What an amazing year! I can't say that I'm sorry to see it go, I'm ready for a fresh start and can't wait to wake up in 2007. Some highlights, in no particular order.
-Stood up for myself and left a less-than-ideal job.
-Found a hopeful career in Washington Mutual.
-Spent the first calendar year under the same roof with my sweetheart.
-Discovered an amazing new hobby with poison dart frogs.
-Started an aggressive 401k and started my investment portfolio.
-Got my first manicure.
-Ventured optimistically into property ownership, only to be thwarted on multiple levels.
And it was all sorta wonderful.
See you all on the other side!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
New Year's Eve
In the mist of everything going on in the world, it seems incredibly trivial that I would even consider posting what I'm going to post tonight. However, I am on my third bottle of hard cider, and on my behalf it is nearly 1am.
I cried tonight. Not for political reasons, not for financial woe, not for lack of food or companionship.
I cried over my hair.
After debating about it for several months, I picked out a box hair dye in Herbal Essences "Chardonnay Shimmer." After the recommended 25 minutes, my hair was orange. No, not ALL the hair, just the roots. So bright orange-blonde roots with darker blonde tresses.
Not so hot.
I cried. I combed. Val played with my hair, kissed me, gave me a giant hug and ran to the grocery store to grab me some booze.
That boy has marriage potential!
And at any rate, after 3 drinks I'm thinking that my life isn't all that bad. Uneven hair aside, I have an amazing best friend, an incredible family, a great job, and an incredible budding handbag collection. My life is pretty damn sweet.
Besides, where's the harm in being just a little ginger?
I cried tonight. Not for political reasons, not for financial woe, not for lack of food or companionship.
I cried over my hair.
After debating about it for several months, I picked out a box hair dye in Herbal Essences "Chardonnay Shimmer." After the recommended 25 minutes, my hair was orange. No, not ALL the hair, just the roots. So bright orange-blonde roots with darker blonde tresses.
Not so hot.
I cried. I combed. Val played with my hair, kissed me, gave me a giant hug and ran to the grocery store to grab me some booze.
That boy has marriage potential!
And at any rate, after 3 drinks I'm thinking that my life isn't all that bad. Uneven hair aside, I have an amazing best friend, an incredible family, a great job, and an incredible budding handbag collection. My life is pretty damn sweet.
Besides, where's the harm in being just a little ginger?
Monday, December 25, 2006
Merry Christmas!
Merry Merry Christmas everyone!
We had a fantastic Christmas- Val and I ventured off to my mom and dad's place and crashed for a few nights. It was so nice to spend time with the family. Cracked crab for dinner, along with garlic bread and salad... Crude jokes, airsoft and nerf guns, mini helicopters, and huge amounts of family guy. It was a great time.
You can count on an awesome Christmas if your mom can rock a jug of wine along with a fully-automatic AK-47 airsoft gun. Not only is she scary good with it, but she can make berry pies to die for.
As far as Christmas loot goes, this year was fantastic. I got a very stunning necklace from my mom- copper and mother of pearl. Val and I collectively did exceedingly well- A 15 piece cookware set, a roomba (a robotic vacuum!), a knife set, and beaufiful sushi plates. I also got an amazing leather Coach satchel. My Louis Vuitton is jealous, now that I have a new handbag on my arm. Just look at how happy I am to be around such an exquisite work of craftsmanship.
Some things are totally worth roaring for.
We had a fantastic Christmas- Val and I ventured off to my mom and dad's place and crashed for a few nights. It was so nice to spend time with the family. Cracked crab for dinner, along with garlic bread and salad... Crude jokes, airsoft and nerf guns, mini helicopters, and huge amounts of family guy. It was a great time.
You can count on an awesome Christmas if your mom can rock a jug of wine along with a fully-automatic AK-47 airsoft gun. Not only is she scary good with it, but she can make berry pies to die for.
As far as Christmas loot goes, this year was fantastic. I got a very stunning necklace from my mom- copper and mother of pearl. Val and I collectively did exceedingly well- A 15 piece cookware set, a roomba (a robotic vacuum!), a knife set, and beaufiful sushi plates. I also got an amazing leather Coach satchel. My Louis Vuitton is jealous, now that I have a new handbag on my arm. Just look at how happy I am to be around such an exquisite work of craftsmanship.
Some things are totally worth roaring for.
Monday, December 18, 2006
This life is the best I've ever had.
