And oh boy, was it an adventure.
I left Friday afternoon. Arrived in Orlando just after 7PM. Waffle and Prince Charming picked me up at the airport, and dropped me off at Reby's dorm. Reby, her wonderful fiance Will, and I all went out to the Funky Monkey - a sushi and wine bar with a drag show, where they treated me to dinner. We wandered around a bit after dinner; I got a tour of the town, and we found a mini golf place that was pirate-themed and open until 11:30. We drove around a little more after that, stopped at a bar that had a ridiculous cover, got right back in the car, and they took me back to the lake house.
Speaking of the lake house... this is where we stayed. Such a nice place!
But I digress. Got back to the lake house. Met the fam (including Grandma, after a few bottles of wine), and turned around to go back out for a bit with the boys. The groomsmen (and me) went out and met Mai's family on Wall Street. Bunch of bars, one cover (which the groom paid. Awesome!). We were out for about an hour and a half. Had a great time.
Saturday, Mark left for the rehearsal, and Momma and Will picked me up around 10:30 to go see the ducks at the Peabody. Super cute! They walk down a red carpet from their "duck suite" and hop into a fountain. Went out to breakfast for Momma's birthday, ran some errands (including a super awesome doctor visit for her), and headed to the outlet malls.
Spent too much money. Came home with a great haul. New Movado watch. New Coach purse and sunglasses. Guess shoes. Lots of assorted goodies.
There was a meet & greet back at the house that started at five, so we headed back so they could spend the evening together for Reby's birthday, and I could spend some time with Mark and the fam. We had a dinner catered by 4 Rivers (apparently the best bbq joint in town, and it was tasty!), and then sat around the dining table until 2AM singing while Waffle and Mark's dad played guitar.
Slept in Sunday morning. Got up, got ready, hung around the house while everyone else took pictures, tried to help get the boys ready (Alina's twins were going to be the ring bearers. They didn't want to change out of their superman capes into their outfits, so it ended up being a ceremony without ring bearers), and left for the ceremony with ten minutes to spare.
The wedding was beautiful. Mike and Mai wrote their own vows. He cried when she started walking up the aisle. They did a tea ceremony (traditional Chinese) for the parents and grandparents, which was so touching. The reception was a ton of fun. The dj was awesome, the food was fantastic (traditional Chinese 9-course family-style dinner), and I lost count of how many times I heard "OMG you guys are going to make such adorable red-headed babies!!"
And then I came home. My flight left at 5:10 Monday morning. Ew.
Anyway. I am back home, relaxing a bit after go-go-going all weekend. I finally have a new laptop charger, so I've been able to upload some of my photos. I've been super behind on my 365 photo challenge, but updated those a bit, too. (Still not caught up. Don't have the time!)
I am off to my first Bikram class here in a few minutes. Just wanted to leave you with a quick update!
xoxo
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
365 questions: 183 - 195
183. What do you see when you look into the future? Travel. Love. Contentment. Happiness. Success. I see the actualization of many of my goals - owning a house in Austria being one of the top ones.
184. What makes you angry? Why? Injustice definitely makes me angry. I also get really upset about the government encroaching on my liberties. I feel the government is there to protect our rights granted to us in the Constitution, and not much else. They definitely don't do a very good job of it.
185. What is the most valuable life lesson you learned from your parents? Don't ever give up. It was taught to me in a round-about way (I was not allowed to stop piano lessons when I wanted to), but it's something that I definitely appreciate now.
186. What does love feel like? A smile from your tummy. A hug. Sunshine in your heart.
187. What are your favorite simple pleasures? A piece of extra dark chocolate. A glass of red wine. A bubble bath. And fresh ginger chocolate dream cookies, still warm from the oven.
188. If you could go back in time and tell a younger version of yourself one thing, what would you tell? Learn how to study. Don't take for granted that school comes easily, because learning study habits in your 20s is a bitch.
189. What do you do to deliberately impress others? Nothing that I can think of, honestly. I buy nice things because I like nice things, not because I'm trying to impress people.
190. What will you never do? I will never have an abortion. I will never commit a felony.
191. Excluding romantic relationships, who do you love? I love my mama, my dad, and my sister. My best friends - Kris, Dave, and Erika. I love Jacey and Mike. I love (most of) my coworkers. I love my "little brother" Matt, and his family. I love Shari. I love a lot of people.
192. What is your earliest childhood memory? I was two or three, and we were visiting Mom's parents. We were on a train of some kind, toward the back. In my memory, we were going through some kind of rainforest-esque place. I'm sure that's not the case, but that's what I remember.
193. What book has had the greatest influence on your life? I don't know about the greatest influence on my life, but the one that was influential in shaping my love of math and my career path was A Tour of the Calculus. It was required reading in my Calc-II class, my senior year of high school. It's still one of my favorite books.
194. What three questions do you wish you knew the answers to? I definitely still ponder the meaning of life, and it would be nice to have an answer of some kind. I wish I could see where I'm going to end up twenty years down the road, so I wouldn't need to worry or focus on what are likely distractions. And the third question is a personal one that I'll keep to myself, but I have a feeling I already know the answer.
