i have officially started my christmas shopping. whoot! i really am in the holiday spirit now and it's so much fun. my shopping adventure yesterday was fun, even in the rain.
today is pretty and sunny and even a little warm. i've decided to go get a mani/pedi this afternoon since it's been forever since i've gotten one and i've been good. heh.
tonight we're going to dinner for hubby's granny's birthday. we're actually going to a restaurant that i've never been to before. normally his family goes to the same 3 places, so it's fun that we're going someplace different. it's about time, too. don't get me wrong, those 3 places they usually go to are fine and all, but it gets boring going to the same place each time.
i bought a new cd yesterday, which is so rare to me as i normally download everything from itunes, but this cd was worth it. it's the alice music volume 11 album. (alice is a radio station where i live) and it's all acoustic songs by the artists that i love and the proceeds for the sale of the album goes to various breast cancer research funds.
i had a weird dream last night about a guy i work with. i've never really thought about him before, but now i can't stop thinking about him! geesh. dreams are so weird.
since it's apparent that i have nothing great to say, i'll sign off now. maybe i'll be more inspired later.
i am so happy that it's holiday time at starbucks. i spied my first red cup last night and had to immediately let jacarandabush know. (we have a special bond over the cups). anyhow, small things like those little red cups and the delish holiday drinks the serve makes me oh so happy.
it's drizzling out right now and it's warm and cozy in my little office at home. atty is curled up on the couch and my mini heater is keeping us comfortable. i have a mug of holiday blend coffee and am all warm and fuzzy inside. i have been caught up by the holiday spirit and i love it!
i have several holiday shopping days planned with various girlfriends and a weekend trip with jacarandabush in the works as well. i do want to get home and shop at the grove, my most favorite shopping center of all, but i'm not sure if that will happen this year. but, we'll see.
so what's on your wishlist for this holiday season?
whew! i almost thought i wouldn't make it, but i have an hour until midnight so this post will definitely count as being written today!
to say it was crazy busy would be an understatement. i was running in all directions today, but i did manage to get pretty much everything i wanted to get done, done.
i just got back from a 3 hour dinner with a girlfriend. it was so great to hang out and talk for so long. and having 2 double shot espressos didn't seem to hurt that much either. except now i am TOTALLY wired. but, at least i get to sleep in tomorrow.
i'm meeting a different girlfriend at noon tomorrow to do some christmas shopping. i have no idea what to get people this year. hubby is pretty easy as he usually gives me a list. everyone else is difficult.
his granny is turning 87 this weekend so we're going out to dinner for her on sunday night. i should make her a card tomorrow.
i made halloween cards for a few of my friends and for my parents and no one has said anything. i'm sure they all got them. sort of weird. oh well.
atty is acting like he has never been loved before, he is purring and rubbing up against me so much! i better pay him some attention before he gets all fussy with me!
ciao until tomorrow, my darlings!
i've been trying to write some short stories again but have been lacking the inspiration. anyone have any suggestions for either unblocking my mind or for a story idea? i promise to publish whatever i end up writing on this blog and credit you for the inspiration or idea. :)
i was starving after work today and didn't feel like making dinner. i know, big surprise. so i went to whole foods on the way home. big mistake. whole foods is like a big treat store for me. i don't do my normal shopping there as it's too expensive and they don't have everything i want. but today i was in the mood for something different. i got all kinds of goodies: garlic jack sourdough bread, freshly made tuna salad, spicy tuna rolls, avocado cucumber rolls, a big jar of apple cider, apple cider mulling spices, a dozen deep pink roses, a 12 pack of mini chocolate croissants, coconut macaroons and peets holiday blend ground coffee.
i have since devoured the sushi (okay, so that was mostly hubby), some of the tuna salad and some of the bread. i also had a baked potato with sour cream and chives. i'm sitting with a delicious cup of cider, with atty in my lap and my little space heater making the room all toasty. i took a long bath so i'm extra nice and warm. hubby is in the other room with a friend so i'm staying out of the way, which is just fine since i like the alone time.
