“Wait…my name’s on the cake!”
So the birthday weekend was pretty cool. My aunt made fun of me and wondered where her invitation to my bbq was at [I told her it must have gotten lost in the mail, to which she asked my family when they answered the phone when she called them later that day]. And I’m always amused that she faithfully puts in a $5 bill in my birthday cards to this day. I do have to say that the “Happy Birthday” tiara was one of my favorite gifts. Jacki gave me a sentimental card, which she never does and I was a bit thrown off by it. And one of those little kid’s plastic tiaras. Haha. Pat dropped by with a nice Michigan tshirt and a sweet block ‘M’ Fossil watch. And it was nice to know that my own sister, Tammy, forgot that it was my birthday. Though I can forgive her since she has like 6 kids that are quickly chipping away at the already low supply of sanity. She’s a riot and a half.
And I want to thank everyone for all the calls, text [including the picture text of Safeco Field from Maya], and emails you all sent.Anywho, the birthday weekend wasn’t without its hiccups. After I almost panicked because I thought my menu was messed up since the pork wasn’t cooking like I had hoped and the juices burned in the pan like they weren’t supposed to and my brownie ice cream sandwiches were refusing to set up like they were supposed to, things calmed down a bit. I got to talk to my bf whose calming influence always seems to come at the right time. So on Saturday morning I woke up a little earlier than I had originally planned to cut the now perfectly set ice cream sandwiches only to find out that our cooler is currently hanging out in Turlock. Without us. So off to Wal-Mart to pick up another one and half an hour after the fact I was finally heading up to Sacramento. Then we ran into another little problem: we couldn’t find a place that had latex balloons and helium. At the same time. The Dollar tree only had Mylar and helium…then the Longs only had balloons and no helium, but finally we went to Bel-Air and they had both. And with a pretty green too. Score. So while we were getting the balloons, Jose called because he was trying to be on-time to my party. WTF? LOL. I’m so used to my group of friends where the host gets there on time and everyone else wanders in usually about an hour later, giving the host plenty of time to set up. Hahaha. Anywho, I held him at bay for a bit to get me enough time to make it down to the park.
Jacki did a quick recon mission for a spot and found one tucked away behind this huge tree but with a killer view of the Sacramento and American rivers [right where they connect] except there was this couple nearby hanging out on a blanket, making out and dry humping. They weren’t using the tables…so we did. And they eventually moved away. Roommate Jacqui came by soon after and we watched Ed and Jose try to set up the canopy, which they finally did after I tripped over practically every spike they pre-placed in the ground [why they did that, I have no idea, especially since they ended up losing track of them…which led to my tripping and “finding” them] but once that was up, the food was done pretty quickly too so at least Jose got to eat before having to leave to go to the Giants game.
I do have to thank Ed and Jacki for being absolutely stellar and taking care of practically everything, leaving me to do nothing but sit on my ass and enjoy the day. He even bought me a cake. He was so excited. Hahaha. It was awesome.
After we all packed up and left the park, Jacki and I headed to Old Town Sacramento for some us time. It had been years [I think since junior high] since I last went to Old Town Sac and it has definitely become more commercial. I remember it being a lot more historical. Though I was glad to still see the schoolhouse in tact. That was about the only thing there I remember from back then. There are plenty of candy shops though. A lot…many that give you free samples…of some of the good candy in the store [like Pixy Stix and all of their salt water taffy]…Candy Heaven indeed.
We stopped in at Fanny Ann’s for French fries and drinks [odd combination, I know, but so good]. When we got to the bar for drinks, the bartender bought me a birthday shot and informed me that I was lucky I came in when I did. He usually makes a big fuss on birthdays but he was the only tender on duty and the bar was a lot busy. But the shot was delicious; it was pink and called something-whoo and tasted like fruit punch with a nice kick of liquor. We ended up taking our fries upstairs to a quieter part of the restaurant since this guy started trying to hit on all the women in there. He had already tried to talk to us when he first came in, and when we walked by, he asked me where I was going so I told him “Away…” and his friends started clowning him.
The bar/restaurant is a bit quirky. The bathrooms are a bit confusing. The signs on the doors don’t mean that’s the bathroom…there are arrows pointing to the opposite door [I wish I had taken a picture] so the ladies’ room sign is on the left door with an arrow pointing to the right door and vice versa for the men’s room…meaning the women’s bathroom is through the right door. It trips up people all the time and makes Jacki extra cautious even though she’s been there a few times before…nonetheless, there was a man washing his hands in the women’s restroom who was totally embarrassed when Jacki walked in. Haha. poor guy.
