Happy NYE 2008!

Another year...another dolla. Holla!

Hope all of you have enjoyed your year and have a lot of positive things to reflect on. I do...I'll get to that later. Right now all I can think about is how bad I want to go home and get ready to celebrate! Why?

Because I have the sexiest, short black cocktail dress to wear. I will complete my New Year's outfit with new sparkly gold heels, and black and gold earrings, cocktail ring and bangles. It is New Year's after all, which is basically the one night you can go balls-to-the-wall on fancy outfits.

Because I'm hosting a little prefunk shindig at my house with hors d'ouvres and bottles of wine and champagne. I will be getting a little saucy with some of my bestest friends and my good-lookin date.

Because I CANNOT WAIT to ring in the New Year, laughing and dancing with my good-lookin date. Who will be, embarrassingly, the first guy I've had to kiss at midnight in nearly a decade.

Because we all will be dancing, boozing and laughing the night together at SeeSound Lounge's NYE 2008 celebration with a champagne toast at midnight, which will be my first time celebrating the New Year with a fancy night out in the city!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Currently Feeling for 2007: Satisfied and lucky, yet a little stuck.
Currently Anticipating in the New Year: Finding a new job.
Currently Dreading/Loving in 2008: Turning 26 and Mike leaving for three months. (Dread). Going to Vegas in March and Hawaii in May. (Love).

Hazy Holiday Recap

I’m slowly recuperating from the holiday season. Between splitting my time with divorced parents, work, Christmas shopping and all the holiday partying I had to do with friends in town from out-of-state, I’m utterly exhausted. Hence the quietness on the blog front. Here is a recap of my four-day holiday weekend:

Friday: Justin was in town from L.A. for Christmas and the college friend crew got together once again for a night of celebrating each others’ friendship with drunken debauchery. Justin and I were later trying to figure out when the last time was that we saw each other sober, and we figured it was somewhere around 2004.





Saturday: Amanda, Baby Daddy and I didn’t get off the couch till approximately 4 p.m. It was one of the roughest hangovers that I’ve had in a long time. (Damn cheap bar vodka!) We watched The Grinch, slept, ate, slept some more, and then finally made it home with an hour to spare to get ready for Vanessa’s Christmas Sweater party, which was nothing short of entertaining. This year the spiked egg nog and liquored drinks were even more free flowing than years gone past, and it wasn’t long before the party was loud, crazy and silly. It was a pleasure, as always, to see all my lovely high school girlfriends in one room, their significant others, and a few stragglers like Justin who actually has become good friends with two of my high school girl friends that he lives near in California. Viva my besties and holiday sweaters!






Sunday: I spent all day painting and gluing coffee canisters I made for the family members on my dad’s side of the family. It was meticulous and drawn-out, but I think they turned out pretty nifty once I filled them up with coffee. Baby Daddy and I then went out for a couple beers at McMenamin’s Pub on lower Queen Anne, but decided to bar crawl instead of going home. We stopped in Solo for a drink in the middle of a benefit for the sound guy from The Crocodile. The place was hoppin, and we ordered a Hoegaarden-esque beer and watched all the hipsters with fingerless gloves and black-rimmed glasses. Next we stopped at Jabu’s to play ping-pong and ended the night at Ozzie’s. We were both sufficiently tipsy. It’s just so hard to pass up those no-work-the-next-morning opportunities!




Monday: My parent’s hosted their annual Christmas Eve party with Cosmo Chi Chis and bottles of wine and champagne. My loony Aunt who resembles Magda from There’s Something About Mary was of course in attendance—always a pleasure. I stuffed myself silly with orange honey-glazed ham, parmesan puff pastries, shrimp cocktail, green beans, Yukon gold mashed potatoes, orange mandarin jello, and my mom’s decadent chocolate raspberry truffle cake. My parent’s really know how to throw a good party, and I was in bed fast asleep by 1 a.m.

