Until you have to call your bank.
The weekend of the 12th was the birthday trip to Vegas. I have to say, it was one of the better birthdays. But if you read the highlights I put up last year, they weren't hard to top.
We stayed at the Venetian, which was gorgeous, and it wasn't weird to have a room with his brother. We actually had a lot of fun. Normal, clean fun. No freaky stuff going on there.
Birthday dinner was at Mon Ami Gabi in Paris. I'd told Tee I wanted a French dinner, and asked him to make the arrangements and surprise me. It was really good, and I got a surprise birthday cream puff with a candle in it. On a bad note, I could feel blisters forming before we even got to the restaurant. But hey, we got a few catcalls about how good I looked, so I guess it was worth it. And the food was great. We had paté for an appetizer, and for entrees I had trout and he had steak. We were discussing dessert when Tee mentioned it was my birthday, so the waiter said he had a surprise. We ended up with (ordered) chocolate mousse, and a surprise cream puff with a candle. We couldn't finish either one, but they were both fantastic.
Our adventure next took us to the Chandelier inside the Cosmopolitan. Guys. Guys. It was soooo coooool. I was inside the sparkles! I imagine a really awesome dressing room like that. Plus, they have this drink called the Verbena. It's trippy. The drink is kind of like a margarita, but tastes a bit like lemonade. It also comes with a Sichuan flower, which you eat after trying the drink. That's when it gets weird. Your mouth gets numb and tingly, and the drink tastes completely different. I wasn't even able to describe what it tasted like afterwards, but it was definitely an experience. We had 2, and then the fun kind of wore off. That was about enough, as I couldn't even walk back to the hotel, and took my shoes off as soon as we were inside. Gross, sure, but so were the horrific blisters. Especially the one that created the blister on the blister. Blister-ception! Gross.
Let's see. Oh. Saturday we had to go shopping, because I obviously couldn't wear heels again. And shop I did. So much so, that my card got declined. I've never had an issue in the US, and I was able to just switch it to debit, but I decided I better call the bank. I always have good experiences with the customer service people from the bank, and this time was no different.
He asked if the last purchase I made was at Victoria's Secret, I affirmed, and he kept saying he wasn't judging, then said "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!" To which I replied "yeah, until you have to call your bank!" Tee-hee, I'm so clever!
We went back out for more shopping; Tee is such a trooper! Even when I got tired cranky and couldn't find shoes that I wanted, he was patient and sweet.
We got all our shopping done and went to see Zarkana that night. It was amazing, just like the other Cirque shows I've seen. We were also 3 rows from the stage, so that was definitely a plus. The things those people can do are ridiculous!
The next day I did some outlet shopping with the girls, and then we had one last drunken evening, but ended pretty early. I just can't party like I used to, but I guess that's okay.
It was a great birthday, and a great trip. Course I needed a vacation post-vacation. Viva Las Vegas!
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Friday, December 5, 2014
Open the Wound
"Your heart won't heal right if you keep tearing out the sutures."
Soldier sent me a message on the facebook last night. It was quite innocent--he wanted to order a Christmas gift for his mom and thought I might have a better idea of what size he should get. It was surprisingly difficult to find a size chart, so we chatted while I looked. (On that subject...what the heck? Why do some places make it so difficult for you to give them your money?! Jerks.)
Eventually we both gave up and picked the best option, but we kept chatting. I let him know that I had gotten a book for his new nephew and would like him to pass it along, and take credit for it. He said he objected to that idea on the moral grounds that he didn't want to lie and say the book was from him when it was from me.
En garde.
At this point it kind of turned into a verbal fencing match. Not that I've ever seen a really fencing match. Do they even call them matches? Also, it wasn't verbal, it was written. Typed. Man, this is a really terrible analogy. I actually only want to be able to use some fencing terms, so just go with it. On a semi-unrelated note, I think I'd like to learn how to fence. How much fun would that be?! And I did indeed look up fencing terms for this sole purpose. There are a lot of them! Forgive me if I use them incorrectly. I'm just trying to be a cool kid. I think I'm doing it wrong.
So my first attaque was telling him that I had no tie anymore to the nephew or parents, that I didn't want to be the weird ex that won't go away. His dérobement was that I was a nice person and they'd appreciate it. He went on to say I could come to the family Christmas party and give it to them myself and, for the contre-attaque he told me that Tee could come to. Shit, there are way too many fencing terms and stuff I don't understand.
Soldier then pulled a changement de rythme and started asking about Tee, and our relationship, while giving an excuse about making small talk. I told him Tee is still wonderful. He attempted a remise by asking if Tee wants kids. This should have resulted in a carton rouge for him. My esquive was simply to say that I didn't know, hoping he'd drop it. He continued his attaque, saying that I should find out, because I want kids. Then he wanted to know why I haven't asked. I finally made my contre-attaque by saying the last time I focused too much on the future it went quite badly.
It kind of fell apart after that. He once again apologized for the way things went, and I reminded him that we both made mistakes. He denied that, and said I was perfect; a vast change from what he'd said before. Somewhere in this he also admitted that he was enjoying some wine. Knowing he was drunk and lonely, I tried to keep the conversation civil and platonic.
He paid me some more compliments, peppered with admissions that he was drunk and probably should go to bed. Eventually I took the initiative and cut the conversation.
So what's this new attitude? Maybe he's just looking for a fuck buddy. (Sorry, Mom, I know you're probably cringing right now. But to be fair I did tell you that you probably shouldn't read the bloggy-blog). But what if it's more than that, and the guy I haven't been able to get out of my heart has finally seen the error of his ways?
Don't worry, I'm not about to break things off with Tee to find out. Thankfully I'm not that stupid. But it is cruel the way the world works. I do feel for him though, and I'm having a tough time with it. Besides, I know that this is a shitty time to be alone. It is interesting though...no matter what they say, they always come back.
Soldier sent me a message on the facebook last night. It was quite innocent--he wanted to order a Christmas gift for his mom and thought I might have a better idea of what size he should get. It was surprisingly difficult to find a size chart, so we chatted while I looked. (On that subject...what the heck? Why do some places make it so difficult for you to give them your money?! Jerks.)
Eventually we both gave up and picked the best option, but we kept chatting. I let him know that I had gotten a book for his new nephew and would like him to pass it along, and take credit for it. He said he objected to that idea on the moral grounds that he didn't want to lie and say the book was from him when it was from me.
En garde.
At this point it kind of turned into a verbal fencing match. Not that I've ever seen a really fencing match. Do they even call them matches? Also, it wasn't verbal, it was written. Typed. Man, this is a really terrible analogy. I actually only want to be able to use some fencing terms, so just go with it. On a semi-unrelated note, I think I'd like to learn how to fence. How much fun would that be?! And I did indeed look up fencing terms for this sole purpose. There are a lot of them! Forgive me if I use them incorrectly. I'm just trying to be a cool kid. I think I'm doing it wrong.
So my first attaque was telling him that I had no tie anymore to the nephew or parents, that I didn't want to be the weird ex that won't go away. His dérobement was that I was a nice person and they'd appreciate it. He went on to say I could come to the family Christmas party and give it to them myself and, for the contre-attaque he told me that Tee could come to. Shit, there are way too many fencing terms and stuff I don't understand.
Soldier then pulled a changement de rythme and started asking about Tee, and our relationship, while giving an excuse about making small talk. I told him Tee is still wonderful. He attempted a remise by asking if Tee wants kids. This should have resulted in a carton rouge for him. My esquive was simply to say that I didn't know, hoping he'd drop it. He continued his attaque, saying that I should find out, because I want kids. Then he wanted to know why I haven't asked. I finally made my contre-attaque by saying the last time I focused too much on the future it went quite badly.
It kind of fell apart after that. He once again apologized for the way things went, and I reminded him that we both made mistakes. He denied that, and said I was perfect; a vast change from what he'd said before. Somewhere in this he also admitted that he was enjoying some wine. Knowing he was drunk and lonely, I tried to keep the conversation civil and platonic.
He paid me some more compliments, peppered with admissions that he was drunk and probably should go to bed. Eventually I took the initiative and cut the conversation.
So what's this new attitude? Maybe he's just looking for a fuck buddy. (Sorry, Mom, I know you're probably cringing right now. But to be fair I did tell you that you probably shouldn't read the bloggy-blog). But what if it's more than that, and the guy I haven't been able to get out of my heart has finally seen the error of his ways?
Don't worry, I'm not about to break things off with Tee to find out. Thankfully I'm not that stupid. But it is cruel the way the world works. I do feel for him though, and I'm having a tough time with it. Besides, I know that this is a shitty time to be alone. It is interesting though...no matter what they say, they always come back.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
The Giving of the Thanks
Counting your blessings one at a time
Wow, it has certainly been a CRAZY year. Hopefully I can't cram too much excitement in one more month.
I've probably already mentioned this, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's all about family and spending time together and appreciating what you have...and massive amounts of delicious food.
Let's reminisce. There were a lot of really good things that happened this year. But there were also a lot of really bad things that happened too. I try to focus on the positive and be upbeat, but it's hard to leave behind all that shittiness. There are lots of times when it really consumes my thoughts. I'm sure it gets annoying to hear about, but it also gets annoying to live. I think the good overall outweighs it, even when things are tough. So, let's go through it, in no particular order.
