2010: A Year In Reflection

As tradition has it, New Years is a time of making resolutions for the coming year.  I think that before we can make plans for the future, it is important to look back at our successes and challenges from the previous year.  Having an clear understanding of where we have been often gives us a much clearer picture of where we are going. 

So without further adieu...

In 2010:

1. What did I learn? 

In my past I've tended to pay so much attention to what other people think of me and to their opinions of what is going on in my life that I sometime lose myself.  I really feel like I am finally learning to listen to myself first.  My own opinion is now the one that matters most to me. 

2. What did I accomplish? 

I accepted an internship offer with a great school district and was able to get a great part time job in a horrible economy.

3. What would I have done differently? Why?

I would have finished all of my Deloitte work and my research project for my Master's Program about 6 months ago!  I also wish I would've saved more money when I was actually making money so I would not have to be working part time now.

4. What were the most significant events of the year past? List the top three.

Getting my internship, my relationship with Brent, and my family offering to help me financially.

5. What do I feel especially good about? 
I am proud that I have been working my ass off at my 2 jobs and that I was easily able to transition from a job where I was twiddling my thumbs all the time to 2 jobs where I never stop moving.  I finally feel useful and accomplished at work again.  Yes, even at Borders!

Every year I feel more confident in who I am and I have accepted that I will never have a Victoria Secret model body, I will never have naturally blond hair, and that its ok that I have not gotten married or had children yet.  This year especially I felt myself rise into a comfortable place of self acceptance and love.  I have accepted my own apology for life not going exactly as I had it mapped out.  And you know what? My life is pretty fabulous regardless of prior plans.

6. What were the fun things I did?

Turning 30 was fun.  I was happy to say goodbye to my 20s.  I had a fantastic time on my trip to Maui and all of our trips to Tahoe. 

7. What were my biggest challenges?
Living on a tight budget after living the easy life for a few years has been a challenge.  The break up with Brent was devastating and temporarily debilitating.  I was a wreak for over a month.  But I was glad that I stuck to my guns.  I knew that our relationship as it had been was broken and would never survive on the course it was on.  Also, it has not been fun working so many hours at 2 jobs that are both exhausting.  But, repeat after me  ~it will all be worth it in the end~

8. How am I different this year than last?
I am much more sure of who I am, what I like, what I do not like, what I stand for and what is important to me.  I have realized it is better to be single than to be in a relationship where any of those things are compromised.  I have also made the choice to let some of my toxic relationships go, as they were only bringing me down and causing me pain.  Quality over quantity is a new concept to me when it comes to friendships.

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?
My dearest girlfriends, who are like my family.  They are the strongest women I know and they inspire me in so many ways. Jenny, Laura, Jodi, Brooke, Beth, Becca, Kim, Traci and Mary - my favs!!

Also my Grandma.  I have a very special relationship with her and I an constantly inspired by her wit, wisdom and women-pride!


And last but not least, Brent.  He has been amazingly supportive and caring since I began this roller-coaster of interning and book-selling and I cannot thank him enough for that. 

10. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?
Easy. The Fucking Facebook.  

11. What was the best way you used your time this past year?
Being alone in this apartment as a 30 year old and being 100% ok with it.  

12. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2010 for you.
I am going to use a quote I just heard for the first time and instantly loved:

Don't compromise yourself. You're all you've got. 

~Janis Joplin

The power of love

Anyone recognize whose lap I am sitting on in this pic?

If you guessed Huey Lewis, you are right! 

After the signing, his drummer Bill (the other old guy sitting at the table) hit on me: "You're gorgeous, how do you feel about older men?"

Ah, the perks of working at Borders.

It's Serious Time

Brent and I have agreed to have some serious conversations this weekend.  I found an article in my latest Glamour magazine with important topics for couples to discuss to answer the question...

ARE YOU READY TO GET MARRIED?

Here are the questions:

1. How important to you is spending time with family?
2. Money is best used for _________________________.
3. What's our financial goal for the next 3 years? Five?
4. Who should handle the finances?
5. Do we have a budget that will help us achieve our financial plans?
6. Do we know how much we owe and to whom?

The rest are agree/disagree statements:

1. I am comfortable discussing our financial affairs with my partner.
2. I can live within my income.
3. We have discussed whether we will have separate bank accounts.
4. I am feeling some pressure to get married.
5. We have discussed our feelings about having children, and about how to plan our family.
6. Sex is extremely important to me.
7. Sex is necessary for happiness.
8. Sex is a good sign of a couple's love.
9. I am afraid of being sexually unsatisfying to my future spouse.
10. I am satisfied with the amount of romance in our relationship.
11. I will feel comfortable letting my spouse know that I am in the mood for lovemaking.
12. I have the right to say no to having sex.
13. I will feel comfortable initiating lovemaking.
14. Our sex life will cool off as we grow older.

It will be interesting to see how these conversations go.  I agree that these are some valuable (albeit potentially challenging) topics to discuss.  I have my own guesses as to what Brent's answers will be, but maybe he will surprise me.  He's been know to in the past.

Thank you Jiminy Cricket

If one chooses to consume Weight Watchers Smart Ones microwaveable meals,

 

not only are they assured to be 2 servings of warm, satisfying, delicious and "fork-free" food, you get a guilty conscious reminder right in the instructions just in case your conscious is not always your food guide. 

Wise tip for the Budget Conscious

When shopping at the money pit of all money pits (aka Target*) NEVER make the mistake of allowing yourself to stroll the aisles with the aid of an entire shopping cart.  Instead, take only a shopping basket.  If you are feeling exceptionally frugal and graceful that day, challenge yourself to use nothing but your own 2 hands.  Instant guaranteed savings of at least $20. Enjoy.



*Damn you Target and your $5 DVDs and your fantastic smelling candles and your holiday section and your incessant sale prices on all semi-necessary necessities. 

Idealism at it's finest

As the holidays are approaching, I have been thinking alot about traditions.  This is a word that brings up many strong emotions for me... my family used to have many traditions and I found great comfort and enjoyment in them and their predictability.  Unfortunately my family has virtually no traditions anymore.  Through the years I have conceptualized hypothetical traditions that I hope to do with my own family once I have my own family.  I want my children to have stable and predictable yearly events that they can expect and look forward to with anticipation.  A few of the ideas I have:

Seasonal decorations -- decorating the house for upcoming seasons or holidays.  This would include (but not limited to: Christmas Tree and other Christmas decor, Valentines Day, Easter, Summer, 4th of July, Halloween and Thanksgiving and fall in general.  I do not picture lots of cheap gaudy items.  One nice thing can be enough.  Such as a heart shaped bowl of red and pink candy or flowers for Valentines Day on the coffee table or kitchen counter.  A beautiful American flag flying in front of the house for the 4th.  Fall would include pumpkins and cinnamon-y potpourri. Wreaths are a given year-round.

