little laughs

Found this shirt at work and thought it was

too cute to keep to myself!!!
Too bad it's only sold in the toddler section ;)

4.19.1995

I took these photo last November when we visited the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial. I've wanted to share these a long time ago but misplaced the CD that they were on.

There were plenty small parts to the memorial that were overwhelming and these photo hardly portray what being there actually feels like. I couldn't even repeat the stories if i tried, but without the stories. . . here are the photos.

Simple Things That Bring Joy . . .

• Seeing a location in a movie and saying "hey - Ive been there"
• The 'new car' smell
• Getting a complement from a stranger
• Changing your hair-do
• Watching birds fly
• Hearing someone say 'I understand'
• Opening the door for someone
• New Shoes
• Overcoming a fear
• Making a new memory that overshadows any past memories
• Having someone guide you from the small of your back
• Leaving room for dessert
• Watching 'So you think you can dance'
• Watching someone not loose their temper even when giving the chance
• Being held all night
• A kiss on the forehead
• Waves Crashing
• Realizing in a room full of plastic girls you are the only one wearing comfortable jeans
• Foot massages
• Getting off of work early
• Walking around in your home with only underwear and a cami
• Being satisfied without being content!

CalFire

"Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today received briefings on the status of hundreds of fires continuing to burn in California. He is directing and coordinating resources to ensure firefighters have the tools they need to aggressively battle these blazes. First, he received a briefing at the command post for the Basin Complex Fire in Monterey County at Molera State Park in Monterey; he will also visit the Silver Dollar Fairgrounds in Chico later today for an update on the BTU Lightening Complex Fire in Butte County. "

http://www.calfires.com/

http://www.oes.ca.gov/WebPage/oeswebsite.nsf/InteractiveMap?readForm

http://www.fire.ca.gov/index_incidents.php

CAL FIRE has deployed the following fire and rescue resources and activated the following personnel:
Fires: 1,420
Acres: 356,134
Personnel Committed: 18,608
Engines: 1,377
Crews: 465
Dozers: 331
Water Tenders: 375
Helicopters: 92

Thank You to all Firefighters! I know you feel it's your job but you still deserve a 'Thank You'! Matt and Andrew -Can't wait to have you home!

Give a little . . . Take a little

I find myself really enjoying my personal life - I'm content, satisfied, and sustained. Ironically, as my personal being stays intact almost every materialist thing i own - is not! My laptop took a dive for about a week - after days without the WWW i spent over an hour on the phone with ATT Internet Services which resulted into the lovely lady on the other end of the phone stating 'Im sorry Ma'aM there is nothing else i can do for you. Thank You for choosing ATT and i hope you have a good day! LOL Seriously! She sounded so sincere! Then i took it to my local Computer shop and ninety-eight dollars later - here i am.

My Chevy was in the shop for a day after i noticed my faulty wind shield whippers was a result of a melted part in my engine.

My apartment has about 7 work orders in. My bedroom curtains fell down for the second time since I've lived here and i can't get the courage to put them back up!? My dishwasher runs and uses soap and water but never clean my dishes. I am having my complex replace the entire thing - because it's the only thing in my kitchen that is over one year old.

Let's not mention how i can't hardly get a breath of fresh air because of the 31 fires burring in Butte County. I'm really not complaining - i promise!

However, for every malfunction i encounter i also have pleasures to take my mind off of it. I have a family of blue jays living outside my bay window and one of them landed on my living room window pane, I took a ride alone the back roads of Chico and took a moment along the Sacramento River, my new hair has given me a refreshing new appearance, I finally won a pool game and a beer-pong game! LOL

Here I am!

Apparently i didn't realize i have more people reading my blog than i thought! Therefore, i had to make some changes - I removed the option for the public to read this and only invited my preferred list and now I'm writing a new post because of the people i do allow to read this they have been asking 'what's going on . . .why aren't you posting !"

So here it is - a new post - a new post about nothing - and nothing is sometimes a good thing!

