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today ralph surprised me a special bday line-up for the day. best of all, my gift from him was a 7-speed cruiser with front brakes, and the awesome events that were planned! i love it and i can't wait to get a basket in front for dog. make that an extra-strength industrial basket so she doesn't fall out since she's a tad heavy! what a great day it's been and dinner at seven was it's usual great self! thanks, ralph!!!
still sick, must find more cold relief!
hey bday sis, i hope you're day is as unique and vibrant as you! have fun with jos and the gang and have a cocktail for me since i'm laying in bed sick for my bday!!! thanks for the bonnie bell gloss, bonnie!
i feel like crap today. i woke up with my ears and throat burning like a five alarm fire!!! i'm glad ralph filled me up with airborne, cold medicine, tissue, and water before he left to work. i slept in a bit extra and feel better but not 100%. i so better not be sick for my bday, tomorrow. the plan (so far) is to go to the beach/boardwalk to celebrate and we're going to eat dinner on the beach. cold, please pass, come bug me on another day!
on the bright side, ralph sent me some awesome tulips and my dad and aunt sent me some bday gifts! this week feels like christmas and i'm loving it.
...like those at h&r block who keep my taxes in their system for years on end. who knew you had to save taxes from 2 years ago?! anyways, now that i'm trying to buy a condo i had to do a lot of last minute searching around for the important things that aren't so important to me (bank statements, w2s, paystubs, etc.). i better work on this whole paper organization thing in my home life. work has to be organized but home is another story. i meet with tracy on my birthday so we can review numbers and pricings then i'll look at some places with jay asap and hopefully be living somewhere new very, very soon! now, if i had only done this 5 years ago i'd be pretty rich (well, according to my standard). somebody please send me an organization fairy for my birthday! i'm not joking!
i hope you have a special day and that fedex doesn't lose your gift! ;)
i love sitting down with my free "scrapped" lunch to read my horoscope from 3 newspapers and i especially love coming across the section where newlyweds or recently engaged people are posted. my co-worker was looking at that section (which oddly enough is near the obits- the life cycle all in one column!!) and i glanced at the photos and a name rang a bell (this kind of thing never happens!), ".... ....." "what the heck, i know him, let me read that!" it turns out that we went to high school together (me and the guy who was in the newspaper for a recent engagement), he was a year younger and incredibly nice and incredibly large. apparently he's had some good things happening: he's dropped like 95 pounds (i really could barely recognize him), he graduated from law school, works at a top law firm in the city, just bought a house in the city with his fiancee, and now he's engaged! some things just come easy when you're a year younger than me!!! that's my hypothesis for now, anyways!
...that i'm psychic(ish). i was having baby dreams nonstop about a month ago and i couldn't figure it out. i wasn't pregnant, i'm not pregnant. so i started suspecting that somebody in my life was since i kept having those dreams. i asked connie every time we talked (by email or phone) and i didn't think to ask anybody else. silly me! turns out, i got an email today from andrea, and she is pregnant!!!! hmm, maybe that's where all my baby dreams were coming from. she just announced her news now that she's heading into her second trimester. i'm so excited for her, tyson (her husband), and picasso (their weiner dog). life is a gift and andrea will be receiving her most wonderful gift this february. congratulations!
p.s. should you experience morning sickness i think you should try these. i think i'll try the ones for a queasy stomach!!!
this weekend ralph and his brothers and sister road tripped it to southern california, with our ultimate destination being big bear. i had a fun time, and it was nice to see big bear without snow (it's so similar too lake tahoe!) as well as spend time with ralph's family, but i now know that i intensely dislike road trips for a few reasons: 1.) i'm impatient (that just comes with the leo territory), 2.) i'm not the narrowest person in the world (in fact, i think i have the shoulders of a linebacker), 3.) my feet swell like balloons (so i may as well have them swell on a plane if they must!), and 4.) i feel compelled to buy snacks (usually cheez-its and some sort of hostess chocolatey thing) at each pit stop. i'm so glad planes were invented.
