At last... my love has come along...

So, things are completely different from the first plan and we are getting married in two days on Friday the 13th. Sweet. Heading out of town on Saturday at 6am for our honeymoon...Disneyworld, here we come!

At this point, I am very, very tired.

My world is dog.

I can't believe how much of our time is spent doing dog stuff now. Puppy Kindergarden every Wednesday for the next four weeks, dog park every day, vet appointments for shots, pet stores for toys, treats and food... Oi! I love the little guy and his constant need for attention has made me appreciate my relationship with M even more (if that's possible!) as our alone time is limited now.

Also, my cd player is starting to crap out and....yes, I know, who even uses cds anymore in the era of the Ipod? Well, I do and I need a new portable cd player. Preferably one that plays mp3s. :D

And also...

Wedding plans have changed almost 100%. The owner of the old venue called me a few weeks ago and said she had some bad news: they are being shut down and their last day of operation is Sept. 9th. So we had to find a new place, new caterer and less expensive bridesmaid dresses to help make up for the cost increase for the venue. Needless to say I was pissed, but now everything is fine and we're having our wedding on October 13th like we wanted in the first place. Ahhhh.

This is our new baby, Malcolm:

What a handful!

It's about time...

...and my abundance thereof. I have a new job coordinating system access set ups for new and current users at one of the biggest insurance companies in the US. It's easier than it sounds. So I've been diligently planning wedding and reception details and we've decided to turn it into a two day event. We wanted to get married on October 13th but, after looking at the calendar, decided to do it on the 14th because it's a Saturday. After a few headaches and several sketches of the table set up for the reception getting thrown in the garbage, I ran a bath ( I do my best thinking while I'm soaking in the tub). Ten minutes later, called for my sweetie and asked what he thought about having the ceremony the night before, on the day we originally wanted anyway. I said there would be no table moving, no "who has a seat and who has to stand" worrying, no rushing to get things rearranged while 200+ people are staring at us waiting for the party to start...no stress! Plus, it would make the ceremony more private - immediate family and close friends only would be invited - and we could have it at a park or down on the waterfront or at the Japanese Gardens... ahhhh. Beautiful. He got right on board with that idea and when we told our families this past weekend at the engagement brunch my parents hosted, they thought it was a great idea.

I can't wait.

my brain is about to explode.

I need to go get a manicure, pedicure and massage. I didn't sleep well last night with all the running around worrying if there were enough chairs for everyone and pages of cake pictures and bakery ads flipping through my head. Some decisions need to be made pretty dang quick so I don't have to go beg some doctor for valium or lunesta or something. Also, everything I eat is making me ill.

Eloping is starting to sound like a good plan.

it's on!

We're getting married October 14th. The planning phase is in full effect and our parents are meeting for the first time next weekend. I've pretty much decided on bridesmaid dresses and we're narrowing down places to have the reception. We're going to Disney World for our honeymoon and the girls, except my sister, and my mom and I are all going to a bridal show this weekend to taste cake and take notes.

I will need a nap some time soon.

*bells are ringing*

Matt proposed last night! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pfft.

So much for updating this more often. It seems like when I have free time, I just want to sleep or veg out. I'm tired more often than I think I should be and I'm ready for a break from work at Christmas. Nothing sounds better than three days of sleeping until I'm done (rather than until the alarm forces me out of bed), no plans and spontaneous, very low key, mellow activities like board games with the fam and maybe a movie or two.

It's My Dad's Birthday

As I can't be 2 hours away with him, I'll wish him happy birthday from here and go to Thanksgiving next week with gift in hand. Sadly, my sweetie won't be there. But my sister will and that makes me happy.

I think I'm coming down with something. I started getting a sore throat last night and nothing had changed when I woke up this morning. Meh.

Short week.

No, it isn't National Short Person Week, it's just a 4 day work week for me. We play bingo at work and I won the last round, which meant I got to spin the roulette wheel to determine my prize options. I spun green (the best one!) so I got to pick either 1/2 day off paid or a 1 hour massage. I opted for the 1/2 day off (duh) and, now that I don't have any mutual days off with my sweetie, I'll be enjoying this Friday doing whatever with him. Woo!

...And so the holidays begin...

Now that Halloween has come and gone (fun costumes, tasty drinks, early out), the winter holidays are right around the corner and I am NOT ready for all of that hullaballoo. The plan at this point is Thanksgiving with my folks (just me) and Christmas Eve with my folks (both of us). Plans for Christmas Day aren't really set (part of it will be spent getting home from Eugene) but I'm sure that will solidify soon enough. We talked briefly about getting a small tree since our place isn't really big enough for a regular tree... and this would be my first tree since I've lived away from my family. We're also talking about going to Disney World in January for 5 days... if we're good about money until then, it should work out just fine.

Photos from Halloween coming soon...

i'm having halloween costume issues.

It's only 10 days away and I don't know what to wear. I'm not opposed to making something myself but my time is limited and I'm at a loss for good ideas. If anyone is still out there...help!

It's me, South Park style. Woo!

captain's log: star date: 050505.13.04...we've been notified of the arrival of an alien life form...

So, my sister is coming up for a visit tomorrow. We haven't seen each other since September of last year in Dublin so she hasn't seem my new place or met Matt. Her boyfriend, Grant, will be coming out to meet my parents next month and hopefully they'll come up here to visit as well, as I haven't met him either. She'll only be here tomorrow and Saturday so we'll have to pack as much in as possible. I'm making it my mission to convince her that text messaging is a necessity and she needs to get with the program. I don't know how it would work, as far as range goes, with her being on the ship most of the time but if that's not a problem, she needs to get it.

In other news, I got my first paycheck and holy crap! It's not even a full 80 hours and it's significantly more than what I was bringing home before. Niiiiice. If I keep up what I've been doing these last couple weeks, I'll be asking for a raise around June during my 90 day review. I've been given a project that entails revamping the interior design of our model apartment and the lobby of the building and I'm so excited about it! I get to pick and install new furniture, new artwork, new knick-knacks, new paint....fun, fun, fun! I took pictures of the model as it currently is and I'll take more when the project is complete so I can have this for my resume. Who knows...maybe I'll become the resident interior designer.

Since we here in the USA have stolen Cinco De Mayo and turned it into just another excuse for a party, I'm torn as to whether or not I want to fight the crowds and go out tonight. I should get some sleep and pick up the apartment a little before my sister gets here... I can always drink margaritas with her tomorrow anyway.

Money Issues.

