Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--/ I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference. - Robert Frost

So. This weekend was rather fun. We went into LA with some friends yesterday by way of Metro. Which is the only way to go, in my opinion. You get to see the sights and smells and atmosphere for the city way better than just driving around. Then again, I tend to love walking around big cities so you can feel the hum of it, with all the people and cars and trains and just everything.

Had an amazing time there. We wandered Olvera Street, the Biltmore, wandered up to the Bank Tower (which is pretty awesome close up, btw! The architecture is beautiful!), went up to Hollywood/Highland, ate at this wonderful sandwich place that makes The Best roast beef sandwiches with au jous I have Ever Tasted. Hands down. We always try to stop by there when we're wandering in LA. We, sadly, forgot to check the time for the LA Library so discovered it was closed when we got there (and that it's closed Sundays and Mondays now. Stupid budget cuts!), so we'll have to try again sometime. I have this feeling I'll be trying to go during the school year to study and do papers and such. That would be loads of fun, I think.

So, I spent all of last night unpacking and putting away our boxes upon boxes of books. I think there were seven-eight boxes. I went through them, put some in a box that we wanted to keep but didn't need to put up (like old school books, that sort of thing), and then another box was the ones to give away to the Little Old Bookstore. Well, we now have shelves of books up that look amazing, a full box to take to the bookstore, and still have one more bin I just didn't get to yet to finish up. But it's amazing that most of the clutter of boxes in our garage was just all the books. Now we have some other odds and ends of boxes to deal with. I'm going to move my desk this evening (with Hubby's help, of course) into our Office/Spare Room/Guest Room. And get my area of it set up, at least. And cleaned up, that way, when Hubby is ready to do his stuff, it'll be pretty simple and easy. Without both of us needing to be able to spread out to clean things up and all that. I'm excited, it's going to look great!

I've also been eating better and decided that I wanted to walk to my lunch everyday. It's been wonderful, because there's a Panera about a mile away that I walk to and from 3x a week, even if I don't eat there, and it has this beautiful outdoor patio to sit at. I've started slimming up, which is nice to realize. And also the walking helps me muse and think things out that I need to without concentrating on driving.

Also, my Birthday is coming up, about 2 weeks away. I'm turning 23. Hubby is apparently Plotting Something. I have no idea what, but I feel bad because I was talking about my BD and he finally just said, "I'm Plotting! Quit trying to figure something out to do!" I'm rather bad at getting surprised, I guess. I'm looking forward to seeing what he comes up with.

Feels like I'm starting a new chapter in my life right now.... With where I'm going in school, where we're at as a couple. We're celebrating 2 years in 3 weeks, I'm turning 23 in 2 weeks, and we're both figuring out our career paths, so to speak.

Speaking of Life. Been doing a lot of thinking about what I want to do. And I've come to the realization that I honestly don't want to do much else (right now, at least) than get a degree in child education, do some preschool/daycare teaching, and be a Mom. That may change in a few years time, but honestly, right now, I just want to live my life. I don't want to try to follow some grand meta-narrative about how I ought to be doing this because that happened or this did.

(Now, to clarify, I have the utmost respect for people who are able to do a career and be a parent and have a huge goal for their life. It's just not me right now.)

And maybe in a few years time (or several years time!), I'll decide I want to keep going on with my career path. Or maybe I'll decide that it wasn't really for me and I'm content with where I am.

Hubby and I have been talking a great deal about this because of things going on in our lives right now and where we're at. And we're in agreement.

You know all what I want right now? A good job where I can work with kids. A good career job for Hubby who can stay there and not mind being there for the next 10-15 years. A house with a yard within the next 5-7 years. A puppy. And a baby or two. That's all I really want. And right now, that's all that really matters.

No needing to follow grand plans or schemes, no following some grand narrative of how my life should be. No. Just simple.

I used to not understand people who seemed to just live without seeming to want more than just a job, home, family.

Well, now I do.

And really. Is there anything wrong with wanting to just be a mom or just be a dad? That seems like a worthwhile lifetime goal, in and of itself.

Bemused

Short blogpost today, mainly cause I don't have much to say.

