yeah ya are

quick update.

2010-06-03T17:33:00.002-05:00

so here's the latest...

my store manager (boss) is no longer with the company. so i was trying to run the store for weeks. i've never been good at doing two people's job in 40 hours/week.

found our my paternal grandfather passed away... almost two weeks after it happened. my dad didn't tell me or invite me to the funeral which was in grand prairie. he still hasn't talked/called/emailed/texted. found out thru the gossip mill that he did, however, bring his fiancee... so i lost a grandfather AND a dad. excellent.

my transmission went out in my car on the drive home from work @ 12:30am last friday night. i coasted into an aparement complex a block from my house. i got to push it into a spot all by myself. after getting it towed, renting a car, etc.,etc.,etc... it'll be $3500 to fix. also excellent.

i transferred to the southlake store to cut back on my commute. my drive went from an hour each way to 20 minutes. i'm still trying to learn names/faces, but i'm excited to be there.

grandma had a health scare tuesday - chest pain, an ambulance ride and a night in the las colinas medical center later, she's back home. but the 24 hours of stress/worry added at least a couple of grey hairs (to add to the hundreds that are already there under the cover of hair dye...)

hoping june turns out to be a decent month. we shall see..............

new york

2010-02-21T18:40:00.008-06:00

I just got back from my amazing, fantastic, incredible and fabbbbbulous trip to NYC with Mom. Having never been to the Big Apple, I really wanted to make sure I saw just about everything... and I think we did for the most part. So here are the highlights!

We stayed at the Salisbury Hotel on W 57th. It was within easy walking distance to Central Park, Times Square and all the big Broadway Shows. It was great to stay right in Midtown.

Saint Patrick's Cathedral - it was really beautiful

The architecture was incredible.

Rockefeller Center was so fun. Lots of people from all over the world. We ate at the Rock Center Cafe just next to the ice rink. Soooo tasty and great view of falling skaters.

From the top of the rock, looking downtown toward the financial district

Hellllllo new Facebook profile picture... LOL

We walked by Mercedes Benz Fashion Week as tons of models, editors and fashion industry peeps were arriving for a show. E! was there, and it was a rush being there to see it all.

Times Square - crowded, but really beautiful with all the billboards and lights.

We saw three shows - Wicked (AMAZING!), Mamma Mia (fun + really hot guys), Chicago (great dancing and Michelle Williams from Destiny's Child as "Roxy Hart"). Here's Mom outside Wicked.

Awwww, I really DO love NY. :)

We only got to one museum - American Natural History Museum. It was a good one!
We had lunch Thursday at the Loeb Boat House in Central Park. Another tasty meal with a great (albeit frozen) view.

Friday we went to the World Trade Center site. You couldn't see much behind the fences, but it was still a seriously intense experience.

There was a mini-museum set up next to a fire station across the street from Ground Zero. I didn't expect it to be as emotional as it was.

The fire station opened the doors at one point while we were standing there. Mom went and thanked the fireman who was outside. Very cool.

Of course while in the Financial District, we had to take a quick look at Wall Street and the NYSE.

John's Pizzaria in the Village was the best pizza I've ever had. After we ate I found a shelf of photos of celebrities who have eaten there... including JOHNNY DEPP, Jack Black, and Susan Sarandon. They must all like good pizza, too.

I've always related with Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City. So I had to get a photo on her doorstep. :)

We also checked out the Magnolia Bakery, had dinner at Delmonico's (best steak dinner EVER), walked through frozen Central Park, hiked through SoHo, saw the NBC studios, checked out a bunch of Navy boys (fleet week?! woot!) and did some serious window shopping on 5th Avenue. I'll have to go back - didn't see the Brooklin Bridge, Ellis Island/Statue of Libery, the Subway or any of the late-night nightlife. Oh and the cab rides were a rush - scariest and most fun ride ever.

mini catch up

2010-01-24T13:54:00.007-06:00

so i'm a really bad blogger. chop it up to the holidays and working too much. so here are a few photos...

i'm killin' time before bed

2009-10-20T19:28:00.003-05:00

Current Playlist:
oh the randomness i'm currently listening to is rather ridiculous. it includes (but isn't limited to): cat stevens, beyonce, frank sinatra, adele, owl city, idina menzel, miley cyrus, melody gardot, bangles, beatles, pussycat dolls, britney spears, jill scott, counting crows, billy joel, barry manilow, dave matthews, paramore, michael jackson, john mayer, death cab for cutie, diana ross, dixie chicks, eagles, elton john, duran duran, taylor swift, james taylor, josh groban, kelly clarkson, kate nash, robin thicke, billy idol, lily allen, kenny chesney, lady gaga, monkees, mary j. blige, kenny chesney, mika, sarah mclachlan, tina turner, p!nk, pearl jam, rihanna, sheryl crow, tears for fears, u2, tlc, and the soundtracks to chicago, wicked, rent, and glee..................

Current Guilty Pleasure: watching "sex and the city" every day before going to bed

Current Color: pink - so much so that i keep a pink scarf tied to my bag, that way i've always got something pink going on... because really, i wear black all the time.

Current Drink: water, milk, dr. pepper, skyy & 7

Current Food: craving a chicken ceasar salad and tomato soup... mmmmm

Current Favorite Show: glee! and flashforward

Current Wishlist: new bedroom set, trip back to europe, 2nd bedroom furniture, roll-top desk (okay a lot of my wishes are furniture...)

Current Needs: a glass of wine at the end of every work day. (and that need, for the most part, is in fact met... almost daily.)

Current Triumphs: getting the ASM spot @ the hulen store (it's the shiny penny!)

Current Bane Of My Existence: awful, unappreciative people

Current Celebrity Crush: leonardo dicaprio. then, now and forever. :)

Current Indulgence: my dvr. worth every penny.

Current Blessing: there are many - my health, my family, my friends, my job, my home, my puppy, the weather, my car, my opportunities, pretty much everything in my life is good (prettttty much)

Current Slang: idk, really

Current Outfit: jeans, black polo pretty much every day... every. single. day.

Current Excitement: starbucks on the drive home, new iTunes downloads, great tv shows on the dvr, being awake at an hour when things are actually open and therefore feeling like a real person, waking up to texts from people i love...

Current Mood: loverrrrly

Current Link: www.fmylife.com always entertaining... and mildly uplifting, surprisingly enough

jack and skippy

2009-10-12T17:01:00.004-05:00

so i was housesitting for mom for a week and got some great photos of the dogs playing. it was entertaining for me at 3am! enjoy :)

nearly september?! whhhat?

2009-08-28T09:38:00.004-05:00

where do i start. how about the cliff's notes version? mmmkay here goes.

i went to san francisco for work. i got to meet the president of old navy and our vice president of operations. i also went ahead and picked out my future office.

i moved into my townhouse. it's flawless and i love it. jack moved in with me. he's the best.

i've been working or driving to/from work in denton for no less than 60 hours a week. but hey, the vp came to visit the store (same one from SFO trip) and it went well. i think the exact words were "yeah! way to go melissa!" that dulls the pain a bit. (that's ann my store manager, jeff the vp, nolan the regional director and your's truly; please don't judge that denim wall - it was 5pm and we were totally busy)

my remodel coordinator duties have taken over my days, er, nights. now 6pm is like 6am to me. i leave for work at 8pm and get home around 7am. thank goodness i've got a bestie who works nights too and is willing to go to "the hidden door" to have a cocktail with me while the sun comes up.

i'm still having fun - i've gotten to see some of my old school denton peeps since i'm working up there; LOVE that i got to meet little jacob john!
and amber got married! the ceremony was in an art studio in deep ellum - kinda sketch neighborhood but LOVED the building.

it doesn't look like much when i cut it down, but lemme tell you - it's been insane.

soo much

2009-07-12T13:07:00.002-05:00

so lots has been happening the last month or so. let's hit the highlights.

1. i'm moving into my own place - adorable 2/1.5 townhouse. it's in the same complex i'm in now, but i'll be living solo. nothing bad with frank, just time for us to be grown-ups with our own homes.
2. i'm not working at the irving old navy store anymore. yesterday was my last day. i'll be the ASM in denton until august 23rd, then the remodel coordinator for denton for 10 weeks. i'll be landing as the ASM in the southlake training store around the beginning of november - just in time for holiday! i was in san francisco last week for training for the remodel gig - super excited, and it was so amazing to see headquarters. now i know where i want to go with my career, really.
3. i'm getting a puppy! i'll be bringing him home (to my new place) next sunday. his name is jackson mark cullen... after my three favorite fictional characters.

that's the big stuff. i'm going to be better with the whole blog thing, really i swear. but i've got to admit, facebook and twitter are so much more user friendly on my blackberry which is where i spend most of my free time these days. :)

i'll let you know when i've had enough. (not yet.)

