Graduation Day

This year marks the 15 year anniversary of graduating from high school, and the 10 year milestone for graduating from the university. 

I’m not sure if I know anyone who is celebrating their own graduation this year, but if I could give my younger self some advice it would go something like this.

Work hard to accomplish your goals even when it’s easier to be lazy, it’s not the grade that is important, it’s the life skills you gain by learning time management and the satisfaction of a job well done.  Even though group projects are THE WORST, they prepare you for life outside of school and learning how to work well with difficult people is something you’re going to have to get used to.  You will discover that your best friends will filter through the time and miles, and that you don’t need to see them every day to stay close to them.  People will surprise you, both good and bad, and you will surprise yourself.  Be true to who you are, and even though it’s completely clichéd don’t sweat the small stuff.  Remember that your actions have consequences, not only for yourself but for others around you as well.  You are not an island.

Play harder.  Fall in love with life over and over again.  You’ll never have the free time and lack of responsibilities like you do now again, at least not until you retire or marry a billionaire, and you can’t count on either of those future options.  Laugh as much as possible, spend time with your family, you don’t know how much time you have left with them.  Never forget to say “I love you” there will come days that you’ll regret that you didn’t say it enough to the people who needed to hear it the most.

Experience new things, you’re going to love sushi, and stop being afraid of change.  Be bold, be brave, and sometimes leap before you look.  Don’t panic when things don’t go as planned, detours are often the best part of adventures.

Be careful who you give your heart to, but at the same time never be afraid of love.  Even when that certain someone breaks your heart, and he will, love is always a gift.  You will get hurt, life doesn’t come with a floatation device and some days you’ll feel like you’re drowning, but you have to keep swimming, even if you get tired.  Remember the good times, but don’t let them blind you to dangerous situations.  Be gentle with other people’s hearts too, even if you can’t love them back, don’t be callous, and don’t hurt them on purpose.  It’s much kinder to rip a band aid off than to slowly tear every hair out one by one, it may not seem like it in the moment, but it really is.

Above all stay honest, speak your mind, do not allow yourself to be silenced.  Your stories matter, your voice needs to be heard.  Never stop sticking up for the underdog even when it’s hard and it might make people uncomfortable.  Do what feels right in your heart even if it means taking a different path that the one you originally started on.

Learn to let go of the toxic people in your life, you may not always be able to avoid them, but you don’t have to go out of your way to make space for them in your heart either.  If someone treats you poorly on a regular basis, they are not your friend, stop making excuses for their bad behavior and move on, it won’t always be easy, but your mental health will thank you for it down the road.  Hold the people who support you, who inspire you, who grow you, close to your heart.  These are the people who will be there for you whether you live 2 miles away or 2,000.  Be the kind of friend that will answer the phone at 2am and come to a friend’s rescue, no questions asked. 

There are going to be hard days ahead, really really hard days, ones that make you wonder why you even got out of bed.  Your friends are going to be the ones to get you through these days, whether they offer you a shoulder to cry on, a sympathetic ear, a road trip to distract you, or they crawl in bed with you so that you don’t feel so alone.  Remember that there will be better days to come, and that while some things you never really get over, it will get easier to roll out of bed and learn to smile again.  No one gets through life unscarred, you have to make a decision to be a victim or a survivor, sometimes you have to make that very conscious choice every day.  You absolutely cannot let the bad days defeat you.  You are allowed to cry, you are allowed to be vulnerable, you are allowed to feel scared and weak, you are NOT allowed to give up.

Be passionate about the world around you.  Never lose the joy of learning new things, never stop challenging yourself.  You are a creative person so lose yourself in your art whether it’s taking photographs, drawing, writing, or any other mediums you pick up on your journey.  Change the world around you, make it a better place, find a cause that you can fight for. Be an advocate, an ally, and let your voice ring out among the masses.  There is so much wrong in the world, do your part to set things right.

Do your best to live a life with as few regrets as possible, try not to stay angry at people who have disappointed you. You do not always have to forgive and forget, but you do have to let go and move on.  If you’ve done something that you are sorry for, apologize sincerely.  If someone has hurt you, find a way to get passed it, even if that means letting go of the relationship (whether that be a friendship, a romance, a negative work environment, or maybe even a family member).  You cannot control other people’s behaviors, but you can control your reaction and limit your interactions.  Try not to hold hate in your heart, it only hurts you, it won’t always be easy but it is important.

I have found that the easiest way to be happy is to find joy in the small things, minimal traffic on the way to work, flowers blooming, good coffee in the morning, eyeliner applied perfectly the first time, casual hot tub nights with the girlfriends, spending time in nature, late night talks with people who make me laugh, guilty pleasures like celebrity gossip and fashion, reading, bright colors, Harry Potter on DVD, and good food.  Your goals and ideas about how your life should be will change over and over again and that’s okay, there’s no shame in changing your mind or deciding that maybe you were a little off in the coordinates you used to map out your life.

April: Be Amazed

Daryl lives!

• The Walking Dead Season Finale, and what we'll do with our lives until October: That's right fans, we are officially caught up with the rest of the world and have made it to the season 3 finale.  I was NOT one of the fans who was disappointed with the show in the least. One of the characters that I've been so impatiently waiting to be killed off has bit the dust, while not quite in the way I would have imagined, they are no longer around to annoy me with their feelings. Characters that I didn't want to see travel to season four, will, but at the same time every show needs that flawed individual that you love to hate, right? Trying not to give too much away here, in case some of you are watching at a delayed speed, but I'll just let you know that I was satisfied... and I will spoil one bit... because I have to... DARYL DIXON LIVES!! ALL RIOTS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED (for the time being). Now, what to do with girls' night until November? Luckily there are a few options available to us. First and foremost, True Blood starts in June and we have to get everyone caught up to the current season.  Then there's always Cal Poly Baseball, one of the girls has season tickets, so we plan on cheering on the 'Stangs a few times this season. We also found out that a local bar has karaoke on Thursday nights, so I might be adding a few songs to my usual set list and rocking out in Old Orcutt (prepare your ears people). I think we'll survive until season 4 finds it's way to us.



