Yes, A Bahamas Two

Yes, my sister-in-law set me pictures from the bahamas and they're too cute to not post, so here they are. Abbie's favorite thing to do was wash her feet. Over and Over and Over
This was the coconut we found on the ground a little unripe. It got dropped and cracked. So we worked hard to try to open it all the way.
Tao worked extra har.
But we got it done! To bad it was so unripe
And this is us the the National Park... walking along the path, very slowly... 'cause bugs and lizards are very scary and she didn't want her picture taken.

My Phone

So I have a Nokia 6102, the Nokia flip phone. This is my second one. The first one broke in half at the Oakland airport when I got back from Toronto in July. I use my insurance to replace it for free... oh no wait a $50 deductable. So now, six months later the phone broke, in the same spot, as the first one. So I didn't get insurance this time so I duct taped it together. It has been three months of the duct taped phone and now it has decided to randomly turn off. When it started this is did it like once a day. Now three weeks of this later, it does it five to six times a day, if not more. So fuck you Nokia, I went and bought myself and new FANCY DANCY Treo with Internet and a calender and a whole key board to text message with. Too bad it won't be here till Friday.

I hunt and I killed!

So I searched craigslist, I hunted craigslist, and what did I find? (Ms. T you'll kind of appreciate this) I found Silversun tickets. In the list of TICKETS WANTED I found the 1 ad that had some for sale, and yes I paid too much for them, but I got them! And really, when it comes to me, and I want something, I'll work hard to get them. and I got them! I got them!

Silversun Pickups, Ok Go, and Snow Partol

Yes, I was lucky enough to go to the show. But the band I wanted to see the most was Silversun Pickups. If you don't know them check them out. I love two of their songs, Lazy Eye and Rusted Wheel. Anyway, the bands played in the order listed above... and Apple Jacks and I, being who we are, took our time getting to it. The tickets said 8pm. We got there at around 8:45-9 and guess what?!? We missed band numero uno... that's right, the band that we were really there to see. I cried a little deep down but got over it. Ok Go was, well for lack of a better word, okay. And snow patrol wasn't half bad. Way better than Death Cab for Cutie were but not nearly as good as Damian Rice (who we have tickets to go see again next month). But you know who is also playing next month... ah that's right, Silversun Pickups... how quickly did tickets sell out... 8 min. By 10:10am on Sunday their show was sold out. Fuckers. Oh well... we did get tickets to The Shins.

No Bahamas part 2 Just Life

Okay, so life has been busy. I've had a great V-day dinner with the apple man. I went to a car event at Laguna Seca in Monetary and also had my birthday... whooo hooo 26! I've gone to Tahoe to get some half decent snow. I've gotten the flu. I've been working. There are details of course, there was the best wine I've had... EVER at Paul K where we have V-day dinner. I had on of the worst track driving students EVER! Just didn't seem to listen to what I was saying AT ALL. I got let down by my birthday because I'm no longer 5 the for that day, no matter how much I want in to, the world is not going to stop and bow down to me. And now I'm sick... like I've been this whole month but WAY worse. I'm a whiny bitchy needy girl who's temp is either sky rocketing or plummeting and hacks though the night. It's fun. So on that note I'm going to get my self some tea, but some socks on my feet, grab a coat 'cause it's going to rain and head off to work with small children.

Bahamas Part 1

This is a picture of the most northern and western point of Grand Bahama Island. Our resort was at the tip... past the ghetto with the Wind Dixi where my dad bought food.

This is a view from the road that runs though the ghetto of Grand Bahama... I mean if you're going to have a house with no roof or windows at least you get to see this!

This was the building the two two bedroom suits the eight of us stayed in, Ian, Amy, Abbie, and Oma in one suit. Mom, Dad, Tao and I in the other.

This is the hammock that was outside of the building. It was a really shitty hammock and would sink to the ground in you sat in in but it was really inviting.

Pictures From Jackson Hole a Month Later

This was me hiking up to the top of the Headwall.
This was the view halfway up
Everyone else finishing up the hike to the Headwall
The slow soft ride down.
AJ and I laying in the snow! What a ride!

Wait I got second!

I go and call Ms. M, just to tell her about the second, and thankfully last, week of the show. The second words out of her mouth are, "Congratulations of the second!" uhmmm.... what? "I got second?" I ask, yes that is correct I should know how I place in my classes, but this class, Saturday's class I went fourth or sixth out of sixty plus horses. I wasn't going to sit around for over two hour just to see how I did. And, to be honest, I didn't do GREAT. I made it to the jump off (the round that counts) and had one rail. I was fast, which is normal, not to be cocky, but really one rail with over 60 horses... what's the likely hood that none of those people would go clean as well... well it looked like bigger than I thought. So yeah, i guess that makes this last weekend better than the weekend before. I even rode great on Sunday, so I'm happy with that as well. I've got some time to get rid of the rust that i seemed to have found building up in my riding ability before the next show.