today was a hectic day and i think there was something in the weather because everyone was a little bit screwy. and it was SO freaking cold. i even dressed warm, but not warm enough.
i am so glad tomorrow is friday. i'm ready for this week to be over.
hubby is taking finn to the vet tomorrow afternoon. he thinks finn is getting a little thin, but i think that finn is just a mini kitty so he's naturally little. we think he's the runt of the litter, but i guess it's better that we have him checked out nonetheless. he's still as playful as ever and eats whenever he can, so maybe he has a tapeworm or something.
i'm sorry i'm so boring and blah tonight....
ugh. so by the time i got back home after work and running errands, my big mac and fries couldn't have tasted better.
it tastes so good when it hits the lips!
hubby went to the gym after work so i didn't have to worry about about him for dinner so i had time to relax and enjoy my meal, while catching up on some bad tila tequila reruns on mtv. i made a quick stir fry for him then we hit our usual wednesday nite aa meeting. i just wasn't feeling the meeting tonight. i didn't get much out of it and i couldn't stop yawning. but i'm glad i went. i hadn't been to one in a while so i'm glad i went, especially since i've been feeling so squirely these past few days. not like i want to drink, or anything like that, but just off. i do feel better that i went and now i have a bit of energy.
it's freaking cold outside right now and our heater isn't working. i bought a little space heater, but i think i'll just take a hot shower and jump into my nice warm bed. i have to get into work a little early tomorrow, so it'll save me some time in the morning.
i'm taking hubby to dinner at the restaurant at the property where i work next week. coincidently, it is called just that. the restaurant. nice and original, huh. the manager asked me why i hadn't dined there yet, so i made reservations straight away. wonder what i should wear....
well, today started out better than yesterday, but it seems to have gone right back to how it was. blah. i wore a bright yellow sweater and another pair of new shoes ~ sassy black patent leather mary janes ~ today and that has made me feel better, but these shoes are too high for my job. they have 3 inch heals which i normally walk fine in except the property that i work at is quite hilly and well, these shoes do not work going down the hills. so today i am that lame girl that has to get a ride everywhere. oh well. at least i look cute doing so. people i work with are extra fussy today too, which makes things that much more annoying. really, it only takes one person to be grumpy for everyone else to feel it.
today is definitely a mc donald's day. i just made a pot of coffee and it's yucky weak. better than nothing, though. i just made plans with a girlfriend to go shopping this weekend. i don't need anything so it'll be just fun to hang out with her.
yesterday hubby and i went to look at houses closer to where we both work. we liked the first house a lot and didn't like the other house at all. the realtor who showed us the houses is a friend of a friend and he was really great. another gal i know, who is also a realtor, has been showing us houses and she drives me nuts. she is incredably aggressive and doesn't listen to me when i tell her what our price range is. she constantly sends me info on houses so far out of our range, it's ridiculous. and when i tell her as much, she totally ignores me. just last weekend i went to look at a few houses with her, without hubby, and when i told her they were houses he wouldn't like, she later sent me an email asking if he was even interested in buy a house in the first place. it really pissed me off. just because i know what hubby likes (and dosen't like) , doesn't mean we don't want to buy a house. just today she sent me an email with a house that is $300k OVER our budget. seriously. if it were, oh, 50k over, that would be one thing. but $300k? get real, lady. hubby and i decided last night that we're going to tell her we're not interested in buying a house anywhere in the near future so hopefully she'll leave us alone. i guess we naively thought since she was our friend that she wouldn't give us the hard sale on everything.
it's supposed to rain this weekend and i'm looking forward to it. we haven't had a good soaking in a while. i have lot's of housework to do, too, as i have been slacking off the past few weekends. i would rather stay inside when it's crummy out than when it's all nice and sunny. i tend to get way less done when it's nice out. i seem find a sunny spot and nap the weekend away.
