Jack and Karen: Coast to Coast

What did I do this weekend?

2006-10-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

My weekend has consisted of two things so far - going hiking and defrosting the apartment's A/C unit. Aren't you glad I posted a picture from the hike?

Anyone want to hire a slightly used designer?

2006-09-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

Things are getting bleek at the paper, well at least my morale is dropping quick. And oddly the Guild issues are not even bad, or not as bad as everyone is making it out to be. I got passed up for the promotion I wanted, and from what I can gather it's based on the fact that they just don't want to give it to me, cause I'll be doing the same work anyway. And people are getting moved around without being consulted, which is making for a miserable work environment cause everyone is just kind of ticked off permanently these days.

I kind of want to cry, but instead I'll go job surfing.

Breaking up the 3 musketeers

2006-09-24T14:18:00.000-07:00

It's two weeks until Julianne leaves on a jetplane to India for 6 months, and it's just starting to hit me.

Everyone has those people that constantly challenge them and make them a better person. And then those friends who they can be crazy and spontaneous with, that are constant fun. These two girls are both for me, from the "special brownies" at pride to our heavy, deep-rooted 5-hour conversations.

I can honestly say that everytime either one crosses my mind, a huge smile creeps across my face. (Which is huge considering I live with Lindsay.) :)

I'm going to miss our 3-some and our dynamic together, but know that Jules will be back to us in 6 months. (Unless she finds another crazy adventure, which is entirely possible.) Until then, at least I still have Linds.

I love you both more than you'll ever know!!!

On the way to work yesterday...

2006-09-22T16:10:00.000-07:00

I can laugh about it now. Misty and I had just gotten onto the Interstate on our way to work yesterday when we came feet away from being impaled by a flying tree limb. (Keep in mind I’m driving the new car – the one I haven’t even made a payment on yet.) Anyway, traffic is heavy as usual and we’re chatting at approximately 70 mph when, all of a sudden, the car in the lane left of us runs over a branch in the road. It bounces in our lane – right in front of the car – and flies over us. All of this happened in the span of about 3 seconds.

First thought: “What the…?”
Second thought: “That’s a big branch!”
Third thought: “Shit! It’s coming right at me and I have nowhere to go!”
Fourth thought (by the time the branch landed): “Motherf***ing log trucks!”

Go ahead and laugh. Not something that would have happened in California.

Hit me!

2006-09-19T14:56:00.000-07:00

Randomness insued in Vegas, of course. We made it through the 8 hour drive, starting at midnight. Highlights of the trip:

- Naming Nhat "Dimebag" cause he was carrying around a bag of dimes to play the slots with.
- Amanda grabbing the butts of the guys from Thunder from Down Under.
- Seeing a pimp, accompanied by his hoes, in Treasure Island. (Complete with long feather coming out of his hat.)
- Walking into the uncomfortable situation of a guy coming out to his girlfriend.
- Slots of fun. (An actual casino, where we won most of our money.)
- The evil coyote, who I almost hit around 5 in the morning in the middle of the Mojave. He stared us down in a very creepy, evil way before I swerved.

I broke even, was up $500 but lost it all. :)

I (heart) Vegas.

Besides the obvious insurance and registration...

2006-09-16T07:52:00.000-07:00

cell phone charger
CD holder for visor (w/eclectic mix of CDs)
maroon graduation tassel (for rear view mirror)
painted dog tag from Woodstock99 (also for mirror)
Road Atlas
street map of Charlotte

Coming soon:

lint brush
flashlight

VEGAS BABY!!!!

2006-09-14T18:32:00.000-07:00

Is there really anything left to say?

CAR GO ZOOM!

2006-09-09T10:36:00.000-07:00

Pictures of the new car, as promised. I'm excited. The true test... ROADTRIP! Destination: Bowling Green, Ohio. When: Oct. 13-15. Purpose: Homecoming, which will involve eating, drinking and being merry with old friends. (There will not be eating or drinking in the car, but the jury's out on being merry.)

Now accepting non-perishable food donations...

2006-09-08T19:20:00.000-07:00

‘Cause I’m going to be living off bread and water for the next several years. I bought a new car tonight. And when I say “new,” I don’t just mean new to me… I mean brand spanking new off the dealership lot. Wow. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it so I’ll fill everyone in tomorrow (and maybe post a picture or two.) It’s a little overwhelming. I… well… what I mean is... yikes!

Ay Ziggy Zoomba...

2006-08-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

I bought my plane ticket home for homecoming, bitches!!! So all you mo-fos better be showing up! I fly in on Wednesday and fly out on Sunday, cause I have an event Monday night in SF. October 11-15, baby. Hit me up if you'll be around.

In the meantime, I'm filling in for all of my bosses this week and so far, today, I've worked 12 hours. And I'm not done. Two more days! It's actually kind of fun.

The infamous other shoe...

2006-08-16T21:51:00.000-07:00

Life is kind of in limbo right now.

I'm just kind of floating through, doing my job, avoiding people, getting things in order, trying not to start anything new.

Basically, I'm kind of waiting. Waiting for some things to settle. Waiting for other things to hit the fan. And nervously waiting on two big decisions.

It's oddly a nice place to be. I've got no obligations. I've got no reason to stress. And, most importantly, I've got no drama.

(I know this is cryptic, just call me Jen. But I don't want some people who read this to know the details of some of the stuff I'm talking about.)

But I do promise pictures from the trip soon.

He's a grizzly bear of a man.

2006-08-15T06:25:00.000-07:00

Typically not my type, but I’ve reconsidered. Misty and I went to see Marc Broussard in concert on Saturday. He and his band mates put on one hell of a show. And I walked away with a little crush. Grrrrrr…

First of all, if you don’t know who he is, you will. VH1 named him a “You Oughta Know” artist, not to mention he already has quite the following. The Louisiana native – who credits his father (Boogie Kings’ guitarist Ted Broussard), Stevie Wonder, Brian McKnight and Prince as musical influences – has charisma and raw sex appeal. And that voice! The man has range – going from soul to rock to blues. When Misty asked me what I thought, the only way I could think to describe him was a grizzly bear. I swear… it’s a huge compliment! And how can you not love a man who sings barefoot on a red shag rug? I say again, “Grrrrrr…”

(The other acts that night deserve a mention too. Kudos to the The Gabe Dixon Band and Sons of William on a great job.)

Do a #2 if you have to!

2006-08-12T17:50:00.000-07:00

Don't ask. :)

Quick updates:
- Redesign is almost done, feeling really good about it, so that's good. Nick and Lisa have been an enormous help.
- After staring at the computer screen for hours, we went to Downtown for a few drinks, and randomly ran into Mary Beth's brother. And can I just say, he's even hotter than I remember. :) Sorry, MB.
- I found out today that a modest 2 bedroom house on Lake St. Claire is about the same as a 1 bedroom condo in San Jose. Sad, just sad.

BEST. DAY. EVER: Speaking of lakes, Greg, Jamie and I went out on Greg's boat today, with Jamie's friend Erin. It was awesome. So relaxing and peaceful, except when Greg was speeding across the water and doing donuts. :) I never really realized what a beautiful state Michigan is. Sigh. Spent time with the family at dinner and now back at Greg's to hang out with him, Paul and Brandy, who I haven't seen since the Vegas wedding.

I seriously don't want to come back. But mostly cause of the terror threat. :)

Why don't we have water towers in California?

2006-08-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

Oh man, having the time of my life in the Midwest! Here's a few bulleted items to hold you over:

FOOD: To make all those BG alumns jealous, here's where I've eaten so far:
- Pollyeyes (2)
- BW's (2)
- Frickers (2)
- Easystreet
- White Castle (not as good as I remember)
- Myle's

BARS: So far I've been to:
- Brathaus
- Downtown
- Uptown
- Frickers
- Greektown Casino

BG PRIDE?: Sadly, there were more cute gay men on a random Tuesday night at Uptown (which is Drag Night) in BG in the middle of the cornfields during the summer when no one is here than there ever are at Splash or the Cafe. Met 3 really cute guys, one named Phil, one that looked like the lead singer of dashboard confessionals and a Denzel Washington look-alike.

THE REDESIGN: Things are going well. Prototypes are done and approved. We just need to template and write a style book. And if I do say so myself, it looks pretty good!

Other points:
- My sister got ringworm. Who gets ringworm?!!
- Jen and I named a Goose with a broken wing, Gimpaloticus
- Met my new nephew, Camden. Soooo cute. Amanda is doing well.
- Greg, Jamie and I have been inseperable while I am in Detroit. I'm glad my "Dawson and Joey" finally got together
- Winger was sitting in his same bar stool at the Brat, 4 years later. Not sure whether that is sad or comforting
- I've realized that all the hot guys reside in the the midwest. Just saying

FUNNY STORY: Sitting at the Brat, random guy comes up to Nick, hits him in the chest, turns to Lisa and I and says "This guy has the BIGGEST cock ever!" Oddly, Lisa and I both replied "I know." Then Lisa chimes in "I'm his wife." Random guy frowns, says "Oh" and walks away. Weird.

Woo hoo! Heading out on the boat on Saturday! I'm never coming back, bitches!!!!

If that’s not it, then what the hell do I have tattooed on my ass?!?!

2006-08-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

I’ve been thinking about getting my third and final tattoo so I did some research and found out something interesting. So I always thought I had the Chinese symbols for “strength” and “determination” tattooed on my lower back. Strength (left) is a common character so no problems there, but while looking up determination I realized that’s NOT what I have. In actuality, I have the symbol for “will” (above right) – as in “of free will.” Thank God I’m OK with that. I’ll definitely pay more attention this time around.

My sissy, Kylie, and her fiancé are coming down for the weekend to visit before they go onto Myrtle Beach. I’m excited because she’s the last one from the immediate family not to have seen the new place. (Plus, I finished the dining room curtains so I want to show them off.) I’m not sure what we’ll be doing (they’re not much for preplanning), but it should be fun.

Misty’s dog, Alex, comes to me when he wants to play fetch. I know it’s petty, but HER dog would rather play with ME. Take that!

Whole body!!

2006-07-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Ran the half marathon yesterday, in 2 and half hours!!! On a bum knee! I rock! Julianne whooped me, of course, cause she's amazing. :) Literally, 5 minutes after the race I had already consumed a bottle of water, a sports drink, 2 bananas and a quesadilla. (Don't ask me why they were handing those out.) Obvisously, I didn't feel well. :)

And today, my entire body is in pain. I had to call in sick. :( Somebody go get me some food cause I can't even drive.

I'm melting!

2006-07-25T20:25:00.000-07:00

It's hotter than 210 West Hall on a sunny day in July with 90% humidity these days! (Sorry, BG News reference.) It was over 100 degrees three days in a row. I can't eat. I can't run. All I can do is drink water and energy drinks. Bud is not happy.