1. My health, within reason, is okay.
I still have frequent flare-ups, but I'm able to handle them. I also have decent healthcare (for the US) and great doctors who really care about how I'm doing. I'm also kind of getting used to my portable pharmacy.
2. I have some really great friends, even if I don't get to see them as much as I'd like.
Last weekend we went to Sandy and Danny's house to celebrate her birthday. It was just a small-ish party at their house, but it was really nice. I love that this group of people, many of whom have known each other for years and years, welcomed us with open arms. That can be hard to come by in this area. And with all the events we've been able to attend with them, I've really come to care for the whole group. I'll also get to see one of my very good friends pretty soon, which is always great. We've known each other for a very long time and we always just pick up where we left off.
3. My job.
We've very recently had some layoffs, which isn't totally surprising in the public service sector. Our higher-ups are very good about being open with what's going on, so we knew it was a possibility. My way of dealing with that sort of thing is just to do my job to the best of my ability, to try and pretend it's not happening, and to take things as they come. I'll admit that I did get scared for a while at the prospect of figuring out health insurance, and what I would do to find a new job. I have, however, escaped the layoffs (at least for now). It's a bittersweet feeling--you're so glad to still be employed in a place you love, but it's honestly sad and heartbreaking to see some great people go. For now, I'm very happy that I get to stick with something I truly enjoy...you know, until trophy wifedom comes along.
4. I might have a crazy family, but I kinda like them.
My 12 year old niece came to visit for Thanksgiving, and we had a really great week with her. No matter how old she gets, she will always be my Little Princess. We've also been getting to see my 3 and 4 year old nephew and niece (respectively). That's been nice, even if things are still a little weird with my brother and his wife. The world-travelling branch of our family will also be home soon, which I couldn't be happier about! And my parents are just as supportive as they've always been. (Hiiiiii Mum!)
5. Introspection, and the truth.
I don't think it's any surprise that I don't see myself as others do, and I've always prided myself on recognizing and trying to work on my flaws. In looking back at previous posts, I don't see where I noted a semi-recent conversation with Soldier. He's the kind of guy that will ignore problems and pretend everything is great, but he was apparently doing some introspection of his own. He remarked that Tee seems to be a much better boyfriend than he'd been. He took full responsibility for our failed relationship, even when I tried to say I'd made mistakes. Everyone has their self-fulfilling prophecy, and he fell victim to his. I don't even remember what it was. But when I tried to rebut and say that I'd done things wrong and hadn't been the best girlfriend either, he refused to agree and just told me I'm too hard on myself.
Instead of feeling vindicated, it made me sad. Soldier has his faults, but he is a good guy, he means well, and I still care for him very much. While I do still thing it's good to recognize your flaws, and I'm glad I've gotten to know myself so well this year, I suppose I need to even take myself with a grain of salt.
6. My guy is incredible.
We all know I can get easily irritated, I'm a slightly demanding perfectionist, and I don't always play well with others. But Tee continues to amaze me. He's so caring, patient, and thoughtful. Sometimes I don't know how or why he continues to put up with me, but he just persists in being fantastic. His mom doesn't seem to share his lovey view of me, so I'll just appreciate him all the more.
7. The travelling and wonderful experiences I've had this year.
All of the discovering has given me a new thirst for more discovering--to see different places, experience new cultures, and try new things. And I'm so glad for all of it! I'm so glad that I've finally branched out and am enjoying what the world has to offer.
8. Freedom.
Okay, I know I've been getting on 'Murica lately. But I appreciate where I live and all the freedoms I have. For one thing, I can have this blog and not worry about getting in a whole lot of trouble or be careful about what I say. I live in a good area, I don't wonder when or what my next meal will be, and I don't have a huge concern about being caught in the middle of unwarranted violence. It could all happen, I know, anyone's world could come crumbling down around them any day. (Pleasant thought, huh?). So I enjoy and appreciate what I have. At least I try to. Again, until trophy-wifedom.
And thanks to all of you, my little chickadees, for reading about my silly life. I absolutely love checking in and seeing what parts of the world I'm reaching. It fascinates me. Here comes the mushiness! Even though I don't know most of you, I'm thankful for you. I'm glad you care (or at least get some amusement) about what happens to me, and I (dare I say it!?) love you for that. It's okay...get all warm and fuzzy inside.
The purpose of this post was gratefulness, but don't worry...the bitch will be back soon ;)
Wow, it has certainly been a CRAZY year. Hopefully I can't cram too much excitement in one more month.
I've probably already mentioned this, but Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's all about family and spending time together and appreciating what you have...and massive amounts of delicious food.
Let's reminisce. There were a lot of really good things that happened this year. But there were also a lot of really bad things that happened too. I try to focus on the positive and be upbeat, but it's hard to leave behind all that shittiness. There are lots of times when it really consumes my thoughts. I'm sure it gets annoying to hear about, but it also gets annoying to live. I think the good overall outweighs it, even when things are tough. So, let's go through it, in no particular order.
1. My health, within reason, is okay.
I still have frequent flare-ups, but I'm able to handle them. I also have decent healthcare (for the US) and great doctors who really care about how I'm doing. I'm also kind of getting used to my portable pharmacy.
2. I have some really great friends, even if I don't get to see them as much as I'd like.
Last weekend we went to Sandy and Danny's house to celebrate her birthday. It was just a small-ish party at their house, but it was really nice. I love that this group of people, many of whom have known each other for years and years, welcomed us with open arms. That can be hard to come by in this area. And with all the events we've been able to attend with them, I've really come to care for the whole group. I'll also get to see one of my very good friends pretty soon, which is always great. We've known each other for a very long time and we always just pick up where we left off.
3. My job.
We've very recently had some layoffs, which isn't totally surprising in the public service sector. Our higher-ups are very good about being open with what's going on, so we knew it was a possibility. My way of dealing with that sort of thing is just to do my job to the best of my ability, to try and pretend it's not happening, and to take things as they come. I'll admit that I did get scared for a while at the prospect of figuring out health insurance, and what I would do to find a new job. I have, however, escaped the layoffs (at least for now). It's a bittersweet feeling--you're so glad to still be employed in a place you love, but it's honestly sad and heartbreaking to see some great people go. For now, I'm very happy that I get to stick with something I truly enjoy...you know, until trophy wifedom comes along.
4. I might have a crazy family, but I kinda like them.
My 12 year old niece came to visit for Thanksgiving, and we had a really great week with her. No matter how old she gets, she will always be my Little Princess. We've also been getting to see my 3 and 4 year old nephew and niece (respectively). That's been nice, even if things are still a little weird with my brother and his wife. The world-travelling branch of our family will also be home soon, which I couldn't be happier about! And my parents are just as supportive as they've always been. (Hiiiiii Mum!)
5. Introspection, and the truth.
I don't think it's any surprise that I don't see myself as others do, and I've always prided myself on recognizing and trying to work on my flaws. In looking back at previous posts, I don't see where I noted a semi-recent conversation with Soldier. He's the kind of guy that will ignore problems and pretend everything is great, but he was apparently doing some introspection of his own. He remarked that Tee seems to be a much better boyfriend than he'd been. He took full responsibility for our failed relationship, even when I tried to say I'd made mistakes. Everyone has their self-fulfilling prophecy, and he fell victim to his. I don't even remember what it was. But when I tried to rebut and say that I'd done things wrong and hadn't been the best girlfriend either, he refused to agree and just told me I'm too hard on myself.
Instead of feeling vindicated, it made me sad. Soldier has his faults, but he is a good guy, he means well, and I still care for him very much. While I do still thing it's good to recognize your flaws, and I'm glad I've gotten to know myself so well this year, I suppose I need to even take myself with a grain of salt.
6. My guy is incredible.
We all know I can get easily irritated, I'm a slightly demanding perfectionist, and I don't always play well with others. But Tee continues to amaze me. He's so caring, patient, and thoughtful. Sometimes I don't know how or why he continues to put up with me, but he just persists in being fantastic. His mom doesn't seem to share his lovey view of me, so I'll just appreciate him all the more.
7. The travelling and wonderful experiences I've had this year.
All of the discovering has given me a new thirst for more discovering--to see different places, experience new cultures, and try new things. And I'm so glad for all of it! I'm so glad that I've finally branched out and am enjoying what the world has to offer.
8. Freedom.
Okay, I know I've been getting on 'Murica lately. But I appreciate where I live and all the freedoms I have. For one thing, I can have this blog and not worry about getting in a whole lot of trouble or be careful about what I say. I live in a good area, I don't wonder when or what my next meal will be, and I don't have a huge concern about being caught in the middle of unwarranted violence. It could all happen, I know, anyone's world could come crumbling down around them any day. (Pleasant thought, huh?). So I enjoy and appreciate what I have. At least I try to. Again, until trophy-wifedom.
And thanks to all of you, my little chickadees, for reading about my silly life. I absolutely love checking in and seeing what parts of the world I'm reaching. It fascinates me. Here comes the mushiness! Even though I don't know most of you, I'm thankful for you. I'm glad you care (or at least get some amusement) about what happens to me, and I (dare I say it!?) love you for that. It's okay...get all warm and fuzzy inside.
The purpose of this post was gratefulness, but don't worry...the bitch will be back soon ;)
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Sex, Drugs, and Rock n Roll
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And the right to bear arms |
Warning! This post will be highly opinionated and may piss some people off. But, I suppose that could be said for all of them. Score one for freedom of speech!
