I AM BACK!

Hello dear friends!  I am so sorry I have left you lonely and abandoned for so long!  I have been on vacation and have neglected my blogging duties and for that I am very sorry.  However I think that if you hear what I have been doing in the last few days since we have spoken you shall forgive me :)  So in the last few weeks huge things have happened!  I finally turned 30!!  Remember that huge countdown I was doing...you remember...the one I would not stop talking about.  Well it finally came and went, as countdowns inevitably do, and wow was it a rockin good time!  My wine tasting trip up to the valley was a blast and a half, and while only 8 of the 20 that RSVPd were there, it was still a fun time.  We drank buckets of wine, and rocked out with out corks out!  Then came the weekend of Disneyland where my 3 best friends in the entire world converged together to join me in my happiest place on earth.  It was a great time filled with tons of wine (naturally) and lots of laughs.  What a special way to ring in a new decade.  My actual birthday was pretty mellow, with my sister and myself doing a little wine tasting and a little happy hour action, and then home to watch Disney movies--my sister really is a champ when it comes to my love for that cartoon mouse :).  So now I am 30, it has happened.  I have to say, much like everyone told me, it really didn't hurt as bad as I thought.  So far I find that 30 is looking good on me.  More about that later...hahahaha.

Cheers to being fabulous and 30!

Remembering what we are thankful for.

The holiday season is upon us, and while I think that some places have jumped the gun a smidgy-poo early on the Christmas decor (day after Halloween is stretching our luck a bit) I love me some holiday season so I will secretly clap my hands with joy at this.  With Thanksgiving right around the corner and people (myself included of course) are already consumed with planning their holiday menus, starting their Christmas shopping, and rocking out to Frank Sinatra Holiday CD's (and I know it is not just me!) I want to take a moment to remember one of our more important holidays: Veterans Day.  This momentous holiday is all too often looked over because of the twinkle and sparkle of the other more glittery holidays, however it is because of Veterans day that we are even able to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas (and anything else).  The day before Veterans day: November 10th 2011, is the Marine Corps 236th birthday.  Everyone who knows me knows that I love me some Marines and nothing makes me more proud then my little brother John, my favorite Marine.  Today I would like us all to remember how fortunate we are to have freedom, a freedom that most of us didn't pay for ourselves, but that someone--like my brother--earned and continues to earn for us.  Remember all of those that raised their hand when we did not to ensure that this freedom is protected at all costs.  That stood in line and offered their lives for ours if and when it is ever needed.  Marines (and other soldiers) don't get to pick their war, they don't get to choose their fight.  They go where they are needed.  They fight with honor, bravery, and valor.  So much is asked of them and yet so little is given back to them.  As we all gather in the next few weeks with our friends and family whilst we stuff ourselves to the brim let us all please remember the men and women that don't get to be with their families on these days because they are doing a greater job somewhere else.  All over the world there are men and women that are eating an MRE for Thanksgiving dinner, and spending Christmas night not by a crackling fire but sleeping in a cold bunker half way around the world.  Remember these men and women and give thanks that we have people like them protecting all that we hold dear.

Happy Veterans Day!  Happy Birthday Marines!  Ooorah!  :)

t-minus one week friends....

We are officially one week away from the big 3-0!!  It is kind of weird to think that I started this countdown the day I was driving back from Disneyland on my last birthday and BAM! here we are...one little week away!!  AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

That is all for now...I am going to go curl up in a corner and cry...or go home sit on the couch and drink a bottle of wine...you say tomato I say tomaaatoe ;)

Gone fishin'

Sometimes I wish there weren't so many fish in the sea.  Recently I have found myself wishing I was back in "the olden days" when you got to a certain age you were just paired up with someone.  Wam bam you had yourself a husband.  Forget that you were 12 and he was probably your cousin, that is neither here nor there, the point is you didn't have to go on countless blind dates or battle through myriads of men looking for a mother or a meal ticket.  I am sick of the dating world.  The other night while talking to a dear friend of mine about my past relationships my roommate interjected by asking me "have you ever dated someone normal?!" and I thought about it for a second and after much serious contemplation with lots of eye squinting (squinting helps you remember those that you choose to forget...trust me) I could only think of one person that I have dated that was semi normal.  I use the word dating with him very softly as it was more of a friendship that turned into us living together...in a one bedroom...one bed...ok you see where I am going.  So technically that wasn't really "dating".  There was no "I love you", in fact I remember the first and only time he said "I miss you" and it was weird.  Ok so ya, I have never had a "normal" relationship.  After being single for over a year...yes over a year you heard me right...and after several failed attempts by my lovely friends to set me up with someone I have ventured into the world of online dating.  **HUGE GASP**  I know I know!  I have to admit I fell for those eHarmony commercials like a lead balloon.  It was bad.  Not to mention the months and months of my friends suggesting...ok demanding...me to try online dating.  I guess my endless cat stories are getting old and they would rather hear something other then what Lyla did this morning..I can't understand why.  Anyway, I signed my single self up for online dating thinking, hoping, wishing, and yes praying that something would happen that would give me something else to do on a Saturday night other then drink wine and love on my cats.  Not.that.I.am.complaining.  *Ahem...haters* Well my fair weathered friends let me just tell you the online dating world is NO BETTER then wandering into your local watering hole and meeting all of the creepy-mc creepers that are there giving you the googly eyes.  The way online pimps get ya is to send you ENDLESS emails about so-and-so and how they could be a match, or how they want to communicate, or whatever and you get these ridiculous questions and weird "ice-breakers" that make no sense and then when you try to communicate you can't tell if your damn message was sent or if you sent it 4 times on accident and now he thinks you are a stalker...amazing.  PLUS...and not to sound shallow, I know Victoria's Secret isn't beating down my door for me to do a cover shoot, but FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS CLEAN AND HOLY these men are NOT attractive.  Now I don't need me some Christian Bale look alike...I would LOVE it...but I don't NEED it.  See what I have learned in my old age?  However some sexual attraction would be nice!  Some sort of...oooh he's cute...would be preferable!!  Like I said before, this is not the 1700's when all I have to pick from is my cousin, or the widower black smith with one hand.  I SHOULD HAVE SOME OPTIONS!  So yes, after my first few weeks of online dating I think it is safe to say it is no better fishin online then it is fishin in a dive bar...and at least with a dive bar you have booze and we all know everything is better with a little booze!! 

Why can't my work day go by this fast?

All year I long for the holiday season.  I am obsessed with anything fun and festive and nothing embodies the fun and festiveness that I love like the months of October, November, and December.  I am that person that experiences a state of euphoria while putting up holiday decorations and like wise goes through a kind of depression while I put away these holiday decorations.  I feel like all year I am waiting and waiting and waiting to get to this time and then FLASH its over and I am back to being sad and counting down until the next holiday season.  Same happened this year with October.  It flew by so fast the fake spider webs I put up for Halloween almost blew away.  Zoom!  Why can't my work day go that fast?  Tonight I have my sad chore of putting away all of my cute little tea-light ghosts and bats and witchy hats.  I am mildly comforted with the idea that I don't have to put ALL of my decor away...the pumpkin spice candles and sparkly autumn leaves can stay out to welcome November (my birthday month...ahem...) get to stay out.  Soon...like tomorrow soon...I will further distract myself with the construction of my Thanksgiving menu, to be followed closely behind by the creation of my evite for the 2nd annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party, and then Christmas shopping and tree shopping, and more decorating...all to be filled with copious amounts of Sees Candy!!  Ooooh you holiday season!!

(I included a picture of The Ninnie because she looks so precious hidden--or trying to hide--amongst the presents....and because I love cats...oooh so much)