2011

Our first picture of 2011

Looking all sick and sexified

Happy New year

I'm gonna tell you a secret

This was not our first date, date. But it was the first time we went out in a group with some friends.

Goofing off at my house before a Seahawks game.

Goofing off at my house before I left for a remote.

Goofing off at Duffy's when the Giants won the World Series.

At Noriega's for my mom's birthday.

Secret time? I love this man. Bigger secret? He loves me too.

Familia

Happy Birthday Mama D

This is my Mama D. AKA Denise, AKA my second mom. Today is her birthday.

I haven't always had a Mama D. She came to our family after I moved to San Luis Obispo and I can honestly say it helped me relax about moving away. I didn't worry so much about my dad being lonely after I left and took our kitty with me for awhile.

I am so excited to be going home tomorrow to see Mom and my Dad. I haven't really been able to spend as much time with them this past year as I would've liked to. I'm glad I get to go home for a few days and see the family and celebrate Denise's birthday too.

Happy Birthday Denise! I love you!!!

this one goes out to the girl in the big sunglasses

What can I say about Teresa that I haven't said already?

I met Teresa when she came to work at Clear Channel way back in the day. Obviously I originally didn't trust her because she was cute and funny and short like me and had great clothes. Obviously the world had sent me some kind of nemesis to battle. Obviously I was used to being the only girl and obviously I was used to being the only girl to get attention from this one guy we both know. Case in point she was sent to the radio station to ruin my life.

Except she wasn't. The first time I really remember Teresa being there for me was the day that Clear Channel sold us. Let's be real, we were all drunk at the radio station that day and crying because a lot of our friends got fired and we were scared. I remember sitting in that meeting with Teresa, this girl I only slightly knew and holding her hand while the new owners started going over everything we were going to be going through the rest of that day.

Not long after Teresa arrived she started doing the Punk Ass Bitches Show with us. It was nice to not be the only girl anymore. I'd been ganged up on by the guys long enough and Teresa is a firecracker! Sometime during the summer we went to see Alkaline Trio together, just us, no boys and we had a blast. At one point we were both pretty buzzed at McBar and I'm pretty sure she dropped her beer so she wouldn't have to drink it but that's neither here nor there.

Then I got laid off. Then Teresa got laid off. And we were both broke and miserable together. We'd meet up for drinks and bitching a few times a month because if not, when would we ever see anyone?

In August of 2009 she called me and told me about a job at the radio station she was doing sales at. I had already applied but she wanted me to meet the general manager and took me out to meet him before my interview. I got the job. The next ten months of my life weren't perfect but having Teresa in my life every day was rad. This girl can make me laugh, can keep my secrets and most of all gets me. She is one of the people who held me up and encouraged me to get where I am now and I'm grateful to her.

Most of all I just miss her though. Teresa is one of those friends who buys people little gifties when she thinks it will make them smile. She's always down to go have a drink and bitch about your crappy day and boys. Or boys. Yes we bitched about boys a lot... ha ha. I had some "issues" going on when I worked with her. She's funny and generous and mean as all hell if you cross someone she loves.

Recently my girl started a new job. She's selling cars and I know she's going to be the freakin' bomb at it. She's good at whatever she does, even if that is cutting the hems off your pants in the office or singing some parody of the Shaft theme song in a commercial. Teresa is one of a kind. I miss her every freakin' day and if I don't see her soon, I'm going to throw up.

Or cry. But I'll probably cry if I see her too. I'm a douche like that.

two days in the valley

In a couple of weeks, Ben and I are driving down to my parents house for Thanksgiving weekend. This is pretty cool since Ben has never been further south than Fresno. Bakersfield is completely alien to him and as far as I know he doesn't really have preconceived notions of what it will be like.

So the question becomes what do I show him in the limited amount of time we have down on Earth?

Obviously we're going to go to the VIP for a spell. (Did I just say "spell?" I am turning into my grandma.) And maybe here:


Because who hates Mexicali?

