Pushing limits

So the puppies aren't allowed in the bedroom. This is where they hang out if the door is open. Enzo likes to push the boundary as far as he can without getting yelled at.

...and this is what he does when the door isn't open:

Introducing Enzo!

Meet Enzo!

I've been wanting a dog as a companion for Ginger for awhile now. I only work 4 days a week but when I'm there I'm gone for 10 hours or more so I thought having someone to play with would be good for her. Boy was I right! Enzo has been a great addition. They are quickly learning to play together, respecting each others boundaries and learning from each other. Ginger is still a little jealous of her new little brother but we play close attention to give them equal lovins.

The day we got Enzo we were just going to check him out. I found him on Craigslist and Nick made an appointment to go visit him out at VJ Ranch. We met him and he was so friendly, not too hyper and so cuddly. Ginger and him didn't play right away so I was a little iffy about getting him. Usually she's scared of other dogs and occasionally we meet one she clicks with right off the bat. We decided to sleep on it and we left. Got about a mile down the road and Nick and I looked at each other and said, we just can't leave him, he's perfect. As you can see in the photo, Ginger was very curious about this new little guy!




First thing we did was give his stinky butt a bath. He's not the biggest fan of the bath but he was easier to clean than Ginger is (she HATES water!). First test of leaving him alone in the house he tore everything he could reach down! I guess this part of having him is good and bad. I can't leave anything out but it keeps my place super clean! Hopefully he gets better, I really don't' want to crate him while I'm gone.
The first couple days he ate all Gingers food on top of his own but this morning he finally let her eat and only ate what was in his bowl.
Nick is doing some leash training with him and has him almost sitting on command after only 2 days! Enzo is super smart, he really picks up on stuff fast.

All in all I am really happy with this choice. He was an anniversary gift. Its good that we celebrate each month together, even weeks in advance, right? :D

This weekend we're planning a mini vacation to Joshua Tree National Park in California. I am extra excited to check out Keys View you're supposed to have a great view of the valley and the San Andreas fault. I just like the idea of us hiking all day with the dogs, camping at night and hiking back in the morning. Hopefully there will be some great photos to follow!

I nearly had a heart attack today. Then I acted like an adult.

In May I got a letter on my door saying I owed $298.xx and it needed to be paid with my next months rent or I'd be evicted. I panicked thinking maybe I forgot to pay rent or I paid the wrong amount one month. I had no idea. After researching my checks I found that I'd never missed a payment so I called and left a few messages for my apartments management office. Nobody returned my call and the one time I did talk to a person she told me that nobody was available but assured me someone would call me back. Since nobody did, I assumed that a mistake had been made when the new management company took over. They accepted my next two rent check and no more notices or calls.

Imagine my surprise when I get a notice today for nearly double the amount of the last notice and it stated I had 5 days to respond or vacate. Words can't express the feeling I got when I read that letter. My chest hurt, I wanted to vomit, I even cried. I was about to run out my front door to that front office and make a SCENE.

But I thought of Nick. My boyfriend is seriously the calmest person I've ever met in my life. I don't know how he does it really. Thats a blog post for another time.

So I took a shower and cleared my head. I got ready slowly so I was nice and calm going down there, I even brought a pen and paper with me. When I got there the lady started going through all of my rents and the dates I paid them seemingly sure she was going to find a missing check but she did not. She was truly baffled. I sat there and didn't say a word though I wanted to scream. She even printed out my ledger with a copy for me so she could prove to me line by line that I made a mistake. Still, didn't find anything.

As it turns out, I am billed $45 each month for my water. However, the bill is much higher and the apartment complex eats the rest for me (thanks I guess) but for some reason her accounting system was adding my portion onto my account.

TL;DR instead of questioning why a person that pays her rent every month on time has a huge past due balance my apartment complex issued me an eviction notice. When I called to question it they didn't return my calls and 2 months later gave me another notice to move out in 5 days. Glad you found the mistake guys, but I'm moving out when my lease is up.

Fathers Day

I was lucky enough to get a Dad who loves metal. Needless to say, I was super excited when I found this shirt at ThinkGeek!

Its a few days early but screw it.....Happy Fathers Day Daddy!

irregardless!

