morning and felt beautiful.
Yes it’s true that no matter how many boyfriends I have loved, I’ve only been “in love” with one. That truly selfless, put their happiness first and work every day towards improving our relationship kind of love.
It’s also true that those are two different men.
Yes it’s true that I love to sing and dance. I don’t do either anymore because I was only marginally good at either. I think that’s why I’m so fascinated by things like American Idol!
Yes it’s true that I own 50+ pairs of shoes. And I’m weeding them down – it used to be a lot more than that!
Yes it’s true that I keep secrets. There isn’t anyone who knows everything there is to know about me. I keep it that way on purpose. I’m afraid that if one person knew all of me they would realize that they don’t like me after all.
It’s also true that I wish there was someone I could talk to about everything. But I know that it will probably never be.
Yes it’s true that I used to be quite the “church girl”. Youth group member, worship band singer, if there was a group to join at church or a trip to go on I was there. It was simultaneously the most at home and also the most inadequate I’d ever felt.
It’s true that I miss going to church. I miss the fellowship. I miss the teaching – though I didn’t necessarily always agree with it. I miss the ideals.
Yes it’s true that I went to bible college for a few weeks right out of high school.
It’s also true that I left there because I realized that I was by no stretch of the definition “conservative”. Also, I missed home, my friends and my boyfriend. I wonder sometimes what my life would be like if I’d stayed.
Yes it’s true that I am petrified of meeting new people. If I think about it for too long I will seriously give myself a panic attack. I hate going places where I won’t know anyone. Especially if it’s expected that I will talk to them.
It’s true that anyone I’ve ever told that to has laughed at me. I can be very outgoing with my friends and I think they have trouble picturing the me I am when they aren’t around.
Yes it’s true that I attribute periods of my life and feelings I felt with locations. Also with songs and smells. Sometimes this is a bad thing as it’s hard to overwrite bad memories with good if I avoid certain locations like the plague!
Yes it’s true that I color coordinate my closets and alphabetize my CDs.
Yes it’s true that I hate lending things to people because I know they won’t take immaculate care of whatever it is like I would. I lend things to people because I’m afraid they’ll think I’m a freak if I try to explain why I don’t want to.
Yes it’s true that I have only given two weeks notice at two jobs in my entire life. The others I’ve either been laid off, the job was temp or seasonal and it ended or I’ve sent my resignation in and walked out.
It’s also true that I’ve had more than my fair share of scary bosses. Remember this post? Yeah.
Yes it’s true that I am obsessive about food, dieting and exercise. I’ve known the calorie content of my toothpaste since Jr. High.
Yes it’s true that I’ve recently become reacquainted with a woman I knew from spending summers with Jim in Mississippi. You know what she remembered about me? That I taught her how to count calories and make sure you worked off more calories than you ate.
It’s sadly true that I haven’t spent a summer with Jim since I was 8.
Yes it’s true that my biological father’s name is Jim and lives in Mississippi with his wife Brenda. Brenda has two children (now adults I’m sure) whose names I can not remember. I feel like he chose them over me.
Yes it’s true I miss him sometimes.
Yes it’s true that I drink a lot. Sometimes I wonder if maybe I drink too much?
It’s true that typing the above statement made me laugh!
Yes it’s true that I despise winter. I thought I was crazy until I read about this thing called seasonal depression. I hate cold and dark. Also, I hate rain.
Yes it’s true I am an avid reader. I’d much rather spend time reading than almost anything else. I have a small fortune worth of books crammed into my apartment.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Derailed? Or back on track?
And this is how easy it is for me to get completely sidetracked y’all. Last night after work TheBoy wanted to go to giant, scary and also utterly boring computer/electronics store to buy a new stereo for the Bronco. Because the old stereo might have a small problem with leaking and during the last storm water apparently got into the dash and well… RIP stereo. My payment for going along quietly? Dinner. His treat.
So after our successful foray into the pit of hell, er… I mean electronics store, I decided that Fresh Mex was definitely in order. We ended up at a local place, in fact the same place as mentioned here. (OMG I just linked to myself, how tacky!) Once we remembered THAT little tidbit we HAD to have a margarita to celebrate the memory. Ahem.
And y’all? That was the best damn margarita I’ve had in ages! Mmm… Tequila! It tasted so good in fact that after we paid our bill for dinner we headed over to the bar for another. A Grande one this time. Because that’s clearly what the situation needed.
Note size of glass in comparison to size of head. Anyone else thinking that should have been a sign? Also, please disregard extremely pink cheeks. Ah the joys of being a fair skin drinker!
Moments of hilarity, fits of laughter and general “remember when” nostalgia ensued. At some point we decided that we should document the evening with photos. We must have been the evening’s entertainment for the rest of the bar! This is what happens when drunk people carry digital cameras. I’m just saying…
I might have been mocking his new haircut a little...
All on a Tuesday night y’all. Tuesday! Nevermind that I was supposed to be at a yoga class at 7:30. Nevermind the roughly 613 loads of laundry that were waiting at home (much less the fact that TheBoy is out of clean underwear!). Nevermind any number of grown up responsibilities and New Year resolutions. It was an evening for drinking tequila!
After the Grande margarita we decided maybe we should go home while one of us was still sober enough to drive. We listened to music, drank beer, laughed more and eventually watched a movie. Oh! We did manage to do one thing productive which was take pictures of some monitors and my treadmill so that we can list them for sale. Yay us! We did manage to do something from the never ending To-Do list!
Of course tonight I’ll be at the gym working my little tail off and trying desperately to undo the damage from last night. But you know what? It was totally worth it. It was like none of the weirdness from the past several months had happened and we were just "us" again. I wouldn't trade that for all the size 2 jeans in the world.
So after our successful foray into the pit of hell, er… I mean electronics store, I decided that Fresh Mex was definitely in order. We ended up at a local place, in fact the same place as mentioned here. (OMG I just linked to myself, how tacky!) Once we remembered THAT little tidbit we HAD to have a margarita to celebrate the memory. Ahem.
And y’all? That was the best damn margarita I’ve had in ages! Mmm… Tequila! It tasted so good in fact that after we paid our bill for dinner we headed over to the bar for another. A Grande one this time. Because that’s clearly what the situation needed.
Note size of glass in comparison to size of head. Anyone else thinking that should have been a sign? Also, please disregard extremely pink cheeks. Ah the joys of being a fair skin drinker!
Moments of hilarity, fits of laughter and general “remember when” nostalgia ensued. At some point we decided that we should document the evening with photos. We must have been the evening’s entertainment for the rest of the bar! This is what happens when drunk people carry digital cameras. I’m just saying…
I might have been mocking his new haircut a little...
All on a Tuesday night y’all. Tuesday! Nevermind that I was supposed to be at a yoga class at 7:30. Nevermind the roughly 613 loads of laundry that were waiting at home (much less the fact that TheBoy is out of clean underwear!). Nevermind any number of grown up responsibilities and New Year resolutions. It was an evening for drinking tequila!