2009-05-17T21:42:00.000-05:00

a little more...

2009-05-14T23:29:00.001-05:00

2009-05-14T23:27:00.000-05:00

insert happy face here.

2009-05-08T20:35:00.010-05:00

so the broadway tour of RENT is here in dallas. and of course, i had to go. so i got the best ticket available for myself - thank you, third row center. ahhhhh, yes. it was amazing.

i'm just so excited that i can scratch one off my bucket list: see RENT with original cast members!!!

and then... after the show... i waited outside the stage door, you know, just in case...

and who came out and signed autographs? oh, just a few cast members. can you say, "ANTHONY RAPP"?!?!

so hey, another 'list' item can be knocked off the list - MEET a member of the original broadway cast. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes!!

of course, i ended up going back the next night to see it again with my friend aibi. another great show, and something i'll always ALWAYS remember.

I also got to meet nicolette hart (who played maureen) both nights and lexi lawson (who played mimi) after the second show.

don't you LOVE her yellow bag?!?! don't worry, i asked and it's NINE WEST. super cute.

100

2009-04-25T20:27:00.003-05:00

1. Started your own blog - clearly.
2. Slept under the stars - under a tent... but i think it counts.
3. Played in a band - high school marching band... lame, right, engh well i had fun.
4. Visited Hawaii - nope
5. Watched a meteor shower - yes. sitting on my patio at my denton apartment with mikee.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity - what is "more than you can afford"? but i donate when/where i can
7. Been to Disneyland! - heck yes
8. Climbed a mountain - actually... several.
9. Held a Praying Mantis - i don't do bugs
10. Sang a solo -only behind the wheel. in my car. alone.
11. Bungee jumped - nope
12. Visited Paris - yes, but i think i was too young to fully appreciate
13. Watched an amazing lightning storm - i live in texas. they can't be avoided.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch - i'm crafty! so yep!
15. Adopted a child - no, but i did adopt a kitten years ago. he's 18 lbs now. guess it worked out for him.
16. Had food poisoning - nope
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty - not yet
18. Grown your own vegetables - frank, jake and i tried...
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France - yes. it's smaller than you'd think
20. Slept on an overnight train - never
21. Had a pillow fight - yes
22. Hitch hiked - no i'm a wuss
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill - not lately. i miss playing hookie.
24. Built a snow fort - fort, no. snow man, yes.
25. Held a lamb - held? or pet?
26. Gone skinny dipping - negative
27. Ran a Marathon - no
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice - not yet
29. Seen a total eclipse - not that i can remember
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset - i see the sunrise every morning on my drive home from work
31. Hit a home run - nope
32. Been on a cruise - nope
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person - nope
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors - nope
35. Seen an Amish community - nope
36. Taught yourself a new language - pig latin
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied - ha. never.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person - not yet
39. Gone rock climbing - i didn't climb, but i was there when other people climbed. lol.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David - yes
41. Sung karaoke - yeeeeah not my best moment.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt - nope
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant - no
44. Visited Africa - not yet but i want to
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight - beach, no. been on a boat, yet.
46. Been transported in an ambulance - nope, thank goodness
47. Had your portrait painted - no
48. Gone deep sea fishing - nope
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person - not yet
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris - actually yes
51. Gone scuba diving - no
52. Kissed in the rain - no
53. Played in the mud - yes
54. Gone to a drive-in theater - not in yeeeears
55. Been in a movie - home movie... yes
56. Visited the Great Wall of China - nope
57. Started a business - i was a photographer in college
58. Taken a martial arts class - no
59. Visited Russia - nope
60. Served at a soup kitchen - sort of, it wasn't an official soup kitchen, it was a thanksgiving meal for the homeless at a church
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies - BOUGHT them is more my style
62. Gone whale watching -no
63. Got flowers for no reason - they were actually for my roommate...
64. Donated blood - of course
65. Gone sky diving - no
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp - no
67. Bounced a check - engh, personal much
68. Flown in a helicopter - no
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy - yes i still have my ted e. bear
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial - yes
71. Eaten Caviar - yes
72. Pieced a quilt - helped others do it
73. Stood in Times Square - NOT YET! february 2010!
74. Toured the Everglades - no
75. Been fired from a job - no
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London - not yet
77. Broken a bone - no. but i have sprained several ankles and torn an mcl in my knee
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle - no
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person - nope
80. Published a book - nope
81. Visited the Vatican - not yet
82. Bought a brand new car - i'm a used car kind of girl
83. Walked in Jerusalem - not yet
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - yes
85. Read the entire Bible - yes
86. Visited the White House - not inside, but yes
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - eew
88. Had chickenpox - no
89. Saved someone’s life - maybe
90. Sat on a jury - nope
91. Met someone famous - broadway famous, yes!
92. Joined a book club - no
93. Lost a loved one - yep
94. Had a baby - nope
95. Seen the Alamo in person - couple of times
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake - i've seen it, but no swimming thanks
97. Been involved in a law suit - nope
98. Owned a cell phone - it's the 21st century! hello?!
99. Been stung by a bee - no, but i had a wasp in my car that got me
100. Visited Italy - not yet

redefine rocks my socks off

2009-04-22T19:52:00.003-05:00

Edge Fest '09

2009-04-18T15:48:00.001-05:00

My good friend Mike D. is in a band called REDEFINE. They're in the final 10 to be the local band to play at Edge Fest on May 9. PLEASE VOTE for the guys @ http://www.kdge.com/pages/promo/EDGEFEST09/localband.html

(Mike D. is on the far left - he works at the club with Frank and is awesome!)

5 best

2009-02-11T22:16:00.004-06:00

a friend of mine was trying to come up with her five best moments of her life and her five worst. she admitted that coming up with the five worst was a lot easier than the best. being that i'm a realist (and cynic, really) i decided to see if i could come up with my own best moments without just thinking about the worst ones.

five best moments/days (because sometimes it lasts longer than a moment)

1. graduating from the university of north texas, august 2-something, 2006. almost every member of my family was there along with my best friend. i had gold glitter all over the top of my cap and my family was in matching tee-shirts (it's a family tradition, don't ask). the after graudation party was great too--more friends, awesome food and a cake that said "it's about damn time." how could i NOT put it on my list?

2. my aunt lisa's wedding. i was only like ten years old, but i remember that i got to wear a puffy dress and then i danced all night long to the hits of the 80's. (thank you, billy idol and b52's!) that was when i discovered the party girl within... i hate that i tried to suppress that for so long.

3. the first time i was in dc, taking the tour via stretch limo with a bunch of my family members, february 2007. being the nerd i am, seeing the nation's capital was amazing enough. but i was able to frolick on the lawn in front of the capital building with my aunt lisa. that was a good time.

4. elton john concert with mom in vegas, october 2008. i don't really need to say much more. it was elton john. i was with my mom. and we were in vegas. yeah, it's on the list.

5. moving to west village, may 2008. moving in with frank and jake to our place in the west village was like a dream come true. i still love this area more than any other place in texas. and the day when the old apartment was empty and finished and i was an official dallas resident was like coming home. that was a great day.

other great days of note: climbing the eiffle tower, white water rafting in oregon, my 20th birthday, hiking in colorado, seeing RENT for the first time, taking the metro to DC on my own for the first time, my 26th birthday, moving to denton for college, hiking in bosnia, hosting a talent show in college solo, making my first thanksgiving meal without help, going to my first nsync concert with my girl friends, my last day working at THE BANK, the day i got my first car....... there are more. but i felt the need to stop....

have a good night. :)

well alright.

