gretch0r.blogspot.com

Senator Mark Odom Hatfield

2011-08-08T13:14:00.000-07:00

In 1993, we moved into a little gated community on the Oregon coast. All of the homes were cedar shingle siding, with white trim. They all overlooked the water; there were tennis courts and bocce ball and wood steps down to the beach. Very quaint.

Shortly after moving in, I distinctly remember meeting our neighbors, Mark and Antoinette Hatfield. In the beginning, they stood out because they had a painting on the wall between their dining room and their kitchen. The whole house was classically done; very regal and bourgeois. I remember this painting in particular because, amongst all of the fine china and worldly artifacts, there was this painting. Of a yellow fire hydrant.

I remember being so confused. Why would they have a painting of a fire hydrant? As it turns out, I think that was my first introduction to modern/contemporary art. Years later and what I wouldn't give to have that painting.

In September of 1996, I had the pleasure of going to Washington DC with Mr. Hatfield, or as you may refer to him, Senator Hatfield. I toured rooms you'll never set foot in and sat in office chairs you'll never know the comfort of. I wore an awful Laura Ashley-type floor-length dress (I may have even worn a cropped denim jacket) as he introduced me to friends and colleagues; I nerded out over meeting John Glenn during lunch in the White House.

In 1999, I began my college search. Since I had a hard time deciding where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do, I ended up applying in all different corners of the country (Alaska, California, Florida, Montana, New York and Washington State). Senator Hatfield was kind enough to write me recommendations to every single one of them. (I chose the University of Washington, for the record.)

In 2001, I was set to graduate from high school. I thought it would be wonderful, given his accomplishments, if the Senator could speak at our graduation ceremony. I remember my pounding heart as I asked him for the favor, he smiled and assured me that it would be an honor, but with one caveat: he wanted me to introduce him. So I stood in front of more than a thousand people, first the first time, and introduced my friend, my mentor, my neighbor. I was shaking so hard I thought my knees would give out. As I walked off the stage, I passed him and he gave me a tight hug and told me that I did wonderfully.

That same day, his wife, Antoinette, gave me a graduation card with a 100-dollar bill inside. After all of the congratulations, it specified in the card that the money was only for emergencies; that I should carry it with me always. Now, ten years later, that bill is still in my wallet waiting for an emergency -- at this point it would have to be catastrophic for me to part with it.

This morning my mom called to tell me that the Senator passed away last night. My eyes are glassy with tears and my heart feels pregnant, like it's expanding and adjusting to make room for this new sadness. He was such a lovely person; the kindest, the most giving, the man with such a wide berth of knowledge, always willing to share. I feel very, very blessed to have known him.

Couch 2 Kilimanjaro

2011-08-03T21:47:00.000-07:00

In the shortest way possible to describe my recent absence: Couch to 71K. Fourty-four (44) miles.

In February 2012 (exactly 6 months from now), I will be climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to Uhuru/Kibo Peak (19,341ft). It's bought and paid for and is non-refundable. So I'm definitely going. (Squee? Yah, squee!) To prep, I've been hiking nearly every day after work and a lot of weekend mornings. (Unless a hike lasts longer than I expect and I singe off a layer of skin in the afternoon sun. True story.) Which is to say, in the last 2 months, I've hiked 170.31 miles. I've also lost a steady 23.4-lbs in the process (due to hiking, I have not changed my diet at all). This is *not* me telling you to start hiking because that's where the weight-loss is at, nope. You exercise or diet however is best for you. I didn't set out to lose weight by hiking. I set out to get prepared; mentally and physically.

In other news, I went to San Diego Comic-Con and my little head exploded with awesomeness. This year was a definite throw back to how SDCC used to be--more about the comics and gaming than big flashy/gimmicky productions. It was wonderful. Never mind that TheNerdMachine.com held their first Nerd Headquarters (NerdHQ) and raised over $40,000 for Operation Smile (in just 4 days). That was rad to be apart of.

At the Movies

2011-04-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of hitRECord.org? That's "hit" as in press, and "record" as in to make a record of or set down in permanent form, NOT "record" as in sound recording consisting of a disc with continuous grooves.

In summary, it's an open collaborative production company. What the heck is that, you ask? It's where everything posted to the site becomes common property, for lack of a better term. I think the easiest way to describe it, is to give an example. Say Person 1 posts a photograph or stick-figure drawing, Person 2 would be inspired to animate it, Person 3 would loop the animation and maybe come up with some lyrics, Person 4 would remix the lyrics to make a song, Person 5 may feel inspired to loop in some more animation or add in some background musical instruments. Pretty soon there's an animated short film that a bunch of people --who, generally, have never met before-- collaborated to make. So, no matter your skill level (from drawing of stick figures to graphic animation and everything in between and above and beyond), there's a place for your creativity. Videos, writing, photography, music, anything -- and they're called RECords.

So, a few weeks ago, the creator of the site, RegularJOE, announced the event "hitRECord at the Movies." Having no idea what would happen at this event, I knew it'd be creative and awesome, so I snatched up a couple tickets (it sold out before I could blink, so I'm glad I was on top of things). I told my roommate, Katie, that I had a surprise for her (she has a crush on RegularJOE) and to clear her evening, but I never told her why. For weeks she kept guessing different activities that I could have signed up for; "are we riding giraffes," "are we starring in a musical, because girl you know I can't sing," etc. (Oddly, there was singing involved, but I didn't know that ahead of time.)

So, long story short, the event's schedule went something like this:

Play 2 short collaborative animations.
Play 1 pre-recorded reading of a Tiny Story (with collaborative animation).
Select 1 person from the audience to perform a dramatic interpretation of a Tiny Story chosen by ReguarJOE.
RegularJOE did something creative (like sing a song or play a video and do live narration).
Audience participation (like sing a song, while RegularJOE recorded it for the site to maybe use in a collaborative project).
Rinse & repeat for the duration of 2+ hours.

It was kind of amazing. Nay, a better word would be inspiring, and at times moving and sad. Both Katie and I, neither of which would call ourselves creative, walked out and we both wanted to buy video cameras and construction paper and take a class on stop motion. I can't think of a time in my life when I've been this inspired to be creative.

There are some people out there with hidden and unrealized talent.

Underwear Talk

2011-04-02T11:18:00.000-07:00

Good news! Got a new car. Same thing as last time. Same colors, same package (the 2011 equivalent).

Bad news! I hurt everywhere. From what I can imagine, my knees feel like they have no cartilage. And I have sciatica (insurance is paying for me to get my right butt cheek massaged, teehee -- I mean, among other things).

The following is kind of a short story, but I'm telling the unnecessarily long version. So feel free to skip it.

[...]

Oh good, you're still with me!

Soooo I am the Ultimate Grand Master Supreme (UGMS) of internet shopping. Even my roommate's boyfriend asks me to find things for him online because I can nearly always find a discount. But I digress. It's my roommates' birthday this week (they both have the same birth date), so for one of them, she wanted some way-too-expensive sequin shorts from J Crew. Since I had a 20% off discount code for Victoria Secret, I bought her a sequin skirt instead (I have the same skirt and it's super cute and a flattering length, though it looks really short online). Anyway, since I had this coupon code, I decided to stock pile some underwear (every girl I know, as far as I know, wears the same underwear bottoms from VS, weird). And because I'm the UGMS, I found a coupon code online for TWO "free Secret Reward Cards" (e.g. a gift card with an unknown amount).

So my roommate's skirt and my underwear came in the mail and today I decided to purchase some more underwear with my "free Secret Reward Card." So I added the underwear to my cart and I went through the checkout and got to the point where I add the gift card and it says, "Remaining balance $437.00." THE FREE GIFT CARD HAD $500 ON IT. (The second one had $10 on it.) BUT $500. (Now you're beginning to see why I get the UGMS title, right?) The downside is that it's only good until 4/30/2011, so I wanted to spend it now before I forget about it and let it go to waste.

Here's my loot:
$79.50 - Roommate's birthday gift (the skirt didn't fit, so instead of exchanging, I'm going to return and get my money back, even though I wont get the 20% discount anymore)
$90.00 - Underwear (9 pairs @ $10.00 each)
$84.00 - Bathing suit
$34.50 - Pajama Set (top and bottom)
$48.00 - Flower Sandal (teal/green)
$14.50 - Cami Tank top
$20.00 - Ruched Crop Yoga Legging
$39.50 - Blouse
$39.50 - Jean Skirt
$49.50 - The Little Tee Dress (I'm going to wear like a long shirt, not a dress)
$20.00 - Racerback Tank Top (navy)
$20.00 - Racerback Tank Top (white)
$48.00 - Eyelet Blouse
Tote bag (free with coupon code and purchase of swimwear)

So I had the coupon for the free tote, then if you look at their home page, they're doing a sale ($75 off if you spend $250, so since I spent $250 on two separate orders, I got $150 off), then I had another old gift card for $10, so I got all of the above and I only spent $13.46 of my own money. And I still have the second "free Secret Reward Card" for $10.

All because of a silly coupon code for a mystery amount. It feels almost criminal. Or like Christmas.

Well, I'm in the market for a new car.

2011-03-16T22:40:00.000-07:00

[...]

:(

Driving to work the other day, I was rear-ended. But not regular type rear-ended. This lady was going full speed on The 10 (Interstate Freeway). She hit me, I hit the car in front of me, then my car turned and I hit the guardrail/median, then the lady rear-ended me again. The windows busted, the trunk became the backseat, and none of the doors would open (the driver's door had to be pried open for me to get out).

While none of this was super fun, I'm super, super lucky. Like, really lucky. My neck is swollen and black/blue, the muscles in my arms are sore, but I feel like it could have been a lot worse. There's no blood where it shouldn't be and, while everything is tense and achy, nothing is unbearably painful. Tomorrow I find out more about the neck brace and the x-ray results will be back.

Until then, I'm icing and medicated and looking for a new car. (Which I'm super bummed about because my car was really swanky nice. And also paid off.)

In other news, my dad got his results back and he's currently cancer free. Woot!

Also, my grandmother died. Not woot. Despite the sad circumstances, it was the first time that I can remember our whole family being together since I was a single-digit age. (My family in California came up [to Portland], which is rare.) It was lovely to see everyone. I even got dinner with a couple cousins and it's nice to see them as adults.

So all of this has been what's going on with me. So, not much. ;)

Current obsessions: Money3 (budgeting software), Glee (TV), Heavy on A&E (TV), website design for my dad's company (just finished!), San Diego Comic Con plans, and prepping for my Africa trip.

Bummer about my grandma and my car, but great about my dad. I'm just really lucky.

Tra la. Tralala!

Holiday Savings

2010-12-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

I love gift cards. They're like free money and you're not stuck with an ugly sweater that you hate, but it doesn't matter anyway because it's two sizes too big/small. Well, over the years, I've collected a pile of gift cards that I had assumed were all spent, but I hadn't throw them out for whatever reason (hoarding?). Yesterday I was like, "OK, I need these out of my life. I'll check the balances and then toss them." Little did I know, I was sitting on some serious cash!

The balances as of my lunch break yesterday:

~~Target: $5~~ (parent's holiday gift)
~~Blockbuster: $5~~ (gave to roommate)
~~Barnes & Noble: $6~~ (gave to mom)
Scoops Ice Cream: $15
~~Fred Meyer/QFC: $30~~ (wiper blades for my dad's car)
~~GAP (2 cards): $35~~ (underwear)
~~Safeway (2 cards): $49~~ (parent's groceries)
~~American Express Gift Card: $50~~ (alternative apparel shirt)
Whole Foods: $69
J Crew (3 cards): ~~$513~~ $105 (1 pair of pants, 3 sweaters, and a cami)
TOTAL: ~~$597~~ $189

And two free movie tickets at any AMC theater and another four tickets to The Comedy Store!

The GAP ones are the funniest because one is from 2000 and one is from 2007. I don't think I've stepped foot in the GAP since I quit my job at Baby GAP (in 2002). (Yes, I worked at Baby GAP. Shuttup.) And the Barnes & Noble card was actually my "prize" for being Employee of the Month at Baby GAP (right before I quit). The Blockbuster card has a photo of Gandolf and says "The Fellowship of the Ring," which was released to DVD in 2002 if that's any indication as to how old it is.

And I don't even have a Blockbuster account; I had one in college so maybe that's still active (however, unhelpful at 1,200 miles away).

The J Crew cards are just annoying because I SHOP THERE ALL OF THE TIME. I probably could have used these 10 times over since receiving them.

Finding out that these cards still had money was like Christmas in... well, December. That's five hundred and ninety-seven dollars of found money! (And free movie tickets.)

This is sort of a pointless post, but I had to share my holiday joy!

--UPDATE 28 Jan 2011--

Guys, I'm embarrassed to say that I found more...
JC Penney: $25
California Pizza Kitchen: $50
Fry's: $16
(plus the original $597)
TOTAL: $688

Massive Update.

2010-12-03T22:21:00.000-08:00

Since I last left off in July, let me continue on from there. First, I apologize for any typos or spelling and grammar mishaps. No excuse, just don't feel like proof-reading.

