Needing a Vacation!

Today is my Dad's birthday.  I called to wish him a "Happy Birthday" and the conversation went something like this:

 

Dad: Hello?

Me: Hi Daddy!  Happy Birthday!

Dad: Oh hi.  Thank you Allison... This IS Allison, right?

Me: Uh... yea...

**Awkward Silence**

Me: Anyway... how is your day going so far?

Dad: My day is going TERRIBLY!!  I bought a new truck last night (Dad- I didn't even know you were looking to buy a new truck) and there are a bunch of buttons on the steering wheel that I don't understand!  And now you are speaking to me in the speakers of my car and you are SOOOOO loud and I don't know how to make you be quite!!!

Me: Uh... *Whispering* ok Dad... I'm going to hang up now... I will show you how to use the bluetooth in your car when I see you on Saturday :) Bye!

Dad (as I'm hanging up): I just don't understand... they guy said this was an upgrade- but it's just annoy-

Hahahaha!  My dad kills me!  Shortly after I received a text message (mind you, he's only been texting for about a month now) from him that said "Thx for calling ;) You are a sweeeet daughter!  C U Saturday :D" He's becoming such a techy.

One week from today I will be packing my bags to take off to the Caribbean for a cruise :)  Well, if we are being honest, my plane doesn't leave until late Friday... so I won't start packing until Friday around noon... Procrastination- that's how I roll.  I discovered last night that I have 9 bathing suits... it's only a 7 day cruise... I'm taking them all haha!

Zac Brown said it best, I want me "toes in the water, ass in the sand, not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand..."  Personally, I'd rather have my ass on a towel or a beach chair- and I'll trade the beer for a shot of Patron or a Margarita- but the idea still works ;)

Anyway all for now.  Hope everyone is enjoying their summers- I know I am... from inside an air conditioned condo. 

-A 

Open Mouth Insert Foot

Wasn't Houdini a BEAST?!

Today Google told me that it is Harry Houdini's 137th birthday.  Wow.  Thanks Google.  I might be able to sleep tonight.  My life is complete now that I know that.

My professor is an idiot.  And rude.  Let me give you an example of how our conversation went last night:

Professor: Allison, I was actually quite impressed with your writing.

Me: Thanks.

Professor: Yea, having met you, I was shocked that you such talent, such ability!

(Silence.  Me with an awkward face)

Me: Ahhh... what does that mean?!

Professor: Oh... ummm... well... uhhhh... what I meant was that, uhhh...

(blank stare from me.) 

Professor: I mean... oh!  You said this was your first grad class... and so, well, ummm, this is impressive.  Yea.

Me: Geeeeeeee... thanks.

Me (inside my head): Why didn't you just say "Allison, you're not as dumb as you look!"

Let's see... what else has happened lately...?  

Well, my dad was in the hospital for a week... he had to have an emergency operation to get some nastiness and infection out of his intestines.  Ew.  I went to go visit him on Saturday... and was hit on by his male nurse :/

Dad: Jack, this is one of my daughters, Allison

Jack: Wow!  John... your daughter is beautiful! 

(Me, awkwardly standing there while they talk about me as if I weren't in the room)

Dad: Yea... I think so too!  She's just great!  

Jack (to me as he's changing an IV drip): Really, you are just gorgeous!  Your eyes are stunning!

Me: Thanks.

Jack: Yea.  Really.  

Me: Hey, Jack...

Jack: Yes???

Me: Do you think you could pay attention to the IV you are changing...?  That would be great. 

(I actually don't think his name was Jack... but I have no idea what it was, and I've been Watching LOST for the past month- so Jack was a good substitute name.)

I honestly think that people don't think before they speak.  There is this thing called "tact."  Apparently you are either born with it, or not.  You can't learn it.  Sucks. 

Anyway... on a more positive note... my birthday is tomorrow.  When I was in high school I used to have like a 30-day countdown to the big day.  It's not nearly as exciting anymore.  I guess that means I'm getting old.  Ew.    

Randomness at its best!

