Another Week Goes

I've had a busy and semi-productive week. The weather has been great, and I got to see a ton of my favorite people, so here it is in descending order:

Last night, I went to Robin's brother Darren's wedding. It was a long welcome event, and he cried first and more than his bride, so it was really cute. Oh, and we had 20 tons of tri-tip, oysters, clams, and chicken all cooked in a fire pit for the dinner. Talk about a good way to go. Full bar too. It was a big party, but ahh, I had to drive home, so I had a hell of a lot of soda instead.

Did I mention how much I love spending time with the people who were at this wedding? Robin's mom Kay refers to us all as her kids, and Doug just makes me laugh. Trina's parent's were there too, and I love that every time I see them, her dad hugs me goodbye and says, "We love you." In my opinion, they're all part of the reason I turned out so normal. Must say I appreciate that.

Friday, I had one goal. Won't mention it, but it was quickly accomplished thanks to Mike and Brian's friend Wade. Anyway, I went to a going away BBQ with Mike and Brian and got to see my friend Steve for the first time in a couple years. It was odd to be in a house where almost 50% of the people were Anchorage natives. What's with the common crossover from P-Town to Anchorage? I hear there are some comfortable similarities here for most of them.

Thursday night, I hung with Stef and Aimee for the evening. Stef is my first friend in a while who is planning a pregnancy. So next year, we may all have a bouncing baby to play with instead of a bunch of dogs. That should be an adjustment. Later on, I got to see my friend Lee for the first time since I moved back. I've known him so long that I can calculate what every expression on his face means. Historically, he has made me laugh, cry, and scream. We definitely had a war or two in our teenage years, but nothing ever stuck, and I love him.

Finally met Pete on Tuesday. He's an intelligent and entertaining one, and he has good taste in drinks. Caught up with Marcus too, who filled my ears with some good stories. In my opinion, this boy is a risk taker of sorts, but I imagine it keeps his life interesting. His best friend is my fave Alaskan, Jon, who's coming to visit in a couple weeks. That one is another risk taker in my opinion, but apparently, this could be blown out of proportion. But I have some protective pessimism about it nonetheless.

I am also increasing my caseload to ridiculous heights at work. I've managed to keep all boys on my crew, so I get less drama, more tough fronts. It's fun to penetrate their shells though because all my boys are really just scared and ready to change once you get to know them.

Well, it's 94 degrees outside and I feel like going to the gym to work out. Seems a little off kilter in my opinion, but I have been getting into these modes lately where I HAVE to go and get my energy out. The time it takes me to complete a mile is decreasing and my brain always seems to enjoy a break and some loud ass music from my iPod.

Hmm, a new song. High & Dry by Jamie Cullum. He's a piano man in his own right, and also does a kick ass version of Frontin by Pharrel. Come to think of it, he does a good version of Singin in the Rain too. I love piano players. Reminds me of this college party I went to the summer I lived at Fiji's where we were all very intoxicated singing along to Piano Man by Billy Joel. It was at some random house, and it's a good vague memory. I guess most memories that summer can fall into that category. So much for living in a dry house.

Now, This Was Awkward

So on Friday night I was out on a date with Mike, the boy I am probably boxing up and shipping to friendville. But anyway, I forgot to tell this story and it cracked me up. I'll just dialog it for you. We were at a club sitting with a group of people. I was between Mike and Jason, one of his apparentluy very drunk OR just socially inept buds...can't figure it out yet. You be the judge:

Jason: (Looking at me, talking to Mike) Sooooooo, you're not with your girlfriend anymore I take it.
Mike: (Looking at me with a 'what the hell is he doing' fear in his eyes) No, no I'm not.
Jason: So, what happened?
Mike: (Mike gives a short version of the demise)
Jason: Well (leaning fully across me to yell to Mike), this one is hot! Yeah, there's girls like this all over in the summer time man. Yeah, but this one, she's cute.

Yeah, so that was a little odd. Being that Mike is one of my best friend's roomies, I already know his story, so him having to explain his broken relationship in front of a girl he's been on a few dates with wasn't so bad. But damn, can people really be this socially stupid?

Barracuda sucks, and a few other things

I got it all this week, so read on...

GOOD

The weather is so f**king awesome that I can only describe it with that expletive. Sorry non-cussing readers. On August 1st, my office mates and I plan to go a month without saying a bad word. Yeah, we'll see how @&*^$ easy that is to %#@&* do! It's better than giving up sugar like two of them did this month.

My dog quit limping around the house, so I took him to the river and let him swim the day away on Sunday. Now he is just walking really slow. Guess it's time for glucosamine. Oh, the good part here is that he got to swim and bring back a floating ball 300 times in 2 hours. It's the simple things in life when you are a dog, come on.