After comic-con, in early August, I created a website for my Aunt's jewelry so I popped up to San Francisco to show her how to update it without help. Mid-August my friend, Betsy, scored us free tickets to a movie screening. The next day I received a frightening postcard from Chels&Kit that had a very large geoduck on it. My life will never be the same. I did not need to know geoducks existed. I cleaned out my storage unit and filled two (2) 4-yard dumpsters at my work with junk I forgot I had (including but not limited to: my smelly arm cast from 2003, most of my college schoolwork, and memorabilia from friendships long ended). Imagine your kitchen packed from floor to ceiling with giant rubbermaids dwindled down to four medium sized boxes. I feel lighter; freer. Late August, I flew up to Portland, OR to visit my parents. We took a roadtrip up to Anacortes, WA up near the San Juans to visit Chels&Kit, then we drove home through Seattle and I got to play with my nephew(s) for a couple hours. (Too cute!) When I got back, I tried to rearrange the furniture in the communal distribution office at my work for better flow and productivity. Unfortunately, I discovered moldy tiles from a recent pipe flood. And of course I couldn't just clean it, because hello, black mold! Gross. And dangerous, I think. I ripped out the tile and purchased new tile. (Imagine me tiling in the middle of a workday.) And since I was at it, I painted the offices ("tidewater" blue-ish green) and bought new furniture. What? You have to like your work environment, right? On the last day of August I was wasting time on Facebook. I came across a photo of one of my high school friends, Sam, and I pointed to the person next to her and said, "That looks like David." And my roommate, Katie, was like, "That IS David." It turns out that my roommate, who is from Kentucky, her friend David's sister (also from Kentucky, I presume) is living in Portland, OR dating my friend from high school (in case you're not following, they're gay). But what a small world!

In early September, Chels&Kit flew down for a wedding in SoCal so I got to play with them for a few hours. I spent most of my weekends creating a website for a friend that now I'm remembering that I need to publish still. I was being phone stalked for awhile so I had to change my phone number. I had had the old phone number since 2001, so I was super bummed. Mid September I met a boy. I finished the month by being an extra in an Upright Citizens Brigade Theater video spoof. It was actually really fun. And if you ask nicely, I may give you a link.

In early October, I flew back up to Portland, OR for my friend's wedding. It was a friend from high school, so it was nice to see her. Surprisingly, I don't see her that often and she lives close by in Del Mar. (Her mom had lost, like, 40-lbs and looked AMAZING. And I had to tell her repeatedly.) On October 4th, Burning Dan died unexpectedly. I was taking knife throwing lessons and had taken an archery class. Burning Dan taught fire throwing so I was thinking about taking a class. Major bummer to hear about his death (which had nothing to do with fire, btw). He seemed like an amazing spirit just from his online persona (I read his blog). After his death I found out that he was actually the brother to Mr. Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I found out that there's a mock Diagon Alley (from Harry Potter) here in Los Angeles. With a floating candle ceiling and everything. Mid October my dear friend, Lisa, got married in a small British Inn in Muir Beach, CA. Everything was so tasteful and delightfully British. My parents and I also decided not to do winter holiday gifts this year. I'll be spending December 11th-18th with them so my flight and our time together will suffice.

In early November, aforementioned boy met some of my close friends from out of town. I took off a week from work before Thanksgiving to road trip through California, Utah and Arizona with my parents. I'd never been to Utah before, can you believe it? The week of Thanksgiving I was supposed to fly up to Seattle to stay with Tasha&Steven, but the roads were icy and when I called to cancel or reschedule, the airline told me that my flight would have been canceled anyway, so I didn't have to pay any penalties. I later spoke with a girl at my regular coffee shop who's from the Seattle area and she said that she flew into Seattle, but none of her family could navigate the roads to get her, so she ended up taking the first flight back to LA. Glad I didn't waste my time at the airport(s), but super bummed not to see my family. (Luckily, a local family took me in for the holiday. Intimidating, but the sweetest people ever.)

But most importantly, something that makes everything insignificant and pointless, I found out that my father has cancer (with a frightening time line of 3 months without surgery). This is much too personal for me to discuss here, but hopefully that explains most of my absence.

Next on the docket, my roommate and I will be doing something really cheesy. We've both lived here for 5+ years and never done a celeb home tour. I've collected the celeb addresses for people we both love (don't ask me how, but I promise that we wont use them to do anything other than gawk at the homes), so we'll be doing that soon.

Otherwise life is busy. Work is busy. School is put on hold until Spring.

San Diego Comic-Con 2010

2010-07-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm going to try to list the people I saw at San Diego Comic-Con 2010. I don't have photos of all; some were during panels, some were during autograph signings and some were just walking around.

Robert Popper (Look Around You)
Peter Serafinowicz (Look Around You)
Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)
Anna Kendrick (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)
Jason Schwartzman (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)
Kieran Culkin (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World)
Angelina Jolie (Salt)
Lake Bell (Childrens' Hospital)
Rob Corddry (Childrens' Hospital)
Erinn Hayes (Childrens' Hospital)
Rob Huebel (Childrens' Hospital)
Ken Marino (Childrens' Hospital)
Scott Bacula (Quantum Leap)
Russell Tovey (Being Human)
Lenora Crichlow (Being Human)
Aidan Turner (Being Human)
Sinead Keenan (Being Human)
Alia Shawkat (Arrested Development)
Nicolas Cage (Drive Angry 3D)
Amber Heard (Drive Angry 3D)
William Fichtner (Drive Angry 3D)
Eric Balfour (Skyline)
Scottie Thompson (Skyline)
Donald Faison (Skyline)
David Zayas (Skyline)
Brittany Daniel (Skyline)
James Gunn (Super)
Rainn Wilson (Super)
Ellen Page (Super)
Liv Tyler (Super)
Nathan Fillion (Super)
Michael Rooker (Super)
Guermillo del Toro (Don't Be Afraid of the Dark)
Paul Bettany (Priest)
Karl Urban (Priest)
Stephen Moyer (Priest)
Maggie Q (Priest)
Cam Gigandet (Priest)
Will Ferrell (The Other Guys)
Mark Wahlberg (The Other Guys)
Eva Mendes (The Other Guys)
Seth Rogen (The Green Hornet)
Christoph Waltz (The Green Hornet)
Michel Gondry (The Green Hornet)
Olivia Munn
Zachary Levi (Chuck)
Adam Baldwin (Chuck)
Joshua Gomez (Chuck)
Sarah Lancaster (Chuck)
Ryan McPartlin (Chuck)
Mark Christopher Lawrence (Chuck)
Vik Sahay (Chuck)
Scott Krinsky (Chuck)
Josh Schwartz (Chuck)
Jole McHale (Community)
Chevy Chase (Community)
LL Cool J (NCIS)
Zachary Quinto (Lucid)

On with the (many) photos...

Cat Scratch Fever!

2010-06-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

So apparently "cat scratch fever" is totally for real.

This morning, just after 4 am, I woke up to my cat hissing and clawing at the window. My sleep-laden brain couldn't piece together the fact that he was genuinely upset, as opposed to restless and wanting attention, which is what I'm used to. So I walk over to the window saying, "Shhh, it's 4 AM, people, myself included, are tryi---HOLY F**K." The next thing I know my cat is hanging by his teeth from my right hand. Mother [insert a bunch of expletives], that hurt. I put him in the closet (the freshly cleaned one!) and go wash my hands. I don't see any blood, just painful scratches. The soap makes it burn, but it's 4 am and I'm really tired, I just want it over so I can go back to sleep. When I glance up at the mirror, I notice that I'm white as a sheet and as soon as I realize this, I immediately realize that I need to sit down.

I walk back in my room and the cat is back by the window (yeah, he figured out how to open the closet door while I was washing my hands). I draw back the curtain and there's a fat orange cat sitting on the window ledge taunting my cat. Of course, one look at me and he scampers off. I get light headed and squeeze my eyes shut, but it's too late, I've already fallen back on the bed.

My alarm goes off at 5:36a and I roll over to turn it off, it's at this time that I notice my hand is dark and sticky. Oh, and did I mention I'm about to puke? My hand is covered in blood; part dry and crusty, and part thick and sticky. Upon inspection, I realized that there's a triangle shaped hole on my knuckle between my middle and ring finger. Holding it up to a ruler, it's about 1/4-inch wide and gaping.

It's now 12:50p and I've lost full function of my pointer, middle, and ring finger (the joints are stiff and burning and kind of stuck). And I've been having cold sweats. Since this is my dominant hand, I can't tell you how frustrating this is. I can't hold a pen or click a computer mouse without white hot searing pain. From mid-forearm down, everything is a steady throb and I keep glancing down convinced it's going to combust into flames at any second.

Internet tells me that this is all part of a bacteria infection from cat's saliva that's normal. They say if it's still painful in 2-3 weeks, see a doctor. I can tell you right now that I'm definitely not waiting 2-3 weeks. I CAN'T USE MY HAND and that's not an exaggeration. It was hard enough making a sandwich for lunch with a weak hand and an elbow. Twisty ties are sent from the devil.

Oh, did I mention the arm that isn't suffering from cat scratches was freshly vaccinated. Five shots to be exact (and 3 more this week). So I can't even lift my left arm very far. (This made replacing the shower heads fun, let me tell you.)

I need a rascal wheelchair and a personal nurse.

Welcome to adulthood.

House Projects

2010-06-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

With our lease coming to an end soon, my roommates and I sat down and discussed what we saw happening. We all felt like we have a great house in a great location, we all get along nicely, and we don't mind staying where we're at (e.g moving is a hassle). For me, this is my first time since college staying in a house/apartment for longer than a year (except for that time that I lived with Emily for 21 months :D). And with the knowledge that we're going to stay, I decided to tackle some house projects that we'd been putting off.

It started last week with the laundry room, or rather the catch-all room. A few months ago, Mariss picked up a washer and dryer, generously given to us by Ian Roberts. This was all fine and dandy, but the problem was that our laundry room was so full of junk/crap that we couldn't even use the machines because we couldn't get to them. Finally fed up with the laundromat, Mariss and I purchased a shelf to mount above the machines for all of our should-be-in-storage junk. A month later and the shelf was still propped against the wall in the kitchen waiting to be put up. Last weekend, after confirming that we're all agreeing to stay, Katie lit a fire under our butts by dropping the bomb, "My mom is coming to visit in 2 weeks." Eep! The house was NOT parent ready.

So Katie and I, on an exciting Friday night, completely emptied the laundry room (save for the machines), got out the ladder and FINALLY mounted the shelf. We both went through everything deciding what would stay and what would go and how to tetris-like put it away.

Before you look at the photo of the laundry room below, I want to emphasize that there was not a single square foot of open floor space before. And both bikes were on the ground effectively rendering the whole room useless.

(Ta da?)

My second idea/project was to get a bike rack so that we could keep both bikes indoors, but still have use of the narrow walkway. This was much easier said than done. I overestimated the height (width?) of the picture rail and the bike rack that I purchased was either moot or would have to be screwed into the wallboard. Considering our house was built in 1915 and how many issues we had hanging art in the living room, it became pretty clear that I was going to have to nix the bike rack idea.

Until I had an ah-ha moment. If only the picture rail were taller (wider?)! I dug through our garbage wood pile at work and came across a small piece that I could probably use, then I went to Target and got some no-slip spacers (normally used for under furniture, I think). I painted the wood white, attached the spacers and wood-glued the contraption to the wall. Followed that all with the screws and I don't think it's going anywhere.

And since we now had additional storage in the laundry room, I was able to clean out a bunch of stuff from my closet. This of course meant that, "Hey, I'm already cleaning it out, I may as well go through and donate clothes I'm not wearing any more." When I started on the closet, I didn't have any extra hangers and everything was shoved onto shelves. (The other half of the closet is just hanging clothes and a litter box [and air purifier] on the floor, nothing exciting.)
And, you know, since I was cleaning things out I decided to go through the refrigerator, too. I decided to get rid of expired foods and left overs. I'll give you one guess as to which shelf is mine.

To be fair, I made a pizza with the about-to-go-bad veggies, so now I have wrapped up pizza for lunch tomorrow on the shelf.

And finally my pile of stuff to donate:

I also realized that I don't think I ever did a follow-up post to my bathroom ideas. What I was thinking in the beginning, never really panned out. I painted the bathroom a pale blue and it really made it look so much cleaner.

So where was I? Laundry room, bike rack... Oh, yes. I changed all of the light bulbs in the house to be energy efficient, then I also changed both shower heads to use less than half the amount of water we were using before. (But the heads are also "water accelerators" so we don't lose any of the pressure.)

And since I was in the tub, I was like, "Hey our grout/caulking is orange and black, I wonder if I can change that?" It turns out that Fantastic and Windex aren't really great for showers, but you know what is? CLR. There was white grout under there! Obviously, this only made the black caulking around the top of the tub stand out, so of course I had to remove all of the mold. I scraped and cut and dug and bleached and finally got all of the black off. Then I re-caulked ALL BY MYSELF. I'm practically a professional now.

Here's an only slightly exaggerated before and after:

So I had a productive weekend.

Anacortes, WA

2010-06-13T18:55:00.000-07:00

As an extension of my last blog post (trip to see baby Ianto in Seattle), I recently spent a weekend in Anacortes, WA. My friend Chelsea, the one who got married not too long ago to a Fish & Wildlife Game Warden, purchased her first home near Deception Pass Bridge. She's literally repainted the whole house, ceilings et al. The place looks really great and it's a wonderful home. The country up north was really beautiful and I was glad to get out the city for a bit.

Birthday Gift: Ianto Sol

2010-06-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

My sister friend was pregnant and due May 31st. Since I had a trip planned to visit 28th, I tried to convince her to have the baby before my visit. She assured me that it wouldn't happen and you can't will a birth, so you can imagine my elation when baby Ianto (YAHN-toe) was born less than 24 hours before MY birth date. That's right. Lesson learned: if you want something bad enough, try pushing.

