Guess Where I Was!

Ok, so it's sideways, but I cant figure out how to rotate it when I take the picture on my phone and send it here...so maybe one day I'll fix it, but for now rotate your head.

Should I stay or should I go?

I've noticed a trend in my blog usage. One I'm not really proud of. And so I'm debating signing off for a while. See, the reason I don't like some of the websites out there (I won't mention any names) is because it gives people too much freedom. Freedom they use to "express" themselves which usually annoys me. But lately I've found myself wanting to do the same thing: to put it here because it gets it out there and maybe some day people will understand. But I'm not that special--People probably already "understand" pretty much everything I have to say. So, why do I need to post my complaints? Shouldn't it be enough to just to write about it? Leave it quietly sitting there. Outside of my head, but still not on the Internet. Shouldn't that be enough? So that's why I think I'm going to avoid posting for a little while... Too many things for me to complain about. Things I wouldn't want to read about.
So, I'm sorry...And maybe I'll get back on after this semester is over...after I finish that huge project at work...after the branches combine...after life calms down...haha, you know--never.

You're fantastic!

It's no secret that I'm a total dork, but...I keep discovering new levels of dorkiness that I never knew I had. Like today, I've been sending out CD's for work, and on happened to notice the name of one of my favorite customers, I decided I needed to say hi...this is what I did:

And maybe it's just that it's the holiday season, so I'm extra cheery. Or maybe it's something else, but I think that while everyone likes to be complimented, I get giddy over it. Because I answered the phone today and had the following conversation with a different customer,

Me: This is Heather.

Customer: You're back?

Me: (A little confused, because I'm unaware I left.) Ya.

C: What is it, 5 years now?

Me: (Starting to understand) Something like that

C: Well, I have to say, I'm glad to hear it. I love talking to you.

Me: Um...Thanks!

C: No, thank you. Ever since you started working there, I've had excellent customer service. You should tell your boss.

Well, maybe I will do that--it is about time for a Christmas bonus, right? Thank you customer.

Dear boss

In case you are unaware, I am wonderful.

Love,

Me

PS-I like money.

LA Auto Show

I dont know why, but for whatever reason I never finished this Post. And I dont have time to do so now....so I thought I'd just put it up in all it's incomplete glory. Enjoy!

Look at that hot bike! It's, like, $16,000 hot. ...Ya, I'm not actually much of a biker-girl, but I'm also not much of a picture taker, so this was the only decent shot I remembered to take....and by "I" I mean "Chris." ;-) But, hey, I think I look pretty good up there.

I don't really know why I was so excited to see that the auto show was here. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not much of a car person.

Guess where I was!

My phone's camera is starting to look fuzzy, maybe it's time for a new phone...the buttons not working wasn't enough of an indication, but maybe this will encourage me to get a new phone...probably not... but see if you can figure out where I was!!!

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow.

I wanna go to the LA Auto Show!!! It's going on now. If you are stalking me, you should know that I plan on being there at some point between now and when it ends. I'll be picking out my next car-->So far it's the Infiniti G37 Convertible:

False Reality

In movies there is always a"perfect" guy who is confidant and evasive. There is also the "normal" (and quirky) girl who does her best to scrape by. But in the end all her struggling to do what she believes is right pays off as he slowly approaches her (usually during an awkward, rambling speech) and confuses her with a surprising kiss. I have to admit that I'm a little mad at movies because of that. I really am an average girl. There is nothing particularly extravagant about me. And I know that I will end up with an average guy, the one who will match me perfectly, because I know that if I ended up with the "perfect" guy I'd feel constantly inadequate and judged. ...but I cant help but fall directly into the trap these writers place before me as I picture myself walking down the street on a "normal day" and a gorgeous guy (who I've had my eye on for a while) finally notices me--that's when I remember that my life is not a movie, and movies are nothing more than wishful lies.

They say there is truth in every lie. And sometimes I do wonder if these kinds of stories happen in real life....and while it's sometimes fun to imagine, I've never really hoped it would happen to me, because the movies never show the "happily ever after" part. That's the important part to me. The daily changes they must both go through. The class and sophistication she brings out in him; the things he opens her eyes to. ...the way they merge and meet in the middle...and even though it's hard, and they both make mistakes, they make them together.

I guess I lied before--I should have said I never used to hope it would happen to me. Right now I'm hoping for it. Maybe I'm just looking to escape a few things, or maybe I'm looking to fill the void soon to be left in me, or maybe it's how much I've loved that my focus has been on something other than my own life lately...and I'm afraid to be alone. here. again. I tried filling it with something superficial, but that didn't do it.

I know I need to move on with my life. I know that some changes must be made. But I don't want to face them alone. I want someone to be there by my side, holding my hand. But the best friend moved away and began the life I'm envious of. and she was so perfect for me she's hard to replace. the only other person I've began to lean on will soon be gone too.

I know I need to step up my life. Put on my game face. Go out and conquer.

I just need some help taking the first step.

...a push anyone?

Guess Where I Was!

Ok, so I know I said I'd make it things that are easy to recognize and in the local area...but I was so excited to even see this place (I have a friend working on a way to get inside!!!) I can give you hints on it if you need. ;-)
PS--This picture was taken on my cell phone, so I'm sorry that it's not very good...

6th of 6

I was tagged a while ago, but since I really only use the Internet at work, and on my work computer I only have 1 picture file, I couldn't do this one...well, today I had a test in my last class and got out early...so, now I'm sitting at institute being antisocial and playing on MY computer, so I thought I'd finally be able to find my 6th file and I'm hoping it has at least 6 pictures in it--and it does!!! So, here is the 6th picture in my 6th picture file:
It's from my sister's bridal shower. Doesn't it look yummy?

