wedding weekend: seattle-style

This past weekend I headed to Seattle for Senior Year Roomie's wedding! The weather was amazing and it couldn't have been more gorgeous. I felt really bad because I know a lot of my friends were freaking the fuck out about Hurricane Irene, but I was kicking it in sunny, 80 degree Seattle. That is why I love the Left Coast. Got there on Saturday evening and hung out with Shrutes, who I realized I hadn't seen in person in YEARS. Insanity! It was so nice to catch up and see each other in person instead of just our MCM gmail threads.

Sunday was the wedding! It was gorgeous - at the Edgewater Hotel. The venue was amazingly beautiful, great view of the water (now that I plan events, I spend more time gawking at the venues whenever I go anywhere... interesting mind shift), and everything was laid out so well. The ceremony was beautiful - I thought it was meaningful, represented both of their cultures, and was the perfect length. The party was great! Love weddings with ethnic people - it means better dancing =) Of course I fell in love with love and weddings all over again. I don't know why, but I can't be cynical about that stuff, even if I'm single for a hundred years. I find weddings to be magical and beautiful and awe-inspiring. To be in the presence of such a powerful emotion is really amazing. There's nothing like it.

It was weird to be not single yet not boyfriended up at a wedding. I had no desire to meet anyone because I like POP and think about him too much to want to look elsewhere. I got fairly intoxicated even though I had NO hard liquor and had to leave a little early to catch my 6:15am flight. Got to the hotel and drunk texted POP, who always makes me laugh with our silly inside jokes. Magical =)

Anyhow, I have a 1:1 with my manager and I should put on some pants before then, so the brief summary is I LOVE WEDDINGS. I love that my friends have found love. I like dancing. End of story haha.

gotta get down on friday!

Thank goodness it's Friday. I am so ready to blow this popsicle stand and get my weekend started. I think I've officially said goodbye to my days of doing absolutely nothing on the weekends. I pretty much have a packed schedule this weekend and for the next few weekends. My mother is visiting me next week for 7 days. Good Lord, I don't know if I can handle it! What in the hell are we going to do for that extended period of time?! I mean, I'm glad to have the time off of work, but I'm sure I'm going to have to listen to a whole bunch of griping about how I'm living my life improperly. Also, she told me we're going to Loews, Home Depot, and IKEA to buy plants. I hate plants. Do not want. Oh, well.

Also, August begins my crazy, ridiculous 'get my body in shape' month. I've finally settled into a really good rhythm with my trainer and my body is starting to not scream out in pain. So I'm one step closer to my personal body idol - Nicki Minaj. I don't really do the 'thinspiration' thing - I just want to be stacked like one of those video chicks. So that means daily workouts at the gym and toning down my eating and drinking. I also think dating someone new is motivating me to get my body right since he's going to be seeing me naked fairly soon. Even more motivation.

I really desperately want to run out of work right now. The boss is MIA - no clue where she is, but I'm scared she'll come in and I'll be gone and it'll be an issue, so I think I'm duking it out til 5pm. Happy weekend, everyone!

i can't stop being a morning person.

I'm still in this weird mental space right now, but I love getting up early in the morning, especially on weekends. It's so nice how peaceful everything is. I mean, it's 9:30am and I've already knocked off 15 things on my To Do List. Progress! I'm nervous about tonight, but I'm also slightly apathetic and not really expecting much, which could make this the worst or best date ever. I've just resigned myself to not caring about what happens because in the long run, it's not really going to matter anyway. Of course, I'm still me, so that means I'm getting *another* manicure - he commented on my nails last date, so if I have the same color he's going to notice - and I've picked out the perfect outfit to be casual (jeans) yet sexy (cleavage). I kind of want to get some kind of action tonight, if possible. I mean, not sex - I have to visit my waxer before sex is a possibility - but kissing would work. Maybe second base. I'm sticking to my usual motto of "If all else fails, whore it up!" I think I can safely say, I've never wasted an opportunity to get it on.

In other news, I'm thinking about what I want to focus on to get my mind off of things. There's so much I've been neglecting lately and so many things I want to do. I want to write my socks off. I want to put every single piece of me into something - a novel, a screenplay, a hilarious send-up of 20-something life in the 21st century. I want to learn how to cook for once and for all. I want to work out until my body aches, until I'm so sore that I can't move. I want to channel all of the energy I have into a multitude of activities so that I end each day exhausted, but fulfilled. Life is short and I feel old sometimes. I would need five lifetimes to do everything I've always wanted, so if I want to even make a dent, I need to start now. So I find myself getting up earlier and earlier each day in pursuit of fulfilling my dreams.

r&r weekend!

