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In Good Spirits.

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I have no other way to describe my mood.  I had a tough work day today, but there are two things that happened to me today that have put me in good spirits.

First, when I woke up this morning, I felt refreshed.  Refreshed in the way that I’ve not felt in a very long time.  For the first time in a very long time, I didn’t check my calendar to figure out when I could squeeze in a nap during the day. This process has been going on for years. FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY, I DID NOT do this.  This, my friends, is the beginning of a new habit.  One that I want to keep.  I am so tired of feeling exhausted, and for the first time in a long time I didn’t feel exhausted. It goes me hope that things can/will be different very soon. It has invigorated me, inspired me to make the best effort possible to have more of these kinds of days.

Second, when I got home from work, I had a care package from my nieces waiting for me. I opened it hungerly.  Below are the pictures that I can share. How can you NOT love me? I’m gorgeous (a bit cross-eyed but my good energy/spirit will help overcome that).  At the end of the day, My cats and I are SO LOVED and ADORED.

2015-05-20-How The Kids Perceive Me 2015-05-20-Fluff_Ball

This has me thinking very seriously about moving to Utah.  The loves of my life are in Utah. Why am I not in Utah, soaking up more of this love on a daily/weekly basis?

My niece Mayonaise drew these for me. She is super talented…  her mind is imaginative, playful. She is such a special girl. I love her to the ends fo the earth.  I do have an amazing relationship with my niece AbFab and her daughters.. Here is how it is best described:

only-aunties

Yes, you do see my raising the roof with my hands.   Oh Yeah!  I’ve got nothing in CA except a job that causes me stress and consternations every day.  What if I could leave all this, work in Utah, and be close to the people I care most about?  I’m thinking hard right now… feel free to share your pearls of wisdom.

Reconnecting.

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Hello friends.

I know I’ve been out of touch, I’ve been working WAY TOO MUCH.  I’ve not had a second to myself, let alone for anyone else.  So much has happened since May…

First and foremost, I am alive. Just barely.. I’ve been working 80+ hours for months now.  Working on a work project that has consumed my life and not in a good way.  I gained the 10 pounds I lost last year, I am working for a woman who I can I only describe as grotesque.  Needless to say I’m looking for a new job.

Professionally I’ve exhausted myself – I’m completely burned out.  Totally spent.  I love the company I work for, I hate the person I’m working with.  I do love the other 95% of the people, but unfortunately to stay in my region I have to work with the person I’m working with. And IMO, life it just too short to work with poisonous people.  So on the hunt I go.

My personal relationships have suffered.  I have not seen most of my friends for months now…  and the ones I have seen it has felt rushed. I’m disappointed in myself for letting this happen.

Just because I’ve not written doesn’t mean I’ve not kept up with you, my favorite bloggers.  I love you GG and PG.. you both have kept me going this year.  Even though I’ve not responded to either of you, I love your posts. Thank you for sharing your life experiences with me. When I’ve needed a connection after long hours at the office, you are the first two I’ve turned to.   I’m also interested in Struggling Dad..  Anyone know what happened to him? Did he drop communication due to life’s complexities or can catch up with him on another blog site?

Regarding my main relationship, I’m in one, which is even surprising to me.  ATrain has stuck with me, has taken care of me and the girls – He is a great dad/father to the cats, and a great partner to me.  He has made more than his fair share of salads, dinners, and plans.  I’ve been an absentee partner for the most part, I’m lucky to have him, that he has been so patient with me. I tear up thinking about his kindness and generosity towards me over the last 6 months. 

For those of you that have gotten this far, I was able to purchase the house I remodeled and was living in. The ironic thing is that the girls and I now live with ATrain so I am trying to rent my home.  I’m renting it furnished. I did not have a problem renting it in August.  I’ve got 3 people interested for September. I am on the hook to show it to these folks during Labor Day Weekend.

I’m in Boston this week working and visiting with one of my best friends who stopped blogging years ago Unicorns and Rainbows. I do wish she would start blogging again – she has been doing interesting things and I’m sure her parents and I (along with you) would love to know the latest and greatest.

So, if I had to summarize  my position right now I would say that I’m feeling fat, un-confident, searching for a new path/job/lot in life, have a great support system with my boyfriend ATrain, friends C-Licious, Free Bird, Smarty Pants,  and family including Mom and Dad, AbFab, Lil’ Darlin, and my Twin. I just need to get off my ass and do something to change where I’m at, the situation I’m in. Stop complaining and DO SOMETHING.

I’ll write more and post pictures of my Santa Cruz weekend soon.

Thanks for reading.

Not Home. No Candy.

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This is the sign I hung on my door this evening.  Yep, the fun hater in the neighborhood is me.  Never thought it would be – I love Halloween….  but today, this week, this year, not me. 

