Long Winded & Proud

Waiting game.

2012-01-27T09:44:00.000-08:00

So we manned up and settled the realtor thing.

We're going with Jeff - he got back to us with a bunch of places that we liked, and he seemed to think that the Canoga Park house could be a good challenge.

And we emailed Jess - I didn't want to leave her hanging and I really appreciated her putting time into looking stuff up for us. DB gave some great wording advice, and based on the exchange we had, I think it was left on good terms.

So now, we're having Jeff look into the Canoga Park place, and to look for others that are kind of like it that could be other options. We had the pre-approval letter sent over to Jeff and are gathering all the other paperwork for our mortgage people.

And we're waiting.

Hopefully Jeff will get back to us about some of the other places, so we can have a look! Maybe then we'll stop daydreaming about a 1960's house with pegboards in the garage. Because I've actually been planning out in my head how to build built-in bookshelves. :-)

Real estate on my mind...

2012-01-23T08:58:00.000-08:00

This looking for a house stuff is complicated, yo.

So far, we have:

1) Gotten pre-approved for a loan.
2) Stalked redfin.com and realtor.com for home listings.
3) Driven around every Sunday this year in search of open houses.
4) Talked to two different realtors - one that we were planning on using, and another we found and liked at an open house.

But here's where it gets all complicated. The realtor we met at the open house (Jess) was really cool. We gave her our email and what we're looking for, and she said she'd look into some listings for us. We talked to the realtor we were planning on using (Jeff), and though it was a brief conversation, he seemed into it, too. So we emailed him. And right after we emailed Jeff, we got an email from Jess with a nifty little list of places we might be into. Which is actually pretty on target for what we're looking for.

So - do we email Jess back? Do we wait to hear from Jeff to see if he comes up with a similar on-target list? Is it totally bad home-buying ju-ju to be talking to two realtors?

Jess seemed cool, but Jeff seems to really know the areas well, and he started as a contractor, which is nice, because he may be able to point out things that we overlook that might need work.

Ugh.

Also - to make matters MORE complicated, we thought we had narrowed down the area we liked to the Calabasas/Agoura area west of the Calabasas grade. We're over there EVERY. DAY. because the dog park we take Emma to (that has lights for wintertime) is on that side of the grade, and the drive over there every day has gotten a bit tedious.

But then yesterday we were driving around, and we stumbled upon an open house on this quiet little street in the Canoga Park/West Hills area. It was super cute and spacious, and had just the right combination of stuff to fix up/personalize and stuff that was fine the way it was. It had hardwood floors throughout, three bedrooms plus a den, a front yard, a nice kitchen, a back yard with a pool, and a HUGE garage plus tons of additional parking. Plus, it had character - it wasn't a cookie cutter house. Other than the fact that it was more space then we need, a short sale, and had a pool (yes, this is kind of a drawback for us), it was pretty close to perfect.

And so now I have NO idea what I want.

A house(!) with a garage and a yard and some space in an area we don't like quite as much? A condo or townhouse with an HOA in an area we really like and that's conducive to our day-to-day? What to do???

Add all that to the fact that Sean's not going to have a regular paycheck for a while, and it's nearly enough to make a person crazy! In fact, last night I had a weird ass dream about trying to "break up" with a realtor (a mysterious one, not one we're actually talking to) and finding the perfect house.

Any advice out there for us? (Kareena - I love your posts on first time home buying, thanks for those!) Any help is welcome!

30 Before 30: Griffith Park Observatory

2012-01-20T07:06:00.000-08:00

I can't fully cross this one off yet, because we went up when the museum was closed and only explored the grounds. So, I guess this one is 1/2 of 1/5? 1/10? But - I loved the Griffith Park Observatory when I was a kid. We went up often - you could even see the house we lived in if you looked hard enough - so even though I knew the museum was closed (we went on a Monday), we went up anyway.

"26. See the LA sites/museums I've been meaning to go to for years: the Getty Villa, the LA Arboretum, the Urban Light installation at LACMA, and Griffith Park for the Griffith Park Observatory and Travel Town."

One of the coolest things about the Griffith Park Observatory is its clear view of the Hollywood sign! You can't see it too well here, but it's there on the right.

Actually, all the views are spectacular, especially at sunset!

The building is so iconic and lovely.

The downtown LA skyline from the back of the observatory.

There was this very cool biplane circling around, and you can just barely see it in this photo - look for the black speck on a cloud towards the top left of the photo. Can you imagine the amazing view they had from the plane???

I'll have to go back to the observatory to complete this one, but that's not exactly a hardship. I know they did massive renovations to it, but I hope it still reminds me of the awesome place I visited as a kid!

30 Before 30: Travel Town

2012-01-19T08:57:00.000-08:00

Another 1/5 of #26 crossed off my list!

"26. See the LA sites/museums I've been meaning to go to for years: the Getty Villa, the LA Arboretum, the Urban Light installation at LACMA, and Griffith Park for the Griffith Park Observatory and Travel Town."

Last weekend, we went to Travel Town!

Travel Town is a fairly simple place - an outdoor, interactive museum of locomotives. It's located in Griffith Park, and the best part is that both parking and entrance are free! (Though we make a donation when we go, because it's a really cool place.) You can pay to go on the mini train ride around the park, climb on engines and passenger cars, and have a picnic amongst the tracks.

My parents took me there when I was small, and I drive past it every day on my way home from work, but I had never been as an adult. Sharing some of my dad's love of trains, I have been wanting to go back for years. And we finally did!

Looking back at the engines - I love train tracks and afternoon light.

My favorite car - I took a TON of photos in there!

Travel Town isn't the most intricate or interesting museum in the world. And I'm not enough of a train enthusiast to spend hours upon hours there. But it's very cute, kid friendly, and I have some great nostalgic memories from there! I'm glad I went - I'm sure I'll take my own kids there someday!

#SOPASTRIKE

2012-01-18T08:09:00.001-08:00

I couldn't figure out how to black out this website (also I don't have the time to learn right now), but I felt that I needed to post something in support of the protests going on today.

PLEASE take a moment if you haven't already to educate yourself about these bills. The way they're currently written would essentially end the Internet as we know (and love) it.

Here's a video that gives a fairly clear explanation of PIPA & SOPA:

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

Read about why Wikipedia went black today, check out Reddit.com, go to this site to see what you can do to help, and be sure to click on the top image (or just go here) and sign the petition for our Congress members!

I try really hard to make sure to give credit when I use something on this site - I link photos to the websites I got them from, I link information, I link quotes and videos. But, see all those sites I just linked to? If SOPA were in effect, my site could be "blacklisted" from the Internet if any of the sites linked above had a link on them that infringed copyrights! Please take action if you find that as outrageous as I do!

30 Before 30: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

2012-01-17T11:41:00.000-08:00

"22. See the giant sequoias with Sean."

A few weekends ago, Sean and I were bumming around the house and randomly decided to scratch something else off of my 30 Before 30 list by driving up to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

I know, so spontaneous!

It was already 4:30pm on a Saturday, so we hurriedly packed overnight bags, grabbed Emma's bed, and got on the road. We were on the road by 5pm, and on the way up we found & booked a dog friendly motel by the entrance of Sequoia National Park (Buckeye Tree Lodge Trip Advisor review) - and we had such a nice stay!

The conversation with the woman on the phone was rather hilarious, though.

Woman: So when will you be arriving?
Me: We're driving up from Los Angeles now, so it'll probably be between 9pm and 10pm.
Woman: Ok, well reception closes at 9pm, so I'll go ahead and leave your key on the cork board. And the owners live right on the property, so if a bear gets your key or something, just ring the bell.
Me: I'm sorry, what? "If a bear gets our key?"

Anyway, we had an very chill drive, ate dinner at a truck stop right after the Grapevine, arrived at the hotel around 10pm, and retrieved the key, bear free. It took Emma a while to settle down in the room - it usually does in a new place - but we passed out right away.

The next morning, we went outside to the amazing views of the river RIGHT behind our room. I want to go back to this place and stay there again, because there was so much to discover/explore, and the area behind the hotel was so peaceful! Each room had a patio that begged to be used for a leisurely cup of tea.

The river was steps away from the hotel and had tons of rocks to climb around on.

We checked out early, eager to get into the park and see some giant trees. Entrance to the parks is $20/car, but you can get a year long pass for $30. We definitely want to come back up again in the spring, so we got the yearly pass. It's good through the end of January 2013, and I'm so excited to use it again!

Right off the bat, we saw wildlife - mule deer to be specific.

The road took us up from around 2,000 feet to about 7,000 feet! Emma enjoyed the fresh mountain air.

Our first stop was General Sherman - the world's largest tree by volume. We saw some melted snice (snow/ice), and Emma had her first encounter with the cold stuff.

She was pretty indifferent to it, actually.

The hike to General Sherman was quick on the way down - maybe 10 minutes...

Sean checking out the General Sherman tree - this tree is between 2,300-2,700 years old! SO crazy!

The hike down to the General Sherman tree.

But going back up kicked my ass - the air is thinner at 7,000 feet elevation, and I was SO out of breath! (It was kind of embarrassing, actually!)

We got back into the car and headed towards Grant Grove, where the General Grant tree - the second largest - is.

Snow (ice? snice?) on the side of the road!

Giant sequoias!

I didn't upload any photos of General Grant, because where it's located, it's tough to get a good shot of it. The "hike" up to it is only about 0.5 miles, and really easy. It's a great big tree - but you can't get close to it anymore because the ground around it is too delicate (or something). So we took a little trail off of the main trail and checked out some almost as large trees up the hill from General Grant.

For comparison - Sean is 6'3" - this tree made him look tiny!

A fallen sequoia tree - you can walk all the way through it!

Unfortunately, after Grant Grove, we had to head back home since I had to work the next day. We're eager to go back though, because while dogs aren't allowed on the trails in the national parks, they are allowed on those in the national FORESTS - and about 30 minutes north of General Grant, there's supposed to be a very cool meadow of tree stumps that were cut down for logging where dogs are allowed.

Maybe we'll go in the spring, so there will be the potential for lots of flowers!

Also - there are two entrances - one for Sequoia National Park and one for Kings Canyon National Park. If you use the Kings Canyon entrance, you're closer to the areas you can bring your dog to - otherwise, you have to drive all the way through Sequoia National Park AND Kings Canyon National Park to get to them. The drive from General Sherman (Sequoia) to General Grant (Kings Canyon) took us about an hour because the roads are windy.

We saw this brown cow on the way home and he cracked me up - he did not care that the barbed wire was in his way of the delicious grass!

Overall - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National parks were very cool - I can't wait to go back! And at only about a 3.5-4 hour drive, it's really reasonable for a quick weekend getaway.

My Top 10 Romantic Movies

2012-01-11T08:48:00.000-08:00

I was inspired by this list of 60 Most Romantic Movies from my new favorite website, All Women Stalk (thanks Pintrest!), to do my own little "Top 10" list of my favorites.

A precursor: I often love cheesy movies. I often love silly movies. I often love movies that are the exact opposite of "critically acclaimed." This list is by no means based in anything other than my personal opinion! (Also, I'm probably forgetting one or two that I love, because I'm doing this list on the fly at work instead of at my house with my beloved DVD collection.)

Here we go!

10. What's Your Number
Yes, this movie is super goofy. But I thought it was adorable, it makes me happy to watch it, and let's admit it - Chris Evans is HOT.

9. Crazy, Stupid, Love
I FINALLY got around to watching this one, and it had all the requirements for my list - it made me laugh, it made me ignore the other crap I was doing, and it left me with a happy giddy feeling. And the scene below? The one with Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling? SO awesome.

8. Ever After
When this movie came out, I saw it five times. In the theater. That's practically unheard of for me! (Granted, I was 16, but still.)

7. Definitely, Maybe
How freakin' cute is Ryan Reynolds in this movie? I love how sweet, sad, and happy it is.

6. Sweet Home Alabama
This is one of those movies I will always stop on when it's on TV. It makes me all sorts of giggly. And makes me want to go to the South.

5. P.S. I Love You
When I had finally watched this movie enough to not ugly cry (which took approximately four times, by the way), I discovered it was a great romantic comedy. And Gerard Butler singing "Galway Girl?" Amazing.

4. Leap Year
I saw this one multiple times in theaters, too, but didn't quite make it to five. I love this movie, possibly because of it's locations, possibly because of Matthew Goode, and possibly because it's just so silly.

3. The Princess Bride
Duh. I mean, this one is a classic for a list like this. It's romantic. It's funny. It's ridiculous. It has Peter Falk and a happy ending. Also, Sean likes this movie too, which is a bonus for me.

2. A Lot Like Love
Super underrated, and one of my favorite movies of all time. It's just a perfect love story - and more realistic than most, as it has the main characters not get their timing right for a while. If you haven't seen this movie, go out and watch it immediately.

1. Love Actually
I could watch this movie over and over and over again. It's one of the closest things I've ever seen to the "perfect" movie. To this day I still can't decide what my favorite storyline is!

Runner(s) up:

Dirty Dancing
It's a classic, and it's great. But I've owned it for years and it's still in its plastic, because I've never had that "I need to watch that movie RIGHT NOW" feeling with it. But seriously, WHY is this final scene so awesome??? (Sorry, You Tube won't let me embed the video!)

America's Sweethearts
Because John Cusack is amazing, and I love seeing Catherine Zeta Jones play a total bitch. And it has some of the greatest one-liners ever!

Shakespeare In Love
It didn't make the list, primarily because I like my favorite movies to have happy endings. What can I say, I'm girly like that. But it's still such a great love story, and I usually will watch it if it's on TV somewhere.

Letters To Juliet
The movie isn't the best. The acting isn't the best. But I love that it takes place in Italy, and it's so cute.

10 Things I Hate About You
Oh, how I loved this movie when I was younger! I still love it. In fact, it may be time to watch it again and re-live some of that high school angst. My favorites were, obviously, Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger. Who could resist Heath Ledger singing "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You???" This "paintball" scene was always my favorite, though.

Are there any movies that aren't on here that would make your list?

30 Before 30: Urban Light at LACMA

2012-01-06T08:15:00.001-08:00

Another 1/5 of an item checked off my "30 Before 30" list!

"26. See the LA sites/museums I've been meaning to go to for years: the Getty Villa, the LA Arboretum, the Urban Light installation at LACMA, and Griffith Park for the Griffith Park Observatory and Travel Town."

This time around, the Urban Light installation at LACMA!

Slightly out of focus, but I like it anyway.

I could spend hours looking at these lights and taking photographs there!

One of my favorites from the night...

Me, Sean and Emma dog being goofy.

Dare I say I'm on a roll?

Roll with the punches.

2012-01-05T07:31:00.000-08:00

2012 has barely begun and already the challenges are being tossed at us.

Well, I suppose this challenge is technically from 2011, enforcing how craptastic half of 2011 was. The months June - October? Fabulous. January - May and then November & December? Couldn't wait to see them over.

Anyway. Sean ripped a tendon in his finger at the dog park in late December. He was pulling an aggressive dog off of Emma, and that dog's harness caught his finger and pop. The problem? Oh yeah, he kind of needs his hands to work.

If this had happened to me, it would be a mild annoyance of having to keep my finger in a splint for a while and not typing with that finger. In fact, I wish it had happened to me. But for Sean, it means not being able to work. He'll be on short term disability for six weeks, then his finger will be at 50% and he'll have to do a bunch of physical therapy, but at least he'll be able to go back to work.

It's a huge fucking bummer.

We're trying to stay optimistic about it - it's necessary for his finger to be healed properly, as he works with his hands. And maybe it was the universe's way of giving him a break so he doesn't burn out or something. Maybe it is a good way for us to set and stick to a budget. Go to my mom's house for dinner more often. Spend some quality time together. Who knows. What I do know is that my schedule will be a bit more flexible for the next few weeks, but we'll be keeping our spending as minimal as possible at the same time!

Personally, I think he did it so he'd get out of dish duty for 6 weeks. (<-- obvious sarcasm, otherwise known as my coping mechanism.)

Please, 2012, could you give us a break?

30 Before 30: The Craft and Folk Art Museum

2012-01-04T07:55:00.000-08:00

New year, new start, right? Time to scratch a couple more items off my "30 Before 30" list!

