Weekend Roundup

The weekend was originally supposed to begin with a friends' 30th birthday celebration but the birthday festivities were slightly and joyously altered due to hurricane Ike. This friend's daughter was still in town because her home in the Houston area was still without electricity. It also turned out that Friday was his daughter's 9th birthday, so instead of going to a bar and drinking it up 30 year old style, we went to Incredible Pizza! Woo Hoo! It was so fun! For those of you who do not know what Incredible Pizza is, it is where you take kids so they can run around and have fun and spend their parent's money to win as many tickets as possible to trade them all in for a colorful pencil and possibly matching eraser and where adults can go to get their skee ball on...oh...and there is a pizza buffet.

I totally skee balled the night away. I rock. And, yes, I gave all my tickets to the little birthday girl.

Saturday started with brunch with girlfriends...which is my favorite thing. Brunch and girfriends are great separately, but together, they are unbeatable. Afteward, one of my friends and I went and saw "The Women"...which was adorable! I was afraid it wouldn't be all that I hoped because two people who had seen it before me had not given it a good review. I don't know what movie they saw, because I friggin loved it...as did my friend that saw it with me. Goes to prove that you should go see a movie for yourself and build your own opinion rather than relying solely on other people's reaction. Just sayin.

Afterward, my friend and I went on an unsuccessful dress shopping search. She was trying to find a dress for a wedding this week and I did not think it would be difficult. We quickly discovered that if you are over the size of ...let's say 8...you are apparently not allowed to be fashionable. The dress selection was very limited and what existed was absolutely BLAH. Boring. Horrid! Nothing. She left with no dress. Maybe we just weren't looking in the right places, but we walked up and down the mall, went into every department store, and even went into stores that we knew would not have what we were looking for...but I think we were getting desperate. But, we did finally stop for an Auntie Anne's pretzel and I think it may have made the situation all betta.

Today... I cleaned the ceiling fans throughout my house. whoa. doggies. Hold me back. I'm crazy.

Keep on keepin on.

Dinner and AA

Yesterday was the birthday of a very close girlfriend of mine, she too just switching over to the over 25 years young group and fabulously single. She is a very strong young woman and incredibly independent. She, like me, is very career oriented and has the mentality of "I am very capable of doing things by myself" attitude most of the time. Girl Power! yeah yeah. Girl power until something seems to be on the verge of breaking in my house...then panic overcomes me and a tasty glass of wine can never be too close by for comfort. But, I can have the comfort of a glass of wine...or even maybe a bottle if absolutely necessary, every now and then, but my friend does not.

I have never had an addictive personality and I have never had the "need" to over-do or try a lot of things my even my closest freinds have ever "gotten in to." Drugs have never had any sort of appeal to me whatsoever and I didn't have my first shot of alcohol until college. Even in college, I didn't go to keg parties regularly, because even if I did go to parties where drugs and alcohol were the only thing going for them, I felt ridiculously out of place. Yet, even though I have been surrounded and offered my fair share of various drugs and binge drinking oppoortunities, I gladly passed every time. And you know what? It was never a big deal. No one ever got offended and no one ever really questioned why I wouldn't take that "hit" or jump in front to do that keg stand. I found that most people quite admired that I never faultered from myself.

So, my birthday friend has recently taken it upon herself to really change her ways. Without going into grave detail, she recently started going to Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)and has been sober for around 90 days...give or take a few days. I am so proud of her and her commitment to better the things she didn't like about her life. I am one of the few people in her life that is not a "drinker" and never needs to go out to bars and clubs to have fun other than her newly found AA buddies. I'd have to say, that I am quite proud of that too. Anywho, her birthday dinner was quite the same and quite different this year in comparison to last year. Last year, her dinner involved its fair share of alcoholic beverages around the table. This year, her dinner involved its fair share of alcoholic anonymous members around the table...with the exception of me and her two sisters...and it was wonderful!

I love new people and I love people commited to the betterment of themselves and those around them.

Fabulous Film Friday

Burn After Reading


Synopsis from Yahoo! Movies:
An ousted CIA official's memoir accidentally falls into the hands of two unwise gym employees intent on exploiting their find.

Another Coen Brothers film and you can never go wrong with that. In combination with an amazing cast that includes George Clooney, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and other familiar faces. This should be a good laugh.

Trailer from youtube:


The Women


Synopsis from Yahoo! Movies:
In New York City's modern whirl of fashion and publishing, Mary Haines seems to have it all--a beautiful country home, a rich financier husband, an adorable 11-year-old daughter and a part-time career creating designs for her father's venerable clothing company. Her best friend, Sylvie Fowler, leads another enviable life--as a happily single editor of a prominent fashion magazine, a possessor of a huge closet of designer clothes and a revered arbiter of taste and style poised on New York's cutting edge. But when Mary's husband enters into an affair with Crystal Allen, a sultry "spritzer girl" lurking behind the Saks Fifth Avenue perfume counter, all hell breaks loose. Mary and Sylvie's relationship is tested to the breaking point while their tight-knit circle of friends, including mega-mommy Edie Cohen and author Alex Fisher, all start to question their own friendships and romantic relationships as well.

I think this film looks so cute and fun!