2009-02-10T19:20:00.003-06:00

just for the record: having a stomach virus is a bitch. nothing about it is enjoyable. (except maybe for losing a couple pounds, but even that isn't quite worth it.)

i got back to dallas from midland and all it's dusty-oil-george w.'s hometown-glory on friday night. after a quick night out to catch up with friends and my weekly requirement of tequila, i slept at least 12 hours to recover from the 16 hour days i had when i was on the business trip. when i rolled out of bed, that's when it hit. fever. aches. headache. the whole deal. i didn't eat that day. or sunday, when i tried to go to work... of course, i only lasted a few hours before i gave up and went home.

on my way home from work, i called dad. we'd been playing phone tag for a few days and i figured the 13 minute drive home was the perfect opportunity. so we chatted for a bit. then the conversation went a little something like this:

me: "so, where are you? home? on a trip?"
dad: "well, actually, i'm at my new place."
(PAUSE)
me: "in L.A.?"
dad: "yep, drove the car out, found a place, all moved in."
me: "you moved to california already?"
dad: "yep."

now, he told me he was going to be flying out of LAX starting in the next few months (it's going to be April or May before he officially flys out of L.A.), but i had NO idea he was going to be moving to the west coast during the five days i was in midland. so how does that feel? shitty. he left without a goodbye. he didn't send an email to let me know when he was becoming a california resident. nothing. i wonder that if i hadn't asked... would he have told me? oh, he went on to refuse to give me his new address. said i should use his mom's in grand prairie since that's his "permanent mailing address". WOW.

ON A BRIGHTER NOTE!!!!!!!!!! my birthday celebrations are split into two nights!!

Saturday, Feb. 14th @ 10pm. Station 4 in Dallas. I'll be at Frank's bar--come find me!!
Tuesday, Feb. 17th @ 7pm. Speed Zone in Dallas. We'll be driving, playing, putt-putting, drinkin'--come join the fun!!

I'll update with pics sometime next week - since I'll be on vacation Feb. 13-28! YAY.

new family member

2009-01-25T21:09:00.003-06:00

i'd LOVE to introduce you to the newest member of the family... mom's new puppy...

SKIPPY!

is he not the cutest stinkin' thing you've ever seen?

and he's a lover, not a fighter.

just what mom needed. :)

worky-work

2009-01-25T20:47:00.002-06:00

hello to my blog-readin'-friends! so i have my mildly fun updates to share. last thursday my district manager (selena) came for our monthly store visit. well she told me about some fun "stretch assignments" for me for 2009.
first off, i'm going to be part of the "building the bench" program in the district. basically it's for managers who are secure in their current positions and show the potential to do a lot more in the future. there are meetings, mentoring for others in the district, special assignments, etc. it's a kinda big deal, and i'm pretty honored to be included.
secondly, my assignment for 2009 is over all the "grade 2"s. first here's a breakdown of our core management structure:
1. store manager
2. assistant store manager <----ME :)
3. operations manager, service & training manager
4. pricing associate, merchandise associates <----GRADE 2's
the 11 stores in the district all have between 2-3 of these grade 2's. i'll be responsible for them. for helping to train and develop them, for coming up with classes, conference calls, additional materials that will help them do their jobs.... it's whatever i want to make it, and my dm has high hopes for me.
thirly, i'm going to midland, texas! whooo! just for a week (not a transfer--not to lonely west texas, no ma'am!) with another manager to help train 4 brand-new leaders. it's my first real business trip, and i'm stoked. my only concern is if they have a hotel bar. lol. just kidding.

so yeah, work is going well. it's much better than it was during the holiday season. the other managers are back in the store and i've had TWO four-day weekends this month. what what!

so funny...

2009-01-08T18:41:00.002-06:00

I received this in an email from my Aunt Karen... I thought it was hilarious and wanted to share... Please know that I do respect the office; I do not however, respect the man who holds that office today. (Can't wait 1/20/09!)

The President George W. Bush Library is now in the planning stages and accepting donations.

The Library will include:
1. The Hurricane Katrina Room, which is still under construction.
2. The Alberto Gonzales Room, where you won't be able to remember anything.
3. The Texas Air National Guard Room, where you don't even have to show up.
4. The Walter Reed Hospital Room, where they don't let you in.
5. The Guantanamo Bay Room, where they don't let you out.
6. The Weapons of Mass Destruction Room, which no one has been able to find.
7. The National Debt Room, which is huge and has no ceiling.
8. The Tax Cut Room, with entry only to the wealthy.
9. The Economy Room, which is in the toilet.
10. The Iraq War Room. (After you complete your first visit, they make you go back for a second, third, fourth, and sometimes fifth visit.)
11. The Dick Cheney Room, in the famous undisclosed location, complete with shooting gallery.
12. The Environmental Conservation Room, still empty.
13. The Supreme Gift Shop, where you can buy an election.
14. The Airport Men's Room, where you can meet some of your favorite Republican Senators.
15. The Decider Room, complete with dart board, magic 8-ball, Ouija board, dice, coins, and straws.
Note: The library will feature an electron microscope to help you locate and view the President's accomplishments.

The library will also include many famous Quotes by George W. Bush:
1. 'The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country.'
2. 'If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.'
3. 'Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child.'
4. 'No senior citizen should ever have to choose between prescription drugs and medicine.'
5. 'I believe we are on an irreversible trend toward more freedom and democracy - but that could change.'
6. 'One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'.'
7. 'Verbosity leads to unclear, inarticulate things.'
8. 'I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future.'
9. 'The future will be better tomorrow.'
10. 'We're going to have the best educated American people in the world.'
11. 'One of the great things about books is sometimes there are some fantastic pictures.' (during an education photo-op)
12. 'Illegitimacy is something we should talk about in terms of not having it.'
13. 'We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur.'
14. 'It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it.'
15. 'I stand by all the misstatements that I've made.' - George W. Bush to Sam Donaldson

out with oh-eight

2009-01-03T23:35:00.004-06:00

in honor of the end of 2008, i'm giving you a list of some great top 8's!

8 TV shows I watch:
1. CSI
2. 90210
3. Absolutely Fabulous
4. Will & Grave
5. Friends
6. Sex & The City

8 favorite restaurants (in no special order)
1. Village Burger (American)
2. Uncle Julios (Mexican)
3. Texas Land & Cattle (Steakhouse)
4. Casa Blanca (Mexican)
5. Jake's (American)
6. Ghengis Grill (Mongolian)
7. Maggianos (Italian)
8. Tom Tom (sushi)

8 things that happened yesterday:
1. I bought a new deep freeze.
2. Did laundry.
3. Ate at Ghengis Grill with Frank/Jake.
4. Went to Target and didn't spend money.
5. Enjoyed some Chopin Vodka.
6. Went to Panda's at 3 in the morning with Frank, Onyx, Mike D., Ben, Michelle, Chanel and some other people I don't know.
7. Got a kiss on the cheek from a drag queen.

8 things I'm looking forward to
1. MY BIRTHDAY WEEKEND EXTRAVAGANZA!
2. Vacation to Washington DC
3. Sleeping in my bed tonight (I got new bedding for Christmas and just got around to getting it set up today)
4. Meeting my mom's new puppy, Skippy
5. The other two managers coming back to work after their maturnitity leaves (I'll be working lots of 4-day weeks in January since they'll be back!)
6. Cooking dinner tomorrow (Taco Salad-watch out-tasty!)
7. Finishing reloading my iPod with all the music that I lost when I had to restore the damn thing a week ago.
8. Spending time with my friends (I'm always into that)

8 things I love:
1. Mom & Family - Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins - I have the best
2. My roommates, Frank & Jake
3. Making things pretty
4. A good bartender
5. Long books/series of books
6. Movies that entertain and/or make me think
7. Music that fits exactly into my life like a soundtrack
8. Cheese. No seriously.

8 things I can't stand:
1. Those who are jerks, self-rightous, hypocritical and hateful.
2. Carolyn.
3. When people complain and do nothing to solve the problem.
4. Tuna. The smell. The taste. The texture. Eww.
5. Running late
6. Not having money to do things I'd like to
7. Workloads that require more payroll than what is funded. Ugh.
8. People that don't drive as well as I do.