Mr. Showtime and I had planned a simple party, a Napoleon Dynamite character party, where I would be LaFawnDah and he would be my Kip.   Obviously that didn’t happen.  When will I get to be LaFawnDuh??? 

I just had dinner with GFP, and I have had enough to drink to say things I probably shouldn’t… but here goes:

  • Love GFP…  because his friendship means the world to me, and there are no strings attached. I love that he is in my life… and he wouldn’t be if he was as black and white as Mr. Showtime and Dear Paula Letter Writer  were about relationships.   
  • I make the best Pomegranate Martini’s … so delicious they are dangerous.
  • Breaking Bad is the best series EVER. I just finished Season 3 on Netflix… Bummer for me.  Season 4 just finished but Hulu doesn’t have  rights to run it (along with a bunch of other shows).  I’m getting close to discontinuing my relationship with Hulu.
  • My parents are coming to visit this weekend… I’m planning a Meet the Parents night…  more deets coming.
  • Unicorns is gone.  Once again she has galloped out of my life, into her own…   she will be living in Boston soon. I can’t wait to visit. 🙂

In general, I spent the day/the last few days feeling down (Katie’s departure, The end of my time with Mr. Showtime). Its been hard to get up these last few mornings… not too hard to pick up a glass of XXX (goose, wine, etc)…   I need to snap out of it quickly….  The upcoming holidays surely don’t help.  I’ll figure something out…

Oh, I also have decided to start focusing on my New Years Resolutions.  I take them very seriously, and I need something to focus on right now…  work has been good but very frustrating, and my love life.. well.. hasn’t been that great.

O.k.. so I’m done with my public pity party.  Halloween has come and gone… I didn’t pass out OR eat any candy today……  Makes this a good day in my book.

Sun Silliness.

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So I have not written in a while because Unicorns is in town.   I’ve been working too hard, but we have still managed to find our fair share of fun thus far.  There are stories she needs to tell, a few I need to share with all of you (Unicorns said they needed to be made public).. …

Today we enjoyed our morning, reminiscing over our Saturday night good time.  Unicorns made eggs “Unicorn” style, mixed with soy-rizo (better than chorizo I swear!) and black beans.  Delicious.  We then went to GFP’s condo to sun ourselves, except that the wind was blowing and it wasn’t that warm.  So we sat outside, in broad daylight, chatted some more, WITHOUT SUNSCREEN.

Yes, that’s right.  Two whitey’s hanging out in the sun, in the middle of the day, without sunscreen.  Unicorns had the wherewithal to at least have a top on (which is what gave her the fancy tan lines).  I was not quite as smart…  I was in my bikini, enjoying the sunshine…. and lets just say that I’m very red on the front side. White as a ghost on the backside (I didn’t turn over.. not once).

We then had a lovely dinner with SmartyPants & HulaHoops… so much fun. The sleepover is scheduled for next weekend!  Yes, that’s right, we are having a girls sleep-over next Saturday.  Should be a GREAT time.

O.k.. so I’m off to bed.  I’m cold and sore… my skin hurts….    Have a great week everyone!

 

Summary of a Fabulous Long Weekend.

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So, I had a lovely lovely weekend. A great mix of time to myself and with friends.  I did get a few things done, not everything on my To-Do list, but hey.. the list was very ambitious.  AND I also went with the flow.. so the weekend played out exactly as it should have.  🙂

I did a few productive and noteworthy things…

  1. Prettied myself up with a facial and a hair cut
  2. Watched WAY too much TV (watching all the past seasons episodes of LOST)… I’m addicted to my Roku Box..
  3. Cleaned out my button box and sewed a few buttons back onto their shirts (with the right colored thread, such a homemaker!)
  4. Ate delicious hotdogs, ribs, and coleslaw at a friends BBQ
  5. Had 2 dates with my Millionaire Match guy (Dinner on Friday, Lunch on Sunday)
  6. Took a couple of naps (one of life’s simplest pleasures)
  7. Went for a couple of runs BUT forgot my FitBit (so there is no proof of my activity)
  8. Went to Trader Joes for some delicious food items (salsa, humus, cottage cheese, frozen berries.. YUM)
  9. Sold 2 sets of drapes..

Re: # 4, I went with my GFP to a BBQ …  it was a lot of fun, I met this really cool woman who I just connected with on LinkedIn. I look forward to talking with her again…  Oh, and did I mention that the food at the party was delicious?!?!?

Re: Item #5, I will definitely be seeing Millionaire Match guy so he needs a nickname.  From now on I will call him Raymond.  He looks and has a voice like the main character in Everybody Loves Raymond, thus the nickname ( I know, so NOT creative).   Raymond is Lebanese, interesting, fun, engaging, has his own set of close friends, has a demanding job, has a good sense of humor…   He is definitely into me, and I’m intrigued by him.. so there will be more dates with Raymond. 