Uninspired

You've probably noticed that I haven't really posted anything lately...And I'm not really sure why. Obviously it is a lack of inspiration, but there are other things lacking too. ...I just wish I could figure out what. Maybe it's motivation. I really don't want to do anything lately. I know that there are somethings I should do, and some that I need to do, and sometimes I can force myself to do them for those reasons alone, but my blog is an extra. It's not vital that I keep it up to date, and I know that if I forced myself to do it, it really wouldn't be that interesting, so what's the point?
Could it be the result of excess stress? I was talking to a friend about some memory issues I've been having, and he asked if I have been stressed out lately. And do you want to know my answer? Something along the lines of: "How do you know you're stressed out?" I honestly don't know. Because I'm not really good at stress. And maybe that's a sign that there is seriously something wrong with me, but for the most part, I am pretty emotionally even. It is easier to let things roll off you, and not worry about them. It is easier to be happy than to be sad. Is that just me refusing to feel? Am I avoiding my problems?
...I guess more than "my" problems right now it would be the problems of others...Well, of one in particular. Something I can't fix. And I have always thought "why stress about something you can't change?" but now I think I understand. People fear the unknown. Because you don't know what's going to happen, and you want to do all you can to make sure everything will be okay. But you know that it's out of your hands. And if it were my problem I might be able to accept that...but since it belongs to someone else I feel this need to help. And I've never been good at that. Well, I'm pretty good at helping if you give me a job. I guess it's the coming up with ideas on how to help...or maybe it's the comforting that I'm not so good at--sitting idle and not knowing what to do or say. Because you don't want to bring up the bad situation, but you don't want to ignore it either. If it were my problem I'd just run away, and focus on other things. Pretend everything was okay. But how do you do that to someone else without coming off heartless and cold? How can you be supportive while also being evasive?

*I really haven't taken a vacation in a while, and anyone who really knows me, knows how vital vacations are to my health. So maybe I should just do that--just take a weekend road trip, or even a day trip. But where would I go, and with what money?

Yes on Prop 8

Because I am not eloquent, I have delayed this entry. I will vote yes on prop 8 with all my heart. Family is something I firmly believe in. And a family is a mother, a father, and children. I understand that there are exceptions to every rule, and unfortunately sometimes parents get divorced, or pass away, or many other things...and then you have to do the best you can with what you have. But that doesn't mean people should seek to create these incomplete families. A couple can be selfish and do whatever they want, but as soon as a child is involved, it has to be about what is best for the child. One document that offers great insight into what a family is, was written in 1995 and distributed to the world. It is called "The Family: A Proclamation to the World." And don't feel like you have to look at all these, but there are many other resources which offer explanations about what marriage is/isn't; what exactly Prop. 8 is; what it means to CA residents; and some predictions on possible outcomes.
I hope you understand that this is not a homophobic act. This is not "anti-gay." This is not about discriminating against homosexuals. Homosexual couples will maintain the same rights they have now. This is about freedom of religion, because religious institutions should not be expected to adapt their beliefs to meet the demands of government. This is about protecting democracy and showing that when we vote for something, we expect our vote to matter, and not be over turned by 4 individuals who think they know better than we do.
But mostly, this is about protecting the family. That's why I'm voting yes on prop. 8. Everything else is just a happy bonus.

Word

I stumbled across this while roaming around the blog world (the funny thing is that I've actually met them! And I was looking at the pictures thinking "I've been there!"):

For attractive lips ,
speak words of kindness...
For lovely eyes ,
seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure ,
share your food
with the hungry.
For beautiful hair ,
let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise ,
walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone...
People, even more than things, have to be restored,
renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed;
never throw out anyone.

~Audrey Hepburn

Now, I didn't do any research to find out if she really said that or not, but I really like it! She is pretty much my hero. For a long time now I've noticed a lack in my life. I've felt "unattractive." Unattractive in the internal way. And I am a firm believer that inner beauty can shine outwardly. IE once you get to know someone, they get "cuter." Personality counts for a lot. And I don't think I ever thought about this, but Actions count for even more. I'm going to have to pay attention to this and see if I can improve myself through any of these methods.

RTFIMO (Random Things Found In My Office)

I've probably told you about how random my job is. In case you didn't believe me, I decided to take a few pictures of the random things I have all around me.

The Pixy's benches. They are only about a foot tall, so if you're little friends need a place to sit down, send them my way:

Yes, that's a full drum set. (Shouldn't every serious office have one?):

The weird black and white thing...I'm honestly not sure what it's purpose it...I can only assume it is a photography back drop of some kind. But I'm always tempted to encourage people to climb on in and put on a shadow show for me:

And my personal favorite--the air gun, in case you need to blow papers off your co-worker's desk, without him knowing it was you:

Shoot!

I went shooting again. This time with a hand gun. It was huge! I guess I did pretty well on my second* target: I hit the paper on all 5 shots, and two were in the red. That's right folks--don't mess with me!** But I must admit, it's not as bad as I thought it would be. My arms are a little sore still, but that's because it was a big gun. I'm told that with something smaller it shouldn't be as bad.

And for those of you who are interested, I believe a group is going shooting (probably skeet) on 11 October, so just let me know, and I'll get you the information.

*The first paper was shared with a pro, so I'm not sure where I hit it...
**If I have a gun in my hand...but chances are I wont, so you are safe. Unless you are creepy, in which case you should always assume I am armed (even though I'm not).

PS-You can't really see it, but the gun is right below the target...you know, the black thing on the black tray...ya, I can understand why you didn't even notice it at first...If I was smart, I would have put them on the white paper so they'd stand out...but I didnt...

I Do?