This week I walked into the middle of a conversation where a coworker was trying to find a loophole on how they could bring their gun to work (obviously with the legal conceal and carry permit). I was a taken aback and asked why that would be such a concern. It was because, you know, if you leave work and it's dark and you're alone in the parking lot, if someone tries something....
I'm not gonna lie, I was kind of shocked. Why is this your first instinct? Maybe pepper spray? A little pocket knife? Adrenaline and brute strength? I found it...interesting...that it would jump straight to the instrument that could instantly take a life.
Now now, all you gun advocates, don't get all up in arms (hehe). I'm all for hunting (when the animal actually gets used, not like lions and elephants and stuff. And especially not giraffes. Do people actually do that? I love giraffes.) It just seems like, protection-wise, there are some other options. And maybe I'm a little torn on this. It seems, not necessarily okay, but maybe more justifiable, to use a gun if someone breaks into your house or something.
Okay. Maybe I can collect my thoughts and give halfway a sane-sounding description here. I'm sure I've said it before, but the world today scares me. There's so much violence and evil. And I get the freedom and all that, but it doesn't seem like the best conclusion, in my opinion, to make them more available. It seems like in the US there's another school shooting every other week. So, sure, I can see the argument that giving the "right" people guns is a solution. But even the "right" people misjudge, get paranoid, shoot first and ask questions later. Then it's just more death.
You get the people who say that making guns illegal won't stop people from getting them. Alright, fair, that's a semi-valid argument. Heroine is illegal, but there are people who still find it and do it. It's safe to assume that some determined people would find and use guns as well. In cases of angered shooting, however, I have to guess that a person would have time to cool off if they had to try and find a gun. There are some states where people can instantly get a gun...no background check, no mental health assessment, no wait period, no questions at all. That seems irresponsible.
Then you have "guns don't kill people, people kill people." Well, technically true. But if I'm an angry person with a knife, I can kill a lot fewer people than if I'm an angry person with a gun. And it's a lot easier for someone to intervene than if I'm shooting off an assault rifle into a crowd.
Oh, there's another issue. Wtf reason does the average person have to own an assault weapon? Nooone. Most of us don't live somewhere that has a valid threat of an attacking bear.
Clearly, the good ole U.S. of A is disappointing me lately. But we did just have an election, which is always a little depressing. I voted, and I felt it was my responsibility and right, but it really doesn't mean anything anymore. So many people don't seem to want to think of the greater good, or the long-term consequences or solutions.
Why can't we all just get along?
Thursday, November 6, 2014
The Feels
"You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should've behaved better."
Sometimes I worry about what I write; if I'm going to offend anyone. I suppose in today's world it could come back to bite me. But this quote is right: they're my stories and I have the right to share them.
Anyway, the day I've been dreading is here: I have the feels. It sounds like a disease, doesn't it? Ick, that's what it seems like. They snuck up on me, and they're gross. I'm not equipped to deal with these things anymore.
Tee and I had a couple of Halloween parties to go to this year. A couple weekends ago, we made the hour-ish trip to visit Sandy and the rest of that group. We dressed up as a ventriloquist and his...ahem...doll. He was such a good sport; he even let me put eyeliner on him. And we had fun. We all went out to a bar, then back to somebody's house for a while. And we all had a good time; no drama, no issues. And we looked fantastic. Of course. After a nice drunken night, we slept for a while at Sandy and Danny's house (unfortunately, Danny was out of town for work) and went back to Tee's house the next day, quite hungover. But, thankfully for me, he drove, so I just had to kind of keep me company.
I've started to miss Tee more and more. Which is distressing, for me. We live about an hour away from each other, so we don't get to hang out as much as either of us would like. But I've begun to get so sad during the evenings when I don't get to see him, especially when I'm extra tired. If you remember, I have narcolepsy, so I'm extra tired kind of regularly. All of these feels are a little overwhelming and distressing.
Crap, I waited too long to write, and now I can't even really remember what's been going on in my silly life.
This past weekend, we had another Halloween party. I was super excited to have 3 costumes this year, which meant I got to do 3 different makeup looks. For work I went as a super-cute (work-appropriate, which is more than I can say for some others) peacock, and then for on Saturday, Tee and I went as Mary Poppins and Bert. The poor guy had to put up with me pouting the entire drive to the party because I didn't look as cute as I'd wanted to. The skirt I got was a little big so it sat more on my hips rather than my waist, and it just wasn't what I envisioned. #HighMaintenanceProblems.
I suppose I should point out at this time that I hate hashtags and only use them ironically or to poke fun at myself. Cuz I'm cool like that.
But the party turned out to be a lot of fun. My dad got super trashed, and he was a silly, obnoxious old drunk guy. It was great, because he's usually so well mannered and responsible.
So, I'm not sure if I ever explained that Tee is the nephew of my parent's best friends. My parents have been going to this party for the past few years, and this is my first. So I'd heard of most of these people, but hadn't necessarily met them.
One such family was a couple that adopted two children from Russia. My mom kept telling me how gorgeous they were, and she didn't oversell it. A ways into the party, for some reason, the younger girl (I'll just say between 5 and 10) decided that she really liked me. She sat on my lap and we read together and she made me a little finger-knit scarf. It was so touching, especially once everyone started saying that she doesn't normally attach to people that way. The parents joked about me staying with the kids so they could go to Vegas for a weekend, and I told them that I absolutely would do that.
It reminded me of the good stuff; I've been so disappointed in the way the world is going, and people in general lately. I think I'll end this one there. Sometimes kids have more to teach adults than the other way around; they're so innocent.
Oh for goodness sake...I think I just got inspirational or something. SEE?! THE FEELS! They're taking over and I don't like it one bit. What is Tee turning me into?
Sometimes I worry about what I write; if I'm going to offend anyone. I suppose in today's world it could come back to bite me. But this quote is right: they're my stories and I have the right to share them.
Anyway, the day I've been dreading is here: I have the feels. It sounds like a disease, doesn't it? Ick, that's what it seems like. They snuck up on me, and they're gross. I'm not equipped to deal with these things anymore.
Tee and I had a couple of Halloween parties to go to this year. A couple weekends ago, we made the hour-ish trip to visit Sandy and the rest of that group. We dressed up as a ventriloquist and his...ahem...doll. He was such a good sport; he even let me put eyeliner on him. And we had fun. We all went out to a bar, then back to somebody's house for a while. And we all had a good time; no drama, no issues. And we looked fantastic. Of course. After a nice drunken night, we slept for a while at Sandy and Danny's house (unfortunately, Danny was out of town for work) and went back to Tee's house the next day, quite hungover. But, thankfully for me, he drove, so I just had to kind of keep me company.
I've started to miss Tee more and more. Which is distressing, for me. We live about an hour away from each other, so we don't get to hang out as much as either of us would like. But I've begun to get so sad during the evenings when I don't get to see him, especially when I'm extra tired. If you remember, I have narcolepsy, so I'm extra tired kind of regularly. All of these feels are a little overwhelming and distressing.
Crap, I waited too long to write, and now I can't even really remember what's been going on in my silly life.
This past weekend, we had another Halloween party. I was super excited to have 3 costumes this year, which meant I got to do 3 different makeup looks. For work I went as a super-cute (work-appropriate, which is more than I can say for some others) peacock, and then for on Saturday, Tee and I went as Mary Poppins and Bert. The poor guy had to put up with me pouting the entire drive to the party because I didn't look as cute as I'd wanted to. The skirt I got was a little big so it sat more on my hips rather than my waist, and it just wasn't what I envisioned. #HighMaintenanceProblems.
I suppose I should point out at this time that I hate hashtags and only use them ironically or to poke fun at myself. Cuz I'm cool like that.
But the party turned out to be a lot of fun. My dad got super trashed, and he was a silly, obnoxious old drunk guy. It was great, because he's usually so well mannered and responsible.
So, I'm not sure if I ever explained that Tee is the nephew of my parent's best friends. My parents have been going to this party for the past few years, and this is my first. So I'd heard of most of these people, but hadn't necessarily met them.
One such family was a couple that adopted two children from Russia. My mom kept telling me how gorgeous they were, and she didn't oversell it. A ways into the party, for some reason, the younger girl (I'll just say between 5 and 10) decided that she really liked me. She sat on my lap and we read together and she made me a little finger-knit scarf. It was so touching, especially once everyone started saying that she doesn't normally attach to people that way. The parents joked about me staying with the kids so they could go to Vegas for a weekend, and I told them that I absolutely would do that.
It reminded me of the good stuff; I've been so disappointed in the way the world is going, and people in general lately. I think I'll end this one there. Sometimes kids have more to teach adults than the other way around; they're so innocent.
Oh for goodness sake...I think I just got inspirational or something. SEE?! THE FEELS! They're taking over and I don't like it one bit. What is Tee turning me into?
Thursday, October 23, 2014
World History IV
Oh, to be Princess.
Tuesday
Over the weekend, when I was trying to figure out what to do for my last few days, I ran into the problem that a lot of tourist areas are closed on Mondays. I decided that, since we went to the Catacombs, I'd opt for Versailles over the Notre Dame crypts. Also, since everything had been so easy to navigate thus far, I didn't really look up details on how to get there. Slight mistake.