It's been a while since I completed something off this list... but I'm determined to get through it this year. I only have 8 and a half months left! Granted, I only scratched off 1/2 of this one, but we're planning a trip to San Diego soon to do the other half!

"4. Visit the museums where Sean's uncle's designs are featured - the Craft and Folk Art Museum in LA and the Mingei museum in San Diego."

Preface: Sean's uncle is a designer. In the 1960s and 70s, he designed architectural fiberglass furniture and beer can furniture (his designs preceded Andy Warhol’s pop-art soup cans by about two years), as well as some very cool wind surfers, boats, etc. Some of his items are now on display at two museums in Southern California as part of Pacific Standard Time.

Sean's awesome Uncle Doug (on the sailboat he built)

We recently got a chance to visit the Craft and Folk Art museum, which is showcasing one of Doug's park benches in its window. His aunt told us it was particularly awesome at night, so at night was when we went!

I can't WAIT to get down to San Diego and see the rest of his stuff! (And, of course, see Sean's aunt and uncle!)

Bring in the new...

2012-01-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

So, we're in the process of getting pre-approved for a home loan. (Update on 1/5: We're pre-approved!)

Crazy, right???

The idea to buy a house is nothing new. But opportunity presented itself when my friend Megan mentioned that her dad did a pre-approval for her then boyfriend, just to see what he would qualify for. It got us thinking, and we finally contacted him.

And now we've been religiously checking realtor.com for potential places. We have an idea of budget, we have an idea of location, and we have a guy from the dog park who is a realtor and just got another friend from the dog park a great place. (Not to mention about three other connections in case he can't find anything for us.)

So now it feels real, and that kind of trips me out.

I'm actually excited to move, which tells me that I'm ready for this. I love our little apartment, and normally am super resistant to change. But as much as I love where we live and our first place together, we're rapidly outgrowing it.

Plus, the canyon is a tough place to live sometimes. It's far out of the way. It wears on our cars. (Just last year alone I got a flat tire, needed four new tires, and had $700 of "rodent" damage done while parked in our drive way.) We don't get the gas mileage we should be getting. There are a ton of bugs and rodents. We have to take Emma to the dog park every day (so she doesn't destroy our shit) and that's a 40 minute round trip affair. And while we love living there and aren't exactly rushing to move, it's getting to be time.

And there are a few amenities that we've been doing without that I'm looking forward to having again once we move.

On my wish list for a house? A dishwasher. A garbage disposal. A bath tub. A washer and dryer and a pluming system that can support more than two loads of laundry a day. A garage where I can store things, and where Sean can build a little "man cave." An office/guest room so that we don't have to be concerned about leaving out electronics for Emma to eat. And maybe even a fire place, and a place to put a treadmill so I can drop the gym membership I've been clinging to even though I never go.

So here's hoping that everything goes as smoothly for us as first time buyers as it can go. I know from my friends who have bought homes that the process can be super complicated, frustrating, and drawn out. We've already found a place that we really liked only to call the realtor and have our hopes dashed by a pending litigation in the complex... so I get the feeling it's going to be an interesting road!

Any advice for us?

30 Before 30: Revised

2012-01-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

Since it's the new year, I decided to revisit my "30 before 30" list. A while back I was thinking about it, and I realized that some of my goals have changed since I started this list, so I decided that I'd revise it to make it a bit more to what my goals are currently. Many things stayed the same, but a couple things just aren't all that important to me anymore! So behold, my new 30 before 30 list!

1. Go horseback riding.
2. Lose 20 pounds.
3. Sell a photo (or something photo related) I've taken.
4. Visit the museums where Sean's uncle's designs are featured - the ~~Craft and Folk Art Museum~~ in LA and the Mingei museum in San Diego.
5. Take an photography or Photoshop class.
6. Organize and back up my music and photos.
7. Move to a bigger house/apartment, possibly one we own.
8. Travel to New York.
9. Do volunteer work.
10. Add $5,000 to my savings account.
11. Make pasta from scratch.
12. Make my grandmother's Christmas cookies on my own.
13. Learn how to make caplets (dad's side).
14. Learn how to make pork roast with potato dumplings (mom's side).
15. Get certified in CPR.
16. Walk a 10K.
17. Take a weekend trip to somewhere with snow.
18. Cook an entire meal (appetizer, meal, dessert) for Sean and my family or friends.
19. Buy the camera lens I've been coveting.
20. Get Emma trained in recall.
21. Take a cooking class.
22. See the giant sequoias with Sean.
23. Send holiday cake balls (and cookies?) to family and work people.
24. Treat myself to a shopping spree for new clothes.
25. Bake bread from scratch.
26. See the LA sites/museums I've been meaning to go to for years: ~~the Getty Villa,~~ the LA Arboretum, ~~the Urban Light installation at LACMA~~, and Griffith Park for the Griffith Park Observatory and Travel Town.
27. Visit Sean's aunt & uncle in San Diego and my aunt & uncle in Laguna Beach more often.
28. Start a photography business with a kick ass website.
29. Buy myself a nice piece of jewelry.
30. Learn how to drive a stick shift.

And one I'm still considering...
- Get the tattoo I've been thinking about. (I still waver back and forth to whether I want to get a tattoo...)
- Finish writing at least 25 pages of a screenplay or book based on one of the millions of ideas in my head. (I still want to do this, but am more focused on photography this year than writing.)

Holy crap, it's 2012.

2012-01-01T08:26:00.000-08:00

I re-discovered this survey again! I love it - obviously, as I did one in 2009, 2010, and 2011!

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Traveled in Europe with some of my best friends all at once.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year I didn't make many resolutions, but I wrote: "I feel like 2011 will be my year of finding my way - I feel just a bit lost right now (don't ask my why, I can't explain it), and I am optimistic that this year will bring good things." This year didn't really turn out to be what I had hoped for, in fact it was one of those years I often wished was over! Hopefully next year will be what I wanted 2012 to be.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Three women I work with had babies!

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes, my last remaining grandparent, my mom's mom. While it wasn't unexpected, it did really suck. And it was really strange to go through the holidays this year - no grandparents, new traditions, lots of memories.

5. What countries did you visit?
Canada, Ireland, Italy, with a 25 minute stop over in Germany! It was an AWESOME year for travel.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
More time! <-- oh, look, I have the exact same answer as last year!

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Feb 24th, Sean & my 5 year anniversary, June 18th, the date we left for Europe.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I got a promotion, and actually traveled the way I wanted to this year!

9. What was your biggest failure?
With the exception of our trip to Europe, I did next to no photography. I plan on re-focusing on photography next year! Also, I barely touched my 30 Before 30 list! I think it needs a quick revision and some more aggressive doing!

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No, thankfully!

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Plane tickets! Europe, Toronto, and Las Vegas, though the Las Vegas trip did NOT go as I hoped.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Once again, Sean's. He's such a trooper, and he's so patient and cute with Emma.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
No one's, really.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Travel! And Emma. Oh, and my car. Since we live in the canyon, I had $800 in "rodent-related" damages, and needed four new tires. Thanks, Topanga.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Travel! I guess that was the theme of 2011.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
Pretty much anything by Adele. "One and Only" in particular. But we heard "Someone Like You" EVERYWHERE in Europe!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Neither? I'm about the same, I think.
b) thinner or fatter? Ugh, fatter. For a second after Europe I lost weight (lots of walking), but oh has it come back.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, if we're going by my savings account. Richer, if we're going by travel experiences!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Being outdoors. Taking photos.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Working - I'm getting better at this work/life balance, but I'm not where I need to be yet.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas Eve with my mom - it was actually the closest to a perfect day I've had in a while. Christmas Day with my dad.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I re-fell in love with traveling, if that counts.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Castle, Rookie Blue, NCIS, Hart of Dixie, Once Upon A Time

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope. I'm doing better at not hating people.

24. What was the best book you read?
Any of the books I read on my new Kindle that Sean got me for my birthday!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Adele. Music from all the random TV shows I love!

26. What did you want and get?
A new robe, lots of travel, a Kindle, a Blu-Ray player and a new TV!

27. What did you want and not get?
I plead the 5th... ;-) <-- Still didn't get the one thing I've been SO wanting!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Honestly, I don't think I have one from this year.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
How appropriate that this is question 29 - that's how old I turned! We went to Ladyface, my new favorite restaurant, with so many friends! It was a fabulous last birthday of my 20's.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
(see question 27.)

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Increasingly more business casual. I love blazers and blouses.

32. What kept you sane?
Sean. Emma. Traveling. Being able to talk to friends about shit that was going down so that I could work it out instead of letting it get to me.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I don't know. I guess any one of these guys?

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The rich not paying their fair share of taxes.

35. Who did you miss?
Sinead & Ryan. Clara. My grandmothers.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
My friend Andressa from work is pretty awesome!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
You can't be everything to everyone. You can only be the best person you can be.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"You want a revelation, You wanna get it right, But it's a conversation, I just can't have tonight. You want a revelation, some kind of resolution, Tell me what you want me to say..." Florence & The Machine "No Light No Light"

Happy New Year, everyone!

2011: The Music

2011-12-30T06:04:00.000-08:00

Music has been very important for me this year - I discovered a ton of new (or at least "new to me"), awesome music!

Here's the playlist I put together showcasing all of my favorites from 2011! (A few of these songs are duplicates from the playlist I put together a few weeks ago...)

1. Ho Hey - The Lumineers
This song was on a recent episode of Hart of Dixie (I know, it's a silly show) and I instantly fell in love. I also like a lot of their other music!

2. Fletcher - Blitzen Trapper
This one was also on my last music-related blog. I have to check out more of their music.

3. No Light No Light - Florence & The Machine
There's a line in this song that kind of represents my year. It's kind of a sad song, but still seems optimistic to me for some reason!

4. Shake It Out - Florence & The Machine
My favorite song off of their new album.

5. Rumour Has It/Someone Like You - Glee Cast
The best song that Glee has ever put out!

6. Rumour Has It - Adele
Listening to the mash up from Glee always makes me want to listen to the original!

7. Someone Like You - Adele
Ditto #8.

8. One and Only - Adele
This was the first song I bought off of the new Adele album. It's so great!

9. I'll Be Waiting - Adele
"Now the sky has cleared and it's blue, and I see my future in you..." LOVE this one!

10. Queen of California - John Mayer
It's no secret that I love John Mayer, so I was super stoked when I discovered a bunch of new songs I hadn't heard before that are rumored to be on his next album. Queen of California is my favorite so far.

11. The Air That I Breathe - Maroon 5
This was a bonus track on their last album, and I like it more than any of the other songs on the album!

12. The General - Dispatch
So it's not a new song by any means, but we didn't own it until this year. Sean bought it, but I like it a lot!

13. Solitude - Louis Armstrong & Duke Ellington
This is such a sad song. But it's so beautiful - and the instruments remind me of my grandfather for some reason. Plus, I used to play clarinet, so the clarinet in the song rock my world.

14. Jolene - Jeremy Fisher
I heard another one of Jeremy Fisher's songs, Scar That Never Heals, on Rookie Blue. Jolene has quickly become another favorite of his.

15. Cosmic Love - Florence & The Machine
This one was on Nikita earlier this year, and I love it so much! (But my GOD their videos are so fucking weird!)

16. Impatient Girl - Kate Voegele
Her music is kind of hit or miss for me. This is one off her new album that I quite like.

17. Southern Girl - Amos Lee
Also not sure where this one came from, but Amos Lee is cool and I love this song.

18. Going Out On You - The British Columbians
I think I found The British Columbians from watching Rookie Blue, of all things. I like a few of their songs, but this one is my favorite.

19. Cigarettes - The Wreckers
The Wreckers are really fun. I like their whole new album, which is weird cause it's pretty country and historically that hasn't been my thing until fairly recently!

20. Let Me Down Easy - Billy Currington
Also featured in my last music-related post!

I love discovering new music and can't wait to see what 2012 introduces! I think one of my 2012 resolutions will be to see some of these bands live...

Resolution for 2012?

2011-12-29T12:18:00.000-08:00

Position.

2011-12-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

Warning: I'm about to get a little political again.

Not long ago, a friend of mine on Facebook posted about not donating to the Salvation Army because of their anti-gay positions. He posted the link to an article, and then wrote: "I thought this was fake until I went to their website and saw it for myself!" So, I also read the article and thought, wow, that can't be right - they're a huge charitable foundation - how could they be anti-gay?

I went to their website and read it for myself, and lo and behold, there it was.

Here's an excerpt:

Scripture forbids sexual intimacy between members of the same sex. The Salvation Army believes, therefore, that Christians whose sexual orientation is primarily or exclusively same-sex are called upon to embrace celibacy as a way of life.

(You can find their whole statement at: Salvation Army.com, then by going to "About Us," "Positions," and "Homosexuality.")

It also goes on to say "Likewise, there is no scriptural support for demeaning or mistreating anyone for reason of his or her sexual orientation. The Salvation Army opposes any such abuse."

Oh, ok, I get it. You don't support homosexuality, and want homosexuals to basically abstain from a happy and fulfilling life by being celibate, but you don't support mistreating them. Sorry, guys, but the whole idea of telling someone to be celibate because of their sexual orientation IS mistreating them!

Their position also goes on to say that they won't withhold services from people because of their sexuality, but the whole thing still makes me angry.

Anyway, I'm trying to not get super preachy - there are tons of places out there that have hidden agendas or donate money to anti-gay rights initiatives, but I can no longer bring myself to donate money, goods, or time to the Salvation Army.

Instead, I'll donate my money to the LA Food Bank, and goods to the Goodwill.

Something to keep in mind.

2011-12-13T07:50:00.000-08:00

I just discovered this quote, and it almost perfectly describes how this year has been for me.

I think that a focus for me next year will be trying to live more in the moment, instead of by the plan that I have built in my head.

Music For A Monday

2011-12-05T07:44:00.000-08:00

Music I've been playing on repeat lately:

Florence & The Machine - Shake It Out
I really enjoy this song. It was the first one on the new album to jump out at me.

Florence & The Machine - No Light No Light
The video for this one is super weird and creepy but I love love love the song! And the lyrics resonate, too. "You want a revelation, You wanna get it right, But it's a conversation, I just can't have tonight. You want a revelation, some kind of resolution, Tell me what you want me to say..."

Maroon 5 - The Air That I Breathe
It's a bonus track on their last album, and my favorite on the album, too. For me it's a kind of throwback to the Maroon 5 of a few years ago that wasn't all disco rollerskating all the time. And the lyrics are nice, if kind of sad. Don't mind the weird stop motion video.

Glee Cast - Rumour Has It/Someone Like You
My favorite song from the Glee series by far - it's so good! I really love both these songs, and I think it's pretty genius how they wove them together.

Mat Kearney - Hey Mama
Not sure how I found this song - maybe it was recommended by iTunes? I have a couple other Mat Kearney songs but this one is my favorite.

Blitzen Trapper - Fletcher
I think I heard this song on Hart of Dixie and looked it up from there, but I'm not entirely sure. It's got a cool, twangy, foot tapping beat.

Guster - Do You Love Me
I first heard Guster on one of the KROQ CDs from like 2001 or so, and then impressed the hell out of us when we saw them live on Mayercraft. This song just kind of makes me smile "I wanna wake you from your dream, I wanna know just who you're talking to when you're singing in your sleep, I wanna find out what it means, do you love me?"

NEEDTOBREATHE - Girl Named Tennessee
I first NEEDTOBREATHE on the soundtrack from PS I Love You, and then this song made me tap my foot immediately.

Tony Lucca - Darlin' I
I've had this song on my iTunes for years, but then a friend posted that Tony Lucca is going to be on the next season of The Voice and it made me go back to it. (The video is a bit weird - it's him performing in somoene's living room, but it's a pretty decent version of the song.)

Billy Currington - Let Me Down Easy
I can't even tell you how I stumbled upon this song (it may also be from Hart of Dixie?), but I love it. The video is kind of weird cause it's an acoustic version and has random interviews going at the same time, but you'll get the idea.

Gym Class Heroes w. Adam Levine - Stereo Hearts
I heard this one on the radio on the way home and it was so catchy I just had to grab it. Silly? Absolutely. But it'll get stuck in your head!

Louis Armstrong - Christmas In New Orleans
This year's holiday party is partly inspired by some carnival masks we got in Italy, which led me to being inspired by New Orleans. And Louis Armstrong is fabulous!