-My good friend Liz posted an interesting blog today...And it's something I actually think about often. "Would You Marry You?" Me? Probably not, actually. For one thing, I've long been grateful that I am a girl, so that I don't have to deal with being married to a girl. Additionally, I don't think I'm such a great catch. I know people love me, and I know I'm fun or whatever, but that's all a facade. I've spent my life pretending to be a great person. I really am very good at it.

And I think that's exactly why I wouldn't want to marry myself: Because I know my personality wouldn't really get along with itself. For example: I really only do what's expected of me. And I hate having to tell people what they need to do. So, I'd get really annoyed with myself for something I'm neglecting to do, but because I don't want to be a nag, instead of telling myself to do it, I'd just let the frustration brew up inside myself.

Also, I'm very good at pushing people away; I am not good at talking about important issues; I am more of a mirror than a painting; I never cook anymore; I don't really enjoy cleaning; I am against "working out"; I have no follow through; there is no creativity in me; I'd rather put money in a savings account than spend it (you may think this is a good thing, and sometimes it is, but sometimes you just want to buy something without feeling guilty); I'm incredibly naive/inexperienced/ignorant; I'm not good at sitting still--and that's just to list a few.

Would I marry me? No, I wouldn't. But I'm still hoping that some day someone else will! And the things that I can change, I'm trying. I've even gone to the gym recently!<--just to show how much effort and sacrifice I'm putting in to it!

you're my number 1

My sister and I wanted to watch a movie last night, so we turned on the TV and this is what we saw:

We were trying so hard to figure out what was going on, but we couldn't rewind it...so I ran to the computer to see if it was there--AND IT WAS!!!

100 mostly uninteresting things about me

I loved reading the Magic 100th blogs, so I thought I'd try one too. In preparing to write mine, I went back to check some others: Rachel, Liz, Amanda, Laura, Lizl...I think that's all of them... So, anyway, here are 100 very random, and mostly uninteresting tidbits about me:

1. I have a desk job
2. And by "desk" I mean I sit at one all day
3. But I don't really have a lot to do
4. So I mostly just pretend to be busy.
5. I totally blog stalk people
6. And it's often people I don't know.
7. I LOVE origami
8. I'm not really good at it, but I do it anyway.
9. The first thing I learned how to make was a ball
10. My elementary school friend taught me
11. At church.
12. Then in 7th grade I learned how to make a samurai
13. My English teacher taught the class when we were reading a book about a samurai
14. ...I don't remember which one...
15. Right now I'm working on a bouquet of flowers
16. For my desk at work.
17. It started while I was at school last week
18. One of my teachers had an origami bouquet on her desk
19. So I was trying to figure out how to make the flowers
20. While she was lecturing.
21. I have the attention span of a toddler.
22. Ooh--What's that? ...
23. ...Where was I?...
24. Oh ya--Attention spans
25. My memory is bad, too.
26. I honestly think there's something wrong with me
27. Sometimes I can't remember words
28. On Sunday, I seriously spent 3 minutes trying to think of "Millennium"
29. Last week I couldn't say "wet weather"
30. I still have to think really hard to say it.
31. And my spelling is worse.
32. I love spell check.
33. I can't wait till it moves past correcting the spelling, to knowing the intended word
34. Like distinguishing between there/their/they're.
35. My family has a board where we mark our height on our birthdays
36. At the top it says "See how we've groan"
37. I still don't know if that was intentional.
38. I'm the shortest in my family
39. They always called me the runt
40. I haven't made a new line since I was 14.
41. The highest mark on the board is my uncle Jon.
42. I am really lazy
43. If I could, I'd just sit around all day.
44. I love the beach.
45. It's probably because no one expects you to do anything there
46. Thereby allowing me to be lazy.
47. I ask a lot of questions
48. "Are you still reading this?"
49. "Why?"
50. I ask questions so I don't have to think.
51. See, I told you I'm lazy.
52. I love when I have a crush on someone
53. It makes life more exciting and interesting
54. But I don't really know what to do about it
55. So I just do nothing--It's easier
56. I'd probably forget about it soon anyway.
57. I'm not very good at sitting around
58. I'm sure you already know that
59. It's why you never see me.
60. It's a recent development
61. But I don't know where it came from
62. Because lazy people usually love doing nothing.
63. There are very few people I sit down with.
64. I usually only watch 1 or 2 TV shows a week
65. (Not counting the GSN I watch with my grandma).
66. I almost never watch TV with other people
67. It goes back to my lack of ability to sit around
68. There is only 1 person I've watched aimless TV with this month
69. And I thought I was going to defenestrate myself.
70. (That's one of my favorite words
71. But I've never used it about myself
72. And I'm not sure that's correct usage.)
73. But I had no excuse to leave
74. Except: "I hate TV and right now I hate you."
75. And I don't really like to tell people I hate them
76. So I stayed
77. And took a nap.
78. Nap time is the highlight of my day
79. I wish I could take a nap everyday.
80. Why'd they take that out of school?
81. It makes me sad when I think about all the things kids are missing.
82. What "expert" decided it was a good idea to get rid of recess?
83. Why don't more parents teach their children respect/consideration?
84. I don't have a bucket list
85. If I did it would say: Do everything
86. It would probably be underlined three times.
87. I have lots of irrational fears
88. Or maybe it's better classified as paranoia
89. I don't usually tell people about it because I don't want them to be like me.
90. When people ask, I say I'm afraid of failure
91. (Which I really am!).
92. My biggest regret is my lack of experience
93. I missed out on too much in my life
94. Which is why I'm so willing to do just about anything now
95. Even hold a gun.
96. I'm told this would be the perfect one for me.
97. I don't want a gun in my house.
98. Unless it's a marshmallow shooter
99. I have 2 Marshmallow Shooters in my trunk
100. Just in case I feel the sudden need to have a "gun" fight.

