~~~Friday Eve~~~

What can I say??? After a day like today, one can thoroughly appreciate a glass of wine, a foot massage, a loyal furry friend, and their favorite guilty pleasure primiering a new season. I must admit, The "Real" Housewives of Atlanta make me smile and giggle at their simulacrum of everyday life. Their constant social revanches and backstabbing make me appreciate my humble little existance. I shall sign off tonight with these few short words so I can prepare for my Nene fix (thus the pic has HER in the front!)

P.S. A special thanks to "Pina" for the reminder!!! First 'round of raspberry Frambois and Newport pizza is on me!!!!

Innocent Flirtation, I think not!

A week since my last entry and what a week it has been. As the calendar goes, there was an actual weekend thrown in the mohair. Friday evening was spent quietly at home alone catching up on some DVR’d shows and regrouping my thoughts. Saturday I got my hair “did” and headed back up north to my second home in Carson/Long Beach (any of you who know me, realize this is EJ’s house).

After a night of quaffing in long island iced teas, to say I was intoxicated would be a severe injustice to the very word “intoxicated.” I woke up in a hotel room with a goateed chocolate bar next to me using that coined phrase “about last night…..” It is curious that a friend of 13 years suddenly becomes so attractive with beer goggles on.

Oh well, we all have stories.

Ancient Chinese proverb: One can never be old and wise if they are not first young and wild.

So far this week has been flowing smoothly downstream, no drama, no list of chores or schedule chock full of appointments. Just working my audits and enjoying family time. My Saturday night buddy has called everyday expressing his long standing crush on yours truly, much to my dismay. My global positioning must be on the right axis because MF has been calling as well, putting in his bid to don the boyfriend hat. If this wasn’t enough, there is yet a third love interest on the horizon, for which my secret crush was revealed to during my adventures in imbibing. Once more to my dismay, the attraction was reciprocated. If not for that liquid courage I don’t think I would have ever revealed this clandestine thirst. Perhaps I was just feeling extra empowered with that hand grenade in my cup.

So as the next weekend comes to my horizon I wonder what mischief I will find myself getting into. Any suggestions?

Thursday Thoughts

I am happy to report it has been a superb week. The new job is going well, no complaints thus far. It keeps things interesting being in different facilities every few days. As someone wisely pointed out to me today, we do not get caught up in office politics and gossip. What a welcome change of pace that is! The workday goes smooth and afterwards I still have the energy and gumption to participate in other activities.

Yesterday the daughter and I enjoyed a brisk cruise around Mission Bay which appears to be my most recent favorite hangout. It makes my heart swell to see the innocent little ones in their toddler swimgear playing at the waters edge, mom keeping a watchful eye and dad flipping the goodies on the grill. Kids still making sand castles and looking to their parents for approval. The sweetest sight was a dad running alongside his young daughter, encouraging her... it was her first taste of riding a big girl bike, minus the training wheels. The delight of freedom she had in her face was heartwarming.

Reminded me of my childhood and what fun it was to run through the lawn sprinklers on a hot day. Anyone remember that?

Things are blessedly calm and stable for the time being. The weatherman promises me a gorgeous weekend so perhaps another long bike ride, possibly even a family picnic, should the teenager in my house find a spare few hours in his social calendar. :) I will sure be sad to see summer come to an end. I think I will turn on the lawn sprinklers and have a run for old times' sake.

PET PEEEVES

MOOD: HOT AND AGGRO!

I was feeling rather feisty today as soon as I hit the morning traffic, and 13 hours later I still feel a bit combative. Maybe my planets are not aligned or the summer heat has made me especially irritable. It occurred to me that venting some of my pet peeves may be an outlet to abrogate these annoyances from my emotional bandwidth.

Some of these irritations are just common sense, some are a lack of manners in one’s upbringing and yet others may very well just me, being a difficult person to keep content (admitting it is half the battle.) I was driving home and suddenly the two or three festering boils turned into a whole list of things that make me aggro. Here goes my inventory of discontents. There is no order of importance.

1. People who walk their dog and do not clean up the poop deposits. It’s just proper etiquette to bring a shit sack and clean it up. Side bar to this is when a pet owner shows up to a function with their beloved pet without clearing the furry friend with the host first.