Birthday Celebrations -- I want to celebrate every birthday in the house with whatever the birthday boy or girl wants to do.  This would not have to include a big party every year, but could instead be a fun family outing chosen by the birthday person or a meal specially prepared and chosen by the birthday boy/girl.  I think birthdays are a big deal and should be treated like a big deal.

Family Vacations -- Ideally these would happen each summer and could be as simple as camping for a weekend or as extravagent as traveling to another state or country.  Being active during these vacations would be ideal, as well as exploring the area we are visiting.  Traveling to visit faraway family and friends will also hopefully be a regular family event. 

Supporting my family through their extra-curricular activities -- this means attending plays, musicals, sporting events, games, tournaments, recitals or shows.  Any enriching experiences my family find themselves inspired to do in their free time, I plan on supporting it as best I can.

Smells -- This topic may sound a bit odd.. but I want to ensure my house always smells good.  I want to have good smelling candles throughout the house with scents that compliment the season.  The smell of dinner will often be the flavor of the day.  I am really in tune with the impact that memory for scents can have. I plan to use the same brand of laundry detergent and dryer sheets for as long as possible. 

Meals and Food -- I plan to have some kind of a meal prepared each evening for my family.  I want to be able to provide healthy and satisfying food for them.  Growing bodies need to be nourished with substantial food.  I also plan to make lunches for each family member, my husband included for them to take to school and work.  My hope is that I will inspire my children to eventually participate in the family food preparation. 

Extended Family and Friends -- I want to have a comfortable guest room (hopefully with an attached bathroom) always ready and available for any family or friends who are visiting from out of town.  Or if someone imbibes a bit too much at one of our parties.  Which leads me to:

Parties -- I want to regularly have family and friends come to visit and/or stay.  And I want to provide a household where they WANT to do that.

As you can see, many of these things are centered around seasons or holidays and all are meant to bring my family and our close friends together with the goal of creating enduring bonds.  One of my greatest hopes is that my family and our house overflows with love and I believe traditions are one way to cultivate that. 

Laura's Famous Guacamole Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 perfectly ripe avocados, halved and peeled (see footnotes)
• 1/2 small white or yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
• a few dashes of hot sauce
• Tortilla chips

Directions

1. Combine ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
2. Taste and add more of whatever is needed.
3. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with tortilla chips or cover and chill up to 24 hours. 
4. ENJOY!!

Footnotes

• Choosing the right avocados is 99% of making awesome guacamole.  The avocado is perfectly ripe when you can gently press in on the wide end of the fruit.  Too soft is no good.  Too hard is also no good... if there's no give at all, it's not ready! 

• For smoother guacamole, mash avocados and/or use a food processor to combine all ingredients. For chunkier guacamole, chop avocados into 1/2 inch pieces and combine all ingredients gently by hand.

Whatever happened to...

...the courtesy wave whilst driving?  In case you have forgotten what this is, it's when one car waves first to allow the other to know they see them and that it is safe to go and the second car waves back as if to say "thanks! Have a splendid day." This simple act of kindness could occur as someone allows you to merge, turn first, proceed through an intersection first or as someone stops for you to turn out of a parking lot and into traffic. 

I seem to remember the courtesy wave being an almost everyday occurrence when my parents drove me around as a child.  Have we all gotten so busy and rushed in our lives that the wave is now lost?  Perhaps we are all now such crappy drivers that we have nothing to wave about.  I for one have deiced to do my part in bringing back the courtesy wave.  I think its the least I can do to bring a little love back to the lives of the drivers I share the road with, as well as my own.

Oh and I have also noticed that there are other states in the US where people still do the courtesy wave.  What's up with that Cali?  Not cool.  I hate that we fit into the stereotypes that are already in place about this state.  Time to dust off the 'ol wave and get to shaking it!

What would you do

Tonight as I was driving home, I called 9-1-1 to report the following incident. 

I was cruising down Highway 50 westbound in the fast lane and I saw up ahead there was a smaller sedan at a dead stand still in the slow lane.  This portion of the freeway is currently under construction so there is a cement barricade blocking the right shoulder.  There is no break down lane.  And for some reason, there were no hazard lights flashing on this stopped car. I immediately thought, "Oh man, that is not good." And as I got closer, I saw that the driver of the vehicle was out of their car standing in front of it in the bright headlights frantically motioning for drivers to move over to the left lane.  I should also add that it was dark, and it rained all day today so the roads were wet.  As I passed the vehicle and driver, I watched in my rear view mirror and saw a car approaching the stalled vehicle, and was luckily able to slow down and move over in time to avoid a collision.

About 30 seconds later, I called 9-1-1.

I can't help but think - what IS the best practice if my car brakes down in an area that has no shoulder and I have no hazard lights?  I certainly do not think I would get out of the vehicle and try to wave speeding cars around me, especially in the dark.  Do I hop over the cement barricade and hope for the best??  Sit in the car and press on and off the brakes so at least the lights are flashing??  Maybe start with the simple stuff - 1) always making sure I have enough gas in the vehicle and 2) knowing precisely where the button is located for my hazard lights.

The Big "O"

Interesting study (link here) I read today...  Shocklingly (sarcasm), there appears to be some discrepancies between the number of orgasms men report to be giving to their sexual partners and the numbers of orgasms women are claiming to actually experience.  I love that someone took the time to study this because it is something I have thought about.  How can we account for this (rather huge) difference?

Women fake it. Some of them often.  Some of them all the time. As in, every time.  And men have no freaking clue.  When asked, it seems most men will proudly report, "No woman has ever faked it with me."  I hate to break the news to you but look at the stats, Buddy.  The chances are high that at least one of those Os was a fibber.  Now whose fault is this?

As much as it pains me to admit this, us women really cannot blame the men here.  We are not doing ourselves any favors here with the faking it.  It is only reinforcing the (insert ineffective-and-sometimes-painful-sexual-technique here).  Rest assured he will be doing the same thing at the same speed in the same position next time.  Ladies -- it's time to step up to the plate and get some honest communication on the table when it comes to what you want need in the bedroom if your goal is to achieve the O.

Technology is probably also to blame.  The porn industry has put some ridiculously high expectations in both the female and male minds when it comes to sex and it is a sexual experience that is readily available 24 hours a day.  Unlike living breathing sexual partners.  I could go off on this topic but I will save that for another post.  Let's just leave it with this - everyone achieves an O in porn escapades.  Often this occurs multiple times within one encounter.  And how convenient that it happens to happen within a limited time-frame.  Porn is not reality.  (Thank God.)

