Cute!

I enjoyed Christmas this year. I received fuzzy socks, warm pajama pants, a tangelo and some carmel corn. Works for me. I wasn't able to spend time with both sides this year, which I'm bummed about.

All of my elders seem to be in good health, some more so than others but all are well. My brother seems to be doing well, noisy and hitt-y but well. My sister sounds like she had a good day, even if she did run out of whip cream for the pancakes.

I might post a picture or two from the possible winter wonderland!


ZOOLIGHTS, I'm on my way!

Seizures and strokes, oy vey!

Wahoo!

I only worked 10 hours today!!

I consider that an accomplishment since the last two days I've been there for 12.

My sister can cook steaks on the grill. Almost as important, she can fire up the grill without it, or her, turning into a fireball.

Happier news still, my little brother was able come home from the hospital today!!

Sit, Ubu, sit.

I've put in my 10 plus hours at work. I went to the gym and worked out. Here I am, at home. Sitting in the relative silence of the apartment. I can hear someone's A/C unit through the open door. Oddie is perched above me on the couch, breathing heavy like only the content do. The 'fridge is doing it's thing, humming along nicely. I'm rather glad I have a 'fridge since windows to keep the milk cold are far and few between here in the desert.

I don't usually do well alone with my thoughts. I get worked up and ancy as they race through my brain. On occasion, I try to get my musings and worries onto paper or screen, to see where they're trying to go, if anywhere. I usually get stuck. Or the thoughts do.

I've learned that not all things that are thought, need a solution. Or a problem. Sometimes they just need to be observed and then let go.

Like fishing?

Getting ready.

"What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now.
"—Author Unknown

Comfy couch or bar stool?

I was invited to a bachelorette party that is to take place tonight. I say 'was' for this reason; since I was invited over a month ago, I have not heard from the bride-to-be. She was several shots into a night at the bar when she did ask me and I'm not great friends with her so I can't say I'm really too bummed or surprised about the lack of follow-up.

Tonight is UFC 91. I'm debating on going out to a local watering hole to watch the fight or stay in and watch the NHL network. It's Saturday night. That means Hockey Night in Canada. Which means Don Cherry and his Suits. Hockey is always good. Staying home is cheap. Going to a bar by yourself is usually interesting and I don't know if I have the patience for it.

It's dinner time.

I should be heating up leftover taco-makings but no. No, I'm sitting on the couch; listening to, at random, the 62 Exodus songs that I was given by my buddy.

This is the same friend who is mainly to blame for my liking Metal and Thrash.

Oh. And I'm drinking Winter Lager.

I should probably start that whole dinner thing soon.

Hey...Friday Night!

How's it going? It's good to see you.

I'd like to come out and play but I'll be asleep on the couch by 730pm.

Thanks for stopping by!

Bah!

Halloween means I am another year older, that autumn is here and winter and The Holidays that come with it are right around the proverbial corner.

I love the idea of dressing up and going Boo! I don't care for the reality of handing out candy. I wanted to carve a pumpkin but it's not the same when you don't have anyone to throw the pumpkin guts at.

I like Thanksgiving because all that is really required is that you mind your manners while visting with the family and try to not get any food on your clothes.

Christmas? I'd like to boycott Christmas. The gift part of it anyway. I enjoy spending time with my family (all three or so sides of it) and I look forward to getting a day off work so that I can spend time with them. What I have a problem with is the commercialism of Christmas. I despise trying to think of and buy gifts for people because the calendar and the marketing gurus have said that if I don't, I'm a bad kid. I'm not a bad kid; I'm a kid of an average height with an occasional need for an attitude adjustment (short and grumpy kid has been taken).

I'd rather show up for Christmas with a pie or cake that Fry's made from scratch and play boggle or poker or stand around the wood stove and just be with my family. No expectations of gifts, no worries if they like what they've received or if enough has been spent to show that you love your family. Just spend TIME making memories.

Things to do.

Or: My own little bucket list

Go to Europe
a) Oktoberfest
b) The Winchester
c) Italy

Skate on NHL ice

Visit the east coast in autumn

Take a pottery class

Learn how to play this on the guitar. (It's a favorite memory of mine, my dad and my grandpa playing this song on their guitars.)

Plant and maintain a garden

Complete a triathlon

Get over this damn cold.

**Happy Dance**

It's going to be my birthday!!

I'm going to Disneyland!

I just bought a purse!

Wheeee!

Leprachaun...walrus...

That thing that eats goats...

Etsy

It's my new window shopping addiction. I may even buy a bag/purse I found there.

A purse? Shock, yes I know.

List

OneWordAnswers

1. Where is your cell? 9 miles

2. Where is your significant other? Dunno

3. Your hair? Dark

4. Your mother? Amazing

5. Your father? Strong

6. Your favorite thing? Serenity

7. Your dream last night? Odd

8. Your dream/goal? DIRTFT

9. The room you're in? Breeze

10. Your fear? Incapable

11. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Happy

12. Where were you last night? couch

13. What you're not? Relaxed

14. Muffins? Bagels

15. One of your wish list items? Perseverance

16. Where you grew up? Love

17. The last thing you did? Bar

18. What are you wearing? Hoodie!!

19. Your TV? A gift

20. Your pet? Big

21. Your computer? Working

22. Your life? Good

23. Your mood? Conflicted

24. Missing someone? Yes

25. Your car/truck? Dirty

26. Something you're not wearing? Contacts

27. Your summer? Enlightening

28. Love someone? Yes

29. Your favorite color? Brown

30. Politics? BS

31. Last time you cried? Summer

32. Who will repost? Questionable

You're kidding me.

