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Tuesday, August 23, 2011

It's That Day.

Well, here we are. Summer has come and gone, and I'm four hours away from packing up the car and heading for Utah (which I literally started to type as youtah...i'm tired) with all but one member of the fam.

These past ten days have mostly been full of craziness. I don't remember all that I did, nor do I feel pressured to. Though this sunburn on my shoulders is making me painfully aware that I sat in the blazing sun at a Padre game on Sunday. Not just any game, but the Trevor Hoffman Retirement Ceremony game. What they did for him before the Pads played was marvelous and so well done. Truly touching... I love to see upstanding people get recognized for their talent and integrity. It just makes you feel good.
We also won the game in a nail-biting ninth, coming down to a triple by Hundley and a walk-off single by Venable, who was mobbed by his teammates immediately after. That camaraderie between the players and the love they have for the game... that is why I watch baseball. Why it makes me so damn happy. I also was sporting the Padres nail decals Dan gave me for my birthday, which I think I'm more enamored with than the pearl bracelet he gave me... Priorities?

My last day of work was Saturday, which was insaaaanely busy; I don't think I sat down once. On Sunday night we got together for ice cream at the Del. Such a lovely sunset and atmosphere... Roberta gave me a corn popper like the one we use in the store. Sadly, I can't take it to school, but I think my sister will be pretty happy with it here! Michele gave me earrings that she made (so gorgeous) as well as popcorn for the popper and some m&m's. I'm sad to leave work! It has really been wonderful working there. I got so beyond lucky with that job. Can't wait to go back!

Dan came down for a few days last week... we went to a Padres game, took multiple walks, went out to eat. All the usual stuff. Our walks were really, really nice. I just imagined doing that years down the road...nothing would be sweeter. On the day he left we got up very early and cuddled for a while before walking to get breakfast. After we ate, we went down to the beach...I was pleasantly surprised to see a wedding being set up. Such a beautiful place for a wedding... the huge expanse of sand, the wide ocean, the Del off to the left... Pure paradise here. Seriously. When Dan finally took off I was a bit of a mess. I tried to memorize his hugs and kisses. I can't imagine being without them for three months. I'm thankful I had to work 20 minutes later; otherwise, I probably would have shut myself up in a room to cry. Ha.

I'm very excited to get back to Vassar, though I feel like Time has played tricks on me again, and I'm somewhat disappointed in my lack of accomplishments this summer, mostly having to do with school and theater. But I think this year holds so many awesome opportunities, and responsibilities as well. A growing year, I'm sure of it.

Though I guess I can't think too far ahead. I've got a 15-hour car ride staring me straight in the face. Let's deal with that first... maybe I should sleep for a few hours so I can at least pretend to be a civilized person 3 hours from now. Oh goodness.

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Frustrated.

Sometimes I get so frustrated with technology, I just wish it would poof! disappear.

I get that it's amazing and I should just be happy that it exists because it's given us so much and resulted in so much "progression" (actually regression), but GOD can we just get a couple of things made correctly??

I shouldn't be having problems like my iTunes account suddenly being registered to some guy named Gail in Birmingham, Alabama... but with the same Apple ID?! That makes no sense at all. After taking my MacBook in to the Genius Bar twice in the last week? This should not be happening,

And should my phone be sporadically shutting down, restarting and freezing when I try to answer phone calls? No, but that's a different story entirely.

I actually relish the times I'm away from my computer and phone... it's so peaceful. I read, I think, I can just be without constant distracting stimulation. I've caught that 'disease': Once I get on the computer, I just don't get off. I forget that I was going to close it right after I checked my email, right after I checked Twitter, Facebook, Blogger... suddenly it's been over and hour and ya, I'm entertained but my To-Do List stays long and my brain stays....unenriched. I should at LEAST be blogging more, writing a story, something more productive.

Overall, I log off the computer feeling disappointed in myself and somewhat brain-dead, even if I was somewhat enjoying that hour spent Twittering, Facebooking, etc. It's just not worth it. I really can't wait to get back to school so that I can have beautiful things to look at and paths to walk and a host of things to do that don't involve a screen!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Two Weeks, Officially.

14 days until I am in a car en route to Salt Lake City for the USANA Convention. Too soon and not soon enough. Now that it's hanging over my head, I kind of want to just go and stop being anxious about it. I also am very excited to get back to Vassar...a lot to be excited about this year. Including having my own bed and room!

At the very same time, I dread leaving this 'paradise.' The perfect weather, the perfect job, the perfect boyfriend. The safety of being home, the pillow of summer, where you're not really expected to do anything remarkable. There's definitely pressure, going back to school. I'm more involved, I'm not a freshman... a step closer to real life, if you will.

I got 2 books from the library today... The Carrie Diaries, by Candace Bushnell and Commencement, by J. Courtney Sullivan. Already started in on them, and I really like them! Light, summer reading. The sad part.. their due date is after I leave. That is so weird; how did THREE months already pass?