The porn talk leads me to this: I get that men put a LOT of pressure on themselves to perform.  But they often put even more pressure on the women.  "Did you have an O?"*  If the answer is not a positive one, you have simply ruined his world.  Talk about pressure. 

Many women do not take responsibility for their own Os and instead leave it all to men expecting that it's his job to please her.  Let's back this up a step and ask the most important question of all - does she know how to please herself?  Because if this answer is no, my guess is that it's gonna be next to impossible for him to figure you out.

If you fall into the category of a female faker or the category of a man who still truly believes no woman has faked it with him..... please take a look at this study.  Bon Appetit!


*If you really have to ask, the answer is most likely no.

An Animal Lover's Exception

This morning around 2am while me and my kitties were happily tucked into my bed, I am dreaming.  Possibly about chicken pox.  They are itchy.  They are really itchy.  They get worse.  And even worse.  And I finally wake myself up by scratching multiple horribly itchy spots on my arms and pinky finger.  I get out of bed and blind myself turning on the bathroom light and yes, sure enough there are matching brand new swollen bug bites, one on each arm and one huge one on my pinky.  I am in serious need of my mosquito assassin and seriously consider calling him.  I sit on my bed with the lights on determined not to try to sleep until I find the illegal immigrant and send him on to his next life.  I last approximately 15 seconds, and instead resort to putting on a long sleeve top and burying myself in my sheets.  This is not my preferred way of sleeping.  I cannot stand to inhale hot regurgitated previously used air and I now feel like there are mosquitoes crawling on me every 5 seconds in random places all over my body.  My anxiety level is through the roof.  Despite all this somehow I eventually I manage to calm myself down and finally start to drift off back into sleep.....



and then........



"bzzzzzzzzz!!"  RIGHT IN MY EAR. 

I slept like shit last night.


p.s. I am generally an animal lover, however mosquitoes are pretty close to the top of my list of living beings whose populations I feel no remorse whatsoever about personally thinning out.

My Dream Came True

Over the summer I had a dream that I was working at a Borders bookstore.

The next day I applied online.

I had an interview 2 week ago.  I thought it went well.  To be frank, I am way overqualified for a sales position (I was a retail store manager for 3 years) but my bank account could use the help, as I just started an internship. But, I digress.

I heard last week that my references were contacted.  Apparently Borders takes their minimum wage job hiring very seriously.

Today I get the following message on my cell phone:

"Hello Laura this Christine from Borders. I just was calling to let you know that we do have some other candidates who appear to have the experience that more closely matches the expectations of the position.  I do want to thank you for taking the time to come in and speak with me.  I wish you the best of luck with your job search in the future.  Thank you, buh-bye."

WHAT THE FUCK... I'm in disbelief.  I'm pissed.  I have told everyone and their mom that I am going to be working at Borders.  How is it possible to get hired as a graduate student intern but not as a seasonal sales girl at a huge chain bookstore that has got to have 100 employees on their fucking payroll?  I'm beyond pissed.  I start firing off text messages saying just that.  I decide this awesome news warrants a rice crispy treat and I stop at Starbucks.  While I am inside, I receive the following voicemail: 


"Ummmm......Helll-oo.....Laura this is Christine from Borders. I believe that I juuuust left a message on your phone and that was incorrect.  I had another Laura who applied......um so that-- I'm so sorry-- that message was for her.  We actually would LOVE to have you come and join us here at our store.  Sorry for that first message....that was for another Laura.  Orientation is next week.... if you're still interested, give me a call back........"

You're looking at your newest Borders team member.

Inspirational Quote of the Day

"May today there be peace within.

May you trust that you are exactly

where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities

that are born of faith in yourself and others.

May you use the gifts that you have received,

and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content with yourself

just the way you are.

Let this knowledge settle into your bones,

and allow your soul the freedom

to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us."

♥♥♥

 

-Mother Theresa

Fabulous Friend Fridays

As the title of this post suggests, I have absolutely fabulous friends.  These are women that I look to for laughter, support, love and concern, and they are truly some of the most honest and loyal people I have ever met.  I chose my friends carefully and for good reason.  In honor of these women I have decided I will dedicate a post each Friday to one of them. 

First up is my Big Sis.

When you join a sorority or fraternity, you are given a big sister or brother to act as a mentor and friend.  They are supposed to be older and wiser than you and they help you navigate the college years with a bit more mature direction.  Truthfully, very few of these relationships end up being exactly like this.  Many fall apart quickly after college, and many more never really seem to even get off the ground.  This was not the way of me and my Big.

My Big is a woman who I have admired and looked up to since the day I met her. She is classy, feminine and beautiful in everything she does. Simply gorgeous inside and out. She is also hands down one of the strongest women I have ever met.  She is never afraid to speak her mind and if you deserve it, she will put you in your place before you ever realize what is happening.  In the 11 years I have known her, I can count on one hand the number of times I have seen her cry.  When we met, I was in desperate need of a strong female role model in my life and My Big fit that bill perfectly.  I can honestly say I do not know if I would be alive today if it were not for her.  Since the day we became Big and Little, she has protected me and supported me through some of the hardest times of my life.  She is good at tough love when I need it, and I often need it. 

Her thoughts are always of others before herself. She is one of the few people who still sends handwritten cards in the mail.  When these sweet packages are delivered (which happens often) the penmanship on the envelope resembles the work of a hired calligrapher on a wedding invitation. But this is her normal handwriting. She also has been known to tuck little gifts into my suitcases which I do not find until I get home.  She adores jewelry, I would say this borders on an obsession, albeit a healthy one.  (Come on, what woman doesn't love sparkly jewels?)  She also loves mani/pedis; her nails always have polish on them. She is the kind of girl who keeps her shoes in their shoe boxes and she has alot of them. 

Being a guest at her house feels like you are staying at the best bed and breakfast ever. It always smells good and she loves burning yummy smelling candles. When I stayed with her for my birthday weekend, she hung up a happy birthday sign in the guest room. She's the kind of friend who puts a huge water in front of me when I pass out because she knows that when I wake up the first thing I will want is a huge glass of water. After a night on the town, she would never order a pizza or drive through a Taco Bell drive thru.  Intead, when we get home she'll cut up gourmet cheese and crackers and an apple and open a bottle of wine.  She is a bit OCD about keeping her house clean which is always more comfortable than going to a house where it's scary to sit for fear of what you might sit on.  She is detail oriented and it shows.  A card I recently sent to her said "Anyone who says there's no place like home has never stayed with you."  There could not be a truer statement.