So... Brea 8k is this Sunday.  I am stoked.  I would be more stoked if I hadn't recently taken 3 weeks off from running due to walking penumonia.  But, I did a good 4.17 mile run yesterday- which I feel is a good basis for the short 4.9 mile race.  I'm just gonna cruise.  The weather is supposed to be cool and crisp... just the way I like it!! 

While I was at the gym yesterday I realized, once again, how dumb some men can be.  I found a treadmill, pushed start, and started walking while I got my ipod ready.  Once the "running" list was blaring in my ears, I cranked the speed up to 6.3 mph. 
As I started running, the guy next to me looked over at me.  I think he decided it was time to race.  He turned up his speed to 6.3.  I turned mine up a little bit.  So did he.  I added some incline.  So did he.  Then he took it off.  This went on for about 15 min. 
Then, the boy SLAMMED his hand onto the emergency stop button.  There he stood, hunched over, gasping for air.  He didn't look good. 
I paused my run and asked him if he was okay.  His response... "Of COURSE I am!!  Just got a cramp.  No big deal!"  I said "ok" and started my run again.  Once home boy caught his breathe and his "cramp" went away he started running again. 
Eventually I finished my run and stopped the treadmill.  As I was wiping down the machine and getting my stuff together- this guy stopped me and asked how far I went... "4.17 miles," I said.  He said... "Oh... you barely beat me!!"  I looked at his machine... 2.12 miles.  Yep.  I barely beat you.  Good job. 

San Diego next week for a few days.  Going to attempt to go whale watching... remember to pack the Dramamine...

I had an amazing massage about a week ago.  It was wonderful.  The end. 

I saw a girl walking her cat on a leash this weekend.  The cat was wearing a hat with an umbrella on it.  It was awesome. 

Some things should not be discussed at work ;)

Babysitting = Birthcontrol

"Alli!! This is my booster seat, and it is going into your car.  And I get to go with it.  And Cinderella is my favorite princess.  You have a sparkley diamond in your nose, and it makes you pretty like a princess.  And... we are out of strawberry poptarts at my house!!" -Zoe

So, I spent the entire weekend playing "mom" to 3 awesome kiddos.  Can I just say... having 3 kids for 3 days is the BEST form of birthcontrol, like EVER.  Period.  Not that I didn't have fun... but I was quite happy to turn them over to mom and dad on Sunday afternoon. 

Here is the cliffnotes version of the way home from picking them up from preschool and the babysitters on Friday afternoon:  3 yr old Zoe is sitting in her booster seat, demostrating how she can could to 89.  "Look Alli!  I can count to 89!  1, 2, 3, 4..." (though we skipped 9, 19, 29, etc.  I'm not sure how we were going to actually count to 89... but it's all good). 

In the middle of the backseat was 5 yr old Mark.  At the same time Zoe was showing me how she could count, Mark was having a mini-meltdown because "Alli! We are on the 91 east!  We need to be on the 91 west to get home... we are never, ever, ever going to get home if you go this way!!!"  And there were tears.  Big, huge, crocadile tears.  Trying not to laugh, I looked back at them in my rearview mirror and told Mark that we were going to be fine. 

As all of this is going on, the baby, 2 yr old Seth is sitting in his carseat, staring at the other two.  The look on his face was priceless.  It was utter disgust for his siblings.  They were annoying him, and I could tell he was contemplating his next move.  As we are stuck in traffic, I watched all three kids in the back seat.  Slowly the baby lifted his hand, positioned himself so he could get a good amount of power, and... WHACK!  Smacks his older brother in the face at full speed!  

There was silence.  Trying my best to fight back laughter (cuz, lets face it, it was hilarious), I turned around and told the baby that he was not allowed to hit people.  Then, the tears started again, only this time it was Mark crying "Alli!!! Seth hit me!!!  And, you are laughing at me!!!"  (And guess what Mark, we are still on the freeway going the wrong way, and we will never get home).  

While blow drying my hair on Saturday, I found it difficult to do so with a 2 yr old sitting on my right foot and a 3 yr old trying to rub the tattoo off my left foot.  "Alli!?" she said in disbelief, "Why can't I rub this off your foot???  And, Alli?!  Why didn't I grow one of these on my foot??"  

