Doope doo da doo.

Instead of getting up and working-out this morning before work like I usually do, I just layed in bed and got doped up on Tylenol, lol. Thankfully I didn't have to work at Starbucks this morning, although I "am" about to head out to work at E-Bar.

I got my tax refund deposited into my checking account today. Whoo hoo!!!

One of the few girls I actually liked on this season's American Idol got the boot last night. Arrrrgh. Stupid voters. STUPID voters.

I'm looking foward to the weekend. Why? Because I no longer WORK on weekends! So now I can actually enjoy my weekends along with the majority of the human population.

Who Will Get the Boot?

A really random picture of a super cute persian kitty I came across on a random site as I randomly searched for a picture of "sunny california." What came up? Cute persian kitties.

Today it was beatiful outside. Unfortunetly, I didn't really get to enjoy the weather unless you count making several trips outside to take out the trash while working at Starbucks.

I'm really not that impressed with the girls on this season's American Idol. There's maybe 2 that I like (3 if you want to push it.) Most of them are just plain annoying. We'll see who gets eliminated tonight!

I finally finished my first scrapbook in about 2 and 1/2 years, (I hadn't made one since I dated Roger,) and so now I have one for Chris and I at last. I plan on starting #2 as soon as I buy another one.

I'm tired. My eyes are stinging.

Oh. My.

A huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders: MY CAR PASSED THE ENHANCED SMOG CHECK TODAY!!! Phew. What a relief. You might wonder why I'm so relieved ...

The first time I got a smog check, (almost 2 years ago,) my car failed. The second try, it failed again. Finally, after several repairs and several hundred dollars later, it passed the third round. (Third time's a charm, right?) Oh and let's not forget that it costs about $50 for a single smog check. WELL my vehical is required to get one every other year when I renew my registration. If your car fails the smog check, then you are not allowed to renew your registration. Sucks huh? Especially because my car burns access oil and so when you fist start driving it, it has smoke coming out of it's butt. (Did I mention they're adding a "smoke check" to the "smog check" as well?) Yep, they're starting that next month! Basically if any smoke comes out, you fail. (That's why I raced to get it done this week!) Needless to say, I am VERY relieved that it passed. Now I don't have to worry about it for another two years! Sweeeeet.

YA!

Chris bought the new Karaoke Revolution game, 'American Idol: Encore' today. I just played it for over an hour. It is DA BOMB!!! Soooo many great songs. And MORE songs. AND Paula Abdul is actually on this one. Yay. So fun. It made my evening. Is the weekend really over?

Woooo.

I revamped my blog, can you tell? Cute isn't it. I ... thought ... so. :::collapses:::

ABC

Everytime I have a "good day" at the Elephant Bar (i.e. I make a decent amount of money,) and I start to think, "hmmmm this isn't reeeeally that bad ..." it's ALWAYS followed by a bad day. Today I made jack squat. Pfhhhh. AND I had to spend WAY too much money on new uniform stuff this afternoon. (They're changing our shirts which I had to go out and buy myself,) and I had to buy a belt and new shoes too.

I think I "might" have decided on which wedding/event planning course I want to take. Maybe. Haven't decided for sure. BUT I'm thinking about getting certified in ABC, (The Association of Bridal Consultants) which is an organization that's been around since 1955. Their page is currently undergoing maintanance until February 28th, but it has some information. I talked with my cousin about the event planning course she's currently taking at George Washington University and she said that so far she's "not too impressed." She said it's too easy. Plus there's alot of stuff about planning other events, such as meetings and corporate events, and I'd like to start out focused mainly on weddings. Not sure I want to spend $4,000 on a course that is "too easy" and doesn't focus enough on weddings. The ABC site is:
http://www.bridalassn.com/Default.aspx

I have cramps. Youch.

Lovely Sundays.

Today has been delightful so far. I've done nothing but watch movies and scrapbook in my pj's all day. I watched 'The Lake House" (one of the movies that Chris gave me for Valentine's Day,) and it was very cute. And now I'm making pizza for Chris and I. :::sigh::: I need more days like this.

Tastylicious

Did everyone have a good Valentine's Day filled with love and passion? Hehehe. :P Chris got me some really thoughtful things. Two dvds, ('50 First Dates' and 'The Lake House',) two complimentary ring tones for my phone, (I picked out Alicia Keys and Super Mario Bros,) a chocolate red rose (the best of both worlds,) and my favorite: A heart shaped box of 24 chocolates where he picked out each individual chocolate himself! (So I don't have to worry about getting any of the gross "pink" ones!) :P Yummmmm they are the BEST chocolates. Oh damn. So good. Oh and he took me out to dinner too! We were going to go to The Olive Garden, but after finding that there was a 2+ hour wait, we headed to Black Angus. After arriving there and finding that there was a 1 hour and 45 min+ wait, we headed to Acapulco for some Mexcian. Since the wait was only 10 minutes, we decided to stay. :P It was quite tasty. To end the evening we played the "gift" that I had bought for Chris, (a board game called "101 Nights of Ggggreat Sex,") which is actually as good as it sounds! :P Oh and Chris and I have such similiar taste in cards that we ended up accidently getting each other the SAME V-Day card. Haaahaha.