My Big's deep love of being a wife and her marriage in general have become huge sources of inspiration for me.  This woman simply adores her husband and adores being his wife.  This fact oozes from every aspect of her being.  He is her #1 priority and she is his.  They take such good care of each other; they look out for one another and they treat each other like gold.  He is her protector, she is his rock.  I love being around the two of them and I love knowing that I will get to grow old with both of them and continue to watch their love grow.  These are going to be two of the best parents ever.

As I stand here on the cusp of my 30s, I am eternally grateful for my friendship with My Big.  I am so thankful that I was lucky enough to get a Big Sis who takes such good care of me.  Navigating my 20s was tough and she was right there beside me every step of the way cheering me on.  Looking forward to my 30s and what is to come, I have so much more confidence and deep rooted knowledge in myself now than I did 10 years ago.  A large part of that is due to My Big.

As we used to say in college...

Laura ♥'s her Big Sis!!
♥YLS

Scary Book Share

My latest read was Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders, by Vincent Bugliosi.

Warning: This book is not for the faint-of-heart!  

I can guarantee you that this book will scare the hell out of you.  

This is the #1 best selling true crime story of all time and for good reason.  This book gives the reader an inside view into the mind of one of the most frightening serial killers ever.  Charles Manson is a name known by many, however the details of his terrifying activities are not as well known.  The author of this book was the prosecuting district attorney when Charles Manson and his followers were on trial in the early 1970s.  Bugliosi tells the tale so vividly that nothing is left to the imagination.  Perhaps the scariest part of this book is that the murders described were so random that it makes you feel as though any minute someone could come into your house and brutally murder you.  Simply a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Terrifying!!

One reason I find this book intriguing is the cult-like behavior that took place.  People who chose to go into or are born into lifestyles where they are entranced by someone else are really interesting.  I don't like to be told what to do by anyone so it's truly amazing to me how much power one person can have over so many others.  For example, how does one get to the point of being able to order others to kill for him?  All that and more is explained in this book.

I also enjoyed reading this book because it is a true story.  I like picturing what life was like in the early 70s and how terrifying it must have been for the people of LA knowing a killer was on the loose.  The people whose lives were taken happened to be wealthy younger white people and the Family's (the given name for the Manson followers) activities left the rich and famous scared for their lives.

Much to the chagrin of the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, it took quite awhile for even a single suspect to be charged.  There are some very interesting points made regarding the lack of cooperation between the LAPD and LASD.  Makes you wonder what else is being missed simply due to a communication breakdown between departments.  The second portion of the book outlines the lengthy trial.  (Spoiler alert!!!) This book makes me eternally grateful for the justice system of the US that these monsters, although still alive, are behind bars.

This book will keep you up at night whether you live alone or not.  If you don't like being scared, don't read it!

Theory On Pringles

Back in my younger years I spent a great deal of time contemplating why things are the way they are.  I came up with my own personal theories on many things, most of which are useless but nonetheless may have some merit.  One such phenomenon that I have patented is my Theory On Pringles.  You know, the chips made by Procter & Gamble that come in a can:

Maybe this theory would be more appropriately named "I Think I Have The Procter & Gamble Marketing Team's Secret Plans Nailed".  Or, "Why One Likes Pringles More Than Doritos Even Though You Only Get  50 Chips In A Can". 

Let us begin with the container these chips are packaged in.  From Procter & Gamble's perspective, this is a brilliant plan due to the pretty obvious reason that there are way less chips in a Pringles canister than there is in a regular bag of potato chips.  Although the canister packaging is probably more expensive to make than your normal plastic Doritos bag, there is less product inside, so cost is slightly adjusted.

Along with the canister, the appealing lid that comes on the can creates a seal, in theory allowing the chips to last much longer than an opened bag of chips forgotten at the back of the cupboard for a month or so = stale city. (Funny enough, a can of Pringles never seems to last long enough for that to happen.  Have you ever had a stale Pringle?)

Also in regards to the canister, whose hands have ever been small enough to fit inside one?  Unless you are a child, one must pour out the chips in order to get to them.  Pouring means they come out faster.  And once a Pringle is out of the canister, it seems sacrilege to put it back in.  Into your mouth it goes. Eating faster = buying faster.

Now to the chips themselves.  Everyone seems to agree that the unique shape of these chips means they only really fit in your mouth one way. If you try eating one upside down it just doesn't feel quite right in your mouth and tends to make a huge mess.  I believe that within the special shape of the chip lies the biggest secret of all about why the Pringle is so damn good.  Upon close examination of a Pringle, you will notice that there is seasoning on only ONE side of the chip.  And interestingly, it happens to be on the side that does NOT touch your tongue.  Therefore you do not taste the true flavor of the chip until you crunch into it.  First you have the physiological sensation of biting into something lite and crunchy and almost instantly after the crunch, the flavor falls onto your tongue.  Why does this matter?  Because you will never OD on the light flavor of a Pringle.  Think about it, after a few (43) Doritos, my mouth cannot take anymore orange Dorito cheese.  It is cheese overload.  It's too much.  But the Pringle never has this problem.  They leave you wanting more.  And maybe just one more.  Ok fine ONE more.  And then what do you know?  The whole can is empty.

The Man of the House

Four years ago when I moved into my apartment, I knew that once I got settled I was going to look for a roommate.  And by roommate I mean kitten.  I started frequenting the local animal shelter in search of a new feline friend.  During one of my visits, I saw that there was a litter of kittens along with their Momma all in a kennel together.  I loved seeing the mom in there with her babies.  It made me feel comforted that their short lives were a little less harsh since Mom was there looking after them.

I was the first person to request to adopt one of the kittens, therefore I got the pick of the litter.  I remember watching them scrambling all over their patient mom; so many little limbs all moving at once.  One little black and white tuxedo stood out to me, as I stared into the cage, he stared right back at me. He was an adorable tiny thing, with green eyes, four little fuzzy white legs poking out from a belly of white fluff.  He looked like a black and white cotton ball with legs. His facial markings were almost symmetrical, with a black mask around both eyes and a white nose with a cute perfect pink tip.  When I asked to hold him he looked up at me and cuddled right into my hands.  It was noisey in the shelter so I could not hear his purr but I could sure feel his purr motor going. 

