I'm Putting Myself On A Time-Out

When I was a wee one my parents made sure my brothers and I were comfortable with traveling. We knew that in most hotels there was a bible tucked in the drawer of a nightstand and that continental breakfasts were not all that great but the make your own omelet bars were amazing! We usually wouldn't go very far, just to some surrounding cities to check out what their daily life had to offer. Sometimes we would go to a theme park or go check out a unique hotel. Either way it was the exploration of somewhere new that was the main event.

I owe my love for travel to my parents. I am still intrigued by places I have never been. I have this innate urge to pack up and go! Thankfully Jon and I share the same view on traveling and we try to do it as much as possible. However this year the stars didn't really align for jet setting (read: trips need to be paid for with money). So after I graduate and my time at my internship is up I am going to be taking the month of August off! Granted it's not a vacation with white sand beaches, or tropical drinks or...ok I am getting off track right now. 

But I will look at this time as a chance to do things that I really want to do. I have not had a chance to do this in so long, scratch that...ever. I am actually really excited to take the time off before starting my new job in September. So, no, I won't have to pack for this little time away but it's something new I have never experienced and that is part of what I love about traveling. It's kinda like that really cheesy song, "I've been to paradise, but I've never been to me".

Hurdles

Today at five o'clock I will be turning in my final paper...ever. So many "lasts" this year, as far as school is concerned. But I feel like I need to commemorate all of them. It's been such a long road, so turning in my last paper, well its huge.

As you guys know (especially you guys following me on twitter), I have been working away on this paper for the last three weeks. This was the last major hurdle I had to jump towards graduating, it's really just a matter of showing up to class now. Right after I hit "save" on Sunday morning it was this huge feeling of relief but then a huge feeling of "now what?", which was nice for about ten minutes and then it became a little overwhelming. For the last 7 years (the time I have been in college)I have always had deadlines for papers and dates for tests bouncing around in my head, preventing me from totally relaxing, from staying up that extra hour, or heading out of town spontaneously. And before that I had the strict rules/schedule of dance team in high school occupying my time. And now I don't have to worry about any of that-which is so very nice but equally as weird.

Technically I need to wait for the paper to be reviewed (and passed!) by the panel of professors that will read it. So I am not totally out of the dark yet (ok now I am worried I just jinxed myself). But for now it is out of my hands.

And even though my internship doesn't end until May 15 and I don't graduate until June 12 I still have a nice list of things I can't wait to do now that I am a non-homework doing person:
1.Learn a new language or two on my Nintendo DS
2. Exercise for consecutive days in a row
3. Leisurely read magazines
4. Watch a movie randomly on a week night
5. Try new recipes
6.Go on more walks with Frankie
7. Hang out with my friends on the weekends

The possibilities are endless!! Ok, maybe not endless but exciting still!
What did you devote your time to when you no longer had to worry about school?

Blog Swap

Hey all! Yesterday was the 20 something bloggers "blog swap". As you saw yesterday, Justin was holding down the fort here yesterday and I was at his site. For those of you that didn't get a chance to head over there I have reposted my guest post below.Let me know what you think!

Hi everyone! I have been selected to be Justin's "official blog swap partner" (just so you know that title is best read with an echo). My name is Sarah and I am from Sensibly Sassy . I have been blogging for almost two years (my blogoversary is in August...send champagne). And in these two years I have experienced so many wonderful effects of blogging. I have made friends that I intend on keeping for a long while which is something I never really expected blogging to bring me.

I get asked "Why do you blog?" or "Why do people blog?" or "Why would anyone want to read your blog?" (ouch). And really I have to say that if you don't "get" blogging now, you probably won't get it after hearing my explanation. Sounds snarky but it is true. Only other bloggers understand why you are taking a picture of yourself in the dentist chair, or scribbling an idea on a napkin or if you are stoked (yes, I am from California, how did you know?) when something goofy and un-expected pops into your day-it's because you have that urge to share your life with the public and (hopefully) there are people out there that want to hear about it. For me, reading blogs is a lot like reading a live action book, with pictures if you are lucky! The most ordinary of lives has about a million twists and turns that are worthy of sharing and thankfully blogging makes that possible.
Lately I have noticed that blogging seems to have gone into somewhat of a lull. now it might must be the folks I have in my reader but updates are somewhat sparse and (gulp) some of my favorite bloggers are closing up shop all together. It makes me wonder if this world of blogging has possibly jumped the shark? I mean I know that all trends come and go but I kinda thought blogging was different. I mean we are writing about our lives people not just wearing ill fitting stretch pants for a season.

