This Week: Ten Simple Things That Make Me Happy

10. Doing helpful things for other people
9. The clean feeling just after a shower
8. Catching good sermons on KWVE
7. When things I want go on sale
6. Quiet, private, snuggle time
5. Watching movies at home
4. Baking delicious treats
3. Heart to heart talks
2. Riding my bike
1. My Ninja

22 comments September 16th, 2008

Has it been four years already? It doesn’t seem like my Acura has been around that long, but the lease company just said it was time to pull the trigger.

It’s not that the poor car did me wrong, but it just wasn’t that exciting for me to drive. Sure, it had great horsepower and tons of features, but it just wasn’t my style. Which means it was time to go car shopping again. Did some research after identifying these issues:

1. Must no longer be forced to purchase premium 91 octane gasoline. 2. Must have fuel economy of around 30 miles per gallon highway. 3. Must have a much lower overall cost of ownership than my previous vehicle. Basically, I need this new car to save me some money!

Those hybrids everybody’s crazy about help save fuel, but they’re too ugly to pay thousands over MSRP. So, I test drove a few economy cars, but nothing made me smile like the New Beetle… And when I saw the Triple White special edition, I knew the search was over.

Everybody say hello to my 4th Volkswagen… Meep meep!

11 comments September 8th, 2008

We’re hitting the road one weekend after another in March. Last weekend we went up the California coast to participate in the Solvang Century. It was my first time riding over 100 miles in a single day, and boy was I beat when it was over. Seven hours of riding, and a significant stretch of it fighting strong headwinds on uphill climbs. Looking back, I’m proud of that accomplishment, but it’s not something I’d enjoy doing on a regular basis.

(The bunny on my handlebars helps though.)

Normally, I prefer 30-50 mile rides while surrounded by ten to twenty of my other road biking buddies, and of course, the one and only Jordan. I’m stoked that we’re once again enjoying daylight savings time (also known as cycling season). My office life sucks, but it’s made more tolerable when I can ride off the stress after work.

This weekend we’re heading out for yet another road trip. We’re gearing up for Las Vegas where we’ll be meeting a few of my favorite peeps on earth! I’m so excited. Good thing I’ve been so busy lately, otherwise I’d be obsessing over what to pack, dreaming about the fun we’ll have, and stressing that I’ll be too shy to enjoy it all.

As it stands, I’m worried about not having appropriate shoes for all the walking required in that town, so I wrote to Manolo the Shoeblogger for advice. To my great pleasure, he wrote about it and made suggestions. I’ll try and head over to a nearby Cole Haan boutique later tonight and find some of those Nike Air heels he recommends.

See you gals soon! XOXOX

18 comments March 13th, 2008

Last weekend The Ninja and I had the extreme pleasure of watching over two darling children for some dear friends who were away on a skiing trip. The pair of siblings consists of a girl about 10 or 11 and a boy around 6 or 7, who were in our care from the moment school let out on Friday until it resumed again Monday morning.

The best part was the kids. They were awesome. Just the way kids should be. Quirky and fun and sloppy and charming. Caring for them was a pleasure. We played nonstop. We baked cookies, picked up a new Webkinz, went to baseball practice, went bowling, rode our bikes, and spent way too much time rotting our brains with video games.

But, let’s set the stage. These kids aren’t from any normal suburban town. They live in Rancho Santa Fe, known to locals as “The Ranch” - the second most exclusive residential area in the nation. Mind you, the reason it’s exclusive could be the curvy, poorly marked roads that caused me to get lost once, leaving me in tears of frustration.

If you’re ever able to find their home and get inside without setting off the alarm (like I did, accidentally, resulting in a confrontation by armed security… again, leaving me in tears) you’ll find that it’s not normal either. Even the toilet seat has a secret life, keeping the seat warm, deodorizing the air, rinsing and drying you off. It’s an unusual place.

All weekend I thought about all my mommy blogger friends, wondering what tales I’d bring back to empathize with your frequent struggles. But, the only complaint I now truly understand is about laundry. You’d think over one measly weekend there wouldn’t be much, but I ended up having to wash, dry, fold, and put away five super-sized loads.

Not much to complain about. Except when you consider that when you’re caring for two kids in a house with like five bedrooms and five bathrooms, that equals a whole lot of running around. There are weekends where I’ve put in over 100 miles on the bike, but never has it made me as tired as a weekend of traversing that house.

It may have been only a glimpse, but my hat is off to you, ladies.

6 comments March 6th, 2008

10 comments February 14th, 2008

Step 1: Open Mouth. Step 2: Insert Foot.