Next time I move, I'm getting A/C.

But, 2 days until MB gets here and I'm walking on Cloud 9!!!

Ahhhhhhhh!

2006-07-20T11:26:00.000-07:00

MB will be here in exactly a week! I'm so excited I'm going to piss myself. :)

And then the weekend after I am heading home for a week and a half. Yes, you heard me, a week and a half. Crazy! Most of that time will be spent in BG, launching the redesign. So if you in the area from August 4-14, hit me up, I'll be in the mood to see cool old friends. :)

More or Less

2006-07-11T19:10:00.000-07:00

It’s already July, and I have a few goals I’d like to meet before 2007 rolls around. In no particular order.

Spend Less
Sit Around Less
Complain Less
Eat Better
Save More
Get Out More
Post on the Blog More
Call/Email Friends More
Exercise More
Laugh More

Hey, I already made progress toward "Post on the Blog More." Woo Hoo!

"My pee smells like asparagus"

2006-07-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

Just an udate. Things have been very good lately. I'm past all the unpleasantness and am focusing on me for a while. Here are some highlights:

1) Julianne and I ran the 10K in 54 minutes, which is 8:40 a mile, which is, like, insane! We're now training for the half-marathon, which I will be running as MB flys back to her boys after the Blogher conference. I just ran 8.5 miles yesterday and feel pretty good about it. And I'm skinny again bitches!!! Bud is dying a slow and painful death!

2) Pride was so much fun! We did the dyke march, the pink party, the parade and the sunday festivities. I barely drank, which was good cause I could just enjoy myself. And I got to spend the weekend with a bunch of really cool people including Julianne, Nhat, Lindsay, Mattea and Shannon!

3) I've met a bunch of really cool new friends, some of which are our summer interns, who rock!!! So my social schedule is full, yet I have no plans, which is a nice feeling to have. I'm not committed to anything yet I can keep myself busy if needed. And it's all away from the gay scene, which I really needed. (Anybody know what a Bibcock is?)

4) I am in this constant mood of happiness and contentment. Like my life is complete, even though I'm missing what I thought was a key ingredient. It's a very good feeling.

And I can't wait for Lindsay to return from the East Coast!!!!

I give up

2006-06-18T22:12:00.000-07:00

I'm done being gay. It's too hard. And painful. Time to find that right girl and settle down. :) (My parents would be so proud!)

How am I going to make it through SF Pride?

"I have to pee"

2006-06-12T13:59:00.000-07:00

Things are not what they appear to be. That's what I learned this weekend. And I'm better for it.

Friday night I had a reconnection with an old friend, and saw him in a completely different light. And because of that, I had an excellent time. I also walked into a random house after the bar and announced, "I have to pee," to which the two random guys on the couch said, "It's down the hall, on the left."

Saturday and Sunday, well, let's just say I found out I'm a lot weaker than I thought I was, and I am currently trying to fix that.

Wow. This is totally my Jen post. Cryptic and coded. :)

Dance, Dance!

2006-06-05T18:18:00.000-07:00

A few things... all music related.

UH OH, UH OH, UH OH OH! Saw the funniest thing today. I was walking Misty's dog after work today on a paved path that runs behind several subdivisions. I saw about half a dozen kids gathering in one of the backyards that back up against the greenway - yelling back and forth like kids do. All of a sudden, I heard a stereo on the porch blaring out Beyonce's "Crazy in Love" and the kids stop playing and all start dancing! These kids were probably 7 to 11 years old, and here they are shaking their asses like Beyonce does in the video. One boy was even doing some break dancing. So cute.

THE HAPPY FEET ARE SAD... Haven't been dancing lately, and that makes my feet very sad. It's gotten to the point where I'm dancing around my room every morning after my shower. (During this post, I've actually already gotten up to dance.) Fortunately, I might get to go this weekend. My friend Mandy invited me, Misty, Caroline and Joanie to Myrtle Beach. Like Jeff, Mandy understands that the happy feet must dance.

KELLY COUNTDOWN: Kelly Clarkson is doing a 4th of July show in Charlotte so guess what Misty and I are doing with a couple other girls? Going to see Kelly! Call me a sellout or whatever. And yes, I realize that we'll probably be the oldest ones there, but I'll still be spending my holiday with a cold beer and live music. Only 29 days to go...

MY CURRENT RADIO FAVORITES: Nelly Furtado's "Promiscuous," Nickelback's "Animals," The Fray's "Over My Head (Cable Car)" and Fall Out Boy's "Dance, Dance."

OLD FAVORITES IN THE CD PLAYER: AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long," Live's "Lightening Crashes," Kid Rock's "Cowboy" and Aimee Mann's "Save Me."

What does this even mean?

2006-05-23T14:40:00.001-07:00

I think I'm losing my shit. I had a dream about a four-armed midget bartender last night. Anyone want to analyze that one?

Moved into the new place and I LOVE it! Reminds me of the old farm house off route 6 in Bowling Green. Except this one isn't surrounded by cornfields.

Not much other news. Trying to take a little break from life. Concentrate more on my work, eating better, working out. The good stuff. Avoid dating, large social gatherings (besides the house-warming) and confrontation. Like I don't avoid confrontation already. :)

And came to the conclusion that Andy probably is the only man for me. If only he realized it.

Happy 5-day weekend to me!

What does this even mean?

2006-05-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

"It's been a long time since I've ridden something that big."

2006-05-21T20:20:00.000-07:00

WO NELLY! I went horseback riding Saturday afternoon which is something I haven't done in about 15 years. It was an hour-long trail ride, and my butt is seriously bruised. Since I had the least amount of riding experience in our group, they put me on a mellow horse named America who apparently was in a movie. We got along fairly well; we were even doing some trotting toward the end. There were even a couple good-looking ranch hands to look at so it turned out to be a pretty good day.

OMG! THEY KILLED DENNY! YOU BASTARDS! Can I just say how much I love Jeffrey Dean Morgan?! Yup, he's the actor who plays not only our tragically beloved heart-transplant patient on "Grey's Anatomy," but also the brooding father of two very hot young men on WB's "Supernatural." His character was killed off on one show and quite possibly killed off on the other show. After all the JDM we had this season, I'm going to be very upset if I don't get a regular JDM fix. Also, these shows, along with CSI, will be facing off next season. Guess JDM couldn't be in two places at once.

SPEAKING OF TV FINALES... Tomorrow's the end baby! The final two hours of this season's "24." What I liked about this season: Secret Service Agent Aaron not getting killed (at least not yet); daughter Kim showed up in less than three hours and didn't get kidnapped (Sorry Elisha!); and whether it's with a taser or a stolen laptop, Chloe can take down all kinds of bad guys. What I didn't like about this season: Palmer, Tony and Michelle getting killed. Predictions: The First Lady will scratch out her husband's eyes because he deserves it and more; Jack's cell phone battery will finally die, and Jack will dump Audrey because he realizes Chloe is his soul mate. I admit. Not so much predictions as my wish list.

Men suck. Throw rocks at them.

2006-05-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

I think that's what the shirt says. I hate all men. They all suck. I took all the men off my MySpace top 8. My apologizes to those who actually aren't retarded.

I washed my hands!

2006-05-16T18:51:00.000-07:00

Strong, strong finish for Grey's Anatomy. Best. Show. Ever...ever. I watched the season finale with T-shirt, Ms. Shirt and Sylvia. I couldn't hear the last part of the show over Sylvia's sniffles. :) Seriously. Awesome. If you haven't seen it, watch the reruns this summer and get caught up.

The big move is this weekend. I'm moving into T-shirt's old place. It's going to be awesome, although no one can replace Tasha.

After the last boy drama, I think I'm going to give up sex for a while. Not Josh Harnett-style, just to try and swear off boys for a while. I need to regroup. :)

That's all folks! See you at the housewarming party!!

One, long run-on sentence

2006-05-10T20:56:00.000-07:00

That is what my life has been for the past 3 weeks. It's like one thing after another at work, in life, with friends. So here's my updates:

1) I was sick with strep throat. (Yes, again.) So sick in fact that I passed out the first day I had it. It was a bad case.
2) Keeping in the tradition of the saying "You only meet someone when you are not looking," I met someone while I was sick with said strep throat. I guess it says something that he still wanted to date me after I was looking like ass.
3) Said boy and I have seen each other for 12 days straight. (The streak was broken today. Hence the time to blog.) And by "seen", I mean we've at least hung out for a couple hours. It's not like we were inseperable.
4) Work is pushing down on me. I feel more suffocated these past couple weeks than ever. Could be cause we have all these special sections coming. I'm a big ball of stress these days.
5) I'm moving again. With my friend Lindsay. I'm moving into my friend T-shirt's place, cause he is moving to New York. Got a job at the New York Times, lucky bastard! The house-warming is on May 27, for anyone who wants to fly out.
6) And because of all of this, I am more exhausted then ever. I have been downing red bulls like it's my job. It's going to catch up with me soon. Sadly.

Living la vida monotonous.

2006-04-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, it’s been awhile and instead of writing a huge post, I’ll summarize what’s been going on in the past week, in no particular order.

After waiting in line for over an hour at the DMV and barely passing the written exam, I finally got my NC driver’s license. Not my worst picture but definitely not my best.
Is anyone else excited about the Mel Brooks Collection – eight of his films in a DVD box set? The only problem is that it doesn’t include The Producers or Spaceballs. I guess the Schwartz isn’t with it.
Misty and I went out in Charlotte last weekend – did a little drinking, listened to a live band, danced and shot pool. It was nice to do some bar hopping. We went out Friday with coworkers and since this Friday is Cinco de Mayo, maybe I’ll be going out three weekends in a row.
Yesterday we went hiking at a nearby park, and ran into a local Boy Scout troop. Alex, Misty’s dog, was a big hit, but I forgot how short their attention spans are at that age. I don’t know how many merit badges they earned, but I don’t know how I would have felt if I needed first aid. They earn a badge for that, right?
I got a haircut, and then decided I needed to color it too. It’s as close to my natural color as I could get – medium natural brown.
Speaking of hair, even though it’s shoulder-length, I still managed to get it caught in a car door and tangled in a drain. Yup, that’s about it. I know; it's not very exciting but I'm OK with that.

Crazy game of poker

2006-04-27T23:24:00.000-07:00

O.A.R. was on the Bedford Diaries this week! It took me back to the days of the Brat. :)

"Fuck me! It's Mike Jones!"

2006-04-27T01:39:00.000-07:00

An Amanda quote, for two reasons. One, I'm an uncle...again. :) Amanda gave birth to a beautiful baby boy.

