resolutions

Hello Blog!!! i've missed you.. wow no blogging all of December.

well 2009 is just around the corner, Yay! and it's time for some resolutions. somehow i missed them in 2008 & where did that get me , broken wrist.. going to avoid that this time. So this is how my resolutions work.. i list 20 or so things that would be interesting, fun, or i want to do.. and i aim to get at least 10 done during the year. It worked pretty well for 2007/6

Here we go.......................

1 - Get Healthy
(aka lose 10lbs) ... ok this one has been on every resolution list forever, but i think some years i had it on there when i didn't quite need it. but this year i'm feeling the pudge, & a bit less fit (i can feel it in tennis, kickboxing) than the past years. So no excuses on this one, it's a For Sure!

2 - Get Fluent in Languages
I'm going to put two - Japanese then Russian, but i guess i'd be happy w/ just Nippongo to start. I had been taking classes one year.. but it was a once a sat thing & i was lazy. i need to do something more focused, and aim at conversations :) .. i would like this one to be a For sure as well.

3 - Skiing / Boarding .. as much as possible
think this one speaks for itself

4 - NYC Marathon
with Mom if we get picked in the lottery

5 - Exploring LA
filling out my hot map.. i've started.. but i've barley gotten around, lots to see, museums, restaurants etc

6- Tutoring little sis with algebra
she blindsided me, while telling me she was doing well in school i find out last time she got a C in Algebra, and is now moving back to pre algebra class. she's smart, but i think i can help her out with a few study skills, and she's going to be an algebra pro by the end of the year

7 - Austin weekend trip
i think there's some music fest i want to check out

8 - Visit the fam this spring/summer
my sister has off until mid july and/Zoe's birthday is end of april

9 -.. deprecated.... Improve tennis

9 - Do some Art
i'm going to be playing tennis anyway..doesn't need to be in my goals.
But i'd like to try some painting.. was doing a little (very little) water color once.. would be fun to get into again

10 - Patio Garden
I've got a giant patio.. and would like to get some plants going.. might have to fight against my brown thumb

11 - Finish Costa Rica video
i should just finish this soon, technical difficulties have been averted for now time to get it done

12 - Think more of what i want to do.. less of what i should be doing

13 - Daytona 200
i could throw it on here.. not everything gets done.. one year ......

14 - Finish my bedroom
my bedroom kind of got left in the dust after i moved, & got everything else setup. time to finish decorating , i have some ideas

15 - World GP
this one i'd really like to make since it's only up in Laguna and it's been a few years since i last went... but i need to remember to by tickets/hotel in like Jan. that's the annoying part, for july

16 - Investing
this one is a for sure as well.. i really need to work on it. I was doing ok in my little account when i started it & was keeping up with it ever day.. then i just let it sit.. for a long time :( ...
since i'm not buying a house or anything.. i suppose i should be planning for the future, blah blah... and making my money grow. And i do see it growing in 2009 :)


17- Housewarming party
it may be a little late for this, so i'll have to think of another reason for a party.. but throw a big fun theme party.. burlesque perhaps.... sometime when the weathers warmer take advantage of the patio

18 - Crazy Adventure trip
this one's low on the priority list, i'm feeling more like a lot of fun little weekend trips this year... but if the opportunity arises....

19 - Planning weekend activities ahead of time
this is a weird one, but i think last year was my laziest year, and the weekend would come & it would be midday Sat, and i'm still thinking of what to do, biking, hiking tennis etc.. and all of a sudden it's monday & i'm back to work, and missed out on a lot of sun. a little planning would help.. but not crazy planning... relaxing is always needed!

20 - Maintain my manicures
my cuticles are horrendous.. and to keep them in good shape nail salon would be too expensive & time comusming.. So i'd like to keep up with my home manicures.. and get my cuticles into good shape

21 - NO broken bones.. no braces.. no doctors.... Yay!!!

obsessions

I think i may have a teeny, tiny calendar obsession. It's only mid November and i've just made my 2nd 2009 calendar purchase. It's Japanese wood block prints... they're my favorite.. can you realy blame me? It's for work.

Back in college i always had one every year.. Escher prints, black & white photography, hot super fast sports cars :) .. would rip out the pics when the calendar was done, hang them up as my room art. I think after graduating and moving to LA i had a long break. After all with computers, palms, cell phone what could i possibly need a paper wall calender for.. that is so 20th century. And aren't i bit higher class than calendar art.

Now that i think about it, it was the trip to Ireland and a souvenier Ireland landscape calendar that got me back into it again. The last couple of years i've been good one for home.. last year one home and one for work, but this year, and my early start (this is the first time, i really have bought a calendar before the year has started (with the exception of the Ireland one).. i'm just a bit scared. But.. I resolve.. only one more.. only.. 3 that's it! i draw the line.. i'm sure i can make use of a third though...




p.s my first calendar purchase for 2009 was hot tennis guys with washboard abs.. not sure you can blame me there either.