After the Grande margarita we decided maybe we should go home while one of us was still sober enough to drive. We listened to music, drank beer, laughed more and eventually watched a movie. Oh! We did manage to do one thing productive which was take pictures of some monitors and my treadmill so that we can list them for sale. Yay us! We did manage to do something from the never ending To-Do list!
Of course tonight I’ll be at the gym working my little tail off and trying desperately to undo the damage from last night. But you know what? It was totally worth it. It was like none of the weirdness from the past several months had happened and we were just "us" again. I wouldn't trade that for all the size 2 jeans in the world.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Weekend Recap
1 Pug puppy played with
1 happy hour went to Friday night with Pug’s mommy
2 times I went to the gym this weekend
1 girl’s lunch Saturday
3 wineries visited
4th birthday party for TheBoy attended on Saturday night
1 glass of wine I had at party
1 “red wine incident” at party that caused everyone to leave early/pass out
1 hour I spent cleaning up after everyone left/passed out at party
1 yoga class attended
2 margaritas drank Sunday
2 bars TheBoy and I went to on our “date night” last night
1 awesome sushi dinner at my favorite place
1 cool guy sitting next to us at the bar who just moved here from Oahu
217 tips for locals given once TheBoy and I admitted our plan to move there
1 fun new Sunday night event discovered
All in all it was a nice, quiet and low key weekend. I think I still needed to recover from last weekend! I’m really working on staying focused on the working out and eating right plan. I just keep chanting “Maui, Maui, Maui” over and over in my head. It’s very effective in combating excess calories!
1 happy hour went to Friday night with Pug’s mommy
2 times I went to the gym this weekend
1 girl’s lunch Saturday
3 wineries visited
4th birthday party for TheBoy attended on Saturday night
1 glass of wine I had at party
1 “red wine incident” at party that caused everyone to leave early/pass out
1 hour I spent cleaning up after everyone left/passed out at party
1 yoga class attended
2 margaritas drank Sunday
2 bars TheBoy and I went to on our “date night” last night
1 awesome sushi dinner at my favorite place
1 cool guy sitting next to us at the bar who just moved here from Oahu
217 tips for locals given once TheBoy and I admitted our plan to move there
1 fun new Sunday night event discovered
All in all it was a nice, quiet and low key weekend. I think I still needed to recover from last weekend! I’m really working on staying focused on the working out and eating right plan. I just keep chanting “Maui, Maui, Maui” over and over in my head. It’s very effective in combating excess calories!
Friday, January 20, 2006
School Woes...
A few tidbits for your Friday…
SJSU has still not managed to admit me. I guess they are a little overwhelmed by the amount of transcripts they have received and it’s taking some time to get them entered into the system. Once they are all in the system then someone can review my file. Until then – I wait. Hourly phone calls into my admissions counselor are useless because her outgoing message says that her mailbox is full and to please try again later. I’ve been “trying again” for 3 days now. Yesterday I left messages for both of her supervisors. You can imagine how many phone calls I’ve received back. Classes start Monday. I’m basically out of luck.
Must. Find. Positive. Side. I’ll have more money if I’m not in school this semester which means I can pay off some more debt and take a few more boot camp sessions. I’ll also have more time to spend with my friends and family.
This weekend should be fun. Saturday my friends Liz and Christine and I are going to meet for brunch and go wine tasting for the day. I can’t wait! I’m really looking forward to some nice relaxing girl time. That evening is yet another birthday celebration for TheBoy! Anyone else notice how we tend to draw out the birthdays around here? It’s like a birth-month instead of a birth-day.
And Vegas is only 3 weeks away! Now that’s something a girl can get excited about!
Sometimes it’s very hard to maintain a positive outlook. And yet, somehow I usually manage to pull it off. But am I cheating myself? Setting standards of my behavior that I am going to regret? Standards that I’ll resent?
SJSU has still not managed to admit me. I guess they are a little overwhelmed by the amount of transcripts they have received and it’s taking some time to get them entered into the system. Once they are all in the system then someone can review my file. Until then – I wait. Hourly phone calls into my admissions counselor are useless because her outgoing message says that her mailbox is full and to please try again later. I’ve been “trying again” for 3 days now. Yesterday I left messages for both of her supervisors. You can imagine how many phone calls I’ve received back. Classes start Monday. I’m basically out of luck.
Must. Find. Positive. Side. I’ll have more money if I’m not in school this semester which means I can pay off some more debt and take a few more boot camp sessions. I’ll also have more time to spend with my friends and family.
This weekend should be fun. Saturday my friends Liz and Christine and I are going to meet for brunch and go wine tasting for the day. I can’t wait! I’m really looking forward to some nice relaxing girl time. That evening is yet another birthday celebration for TheBoy! Anyone else notice how we tend to draw out the birthdays around here? It’s like a birth-month instead of a birth-day.
And Vegas is only 3 weeks away! Now that’s something a girl can get excited about!
Sometimes it’s very hard to maintain a positive outlook. And yet, somehow I usually manage to pull it off. But am I cheating myself? Setting standards of my behavior that I am going to regret? Standards that I’ll resent?
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The Song Remembers When*
And there was a God in Heaven
And the world made perfect sense
We were young and were in love
And we were easy to convince
We were headed straight for Eden
It was just around the bend
And though I have forgotten all about it
The song remembers when
For even if the whole world has forgotten
The song remembers when
I forget sometimes the way it felt to be newly dating now that TheBoy and I have been together so long. I get more caught up in the mundane details of the now and the future of our relationship and forget to spend time reliving the details that brought us together and made us fall in love in the first place. I hate that I do that. I am resolving from now on to spend more time focusing on the great things in our past and less time on the uncertainty in our future.
Like the first time we spent any time together just he and I. He had come to my place with a mutual friend and we had walked down the street for margarita happy hour. When our friend had to leave we all walked back to my place and as I was hugging my friend good bye he caught my eye over his head and winked. Next thing I know he’s telling our friend that he thinks he’s going to stay and I hear myself saying that I know of a good Mexican place for dinner. We thought we were being so sneaky! And how cocky was that, to just invite himself to stay knowing he had no car and would have to depend on me for a ride home! I loved that he was so confidant in himself and so sure I must be feeling the same thing he was feeling about us. He was right. That was an awesome night. It was the first night we kissed.
I love how he would invite me over for a couple of drinks and then insist was too drunk to drive and absolutely MUST stay the night. I love that nothing ever happened on those nights beyond a few kisses and hours upon hours of conversations. I love how I felt so comfortable with him right off the bat. I remember how I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could and yet I forced myself to go home some nights because I was afraid we were getting too close too fast. I loved how willing he was to meet my parents only 2 months in.
I joke all the time about how he tricked me into this relationship. He was in school an hour away and only home for the summer. We started dating at the end of June and he was going back to school in August. I remember thinking that I was glad to have a summer fling because I wasn’t rally looking for anyone anyway. Also, I thought he was too young for me – I definitely didn’t want a college frat boy type and he struck me initially as just that. I also remember being sad one day when I realized that it was August and I was sure he was leaving any day. I was adamant that we were not going to have a long distance relationship. Just what I needed, right? To be worried about all the hot co-eds that he’d be with all the time in college? No way.