m.e. is going to run the national a.i.d.s. marathon this august in honolulu. m.e. began his training nearly six months ago, and through the many long miles he has been faithfully working to raise money for this cause. m.e.’s interest in the national a.i.d.s. marathon stems from the inspiration he found in a community that pulled together to identify the cause of this disease and continues its efforts to stop the spread of h.i.v./a.i.d.s. to learn more about m.e.’s commitment to this marathon, the work of the san francisco a.i.d.s. foundation, and to donate...you can visit his web page by clicking here.
you know...the one who holds the "slow" or "stop" sign on the side of a construction site. he gets to be outside all day, dress like a slob, and stand there holding a sign- and best of all he's getting paid! well, i'm sure he does much more but nevertheless, i'd like to have his job! actually, i would probably get heat stroke but i've really been in to having a constrcution-type job so i figured that would be a good place to start. i see a reality tv idea taking shape here.
i'm so sleepy today i think i should go home right after work for a long snooze in front of 4 fans. this inevitably messes up my sleep pattern for the week and makes me more sleepy but i think its worth it today!
last night we went to the boardwalk for 1907 nights- that means all rides, cotton candy, sodas, and hot dogs are 65 cents. i'm not entirely sure that those prices are reflective of 1907, but it's cheap enough entertainment for me and something out of the ordinary. i would definitely not recommend eating 2 cookies, 2- 65 cent hot hot dogs, cotton candy, and diet pepsi all in one sitting. most of you must know this already but it takes me a while to learn these things! my poor eating is probably a contributor to my exhausation and i'm bummed to say that i'm negative 1 ww (weekly) point and i still have 5 more days to go until they recharge. ugh! how did this happen?! curse that boardwalk food and that delicious gallon of dreyer's rocky road ice cream (my favorite!).
to answer a question...ralph and i will be in las vegas for the last weekend in august: sat to mon. will you be there during that time?
note to self and others: my birthday (and connie's, too!) is in 10 days!
just thought you'd like to know. here's your requested link, ralph.
who knew there was an extra scene at the end of the napolean dynamite credits of kip and lafawnduh's wedding?! it was random and funny and gives me 10 more minutes of the movie to watch over and over again. i can't believe last night was the first time i had seen this scene!
ralph and i are going to vegas. we talked about it briefly on friday and within 10 minutes we had tickets, a hotel, room, and show idea. we're staying at the mirage and we're going to see ka (the newest cirque du soleil show in vegas) at mgm grand. i can't wait to see wynn and the new mall across the street. i haven't been to vegas in 2 years which is a record and i think it's been 3 for ralph. i can't wait! i love lounging near the pools, going dancing at night, and being pampered at the spas for recovery! yesterday i bought some cute heels and a sparkly top for the occasion! here i come buffets of vegas!
this morning i was rushing to make my am smoothie and i couldn't find my large wooden spoon that i always use to measure the protein powder. that is its sole purpose in my kitchen- is measuring the protein powder. anyways, in a pinch, a tablespoon would do since the wooden spoon is 2 tablespoons. as i rummaged through my utensil drawer i could only find teaspoons and those that add up to teaspoon (such as 1/2 teaspoon, 1/4 teaspoon). i couldn't help but wonder, where have all of my tablespoon measures gone? do the keebler elves (or is it elfs?) come into my kitchen at night to steal my tablesppon to make cookies in their treehouse? i know rats and cockroaches are probably more likely to be intruders but they clearly would not have a purpose for the tablespoon measurer. i just don't get it but it reminds me that i should add this to my bday list- tablespoon measurer!
to do:
buy more protein powder- eas vanilla whey
today i lined up a slew of surprise events in celebration of ralph's bday. we started the day with berry picking (raspberries and blackberries) which was a lot of fun. i wish they had had blueberries but we'll just have to save that for oregon!
we also saw charlie and the chocolate factory starring johnny depp. i am saddened to report that i was totally not impressed and i dozed off for 10 minutes out of boredom. the original is just so much better. if you must see it, see it but if you can wait, rent it.
after a confusing "snack trip" to safeway, i surprised him with a cruiser (the diamondback della cruz 2.0 '05 model- it's so awesome!). and then we ate at trader vic's. going dancing was kind of a part of the plan but we were both too tired to keep the night going so we went to his place and watched sideways.
what a day, what a fun day!