I love having new music and music that I haven't listened to in a while... I know these are kind of random - my taste in music is all over the place! What songs are you playing on repeat right now?

Tired.

2011-12-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

It's times like this that I must remind myself that you can't change other people's actions or reactions, only your own.

And that sometimes, the only way to respond is to walk away. That's a fact that makes me incredibly sad.

On a completely different note, I wrote my last post when I was feeling kind of disconnected. Disconnected from what was happening in my friends' lives, disconnected from the person I used to be before life got so damn complicated. Then, something happened with one of my best friends that made me realize that when it counts, I am still that person I thought I'd lost a little. I don't have time to be her all the time, because life is more than JUST being a good friend to people and there has to be balance. But when the chips are down, I'm there for her, just like she would be for me. And it made me feel immensely better about how my life is going.

Ramble ramble.

2011-11-29T15:05:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I think I used to be a more thoughtful person. I used to do nice things for people, just because. And I used to pay closer attention.

I've been doing some self reflecting lately and realized this - and I would like to get back there.

I tried to figure out what happened - where things changed. And though I couldn't come up with an "excuse," I did figure out a big contributing factor - time. Or rather, the lack thereof.

My boyfriend has a crazy work schedule, and since he's most often my top priority, there are events I can't make it to. We live somewhere pretty out of the way. We have a dog that needs a huge amount of exercise and care each day. I work 45-50 hours/week, and combined with my 2 hour round trip commute, the time kind of just disappears on me.

But still.

Anyway, I've been feeling this push and pull lately - the push that I want to be that thoughtful person again (she's not lost, she's just sucked into a time warp) and the pull of wanting to run away from the stress of trying to be this person that's there for everyone. The girlfriend who contributes to the house and cooks and cleans. The daughter/sister/niece that calls and visits and hangs out and spends time. The friend who stops by and is there whenever you need the support. The employee who is the go-to person that always has the answers. And I love being SOME of that person - the awesome girlfriend, the loving daughter, the supportive friend, the great worker.

But I've pretty much figured out that there's no way I can be everything to everyone, at least not all at once all the time.

And this PostSecret postcard that I saw a while ago popped to mind.

Sometimes life just gets in the way and I can't find the energy.

Europe Trip!

2011-11-16T14:19:00.000-08:00

Remember that big, giant, awesome trip we took in June? I've finally, finally finished blogging about it!

I'm trying to write more regularly on my travel blog, Tendency To Wander, so I posted all about our trip over there.

Check out the recaps and photos of "Europe 2011 !"

Ireland:
Slieve League Cliffs and Donegal, Ireland
Counties Donegal, Sligo, and Leitrim
Derry, Northern Ireland and Dublin, Ireland

Italy:
Rome
Siena & Corsano
Big Fat Tuscan Wedding
San Gimignano, Pisa & Cinque Terre
Florence

Whew! It took me so long to put those blogs together - who'd have thunk it? But when I published the last one, I had this feeling of elation. :-) Also - I'm still going to do one more post about our hotels, and also blog about Vegas & Toronto over there, so stay tuned!

Tis the season... of movies.

2011-11-15T14:01:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've been excited about more than one movie at any give time. But I was recently perusing the IMDb movie trailer page (a great place to kill some time, by the way), and seven - count them - SEVEN movies stood out! That's crazy for me! So I decided the momentous occasion, I decided to make a list of all of them, so I won't forget that I want to see them.

The Descendants - 11/16/11

George Clooney makes me swoon when he's being funny. And the trailer makes me think this movie's going to be quite funny. It might be a little too sad for me to see in theaters, though. I get the feeling it's also pretty depressing.

New Year's Eve - 12/9/11

Yes, it's yet another ensemble holiday movie trying to capitalize off the success of Love, Actually. Yes, it looks like a revamp of Valentine's Day (it even has some of the same actors - hi Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Biel, and Hector Elizondo). But I'm a sucker for these movies, and as long as I remember it's not going to be as good as Love, Actually, I'll enjoy it.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows - 12/16/11

I pretty much loved the first Sherlock Holmes, and it was a complete surprise to me that I did. But Robert Downey Jr and Rachel McAdams and Jude Law knocked my doubting socks off, and now I'm stoked to see them all interact again.

Underworld Awakening - 1/20/12

Oh my gosh. I love the Underworld movies. Even the third one was decent, even though it was unfortunately lacking Scott Speedman (please see: my celebrity crush list). So when I saw that they made another one, I got excited. And then I went to the IMDb page and saw that Scott Speedman is in it and I got positively giddy. I just hope he's in a significant amount of the movie!

One For The Money - 1/27/12

Ok. I am still a little torn about this one. I am a fan of the Stephanie Plum books, so I'll definitely be standing in line on opening night to see it. But, I only found out about it this morning, and I have mixed feelings. After seeing the trailer, I think Sherri Shepherd will do a good job as Lula and Daniel Sunjata will probably rock the roll of Ranger (I enjoyed him as Franco on Rescue Me), and I'm only cautiously optimistic about Jason O'Mara as Morelli. I'm hoping O'Mara will knock it out of the ballpark, and I was pleased to see him able to have a "goofy" side in the trailer.

But Katherine Heigl? Come on! Stephanie Plum is sassy and sarcastic and has an edge - and Katherine Heigl is an uptight girly girl. She and Jason O'Mara do have pretty good chemistry in the trailer, but she seems to over-do her "Jersey" on more than one occasion. I'm also a bit concerned that the film was originally slated to open last summer and was then bumped aallll the way to January. That is not a great sign for how it stands up.

I've watched the trailer about 10 times since I discovered it this morning, and I have to admit I kind of love the scene between Heigl and O'Mara where he throws her keys into the dumpster. I seriously wish they had cast Cloris Leachman as Grandma Mazur (have you seen her on Raising Hope? MAGIC), but Debbie Reynolds looks like she'll do a decent job. I guess we'll see how this one turns out in January! (P.S. The books are really fun, and worth the read, even though I got a little tired of them by about #12.)

The Avengers - 5/4/12

I heart superheroes. I heart superheroes joining forces and saving the world together even more. And, I also heart Chris Evans as Captain America. He *may* be making an appearance on "the list" someday soon. So I'm super excited to see this one next May, especially since Robert Downey Jr is so flippin hilarious as Iron Man. "Big man in a suit of armor. Take that away and what are you?" "A genius billionaire playboy philanthropist." I also love how Captain America set this one up. Also, Thor is hot.

Battleship - 5/18/12

Ok. The movie looks like it's going to be terrible. Really terrible, and I probably won't see it in theaters. But, there are three reasons that I want to see this movie: 1) I have quite a bit of nostalgia for the game Battleship, as I often played it with my dad as a kid. 2) Liam Neeson. 3) Alexander Skarsgård. Hopefully, it won't suck as badly as Starship Troopers.

One movie I am absolutely NOT going to see? Young Adult. It stars Charlize Theron (meh) and Patrick Wilson (ok), and the plot (from what the trailer depicts) seems to be a woman going back to her old town to date her high school sweetheart, regardless of the fact that he's married with kids. What the fuck is that about? Yes, let's do a movie that portrays a conniving woman going after a married father. That's quality storytelling right there. Ugh. I'm irritated that this movie exists.

What movies are you looking forward to in the next few months?

I heart scarves!

2011-11-08T08:21:00.001-08:00

It's finally cool enough here in California to break out the scarves. And today I was browsing some blogs and found this video - it's perfect for today!

Skinny

2011-10-25T08:33:00.001-07:00

I have always had conflicting opinions about skinny jeans. On one hand, I think they look super cute on some people. But on the other hand, I've seen a few cases where skinny jeans were not the right look for someone. Also, I used to have this thing about my pants being too tight around my ankles, so I've typically avoided them.

But then I found myself really loving the look of skinny jeans with super cute boots and/or heels.

And then I booked a flight to Toronto for this week (that's right, ANOTHER trip!), and checked the weather report. Which basically told me I was an idiot, and that I would definitely be needing some waterproof shoes.

So I decided it was time for my first pair of skinny jeans.

I hit up Target because I wasn't interested in spending a ton of money on a pair of pants I might end up hating. Also, I had a ton of luck with their "find your fit" boot cut jeans, and at $27/pair, they really can't be beat.

And I found these:

Sorry for the not so awesome cell phone shots! They're dark wash, and stretchy. Believe it or not, I could have gone a size smaller (stretchy!), but they didn't have them in the color I wanted, so I stuck with these.

I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about them - let's just say I have some body issues - but I bought them anyway, and I actually think they're pretty cute. They're perilously close to "jeggings," but I think after the initial wear they'll be ok.

Then I went in search of the perfect (and perfectly priced) boot.

Payless was a no-go, which wasn't surprising. So was Target. DSW, however, was a gold mine!

First I tried on a pair of really reasonably priced ($89), super cute Steve Madden boots.

And I loved them. I actually still may go back for them. But they were a little tough to get on my foot - no zipper - and the slouchy leather was a little too slouchy for rainy, potentially snowy, weather, if that makes any sense at all.

So I moved on to a brand called Bare Traps. I've never heard of them, but the sales girl swears by them (though I'm fairly sure she would have sworn by which ever ones I was liking most).

And they are awesome. I can't WAIT to wear them! I tried on a pair in black, but it had the "wide calf" and my calves apparently aren't very wide, because they gapped hugely on me. But then I found a pair of "regular calf" ones in gray and they fit perfectly. And they were only $69!

Now I just need to waterproof them.

I also looked for a new coat, but ended up not liking anything I found. So I'm going to go with my favorite coat that I rarely get to wear in California - a couple year old olive green Zara wool pea coat that's about knee length. (Does olive green go with gray?) I almost never travel with it because it's rather heavy and bulky when it's not on, but I guess that's the point when the weather report calls for a high of 41 degrees and "rain/snow" showers.

Now I'm super excited for my trip, and even looking forward to the chilly weather! Here's to the onset of winter and cute new stuff!

Europe 2011: Ireland

2011-10-18T07:55:00.000-07:00

I finally blogged about our trip! Well, the Ireland part of it, anyway... Check it out over on my travel blog, Tendency To Wander!

I split our Ireland adventures into three parts:

Slieve League Cliffs & Donegal
Counties Donegal, Sligo & Leitrim
Derry (Northern Ireland) & Dublin

Enjoy!

Some hatred for Spirit Airlines

2011-10-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

I've been blogging! A little about our European vacation, and also about how much Spirit Airlines sucks balls. Check both blogs out at Tendency To Wander.

Cranky.

2011-10-07T14:24:00.000-07:00

I've been having a very cranky week.

Part of it is a prescription that I was supposed to start last Sunday that hasn't come in the mail yet (I am so irritated with my mail-in pharmacy for the first time since I started using them!), and it totally screwing with my hormones and mood.

But a large part of it is that a co-worker of mine is leaving the company he works for.

Let me 'splain.

A big piece of my job is working with a vendor of ours. They handle much of the technical side of our business - very specific, crazy technical details that we don't have the equipment or know-how to do. And this guy? Has been my go-to guy for the last 15 months, since we started working with their company. He's been my partner, essentially, in launching our HD channel that was such a huge, tangled, complicated process for us.

And today is his last day.

I've been super cranky since I found out on Monday. I don't handle change well. I know this. I also am losing one of the two people outside of my company that I know I can count on 110% to get something done on time, and perfectly correctly.

So I'm really bummed.

I'm sure I'll still be friends with him - he and his wife are super cool, and when we all hung out in Atlanta a few weeks ago, it was clear that they would be good "couple" friends for us.

But I'm worried that there will be a gap now. That the person that takes over won't have the same know-how or experience as my friend. That they won't have the same investment as he did. They also won't have been part of the process that launched the channel, and may or may not know our processes. Which all translate to more stress on my side.

So yeah. I'm cranky. At least it's Friday?

ATL Redux Part Deux: The Food!

2011-09-20T07:13:00.000-07:00

We're back from Atlanta, and it was a great trip. And while I still didn't fully explore the city, I got a good taste of it! We did almost nothing but work and EAT the whole time we were there. I'll get to the stuff we actually did do later, but here's a breakdown of our culinary tour.

- Fried pickles, fried okra, a BBQ plate with beef brisket, ribs, "Fritos" pie (a bag of Fritos with chili and cheese on them), spicy green beans, sweet tea, and banana pudding at Fox Bros BBQ. I'd never had fried pickles or fried okra, and both were tasty! And the BBQ - well, I guess there's a reason they're ranked #1 BBQ in Atlanta - it was so good! We definitely ordered too much, though, we all had leftovers, which is a bummer when you're traveling.

- Two awesome breakfasts (Thursday, then Saturday) of eggs & turkey bacon, then a "Southern scramble" of eggs, turkey bacon, cheese, and greens, both along with "creamy dreamy grits" and an amazing biscuit from The Flying Biscuit Cafe. The grits and biscuit were out of this world. I would have eaten there every morning if it had been possible. And the "southern scramble" was one of the better egg plates I've had in a while. I also love the use of turkey bacon!

They had all kinds of cute "The Flying Biscuit" stuff!

Scramble with cheese, greens, and turkey bacon, the biscuit, and the "creamy dreamy grits!" This was probably my second favorite meal of the trip.

- Veggie soup, roasted chicken and veggies, and butter cake from the cafe in my work facility. This one wasn't the best meal we had, but it was free, so there's something. The cake was pretty tasty - and this is where I got my recipe for "apple dapple" cake last year!

- Fried okra, crawfish and corn fritters, shrimp and grits in a spicy tomato broth, braised greens mac and cheese, and then a dessert platter of bread pudding, apple cobbler, sweet potato and pecan cheesecake, and coconut cream pie from Wisteria. This place was great. The appetizers were yummy, the shrimp and grits were so good I ate the entire plate, and the desserts were nice because they were "small bites" and you could get a variety! The bread pudding and apple cobbler were definitely the two winners for dessert.

- Hot tea and oatmeal for a light breakfast from Library Coffee Company with Bing! (I must say her breakfast bagel sandwich with egg and cheese looked WAY better than my oatmeal... but I needed a food palate cleanse!) We also went to this place last year when I was in town, and it's so cute - exposed brick walls and a good vibe.

- A large iced coffee with cream and sugar from Dunkin' Donuts. SO excited that they had them in Atlanta!

- A pulled pork taco (with coleslaw) and a "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" taco (fried chicken, cheese, lettuce, salsa, and jalapeno mayo), rice and beans from Twisted Taco. This place was a little generic, but the "Treasure of the Sierra Madre" taco was REALLY good. Actually, all the tacos looked really good. And the burrito my friend got was giant!

- Hawaiian pizza and Blue Moon beer from Fellini's Pizza. Really good pizza, and they also had a cool vibe.

- Southern nachos with melted white cheddar cheese, french onion soup, fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans, and peach cobbler from our hotel restaurant, the Great American Grill. The nachos were good, the meal was ok, but the peach cobbler was STELLAR.

One place we didn't try? This one:

We saw the sign and HAD to take a photo! But I'm still trying to figure out what they serve there... (Soup & salad are the obvious first choices...)

So yeah. It was amazing. I think I pretty much ate all of the "southern" things on my list: grits, greens, BBQ, fried chicken, sweet tea, banana pudding, and peach cobbler! Not really great for the waistline, but it was all so delicious!

Oh the fun we'll have!

2011-09-12T08:02:00.000-07:00

Fresh week, fresh outlook! Trying to be positive and upbeat this week, and kick the doldrums that have been following me around lately.

Here are some fun things that I'm looking forward to!

- Atlanta! My work trip/our quick little getaway is quickly approaching, and I'm so excited!
- Girls' night. It's high time for another one, and I can't wait. Now I just need to find a designated driver. ;-)
- Las Vegas for Shannon's wedding! Our flights and hotel are booked, my dress fits perfectly (woo!), and the wedding is going to be so much fun!
- Apple picking! Shannon and I have gone the past two years, and are definitely going to continue that tradition this year, which leads me to...
- Apple pie! I made a caramel apple pie last year with the apples I picked and it's one of my favorite things I've ever baked, which is weird because I never really considered myself that much of a pie person.
- Mardi Gras theme for the holiday party! Yep, it's almost that time of year again, and I've decided on a Mardi Gras theme for this year! Which may even include... drum roll please... glitter. Yes, I firmly believe it's the STD of crafting, but I am in a mood for the sparkle and shine this year!
- Crossing off some of the things on my 30 Before 30 list. It's high time I got serious about that list! Travel Town, anyone?