It's strange when you finally realize that your childhood dreams were nothing but petty wishes and desires... As I get older, I slowly come to the realization that everything that I had wished for was rather trivial and pointless. I've spent my whole life questioning my self-worth, and by giving myself impossible goals... And of course I grade myself on whether or not I achieve them.
It. Is. So. Pointless.
I've always been so goal-oriented. I never really had the ambition to follow through with any of it, but I used to love sitting down and creating lists of things I want to accomplish before I die. Now, as I'm tied down to bills and loans and the standard 9-5, it's painfully apparent that this is what life is all about...Mediocrity.
It. Is. So. Pointless.
I've always been so goal-oriented. I never really had the ambition to follow through with any of it, but I used to love sitting down and creating lists of things I want to accomplish before I die. Now, as I'm tied down to bills and loans and the standard 9-5, it's painfully apparent that this is what life is all about...Mediocrity.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Green Legged Lamasi Tadpoles: Round 2
Sorry about the blur factor! I just HAD to post a size reference. :)
Saturday, December 16, 2006
Tadpoles!
In case any of you want to see them- Tadpole pictures!
Tad #1: A little older, and a bit on the shy side. You can tell that the hind end is filled out more- I really think he's going to have a right leg soon enough!
Tad #2: Younger, and always playing around with the greens in his pond. Everytime I look at him, he's bigger! Why must they grow up so fast?!
Tad #1: A little older, and a bit on the shy side. You can tell that the hind end is filled out more- I really think he's going to have a right leg soon enough!
Tad #2: Younger, and always playing around with the greens in his pond. Everytime I look at him, he's bigger! Why must they grow up so fast?!
Survived the Storm...
Well, that was a barrel of fun!
After watching chunks of trees sail by in the comfort of the bank Thursday night, Val picked me up and drove me home. We knew it was going to be bad out, so we went to bed early and braced ourselves for the morning after.
The next morning we were out of power. Everyone was- the grocery stores were run by generators with plastic sheets taped over produce to keep in the cold. Batteries were stripped off the shelves, and we managed to buy the very last box of candles.
We placed the tadpoles in an insulated cooler and put them in the warmest place we could find, and wrapped blankets around our D. ventrimaculatus tank.
Driving around Redmond and Bellevue really put things in perspective. It was as if a bustling technological hub was reduced to a ghost town overnight. Every stop light was out, every non-grocery store was shut down (cops were outside to prevent theft and mobbing), cars were left on the side of the road after they ran out of gas... It was incredible.
When we got back home we had our first candlelight dinner together (perhaps my first candlelight dinner ever). We cracked open some sparkling apple cider and laughed about our situation of late- finding out we have to move, the snow storm, losing power. We drifted off to sleep cuddled together as the temperatures dropped well into the 30s.
2:45am rolled around, Val woke me up. Turns out a neighbor had left their fan on. He jumped up and hit the light switch, and we were both blinded by it. Thankfully, we're one of the lucky ones in the complex. The two buildings on the bottom of the hill still have no electricity.
It's incredible to know that so much was damaged, yet they could repair a large majority of it within 30 hours. We're definately lucky.
After watching chunks of trees sail by in the comfort of the bank Thursday night, Val picked me up and drove me home. We knew it was going to be bad out, so we went to bed early and braced ourselves for the morning after.
The next morning we were out of power. Everyone was- the grocery stores were run by generators with plastic sheets taped over produce to keep in the cold. Batteries were stripped off the shelves, and we managed to buy the very last box of candles.
We placed the tadpoles in an insulated cooler and put them in the warmest place we could find, and wrapped blankets around our D. ventrimaculatus tank.
Driving around Redmond and Bellevue really put things in perspective. It was as if a bustling technological hub was reduced to a ghost town overnight. Every stop light was out, every non-grocery store was shut down (cops were outside to prevent theft and mobbing), cars were left on the side of the road after they ran out of gas... It was incredible.
When we got back home we had our first candlelight dinner together (perhaps my first candlelight dinner ever). We cracked open some sparkling apple cider and laughed about our situation of late- finding out we have to move, the snow storm, losing power. We drifted off to sleep cuddled together as the temperatures dropped well into the 30s.
2:45am rolled around, Val woke me up. Turns out a neighbor had left their fan on. He jumped up and hit the light switch, and we were both blinded by it. Thankfully, we're one of the lucky ones in the complex. The two buildings on the bottom of the hill still have no electricity.
It's incredible to know that so much was damaged, yet they could repair a large majority of it within 30 hours. We're definately lucky.