195. What is the greatest peer pressure you’ve ever felt? It wasn't really a peer pressure that I resisted, but definitely joining the sorority my first year away from home, there was a crazy pressure to spend every night getting hammered. The house was virtually empty on Friday and Saturday nights, and most Wednesdays. Five years later, I still remember the handful of girls who didn't drink, and can count them on one hand.
184. What makes you angry? Why? Injustice definitely makes me angry. I also get really upset about the government encroaching on my liberties. I feel the government is there to protect our rights granted to us in the Constitution, and not much else. They definitely don't do a very good job of it.
185. What is the most valuable life lesson you learned from your parents? Don't ever give up. It was taught to me in a round-about way (I was not allowed to stop piano lessons when I wanted to), but it's something that I definitely appreciate now.
186. What does love feel like? A smile from your tummy. A hug. Sunshine in your heart.
187. What are your favorite simple pleasures? A piece of extra dark chocolate. A glass of red wine. A bubble bath. And fresh ginger chocolate dream cookies, still warm from the oven.
188. If you could go back in time and tell a younger version of yourself one thing, what would you tell? Learn how to study. Don't take for granted that school comes easily, because learning study habits in your 20s is a bitch.
189. What do you do to deliberately impress others? Nothing that I can think of, honestly. I buy nice things because I like nice things, not because I'm trying to impress people.
190. What will you never do? I will never have an abortion. I will never commit a felony.
191. Excluding romantic relationships, who do you love? I love my mama, my dad, and my sister. My best friends - Kris, Dave, and Erika. I love Jacey and Mike. I love (most of) my coworkers. I love my "little brother" Matt, and his family. I love Shari. I love a lot of people.
192. What is your earliest childhood memory? I was two or three, and we were visiting Mom's parents. We were on a train of some kind, toward the back. In my memory, we were going through some kind of rainforest-esque place. I'm sure that's not the case, but that's what I remember.
193. What book has had the greatest influence on your life? I don't know about the greatest influence on my life, but the one that was influential in shaping my love of math and my career path was A Tour of the Calculus. It was required reading in my Calc-II class, my senior year of high school. It's still one of my favorite books.
194. What three questions do you wish you knew the answers to? I definitely still ponder the meaning of life, and it would be nice to have an answer of some kind. I wish I could see where I'm going to end up twenty years down the road, so I wouldn't need to worry or focus on what are likely distractions. And the third question is a personal one that I'll keep to myself, but I have a feeling I already know the answer.
195. What is the greatest peer pressure you’ve ever felt? It wasn't really a peer pressure that I resisted, but definitely joining the sorority my first year away from home, there was a crazy pressure to spend every night getting hammered. The house was virtually empty on Friday and Saturday nights, and most Wednesdays. Five years later, I still remember the handful of girls who didn't drink, and can count them on one hand.
Friday, February 10, 2012
I have exciting news!!!!!!!!
So exciting that I can't spill the beans. But I will tell you that I have a test shoot with a very well-known brand/company in three weeks. I just finalized all the details. And I. Am. Thrilled.
This actually coincides perfectly with my "I need to stop eating like a cow" thing. For dinner today, I had a cucumber salad. A big cucumber, half a container of grape tomatoes, juice of half a lemon, a few healthy shakes of oregano, and a tiny bit of feta. I will ROCK this shoot.
Speaking of which, if you're in Tempe, are available Thursday afternoons, and have stellar hair/makeup skills, I would love to take advantage of your services in three weeks. I'll repay you in dinner, baked goods, and/or wine. (Or if you're a professional MUA with reasonable rates, I'm willing to chat about that, too.)
I'm heading to bed. I feel so super overwhelmed with life/school/everything lately. My sleep schedule is wacky, my homework list is overwhelming, and my house is a mess. So tomorrow, I will sleep in, roast some asparagus and maybe some butternut squash if I can rustle up that much energy, and do the dishes. Then it will probably be time for a nap, even though I won't actually have time for one. Pat's birthday celebration is tomorrow night, so I won't even get to retire early. I was asked to DD in a round-about way, and think I might have gotten voluntold. Perhaps I'll be the loser at the bar in the corner with my homework, since Lord knows I have plenty of it.
Anyway, I'm off to hopefully dream some sweet dreams. Enjoy all those zzzzzzzzzzs you're getting, and catch a few extras for me!
xoxo
This actually coincides perfectly with my "I need to stop eating like a cow" thing. For dinner today, I had a cucumber salad. A big cucumber, half a container of grape tomatoes, juice of half a lemon, a few healthy shakes of oregano, and a tiny bit of feta. I will ROCK this shoot.
Speaking of which, if you're in Tempe, are available Thursday afternoons, and have stellar hair/makeup skills, I would love to take advantage of your services in three weeks. I'll repay you in dinner, baked goods, and/or wine. (Or if you're a professional MUA with reasonable rates, I'm willing to chat about that, too.)
I'm heading to bed. I feel so super overwhelmed with life/school/everything lately. My sleep schedule is wacky, my homework list is overwhelming, and my house is a mess. So tomorrow, I will sleep in, roast some asparagus and maybe some butternut squash if I can rustle up that much energy, and do the dishes. Then it will probably be time for a nap, even though I won't actually have time for one. Pat's birthday celebration is tomorrow night, so I won't even get to retire early. I was asked to DD in a round-about way, and think I might have gotten voluntold. Perhaps I'll be the loser at the bar in the corner with my homework, since Lord knows I have plenty of it.