i'm feeling rather blah today. there's no real good reason for it, either. i mean, nothing is wrong and nothing in particular put me in this mood, but i'm in it nonetheless. i'm sure it doesn't help that it's cold and foggy out either.
i do have a swell new pair of shoes on today, though. they are chocolate brown round toe leather flats with a light orange flower embroidered on the top and lime green ribbon woven around the opening that i slide my foot into. i got them when i was out with my girlfriend on sunday. they remind me of shoes you would wear in india.
hubby and i are meeting after work today to check out some houses. one of his friends is a realtor and found two houses inbetween where hubby and i both work, so we decided to check them out. they seem to be in our price range, which is good, but we'll see. many times houses that are in our price range still require a lot of work to be done to them and we really don't want to have to put time and effort into a house right away. we'd like to move in and do smaller projects, like painting, rather than having to remodel anything.
i started reading brave new world by aldoux huxley. i've never read it before and one of my girlfriend's highly recommends it. i'm ready to read something 'non girlie' again. something that will make me think.
speaking of things that make me think, hubby and i went to see into the wild on sunday. that movie is amazing. it's a true story based on the book of the same title by jon krakauer. it is hands down the most amazing movie i have seen in a very long time. it's based on the true story of this guy who, after graduating college, leaves unannounced on an amazing journey across the country, befriending people along the way and ending up lost in the wilderness of the alaskan brush. hubby had read the book and said the movie followed it exactly. it was produced by sean penn and was just phenomenal. i highly recommend it. i don't want to say any more about it, lest i give away too much of the goodness. just take my word for it and go see the movie. you won't regret it.
four jobs i have had in my life:
1. zoo docent at the los angeles zoo
2. rose float crew chief
3. executive assistant
4. engineering coordinator
four movies i've seen more than once:
1. office space
2. top gun
3. casino
4. sweet home alabama
four places i've lived:
1. glendale
2. san luis obispo
3. san francisco
4. sacramento
four t.v. shows i watch:
1. the office
2. law & order: criminal intent
3. dirty jobs
4. what not to wear
four things i like to do:
1. read
2. spend time with my friends
3. go to the coast
4. drink coffee
four places i've been:
1. germany
2. new orleans (pre katrina)
3. the grand canyon
4. coszumel
four of my favorite foods:
1. cheeseburgers
2. strawberry milk shakes
3. filet mignon
4. fois gras
four places i'd rather be right now:
1. at the coast
2. in the redwoods
3. in bed
4. not at work
four things i'm looking forward to this holiday season:
1. going shopping in the city with my girlfriends for christmas
2. holiday decorations in town and at my house
3. pine scented candles
4. hearing christmas carols
i hung out with one of my best friends this afternoon. it was fantastic. she came over late morning and stayed until late afternoon. i don't get to see her all that often because she lives a aways away. though we talk all the time, it just isn't the same as seeing her. she arrived and we talked for a bit before heading out to eat. i was craving a burger ~ big surprise ~ so we went to the local cafe. upon entering, we discovered they had brunch still going. she got spiced pumpkin pancakes and i got bacon, tomato and avocado eggs benedict. omg. they were soo good. for desert i had a frapachino type drink. sooo delicous. good thing my new next-size-up jeans had arrived on friday, because after that meal, boy did i need them!
as soon as our plates of deliciousness were set in front of us, she reached over and ate some potatoes off my plate. we both giggled as we inhaled our food. i loved that she just ate my food without asking. when my frapachino came, i slid it over for her to taste and she drank right out of the straw without hesitation. while that may sound silly that i enjoy that, those small things make me so happy. to me, that's what true friendship is all about. i shouldn't have to ask my friend for a fry or a sip of her drink and neither should she with me. it's called sharing. and besides. it's fun.
