Leroy Memories

A Tribute to Leroy (made by Christy):
Some of my favorite memories involving Leroy:

- The year that Leroy drove to Culver-Stockton to pick me up from college to take me home for the summer and we had our tornado encounter(s), with one particular encounter ending with Leroy and I running through a field towards the car while Leroy shreaked, "F**k!!!!

- All the nights/mornings where Leroy and I would just sit and "fester" on the couch in front of the tv, (aka "Fester til Five, Dead or Alive.")

- All the times where Leroy would barge into my room and start trying on my bras, (the black bra with roses on it being his favorite, haha.)

- The brawl involving Andrew, Leroy, and a suspicious green drink infamously called, "Rotten Groceries."

- Sitting at the piano and making up funny songs, like our "Mummy Song" that we wrote and recorded.

- All instances where I was "Magnolia" and Leroy was my "Uncle Aurthor."

- The time where we, (Leroy, Christy, Erika, Michelle, and I ... and maybe some others,) played "Harry Potter" outside and my character was a growth on Leroy's side ... I spent hours underneath the black cloak that he was wearing!

- The time where I was feeling sad so Leroy took me out to eat at Sonic- forgetting that he had a gigantic black uni-brow magic markered on his face!

- The time when Erika, Leroy and I got completely lost on a hiking trail near the Missouri River, (due to the fact that Leroy swore he know of a "short cut."

- Leroy always accidently calling the candy Jolly Ranchers "Magic Farmers."

- Leroy's infamous "Shut-ever!"

- All of my birthday and theme parties that he participated in

-The campout where Leroy first created the "I Am a Yeti" song and I was laughing so hard I thought I was going to die!

Home Sweet Home

After almost two weeks off from work and visiting family/friends in Missouri, today it was back to reality and work. Blegh. The first day of work after a semi-long vacation is always the worst. You get out of that "work mode" and into "vacation mode," and while switching to "vacation mode" is wonderful, switching BACK to work mode is not quite as fun.

It would take a decade to write all about the trip Chris and I took to Missouri, but here are some of my favorite "highlights":
- Spending time with Chris, Erika, Andrew, Esther, and Barf on Erika's porch while drinking one too many Schmirnoffs.
- Watching "Rave to the Grave" at Andrew and Esthers (HA!)
- Having Chris try on funny outfits at Erika and Barf's clothing store, "Retro Revolution."
- Having coffee with Esther, Jesse, and Michelle (and of course Chris.)
- Chris and I hanging out with Esther and Jesse playing Mario Party. (Our team, "Pure Evil," won!)
- Going out to The Flatbranch and The Wine Cellar to celebrate my birthday early.
- Playing hours of Scattegories with Chris on the screened-in-porch.
- Playing my first ever game of Scrabble with Chris (I won! Hehehehe!) :P
- Cooking "Fettucini con Lemon and Red Peppers" with Chris. (It was pretty tastey, while also quite lemon-y!)
- Going on a hike at Rock Bridge State Park with Esther (aka Resther) and getting lost- ending up at an elementry school and having to walk back on a narrow, winding road.
- Hanging out with Brana, Michelle, and Jesther at Comfort Inn while watching a GREAT thunderstorm! (And having an angry, red-faced man pound on the door!)
- Everyone going to eat at Sophia's and playing Bacci.
- Going to Devil's Ice Box

Unfortunetly, this trip home also made me a little sad because a.) There's a very good chance that this was the "last" time I'll see my grandparents, b.) It was the last time I'll ever be able to go into my family's house of 20 years, and c.) Leroy's death. Yes ... those are sad things. I don't like sad things. :( But overall, the trip was great.

We'll Miss You

We'll all miss you, Leroy! (Leroy Guindon August 5th, 1980 - July 8th, 2007)

Trip to Missouri So Far ...

DAY 1:
- Wake up at 3:30am- take shuttle to airport
- 7:25am- plane takes flight to Missouri
- 12:25pm- Arrive in KC, MO
- My luggage is missing
- My luggage won't be delivered until who knows when
- I begin to panick as I realize I'm going to "look ugly tomorrow" without my make-up

DAY 2:
- 9:25am- I wake up with a giant blue swastika drawn on my forehead during my sleep (by Andrew)
- 11:30am- Chris and I get up
- 1:20pm - Chris takes a big dump in Andrew and Esther's toilet, not realizing the water was off for repairs.
- 1:22pm- Chris smiles sheepishly and turns bright red as he walks out of the bathroom with a defeated look on his face, knowing this his pooped artistry is stagnating around in the porceline pot.
- 1:52pm- We're haning out with Mzzy and Esther

TO BE CONTINUED ...

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S'mores Slop

Last night as I was eating one of those little snack-sized chocolate pudding cups, I suddenly got inspired to make a s'mores type pie. I was like, "Hmmmm ... this pudding would taste super yummy on top of a nice graham cracker crust. Oooooh and I could put puffed marshmallow cream on top of the graham cracker crust, and THEN put the pudding on it! Heck ... I could put Hershey chocolate bars on top of the marshallmallow cream and THEN put the pudding on top!" So today that's exactly what I did- well sort of. I didn't by a graham cracker pie crust, instead I bought regular graham crackers. So instead of a "pie" I was thinking more of a parfait style. But I didn't have any parfait glasses, so I had to use a bowl. Well ... the bowl was too wide (as oppsed to the cup,) so instead of a s'mores parfait it was more like a bowl of s'mores slop. TASTEY slop mind you! Mmmmm!!! So good! It would have looked much more presentable in a nice clear parfait glasses but ohhhhh-de-well.

You Should Seek ...

So yeah, I took the greek mythology personality test too. I can't remember who it said I was, but it DID say at the end that I "should seek the Oracle," heehee. And if Chris is the Oracle, then it looks like I did. :P

Today I bought all the travel-sized shampoos, conditioners, etc. for Chris and I- I'm sooooo excited about Thursday! :D I can't wait!!!

Last night I watched Donald Duck cartoons for almost 2 hours. It was beautiful.

The Oracle

No, this isn't a blog about The Matrix or The 300; it's about the Greek Personality Test, which Michelle posted recently. Quite fun, especially if you're into personality tests or classical lit. Oh yes, and it's a great way to pass the time when you're waiting for some laundromats to open up.

Heuristic, detached, and analytical to a fault, you are most like The Oracle. You are able to tackle any subject with a fine toothed comb, and you possess an ability to pinpoint nuances and shades of meaning that other people do not have and cannot understand. Accomplishment and realization of ideas are, for you, secondary to the rigorous exploration of ideas and questions -- you are, first and foremost, a theorist. You hate authority, convention, tradition, and under no circumstances do you accept a leadership role (although, you will gladly advise leadership when they're going astray, whether they want you to or not). You excel at language, mathematics and philosophy.

You are typically easy-going and non-confrontational until someone violates one of the very few principles that you deem sacred, at which point you can fly into a rage. Although you possess a much greater understanding of process and systems than the people around you, you are always conscious of the possibility that you've missed something or made a mistake. You don't tend to become attached to particular theories, and will immediately discard mistaken notions once they're revealed to be incorrect (but you don't tolerate iconoclasts who try to discredit validated theories through the use of fallacies and bad data). Despite being outwardly humble, you probably think of yourself as being smarter than most other people. That's because you are. In fact, in your dealings with people your understanding of their motives is so expansive that you know what they're going to say before they say it, and in world affairs, you usually know what is going to take place before it actually does. This ability would make you unbeatable in debates if only you were a little more outgoing.

Famous people like you: Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Adam Smith, Thomas Jefferson, John McWhorter, Ramanujan, Marie Curie, Kurt Godel

Stay clear of: Apollo, Icarus, Hermes, Aphrodite

Seek out: Atlas, Prometheus, Daedalus

Link: The Greek Mythology Personality Test

It's Friday.

Well, it's Friday. And that means I'm getting ready to head to work soon (blahhhhhhh.) Except this time I'm comforted by the fact that this is the LAST Friday I will be working before flying home on Thursday! Yaaaaaaay! I'm soooo so so excited about NOT working for 10 WHOLE DAYS and seeing all my friends and family and having Chris get to meet them all too! :D

Speaking of Chris, if you read the blog he wrote entitled "Busted Things," we are doing much better now- and NO I do NOT want to break up with him! :P After all, he's my ultra cuuuuuute Chris-dah-ris!!!

I just remembered that I haven't gotten my step-bro Jay a wedding gift yet, although thankfully Esther sent me the link to his wedding registry today. They're registered at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Why do ALL couples who get married register at "that" store every single time? All my friends who have gotten married in the last couple of years have ALL registered there. I mean ... it's a good store and all but ... there's a MILLION other stores too! For example, you can set up your wedding registry at this great wedding site that allows you to create your own list of ANY item from ANY store, and people can purchase them online just like Bed, Bath and BLah blah blah. lol. AND to make Bed, Bath, and Beyond worse, I wanted to purchase them the fondue set on their list this morning and the silly site won't even work! Grrrrrr. By the time is DOES finally work, some one else will have probably purchased it for them. Grrrrrrrrr.

Anyhow I don't really have time to say much right now because I have to eat and get ready for work, etc. But soooooooon I will be basking in the beauty of my time off work and spending it with the people I truly care about and love! (Awwwww!) Heehee.

