Wisdumb

I just woke up

No I mean really woke up--there is so much to do! I haven't been putting near as much out there as I used to/want to,

and it's not about expectations; rather, it's about a balance of giving and taking from my surroundings. I am a consumer and a thinker, but what the heck am I actually doing for anybody? For myself?

WOW. Ok. Ok. This is a good thing.

During this "interim" time, I think this is especially important...and goodness knows I want things to go in "that" direction with career, but in the meantime, am needing to step it up. I have so much to say, to be thankful for, to celebrate, to grow into.

Back to substantive things-

Our panini maker arrived today; I can't wait to tell T :) might be an early birthday present for him but I'm not sure.

Jan 20th was a momentous day for about 3 completely separate reasons, so that day will remain a day I thank God for.

I miss Europe, but the panini maker is part 1 of 2 that will help alleviate/acclimate...a cappuccino maker is next, and I want a good one.

I'm stuck between shopping for new career clothes and waiting until things are "confirmed" to do so...I'll probably compromise and pick out a few essentials this weekend.

I reeeaaally want to hit the mountain so am going to check with M and even with Y to see if there's a possibility for maybe the weekend after V Day.

Time to get to it, but before I go, I must say I am a happy escapist these days--thanks books and TV!
(this should be a somewhat temporary habit, but still...it's so nice to read and watch, during the rain)

peace and blessings

so much

the holidays came and went but brilliantly. i don't really feel like going in to detail because i have in person, with the right people, but my recap is...

saw the family in both states,
took a trip with T to Croatia and Bosnia-amazing,
saw some old friends,
and am following up on some promising new opportunities.

i feel really blessed and am motivated to do a little work-wardrobe shopping while i wait for the time warner cable guy

love to all

mmmm home

i've been home since wednesday, and it's been really lovely.

the flight home was a breeze and my family took me out to a new italian restaurant, Tresca, near stone oak. there is actually a website now dedicated to night spots in stone oak here. But Tresca-it was wonderful--i had fig and goat cheese white pizza with prosciutto. and some wonderful shiraz. if you're a san antonian, it's the same family who started Piatti.

thursday i was completely lazy, and it was great. i went for a run in the rainy-ness and was a muddy mess, and it felt amazing. then i cleaned up and went to meet elizabeth, an old friend and kindred spirit from forever ago, at Copa, another place that definitely charmed me and has in the past. we tore through two bottles of a really superb pinot and had "La Verdad" pizza, chocolate cake, and baked goat cheese. so worth it. then ran in to scott from high school and we caught up on each other's recent antics. was a good ole time, and ended it with a few drinks at the Back Porch. then drove home and as i was getting ready for bed, put my blackberry down on what was, unbeknownst to me, the lid to my sister's home waxing kit. that stuff doesn't let go and must do its job with no mercy. in the end i saved my blackberry; it was very heroic, and i cursed alot, and my sister ran out of the bedroom and slept somewhere else, but i did it.

today i had my first eye exam in like 6 years and they got me a new Rx--apparently i've been blind for years, and am not a candidate for Lasik ugh--and i discovered i have corneal vascularization. it's reversible, so we shall see. or maybe i WONT see.

get it? yeah that was a great one.

later adare and i went to las palapas, maybe the greatest tacos in the world, and it's all i had to eat today, and am still kinda full. i went to natasha's awesomely bad holiday sweater party after some impromptu shopping, and alongside getting to see her and catch up, i was really happy to see her be a hostess--i want to do that! i will plan a party in 2009, for sure.

i just finished packing for tomorrow; we leave way before the sun comes up and will drive to baton rouge, straight to a holiday party, and then probably out with the cousins.

so far this has been a very, very, happy holiday. and i can see again.

let's start simple all over again.

today i am getting done those last few things i needed to before my holiday-im sitting at one of my usual starbucks, watching everyone else do their christmas thang--writing cards, checking facebook, emailing, having what looks to be a cocoa-tasting club, people having an AA meeting...it's happy holidays in los angeles.

since getting the macbook, i have been super into being control freak organized, but it's yielding good things so far. last night i finished cleaning my closet and gutting the contents that i really do not use--i took eleven large bags to goodwill this morning and had a really weird encounter at the first of two locations. i pulled in the loading dock, after calling to make sure they were accepting donations, and they turned me away--it was really awkward and i couldn't really tell why they were sending me away? for some reason, following that, i had a minor panic attack because my car was full up to my eyeballs and i drove a few miles east and found another on santa monica blvd by the 405.

and that worked out fine, and that's what's important. i hope that some of what i brought finds its way to those who could use it. i am so sick of STUFF...

but what i am excited about is:

my roomate melissa and spending more time with her
HOME and Baton Rouge and Croatia over the coming weeks!
My new bangs
clean closet
all my christmas cards were sent out, save a few that i'm delivering in person
getting back into what i consider acceptable training shape
saving $$
seeing my dog!
my cashmere scarf
cancelling accounts and services i no longer use (yeah so WHAT if i'll be pale from no tanning and will only have one cell phone not three...simplify!)
cooking tonight
my tiny tiny christmas tree in my apartment

after i finish writing im going to sprint to cancel my ancient 323- account. after that, all that's left on my list is to transfer over new music to the iTouch for the plane ride, and laundry, and cooking dinner. and packing. only thing that kinda worries me is that i'd like to pack superminimally but it's so hard to tell--it's colder in eastern europe and im gone for weeks. but why worry! i feel blessed and happy right now.

i would like to use my blog for more themed entries moving forward.

love xo
a

countdown?

well...my last evenings/days in LA are upon me, and i've got a whole host of good healthy personal affairs to tend to that I haven't been able to for years. YEARS.

tomorrow's going to be a good day, and i leave for SA wednesday.

there is a lot brewing in my head tonight, and i like it. not really anything crazy to report, and maybe that's the good part--when i get to slow down and listen and look at what's around me and in me.

i got a new haircut, which i love, and these small happy things that i feel are surrounding me, so...i'd say im full of christmas spirit, plus some.

oh, and also, am waiting for people to capitalize in various ways on the shoe-throwing as of late.

more to write soon, especially from the road!

love
xoxoxo
(is that what love feels like? being able to give it freely? nice.)