Tuesday: I woke up Christmas morning to a few excellent presents even though we were supposed to be skipping Christmas this year in light of our family Hawaiian vacation planned for May. I scored trinkets from Sephora, Victoria Secret and the new Gwen Stefani L.A.M.B. perfume. After opening presents, I quickly rushed off to my dad’s house in Castle Rock—a little town two hours south. I arrived just in time for dinner at 2:45 (that’s right!! Dinner at 2:45!!). I stayed to open presents, where I was gifted a new elliptical trainer that I’m planning on using in front of the TV all January, February and March so I’m nice and skinny in time for the Sandbar. I then wrapped up my Christmas with the two-hour drive back to Seattle around 8 p.m., and exchanged gifts with Baby Daddy where I opened the most beautiful white gold and gold large butterfly pendant necklace and a wine opener called The Rabbit. LOL for those of you who watch Sex and the City.


So here I am, a few days this week at attempting to return my gifts, pack away the boxes and put together my new elliptical trainer….and it starts again. I will be hitting the town tonight with Amanda and her boyfriend Luke, who are both in town from Canada, try to sleep on Saturday, hit the slopes on Sunday for some boarding, then a swanky night on the town for New Years. Hopefully by the time work rolls back around again on Wednesday, I won’t be dead. Love you!

Currently Feeling: Antsy to get the heck out of work. I’m BORED.
Currently Anticipating: New Years with my besties and Baby Daddy.
Currently Hating: Thinking about Baby Daddy leaving in two weeks.

26 x 365: Day 41, Dave (2005 to Now)

You made Tully’s tolerable for me.

I felt like we laughed and commiserated our way through that experience together.

I wish I still saw you regularly.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 40, Paolo (2004 to Now)

I didn’t actually know you that well at Western.

I like you okay now, but your huge ego really annoys me.

I hope you’re mostly joking.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 39, Mom (1982 to Now)

Your untiring faithfulness to being the best mom is amazing.

I know you desperately want grandchildren.

I can’t wait for the day I fulfill your dream.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 38, Erin (1997 to Now)

You’re so beautiful and optimistic, a little goofy and fun.

I miss being someone you called a good friend.

I guess your loyalty lies with Michelle.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 37, Tara (1997 to Now)

You thought I hooked up with your boyfriend on the senior trip.

I didn’t. I told you that.

You still hate me for it. Let go.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 36, Michelle (1997 to Now)

We used to be the closest of friends.

We never fought, then we just stopped talking.

Now we can’t think of anything to say. What happened?

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 35, Val (2001 to 2005)

I was always a little nervous and not myself around you

I wanted your approval so bad.

For myself, and for the amazing man you raised.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 34, Kath (2001 to 2004)

I always thought you hated me.

I think you were in love with my boyfriend.

Secretly I think he loved you too but never admitted it.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

Coordinated Bookshelves

I am a list-maker, color-coordinated closet, organized freak. I don't go as far as to label my cupboards like prudish Sally Fields in Mrs. Doubtfire, but I'm a stickler for organization.

I would never have thought to go this far with my organization, however, but I LURV IT!!:


It's a color-coordinated bookshelf! Courtesy of Karyn Bosnak, blog author of Pretty in the City. I think it's genius and so much more appealing (obviously). As soon as I get a spare moment, I'm color-coordinating the ridiculously huge bookshelf in our apartment. Long live organization!

Currently Feeling: So much better than yesterday.
Currently Anticipating: Spending time by myself tonight. I've been occupied with visitors, and I miss my alone time.
Currently Listening To: The awesome Christmas CDs Jesse sent me.

26 x 365: Day 33, Sam (2002 to 2003)

You were the elusive Brad Pitt look alike who lived with Jesse.

You were there that God-awful, unforgettable day.

I wish that condom had been yours.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 31, Brandan (1994 to 2000)

You are probably the reason why I find skater boys so cute.

You lived down the street.

