Checking In

So I've been a neglectful blogger this last week. I apologize. I've had a lot of stuff going on.

Laurcita and I were partying like the rockstars we are in Phoenix for the first half of the week. I took off on Friday and spend the weekend there. I needed a quiet place to be that was a bit out of the way and Phoenix seemed like the perfect remedy. I got to have 3 whole days of quiet to myself and I mostly worked in her lovely place.

My amazing cousin Rich and his wife were well. They just moved and kind of hate their new place but it was super awesome wonderful to see them. The last night before I left Laur and I took a crazy escapade to go meet her college roommate who was in town for the FBR Open. We went to this insane, remote place called the Greasewood Flats. It was an old school biker bar/cowboy hang out that was down an unpaved path, past the peak that looks like Old Man Coyote at dusk and then some. The 49ers built this place, so says my amazingly expert opinion, and hence has been improved by 150 years of monsoon seasons and raccoon scratches. The bulk of the place was outside. We had a fire in a carved out oil barrel, a redneck wind chime of empty beer cans strung up in the tree, donkey's braying in a choral 20' from us, and a burger so rare I'm pretty sure I heard it moo back at me. Needless to say it was awesome.

I came back home on Wednesday afternoon and went to the temple that night which was a much needed kind of lovely. I happened upon the same session as the extensive Santa Monica 3rd Single's ward so it was a 200 person strong session and most of the gentleman attending were available. No, no #s given or taken but I'm just going to say, there might have been a bit of winking and over the shoulder smirking going on. Yay for awkward temple flirting.

In terms of my forgotten Wednesday Giggles, fear not. What I found the funniest thing this week was a bit on Best Week Ever that was their version of how the 911 call from Former French President Jacque Chirac must have gone when he was mauled by his clinically depressed poodle.

No joke.

I looked and looked for the video but alas - there isn't any obliging YouTubed footage. The best the only way I could share this with you is if you subscribe to the Best Week Ever podcast, download Jan 23rd's full episode and go to minute 12:00. Its a lot of work - I know. But it's worth it.

I love the French but I laugh at them because, well - they're French. Lovely but a bit prickly and - well - French. It's almost as good as "I am Le Tired"

I haven't shirked Friday Awesome either. I lifted this off a friend's gmail status. It was by far the coolest thing I'd seen this week. I've lost far too much time on this already but I found it a lovely meditation.

Thursday was nothing but refreshing. I got to reconnect with my amazing old friend Shelly. It was one of those close down a coffee house talk till its too cold outside and you know that you absolutely have to go to sleep or you'll be a wreck the next day kind of thing. I love her. She is a reminder of my better parts and good times. I'm glad we've kept track of each other.

Thursday I also got wind from Nicole, the bringer of the glad tidings of Penzance Joy, that she has an in with both the curator of the Norton Simon and Huntington Library.

THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY and THE NORTON SIMON

So naturally my first question was "Can she get me an interview??!" There is a faint possibility of a smidgen of a shadow of a chance that I might get a few minutes with a big decision maker and shot at my DREAM JOB. I've never really let myself think along these lines before but in actuality it has been a (not so) unspoken (not so) secret wish to make a life and career at either one of these places. Especially the Huntington. So if you could be kind enough to keep me and that faint possibility of that chance in your prayers I would really appreciate it. I know all I need is 5 minutes. 5 minutes with the right person has changed the course of the world more than once and I certainly think it could change mine.

Faith and prayers should always go rewarded so this is my solemn promise to you that if this works out I will invite you all to my cultural and meticulously decorated loft in Pasadena for a lovely dinner party like only an employee of the Huntington could throw. Wouldn't that be amazing? I think so. There will be smug cheeses, conceited chocolate souffles, hearty scones and pheasant. :D


Friday was spent at Disneyland with my Nicole, Rosie and a new comer Kevin. We spent 4 hours in Critter Country and had an absolute blast. Kevin is in pretty good with the character population at The Park so Rosie got some serious attention and we got some epic shots and video with Pooh, Tigger and Br'er Bear.

And let me tell you something - the world is just more fun with a kid. I've theorized about this before. But seriously, Disneyland especially is magical and amazing with an 8 year old, and especially one that I adore as much as Rosie. I told Nicole that if anything happens to both her and Taylor I get Rosie. I'm throwing my hat in right now. Forget grandparents and stuff. She's mine. We belong together.

Friday was also epic because I got a little email from a local radio station here called KROQ announcing that plans had firmed up for a little shin dig that goes on out in this little town called Coachella. It's just a small gathering of a few musically inclined people to strum their sheep's guts a bit in ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND MOST AMAZING MUSIC EVENTS OF THE YEAR EVERY YEAR!

Laur and I have been throwing around the idea of going for a while. Since Palm Springs actually, and we wisely booked a hotel and waited to see the line up but when I opened up this email and saw the line up I got continually more and more out of breath. By the end of reading day two's line up I grabbed my phone, sent a holy moly text to Laur, and within 2 minutes got an equally breathless phone call and we essentially gushed for about 5 minutes about how we are TOTALLY going this year between a good amount of "ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh" etc.

You look at this line up and tell me your heart doesn't skip a few beats:
The countdown to this event and actually being there will be the subject of many blogs to come so I won't delve into my beyond-real giddiness for this right now. Just know that its coming and it's something I'm going to check off my bucket list. I'll probably get a few things checked off that weekend actually. *wink wink*

Saturday was another day of friends and fun. NaToya and I went sniffing for some good Greek food and found a great cafe in Sierra Madre that captured our hearts and then we saw the Dark Knight on IMAX (all I have to say is Christian+a suit+dismantling a gun+not breaking a stride = unmitigated hotness) with Lauren K (different Lauren) and Hannah.

I made an appearance at a birthday party with blow up twister, cardboard tiaras and a plethora of Twinkies. I watched a horrible UFC fight (BJ let all of us down), got hit on by a healthy portion of very nice guys, went to The Grove, talked, caught up with, laughed and was amazed by another set of friends that I absolutely adore, went to Katy's house for ice cream at 2 am and called it a day.

I have a lot of thoughts about this week but I'm quite tuckered from just recounting everything. I'll elaborate this week kay? Cause there was much context to everything. Lots of thoughts, but for another time.

T minus 75 days