What are you looking forward to in the next few months?

Going, going, back, back...

2011-09-09T06:25:00.000-07:00

I'm going back to Atlanta for work next week! And this time, Sean is coming out at the end of my trip and we're spending an extra day there meeting up with some friends who are currently traveling up the East coast. To say I am excited is a bit of an understatement - I'm really looking forward to seeing our friends, spending some quality time with my love, and further checking out a city I liked the looks of last time.

But now the question is... what to do while we're there??

I found the site 50 Fun Things to do in Atlanta, and I know we want to do the aquarium. And we only have a day and a half, so taking a day trip to Savannah is probably out, though that would be high on my list.

I went to the Botanical Gardens last year when I was in Atlanta and had a few hours to kill before my flight, and it was cool. This time, I'm thinking maybe Atlantic Station, the Chattahoochee Nature Center, Piedmont Park, Underground Atlanta, the Smith Plantation House, and maybe the Roswell neighborhood. What can I say... I love architecture and nature!

Anyone from Atlanta (Bing?) or familiar with it that has some recommendations??? Things to do, things to pass on? Anything!

Also on my list? Food. Grits, specifically. And other yummy other things.

Happy place!

2011-09-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

Feeling a little disconnected from my family and friends today, so I decided to post a photo of Emma to cheer myself up. This is one of my favorites of her... we spent the morning at the beach and then met Sean's grandma and aunt for brunch!

Emma pauses to plan her attack before causing utter havoc.
Unfortunately, this pause gave the birds too much of a head start.

Drama

2011-08-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

Apparently, I could be better at articulating myself.

I used to write about things that were personal to me. And then once, I wrote a blog about something that was bothering me, something I don't talk about often, and it was taken in the wrong way by a real life friend. They made a comment, it upset me, and to avoid potential future drama, I removed the post, because clearly, I hadn't articulated myself the way I had intended.

And then I avoided writing about personal stuff for a long time. Two and a half years of having things I would've liked to have written about, maybe, but was too gun shy to post about.

So when I had the dream I had the other night, it wasn't my first inclination to write about it here. And then I thought - that's why I have a blog. So that I can reach out to this community that I've met and get different perspectives on the things I have gone over and over in my head.

And then, it happened again. A truly out of left field comment, this time from someone "anonymous." Who definitely doesn't understand me, and who obviously doesn't understand what I was getting at in my last blog post.

But this time, I decided to not take it down. In fact, I published the comment. (It's the one that starts off with "Might as well cut off his balls..." in case you're wondering.) (<-- sarcasm)

Let me be clear this time around. I am not looking to change Sean. In fact, sometimes I wonder if I've changed ME too much in the last five years. I'm also not looking to "force" upon him something he doesn't want. We, as a couple, talk about getting married someday. We, as a couple, have good discussions about our future, and being together, and what we both want, which, oh, happens to be each other.

I was merely musing that our time lines for our future are not perfectly synced, and that I need to try to not let that bother me, since he is the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. And that the plan I used to have doesn't apply to our relationship, because it was MY plan, not OUR plan.

So, yeah. I'm not going to lie - seeing the comment from an anonymous person (who, by the way, my computer told me was posting from India?) hurt a little. I suppose you open yourself to this kind of stuff when you blog about personal stuff. And, I suppose I'm happy it's someone who doesn't know me, because maybe that would have hurt more. Maybe I should take the post down, and stick to blogging about how my weekend was, and if I'm ever going to tick items off my 30 before 30 list. I know that, on occasion, Sean reads this blog, so maybe he'll have something to say about it, too. But I think for now it stays. Because I still stand by what I wrote. It was for me, in a space that I built for myself.

Here's hoping that's not a bad decision.

Subconscious

2011-08-25T14:41:00.000-07:00

I had a dream the other night that Sean proposed.

But in my dream, we were in the back woods of some weirdo town in the South, and the ring he gave me was one he had bought three years prior. And he had been holding onto it, waiting for the "right time" to actually propose. Oh, and the stones hadn't been set properly in it, so they kept falling out until I super glued them in.

It was a really weird dream.

I guess proposals and marriage have been on my mind lately.

In February, Sean and I hit the 5 year mark. In June, we took an epic, awesome trip before which I can't even tell you how many people asked me if I thought he would propose while we were away. In July, we found out a friend had proposed to his girlfriend of 2 years, and in August, a friend of Sean's that got engaged in January got married without inviting us. And, oh yeah, two pairs of our close friends are celebrating their 5 year wedding anniversaries this year, and one of my best friends is tying the knot in October in Vegas.

So, yeah. It's been on my mind.

And, though we've had a few really good conversations about proposals (he promises to propose "someday") and about getting married (we know roughly what the wedding would be like), I feel like we're still on different time tables when it comes to the big question of WHEN.

During one conversation, Sean told me he would propose "someday before you're old." I felt like yelling - "Um, dude, I AM old!," even though I know that's not really true.

But I guess my feeling is - we've been together for 5 years, so what's the hold up? In my old, before Sean was the dude I knew I wanted to marry days, I had this image of dating someone for 2 years, being engaged for about a year, being married for a year or two, and then having a kid. Which would put me and Sean at the "having the kid" portion of that equation, had we followed that plan.

Obviously, when you end up with the person you actually want to marry, things change. Time lines are compromised, and you come up with a plan that works for each of you, and you as a couple.

Apparently, I need to remind myself of that, and to be patient, when I have dreams like the one I had the other night.

29

2011-08-25T14:06:00.000-07:00

Last week, I turned 29.

And the idea of turning 29 didn't particularly bother me until I woke up on my birthday and realized that it was my last birthday in my 20's. Which was just a weird feeling.

I don't know. I'm not really scared of getting older - I mean - it happens whether we want it to or not. But there was something about that "last" birthday of a decade that kind of got to me.

And the thing is - it was a GREAT birthday. The Saturday before, I met up with a group of 18 (Yes! 18! Crazy!) friends and had some delicious food and drinks and conversations at our favorite restaurant. The Sunday before was spent lazing around the house with Sean and Emma. Work was fairly low key. My actual birthday was spent going out to lunch with Sean and my co-workers, and then going to a really nice, low key dinner at the Chart House that's 7 minutes from our house by the ocean. My mom took me out to dinner the following night, and I was incredibly fortunate to receive some really thoughtful and lovely gifts. (Sean got me a Kindle, my mom and stepdad got us a Blu-Ray player, and I got some awesome gifts from friends as well that were completely unexpected.)

It was probably the best birthday I've had in my 20's, and it really made me appreciate my life and the people I have in it. When I tag posts "my charmed life," I'm not joking!

At birthday drinks with friends

I guess that's how you want to the last birthday of your 20's to be, right?

And now I need to get more serious about my 30 Before 30 list. Though, looking over it again I realize that even in the five short months since I originally put the list together, some priorities and desires have changed. Maybe I'll revise it a little bit.

Maybe I'm just a little unsettled with trying to reconcile where I thought I'd be as I approached 30 ten years ago vs where I actually am as I approach 30. I think that happens a lot though - you think you'll be in a certain place in your life, and then there's a natural disappointment when you're not, even if your priorities and desires have changed.

Regardless, 29 is shaping up to be a good year for me. I hope.

Decided!

2011-08-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

And the winner is... Dress 2!

I went to the store by my house and saw both dresses again, and couldn't NOT get Dress 2. I still like Dress 1, taffeta and all, but the ruffles! And the material! So cute!

Thanks for all the advice - I'm super excited now that I have the dress. Now... I need to find some fabulous shoes and maybe some jewelry... and book a hotel for Vegas! (Did I mention the wedding was going to be at a villa outside of Vegas, with the after party on the strip? Woo!)

Decisions, decisions!

2011-07-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

I need your help again, interwebs!

Shannon's wedding is coming up, and I have the absolute honor of being one of her bridesmaids. And she's an absolute dream with the dresses - she just wants each of us to buy a black cocktail dress. She and I went shopping yesterday, and have narrowed my choices down to two dresses that I am equally in love with. So - I need opinions!

Dress 1: Strapless Taffeta Dress from White House Black Market

Dress 2: Strapless Asymmetric-Ruffle Dress from White House Black Market

I am in love with both of these dresses! I tried on Dress 1 and it was super cute. And I also tried on Dress 2, but in the black/white option, and a size too big, but it was still very cute. I think I might wear Dress 2 more often, but I'm seriously torn between these two.

My goal is to find Dress 2 in the black in my size and try it on, then decide.

Which one do you guys like??

Oh vacation, how I miss you.

2011-07-07T11:27:00.001-07:00

It's official: I'm on vacation withdrawal.

But come on. After spending two weeks in Ireland and Italy, complete with an amazing weekend at a secluded villa in the hillsides of Tuscany (see above photo for proof), wouldn't you be too?

More on our awesome vacation soon, after I've fully caught up at work and gotten over my withdrawal...

Wowzers!

2011-06-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been over a month since I've posted. I have started a couple drafts of posts, but always get pulled away, or distracted, or lose interest in what I was writing.

Life has been absolutely insane.

In a good way, of course, but insane all the same.

Since my last post, I have:

thrown a surprise 60th birthday party for my mom,

thrown a surprise bridal shower for Sarah,

had a friend visit from Portland who I dearly missed,

got a new Android phone (love it), prepped for our Europe trip, and worked, worked, worked.

And now, we're on the cusp of our European vacation!

I am sooo overdue for a vacation it's not even funny.

I have house sitters in place to make sure the critters don't try to move in while we're gone. I have the place for the dog to be boarded (and trained - woo!) ready to go. I have a temp hired and trained so that work is covered. I have packed. Ok, so I've been packed since Monday night. But who's counting? ;-)

I'm ready.

I'm trying to not put too much importance on this trip, but it's difficult. On this trip, I'll get to:

- travel with a group of friends for the first, and perhaps only, time
- go back to several places we felt a connection to
- revisit the place where Sean and I became close
- revisit a place I consider my second home and physically miss sometimes
- see one of my best friends, who has been a constant in my life for over 12 years, marry the man she loves
- take a thousand new photos, and test out the new photography techniques I've learned in the past seven years since I was last in Italy
- recharge in the chill Irish countryside, soak up sun and the Italian atmosphere, eat gelato, drink Irish tea and cafe lattes
- spend two uninterrupted weeks with my darling

I'm trying to not build the trip up to something that it's unable to reach, but come on, let's be honest. This trip is going to be epic.

So anyway. I probably won't be checking in for the next couple of weeks. I'll miss the interwebs, and the season premiere of Rookie Blue, and the re-branding of our company (we're getting a new name, and all that comes along with it, on July 4), and especially, my puppy dog.

But I'll be having the time of my life so hopefully I won't be missing it all too much!

Catch ya later!

New camera!

2011-05-11T06:56:00.000-07:00

I bit the bullet a few weeks ago and bought the first thing on my trip "to get" list - a new point and shoot camera! And I love it.

I ended up getting the Canon Elph Powershot. I had considered getting the Panasonic one - I do love the idea of Leica lenses (me = nerd) - but in the end, and after reading some not-so-great reviews, I went with the brand I trust.

It has a bunch of cool settings like fisheye and "toy camera," and works pretty well with macro. It's not perfect with indoor flash shots, but it's better than my old Canon was. Here are a couple shots that I've taken so far...

Testing out the macro setting at the Getty Villa.

Auto setting - pretty darn close to how it looked in real life!

My office, on the "toy camera" setting.

Two not-too-shabby shots from in a REALLY dark bar.

Overall, I'm quite happy with the purchase of this camera! I'm excited to take it to Europe with us next month (holy shit, next month!), and am happy to report that the battery stayed strong for more than 300 shots over about a week and a half. I did get an extra battery, but I don't think I'll need it except for when we're traveling.

Way to go (again), Canon!

30 Before 30: The Getty Villa

2011-05-10T23:37:00.000-07:00

I have officially crossed off the first item on my "30 Before 30" list! Well, 1/5 of an item.

"26. See the LA sites/museums I've been meaning to go to for years: the Getty Villa, the LA Arboretum, the Urban Light installation at LACMA, and Griffith Park for the Griffith Park Observatory and Travel Town."

One of the things we did for Shosh's 30th birthday last month was visit the Getty Villa. It was about time, too - we've lived in Topanga for almost three years, and the Getty Villa is literally 10 minutes away from us. I can't believe it's taken me this long to go!

I really enjoyed myself - it's definitely worth the trip. The building itself is pretty incredible, but the exhibits are great, too. And they have an exhibit from 6000BC! It's mind boggling, really, that artifacts from that long ago are still around for us to marvel at.

Here are some photos from our outing!

Shabby Apple

2011-05-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

I have never been one to wear dresses all that often, but I seriously love a good dress. I recently discovered the website Shabby Apple through blogger friend Nilsa's blog SoMi Speaks - she's having a giveaway, go check it out! - and I'm now slightly obsessed! And I think their lines may actually have me wearing dresses more often!

After reading Nilsa's blog post, I spent hours perusing their website and searching for the perfect dress to wear to Sarah's upcoming nuptials in Siena, Italy this summer.

And guys, I found it!

After much debate, I ordered this dress - the Trevi Fountain. It's from their "Roamin' Holiday" collection - what could be more appropriate??

I am completely enamored! Look at that color! Look at the flare of the skirt! Look at the neckline! It's GORGEOUS! And yet I was reserved - maybe it won't look good. Maybe it won't fit right.

But then I thought - stop being a pansy. You can return it if you don't like it, or have it altered if necessary.

I thought it would take weeks to arrive, but this afternoon, guess what was waiting for me on my office chair when I returned from lunch?? My dress!

And it fits PERFECTLY. It's as gorgeous in person as I thought it would be, and I don't think I'll even need to have it tailored!

I'm so excited!

And now, I am dying to order another dress from them. I don't know which one, and I don't know for what occasion. But I am definitely bookmarking Shabby Apple, and they definitely have my vote!

Now go check out Nilsa's page for an opportunity to win a Shabby Apple dress of your own!

Trip "to get" list!

2011-04-22T07:48:00.000-07:00

Things I need to get for my trip:

- A new point & shoot camera. I'm a camera gal. I have a Nikon dSLR, and I'll be borrowing a friend's Kodak Playsport video camera. But I need a new point & shoot camera. I always stress having a point & shoot camera for the times you don't want to carry around the bulkier dSLR - and my Canon Powershot has served me well for the last 5 years. But the time has come to get a new one, and I believe I've found the one I want: the Canon Powershot Elph 300 HS.

Update: I bought it! Went to Best Buy and got a "bundle" of the camera, plus a memory card, case, and extra battery. And I used $100 in Visa gift cards, so it didn't even cost me very much!

- New shoes and new customized insoles. BF bought me my first pairs of shoes with customized insoles for my birthday last year, and they are amazing. For Europe this summer, I'm looking for a lightweight sneaker that doesn't look so much like a running shoe - after all, sneakers are one of the "tourist identifiers" we used when I lived in Europe. I believe I found the perfect shoe, both in style and weight, as well as in price. The Merrell Siren Sport is lightweight and comes in a bunch of colors - I've been searching for my size in the black/plum or the dark gray. The customized insoles? I get those at either Adventure 16 or Road Runner. Trust me, they are magical.

- A camera holster and lens case. I have a few camera bags already, but what I've been searching for is a camera holster that just essentially covers the camera with the lens attached. I want something that can fit easily into another bag, so that I can pack a little lighter. And since I'll be bringing more than one lens, I would also like to get a lens case that again, can just be tossed into a bigger bag. The ones I like are Lowepro, but I may end up getting ones a bit lower on the price scale.

- Rent a 17mm - 55mm Nikkor lens. I am in love with this lens. And I see this trip as a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to some of my favorite places with some of my favorite people, I want to make sure that I'm not longing for this lens while I'm gone. Fortunately for me, Borrowlenses.com exists and enables me to rent this lens for the duration of my trip! And this lens is one of the best I've ever used!

I should probably get started on getting these things together, no? The nice thing is that I've been saving up cash and gift cards for a while, so that I won't have to spend a shit ton of money out of pocket for these things. LL Bean, Target, Amazon, and Visa gift cards - you are my friends!

