...where I will also be found doing this...
...and ending each day with this...
Happy New Year!!!!
It's frickin' freezing in here.
It may be winter, but I don't have to be happy about it. It was just a short while ago that the seasonal dip in temps was welcomed by me with open arms. I lived for winter and snowfall and cold. I couldn't get enough snowboards and outerwear! What an idiot I was- being cold sucks!!! It is with bated breath and a totally unfounded fear of plane crashes that I impatiently wait to depart the frozen tundra of Southern California and go to El Salvador- where it'll be in the high 80's with water just as warm. I can't wait to be warm!!! Oh to feel the cool breeze of artificially chilled air after being in the heat and humidity!!! Secretly, I am thrilled that the surf will be on the small side- lots of waves for me! One word for you: poolside. And what is poolside, you may ask? Well, there is a lime tree for your beverage, a fridge from which to grab your beverage, a view of the ocean, WARM patio... so much you don't even know. And so, I leave the California chill for...
...where I will also be found doing this...
...and ending each day with this...
Happy New Year!!!!
...where I will also be found doing this...
...and ending each day with this...
Happy New Year!!!!
Correction
So, Thursday I accomplished the near impossible. I went to the MV Mall at 2pm 5 days before Christmas and survived. I did have to park almost out of view of the mall and glare myself safe passage across the main mall road. For future reference, if you need to cross a mall road, standing there looking completely angry works in less than 30 seconds. Not Christmasy, for sure, but results are guaranteed. I managed to hit 5 stores in rapid succession starting at one end of the mall and looping back looking for one gift. I didn't find it, but it was OK. But, I was wearing my scumbag outfit again and it is too warm for a tear around the mall at near jogging speed.
Which brings me to my correction. In an earlier post, I stated that Waldenbooks Express sucks. Well, in my whirlwind tour of the mall, I sheepishly noticed that while it is an Express it is a BORDERS Express now. Nevertheless, it had no books I was looking for and it still therefore sucks. Big Borders=good, small Borders=suck.
My cookies are done. And I need more cough syrup.
Which brings me to my correction. In an earlier post, I stated that Waldenbooks Express sucks. Well, in my whirlwind tour of the mall, I sheepishly noticed that while it is an Express it is a BORDERS Express now. Nevertheless, it had no books I was looking for and it still therefore sucks. Big Borders=good, small Borders=suck.
My cookies are done. And I need more cough syrup.
Christmas Karaoke
I have decided nothing is as infuriatingly annoying like "The 12 Days of Christmas."
But "Feliz Navidad"... now THAT will get me dancing and singing around my kitchen! Sing it, Jose....
But "Feliz Navidad"... now THAT will get me dancing and singing around my kitchen! Sing it, Jose....
Christmas Shopping, Part 2
After a careful, conscientious scientific study (over 2 days) I have determined that Christmas shopping has an involuntary cutoff time of 1:00pm. I have no focus or energy to keep on past that time. Today, I managed to convince myself that I really did not need to grocery shop after Christmas shopping because:
1- I'm cooking for myself tonight, the Tall One will be fed at Bible study
2- The thought of navigating the Trader Joe's parking lot at around 2pm made me dry heave
3- I had to pee real bad
Looks like it's soup and salad tonight!
If you're still trying to get some last minute Christmas gifts out of the way, here are my suggestions.
Best Buy
Go early, like around 10am. There is still parking, and your chance of being mowed over by a plasticized Prozac-popping catastrophe masquerading as a mom and her ark (or SUV, you decide) is considerably less. They have lots of DVD's, including WKRP in Cincinnati-The Complete First Season if your dad happens to think it's sitcom gold. Like mine.
Borders
Nothing says "I love you" like a good book. Or calendar. Or whatever else somehow manages to fit under the category of books and get sold here. Word to the wise, I dropped in to the Waldenbooks Express yesterday hoping to pick up my El Salvador poolside reading (it's a Jane Austen holiday folks- Mansfield Park & Sense and Sensibility!) and was shut down. They had like 5 Austen books in the whole joint. Waldenbooks Express sucks. But Borders... I love that place. I spent about 5 minutes determining which version of Mansfield Park I wanted. Penguin Classics? The $4.95 version with the cheap ass drawing? Oh, this $6.95 version has a lovely painting on the cover... I'm not exaggerating. And if that hasn't convinced you, they have a pocket-sized travel gnome and a travel nun-bowling game.