Now I’m back to work… updating power points and creating new demo documentation… wooo hooo. But, my manager is on vacation, so it’s a quiet week… I should be able to complete everything by the end of the week!

Easy Breezy July 4th Weekend.

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So I just finished doing all my travel expenses.. gosh, I’ve been procrastinating doing them, now they are done. Feels so good.  My weekend can now begin..

So what’s on my roster this weekend?  A few random things.  With all that I had going on work wise, I just didn’t have time to make many plans.  And the two girlfriends I do most everything with are out-of-town, so I plan to have a quiet weekend to myself attacking my 500+ to-do’s and seeing a few friends.  I’m actually looking forward to it.

Here is just a taste of my 3 day weekend to-do’s:

  • Get a facial (today at 3:30pm .. yeah!!)
  • Unpacking some final boxes (I’m down to the last four, I’ve committed to unpacking two of them)
  • hang the final two blinds in the office
  • pick up a few prescriptions
  • pick up more vodka (here I come BevMo, I love you!)
  • pick up more cat food
  • figure out how to reduce my Astound cable/internet bill (or just switch to Comcast)
  • Sell a few items on craigslist that I no longer need (if they don’t sell, off to goodwill they go, I have a no-clutter zone in my house)
  • mail some stuff to my family

I know.. bet you are all jealous.  In addition to my to-do’s, I have a few other activities with friends planned.

As most of you know, I have taken my profile off all the lam-o dating websites (Match.com back in March, POF in May).  I heard something about a site called MillionaireMatch.com .. and I signed up. I opted for the free version, so I can only reach out to men who reach out to me first.  Doesn’t bother me – every man I’ve reached out to has not worked out (if they even bothered to respond).  I think men need to do the “hunting”, they enjoy the chase, that’s what interests them, so I’ll give that to them.

Anyway, here are the “outside of my house” activities I have planned:  

  • I have a date on Friday.  Happy Hour with a gentleman from MM. I’m looking forward to it.  Seems really nice and works in my industry – at least if there is no connection, we can go on (and on and on and on…) about software and work travel. 
  • I have tentative plans to  have drinks with C-Licious on Saturday.
  • Nothing on Sunday.. maybe I’ll get all my to-do’s done ??
  • BBQ on Monday with my new girlfriend Peter, GFP.  Yes, the only man who I’m friendly with from The Roster. Love this man.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and are able to spend some quality time with yourself, your family, and your friends.  Enjoy the 3 day weekend!  I know I will.

Random Great Day – Run, Hula, and Roku.

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What a day.. .I did everything I wanted to.  I worked a few hours…  but after all the focus and dedication to the demo, it was nice to concentrate on something that doesn’t require so much brain power.

After working this morning, I went for a run. The weather here in Northern California was amazing – sunny, warm, with a slight breeze.  I went to the Bay and did my 40 minute run alongside the water.. combined it with a bit of cross-training (push-ups and triceps lists)…  I could have gone longer, but it was good to not over exert myself in the heat ….. it was a perfect day  and the perfect amount of exercise (and I’ve got it all on my FitBit).  I’ll write later on how much I love my FitBit. Obsessed with it really. I wear it everywhere, even to cocktail hour

Second, my Roku came and I set it up ALL BY MYSELF!  I am in loooooooooooooovvveeee with this new toy.  It allows me to stream movies and TV shows from Netflix..  I’ve already got 30 movies/shows in my “Instant Queue”.. I’m so excited.  I no longer have to wait for my DVD’s.. So, not only can I watch movies/shows from the comfort of my living room, I can watch from the road on my laptop and potentially my cell phone.  God… I’m never going to be “out of the know” on recent shows.

Lastly, I had some hula-hooping fun with my friend’s daughter, Hooping Queen.  We hula-hooped for an hour, then went to dinner..our favorite place with lots of beans (we are both bean girls).  She is such a cutie pie (turns 7 next week!!!).  She taught me a few things, like how to hula hoop from my neck (yes, it definitely hurts). I taught her a thing or two, one being the Cowboy Lasso…  fabulous time.  We made plans for a sleep-over.. should happen sometime this summer.

Honestly, its days like this that make me appreciate my job and what I do…   Every now and again I get one of these “free days”…  and I do not waste a single second of it.  I do the things that are important to me, that recalibrate me..  God I’m so lucky.

So, off to bed I go, with a smile on my face and as happy as can be…  Yay me!

I Know Just The Thing To Fix My Somber Mood.

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So, I was feeling a bit down today… a bit bummed about Mr. Meat Market Texter…    Honestly, I thought I had read that situation differently.  Oh well.. I have found a way to pick myself right up!