I remember how it was all of a sudden September and he hadn’t left. I was dying to know and yet afraid to ask in case he thought that I wanted him to go. I remember the nonchalant way he came over one night after I had gotten off of work and told me that he’s taken a job here in Palo Alto and that he supposed he was staying here. That night got added to the already long list of favorite nights we shared. We drove out to the coast, had dinner, and laughingly joked about the new dynamic to our relationship now that it wasn’t just a summer fling. I remember not knowing what I was thinking only it felt suspiciously like love.
I want to spend more time remembering these things.
*Trisha Yearwood
And the world made perfect sense
We were young and were in love
And we were easy to convince
We were headed straight for Eden
It was just around the bend
And though I have forgotten all about it
The song remembers when
For even if the whole world has forgotten
The song remembers when
I forget sometimes the way it felt to be newly dating now that TheBoy and I have been together so long. I get more caught up in the mundane details of the now and the future of our relationship and forget to spend time reliving the details that brought us together and made us fall in love in the first place. I hate that I do that. I am resolving from now on to spend more time focusing on the great things in our past and less time on the uncertainty in our future.
Like the first time we spent any time together just he and I. He had come to my place with a mutual friend and we had walked down the street for margarita happy hour. When our friend had to leave we all walked back to my place and as I was hugging my friend good bye he caught my eye over his head and winked. Next thing I know he’s telling our friend that he thinks he’s going to stay and I hear myself saying that I know of a good Mexican place for dinner. We thought we were being so sneaky! And how cocky was that, to just invite himself to stay knowing he had no car and would have to depend on me for a ride home! I loved that he was so confidant in himself and so sure I must be feeling the same thing he was feeling about us. He was right. That was an awesome night. It was the first night we kissed.
I love how he would invite me over for a couple of drinks and then insist was too drunk to drive and absolutely MUST stay the night. I love that nothing ever happened on those nights beyond a few kisses and hours upon hours of conversations. I love how I felt so comfortable with him right off the bat. I remember how I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could and yet I forced myself to go home some nights because I was afraid we were getting too close too fast. I loved how willing he was to meet my parents only 2 months in.
I joke all the time about how he tricked me into this relationship. He was in school an hour away and only home for the summer. We started dating at the end of June and he was going back to school in August. I remember thinking that I was glad to have a summer fling because I wasn’t rally looking for anyone anyway. Also, I thought he was too young for me – I definitely didn’t want a college frat boy type and he struck me initially as just that. I also remember being sad one day when I realized that it was August and I was sure he was leaving any day. I was adamant that we were not going to have a long distance relationship. Just what I needed, right? To be worried about all the hot co-eds that he’d be with all the time in college? No way.
I remember how it was all of a sudden September and he hadn’t left. I was dying to know and yet afraid to ask in case he thought that I wanted him to go. I remember the nonchalant way he came over one night after I had gotten off of work and told me that he’s taken a job here in Palo Alto and that he supposed he was staying here. That night got added to the already long list of favorite nights we shared. We drove out to the coast, had dinner, and laughingly joked about the new dynamic to our relationship now that it wasn’t just a summer fling. I remember not knowing what I was thinking only it felt suspiciously like love.
I want to spend more time remembering these things.
*Trisha Yearwood
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
The 69 Post
I got this from Stephanie Klein and thought it was funny. She talks about how she never realized how much people like to talk about themselves until she spent sometime doing market research. How true! But I swear I learn something more about me everytime I do one of these...
And I liked it because it's got 69 in it... Tee hee!
*****
1. What time did you get up this morning?
6:30 am or so… I was being lazy!
2. Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds ARE a girl’s best friend
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Ummm… National Treasure maybe?
4. What is your favorite TV show?
American Idol – I’m a total geek I know
5. What did you have for breakfast?
Low Fat Blackberry Yogurt with Protein Powder
6. What is your middle name?
Nicole
7. What is your favorite food?
Mexican!
8. What foods do you dislike?
Fishy fish, meat with lots of fat/gristle, fois gras, head cheese
9. Your favorite Potato chip?
Kettle Chips – so crunchy and yummy!
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment?
Best of Heart 1985-1995
11. What kind of car do you drive?
Chevy Cavalier Z24 Convertible
14 Favorite drink?
Iced Tea
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be?
Greece, Italy, France
16.What color is your bathroom?
White mainly
17. Favorite brand of clothing?
Ann Taylor
18.Where would you retire?
Someplace warm!
19 Favorite time of day?
Depends – weekend days it’s first thing in the morning, during the work week it’s the after work/gym, cooking dinner time (7:30 – 8:00)
21. Favorite sport to watch?
Football!
22. Who do you least expect to send this back?
Mary
23. Person you expect to send it back first?
Liz – if she’s online
24. What laundry detergent do you use?
The Costco brand imitation Tide
25. Coke or Pepsi?
Neither – though I just discovered that Fresca is back!
26. Are you a morning person or night owl?
Morning person
27. What size shoe do you wear?
5
28. Do you have pets?
One very spoiled cat
29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with your friends?
I wish!
30. What (who) did you want to be when you were little?
A gymnast ala Mary Lou Retton
31. Favorite Candy Bar?
Almond Joys – though my favorite candy is SweetTarts!
33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life?
Retail sales girl, delivery driver, nanny, receptionist, administrative assistant, real estate agent, paralegal, marketing director, associate mortgage banker
34. Favorite season?
Summer
35. Nicknames you've had?
Tiff, Tiffy, Tiffy2, Blondie, Babycakes, Babe, Fat Cat
36. Piercings:
2 sets in ears and belly button
37. Eye color:
I swear it depends on the day and who’s looking! I’ll say greenish grey.
38. Ever been to Africa?
Nope.
39. Ever been toilet papering?
Nope.
40. Love someone so much it made you cry?
Cry because I was in love? No. Someone I loved made me cry? Yes.
41. Been in a car accident?
Yes.
42. What's a question no one has ever asked you?
“Are you completely satisfied/happy?” In any context. I think it’s because I have a - whatever makes YOU happy - approach to most relationships.
43. Favorite day of the week?
Thursday
44. Favorite restaurant?
Too many to list! Evvia, Cascal, Anton & Michel’s, Cassanova, Moss Beach Distillery…
45. Favorite flower?
Forget Me Nots
46. Favorite ice cream?
Baseball Nut from Baskin Robins (only available during baseball season) or Pecan Praline
47. Disney or Warner Brothers?
I have no idea…
48. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Taco Bell
49. What color is your bedroom carpet?
Shit brown
50. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
None.
51. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?
Christian
52. Which store would you choose to Max out your Credit Card?
Ann Taylor
53. What do you do most often when you are bored?
Read
54. Bedtime:
Early! Most nights it’s between 9:30 and 10:30
56. Last person you went to dinner with?
Ryan
57. Ford or Chevy?
It’s a matter of hot debate over at ChezGhetto! But I like either so long as you’re buying American made!
58. What are you listening to right now?
Office noise
59. What is your favorite color?
Color for what?
60. Lake, Ocean or River?
Lake… But any body of water will do!