Thurmal Week 1

Okay, the show season has started again. This year we kick it off at a new facility down in Thurmal CA near Palm Springs, about five min. from the old facility. Overall, it was new. Trees still tied up, footing not settled, tents not up. It's like anything new, it needs some time to grow into itself. And I guess in a way I need to grow into my riding at this facility. With that, I'll say at least I get to go back down and prove myself next weekend.

No WHAT Left Behind

Okay, so yeah I'm not really a teacher, but i do spend about a day a week in the classroom and spend three hours a day with kids tutoring. I started teaching when No Child Left Behind was first implemented. I've worked in schools that were taken over by the government because they had failed two years in a row. The children weren't "performing" so they didn't test at level, so the school got less money. Yeah that big giant HUGH that is going through your head makes you wonder... really this is the way to NOT leave children behind. Two years of that and The Man comes in. The Man tries to make things better. Normally, everyone gets fired or quits. They higher new, young, influential, sometimes "working" credentialed teachers. These teachers get paid less. You're thinking why didn't they do that before so the kids could have the money... oh cause you can't. Teachers in CA get tenure after two years. You can't get rid of them. Good, great, bad, ugly, whatever. But The Man can. So now The Man has more money, and the kids get up to date new books. They get tutoring after school 'cause they slipped it into the new young teachers contracts. Here I am getting ready to go sub and listening to our prized leader talk about pushing NCLB even farther. This is why I don't listen to the news.

Board

Yeah I went blue for the "bluest day of the year".

My Wednesday

I'm driving down the main road in Orinda. I had stopped at Starbucks to get my fix before I tutor. I'm chatting on the phone with Ms. E (yeah I drive and talk, that's just how it is. Really I do anything and talk... I'm a talker). I go under the freeway/bart overpass and pass the small row of cars waiting to turn left at the light. Their light is red (silly arrows) and my light is green. I keep tooling along chatting as if I do this everyday... oh wait! I DO do this every day. I'm looking down the road ad I'm already to far along to stop if the light changes (it's still very green) when I hear this wonderful CRACK and feel my car get shoved a bit to the right. I look in my mirror and there is the front end of a 328is BMW with it's nose half way into my lane. I pull over and the BMW follows.


THIS is what I saw when I got out of my car:

Upon closer inspection I noticed a part of the lovely pointless little "thing" that runs along the bottom had been broken off, as well as some paint missing

Oh and these scratches are just beautiful, really add some personality to my car.

Luckily enough I called my insurance and unlike the accident I was in back in October (yes I've been in three in four months) the other parties insurance is claiming fault and I don't have to pay a dime. Sadly I will be without my car for a few weeks.

Jackson Hole

Well, I'm back to the real world. Jackson Hole was great. It was such a lovely vacation. Apple Jacks and I stayed at the Alpine House. It was three blocks from the center of town and a 45 min bus ride from the ski resort.

These are pictures of the room. I should have taken them when we first walked in, not after we unpacked a bit 'cause or shit all over the place doesn't do the room justice.

In the corner was a gas stove that would heat the whole room. It was great!

We didn't watch the TV once. A true vacation!

This was the view from the top of the mountain to the peak across the valley. Apple and I walked into the hut to warm up a bit after I took this picture and in the 10 min we were in there the snow and fog came in and we couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of us, let alone across a valley.

There are more pics to come. My new digital camera didn't like the cold so much and the battery drained really fast, but I bought a disposable one and will put those pictures up as soon as I find the camera and develop it!

Everyone Stop Worrying

This is for my family. Things are fine. New Years was calm and good. Tahoe was beautiful. When we left at 4am the full moon was reflecting off the lake.
I'm in Jackson Hole now, enjoying the slightly icy snow and good company. The place we're staying is right downtown and it's a cold, easy walk to the square. My freak out, which my friends know come and go, passed. All has been well. The snow here is like the snow at home just a bit less icy, cause it doesn't get warm here. We're due for a storm tonight so good snow should be here soon, though I don't know when we're getting snow at home.