My mom treated me and Lindsey to lunch at Chevy’s on Sunday…noticeably without dad since he opted to go to second service instead. Hehe, we’re pretty sneaky though we did bring him home some food.
So my mom has this knack for finding really cool desserts. For a while, before the bakery closed, she would bring us heart-shaped mini cakes for Valentine’s day and gingerbread men for Christmas. Last year she surprised me with a mini cheesecake and after a special request, brought home another one this year. I found it in the fridge waiting for me and I couldn’t wait to get home to eat it. It’s soo pretty with its mango spread and all the chocolate pieces. Alas, my dad apparently had designs on it first. I got a call later in the afternoon from him wishing me a happy birthday [sweet] and then asking for forgiveness because he ate my cheesecake [so not sweet]. He knew I would be pissed…why would he go ahead and eat my cake? Because he doesn’t ever think about anyone else [mostly because when he was growing up, it was eat first, ask questions later or you don’t eat] he helped himself to a slice. Lindsey even called to make sure he didn’t, except it was already too late. So he got to have the first slice of my Oh the desecration!birthday cheesecake. So I eventually get over being pissed. Eventually. Just barely…a little bit after I told on his ass. So last night I went downstairs to eat my cheesecake only to find that there’s a third of it left. And a small third too. So I yelled my dad’s name and then stood in front of his door and asked him why he ate my cheesecake [actually, the only reason why was because I knew he would get in trouble from my mom]. She yelled at him for eating it and he said he thought I had some and she said I didn’t. Then he said that they’d get me another one and my mom shot him down. I was so upset…I was thisclose to crying. Lindsey could hear it in my voice. I was pissed beyond anything that I didn’t even want it anymore. I sat in my room and pouted.
So I didn’t get any of my birthday cheesecake. Happy birthday indeed.
“What are the cheers like? Go Rock? Go Paper? Oh no! Scissors?”
This is why it’s dangerous to be a “fan” before a sports executive: when I hear of my favorite Giant, J.T. Snow, wanting to come back and play for the Giants, I’m all “Let him come! I want him back! I love JT Snow!”
Now that thinking could be detrimental. As with every big decision, one has to look at it objectively and weigh out the pros and cons. Will JT fit into the overall long term plan for the team? Will he be a good fit for the organization’s mission? Will he be able to contribute? Will he be a drain on the clubhouse or our abilities to sign someone else? There’s a lot more to think about now.
And maybe he won’t be able to re-join the Giants because of those reasons. If I’m the GM, I have to recognize that and not be swayed by personal emotions. But right now, the “fan” is winning: Bring back JT!
This is why I’m starting out in admin. I can’t be trusted to make these types of decisions just yet.
I was watching SportsCenter the other week [I know, as a Yankees fan I've been told that I should be boycotting the network for its blatant Red Sox pandering...but i watch SportsCenter for the scores. That's it. I don't care for the analysis and what not, which is probably why I haven't really noticed the pro-Sox bias...and my life has been much better for that] and they had a thing on the rise of RoShamBo [Rocks, Paper, Scissors] competitions with a tournament in Vegas some weekends ago. My problem? The organizers kept referring to it as a sport. I’m not sorry but RoShamBo is not, I repeat, not a sport. It’s a game. A game like Chutes and Ladders. Mouse Trap. Battleship…Operation.
There’s as much skill and strategy in RoShamBo as there is in Tic-Tac-Toe…being the first to claim the corners so you can set up your double three-in-a-row…that’s called luck. Or in Candyland when you hope you pull that snowflake card so that you can go to Queen Frostine‘s place and be almost done with the game before everyone else. Plain dumb luck. You can’t call something you used to settle disputes and rights to go first as a sport. No way. Maybe I’m a purist but no…it’s not that I’m a purist [I am, but I am open to change and innovation] it’s a game. A GAME. Just stop. That’d be like saying air guitar is a sign of real musical genius. I’m sure real guitarist everywhere are excited for that.
Not everything can be classified as a sport. Competitive eating, RoShamBo, chess. Whatever, not a sport. Badminton just barely qualifies and I played it in high school. Yeah and I lettered. Damn straight.
Then again, it is an Olympic sport.
Then again again, so is curling.