I am a single female.

Ninety-nine percent of my co-workers and customers are of the male type. I've recently learned that if any customer takes an interest in me and decides to ask my co-workers about me, this is the general reply:

"She's single, you should ask her out."

One of my co-workers loves to see people squirm, he even smiled and remarked on how he thinks it would be awesome to watch that type of uncomfortable conversation unfold.

Thankfully, most of the customers have realized that it would be really awkward if I turned them down and then they still have to shop at our store, so they've been smart and not acted on my lovely co-workers advice.

There are several levels on which this pisses me off. He has a daughter and I am starting to think that daughters are bestowed upon guys who have asshole tendencies when it comes to women. He has a wife, I have no idea if she had to deal with this sort of bullshit or not. But if she did, I'm sure he was compassionate enough to say "Deal with it."

The getting hit-on part I can deal with. Co-workers that encourage it for their amusement, that's just a bit much for me.

I ditched the gym tonight.

I came home and have been relaxing. Cooking too.

I making a ginger beef concoction. Onion, garlic, and ginger are minced or chopped and tossed into the pan with some olive oil and chili flakes. Add to that some broccoli, beef chunks/cubes, and some soy sauce. Let it cook, let the flavors mingle while the brown rice cooks.

Cross your fingers, it's a 'general-idea-no-real-recipe' type meal.

W00t!

I'd say I work in a pretty competitive business environment.

We have a budget to work towards as a store, Friday Specials for the customers and counter guys (I say guys well, because, it mostly is.), and the counter/inside sales email is sent out every month by our GM. This email lists the top ten counter/inside sales associates in three categories, two of which deal with monies and the other is by tickets written. It's added up, averaged out and I'm sure there are even 8x10 glossy photos with circles and arrows and photographs on the back but what matters(?) is the number at the bottom of the email, who is that months Inside/Counter Associate.

Yeah, I was numero uno for the month of September for our region (read, the state of Desert).

I normally don't care too much about where I place on the overall list, as long as I'm somewhere on two of the three. I'm not a sales-driven person. I tend to work with the customers who don't necessarily want the best deal, they want the weird stuff and they need it yesterday. They have jobs that require all aluminum items because it's going into an MRI room. They need registers for a house that will have an energy bill higher than most peoples mortgages. They are looking for a fan that can handle 22000 cfm and will have 22" round ducting.

I think the two big reasons that I'm bragging are: I was actually kind of hoping to move away from sales with the promotion and the #2 boss gave me a call to congratulate me on being first on the list. An atta-boy like that makes me feel like I do matter, I'm not just a cog in a big sales machine. Even though tomorrow I'll probably get an email asking about why our branch has such craptastic daily report card.....it's all good.

Uh-oh

I feel a funk coming on.

I don't know why. Things are looking pretty good lately. I get to go to the company golf outing this year (even though they forgot to email me the directions and start time, I'm getting around that by carpooling with a co-worker). I'm going to see Rollins with my buddies, one of my best friends is coming down for a visit. AND I'm going on a Real Family Vacation with my family.

I hate feeling like this. I'm going to shake it. I know I can and I know I will.

I just hope I can shake it fast.

Oddie hates.

Oddie is a pretty chill gato, he isn't the Spawn of Satan that Sweet Pea was.

In the almost five months that we've been hanging out together, I've heard him purr and meow but never hiss.

I heard him hiss today.

I brought out the vacuum and had it in the living room, he was in the kitchen. He stood in the middle of the kitchen, looked back at the vaccuum, Hissed at the vacuum and the proceeded to walk into the bathroom to wait out the Noise. I know he doesn't care for the thing but I didn't know he hated it that much.

1. Heist ::
get

2. Hack ::
joke

3. Dane ::
big dog

4. Stings ::
like a bee

5. Monkey ::
little kid

6. Junkie ::
needs

7. Pumped ::
stoked

8. Brass ::
knuckles

9. Fight! ::
let's go!

10. Vouch ::
faith

From: LunaNina

Get out my business, my bizn@ss

I really don't understand people's curiosity when it comes to other peoples personal lives. 

It's really none of their concern on why I don't want to date or look for a relationship. Believe it or not, I'm pretty happy being on my own. I'm starting to realize what a difficult concept it is for some people to comprehend, but really, I am content to be single. 

I don't go out looking to get anyone's attention. I go out so I can get out the house. Thanks for inviting me out but if I'm gonna get 20 questions and advice on dating when I go out with you and your group, no thanks. 

 

Geez.

My arm looks like I've been bitten by a zombie and the infection is thinking about spreading.

Luckily, only my left arm bruised. My right arm is seemingly much more resilient to phlebotomy needles. 

 

I'm going to start going to the gym at least 4 times a week again. I think not working out may have contributed to last week's ER adventure. I'm not feeling as strong on the ice as I was a month ago, I don't like feeling like I don't have 'wheels' so it's back to spinning class during the week. I'm going to run a 5k with my dad on my birthday so I need to be in shape for that as well. 

Hooray for goals!

And Sam Adams' Octoberfest. 

Knucklehead!

ESPN is EVERYTHING sports. 

You'd think that whatever unpaid intern was writing the sidebar "News" headlines for their front-page website would KNOW that Wazzu is not the team that got stomped on by the Sooners on Saturday night. 