It was a short visit, but I loved up my new (and last) nephew as much as I could.

Boot Camp

2010-06-13T17:35:00.000-07:00

After the car accident, I had to put Boot Camp on hold. (Boo hiss.) I've been actively communicating with the Lt. about my recovery because I really want to get back. Unfortunately, I tried it once and had to call in sick to work the next day. I'm just not 100% ready to get back to normal activities.

I was, however, able to go to BC early on a Saturday morning to take some photos of the work out. I thought it'd be nice to share a few images of what goes on during a sample hour.

Birthday Shenanigans

2010-06-13T16:15:00.001-07:00

But speaking of the TV show, Chuck, there is a character Jeff who is, for all intents and purposes, repulsive. He's intoxicated in one of the episodes and wakes up on Chuck's couch. Chuck's sister walks in the room and, hungover (or still a little intoxicated) he hands her a card while saying, "I'm supposed to give this to you." She reads the card aloud, "My name is Jeff and I am lost." Katie and I almost peed ourselves laughing. Maybe you had to be there?

Anyway, for my birthday Katie thought it would be a good idea to get 250 cards made that say, "My name is Gretchen. I am lost." Complete with my address on the back. I think I'll keep one in my back pocket at all times. For hilarity sake.

In case you're wondering, I had a great birthday. My roommates and I all have similar birthdays, so we pooled our friends and invited 400+ people over to our little craftsman house. I ended up being the sober jerk at 5:30a kicking people out (in cabs, at least). We decorated our house very sweetly (see the poor quality iphone camera image below--don't mind the hole in the fence from the neighbor backing into it). On my actual birthday night, Mariss, Katie, Tyler and I got dinner at Fatty's in Eagle Rock. Great food, weird service. You HAVE to have reservations to have a decent experience, but the food is worth it.

Ready for Prime Time

2010-06-13T15:47:00.000-07:00

For lack of a better explanation, we haven't had (legal) internet at our house for over 3 months. We've been paying for it, but it never works for more than 30-60 seconds at a time. (Yeah.) Hence the lack of blogging (and computer usage in general). A TON of things have happened in the months since my last update. (Eep, I didn't realize it'd been months.)

With the lack of computer usage, my roommates and I have been spending some quality time together. In front of the TV.

[...]

:/

In my last apartment, my roommate was totally into the show Heroes. While waiting for Heroes to start one day, we had the TV on NBC and I was like, "Oh hey, there's Rachel Bilson. What show is this?" The show turned out to be Chuck (about a computer nerd turned accidental spy). We watched the episode (even though we had no idea what was going on) and I've been hooked ever since. (The show is funny and endearing, and did I mention funny?) Flash forward to now and I've got my current roommate, Katie, into Chuck, too. Katie and I have sat down nearly every evening and watched one or more of the 54 episodes, starting with the pilot.

We cheated and watched the current season episodes as they were new on TV, so despite knowing the outcome of certain plot lines, Katie would shout, "Chuck and Sarah will NEVER be together!" Then she'd dramatically pretend to faint onto the couch with the back of her hand pressed against her forehead.

But speaking of television, since none of my roommates or myself are used to watching TV on a regular basis, sitting down in front of the tube made us feel lazy. This is how "two thing, a story, and Chuck" came about. We decided that an episode of Chuck would be a reward for accomplishing two things (example: unloading/loading the dishwasher --first thing-- and, say, loading the washer or dryer --second thing), then one of us would tell a funny story (mostly Katie revealing silly things about her childhood--like, she had baby casts on her legs to straighten them, but the funny part was that she kicked them off a lot, so her parents thought it'd be appropriate to SPRAY GLUE them on). Admittedly, towards the end of the second season, sometimes we were so excited for the next episode of Chuck, the two things became getting out the ice cream and setting up the DVD. As soon as we felt productive (subjective), we rolled tape.

Once we were caught up on Chuck, my friend Chelsea, sent me the first season of Arrested Development. The episodes are shorter and easier to commit to, so we've been breezing right through them.

Additionally, I've love the British television series Doctor Who. Love it, love it, love it. I think, for Comic Con, I'm going to dress up as one of the Dr. Who characters. I'm afraid to watch other seasons because I love the two main actors on the show (current season five).

Moving Violations

2010-03-20T17:11:00.000-07:00

My roommate, Katie, and I bought our cars at the same time. I went the practical route (Prius) and she went the fun route (BMW Z4). Last weekend we took a mini-trip in her car with the top down and I was offhandedly saying that, after much thought, I would not have gotten a Prius, if I had to do it over. While it's a nice car, I think it's a sin to live in SoCal and not have at least a sunroof. I never realized how much I used mine until I didn't have one. (Also, I have a laundry list of things I'd change about it. But that's not to say that it's not a good commuter car, which I guess is why I chose it.)

Last Wednesday, I had made a more-or-less official decision to cut my Europe trip in half, so I could use the other half to go to Tanzania in January or February. In explaining my need to climb Kilimanjaro to my dad, I pointed out that "you never know when something could happen and I'd like to do it while I can."

Then, not 18 hours later, I'm driving to work at 6:23am on the 101-S and the cars in front of me stop very suddenly. So I stop very suddenly. Just as the rush of relief that I didn't hit anything waves over me, SLAM SCREECH CRUNCH. The car behind me didn't stop, hitting me full speed, sending me flying into the car in front of me, etc. etc. until 5 cars are involved. There were airbags and broken windshields and fluids flooding the ground.

Here is my car now. If the orientation of this image is confusing, don't worry, you're not the only one.

I could tell you about my physical state right now, but all I have to say is: IT COULD BE SO MUCH WORSE. I'm alive. I'll eventually heal. Shit is swollen, airways are restricted, skulls are tender and bruised, BUT I'M ALIVE.

P.S. Yes, the brakes on my Toyota worked, thankyouverymuch.

Boot Camp: Part II

2010-02-16T14:01:00.000-08:00

I've been doing a lot of research in regards to why French women don't get fat --don't ask me why-- and I came across something interesting. As Americans, we say, "I am hungry," and "I am full." But the French say, "j'ai faim," (I have hunger) and "j'ai ne plus faim" (I no longer have hunger). If you think about it, we get to the point of "no longer being hungry" long before we're full.

But I digress. This post is a further review of my month-long Boot Camp.

Day 4 (W, 2/10): Did a long run. Longer than all of the other days. Pushed myself really far, but couldn't make it the last .5 miles (ran the whole way, but cut through the course to make it a little shorter).

Day 5 (Th, 2/11): Got yelled at for bringing weights that are too light.

Day 6 (S, 2/13): The Major pushed on my lower back while I was running to--quite literally--push me to go faster. Thought I was going to collapse.

Day 7 (M, 2/15): We used no weights. Mostly running and scrimmages (hurtles, fancy sit-ups, crazy push-ups on a hill, etc.). Since I ate some sorbet over the weekend, I had to participate in the "After School Program," which just means extra running for Cheaty McCheatersons, like myself. (The Major's food program doesn't allow for cheating "until you can afford it" --if you still have weight to lose, then you can't afford it.)

I only have 5 more meetings left of Boot Camp. I really enjoyed the Saturday morning BC because there was no traffic getting to the meeting location (the usually 40 minute drive in traffic only took me 9 minutes without traffic). I might sub out Saturday mornings for Friday nights from now on.

This past weekend, I had a girly weekend. After BC on Saturday morning, I went hiking and burned an additional 1,100 calories. Saturday night five of us girls got dolled up (including mani/pedis) and went to a spendy restaurant, got a 5 course meal with wine tasting (I'm still not drinking alcohol), and everyone spent the night at our house for a big slumber party in the living room (because this designated driver wasn't driving around the city taking people home). Sunday, four of us girls went down to Newport and Laguna (but everyone had the same idea and the beaches were packed).

Boot Camp: Hu-yah?

2010-02-09T08:47:00.000-08:00

My inner kid is locked in the closet for the next month because she's to young to experience what's happening to my body. The month of February (mayhaps March, as well) will include me getting my butt kicked, no foul language (seriously), no alcohol (seriously), no caffeine (seriously), and no baked goods/candy (seriously).

I enlisted in boot camp. Like, FITNESS boot camp. Wherein I pay someone really good money to yell at me and make me run and sing cadence and do scrimmages.

Day 1 (M, 2/1): White hot pain running through my arms. I tried putting mascara on on Tuesday morning and couldn't get my arm up high enough. I was the only new recruit; everyone else was a seasoned boot camper. I felt like the Major genuinely wanted me to succeed, though. And the Lieutenant was just there for correcting form and words of encouragement. All said and done, it was actually a lot of fun (despite my body groaning in pain).

Day 2 (W, 2/3): Had to grind and snort ibuprofen all day. I now believe I had muscle atrophy, if that's possible. When I walk, I can feel every muscle from the meat of my toe to the back of my bum. Also, I never knew I used SO MANY MUSCLES to wash my hands. Washing my hands is The Worst. I almost had to report that I didn't attend Day 2, but I sucked it up and my muscles actually felt better after the second workout. Though, during Day 2, we did sit-ups on a steep hill with our head facing the bottom of the hill--because regular sit-ups aren't hard enough. So Thursday, not only were my arms about to fall off, but my abs were sore. (I have abs?!)

(Day 3 was scheduled for 2/5, but it was canceled due to inclimate weather. Because of this, I get to go 4 days for Week 2, instead of the scheduled three. Whoopee.)

Day 3 (M, 2/8): The Major sat us in a circle and asked us to discuss our feelings. Kidding. But I think I've overcome the caffeine withdrawals. It's day 8 of no caffeine and no unnatural sugar. I don't feel cleansed, in case you wanted to know. During Day 3 I RAN a mile and came in 13 seconds after a marathon runner. When I told the Major I was going to collapse, he didn't let me. Instead he made me do sprints.

I love how all of the boot camp sessions have been totally different circuits. Always a balance between running, upper- and lower-body, but totally different routines. The scale isn't really going down (though, I did lose 1.9 lbs after the first workout), but I can tell that good things are happening in my body. All of the "pain" is a good pain (e.g. no pulls or strains). Also, I look different already. I can see my waist getting a bit trimmer. If only slightly.

Kind of related, but not really: I've discovered raw organic ice cream made from coconut, fruit, cashews, and not much else. The weird thing is that it's unexpectedly rich and delicious. You can read about the brand that I love here: http://www.tomberlies.com/ (And, no, I was not paid to add that in, I actually really love it.)

Deal with the Devil

2010-01-20T08:36:00.000-08:00

Above: My art classroom

Gretchen: When I lose 28.7-lbs [lost 4.6 already since the new year], and if I can keep it off for a bit of time, I'm going to reward myself by saving money and hiking Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Mom: If Jessica Biel can do it, well... you'd really need to be in shape.

Blink. Blink, blink.

My inner goddess rises from her chaise lounge and flips my mom the bird. I hurry to shush her because that's not an appropriate way to treat your elders.

I've never been one for New Years Resolutions because, honestly, I have the attention span of a gold fish --on a good day-- when it comes to self-improvement. But last year I was able to lose quite a bit of weight; unfortunately, I turned around and gained it right back during the fall. (Not really sure why the motivation was lost.)

This year I've made a few resolutions that I think I can stick with, none of which are too unrealistic. They include, but are not limited to (daily practice):

floss
moisturize (face) --never done this before
500 calorie exercise (or 3,500/week)
30+ minutes of US and world news

I'm sure I've mentioned it, but I got a new roommate. She's been a great sounding board because she understands what's realistic and pushes me to do what's optimistic. Last month I was telling her about my lull in exciting life events. Heart recently broken and sour to the idea of moving on. No real zest for anything. She asked me what I was currently doing to actively improve the quality of my life.

Blink. Blink, blink.

Inner goddess gives me a salute and ducks behind the chaise lounge. Thanks for the support.

Wait, someone isn't going to make my life better for me? New Roommate didn't say anything that I hadn't heard before, but she approached the delivery of the message a little differently.

What AM I doing to improve my sense of self?

Fast forward to now.

Improvement started on a Tuesday evening; last Tuesday, specifically.

I started taking evening classes at an art school in Pasadena. Currently focusing on painting. (Image of my classroom at the top of this post. As always, click for larger image.)

Unrelated, I've started throwing knives (at a wooden target in the shape of a busty lady that I painted myself--she's gorgeous if I do say so myself), but that's probably worth a separate blog post on it's own. Because who just starts throwing knives, right?

I've also decided that I'm overweight. Objectively speaking it's true, no getting around it --and it's a big, fat round It. Will losing weight improve the quality of my life? In terms of exciting events, no. In terms of general health, of course. So I'm going to focus on art (and knife throwing) and losing weight in a healthy way. I'm going to pay attention to my weight --use a spreadsheet that T. made-- but not obsess. I'm going to watch my caloric intake, but not count.

I've started a new exercise routine, too. During my lunch break, I walk/jog 2 miles (5 days/wk). It takes me about 20 minutes when I'm being lazy, which still leaves me with a few minutes to eat lunch. (Nowadays, my lunch is a yellow bell pepper, loosely measured hummus and a piece of fruit. Sometimes, if I'm feeling crazy, I'll eat a sandwich on pita bread.)