Annoyed

Okay, so I'm in one of those moods where a puppy could annoy me. Right now everything is pissing me off... well not everything but most of it. And NO I'M NOT PMSing... not close. Anyway, so I'm at Apple Jacks' house taking care of his dog for the day 'cause he misread his ex's plans and worked today while she was still in Hawaii on vacation. It annoys me. And what really annoys me is that it shouldn't annoy me. Walking his dog and feeding her isn't cramping my style in any way. I didn't have anything better to do really but still... annoyed.
Apple Jacks forgot his ski bag (we're leaving to go to Jackson Hole soon) and needed me to "find" it. Ugh, that was annoying that he forgot it but... find being the operative word... my annoyance doesn't end there.
This boy is a pack rat in ever since of the word but the singers. He keeps everything. He has broken light fixtures, boxes full of year old bills and such under a basket of more bills. If anyone knows me they know I'm organized. I have files color coded. I do detailed book keeping. I know where my shit it. Apple... doesn't. Annoying
"The ski bag is in the storage place." Descriptive... I know... why it didn't jump out at me from... behind the air duct and under a suit case full of god knows what but by the look of the edges sticking out of the seam I'm guessing bills... I don't know... Yes annoying.
Now, Apple Jacks is near and dear to my heart. Nothing he's actually done has any right to annoy me... it just is... and that's annoying all on it's own. Like a downward spiral... the sock on the floor is annoying me but I know it shouldn't be annoying me and than that annoys me and then it causes the PILE of mail on the side board to annoy me... but really what did the mail to do me other than be at least a year old and never move. It keeps going.
So now I'm going to tempt fate... I'm going to drive into the city to see Mr. C. Me... driving in the city... not always a good pair. But I have the direction... I have my book on tape so hopefully this annoyance bug will go away.

Post Gluttony

This Christmas I got a new Digital Camera... It's the prize gift this year, not to shadow the others they were also good. Thank you EVERYONE! But... really... every one or five of my blog readers should be happy I'll no longer be doing bad pics with my camera phone. Here are the fruits of my new PINK camera's labor!

Abbie with a new book (It was all a little over whelming)

My dad practicing with his new "club"

The true Princess

"Cheese Grammy!"

And of course the Fam.

Christmas... yeah I fixed it

Yesterday, I was totally excited about Christmas. Not only is all my shopping done but so is all my wrapping. I have two gifts for my dad, one gift for mom (she's really hard to shop for), one gift for Oma, three gifts for Amy, one for Ian, two for Tao, four for Apple Jacks and four for Abbie. I can't fit my family's gifts into one bag. I think, i did well this year, in terms of getting people useful, good surprising gifts... well except for mom but I already told her Apple Jacks didn't think it was right... and he's found the ability to channel her (freaky.. but that will be an other entry) so he probably knows better. When I was little I use to draw pictures for my brothers and call it "art" and a gift. Ah, the life of a child in an art focused family. I also use to go into the sport closet and pull out some of my dad's fishing flies, put them in a new box and "re-gift" them, but I think I did that more for his birthday than Christmas.
But I love Christmas. I love buying people gifts. I especially love getting gifts. I love the Christmas lights, the sent of pine in the air. I'm not as crazy about the holidays as Amy, she starts the Christmas carols the day after thanksgiving, but seeing the tree in Tilden Park all lit up makes me smile.