2. Leaving the car to occupy the gas pump while grocery shopping in the mini-mart. Hello! Move your vehicle to a designated parking spot and then you can peruse the magazine rack, get your Slim Jim’s, condoms and cheesy plastic rose for your evening date at your leisure.

3. People who R.S.V.P. for a gathering and pull a no-show; nor call and apologize. It has been said that California is the capitol for this crime. What happened to the proverbs of Emily Post?

4. People who claim to be "Good" Christian's (or any religion for that matter) and look down their nose at someone who is being "real" and in the next breath spread gossip, engage in casual sex, or conduct themselves in an immoral manner. Absolutely hypocritical. Utterly despicable. (Note to readers, I doNOT include myself in the holier-than-thou category, I'm a sinner just ike you!)

5. When someone is running more than 20 minutes late and can’t call or text to let the person waiting and let them know they were detained. Habitual occurrences are often deal breakers. It is a lack of respect to blow someone off and not communicate that you are running behind.

6. Fishing for compliments. Enough said.

7. HYPOCHONDRIACS. Again, enough said.

8. People who balance their checkbook or sign their checks to deposit at the bank’s drive up window. Seriously people, get your ducks in a row before you get to the window, ok? While you are sitting in your car, balancing your checkbook, figuring how much money you can eek out, the rest of us are behind you, burning expensive gas, tired after a stressful day at work and just want to get our little chump change $20 out, stop at the closest liquor store, go home and decapitate a bottle. (haha how ghetto did that come off, seriously??)

9. When someone is undecided on their choice, but holding up line while they ponder the almighty decision between a Big Mac or chicken nuggets. Move your arse to the side and let someone behind you order.

10. When someone is constantly complaining about the state of political affairs but is not even a registered voter. Side note: quoting sound bites on current events and having no real understanding of the concept. A professor once told me “Never trust anyone’s research but your own.” I believe that sums it up perfectly.

10. Crying babies at movie theaters/personal cell conversations in a restaurant. People: you are not so important that we want to hear about your recent pap smear or how your baby-mama is trippin.

BONUS: For the ladies only! I have recently adopted what I have affectionately dubbed “The 90 second rule.” This is set into play in a social setting, typically a bar, nightclub, etc. If a guy is standing by me, gawking and invading my space, he has 90 seconds to evoke conversation or introduce himself. If he can’t do that, then he needs to get out of my milieu because he is preventing someone else who does have the huevos to speak up.

The common slang terms for this is “cock blocking.”

Ah I feel relieved, thanks for letting me vent. I shall now commence my imbibing process

Continum of Contentment

I returned home from a lovely ride feeling rejuvenated as though I recalibrated my inner contentment level. San Diego Bay is gorgeous and being that today was Wednesday, it was relatively deserted by most touristas. If I ever thought about commissioning a painting, the view today would be the scene. There is nothing quite like the mental peace one feels when having time alone to think random thoughts, listen to the birds chirping and feel the sun kissing your shoulders while the ocean breeze blows your hair. All while actually getting some exercise for the old bag of bones!

After a luxurious bath, complete with eucalyptus spearmint aroma therapy bubbles, I schlumped around listening to talk radio and preparing for tomorrow's adventures in work land (first day!) Even the verbal schoolyard brawl with a know-it-all 16 year old didn’t diminish my heart, mind and spirit. Suddenly a light bulb of understanding flicked on in my head and exploded into fireworks of clarity: my refusing to get sucked into a battle of wits with him only empowered my arsenal of weaponry. Normal instinct would have been to throw his ass over the teakettle (figuratively speaking) but something about that mental at ease gave me a new perspective. The ever wise words of Bishop TD Jakes rang in my ears “…We can convert the storms of opposition into the wind beneath our wings…” How true those words are!

And now to enjoy the rest of a peaceful evening…..

Reverie, Interrupted

I received a call late yesterday stating the new job’s training was deferred until Thursday morning. One more day of Holy nimbus materialized for me here in SoCal and I plan on enjoying it to the utmost, one way or another.

After a night of cryptic reverie (was it hormones or Muscatto?) I woke up at 7:03 to a cell phone screaming at me, much too early for a free day don’t you think? I recognized the caller and hit the “ignore” button with zero vacillation. Unfortunately, once I was conscious the whimsy of returning to dreamland was shattered. I skimmed the “Crackberry” and realized I had 13 emails, 5 text messages and some voicemails from God-knows-when (I am awful about listening to those) and made the sound decision that I wasn’t ready to inoculate myself with that crapola.

