Get Out Of My Dreams And Into My Car...Or Something

Last night I had a very vivid dream that I was Corey Haim's girlfriend. But it was in the 80's, roughly around the time that License to Drive came out. So about 1988...so that would technically make me 4 at the time. Even weirder tangent, when I was a tween I had a huuuge crush on Corey Haim. See wasn't he a cutie?

I soooo wanted to be Mercedes Lane (his love interest in License to Drive-and wow, kudos to whoever gave her character that name) and yes that is a young Heather Graham.

But in the dream Corey and I were the same age and we did everything young Hollywood did in the 80's; hung out with Madonna and Paula Abdul, went to Hollywood Premiers and layered multiple pairs of neon scrunchy socks-well that was mainly me not him. So ANYWAY, in that dream Corey (Haim) and I were trying to help Corey (Feldman) stay off of drugs and Corey (Haim) was totally clean.

And then I woke up and realized that he isn't alive anymore and then I started my day off with the sads for a little bit. Oh the brain works in weird ways no?

Have you seen License to Drive or had any weird dreams lately? Do tell!

Photo Credit!

Balance and Basking

I used to be in gymnastics, it was a short lived stint. You see I had awful balance, on of all things, the balance beam. I think it was when I did a front walk over and managed to step on my own pony tail that my mom strongly suggested that I focus on dancing.

And thankfully I excelled. I didn't fall nearly as often as I did in gymnastics and when I did the floor wasn't all that far away. So I danced and then competed and assisted some of my teachers with the little kid classes. I took 10-15 hours of dance a week, I immersed myself. And it didn't stop until my early twenties.

Shortly after that I started graduate school and focused on that, an internship and a day job. My point in all of this? I have always been focused on something, insanely so. I have always had a rehearsal to get to, a test to study for, a paper to write. I would try to fit in some life here and there, I did my best, I really did. But there was always a main focus, a goal, an endpoint and once it was reached I would find a new one to replace it.

So now I am working at a job I love and am kind of basking in the after glow. But I am not quite sure I am basking right. I have free time and I just don't know what to do with it. Truthfully I am beginning to wonder if I am one of those people that compulsively stays busy because they don't know how to just be. Just like when I was a flailing gymnast, I have trouble balancing.

How do you balance? Do you feel the need to fill your time?

Easy Tone, Easy Sell

Have you seen this commercial?

Well it came on the tv the other night and all of a sudden a glazed, contented look washed over Jon's face. Kind of like a dog watching a laser pen. So Jon watched the commercial, studying it like there was an exam afterwards and I watched him in amusement. Midway through, without taking his eyes off of the commercial, he says, "what is this commercial for?!" Subliminally saying, "whatever it is for put me down for five!"

Then the commercial ended and life as we knew it was back to normal. I think that Reebok obviously has a commercial that catches eyes but not necessarily their target audience. Something tells me we are going to see a lot of men walking around in these shoes or a lot of ladies will be presented with them for birthdays and anniversaries.

Anyone you know put under the Reebok trance? (I know a couple of other men that have been entranced by this commercials but I don't want to embarrass them, but if their spouses want to, well that is another thing entirely )

Happy Earth Day!

Today being Earth Day and all, I thought a lot about what I do to make a positive impact on our beautiful planet Earth. So I compiled a list, because lists make my world go round.

1. I re-use the plastic bags from the grocery store (the ones I put things like apples and oranges in) as doggie do do bags.

2. I bring my own re-usable grocery bags to the store.

3. I put my watering can out in the rain so I can use rainwater to water my plants. I also take the gunky water in Frank's water dish and put it in my watering can instead of tossing it down the sink before I refill it.

4. I use one glass per week for water at home and I have a reusable water bottle so I can take my water with me.

5. I use bamboo forks and knives in my lunches instead of plastic cutlery.

I am sure there are more, but that is all I can think of right now. But tell me, what choices do you make in order to help our planet?

Sassy Sidenote: Viva....Palm Springs

You might remember that a while ago I asked you all for suggestions for travel destinations for mine and Jon's vacation this year (and thank you all for your help). Well a great deal fell into our lap so we have decided to take to the desert, Palm Springs!

We are going to do a road trip and drive all the way down to the desert and stop at Disneyland too! Palm Springs wasn't on either of our agendas but I am getting really excited when I think of all the pool lounging, going out to dinnering, and fruity drink drinking that will go down.

Have you been to Palm Springs?

P.S. Do you know who honeymooned in Palm Springs?....Elvis and Priscilla. I don't think Jon will mind the detour.

