Home Again.... and Again

December has been a busy month of traveling. I'm in Chicagoland for the second time this month, and the second time this year. It's been nice! What follows is a play-by-play, because I'm only home once a year and I want to remember everyone I saw.

I flew in on the red eye on December 9th, arriving Dec 10th just in time for Jessica's graduation. We'd managed to (mostly) keep it a secret that I was coming. We'd been worried that Grandma would ruin the surprise, but to our surprise, she was the *only* one who didn't slip! Luckily, Jessica was preoccupied enough with finishing her undergraduate work that she didn't notice. The ceremony was very nice, even if Michigan was VERY cold. Brrrr.

That Sunday, after breakfast, I headed out of Michigan towards Ohio to visit Aarti. We had a delicious fondue dinner that night, and spent Monday eating, doing a little shopping, and going to a movie at the dollar theatre (Elizabethtown). On Tuesday, I said farewell to Columbus and drove back to Illinois. I stopped (too briefly) to visit with Shelley and see her library, and then it was on to Schaumburg for dinner with Meghan and Elenid... from my favorite Indian restaurant--yum!

On Wednesday, Dec. 13th I spent the day in Naperville. I first went to my old office and visited a bit with past coworkers. Then Alison, Alice, Daniela, Theresa and I had lunch at Lou Malnati's. After lunch, it was over to Wheaton to learn to make sticky buns with Grandma, then back to Naperville for dinner with Megan.

Thursday was Christmas shopping day. I met Theresa in the morning at Woodfield. We went to lunch, and then I went home and got Jessica to finish up in the afternoon. Thursday night I went out to Jamie and Craig's with Tammy, and the four of us and Michelle went for dinner.

Friday was a day of relaxation at home, which was very nice. Did some laundry and got some presents wrapped. Friday evening, the family went out for dinner at Wildfire (my favorite restaraunt!) downtown, and then to see A Christmas Carol at the Goodman. It was excellent!

On Saturday I drove down towards Kankakee to meet up with Sarah, Brad and Aarti, who drove up from Danville. We had lunch a little farther north than planned, due to an unexpected traffic jam on my way down. After lunch, I came back up, picked up Jessica and Hollis, and we met Jill for dinner at Rock Bottom in Chicago. We went back to her new townhouse and met Jackson, their new puppy. So cute!

Then Sunday, I flew home. Where the weather was a good 65 degrees warmer.

Fast forward a week, and I was on another Friday night red eye. I'd been so nervous about delays after hearing some horror stories that I ended up at my gate a full three hours early. Better too early than too late! I arrived back in Chicago early Christmas Eve morning, took a quick nap, and then got ready for Christmas Eve.

Grandma and Grandpa; Uncle Ed, Aunt Jodi, Erin and Emmie; and Uncle Phil and Judy all came. We had a delicious dinner where we ALL fit at the grown-up table. Hooray! Then it was Pass-the-Bags to The Night Before Christmas, Christmas carols around the tree, and dessert before the candlelight service at church. We came back and Mom, Grandma, Jess and I all got into our matching PJ's. Very cute. Maybe I'll post a picture. Hee.

This morning, Christmas, was wonderful as usual. Grandma and Grandpa stayed overnight, as is tradition, and we all opened presents and ate sticky buns and Christmas cookies. Then it was off to Aunt Nancy's for "dinner", and Grandma's for supper afterwards. We watched the Bears beat the Packers, ate Field's Specials, and made snowmen for dessert.

All in all, a wonderful Christmas!

Tomorrow, I think, is dinner with Meghan, Emily, Frank and Greg. The rest of the time will be spent with family. I have three more days to my vacation, and I'm afraid they'll go by much too quickly.

Just this once, laundry is a little bit enjoyable.

Pure bliss is two washers and two dryers so that my laundry gets done in half the time.

Pure entertainment is two kittens playing together in the laundry basket. So. Cute!

Proud Mommies

For my twenty-fifth birthday, I became a mommy.

Or, well, you know. I got kitties. *laugh* Yes, there are two brand new additions to the Genevieve/Kate household: Monet and Cymbeline. I fell in love with them at the West LA Animal Shelter on Sunday; on Monday, they came home with us.

They are, without a doubt, two of the most entertaining, inquisitive, energetic, adorable and loving kittens ever to be. They're about three months old and are not directly related, but spent their kittenhood in the same foster care, practically from birth on. They sleep together, play together, and fight together. Boy, do they fight, tumbling and nipping and rolling and batting. As all good sisters do.

Tonight, Monet spent a good while dashing this way and that, chasing a little fluffy thing on the end of a wand that I was waving around for her. Kittens are so cute! Yesterday, they both climbed up onto my lap as I worked at the computer, twisted their little bodies around each other, and fell asleep. Last night, they spent half the night tumbling around my bed and licking my face, and the other half of the night doing the same to Gen. When I woke up, they were finally sleeping, curled together in a tight little ball. Why can't they sleep when I do? Silly things.

When we first met them, Monet seemed shy and timid and cautious. Cymmie looked bold and adventurous and playful. We were fooled! Monet was the first to escape from the kitchen and lose herself for an entire day in the depths of the apartment. She's the one who will play with anything that moves--and many things that don't. Her favorite target is usually Cymmie. Cymbeline is much more careful when playing, but purrs very easily. In fact, she's just climbed into my lap and is motor-boating so loudly I bet Gen can hear her down the hall.

Here, Proud Mommies love showing off pictures of their babies. What makes you think I'd be any different?


Monet, having just woken up from a little catnap.


Cymbeline, avoiding the camera. I have countless photographs of just a tail or a paw or a back end, and some even of just the bed or the floor, where a kitten has dashed out of the frame before the picture could be taken.


Gen, trying to get both kittens to stay still long enough to be photographed together.


Catch that mouse, Cymmie!


Monet, looking about ready to pounce on something herself.


And after a long day of playing, they just curled up on my lap and fell asleep. Can we say "Awwwww"?

Happy Turkey-Murder Day!

Grandpa Jim draws these little cartoons--Sabatuchers, he calls them--for every occasion. First day of school, violin recital, holiday, promotion, new apartment, etc. They're little almost-stick figures posed in front of an appropriate background or jumping for joy or shouting out their reason for being created. This Thanksgiving, my Sabatucher is chasing a turkey with a hatchet. It is, quite simply, the most hilarious little cartoon ever! By far one of his best efforts. It's so simple, and yet I can see my grandpa drawing them out, and it makes me giggle. Hee.

There are many things I'm thankful for today, and all of them seem too big and too important to write down in this little post. Most generally, family, friends, and good fortune. I'm lucky in my life, and that fact is not lost on me. I'll spend the rest of the day thinking about all the more specific reasons for thanks.

Last night, Caitlin, Sean and I were up until 2:00 am preparing and cooking. I'm about to go back over there right now to get the turkey in the oven and finish cooking the rest of the meal.

I hope everyone has a fabulous Thanksgiving!

Gobble gobble!

Just like him, only...

So, today. I met a man. Had a loooong conversation with him, and he told me he liked me a lot. Told me I have a wonderful personality and a sparkling smile. He's fantastically wealthy. Like, yeah. Fantstically. He offered to cash his $9,700 check and take me to "drink it away.... not all at once, but wouldn't it be fun?" Ha. Then he called me back (at work) to tell me again how sweet and wonderful I am (who doesn't like hearing that? *g*).

And he invited me to Las Vegas. For after Christmas. And he was serious. Asked if I could get two days off work because he and another couple have a trip planned and he'd really like to take me. Perfect man, right?

Did I mention he was born in 1928? Forgot that part? Oh.

I know this is LA. I know it happens all the time. But EW! He could be my grandfather! He's seventy-seven years old! Ahahahahaha! Ahaha! Ha ha!

Of course, I laughed and said wouldn't that be nice? and played it like a joke, and he said no, really, I'm serious, I'd love for you to come and I told him I'd be at home in Chicago then, and besides, I didn't think it would be such a good idea, although it was very nice of him to ask.

But dang, he's very, very rich. Wish I could get over being squicked by the fact he could be my mother's father! Heh heh. I told the girls I needed to find myself a man like him, only 50 years younger. But just as rich. *g*


Right now, I'm sleepy. I have to go to the grocery store for the last-minute Thanksgiving things, but I don't wanna! It's going to be so crowded. I'm dreading it. I think I'll wait a bit, and maybe if I go later this evening, people will be done shopping already. *crosses fingers*

Come on it's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you

Yesterday, my alarm clock station started playing Christmas music. It really puts a person in a good mood when they're woken up by Elton John's Step Into Christmas. I love Christmas music. It's really one of my favorite things about the season. Now I have even more motivation to get my car radio fixed quickly, because I'll be darned if I'm missing out on Christmas music on the radio this year!

I've started my Christmas shopping, too. Just a few gifts bought, but I have ideas now for most everyone. There are still those stinkers who make gift buying sooooo difficult.

Did I mention that last week we were audited at work? The audit is a Big Deal. All year long, everything we do is fueled by the audit. If we make an exception to policy, we have to document it to death so that it won't become an audit exception. We were due in September (the auditors were running a bit behind this year), and pretty much since August we've been living and breathing the audit. Going back and self-auditing everything, fixing anything that wasn't done/documented correctly. It's been exhausting! Well, last Monday the auditor came. The stress level, on a scale of one to ten, was at about an eighteen for the two days he was here. Let me tell you.

We got the results yesterday. The ratings are, I think, deficient, poor, adequate, satisfactory, good. It's very difficult to get a Good audit. If you get poor or deficient, you get re-audited in six months. For the last two years, my branch has gotten Adequate. This year, our entire region so far has gotten Satisfactory, so can I just say there was a wee bit of pressure there? We did NOT want to be the ones to break the streak with an Adequate.

We got a Satisfactory. HUGE relief! It was a big old celebration in the branch. Heh. Now we can enjoy the holidays and not worry about a looming audit, and not be disappointed that we let anyone down. Yay!