I have ridiculous money management problems. I don't make tons of money to begin with, but the issues are really my lack of control when it comes to keeping the purse strings drawn tight and spending money on other people and things I don't really need. I horribly abuse the overdraft cushion on my checking account and end up eating the $25 fee for each transaction all the time. I am VERY bad. M bought The Idiot's Guide to Money Management at Goodwill the other day and I've decided that since I'm willing to give hundreds of dollars to my bank for no good reason, I must be an idiot and I need to read that book. I also really need to hear from the new job soon...if I put myself on a budget and make more money, I'll actually be able to save some and still get to spend the way I do now without having to worry about anyone seeing an overdraft notice in the mail and feeling guilty about it.

Groggy McGroggerson Here...

The weekend was really busy and I didn't get half enough sleep. My 2nd interview got postponed to Wednesday because the regional manager of the property won't be in town until then and I'm hoping I'll be caught up on sleep by then. I was ready to walk in and say, "When do I start?" today, but I think I can muster up the confident thing again on Wednesday.

Saturday was long....really long. We left for IKEA around 9am-ish and didn't get home until 9pm-ish. Oi. But, we have the right bedframe now and it's made a huge difference in how comfortable the mattress is. It was fine before, but now it's dreamy. We also got curtains, rods and finials for the bedroom, a matching apron and oven mitt, some plants and ceramic containers to transplant them into, lightbulbs, tea lights, and plastic storage containers for under the bed. I love IKEA. They really need to put one here in Portland...or maybe it's better for everyone's wallet that they haven't yet....

We picked up most of the stuff from M's folks' place yesterday, the rest of which he's getting today before they get home, and by the time we go to bed tonight, we'll pretty much have the living room finished (for the time being until we can get the couch we want) and ready for company with enough seating for at least five people. In fact, all of the rooms are about 90% done...we have a few boxes to deal with in the second bedroom and the living room and I have stuff to organize in the closet across from the bathroom, but aside from that, we're fairly well settled.
If all goes well with this job I'm up for, I'll see if we can plan a small house warming/hooray for a new job get-together.

I Feel Special.

It's nice to know that what I write is interesting enough that people are talking about it.

NOT Part Of The Plan.

When I agreed to pay all of my half of this month's rent at the old place, I did not anticipate being asked to have my things out by the 15th. I did not anticipate paying the whole 1/2 month's rent for someone else to live there for the rest of the month. I did not anticipate having to move my stuff out and clean the room when I was finished moving after working all day on Tuesday. I did not anticipate being told I'd get my 1/2 of the $400 deposit back in smaller monthly payments. I definitely did not anticipate being this pissed off about moving.

So Much To Do, So Little Motivation...

Moving day is exactly one week away. We can pick up keys this week but can't start moving in until the 15th and I have to work Monday and Tuesday so the major moving of my stuff won't happen until we have the U-Haul on Wednesday... and I haven't done squat about packing or selling anything. I know Lara wants the purple futon couch and the entertainment unit so if Dex and Taryn actually want some of my bookshelves, I'll only have my bed to deal with selling. The new landlord has decided NOT to resurface the bathtub, which kills me, but offered to credit us $100 towards rent if we have it done on our own, which I'm seriously considering. We'll have to see what CLR can do for the rust stain and the bottom before I'll even step foot in it. If that doesn't help, it's getting resurfaced, dammit.

I'm already tired just thinking about next week. Hopefully, we'll get out to the beach on one of my days off so I won't feel like I took off time from work to do nothing but work.

It's Happy Birthday To Me Week.

I'm at lunch, which consists of Dannon fat free vanilla yogurt over vanilla almond granola, sweet baby carrots, popcorn and water. I'm trying to decide where to go tomorrow night for my birthday dinner. I'm thinking either Todai, Yuki, Koji (all of which are sushi) or Taco Bell. I know, I know...Taco Bell? Yeah, well...It's my damn birthday and I'll have Taco Bell for all three meals if I want! So shut it.

I have to work tomorrow and I know the office is buying big sub sandwiches, cake and ice cream for lunch so that will be nice. After tonight's festivites, I expect tomorrow to be pretty quiet. Dinner with the boy and maybe a movie is all that's on the agenda and I kinda like it that way.

Oh, How We Shopped...

$1200 of super fantastic furniture from the glorious shopping mecca that is IKEA got crammed into a rented Toyota Matrix on Saturday evening. The furniture cramming was followed by a stop in Tacoma for grub at Hooters. They didn't have the black Hooters tank top in stock, so I didn't get anything there other than a yummy grilled cheese sandwich and curly fries. I heard the hot wings were delicious.

Sunday, after a few moments of panic and indecision, I chopped my hair and now have a very different 'do. The folks at work yesterday morning asked if I'd gone to the Oscars last night because they think I look glamourous. I'm still adjusting but even if I never get used to it, it's just hair and it'll grow back quickly. It suits the dress I'm wearing for my birthday festivities on Wednesday night so that's something. If you don't already know, come to the Boiler Room Wednesday night around 9ish in a fancy vintage outfit and help me celebrate the official leap into my 30's (good lord, I'll be 31...oi). My actual birthday is Thursday but I'm starting the party a day early. Be prepared for karaoke rock blocks galore...

Don't Change A Thing...For Me

We're going to Seattle tomorrow to check out and possibly buy furniture at IKEA. In trying to figure out the best way to get up there and have room in whatever vehicle we take to bring stuff back, Matt found out that one can rent cars from dealerships. He's been wanting a Toyota Matrix and thought it would be fun to drive one to Seattle. So he looked online and found out that the Toyota dealer in Beaverton does in fact rent them and it wouldn't be that expensive. I'd never heard of dealerships renting vehicles so I was curious about how it worked and asked Matt for the details. He said me asking him how it worked made him feel like I thought he was an idiot and didn't know what he was talking about. I don't get it...Am I missing something? Asking questions has always in my mind been indicative of not knowing what was going on and wanting to be educated...so why would I ask an idiot? It boggles my mind the things that come out of that guy's mouth sometimes.

Later, at the grocery store, we got into it about the jam I chose and how much high fructose corn syrup it has in it and why I should get a different jam. He actually said that I might as well take up smoking as it was about as bad for me as the corn syrup in my jam. Oh. My. God. I'd be happy to give up some of the junk I eat but we were talking about jam. JAM! I checked my e-mail today and found he'd sent me links to 4 different webpages with information about how bad high fructose corn syrup is and a note about how he has a hard time staying away from sweets and has diabetes in his family so he wants to avoid them as much as possible and how much easier it would be for him if I was doing the same thing. I can see that but, since I'm always the one who wants salad and fruit and veggies and drinks a ton of water, I feel like I'm already behaving myself for the most part. Considering my previous eating habits and how much weight I lost by changing how I eat a few years ago, I actually think I'm doing pretty good if I only indulge in jam or have a soda with my lunch once a week or whatever.