Monday, December 11, 2006
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
So here's the scoop:
Val got a full-time job offer at his company. If he dropped out of school he'd make 2x what I'm pulling in. This is where I kick myself for focusing on biological anthropology, and where I pat myself on the back for landing a damn fine sugar daddy.
I'm still in the mist of condo/manufactured home hunting. The problem with most manufactured homes is that they don't come with land, and if they're not permanently fixed on a concrete base they're considered a vehicle. That's right, by the end of this year I might own a 60' car. I always wanted a stretch limo.
There are a couple of condos in the area that I'd love to get my hands on. One of which is just down the street from Microsoft. The good thing about investing in a condo in that location is in a couple of years I'd be able to sell it and get a nice $30-$50k in my bank account. I've already spent that money- Most of it gets kicked back to my family, another chunk goes into another downpayment for a nicer place, and the remaining into my investment portfolio. Damn it feels good to dream.
I ventured off to a fellow dart-frogger's house this evening to pick up a orphaned vent. While he was there he gave us two green legged lamasi tadpoles. That's right, he GAVE me two tadpoles of a species that was just introduced into the country in 2005. It blows my mind that I have seen species of frogs that are so rare, let alone own two tadpoles of such a species.
The tadpoles are so cute- they have bright yellow eyebrows and yellow lips on dark bodies. They're simply adorable! So here's to hoping that I don't kill the poor little guys...
Val got a full-time job offer at his company. If he dropped out of school he'd make 2x what I'm pulling in. This is where I kick myself for focusing on biological anthropology, and where I pat myself on the back for landing a damn fine sugar daddy.
I'm still in the mist of condo/manufactured home hunting. The problem with most manufactured homes is that they don't come with land, and if they're not permanently fixed on a concrete base they're considered a vehicle. That's right, by the end of this year I might own a 60' car. I always wanted a stretch limo.
There are a couple of condos in the area that I'd love to get my hands on. One of which is just down the street from Microsoft. The good thing about investing in a condo in that location is in a couple of years I'd be able to sell it and get a nice $30-$50k in my bank account. I've already spent that money- Most of it gets kicked back to my family, another chunk goes into another downpayment for a nicer place, and the remaining into my investment portfolio. Damn it feels good to dream.
I ventured off to a fellow dart-frogger's house this evening to pick up a orphaned vent. While he was there he gave us two green legged lamasi tadpoles. That's right, he GAVE me two tadpoles of a species that was just introduced into the country in 2005. It blows my mind that I have seen species of frogs that are so rare, let alone own two tadpoles of such a species.
The tadpoles are so cute- they have bright yellow eyebrows and yellow lips on dark bodies. They're simply adorable! So here's to hoping that I don't kill the poor little guys...
Wednesday, December 6, 2006
Life.
A brief update:
Val and I recently got notice that our apartment complex has been sold and every apartment will be offered for sale. Our apartment (600sf) is selling for $230k. We have to move by February. We've only been here for two months, so the whole thing comes as a shock.
I'm looking into buying a 1200sq/f manufactured home in Bothell. The thing looks like the 70s died in it, but thankfully that's what Home Depot is for. Remodelling party, anyone? I just have to come up with $3k.
My great aunt Pearl isn't doing very well at the moment. She's in intensive care, and has lost the will to keep going. Please keep her in your thoughts/prayers/meditations if it is your style to do so.
My car needs a new blower motor and resistor, estimated repair costs are at $700. Thankfully, it isn't an emergency repair, but it's something more to think about.
Anyway, there you have it. Val and I are under a considerable amount of stress. If we can just keep it together until after Christmas....
Val and I recently got notice that our apartment complex has been sold and every apartment will be offered for sale. Our apartment (600sf) is selling for $230k. We have to move by February. We've only been here for two months, so the whole thing comes as a shock.
I'm looking into buying a 1200sq/f manufactured home in Bothell. The thing looks like the 70s died in it, but thankfully that's what Home Depot is for. Remodelling party, anyone? I just have to come up with $3k.
My great aunt Pearl isn't doing very well at the moment. She's in intensive care, and has lost the will to keep going. Please keep her in your thoughts/prayers/meditations if it is your style to do so.
My car needs a new blower motor and resistor, estimated repair costs are at $700. Thankfully, it isn't an emergency repair, but it's something more to think about.
Anyway, there you have it. Val and I are under a considerable amount of stress. If we can just keep it together until after Christmas....
Saturday, December 2, 2006
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