After work, on days that I don't have class, I've been walking 2-6 additional miles OR doing Jillian Micheal's 30-Day Shred. On the weekends, I've upped the hiking. Last year, even when I was gaining weight, I was still hiking. Now I'm hiking for longer periods of time, pushing myself. This past weekend I hiked 8.5 miles on Saturday and another 8 miles on Sunday. I'm going to start branching out in terms of trails, too. Get some variety going. I find that I need hiking for my own sanity. I'm a NW girl, born and raised. The honeymoon period after moving to SoCal was pretty short lived. Hiking is a way for me to escape the city, something that I need.

So, if I can get down to a healthy weight (which may even mean less than 28.7-lbs, I'll have to gauge how I feel and look), I'd like to hike up Mt. Kilimanjaro. (Financially speaking, it wouldn't happen until 2011, at least.) I've always wanted to go to Africa and, recently, I saw these photos in a Google search aftermath of Jessica Biel's hike and it looks gorgeous! Gorgeous! But I feel like I should be in better shape to attempt that hike. (Internet says you don't need to be in Perfect Shape, but says that you'll enjoy it more and be more likely to make it to the top if you're healthy.)

Anyway, that's the news on my front. Art and knife throwing and weight loss and living a better life. No more sleepwalking, for now.

New Bedding

2010-01-03T21:47:00.000-08:00

I caved and put the new bedding on (the shams would be Too Much, so I may return them).

December and Everything After

2010-01-01T12:02:00.001-08:00

December was a lovely month. It started with a french-themed tea party at my aunt's house in Menlo Park. Her sweetness knows no bounds; she made little vegan tea sandwiches and picked up a cupcake topped with raspberries at a bakery so I wouldn't feel left out. We drank the most delicious smelling tea (a discontinued William Sonoma Darjeeling, if I remember correctly).

From the tea, I drove up into the city (SF) for a Stevie Wonder dance rave. Oh yeah, that's right. I even wore a sequin mini skirt. (When you're a 5'11" female, you've got legs.)

I got a fantastic new roommate, Marissa (above: on the left). She's a super talented comedian. When I went to her show, I was afraid it would be bad and I'd have to lie, but she (and her group) were wonderful and the entire audience loved them. She's probably the most sweet and genuine person I've ever met --and if she's not, then she'll make a great actress.

I was lucky enough to join Marissa's family on Christmas Eve. We drove down to her step-brother's house in Costa Mesa. Everyone sat around the dining room table and made tamales from scratch --they even provided the vegan makings, so I was able to join in. Her entire family is so thoughtful. It was also fun because her step-brother has two young kids who were still excited about Santa. I haven't experience that in a long time.

Christmas evening, with no plans, left me hanging out with Chelsea's cousin (the brother to Floyd, the girl standing next to me in this photo). I was skeptical since we'd never met, but we decorated sugar cookies, watched National Lampoons Christmas Vacation and went out for Indian food.

The day after Christmas, I went to a small house party wherein I only really knew the host (Marlin of Archinect Travels), so T. (and Chelsea's cousin) and I booked it pretty early.

I bought new bedding for my bedroom from Anthropologie because it was on SALE! (over 50% off) and gorgeous, but I spent the last day of the year cleaning my room and now I'm not so sure that I want to change my bedding. I kind of like how sweet and peaceful it looks (in my opinion, of course). The new bedding is navy, ivory, coral, and yellow --and it's a loud pattern. I should say that I'm incredibly impressed with Anthro's service. On Sunday, I filled out a Customer Request Form for bedding that was sold out (all they needed was name/phone/address and of course I was like, "Oh, I'll never hear from them."). On Monday (THE VERY NEXT DAY), someone from Anthro in Vegas called and said that if I gave them a credit card number they'd send the quilt THAT AFTERNOON. Tuesday rolled around and there was a "sold out" quilt sitting on my front porch.

Taking into consideration my last New Years and how 2009 turned out (reoccurring skin cancer, what), I was happy spending the evening doing the exact opposite of last year. I staid at home, cracked open a very expensive bottle of champagne and toasted by myself. (In case you're worried about me, I did have 3 events that I could have attended. I just wasn't feeling it this year. I think being around other people would have made me feel lonely, if that makes sense.)

100 Monkeys

2009-12-02T17:59:00.000-08:00

Uncle, Jackson Rathbone, Jerad Anderson, Ben Graupner (not pictured: Ben Johnson)

"The 'Hundredth Monkey Effect' is a really cool scientific experience," Rathbone told [MTV] about the very real principle that gives his unusually smart, unpredictable band its name. "All these monkeys, they gave them sweet potatoes. And the monkeys learned themselves how to wash them in a stream to make them taste better. ... It's basically the idea of the collective consciousness. As soon as so many people have one idea or one belief, it affects the greater majority of that breed of animal, human or insect."

I was able to catch the 100 Monkeys at The Viper Room the other day. I was skeptical because I'd heard older stuff online and liked it, but knew that the band was comprised of singers SLASH actors. Which could go one of two directions; really good or what-the-hell-were-they-thinking-stick-to-acting.

I was pleasantly surprised. They were upbeat and engaging.

I had VIP tickets, so I got a numbered/autographed CD (their new album, Grape). After spending [almost] a week with it, I have to say that I really enjoy it. All of the songs are totally different, so I can't pigeon-hole them into a certain genre. They're almost like... Gogol Bordello meets Richard Cheese, with the vocals of Dead Mans Bones. Yeah, that's about right.

There are a couple songs on the CD that are great, but not what I would consider "polished." These particular songs, the vocals are fine and the instruments are fine, but I don't think the tracks were laid right, if that makes sense. I don't know enough about the production of music to get technical about it. Otherwise, they have a fun sound and I definitely recommend them (esp. since the CD tracks [mp3s] are only $10 on their site).

And cute boys! (Although, they walked past me to go up on stage, and I'd be surprised if they were over 5'8-5'9.)

Thxgibbing

2009-12-02T17:53:00.000-08:00

After receiving some bad news about a family member, I canceled my Thanksgiving plans with the intention of freeing myself to fly out of town. My mom assured me that I didn't need to do that, so after a stern phone call and some convincing, I agreed to go to a friend's for the holiday.

Above is a photo from Thanksgiving, which I spent with 2 friends (who wish to remain unnamed) and 5 strangers. It was a potluck dinner and everyone brought veg*n (and no traces of peanut, for someone else) dishes. I had quite a lovely time and am glad it worked out.

More on said family member later.

Kit & Chelsea's Wedding

2009-12-02T16:45:00.000-08:00

Kit and Chelsea got married! It's true.

I'll save the mushy comments, but I do have to say that I'm really happy for Kit and Chelsea. Their wedding day was perfect and went off without any problems (save for a veil that just did not want to be worn and kept disappearing). Everyone looked gorgeous. My BFF, Luke, came and reigned my debauchery. (Although, he didn't save me from a certain person, so he is On Notice.) If you'd like to see my photos of Chelsea getting ready, you can check them out here, otherwise the professional photographer's photos are below. (Since I didn't get permission to post them, I'm keeping them to a minimum.)

(I'd also like to point out that I'm 5'10" and I wore 3.5" heels, but most of the groomsmen still towered over me.)

Note to self: Don't hunch.

My hair that day was modeled after Joanna's.

Andrew (standing), Aaron (kneeling), Kit (groom), Kenny (kneeling), Travis (standing)

Alli (groom's sister), Lacey (bride's sister), Chelsea, Lindsay (bride's cousin), Gretchen (bride's friend)

[Images are copyright Corey H.]

Salvation Mountain, Slab City and The Range

2009-10-14T22:01:00.000-07:00

Above: Leonard Knight, the builder of Salvation Mountain

This past weekend Chelsea flew down for a visit. Our one goal was to road trip to the desert to see Salvation Mountain. I was excited because I'd never been camping, so we decided to make it into a mini camping vacation (I even took Monday off for a 3-day weekend). I did some research and found that Slab City was near Salvation Mountain and the slabs offered free camping. A little more research showed that every Saturday is open mic night at The Range. ("The Range is an outdoor stage, built on one of the slabs, out of scraps and retired buses, powered by diesel generators and car engines, and decorated with hubcaps and holiday lights. It is complete with comfy seats extracted from old cars and buses, metal trash cans for fires, amplified music, stage lights, and dancing.")

Above: The Range

So Saturday we woke up and went to Richard Simmons' gym for a morning work out (ouch the next day), then we loaded up all of the camping gear into my car and headed east. Unfortunately, Slimmons set us back a bit, so we didn't pull into town until after dark. Looking at the clock, I was concerned that we'd miss open mic night, so we decided to go straight there and then ask the locals for camping directions. The Range was awesome; so, so fantastic. Great people, great vibe, great music. While looking around The Range and talking to A Regular, we discovered that the two of us made up about 50% of the female population (about 31:1 guy to girl ratio The Regular said). Not so reassuring when we need to ask for directions, but we don't want a bunch of dudes knowing where we were camping.

Above: Slab City

We both voiced concerns that we didn't feel comfortable camping; it was late, pitch black, we had no idea what the layout was and we were too scared to ask any of the hippies for directions. So it was decided that Saturday night would be spent at a local hotel, then after seeing everything in the daylight on Sunday, if we felt comfortable, we'd camp Sunday night.

We woke up early --I mean, continental breakfast, sun breaking over the horizon early (hence some of the blown out photos)-- and headed straight to Salvation Mountain. Leonard Knight, the builder of Salvation Mountain, greeted us with literally open arms. He stood from his couch that sat outside of a trailer and yelled HELLO from over a football field away. He immediately took us on a tour saying, "I'd like to show you the mountain, if that's OK with you. I'd really like to give you a tour." We chat it up, asked questions and he kept repeating how "tickled" he was that people love his little mountain. He asked if we'd seen the movie Into The Wild, and when we tell him no, he just praises it, "That little movie--well, I guess, big movie--has put us on the map. I'm so tickled that people have been coming out to see my little mountain. God is love. I want to spread the word and get love into the hearts of everyone."

Above: The back side of Salvation Mountain

We spent the morning driving on back roads, nothing paved for a couple hours. Finally, we got a little bored (we checked out the library, natural mud pots, and the Salton Sea all before 11am), and decided that it was a great visit, but maybe, quite possibly, Disneyland would be a little more fun. So we drove straight to Disneyland and made it there before 2:30p. Where we spent the rest of the day (we closed out the park at midnight).

You can see more/bigger photos on my flickr, if you're interested.

Music Edition

2009-10-03T16:57:00.000-07:00

Current playlist (you can thank me now or later in the form of an air high five with a whitchx sound):

"C-Jam Blues" by Oscar Peterson
"Soldier Sender" by John Lee Hooker
"Cold Sweat" by James Brown
"Dean" by Terry Reid
"Stepping Out Queen, Pt. II" by Van Morrison
"Lengths" by The Black Keys
"One Mo’gin" by D’Angelo
"Blue Monday People" by Curtis Mayfield
"Brown Trout Blues" by Johnny Flynn
"Ambulance Blues" by Neil Young
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" by King Curtis
"Ruby’s Arms" by Tom Waits
"(First) Essay for Orchestra, Op. 12" by Atlanta Symphony Orchestra & Yoel Levi
"T.B. Sheets" by Van Morrison

Unfortunately, I cannot take full credit for that playlist. If you're into it, the Black Caesar soundtrack is unbelievable --it's all James Brown. If you're looking for more current (and kind of like The-Postal-Service-meets-Phoenix-jazzy, or exactly like Erlend Oye, if you know who that is), check out "In the Dark" by The Changes. If you want more upbeat, check out "Let's Go Surfing" by The Drums. Or a sweet little french song, "Les Confettis" by Marianne Dissard. Oh! And the One from the Heart soundtrack is all Tom Waits and Crystal Gayle (yeah, you read that right). AND LAURA MARLING. She's great. She's a British folk-pop singer-songwriter who has done a lot of work with Adam Green (see: The Moldy Peaches with Kimya Dawson, or for non-Seattleites, the Juno soundtrack). If you like Led Zeppelin, then anything by Terry Reid is great. And, of course, Debussy, if you enjoy classical.

I quit eating out, really, so I've been spending some cash money on music lately. And books! Oh my goodness, the books. I've only turned the TV on 3 times since moving into the new house (once for the Teen Choice Awards, and twice for the TV show Hoarders--AN AMAZING SHOW, it's like Intervention meets Clean Sweep, so satisfying.)

File This Under: Things You'd Never Thought Would Happen to You

2009-09-28T15:40:00.000-07:00

I'd like to start this post by saying: There are good people left in this world, still. And I know a couple.

I flew up to Seattle this weekend, and while the reasons may seem hazy, I think it was really to escape for the weekend. Mostly to see Luke, but also to get my hair did and to see my cutie nephew. (Side note: If you live in Seattle and don't get your hairs cut by Jenny Slay at Vain, then you're retarded. Oh yeah, I just called you retarded on the internet. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT, HUH. The best part is, she has Mormon relatives with the last same SLAY. Isn't that hilarious. HILARIOUS, OK.)