I had a great converstaion with Unicorns this morning.. we talked about anything and everything.  Its been a while since we’ve caught up – it was sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo good to hear her voice and commiserate about how sometimes life just gives you a box of  rocks.  She is the best!  And she is considering coming back to the Bay  Area… so excited just thinking about the potential… all the trouble we will find fun we will have!

I also ran out of Greg Goose Vodka (I know, the shame of it all)….. I only had enough for one Pomegranite Martini last  night.  So just now, I ordered myself the big bottle from BevMo.com.. I go pick it up this afternoon….  I’m giddy with excitement.  Momma is coming to get you Goosy!

And this will help me get out of the house .. finally.   I’ve been at my home, working,  probably in the very same clothes I sit and type this entry in … for what now, 3 days?  Since Sunday evening.  I know…too much time alone in one place, I’m feeling a bit like a shut-in.  I absolutely have to get out of this house before I go completely crazy.  So the errand I will get myself all gussied up for is my BevMo pickup.

I am also going to put on a summer dress and sit outside somewhere and let my skin soak up some of the Bay Area’s finest sunshine…  

O.k.. so to make my day a “dream come true” I have to get out of my cat hair fur lined fleece jacket, get into the shower, and pretty myself up!  Yeah for me!!!

I’m Back.

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So, I arrived back in CA a week ago with a virus…  I was sick, down and out until Friday.   Thank god I started feeling better, I had a lot of stuff I wanted to accomplish…   I didn’t get most of them done, but hey, I had a great weekend!  The one thing that I crossed off my to-do list was organizing my office – I picked up, assembled, and organized my new bookcase.  Check it out, isnt she gorgeous?  Unpacked a few boxes and sold a few unneeded pieces of furniture on craigslist. 

I also had 2 dates this weekend, both were attractive and interesting, I’m definitely going out with both of them again.  I don’t know how it happened, it just did.  Just residual/leftovers from the dating website (which I suspended a few weeks ago).   Spontaneity at its best I tell ya.

On top of it all (I know, busy busy!!)  I had dinner with my friend Feisty Filly and her hubby Money.  I love these two – so much fun every single time.   The other was a spontaneous evening out – my new man girlfriend (from my roster)..  the clouds disappeared, he called, we went to Half Moon Bay to have Bloody Mary’s and walk the beach.  It was awesome.

But alas, the 3 day weekend has come to a close and its back to work for me.  I have a big work week ahead of me…. BUT I have so much to share… like last night, after dinner with Feisty, I was driving home, and about a block away from my home I see a cat bolt across the street.  I could tell by the body shape (my little shiny sausage) and walk that it was my Sophie!  A block away, darting in front of a moving car.  I stop the car immediately, open the driver’s side door and call out to her… and she came sauntering to the car.. hopped right in.. and I drove her home!  She is so damn funny – it was like calling in a teenager (except she listens).  I wished I had recorded it, it’s a classic “Sophie is really the boss” moment.

O.k. I’ll share more…  try to do a story a night .. and I’ll post when I’m flying to/from my prospect meeting (yes, airlines now have wi-fi!!).

Winding Down The Family Weekend.

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Here I sit, in my bed, ready for sleep, thinking about my weekend…  here it is, in a nutshell.

Today, Sunday was a great day.  I went with my mom to our favorite thrift store and found my favorite pants in my size.  So I lost weight last year, and my girlfriend FreeBird told me I had to get rid of them…  I gave them to my mom this weekend. She loves them.  I was sad to part with them, but happy that they fit my mom and she loves them.  So, we go to the thrift store, and what do I find…. the EXACT SAME PAIR of jeans IN MY SIZE.  Honestly, I have done some very good deeds to deserve something like this to happen to me.   Oh, and they cost $8.  I know! Awesome.

This afternoon was my great-niece Mayonaise’s 4th birthday party.  She officially turns 4 next weekend, but we celebrated it this weekend.  I’ve attached a picture of her here – how adorable is she?!?!?!   She received the usual – shoes and sidewalk chalk from great grandma, clothes from grandma, coloring books from mom and dad, these bracelets from her cousin, and of course you can guess what I got for her – hula hoops!!  Yep, we went outside and I showed her the ways of the hula… she was adorable moving her round little belly around trying to keep the hoop up.  Just adorable.

Yesterday, Saturday, I spent the morning with my mom, lunch with mom and dad, a long nap, then dinner and drinks with AbFab and her hubby.  We ate at Red  Lobster.. I had Maine lobster with 2 glasses of wine… Fantastic company, great food, superior service.  The only bummer is that the evening ended too soon. 😦

And on Friday I worked all day, then had a fabulous dinner with my realtor.  Learned that 47% of all Utah properties on the market are distressed…   which means that I won’t be selling my condo anytime soon.

All in all, I was able to relax a bit, spend quality time with family and friends, and still manage to get my work done.  How great is that?