Fast forward four years and that sweet loving kitty is seriously one of my most favorite things.  Whenever I get home and open the door to my place he is sitting on the table right next to the door waiting for me.  (My hand inevitably hits his head when I then turn on the light so he gets a free pat on the head by waiting for me like this.) He is a lover and would be happiest if someone was petting him incessantly.  He is the only cat I know who purrs in anticipation of being petted, and he loves having his belly rubbed. He is social and loves to be around people.  He comes when he is called or if a hand is left in a position that looks as though it may want to pet him.  He purrs while eating and boy does he have an appetite.  He weighed a pound and a half when I first brought him home and today he weighs in at a whopping 15 lbs!! (He gained so much weight at one point that Bubbles gave him the nickname "Tic-Tic". Get it? Little head, big body).  He has never showed interest in any of the cat or kitten toys that I bring home, instead preferring to play with my rubber bands for my hair.  His other favorite amusements include tissue paper, paper towels and toilet paper.  It does not fail - everytime I leave the bathroom door open he sneaks in and shreads/unrolls the toilet paper. The entire roll. This is his newest favorite activity. He sleeps on my bed at night and wakes me up in the morning with quiet little meows to get me out of bed to feed him.  He is the best to have around when I am sad or sick; the greatest couch cuddler I know.  I can't imagine my life without him. ♥

Quotes of the Day

A few good ones on cheating...

"When I’m not near the girl I love, I love the girl I’m near." - E.Y Harburg

"It is better to be told a hurtful truth than to be told a comforting lie.” - Unknown

"He who praises me on all occasions is a fool who despises me or a knave who wishes to cheat me." - Chinese Proverb

If you have never met my mom

This sums her up in a nutshell:

First Baby Shower

Today I am going to one of my best friend's baby showers.  I really cannot put into words how excited I am to help her celebrate this day.  There really is nothing in the world that I love more than seeing my best friend's dreams come true.  What is more special than that?  This is her first baby, a girl.  I know that her and her husband tried for awhile before conceiving so that seems to make the unborn babe even a little more special.  Since I am far away from having a baby shower thrown in my own honor, I get to live vicariously through her for the day. 

This is the first baby shower I have attended.  Since I have never been to one, I have contemplated what we, a group of all women, will do for 3 hours.  I'm thinking: great (read: fattening and greasy) appetizers, possibly some adult beverages so us non-pregnant guests can get a lil' tipsy, games that include melted candy bars in dirty diapers and guessing the circumference of my friend's pregnant belly (how mortifying! that game will absolutely NOT be allowed at my shower!!), and of course gift opening.  And that is what I think we will be spending the majority of the party doing.  Watching the mom-to-be opening gifts.

I have a thing for gifts.... and I love watching people opening them.  I find it to be much more fun to be on the watching end rather than the unwrapping end.  As a watcher you are not required to fake it when you open something that is [chose one: ugly, stinky, humongous, out of style, useless, cheap, something you already own, or (the worst) something ambiguous....ie. is this a doily, a tablecloth, a curtain or a hand towel?].  

I picture how different this would be if our culture practiced New Dad Showers and there was a bunch of men sitting around watching their guy friend opening gifts for his soon to be born child.  I think instead of ooohs and aaaahs you would be hearing more of "what the fuck do you use that for?" and "what's a onesie?" and "you think you'll actually USE that wipe warmer dude?"  

When you're in a group of all women and the giver is watching the opener's every breath, everyone is basically required to ooooh and aaaah over ev-er-y-thing.  I think there is a part of us women who are not only trying to make the mom-to-be happy about her gift, but are also trying to impress the rest of the women there too. 

Which is why I made damn sure my gift would be the cutest one there.  No really.  Look.

Today I am thankful for...

Ice Cream!!  

(preferably of the vanilla-mixed-with-some-sort-of-chocolatey-thingy-type).

Oh sweet Ice Cream, I simply love how you melt in my mouth, cool me off when I am hot and cheer me up when I'm down.  I find it a shame that whoever invented you did not instantly become famous and into the ranks of George Washington, Shakespeare, Mozart and Ghandi.  You will always be a front runner in my book. 


So today I salute you and thank you, Ice Cream. Best wishes and hopes for you to continue to bless my life.

Thoughts on Cohabitation

I have some pretty strong thoughts on this subject based on unfortunate past experiences as well as some new emotional developments.  Now before you get any crazy ideas, let me reassure you that I am NOT about to be moving in with anyone, man or woman.  Here's why...

....that whole “We’re going to see if we’re compatible!” excuse?  What a superficial thing to say.  There are no guarantees when it comes to the institution of marriage, no beta-test, no half-measures. Marriage is another word for trust. It is full of doubts and shortcomings; it's two people holding hands and jumping together. It’s a risk, and has the potential to fail, and that makes it beautiful. If I love a man enough to marry him, compatibility is moot.  I love him unconditionally, and flaws are an expected part of that equation.  In my mind, waiting to move in together until there is a marriage commitment on the table means there is no "maybe we'll work it out", but rather "we WILL work this out and we WILL get through it".

....marriage is a big deal to me and I want it to feel like a big deal.  Cohabitating while in the shuffle of wedding planning, and then it's The Big Day, then you're honeymooning and then poof!-- back to reality, but oh wait it's the same as before other than we now have rings on our fingers...that doesn't sound very special to me.  Marriage is the hinge to the rest of my life and I want it to feel special and new and different. 

....there will be many many perks that come along with cohabitating and honestly I am not ready to give all those things to a man unless he is ready to be with me forever.  These things include (but would not be limited to): the house being cleaner and generally smelling better (I'd imagine somewhat like unicorn farts), pretty living flowers in the garden and even in the house sometimes, fresh fruit in the fridge, healthier more complete meals (that include that foreign food group also known as vegetables), having clean underwear and socks at his disposal, and let's not forget having my nice warm body to kiss him goodnight every night and cuddle with every morning.  That all to me sounds like a pretty good deal and one that should be reserved solely for my husband. 

....break ups suck.  No matter how they happen, they are terribly painful and emotionally draining.  A break-up coupled with a move out (and loss of a roommate) is even worse.  Whoever is left living in the place that was once jointly "yours" has a painful daily reminder of what once was.  Not something I ever want to go through again nor put anyone else through.

....don't do it just for financial reasons.  That should be the last reason you move in together.  Of course it is a perk, however I want to move in with someone because I am starting the rest of my life with him and not to save money on my bills.

....finally, I love living alone and it's going to take a pretty amazing offer on the table to convince me that I am ready to give that up.  Like a proposal...

Love Quote of the Day

“All love that has not friendship for its base is like a mansion built upon the sand.”


—Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Home Sweet Home

I've lived in a great apartment in midtown for the last 4 years.  This is the longest I have lived in one place since I was 15 years old.  Recently there was the possibility that I was going to have to move, however that has since been resolved and I will definitely be staying in my apartment for now. When faced with the possibility of moving and then finding out I would be staying, I now have an even deeper love for my place of residence.  Here's my fav list for my apartment:

• Beautiful hardwood floors
• Fan in the dining room
• Cute teal tile in the bathroom
• Gas oven/stove in the kitchen
• Gas heater in the living room works like a charm and takes only 20 minutes to heat my whole place
• A/C in the bedroom is right where I want it when it's an 80 degree night
• No roommates (except my cute kitties)
• Cat policy has always been "don't ask don't tell" (all the tenants have cats)
• Cable is free
• Trash pick-up is free
• Water is free
• Wifi provided by the owners
• Rent is cheap compared to the rest of the greater Sacramento area
• Connected parking garage is safe
• Maintenance issues are fixed within a day or 2
• Huge windows in the living and dining room face east so I get great morning sun
• 2nd floor means I do not look at another building or fence out my front windows
• Apartment manager is friendly and lives in the complex
• Mailbox is 20 steps from my door
• Gated complex (keeps out the majority of the crazies)
• Walking distance to countless parks, restaurants, bars and coffee shops
• Coin laundry onsite
• Landscaping is well maintained
• Excellent water pressure in the shower
• Have never needed to use a plunger on my toilet (don't even own one)
• Trees right outside my living room window bloom with the most gorgeous pink blossoms in late summer
• All my bedroom furniture fits in the bedroom
• Safeway within 1 mile
• Gym within 1 mile
• Easy access to all major freeways
• 15 minutes from airport

Thank God I get another year!!

Book Share

I am an avid reader/bookworm/nerd and therefore have decided that I will be sharing any interesting or noteworthy books I happen to come across.  First up: Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough, by Lori Gottlieb. 

I had to get past the title of this book because the word "settle" has such negative connotations associated with it, especially with regards to marriage.  The book's overall message is a good one and I've summed it up in a few statements:

1. "Settling" in this book does not refer to lowering your standards as much as it does recognizing and valuing what truly matters for the long term in creating a fulfilling and successful marriage.  A better term is "readjust" your standards, meaning figure out your needs versus your wants and try not to confuse the two.  Gottlieb learns it is not realistic to create a list of fifty or more needs, in fact she suggests narrowing it down to just three or four.
2. Nowadays, there is a sense of entitlement when it comes to dating that makes many women feel like they deserve the very best of the best, a textbook prince charming if you will, and they will not rest until they find that person.  The problem with this thinking is that there are no perfect men in the world and these women could potentially be waiting forever to find that imaginary prince who fits the bill.  Not to mention, what makes you so sure that if Mr. Perfect happened to walked into your life, he would have any interest in marrying you?  Which leads me to...
3. ...you are not perfect either!  Who are you to expect someone else to be completely perfect?  Really if you are lucky enough to find someone who loves you and accepts you in spite of your less-desirable traits, why is it so hard for you to do the same in return?
4. Instead of focusing on surface traits which do not really effect the long term relationship potential (the initial butterflies, how romantic he is, age, weight, height, body hair, having similar interests, the way they talk, the way they laugh, job, income), focus on the qualities that make a great spouse (good listener, honest, respectful, caring, supportive, humility, trustworthy, optimistic, passionate, hard working).  Unfortunately when dating, we tend to focus too much on the first list instead of the second list.
5. One point the author drives home repeatedly is that dating when you are over the age of 40 is much different than dating when you are 30. The unfortunate truth is that the number of available men continues to decline the older we get.  Statistically, single men in their 40s have a much higher chance of being previously married, and it's also quite possible they'll already have kids which can add extra complications to an already challenging dating situation. Older men can and do date much younger women, and may desire dating women who are childless, fertile and young enough to have children with. That is not to say that all hope is lost if you are 40+ and single, however you could be competing with 20-30 somethings for the same men. 

The author gains her insight from her own dating experiences as well as interviews with psychologists, professional matchmakers, religious leaders, authors of other self-help books and friends who are out in the dating and married world giving testimonials on their experiences. Unlike other self-help books on marriage or partner selection, there are no exercises, worksheets or lists to create. Overall, I enjoyed this book and found it to be a quick read; I finished it in 3 days.

If you have a strong desire to get married but have been struggling with picking the wrong guys and unable to pinpoint why, I suggest reading this book.  This is also an excellent book for women who are already dating great guys but have a nagging sense that their guy is just not what they "pictured" themselves ending up with.  Even married women may find that they benefit from getting a fresh perspective on their marriages after reading this book.

Father's Day

Today is Father's Day.  I found the best card to give my dad.  I could not have written this better if I'd done it myself:

Dad,

I was thinking about

when I was little.

How I'd wait for you 

to get home

so I could tell you

about what happened that day.

Maybe show you my new shoes, 

or a picture I'd made.

Ask for your help with something

I was trying to figure out.

And what I remembered most,

was feeling that no matter what

I couldn't wait to share,

it was important to you.

And then I thought,

some things never change.

On Father's Day Dad,

I wanted to say "thanks"

for making sure

your little girl grew up

knowing she had a dad

who loved her.

Love You Too.

Wedding Reading

I was asked to do a reading in one of my girlfriend's weddings this summer. I am truly honored anytime one of my friends asks me to be a part of their special day. Although I gladly accepted her request, I was a little worried that the reading might be from the Bible and since I am not a regular Bible reader nor church-goer, I am not always sure where to put the emphasis on the Hebrew language. It turns out the reading is in English:

Marriage Joins Two People in the Circle of Its Love
by Edmund O’Neil

“Marriage is a commitment to life, to the best that two people can find and bring out in each other. It offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human relationship can equal; a joining that is promised for a lifetime. Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of life’s most important relationships. A wife and a husband are each other’s best friend, confidant, lover, teacher, listener, and critic. There may come times when one partner is heartbroken or ailing, and the love of the other may resemble the tender caring of a parent for a child. Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is fuller; memories are fresher; commitment is stronger; even anger is felt more strongly, and passes away more quickly. Marriage understands and forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid. It encourages and nurtures new life, new experiences, and new ways of expressing love through the seasons of life. When two people pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, they create a spirit unique to themselves, which binds them closer than any spoken or written words. Marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the hearts of two people who love, which takes a lifetime to fulfill.”

I like it.

Pet Peeves at the Gym

I entered a gym for the first time 10 years ago when I was a sophomore in college.  Although I did not realize it at the time, this was an ideal way to initiate myself into the world of The Gym.  My college gym was basically a frat party without the alcohol and instead of pool tables and couches, there were workout machines and weights. It was a see and been seen kind of scene.  Most sorority girls "worked out" complete with FULL faces of makeup, perfectly curled bouncy ponytails,  perfume and matching spandex shorts and sports bras.  Frat guys went to the gym to watch stare at the sorority girls.  If I could survive in there, I could survive in any gym. 