I'm not the sort of girl who smiles and says "Yes, dear." to everything so I asked him last night to let this one go...he'd mentioned awhile back something about picking your battles and I wholeheartedly agree. I don't have the energy to argue about this one.

We're Shackin' Up.

The deposit has been paid and the date has been set. Beware the Ides of March, yo. We move into our new place on NW 23rd and Everett March 15th. Got to clean out and sell off or trash a bunch of crap before then. The trip idea has been postponed until further notice but I still have my birthday celebrating and new apartment decorating to look forward to in the coming months. Can't wait to get things moved and settled...

Pook, Pook, Pook.

Fun weekend... stayed home Friday night, made dinner and watched tv. Went shopping with my boy Saturday and then met up w/ T & D for dinner at Navarro and pool and singing at the bar after. Yesterday I woke up to the smell of french toast and bacon - M had gone to the store and gotten movies, bought me a vanilla latte (my favorite) and pepper bacon, come home to cook and served breakfast in bed! Happy Valentine's Day to me! We went shopping again after the movies, grabbed dinner while we were out, then came back to drink raspberry champagne and watch Bitter Moon (weird movie). I loved the whole weekend.

Today, we went to look at an apartment during my lunch break. Super cool place over in NW w/ hardwood floors and lots of light. We took an application so now we have to figure out how to make this work in the next few weeks. How exciting!

Feels Like A Made-For-TV Movie...

Ok, check it:

1.) M got his unemployment (finally!) and has been treating me to everything for the last four days. So sweet!

2.) I may or may not have a job here at some point in the next 4-6 months because the company has put the property on the market. They'll give me a staying bonus and severance package if I stay until it sells and they can't place me elsewhere within the company and the buyer doesn't offer me a job. I'm interested to see how this all pans out.

3.) M is seriously looking into the Army as a career option. Life as we know it would end if he signs up. I am not thrilled.

4.) We're still staying at Hotel Jensen and it's really nice. There's been talk of moving in together and more, but I can't take it too seriously because of all the Army talk. I don't know if I'm ready for all of this.

5.) I'll be at the bar tomorrow night and since I haven't seen some of you in awhile, I'd love it if you came out.

6.) My birthday is just a few weeks away and I'm hoping to take a little 3-4 day trip somewhere fun next month. Vegas or Disneyland are possibilities...still trying to work out the timing, how much I can afford, etc.

7.) My brain is going a mile a minute and it's freaking me out.

You Know What's Good?

~Trader Joe's Strawberry Smoothies.

~Celebrity Poker Showdown on Bravo.

~Free doughnuts.

~Hearing someone say they're falling in love with you.

~6pm on Fridays.

~The Killers.

~Oriental flavor ramen noodles.

~Knowing that no matter how little money you have right now, there's more coming soon.

~Tax refunds.

~Pretending you're on vacation at a hotel when you stay with your boyfriend at his parent's house while they're out of town.

me, yo. 

Sicky McSickerson Here...

The sore throat, the lingering headache, the all over achy feeling... guh. I said I was willing to brave potentially getting sick to be with my ailing boy and now I have the yuck too. Did that stop me from going to work? Nope. Will it stop me from going to T's birthday party tomorrow night? Nope. Will I feel like a hottie in the dress I'm gonna wear? Nope. D'oh.

Where's The Magic Money Tree When You Need It?

I wonder if sending out a mass e-mail, like one of those "forward this on to all of your friends" type of dealie, requesting that anyone who feels so inclined should donate their loose change to me via my Pay Pal account would actually work... that would be sweet if it did.

Spent a big chunk of Sunday cleaning: scrubbed out the microwave, did all the dishes and put them away, vacuumed the living room, kitchen and bathroom rugs and couches, did a bunch of laundry and made my bed. I was jacked up on caffeine and it took my mind off of being broke. If only I got an allowance for doing my chores like in the old days, I'd be rich right now.

Went to the BR on Saturday night and took a bunch of pictures of people giving me the finger. Even got one of T flipping me the double bird and she never does that. When you scroll through them on the camera's viewer, it's pretty funny.

New Photos

new camera, new pics.

I Must Have Been A Saint In A Past Life.

After spending Friday night straight through to Monday night with my boyfriend, I feel so incredibly lucky to have him.

Three Days

Three days of no plans. Three days of whatever I want. Three days of no alarm clock. Three days of peanut butter and honey sandwiches and Lucky Charms and colby jack cheese and bottles of wine. Three days of nothing and everything. The clock can't strike 6pm soon enough.

The Two Year Curse

This week is poking along slowly... can't figure out if it's just me being eager for a three day weekend (took Monday off for the hell of it) or what but it's starting to get to me. Could just be the two year curse: looking back at all the different jobs I've had since college, I noticed that I haven't stayed at a job longer than about two years before either moving on to a different position or moving to a different city or something. I temped for three years after trying the nanny thing many moons ago and after that I landed a job at a hospital in the medical records department where I spent a little over a year. I was asked to work on a special project for the patient financial services department, which lasted about a year and when the project ended, so did my employment at the hospital. A little over a week later, I started a job at a private practice neurosurgery office and about a year later, I was fired w/o cause (later it was determined by a judge that it was for "personal differences" between myself and the practice administrator and not for anything I did wrong, therefore I was still eligible for unemployment). Within two weeks of that fun incident, I was packed up and on my way here to Portland where I spent from Sept. 11, 2002 to Feb. 25, 2003 temping again. I've now been at my current job, which was a temp-to-hire position, for almost two years.

I remember my mom having several different jobs throughout my childhood and all the moves we made for my dad's job with the U.S. Marshal service over the years and it struck me that maybe I'm destined for the same fate: doing random jobs here and there just to get a paycheck. That doesn't really bother me, actually. Work is work. I'm not going to be passionate about or expect 24/7 fun doing something called work. If it was fun all the time, it'd be called fun. "Honey, I'm off to have fun now. See you tonight for dinner." Doesn't really sound right. And really, I can't complain too much because all of my jobs have been tolerable. I realized that none of the actual work I've had to do has been any real source of stress. Boring, sometimes, but not really stressful. On the other hand, some of the people I've worked with or had to deal with as customers have been a serious pain in my ass and made me wish I was anywhere other than at work.