Rice Ranch Community Park

• Working on My Fitness: I really don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but I've made an effort to incorporate some exercise into my life and adding more veggies to my diet. This getting old isn't for wussies and beach season is right around the corner. So far one of my girlfriends and I have gone for walks at a BEAUTIFUL local park, in the Rice Ranch neighborhood, that has various trails to explore (to the point we're I'm bringing my camera) and the beach. We went grocery shopping together and encouraged each other to make better food choices than we may have on our own (or at least she slapped the pop tarts out of my hand, figuratively). After being stagnant for so long it feels good to be out and moving again, in fact my body craves it. It wants to keep moving, push farther, and get stronger. I'm also sleeping a lot better, less weird dreams (which is leaving me with less material for my dream journal), less waking up multiple times throughout the night, and less nighttime anxiety in general. I guess it was time, I'm even enjoying the veggies.

• Jurassic Park/The Host Double Feature Weekend: This year Universal Studios re-release the classic(ish) Dinosaur flick that delighted/scared us all in the early 90s... only this time they release it in 3D. In my honest opinion, it was a waste of time and money. I enjoyed going to the movies with my mom and younger cousin (who had never seen the movie before, he was born after it's original release), but the movie simply wasn't filmed for a 3D audience and it showed. The extra dimension added depth to the rainforest, but the raptors never jumped off the screen at you, and I never had the urge to reach out and touch a brontosaurus. It was interesting to see how young Jeff Goldblum was nearly 20 years ago, but hey, we've all aged some since then. The second feature of the day (for me, it wasn't a movie house promotion) was the Host, the movie adaptation of Stephanie Myer's "adult novel," I'm using quotes because it was marketed for us grown ups but it was clearly young adult. Anyway, the movie was terrible. Let me say it again because it was that TERRIBLE. I would suggest saving your redbox dollar, reading the book (because it was so much better than Twilight), and using your imagination for visuals. My girlfriends and I laughed in all the parts that were not supposed to be funny and looked at each other in bewilderment in all the parts that were supposed to be amusing... at one part I was hoping the movie would take a left turn from the book and the protagonist would meet her untimely end, hope that didn't spoil too much for you. We had brought in mini bottles of Sutter Home Moscato (because we're classy bitches), and even that wasn't enough to make the movie more enjoyable, or maybe it was the single serving nature of the beast that wasn't enough. That being said, I wouldn't have wanted to see this movie with any other group of ladies. We share similar senses of humor and tastes in wine... so even though the movie was dismally disappointing it was still an enjoyable experience with friends.
• The Faint Concert for one of our Girls' Nights this month we went to a concert at SLO Brew in San Luis Obispo.  I have to say the band isn't one I'm familiar with, or would really even listen to on my own, that being said they were so awesome live.

• Dinner: We went to dinner at California Pizza Kitchen, and one of the girls' brother's met up with us there. It was delicious as usual, and we even splurged on their red velvet cake for a perfect end to such a great meal.
• The Show: The opening act was less than spectacular, I couldn't get over how much the lead singer reminded me from Scott from the first season of the original 90210... you know the kid who wore the baseball hat all the time, and got drunk and shot himself? David's nerdier friend? That guy. Also he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket... the band itself was pretty decent.  Then the main event started and I was blown away and nearly trampled... I guess people think it's appropriate to mosh in a tiny venue.... Homegirl was ready to throw some punches... but instead of potentially getting kicked out of another bar...(it's happened) I just moved to the back and into the safe zone. The music, the lights, the show... what can I say? It was such a good surprise.
  
  
• Los Angeles: This month I made the short drive to Los Angeles to visit my cousins for an overnight trip, and per our regular fashion we packed as many activities into the 26 hours that I was there.
• Art Opening: We  went to Charlie James' Gallery for William Powhida's show, I haven't really ever gone to an opening before and it was really interesting.  The art was unlike things I've seen in the past, and it was really intriguing. Take a look at the links above to see for yourself. 
• Cole's: Home of the French Dip Sandwich and Atomic Mustard. OMG. Seriously the best pastrami sandwich ever (Papa Napoli's is an extremely close second) and amazing cocktails were had (I chose a gin and tonic, it was as good as the ones I make at home). 
• The Clock: We went to a screening of Christian Marclay's The Clock at the LA County Museum of Art. The best way to describe how the film works is from the description on the link, but I'll quote it here too. "The Clock is a twenty-four-hour single-channel montage constructed from thousands of moments of cinema and television history depicting the passage of time. Marclay has excerpted each of these moments from their original contexts and edited them together to create a functioning timepiece synchronized to local time wherever it is viewed—marking the exact time in real time for the viewer for twenty-four consecutive hours." I really enjoyed the time we spent there, it's truly amazing how different artists are inspired by different things and how they create their art. I cannot imagine how time consuming, life consuming really, it must have been. We stayed for about 90 minutes and it was so entertaining.
• Brunch: On Sunday we went to brunch at a restaurant called Millie's and it was delicious.
• The Grove: After brunch we hung out at their place for a bit, then went to The Grove and the farmer's market for people watching before before I had to get on the road home. The people watching was entertaining, sadly there were no celebrity sightings on this trip.... maybe next time.
• The Last Weekend of the Month: was filled with dog sitting, quilt shows, and spending time with friends. April was truly a great month, stay tuned for May in a few weeks. 

March Without the Maddness

• Chaperoning an FBLA Trip: This month my aunt needed an additional driver for the Section Conference for a local high school's Future Business Leaders of America Chapter.  This year we took 20+ students to Santa Clarita to compete in several business related events...and after the competitions were completed the students (and chaperone's) headed over to Magic Mountain for a few hours of roller coaster fun, followed by an awards ceremony. This year while the kids were taking tests, making speeches, and watching events I made my way over to the Westfield Mall in Valencia and got my shop on. I bought some super cute jeans, a gorgeous teal flutter sleeved shirt, and some new make up... all the stuff to make a girl feel pretty again. I loved the shirt so much that I wore it out of the store, and it was such a hit that strangers would stop me and tell me how awesome it was. By the time my bank account was gasping for air and begging me to stop, it was time to pick up the kids and make our way over to the Mountain. I was a little nervous about getting back on my favorite rides (because of the vertigo I've been experiencing) but thankfully none of the rides we went on triggered any dizziness or motion sickness.