Black Widows

As apartment complexes go, mine has quite of bit of grass and trees. And, since I live on the first floor of this very spread out complex, I expect to see spiders, ants, and other insect-based critters in my apartment, especially when it's too cold or hot outside.

What I wasn't prepared for was Black Widows. It seems the spiders I've seen and killed three times, within my apartment, are indeed Black Widows. One jumped out at me when I was moving a stack of papers that had begun to smell. (My cat had dumped water onto the papers and mold had begun growing on them. Ewwww). I spotted another Black Widow approaching my mattress shortly after I woke up one morning. It made it as far as the edge of the mattress before Toasty tore it to pieces. And, I smashed one that was scurrying across my bedroom floor. Outside, I spotted another Widow one night and tried killing it with Maximum Strength RAID. However, I had to empty about a fourth of the can onto the spider before it would stop moving! I sprayed so much toxin that much more would have suffocated either Toasty or me.

The scary thing is that I never had any idea that the ugly spiders I had come across were Black Widows. So, a few weeks ago, when I saw one of these spiders dead, on it's backside, trapped in, what looks to be the web of an even more powerful spider, I looked at its abdomen and saw the telltale red hourglass design. I quickly did an image search on Google for the Black Widow, and confirmed my worst suspicions. Not Cool!

Here's what I discovered about the Black Widow while searching Google, and arriving at a site hosted by UC Davis.

- When do bites occur?
Widow spiders are not aggressive and bites can be infrequent even when large numbers occur. The adult female spiders usually remain in their webs unless forced by adverse temperatures or destruction of their web. They do not forage for food and the insects they eat are caught in the webs and eaten at the site. Human bites mostly occur as the spider defends her web if it is brushed against or accidentally pinched. Occasionally, bites occur from hungry widow spiders when a hand or foot is dangled in front of the nest.

- What are the symptoms of poisoning by widow spiders?
Widow spiders inject a toxin that affects the nervous system (neurotoxin). Muscle and chest pain or tightness are some of the most common reactions to the widow toxin. The pain also may spread to the abdomen, producing cramping and nausea. Other general symptoms include: restlessness, anxiety, breathing and speech difficulty, and sweating. Swelling may be noticed in extremities and eyelids. Death usually results from respiratory paralysis.

- What do the eggs of widow spiders look like?
Eggs of widow spiders are laid in an egg sack, attached to the web of the mother. The sack is pear shaped, and creamy yellow, light gray, or light brown in color. About 200 eggs may be laid in an egg sack and females may produce several egg sacks if conditions are favorable.

So, despite the fact that only about five to six percent of Black Widow bites prove to be fatal, I think it's time to go nuclear and wage an all out war on the Black Widow. I'm not a fan of respiratory paralysis.

Busted Things

Last Saturday, as a show of solidarity, I too injured a toe, except, in my case, it was the pinky toe on my right foot. Of course I'm kidding about doing it to show sympathy for Allison, but I did injure it barely two to three hours after finding out about her toe. I was simply walking to my room when I fell back, kicked my feet forward, fell forward, and landed my right foot straight into the corner of a wall. I'm pretty sure it's fractured since it makes crunchy noises each time I move it. For your viewing pleasure, I've included a picture taken late Sunday night.

Lately, I've become obsessed with cataloging all of my DVD's. What I mean by cataloging is scanning is the cover art for my roughly 217 DVD's. The idea was inspired by Allison's difficulty in choosing a movie to watch, taking anywhere between a half hour to forty-five minutes. I figured it would be easier if she actually knew what the movies are about. So, since I don't have the space to stack 217 DVD boxes, I figured being able to read the descriptions on my computer would be the best solution. It also makes sense because it allows me to read what the special features on each disc are and tells me how long each movie is, something most DVD's, as opposed to VHS tapes, don't seem to list these days. So far, I've spent three days, doing absolutely nothing else until about 4 in the morning, working on this project. Just trying to get scans for DVD sets that can't be folded into a scanner took an entire day. Oh yes, and the warping of the paper on the cases makes things a job for Adobe Photoshop.

I've also tried going through all my stuff and do some much needed Spring - Summer Cleaning. Things tend to pile up when you're always busy with work and school. So, seeing as how I'm neither working nor in school right now, it seems like the best thing to do. I threw away three large garbage bags of paperwork Saturday, and I still have three more stacks to go through. That's not even counting the two cardboard boxes of paperwork associated with the classes I've taken the past two years. I need to go through all of that and organize it so I can study for a 16 hour examination I have to take in November before receiving my Masters.

Finally, I ended my fabulous Monday evening with over two hours of complaining straight from Allison. It would seem that's her thing this month, starting with the fabulous blog she wrote about me June 4th. This time she was furious because, yesterday, when she tried to force me to, in the future, sleep with a fan on, because she likes it that way, I refused. No one, not even Allison, has the right to force their desires or style of living on someone else, especially when it's in someone else's home or apartment. Then, I was railed against because I haven't compromised on the fan issue. Now, I would have compromised, if she had broached the fan issue in an attempt to compromise, but, when she attempted to force me into sleeping differently in my own apartment, compromise went straight out the window. As it is, I let her leave my window open while we're sleeping. For those who aren't from California, leaving the window open during the night is quite dangerous. And, last week I bought healthy foods just to please her. But, I will not be forced into anything, not in the one place that is mine - my apartment.

Now, I don't know where she picked up the idea that ragging on me all the time is somehow going to make me love her more, or that trying to force her preferences on me is going to make me give in, but it's not working. Maybe she's mad because I don't feed her lines and run to the store in seven minutes to buy her Ben and Jerry's ice cream like the men she runs into at work and on her spare time. Or, perhaps she's irked because I call her out on things. Part of my master's program involves utilizing rhetorical devices to create or dismantle an argument - nothing irks me so much as having someone rag on me using arguments that don't hold water. At that point, it's clear that the complaining is purely for the sake of complaining, and I point it out. I've decided she's trying to push me into breaking up with her. After all, she told me how she doesn't ever want to move in with me because her roommate told her it ruins a relationship. Completely avoiding the total lack of logic in that statement - if it were true, marriage would destroy all relationships - it's clear she most definitely does not want to be with me.

Good Morning to everyone - I'm headed to sleep.

I'm Terrible.

Yesterday at work the guy who always sits at the bar and bugs me, (the same one I've written stories about in previous E-Bar tales,) and who is always trying to talk to me, invite me to meet his "model friends," etc. was sitting outside on the patio talking with a couple of my "co-workers." I was finishing up my last couple of tables and was getting ready to head out for the day. I stepped outside on the patio to get some fresh air and "the guy" was talking to 3 other servers, (2 girls and 1 guy,) and so I just sort of stood there, half paying attention. Well some how ice cream came up in the conversation so I decided to insert my tw cents into the convo, "Ohhhh, I love ice ream. Ben and Jerry's chocolate mint cookie chunk is one of my faaaavorite kinds!" After I said that, I went back inside to clock out, etc. About 7 minutes later, one of the guy servers who was talking about ice cream with us came up to me and was like, "before you leave, that guy wants to ask you something." "Uhhhhh ... okay?" I responded, a bit puzzled. So I'm heading out the back and the guy comes up to me and asks, "Would your foot feel better if you had some ice cream?" "Uhhhh, probably not." Before I knew it, he was handing me a pint of Ben and Jerry's chocolate mint cookie chunk ice cream. I mean ... he literally RAN some where and found me my favorite kind of ice cream in like 7 minutes. Impressive. However, now I feel obligated to be nice to him despite the fact that he's always bugging me. Is a pint of ice cream really worth the obligation it carries with it?

Today I went to The Grove to stop by Barnes'N'Noble so I could of course look at wedding magazines and recipe books. Unfortunetly, it was MAJOR sale time today at The Grove. We're talking EVERY store was having a major sale. I tried very hard to resist even setting foot inside a store ... but ... I was allured into Victoria's Secret by the sweet aromas coming from all of the fragrances that were on sale. (75% off!!!) I tried SUPER hard to not buy anything, but ... alas ... my willpower was no match for the super cute blue Body By Victoria tank top that I spotted. It was love at first site, hehehe. And then I made the bad move of trying it on and it looked great! Damn. I bought it. I'm terrible. BUT normally it would have cost $55 but I got it for $25. Still pricey for the cheap SKATE that I am ... but ... what can I say?

I then headed to the Farmer's Market where I bought a basket of fresh strawberries for only $1.98 to enjoy for dinner ... which ... I'm going to eat right about now. Mmmmmm!!!!

In fact, I was going to write more, but I'm now too hungry to write anything else! :P

Owwwieeee!

My poor, poor big toe. About an hour ago I was getting in the shower to rinse-off, (seeing that I was quite sweaty from having just worked-out,) and as I was closing the big heavy sliding doors to the shower, some how ... the door managed to come off it's hinge thingy and it fell full weight directly on the bottom of my big toe! AND not only did it CRUSH my poor toe, but the metal edge of the door completley sliced my toe open. Owwwwwwieeeeeee!!!! It hurts. Bad. Like ... I can't stand on it or move it. I'm afraid I may have broken it but I haven't fully checked yet. And ... the extra sucky part of all this is, is that I have to leave for work in about 2.5 hours, I don't think I can even get a shoe on, let alone walk around on it for like 8 hours! Meeeeeeeeehhh!!!!