The point of all this is that I'm feeling a little stagnant. I thought moving around and travelling so much as a kid made me get antsy after living in Eugene for too long but now I'm thinking it was more that I didn't feel at home there anymore and needed to find MY place. So far, Portland has definitely been that. Maybe I've jumped from job to job because I haven't felt like any of them were what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing. Is this job IT for me? Doubtful. Is Portland my permanent home? Who knows. All that I do know is I'm itching for an adventure and I need to figure out how to make that happen.

Shocking. Not.

You scored as Geek. Geek 56% Drama nerd 50% Punk/Rebel 31% Prep/Jock/Cheerleader 25% Goth 19% Loner 19% Stoner 13% Ghetto gangsta 0% What's Your High School Stereotype? created with QuizFarm.com

I Believe In A Thing Called Love...

(For the protection of our readers, this post has been removed due to overwhelmingly squishy content.)

There Are Worse Things Than Being Temporarily Broke If You Have Company.

Under normal cash flow circumstances, I get out a few times a week either to restaurants, the bar, the movies or some other form of entertainment that eats away at the money in my pocket like pirhannas to a cow. Currently, I'm broke. In fact, I'm broker than broke: I actually owe myself money when I get paid next Wednesday. Oi. All that really means is that I have to find ways to entertain myself that don't cost anything. Like Yahtzee. I loves me some Yahtzee. And I'll be watching movies I've already seen a bazillion times. I'm sure there are games to be made out of quoting these films. Oh, and everyone knows the cheapest food on the planet is ramen, so it's soup and noodles for me for the next week. My boy is broke for awhile too, so at least I won't be alone in my quest for free entertainment. Now that the holidays are over, I think it'll be nice to stay in for a little awhile and relax anyway. This no money thing could turn out to be a blessing in disguise...

Ready To Go home And Cry.

I feel like crap. I'm hyper-emotional, crampy, headachy and mentally exhausted. I want to go home, put on pajamas, make some soup and crawl into bed. Guh.

A Year Of Firsts And It's Only The 4th.

The weekend was great: Thursday night, I went over to M's after work with Chinese food in tow, after which we headed down to the bar to sing for awhile and hang out with T. New Year's Eve day we watched Amelie (which I hadn't seen and loved), then headed out to spend the evening at T & D's drinking champagne, eating pizza and other random junk food, playing video games and Yahtzee and then watching the ball drop on tv. We all got up to make a tasty breakfast on the 1st, then M & I just sorta lazed around and played more video games and Yahtzee once we got back into town. Sunday we decided on a whim to go down to Eugene and spend the night at my parents' place. Burrito Boy was on the agenda for dinner and after seeing Kinsey at the Bijou, we went over to the Downtown Lounge and played pool for a bit before the kung fu karaoke started. After my mom made dutch babies and bacon for breakfast yesterday, we wanted to wander around the UO campus (we're both graduates) and go say hi to M's old boss. He introduced me as his girlfriend for the first time...so cute! On the way home, we stopped at the outlets in Woodburn and then he surprised me by taking me to see Garden State (which I'd been whining about wanting to see for weeks) at the Kennedy School. We were back to my place by 10ish and I slept like a baby. Amazing.

I wish I were independently wealthy so I could do stuff like that all the time. As it stands, I'm grounded until next Wednesday. Guh.

My Dreams Are Fucked.

Woke up half teary-eyed in the middle of the night after dreaming that a table of five people, only one of whom I know and would rather not mention, spent their time picking on me and laughing at me and doing their damnedest to make me feel bad for no reason. The one person I do know came over to my table and said he knew I was having a bad time and didn't mean to hurt my feelings but then proceeded to rejoin his table and laugh at me until I was crying. The whole thing felt pretty real and when I woke up, I felt all disoriented for a minute until M asked if I was ok. Guh. Stupid dreams.

A Break From The Squishiness.

M dropped me off at home around 10ish last night after taking me to dinner and a movie. I got up to my front door, put the key in the lock, turned it and started crying. Just like that...for no reason. He'd been asking me if I was ok and what was wrong all night, telling me I looked sad and that he didn't like it when I looked like that, but I didn't have anything to say because nothing was exactly wrong. I have very little to complain about, except the ongoing issue of never having enough money, and I'm happier now than I've been in I don't even know how long. Obviously, there's something eating at me and it has yet to surface. I haven't remembered my dreams lately and there's usually some clarity in the ones I do remember, so I must be holding something back from my conscious mind. I'm so wrapped up in feeling loved and wonderful that I'm blocking out reality maybe...who knows. The crying freaked me out a bit, though. I don't like losing control of my emotions and I definitely don't like thinking there must be something wrong with me that I can't put my finger on. I spent a good half hour questioning everything good in my life last night and that's just not right.

Stuff And Things And Stuff

Christmas was nice with the fam in Eugene and with friends that evening when I got back to Portland. Sunday, after sleeping in until the last possible second, I went with M to his parents' house for brunch with his dad's side of the family. This meant meeting about 20 of his relatives and a white elephant gift exchange. Everyone was welcoming and chatty so, after the first few minutes of anxiety, I felt right at home. The rest of the day was spent napping and stuff and whatever and we eventually got up and headed down the street to meet T & D for dinner at Noodlin' and dessert at Coldstone. I went to bed early and slept like dead. Couldn't have asked for a better holiday weekend.

Happy Holidays

Happy happy, joy joy! I got a digital camera and a stash of fun stuff under the tree and in my stocking... hope everyone else got what they wished for and that their holiday is spent just the way they wanted!

So Glad That's Over.

The dentist wasn't as bad as previous visits had traumatized me into thinking it would be. The whole process started at 3:30 pm, took almost an hour and when I was done, I was told I'd be numb for another two or so hours. I could finally feel the left side of my face at just after 8pm. That was really the worst part, aside from the aching jaw that has carried over into today. Thank gawd for Aleve...and a sweet boy who made a special trip to the store to have Jello and pudding waiting for me since he knew I couldn't eat anything solid last night. Frickin' adorable.

Going to the bar to sing for awhile tonight. Come out and play. Also, totally in love with the Garden State soundtrack at the moment. In love.

So Nice To Hear...

Friday night, the whole office got taken to dinner at the Portland City Grill and a few of us brought dates. This morning, I was bombarded with comments about how great they think M is for me and how much they liked him and how everyone thought we make a cute couple. It's cool to hear that other people see a little of what I see...

I'm Full Of Sappy Stuff And Things

I'm not really a fan of pet names, but I love it that he calls me "sugar." He looks at me like there's no one else in the room. And he took me to work this morning so I wouldn't be late. I've got the warm fuzzies.

Sonofa...

