Haircut Torture

Last night Jenn & I went SPINNING...The first time since last fall! It was hard and our instructor wasn't even that tough...Oh well, we did good for it being our first day back on the saddle. So far, I've lost about 7 pounds. It doesn't really show but I'm feeling skinnier! My tight jeans are only moderately tight but the real proof is that I got whistled at today! First time in a very, very long time. Ok, so it was a stoned Whittier College student...but it still counts! Maybe it was my cute new haircut! I finally cut my medusa mop! I couldn't take it anymore! I HATE getting my haircut & I usually do it every 6 months because I hate it so much. I'd (almost) rather have a pap smear then a haircut! I don't know what it is about someone messing with my hair that I despise!...Maybe it stems from a bad haircut during my childhood? I had many! Like my Dorothy Hammill rice bowl and my feathered mullet. Maybe it's because I hate making conversation with the stylist? I'm not really sure. I love manicures, pedicures & massages...but the haircut is absolute torture! Anyway, I'm glad I finally did it.

P.S. Cross your fingers! I have an interview tomorrow, Friday & Monday!

Attack of the Blog!

I'm A Poet (Didn't Know It)

While looking for one of my old resumes I came across a disc of old poetry from a creative writing class I took at Saddleback College...The instructor wasn't a big fan of my short stories and screenplay but he loved the poetry...I'll try to post one poem from my old school collection here weekly and maybe I'll attempt to write something new - that would be interesting!!!...When I read some of what I wrote back then it makes me sad, a little nostalgic and very proud of who I am today...The poems pretty much sum up my early 20's & make me relieved to have survived them with most of my sanity still intact. The following is a poem I wrote about a day I will never forget. The assignment was to write a poem about a journey. It's what inspired the title of this blog.

Le Chemin de Vie (The Road of Life)
For Crystal

When you’re old and wrinkled
When life’s mysteries have passed you by
Will you remember that windy afternoon in Cannes
When we hastily packed our bags and left

I, the navigator
You, behind the wheel
Both too young and too naïve.
The smell of lavender creeping through
Open windows

Feeling a little like best friends
Feeling a lot like strangers
We sat side by side and
Spoke of our lives, loves and
Destinations to come

Another bug smacking the windshield as
We continued on towards Paris.

Zoo Day

I spent a nice day at the L.A. Zoo with Kristie and Izzy. I hadn't been there in many, many years and it brought back fond memories...especially the flamingo and the wax animal statues. There is quite a bit of construction going on & not many of the animals were out but it was empty & we had the place to ourselves which was really nice. The zoos here are definitely not as cool as the one I went to in Sydney! In Australia you can touch the koalas and feed the kangaroos and the fences are knee high. The animals have much more freedom to roam. I loved that zoo in Sydney...I felt like the biggest kid and I didn't want to leave. It was so much fun! The animals I saw yesterday looked kind of sad. I even saw a poor croc with pennies on his back! The new construction at the L.A. Zoo will make the animal habitats more spacious and I can't wait to return and see the progress...Izzy is such a ball of energy...it's good exercise chasing after her. I loved seeing the animals through her eyes.

Vasquez Rocks

Yesterday was spent exploring Vasquez Rocks with Stephen, Greg & Jenn. We found 10 caches and I hid my fourth. Vasquez Rocks is amazing...we got quite a workout hiking and rock climbing. I'm really enjoying our weekend adventures and looking forward to more. Stephen bought an awesome new camera that I'm hoping he'll put down so I can use...his pictures are much sharper but here is one of the best I took with mine.

Loner Day 2

Tried solo caching again yesterday. I found 4 caches! I was proud of myself. It was nice to be alone in nature. A little sun, fresh air & some exercise does wonders for the soul! Stephen doesn't think I should hike alone & he's probably right. People can't be trusted...it's scary and very sad. Forget snakes & mountain lions...people are the real evil! Anyway, it was a nice day spent alone.

Loner

I spent the day with myself attemping to geocache...well it didn't quite work out. There were too many people out & probably wondering what I was doing in the ivy. I wasn't very stealth & not interested in sticking my head under bushes. I thought I'd make one more try at a quick cache off a nearby road...well detectives were out because they had just found the body of a missing woman...guess it just wasn't my day...I'll try solo-caching again sometime this week.

National Pie Day!!!

In honor of the day I have added a link to my favorite pie recipe. Note: A frozen crust works just as well & is half the work! ;-)
George's Blueberry Pie

a bump in the road

It's Monday and I'm feeling a little blue because I found out this morning that I didn't get the job I interviewed for last week. I thought I had a good chance because the ED said he liked me, he interviewed me for over an hour and even gave me a tour following my interview. In my experience, a tour of the office following an interview means - you're in! Oh well...I kind of lost hope after not hearing back from them by Friday so it wasn't a complete shock. I didn't even want the job that bad so I guess it's for the best. It's still hard to be rejected over & over for months on end...Stephen & our families have been really supportive and everyone is doing the best they can to keep me positive and help me find something. I love you all!