* Click on the image for the photo sources!

In other news...

2011-04-19T08:48:00.001-07:00

I had my review yesterday, and it was amazing. I got a promotion... I'm now a "Sr. Manager." I've been kicking my ass at work since last Labor Day, and I'm so grateful that 1) someone noticed, and 2) my company recognized it.

Also, it makes me feel a lot better about the budget for our Europe trip.

How is it that extremely sad news and really great news come at the same time?

500

2011-04-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

I started out today thinking that I would write a happy, optimistic post for my 500th post on this blog. Unfortunately, life happened, and instead of writing about my excitement for my review today, or how I was glad last week's cluster of events had passed, or about what a nice weekend I had being super low key, I was hit with some really shitty news this morning.

My grandmother passed away last night.

We knew it was coming - she had been really sick since last year, and we were kind of just waiting for this time to come. But it doesn't really stop it from being shitty. And what's worse is that my mom is out of town where she has no cell phone reception, so my aunt had to email my office looking for me since she didn't have my cell phone number.

When I finally got a hold of my aunt (thank GOD my mom left me the contact information for the house she was going to be staying at so I could get the phone number from her), I already knew what the news was going to be. I mean, what other reason would there be for my aunt so urgently trying to get a hold of us? I called my mom back to tell her, and that sucked even more. But we know which steps to take from here, we know what needs to be done, and there's a level of comfort in that.

Anyway, I'm having a hard time, even though we knew this was coming - on one hand, I'm relieved - my grandma was not doing well, and at least she's no longer suffering. But she was my last surviving grandparent. She was my grandma. The one who yelled at me that my arm would be cut off if I hung it out the open car window. The one who played Polka music on Saturday mornings, and who couldn't cook anything except for some phenomenal cranberry sauce.

My solace in the whole situation is that the last time I saw her was really great. She knew who I was, and we had a really nice visit of about an hour, where she listened to me, and even laughed. She was more herself than she had been in a long time, and she squeezed my hand and smiled at me. She even asked about Sean - if we were happy, if I was going to marry him, if he was my one. And she was happy, satisfied, even, when I told her that yes, he was my one. It was a nice visit, and left me feeling good. Now, I'm even more happy that I had that time with her, and that my last memory of her isn't of her lying despondent in a hospital bed.

So. Yeah. Not a good way to start a week.

Cluster

2011-04-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

The last two days have been kind of insane, and have made me feel incredibly lucky that I have the option of working from home.

It started on Tuesday night, and included flat tires, dental work and Emma eating Easter candy.

Tuesday night we came home to our driveway/parking lot completely packed with cars. See, our upstairs neighbor is a belly dance instructor, and there's an Earth Day performance coming up (how's THAT for life in hippie land?), and all of her students drove themselves for practice instead of being dropped off like normal.

And one student, who our neighbor didn't know was showing up, parked on the side of the lot where Sean and I normally park, right behind Sean's car, and in more than half of my normal spot. Being slightly irrational, and totally PMS-y, I was irritated. Because we pay rent to live here and have parking, and there's no reason I should be displaced in my own driveway because of some belly dancing 17 year-old. Anyway. I did a slightly passive aggressive thing and parked behind her anyway, even though it was a tight fit and meant going closer to the bench and crap on the bench than I typically do.

I don't know if it was some kind of karma, or just shitty luck, but when we took Emma out to pee at 11pm that night, my front tire was flat. The culprit? A 4-inch screw. Thanks, universe.

So Wednesday morning I worked from home, thinking I would call AAA, go to my car people, get the tire fixed, and then go to my 2:30pm dentist appointment. I called my car people, they couldn't take me until the afternoon. Ok, fine. Work until the dentist appointment, then proceed as planned.

We stepped out for breakfast, left Emma at home, and when we got back, she had climbed onto the counter and eaten nearly an entire bag of chocolate Cadbury Mini Eggs. 8 ounces of essentially pure milk chocolate. Cue freaking out. She had eaten chocolate before (there was a brownies incident last summer), and I had done my homework - milk chocolate is poisonous to dogs when ingested at 1 oz per lb. Emma ate about 8 oz, but she's 50 lbs. So we made the decision to keep an eye on her, but skip going to the vet to have her stomach pumped.

We agreed that we should monitor her for 24 - 36 hours as recommended online, and off I went to my dentist appointment.

Some of you might remember my hatred of dentists.

Since breaking my tooth, having oral surgery on a different tooth, and having my first full blown anxiety attack in the dentist's chair in 2009, I've been avoiding the dentist again. My tooth? The one I broke back in 2009? I never got it fixed. It's been broken ever since. But since I bought a "Zoom" whitening deal online and they told me I needed to have my teeth cleaned before doing the whitening, back to the dentist I went.

And of course, I needed a crown put onto the tooth I broke. It's my own fault. It would have just been a capped tooth, as I already had a filling in that tooth, but I waited too long and it started to decay. So it's entirely on me that I had to spend another $700 (after my insurance) on dental work before a European trip that's costing an arm and a leg already. I made the appointment for yesterday morning, alerted them of my high tolerance for Novocain, and fortunately, I finally found a dentist who listened to me!

The work was relatively painless, thanks to the dual shots of Novocain and Lidocaine that numbed half of my face. In addition, I think a combination of meditation (no joke) and taking Rescue Remedy before my appointment helped ease my anxiety of going to the dentist. (There I go being a hippie again.)

I got out of there in about an hour (much different than my last crown experience which took almost 3 hours and 5 shots of Novocain to complete), and though I was groggy, a little sore and achy, and my face stayed numb for about 8 hours (really, it was 8 hours), I'm feeling pretty good.

Anyway, things finally settled down again last night. My car people were able to patch my tire, and also checked my engine and made sure I didn't have any more mice hiding out anywhere. And other than getting super hyper, drinking a lot of water, and getting a mild case of the runs, Emma has been ok. In fact, she has worse reactions to treats made of white flour than she did to the chocolate. What a weird dog we have!

I worked most of yesterday and got a good amount of crap done, and I'm back at work today feeling good and productive.

But jeeze. I really would like this week to be over already!

Happy Adoption Day, Emma!

2011-04-10T15:23:00.001-07:00

One year ago today, we adopted Emma.

And our world changed drastically.

While I don't think I could even come up with a comprehensive list of the things she has destroyed - first it was the blinds in our living room, then, progressively, our couch, chewing off the buttons on my jacket, Sean's point and shoot underwater camera and, and most recently, the new Oakley sunglasses I'd bought Sean for his birthday - I was thinking about whether or not we would do it again, and the answer was a definite "yes."

It has been a rough year, and I'm not going to lie - there were times where I was so frustrated I questioned us ever adopting her. But she's so much fun, and she's so nice to have around when I get home! And at least now we know just how much work it is, so that when we adopt a buddy for Emma we know what we're in for!

*I wrote this post on 4/10 and then forgot to hit publish, so I'm posting it now with a a post date.

I need a new phone!

2011-04-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

I need your opinions, Internets.

I need a new phone. I would like to get a new phone that I can use in Europe this summer. My problem? I have absolutely no idea which phone to get!

I have Verizon, so I have a couple options: another Blackberry, a Droid phone, or possibly the iPhone.

But I have concerns about all of them, so I need your opinions and advice.

I would love an iPhone, but I don't trust the first generation i-anything. And, the first round of Verizon iPhones don't work in Europe. The second generation one, a universal iPhone that works on all the systems, is rumored to be out this summer. But the latest report has them coming out in July, which is after our trip.

So my other options are the global Blackberry, or the Droid Global. I've heard good things about the Droid, but I've never used one myself. And I like my Blackberry, but it doesn't have the best Internet, which is essentially what I want it for.

Another option would be look further into Verizon's Global Travel Program, where you rent a phone for the time you're gone and then just pay for the service.

Now I know what you're thinking - isn't this a vacation? And I know. It's silly to want a phone that works there. But I want to be able to update as I go! And I'm extremely nervous about something going wrong with our re-launch at work and not being able to fix it. Plus, I plan on trying to travel internationally more often, anyway!

So give it to me. My priorities for this phone are - 1) works with my work email, and 2) the Internet works well. Which phone should I go for?

Bella Firenze

2011-04-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

View of the city from Piazza Michelangelo.

I've discovered in my recent trip planning that many people who have been to Italy either didn't enjoy Florence immensely, or could take it or leave it. It's rarely people's favorite city. And I can kind of understand - it lacks the romanticism of Venice and the vast history of Rome. It doesn't have a leaning tower or The Last Supper. It can be crowded, gets very hot during the summer, and is fairly industrial and dirty. The public transportation isn't as good in Florence as in other cities, and it's pretty pricey.

But despite all of those things, Florence remains my favorite city in Italy.

Florence is the city of my independence.

Me and Candace - Rose Garden on Boboli Gardens at Pitti Palace

Before spending a semester in Florence during college, I had never lived away from home. Actually, I had never been away from both of my parents at the same time for more than a week. In short, I was incredibly sheltered. The small town we lived in was very much like a bubble, and though I had traveled rather extensively for my age (thanks, dad's job!), I wasn't exactly "worldly."

During my first weeks in Florence, I got by with a kind of "fake it 'til you make it" attitude. I pretended I knew what I was doing. I walked quickly, as if I had a destination in mind. I studied maps of the city religiously.

And then, a few weeks in, something magical happened. I acclimated.

Out at our favorite bar, Lochness. "Cross the bridge, then look for the red door."

My Italian was improving. I wasn't afraid to venture to parts of the city I'd never been. I knew how to get groceries, where to go to the bank, where to get the best cannoli. I knew that 10 Euro was too much to pay the guy on the corner for an umbrella, and you could whittle it down to 5 Euro if you bargained. I figured out that even with a cheap umbrella, you were going to get soaked if it was raining. I learned how to ignore the gypsies. I knew where the best Internet cafe was so that I could email home, and how to drape my laundry just so on the radiators so that it would dry. I became self sufficient.

And it became the best six months of my life.

In many ways, I grew up in Florence.

With Aline and Clara (visiting from Austria) at the old city wall.

Since living there in 2002, I've been back twice - once with my college in 2003 (on the trip where I met Sean) and once with my family in 2004. And now, almost 10 years later, I'll go back again. This time with two of my best friends, and the love of my life. I can't wait to be there again - to draw on the feelings I felt while walking through the streets, to eat at my old haunts and show them all of the places that molded me.

When I'm walking through Florence, I get the feeling that anything is possible, and that everything lies ahead of me. I am so excited to be going back.

Of mice and cars.

2011-04-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, Sean and I went to lunch before running some errands in Camarillo, and when I went to put my water bottle in the glove box (it's the 3rd one I've had, Emma has chewed up the last two so I don't take chances with this one!), I noticed something was off. You know that feeling, right? Where you glance at something and know something is different, even if it's just a quick glance? So I opened my glove box again, and out popped the mouse.

Yes. That's right. The mouse.

There was a mouse in my glove box.

I don't know the last time I shrieked that loud! Sean immediately came running back to the car -

"What!"
"Mouse!!!!!"
"What?"
"Mouse! There's a MOUSE!"

Sean looked in the car just in time to see it dart under the seat into one of the random metal pieces down there. He looked for it to no avail, so instead of eating delicious potato tacos with salsa verde, I cautiously drove to Home Depot for mouse traps.

We had lunch, checked the trap. No mouse. Ran errands at Home Depot and Target, checked the trap. No mouse. Took Emma to the dog park, checked the trap. No mouse. Went grocery shopping, checked the trap. No mouse.

Do you see where this is going?

I started to think that maybe, just maybe, the mouse had run OUT of the car instead of under the seats. And then we found mouse poop next to the trap. Bitches.

So we got home, unloaded all of our crap, and cleaned out my glove box. Removed pretty much everything from my car. And took out the big guns. Peanut butter, and sharp cheddar cheese with chives and olives from Trader Joe's.

Turns out that the fragrant cheese and delicious peanut butter were too much for the mouse to resist. Monday morning rolled around, and I made Sean get up on his day off and check for the mouse while I finished getting ready for work. And lo and behold, there he was.

I immediately thought of Gus Gus again and made Sean release him in the field on the other side of our house.

And now I'm all paranoid that there's going to be another mouse in my car, or that one will chew through wires and cost me lots of money. It's not the first time we've found evidence of mice in our cars, and we all remember the issues we went through in 2009! And it has been better with Emma around. But I am not sure what to do to keep them out of my car. A forum somewhere suggested peppermint extract. I guess you have to start with something...

'Tis the "season."

2011-04-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! April - June are my "birthdays and events" season, and oh man is it hitting hard this year!

So, what do I have coming up?

April 6 - Dad's birthday dinner
April 8 - Car and hair appointments
April 8 - DB's hubby's birthday dinner
April 9 - (day) Dad's 60th birthday extravaganza
April 9 - (night) K's 30th birthday drinks
April 10 - (morning) Brunch with M
April 10 - (afternoon) BBQ at Sean's best friend Pat's house
April 11 - Day trip to Vegas for NAB show
April 13 - Long needed teeth cleaning
April 16 - LONG needed massage
April 16 - Gavin's 5th birthday party
April 17 - Santa Barbara for Sean's grandma's birthday
April 23 - Shorty's 30th birthday fun
April 24 - Easter
May 3 - Long needed teeth whitening
May 4 - little sister's 21st birthday dinner
May 14/15 - Mom's 60th birthday weekend
May 28 - Surprise girls' party for S
June 4/5 - San Diego trip with Mom to see Mamma Mia
June 15 - Stepmom's birthday
Mid June - Leave for Europe!

Sooo much stuff! That leaves all of four weekends between now and when we leave for Europe that I don't have something planned. Oh yeah, and my work is getting a new name and a new brand, and we launch the day after we get home from Europe, so the weeks before I leave I'm going to be working 10-12 hour days to get everything prepped... thank goodness we're going on vacation, I'm seriously going to need it!

All day Emma day.

2011-04-01T08:31:00.000-07:00

I'm officially calling tomorrow Emma Day.

On the slate for tomorrow morning?

9am - Vet appointment for vaccination booster shots (poor puppy!)
10am - "Interview" with Canyon View Ranch
2pm - "Interview/Meet and Greet" with Topanga Pet Resort

We've decided to board Emma while we're in Europe, instead of having her stay with my mom. We've been wanting to do more training with her, and we figure that us being gone for 2 weeks is a great time to do it. My mom's going to be a little sad, because she loves Emma, but we'll ask her to pick Emma up the day we get back since we get home on a Saturday evening and the place we think we like more is closed on Sundays. :-( So she'll get some Emma hang time, and we'll hopefully come home to a better behaved dog!

Also? I believe this post officially makes us "those dog people." How did we get here???

30 before 30

2011-03-31T08:36:00.000-07:00

Well, now that the 30 Day Blog Challenge is over, I'm going to keep going with the personal challenges! I've seen this concept around the interwebs in a few places, including on my blogging friend Liz's site, and I decided that I want to give it a shot.

I will turn 30 on August 16, 2012, which gives me a little more than 16 months to complete the list. Some are easy-ish (horseback riding), some require a lot of work (losing 20 pounds), but I'm going to give it my best shot!

Here's the list.

1. Go horseback riding.
2. Lose 20 pounds.
3. Sell a photo I've taken.
4. Travel to the South Pacific.
5. Get the tattoo I've been thinking about.
6. Organize and back up my music and photos.
7. Be published in something - in either writing or photography.
8. Travel to New York.
9. Do volunteer work.
10. Add $5,000 to my savings account.
11. Make pasta from scratch.
12. Make my grandmother's Christmas cookies on my own.
13. Learn how to make caplets (dad's side) and pork roast with potato dumplings (mom's side)
14. Get certified in CPR.
15. Re-learn Italian.
16. Walk a 10K.
17. Take a weekend trip to somewhere with snow.
18. Cook an entire meal (appetizer, meal, dessert) for Sean and my family or friends.
19. Buy the camera lens I've been coveting.
20. Get Emma trained in recall.
21. Take a cooking class.
22. Drive to Northern California and see the giant sequoias with Sean.
23. Finish writing at least 25 pages of a screenplay or book based on one of the millions of ideas in my head.
24. Treat myself to a shopping spree for new clothes.
25. Bake bread from scratch.
26. See the LA sites I've been meaning to go to for years: ~~the Getty Villa,~~ the LA Arboretum, and Griffith Park for the Griffith Park Observatory and Travel Town.
27. Take an photography or Photoshop class.
28. Start a photography business with a kick ass website.
29. Buy myself a nice piece of jewelry.
30. Learn how to drive a stick shift.

