Things Not Recommended

Have you ever dated someone who was taking an anti-depressant? I don’t recommend it. For the past 3 days, Dave has been taking the mood enhancer Wellbutrin to help him quit smoking. So far the little pill has been working like a charm. Dave says that his desire to smoke has been cut in half and so has the satisfaction he usually receives after puffing on a cigarette. So you might ask why in the world would I not recommend it? Well, it’s not that I don’t recommend it, it’s just that I was mentally preparing myself to live with Mr. Hyde and instead I’ve found that I’m living with Mr. Rogers. He’s just so happy and cheery all.the.time! The house we were gonna bid on has been pulled off the market? That’s OK!!! The cat knocked over a soda onto the carpet? Now we get to use the carpet stain remover we bought at Target! YAY! *sigh* In the end, if it helps Dave quit smoking then I’ll happily date Mr. Rogers.

In other news, I had the past 4 days off from work. I spent most of that time being lazy. Between naps I sat on the couch and used my laptop to finish our wedding registry. Finally! I thought it was going to turn into the never ending project. Highlights of the registry:


Calphalon Pots & Pans


Fusion Blue Everyday Plates (I want them now!)


Nautica Bedding with this funky brown Coverlet


Lowe's Gift Cards (we're going to be buying our first house soon and someone gave us the wonderful [and practical] idea to register at a home improvement store)

So far we received several of our wedding registry items as gifts for Christmas. Score! One of those items was an electric fondue pot. On NYE we filled the pot with hot oil and fondue’d our hearts out. Items on the menu: steak, chicken, shrimp, andouille sausage, mushrooms, new potatoes, green bell peppers, onion, and bread chunks. Dipping sauces included honey mustard, horseradish, cheese, cocktail sauce, and bbq sauce. It was a lot of fun and VERY yummy. I can’t wait to invite another couple over to enjoy our next fondue experience.

And in final news, Dave and I decided at the last minute to make a fun outing to the San Diego auto show this weekend. My highlight was sitting in my dream car (Lexus IS 250) and finding that it really was as wonderful as I had dreamt it would be. Even better was looking at our finances and realizing that we’ll be able to buy my dream car after the wedding!!!! Can you see me drooling over here? I LOVE this car!

3 Things That Suck

1) Not being able to blog from work. For awhile blogger was a blocked website according to the federal government. I really never have time to blog from home.

2) Flying with a cold. I caught a mild cold over the holidays while visiting my in-laws in Northern California. The usual sore throat, lethargy, and runny nose. Nothing noteworthy so I didn’t think twice about flying home with the cold. BIG mistake. While descending my congested ears weren’t able to handle the change in cabin pressure. Worst pain imaginable. I thought my ear drums were going to burst and spew blood all over. Horrible.

3) The fact that my future mother in-law (MIL) likes to ask me questions and then immediately after confronts Dave with the information she gathered from me.

SCENE: Living room sofa. MIL and I are watching a chick flick on tv.
MIL: (casually) So since you and Dave are buying a house in San Diego does that mean you wont be moving back to Northern California for awhile?
ME: At this point and time Dave is pretty tired of moving all the time. He really just wants to find a house and settle for the next 5 years. He doesn’t even want to talk about our next move.
MIL: He doesn’t even want to talk about moving again?
ME: Nope. He really just wants to find a place to make a home. He’s tired of moving.

5 minutes later, Dave walks into room.
MIL: Why don’t you want to move back to NorCal?!?!?
Dave: Huh? Wha???
MIL: I heard you don’t want to move for the next 5 years!
Dave: (restates what I just said above)
ME: (fuming)

A Fairytale

Once upon a time, the City of Los Angeles stole the water rights from a small California town. Thus turning a fertile valley into an arid desert. 100 years later, LA is trying to make amends. The end.

Read This

Over a period of 48 hours I read all 518 pages of Audrey Niffenegger's Time Traveler's Wife. It has been a long time since I've found a book that completely consumes me with its characters and story. Even after I had finished the book, the tale haunted me with its interesting thoughts and theories. I highly encourage reading this book. Not only is it a unique and thought-provoking book but also an AMAZING love story. It made me laugh and cry and then cry some more (which is rare for me). Just posting about the book makes me want to re-read it again!



From Publishers Weekly
This highly original first novel won the largest advance San Francisco-based MacAdam/Cage had ever paid, and it was money well spent. Niffenegger has written a soaring love story illuminated by dozens of finely observed details and scenes, and one that skates nimbly around a huge conundrum at the heart of the book: Henry De Tamble, a rather dashing librarian at the famous Newberry Library in Chicago, finds himself unavoidably whisked around in time. He disappears from a scene in, say, 1998 to find himself suddenly, usually without his clothes, which mysteriously disappear in transit, at an entirely different place 10 years earlier-or later. During one of these migrations, he drops in on beautiful teenage Clare Abshire, an heiress in a large house on the nearby Michigan peninsula, and a lifelong passion is born. The problem is that while Henry's age darts back and forth according to his location in time, Clare's moves forward in the normal manner, so the pair are often out of sync. But such is the author's tenderness with the characters, and the determinedly ungimmicky way in which she writes of their predicament (only once do they make use of Henry's foreknowledge of events to make money, and then it seems to Clare like cheating) that the book is much more love story than fantasy. It also has a splendidly drawn cast, from Henry's violinist father, ruined by the loss of his wife in an accident from which Henry time-traveled as a child, to Clare's odd family and a multitude of Chicago bohemian friends. The couple's daughter, Alba, inherits her father's strange abilities, but this is again handled with a light touch; there's no Disney cuteness here. Henry's foreordained end is agonizing, but Niffenegger has another card up her sleeve, and plays it with poignant grace. It is a fair tribute to her skill and sensibility to say that the book leaves a reader with an impression of life's riches and strangeness rather than of easy thrills.