Wazzu, U-Dub; Maroon and Silver, Gold and Purple, Cougars, Huskies. Washington State, Washington. I can understand the confusion. 

Krikey.

Yes, I wrote them a letter/e-email.

Glad I went.

I don't want to go back.

To the ER, that is.

I had one kick-ass migraine headache on Tuesday. I've had headaches like that before but never that bad. I'd like to think that I'm a tough girl but that headache had me curled up in pain. 

One of my buddies was kind enough to take me to the ER around 2130. I got drugs around midnight, a CT around 1. I was put back into the waiting room to wait for the results of the CT. I had three different vials of really neat drugs running in my system and was twitching like no-other and trying to sleep in a chair. I gave up and moved over to a desk near the front entrance, I figured if I could sleep at a desk in school, I can sleep at a desk in the hospital. 

Around 0400 I asked if I had to wait for the results of the CT before I could be released. The short answers was yes. I stumbled back to the official waiting area and snoozed some more. Around 600 I was called back to get the results of my CT. I got to lay in a bed, I got two new warm blankets and a pulse/o2 monitor to wear on my finger. I'd start to doze off and the damn monitor would beep because my heart-rate would drop below fifty. When I was I first hooked up, I had a heart-rate of 66. I'd like to think the low heart-rate is due to being in decent shape and not a medical malady. No one ran into to check on me when the damn thing would beep so I figure I'm okay. 

I finally got the all clear and was allowed to go home around 730 Wednesday morning. 

S.O.B.

I took a shot to the groin. Right where the leg and the trunk connect in the front. There are no pads there. 

Thankfully, she didn't have too hard of a shot. I'm icing that one, I gar-run-tee you that. 

No shots on goal, no assists. I know it's a team sport but sometimes I'd like to know I contributed in a meaningful way other than giving the scoring line a breather. 

I cook and play hockey!

Thanks Wood. 

I have a playoff game tonight at 7. It won't really matter what I eat for dinner since I'm on the no-scoring-second-line-that-keeps-being-reminded-to-keep-the-shifts-short-by-the-three-minute-a-shift-first-liners. But I decided that since I have a free day I'd take advantage of it and make some fud.

I boiled orecchiette pasta. While that was draining I used the same pot to heat up some olive oil. To that I added freshly minced garlic and red pepper flakes, I let those flavors mingle for a few minutes before adding in seasoned breadcrumbs, enough to make a paste but not too thick. Once all the crumbs have absorbed the oil, mix in the pasta and viola! You have an awesome tasting carb-heavy dish.  Inspiration here. 

Next on the list is banana bread and then chicken sausage. 

Groceries::chore

Deodorant::I live in the desert

Psychic:: not so much

Cherries::yummy

Spooky::halloween!

Yogurt::snack

Kitchen::a happy place

Nothing personal::you know it

Be Nice::I try

Delivery::Pizza

Pre-punishment?

I'm looking forward to October. 

I get to turn another year older. 

Metallica will be in town. 

I am hoping to run a 5k with my dad. 

One of my best friends is coming down for a visit. 

I am going to Disneyland with the famdamily. (Do they serve beer at the Happiest Place on Earth? I'm looking forward to walking around the park drinking with my parents.)

Halloween! 

While my friend is in town, I'm going to work half-days since I'm using all of my vacation for the Disneyland trip. Getting off of work at noon will be sweet. 

The payment for all this? 

My boss is having surgery tomorrow and I expect him to be out for at least a week. The warehouse manager at my store is on vacation starting tomorrow and will be gone all of next week as well. I've not done any of the reports/reviews in the month that I've been at my new post due to my manager wanting me to build a rapport with our customers. Guess what I get to start doing tomorrow? Yeah, all those reports and reviews. I actually brought one of the reports home tonight. It's still in my truck. I have to have it done by tomorrow at the end of the day. 

I must bleed Blue. 

This sucks. 

Horribly awesome.

My neck has some sort of knot in it. Not in the back part of the neck, no, towards the front, by the ear. Yeah, there, by where you can feel your pulse. If you're not a zombie. 

People are weird. 

It tried so hard to storm in the East Valley today. Nothing but dust wind. 

This made me laugh.

Happy.

My mom drove down from Babylon for a quick visit this weekend. 

It was fun being a grown-up with my mom. We had a few adult beverages, we played golf on a beautiful Saturday morning, I made her breakfast, we took a nap, and she ensured that at least my down-stairs neighbors will hate me with the installation of the speakers and amp. 

I think she fell in love with Oddie. After Sweet Pea, The Psycho Kitty from Hell,  you tend to lose what little faith (if any) you have in feline-kind. Oddie redeems the species a bit. He's a 19 pound lovie watch-dog type of cat that mom thinks needs a salt-lick. 

"You can't pick up chicks in a tank!"

My boss is going to have to have some sort of emergency surgery. He's generally okay but not okay enough to avoid surgery. 

I'm hoping I get to play in the company golf tournament this year. I'm not a hack but I'm not great. I muddle through and usually enjoy the frustration that is golf. Hopefully, we'll play best ball and it will all work out and be fun. 

My favorite vendor done screwed up, yet again. I again made a phone call to let them know of the issue. Fortunately, it was a mistake that we (meaning mainly the warehouse guys) were able to fix with no major headaches but plenty of belly-aching by my warehouse guys (and I don't blame them for bitching, not a bit). Happily, a manager at this vendor's office, had some DBacks tickets available. I was able to score two pairs for our trouble. I had the warehouse manager pick a game he wanted to go to and I picked for the other pair. 