Kiev

I love the Ukraine! Kiev is such a cool city, i totally recommend it. The Russian might be a bit tough, but you can do it :) ...

It was very interesting, I would classify it as very classic European city. (Though i have only been to Ireland, so not sure what my classification means :) ) And much more modern than i had expected. Also, less touristy but usually restaurants had English menus available. Very sad i did not even see one postcard in my travels, but i was in the office every day. I didn't get to the more arts & craftsy area that i wanted to go to.

I was very interested in there culture. After centuries of being invaded and conquered... Mongols, Poles, Russian. They still had they're own identity and self assurance. The USA elections took place while i was there. Though all over the only cable news channel i had that was in English at the hotel, the next morning it was only a small topic of conversation among the people i was working with. Yes, USA elected a new president.. Obama.. good. We have our own elections going on. It looks like they will be redoing elections again, i think for the second time this year.

Off topic, i tried rabbit.. very yummy. I stayed away from salo: Raw spiced pork fat, a great accompanyment to vodka shots.

home

It is good to be home in fabulous, sunny L.A.

I do love travelling, but a week spent by myself in a Russian speaking country, new bugs popping up at the end of the week taking over my touristy time.. makes home coming and my new apartment even sweeter. Yay, L.A.!

coffee

so i'm starting to realize, maybe i like travelling so much.. just for the coffee...

it is sooooo good here... Kiev, Ireland, Costa Rica.. Peru (though in peru i had more Coca tea than coffee) ... It was only after the trip to Ireland.. that i really even started drinking coffee.

America and our mass produced, cheap, Walmart culture :( ... I think Starbucks is the walmart of the coffee world. But now that i'm reminded of how good coffee can be, i'm even disappointed in Coffee Bean ...

Does anyone care about quality anymore?

amazing race

as i sit here at my "work away from work" listening to a russian conversation where i pick up possibly every 10th work.. and i'm still waiting on an example to research for our issue ... i'd thought i'd share with you my "super fun" weekend.

i knew ahead of time this would be a long trip. And you think i would have learned from 10 years or so of travelling back to the east coast, in the early years usually getting flights w/ a stop overa (to save money), to expect delays. But i was trying to manifest a very smooth day. After all LA to San Fran to Frankfurt... really what could go wrong there.. no snow delays for sure.

oh how wrong i was. My LA flight was delayed for 2 hours due to poor conditions in San Fran. Seriously ? Yes very strong winds, and what appeared, when we flew in, to be super strong drizzle! very scary. ok lets back up for a bit, back to LAX so i wait in the customer service line for an hour because i had the time, and it appears i'm going to miss my flight to frankfurt so why not get a new plan in place asap, sounds like a good idea to me. So the Evil (& i emphasis this) customer service guy, with a big smile on his face, assures me that.. i have 30 mins in San fran and that i have a good chance of making it to the international terminal for my flight. Now i also pride myself on being fairly good w/ directions, fairly navigable, and pretty quick, but on this i had a strong doubt that i could make it. And.. they wouldn't even confirm that this flight would leave when they're saying. Please.. can u give me a new itenary.. No!

so i land in San Fran and that's when the amazaing race begins. Seriously i felt like i was on that show. I slung on my back pack, and rolled out my carry on, off the plank started running. Found the international terminal bus, me and the girl who apears to have missed her flight to Korea get on. International terminal.. start running... down a long straight away.... damn i'm in bad shape, heavy breathing half way down.. Gate 77.... stairs.. going down.. fingers crossed.. please please please.. it's like 1:50.. my flight was scheduled to leave 1:48... downstairs.. LED board, flight 1290 to Frankfurt: "CLOSED"... and the worst, as i looked out the window, sad eyes, my plane sat right there. i know it missed me, it had sad eyes too! boarding gate just pulled away from the plane door, and no one in site down at the terminal, like a ghost town. I try a little wave, hey maybe the pilot would take pity on me & come running out through the boarding door... no such luck :(

so as i sad no one around, seriously, no helpful gate person to speak with. Oh look, how convienent, at gate 88, 3:30 flight to frankfurt.. i go over there... no gate people.. only people waiting. Does anyone believe in help over here. So i start going back down the terminal, and see a customer service phone, tried Delta.. they tell me i need to speak to Lufthansa, b/c that's who my flights booked under. So not really sure why i do this, instead of calling lufthansa, i go back to gate 88, all the way down the hall to: "speak to someone in person". No one is still there of course, but there a customer service phone there. So i try Lufthansa, now at least the Delta girl sounded helpful, the lufthansa guy was evil, said i needed to go back through Delta b/c they were responsible for the delay....