And I might be a douchebag if I don't at least show Ben The Mint.


Don't believe the hype, yeah this place is a total hole, but I've had a lot of fun there.

I am beyond excited though, because I get to show him Noriega's which you may remember is where I celebrated my 30th birthday. I pulled up the menu the other day to show him what was being served and explained how you eat there and I think he went into a food coma just listening to me talk. Ha ha.

In a word, it's going to be glorious. Time/Money permitting we may jet over to SLO for the day on Friday since Mom's birthday party is Saturday but this is also only of course if I can get Dad to pet sit Lily for the day, since Lily is coming with us.

Yes, I'm the lunatic who travels with her cat. So?

Anyway what else in the big bad Bakersfield do I show this guy? No clue when I'll ever drag him out of Nor Cal again so any suggestions? I'll take em.

See you guys in a couple of weeks.

Yay!

These are my friends Trent and Lora at my going away party...

I met them about two months before I moved to the Moon and they're good people. Always willing to help you with whatever and always always down to have a good time.

I'm excited because Lora's job brought them to Oregon which in turn is bringing them to Chico on their way back to their winter home in Bakersfield. We're probably going to get drinks and laugh loads. I can not wait.

----

On another note, HELLA homesick for SLO lately. I know, I know I was just there two months ago. I just miss a couple of people more than I care to let on. Need one of those big bear hugs and a laugh at my own expense.

Need some time at the Black Sheep with the lovely Nicole. Need to sink my toes in the sand...

Been listening to Lady Gaga Radio on Pandora while I'm home and it's like listening to a time machine.

Baseball

As you may know my Red Sox took their ball and went home awhile ago. My back up team over the years has evolved into being the San Francisco Giants, and tonight they could clinch and go to the World Series.

My ex is a HUGE Giants fan. He probably loves Giants baseball more than anything on the planet. As much as we're not talking right now and as much as I think we both hurt each other over the past year or so, I know he's had a really hard year in 2010. This would be a huge deal to him, and I'd like to see it happen for him.

And for the rest of the fans out there. It's pretty neat to go to a sports bar here and see so many Giants fans totally freaking out. I sort of picked up the team from watching countless games with my ex and last year I took him to AT&T park to see a game and man it's a bad ass ball park. I'd love to go back again in the future, especially when I have more time to hang around the city, etc.

View from our seats

I was so freakin' fat last year, why didn't anyone tell me? It was also incredibly humid that day.

Irish Heritage night!

Beer! I still have those cups.

The gates of the park.

Then of course there is the man, Brian Wilson, who's number I'm wearing today:

This is of course without the weird beard.

Serious face.

This is the sign of a good game.

I don't know why, but this guy cracks me up and I love watching his interviews. He never does anything he's supposed to and he throws a baseball like he's shooting a bullet out of a gun. Love him. Seriously. Hate away, I love this guy.

Anyway after work I'm debating going somewhere to watch the game, because if they win tonight, I don't want to be home alone celebrating with the cat. She wouldn't be into it, the cat is a Red Sox fan.

photo dump

Beautiful at the Sacramento River

Ben and I at a fundraiser

Beer!

stuff i like/want

Yes please

I took this running on the Bob Jones trail. I miss running on the Bob Jones trail. Yes I've kept the weight off that I lost doing it, but if it wasn't for this trail in the final months of my SLO life, I would've gone crazy.

I miss going dancing. I miss fresh new mixes every day. I miss having DJ's in my life. SEND ME YOUR MIXES, I WILL PIMP YOUR STUFF HERE ON THE BLOG!

This is Hello Kitty wearing headphones. On an iPhone case. WHY ISN'T THIS IN MY LIFE?

Jeremy (my ex, not the one I work with) and I used to go to countless art galleries. I fell in love with Shag. It's kitchy but I don't give a... Anyway this has always been one of my favorites but honestly anything with his cats is. Shag makes cats look great.