I am finally on the way to getting my life back! I'm cleaning, cooking, resting, relaxing, doing some work. It feels so good. I even had time to be social and I'm planning on going to Maker Faire today with my co-workers. I skipped out on the natural hair event, but I'm fine with it. All I wanted yesterday was to be in my apartment alone with nowhere to go and only my to do list to answer to =) Some days, I just need that.

Another busy week ahead, but the difference is this time I feel prepared for it. I have a million plans - going to the Glee concert! D's birthday dinner! And the New York coworkers are visiting, which means lots of gossip to catch up on. Then, on Thursday night, I head out to Providence for a weekend of college-style debauchery for Commencement. I've been looking forward to this weekend for a long time - it's my favorite time of year. Visiting all of my old haunts, getting drunk with my sorority sisters, stumbling around Thayer Street (and sometimes vomiting on Thayer St - but we're gonna try not to repeat that this go round). I get so nostalgic for that period of my life, when I was becoming the person I am now. I miss the ease of it all, having most of my friends around me, with enough freedom to feel like an adult, but not enough responsibility to actually be an adult. I miss it.

Anyway, I'm currently enthralled in Vampire Diaries and wishing that two smokin' hot brothers would duke it out over me. All while sending The Blexican text messages canceling our plans for today because I know I shouldn't see him any more. Everything else is going pretty well, but the boy thing gets me every single time. It's so easy when I put them out of my mind, but the second I have to deal with one, I get sucked back into the madness. I think my only options are 'arranged marriage' or 'join the nunnery' before my head explodes. Back to the escapist world of television!

happy may!

How in the hell did it get to be May 1st already? I seriously feel like I'm going to blink my eyes and I'll be 55, time is flying so fast. Life feels so surreal all of a sudden - I barely know where I am at any given moment. Right now, I'm pretty sure I'm sitting in bed at my hotel in Washington, DC. This weekend was amazing - so good to hang out with my sorority sisters, go to a horse race in a hat/fancy dress, drink and lay out in the sun. Amazing.

It was also crazy to see what it's like at UVA. It was such a completely different world than the one I'm used to. Definitely different from where I went to school and absolutely nothing like San Francisco. Sometimes I miss certain aspects of East Coast culture. I can't even really imagine people doing the whole horse race, dress-up thing out West. Everyone's too laid back. We're talking about a place where I routinely see grown men with BACKPACKS in the club. While I love the fact that I can dress down and feel perfectly at home, Foxfield races definitely made me want to step my game up a little bit in terms of how I dress and present myself. I've kind of let my shit go recently and that is not acceptable.

Being in DC is always nice - I have so much nostalgia around this city. I still remember being 20 years old, running around town with a fake ID and a government internship. I can't forget the heat of that summer and how I spent tons of time in Latino clubs with my Puerto Rican summer BFF, salsa dancing poorly with men whose heads reached only up to my boobs. I loved it. Also, when College BFF lived here, I routinely took the bus down from NYC - for Fourth of July and other shenanigans. It's good being back.

I'm nervous about tomorrow. My first event and I'm scared it's all going to fall apart. Luckily, I have some resources and I'm sure the event coordinator on-site will help make sure it's not an epic disaster. Let's just pray that everything is okay with both the furniture and the band. That's what I worry about the most. I guess this day had to come sometime, though. Time for me to prove that I can do this job.

see cleo run!

Gah! I have so much shit to do before my red-eye tomorrow. My co-worker was making fun of me this morning while I complained. "Let me guess, you have to go to Walgreens, the bank, you don't have a cardigan, you need a new dress, and don't forget your eyebrows! Did I get that right?" I DIED. Damn, girlfriend knows me so well. I took care of the bank and Walgreens, but the goal right now is to hoof it over the the mall, the Gap, and then this fancy lingerie shop. I might ditch out on the lingerie shop, because even though I desperately need new bras, I think I need the extra hour more. Life sucks when you can't just buy a bra at Victoria's Secret.

Also need to clean my apartment and pack, but I haven't been this excited in a long time. First of all, AHHHH AXO REUNION. Well, it's just three of us, but for me that's a reunion! I'm so excited to see B, who is probably the most put together individual I know and I can't wait to hear about her life and enjoy staying at her place (she makes her own jam and cheese!). Then, I get to see my bestie, College BFF!! I haven't seen her in forever and it hurts. We are the most non-emotional girls you'll ever meet, but we've been all "zomgimissyousomuch" lately, so I think it's time we hung out. You can expect to hear tales of copious amounts of booze, inappropriate comments, fancy dresses/hats, and of course, there's a good chance that one of us will do something slutty. God, sometimes I miss that lifestyle. Luckily, I think life in SF is going to get much more active soon, so yay! In the meantime, I'm living for this weekend and Commencement in May.