61. How many tattoos do you have?
1, hopefully soon to be 2
62. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
The chicken
63. How many people are you sending this email to?
The entire blogosphere
64. Favorite Cocktail?
Beer? Does beer count? If not then it’s a Belvedere martini, dirty
65. Red or White wine?
Generally red.
66. Where would you go for a girls or boys weekend get-a-way?
Wine country
67. What do you want to be?
Happily married with a successful career. A good daughter. A good friend.
68. Republican or Democrat?
Democrat
69. Favorite Family Vacation?
Aruba was fun!
And I liked it because it's got 69 in it... Tee hee!
*****
1. What time did you get up this morning?
6:30 am or so… I was being lazy!
2. Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds ARE a girl’s best friend
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Ummm… National Treasure maybe?
4. What is your favorite TV show?
American Idol – I’m a total geek I know
5. What did you have for breakfast?
Low Fat Blackberry Yogurt with Protein Powder
6. What is your middle name?
Nicole
7. What is your favorite food?
Mexican!
8. What foods do you dislike?
Fishy fish, meat with lots of fat/gristle, fois gras, head cheese
9. Your favorite Potato chip?
Kettle Chips – so crunchy and yummy!
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment?
Best of Heart 1985-1995
11. What kind of car do you drive?
Chevy Cavalier Z24 Convertible
14 Favorite drink?
Iced Tea
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be?
Greece, Italy, France
16.What color is your bathroom?
White mainly
17. Favorite brand of clothing?
Ann Taylor
18.Where would you retire?
Someplace warm!
19 Favorite time of day?
Depends – weekend days it’s first thing in the morning, during the work week it’s the after work/gym, cooking dinner time (7:30 – 8:00)
21. Favorite sport to watch?
Football!
22. Who do you least expect to send this back?
Mary
23. Person you expect to send it back first?
Liz – if she’s online
24. What laundry detergent do you use?
The Costco brand imitation Tide
25. Coke or Pepsi?
Neither – though I just discovered that Fresca is back!
26. Are you a morning person or night owl?
Morning person
27. What size shoe do you wear?
5
28. Do you have pets?
One very spoiled cat
29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with your friends?
I wish!
30. What (who) did you want to be when you were little?
A gymnast ala Mary Lou Retton
31. Favorite Candy Bar?
Almond Joys – though my favorite candy is SweetTarts!
33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life?
Retail sales girl, delivery driver, nanny, receptionist, administrative assistant, real estate agent, paralegal, marketing director, associate mortgage banker
34. Favorite season?
Summer
35. Nicknames you've had?
Tiff, Tiffy, Tiffy2, Blondie, Babycakes, Babe, Fat Cat
36. Piercings:
2 sets in ears and belly button
37. Eye color:
I swear it depends on the day and who’s looking! I’ll say greenish grey.
38. Ever been to Africa?
Nope.
39. Ever been toilet papering?
Nope.
40. Love someone so much it made you cry?
Cry because I was in love? No. Someone I loved made me cry? Yes.
41. Been in a car accident?
Yes.
42. What's a question no one has ever asked you?
“Are you completely satisfied/happy?” In any context. I think it’s because I have a - whatever makes YOU happy - approach to most relationships.
43. Favorite day of the week?
Thursday
44. Favorite restaurant?
Too many to list! Evvia, Cascal, Anton & Michel’s, Cassanova, Moss Beach Distillery…
45. Favorite flower?
Forget Me Nots
46. Favorite ice cream?
Baseball Nut from Baskin Robins (only available during baseball season) or Pecan Praline
47. Disney or Warner Brothers?
I have no idea…
48. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Taco Bell
49. What color is your bedroom carpet?
Shit brown
50. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
None.
51. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?
Christian
52. Which store would you choose to Max out your Credit Card?
Ann Taylor
53. What do you do most often when you are bored?
Read
54. Bedtime:
Early! Most nights it’s between 9:30 and 10:30
56. Last person you went to dinner with?
Ryan
57. Ford or Chevy?
It’s a matter of hot debate over at ChezGhetto! But I like either so long as you’re buying American made!
58. What are you listening to right now?
Office noise
59. What is your favorite color?
Color for what?
60. Lake, Ocean or River?
Lake… But any body of water will do!
61. How many tattoos do you have?
1, hopefully soon to be 2
62. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
The chicken
63. How many people are you sending this email to?
The entire blogosphere
64. Favorite Cocktail?
Beer? Does beer count? If not then it’s a Belvedere martini, dirty
65. Red or White wine?
Generally red.
66. Where would you go for a girls or boys weekend get-a-way?
Wine country
67. What do you want to be?
Happily married with a successful career. A good daughter. A good friend.
68. Republican or Democrat?
Democrat
69. Favorite Family Vacation?
Aruba was fun!
Monday, January 16, 2006
Weekend Recap - TheBoy's birthday!
Whew! What a weekend! It’s a good thing TheBoy’s birthday only comes once a year because I don’t think my kidney’s could handle it more often. All in all a good time was had by all. A couple of TheBoy’s friends from out of the area came to town (German from Reno and Brian from Monterey) for the party Saturday which was awesome for him. But let me back up a little because the birthday celebrations actually began on Thursday.
Thursday night after work we drove up to SF to have dinner at Blue Plate with TheBoy’s mom and her bf and his brother and his fiancé. The food was spectacular! The power in the restaurant went out about half way through the evening… Luckily we had already gotten our food! It was an adventure though. The restaurant is basically an old house and we were seated in the far back on what I’m sure used to be an enclosed patio or sun room. So, while the main part of the restaurant was smoky (exhaust fans in the kitchen are electric) and dark, we were happily enjoying our meal by moonlight (and candle light) and with the windows open.
After dinner we met up with a friend of TheBoy’s from college, Angie who lives in SF and we hardly get to see. She brought along a friend also and the four of us sat and drank (well I drank sprite anyway) and talked until 1:00 am! On a school night! Yeah. Once I realized what time it was we quickly high tailed it out of there. A 45 minute car ride later we fell into bed at around 2:00 am. Just for reference, my alarm goes off at 6:00 am.
Friday night after work TheBoy and I headed over to exchange a pair of jeans I bought him for a smaller size (bastard! He wasn’t even TRYING to lose weight!) and from there went to have a couple pints of beer before dinner. Dinner was fantastic at our favorite Greek restaurant as always. We each had a couple of glasses of wine and managed some not too awkward conversation and generally enjoyed each other’s company – it was nice. After dinner we headed over to a pub to meet up with the gang. Surprise for TheBoy, his friend German had driven down from Reno to surprise him! Very, very cool. The group broke up at the pub around midnight and TheBoy, German and I headed home. I made it until about 2:00 am again and then passed out. I’m pretty sure the boys were up until 4:00 am!