My life and too much of it

Okay, I know I don't really have a right to bitch... I'm the one packing my own life full of stuff, but that doesn't change the fact that I feel I'm going to be burning the candle at all ends. This next weekend, I'm up to Tahoe to get some runs in on my new board. Then I have my last normal, calm week. Probably too clam. But it will give me a chance to get things ready at the house for a party I'm throwing the first weekend of January... a party that 30 people were invited to and only 11 people have RSVPed and four of them are throwing the party and two others are who the party is being thrown for. That's what this week has in store. That and finding the perfect gift for Emily... oh and my Oma. 'Cause what's next Sunday... oh yes Christmas Eve... then Christmas... Then a busy week of getting my boss packed up out of her old house and into their still being remodeled house. Then it's up to Tahoe for New Years leaving from there to go to Jackson Hole, getting back just in time to throw the for mentioned party.
Okay now we're in to January... I work then head to Thunder Hill (car event) for the weekend. Come home and work, and breath before I pack up and head out to Palm Springs for a horse show the last weekend of January.
Now we're into Feb... a hell month for me... one that not only has the expectations of V-day with it's heart and chocolate but also my birthday. I spend the first weekend back down in Palm Springs to ride come home... work... fly to the Bahamas for a week (I know boo hoo for me). Come home on V-day (poor Apple Jacks... and my silly girl expectations) and five days later go to a track event at the ever famous Laguna Seca. The ending day of the event is my Birthday (I love my Birthday, and day where I get to feel like the world revolves around me, where I get gifts, where I'm truly special... that day kicks ass). And now the Spinster has invited me to go to New York City, leaving 48 hours after I'd have gotten home from the track event.
Here it is. I've never been to the big apple. I'd love to go, especially with a bunch of crazy girls to paint the town red and pretend to be Ms. Hilton and Ms. Richie and be debotiourious (yes, spelled wrong). "You can sleep when you're dead!" She said to me, "you're only young once." All of this is true, but here is the thing, I'm a bitch when I don't get much sleep, and I don't feel so young.
So I'm tangled up about what to do... I want to go, but at the same time I want to spend some time at home. I want to do NYC right, not rushed and hung over. I want to have tons of $$$$ to spend endlessly on all the same things I could buy right here in Union Square but with a beauty of the NYC on it. Maya might be able to join us down from Rochester, Emily might be able to join, though I think she'll be dieing from studying.
I know I work all of 10 hours at week at one job, 11 hours at another, substitute one day a week and babysit one day a week. On a busy week I work 50 hrs. On a slow week I work 20 hrs. I constantly feel like I have to justify my busyness. I'm just worried that I'm too busy... that I'll burn out... that it's irresponsible for me to take even more time off to do "personal" stuff. I just... I want to sit on the couch and watch TV.

Apple Jacks and I at a friend of mine's Christmas party.

Oh and yes, I'm wearing my new shoes and my feet didn't hurt a bit!

Meeting General Mills the Makers of Apple Jacks

(To understand the true stress level I should mention that on Thur. and Friday I drove over 100 miles to ride my horse for two hours.)

This has been a family filled weekend. Apple Jacks' parents were in town. They were in the LA area for a conference and flew up to see two of their children that live up here. Now, I haven't even meet Apple Jacks' brother (due to time) so when I hear, "We're going to have dinner with my parents and my brother on Friday." I get a little... excited. Oddly I wasn't worried if the 'rents were going to like me or not, I know Apple Jacks doesn't hold their opinions high in his mind, but I still wanted to make a good impression. I am dating their oldest child.
Friday: Apple Jacks is in a fine mood, not. His brother picked a restaurant that happened to be about as far away as London. His parents ditched his idea on a hotel and picked a lesser hotel right near the freeway in Oakland. And it was pouring rain. I meet the folks, and the term fits them well. Dad was just what I expected: dry humor and quiet. Mom was just quiet. I tried so hard to make conversation in the car ride from the hotel to the restaurant, but we get a little lost and Apple Jacks isn't in a conversation conducing mood. Long and short, we make it to the restaurant where their is no parking. Apple drops us off, that's right leaving me alone with Mom and Dad. We go inside to find brother already there. Brother asks me questions, and we chat about things I expected him to know about me but then I remember how not close Apple is to these people. It feels like 15 min has past, no Apple. Suddenly, the power goes out. The wait staff bring out candles and we keep eating our hore'dervs. Then another 15 min and in from the door is Apple Jacks soaked head to toe and REALLY pissed off. "It's REALLY FUCKING SHITTY OUTSIDE." He says as he sits down. His dad looks at him and goes, "What makes it really fucking shitty and not just crappy outside." At this point Mom, who's been semi oblivious to the banter that had started say, "Oh look, the rain is going sideways out there."
If this didn't make of an awkward enough evening the food we were eating was crab, wear a bib around your neck, use your fingers, sucking on some shells crab. Dinner was... interesting... trying to eat food you can hardly see, and with people you hardly know. We finally finish, wash hands and head outside. The boys go and get the cars and once again I'm left with the parents. We talk weather... which last about three sentences. We are silent more or less the whole car ride home and drop them back off at their hotel with some sort of plan about brother coming over the bay to have brunch. We say our nice to meet you's and Day 1 of the parents is done.
Yes, there is another day of his parents where the conversation has more flow and I care much less about "impressing" them and more about chatting it up with his brother's girlfriend. We said our nice to meet you's again and goodbyes and drive carfully's. I now have an understanding of the makings of the sugary sweet that is Apple Jacks.

My Christmas

Okay, so Christmas has come early, but it's a personal Christmas


The other day I got me this:

A 154 Salomon Ivy. It's been almost 6 years since I've gotten a new board so I thought hey it's time.

And today I bought THESE! A sexy pair of Nine West shoes. I'm wearing them right now as I type this!