Couldn't Be Bothered

I really wish that weather didn't have such a say an impact in my mood, or effort rather, for the day. Let me explain. Yesterday was 75 degrees out and I put on a cute little dress with a favorite pair of heels and painted nails. Lalala happy Sass!

This morning Mother Nature lost her mind and brought back super duper heavy rain. I woke up uninspired to get dressed. On nice days I look at getting dressed as creating art on a rainy day you get something like this:
Need a better look?
That is a zip up hoodie over a quarter sleeve shirt, some brown corduroys and my rain boots. You know when you are hungry, you know you need to eat and so you eat a little of everything? That is what that outfit is. And get this, I went out in public like that, to the grocery store.

I don't know what it was about today but I just couldn't be bothered. It didn't end with the outfit either. I went to the grocery store without a list (very rare) and just grabbed a little of this and that. Every so often there are days where I'm just not into carrying on like I know what I am doing.

So now that I made it through the work day (yes, I changed before I went to work this afternoon) I am parked on the couch watching Oprah and the Octomom...don't get me started on that. So hopefully the weather is better tomorrow because if I keep these junky outfits up I am bound to run into someone I went to high school with.

Do you ever have off days like I did today?

Cherry 7Up

Last night I saw a guy cross the road with a case of cherry 7up underneath his arm. And woosh just like that memories that were all but forgotten came flooding back.

I was about five and I Nani and I were in the grocery store picking up some things for my great grandma Belle. Cherry 7up was one of those things, it always was. Once we made sure to get everything on the list we would drive over to the nursing home that she lived in to deliver the goods. Grandma Belle had severe brain damage from a number of accidents and surgeries throughout her eventful life. The most noticeable side effect to my five year old self was that she always replied to anything anyone said with the word "cute". Everything was cute. Even when it wasn't.

"Grandma Belle look at my sticker"

"Cute"

Grandma Belle it is cold in your room"

"Cute"

Grandma Belle, on the way here we saw a kitty that had been hit by a car"

"Cute"

As you can imagine her auto response of cute became very confusing for a five year old. I would often crane my neck to look at Nani and whisper "but that wasn't cute". She would just nod her head as to say "it's ok, she doesn't know".

On the way out or in the facility there would almost always be my grandma's "roommates" sitting in the common area. Some sat and stared and hardly even noticed we were there. Others would pull themselves up out of their chairs with their walkers or wheel over to me. They didn't know me but that didn't seem to matter. I can remember one time when I was literally surrounded by these friendly strangers. I was literally the center of their attention, the center of their circle of walkers, canes and wheelchairs, their hands and arms shakily reached out to me. Nani encouraged me to speak with them shake their hands, hug them and give them a second of my time. She later explained to me that some of those people never had visitors and that I was the only outside person they would get to see for a while.

I remember that even today when I see an elderly person. Sadly, so many of them are ignored, talked over, left without touch, or interaction. So whenever my path meets with an elderly person I exercise patience and curiosity for their life. Such simple kindness that is easily overlooked.

Amazing what something like Cherry 7up can remind you of.

The Sky Is The Limit

Hey have you seen this movie?

Yeah I know, not many people have seen it. But when I heard that a movie was being made about Amelia Earhart I was very excited! You see, when I was a wee Sass I randomly picked up a biography about Amelia Earhart and I was enamored by her story ever since. She disappeared in 1937 as she attempted to fly around the world, never to be heard or seen of again. The mystery of her death kept me intrigued but it was the achievements of her life that inspired me.

Even though I was young I realized that the dreams she had were grande, impressive...and reserved for men at that time. I often though that if she could do such impressive things back then when women weren't seen as capable of such feats, imagine what I could do now. So as I studied for test after test and pursued my own dreams I would often think of Miss Amelia and her big dreams and audacious will that made those dreams real. Corny, but she was quite inspiring to me.

Do you have any historical figures that inspired you?

*Photo Credit Here

Tid Bits For Tuesday

I found this cute little meme over at Tattoos & Cupcakes

and I thought I would give it a go because I haven't done one of these in a while. Feel free to

join the fun!

Outside my window...it is dark. Yup its nighty night time.

I am thinking... about how badly I want to travel.

I am thankful for... for so much. Actually I think I am thankful to be thankful for so much. Yeah, that is my answer

I am wearing... my "funfetti" pajamas. They are Target thermals with polka dots all over them.

I am remembering... how much I love Funfetti cupcakes. And I am drooling a little while doing so.

I am creating... a career that I am so proud of.

I am going... to learn to enjoy free time.

I am reading... The Writing Class. Took about 50 pages to get into it but now I am enjoying it.