Anyway, I'm off to hopefully dream some sweet dreams. Enjoy all those zzzzzzzzzzs you're getting, and catch a few extras for me!
xoxo
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Introduce yourself!
I was looking at my blog traffic earlier, because I'm always interested in seeing where my lovely readers come from! Sometimes I'll see people arrive directly. I assume I know them. Sometimes I see people who have arrived from the blogger homepage. I assume they're subscribers. Every once in a while I'll get traffic from my profile. I assume it's from comments left on other blogs, just checkin' me out.
But my favorite are the google searches. I had one yesterday that doesn't show me the search term used, but google redirected them to the paper I wrote for my German class. Who are you, and what landed you there? Are you in a relationship where Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an issue? Maybe you have it yourself? Maybe you're interested in East Germany, and then you probably didn't appreciate my comparisons.
Thanks to a post from last February, the keywords that have landed me the most hits revolve around the cast of House. (I'm totally okay with that; it's my favorite show ever!) But when you search for the name of my blog, or my blog address - who are you? If you're searching for my full name, how do we know each other? If you're searching for some of the unique names of my friends, how do you know them?
Visitors from Taiwan, Japan, Germany, Russia, Bulgaria - did we meet on my summer travels? Maybe you're a friend of mine off on a journey, checking in on occasion?
I would love to get to know you all better. I read every comment and I value every single one of my readers! So if you stop by and we haven't ever talked, please introduce yourself. Tell me where you came from, and why you're here. I appreciate that you've included me in your day!
xoxo!
Side notes:
But my favorite are the google searches. I had one yesterday that doesn't show me the search term used, but google redirected them to the paper I wrote for my German class. Who are you, and what landed you there? Are you in a relationship where Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an issue? Maybe you have it yourself? Maybe you're interested in East Germany, and then you probably didn't appreciate my comparisons.
Thanks to a post from last February, the keywords that have landed me the most hits revolve around the cast of House. (I'm totally okay with that; it's my favorite show ever!) But when you search for the name of my blog, or my blog address - who are you? If you're searching for my full name, how do we know each other? If you're searching for some of the unique names of my friends, how do you know them?
Visitors from Taiwan, Japan, Germany, Russia, Bulgaria - did we meet on my summer travels? Maybe you're a friend of mine off on a journey, checking in on occasion?
I would love to get to know you all better. I read every comment and I value every single one of my readers! So if you stop by and we haven't ever talked, please introduce yourself. Tell me where you came from, and why you're here. I appreciate that you've included me in your day!
xoxo!
Side notes:
- Project 365 photos can be found on a page of their own. Link is at the top.
- My laptop charger has officially shit the bed. So before I can waste a ton of time doing things other than homework, I need to find somewhere that carries chargers for 6-year-old computers. I might just have to update from my phone for a few days. Don't miss me too much.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
I am a Constitutional Libertarian. Or: Why the Gov't can suck it.
I last edited this on January 18th. Oops. Told you I was bad about getting things up in a timely manner!
I did the whole "STOP SOPA" script thing in my blog header last month in an attempt to black out my blog in protest of SOPA. All it did was give me a bunch of error messages and refuse to let me change the code back for hours. Rude.
So instead, I thought I'd ramble a little bit about my political leanings. I was asked to do so more than six months ago by someone I met in my travels in Europe, but I never got around to it. So Wing, this one is for you.
Ron Paul is my man.
No really. He is. From the minute I first heard of him, I liked him. The more I've heard from him, the more I realize our viewpoints are aligned. I have a signed copy of End the Fed as well as a signed copy of a pocket Constitution that he wrote the forward for.
He spoke on campus here last December (2010) and that's when I realized I might have been classifying my political views incorrectly.
I'm registered to vote as an independent. I formerly identified as a republican - fiscally conservative but socially liberal. Then Ron Paul was invited to speak by the local libertarian group at their annual conference, and it occurred to me as he spoke that what I thought of as socially liberal wasn't, really. I just don't think the government should be able to mandate a lot of things (whom I can marry, what I choose to do with my body, whether or not to subject myself to pornoscanners at the airport, among many others).
Ron Paul's take on the war? Get them out. I'm so on board. Ron Paul's economic stance? Well, he predicted the collapse of the economy several years before. This guy knows his shit. Ron Paul on abortion? He's pro-life but doesn't believe the federal government should be able to legislate that. Or, in his words, "We don't need a federal abortion police." Yep. He believes the War on Drugs is a waste. "Costly and ineffective." It certainly is both. His take on illegal immigration? "A nation without borders is no nation at all." And Ron Paul on healthcare? Obamacare is crap, but the current insurance situation needs to be abolished, too. Right on.
Ron Paul is my man. As an added bonus, he's incredibly intelligent (a medical degree from Duke isn't exactly a no-brainer). He's not a racist jerk, a pompous assface, or a philanderer. (What great candidates we have for the GOP, huh?) If you're not totally satisfied with the candidates out there right now, please look into his platform.
With that, I'm back to the books.
Ron Paul; Ron Paul!
I did the whole "STOP SOPA" script thing in my blog header last month in an attempt to black out my blog in protest of SOPA. All it did was give me a bunch of error messages and refuse to let me change the code back for hours. Rude.