later when the bill came, i grabbed it first. she stated to complain, but then i told her she could just buy me something later. she laughed and said okay. i know next time she'll pick up the bill so everything will just come around like it always does. i would much rather go back and forth on things like that with my friends rather than counting out each penny. it's too anal that way for me. besides. there's more to life than money.
but i can't do that with all my friends. i only really do that with a small handful of friends. the others we go dutch on because they tend to cause a fuss or i end up paying too much. i honestly don't mind paying for things, but when it turns out i am paying the majority of the time, it gets old. fast. when i decide to pay, it's because i genuinely want to, not because i feel i have to. when i start feeling like i have to pay, i stop hanging out with that friend. i don't like feeling taken advantage of. or for that matter, being taken advantage of.
anyhow, i love my girlfriend and am so glad she came to visit me today. next time i'll go visit her and she can pay for lunch. maybe she'll take me to crepeville for banana and nutella crepes. mmmmm.
have you ever had one? i have. i will say that it was fantastic. and horrible. at the same time. i never had the intention of having a secret lover, but it just happened. and it actually lasted for quite a long time. it started out innocently enough, just flirting and secret glances. but it soon progressed to much more.
it was only supposed to happen once. but it didn't. it actually turned into a full fledged relationship. well, as much as a relationship in secret can be. we were cautious and aware. we were hardly out alone, always going out in groups, but then meeting secretly afterwards. or before. we would have lunch or coffee together, but that wasn't ever seen as odd as in our work environment, everyone ate together. it was a very incestuous environment so everyone was always seen together.
we went to a lot of events, but never showed up together. we didn't leave together either. everyone knew we were very close, but then again, that environment produced a lot of close relationships due to the crazy work hours and way of life the industry demanded. we both worked in prominent offices that allowed us to be together often as our worked overlapped pretty much each and every day. and even when it didn't, we were still around each do to the close proximity of our offices.
when our work demanded us to take trips to conventions, we always managed to sit next to each other on the airplane and vans, though we were careful to be as innocent about it as possible. sort of how we 'just happened' to find the last seat next to each other.
we were charming and witty to everyone around us, so it didn't look like we were treating each other differently in the eyes of our colleagues. i'm not sure if people suspected things, but if they did, no one ever said anything.
sadly, he didn't take power all that well. as he started getting promoted, his ego grew exponentially. it became so ridiculous that i could no longer see him. he became someone i didn't want to be around and that made me sad. i longed for the man he was when i first knew him. i wanted his delicate kisses. his soft touch that would make me melt. the intimacy and passion that we had together has never been duplicated for me and i miss that. i miss him.
* sitting in a warm sunny spot as a soft breeze floats by
* having a new book to read and time to read it
* taking a long nap
* meeting a friend for coffee
* taking a bubble bath
* hiking in the redwood forest
* getting a letter in the mail from a friend
* watching the sun melt into the ocean as it sets
* having extra money at the end of a pay period
* cuddling with the kitties
* a lazy saturday afternoon
* listening to music that invokes good memories
* winning a bid on ebay
* going to a college football game and watching the team i'm rooting form win
* receiving an unexpected package in the mail
* going on a weekend trip with a girlfriend
* having inside jokes with friends
* enjoying a leisurely lunch at an outside cafe
* writing something i am proud of
* finding sara lee coffee cake at the grocery store
* getting a full night of uninterrupted sleep
* buying pants that i don't have to get hemmed
* watching the office
* watching the beauty of the landscape transform around me as the seasons change
* waking up to the smell of a freshly brewed pot of coffee
i just got a random email invite to a political fundraiser in las vegas for rudy giuliani. um. yeah. no thanks. i already met him at an event that i helped put together a few years ago for another candidate that was running for a state office. (rj was the guest speaker) that event only had about 75 people in attendance so i got some one on one face time with the man. and a fancy photo to boot. you know, those cool politico photos with the man and the american flag and me shaking his hand. too bad i was drunk. ahh..memories.