I heard a guy on the radio this morning ranting about football or something. I wasn't actually listening but what I did hear was him say "irregardless" and as the words left his lips I instantly felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Now, I don't always use the right words and if you've read my blog you know I don't I usually don't write in proper sentences or form. However, there are a few terms that I just can't stand because its so clearly wrong and people say them anyway.

Irregardless
This isn't even a word, for one thing. And second it can't be used to get your point across. Most situations call for a yes/no right? You'd never say yes/not yes right? So if you're not without regard, then you have regard and your point is moot. With or without regard and never not without because then you're with. GOT IT!? ok.
Also, I googled this and irregardless was actually put into the dictionary as a "non-standard" version of regardless. DERP!

I could care less
You could? So then you still care right? right? yes. Well. I couldn't care less when I don't care about things. Just sayin'.

Summer Summer

Plans are good when you have them. I'm tired of dealing with the hard ones so here's my list of to-do's for the summer:

1. Visit my sister Lindsy
2. attend 5 concerts (|)
3. See the Grand Canyon
4. Go to Vegas
5. Tubing Salt River
6. Try out a new activity (Ice skating was fun!!)
7. Make a new friend
8. Horseback Riding
9. Brew my own beer
10. Go to a beach in California
11. Create something new
12. completely impress myself
13. Read 5 books (|||)

some are specific and some aren't, most of them will keep me outside and out of my own head. Cool thing about living in the desert is summer lasts way longer than most places so I have plenty of time to put a decent dent in this stuff.

A couple of years ago I was exploring my ability to communicate with others. I was so tired of being the wallflower, boring, quiet girl. I even blogged about it. Today I realize something else about myself that I get really annoyed with. When someone challenges my ideas, I almost always back down. I worked so hard at learning new things and being able to discuss subjects but somehow I missed the part where I needed to back up my mouth. This is the most recent example, it just reminded me of the fact that I do this all the time:

Cyndi: we're going to stop in Santa Fe to party. I guess its a big fun city and its the half way mark between here and Fort Morgan (where she's moving)
Me: I didn't realize New Mexico had any cool cities like that, all I know is Albuquerque the rest of it was boring when we went through.
Cyndi: What? I'm not going through New Mexico at all
Me: .....Santa Fe is in New Mexico
Cyndi: Lots of states have cities with the same names, this isn't new mexico
Me: ok

Later on I look at a map
/facepalm
Santa Fe is in New Mexico and it is the halfway mark

I'm never positive enough about my own knowledge or decisions so stick by it. Why do I do that? This has actually gotten me in trouble before because as soon as I back away from the conversation it sounds like I didn't know what I was talking about. I did, but I wasn't willing to challenge what the other person was saying to contradict me.
I need some debate skills.

dogs are the best animal to have in case of a robot uprising

I opted to take my book and go to the dog parp and let Ging run around while I chill in the sunshine there

I think its a good idea, Gives ginger a chance to sniff other dogs butts all day
sniff sniff "Yep, thats a butthole"
Dogs just want to make sure other dogs are real and not robots
robots dont have buttholes
dogs are the best animal to have in case of a robot uprising


Its days like this that I am so happy that Gmail logs all my conversations.

My book exchange books came!!

I got:

Catching Fire- Book 2 in the Hunger Games trilogy and with perfect timing, I just finished the first!

Blindness- Looks pretty exciting! Its about a group of people facing an epidemic in their city where everyone goes blind and then loses their minds. Could you imagine? Our entire society blind? Hide ya kids! HA can't wait to read it.

ROOM- I love books told from a kids point of view. I am so excited to read this one, probably cover to cover in one night!

Chain Mail Jewelry- I'm a crafter, I sew and have been looking for something a little more portable to craft. This is perfect, I spent last weekend at a Renaissance Faire so I'm already bubbling with ideas!!

Thank you so much for the books, they were perfect choices. I looked through each one cover to cover to find a note/name to no avail, so thank you random Redditor, I love them all!

I see it in my face mostly.

September 2009


Sept 2010



April 2011

Its April Fools

I am positive that my dad will try and prank me this year, he always does. The sad part is that I always see it coming but believe it anyway because I believe everything he tells me.