Okay, so for Paris trainy public transpo, there's the metro and the RER. I have no idea what the difference is, except you have to buy an RER ticket separately and it's a little more expensive. There are also specific spots you have to get them, and we originally went to the wrong spot. (Oops. Forgot to tell you that BroInLaw came with to get me on the right train.) So we backtracked and got to the right stop, got the right ticket, and I got to the right platform.
Neither of the trains seemed to be going where I needed to though. We tried to figure it out for a few minutes, and then I told BroInLaw to head out and start his errands. He wasn't keen on the idea, but I promised I'd either make my way to Versailles or head back to home base. Why haven't I just been calling it HB this whole time? That would have saved me some keystrokes. Oh wellsies.
So, this platform was terrifying. It looked like the place where someone might rape and kill you. Dark, dirty, concrete, and veryvery empty. Well, I sat there for a while hoping the right train would come along. No dice. I scrutinized my map over and over, trying to figure it out. A few times I considered just hopping on the train and seeing where it took me, and eventually that's what I did. My thought was that I'd take it to the Champs de Mars and WorstCaseScenario I'd head up to the Eiffel Tower and whatever other trouble I could get into.
That was the correct option. I was able to get on the right Versailles train from Champs de Mars, and jumped into the first empty seat I found. I sat across from a Filipino couple who eventually started talking to me. The woman said they would have talked to me sooner but she thought I was European (score!) and the language barrier is more difficult. We chatted a bit, they were very nice...when we got to Versailles I wished them well and went on my way.
As I was walking to the station, the couple caught back up with me and asked my name. Just like that, I had new friends for the day! It was great, because I was able to be in some of my pictures. Anyway we got tickets for Palais de Versailles, Jardin de Versailles, and Marie Antionette's Trianon. Our plan, assuming the line would be really long at the palace, was to check out the gardens and Marie's property first.
After walking just a little ways, the palace opened up before us. And...wow.
They seemed to go on forever!
Tuesday
Over the weekend, when I was trying to figure out what to do for my last few days, I ran into the problem that a lot of tourist areas are closed on Mondays. I decided that, since we went to the Catacombs, I'd opt for Versailles over the Notre Dame crypts. Also, since everything had been so easy to navigate thus far, I didn't really look up details on how to get there. Slight mistake.
Okay, so for Paris trainy public transpo, there's the metro and the RER. I have no idea what the difference is, except you have to buy an RER ticket separately and it's a little more expensive. There are also specific spots you have to get them, and we originally went to the wrong spot. (Oops. Forgot to tell you that BroInLaw came with to get me on the right train.) So we backtracked and got to the right stop, got the right ticket, and I got to the right platform.
Neither of the trains seemed to be going where I needed to though. We tried to figure it out for a few minutes, and then I told BroInLaw to head out and start his errands. He wasn't keen on the idea, but I promised I'd either make my way to Versailles or head back to home base. Why haven't I just been calling it HB this whole time? That would have saved me some keystrokes. Oh wellsies.
So, this platform was terrifying. It looked like the place where someone might rape and kill you. Dark, dirty, concrete, and veryvery empty. Well, I sat there for a while hoping the right train would come along. No dice. I scrutinized my map over and over, trying to figure it out. A few times I considered just hopping on the train and seeing where it took me, and eventually that's what I did. My thought was that I'd take it to the Champs de Mars and WorstCaseScenario I'd head up to the Eiffel Tower and whatever other trouble I could get into.
That was the correct option. I was able to get on the right Versailles train from Champs de Mars, and jumped into the first empty seat I found. I sat across from a Filipino couple who eventually started talking to me. The woman said they would have talked to me sooner but she thought I was European (score!) and the language barrier is more difficult. We chatted a bit, they were very nice...when we got to Versailles I wished them well and went on my way.
As I was walking to the station, the couple caught back up with me and asked my name. Just like that, I had new friends for the day! It was great, because I was able to be in some of my pictures. Anyway we got tickets for Palais de Versailles, Jardin de Versailles, and Marie Antionette's Trianon. Our plan, assuming the line would be really long at the palace, was to check out the gardens and Marie's property first.
After walking just a little ways, the palace opened up before us. And...wow.
Just ignore all the people, that's what I usually do. We (smartly) bypassed these lines. 
I think the gardens were my favorite part though; I could have spent days in there. That may partly be because there was so much more space so it didn't feel like you were smushed in there with everyone else. But they were absolutely gorgeous!
They seemed to go on forever!
As you can see, there was a lot of grass and/or really short shrubbery shaped into the swirl patterns. Just beyond that, check out the line of trees. That wasn't just a line of trees, it was more like a tree maze. But there were kind of pockets in the maze, and each pocket had statues or fountains or something. And when you were in the little pockets, it felt so secluded and intimate. I kept thinking what it would have been like to be a child growing up there and having that as your playground. It was unreal.
If you look to the left of the picture, you can see a long body of water, which was the next point of interest: The Grand Canal. More beauty:
The statue isn't actually in the Grand Canal; it's the water beyond.
Next, on the the Trianon. I didn't actually get to see a whole lot, I was trying to be conscious of time. But, of course all of her stuff was luxurious. It was really interesting to think of all the feasts and balls and everything they had back then, and what they had to work with. Even the furniture--EVERYTHING was in matching material, straight to fabric on the walls. No automatic ovens, no KitchenAid tools, no freezers, no dishwashers. The crazy giant dresses for every little thing, with multiple wardrobe changes each day; the insane huge wigs worn for any occasion; the spectacularly expensive jewelry for each outfit. And all of it done by hand. Pretty amazing.
After this part, my Filipino friends and I went our separate ways. I wanted to check out the gift shop; I was on the hunt for some macarons, and they wanted to start up to the palace. I wandered leisurely back up through the gardens to the front. I did a little happy dance on the inside as I walked right up to the front door, picked up my audio guide, and started the tour.
Though there weren't a lot of people waiting, there were still too many people for comfort on the inside. But I did get a chance to see the artwork, multiple bedrooms and staterooms, and learn a lot more.
I think I spend the entire walk through the Hall of Mirrors with my jaw hanging down. And (a bit surprisingly for me) the mirrors weren't even the best part. I don't even know how many chandeliers there were, and they glittered and shone. There were also a whole lot more painted ceilings.
I didn't spend as much time in the palace as I would have liked to, either, mostly because the crowds were so dense and it got really stuffy and uncomfortable. I also decided I'd done enough walking and I was tired enough to go home. So I jumped onto the train that would take me back to Champs de Mars, then back to Porte Neuilly.
That night we had a picnic in the Bois de Boulogne. With it having been so close to my sister's place, I'm really bummed I didn't go jogging or even wander around in there. It was a nice, peaceful park with a good size pond right where we decided to eat. We even had a naughty puppy try to jump into our picnic, but he was adorable.
Wednesday
The trip to the airport and back to the States was pretty uneventful, though all of the lines were long. Being absolutely exhausted, uncomfortable, and hurty, I definitely took advantage of the free wine. Even the layover at O'Hare wasn't too bad, though they did move the gate a couple of times.
However, once we landed at my last stop, we just stayed. And stayed, and stayed. We sat on the plane, outside of the airport, for an hour. And I was forced to listen to three exceptionally obnoxious southern boys sitting behind me. Because they "didn't have" a gate for us. But mostly because American is BS and nothing goes smoothly ever. It's a wonder they're still in business. Oh wait, it's because of idiots like me who swear to never use them again and then find a really good deal. I only have myself to blame!
But we finally got inside, and there was Tee waiting for me. When I saw him, I started running. For real running, which was difficult with my stupid legs. And then I kind of propelled myself into him and squeezed him as hard as I could. I was very excited to see him.
I'm sorry, guys, this post took forever. I'm having a "flare-up" and I've been completely exhausted and feeling crappy again. Also, what a stupid thing to call it. My body's attacking me like an evil, sneaky little army. Maybe I can come up with some other fun way to say it.
Anyway, it was a wonderful, wonderful trip. I'm so glad (and grateful) that I got to go to France, not once, but twice, in one year. And I'm so glad I got the extra time to spend with Sister (ugh, I could have been calling her Soeur this whole time! I am dropping the ball, people!) and BroInLaw. I hope to make it back someday, and to be able to explore the rest of Europe. Since then I've been furiously devouring books and documentaries about European history.
But, you know what they say...someday my Prince will come.
Friday, October 17, 2014
World History III
Opulence and Style
Monday
It was raining when I woke up. I wasn't complaining, for two reasons: 1) It gave me a good excuse to sleep in and be a little bit lazy. 2) The weather was amazing for the rest of the trip. It also didn't throw off my plans because I'd already made the fan-freaking-tastic decision to do a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus for the day. These things are ingenious for vacations.
There's a set route which multiple buses travel all day, you pay one fee, and you get on and off as many times as you want. Plus, they give you earbuds to listen to a commentary that tells you stuff about the city as you're riding through. I learned so many cool things!
I picked up the bus at the Arc de Triomphe, which was closest on the metro to home base. I honestly enjoyed listening to the history as much as I did actually seeing the things. My first interest was the Hotel des Invalides, and the closest stop was the Grand Palais, right across from the Petit Palais. They might as well both have been called Grand and Fancy as Fuck Palais. And I didn't even go inside. But check this shit out:
This is the entrance to the Petit Palais. Petit. I call bullshit.