Trailer from youtube:

Karma

So, yesterday afternoon, my friend that works for the same company as me, came over to my desk to fill me in on some news. Back track: My ex and I still have mutual friends and things get shared down the pipeline. So, back to yesterday....apparently, my ex had a tooth that “blew up”…her words. Instantly I am thinking...What? Huh? I have never heard of that happening! She told me that it happens when someone has a cavity that hasn’t been taken care of and that it will just blow up...I am guessing that it would have to be pretty bad for it to just blow up. So, now, even though very unfortunate and regardless of his wretchedness, I hope it all turns out well. He has to have gum surgery or something. I was kind of in awe at the randomness of the story and the situation, and asked my friend, “How does that happen????” She non-chalantly replied, “Karma’s a bitch.” And she laughed hysterically. Have I ever mentioned that I love my girlfriends?

Rock Roots for Leukemia and Lymphoma

This is what my friends and I will up to this weekend. Well, more my friend. She raises money and runs marathons for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). The proceeds of this weekend's fashion/hair/rock show will go to LLS. The rest of us are just doing what we can to help. Since my inseam is 28 inches and I am completely incapable of walking a quarter of a mile, I will doing my part as one of the models.

So, if you are in town and over the age of 18, come out and help us raise money for LLS while enjoyng watching some crazy hair and some wicked fashion all to some rockin music.

By the way, we did a fashion show last year...here are some pics I scrounged up...don't laugh..but yes, there is a teapot on my head.

90210

Was anyone else absolutely in love with Beverly Hills 90210...the first version from the 90's? I was! I was! My arm is up and my hand is waving in the air. Is anyone else slightly disappointed that they-they being the t.v. gods- brought 90210 back with a new vamped up younger version? I am! I am! Yet, I catch myself checking out the new cast on the CW tonight and finding there is something that I like.

Meet Ryan. He is a teacher at West Beverly High.


This is the difference between the tween me and the current me...I now go for the teacher rather than the hot surfer high schooler...although, ONLY if I was 12 years old would I go for the kid who plays the sweet cool surfer dude.



Oh, how the times have changed. And on top of that...NKOTB is back! Their new album released last Tuesday and I am still contemplating buying it....

Is there some kind of milestone in life when all your favorite bands and shows from your high school years come back with new vamped up versions targeted for the "young-ens". Or has the entertainment industry completed washed itself of any new creative and original ideas?

VMA

So, yes, MTV is my secret addiction that I cannot do without...it is one of the few reasons why I pay for overpriced cable...Rachel Ray being the other reason. So, the young immature side of me comes out when I get get giddee every Monday because I know my 30 minutes of fun in the drama-filled The Hills will be on later in the evening...I can't explain it, but I love to love it and I love to hate it all at the same time.

Back to MTV...The Video Music Awards (VMA's)...kind of sounds like a venereal disease...aired last night after the extra special episode of The Hills...and yes, there will be another new episode on tonight of The Hills! Yay! Anyway, I don't know if the VMA's get worse every year or my age is just not keeping up with the times...I am thinking it is the latter...because I was not and have not been impressed with the VMA's for a few years now, and there are many times that I just muted the dang thing and continued reading "Nights in Rodanthe" until I caught a glimpse of something interesting on the TV...and I did...



The cast of "Twilight" introduced some band. They all looked wonderful...especially my little Edward...yes, MINE. Not yours. Step off. J/K...somewhat. I have a weakness for messy hair and British accents. And if you saw them introduce the band and if you are any sort of Edward/Robert Pattinson fanatic, you would have been so irritated by the host of the VMA's! I mean, he was already incredibly irritating as it was and then he had to go and cut off Edward/Robert Pattinson when it was his turn to read the dang-o teleprompter! Come on! What has the world come to??!! I can't even get to hear a sentence out of my future husbands lips without an irritating Venereal disease show host cutting him off!! I was angry. And then, sweet little Edward/Robert Pattinson just smiled and laughed while holding his mic and handled the situation so coolly. That is why I/we love him.



Oh, and Bella/Kristen Stewart was gorgeous...from the neck up. I haven't decided whether or not I cared for her dress. But her hair and make-up were ravishing.

Melody Gardot

Melody Gardot is an amazing and unique artist I stumbled upon in my search for non-political related news on CNN.com yesterday. Here is the article that discusses her background and her incredible story to get where she is today. Here is Melody Gardot's website. I hope you enjoy her music as much as I do!

Is It Wrong to be Idealistic?

OK. I make it a habit to normally keep my political views deep inside my head and my heart. I normally believe in letting others believe as they wish to believe as long as they are not physically causing harm to others and as long as they are not being intentionally cruel with their words. I do wish for an idealistic world where everyone can mostly get along with one another or at least live in a world where people are respectful and understanding that not everyone believes exactly as the person sitting next to them or the person living next door. But, I understand that this hope is just that, idealistic.

I normally side and vote for a Democrat. But I am not a Democrat. I do not normally agree with President Bush, but I do not hate Republicans. I believe that Global Warming is a legitimate issue that all people need to be proactively considering, but I am not an environmentalist. I like being barefoot, but I am not a Liberal. I am me. I have the right to change my mind just as everyone else on this Earth has the right to do...God gave humans free will. I have the right to believe as I wish without being made to feel stupid, without being made to feel ignorant, without being made to feel less important, without being made to feel like I am absolutely wrong. But, I do not have the right to make others feel stupid, to make others feel ignorant, to make others feel less important, to make others feel as they are absolutely wrong.