Ho hum.

My Happy Week

I think everyone needs to go out and buy a carton of fresh strawberries right now! Why? Because I just made the most delicious white chocolate covered strawberries!!! Mmmmmm. Just buy a bag of white chocolate chips (or milk chocolate,) melt them in the microwave, dip the strawberries, let them chill for a bit, and then mmmmm!!! Yummmmmy!

I'm currently enjoying FOUR days off in a row from work- FOUR days!!! It's been wonderful. Last night Chris and I went to the Olive Garden and I ordered the most wonderful caramel hazelnut macchiato, and a super yummy shrimp and scallop with fetuccini alfredo dish. Woah. Yum. Chris ordered an Olive Garden pizza. ALSO yummy. Then we spilt a Tiramisu for dessert. It was the best dinner I've had in a loooong time!

Last night Chris showed me the movie 'My Fair Lady,' which I had actually never seen before!!! I knew quotes and some music from it and everything, but I had never actually SEEN it before. It was a very enjoyable fim.

Today Chris and I went grocery shopping for Chris' groceries. I'm slowly but surely making progress in my quest for Chris' healthy eating. Instead of getting beef for burgers, I got him to get chicken breasts for chicken sandwhiches instead. Instead of buying a big bag of Doritos, he got a big bag of dried mangos. AND he also got a bunch of apples and deli meat. Oh and bananas! : D Hehehehe.

Today I bought 'Fright Night' on dvd. Yay.

Wishlist #2

Today I bought some stuff on my wishlist #2: KITCHEN ESSENTIALS ... hehehe! I got:
- TWO 9" round cake pans (the nice nonstick, heavy stainless steal kind!)
- A muffin/cupcake pan
- THREE nice, different sized, cute mixing bowls
- A measuring set that included measuring spoons, cups, and a big measuring cup (liters and oz)
- An apple slicer
- A set of spatulas
- And a brightly colored strainer
Grand total? Only $46! I think I did a pretty damn good job in saving money! :P I can now make layered cakes, cupcakes and muffins, among other things. :D

Ouch.

Ouch. Cramps. They hurt. Lower back aches. Ouch. They hurt too. Major bloating action and feeling a little like the marshmallow man. Not cool.

Okay, going to go work-out now. Blahhh.

That's all I have to say. Period. (Hehehe, get it? Get it? ... Yes I'm dumb.)

Sooo Good

Today I went to the Farmer's Market that's next door to eat lunch and ended up eating at this little restuarant called The French Crepe Company- daaaaamn it was good! I hadn't had crepes since my mom passed away in '98, so it's been nearly a decade, and I LOVE crepes! I ordered La Versailles, which was this big crepe filled with fresh strawberries and topped with powdered sugar and whipped cream. Mmmmmm!!! Soooooo good.

Oh oh! I stopped by Ross just for the heck of it and ended up looking at their cookware. Woah! They have tons of good cookware for CHEAP! (Well, cheap compared to every other place!) I could have bought all the baking pans (cake pans, brownie pans, loaf pans, muffin pans, etc.) for like $50. I almost loaded up on tons of stuff but decided to force myself to wait a little longer. Maybe tomorrow. lol j/k :P

Color me Happy!

I think that on one of my days off this week, (either Monday or Thursday,) I'm going to head over to
Color Me Mine in Beverly Hills, which is this really cute art studio that I actually found out about while I was looking in one of those 'Star Magazines' and saw a picture of Paris Hilton painting there. (Thankfully I won't have to worry about bumping into HER when I go- hehehe. Ehem. Sorry.) ANYWAY it looks like loads of fun. You get to choose from over 400 ceramic pieces to paint, ranging from every type of dinnerwear to interior decor to figurines and supplies. After you paint and glaze the piece, they then "fire" the piece up for you when you're done and you get to bring it home! And of course, use it if you want. I can't decide what I'll want to do! Maybe a set of really cute coffee mugs. Or plates. Or ... or ... or maybe I'll just wait until I get there to decide. :P

Q and A

It's Q and A time with me, the wedding planner! Today, Jones (AKA Becky,) asked me this question:

Q: "So, can you give me advice like what percentage of a wedding budget should go to each part? Dress, flowers, food, reception hall rental, gifts for the wedding party, etc? What are all of the parts that I need to think about? (Note that I am NOT engaged. I don't want you to be confused. I'm just THINKING about it. That's all.)"

A: Typically, most people allot approximately 50% of their budget for the reception, (location, food, beverage, etc.) and then allot up to 10% each to flowers, photography, attire, and music. The rest goes to stationery, favors, gifts, and any other details.

However, this is just "on average." Before you plan your wedding, know how much you can spend (and stick to it!) and then decide what's most important to you (and your man.) Is it having a great photographer? Is it your dress? Is it food? You may decide to allot more money on your dress and spend less on flowers, for example.

And lastly of course, you have to remember that your guest list directly effects the cost of your wedding. The more people you have, the more expensive it will be.

And also remember that any budget can be tailored to your wants and needs. For example, I've come up with wedding budgets for a $4,000 wedding (and it would be a GREAT wedding!) So you don't have to spend a fortune, (compared to today's average of $20,000 for a wedding,) you just have to know the tricks on how to cut the costs.

My Wish Lists

Feel free to NOT have to read this, because the following is simply a list of all the things I both want and need. :P But I like to have it all typed out so I can look at it. I have 5 different "wishlists" of things I need to save up money for.

* Wishlist Number 1: BUSINESS START-UP COSTS

* Wishlist Number 2: KITCHEN ESSENTIALS
COOKWARE:
- Sauce pan
- Stockpot
- Griddle
- Skillet
- 17-piece tool & gadget set
APPLIANCES:
- Blender
- Electric mixer
- Toaster oven
- Starbucks espresso machine
BAKEWARE:
- Two 9" round cake pans
- 8" square brownie pan
- 13" x 9" square cake pan
- 9 1/4" loaf pan
- 18" x 13" cookie sheet
- Muffin/cupcake pan
- Cooling Rack
- Spatulas
- Nonstick rolling pin
- Ceramic mixing bowls
- Storage Containers

* Wishlist Number 3: COMFY SLEEPING :P
- A super nice bed that will last me forever!

* Wishlist Number 4: 4 MONTHS LIVING EXPENSES FOR WHEN I START MY BUSINESS

* Wishlist Number 5: SAVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE FOR THE DAY I'LL NEED A NEW CAR

I just conquered the first two most expensive items on the BUSINESS START-UP COSTS list, the computer and printer/copier/scanner. I also currently have $1,200 saved for living expenses/emergencies. Woo hoo!

Obsessions

Mmmmm. I just made myself some tastey chicken and vegetable stir-fry with a yummy citrus sauce and cashews. My tummy definetly said "yummy" and then it thanked me. :P

It's kind of funny. This past year I've noticed some new "obsessions." Like, I all of a sudden started loving seafood. I mean, what the sam hill? I used to DESPISE seafood! (Except canned tuna of course, hehehe.) Not only have I started loving seafood, (particularly shrimp, scallops, muscles, salmon tempura rolls, and calamari,) but I've also been obsessed with the idea of cooking. I've always liked to cook, (especially cookies,) but everything else was pretty easy and boring. Like ramen, grilled cheese, and mac & cheese. But for the past several months, I've spent many hours going to Barnes'N'Noble looking at food and drink recipes. And since I've gotten my new computer, I've printed off lots of recipes from the Martha Stewart site and yesterday I watched a video on how to make these extra super yummy pancakes. I even started a "recipe" notebook where I have all the recipes that I think look yummy-licious compiled.

But with my sudden urge to start trying new recipes I have run into a small problem: I don't have the necessary kitchen equipment! I realized there's so many things that I would need. Including basic cookware, (pots and pans), appliances, (mixers, blenders, toaster, etc.), bakeware, (cake pans, cookie sheets, muffin and loaf pans, etc.), and cutlery, (nice set of knives, obviously.) And let me tell you, as I'm sure many of you are aware, things like pots and pans are damn expensive! But I'm going to start slowly trying to accumlate the list of essentials.

Another thing I realized since my roommates have recently decided that they want to move out and buy a HOUSE in Santa Moncia (sooner rather than later- maybe even at the end of the summer,) is that I don't have a bed- or even a matress! So I need to start saving for that. I would like to buy a really super nice bed, one that is not only of excellent quality and comfort, but one that will last a LONG time. (Preferrably like ... forever.) :P But the one I want costs like $1,800 (and that doesn't include a head board or anything.) Grrrrr. :(

Mmmmm and Ewwwww

This year spring cleaning came a little late for me. But over the past 2 days I've been very productive! Let us now examine just HOW productive I've been:

1. I cleaned out and threw away the heap of junk that has been taking over the space in my car trunk since I moved.

2. I cleaned out the back seat of my car, which had boxes full of stuff that I had been too lazy to put away so I kept ignoring it.

3. I went through all my clothes (including underwear) and threw MANY articles away.

4. Went through my purses and kept only my favorites and got rid of the ones I don't use.

5. Went through all my notebooks filled with various things and threw those away.

6. Basically I went through ALL my possessions and threw away stuff. :P

7. Finished uploading ALL my cds! Woo hoo!

8. I cleaned and scrubbed Kara and I's shower because it was disgusting ... now it's sparkling!

And there you have it. Spring cleaning about a month and 1/2 late. Ooops.