Away we go!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 30

2011-03-30T07:23:00.000-07:00

Day 30 – A photograph of yourself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days.

Last day! Holy shit, I did it! Part of me was pretty sure I wasn't going to be able to finish this challenge, so I'm pretty stoked that I did!

Three good things that have happened in the last 30 days:

1) We bought our tickets for Europe this summer! Now I just need to get hotels, rental car, etc...
2) I made cauliflower soup and corned beef and cabbage for the first time. The soup was too salty because I added too much bouillon, but the corned beef and cabbage was decent!
3) I started going to the gym again! Well, sort of - I started and was doing well, then kind of slipped last week. But I intend to start it up and keep it going again!

Wow! It's been a really productive month... I'm fairly proud of myself! In addition to those things, I'm in the midst of planning three parties and our big trip, and couldn't be happier to be busy! I think I really needed a boost to being more productive again, so I'm pretty happy I did this challenge. I hope I continue to blog more regularly!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 29

2011-03-29T08:02:00.000-07:00

Day 29 – Something you could never get tired of doing.

Reading!

I love to read! Granted, I don't read a lot of serious literature, in fact, my favorite author is Nora Roberts, the queen of fluff. (That's the first time I've ever really admitted that, by the way!) But reading is something that's essentially an escape for me. It's easy for me to get caught up in a story or a book and stop thinking about problems or troubles for a while. Also it's a great way for me to be lazy and relax. When I was in college, I would sometimes spend an entire day in bed reading - especially if the weather was sucky! I read in the bath, I read in bed, I read while I'm traveling. It's definitely something I'll be doing forever!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 28

2011-03-28T07:49:00.000-07:00

Day 28 – Your favorite movie.

So hard! How am I supposed to pick just one?? I love movies - and there are so many that are so awesome.

I suppose that one of the qualifications of a "favorite" movie is the fact that you can watch it over and over again. And for me, that one is Love Actually. Maybe it's the all the different story lines, maybe it's just the amazing-ness that is that movie!

Also on the list of movies I could watch over and over again? Empire Records, The Princess Bride, The Count of Monte Cristo and The Phantom. Yeah. Don't ask. :-) I never said I had great taste in movies!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 27

2011-03-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

Day 27 – A picture of you last year and now and how have you changed since then?

This photo is from our trip last year to Arizona. I probably have one from closer to March but I couldn't find it on my work computer, so this is the one I'm using!

How have I changed from last year? I would like to think that I've readjusted my priorities a little bit. Again. I have tried to stop making work such a high priority in my life, which is really hard for me. But I went through some self realization after some intense conversations, and I realized that there are things in my life that I'm simply not willing to compromise for my job. So I've been trying to not work as hard (and mostly failing), and trying to concentrate more on the things that mean the most to me - Sean, Emma, my family and friends! (Oh yeah, and ME!)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 26

2011-03-26T07:47:00.000-07:00

Day 26 – A photo of somewhere you’ve been to.

Today you get a two for one in anticipation of my June trip to Europe! Places I've been - Ireland & Italy! The top photo I took in Dublin (Grafton St, 2009), and the bottom one I took in Rome (Piazza della Rotonda by the Pantheon, 2003) - I can't wait until June when I get to go back and take more photos!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 25

2011-03-25T07:43:00.000-07:00

Day 25: What's in your purse?

1. Atenti doctor bag! I love love love this purse, I got it last year and brought it out again when winter rolled around this year!
2. Target wallet. I've had this wallet for a few years, and had another one exactly like it before that.
3. Barnes & Noble yearly planner. I've had this style day planner since 2006 or so. It's perfectly laid out, and has extra space for note taking and addresses.
4. Honda keys!
5. Flash drive.
6. My inhaler. I only need it when I exercise, but carry it around all the time, just in case.
7. Hand lotion. My hands are always dry!
8. Gift cards. I have a ton of them and need to get on using them!
9. Blackberry. Never leave home without it.
10. iPod Touch. I love my iPod Touch! It's one of my favorite things.
11. Atenti check book cover. I've had this for years also and it shows no signs of slowing down!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 24

2011-03-24T07:16:00.000-07:00

Day 24 – A photo of something that means a lot to you.

Sean. I know it's kind of cheesy and lame, but really, he means a ton to me! I feel extremely lucky to have Sean in my life, and this photo kind of epitomizes why. I mean, come on, who wouldn't love someone who had a chat with a cow? On top of being a great guy, he's also got a goofy and fun side that matches mine!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 23

2011-03-23T07:47:00.000-07:00

Day 23 – 15 facts about you.

1. I can't drink diet sodas because the aspartame triggers my migraines.
2. I was painfully shy through the beginning of college.
3. I still harbor a daydream of one day becoming a stunt driver.
4. That dream is somewhat hindered by the fact that I don't know how to drive a stick shift.
5. I only like milk when it's really, really cold. If it's at all warm, I won't drink it.
6. I hate tomatoes.
7. I used to be fluent in Italian, and I'm hoping to become fluent again (by June?)
8. I've never had chicken pox.
9. I've also never broken a bone.
10. I'm super organized, 90% of the time. The other 10% of the time I'm a total basket case.
11. I love to plan trips, even if I'm not going to take them.
12. I was born premature, and the doctors told my parents I had about a 10% chance of living. (Fuck those dudes!)
13. I've recently started liking mushrooms.
14. I've been in two accidents and had one speeding ticket in 14 years of driving.
15. I have terribly shortsighted vision... -5.25 in my right eye and -4.25 in my left.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 22

2011-03-22T08:07:00.000-07:00

Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.

When I first read this prompt, I thought "how can I write this letter when no one has hurt me recently?" Then I remembered an incident from about a month and a half ago, and realized I'm still a little perturbed about it. So, here we go.

Dear family member who shall remain nameless,

It bothers me when you make family plans without me, then get mad when I'm 10 minutes late to said family plans after another, more distant family member informs me of them. If you were so intent on me being there on time, you should have fucking told me about it yourself.

Love,

"I'm going to lose my shit if you call me one more time asking where I am."

Hmm. I guess I'm still more than a little perturbed. I do kind of feel better, though!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 21

2011-03-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy.

Today, the thing that makes me happy is the ability to work from home! This is a photo of my work computer on my lap as I am still in bed. I put Sweet Home Alabama on, and plowed through work this morning!

Yesterday there was a HUGE storm in California, and our canyon is all sorts of flooded. The creek that usually trickles along part of the road down to our town is typically about 10 - 12 feet below the road - last night when I was driving home, it had overflowed to flood the road. There was about 2.5 feet of water on the road in certain parts! I was totally worried that I wouldn't be able to get home, so once I did, I set up camp.

So yeah. Working from home today? Makes me SO HAPPY!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 20

2011-03-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.

My blog name is pretty self explanatory! I'm quite often long winded while explaining things or telling stories, and while I try to be conscious about it, it doesn't really bother me!

I also do have I Shake My Fist At You, a ranting blog, which is also fairly straightforward, and Tendency To Wander, a travel blog. I love Tendency To Wander because it's what I love to do when we travel!

Not much mystery with mine, I'm afraid!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 19

2011-03-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

Day 19 – Another picture of yourself.

We recently went to the shooting range for the first time, and it was quite the experience! I really enjoyed the actual shooting part - it was interesting to shoot a gun. However, the shooting range we went to was crazy! There were a bunch of lanes packed with people, and a dude with three kids in the one next to us. It was soo weird - next time I think I'd rather go to an outdoor one!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 18

2011-03-18T08:04:00.000-07:00

Day 18 – Something you crave a lot.

I get weird and random cravings all the time. In fact, I've been told by co-workers that I have the appetite of a pregnant woman, only all the time. It's usually something briney or salty, like olives or pickles. But the snack I've been stuck on for the last month or so is Chile Picante con limon Corn Nuts and Dr. Pepper. I go through phases with both of these things, where I'll like them for a while then be completely over them for months at a time. But this is the first time I've had cravings for both at the same time!

In fact, I totally just went and got them out of our vending machine. I'll try to hold out until later today to eat them, because hi, it's morning! But yeah - totally crave this snack!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 17

2011-03-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

Day 17 – A photo of you and your family.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Knowing this prompt was coming up, I tried to organize a little "photo shoot" for Sean, Emma and me. But it never really happened, so I had to make do with this one, which I snapped after our ~~hike~~ brisk walk on Tuesday night. We've been trying to motivate each other to keep being active (Sean is MUCH better at this than I am), and so when I got home we jumped in the car and drove to Red Rock Canyon. It's a great hike, and even though we didn't go for long because we were both starving, it was nice to be outside taking advantage of the daylight!

Oh yeah, and for the life of me, I couldn't get Emma to look at the camera. She actually seems to not like the camera and we usually have to trick her into looking at it. What a brat!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 16

2011-03-16T08:30:00.000-07:00

Day 16 – Your celebrity crush.

How can I possibly pick just one?? I can't, so here's my "list." (For those unfamiliar with the concept, the "list" is a list of the 5 celebrities you would get a free pass to, ahem, "hook up with" should the opportunity arise!)

1. Gerard Butler, circa Tomb Raider and P.S. I Love You. I think he's hot and sexy in most of his movies, but damn, in Tomb Raider, he was a deliciously accented bad boy. I definitely like him most when he's using his regular accent. Also, for some reason, he kind of reminds me of Sean.

2. Ryan Reynolds, circa pretty much anything. I think he's super hilarious, on top of being super hot, and I'm such a sucker for the funny guy.

3. Josh Lucas, circa Sweet Home Alabama and Stealth. It's the smile that did it, really!

4. Matthew Goode, circa Leap Year. Leap Year quickly became a favorite movie of mine, and I just think Matthew Goode is so adorable in it! I love "Declan," all sexy and sarcastic and crotchety!

5. Zachary Levi, circa "Chuck." Zachary Levi got on the list by playing sweet, funny, geeky "Chuck," but stayed on the list because he was such a genuinely nice guy when we met him! I do have to admit, I liked him a little more before he got all suave and clean cut!

Pinch hitters (Because sometimes you need to switch things up a little bit!):

Paul Walker, circa Running Scared. I didn't think he was that attractive until I met him when my dad worked on the movie. He walked up and introduced himself, and for a fraction of a second I literally couldn't speak. Also a really, really nice guy!

Scott Speedman, circa Underworld: Evolution, or Duets. He's such a cutie!

Did I go a little overboard with my celebrity crushes? ;-)

A funny footnote: The other night I was discussing my list with M and Sarah, and we had to explain the concept to Sarah. She has been in a relationship with classically good looking, clean shaven, blonde, blue eyed Glen for over 10 years. Her list consisted of dark haired, dark eyed, scruffy men. We laughed about that, then I revealed my list. She immediately said: "Yeah, all of yours somehow have traits Sean does! Just wait another 5 years, then your taste will be different." It was quite hilarious, and kind of true - I guess I definitely have a "type!" I wonder if/how things will change in the next five years of our relationship!

Also, please note that all of these men are over 6' tall. *swoon!*

*Photo credits are linked with the photos - just click on them to see the original source!*

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 15

2011-03-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without.

Unfortunately, the thing I don't leave the house without is my Blackberry. I know, I know, it's terrible that that's my one thing. But seriously, if I leave without it, I feel naked somehow! I have my work email on there, my personal emails, my friends and family's numbers, and of course, the Facebook.

I really should make an experiment out of leaving my phone home for an entire weekend. Really, though. Because we lived just fine without them before cell phones were invented, right?? Maybe I'll try that sometime. I'm just glad I didn't try it today - the power in our office building went off this morning when I was the only one here and I was super glad to have email service through my Blackberry! Go figure that this prompt was the same day... Silly Ides of March.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 14

2011-03-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to.

I was telling a friend the other day that I feel like I'm regressing back to "teenager-dom" with my current obsessions with cheesy tv and "shipping" tv couples, making this topic a perfect one! There are two shows that prompted that opinion - one is ABC's Rookie Blue, which I already posted about and has been in the back of my mind for a while since it's off air until summer; the other is The CW's Nikita.

When I first heard about Nikita, I completely wrote it off with a "Seriously? They're doing that again?" My mom was SUPER into the USA version of the show from the '90s (I'm not kidding, my friends even remember how much she loved that show!), but I was kind of "eh" about it. Then came a day where I was REALLY bored and had nothing to watch, so I thought I'd give it a chance.

I was hooked by the first episode. Maggie Q and Shane West have some awesome chemistry going on, and the show is fun and action packed. I mean, come on! What's the last show you've seen where the main character shoots her love interest in the very first episode? Shane West plays Michael, who still works for "Division," and Maggie Q is his former protegee, now-rogue agent Nikita. They obviously have feelings for each other, but since they're currently on opposite sides, their contact is limited to tension filled phone calls and sexually charged gazes from afar. The physical contact they do have is typically them fighting each other, in a flashback form, or in dream land, but whatever the form, it's good. There is one episode that finds them temporarily working together, and I hope there are more of those in the works! (See this scene for proof)

Anyway, long story short, the show is definitely worth checking out, and my current ridiculous addiction. It's currently on a long break (no new episodes until April, boo) after a crazy cliffhanger episode, but the most recent episodes can be found on The CW's website! And also? The April 7 episode is looking to be a so-called "game changer," especially give this promo!

I'm of the belief that the promo above has to be a dream, or projection, or something, and that the video and audio clips are a little out of order. (Props to the CW's promo team, though - whoever cut this one kicks ass and deserves a "Best Tease" Promax!) And however the episode unfolds, I definitely am looking forward to finding out on April 7!

Seriously, though - check this show out.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 13

2011-03-13T07:50:00.000-07:00

Day 13 – Your favorite musician and why?

Hmmm, I feel like I've written this post before. Oh yes, I have!

I'm still a huge fan of John Mayer, the musician, though my opinion of John Mayer, the dude, has diminished a little. He really should just stick to being a funny, talented guitar player, and stop being public douche #1!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 12

2011-03-12T07:02:00.000-08:00

Day 12 – A photograph of the town you live in.

Again, I'm going to "cheat" a little bit and use a video instead. Topanga doesn't really have a "town," just a main area where there are some shops and restaurants. We have a total of two traffic lights, one of which is featured. :-) The video starts at the beginning of town, loops around the main area, and ends where I turn off the main road to get to our street. (Sorry in advance for the crappy quality of the video - I was using my old Canon point and shoot - I need a new one!)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 11

2011-03-11T07:54:00.000-08:00

Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?

1. Atenti Cosmetic Bag - I love my makeup bag! This is a rather old one, I've had it since college, and it's still holding up.
2. Burt's Bees lip balm - I cannot live without Burt's Bees and also have tubes in my purse and at my desk at work!
3. Clinique High Impact Mascara - I used to use their "Long Pretty Lashes" one but they discontinued it. I don't like this one quite as much.
4. N.Y.C. black eyeliner - Yep, the one that's $0.99 at the drug store. Love it. I also have it in gray, brown, and white!
5. Clinique Soft-Pressed Powder blush - Not sure which color because it's so old the label has worn off... I should probably get a new one!
6. Sonia Kashuk Blush Brush - It was from Target, cheap, and works really, really well.
7. Benefit Boi-Ing concealer - I love this stuff!
8. H&M Eye Shadow - I bought this in Ireland, as they don't carry their makeup line in the US yet!
9. Clinique Perfectly Real compact- I like this powder because it's not too heavy.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 10

2011-03-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

Day 10 – A photo of your favorite place to eat.

Well, this one is supremely easy for me! Our favorite restaurant is The Palace Grill in Santa Barbara. It's cajun food and I've been going there for over 12 years, ever since my friend Megan's dad took us there for her birthday! My favorite things to get? Flash fried artichoke hearts, blackened filet mignon, and their famous bread pudding souffle! Delicious, delicious, delicious. It has awesome ambiance, too!

Photo mosaic from www.SantaBarbara.com

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 9

2011-03-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.