A Picture Update

Lately it feels as if the days are going by in one quick blur. I get in bed at night and it feels like just a short while ago I was getting out of bed. I get to work, look at the clock, and then look at the clock again to find 4 hours has already passed. Before I know it the work day is already over and once again I'm fighting traffic to get home. I can hardly believe that there is only 6 months until the wedding since it feels like just yesterday there was a year left. Why does time seem to be moving so quickly lately? I really just want it to stop. *sigh*

Needless to say, I have a list of things to-do that is a mile long. I've barely had enough time to eat, let alone blog. Here is my catch-up picture post:


Dave and I picked up out wedding bands while we were in the Bay Area last weekend. I LOVE both of our rings and was really pleased with the price and quality. I've already told Dave to hide the rings because if he doesn't then I'll just keep putting it on my finger and walking around the house.

We were in the Bay Area for a wedding of Dave's childhood friend. We had a really nice time seeing Dave's family and friends. I miss the Bay Area so much.

This is the bride and groom. They looked wonderful.

We arrived home on Sunday to our normal 80 degree Southern California "winter". I was driving down a street near our house when I took this picture. Note the ocean in the horizon, the palm trees, the wreaths on the palms, and the blue skies. Sad to say the wreaths look out of place and do a poor job of putting me in the holiday spirit.

On Thanksgiving Day weekend we went to the San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders football game. The Raiders lost only because of a bad referee call (boo!). Other then that the game was a lot of fun especially since we had club level seats. It was nice being able to call a waitress over to our seats every time we wanted something to eat or drink. Laziness at its best!

I made a complete Thanksgiving meal for Dave, my Dad, and my brother. The turkey was brined (according to Alton Brown) and turned out delicious. The whole meal was a success (if I say so myself) and I can't wait to cook my next Thanksgiving meal.

To serve Thanksgiving dinner we used our new (to us) china. The china had been given to us by Dave's grandma (now deceased). The complete 12 piece set of china is from the 1920's. I love the pattern so much and could never imagine a more beautiful set of china.

2 weeks ago, Dave bought his very own PS3. Yes the same PS3 that was sought by many and re-sold for several times it's value. So far he has greatly enjoyed the new gaming station and how high quality the screen resolution is. The other day we used the PS3 to watch a Blue-Ray movie. It was very nice looking but I give most of the credit to our plasma screen tv.

Fluff is getting bigger and bigger. The wild man loves getting dressed up. (sarcasm)

1 for the Good Guys

Finally, San Diego makes me proud.

Suddenly Sexy

I've been listening to John Mayer's new album Continuum. I can't get enough. Yum.

I'll Be Eating Turkey By The Pool

I’m wearing khakis, sandals, and a cardigan and I’m hot. Its 80 degrees outside and the Southern California heat doesn’t make me feel like celebrating Thanksgiving much less begin preparations for Christmas. I’m usually first in line for the Black Friday sales but this year I think I’ll have a hard time getting my sandal covered feet to get in the shopping mode at all. Sun + 80 degrees = Not Holiday Time. I’m in desperate need for some rain, clouds, and a cold front.

Yesterday, I went shopping in preparation for my first attempt at cooking Thanksgiving dinner. I walked into the store with my long list of groceries needed and quickly became overwhelmed as I glanced from the massive crowd to my list and back again. Luckily the World’s Best Fiancée had known that I would be grocery shopping after work so he decided to surprise me in the bakery aisle with a Starbucks Green Tea in hand. He pushed the very full cart while I darted between the mass of people, grabbed items off the shelf, and checked them off my list.

Dave and I won’t be celebrating Thanksgiving until Saturday. My Dad and older Brother will be driving down from the LA area to eat with us. The next day all 4 of us will drive to the football stadium where we have season tickets to see the Chargers v. Oakland Raiders game. The Chargers hate the Raiders and we all happen to be Raiders fans so it should be a fun time! And by fun I mean my older brother will instigate drama with the Chargers fans and I will spend my day yelling at him to shut up.

I can't wait ;-)

I've Been Hobbled

I'm bloated, my right foot is covered in blisters, my left ankle is swollen, I have a bruise on my left thigh, and I'm extremely hungover. A good weekend trip to Las Vegas will do that to you.

I went to Vegas for a random girls weekend. I wasn't excited about sleeping in a non-luxurious hotel, over consumption of alcohol, nor the late nights spent dancing in high heels. In the past all 3 would have made me excited for weeks but I've found as I've gotten older (and less wild) that I have more fun when I'm relaxing.

I was eager to spend quality time with 2 of my best friends (B & M). We started out our trip by eating at a 4 star french restaurant (Lutece in The Venetian). While enjoying our delicious meal overlooking the canals, I presented B & M with cards asking them to be my bridesmaids. The sweet moment combined with a really good bottle of wine resulted in B spending the rest of the dinner crying. Too complete the evening we took a ride in the gondolas and then went to Olympic Gardens to watch some hottie boys dance for dollars. (If you go to Vegas with a group of girls, Olympic Gardens is a MUST see!)