what about my hair screams to hairstylists who cut my hair for the first time, "make me into a mullet?!" well, that's what happened and i will be wearing my hair- the 5 long strands that still exist (in the back)- in a pony until the front part grows longer. i should've known the cut was headed for trouble when i saw the razor. razor cuts may be nice on people with stick straight, silky hair but on hair that is coarse, dry, and wavy...the razor cut is a nightmare full of frizz! i hate my new cut and the highlights are the only saving grace of my hair- unfortunately, most of them were cut out!!!
my hair is scary! and you know it's really gross when your hair's shadow is scary- which mine is!
pass the pony holder, please! on second thought, pass the hat!
is there such a thing as being a little hung over (when you weren't even a little buzzed)?!
i was so tired this morning that i slept an hour and a half past my alarm. needless to say dog got to pee but didn't get an am walk and i pretty much got ready in my car. yes, i was the one driving while putting on mascara- ugh, i hate those people, too!
last night we celebrated ralph's bday at consuelo's. it was a lot of fun but i think i lost close to 10 pounds just from sweating. i think they seriously need to consider new air conditioning options because everybody was sweating. anyways, i had 2 glasses of sangria and i feel a little hungover today. i drank some water before bed but i guess it didn't help that i took some alavert before bed, too, which dries out your system (damn those allergies!). i have a headache. must find some ibuprofen asap!
i'm taking some vacation time today to do some vacation-y things. more on this later but i'll say this includes getting a haircut. i hope my scalp looks better (fom the sunburn) because i don't want them to think my head is gross. stupid concern, huh?!
things to do in order:
take ibuprofen and consume vast amounts of water
call heather to cancel appointment
get email address from ralph-send email for condo prequal
ask & tell ralph about late-july work function and his attendance
get roo booked for the cruise
call marianne, des, connie, sav, and debbie (i've been a deadbeat friend lately- sorry!!!)
get dad's bday gift
clean (this is always on my list)
oil change
wash car
look at volvos during '05 sale (capitol location)
book a massage
book a manicure and a pedicure
i had my hair highlighted last night, finally. it looks good for a first time highlight that isn't in the reds. i went with irene's suggestion so it's caramel-ish golden bronze. it's subtle and i'm thinking i might take it a little lighter next time. i just wanted something that needs little upkeep so maybe i should stick with this. blair was amazing and i'm getting my hair cut by her on friday. she has really cute accessories too!
i hope you have an awesome birthday that has a long-lasting celebratory weekend, you old man who is now 3 years older than me! just kick it and enjoy your day! i love you and i hope all your wishes come true.
yours truly,
b & d ;)
turns out i got so stuck on the idea of highlights that i found somebody who can do it today after work! yes!!!! i have never been to this salon but i've considered it before because they sale good products (my favorite b&b product: leave in/wash out conditioner), shanonn's x works there (and she said he's very good and so are most of the stylists), and i just found out on friday that melissa had her highlights done there (but by a different stylist than who i'm seeing today). i hope this woman knows what she's doing, afterall, it might be a bad sign that she had a late night appointment open on such last notice! it's not going to help that my head hurts because it was severely burned in the 118 degree sun when we went to the lake in arizona. it's gross and i can't stop peeling the dry skin off. they are definitely going to think i have scabbies or something.
i have 4 ww points remaining for dinner (damn those cookies and ho hos). i'll have a tea, egg whites, and veggies for dinner which will put me 1 point over for the day which means i use 1 of the 35 from the week. i hope my hair takes a long time after all so i'm not tempted to sit at home and eat cereal while i watch tv. better yet i should be useful and clean while at home or even better, not be at home at all-- go to the gym or walk dog, again!!!
must force self to be useful!
i will for sure force myself to do something because i bought 2 pairs of danskos so i'll have to earn them. interesting how i reward myself first, huh?!
off to shop and drink tea, ciao bella!