8 things I think are beautiful
1. Yellow roses
2. Baby animals
3. Sunsets - no matter where; the beach, city, mountains
4. Children laughing - not screaming is always a good thing to see
5. People in love - straight, gay - if everybody would backup and see the love, it's beautiful.
6. The face of a family member after a long time apart
7. Air conditioning in Texas.
8. Kids (especially teenagers) who are learning something

So here's to a FABULOUS 2009. I've got high hopes for this one. :)

wrap up

2009-01-03T23:30:00.004-06:00

so christmas eve didn't turn out the way anybody really hoped/wanted. suffice it to say, divorce is ugly, especially during the holidays. my mom's heart is not the only one that has been destroyed. at any rate, christmas day was great--really special sharing it with mom and grandma in our cutesy matching pj's. christmas night i celebrated with my dallas family and it too was great.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2008-12-24T14:28:00.002-06:00

I'm planning a more detailed blog for tomorrow, hopefully with some pictures... but in the meantime, I wanted to share a radio commercial that has made me laugh every day on the way to work. It's for KISS FM's "pay your bills" thing where you send in your bill and they pick a person and pay the bill. It talks about how times are tough to the tune of "Sants Claus is Coming to Town"... and the best line... here it is... are you ready?...

"Even Santa's had to cut back to one Ho"

I think it's hilarious. Hope you have a nice Christmas Eve everybody.

50 things

2008-11-20T18:52:00.004-06:00

I totally saw this on Melissa's (http://www.melandjoe.com/home/) blog and thought it'd be a fun idea... it's 50 things about me... because I know everybody is interested... haha...

1. i am a 6th generation california girl. west coast is the best coast!

2. i love to do a "fargo" accent... and once i've started, it's hard to stop.

3. broadway musicals are one of my favorite forms of entertainment.

4. my favorite colors are red, pink, yellow, orange... but i'd rather wear black, green, blue, purple.

5. i don't really like diamonds. they don't do anything for me.

6. i was in bosnia during the war. (no really.)

7. if i could live anywhere other than dallas, it'd be washinton, dc.

8. titanic will always be one of my most favorite movies.

9. when i start to read a book, if it's a good one, i'll keep reading and reading until it's over. the longer the book, the better.

10. i think that laughter is the greatest sound, and i happen to think that the women of my family have the BEST laughs.

11. my guilty tv pleasures include the girls next door, 90210 (the old one), ghost hunters, inside the actors studio with james lipton, and old "questions with the prime minister" when it was tony blair.

12. the first concert i went to was the beach boys. the most recent one was elton john.

13. i have my next three tattoos planned.

14. i firmly believe that the best shoes are probably not comfy.

15. my christmas tree is only 4 feet tall... but it has enough decorations/lights to FILL a 7 foot treet.

16. my favorite things to collect are bags, shoes and patron tags.

17. my first job was at the palace of wax where i worked security... but really, i just hung out with the hot maintenance guys.

18. i can't say no to white chocolate.

19. i can still quote almost all of the movie "liar liar" because it's the funniest thing ever.

20. my childhood nickname was monkeyface.

21. i didn't drink alcohol for 7 years. which means that i didn't drink a drop on my 21st birthday. most people i know now find that hard to believe.

22. i was a cheerleader in middle school. i also took dance for years and was on the drill team.

23. when i make business calls, my voice gets really high. i can't help it.

24. my favorite holidays are halloween and new years. my least favorite are valentine's day and thanksgiving.

25. i suffer from road rage. big time.

26. i love history. especially british history.

27. i'd rather be cold than hot.

28. i when i meet someone, i know within the first three minutes if i'll hit it off with them.

29. i can't drink milk out of a plastic cup.

30. i've taken french, spanish and american sign language. i know just enough to know nothing.

31. it bums me out to think about all the people who i don't talk to anymore.

32. i prefer things be at right angles and in straight lines.

33. i'm a democrat.

34. i love cheese. pretty much any kind.

35. my dream vacations include but aren't limited to: london, rome, dublin, tuscany, hawaii, berlin, sydney.

36. i'm a big nerd when the olympics are on. i watch then 24 hours a day.

37. if i have on any shoes that aren't flip flops, i've over 6 feet tall. and i'm okay with that.

38. when i was little i wanted to be a meteorologist. until my math teacher in the 5th grade said that was a bad idea for me. (stupid teacher)

39. i'm kinda musical. (of used to be) clarinet, piano, guitar... and i sing alto. but only in a choir. a big choir. with lots of other people singing too.

40. i won the geography bee in the 4th grade. i'm still proud of that.

41. i love politics. i really love election season. i can't get enough. and i get really worked up about the issues i believe in. (i'm still upset about prop 8.)

42. i've had a lot of pets in my life. birds, cats, dogs, fish. but herbie is the best cat ever.

43. i changed my last name on my 18th birthday.

44. i had braces as a kid. and i slept in headgear. and i had a rapid-pallet-expander in the top of my mouth. all in all: we paid good money for my smilin' face.

45. i love my bed. it's the most comfortable one ever.

46. i love the zoo. it's where i go to think.

47. i don't like to go to northpark mall if i don't have on cute shoes.

48. i love sushi. it's one of my favorite foods.

49. i can bake. i don't do it nearly enough, but i love it and i'm glad my mom taught me how.

50. my "list" includes: leonardo dicaprio, justin timberlake, ewan mcgreggor, matt damon and prince william.

it's done... (warning: wordy)

2008-11-12T14:28:00.004-06:00

well it's official. my dad doesn't live with my mom anymore. by christmas it'll be official: they'll be divorced.

he's living with his mom. she's still in the house. the house i grew up in (for most of my life anyway).

what the hell.

i thought this kind of thing happened with you were younger. too young to know what was going on... when all you cared about was where your toys would be.

but not now. now i'm 27. now i've been in the real world, on my own, all grow-ed up for years now. i've had enough of my own relationships to know that sometimes they don't work out. but my mom and dad...? no, no. especially not now that i can actually see and understand both sides.

my mom is the one who filed. and it was the right decision. i believe that with my whole heart. but i'm a selfish creature. and i'm left with a lot of selfish questions.

what about me? since i agree with my mom, can my dad ever forgive me?
what about holidays? do i have two birthdays, two christmases? my mom always did that stuff, will he even want to?
what about how this effects the way i look at marriage, at love? if the two most amazing people i've ever known can't make it work... how can i?

it is what it is i guess. everybody asks me if i'm okay.

it wasn't my marriage that ended. it was my family.

so no, not really. i'm not okay.

halloween recap

2008-11-08T20:29:00.010-06:00

so the theme for the halloween block party was "fairy tales"... frank's portion of the bar was themed "alice in wonderland". behind the bar was frank: the mad hatter, jeff: weedle dee, james: the white rabbit. who was alice... no one else but ME of course!

the sunday after block party, we went to visit brandon at a new club "sekret". he looked fantastic and it was really good to see him since i don't get to see him at s4 anymore.

on halloween night i was out again... here are some great costumes that i just couldn't resist.

by the way... frank's shirt says "mad hatter this, bitches!" he didn't want to dress up again... so i came up with this idea. it was a big hit, of course.

election '08

2008-11-07T10:13:00.003-06:00

this will be short as i'm on my way out the door to go to work...

THANK YOU AMERICA!!
SEN. BARACK OBAMA WAS THE BEST CHOICE!!
GOOD JOB!!

here's to being a part of history everybody... isn't it great?!

and then it was something different...

2008-11-02T00:52:00.002-05:00

well, things change.

they change in little ways, slowly, over years and years.

sometimes they change in a big way, suddenly, without warning.

and every now and then the little changes add up and they create the big scary changes.

that being said... i'm sad to announce that after 19 years of marriage my parents are splitting up. yep. the big D. the details are complicated... but let the record indicate that i totally support my mom for filling. it's the right thing, it's the necessary thing.

anyway, there it is. i hope that they will both be happy. i hope i'll get a grip on all of this. the tailspin i'm trying to get through is unreal. my thoughts on love, marriage, trust... totally thrown.

that's all i've got to say right now.

mosaic

2008-10-16T21:28:00.003-05:00

the questions below go with each of the pictures in the mosaic.

1. What is your first name?: Melissa
2. What is your favorite food?: Fajitas
3. What school did you go to?: University of North Texas
4. What is your favorite color?: Red
5. Who is your celebrity crush?: Leonardo DiCaprio

6. Favorite drink?: Patron Tequila
7. Dream vacation?: London
8. Favorite dessert?: Apple Pie and Vanilla Ice Cream

9. What you want to be when you grow up?: Happy
10. What do you love most in life?: My Friends

11. One word to describe you?: GoodTimes
12. Your nickname?: Monkey Face

i... totally jacked this from another blog...

2008-10-15T14:19:00.004-05:00

I am: Melissa, Mel, Melis, Monkey Face, Boss-Lady, HCG-ette, Patrona, Herbie's Mom, Nanci's Daughter.