Target
Kicks ass. You know this unless you live in a cave.
Icons of Surf
This is a little hole in the wall longboard shop in San Clemente that has the most beautiful boards I have ever seen in my life. Reason I pick this place is because they have a huge selection of tees (for guys and the ladies) with art by Andy Davis, an artist that does cool surfy art. They're a little pricey, but if you need a girl's gift it's great. Guys too, but only if they're into the slim fit/light turquoise deal.
Lastly, go out shopping looking like a total scumbag. I wore a hoodie with a jacket over it, jeans and beat up Vans and people were nice as pie to me. Not once did I get vibed. Maybe because I wasn't at the mall. Stupid Macy's wench, I hope she snaps a heel and bumps her head on her precious fragrance display. Gasp!!!! Did I say that?!?
And lastly, 10 more days until El Ano Nuevo 2008- El Salvador. Where two grown men can sit in a patio jacuzzi and we're strangely OK with Brokeback Spa. Side note- there was no running hot water in the hotel, that's cold water in there.
1- I'm cooking for myself tonight, the Tall One will be fed at Bible study
2- The thought of navigating the Trader Joe's parking lot at around 2pm made me dry heave
3- I had to pee real bad
Looks like it's soup and salad tonight!
If you're still trying to get some last minute Christmas gifts out of the way, here are my suggestions.
Best Buy
Go early, like around 10am. There is still parking, and your chance of being mowed over by a plasticized Prozac-popping catastrophe masquerading as a mom and her ark (or SUV, you decide) is considerably less. They have lots of DVD's, including WKRP in Cincinnati-The Complete First Season if your dad happens to think it's sitcom gold. Like mine.
Borders
Nothing says "I love you" like a good book. Or calendar. Or whatever else somehow manages to fit under the category of books and get sold here. Word to the wise, I dropped in to the Waldenbooks Express yesterday hoping to pick up my El Salvador poolside reading (it's a Jane Austen holiday folks- Mansfield Park & Sense and Sensibility!) and was shut down. They had like 5 Austen books in the whole joint. Waldenbooks Express sucks. But Borders... I love that place. I spent about 5 minutes determining which version of Mansfield Park I wanted. Penguin Classics? The $4.95 version with the cheap ass drawing? Oh, this $6.95 version has a lovely painting on the cover... I'm not exaggerating. And if that hasn't convinced you, they have a pocket-sized travel gnome and a travel nun-bowling game.
Target
Kicks ass. You know this unless you live in a cave.
Icons of Surf
This is a little hole in the wall longboard shop in San Clemente that has the most beautiful boards I have ever seen in my life. Reason I pick this place is because they have a huge selection of tees (for guys and the ladies) with art by Andy Davis, an artist that does cool surfy art. They're a little pricey, but if you need a girl's gift it's great. Guys too, but only if they're into the slim fit/light turquoise deal.
Lastly, go out shopping looking like a total scumbag. I wore a hoodie with a jacket over it, jeans and beat up Vans and people were nice as pie to me. Not once did I get vibed. Maybe because I wasn't at the mall. Stupid Macy's wench, I hope she snaps a heel and bumps her head on her precious fragrance display. Gasp!!!! Did I say that?!?
And lastly, 10 more days until El Ano Nuevo 2008- El Salvador. Where two grown men can sit in a patio jacuzzi and we're strangely OK with Brokeback Spa. Side note- there was no running hot water in the hotel, that's cold water in there.
Christmas Shopping, Part 1
Only I wait until 8 days before Christmas to begin shopping. I even gave up my place in line at the bank to keep putting it off. Overall, it was fairly painless. Unless you count my left heel, which I think I may have bruised this morning while trying to exit the ocean after surfing with frozen feet. Note to self, there was a reason why there were not a lot of people out this morning and that would be the 45 degree weather without the wind factor. Anyway, my foot hurt towards the end and that was enough to get me to call it a shopping day about an hour early. But as usual, I've got some comments...
1) Just stay away from the post office. I've placed trade sanctions on the Tall One's eBay activities until after Christmas, because every time he sells something, guess who has the WIDE OPEN schedule to go stand in line at the post office? If I have to take a number, there better be ice cream at the end and not some disgruntled government employee.
