word vomit

so these are the things that have been rolling around in my head...

the first one really bothered me: a woman in front of me at the coffee place drive thru had one of those family stickers. the husband had a cell phone, the son a football, daughter pom poms, even the dog had a bone!!! do you know what the mother had in HER arms? a.sack.of.groceries. you know who her husband was probably on the phone with? a woman who has actual hobbies and something to add to the conversation.

that's great that she takes care of her family and all but what about a hobby? something interesting that she likes to do? at all?

today an earthquake hit the east coast and it caused mass chaos for various reasons. but it really got me thinking, why weren't they taught to be more prepared? growing up in southern California i know i am at a huge advantage for what to do in that situation but until i moved down here i didn't know a damn thing about dealing with a tornado. or an ice storm. i wouldn't know what to do if a hurricane hit. why don't they teach everyone all of these things so that they will know what to do in this ever-shrinking world? people move and migrate every day and the unexpected happens.

wait...were other children schooled on this? is it because Californians are so egocentric or maybe it's because i went to a government school and got a sub par education. don't tell my father the ex-principal of a public school i said that. Boortz would say it's because of my poor education administered by liberals pushing an agenda.

i think it's the California-centric theory :)

summer summary

this is what my summer has looked like. there has been a lot more leisure activities and time with friends and hubby than in any other summer since 2006. this is the 1st summer i haven't worked at (the now famous thanks to the Bachelorette) Giorgios. so that + hubby hiring a new girl at the shop = us having some fun!



disclaimer...i am not pregnant nor do i have such a huge gut as standing sideways in this dress would lead you to believe:

in the vein of this blog,"a work in progress" and our committment to always keep working at out marriage, the time together was invaluable. now in the fall when wedding season kicks back up, i travel to the north for expo east, and hubby goes fishing for a week with the boys we will have spent all this time together :)

and i will tell you that we enjoyed every minute of the time together. we love hanging out and are truly eachother's best friend. hanging out at home with the pups is amazing but having a change of scenery and taking little weekend trips is so important, too. i will cherish this summer.

eva longoria lies...do not buy this mascara.

this product is a no go. every single day i wear it i end up with crumbly black flecks all over my face. fail.


unfortunately i like the way it makes my lashes look. oh well, it's still going into the garbage. i will stick with Lancome and Dior.

all about a monday night...

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
on a boat on a body of water, the sun shining, me, husband, the puppies, some music and a cold beer.

What is your greatest fear?
failure. and all of the ambiguity that comes with this.

Which figures do you most identify with?
i want to be a cross between Ivanka Trump and the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond. Business/Creative mashup.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
i tend to hold on to things, emotionally.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
liars. bullshit. superiority.

What do you most value in your friends?
loyalty and acceptance.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
don't know...this is one i need to ask billy about!

What is your favorite journey?
when billy and i just ride around sometimes. he likes to know where all roads lead so we have a lot of fun adventures together.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
credentials.

What is your favorite occupation?
i haven't found it yet but being in outside sales suits me...i cannot function couped up in an office.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
legs. ick.

What is your greatest regret?
that i haven't worked harder to get farther ahead in my career. i am in a situation with no growth potential and i know i have so much more to contribute.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
obviously my husband...but cayenne i think is another love of my life. no matter how long i live, she will always have a special place with me. she is like a limb, we have been together through so much.

When and where were you happiest?
our wedding trip. together, sun, drinks, friends and family and being married to the best friend in the world.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
more confidence in things that i cannot control. i pray and think positively but sometimes having faith in others is tough. oh, and i talk too damn much.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
moving down here by myself (with cayenne :)) and not running home when it got tough...which it did.

What is your most treasured possession?
do the dogs count? it's more like i belong to them. my engagement ring, a few photos that i don't have digitally, a ring of my grandmothers and another of my moms.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
helplessness.

Where would you like to live?
anywhere as long as i am with my love and my pups. but ideally, THE BEACH.

What is your most marked characteristic?
my big mouth. not physically though i wish. i am always talking, i like to make people laugh.

What is your greatest extravagance?
i hope that it will be my new camera very soon!!!

What are the qualities you most like in a man?
loyal, honest, fun and creative. billy is the most loyal person on earth and i can always trust that what he is saying is the truth, he never tries to manipulate and he never has an agenda.

that is all for now...there are more but i will save them for another time. goodnight :)

things i repeatedly ask myself

- where the eff did spring go??? it's like every single year i see it as going from 30* directly to 100*. i also do this with fall.
- how did my dogs get so cute? this is because i am lame :)
- why am i so tired? ironically, i am mostly only tired when i have to do something i don't want to do. i.e. dishes, laundry, etc.
- am i nuts? this mostly pertains to work because sometimes things happen that are outside my realm of comprehension.
- why are the squirrels constantly on the porch? this is clearly because of the full bird feeder i also keep there but yet, i keep asking why?

i also ask myself things like, do you really need to eat that? is it really worth arguing over? and do you really want to go to jail for punching that person? the answer to all of these is always, NO but whether or not i listen to my wise inner voice is another story. i am proud to say that i have not ever gone to jail for punching someone so obviously even i have a line that cannot be crossed. sometimes being able to outwit someone with words is more satisfying, anyhow. the problem comes when you are dealing with a complete looney because they are too out of it to know that you have made a stellar argument and concede the point. this happens when you deal with the following personalities; delusional, narcissist (think people in positions of power), and of course actual rubber room inhabitants.

the fact that there are people out there in positions of power that have no business being in them is concerning. i do not think that community organizers are qualified to be president. it is also clear that he lacks as a leader because of his unwillingness to give anyone else credit for anything. this is a blatant scream of insecurity. i deal with one of these people on a daily basis and it is exhausting because either i play along or i revolt and risk my well being. life lessons are hard to learn but what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right?

How far would you go?

To get what you want?

Maybe I am naive. Maybe I have seen enough 80's movies to think that this is an antiquated idea. But how many hoops unrelated to merit and achievement would you jump through to get ahead?

Situations where stubborn streaks are bad:
Hostage situations
Fights with a spouse
REFUSAL TO DO SOMETHING TO GET AHEAD AT WORK BECAUSE IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH JOB PERFORMANCE

(Note to reader: while this seems to be a morality issue, and in a way it is, this does not have to do with anything inappropriate or unethical. Amen to that.)

So now I get to sit around and contemplate whether I am being unreasonable or if it is worth it to give into something I feel is wrong to (maybe, maybe not) get a shot at the advancement I want.

People who have made a stubborn refusal to compromise look noble:
Jesus
Fathers of the Constitution
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Abraham Lincoln
Rosa Parks
Woman's Suffrage-ettes


Have you ever heard praise of a leader in the vein of, "that so-and-so is such an amazing conformist."

I didn't think so. How about the terms, "independent, advocate, empowers self and others, thinks outside the box?"

loooost

jake jumped up on the coffee table to get a candy wrapper and spilled a glass of water on my laptop. it no longer works. i am without my pics and blog brainstorms.

hoping my dad will buy me a new one when i am at home next month.