The next day we went to Bellagio to enjoy the champagne brunch. Another excellent (and reasonably priced meal!). We then walked the strip (hence all the foot blisters) before returning to the hotel for a food induced slumber. After waking we explored one of the newest Vegas hotels, Wynn (now one of my favorite places to stay and explore). For dinner B and I went to Tao for an assortment of sushi and dim sum. We left Tao just as Paris & Britney arrived. The evening ended with drinks at an open air bar. Good music with good friends followed.

I had originally planned to spend only one night in Sin City. I've been trying to lose weight and I wanted to do the least possible damage to my body. Unfortunately, my one night trip got extended since all flights to San Diego were canceled and/or full do to fog. I finally was able to leave Vegas this afternoon on a flight bound for the Land of BMWs (Orange County). My wonderful fiancee picked me up from the airport and brought me back home where I promptly took a 4 hour nap. Good times.

Tres Redonk*

Tomorrow's to do list involved waking up at 4am and standing in line at Walmart/Target/Sears/Best Buy for four hours trying to get a new Sony PS3. Unfortunately our plans were thwarted when we learned that Sears didn't receive any PS3s and Target/Walmart/Best Buy already had people camping out in line at 7pm on Wednesday. Yes Wednesday. Which means that people were going to camp in front of the store for 36 hours in hopes of buying a $600 gaming console. I'm not sure whether to be jealous or outraged. Oddly enough I was looking forward to standing in line with Dave amongst the crowds. Now that the lines are already hundred deep and each store was only allocated 10 PS3 units, Dave and I have decided to throw in the towel and leave the line debauchery to the youngsters.

In other news, today was the Great American Smokeout. As I was leaving the house this morning I tossed a roll of commit lozenges and a QuitAssist brochure at Dave's head. Dave is a smoker and has tried (unsuccessfully) quitting several times in the past. When Dave and I first began dating Dave assured me that he only smoked the occasional drunken cigarette. He also told me that he wasn't a Republican so it really came as no surprise when I realized that Dave's occasional cig was really a pack a day habit (and his voting leaned more towards GW versus my Al Gore tendencies). I've never dated a smoker before but surprisingly I'm really not too peeved by Dave's dirty habit. He always smokes outside and for some strange reason never smells of nicotine. He has promised me that he will quite (someday) so I've made an effort not to nag or berate him. Honestly I'm not looking forward to him quitting. Smoking is a very serious addiction and will involve many days of cranky Dave before he's able to break his habit. That will make for some fun blogging!

*Tres Redonk = Very Ridiculous. Get in the Know.

Things I Love

• Veggie toasted sub from Quizno's. Seriously YUM. So good that I sometimes crave all the veggie and avocado goodness.
• Cold Stone. I've only recently discovered Cold Stone ice cream about a year ago. I know. How the hell I went so long with out trying them out is beyond me. Now I can't get enough. Today for lunch I had a Like It serving of some chocolate/brownie/caramel concoction. Sinlicious.
• TIVO. World's greatest invention. I don't know how I ever watched TV without the ability to stop, fast forward, rewind, and record.
• Healthy options at McDonald's. I was running late to a meeting so I swung by McDs for a quick lunch. I looked at the menu and saw that they've added quite a few new healthy options. Fries can now be replaced by a side salad and water can be subbed for soda on the Meal Deals. I walked out feeling like I had made a healthy eating choice (I had the grilled chicken sandwich with no mayo, cheese, etc).
• The Weather. Well this goes in love/hate category. It's been 80 and sunny which is nice but it's mid-November and I want it to be cold so that I can get in the Holiday spirit! On the other hand I was able to eat lunch (Cold Stone ice cream) while sunning myself on a patio and reading a book. Nice.
• 7 Months Til Our Wedding. Time flies when your having fun. This past month I completed several wedding related tasks. Honeymoon location has been selected and deposit put down, officiant selected, wedding dress ordered and delivered, bridal attendants selected, save the dates sent out, wedding registry set up. For the next few months I'll be able to relax and enjoy the holidays.

Beware: Things May Appear Easier Then They Really Are

Dave and I established our wedding gift registries at Bed Bath & Beyond and Crate & Barrel this weekend. “Sounds fun!” is probably what you are thinking. Before hand I was thinking the same thing. I’ve been looking forward to this event almost as much as I looked forward to cake tasting. And I really love cake so that tells you something.

Now after a weekend full of browsing store aisles with a scan gun in one hand and a list in the other, I can tell you that wedding gift registry = lots of work + not fun. Why you ask?

Reason # 1 that Gift Registering Sucks - Shop for today or shop for the future??? I think that was the constant question in my head this weekend.

Now: we don’t do much entertaining. We just moved to a new part of the state where we don’t have many friends or family.
Future: Well I hope we make friends and are able to entertain. Which leads me to believe that I need this to serve punch/sangria at friendly BBQs, etc.

The Problem: OK. So I would need this in the future but where do I store it (and other "future" gifts) for now??? The kitchen pantries and one-car garage are already packed full in our 1,000 sq ft condo. And I just don’t feel like packing my guest bedroom with boxes that I wont need for 2-3 more years.

Now: Our dining table is set up as part of the living room / open kitchen space. The décor matches both the kitchen and living room well.

Future: Our plans are to buy a house in a year (or so). I hope to have a formal dining room or at the very least a dining room that occupies a more defined space from the living room. I would love to decorate the future formal dining room in a dramatic fashion much like this painting (in fact I would hang a very similiar painting in the future room).