...and so does my neck. i slept on a pillow that was constructed for a giant so now i have to turn my entire body if i want to look in a different direction. i feel like dr. evil. i probably should've stayed home because i'm ultra sleepy and i wanted to lay on my bed in the ac-cooled room for the entire day! is it bad to drive to work and then call in sick from the parking lot. oh well, i made it so i may as well stay!
on the bright side i lost a pound in my first week of weight watchers- which is utterly stunning considering it's cravings week and i have been going over my point alotment. wow, imagine the success if i can stick with the plan a little better?! and it's really a fair plan, i just need to stop the high point items that are filler.
last night i had dinner with my family and saw my cousin jeremy for 2 seconds since he and his girlfriend were unable to join us for dinner. they were crazy and nice- they drove from southern ca to say hi and see us and then they drove back the same day so they could go to the price is right this morning. i hope they woke up for the show!
i also watched napolean dynamite for the 15 millionth time- does it ever stop being fuuny?! i bought million dollar baby at target yesterday for $16.99. i also spent way too much money while in target to just grab the dvd during my lunch break. that's the killer about target, you get in and it takes over--all the fun stuff, not to mention, the awesome deals on toilet paper! while browsing i picked up some new polish colors and i decided to try dove deodorant (unscented, i hate smelly deodorants!). i'll let you know if my armpits go to underarms in a week- as their commercial states.
after seeing roo's highlights last night i've decided against having them done this week. i'll stick with a cut and in the meantime, i'll look for an expert who can do dark to light foolproof-ly (i know this is not a word but it works here!). must call to cancel appointment!
tomorrow is ralph's bday and he still hasn't told me what he wants! ;) ;) the plan is to go to dinner and then i have a few tricks up my sleeve for saturday. i love tricks! now we just need treats and it'll be just like halloween but in jul so it will be perfect for him since hallowen is one of his favorites!
after testing what seems like all the product lines ever created, i like md skincare by dr. gross the best. i would recommend this to people of all skin types because it is mild yet effective (no matter what you're looking to improve).
my regimine:
morning-
all-in-one wash with toner
alpha peel face pads (step 1 and 2)
auto-balance lotion with spf
tinted spf in medium (this offers great coverage without clogging pores)
eyes: light & lift cream
evening-
all-in-one wash with toner
vitamin c gel for the face
maximum moisure lotion
eyes: light & lift cream
ok, so i do a lot to my skin. what can i say?
million dollar baby is out on dvd and i'm saddened to report that i wasn't at target when they opened the doors this morning, to be the first one to purchase this dvd! it's one of my favorite movies and i have to buy it today. i'm partly blogging on it so i remember to go out and buy it on my lunch break, and i'm also blogging on it so you rent it or buy it!!!
ralph saw it for the first time on pay per view this weekend at the hotel. he was impressed but he liked hotel rawanda better. i tried watching hotel rawanda but i couldn't stay awake (i was just really tired. so looks like i need to add this to my list of "must sees."
last night i had dinner with amanda and lindsay and i miss seeing both of them daily! amanda has been so busy with closing out her term that we rarely see each other. lindsay of course, isn't a co-worker anymore so we don't get to see her that often. dinner was fun and i'm sure the extra-large burrito i ate was about 12 point according to weight watchers- ugh! they're killing me! what a week to start- pms'ing and ralph's bday week! the bright side is that lindsay and i browsed at marshall's before dinner and i bought a gold purse to match my gold dollhouse shoes and my black & gold sequined top. this completes my summer "going out" outfit for 2005- it's just too bad the year is almost up!
i'm getting my hair highlighted and cut on friday and i can't think of anything extreme yet professional to do to it. i don't want the usual reddish highlights that are typically paired with dark hair because that's been done a million times before, including by me. on the other hand, blonde is too light for my hair. maybe heather will think of something cool. i'll keep you posted. any suggestions?
you know you live in a safe neighborhood when the house next to you has the following 3 signs:
"no trespassing"
"beware of dog"
and my favorite...
"the women who lived here have moved. please do not disturn tennants or we will call the police."