With that said, let me get to my inspiration for this post. Everywhere I turn-and probably everywhere you turn- someone is talking about Governor Palin's speech last night that she delivered at the Republican National Convention. I have heard mixed reviews about her speech and now I will provide mine. Prior to last night's speech, I thoroughly liked Gov. Palin. I like that she is "small town" and I like that she is a strong woman and mother and wife. I like that she stood strong on ethics. I didn't even have an issue with her pregnant teen daughter. But, I do have issues with her speech.

I have listened to many reviews, analysts, and just people around work, describe Palin's speech as "one of the greatest speeches in years"...whatever that really means. Do people really think and feel this? I was absolutely not impressed with her speech...although I was rooting for her to deliver a great speech. I was completely appalled by her lack of respect, her immaturity, her arrogance, her abundance of slander, and her lack of a legitimate point other than being the "mean kid on the playground." I feel that the Republican party is desperate for inspiration and they got it in the form of a petulant bully using manipulation and hate as their only hope...and they unfortunately fell for it.

Issues. I want to hear about the issues not about what you dislike about someone's character or decisions. I do not want to watch a pissing contest of who has more experience or who did this or who did that or who said this or who said that. MOVE ON! We are not at war with one another. Why does it always have to be the "Republicans vs. the Democrats: Who can prove first that the other one is a more dirty politician than the other?" How about lets prove what good you have in yourself to lead the country? I do not feel that the Republican ticket truly cares about uniting the American people...they care only about getting the votes even if snide and immature playground antics are the way to do it. I think Palin's speech did much in dividing the heart of the American character and most of Americans do not even realize it yet.

I know not everyone is going to agree with one another, and I am sure not everyone will agree with me on my opinion of Palin's speech. But I at least like that I can be the only Obama supporter in my office and probably my family and I will stand by my views and my decisions. I do not let words and speeches change my mind without listening and considering the content and the issues. I try my best to always look beyond the beauty of rhetoric and look beyond what I hope the speaker is meaning.

Palin has time to prove herself. I am anticipating and looking forward to the McCain/Palin ticket to prove itself. But, the "Good ole boys" attitude, the elitist attitude, the "oh, yeah, well obama did this too" or the "oh, yeah, well obama did not do this either" attitude will not work on me. The anger, the negativity, the hate, the slander, the bully attitude will not work on me. I want a leader who will be strong in their convictions without resulting to name calling to get America on their side. I know America is smarter than that...

Please, let us get back to the Issues that really matter to America and quit the name calling and quit the bashing. I can easily turn the channel or log on to the internet to watch something like "The Hills" for name calling and immature drama.

The Firefighter Episodes...My First Memories

It was the end of my spring semester and summer was in the air. The air was sweet. The air was full of excitement. The air was full of strapping, tall, handsome, all-American, all muscle, all adorable, all wonderfully everything I always go for in a guy, hott-ness firefighter. But, like I said, he lived over an hour away in a different town fighting fires far far away from me.

The anticipation in waiting to see him, in waiting for him to drive back to town was excruciating. A good part of the anticipation was that I knew he would always drive back to town on his four days off and the best thing about firefighters' schedule is that they are normally three days on and four days off. I couldn't wait for his four days to start all over again. I always imagine him smiling and singing in his truck on his hour long drive. Oh, yes, he drove a truck. What else would you expect?

So, our days and nights together in getting to know one another were filled with driving around in his truck, relaxed dinners, cozy walks at the park, movies, and lots and lots of laughing. Primarily laughing. He'd laugh at me, I'd laugh at him, and we would laugh at just about anything and everything. His laugh and his smile are just mesmerizing. I can always tell the difference when he thinks something is somewhat amusing and when he really thinks it is hilarious and it makes him incredibly happy. His smile and the way it crinkles his eyes always gives away his true happiness.

I have three very fond memories of the hottness firefighter and I from our first summer. The firefighter and I enjoyed doing simple things together. One of our favorite simple ways to spend time with one another was to sit at Starbucks with our frothy beverages and play Chess. We loved playing Chess against one another. I think it was an excuse to sit across from each other with little distance between us for long periods of time.

My second memory is very far from Starbucks and Chess. We were driving around in his truck and he was taking me somewhere that was supposed to be a surprise. We were out in the country a little north of our town and I had never been in the area. There were just fields and fields and very little sign of civilization...but it was so beautiful. The sun was beginning to set and the Oklahoma Summer Sunset in the country is absolutely breathtaking. We pulled off the dirt road and started driving into a field...eventually there was absolutely no road and we were just driving through grass.

At that point, I had no idea what the surprise could have been. Then, out of no where I start to see a body of water and realize there is large pond ahead. He parks his truck facing west, facing the pond, facing the sunset. What on earth is he doing? Instantly, I think...and say, "Oh, my gosh! Are we trespassing on someone's property???" "Of course not," he coolly and laughingly tells me. "This is my family's land." Well, of course it is, I think to myself. Of course your perfect existance has property like this in your family. Romantic private pond and all.

He continues to tell me how he remembered I had mentioned a while back that I had never shot a gun before and how I always wanted to try. I know. Random. So, we get out of the truck. He tells me that he thought this spot was the perfect spot to show me how to shoot a gun. Apparently he grew up doing these silly boy silly country things. Silly city girl me. I know this may not be the romantic twist you may have been waiting for, but at the moment, and to this day, it was one of the most sincerest gestures and memories I have in my heart. He stood behind me and showed me how to hold the gun. He towered over me and his muscle arms wrapped around me to hold the gun for me as I played the damsel in distress role...and I felt incredibly safe. I felt an incredible amount of emtions. I learned to shoot a gun that night for the first time. And I learned I was absolutely hopeless when it came to this hottness firefighter. And this was only the beginning.

