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This weekend Jake and I went to see a friend from High School. Eileen and I lost touch for some reason or another and found each other on MySpace of all places. She's a special Ed teacher for kids and has two Autistic children of her own. She's married and lives in a nice house close to her mom. It's funny how you expect people to be different after all these years, yet she was the same butthead I remember in high school. Funny, sarcastic and smiling. The ride there I talked a million miles an hour, trying to ready myself for anything. My nervousness wasn't about meeting her as much as it was about putting together gaps in my life. I've always felt incomplete, as if my past were bits and pieces of a whole. I've met so many people who had friendships since kindergarten that it made me feel like I was missing out. It's hard when talking about 'old times' refers to three or four years ago. Now I feel like I'm starting to find myself again. Memories I've suppressed are now just... memories. Good, bad... it's still a part of me. Of course, Eileen telling her mom about us hitch hiking was a memory I wished she could have forgotten. :p There's nothing worse then the wrath of a Jewish mom. heh. The barbeque went well. Jake neglected to tell me about his online class having homework due so we had to leave early. I wasn't thrilled about that, but what are you going to do... except kill him. Her kids were typical kids, but you could see they had Autism. Eileen helped to take care of special needs foster kids growing up (usually under the age of 2) so she's the perfect mom for them. We planned on getting together sans the kids soon so it will be nice. I think the best part is finally having more friends that we don't just talk to online. Besides my work buddies we haven't had anyone to just hang out with until Cat and Mark arrived. That was a dream come true. We finally have a couple that we can talk about everything and anything with... who have similar views and interests. Hopefully they won't get sick of us. :p Working in the medical field has it's perks. It also has it's annoying parts. People want free advice. They want to know it's going to work before they even try it... even if there's no guarantee that they will have the same outcome. Try explaining that to someone looking for a miracle. so yeah... this Friday I met with a friend's niece and talked about weight loss surgery. Here's the kicker: It was at a burger joint. Their choice, not mine. Jake and I met up at Hamlet's and ended up sitting for a half hour before my friend got there. Then another thirty minutes til her niece arrived. She was nice, funny and I think would do good with the surgery. Then again, this is a non medical opinion based on one meal. The hardest part is giving her information without touching on my personal opinion of the doctors/personnel. Surgically the doctor is excellent. Personally... not so much. But that was with me. Again, same thing with the staff. How I have to deal with them is completely different, so it's not fair that I even bring that into the mix.I spoke about it with my friend beforehand and she agreed that it wasn't something to discuss. Stick to the medical questions, leave the personality part out of it. Saturday was decent, although I checked my PMS time-frame several times after having it out with Jake. Nope, not due. He was just being an ass. He wanted to go to Cat and Mark's house to play games. He also discussed with them about getting me to join. Bad idea. See... I don't play video games. I grew up before they were everyone's passion and personally get too stressed when watching. Plus, most of the games Jake plays makes me dizzy just to follow. I feel like I'm sea sick after a few minutes. Give me something silly like the Sims 2 and I'm happy. Anyway, he told me and I suggested they come to our place so I could fuck around on my computer while they played. He started the make me feel guilty and I got pissed. REALLY pissed. It's not fair that I should have to play something just because he wants me to. If I'm not interested... then I'm not interested. It took me half the night to get over it. In the end they had fun with their games, I downloaded a ton of shit for the Sims 2 game and all was good. In between we had a good meal, interesting conversation and the night ended on a positive note around 2 a.m. Is the weekend really over? *sigh*
[keywords: Friends boyfriend coworkers weekends]
Posted by Diva on September 10, 2007 | Comments (0)
This weekend was a blast. On Friday Jake and I went to Pattie's house to check out the new puppy. After squealing and cooing we all settled down to grab some dinner and then talk. I never realized how much work a puppy was. Waking up every few hours to walk her, and then having to hire someone to come to the house during the day. My desire to get a puppy dropped significantly after our visit. It's above breeding, but below another cat.