OK, to set the scene, I've just boarded the plane back to LA totally blissed out on the weekend. The plane is idling, waiting for people to finish boarding and I'm having a Home Alone moment; when Catherine O'Hara is in her seat like, "Did I turn off the coffee? Did you lock up? Did we set the timers on the lights? Did you close the garage? Well, what else could we be forgetting?" And just like Mrs. O'Hara, I jumped up straight in my seat, "MY KEYS!" I left my keys (house, car, work, and bike) IN THE RENTAL CAR. I spend about 20 seconds panicking, heart beat racing, eyes wide. I immediately call Luke, "I'm kind of freaking out!" He calmly asks, "OK, what's up?" I LEFT MY KEYS IN THE RENTAL CAR, CAN YOU GO GET THEM, I'M SO SORRY. I'M AN IDIOT. I'M SO SORRY. Only, it all comes out as one long word and I'm not sure he can understand the language I'm speaking. Am I being demanding? I am the biggest asshole. I couldn't possibly ask him for any more favors in this lifetime.

"OK, I'll go pick them up."

Huh. OK. That was easy.

I spent the first hour of the flight lamenting how stupid I am and wondering how in the hell I was going to get my car out the the LAX parking garage (that costs, like, 8-million dollars per day to park) and OH SHIT, HOW WILL I GET IN MY HOUSE. For the remainder of the flight, I played sappy music on my ipod and resigned to accepting my stupidity and not being able to do anything about it mid-flight.

Everything worked out, though, because of really amazing, generous people. I text'd my roommate, and she was able to drop off her house keys at LAX, from there I took the bus to downtown LA. Lisa's brother, Philman, picked me up at Union Station, gave me a ride to my house where I dug through Important Secret Documents to find my spare car key, then he drove me back to LAX. All while Luke drove halfway to Tacoma to retrieve my keys (apparently the rental company was skeptical because he didn't know what kind of car I drove), then he mailed them out today.

To my credit, they should make you turn in your keys and/or at least look at the vehicle (for damages?) before they let you leave their lot.

It could have been much worse, and I don't even know where people like Luke, Philman, and Lisa come from.

Le Love.

2009-09-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

"go after her. fuck, don't sit there and wait for her to call. go after her, cause that's what you should do. if you love someone, don't wait for them to give you a sign cause it might never come. don't let people happen to you, don't let me happen to you, or her, she's not a fucking television show or tornado. there are people i might have loved, had they got on the airplane or run down the street after me or called me up drunk at four in the morning because the need to tell me right now and because they cannot regret this. i always thought i'd be the only one doing crazy things for people who would never give enough of a fuck to do it back or to act like idiots or be entirely vulnerable and honest. making someone fall in love with you is easy, and flying 3000 miles on four days notice because you can't just sit there and do nothing. breathing into telephones is not everybody's idea of love, but it is the way i can recognize it because that is what i do. go scream it and be with her in meaningful ways, because that is beautiful and that is generous and that is what loving somebody is. that is raw and that is unguarded. and that is all that is worth anything, really."

Via Le Love.

Wedding Crackdown: Week 6

2009-08-31T09:23:00.000-07:00

On Monday of this week, I wore my heart rate monitor just to see how many calories I was burning on my 4.7 mile walks. I wasn't hopeful, but apparently all of the hills really help, because I burned just shy of 800 calories on my walk. Also, I've been doing weighted walking (e.g. wearing added weight). On the days that I don't wear weights I've been able to jog almost the whole time/same path. Working up resistance, I guess.

8/24: walked 4.7 miles
8/25: no workout
8/26: walked 6.9 miles
8/27: walked 4.7 miles
8/28: walked 4.7 miles
8/29: walked 6.1 miles (1028 calories)
8/30: walked 6.1 miles

Weekend at Home, in Oregon.

2009-08-29T00:53:00.000-07:00

So I went home. Like, home home. I hadn't been home since 2003 (or perhaps even before that, we can't recall the last visit). This visit home included seeing my grandmum who does not(?) have Alzheimers, but greeted me with, "Ohh, you're pretty whoever you are," and concluded our visit with, "It was so good to see you Nikki [cousin's name]." Can I demand a second opinion regarding the Alzheimers?

For those of you who are unaware, I spent about half of my childhood in a 500sqft home. 500 SQUARE FEET TOTAL. My bedroom was only large enough to hold a bed and a skinny dresser, and even then I think I remember that the door barely cleared it. This house was in a small beach town (population 326) on the Oregon coast. (The Goonies was filmed about an hour away.) Obviously, we didn't exactly have issues with crime or gang violence; pretty much NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. There were, like, 3 restaurants, a coffee shop, and a really sketchy grocery store. (To give you an idea, the video rental place was in someone's basement.) Driving through it recently proved that not much expansion has happened either, which made me weirdly nostalgic.

Above: The house in which I spent some of my formative years. The two-story addition in back is new (since I last saw it); it was just the front tiny one-level when we lived here.

Above: Chels and dad

Chelsea and I had been planning for awhile to make this 3D bear cake. I demanded that we decorate it like a panda, which she had no problem with as long as we named him Wesley.

We were really excited about it and had high hopes. Unfortunately we thought it would be a good idea to be drinking alcohol while doing it. Solid choice, my friends.

Above: Do not drink and bake, kids. Wesley didn't make it it out in one piece. And we never got to fill his butt with frosting. :(

Above: I had to make a stop at a printing press in Portland while I was there. The place was really cool looking, IMHO.

Above: We also did a drive by of my high school (image taken from the back seat of a moving SUV). I wont elaborate here, but I went to an all-girls religious high school. It seems as though they've added a third story and rail tracks on the street in front of the building. Oh, the good ol' days.

Wedding Crackdown: Week 5

2009-08-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

Apparently not a good week for workouts. I forgot to "budget" for my mini-vacation.

8/17: no workout
8/18: no workout
8/19: walked 6.9 miles
8/20: walked 4.7 miles
8/21: no workout, weekend in Vancouver
8/22: no workout, weekend in Vancouver
8/23: no workout, weekend in Vancouver

Wedding Crackdown: Week 4

2009-08-16T12:36:00.000-07:00

above: all sweaty, post workout

8/10: walked 4.7 miles
8/11: 1.5 hours yoga (Anusara Inspired, level 1)
8/12: no workout
8/13: no workout
8/14: walked 4.7 miles
8/15: Sweatin' to the 80s @ Slimmons
8/16: walked 4.7 miles

The Last Family Trip.

2009-08-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

My parents and I have been discussing what they're calling the Last Family Trip (LFT). They're calling it that because they insist that I wont want to travel with them anymore. This, kids, is what we call projecting. I don't mind traveling with them; we get along. Most of the time. (Although, my mom did concede and acknowledged that I would, in fact, travel with them, but only if they footed the bill. This is true.)

While throwing out ideas on what to do and where to go, the trip has significantly morphed. First it was train-hopping between Spain and Portugal, then it was Greece, then it was 1 week in Greece and the rest in Spain. Among the ideas, and getting to the point of my posting today, my mom threw the idea into the ring to take a cruise from Greece to Turkey. Both places that I've love to see IF IT WEREN'T FOR MY CRIPPLING FEAR OF CRUISE SHIPS. Here's the thing: if I get on a cruise ship, it will surely hit an iceberg. YES, DAD, THE ONLY ICEBERG IN THE MEDITERRANEAN. And, OK, the majority of cruise ship mishaps and safety red-flags are sexual assaults and theft (I've done the research), it's really the iceberg thing I'm worried about. Think about this fact: the majority of people who fall off cruise ships are NEVER RECOVERED. And a staggering amount of people fall off the cruise decks each day. (OK, maybe I made up that last bit; but I'm serious about the people not being recovered.)

You will not catch me on a cruise ship. I'm that serious about my COMPLETELY RATIONAL AND LEGITIMATE FEAR. Unless there are drug-induced hazes involved. Will there be drugs?

Should it not involve a cruise, our LFT is going to be in June 2010 for 3 weeks. To give you an idea about how much my parents are planners, let's talk a little about my conception. (Yes, you read that right.) My mom had MY BIRTH planned to a very small window. If she didn't get pregnant during a specific ovulation, then she'd wait until the next YEAR, at which point she'd try again at the same time. AND THIS TOTALLY HAPPENED. She didn't get pregnant that month, so she waited A WHOLE YEAR. So, you see, she's a hardcore, frustrating-to-deal-with-sometimes planner.

Having said that, my parents leave the US in October SO EVERYTHING HAS TO BE PLANNED DOWN TO THE HOUR by then. I mean, they've already packed and weighed their carry-on baggage. (14.7-lbs, and I think you're supposed to be impressed by that.) FOR A TRIP THAT'S HAPPENING IN 10 MONTHS.

When I was MOVING to Oaxaca, I didn't pack until the last minute. So last minute that my roommate at the time, went to REI to buy me a backpack while I laid out what I was going to take because I didn't have time to do both before my flight. I guess that's the downside of being raised by planners. My rebellious side wasn't drugs and alcohol; it was my inability to plan and commit.

I'm more of a come-what-may type of person. Unless it includes icebergs.

I know we'll get to our destination, I know we'll have a good time, so why stress about factors we cannot control?

(Granted, maybe I should have not waited until the last hour to pack for Oaxaca. And I wont even tell you when I received my passport, because we're talking days, not weeks, before that flight. But don't tell my mom because, even though that was years ago, she'd probably still stress out about it now.)

Wedding Crackdown: Week 3

2009-08-09T18:30:00.000-07:00

8/03: walked 4.7 miles
8/04: 1.5 hours yoga (Anusara Inspired, level 1)
8/05: no workout
8/06: no workout
8/07: walked 4.7 miles
8/08: no workout (walked around an outdoor mall, if that counts ;)
8/09: walked 4.7 miles

P.S. Shawn, the wedding is November 13th. Being a bridesmaid is my motivation.

Wedding Crackdown: Week 2

2009-08-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

7/27: walked 4.7 miles
7/28: walked 9.2 miles
7/29: no workout
7/30: walked 4.7 miles
7/31: no workout, J---Lep performance
8/01: hiked 3.8 miles (Brush Canyon), walked 7.3 miles
8/02: no workout, built furniture and cleaned house (see clean room below/here)

Wedding Crackdown: Week 1

2009-07-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

I promise to only post this once a week. I may or may not start weighing myself so these posts may or may not include weight loss at some point. I figure if I blog about it, I might be able to stick with it more. Maybe.

7/20: walk 1.2 miles, walk/jog 2-min intervals for 2.3 miles, walk 1.2 miles (4.7 miles total)
7/21: 1.5 hours yoga (Anusara Inspired, level 1)
7/22: walk 4.7 miles
7/23: 1.5 hours yoga (Anusara Inspired, level 2)
7/24: no workout, Comic Con
7/25: no workout, volunteering at Comic Con
7/26: no workout, walking around Comic Con

San Diego Comic Con 2009

2009-07-26T19:32:00.001-07:00

Celebrities seen at San Diego Comic Con (SDCC) this weekend:
Jennifer Connelly, Paul Bettany, Megan Fox, Jimmy Fallon, Zach Quinto, the cast of NBC's Chuck, Seth MacFarlane, Mila Kunis, Sanaa Lathan, Jamie Kennedy, Seth Green, Elijah Wood, Morris Chestnut, Elizabeth Mitchell, Felicia Day, the cast of True Blood, Milo Ventimiglia... I can't think of who else, but I know there are probably more.

Most of them I couldn't get photographs of because IT WAS COMPLETE MAYHEM.

To give you an ideas of the crowds/lines, they sold (I believe) 120,000 tickets. The main auditorium, where a lot of the panels were held, holds (again, I believe) 4,200 and they still had to turn people away. For NBC's Chuck panel I waited in line from 8:15-10:10a with THOUSANDS in front of me. I e-mailed my mom a play-by-play and it went from, "Holy shit there are a lot of people," to "I'm definitely not getting in wahhh," to "I'M IN, I'M IN!!"

I missed the Twilight (never saw the movie), Iron Man, and Green Lantern panels, which I was hoping to catch. I also didn't see Chris Pine. Did he go? I demand an explanation.

Otherwise, I geeked out and looted. Didn't pick up anything that I don't really want, though. Seemed like a big wasteful event. :\ I also volunteered at the True Blood blood drive for a few hours. Watched a few people pass out.

And in case you were wondering, yes, Zach Quinto's face IS that ridiculous in person.

Above: Chuck panel--my one goal was to geek out over Zach Levi (nee Pugh).

Above: Yvonne Strahovski from Chuck.

Above: Mila Kunis and Seth Green from The Family Guy panel.

Above: Kevin Michael Richardson, Sanaa Lathan, and Mike Henry from The Cleveland Show panel.

Above: (center) Seth MacFarlane.

Above: Elijah Wood doing an interview for G4.

Above: Erik Amaya's friend (name unknown) signing his work in Heavy Metal magazine.

Above: Morris Chestnut signing for V.

Above: Creepy alien lady (Emily will get this reference), Morena Baccarin, and Scott Wolf signing for V.

Above: Elizabeth Mitchell signing for V. Whenever I see her, I automatically see her making out with Angie Jolie (see: Gia).

Above: Felicia Day from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

TRANSFORMAWESOME.

2009-06-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

Above: Ironhide

"My father was a wheel! The first wheel! And do you know what he transformed into? Nothing! But he did it with honor!" - Jetfire, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

I was really excited for the new Transformers movie. Like, so excited that I got 70 minutes of sleep after the movie and before I had to leave for work. (Yes, 12 of my dollars contributed to the 16-mil they made in midnight openings.)

I don't want to give anything away, but the main plot includes THINGS THAT TRANSFORM. (Whoa, RITE?) It. Was. Awesome. My roommate, when we got out, said, "OMG, I've had to pee so bad for the past 30 minutes, but I couldn't leave because shit kept transforming!"