After sorority weekend (we're going to Foxfields horse race), I head to DC for my very first event! I am terrified and nervous and excited and freaking out all at once. This is it!!!! It's finally here and I can't wait to be onsite, making things happen! This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Insane. Anyway, I'm fucking leaving now because my eyebrows look beastly and I want to hit the mall before the rest of corporate America does. Catch you later!

i am getting wayy too old.

I'll take a break from talking about the heavy stuff to discuss the fact that I have become geriatric over the past couple of months. I don't know why this is happening to me - I'm only 25 - but yesterday I passed out at 10pm because I was so exhausted from the week. I barely got into PJs and I definitely didn't wrap my hair or take out my contacts. Even the thought of my plans this weekend is making me tired and I haven't done anything all day but lay in bed and read.

I need to start taking better care of my body. Luckily, I'm starting Boot Camp with a drill sergeant on Monday, so there's that. I also plan on curbing my drinking significantly. I'm down for being the crazy party girl, but I'm going to stop drinking alone in my apartment because (1) it's shot my tolerance through the roof - it takes a lot more for me to be 'drunk' and I don't have that kind of time or money and (2) I really just shouldn't be drinking alone. Hopefully, I'll get better sleep this way and won't be walking around like a zombie all of the time. I'll let you know how that goes!

This weekend is a little too much fun for me. I blew off work early to hang out with my coworkers on Friday. We got some champagne and headed over to celebrate one of their friends who got a new job. After that, went to the bar for more drinks. Hopped in a cab to go home and drop off my stuff and then it was time to head to S' seder, which was AWESOME. I cannot believe I'd never been to a seder before this one. I also enjoyed the haggadah she used, which was very Bay Area - feminist and inclusive. It was awesome and further reaffirmed my love of the Jewish faith. Amazing. The food was SO GOOD. Kugel and matzoh ball soup and veggies. Top that off with a lot of wine and it's no wonder I needed to go home early.

Today the plan is to go to Palo Alto and kick it with the HR girls and stay down there. I think we're going to some sake and sushi place, followed by drinking and dancing in Palo Alto. Not my usual scene, but I looooove hanging out with them. I miss my old team more than I can express. Tomorrow, it's Game of Thrones night, complete with rabbit stew. I secretly (well, not so secretly anymore) love rabbit, so I'm stoked. Also, getting two homecooked meals that I didn't have to make this weekend? WINNING.

Hope you all are having fabulous weekends!

vegas vacation.

I seriously love Las Vegas. I would go there every weekend (if I was rich and I thought my body could handle it). It's just so spectacularly decadent - all the food, the liquor, the clubs, the dancing, the excess. It's a hedonistic paradise. I just got back yesterday and my body is still recovering from the craziness. Oh well, I guess I'm getting old.

It was Senior Year Roommate's and her friend's joint bachelorette party and it was so much fun! I had a good time hanging out with everyone and partying like crazy. I was a little nervous at first - the way I always am when I go somewhere and only know one person, but everyone was so nice and wonderful and I felt right at home.

On a serious note, though, I don't think I've showed as much cleavage in all 25 years of my life as I did this one weekend. I'm almost ashamed to think about it, even though I'm sure it was fairly tame for Vegas standards. The weekend was pretty nice - we did dinner, clubbing til the wee hours of the morning, lounging poolside. The moment that changed my life, though, was the Thunder Down Under show. Seriously, imagine a room full of crazy, horny, shrieking women chanting "TAKE IT OFF." God, I need to go back there stat. I thought I would hate it (I have bad stripper experiences from my college days), but the show was amazing and the men were HOT HOT HOT. We talked to a few of them after the show and some of them were so friendly. And those accents. Jesus. I need to get the hell out of America and find me a hot Aussie/Kiwi/Briton/AnythingNotAmerican. Sickest bodies, too. I have to stop typing about it because I may get a little too excited...

You know it's a good trip when you get back and you can't even remember what your life was like before you left. Seriously, I'm so dazed and confused. I have no idea what I did the week before or anything. It's a shitshow. So yeah, I'm super super happy I went - it was great to see SYR and have an awesome girl's weekend!

In other news - I'M GOING TO SEE DAVE CHAPPELLE TONIGHT IN SF!!!!!!! Seriously, if you know me IRL, you know that I am Chappelle's biggest fan and I managed to snag tickets to tonight's show. I'm seriously having a fangasm right now. I'm going to be the biggest, geekiest, fangirl when I see him in person. I may faint. God help me. I'm going to try and stay after the show to get his autograph!

damn i have a lot things to talk about.

As per usual! Life is crazy. My job is crazy, my personal life is crazy, my social life is crazy, even my health is crazy. I don't really know how I'm surviving, but shit has gotten very real over the past weekend.