Dear Person,

I don't know who you are. But I do know what you did. And I have to tell you: it sucks.
Love,
Me (The girl who stepped in your gum. You know, the gum you spit out in the parking lot. Right between 2 parking spots. Pretty much exactly where someone would have to step when getting out of their car. My shoes and my car thank you.)

Guess Where I Was!

Okay, this one might be a little more difficult, but It's one of my favorite places, so you might know it. And I promise that it's not that far away.

From Guess where I was

Emailed Panda

He may not look like much, but I'm pretty proud of my Panda!

It was a quiet day at work, so I made a panda out of printer paper...Obviously it should be done using origami paper that is black on one side, and white on the other, but oddly enough I don't keep that at my desk, so I just grabbed my trusty Sharpie!

In other news: I am quite proud of myself because I posted this via e-mail, so I hope it turns out.

Guess Where I Was!

Jelly

I'm always amazed by myself. And that's not to say that I'm amazing, or impressive. Just that I surprise myself. I mean, I should be an expert on myself by now. But I am often awakened to a new understanding. And maybe it's just because I took the summer off school, but my brain has seriously regressed. I forget words all the time; I forget things that I was supposed to do; I ask the same question repeatedly, knowing that I've already asked, or at least wanted to ask, but unable to remember any response; I have little to no attention span; even less patience...I'm sure the list goes on, but I can't think of anything else...
Having the summer off has allowed me to slow down a little. I still had to work, and didn't really have any "free time" but I was able to take a little more time to do things, which I appreciate. (I am a pretty slow person.) It also allowed me to strengthen/renew some friendships which I'd allowed to decay.
And for the first time in my life I felt confidant in what I was doing. This may come as a shock to some of you (because I do my best to hide it...but then again, maybe I'm not as good at hiding it, and you are already aware), but I have a ton of insecurities and phobias. I've had them my whole life, so like a good friend, I'm used to having them around. They often help to protect me from the world. But in the recent years, I decided that I'd be a more interesting person if I got over all the things that stop me from doing things. All kids should have a memory of climbing a tree, right? I don't think I ever did, because I was afraid of falling out and hurting myself. And what good did it do me? It may have saved me from the temporary pain a broken arm, but it also "saved" me from the experience, and a story to share. It cut me off from humanity, because I turned myself into an emotionless machine.
For whatever reason (and I have some theories), this summer has been a time free from my own insecurities. I did what I wanted without thinking too hard about what other people would think of me, or what could go wrong, or how I should protect myself from pain or failure. And it was great! I didn't necessarily overcome any huge fears, but I did face them. And I gotta say, I kinda enjoyed doing it.
I'll be honest here: I'm not entirely sure why I'm writing this, or what my point is. I just love reading up on your lives, and I felt like I should post something a little more personal than my usual blunderings of randomness I encountered throughout the Internet. And I'm not really good at telling stories about myself because I've never really had any. And there's really nothing new with me to share. ...But I promise to tell you about something I did last week--something I never thought I'd do. I actually already wrote my post about it, but I'm waiting for the pictures to be sent to me so I can include one...You're probably gonna want to see a picture of this.

"I'm huntin' wrabbits."

Did you ever think you'd see me holding a gun? Me neither. But I went skeet shooting, and I actually hit something! I'm totally impressed! Some friends and I took a trip to Prado (the site of the 1984 Olympic shooting events). I am totally afraid of guns, but I'm trying to be brave, so I did it anyway. And the funny part is that I was fine while I was shooting because I was surrounded by professionals, and people were willing to figuratively hold my hand through the experience. But after I started feeling a little shaky. And as I was driving home, I kinda had a mini panic attack. I had to keep reminding myself to breath...kinda funny, I know. But it's one step at a time right? We're gonna go again, so let me know if you're interested!

*I was waiting for a friend to send me the pictures he took of me, but he's been busy (which I can totally understand), so I'm just gonna post this, and if I do get some pictures, I'll r-post it or link to it later, or something...

Ready for a change

Ok--you all get to help me make a decision, aren't you excited? I think I will soon be ready to change my hair style. How should I get it cut? Taking into account my round face, I want you to find some pictures of styles. You can email them to me at shrugsnkisses@gmail.com, and then I will post them in a few weeks for everyone to see and vote. I already have one or two styles in mind, but I'd love to see some other options!

P, A, R, T, Y? Because I wanna.

I've decided to throw myself a last minute party. Friday, My place, 7 pm., Churrasco (Brazilian BBQ). Come if you can and want to, if not--no worries, cuz I'll give you a little more notice for something later in the month (I'm not really sure what). I've decided it's a whole month of joy! :-) Invite anyone you want.

Guess Where I Was!

 

Persid

If you get a chance, you should read up on this, then take some time at night to look up. Prime shower gazing time is early Tuesday morning, but you should see something if you have patience.

What have I done? What have you done?

I got this from a Blog I stalk. You are supposed to put the things you have done in bold. And at first I thought it was too long to read, but then I found myself wanting to bold the things I've done...So, you don't have to care what I've done, but you might consider checking how much you've done. Here goes:

200 Have and Have-not's
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath/Shower
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day (does it count if I was sick?)
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child (Does it count that it was in a play?)
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one (Does mini-golf count?)
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Learned to hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hotel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Commented on a friend's blog today.

Wow--I've done a lot of stuff, and I found a few things that I think I will do soon.

Austen Heroine

Thanks to encouragement from buried in the book, I've officially started reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I'm a little nervous because I hear it's a hard read, and I'm very simple minded. I'm also a very slow reader, so over 300 pages of intelligent writing in only one month is intimidating...but at least I'm trying to be educated, right? That must count for something. Anyways, in honor of this great accomplishment,* I took this quiz and found out that:

Take the Quiz here!