Friends Father Died

My best friend in high school's father died a few weeks ago. We aren't that close anymore, but I couldn't imagine high school without her and our friendship. I'm sending a card to her family, I can't make the "Rememberance Service" so it's the next best thing I think. But what do I say?

Dear Scary Old BMW Shuttle Guy,
I know you're old and this shuttle job isn't your dream job. I know you probably do it just to keep yourself busy and keep out of your wife's hair for a few hours a day. But really... you were going 60 on the freeway. This is California, people go 80 on the freeway on average. We were getting passed, while getting dirty looks, on both sides. But that's not all. It was the picking of your nail. No, not even that. It was the looking down and picking at your nail. Really eyes on the road PLEASE! Last, but not least the coughing. I know at times it's uncontrollable and I do thank you for rolling down the window to cough out it, but it was the swerve the car did when you went to turn your head. My life flashed before my eyes.
I hope you made it home safe,
Aundra

Desisions... you've just got to live with them

Lets go back in time a bit here. Not too far, maybe Feb. of 2006. I know, i'm not truly streching the bounds of my time machien. I got all dressed up in my suit, the one my sister-in-law helped me pick out, and my pointy shoes to go to a job fair. I filled out several applications and shmoozed with a few princpals and supper attendents. I saw that MDUSD (that's Mt. Diable Unified School District) was doing interviews. This is one of the biggest districts in the east bay. They have schools that are about to go under with only 2 kinds in a class who speak English to schools that are the highest ranking in the state. I said... fuck it I'll interview... even if I don't want to work for them (they are also known for pink slipping their teachers until they know how many they can hire back next year... lame). I interview. I don't give a shit. I have fun. I talk and charm (i know I didn't know I could charm either). I leave the interview. I talk to one other district and start to leave the job fair, I had to ride. As i'm leaving, on the phone up dating people about the fair, I hear my name. I turn around and it's one of the principals who interviewed me. "We want you to meet with the supper attendent!" she gasped at me. Sure, why not. I meet. The S.A. interviews me again. Then she hands me a paper. "This says you'll come work for us in Augest." I said I'd think about it. I passed. I wasn't ready to commit in Feb for a job in Aug.
Okay lets skip a head>>>>
Aug. I've interviewed for several other schools. Just as a note not for the schools I worked my ass off for the past school year. No, the four or five openings they had... no I wasn't good enough. Oh, but I can get stompped on for three months. ANYWAY, it's Aug. and I have no teaching job in site. I was offered, and took, a personal assisting job for a women I use to babysit for.
Present Day>>>>
I substitute on average one day a week. I turn down, on average, one sub job a week. I tutor four days a week for 1 1/2 to 3 hours a day. I get my kid time. I get my teaching time... or at least that's what I say to myself. I was offered a long term sub job at the same school I work at last year that would have gone from March to the end of the school year. But I'm able to go to yoga and work out and ride and have lunch with friends. I'm able to take time off to go to horse shows and snowboard.
In February I made a decision. I chose two in the bush... and I am where I am? I'm not complaining or whining or bitching. I've got a good thing going on and I won't deny it. At times I miss the classroom, but I sub all day on Friday for the first time this school year.... we'll see if I still miss the classroom.

Thanksgiving

Hope everyone had a great thanksgiving. Mine was spent up at Tahoe enjoying some of the COLDEST weather I've felt all year... well besides mornings in my unheated bedroom. It was a good time had by all. The whole pumpkin pie was eaten as well as a whole apple pie (not all on Thanksgiving Day, just before we left Tahoe). I think it was just the right amount of time to spend with family. I think I only snapped like a teenage girl at my mom once near the end and over the whole four days, rolled my eyes at my dad less than a dozen.

Here is Abbie playing with my necklace. Yes it was just the fam, but we still try to look good.

And of course the turkey. Abbie loves meat! (eww perverts she's way too young! one word illegal!)

Pet Peeves

I HATE HATE HATE when people say they are going to do something... then don't. Whether it's call, e-mail, show up, whatever. If you say, "I'll give you a call around 7am tomorrow." Guess what?! I'm going to expect you to call me. You say, "I'll be there at 8." I expect you to be there sometime around 8 (I give 15 min windows... but I'll still give you shit 'cause I was probibly there at ten till). If you say, "I'll bring the cookies." Yeah that's right I expect mother fucking cookies. I'm not sure what this says about me, but I'm a strong beliver of, I guess, following though on your word.

I was told this was better

This is my injury.

I know not the best picture but hell. I was the least injured out of everyone, and if I'm able to walk out of a car that looked that that A4 with this as my biggest physical issue than I'll take that.