After taking some pictures I walked across the Pont Alexandre III. Super gorgeous, and another great view of the Tower. Not bad. Another history lesson! The bridge is named for Tsar Alexandre III and his son, Nicholas (yup, that Tsar Nicholas) laid the foundation stone.
Then it was on to Hotel National des Invalides. It was originally meant to be a hospital for veterans, and part of it is still used for that, but most of it is a museum. It has like 5 or 6 different areas, and I really only fit in a few of them. I basically walked into the first section I saw, which had military stuff from Louis XIV to Napoleon I. It was pretty neat; lots of uniforms and weapons, even some cavalry stuff, maps, and medical equipment.
I was trying to keep track of time, so I wanted to see Napoleon's tomb next. Of course it's housed in the big, ornate domed part of the Invalides. Not exactly humble, was he?
When I walked in I was of course blown away by the intricacies of the building. It had an amazing ceiling, which was another theme to the trip: kickass artworked ceilings. The next thing that caught me was a huge gilded crucifix. It was amazing. Behind it was basically a wall of glass, and I could see the chapel through it. I couldn't stop staring at it, it was just magnificent.
See for yourself:
Ah-may-zing.
Monday
It was raining when I woke up. I wasn't complaining, for two reasons: 1) It gave me a good excuse to sleep in and be a little bit lazy. 2) The weather was amazing for the rest of the trip. It also didn't throw off my plans because I'd already made the fan-freaking-tastic decision to do a Hop-On-Hop-Off bus for the day. These things are ingenious for vacations.
There's a set route which multiple buses travel all day, you pay one fee, and you get on and off as many times as you want. Plus, they give you earbuds to listen to a commentary that tells you stuff about the city as you're riding through. I learned so many cool things!
This is the entrance to the Petit Palais. Petit. I call bullshit.
After taking some pictures I walked across the Pont Alexandre III. Super gorgeous, and another great view of the Tower. Not bad. Another history lesson! The bridge is named for Tsar Alexandre III and his son, Nicholas (yup, that Tsar Nicholas) laid the foundation stone.
Then it was on to Hotel National des Invalides. It was originally meant to be a hospital for veterans, and part of it is still used for that, but most of it is a museum. It has like 5 or 6 different areas, and I really only fit in a few of them. I basically walked into the first section I saw, which had military stuff from Louis XIV to Napoleon I. It was pretty neat; lots of uniforms and weapons, even some cavalry stuff, maps, and medical equipment.
I was trying to keep track of time, so I wanted to see Napoleon's tomb next. Of course it's housed in the big, ornate domed part of the Invalides. Not exactly humble, was he?
When I walked in I was of course blown away by the intricacies of the building. It had an amazing ceiling, which was another theme to the trip: kickass artworked ceilings. The next thing that caught me was a huge gilded crucifix. It was amazing. Behind it was basically a wall of glass, and I could see the chapel through it. I couldn't stop staring at it, it was just magnificent.
See for yourself:
Ah-may-zing.
After seeing that, I had to see the chapel. And it did not disappoint. Like the chapel at Giverny, it had gorgeous stained glass windows, and lots of flags (which you can kind of see in that picture). I know there's more I could say about the chapel, but it's such a personal and spiritual thing, I really don't know how to put it into words. So, I won't even try. Moving along.
Because I'm completely logical and not at all stubborn, I didn't want to go back the way I came. Any of the ways I came. I needed to head toward the Eiffel Tower, but, I had no idea where I needed to go. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. When you're in the middle of the city, even a giant tower isn't terribly easy to find. The good news is that I was able to find it every once in a while. While I'm sure I took a very roundabout and extended walk, I got there. And I did get to see some random neighborhoods and areas of Paris. Even though I'd only seen one attraction, I was already a few hours and a LOT of walking in, and I'm not ashamed to admit I was already getting a bit tired.
After catching the bus again at the Tower (I'm glad I got another chance to see it up close) I gladly sat for a while and listened to more interesting information about the city. The next stop (and the next one I was interested in) was the Opera Garnier.
Hiiistooory! Technically the Palais Garnier, it was named after its architect, Charles Garnier. When they were building it, they found underground lakes, which made it difficult. Garnier was also pretty difficult and insisted on some pretty opulent touches. That included a six ton chandelier, which at some point crashed into the crowd and killed a guy. Or a girl, I dunno. Someone died. Have you figured out where this is going yet? It was the inspiration for Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera. This was another attraction I'd been eagerly anticipating. Unfortunately, they weren't doing tours the day I went, but I did get to walk around the outside and (of course) visit the gift shop. I passed up the opportunity to buy a copy of the book in French, and I now regret that. C'est la vie.
My last stop was to see Notre Dame again. I walked through quickly to marvel at everything again. The main reason I went there was to buy a new rosary, I figured that was a pretty good opportunity to replace the one I can't find. By this time I was really tired, but I didn't quite want to finish my trip. I took a few minutes to sit in the square and just people watch and look around.
Pretty exhausted with very tired feet, I got back on the bus, learned a bit more, and made my way back to the Arc de Triomphe. Then it was down to the metro and back to home base. We again just relaxed at home, which was great for me. I was pretty drained.
Okay, that was a lot for one post, so I'll drag it out and leave my last day for another one. Plus it's bedtime for me, so goodnight my lovelies!
Sunday, October 12, 2014
World History II
The art of life
Saturday
We got up pretty early to catch the train to Giverny. This was one of the main reasons I'd wanted to get back to Paris, so I was really excited. Sitting on the train, I watched Paris fade away as we headed northwest to the country. At the station, we quickly made our way to the station for a short bus ride to Monet's Gardens. Just before we reached the gardens, though, we passed by a field with pigs...and emus. Because, why not...I guess?
We walked through this little town, some of it touristy, some just normal town stuff. Finally we came to the actual gardens. You have to walk in through the gift shop, and then it opens up to all the flowers.
Apparently Monet was a collector of exotic flowers, and he did the whole thing himself. It was gorgeous and amazing.
Saturday
We got up pretty early to catch the train to Giverny. This was one of the main reasons I'd wanted to get back to Paris, so I was really excited. Sitting on the train, I watched Paris fade away as we headed northwest to the country. At the station, we quickly made our way to the station for a short bus ride to Monet's Gardens. Just before we reached the gardens, though, we passed by a field with pigs...and emus. Because, why not...I guess?
We walked through this little town, some of it touristy, some just normal town stuff. Finally we came to the actual gardens. You have to walk in through the gift shop, and then it opens up to all the flowers.
Apparently Monet was a collector of exotic flowers, and he did the whole thing himself. It was gorgeous and amazing.
The pictures don't do it justice; the colors were so vibrant. Then we got to the area with the waterlilies. W-O-W. The secluded area of ponds with lilies, the bridges, bamboo, and a whole bunch of weeping willows, even a little rowboat. And Monet built it all. (Disclaimer: I guess parts of it were destroyed during WWII, so it had to be redone. But I think he probably still deserves most of the credit.)
He created this other world out of a fairy tale. I can't even imagine how beautiful it would be to spend time there without all the tourists. I wished I could make everyone else disappear and sit under the willows with a book.
Although, one thing I did like about all the other people was a big group of art students. They were broken up into smaller groups and sketching the waterlily area. It was kind of neat.
After we got our fill of the flowers we stopped for lunch. My sister let me try her steak tartare...I was disgusted. The texture seriously grossed me out. But at least I tried.
Our last quick stop was the church. The Monet family was buried there, and it had a small cemetery. The church seemed kind of rundown and unremarkable, so I was a bit surprised when I found an open door. It was very pretty--it seemed to have been done in the style of Monet's time. And then I saw something that took my breath away. To the right of the altar there was a statue, I don't even remember what it was, but there was also a stained glass window. It let in this ethereal bluish light, and only covered a small area. It was unbelievable. It's still stuck in my head as one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.
The train back to the city was packed, and we weren't able to get seats. It was excruciating having to stand the whole time after all the walking, and Bro-In-Law had twisted his ankle so he was having as much fun as I was. On a positive note, there was kind of a mall at the train station, so we did some shopping. Another successful day.
Sunday
The plan for the day was to go to Marais to do some more shopping, and then Montmartre so I could visit the artist's square.
The shopping started out slow at some boutiques with expensive and...unique clothing. Then we walked into Jo Malone, and had a lovely time. The girl who helped us really enjoyed her job and we walked out laden with packages and smelling great.
We took a little break and sat down in a park--Place des Vosges. The park is surrounded by buildings that all look exactly the same, and Victor Hugo lived in one of them. It's said he wrote parts of Les Miserables in the park.
Bro-In-Law decided to bow out at this point and rest his sore ankle, so Sister and I headed up to Montmartre.
We needed lunch at this point, and there were restaurants that had set up kind of tents in the middle of all the artists. I accidentally ordered a tequila flavored beer that, interestingly, was brewed in France. It actually wasn't bad. Then we got crepes...mmmmm. I definitely did my best to get my fill of French foods...although I don't think there's such thing as getting a fill of them.
I went a little nuts with getting artwork, and got some really good pieces for Tee. I was so glad that I did more shopping this time.
We traveled back and relaxed for the rest of the day. I noticed that, even without doing a whole lot, I got very tired. I was perfectly happy spending the evenings in and trying to recoup. I tried as hard as I could to not let my legs impede my trip at all, and I did pretty well for the most part. But it was a lot of walking and I definitely needed the time to rest.