This is a square plate. I would like a new dinner set of square plates. I used to love my dishes SO FREAKIN MUCH but it's odd when someone breaks/loses/molds up to the point of not being able to be washed, your precious plates, they loose their luster. I am due for a new pattern. I want them square because I'm a freak.

So much want... I want a new bed set for my new bed so bad that I can TASTE IT. It tastes like Egyptian Cotton.


MMM sushi. Been so long since I've been....
Not real sushi, this ish stores data.

the mystery of the boy

Danhella asked about Ben.

I've said his name a few times here and haven't really talked about him much, which is silly since I see him more than anyone else in Chico. I guess I was trying to be respectful of the feelings of my last boyfriend, because I do care how he feels, but he's known about Ben for a minute and from what I have heard out of his own mouth, is seeing someone else already as well, so... yeah let's talk about Ben.

This is Ben and I at Johnnie's. This was probably taken like a week ago. This is my favorite old man bar to drink at and I've turned Ben on to it. As of today I've known Ben for three months. We haven't been dating this entire time mind you, but I met him the weekend of my birthday. At first I was just stoked to have a friend, who was a local and who knew where I could get some tasty Thai food or when the best time to go to Duffy's was. Or you know a friend with horrible taste in Netflix movies, because he has horrible taste in Netflix movies, but excellent taste in tacos.

Ben has always been kinda protective of me and has taken care of me since I moved up here, weather it be feeding me when I've been broke or running me some cash at the golf tournament in Paradise or fixing my computer. He's always made me laugh and he has this great smile and silly sense of humor that I get. Plus he loves cats. A major requirement for the mom of a Lily Monster. And Lily likes Ben.

This is from when we went wine tasting. He'd never been before so I took him. We had a great time. We always have fun together. Even doing nothing, like when he comes over and brings his papers to grade and I catch up on Weeds and True Blood. Like that stuff is fun with us. Or when I cook these big elaborate meals because he likes my cooking. And he likes going to shows with me and hanging out with my two or three friends I do have here. I took him to Del Taco for his very first time last week on the way to and from Muse... Can you believe that, he's lived 45 minutes from Del Taco his whole life and had never been! Insane!

When I was in San Luis Obispo a couple of weeks back, I missed him. He watched my cat while I was gone. And he did my dishes and mopped my floor. He doesn't even live here, he just wanted to do something nice for me. He talked to me on the phone while I made my 10 hour trek back and was here waiting when I got home at 2 am. When my dad had to put Choco to sleep two weeks ago, Ben bought me flowers and went out with me and drove me home. And that was the night we decided that yeah, we're going to do this. We're together right now.

Ben hates football and won't play a long and wear a Seahawks hat on Sundays, but he goes with me every week if I want to. Even though it's not his thing, because he knows I like it. And there is generally booze at Sunday Funday. I'll convert him yet. He looks really cute in my Seahawks hat, but I promised I wouldn't post the picture. (It's really cute though.)

Ben's a little younger than me, no big deal. He's a grad student and scary smart. Total nerd. He's also teaching and installing something to do with dirt at some place in Oroville. He won't tell you this, but he's a great photographer and actually knows about music I've never heard before. He's also a fanatic about brushing his teeth and bought me some seriously awesome toothpaste once because I'd never tried it. (Toms of Maine, get some, its great.) He's also really cool about certain attachments I have to certain friends and either understands it or has given up trying to change my mind. Either way, he's rad about it.

The other thing I like about Ben.. he's no bullshit. He doesn't have a bullshit bone in his body. He's straight forward, even if I'm not going to like the answer. He gives great hugs, super comforting and he thinks I'm gorgeous and classy. So he can stay for now. Ha ha.

And that's the truth about Ben. Mystery solved

photo dump 8.30.10

So Happy it's Happy Hour

Just dyed my hair

Asleep at the wheel at Fox

Chronic Tacos

Butte County fair

House of Rice

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