I have to go back to the dentist to have my tooth fixed NEXT WEEK!!! I have to wait a whole frickin' week!!! *sigh* Since it's not hurting me and there's nothing else wrong in my mouth that needs fixing (I take pretty good care of my teeth), they said it didn't need to be fixed right then and as long as I'm not in pain, they'd schedule an appointment for me to come back...NEXT WEEK!! I should have said it was killing me. At least she rounded off the pointy parts and it's not poking my tongue anymore. *grumble grumble*

I'd Like To Take A Moment To Whine...

...about having to go to the dentist today. I don't even know when or how it happened, but I noticed Sunday that a piece of an old filling had disappeared and now there's a small hole in my molar. It's making me crazy and scraping my tongue. I have an appointment to have it looked at today and I can't even begine to explain how much I hate going to the dentist. I've had very few visits that didn't incite tears. The worst part about today's visit is that they said they probably aren't even going to fix it! I think it's only an exam and x-rays today so I'll have to go back! Plus, today is our office holiday potluck and my dentist appointment is right in the middle of lunch so I don't get to eat and socialize with my co-workers. Guh. This seriously sucks. The only thing that would make it better is if they decide to fix it today...at least then I'd get shot up with lidacaine and wouldn't be able to eat anything anyway. Frickin' hell.

I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

Another ridiculously good weekend has come and gone. I don't know what the deal is but I'm frickin' happy all the time lately. I can't even say how many times I've tried to step back and do a reality check - I can honestly say I've never had anyone treat me like he does ever - and I'm sorta in shock. I'm so used to giving everything, getting very little in return and forcing myself to be content with that... I catch myself on the verge of happy tears over little things like playing the guitar and singing to me or letting me sleep all day and wake up to find him making me lunch or asking how my day at work went. It's a little overwhelming to have someone care so much about what I want...

I told him a couple weeks ago that I've never told anyone I've dated that I love them. I'm realizing that I never said it for a good reason: no one has ever deserved to hear it from me before now.

He Turns Me To Mush...

I'd like to find words that adequately express how I'm feeling but they all seem to fall short. Suffice it to say that I could fall into those grey eyes of his and I wouldn't want to get back up.

Sleep Is Good.

I watched my all-time favorite movie last night, What A Way To Go, and fell asleep about two minutes after it ended at 9ish. I feel much better today...had the sweetest dreams and good, solid sleep.

Weird Headspace...

I didn't sleep last night. My brain was too busy worrying about things I can't control and that left me sleepless. I'm completely distracted today and it's taking way more effort than usual to get my work done. I've found myself on the verge of tears for no apparent reason other than that the remodeling started and I'm just not myself today. Also, I'm completely crazy about M and that freaks me out a little bit...but in a good way. When I wake up, the first person that pops into my head is him and that thought makes me smile.

Need to sleep soon....

So Ready For Two Days Off...

I'm still sick, in case you're wondering. Took two more Tylenol Flu PMs, slept like dead last night and woke up to the old lady smoker's cough. Gross. Whatever's ailing me is trying to get out and the sooner it's gone, the better. Didn't get Indian food last night, but did get my favorite alfredo sauced pasta w/ Taryn and that hit the spot. The little bit of window shopping we did afterward had me zonked out 5 minutes after I got home. Hopefully I'll get a second wind tonight and be able to socialize a bit...I can just see me getting home and passing out until noon tomorrow. Ooo, and I get to do laundry this weekend at home! They finally put a washer and dryer in our building! I never thought I'd be so happy about doing laundry... Ok, back to the grind. It training day for the new kid and I'm the trainer.

Kill The Cold

I love the cold weather, but I hate being sick. I stayed home from work on Tuesday and slept from 8:30am 'til 3pm and then went back to sleep at 7:30pm, woke up to a phone call at 10pm and went right back to sleep until the alarm went off at 7:45am. I felt better yesterday day, but as soon as I get comfortable and think about sleeping, I'm a disaster. This head cold has got to go away soon...I had to leave the Bonfire early last night because the smoke was killing my throat. Hopefully, if I stay home tonight and go to bed early, I'll feel better enough to go out tomorrow. And maybe some Indian food will help clear my head too...

And now to the Sky Cam for the traffic report: traffic appears to be moving steadily with no signs of congestion or hold ups... enjoy it while it lasts, folks.

Oh My.

The days between Tuesday and now have been fantastic. Wonderful. Soooo so good.

Yesterday was the best day ever. I got a text message from M asking if I had plans for the day and did I want to go hiking. I am definitely not a hiker, but I'm game for whatever if it means spending time with someone whose company I enjoy, so I said I was in. I'd never been to Horse Tail Falls, so I didn't really know what to expect and I was amazed at how beautiful it was up there. The trail takes you behind the falls and you can just stand there, watch the water drop in front of you and take it all in...*sigh* I'd like to say that I was a trooper and had no problems with the hike, but I was a total wuss and struggled to breathe for about 3/4ths of it. He was really sweet about it and when I said, "You're probably thinking you're never taking me out here again..." he replied, "I'm thinking we just need to go more often." Oi.

After the hike, we headed back into town and decided to catch a movie at the Laurelhurst. We had some time to kill before Team America started, so we tooled around in Lady Luck, the vintage shop right across from the theater, for a few, walked down to Von Natur, the shop that carries his company's bath and body stuff, which was closed, and then sat and talked in Starbucks for about 1/2 hour. The movie was funny, better than I expected actually...but maybe it was just that I was in a goofy mood. He'd made plans to have dinner with his family, which he wasn't all that into when it came right down to going, but after he dropped me off, he messaged me and asked if I was going to the bar later and did I want a ride. No big surprise that I was, so he came to get me, we had a couple beers and sang until about 11ish and headed back to my house.

I've spent the morning on a cloud... even the sore throat I'm fighting isn't bringing my mood down. I'm voting for more 4 day weekends.

I Should Just Shut Up Now Because I Have No Idea What's Going On.

I got a text message last night on my way home from M asking me out for sushi. He came over, we walked up the street and ate, he walked me back to my door, bear hugged me goodnight and went home. Welcome to bizarro world.

Could This Work Week BE Any Suckier?

Monday sucked. Everyone got yelled at by people who came in or called all day. Today is turning out to be the same and I'm losing my mind. I have to keep telling myself, "Just a few more hours...just a few more hours...and then only one more day" and focus on the Indian food I got for lunch and the music on my cd player. In case I haven't mentioned it before, I loooove Indian food....and that damn Britney Spears song, "Toxic."

