Chillin' Like a Villain
Last night was another concert night at the Pie. The band: Om Trio - total instrumental, no vocals. Great mellow sound to groove to.
Elle Boogie and I began the evening at Bardenay for a quick drinky-poo and bite. Note: I love to begin my evenings with a Mojito from Bardenay - yum, yum - then I move to the beer :) We had an awesome time at the concert. The people-watching was especially entertaining. We can be so mean, but it's all in good fun. There a moment of synchronized-chunkage-spotting.
"Did you see that?" we cried/laughed in unison
"Ah no she didn't"
Then there was the red, fancy, grandma underwear moment. Major fashion faux pas! Hint: If you decide to wear low-rise pants, please note the term "low-rise;" if your underwear goes to your waist, it will be seen by others. On the other hand, wearing low-rise bikini briefs, courtesy of Victoria Secret, (other low-rise varietals may include: thongs or boy shorts) with low-rise pants prooves to be an optimal fashion experience :)

Ah, now begins the weekend!

Mindless Musings

Total Eclipse of the Heart
This song may be an oldie, but I totally dig the emotion pouring from Bonnie Tyler. Fave spin-off of this song can be seen in the movie Old School starring the most excellent Will Ferrell, Vince Vaughn, and Luke Wilson. Hmmm, now that I think of it, I know a trio of boys who could fit the boot for these stars :)
Side Note: Will Ferrell is a long-distance runner; he has completed at least one marathon (that I know of) and he's even appeared on the cover of Runner's World.


Interesting Blog
Belle du Jour
I totally recommend reading this blog. I appreciate the way she writes and how she treats personal matters in a nonchalant manner.

Flowmotion
Saw this band last night at good ol' Pie. The music was eclectic, groovy, funky, and feel-good all at the same time. It was the type of music that puts a smile on your face and gets your body moving in a mellow, tripped-out manner. Ran into some friends there and had a blast with the "La" girls (which I'm a proud member of). I think I figured out the meaning behind the name of this band: It's the motion of going with the flow, hence the name "Flowmotion." Since I am currently going with the flow in my life, this band seemed very apropos :)

Top 10 Relationship Problems
I'm not sure which is harder: getting into a good relationship or maintaining the relationship you're currently in.

Whenever you break up with a significant other, it's normal to begin questioning each other's behavior, as there may be things you could have done to avoid the split. If your relationship is currently on the rocks, here are 10 things that might be the root of the problem.

The List:
10. Looks that kill
9. Someone else
8. Lack of quality time *
7. Distance
6. Goodbye to romance *
5. "I want your sex" *
4. Jealousy *
3. Communication breakdown
2. Once a cheater, always a...
1. Noise *

The Airing of Grievances
I must admit that it's been quite a while since I have bitched and moaned about my roommate - well the time has come. Parents, put the kiddies away, because Auntie Runna-G has got some serious bitching to do and it may include quite a few cuss words.

Scene 1:
Roomie has gone out to the movies w/her man. I have the house to myself and I'm doing my thang. Met with a professor at 9p, studied, had my Sleepy Time tea, then went to bed. I'm sleeping blissfully in my threefold utopian dream. It is so wonderful and cozy and the sleep is very deep.

Scene 2:
[Background info: House rule = when roomie is gone, dogs stay outside.] My glorious sleep is rudely interrupted by the fat ass black dog! Since school has started, I'm working full-time, and I'm starting my training for Robie, I value my sleep very much so I can keep the health (plus my grandma gets on my case about getting sleep). This dog has the most annoying, incessant barking in the history of the world!! I look at my watch and it's a little after 2am. I try to ignore the barking and fall back asleep, but my annoyance and anger deny me the much needed sleep. So I was like, fuck it - if I'm not getting any sleep, I'm going to call that irresponsible roomie and let her know that her dumb ass dog is barking like a freakin' mofo!