1. I have sexy new hair! Yes, I got extensions this past weekend and I fucking LOVE them. I've gotten tons of compliments and I really chose an excellent braider. She was fabulous, quick, and I chose this wavy hair that makes a nice curl at the ends. I'm loving it so far!
2. I went to a bar alone. And I had a good time. Got up super early on Saturday and hoofed it to the bar for the 10am Yankees-Sox game. It was kind of awkward at first, not going to lie. I was the only chick in there (I looked cute, though) and the 12 or so guys in there were watching the Rangers game. So I ordered a screwdriver, sat on a stool and waited. After a while, I started talking to these two guys who bought me drinks. One was from Brooklyn and we chatted for a while. It was nice to meet men, in a pretty low pressure environment, while watching the Yankees win. I will definitely be back (if I ever get a weekend at home again...). I'm pretty shy, but I somehow managed to make it all end up okay. I think a later game might be more fun, since there will probably be more people. Will report back!
3. I got shitfaced. I wouldn't be me if that didn't happen. This Saturday was kind of crazy. Drinking at 10am is never a good idea. Letting men buy you drinks at 10am is also a surefire way to end up trashed. I had also promised a friend I would go to brunch, so I had to amble over there at 12:45pm, three sheets to the wind, giggling like an idiot. Then I drank more at brunch. After that, I went to a stripper store, to look for an outfit for Freshman Year Best Friend's birthday party. I don't get scandalized easy, but this place was something else. Too much neon pleather and sequined booty shorts for my drunk ass. I ended up having to leave and promptly passing out in my bed around 3. Slept until the party. I was so fucked up that I couldn't even drink when I got there. I think that is the first time in my whole life I didn't drink at a party. Crazy.
4. Ex sex. Before I get into it let me quote scripture for a second. "Judge not, lest ye be judged." Okay. Moving right along. I had made plans for the Blexican to pick me up from my hair appointment, because it was in the middle of Oakland and I didn't know how to get back. We went to dinner and then hung out at his place, where we proceeded to have some of the best sex we've ever had. Seriously. Homeboy brought his A Game like whoa. Like it's two days later and I'm *still* thinking about it. So um, yeah. I did that. Maybe I shouldn't have. Whatever. Maybe in my next life, God will grant me luck with men and I won't do stupid shit. Until then, I'm playing with the hand I was dealt. No shame.
5. I went to the emergency room. Last night, around 6:30 pm I had this searing pain in both of my arms. I somehow managed to get to sleep, but then woke up in extreme pain at 1am. I wanted to cry and hit things. Normally, I'm a gangster and I just grin and bare it, but post blood clot, I get scared and I was terrified that something was wrong with me and I was going to end up losing both my hands. I literally started hyperventilating and praying that God would send me a man who could deal with my future handlessness. Yeah, I'm a drama queen. Whatever. Turns out, they couldn't tell me what it was, so I had to leave, with nothing by Motrin and two hours of my life that I couldn't get back. I think it was caused by the brutal massage I had gotten at work, but if it doesn't go away by tomorrow, I'll go see someone. It feels much better, but I'm still terrified for a relapse.

So there you have it, my past 5 days in a nutshell. Oh, and did I mention I'm going to Vegas for a bachelorette party on Friday? Jesus take the wheel! Let's hope I don't die.

hopeful.

This weekend was a really good weekend - one of the best I've had in a long while and a step towards believing that everything will turn out okay. That San Francisco can be the place where I grow into myself as a woman. Looking back on my life, there have been so many memories that  have stood out to me - experiences that changed me fundamentally as a person. College was the first one - I mean, my youth on Long Island shaped me and taught me about friendship and motivation - but it was my alma mater that truly made me the person I am today. My philosophy on life and my open-mindedness were gestated and hatched there. I can't even remember the person I was back in high school because college really brought me into my own. After I graduated, I learned a lot about failure - my first foray into this fine city of San Francisco was pretty much a gigantic flop and taught me a lot about how not to conduct your life. Living in Manhattan made me realize that while I will be a New Yorker until the day I die, I don't have to reside there permanently and it's not the place for me in the long run.