Miss Jersey Girl

• House-sitting for Mom and Friends:
• Jersey Girl: This month I babysat a new (to me) doggie. Her name is Jersey and she's an adorable rat terrier. I've known her for years, but I've never watched her before, I swear this was one of the easiest doggysitting gigs ever. She puts herself to bed when she's tired (pictured to the right), she likes to cuddle, she's super entertaining, and just generally good company. We'll be hanging out again next month, and I expect it to be a lot of fun.
• Jesse Dog: I also took care of Mr. Dog this month for a week, while my parents took a joint birthday trip to MAUI. I mean I love my dog and having a whole house and laundry available at any time... but still I'm a little jealous that I didn't get to go to the islands.
• Long Lost Friends and Lunch Dates: On the 9th I had lunch with a good friend of mine from HS, we typically meet up every six months or so and catch up on each other's lives over good food. This time we had sushi and lots of relationship stories to chat about. She said something that really stuck with me, and I'll paraphrase the quote for you (I hope I got it right, because it's what I took away from the chat) "Someone must be looking out for you, you keep finding yourself in all these relationships that are just not quite right and you get ripped out of them just before you get trapped. Yes, you get hurt because you cared and they all mattered to you, but you always get out before they can leave permanent damage. Something awesome must be out there waiting for you." It's not saying anything bad about any of the exes, just that they weren't Mr. Right. There was always something in each of the relationships that if things had gotten any more serious it would have left us both miserable and hating each other.... with some of them it was cheating, some was drugs or alcohol abuse, some had anger management issues, and none were quite ready to stop being boys and act like men. 
• Oz the Great and Powerful: My mom, brother's girlfriend, and I had a mini girls' day and went to see the new Oz movie and then did a little shopping after. I wasn't really sure what to expect from the movie, I had heard mixed reviews on it. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, it was long, but it was entertaining and the make up and special effects were amazing. James Franco was a bit of a creep, but I think that was intended? I hope it was anyway. Shopping was less impressive, but I think it's just because my budget didn't allow me to purchase anything, and the shoes that I was thinking about splurging on didn't quite fit.
• Photo Dates with the Bestie: If you follow that link you can see some of my  favorite pics from the day my BFF and I went out to take my new Nikon out for a spin. The weather was beautiful, my only complaint was that there wasn't a cloud to be seen to add some texture to the skies and that it wasn't later in the growing season for the vineyard pictures. That being said, it was a fantastic day out and about on the Central Coast, and I feel like I really got some great shots.

• The Tempest: After the photo date I had plans with some of of my other friends to see Shakespeare's The Tempest at PCPA that evening. I wasn't very familiar with the play, but after a quick glance at online Spark's Notes I had a general idea of what to expect. Let me tell you, my expectations were FAR EXCEEDED. The play was amazing, it was in the smaller Severson Theatre and had such an intimate feel. The audience really did end up playing a larger role than normal in the production....and I wouldn't have wanted it to be any different. It was funny, it was serious, and it was breath taking. If the show wasn't winding down for it's last couple of performances I'd go again and again and again. 
• Beauty and the Beast at the PAC: On March 20th my aunt and I went to see Disney's Beauty and the Beast, the Broadway version at the Performing Arts Center at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. We arrived a little early and were able to attend a pre-show lecture that was about the origins of the fairytale and fun facts about the production itself. I had no idea that the story was rooted in Roman mythology, and that ancient Roman bitches be crazy (well, I knew that part I guess). Once the lecture was over we were able to be seated for the performance, and from start to finish it was AMAZING. I don't know how the characters like Gaston and LeFou could perform and not bust up laughing mid-line. The sets were gorgeous and costumes were breathtaking, and the songs sounded exactly like what you would expect from a Disney production. There was not a single moment when I was bored or wanted to sneak a peak at the time. I even caught myself mouthing along with the words to the songs, I saved us both the embarrassment of me belting out all the songs like I do when I watch the flick at home.

• Birthday Shenanigans: This year a friend of mine turned 30-something and we celebrated with a family dinner at Rooster Creek Tavern which quickly turned in to roast of everyone at the table, I'm pretty sure no one walked away from the table safe. After dinner the "kids" all met up a few doors down at the Gather Wine Bar in the Village of Arroyo Grande for a post-dinner wine-down and live music. My personal pick for the evening was the Graves 2007 Mourvedre, which was simply divine. Seriously, I was in love.... others at the table tried the flights of white wines, flights of pinot noir and glasses of their other wine options. I don't think anyone was disappointed with their selections. The group splintered again after Gather and just the Zombie Nights girls headed over to Applebee's for a little late night karaoke and dessert. Let me tell you... I owned the freaking bar with my rendition of Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" and I closed the night out with a duet of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" because I'm badass (and yes I was 100% sober)... also because I was 100% sober and aware of what was going on around me there are no pictures/videos of this event because....no. We finished our evening in the 5 cities with a midnight (1am) walk on the Pismo Pier and marveled at the beauty of the night...and yes I was still sober.

• Little Sister Turns 21 and Easter with the Family:  This year my baby sister reached that milestone year of 21... and since she hasn't yet developed at taste for alcohol we all enjoyed margaritas, champagne, and other beverages on her behalf... she was a good sport and tried a sip of everything, but wasn't too keen on anything... which I guess in the long run is a good thing. Let's keep her this way, that way I'll always have a DD when I want to go out, right? We also got the news that my (biological) dad and his AMAZING girlfriend are engaged there isn't a date set yet, as the engagement is relatively new. Holidays are always a little bittersweet around the family, it was our first without my great aunt who died late last year, and another reminder that my brother is no longer with us. His 25th birthday would have been April 1st, and his memory was close to the surface for all of us. I'd like to think he was with us in spirit though, I mean who can turn down a margarita (or in my case four)?

• 100+ posts and lots and lots of views: This month I hit a couple milestones on the blog and they're super exciting for me, I made my 100th post and reached 4,300+ views. It means so much to me that you continue to read my posts and come back for more. I've already posted more this year, than in the past two years I have been blogging combined, and I don't see myself slowing down any time soon. I love sharing my experiences, photos, recipes, and life lessons, so as long as you keep reading, I'll keep writing.