And I was reminded of the time Amanda threw her glasses off while driving by the hockey house: I'm really, really sick, to the point where I can't keep anything down. Which caused me to pass out earlier. :( But, of course, since I'm sick and look like crap, the guy I sold my Coachella tickets to was extremely cute and then I was in line with a very, very cute gay man while I was picking up OJ, NyQuil and toilet paper at Safeway.

I can't win. Seriously.

Milk Boy

2006-04-23T21:28:00.000-07:00

A preview of my friend Cameron's movie "Milk Boy"

..>

a sneak peak at "Milk Boy"

Release date: May 20, 2006

Written/ Directed/ and Edited by Cameron T.
Composer: Jonathon M. Smith
Featured Band: The Self- Proclaimed
Opening Soundtrack artist: Aaron Owens
Director of Photography: Wiley Ho

The film stars: Heighleigh M, Jacob M, Cameron T, Jen J., Clarissa S., and Steven C.

Crap.

2006-04-20T23:59:00.000-07:00

What I actually learned is that you shouldn't blog when you're angry. :)

For my J-peeps

2006-04-20T16:44:00.000-07:00

This is the cartoon that hangs at the bottom of my computer that reminds me I'm in a dying business. It's actually kind of depressing but funny as hell. I know my journalism kids will get a big kick out of it, especially MB.

An update and random observations

2006-04-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

PLANES, TRAINS and AUTOMOBILES – My parents came down this past weekend for the holiday and my birthday. It was nice to see them; we shopped, ate and did touristy things. We took a train ride at the N.C. Transportation Museum and accidentally found Dale Earnhardt Inc. Mom took lots of pictures and Dad got to see some race cars so all was good. They also brought the rest of my stuff. Now I just have to unpack those last few boxes.

THE BUNNY BLEW OUT MY CANDLES – Speaking of birthday, it was very low key. I did the usual Sunday stuff – cleaning, and grocery shopping – but Misty did take me out for dinner. I also got a balloon and cake at work last Thursday, and various cards and gifts from family and friends. (Thank you to everyone who posted, emailed, called and thought of me. It means a lot.) Getting older isn’t such a big deal. Yeah, I know, I’m only 26. I may be young, but I already have gray hairs. And I’m really OK with that. Honest.

JUST HOW COMFORTABLE IS THAT BENCH? – I followed Misty to the fitness center here at the complex tonight and just watched her work out. I don’t do well with treadmills; it’s a balance thing. Anyway, I did have a mental workout when a guy came into the gym. Lots of obscene thoughts centering on me, him and the weight bench. I really should start working out again to my strip aerobics DVD if I want to do even half of the stuff I thought up.

SAY IT AGAIN! – I realized I find immense pleasure in hearing Misty spout such terms as “frozen milky goodness” and “titty fuck.” Don’t know why but those phrases coming from her mouth send me into a fit of giggles. By the way, I want to clarify that those phrases were not used in the context let alone same sentence.

I'm so outtie

2006-04-16T03:05:00.000-07:00

I really can't take the gay scene anymore. I feel like I'm done with random hook-ups. I just want to find a nice guy, and I somehow doubt that will happen at a gay bar. I just don't know where else to look. Life has hit several snags over the past week or so, and I'm not sure what to do about it. :(

(If anyone wants to know why I deleted the last entry, ask me personally.)

I’ll make someone a good bitch one day.

2006-04-09T19:56:00.000-07:00

I spent most of today doing dishes, vacuuming, washing clothes and baking cookies. Yes sirree. No one can say I can’t keep a clean house. Actually I was making up for sitting on my butt and watching movies all day Saturday. What I watched: Deep Blue Sea, 50 First Dates, Chicago and Evolution. Quite a collection. Let’s see, what else?

IT’S MORE THAN JUST THE HOROSCOPES. I bought May’s issue of Cosmopolitan because I thought Misty and I should have a copy just lying around the apartment. You know… girly stuff. The most interesting thing in it: In an article spilling the dirt on Hollywood stars, a guy said he dated a famous nameless model (at least in the article) that kissed like a fish and was horrified by sex. The scary thing? Despite that, the guy dated her for six months because she was hot.

HOW ABOUT THAT ONE-EARRED GUY? Our apartment has a fireplace and we have been debating what to put above it as the focal point of the living room. So far we’ve agreed we want something colorful. We were all ready to buy the supplies today and paint something ourselves until we realized we have no artistic talent to speak of. Unless we want hand prints or a stick figure, we’ll have to find a print. At least I can make curtains.

That’s it. That’s what my life has become. Oh wait. There was that hostile email I got from a girl who said I should feel shitty for being such a horrible friend to her and that she wanted nothing else to do with me. Guess I am because I’m sure that’s why all my other friends stick around. Because I’m so horrible. Yeah, right.

Stop (whack) Doing (whack) Stupid (whack) Things (whack)

2006-04-03T11:43:00.000-07:00

Only certain friends will get the title, but that's how I like it. :)

Now that Tasha is not here to watch me, I tend to do a lot of random things. Take Saturday night for example. A nice, innocent night out in the Castro. I lose my friend Anthony in the crowd so I go looking for him. And stuble across a hottie, who is a cross between Cary Elwes and Brad Pitt.

We laugh, we dance. Then I randomly crawl into a cab with him, his friend, his friends hook-up and the hook-up's hag, who can't stop crying. Not sure where we're going, but I'm drunk, so who cares! Randomness insues, (including Memoirs of a Geisha and more crying from the hag.) I'm leaving most of it out, but long story short, we hook up and I find myself in downtown San Francisco at 6 a.m. on the phone with Tasha trying to get a cab back to my hotel. All in all, a fun night!

I slept most of Sunday.

What a predicament!

2006-03-29T16:35:00.000-08:00

Misty and I agree that a true friend would not date or sleep with a friend's crush.

But would a true friend "fake" dating or sleeping with a friend's crush to avoid the advances of another guy?

I ask 'cause Misty's trying to pimp me out and I think it would serve her right. Do I just scream desperate?

I just called, to say, I heart you…

2006-03-25T19:46:00.000-08:00

An amazing thing happened today. Jeff and I finally talked on the phone! It’s a good thing too because I’m apparently going through Jeff withdrawal. My subconscious can’t grasp that I’m not in California anymore; I keep dreaming I’m there with Jeff going out and having a good time. What’s even more amusing is that I grew up in Eastern Standard Time yet after seven months on the West Coast, I still can’t figure out what the time is. I accidentally called a client near Los Angeles at 9:30 a.m. EST – 6:30 a.m. PST! Fortunately she was already up, but still… not a very good impression.

AS MUCH FUN AS YOU CAN HAVE WITHOUT ANOTHER PERSON in bed, that is. And get your minds out the gutter, please! My new plush mattress set is heavenly. I go to bed early, wake up late and do just about anything I can do sitting or laying down on the bed. I didn’t even realize how much I missed it until I rolled over in the middle of the night. I actually threw out my hands to catch myself from hitting the floor before I realized I wasn’t on a couch. You can be sure I had a good laugh over that.

IT’S GOT TO BE THE HUMIDITY/POLLEN/ALTITUDE – Or maybe just the air in general because I’m sick. And, as Jeff will appreciate I’m sure, not a cold/sore throat I can blame on him. Just like he can’t blame Cali’s current bad weather on me. Although, Charlotte has been having pretty crappy weather since I got here… Nope. I refuse to believe it. It’s all a coincidence.

CAN’T FIGHT THE HAPPY FEET! I’ve been in the mood to dance for over a week now. I’m going to have to get the girls from G-wood to come up or I’m going to have to drag out the coworkers because I can’t go much longer without shaking my ass and busting some moves. If it gets much worse, I’m afraid I’ll jump up onto a desk at work and start dropping it like it’s hot.

DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT THE PRIEST? So, the new job has a late policy. If you don’t make it on time to the 8:30 a.m. daily meeting, you have to either give the bosses a dollar or tell a joke to the whole office. I already used the one joke I can remember and I don’t have dollars to spare so I can use all the help I can get with finding more jokes. Not that I’m planning to be late, but I do have that new mattress…

I left California when?!

2006-03-21T17:11:00.000-08:00

I know. I know. It’s been awhile but it's hard to believe I've only been here about 13 days. Since it would take up too much space to tell you everything that's happened, I’ll summarize.

Work – Going very well. My title is marketing copywriter and I basically write content for websites. I even started loaded content onto the sites so eventually I’ll be able to put together a website except for custom designing. Not too bad if I do say so myself. The office is small with only about a dozen people – most of whom are single professionals and all of whom are nice. The topics of conversation are pretty broad including pets, drinking and porn. Definitely more interesting than some jobs I’ve had.

Apartment – It’s wonderful. Misty and I unloaded our stuff Friday night and spent most of the weekend just settling in. (For more on that experience, check out Misty’s latest post on Writersbloc3.) Settling in doesn’t necessarily mean unpacking because we haven’t even been grocery shopping yet. I was able to buy a new mattress set so no more air mattress after tonight! Yay! I did get to decorate my bathroom which has a huge garden tub. LOVE IT! I don’t have a lot of stuff right now (only what I took to Cali) but the parents are bringing the rest down in a few weeks and spending my birthday with me.

Oh, and Jeff and I still haven't caught each other to talk. I did get a wonderful serenade which I really appreciated even though he beat me to the punch. I was going to sing the same song to him! Now I'll have to think of something else. Miss you, sweetheart!

Hide 'N Seek

2006-03-17T21:50:00.000-08:00

So, apparently, Tasha and I have both been so busy, neither could update the blog all week, or even talk to each other. Sadly, I've talked to her once since she moved away.

What's new with me: Worked 60+ hours this week, so not much time for anything else. Got an alumni award from the BGSU journalism department, so I'll be going home in April. Looking forward to a relaxing weekend of March Madness, bbq and alcohol.

If you have sec, pick up this month's copy of Jane magazine. My sister's name is under the interns. Maybe she can get me a magazine job. :)

From the Jo' to the Queen City

2006-03-10T09:41:00.000-08:00

Yup, that's what they call Charlotte. The past few days have gone surprisingly well considering I moved across the country in less than two weeks. I spent my last night in San Jose with friends singing karaoke. I got dragged into a rendition of “Summer Nights.” After a couple hours of sleep, I got up Wednesday for a day of flying and layovers that eventually got me to my destination. It was a typical trip that included meeting at least one interesting person. This time it was a woman from a marketing company that worked on several Hollywood movies including Shark Tale and Wallace & Gromit. She asked me if I wanted to help out so I ended up writing a little copy for a computer-animated film set for release later this year. Maybe I’ll get freelance work out of it.