so i head all the way back down the hall again.. through security.. to the Delta ticket counter.. wait a good 30 minutes or so , as the same people who were at the desk when i got there finally got processed, and speak with my lady. "Hello, i've missed my flight to Frankfurt, can u help me".... "oh let me see... clickly click click... we've got you booked on the flight tomorrow"... come one now seriously, i've wasted all this time to spend a night in San Franscisco. I wouldn't have minded the lost day as much, if the evil customer service guy in LA could have taken care of this for me then, so at least i spent a night at home. So i begged and pleaded... and finally mentioned the magic words that i had no luggage checked in, only carry one. And with much more clickly clicks, and a few phone calls. She gets me on the 3:30 flight. Did i mention we landed about 2pm. So she prints me out a card.. and i run to security. "where's your boarding pass?" i show here the card.. "that's not a boarding pass".. i'm about to argue and look at it.. and it is odd, she's like u need to go to Lufthansa Aisle 4, if anyone is still there.. she says... how sweet. So i run.. down the aisles.. phew someone is there, and they actually help me. 3pm .. print me out one boarding card, what about my connection to Kiev.. this seemed really confusing for them.. so i'm just like ok. run back to security. luckily no line. i pass!.. and run.. all the way down the hallway again, gate 88,,, down the stairs.. oh look they haven't even started boarding yet, i have a little luck.

So i do make this plane, yay! in the very last row, of non-reclining seats, with a "bulkhead" down below, so i can't even put my back pack under the seat in front of me, and to strech my legs i kind of need to share w/ the guys next to me. But i'm on my way to Europe! they can't stop me now. but they can delay me. This flight is now delayed, i think it was about 2 hours again. Technical landing gear issue. Hey what'ya gonna do. I'd prefer to have a 100% chance at landing safely. Now i don't even know if i had a connecting flight to Keiv or not, i'd prefer to think that there was.

I arrive in Frankfurt, 2 hours late, check the flight board.. maybe mabye... nope i don't see one Kiev on there. Ok, back to customer service... waiting waiting. My German customer service guy, very help. I have to give him props, he was the best of the day. A possible mid/late 40ish, not sure i can describe him, but if he wasn't a flight customer service guy, i'd picture him working in a kookoo clock company. So we work out a plan, there's a flight to Berlin, and from there, with a 4 hour layover i can take a Ukraine airlines flight to Kiev. Boarding pass for berlin flight, voucher for Kiev. well.. i hope it works. ok 40 mins for berlin flight, need to go terminal A (landed in B) and off i go.. down escalater through tunnel. Try & call my contact in Kiev who was going to pick me up, whom i'm probably late for. I think he waiting at the airport already. and get my my new UA flight number.

Short flight i land in Berlin. I talk to the Lufthansa ticketing about my UA flight, because this voucher scares me. She couldn't help me too much, though she did print out my itenerary.. and give me a 10Euro food voucher, because she is very sorry for the long layover. I've got to thank the Germans for they're value of promtness and efficiancy :) I eat at the very nice restaurant there.. start feeling a little better. Then take off around the airport, let me find internet.. This airport is tiny! one big circle, all boarding windows & ticketing gates, no place to sit except for the restaurants. I get a cappachino and chat with Sumar , originally from Lebanon, living in Berlin for 19 years. he helps me find internet , yay.

and they're are some comforatable seats here, i try a mini nap for half an hour. It's 5:15 let me head over to UA airlines. Huge line.. i head up there.. he takes my voucher with no issue yay. And he also takes my carry on bag, booo. "This is way to heavy for carry on" .. oh well, last leg what can go wrong now. I'm on my last flight, and things start looking up when the beverage lady comes by. The Ukrainain next to me orders a Peeru (beer) and he gets a large can of Carslburg. Carslburg, yay! brings back memories of Ireland. I'll take one of those......


oh p.s. ha i forgot about my morning adventure. So being i was going to be sitting on a 10 hour flight, of an 18 hour jouney, i thought i'd be a good idea to me to get up early and go for a little run in the morning. I make it up 6am yay, grab keys and am out the door. Sun was just coming up, run felt good. Back at home... keys. hmm.. no gold key what's going on.... i had grabbed the wrong set! they had my apt. door keys.. but they'd had just recently put on a different loop & they got attached to my unimportant key loop. I did not have the key to the main apartment building door!!! and it's like 6:30 am... i don't want to wake people... eventually i get in.. don't even ask.

crazy trip

Hello and good morning blog world. So it's been an interesting week, and it concludes with tomorrow morning me flying out to Kiev, Ukraine.

Work is sending me on a trip to meet with one of our outsourced developers there to speed up a project. wow... fun, crazy.. i booked a flight on wed, i am not even packed yet (hmm.. what is the style in Kiev these days). I'm working on getting a laptop setup now.. so i can access my work computer easily. As long as that works well, i'm sure the trip will be fairly smooth.

Gone for a week, will try & blog from halfway across the world! ta ta

the dance

well my first burlesque show was a success! with the exception of just two minor almost freak outs on stage.. our dance went exactly as practiced :) i think the whole show went very well, and it raised over $4k for breast cancer. The girls were super fun, and i think it would be cool to get something going like that out here... for a cause of course.


i've pieced together some pics from out show.... i tried to put it together as if you were watching the dance... now imagine "Staying Alive" playing......




