I have: the day off and am enjoying it as much as possible!

I had no idea: how much people can change.

I Know: that i'm very lucky to be who i am and where i am in life.

I Am: taller than most people.

I Think: about work all the time... and it's not rocket science either... it's jeans and t-shirts...

I Want: a new economy, a better president, and world peace.

I Have: gray hair. too much for a girl my age.

I Dislike: bad people, or good people who do very bad things.

I Miss: being a kid.

I Fear: being old and alone.

I Feel: content.

I Smell: soap.

I Crave: laughter.

I Cry: only when i can't avoid it... when i'm sad, when i'm stressed, when i don't see any options in difficult situations.

I Usually: charge my cell phone every single night because i can't function with a dead battery.

I Search: for my keys in the bottom of my purse.

I Wonder: about people i don't talk to any more... erik, jeff, lee, melissa, rachel, kim, george, matt, tyson, jacqui...

I Regret: some of the trust i so willingly gave away.

I Love: my family more than i can explain.

I Care: about what is right and fair.

I Always: return text messages.

I Worry: about what will happen by the end of the year.

I Am Not: able to stand quietly by and watch.

I Remember: everything... except people's names.

I Believe: in myself.

I Dance: for old navy cards at work... it motivates my associates to see me act a fool in public.

I Sing: because deep down i think i can... but i really can't.

I Don't Always: make good decisions.

I Argue: when i'm right... which is usually the case.

I Write: emails, blogs, texts, comments and strongly worded letters.

I Win: ! i'm the winner!

I Lose: my mind when i'm stressed.

I Wish: i had a real house. with a yard.

I Listen: to my mom and frank.

I Don't Understand: people.

I Can Usually Be Found: at old navy #5913... or at station 4... or at home.

I Am Scared: of bugs that crunch.

I Need: more shoes.

I Forget: the little things.

I am: me.

perfect gifts

2008-10-15T14:06:00.003-05:00

editors note: can you tell i'm glad to have my internet back? several posts in one day... i've been saving them up until i could post them!! :)

i HAD to share the fabulous gift ideas i found when i was walking through burlington the other day on my lunch hour (in search of items for my halloween costume)....

if anybody would like me to pick these up, just let me know--i'm all over it--and i have a feeling they're going to be selling fast!!

catching up

2008-10-15T13:45:00.004-05:00

well it's official... we've got internet and television! i feel connected to the world again!! yay!! no more checking email and whatnot via cell phone, which--although convenient when one is on the go--gets old rather quickly.

things have been going well, for the most part. drama going on can't be discussed online as of yet, but will be soon... stay tuned for that!

some fun events of the last month or so... the pride parade! frank and chris and i went and watched a bit of the festivities from woody's bar. it was good times, as usual.

we've gotten totally unpacked, no small task... of course chloe wasn't much help... but she sure is cute.

i had lunch with my all-time best friend becca and her son logan. i can't believe how big and grown up he is!! at any rate, it was a fun lunch. i'm so glad that we're the kind of friends who can just pick up after not seeing each other for awhile and be totally cool together. (thanks becca, i've missed you!)

now we're planning the halloween festivities... the block party is oct. 25 and is THE party in dallas. part of the club is going to be decked out like "alice in wonderland" complete with the mad-hatter's party, decks of cards, all that. and guess who is going to be alice? you guessed it. of course, more updated, with a cute blue dress and hot shoes. i'm totally excited.

but before that is what i'm really looking forward to... LAS VEGAS and the ELTON JOHN CONCERT. there aren't many musicians that i totally love, with so many songs that i know all the words to.... but elton john is one of them. top of my list, i dare say. judge all you want, or choose to be jealous, i'll be in vegas next week with my favorite person in the whole world (mom!) just to see his show. yay!!!!!

moving... oy!

2008-09-19T14:33:00.003-05:00

well we're 95% moved into our new apartment!

i'm still going to be in dallas, just moving down the street a bit to a new place with frank and jake. it's a cute townhouse with hardwood floors downstairs, a living room to die for and we can paint any of the walls and not have to worry about painting them back! i know it sounds silly, but in the world of the perpetual renter... that's a fun amenity. it's very HOUSE feeling inside and we've already met half out neighbors--they're super friendly. one guy is throwing a brunch in the courtyard right outside our front door sunday morning before the dallas pride parade.

i'll have pics up at some point. now i just have to finish getting the last random things moved that the movers didn't take... like my computer... we don't have the internet set up yet at the new place, so i'm stuck to checking email and whatnot from my cell phone for awhile, which is tricky.

i'm officially on "vacation" until next tuesday, so i've got time to get all this junk finished. AND i've got time to enjoy pride weekend. the 2008 alan ross texas freedom parade is sunday at 2pm on cedar springs. i'll be there with some of my favorite peeps.

just wanted to give everybody an update. have a great weekend!

find me everywhere!

2008-09-13T23:45:00.000-05:00

don't understand

2008-09-07T23:19:00.003-05:00

i don't understand people.

people in restaurants.

people in stores.

they're rude. they're selfish. they seem to forget that the person interracting with them is, in fact, another human being.

that human being might be having a bad day. they could have just gotten really bad news. they could be sick. they could be stressed about a loved one. and they're just trying to get through the day.... and then these rude, selfish people show up.

and these rude, selfish people ignore the person in front of them. they speak down to them. they yell, they swear, they argue. and for what?

to get that appetizer comped because they waiter didn't fill the water glass fast enough...

to save the $1.03 on a tee shirt because they didn't read the sign correctly...

what happened to treating people with just a bit of decency?

i don't understand.

i guess it could be worse.

it could be someone you know treating you badly.

a friend, a family member... taking you for granted, using you, hurting you emotionally or even physically, and really just being rude and selfish.

i REALLY don't understand that.

i guess we have to hope that what goes around really does come back around... so they'll get what they deserve in the end...

but in the meantime i still don't understand.

more random pics...

2008-08-31T21:11:00.003-05:00

my VERSACE glasses from sassy... i love them!

paparazzi shot! (i hate when they interrupt a good margarita!)
this one was from my birthday. the one on the bar is james. he's my hot little friend.

this is from 70's/disco night at the club. i especially like sassy, mike d and frank's outfits.

thanks and have a great night!!

women of my family

2008-08-13T21:55:00.008-05:00

they are beautiful.

they are brilliant.

they are strong.

they cry.

the whisper.

they shout.

they defend.

they teach.

they learn.

they laugh... loudly.

they love.

how did i get so lucky to have a family of such amazing women?

It started with a mother and her four daughters...(starting at the upper left, going clockwise)

Lisa, Nanci, Sue, Dolly & Karen

...and the four sisters had some daughters, who try to make their mothers proud...

Kim, Melissa, Kathy & Donna
Brittney

And the NEXT generation has already shown that she's one of us too...

Jessica

i miss you all everyday and wish we were together much more often than we are.

2008-07-31T15:49:00.001-05:00

can't take credit for the idea...but it sounds fun.

Here's how you play

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember.2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory of you. it's actually pretty funny to read the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

yay! have a great start to your weekend! ;)

today

2008-07-26T23:59:00.004-05:00

so it's been quite a week... between being in charge at work while the boss lady is out of town... mom having yet another MAJOR surgery... it's been, well... QUITE a week. suffice it to say that i was looking forward to today for a lot of reasons.

1. NO WORK. my first real day off since...the 15th? what is that? 11 days ago? what the hell? but my day didn't include driving down 183 to irving today. so that's a good day.

2. VISITING MOM in the hospital. surgery went well, and she is doing alright. i was excited to see her doing okay for myself... and not just hearing about it thru the daily telephone report.

3. THE BEST LITTLE ITALIAN PLACE we discovered for dinner. frank and i have been craving good italian food for awhile... so we tried a new spot, bellini's. from the outside, it looks questionable. but then you walk in... and... wow. the food was fantastic, the interior design classic, and i'm not going to complain about the totally cute dish washer i got a glimpse of in the back. oh yes, dinner AND a show.