*Can I call reading the first page an accomplishment?

Left Out of the Dance Festival

Who else felt that? I think the Earth just did a little shimmy-was either a 5.6 or 5.8, pretty big! And not too far from home; about 2 Miles SW of Chino Hills. I was just sitting here at work talking to my coworkers about who knows what, and then we felt some movement, and we all just stayed right where we were and rode it out. Kinda funny to just stand around durring an earthquake, but I guess that's what you get used to in CA-waiting. We just waited to see if it would get worse. It was a fairly mild quake, mostly just rolling, rather than the more damaging jults that are usually shown in movies. If you're worried about quakes, you can check out these safety tips. Aftershocks have been pretty active, but so far I've only felt one. Wondering about quakes in your area? It's not hard to find recent quakes of the World, and Seismic activity for CA & NV: They are both updated regularly.

UPDATE: both of the linked sites above have lowered it to a 5.4

Dear CAS Department,

Do you hate me? I've tried to give you the benefit of the doubt in the past. I thought that maybe you were just really busy; or maybe it was my own lack of desire to meet with you that caused our lack of communication....But this is getting ridiculous. Do I really have to make contact with you before I register EVERY semester? I thought that meeting with a councilor and explaining to her that the Psych 351 class I took met the requirement for your CAS 101 class because it used the same textbook, and it's an upper level course, so it is harder. (Why do you hate the Psych department? This is not the only time you discouraged their classes. Remember last semester when I had to take both your version, and the Psych version of the same class? Remember what it was called? "Research methods in Psychology." In Psychology. Why wouldn't count the Psychology version of this class? I mean, the Psychology Department should be the experts in psychology, right? Just saying.) Anyway, so now, once again, I was trying to register last week and got the dreaded message: " Unable to add this class - requisites have not been met." Okay, I can accept that. Technically it has not been met. So I shoot an email off to my councilor and ask her to once again make a note on my records that this has been met...but she replied that she's out of the office and that I should contact the other councilor...(Okay, everyone deserves a vacation--especially during the summer.)...And when I call the other councilor, I always end up at voice mail. And I've already left a few messages. So I try email, but get no reply. Did the whole department go on vacation? (Maybe next semester you can try to take your vacations before or after registration.) Or are you all just really bad at responding to calls and emails? (New Department Policy: Reply to all emails and voice mails before you go home at the end of the day. Okay, I'd even give you like 3 days to reply. I'm not unreasonable--I know how busy things can get.) Because while I'm trying to track someone down to click a few buttons on their computer, all the classes I wanted to add are filling up. Quickly. And since I work full time, I really don't have many classes available to me. And since you guys are anal retentive about your courses being taken in order, this delay will add yet another semester to my academic career. I've already been in college for 10 years. And it's still gonna take me at least 5 to finish my masters. Please don't prolong it any more--I'm about to run out of money! (Is that what this is about? The money? Because you just raised tuition by 10%, and you're charging me over $300 in fees. You're already raping my bank account, but I might be willing to throw more your way if it meant I could register without having to go through this torture every time!) Seriously. Please let me register. I'm not asking for much here, and I really do stay out of your hair the rest of the time, don't I? Have I done something to offend you? Because I'm sorry--I really am.
Waiting (somewhat) patiently,
Heather

My Desk Got A Little Brighter

Look what I just got while I was at work:

So CUTE!!! And, they'll be there all week long. :-)

I'm a Princess

You Are Aurora! (A.K.A. Sleeping Beauty)

Thoughtful and loving. Authority figures probably have been sheltering you all of your life. Thankfully you're a very tranquil person who is content with what life has given you, but secretly you want to know how the outside world works.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Just trying to forget

Tonight I received some information I don't really know how to take. So instead of processing it, I'm avoiding it...because maybe then it won't be true. It's how I've dealt with other news too, but I've never received news this huge before. And I don't know how to distract myself this time. And I know that when I said "I'm not crying..." You could see right through my lies, to the tears that were waiting to fall. And I know that all night, and all day tomorrow they will be lurking behind my eyes, waiting to jump out the moment I'm alone...or as soon as I run out of thoughts to distract myself with....And who do I talk to when it's not my story to tell? And the only one who knows is the one I should put a brave face on for? Where do you find comfort?

...Religion. It's my faith will have to get me through this. It is hope that will comfort a friend in need. It is knowledge that brings action. and that's what I need to trust in.

Would you do this?

Top Speed, No Tickets By Greg Brown of MSN autos

According to this article, there is a company called Supercar Life, which will allow you to ride in the 5 cars shown above (Aston Martin DB9, Porsche 911 Turbo, Mercedes CLK63 AMG Black Series, Lamborghini Gallardo and Ferrari F430) for just under $5,000. This price includes the professional training and high speed driving personalized to meet your comfort level, along with "a fully catered breakfast and lunch, a cocktail reception the night before the event, a photo of you and your favorite car, an in-car DVD of you driving each car, a gift bag with Supercar Life gear, and a glass of champagne to share with your fellow drivers at the end of the day." (I got a kick out of the last sentence: "The gallons of fuel you burn over the course of your many laps are free." Dear Mr. Brown, Free? I don't think so. I think the gas is part of the $5000 price tag. But nice try. Love, Heather)

So, here's the question(s): Would you do this? Is your need for speed worth $5000? Do you think this is a bargain? And, how much is their insurance?!?

Enjoy

Who needs an excuse for ice cream? I'm a Big Fan of it, and completely willing to eat it for no reason, but some people think they need a reason to celebrate, so here it is: the month of July is National Ice Cream Month! Go out and have a scoop today! If you want someone to go with you, I can always make time for Ice Cream!

Feeling the Itch

I think I need a trip to Mexico. I've never heard of this before and it's almost scary, considering my need to plug my nose when under water, but I kinda want a Janzu Water Massage!