Today at work I was bent over cleaning something on the carpet and a guy walked by and said to me, "Nice territory." ??? Ewwwww.

Last night I got a caramel macchiato from Starbucks for the first time in probably at least 6 months. Usually, I get a white mocha, but for the past several months I switched to getting chai tea lattes because they're much healthier for you. WELL. I am convinced that caramel macchiatos are one of the most delicious drinks that Starbucks has to offer. And not just ANY caramel macchiato. No. But a grande caramel macchiato, upside down, with nonfat milk, 5 pumps of vanilla, extra hot, no foam, whipped cream, and extra caramel. :P Mmmmm it was SOOOO good! And even that is much better for you than a white mocha. I have a new favorite.

Hehehe- I Love Cats

Not only are cats damn cute- but they also provide me with much laughter and entertainment. My dad sent me this ...

My Screws are Loose!

Tonight, my roomie Kara walked in while I was sitting on the bedroom floor watching Donald Duck cartoons and cutting pictures/articles out of wedding magazines. Apparently, this means I have "a few screws that are loose." Surely I'm not the only 23-year-old who spents much time cutting things out of wedding magazines while watching the wonderful Donald Duck? :P

Today while I was at Starbucks, I ran into TWO different customers who started complaining that I don't work there anymore. Apparently, customers have been asking where I went and complaining that I left. Breeeeh he he he he- oh yeah, I was just THAT good at making people their lattes! :P

Oh- and despite the fact that I recently posted a complaining and ranting blog about Chris entitled "Dump Bugs," I would just like to say that he is still absolutely, without a doubt the best boyfriend a girl could ask for. I'm VERY lucky. :)

A Different Note ...

And on a completely random note, I really like the new single by Kelly Clarkson "Never Again," and despite the fact that I'm not a big fan of country music, I really like Carrie Underwood's song "Before he Cheats." I just downloaded them both the other day. :P

And the lovely Kelly Clarkson ... (even though I don't really like the VIDEO, lol)

Junk Removed

Ah. I feel much better today despite the fact that my nose is much more clogged today then it was yesterday. It's amazing what a nice long ranting blog will do! It felt great to get all of those twisted thoughts out of my head so that I can think clearly again. It's like moving a pile of junk that's been building up in the middle of your room. The pile of junk just keeps building up and the bigger it gets, the more it gets in your way and the more likely it is to trip you and actually hurt you. So, moving that pile of junk to some where else, say the garage, gets it all out of your way! Maybe I'll be able to take that pile of junk to the dumpster later and get rid of it for good.

As I was going to bed last night, (or should I say this morning,) after writing my blog, I already felt much better. I almost deleted the blog so no one else would have to read it. I didn't really care for the thought of people reading it, especially after I felt so much better just having written it. I was like, "well, I feel some what better, maybe I should just delete it." But I was too tired to turn the computer back on. And besides that, you shouldn't do things like rip pages out of your diary! Especially those long, heartfelt rants. Even if the rant is a bunch of overthinking. That way you can look back at the entry and be like, "Woah! What the hell was I thinking?" Hehe.

Oh yes, and I want a Toyger. My dad sent me an article from Life Magazine on Toygers and now I completely want one! It's a domestic cat they're breeding to look like a little mini tiger! Ahhhhh! Soooo cute. They should be "complete with all the traits" by the year 2010. Me wants. SO cute. There's a whole page on them at www.toygers.org

Dump Bugs

During the past couple of days, in addition to being sick, I've also been feeling a little on the down side as well. Not just physically, but emotionally. Tonight when I was talking to Chris on the phone, he couldn't help but notice that I didn't really sound like myself when almost every response I gave him was, "Nice."

I realized that I wasn't completely sure why I felt so down, although I had a few rough ideas of what might be some contributing factors. Despite the fact that Chris asked me why I felt so dumpy, I just couldn't bring myself to tell him. I would open my mouth and nothing but a squeek would come out of it. (Literally.) Partly because I myself wasn't sure of ALL the reasons why I felt bad, and partly because I didn't want to share with him the reasons I knew off hand. I knew he was already tired and stressed from studying for his final all weekend and I didn't want to accidently say something that might make him upset. So I decided to keep my mouth shut.

One thing that has sort of been weighing me down is the fact that I haven't heard the words "I love you" for a long time. In fact, the last time he told me that was through a text message sent on April 27th. (I saved it so that's how I know the exact date.) I remember saying "I love you Chris" a few weeks ago as we were getting ready for bed and he didn't say anything in response. I guess that just sort of threw me off. I mean ... I know he does ... but ... it's been over a month since he's told me that he does. The last time was in April and it's now June. I know maybe he doesn't need to hear it as often as me, and I don't even need to hear it every day or all the time, but it's been over a month and it's sort of been eating away at me. It just leaves this tiny little ... "uhhh ... does he still love me?" thought flowing through my head. And I haven't told him again since the night he didn't respond.

Another thing is that when I talked to him today, he didn't even ask me if I was feeling better or how I was feeling at all. I felt awful yesterday and had a 104.8 fever as I was heading to bed last night and he didn't ask me anything regarding how I felt when I called him this afternoon. I'm sure he cares ... but the fact that he didn't say anything made me feel like he didn't.

Lately I've been recording songs for fun and posting them on my myspace profile. Last week I posted a song called "Toxic" (Britney Spears,) so that I could test out all the cool special effects. When I told Chris, he said that when he listened to it he didn't even make it half way through the song because he can't stand Britney Spears. I was slightly annoyed that he couldn't even listen to 3 minutes of song so he could hear the cool effects I added, but I let it go because I understood his dislike for Britney. Well today I spent hours recording a new song, "Kissing You" from Romeo and Juliet. I played the piano too! All Chris said about it was, "it's better than the other one. It's not toxic." But what does that mean? He hated "toxic," so what does, "well it's better than the other one" mean? Couldn't he have just said something like, "oh ... I like it!" instead of something that gives the affect of, "oh it's better than the other one which was awful." I mean I don't expect gloating compliments and praise, but I spent hours on it and he just one-upped it from a song he dispised.

Several times on the phone over the past couple of weeks Chris has said something like, "I'm waiting for YOU to say something," or "You can't seem to carry a conversation without me." Now ... you would think that hearing something like that would make me much more talkative. That I'd be like, "oh, yes, I need to say something now!" But instead it's done just the opposite. I just freeze. I immediately get afraid that he thinks I'm boring and when I try to come up with a topic I just freeze! It's like one of those awful dreams where something bad is happening and you need to yell or scream but when you open your mouth nothing comes out. I have things to say, but lately I've been worrying so much about the fact that he thinks I can't carry on a conversation that I literally can't. It's like when some one tells a child that he/she is stupid, and then the child begins to ACT stupid because he/she assumes the person who told them that is right.

Him not saying "I love you" makes me wonder, (and then feel guilty for wondering in the first place,) me being sick and him not even asking anything about how I feel makes me feel like he doesn't care, his rather "blah" sounding compliment about my song makes me wonder if he even liked it at all, and the fact that he has accused me of not being able to carry on a conversation by myself has left me feeling so paranoid that I freeze. I freeze and then feel even worse because I know that my silence probably bores him. And then I begin to think, "He probably knows alot of smart/interesting girls ... why would he want to stay with some one whose boring?"

One completely ridiculous thing that has added to my feelings of inadequacy is a memory from many months ago. Back in early September, I remember reading several old blogs written by Chris' ex during the time that they were dating. Her blogs made their relationship seem so wonderful as she recounted all the wonderful things they did together and for eachother. The same week I read them, Chris' ex sent him a text message telling him that she was still in love with him. I'll admit that for several days I was worried that he would want to leave me to go back to her. Chris assured me that he didn't want to and I believed him. And I still do. That was that. I haven't been worried about him wanting to leave me for her since. But from what I read back then I can still remember all these "wonderful stories" that she told. Like how he suprised her by coming over and welcoming her with a long stemmed red rose, or how he drove all the way over to take care of her when she was sick, or how they had a special hotel and restaurant just for them. I hadn't given any of these stories a second thought since back in September until now. But some how, in my already worried and sad state, I began to think twisted thoughts like, "How come I've never gotten any flowers?" "How come he drove all the way to her apartment to take care of her when she was sick, but when I'm sick he doesn't even ask how I'm feeling?" And "How come we don't have a special hotel? Or restaurant even? Technically they went to the Elephant Bar together first, so that's not really *our* special place." I know it may be utterly ridiculous for me to think things like these, but with all the other things I've been thinking they just happened.

All these things have sort of rolled into one to create what I like to call "the plague of the dump bugs." Each reason and thought is a little dump bug that bites me. Now, some one might be okay after being bitten by only ONE dump bug. But after many bites from many dump bugs, all the poison from the dump bugs begin to coarse through the person's blood and make them sick.

I didn't want to sound selfish and make Chris think that I believe he doesn't care. Because I'm sure he does. I don't want him to think that I'm ungrateful for the things that he HAS done, because I am. That's why I didn't want to explain why I felt down. I was afraid that telling him these things would make things worse. If I don't tell him, then he will be upset at me for not being open and honest. And if I DO tell him, then he might be upset when he hears what I've been thinking. I wouldn't hold it past myself to screw up things with the one guy I really love. But I just can't seem to stop the dump bugs from biting me.