Our branch is also getting lunch courtesy of this vendor. Long story short on that one? While in town visiting our branch, a manager for this vendor spoke with one of the more vocal warehouse guys, the manager left his card with the warehouse guy. The warehouse guy called that manager and expressed his dismay at this recent screw-up and we are now getting pizza for 15 people. 

Yay?

Why is it that most every weekend, I'm searching for things to do and this weekend I've been invited to do 10 different things?? WTF?  I don't mind though, my mommy is coming to see me! Hopefully, we'll get to play a round of golf too! 

Poor Oddie

Last night he suffered the indignity of a bath.

I have a really awesome smelling jarred candle that lives in the middle of the coffee table. When I light it, I leave it there. I figure the cat is at least smart enough to stay mostly away from the candle.  Up until tonight, Oddie has done me proud in that assumption. The cat might be smart enough, but tonight, his tail wasn't. 

The candle is still burning. I'm now trying to cover the smell of burnt hair. 

Poor dude.

One Year

One year ago today, my dad went into surgery for prostate cancer. 

He's doing well. He's a strong and stubborn man, my father. 

A few weeks before the surgery is when he told me had cancer. It was after we had played a round of golf. We were sitting in front of the pro-shop at the executive course by the fairgrounds. He was standing up, cleaning his sunglasses and I was sitting down on the bench when he told me, "Rach, I have cancer."

It took a second to process and then I started to cry. I couldn't believe it, I didn't want to believe it, it had to be some crazy Yaqui Indian test. 

I told him, "NO. You don't."

"YES, I do." he replied. 

I know that there were other things said; questions asked and answered. He told me to stop crying. I did. Mostly. 

I was scared. Not for me. For him. Okay, maybe a bit for me.  

We drove down the road, in our own vehicles, to the Denny's by the freeway. I sat facing the window. In the parking lot that the Denny's shared with the hotel there were Florico dancers and Mariachi's getting ready to go somewhere. We talked about treatment. It would be surgery. I stated that I would move back home with him while he recuperated. Six weeks, six months, I didn't care, I was going back home to be with him. We ate breakfast, drank our coffee, talked about business. I teared up but didn't cry. It was almost normal.

We went our separate ways. 

I called my mom. I started crying again. You know that cry where the sobs are wracking your body and you can barely breathe? I was fighting that type of crying. I told her, I told my step-dad (who has been in my life almost as long as I can remember and who has been nothing but wonderful to me, despite the amazing asshole I was while growing up.). He offered words of encouragement and made me feel a little better before he handed the phone back to Mom. Mom also gave me words of encouragement. She heard me crying and asked me "Where are you?" 

"I'm on the freeway." I replied through my tears. 

"You're driving?"

"Uh-huh."

"And talking on the phone. And crying." 

"I'm multi-tasking." I say, laughing a bit through the tears.

It's been a year since The Surgery. Dad says he's going to start training for a 5k in October. It's on my birthday. 

I'm a lucky, lucky girl. 

The Brown Castle

Hey old girl.

I knew you once. I recognize you but you're not the same.

I've walked the halls and you're no longer the school that I grew up in. 

The stairwells and halls that I walked as an intimidated freshman and as a confident senior. 

The lockers in the basement with the locks that always gave me grief, the windows where friends would meet in the mornings and lunch to discuss the day, music, the people, the events and non-events alike. 

The Bowl where I had to bring 300 fellow cadets to attention with only my little lungs.

The courtyard where I was able to salute our Flag while hearing Taps played by two trumpets and a 21 gun salute that never failed to bring tears to my eyes. 

The courtyard where I jumped into a fight and got my head slammed into a bus. 

It's all there but the minutiae that was part of the memories is gone. 

You've been given a facelift, your insides have been re-arranged, you've been given the chance to continue to be a part of history. Personal and otherwise. 

sad but true

I'm listening to the rock radio station in Seattle. 

I'm playing bejewled. 

Metallica has announced North American tour dates. 

I am a content girl. 

I will be super happy if I can score tickets to the show in October. 

*Happy Dance*

I ran the race this morning. 

One of my coworkers picked me up at the butt-crack of dawn. The sun was still waking up while we were driving to the race site. This race was at South Mountain park, it's a beautiful park and there's been enough rain lately so the smell of creosote was pretty strong. I'll take the desert smelling like creosote rather than dust like it usually does. 

My dad met me at the park, it was nice knowing there was someone there to meet me at the finish.  

For not ever running a race before I'm pretty proud of myself. I kept my own pace and thankfully my body didn't give me too much grief (during the run anyway, tomorrow could be a whole other ball game). 

My official race time? 34:23. 

I did it! 

Trying to relax

1. Month to month :: bills


2. Adjusted :: back


3. Prank :: not so much


4. Mop :: of hair


5. Clarity :: mind


6. Parenting :: not for me


7. Glenn :: forest


8. Fingerprint :: just me


9. Pineapple :: juice; daycare


10. Attorney :: no life

The race is tomorrow morning. I'm ready as I'm going to be. I feel that I will do well, depending on the overall outcome, I may be running an even longer distance in January. 

Random

"If we cuss, are you going to turn us in?"

I had this asked of me when I visited the store I was going to be working at when I first started with this company. I had just been introduced to the three or four warehouse guys, on my way in to meet the counter guys and store manager. The guy who asked it? A guy about my fathers' age, give or take a few years, who worked in the warehouse.