Every time Megan Fox was on the screen, I'd be like, "OH COME ON. THAT'S NOT FAIR."

As far as all of the dismal reviews, if you like shit blowing up, then you can just accept the cheese. Especially when the cheese is Shia and Megan and THINGS THAT TRANSFORM. I can see why it would be getting less than stellar reviews, but during the movie I didn't notice any racial undertones. (I see it now, but I guess I went in to see things transform, not to analyze the characters.)

I should admit something now, though. I have a wildly inappropriate crush on Shia. In fact, I've had a crush on him since 1999 (I even know the year). Yeah, that would make him 13 when I was all HE'S SO ADORABLE. Like I said, wildly inappropriate. But so cute. And Megan Fox isn't exactly awful to look at either.

Above: Optimus

Above: Courtyard where they'd parked the cars (including Bumblebee and the new corvette)

Above: Lobby where you can see it's almost mid-night and the reader boards that have all of the sold-out 12:00a showings

Above: I only got a camera phone image of a set of outfits in the lobby. While standing there, this guy came up with his friend and said, "HER SKIN TOTALLY TOUCHED THAT." (And I appreciate how they gave her a bra. What's with that?)

Renting Woes: Bathroom Help!

2009-06-24T22:27:00.000-07:00

I know I said I wouldn't post a photo of the awful bathroom until it was fixed, but I have to share my thoughts. I wish I would have snapped more photos of the bathroom. I'd love to get any feedback on possible bathroom decor ideas.

Just in case you're not aware, one of my new roommates will be a male. He's declared the inside my project and the outside (e.g. gardening) his project. I'm thinking kind of rocker glamorous, but it has to be airy since the bathroom is small and it also needs to be male-friendly (e.g. no pink).

Katie and I both like the wallpaper from this image (although, I think I like everything about it), so I'm thinking about it as inspiration.

These are my ideas, although I'm not too fond of the trash can (it's only the right color, but not the right shape, but maybe I could find the right shape and paint it?). Two people are sharing the hall bath (myself and The Male), so two separate storage bins would be nice and there's definitely room for something in front of the shower.

Any ideas for waste baskets? We want it to feel modern, I think, so maybe we like the square one better? Art for above the toilet (no ideas about this yet)? And maybe a charcoal/dark floormat?

Feel free to e-mail any suggestions. We're all ears.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T16:15:00.000-07:00

Happy father's day!

(I've wasted the last hour of my life trying to troubleshoot my external hard drive --I'd already packed it for the move. It's not working, so no fun old photo of my dad and me.)

Not Homeless!

2009-06-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

Huge weight off of my shoulders. I gave my 30-day notice for my apartment because I was paying too much in rent and parking a month. The timing and everything coincided with two friends (who don't know each other!), so the three of us got together, determined that we don't hate each other, laid everything out as far as what we were hoping for, and then we searched! And searched. And searched some more. Just to let you know, places are expensive in Los Angeles. And, OK, maybe we were looking in "hip" neighborhoods.

Until one day we came across a little gem. A little 3-bedroom, 2-bath place in a cute, centrally located neighborhood. (A block away from a coffee place, a wine bar, a 7-11, etc.) The place is lacking some cuteness, we understand; but we see the potential. And I save $275 a month (which may go towards yoga classes)! We have high hopes involving gardens, custom artwork, and general fixing up. Because it was overcast today, my photos turned out kind of bad (read: dark), so I tried to color correct them a little bit. The living room and hallway are an eggplant color, but not nearly as dark as they look below.

Things we love:
The front yard is actually completely fenced and private.
Off-street gated parking behind the house for all of us.
Space for gardens and compost piles.
Fairly large laundry room with linen closet.
No carpet!
High ceilings.

My room below! I chose the smallest room with the smallest closet because, I don't know, I liked the vibe of it. I know that sounds weird. I don't believe in Feng Shui, but there was something that felt right about the room. I let Katie and Roommate-Not-Yet-Named fight it out for the biggest room (with two closets and a bathroom). Katie won.

Tourmaline or KRYPTONITE??

2009-06-04T11:05:00.001-07:00

I bought this super awesome necklace because IT TOTALLY LOOKS LIKE KRYPTONITE (it's green tourmaline--my favorite stone). In a bullet shell. How badass, RITE?

I lightly suggested (demanded?) that the seller add "kryptonite" to the item description and lo and behold the next item she listed that was similar, she wrote in the item description, "One fantastic customer of mine said that she bought a tourmaline piece because it looks like Kryptonite. Awesome."

To see more of her work, visit her etsy shop, leoravon. The piece uses recycled materials and its innovative, well constructed, and just plain badass.

Stare Master

2009-06-04T10:12:00.000-07:00

Noooooo! How did I miss this? A staring contest! And J—LEP was there! It looks like it was a good time of fun to be had by all. I kind of want them to do another... What a great party idea.

Check out all of the staring contest photos here (including the official scoreboard and playing field).

B&B's Wedding (BBW).

2009-05-27T23:01:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of attending Bryan and Betsy's wedding and they even let me walk around taking photos.

Photos from My [Birthday] Weekend.

2009-05-26T20:31:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I took a hiatus from my hiatus. Friday night I picked up my friend, Chelsea, from LAX wherein we went straight to Urth for a little birthday celebration with a couple friends. Yes, yes, my birthday came and went this past week. Nothing momentous, although my parents did come to town for it and I took a half day from work to show them around LA a little bit. They still hate it.

On Saturday, Chelsea and I drove up to Santa Barbara for some wine tasting (we even bought a couple bottles to drink on Sunday). Since we'd both never been we staid until it got dark --went for thai food at Your Place and spent a little time at the mission.

For my birthday, I bought myself a new pair of Loeffler Randall peep-toes. They were on sale, I promise I didn't pay full price. My parents were especially awesome --they got me a bike rack for my car and a water bottle holder thinger for around my waist. I was able to use the water bottle thinger on Sunday when Chelsea, Emily, Katie and I went on a 7.5 mile hike up Zuma with the intent to go boulder hopping. And Chelsea was a trooper because we immediately came home, showered, ate at Paru's, and then went to a BBQ (those photos on Facebook might be private).

I also picked myself up some tiny little airplants. I had several in my last house, but I forgot them on the window sill when I moved out. :( They're the perfect plant. You only have to soak them in water for a couple hours once a month.

Mother's Day, 2009.

2009-05-10T12:49:00.001-07:00

Fave Fashion Blog

2009-04-21T14:53:00.000-07:00

Pour Porter was born out of a personal desire to discover unknown designers and inspiring online boutiques.
-pourporter.com [about]

I hesitate to share my favorite fashion blog because I don't want to jinx the fact that N. is actually updating regularly. (Squee!)

While N. is petite enough to pull anything off (including rockin' short hair--so jealous), she has created a blog that redefines both basics and neutrals. Her outfits are refined and stylish, but more importantly they're wearable. Every time she posts something in daily wear, I lament the fact that I'm trying to save money. I want a twitter for her purchases.

(Not to mention all of the great web-based stores for which she has introduced me!)

[Images from pourporter.com.]

Have you seen this cat?

2009-04-20T21:37:00.001-07:00

[Image taken from hydrozoa.]

A Walk in the Park

2009-04-13T19:52:00.000-07:00

Memorable quotes from this weekend:

[In the park, just after a bunch of Europeans showed up.]
Megan: It's Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty is so confused right now.
Miguel: Yeah, what's up with these foreigners?
Megan: Please, [you're from] Guadalajara.

[Watching 1.5/2-year-old boys smack each other with blow-up baseball bats, while a little girl goes through a bag that belongs to a family near by.]
Megan: The future Bobby Knights and Winona Ryder over here--hey, little girl, that bag ain't Saks.

[Click on images for larger version.]

Phillip Toledano, Days with My Father

2009-04-08T12:15:00.000-07:00

As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father
Who loved his daughter more than I love you
-Paul Simon

Being an only child is a huge responsibility. I wont get into why as there are respectable arguments for both sides, but ultimately --end of the day, packing up for the night-- there is only one person to clean up, turn out the lights and lock the door.

I have this palpable, tangible fear that something will happen to my parents and I'll be completely immobilized by fear and regret and sadness. I'll wonder about all of the things I didn't give a voice to, and mourn the things I said in their place. I've been very independent from a young age, but there are small things that I take for granted. I would never make a major purchase (e.g. car) without talking to my dad first, whether I agree with/listen to him or not. I think I'd be toothless and blind if my mom didn't make dentist appointments and buy me contacts/glasses. (Yes, I know I'm 25-years-old.)

I collect old photo albums; families that are not mine, memories that someone dropped off at donation centers. They're photos of someone's children, they're photos of someone's life. I love making up stories and trying to decide how they know each other and how they're all related. In contrast, though, I have very few photos of my own family; in fact, I don't even know what some of my first cousins look like. I can count the number of photos I have of my mom on one hand (and she's probably flipping me off, trying to hide her face in all of them).

I'm worried that one day they wont be there for me to take photos of and my opportunity will have passed.

Today Joanna posted the website Days with My Father and I was so moved. It's worth the time to scroll down to the bottom. It's not too long and the ending is lovely.

Taken from Joanna.

Beware, a bunch of non sequiturs below.

2009-04-06T22:24:00.000-07:00

And I've been a little too nice, I know
You probably thought that we were just a show
But you left me utterly confused
I am not here for you to use.
- Priscilla Ahn

My self-image has taken quite a beating recently. While I was in Cambodia, I chipped off part of the bonding on my front teeth. Of course, it's not as bad as when I was growing up, but I've reverted back to not smiling (well, I smile, but it's closed-mouth and it looks like I'm constantly being sarcastic) and not opening my mouth in front of people (when I talk, I noticeably cover my teeth). And on top of that, I assume because of the humidity, I broke out all over my face for the first time in my life. Mark Monday on your calendars. I woke up for work and almost started crying. I called my mom with the intention of wailing about being deformed (because acne is a deformity, I guess), and she laughed about how "a couple of zits isn't acne." It took some convincing, but finally she believed me that they were ALL OVER MY FACE. Immediately after work I drove straight to Sephora and picked up $50 worth of creams and masks. It took all of my will power not to apply them on the car ride home.

The grand total on my Cambodia trip was $1,773 ($1,166 of which was the flight, the rest was hotel/food/transportation/souvenirs). Not too bad! It was about $100 more than I wanted to spend, but my hotel the last 3 days was pretty swanky.

While I was in Cambodia, I had a Class V Panic Attack (which I'm sure T. enjoyed). It was mostly about what I'm doing (or not doing) with my life. As I'm sure you can guess, spending time in a third-world country sheds some light on priorities. But something cathartic must have happened between then and now because, since returning, I've been noticeably less stressed. As far as stressors and my plans to alleviate panic-attack-reasons, I don't feel it wise to discuss them in an open forum. But I do have an idea as to what I need to start doing. The ball is in motion.

Not totally unrelated, I have a couple volunteer things coming up. The Santa Monica Mountains Trail Days is coming up (April 24-26), where you can help improve and restore the trails and plants. I figure since I'm out on the trails 1-3 times a week, I may as well help out. There are a couple Darfur things coming up, but they're all though a Jewish organization and it makes me feel funny --like they'll randomly start a witch hunt for non-Jews and I'll be ostracized and burned at the stake. In fact, this past weekend they had a Seder for Darfur and I couldn't make myself go. I'd like a non-denominational group to help Darfur, please.

The following volunteer information I went back and forth about sharing. There is only so much nerd I'd like people to know about. Having said that, I volunteered to work at comic-con (San Diego) this year. (The Seattle one was this past weekend, but I couldn't afford to go.) I missed Wondercon (San Francisco) and it turns out that one of the people that makes me weak-in-the-knees was there. I even took a moment to mentally debate which would have been cooler, Cambodia or Wondercon. Jury is still out.

My schedule has been really free lately, which I thought would be nice, but I haven't been taking advantage of it. I've resolved to spend a little bit more time on me. I gave up working out for awhile (then "awhile" became inexcusably long), so I bought new socks. Yes, new socks. I quit working out because I was getting blisters on my feet so often that they were becoming blisters on top of blisters, then --what prompted the break from exercise-- they became blood blisters. So I went out and spent $18 on a pair of socks. I didn't even know they made $18 socks! I was skeptical but the package guaranteed no blisters. And let me tell you. I went hiking yesterday and they were amazing. I wanted to dance around in these socks all day. They were so breathable and they fit! I have monster feet--size 11/11.5 (or 10 in mens), so its hard to find ankle socks that are long enough (without going to the men's section).

What else is new with me? Oh, I've been obsessed with two new nail polish colors; this grey/mousy brown (OPI, You Don't Know Jacques) and this coffee-with-a-lot-of-cream color (OPI, Tickle My France-y). I also heard that OPI has a color at Sephora that is a great grey (more blue than brown), and I'd like to check that out. And if I ever have $22 to spend on nail polish, I'd like to try the flatte black by KO--it dries matte, not shiny! They're projecting it's a new trend (along with two-toned lipstick).

And the TV show Chuck! It's sooo bad, but the main character is so delicious! (I can't tell if he's gay or not IRL. No signs of former or current girlfriends/manfriends. Not that it matters.) My roommate watches Heroes, so for some reason I'm around the TV right before and have caught a couple episodes. It piqued my interest enough to download the first season for my flights to/from Hong Kong. The main character, played by Zachery Levi (nee Pugh, pronounced "pew," which makes me giggle), is worth the hour once a week, I think.

