If You Are Happy And You Know It, Write A Blog

Happiness Is:

-Getting back on my feet with a healthy lifestyle and being kind to myself when I stumble

-bringing home arms full of books, cds and movies from the library. Woohoo

-soy chai lattes

-scarf swaps (I know, I know I am late on this one)

-a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on, a laugh to share.

-working hard for things that are worth it

-bulldog snores and welcome home butt shakes

-Friendships that start before meeting. The internet is a glorious thing.

-a phone conversation with your oldest friend that makes you remember exactly why you have been friends for so long. (not that you ever needed a reason)

-knowing that spring is just around the corner and in some ways already here.

-Appreciating that it really is "the little things" that make life exciting

-Realizing that your siblings are old enough to carry on conversations in which we can have differing opinions...and the conversation won't end with "I'm telling!"

-Indulging in a nap when a nap is oh so necessary.

-having someone that gets your jokes even when they aren't funny-but laughs anyway.

-A cup of tea in the morning while catching up on blogs.

What makes you happy?

Whatever Happened to Predictability?

Friday night Jon told me that free tickets to the King Tut exhibit in SF were being given away on Sat morning. Being a huge fan of "free" and history I was in! However, when we showed up to claim our free tickets we soon found out that the rest of San Francisco showed up as well; there was a 2.5 hour line for said tickets. Since I had to go to work later in the day we ditched the line and went to see the famous Painted Ladies of San Francisco instead.

You might recognize the Painted Ladies from the opening credits of Full House (around the 1:21 mark.)

Many streets in San Francisco are steep which can prove difficult when parallel parking a manual car; hence the celebratory picture.

So here I am with the Painted Ladies, I was probably more excited about this than I should be. But I will be honest, I have a special place in my heart for some Full House.
And here is the official Full House...house.
The park across from the homes was pretty in its own right. It was a pretty foggy morning so it looked kinda magical.

Have you ever visited a tv/movie location?

Pin Prick And Pachelbel

Have you guys heard of Groupon? Well its a really cool site where local businesses sign up on it and offer great discounts to people like myself. A month or so ago I saw a Groupon for acupuncture, normally a visit that would cost $100 was going for only $20. Now that is a deal I could get behind! I had never had acupuncture but with my pretty constant back pain, I was game for any new way to deal with it.

I had my acupuncture appointment today and was greeted by very friendly office staff and a plethora of Chinese decoration (big vases and screens etc). A pretty peaceful surrounding I must say. After filling out some paperwork my acupuncturist (a spunky blonde woman) led me back to a room with a beautiful mural. She asked me some questions about my pain and how long I have had it.

Her: Your symptoms seem to be typical for someone with torn discs...you are just so much younger than any of the other people I have seen with it hahah! I mean usually they are in their 50's and up.

(yeah, she laughed at her statement, I think I missed the funny part of what she was saying-nervous laughter maybe?)

She tapped those little needles in my back and it didn't hurt really at all. She asked me how my back got to this stage. I then explained to her that I think it was all my years of dancing.

Her: Oh so like a cheerleader in high school or something?

Me: Oh no, I was on a dance team in high school.

Her: Like a song girl then, my daughter was a song girl.

Me: um nope, we were a competitive team. We went all around the country, won nationals... (at this point I felt like one of those former quarterbacks that peaked in high school so I stopped talking, cause uh, I think she got it).

She then put a heat lamp on my back with the needles still in and turned off the light. Oh I was so comfortable as those little needles heated up in my back-now there is a sentence I never thought I would write. I settled in for my half hour relaxation moment when I recognized the piece of music that was playing, Pachelbel Canon in D (with waves in the background) This song makes me think of flower girls and bridesmaids walking down the aisle because it is often used in so many weddings.

I imagined a pretend little wedding party walking across a beach (because of the wave machine in the background) to an alter. Very sweet. (You may ask why I didn't imagine my own wedding-well that is simply because I don't see us getting married on the beach is all).

I was totally relaxed and then the music ended...and then the same piece of music came back on. And then it ended. And then came back on. For the entire time I was relaxing. Let me tell you this, every detail of my imaginary wedding was taken care of when she came back to take out the needles (beach wedding at sunset, the colors were yellow and pale green, so forth and so on). Other than Pachelbel on replay snafu, I really enjoyed acupuncture!

So tell me this, have you ever had acupuncture? Better yet, did you play Pachelbel Canon in D at your wedding?

Grumble, Grumble, Grumble

I've got some beef with the Olympics. I know they haven't even been on for a whole week yet. Technically it all started during the summer Olympics in Beijing. Ever since I was a wee Sass I have loved watching the Olympics. During the Beijing Olympics I was thrilled to watch my favorite events; gymnastics, swimming, track etc.