Pondering

I have a memory of my Uncle and his then wife talking to me about marriage. This is the story I was told.
They went to have the "pre-wedding" talk with the priest. He looked at this newly engaged couple and asked them one question. It wasn't Do you love each other? or What are you dreams? It was "How do you squeeze your toothpaste? The middle or do you roll it down?" My uncle and soon to be bride looked at each other... I'm sure a phrase like WTF went though their minds. "We've lived with each other for years and that's never been a problem." This lead me to believe they both squeezed differently. They were married and had three boys. After 20 some odd years of marriage they went though the most bitter, messy, painful divorce I've known any people to have.
How do you squeeze your toothpaste?

The Track Event

This weekend I had an Audi event up at Sears Point raceway. I had two students, a B student (who doesn't have track time 'til the afternoon of the first day [I never got to have her as a student... it will make sence soon]) and a D student. Students drive the car while instructors are in the passanger side giving directions. My D students had been on this track five other times and has done several Auto-X events. The D-students did one run group early in the morning. It was raining and my students car liked to jump around. He was doing a great job of keeping it under control. Second run group, a little less wet but not by much. Second lap my student looses traction around turn four. That wasn't the problem. He got it back just in time to lose it again in the kink that is turn five. The back of the car stepped out and snap (meaning lost traction) we went sliding to the left edge of the track. Shit... you don't go into mud sideways. Two wheels could sink and the rest of the car could keep going. Roll over roll. THat wasn't what happened... What did was a freak coinsidence... I look up and there about 30ft away in out line of slide is a black car, sitting still, no moving. We keep sliding... they don't move... their passanger side tail light meets the center of the driver side of the car... at 35 to 40 mph

The driverside seat air bag went off. I have a distinct imprint in my memory of my student breathing in and out the powder that fills the air when the airbag went off. My student, in the driver side of this car, has one cracked rib and two brused ribs. I, in the passanger seat of this car, have a severly brused elbow, bruse from the seatbelt and a sore neck. The other car that left that nice bumer/tail light imprint on the back door there... well the passanger/instructor has a severly brused shoulder and some whip lash. The driver of the other car wasn't that lucky. He was leaning over to start his car (it stalled when he went off the track). When we rearended his car he had the farthest to travel. He couldn't move his arms. He got Hella Flight out of there... to John Muir in Walnut Creek. As of last night, his family was flying up from LA to be with him and he was able to move his legs and move his fingers.
DON'T LIFT IN THE CORNERS!!!!!!!!!!! That's what I have to say about that. Both me and the instructor in the other car got back out on the track to drive... our students weren't so lucky. Two totalled cars.

LA

Okay, so I'm not into writing right now but I feel like my weekend needs an update. Apple Jacks came down, we spent 60 hours together and could not only stand being around him afterwards but also... lo-and-be-hold... wanted to keep hanging out with him. Anyway, he met my brother, Tao, the artist. Came to a furniture/gallary opening that showed his stuff, as well as LOTS of other people's stuff. He saw me ride, and hung out at a horseshow for two days and still he wanted to hang out with me... amazing. I didn't ride steller but rode fine. No big issues or mistakes, or booboos in the ring. I meet one of his friends and that was great. She was nice and funny and also came to see Tao's work.
All in all, not a bad weekend.
What's in the works this week... a track event at Sears Point.

Las Vegas

For once what happened in Vegas isn't going to stay in Vegas basically because it wasn't a Vegas "vacation" for me. Hell, I didn't even make it to the strip. I was at a horse show. It was busyness as usual for me. The two days I wasn't mentally there. I think I was caught up with some shit that went down back at home. But today, Sunday, when it counted I pulled it together. I rode. That's not to say I wasn't riding great all weekend (I got third on Friday) but Sunday, rather than feeling like I was sitting there like a well trained monkey, I rode. Out of 22 horses only 7 went clean the first round. Out of those seven only three went double clean... I was not one of them. I was, as always, the fastest four faulter. One rail. Four seconds faster than the winning combination but still in fourth place. That's okay, next week it's off to LA (Apple Jacks is coming down to watch, though I don't know if he knows what he's in for. {I read on the plane today that most people wait 3-6 months to ask their significant other to Thanksgiving dinner...}) and it's a whole new week anything can happen.

Halloween

This Halloween I got to spend a bit of time with AIA and the folks. I keep wondering what we did a bit more than two years ago before Abbie... life must have been boring. But anyway, I don't have any pics of my gogo out fit but my dad did call me Barbie if that means anything... I'm not sure it does. Well, i limited myself of pics but these I had to share."swick-o-sweat"

Only in Berkely do you get Organic cookies, a toothbruch, tooth paste and M&M's

But her favorite were the sweat tarts. Mmmm kitty loves sour!