But I digress.

Hope you're all well. Just wanted to check in.

Cambodia: Misc. Shots

2009-04-02T21:21:00.001-07:00

Last post, last post. Just a couple of my favorite shots.

NOTE: CLICK ON IMAGES FOR XXL VERSIONS.

Cambodia: Angkor Wat at Siem Reap

2009-04-02T21:05:00.000-07:00

Alright, alright. The temple everyone wants to see. W/e.

NOTE: CLICK ON IMAGES FOR XXL VERSIONS.

Cambodia: Bayon and Ta Prohm at Siem Reap

2009-04-02T20:31:00.000-07:00

Immediately below is Bayon, which is one of the main Ankor sites. I didn't take too many photos of it because I didn't find it too interesting compared to some of the other sites, but you could ride elephants around it, so that was cool!

Ta Prohm, below, is what the locals (or at least the tour guides) refer to as The Angelina Jolie.

The main entrance was closed for repair and I thought the sign verbage was amusing.

The guide said that the trees started growing form the roofs because the birds would drop the seeds (none of the trees are natural to the area).

NOTE: CLICK ON IMAGES FOR XXL VERSIONS.

Cambodia: Cuisine

2009-04-02T20:14:00.000-07:00

Probably the best part about my Cambodia trip was cuisine. I mean, after seeing Tyler, of course. *cough* I was really worried about what I'd be able to eat, but I filled up on vegetarian amok (see pic below), all different kinds of curries, and the most amazing indian food (north and south) that I've ever had.

Below is Java, or otherwise known as The Internet Place for Whities. Tyler frequents here a lot.

NOTE: CLICK ON IMAGES FOR XXL VERSIONS.

Cambodia: Phnom Penh Monuments

2009-04-02T19:40:00.000-07:00

Below is the view from the top of Wat Phnom. And some monkeys hanging out at the bottom. Actually, the monkeys are pretty unbelievable--someone handed one a bottle of water and the monkey twisted the cap off and drank from it.

Looking up at Wat Phnom.

Below are a couple photos from The Royal Palace. They were actually using the buildings when I visited so everything was blocked off and guards were yelling at people, presumably saying to back up.

Below is the National Museum, which was probably the prettiest building/grounds that I saw on the trip.

NOTE: CLICK ON IMAGES FOR XXL VERSIONS.

Cambodia: Walking Around Phnom Penh

2009-04-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

Below is one of the main markets. Anything you need, you can find here. It's like a, uh, third-world Super Target. On my first day I made Tyler buy towels because someone hadn't made that investment yet. Hrm.

Below is some gated house? Museum? Temple? Not sure. Just thought it looked cool, I guess.

The next photos are taken on The Other Side of the River. One of Tyler's Cambodian friends said, "You went to the other side? I don't even go to the other side." It was a different experience, though. It seemed more third-worldy because the homes were in much worse, less stable condition.

NOTE: CLICK ON IMAGES FOR XXL VERSIONS.

Cambodia: Cheung Ek (or The Killing Fields)

2009-04-01T19:22:00.000-07:00

As soon as I arrived in Phnom Penh (you pronounce it how it's written, none of the letters are silent), we got straight to the touring. We took a tuk tuk to The Killing Fields for $9 round trip (25 miles). There was a monument with hundreds of skulls (open and touchable--ick), all of which were identified by sex and placed in age groups. We weaved between the holes in the ground where the bones were found and walked around the grounds.

There was a short trail around the actual Killing Field that overlooked people working in the water/fields. The whole thing was pretty disturbing, yet oddly anti-climatic. I don't really know how you glorify killing fields, but it lacked a certain je ne sais quoi.

NOTE: CLICK ON IMAGE FOR XXL VERSION.

Bathtub IV

2009-03-31T19:53:00.000-07:00

I love Washington (singer) AND tilt-shift.

Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

Man Blowing a Bubble (1972)

2009-03-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

Cats Out of the Bag

2009-02-26T08:10:00.000-08:00

My cat is all for equal opportunity. He indiscriminately eats everything that fits in his mouth. My sheets? They look like swiss cheese. That string? The whole thing. It coiled in his bowel like a telephone cord (if you remember those). Last night he spent the night at the vet because he decided to eat half a roll of toilet paper. I saw the xray and he had about a foot of solid poo in his body. I wont lie, it was kind of awesome.

While at the vet, I read one of those dog/cat age charts that tells you how old they are compared to a human. Che is now about 13/14 years old. I'm waiting for the, YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND ME, MOM, and he'll slam a door for dramatic effect. Right now I think he's just so happy to be home. As soon as I let him out of the carrier he was running laps around the apartment and running head on into furniture, only stopping to lick his butt region.

His abandonment issues are clearing up nicely, though. When I first got him, he was feral and wouldn't allow anyone near him. Then, once he got used to us, he wouldn't let us out of his sight --following us around from room-to-room, climbing our legs like a tree trunk to make sure we knew he was still here. He quit the tree thing (although, I'll probably have scarred legs for the rest of my life to prove the phase--he'll be so embarrassed by those stories when he brings girls home), and occasionally he'll wait a whole 30 seconds before he follows you into the next room.

He plays fetch better than any dog I've seen, though. It's actually kind of remarkable; he can retrieve a toy, but will eat his body weight in fabric and paper.

We're just so proud.

I think I'm the only person who has ever taken on a religion just to pray that their cat grows up and mellows out a little.

Oh, and it's Judaism.

You Auto Know

2009-02-18T22:19:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago I got a new car. See above. I'd been tossing around the idea for a little over a year; my former car was great so I was in no hurry. And it's not that I wasn't excited to get a Prius, but there was one swanky car that I loved a little more and I had gotten a great quote for a new one. Ultimately the decision came down to MPG because of my commute (90 miles round-trip, daily). Having said that, I loveLoveLOVE this car. I think I got more car for the money, and it's been fun to drive. A lot sturdier, quieter, and smoother all around. I sit up a lot higher and I really underestimated the size. And who doesn't love a totally keyless car?

I think I made the right decision, although I know the road was long in getting here. And I feel like I got what was right for me.

Color Combo

2009-02-07T01:51:00.000-08:00

I've been totally smitten with this image (color combination, really) that I'd saved and just re-found. Now, if only I could remember where I got it.

Optical Illusion

2009-02-01T09:43:00.000-08:00

Poor Stb had to change his lens just to take photos of me. Just kidding. Kind of. He did change his lens, but look at the cool results. (Also, look at me totally not scared of the baby. See. I don't always hate kids.) And also, who's bright idea was it to give Aesop their iphone. Ahem. Oh, wait.

Miss Dior

2009-01-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

While I think scents are very personal and would otherwise never divulge the name of my perfume, the video is so dreamy and girly-cute that I just had to share. The song is "Moi Je Joue" by Brigitte Bardot with model Maryna Linchuk and director Sofia Coppola. (Side note, I think Ms. Coppola's home is dreamy, as well.) While I know that Paris is somewhat dirty and cold, my love affair only recognizes the whimsical what-I-want-Paris-to-be aspects.

[Coppola image from decor8 and Linchuk image from fashiontography.]

The Royal Treatment

2009-01-30T17:55:00.000-08:00

[Images from flickr; rubykhan and prettyinprint, respectively.]

R.I.P. Domino Magazine

2009-01-28T14:32:00.000-08:00

I admit, now, that I didn't understand. Even with friends and colleagues losing their jobs, I didn't fully comprehend how awful the market had gotten. What's a few points here and there has long since become a few points every single day.

Today, word of the closing of my beloved favorite magazine was dropped on my proverbial doorstep and I'm heartbroken. Not necessarily because I don't get to look at pretty pictures anymore (although, wahh) or because I-don't-know-how-many people will be losing their job, but more because of what it represents. Our economy is so bad that a magazine only dropped 4% from the previous year and that was enough to shut their doors.

On the bright side, if you have the money, airline flights are cheaper, home prices are dropping (although, my sources say don't buy until at least the spring), and they're letting you return cars if you lose your job.

This is an odd time where the rich are not getting richer, but the poor are definitely getting poorer.

[Image from dominomag.com.]

Aesop is officially one-years-old!

2009-01-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

My little nephew couldn't be any cuter. (But maybe I'm biased? Nooo, that can't be it.) He's so sweet--he learned to share! He gave me one of his carrots, but of course I wanted to om-nom-nom his cuteness more than the carrot.

I'm sad that it was just a flash visit. I'll have to go back when I'm not fighting for His Cuteness's time. (Wait, I feel like I'm sad after every visit because they're always flash visits. Hrm.)

(Side note, I'm still waiting for it to hit me that T is gone. I'm not sad yet, but I'm sure it'll come.)

Small Wonders

2009-01-23T08:15:00.000-08:00

Squee! I'm flying up to Seattle tonight so that I can celebrate my nephew's first birthday tomorrow. I cannot, let me repeat that, I cannot believe that a year has gone by already. He's looking more and more like a human every time I see him. (And, no, babies are not human. Yet.)

My gift for him will be a little late, but I'm excited to see how it turns out. It's taken a lot more time and effort than anticipated because I want it to be perfect. And I get really anal when it comes to this stuff. If it turns out how I hope, I'm sure I'll blog about it.

Having said all of that, with the passing of a year and nothing to show for it (but this lame tshirt?), I'm a little sad. What am I doing with my life?

New Favorite Joke

2009-01-20T23:16:00.000-08:00

Person 1: "How many hipsters does it take to screw in a light bulb?"

Person 2: "I don't know. How many?"

Person 1: "It's a really obscure number. You've probably never heard of it."

[Joke taken from sloggingtowardutopia.]

2009-01-17T16:21:00.001-08:00

I don't remember ever having to litterbox train Lucy, so when Che started peeing on my bed I didn't understand why. With enough internet research, I was reassured that he wasn't spraying, but that I had just never trained him not to pee on the bed. After a week in the bathroom (which I wont tell you how heart breaking that was for me), he hasn't had an accident since.

This training was well over a month ago, but I mention it because I had to get rid of my pretty Anthropologie bedding (didn't want him smelling his past mistakes). Le sigh. I bought a cheap, thin blanket for the interim (and my roommate bought me a space heater!), but I will have to eventually get something thicker. I'm contemplating how hard it would be to make a quilt. I don't need experience, right? ;)

Me Talk Kitty Someday

2009-01-17T16:00:00.000-08:00

I've had Che for about 2-1/2 months now and, I don't know much about cat growth, but he's looking almost full grown to me. Or at least a teenager kitty. He's not as dark--the lighter hairs have grown in. He still acts like a kitten, though. Way too much energy. He's so sweet and cuddly when he's sleepy, he sprawls on your lap when he wants his belly rubbed, and he stands outside of the shower mewing like you're having so much fun without him--then when he jumps in, he gives this look like, "I immediately regret this decision." He is very dog-like; really excited when I get home from work and always has to be around people.

Word to Your Moms

2009-01-09T12:31:00.000-08:00

Gretchen: Hey, are you going to go visit grandma and grandpa in February?
Mom: Yeah, the week of the 20th, why?
Gretchen: I was thinking about flying up for the weekend...
Mom: No, I don't want to clean--I'd have to scrub and wash--no.
Gretchen: I'm going to tell dad that you said I couldn't visit because YOU DON'T WANT TO CLEAN.
Mom: (laughing) Oh, shut up. You know how anal I am!
Gretchen: What if I use your bathroom and sleep on the couch?
Mom: No.
Gretchen: You know how you've been telling me to update my blog? I think I just found something to blog about. My mother would rather not see me than clean!
Mom: You better not!!
Gretchen: Hold on, I'm writing this conversation down as we speak.
Mom: (laughing) You better not be!
Gretchen: (laughing) Can't... visit... clean.
Mom: (laughing) I'd be so embarrassed! I swear, if I see that on your blog (laughing), I will cut. you. up.
Gretchen: Oh, my god. My the post just got juicier! Writing, cut... you....

COMMENCE EMBARRASSMENT. And cutting apparently.

In Search of the Big Picture

2009-01-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

I've been obsessing over photography lately. Spending all of my free time looking at equipment, researching what equipment is best, or just looking at photos (picking ones I love then trying to figure out what I'll need to get the same lighting/effects). Oh, and when I say "all of my free time" I mean ALL OF MY FREE TIME. In fact, this morning (a Thursday) was my first shower this week. That's how committed I am. I'm kidding! Kind of.

Also, through my obsession I've found that 99% of wedding photography is awful. AWFUL. Your wedding photographer is not the exception, either. I *did* find one good husband-and-wife team based in The Deep South who take lovely photos. (They also claim they can do cookie-cutter shots, if that's what you really want.) But their stuff often ends up in magazines, so they do come with a price.

But I digress.

So, what brought this on? Well, Paris, I guess. There is a photojournalism masters program in Paris that makes me swoon a little. But, much like all other art schools, they want a portfolio. Which I don't have. My tactic in creating one involves cheating. See, I can't tell you how many classes I've signed up for and haven't gone to past the first day (WHY ARE THEY ALL ON THE WEST SIDE ON WEEK NIGHTS?), so I’m cheating. I researched a few art school photography courses, looked up the required text books, then ordered some online (I ended up going with the UCLA books, in case you're curious).

And, yes, I am a total idiot when it comes to photography. (I did manage to get myself out of the awful "auto" setting on my camera, though.) But I think interest in something is half the battle. At least, I hope it is.

