Snow!

Mike and I were going out for coffee (in his new car!) and decided to take our coffee through the mountains. I figured there might be snow, but didn't know it would be bright white and beautiful up there!

We stopped to play in the snow a few times, and I built a snowman.

We drove some more and caught up. At another point we stopped to look at the valley with some other people.

All in all it was a very good adventure. I realized how much more I need to get out and do that, because every time I do, I come back feeling refreshed. I do border on being a workaholic, but my biggest new year's resolution is to get balance back. However, I am very much heading down a career track. I work because I need to - I have bills to pay, I can socialize and it's important to network. I feel that January will be my power month. I've got my resume into some very good people and some important opportunities are coming up. But along with that, I'm getting back on the triathlon/5K training and will do a 5K at the end of January. With that goal in mind, getting out for running will be easier. I want to maintain my relationships, keep putting energy into making my apartment better, pay down debt and make time for rest and relaxation.



What a weird year it's been though. Let's hope this year the waters calm a bit!

I hope everyone had a good holiday season and has a great, safe new year!

Merry Christmas!

So, this is Christmas
What have you done?
Another year older
And we've only just begun.

Have a merry, Merry Christmas! And a happy New Year!

Life goes on whether you want it to or not

Life moves on with or without us, that is very true.

Fred, you are a god among men, and an inspiration to us all.

"But I guess when you love someone, you love them sometimes in spite of their flaws, or maybe even because of them. However, you can only do that when those flaws don’t affect you in a direct and negative way. When that starts to happen, its not about love anymore, its about survival. You or them. And you’ve got to go the way of survival. Martyrdom is for fools. I choose to survive. I choose to live."



It's good to make goals so life doesn't move on without you.

I would love to see New Orleans some day. I want take a road trip all around the south, the east coast, and all the way up to Niagara Falls. I want to bike up the North Shore (the Minnesota side of Lake Superior) and camp along the way. I want to take a ride all the way up the California coast up to Washington and see where I go from there. I want to buy a plot of land on the lake, build it into a cabin and get four-wheelers for my kids to enjoy some day. I want to help coordinate big events such as parties and races. I want to fix up old/foreclosed on houses (with the help of my favorite contractors - my sister and Eric) and sell them.

I want an office-like job where I'm required to leave my office and do other things. I want the freedom to take a few days off here and there to discover and enjoy life. I want to complete an Ironman triathlon. I want to own my own business some day that plays a big part in the community. I want to get married and have kids some day - when I'm ready. I want to have a career and life that that I can respect myself for. I want to grow old and create a big family.

I never want to stop overcoming obstacles, discovering life and learning.

In other news, I'm trying to schedule time to get back home for awhile. I'm going to try for around February 10, because Cowboy Mouth plays at the Fine Line that day and my sister will turn 21 that day so she can come with. It looks like I've got JP coming with me, unless the cold scares him off. Silly southern Californians.

22 and old...

I've been 22 for almost six hours. At work, everyone is older than me, so I feel brand new. But in terms of what I've done in my life, I feel much older.

I did come home to a nice surprise from JP - a nice, clean home with the Christmas lights on with a song on the computer for me to play, and this nice note:

"Happy birthday, sweetheart! I hope your day is as wonderful as you are. I want you to know how special you are to me, and I hope to spend many more birthdays with you. XOXO."

Awww. What a sweetheart he is! It made me feel better since I've been feeling so down and homesick lately. Despite what's happening in my head, he's been there a lot for me - helped cure the flesh eating bacteria, walks Reese with me, surprises me by doing the dishes or making dinner, and his laugh is very contagious.

We got to spend two breaks together at work and celebrated with 'birthday cake', aka carrot cake from the employee cafeteria. And the other break, he got dinner and I stole bites of his cabbage rolls while talking about how much I missed my mom's cooking (hey, I can take his food today, it's my birthday!)

Who the hell knows why I'm in such a weird mood these past few days. With a guy like that, who could ask for anything more?