First off, rearranging our condo this weekend (with the help of our "daughters" who are promised pizza). We decided that getting another roommate wasn't going to be feasible, and honestly, no one we know around who we'd want to live with needs housing. So. The other bedroom is getting turned into our office/craft room/spare room (meaning we're keeping the bed and all that for you visitors who come down!). Anyway. We are moving my desk and Hubby's desk out of our bedroom and into that room, clearing up space in our room and also clearing up space in the living room (where Hubby's computer currently is). 


This is also our Spring Cleaning (Yes, we should have done it before and we hadn't. So now we are). It's time to actually clean up the boxes and organize the garage. We have some good furniture in there that needs to be used, some good books to still get up in the house and storage space going to waste because we haven't cleaned it up. So that's our projects this weekend. I'm going to do a little bit tonight with some of my stuff, and also cleaning up the patio because my personality twin is coming over tomorrow night for food. Yay! 


It's also rather odd to be talking with someone and realize they are a mirror of how you were at that age. That most of what they are saying you said at some point, and that they're practically talking about the same fears and worries and stresses and needs that you had at that time as well. It was....odd, to say the least, but good. Reminded me of how far I'd come. Also blessed me that I was able to give very practical advice and go, "Oh yah, here's how you're feeling and how you're feeling but not telling me, right? Ok. Here's how I dealt with it." Some good practical advice, without (hopefully!) being too biased on one end or the other. 

Oh! And Hubby fixed my Netbook! It was a rather easy fix, surprisingly easy. Kind of hilarious. He decided to try it and it was fixed within 5 minutes. I'm amused because his first words were, "Well...if I had known that Iw ould have fixed it months ago. *facepalm*". Hehe. So that's wonderful. I now have my Netbook back and can work on my stories and have my own computer space and such that's wonderful. Yay!


So, I lied. Apparently this is a long blog post. Hope you enjoyed it. I enjoyed rambling a bit about my life. 


Quote:
A single idea from the human mind can build cities. A dream can transform the world and rewrite all the rules.

You shouldn't be afraid to dream a little bit bigger, darling.

So...apparently I haven't had caffeine in Quite Some Time.

How do I know this?

I'm currently incredibly jittery (as in talking fast, twitching, etc)....from a Frozen Mocha from Panera. One. Frozen. Drink. That barely has any coffee in it. 

What? 

This is apparently what happens when I'm running on three hours of sleep and have a frozen mocha over lunch. 

Jitters. Like crazy. Enough that Hubby is teasing me about them. I feel like Twitch from South Park. Not quite as bad, of course, but close. Very close to it. 


The reason for my lack of sleep and current state of jittery caffeine adrenaline sugar jolted state? 


We Saw Inception Last Night. 

 (And yes, it deserved all capital letters!)


It was beautiful. One of the most mind-thrilling movies I've seen. It literally has so many twists and turns and wheels within wheels within wheels that you always feel like you're three steps behind trying to catch up. But unlike Dark Knight (which starts like a starting gun at a race and never stops momentum), this has you trying to catch up and race ahead with your mind trying to keep track of so many levels upon levels of things going on. My respect for the Nolan Brothers keeps going up with every movie I see, and this one is definitely no different. This is, by far, one of the best ones they've done, in my humble opinion. 


It is incredibly unique in the way it does things, the cinimetography is such I haven't seen before, and the storyline/plot just keeps getting you surprised at every turn. The ending is spectacular in a way that you wouldn't expect anything else of them. 


In all honestly, it reminds me a bit of Pan's Labyrinth. By the end of the movie you don't know what's real and what isn't, and you're left trying to figure it out. 

Also the cast was phenomenal. I was incredibly impressed with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page's characters, especially. They held their own against the Big Names, so to speak. I'd almost say they stole the show. Almost.  

Go See It. It will blow you away. 

We saw it just in regular theaters. Once a certain friend gets back from Cambridge, I think us, him, and another friend will go see it in IMAX. Yep. I think so. 


And that is all from me. 


Though after watching that movie you won't ever think of dreams the same way again. And it's also odd to realize someone else thinks of dreams in a similar way as I do. Hrm. 


Happy Weekend, Everyone! Stay cool! (It's currently almost 100 here, and I feel like I'm back where I was living during HS. Ugh. Though a pregnant friend of mine is currently braving 100+ in Palm Desert, so I shouldn't complain) 


Ta!