...that's all folks!

bedazzling

top is bedazzled
      fishnets are folded
stillettos are packed
Tommorow i wake
      early in the morn

flight to catch
Indianapolis i'll be
Saturday night
      big dance show
no stage fright they'll be



(non haiku)

google rules

and microsoft....blows..

anyway.. back to my blog.. I am so excited with what i found out today. actually i am a tad bit embarrassed i was not aware of this before.

so i'm sitting at work, and thinking back to my dinner last night.. My friend stopped by to visit w/ my goddaugher Maeve.. and we were going to do Korean BBQ. I've tried a place with the parents already, which was pretty good. But i felt i should explore more. There is an overwhelming number of KBBQ here.. how do u pick one. I tried yelp on a friend recommendation when my parents were in town, but.. i am pretty lazy at times (or busy with work).. so i waited around and hoped she might lookup a place. After all she is the hotel'ie . And of course, she had. But that left me wondering today.. i want to try more places around here.. but how do i keep track.. now i've tried 2, and i already have forgotten the name of the place i tried with my parents.

So i start thinking to myself, of posting a big LA map on my wall at home, then printing out little pics of the places i've tried and sticking them on it. But i was already trying to get out of that idea. As i haven't really even started with my bedroom setup, i still need to do shelves, hang a mirror. I didn't think i needed another project for the apt. Then i have this great idea.. google should do myMaps... and i can save my little posts it's all over and leave notes.. I love google maps....Wait it's too good.. they must have done it already... so i glance at google maps.. and didn't notice it.. and start daydreaming again.. maybe i'll look at the google map api.. i love mapmyrun.. that integrates.. oh but it would be a lot of work... so i go back to google maps & map something..... then low & behold.. save to my maps link .... DUH ... of course google came up with this already.

So i am excited. I've added my map to the blog .. and i will update with hot spots, restaurants i've tried, want to try etc.... I will have to work out a color coding/icon scheme.. but my pre-resolution for 2009 ( i'm starting early this year.. i think i skipped 2008 resolutions) is to try new places & populate my map.

touring the city of angels

Art Deco style.....
A few weeks ago, due to the research of my friends Kara & Tim we tried one of the Conservancy group of LA's tours of downtown. They have a few: historic core, art deco, theaters... I pushed for Art deco.. as i felt i should learn more about the style due to my new apt.

The following are some pics, and some tips to update u to art deco style.


first we descended deep into the bowels of LA (yes Virginia there is a subway in LA)


















At Pershing square out tour begins... notice the chevrons, tower, indented windows.......inside...
















Artwork would represent details of the buildings function, i forget what this building was for, something to do with california.

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..notice the light bulb...

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art deco buildings have a limestone base and upper portion consisting of terracota tiles.. sometimes dyed.

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bye for now... oh fair city

exploring

..where are the TJ's in your neighborhood.. in your neighborhood.. in your nei... bo... hoood.. oh..

enough of that. skipping my late night kickboxing workout today, i instead opted to head home & find my local Trader Joes. The nearest to Koreatown being that on 3rd and La Brea. Sweet, i'll just take the La Brea exit from the 10 on the way home.. and scope out what's going on near me. Sadly though i've walked about a bit, and taken the metro, explored downtown, I have not yet ventured about in Mr. T to see what there is to see.

Well my explorations today yeilded results: La Brea & 8th.. a Shabu shabu place. I am very excited to check that place out, hope it keeps up to my Ebizo skewers expectations. And what is next door do u ask? A Sake bar.... tottemo benri des yo!

I found TJ's and it met expectations. Though i doubt i will take my direct from work route here again, as it took me about an hour. I think, at most, it only takes 45 minutes for me to get home. and i can't blame it on the 405 because traffic was scary, as in non existant, you only see on weekends morning prior to 8am.

Skipping kickboxing was not in vain because when i made it home i had plenty of time to walk to the local Big 5 and radio shack. I now have 6 HDTV channels and 2 mouth gaurds (i'm stocking up because it takes me so long to get to the store for them).. though that reminds me.. i better start boiling some water so i don't get laughed at in sparring tomorrow w/ my unformed mouthgaurd ;)

off to Indy

I take a red-eye to Indianapolis, Indiana tonight. Dress rehearsal tomorrow night. hmmm... we don't quite have outfits yet... minor details.... red-eye gets me in plenty of time sat morn. to shop before 6pm right?

I've been practicing away.. and think i have a good 1/2 -3/4 of it down, before it's starts to get hazy in the video and i can't hear what it looks like she trying to say. so two days to finish that up, np.