My last memory of our first summer together was our overnight camping trip...

To be continued...

Can I Do It?

My mind has been in a million places this past week and as I lay awake at night stressing over whether or not I completed all my daily tasks and whether or night I completed them sufficiently, I start doubting myself and wondering, "Can I do it?"

My migraine on Saturday left me couch-ridden in the dark cave of my home and made me wonder if I have just put too much on my plate for me to handle right now? Sigh.

A full time job, a part-time job when I get home every evening from my full time job, and a class in pursuit of my masters degree...I am feeling a little overwhelmed. Primarily due to the graduate class. My class started last week and school is one of the few places that I feel the most insecure. I have never been as intellectual as everyone else and I have always felt that I had to work harder to think and to produce a coherent thought. My class is incredibly intimidating and I feel so inferior to the other classmates. The only thing keeping me going right now is that I already paid for the class and I will not waste my money.

My first paper is due on Sept. 3 and I have not written a paper in a few years...let alone a graduate quality paper. Why do I do these things to myself? Do I live for the stress and the deadlines? Or is my life really not that interesting that I have to force myself to think I enjoy writing papers in relation to Rhetoric...*** that is the class I am taking and supposedly "love", English Composition and Rhetoric...oh dear.

Plus, this new single life has gotten me all kinds of boy crazy. I think my running total of crushes right now is approximately 5 guys...I say approximately because the number changes daily. I wear myself out.

I need inspiration. Oh, here he is:

More "Twilight"

So, I did go back to the B&N the day of my previous post, but I got "New Moon" (the second book of the series) only...they did not have "Eclipse" (the third book of the series.) The reading obsession of vampires continued. I finishd "New Moon" late Monday night/early Tuesday morning around 2 am...if I didn't have to work on Monday, obviously I would have finished the book sooner. But life still does exists outside of this vampire love series...supposedly.

I forced myself to wait until the next weekend before I would head back out to B&N to buy "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn"...it was SO difficult! I thought I was the only crazy non-teen reading and obsessing about this vamipre series...I was and still am so wrong.

I had dinner and drinks with friends/co-workers last Wednesday evening after work. Someone in the group that I did not know very well brought up "Twilight"...something along the lines of "Has anyone heard of this new book series about vampires?" DING! I automatically perk up. Why, yes, yes I have...and I have absolutely no life now because of it and I swear up and down that there is the perfect Edward-like vampire out there just for me. Sigh. I didn't really say that out loud, but I was pathetically thinking this over and over in my head. Anyway, so he continues on about how his boss loves this book and stayed up all night reading to finish it. Whew. I am not the only one. So the group starts asking questions and discussing this book and of course I am so giddy inside.

Later in the evening, as the conversation has switched from vampire love to normal adult content, another co-worker/friend shows up and pops a squat next to me. Instantly, she asks me if I like to read. Ding. Why, yes, yes, I do. She asks me if I have ever heard of "Twilight"? Ding. Why, yes, yes, I have...and I have absolutely no life now because of it and I swear up and down that there is the perfect Edward-like vampire out there just for me. Sigh. Again, I didn't actually say that, but I was thinkiing it over and over in my head. My friend is so ecstatic that someone else her age loves the book so much and we start to talk about the characters and the book and how it is so strange how much the story engulfs you when you are reading.

I slowly discovered that there are so many adults reading this vampire love story and it is not just me. Women at work that are grandmothers are absolutely in love with this book series also. So many different people that I would not have expected to be reading and loving anything to do with vampires, are absolutely in love with Edward...the main vampire love interest.

So, this past Friday, I could not get out of work fast enough. I darted over to B&N and bought the final two books of the series, "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn." My Friday evening was all about "Eclipse"...and of course the wonderful speciman of a man that is Michael Phelps in a speedo. I had to force myself to go to sleep and only agreed with myself since I knew I had all weekend to get in my fair share of Edward and Bella.

Saturday. I don't know what happened to Saturday. Oh, yeah. I read. I woke up around 8:00am and instantly picked up the book. Still laying in my bed in my pj's, I realize it is almost 2:00 pm. OH MY GOSH! Oh well, I didn't have anything to do anyway besides clean, do laundry, go to the grocery store, acknowledge my dog's existence, acknowledge a world outside of my house. So, I move on to "Breaking Dawn" the final book in the series. This one is daunting. Almost 800 pages. My evening came and went. Midnight came and went. 4:00 am and I had to force myself go to sleep.

Sunday, I forced myself to get out of the house. I had lunch with friends, and of course the conversation was consummed with this book series. Afterward, I came home and conintued on with my vampire love saga. I needed to just get it over with at this point. I couldn't let this obsession continue on into another week. I finished the final words around 2:00 am. Sigh. All over. In one week, I read over 2000 pages of this vampire series and now it is all over.

I have not talked to one person who does not love this vampre love story. If you have not heard of it, check it out. The movie release date has been moved up to November 21, 2008.

Now, I have to get back to life and stop wishing and hoping that I could fall in love with a vampire like Edward.