Also, I finally got my room cleaned last night. All the Crap Left Over has found a home, and it's pristine and spotless and that makes me happy. *g* Now, to work on the rest of the apartment...

November in a Nutshell

Wow. So very much has happened since I last updated! This is not entirely my fault, this lack of updatedness. When Gen and I first moved (yes, the first weekend in November), we didn't have internet (or phones). SBC couldn't figure out why not, because everything looked connected! A week and a half without any sort of service and SBC was finally able to send someone out. Lo and behold, they'd done the switch to the new address in the computer, but hadn't actually come out to connect it. Silly SBC. And since then, our internet connection has been spotty at best, and infuriating at worst. Bah.

Today, so far, so good. So I update. I know you're thrilled. *laugh*

Did you notice Wandering Aimlessly's new holiday look? I'm so proud of myself! I found the picture, colored it in, added text, and then figured out how to change my blog settings all by myself! And it's in CSS, folks, not html. Not the most simple thing for a little old internet dunce like myself to do.

So, let's see. Just after moving in, Jessica came to visit for a long weekend. She got an internship out here for a few weeks this spring, and was checking the place out. I took a day off work and I pretty much dragged her all over town looking for a TV stand/entertainment center for the apartment. Must have been fun for her. Ha. But we did go out to eat a few times, and then saw King Tut! That exhibit was amazing. When it comes to a city near you, definitely go see it. Definitely. We had 10:15 pm tickets, and were kind of rushed through the last few rooms as it closed at midnight, but it was fabulous and interesting and phenomenal. Lots of information, lots of artifacts. No body, so don't be disappointed when it isn't there. But many things from Tut's tomb, as well as other influential Egyptians' from around his time.

Gen's belongings arrived about a week ago, so we're ever getting closer to being fully set up and moved in. She's at a family reunion this week, but when she returns, we'll get our kitty. Yay!

My car had a bit of a freak-out the other day when, according to the mechanic, the battery was SO dead that the alternator was constantly trying to charge it, and the car's computer shut down the entire electrical system to keep the alternator from overworking and burning out. For which I am thankful... a new battery is a lot less expensive than replacing a burned out alternator. Especially since BOTH the alternator and battery were brand new as of last August. But this whole ordeal happened on Wednesday evening, as I was getting gas on my way home from work. It resulted in about three hours of standing out in the chilly evening with Gen (thank you!!) and a handful of older men from the gas station, liquor store and restaurant in the vicinity who were helpfully trying to jump start my car (to no success). It was finally towed, and fixed by my wonderful mechanic, and now the only problem is lack of radio/clock/CD player and remote entry. Don't know why those two things burned out, but they seem to have. Perhaps it was just a blown fuse, or perhaps something needs to be reset. Can't afford a whole new radio, so I'm hoping it's going to be a quick fix. Sucks to drive all day with just the sound of traffic and your own thoughts. Yeah.

What else for this marathon update post? Caitlin's hosting Thanksgiving and I'm going to help prepare all the food. Actually, she'll be working most of that morning, so if dinner sucks, it's pretty much going to be all my fault. Ha ha ha. Lovely thought, isn't it? Hopefully it all goes well. Wish me luck. This will be the first Thanksgiving in all my twenty-four years that I won't be at my family's meal, so that'll be strange. But better Thanksgiving than Christmas, was my thought.

I fell asleep at 8:00 last night (I know! On a Saturday! I suck.) and then was wide awake at 7 this morning. So now it's nearly 9 and I've been up for two hours and I think I should get ready for the day. Christmas shopping and birthday shopping and grocery shopping. Watch me spend all my money. Just watch it go.

There's Noplace Like Home

Did I mention Gen and I have an apartment? I can't remember if I did, but we do!

And best of all? We have a COUCH! It's coming on Saturday, which is so exciting. It's RED. We will have a red couch! Love, love, love. We will also have a tan loveseat, which is actually a blue loveseat covered with a slipcover. But with red throw pillows, and the tan-and-red throw pillows that came with the red couch, we have the beginning of a color coordinated living space. Whee!

Gen's things will be arriving in "seven to twenty-one" days. My things are about a third in the new place and two thirds here, unpacked. This apartment is a mess. Yikes. Moving sucks, let me tell you. I've been doing it in shifts, a few things each night. Tomorrow I need to bite the bullet and pack up a bunch more stuff. I already packed the easy stuff. The fridge is to be delivered Sunday, the internet to be turned on Tuesday, and once all those things happen, we will have a happy home.

October, quickly.

A lot has happened in the weeks since I last updated. In fact, I'd venture to say I've been downright, nonstop busy.

It started with going up to Santa Barbara to visit Elaina. We watched In Her Shoes, went mini golfing, and it was good.

The biggest event of the past few weeks, by far, is that Gen moved here. She'll have been in LA two weeks today (hey! That rhymed!). The first week she was here was spent apartment hunting. After looking at about a dozen places, everything started to blend together. But we did manage to find an apartment with the most positives (private patio out back, courtyard with pool out front, lots of kitchen/cabinet space to make my heart go pitter-patter, two parking spaces, things to walk to, and lots of space in general) and few negatives (lack of a dishwasher, only one bathroom). We sign the lease tomorrow. Whoo!

This past weekend was AIDS Walk Los Angeles. It was a huge success! Over $3 million was raised by 25,000 walkers. The walk itself was a little wet and rainy, but it didn't deter anyone. And my fangirly self was excited that Roma Maffia (of Nip/Tuck fame) was one of the presenters. Hee!

On the day of the AIDS walk, I left my house at 7:30 am and got home at 11:00 pm. This has been the way of things lately. If it wasn't apartment hunting, I would go down to Santa Monica to keep Gen company or, like last night, do something else social.

Last night. M, a woman whose blog I've read for a while and who is friends with some of my friends, came to town. Gen and I went down to West Hollywood and met M, along with A (who I'd done the AIDS Walk with) and N (A's neighbor) at a show. A Joe Firstman show.

Oh. My. Goodness. That Joe iis one heck of a performer. It was a fabulous show in a tiny venue and he rocked the house. I'd seen Joe in Chicago about two years ago, and he was wonderful and fabulous, but this was eleven times better. He was spot-on, and even though I didn't know many of the songs (I only have one of his albums), it was amazing. And Tony Lucca was there, too, and he sang with Joe and they were happy and talented and wonderful together.

And this morning, I'm pretty much hating life for having gotten so little sleep, but it was worth it.

Help Save Field's

Keep it Field's

As you're most likely aware if you live anywhere in the Midwest, Marshall Field's was purchased by Federated Department Stores (which owns Macy's). It was just announced last week that the Marshall Field's name will be replaced by Macy's.

Field's is a landmark and a Chicago tradition. The Marshall Field's Company has been around for over 150 years; the State Street store has been open, I believe, since 1881. The thing *I* remember Marshall Field's for is Christmas. Every year in November, the Walnut Room--the "fancy" restaurant in the middle of Field's--gets a gigantic, three-story-high Christmas tree. It used to be real, until it became a fire hazard. Every year the tree has a different theme, and the entire store is decorated to match. The windows along State Street and around the corner are filled with scenes from the well-known fairy tale chosen as the theme for the year. They've done everything from Snow White to Harry Potter.

Every year on Veteran's Day, my mom, sister, grandma, grandpa and I would take the train downtown. We'd get to Field's early, rent a locker for our big winter coats, and stand in line for what felt like hours (this was before restaurants had pagers). We'd always observe the moment of silence for the soldiers while in line, and smile up at Grandpa while we did. We'd finally make it to the front. We'd ask to be seated right under the tree. Grandma would make my sister and me pose for a dozen different pictures after we ordered our food, usually Field's Specials (gigantic salads with everything), and hot chocolate in souvenir Mistletoe Bear mugs.

After lunch, we'd start our Christmas shopping. We'd spend time appreciating the windows before walking back to the train station for home. That was our family's tradition almost every year I've been alive.

It just won't be the same without Marshall Field's. Macy's is everywhere--Field's on State Street is Chicago.

If you can take a second, sign the petition here: Save Marshall Field's


Just for good measure, a picture from last Thanksgiving: the Marshall Field's Clock on State Street

A little aggrevation with the morning coffee

It's official. I hate 5:30 Alarm neighbor. I don't even know who it is, but someone in the building next to me sets their alarm for 5:30 and then doesn't turn it off. So it blares ENH ENH ENH ENH for an hour. It's incredibly obnoxious, and when my (very soft radio) alarm is set to go off at 6:15, I spend the last 45 minutes before I have to wake up in a state of annoyed half-sleep. Every. Single. Day. I almost screamed "Turn off your damn alarm!" out the window today.

It's probably the same neighbors whose TV sometimes overpowers mine in volume, and who have woken half of the two buildings (evidenced by a half-dozen windows slamming shut) with Very Loud Sex on occasion.

Really, though. When the weather's such that everyone in the county probably sleeps with open windows, have some consideration! Especially when your building is close enough to another that you could practically spit into your neighbor's bedroom. If it needs to be that loud, then keep your windows closed, at least. Grr!

Great way to start the day, eh? (That should be a line in the next JC song -- every other word rhymes. *g*)

For my own reference -
Laptop Fund: $355 + $115 + $20 = $490

High Finance... Or Something

Furthering my quest to be financially responsible, I joined my company's 401(k) today. Now I'm really a grown-up.

I honestly don't know why it took me so long to join. I think in Illinois, I thought this job was temporary. I was determined not to stick with it for more than a year. Then, when I decided I was moving, I didn't know if this job would last here in California. Like, it was a vehicle to make the move, but it didn't have to be anything else. And while I was in Encino, I was miserable, so I really didn't think the job would last long. And with all that uncertainty, why join the 401(k)? Especially when you're not 100% vested for five years, y'know?