Naturally, the very moment that I spout off about having almost completely given up television, I learn that one of my childhood friends is starring in a new series.

Lindsay Price and I go way back. Like every week at Sunday School as kids, back when she was starring in Toys R Us commercials. We haven’t crossed paths in ages, but since there’s no expiration date on my loyalty, you know I’ll support my girl’s new show.

Even though I was loaded up on Benadryl after inadvertently consuming dairy before running last night, I managed to keep my eyelids open long enough to catch the season premiere of Lipstick Jungle.

This new series is yet another work based on the novels of Candace Bushnell of Sex & The City fame. My friend stars along with Brooke Shields & Kim Raver (of the hit show 24) as three high-powered friends.

Lindsay plays fashion designer Victory Ford, and she simply stole the show. The premiere episode of Lipstick Jungle didn’t wow me, but I can see that it certainly has potential. Good luck, Lindsay, and congrats!

14 comments February 8th, 2008

Scene at 6:45 on Friday mornings: The alarm rings, I realize it’s the last day of the work week and I crack a little smile. A moment later, that grin is wiped out by frustration as I pull the covers over my head and pretend to sob, because I remember it’s business casual time again.

Folks, it’s been a long time since I last had a decent wardrobe. During the last two years I wasn’t able to find much to help alleviate the stress of figuring out what to wear to work every blasted weekday. It’s bad enough when you don’t like where you work, but just try getting out of bed when, on top of that, you have nothing to wear.

I don’t even want to know what people at the office have said behind my back. Probably things like, “Didn’t she wear that last Tuesday, and the Tuesday before that, and the Tuesday before that?” - And the sad part is, they’re right. Staying on track financially through some tough times took everything I had and then some. No budget for clothes.

But, now I’m out of excuses, so I finally went and picked up a few pairs of trousers and coordinating tops. Though my problems from Monday through Thursday aren’t solved, come Friday morning I’ll wake with that little grin and keep it on all day (that is, unless I weep for joy) because for the first Casual Friday in ages - I have something to wear!

5 comments February 7th, 2008

So, I’ve poked fun at Gwen Stefani in the past. Not for any lack of love, because truly I think she’s lovely. However, none of us are perfect, and as I know well, even bombshell geniuses blunder now and then.

But today, I just want to tell Gwen how much I enjoy her show of good humor via this charming little homage from her Harajuku Lovers Spring 2008 collection.

These “Rocket Girl” bags have a strangely familiar appeal that I can’t seem to place, but I hope dear Bawidamann is flattered by this coincidence, too.

PS: and Gwen, if rumors are true, congrats on the new bun in the oven!

5 comments January 29th, 2008

You’re browsing racks of clothes, trying to find just the right outfit for an upcoming event. You wade through aisle after aisle, amassing a good selection to choose from. Then you haul it all into the dressing room and start trying it on for size. This one’s too big. That one is too tight up top. The other needs to come in a few inches in the waist. And with some luck you’ll eventually emerge with a piece that fits just right.

We can use that as a metaphor to better understand how I test out ideas, behaviors, and attitudes. I like to try them on, view them from different angles, and walk around in them a little (privately) before making a decision. Figuring out what works and what doesn’t, adjusting from there to find the perfect fit. Once in a while, I’ll let someone inside my dressing room to provide a second opinion. Woe be it unto them.

Often I don’t give warning. When wrestling with an issue, I’ll just throw concepts out there to seek feedback and study reactions. Those poor people closest to me have trouble at times figuring out whether I’m simply trying something on, or if I bought it. And bless them for trying. Maybe some day I’ll be able to slow the flurry of thoughts enough to first let people know when I’m headed into the dressing room.

7 comments December 19th, 2007

It doesn’t take much to get me into the holiday spirit. The first sign of red and green gets me smiling, even if it’s while strolling the aisles at Target in October. So, it came as no surprise that last night’s theatrical event threw me over the top, and into full-on yuletide zeal.

My best friend on earth (Whom I just happen to be dating. Did I forget to mention it before? Interesting. Maybe I’ll share the story some day.) is a private banker, and his firm bought out the seats for last night’s performance of “A Christmas Carol” by South Coast Repertory.

I’m no theater buff, but I can see how people get into seeing shows on a regular basis. It was oddly relaxing and thoroughly entertaining. You can kind-of lose yourself in the drama, and there’s an interactive quality that could be addicting, especially when you have great seats.

Not only was the show fantastic, but it was a hoot getting to wear a pretty new cocktail dress and spending the evening on the arm of a very dapper gentleman. Even the obligatory schmoozing with clients and co-workers was unusually tolerable. Last night was such a treat!

10 comments December 7th, 2007