But with the advent of twitter and Tumblr I think that people might be ok with a brief update of their life instead of a whole post. And honestly, it is a lot more freeing to update your twitter with "just realized I had $20 in my pocket-Score!" instead of writing a post about your run of luck as of late. I get it. Heck I even twitter...tweet? But what I do worry about is when Twitter and Tumblr fall out of favor...then what? Does that human connection move to some other quicker means of expression? (Twitter of the future: Two character limit-updates = Q! ).

Maybe it's just me...but I would love to know some stuff about you now, why do you blog/read blogs? And do you think blogging is falling out of favor?

A Deviation Above the Standard: Scrubs

Below you will find the logorrhea of a blogger known as "Oats", from the blog The Freshest Oat. I have swapped blogs with Sarah today, so while you can find my blog here you will be able to find her blog at the aforementioned site. I have been blogging since around 2005 but made the transition to blogger only recently. The following blog was, in part, inspired by Sarah's blog "I Don't Want No Scrubs," and also by the fact that they make comfortable pajamas.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Nothing describes the atypical workday of someone in the medical sciences better than a pair of scrubs. A deviation above the standard, these exclusive polyester/cotton blended lightweight semi-permeable HealthCare stamped pants and t-top fit almost everyone. With a tie-it-yourself waist belt and pockets on both sides, one can be sure to never put their scrubs on inside out! Brilliance! What could possibly be better?

I'm glad you asked. But before I address this, we must go back a little - a brief history, a manic episode, a leather jacket, a sewing machine named "Marla," and an appetite for destruction. It all started with a girl. It often does. It - a pronoun in most cases, occasionally a noun as in when playing a game and someone is 'it' - often finds itself starting with a person, and that person more often than not from the frame of reference of a guy, just so happens to be a girl. But on this occasion there was no romance, no love interest, no sex, no kissing, no sharing drinks, well... yes, there was sharing drinks, but only as would be shared by friends or mates. This girl was the connection. The hookup. The best singer you've ever seen stand up in front of the karaoke crowd and belt out Proud Mary fatter than Tina's hair blowing the crowd to smithereens and leaving nothing left to be upstaged by. Free drinks were on the DJ, we said cheers, tilt head back and gone.
She always wore a wig when she debuted her latest song. Not because she had to, but because she was absolutely crazy, dirt poor, but owned several fabulous high-quality wigs. Tonight she wears black. I showed up looking like Tyler Durden with a jacket I picked up thrift from the late seventies made of strips of leather haphazardly sewn together with a broad V-stitch. We both cake on eyeliner and get ready to do some serious damage to the next crowd. She was going to hit it off with Proud Mary again while I was going to warm up the crowd with some Britney Spears - Baby One More Time. The lights shone down on my face and the mic, and I left it in the stand. I dragged it around like a ragdoll and screamed out the lyrics and then melodically justifying them. Jaws were dropping left and right when the DJ named me "Jackass Justin" and would continue to call me that for the next year or so that I was around. Proud Mary held her own and Jennaweave got more free shots for our table. These would add to our collection of free drinks as we were infamous for smuggling cans of PBR in purses and pockets.

This was the beginning of and endless stretch of nights out, Wednesday night MJQ - the Drunken Unicorn, Thursday night Karaoke at that dive in Decatur - Trackside, Friday Night free PBR at Azul, Saturday karaoke at Mary's (Maryoke), Sunday night Reggae at the Five Spot, Monday Night Specials at Famous, and Tuesday night I took off for my liver to recuperate, but sleep I did not. This was the schedule I held while attending graduate school sleeping approximately 3 hours a night in order to compensate for homework and research, etc. I didn't need more than the three hours. I was regularly caffeinated and soon to be learning isolations in the lab. It was around that time when I got to aid in a liver transplant surgery, where I obtained and absconded with a pair of hospital scrubs to work in for such procedures as isolations.