And were always in love with my best friends.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

20-Something's Holiday Bananza

Oh, the holiday season is in full swing and my calendar is feeling the squeeze:

Tonight: Dinner at Tup Thim Thai and an 8 p.m. showing of I Am Legend at the Imax Theatre in the Pacific Science Center
Tomorrow: Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker at The Triple Door
Wednesday: Downtown Christmas shopping (to hit up Urban Outfitters in an attempt to find a cute, clever or useful gift for Baby Daddy) and a sleepover with the lil’ sis
Thursday: Drinks and mingling with high school girl friends who are in town from San Diego for Christmas
Friday: Drinks and debauchery with the fifth addition to the College Clique who is in town from L.A.
Saturday: Ugly Christmas Sweater party and gift exchange at Vanessa’s house (Which I borrowed the most perfect sweater from my mom, shoulder pads attached)
Sunday: Post-Seahawks game birthday party in Pioneer Square for my friend Abe
Monday: Christmas Eve party at my parent’s house
Tuesday: Down south to my dad’s house for Christmas celebration number two
Wednesday: Back to work

And, between all this stuff and working full time, I have to squeeze in last minute gift buying and time to complete the craft project gifts I’m making for my dad’s side of the family. YIKES!

Currently Feeling: Busy, obviously. And a little short on time.
Currently Anticipating: Getting the last-minute gifts ironed out.
Currently Loving: Cozy winter nights.

26 x 365: Day 30, Lauren (1994 to 2000)

High school social chameleon—we were never that good of friends.

But you stood up and told your best friend off for my sake.

Thank you.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 29, Todd 2 (2006)

You had a Greek God’s body and party animal disposition.

I drooled over you at the Sand Bar.

I was mortified after throwing myself at you.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 28, Noelle (2006)

You seemed really nice, energetic—a good aura.

How many years did you let him walk over you?

I know stories that would make you cry.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 27, Erin (2006)

We passed Tre back and forth a couple times.

He knew what he was doing.

I’m embarrassed he got away with it, but mostly for you.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas

White?! Screw white. I want my Christmas to be pink and sparkly—20-Something style.

Enter Christmas tree that my co-worker found at Target yesterday for $2.50 and decided to buy it for me, along with pink, purple, green, turquoise and silver glittered Christmas bulbs. Could it be anymore me?


I sat on my bed last night and decorated my little foot-tall, pink shimmery Christmas tree underneath the glowing twinkle of my hot pink Christmas lights that I hung up around the window in my bedroom. It is gag-me, over-the-top girly. I can only imagine how many men would outwardly groan or secretly loath my love for hot pink. But I sent a photo of my little hot pink wonder of a tree to Baby Daddy and he wrote hack:

"I like your pink tree! It's hot, just like you!"

Exactly what I wanted to hear...

Currently Feeling: Excited to knock off some Christmas shopping this paycheck, most of which I'm doing online. God bless the Internet.
Currently Anticipating: Drinks with Noah tonight.
Currently Listening To: Warm 106.9 Christmas music. That's right. You read it. I'm listening to Christmas music at work to get me in the spirit. After all, it does only come once a year!

26 x 365: Day 26, Tre (2006)

I just couldn’t get you out of my mind.

You were the epitome of my attraction to men.

Should have learned my lesson the first time.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

Obstructing the Law in the Name of Christmas

I have joked that I have the worst luck ever. I believe that it is people like me who the term Murphy’s Law was invented. Usually, if anything can go wrong in my life, it will. I am the person that falls asleep twice with food in the oven; the person who drops their deodorant in the toilet, which later costs me $75; the only one in a group of seven who forgets their passport and then still can’t get on the plane with a birth certificate because my last name doesn’t match my Social Security card; the person whose rent check clears a day early the one time my work doesn’t give me my paycheck in time; the girl who runs out of gas which burns her fuel injection system and later costs $600, among other really unlucky events.

My luck changed, however, last week when I outran the cops (!that’s right—OUTRAN the cops!) to escape a potential crippling, holiday-time ticket. Booyah! See ya!

Last Thursday, I was on my way home from work and wanted to stop at the tanning salon on top of Queen Anne hill. The light to turn left onto Queen Anne Avenue was green, so I sped up really quick to get through the light in time. Unfortunately, there was a car in front of me that didn’t feel the need to be in any hurry. The light turned yellow as they were going through, and I continued to speed through the light—on their tail—as it turned from yellow to red. As I turned to go up the hill, it caused the line of cars coming down the hill to wait a short bit for me to clear the intersection. I noticed that the car closest to me, waiting in the other direction for the green light, was a cop. Damn!