Burberry Original perfume is my favorite perfume in the world! My stepmom brought me some years ago from a trip to Argentina and I've been wearing it ever since. Seriously, I wear it so consistently that once, my stepsister was walking through a mall, and smelled someone wearing Burberry and said, "Hey, that's Adriana's smell!" Ha. I have been out for a month or two, and finally found it again at Nordstrom Rack and snatched it up! So happy to smell like "me" again!

Also? WE BOOKED OUR FLIGHTS TO EUROPE!!! I am so excited! Once I got over the sticker shock of the ticket prices, all the good amazing times we're going to have started flooding into my mind... Cannot wait for June!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 8

2011-03-08T07:19:00.000-08:00

Day 8 – A song to match your mood.

I'm in a peppy, fun mood today, and this song totally adds to it! I first heard it in Life As We Know It, and it's been a constant on my iPod ever since! It makes me want to dance around the house, or drive by the beach with the windows down. :-)

"Something in Common" by Free Energy

P.S. We're getting our Europe tickets today! (I hope!) More info on that coming soon to Tendency To Wander!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 7

2011-03-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

Day 7 – Your dream wedding.

When I was single, I would dream about having a big, yet simple wedding in some country club or beautiful locale with many of the "traditional" aspects of weddings involved.

But then I started dating Sean, and somewhere along the line, I realized while that would be MY dream wedding, it wouldn't really be OUR dream wedding, because it didn't really suit both of us.

So now my dream wedding is as follows: A simple ceremony with only immediate family either at the Santa Barbara courthouse gardens or "guerilla" style on a beach with him in a suit and me in a pretty white dress, and then a big, fun reception in my parents' backyard. The reception would be simple, lots of twinkle lights, and with touches that were representative of us. And while I don't see us having a fully "traditional" wedding, I would still like to be in a fancy dress, have cake, and have some dances and speeches.

I think that dream wedding suits us both a lot better.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 6

2011-03-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.

Well that one was easy enough!

I heart elephants. But my friend Chris had it right - he would have a mini elephant as a pet!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 5

2011-03-05T07:39:00.000-08:00

Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.

This is a photo of me from April 2009, so almost exactly 2 years ago! We had just boarded the ship for Mayercraft 2009, and the first thing we did while waiting for our luggage to get to our rooms was get beers and hit up the buffet. And yes, I do like Jello that much. Shosh or Ceci or Marie made me laugh entirely too hard!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 4

2011-03-04T08:03:00.000-08:00

Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.

It would take me entirely too long to post about all of the amazing women that I consider my "best" friends! I'm incredibly blessed to have several incredible ladies that are my support system!

The first photo that came to mind when I read this prompt is this one of my friend Marie because it's the greatest photo ever taken. We call it "Boozin' With Marie, 2003." It was taken on a trip to Vegas - Marie was trying to study for a class she was taking, and we were packing up to leave and wanted to get rid of the almost empty bottle of vodka. Marie came to the rescue, downing the remainder of the bottle while sitting on a couch in her PJs with her school books surrounding her.

But alas, I can't for the life of me find a digital copy of that photo, so instead, I am cheating a little bit and posting this video I took of Shosh last December. It's nothing huge, just makes me love her that much more for being my partner in goofiness! Oh, and it also shows how short she is, and Emma makes an appearance! :-D

I shall call this one "Shosh shakes the Chex Mix!" :-) Love you, dude!

P.S. Shout out to my grandmother because today would have been her 92nd birthday. I'll never forget her birthday because she would always say that it was the only day that was also a command - March 4th! March 4th! Happy birthday, grandma. Miss you.

P.S.S. I made it to the gym! A super easy workout kicked my ass, but I did it!

Gyming it up.

2011-03-03T15:33:00.001-08:00

I'm not typically a fan of the "two posts in one day" thing, but I'm determined to go to the gym today, and wanted some kind of accountability.

I'm a little intimidated about going, I'm not going to lie. I go to the 24 Hour Fitness in Woodland Hills, and it's crowded and has low ceilings, and I've never been a fan of it at all. But I have been paying for a gym membership since 2007, and I can't even tell you when the last time I went was. I literally think it was about a year ago, and it depresses me that I've wasted that much money and ignored being healthy for that long!

So, I'm trying to change it up.

Wish me luck, and hopefully I'll have something positive to report tomorrow!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 3

2011-03-03T08:52:00.000-08:00

Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.

My idea of a perfect date would be doing something fun like going mini-golfing, then to dinner somewhere chill. It's super low key, low pressure, and you also get the added benefit of seeing how the person does in a "competitive" setting, if you could call mini-golfing competitive.

But if we're talking about actual first dates that I've been on - I think that Sean had it right on. It wasn't technically a date, but we watched a movie (Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle), then went on our own trek to find an open iHop. The night ended up with us making out on Shosh's love sack (don't ask), but it was one of the more memorable evenings I've ever spent with someone!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 2

2011-03-02T07:51:00.000-08:00

Day 2 – A photo of something you ate today.

Ok, let me 'splain.

The muffins are my first attempt at replicating the molasses muffins from The Palace in Santa Barbara. I love love love that place, and we went for a slightly belated anniversary lunch last Sunday. The muffins didn't come out quite the same as the restaurant (I'm convinced they tweak the recipes so that you can never get it spot on), but they were still delicious!

The yogurt is my favorite yogurt from Trader Joe's - it's this delicious "Greek-style" honey flavored one, and is sooo good. I'm currently on a Greek-style yogurt kick, eating it pretty much every morning, and this is the only flavor I like, even though they have a couple more.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 1

2011-03-01T07:50:00.000-08:00

I was going to try to come up with a creative idea for titles, but then took the cheap way out and decided to just go with what day I'm on!

Day 1 - A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.

Well, I'm trying to post these in the morning when I have a little more time, so I'll describe how my day yesterday was!

Yesterday was a decent day - started out with a good omen of seeing dolphins on my morning drive, but the dolphin luck didn't last as it took me FOREVER to get to work! Work went well, and the drive home was significantly easier... then I got home and Emma had puked all over the carpet from all the treats we gave her on Sunday. Boo. Cleaned up, took Emma to the dog park, and then had a quesadilla for dinner! It was pretty standard, other than the puke and the chai tea latte I was randomly craving that kept me up until after 11pm because I forgot those things were caffeinated! Happy Tuesday!

And a photo! I took this right after getting my hair done last November. It was the day of my high school reunion and Lisa did such an awesome job! Yay to good hair days!

The 30 Day Blog Challenge!

2011-02-28T08:47:00.000-08:00

I found this on a blog I read and decided it was definitely worth a shot! I'm going to start it tomorrow, March 1, and (hopefully) go for the month of March!

The 30 Day Blog Challenge…

Day 1 – A photo of yourself and a description of how your day was.
Day 2 – A photo of something you ate today.
Day 3 – Your idea of the perfect first date.
Day 4 – Your favorite photograph of your best friend.
Day 5 – A photo of yourself two years ago.
Day 6 – A photo of an animal you’d love to keep as a pet.
Day 7 – Your dream wedding.
Day 8 – A song to match your mood.
Day 9 – A photo of the item you last purchased.
Day 10 – A photo of our favorite place to eat.
Day 11 – What’s in your makeup bag?
Day 12 – A photograph of the town you live in.
Day 13 – Your favorite musician and why?
Day 14 – A TV show you’re currently addicted to.
Day 15 – Something you don’t leave the house without.
Day 16 – Your celebrity crush.
Day 17 – A photo of you and your family.
Day 18 – Something you crave a lot.
Day 19 – Another picture of yourself.
Day 20 – The meaning behind your blog name.
Day 21 – A photo of something that makes you happy.
Day 22 – A letter to someone who has hurt you recently.
Day 23 – 15 facts about you.
Day 24 – A photo of something that means a lot to you.
Day 25 – What’s in your purse?
Day 26 – A photo of somewhere you’ve been to.
Day 27 – A picture of you last year and now and how have you changed since then?
Day 28 – Your favorite movie.
Day 29 – Something you could never get tired of doing.
Day 30 – A photograph of yourself today + three good things that have happened in the past 30 days.

Starting tomorrow... away we'll go!

Wish me luck?

If this is what we've got, then what we've got is gold...

2011-02-24T09:56:00.000-08:00

Today is Sean's and my 5 year anniversary!

It's a big one for me - 5 years is nothing to shake a stick at, but it's also been a tough couple months, filled with elaborate questions and conversations about the future and what we want out of life. I'm super busy at work trying to get through some stuff so I can duck out early for a nice evening together... so I'll so a "recap" so to speak of our anniversary at another time!

But I had to share, because it makes me so happy to have gotten to this point!

**Title lyrics from "Stay The Night" by James Blunt**

Where I'm at.

2011-02-07T10:30:00.001-08:00

So, where have I been?

Other than being busy with work and with dreaming about big, possibly life altering decisions with Sean, we've been planning our trip to Europe for this summer!

I've been blogging over at my travel blog, Tendency To Wander, so you can read all about it there.

Hopefully things will feel more "normal" soon so that I can be more consistent with writing here - I miss it!

Things that (probably) might be in my near-ish future.

2011-01-30T08:17:00.000-08:00

How's that title for lack of conviction? :-)

Things that (probably) might be in my near-ish future:
- A job (possibly career) change.
- A location (possibly city and/or state) change.

Things that are definitely in my immediate future:
- Sunday morning breakfast with the man I continue to want to spend the rest of my life with.

There are some things that are still outside of my "change comfort zone," but I'm feeling more comfortable with some of the ideas we've been floating around. Baby steps to change, right?

Thanks everyone for your supportive comments! I appreciate them!

Up, up, and away.

2011-01-28T09:57:00.000-08:00

Today, I'm feeling like my life is up in the air.

Change is supposed to be good, right? So do I get such anxiety from thinking about it?

Restart.

2011-01-26T09:58:00.000-08:00

My friend M and I were talking the other day, and we decided that we'd like to re-start 2011, please.

This year has been a fucking killer, and we're only 26 days in.

It started out innocently enough - finally getting to celebrate midnight with my love, but since then it has been a downhill slide into emotional roller coasters, stress, and entirely too many big life questions.

When do we leave for Italy? Do we try to do Ireland first and then Italy? Ireland after Italy? Skip Ireland all together? How many days do we take off? How much are we willing to spend? Should we buy a house? If we buy a house, where would it be? What could we afford? What would that mean for my job? Do I want to still be working in Glendale? What would I do if I wasn't at this job? How many nights a week should I be working late? What do I want this year to be? Where do I want to be in my life right now?

Ugh. It's overwhelming.

Some of the questions are sorting themselves out. We have a rough idea of the revised plan we want to do for Europe this summer, one that we're comfortable with the budget of, and one that would make us both happy with the trip. As for the others, well, there's so much up in the air. Home. Work. Life.

Home. We'd like to buy a house, but that opens up a whole other can of worms that I don't want to get into right now. We'd like to move so that we have a place where Emma can be both inside and outside if she needs to be, so that our lives aren't so dependent on how long she's been home alone. I'd like to live a little closer to a dog park so that taking Emma every day isn't a 2 hour excursion.

And work? Work has been crazy. I mentioned last year that we're in the middle of a few different projects, and that's a bit of an understatement. The project that was supposed to be from August through November? Still going. Still frustrating. Still encountering setback after setback after setback. Hardwares that don't speak to each other the way we need them to. Software programs that were bought out and won't have any further upgrades because they're being phased out. Technical issues that are fully capable of being resolved, but are being put off by the people who can resolve them because they just don't want to do the work. It's ridiculous. And on top of that, I'm still in charge of extra work dumped on me from when my friend was let go around Labor Day. Yeah. Labor Day.

Which leads into life. I'm stressed out. My temper is shorter. I'm tired all the time. I feel like I haven't been as nice to people, and that I've been neglecting areas of my life in favor of work. Which is not how I want to be living my life. I want to be working to live, not living to work. I know it's a fine line, but I feel like I've finally tipped over to the side I don't want to be on. I'm trying to come up with solutions for it - the biggest one that I've started implementing is trying to leave work on time, regardless of if everything is done or not. I get the feeling that things will start not being done as quickly, and that other things might slip through the cracks, but I'm at the point where I don't care. I will not risk my relationships for this job, bottom line. And without realizing it, I was slip-sliding to that point. And now I'm resolved to not let that happen, and to do whatever necessary to fix it.

I need to change. I need to make adjustments. I need to be more conscious of what is most important to me - Sean, family, friends, health, sanity - and make damn sure that that comes first. It's tough to self reflect like that - my initial response was to think, no, I can handle it, that's not me, I'm not that person who has lost sight of the point of it all. But I just made it out of a PMS-induced near breakdown, and more than anything else I realized there are certain things I'm not willing to give up. And those things? Are not work-related.

So yeah. Back to my original idea... can we just start 2011 over again? Pretty please?

And momma cooked a breakfast with no hog...

2011-01-19T09:30:00.001-08:00

As I was driving to work today, I was unconsciously making a mental list of all the things that I disliked about today - the traffic, the wind, bills that we forgot to pay on time, the changes in weather, having allergies, the fact that I'm PMSing, how much work I had to do.

When I realized what I was doing, I decided that I need to change my way of thinking, and instead, make a list of the things that I'm happy about.

So here are the things I'm happy about today:

- Today's Living Social deal for a $20 Amazon gift card for only $10!
- Not having to make coffee this morning, as it was already ready for me when I went for some.
- Finding out I was approved for the 0% APR credit card with a high enough limit to buy our tickets for Italy and pay them off a bit more slowly than we'd planned.
- Sean having tonight off.
- I recently rediscovered Nilla wafers, and they are delicious!
- I had a great time at dinner last night with Sweet Candi.
- This weekend's super plans - my little cousin's musical, my awesome friend's birthday at a trivia bar, and another friend's baby shower.
- I'm PMSing, which means I'm NOT pregnant. (I had a weirdly specific dream last night about having a baby and it tripped me out.)
- I have $157 in my "envelope savings account" for Italy.
- I get paid tomorrow!

Ok, so there aren't a ton of things, but those are all good things! And I'm sure I'll think of more, but in the meantime, here's another lyric to the silliest of silly 90's rap songs: "Today I didn't even have to use my A.K., I gotta say it was a good day."

**Title lyrics from "Today Was A Good Day" by Ice Cube**

New year, new resolutions.

2011-01-03T16:05:00.000-08:00

I'm back! (And as long winded as ever, apparently.)

I mean, I haven't actually been anywhere, I just posted my New Year's blog on the 1st and realized that I somehow managed to not post anything the entire month of December! What the heck! I guess it's just life - it's been so crazy busy lately, and I am not exactly sure how to stop it.

So what's new?

Lots of stuff.

We did end up getting a tree for Christmas, and it all worked out in the end. We ended up getting a small tree (under 3'), and putting it on top of an upside down big tupperware storage container thing. The tree skirt I have hung quite nicely over the container, I may use this trick for years to come! And we put the tree in our bedroom, instead of in the living room, so that Emma couldn't get to it when we weren't home. And you know what? It was fine. Great, even. It was so nice to have the tree in our room so we could enjoy it while snuggling in bed, and Emma completely avoided it after an initial sniff. She did try to get a couple of my mom's ornaments, but she left our tree alone - no dog deterrents required! I took the tree down yesterday and even then she was completely uninterested. Go figure, my worrying was all for naught.

Christmas time didn't really feel like Christmas time this year until around the 22nd. I don't know what it was about this year - maybe it was moving my grandma out of her assisted living place and permanently into a convalescent home, maybe it was the ridiculousness that is how busy we've been at work (I'm not kidding, I've never known busy like this before), maybe it was family drama. I don't know. But whatever it was, I wasn't feeling the holiday spirit. Which kind of sucks, and I feel like I was a little bit jyped this year.

My holiday party came and went, and was so much fun. It was lower key this year, which was a nice way of mixing things up after how crazy the year was. I actually got to have conversations with everyone there, and though I missed a lot of people who were unable to make it, it was nice to touch base with everyone.