So instead, I thought I'd ramble a little bit about my political leanings. I was asked to do so more than six months ago by someone I met in my travels in Europe, but I never got around to it. So Wing, this one is for you.
Ron Paul is my man.
No really. He is. From the minute I first heard of him, I liked him. The more I've heard from him, the more I realize our viewpoints are aligned. I have a signed copy of End the Fed as well as a signed copy of a pocket Constitution that he wrote the forward for.
He spoke on campus here last December (2010) and that's when I realized I might have been classifying my political views incorrectly.
I'm registered to vote as an independent. I formerly identified as a republican - fiscally conservative but socially liberal. Then Ron Paul was invited to speak by the local libertarian group at their annual conference, and it occurred to me as he spoke that what I thought of as socially liberal wasn't, really. I just don't think the government should be able to mandate a lot of things (whom I can marry, what I choose to do with my body, whether or not to subject myself to pornoscanners at the airport, among many others).
Ron Paul's take on the war? Get them out. I'm so on board. Ron Paul's economic stance? Well, he predicted the collapse of the economy several years before. This guy knows his shit. Ron Paul on abortion? He's pro-life but doesn't believe the federal government should be able to legislate that. Or, in his words, "We don't need a federal abortion police." Yep. He believes the War on Drugs is a waste. "Costly and ineffective." It certainly is both. His take on illegal immigration? "A nation without borders is no nation at all." And Ron Paul on healthcare? Obamacare is crap, but the current insurance situation needs to be abolished, too. Right on.
Ron Paul is my man. As an added bonus, he's incredibly intelligent (a medical degree from Duke isn't exactly a no-brainer). He's not a racist jerk, a pompous assface, or a philanderer. (What great candidates we have for the GOP, huh?) If you're not totally satisfied with the candidates out there right now, please look into his platform.
With that, I'm back to the books.
Ron Paul; Ron Paul!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
I'm back in my pants!!!!!!!!!
It's not like I would walk around in them with a super tight shirt on or anything, but I put on my work pants on Sunday (a size 2), and didn't have to suck it in to button them!
Suck on that, period bloat. I definitely have lost inches in the last month! And so I celebrated by drinking green tea, doing a zillion jumping jacks, and eating a mondo lemon, spinach, goat cheese pasta dinner. My choir concert is in two weeks, and my (other) goal is to look good in that super scandalous grey dress, so I can go out in it afterward.
So between now and then, I plan to:
Suck on that, period bloat. I definitely have lost inches in the last month! And so I celebrated by drinking green tea, doing a zillion jumping jacks, and eating a mondo lemon, spinach, goat cheese pasta dinner. My choir concert is in two weeks, and my (other) goal is to look good in that super scandalous grey dress, so I can go out in it afterward.
So between now and then, I plan to:
- drink at least one cup of hot green tea every day.
- drink at least 64 oz. of ice water every day.
- get some sort of exercise every day. It's unrealistic to think I'll run every day, or burn 500 calories exercising daily, but my aim is to get my heart-rate up doing SOMETHING for 15 minutes every day.
- NOT drink any alcohol until the Florida trip. This (sadly) includes tastings at the table at work.
- do 250 jumping jacks, 25 sit-ups, and 25 squats every day on top of whatever exercise I choose.
- make it easier to resist temptation. Don't bake at all!
I'll try to update on how it goes! One of the things I'm most self-conscious about is the way my legs look, and this dress definitely shows them off. I need legs worthy of showing off in approximately two weeks.
Anyway. This is the hooker dress I may or may not be wearing some time soon. Too tight and too short to look anything other than fantastic before I put it on.
Anyway. This is the hooker dress I may or may not be wearing some time soon. Too tight and too short to look anything other than fantastic before I put it on.
I also tried on my old jeans this morning, and I'm back in those, too! YAY, SIZE TWO PANTS!!!!!!!!!!! It's been eight months since I've been able to say that. Like, pre-Europe. July. I was absolutely thrilled this morning when I put them on, and that's today's photo... that I will upload tomorrow, with the rest that I've been slacking on.
I have to be up at 5 in the morning to take my wonderful bff and her fiance to the airport, so my super exciting updates about my photo shoot, dinner tonight, school stuff... it'll all have to wait. I have a test in the morning in my programming class, a test later this week in Linear Algebra, two math homework assignments due Thursday, and a German paper due Sunday night, so you might not see a whole lot of me between now and then.
xoxo!!
I have to be up at 5 in the morning to take my wonderful bff and her fiance to the airport, so my super exciting updates about my photo shoot, dinner tonight, school stuff... it'll all have to wait. I have a test in the morning in my programming class, a test later this week in Linear Algebra, two math homework assignments due Thursday, and a German paper due Sunday night, so you might not see a whole lot of me between now and then.
xoxo!!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Job interview!!
Not for me, but for Prince Charming!
I've totally been slacking on bragging about him lately. He took me to Kebab Palace last weekend for dinner. I've lived right down the road from that place for nearly a year and a half now, and never stopped by. Um, so delicious! The server swapped our dishes when she brought them to the table, and even though he liked mine better (because I am the best picker!), he still swapped with me. <3
Anyway. He hasn't been super happy with his job for quite a while now. He's more educated than some of the managers there, makes dirt, and is consistently asked to go above and beyond without being compensated or recognized for it. So he's frustrated. He put out some feelers recently and has a phone interview tomorrow with a company he really wants to work for! I'm really excited for him, and keeping my fingers crossed.