Being a world traveler is hard work, you know.
Monday, October 6, 2014
World History I
Exploring the City of Lights and Love
Sorry for the delay on this post; it's been a busy few days. But I'll cut right to the chase.
Wednesday-Thursday
Firstly, the flight was horrid; worse than I'd expected. Not because of anything the airline did, just because my legs were so uncomfortable. The free wine did help a bit, but not much. And it really didn't help that I couldn't really sleep because I was all hurty. I tried as best I could to stretch my legs out every once in a while; paying extra for first class might be worth it for me. Riiight, like I could afford that! Eh, a girl can dream.
I tried to be a nice flight-mate and chat with the gentleman next to me. I found out that he's an ENT surgeon somewhere around the French-Italian border. We chatted and he was very nice. When I mentioned that my sister was working and I'd be taking a taxi, he offered to give me a ride since he was renting a car. I hesitated for a split second before I accepted. A split second after that, I questioned my decision. I know, I know, whatintheworldwasIthinking. I decided that, as a precaution, I'd call my brother-in-law when I got in the car. That way, he knew I was in the area and when to expect me. So if worse came to worse they could track the phone and, even if I was dead, maybe catch the guy. Hey, I like to be optimistic AND cautious when I'm on vacay!
ENT and I both got our luggage, and he asked if I'd like to have some real French coffee. Since he was saving me about 70 Euros, I agreed. We stopped at a café and had espresso, orange juice, croissants, and pain au chocolat. Delish. He wouldn't even let me pay for it. I called BroInLaw as soon as we got the car and told him I'd be there soon-ish. Navigating through Paris and getting a quick tutorial in French helped make the time pass quickly. ENT asked if I would like to meet up and visit some attractions in the few days he would be in Paris, and I said I didn't think I'd have time. Keep that in mind as the moment I may have passed up my chance at trophy wifeness.
I was beat so I sat on the couch for a bit, but knew I'd fall asleep if I didn't move. I mustered up all of my adult courage, maneuvered the metro, and visited the Arc de Triomphe. I got some awesome pictures, which I shall now grace you with.
Here's the inside of the Arc, with the ginormous French flag.
We weren't supposed to take pictures inside, but I couldn't help myself. (Plus they really only had one half-assed sign when you got your ticket). There were a shit-ton of stairs. I felt very out of shape, and my thighs were actually sore when I had to go back down them. I'm embarrassed to admit that.
And, of course, the obligatory picture of the Eiffel Tower from the top of the Arc. Good God, with the addition of pictures I feel like this is a real blog or something. Weird.
Eh, I guess it's not too bad. You get the idea.
Sorry for the delay on this post; it's been a busy few days. But I'll cut right to the chase.
Wednesday-Thursday
Firstly, the flight was horrid; worse than I'd expected. Not because of anything the airline did, just because my legs were so uncomfortable. The free wine did help a bit, but not much. And it really didn't help that I couldn't really sleep because I was all hurty. I tried as best I could to stretch my legs out every once in a while; paying extra for first class might be worth it for me. Riiight, like I could afford that! Eh, a girl can dream.
I tried to be a nice flight-mate and chat with the gentleman next to me. I found out that he's an ENT surgeon somewhere around the French-Italian border. We chatted and he was very nice. When I mentioned that my sister was working and I'd be taking a taxi, he offered to give me a ride since he was renting a car. I hesitated for a split second before I accepted. A split second after that, I questioned my decision. I know, I know, whatintheworldwasIthinking. I decided that, as a precaution, I'd call my brother-in-law when I got in the car. That way, he knew I was in the area and when to expect me. So if worse came to worse they could track the phone and, even if I was dead, maybe catch the guy. Hey, I like to be optimistic AND cautious when I'm on vacay!
ENT and I both got our luggage, and he asked if I'd like to have some real French coffee. Since he was saving me about 70 Euros, I agreed. We stopped at a café and had espresso, orange juice, croissants, and pain au chocolat. Delish. He wouldn't even let me pay for it. I called BroInLaw as soon as we got the car and told him I'd be there soon-ish. Navigating through Paris and getting a quick tutorial in French helped make the time pass quickly. ENT asked if I would like to meet up and visit some attractions in the few days he would be in Paris, and I said I didn't think I'd have time. Keep that in mind as the moment I may have passed up my chance at trophy wifeness.
I was beat so I sat on the couch for a bit, but knew I'd fall asleep if I didn't move. I mustered up all of my adult courage, maneuvered the metro, and visited the Arc de Triomphe. I got some awesome pictures, which I shall now grace you with.
Here's the inside of the Arc, with the ginormous French flag.
And, of course, the obligatory picture of the Eiffel Tower from the top of the Arc. Good God, with the addition of pictures I feel like this is a real blog or something. Weird.
I decided that was enough of an outing on my own. Back to the apartment and to hang out with ma famille. 'Twas lovely, just as I expected.
Friday
BroInLaw decided to join me today in visiting the Catacombs. It was one of the coolest, craziest things I've
ever seen.
Here's your history lesson! That area of Paris had a ton of limestone, and it was mined for...I dunno, stuff that uses limestone. (I'm tired, give me a break.) They would follow along the vein and then just abandon the mine when they used it all up. So rude. Next thing you know, too many people are dying and the cemeteries of Paris are being overrun. Some brilliant guy decided to kill two birds with one stone, and put the bones in the empty mines. They made them all decorative, eventually opened it to the public, and, voila! The rest is basically fluff until last week when I visited. Cause it's all about me...YAY!
Six million freaking bodies. Six. Followed by six zeroes. Multiplied by lots of bones per body. They also labeled which cemetery the bones came from and when they were moved. Super cool, and here's a fun shot from it:
Next we stopped for lunch, where I learned I'm not a huge fan of anchovies, and BroInLaw and I debated some social topics. I'm not entirely sure how we figured out where the hell we were or where we were going, but we made a quick stop at the Luxembourg Palace. Very pretty.
We went out to dinner that night, at a very small, cozy, lovely place. I had skate fish (still don't really know what it is) and grouse. Holy crap! Skate fish is a ray! I ate a freaking ray! That's super exciting. It was super yummy.
On the way back I got to stop and take some pictures of Notre Dame all lit up. That is a thing of beauty; absolutely breathtaking. My pictures didn't do it justice, but here you go:
Eh, I guess it's not too bad. You get the idea.
I was slightly buzzed, and we had to get up early the next morning, so that was it for the night. There weren't any late nights this time, and that's okay with me. Besides, the leg stuff makes me much more tired now. There was also a lot of walking involved. So, with a full belly and a smile on my face, it was time for beddy-bye.
Two days down...well, two and a half I guess with the flight...next two, next post!
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
Paris II
Back to the City of Lights
Today's the day I head back to Paris! I'm excited, but nervous. Okay, at this point I tried to find a clip for you all of an older SNL skit where Zac Efron was going off to college and realized that he learned nothing of value for the real world. It was a parody of the High School Musical series and in it he talks about how he sang a song called "Nervous but Excited" and nobody joined in. It's really funny, so if you can find it, more power to you. I couldn't. Lame-o.
Once I get to Paris, I have to get a taxi and make it to my sister's house. This shouldn't be a huge problem, but I'm super anxious about having to use French. I'm still not very good, and it's worse when I'm trying to understand someone.
Then, my biggest hurdle will be (if my bro-in-law doesn't want to go do all the stuff with me) forcing myself out of the house to adventure on my own. As much as I don't like people and crowds, I don't like doing stuff on my own unless it's familiar. Wow, I'm a bit of a basket case, n'est-ce pas? (Okay, Google translate is telling me that phrase isn't quite what I want, but I'm pretty sure it is. Worst case scenario, I look like a dumb American. Everyone needs to be humbled every once in a while.)
So. On the books is Giverny to see Monet's house and gardens...and that's about it. Everything else is up in the air. I have some ideas but nothing concrete. That might be fun, except, again, I just have to make myself do it. I'm even bringing running shoes for the park near their house. We'll see how much my legs hate me.
Anyway...whatever happens, happens; c'est la vie; what doesn't kill you makes you stronger; etc. etc.
Next! Without even having this trip out of the way, I've got the next one planned. I made a joke about going to Vegas for my birthday. Some of Tee's family have birthdays around the same time, so a few of us are going. Simple as that. We got a good deal, and my birthday is on a Friday, so we can have lots of fun. We're staying at the Venetian, which looks lovely. I suppose that's all I've got for now.
Wish me luck in Paris! (As wonderful as Tee is, I'm still crossing my fingers to meet Henry Cavill. What can I say...a girl can dream!)
Be good, my lovelies...and if you can't be good, be good at it!
Today's the day I head back to Paris! I'm excited, but nervous. Okay, at this point I tried to find a clip for you all of an older SNL skit where Zac Efron was going off to college and realized that he learned nothing of value for the real world. It was a parody of the High School Musical series and in it he talks about how he sang a song called "Nervous but Excited" and nobody joined in. It's really funny, so if you can find it, more power to you. I couldn't. Lame-o.
Once I get to Paris, I have to get a taxi and make it to my sister's house. This shouldn't be a huge problem, but I'm super anxious about having to use French. I'm still not very good, and it's worse when I'm trying to understand someone.