Saturday was spent in a frenzy of cleaning (I’m maybe a little OCD about having a clean house if people are coming over) and buying beer and booze and snacks for the birthday party later that evening. I would say the party was a success, even if we did run out of beer halfway through the evening! Luckily there was plenty of hard alcohol around and the shots were free flowing. All I can say is – I’m glad I survived the evening! It was fun to see everyone. Shockingly, none of our neighbors complained! Score! Again, I think I maybe managed to get to bed by 4:00 am, only to be wide awake again at 7:30. (I also maybe can’t sleep so well if I think the house is a mess) But out of respect for German who was sleeping in the living room – I stayed in bed and read until almost 10 before getting up to clean.
Needless to say last night I was spent! The weekend was a blast but I’m certainly glad it’s over… My body is in full detoxify mode right now. Oddly enough I have zero desire for a beer or glass of wine... I’m sure I’ll get over THAT soon enough though!
Today is back to real life. I’ve been doing pretty well on the whole working out and eating right thing (the past weekend excluded) so I’m very proud of myself. I’m actually looking forward to the gym tonight! I love it!
Thursday night after work we drove up to SF to have dinner at Blue Plate with TheBoy’s mom and her bf and his brother and his fiancé. The food was spectacular! The power in the restaurant went out about half way through the evening… Luckily we had already gotten our food! It was an adventure though. The restaurant is basically an old house and we were seated in the far back on what I’m sure used to be an enclosed patio or sun room. So, while the main part of the restaurant was smoky (exhaust fans in the kitchen are electric) and dark, we were happily enjoying our meal by moonlight (and candle light) and with the windows open.
After dinner we met up with a friend of TheBoy’s from college, Angie who lives in SF and we hardly get to see. She brought along a friend also and the four of us sat and drank (well I drank sprite anyway) and talked until 1:00 am! On a school night! Yeah. Once I realized what time it was we quickly high tailed it out of there. A 45 minute car ride later we fell into bed at around 2:00 am. Just for reference, my alarm goes off at 6:00 am.
Friday night after work TheBoy and I headed over to exchange a pair of jeans I bought him for a smaller size (bastard! He wasn’t even TRYING to lose weight!) and from there went to have a couple pints of beer before dinner. Dinner was fantastic at our favorite Greek restaurant as always. We each had a couple of glasses of wine and managed some not too awkward conversation and generally enjoyed each other’s company – it was nice. After dinner we headed over to a pub to meet up with the gang. Surprise for TheBoy, his friend German had driven down from Reno to surprise him! Very, very cool. The group broke up at the pub around midnight and TheBoy, German and I headed home. I made it until about 2:00 am again and then passed out. I’m pretty sure the boys were up until 4:00 am!
Saturday was spent in a frenzy of cleaning (I’m maybe a little OCD about having a clean house if people are coming over) and buying beer and booze and snacks for the birthday party later that evening. I would say the party was a success, even if we did run out of beer halfway through the evening! Luckily there was plenty of hard alcohol around and the shots were free flowing. All I can say is – I’m glad I survived the evening! It was fun to see everyone. Shockingly, none of our neighbors complained! Score! Again, I think I maybe managed to get to bed by 4:00 am, only to be wide awake again at 7:30. (I also maybe can’t sleep so well if I think the house is a mess) But out of respect for German who was sleeping in the living room – I stayed in bed and read until almost 10 before getting up to clean.
Needless to say last night I was spent! The weekend was a blast but I’m certainly glad it’s over… My body is in full detoxify mode right now. Oddly enough I have zero desire for a beer or glass of wine... I’m sure I’ll get over THAT soon enough though!
Today is back to real life. I’ve been doing pretty well on the whole working out and eating right thing (the past weekend excluded) so I’m very proud of myself. I’m actually looking forward to the gym tonight! I love it!
Friday, January 13, 2006
Friday Feast
Appetizer
Name one chore you don't really mind doing.
Vacuuming. Actually I like most chores. It’s much easier for me to pick the two that I LOATHE doing – taking out the trash and scrubbing the shower. Luckily for me TheBoy doesn’t mind those… He hates laundry and dishes.
Soup
How many times have you moved homes in your life?
Oh wow. Um… 19? I can only count 19 right now and that’s cause I’m a little fuzzy on the details of what happened when I was super young. Just because I got such a kick out of doing this I’ll list the ones I can remember in order:
~ Fontana, CA – house where I was born
~ Brookings, OR - grandma’s house while my mom and Jim got divorced
~ Loma Linda, CA w/ my mom – super young, Mom owned a green house there
~ Sunnyvale, CA – apartment where the woman below us had a daughter my age and we used to play dress up – I was always Maid Marion from Robin Hood
~ Mountain View, CA – I hated this apartment because it had floor to ceiling windows and we were on the first floor so I thought someone could steal me.
~ Cibolo, TX – house in teeny tiny little town – I have awesome memories of this place… It’s the first house that sticks out as “home”.
~ Menlo Park, CA – house on VA property when my mom first moved in with Al – they had been together about 10 years at this point. I was in Jr. High and High School.
~ Mountain View, CA – in-law unit and first time I ever lived alone. I was a nanny for the couple who owned the house but there incessant screaming was too much. That and I wanted to “rescue” Angie from Corning.
~ San Jose, CA – 1 bedroom, 2 girls. Lots of crap and an incessant smell of curry. I think there were 7 people living in that house. I’m to AR for that – it didn’t last long.
~ Mountain View, CA – apartment with Angie – still small but at least it was just us. There was also a knife wielding attacker on our street once. But the pizza place across the street was awesome!
~ Livermore, CA – the first of two times that I moved home to my parent’s house to save money in between moves.
~ Atherton, CA – ah… the dorms! One semester only though. Again – I don’t like communal living.
~ San Bruno, CA – surprisingly large in-law unit close to SFSU where I was in school at the time.
~ Livermore, CA – time #2 that I lived at my parent’s house. And I commuted 45 miles each way to be at work!
~ Mountain View, CA – condo that my bosses purchased for me to live in because I couldn’t afford to rent anything in a decent neighborhood at the time. I felt so appreciated and lucky.
~ Palo Alto, CA – apartment with AnnMarie, after I got laid off post 9/11. I loved this neighborhood. Grocery store and local coffee shop across the street! So fun! Also, TheBoy moved in with us at some point…
~ Mountain View, CA – TheBoy’s and my first apartment together. I was so happy there. But the management company had a problem with Ryan always working on his cars… And he has a lot of cars.
~ Sunnyvale, CA – townhouse with TheBoy, with a garage! Exciting! Actually this is by far the nicest place I’ve lived in since I left home. But I was more miserable in the year+ we lived there than I have ever been in my life. I don’t have great memories of that place.
~ Mountain View, CA – ChezGhetto – our current home. But hopefully for not too much longer!
Whew! I must have a wandering spirit or something!
Salad
How old were you when you had your very first kiss?
First boy/girl kiss was a peck on the cheek from my friend Justin Marlowe – I think it was the summer before 7th grade – I had just moved here from TX and his dad lived down the street. He and his sister Tracy were my only friends that summer.
My first “French” kiss was on New Year’s Day of my Freshman year in High School. I was so “in love” with that boy AND we had been dating* for like 6 months at the time and it was the second time he had been my boyfriend. We had dated* a couple of months the prior year also. Wow I was innocent then!
Main Course
What time of day do you usually feel your best?