More Customer Service Adventures.

This time the adventure wasn't my own, but one that I witnessed while shopping over the weekend. I want to preface this with the manager at the store never once lost her cool or professionalism, and deserves some sort of bonus after dealing with her customer from hell.

I was at Dress Barn yesterday... And was totally eavesdropping on a crazy lady at the counter and the manager trying to deal with her... I was laughing so hard.

 

The lady bought an outfit... Took it home... Put it on... Realized it was the wrong outfit and that it didn't fit... So she decided to wear it all day in hopes of stretching it out so that it would fit... Or encourage her to go on a diet... And she popped a button on the shirt... So she tried to return it.

The manager told her that she couldn't accept the return because it had been worn and the lady got so mad because the product was "defective because it didn't fit" and it went in circles forever... The lady was yelling "what am I going to do with this garbage? It doesn't fit! The button popped off after I wore it for one day" and the manager told her "you should have brought it back when it didn't fit" and then the lady kept saying "but I wanted to stretch it out!!"

Side note: she had this ugly mangy looking little dog with her (which totally isn't the dog's fault, but it does add to the story)

The lady was even trying to tell the manager that she wasn't going to be able to pay her bills if she didn't get her money back... That was when all the other excuses didn't work...  

Hey lady,

1. You damaged the outfit,

2. You wore it all day,
3. You didn't bring a receipt...

What did you think was going to happen?

When she finally accepted that she wasn't going to be able to get her money back (she also didn't have a receipt because she accidentally threw the trash out before she knew it didn't fit) she started walking her dog all over the store because she wasn't done shopping, and the little critter must have had fleas or something because it kept itching and scratching itself all over the place every time she gave it an opportunity to sit down... the manager told her that she had to carry it if it was going to be in the store. This of course angered the lady too because according to her, it's an ADA dog.... Except it wasn't identified as a service dog at all... and she stormed her crazy ass out of the store.

When it was my turn to make my purchase I made sure to tell the lady I hoped her day got better and that she did a great job at handling the customer before me.

So ridiculous... Reminded me of all the customer service issues I have to deal with... And I'm still thankful I'm not in a clothing store anymore.

This brings me to the conclusion that the customer is not always right; sometimes the customer is an idiot.

Fun Times... and not so Fun Times in February

• House sitting for mom: While my parents' went to visit family in Missouri (Misery) I stayed at their house and took care of Mr. Dog, I had all these plans of being productive (doing my taxes, laundry, taking photos) when really all I ended up doing is getting caught up to NCIS and sleeping...a lot. It was AMAZING. The girls came over Friday night for our "Friendaversery" and we had adult beverages in the hot tub, watched TV and just relaxed. Such a great way to spend a weekend, the only thing I'd change is to have more food options available in the house.
• Superbowl: for the first time in the history of me being a football fan (this goes back 20+ years) this year was the first year I didn't care about the game, the outcome, the commercials, the halftime show, or the delicious snacks. I slept through most of the game, woke up in time to see Beyonce strut her stuff for a minute, caught some when I went out to dinner with my parents, and that's about it. I don't know what commercials were the "best" although the one I did catch was the Budweiser one with the pony that grew up and was still BFF's with his trainer... totally made me misty, except WHERE WAS THE DALMATIAN? When my dad asked why I wasn't excited I just told him "I don't have a horse in this race, I'm not invested," seriously the best part was when we were out to dinner and all the super fans were going nuts over the smallest things. One guy kept running laps around the bar (which was surprising child friendly) waving his red flag every time SF got their hands on the ball. Poor guy, they probably had to carry him out on a stretcher at the end of the game, I'm sure his heart was broken.
• Speaking of Superbowl Broken Hearts: This lead to an interesting/angering transition from a customer at work who thought that because I'm single, I'm automatically available to be his. Check out the post devoted to this close encounter, that I wish I would never have to repeat. It's not a wish that I expect to come true, I work in customer service, and am female, so while it doesn't happen often, it does happen. One of these days I hope that all men learn that being creepy isn't a turn on, and intimidating a woman isn't going to get her to like you. I don't believe that all men act this way, but it's a lesson that they should all learn as young boys. Maybe one day that vile behavior will be a thing of the past. Maybe. 
• Vertigo + Lab Work: This month it seems my body has decided it 51 instead of 31, I've been experiencing what the doctors think is benign postural vertigo due to fluid in my ears. Basically it means the room spins every time I move my head in a particular direction. I went in for lab work on the 9th, and per usual my veins were uncooperative and it took two phlebotomists and both arms to be able to find a vein that wouldn't roll or jump out of the way when poked with a needle. The ladies at Quest Diagnostics were very nice and professional, even when they were having difficulties with my troublesome veins. I'd recommend going there to anyone in need of lab work.
• Lab Results: I received my results on Valentine's Day, this could have ruined the fake holiday for me forever, however, everything turned out really well. I received a clean bill of health. Everything looks good, no warning signs for diabetes (there's a bit of it in the family history), no thyroid issues (again, family history), cholesterol looks healthy (just need to do a little work to raise the good levels, but the bad ones are in a healthy range), all in all I'm a healthy girl who should just exercise more and consume more fruits and veggies and stay away from Jack in the Box tacos and ultimate cheeseburgers... no surprises there. In the past couple months fast food has featured in my diet way more than I'm comfortable to admit anyway, so I think I can cut back on it and not miss it too much, even if those tacos dipped in ranch is one of my favorite guilty pleasures.