Plus, I had a date last night. I'll tell you about that later.

Keep on keepin on.

Twilight

The new popular book series by author Stephanie Meyer is all a buzz. And I had no idea until yesterday.

I must have been living in my own little bubble for quite some time because I had never heard of this new Best Selling series. I had a coupon to the local Barnes-N-Noble, and yes, of course I have a membership, so I was on the prowl yesterday for a new book to read. My friend, Jenny-poo, and I had about an hour to kill before our very girly, newly released movie was scheduled to start (I will talk about that separately...can you guess what it was we saw?), so we decided to go the B-n-N to find myself a new book and so I could use my coupon before it expired. ****I hate wasting a perfectly beautiful and valid B-n-N coupon because I feel like it is something I really earned...don't hate me because I am so frugal and strange. Anyway, so I kept telling Jenny-poo that I wanted something really good. Hmmm. That really narrows it down, huh?. I walked around completely lost, looking from cute book cover to cute book cover to some "who thought that was good idea?" book cover...and was totally bored and un-inspired. I even skulked around the "thought provoking" table...no go. Nothing.

I had already perused the "Best Seller" wall because that is what I always do first. I can't break my habits even when in public, I don't think I have ever not skipped on over to the "Best Seller" wall or table or isle when first entering a book store...I have never really been disappointed, so I stick with what works. So, my first try on the "Best Seller" wall was more of an "....eh" rather than an "..awww,oooooh, I want this one." Then, poor Jenny-poo was trying to be so helpful by trying to pry out of me what kind of book I was looking for when I had absolutely no inclination of what I was looking for....seems to be a motif in my life...but I digress. So, finally we head back on over to the once already perused "Best Selling" wall and I sigh inside and probably outside thinking this is going to be an absolutely unsuccessful book trip and I will be totally depressed until the girly movie we are about to see in 30 min actually begins.

I had noticed two shelves of black books on our first glance at the "Best Seller" wall, picked one up and put it back to move on to the next shelves. On the two shelves, although each book had the similar black overall look, the pictures and titles were different. On our second trip, after taking a second look at the black books with pale white arms and hands holding a bright red apple, it dawned on me....or more like Jenny-poo let me in on the huge secret....that the black books were a series. OHHHHH. ****Sometimes I really wonder how I got through college because I can really be so dense sometimes. Then, after reading the back cover, yet again, it dawned on me the book was about vampires. Again, back to the dense thing, the pale obviously vampire-ish arms and hands didn't quite register in my head. Neither did the combination of the pale vampire-ish arms and hands with the title, "Twilight." DUH. And I was obviously oblivious to the magnitude of the book series' greatness....because uhhhhh, it was already a "Best Selling" series that I had never heard about yet. I am so behind the times.

After lack of anything else that really triggered any interest, the vampire arms won my heart. You know what is super sad? I almost talked myself out of buying the first book because I thought it was too long. The thought of trying to read 500 pages was absolutely not appealing to me. I like to read multiple books that are shorter in lengh, not one 500 page monstrosity. But, I like a challenge...sometimes, and walked out of the B-n-N with "Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer.

After I got home from my girly movie watching ways, I walked in my house and layed the B-n-N bag with its 500 page dead weight novel on my dining table. I instantly blocked the thought of trying to submerge myself into a 500 page novel and anticipated I would never finish it. It had been years since a book over 250 pages has not bored me enough at some point that I had to stop and put off trying to push myself to finish it at a later time...yet I love to read. Yes, I am complicated.

A few hours later, while relaxing on the couch and watching the mens gymnastics olympics and absolutely anticipating seeing the beautiful speciman that is Michael Phelps in a speedo, I remember the 500 page monstrosity laying patiently on my dining table. Sigh. Well, the beautiful speciman that is Michael Phelps in a speedo isn't schedule to grace my t.v. screen for a few hours. Maybe I can kick back some chapters of this vampire mystery before the highlight of my night that is Michael Phelps in a speedo...yes, I know, I need to get out. Leave me alone.

OH, MY, GOOLY GOOLY, HEAVEN TO BETSY, GOSH! Where did my Saturday night go??? To a 500 page vampire story, that is where. I started the amazing book that is "Twilight" around 5:00 pm last night and I finished it around 7:00 am this morning only stopping throughout the night for tinkle breaks...and the beautiful speciman that is Michael Phelps in a speedo. I could not put the book away. I could not put the story out of my mind. I could not get the image of the characters out of my head. I could not stop wanting to know what happened next. I could not not be bored. There was no boredom. I HAD to keep going. I needed to get to the end. I got to the end, early this morning. No sleep, no dinner, it was almost my normal breakfast time, and I wanted to know more! I wanted to still know what happens to Bella and Edward! Oh, thank goodness, there is a sneak peak into the sequel, "New Moon"! Done. NOOOO. I need to know more! Sigh. I force myself to go to sleep and wake up around 11:30 am still reeling in my head this magnificent tale I have just been told. Uggh. Great. Now I have to go back to B-n-N today and get the rest of the books.

So, seriously. "Twilight" is amazing. The character development is phenomenal. The setting details and the action are so vivid. The constant suspense is, well, constant. Meyer has brought to the table an incredible love story that even the most non-vampire fan will definitely be intrigued and appreciate. Plus, "Twilight" is her first book, can you believe that? Check out her website. ...And, new to me and probably not to you, there is a movie being made that is schedule to be released in December. Here is a trailer. I don't think the move trailer really highlights the love story well at all. There definitely needs to be a new trailer for this movie. I hope the movie lives up to the book. Let us cross our fingers.