I’m definitely a morning person!
Dessert
Using three words or less, describe your current local weather.
Cold. Crappy. Winter.
*It’s not really “dating” when you’re that age but whatever. He was my “boyfriend”. My first serious “relationship”.
Name one chore you don't really mind doing.
Vacuuming. Actually I like most chores. It’s much easier for me to pick the two that I LOATHE doing – taking out the trash and scrubbing the shower. Luckily for me TheBoy doesn’t mind those… He hates laundry and dishes.
Soup
How many times have you moved homes in your life?
Oh wow. Um… 19? I can only count 19 right now and that’s cause I’m a little fuzzy on the details of what happened when I was super young. Just because I got such a kick out of doing this I’ll list the ones I can remember in order:
~ Fontana, CA – house where I was born
~ Brookings, OR - grandma’s house while my mom and Jim got divorced
~ Loma Linda, CA w/ my mom – super young, Mom owned a green house there
~ Sunnyvale, CA – apartment where the woman below us had a daughter my age and we used to play dress up – I was always Maid Marion from Robin Hood
~ Mountain View, CA – I hated this apartment because it had floor to ceiling windows and we were on the first floor so I thought someone could steal me.
~ Cibolo, TX – house in teeny tiny little town – I have awesome memories of this place… It’s the first house that sticks out as “home”.
~ Menlo Park, CA – house on VA property when my mom first moved in with Al – they had been together about 10 years at this point. I was in Jr. High and High School.
~ Mountain View, CA – in-law unit and first time I ever lived alone. I was a nanny for the couple who owned the house but there incessant screaming was too much. That and I wanted to “rescue” Angie from Corning.
~ San Jose, CA – 1 bedroom, 2 girls. Lots of crap and an incessant smell of curry. I think there were 7 people living in that house. I’m to AR for that – it didn’t last long.
~ Mountain View, CA – apartment with Angie – still small but at least it was just us. There was also a knife wielding attacker on our street once. But the pizza place across the street was awesome!
~ Livermore, CA – the first of two times that I moved home to my parent’s house to save money in between moves.
~ Atherton, CA – ah… the dorms! One semester only though. Again – I don’t like communal living.
~ San Bruno, CA – surprisingly large in-law unit close to SFSU where I was in school at the time.
~ Livermore, CA – time #2 that I lived at my parent’s house. And I commuted 45 miles each way to be at work!
~ Mountain View, CA – condo that my bosses purchased for me to live in because I couldn’t afford to rent anything in a decent neighborhood at the time. I felt so appreciated and lucky.
~ Palo Alto, CA – apartment with AnnMarie, after I got laid off post 9/11. I loved this neighborhood. Grocery store and local coffee shop across the street! So fun! Also, TheBoy moved in with us at some point…
~ Mountain View, CA – TheBoy’s and my first apartment together. I was so happy there. But the management company had a problem with Ryan always working on his cars… And he has a lot of cars.
~ Sunnyvale, CA – townhouse with TheBoy, with a garage! Exciting! Actually this is by far the nicest place I’ve lived in since I left home. But I was more miserable in the year+ we lived there than I have ever been in my life. I don’t have great memories of that place.
~ Mountain View, CA – ChezGhetto – our current home. But hopefully for not too much longer!
Whew! I must have a wandering spirit or something!
Salad
How old were you when you had your very first kiss?
First boy/girl kiss was a peck on the cheek from my friend Justin Marlowe – I think it was the summer before 7th grade – I had just moved here from TX and his dad lived down the street. He and his sister Tracy were my only friends that summer.
My first “French” kiss was on New Year’s Day of my Freshman year in High School. I was so “in love” with that boy AND we had been dating* for like 6 months at the time and it was the second time he had been my boyfriend. We had dated* a couple of months the prior year also. Wow I was innocent then!
Main Course
What time of day do you usually feel your best?
I’m definitely a morning person!
Dessert
Using three words or less, describe your current local weather.
Cold. Crappy. Winter.
*It’s not really “dating” when you’re that age but whatever. He was my “boyfriend”. My first serious “relationship”.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Happy Birthday Baby!
Today kicks off 4 days of birthday celebrations for TheBoy. I'd tell y'all all about them but I'm waiting until Monday on the off chance that he'll pick today to start reading this blog! But trust me it'll be fun!
I just have to make it through dinner tonight. Thankfully OlderBrother and Fiance will be there so I'm hoping to steer the conversation to the wedding all night to avoid any awkward moments. Wish me luck!
Also, while I'm at it... Because I am horrible at the timely posting of pictures... Here are some photos of the gang at Liz's and my holiday cocktail party. Which was maybe a month ago. Whoops!
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
This is my new favorite quote
"You find yourself refreshed by the presence of cheerful people. Why not make an honest effort to confer that pleasure on others? Half the battle is gained if you never allow yourself to say anything gloomy."
--Lydia Marie Child
I had no idea who this Lydia Marie Child person was but after 20 seconds of furious Google research I found that she was a "famously radical abolitionist". I knew I liked her just from this quote!
Anywho - this popped up in my calendar today. Yes, I am one of those people that still carries a massive calendar. And yes, it has "inspirational quotes" in it. Shutup. I also have a Palm Pilot so I'm not totally in the dark ages. I just like to doodle! And cross things off a list! Deleting them is so not the same.
Back to the quote though... Isn't this the perfect quote given my new "Positive and Enthusiastic Tiffy" resolution??? It was a sign y'all. Kind of a slight, keep on keeping on vibe. And as my Mom was entirely too fond of saying when I was a child, "if you haven't got anything nice to say, keep your trap shut!" Mom is a bit a para-phraser (sp?), but her point always comes across!
--Lydia Marie Child
I had no idea who this Lydia Marie Child person was but after 20 seconds of furious Google research I found that she was a "famously radical abolitionist". I knew I liked her just from this quote!
Anywho - this popped up in my calendar today. Yes, I am one of those people that still carries a massive calendar. And yes, it has "inspirational quotes" in it. Shutup. I also have a Palm Pilot so I'm not totally in the dark ages. I just like to doodle! And cross things off a list! Deleting them is so not the same.
Back to the quote though... Isn't this the perfect quote given my new "Positive and Enthusiastic Tiffy" resolution??? It was a sign y'all. Kind of a slight, keep on keeping on vibe. And as my Mom was entirely too fond of saying when I was a child, "if you haven't got anything nice to say, keep your trap shut!" Mom is a bit a para-phraser (sp?), but her point always comes across!
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Tidbits
I met up with my friend from high school last Thursday and we had a blast! It was so good to catch up and hear all that had been going on with her in the last 8 years. I was initially afraid it might be awkward but we were giggling hysterically and talking like old friends with in minutes. We went to this really fun wine bar that just opened and I met the owner and the three of us gossiped away 2 flights and a glass of wine each! I can’t wait to go back to this place and take some of the classes she offers. So fun! After that we decided that we hadn’t had near enough time to chat so we decided to go to dinner. Needless to say I stayed out WAY later than I anticipated! I blame the wine! And maybe the super gorgeous waiter we had at dinner that had the sexiest accent and spoke French the whole night. Who cares if I couldn’t understand a thing! Yum! We also ran into yet another person we had known in high school at dinner. Small world!