Scene 3:
I call the roomie. First thing I say is, "Your dog is barking and it is keeping me up." The D.A.B. asks me why the dog started barking. My reply: "How am I supposed to know, I was SLEEPING!" I can hear the drunkedness in her voice and it is getting me even more pissed off. She tells me to put the dogs in her room and they'll go to sleep. I broke and yelled, "THEY'RE NOT MY FUCKING DOGS!!" So she says I can either put them in her room or try to go back to sleep, but I'll probably get woken up again by the barking. I was so pissed that I said I'd talk w/her later and hung up. When I got a roommate, I did not sign-up to be the doggy babysitter. Her lack of responsibility, for a 30+ year-old woman, totally astounds me! I equate owning dogs to child-rearing - it requires time, discipline, attention, and patience so that the dog/child could eventually become a contributing citizen to society. Barking like a mofo at 2am in the morning does not create value-add to society! I can only imagine how much my neighbors want to kill me for the many times those dogs have barked after 10pm. Needless to say, I have had a couple conversations regarding the dog/dog-barking issue with the roomie - her reply is that if the police/etc. get called for the dogs disturbing the peace, she will be the one to get in trouble because they're her dogs.

Those poor dogs spend most of their time in the backyard and the rest of the time in the house. She does not take them out walking/running or out to other places with her. A couple of weekends ago, her and her boyfriend went to Garden Valley. I said, "Oh, I bet the dogs will love the snow up there!" Her reply: "We're not taking the dogs, they'd be too much work for us." Sorry to tell ya lady, but you get out what you put in.

End Scene:
I got up, put the damn bastards in her room, and tried to get back to sleep. It took a while because the anger had welled up pretty high inside of me. Some conversations will definitely take place.

Positive Note
When roomie finally got back with her boyfriend (whom I like - he's a total innocent in the whole situation), must've been too tired/drunk because no hibbity dibbity took place :)

Personal Side Note
I spent a lot of time with my dogs, which entailed taking them through training, taking them running, and other places that I went. I am waiting until after I graduate before I get another dog because then I will have more time to dedicate to it.

Note to Self
"Behind my smile is my IQ
I must admit, this does not sit, with the likes of you"
~Madison Avenue

Content Restfulness
Instead of going out and doing my usual weekend partying (refer to picture below), I decided to take it easy on my body and stayed in both Friday and Saturday nights. It was so nice to relax! I'm also proud to announce that I am a successful graduate of the Bogus School of Snowboarding! Saturday was the most perfect day to go up snowboarding with all of the fresh powder - great for cushioning the inevitable falls ;) The drive back was breathtaking! I just love the mountains - with and without snow. Finally, I'm proud to say I'm ready to move on in my personal life. I reached a milestone this morning - I was able to listen to a certain song without getting emotional or teary-eyed. C'est la vie, je passe! Besides, estoy interesado en señor Amazing :) Great lunch date - even if it was hurried...

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates...
What a crazy life - I seriously never know what to predict, I'm just along for the ride :)

Couple crazy things happened over the 3-day weekend. Before I delve further, I'll preface this segment with some comments I told my friends about two weeks ago. I told them that since this was my last semester, I wasn't going to pay any attention to the boys because I wanted to focus.

Second crazy event - my ghetto fabulous car crapped out on me yesterday. This car has been a faithful companion since it was given to me as my high school graduation present. It was sad to see her pulled onto the tow truck this morning, but I'm sure everything will work out. Shout out to T-dawg for stoppin' by and checkin the stats of my car - a major savior!

Third crazy event - I'm doing something I swore I would never do... I'm driving a mini-van!! I'm very thankful for my uncle's generosity in lending me his van until I get my car back. I'm so lucky to have an awesome, caring family living in the area :) Needless to say, I'm eating a healthy dose of humble pie. I have aired so many complaints and sarcastic remarks about mini-vans and now I'm driving one. See what I mean about life?!?

I hear that tragedies, etc. strike in 3's. Two of these three crazy events were tragic, so we'll see what else is in store :)

Web Site Release
Just finished up a web site for my uncle: http://www.hltlasers.com . It is a very basic site and I still have some action items left to accomplish, but I welcome comments, constructive criticism, or whatever else anyone wants to throw at me!

10 myths women have about men
Here are some myths I found. Being single, I'm constantly learning about the male gender and I must say it's been an interesting ride. I've tried to tackle the whole "calling" game - do I call him, do I wait for him to call me, should I even give a flying f**k? Anywho, I've just decided to go with the flow. If I'm interested in a guy, I will call but I'm not going to be persistant. I'll have to say the myths below depend on the type of guy. For example, #8. I've heard some guys like to make the first move and pursue the girl, other guys may not think the girl is interested unless she makes the first move. All interesting theories...

