Friday, August 26, 2005

Look out, Veltman - I've got a new love

I love the weightlessness that blossoms in the pit of my stomach. I love the second-long levitation of my body from the seat. I love the new surprise that each small drop brings, making me grip the bar. I even love the shrieks of glee from coworkers. I love old roller coasters.

Yesterday my team had an off-site at the Santa Cruz boardwalk, which is a trip and a throwback to being in high school and being bored during the summers. We played some mini-golf, had lunch on the beach, and rode the Giant Dipper. It's an old roller coaster in the best sense - wooden, rumbling, a thrill. There are no flips or gimmicks, and there don't need to be; the Dipper gets your heart pumping without a lot of bells and whistles. The ride begins with a series of twists and turns in pitch-black, starting the flow of adrenaline as you begin the climb to the first big drop. From there on out it's a constant up-and-down, bumping, screaming, rushing crowd pleaser that's as simple as it is effective.

I love the Dipper, as I love the Grizzly at Great America or the Colossus at Magic Mountain (my personal favorite). I got started on roller coasters later than some kids, and I still don't enjoy rides that toss you around like a sack of Valencia oranges, but I will always have a special place in my heart for the classic coasters.

Later on in the day we moved on to Ciao!Bella!!, a quirky restaurant tucked away in the woods off of Highway 9, north of Santa Cruz. This place is overflowing with character, in the same vein as the Buca di Beppo restaurant chain, but with a lot more homey flavor. We sat outside, surrounded by towering redwoods and a variety of strange outdoor decor. The Italian food was excellent, beginning with garlic bread smothered in mozzarella cheese and ending with light, delicate tiramisu in chocolate sauce. The conversation was lively and random (including our team-building exercises: prying into coworkers' personal lives, accusations of lying, and general mocking).

I'd like to visit again, but I'm not sure when. Where else can you see bellydancing in the forest, next to a dreadlocked, life-size image of Fred Flintstone? If there's another place you can think of, let me know.

Monday, August 22, 2005

Nothing says romance like a prostrate polar bear

This past weekend I sat around the house reading the fifth Harry Potter book (yes, I do mean 5), watching TV, and alternately blowing my nose and coughing. During 2 of the 4 hours I spent outside my house, I managed to get a sunburn. During the other 2 hours, I complained about the noise volume at Chili's.

I am officially fragile, old and lame.

Oh, well. At least I have pictures to prove I was once young and vital and spent happy hours frolicking with polar bears. Of course, by "frolicking" I mean "watching from a vantage point safely outside their enclosure". Josh took this picture of me and my close friend Ursus maritimus, or as I like to call him, Snuggles.



Unfortunately, I didn't manage to get a picture of Josh after he nimbly vaulted inside the bear pen and challenged Snuggles to a thumb-wrestling duel. I wish I could share that memory with you. I will treasure it always, as I treasure the high-quality red-and-black SF Zoo sweatshirt (sported by me in the picture, given to me by Veltman). Though I haven't a photo of Josh, I have the sweatshirt to remind me of our excursion, which is fortunate; after Josh's shenanigans, we've been asked never to return to the zooiest place on earth.

Friday, August 19, 2005

So thoughtful it's scary

That could be a descriptive phrase for Josh. Not only is he considerate and generous enough to give me sweet gifts in the first place, but he goes above and beyond by coming up with creative gifts that I really, honest to goodness, LIKE! I'm easy to please, I suppose, but Josh manages to devise gifts that let me know he understands who I am and what makes me happy. Truly astonishing, but it gives me a bit of a wiggins. I mean, if he knows me this well, does he know my darkest secrets (for example, the fifteen teenage-girl minutes that I thought Rider Strong was sort of cute)?

Exhibit A in gift-giving: Stationery from Alden Grace. Not only is it pretty, just the color and style I'd have selected if given the choice, but it also supports the fact that I love writing letters and keeping in touch with my friends and family by ghetto-style snail mail.

Exhibit B: After a stressful meeting with the current bane of my existence, Josh gave me a verbal hug of a greeting card and a basket full of the obscure, beloved lotion (and assorted other girly goodies) I had just talked to him about running out of. Totally timely and a definite mood improver.