Blah.

Work was awful today. I felt kinda yucky last night before bed, and was still feeling yucky this morning when I woke up. So I took some medicine and by the time I had to work at 4:30pm my temperature was down to 101.5. However, working 8 hours in the chaos known as the Elephant Bar on a Saturday night is NOT a good way to recover. By the time I was done I felt a million times worse and as I was driving home just now, I felt so weird ... like I would be driving and I'd forget what just happened. I'd be like ... 'was that light I just drove through green? I think so' ... that's so terrible! Blagh. And I have to be back at work tomorrow morning. I must go to bed now ... yes this blog is "blah" because that's how I feel at the moment. Oh well.

Must ... Get ... zZZZZ

I've been sitting at my computer for over 6 hours uploading all my cds onto my computer. Now, at 3am, 650 songs later, I think it's time I went to bed. The depressing part is, is that I don't think I'm even half way done ... BLAHHH.

My throat is starting to hurt. I hope I'm not getting sick ... that would be BLAHHH.

Woah, technically right now it's June 1st! I can't believe it's already June!

To bed ... must ... get ... sleep ... neeeeed sleeeep ... zzzzzz

Oh What a Tuesday Afternoon

Yesterday Chris and I saw the movie '28 Weeks Later.' I remember seeing the first one, '28 Days Later' with Coon a few years back. We both found it to be pretty retarded. But Chris insisted that it should be given a chance because it recieved a %71 review on Rottentomatoes.com (even though the first one sucked and it got an %89 rating.) It was definetly better than the first one, and it was a farely decent horror sci-fi zombie film. In fact, I admit to hiding my face in Chris' shoulder a few times during the film, watching it through a sliver through my hair. For some reason, it makes it a little less scarey if you can't see much, or can only see a little bit. :P Ultimately the main plot of the movie is the quest for survival, but if you like zombie and/or horror films, you might want to see it. It sorta freaked me out. :P

Because Chris is a big fan of the fish at Long John Silver's, I finally let him take me out to eat there. (I've had an intense fear of that restuarant ever since I went there like 10 years ago ... ) I got a sampler platter which included battered fish, shrimp, hush puppies, french fries, and half an ear of corn. The fish was pretty good ... but the shrimp was just okay in my opinion. The french fries were good, (much like McDonalds,) and the hushpuppies I didn't really care for because they tasted a bit like stuffing, (something I'm not a huge fan of.) I also got a side order (I know I ordered alot of food! hehehe) of battered jalepeno cheese bites. Those were GOOOOD. Mmmmm yummy. So overall, it was okay. Not as terrifying as I remembered, but everything was a bit too "battered and fried." I could actually hear my arteries clogging with each and every bite. :P

I was really horrified as I was watching the Miss Universe pageant last night. During the evening gown competition, (which would narrow it from 10 down to 5 women,) Miss USA SLIPPED and fell right on her BUTT. Yes, embarassing. But what's even MORE embarassing is that she got a higher score than over half the girls- girls who DIDN'T make an arse of themselves by falling on their rears. I mean, the evening gown competition is SUPPOSED to be judged on how poised, elegant, and confident you are. WHAT the hell. Chris and I were so horrified. At LEAST she didn't win (4th runner up.) Miss Japan won.

Over the weekend Chris told me he thought he might have skin cancer on his back because he noticed two dark freckle/moles on his back that he didn't remember seeing before. I looked at them, and told him they weren't skin cancer. With my fair skin, and having gotten several severe burns in my day, I've become MUCH more aware of skin cancer and taking precautions to prevent it. I've done research on how to tell what might be a sign of skin cancer. Of course, there are three types of skin cancner, the first being Basal cell carcinoma. It accounts for approximately 75 percent of all skin cancers. This highly treatable cancer starts in the basal cell layer of the epidermis (the top layer of skin) and grows very slowly. Basal cell carcinoma usually appears as a small, shiny bump or nodule on the skin - mainly those areas exposed to the sun, such as the head, neck, arms, hands, and face. It commonly occurs among persons with light-colored eyes, hair, and complexion. The second, Squamous cell carcinoma, accounts for about 20 percent of all skin cancer cases. Although more aggressive than basal cell carcinoma, this cancer is highly treatable. It accounts for about 20 percent of all skin cancers. Squamous cell carcinoma may appear as nodules or red, scaly patches of skin, and may be found on the face, ears, lips, and mouth. Finally, Malignant melanoma accounts for 4 percent of all skin cancers. Malignant melanoma starts in the melanocytes - cells that produce pigment in the skin. Malignant melanomas usually begin as a mole that then turns cancerous. This cancer may spread quickly. Malignant melanoma most often appears on fair-skinned men and women, but persons with all skin types may be affected. The chart shows how to destinguish benign moles from melanoma ... Alright, I've babbled enough! With summer approaching, put on your sun screen!!! :P

Pirates

Oh yeah, Chris, his family, and I went to go see the new Pirates, At World's End movie on Thursday night. I liked it better than part two, but I found the whole Calypso thing kind of stupid. And her ending was so lackluster! I mean ... she grows all gigantic at the end just like Ursula from 'The Little Mermaid' and I atleast expected her to get into the ocean and start commanding the waves or SOMETHING! lol ... but no. Instead she just explodes into a million little crabs and that's the end of her. And the little petty fight between Orlando and Keira was kinda annoying. As Chris said, there was too much unnecessary backstabbing.

However, I really enjoyed all the multiple Jack Sparrows, (who wouldn't, afterall, enjoy seeing a ship full of nothing but Jack Sparrows?) Hehehehe. And of course there were many other good parts, but I don't want to babble TOO much for those who haven't see it.

My Rant of the Week

I'm slightly annoyed right now. No no- I'm quite annoyed. Actually, I'm VERY annoyed right now. Why, you might ask? Because I just checked my monthly phone bill on the Cingular website, and my bill (which is usually $49 a month,) is $150 this month!!! *&%$#@! Why? Because my lovely friend whose currently living in London decided to give me a ring. And as lovely as the not-so-long conversation was, it was NOT worth $100!!! I mean ... AHHHHHH!!! I'm ... very annoyed. That's an entire month's worth of gas money and THEN some! I'm huffing and puffing right now. As you can see ... or rather ... READ.

I'm also annoyed because I ordered something for $79 in the mail that was SUPPOSED to arrive on WEDNESDAY, and it's now FRIDAY, (although technically it's SATURDAY at 1:35am) and it HASN'T arrived! With my luck, it got LOST in the mail. I'm ... very annoyed.

Work was slower than usual for a Friday night ... I'm ... very annoyed.

Jordin Sparks won American idol. Arrrgh. Yuck. I'm ... very annoyed.

I'm $150 (possibly $79 more if I don't get my package,) OVER budget this month. Ahhhh ... I'm ... (you guessed it,) VERY annoyed.

I Predict ...

Ok so after viewing the first half of the American Idol finale tonight, I predict that Jordin will one. Personally, I like Blake better because of his originality (I spelled it right just for you Chris :P) But because the final song they both had to sing was much better suited for Jordin's voice and style, she of course did a better job. That AND the fact that she pulled a Carrie Underwood and started crying at the end of her song. I was like, "DAMN. Why did she have to freak'in start crying? Now she's gonna win!" Arrrrg. On the bright side, I DID burn 700 calories on the treadmill while watching it ... :P

Finale Tonight!

I'm so freak'in puuuumped! :P

I'm figuring out how to use the garageband program that came preinstalled on my computer, and it's soooooo cool! There's TONS of different really neat effects to use, and it's also REALLY easy to record. I don't even need to buy a microhpone! AND it's so easy to put my songs that I record on iTunes ... ohhhh yeah baby. I've already put a really old and slightly junkey version of myself singing my new myspace profile song ... hehehe. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks, I will have finished and recorded an "original" to replace it with! Boo ya!

I also forgot that the American Idol finale was tonight until I was driving home from work (I drive by Hollywood Blvd. every day by the Kodak Theatre,) and there were of course already TONS of people lined up along the red carpet. I thought about going, but 3 hours before it was even to begin it was already BUTT crowded. I decided I'd rather just watch it from the comfort of walking/running on the treadmill. :P

Late Night Babble Fest

Last night my rommates Kara, Lesley and I were all sitting around talking. I can't remember what we were talking about, but Lesley suddenly farted and then we started talking about farts, which lead to us all discussing poop. STEAMING poop actually. She mentioned that she had a steaming turd a few days ago and I was all horrified because I wasn't aware that humans pooped steaming turds. So I spent about 30 minutes on google trying to figure out why turds steam. I still haven't figured it out. :P

Then we transitioned from talking about turds to a more "serious" discussion. Lesley started talking about how she is mad at God because all the things she's been asking for haven't happened. She was like, "I know God takes care of me, but I haven't seen anything big yet. I haven't been given anything I've asked for. I want a miracle!" (Part of the "miracle" would be getting 1.5 million dollars so she and Kara can move into this Santa Monica home they want to buy at the end of the summer.) But ... you DON'T always get what you ask for. Some times what we ask for is NOT what we need. She's also a bit unhappy because her acting career hasn't taken off yet. She said she "knows God has something big planned, but she doesn't know when it's going to happen" and that bugs her. She seems pretty unhappy with how things are going. She doesn't seem to be enjoying the journey she has to take before "big things" start to happen. But "the journey" is often the most important part!