So here I am, in the Bay Area, hoping that it will turn me into the woman I've always wanted to be. The one that has the job that satisfies her - even though it's far from what I dreamed I would do as a college senior. I always thought I'd be a high-powered attorney, representing some of the top Hollywood talent. Instead, I've discovered a love for events and creating experiences. Sometimes I feel silly when I tell people that I'm an event planner because I sometimes worry that my parents and the world think that I wasted my education and my law ambitions to "plan parties." I just get that sense from people sometimes. However, I firmly believe that any job that interests you and ignites you with passion is a worthwhile endeavor, regardless of the judgment I may get from some corners. I want to have the family - the husband and the kids - but I've resigned myself to the fact that that's going to take some time, but I do have faith that someday it will happen. Lastly, I want the lifestyle - the money to be able to do the things that interest me, the friends to have a good time with, and the youthful spirit to never ever ever ever settle down. I always want to be the dynamic, energetic crazy bitch that I've become over the years - whether I'm in my 20s, single and childless or in my 40s with a mortgage, a husband, and 2.5 kids. My mother always told me that if she ever lost her mind and had Alzheimer's like my grandmother, that was the day that I had to kill her. I could do it however I liked, but for her that's when she wanted her life to end. For me, the day I become dull, the day I lose my creativity, my spark, my sense of humor, that's when I want to die. When I no longer feel like I'm capable of captivating anyone, that's when it needs to end for me.

I had fun this weekend - I spent Friday with an old friend and a new friend, chatting, drinking, eating, being girly. Saturday was Book Club, which is rapidly becoming one of my favorite days of the month - the chance to get to know people better and read some awesome literature. I ended up staying there far too late gossiping about life, but it was what I needed and a way to connect to some new people in a new way. I'm fascinated by connections - by the making of friends. I love it and I am shockingly adept at it most of the time. I love meeting new people and seeing who they are and seeing who they think I am through their eyes. I enjoy hearing other people's life stories, finding someone that you know you can do x activity with. I like making friends because I have so many varied interests and I like sharing them with different people. I've learned over time that you will never meet anyone who satisfies all of your emotional cravings. Making a wide variety of friends has allowed me to connect in different ways to a lot of different people.

Saturday, I went out with a big group of new friends to celebrate L&S (my old NYC roommate and his fiancee) moving to the Bay Area. I haven't had that much fun in forever. Amazing dinner at the Alembic, followed by two huge punch bowls and completely inappropriate conversation at Hobson's. I think we may have spent about an hour discussing the medical and physical pros and cons of tossed salads (and no, I'm not talking about lettuce). After consuming an obscene amount of punch and shots, we somehow ended up in the Castro, dancing on platforms at Q Bar with the gays (God, I love SF!). It was a ridiculously amazing night and I cannot WAIT for more fun nights out. Ever since I broke up with the Blexican, I've been a little mopey and a little 'woe is me,' which I hate. Slowly, though, I feel the fog lifting and I think that the next few months are going to bring a lot of goodness into my life. I'm ready.

ugh, i can't handle my ridiculousness.

I just realized I haven't written anything substantial about my life in a week! I've been sick - I have this horrible man-cough and can barely breathe. All I do is blow my nose - so attractive! I went out on Friday anyway, when cubemate came to SF to stay with me and party it up in the Mission. We had a fun night and I even invited The Blexican and a few of my girlfriends to come along. It was fun - we had these ridiculously strong margaritas at Latin American Club. I don't even think I can explain to you how much tequila was in them. That, and it was served in a pint glass. Needless to say, after one, we were shit-faced. The boy doesn't drink, so he was basically just listening to us ramble on about crazy things, being our typical bitchy, New York City selves. The rest of the weekend, I'm keeping it low-key and trying to get over my sickness. I was supposed to hang out with MB and Blondie, as well as The Blexican, but I canceled.

Which brings me to my current pensive state on dating The Blexican. I'm just confused and I feel like I'm over dating him and I don't even know why. The whole 'meeting the friends' thing was okay - he was just deathly silent. Like almost mute. I mean, I get that he was probably nervous and that it was all girls and whatnot, but I was hoping that he would talk a little more, especially since my friends did try to bring him into the conversation. I just wonder if a person with a personality like mine needs someone who is a bit more outgoing and exciting. Then the other half of me thinks - well, maybe it's better to be with someone a bit calmer and low-key. I don't know. I just have so many reservations and I think about how this could be a good 'starter relationship,' but that feels kind of bitchy. It's like - do I date just to date or should I be dating with a purpose? I mean, I can see us having a nice run of things, but I don't know how long it would last or if it's even wise to get involved when I'm not 100% there. But, I guess, I've never been 100% there with any man I've dated, at least never at the beginning. It takes me a long ass time to like someone. Maybe I haven't given him a fair shake.

Anyway, bottom line is this - I'm going to give it another 3 or 4 weeks and then revisit and see how I feel. In the meantime, I'll just enjoy myself as best I can and try not to stress. But the more I date and the less I get attached to anyone, the more I wonder if I even really want a relationship or a marriage or any of that. Maybe I'm just one of those free-spirited chicks who needs to do her own thing. Maybe I'm not meant for the conventional life. I'm pretty much okay with that, even if my friends and family aren't.

holy hell! how is it october already?