(hmm...i wonder what prompted this sign!) ;)
you just gotta laugh and then take a digital picture so you can laugh when you win the lotto and move into a nice place!
oh well, at least the "operation" has been exposed and busted, and we'll be seeing fewer strange men visiting our block!
damn, it feels good to be a gangsta!
ralph and i spent the weekend in santa cruz and it was so much fun!!! i wish we could move there but i don't think the commute would be fun, especially during the winter rains. we did a 12-mile bike ride and got tanned! during our ride, we stopped to watch a volleyball tournament near the boardwalk and on the way back we stopped at a market to listen to this awesome reggae dj and grab some cold drinks.
after the ride we checked in to the hotel which was much nicer than i ever could've imagined. i would definitely stay there again because they have a huge video library, 24-hour facilities (pool, hot tub, and gym), and they don't have a minimum stay requirement.
for dinner we were leisurely at acapulco and had some margaritas which were way too strong but i didn't tell the bartender that- why ruin the fun for future guests?! after filling our stomachs to their brims we went to buy cookies at our favorite cookie shop. we sat on the curb outside the shop and people watched for a while- after all there are many interesting characters to watch in downtown santa cruz. within a matter of minutes, a homeless man invaded my space and offered me some flowers. he wanted some of my cookie so i gave him my favorite (mint condition) so he would have something to enjoy. he chomped that cookie down in seconds! a few seconds later we saw a man (named robert) dressed in pink (umbrella, clothes, makeup, and jewelry) walking 1 inch at a time down the street. locals knew him and he was gathering lots of attention from visitors. i talked to him, asked him how long it ook to walk the length of the street (answer: 2 hours from jamba juice to cathcart) and i asked him why he did his "walk" (answer: for fun).
later we went to the boardwalk for rides and we worked on our fears together...starting with the ferris wheel. both of us are terrified of heights but ralph's fear far surpasses mine. note to self: always go on a scary ride (liek the ferries wheel) with somebody who is no twice as scared as you because then you'll feel like you're going to die! anyways, ralph's commentary and reaction to the ride made me even more scared and then we eventually got used to the height and spinning that we were able to enjoy the view for one rotation. i force myself to get on this ride a few times a year so i can face my fear.
we also went on a rollerocaster (one of my fears) and we went back and forth on whether we should get on it. i've been on it a million times before but for some reason it seemed extra intimidating. we went on and it was a lof of fun. i'm amazed that my eyes didn't pop out of my head and that i still have vocal chords. what a fast ride!
i bought a cool volcom hooded sweatshirt that zips/unzips on the sides and this ends my shopping for the summer! or should i say the year!!!
what a great anniversary weekend- i couldn't have asked for more! i'm so glad that we have a blast together!
i think my bubble tea addiction is slowly fading. can addictions fade? based on price and quality control i think i have come up with something on par at home, and it's a heck of a lot cheaper and lowers in cals and sugar!
ingredeients (in this order):
*note: if you add the non-dairy creamer after the drink is cold, it becomes grainy)
1 part strong brewed tea (black (i prefer black tea and it tastes better this way) or green (the tea shop uses green))
2 tablesppons liquid non-dairy creamer (not the powder)
1 part sobe lean energy diet citrus flavored beverage (best if it's cold)
tapioca pearls (you're on your own here! i'm going to ask the tea shop if i can buy some, if not i'll have to make them)
lots of ice
shake it up and enjoy sipping through a fat straw!
i love being approved for a $$phat$$ home loan and then the sales office drops off the face of the planet! hmm...car or condo!?! i'm not sure how much longer neo (my geo) is going to make it but a condo sure would be nice. wtf- where are the sales office people? maybe they just took a really long lunch break and forgot to come back! e.t., phone home! i'm really starting to get t.o.'d. and why is it so damn expensive here?!
ugh! :O
p.s. it's almost my birthday- 18 more days!
some older jamz worthy of a legal download:
hall and oates- maneater
new edition- can you stand the rain and if it isn't love
tara kemp- just wanna hold you tight
michael jackson- pyt and human nature
soul for real- everything i do
i love music and i really dislike it when i do an aerobics video that has porn music in the background. what's up with this cheesy music? i just bought carmen electra workout dvds and one of the cool features is that you actually get to choose your cheesy music. considering the type of workout this is, chessy music goes just fine!