Now, I guess it's a sign I'm much happier with work. There's more I want to do with my life, ultimately, including going back to school. But for now, I may as well suck it up, accept my fate, and be responsible for my future retirement. Plus, if I get a 4% raise annually (HA! Ahahahaha! Riiiiight...), I could have $2,534,142.00 when I retire. And I'll still have money when I'm 99 years old. Sounds pretty good, eh?

Saturday, Sunday

The trees along my street were trimmed this weekend, and I think that made it feel like fall, somehow. It's been beautiful here, in the 70's and sunny with a bit of a breeze, and the weather along with less leaves on the trees just brought out an autumny feeling.

It's been a moderately productive, mostly relaxing weekend. I spent yesterday going through all my credit card statements since I moved out here. I categorized every penny spent into one of a number of cateogries, then added everything up and averaged it for the year. I also worked on a budget for the coming year. It feels good to be organized and know where money is going (and where it shouldn't be spent!).

Last night, Sean and I went to see the play Ryan's been doing the lighting for. He did a fine job! ;)

I spent today doing laundry, watching Freaks & Geeks, and book shopping. In light of yesterday's financial overhaul, I probably shouldn't have spent the money, but for some reason I never feel guilty about buying books. Even though I have a bunch of books waiting to be read, I bought three more:

• Kick Me: Adventures in Adolescence by Paul Feig. I went specifically for this because, well, he created Freaks & Geeks, which is so, so good, and in doing my usual "new TV show" research, I came across the book. And many good reviews of the book. So.
  
• Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. This was recommended to me while searching for the above book (when Barnes & Noble didn't have it). Looks pretty good.
  
• Shopgirl by Steve Martin. I picked it up on a whim. It kills me a thousand times over to have the cover from the movie (I hate having books with the cover from the movie!), but I couldn't for the life of me find the original cover in the store. I saw the preview for the movie a few weeks ago and instantly wanted to see it, so I thought I may as well read the book first.

Now the only question is which one to read first. I'll let y'all know how they are once I've finished.

I'm actually looking forward to work tomorrow. Is that weird? I was in a training class for most of last week, and will spend most of this week there as well. But tomorrow I'm in the office. I've kind of been antsy, being away. Like, I know there's a ton I'll need to catch up on, but I'm also looking forward to seeing my coworkers. I guess that's a good sign, but it's a feeling I haven't had towards work in a long, long time.

Commercials, Never Again

So I have another "new" show; this one Ryan bought on DVD. We've been watching Freaks & Geeks in this house lately, and it's actually really, really good. I spend about 90% of every episode feeling sorry for one character or another. *laugh* Makes you want to run right out and watch it, eh? You really should. It's funny and quick and real. And the high schoolers actually look like high schoolers. I've seen 7 out of 18 episodes since Wednesday night.

With all these shows on DVD, I'll never be able to watch commercial TV again! I've gotten used to that instant gratification: lingering shot of a character after just having discovered something shocking/revealed something important/etc... fade to black for commercial... and BAM, right back into the thick of things! Without having to wait through the commercial! It's great! And, even better than that? The next episode starts right up when this one ends! TV shows on DVD are definitely the way to go.

In non-TV news, Caitlin is in Chicago right now, staying with my parents. I'm totally jealous, in the way one gets when one hasn't been "home" in over nine months, since last Christmas, and has to pass on the perfect opportunity to go home because plane tickets are too expensive to only go for the weekend. *sigh* Why must travel be so expensive? Anyway, Caitlin auditioned for American Idol today. Sadly, she didn't make it, but I'm sure she was awesome. Since there was no audition in Atlanta this year, and the Tennessee audition was canceled, there were apparently record-breaking crowds for the Chicago audition. Maybe next year, my friend. Maybe next year.

And that, as they say, is that.

Four Years Later

In posting my previous entry, I was reminded again that it is September 11th. I felt funny posting on this date and not mentioning it, so. Here's my moment to remember the horror, the loss, the sadness and the fear that was four years ago today. And to remember a more innocent time in our country, before security checks at every large public venue, getting to the airport two hours before your flight, and the USA PATRIOT Act, among the many changes a terrorist attack on the country prompted.

Facelift!

I've been watching a lot of Nip/Tuck lately (which, by the way, is the best show ever!). In fact, it's almost enough to prompt us to get cable. If we weren't all potentially moving out within the next few months, we would. The show is that good. Y'all should watch, seriously. If only for the completely gorgeous, if cocky and slightly raunchy, Dr. Christian Troy. Yum. *laugh* You may have to cover your eyes for the surgery bits (I do), but the show is so complex and well-acted that it's totally worth putting up with the 10% of graphic slight-grossness.

Right now, on the verge of the start of Season 3 (spoilers for the previous two seasons to follow...), Sean McNamara has recovered from being attacked by the Carver and is performing pro bono work on the Carver's other victims. He's in the middle of a separation from his wife, Julia, and has been seeing Christian's ex-girlfriend, porn director Kimber Henry. Matt, the son Sean raised (but did not father... that would be Christian), was involved in a hit-and-run accident back in Season 1 and has not yet come to terms with it. Seventeen-year-old Matt is also reeling from his recent break-up with his 40-something transgendered Life Coach (not that he knows she's a he). And Christian, just having lost his non-biological baby to its biological father (the baby's mother found out she is HIV-positive), has just been sliced by the Carver. We don't know if he survives (but we assume he must, as he is half of McNamara/Troy, Plastic Surgeons). Now, if that's not a gripping television show, I don't know what is!

Speaking of plastic surgery, I guess it was time for Wandering Aimlessly to get a facelift, too. Thanks to Krissy, we have been upgraded!

I'm still playing with things a bit. Commenting is back! One of the huge problems I had with the comment function before was the masses and masses of junk comments I was receiving. In fact, with this upgrade, I'm able to edit comments. I discovered that I had over 25,800 spam comments!! I had turned off email notification back in February when I started getting literally hundreds of spam comments emailed to me every day. Therefore, I set the comment function to Registered Users Only. I haven't completely figured it out yet, but I think you need to register for TypeKey (free). If some of you could try, just so I can see how this works, that'd be good.

And that's about it out of me. It's been a quiet weekend... worked yesteray, bummed around the house today. Sometimes you just need a lazy day or two where you don't get out of your pajamas until well into the afternoon. *g*

Lastly, if you can...

Disneyland

I had the day off yesterday, so I took Ryan to Disneyland. He needed a dose of the Happiest Place on Earth. ;) It was great because this is most kids' first week back to school, so the parks were practically deserted.

Ryan he hadn't been to Disneyland since childhood. We got there a little after 10 and started out at California Adventure. We knocked out everything he cared to do (Soarin', Grizzly River Rapids, the ferris wheel, the swings in the big orange, Hollywood Tower of Terror, and a few smaller things; California Screamin' was shut down. Boo.) and made our way across to Disneyland a little after noon.

Ryan and I were very glad to find out that many of the restaurants in the park serve vegan alternatives. We went up to the Info Board and asked the girl working where Ryan could eat, and she called a couple restaurants for us to give us alternatives. Very helpful!

The longest lines (by far) were 30-minute waits for Indiana Jones and Splash Mountain. We got fast passes for Indy and decided to endure the line at Splash Mountain. Most other lines were ten minutes or less. Score! We did Pirates, Indiana Jones, Haunted Mansion, Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain (twice), Splash Mountain, Peter Pan, Mr. Toad, Gadget's Go Coaster, Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, the Matterhorn Bobsleds, Pinocchio, the teacups, Star Tours...

And Space Mountain is very recently reopened (it was still being worked on in June when I was there with Sarah and Aarti), so that was neat. It's so much better now! I don't know if they've redone the one at WDW like this, but it's set up more like a normal roller coaster, with side-by-side seating and lap bars and everything. This fantastic music is playing out of speakers in the backs of the seats through the whole thing, which totally *made* the ride, I think. So great. Hee!

It was SO much fun. We shut down the park at 8, hit World of Disney to pick up a wedding gift for some friends, and were back home a little after 9... twelve hours after leaving the house in the morning. *g* I got a little sunburned and my legs are tired today. I'm definitely wearing comfortable shoes to work!

Labor Day

Today, there will be no activity that could even be construed as being work. Good thing I got my laundry done yesterday. Heh.

We saw The 40 Year Old Virgin last night, and OMG with the funny! And, as an added bonus, there was a scene near the beginning where Andy was walking down Ventura Blvd. in Encino, and he strolled right past my old Encino office. *laugh* That was probably filmed while I worked there, too, so I wonder how I missed it.

I've been feeling nostalgic this morning, for some reason. I was browsing a website full of Disney fonts (with pictures taken at the theme parks to demonstrate each font), and I got that pang of longing. I want to go to Walt Disney World. It's been over two years since I was last there, which is in sharp contrast to the preceeding few years when I made the trip to the Land of the Mouse more than once a year on average, when I wasn't already working there. Disneyland is nice, but it just doesn't cut it.

I'm pretty boring of late. This past week was jam-packed with activity and very enjoyable, but it's not anything that's edge-of-your-seat or anything. On Tuesday I went to dinner at a little Italian restaurant in Studio City with Alicia and Crystal. We had quite a time chatting over our gnocci. Mmm. Wednesday was dinner at SanSei in Sherman Oaks with Jan and Sean (more enjoyable conversation), followed by ice cream at Cold Stone. On Thursday, Sandra and I went shopping for a farewell gift for one of our employees. We spent hours walking around the mall in our suits and heels, and eventually crawled into Payless to purchase flip flops for our aching feet. Afterwards, dinner at El Torito. Friday was the farewell party at Yamato's, where the food is prepared at the table with flashing knives and billowing flames and lots of excitement.

Basically, I ate my way through last week. Yee-haw!

And this weekend has been full of Nip/Tuck Season Two (SUCH a good show! We're almost contemplating getting cable so we can watch the third season as it comes...). We did go down to UC-Irvine for a little party Saturday night, which was fun. Felt like I was back in college, only this time we were hanging with the grad student crowd. Good times. There was the aforementioned laundry and movie going of yesterday, and... we come to the conclusion that my life is dreadfully boring. I'm okay with that, though.