Oh and my foot is a little sore still but feels much better. Phew!

Youch.

Uhhhg. Last night Chris and I went to Walgreens and when we returned we couldn't get the gate to our apartment to open. (We have a patio which is surrounded by this 7 foot-ish wood fence type thing that has a door.) Well, that door was stuck. So finally I decided that I would just climb over the wood fence and open it from the inside. I had done this before, and it worked like a charm. Well ... not last night. I climbed to the top of the fence and jumped down. When I hit the concrete floor below it felt as if my feet just shattered!!!! OMG I cannot tell you how badly it hurt. Unfortunetly, when I had done this little manuver before, I had been wearing padded running shoes to absorb the shock. Last night I was wearing these little flat slippers with absolutely NO padding. Now my left foot feels fine, but I cannot walk on my right foot. The entire heel area (not the upper toe part) is in immense pain when I walk on it. I'm "hoping" that it's just really badly bruised or strained ... or something. I can sort of "stand" on it today, (last night I couldn't even stand on it,) so that's a good sign ... right? :/

Always Something More ...

Just got back from getting my car washed/oil changed/ serviced. Blahhhh. How come everytime you bring your car in for something you almost "always" end up having to spend much more than planned? Instead of spending $35-ish for an oil change/inspection and full car wash, I ended up spending $160 for having to get additional services performed like getting the coolent fluid and brake fluid flushed. Although I've realized something. If you want an oil change and NOTHING but an oil change, go to Wal-Mart. Because even if there's something wrong with your car or your car desperately needs something, they "won't" mention it to you. (I know this from experience.) So as annoying as it is to take your car into some where good where you can almost expect them to tell you something that your car needs, it's nice to know so you can "at least" have the option of knowing and getting it taken care of. Need I mention the car fiasco I had last year because Wal-Mart was never telling me about my major oil leaks everytime I brought my car in?

Toasty is insisting on laying on my arm right now and it's making it very hard to type ... ehem ...

So hard in fact that I think this will be all for now. Blame Toasty for my lack of interesting-ness today! :P

Memo

Note to self: While waiting for your food at Jack in the Box, do not stick your reciept to your lower lip. While this may seem funny and provide a certain amount of entertainment to some degree, when you remove the reciept from your wet lip, you will also remove a chunk of "skin" from said lip. Therefore, it is not a good idea.

Gee I wish I had gotten the memo before Friday night. :P

What's on "Your" Bucket List?

While I was in Missouri, Michelle, Esther (Benette) and I thought that it would be amusing to compile our own "Bucket Lists" (ie things you want to accomplish before you die.) So, here are a few highlights from mine ...

- Get certified as a professional wedding/event planner.
- Have my own successful event/wedding planning business.
- Write, cast, produce, star in, etc. my own film and enter it into a film festival. (Sundance here I come!) :P
- Learn how to quilt. (I know I know, I'm a grandma, HA.)
- Learn how to snowboard. (Because I already know how to ski.)
- Go on a real "roadtrip." Stop at the roadside diners, the whole shibang!
- Record a cd. (Vocal and perhaps a bit of piano.)
- Publish a children's book.
- Get married.
- Possibly have at least one kid? :P
- Take a cooking course, or two.
- Start a charity of some sort.
- Go on a storm chasing tour. (I have a feeling Chris won't want to come with ...)
- Hike the Grand Canyon. (I've flown over it enough times.)
- Visit Australia!
- Visit Switzerland and yodle on the Swiss Alps. :P
- Visit Egypt and see the pyramids.
- Go on a backpacking tour- in the jungle!!!
- Climb a mountain (it's one in Colorado but I'm blanking on the name.)
- Visit Italy, drink "real" espresso!
- Visit Japan. And ... do some kung fu? :P

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things and that as I go through life there will be more and more things to add to my bucket list. But- the important thing is that I have one, right? So ... what's on YOUR bucket list?

Getting into the Routine.

A few minutes ago as I was driving home from work I saw a dead cat lying on the street median. It was sandy colored and had long fur and seeing it lying there helpess made me want to cry. Besides the fact that I hate seeing "any" animal (especially cats and dogs,) dead, I hate having to think about the family to whom the animal was a pet, and how they will find out later, maybe even days later, that their furry friend is dead. :(

The Elephant Bar is such a botch. Let's just say that for the SECOND time this week, I've arrived at work on time only to have them be like, "What? You're working today?" Even though I'm listed right there on the bloody schedule! And because of their idiocracy, this means they don't put me in a table section and I end up with the "extra" tables. (ie the tables that never get sat.) GRRRR! I walked out with a measely $33 today.