We were supposed to have a sushi date this coming weekend at Ra, but I have to work. Boo. :(
And the wedding is in 13 days! Meeting the parents, a cool trip to a state I've never been to before... I'm really looking forward to it!
I will put up another post later tonight with my photos from the last few days. Just wanted to break the whole downer ex stuff with something more positive. I ordered his Valentine's Day / birthday card a few days ago, and I think it's super cute.
So there we have it. :) Just over a week and a half, and I'll be off on another vacation. Yay!!
I've totally been slacking on bragging about him lately. He took me to Kebab Palace last weekend for dinner. I've lived right down the road from that place for nearly a year and a half now, and never stopped by. Um, so delicious! The server swapped our dishes when she brought them to the table, and even though he liked mine better (because I am the best picker!), he still swapped with me. <3
Anyway. He hasn't been super happy with his job for quite a while now. He's more educated than some of the managers there, makes dirt, and is consistently asked to go above and beyond without being compensated or recognized for it. So he's frustrated. He put out some feelers recently and has a phone interview tomorrow with a company he really wants to work for! I'm really excited for him, and keeping my fingers crossed.
We were supposed to have a sushi date this coming weekend at Ra, but I have to work. Boo. :(
And the wedding is in 13 days! Meeting the parents, a cool trip to a state I've never been to before... I'm really looking forward to it!
I will put up another post later tonight with my photos from the last few days. Just wanted to break the whole downer ex stuff with something more positive. I ordered his Valentine's Day / birthday card a few days ago, and I think it's super cute.
So there we have it. :) Just over a week and a half, and I'll be off on another vacation. Yay!!
Reminiscing.
I had something all typed up and almost ready to post, and then changed my mind and decided to do some reminiscing instead.
One of my favorite guys deployed last weekend. Mike, someone who has been in my life since my Broadway Kids days, is off to Afghanistan. He's been a dear friend for nearly as long as I can remember. He was my first love, my "boyfriend" in 8th grade. The first guy I held hands with. The one I was too shy to kiss. The guy that gave me the teddy bears I still have sitting in my room at my parents' house. Someone that I've stayed close with through the years. I went to visit him my first year away from home, when I was going to school in Idaho. I remember a big fight Kyle and I had on New Year's Eve, the first year we lived together. Mike was the one who talked me through it. When I drove up to the airport to pick up Kyle when he got back in town, Mike was on the phone with me. Last February when I was going through a rough time, I picked up and drove out to Oceanside. Mike was the one I stayed with. The one who re-instilled my faith in men. I saw him when I was in Oceanside again in July. And I'm a huge asshole and stood him up for his birthday when I was in SD in December.
Anyway. He means the world to me. His little brother calls me "sis." I call his mom "Mom." And now he's gone to the sandbox. It isn't a big deal to me in the "omg we talk so often and now we can't and I miss him terribly" sense, because we don't. We've chatted maybe once or twice since my trip out there in December. Maybe. But the facebook posts from his girlfriend and his mom these last few days, coupled with the photos, threw me back to August 2009.
I found myself messaging Whitney, Mike's girlfriend. She's having a hard time (duh.) so I offered an ear when she needs one, and sent her a link to MSOS - the forum I spent way too much time on from the day Kyle was recalled until... well, I still do. Less than ten minutes later, I had a response. She doesn't know what to say. How to work through her emotions. How to make this easier on the both of them.
So I talked about our deployment. How she shouldn't bother hiding her emotions from him to make things "easier" for him, because he's going to figure it out anyway. So if she has a bad day, let him know. I found myself back in the old apartment - in the tub with a glass of wine in one hand, my notebook propped up on my knees, and a pen in my right, bawling my eyes out and writing Kyle a letter. I was back at Wells Fargo when I was working nights - walking out of the computer room, taking a left at the end of the hallway to go home, wiping away tears because I missed him so much. I was lying in bed on the phone with him at 3AM. I was in the kitchen making no-bake cookies to send out in a care package. I was at Costco trying not to buy everything there to send to him. I was driving home - in the car just south of the 60 on Mill, when he called. One of the first calls of the deployment. I was so upset about something, and he was apologizing. I was back in the Computer Commons, sitting in my BME200 class - totally ignoring the professor, talking to Kyle on GChat because it's one of the few times we were online together. I was back in Alaska, sitting on the couch of some place I was house-sitting, talking to Jenn about how I didn't want to lose him. I was down at the pool when my phone rang with an 808-number. I answered, but apparently the call didn't go through properly on his end. I could hear him on the satellite phone asking someone he must have been standing next to how long it was supposed to take to connect, or if it was working, because he couldn't hear anything. Sobbing into the phone, saying his name, hoping it would miraculously work. I was in the laundry room, sitting there with my laptop trying to get wireless before I left for work, because I knew he'd be getting up soon and I wanted to talk to him for just a few minutes.