Myths
1. Men are not interested in what women have to say
2. Men want somebody who is just like their mother
3. Men only think about sex
4. He's spoiling me, so he must have plenty of money
5. If I sleep with him on the first date, he won't respect me
6. I can change him
7. Men are interested in my dating history
8. Men don't like women who make the first move.
9. Men prefer inexperienced women
10. Men are strong

Snow Bun-E Fall & Go Boom
I'm officially on the list for snowboard casualties! My lesson on Saturday resulted in bruises and an injured tailbone. Guess that's what happens with 3-4 hours of sleep :) Went again on Wednesday night and had two more big falls. The first fall literally brought tears to my eyes! I'm a tough person who has a high threshhold for pain, but damn - that schizzle hurt like a motha! A-Lo got me a beer, and I had another while she went to do some more runs. Kind of cool because I was talkin' with Charlie, the bartender (got a free taster) and one of the chair-lift dudes (5 or 6) who reminded me of the hilarious snowboard dude from the movie "Out Cold." Great winter flick!

Last Friday was a blast! Went dancin' at 3 clubs with A-Lo and Katy Kat. Met a cutie (awesome dancer - not many guys can dance well to techno) at one and got invited to a gay house party. It was literally gay - A-Lo and I were the only girls and there were 3 straight guys; the rest of the guys were gay. Talk about a blast! The host, Carmen, would do costume changes almost every hour and I met a lot of neat guys. Good Times. Good Times. I was faced with the ultimate temptation, but I stuck to my guns - damn pride :)

Picts from New Years 2003/2004


A-Lo & I posing for the cam at the second party


This was truly a deep moment - A-Lo taking a picture of me who is taking a picture of here. Whoah!

The Marriage Trap

The classic 1960s feminist critique of marriage was that it suffocated women by tying them to the home and stifling their identity. The hope was that in a non-sexist society marriage could be a harmonious, genuine connection of minds. But 40 years after Betty Friedan, Laura Kipnis has arrived with a new jeremiad, Against Love: A Polemic, to tell us that this hope was forlorn: Marriage, she suggests, belongs on the junk heap of human folly. It is an equal-opportunity oppressor, trapping men and women in a life of drudgery, emotional anesthesia, and a tug-of-war struggle to balance vastly different needs.

The numbers seem to back up her thesis: Modern marriage doesn't work for the majority of people. The rate of divorce has roughly doubled since the 1960s. Half of all marriages end in divorce. And as sketchy as poll data can be, a recent Rutgers University poll found that only 38 percent of married couples describe themselves as happy.

Still, love might indeed get a better name if we were as attentive to the intellectual dishonesties of the public debate over its failings as we are to the emotional dishonesties of adulterers.

~This book seems like it would be an interesting read. It's funny to compare what people say they want out of a relationship and companion versus what they actually get involved in. In most situations what people want and what they have do not match up which, in my humble opinion, can leave people unfulfilled and ultimately unhappy. I believe a relationship could work with any two people if both of them put forth equitable effort and also if both realized that relationships aren't always going to be "a walk in the park;" there will be ups and downs, but everything will work out for the best in the end.

FUD - Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt
FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) is the term for any strategy intended to make a company's customers insecure about future product plans with the purpose of discouraging them from adopting competitors' products. For example, "You can try using X instead of our product, but you may lose all your data."

~Gee, can't think of any companies which would fit this description - Yeah, right!

Proud Geek Moment
Saw my blog listed in the 'Fresh Blogs' section of their site - it was a proud moment I'd like to share... (Hint: It's the fourth blog from the bottom)

A Snow Bun-E is Born!
Saturday was the first of four snowboarding lessons for my Passport to Learn and man, what an experience! After one lesson, I am hooked - I was able to achieve a high comparable to my running highs :) Can I get a what what! The instructor was very good, I had minimal fall experiences, and the snow was powdery so when I did fall there was some cushion. I don't mean to be a braggart, but I wasn't soar the next day - must be all that running ;)

The drive home was a euphoric experience. I was pumped full of endorphins from boarding and the scenery was breathtaking as I was winding my way down to Boise - the snow blanketed the hillsides with sparse markings of bushes sprinkled about and the pine trees had their boughs covered with just the right amount of snow - with The Black Eyed Peas playing in the background, I was in heaven!

2004 Favorites
I know we're only 5 days into the year, but I already have some favorites worth mentioning.

Favorite New Commercial
iChicken - An iPod owner pays tribute. This is a wonderfully executed commercial done by my man Mix Masta Mike.