Katrina

As I watch all the coverage of Hurricane Katrina, it makes me unbelievably sad. I've never been to New Orleans, but I always thought I'd like to go. Now, it's gone. Even if they rebuild, which I suspect they will, it'll never be the same.

I heard on the news yesterday about that "Renegade" school bus a twenty-year-old boy had borrowed (with permission from the police, he said) to pick up any refugees he could find and drive them to the Astro Dome in Houston. And how at first, the folks at the Astro Dome didn't want to let them in, an entire busload of desperate people, because they hadn't come officially. I'm so glad the Astro Dome threw their plan out the window and decided to accomodate anyone who came.

And also, how the people arriving at the Astro Dome wanted nothing more than to watch the TV news, to get information on their beloved city. Strange how they were there, but knew less of the situation than the rest of us across the country and the world, glued to our television sets. And banks of telephones are set up at the Astro Dome so that refugees can contact their friends and families. It's amazing what people can do. Disasters bring out the best (and, unfortunately, the worst) in humanity.

I have a friend from near New Orleans, and last I heard he was overseas teaching English to children in Korea. I hope now he didn't move back home. And that his family is safe. I also have a friend from Biloxi, Mississippi who has been in my thoughts. I hope he and his family are safe, too.

It's easier with something like 9/11 because there's someone to blame it on. The terrorists did it. We can be mad at the terrorists and point fingers and even, if we desire, try to fight back. The devestation caused by a natural disaster, while equally atrocious, can't be pinned on anyone but Mother Nature.

A friend pointed this out to me, and I thought it was pretty good. Michael Moore can be a little out there, but he does have a point.


Vacation is Over... an open letter from Michael Moore to George W. Bush

Friday, September 2nd, 2005

Dear Mr. Bush:

Any idea where all our helicopters are? It's Day 5 of Hurricane Katrina and thousands remain stranded in New Orleans and need to be airlifted. Where on earth could you have misplaced all our military choppers? Do you need help finding them? I once lost my car in a Sears parking lot. Man, was that a drag.

Also, any idea where all our national guard soldiers are? We could really use them right now for the type of thing they signed up to do like helping with national disasters. How come they weren't there to begin with?

Last Thursday I was in south Florida and sat outside while the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over my head. It was only a Category 1 then but it was pretty nasty. Eleven people died and, as of today, there were still homes without power. That night the weatherman said this storm was on its way to New Orleans. That was Thursday! Did anybody tell you? I know you didn't want to interrupt your vacation and I know how you don't like to get bad news. Plus, you had fundraisers to go to and mothers of dead soldiers to ignore and smear. You sure showed her!

I especially like how, the day after the hurricane, instead of flying to Louisiana, you flew to San Diego to party with your business peeps. Don't let people criticize you for this -- after all, the hurricane was over and what the heck could you do, put your finger in the dike?

And don't listen to those who, in the coming days, will reveal how you specifically reduced the Army Corps of Engineers' budget for New Orleans this summer for the third year in a row. You just tell them that even if you hadn't cut the money to fix those levees, there weren't going to be any Army engineers to fix them anyway because you had a much more important construction job for them -- BUILDING DEMOCRACY IN IRAQ!

On Day 3, when you finally left your vacation home, I have to say I was moved by how you had your Air Force One pilot descend from the clouds as you flew over New Orleans so you could catch a quick look of the disaster. Hey, I know you couldn't stop and grab a bullhorn and stand on some rubble and act like a commander in chief. Been there done that.

There will be those who will try to politicize this tragedy and try to use it against you. Just have your people keep pointing that out. Respond to nothing. Even those pesky scientists who predicted this would happen because the water in the Gulf of Mexico is getting hotter and hotter making a storm like this inevitable. Ignore them and all their global warming Chicken Littles. There is nothing unusual about a hurricane that was so wide it would be like having one F-4 tornado that stretched from New York to Cleveland.

No, Mr. Bush, you just stay the course. It's not your fault that 30 percent of New Orleans lives in poverty or that tens of thousands had no transportation to get out of town. C'mon, they're black! I mean, it's not like this happened to Kennebunkport. Can you imagine leaving white people on their roofs for five days? Don't make me laugh! Race has nothing -- NOTHING -- to do with this!

You hang in there, Mr. Bush. Just try to find a few of our Army helicopters and send them there. Pretend the people of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast are near Tikrit.

Yours,

Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
www.MichaelMoore.com

P.S. That annoying mother, Cindy Sheehan, is no longer at your ranch. She and dozens of other relatives of the Iraqi War dead are now driving across the country, stopping in many cities along the way. Maybe you can catch up with them before they get to DC on September 21st.

AIDS Walk Los Angeles

• As of June, 2004 in Los Angeles County alone, there are 54,000 people living with HIV/AIDS.
  
• There have been 246 cases of pediatric AIDS in Los Angeles County. Only 42 are still living.
  
• In the United States, there are approximately 950,000 people living with HIV/AIDS, with 40,000 new infections annually.
  
• 5 million people were newly infected with HIV worldwide in 2003, and 3 million people died that year from AIDS.

On October 16th, I will be walking in AIDS Walk Los Angeles, and I need your help. I set a fundraising goal of $500, but I would love to surpass that. Any little bit you can spare will be greatly appreciated. You can donate by credit card at my donation page (minimum donation there is $25... their rule, not mine), or by check or PayPal if your donation is less than that (or if credit card doesn't work for you).

Just think, with the money spent stopping at Starbucks in the morning or buying that new CD or DVD that just came out, you could help save the life of someone living with HIV/AIDS. You could contribute to research and programs to enrich the quality of life of someone with HIV/AIDS, to educate, and to prevent the spread of HIV.

Any amount is welcome and appreciated. Email me for contact info if you'd like to send a check or use PayPal, or click below to donate by check. THANK YOU for your help!!

Click ---> <--- Click

A San Francisco Family Vacation

When I originally started this post, it began with, �I just got home from a delightful little trip up North. My parents arrived in the San Francisco area about a week and a half ago, and on Thursday, Jess and I both flew out to meet them.� Well, I only made it halfway through detailing my vacation before I somehow got sidetracked, saved the post as a draft, and failed to come back and finish it. Until now, that is. You will probably be able to tell exactly where I stopped upon the first writing of this, as the details get a lot fuzzier through the second half. *laugh*

But, almost a month ago now, I got home from a delightful little trip up North. With my family�

Thursday, July 21st
I flew out of Burbank Airport which, let me say for the record, is the easiest, most enjoyable little airport I've flown out of. Teeny-tiny! We boarded the plane from the ground by climbing up stairs built into the doorway of the plane, and the size of the aircraft may be imagined by the fact we had to move four people from the front half to behind the exit row, for weight and balance purposes. The flight itself was less than an hour, which added to the ease of travel.

Mom and Dad met me in San Francisco and we dined in the lovely food court of the International Terminal. Woo! Jessica's plane got in about two hours later, and we headed to the hotel together.

Friday, July 22nd
We were up and out earlyish, starting the day with a drive down Lombard Street, and went for a quick breakfast of pastries at Boudin's before pointing the rental car toward the Golden Gate Bridge. We crossed the bridge and stopped on the other side for some photo ops. It was one of the clearest, most beautiful days the San Francisco Bay had seen in a long time.

We were on our way again rather quickly, as we had a tour scheduled for noon at out first Sonoma winery, Gloria Ferrer Champagne Caves. We enjoyed a glass of wine on the balcony overlooking the vinyard, and it was gorgeous. Pictures to follow. If I remember correctly, I tried the Blanc de Blancs. They were all sparkling wines, and the tour did a thorough job of informing us about how sparkling wines are made.

After the tour, we headed back out, this time to Viansa. Viansa was set up like an Italian village, with gorgeous grounds and a little marketplace. We had lunch there overlooking their vinyards, took a few more pictures, and tasted a few Viansa wines. I bought one (Imbianco).

It was on to Benziger next, with a tour of the grounds. The tour was wonderfully put together, and we learned a ton about how the winemaking process works. Very cool. We ended with yet another tasting, and I bought a bottle there, too.

Last stop was Chateau St. Jean, which, again, had beautiful grounds. They were setting up for a wedding or similar. We walked around the grounds for a bit, took a few more pictures, and passed on a tasting. We had had enough wine. It was back to the Bay for us, with another drive across the Bridge before heading back to the hotel. We had dinner at a little Mexican restaurant at the Cannery and finished off the evening by stopping over at Ghiradelli Square for a sample of chocolate. Hee.

Saturday, July 23rd
We got up early once again, this time to head towards The Rock. The Rock! The thing I�d been wanting to do each of the other two times in the past year I�d been to San Francisco, and had never been able to talk anyone else into doing with me. We stopped for breakfast at Starbucks before getting on the ferry that would take us from Pier 41 to Alcatraz.

The tour was really quite a highlight of the trip. We started out listening to a talk done by a ranger as we walked up the 130-foot hill. He detailed the history of Alcatraz, from its accidental naming, to starting out as a Fort, to obtaining a few low-security prisoners, to becoming one of the most secure high-profile prisons in the world, to the Native American overtaking, and finally sharing a few of the escape attempts. Once we got to the top, we collected our audio tours and started off to see the actual prison. The audio tour was actually really wonderful. It included interviews with real prisoners, soundtrack of background �prison life� noise, and a lot of fascinating information. It truly guided you through the prison in an interesting and engaging way. Very impressive!

We caught a ferry back to the mainland and grabbed lunch at a restaurant on Pier 39. Jess had gotten really drowsy from the Dramamine, so she and Dad went back to the hotel to nap while Mom and I took our time. We stopped and saw a bunch of street theatre, and then browsed sidewalk vendors. I ended up buying a really cute necklace from a woman, hand-made. Like it a lot. *g* We stopped by Boudin�s again, but this time took the �museum tour� and sampled some breads. They have a really nice restaurant there, so we made reservations for dinner, went back to the hotel to collect the other half of the family, and reconvened for a really tasty steak meal. Yum! On the way back to the hotel we wandered through an art gallery, and they were having a Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) exhibit. VERY cool. The only disappointment of the trip came when Ghirardelli�s was out of waffle cones. FOR SHAME!!