When I think of deployment, that's what I think of. The morning after the huge helicopter crash at his base, when I was at work, but Tami let me talk to him on my cell phone for nearly 30 minutes. That awful night sobbing in the tub because of something his mother had either said or done. Being told that he had downloaded Outlook onto his laptop so he could save my emails to read and re-read them when they went into River City. Hearing him say he woke up early every morning hoping to find an email from me, and how much it made his day when there was one.
It was far from perfect, but maybe that's the beauty of deployment - you remember and cherish the good times so much more, and let the bad ones go.
And so, in a 'round-about way, that's what I told her. That deployment will bring them so much closer together and even though it doesn't seem like it now, she will some day cherish, or at least appreciate, this experience. Because as challenging as the distance and communication issues are, deployments are such a rewarding experience for a relationship.
To Whitney and Mike, and every other couple going through a deployment - don't be afraid to share that you had a bad day. Lean on each other. Laugh together, cry together, and enjoy the ways in which deployment changes your relationship. Apologize when you need to, and start and end every conversation with love. Not only does a deployment shape where you are going as a couple; it also molds you as an individual. Make it an experience that you will look back on fondly.
One of my favorite guys deployed last weekend. Mike, someone who has been in my life since my Broadway Kids days, is off to Afghanistan. He's been a dear friend for nearly as long as I can remember. He was my first love, my "boyfriend" in 8th grade. The first guy I held hands with. The one I was too shy to kiss. The guy that gave me the teddy bears I still have sitting in my room at my parents' house. Someone that I've stayed close with through the years. I went to visit him my first year away from home, when I was going to school in Idaho. I remember a big fight Kyle and I had on New Year's Eve, the first year we lived together. Mike was the one who talked me through it. When I drove up to the airport to pick up Kyle when he got back in town, Mike was on the phone with me. Last February when I was going through a rough time, I picked up and drove out to Oceanside. Mike was the one I stayed with. The one who re-instilled my faith in men. I saw him when I was in Oceanside again in July. And I'm a huge asshole and stood him up for his birthday when I was in SD in December.
Anyway. He means the world to me. His little brother calls me "sis." I call his mom "Mom." And now he's gone to the sandbox. It isn't a big deal to me in the "omg we talk so often and now we can't and I miss him terribly" sense, because we don't. We've chatted maybe once or twice since my trip out there in December. Maybe. But the facebook posts from his girlfriend and his mom these last few days, coupled with the photos, threw me back to August 2009.
I found myself messaging Whitney, Mike's girlfriend. She's having a hard time (duh.) so I offered an ear when she needs one, and sent her a link to MSOS - the forum I spent way too much time on from the day Kyle was recalled until... well, I still do. Less than ten minutes later, I had a response. She doesn't know what to say. How to work through her emotions. How to make this easier on the both of them.
So I talked about our deployment. How she shouldn't bother hiding her emotions from him to make things "easier" for him, because he's going to figure it out anyway. So if she has a bad day, let him know. I found myself back in the old apartment - in the tub with a glass of wine in one hand, my notebook propped up on my knees, and a pen in my right, bawling my eyes out and writing Kyle a letter. I was back at Wells Fargo when I was working nights - walking out of the computer room, taking a left at the end of the hallway to go home, wiping away tears because I missed him so much. I was lying in bed on the phone with him at 3AM. I was in the kitchen making no-bake cookies to send out in a care package. I was at Costco trying not to buy everything there to send to him. I was driving home - in the car just south of the 60 on Mill, when he called. One of the first calls of the deployment. I was so upset about something, and he was apologizing. I was back in the Computer Commons, sitting in my BME200 class - totally ignoring the professor, talking to Kyle on GChat because it's one of the few times we were online together. I was back in Alaska, sitting on the couch of some place I was house-sitting, talking to Jenn about how I didn't want to lose him. I was down at the pool when my phone rang with an 808-number. I answered, but apparently the call didn't go through properly on his end. I could hear him on the satellite phone asking someone he must have been standing next to how long it was supposed to take to connect, or if it was working, because he couldn't hear anything. Sobbing into the phone, saying his name, hoping it would miraculously work. I was in the laundry room, sitting there with my laptop trying to get wireless before I left for work, because I knew he'd be getting up soon and I wanted to talk to him for just a few minutes.
When I think of deployment, that's what I think of. The morning after the huge helicopter crash at his base, when I was at work, but Tami let me talk to him on my cell phone for nearly 30 minutes. That awful night sobbing in the tub because of something his mother had either said or done. Being told that he had downloaded Outlook onto his laptop so he could save my emails to read and re-read them when they went into River City. Hearing him say he woke up early every morning hoping to find an email from me, and how much it made his day when there was one.
It was far from perfect, but maybe that's the beauty of deployment - you remember and cherish the good times so much more, and let the bad ones go.
And so, in a 'round-about way, that's what I told her. That deployment will bring them so much closer together and even though it doesn't seem like it now, she will some day cherish, or at least appreciate, this experience. Because as challenging as the distance and communication issues are, deployments are such a rewarding experience for a relationship.
To Whitney and Mike, and every other couple going through a deployment - don't be afraid to share that you had a bad day. Lean on each other. Laugh together, cry together, and enjoy the ways in which deployment changes your relationship. Apologize when you need to, and start and end every conversation with love. Not only does a deployment shape where you are going as a couple; it also molds you as an individual. Make it an experience that you will look back on fondly.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Hero worship.