Accomplishments

Tonight I feel wonderful, for several reasons. The first being we're going on our cruise in 5 weeks 4 days, and have started planning on doing what where. I made my hubby smile and laugh even though he had a bit of a blah day. I made a raspberry pie from scratch and it turned out beautifully. I felt very wifey because I got flour on my clothes from baking. I've decided to start eating better, which includes actually planning out meals beforehand and getting lunches ready for the next day. We did our big trip to Costco and now I have lots of creative things to make for dinner.

And I've started singing/humming to myself again. My own song. This makes me incredibly Happy. That is all.

Edit: Here's a picture of the pie (I need to make some whipped cream to go on top):

Long Day

Long day ahead (well, half over at least). 

I was out till 2:30 with friends and Hubby. We went and saw Predators which was, surprisingly, actually pretty decent. Lost that whole 80s action feel (thank goodness!), and Adrien Brody was actually believable as a Black Ops/Blackwater (they never really say) guy. I'm impressed. Overall, good silly fun. Also, the take on the Predator culture was fun and intriguing. And they definitely left it open for a sequel.  

Because of the late night, I'm currently operating on auto-pilot and just waiting for the day to run out. Then it's the weekend which I will take to recuperate and relax and enjoy being out in the sun. Maybe a beach trip would be in order, that might be fun. Or just out by the pool. Either way, determined to enjoy the weekend. 

Next week should be exciting, mostly because Inception is coming out. So Excited! Seeing it with Hubby and a friend on IMAX. Whee! 

Also. Planning stuff for Our Cruise. And getting excited as it keeps coming closer....even if it's still 5 weeks and a few days away. 

That's all from my front. Am suddenly feeling rather ill. I am probably dehydrated and all that. I'm going to find water and crackers. 

I also have this song stuck in my head from a preview last night and find it rather intriguing. 


"Sympathy For The Devil"

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and faith

And I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game

I stuck around St. Petersberg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the Czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain

I rode a tank 
Held a general's rank
When the Blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
What's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah

I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the Gods they made

I shouted out
"Who killed the Kennedys?"
When after all
It was you and me

Let me please introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadors
Who get killed before they reached Bombay

Pleased to meet you 
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But what's confusing you
Is just the nature of my game

Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails
Just call me Lucifer
'Cause I'm in need of some restraint

So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste, um yeah

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, um yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, um baby, get down

Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!

Tell me baby, what's my name
Tell me honey, baby guess my name
Tell me baby, what's my name
I tell you one time, you're to blame

Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah

What's my name
Tell me, baby, what's my name
Tell me, sweetie, what's my name

Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah 

Alone

So. We leave on our cruise in 6 weeks, 4 days. No, I'm not counting down. Who said anything about counting down? It's not like we're extremely excited to be going on vacation for a grand total of 9 1/2 days or anything. Nope. Not at all. 

This weekend was very nice and relaxing, though not long enough (as always). We spent most of it relaxed, watching movies and hanging out with Hubby's cousin. Sunday was a BBQ for the Fourth with our condo complex, where we got to meet a lot of our neighbors and eat good food, and then shoot off fireworks. Then yesterday we slept in till noon, Hubby and I made breakfast for each other, and then got to visit with a good friend and his little daughter who were driving up from San Marcos. That was fun. We had Ruby's, I got stickers all over me thanks to the little one, and then played around a fountain and looked at Henna tattoos. All in all, a wonderful weekend. 


Life, at the moment, is incredibly frustrating. It's that whole feeling of being almost there to where things will change but it's not quite there yet and you're doing this balancing act in between. I absolutely hate that feeling. It's the same one you get when you're flying, right as you're taking off but not quite there yet, the sudden dip in your stomach and your ears aren't quite popped. That annoying feeling.

I feel very Alone right now. I realize I have an amazing Hubby and he does help a lot, but he isn't my entire life (and he shouldn't be! That's unhealthy). But I honestly wish I had closer friends than I do now. Most of them have Left, in one form or another, and it's incredibly hard, especially when I don't really have any good way to make more friends. I am so thankful for the friends I do have. I just wish I had more closer to me as well....

I have got a bit more I'd like to talk about but I don't think this is the right medium, to be honest. 


So back to work I go....and hope things start looking up soon.