Sunday, July 24th
We were able to sleep in a bit more on Sunday, as we really didn�t have much in the way of solid plans. We wandered down past Ghirardelli Square to where the cable car has a stop. The line took about a half-hour (at that hour on a Sunday morning!), but we were entertained by an ex-hippie and his guitar (and microphone and amps and� well, he had the whole set-up). He was very good, and sang a rousing rendition of �Piano Man� at Mom�s request.

We finally got a spot on a Real San Francisco Cable Car and rode it up-up-up and over the hills to Chinatown. It took some wandering the streets, stopping in little shops and at vendor stands, before we found the City Lights Bookstore. It was nice, browsing walls and walls of books, and between the books and the shops of Chinatown, we managed to pass a couple of hours. Back to the cable car we went, and back to Ghirardelli Square to see if the ice cream shop had gotten more waffle cones. They hadn�t, but while we were hemming and hawing about what to do for lunch, they miraculously restocked. Problem solved!

Ice cream consumed, we headed out in the rental over the Golden Gate Bridge and towards Muir Woods. The Woods were quite crowded, and we almost didn�t find a place to park. I�m glad we did� the redwoods were breathtaking. With as many people as there were, I was amazed that everyone was respectful and quiet. The trees looked like a scene out of the Ewoks movie. Heh. We managed to make it a little further down the path than most, crossed a bridge, climbed a hill, and found ourselves on a much more deserted section of pathway. It was nice to feel like we were alone in the forest as a family, just talking and walking and taking in the beauty of nature.

Sunday night found us in a second hotel, much closer to the airport. We had, as I recall, an fairly uneventful evening. We may have gotten dinner somewhere� this is why I shouldn�t have waited almost a month to write this post! On Monday, we had to head to the airport early-ish. I got to spend a bit of the time with the Family before their plane boarded, and then I made my way (my long, long, long way) to the terminal for my departure. Funny enough, I ended up having to take a shuttle from that gate aaaaaaaaaalllll the way across the runway to a tiny, free-standing building where, apparently, they board the small planes. Ha!

The plane ride was also uneventful (thankfully), and� that is the end of that! A really great, if not all-too-short, family vacation. Yay!

A Visitor from Far-Off Finland

I'm awake like whoa, after a two-hour nap this afternoon. I'm also hungry; I had two pieces of leftover pizza at about noon, snacked on pretzels throughout the afternoon while reading, and finished off the first package of salted licorice Noora brought. I should probably have eaten something for dinner.

Speaking of Noora, I'm not sure I mentioned her visit her at all. I shall recap it now, as I don't like huge gaping holes in my blog. Especially when the time was actually filled with things I'd like to remember. Anyway. Noora arrived late in the evening of July 2nd after a brief stop in New York, and I collected her successfully from LAX.

We had a delightful brunch in West Hollywood Sunday morning, meeting up with the friends I brunched with a few weeks ago. We had to hit Target, because they don't have those in Finland! The horror! And then we were off to Santa Barbara to visit Elaina.

We, surprisingly, hit some traffic on the way up. I had expected everyone to already be wherever they were going for the weekend by Sunday afternoon in a 3-day weekend! Ah well. It was great to see Elaina. It's funny how we now live less than two hours apart, and still see each other about as frequently as when we lived across the country from each other. The three of us spent some time remeniscing about The X-Files (like a long-lost friend!) before heading to the store to pick up some more food -- the "small" dinner Elaina was planning had blossomed into twelve guests.

We cooked (chicken and beef for tacos, sweet corn cake, etc), had margaritas, and played card games with a bunch of Elaina's friends from school. It was a good time! The next morning Noora and I enjoyed Elaina's cable by watching shows on TLC before the three of us headed into town for lunch and a tour of the UCSB campus and surrounding area. We strolled along the beach, too, which was lovely. We had ice cream and then headed back to LA.

The week itself went by fairly quickly and uneventfully, as I had to work. Noora entertained herself at home during the days, and I joined her in the evenings.

On Friday night, I had a dinner with people from work. We'd won a dinner for collecting the most towards March of Dimes as a branch. Noora went to Roni's (I had a feeling they'd get along well... they did) while I was out with the Gang. It was a good time, and we even ran into my old ops manager from Encino! It was very nice to see her again.

Saturday morning, Noora and I went down to the Grove. She was on a mission to buy "very American" gifts to take back home. We succeeded for most people on her list, and had a nice sit around the fountain that dances to music. We also got creeped out by the ginormous goldfish. Someone was feeding them goldfish crackers. That's, like, cannibalism!! Scary.

Once we'd had enough shopping and strolling, we headed up to Hollywood -- for more shopping and strolling. We saw the Chinese Theatre and the Kodak Theatre and wandered accidentally through some wedding pictures (the wedding party was walking up the stairs at the Kodak, we were walking down, and I had no idea there was a photographer until it was too late to get out of the way... at least we were far from the only non-wedding people on the stairs!) We shopped some more and were frightened by the characters outside of Mann's.

We headed for home after that, and theoretically did something Saturday night. My memory is hazy.

On Sunday, we went with Caitlin, Sean and Caitlin's mom to the Natural History Museum. Collapse! was a little disappointing, but the dinosaur exhibit was fabulous. We wandered into the dino section just in time to catch a presentation by this wonderfully animated and knowledgeable paleontologist. It was aimed for children, but was equally engaging for adults. He was fabulous! We followd the group through the entire exhibit and learned some exciting things. Yay! After we'd exhausted all we wanted to see inside, we went out to the rose garden. Beautiful.

Being that it was still fairly early in the day, we made our way into Burbank, introduced Noora to Chipotle, and caught War of the Worlds (which was entertaining at best).

I again worked Monday and Tuesday, but had Wednesday off. Noora and I did the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. It was great! I've now been on it four times, three in the last year (and once back in '97). The tour has obviously changed a lot in the last eight years, but it has also been markedly different each time I've gone this year. Pretty cool, if you ask me. It was just before the tour, while attempting to get lunch at the cafe there, that Mom told me about Specks. That was the only not-cool thing to happen, though. We learned a lot, got to wander through Stars Hollow (for you "Gilmore Girls" fans... I have actually only seen the show once) which was setting up to start filming this week, went into the "Joey" soundstage, and had our picture taken sitting on the couch in Central Perk! (Portions of the "Friends" set were moved and recreated, although I don't think we were actually supposed to sit on the couch... we had a very cool guide who swore us to secrecy.)

I took Noora to the airport Wednesday night, which was sad. It was fun having her. She was off to Chicago for *NSYNC's annual Challenge for the Children, which I am waiting to hear reports on. I'm sure she had fun.

So, that was that. As long as I am updating and awake, I may as well go on... this weekend was filled with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (quite enjoyable, although rather quirky and dark, as is to be expected from Tim Burton), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and a sort of bachelorette party for Valerie, which consisted of dinner and drinks and a rowdy game of Taboo with some great girls. Had a lot of fun.

Okay, time to pretend I'm tired. I'm only halfway through Harry Potter (three of us are sharing two books in this house, so I had to give Ryan a turn with the book I only purchased last night for a good portion of the morning today), so back to that.

Have a good week, y'all!

Speckles: In Memoriam

My mom called this morning to let me know they're putting my baby down today. He wasn't eating or drinking and was dehydrated, so they took him to the vet last Friday. He came home yesterday and still hasn't been eating or drinking much, has just been laying and wanting someone to sit with him. Mom says he decided this is it. He was 18 years old.

The thing that kills me is that I didn't even get to say goodbye. I haven't seen him since Christmas. Speckles was my cat. I begged and begged to get a cat, I picked him out at the Humane Society when he was just a tiny kitten. I refused to give him back when the vet told us he had a heart murmur and wouldn't live very long, that we should get a "healthier" cat. Well, look at him. He lived eighteen years. He had more personality than any animal I've ever met.

He let us dress him in baby clothes, a bonnet and a dress and a diaper, tuck him into the buggy and take him for walks around the neighborhood. He put up with weekly baths when my mom's allergies were bad. He got excited at Christmastime, when the tree would come in the house and there was all kinds of tissue paper and wrapping paper and ribbons for him to amuse himself with. He loved ice cream most of all. When I went away to college, he still slept on my bed. When I came home, he'd sleep with me, and purr so enthusiastically he'd nearly push himself right off the bed. He knew when you were sad or angry or sick, and he'd be right over to snuggle. Otherwise, he liked to watch the action from a bit of a safe distance.

He always meowed when someone was on the phone, but never into the phone. I talked to him anyway, because he'd sit patiently with the receiver and listen.

I know it was the right thing for him to have the surgery last year, because when he came home, he was still himself. He wasn't ready to die then, and he got almost another whole good year in. It still makes me sad, even though I know it's for the best.




I don't have any of when he was a kitten, as those are all at my parents' house, sadly. But here are a few photos I had on my computer:


Christmastime this year


And another...


When I was packing to go away to college, he wanted to go with.


Right after his surgery (I'll spare you the amputated-leg part of the picture, but isn't he just a goof in his makeshift cone?)


Completely unamused in a New Years crown.


One more from this past Christmas

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Cinderelly, Cinderelly

Cinderelly, Cinderelly
Night and day it's Cinderelly
Make the fire, fix the breakfast
Wash the dishes, do the mopping

And the sweeping and the dusting
They always keep her hopping

She goes around in circles
Till she's very, very dizzy
Still they holler

Keep a-busy Cinderelly!

That, my friends, is what I feel like. I'm ready to collapse on my bed in exhaustion! This house has only once been cleaner than it is today, and that was on the day we moved in. I tidied and dusted my bedroom, the living room, and the kitchen. I did all the dishes, and put them all away. Then I sprayed down and scrubbed every appliance and fixture in the kitchen and the bathroom and literally got down onto my hands and knees to wash the floors. I vacuumed the living room carpet and couches, the stairs, and the upstairs hallway and my bedroom. I took out the trash and took the camping supplies back out to the storage room.