I cast the malarkey aside, slipped my toes into my ratty house shoes and made the trip downstairs to an already brewed pot of ’Joe. (LOVE a machine with a timer). After lazily enjoying my home brew I am now ready to take on the day, BRING IT ON!!

Suddenly a lazy ride around the San Diego Bay sounds irresistible….

Mellow Monday

Mood: at ease, grateful, and truely blessed

Today was a glorious day in San Diego, albeit hotter than an oven that produces peach pie for a Sunday evening spread. As the new job has been set in stone to begin Wednesday, I am able to exhale a bit and enjoy a few days of sedentary respite. The day began with a lovely family brunch with the kids and parental units, sharing coffee, chorizo and eggs and a few games of Go-Fish at our local mom and pop diner.

This was followed by some housekeeping, laundry and a nice bike ride around the San Diego Bay. The flip side to this was returning home overheated with a swarthy complexion and finding the ants had once again attacked. After going mid-evil on my kitchen with the Raid and baby powder (it works fab and will not hurt pets should they find their way to getting to it.) I decided the heat was too much to bear so therefore I must indulge in cool shower and afternoon nap.

The evening was spent with the daughter enjoying an Iced Tea, thanks to a Starbucks gift card, a quick trip into the dollar store (who ever really spends only a dollar... I mean seriously?) Followed by a shared Orchard Chicken sandwich from Subway. (BTW.. highly delish but fattening on the creamy base, I highly suggest loading it with spinach and tomato to avoid the guilty conscience). After catching up on some DVR'd "Intervention" episodes and imbibing a glass of Muscatto, it is time for beauty sleep, peacefully in my freshly laundered bedding. Ahhh the uncomplicated delights in life should never be overlooked or undervalued. :)

Goodbye to all things stale

I bid ado to the detrimental relationships in my life that have adhered onto me like an obstinate barnacle. This entry refers to friendships that were merely aiding and abating the inner rascal within myself. Although recently I was (wrongfully) accused of being selfish to a degree of detriment to my own offspring, I have decided, unequivocally, that I need to focus on falling in love with myself.

One would think that at this ripe old age of thirty-something, having raised two kids solo, (one that is 13 months away from adulthood himself) and overcoming the obstacles God felt I needed in life, that I would have better bullshit recognizing skills. Alas, I have been proven wrong. Or maybe this is just another lesson the almighty has decided I needed in life. In either case, I hope the kibitzer (a highly underused work-look it up) who has these narrow-minded opinions learns to not judge, but rather give the benefit of the doubt, especially when all the facts are not known.

After the aforementioned accusation I did some profound soul searching. My heart was wounded by this allegation. I presume because I thought she was a friend, one who knew the real “me.” Am I truly a selfish person? The answer was reassuring no. I am not a selfish person, rather a selfless person. Have my actions affected others? Yes, but after
physically composing a written list, I was again reassured that my actions, although maybe not understood by outsiders, has had the well being of everyone else in mind before my own compensation. This includes patients, elderly clients, family, friends and even strangers.

One example: About a year ago I witnessed a young woman being dragged out of a truck at a shopping mall. Most onlookers gawked at the scene and drove away. However, I pulled over and my then-boyfriend got the license plate and called police, while I followed the young lady to assure she was ok. Her story was a sad one. The gal was simply vacationing here with an abusive boyfriend. She was broke, stranded, bloody, scratched up and emotionally wretched. Begrudgingly, we left her at a local restaurant with the few dollars we could scrounge up, so she could at least eat and have coffee while she waited the two hours for someone to drive here from her home town to get her. Now I ask you, would a selfish person do this for a complete stranger?

This was just once incident in my life that came to mind, there are hundreds more stories I could elaborate on, but it’s honestly just not significant anymore. I have made peace with it. I do not carry out these acts of goodwill for recognition or praise, it comes natural to the person I am, the person my parents raised me to become. Helping others makes me feel satisfied within. This brings me back to my original declaration, bidding ado to the detriment in my life and falling in love with myself.