All I could do was laugh. I told them of course not, I had grown up around the military and I had dated a sailor. I can cuss a blue-streak with the best/worst of them and occasionally forget my manners and do. Out loud. 

Mom, I know you're proud and Wood, I learned half of the choice phrases from you. I think mainly from when you were driving the Bug. ;)  

Who wants this with their toast?

Only in the Desert

There's a nice steady rain here in my part of the Valley. 

The thunder is rolling in the distance, the lightening flashes in the sky, not at all a menace but a welcome gift. 

I'm getting ready to sit on my porch and enjoy the weather. 

Only in the desert do people sit on the porch to watch it rain. 

Cap'n Obvious

Cabernet Sauvignon does not go so well with a de-constructed sushi bowl.

White Knuckles

I've been pretty industrious today.

I went to the gym, did some laundry, started making breakfast sausages, took a nap, went to my hockey game (my line had 0 points, go us!), went to dinner with my dad and long time friend Stevie G, and came home. Once home, I finished making the breakfast sausages (I doubled the recipe and ended up w/ 19 patties) and made my lunch for tomorrow. 

If I don't fall asleep quickly tonight, I'm gonna be upset. 

Crazy Saturday.

Another list.

1. Crankiness :: I'm getting better

2. Backpack :: Miss it (not the 40# of it, but what it represented, pursuit of knowledge)

3. Clone :: wars

4. High Ground :: moral

5. Dreams :: bittersweet

6. Lovingly :: held

7. Mistake :: several

8. Carson :: daily, nevada??

9. Errand :: a few

10. Dozen :: eggs

...Damn it! I'm out of beer. 

It never fails.

This still cracks me up. To the point where it's hard to breathe, I'm laughing so hard. This has made me laugh since I saw it over a year ago. 

I don't get it either. 

Thanks to my friend Queen Claudia for sending this to me, it made a long frustrating day a whole lot better. 

More than a tweet but less than a post

Neko Case singing about home! If you don't know about the pretty parts of town this song could make you think about the gritty parts of a bigger city. 

I started at my 'new' store today. I neglected to tell most of my customers that I was moving stores. Yeah, I know, shame on me. They found me anyway. Their main concern? Can they still order from me since I've been promoted/moved? "Of course you can." is my reply. My manager says that I have a following. A following in wholesale? Okay. Customers who are used to seeing me at my old store, in addition to asking me if I'm lost, are asking if this is a permanent relocation. I've been replying with something along the lines of 'not too much is permanent around here'. The only constant in this company is change. 

A guy friend of mine told me that I have to stop working out, I'm looking good. I laughed and I thanked him. It's a nice compliment to hear. 

For some reason, I've really been digging Supertramp as of late. I've been wishing for a set of really great speakers to blast Bloody Well Right on a Saturday morning while I sit on my porch and drink my coffee. Is it the harmonica, the horns? I don't know, but I like it. 

I've noticed that I've been laughing more in the last year. It's a nice feeling to be happy. I have my little-black-rain cloud days but overall, I'm in a good place. 

Too quiet.

I've received a promotion. I've earned a promotion. I've been promoted. 

I think my parents are more excited than I am. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of what I've accomplished to get to this point. I've worked hard to get to this point in my career. It's a huge stepping stone to my (so-far) ultimate career goal with this company. I told my mom and dad over the phone, I think my dad may have jumped out of a chair when he heard the news. Mom was just as thrilled and I know that Wood was just as happy and proud of me as they are. I'm a lucky kid to have that many grown-ups looking out for me. Dad and I are going to go to dinner to celebrate. Mom decided that she would drink a margarita for me, I'm sure Wood drank a beer in salute as well. 

What did I do? I went to the gym and lifted for an hour and then ran for 30 minutes to get to that 3.2 miles. Well, I ran about 2.75 miles before I ran out of gas and then had to slow down to an easy jog. But who cares, I did it. :)

Isn't this one of those movie moments where you're supposed to go out with your friends and at least celebrate at happy hour? Or go goofy-golfing? I'm not complaining, just saying. 

Anyone want to come over and help me drink this bottle of wine?

The House on the Corner.

Brothers in Arms just came on the internet radio station.

I remember cold winter nights, rain on the big windows, the rhodie was still living large in front of the window in the living room. The lilac tree probably had yet to make an attempt on my life. Wooden floors. A fire place. The Dan Debower chair. Doing laps around the first floor with my brother, baby-gate hurdles included. Grass in the backyard, tall enough to lose a little sister in. Mom playing Zelda. My step-dad singing with gusto to whatever was playing on the CD while cooking dinner for us kids. Mom making hot cocoa for my 15 guy friends after a game of football played in the snow. A little girl with curls who could go to the moon but still knew we weren't really having monkey brains for dinner. The Tuna (before he was The Tuna) at the computer in the corner, The Boy perched beside him. 

A house full of people who loved each other even though we didn't always get along.  

Send Happy Thoughts

Here 

Fud.

Tonight's kitchen experiment will be baked chicken.

I don't want to use a flavored marinade because I will be doing my damned-est to make these pieces into as many dishes as possible. I figure baking it in a 'marinade' of olive oil and minced garlic should be enough to give it some flavor, but not so much that it will overpower whatever I turn the leftovers into. 