Christmas set up was somewhat marred by family drama - I could go way into that but it just makes me tired, so I'll skip over it and just say that I hope next year is easier all around. Part of me is less than optimistic about that prospect, though - I get the feeling that some of the shifts this year are permanent, and that they'll be hard to bounce back from.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day themselves were strange for me - my whole life Christmas has gone like this: Christmas Eve morning - wake up at mom's and open gifts, then have a nice brunch before going to my mom's mom's house in the evening. Then ending up back at my stepmom's family's party for a midnight opening of gifts with them, then helping my dad play Santa at his house before going to bed. Christmas morning consisted of waking up with the kids, making my dad and stepmom coffee, opening stockings, then tearing into the Christmas wonderland my dad turns the living room into. Christmas day would then be spent playing with gifts or going to my dad's parents' house, until recently when it switched to going to Sean's parents' house. It used to be a crazy two days filled with family and fun and food, and I loved every minute of the running around. I've never been fantastic with change, and this year, a lot changed.

This year, we didn't open presents on Christmas Eve morning, and we didn't go see my grandma. We saw her a week before, and then my mom had Christmas Eve dinner at her house - which is a nice, new tradition - and then I went straight to my dad's house. All the gifts were already put out, since the kids don't believe in Santa anymore. It was Emma's first trip into the house (she'd only been allowed in the back yard before), and she had to stay on the leash because there is entirely too much in their house for her to get into. Then, I had to sleep in my sister's room because my stepmom's brother is staying in my room at the moment, and of course, Emma was on edge all night and neither of us got any sleep. Christmas morning was really nice - aside from the elephant in the room that was the family drama that's currently going on - and my parents gave me some really thoughtful, nice things this year, which is always welcome. I then took Emma to the dog park so she could be free for a bit, and then back for an early Christmas dinner with family and friends, which went relatively smoothly.

I know that these changes are all part of growing up, and that they're all bound to happen. In fact, I knew they were coming. But it is still tough to let go of the traditions you loved so much!

But then, there was the best part of Christmas - Sean's and my new Christmas tradition. Ok, so it's only been 2 years that we've done this, but that's besides the point. I came home from my dad's, we stopped by his dad's, grabbed our friend who is usually out of town but got stuck this year, and then we went bowling! Last year it was mini golf, and that had been the original plan for this year, too, but it was POURING rain, so bowling it was. After I soundly beat Sean at bowling, we went for Thai food, since nothing else was open, and I kind of loved the whole thing. There's definitely something to be said for that growing up and creating new traditions.

Anyway.

I should wrap this up, because even I am starting to get distracted.

I worked from home last week, had checking account drama, and finally, finally spent a New Years' Eve with Sean! We've been together for 5 New Year's Eves, and this was the first we've been together at midnight. :-) Hopefully that means great things for 2011, because the last couple years have really put us through the wringer.

I feel like 2011 will be my year of finding my way - I feel just a bit lost right now (don't ask my why, I can't explain it), and I am optimistic that this year will bring good things.

Things to look forward to: S&G's wedding in ITALY, hopefully also traveling to Ireland, Shannon's wedding (!!!)

Things I'm hoping to pursue: photography, writing, baking, and maybe figuring out a way to have a little more free time.

Here's to 2011, all.

Happy 2011!

2011-01-01T08:37:00.000-08:00

I was going through my blog a few weeks ago and found this post from Jan 1, 2009, and this one from Jan 2, 2010. I decided to keep the trend going, so here we go!

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Owned a dog. Got paid for a photography gig. Had photographs published in a magazine.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't recall if I made any last year. This year, I resolve to be more active, and to do the things I love more often.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
My friend Jessica had a baby! But also, there have been about 3 pregnancies recently for 2011 births...

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No, and I am very thankful for that.

5. What countries did you visit?
I didn't leave the country in 2010, how sad! 2011 is going to rock though - yay Italy!

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Time.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
April 10, 2010 - that's the day we adopted Emma!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I got a raise, and I learned a ton of new stuff and kicked ass at a project, though technically it's still going. I also had photos published in a magazine, which was pretty fucking cool.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not advancing at work, or being paid for the ton of extra work I picked up the slack on in September.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Negative.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm. I can't think of anything!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Sean - for putting up with me and Emma.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Sarah Palin's. I still hate that woman.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Our apartment, and, well, Emma.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
We found out we're going to Italy for our friends' wedding in June!

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
"Dog Days Are Over" by Florence + The Machine, and anything by Taylor Swift, I started liking her stuff in 2010!

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier :-)
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter :-(
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, booo.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Go to the gym.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Work.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With family, but it was kind of a weird one. More on that at a later date.

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Yeah, we love Emma!

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Rookie Blue! And I have a total crush on Nikita right now. And Castle.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No. But I don't hate someone I hated this time last year - that's progress, right?

24. What was the best book you read?
The most recent "In Death" book by JD Robb.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
A bunch of the music used on Rookie Blue - that production company has a good music guy!

26. What did you want and get?
A dog! Oh, and an iPod Touch, and new external hard drives. It was a good year.

27. What did you want and not get?
I plead the 5th... ;-) Also, a Nikon D-300S, and a 17-55mm 2.8 lens.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Leap Year! I love that movie! I also enjoyed Letters To Juliet, The Losers, and A-Team.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28 this year, and went to a bar for trivia, and then saw The Princess Bride in a park with food trucks.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not having family drama. <-- Interestingly enough, this is the answer I put in 2009, and it is more true than ever right now!

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Better work clothes, a little less casual, but still not where I'd like to be.

32. What kept you sane?
Sean. The canyon. Emma. Baking, writing, and photography.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Matthew Goode - he was the cutie in Leap Year.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The ongoing battle over CA's Prop 8 and marriage equality.

35. Who did you miss?
Friends that I don't get to see often. My grandma.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
I have no idea.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
I still have a lot to learn. Life is a never-ending lesson, and as much as we think we know, there are still hundreds of things I am clueless about.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"Compare where you are to where you want to be, and you'll get nowhere..." "Uncharted," by Sara Bareilles.

Happy New Year, everyone!

THAT dog.

2010-11-17T12:22:00.000-08:00

Last night I got home and fed Emma, without realizing that Sean had already given her her "evening meal."

No big deal, right?

Wrong.

So what happened, you ask?

Emma woke me up 4 times in the middle of the night to go outside because she was so sick is what.

Timeline:
10pm: Went to bed.
11:45: Emma wakes us up. I make Sean take her out, and he takes her to her pee spot, but she doesn't pee, so he brings her back in. She sits next to my side of the bed and whines until I get up and take her to her poop spot. BAD NEWS.
1:45am: Emma wakes me up. I take her out because it's easier for me to throw on my fake Uggs and a jacket than it is for Sean to put on pants, a shirt, and socks and shoes. More bad news.
2:50am: Emma wakes me up. Even more bad news.
3:30am: Emma wakes me up. Less bad news than the other times, but still not good.
6:15am: I wake up having overslept by an hour, and am consequently an hour late leaving for work, which translates to an extra hour tacked onto my commute.

That's right - it took me an hour and forty five minutes to get to work this morning because I overfed my dog and she got the runs.

Do we just have a magnet for this shit (forgive the pun), or does this kind of thing happen to other dog owners?

Seriously, I'd love to know.

A very doggy tree.

2010-11-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

I need help from all you dog owners out there. I have a dilemma. A Christmas dilemma. Specifically, a Christmas tree dilemma.

I want to get a Christmas tree for our house.

I am afraid of what Emma will do with a Christmas tree in our house.

Given her propensity to chew everything and anything she can get a hold of, am I delusional to even think about having a tree this year? I'm not just worried about the tree - which she'd inevitably knock down, chew up, and/or pee on - I'm also thinking about all of my ornaments.

Tell me - do you think it's a good idea to get one? The only place that I could put it where she wouldn't have tons of access to it would be in our bedroom, and there's not really a place for it in there. I guess my other option would be to just somehow hang the ornaments around the apartment where she couldn't get to them, but that sure doesn't seem very festive.

Please help me!

Weird weekend in review.

2010-11-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

The good news first: My grandma made it through the hip replacement surgery without the heart surgery, and is back to being her prickly, bitchy self! I never thought I'd be happy to hear her being a total asshole, but it's much better than the alternative of not hearing her at all.

Long story short: the doctor recommended the surgery even though it was risky, because the alternative was leaving her hip broken, moving her to a convalescent home and keeping her hopped up on morphine until the unlikely time where her hip had healed enough to allow her a tiny amount of movement. Not the quality of life we want for her, AT ALL. So, the surgery was done, and while she's not out of the woods yet - 48 hours more in the hospital, followed by 100 days in a rehab center - she's alive, and has a brand spanking new hip.

My weekend was crazy weird, because it would have been an amazing weekend had it not been for the constant worry about my grandmother. We had a friend in town on Saturday, and met up with Sean's aunt and grandmother on Sunday for brunch.

I'm still ridiculously busy at work, and on top of that, I'm also exhausted, emotionally drained from the range of shit we went through this weekend, and I'm feeling the beginnings of a cold, most likely caused by the changes in weather and stress.

Yay.

Also, I finally hit my breaking point with the stupid spam comments on my blogs, and changed my settings to email me with a comment and have me approve it before it's posted. I didn't want to go that route, because I like the instant gratification of seeing my comments on other blogs, but I'm getting 1-5 spam comments a day now and it's REALLY IRRITATING. And my other options of not allowing anonymous comments, or adding in the stupid "enter these letters before your comment can be published" thing didn't appeal to me. (I hate those things, because 1/2 the time I don't expect them and think I published a comment when I didn't.)

Pretty boring stuff for today, hopefully the rest of the week will shape up and let me get back to fun things, like planning this weekend's grilled-cheese-a-thon, my annual holiday party (this'll be the 8th one!), and our awesome Europe trip for next year! Oh, yeah, and maybe the holidays, too. :-)

Bad news bears.

2010-11-05T11:19:00.000-07:00

This week? Sucks balls. Three strikes and we're out.

1) My 55 year old uncle had a stroke last week, which no one told me about until yesterday. He's out of the hospital now, recovering, but is still in not so good shape.

2) My 87 year old grandmother fell and broke her hip. She needs hip replacement surgery, but they don't know if her heart is ok enough to do that. So they're doing a test to see if she needs another heart surgery before her hip replacement surgery.

3) I've been so swamped at work I can barely see straight, and can barely concentrate because of the family stuff, even though shit needs to get done NOW and there's not much I can do for my uncle and grandma at this immediate time.

Yeah.

Sucks balls.

I want to cry, fix things, and not be here, all at the same time.

Update: Oh yeah, and layoffs at work today, so the vibe is seriously off. Ick.

Fall cleaning.

2010-10-19T13:01:00.000-07:00

I need to clean my house, so that I can get my hair done.

Wonder where the logic is in that statement?

Here you go.

Sean's stepmom Lisa does my hair. And in the two years that we've lived in our apartment, she has never seen it. We've tried a couple of times to schedule time for her to come over, but you put our schedules with her schedule, and something has always come up.

And now, I really need to get my hair done. But the last time I went was the last time we tried to schedule something, and it was canceled at the last minute. So I can't go back to get my hair done until I can present a new date on which she can come over.

And I can't present a new date on which she can come over until our house is spotless.

And our house is NOT spotless. It's a bloody, fracking mess. Crap on the kitchen table. Mess in the kitchen. Chewed up dog toys on the floor. Mystery stains on the carpet from whatever Emma has recently dragged in or been chewing on. Rogue shoes and tons of laundry heaped in the bedroom. Bloody. Mess.

And so, we need to clean. But we also need to sleep. And eat. And go on the computer. And a million other things because life has been so chaotic lately. Sometimes we get through a little bit of cleaning - the bathroom does pretty well because we both get grossed out otherwise - but for the most part, things just pile up again and again.

So, yeah. This is my resolution to make some actual progress with cleaning our apartment.

Maybe then, my hair can stop looking like crap.

Six

2010-10-12T15:07:00.000-07:00

Six seems to be the number of the week.

Sunday marked six months since we adopted Emma! And what a crazy go nuts six months its been... does it seem like longer than that to you? Because it seems like longer than that to me. Maybe it's because we've had to deal with so much crap in those six short months - Emma the cyclone escape artist, the great crate debate, the cans we had to put up on the kitchen counters, the time she got the feather pillow, and her many, many other adventures. She's had a tape worm, giardia, swollen limbs, allergic reactions, eye infections, and most recently, a yellow jacket sting. Sean and I sat down and calculated what the first three months of having Emma cost us, and for vet bills and training ALONE it was about $2,500. NOT exactly what we had expected! But these last three months have gone much more smoothly - thank GOD - and we seem to be into a nice pattern now. Her training still needs work, and she's still a fucking psycho sometimes, and our couch is basically a total loss. But she's such an awesome dog, she's made tons of progress, and we're so glad to have her around!

Moving on... tomorrow marks six years at my current company. SIX years! It's kind of insane, really. I can't believe the journey it's taken me on, or the range of emotions I've felt about working here. The nice thing is - I still love my job. And I am still learning. It's a constant progress here, which is probably why I've stayed this long (well, that and the fact I haven't been "restructured"). And it's kind of cool to think about the things I was doing 3, 4 years ago and realize how far I've come from there. I'm at a weird spot right now - happy and sad about how things are... I am definitely a different person now. Here's hoping the rest of my time here brings continued growth, and that when I do finally move on, what I've learned here can be put to use.

Adventures in cooking.

2010-10-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

I've finally gotten back to something I've been neglecting for a while - cooking and baking. And I've been making an effort and trying new things, too!

Today is one of my best friends' last day at our office. I can't even talk about it yet, because I'm so utterly bummed that she's not going to be working with me anymore. The only solace I have is that she's a forever friend, and us not working together is not going to effect how much I love her and love hanging out with her. It's going to be a little tougher now, since we practically live on opposite sides of the earth (she lives in Riverside), but I'm pretty excited to see where her awesome life takes her next.

Anyway - in honor of her last day, I made.... drumroll please.... CAKE BALLS! It's been a while since I made them, and I figured it was high time. What makes this baking experience an adventure is the fact that I made one of the two batches with chocolate cake. Until now, I'd only done them with vanilla or red velvet. And though you'd think it wouldn't be much different with chocolate, it was! Chocolate cakes tend to be SUPER moist, and the one I used was no exception. Unfortunately, this meant that the balls were much more difficult to shape, and they didn't set the same way. In the long run, they worked out, though, and people seem to like them.

My other adventure of the week was making shishito peppers. My cousin Kevin introduced me to them at a family bbq and I fell in love - and I'm NOT a fan of peppers, so I don't know how that happened. I have gotten them twice since at our favorite sushi place, and other than the one super spicy one that burned all the way down my throat, they are one of my new favorite things. I told my awesome friend Jaime about them, and she happened to see some at the Japanese market and picked some up for me! So then I pretty much HAD to make them myself - I marinated them in some kosher salt, sunflower oil and sesame seeds (Kevin said to use sesame oil but we didn't have it at the time), and threw them on the grill until the skin was nice and puckered. Here's a picture of the finished product - sorry for the crappy cell phone quality. They came out tasty, but next time I need to use the sesame oil and marinate them a little longer. And the sushi place douses them with some lemon juice, too. Mmmm now I want more peppers.

Anyway - I grilled chicken to go with the peppers, but it took so long we had devoured the peppers by the time the chicken was done. Oh well! It was still tasty! We're trying to save money for Italy, so I cooked twice this week - it's not huge, but it's progress! And, neither meal had too much work behind it! Go us!

What adventure in cooking should I try next?

Setbacks.

2010-10-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

This project is encountering setback after setback after setback. It seems like every time there's any kind of progress, something else comes up to fuck us.

Soooo frustrating.

At this point, it's like a giant hurdle that I'm determined to get over - I WILL make this project work. But at the same time, it makes me want to cover my ears and yell "Lalalalalala I can't hear you" while running the other direction.

So, blogging break, because I feel like my brains are about to leak out my ears and I need to not think about switcher instructions and secondary graphic events and embedded signals for a while.

I worked from home this morning because LA is having the type of weather that makes me think that the world really might end in 2012. 113 degrees last week, cold rain this week. I love the rain, and hope it sticks around, even though it makes my commute a monstrosity. Plus, Emma is far less of a disaster when it's cold out - she goes into some kind of hibernation and forgets to eat our couch. Anyway - it was a nice reprieve, and I'm hoping I can swing it a little more often. We'll see.

I'm going to go back to work now, because even though I'm trying to take a break my mind keeps drifting back to how we're going to work through the most recent round of issues that have come up. Wish me luck with this one, guys, because it's a doozy.