For instance, I want a successful event/wedding planning bussiness. I would love for "big things" to happen with it right now. But I have to work towards that before it happens- and I'm loving the journey! I love looking at wedding magazines and getting new ideas. I love working on my "inspirational ideas" wedding notebook. I like coming up with a business plan and setting goals to achieve. "The journey" makes you appreciate things more (and you learn alot too!) For instance, I would have LOVED to have had a brand new computer 9 months ago instead of having to go to the library every day and often WAIT to use the computers (AND you have a time limit on them.) BUT, having been doing the library thing for such a long time has made me truly appreciate the brand new computer I just got. I LOVE it!

She's also unhappy because she wants a boyfriend NOW because she wants to get married. I mean ... her marriage clock is seriously ticking! In fact, I have another friend whose marriage clock is also ticking. He desperately is trying to find "that woman" so he can get married. He's always seeking, always dating around to find that special some one. But the funny thing is, it's usually when you're "not" looking that things start to happen! When I met Chris I was definetly NOT looking. Looking was the furthest thing from my mind. In fact, when I met Chris I desperately wanted OUT of the relationship I was in and to be single. But, it just happened! (and I'm glad that it did!) :P

Anyway, I'm totally babbling. :P

OH and today was amazing. I had grilled cheese sandwhiches with tomato soup (YUM) and watched Donald Duck cartoons while working on my wedding notebook and talking to Chris. All my favorite things! Chris, Food, Donald Duck, and wedding planning. AND I had a white mocha from Starbucks. Now if I had a Michelle and a Mizzy, the day would have been perfect! :)

Fun Day

Today Chris stopped by for the afternoon since he had a job interview that was sort of in my area, and we ate lunch at Johnny Rockets (which I had actually never been to,) and it's right next door to me in the Farmer's Market! It was VERY tastey. Basically, it's sort of like a Steak'N'Shake. The decor, the atmosphere, the servers even wear bow ties! And their burgers were DAMN good. I was very pleased. I couldn't believe I hadn't eaten there yet after almost living next to it for about 10 months!

After lunch we came back and watched a movie, (for the FIRST time in my apartment!) Ever since I moved in, we haven't had a dvd player because it apparently got stollen after my roommate left it in the commons area ... soooo yeah ... haven't been able to watch movies. WELL I can NOW watch movies on my beatiful 20" iMAC! Very exciting. We watched 'Elf,' and although it WAS quite cheesy, it was pretty funny.

We also recorded little mini movies on my computer with Chris talking in chipmunk voice and slow motion, where I was SERIOUSLY amused. This computer is going to be providing me with HOURS of entertainment. :P

Tonight at the Elephant Bar, I had a table of 9 people. They basically just ordered a couple appetizers and some drinks. Lots and LOTS of drinks. SO many drinks in fact, that they spent about $300 in alcoholic beverages alone. Their bill was about $375, and they left me a $100 tip. Now THAT was nice. I also got a $20 tip from some french guy on a $50 bill. That makes me very happy. Especially since my wallet got seriously drained this week.

WELL I should probably go to bed soon ...

UPDATE!

I would just like to start off by saying that I'm typing this blog from the comfort of my own bedroom. That's right, I said bedroom! WHICH means I'm obviously NOT in the library, WHICH means I got my computer! :D

It's ... beautiful. And it was SO easy to set up. All I had to do was plug in ONE chord from the computer to the wall and then connect the mouse/keyboard. That's it! All the programs were already installed and I didn't even have to hook it up to anything for the internet to work! The internet just ... worked!!! And there's an AWSOME movie/dvd making program on here already along with a super cool music and photo program too. OH oh! And there's already a webcam/video capture thingy built INTO the computer! AND I can BURN not just cds, but dvds too! AND I can now hook my keyboard up to the computer and record all my songs onto my computer and burn them onto cds. AND I can now, for the FIRST time, watch dvds in my BED!!! I am SOOOO watching Donald Duck cartoons tonight! And, I'm so excited. Happy times.

There's MORE! :P

I just found the type of desk I want, if not the desk I want, for $40 less then I had budgeted!

And I also found the super cute kind of chair that I want for $139, which is $20 less then I had budgeted ... I I'm going to save $60! Hehehe. I'll spare everyone from looking at the two "guest chairs" that I want for $50 each. :P

My Dilemma

The benefits of working (or shall I say, having worked), at Starbucks just keep rolling in! Despite the fact that I quite almost 3 months ago, I still recieve free beverages from the wonderful partners at my store. And as if free white chocolate mochas and chai tea lattes weren't good enough, a few days ago I recieved a lovely little card in the mail from Starbucks telling me all about their "partnership with iTunes and Apple." I recieved a free playlist of songs (7 new songs,) to download, in addition to another free song of my choice. To add to that, I'm also apparently still elegible for discounts on Apple Prodcuts, like the iMac I want! (You have to either be a current employee of Starbucks, or an "alumni" employee of Starbucks.) You can also "extend" your discount priviledges to friends and family!

Anyway after all this babbling, the point is is that the iMac I want would cost me $1,410 with my discount and $1,499 without it. In order to use the discount, I would have to order it online from the Apple store (with free shipping.) So NOW I don't know whether to order it online and save $88, or to just buy it from the Apple store within walking distance of my apartment. Having it shipped makes me a wee bit nervous, because the mail delivery people around here seem quite retarded at times. The last package I recieved in the mail was in horrendous condition when it arrived. It had a gigantic tear in the top of the box- it's a wonder all the contents didn't come spilling out!

Oh what to do what to do ... is saving $88 really worth the risk of having it shipped by people who throw packages around because they don't care that things might break just as long as it gets delivered?

:::sigh:::

Hmmm

Included on Time's list of the '100 most influential people' are Leonardo DiCaprio, Rosie O'Donnell, Kate Moss, and Hilary Clinton. But, George W. Bush is not included! I agree with my dad who said, "Whether you like George W. Bush or not is irrelevant. You mean to tell me he is not one of the 100 most unfluential people? Sounds like major bias to me. (Or denial.)"

My poor Chris is completely worn-out from working full-time and completing his masters. He really doesn't do anything but work and watch the occasional movie ... that's why I'm extremely excited that a.) He's finishing his last class in the next couple weeks, b.) It's almost summer, and c.) He's coming home with me for almost TWO WEEKS of NO WORKING! Working will NOT be allowed under ANY circumstances.

And I get so annoyed with all the girls who I work with that are always complaining by saying things like, "I haven't seen my boyfriend for TWO days, can I PLEASE leave early so I can go see him?" I just want to say, "Oh ... TWO WHOLE days huh? I get to see my boyfriend more like once every TWO WEEKS!" Grrrrr.

And while I'm complaining about my poor boyfriend and my lack of getting to see him, I might as well complain about my leg hurting. Yes ... for the past couple of days my right leg has been hurting ... it's the outer SIDE of my leg around the knee area, (although it's NOT the knee, it's the side/almost back of my leg in that area.) And yes. It hurts. When I do the stretch where you grab your foot and hold it up against your butt it really hurts (it normally doesn't.) It has a sore yucky feeling. Oh and stiff feeling. Let's not forget stiff. Some times straightening it hurts too. I'm hoping it's just stressed from too much exercise. Okay I'm done for the day.

And no ... I don't know what a Cookie Monster picture has to do with this blog. Maybe it just means that I want a damn cookie!

More Blathering

I'm so excited about the prospect of getting a computer of my very own (I've never HAD a computer of my very own,) that well, I'm going to blather some more about it! :P

I just realized yesterday when talking to Chris that the iMAC that I plan on getting has no "computer" box! That big, bulky box that takes up either all your foot space or all your desk space, is actually the monitor! Which is what ... like 1 and 1/2 inches thick? And and ... the keyboard and mouse are wirelss! In fact, there's no wires at all! I remember setting up the computer Roger and I bought when I first came here was a major pain in the arse. All the different parts, chords, and cables! But ... you can just take this computer out of the box and start using it! And OH the movie making/dvd making/music/and a crap load of other stuff that it comes with is LOVELY! It really IS as good as those commercials. :P

I Love Mondays

Ahhh ... I finally have enough to purchase this!

I can't decide when I should get it ... I might wait another month or two ... but I'm BUTT excited about it! :D AND this will mean that one of the biggest "start-up expenses" for my business will be paid for!

I love Mondays. Almost everyone I know hates them, because it means that the weekend is over and the work week is starting again. But for me, I WORK all bloody weekend long and Monday is my day off. Yay for Mondays!

Well I'm off ... to the Apple Store that is ... mehhhh he he he he ...

New Profile

I'm sure most of you know this by now, but I have a new myspace profile (with lots of new pictures!) My old profile layout got all sorts of messed up and I couldn't fix it, so I have a new one. Please add me if you haven't already!

http://www.myspace.com/186711102

Anyhow this is short because I need to get some things done before work. Booo on work, boooo!

I'm COMING HOME!