As I went up the hill, I looked back and saw that he had pulled through the light, turned on his lights and was doing a three-point turn around to come up the hill after me. (Presumably to ruin my already fragile Christmas shopping budget.) Oh no, Mr. Grinch Cop. You’re not ruining Christmas for me!

Dah who dor-aze… I made a quick turn onto the next street running perpendicular to Queen Anne Avenue, looked in my review to see that he was still trying to attempt what was now a five-point turn around, pressed my foot to the accelerator down the side street, took my next left then my next right, pulled over, wrenched up my parking brake, turned off my lights and literally jumped out of my car and started walking down the street. See if you can catch me now! I was slightly nervous that I’d get caught, attempting to out run a cop, (isn’t that Obstructing the Law or something?!) However, I figured that if I was walking on the street, there was no way the Grinch Cop could prove that I was the same girl in the red bug that ran the red light, or that I even drove a red bug. Cause really officer, I’m just enjoying the evening…

He never drove past or found me. So, I waited for 10 minutes before getting back into my car and then drove back roads to the tanning salon.

Looks like my luck might be changing this year…

Sucker.

Currently Feeling: Wishy washy.
Currently Anticipating: Watching ANTM and drinking wine tonight with Jill and Alison.
Currently Hating: Nighttime cough syrup. Makes me feel groggy for the entire next day.

26 x 365: Day 25, Andres (2005 to 2006)

Sexy Peruvian with an infectious smile and personality to boot.

Someone once called you Kickstand.

The rumors weren’t true. I wish we hadn’t of gone there.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 X 365: Day 24, Lesley (2005 to 2006)

You were my first professional boss.

I admired you, but you intimidated the hell out of me.

I think you knew that and enjoyed seeing it.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 23, Matt (2001 to 2006)

We were friends in college but became inseparable last year.

You were the best Wingman.

Until you were creepy to my roommate. Now we don’t talk.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 22, Bri (2002 to Now)

You’re slightly more reserved than the group.

How do you put up with us?

You’ve shown me to follow your heart, despite what your friends think.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 21, Kristen (2002 to Now)

Barbeque. You’re crazy, loud, grounded, successful

And slutty. ;)

I’ve never more enjoyed sharing my escapades with a single friend. I’m glad we could work it out.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 20, Justin (2002 to Now)

I LURV you.

On my birthday, the lurv got a little confused with LOVE cause we were tipsy.

Whoopsy daisy. But, we’ve bounced back just fine.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

HELLO, Lover!: Sex and the City movie trailer

Swoon! I'm so ready to get Carried away... Yes. I will be camping out with Cosmos in hand and all my best girlfriends the night before.

Currently Feeling: Like a slacker.
Currently Anticipating: May 2008!!
Currently Hating: Christmas shopping without an income for it.

26 x 365: Day 19, Aunt Carol (1982 to Now)

You’ve always been my favorite aunt.

Now that I’m a little older, I recognize you’re kinda spoiled and never left your hometown.

I still love you.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

Invasion of the Baby Screamers

Sarah and I have a huge new development at our place of residence in beautiful Seattle. We have a baby and a new dog! No, we’re not lesbian lovers who secretly had a sperm donor impregnate one of us or a surrogate mother. Nope. In fact it’s really exciting for us…neighbors below us just moved in and they have a screaming child and yappy dog, so now we don’t have to worry about entering that phase of our lives on our own! We can just live vicariously through our neighbors!

I think this is really exciting.

I now get to wake up at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday to my new child running, no slash that, thundering up and down the hardwood floors, screaming, “Tater tots! Tater tots!” I also get to hear, “Mommy?!” clear as day while I’m putting on my makeup in the mornings. My evenings consist of sitting on the couch with earplugs in while I read so I can try to drown out our yappy dog. And more than once a week, I get to participate in a screaming match with my child—during her bath, while brushing her hair and for no reason at all most the time! She especially likes to frequently scream, “Mommy I haaatteeee yoouuuu!” at the top of her lungs.