To this day I still call those 4 holed swings at the park "doggie swings". Thanks Dad ♥

I've got that rock and that roll!

Once again Manchester Orchestra has made my skin crawl with an amazing song. They released it today and it'll be one of their new songs released on Simple Math in May.

Its currently on repeat in my apartment.

Is symmetry too much to ask?!

A simple question from Vince turns into my major annoyance for the night.

I have a female question for you.

Oh sweet is it a dating question because I have no idea how that works but LOVE giving advice about it!

Its not (insert random question about what headphones to buy)---I still have no idea what that had to do with my being female..

Conversation turns to how it would be more comfortable to have two pillows

but for us it would be two unmatched pillows because of the loser sheet set rule

Basically. I got upset because when I was first single and I had only a twin bed, when I bought sheets they only came with 1 pillow case instead of 2. It was a whole ordeal due to unmatched pillow cases.

A few months ago I bought some sheets for my now queen sized bed and guess what?! THREE pillow cases. Who only uses three pillows? If you're going to have two on one side you need two on the other. So now when I change my sheets I have three blue and one red and when I change to red I have three red and a blue. ANNOYING. I really don't think that symmetry is too much to ask.

Social Awkwardness

I like to think that I have pretty good social skills. I never was much of a talker but as I got older I found out that people are generally more friendly when you can hold a decent conversation. Lots of practice later I think I have a pretty firm grasp on being social. However, there are moments in my life where I am just really not sure what to do. For example, a guy at a bar tried to kiss me a couple weeks ago. I don't want to be kissed and when I tried to lean away from him and he kept coming, my reaction was to headbutt him. Who does that? Me. Thats who. Here then, is a list of situations where I'm not sure what to do:

Door holding:

When you're going through a door and there is someone behind you, what is the appropriate distance they need to be before you don't have to hold the door for them? Too close and you're the jerk that didn't hold the door, too far and you're just standing there awkwardly waiting for them to enter. I've been on the receiving end of the too long holder, you feel like you need to walk faster or not turn down that hall you actually wanted to turn down because someones holding a door for you. Yes I actually did continue through a door simply for that reason.

I've actually adopted a door holding method that seems to work, basically, I walk through the door slowly and stretch my arm out behind me. That way it appears that I intended to hold the door and acknowledged there was a person behind me but I must be in a rush and didn't have time to wait.

Music and talking in the car:

I try to set the music in my car at a level where its nice to hear the music but still appropriate to talk. However, this doesn't always work because if there's a good song on I can't seem to focus on both. Turn the music down and then you're either going to be silent or you have to find a conversation. Turn it up and you've ruined any chance at a conversation. My sister remedies this by announcing what she's planning on doing with the radio then constantly asking if the music selection is ok, equally awkward. Also, the whole thing never works if your passenger doesn't like the same music. Everything about being in a car stresses me out, I don't want to have to think about this at all!

Hugs:

Hugs are always weird. I blame South Carolina for this. Before I moved to the south I had a nice little personal space bubble. It was the span of my arms, all the way around my body. Don't get that close to me unless you have been invited. When I moved down there I quickly learned that people were going to hug and touch you no matter what so I adapted. Since I didn't grow up hugging everyone it felt awkward, I never knew when it was appropriate since in my mind you only hugged people you love. I found myself hugging people when only a handshake was necessary. I still do that! I'm at a party, saying goodbye, I had a great time..should I hug the host? Handshakes aren't right....a wave goodbye maybe? Is that rude? I DON'T KNOW!

Long hallways:

In the past this hasn't been an issue, you only really experience this in like doctors offices and stuff. But I got a job where I have to walk all the way across a giant building to get to my desk, this means there are at least 4 long hallways. 4 chances for me to spend what feels like eternity walking towards a stranger. There are several ways that people avoid this but so far none of them feel normal to me.

Look at your cell phone. This is a great remedy because you can ignore everyone around you for your oh so important cell phone. The problem with this is that you look like a self important jerk. Nobody likes that guy.

Look at the ground. I don't know about you but when I walk my heads up and I look forward. You are obviously avoiding me by doing this and now not only are you awkward but so am I because I think maybe I looked unapproachable.