Here we are. It's October - also known as my hell month. My job in October is godawful. I love what I do and it's super fun and there are good times, but the fact of the matter is, I'm going to be working minimum 15 hour days pretty soon. It's a whole month of tons of work and not a lot of sleep - certainly no time to be social. I'm a little nervous because I've been feeling lazy lately. Also, I live about an hour away from where I work, so there will be no time to sleep and the commute is going to be hellish if I'm leaving at 3am every night. Kill me.

Other than that, though, life is pretty sweet. I'm actually surprised by how sweet it is. I'm loving living in California. I love every minute of it. Besides my first initial pangs of loneliness (which were dumb because I do minimum 3 social things each week and it's usually more like 5), I'm feeling like I made the right decision 100%. I finally took control of my life and did what I wanted to do and it's paying off. I'm doing a lot of cool important things at work, I'm dating and putting myself out there, I'm making new friends at work and outside of it. It's been a great month so far. I can't explain why or how, but I have a comfort and ease of living in SF that I never had in NYC. It makes no sense - New York is my home and my hub. I know a million people there and not only that, my closest friends are in that city. Yet, somehow, it just never felt 'right' to me. SF feels right to me. This routine I've established suits me well.

This weekend is full of random shit to do. Tonight I'm going clubbing. I'm a little tired, but I'm excited to dance - it's been far too long. I'm not looking to meet anyone. I'm actually hoping to God that I don't meet anyone. Basically, I just want to drink and dance with my friends and then go home and pass out in my apartment alone. Saturday, I'm seeing The Social Network with MB (looooove Jesse Eisenberg - super nerdy cutie!) and going shopping for pin-up attire. Sunday is my date with the Blexican, which I need the details for - no idea what we'll be doing. I'm hoping to be super-charming and adorable so his friends like me. Wish me luck!

Hope you all have fantastic weekends! And to my friends on the East Coast, try to stay dry!

fun weekend in VA!

This weekend I headed down to Charlottesville, VA to hang out with my fabulously wonderful sorority sisters, M and B (not to be confused with MB - hehe). B goes to school down there, so M and I made the trip out to reunite and drink tons of wine. Seriously, let me say that I've never had as much wine as I consumed on Saturday, which is nuts because I'm a borderline alcoholic. I guess I just tend to stick to hard liquor since those bottles tend to last longer, but I'm thinking I may want to try drinking more wine.

We visited Thomas Jefferson's house, Monticello, which was amazing and huge and beautiful. The weather was also perfect for the visit - not too warm with a nice, light breeze. Museums usually turn me into a giant 'see you next tuesday' because I get hot and cranky and tired of standing, but I was able to handle this trip like a lady. I'm so grown up! After that, southern buffet at an old-school tavern (cornbread was to die for) and then the wineries! The wine was awesome (I didn't buy anything - hi, I'm impoverished) and the views were so pretty. Seriously, Charlottesville is gorgeous! I also had an unfortunate incident with a box of a half-dozen peach cider donuts. Unfortunate in that I ate 5 of them, whoops! I maintain that I needed the carbs to deal with the multiple glasses/bottles/tastings of wine that our group had.

Sunday, B and I went to the King Family vineyard for a polo match, but sadly it was canceled due to rain. Instead we took our sandwiches and ordered a glass of wine and sat around watching the little kids play and looking at the excellent views. After that, B drove me to the Richmond airport and I headed back to NYC. It was a really nice weekend. I'm starting to get sad thinking about how much more difficult it will be to visit all my friends from the West Coast. I guess it'll take just a little more money and planning, which aren't exactly my strong suits, but I'll try to make it happen.

In non-weekend news, I've decided that I want to start incorporating pictures and more "me" stuff into my blog. I think we can agree this post would've been a million times more interesting with some pictures (too bad I broke my camera). So, I've bought a new domain and in the course of the next few weeks, I'll be transferring stuff over and will *perhaps* even include the name on my birth certificate, so I'm not a faceless character with an alias. Yay! Get excited!

this is why i don't party all the time.

I was supposed to have a pretty low-key Friday night - just kickin' it with Slindy, eating some dinner, seeing a movie, and calling it a night. The plan started out well - dinner with S and Slindy at El Cabrito followed by seeing Eclipse. I totally fell in love all over again with Taylor Lautner and the movie was wayyy better than the first two (yeah, I know that's not saying much). After the movie, Slind and I met up with some friends at a bar called Live Bait and that's where all hell broke loose.