Exhibit C: The Clay Aiken calendar. How did he know of my passion for crowd-pleasing redheaded crooners with lips to die for? Hubba hubba!

Okay, that last one's a lie. But Josh has a gift for gift-giving, and I am one lucky lady.

Friday, August 12, 2005

Clearly I am accomplishing A LOT at work

But maybe that's because I'm not in the right job?

Career Inventory Test Results

Extroversion |||||||||||||||||| 53%
Emotional Stability |||||||||||||||||||||||| 73%
Orderliness ||||||||||||||| 50%
Altruism ||||||||||||||||||||| 66%
Inquisitiveness ||||||||||||||| 50%

You are an Idealist, possible professions include - information-graphics designer, college professor, researcher, legal mediator, social worker, holistic health practitioner, occupational therapist, diversity manager, human resource development specialist, employment development specialist, minister/priest/rabbi, missionary, psychologist, writer
Take Free Career Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Who needs a time machine when you've got music?

Driving to work today, I was listening to music when a song by Craig David came on, to my glee. (Please note, however, that my musical tastes are wide-ranging and not exclusive to hip-poppy British pretty boys.)

As much as I enjoyed rocking out to the dance-worthy stylings of Mr. David, I have to admit that I truly love the song because of who it reminds me of: my best friend Murielle.



Murielle is awesome. She and I have been best friends for more than eight years, and I feel lucky and blessed and many more sentimental, glittery adjectives to be her friend. I can be, and all too often am, completely ridiculous and immature and hysterical around her. And we have a great time! (Frequently, our version of a "great time" involves the choreography and rehearsal of an elaborate dance routine, punctuated by paralyzing fits of giggles.)

So, because all Craig David songs remind me of Murielle, I have no choice but to turn up the radio whenever I hear one and add a little oomph to my lip-synching. So if you ever see me in my car, singing and shaking it like a crazy person, you'll know "7 Days" is on the radio. Or "Naughty Girl". Or "Overprotected". Or...you get the point. We've danced a lot.

My real point is that music always makes me feel as if I've been transported back to the most significant time I heard it. That's why in my head I always slow-dance awkwardly to "Save the Best for Last", sit in Berkeley traffic with my sister to "Missionary Man" and hunt for apartments with Corey to "Carino". Maybe some of the songs I love are lame. Fine. I accept that. I just know that, like so many other things in life, a song doesn't have to be good for you to love it anyway.

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

And now a more wholesome post...



My little brother has taken to wearing my Dad's sunglasses. Note that, due to the absurdly large size of his head, they very nearly fit. As Drew would say before dissolving into a fit of giggles: "That's funny!"



I love that kid.

A disdainfully debauched duo

This is a picture of Josh and me taken at his most recent (but hopefully not last) hootenanny. Look how cheery we were before the margarita machine fiasco!



Hmm...I wonder what he said to amuse/offend me? The inebriation (note top of glass in photo) cannot bode well for our happy couple.

Friday, August 05, 2005

Did you hear? I radiate!

These tests might be a load of hooey, but I always like when they say nice things about me.

Even if those things are lies.

ESFP - "Entertainer". Radiates attractive warmth and optimism. Smooth, witty, charming, clever. Fun to be with. Very generous. 8.5% of the total population.
Free Jung Personality Test (similar to Myers-Briggs/MBTI)

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Oooga boooga!

Oh so accurate...




You're a Gorilla!

Highly social and group-oriented, you like hanging out with the same
people constantly. You have either black or gray hair and spend a good deal of time
grooming it or getting others to groom it for you. Sleep is a big part of your daily
routine and you like to either make very loud noise or no noise at all. You have
more skills with language than most, however. One of your absolute favorite drinks
is hot cocoa.



Take the Animal Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Monday, August 01, 2005

Giving it another shot.

In the time-honored tradition of wasting time at work, I thought I'd give the blogging thing another chance. I've been inspired by the regularly updated blogs of a couple friends, and figured that doing likewise wasn't going to hurt anyone. This time.