It's that time of year

Before:

After:

Thanksgiving is officially over which means one thing: The Christmas decorations got pulled out. My place is decked out.

It's weird to think that I'll be working instead of spending Christmas with my family and friends - but I'll be home soon enough. And I'll send pictures of me at the beach instead of shoveling snow.

Everybody poops!

A crazy idea I conjured up

I had this great idea come to me when I woke this morning and thought it was so brilliant that I had to blog about it. It's about the most intelligent thing I've come up with since I wanted to build a big circular strip club in Rancho Mirage called 'Mirage Twah' Threesome.

I carry quite a bit of credit card debt from getting to California and not being able to get a job for awhile. I also finance a car and insurance. However, my apartment is about a mile away from one place of employment, five from the other and if I start at the fitness place it'd be about ten. But let's face it, I'd be so in shape it'd be ridiculous. So selling my car is a possibility. I get a decent interest rate on my car - not the case on my credit cards.

My great idea:

1) I sell my car for more than the remainder of my loan (CA cars cost more than WI cars) or at least what it is.
2) I pay the credit cards. I still have a few thou left.
3) I put that chunk into my auto loan and keep making payments. Of course, I save a huge amount not whoring myself out to the credit cards and can pay much more to get it paid off within a year or so. Of course, now my credit is much, MUCH better.
4) I keep working my ass off and saving/investing while I'm at it.
5) I rent a car if I need to get to Idyllwild or San Diego or home.
6) Down the line, I buy this:



That car is far more me I think. I don't know how all the title stuff would work out, plus canceling the insurance, but more financial freedom and being in shape by forcing myself to bike everywhere (we do have a bus system here as well) might be wise.

Sigh. I know not paying off my car right away isn't possible, but still. I'd totally live in that bus.

Like an easy Sunday morning

Life is good.

The waters are calm for the time being.

There was good quote from Carrie on "Sex and the City" about women needing three things - a good apartment, a good boyfriend and a good job - and if one of them is bad, no matter how great the other two are then life goes to shit. For the first time in awhile if not ever, all three are pretty decent. My job at the casino is mildly frustrating, but climbing the ladder looks promising. My place could use some improvement (and a couch), but there's plenty 'o food in the fridge, good books, a more comfortable bed and cable/internet.

It's been a good couple of days. For Halloween, JP took me to the IHOP for chocolate chip pancakes. Later, I dressed as an IRS agent for work. This week we've taken a stroll downtown after lunch and ice cream (that's the photo), went to a barbeque at his parents' complete with s'mores, went to Thai food with his mom and some Chinese beer, saw the movie Borat (hilarious!) and went to eat, and otherwise just relaxed or watched movies together.

My college diploma came in the mail today. It's hard not to think how I worked my ass completely off during the three years it took to get that piece of paper while I wipe people's ash trays out at work, but I bite my tongue most of the time knowing that I have dreams and aspirations that far exceed doing that for much longer. The diploma even comes in miniature form so just in case I forget that I'm halfway intelligent while I am at work...

Oh! And my car is an official resident of California now! So, I said good-bye to this yesterday.

Drive me 'wild

Today after we got off work, JP and I took an early morning trip to Idyllwild. It's a town about an hour away on the other side of the mountains where you can bet that it's a good 20-30 degrees cooler - and with no trace of palm trees or desert. The streets are filled with beautiful cabins and houses, small businesses and charming cafes.

We went to breakfast where it would seem everyone knows your name and then headed for the hills.We messed around on the Devils Slide Trail, but didn't go too far because my car doesn't have a park permit just yet. It's definitely on my list of trails to conquer. Just a nice half day trip, and then went home to sleep almost until work started again.

It'd be a sweet town to live in someday. A little touristy in some areas, but mostly relaxing, quiet and artsy. For sure it'd be a place to have a cabin. They do get snow there, so it'll be fun to see in the next few months.