The rest of my time has been spent sleeping, eating and adjusting to a full house. I’m currently sharing space with Misty (who will be my roommate), Randi (her current roomie), Alex (Misty’s dog), Winnie and Daisy (Randi’s dog and new puppy). Needless to say, they definitely keep me on my toes. I’ve also been setting up utilities for our new apartment which we will be able to move into next weekend. Very exciting! I realized I haven’t had my own space for about nine months now. About time, don’t you think? I also start the new job Monday, and I’m anxious to get into a routine. Even though everything seems to be falling into place, I don’t think I’ll relax much until I’m completely settled.

What next?

2006-03-07T19:25:00.000-08:00

The last two weeks: My job sucks, I'm stressed to the max, sick, one of my best friends is moving to the opposite coast...and now my car is dead. Seriously God, it would have been easier to hit me with a bolt of lightning. I'm on the verge of losing it.

WANTED: A normal life

2006-03-03T17:41:00.000-08:00

Searching for a regular 9-5 job with mediocre pay and a chance to advance. Looking to be in the "real world" with everyone else. Prefer an employer that actually has the correct number of employees, so I can stop putting in 10-12 hour days. Also searching for an employee that will be around in 10-20 years. NO NEWSPAPER JOBS.

Anyone got any leads?

(The sad part is, I lived and breathed newspapers for years! The stress of deadline was a thrill. But it's not deadline stress anymore, it's the stress of producing a metro daily with like half the staff. Blah, where was my guidance counselor on that one.)

It’s officially official.

2006-02-28T21:09:00.000-08:00

I got a job! Yay! I am a copywriter at a marketing consulting company. The irony is that it’s about two hours from my last job – Huntersville, N.C., just north of Charlotte. (For those of you who know Misty, it’s where she works. I owe her a steak dinner.) Go figure, huh? Anyway, they want me to start in less than two weeks so I have to order my affairs and say my goodbyes to California this weekend before making the trek back across the continental U.S. It’s definitely going to be bittersweet. I’ve enjoyed living on the West Coast, and I don’t regret my decision to come here but it's time to move on. Besides, I’ll be a lot closer to my family. The next couple weeks are going to be crazy so it’s nothing personal if I don’t return calls/emails.

Luckily, I spent most of the weekend in San Francisco with my cousin, Lisa, doing the tourist thing and sightseeing. We walked around Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39 and even ate at the Hard Rock Café. We walked along the Embarcadero to the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge. On Sunday, I ventured up to Coit Tower and then through Chinatown. I spent two solid hours just walking around in the rain (what we call a ‘shower’ in the Mid-west) and it was great. It’s hard to describe but there’s a vibe in the air in a place like that – a fusing of time and cultures. It fascinates me how so many different things just mesh whether by choice or necessity.

The Misadventures are back!

2006-02-19T01:28:00.000-08:00

Not on purpose, I needed to go to a new bar to write a review. We weren't going to stay long, until I had to play wingman. :) Which it's been a long time since I had to. But Tasha found a guy, so she bought him a drink (with my money) and then he bought her a drink back. Then I had to FORCE her to go play pool by herself (with my money) so he would come up to her to play. Good ole wingman.

And I have to say, I give her major props cause he is H-O-T. Seriously, he looks like Dave Mirra. They hung out the rest of the night.

And now she is drunk. Dancing to Dirrty. I just had to ask her to get her ass out of my face. :( (I'm sorry to anyone who Tasha drunked dialed.)

And we saw a couple cool bands, including a Weezer cover band.

JURASSIC WHAT?!?!?!: Earlier, we were discussing what would happen if we were attacked by a dinosaur. It involved a fight, of course. :)

I blame tasha

2006-02-16T22:58:00.000-08:00

Forecast for tonight in parts of the Bay Area: SNOW! Seriously. Snow. It is going to get down below 30 degrees tonight. It was 75 degrees 4 days ago. Seriously. I left the midwest to get away from weather like this. That's why I pay so much to live here. DAMN IT!!!!!

“I am just a girl standing in front of a boy asking him to love her.”

2006-02-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

My day will be spent working with a sore throat so these romantic quotes, from Notting Hill and other films, will have to substitute this V-Day. Hope everyone - single and couples - have a great day.

“You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.” – Gone With the Wind

“Have you never met a woman who inspires you to love? Until your every sense is filled with her? You inhale her. You taste her. You see your unborn children in her eyes and know that your heart has at last found a home. Your life begins with her, and without her it must surely end.” – Don Juan DeMarco

“The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds and that's what you've given me.” – The Notebook

“I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.” – In a Lonely Place

“It seems right now that all I’ve ever done in my life is making my way here to you.” – Bridges of Madison County

“I love him! I love him for the man he wants to be. And I love him for the man he almost is.” – Jerry Maguire (Also: “I love you. You... complete me.” “Shut up. Just shut up. You had me at ‘hello.’”)

“Look. I guarantee there'll be tough times. I guarantee that at some point, one or both of us is gonna want to get out of this thing. But, I also guarantee that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life, because I know, in my heart, you're the only one for me.” – Runaway Bride

“I would rather have had one breath of her hair, one kiss from her mouth, one touch of her hand, than eternity without it.” – City of Angels

“You make me want to be a better man.” – As Good As It Gets

“Only you, you're the only thing I'll see forever. In my eyes, in my words and in everything I do.” – West Side Story

“Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime. Lead me, save me from my solitude. Say you want me with you, here beside you. Anywhere you go, let me go, too. Love me, that's all I ask of you.” – The Phantom of The Opera

“...I think I'd miss you even if we'd never met.” – The Wedding Date

“What I really want to do with my life – what I want to do for a living – is I want to be with your daughter. I'm good at it.” – Say Anything

“I love that you get cold when it's seventy degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend a day with you I can still smell your perfume on my clothes, and I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night.” – When Harry Met Sally

It ain’t all candy and roses.

2006-02-13T23:07:00.000-08:00

Who knew the day before Valentine’s Day could feel like an episode of the Twilight Zone. It started out OK, but then as soon as I get off the bus at work all hell breaks loose. A car accident happened in an intersection less than 30 seconds after I crossed through it. I didn’t see it but the sound of twisting metal and glass was enough for me. Luckily, both drivers walked away but I think one was stunned by the airbags.

Then I get to work – scheduled to work a mid-shift (not opening or closing) – and find out a girl called off sick. Not usually a big deal except it’s a jewelry store the day before V-Day. Two of us worked overtime and closed the store. The good news? Because guys wait to the last minute to buy gifts, we nearly doubled the sales goal. I wonder if I can squeeze a bonus out of this. And tomorrow I get to do it all again. As long as it doesn’t become my Groundhog’s Day.

The pork episode of Will and Grace...

2006-02-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

That's what's on right now. We call it this cause it includes Kevin Bacon and a great line about ham. Here are the highlights:

Jack: I sent him a cardboard cutout of himself that says "Nice stalking to you."

Karen: I love Stan...Stan loves ham...HAM I AM!!!

Will (while he and Grace wait for a home pregnacy test): Wow, this is an important moment.
Grace: Two, actually. We finally found a use for the butterdish. And after this we're never using it again.

Will: Maybe my swimmers weren't ready yet. Before this all they had to do was jump out and say, "Whoopee!"

Jack: He's not your stalker.
Kevin: You fingered this guy.
Jack: I did not. We were just holding hands.

Karen: You're sleazy and shameless. I like that, but we're through!

Grace: CRAZY!
Leo: Am I interrupting something?
Grace: No, I just have this assistant...
Leo (looking around the room): Do you see her now?

Kevin: If I had a dollar for every time my jock strap disappeared from the gym...
Jack: You'd have $187.

My car got swallowed by a pothole

2006-02-03T21:58:00.000-08:00

A friend from high school posted this on MySpace and it's so accurate it's hilarious! And while I'm on my Detroit kick, I thought it was appropriate. With my paranthetical comments.

Detroit Driving Tips for Super Bowl Guests

1. First, you must learn to pronounce the city name. It's Di-troit. NOT DEE-troit. If you pronounce it DEE-Troit then we will assume you are from Toledo and here for the country Music hoe-down. (I've been to the Downtown Hoedown!)

2. Forget the traffic rules you learned elsewhere. Detroit has its own version of traffic rules... Hold on and pray.

3. The morning rush hour is from 6:00am to 10:00am. The evening rush hour is from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning. Weekends are open game.

4. If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be
rear-ended, cussed out and possibly shot. If you're first off the starting line when the light turns green, count to five before going. This will avoid getting in the way of cross-traffic who just ran their yellow light to keep from getting shot.

5. Schoenherr can only be properly pronounced by a native of the Detroit metro area. That goes for Gratiot too. Schoenherr is pronounced CHAY NER.Gratiot is pronounced, GRASH IT.

6. Construction and renovation on I-94, I-96, I-75, I-275, I-375, The Lodge and Southfield freeways are a way of life. Just deal with it. There are two seasons in Detroit. Winter and construction.

7. If someone actually has their turn signal on, it is probably a factory defect or they are from out of town.

8. All old men with white hair wearing a hat have total right-of-way.

9. The minimum acceptable speed on I-696 is 85
regardless of the posted speeds. Anything less is considered downright sissy. Don't even think of allowing more than one car length between cars.

10. That attractive wrought iron on the windows and doors in Detroit is not ornamental. DO NOT get out of your car.

11. Never stare at the driver of the car with the bumper sticker that says "Keep honking, I'm reloading."

12. If you are in the left lane, and only going 70 in a 60 mph zone, people are not waving because they are so friendly in Detroit. I would suggest you duck.

13. I-275/I-696 is our daily version of NASCAR. (I was sooooo scared to drive on these when I first got my license.)

14. It's not M-10, it's "the Lodge".

15. That's not a lake, it's a pothole.

16. If someone tells you it's on Outer Drive, you better have a map. (My friend Steve got lost last time I was home when I told him to meet me somewhere on Outer Drive. And he LIVES in Detroit.)

17. The left turn is simple. If you want to turn left,go a 1/4 of a mile past your turn, get to the left, then make a left, then make a right. Now you have gone left. (Michigan left! As Jen and MB would call it.)

Sidenotes:
6 mile turns into McNichols
8 mile turns into Baseline
15 mile turns into Maple.
16 mile turns into Big Beaver (exit 69 off I-75...) and becomes Metro Parkway somewhere along the way. (We used to joke about this all the time!)
17 mile turns into Wattles
18 mile turns into Long Lake
19 mile turns into Square Lake
20 mile turns into Hall Road and then something else before it becomes M-59
Main street starts as "Main Street" and turns into Livernois for no
apparent reason.
If someone tells you to take "75 South to Detroit" make sure you merge onto 375 or you'll end up in Toledo

Reports from the front lines

2006-02-03T20:26:00.000-08:00

I keep getting calls from friends and family in Detroit, telling me of the hoopla that is going around because of the Super Bowl. And I gotta say, I'm kind of jealous. I wish I was home right now, heading downtown with Greg and Jamie to go skating or join in the festivities. But I'm stuck with the warm weather and sunshine. Damn!