• Hair Cut: was postponed a week, but SO worth it. I let my amazing stylist do her thing and surprise me in the end with one of the best hair styles I have ever had. It's super short in the back (clipped @ a #4 if that means anything to you) and something like an A-line in the front. It has that retro/modern look in a way that would make Mod Queen Twiggy super jealous. The bulk of my hair that was cut off will be donated to Locks of Love once it's dry. I feel great with a new style, and I get to help a sick kid have hair, it's really a win:win situation. I decided to donate since my hair was so long and it met all the criteria for donating that it would be wasteful to leave it all on the salon floor. If the hair that I was going to cut off anyway has the ability to make someone happy and feel better about themselves then I'm happy to send it off.
• Valentine's Day: This year Valentine's Day was spent with the girls and getting back on The Walking Dead: Zombie Night train. We went to dinner at the Natural Cafe, did a little shopping at Target, then went back to one of the girl's apartment for champagne cocktails (booze soaked strawberries are amaaaaaaaaaazing), cheddar popcorn, and our weekly dose of Daryl Dixon. Feels good to be back to the routine. Since the show is only 45ish minutes long when the commercials aren't a factor we weren't ready to call it a night when the show ended so we followed it up with a viewing of the Mark Wahlberg comedy Ted. OMG if you haven't seen it yet, put it at the top of your Netflix queue and rent it STAT. We were laughing so hard that we were crying... better yet, just go out and buy it so that you can get all the extra features, it's well worth the price.
• House-sitting for My Aunt: I've house-sat for my aunt multiple times a year since I graduated from high school, her house is really my home away from home, I've spent so much time in that house, I'm surprised that I don't have a toothbrush that lives there. This was the first time I ever felt lonely there. I guess it's because the last time I had a gig there my ex was still my current and we spent a lot of time together in that house... over the summer that's where our relationship started, I was hanging out with all the boys we hung out with all summer and it really felt like something was missing. He was missing. I felt super awkward around his little brother, and I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual. I know we're never (ever ever) getting back together (like ever), he was right, we're in different places in our lives and that's okay. Just because you know someone isn't right for you, doesn't make you miss them any less. The house sitting experience was pretty uneventful for the most part, there were no crazy parties this time around, the dog was in good spirits and didn't "play dead" on me again like she did a few years ago, and I got to enjoy having cable and a fireplace.  Apparently I spoke/typed too soon, I've been working on these updates as they happen so I don't leave out important details... and by saying the experience was "uneventful" I kicked myself in the ass, apparently I've pissed Karma off and she's out to get me. The Sunday of the gig, the Ex showed up. This was the first time I've seen/spoken to him since the break up, and it was just as terrible as I had imagined it would be. I cried enough to be embarrassed by it, he was the one who wanted to comfort me, which was so hard... I dumped my heart out on the living room floor and I'm pretty sure it's still there. It made the break up feel brand new. I told him that I didn't know how to be his friend and not his girlfriend, and he didn't seem to understand that. I told him that I missed him and thought about him everyday, and missed being able to talk to him... and he told me that he missed me too and didn't know why I felt I couldn't talk to him anymore. He wants to be friends, and I don't know how to look at him and not want him. He kept asking me if I was okay, and I kept telling him that I wasn't. I told him I was broken and I didn't know how to fix it. We were facing each other holding hands, noses less than a foot away from each other and all I could think is "how can we be so wrong for each other when we fit so well?" At one point he told me that it made him sad that I couldn't stop crying and in between tears I told him "I don't want you to be sad, I want you to be happy and successful and to have your perfect life" and his response was "you're going to have a great life too" which made me cry even harder. In fact the constant crying kept triggering the vertigo and my head would spin and he'd hold me until the room steadied itself. I couldn't tell if I was relieved if he was there to hold me, or if I was traumatized that I wasn't in control. We ended up cuddling on the couch like old times watching a movie until finally my heart couldn't take anymore and I decided it was time for bed and he left... it was the longest hardest goodbye I think I've ever experienced. Worse than leaving that Texas airport all those years ago. I didn't want to let go, I even told him that I didn't. I knew I had to, but couldn't bring myself to stop holding him close. I hate that I wasn't able to hold on to the "cool girl" facade and was vulnerable in front of him again... I hate that I had to try to be strong and hang out with the boys... I know that if I had just gone upstairs I would have always wondered "what if" but maybe I could have avoided embarrassing myself and crying myself to sleep. again. 
• Downton Abbey: This month I hopped on the Downton Abbey train along with everyone else who has been raving about the PBS show. My god, it's awesome. Maggie Smith steals the show in every episode, it's not hard to see why she's one of my all time favorite actors. I've never watched any thing she has starred in without walking away satisfied. I still have one disc left of season three and I'll be caught up with the rest of the world, but seriously, if you haven't seen the show you need to.
• Blog Hits/Posts: Hey readers, we met and surpassed 3,000 blog views this month, it blows my mind how many people are reading my little blog, and I'm very humbled by it all. I've already met one of my New Year's Resolutions and have posted more this year than last year... a couple more posts and I'll have posted more this year than all previous years combined. I think it has a lot to do with adding family recipes and the dream journal, but it does feel really good to write on a regular basis.

• Tax Return: I filed earlier this month and received my return... I felt super responsible this year with my return, I paid off my Gap and Victoria's Secret credit cards, bought my mom a birthday present... AND... I bought a new camera, I really struggled with this purchase, not because I didn't want one, I've been thinking of upgrading for months now. I just wasn't 100% sure what I wanted until I started talking to friends, and researching a little online, after a little advice, a little investment from the 'rents (it's payment for doggy sitting next month), and a click of a button I ordered a Nikon P510. I can't even contain my excitement, I think it's time to get back to my fairly regular photo adventures that I started a couple years ago. Nothing makes me smile more than taking beautiful photographs, and now I'll have more tools to do that.   
• Family Dinner with Friends: The last weekend of the month our weekly Family Dinner had a change of venue. Good friends invited us over for an epic Italian feast. It was a night filled with laughter, red wine, amazing food, and the kind of memories that will last a lifetime. It was really great to see someone that I've basically grown up with find his soul mate and see the love that is shared between him and his wife. I wish them all the best in their journey through life together.

January: First Month of the New Year

The month of January seems like a weird time warp for me. Parts of it seem like it happened so long ago that it's hard to believe that it's all been in one month, and part of it seems like it went by really fast. While I'm looking forward to whatever the future may bring, I'm a little sad to see another month go. I know January isn't technically over, but I think this one is ready a couple days early.

