Summer Travels & Updates

Well the summer is half way over. Here are some updates and lots of travel pics.

I haven't really been running. Maybe once or twice a month since end of March. I'm working on turning that back around this month. Wish me luck!

Since our Santa Barbara trip, Andy and I:

Ran like horses in the Santa Anita Derby Day 5k on April 5th.




I went horseback riding with my sisters through Griffith Park on a horse named "Mouse" ("Tsst, tsst...Let's go, Mouse, let's go!...WHOA, MOUSE!") April 23rd. (Unfortunately, no pictures.)






Andy & I visited his brother Jeff in Monterey before he ran the Big Sur Marathon. Apparently, I have no photos of the four of us (Andy, me, Jeff and his girl Jane) but please enjoy this very cute photo of Jeff & Jane in Monterey (or Big Sur...one cannot be too sure). April 26th.










I went to an off-site for work in San Diego. April 27th. I took the train back to LA for only $29! That is something Andy & I need to do. Birds can also be found in San Diego.




My good friend Robyn came to visit and we drove up to Santa Ynez and Solvang for some wine tasting. May 24th. Andy very sweetly drove so Robyn and I could get our fill of wine. Lion's Peak was my favorite. And, even though it would be possible, I'm not just saying this because it's named after my favorite animal. Promise. If it helps - Fess Parker was my second favorite. (That probably doesn't help...considering the "Fess" bit, eh? WELL, I know it won't help if I tell you third on my list is Longoria...because you'll just say "that's because Evan Longoria is the #1 hitter for the Tampa Bay Rays" Well, I guess you'll just have to take my word for it - that these are very good wines regardless of the label. Geesh, such a doubter.)














June 14th we went to Hanover, New Hampshire for Andy's college reunion. Beautiful campus. Made me want to get back to the East Coast. There's so much grit and history in the East.












The very next weekend we took a quick trip to Seattle, WA for Andy's friend's wedding. June 21st. At first I didn't understand where all the grunge came from...but then we strolled around downtown for long enough, you start to see the influence. I'm still not quite sure how it happened - such a gorgeous, mostly rural State. Teenage angst? rebellion, I suppose? I should look that up on Wikipedia. Maybe someone knows the root of Grunge. Kayaking before the rehearsal dinner was recommended.








Finally, over the July 4th weekend, two major events happen. I actually visit my dear friend Kellie, whom I've known sine 2nd grade, at her house in Nevada. AND Andy & I visit Las Vegas for the first time EVER.















July 25th finds us in San Francisco or rather Berkeley for a Stone Temple Pilots concert. Our friend, Nat, decided we should go in style so we all piled in a Limo. Too bad I don't have pictures, since I was afraid to loose my camera at the concert. Here's a picture of the weekend in Cupertino after the STP concert. We didn't sleep much.









As soon as we got back to LA, we went to the Hollywood Bowl to see Gnarls Barkley on July 27th. Another FIRST - Andy and I had never been to the Bowl before. I now see what all the fuss is about. We'll be back.











Then it's back to Vegas with our friends Julie and Noah. This time we stayed on the strip at the MGM Grand and played quite a bit of slots. Next time we go to Vegas we will practice our cards first so we're not so intimidated by the tables. ;)















Finally, to round out the summer, we took a trip to Massachusetts and I spent the weekend with Andy's family at their long time vacation spot in Gurnet Point (near Duxbury Beach). His Mom owns a little house there with no running water, no electricity, no phone and only a sun shower where you bathe in your swimsuit. It was the most beautiful vacation I have taken in a long time. It motivated me to get up and take a walk in the mornings before work. It motivated me to appreciate my surroundings once again - like the gorgeous mountain view from my apartment. I'm learning to take just a little longer with these moments. They don't last forever and they sure do energize me as well as calm me. I guess you could say those moments tend to set me straight. I think I'm becoming more of a morning person because of that trip. Andy stayed a bit longer. I envy him.









I learned a lot from my travels*. Major take aways are (1) exercise before you travel - run, swim, hike...whatever you do. Burn off some energy so you are more prepared to deal with the unexpected (like delayed planes and lecturing stewardesses) and (2) make the most of it - sleep only when you need it, eat well and don't blink. When I take my own advice, I am rewarded twice - once on vacation and then again when I return home. I view my daily life with new eyes and am allowed a fresh start in my routine.

Summer is winding down and we don't have any more travel plans at the moment - except our drive across country. But that's a couple months and a whole season off. Hopefully I'll write again before then. No promises, though. My hands may be too busy packing and drafting resume after resume. ;)

*this could also read "I learned a lot from Andy."