I am hoping...for a random gift card to any cute store so I can buy some awesome clothes for work. I am not sure how I can procure said gift card but hey it is good to have hope!

On my mind... "every little thing you do is on my mind...on my mind..."

(anyone remember that song from the 90's?) I am now laughing at the version of myself from 1995 that rocked out to that song. Heh. memories.

From the kitchen... there is left over thai food in the fridge (Jon thinks it is weird that I just call it a fridge instead of Refridgerator. I think he is weird.)

Around the house... there is random stuff laying around. I should probably clean. I should also stop shoulding all over myself, it is gross.
One of my favorite things...not having to work at the jewelry store on weekend nights anymore. booyah. But I will miss the discount, yes sir, she will be missed.

Noticing that...I use a lot of immature lingo (i.e. booyah, dude, meh etc.)

Pondering these words... "You can have it all, just not all at once" Not really sure how I feel about that one.
A picture that I would like to share...

This is what you are missing if you don't follow me on twitter.

Weekend Update

Usually I feel like weekends whizz right past my face before I can even get a chance to enjoy them. A lot of that had to do with the fact that I usually worked one or both days of the weekend. Well, now that the jewelry store job is out of the way I have my weekends free to do what I want. But it is a little overwhelming when you aren't used to it. So much free time, what to do? What to do?

Well Jon and I browsed J.Crew for starters. I appreciated their choice in letters for one of their displays.

I also picked up this little doozie off of the sale rack and ended up only paying $6 for it because I had store credit. I have started to only shop at places where I have store credit and even then I go to the sale section, my cheap skate tendencies are in full force since I have just now started to earn income. I can't say I dislike these habits because I am saving a lot of money this way.

That night Jon, myself, and his sister, Taylor all went to see Hot Tub Time machine but by the time we made it into the theatre (we ate pizza before and what can I say, I am a slow eater) there were only single seats left. So we got our money back and watched Whatever Works on Netflix. Can't say I was upset about our new plans because I was at least able to wear my pajamas while watching the movie at home. Don't Jon and Taylor look a lot alike?

The next day was Easter and Jon and I decided to make some Easter baskets for our nieces (technically Jon's nieces because we aren't married but whatever). I was really pleased with the way they turned out.
Before heading to my family's house Jon and I headed to Safeway for some bagels and Starbucks among other things. The weather was pretty junky so I was more than happy to get back home. You know those moments where you realize how good you have it as it is happening? yeah it was one of those. As we sat and ate our bagels while the rain came down outside I was full of warm and fuzzies. It was kinda like, wow look at our little life we have made together, go us! Sometimes life can be a little challenging so it is nice to be able to savor how good you have it as it is happening.

After that Kodak moment we headed to my families house for a nice Easter dinner. My family has the biggest hearts, but we also have just as big mouths so when you get us all together there is a lot of talking all at once. It is kinda like The View but not as heated or annoying. As fun as it was we were happy to get back home and cuddle in our pajamas. All three of us.

How was your weekend?

Do You Remember The Time....

I am a question asker by nature. Who? How come? What do you mean? huh? It is really a little wonder that I grew up and became a therapist. I always want to know how and why things are the way they are. Some might find it charming while others probably feel like they are dealing with an over-gown 5 year old. I think it keeps life interesting, things become dull when we stop surveying our surroundings.

And every so often I think of one specific question and pepper everyone I know with it. Recently I have been asking everyone "What is your earliest memory?" This is one of those questions where no matter who you ask you are guaranteed to get an interesting answer and learn more about someone you already thought you knew well.

My earliest memory, I kid you not, is my 1st birthday. Most people dispute the fact that people can remember that far back. Well "there have been studies" (I swear, that phrase alone has to be nails on a chalkboard to Jon, because I use it quite a bit), that show that it is indeed possible to remember memories from that far back if there was incredibly strong emotions attached to the situation being remembered. For example, if a young child was in great pain, trauma, or fear, it is very likely that they will remember the experience as an adult.

Anywaaaay, back to my memory. So I am a tiny year old Sass at her first birthday celebration and to be truthful I don't remember a whole lot about the day. I do remember peering over my mom's shoulder, past her feathered hair, to see a creepy clown staring back at me from across the yard. I remember it's white painted face, ill fitting blue jump suit and curly plastic wig for hair. (I truly just shivered as I typed that). One other scene I remember from that day was my aunt trying to talk me into getting my face painted by that creepy, creepy clown-ha no way. This memory has hazy edges and looks a little like a dream but it just feels so real. And to this day I cannot even look clowns. And what do you know, I shivered again.

So tell me what is your earliest memory?