The Problem: OK. So do I register for linens, plates, etc that match the current décor or the future décor? And even though our plans are to move in a year, what happens if our future home doesn’t have a formal dining room???

Reason # 2 that Gift Registering Sucks – Choices! Choices! Choices!!!

Which bedding do I choose???? So many to pick from!




Reason # 3 that Gift Registering Sucks – He Said. She Said.

I love these plates. Dave does not.


Dave loves these plates. I do not.


Errrr …

Blech (aka Vomit Trifecta)

My last 3 posts (including this one) have all had titles that reference vomit. I haven't thrown up since June 2005 (Jayme's graduation party, too many long beach iced teas) so I have no idea why the idea of up-chuck seems to be such a popular word in my brain these days. Hmmm ...

I'm sick this week. And stressed out. Really stressed out. Which really hasn't helped me get over this horrible cold. Things stressing me out:

* Weight Loss - I've been steadily losing 1 pound a week which is good. Just not good enough. I need to lose more if I want to be in tip top shape for my wedding ;-(

* Work - My desk is full of things that need to be done yesterday. I came in sick on Monday and Tuesday but stayed home Wednesday. Sick = not very productive. Desk full of things that need to be done = me stressed.

* Work - I had a tiff with a colleague (totally her fault) and now I'm angry at her and situation she has put me in. AND I have a problem contract that needs to be fixed but just seems to be making a bigger problem (kinda my fault). Vague, I know but I'd hate to get dooced.

* Wedding - My mom has disinvited herself from my wedding (woo! Really. I need to write about my non-mom someday soon. You'd woo too) but my mom's attitude is making my grandparents upset and they (once again) are looking to me to make everything better. I don't want to make things better.

* Wedding - A certain family member on Dave's side of the family invited a group of people to our wedding that we had no intention of inviting. Lots of drama has ensued.

Things that make me feel better:
* 3 day weekend - Thank you veteran's day.
* Wedding Gift Registry - I've been waiting my whole life to actually have a wedding gift registry. This weekend I'll be visiting Crate & Barrel as well as Bed Bath & Beyond to set up our registries.

Bulimic Blogging

I was such a good blogger last week, I felt creative and had ideas (and time) to write a blog post almost every day. I was obviously binging since this week I have nothing to write nor have I had time. And when I say no time. I mean no time. Not even 5 seconds to do a half post that I could maybe finish later. My week so far and other random thinking:

* I'm in Northern California Wine Country for a 3 day meeting. I was prepared for our meeting to be held at a resort located deep in the middle of acres of grapes. Luckily the resort is located in the middle of town near a grocery store and several cute restaurants. I ate at a gourmet cafe for dinner that featured mouth watering salads and savory paninis. YUM.

* My favorite new shows this season have been Ugly Betty and Studio 60. Unfortunately, it looks like plans are underway to cancel Studio 60. Nooooo! I seriously love this show. The writing is so mature and witty and the acting is believable. Stupid NBC.

* I've been seeing my personal trainer twice a week for the last 3 weeks. I can't believe that I'm saying this but I really enjoy my personal training sessions. The exercises are difficult but surprisingly fun. Best of all, since I don't have to think I can just sit back and do what I'm told to do without watching the clock or creating excuses to cut my workout short. So far I've only lost one pound per week but hopefully that increases as I get more into a workout routine and concentrate on improving my diet.

* Most of October was relatively quiet for me which was a good and bad thing. Good because I wasn't running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Bad because I had so little that needed to be done and it got to the point where I was bored. This week is back to my crazy, hectic routine. My State Office sent 3 bulletins in a row that need quite a bit of work to be completed, I had 12 employee performance reviews that needed to be finished in only one day (my fault), and I had a dentist appointment that took up a half day. Hopefully the rest of the month continues to be just as fun.

* Work took up my day time hours while the gym and wedding duties took up my evening hours. This week I stuffed and addressed all 80 of my STDs (save the dates). Now in the past I will admit that I never understood the big deal about stuffing and mailing invites. Brides-to-be would complain about the massive work required and I would scoff. How long can it take to put something inside an envelope and affix a mailing label on the outside??? Answer: long time. Very long time. I think it took me 5 dedicated evenings of printing out labels, buying stamps (which also involved finding out how much stamp they needed), writing a letter to be included with magnet, folding and stuffing all contents into each envelope, and finally affixing return label, mailing label, and stamp to each envelope before sealing and putting in the mail box. Whew! I'm afraid to find out home much time will be required to do the actual invites!

* Fluff continues to be the cutest kitten ever created. Seriously. That little kitten lights up my day with his mischievous antics, loving snuggles, and happy purrs. Here's a cute pic Dave took of Fluff while he was taking a mid-day nap. Dave siad that he stayed in that same position, sleeping soundly for over an hour.

Watch Me Spew

I feel crappy today. At first I thought it was mild allergies (congestion and general blahness) but now I'm thinking that I might have a cold/flu (achiness and bitchiness). Or maybe I'm not sick at all, maybe I'm just bitchy and crabby. Who knows!

It doesn't help that the air outside is filled with soot and smells like an ashtray. Much thanks to this fire the sky is a dark grey and resembles a coming acopolypse. The fire is actually 75 miles away but thanks to the lovely Santa Ana winds the smoke has been blown our way.

In other non-related news: Dave got home at midnight last night. Yay.