Friday night I met up with a couple of girlfriends for some happy hour and dinner since we hadn’t really seen each other since before the holidays. It was fun catching up – I always have a good time when I’m out with my ladies! Of course next time I go out with the girls I’m going to make sure no one is jet lagged or has had a particularly taxing week at work. Everyone was passing out at the dinner table by 8:00 pm! So sad! But it was fun none the less and we’re definitely going to have to do it again soon.
Saturday I spent the day with my mom doing what we do best when together – shopping! Not that I had any business shopping mind. But it was fun none the less. And I’m back to the strict budget now. I did get some cute things though, and all of them in a smaller size which is always fun! And I finally got around to buying some things I desperately needed but have been putting off because I haven’t wanted to go to the mall and tempt myself. We had lunch and gossiped and had an awesome time. I love my mom! Later that night we picked some friends up from the airport and had pizza and beer at our place with them before driving them to their car. Then we headed out to my friend Carrie’s bar to hang out and have a couple drinks with friends.
Sunday I got up and worked out – I’ve started doing the new plan from the boot camp trainer and all I can say is – WOW – she’s kicking my ass! Every time I think I’m in pretty good shape I try something new and realize that I am so NOT! Then I went to the mall (again – 2 times in one weekend – crazy!) with Liz so she could return some stuff and use her gift certificates. And because I am the supportive best friend that I am, I bought some stuff too! Right. What was I saying about that budget? And I submitted to getting my eyebrows waxed! I would end up with the eyebrow Nazi as a best friend. Sunday afternoon we went to TheBoy’s dad’s house to have Christmas and an impromptu engagement party for TheBoy’s brother and his fiancé. It is always fun to see the family – at least this part of the family that loves me – and Josh and Kristi are positively glowing. So exciting for them!
I’ve been so busy lately – or at least I feel like I’m so busy lately! Between sorting out what’s going on with my admission to school, launching myself back into the exercise regimen I put on hold for the holidays, planning meals to follow the nutritionist’s advice, and sorting out all the marketing and advertising for 2006 at work I feel like my “to-do” list is getting way out of control! Though yesterday I did spend an hour or so looking at airfare and generally just getting excited about the trip to Maui I’m taking with Liz at the end of June! 5 days on the beach with my best friend is exactly what the Dr. ordered!
Friday night I met up with a couple of girlfriends for some happy hour and dinner since we hadn’t really seen each other since before the holidays. It was fun catching up – I always have a good time when I’m out with my ladies! Of course next time I go out with the girls I’m going to make sure no one is jet lagged or has had a particularly taxing week at work. Everyone was passing out at the dinner table by 8:00 pm! So sad! But it was fun none the less and we’re definitely going to have to do it again soon.
Saturday I spent the day with my mom doing what we do best when together – shopping! Not that I had any business shopping mind. But it was fun none the less. And I’m back to the strict budget now. I did get some cute things though, and all of them in a smaller size which is always fun! And I finally got around to buying some things I desperately needed but have been putting off because I haven’t wanted to go to the mall and tempt myself. We had lunch and gossiped and had an awesome time. I love my mom! Later that night we picked some friends up from the airport and had pizza and beer at our place with them before driving them to their car. Then we headed out to my friend Carrie’s bar to hang out and have a couple drinks with friends.
Sunday I got up and worked out – I’ve started doing the new plan from the boot camp trainer and all I can say is – WOW – she’s kicking my ass! Every time I think I’m in pretty good shape I try something new and realize that I am so NOT! Then I went to the mall (again – 2 times in one weekend – crazy!) with Liz so she could return some stuff and use her gift certificates. And because I am the supportive best friend that I am, I bought some stuff too! Right. What was I saying about that budget? And I submitted to getting my eyebrows waxed! I would end up with the eyebrow Nazi as a best friend. Sunday afternoon we went to TheBoy’s dad’s house to have Christmas and an impromptu engagement party for TheBoy’s brother and his fiancé. It is always fun to see the family – at least this part of the family that loves me – and Josh and Kristi are positively glowing. So exciting for them!
I’ve been so busy lately – or at least I feel like I’m so busy lately! Between sorting out what’s going on with my admission to school, launching myself back into the exercise regimen I put on hold for the holidays, planning meals to follow the nutritionist’s advice, and sorting out all the marketing and advertising for 2006 at work I feel like my “to-do” list is getting way out of control! Though yesterday I did spend an hour or so looking at airfare and generally just getting excited about the trip to Maui I’m taking with Liz at the end of June! 5 days on the beach with my best friend is exactly what the Dr. ordered!
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Green Grass
TheBoss and I were having a conversation today with another co-worker about how things have changed for us as we moved from being children into adulthood. They both have children themselves and were talking about how their kids are getting older, playing sports is becoming more serious and rough housing now has more consequences. It’s amazing how it changes isn’t it? When we were kids and you were playing and someone got knocked down they just got back up and someone apologized and the incident was over.
Now as adults if you even unintentionally offend someone sorry isn’t going to cut it. I’ve seen entire friendships go up in smoke over a miscommunication. I’ve been a participant in that scenario. And yet somewhere I learned the meaning of the word pride… And it holds me back. Makes the “I’m sorry” harder to say. Also, I avoid conflict at all costs so chances are if I think I may have hurt someone I’ll stay away rather than run the risk of having a confrontation over it.
Where did I learn that? When did I lose the innocence of a child? And can I get it back?
Anyway, the conversation quickly turned into other thing that we missed about being a kid and I thought I’d share some of mine with you:
~ I miss thinking that my mom could fix ANYTHING – Broken heart, skinned knee, favorite toy… You name it, that woman was all powerful!
~ I miss my favorite food magically appearing in the cupboards… What’s the shopping and buying thing about anyway??
~ I miss having 3 months off every summer where all I had to worry about was how to fend off boredom.
~ I miss running and playing so hard during the days that I slept the sleep of utter exhaustion at night.
~ I miss the days when I didn’t worry about my weight and had no idea what the calorie content was of toothpaste.
In that vein, here are some things that are pretty awesome about being a grown woman:
~ I am responsible for making sure the rent is paid, the bills aren’t late and that there is food on the table. At the end of the day *I* did that.
~ I chose my own friends now, as opposed to being “friends” with all the kids in my grade because it’s just what you did. And what an awesome group I have.
~ I can have a “sleep-over” any time I want. And boys can come too!
~ Wine. Also, it’s cousins Beer and Vodka.
~ My palate is no longer limited to the foods my mother likes. I love you mom but sushi is excellent! So are spicy salsas! Thai food! Cream cheese!
~ I can chose my vacation destinations. Trips to grandma’s house = OUT. Hawaii/Cabo/Vegas = IN.
Now as adults if you even unintentionally offend someone sorry isn’t going to cut it. I’ve seen entire friendships go up in smoke over a miscommunication. I’ve been a participant in that scenario. And yet somewhere I learned the meaning of the word pride… And it holds me back. Makes the “I’m sorry” harder to say. Also, I avoid conflict at all costs so chances are if I think I may have hurt someone I’ll stay away rather than run the risk of having a confrontation over it.
