Gaaaahku...

midnight skateboarder

isn't it past your curfew?

stop making that noise !!

At night, it's the fucking skateboarder(s). In the morning, it's the crew that's replacing the sewer main on the street my bedroom window faces. And last Saturday, they were out doing god knows WHAT the fuck created that noise before 8 A.M. Grrreeeeaaat.

And I just found out the Indian place where I was going to order dinner (they deliver! fast!) is closed because of some power problem. DAMN.

*Edited to add: So instead, I ordered Thai from a place that delivers. Crisis averted. Whew.

I have no clever title...

• I'm just amazed it's been ten years since Princess Diana's death.

• I was always fond of her. My one (and so far, only) trip to Europe happened just before the royal wedding -- I mean, we left London for home just a few days before the big event -- so you couldn't walk ten feet in any direction without seeing those engagement pictures plastered everywhere, and on everything imaginable. Towels, mugs, plates, salt and pepper shakers... you name it.

• Of course, I had to buy some cheesy souvenir of my own, and I still have this mug, though I'm sure no beverage has been in it since the early 80's.

• And yeah, I stayed up all night to watch the wedding, though I remember being really peeved that I fell asleep before they left the church, so I missed that grand moment. I felt like I was witnessing history, but also something that touched me personally, since I got to witness some of the pre-wedding hoopla.

• So it was sad to learn later what a fiasco it all was, and her untimely death was a huge shock. I think I stayed up most of that night, watching all the cable news coverage. She was only a few years older than I, and it seemed like she might finally have been on her way to finding some happiness in her life.

So why do we grow up thinking that being a princess would be so cool?

V minus...

• ...one week!

• Yes, a week from tonight, at around this time, I'll be landing in Honolulu.

I can't even tell you how much I'm looking forward to spending some quality time on that beach, in those waters, relaxing.

• And I promise, before I head off on my next trip, I'll finally fill you in on some of the amusing tales from my last vacation.

• For now, I'll only say this: I made a lot of stupid decisions. But had a blast nonetheless.

• Aloha!

(p.s. You might notice that my blogroll is a little shorter. Makes me sad to delete links that no longer work, because the blogger in question has vanished into the ether... I always wonder why and if they're okay... )

School daze...

A young friend of mine is embarking on her first semester at college, several hours from home.

First, I have to again point out how old this makes me feel, because I remember when she was born. And attended my wedding as a toddler. Luckily, she and her mother are still in my life (they're the ones I started hula with last year) even though the person I married is not.

Anyway. She's a little homesick right now, and that's brought up my own memories of my first few weeks away from home. They were hideous, even though I was in the city I'd always wanted to be in (the one I'm still in, 22 years later). I missed my mom, I missed home, I missed my friends, and I missed my boyfriend... that guy I later married. (Silly me.) I had a hard time making friends at first because I didn't seem to fit in...

In a matter of weeks, it got better. Much better. TONS better. Omigod, I ended up having so much fun in the dorms. And I'm trying to reassure my young friend (and her mom) that it will get better for her, too.

So here's why I'm telling you this: if you have a story to share about your own first foray away from home, won't you share it with her? Click here, and tell her how you coped. Or do it in comments here, and I'll send your thoughts on to her.

Mahalo nui loa.

Trouble with a capital "T..."

Hi, my name is Terry, and I'm a shopaholic.

See, during all those years of financial struggling, I was very frugal. Sure, I splurged on occasion and spent too much money at Starbucks and on concert tickets and the like, but I didn't do a lot of clothing or shoe shopping.... which is SO against my nature. I love clothes. I love shoes. I love shopping. But I couldn't afford regular jaunts to the mall, even with my excellent bargain hunting skills.

But during this past year, since changing to a more lucrative job, I've gone a little crazy. I don't think I've ever bought as many shoes in my life as I have during the past twelve months. And my vast closets are starting to get pretty crowded with all the new clothes. I keep needing to buy more hangers.

Take last weekend. I went out looking for more warm-weather clothing, since I'm off to Hawaii soon (!!). When you live in the cool grey city of love, you don't have a lot of need for warm-weather clothes. I can make a pair of shorts last forever, because I probably wear them ten times a year, tops... and that's usually when I'm traveling outside the city (even to another city in the region). So I NEEDED to pick up some more appropriate island wear. Needed to.