Hey everyone!
Mark your calenders! :P I will be in Missouri on Thursday, July 5th until Monday, July 16th! Chris also bought a plane ticket which means he's coming along too! :D (Unless for some reason he can't ...)

Woo hoo!

Music Makes/Brakes the Movie

So ... how do I begin?

Growing up one of the classic horror films that I was introduced to at a young age was 'Night of the Living Dead.' I remember having sleepovers with my friend Chrissy ... we would pop some popcorn, snuggle up in our sleeping bags, and pop in some good 'ol horror films. I remember one time we almost woosed out while watching 'Night of the Living Dead' before the opening credits were even over! My point is, 'Night of the Living Dead' as a cinematic horror classic.

Chris purchased the newer 30th anniversary edition of the movie, (released in 1998,) because it was only $5! (That and the picture quality was supposed to be better.) Other then that, it was the same horror film that we all grew to know and love. Oh ... except the fact that an "all new musical score" had been created for the film. :::sigh::: (and that's not a GOOD sigh either.)

Usually, the opening scene when Johnny and Barbara are in the graveyard puting a memorial on their father's grave is chilling. While Barbara kneels to pay rememberance to her father, thunder begins to roll in the backround as her brother Johnny begins to reminesce about their childhood memories of being in the graveyard and how they used to get "really scared." Barbara starts feeling uneasy as Johnny begins teasing her by saying, "They're coming to get your Barbara ... they're coming for you!" Then from across the lonely graveyard a man starts walking towards them. Slowly. "They're coming to get your Barbara ... look! Here comes one of them now!" Only, it really IS a zombie. Johnny wrestles the ghoul only to be knocked unconcious by hitting his head on a grave stone. Barbara is left to fend for herself as she is chased through the country side in the opening scene. BUT- THEN the "all new musical score" starts.

Ahhhh yes, the musical score. What can I say about the new music that they replaced the PERFECTLY good origional score with? It ... SUCKED!!!! It sounded like a REALLY bad 80's horror movie, like one of the extra crappy 'Friday the 13th' movies. In fact, the music was so loud and horrible that it COMPLETELY distracted you from the entire scene. Usually I get chills when I watch that scene. THIS time, however, I couldn't decide whether I wanted to laugh or cry. (Laugh because the music turned the scene into more of a comedy scene, or cry because of how AWFUL it was.) I seriously almost told Chris to turn the movie off.

Unfortunetly, this terrible new musical score was scattered ALL throughout the movie, in ADDITION to bits and pieces of the orgional musical score so NOT ONLY did the music switch from 80's to 60's, but you could actually COMPARE how awful the new soundtrack was to the origional!!!! I cried inside.

And THAT, my friends, shows how the musical soundtrack of a movie can either make or BRAKE the film. (In this case, it broke the film to pieces.)

Burn Baby Burn!

Today as I was driving home from work I passed yet another one of the Hollywood hills on fire, and I think it was a "fresh" fire because I didn't see any firemen yet. As glamorous as living in the Hollywood hills sounds, I think I'd rather not live some where that seems to get daily red flag (fire) warnings
almost daily during the summer.

Today at work, I was serving two guys, although only one of them was eating. He ordered the Tai Hi Sweet and Spicey Salad and that was it. The bill was $9.25, and he left me a $10.25 tip. Woo hoo! Sweeeeeet! :D

Tonight on American Idol the guest artist that helps the contestants this week is none other than Barry Gibb! Hehehe! Which means all the contestants will be singing BeeGees songs tonight, and Barry Gibb will be performing tomorrow night. Tune in!

I think getting my wedding planning business name trademarked is going to be a pain in the butt ... I can tell ... meeeehhh.

I'm hungry. Time for lunch. Fooood!

Fat Albert Gone BAD

I sat here at the library just now and witnessed one of the most disgusting, nasty, and repulsive displays of behavior I've ever seen!

This guy who was sitting at the computer station across from me was blowing his nose. Not gross right? I mean, we all blow our noses when we have colds! WELL. This guy was not only blowing his nose, but was throwing his overly used snot rags down on the table next to other people. We're talking a big MOUND of snot rags. About 15 snot rags to be exact. (Think I'm kidding? The guy left about 10 minutes ago, but left his snot rags ON THE TABLE for everyone to look at.) In addition, this guy was snorting and hawking up massive loogeys right there at the computer. And I do mean, RIGHT there at the computer. I witnessed him hawking and spitting a nasty looking snot-infused loogey onto the library floor. I mean ... WTF?!?!

He was constantly snorting, hawking, and spitting his nasty-ass crap everywhere. I'm so repulsed. I couldn't tell how old he was ... he kinda looked like Fat Albert. In his 20's? YUCK. Okay I'm going to stop grossing everyone out because I'm grossing myself out.

On a less snotty note, my dad is giving me a "small business grant!" :D I sent him a copy of my 'business plan and start-up costs,' (the same one I put in this blog,) and he was like, "I'm sending you a small business grant!" At this point, any bit of money helps. Yay!

Okay, I need a giant, brain-freezing Coke slurpee from 7-11 right now to recover from the horrific display I had to witness earlier. BLahhh!

Cinco de Mayo and Desperate Men

Happy Cinco de Mayo everyone! Not that I really celebrate Cinco de Mayo ... I guess I'll be celebrating it by helping others to celebrate it by working at The Elephant Bar tonight! Although I must admit I'm not really looking foward to driving home late after work when there's probably going to be a million drunk drivers out tonight. Grrr.

On Thursday I had a man who looked about 40-ish hit on me as I was walking out of the library. I was walking at a nice brisk pace to go home and from across the parking lot a man says, "Hello!" so of course being the polite person that I am IO respond by going, "Hi!" (but I kept walking.) Well, the man (probably about 5'5", hispanic looking, bit of a gut, short black and slightly receding hair line,) immediately runs over to me and is like, "Oh! I've been seeing you in the library for quite some time now and I've wanted to approach you but I figured you'd just blow me off!" Already I'm thinking, I wish I WOULD have blown you off. "So," he continues, "do you work at Whole Foods? I think I've seen you there," "-no." "Oh ... well are you from California?" "No, not really. Missouri." "Well," he said as he looked me up and down VERY obviously, "you've got a great bod!" Oh god. "Uhhh ... thanks." At this point I take a step foward, indicating that I'm trying to head on my merry way. But no. "Do you work out?" "Yes, and I do Kung Fu." Why do I keep answering his questions? "Well," he said "I play soccer. It gets the oxygen flowing to the brain." All the while very obviously continueing to look me up and down. At this point I'm highly annoyed. Then he asks. "Can I take you out to coffee?" to which I VERY quickly replied, "Sorry I have a boyfriend." He looked like his hopes had been crushed. "Oh ... well I've been watching you for some time and I sorta hoped you were eligible." Eligible? "No sorry, definetly not eligible." "Well, he's a lucky guy because you look great." It was time to start lying. "Right well, I need to go because I'm a bit late for work." Let's just say that as I tried to leave, he continued to look me up and down just ONE more time and tell me that I had a 'great bod' just ONE more time. HONESTLY! Yuck. I was so violated. I immediately called Chris in utter flusteration and left a flustered messagse. Ewww.

On a less yucky note, I'm planning a delicious meal to cook for him (him being Chris, not the yucky 40-ish man I just spent the last paragraph talking about.) :P I think it will be the most complicated dish I've tried to cook yet! I'm going to "test drive" my idea on Tuesday with my roommie Kara to make sure it doesn't end up tasting like crap. :P

Just ahhh.

Fruity summer cocktails here I come! :D

Yesterday I bought a lovely martini set, (cocktail shaker, strainer, jigger, 4 nice martini glasses and a cute black serving tray) for only $12.99! And it's not like cheap crap either. Everything is really nice! My roommie Kara has already "hired" me as the bartender for a party she's hosting next Tuesday, lol. No but really ... summer ... fruity cocktails by the pool ... ahhhh.

Doodely Da Doo

I'm a little peeved because I got invited to go to the premiere screening of the new Bruce Willis and Queen Latifah movie on Friday (complete with the red carpet and question and answer session with the actors,) and I have to work at the bloody Elephant Bar! Gah! And it's a bit doubtful that I'll find some one to cover for me because I noticed that about 4 other people already posted notes at work looking for some one to work for them on Friday with no luck. Meehhh.

Does anyone else have random outbursts? For example ... some times at work when I'm in the back area I'll suddenly say, "Cuuuuh-ris!" or I'll let out a little random squeel of cuteness (about Chris of course.) Or occasionally I'll randomly just blurt out, "Michelle Gabelle!" Hehehehe. I mean ... does Christy ever sit in the library and find herself randomly blurting out Rudy's name for no apparent reason? Does Esther or Resther blurt out Andrew or Jesse's names at random times? Does Michelle ever blurt out- ... you know who? Hehehe! Or am I just a total freak? :P

I'm really sad that Easter is over because that means that my favorite candy of all time, (Cadbury Cream Eggs, of course,) are already GONE!!! It's so tortuous to have my favorite candy avaibale only one month out of the year. :::sigh:::

Two-Lips!