I don't know what happened, but I only spent $7.50 on drinks and yet I was shit-faced. The boys just kept buying drink after shot after drink after shot. I remember this one drink called an Adios Motherfucker that nearly killed me. It was like a blue drink of death and that combined with the SoCo Lime and tequila shots, plus all the other drinks that were bought for me and I was out of control. The night is kind of blurry but I remember flirting hardcore with the bouncer, who told me I was beautiful and had pretty eyes. Then when I got bored with that, so I came back inside the bar and chatted it up with a cute Mexican boy about the restaurant where he works. Around 3am or so, I started to feel like I was going to pass the fuck out, so I vamoosed and caught a cab.

Talk about the cab ride of death. It was ridiculously bumpy and I spent the whole time trying desperately not to vomit all over everything. I chewed gum, opened the windows, and just kept swallowing hoping I could keep it down until I got home. Apparently, I'm awesome and I made it home without vomiting. I also didn't get sick at all, so I guess all that gum-chewing worked! Passed out face first on my bed and woke up the next day wondering what the fuck happened. I could barely function so I got some Chipotle and slammed down as much water and Sprite as I could get my hands on. I ended up napping and woke up to a strange text message about a dinner reservation from a number I didn't recognize. So I guess, in my chatting with the cute chef guy, I gave him my number and he promised he'd get me a reservation at his restaurant. Wow, epic fail. I seriously need to stop giving my phone number out like candy, especially when I can't remember doing it. Luckily, I just canceled the reservation and told him thanks, but that I wouldn't be able to take it.

In other bad news decisions while drunk, I got an email from TG while I was out so I texted him twice with no answer. Eh, I'm a little embarrassed, but I know him well so it's fine and the texts were completely benign. I don't even think he could tell I was drunk, which is apparently a huge flaw (or gift, in some cases) that I have. I can talk to people while I'm hammered and you won't even know the difference. I'm really good at it and I do it all the time with guys (hence, giving the guy my phone number). So yeah, I'ma keep it tame for a little bit because I know how I am when I party and I usually end up doing stupid shit.

Okay, folks - time to get ready for the week!

i literally think this may be the only weekend this summer that i'm in NYC.

With all of my crazy traveling, I haven't spent a weekend in Manhattan since May! So I'm really excited to be here this weekend and to have no plans. The only thing on the docket is tonight - dinner at El Cabrito with Slindy, so we can get our fancy Mexican corn that we love so much (I think I was Mexican in a former life because I just love the food so much). Then I'm going to see Eclipse (don't hate!)! Cannot wait to drool over Taylor Lautner's abs while also forgetting the fact that he is 18 years old and I'm almost 25. It's legal, whatever.

I need to get my house in order, both literally and figuratively. There is so much laundry to wash, so many rooms to clean, and lots of planning to do. The roommates and I need to chat about what the hell is going on with our apartment for next year. I also have to figure out a way to make some cash moneys quickly. I wouldn't mind catching an indie flick and working on my tan lines, perhaps even some cooking? Sounds fantastic!

Next weekend I head off to apartment hunt like a madwoman, where I'll be for a full week and two weekends. The following weekend I visit B in Charlottesville. Then I have to start preparing for the move, which most likely means lots of time on Long Island with the parentals, going through my shit and planning everything out. Craziness.

Life is really moving at the speed of light right now. I kind of like it.

DC Weekend #1

I have two trips to DC planned this summer, so this is a recap of the first one - minus all the cool Blogging While Brown stuff. I got in on Thursday night, just in time to catch the end of the Celtics-Lakers game. It was a lot of fun to watch! I just realized I don't think I've ever watched a basketball game. Like, a professional one. I'm not sure why. College BFF says it's because I'm Puerto Rican and we just watch baseball (which, while offensive - lol - is true --- my parents are huge baseball fans and my dad is Puerto Rican). I like yelling, though, so I was enjoying the close nature of the match and all the back and forth.

Friday was dominated by conference stuff, until the evening where the girls and I just sat around watching the Real Housewives of NYC reunion. Those bitches are crazy - end of story. I'm glad my friends are not that psycho. Even the craziest chick I know can't hold a candle to those women. I like that my friendships are essentially drama free. I think it's what keeps me sane. Saturday was an all day conference day and then in the evening College BFF, Bambina and I went to this bar in Clarenden. I think we're all a little burnt out on the whole going out thing, so we had a couple of drinks and then promptly peaced out to go home and talk about men, life, love, race, etc.

Today, I went to the most amazing brunch. It was at a friend of Bee's and it was fantastic! I am always so in awe of women who are so put together and organized and domestic goddesses. Probably because I suck at all things domestic. I envied her so much. The food was delicious - two homemade pizzas (broccoli mushroom and a beet cheese onion), this fruit dip, and chocolate pudding pie. Fun conversation and lots of good food! I really can't wait to be in San Francisco where I can hopefully craft more of my cooking skills and entertain people in my apartment. I need to step my game up a bit in that department.