4. SEEING FREAKING KATHY GRIFFIN with my friends paige! we had seats in the 8th row, center section. it was hi-larious. she's mildly outrageous, isn't afraid to say anything out loud... i LOVE her. it was a great show. she was onstage for almost 2 hours. if only i could forget spilling a drink on the cute bartender in the VIP club before the show... engh, well, it wasn't on purpose, and i wasn't drunk.... so... in the end, the night was really fun fun fun.

the 10 questions

2008-07-19T23:21:00.005-05:00

so one of my most favorite tv shows of all time is bravo's inside the actor's studio with james lipton... he interviews actors and celebrities in a very unique way, leading them thru their lives/careers... at the end of interview, right before he turns it over to the students in the audience for q&a time he asks the same questions.... so i figure just in case i never become famous enough to get on the show... now's my chance.

What is your favorite word?
luscious... the way it sounds, the way it rolls off your tongue, yesss.... luscious...

What is your least favorite word?
moist... in every sense of the word... ugggggg just writing the thing upsets me.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
laughter--loud, slightly obnoxious, turns-the-heads-of-other-people-in-the-room laughter

What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
judgement from others, especially negative judgement

What sound or noise do you love?
leaves blowing in the wind during the fall... or ice cubes in a glass...

What sound or noise do you hate?
the sound of a car not starting. it's more the sound of money that has to be spent on repairs, but when you turn the key, and click click nothing... yeah... noooo!

What is your favorite curse word?
the f bomb. how many words can be a verb, a noun, and adverb and an adjective!?

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
politics... i'd secretly love to be "josh lyman" from the west wing!

What profession would you not like to do?
medicine. i appreciate that others do it, but i don't want that kind of pressure in my life every single day.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
you might know some people here.

for your entertainment

2008-07-09T19:57:00.007-05:00

hey there. i figured it's been awhile since i've put up photos... so here are a few good ones!

so here's me... at work... well, at the grapevine mills store. call it being bored on my lunch hour... and having a good hair day. either way... HEEEEYYYY!

so monday and tuesdays are usually big nights out since s4 is closed and frank and a lot of our friends are off. so here's just another typical night out... here's brandon looking a little crazy, er, maybe just tipsy, and frank @ alexandre's for a karaoke night. oh dear...

and i just ADORE this picture of paige and me from a random night at the club. i've been doing this whole curly-hair thing (embrace my natural curl! YES!) lately and it's actually really cute. YAY.

so there was a toga party a month or so ago, and frank sewed togas for carl, jc and mike d. at doug's store on his commercial machines. well carl and frank found these, um, hats (?) and felt the need for a quick modeling session. that's fierce.

so after my last day at the grapevine mills store, i went out with some of my favorite new ex-coworkers. robin (store manager), jessyka (super associate!), mike (former old navy supervisor and former roommate) and isaac (assistant store manager). i love (3/4 of) them!!!

it's an artform... and i love watching frank work....

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION #1... at trader vic's. here's me (IN A DRESS, watch out!) with jake and frank--both of which had birthdays on june 26th.

-
pretty david and me, still at trader vic's.

annnnnd... pose!

CELEBRATION #2 at brut the champagne boutique and lounge... here i am looking ultra-pasty with sassy.

"i wear my sunglasses at night.........." mike d.

who knew napkins could exemplify stereotypes............. but yeah.... frank, onyx and johnny. love this pic, love these boys.

i know, i know...

2008-07-06T00:20:00.003-05:00

i've totally slacked on the blogging. don't blame me, blame one (or more) of the following.

MOVING to dallas. packing, moving, cleaning the old place, dealing with bills, unpacking... yeah i'm WAY over all that mess. not to mention my former roommate drama... i still have boxes in my room.

PROMOTION at work. after busting my tail for over a year at the grapevine mills old navy, i was promoted to assistant store manager at the irving store. which is fantastic--and kind of impressive since i've only been working in retail for 2.5 years and started as a lowly part-time sales associate. the new store is going to be fabulous... it needs some serious work right now though. and now that i'm an exempt, salaried employee... working 70 hours is the same pay as working 40... goodbye life... byyyyye.... well maybe.

SOCIAL events with my roommates and friends... from the birthday week extravaganza for frank and jake, to the general celebration for the two events listed above... i've been a busy little social butterfly, i must say. lots of great food, drinks, shopping, movies and even a trip to the beach! love it, love it.

Movie Survey

2008-04-17T23:47:00.003-05:00

Favorite movies that make you laugh out loud no matter how many times you have watched them: Liar Liar, Mean Girls

Your favorite "Guilty Pleasure": Center Stage, Cane Toads

Favorite movies you have seen so many times,you can recite all the lines: Top Gun, Lord of the Rings (all three), Titanic

Movies that "Opened your eyes." V for Vendetta, Sicko (really fantastic!)

Most Overrated: The Godfather (um, yeah, just can't get into it. take the marbles out of your mouth, then say your lines... please), Crash (it ends and you feel totally hopeless!)

The last 2 movies you watched: (how about the movies we've rented in the last four weeks... it's what we do...) Alien V. Predator: 2, Sweeny Todd, There Will be Blood, Lions for Lambs, The Mist, I Am Legend, Dan in Real Life, Sleuth, Awake, My Kid Could Paint That, We Own the Night, The Brave One, 30 Days of Night, 13: Games of Death, The Host

Favorite "smart" movies: Pride and Predjudice, Sense and Sensibility

All time favorites: Rent, Love Actually, V for Vendetta, Bridge Jones's Diary, Rudy, Top Gun, Titanic

quickly...

2008-04-14T21:19:00.003-05:00

a short vent-session, a recap of some news, and then off to bed.... because i have to wake up for work at 3:30am.

so while i'm thrilled at all these fabulous internet-based friend-connection little creations (myspace, facebook, blogspot, etc.)............ it kind of bums me out. ok not kinda... it's more like, a lot. the initial excitement of "oh my goodness we were in the 4 grade together and we were BFF!" soon turns in "why aren't we friends anymore?" or "wow, their life seems so much more together than mine" or even worse (the cause of my personal suffering) "i sent you a message/comment and you didn't write back"... BURN. why was i good enough to be your friend x-years ago, but now... not so much...? hmm. in any event. i'm trying to push past all that and embrace it for what it is. entertainment, a way to spend free time... not an an ego buster. so yeah. whew. glad i got that out of my system.

on a better note... i got a promotion at work. i'm now the "logistics manager" at my store. basic store structure is as follows: general manager. then logistics manager and customer experience manager. then customer experience supervisor and logistics supervisor. i went from the bottom of the list to #2. yay. i finally feel like my job description is somewhat fitting for me and my college degree... get excited. but even better news... tomorrow's my last day to work at 4 in the morning. oh sweet goodness, i can have a life again!

just a quick one...

2008-04-03T21:14:00.003-05:00

just wanted to say that i cannot wait until may...

i'm moving to downtown dallas! west village to be exact. right across the street from the magnolia theatre and starbucks. it's the cutest place, with two of my most favorite people. anyway... i can't wait. i'm tempted to start packing now...

and i've got some furniture i won't need anymore (coffee table, end table, bookshelf, couch, chair, extra tv, tv stand, ottoman...) so holla at me if you or someone you know needs some "used college furniture".

have a great weekend kids!

QUOTES!

2008-03-30T14:45:00.003-05:00

so i deleted everything off of my facebook profile... and i just couldn't part with my quotes. so i'm bringing them here to all of you.
enjoy.