After the isolations, which took much longer than expected, I decided to go directly out. "I really hope you're not on your way to work" comment got old really quickly as I pounded pitchers of cheap beer and made my way home. It was a day much later that I decided on the ultimate fate of my scrubs. They would become a relic - an icon to all the waitstaff hipsters nosing up on the grad student status I held. I took out my knife and brutally severed the sleeves. I then took shears and made two slices up the back and then pulled out Marla and sewed in the broadest stitch possible up the back. Tailoring the top so that it fits my form and cutting off the sleeves to give it the Southern look as well as show off my perplexedly toned biceps on my pathetically small frame.

A late night in the lab and I headed out to the Flat Iron in my long leather jacket wearing my tailored scrubs underneath. Ready for anything I shed the jacket leaving "Property of Emory Healthcare" stamped across my whole body. My arms exposed I ordered a PBR. It cost two dollars. Then, as we prepared to walk across to Mary's we caked on some eyeliner and someone commented on my appearance in a surprisingly positive way. Conclusion, nothing beats the comfort, versatility, and sheer awesomeness of tailored scrubs. I sang some more Britney that night, the crowd went wild and I had to explain to about 40 guys that despite the get-up, I'm actually straight and just really like karaoke. Doctors would later attribute this chaos to mania. I agree. But what they can't do is deny the fact that the ideas in my head have painted pictures, structured designs, and altered patterns that have brilliance both in terms of ingenuity and luminosity written all over them. That's right, I can light things up just by thinking about them. Wait, maybe not.

Someone please make it stop. I belted out Meat Loaf's "I'd do Anything for Love" for another girl who I'd eventually marry. The faces melted as my voice resonated that song you'd never expect to hear on a Thursday night at Trackside, a hipster hang-out. I brought some to tears as I was given my free round of shots and followed it up with a few more PBRs. Someone please, please make this stop. It's time. It's time to sleep.

The microphone has been unplugged.
Put the wig back in the box.
Dust collects as a smile forms around the left side of my mouth.
A lifestyle abandoned but never forgotten.
A lifestyle defined by tailored blue poly/cotton scrubs.

Puppy Love

It's been only two months since Frank has been living with Jon and I but it feels as though he has always been with us. I have to admit, although it probably isn't' a surprise to anyone, but I am so in love with our "little" puppy boy.

He puts things in perspective for me. Like after a long day when I am too tired to see straight, he reminds me that regardless of what is happening the important things are health, love, and happiness. It's just that simple but really easy to forget.

Frank has a way of attracting nice people to Jon and I . Many people stop to pet him (or in some cases take pictures of him) and everyone we have encountered has been so kind. It is such a pleasant surprise to encounter so many genuinely nice people. It's something that I think has seriously improved my mood.

Having a dog has had positive affects on Jon and I as a couple. We both dote on this little guy as though our lives depended on it. And when Frank got with cherry eye or when he had an allergic reaction we banded together to make him feel better. It's such a great feeling to take care of Frank together.

I have gotten slightly rigid over the course of this last year as a result of well a lot of stuff. But since having Frank I think I am allowing myself to soften up and be goofy more and just be happy because, again, health, love, and happiness are the only things that matter at the end of the day.

Some might think I am exaggerating a bit because some might say he is "just a dog". But that is okay for you to think that, I think otherwise and I am so glad I do. I think animals are healing for so many people, in ways we hardly even realize.

The month of April marks the 143 anniversary of Henry Bergh noticing the cruel treatment of a horse pulling a cart of coal. It was Henry's concern for that single horse which led to the "Declaration of the Rights of Animals" which evolved into the ASPCA as we know it today!

So tell me, what part do animals play in your life?

oh My Goodness, I've Been Domesticated

This weekend was the first where I felt that my entire head was not filled with snot and the weather didn't think it was still winter. What a perfect combination for....Studying?!  Even though the planets were aligned for BBQ's and pool parties I had some big girl stuff to take care of. Specifically my final 20 page paper that is due in 9 days. But here is the catch, my school sends to prompt 18 days before it is due, you write like a mad-woman and then turn it in...and this is the paper that shows the school if you are ready to graduate or not....yeah, I KNOW!