I'm bringing my super high platform heals, stilletto style. (old halloween leftovers) not sure i'm going to go w/ these we'll see.... there's a jump, it's in the hazy part so haven't really been practicing it. not sure it's such a good idea to wear these heels with that jump, but the heals do have a strap, so they're fairly secure.. but it may be treachorous.. don't really want to sprain an ankle :( ..... i already bought my flight out there for the show.

so i was googling the Melody, the bar the shows going to be in & they have a website -
http://www.melodyindy.com/index.html

and... ta da..... it's like my name up in lights.. on the calendar page, Oct18
http://www.melodyindy.com/calendar.html
only not quite my name, just the name of the show..but that's close, right

show update

Meg has put our dance together and i have been checking out the video. Staying Alive is our final song selection. Dance seems totally doable. I just need to practice, and cross my fingers we'll be in sync. A guy named Greg is playing my part in this practice video, that is pretty funny. He seems a bit over eager on the take your clothes off parts (disclaimer: no clothes are actually being removed in this practice video).

so think of Staying alive in your head.. do do do doododod do do do..... there's a lot of finger pointing, arm twirling.. even a half split & a jump! some stepping back & forth.

I think i can do as good as Greg at least!

time to shop now!! I didn't see any 70's ish clothing in Venice the other weekend, boo :( .. so i'm trying online, and maybe Aardvarks or melrose will have something. ... hmm.. i wonder what about purple stockings w/ a garter. I'm going to rock the 70's!

super yay!

I WAS being sued :(

Was being the operative word in that sentence. I had a deposition scheduled for today. Earlier in the week i finally scheduled the day off, as with 3 days to go i figured it wasn't going to get rescheduled anymore :( . (i had an earlier date in Aug for this, that had been rescheduled to today). I call the lawyers office yesterday afternoon just to make sure, i don't need to bring anything... And hear that my lawyer.. is in talks with the opposing party at that moment.. I get a call at 5:30 yesterday, and case if officially settled. YAY!!!! no deposition, no court trial dates, thank god.. done.

I was in a car accident over a year ago. It was my fault, i rear ended someone at a stop light. i was going pretty slow 10, 15mph and had a chance to slam on the breaks for a split second. My truck had a lot of damage, but the other cars not so much. She was an older lady, didn't even want the ambulance called. I called them because she seemed stressed and was breathing heavily and i was concerned for her health. Police came.. tow truck.. yada yada yada.. everything taken care of. Mrs. X seems not too bad off, just shaken up. About a year later.. serious official paperwork comes in the mail for me. I'm being sued for a bit over my insurance policy limit because of the accident. Reasons: health damage, missed work.. and the best.. her husband was even a plantiff.. Unfortunately, due to the accident, Mrs. X ... was unable to perform her martial duties (nudge, nudge, wink wink if u know what i mean). Now did i mention she was older.. i don't know perhaps 60 ish. now i would hope that she's still enjoying all possible extra curricular activities at that age, as i would hope i would be. But seriously...

... come on now.. if the accident were worse, if she were really damaged, then i wouldn't make fun of a claim like that. but personally my take on it.. is they got greedy. I'm a big believer in Karma, and very happy with the outcome, as i don't even have to go to a deposition. So that's all i have to say.

solvang slideshow

A quaint little town



Known for the highest numbers per capita of bakeries and old style windmills











Mmmm... Danish!

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Chumash Lake

A hike along the sweetwater trail to check out some natureHawks...



... wookpeckers and tired hikers.. oh my

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But.. beware of the biker gangs

blog shout out!

This is a shout out to Kim's 6pm blog yesterday... Upon her fabulous tip i bought two pairs of super cute boots for 30 bucks each... a ridiculous steal!!! yay!! ... can't wait for it too cool down :)

fridge door switching, epic adventure

hello blog world, i thought i'd share with you my epic refrigerator door switching and leak fixing "adventure" i had on monday night. Alas.. i didn't take any pics.. so close your eyes and picture a slightly banged up, very standard refrigerator, top/bottom, doors open on the left side, no door handle on the bottom door, and small little puddle on the floor on the right side. Now open your eyes.. or you can't read the rest of my blog!

First , i'll start with the things i've learned from this -
1) For all those who say " Oh it's so easy.. they're made for that... you can easily switch the door so it opens on the other side"... they lie!
2) you better make sure to clean out the condenser if your going to get your dad to help or he'll yell at you
3) don't stick your finger in the fridge fan.. that pretty much completes your adventure

So i buy a fridge off craiglist. I was very happy i could schedule the pickup for the morn of my move day, we could pick that up first before loading the truck. The fridge itself i checked out before hand, it wasn't fabulous but it wasn't bad. The door opened on the left, and i thought that might not be too great in the new apt.. but i was so happy with the schedule i didn't want to look for any more. And they should be easy to change, right?

(how i broke the door handle)
So sat morn , move day we pick up the fridge. Us 3 girls get it down her flight of stairs into the truck (much thanks to Micki!) .. I decide to leave it in the truck on the dolly. We're just driving a short way home.. going slow. So the first big turn onto Sepelveda, we're going pretty slow, we here a cruching.. a little worried we drove over a small car we see nothing through the mirrors. We pull in for gas and open the back.. fridge is still there in the right hand corner, seems like nothing happened. Move in for a closer look. Apparently that crunching.. fridge had rolled straight to the other side smashed into the wall, broke my door handle, and rolled back so we would think nothing happened.