Sarah is a little new to this whole baby thing and lost her cool the other night (some mother you are, Sarah). In the midst of one of our darling little daughter’s fits, she screamed, “SHUUUT UUUP!” at the top of her lungs. Three minutes later there was a gentle tapping at our front door. I don’t think our twin parents were happy with our momentary relapse in proper parenting, and they chose to explain the situation to us on a little note, slipped under the door.

It was, of course, written on the back of a little scribbled drawing of a pink and purple dinosaur.

Oh yeah, did I tell you our new little daughter is quite the artist too?

I think she takes after me.

Currently Feeling: Like I want but don’t need a cheeseburger.
Currently Anticipating: Sarah’s birthday party on Saturday and snowboarding on Sunday.
Currently Loving: Tuesday nights that include dinner with my parents and best friend, a fun recreational event, and then a boy to cuddle with later. I’m getting WAY too used to this.

26 x 365: Day 18, Richie (1997 to 2000)

You always told me dirty sex stories about the girls at church.

And you were obsessed with Buffy.

Now you’re gay. I should have guessed it.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

LABELS!!

I'm constantly looking for ways to improve the blog and make it easier for my favorite people—my readers! So keeping in tradition, I've now added labels to my blog. They will be listed at the bottom of each post, and the entire list is located on the sidebar for now, right under "20-Something is..."

For those of you who are new, you can read my Best of, or all my dating and boy stories. Or, if you're interested in just reading the x365's, those are labeled into their own separate category now too.

Love you guys!

Currently Feeling: Glad to be leaving work.
Currently Anticipating: Peso's for happy hour, hockey game with my parents and Sarah, then an evening with Mike.
Currently Loving: The coziness of Winter.

26 x 365: Day 17, Jon S. (1992 to 1994)

My first big girly crush.

I wrote your name with hearts all over my notebooks and sorta stalked you relentlessly.

You hated me for it. Sorry.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

Opposites Attract

While walking through Blockbuster with Baby Daddy, I asked if he’d seen a particular movie.

“I don’t like horror movies,” he said.

“WHAT?! You don’t like horror movies? Sometimes I don’t think we could be more opposite,” I retorted.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I like horror movies you don’t. I like to read, you don’t. You go to church, I don't. I like Seattle. You like the Eastside…”

I trailed off, listing just a few of the reasons why I feel Baby Daddy and I couldn’t be more of a baffling match.

“I guess opposites attract,” I said afterward, hoping to avoid any potential hurt feelings.

---

A couple days later, I was standing in my kitchen, making dinner, and Baby Daddy was sitting in my living room. My latest read, "The Pillars of Earth," was sitting on the coffee table.

“Do you like "The Pillars of Earth?" What’s it about?” he asked.

I smiled in the kitchen. “Yeah, actually. I like it a lot….” And then I proceeded to describe the plot to him.

He didn’t care. I know that. He was simply making an effort to connect with me on something I pointed out that I enjoy. I guess two people can be complete opposites and not at all enjoy the same things, but I believe it might work when both parties share an invested interest in what makes the other tick.

At that moment, I couldn’t have liked him more for simply asking me about a book.

Currently Feeling: Freaked out by all this rain and hydroplaning my car is doing.
Currently Anticipating: Two weeks till Amanda comes home!
Currently Loving: Fireplaces, movies and Monopoly nights.

26 x 365: Day 16, Nicki (1999 to 2000)

I was heartbroken and crazy.

You drew me pretty notes saying how great you thought I was.

I was lower than low. You made me smile.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 15, Amanda V. (1999)

I befriended you and picked you up from school every morning.

We’d skip school, drink coffee at Beth’s Café and laugh.

You later stole my boyfriend.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...

26 x 365: Day 14, Jamison (1993)

You gave me a bag of Hershey’s Hugs one day and asked me out.

I didn’t really know who you were.

But occasionally we held hands.

A Year-Long Journey Through My Life
... x365 Project ...