Where did I learn that? When did I lose the innocence of a child? And can I get it back?
Anyway, the conversation quickly turned into other thing that we missed about being a kid and I thought I’d share some of mine with you:
~ I miss thinking that my mom could fix ANYTHING – Broken heart, skinned knee, favorite toy… You name it, that woman was all powerful!
~ I miss my favorite food magically appearing in the cupboards… What’s the shopping and buying thing about anyway??
~ I miss having 3 months off every summer where all I had to worry about was how to fend off boredom.
~ I miss running and playing so hard during the days that I slept the sleep of utter exhaustion at night.
~ I miss the days when I didn’t worry about my weight and had no idea what the calorie content was of toothpaste.
In that vein, here are some things that are pretty awesome about being a grown woman:
~ I am responsible for making sure the rent is paid, the bills aren’t late and that there is food on the table. At the end of the day *I* did that.
~ I chose my own friends now, as opposed to being “friends” with all the kids in my grade because it’s just what you did. And what an awesome group I have.
~ I can have a “sleep-over” any time I want. And boys can come too!
~ Wine. Also, it’s cousins Beer and Vodka.
~ My palate is no longer limited to the foods my mother likes. I love you mom but sushi is excellent! So are spicy salsas! Thai food! Cream cheese!
~ I can chose my vacation destinations. Trips to grandma’s house = OUT. Hawaii/Cabo/Vegas = IN.
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
Re-Connecting
I ran into an old friend from high school the other day at the bookstore down the street from my office. Well I don’t actually know if we were ever “friends” – friendly, yes. She was the best friend of a good friend of mine but the two of us never made that additional step of becoming more than friends of friends. I had lost touch with her shortly after graduation but news travels through the grapevine… You know how it was that first year or two after graduation. Following who went to school where and which high school couples had stood the test of time and which ones hadn’t.
Anyway, I purposely cut ties with everyone from high school sometime between my 21st and 22nd birthday. I just wanted to be someone else you know? And I thought I couldn’t do that as long as there were all these people around who had known the old me. Anyway, I hadn’t heard anything about this girl in a long time and then through another old high school girlfriend I stumbled on an alumni page for our class and noticed that she had registered and that she was engaged. I sent off a little congratulations e-mail and forgot about it.
Until I ran smack dab into her a few weeks back. Apparently things with the fiancée didn’t work out and she’s back living in the area trying to put her life together and figure out what she wants to do now. And like me, she’s recently been trying to get back into touch with a few of the people we used to know. So the upshot is that I’m meeting her to hang out and catch up tomorrow after work. I’m excited. She was always a girl I liked, funny, smart, independent. And yet we never were THAT close so I wonder if it will be awkward after that initial “this is what I’ve been doing for the last 9 years” conversation.
Here’s to Tiffy stepping out of her comfort zone! If all else fails we’re going to this new wine bar thing which sounds like a blast. And you know me… Gotta have the wine!
Anyway, I purposely cut ties with everyone from high school sometime between my 21st and 22nd birthday. I just wanted to be someone else you know? And I thought I couldn’t do that as long as there were all these people around who had known the old me. Anyway, I hadn’t heard anything about this girl in a long time and then through another old high school girlfriend I stumbled on an alumni page for our class and noticed that she had registered and that she was engaged. I sent off a little congratulations e-mail and forgot about it.
Until I ran smack dab into her a few weeks back. Apparently things with the fiancée didn’t work out and she’s back living in the area trying to put her life together and figure out what she wants to do now. And like me, she’s recently been trying to get back into touch with a few of the people we used to know. So the upshot is that I’m meeting her to hang out and catch up tomorrow after work. I’m excited. She was always a girl I liked, funny, smart, independent. And yet we never were THAT close so I wonder if it will be awkward after that initial “this is what I’ve been doing for the last 9 years” conversation.
Here’s to Tiffy stepping out of her comfort zone! If all else fails we’re going to this new wine bar thing which sounds like a blast. And you know me… Gotta have the wine!
Tuesday, January 03, 2006
Endless Possibilities!
I love New Years. I love the endless possibilities that stretch out before me at the beginning of any new year. It reminds me of the first day of school in some ways, newly sharpened #2 pencils, blank pages in brand new spiral notebooks, a new calendar with pages and pages of open dates.
I’m one of those people that constantly is changing things, new routines, new exercise regiments, new diets, I’m going to wake up earlier, stay up later, read more, write more. I’m in a constant state of change. Blame it on my need to be good enough for everyone at all times. Blame it on the over-achiever I always was. Blame it on the OCD. Who knows really what drives people.
All I know is that the days, weeks and months of 2006 are stretching before me with endless possibilities. I learned a lot in 2005, a lot about the person I was, and the person I want to be, and the things in my life that were working and those that were hindering me from becoming a better person. I learned that I am responsible for my own happiness, and I am the one who controls how I let people treat me. It’s up to me to guide my relationships into ones that are satisfying for me as well as the other person. I learned that it’s okay for me to stand up for what I want.
I can’t wait to see what 2006 has in store for me! Among other things, I’ll be going back to school which of course means new pencils and empty notebooks. I can’t wait! But that’s not all I have to look forward to… I’m looking forward to many more nights out with my incredible girls. I’m looking forward to lazy summer weekends at the lake. I’m looking forward to helping TheBoy find the perfect house for him. I embrace the changes that event will bring and look forward to growing because I know we are strong enough. I’m looking forward to my family reunion in July, a trip to Hawaii in June, and a trip to Cabo in October. I’m looking forward to a wedding (or 2).
And it’s only January 3rd! Who knows what other wonderful things may come along!
I’m one of those people that constantly is changing things, new routines, new exercise regiments, new diets, I’m going to wake up earlier, stay up later, read more, write more. I’m in a constant state of change. Blame it on my need to be good enough for everyone at all times. Blame it on the over-achiever I always was. Blame it on the OCD. Who knows really what drives people.
All I know is that the days, weeks and months of 2006 are stretching before me with endless possibilities. I learned a lot in 2005, a lot about the person I was, and the person I want to be, and the things in my life that were working and those that were hindering me from becoming a better person. I learned that I am responsible for my own happiness, and I am the one who controls how I let people treat me. It’s up to me to guide my relationships into ones that are satisfying for me as well as the other person. I learned that it’s okay for me to stand up for what I want.
I can’t wait to see what 2006 has in store for me! Among other things, I’ll be going back to school which of course means new pencils and empty notebooks. I can’t wait! But that’s not all I have to look forward to… I’m looking forward to many more nights out with my incredible girls. I’m looking forward to lazy summer weekends at the lake. I’m looking forward to helping TheBoy find the perfect house for him. I embrace the changes that event will bring and look forward to growing because I know we are strong enough. I’m looking forward to my family reunion in July, a trip to Hawaii in June, and a trip to Cabo in October. I’m looking forward to a wedding (or 2).
And it’s only January 3rd! Who knows what other wonderful things may come along!
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