Notes to Self

Note #1 - Don't watch a sappy Lifetime movie such as "Why I wore Lipstick to my Mastectomy" while alone. It will only leave yourself a sappy, crying mess with no one to console. (I highly recommend the made for tv movie. Yes it was made by Lifetime but seriously entertaining and heart wrenching. It's repeating again on Saturday evening. Watch it!)

Note #2 - Don't buy Panera bagels as a treat for the office and expect to be strong enough to resist. Especially since french toast, dutch apple & raisin, and asiago cheese were among the bagel flavors.

Note #3 - After resistance to bagels proves futile, DON'T say f*ck it and eat 2 bagels. 1/2 a bagel would have been okay. 2 bagels is overkill (no matter how delicious they are).

Note #4 - Don't do any more unnecessary shopping. Especially after realizing that personal trainer will set you back $1000. And that only covers 16 sessions for the next 8 weeks. Yikes. Unnecessary shopping includes perfume, UGG shoes, and outrageously expensive Oscar De La Renta high heels ;-(

My Fiancee Sucks

ouch. ouch. ouch. ouch.

That's the sound I made each time I tried to take a step this weekend. I met up with my personal trainer for the 1st time on Friday and he did an hour workout with me. At the time it didn't feel like a very strenuous workout but on Saturday morning when I woke up I could barely lift my body out of bed. Instead I kinda threw my body over the edge of the bed and slithered on the floor towards the phone where upon I promptly called my friend M and told her that I would not be meeting her later that day to go indoor rock climbing.

Dave kept treating me like a big wuss which kinda peeved me since I was really hurting and wanted lots of sympathy and massages versus the "tough it out" speeches that Dave kept giving me. I wonder how tough he would feel with my foot up his a$$ ;-) I gave up on trying to convince Dave that I was in pain since I knew in my own head that there were only a few other instances where I had pushed my body and resulted in as much pain:

1) Spring 2002 - Britney and I took a aerobics class as extra credit in college. The final for the class consisted of going up and down every single aisle all the way around the football stadium (click on the link to see how big our stadium was). I think at about the half way point I threw myself upon the cold cement and prayed not to die/throw up. I ended up finishing but only after skipping a few aisles at the end. It was so bad that the night after the stadiums I decided to stay in. Me not partying in college = serious.

2) Fall 2003 - One day I had off from work thanks to an often not celebrated Federal Holiday (Columbus? Veterans?). My gym continued with it's normal work out schedule and so I decided to try out a mid-morning kickboxing class. The next day I couldn't even sit down on the toilet since my thighs hurt so much.

3) Fall 2004 - Shortly after I had moved in with Dumber & Dumberer, I decided to impress the Pretty Dumb One by participating on a morning run with him. At the time I was in very good shape but there were a few things I forgot to take into account such as the fact that he was 6'2 and had a much longer stride them my shorty 5'1 frame. 5 miles of running (no jogging and no breaks) later and I was in so much pain that my crotch even hurt. Yep. My crotch! That was the last time that I volunteered to run with him.

Luckily, I was able to take a break this weekend and recuperate. I feel much better today and am looking forward to my belly dancing class later tonight.

Things I'm not looking forward to:
* I'm going to be meeting with my personal trainer 2 times a week. Tomorrow is my next session. I really hope that it doesn't leave me in quite so much pain.
* For the next 4 nights I'll be coming home to an empty house. Dave is off gallivanting in Miami for a work meeting and staying in a $500 per night hotel room at a 5 star resort. He left last night on a red-eye against much of my protests. This morning he gave me a call to let me know that he had arrived safely. And to also let me know that his luxurious room had a view of the ocean. Grrrrr ...

House Cleaning Rule #7

From the time I could walk my Mom put a broom in my hand and told me that my weekly chore was to sweep all the hardwood surfaces in our house. Quickly this escalated into not only sweeping but moping, vacuuming, dusting, dish washing, and tidying our 3,000 square foot house. If my housecleaning skills weren't to her satisfaction then I had to repeat the task over and over until it did meet her high standards. This was on top of feeding all the livestock on our 10 acre farm. (10 acres = lots of cow, horse, and sheep mouths to feed, two times a day). You might think that it was fantastic of my mother to install such a hard work ethic in me starting at such a young age. I would agree with you if that had been my mother's intent. Unfortunately, my mom just didn't enjoy housecleaning so she made me the family's personal maid for the next 20ish years.

Needless to say the first time I moved out on my own, I immediately boycotted all activities that resembled cleaning. This didn't work out so well since I lived with a self professed neat freak. My next roommate was much more naturally messy and for 9 months I was able to live in filth. At one point I think that mold began growing on the bathroom ceiling and we were both to drunk to care. Good times!

Living the life of a filthy girl taught me 2 things:
1) I'm much happier being an orderly and clean person. My 9 months of filth were fun but just not me.
2) It's okay to live like a pig from time to time. It's better to enjoy life then kill yourself trying to make everything look perfect all the time.

These days I'm able to keep a very tidy house thanks to it's limited size (perk of a 1000 sq ft house), my compliant fiancee (he tries to help me clean), and thanks to our lack of children/multiple pets. And most of all thanks to a little invention called The Swiffer. I've always been a steaming hot water, mop, and ammonia floor cleaner. This can somewhat be a bit cumbersome. First you gotta get the water hot, then you gotta sweep, finally you dilute the ammonia and scrub the floors. With The Swiffer all that hassle is gone!! All you do is put on a clean pad, hold the button down for 3 seconds for the spray to release, and then mop the floor. Super easy. So easy in fact that I can usually con Dave into helping me Swiffer the floors (he likes to push the button down). The best part is that it releases enough spray to clean but not a super amount that leaves the floors wet for the next hour. Usually the floor is dry within 15 minutes. My floor washing time has been cut in half even though I still ammonia the floors when I deep clean.