(puddle)
first morning in my new apt.. i woke up went to the kitchen.. i notice a small puddle by the kitchen door. Now this puddle is between the stove and the counter.. very odd.. and it hadn't rained in... when was the last time it rained again? so i dry it up. well low and behold i see this puddle again,.. different days.. sometimes it doesn't show up sometimes it does. i actually considered complaining to the landlord about a leak.. though i had no idea where it came from. Well my neighbor wanted to help me out one day. She said they put my new floors right over the old ones, and they're crooked. She gave me some balls to try out.. put them down they roll. So it finally dawned on me.. the leak was from the fridge. I take a closer look next time, and sometimes if i follow the puddle back ... i see a small spot of water near the fridge.

(epic adventure)
so labor day after the museum, i talk my dad into helping me w/ the fridge. First he checks out the leak, takes the bottom thing off. He see's the drainage tube into the pan, is disconnected at both ends , :( .. but we don't see a connection spot and there's no way to get in there without lifing the fridge. So we go to home depot get some bricks, go back home & tilting the fridge and sliding the bricks under to popup. Well we still can't get the pan off the bottom :( We move onto the doors for now until i can get more tools from the garage. Doors are going pretty smoothly, they're fairly light, but one billion screws, and little plastic things, washers.. then the joint not sure what you would call it. Unbolts. has a metal rod in the middle what both doors pivot on, and that metal piece needs to be pulled out of it's bracing & flipped upside down ( i would have never thought of that).. Doors looking good, bottom going back on, i work on a plant for a bit.. come back.. both doors are off again :( .. Dad forgot a washer on the metal joint thing. ok doors ok, back to the leak.. i get the tools .. oh & we try rolling it out from the wall, going in from the back but see no place to plug in the tube. But see the dirty condenser! that needs to be cleaned.. save a lot in electricity, blow out the fridge etc, etc. ... So i work on cleaning that.. pulling out the dust with my fingers, because my little vac isn't sucking it off the condenser, and i didn't have any cleaning brush or anything. dad works on the leak, got more tools to try & get the drain pan off. I had noticed the little fridge fan next to the condenser earlier & warned my dad, be careful of the fan.. So i'm cleaning the condenser & bam, i stick my finger into the fan. Game over! this was about 4 hours later after the start of the fridge.. & i'm done. luckily it wasn't bad, just a little ding. Dad managed to fix the leak, yay!! after getting that drain pan off. We put the fridge back in place & off to Korean food for dinner.

ticketmaster ... punks

Total Convenience Charge(s)

US $7.35 x 1

Order Processing Charge(s)
US $5.15

TicketFast Delivery What's this?
US $2.50


They've got a really nice little racket going on there.. when i'm the amount paying in fees is almost the price of my ticket. I know they charge a fee, i almost wouldn't mind the amount, but why can't they just tell me instead of breaking it up into multiple little fees. that doesn't make me feel better.. it's just annoying.. and $2.50 for free internet delivery, but regular mail is free ... nice racket!

oh well.. i'm not complaining! i got tickets to my show i thought it was sold out & i was going to pay double the price on some even more racketeering ticket site, so yay!

secret & myth busted

hello blog, happy tuesday evening to you.

i'll jump back a few weeks ago, when i was in Florida. My friend who lives in Indiana met me. I'm good friends with Meg from work. She was there before me.. but eventually gave up the exciting life of margin calls to move back to Indy. She was much more interested in photography.
Anyway not sure how it happened but a few years ago, she had started this burlesque calendar. i think as a fund raiser for the Melody bar (they play a lot of live bands) and in the last year or two that grew to include a burlesque show at the bar.

so we're hanging out at the Irish bar in Fort lauderdale and she was talking about the next show coming up in Oct.. and i'm not sure if it was the multiple Carlberg's that got to me, but it sounded like a lot of fun. Then we're dancing (using a lot of liberty on the word dancing i'm not sure we left our seats) to Staying Alive at the end of the night, and i have this brilliant idea, what if i came out, could we do an act together? Definitely the Carlsbergs talking! After all, we were incredibly in sync with our little Staying alive jig, we can't waste that talent, and i'm not going to take my clothes off onstage by myself, come on get real people.

i bring this up now because it's pretty official. I have a plane ticket out there.. for the dress rehearsal so far.. and we talked on the phone today.. have some deadlines. She's going to choreograph the dance (phew).. and we have to pick a song... and i have to come up with my burlesque name ( see poll) . oh & did i mention if our theme is 70's disco.. blinky lights are going to have to be worked into the costume! (that will be the next deadline).....