Recaptured Joy

I remembered something I didn't know I'd forgotten. It's this bitter-sweet feeling I used to get when reading a really great book, and towards the end I'm torn between wanting to read faster so I know what happens, and wanting to put the book down because I don't want the experience to end. It doesn't come with just any book. I read most of the Nancy Drew and Baby-Sitters Club series, (and I loved them) but that feeling was never there, because there was always another book I could read, so I didn't lose the characters/author's style/whatever it is that attracted me. And then school came and I had to read, not to to enjoy and experience, but to write papers, and to figure out what teachers would ask about. It was always about finishing it faster, and skimming for facts. But now there's time to enjoy reading. I'm thrilled by that feeling. That joy to just sit. The desire to stay up past my bed time, even though I have to get up early then next morning, and knowing it's going to be worth it. I'm still not entirely sure what exactly it is that gives books that magic ability to pull on my heart. And maybe I'm not describing it quite right, I never have been very good at expressing myself...but just sitting here and remembering it makes my heart swell a little. I can't wait to feel it again.

How I get Myself in Trouble

How do I get myself in trouble? By running my mouth. By saying more than I should have. By betraying confidences. By letting secrets slip out, because I don't know how to lie. Long as I can remember I've been bad at telling lies. I've always been okay with that fact, because lying is bad, right? Well, today I can understand it's use. Today I hurt a friend. I wish I felt okay with telling partial truths to you, or maybe if I could sugar coat the truth so it's easier to digest. I wish I could have held back the whole truth until you were ready to accept it, or maybe 'till the situation changed--because I know it will. But the question came, and in my surprise words come pouring out because the silence would have spoken louder than the awfulness of the worst truth. Why did you have to ask that question? Why that way? Because when the answer should be an easy yes or no, there is no way make it a kinda or maybe. But how do I explain that to you?
Actually, I guess it's not just my lack of lying ability that kills me, because I wouldn't really want to lie to a friend, but when you add that to the fact that every day my English gets worse, the result is me in a bad situation. To you who I've hurt: I apologize. I don't think I expressed myself well. Because I forgot to say the word "alone" which might change everything (or maybe it'll just make it all worse). I didn't know how to explain the context, and there wasn't time to go through the history.
Maybe if I'd been able to process what sounded like an easy question, I could have come up with something more fitting; something more beneficial for you...But in ignorance I expected you to take on a whole new mound of problems that are all due to my own inadequacies, and in reality reflect nothing on you (except maybe your poor choice in counting me among your friends). I hope you can understand how bad I am at expression, and how it is worse when I try to express thoughts of someone else.
...Maybe you don't even think about that answer (although by the look on your face I know it crushed you, as you tried to hide it), and it is something you've already forgotten about. Or maybe it has inspired you to investigate the situation...but I know that if it was me, I'd cry. I'd be crying harder than I am now because it wasn't fair. And it wasn't true. You make jokes about it now, but I know that jokes are rooted in true feelings.
To you who I love and will always want to protect I am sorry. I hope you can forgive me. I hope you know how my heart is breaking right now at the thought of the pain I might have caused you, and at the reputation I might have marred.

Talent to Show

Ever since last year's talent show, (in which I was forced to stand for an impromptu recitation of Dane Cook's "Car Alarm Song") I've been searching for a new talent--a performance talent. Well, I've always been enamored of people with artistic ability, and I've seen this particular talent performed in places like street fairs and Vegas, so when I stumbled upon these videos today, I decided I'm gonna have to give it a try. I really have loved spray paint since I was a kid and we used to play with it in my friend's backyard: we'd spray it onto a bucket of water, and then use a stick to swirl it around until we had a huge paint ball at the end of the stick...I'm not really sure why I liked doing that, but it was fun! ...Okay, so maybe it was the paint fumes...either way...
This is the first video I saw, and I have to admit that when he started, I was a little confused as to how this mess of color was considered art, but when you see the end result--It's amazing:

Super Sprayer - The funniest videos clips are here


This is a quick, one minute picture, for those of you who are short on time:



This is my favorite (I'm a beach nut):


...Now, If I could just convince my parents to let me use their spray paint again...

Laurapalooza

Look at us, drawing knives. :-) We had so much fun at Laurapalooza! ...Unfortunately I was so involved in the particitating aspect of the day, I neglected to take many pictures. I think there are a grand total of 4, and this was the best one. I was sad to realize no one had hats on! But asside from that shocking disappointment, it was such a fun day! I loved running around the grocery store with my cheif's cap on--It was so funny when that man offered to be a judge. What was everyone else's favorite moment?

NKOTB

You seen this yet?

How do I get that job?

I think most of my friends would be really good at this. Well, there are actually 2 parts to this site Originally the creators were just using google Earth to find arial views of cool stuff, then they added the Street View Camera.<--That's what I want to do. Just go around doing the things we want to do anyway. What a great job! I mean, I guess reviewing all the pictures/videos might be time consuming and tedious, but remember, it is a job. It's not supposed to be all fun and games--at least that's what people say. And just think of all the cool stuff you'd see! I think it would be a blast!

Living Art

I've always wanted to attend the Pageant of the Masters. I think this will be the year. Anyone want to come with? I'm thinking about doing the early July special: so it's buy one, get one free for 9-18 July. The show starts at 8:30pm, but I think I'll make a day out of it.

Happy National Doughnut Day!

Who else needs a holiday today? When I first heard about National Doughnut Day (NDD) I thought it was a silly excuse to get us into the corner do-nut shop, but it's a lot more important than that. NDD started in 1938 as a fundraiser, and is now commemorated in honor of the "Salvation Army lassies." They were among the few women allowed near the front lines during WW1 and provided home cooked meals.