FIGHTING THE CELEBS: My dad took today off because the NFL has taken over his building (it's the one that says GM on the top, for those watching the game on Sunday) and it's impossible to get around with all the sports people, ESPN and celebrities. That's where they are doing all the press conferences. Must be tough.

PARTY, PARTY, PARTY: My mom has been working 12-14 hour days apparently because the building she works in, which is the newest attraction in Detroit, has party after party lined up.

LET IT SNOW!: My brother was apparently heading downtown tonight to join in the pre-Super Bowl festivities. Last I heard, they were creating this cool winter wonderland thing in the park-like space outside my mom's building. Skating and whatnot. It sounds pretty cool.

And what am I doing for the Super Bowl? Dave's hosting a party, I'm grilling brats and am going to watch my hometown on the TV.

Because Kris said so

2006-02-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

Kris tagged me on this, so I have to do it. :)

---4 jobs in your life

Janitor (with Leann Rimes husband)
Courier
Editor (PR)
Journalist

---4 movies you could watch over and over

The Sweetest Thing
Legally Blonde 1 and 2
Miss Congeniality
Midnight in The Garden of Good and Evil

---4 tv shows you love to watch

Veronica Mars (!!!!)
Grey's Anatomy
How I Met Your Mother
Desperate Housewives

---4 places you have lived

Dearborn Heights, Michigan
Bowling Green, Ohio
San Jose, California
(Ahh! I only have 3!)

---4 places you have been on vacation

Seattle, Washington
Boston, Massachussettes
Las Vegas, Nevada
New York City, New York

---4 websites you visit daily

cnn.com
visualeditors.com
supamb.com
myspace.com

---4 of your favorite foods

pierogies (thanks grandma!)
baked mac and cheese
sushi
BW's mild wings :)

---4 places you’d rather be right now

cuddling with Dave
cuddling with Tasha (What?!)
Vegas, baby!
On the beach

---4 bloggers you are tagging

Jen
Nick (Although he'll never do it)
Kenney
Dani

A TV quote haiku

2006-01-30T17:54:00.000-08:00

Kitty wants candy
Fun to pet, better to chew
Baby's gonna die

IT’S A SICK, SICK WORLD

2006-01-29T20:47:00.000-08:00

Jeff got over being sick a few days ago and I thought I survived. To my disgust, I haven’t been feeling quite up to par for a few days although I haven’t come down with anything specific. I’m hoping obscene amounts of orange juice, balanced meals and lots of sleep will fight off any illnesses.

NANCY DREW and the CURSE of WIDE HIPS – I tried on a dress the other day; it was very Samantha from Sex and the City. The top fit, but alas, the bottom was too tight. It’s a constant challenge with us women of disproportion. Sigh… I’m doomed to wear skirts for the rest of my life.

YOU TOO CAN LOOK LIKE A MILLION BUCKS FOR PENNIES – At least once a week I am asked by someone on the street if I can spare some change. Apparently, I don’t look like I’m unemployed even though I should probably be the one asking for help. This irony is not lost on me.

WHERE’S THE JAVA? According to researchers from Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, caffeine could be the female version of Viagra. In a study to examine the interaction between caffeine and sex in females, moderate doses of caffeine directly affected sexual behavior in female rats, making them more interested in the males. Of course, rats don’t usually consume caffeine and people do on a regular basis so they’re not sure if this means anything for us. Who thought to give rats coffee as an aphrodisiac? And where do I apply for a job like that?

Make it stop!

2006-01-25T13:46:00.000-08:00

I'm now into day 5 of being sick. And it sucks. The doctor is convinced that it's just bad cold, but I'm not getting any better! I want to get out of this apartment, I want to go back to work and I want to rejoin the land of the living!

The upside to it is I think it's karma. Most of you know, but I have this theory that if something really good happens to me, something bad has to happen to balance it out. So when I met Dave and got the cool new jobs, I was sure something really bad was going to happen. And if this is it, I can deal with it. (My original theory was that I would get fired when the company was bought.)

Must...have...O.J.

Happy Birthday to me...

2006-01-23T21:54:00.000-08:00

...but not really. For everyone who called to wish me a happy birthday, I'm sorry, I was completely out of it sick. I spent the morning in the doctor's office and the rest of it on the couch. I had to cancel my birthday dinner. Blah! I hate being sick.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2006-01-20T21:53:00.000-08:00

Crazy. My life is completely different than it was 2 weeks ago.

A BRAND NEW BAG: The announcement went out. It's official. I'm changing jobs. I'm going to be the new lead business designer for the paper. Which means a lot more art directing and planning, which I wanted to do. It's also the most normal schedule I've had since going into newspapers: Monday-Friday, mostly during the day. Score!

ANOTHER BRAND NEW BAG: Ok, so along with my move to biz, I'm also going to be resurrecting the bar reviews that Sal and Kenney did back in the day. And they are paying me freelance to do it. They don't tell you about these cool jobs in J-school. :) It runs every week, which is a lot of work, so my friend Julie is going to alternate with me. I guess I'll be going out a lot more.

Yep, things are pretty sweet right now. I may be the happiest I've ever been...in my entire life. Sigh.

Where the heck is the quote board?

2006-01-14T21:53:00.000-08:00

I was reminded today of one reason I enjoyed living alone. I spent the whole day – excluding answering the door for the pizza delivery guy – lounging around in my underwear. Jeff’s spending the day and night in San Francisco and I’m heading out later with a friend so I allowed myself the pleasure. I figured now was as good a time as any to share some of my recent open-mouth-and-insert-foot comments. I’ll leave the context out just to mess with your heads.

How far good are we on toilet paper?

Yeah. OTAY.

Teen newborn throws mom in trash.

Dammit! I must have been sleep-laundrying again.

I’m going to be cracking walnuts with these thighs.

You’ve been desperate for a guy for quite awhile.

Bajiggitiness. Are you sure that’s not a real word?

A movie, a cold and a couch

2006-01-11T22:48:00.000-08:00

Even though I was sick, I was determined to keep my couch+movie=date with "dance guy." It says a lot when you can just sit on the couch with a guy, watch a cartoon movie and some comedy central and have the BEST time. While you're sick.

We're playing pool tomorrow and going to the City on Saturday. Sigh. :)

"Squat, baby, don't sit."

2006-01-11T02:01:00.000-08:00

That from a guy who informed me I should still proceed with caution while using the men's restroom. Apparently, a girl made a mess of the women's room so I made like a man.

This happened when Jeff and I went to a gay bar tonight for karoke. Picture eight gay men surrounding you singing a Backstreet Boys hit as the top of their lungs. Yup. That pretty much sums it up. It was great entertainment and I even ended up singing Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know" with a couple of people. Not to shabby although I couldn't really hear myself. I did get a "cute," "great" and "fabulous." We also danced and saw cute lesbians make out. Jeff came home and promptly passed out.

It was also a great distraction from not one, but two, rejection letters I got in the mail today. I gave myself the day to sulk but I'll be my usual motivated self tomorrow. I refuse to let the mans (or womans) get me down.

"I just want you to know!"

2006-01-09T13:07:00.000-08:00

Tasha and I have taken to belting out Backstreet Boys in the car on shopping trips. I think we need a vacation. :) Which we might get in the form of Vegas, where we might drop in on Nick for his wedding. And my birthday.

Reunited and it feels so good

2006-01-08T22:28:00.000-08:00

Jeff: Tasha is back and we've fallen back into old trends. :) We watch TiVo and she sleeps on the couch. Which she just figured out after 7 months of sleeping on it that she can remove the back cushions and have more room. Smart.

Tasha: It wasn't that I didn't think of it; it's just that I didn't bother. Big difference. I'm still looking for a job and found a few in the Bay Area, Indianapolis and Cleveland. Until someone offers me the job of a lifetime, I'm just exercising to a new aerobic dance video and trying to get in shape for the Victoria's Secret stuff I bought on sale.

Jeff: Yeah, speaking of, guys, this is the woman for you. She is obsessed with Victoria's Secret, she likes to get in shape by practicing her erotic dance moves with Carmen Electra, she drinks beer, plays pool and has an ass that won't quit. Seriously.

Tasha: Stop! You're embarassing me. What else have I got? ;) Yeah, I may be all of those things, but I always seem to end up a friend and never the girlfriend. I'd really like to know what I'm doing wrong. Jeff says I need to get out more. Just because he had a date...

Out with the Old - In with the New (Year that is.)

2006-01-01T21:01:00.000-08:00

I apologize for being M.I.A. lately, but with working and the trip to Ohio… well, sorry. I’ll summarize.

Pre-Christmas/Christmas Day - I worked my last scheduled day on the 24th so now I’m once again officially unemployed. Jeff and I spent the most of the day together on the 25th before I flew east on the 26th. Gifts received include clothes, gift certificates, DVDs, candy, games, a “dog,” and other odds and ends. Honorable mention: Besides spending time with my family, Dani drove six hours round-trip just to see me for an hour and a half. Thanks to everyone for the cards, packages and warm wishes.

Between the holidays - My cousin, Lisa, had her second child. Ariana Marie was born Dec. 29 at 7 lbs. 4 oz. and 19 inches long. Mother, baby, dad and big brother are all doing well. Also, my sister Kylie and I got a chance to speak about her upcoming nuptials. Although we‘re lacking specifics, it looks like I’ll be maid-of-honor in a small, intimate ceremony in late spring/early summer.

New Year’s Eve - Ate, drank, played Mad Gabs and watched the ball drop with Kylie and Josh, Adam and Kristi, Stacy and Matt. (Yes, I was the odd one out, but I like to think of it as its own tradition.) Realized I have two more characteristics that tend to belong to men - 1) I enjoy watching a James Bond movie marathon, and 2) I’m been wearing some of the same T-shirts for more than a decade.

Speaking of the New Year… I don’t make resolutions because they’re made to be broken. However, a few things need to change this year, and I think it’s healthy to have some goals. Here are mine for 2006.
1. To get a job.
2. To get in shape. I don’t want to lose weight as much as touch my toes, but it would be nice if my clothes fit comfortably.
3. To stop feeling pressured into making certain decisions about my life. I’m sick of trying to please everyone. I’ll make myself happy, and I won’t feel guilty for it.
4. To be grateful for all the good things that happen even when bad things come along too.

Happy New Year to everyone and I wish for great things in the year to come.

Best. New Year's Eve. Ever...Ever

2006-01-01T02:38:00.000-08:00

This is how the night ended

Fireworks from the bay. Bay Bridge with skyline in back.
More photos to come on Flickr.