Please Note: This is not to be confused with Law School. I'm still interested, but I know I'm not ready, yet.

Cuteness.

2008-11-08T13:43:00.000-08:00

A friend of mine sent out a few photos and a little message asking if anyone could provide a home for a feral kitten. As soon as I saw the photos, my heart ached a little thinking about him being sent to a shelter. So, naturally, I was like, "OMG, GIVE HIM OVER." I picked him up with some help from Tyler (I had gotten rid of all of my cat supplies, including the carrier, already), and he's already shown a huge turnaround. When he first got here, he hid under the bathroom sink and would hiss at anyone coming near (never any clawing or biting, though). He still does both of these things, but once you pick him up and he's certain you're not going to harm him, all he wants to do is play. He pounces and hops like a rabbit. He does somersaults on the bed, even. Last night was the first night that he came to me (without bribery or going to pick him up myself).

I'm still unsure what to name him, though.

First Aid Kit

2008-10-25T19:40:00.000-07:00

So jeals. These cats are 15- and 17-years-old.

Le Petit Prince

2008-10-22T21:09:00.001-07:00

Diptyque Candles

2008-10-22T20:18:00.001-07:00

I know they're super spendy, but if you've ever owned a Diptyque candle you'll know that they're worth it. They last forever and they smell more amazing than the thing that they're supposed to smell like. Plus, they're kind of pretty. :)

OK, OK last post.

2008-10-16T21:24:00.000-07:00

OK, so this is the last Paris post. I think. It'll just be a few misc. photos that I thought I'd share. They should speak for themselves, so I'll quit talking (typing?).

Panthéon

2008-10-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

My aunt told me, if I got a chance, to stop by Ladurée to see their famous macaroons. Since it was the only eatery that I knew of when I flew in, it was the first place I went to when I stepped off the plane in Paris (I got a lovely, overpriced HUGE fruit salad with fruits that we don't see often in the US). I went to the Ladurée Champs Elysées, but since I was still carrying my luggage at this point, and hadn't slept in, like, 48-hours, I never got a photo of it. The photo below is of, I believe, the original Ladurée location. When I went here, later in the trip, it was so crowded (the line went out of the front door!), I didn't get a chance to go in.

The original location happened to very near the Panthéon, though. So I made a little detour and stopped in to see the burial place of Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Émile Zola, Jean Moulin, Marie Skłodowska-Curie, Louis Braille, and Jean Jaurès.

Notre Dame de Paris and La Sainte-Chapelle

2008-10-16T10:58:00.000-07:00

Notre Dame de Paris has always been one of my favorite buildings. I love the history of it, I love the architecture, I love the smell. Also, at sunset it's so unbelievably gorgeous. I can't believe they ever thought about tearing it down.

The bottom most candle in this photo I paid 2€ for and lit for my mom and one of her sisters, both of whom I thought would appreciate the sentiment.

This was taken from afar. The balcony was facing Notre Dame de Paris.

Below is the La Sainte-Chapelle. It's very near Notre Dame de Paris and the windows are amazing.

Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile

2008-10-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

The Arc de Triomphe stands at the center of a roundabout where 12 streets intersect ("de l'Étoile"). When trying to get a driver's license in Paris, one is expected to navigate his/her way through the intersection (of death?). I joke about "of death" because, on average, an accident occurs every 30 minutes. Consequently, this is the only intersection that Parisian insurance companies will not cover. So, if you're renting a car while visiting, maybe try and stay away from this intersection.

Tour Montparnasse

2008-10-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Its simple architecture, gigantic proportions and monolithic appearance have been often criticised for being out of place in Paris's urban landscape and, as a result, two years after its completion, the construction of skyscrapers in the city centre was banned. - Wikipedia

On the same night that I was rained on, I apparently decided that it would be a good idea to head over to Montparnasse to see the famous night view. Unfortunately, the view is from the roof (yes, OPEN ROOF) of a building. I don't think I've ever been that wet. Not even in the shower.

They say that the view from Tour Montparnasse is the best in Paris because YOU CAN'T SEE THE FUGLY BUILDING THAT YOU'RE STANDING ON. The building is admittedly very ugly. But the view is pretty amazing.

New Europe Tours

2008-10-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

On Thursday I went on this really amazing walking tour of Paris (through New Europe Tours). It's actually a brilliant idea for several reasons. First, it cuts down the tourist eco footprint. Walking is good for the environment! Second, from a company standpoint, walking is pretty cost effective. Also, the same company that does the walking tours does a pub crawl every night, which I wont explain the brilliance of here because, well, let's just say it's pretty scandalous. And I took part in the scandal. I'll leave it at that.

The tour guide, Rowan, was an Australian lad (tours offered in English and Spanish, I believe).

On the bridge where apparently Carrie and Big reunite in Sex and the City.

At the Palais du Louvre...

I never saw it, but the tour guide said this was in The Da Vinci Code.

This location is very, very important in France's history (hint: big role in the storming of the Bastille), but I'll make you take the tour to find out more!

Most expensive real estate in Paris is along this street. Including the most expensive 2-star hotel.

I loooove this photo because HELLO, CAN YOU BE ANY MORE OBVIOUS girl-who-is-checking-out-the-tour-guide. ;)

The tour guide said that this was his favorite view in Paris (which I later found out is what all the guides say, it's apparently in the script), but when none of us could figure out why, he told us to look between the two buildings, way off into the distance.

Can't see what I'm talking about? Let me help you:

And whats-her-face throws her cell phone into this fountain at the end of the Devil Wears Prada movie.

So, if you get a chance, definitely check out the New Paris Tours. They also do a bunch of other major European cities, too.

Château de Versailles

2008-10-15T22:40:00.000-07:00

I'll keep this post pretty short because this was the most disappointing. When I decided to visit Versailles, the train had stopped that day, so getting out there was a pain-in-the-ass. Then, when I finally got there, it wasn't really "in season" so the flowers weren't in bloom (which, I believe, the gardens are almost the biggest draw). Plus it was expensive! Whatever, I'll just post my silly photos.

I apologize for the amount of photos in advance.

Look! You can see me in the mirrors (below)!

My fave part of the Versailles trip was the alternative-train ride out there and getting to see the outskirts of Paris.

Cimetière du Père-Lachaise

2008-10-15T22:26:00.000-07:00

My second favorite thing in Paris was being able to visit Jim Morrison's grave site. His grave is currently very modest (although there is talk of adding a sculpture). I actually visited the cemetery after they had closed, but I didn't realize until I was being yelled at and kicked out. This was, consequently, the only time I got legitimately lost in Paris. The guard kicked me out of the nearest exit, so my thinking was just to circle the outside of the cemetery to get my location bearings. WRONG. Streets either ended or curved or turned into steep stairwells. Unfortunately, the only time I got lost and couldn't find a metro was also the only time during my visit that it rained. Luckily I ducked into an old bookstore and came across a comic book version of Le Petit Prince. Despite the price, which I will not disclose here, I snatched it up.

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur

2008-10-15T22:10:00.000-07:00

My very first day in Paris I spent sleeping. See, my flight was at 6:00a, which meant that I had to be at the airport at 4:00a, but it was my roommate's birthday so I knew I wouldn't get any sleep. Then, my second day in Paris I spent with my head over the toilet with the cold sweats. I'm not sure what was wrong, but I was very, very miserable. (Don't get me wrong, I did go out adventuring on both days, but I didn't get full days in.)

Finally, my third day I was up and ready and back to 100% of myself. The very, very first thing I wanted to do was go to the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur. So, I attempted to navigate the metro system and finally made it there fairly early in the morning. I was lucky enough to arrive right in time for mass, so I staid for awhile before leaving.

Musée de l’Orangerie

2008-10-15T21:26:00.000-07:00

I'm going to go a little out of order with this post because it was my most favorite thing that I did in Paris. During my walking tour, which I'll talk about in a later post, the guide mentioned the Musée de l’Orangerie and how it had two oval rooms that were 360-degree Monet paintings. The day after the tour, it was the first thing that I did when I woke up. I metro'd right over there and it was just as amazing as I'd imagined. It was so beautiful and awe-inspiring.

According to the tour guide, the museum was built because the king (at the time) loved oranges and it was intended to house orange trees so they could grow year round. It was later decided to be turned into a museum. With this in mind, Monet painted the current installations in Giverny with the intention of placing them in the building. I'll let the photos speak for themselves now.

I took so many photos of each of the individual paintings, but I'll just post a few of the space so you can get an idea. The museum was full of Monet and Picasso pieces. It was so surreal to be able to get within inches of them to inspect their craftsmanship. It was something that I could have never gotten from a text book.

Paris

2008-10-14T20:29:00.001-07:00

To be honest, I'm not even sure where to start my Paris vacay recap without overloading you with photos. I'll first start by saying that it was a good vacation. Really good. In fact, one of the best decisions I've made in awhile. It took being genuinely happy to realize how unhappy I've been. But that's a story for private consumption. Just know that I had an amazing time and will try to figure out how to breakdown the photo posts. Actually, I didn't take that many photos, but I did do a couple things worth posting about.

Expect more from me in the next few days.

You're so edgy.

2008-10-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

"We stand today on the edge of a new frontier."

2008-09-13T18:56:00.000-07:00

The Democratic nominee, charismatic Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy, was attempting to become the first Catholic president and, at age 43, the youngest man ever elected to the office. Nixon argued that he had the maturity and experience to deal with the Communists, while Kennedy attempted to turn his youth into an advantage, proclaiming in his acceptance speech at the Democratic convention, "We stand today on the edge of a new frontier."

[Stolen from Gregory.]

New bed.

2008-09-13T18:45:00.000-07:00

I can't remember if I talked about this here or not, but my bed broke. Thank bob my cat wasn't underneath it, too. My solution turned out much different than I anticipated. I just got one of the cheapest upholstered headboards that I could find, intending to make my own slipcover. After I put it together, I kind of like the white, for now at least. I do have to say, I've actually owned quite a few beds in my lifetime, but this bed is by far the most sturdy. When I set it up, I was baffled by all of the old beds that I had --like, how did I have no idea how crappy they were until now? W/e. Really good upgrade and super, super easy to make a new cover for.

And, yes, I realize how girly my room is.

Savannah, Georgia (Walking Around)

2008-09-06T19:35:00.001-07:00

OK, now for the final few photos that I took while walking around (read: NOT on a bus).

Savannah, Georgia (Bus Tour)

2008-09-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

I spread my time pretty thin along the coast. The following photos are from a MOVING BUS TOUR, which is to say, please don't judge me for wonky-ness (blurry, poor composition, etc.). That said, Savannah is gorgeous. I would move here in a heart beat. DO YOU HEAR THAT SAVANNAH EMPLOYERS. I want a terrace with a rocking chair. And some sweet tea. OK, I hate sweet tea, but you get the point.

**I apologize for the amount of photos I'm about to throw at you.

Myrtle Beach, SC

2008-09-06T19:06:00.000-07:00

Fortunately for me I was in Myrtle Beach, SC a day BEFORE the storm hit. And I did wonder why THERE WAS NO ONE THERE. There were, like, 3 old people on vespa-like scooters diving down main street, but otherwise the place was pretty closed up. The water was really, really warm, though. Someone told me the ocean was 80+ degrees. Ahhh, if only the Pacific were that warm...

Bird Mobile

2008-09-02T22:17:00.000-07:00

I'm last minute packing for my flight to South Carolina. I'm flying out for one day of business, then spending the remainder of the week putzing around Charleston. Although, with the weather, it sounds like I might be staying in enjoying the wifi. Booo, storm, boo.

Once I return from SC, I turn right back around and fly up to Portland to visit my parents. (My aunt is flying in at the same time, as well.) I know Lisa wanted to go, but I'm going for extended family related issues. And I hesitate to mention that I'll be in Seattle for similar reasons, as well.

Then I GO TO PARIS. OK, I'm panicking a little bit trying to figure out how I thought I'd pay for all of this. But I'm still excited.

Oh! The image above! I found this cute bird mobile online and knew I had to make it. (Mostly for a new baby friend.) I finished the birds, but please don't judge me because I haven't sewn since I was 13. And that was in Mrs. Stolberg's home economics class. But the birds are done. And the branches have been... well, we'll just say that now they are in my possession. In the back seat of my car, actually. But instead of looping the birds onto the branch, I'll probably take the easy way out and hot glue them. WITH MY NEW HOT GLUE GUN. Betsy even tells me that I can hot glue my pendant lamp onto my concrete ceiling!

Flore Vegan Cuisine

2008-08-17T20:04:00.000-07:00

We discovered Flore Vegan Cafe in Silverlake this weekend. I had an amazing Tempeh Tu-No Melt (tempeh salad, daikon sprouts and cashew cheese layered on sourdough and "grilled to warm, soulful perfection"). Even my meat-loving roommate highly approved of my cold leftovers. I couldn't rave more about my new favorite eatery.

Bernie Mac & Isaac Hayes, both passed this weekend.

2008-08-10T17:26:00.001-07:00

As Charles Mudede on The Stranger's Blog said: "This has been a hard weekend for brothers."

Roadside: Project 002/ Part 018

2008-08-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

I bought this little gem awhile ago, but I'm still unsure where to put him. Considering how quickly the artist's newer pieces are selling (at double what I paid), I'm really happy to have grabbed him before it was too late.

[Art by Jayme McGowan.]

Nearly Turtle Lips

2008-08-07T20:23:00.000-07:00

[Image taken by Tasha Walston.]