Actually i take that back - i have plenty to write about but not enough time to sit on my rear and create paragraphs to express my journey's lately, which is why my last few post where in bullet format. But for the sake of keeping my friendships i will briefly write my newest realization in life; The way to successfully move-on and be independent is by doing the same things you and your ex did in the past - by yourself. This goes against my old theory of 'Move on and forget about it'! That's not humanly possible! By revisiting the scene of the crime you create a new memory (a better, stronger memory either by yourself or with friends - don't do it with a new man, it just doesn't work that way). It's been a nice and content experience and has really boasted my self-esteem to know i have control of my demons and empowering my new found passion of never being a victim of circumstance!

Online Dating

I took my moms advice, which is normal, but the not-so normal advice is what has caused this new perspective i have on dating. 'eharmony' she said. She knows someone that has used it and considering that i am the most picky person when it comes to men i should try it out. I figured i have nothing to lose. Which i don't! It's actually been a really interesting, comfortable, and a pressureless process. There has not been any communication between any of the guys and myself but we have exchanged some question/answer profiles. Honestly, i would recommend it to anyone - there is nothing to lose (and it's kinda fun). Anyways, so the other day i checked my email and answered some personal questions then read some replay's then deleted a hand-full of possible victims for any number of reasons. I deleted one guy because he said his belly jiggled when he brushed his teeth!!! IM SERIOUS - i can't make that up! Then i started to realize . . . I am too perfect on paper! But OMG these poor guys have no idea what they are getting them selves into. I snore when i sleep, i snort when i laugh, i will have high expectations for any man of mine, his teeth must be white, his clothes must be in style, i will be the most stubborn person he knows, i will embarrass him in public, i will question his relationship with his mother, i will fix his hair, i will fold his underwear wrong, and not iron his shirts. I will burn his pizza and pay for dinner way too much. I will drink too many martinis on our first date and then snort again because i can't control it. I will reveal too much blunt information about myself and then he will give me the awkward -side-puppydog look. I will be so honest it might hurt and then feel really bad and not be able to take it back. I will beat him in miniature golf and make him play cards until late hours of the night until i win. I will correct his vocab and yell at him when he cuts someone off on the road. I will go off on him when he tells me i am over-reacting. . . Do i really have to continue!?
Wish Him luck!!!!

By the way - 80 percent of the matches that i have had from our 'Personality Profile ' have been matched to men that have a career in Engineering or Government. Seriously!? Does anyone else find that ironic?!

Now and Then

List of things i have accomplished. . .

• Dropping off a shirt that was not mine
• Getting out on the town
• Meeting new people
• Buying clothes that make me feel good
• Not looking for reasons to settle for less
• Choose to not not take life too seriously
• Standing up to my boss/coworkers

List of things i have not yet accomplished . . .

• Organizing my bills/papers
• Wash my car
• Change my oil
• Decorate my bedroom
• Write a overdue letter
• Take down my Christmas lights

List of things in progress . . .

• Crystal's Graduation Book
• Maintaining an organized apartment
• Love
• Communication
• Taking the chance to change my life

Perseverance

שַׁקדָנוּת

Perseverance in Hebrew

I have felt as if i have been cheating on my blog. Since the majority of my friends use another name-less site they have dragged me to the dark side - but now I'm back. It's 3:36am and I'm doing everything but finding ways to fall asleep - i have someone's page open for good listening music, going through photos from my lastest trip, and my TV playing a re-run of Jay Leno. I can't help but replay the same songs over and over and revisit the same websites... what makes me think they are going to change at these early hours. I'm so restless i could climb over the locked gate and take a swim in my apartment complex. I could sit up and talk to someone for hours. I could edit photos for another six hours. I could try falling asleep but I'm afraid the music won't be as good . . .

Travel Photos

The following photos were taken in Capatola and Santa Cruz last weekend during my visit to Crystal's.

Crystal's Masterpiece (above)