So, the book series consists so far of four published books: "Twilight", "New Moon", "Eclipse", and "Breaking Dawn". "Breaking Dawn" was recently released around the first week of August, I am not sure about the exact date. On its first day, it sold around 1.3 billion copies! Gosh. What hole have I been living under? Anyway, in actuality, I probably won't run back out to B-n-N today to get the last three, but I might. I need to not engulf my entire weekend on this series. So, I will try to hold off until next weekend and probably take a nap this afternoon instead.

Happy vampire reading.

Keep on Keepin on.

The Firefighter Episodes

About five years ago, when I was a wee little 21 year old bank teller, I met the firefighter. Working at this small town bank, I met many local patrons with money, without money, pretending to have money, or just trying to save money. I met many that just wanted a nice face to talk to as well. Every now and then, I will bump into past customers and they will remember me and want to catch up…it is quite a nice and gratifying feeling.

Bank Tellers often find that there are certain customers that will only want to be helped by them, if possible. There were times when certain customers would wait on my window to become available even if other tellers were available; and same for other tellers, there were times when I was available to help and customers would want to wait on someone else to become available. Strange but understandable, it’s their money.

I first met the firefighter’s dad. He is cooky, personable, nice, and desperate to find his son a girlfriend. As he did with other tellers, he persisted that I should go out with son…whom I had never met or seen. First thought, how fugly or strange or nerdy is his son that he has to persistently beg all the tellers to go out with him? Absolutely not, I thought. So the persistent pestering to go out with his son went on for some time as with the other tellers.

One day, I was helping this strapping, tall, handsome, all-American, all muscle, all adorable, all wonderfully everything I always go for in a guy and was absolutely flirting and drooling all at the same time. Unfortunately, he seemed and acted a little young and unable to maturely handle a conversation with a girl. Oh, well, I can still flirt. You know who the hott-ness was???? It was cooky, personable, nice, and desperate to find his son a girlfriend customer’s son! Oh, I was just smitten after I discovered this little fun fact…I am so IN! His dad loves me! Then I found out he was a firefighter. SCORE!

Hott-ness firefighter lived an 1 ½ away and fights fires for a different town. DAMN!

So, I give up on my hopes and dreams of Hott-ness firefighter and go on with my bank telling ways. Hott-ness firefighter would come in to do some banking every once in awhile an we would banter back and forth. On his days off, he would travel down to town to stay with his family….they are very close. But, I never seriously thought or pursued hott-ness firefighter.

I was still in college at the time, and a girlfriend and I would sometimes go to the local Barnes-n-Noble to pretend to study. On one of our pretending to study trips to the B-n-N, we decided to find a table in the back corner near the photography books so that I could study pretty pictures rather than anything English related. As I am daydreaming and pretending to read, I feel this tall presence walking toward me. I look up and who do I see, but strapping, tall, handsome, all-American, all muscle, all adorable, all wonderfully everything I always go for in a guy, hott-ness firefighter. What is he doing in a Barnes-n-Noble? No way. He likes to read? And he has a Starbucks frothy beverage in hand. So, hott-ness firefighter likes to read and drink coffee?? Is he for real? Can he be any more perfect?

He approaches and we start to banter back and forth. Apparently, he loves B-n-N and goes there quite frequently….(my jaw is dropping and drooling all over my books at this point). He proceeds to tell me that we should “hang out” sometime and then asks for my number! Oh, heck yes, you can have my digits, you beautiful piece of speciman man that you are! And he obviously gives me his number. *****Note to self and other young loverly ladies: If a hott-nees type man wants your number, he is into you. BUT, if he offers up his number to you, then he is soooooooo into you and you got this one in the bag.

And thus began our on and off relationship/friendship/drama without being drama that still continues to this day.
To be continued……

No-Romantic Kissing Rendezvous

I have been instructed that it is time for a new blog post. I guess the five people that actually read this blog might possibly want to know what is going on in Babalou's strange mind and, although grateful, I have yet to understand why. Oh, because you love me. Well, thanks so much. I love you too.

Anyway, there has been so much that has been going on in my mind this past week. I guess I could run a short day-by-day play-by-play and try desperately not to completely bore you..because to be honest, my life is not that exciting, BUT I will try to glamorize my not so glamorous life just for you.

Where to begin?........Oh, last Tuesday. Let's see, the EX-monkey (still a monkey and probably worse things, just not mine anymore) moved out. I arrived home from my glamorous job of cubicle daydreaming to a monkey free house. Sigh. Tear. Done. Moving on. I am not that much of a woe is me listen to me sob and cry for months over something I will eventually make myself get over anyway because I can't control it and I am not even going to waste my energy on things or emotions or feelings or stupidity that I can and never will be able to control anyway. So, since Tuesday evening, I have been great and ready to move on with my life.

Wednesday....I cannot even remember what I did Wednesday other than glamorous girl things that were so glamorous that I can't even remember.