You can get a free doughnut from Krispy Kreme today. If there isn't a KK near you, this site ends with a few interesting recipes or, if you prefer to be authentic, you can use the original Salvation Army's Recipe. This original recipe was first served in 1917, so you know it's gotta be good.

My favorite doughnuts are the chocolate covered twisted bars; what's yours?

*Image from http://www.nativitylutheran.net/doughnut.html

After Happily-Ever-After

Guess where I was!

Today's picture is one you might recognize, because it's been on my blog before, but let's see if anyone can figure out where exactly it is.

The Courage of Children

Sometimes I look back on my life and think about what a waste of time it was for me to be so shy for so long. What good did it do me? It's not like it got me out of any work, it just made those assignments more painful. Instead of working extra hard on a project, I'd just spend that energy dreading the presentation. I eventually grew out of it (mostly), so if I was gonna get over it anyway, why did I waste my time fighting it?

Yesterday, my nephews showed me what I missed out on as a child. We went to our local cemetery's Memorial Day Ceremony, and I let one of my nephews use my camera to take pictures. What kids don't love using real cameras? This one took and amazing picture of my niece. It is SO cute!!! But that's a topic for another blog. This is about the things they do in their day to day life that I'd never do. While we walked up and stood in the back, my nephew took my camera and walked right up to the front row of seats. He just sat there in the middle of a row of old men. It was adorable to see. (too bad he had my camera so I couldn't get a picture!) Then a few minutes later, he'd disappeared. We scanned the crowd looking for this little man, a little concerned, but knowing that he's been raised to hold his own if someone were to mess with him. Eventually we found him--standing past the line of spectators, with a real photographer. I thought for a moment of sending one of the other kids to bring him back behind the invisible line and in to spectator land, but thought against it. That photographer almost tripped over him as he sat on the floor, but instead simply patted my nephew's head and continued looking for his photo-op.

A few minutes later, another nephew (older brother to the above mentioned nephew) approached me and asked if my phone had a camera on it. It does, so he took it and ran away. I watched as he ran straight to the gun line who were hiding behind a van, awaiting their turn to participate in the shows 21 gun salute. All I could see were their feet as my nephew disappeared behind the van. The feet I'd seen clumped together and the casually waited, soon formed a line as they stood at attention and posed for my nephew's camera. Unfortunately, my phone doesn't automatically save pictures (it just prompts you to press the "save" or "erase" button) and the flip phone was flipped closed before the picture was saved.

I'm amazed that these children were uninhibited in their lives enough to see something they wanted and, respectfully, get it. I'm amazed that these people so willingly allowed the children to not only be involved in their day, but even altered their activities though to include them. Children truly do have a magic power, and when raised well, they can do anything.

Five Things I’m not good at:

Inspired by Liz, I decided to share my 5 things list. I'll warn you now that in my quest to be perfect, I am usually pretty good at hiding these things...so I might have to go into hiding after posting this

1-Writing. I'm bad at this in every sense of the word. I'm bad at writing in general, my stories/essays/blog posts/journal entries generally end up being a random, unorganized stream of consciousness usually irrelevant to life and all things interesting; I'm bad at writing in the sense that spelling and everything grammatical are beyond me; I'm bad at writing to people, and even if i do, there's no guarantee that the letter would make it to the mail; and I'm bad at physically writing, my chicken scratch is hard to read and is usually situated on some imaginary curvy wave instead of a line.

2-Messages. As with Liz, I feel completely flustered and totally self conscious when leaving messages. I forget who I called, or why I called, or what my name is, etc. I would much rather just try calling back later...except that with caller ID you'd know that I called you every 10 minutes until you finally answered. (Oh, the simple days). Maybe this is some how related to #1 and the problem lies in my lack of coherent thought processes. Or maybe it's my lacking ability to describe/explain things.

3-Dreaming. I think this is because of my inability to remember my dreams when wake up in the morning, or maybe it's my fear of failure. Why dream of living in a mansion with a beach view and a personal assistant when I know that the closest I could ever come to that is being the personal assistant to someone who lives in a beach side mansion? ...and even that is probably not going to happen...Easier to just accept the life I have and try to maintain it.

4-Confrontation. I hate it. It's much easier for me to suffer through a bad situation than to open the can of worms that would be my attempt at resolving the issue. If there is something I do that annoys you, I expect you to tell me, because I can fix it. I can at least avoid doing it in front of you. And that's why I often want to tell people about things like that. "Hey, could you please not eat your fish near me?" or "You know how I hate being scared, right? ...so why did you just jump out at me?" or "Could you please, please, please, pretty-please, just clean up after yourself and not leave dirty dishes everywhere, and trash on my desk? Please?"...but when I've done that in the past, most people make a big deal about it and get offended and complicate my life. I don't care that you eat fish, scare people, or leave crap everywhere...as long as it isn't in my personal space. I really think I'm easy to get along with...but in these situations it would have been easier if I had just focused on keeping my mouth closed, and then everyone can be happy after.

5-Keeping my room clean. I can keep a house clean, and I hate dirt...but my bedroom usually ends up being the dumping ground for all the stuff I still need to do/finish/think about. When I lived with my BFF in our little basement apartment, I was really good about being tidy...although this may be simply because she is OCD about organization (which I love about her). And when I was in Brazil, I was really neat because, well, when you only have 2 suitcases worth of stuff it's really easy to put your 25 possessions away because 20 of them are books that sit nicely in a pile on your desk. ...Right now I like to use the "I don't have time" excuse, but who knows--maybe I am just a slob.

So...Are we still friends?

Guess where I was!