Wow. That was so much fun. For those who didn't know, I went on a cruise around the bay for New Year's Eve with Steph, her boyfriend Rob, Shraddha, Tracy (who we work with) and his wife. It was soooo beautiful. We went under the Bay Bridge, around San Francisco, past the Golden Gate Bridge, turned around, stopped just before the Bay Bridge again and watched the SF fireworks from the bay at midnight. Magical.

Highlights:

-Before we even got on the boat, Rob got 4 plastic cups from Chevy's and we polished off two bottle of champagne in Steph's car. Just like high school. :)

-The scenery was unbelievable. I've never seen the SF skyline from the bay. I will post the millions of pictures I took.

-The food was AWESOME. And all you can eat.

-We tore up the dance floor. At one point, Steph and I were the only ones on the floor and EVERYONE on the cruise was watching us. It was actually a little creepy. But we got compliments. (P.S. It is really hard to dance when the dance floor is moving. That so should be a reality show.)

-Steph and I visited the captains deck and got to steer the boat. All of us made friends with most of the crew and the passengers. We were very popular.

The four of us (Steph, Rob, Shraddha and I) decided that we can never have a bad time when we're all together, so we're making it a mission in 2006 to hang out more. :)

Happy New Year everyone I didn't drunk dial!

A long Decembruary

2005-12-31T15:43:00.000-08:00

The new year is upon us, and I was running on the treadmill earlier, listening to "A Long December" by Country Crows on repeat, and becoming slightly emotional about the past year. It was an odd year cause it was full of really high highs and really low lows.

- The beginning of last year was a whirlwind. I rang it in on a high with all of my good friends from San Jose, which was also a big low, cause it was at the closing of our favorite bar.

- The next week was crazy. We welcomed Owen into the world, which was a huge high. Tasha came to visit me for a weekend, another huge high, that ended with the news that my grandfather passed away. I literally went to the airport with Tasha to fly home. The next two weeks I had an emotional stay at home, reconnecting with friends and family.

The low points seemed to always turn around somehow this year:

-At one point, I was completely frustrated with my job and watched friend after friend leave the paper. Now, with the teen page and the shakeup after the buyouts, I'm back to being happy and excited about my job.

-With all my friends leaving, my social life was also hitting an all-time low this year. But with Tasha's move out the California, it's been the happiest time yet. Her move was the highlight of the year.

-And I lost a really cool roommate this year, but because of that, two of my very good friends will be married next year, and I couldn't be happier for them! (Besides Mary Beth and Iain, they are like the cutest couple ever.)

Other highlights:
-Paul's wedding in Vegas: I got to bond with my friends from high school and we are even closer now. I totally miss them!
-My trip to Baltimore and Houston to see Owen and visit Lauren for the first time in a long time. Highlight of the trip: getting to spend the entire trip with Jen.
-Getting front row seats to the SAP Open and having Andy Roddick smile at me. :) Thanks Nimish!

It's been an emotional year, and I'm hoping next year is full of more highs and less lows.

"And it's one more day up in the Canyons,
And it's one more night in Hollywood,
It's been so long since I've seen the ocean,
Guess I should."

So true. I think I'll drive to the beach tomorrow. Start off the year right.

Tasha's gone and I'm bored...

2005-12-28T00:54:00.000-08:00

...and sick. I've been stuck in the apartment for the past two days with nothing to do. Seriously, this is how I'm passing my time.

ONE ONE-THOUSAND: When I finally decided to shave, I left a goatee. Just because I had never had one. I'll probably get rid of it soon, although Amy said she liked it.

TWO ONE-THOUSAND: I rented a bunch of movies from Blockbuster and have decided 1) I am madly in love with Jesse Bradford (he was in two of the movies, something about that jet black hair) and 2) Heights is an AWESOME movie. Seriously, everyone go see it. It's one of those movies with a bunch of people that are connected but you don't know how until the end. Awesome.

THREE ONE-THOUSAND: I have become obsessed with MySpace.com. I have spent HOURS of my time looking up people I went to high school with and realized 1) I hung out with a lot of people in high school and 2) I had a really good time in high school. Most people say they hated high school, but it was the best time. Everytime the profile of an old friend came up, a flood of great memories came rushing back. I was really good friends with some of these people, grew up with most, how in the hell could I have forgotten about them! One of the girls I literally spent most of my childhood with cause our parents were friends, and I had totally forgotten she existed.

I've realized something somewhat profound. I was so eager to get away from my family and out of Detroit, I totally forgot what I good time I had there. I blocked out all the good times and wrote Detroit off as a place I would never move back to. But the more often I go back and the more I reconnect with old friends, I realize what a great time those 18 years were. Damn it! Now I'm used to not having snow!

FOUR ONE-THOUSAND: And because of this new-found boredom, I have a new, messed-up sleep schedule. I go to bed late (cause I'm watching a movie or on MySpace), sleep for 4 hours, wake up, exercise and eat, watch TV, go back to bed around 10 a.m. and then sleep until 2. It's really screwing with my body, hence the sickness.

FIVE ONE-THOUSAND: I have realized that I totally need to live with someone. I hate living by myself. But not with a random roommate, but someone I look forward to coming home to. I guess that's the point of a boyfriend, partner, husband or whatnot. But having Tasha here, I totally look forward to spending time at home with her. Spending time at home with myself sucks.

I'm done counting. I HAVE to go to work tomorrow to break the boredom, sick or not!

If my life was in iTunes, it would be on random

2005-12-21T22:02:00.000-08:00

I kept meaning to post this, but then more random things happened.

SATURDAY: The night was very Dude, Where's My Car meets Eyes Wide Shut. The silent auction went so well, we almost made a grand.

Dude, Where's My License?: But after, we randomly decided to go party hopping with a couple people we NEVER hang out with. We almost got killed taking a left-hand turn from the right hand lane, with a median in between. We got completely lost in SF and drove around for an hour.

Where's Tom Cruise?: Then, we ended up at a party where everyone dressed the same and acted very, very weird. There was a cellar room that was all red and playing an odd, old movie in the back.

TUESDAY: I worked my first features shift, ever. Then I got an offer to fly to San Diego or Seattle for dinner and be back before midnight. But instead, I went to dinner with Matt at 7 and ended up going home at 2 a.m. At some point, we went into a bar and I ran into my friends from the dance on Friday. Totally random!

Hopefully this trend stops soon. Not sure if I can keep up with the randomness.

Drop it like it's hot

2005-12-17T02:44:00.000-08:00

So chaperoning the dance was awesome for three reasons:

1) I met a whole new group of really cool friends. The girl who ran the dance was a really cool, really hot lesbian. And the rest of the 20-somethings that ran the dance were really cool. We went to a lesbian bar I was unaware of in Santa Clara and had a really good time after the dance.

2) The kids were hilarious. I never realized how many new dirty dances there were. But I totally flashed back to highschool, it was really weird. And I met a lesbian who looked exactly like my ex-girlfriend Meagan, who I know many of you know. :) But I loved it cause it was a place where these kids could totally be themselves and guys were expected to dance with guys. I wish I had something like this when I was in high school.

3) I met a boy. He is very straight-acting. So much so, he only drinks Miller Light. Which means Tasha will love him. And no, he wasn't one of the teens. He's actually a little bit older than me, by like a couple months. And is very, very cute. Very. Keep your fingers crossed.

Could this go well?

2005-12-16T09:43:00.000-08:00

I was shocked when I woke up this morning and starting flipping through all the newspapers' front pages online. The majority of them had a big promo to Brokeback Mountain, and most were written in a way to get homophobic middle America to go see it. Could it actually be successful? I mean I don't expect it to beat out King Kong, but number 2 would be huge!

I'm not sure if the non-gays actually get what a huge deal this movie is. It shows something that has never been shown on the silver screen before, an actual love story between two men. It humanizes our lifestyle and gets to the fact it's not a choice, but an undeniable feeling. The most powerful message is that if we deny those feelings and try to make a straight life for ourselves, the feelings will never go away and we'll be miserable.

And that's a message I'm hoping gets across to homophobic middle America. I'm not expecting gay marriage laws to be passed after this movie, but I'm at least hoping for a little understanding.

Here's hoping.

It's a butch movie, seriously. Cmon! They're cowboys!

2005-12-14T09:14:00.000-08:00

Brokeback Mountain was nominated for 7 Golden Globes, the most nominations for one movie, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Heath Ledger's performance (which was AWESOME!)

But the biggest news, Dawson's Creek alum Michelle Williams (Jen) was nominated for her role in the movie!

Let's see if Oscar is as gay-friendly, although I some how doubt it.

Here's my review of the movie. It kind of sucks, I wrote it in 5 minutes, but I think it shows how much I loved it. :)

http://www.210west.com/

"What's up sexy?!"

2005-12-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

That's what some girl yelled at me from her car, after she honked at me. Now I know how Tasha feels. :)

JINGLE BELLS, AND ALL THAT CRAP: Last night was the work holiday party. Free food, free booze, it was pretty fun. There was much dancing to be had to some old school. :)

WHATTA MAN, WHATTA MAN, WHATTA MIGHT GOOD MAN: Speaking of the party, there was the most adorable guy at the bar last night. (Really cute, button-down with a sweater over it. Yeah) PLUS, he knew how to dance and knew all the words to "I Will Survive." And he's funny too! Now if I only knew his name. :) And if he is gay.

I WAS RUNNIN': Amy and I have started running together early, early in the morning for like 30-45 minutes. And can I just say, I've never had so much energy for the rest of the day! I'm addicted. :)

RAINBOW POWER!: I'm going up to SF to see the sneak peek of Brokeback Mountain! Can't tell you how excited I am to see this movie. The gays finally have a mainstream movie. Well, one that doesn't portray us as limp-wristed drama queens. And one that has quite the Oscar buzz. Eat it, W.

I (heart) hotties

2005-12-06T23:08:00.000-08:00

We TiVo'd the Victoria's Secret runway show, and I gotta say, the VS angels, yeah, they turn me on. They are really, really hot. Yeah, I'm gay but seriously, so hot. Tasha agrees, and she's straight. Her quote: "If I looked like that, I'd be naked all the time." I now know why straight men are obsessed with this show.

This is after obsessing over what makes Jensen and Jared so hot while watching Supernatural. I'm going to have some messed up dreams tonight. :)

P.S. I (heart more than anything) Tyra Banks. She is completely fierce.

All I want for Christmas is...