On Saturday we drove to Cat and Mark's house for dinner and to pick up a portable A/C. We went to Daphne's Greek restaurant (Yum!) and then Target for the Air Conditioner. After wandering around for a bit I asked a salesperson where they were. "We're out". WTF!?! Granted, it has been warm... but to sell out was just bizarre. After pouting for a moment we decided to head to Trader Joes for some wine desert. Once back at the Cat/Mark homestead we drank wine, munched on cupcakes (which I got sick from. Go me!) and they played the Guitar Hero game Jake gave them. Even as I drifted in and out of sleep I didn't want the night to end. Sunday the Gruesome Foursome (Jake, myself, Cat and Mark) met for a late second lunch/dinner. Cat and I snapped a photo in the bright sun (see Flickr account) and then parted ways. Jake and I went to feed a friend's cat that was away and trekk down to Home Depot for a fucking portable A/C. After the Target incident I had Jake call to make sure they had the one I wanted. Nope... So we nixed that and went home. An hour later Cat and Mark stopped by to chat and we taunted our friend Mike with Chicken breasts (finally the photo is explained) to see a photo of him. I am one of those weird people who just love photos of people. Especially people I care about. it's a moment in time to remember, a photo to see someone and smile... and I am a total camera whore. Show me more pictures, damn it! This weekend JakeD and I offered to go to Ikea and help cart the furniture to their new place. Rav4s are great for carrying large loads without looking too big. Anyway, after walking through the MANY sections of Ikea we made it to the end. Everyone was tired, our feet hurt and all we wanted to do was get the hell out of there. Caufield suggested I bring the truck around while they checked out. After finding a decent parking space in the loading area I called. "Uh, it's going to be a bit." Lovely... So I sat in the air conditioned car and waited. A minute later I felt a bump against my car. It actually rocked the car. I look over and some ditzy blonde is leaning her car door against mine. I jumped out and she quickly moved it. I was pissed. She finally got her stuff in and drove off. Not TWO MINUTES later I feel another car rocking bump. WTF!?! I jump out and this time the chick looks, and then ignores me. Her car is parked slanted so she can hardly open the door. I went into bitch mode. Me: HEY! By that time her friend had jumped out of the other side and led her away, closing the door. I stood there in the heat, staring them down. I could have spit nails by that point. Two minutes later (after having to move everything back out because they put the car keys in the trunk before piling the boxes in) they warily drove off. I loathe inconsiderate people...
Jake and I went to Universal Studios with our friend Pattie this weekend and had a blast. It was a last minute day trip that ended up being worth every cent. We took TONS of photos and walked our asses off. It was nice to just get out and be entertained. I gave it a review over at 43 Places, and decided to cross post it here.
I just got back from Universal Studios and had a blast. They are constantly changing and upgrading the tours so it's always something new. I took my boyfriend, who has never been to Universal Studios, and my friend. We arrived at opening time (9am) on a Saturday and there were hardly any lines. We headed straight for the guided tour (a MUST SEE) and walked right on. The rest of the day we spent going through the different attractions and enjoying the day. If you are into movies you will appreciate this more. It is geared towards showing people what happens behind the scenes and giving them an enjoyable time. Attire: Prepared to get wet. Most places have at least a mist. By the second ride my makeup was off and my hair was wet. Keep this in mind when carrying bags, cameras, etc... Comfortable shoes are a must. It's a very large place. I enjoyed every attraction I went to, so I'll give a break down of my opinion of each (I did not go on all of them so this is an incomplete list of what is available): The guided Tour: Go there first to beat the lines. It's a great ride where you get to see set designs, surprises and thrills. My favorite part on this ride was King Kong as far as scream value. My friends' left ear can attest to this. Jurassic Park ride: Be prepared to get soaked. SOAKED. I swear you would have thought someone stood over me with a bucket of water by the time I got off. It's perfect for the hot summer days. Backdraft: Perfect for after Jurassic Park ride to dry off. A pyrotechnic show with some surprises. I never saw the movie but it was still highly enjoyable. Special Effects stages: We had a blast in here. Sit down and watch how the magic happens. Everything from Blue Screen to CGI is covered, as well as sound effect. The tour guides were hilarious and we had a lively group. House of Horrors: Oh G-d! I screamed my way through this place. It was definitely one of my favorite parts. I walked in expecting some sort of museum about horror films and ended up walking through a VERY dark haunted house tour. I have a scream factor of ten so I spent