Everything sparkles.

Why am I cleaning like a madwoman, you ask? Because Caitlin's mom is coming to stay with us tonight. But Caitlin's in Virginia, you may say. To which you would be correct. Caitlin is in Virginia. When her plans changed, her mother's couldn't, and thus: Caitlin's mom is staying with us while Caitlin is not here. It also means I don't get any help cleaning, because I know Caitlin would have been right there with me, but, well, she's in Virginia. She'd need reeeeeeally long arms.

It's 5:30. I think I deserve some Cold Stone. Although, I'm not sure I can be bothered to leave the house. We shall see.

By Hand Update!

At long last, I have updated BY HAND.

There are a few more drawings, and I added the Step-By-Step section. Whoo!

***

Aside from working on that *points to above* all afternoon, I had a fairly productive Sunday. I went to brunch in West Hollywood with A & friends, which was nice. We saw some guy from "NYPD Blue" whom I did not recognize in the slightest (having never seen the show), but the rest of the crew was excited about. *laugh* I suppose I was excited vicariously, or something.

Then I came home and promptly went out to Target (it's a sickness! Somebody stop me!) and Ralph's. I actually went to TWO Ralph's locations because the first was so damn crowded. Turned out the second was more of the same, but by then, I didn't care. I was in desperate need of groceries.

Holy mother of love, it's 9:00 pm! In writing about groceries, I thought to myself self, your tummy is feeling a little hungry, perhaps you should have some dinner. And then I looked at the clock, and good lord, where did the afternoon go?! No dinner for me; it's too late to eat. Maybe I'll grab a Jell-o cup or something. Meh. Oh well. Breakfast'll taste good in the morning, then.

Saturday Night Ramblings

I have this one little hair that occasionally, every few months, starts to grow out of the side of my chin. It's tiny and I can usually pluck it out right away, but man! Hairs are supposed to grow out of your eyebrows, maybe, and certainly the top of your head, but not--not--out of the side of your chin. Is this what getting old brings?

Tonight was a barbeque with the girls from work. It was fun! Pretty subdued, as far as these things go, but enjoyable to see everyone outside of the work environment. Just to sit back with snack-y foods and Smirnoff Watermelon and talk about non-work things. All but two employees attended. Yay for being social! If anyone at my old office had ever suggested anything remotely social, I think I'd have died of shock. I think next weekend we're having our celebration dinner with money our office won for coming in first place with March of Dimes, and the weekend after is possibly a night out to celebrate a few July birthdays. Have I mentioned that this position is leaps and bounds better than the last? Because, yes. It is.

Hmm. It's almost midnight and I'm getting pretty sleepy. Also, brunch again tomorrow in WeHo. Which means early-to-rise, so off to bed I go.

Earth Shake!

So, the earthquake this afternoon? Definitely felt it.

There we were, sitting in class in a not-ground-floor classroom of our downtown corporate headquarters, and things started to shake. Everyone lept from the table to huddle under the rows of computer desks in the back-end of the classroom. I, not ever having felt an earthquake while in CA, didn't think it was all that bad, but I followed anyway. I'm sure it was pretty amusing to watch... there was a split second where we all kind of froze at the table before the mass ducking-for-cover happened. Not so much as a styrofoam cup fell off a tabletop or anything, but I guess that's a knee-jerk reaction, ducking for cover? I don't know, I was just following along. *laugh* I suppose that kind of thing has been drilled into people from kindergarten on, though.

I realized that for all of our disaster drills in elementary school (of which the tornado drill included sitting in the hallway holding text books over our heads -- text books! Five-pound, hardcover science or social studies or math textbooks that would easily be ripped from tiny little hands and whipped around the hallway like flying... cannon balls (or something) in the case of a real tornado!), none ever included What To Do in Case of an Earthquake. And I'm sure I've heard here or there to be clear of glass and falling objects (of which there were none), but I never really thought about it. So I guess the thing to do during an earthquake at work is to get under your desk. *nods*

Anyway. I can now say I have no experienced (read: been aware of as it was happening) my first Los Angeles earthquake. And although it wasn't Big or Scary, I'm satisfied. No need for a bigger one.

Pride

I knew Pride would be a huge deal in West Hollywood, but I didn't realize there was a parade. The restaurant we had brunch at was right along the parade route, and we were seated outside with a wonderful view. Let me just say, I have not seen so many short shorts (on men) in my entire life! Or people marching along wearing just a thong, or in chaps without pants underneath (cheek chillers!), or 8" heels and miniskirts carrying parasols (all men, mind you). We'll just call it "entertaining" and be done with it. *laugh*

There was also a festival, but I opted out of attending (there is much laundry to be done, if my neighbor would finish up with his).

As Crystal and I were walking back to our respective cars, a guy stopped us to ask what the festivities were all about. We told him Pride. He looked at us blankly, blinked, and said "Pride?" One, you're driving in West Hollywood. Two, Crystal's carrying a rainbow flag (she's not gay, just supporting... I don't know why I'm clarifying that). Three, you're driving in West Hollywood! Jeez! That gave us a good laugh.

Anyway, it was good times for all. Brought me back to working at Walt Disney World during Pride Weekend, only possibly multiplied (if that's possible).

Go, Midas, Go... AWAY!

What did I do yesterday?

I spent five hours in thinly-padded waiting area chairs at Midas.

I read all of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, two People Magazines, and an article on Natalie Portman in a magazine I'd never heard of before. I talked to two friends on the phone, and left messages for three others. I didn't eat anything until almost 4pm, by which point I was ravenous.

My brake pads and rotors, along with my right front wheel bearing, have been replaced. All were badly in need of replacing. I'm also proud of myself for not accepting his initial $985 estimate, and getting him to reduce it to $631. Still painful, but more in the range I was expecting. That said, what does it say that he was able to knock off three hundred and fifty dollars from the original price? Yeah.

However, my car is sporting a newly broken bit. It now makes a cluh-clunk sound whenever I turn. It scares me a bit. Is it safe to drive? This was not happening Friday, or even yesterday morning. Although the Midas guy tried to tell me I must listen to my music too loud to have heard it before, and said it clearly has absolutely nothing to do with the work that was done on the car today. Believe you me, that clunk is not to be drowned out by the volume at which I listen to my "Wicked" soundtrack or NPR (which isn't at any sort of ear-splitting decible, that's for sure). He wants to see my car back again this week to "figure out what's causing it." A) I don't trust him. B) Will I have to pay for the repair on a clunk that seems to be a direct result of work done to my car? I better not! $631 was plenty, thankyouverymuch!

Grr. On a happier note, had dinner and saw Mr. & Mrs. Smith (surprisingly far more enjoyable than I'd anticipated) with Roni. And even though we forgot to get our parking validated, the lady didn't make us pay! Whee!

Today, I'm thinking of going with Roni to brunch down in West Hollywood, to meet up with some people she knows. I need to know more people. Heh. It's Pride, so WeHo will be crowded!, but I think it'll be fun.

Clock woes

My clock has a date and temperature feature, and the date was reading Friday, June 11. As June 10th is my grandfather's (80th!) birthday, I had a mild freak-out over having missed it and not called. So I ran to my calendar, and, sure enough, today is both June 10th and Friday. Cue me scratching my head and studying my bathroom clock.

Turns out it was set for the year 2010. I didn't even know it had that sort of feature, to calculate the day and date based on the year. Cool! I figured out how to change it back to 2005 and discovered in the process that it only goes up through 2099.

I guess I'll have to get a new clock for 2100.

Also, HAPPY 80TH BIRTHDAY, GRANDPA JIM!!

Visitors of the College Roommate variety

My dear, dear friends Aarti and Sarah are visiting for a few days. It's been glorious having them here, like old times.

They arrived Thursday night, and all we had time for before crashing was dinner at El Torrito. I had to work on Friday, but they went on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour, and then tooled around town with a friend of Aarti's family's before picking me up from work in time for dinner at a Chinese restaurant.

I worked again on Saturday while Sarah and Aarti did Hollywood, and then we had lunch at Palermo and drove down to Long Beach to meet Sarah's friend. We all walked along the pier, had dinner, played in the arcade, and walked along the pier some more before heading home.

Yesterday, Sunday, was spent first having all-you-can-eat sushi, as is our tradition with out-of-town guests. We then headed down to Venice to walk along the boardwalk (and I finally saw the "muscle" part of Muscle Beach... ew!). We strolled back up Abbot Kinney on our way to the car, and went to Santa Monica. We went to the pier there, wandered down the promenade, and saw Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, which was surprisingly Very Good.

Today is Aarti's birthday (quarter of a century!), so I'm about to make chocolate chip pancakes. We have plans to go down to Santee Alley, and then to the Los Angeles Opera (I think for Falstaff) tonight. Tomorrow is Disneyland, yippee! And then Wednesday, they leave. *sniff*

All in all, it's Very Much Fun having them here. Hee.

San Francisco, baby!

Our "Family" trip to San Francisco was a success.

They picked me up from work on Friday and we headed onwards and upwards, arriving sometime after 1 am. Our room was shite--one queen bed and one pull-out. Bah. But we only had to endure it for that one night.

On Saturday morning, we switched rooms and then took the shuttle to the airport to pick up the Bart train. We hadn't a clue where we were going or what we were doing, so we got off the train where a bunch of people got off. Seemed like a good enough idea. After a brief stop at Starbucks and an inquiry at the Ramada there, we formulated a plan: lunch in the shopping district, then a few blocks down to the Natural History Museum (which turned out to be an under-construction aquarium, but was enjoyable just the same).