I now have grown to love and look forward to my workouts at my local gym.  I love that the gym makes me happy.  I love that I feel invisible when I have my iPod earbuds in.  I love that that I now have a continual desire to learn more about my body and how it works.  I love that when I log all those gym hours, I do not want to be eating anything unhealthy. 

And now that I have listed the things I love about the gym, I would like to express some of the dislikes:

My pet peeves at the gym:

• Trainers who feel it necessary to jog everywhere throughout the gym to maximize their calorie burn.
• When the man on the cardio machine next to me has clearly forgotten to wash his gym clothes for a week and also forgot to use his deodorant that day. 
• Anytime someone offers unsolicited advice on how I am working out wrong.
• Broken drinking fountains.
• Broken equipment that stays broken for weeks. I pay dues. Get the shit working.
• Trainers who are not able to add my body fat percentage and instead ask for me to confirm if that sounds right?
• People Guys who drop their weights at least 2 feet from the ground when they are done with sets just to make sure everyone around them knows just how hard that last rep was.
• People Guys who grunt so loudly that it sounds like an f-ing hippo is loose in the gym just to make sure everyone around them knows just how hard that set was.
• When the person using the cardio machine next to me is talking on their cell phone.*
• Men in spandex.
• Group instructors who sing into the microphone. Pure ear torture.
• When the microphone system in my Lift class cuts in and out and the instructor is then forced to yell when it cuts out and it cuts back in right when they are screaming.
• Cardio Bouncers. (folks who bounce so excessively on their elliptical GLIDER machines that they make me sea sick when they're in my line of vision. You can tell that they think they are really challenging themselves. Quit with the bouncing. The less you bounce, the harder the workout.)
• Bad form. Not only hard to watch but also potentially dangerous/injurious.
• Step Mill Leaners. If you are not able to stand upright and climb, slow down the machine. Otherwise you are just dangling there and moving your legs a little.

* If you are able to carry on a full on conversation while on a cardio machine, you are not getting your heartrate up anywhere near high enough to be effective. Funny how the person talking always seems to be someone who needs that extra workout or 14.

What $50/night will get you

Once upon a time, my great friend Bubbles invites me to be her date for her company Christmas Party. The party is to be held near Lake Tahoe at a Ski Resort (oooo swanky) and we decide to make a weekend of it... Christmas Party + Tahoe + Snow + Bubbles + me = crazzzy times.

Drive up the mountain is easy, no chain controls and no traffic at all. We check into our 2 star hotel (what $50/night will get you)... and no joke the stench of the hotel lobby is similar to a casino built in the 50's. It is so bad that when we leave our eyes are burning, and we are only in there for maybe 10 minutes tops. We are amazed that The Front Desk Lady is able to stand it.

We get to our hotel room and we agree it is decent enough however it is colder in our room than in the hotel hallway. I turn on the wall "heater" – and realize it is merely pumping in the cold air from outside. Off with that. I then turn on the space heater (one of those old fashioned oil-filled ones) and it S-L-O-W-L-Y starts to push out something warmer than the air in our room. Good sign….however you can only feel the heat if you hold your hand about a ½ inch in front of it. We have no TV remote and we get 9 channels - 1 of them Spanish and 1 QVC. None come in clearly.

We decide to start getting ready and I go to take my shower. I say a quick prayer for hot water. I turn on the shower and I will say there is outstanding water pressure. Ice cold water starts shooting out of the nozzle - however the majority of it instead of shooting into the tub is shooting out the side of the shower head - right into my face and all over the bathroom floor. I try to block the water with the shower curtain as I reach under it to adjust the water to a better temperature. That water was no more than 40 degrees and I briefly wonder if it is being pulled right from the snow bank outside. It is F-ing COLD. I adjust the shower head to spray into the tub and finally feel the water get a little bit warmer, still not anything I would want to shower in.... and then without warning, it is scalding hot. Of course. Like to the point that I do not want to touch it. I play around with the faucet for awhile and finally get it adjusted to a bearable temperature. The water pressure is so strong and the water is so hot that it quickly gets so steamy in the bathroom that it is hard to see to shave my legs. But at least it is hot! And then all of a sudden it is literally pitch black. I can not see an inch in front of my face. My first thought is oh shit the power went out and I am NAKED then I vaguely remember that the bathroom lights had one of those timer switches. I get out and feel my way around the wall and find the switch. Success I can see again! I quickly finish so as not to waste any additional hot water and Bubbles gets in to take her shower. She finishes showering, gets out and we are standing talking to each other in just our towels and all of a sudden, the fire alarm goes off.

We go into the hallway to see if everyone is evacuating and we realize it's just going off in our room. Two brilliant minds working together, we finally figure out it’s getting triggered because of all the shower steam. So we fan the smoke detector for awhile and say to each other -

"Well, at least we know the fire alarm works!"

We find a movie on TV and start doing our makeup and hair. Then the power goes out for real. We go out in the hallway again to see if there is power out there and sure enough the hall lights are on, power's just off in our room. Bubbles calls the front desk and asks The Lady if someone can come turn it back on. Lady says she would send Joe on over to help. We wait for about 15 minutes in the dark and as we are under a bit of a time crunch we are starting to get a little antsy. I call the front desk again and ask how long she meant exactly when they said Joe is on his way. Like - is he on his way walking here from Hawaii or is he on his way from next door? Lady reassures me that Joe is on the property and on his way.

Sure enough soon after that Joe shows up, a nice old grandpa in his sweat suit, and he asks what exactly we have plugged in at one time. The tally is: bathroom heat lamp, 2 hairdryers, a hair straightener, a phone charger, every single lamp and light, the space heater and the TV. He admonishes us for having so many things going at once and warns us that this place is older than him so we have to be careful not to blow the place up. Good advice. I unplug the charger and turn down the heat. Joe flips the breaker and everything comes back on. He leaves and maybe 3 minutes later the power goes out again. We move the hair dryer and straightener to separate plugs and turn off a lamp. Bubbles flips the breaker switch herself (because we don't want to bother poor Joe and we now know exactly where the switch is) and continue to get ready and about a minute later the power goes out again. This time we unplug everything except one lamp and the hairdryer. And flip the breaker again. We hurry up and get ready and make it to the party just in time.

It is an awesome shindig, they really spare no expense. There are lavish decorations, huge ice sculptures on the tables and amazing raffle prizes, the biggest of which is a 45 inch flat screen TV! We don't win anything but regardless we have a great time. After the party, we head back to the hotel. Bubbles invites some of her co-workers to come with us so we can all go out together after. We have a moment of panic on the drive back thinking that we had left without plugging the heater back in and that the room would now be a freezer and the beers we had left to chill in the snow on our balcony would be an exploded frozen mess.