PS - The mold on the bathroom ceiling ended up being cleaned by my roommate. One weekend I let her hook up with a boy I had previously been hooking up with. I knew she really liked him and so I let her break our rule #7 (don't mess with another friend's guy). She in turn thanked me by buying some really harsh cleaning chemical and spending the weekend scrubbing at the ceiling. Friends are awesome like that.

PPS - Our rule #7 was quite popular among my friends and I in college. The funny thing about it is that it started out as an actual list of girl rules. But then over time we forgot the rule numbers so everything became rule #7. Depending on the context rule #7 could mean "don't touch him I have dibs" or "c'mon make out with his friend so that we can hook up too and he wont feel bad about his friend having no one to talk with" or "be a good sport and drive to the grocery store to buy mac-n-cheese cuz I'm too poor/too drunk to do it on my own".

Screw You!

I’ve never commented on an article I’ve read in the newspaper before. Yet I felt compelled to write to you regarding your October 19, 2006 article titled "What's happened to our farmers markets?". I just wanted to thank you. Thank you for writing one of the most ignorant articles that I’ve ever read.

I have always assumed that a journalist always fact checks their work before being published. Maybe you don’t consider yourself a journalist but if you had then you would have been able to do a simple internet search and discovered that most of your opinions were not worthy of being read in print.

Let's begin with your comment regarding pricing: "When I went to Vista 20 years ago, I could bring home a week's worth of produce for about $20. Now, I can barely get by with $40."
Your comment insinuates that farmers are overpricing their products. Do you realize how much inflation has increased in those 20 years? Not to mention that farmers today need to address many issues that exist today that did not exist 20 years ago. Such as:
- increased land prices as a result of urban sprawl. According to California Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers an acre of land in 1994 would cost $5000. In 2001 (7 short years later) that number had skyrocketed to $20,000 per acre.
- higher energy bills. As we both know, SDG&E has increased their prices over the last 20 years. According to SDG&E reports in November 1986 energy prices for peak usage were 5.5. In November 2005? Prices climbed to 13.95. Almost 3x the amount!
- high cost of water. According to the San Diego County Farm Bureau the average farmer pays over $600 per acre foot of water (among the highest in the nation). Many San Diegans assume that since we live next to the ocean that we are water rich. Sadly, this is not true. Most of our water is imported from the Colorado River and Sacramento Delta. Farmers in the area have gone above and beyond to install water conservation devices on the land. The problem? Many urban house dwellers continue to over irrigate their lawns as well as plant with high water uptake species such as pampas grass and arundo. More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arundo_donax
- environmental regulations that didn't exist 20 years ago. Today's San Diego County farmer must interact with 9 (nine!) permitting and regulatory agencies before doing much of the work on their land. Could you imagine having to consult with 9 legal authorities each time you submitted a story?

And I'm sure you didn't stop to think that maybe those "$10 for two cups" blueberries were grown using labor intensive organic farming principals versus the conventionally farmed blueberries from 1986. For more information on organic farming principals and how they effect the price of produce, please visit the Certified California Organic Farmers (CCOF) website: http://www.ccof.org/

In addition I would like to comment on this statement: "Farmers markets will thrive when they are located and spaced properly." Was this statement based upon your feelings or did you bother to contact the California Federation of Certified Farmers' Markets? (http://www.cafarmersmarkets.com/)

Maybe you should write a second article highlighting the struggles of a local farmer. Many people such as yourself forget where your food comes from (it doesn't magically appear at the farmer's markets). I think an important question to ask them would be why do they continue to farm? Most do it for the love of the land. When's the last time you did something so completely unselfish?

I'd Rather Be Shopping

I'm unique in the fact that when I shop I rarely just go to a store and mosey about until I've found something that I like. Instead I go to specific stores and shop for a reason. Examples: I need a dress for so&so's wedding or I need a new nude cami to replace the one I stained. Don't get me wrong, I really like to shop but I've just never learned to shop for no reason (I totally blame my mother).

Yet, there are a few things that lately have me drooling at the mouth. All are things that I totally don't need but want (NOW).

While at the wedding this weekend, I walked by one of the bridesmaids. She smelled so good that I walked by her again. And then because she smelled that good, I asked her what perfume she was wearing. She told me that her scent was Issey Miyake but that she also recommended the Vera Wang perfume if I liked her scent. I did so 3 days later I made a trip to my local Macy's. Unfortunately I'm just not a grown-up perfume type of girl. My life so far has composed of Escada (summer) and XOXO (winter). Both are very non-musky tropical scents. For some reason musky scents overpower me when I wear them. While continuing to browse the perfume counter I came across the new Vera Wang Princess collection. All I can say is that it was so yummy that I wanted to eat the little white paper that the perfume was sprayed on. Seriously. I've promised myself that if I lose 3.5 more pounds then I can buy the perfume.


I've never been an UGG girl. And you would think that since I've lived in Cali my whole life that I would automatically be an UGG girl. Sadly no. Until The Kept Woman posted a super cute pic of some clog UGGS. Don't they look cute and snugly, perfect for the SoCal winter (high of 70, low of 65). 8.5 more pounds to lose and they are mine!