.........ok off topic....
i did a little side work for myth busters today. I knew i would do it eventually but i'm a little surprised it happened so soon, less that two weeks. Today, i managed to leave the coffee pot on all day. In fact i think it was only a half hour or so ago that i caught it. And i am typing this blog from the comfort of my apartment.. so luckily the house did not burn down! I will certainly have to mention this to my mom when she's out next week. For how many vacations.. did we start off too.. where after the first hour (just far enough..so you wouldn't really want to turn back).. did she begin her frettting as to: did she remember to turn the coffee pot off.. and would the house still be standing when we returned home. Though it did leave a big black mess of dried out coffee on the bottom :(

white leather couch

The new apt would be sooooo Pimpin' with a white leather couch!!!

.. come on craiglist.. don't let me down!


......................fingers are crossed!!

saturday night

Officially, 8:12 pm pt saturday night .. i start this blog.

tonight i have a mission: me vs ikea stuff (en mass)

busy day, shelving , then tennis then hours at Ikea where i became a giddy shopper lost in a sea of much needed house stuff! ... so i bought.. perhaps bought a little more & had a hot dog. .. But nothing is free and now i pay the price for my untempered buying actions. All the pretty little furniture in the store, so cute and functional, so ready to serve it's purpose ..... is in my apt. packed flat, uncute in cardboard boxes. It is time to assemble! .... perhaps i don't have to finish all tonight? ... i ask myself.. but no, you must! as moving is a never ending process.. and there is still more new stuff to deal with tomorrow :( ...

so now officially 8:17 ... i begin.. oh one plus, patio table done! first assembled after carrying all the stuff upstairs, so i could enjoy my beer & yellow curry on the patio. .... updates to come....

....do do doo... some time passess..

officially, 9:32 pm ... one desk .. assembled! phew.
i thought it might take longer.. first sawhorse leg threw me for a loop.. but i figured it out.. second one a snap.. .. hands a little sore.. ... time for another beer

...start of bathroom tall shelvy unit.. uh oh i see dowels ....
....
....... officially, 10:09 pm.. one bathroom shelvy unit.. assembled! ... and very cute i might add.
music selection ... Cake .... next......................
...
...
..Officially 10:48 pm .. one step stool.. assembled... ... don't laugh.. that was the worst :( ...

1. but i can reach the ceiling lights now! go fluorescents..

... hands.. fingers.. really sore...
..
..next.... ... music selection : Kid rock - all summer long
..
.. 10:59 .. little bathroom shelf.. assembled....
hands red :(


well folks.. that's all for now..
..
..... things i've learned:
- i like stuff.. much more than i like assembling stuff
-crooked floors are a bit annoying as u place the screws out according to the ikea diagram and they roll away
-i really like that song all summer long.. i could play it again.. and again... and ....
perhaps that's not the best way to start off with new neighbors
- there's a leak in the kitchen :( .. probably the fridge.. i need to investigate

first pics.. new apt

I took some pics for the fam of the new place.. so i thought i'd share. Now of course this was a couple days ago.. and it's no where near as messy .. ..... i wish.....

Main room








View from my patio...........................................
wait for it ............................................................................................................................

and then... the bedroom



hmmm time to hang things... i wonder where the hammer is ?

deep thought....

Heavy lifting + 2 flights of stairs = no worries eating ice cream :)

new keys

I stopped by the new apartment yesterday and picked up my keys, yay. Crazy, just two more days and i will be a resident of Koreatown! ... i can't believe how exhausted i am already, and it's not even moving day yet.

" Batman won't catch "Titanic" "

so sad... :(

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080812/en_nm/darkknight_dc;_ylt=AnPm3I1_vkFVQknaEbHaq1Cs0NUE


i haven't seen either yet.. but i do have a strong determination to see Batman in the IMAX, soon i hope, and a possibly a stronger determination never to see Titanic!

how could people rather watch Titanic of this Batman.. so sad.


....side note.. saw AVP 2 the other night.. huge let down, i wasn't expecting too much, but i did like the first alien vs. predator

Craigslist - A - Holic

I've got a problem... i'm admitting it.. that's a step right??

...so i need some stuff..i'm moving & i've got practically zero, zip zilch furniture.. i need a bed frame, a sofa and a fridge to start. i check out craiglist the other day.. found my apartment there.. pretty handy site.. used stuff etc.. found a bed frame, yay! still looking.. sofa, fridge, ... next day a coworker offers up an old sofa, free sofa , yay!...
still looking..... fridge to go.... but there's more stuff.... Anything you can imagine! .. i find an antique hall/umbrella rack.. i'm picking that up tomorrow, yay! .... still looking.. hey i could use a desk, i was going to buy one new.. but craigslist is really coming in handy...

.........but now things are starting to get a little scary.... found a shoe chair. Hot stiletto in leopard print. Didn't know i needed one of those.. but yay? i lost the link.. too many craiglist items :(

... found a desk.. yay.. going to try & pick it up sat evening.. hopefully they won't sell it first, to some punk. ... Oh my goodness.. now look ... a lip chair!