Sammy got sick this weekend and thanks to a short vet stay she is almost back to her old self. She was following me around the house and crying out for help...my poor baby! I think it may have been a UTI but I'll get the results today. The fluids and antibiotics seemed to have done the trick. Unfortunately, we missed out on going to the mountains because of her illness. I am trying to think of something nice to do for Stephen to make it up to him but until then I'm going to make him a nice dinner tonight - I'm thinking chicken tacos or tostadas. Well I'm off to my desperate housewife duties...xoxo

Matchbox Swap

Matchbox from Amy

I just wanted to share some photos of the first matchbox I received as part of Swap-bot's Valentine's Day Matchbox Swap. It was sent by Amy from Lompoc. I just love it! The little box contained so many cute little embellishments that I can incorporate into my art or scrapbooks. Hopefully I'll get over my artist's block soon and get creative! I am just about ready to mail out my matchboxes. I'm done with the one above and I have a few final touches to make to the second one. One is headed across the country and the other across the Atlantic! I love this theme!

Happy Birthday Dwid!

Yesterday was my dad's 60th birthday. We celebrated at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse over the weekend and yesterday we continued the celebration with dinner at Macaroni Grill and this lovely cake from French's Bakery. French's is the best! When I walk in there I'm like a wild animal, drooling, sniffing and growling! It's an overload for the senses! All the cookies, breads, tarts, cakes, muffins, pastries and not to mention strawberry wagon wheels! It can make a person go mad...Especially a person who is trying to lose some extra lbs before her birthday! Anyway, despite not eating bread and ordering wheat pasta, I may have gone off my diet just a tiny bit yesterday...but it was my dad's birthday and a big one at that! Well worth celebrating! Happy Birthday Dad! I love you! (I'll repent for my sins at the gym later today.)

Night Owl

at 1AM!
at 1AM!

I can't sleep! It's 1am & I am wide awake...I've been trying to pass the time by surfing MySpace, pimping my page and leaving funny pics on friends pages...I found a cool site with a bunch of funny little sayings and pictures hence the cool little "blog bling" above. I'm definitely 13 going on 30! In less then 3 months it will be 30 going on 13! Boo Hoo! Maybe I'm not all the thrilled about the BIG 3-0 after all...Mixed emotions I guess. I have a lot on my mind tonight...Birthdays, job interviews, diets, money & major decisions to be made in the next few months. Not to mention I'm wired on adrenaline, diet coke and still going full speed from Day 2 at the gym. Yes, Day 2!!! Congratulations are in order! Anyway, nights are the pits! It's lonely when you're up alone at this time of night...The life of a worrying insomniac. I remember my dad not sleeping well and staying up late watching old movies on TV. I would wake up and watch them with him until we both got sleepy. He called me a night owl...If only this night owl can finally get a little sleep before the Early Bird rises and wants Fancy Feast!

Stop! Thief!

Last night at about 11:30pm I went to check to make sure our front door was locked before going to bed. For some odd reason I peeked out the window in the door and what do I see??? A burglar (sporting a black mask) stealing oranges from our tree! I was in shock! I called Stephen over to take a look. We stared at him in disbelief for a few seconds before the thief spied us catching him in the act. He made eye contact with us for a few seconds before stealthily escaping into the night. We tried to snap a picture of the sneaky orange thief but he was just too quick! To see what he looked like click here.

Welcome 2007!

I'm back! One of my new years resolutions is to restart my "Blog-o-line"...so here I am ready to fill you in on the exciting (and not so exciting) things in my life. The latter half of 2006 was rough and 2007 seems to be better already. New Years was spent with Greg, Jenn & Sammy Cat in our cozy little blue house. We had pizza & booze but we were all duds & ended up asleep just minutes after ringing in the new year. Greg got a GPS for Christmas so we spent New Years day at Silverwood Lake doing some Geocaching. Stephen and I hadn't been out caching in a few months and we've become addicted once again. We're constantly on the look for a perfect hiding spot and paranoid that "muggles" are spying on us. ;-) My travel bugs are finally on their way and I hid cache number two. It's so much fun! I'm hoping to start biking & SPINNING this week. I'm finally feeling upbeat & motivated to nurture my hobbies again. The gray cloud of 2006 has lifted! I also joined two Valentine's Day Swaps...I'll post pics of what I'm sending soon.

I still haven’t found a job. I've been on interviews all week but no word as of today. I'm working really hard to stay positive...it's been really tough but I know that I'm trying really hard and putting in the effort. I'm optimistic that something creative and exciting will come my way soon. I'm so lucky to have a supportive and patient man in my life. I wouldn't have made it through this alone. I'm so lucky!

This is going to be an exciting year! I'm turning 30 in less then 3 months! Believe it or not I'm looking forward to my 30's. My 20's have been such a crazy roller coaster and I'm hoping 30 means stability, finally feeling like an adult (but not acting like one! ;-P), getting engaged, married & starting a little family of chubby mullet babies. I want that more then anything. My number one baby, Sammy is also welcoming a big birthday. The BIG 2-0! My little brown fuzzy old lady! I want to have a little party for her with El Pollo Loco (her favorite) and a cake made of Fancy Feast. How Fun!

I've learned from my mistakes, the world around me, the people I love and the many experiences (whether good or bad). I'm ready for all the adventures yet to come. No looking back...only forward. I'm welcoming 2007 with open arms, open eyes & an open mind...

The best is yet to come.