I also want/need shoes that will make my black wrap dress look more like something to wear to a wedding and less like something to wear to a funeral. I already own the dress ($25 at an outlet store!) and now I just need the shoes. I want something with a peep toe like this but comes in a color more like this. My plan is to add a plum colored lace camisole under the dress to tie the shoes in and make the dress a little less revealing.

Update: I love zappos.com. I found these super cute Oscar De La Renta's that are much like the look I had in my head even though they are not exactly the color I wanted. I really like the green pair since I could also match them with an olive green cardigan wrap sweater and black slacks. But I'm not to sure that an olive camisole would look good with my wrap dress (or be easy to find). Hmmmm ...

When Doing a Random, Use a Candom!

I once knew a boy in college who used to say the above phrase. The way he said it was really funny but then again we were in college and drunk most of the time. Everything was funny. And it helped the funny quotient that I was in love with the boy for most of my senior year of college. We had sex within the first 15 minutes of meeting each other which is not something I tell most people because they assume it was a cheap one night stand and that I was easy. In all honestly what happened wasn’t because I was easy (well I was a bit but it really wasn’t because of that). What happened between us was something that is hard to explain unless you experience it. From the moment we met it was like I had known him my whole life. We locked eyes and time stood still. We couldn’t keep our eyes off each other. It was more then lust it was like our souls could speak in some magical language that neither one of us knew how to understand. Do I think we were soul mates in terms of him being the love of my life? Definitely No. Do I think we were soul mates in terms of being something special that I will never understand? Yes.

We dated casually for the next 2 months. Our relationship was volatile and we were young and I don’t think we were capable of understanding our deep emotions. He would get scared and hurt me and I would hurt him in return. I ended up sleeping with his best friend and fraternity brother on and off for 5 months (I told you I wanted to hurt him). For a while we were a happy, non-sexual, threesome. No one in his fraternity and no one in my sorority knew what to think of us. Oddly enough neither did we and we didn’t try since we all knew in the end it was not to be.

Well that kinda got heavy and I really didn’t mean it to be. That phrase came to my mind since I’ve been busy lately and haven’t had much time to blog. Now here I am trying to sleep and I can’t because all these random blogging thoughts are running through my mind.

Who else can’t sleep? The cat. He’s always been such a good kitten who happily trots off to our bed at 10pm and sleeps peacefully until our alarms go off at 6am. Ever since we got back from our trip this weekend, he has decided that 10pm is the perfect time to begin racing back and forth across the apartment, climb the mini-blinds, and knock pictures off the window sills. He keeps this up until 1 or 2 am. Last night it got so bad that we were unable to sleep and forced to put him on restriction (aka locked in the bathroom). I’m really hoping that he gets over his little attitude problem and returns to being my good kitten.

The wedding we went to this weekend was truly beautiful. It was held in the barrel room of a winery in the Bay Area (the barrel room is where they make the wine). The room was decorated in deep reds and lit with candles. The whole event made me a bit sad. The wedding was so gorgeous that for a second it made me wish that I had chosen a winery as the site of our wedding (wee bit jealous). It also made me a bit bummed when I realized that the couple had been together as long as Dave and I. It could have been us getting married if only David hadn’t waited so long to propose (the other couple got engaged a year before us). It also made me sad because the evening went by so quickly. One minute they were saying I do and the next minute was the last dance. It made me realize that our big day will go by just as quickly. All this planning is for 5 short hours.

It also made me sad to be back in the Bay Area. I’ve lived near LA, in the San Joaquin Valley (think Grapes of Wrath), and near Monterey (think East of Eden). No place has ever felt as much as “home” to me as the East Bay. I miss the people, City of San Francisco, the Bay, BART, Dave’s family, my old office, Dave’s old job, the food, the community, and the friends I made. It pains me to think that I may never have that feeling of “home” again. Part of me wants to run back the first chance we get. The other part of me thinks that I just need to give San Diego more time and perhaps one day it will become my home.

I got my STD!

For the past few weeks, I've been talking excitedly to my friends about our STDs. I called my future mother-in-law (FMIL) yesterday to let her know that we had received the STD proof via email. My FMIL didn't say anything and that's when I realized that she doesn't know what an STD is. Well she knows what an STD is but it's not the same thing as what I'm talking about. So I gently explained to her that STD was bridal lingo for Save The Dates.


It'll take 3 weeks for the STDs to get printed and turned into magnets. After that I'll start the process of mailing them out to our entire guest list (all 150 of them). Holy cow. Only 8 more months until we get married. Where has the time gone???

I've been having these weird reoccurring dreams lately. In them I'm about to get married to an ex-boyfriend (different ex's in each dream) and I'm VERY unhappy. I can remember vaguely that once upon a time I used to be very in-love with someone else but that relationship has ended and will never be part of my life again. As a result of the failed relationship, I have gone back to an ex-bf and now we're getting married. During the entire dream I feel helpless to stop the upcoming marriage since I was the one that went back to the ex.

Weird, huh?

Have I told anyone lately how lucky I am to have Dave in my life? The boy is just so perfect in so many ways. He gets me better then anyone else has ever gotten me. He loves me more then I deserve to be loved. He's sweet, and kind, and smart, and hot. Very hot. I love him so incredibly much. I still feel like pinching myself. I can't believe that he's dating me, let alone MARRYING me!