so i was just listening to a voice mail that a girlfriend left me last night. she just adoped a new kitty, who she says is about the size of a beanie baby, and says that her other kitty has been pouncing on him. she then said it should be fine, but the new kitty will probablly have a tough childhood and maybe he'll grow up to be a writer. that totally made me laugh.
i tried a new 'curl enhancer' shampoo, conditioner and styling cream. i like the shampoo and conditioner as they did seem to work, but the styling cream made my hair sort of crispy and i hate that. i used the diffuser this morning to give my hair some extra oomph. i think i'll stick with my regular stuff. all of these products were samples that came from an order i placed to get my beloved bumble and bumble products. you see, since i live in a tiny town, i have to order all my goodies online. it's good and bad. good because i usually get samples, bad beacuse i can't just go to the store i buy what i need when i need it.
i also got a sassy new pair of glasses last weekend and hubby never even noticed! he's usually really observant, but for some reason, he hasn't said a thing. i really like these frames and have worn them almost every day this week. so now i have two pairs of glasses to choose between when i don't feel like wearing my contacts. i've gotten quite sassy with them, too. my first pair are chunky burgundy versace frames with a bit of bling on the sides. the new pair are thin tortoise shell kate spade frames that are lavendar on the inside.
i am on a total burger kick right now. that's all i want to eat. on wednesday i went to mcydees and had a big mac and gobbled that down in like 2.5 seconds. mmmm. earlier this week i had a western cheeseburger from a cafe in town with thin onion rings. yum! i have to say that cheeseburgers are my most favorite food. i think i will hit in-n-out on the way home. no wonder my waistline is getting bigger and i'm having to buy larger jeans....
these days i'm on a hunt for some good new music. i am a HUGE music person and have it going as much as possible. i like all kinds and it really depends on what mood i am in for what i want to listen to. i just downloaded a bunch of music from my high school days and boy does that make me smile. my new secret BF just turned me on (wot!?) to rufus wainwright and i downloaded a few groovy songs. seriously. when a song is titled chocolate milk and cigarettes, you just know it's going to be cool. so what are you listening to?
my drive to work this morning was just like the photo on my header. it was all foggy and still. perfect for the first day of november. i had a meeting first thing this morning so i left about 15 minutes early so i would make it on time. not only was i on time, i was 30 minutes early! it's amazing what a few minutes will do to traffic.
during my first meeting, i realized i had missed doing a bunch of stuff, so that's not good. but, i should be able to catch up on all of it today. and my bosses boss said that i was really highly spoken of in yesterdays executive meeting, which makes me really happy. thrusdays are full of meetings for me. i am literally in meetings from 8 am until lunchtime. but, it does make the day go by faster. and tomorrow is friday, so woo hoo!
saturday i have free and might go to a show with a girlfriend that night, then another girlfriend is coming to visit on sunday. i can't wait because i haven't seen her in forever, though we talk all the time. it's different when you can see someone instead of just talking to them on the phone or over email. sometimes i get pretty lonley, thinking i don't have any friends. but that's just silly. i totally have friends. but, most of them tend to live elsewhere, which is a real bummer. i wish i had friends i could just meet up with after work. like tonight, hubby is working late, so it would be fun to have someone over, but i don't have anyone to call. oh well.
i do have to make jerky tonight, though. hubby has been marinating venison in this tasty teriaki sauce and it makes the best jerkey. mmm. at of one of the meetings i went to today, we were offered these really high end turkeys for thanksgiving. i declined. hubby has already hunted our turkey for thanksgiving. is that weird? but it's oh so good! but, we will be out of town for thanksgiving, on a mini vacation, so i won't make the bird until another time. that is one of the nice things about living where we do. when hubby hunts, he gets the best tasting meat because the animals he hunts graze on the most delicious morsels the land has to offer, like wine grapes.