 I'm trying to avoid the grocery store this week. I know have enough in my pantry to make it to payday. It's time to learn creativity. 

EDIT/ADDENDUM: 

The bird seems to have done well in the oven. I think I was a bit heavy handed with the garlic. 

...

Nah, you can never have too much garlic. Wood taught me that.

You're stronger than you thought

And you're not as smart as you think you are.

Flicker::pictures

Styling::hair

Episode: One. As in Star Wars

Sexier: shoulders than you! 

Studious: Hopefully me. Class officially started today. Hooray Intertubes.

Mushroom: 1 up

8 minutes: run hard

Bald: uncles

Immunity: reality tv

Sectioned: oranges

(found here)

In other not-news...

I ran 1.5 miles today in 16 minutes. Not too shabby. I'm very proud of this run as it means I'm in better shape than I thought. And I had the discipline to keep running for the entire time. I now know that I can run three miles with no problem as long as I train smart. Smart is not historically something I've done well. Ask my parents, they'll tell you. 

I bought an already seasoned cast-iron indoor grill/griddle jobbie yesterday. I used it tonight to grill(!) some chicken. Verdict? I need more fans. Or to learn how to cook with less smoke emanating from said grill. Casa de Pooh looks alot smaller when the kitchen is filled with a light grey chicken smelling haze and the living room is quickly filling with the same. At least it wasn't burnt-food smoke. And the fire alarm was very forgiving, I really do appreciate that it didn't go off. The towel that is still hanging over the alarm might have something to do with that.

Mom, if you're reading this; the Christmas stockings you made me? They make excellent pot holders. Just in case you were wondering about the multi-taskablilty of your crafts. Wonder no more, now you know. 

And knowing is half the battle.

Dinner at 10pm

This is not a good idea. 

I cooked some rice, edamame, opened up a can of tuna and the bottle of ponzu sauce that's been sitting in my pantry since I moved in and ta-da! Dinner.

The best part is, besides it being a fairly decent off the cuff concoction, I've been learning how to cook smaller portions so fewer leftovers!

It's a good thing I went to blockbuster tonight. At least I have something (hopefully) interesting to watch while my dinner settles.  

I must be nuts.

I want to do this next year. 

I hate running. I haven't even run a 5k. Hell, I haven't run for a good two months or so and when I did it was a challenge to keep myself on the treadmill for more than the USN standard 1.5 miles. I will lift for two hours rather than run that 1.5 miles.

This should be an interesting year. 

Juh?

This is what the cable box told me after I started pushing buttons. 

I think I should go to bed. 

A warm place

I know I'm frustrated when I start looking at tattoos. 

The standard chick wisdom is that you never go to the salon after a break-up or when you're pissed-off at the world at large. The whole getting a tattoo when you're looking for direction falls into the same category of bad ideas. 

That's why I look. 

Thank Bob for the intertubes. 

I'd tweet this but...

I'm sure there are people in other time zones as much as my own that don't want their phone abuzzing at this time of night. 

We ended up having 7 skaters, so we were able to play with no major worries. I had neither points nor penalties but I did have a really sweet break-away with a back-hand shot on goal. The stupid goalie just had  to go and catch it. I also had some other shining moments where forward momentum was not mine to be had and instead of moving the puck along the boards, I speared myself on my own stick. Hey! Winter Olympics, I'm over here!! 

Cooking to kill time.

I'm attempting another Sunday night cooking-to-kill-time meal. 

Tonight's experiment:

Garlic quinoa with garlic and chardonnay chicken. 

It's a good thing I like garlic. And that I'm single. That's quite alot of garlic going on in that meal.

Summer means:

Calavasitas and sopa de fideo with fresh flour tortillas.

A trip to Whiskey Row.

Sweating your (pick a body part) off by 11 am.

Looking at the pool because it's too hot to go into it.

Golf at good and not so good courses because you can finally afford to play 18 with a cart because you will be sweating that body part off.

Being busy at work. 

A visit back home because you can.

Concert season! The goths and metal heads should be out in full force for this season's show: Rockstar Mayhem tour. Nothing says crazy like wearing all black to an all day outdoor concert in the Valley in the middle of July. Or wearing more heat tolerant colors but still going.

Movies. The East L.A. buddies and I will be going to see The Dark Knight and Hell Boy II. 

I have a weird head.

1. Goodbye ::
you say hello

2. Cage ::
nicholas

3. Buddy ::
koRn (there's a song that has one of them saying "My buddy!" while recording)

4. Magic words ::
peanut butter (what the hell??)

5. Library ::
a bar

6. Fall in love ::
no thanks.

7. Tense ::
past

8. Work! ::
Play!

9. Empty ::
soul

10. Heat wave ::
finally!

I went to the ENT today. Everything appears normal, I have to start using the nasal spray I was prescribed much earlier. Your ear and nose connected? Who woulda thunk it. It has also been suggested that I see a TMJ doctor because my jaw pops quite loudly and moves off to the side. It's done that for years, I think I'll probably skip that $40 co-pay. Thanks anyway!

Time to go to Zumba!

Dear Bi-polar boy:

FOR PETE'S FRICKING SAKE!

PULL YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS.

Edit:
This evening's text does nothing to explain last night's text. Please continue your attempt to remove head from sphincter.

Gangland

Here are the rules:

1. Put your iTunes/music player on “Shuffle”
2. For each question, press the “Next” button to get your answer
3. You MUST write down the name of THAT SONG no matter what. (aka NO CHEATING!)