Last night in was just what I needed: pizza and cream soda from Oasis, two Steve Buscemi movies (only watched one and then went to bed so I'm set for tonight), and a phone call from Owen to check up on me. All of the distractions (food, movies, phone calls from friends) will keep me from doing something stupid while I'm making myself stop caring. A few more nights of this and the wall will be rebuilt.

So Many Things I'd Like To Say But Won't Because I'm Too Damn Nice...

Guh, the silence is deafening. I am done calling, e-mailing, text messaging. I'm slow but I'm not stupid. If I went stumbling home with every jerkwad who asked, maybe I'd understand why it's so easy to blow me off, but I don't. In fact, of all the girls I know, I'm the least likely to go home with ANYONE. So, why me? Why not pick some random girl who doesn't care and isn't his friend? Is there something intrinsically wrong with me that makes me undateable? Gawd.

I'd like to say that I don't remember the last time I was this hurt, but I remember it clearly and it was in January. I'm locking myself in my room at night until Wednesday. It's for everyone's own good.

So The Girl Says To The Guy...

Sometimes I surprise myself with how much I'm willing to give with little or no return aside from feeling like I'm doing the right thing. I haven't seen M since Saturday morning and that's the cause of my mopey state this week... but after we talked last night, I was left feeling a little selfish and just wishing I could do something to make his life easier. Office jobs can suck the life out of anyone, especially when you're the go-to person for every little thing (as we both are). You feel like the piles of work never seem to get any smaller because the powers that be keep adding more to your plate. While you spend your day being crazy busy, you go home feeling underpaid, underappreciated and like you've accomplished nothing. I know that feeling all too well and it sucks. Hearing that someone I care about is feeling that way and working himself to exhaustion kills me. Call it maternal or whatever you want but it's that helpless thing...I can't do anything about it and, as with all of my friends' problems, I want to magically fix things. I made it clear that while I do want to see him, I don't want to make things worse by depriving him of sleep so we left it that he'd call me Friday if he was up for doing something. I promised my friend Mr. Fabulous that I'd go see his band, Dr. Theopolis, either Friday or Saturday night, so I'm making plans on my own, as usual.

I think I'm getting a serious lesson in patience... or I'm chasing the elusive white rabbit.

It's Gettin' Hot In Herre

Just had some VERY spicy caramel ginger chicken from Dragonfish for lunch and my lips are on fire. Hoowee! I'll be at the bar tonight for pool and I'll do my best not to be the mopey downer I was last night.

Representing

I've spent the morning with a guy here from our corporate office in Chicago explaining our parking issues and how things work at this property. We're hoping some of the issues can be resolved with his help and that he'll be able to make some changes that will positively impact both our income and customer satisfaction. The fact that I was asked by my boss to make myself available to him for any questions and touring the property says that 1.) she wasn't in the mood to represent the property herself because she's been dealing with parking issues for years, and 2.) she trusts me to represent both her and our property well. Turns out I'm good at that sort of thing...the guy from Chicago told her to keep me around and that I was very helpful and knowledgeable. The 8.5 hours of slaving over spreadsheets, researching our database and compiling information yesterday seems to have paid off. Nice.

It's All Good.

Last night was good. No weirdness, no ridiculousness...just green lights.

Eugene Celebration

My dad is turning 60 on Monday. I'm going down to Eugene tomorrow to hang out with my folks early since I have to work Monday and can't be there then. I think there's going to be German chocolate cake. Nice. I'll be back on Sunday.

Anything To Get By...

I treated myself to Indian food for lunch and it turns out I like eggplant. It also turns out that every guy I ever let get close to me hurts me. Huh. Good to know.

Clarity.

I have felt like crap for the last three days, thanks to the guest room renovations, and all the time I've spent fetal in my room has made for too much thinking. After the notable events of Friday night, and the near silence that's followed, it's become clear to me that if I could have only one super power, it would definitely be mindreading. As I was falling asleep Sunday night, my mind racing and struggling against dreams, I hit me that nothing has changed as far as what I want or how I feel, despite or because of Friday night. I still want the same things and I still feel the same way towards M as I have for the last month. Why am I weirded out and confused? Because I never have and still don't know what he wants or how he feels. Can't really be on the same page or make a decision about what's next if you never knew what was going on in the first place.

I'm going out tonight and pretending everything is wonderful.

I'm Joining A Convent.

Note to self: NEVER say you want a noteworthy weekend again. Dumbass.

Only The Boring Are Bored

Last night I finally got around to watching the movie I rented on Monday, The Cooler. Interesting story... casino cooler guy whose mere presence brings bad luck to those around him (William H. Macy) meets down-on-her-luck waitress girl (Maria Bello) and the sparks fly (subplot - mobster boss issues). Now that the weather is getting cooler, staying home and watching movies will be on the agenda more often, I hope.

In other news, I locked myself out when I went downstairs to get pizza after the movie last night. I grabbed keys before I left, but I grabbed my work keys, which didn't help at all. Thankfully, my next door neighbor, Charlie, came to the rescue because I would have felt like a very cold dumbass standing outside all night.

It's Friday and my brain is on auto-pilot. I got myself a tasty treat of Indian curry and basmati rice for lunch and I'm expecting the food coma to hit right around 3:30p...as usual. PSU's Homecoming is tomorrow and I should go down to watch my friend get crowned prince.

No matter what, I'm determined to make this weekend noteworthy.

You Conceed?!?

The peanut M&Ms I'm having for lunch are only dulling the pain of last night's depressing tv watching experience. I'd say all the chocolate is the reason I'm kinda feeling ill, but I was feeling this way the whole time I watched the election results come in... Depressing. National and local. Meh.

Raindrops Slid From The Top Of My Head To The Tip Of My Nose

I got to work this morning soaked. If I hadn't had to sit here half damp for half of the morning, I would have loved it. Once I was dry, my hair did this kooky flippy thing that I've just had to deal with and pretend it was intentional. Also, today was the day a video project started and our office was the first to be filmed for the Christmas party presentation. Fantastic.

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.

The weekend was.... stupid. Bah.

Bi-Polar Much?

It turns out I can go from grumpy biatch to ridiculously giddy in 8.2 seconds. Fantastic.

Also, Eric lent me a copy of the Muse cd Absolution and it's pretty rockin'. I realized after hearing the whole thing through that I'd heard "Time Is Running Out" and "Hysteria" before but "Stockholm Syndrome" has a bunch of awesome guitar solos so I liked it right away too. All in all, I think they sound like Placebo meets Queen meets another band whose name is eluding me at the moment. Good stuff.

I Blame Billy Corgan.