This does not mean I will worship the very ground I walk on. It does mean I rearrange the top five priorities in life: my kids/family, career, true friends, God and myself-not in any particular order. I will disengage myself from drama, problems and whiny tirades, popular with casual friendships. No longer will I give random idiocy a molecule of consideration, rather I will make a genuine effort to boomerang that wasted attention back to my top 5 worthy priorities. If casual friendships suffer, then they were not real bonds in the first place. I can accept that and move on with my head held high. The next time a vindictive offender makes false accusations I will simply deterge myself and move on with a smile. Keeping those who truly matter to me happy, in turn keeps me happy. That is what allows me to fall in love with myself.

I would be remiss if I did not admit I will miss the laughs and special memories. But, as I tip my Fedora to old acquaintances, I wish everyone a life of positivity, self-realization and inner peace.

Life in the Southland

The holiday was pure fabulosity. Good times marked with good food (there went my diet for the day) and good booze (there went my diet to HELL!!!) and memories formed. Some bones were thrown, spades slapped and yes, the electric slide did break out on one occasion. After the holiday's festivities, the bff and I took our female kidlets to walk through Hollywood. We were all touched by the respects being given at Micheal Jackson's star in front of the Mann's Chinese Theater (see photo)

This was the last week in the life of SAPS. All week I have felt like a canary in a coalmine. I have finally found my way to the opening and found fresh air again, free to fly away. In other news, MF has been putting in overtime trying to get back in my good graces. After many weeks of a packed schedule he finally has time to spare. We have spent some time together, movie watching, sharing meals and chats over Starbucks treats. A wise friend once told me "Never make someone a priority when they only consider you an option." Well, I seem to have morphed to the priotity level so I am just going to let the cards fall where they may. (Disclaimer: the shield around the heart is still up, I'm still a game killer, bullshit recognizer.)

The weight pendulum continues to swing, I have lost another 3 pounds. Endless trips to the gym and several bike riding adventures. If San Diego Bay was not so polluted I would swim too, but the fear of growing a 3rd tit scares me off.

My never ending sherlocking for a better career opportunity paid off and I was hired at a local hospital for the admissions dept. Unfortunately they have delayed my start date due to some adjustments in job responsibilities with current employees, so for the time being, the temping thing appears to be my option. Alas, the weekend begins on this Thursday night, I have been home submitting anouther round of resumes and watching my recorded shows that have been backed up. Now reality sets in as I prepare to open a new chapter of my life.

The peepers are sleepy..... yawn... nighty night

A Day in the Life

There is not much that beats out a beautiful day, as today has racked up to be, so far. Not only did I have time to free myself from any obligations, (a huge rarity) but I was compenstated for it. God bless national holidays. I'm as patriotic as the next guy, I have the stars and stripes proudly flapping in the breeze on my porch. I support American made products and vote every year. But I am also very grateful to the soldiers for all they have done for generations, much more than bestowing paid holidays to us working folk.

With that being said, today has been infallible. I woke up without the ever-annoying ring of the dreaded alarm clock, rather on my own. Fabulous. After the caffeine was perculating, the dog did his morning constitutional and the paper was retrieved from the driveway (well, the bushes, but why split hairs?) I mixed my sugar/creme concoction and headed back to bed. How lovely it was to read the paper, listen to talk radio and enjoy my taster's choice.

Well, something productive was still required, otherwise I will feel like a complete louse. The bike was loaded, water bottle filled. I headed for the lake and did an hour ride taking in the scenary. The chirping and breeze was music to my ears.

Switching gears, no stone is left unturned in the quest for eternal wisdom. As the ride made me quite parched, I popped into Starbucks for some Iced Tea and somehow found my way into a random, but thought-provoking conversation with a complete stranger. Although I will never see this person again, one thing they said will stay close to me. "Family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other's lives."

Now, my disclaimer is, I don't know if these were her words or simply repeated from another source, but either way it hit home better than Tony Gwynn. My interpretation is it does not matter if those reciprocating your love and kindness share your DNA, rather it is the love itself that bonds.

Tomorrow morning I will be headed back to Los Angeles with the bff and our daughters in tow, call it a girls weekend. Back to the domicile were spades, domino's and hearty laughs are indiginous. Family is anyone who comes with true well wishes and a hug for anyone who needs it. I will see my mustachioed best bud EJ and the entire crew of Griffins, Crawfords, Johnsons and pseudo relatives, such as myself.

So for now, I continue bedroom straightening, a few exercises, throw some gear back in the Louis bag and continue couch spudding. Happy Independance Day! (P.S the pic is one of my shots...)