2) I apparently have leprechauns sprouting from my ears because I was blatantly, noticeably given the head-to-toe (with varying degrees of disdain) by no less than 3 people today. THREE!!!! The first was at Macy's in the fragrance section. Some cow of a sales wench (obviously my bitterness has waned) looked me up and down TWICE as I waited in line and still did nothing to help me. I don't know what's worse- being ignored or being acknowledged and still denied assistance. Then, at the post office a mom gave me the once over, promptly followed by another lady who should've been paying attention to her growing pile of packages that she was assembling. Good god almighty- do I smell?!? Have I spilled on my sweater?!? Pen across my face?!?
3) No one in Orange County works. I know this because they were ALL shopping at the Mission Viejo Mall today. Amazing.
4) All malls should have a pet store (as long as they take good care of the animals) because nothing lightens up your mood like petting puppies. It's a great shopping break. It would've been all time if they hadn't removed the bunny enclosure (which better be brought back after the holidays), because the only thing better than puppies are bunnies.
Tomorrow is round two. Stay tuned and shop vicariously through me...
1) Just stay away from the post office. I've placed trade sanctions on the Tall One's eBay activities until after Christmas, because every time he sells something, guess who has the WIDE OPEN schedule to go stand in line at the post office? If I have to take a number, there better be ice cream at the end and not some disgruntled government employee.
2) I apparently have leprechauns sprouting from my ears because I was blatantly, noticeably given the head-to-toe (with varying degrees of disdain) by no less than 3 people today. THREE!!!! The first was at Macy's in the fragrance section. Some cow of a sales wench (obviously my bitterness has waned) looked me up and down TWICE as I waited in line and still did nothing to help me. I don't know what's worse- being ignored or being acknowledged and still denied assistance. Then, at the post office a mom gave me the once over, promptly followed by another lady who should've been paying attention to her growing pile of packages that she was assembling. Good god almighty- do I smell?!? Have I spilled on my sweater?!? Pen across my face?!?
3) No one in Orange County works. I know this because they were ALL shopping at the Mission Viejo Mall today. Amazing.
4) All malls should have a pet store (as long as they take good care of the animals) because nothing lightens up your mood like petting puppies. It's a great shopping break. It would've been all time if they hadn't removed the bunny enclosure (which better be brought back after the holidays), because the only thing better than puppies are bunnies.
Tomorrow is round two. Stay tuned and shop vicariously through me...
Freedom!!!!!!!
That's right all. This student nurse is off for 4 weeks, and it's going great so far after a rocky start.
Finals "week" was preceded by social function weekend and as little studying as possible. A Christmas party, a dinner with friends- I was tired and not feeling well by Sunday. I'm out of "social shape." Somewhere around Monday morning I was able to settle down and start studying. By Tuesday afternoon, I was trolling the instructor's offices in an effort to bug them while I avoided studying. As I finished my pharmacology final that day, I came to the realization that I effectively over-studied the entire semester for that class. I studied half the time I usually did for my quizzes and still managed the same grade I got every week. Sigh.
Next was my mental health final, which I studied the perfect amount for. We have this book for the class and she pulls like 10% of the questions on our quizzes and tests from it- it's like free points! Afterwards, we unlucky souls that still had a gerontology final at 5:30 went out for snacks and not-studying. I am sad to say that I reluctantly gave money to Chronic Tacos by ordering nachos. I've always said there's no way in holy hell I would ever set foot in a Chronic Tacos establishment because:
a) It's called CHRONIC Tacos for god's sakes- as in, light it up and pass it to the left!!! Yoooooooo!!
b) They have a nautical star in their logo. Nothing is more unexplainably "hip", "punk", "rock" and obviously original like a nautical star. 2 out of 5 people under the age of 25 in south Orange County have this permanently etched on their bodies, which they will totally still love when they're 50. Or so they think.
Anyway, it was an artery clogging wad of tortilla chips, melted cheese and beans. And it wasn't even soft nacho cheese- it was microwave zapped grated cheese. All for $4.79!!!!! Their only redeeming factor is that they have Orange Bang, the frothy orange whip drink that I could drink until I'm a diabetic.