That doesn't explain the really flattering pair of black pants I bought. Or the three long-sleeved kinda-dressy-yet-still-appropriate-for-work tops, either. In fact, I've worn something new to work every day this week, and only a few of these items will work on my vacation.

Which means I need to do some more shopping.

And you know how much that pains me.


(Tangent time! An open note to clothing manufacturers: I'm sure I speak for many chubby girls when I say... sleeveless shirts? No. Nooooo. I don't care how hot it is, I need a little sleevage. You need it too, to keep your dreams -- nightmares, really -- from being haunted by the sight of my full-on armage. So please... knock it off with the sleeveless or nearly-sleeveless shirts. It's not cute. Thank you.)

How to make yourself smile...

...after a particularly grueling week at work:

- Accept a co-worker's invitation to go have a drink, even though you can barely keep your eyes open, and all you really have the energy to do is to go home, put on your PJs, and jump into bed.

- Don't even consider for a moment your original plan of going for a long walk and cleaning your apartment. Laugh at the absurdity of said idea. Hah!

- Have a second glass of the yummy Cabernet your friendly bartender has chosen for you.

- Laugh at the absurdity of the work week, and at the boys you're discussing with co-worker.

- Stop at the Grocery Store That Annoys The Fuck Out of You Most of the Time* on your way home to pick up a few essentials.

- Sigh with relief when you realize the store isn't as crowded as it usually is.

- Buy the tuberoses that literally stopped you in your tracks (no, really), because they smell so fucking amazing. Even if they're $2.99 a stalk.

- Sigh with pleasure when you're able to find most of the items you need.

- Drive home, put away the groceries, put on your PJs, and don't even look at the mess around your apartment. Get into bed by 10:30.

Ahhhhh.

TGIF.

*more on this in another post

Ha ina mai ka puana...*

Hey, remember when I said I was finally going to tell you about my trip to New York? You know, that trip I took, uh, TWO MONTHS ago? (Jeez. Time flies.)

Yeah. That has to wait for another day. It's late and I need to go to bed. Maybe tomorrow.

Instead, I'll tell you about my next trip. Yes, lucky girl that I am, I have another trip planned in a matter of weeks.

The best part? The accomodations? Are free.

I'm going to Hawaii ! Alooooha!

Waikiki, to be specific. Not the the most marvy spot in the islands, considering how city-fied it is, but it's still Hawaii. And I had a grand time during my last trip there.

And did I mention the free accomodations? How can one say 'a'ole** to a free place to stay, right near a really nice part of the beach? Right next to the hotel where I stayed during my last visit??

It's good to know generous people who have condos in cool places.

And my friend Miss Sassyhair is my travel partner! Her mom lives in Honolulu now, so she'll get to spend time with her mother, and I'll get to spend time communing with the beach and the ocean. And viewing as much hula as I can find. (I told her she doesn't have to join me in this obsession of mine... I would be a bad student if I didn't make a pilgrimage of sorts...)



*google it and see if you can discern the context
** this one's easier. i'll bet you can figure it out without google

Thank GOD...

...it's finally OVER!!

No, I'm not interested in debating the asterisk issue, or what exactly he's done to his body, or what an asshole he is... I'm just happy I NO LONGER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS AT WORK.

Holy CRAP, what a pain in my ass, trying to plan around something you can't plan around.

End of rant.

Now I can go back to my usual state of not giving a shit about this.

(p.s. Today marks my first anniversary at my "new" job. Can you believe it's been a whole year already?? I can't.)

The reward...

Details coming soon.

Um....

I still think my iPod is reading my mind.


Because every time I've used it lately, it's given me this:






EVERY time, even on shuffle. It's one of my all-time favorite songs, yes. But lately....uh... let's just say this is a topic that's been on my mind a lot.


(and awwww, so bittersweet to see freddie. how i miss him!)


But then tonight, it gave me this:





Omigod. LOVE this song. But it only made me dance around my apartment, not think.

Or IS gigolo the only way to go?? Eeeuw.