Afterwards, we hopped on a cable car and went down to the Bay, where we hit Ghirardelli Square (for a sample of chocolate... yum!), sat on the beach for a while, and then decided to wander down the piers. We ended up at a second aquarium, although this one had an "Under the Bay" portion where you could walk through these tunnels and be completely surrounded by fishies! It was very cool. And then, at the end, there was a "Touch the Bay" exhibit where you could pet the fishies rays and starfish! Which we happily did. *g*

At that point, being aquariumed out, we got back on the bus and headed up to Japantown for some sushi. We split up at that point, as Caitlin and Sean wanted to try a seafood buffet, and Ryan and I, not fish eaters in the least, opted for a vegetarian-friendly Japanese restaurant. And then off to the movies it was--Caitlin and Sean saw Star Wars Episode III and Ryan and I (wanting to see Epsiode II before Episode III) saw Madascar. [Cute and mildly amusing, but "eh"... possibly due to exhaustion more than anything.] And then it was H-O-M-E to the hotel to crash.

On Sunday, we got up and hit I.H.O.P. before heading to the airport/Bart station. There was a carnivale thingy for some unknown celebration which we tried to attend, but we appeared to have been too late. Still huge crowds, but no entertainment to be seen. Or so we could gather. So we got back on the Bart and went to SFMOMA, where it was decided that size is greatly a factor in something being considered "art". I mean, really. A huge, white, three-panel thing that takes up most of the wall? Art, apparently. Although it was plain, flat, white. It was, in essence, a wall. On top of the wall. But it was big, and, therefore, art. There was some interesting stuff, some ridiculous stuff, some enjoyable stuff, and some nauseating stuff (film art, in all its epilepsy-inducing flashiness, was decidedly not my thing).

After the museum, we wandered past some Opera in the Park, so we popped a squat, basked in the sun, and listened to some music. Enjoyable.

Then it was to Chinatown for us. No really good buys, but we had some tasty Chinese food at House of Nanking, and then hit up City Lights Book Store. I bought a book of short stories, to be added to the mile-high stack of "to be read" books I have going here. Heh.

After shopping, we hopped back on the bus and made our way to Haight & Ashbury. Being Sunday evening, all the shops were closed, but we stopped for some coffee and conversation. Then we had to go to Amoeba Music, which is quite similar to the LA version, truth be told. There were some good deals to be had, and we made it back onto the bus before our transfer expired. Whew! Back to the hotel.

Monday morning was basically packing-and-leaving. We drove back with minimal interference by traffic. Whoo!

The weather was gorgeous all weekend. Possibly a bit cool and windy, but not uncomfortably so. We packed a lot into those two days. And there was some sort of twin epidemic--I saw SEVEN sets of twins in two days! Seven! That's fourteen little twins! Crazy.

I was off today, so I caught up on laundry and cleaning, hopped down to Hollywood to pick up "Wicked" tickets (yay!), and now I'm contemplating dinner. As my stomach talks to me. Shhhhh....

Three Decades Together

I want to tell the story of a boy and a girl, working summer jobs at a plastic factory. The boy--shy, possibly a little geeky--was studying to become an engineer. The girl, to be a teacher.

There was something about the boy that caught the girl's interest. She would take bathroom breaks when she knew the boy was on lunch, and sneak through the bathroom into the break room to talk to him. It took most of the summer, but she finally managed to get him to ask her out. Much to her parents' horror, the boy picked her up for their first date on the back of his motorcycle.

The boy and the girl both went back to their respective colleges that fall, but continued to see each other. The boy graduated, the girl went to Springfield to do her student teaching, and their romance could have ended there, but it didn't.

On May 24, 1975, the boy and the girl married. I may have gotten that story less than accurate, as it's been retold many times over the three decades of their marriage, but today, that boy and girl celebrate their thirtieth wedding anniversary.

In an age where it seems that more often than not marriages end in divorce, where many of my friends grew up with separated parents, I'm proud of Mom and Dad for making it this far. I'm sure it wasn't easy, but they've had thirty years of a solid, strong and loving marriage that I know will continue for the rest of their lives. I hope to have what they have.

Happy 30th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Sushi Sushi

I just tore up some sushi, and I think I'm about to burst.

There's this all-you-can-eat sushi place we go to, and it is fab-u-lous. Mmmm. I had ordered three rolls to start, and only two came. By the time everyone else had gotten ALL the food they'd ordered, and finished it, I still hadn't gotten my third roll. I told the waitress that if it hadn't been started, I didn't want it, that I'd have a different roll instead.

Well. The original third roll and the now-fourth roll both came on the same plate. I only had room for one of them. And the thing about all-you-can-eat sushi is that it's all you can eat, but if you can't eat it, you pay extra. So I had to eat both. Oh. My. GOD. I about didn't manage it. I had to creatively break apart the last few pieces and spread them around the plate to look as if they'd been eaten. My tummy is a-bursting!

But I got $39 worth of sushi for the low-low price of $23. I suppose I'm satisfied with that.

I can't stop thinking about CSI from Thursday. Did any of y'all see it? Man, it was Intense! With a capital I!

Here, have a puzzle. I spent a few minutes tearing my hair out, but the satisfaction of mastering it is sweet.

I thought I had something possibly worthwhile to say, but I guess I was wrong. Gym tomorrow morning at 8. This will hopefully help some with the sushi consumption of tonight.

Monday Morning

I usually time my mornings to the minute. Example:

5:00 Wake up, pull on work-out clothes, grab water bottle, ipod & banana
5:15 Leave the house
5:25 Arrive at the gym
6:15-6:20 Leave gym
6:30 Arrive back home, get in shower.
6:45 Dry hair, catch up on blogs whilst drying hair (multitasking!)
7:15 Curl hair if necessary, put on make-up
7:35 Pick out outfit, get dressed
7:45 Grab breakfast, make lunch
8:00 Leave for work

As you can see, I'm fifteen minutes ahead of schedule this morning. AND I stopped and got gas on the way home from the gym! Wow!

Saw Crash yesterday with Caitlin and Sean. SUCH a good movie! You should all go see it. I hadn't known what it was about, and it was pretty different from what little expectations I had. There were a few parts that were a tiny bit predictable, but as a whole, really, really good. And deliberate. With a good cast and excellent performances (even from Ludacris!) Yes. Go, now.

Part of the enjoyment was that the whole thing takes place in the Valley. The streets are my streets, the neighborhoods the ones surrounding me. Even the bus route is the one Sean takes to work. I mean, they could have used any random bus and any random numbers to make up the route, but they didn't. They used an LA City bus and an actual route that goes from the Valley over the hill. It was just fun to see on the big screen all the things I see day in and day out. Hee.

There are currently seven of Sean's band friends slumbering like babies in the living room. I can't quite figure out how they all fit, especially as there's only one on the air mattress that takes up a good portion of the floor space. Hmm. It is to ponder.

Well, that burned a good seven minutes. Have a good day, y'alls!

A bit o' Saturday Blather

I don't know what it is with me and spending money lately. I just can't seem to stop doing it! Like today, I bought a sport pack for my iPod (protective jacket that has both a belt clip and an arm band that can be attached... and will be perfect for taking to the gym), The Wicked soundtrack (I've been reading the book and will most likely be seeing the play in July) and a small little radio/CD player to take to work (my hope is that I can make it jive with my iTrip and listen to songs from my ipod at work). I can't wait to go to the gym and try out this little ipod arm band thingy!

But really, while all of that is nice and useful and worth the money, did I need any of it? Probably not. This is where I need a little work.

It was HOT today. I would venture to guess it hit 90 degrees. I love summer.

My little piggy bank is getting full! I keep throwing coins (and some odd dollar bills) in there. I don't know what I'm saving for, but it's kind of fun. Is this not in complete contrast to the above paragraph where I complained about spending too much money? Yeah, I don't know either.

Work is good. Really good. Example: the other day, I had to drop some keys off at another office before going in to work. This resulted in my getting there later than everyone else. When I was about ten minutes away, my cell phone rang. It was one of the girls saying she was doing a Starbucks run, and did I want anything? How utterly sweet was that? That would have never happened at my old job. Hell, my boss would purposefully NOT get me lunch when ordering for the entire office. And she had no shame about it when I confronted her. In short, SO GLAD I took this position. So glad.

Hump Day

First off, although I've already said it, it warrants saying again: Happy Lead Awareness Day, Shelley!

Okay, they're using that Five for Fighting song that I love, despite its cliche-ness, for a Disney Chase Visa (Mastercard?). Hello, just scream "KATE, YOU MUST GET THIS CREDIT CARD!", why don't you?

"Lost" tonight was really, really good. (Spoilers? Do I need to warn? This is your warning... only the single following paragraph will speak of "Lost." Then it'll be back to the Exciting Life of Me.)
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Uncharacteristically of me, I'm kind of wanting another Kate episode. I got interested in her back story tonight. Damn her. And was the Charlie/Claire interaction not the cutest thing ever? Yeah, it usually is, but oh the cuteness! "Track two: The Monster Ate the Pilot." Ahahahaha! And Charlie inviting Claire to go back to LA with him upon their rescue? Yes, please.
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Aaaaaaaand.... done.

The New Job, so far, is leaps and bounds better than the Old Job. Even though it's nearly twice as far, distance-wise, it's possible it takes less time to get there. Miraculously, there are a few freeways in LA on which there exists a reverse commute, and I take one of them to work.

People are nice, job is varied and interesting, boss is not the antichrist. There's a lot (a lot) to learn, but so far it's not overwhelming.

I had the day off today, and it was the most glorious day, weather-wise. The sky was clear and blue, there was a slight breeze, the sun was warm, and it was probably in the mid-70's. Perfect. I got up and went to the gym (and then got a caramel frapuccino from Starbucks to completely negate any burned calories), and then went shopping with Caitlin. Everything I bought (except the pair of jeans, which I badly needed as my others tore from overuse) was on sale, and everything was much-needed.

All in all, just about the best kind of day off. Hee!

Update-y Stuff

How many of my entry titles in the past year have included the word "update"? That's a sad thing. It means I spend a lot of time on the fact I don't updage as much as I should. Anyway.