Yes, I live in the apartments above Powell's on Hawthorne and yes, Billy Corgan was there signing copies of his book last night. I saw him, but didn't stop to get his autograph or chat or take a photo. In fact, I was a little annoyed by his presence. He caused a line of people that stretched down the street and around the corner to block the door my building and when I tried to go in and out, they looked at me like I was the one annoying them!. There were enough people milling around that I ended up getting totally rained on while I waited for my bus. People are frickin' rude.

Anyway, when I found out who all the people were willing to brave the rain for, I started calling everyone who might give a crap that he was there. Yes, everyone includes that one guy I wasn't going to call. Guh. Damn you, Billy Corgan. Damn you.

Yes, I Voted...No, I Don't Want To Talk About Politics.

The weekend was spent mostly in my bed, sleeping until I couldn't sleep anymore and then in desperate need of a nap a few hours later... For the first time in months, I didn't go out Friday or Saturday night and, strangely, I don't feel like I missed a thing nor do I feel like I was missed. Sunday night, I felt great and was happy to be among friends (even got a compliment from the king of nothing nice to say), but today I'm back to not wanting to do anything but sleep. The seasons are changing and I'm going into hibernation mode with a vengence. Blankets and pillows and pjs, oh my.

In other news....wait, there is no other news. Nothing worth mentioning is happening in the romance department and work is the same old shit, different day. Meh.

"Tucky Bunnies"

My friend Tim out in Boston says he's "gonna to go tucky bunnies" when we're on the phone and he's gotta go to bed. I know it's Friday and I'm supposed to go out and make the most of the fact that I can sleep all day tomorrow if I want to, but nothing sounds better right now than going tucky bunnies. I may, however, change my mind after a nap when I get home, so if you see me later somewhere other than in my apartment, don't give me "that" look.

Dudes.

I don't get 'em. Any of 'em. Blah.

Coming Down From The Dressed Up High

One of the reasons I don't get dressed up very often is the few days after... I feel so...blah. Boring. Plain. The reaction I got on Sunday night gave me a crazy high but today I'm feeling sort of deflated. I heard so many people say I should wear stuff like I wore on Sunday more often but, if I dressed up more often, it wouldn't be as special when I do. And really, when it comes right down to it, I'm a t-shirt and whatever girl. Strappy dresses usually make me feel naked (although Sunday I felt strangely comfortable) and I'm already tall so heels are a rarity. Anyway, the point is that I'm feeling blah...and the only solution is to go shopping. Sweet.

My Psychic Powers Strike Again

Last night was so much fun! I love seeing everyone dressed up and while I always think my friends are hot tamales, last night they all looked great. I spent a good portion of the evening blushing (so good for the ego) and to top it all off, I won the big raffle prize of the night: my very own karaoke machine! Sweet! The funniest part is that I totally called it about two minutes before my name was called... crazy. I'm still smiling.

If You're Feeling Generous...

I still want a t-shirt that says, "Damn, I'm funny." or "I crack myself up."

"Thank you for your interest, but the position has been filled."

Date problem solved before pool last night, thank gawd....I was in a FOUL mood by the time it was over at 11:30(!!!) and left right away. No, I don't want to talk about it. Suffice it to say that I'm getting too old for this crap.

Damnit, Beavis.

I found out last night, in a weird round-about way, that the person I asked to the party on Sunday has a girlfriend. He got his own invite last night as well, so I suppose I should be consoled by the fact that I found out early enough to ask someone else. So, without further ado:

SWF iso back up date
Me: cute, intelligent, funny, cleans up nice. You: cute, intelligent, funny, available from 8pm until whenever this Sunday night. Semi-formal attire required. Drunken make-out potential preferred but will make exception for good conversationalist. Leave a message at the beep.

I Probably Shouldn't Like This Stuff, But Whatever.

1. The band Switchfoot. I love their song "Dare You To Move" so much that I went and bought the album the other day. I pretty much like the whole thing.

2. The tv show Charmed. Alyssa Milano is hot. Yeah, it's cheezy and ridiculous, but so was Buffy and I loved that too, so shut it.

3. Yukon Jack, straight. It's straight from the Devil, but I love the warm fuzzy feeling that comes immediately after you take a shot. I've lately been ordering snakebites (Yukon and lime juice) and they're just peachy for sipping.

4. The movie Barbarella. Jane Fonda was apparently a lot more fun before she became a stuffy activist (can you say hot in those space outfits?!) and without this film, Duran Duran would have had to pick some lame name like Simon and the Taylors.

5. Hot Topic. I'm not ashamed. I love that place. The mall will never be cool, but the Nintendo wrist bands Brad has been sporting are sweet.

"...wouldn't have guessed you were older than 23..."

I had a great weekend. Friday night: out with the cool kids and breakfast at the 24 Hour Hotcake House on Powell. Trip drove Laura home naked. Nice. Saturday night: out with the other cool kids to see CAC at the Tonic and then to the BR where I surprised myself by asking an acquaintance to the cocktail party this coming Sunday. Go me! Follow that up with a stranger asking me if I was a PSU student. Sweet! Sunday night: out with the regulars (also cool) and singing songs I don't normally do... I should just start taking requests all the time and see what happens. Saturday and Sunday days: shopping, having lunch with friends and getting my hairs cut. The shopping was kind of a bust, but the haircutting made up for it a little.

Tonight, I sleep.

I'm A Winner...Yay!

I had a good time last night after winning at pool (finally...all that negative reinforcement really worked!), singing and being goofy with the usual crew of Wednesday nighters and a hoard of WCI students who managed to join in on every song and crack us up. While at pool, I talked to D for a bit before we started and he said something about being in yet another transitional period after thinking he'd finally gotten through the one he was previously in... I told him his whole life will be transitional and he said he thought he was living through the difficult transitional years. I think every transition is difficult. Life just doesn't seem to get easier. We learn to deal with it better and roll with the punches and let things slide or fight the battles that we deem worthy and struggle to keep what/who we see as important "in." Priorities shift and routines change and people change. If life was stagnant, we'd all be bored.

In conclusion, I'm glad we're talking again. I missed my friend.

I Don't Feel So Good...

Stayed home sick yesterday. Yuck.