half the tour scaring those around me. Back to the Future ride: Fun but a tad long in the beginning. The signs give warnings about claustrophobic people but I didn't think it was bad. It's a simulator that takes you on a trip through time, flying around. Terminator 2 - 3D: There was an obnoxious guy on the mic outside which was funny for about 2.3 seconds... but thankfully he was not part of the ride. Long intro, so be prepared to stand. I was almost ready to leave when we finally went into the seating section. If you like 3D movies and special effects together you will enjoy this one. The funniest part was the 'commercial' showing how Shaq's free throw improved with Cyberdyne technology. Revenge of the Mummy ride: A roller coaster with fun special effects. I thought the warning signs were a tad over done. They made it sound like a terrifying ride that only the healthy should ride (back/neck problems, seizures, heart trouble, motion sickness, recent surgery, prosthetic limbs, etc...) It was a little too short but still worthy of checking out. I wouldn't bother standing in a long line for it though. We ate lunch at Doc Brown's Chicken, which had decent prices and really good chicken. There are tons of places to eat or grab drinks. Overall: City Walk is an interesting place to go in itself. You can hang out, eat and go to the movies. I would recommend this to anyone wanting to enjoy a fun day who enjoys the magic of movies and fun rides. The park is kept clean and the staff are very friendly. You can always find someone to help you with directions and the rides are enjoyable for all age groups. I'm not sure why some did not like the place, but we had a blast.
[keywords: boyfriend jake California Flickr weekends daytrip universal studios]
Posted by Diva on June 17, 2007 | Comments (1) My weekends are one hundred times better now that we're actually going out and doing things together. So far we've only ventured semi local places, which is fine. We have to save up the time and money to venture furture north. As it is I am trying to slow down my spending and I'm at a battle to the death it seems over that one. I am frustrated that I can't do more and end up buying more than I need to compensate for that. I've been looking into laptops and wireless broadband for our weekends away and we have yet to spend the night anywhere. It'll be six months before my big credit card bill is paid off and I am still trying to pay myself back from the IRS adjustment from hell. I don't know what I'm going to do come next year. Part of me wants to go back to the same guy and the other is too nervous. Was it just a fluke or did he do other things? So far it looks okay. *sigh* I have been looking around at other job prospects and throwing my name out into conversations. For the most part all I get back is that they'd LOVE to hire me... if I wasn't at such a high level. One possibility might be opening up in August... but I am not holding my breath. Well... maybe a little.
Saturday we had a blast on our first official day trip. We started out an hour later than planned (beauty will not be rushed) and made our way up the coast in what turned out to be a wonderful ride. It added a little more to the drive time, but was worth it just to enjoy the scenery and get a chance to talk.
We finally arrived at Solvang a little after 12 noon and started to wander around the streets. Half a dozen tour buses pulled up and small groups of Japanese tourists piled out, snapping pictures at all the buildings and chatting politely to each other. The first impression of this little town is 'hokey'. Then 'touristy'. After peeking through a few shops filled with the best junk that money could buy I was about to call it a day, but knew Jake wanted to see more. As we walked around to more of the shops I wondered what it would be like to live in a place like this. It was the ultimate tourist-driven town. Every shop was filled with glass baubles and little Danish themed nicknacks. Then we arrived at the food section. Yummy deserts that we didn't get and overly priced meals that we also didn't get. Finally Jake found a decent priced cafe called Mandarin Touch and we started to enjoy the atmosphere. I even got to see the Clydesdale horses I remembered from so long ago. The town is worth a visit just to see. You need to come with an open mind and just enjoy it for what it is: A touristy spot with nice people to guide you along the way. Everything is kept clean and freshly painted. The public toilets are everywhere and kept clean and stocked. The town maybe a tourist trap, but it's a well done tourist trap. I'm glad we went. On the way home I started feeling... sad. The day was only halfway over and I just didn't want to go back to our normal routine: Computer or TV. Three O'Clock seems to be the most frustrating times for me on the weekends. It's almost too late to go most places and yet worth it just to get out. I looked at the clock and saw the time. I sighed. Jake asked what was wrong and I told him I still wanted to hit Santa Barbara... even if it was to just go on the beach. I admit being the fussiest person... so this was a last ditch effort to just prolong going to our crappy