Today on Martha Stewart's website, (just shut-up, hehe) they have a super yummy looking recipe for a fruity sangria cocktail, and irish coffee chocolate truffles! Mmmmm!!!! SOOO yummy. One day, I will move beyond just buying ramen, yogurt, and cerial and into buying REAL ingredients for super yummy recipes like these!!! :D

Spring always gets me in the mood to garden. (Even though I ... currently don't have a garden to garden in.) :( When I was younger, one of my favorite times of the year was during the spring when my mom and I would go pick out and buy all different types of flowers and plant them in our garden. I always had SO much fun! I loved it. Some day I want to have a tulip garden. When my mom was teaching us about Holland I always loved looking at all the huge brightly colored tulip gardens. Ahhh. So pretty. Tulips are one of my favorite flowers, especially the brightly colored ones, like the yellow/red ones.

I'm feeling sluggish today. I need to get my arse motivated to exercise tonight. Blahh.

Preparation

In preparation for my wedding business, I'm always in the process of gathering ideas for weddings. I'm making a notebook of "Inspirational Ideas" filled with pictures, ideas, ect. If anyone ever has a great idea for a wedding theme, or anything wedding/party related, let me know!

I could definetly babble longer, but my library time is up. :::grumbles::: Hopefully by the end of the summer, I'll have my OWN computer!!!

I May Have a Problem ...

It's funny how almost everyone looks foward to the weekends and are always saying, "Thank god it's Friday!" when weekends are usually my most dreaded part of the week because that's when I work the most ... which is a shame because of course that's the only time Chris has off. As I like to say, "Thank god it's almost summer!" :P

Speaking of summer, it's finally starting to feel more like summer this week. Last week it felt unseasonably cool for California this time of year. Not that we didn't need a little bit of rain ...

Ok ... I'm worried about myself. "I'm having a problem. I may be having a problem." (Just like Bill Murray said in 'Ground Hog Day', hehe.) So ... I like to visit MarthaStewart.com. Yes, you heard me right. But, it's SUCH a nifty site! Every day there's new video recipes, (today they have recipes for baked pasta, cute vanilla cupcakes, and poppy-seed panckaes) Plus there's a section on weddings, crafts, holidays, entertaining, home decorating, shopping, and gardeing! All the things I love! Now, you may be wondering why this is a problem. Well ... the other day in Barnes'N'Noble I wanted to buy the Martha Stewart 'Housekeeping Handbook.' Yes. A book about homekeeping tasks. AHHHH! Hahaha. Oh dear. But I didn't buy it. Wew.

Pointless-ness

Last night, Chris and I watched the movie 'Stranger than Fiction,' which was quite enjoyable! It was the perfect time to watch the movie ... April is the month of tax returns ... and the movie is about a worker for the IRS! Hehehe. Yeah that's a dumb and totally unrelated point ... but it was a good movie nonetheless.

I'm currently watching 'Moulin Rouge' as Chris sits on the couch eating a humburger. I simply love watching the Duke singing 'Like a Virgin' as he dances around in his black and rose colored robe.

Chris said today I'm spoiled because my dad payed for my college tuition. AND because he set up a retirement fund for me. AND a fund for when I get married. However, I disagree. I call it being well-prepared. :P

Okay, I've babbled enough about 3 rather pointless topics and now I'm off to ... uhh ... to um ... hmmm ... come to think of it ... I don't know WHAT I'm going to do next!

Me = Happy Cookie

Things have been running smoother for me lately. A few months ago, I was so unbelievably stressed about everything. I would even find myself getting depressed easily, which ... isn't normal for me because I'm a happy person! :D lol

I was stressed and felt restless because I didn't know what I wanted to do career-wise, and now I finally think I've made my decision! It's not that I'm "giving up on acting," in fact, I still love acting. But I've realized it's just not something I want to do for a living. I don't feel like I've waisted time by moving here for that reason, in fact I've met alot of wonderful people here, like my boyfriend Chris! I also don't feel like, "oh ... I didn't make it in Hollywood. I'm such a loser!" because well ... it's not that I gave up, I just felt/feel more strongly and passionate about my event planning business. Which I'm very excited about by the way!

The other day when I took my car in for the 120K service check (which cost $540,) the guy at the car dealership told me that my car "burns oil" faster than normal and that I should "probably fix it immediately" and that it would "only cost" $1,800. At which point I laughed to myself and thought, that's why I'll just check my oil regularly myself to make sure I don't run out, and replace it myself. Yes that's right, I laughed to myself when he told me I needed to spend an extra $1,800. Am I going to spend that? HELL no! And if that had happened a few months ago, I would have cried. I probably would have stood at the counter and started bowling. I would constantly worry about my car having another problem and the fact that I wouldn't have enough money to fix it. Since then I've decided that EVERY time you take your car in some where, they will ALWAYS tell you that something needs to be replaced/fixed. Well I am NOT going to let the money/car factor be a CONSTANT worry in my life anymore. Really, there's more important things. And worrying doesn't do anything productive. I know it's easier said than done, but I've been really good about it lately. And I feel so much better!

AND I just realized that after I pay my bills for May, in addition to having $1,000 reserved for emergencies, I'll have about $1,400 extra. WHICH means I'm much closer to buying my computer then I thought! I'd just like to have about $500 extra so I don't come so close to taking out of my emergency funds. And THAT ladies and gentlemen, is exciting.

(The picture is me, by the way. I'm one happy cookie.) :P

My Legs = 2 Blocks of Lead

I think I need to stop going running right before Kung Fu class. I always run anywhere from 4-6 miles right before class and so my legs are already tired before I even start. THAT'S what happened last night. My legs felt like two blocks of lead that just couldn't get off the ground ... especially during kicking drills which I did horrible at last night. :P Thank goodness there aren't any mirrors for me to watch myself in, I would have been horrified, haha. Although, Sifu DID teach me a new segment of the two-section staff form. Woo hoo! :D

Speaking of running ... I need to go do that before work tonight ... mehhhh. Blah.

It's rather cold and rainy out ... I'd much rather crawl into my nice cozy bed and take a nap. :::sigh:::

Start-Up Costs

Not that anyone really cares, but I like to write everything out for my own sake. :P I've sort of come up with a rough idea of start-up costs for my business:

Things I'll need:
- Computer (Mac, desktop) $1,500+
- Copier/Printer/Scanner $100 (usually you get deals when you buy a computer.)
- Fax Machine $220
- 4 Drawer Vertical File Cabinet $150
- Business Cards $20
- Business Stationary $20
- Pens, pencils, paper, stapler, scissors, tape, paper clips, 1/2" binders etc. $40
- Desk calculator $20
- Desk and chairs $170 (desk) $150 (my chair) and $100 (two more chairs)
- Business License $45
- Website $170
- Interior Decoration $120

Grande Total: $2,825

Hmmm ... not bad! Currently, I'm saving for the computer ... which ... is pretty much the biggest cost. I have several hundred saved towards that so far. (I'd have MORE but I've spent $1,300 on my car in the past 3 months. GRRR.)

The Entrepreneur in Me

Even though I'm not planning on starting my business until I know where I'll be living at least some what long term, (since it would be pointless to work so hard to get your business off the ground only to MOVE some where else,) I went ahead and came up with a rough draft busniess plan anyway. AND I've been working on figuring out the start-up costs so I have a rough idea of how much money I'll need to have saved.

MY BUSINESS PLAN:

Business Name: I have one but I'm not listing it incase some one sees this blog and decides to steal it. :P

Legal Matters: Sole Proprietorship, I'm going to be my OWN boss! :P

Business Location: Working from home (the cost of paying a couple extra hundred for a TWO bedroom apartment would cost MUCH less then RENTING a commercial space.)

Services I will provide:
- FREE 30 minute Initial Consultation
- Full Service Wedding Planning
- Wedding Day Coordination
- Wedding Consultations
- Partial Wedding Services

What I will charge: (a ROUGH idea, although depending on where I live, prices will probably change according to what local competitors are charging.)
- Consultation only (3 hours): $150
- Flat fee for wedding day coordination: $500
- Flat fee for specific services (such as vendors): $150+ per vendor
- Partial wedding services hourly fee: $50/hour
- Full service wedding planning
* Weddings w/ budgets of $15,000 and above: %15
* Weddings w/ budgets below $15,000: haven't figured it out yet. :P

Advertising/Marketing
- Portfolio
- Website
- Brochures
- Business Cards
- Yellow Pages
- Family/Friends
- Bridal Shows
- Press Releases
- Local Papers

And there you have it! My initial rough draft business plan. I have some "additional" ideas for services and things I will provide to make my business unique, but I don't want to babble them all over the internet. Classified information, you know. :P

Inspiration Hits

I'm feeling inspired today. Although ... I felt inspired yesterday too. I'm TOTALLY going to have a wonderful wedding/event planning business of my very own some day! I've decided that I'd like to try and be an event coordinator's assisstant, or work for a company for at least 1-2 years, so that I can gain more experience and contacts. Then when I decide to start my own business, I can keep at least a part-time job in the beginning until I start making enough money on my own. Brilliant! :P

Although ... I was looking online for job openings and I'm finding that most wedding planners don't advertise that type of thing online. I think my best bet is trying to find out through word-of-mouth and referrals. Hmmm ...

I may have to wait awhile before I truly begin job searching anyway since I'm not positive of how much longer I'm going to be living in the area I am now. Small problem ...

And there you have it. My two cents for the day. I could add a couple more dollars, but that might make my head start spinning. :P