Thursday....Oh yeah! It was my birthday! and it was a good birthday. I wasn't expecting anything for my birthday, but the lovely ladies I work with are just that, lovely, and they made sure I was a happy girl on my birthday. They brought all kinds of goodies to set at my glamorous and fabulous cubicle...AND they totally didn't get me cake! Which is the best thing they could have done. For those of you that do not know a very key fact about me, here it is: I HATE CAKE. I don't like it, I have never liked it, and I will never begin to think about liking it. I love brownies and ice cream, and somehow I got both on my birthday at work. Those ladies are super uber lovely.

Also, I spent the evening after work with a couple of friends that are co-workers and a couple of friends that are not co-workers. We ended up staying out until 10pm....wooo doggies! We are dangerous...and glamorous. But, it was truly a good time and I am lucky to have people in my life that care so much to stay out until 10pm on a work night. (I wish I could wink to you right now.)

Friday night was the late night. I stayed up until around 1:30 AM....cleaning my house. I am so adventurous. I know. someone should definitely stop me. Actually, this was good. I cleaned and re-arranged things... AKA de-clint (monkey) the house. No more pics of the once happy couple in the same pose over and over again only in different clothes and different events. I would much rather have an empty photo frame because I was too lazy to go through all my pics to find a replacement photo. Sigh. It was one o'clock in the morning! Give a girl a break.

So, here is the somewhat funny story I will reveal to you that happened over the weekend. Let me start by telling you that I normally remember my dreams very vividly. Most times, if I wake up during a dream and I want it to continue, I can make myself go back to sleep so that I can see what happens in the dream. You do it too...admit it. Anyway, I had a dream about someone. No, it was NOT a dirty, raunchy, nasty dream! Get your head out of the gutter, perv-o. My dream was a romantic sweet lovey dovey dream. I know, you are thinking "romantic? has she lost it?" Well possibly, but anyway, it was a romantic dream about someone at work that I rarely ever speak to and never have personal conversations whatsoever. It was the most random person I could have dreamt about and I awoke embarrassed in the privacy of my own home!! So, I will never look at this person the same again because he was a GREAT kisser in the dream. Now every time he walks by my glamorous cubicle, all I can think about is the dream version of him. UGH! Could my mind be more complicated? AND of course, for some ridiculous reason I think he knows I dreamt about him and therefore, I am completely and totally embarrassed every time he comes around. I need to grow up and find an infatuation outside of work.

Oh wait, I have one those too. I'll tell you about my firefighter infatuation tomorrow. Nighty night and sweet dreams. Wait, NO! NO! no, sweet dreams. I don't want to dream tonight. I want to go to work with a dreamless no-romantic kissing rendezvous with nerdy co-worker night. Wish me luck.

Coping

So, my first weekend as a single is over and done. It wasn't too bad. It's amazing what one can do to keep themselves and their mind occupied. Coping. It is a strange word and such a dynamic word all at once. The process is far more complex. Every person has a different way of coping with different situations. For me, coping normally involves endless amounts of junk food and lots of sleeping. Normally, I am unable to focus well on the important things. But, coping with my current turn of events has been different for me this past week. I have never experienced such loss of appetite or inability to sleep through the night...but I have had an amazing ability to focus on work...and more importantly an ability to focus on me. Although my appetite has been almost non-existent, I have forced myself to eat. The sleeping has gotten better over the weekend.

Although I have had offers from friends to do this and to do that, my coping strategy is to stay home alone. For now, it is comforting. Don't get me wrong, I had lunch with girlfriends on Saturday and went and saw "Mamma Mia" and the new "Batman" in the theater; but for the most part, home is where my heart needed to be. So, what did I do to keep myself busy and not depressed? I watched "The Break-Up"...the movie with Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn. Smart right? Actually, YES! For me it was. The arguments were almost vertbatim to mine and my now ex-person and the reasons for Aniston's and Vaughn's breakup are so similar I feel like my relationship was modeled after it. Anyway, the point being that everything is going to be fine. So, although I am not stupid and I know everything will be fine without needing a movie to tell me that, the movie was still reassuring.

So, I tried to find a relevant clip of the movie to share on this post and could not find any I liked....and I didn't want to take the time to search either. So you get the following clip...only watch it if you want to be totally depressed. If not, scroll forward for much more uplifting visuals.



The following are far more comforting. My following friends have been incredibly helpful through my coping.

My Piddly Little Break-up

One thing I have always believed and have always told myself to get through tough times is this: "Bad things happen to good people, it is how one handles what they have been given that will define them." -Me

I am repeating this phrase over and over in my head today and have been since this past Tuesday.

Sadly, my live-in boyfriend and I have broken up after a year and a half. I keep telling myself it is not that bad...and it isn't. There are far more worse things in life and in the world than my piddly little break-up. But, it still isn't completely easy either.

I am lucky, though. In actuality, we were not together for a very long time. I keep thinking about people who get divorced after 30 years of marraige...I cannot imagine what it would be like to have to divide 30 years of life. My situation is a cinch in comparison.

I hate to bad-mouth about people, but sometimes it is difficult when talking to friends to not say bad things about my ex-person. But, I know it is just because I am actually pretty angry about the situation right now and I will get over it. I won't bad-mouth here...or at least not right now.

I have been through a few stages already. First, there was the "I-Don't-Care" stage...that didn't last long. Then there was the "I need to feel sorry about myself" stage...it comes and goes but mostly goes. Third, there is the "I have never been so angry in my life" stage...this one lingers the most. I briefly experienced the "I have wasted so much of my time" stage...I think that one will pop up every so often and aid the "I have never been so agry in my life" stage.