Fall Back

This weekend was not only the time change for me, well for all really except Arizona sometimes, but I also did a lot of "falling back" off the sides of mountians at Yosemite. Apple Jacks, me and 20+ other of his friend's friends' friends spent the weekend up in California's greatest National Park.

As much as I wish this was a picture of me, I didn't bring and don't own a digital camera so..., but this gives you an idea of what I was doing. Just an idea.

Anywas, it was fun. The loads of people were a bit hard to handle. The fact Apple Jacks fell asleep at 8pm durring the Pot Luck dinner with all these people i didn't know around me and left me to survive wasn't to bad. (It was his grumpy, i feel sick, pre coffee pissyness that truly was annoying.) I did some great climbs. The longest climb I've ever done at 60 meters. It was a great climb with a great view of a medow and the opposite side wall of the valley. And dispite my nerviousness about being around 20+ strangers (I knew six of them before I came) it wasn't that bad. Nature is a beautiful thing.

New Addition To The Side Bar

Okay Okay so after some technical difficulties I think it's fixed. Enjoy!

Disney has ruined many a generation

It's 7:56am and I'm laying in bed totally not wanting to get up when I hear "rrrrvvvooom" going down the road near my house. You know what I hate? I hate that there is a part of me that hopes that thinks this is Apple Jacks on his motorcycle coming to say good morning, coming to surprise me 'cause we didn't have a chance to talk last night. Is this possible? Not really. a) his motorcycle is not 100% put back together. b) he should be either in a train or a car on his way to work c) my house is in NO way shape of form on the way to his work.
Why am I like this? I can only think of one thing that has perpetually made these dreams of being put on a pedestal, being made to feel like a princess, on one thing... Disney. Years of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Little Mermaid, even Robin Hood telling me that my prince will come and sweep me off my feet. He will be cute and charming and bring me little thoughtful gifts for no reason. He'll chase down every women in the kingdom to try on a shoe just 'cause we dance all night. He will charge though a forest of thicket and slay a dragon. He'll battle the witch of vanity to save me. He'll fall in love with my song and still fall in love with my voiceless charm and beauty. He'll battle my evil uncle to right the wrongs of the world.
These are my example of love, of romance. At times do they make me want to puke? Yes. But at others I want a guy who will sleep on my parents porch to see me first thing in the morning 'cause he couldn't wait (My father for my mom.)
I know life is never a movie. I know life is never perfect. I know these are dreams. I just hate that they are dreams. I hate their impossibility, they non reality.

Willy

My mother adopted/resuced a Fox Terrier. He's a bundle of energy... pulled me along while I was running this morning. He'd look at me whenever I walked and be like "Hey, Why are you walking? Running is WAY more fun!" But anyway, here he is.

AIA vs Apple Jacks

That's right. I can't mention the meeting and not do a follow up. And yes Apple Jacks was late but he tried and you can only control traffic so much. It's just a lot to ask. A guy who normally doesn't get home 'til 8 to ask him to get home two hours earlier... that's a bit time difference. So, 20 min late, not to bad.
All in all it was great. Abbie made an effort to be comfortable with him, which is saying a lot for a two year old. He talked a bunch with Ian about cars and other stuff that I partially zoned out for. He talk with both Ian and Amy about Syracuse (yes I did have to look up how to spell it and yes they all went to the same college). I totally zoned out for that, something about crazy squirrels and dorms and different restaurants. I wanted to interject about the squirrel that got shaved at Lewis and Clark but I couldn't get a word it. That and Abbie was way more entertaining than the conversation about a dark, cold, gray place I've been to once.
At one point Apple Jacks tickled Abbie's feet and it made me smile. The cutest thing was when she walked off to bed and said "Night Night Apple Jacks." (No she did not say Apple Jacks but I'm still not ready for his name to go, though most people who read this know who he is... but it's way more fun to call him Apple Jacks.)
All in all it was good. I got the call the next morning for the AIA update/approval of Mr. Apple Jacks. And that I will keep to myself. That's mine at the moment. If you need to know I'm sure I'll tell you soon but in all everyone can know it was great food, decent wine, and good conversation.