Read More“I’m a squid with no ocean…”
Did anyone else catch last night’s Project Runway? I was kind of disappointed by the whole, “we’re kicking someone off” buildup. I should have known it wouldn’t have been as big as it should have been, but hey, Keith is out of there. For possession of pattern books…he’s a fashion designer. Isn’t he already supposed to know how to make patterns without the help of a book?
But he left without a fight. Nothing. Just, well, I didn’t use them. Ugh, very disappointing but he was annoying and stuck up for no apparent reason. If you can’t make your own pattern then you can’t carry those airs. Make me a pattern without your book. Yeah, thought so.
Though I noticed that every season there is one person who should have been kicked off the first episode but manages to hang on a lot longer than they should have…and in doing so, messing it up for someone more deserving. The first season it was Wendy Pepper [because Austin Scarlett should have been in the final three]. Last year it was Kara Janx [with Nick as the victim]. And I identified this year’s spoiler in the first episode…Angela [like I needed further proof that Ohio is lame. Ahem Matt.]. Oh my bob. She’s horrible. I wouldn’t wear her clothes! Do you see what she wears? No way. And those rosettes!?
She did get lucky this episode. Her teammates did not want to leave and I did like their outfit a lot better than Alison and Tattoo [his name is Jeffrey but I only know that because I checked the website].
Though I’m glad Michael Kors will be back to judge next week…as amazing as Vera Wang’s dresses are, she sucks as a judge and is super scary. Besides, we need more male bitchiness. It’s almost like Nina and Michael are the Wonder Twins or something. And when they see something they both don’t like, they latch on and all hell breaks loose. Wonder Twin powers activate! Indeed.
Read MoreThat can’t be good
You know it’s bad when the front office cheers when the troubled closer is taken out of the game…
Read More“Don’t worry, the movie version will be out next summer…”
I finished The Picture of Dorian Gray yesterday morning…to a thud. It was so anti-climatic. There was no action [besides the murder] in the entire book. All the characters do is stand and talk or sit and talk or just whine and talk or ponder. Then there’s the long, drawn out dialogues that don’t really make sense because they’re talking in riddles. The most action usually happened when they were flopping down on chairs and couches [which they do a lot]. This probably wasn’t the book to immediately follow The Count of Monte Cristo especially with all its action and adventure. Maybe the real issue was I was inspired by the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen to read the book. Yes, the movie. He was a lot more animated in that one. Shows me right to take literary cues from Hollywood. They don’t even read down there. All in all, not a very good book. It wasn’t very bad either…just blah.
At least I didn’t feel like my life would have been better having not read it at all. Like Catcher in the Rye. Hated it. I do believe that is the only book I had envisioned it’s death and destruction while I was reading it. About into the third chapter I had already decided that I was going to throw the book across the room after I was done reading [it was for class] and that kept me going. And I did throw it and I felt good.
But I was vindicated to learn that Oscar Wilde had, in fact, many upon many homosexual tones and references in the original version. I knew I wasn’t imagining it! The back of the book notes [which I rarely read but since I was in the middle of my morning BART ride, had nothing else to do] noted that he was forced to remove many of the references.
I did see a girl on the Metro this morning reading The Count and I was very excited.
Today’s book selection is a favorite of mine: A Little Princess. I’ve already read it a million and a half times but I still love reading it [which I feel like is a very good option for The Count]. It’s a tattered old edition with yellowing edges but damn if the story isn’t good. I still get upset at Miss Minchen and am excited when the ending comes about and hopeful, just like I was when I first read the book. I think I will always continue to read that book. I get an hour everyday to read and I’ve gone through a lot of books.
My mom asked me why I didn’t just go to the library and borrow books. Because it’s the library and the JFK library in town SUCKS. We had the best one in Modesto…oh, it was so big and had a huge children’s section in the basement and every book we saw on Reading Rainbow was in there. I loved that library. Me, my mom and Tami would go every Saturday to pick up books and check out the farmer’s market.
Though I must say that buying books is a bit of a vanity project -I can show off all the books that I’ve actually read – my collection is quite random just like my music. But it’ll be nice to actually have books in my bookcase. Unlike in all the furniture catalogs that have everything but a book on the shelves. What? People don’t read anymore?
Read MoreIntroducing…
My built a bear!
Yuma!
Yes, he likes to watch baseball games in nothing but a hat and socks. What can I say? He’s special.
Best believe that I will be getting him some proper clothing in the future. At least a hat.
Read More