But, for the most part, I come back to reality and out of my stage lives and remember that I am a strong 5ft young woman and it is very difficult to bring me down. I have never been able to let anyone bring me down and I won't let it start now. I was strong before I met him and I will continue to be strong for the rest of my life. Sure, I won't be chipper every second of everyday, but I know that I am able to deal with life and what it throws at me.

The part that makes the "I need to feel sorry for myself" stage re-surface every so often, is that my 26th birthday is next Thursday. I had planned on having a small simple birthday celebration with my now ex-person. I didn't even really want a big celebration. Now, the plans are different. It will definitely be bittersweet and strange, but I have great friends that will ensure that I am not alone. I find this proof to myself that not everything happens exactly how you plan it, but it doesn't mean that it is not as great or wonderful...and life most definitely goes on.

Keep on keepin on.

Stairway to....

Last week, the Monkey of a Significant Other and I meandered downtown to a baseball game. We ended up parking in the parking garage due to lack of other options and because, by-golly, I like parking in the parking garage. But, I didn't realize we would be on the 7th row...round and round we go...or went. whatever.

After the game, we joined the hurd of baseball fans in the adventure to our parked cars. Fun,huh? No. Not when the entire hurd wants to take the only two elevators in the parking garage to get to their cars. Sigh. Most of them are probably only going up two or three flights of stairs...lazies. So, the MOASO and I decided to join another pack of baseball fans up the stairs. Sigh...again.

Do you want to know how pathetic and out of shape my Jap butt is? Ridiculously! My thighs were sore the very next day and I know it was the 7 flights of stairs that did it. I am Super Sad girl.

So, rather than moping and skulking that my thunder thighs are out of shape, I ate ice cream. Just kidding. Well, I did have ice cream but not because I was sad that I was sore.

Monday, yesterday, when I got to work I decided to make a small change. I like baby steps, people. I work on the 5th floor of my building and always take the elevator. I decided to make a commitment to myself and take the stairs EVERYDAY. The elevator is no longer an option.

Day two of 5 flights of stairs and I am feeling pretty good about myself...especially since I do it in heels and the stairway is sweltering and humid. Probably not the best idea to climb in my heels, but hey, I said baby steps, people. And believe me, I am pathetically out of breathe when I am done even thought my 29inch inseam legs are not trudging too quickly.

Now that I have made the commitment to take the stairs, we'll see how long it lasts and how long it takes my thighs to create less thunder. Stairway to less thunder, ya'll...play the ACDC song "Thunder" in your head...that is what I think on my way up those stairs.

Keep on keepin on.

Imagination Prompt

I really wanted to post a blog today and I was really at a loss about what I wanted to blog about. There really wasn't a movie that was released today that sparked an interest in me and not much went on at work. doot dee doot dee doo, what is a blogger to do? So, I googled "blogging ideas" and was given a plethora of website options that could assist me and my blogging anti-creative imagination today. Long story short, this is what was generated from my search:

Did you belong to boy/girl scouts or 4-H? Tell about your experiences.

Why, yes I did you smart little blogging idea generator, you. I was a Brownie for a short period of time. I sold cookies, went camping, and sang crap like "Kumbaya." Well, I did all these Girl Scout things the California way. When I was a wee little Jap girl, my family lived in California about a couple miles away from a beach. I know...nice. Anywho, our California Girl Scout version of camping was some dad setting up a tent in a backyard of someone's house. Whatever.

My most memorable moment of being a brownie occureed at a hayride. I am not sure what the event was or when it happened...I am guessing it was toward the end of my Brownie girl days because this memorable moment was not enjoyable. There was a campfire and there were hay bales sitting around the camp fire (probably not the smartest placement). All these girls were sitting around on the hay bales singing God knows what when I noticed my bum starting to ache a little. I ignored the ache a little bit just thinking I was probably sitting too long. At the end of the evening, when I stood up to leave, I did what everyone does when they stand up from sitting on hay bales...you brush your bum to clean it off a bit. Well, something stung when I was brushing my bum ever so slightly. My hand kept hitting something and everytime my hand hit this something I would experience pure agony. What the heck?

There was a thick strand of hay that had pierced one of my bum cheeks! And it hurt so badly when I tried to pull it out! Then it hurt when I tried to walk! What was an 8yr old to do to try and prevent any embarrassment for being the only human being to manage to get a strand of hay lodged into their bum cheek from just sitting and singing Kumbaya??!!

I sucked it up and pulled the thick strand of hay from my bum. I didn't cry and I didn't make a scene. I quickly pulled and then slowly limped away.

Needless to say, camping, sitting on hay bales, and Kumbaya are not on my list of favorite things. But, I do love me some Girl Scout cookies...somoas are my fave.

The Life of Nyxie Rae

I know I spend a lot of time exposing the world to "The Roo."


I have decided that today I will share with you the wonderful life of Nyxie Rae. Nyxie Rae is our foster black lab that has probably forever planted all four paws into our home and in our hearts. She is our "big girl." Nyxie Rae is very protective and very skiddish all at the same time. She is very unsure of others that come into our home until I give an extremely comforting "It's okay, Nyxie Rae. The big bad human won't hurt you."

She has slowly found her place in this home and finally gotten as comfortable as "The Roo." Here is a day in the life of Nyxie Rae: