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I have yet to determine if the term “coffee addict” actually applies to me or not. I’m sure most people who know me, would say that yes, I am indeed a coffee addict. And for the most part, I’d have to agree with them. On any given day, I will have at least one thermos mug of coffee (this would equate to about 3 cups), sometimes more, depending on the weather, the temperature in the office, and my amount of sleep the night before (or lack thereof). However, and this is the main kicker as to why I don’t think I’m necessarily that bad of a coffee addict, I don’t NEED coffee the moment I get up in the morning, and can, in fact, go for days without a real cup of coffee (unless you count a bottled frappuccino, but that really isn’t coffee in my book). So maybe, instead of a coffee addict, I’m more of a coffee lover? I may not NEED the coffee, I just LIKE the coffee. Which, even I still find amusing. Why you ask? Well, let me tell you the story of how I first started drinking coffee…
There was a point in my life where I was not allowed to drink coffee. As in, friends would literally take a cup of coffee away from me. I suppose this had to do with the fact that if I had a single cup of coffee, I would be hyperactive for hours upon hours on end. I would talk five times faster than I already do, and basically wouldn’t slow down for at least 6 hours. Yep, it was pretty bad…but then, grad school hit. In order to get through the mountainous pile of homework and projects, that single cup of coffee became a staple. It would still keep me wired for hours, but at the time, it didn’t seem like such a bad idea. I didn’t really like the taste of coffee, so much in fact that I would drench it in sugar and cream, even if it were flavored coffee. That eventually changed as well. By the time I graduated, it was a routine for me to walk down to the coffee shop at 10:30 at night, where the owner would already have a cup of coffee sitting there waiting for me to pick it up. I would thank him, then walk back up to my apartment where I worked for another hour or two, and then pass out. No more of the coffee keeping me up for hours upon hours, now I could just drink a cup, then go right home and pass out if I wanted to. I think, at that point in my life, I was definitely a coffee addict.
I’ve definitely cut back quite a bit since then, but I think that mentality of “hey, why not, I’ll just drink a cup of coffee” is still with me. My lifestyle has changed quite a bit since then in that I don’t stay up till 2 in the morning getting work done. I do, however, get up earlier, so I guess that offsets the staying up late. Maybe the reason I drink coffee nowadays is not because I need it to keep me up, or even wake me up, but that now it’s that I know what’s good coffee, and I like that, so I’ll drink it…so, I guess the question really is, does that make me a coffee addict, or a coffee lover?
Ah, the beginning of a new year…for me, I always feel like the new year brings about new beginnings. I generally take the time to reflect back on the previous year, see if I learned any important life lessons, and then usually throw it all out the window and get excited for things to come in the new year. So, as is my usual routine, here’s a recap of the year 2009!
January:
Don’t think a whole lot happened this month. I started dating the greatest guy on earth (at least in my opinion) at the end of December, so I guess that doesn’t technically count within the month of January, but seeing as how our first date was like a week before I went on vacation for like two weeks, January was when I really got to hang out and get to know him.
February:
Hrmmmmmm…went to the Russian River for the first time since living in the bay area? Had a couple friends visit from Hawaii, so we got to hang out, go wine tasting, and see the sights of the city (i.e. play tourist).
March:
Ah yes, the month of March…this would be the month where 2/3rds of engineering got laid off…I still think it was a stupid move on their part, but oh well…I figured that just meant bigger and better things were out there for me. Too bad it wasn’t one week earlier, because that was when my friends were in town!
April:
I think this was the first time, in the history I call my life, that I’ve ever gone to a show two nights in a row. Now, if you know me, you know I know nothing about music WHATSOEVER, so it must’ve been a pretty compelling reason for me to go not only see a band once, but twice in two days. And it was…
May:
May was a pretty busy month! We went a few trips, took the boy to LA with me for my friend’s daughter’s first birthday, and we also went to Big Sur to camp. That was my first trip to Big Sur since living in the bay area and it was beautiful! Mom also came up to visit for mother’s day, and she, my aunty, and uncle got to meet the boy. I also went white-water rafting for the first time ever! I didn’t paddle but definitely had lots of fun regardless of my fever (yah, I was sick for my first white-water trip).
June:
I went to the Midwest! Took a trip to Iowa to meet the boy’s family. It was somewhat spur of the moment, but it was a lot of fun (despite the crazy mosquitoes that devoured me)! Prolly went camping at some point this month too (we did a lot of outdoorsy things over the summer)
July:
Went tubing down the river…it was the second time we’d done it over the summer, but this time, most of the tubes did not survive! Although, granted, half the people didn’t have actual tubes, but instead children’s inflatables like airplanes and dolphins…but it sure made for a good story!
August:
I’m not sure what happened in August…oh! I did FINALLY, manage to get a job! It only took 6 months…but I got a job, that’s all that matters, AND I’m still there so we’re doing okay so far…
September:
The dreaded “3-0″. I turned 30 this month. We planned a day at the park for a free concert and then we went bowling with a group of my good friends. It was a blast, and despite no longer being in my 20’s, I’m still having the time of my life.
October:
Halloween! We started cooking at home a lot more around this time, and I’d like to think that my cooking skills have improved some. We also dressed the boy up as man-bear-pig for halloween, and if I do say so myself, it was a great costume! This was the first time he’s dressed up in a costume in years, and we even made it ourselves! We also made a decision that’s gonna affect us this year, but more on this later…
November:
Went to Vegas again for Thanksgiving. Dad got to meet the boy for the first time, and it was actually his first time to Vegas! Our other friend came along as well, and in the spirit of what is Las Vegas, they both got tattooed on the strip. I opted against getting one, although I do have a good idea of what I’d want next…
December:
December brought quite a few travels with it! We went on a very unexpected trip back to Iowa right before Christmas. This trip involved flying into Denver and driving across the state of Nebraska! Despite the length and flatness of the drive, I enjoyed myself and the company I was with. I then flew back from Iowa and turned right back around the next day to go home for the first time in a year! So not only did I get a white Christmas (close enough to Christmas), but also a warm one as well!
Closing Thoughts…
The year of 2009, at least to me, seemed to fly right on by. Despite some bumps and bruises along the way, I consider it a good year. I didn’t lose my house when I could have easily done so, I found another job that I’m enjoying, and I got to spend it all with great people. Who could ask for anything more? As I look forward to what 2010 is going to have in store for me, I am already getting excited for its prospects. Take, for example, the decision we made in October. As most people who know us know, we’ve made a decision to leave the bay area, which has been our home for quite some time. It was by no means a rash decision, even though I know people think we haven’t completely thought it through. I know that I need a change, and the boy is in the same boat. We’re sad to be leaving all our friends here, but are looking forward to the future we have ahead of us. Soooo, come the end of March/beginning of April, we’ll be packing up, and shipping out to the wonderful state of Colorado! Yippee! Next year’s summary will I’m sure have this move highlighted within it, so if for some reason you only stop by once a year, be prepared for that one!
Maybe it’s just me, but it feels as if this year has flown right on by, and for the life of me, I can’t recall where it all went! It’s been a good year so far, let’s see how the last month of it holds up. The good thing with it now being December is that I can now officially listen to Christmas Music! Hooray! I know, I know, most people seem to hate the idea of Christmas music, but I love it. If it randomly plays on my Ipod during the year, I don’t skip it, I enjoy it. BUT, now that it’s after Thanksgiving (which, btw, was AMAZING, I’ll tell you all about it after I get some pictures uploaded), I’m allowed to listen to Christmas music all day, everyday for the next month. I can see you all rolling your eyes at me, but I don’t care! Christmas and New Years are my favorite times of the year, so I’m gonna enjoy it, and for all you scrooges out there, too bad 
I’ve come to realize, that as I get older, my ability to do the things I used to do, even six months ago, seems to have decreased dramatically. I have yet to determine if this is actually because I’m getting older, but I feel as though life changes are soon to be heading my way. What that’ll entail is still to be determined, but I’m prepared, and ready for it!
In the meantime, I’ve determined that I should create a TO-DO list, or bucket list, if you will, of the things I’d like to accomplish in the next oh, say 10 years of my life. People do their 30 by 30 list, but well, I missed that one seeing as how I’ve just turned 30. SO, I shall be a rebel and do my 40 by 40 list! That gives me 10 good solid years to accomplish a, what I can only assume will be a very random collection of goals. More details on this list to come later…
Love. Now there’s a word you won’t hear me saying very often. It’s not that I don’t like the word or don’t love people, I’m just not a person who uses it very often. I tend to believe in the idea that a person is better off showing how they feel, and maybe this is because I want to make sure when I do say the “L” word, I mean it, and it’s still special. Or maybe I’m just full of crap, who knows. Either way, the “L” word was finally spoken out loud, the other night. Now, not that anyone actually reads this, but for those in the know, I’m sure you’re very very surprised by this statement of fact. It’s not that we don’t already KNOW that we love each other, or that either of us are unsure about wanting to spend the rest of our lives together. Quite the opposite, in fact, is true. We, weirdly enough, think so much alike that although we’ve never said it out loud, we know when the other person is just thinking the words “I Love You”, so there really hasn’t ever been a need to say it out loud. So why, then, you ask, did we say it now? To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. It just “felt” right, for reassurance purposes I suppose. People have questioned our “fit” for each other, and I guess saying it out loud was in a sense a way to confirm to each other, that we don’t care what anyone else thinks, we’re happy and we know we’re right for each other in every way. So to all you doubters out there, all I have to say is “PPPPFFFTTTT!” Does this mean we’re gonna be like other people and say I love you all the time now that we’ve said it the first time? Doubtful. That’s just not how we are. Either way, I spose it was a major milestone, and one I felt like sharing.
This year seems to have flown by rather quickly, at least in my opinion. The summer has said goodbye (for the most part anyway), and it is now fall. We did quite a bit during the summer, including a few camping trips. Our last camping trip was taken a few weeks ago at the San Luis Reservoir Recreation Area. Here’s a few pictures of us “attempting” to catch fish while we were there:
Now that it’s fall, the colder air has created a sense of homeliness that has me cooking much more than I used to. We’ve made everything from chicken pot pies to creamy chicken rice soup to indian curry! To celebrate the fall season, we also went pumpkin picking with a few friends (before we went to a haunted fields that scared the begeezus outta me). Since Halloween is a few days away, here’s the results of our labor!
Summer was great, let’s see what fall has to bring us!
wow, I’m officially 30! So last Saturday was my 30th birthday, and although a lot of people tell me you feel the change, I don’t think I really did. I don’t feel much older than I was before, other than I can’t say I’m in my 20’s anymore.
To celebrate my 30th, we decided to go all out since my 29th birthday was a bust. We started the day at the Power to the Peaceful festival. It was a COLD day, however, since we had the first real rainstorm of the season, complete with crazy lightning and thunder that set off car alarms! We still made it out to the park, though, and had a blast. After the park, we headed out to Serra Bowl to go bowling! It was the first time that any of us could remember that our group of friends have ever gone bowling together, and it was everything we thought it would be. We bowled for 2 hours, drank a whole lot of beer, and I even got a real bowling pin as a gift from the alley. I attempted to make it out after that, but I was way too tired, so I came home and passed out.
All in all, it was a great day! Thanks to everyone who made it out!
It finally happened. For quite some time now I’ve felt the urging to cook up some pig but it’s always been a big chore to do so. A couple years back we got ourselves a smoker and I was tasked with smoking a pig for superbowl every year. Well, we missed that this year for some reason, and so I haven’t had my requisite pig for the year. I’ve been craving it for a while, but I really didn’t want to have to deal with the smoker and having to get up every two hours to add more wood to the flames, etc, etc. So I did the next best thing!
I’m currently borrowing a crock pot from a friend, in exchange, I am cooking up close to 9 pounds of pig butt for dinner tonight. I know, I know, that’s a helluvalot of pig but I didn’t have a choice! I went to the store yesterday to get my pig ass, and the butcher was a lil off or something cuz he refused to trim my slab of meat to make it the 6 pounds I wanted. Instead of arguing and not getting any meat at all, I decided to just take the 8.98 pounds of meat and use it. Unfortunately, as I learned, at 11:30 last night, 9 pounds of meat wrapped in ti-leaves and banana leaves DON’T FIT IN THE CROCK POT! So I had to unwrap the pig from it’s beautiful wrapping job, and try my darndest to cut out the pig bone. I know I wasted a bunch of meat doing this, but I figured, hell with 9 pounds, I can lose a bit. I wrapped it all back up, and dammit it still didn’t fit!!! So I unwrapped it again…tossed the meat in and then just shoved the leaves all around it. I think that seemed to do the trick. Although I did notice at oh 4:30 in the morning (as I kept dreaming of pig from the smell) that fat was overflowing off the sides of the crock pot…I think I finally got that all squared away (easier since the meat shrunk and I could add more leaves in) and now it’s simmering in the pot til dinnertime tonight! Let’s hope it tastes as good as it smells!
I finally, FINALLY got a job! Yay job! It’s only taken oh, six months, and granted it’s only a one month contract for now, but it’s something. I’m excited about the opportunity, and I’m hopeful about its future. I don’t want to get into too many details, but suffice it to say, it’ll be worth it 
So I decided to re-vamp the look and feel of this blog. Why, I really don’t know, seeing as how nobody actually knows where it is or reads it or anything, but I figured, what the hell, time to do something new right? I found a new template, and set upon customizing it to match what I wanted. And BOY does this take me a long time! You’d think, being in the professional field I’m in, I’d be able to do this in a snap, but for some reason, it’s easier for me to create my own CSS, XHTML, blah blah than it is to modify other peoples. Maybe my new project should be to create a theme/template all by myself? Yeah, I’m sure it’s a great thought, but knowing me, it’s never gonna happen…we’ll see though! Until then…I shall continue to modify/customize this lovely template
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