The Honeymooners

Dave and I have been working with a travel agent to book our honeymoon. We both agreed that Mexico fit our image of the perfect vacation (sandy beaches, all inclusive resorts, big airplanes that could take us there, and no militia to pillage us as we step out of the airport). In actuality Dave really wanted to go to Costa Rica (and I might have made a tiny promise to try and lure him to propose to me that we would go to Costa Rica for our honeymoon) but unfortunately I am quite convinced that going to Costa Rica will involve militia so that choice is out. Dave easily gave into me since we all know how his last vacation request turned out.

At first, we were open to any beachy areas in Mexico but then I quickly fell in love with the Riviera Maya. Since I'm so open minded I continue to email our travel agent requesting other areas of Mexico but then I quickly add "but the Riviera Maya is so lovely, I really like it. ALOT". I think that our travel agent can see that we're keeping our options open (as long as the final result is Riviera Maya). Have I mentioned that I really like the Riviera Maya ALOT? The area has a great history and several Mayan Ruins that seem like they'll be enjoyable to explore. (Read the history link. Very informative)

As one of the resort suggestions, our travel agent told us about the Aventura Spa Palace. *sigh* I really want to go here. Everything about it seems so perfect. They even have a special Honeymooners dinner where all the newly married couples get together, have a special 5 course meal, and then play the Newlywed Game! Dave and I would so kick booty.

I'm in Love!!!

Update: I knew it was too good to be true.Most houses in this area that are that size (1700 sq ft) go for $500k-ish. This house was listed for $344k! (I know! Buy Now) So since the house was only located 3.5 miles from work (I know! Buy!) I decided to make a quick trip to check out the casa. The house looked WAY better then the pictures make it look and the pictures make it look very appealing (I know! Buy). The problem? The house is actually a foreclosure and will be sold at auction in just 10 days. Dave and I have the down payment together but there is no way we could afford to buy the house AND carry our apartment rent for 6 months (that's how long we have left on our lease). The other problem is that we'll be out of town at a wedding on the day of the auction. I'm so bummed. The house was awesome and was located in an awesome part of town ;-( C'est la vie (or however the French say "this sucks but oh well")

I love this house. It's just so cute and SO reasonable priced!!!! We were planning on waiting 10 months til we buy but I'm not sure I can just let this house slip through my fingers. 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 partial, community pool, corner lot, and a fantastic view!!! I WANT!

I'm not totally in love with the front of the house but I think it's cute (just not my style). I prefer more of a french provincial or mediterranean look.

Living room fireplace and partial view of backyard. Other half of living room has vaulted ceilings.
The deck with the fantastic view!

The park that adjoins the property.

The community pool which is maintained by the home owner's association. Located very close to the house.

Fitness Friday

Fall has finally come to SoCal. The high is now 70 versus the summer high of 75. AND the evening clouds have a grey tinge to them that almost makes you think that they might produce rain if we wait 6 more months. As you can imagine this drastic weather change has us all rushing for the sweaters and hot chocolate. (Can you hear my sarcasm????)

In other news, while I was in Portland I took a NIA class that was fantastic! Like most I had never heard of NIA (a blend of martial arts and dance) but was intrigued by the mix. Within the 1st 15 minutes of the class I became a NIA lover. For 60 minutes the instructor mixed various forms of tai chi, belly dancing, free form dance, and hip hop to some great music. Check out the NIA website to find out if they have any classes near you.

I've been trying to get in shape for some time and attending the NIA class gave me motivation to try out different forms of cardio. On Monday I had my 1st belly dancing class and I loved it!!! Seriously, I can't wait to go back next Monday and gyrate my hips and chest some more. I probably should clarify that while you may think my belly dancing class resembled something along these lines:

In actuality we more closely resembled this: (it's only a beginner course! Give us a break!)

To further motivate myself to get fit and lose weight, I signed up for a personal trainer at the gym. The sessions are a bit pricey ($550 for 10) but I'm hoping that it turns out to be a rewarding experience with a positive outcome. I gotta do something so that I get to looking like this again:

Pictures!

Fluff enjoys wearing sweaters ;-)
The pink sunset from our living room window.

Me & Dave at a Winery
Dave & His College Roommates

Our limo. Awesome!

The inside of the limo.

Sick Day

Last night I made the most amazing and simple dinner. While we were wine tasting we came upon a winery that had a baked sourdough bread roll filled with brie cheese. We bought an unbaked one and took it home with us. Last night I baked it and served it with a grilled chicken and mixed green salad with carmelized onions, dried cranberries, roasted pear, and croutons. The whole salad was tossed in a gargonzola vinaigrette. Yum and semi-healthy. The only thing not making it completely healthy was that the bread was so good and Dave and I ended up eating almost half. Well worth the calories and carbs.

Dave left this morning at 6am to catch his flight to St Louis, MO. I miss that boy already ;-( I really wish that he didn't have to travel so much for work. Luckily, I leave again this week to fly to a meeting in Sacramento. It's not so hard to say goodbye to Dave when I have to leave to a meeting too.

Today I stayed home from work sick (cough, cough). I plan on doing some good deep cleaning, watch a bit of TLC Baby Story, go grocery shopping, and maybe play a bit of Dance Dance Revolution** before going to my belly dancing class later tonight. I have a weak core and I'm really hoping that the belly dancing turns out to be a fun cardio class as well as help strengthen my back and tummy muscles.

** Damn that pic is depressing. I forgot how skinny I used to be when Dave and I began dating!