2005-12-04T20:32:00.000-08:00

Our take on the 12 Days of Christmas:

For the 12 days of Christmas, our best friends gave to us (hint,hint)

12 Jensen Ackles(es)
11 Ryan Reynolds(es)
10 Colin Farrell(s)
9 Chris Evans(es)
8 Sean Faris(es)
7 George Eads(es)
6 Jared Padelecki(s)
5 Josh Duhamel(s)
4 Bobby Cannavale(s)
3 Eric Szmanda(s)
2 Bryan Greenberg(s)

...And an Andy Roddick in a pear leaf!

(We're having a Christmas day today. Decorated the tree, hung the stockings, went to Christmas in the Park. listened to Christmas songs and now we're about to drink hot chocolate and watch White Christmas. So this seemed appropriate.)

The Gasp Factor

2005-12-03T18:25:00.000-08:00

DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE WORDS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF MY MOUTH? Sheesh! I don’t know if my vocabulary has regressed since moving to the Jo' but I can’t seem to sound intelligent – at least to myself. It doesn’t help Jeff and I have turned to monosyllables and screeches to show our enthusiasm or disgust for the story lines on our favorite TV shows. (Veronica Mars and LOST both earned gasps this week.) Other examples of my inability to speak – “Bob Humbug,” “Scientist School” and “Balls in a Vice.” And I have a new favorite phrase: For the love the Peter, Paul and Mary! (Who says an exclamation has to be for the sake of God or Pete?)

THE CONTAINER STORE: I walked into it for the first time early this week and I spent a good hour opening/closing drawers and stacking/separating shelves. I heart that place! I bought enough to organize a closet. I also found the exact shoulder bag I’ve been looking for since I moved here so another plus.

HOLIDAY COOKIES OR TWO GEORGE WASHINGTONS: Sent out most of my Christmas cards today to family and friends in 12 states. I ran out of the 37-cent stamps so I used two 23-cent stamps on some so don’t be surprised if G. W. meets you at the mailbox.

“PAWS OFF BITCH” NO MORE: I finally upgraded my cell phone and plan. (The number isn't changing.) I decided the new phone deserves a new greeting since I’ve had the same one for more than two years. I’m currently accepting nominations.

Vacation, all I ever wanted

2005-12-02T15:11:00.000-08:00

I have one vacation day in the middle of the week and I'm determined not to waste it. And it's a perfect day to do it. For my friends in the midwest, it's the second day of December and I'm walking around in a t-shirt and jeans. Not a cloud in sight.

A PARIS HILTON DAY: I got my check from my speaking engagement at BG today, and OH BOY did I go shopping. Luckily, half of it was Christmas gifts. I need to stay away from the mall.

I (HEART) WHOLE FOODS: I know how that sounds, but it's seriously not all hippies and granola. They have the BEST homemade clam chowder, the freshest fruits and veggies, and some of the best prepared foods.

I'M GETTING OLD: I walked in and immediately out of Ambercrombie and Fitch and Hollister today without even looking at anything. I'm only shopping at stores like Banana Republic and the Gap these days. Pretty soon, I'll be shopping at Brooks Brothers. :(

Not to mention that MB's post about moving to a small town and settling down really sounded good. What is happening to me?!? AHHHH!!!

I'm full...

2005-11-24T19:52:00.000-08:00

... as in, I've has been a very full day. I woke up at 7:30 to go downtown and run the first annual San Jose Turkey Trot 5K for charity*. I ran with Amy. It was fun, but now I'm really sore and tired. After the race, I baked a batch of mini-pumpkin cheesecakes. Then Tasha and I went with some people up to a friends in Pleasanton for a Thanksgiving lunch. And I made it back in time for work at 3, as well as another helping of turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing, cortesy of the Merc. I'm going to be nice and tired when I get home tonight.

*(If anyone cares, I ran a 32:38 and came in 29th in my age group and 217 overall, out of like 950 people.)

Two Thumbs Way Up

2005-11-23T14:06:00.000-08:00

Like that is a surprise. I saw it and it was UNBELIEVABLE. For any hardcore RENT fans, just a disclaimer, it's different from the show, the timeline is a little different and they added a couple scenes. But it's all worth it, totally. I won't spoil anything for anyone, but I will point out two cool things: Sarah Silverman is in it, she plays Alexi Darling, who you never actually see in the show. And, at one point they show the New York skyline and the twin towers are there, which is odd cause they started shooting this after 9/11. I'm sure it's just old footage from somewhere, but it was still cool.

GO SEE IT!!! I'm scheduled to see it at least 3 more times in the next week. :)

1 list, 2 lists, 3 lists, wa ha ha ha!

2005-11-21T16:46:00.000-08:00

(That was an impression of the Count from Sesame Street)

I'm on a roll here, I can't stop counting. But thanks for everyone for bearing with me!

Old school songs I've downloaded in the last couple days and am now obsessed with:
1) Jump-Kris Kross
2) MMMBop-Hanson
3) I'm Just A Girl-No Doubt
4) No Diggity-Blackstreet
5) Never Ever-All Saints
6) All My Life-K-Ci and JoJo (Prom 1998, baby!)
7) No Scrubs-TLC
8) New Age Girl-Deadeye Dick
9) Hook-Blues Traveler
10) To Be With You-Mr. Big

MB-Glad the blog is sticking around, obviously everyone loves it!
Kris-I heart you too! And I miss you!
Jen-Glad you had fun on your trip! Wish I was going to see RENT with you!
Nick-Update your freaking blog. Sorry I'm going to miss the Toledo game with you and Pete.
Dani-Going to see Harry Potter tonight. I'll let you know what I thought. :)

Speaking of going to see movies, one more day and then RENT! I just saw the new trailer with the new version of Take Me Out Tonight in it. Awesome.

Because he said so.

2005-11-20T22:35:00.000-08:00

This exercise made me realize how little I’ve traveled despite living in three regions of the country. Here goes in no particular order…

5 Favorite Cities

Morgan County, Ohio - You can always go home again. My entire immediate family lives there within a one-mile radius.
Chicago - Because I walked thru 50-mph winds on the way to the aquarium, rode the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier in early spring and blistered my feet along Michigan Ave. And I still love it.
Bowling Green, Ohio - My first home away from home. I came into my own here.
Savannah - Think "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil."
San Francisco - Probably the most diverse city I've been to yet and it works. All on a penisula. The hills still boggle my mind.

5 Cities I Would Live In

Chicago - This is where I want to be. Period.
Savannah - In one of those old homes with a beautiful courtyard right off a square in the Historical District.
Baltimore - An East Coast city in the middle fo it all. South of New York City and Boston, north of Charleston and Savannah and west of D.C.
Greenville, SC - A nice city with a revitalized downtown area. I escaped here more than once during my time in the South.
Charlotte - A great city that's getting bigger. It feels like a young professional with lots of energy and ambition.

5 Least Favorite Cities
(Not really least favorite… just places I don’t think about one way or another.)

Zanesville, Ohio - Not much here except the Y bridge, Conn's Potato Chips and Bloomers Chocolates.
Spartanburg, SC - Not much here either except a BMW museum.
St. Louis - It's got the arch?
Columbia, SC - I've never felt humidity like I did here.
Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, Atlanta – A city in its self and not in a good way.

M.A.S.H.

2005-11-20T14:29:00.000-08:00

Coming off my last post and the question I posed to MB in her last post, I'm doing some top 5 lists.

5 Favorite Cities
1) New York: The perfect mix of culture, history and fun things to do. Not to mention great restaurants.
2) San Francisco: Same as New York, but also stunningly beautiful.
3) Santa Barbara: The most beautiful city I've ever been too. Just being there puts you in a state of complete serenity.
4) Las Vegas: It's always fun in Vegas.
5) Seattle: Try not to relax while in Seattle. I dare you.

5 Cities I would live in
1) San Francisco: You think this would be easy
2) Detroit: It's my hometown, it's easy to get around
3) Chicago: A big city look with a Midwestern feel
4) Santa Barbara
5) Cape Cod: Living the slow life, with Boston only a half hour away

5 Least Favorite Cities
1) Los Angeles: With the smog and traffic, it's really stressful
2) Orlando: Oy! The humidity
3) Phoenix: How about those old people
4) Atlanta: And I thought San Francisco had a lot of homeless
5) Toledo: Sorry MB, there just ain't much to do there.

So now I pose this challenge to my blogmate, Tasha, as well as MB, Jen, Kristalyn and Dani. They have be places you've actually been to.

I Left My Heart in San Francisco

2005-11-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

I realize every time I go to San Francisco it's like the greatest city. And I always vow to go more often. And then I forget.

Yesterday I took the train up to see the Artic Monkeys with Tball. We waited in line for 3 hours to get into this really cool club down some alley in SoMa. The wait was actually pretty fun. I only heard 3 songs from the Artic Monkeys cause I had to catch the train, but they were really good. But I really loved the club, and said we have to go back, which means we never will. :)

Odd moments of last night/this morning: I made friends with a tree while waiting in line. His name was George. We had to inspect a box for traces of pee before we could sit on it. The doorman loved the fact that I had Twisters in my bag so he let me right in. On the way to the train, drunk, I met a really cute checker at Safeway. We flirted. I'm retarded.

RENT COUNTDOWN! 3 days! I'm about to piss myself.

I just wanted dinner

2005-11-17T02:06:00.000-08:00

Crazy night consisted of going out with several non-Merc people, dancing with a go-go dancer at the Dive, who was in a bikini. Her name was Amanda, and she had just worked on her thighs today, so she couldn't drop it like it's hot. Tasha got the offer of a threesome. We ended up at the gay bar where I was determined to make out with a guy.

Yeah, and we thought we were going to catch up on the TiVo tonight. Hmmmm.

Bullet to the chest

2005-11-12T02:00:00.000-08:00

So I thought I would get through these buyouts with little bruising. Most of my friends at the paper are designers, who are really ineligible for the buyout, so I wasn't too concerned. Bad idea. One of my good friends ended up getting the buyout without my knowledge. :( She was the one person at the paper that knew me after I came out, understood everything about my situation (she was a lesbian) and gave me unmatched relationship and life advice. We usually talked for hours on end until one of us realized we had to get back to work. I'm still figuring out if she is sticking around the area, which I believe she is, but I'm going to miss having her at the office. This has really depressed me, so I'm going to bed and plan on watching Lifetime all day tomorrow.

And more happy thoughts for Iain. Man, what a depressing week.

Schwarzenegger can't get his props

2005-11-09T11:46:00.000-08:00

That was a headline that didn't make it into the paper last night, but I thought was great. I actually had a really good time on election night last night. I got a bunch of snacks, had pizza, went on a couple walks and Susan and I played an intense game of Jenga. Oh yeah, and layed out the front page.

Oh, and since Tasha refuses to post, I'll tell you. She got a job at a jewelry place. She can give you the details.

And I just found out I got elected to the NorCal board of the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association! Yea!!

Hello. Welcome to (Insert Store Name Here).