Here goes nuthin...

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY” YOU SAY?
I am the highway...Audioslave

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Pulse of the Maggots...Slipknot.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
The Antichrist...Slayer.
Uhh...not so much.

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
My Violent Heart...Nine Inch Nails

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Percussionsuite...The Wicked Tinkers

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
It's going down...Suicidial Tendancies

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Operation Ground and Pound...Dragonforce
I am almost 8 minutes of crazy guitar work?

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Mascara...Deftones

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Grude...Tool
How about trying to not hold grudges....

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Sin...Nine Inch Nails
well, she did give me this CD

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Greenhouse Effect...Testament

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Sunshine of Your Love...Cream
I think this is cream, it could just be Clapton.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Phantom Lord...Anthrax
Awesome.

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Mr. Self Destruct...Nine Inch Nails

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Knee Deep in the Dead...Lollipop Lust Kill

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
El Salvador...Ozomotli

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
Danger-Keep Away...Slipknot

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
The Virus of Life...Slipknot

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Separate...Sevendust

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Blacklisted...Neko Case

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?
Gangland...Iron Maiden

I think it's obvious that I listen to alot of angry music. I listen to other stuff too!

Uh-huh.

I can't help but laugh, one of the benefits listed on a USNR site is "annual travel opportunities."

Yup, join the Na\/Y and see the world through a porthole.

The Hulk

I went and saw The Incredible Hulk last night. My overall review? there's really not a good time to go to the bathroom. It's a pretty solid movie. Which was sort of unfortunate as we had been to two different bars before going to the movie.

BP

I went on date #2 with the guy from Monday. He called me.

It's all progress.

In case you were wondering....

http://www.passiveaggressivenotes.com/2007/06/03/when-phds-get-frustrated/

Just sayin...

A red heirloom tomato with a bit of salt is amazingly tasty.

Well...

I got my explanation.

Kinda.

Suffice to say I was dumped.

I still say I'm on the DL but I'm up for batting practice. I have a date tomorrow night. If nothing else comes of it, I missed out on the gym but got to have dinner outside of the apartment.

Dinner tonight:

Quinoa mixed with lemon juice, dried cranberries, and mandarin oranges. Yummy. Oh yeah, and a beer.

I'm on the prowl for more recipes for quinoa.

EDIT:
I found and made a recipe using black beans as a major ingredient. It tastes like a chili. Yummy! I have lunch for tomorrow and have found a cheap side (or main) dish to add to my r'epertoire. Hooray for healthy food!

Just 'cause

1. Gossipping ::
girls

2. Misplaced ::
items

3. Spaceship ::
sweet

4. Ignore ::
me

5. Bodily ::
functions

6. Tweezers ::
silver

7. Goodnight ::
moon

8. Curls ::
CJB (she had the prettiest ringlet curls when she was 2 or 3)

9. Faucet ::
drip

10. Right? ::
left? Sideways!!

http://subliminal.lunanina.com

I like the idea of lists. It's a good way to clean out your head; get the things that have been rattling around out on to paper where it will sit in peace. It's nice to cross items off of a list. It's disappointing to see things not get crossed off (or watch the thing grow, seemingly out of control) but it's a visual reminder that I tend to need at times. I've noticed that I work with piles, it annoys me but apparently I operate ok with them. I have a nifty little stack o' stuff on my desk at work right now. I go through it about once a month and try to figure out what gets filed, round filed, or left there 'cause I'm not sure where it should go.

I found this particular list through her site. I've been going to the spinning classes at my gym for more months than I thought I would. Biscuit teaches this form of torture in her neck of the woods. I enjoy hearing about the class from a teacher's perspective. Biscuit is a mini-hero of mine because she rides a real bike as well as a 'spinning' bike. I'm too chicken to go out on a real road. I have this thing about my perceived lack of balance. Asphalt and physics can make for a neat combination of pain and road-rash. Between Biscuit, my friend Hover and my enjoyment of spinning; I'm actually thinking about seeing what it takes to get certified to teach spinning. I have no idea if I will actually do this, it could sit in my head like my ideas of moving back to the great northwet or joining the USNR or getting another tattoo.

Maybe I should make a list of what to do first.

No words.

I just found out that the child of a good friend of mine has been diagnosed with autism.

Err...

I filled the prescription the doctor gave me. It's got a fun-looking dosing schedule. I'm still debating on taking it or just waiting this thing out.

I want to say...

I quit. I give up. I don't care anymore.

But I can't.

This may not be the right game for me but I'm too stubborn to throw in the damn towel. They say that good things come to those that wait. I also know that you have to work for what you want. Sometimes I wonder if you can work or talk yourself right out of the opportunity. So, where is the middle ground? Is there a middle ground? There has to be. Right?

Maybe I'll do like Brynes-ie has done and have myself a seat on the DL for awhile.

Eustachian Wonders

I may have some inner-ear issues but that's no excuse for how insanely sensitive the right half of my head is feeling lately.
You should not be able to feel the tube in your ear or how it connects down towards your throat. There's other related issues but I'll leave it at that. Guess I'll be going to the great warehouse club down the street and filling my scrip tomorrow. Great.

Bah.

I just got burnt by a guy on the dating scene.