Over the past several weeks I've realized that while "getting into the routine of things" is a good thing, it can also be dangerous. For me, once I get into a "routine," I really get into it! For example, for the past several months I would get up, go to work at Starbucks, work-out, work at the Elephant Bar, get home, take a shower, do any cleaning and misc things on my list, and then get on the computer. While this is okay, I was doing this basically every single day out of habit. And since I was so busy doing my "routine," I didn't even realize that I was neglecting other things, like my relationship with Chris! After talking about it with him, I realized how important it is to some times break your routine. To be able to say, "ok, my to-do list can wait. Spending time with my partner is more important." When I feel like I need to clean something instead of spending time with Chris or a friend, I have to remember that more often than not, it's simply my OCD kicking in. (Yes, I have been blessed with OCD that makes me feel like I constantly have to be doing and/or cleaning something.) Another thing is, is that in long term relationships when things start getting comfortable, you some times forget that you still need to work hard and put in the effort. Because trust me, relationships are like cars. If you don't take care of them and perform routine maintanance regularly, they "will" inevitably break down!

Anyway I'm rambling. But just remember, if you're some one like me, (ie some one who gets very set into a routine,) just know that it's important to take a break some times and do something else. Go outside for a walk. Call a friend. Better yet, have coffee with a friend! You get the idea. :P

And that is my nugget of wisdom for the day. :)

Clocks

Alright, off to Starbucks, off off up and away!!!!!

Mehhh.

Meh, work at E-Bar was okay today except now my work schedule BLOWS. I swear, ANY time you need to take time off (ie to visit your friends and family,) they totally screw you over schedule wise. It took me WEEKS upon WEEKS to finally start getting the schedule I wanted, and then I go home for two weeks and it all goes to s**t. I "despise" working nights and weekends, and now I'm being scheduled both. Friday and Saturday nights, of course. This past weekend, this weekend, AND next weekend. GRRRR. This Friday was supposed to be my day off but today I gave into some one who was begging me and I'm now covering a shift on Friday for that perso. BOOOO.

The event planning course I'm thinking about taking is at this link http://www.gwutourism.org/eventmanagement/index.html although I haven't fully decided if I will be taking this exact one. I know for sure I'd like to get certified, (in event/wedding planning,) I just haven't decided on "where" yet.

"American Idol" and "House" tonight, woopee!!!

Discontinued.

Today at work (Starbucks) I found out something that made me very happy. And what was that "something," you might ask? They discontinued the breakfast sandwhiches!!!!! Brehhhh he he he he!!!! :D You might also ask "why" this makes me so happy? Well, to be quite honest, the breakfast sandwhiches were a MAJOR pain in the arse. (Even though they were only around for a few months.) And again, you might ask, "but why oh why were they a MAJOR pain in the arse?" To which I respond, "Because every two seconds a customer would want a breakfast sandwhich. Which means that if you're the only person on the registser, you have to keep getting interrupted to go put a sandwhich in the oven and WAIT for a minute while it cooks and then return to the register." A minute may not seem like a very long time, but when there's a very long line of customers and you have to constantly stop and warm up a breakfast sandwhich, it is. Apparently enough costumers complained to Starbucks that the smell of breakfast sandwhiches in the oven interfered with the aroma of coffee that coffee shops are so well known for.

A brand spanking new Target just opened on the corner a few blocks away from our apartment. This is both a good thing and a scary thing. Good because I love Target and it will make it very convenient for me to shop there. Scary because as stated earlier, it will make it very convenient for me to shop there ... and I might want to shop there a bit too much. :P

Can you believe it's almost Valentine's Day? I can't! Speaking of Valentine's Day, that made the thought of chocolate cross my mind, which in turn made the thought of food cross my mind and then reminded me that I'm really hungry and need to go eat some lunch now. Oh and I need some tea too.

Home

Happy GROUND HOG DAY!!!!!!!!! Hehehe. Ehem. I wonder if he saw a shadow?

After almost 2.5 weeks, I have been reunited with Chris and Toasty. Cuuuuuuute.

I had a wonderful time visiting everyone from good old MO. And now that I've seen snow and have been ice skating, it finally feels like winter. Now I can truly enjoy the warm California weather. :P

As much as I consider Missouri to be my true home, now that my dad and Carolyn have moved out of our house it all feels different. When I go visit in Missouri, I no longer have a familiar house to go to, I no longer have "my" house. A house that I had lived in since I was 4 years old. My home is truly in California now because there's no dewlling space that is "mine." Does that make sense? :P

While I was visiting I talked to my cousin who also does event planning, and she told me about an event planning course that she's taking at George Washington University to get certified. After talking to her I'm almost certain that taking that course would be something I'd like to try and do this year. It's $4,000- which seems like a lot. (And it is.) But I look at it this way, I'm not going to 2+ years of grad school, so $4,000 is actually quite cheap compared to that. Plus if I ever want to work for an event planning business (other than my own,) the experience would be very valuable to have. Hmmmm ...

I'm also considering looking for another job. A job where I can have set hours and set wages. (Like a Monday through Friday job.) Health benefits would also be an extra perk to look for. Any ideas? I just can't handle working at the Elephant Bar for another 1-2+ years. Noooooo!!! I'm getting to the point where I'm having nightmares about it, lol.

Speaking of the Elephant Bar, I have to leave for work soon. BLAHHHHHH.