Then, my biggest hurdle will be (if my bro-in-law doesn't want to go do all the stuff with me) forcing myself out of the house to adventure on my own. As much as I don't like people and crowds, I don't like doing stuff on my own unless it's familiar. Wow, I'm a bit of a basket case, n'est-ce pas? (Okay, Google translate is telling me that phrase isn't quite what I want, but I'm pretty sure it is. Worst case scenario, I look like a dumb American. Everyone needs to be humbled every once in a while.)
So. On the books is Giverny to see Monet's house and gardens...and that's about it. Everything else is up in the air. I have some ideas but nothing concrete. That might be fun, except, again, I just have to make myself do it. I'm even bringing running shoes for the park near their house. We'll see how much my legs hate me.
Anyway...whatever happens, happens; c'est la vie; what doesn't kill you makes you stronger; etc. etc.
Next! Without even having this trip out of the way, I've got the next one planned. I made a joke about going to Vegas for my birthday. Some of Tee's family have birthdays around the same time, so a few of us are going. Simple as that. We got a good deal, and my birthday is on a Friday, so we can have lots of fun. We're staying at the Venetian, which looks lovely. I suppose that's all I've got for now.
Wish me luck in Paris! (As wonderful as Tee is, I'm still crossing my fingers to meet Henry Cavill. What can I say...a girl can dream!)
Be good, my lovelies...and if you can't be good, be good at it!
Friday, September 19, 2014
The Bubble
Life must be easy when you ignore the rest of the world.
Let's get to it then. I can't remember if I've mentioned Richard Cranium (RC) since the reboot. So, if I have, you get another gentle reminder.
A few years ago, I ruined a relationship because I thought that RC wasn't interested in anything more than friendship. Silly, silly me. My boyfriend didn't trust him, I didn't think my boyfriend should tell me who I could and couldn't be friends with, we broke up. As it turns out, RC was not simply interested in friendship. But shortly afterwards, he moved to one of the most God-forsaken places on the planet: Alabama (cue the shudder).
Somehow he convinced me to come visit him. I think I convinced myself it was a good idea because 1. I was due for a vacation, 2. I'd never been there, and 3. it would be warmer. 1. That did not qualify as a vacation, 2. I wish I'd never been there, and 3. it wasn't. I flew out there, he didn't have any money (no exaggeration...he sat at the airport bar waiting to pick me up and I had to pay the tab), and he was just kind of a jerk the whole time. He wanted to spend the entire time drinking (also no exaggeration...he would start to pull out a bottle of liquor as soon as he woke up), was fine with spending all of my money, and had no concept for anything but what he wanted.
In the end, I had a seriously terrible time and he owed me $400.
The next time he came home to visit, he wanted to see me. But he'd brought a girl home with him for half of the trip, so I didn't jump at the offer. I did ask for the money though. He didn't appreciate that, and I'm sure he called me many unkind names, I don't remember anymore. It does sound like something he'd do, though. So I didn't see him, and I didn't get the money.
Not too long ago, he told me he would be visiting and we should catch up. He had a girlfriend, I figured it'd been long enough, and I had a tiny glimmer of hope that I might get my $400.
But I also wasn't going out of my way to see him, which really became apparent when I wasn't feeling well but he thought I should just drop everything and drive half an hour to see him. I repeatedly told him why I didn't want to (it was getting late, I didn't feel well, I had to work the next day, etc, etc.) and he just kept pushing, oblivious to everything I said. He finally let up after he called and I got quite upset and had to explain the whole autoimmune thing. Which is always a ton of fun.
He tried again a few more times, but I was out of town with Tee. Finally I told him we could hang out, and suggested getting a drink after work. He then told me he wasn't allowed at bars. While visiting, he got in a drunken bar fight. He called to "explain" things to me. He was in a bar fight (I don't know the details)...he broke up with the girlfriend that night and apparently got a domestic violence charge for shoving her away from him. Then he said that he was trying to get his golf clubs out the trunk of her car and she wouldn't give them up, so he threatened to break her windshield wiper. And then, he did, so he got another charge for that. He was then placed on a tether because he lives out of town and was considered a flight risk.
I'll admit that I felt kind of bad for him, solely because he just makes things so difficult for himself. Earnestly, I told him we could figure out something to do for the next day.
The next day, after a short conversation, he told me he missed me. You've probably guessed by now that I talk to myself a lot, and I don't keep my feelings hidden well. So, as I'm sitting at work, my facial expression, gestures, and words ranged between disbelief, amusement, and annoyance. I asked if he had meant to send the text elsewhere, to which he replied negatively. He added a winky-smiley-face. I may have thrown up in my mouth a little. I almost couldn't believe he was trying to pull this crap. So I made a joke about how he must really have been bored the past few days. He apparently felt the need to explain himself and told me I'm one of the few girls he still talks to that he hasn't known since he was little; I reminded him that he has known me that long. Then he tried to spin it, pointing out that a lot of romantic movies have the leads knowing each other from childhood. Oh, gag. I told him I didn't put much stock into those movies, and he told me he's a huge romantic. (He must have been referring to the time Alabama when we stopped to get snacks and he got me a rose. From a gas station. With my money. Soooo romantic.)
Next he asked me to let him take me to a movie. I was done with it. I asked if he knew I was seeing someone. He did. I cut right to the chase: "So you know that's not going to happen, right?" He feigned innocence: "What? A movie with a friend?" I pointed out that he'd just been talking about romance, and he said it was just a joke. I ignored his calls and texts, then later told him I was just in for the night.
Today, he texted and asked if I'd be able to give him a ride to the airport. Nope. I work. Like an adult. I asked how court went; his parents shelled out a bunch of money to settle and get the charges off his record. No wonder he's a man-child; they keep bailing him out and paying off his debts to society. Too bad my $400 isn't on that list.
Let's get to it then. I can't remember if I've mentioned Richard Cranium (RC) since the reboot. So, if I have, you get another gentle reminder.
A few years ago, I ruined a relationship because I thought that RC wasn't interested in anything more than friendship. Silly, silly me. My boyfriend didn't trust him, I didn't think my boyfriend should tell me who I could and couldn't be friends with, we broke up. As it turns out, RC was not simply interested in friendship. But shortly afterwards, he moved to one of the most God-forsaken places on the planet: Alabama (cue the shudder).
Somehow he convinced me to come visit him. I think I convinced myself it was a good idea because 1. I was due for a vacation, 2. I'd never been there, and 3. it would be warmer. 1. That did not qualify as a vacation, 2. I wish I'd never been there, and 3. it wasn't. I flew out there, he didn't have any money (no exaggeration...he sat at the airport bar waiting to pick me up and I had to pay the tab), and he was just kind of a jerk the whole time. He wanted to spend the entire time drinking (also no exaggeration...he would start to pull out a bottle of liquor as soon as he woke up), was fine with spending all of my money, and had no concept for anything but what he wanted.
In the end, I had a seriously terrible time and he owed me $400.
The next time he came home to visit, he wanted to see me. But he'd brought a girl home with him for half of the trip, so I didn't jump at the offer. I did ask for the money though. He didn't appreciate that, and I'm sure he called me many unkind names, I don't remember anymore. It does sound like something he'd do, though. So I didn't see him, and I didn't get the money.
Not too long ago, he told me he would be visiting and we should catch up. He had a girlfriend, I figured it'd been long enough, and I had a tiny glimmer of hope that I might get my $400.
But I also wasn't going out of my way to see him, which really became apparent when I wasn't feeling well but he thought I should just drop everything and drive half an hour to see him. I repeatedly told him why I didn't want to (it was getting late, I didn't feel well, I had to work the next day, etc, etc.) and he just kept pushing, oblivious to everything I said. He finally let up after he called and I got quite upset and had to explain the whole autoimmune thing. Which is always a ton of fun.
He tried again a few more times, but I was out of town with Tee. Finally I told him we could hang out, and suggested getting a drink after work. He then told me he wasn't allowed at bars. While visiting, he got in a drunken bar fight. He called to "explain" things to me. He was in a bar fight (I don't know the details)...he broke up with the girlfriend that night and apparently got a domestic violence charge for shoving her away from him. Then he said that he was trying to get his golf clubs out the trunk of her car and she wouldn't give them up, so he threatened to break her windshield wiper. And then, he did, so he got another charge for that. He was then placed on a tether because he lives out of town and was considered a flight risk.
I'll admit that I felt kind of bad for him, solely because he just makes things so difficult for himself. Earnestly, I told him we could figure out something to do for the next day.
The next day, after a short conversation, he told me he missed me. You've probably guessed by now that I talk to myself a lot, and I don't keep my feelings hidden well. So, as I'm sitting at work, my facial expression, gestures, and words ranged between disbelief, amusement, and annoyance. I asked if he had meant to send the text elsewhere, to which he replied negatively. He added a winky-smiley-face. I may have thrown up in my mouth a little. I almost couldn't believe he was trying to pull this crap. So I made a joke about how he must really have been bored the past few days. He apparently felt the need to explain himself and told me I'm one of the few girls he still talks to that he hasn't known since he was little; I reminded him that he has known me that long. Then he tried to spin it, pointing out that a lot of romantic movies have the leads knowing each other from childhood. Oh, gag. I told him I didn't put much stock into those movies, and he told me he's a huge romantic. (He must have been referring to the time Alabama when we stopped to get snacks and he got me a rose. From a gas station. With my money. Soooo romantic.)