The goal on Sunday was to get everyone up and ready and be at church for the 9AM service.  When the baby ran into the bedroom @ 6AM looking for mommy, settled for Alli, snuggled and fell back asleep for 2 hours I realized that I was shooting for the impossible.  We did however, get out of the house, through the starbucks drive-thru (thank God for caffine), and to church just in time for the 10:30 service. 

All you parents out there, I give you major kuddos.  I was a dead person on Saturday after everyone was finally in bed sleeping.  I fell down onto the bed, grabbed my cell phone to check the text messages I'd been ignoring all day, and saw that it was 8:59pm, and I could barely move I was so exhuasted.  How lame.  Anyway... thanks Melissa for letting me borrow your kids for the weekend- and for renewing the "no babies right now" mindset :)

Sick

So... the last week of my life has been spent, almost exclusively, in bed... and NOT in a good way.  Wednesday of last week, I spent about 4 hours at Urgent Care, hooked up to an IV to get fluids because I was dehydrated, had a couple breathing treatments, got a shot of antibiotics, and a shot of steroids.  The verdict: Walking Pneumonia.  Without jinxing myself, I think I might actually be starting to feel semi-human again... and not so much like a sick, snotty, zombie! 

During my week in bed I was able to finish watching the first 5 seasons of Bones, and have caught up on the current season.  At least my time was well spent...

Oh January...

Dear January,
I was hoping that you were going to bring new and exciting things to my life.  Instead, January 1st sucked!  But that's okay, January, I decied that January 1st was just a short continuation of 2010, and decied that, for me, the actual start of 2011 would be January 2nd. :)
-Allison


January has brought the sense of new beginnings, new goals, and new drama... always drama hahaha!!  I swear, I feel like it finds me... kind of creepy...


Anyway, I have fallen in love with all things Country.  Top 5 songs of the month so far...

5. Then Brad Paisley http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AtaZ_NU_tU
4. Let's Fight Thompson Square http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyystwcqQjA&ob=av2el
3. The Way You Love Me Faith Hill http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8EamHKpdrM&ob=av2em
2. On The Radio Reba McEntire  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF1dQgE8BmE&ob=av2nm

1. Are You Gonna Kiss Me or Not? Thompson Square http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDUOcHg5ijg&ob=av2em

I hung out in Marina Del Rey with some cool people yesterday.  Pacos has the best chicken chimichangas EVER.  Not to mention, damn good  margaritas.  Swimming in a gorgeous pool in fabulous weather was awesome.  Watching the sunset on a deck right on the marina was amazing.  More margaritas, wine, dinner, wine, dessert, wine... you get the picture!

So far, with the exception of the first day of the year, 2011 is starting out quite well!  I hope it is going just as well for everyone else! Peace :)

Christmas, Family, and... Drama?

Its Christmas time :-)  Love it!  I can't get enough of the decorations, lights, music, and of course Christmas goodies!  It really IS the most wonderful time of the year.  

I recently took a trip to northern Arizona to visit my aunt and uncle.  The entire trip was one "it-could-only-happen-to-me" event after another.  But it was awesome!  Started with being padded down at Ontario International Airport, taking a flight from Phoenix to Flagstaff with the Northern Arizona University basketball team, and being given "complimentary" wine from the steward who was on drink duty.  I also got to play with the simulated shooting system at the PD in Page, AZ, got pulled over for speeding (off with a warning ;-), and went for a ride in a fire truck.  On the way home, it was pretty easy... except for TSA finding my NyQuil (among other things) and questioning me about it, the lady sitting next to me on the flight stealing my book off my lap while I was sleeping, and the man in the bar who wanted to "share" a table during my lay-over.

 

Twice played, once burned... is quickly going to turn into thrice played... which could be a good or bad thing.  I am a creature of habit and I keep going back for the same thing, even though I know it's not good for me.  When will I learn??  And, how can I just turn my back on a situation that, although seems messy, might actually be a good thing?  What if fate just dealt me a tough hand?  What if there is no easy way around it?  These are the questions that have been bouncing around in my head for the past 48 hours.  I guess only time will tell...

Have a great week and enjoy your Christmas!!  

-Allison