• Life of Pi: This was the first movie of the New Year for me, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. I won't spoil the movie for you, but I was blown away by how beautiful the cinematography was, and how touching the story could be. I haven't read the book so I wasn't sure what it would be about, but I'm so glad that I went to the 3D flick. I'm usually dubious of 3D features, but they seem to be getting better with time. The glasses don't hurt my eyes as much and the motion sickness is basically non existent. So yay! Go see Life of Pi.
• The Best Girlfriends EVER: So the break up wasn't as terrible as it could have been. It was bad, don't get me wrong, but my girlfriends were super heroes getting me through it. They made sure that for the first week back in the realm of the single life that I wasn't alone and that I always had a shoulder to cry on. They let me know how much they loved me and that things would get better. And it worked. I still have moments where I'm sad and cry, but I know my girls are there to cheer me up. They listen when I'm being crazy and illogical, the offer advice when they think I can handle it, and they are quiet when they know I'm not ready to hear certain things. They are loyal to #TeamLauren, all while never really saying anything negative about him. They remind me that while it's okay to hurt and be upset, that things will get better, and this was just a quick stop on the big journey. It was real and important, and that it is okay to grieve over what was lost.
• Blu Ray + New TV: I finally joined the 21st century with the help of my parents and Christmas elves. I am now the proud owner of a 32" flat screen TV and a blu ray player to make my home movie experiences that more enjoyable. Next step is trying to figure out how to afford Internet at home so that I can stream movies and click on all those bonus features.



at the Cal Poly
Performing Arts Center

• Live theater: Hair. It was interesting to say the least. It contained nudity, orgies, bad drug trips and draft dodging all set to a psychedelic rock soundtrack. The music was fantastic, I was entertained, awestruck, and horrified all at the same time. So good work. I can't say that i would be excited to see that particular play again, but i am glad that i went. It was a one night only show at the Cal Poly Performing Arts Center. I can't believe I went to school there for 3 years and it was my first time inside the building. Was a great venue and I can't wait to go back in a couple of months to see Broadway's Beauty and the Beast. 

• Moving Crew: No faithful readers, I didn't move this month, but one of my really close friends did. She got this adorable upstairs studio that has a view of the pool. One full moving truck and 3+ sweaty hours later we got all her stuff in her place... the couch only got mildly stuck in the stairs, but yelling "PIVOT!!" like Ross from FRIENDS seemed to help lighten the mood, and bring the neighbors running to help these damsels in distress. Best way to relax post move? Chinese food and a long nap.
• The Great Flood of 2013: Okay... so I didn't technically need to build an ark or anything remotely close, but I did have a small moat around my house and spilling into my pantry one Friday night this month. One of the waterlines to my house burst and created havoc. Luckily Jack's Plumbing came to the rescue and stopped the gurgling stream that was coming from my house. Nothing was ruined, except for a bunch of junk mail I've been meaning to destroy, and a few spiders probably got flushed away.
• Zombie Fun: While the Walking Dead is on it's winter hiatus, Girls' Night has kept with the undead tradition and have taken to watching horror/comedy flicks in it's absence. Shawn of the Dead made an appearance in the DVD player, it wasn't really what I was expecting (had no clue it was British) but it was funny in that dry way that the Brits are known for. Does I Am Legend count as a zombie movie? They weren't really undead, just scary cancer survivors, but they looked like zombies...anyway it made the cut this month too. I was less than impressed {beware spoilers ahead} the dog died AND Will Smith died? WTF man? Not cool man, not cool.
• Dream Journal: Finally after years of having really weird dreams and never writing them down I decided to start logging what goes on in my head after I fall asleep. I'm publishing them here in the bloggy blog as a series "Dream State Escalate" I don't plan on sharing them with the social networks, but they are available for your viewing pleasure. I tend to write them as I'm waking up in the morning, so please understand that they are raw and not especially well written. I just want to get the words out before pieces of them start to slip away.





Pismo Beach Pier
 

• Taking Time For Me: For anyone who has seen my calendars (yes plural) you know I jam pack my days. This month I've taken time off from that. I don't need to fill every waking second of my day, and I think it's helping my health a bit. There for awhile I felt like I was constantly on the verge of being sick and I was having a really hard time sleeping. Last week and this week for the most part my evenings have been pretty quiet after work, and I go to bed when I feel like it, not when it is "bedtime" sometimes that means 8pm, sometimes it's more like 11 or later. I don't feel the need to escape my house every night and I'm enjoying curling up with a good book again. A couple weeks ago I drove up to the beach by myself and took a ton of pictures of the ocean and finally started to feel like me again. I'm teaching myself how to use Photoshop and am learning how to make the landscape photos I enjoy so much even better. For the most part the post-break up anxiety is gone and I'm comfortable in my own skin. This doesn't mean I don't still have moments where I'm fighting back tears at my desk or wanting to throw things across my bedroom, but it does mean that I can control the impulses, and that they are happening less frequently.
• Speaking of The Break Up: I've noticed this strange trend... and I don't like it, guys who I thought were my friends (and some were Internet only friends at that) suddenly seem to think that because I'm not seeing anyone, that I'm suddenly available and wanting to date/hook up/be more than friends with them... and they've been pretty vocal about it. Like they're entitled to a piece of me, a piece that has never been offered to them before I've had a boyfriend, and certainly not days after. I actually had to tell someone "dude, just because I'm single doesn't mean I'm ready to date or up for grabs" and then he had the nerve to be upset because I "took it the wrong way" and that "we've been friends for such a long time, it's a shame to throw a friendship like ours away" um I'm not the one who was posting inappropriate things on his facebook. I'm not the one who was flirting in a way that made anyone feel physically violated just by reading it. So he crossed my boundaries, and by me calling him out on it, I destroyed our friendship. Cool bro, guess we weren't friends anyway. Guess what... I miss you about as much as I miss having athlete's foot.  As for my real guy friends... you're amazing. Seriously, for you to be there for me while I cry about other guys, for you to make me laugh when I feel like playing in traffic, and for you to calm me down when I can't sleep, I can never thank you enough or fully explain how much you mean to me. Thank you for being a real friend... not just some guy waiting to pounce because I'm vulnerable. You're different than my best girlies in that you can offer some insight into the male mind and help me understand whats going on outside of me, and even though I don't always like to hear it, I do appreciate it. I'm a lucky girl, because I really do have the best friends in the world.







A December to Remember

This post is a little harder to write than I had imagined it would be. I started outlining it the first weekend of the month because I didn't want to leave anything out. December truly was an epic month and probably one I'll hold on to for a long time... December was nearly perfect for me and I don't want to let the events of January 1st spoil the memories. Looking back is a little heart wrenching, so forgive me if it's disjointed or awkward.