"I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're going and hook up with them later." -Mitch Hedberg

"Ya know I really thought I had hit rock bottom, but today it's like there's rock bottom, then 50 feet of crap, then me." -FRIENDS

"That's a negative Ghostrider, the pattern is full." -Top Gun

"But for three years I had roses. And I apologized to no one." -V for Vendetta

"Wake up sisters! There is nooooooo such thang as a weaker sex!" - Liar Liar

"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you too, can become great." -Mark Twain

"Where will all the ribbons go?" - Friends

"I'm so cold." -Titanic

"Its like one mind..." - McDonalds finest, Diego

"Love the new hair. We need to take it out and show it a good time." -Mike Bargsley

"I'm sick of talking to Debbie Downers so you better put on your happy pants or I'm done with you." -Amber Shipman

"Shakespeare is like sex. All your life you hear about how great it is and then the first time you're all like 'this is it?', and you're confused and looking up words... but over time it gets better and better." -Dr. Paul Menzer

"You just have to go after what you want, and if it doesn't want you back, then it doesn't deserve you anyways." -Nicole Richie

"There's only us. There's only this. Forget regret, or life is yours to miss. No other road. No other way. NO DAY BUT TODAY." -RENT

"When I sit next to her all I smell is BITCH." -ANTM

"There are Mormons knocking at the door. Friends of yours?" -Mike, via text message

"What? I live in the hood. The WEST VILLAGE hood. Our gang colors are slate and cornflower." -Frank

"Ooooooooooo! Crack whores are sneaky!!" -Will and Grace

"I'm bleeding and he wants a toy!" -George Lopez

"and WHAT?" -Frank Martinez

(while shaking a glass with ice in the air)
"Oh, I wasn't toasting. I was ordering another drink." -The Upside of Anger

"Maybe you could come down to the kitchen in time to pull my head out of the oven." -The Upside of Anger

"Did you have surgery and not tell me? Because you don't have a heart anymore." -Me

Frank "They're trying to make the Dallas skyline more appealing, trying to increase tourism or something...because that's why people come to Dallas. The skyline."
Mel "No, people come to Dallas because Frank snaps. That's Frank. Yep. He snaps. *snap*"

"You're simple. You're shallow. And you're a common whore. That's why we're soul mates." -Will and Grace

PIC plan and a quick vent session

2008-03-16T22:24:00.003-05:00

tomorrow is the beginning of something new. frank, AKA my P.I.C. (partner in crime) and i are starting a new plan. the biggest change: no alcohol for a month...and no eating out. in addition, we're going to try to eat healthier. that means no soda, no processed junk food...cutting back on bad stuff and counting calories (EEEK!).

we made a trip to whole foods this afternoon to pick up some tasty goodies that will make us feel guilt-free. and can i just tell you... i love that place. everybody should check it out. the food really does TASTE better.

and can i just vent for 1.4 seconds about the lovely work week i had last week? i worked monday, 8:30am-6pm, tuesday 4:30am-6:30pm (*you read those AMs and PMs correctly*), wednesday 7am-4:30pm, thursday 4:30am-6:15pm... all in preparation for a visit with the exec. vice president of our brand........ who got sick and couldn't come... but didn't call us to tell us until almost 6pm visit day (thursday). so yeah. my body still hurts from working those hours... and the guy didn't even show. AGAIN. so after almost 47 hours in that building in four days... it's a GOOD THING i had the weekend off.

so yeah, that's what's going on with me at the moment. hope all is well with everybody in blog-land.

five

2008-03-12T18:52:00.003-05:00

i'm a big fan of surveys. i can't help myslef. although i do believe that almost nobody actually reads them all the way thru... and those who do... well... they probably regret it and wish they could get that time back in their lives... but they can't... so. here i am, stealing away a few moments of your life to fulfill my survey-need for the week. (ahem, cough.)

"pick 5 songs from your music collection and explain why you love them"

5. joni mitchell, "both sides now"... first of all... it's JONI MITCHELL. that alone is enough for her to make my list. this song is a fav because it's so true... i can relate i suppose.

4. meredith brooks, "bitch"... because we are all a bitch... sometimes. it's important to admit it. and work it.

3. ida core, "let me think about it"... i can't help but love it because of the video. that's me in the middle, by the way. ha. enjoy.

2. teri clark, "i wanna do it all"... it's been "my song" since i graduated from college. because i really do want to do it all. and i think i will. uh huh. that's right. AND what.

1. cast of rent, "la vie boheme"... if you know me at all, you know how i feel about the musical RENT. and it shouldn't surprise you that this is my most favorite song.

To days of inspiration

Playing hookey

Making something out of nothing

The need to express

To communicate

To going against the grain

Going insane

Going mad

To loving tension

No pension

To more than one dimension

To starving for attention

Hating convention

Hating pretension

Not to mention of course

Hating dear old mom and dad

To riding your bike

Midday past the three piece suits

To fruits

To no absolutes

To Absolut

To choice

To the Village Voice

To any passing fad

To being an US for once

Instead of a THEM

LA VIE BOHEME...

february recap

2008-03-08T00:39:00.008-06:00

so what makes the month of february great?

it isn't valentines day. (boo hiss, single awareness/hallmark holiday!)
it isn't the whole leap-year-concept. (really? 29 days? randomly? ok, not so random. but still. really?)
no no... it's the 15th. MY BIRTHDAY.

michael, michael and johnny.

it started with a birthday-eve celebration with the regulars... frank, mike, johnny, paige, bryan, michael, patrick, larry... with appearances by ben, david, and onyx. the best part was larry walking around in my 3-inch patent leather RED pumps. yeah, that's hot.

the amazing amber and me, equally amazing.
the next day was fun with mom--mani/pedi time! then to dallas for dinner with frank and mike d. at my favorite little mexican place, manny's. it looks like a house, off 75 and lemon... but they've got the best food. oh my... and ask for martha. she's always our waitress, and she'll treat you right. she even hooked me up with a giant hat and a large group singing happy birthday in spanish. thank goodness the only picture is on a cell phone and isn't online.

roommates reunite!

that night was a fabulous S4 friday night. old roommate jenn and some of her friends came out, as well as amber and her sister. all i know for sure is that as soon as people hear "birthday" they buy you drinks. and some even thought i was 21. (i still got it.)

the ghetto lips. our trademark.
after not drinking for so many years, jenn and i have since made up for lost time. although i showed her that i could hold my alcohol better than she could... it's okay... i'd say we've both come a long way.

lacey! my favorite bar back.
my grand total for my actually birthday night... 10 shots of patrón, 1 margarita on the rocks, 1 buttery nipple shot from my favorite shot boy jamesy. AND WHAT.

frank working. damn paparazzi!

the next day was spent sleeping in and hanging out with frank/jake. then another night out. you see, my goal in taking off so many days for my birthday was that i'd celebrate everynight, thursday-tuesday. and i did it. but it was rough.

jake and i... a la black and and white.
photos from saturday were in black and white, because as we learned... you don't look as tired in black and white as you do in color...

kayne, mitch, jake and i.
while out i met kayne and mitch. (you might remember kayne from project runway season 3.) they're good friends with frank/jake. after feeling sleepy half the night, it was super fun to meet them and get to know some new people.

(clockwise) bryan, me, patrick, michael, johnny, mike.

sunday night was "the regulars" again. this time standing our ground in our favorite spot while we were invaded by the 18+ crowd. usually they don't bother us, but that night was something different. after the 15th or 16th time we saw them wave money in frank's face and yell out their drink order while he was talking to another customer, or maybe it was the way they kept yelling "shot! shot! shot!"... no matter what, it bugged us old folks. so we made faces. and we made comments. and that in itself was entertaining.

dougie and michael... and a guy i don't really know.
monday night was the night out with all the people who work in the service industry and therefore can't play on the weekends. we ended up at HOUSE OF BLUES in the foundation room... a members only area (memberships start at about $2k/year)... that is open on monday nights to nonmember types. my friend michael works at HOB and got us on the list for the night.

in one of the private VIP rooms... had to strike a pose. happy birthday to me.
it was good times. it's the coolest place and had a super chill vibe. everybody that went had a blast. and half the group enjoyed watching someone else be the bartender for the night.

tuesday was shoe shopping with frank and jake. you should see the platform pewter 6 inch pumps i walked out with... oh my... so cute. then it was dinner and a concert with the parents. and yes, the concert was barry manilow. after getting hell from my friends who were going to see jill scott, i actually had a decent time. especially when i broke the news to dad that i have a tattoo... and i've had it since february 2007. the look on his face... priceless.

seven

2008-01-31T17:01:00.000-06:00

THiNGS i LoVe...

7. my cell phone. oh yes. sending out over 2,000 text messages a month. filling up my video and photo memory card. downloading fun new ring tones. i cannot imagine a day without it. it's worth being late to have it with me. thank you, sweet little piece of electronic bliss. you've been with me for 11 years now (well, some version of you... nokia, lg, motorola...) and i wouldn't change a thing.

6. my cat. he's got enough hair for five other animals. but he's adorable. and he's always happy to see me. he cuddles like a dog and comes when you call his name. he's my herbie. herbie the love bug. even if he is a bully to other cats and loves only me. that's part of his charm.

5. flip-flop weather. i love fall and early spring. i even enjoy winter for a couple days each year. but please, oh please, bring on the flip-flop weather.