So Friday afternoon and evening I hunkered down and cranked out many pages of smartness and edited some not so smart parts. 

Saturday morning I thought it would be good to step away from the computer so Jon and I could take Frank to a bulldog meet up in San Francisco.  At first Frankie was a little perplexed by all of the sand.

But then as he saw some more of his breed mates he began to loosen up, and well...get his groove on. Don't you think four months is a little young for a first kiss?

It made me so deliriously happy to see Frankie frolicking in the water with is friends. Mine and Jon's hearts just melted.

After all of the morning excitement from the beach Jon and I dropped the little guy off for a nap and we headed to Trader Joe's where I bought a couple of bunches of daffodils.  Over night they go from this:

To this:

Gosh I love Spring. Afterwards we headed to the open house at Frank Shamrock's MMA fighting school to support my brother Richard. Okay, full disclosure I have a crush on Mr. Shamrock. My whole family knows this so when Ricky saw us arrive he marched me over to Frank and introduced me and I proceeded to act like a complete goofball. It felt so weird to be nervous because I seriously never get nervous. (I can remember three times in my life when I have been truly nervous: 1. College graduation 2. going to pick up Frankie from the breeder 3. Meeting Frank Shamrock). So after I thoroughly embarrassed myself Richard asked Frank if he would sign a poster for me. Oh gosh, more silliness followed.

Here I am with my wearing my Shamrock shirt with my signed poster (which I hung at the pack of my closet). Richard if you show this to Frank I swear I will try my best to beat you up!

After one crazy Saturday I hunkered down and...you guessed it, worked on my paper some more.

Sunday morning I woke up early to go skydiving, no not really, I worked on my paper some more-just wanted to throw that in there to see if you were listening. After a couple hours of working hard on my paper we went to Target, sigh, Target. And got some cool stuff.

I didn't really get anything all that exciting but I cannot tell you how giddy I was over the fact that we got a new vacuum and a new edition of Real Simple Magazine. I know, what the heck, right?! I told Jon that if I would have gotten a new vacuum two years ago I would have not batted an eyelash. But NOW, I am practically doing the running man out of Target. In all fairness we really needed a new vacuum, I would hear the neighbors vacuum and I got jealous, yes really.

So my weekend wasn't anything all that crazy but it really hit the spot. How was yours?

Sassy Sidenote: Strike A Pose

I was tagged by the lovely Jimaie for a fun photo challenge of sorts. 

The Rules:

Take a picture of yourself right now.

No primping or preparing.

Just snap a picture.

Load the picture onto your blog.

Tag some people to  play along.

So here I am in my pj's talking on the phone to my mama.

Alrighty and here are the ladies I am tagging!

Little Miss Alf from I Shot A Man In Reno

Steph from Those Corwins

Elizabeth from Oink

Desiree from Sarcastic, Funny, and Brutally Honest

Shannon from Love, Shannon

Thanks for tagging me Jimaie!

I Don't Want No Scrubs

The word intern is deceptive because to me it sounds like a neat concept. I mean other than the whole Monica Lewinsky debocle, being an intern sounds fun, no?

I mean on Scrubs they were all best friends dealing with the ups and downs of hospital life but it sure looks like they had fun. And hello, they got to wear scrubs.

I am sad to report that being an intern is nothing like Scrubs, in fact I dont' even get to wear scrubs, which I am sure would make a difference because those things look comfortable. But just to clarify, working for little to no money for long hours is not as giggly and jovial as it looks on the tv.

While I love working with the clients, the paper work is enough to do me in. Seriously I have been consistantly sick for the last couple months and  I think it is because I am not only burning the candle at both ends but taking the wax that drips off of said candle, making a baby candle  with it and proceeding to burn both ends of that candle...harumph.

I was wondering if I should blog about just how exhausted I am because no one wants to read my complaining. But then I figured that this blog is a way for me to keep tabs on what I was doing in my life. So yes, it's important that I document that being an intern is no fun, not even for people that read this blog. 