I saw a thread today that was posted by a guy, upset that his wife doesn't worship the ground he walks on just because he's a service member. It prompted a discussion about heroes, definitions of heroes, and a lot of great comments were made.
It just brought back all the "fighting for your freedom" arguments and the different expectations I feel like Kyle had for me. His ex-wife was super moto. She had a USMC blanket embroidered with her name. As I was once quoted saying, she held a special place in her heart, and her vagina, for the Marines. The guy she left Kyle for was a Marine, I think. Some kind of service member, anyway.
It wasn't a big deal when we started dating, because he was so close to getting out. But when he was recalled, I definitely remember a lot of confusion. Like the second tattoo he wanted so badly. I totally got the first one (his James 15:13 dogtags), and I think it's an awesome tat. But he also wanted an "old-school" EGA. I didn't understand why he wanted a "job logo" tattooed on himself. How he mailed me an "I love my Marine" pin for my purse because he wanted me to show other people how proud I was of him. How astonished and almost elated he was when I asked for an old blouse for my purse.
I feel like this face is pretty representative of the way things were. It was my face when he would get upset about me claiming he wasn't fighting for my freedoms. It was his face when I would make a stupid comment about the military, not knowing how something worked.
Anyway. Point being, a uniform does not a hero make. Everyone has different definitions of what a hero is, and even whether or not their partner should be their hero. I agree with the last quote I mentioned. I used to feel like people looked down on me because I would freely admit that Kyle was not my hero.
I don't know why all that matters, or even why I mention it, but that thread got my mind rambling earlier, and that photo makes me giggle, so there you have it all.
I'm reading a new book, so I'll leave you with photo four. Raj says hi. <3
xoxo!
Being my "hero" means being there for me, through everything that life is going to throw our way. It means supporting each other through ups and downs, it means me never having to worry about my heart because I know you won't ever hurt it.
- Sarah
My advice to you... is to treat her with the utmost respect, appreciation, and integrity that you want her to treat you with. That's all it takes to be a hero. Be a man that is worth wanting. Be a man that makes her happy, that makes her smile when she's having a hard day, that holds her when she shows weakness despite a tough exterior, be the man that she wants to tell everything to, be her best friend.
- Sarah
My husband is my hero when he lets me go to bed early and takes care of the kids for me, empties the dishwasher when I know he hates to, cooks dinner before I get home, stops at the store for milk cause he knows we're out. When he takes my side in irrational and illogical arguements with my mother. When he get gas in the car b/c it's cold or snowing. When he stands up for me. I could go on and on, and I can tell you, his service is at the bottom of the list.
You probably are your wife's hero, and it probably has nothing to do with the uniform. Let the rest of America put you on a pedastal. In fact, you can stand up next to your wife on it. But, when you're at home, let her reasons for you being a hero, be between you and her.
My husband walks next to me, not in front of me. Our fingers are intertwined when we hold hands. He may be taller, but he's never looked down on me. We compliment each in every way. If you are trying to be her hero, you are going to make it seem like you're trying to be above her. Love doesn't need a hero, it needs a partnership.
- MissQ
It just brought back all the "fighting for your freedom" arguments and the different expectations I feel like Kyle had for me. His ex-wife was super moto. She had a USMC blanket embroidered with her name. As I was once quoted saying, she held a special place in her heart, and her vagina, for the Marines. The guy she left Kyle for was a Marine, I think. Some kind of service member, anyway.
It wasn't a big deal when we started dating, because he was so close to getting out. But when he was recalled, I definitely remember a lot of confusion. Like the second tattoo he wanted so badly. I totally got the first one (his James 15:13 dogtags), and I think it's an awesome tat. But he also wanted an "old-school" EGA. I didn't understand why he wanted a "job logo" tattooed on himself. How he mailed me an "I love my Marine" pin for my purse because he wanted me to show other people how proud I was of him. How astonished and almost elated he was when I asked for an old blouse for my purse.
I feel like this face is pretty representative of the way things were. It was my face when he would get upset about me claiming he wasn't fighting for my freedoms. It was his face when I would make a stupid comment about the military, not knowing how something worked.
Anyway. Point being, a uniform does not a hero make. Everyone has different definitions of what a hero is, and even whether or not their partner should be their hero. I agree with the last quote I mentioned. I used to feel like people looked down on me because I would freely admit that Kyle was not my hero.
I don't know why all that matters, or even why I mention it, but that thread got my mind rambling earlier, and that photo makes me giggle, so there you have it all.
I'm reading a new book, so I'll leave you with photo four. Raj says hi. <3
xoxo!
Friday, February 3, 2012
I have a love/hate relationship with Jon Lajoie.
His music is hysterical, but also gets stuck in your head SO easily... and it's not exactly socially acceptable to walk around singing "Show me your genitals."
Day 2:
Yay math homework. Some of the ladies on a forum I'm on are doing a themed photo of the day for February. Yesterday's was words... and this is my quasi-contribution. They're the shortened versions of word problems. Yes, I am taking Mathematical Structures. And yes, I think it kinda sucks.