4. tequila. be it in margarita form (on the rocks or frozen swirl with sangria, no salt) or straight shots of patron (chilled, 7-up back, no salt, no lime). many a great night has started with it and it has never done me wrong... it hasn't hooked up with my friends, stood me up, caused unnecessary drama, forgotten me when it gets married, or made more money than me while doing less work. oh yes. sweet tequila.

3. west village. i haven't been to NYC (yet), but it's still a place i want to live at some point in my life. in the meantime, i'll be spending most of my free time in dallas, thank you. uptown to be more specific. and west village to be even more exact. the shops (banana republic, polo, lucky, borders, the nail bar, and gap), the food (village buger, mi cocina, taco diner, starbucks), the independent-move-loving movie theatre (the magnolia), the free parking garage that lets you park there for days without towing or ticketing you... what more could you want from an area? it helps that my dear friend frank lives across the street, providing a comfortable bed to sleep in on my frequent trips to my favorite little corner of texas... only 22 minutes away from my apartment in l-town.

2. my iPod. what did we do for entertainment before these little beauties were in our lives? music on the go? and movies too? and your favorite photos? and games? hmm. dream come true, i think so. especially when you're waiting for something, like a doctors appointment or an airplane, or a show to start. oh yes, my iPod classic is my hero.

1. my favorite ring. i wear it on my left thumb and it was a gift from my mother. it's nothing very fancy. just a silver ring with the words "to thine own self be true" inscribed on it. it's the days when i forget it that i realize how much it means to me. i poke at it a hundred times a day, and when it's not there, i'm not there.

so it's january

2008-01-27T21:23:00.000-06:00

alright folks. first off, since i've kept up so well with this blog (ahem, cough, cough)... i should probably give a quick recap of the last few months.

first. holiday. RETAIL holiday. oh dear goodness, i'm really just glad it's over. there's something about managing 60 kids (yes, kids, most of our employees are between the ages of 16-21) and dealing with over 5,000 people a day at a "mills" mall that really can drive a person INSANE. and it kind of did. but YAY for plenty of good nights with good people to get me through.

second. new year's. by far, the best one in recent memory. although i do have fond memories of one year involving a lot of buffalo wings and games of uno... any way. i went down to frank/jake's house to get ready. we called a cab to take us to the club and meet up with frank. let me just tell you--cab rides are always entertaining. especially when you can't understand anything the cab driver is saying. so we partied it up at s4 with a thousand of my closest friends. i stayed in my corner, between the dancer cage (*yes you read that right) and the corner of frank's bar. at midnight there were hugs and kisses all around, a phone call to jason and then frank said the sweetest thing. "where you are and who you're with on new year's says a lot about the year you're going to have. i'm really glad we're together tonight. i think it's for a reason. we're friends for a reason." awh.

third. mom's surgery. it went really, really well. kind of a shock considering her medical history. this was number 100 and thank goodness, went off without a hitch. the stress of it was rough, but grandma was in town and dad and i are in a much better place this time around than the last time mom had a major surgery. YAY.

fourth. just good times. i love these people. i love seeing them. i love talking to them. GOOD PEOPLE. GOOD TIMES.

so now you're all caught up

how'd ya like that?! :)

In Thanks...

2007-11-21T11:05:00.000-06:00

i suddenly realized that it's november. perhaps i should have noticed when i paid the rent and wrote "november rent" on the check, but no. it's just now hitting me. it could be that because i've had a couple of really not great thanksgivings that the holiday has become, for lack of a better word, tainted. so i decided awhile back that i'd go ahead and not be thankful on thanksgiving. i'm selfish that day. the other 364 days of the year i try to appreciate all the good in my life and in the world. and so this is a blog of thankfulness... better get it out now or it might get mixed up with all the true thanksgiving-y blogs out there.

thank you mom. birth was rough, i'm sure. and the teen years were rough (no doubt). in the end though i think we've worked out the whole "good relationship" thing and i'm enjoying it. you're fabulous and everyone in the world should have a heart as big as yours.

thank you dad. you didn't have to be there all these years, and you were. where else would i have learned how to be accurate when throwing a baseball? i think we might have gone through the motions of love for a while there, but we've come out on top of it. you are a hero and you have my respect, but biggest of all, I love you.

thank you jason. you once said that you could see a difference in photos of me from when we first hung out to now... that i finally looked like i am happy, relaxed, comfortable in my own skin. that's all from you. i hope you know that my life would suck without you. i love you. i trust you.

thank you family--cousins, aunties, uncles and grandparents. we're a weird bunch; we laugh too loud and cause a scene no matter where we are. that's why i like us. we care enough to embarass the hell out of each other. not to mention the incredible talent and success, the inspiration we provide, and the support that is truly there when needed. and that's good times.

thank you melissa. my bff. the parade, the pictures, the texts, the pokes, the craftiness. you're amazing. thanks, babe.

thank you mike. for being there. for listening. for talking. for laughing. for dancing. for working. you're a great friend. here's to what lies ahead.... you got me? Because "I got you".

thanks thanks and thanks for all the love!!!

Ugh. Update.

2007-11-20T21:15:00.000-06:00

So the MRI wasn't so bad. I actually fell asleep during the test. It was really cold in the room, so they put this big comfy blanket over me, and I had a pillow, and there was music playing.... so I was out. I won't find out results until next Thursday (so long from now), but I did have my first day back to work today. And it went... not good. I felt that the week resting had resulted in some progress being made... and now I feel as though 95% of that progress is gone from walking so much today. I couldn't take the pain pills because they make me a feel out of it, so I just had to wobble around and make faces when it hurt, since swearing is frowned upon when you're on the sales floor. I nearly cried when I couldn't crouch down to put away a sweater near the end of my shift. I had to have one of my associates do it for me. What a waste. My mood is somber, and I'm frustrated by my physical limitations. Not to mention that yesterday was the one year anniversary of my grandfather passing away. And Thanksgiving is Thursday and I hate that holiday (for various reasons). I'm such a downer; I should end this now. Here's to happy thoughts and a better knee...

My Knee Trouble

2007-11-18T22:09:00.000-06:00

Okay, twice in one day. But there's a reason I don't have anything else to do. Last weekend I fell on a slippery floor and sprained my knee. Not a big deal, usually... but since when do I do things that are usual? I have a meniscal tear in my left knee. I've been in a giant brace and on crutches; it's been a good time.

I have an MRI tomorrow and am mildly nervous about the whole thing. While it's been getting better, it's still not good.... and I've been resting and doing NOTHING for a solid week. Worst case, I'll have surgery the week after Thanksgiving, and it'll take about a month to recover. While I'd love a vacation, this is not the time of year for a retail manager to be out of the office. Not to mention that is hurts.... like crazy. And I've been out of the loop for seven days; no work, no friends, no going out. So let's hope the test goes well tomorrow, yeah?

The Giant Brace... that's hot.

Alright...

2007-11-18T11:02:00.001-06:00

So I've already got the whole FaceBook thing going on... and MySpace... but I've decided I need something more conducive to my ramblings and thoughts.

So here it is. Time to blog it up, I suppose. So kick back, relax, and take a read. :)

I'm going to start with a 5 List idea I totally stole from my friend Melissa... so here goes.

5 Things I'm Passionate About

1. My Family

2. Music

3. Literature

4. My Friends

5. Passion for life, the world

Top 5 Things To Do Before I Die

1. Live in New York City or London

2. Go on a safari in Africa

3. Fall in love

4. Write a book

5. Become fluent in French and Italian

5 Things I Often Say

1. "Yeah, ya are!"

2. "HEYYYYY..."

3. "Absolutely."

4. "It's all good!"

5. "No worries!"

5 Books I've Recently Read

(from most recent way back in the day... like 6 months)

1. "Without You" by Anthony Rapp

2. "The Autobiography of Henvy VIII" by Margaret George

3. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by JK Rowling

4. "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown

5. "Choke" byChuck Palahniuk

5 Things I Could Listen to Over and Over

1. My family laughing

2. The "Rent" Soundtrack

3. A great accent--British is best

4. The sound of my friends' voices

5. Rain

5 Things That Attract Me to My Best Friends

1. They think I'm funny

2. They call me

3. They have a great sense of humor

4. They have passion

5. They have some quality/knowledge that I do not

5 Things I've Leaned this Past Year

1. Things happen for a reason

2. I love love love sushi

3. Life is always too short

4. Cable TV doesn't add anything to my life

5. I do not know everything. Really, I don't know anything.

Alrighty, that's all for now. ;)