Head Games

Last night, I lost at pool again. Not by tons, but it doesn't really matter. Losing is losing. I'm not upset about it, though. It turns out that I was recruited for the team again this season not for my amazing technical skills (riiight.) but for my psychological coaching abilities. Jason (ranked at a 7) put himself up second and Noah's team played their highest ranked player (a 6). In case that doesn't mean anything to you, Jason had to make more shots to win than the other team's guy. Anyway, about half way through the match, they were tied, which actually meant Jason was behind. He holds himself to super high standards when he's playing pool and he gets mad at himself if he's not playing perfect...this does not help his game. So, I put on my nurse's uniform (just kidding), went over to him between racks and worked my magic. Needless to say, he won. Damn, I'm good. In related news, I'm getting much better at taking directions when I'm playing. I think we're on the back side of the learning curve.

Jiggy

So, we're in London and we're talking about what we want to do for dinner and the rest of the evening. I threw out an idea and Mom said it sounded good and then Dad says, with a big grin on his face, "I'm jiggy for it!" Oi. I looked at my dad, shook my head, did my best to look disgusted and said, "It's WITH, not FOR. Jiggy WITH it. Geez." He, of course, said, "Ohhh! Ok, I'm jiggy with it." and started laughing. By this time my mom was cracking up and I just lost it. For the rest of the trip, we all said we were jiggy for whatever.

Sometimes I pretend I'm not related to these people.

A Modest Proposal

In order to reduce overall stress levels, establish a healthier, more positive work environment and a more productive work force, I propose a new nationwide work scheduling system: mandatory two week paid vacation every other month. All in favor?

Yesterday, a resident brought 4 bottles of different wines to us here in the office. Can you say sweet? He said he'd bring more (he works for a distributor) before he moves to his new house. So, last night I cracked open the bottle of chardonnay I took home and tried not to think about work. I'm sure that by November, I'll be ready to go on vacation again. Either that or I'll be an official wino.

And Another Thing...

My friend Chris is coming back tomorrow from a year away in Australia. This makes me happy for multiple reasons, the top 3 of which are as follows:

3. My Playstation is starting to collect dust and it's just not fun playing Crash Bandicoot Team Racing by myself.

2. Chris is almost always up for a beer or three...or five. Sweet.

1. Chris and I have fantastic arguments about ridiculous crap. I love that.

While I Was Gone...

I bought two cds in London at a place called Fopp, an "independent entertainment retailer" which has a great selection of used cds, books and dvds as well as some new stuff. Both are 2 disc compilations (we all know I'm a mixed tape/cd addict). There are a few bands on the one I'm listening to today, called Strange and Beautiful (which I got for 5 pounds! Woo!), that I'd never heard before and absolutely love...specifically: Aqualung's "Strange and Beautiful," Dot Allison's "Colour me," The Flaming Lips' "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots Part 1," Feeder's "Just The Way I'm Feeling," and Virgin Souls' "Personality." The Flaming Lips song alone was worth it just for the lyrics. Evidently, Part 2 is just screaming. Nice.

TKO In The First Round

I got home last night from work around 6:30p and by 7, I was passed out. A phone call a few hours later from the friend I was supposed to hang out with woke me up. Needless to say, I didn't go out and went back to sleep until 6:30 this morning. So much for jumping right back into things, eh? I AM going out tonight, though. Fo' sho'.

Fun And Games

I missed Wednesday nights. Last night was great (except that I lost my pool match...but our team won anyway) and I'm ready to go out and do it again tonight. Woo!

Picture Pages, Picture Pages...

UK Trip - Sept 2004 Woo!

Flashback

I had a dream last night that I was making out with Christian Slater. You'd think that would be cool but it was weird. My sister kept barging in because we were still sharing a hotel room, but we weren't anywhere familiar. I think the dream had something to do with the fact that we saw him walking down the street pushing his kid in a stroller the first day we were in London. I found out he's there doing a show (Jack Nicholson's role in One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) after we saw him on the street and then my dad went to see it and said it was great. The second day we were there, we went to Harrod's and my dad shook hands with Mohammed Al-Fayed, the owner (and father of Dodi Al-Fayed who died in the car crash with Princess Diana), who happened to be touring the store that day with the press following him around and a huge entourage.

Not that you asked.

Home.

Well, I'm back. While I'm sure I'll be writing bits and pieces of my travel adventures here, I'll be telling the whole story (probably repeatedly, so I apologize in advance for that) at the bar tonight and tomorrow night. I wasn't homesick while I was gone, but I definitely missed my friends. Hope to see everyone soon!

Catching My Breath

I'm in Dublin. Rock on. Details when I get back...

And So It Begins...

My parents were already at the airport when I checked in, so I went through the security check and they took my nail scissors and mini swiss army knife. Sucky. They let me keep the tweezers out of the swiss army knife and that's all I really cared about. When we got here, we were told it was too early to check in and to come back at 3pm. It was 11:30 am and all I wanted was a shower. The owner said the only reason we couldn't check in was because the rooms weren't cleaned yet, but if I wanted to take a shower, I could go ahead. I get up the three narrow, steep flights of stairs, lugging my gigantic suitcase, and find out that our shower has almost no water pressure. I felt like I was taking a shower in the sink. Nonetheless, beggars can't be choosers and I was just happy to be clean. It's as hot here today as it has been in Portland and that's just gross. I'm hoping against hope that it cools off the rest of the week.

After we got something to eat and changed out our money, my mom and I hopped on a bus and ended up in Soho, then over in Piccadilly Circus wandering around Carnaby St., and then over into Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square. Got some great pictures of the archetecture and planning to get more tomorrow. My sister gets here in about 1/2 hour, so I'm off to claim the big bed...ha ha!

Hasta La Vista, Baby.

The next post you read will be written from a cafe in London. Sweeeet. I'm at the bar tonight, so come down and drink and say bon voyage!

45 Hours, 25 Minutes, 7 Seconds And Counting...

I'm not excited to leave or anything.

Pajama night at the bar was fun stuff. Sitting at the 24hr Hotcake House at 1am in my pjs and a robe was....interesting. Some guy, who we're all pretty sure was a bonafide pimp, asked me, apparently because I had on purple, if I'd just come from the Prince concert...you know, because people always go to concerts in their jammies and robe. Things started to get loopy right around the time the food arrived. I still don't know what was so damn funny.

I'm excited to go, but I'll definitely miss here while I'm gone.

Get Me The Hell Out Of Here.

Got plenty of sleep but my mind is already in London and I'm feeling kinda peckish. I only have a few things to get wrapped up here before I leave so that's a good feeling. But my patience with things here is short and I think that's half a product of short-timers and half a product of being sick of everyone whining all the time. People make their own paths. If you've made decisions that have an outcome you don't like, do something to change your situation. Don't just bitch about it and expect everyone to sympathize. Frankly, I'm sick of being sympathetic to people who expect things to magically get better for them without changing their approach to life.

Ok, I'm done ranting. For now.