In other news, today was the last day of my four-week bootcamp. I was really looking forward to being weighed/taped... until I was weighed and taped. I lost no weight, and no inches. Like, zero difference. I wasn't really surprised when I saw that I hadn't lost weight since I assumed I'd probably gain muscle, but not to lose inches was a huge surprise and a disappointment. I'm still waiting to get rid of this enormous ass I gained in Europe. I was counting on boot camp and running to do that for me so I could fit into my dress for Michael's wedding... and as of several days ago, it fits much better in the waist but the hips are still WAY too tight. Total let-down.
Boo for periods. I was really enjoying the whole non-existent period thing for the last several months. Until this morning, that is. I woke up miserable, not wanting to go to boot camp. I'm sure that's why my measurements "haven't changed," since I'm so bloated and feel disgusting. I guess I'll have to break out my own measuring tape and tape myself in a few days.
And since I should probably head out and start doing something productive with my day, I'll leave you with this. Kyle apologized this morning but apparently doesn't read his text messages before he sends them.
Day 2:
Yay math homework. Some of the ladies on a forum I'm on are doing a themed photo of the day for February. Yesterday's was words... and this is my quasi-contribution. They're the shortened versions of word problems. Yes, I am taking Mathematical Structures. And yes, I think it kinda sucks.
In other news, today was the last day of my four-week bootcamp. I was really looking forward to being weighed/taped... until I was weighed and taped. I lost no weight, and no inches. Like, zero difference. I wasn't really surprised when I saw that I hadn't lost weight since I assumed I'd probably gain muscle, but not to lose inches was a huge surprise and a disappointment. I'm still waiting to get rid of this enormous ass I gained in Europe. I was counting on boot camp and running to do that for me so I could fit into my dress for Michael's wedding... and as of several days ago, it fits much better in the waist but the hips are still WAY too tight. Total let-down.
Boo for periods. I was really enjoying the whole non-existent period thing for the last several months. Until this morning, that is. I woke up miserable, not wanting to go to boot camp. I'm sure that's why my measurements "haven't changed," since I'm so bloated and feel disgusting. I guess I'll have to break out my own measuring tape and tape myself in a few days.
And since I should probably head out and start doing something productive with my day, I'll leave you with this. Kyle apologized this morning but apparently doesn't read his text messages before he sends them.
Day three:
xoxo!
Labels:
101 in 1001,
365 photos,
fear the fork,
Kyle,
school
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
My bad.
I'm really good at the whole disappearing and leaving my blog behind thing. Sorry.
A few things I've been working on lately:
A few things I've been working on lately:
- My credit report. Getting everything in order, that is. The ex is in escrow on a home and isn't able to close with a VA loan (0% down) unless we get this ridiculous former apartment complex crap off our credit reports. I've been writing nasty letters, poring over paperwork, making phone calls, and doing my legal research. In other news, that also means I bought a month of Experian's three-credit-bureau monitoring. And my high credit score right now is 722. Not bad for having a sizable debt in collections!
- FreeRice. Not quite as much as I'd like, but I donated over 50,000 grains last month. And speaking of FreeRice...
- The opera! I am one of eight women chosen for the women's chorus for Ainadamar, an opera running in Phoenix from March 1st through March 4th. We have rehearsal between three and five days a week. I'm super excited for our performances! I haven't participated in an opera since Alaska Children's Choir.
They're doing a contest of sorts to get more rice donated and help feed more people. I will be creating a group on February 6th and would love it if you would all join me! It takes just over 19,000 grains of rice to feed one person per day, according to their FAQ. You improve your vocabulary and spelling, learn new words, and can even improve your math skills - all while helping needy families!
- Cooking, of course! I made spaghetti squash lasagna with my delicious ginger cookies last night. I've also been neglecting my food blog, but I hope to get more tasty concoctions up soon!
- Boot camp! This is the last in a four-week series I signed up for. Friday will be my last day for the month. I've been incredibly pleased with my progress. I'm looking forward to being weighed and taped at the end of the week, because I can definitely see a difference in my body - particularly my abs and legs. My pants are no longer tight, either, and I am *almost* back to being able to button my size 2 slacks and having them look good. (I can button them now, but it's not pretty.)
- Even though I shouldn't admit it... Shopping! I decided I couldn't go to Florida without a new purse. The tote I use now is a huge sorority bag. Not exactly wedding material. I also have my old purse made out of Kyle's woodland blouse... Probably not what I should bring to meet the parents. And it's not wedding material either. My last purse has a big hole in it. No bueno. And that's how I ended up with this beauty. Thank you, Kate Spade, for solving my purse dilemma.
And while we're on the topic of shopping, I've added a few things to my Amazon Wish List lately, and prioritized different things. Pinterest has been down, so I've been unable to satisfy my window shopping experience elsewhere.
- I'm starting up my 365-day photo challenge again! The photo of my purse there is the new Day One. I'm planning on sticking with it this time! We'll see how well I do.
- Finally, I've been modeling. I'm working on a website right now that should hopefully be up within a week. I'm incredibly excited to see how this expands my opportunities!
Obviously that's not an exhaustive list. I've been doing school stuff, preparing for the wedding / Florida trip, trying to fit back into my clothes again (I went for a 3km run yesterday!), and doing some early spring cleaning. Two of my best friends are moving to Vermont next month, so I've been trying to spend more time with them as well.
I've been running around like a busy little bee lately! I've started a number of blog posts but never finished anything, so I have some half-completed blurbs I might try to get up in the next few days. Ciao!!
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