• Britni's Jewelry Show early in the month my super talented friend held her second annual jewelry show in her adorable home in Atascadero, California. Her work is gorgeous and has a vintage quality that you don't see in many places anymore.  I would recommend her wearable art to anyone... wedding party gifts? totally appropriate, looking for something for your mom, sister, grandma, girlfriend, best friends? she's your girl. Check out her page if you get a chance, and visit her at art in the park in the summer months in Shell Beach, you truly will not be disappointed.
• Last Minute Road Trip, the second weekend in the month my buddy Karla Beatriz photographer extraordinaire made a spur of the moment trip to Orange County to visit The Elitist to do a photo shoot, spend some quality girl time together, and to celebrate (early) her daughter's 3rd birthday. 
• Photo shoot: so it went pretty well considering our model (Elitist) was recovering from a nasty bug and wasn't feeling at the top of her game and we made her get in the cold ocean/swimming pool/and basically dance around in her underwear all day... the unexpected moment was when Karla wanted to practice some different shots and had me crash the shoot. While I'm not comfortable posting the pics she took of me here on my blog, let me tell you I've never seen a photo of myself where I have felt so incredibly beautiful. A month later I still pull up the photos and get lost in them. I promise I'm not that vain, I've just never seen myself like that.
• Camera oops: I was really stoked to have my mom's cannon rebel to shoot landscape/ocean activity pictures with on this trip... except I used the wrong exposure and 90% of my favorite pictures that I took at the beach that weekend were so over exposed that they were just a solid white screen. I guess it worked out okay though, it taught me how to use it before I went to Yosemite later in the month.



Happy Birthday Month Kiddo!

• Aurora's Birthday: this year we introduced "Birthday Month" to the kiddo. Karla and I weren't going to be able to make it back down for the official birthday party at the end of the month, so we took her out for an ice cream sundae at the most ridiculously loud place we could imagine... a perfect place for a 3 year old right? I think it freaked her out a little, but if you're in the mood for a sweet frozen treat with a Carney Barker Farrell's is the place to go. This was her first of 3 (at least) birthday parties, she seemed a little confused by the notion of celebrating on a non-official day, but once the sticker was on her shirt and the ice cream came out, she was down to party.
• Christmas Party with the Field's
• 

  

  At the Field's Christmas Party 2012,
  I was the clear White Elephant Exchange winner.

  • Baking Nightmares: Since the party was potluck style, I chose to bring baked goods as my contribution. It's a standard for me, I enjoy baking, and normally it's something I'm good at. Normally. I don't know what was going on, but I was off my game on the brownies. BOXED BROWNIES for crying out loud. Anyway I made them according to instructions, popped them into the preheated oven and baked for the appropriate amount of time, I stuck them with a skewer to make sure they were cooked all the way through, and while they were still slightly doughy, they were cooked enough to pull them out.  Somehow, despite the fact that I greased/cocoa'd the pan, they stuck...bad... and half of the batch was burned and the other half not cooked all the way. I haven't failed that royally baking since... well the last time I baked brownies. Aren't they supposed to be the easiest thing to make? Can't elementary school students successfully make brownies? Anyway they got tossed and I baked a lemon bundt cake with chocolate frosting and it was a hit... or at least passed inspection. Have I lost my game from taking such a long break from the Kitchen Aid? Guess I better get my ass back in the kitchen on a more frequent basis.
• Cards Against Humanity: This might be the most fun/inappropriate party game I've ever played. It is a lot like "Apples to Apples" except it has more of an "R/NC-17" rating. I suggest playing with your more open minded friends, or read a few of the cards before bringing it out a family dinner. My best advice is that while it's fun and hysterical with the right group, you really need to know your audience.
• babies babies everywhere: this was a family-friendly party and I felt like the pied piper of babydom. All the little ones were so happy, I'm not sure any of them (all under 5 and if my memory is correct there was close to a half dozen of them there) had any kind of fussing or melt downs. I got spit up on a bit, but it's a hazard you face when holding those cute little people. Don't worry, I haven't caught baby fever, not even close, but I do like kids.
• white elephant exchange: Like with a lot of Christmas or Holiday parties there was a white elephant exchange, gifts ranged from Copenhagen dip, cheap beer, orange cones, a Topsy Turvy tomato grower thing, door mats and other ridiculous items. Needless to say hilarity ensued and we were all a little disappointed when the game was over.
• blind wine tasting: the last activity at the party (these weren't listed in chronological order) was a blind wine tasting, everyone brought a bottle of wine, we covered the labels with brown paper bags and sampled each. Some were awesome, some were the opposite, I'm not sure what wine was the winner, but with 12 bottles to taste from we were all in good spirits.
• And the Food! Seeing as how it was a potluck there were lots of foodstuffs to choose from and I'm only mentioning a couple of the side dishes/appetizers. The stand outs if you will. If I left you out, feel free to add them in the comments, and if you'd like to link a recipe that would be awesome too. The main dish was turkey, one deep fried the other smoked, both received rave reviews.
• stuffed mushrooms: okay, so I don't have the recipe for these here, but let me tell you that I have NEVER EVER EVER been a fan of mushrooms, I'll sometimes eat them on pizza and I cook with cream of mushroom soup, but to pick up a stuffed mushroom and eat it... let alone love it enough to go back for seconds or thirds? completely unheard of. I've been pestering my friend who made them to post the recipe, but as of right now it resides in her mom's kitchen and not on the Internets.
• Mini Spinach Dip Bowls my god... these are amazing... I could eat them all night and not feel guilty at all because they're that delicious, probably not all that healthy considering the ingredients, but they have veggies in them right?
• Cheesy Potatoes that will change your life... I really don't need to say much more than that. They.will.change.your.life. again, not the healthiest of side dishes, but it's a Christmas party, you're supposed to eat your weight in carbs.
• Chocolate Covered Bacon: okay, so I don't have the recipe for this one either, but seems pretty simple, cook the bacon to your desired level of crispness and dip in melted chocolate. Total carny food and I love it. Toss in some funnel cake and a giant lemonade and you can go ahead and roll me out of the party.
• Girls' Nights and Birthday Parties