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/fuo/788519984.html

i am totally addicted.....even after all this.. i wasn't that scared.. i thought i was ok... still looking.... but just now.. the Ultimate!!! i totally didn't even know i needed these.... but what a great discount!!

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/fuo/788909964.html

Roman Columns!!! omg.. i would never have been able to afford them without craiglist.... now i totally believe i could find whatever i wish for on here.

................ still looking for a fridge though...


.................................................................................help

Cookie dough

who knew... it is incredibly hard to order Nestle cookie dough online :(

wanted to send some to a coworked in Tuscan and figure me boxing some up from Vons & shipping it out isn't the best idea.

Mellon Ballin'

Kara requested a fruit salad for the BBQ last Saturday and i was happy to oblique. Requirements: Mellons, baller , and some imagination. My mom would often bring the fruit salad to family picnic's and i like to carry on the tradition.







I am usually on the simpler side. I remember my mom's first started pretty simple as an emptied watermelon filled with balled fruit... ending in the later years as a semi elaborate pirate ship. Pineapple rings, kiwi slices and a maraschino cherry all toothpicked around the sides.. ahoy matee, with the watermelon edges done in triangle cutouts.




Taaaa DAAAAAA! (simple but tasty)

new hobby

So i managed to entertain myself on Sat. by cleaning my truck, at home w/ just a bucket of soapy water. Ok i'm sure that sounds very strange to you.

...I like to keep my truck semi clean, but I don't like those drive through washers at the gas station. I would take it to the do it your self place less frequently than i'm sure Mr. T would like. I had always thought that was way better than doing it at home. Super hoses, 8 different options of water/soap combo's and a foamy brush! ... But using the self serv station isn't as glamourous as i had imagined it in my head. It turns into a race: You vs. the 8 dollars in quarters you just put in. Now, how do you work it to possible get through all 8 options, and get Mr. T in the cleanest state he deserves, before the beeping starts and you need to break into the reserve quarters.... don't forget the wheels. Now i've tried multiple combo's of running around the truck.. only using the best soap/water combos.. but he's never gotten completly clean there's just not enough time. I suppose i could put in another 10 bucks of quarters.. but that seems a bit pricey for the do it yourself station.

... and don't even get me going on the drying. It's only going to be shiny clean if you dry it. Other wise the water will dry up in it's little droplets and leave spots. So i drive it out of my booth, to the vacuum area and begin the drying race. There's another i never win. The bright california sunshine usually beats me and dry's about half of the truck before i can get to it.

... anyway lets get back to Sat. Now i didn't start out to clean the truck, b/c my usual is the do it yourself race i just described. But on my way back into the garage about 2 weeks ago ( i had been using my roomates bigger garage while my wrist was broken, easier to get into) , I had scraped the side molding :( ... Big green scratches were on the side of Mr. T. i hoped it was only paint rubbed off from the molding and i could use my cleaner product to take it off. But stage 1 cleaner if for scratches in the paint, and that area had to be cleaned first. So i filled up a bucket got my sponge and cleaned that area.

So to stop babbling on.. it's so much easier to clean the truck w/ just the bucket. I can clean one section at a time , dry it right away. I get way less wet than at the do it yourself place. So hopefully now i'll keep Mr. T clean up to the standards he deserves.

Oh and the green paint.. all removed! only one little scratch. yay!
Gayle: 1 ... wall: 1 .
...don't ask .. there was another incident :(



.. ps ... there was a hole in the bucket, but after plugging it it managed to work well.

rebuilding

That was my wrist.. I think about 9 weeks ago now, at Mammoth CA. The unofficial story - snowboarding.. attemping the 20ft jump, 360 spin.. Blindfolded! .. i wish the official story: 3rd day of boarding.. taking it easy... caught an edge and boom! broken radius & ulna. i guess that big chunk of radius that came off also had some little fractures in it too .

So...i've been taking it pretty easy the past two months.. lots of sleep. I had surgery a week later, and am now the proud owner of a metal plate with 4 screws into the wrist, and one little scar.. that when i'm back to 100%.. people who don't know my may mistake for a suicide scar.
But.. i finally feel like i have energy again. I think i'm back to 90%.. wrist probably about 65%.. but that's ok, it's really much better. I just need to finish up with the stretches & exercises & rebuild all the muscle that disappeared with only 3 weeks on no movement.



















Anyway my plans for this fabulous Memorial day weekend, were to do some activities, maybe a hike. Take some pics for this get back into blogging. Well, the weather disagreed with me, no exciting activities. So change of plans: Today is offically reOrg day. I've just purchased some exciting storage items from Target, and when i finish up with this blog.. i will work on clearing up the clutter in my room. I don't know where all this stuff come from :( .. I don't consider myself a pack rat.. i'll throw away old stuff, but i do have a lot of hobbies. Hobbies, that are usually lower on the priority list, so many things in progress with less actually done. Which means bits and pieces of stuff all around. Knitting .. the 98% done sweater etc. so wish me luck, it's me vs. my room today... but i'm feeling lucky :)