Favorite Movie
Love Actually - Saw this Friday with my girl A-Lo and was totally impressed! At first we were like, "Great, should we be seeing this since we're single." But this movie had the right concoction of humour (English spelling) and sentiment. Definitely one to add to the DVD collection.

Favorite Christmas Gift
Tie - Juicer & Flat Iron. I'm totally in love with my juicer! So far I've juiced twice - an apple/carrot/beet combo. The flat iron was a god-send from A-Lo, since she knows how long it takes me to straighten out my wavy hair with a regular curling iron.

Favorite Album
"Elephunk" - The Black Eyed Peas. What can I say, every song rocks!

Favorite New Winter Sport
Snowboarding. My trails are too snowy to be running on, so snowboarding provides an excellent opportunity to cross-train during the winter months.

Favorite Funny Moment
Setting: driving to my house w/A-Lo after Sunday breakfast. We were driving down State and I hit one of those hidden potholes. We saw something fly up on the right-side, but couldn't discern what it was. I looked in the rear-view mirror and saw my last hubcap rolling down the sidewalk as if to say, "Hey, wait for me!" It was pretty hilarious :)

Favorite Purchase
All-Season Radials. These tires kick ass in the snow!

Mentionable Brew
Grant's Mandarin Hefeweizen. Nice ale to have on a winter afternoon/evening.

Mad Props
Here's a shout out for my boy Mix Masta Mike! Happy B-day G! You're only as old as you feel kiddo :)

Snowboard Galore!
Tomorrow is my first snowboarding lesson and I am so excited and nervous all at the same time! Can't wait!! I've received a lot of advice from friends, so I think I am mentally prepared and I think I'm in good enough shape to handle the physical requirements - but we'll see :)

Here are some snow bunnies from my tubing excursion w/A-Lo and my new team. (Of course they can never replace my web team!)

Hello 2004!
I'd have to say that last night/this morning was one of the best New Year's to date! A-Lo was a fabulous companion to ring in the new year and we were able to hit three house parties without a hitch! Best thing of all - no drama :) People were very complimentary on our outfit choices, which was all good considering we dressed up for ourselves and no one else. One comment that was pretty hilarious came from a guy @ the second party - "You guys remind me of the Hilton sisters." I admit we looked like classy chicas, but we do have intelligence to back it up.

New Year's Toast to Ourselves - F**k the men, let's drink to us!

2003 Recap

Party 1 - C's
More mature party, but was cozy and fun. I've never seen an upside down Christmas tree before, but it was quite beautiful! C is the coolest lady ever and she knows how to throw a good party.

Party 2 - T's
Met some awesome girls at this party who will definitely be included in future theme nights! Had fun bs'ing, hanging out, drinking, and eating chips. A-Lo and I were a little too dressed up though, but it was fun.

Party 3 - T's, the Final Destination
Man, this guy knew how to throw a New Year's Party! There was mention of semi-formal attire, so people were nicely dressed. There were noise makers, party hats, glow necklaces, lai's, poppers and champagne at midnight, etc., etc. Met some cool people at this party and got to know others better. The host was very gracious and a nice dancer. The artist was seemed pretty cool as well considering he is choosing to do what he loves rather than going after the all-mighty dollar. Met this awesome girl J who had a killer, positive attitude and wasn't afraid to show it! I did overhear something interesting though, one guy - who I didn't meet, but talked w/later - mentioned to the host that he was "half-way there" in reference to he & I dancing. For the record, no guy has been 1/2-way, 1/4-way or even 1/8-way with me since my break-up! I'm fun, playful, and flirty @ times, but I'm not easy - too much pride and self-respect! I could go on forever, but I won't.

Recipe for a Happy New Year
Take twelve fine, full-grown months; see that these are thoroughly free from old memories of bitterness, rancor and hate, cleanse them completely from every clinging spite; pick off all specks of pettiness and littleness; in short, see that these months are freed from all the past - have them fresh and clean as when they first came from the great storehouse of Time. Cut these months into thirty or thirty-one equal parts. Do not attempt to make up the whole batch at one time (so many persons spoil the entire lot this way) but prepare one day at a time.

Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work (some people omit this ingredient and so spoil the flavor of the rest), hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest (leaving this out is like leaving the oil out of the salad dressing - don't do it), prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor.
~Anonymous