Well on the night that gymnastics was supposed to air I sat in front of the tv eagerly awaiting the competition, this was 7 pm. After thirty minutes of waiting for the event Bob Costas appears on my screen and says "Women's gymnastics up next". Well when I hear next I think that it will be on after what is currently on. Nope. Bob Costas keeps poking his head on my television telling me that women's gymnastics is on soon, don't you worry etc. In the meanwhile I watch badmitton, beach volley ball and diving and all of my non-west coast friends on twitter are regaling with delight the performances of the women's gymnastics team. Long story short, women's gymnastics aired somewhere around 11:30pm for the west coast.

And I blame Bob Costas for blowing smoke at the west coast viewers. I know, he is just doing his job, his kids need braces, as Jon says. But don't tell me something will be on in the next half hour and leave me sitting there for three hours. As you can see I have not truly "let it go" just yet.

Last Friday, in a frustrating moment of deja vu I saw on twitter that the opening ceremonies were already playing on the east coast...even though I live on the same coast that the Olympics are being held. How does that make sense? And now that competing has started I find out from some news source who wins what hours before it gets to my tv because of this cockamamie programming.

blah blah blah first world problems I know. But it still irks me.

And on a more serious tone, I must talk about how disappointed I am in the reporting that has been covering that poor athlete that lost his life before the games started. I don't think it was necessary to show stills and video of his body flailing through the air. I mean first off, they were showing this footage during hours when kids were up and well, its not something that most adults should see either. I dunno I guess I just got upset that reporting went for sensationalism instead of caring about their audience. I mean, they could have reported the story just fine without the footage. harumph.

End Rant.

Valentine's Day 2010

As you may or may not remember last year's Valentine's day was the best ever! But Jon sure tried to top it. Since it was our "fam-aversary" we did something all together in the first part of the day so we packed up and headed to the beach again. I think that is our new thing, the beach in the morning, even when it is foggy, is so beautiful.

Frank doesn't have anywhere to dig around our place (thank goodness!) so when he realized that his paws could move the sand around he was pleased as punch.

Something tells me he had a good time too.

The day before Jon picked out and bought me this little number.

I am really not used to wearing such flashy dresses like this, but maybe I should, because it was really fun! And my date didn't look too shabs either.

Look how cute the restaurant was, it was French, ooh lala!

I was a happy camper!

After a dinner that left the threads on my dress working harder than ever because there was not any French food on our table that I didn't eat, we walked around the outdoor mall and took this little photo in a huge mirror in z gallerie.

And then we went home and got into some good ole sweats. And then I asked/strongly suggested Jon watch this because I think it is so darn sweet.

How was your V-day?

P.S. A winner has been picked for the Skin ID lotion...is it you?

FYI: 25 Is Followed by 26

Yesterday I forced myself to take it easy since I don't want to parlay this cold into full blown, stick around for months type of sickness. So when I get free time my mind wanders big time. So I was laying on the couch and I thought "my birthday this year will have to be big since I will be turning 25 after all, that is a big number" and then I literally shook my head to try and clear cobwebs and thought "no no no, you are already 25, which means you will be 26 this summer".

And then I sat there dumbfounded. And then I did the math. If I was born in 1984 that would mean I am 25, which means I am turning 26. Wait, no. So I instant messaged Jon and said "how old am I?"

To which he replied: 25

me: thank you, gosh that scared me.

Jon: What prompted that?

Me: Well I was thinking about how to celebrate my 25th birthday this summer. And then I remembered I was already 25.

Jon: Oh geez

Me: So that means I will be 26. And then I got confused. So I checked with you for confirmation. Surely that cannot be right. THAT CANNOT BE RIGHT.

Jon: Sorry to break it to you but it can and will be right.

Me: SO I AM ALMOST 30?!

Jon: Not really

Me: I AM HALF WAY TO FIFTY AND I DIDN'T REALIZE IT!

Jon: I know babe.

End Scene

Now I know I am not old and neither is thirty, heck neither is fifty. I don't really care what age I am, I am thankful for whatever number I am. But I think the part of me that freaked out was because I totally forgot that I was 25 and then somehow was surprised that 26 followed 25.

I am so odd. Maybe this is why I stay so busy, because time by myself is obviously too much to comprehend.

Oh and on a totally unrelated note, go check out my lotion giveaway! Go ahead, Go!

Sassy Sidenote: Cough Cough Sneeze Sneeze

Jon gave me his cold. I really thought I could sneak out of this unscathed. However, I woke up one night feeling hot breath on my face, I opened my eyes, expecting to see Frank but instead saw Jon in a hazy sleep breathing all over me. I knew it was just a matter of time before I would be sick. Interestingly enough, the next morning I woke up all snotty with a scratchy throat.