I think, though, when I get back to school, I will ultimately feel more fulfilled. I won't feel like I'm wasting as much time, I'll be able to do more things I want to do. In all honesty, it will be nice to get away from the family again. Sometimes it just feels so suffocating, dealing with 5 of us in a condo 1/3 the size of our old house. And I'm just about done with not having my own space. Couch sleeping loses its appeal after the first month or so.

Clearly, I'm a little split on this issue. But I think overall, I'm more excited to go back. Time to DO something.
If only I could take Dan with me... he makes me happier by the day. I can't imagine being without him now, and I'm so happy for that.

Fatigue is consuming me.. time for couch sleeping, day 4324324352. BLECH.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Hot Yoga and Other Miscellaneous Happenings

How do these weeks pass by so quickly? Not only are the days of summer dwindling, but my blogging frequency has rapidly declined. (...OK, not SO rapidly).

Actually, three weeks from this minute exactly I will be on a plane to New York. But in just two weeks and some change, my southern California summer will be over. It's bittersweet leaving paradise, that's for sure.

I've spent the past five days with my boyfriend in some capacity. That quality time has been much needed, considering the impending departure. But before I get into all that, let me tell you about my first experience with:

Bikram Yoga.

Uh, wow. 90 minutes in a room that STARTS at 105 degrees, doing 26 lovely little poses..twice. Sorry, that's fifty-two in my book. I was a little anxious all morning, not knowing what to expect and just imagining myself suffocating in the heat. But I got to the studio with my mom, bought some nifty little yoga shorts, and started to feel a little confident. Despite this:


Is this really necessary?? I get it, it's hot yoga! Sheesh.

However intimidating, the flames would not deter me. Then I hit minute 44 in the class. And just about fell flat on my face in surrender. It's so funny; when you first walk in, it's kinda nice! Like a lovely sauna or that warmth of the sun you get at the beach. Don't fool yourself, folks. It gets serious. Being a first-timer, I was 'allowed' to leave the room if I needed to, and drink water whenever I wanted. I'm not going to lie, my first badass thought was that I wouldn't leave the room. Ha. Ha. But after twisting my body in unfamiliar ways and trying to hold poses while watching the numerous beads of sweat drip down my shin (yes, my shin and everywhere else), I was seeing double. I made myself stay until at least halfway through; I succeeded, but at 11:45 I beelined to the bathroom to spend about 30 seconds with my head under the sink. Another 90 seconds of sitting on a bench with a sopping paper towel on my face and I was ready to get back in it. The second half was simultaneously easier and harder. Who knows why. What I do know, though, is what I felt afterwards. Despite all of this whining, Bikram is definitely something I'll be doing again. I felt so loose, so drained, so satisfied, and so strangely clean (I know). The teacher even complimented me on a couple of my poses. I think the best thing about Bikram Yoga is that it kills a few important birds with one stone.
1) Exercise. Something I keep 'forgetting' to do. Yoga is really a fantastic workout for your body, contrary to what some might think.
2) Detox! The heat gets allll those toxins out of your body. There are about 10 other great reasons for the heat, including the fact that it burns fat more easily (!) Read more here. (honestly just the first FAQ site I found... my info came from a physical piece of paper)
3) Focus. Yoga helps to focus and center the mind...it really almost forces you to do those things. It's calming, revitalizing, and healing.

I'm all for multi-tasking.... now I just have to find some Bikram Yoga in NY!

After my yoga adventure (and a shower), my mom and I went to South Coast Plaza. (Costa Mesa, CA). Everything you could ever hope to buy is there. It's like a little shopping city. Their Nordstrom Rack was fantastic, and I had a lot of luck with clothes that are classy-casual. Just what I need for my tour guide job.

I spent that night, as well as Tuesday night at Dan's place, and then we drove back Wednesday morning so I could be at work. I've really just been enjoying his hugs and kisses...it's too real that I'm leaving so soon.

Friday I worked for 5 hours, which was crazy busy (also kind of crazy sweaty), then came home to Dan and headed to Balboa Park to picnic with the fam and then head into the theater to see Hairspray again. ...which was just as good as opening, no surprise there. Also ran into Brian from Vassar, who was in Reefer Madness with me. I knew he lived in SD, but to run into him like that was downright strange to me. Wonderfully pleasant, though!

In news related more to my thoughts than my activities...
I am stressing about going back to the Vass. Just because I have to pack my life up again.
I'm very excited, however, to 'design' my new SINGLE in any way I'd like it!
Sleeping is clearly not a thing I'm good at lately. Hello, 4:58am.
I NEED to go to the library and get one more good novel in before I hit those stuffy academic books again.
Also, need to solidify my major decision and my course plan for the next 3 years. I want to take everything, is the problem.


P.S. I bought adorable black patent leather T-strap Steve Maddens on Thursday.

(The Haylow). New loves. Plus they were on sale!