And then it went downhill. My gerontology final was a wreck. A 100pt. final that IS my grade (4 ten-point quizzes do nothing in the face of this test), and I walked out with at least 16 questions circled- my way of knowing that there is a good chance I'm going to miss those. I cried on my drive home. See, I have to pass this class with a grade of 75% or greater THIS semester or I don't go on to second semester. I managed all A's, and yet this 1 unit class could hold me back. Not the ending to the semester I forsaw (is that a word???)
Well, last night was redemption. She posted grades and I passed. NOW I can celebrate. Which I have done by cleaning out my study. For any future house guests, fear not the room is now clean. The rest of the house will follow.
Now for fun stuff- I get to brag!!!!
This is half of our new backyard- just in time for 40 degree nights!!! That misty object to the right is a firepit, it does a wonderful job of sending heat straight up instead of to the sides. Don't tell the Tall One that.
This is part of my garden. In my deepening quest to be a closet hippie, I am trying to grow our lettuce for salads. Look at it all... Above are some herbs. To the left will be radishes when I learn to vanquish whatever keeps eating my seedlings. And I find the jackhole who keeps using it as their cig butt catch tray.
Lettuce to the left, broccoli to the right, herbs above. The blank space will be carrots, once they sprout big enough to leave the indoors. They're so cute.
See? They really are cute! Some people have kids, I go to nursing school and grow veggies from seed.
14 more days until the beginning of El Ano Nuevo 2008- El Salvador.
Finals "week" was preceded by social function weekend and as little studying as possible. A Christmas party, a dinner with friends- I was tired and not feeling well by Sunday. I'm out of "social shape." Somewhere around Monday morning I was able to settle down and start studying. By Tuesday afternoon, I was trolling the instructor's offices in an effort to bug them while I avoided studying. As I finished my pharmacology final that day, I came to the realization that I effectively over-studied the entire semester for that class. I studied half the time I usually did for my quizzes and still managed the same grade I got every week. Sigh.
Next was my mental health final, which I studied the perfect amount for. We have this book for the class and she pulls like 10% of the questions on our quizzes and tests from it- it's like free points! Afterwards, we unlucky souls that still had a gerontology final at 5:30 went out for snacks and not-studying. I am sad to say that I reluctantly gave money to Chronic Tacos by ordering nachos. I've always said there's no way in holy hell I would ever set foot in a Chronic Tacos establishment because:
a) It's called CHRONIC Tacos for god's sakes- as in, light it up and pass it to the left!!! Yoooooooo!!
b) They have a nautical star in their logo. Nothing is more unexplainably "hip", "punk", "rock" and obviously original like a nautical star. 2 out of 5 people under the age of 25 in south Orange County have this permanently etched on their bodies, which they will totally still love when they're 50. Or so they think.
Anyway, it was an artery clogging wad of tortilla chips, melted cheese and beans. And it wasn't even soft nacho cheese- it was microwave zapped grated cheese. All for $4.79!!!!! Their only redeeming factor is that they have Orange Bang, the frothy orange whip drink that I could drink until I'm a diabetic.
And then it went downhill. My gerontology final was a wreck. A 100pt. final that IS my grade (4 ten-point quizzes do nothing in the face of this test), and I walked out with at least 16 questions circled- my way of knowing that there is a good chance I'm going to miss those. I cried on my drive home. See, I have to pass this class with a grade of 75% or greater THIS semester or I don't go on to second semester. I managed all A's, and yet this 1 unit class could hold me back. Not the ending to the semester I forsaw (is that a word???)
Well, last night was redemption. She posted grades and I passed. NOW I can celebrate. Which I have done by cleaning out my study. For any future house guests, fear not the room is now clean. The rest of the house will follow.
Now for fun stuff- I get to brag!!!!
This is half of our new backyard- just in time for 40 degree nights!!! That misty object to the right is a firepit, it does a wonderful job of sending heat straight up instead of to the sides. Don't tell the Tall One that.
This is part of my garden. In my deepening quest to be a closet hippie, I am trying to grow our lettuce for salads. Look at it all... Above are some herbs. To the left will be radishes when I learn to vanquish whatever keeps eating my seedlings. And I find the jackhole who keeps using it as their cig butt catch tray.
Lettuce to the left, broccoli to the right, herbs above. The blank space will be carrots, once they sprout big enough to leave the indoors. They're so cute.
See? They really are cute! Some people have kids, I go to nursing school and grow veggies from seed.
14 more days until the beginning of El Ano Nuevo 2008- El Salvador.
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