Cute right?

I was really starting to get smug that I was able to evade winter germs. So much for smug huh? Oh well, it was bound to happen, lets just hope that whatever it is doesn't stay long. Have you been able to avoid getting sick or are in the same boat as me? How do you avoid getting your significant others germs?

ooh ooh, and to make this post worth your time, click here to enter a contest on my review blog for some awesome lotion!

Dislike

I know that many people are jazzed about Facebook, I'm not one of them. I don't really have a problem with the actual website per se. Sure, being "hit in the face with a pillow", "given a virtual martini" and being sent a "sparkling gold heart of purity" is all well and good. But sometimes I feel like it makes people feel a little brazen with their updates and opinions.

This morning I was checking all of my friends status updates when I stumbled upon one of my acquaintances from high school belly aching and saying disparaging things about gay people in the military. It made my stomach turn, I understand we all have different opinions but the negative things he was saying made me sick.

This was compounded by the fact that not one week ago another former high school acquaintance was ranting about how Americans are donating money to Haiti. Really? You are going to get mad about that? Ugh, not what I had anticipated seeing. I just feel that Facebook is more of a place for lighthearted fun and contact between people.

You might be finding me to be a bit hypocritical, after all I am a blogger and putting opinions out there for all to see is kinda what I do. Well you have a point. I just haven't noticed such a frivolous posting of thoughts and opinions on blogs. Sure, there are bloggers that have had opinions I disagree with but I have not been offended by their opinion. Is this making sense? I believe that all are entitled to an opinion, obviously. But I don't think that you should feel as though just because you have that right means that you can be careless or rude with it. Believe it or not there are plenty of ways to disagree respectfully.

Is this what Facebook is for? Because I was pretty sure that it was for sharing pictures, wishing others Happy Birthday, and keeping in touch with people. But this brash anger really turns me off to the whole site. I mean if these people feel so strongly about their updates they should put some thought behind what they write and get a blog...naturally.

Have you ever had a similar experience on Facebook?

Oh Come On Punxsatawny!

I have been handling this winter pretty well. And by that I mean I haven't been whining as much as I usually do. Winter and I don't have the best track record, I just can't get behind being cold. But this morning Mr. Punxsutawney Phil dropped the bomb on us- six more weeks of winter. I mean I know I can get through six more weeks, I have no choice. But oh my gosh how I miss nice weather.

Things like late sunsets

And open toed shoes, eating outside, farmer's markets, finding little creatures in my garden.
Sleeping with the windows open, ice cold water contrasted by nice hot days and nature showing off its finest colors.

Ahh and weekend outfits consisting of sunglasses and bikinis oh my. Punxsatawny why must you do this to me?!
Are you thrilled with Punxsatawny's sighting or are you like me, and missing warm weather desperately?

California Dreaming On Such a Winter's Day

Early on Saturday morning Jon got back into bed after taking Frank potty and said "hey you wanna go to the beach today, it looks like it is going to be a nice day". I stretched my eyelids open trying to catch up because I was just in the middle of a very odd dream where my parents and the parents of my friends were having a dance off (seriously, what?). Once I realized what Jon was talking about I instantly told him I was in. Within an hour we were packed up in the car and were ready to go.

Even though it was the end of January the weather was beautiful. A little chill in the air but otherwise sunny and idyllic. I have realized that I have a plethora of pictures of Frank on my phone but uh, only one of Jon, so I decided to remedy that.

But that one came out too dark. So we faced into the sun and well, that one just came out hilarious.
We forgot to bring Frank's ball with us (fail) but he improvised and found a stick to play around with.
We walked and enjoyed ogling the huge waves and I collected a ton of shells and cool rocks, to do what with I am not sure. Any ideas internet? What do you do with your beach treasures? Jon and I promised each other to come to the beach a lot more often because its kinda a shame when it is only 30 minutes away and you don't utilize that fact.
Oh and a neat game we played in the car was to think of all the songs that have been written about California or places in California (the OC theme song, California Dreaming', California Girls, Do You Know The Way To San Jose?, Hotel California). As we did that we noticed that all of the songs are pretty mellow and cheery. We then compared the songs to those of other states...and all we came up with were songs about New York (New York State of Mind, Empire State of Mind, On Broadway, New York New York etc.) and those all seem to be a little bit more intense. Yes, we are weird.

Do you have a song about your state? Do you have any to add to our list? And oh yeah, what did you do this weekend?

P.S. This is mildly embarrassing but I entered Frank in the Bissell MVP pet photo contest. Do with that information what you will.