Next he asked me to let him take me to a movie. I was done with it. I asked if he knew I was seeing someone. He did. I cut right to the chase: "So you know that's not going to happen, right?" He feigned innocence: "What? A movie with a friend?" I pointed out that he'd just been talking about romance, and he said it was just a joke. I ignored his calls and texts, then later told him I was just in for the night.
Today, he texted and asked if I'd be able to give him a ride to the airport. Nope. I work. Like an adult. I asked how court went; his parents shelled out a bunch of money to settle and get the charges off his record. No wonder he's a man-child; they keep bailing him out and paying off his debts to society. Too bad my $400 isn't on that list.
Monday, September 15, 2014
Wining and Dining
Memories with a side of alcohol
Tee and I had another adventure this weekend. We headed north to a town that‘s very touristy in the summer…but once fall hits, hockey takes over for a short time. We went to see some NHL hopefuls play, and let me tell you, it was beautiful. Everyone here is getting all excited about football, and I’m all “is it hockey season yet?!” I’m not a fan of football. To me, it’s about guys wearing tight pants who need to jump on the guy with the ball. And they stop about every 2 seconds. And, while I’m ranting, I’d like to start a petition to have the name officially changed to Tackle Ball. Who’s with me?! Hmm…I’m sure that would go over well.
There’s just something about hockey—it’s graceful, but brutal. Also, I think it may be the official sport of those with ADD. But I just love it. The rink is so cold and dry, and you have to get all bundled up…then the teams come out gliding and spinning and it’s almost like dancing. The sounds too…the puck against the sticks and the gentle thud of bodies being checked into the boards. And the next thing you know, gloves and helmets are thrown off and someone might be getting a concussion. It’s all so wonderful.
Oh shoot, I have to back up. We went early to visit a distillery, where I got good and sloshed. I didn’t mean to, but the vodka was really delicious, and I really like vodka. Tee and I support different hockey teams (because he’s wrong), and we were both suited up in team gear. (And I looked super-hot. For some reason grammar check wanted that hyphenated…sure. I’m giving myself credit for that one. I mean the hotness, not the hyphenation. Someone later that night asked if I was a makeup artist. Score!) We walked in and the people who were selling tickets were very amused at our opposing attire. And we were pretty adorable.
That brings us back to hockey. We had a lot of fun, even though both of our teams lost. Afterwards, we went back to the casino (where we were staying the night) and gambled a bit. I did not win millions. Why don't I ever get to win the millions? I want to win the monies.
Anywho, even though I lost, I always play a slot machine that's super entertaining. So I suppose that's something. Besides the fact that I was at a casino so it's really my own damn fault.
The next day we hung out with Meredith and Darryl. I really didn't want to, considering recent events. But it turned out to be a lot of fun. Again, I think a good amount of that was because I had Tee. We all went to brunch and then a couple of wineries. The first one had a quick tour that we partook of and learned a lot about making wine (probably none of which I could remember). After the wineries we made a quick stop at a lighthouse. What I didn't mention was that this stuff was all on a beautiful peninsula. Rolling hills, trees, grapevines, and the bay on either side. It was picturesque and gorgeous, and I'm so glad I got to spend that time with him. On the other hand, I'm definitely ready for some lazy time...but I won't get that anytime soon! It's time to start thinking about Paris again.
Next up: Richard Cranium resurfaces. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Animal Magnetism
Roar
This past weekend was incredible. Two of my most wonderful friends, Sandy and Danny, got married. In a zoo. And it was the most fun I've ever had at a wedding.
Why?
Well a big part of that was because my date didn't suck. The rest was because of the awesome people involved in the wedding.
Wait, wait, let's start over. After the eye, dog, and Bridezilla stuff, I was feeling quite worn out. (Although, one of my bosses has given me the title Phantom of the Wedding. I rather like it.) Like I said before, I stress myself out so much more than I need to, but I don't know how to not. But when it rains, it pours, right?
So I was getting all my ducks in order last week for the zoo weekend, and threw in a load of laundry to make sure I had all the stuff I wanted to pack. When I noticed it was done, I naturally started to put the clothes in the dryer. Nope. They were soaking wet and my washing machine just kept flashing lights at me. The good news? I got a really good arm workout wringing all the water out of them. So I made an appointment for a repair person to come out on Monday, tried my best to figure it out, and resigned myself to failure on that.
On Friday, I frantically ran around getting things together and worrying (of course). I got the dog dropped off, stopped at Tee's house, and we were off. I can't tell you how many times he did his best to soothe my anxiety. It didn't work, but he really tried.
We checked into the hotel and had enough time to change before it was off to the rehearsal. Which was a waste. The "coordinator" really had no idea what she was doing, and didn't actually coordinate anything. So, in the sweltering heat, we talked about what was going to happen. There was no audio to practice music and timing, and it was outside so the chairs and such weren't set up for spacing. Like I said, a waste. But it was also the temperature of the sun so we were quick to get out of there and move on to dinner and drinking.
Saturday we woke up and I got half-ready to go to the salon. I only had an appointment to get my makeup done, because I figured my hair's a bit short to do much with. When we walked in, the owner (an older, not-impressive man) asked about the purple in my hair. But a lot of people have been asking about it, so no big. I got my makeup done, and it did look pretty sweet. I was sitting, waiting, and the owner came back. He started to interrogate me about my life and told me that he sold half the salon for some TV thing and they're looking for models. I gave him one of my cards and he said he may call. A few minutes later, I was talking to a few of the girls and the owner asked what my plan was for my hair and, when I said I didn't have one, asked if he could play with it. So, I had my hair and makeup done all wonderfully for the wedding.
It was not my favorite performance, by a long-shot. But everyone else enjoyed it, so that's the important part. Then we got to settle in and have a good time, and we certainly did. I couldn't have had a better time with Tee and all the others. The best part was that he had a good time with all of them. I didn't have to worry about entertaining him the whole time, or that he'd get belligerent or be a jerk. He had a good time and wanted me to have a good time. It made me appreciate him so much more.
On Sunday we got up and had breakfast with everyone, then went back to the zoo to actually check it out. It was a lot of fun, I love zoos. Although I still can't decide if they're good or not...I think in some cases they are, but not others. I'm just fascinated with the animals though. Anyway after the zoo and a few hours in the car, I was home. Exhausted, but happy. I may actually be opening up to Tee. I'm excited for our next adventure.
This past weekend was incredible. Two of my most wonderful friends, Sandy and Danny, got married. In a zoo. And it was the most fun I've ever had at a wedding.
Why?
Well a big part of that was because my date didn't suck. The rest was because of the awesome people involved in the wedding.
Wait, wait, let's start over. After the eye, dog, and Bridezilla stuff, I was feeling quite worn out. (Although, one of my bosses has given me the title Phantom of the Wedding. I rather like it.) Like I said before, I stress myself out so much more than I need to, but I don't know how to not. But when it rains, it pours, right?
So I was getting all my ducks in order last week for the zoo weekend, and threw in a load of laundry to make sure I had all the stuff I wanted to pack. When I noticed it was done, I naturally started to put the clothes in the dryer. Nope. They were soaking wet and my washing machine just kept flashing lights at me. The good news? I got a really good arm workout wringing all the water out of them. So I made an appointment for a repair person to come out on Monday, tried my best to figure it out, and resigned myself to failure on that.
On Friday, I frantically ran around getting things together and worrying (of course). I got the dog dropped off, stopped at Tee's house, and we were off. I can't tell you how many times he did his best to soothe my anxiety. It didn't work, but he really tried.
We checked into the hotel and had enough time to change before it was off to the rehearsal. Which was a waste. The "coordinator" really had no idea what she was doing, and didn't actually coordinate anything. So, in the sweltering heat, we talked about what was going to happen. There was no audio to practice music and timing, and it was outside so the chairs and such weren't set up for spacing. Like I said, a waste. But it was also the temperature of the sun so we were quick to get out of there and move on to dinner and drinking.
Saturday we woke up and I got half-ready to go to the salon. I only had an appointment to get my makeup done, because I figured my hair's a bit short to do much with. When we walked in, the owner (an older, not-impressive man) asked about the purple in my hair. But a lot of people have been asking about it, so no big. I got my makeup done, and it did look pretty sweet. I was sitting, waiting, and the owner came back. He started to interrogate me about my life and told me that he sold half the salon for some TV thing and they're looking for models. I gave him one of my cards and he said he may call. A few minutes later, I was talking to a few of the girls and the owner asked what my plan was for my hair and, when I said I didn't have one, asked if he could play with it. So, I had my hair and makeup done all wonderfully for the wedding.
It was not my favorite performance, by a long-shot. But everyone else enjoyed it, so that's the important part. Then we got to settle in and have a good time, and we certainly did. I couldn't have had a better time with Tee and all the others. The best part was that he had a good time with all of them. I didn't have to worry about entertaining him the whole time, or that he'd get belligerent or be a jerk. He had a good time and wanted me to have a good time. It made me appreciate him so much more.
On Sunday we got up and had breakfast with everyone, then went back to the zoo to actually check it out. It was a lot of fun, I love zoos. Although I still can't decide if they're good or not...I think in some cases they are, but not others. I'm just fascinated with the animals though. Anyway after the zoo and a few hours in the car, I was home. Exhausted, but happy. I may actually be opening up to Tee. I'm excited for our next adventure.
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