I've decided that everyone else has a series-blog, and I want one too. This will not be on a set schedule, it will be whenever I feel like I haven't posted anything in a while and know that I really should. As I've explained before, I like taking random pictures of things we see every day, but in a different way. So, I end up taking a lot of pictures of things that are visually pleasing to me so that I can manipulate them later...I dream of one day making one of those pictures using tons of mini-pictures, so for now I'm just stocking up on pictures. Well, now I'm going to blog pictures of random places and views, and you get to guess where I was/what the picture is of--I want to see some comments people! First picture: I know, it's a little dark, but it was taken at night on my cell phone...I only have access to a few pictures right now. I promise the next will be better.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I don't know why, but I've always loved this holiday. Probably just because it is such a part of the culture where I life, but since it's not my culture I often get strange looks. A few years ago, my friend (also not of the Hispanic culture) and I took the metro into LA to spend 5 May wondering around the shops of Olvera Street. It really was one of my favorite days what with the bright colors, great food, fantastic deals and mariachi music. If you haven't been there yet, call me and we'll plan a trip. It's fantastic!

Random, but cool

This picture caught my eye as I was surfing today. Isn't it intriguingly cute? I don't know what it is that captivated my attention, but I sure was inspired to click on it...Did you know the oldest known love song was written 4,000 years ago? Me neither--and here are a bunch of other tidbits for you.

My Elder Friend, Part 2

My Elder Friend

Tiradentes

Today is one of my favorite Brazilian holidays: Tiradentes! Translated to mean "tooth puller," Tiradentes commemorates the 1792 death of Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, a dentist turned rebel, was hung and quartered for his part in a movement towards liberating Brazil from Portugal.

Free movies?!?

I just thought this looked like fun, and it happens to start tonight! ...I probably wont be able to make it to any of the shows, but maybe some of you would like to. Just know that while the showings are free, reservations are necessary.

The poem in my pocket

This is the image I see at night,
When my head lies down and eyes close tight.
Deep into sleep I peacefully dive;
The dream I feared would never arrive.

*I don't actually have any pockets in my clothes today, so does it count if it's in the pocket of my school bag? ...would it help if I promise to read it often? Or if I shared it?

The End of Tax Season!

One of the perks of working in a tax related office is the free day we get on April 16th. The office shuts down, and everyone takes a day to relax. For me, that means a day at the beach. And as a special bonus, 2 old friends are in town, so I might take them with me. :-) And if I wasnt such a dedicated student, I'd take the day off school too. But its the one class I actually like, so I dont mind going. Today is a great day!

Book Tag

Ok, so this time it was Rebecca who tagged me. This is a different one...much easier (assuming you can count to 5):
To complete this tag you must:
1. Pick up the nearest book (at least 123 pages)
2. Turn to page 123
3.Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the 5th sentence on your blog
5.Tag 5 people

"Monseigneur, hear me!" (I was a little afraid the first sentance would go on forever, luckily I got a short one...the 4th sentence was 5 lines long!)

Amandapalooza

I know that it was a whole week ago, but I'm finally going to get my pictures from Amandapalooza up. (They've been on my web album for a while...maybe I'll add that link somewhere for anyone that's interested in spying on my pictures.)
While driving on the freeway, Katie and I found some fun. It was nice to be a passenger and therefore able to see the sights around me. (Thanks for driving Katie!) Now, I've been known to take a picture or two while driving but as a passenger I went crazy! The fun started with this one: He was right along side us pretty much the whole time we were on the 10. It was fun trying to get the pictures because when I finally realized I could take the picture, we could only see him through the windows of other cars. But Katie's a pro driver and got me close enough to get these:








That's right. It says Geezers M. C. He's hardcore and wears a mask with his leather jacket and flag helmet. Rock on Gus! (Okay, so I don't actually know his name, and I can't remember what we decided it was...Katie--A little help here.)
We kinda lost track of him when we saw this truck:
This is Benny.* This is the new truck that he bought last week to compensate for the Body Building Competition he lost at muscle beach last month. He was afraid his girlfriend would be disappointed in him so he wanted a nice ride to make up for it...but she's super shallow and dumped him anyway. Poor guy. Good thing I'm a great girlfriend. He'll find that out soon, because he's gonna fall madly in love with me as he teaches me how to surf next week.**
The next moment of excitement was probably mostly just mine. We had a few minutes to kill, so we went driving up this random street near Duke's and found this nice community with a private elementary school that has a rock wall in the play ground. A Rock wall?!? How cool is that? I've always wanted to try climbing a rock wall, and these 5 year-olds can do it everyday. That's the life. I hope Benny plans on having kids, and living in that community. ...Living that close to the beach, we could go surfing everyday. Before or after work, of course.
And of course, the reason for the journey--Amanda!!!! Doesn't she look cute in her Villa? Ya, it's not so much her's as it is the Getty's....but she's working those capri's! Oh, Amanda. California was lucky to have you, even if it was for only a few days. I'm really glad your spring break was the same week as mine was! It also worked out nicely that my road trip kinda fell through so that I could spend more time with you. I probably would have been upset if you weren't here to fill my free day!

*I decided not to try to put a real picture of his face on here, because how weird would that be: minding your own business and browsing through blogs, when suddenly you see a dark, fuzzy image of yourself! And you think "I'm being stalked!?!" It might cause years of therapy, and I'm not willing to inflict that on someone so cute.
**The names and facts have been made up. Any similarity to real life, or people you may know is completely coincidental. The author's status as a girlfriend is according to her own reports, and has yet to be confirmed. If your boyfriend is named Benny, you have nothing to worry about: this is neither a picture of him, nor a factual evaluation of his body building abilities, although, you might want to make sure you really like him, and not just his money/social standing. Just a tip. If this is a picture of your boyfriend, BEWARE--He freeway flirts, which may, or may not be an indication of real flirting and/or fidelity to you.