but here are some tunes i recommend down loading for choreographed workout routines (no laughing at my list!):
ll cool j- around the way girl
crazytown- revolving door
mariah carey- it's like this and we belong togehter (remix)
christina milian- dip it low (reggaetone mix)
amerie- one thing
natasha bedingfield- these words
j.lo- get right
shakira- la tortura
kelis- milkshake and millionaire
pussycat dolls (is this the dance troupe? they sing, too?)- don't ch ya
gwen stefani- hollaback girl
black eyed peas- don't phunk with my heart and hey mama
britney spears- toxic
ok, ok, enough- this is more than enough material! good luck with your workout!
as if i haven't been put through enough "personality test" hoops for job opps i came across this one titled "the world's shortest personality test" from one of the sites i like ready on a weekly basis. i like it a lot and i think it turned out fairly accurate for me:
"you are dreamy, peaceful, and young at heart.
optimistic and caring, you tend to see the best in people.
you tend to be always smiling - and making others smile.
you are shy and intelligent... and a very hard worker.
you're also funny, but many people don't see your funny side.
your subtle dry humor leaves your close friends in stitches."
(hmm...not so sure about the shy part...)
last friday was mine and ralph's 2 year anniversary. to celevrate (a little belated) we're going to santa cruz for the weekend. it'll be nice to stay the night because we always go there but never stay the night. i'm looking forward to s'mores and hot dogs over the bonfire and roller coaster rides at the boardwalk. ralph's never been there so i have to say that my biggest gift to him is getting on the roller coasters (i'm terrified of heights and i hate the feeling of my stomachdropping) so he won't be the one seater. wish me luck!
of course my job has had 2 receptions this week when i am on weight watchers. this is a special kind of torture but i'm learning that the food they get for receptions really isn't all that good, work is just boring so it makes me want to eat. ah, i'm making discoveries left and right, thanks ww!
this has to be one of the cutest clips i've ever seen on the internet. i didn't realize pugs could get around in water so well, afterall dog's first attempt in the pool wasn't worth repeating. perhaps it would be better if she had a life jacket.
this is about the funniest clip! after this stunt, he won the spelling bee!
today is my first day on thw eight watchers plan. it's nice because i can eat whatever i want but i do have to pay close attention to portion sizes, etc. for example if i wanted pizza i couldn't eat much else for the rest of the day. hmmm, i'm glad there are some zero point items for my late night cravings. speaking of cravings, this is probably one of the first weeks to start this program. ralph, pass the chocolate!
on recent travels my bag was received special attention because there was an "unidentified object" in it according to the tsa who scanned my bag. i thought that was odd because i didn't add anything to the bag and my bag wasn't inspected on the way to my destination.
i complied with the search as the tsa unpacked my meticulous packing job. he asked, do you have a harmonica in this bag or another type of musical instuement?" i told him, "i wish i had a harmonica in here because then i'd know how to play it!" but i was thinking, "yeah, i have a piano in this bag that can only fit 2 pairs of shoes!" note to self and others: if you travel with a harmonica let secuity know. i thought it could be my ipod or my razor. after 10 minutes of inspecting dirty clothes and toiletries i was free to go. what an experience!
***fireworks***
my favorite parts of 4th of july are the fireworks and food. who could ask for a better holiday than this- sitting around bbq-ing and eating, then watching explosives around the neighborhood praying that none catch my hair on fire. what a great one!
after a long weekend in arizona ralph and i are ready for a nap so about all we can do is eat and relax so i hope you can, too!
happy 4th!
we are staying in a house with approximately 20 people 4 babies, and 2 children- and it is about 30 degrees (i think i have frost on my ears). this is interesting. we've gone out the past 2 nights and the babies and children have joined us. i'm sure everybody in scottsdale hates us now. this experience has made me reconsider having 6 kids and 10 dogs, unless i could have 2 or 3 nannies. something more realistic is 3 kids and 2 dogs. as i spend more time with friends with kids this number may decrease! ;)
the weather in az at 118 degrees is hot but i'm not melting quite like i thought i would (even though it's still in the hundreds at night!!! what is this, hell?). we've been in water all day and boating was a lot of fun. i just wish we would've done more boating than we did docking. oh well, it was still nice to get sun and lay in water all day.
have a hot weekend!
resting for weekend trip at home so i can tolerate the 118 degree weather just a little better!
today is mine and ralph's 2 year anniversary! yay love, yay us! a private message will be delivered to ralph and we'll celebrate next weekend at the coast.
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