2005-11-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

I walked into a nearby mall and sought out those “hiring” signs. Lo and behold, I ended up with an interview tomorrow at one store, a trial run next week at another and an application at a third. By next week, I could be selling clothing, jewelry or kitchen stuff. You cannot, CANNOT believe how excited I am to possibly have a job. Granted, it may not be what i was planning, but I’m ready to work and make some money. I tired of all this time on my hands; my brain is turning to mush. As long as I can earn enough to keep the credit bureau off my ass and my phone from being turned off, I’ll be ecstatic. You know what’ll happen now, right? Yeah, one of the full-time positions will call me back. Hey, whatever it takes. I'll work there and at the mall. It might be nice to keep a part-time job on the side anyway. God knows the extra money and employee discount will be worth it. Say your prayers or chants for me!

Wham!

2005-11-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

The bus came today. Hypothetically, I didn't really get hit by a bus. It was fine, I knew it was coming. Thankfully, it was a bunch of small buses and not a big one. One of which being that Knight Ridder's largest stock holder wants them to sell the company. As if things at the Merc weren't scary enough right now.

I need Andy or Bryan to come take me away from all of this.

Sigh.

"His penis is so pretty, I just want to knit it a hat!"

2005-10-31T11:57:00.000-08:00

THE BEST WEEK EVER: Abby from Dawson's Creek. Not only is she tearing it up on I Love the 80's: 3D, but she had a guest appearance on Grey's Anatomy where she was attached to a guy by a pole that was sticking through them. And she died. Again. So to recap, she's drowned drunk and died after having a pole removed that was sticking out of her. Not to mention it looks like she had work done on her lips.

COCAINE, SNORKS AND MICROWAVES: We're currently watching I Love the 80's: 3D, which you would think would be lame cause it's the third installment, but you just can't get enough of the 80's. I'm actually surprised Kenney hasn't blogged about it yet. The bad part about it: I've downloaded about 30 songs because of watching this show.

INSANE CLOWN POSSE: I got the shit scared out of me last night when I went with Stephanie, Rob, Shraddha and Marianne to a haunted maze in a corn field. We had no flashlight, we were like the last ones in the maze, these two girls who were really loud screamers felt the need to follow us around the maze and this really freaky clown kept following us and jumping out of the corn. It was great! Reminded me of living in the farm house in Bowling Green.

THE PERFECT MAN: Bryan Greenberg. We went to watch "Prime" yesterday, really just to see Bryan Greenberg, but it turned out to be really good. But it was really depressing, cause Bryan Greenberg's character in the movie is the PERFECT man. He's cute, funny, really sweet but still rough around the edges. It gives the illusion that those kind of men really exist. They don't. (The quote in the title is from the movie.)

Interesting eXperience

2005-10-30T10:15:00.000-08:00

I had an interesting night last night. I went out as, well, maybe a celebrity. I was wearing sunglasses and that was my costume, so shoot me, I don't like Halloween. Here's the highlights:

- Went out with General Tso (Stephanie) and his Chicken (her boyfriend, Rob), another celebrity (Shraddha and her feather boa), and a bunch of people not dressed up.

- Went to the Loft, had some great food and did some major dancing.

- Met Jamie Kennedy (of the Scream trilogy) outside the San Jose Improv.

- Topped the night off with some smothered cheese fries and a pumpkin pie at Denny's

The chicken got A LOT of attention last night. Apparently, people love a chicken.

Dear All Potential Employers:

2005-10-28T00:58:00.000-07:00

I would like to know what a girl has to do to get a job around here. I possess all of those skills employers say they want in a job applicant – I’m smart, hard working, highly organized. Any skills I haven’t yet gained from previous positions, I will do my best to learn as quickly and efficiently as possible. I can work independently or I can play well with others.

As far as getting a sense for an applicant, I understand it can be difficult based on just a cover letter and resume. Let me help you out. Unlike many people who lack focus, I have an excellent work ethic and I take pride in any work I do. I’m not afraid to work overtime if needed. I may not know exactly where I want my career to go, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t work hard. I can handle a lot of tasks while keeping a sense of humor. I get along well with nearly everyone and I’ve developed many contacts over the years. Sure, there are a few people at my last job who could give a less than stellar report, but for those three, I have thirty others who could offer glowing recommendations.

Now that I’ve stated what you would be getting, let me tell you what I ask in return. I expect my coworkers to take their jobs as seriously as I take mine. I expect to earn the respect of my superiors and, in turn, give them my respect. And I expect to be fairly compensated for my time and effort. I don’t believe it’s an unfair request.

Oh yeah. So I didn’t get that job. Crap.

Swoopes, there it is

2005-10-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, that was bad.

But I wanted to say how proud I am that Sheryl Swoops had the courage to tell the world that she was in a committed relationship with another woman, and that, in fact, she is gay. And that it in no way affects who she is or how she plays the game. Of course, it helps that she is a three-time MVP and multiple Olympic gold medal winner. :) It's sooooo important for young women athletes who are closeted or questioning to have a role model like that.

Thank you, Sheryl.

Conflicting emotions

2005-10-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

Well the first bit of news I got today was one of my fellow designers passed away last night. I worked with him since I got here. One of the nicest man I've ever met. He had been on leave for the past couple months for health problems due to smoking. He was only in his 50s. So I'm pleading with my smoking friends, perhaps, say in Baltimore, STOP SMOKING!!!!

I won't be at work for the rest of the week, I am working with college students at the APME conference for the rest of the week. I'm actually pretty excited. You all know how much I like working with the kids. :)

I popped Tasha's In and Out cherry today. She seemed to like it.

'California's been good to me, I hope it don't fall into the sea.'*

2005-10-20T22:39:00.000-07:00

Just to clear it up, cause I keep getting asked, I am not moving back to Detroit anytime soon. I did have a really good time when I went back. But Tasha and I are going to see what happens this next year with her career and my job, and then we'll decide our next move. Everyone ok with that? :)

*The quote is from a Tom Petty song

Keep on truckin'

2005-10-20T11:04:00.000-07:00

Things continue to go very well, which makes me think I'm going to get hit by a bus soon.

Got to work early yesterday and got two really good pieces of news.

Then went up to San Francisco and had a good date with Rick. We'll go out again. Yeah.

And after that I spent a great night at the bar with three people I realized I miss hanging out with since I've gotten my "other" life.

All and all, the week is going awesome. Hello, Mr. bus.

Hair of the dog, and all of these things

2005-10-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

I am currently getting paid back for the unbelievably good weekend I had. I'm in the manic stage of a really bad hangover, and can't stop shaking. Let's review the events that lead me here:

I WANNA BE A SUPERMODEL: Sunday, I had a fabulous Greek lunch with two beautiful women. (Shraddha and Tasha) There was TWO orders of flaming cheese. It was awesome. We then combed the men's stores of the mall, picking out possible sport coats for me, the best of which were all Hugo Boss, but I ended up with an awesome Macy's deal...on sale! Bonus!

We celebrated the awesome deal with some ice cream.

DAMN THE MOVIE REVIEWERS!: We topped of the night with a screening of Elizabethtown which was AWESOME! (No matter what the overpaid movie reviewers say.) It's in my top 5 favorite movies now. Great soundtrack, too, fyi.

GOOD OLE GAYS: Looking stylish in my new sport coat, i went to the NLGJA awards dinner in SF. It was very inspirational. The award winners were people like the ghost writer of Billy Beane's autobiography (he did a bunch of other stuff, but I thought that was the coolest) and the women who got newspapers to start giving domestic partner benefits. And I met some cool people and got to hang out with cool lesbians from the Merc.

I topped off the night with some dancing in the Castro, where I met a cute, funny, really nice guy. I know, shocking to find one of those at a gay bar in SF, but they do exist! We're going out tomorrow night.

I'm on a role people. Somebody stop me!

Wanna see pictures?

2005-10-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

SIGH: I just went through almost all of MB's Flickr album, and I have to say, I have the cutest nephew...ever. Might be the cutest family ever. I wish they lived next door. :(

ARE WE ON ELLEN? I realized this morning that our apartment is much like the Ellen show, in that, when any good song comes on, we'll jump up from the couch, or drop what we are doing, and actually start dancing. It's very odd. Almost like a scripted TV show, but really, we're just weird.

VACATION, ALL I EVER WANTED: I came to the realization right before I went home a couple weeks ago that I have two weeks of vacation left this year. But no money. So I can't go anywhere. So my boss and I just sat down and tried to figure out how I'm going to spend it. The fact that it came to that is just sad.

'And then there's the ho'

2005-10-09T21:47:00.000-07:00

"So in groups of girls, there is always the hot one, the smart one, the good one ... and then there's the ho. Look around, which one are you." We saw a comic do this joke years ago.

Well we don't fit into those roles, but we seem to fit into the roles from Sex and the City:

Carrie: That's totally Tasha. She has very mixed tastes in guys, is a writer, can hold her own but likes the comfort of a guy, deconstructs love and relationships and can be neurotic when called upon. Big on sexy fashion too, mostly Victoria's Secret. The only thing that's missing is her very own Mr. Big.

Samantha: Definitely Jen. She's not big on relationships but is very free when it comes to non-relationships. She acts more like a guy than a girl when it comes to relationships. And she's a strong women who doesn't need a man to complete her life.

Charlotte: Mary Beth all the way. She's very happy with the comfort of the right man while still being a strong, independent woman. And she can be a little naive when it comes to unusual sexual situations. :)

Miranda: And that's totally me. I'm neurotic about relationships. I'm all about the boundaries. I love my TiVo. And I also love my private time. And I would love to end up with a guy like Steve. :)

Stanford: Oddly, this would be Nick (Or Dougie could work in a pinch.) While neither is gay, they are good friends to all of us, but seem to talk with Tasha the most. And they both have really funny stories with most of us. (Strip poker anyone?)

This was sparked by a Sex and the City marathon.

You're going to stick the thermometer where?!

2005-10-09T00:53:00.000-07:00

So I thought I'd be nice and drive Tasha to the Pacific Medical Clinic, thinking it would be a pain. But I got a nice surprise in the form of Dr. Hottie Peter. Or at least that's what we call him now. He was definitely gay and kept smiling at me. :)

Tasha quickly realized that I was no longer concerned with her well being after this conversation:

Jeff: You should have gotten his number for me.
Tasha: Well, he said he'd call if something serious was wrong.
Jeff: Really?!?!?!
Tasha: Hey! Don't sound so excited!

Dammit! I could have snagged myself a Stanford med student!

Kind of reminds me of all the stories from Jen and Amanda about
Dr. Would-ja-come-home-with-me from the Wood County Hospital.

Oh, and Tasha's ok, we're going to get her a prescription tomorrow. :)