AddicTiON!

I admit it. I'm totally addicted to

1. Popcorn (but you knew that)
2. Lions (up there with popcorn)
   
3. Nikeplus.com (you've guessed that if you talk to me on any kind of regular basis)
   
4. Crazy japanese stationery
   
5. Beautiful unique stationery
6. Fun and festive stationery
7. Lion stationery (if I could ever find some!)
   
8. Tactile stationery
9. Handmade stationery (okay, i admit i would normally just say "Handmade cards", but you sense the theme, don't you?)
10. Stickers to decorate stationery
    
11. Did I mention stationery?

Seriously, I think I may have a teeny problem. Even though I went to the store with the express purpose of buying new jeans, I didn't come out with jeans and I also didn't come out with the cash I had.

I did find a good pair of jeans, but they were pretty expensive and I wasn't ready to make the commitment. (You know - running, eating healthy...makes you trim up and then my jeans wouldn't fit the same in a couple of months.) They were around $100, and the most I've spent on jeans to date has been $60.

Instead, I browsed every stationery store that there was in the mall and spent about as much as I would on the difference between normal jeans and expensive jeans. But instead of jeans, I now own a lot more stickers and stationery.

And to think I scold my brother for buying things for himself right before his birthday. Well, friends and family, if you are looking for gifts to get me for my birthday and currently tsking your tongue at me.. NEVER FEAR...as you can see (a) I can't get enough stationery and (b) I didn't buy those lovely jeans that I so wanted. (wink wink, nudge nudge, know what I mean, know what I mean)


---Update---
Well, well, well. Who knew the immense powers of blogging? THANK YOU, Family, for my awesome new jeans!! I LOVE them! They look great and feel soooo comfy! I'm so excited!!! I'm doing a little dance.

La la la PACKING...

And suddenly I'm FREE!!

It's an odd sensation the opposing emotions that come with packing for a big move. You are at once excited about the prospects of a new place, but saddened when you think of all that will be left behind. Especially friends.

But the thing that is striking me the most this weekend as I prepare for the westward move all the way across the country to California (!) is that as I work to shed at least 60% of my belongings, I'm at first overwhelmed and upset at all the things that I should leave behind. But, then, I reorganize my thoughts. I think about the possible uses someone else might get from that stuffed animal/book/picture frame/shirt/CD/pot/pan and I am excited for my belonging's new adventure that lies ahead. And, you know what, once I say "goodbye" it's such a FREEING feeling!

I mean, that's less weight I'm carrying around. The next time I move, I won't have to ponder whether or not to take that sentimental-yet-lives-in-a-box-stuffed-animal. I can remember the person who gave it to me, and when I run across a photo of me with that little stuffed lion, I can smile with fond memories, in a much lighter form. Really, how often do we sit down with our "stuff" and re-live memories in the course of our life time? Probably as often as we move, unless we are looking at pictures or the item(s) is out on display. So, my new rule is - if it's not functioning regularly or it's lived in a box since the last move...it's out the door.

Think of all the room I have for new stuff now!!! ;-)

(Okay, I admit...I'm stilling storing some sentimental items. I'm not that strong-willed! But I'm trying to scan most of the written goods! It's the hand-crafted items that are too good to part with, but too bulky to move across the nation!)

Today is the Day...

...My sister comes to town!

All I can say is that I'm very excited. Originally we weren't going to see one another for Thanksgiving or Christmas. But my sister is BRILLIANT and was able to schedule a business trip for Monday and fly in a few days before for some Family Fun Time!! She's bringing her son with her, too!!! Which is bonus fun times! My nephew is two and he's adorable and he's started talking but I haven't seen him in person since he really started talking..so I'm excited! (I'll call him "EJ".)

Plus, EJ likes LIONS! I love LIONS! EJ likes to ROAR like a lion! I LOVE EJ!

EJ left me the cutest message on my phone a few months ago. It was simply him roaring like a lion. But, man, is it ever a good solid Roar! I've been trying to figure out how to grab it off my phone and add an audio clip to my blog. I think the first step is to buy a connector cable for my phone to connect to my computer. And since I haven't begun to even look at what kind of cable I will need...I suppose I really haven't been "trying to figure out" anything. But in my head, I have made some noble efforts. In my head, once I get off my butt and teach myself some technology, it is going to be brilliant! Everyone will hear the wondrous EJ's ROOOAAAAR!

Oh, I'm can't wait until they get here!! *jumping up and down in anticipation*

LIONS!!!