Anyhow, I'm on the Bolt Bus right now and desperately craving a nap, so I think I'm going to sign off and get some rest.

I will update tomorrow on the blogging conference and all of the learnings!

long island girl.

Had a really nice weekend home on Long Island. As much as I love Manhattan, I am a true Long Island girl, born and raised. It was good to eat freshly baked *real* bagels, hang out at Starbucks, see a movie and go to a BBQ at Slindy's house. That and driving around with my windows open in my mom's car blasting rap music and acting gangster even though I'm from the suburbs =)

I have a bit of a dilemma. I stupidly gave this boy I've been talking to online my phone number and now he's blowing up my phone and wants to go out and I just don't know if I'm into it. I mean, I have 2 months here and I feel like I should focus on my friends and all the plans I've made instead of trying to date someone that I don't even know if I like. I'm just tired of wasting my energy on men and at this stage of the game I feel like when I meet someone I truly like, it won't feel like work. So that's that. There's been enough craziness over the past two years with TG, The Intellectual, and all the other dumbasses I've been involved with. The next two months need to belong to me - packing, moving, planning, working out, drinking, hanging with my friends. That sounds like a good plan to me.

weekend - finally!

I desperately need this weekend - the past few weeks have been nuts and as a result of the Vegas trip, I feel like I haven't had any "me" time in my apartment. So I think that's the plan for today. I'm practically falling out with tiredness and my room is starting to get that dirty look about it.

I'm kind of nervous about the whole speed dating thing. I haven't put myself out there like that in a while and it's so different from online dating. You can have a profile up online and never answer anyone and never check it. Speed dating is like 5 minutes talking to some stranger. The pressure is on. I know if I get an awkward person, I will definitely just start babbling about stupid shit. I guess I'll be calling on all of my sorority girl skills and just acting like I'm rushing girls. It's pretty much the same shit. I'm not sure what to wear - I want to be sexy, but I don't want to look slutty. I do want to stand out, though. Also I'm too damn tall (and I'm not even that tall!), so I'm unsure if I do heels or not. Heels and I'm about 6' even. Flats and then I look like I'm not trying. Arg - too stressful. I guess I'll have to hit up some stores tomorrow afternoon to get my shit together.

Then we're all going out on Saturday night, which will be nice. I'm excited to spend some time with my friends - dancing, drinking, having a good time. I'm starting to get away from being a complete hermit =)

long time, no blog.

It's been super-crazy around these parts lately, so I haven't really been blogging. I'm incredibly exhausted right now, so no time for a real update, but let me say that this weekend was amazing. Getting out of New York was so good and healthy for me and I loooooved seeing the sorority girls. I seriously love my sisters. They are amazing, wonderful women and I don't deserve to have them in my life.

Lots of wine and deep conversation about relationships, friendships, love, and pretty much everything else under the sun. I am blessed to have people who will listen to me bitch about the minutiae of my life =)

love three day weekends.

I don't know why I'm so frickin hungover, but I am. My stomach is turning over like every 5 minutes. Blarg. ANYWAY. This weekend has been awesome. Spent Friday night at dinner with Jama and we did our Secret Santa exchange. I love my gifts and it was nice to spend time with him, chattering away. Saturday, I slept in until past noon and was pretty much a big bum all day. Then, met up with Slindy and Jama for dinner at one of my fave places - Vento. I love Italian food and it was amazing. Then we met up with the roommates to get drinks. The bar was lame and I had to criticize the DJ (who STILL continued to play shitty music, even after my intervention), so we left after one drink and then headed back to Jama's to watch SNL. Somehow I dragged my tired ass onto the subway and made it home by 3 am. I love New York City so much sometimes.

Jama and I had a long chat about TG. The whole situation is ridiculous. I'm really starting to get nervous about the February trip. I don't know how it's going to go and how I'll act. I'm not even sure how to behave towards him, especially now that I'm thinking I could end up back in the Bay before the year's end. I don't want to tell him that, but maybe it's dumb to be patently dishonest. I'm just so bad with relationships and I don't really understand them. I have so many rock solid friendships and I feel like I know how to be a good friend, but I have no idea how to relate to men. I think I've learned a lot in my time out of college, but now I'm kind of jaded and just have no desire to look for men. I'm half-heartedly online dating, while I still think about TG and what could be between us. I like to think that this is just a phase and it will pass, but it has been such a long time that I'm starting to get concerned. Oh well... we'll see how things go. I have two potential dates lined up and maybe they'll go well. We shall see.

In other news, I bought my first coding book! I'm really trying to take this technology thing seriously. I want to learn more and develop a new skill set. So I'll spend the rest of my 3 day weekend learning and reading and hopefully learning how to code. Yay!