little apartment. He agreed and my mood lightened. We arrived at the beach around four and parked next to a skating spot. Dips and curves that made me cringe were being treated as ramps by kids that came up to my hip. We oohed and ahhhed all the tricks they did and groaned when a few ate concrete in front of us. A couple of guys sat at the side with Skating Monitor on their shirts and listened to their MP3 players. Every once in a while one would call a kid over and hand them a helmet. They were always polite and the kids seemed to have a good repore with them. We ventured on, taking pictures of all the beautiful sites and walked along the beach. I asked a few people if they were locals and what restaurants were good. Everyone seemed to be tourists or new in town. We ended up eating at a restaurant back on Stearns Wharf. After choking on the *nice* restaurant menu ($34 for some sort of lobster dish) we ambled up to the bar/cheap restaurant called Longboard's Beach Bar and Grill on the upper level. There we had a delicious casual meal (the chicken strips are to die for) and drank some alcohol (I had two glasses of wine, he had some beer) while watching the boats and birds glide across the ocean. When the sun finally got close to setting we rushed out to snap a couple of photos. It was a wonderful day that I didn't want to end. I thought about getting a hotel room but figured we'd wait a paycheck (or two) and look for a few more spots to hit while there. It feels so good to finally be able to travel around. I felt like we were falling into a horrible routine of just being together instead of enjoying each other. Saturday was a much needed shot of relationship 'couplism' time that was long overdo. Sometimes just being together isn't enough. You can be in the same room and still be miles apart. I look forward to venturing farther and traveling more. Yay for couplism!
[keywords: boyfriend jake Flickr weekends traveling daytrip solvang Santa Barbara]
Posted by Diva on June 03, 2007 | Comments (1) Two hours to go before my weekend officially kicks off. Two hours before I jump into my car and sit in traffic. Two hours... and counting down. This weekend we're off to another fun California location. After three years of surgeries and injuries and sitting around I decided that 2007 was the year we started acting like a couple. No more weekends at home spent chatting online and playing games. At least, not the whole weekend. I want to travel. I want to have fun. I want to start taking photography lessons... and need to practice my shot. I've lived here all my life and there are so many things I haven't explored. No more putting stuff off. We may not make it to Europe for a while but we can at least travel within our means. California here we come! Next stop: Salvang!
[keywords: Life boyfriend jake California weekends traveling]
Posted by Diva on June 01, 2007 | Comments (2) Panic on the streets. Panic in the house. Somehow the day after a long weekend seems to be worse than most Mondays. An extra day to sleep in means one less day to do the things you have to. I weigh it out and haven't decided if it's really worth it. Work will be filled with people trying to make appointments that they should have made six months ago and calling us because they can't get through. Suddenly one day off makes everything an emergency. The best part is the calls between 12 noon and 1:30pm. People still don't get that that's the busiest time to call. While it may be their lunchtime it's also everyone else's. What do you do? Call an office (ours) that has nothing to do with the number you are trying to dial and bitch to them. Yeah, this should be fun. I survived the annual work party and managed to have some fun. We drove to my boss' house on Saturday afternoon, expecting the 'biggest storm of the season'. Yeah, so basically my car got washed. I think more water comes out of a car wash then the whole storm combined. You gotta love that California weather. We were the first ones to arrive (figures) and helped set things out. It was nice to see my boss in a cheerful mood. Her husband even managed to show up (don't ask) and be pleasant. I love how I'm her assistant and he still has no clue as to who I am. And we've met several times. Soon the other guests arrived and we started to enjoy ourselves. The food was good, there was only ONE Christmas game to get through and everyone had a blast. We sat at the cool peoples table and talked about horse fucking and other bizarre news items that would have had the other guests running for the door. JakeD got roped into playing the White Elephant game... and scored a nice candle set. After that we were out the door. I wished my boss a merry Christmas and she gave me an odd look. "I'll see you on Monday." You'll what!?! Oh yes, I was the pillar of calmness. My friend laughed all the way to her car, talking about the expression on my face. Lovely. We followed my friend/his boss who lives around there to see some gorgeous Christmas lights. The homes were incredible and the lights were professionally done. I would love to go back and see more closer to the Christmas holiday. |
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