Tell me why I want to submit myself to this hellacious interview-like scene again. I'm not opposed to dating again but I'm not sure I'm gung-ho about it. Here I am, catless and feeling friendless in the apartment on a long holiday weekend. I know I have friends, but the people who invite me out are few and far between here in the desert. I've been trying to get ahold of some people to go out with so I'm not feeling that way. It's a bit hard when one person brings their fiance along and another objects to a group outing and another lives 50 miles away. Or everyone else is a guy I work with in some way; customer or co-worker. I do not want to hook-up. I do not want a boyfriend/husband. I just want to get the hell out of my apartment and do so in the company of others.

As much as I try to be anti-social, I'm really not. Even in high school and college, I've had a few close friends to turn to in good times, bad times and times that just are. Now that I'm fully arrived in grownuphood, it's a bit lonely here at Casa de Pooh.

I "talk" with people back home more than I do with people who exist here in the desert. Sometimes I'd love to take Wood's advice and Just Go. F it, just get my shite together and go. But with me, the devil's in the details. I'm too much my mothers daughter. And my fathers. Where would I work? Would it be a good job? Is the grass really greener, would I really be happier? You'll never know if you don't go. I've got another 10 months before this lease is up, we'll see as that time gets closer.

I think I'll suck it up and drop the $300 bucks to get a cat into the apartment.

Sweet, I have a mission for tomorrow.

Random associations

1. Concentration ::
ugh.

2. Relocated ::
tried it

3. Clot ::
blood

4. Joints ::
.....

5. Satellite ::
good song

6. Money back ::
yay

7. Kittens ::
soft

8. Shady ::
boys

9. Drain ::
ears

10. Stroke ::
sad

Hmm. I think I have some issues to deal with.

Monday.

"Find a new fish."

Be it a true statement or not, it was the best quote of the day.

....

Damn it.
Damn it.
Damn it.


That it is all.

I couldn't hang...

I succumbed. I bought a papasan chair at world market tonight. I couldn't handle sitting on the floor anymore. It's a papasan chair so it's not the most comfortable chair on the planet but it's a damn sight better than the floor. If my cousin and his roomie ever come through and donate any of their furniture to me, I think I can transfer the chair from the living room to my bedroom or find an outdoor cover and I'll have a place to soak up the way too hot desert sun on the porch. Whee!

Things that make me smile:

It's Saturday.

I'm listening to radioparadise.

I have a porch that gets direct sunlight.

When the wind blows through the trees near the apartment, it sounds like Prescott.

I went to ZooBrew last night and had a great time.

Good ole boys and girls make for fun drinking buddies.

My mommy loves me enough to make me a grocery list.

The table I put together is still together (I question my abilities and swedish furniture-in-a-box construction).

The stuff I hung on the walls has not yet succumbed to gravity, huzzah for push-pins.

Nerd Art

http://carlzimmer.typepad.com/

Dinner

I just got done making dinner. Tacos like mom makes and rice like gramma showed me (sorry ma, we didn't add enough water the way you and I did it). I'm lacking salt and normal sized coffee mugs so it's a bit off. The tacos aren't bad; ground beef, potatoes, onion, dried oregeno and minced garlic. The rice leaves much to be desired but the texture is right. Progress. It's all progress.

If not, someone is lying.

see more crazy cat pics

Ouch.

see more crazy cat pics

Good Times

It's a well known fact (?) that I've always had more guy friends than girls. I went out w/ the boys last night for a friend's birthday.

Here's the proof that I spend time away from the couch:

Bitter Pill

These are some of the reasons I love going home. Coming back to the desert is never easy. Not even when the weather is twenty degrees warmer and brighter.

Part of me knows I should stop going, stop putting myself through the roller coaster of what-if's and maybes. Good things come to those that wait. When you think you're done looking and have given up, that which you have sought, shows up.

Patience is not a virtue of mine.

Turdsday

No rebounds. No need. I wasn't dropped, I walked away, head held high.

I've had moments where I wonder if this is it. I know better, I've been through worse. I'm a tough girl, I've been told that by several people near and dear to me. Maybe a little too tough.

Match dot com is pricey. They don't let you get the six month subscription month by month, oh no. They charge you all six months at once. Damn. And you can't check your emails on match until you pay up. I pay up to look at the email, he tells me to check out his myspace. Geez. He seems pretty cool, he's got a nice varied taste in music and he likes Enders Game. The website is still running a racket though.

I'm thinking about getting a second job, just to have something to do to pass the time and meet new people. It's a bit more cost-effective for me to meet people while getting paid instead of paying to sit in a class and hope I meet people.

First try!

Ha!

You Are Hockey

Tough, athletic, and not afraid of a fight. You don't mind putting your body on the line!

What Winter Sport Are You?

I want:

An oven that works.

My hands to stop feeling as if they are stuck in an ice block.

My own place.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have:

Food in my belly, never worrying where it will come from.

Hands to feel as if they are in ice blocks.

A safe, warm roof over my head.



I am thankful, maybe not enough, but I am.

From the movie The Mexican:

Samantha: I have to ask you a question. It's a good one so think about it. If two people love each other, but they just can't seem to get it together, when do you get to that point of enough is enough?

Jerry: Never.

Space

I want my own chunk of it.

The (ex)boyfriend offered me the use of the apartment tonight since he wouldn't be in it. You better believe I took him up on it. I cooked dinner (mamma's green bean casserole), watched what I wanted on tv, and was able to surf the net from the comfort of the couch. Hopefully soon I will be in my own space that will cost me more than I probably want it to.

Thanks to the boy for letting me have a night to myself.

And I've discovered that Seagrams 7 is some damn tasty stuff.