Eye Contact. This requires more tact than I'm familiar with. I usually end up making eye contact for far too long and appear to be gawking. Plus, if you make eye contact so as to acknowledge but then look away at nothing its so obvious it always just looks weird.

Conversation. I'm all about striking a conversation with a stranger but what are you going to talk about in the time that you have and when its is ok to start talking (distance wise) what if you speak too soon and then you have to say something else. OR what if there are TWO people now you have to speak to both of them "about about this weather?" to the first person and to the second person who clearly heard you speak to the guy ahead of him "long hallway right?"

And the absolute WORST part about long hallways: Someone in front of you walking the same speed as you. UGH! Now I have to walk slower so we aren't walking side by side or speed up and act like this is the indy car race to my desk.

Goodbyes:

Why do we have to say goodbye 100 times? This goes with hugging too, if you hug after a goodbye, don't say goodbye again because then you have to hug again and its a vicious cycle! Here's how a goodbye should go:

I had a great time, thanks (hug, handshake or wave or whatever else)

Goodbye

Goodbye

EXIT

done, you've said goodbye and you're on with the day.

Here's how a goodbye does go:

I had a great time, thanks.

bye!

hug-handshake-whatever

ok bye!

so see you later?

Yea maybe like Wednesday?

OK!

ok, well thanks again I had fun

me too!

Hug again not sure why

ok bye

bye!

Sometimes theres a couple more cycles of talking, hugs and goodbyes before you finally get out the door. Its weird.

However, I have no remedy for this at all. I usually end up leaving abruptly and skipping the goodbye altogether so as to not deal with it.

goodbye (close the page, don't say goodbye back or I'll be forced to say it again!)

Your house smells like someone died!

I was going through my old photos today and I ran across one that made my day. In May 2009 I went to Hawaii and my sister and mom watched my apartment for me. They kept calling me and saying that my place smelled so bad that they couldn't even stay there. Like something died. I was a little freaked out, I try to keep my place clean and I was going to be gone for a week so whatever it was would just smell worse by the time I got there if they didn't find it.

Finally, I got home after a long flight and a great vacation to find this and a note that said "WHO DONE IT?!":

Helplessness Blues

This is a fantastic song, I love the lyrics and his voice is just beautiful, especially in the chorus.

I was raised up believing

I was somehow unique

Like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes

Unique in each way you can see

And now after some thinking
I'd say I'd rather be

A functioning cog in some great machinery

Serving something beyond me

All those moments will be lost in time

I found this page today. Some really beautiful screenshots, the quotes really make the images. This one in particular.

“I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time like tears in rain. … Time to die.”

Blade Runner (1982)

Thanks, mom

My mom sent me a get well card and I guess she couldn't find the perfect card, so she improvised. haha.

Had lunch at Chino Bandido today with Crystal, a mexican-chinese place. They have the most unique menu, its one of my favorite places to eat in Phoenix. Emerald Chicken on a quesadilla with jerk chicken rice, omnomnom!

Getting my staples out today from my surgery. Finally, man these things are really getting on my nerves. Its going to feel so good to finally sleep on my stomach again!

What if I’ve been trying to get to where I’ve always been

I don't know about you but I could not be more excited about Manchester Orchestras new album Simple Math to come out! They released the title track and I can't stop listening, feeeeeeed me more!




"What if I was wrong and you had never questioned it?
What if it was true, that all we thought was right was wrong
Simple math, the truth cannot be fractioned"

I think that song was made for me.

Appendix-less

Last Thursday I went out for some day drinking and afterwards hit up Santisi for darts and more drinking. Needless to say Friday when I woke up I wasn't feeling top notch. My tummy was killing me! I went to work but ended up leaving early and going home to rest. Around 9pm I decided that hangovers just don't last this long, I did some drinking but not THAT much. So I headed over to urgent care and they looked at me like a crazy person, TO THE ER! Several hours later I was getting my appendix out.

What a strange experience. I was in a daze for days between blinding pain and drugs. As with any crisis, when I came to I realized once again that I have an amazing support system. My friends and family all came in to help me take care of myself, take care of my dog and provide much needed moral support to get through this. Thanks guys :)