Daryl Dixon:
My Favorite Walking Dead Character

• So our weekly Zombie Nights have reached the mid-season finale of "The Walking Dead" and now need to find meaning in our lives until the show comes back in February. We're thinking of adding other Zombie flicks until then... or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia marathons, or maybe even hitting the gym occasionally... maybe.
• We also celebrated one of the girls' brother's 30th birthday party one week. I had my first taste of Salvadorian food and I fell in love. Seriously, it was SO good. Maybe I really do need to hit the gym, seems like a large portion of this month's post is devoted to my love of food.  There were games to be played and lots of laughs to be had at the party, as it should be. Cranium and Taboo are always fun to pull out of the game closet, and unlike Cards Against Humanity, there isn't really an "appropriateness factor" that you have to consider.
• Surviving the Apocalypse: The Mayan Apocalypse came and went without much fanfare, I woke up, survived and didn't spot a zombie all day... which is a good thing, because in a story to follow, I'm pretty sure the zombies will have me beat in about the first 5 minutes of the outbreak. I thought I'd be tougher, I'm not.
• Cousin Date: My 11 year old cousin and I spent the Saturday before Christmas together, we went to the movies and saw Monsters Inc in 3D, overdosed on junk food at both the movies and Carl's Jr. after, then went and spent the rest of the afternoon with our grandparents and relatives that were visiting for the upcoming holidays. We hadn't done it in a long time, so it was a lot of fun (and just a tad exhausting... I'm not used to being around kids all day long, he's awesome, but it's just more proof that I'm no where near ready to begin the part of my life where I want kids... I may have mentioned that once before in this post).



opening presents is exhausting

• Christmas: Christmas in my families is spilt over two days, Christmas Eve and Christmas morning belongs to my mom's side of the family, while my dad's side of the family lays claim to Christmas Day/Night. This year was no exception. It was great seeing family members that I don't get to hang out with often, it was weird to experience the holiday without the family we had lost this year, and it was the first time I had shared a major holiday with a significant other (even if it was just a couple of hours at the end of the day). Everyone seemed to enjoy their presents and time together... even Mr. Dog even had fun unwrapping his gifts. 



The Granddaughters

• Vacation: I took the last part of the year off for a vacation with the boyfriend. We went to Fresno to visit some of this friends and to take a day trip to Yosemite National Park. We had an amazing time, and I'm so glad that we had that last long weekend together. Even when he was driving me crazy on our 8 mile hike across town it was perfect. We spent a lot of quality time together, had laughs with his friends, saw awesome movies (some on tv, one at the theater), and of course the trip to the snow.
• Yosemite:  I hadn't been to the park in 16 years, and never in the winter time.  It was beyond gorgeous. You can check out the link and see a few of my favorite pictures of the snow and beautiful winter landscapes.  It was probably the best trip I've even taken with someone I've been dating.  We laughed, we fell waste deep into the snow, threw snowballs at each other
• Other Shenanigans
• Our first night in Fresno we saw the movie Django Unchained (the D is silent). It's a Quentin Tarantino flick, and all that entails. It was exciting, funny, violent, and moving.  I'd see it again. It was about a bounty hunter in the South a few years before the Civil War. I don't want to give anything away but in my opinion Jamie Fox and Leonardo DiCaprio deserve an award for their performances.
• After the movie we went to a dive bar called Red Wave for their weekly "Taco Thursday" for tacos and beer with a friend. When that bar closed we went to a more country themed bar to continue the night, then somehow ended up at a house party after that bar closed. Anyway fast forward a couple hours (I wasn't feeling well and I fell asleep on the couch) I get woken up and am told that its time for us to leave by my boyfriend... here leads to a big adventure on our trip.
• The 8 Mile: So around 4 am we leave the house on the North side of town. There's no cab in sight and we set off on foot to his apartment, not exactly sure how long the journey will be.  It took 3 hours and the sun came up on our jaunt. I have never felt more like a hobbit in my life. I was convinced that I had hip displaysia, a sprained ankle, the black lung...when in real life I just learned exactly how out of shape I am and that I'm never going to survive the zombies. We finally got home and immediately went to bed and slept for most of the day. 



Yosemite Coyote
 

• Once we finally woke up it was time to run errands and meet up with some different friends for dinner at my favorite pizza place in Clovis called BC's. They're food is so delicious, they have a wide selection of beers on tap, and both times I've been there I've had a great time.  I'd recommend it to anyone in the area. You will not be disappointed.
• New Year's Eve: was spent with some friends of the boyfriend's family. We played bunco and watched ball drop. There were lots of laughs and it was really funny to see how competitive every one got over a simple game of dice. I didn't walk away a winner that night, but I really enjoyed the evening.  Even though I didn't really know most of the people I spent the holiday with, every one made me feel like I was part of the family and it was great.
• Over 2000+ views :-)  thank you readers! Together we have reached over 2000 views before then end of the year, there's even more now, but I'm not 100% sure what the count was at the end of the month.  I really appreciate all the support and readership.  I plan on blogging thoughout the year as I had in 2012. I look forward to sharing my new adventures with you.

Merry Christmas Readers

So readers, were you on the nice list or the naughty list this year? A combination of both?

I hope that you have a fabulous holiday celebration with your loved ones, whether they be family, friends or maybe even co-workers, and that Santa is good to you all.

Hug your loved ones a little closer this year, and remember the ones who aren't celebrating with us this year.

Yesterday marked 16 years since my grandpa passed away and the Coca Cola Santa I posted the picture of always reminds me of him. I think about him often and like to think that he's my own personal guardian angel. I know he's out there looking out for me. It's hard to believe that so much time has gone by, but I know he's been there for our family every step of the way, we've lost a few other close family members over the years, Uncle Junior, my brother Everett, and Aunt Josephine and I still find myself watching the door for them to walk in sometimes. Christmas time is a time for celebrating family and it feels different when members are missing, but I think it just makes you cherish the ones who are still here more.

Have a safe and healthy holiday friends. I can't wait to hear about your experiences and maybe even a few shenanigans.  Talk to you soon.

Merry Christmas
Love
Lauren