My weekend

This weekend I was up in Sac for a "local" horse show. After showing in Canada and doing some hard shows in the LA area I just don't quite have the same respect for my smaller shows any more. Anyway, enough of my snobbery, I'll keep it simple for everyone and just say. I did well over all. Not stellar, but not to shabby. I think I might have won enough money to pay for most of the show costs.
On another note. Apple Jacks. Yes, things are still good. I would have liked for him to come to the horse show but he was up in Seattle for work and to hang out with some friends. He had one realization while gone that he told me about that I feel is blog worthy. That is, it's hard to have friends who live far away. (No Shit... Try your three closest friends living far away!) I think, or hope at least, that he has a new grasp on what my friendships with my three away girls is like. Who knows, he's a boy, I'll never understand what goes on in his head.
But Apple Jacks may be blessed with a new name and a character to go with it. That's right. Tony the Tiger. And no it has nothing to do with the fact that I think he's "GREEEAAATTTT" but it has to do with his flakiness. Not just flakiness, I mean I could have gone for special K with that was all, but his FROSTED flakiness. It has to do with the fact that in my life time, the 100,000's of flights I have taken, I have never totally utterly forgotten and missed my flight. That takes talent, and my boy has it. So for this entry he will be Tony. He will be my giant frosted flake. And one day, some day soon I hope 'cause we have dinner plans with the first family group, AIA, he'll be timely.

Oh My God SO CUTE!!!!

And People Say Cali Doesn't Have Seasons!

Willow Springs

This is a video of the tack I spend Monday and Tuesday going around and around.
Here a map of the track. The key hole on the upper left brings you up hill. Turn three goes up, four is flat, and five is down hill. The rest is flat. Turn four is the only turn that I wasn't floored coming out. It was an amazing track, fast. Exited turn 1 at 85, turn 2 at 90. I entered turn 8 at 100-105.

What was the best, and is always my favorite, part is the instructing. My student was great. He was a quick learner, had smooth hands, great at tracking out (the exit part of the turn). By his last run he was entering the fast turns at the same speed I was (he had more horse power [as most do out there] so was able to get up to speed out of the corners faster than I was) and being smooth, safe, and carrying that speed well. He didn't exit as fast as I did, but he was doing great.

What was also great was my former student from Button Willow who was back down again. He had a different instructor, which is good. He's chipped his S4 Avant, got tiers, and soon will get breaks. He was having a blast out there. It was great to see his use the basics I drilled into him the first time. Two rules: 1) You don't brake while turning or turn while you're still braking. 2) Whatever speed you enter a corner, that's the speed you picked, you can't lift and go slower or break or anything. That's the speed you picked, that's what you, at the very least have to maintain.

It was a good, long, exhausting, two days.

New Roomies

This is Sam and Sophie. They are only estimated to be 8 weeks... yet they aren't even 2 lbs yet and are smaller than my shoes! SO CUTE!!

Bloging

I've been feeling the need to blog. To vent... to chat... to get some shit off my chest. But last time I did this... wrote on a whim... I pissed some people off... so I'm thinking before I'm writing (If you know me, you know this is not something that comes naturally). So... here is my thinking before speaking.
This has been a hard week for me. Starting at midnight on Saturday night or Sunday morning all depending... it started to unravel. I guess I started to unravel. It was almost like PMS... yet not the right time for that. So I've become nit-picky... Temperamental... Needy... Short fused... and roughly a bit unstable. And of course who is most effected by this but Apple Jacks. Who do I lean on, pull on, want everything from... but Apple Jacks...
Is this where I want to be when we've only known each other a month? NO! I am I putting pressure on myself because I'm putting pressure on him? YES! Do I want to do that? Hells, NO! Ugh, so am I only making myself pissier and shorter fused 'cause I'm pushing... which is making me push more... AHHHH it's a f-ing spiral. Maybe I just need a but load of chocolate... or some shopping!

Abbie's B-day

Egg On My Face

Apple Jacks and I have been seeing each other new almost a month. I've told my closest friends, my eldest brother, and my mom and dad. But who I havn't told was Ian, Amy and Abbie. "Why," you might ask, "have I not told my closest of relitives?" It's been busy. Abbie had her second birthday and I've been out of town... it just hasn't been great timing. But, while I was out of town, in AZ with my mom, my dad had dinner with AIA (Amy, Ian, Abbie). At this dinner he mentioned I was seeing someone. I'm sure, knowing my dad, he was fuzzy on the details, but none the less...
Tonight, I sit at the table with AIA, I'm babysitting, and squeal, "So, I'm seeing someone." And they look at me straight faced and say, "We know, you Dad told us." Ugh... Here is my closest family branch and I got caught sharing something big with other branches. But, they had fun making fun of me, and then asked questions. They'll meet him soon. You ready Apple Jacks?