I start my new job a week from tomorrow. I don't know that I've mentioned it on here before, so I will now. It's with the same company, just a different branch. But I'm getting away from sales, and will be a supervisor on the operations side of things. It will be a challenge, but I'm very excited.

Speaking of jobs, Congratulations to Emily on your promotion, and Aarti on your new job! 'Twas a week of job-related goodness, apparently. *g*

Lots of things have been happening in my life. Just before finding out about the job (which I had interviewed for in early February and, by this point, had assumed I hadn't gotten it), I was doing some heavy research into grad schools. I was even thinking of starting an online MBA this summer or fall. I was excited to be back in school. But then the job came along, and I decided to take a step back and slow down a bit, go for the grad school thing next year instead.

So there's that.

And then this week was insanely busy! Went for dinner with coworkers on Tuesday, for what may be the last time as my new office is fairly far in the opposite direction of where they work. Wednesday, J came over and cooked a huge three-course meal (fresh tomato-basil soup, homemade chicken parmesan, garlic bread and garlic pesto bread dripping with butter, and strawberry shortcake with homemade brandy whipped cream. Yummmm!) for us. Thursday was the Awkward and Awful Date that Shall Be Forgotten, and Friday was Matthew Bourne's A Play Without Words (read phrases like so fraught with mounting sexual tension followed by orgiastic resolution and One leaves the theater sated, utterly spent.

Then last night, the roomies and I went down to Venice where C has been house sitting. We had a cook out, and some friends came up/down/over, and we just sat and chatted and ate and had a good time. Sean, Ryan, Caitlin, Sarah and I stayed over and came home this morning. It was so nice and peaceful down on the canals with the ducks and the super-friendly little kitty cat that would rub against your legs and talk and purr and lay down to be pet. I miss my kitty!

All in all a very good weekend.

Camping!

I'm washed, fed, and ready for a nap. *yawns*

Tomorrow is Ryan's birthday, so he planned a camping trip this weekend. To the little place we found last weekend, a two-mile hike down the mountain. Turned out to be not so bad a hike, actually, even with carrying the supplies and food and sleeping bags and tents and enough water to last six people two days.

We left yesterday morning, hiked down, and set up camp before taking off exploring the smaller hiking trails branching off. There were about a half-dozen little campsites down there (of course, we set up at the first one we saw, not realizing there were others), and a creek running through most of them. We hiked until the trail ran out, and then the boys decided it would be fun to keep going -- only, they would rock-hop along the creek. Val and I thought it best to go back to the campsite, as we didn't fancy getting wet.

So we went back and played cards while the boys played "adventurers", and then we gathered wood for the campfire. Lots and lots of wood, some big, some small. When the boys made their way back to us around dinner time, they chopped the wood into smaller pieces, built a Boy Scout campfire, and we cooked dinner (veggie burritos for us, steak and mashed potatoes for Jake and Val).

Once it got dark out, and I mean pitch-black, can't-see-beyond-ten-feet-in-front-of-you dark, the boys felt it appropriate to tell the story of what they found in the woods. (I hope I tell it accurately...)

Apparently, Ryan took off in search of the rest of the trail while the others hopped around in the creek a bit. About twenty minutes later, he returned... white-faced, shakey, and admitting that he was "a little freaked out, guys." What he'd found? A huge clump of long blonde human hair.

They decided they'd better go back and have another look, lest the hair still be attached to something. So they hiked up the other bank of the creek, on a path that was less a trail than just someplace someone had walked through before and pushed branches out of the way. They said the "trail" got narrower and narrower, and they had to duck under a number of branches and brambles until they got to a bit of a clearing.

And there, in the clearing, was indeed a huge clump of long, blonde human hair. And not a small clump. They said it was as if someone had decided to cut off all their hair. Freaked out, indeed. It didn't look to be attached to anything (no scalp or burried head), so they went a bit further up the path.

There, they saw something bright blue through the brush. At first, they thought it was the back of someone's shirt. But it wasn't moving. As they got closer, they realized it was a balloon. A helium balloon, with a radio station logo on it. What was a balloon doing in the woods? They had no idea. Ryan cut off the string and the balloon had enough helium left to float up, up and away.

A bit further down the trail brought them to a complete dead end. No place to go, nothing branching off. One trail in, one trail out. They had to go back past the hair.

On the way back, they noticed the hair was by a wash of sorts, so it could have been carried down from anywhere up the mountain. Kenny decided to pick it up, inspect it... and they hurried back to the campground.

So this story was told in the dark, around the fire, and it was absolutely, 100% freaking true. Val and I were so freaked out! There could be a psycho clown killer loose in the Angeles National Forest! Cutting off people's hair and leaving balloons as his calling card! And the boys hadn't felt it necessary to pick up camp and leave while it was still light out?! Because now, there was only the light of the moon. It was a two-mile hike up the mountain to the cars, and there wasn't another soul at the campground. No one to hear the screams. Ack!

We tried to calm ourselves down by roasting marshmallows and getting into a discussion on the Church and marriage (Jake and Val are planning their wedding) and reincarnation and anything to help us forget what the boys had found in the woods. I made them promise not to make me sleep in the one-man tent. So freaking scared.

Then, Kenny says, "there's more to the story." And Val and I said "More?!" and Ryan says "Should we tell them? I don't think we should..." and Val and I are shaking in our freaking boots we're so scared. We force them to tell us.

When Kenny picked up the hair? He discovered it had come from a plant. The hair was from a freaking plant. Weird plant fibers that the plant was shedding. In most cases, the fibers were still connected to the plant, or were at least clumped and obvious they were from a plant. The pile of "hair," however, was not clumped or otherwise attached to anything. It really looked like a pile of long human hair. It wasn't until they'd found the plant, pulled off more fibers to compare, that they were convinced.

So, yeah. After that, we went to bed. It was freaking cold and I didn't sleep well at ALL, but it was really nice to be in nature, away from the smog and traffic and people on cell phones. We woke up this morning and toasted bagels over a little propane stove, then packed up and hiked back up the mountain. I have to say, as far as camping goes, I'm a big fan of hiking down first. Because then the uphill portion is with lighter packs. Heh. It still took an hour and a half to hike the two miles up, because we had to stop for frequent rests.

But I had a really good time! I'm very glad I went. And I'm very glad the hair wasn't real human hair. Heh.

Mom and Grandma Do LA

This was probably the most special visit that could have been. Since Grandpa Jim has been in the hospital/nursing home since February 18, the trip was in limbo for Quite Some Time. When it became clear that Grandpa was doing much better, and that his stay at the rehab center would be over soon, Mom and Grandma Peggy made some last-minute rush plans to make the trip happen.

I already covered Day 1 and part of 2 in my last entry (arrival on Wednesday, dinner after work, Thursday's breakfast, the Grove & Farmer's Market, lunch in Santa Monica, and the beach). We went to Chez Nous for dinner to celebrate Grandma's 80th birthday. It was wonderful. Sean, Caitlin, Ryan and Jan came. Sean and Caitlin had to leave early for a work engagement for Caitlin, and then Sarah joined us for dessert. Grandma adored Jan, aka my West Coast Jewish Mom.

Dinner was delicious, and the restaurant brought an eclaire with a candle and we all sang Happy Birthday to Grandma. Then we got a few more desserts to share and just chatted. Grandma had a fabulous time.

I had to work on Friday, but Mom took Grandma on the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. They enjoyed the tour muchly, and then headed to Hollywood to see the Walk of Fame, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, and the Hollywood Entertainment Museum. Exciting! I met them at the hotel after work for dinner (and then I went to see Sin City at the Dome at the Arclight with the roommates & friends).

Mom picked me up early on Saturday and we had breakfast at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. Grandma adored that, too! We went to the Burbank mall so I could switch my cell phone number over (note to friends: I have my old 773 number back), and we got See's Candy and did some window shopping. Grandma had so much fun doing that that I had to laugh a little. She's too cute.

Lunch again at Chez Nous (Grandma wanted to see it in the daytime, and take pictures), and then down to the airport to drop off the rental car and check into the hotel there. Traffic was horrid and we got to the hotel just in time for the second half of the Illinois v. Louisville game. Go Illini! A very exciting win for mah boys.

After the game, we headed out to Venice Beach to watch the sunset over the ocean. Grandma had never seen such a sunset, and was almost moved to tears. Said it really made her trip being able to see that. It was beautiful. I took pictures, which I'll post in my next post. Then back to the hotel for appetizers and some TV watching.

On Sunday, we had breakfast at the hotel and I dropped Mom and Grandma off at the airport. I'd have been fine, but Grandma started crying at the curb saying goodbye, and I was done for. I cried almost all the way home. She so appreciated having the opportunity to come out here, and the trip had come so close to not happening at all (and she wouldn't have done well with the summer heat, so this was the PERFECT time for them to come). I'm just so glad it all worked out, and that she had such a good time.

I miss them.

Grandma Peggy!

Today is Grandma Peggy's 80th birthday. And she's here to celebrate it!

Yesterday, Mom and Grandma arrived. We went to dinner at Coral Cafe, but had an early night because they were still on Chicago time. Sleeeeeeeepy.

I took a personal day today to spend with Mom and Grandma. Caitlin and I met them at their hotel for breakfast (after we went to the gym... it's right across the street from the hotel), and then Mom, Grandma and I went down to the Grove and the Farmer's Market to wander around. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. We had freshly-made ice cream, watched a dancing fountain, and bought a few silly little things.

Then we drove out to Santa Monica for lunch and ate out on the Promenade where we could people-watch with the best of 'em. Enjoyable! So many interesting folks out today. Then we mosied over to the beach so Grandma could walk in the Pacific Ocean. Did I mention it was gorgeous out today? Clear and warm with a light breeze, and the hills were green and the sky and ocean were so, so blue, and it was the perfect California day.

Now we're headed to dinner with my roommates and my work friend to celebrate Grandma's birthday once more. So great to have them here!