We get back to the hotel and the now completely booked place has not one parking space left. I go back into the ashtray/front office and ask where we should park. Lady suggests we park at the Biltmore next door. (The Biltmore is a 2 star casino for you non-Californians.) I go back to the waiting car to report this and Bubbles does not like that idea one bit and she goes up to have words with the Lady. I tell her to be nice, it is not Lady’s fault. Once in there Bubbles realizes Lady is nice and she somehow convinces her to let us park in one of the two handicapped spots. Ironically, the only 2 parking spots in the entire lot that are not plowed are the handicapped ones. Brilliant. The snow is not deep so we can get the car in there but it is deep enough that Bubbles, her friend Jessica and I are a sight to see trying to maneuver in our high heels and cocktail dresses out of the car in the snow and towards our building.

Crisis averted, turns out one of us did remember to turn the heat back on before we left and the beers on the balcony are not frozen, but perfectly chilled adult beverages ready to be consumed. We change and go out the casinos, walking distance from the hotel. It is a fun night but hardly any sleep. I think I go to bed around 3:30ish. I wake up at 7 and pack up both of our stuff, wake up Bubbles and shuffle her to the car and drive us home. Just in time, it is raining the entire drive down the mountain = snowing in Tahoe!

My First New Car

When I graduated from college, my mom was generous enough to buy herself a new car and give me her old one.  (In the car's defense was not THAT old.  It was a '95 Honda Civic, 4 doors, stick shift, cute, white and had a moon roof!)  If you know anything about Hondas, you know they have a reputation of lasting forever.  My family is a Honda Family.

I will never forget that Thanksgiving in 2002 when my mom had my cousin and I go car shopping for her. She was pretty sure she knew what kind of car she wanted (a CRV) and she also knew she did not want to deal with the car salesmen.  So she sent us instead to test drive and browse the options. We met a nice salesman (no, really!), test drove a few cars and then sent her to do the deal. Now I knew that there was a possibility that my mom would trade in her old Civic to cut down the cost of her new car.  But inside I was reeeally hoping she would give the Civic to me. (Bear in mind that my very first car was an '86 Mazda Hatchback with no radio or speakers that was falling apart at the seams.  It died on me at the beginning of my junior year of college, and sat collecting dust parked behind my sorority house until a Mexican left a barely legible note on it telling me he would buy it for $100.  I sold it to him. I hadn't had a [functional] car for 2 years and was forced to walk everywhere or bum rides off my boyfriend and sorority sisters. So yeah, I wanted needed a car.) When Mom walked out of the dealership, she handed me the key to her old car.  I was beyond thrilled!  My Mom was an angel from heaven and there were rainbows falling from the sky and soft fluffy kittens playing at my feet. My cousin and I drove back to school down the coast highway with every window down and the radio playing as loud as it would go.  We felt like we were 16 again. 

Fast forward 5 years to 2008 and the Civic which had served my mom and I so well now had 213,000 miles on it and was on her last legs.  The last year I had her she required numerous costly repairs, to the point where the repairs were exceeding the value of the car.  That is when you stop and ask yourself why am I still pouring money into this old beat up car?  There was one week in particular where I was driving a rental car (as my Civic was not starting) and I had this moment of clarity (ah-HA!) and decided it was time to stop wasting money on repairs and rentals cars and go buy myself a new one.  I called in sick to work and walked down to the rental car, parked next to my old Civic.  Some weird gut sense in me told me to try to start the ol car one last time.  You will never believe this -- she started!  I took that as a sign and drove straight over to the Honda dealership.

I knew what I wanted: a brand new 2008 Honda Accord Coupe. The coupe was so much cuter than the 4 door.  I do not have any kids and do not plan on having any in my foreseeable future, so I fugure why not display that fact prominently.  After test driving the car, I went into the dealership to do The Deal.  I knew I probably looked like the ideal prey for any decent salesman.  I mean, come on, this was my first car buying experience, I was alone, single and driving a p.o.s. with a huge dent in the side of it (some amazing kid backed into me in a parking garage and I took the insurance money and paid off my credit card. Priorities.)  I think I surprised even myself as I had done my research and knew what I could get my new car for and what I could get for the trade in value on the Civic.  We went back and forth for at least 4 hours until I was finally satisfied.  I signed the paperwork and the car was mine! 

About 20 minutes after I'd signed the deal, one of the techs who worked at the dealership came up to me and asked if I'd ever had problems with the Civic not starting.

"Nope."

Purple Power

Here's a pic of the adorable Dell laptop that I am considering purchasing:

Too Cute!  I'm in love with the Plum Purple color!

Yes, I realize I should look at things other than just the aesthetic appeal but I can't help it!!

Grandma Dinner

My Grandma lives in the same city as me and therefore I try to make an effort to see her at least once a week for dinner. Her dinners always includes a Grandma Salad and the ingredients depend on what produce is in season...but can include: spinach, romaine lettuce, celery, green onions, pineapple, avocado, tomatoes, feta cheese, pomegranate seeds, strawberries, cantaloupe and sunflower seeds. Yum! Lucky for me she has the time to shop around and find the best produce and prices in the area. I have tried in vain to recreate the Grandma Salad on my own, but alas my versions just do not compare. She is the queen of the Salad. Hence the name Grandma Salad.

Gran is 88 years old this year. Which means she was born in -- get this -- 1922!! Despite her age, she is chugging along and I would take bets that she will make it to being a centenarian. A few pieces of wisdom I have learned from The Gran:

• Make an effort to move your body everyday, regardless of the weather outside.
• Eat approximately 8 servings of vegetables at dinner.
• Women do not need men to survive.
• Nordstroms Rack has the best deals around. And the Nordstroms credit card has a great points program.
• Cats love to be petted, especially when they are meowing. Orange peels keep cats from peeing wherever the peels are placed.
• Fresh flowers are a must and are most affordable when picked from the neighbors yard. 
• Being old has its advantages, such as being able to sneak your own snacks and water into River Cats games (no security guy is going to search her bag) and she can easily get the front of a crowd for a better view at events like the PGA Tour and the Amgen Tour of CA.
• Those fragrant purple flowers that smell like garlic are edible!
• Kleenex can be reused until it is falling apart. In fact, so can most things.

Away we go

I am not sure that anyone will ever read this other than me, and that is ok with me. I figured it would be easier to keep track of a journal that Google keeps track of for me. And also just in case my house (read: apartment) ever burns down and every diary I have ever owned along with it.

So, Locket, I'm trusting you to keep my stories alive and words spelled right and we will get along fine.

And away we go.