I just feel so out of the loop of life. I don't have time to hang out with friends, or blog, or even twitter. Jon told me that Jessica Simpson got dropped from her record label...JON TOLD ME THIS-I am usually in the know about celebrities. After he informed me of J.Simpson's bad news he said "Wow you really don't have time for much else do you?" And then he tried to tell me that while I was slaving away Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears got back together and got married, I may be busy but I am not dumb. ha.

So anyway, I am so tired. I can't remember ever being so over worked and under paid. I am just silently reminding myself that come June I will be a graduate with a master's degree and a bright future which doesn't include my current internship. 

Where The Heart Is

(L to R: my brother Richard, my cousin cassie, me, my cousin Amanda, and my brother Jimbo).

There is nothing like being with family. I mean regardless of all the craziness going on in my life or theirs, we have each other. There is just this peaceful feeling being around the people who have known you through so many ups and downs and have loved you despite it all and really, because of it all. 

It's a feeling I always know exists, but it is pushed into the forefront of my mind when we are lucky enough to all be in the same area at once. These are the people that I have introduced my imaginary friends to as a youngster, have cleaned numerous skinned knees and helped mend broken hearts, seen swim in Nani and Papa's pool in itty bitty swimsuits, and have seen them grow from the cutest little kids to the awesome people they are today. And then if you factor in the family we have adopted by way of boyfriends, girlfriends and best friends I feel so darn lucky. And while sometimes it feels as though it is easier to spot the things in life that make you cranky, sometimes it feels so nice to call attention to the things that make you feel so thankful.

What gives you this feeling?

Sassy Sidenote: Happy Easter!

Love, Frankie

Sleep Tight

Good morning

I am writing you this from 3 am and have been awake for two hours because a pesky sore throat & congestion is tormenting me at the moment.  Yes...I am sick again, swell.

I just walked into our bedroom and told Jon that I have been up for two hours and I can't sleep.

He replies with: "oh no" lays head back on pillow.

I angrily reply: "Thanks a lot" even Frankie had the courtesy to raise his head to see what I was doing awake at this hour.

"I was thinking!", he angrily replied.

"About what?!"

"You just need to tell your clients to stop using your services, don't you have someone that does the same thing as you that you can call for stuff like this?"

"what are you talking about? I have a sore throat and I can't sleep!"

"I thought you were talking about how you wanted them to use your services"

"You are not making any sense Jon."

"but the clients and the services!"

"Stop talking you are being of no help"

I know he is totally asleep but I have never wanted to simultaneously laugh hysterically at someone/punch them in the face as I do now.

Sweet dreams Jon 

Recent Developments

1. Frankie likes the show "View From The Bay". He sat there watching it for about five minutes.

2. Last Saturday I had Tapas for the first time with my bestest friends in the whole world.  Um, I look a little freaky in this picture, like I am not really their friend but I just hopped in the picture.

Let's try this again

That's better.

Oh and Tapas and sangria is a meal taken from the dining room in heaven.

3. On Wednesday Me, Steph, my friend Elizabeth and her sister in law Sarah  went to Heather Armstrong's (Dooce) signing for her new book, "It Sucked and Then I Cried", and it was awesome and then I smiled.

Here is an incredibly blurry photo of her speaking.

As we waited in line to meet Heather, (we are on a first name basis now fyi) I noticed how beautiful Steph's ring is. I then made her pose for numerous shots of her ring. Me likey!

And then it was our turn to see Heather. She was so nice and we even got a picture together! I kinda look like a muppet in this picture, I attribute it to how star struck I was and that I was squatting next to her.

4.Frankie went to the vet today for his last set of shots, which means he is a big boy now. While we were in the waiting room a German Shepard walked in and Frankie got so excited and wanted to play sooo bad. I had to hold him back because the dog's owner didn't know what was wrong with him so she thought they shouldn't kiss etc. But Frankie didn't understand so he continued to dance at the end of the leash busting out moves from 1992. He looked like a fly girl. Right now I am on the floor and he is on the couch and he just put his face on my shoulder. sigh :(

oh and he also pooped out half a poker chip this morning. I told Jon and he asked me to save the chip for him to see and then he asked me what color it was.