MIDWAY

Alright, I am making a request that anyone who thinks they have the perfect ideal boy (make that man) for me, bring him on. I've been on a few dates with a new guy, but I am ALREADY ready to put him in a nice glass jar labeled 'friend' on the shelf. And he even has the spin around factor people!!! So apparently that trait just isn't cutting it anymore...did I mention that in my pro/con list for Adam in our final days, spin around factor was one of the only things listed on the 'pro' side? Yeah, that helped me to put my priorities in perspective pretty damn quick.

BAD

Talk about bad...Barracuda lands here. Have you ever been there? Apparently, it used to be Banana Joes. That place is horrendous. I wouldn't have gone, but I was with a group of seven people, we didn't have to pay the $10 cover because we knew someone, and we were just 'in that mood' for slimy entertainment after a partially mellow evening on Hawthorne. Once again, I got to have a meat market experience as the designated driver because I was on call for work (more on that in a minute). So, at the front of the dance floor was what I will call the skank deck...a bunch of scantily clad girls on a raised platform sluttily shaking their booties for all to see. Then there were these two very hot guys walking around at last call...each one rotated through a few girls each, I am guessing in a desperate attempt to score a date home...ewwww. Not exactly hot after all. Oh, and we had VIP wristbands. What a joke. You get to go hang out with a ton of idiotic people who think they are really cool in their VIP wristbands. The only part I enjoyed was that someone in our crew decided to sport a Guns 'n' Roses t-shirt just so "I can be that guy in the Guns 'n' Roses t-shirt," he said. He got into it, and it was hilarious.

Being on-call sucks. Try answering a page at 2:45 am on Friday into Saturday. I happened to still be awake, but it was still a pain in the ass. I guess the plus here is that they comp me an extra $175 for the week. Maybe I'll stop complaining when I get the check.

Alright, that's all. Song of the week is We Looked Like Giants by Death Cab for Cutie. I dig it. So should you.

The Mellow Review

Well, I can't sum up life in good and bad this week, so let me just sum up my damn fine weekend instead.

Friday night I decided that I needed to stay home and chill with the 'fam.' Bill's 5 and 10 year old nephews, Guilani and Kenada were here for the weekend, so I played Monopoly Kenada and laid on the couch all night. They built a fort in the dining room to sleep in, and my dog scored graham crackers galore from the 5 year old. Pretty wild after a late Wednesday and Thursday huh? Little kids are so much fun to hang out with. Now I know why my dad is always home with my half sibs. Though I guess they're not exactly little anymore.

Saturday was my college girl reunion. One husband came at the beginning to show off a baby and was quickly scared away by our high pitched squeals of excitement to see eachother. Man, ten girls in a room who haven't been all together in years...it was great. About midnite, I went to pickup my friend Brian's roomie Mike and dragged him to a birthday outing with another group of friends. He's got dating potential, but I'm back to leaning toward boys being boys who are friends for a while again, though I am guessing I should play it by ear instead. I must have had fun though, because I didn't hit my pillow until 4:30 am.

Sunday was possibly the most perfect Sunday known to man. After sleeping in until 11:30, I went and had sushi on Trendy Third and then spent half a day on a boat on the Portland Waterfront with a handful of good friends. We stopped and had food on the Newport Bay dock and then watched the sun go down as we loaded the boat back on its trailer. It was one of those relaxing days that you just live for.

Otherwise, not much going on. I am taking my dad's mom out to lunch tomorrow. {rpbably doesn't sound that exciting, except that it is because we have barely just met, so we have a lot of catching up to do. Accruing new family members this past year has been pretty exciting I must say. Still slow going in some respects, but it's just nice to know that my dad is only 20 miles away and that I can go see him. Hmm, maybe I should do that soon again.

And of course, the job continues to be great. I had a kid run away last week, but I get to pull another one out of lockdown to take his place. Gotta look at the bright side in this area of work or you just get pissed. There are some great kids out there.

Wow, this post wasn't very exciting huh? Must be all that relaxing I did this weekend. Speaking of, I gotta go watch a movie now. Later.

I don't necessarily support gender hatred, but a girl from Oakley gave this to me as a present on my last day at work, and it cracked me up. Actually this may be where the meat market boys are made though.  

Yeeeeah, I Beat Pete!

Alright, so it's time to update this thing and fill the world in on all that 'is' at the moment. Hmm, let me think.

I finally went to the Oregon coast last Saturday for the first time in MANY years. I went with three friends, and we strategically arrived at Court's parents' beach house in time help prepare the fresh salmon caught that afternoon and to pull the crab pots off the boat. The dinner that followed was one of those 'laaaaaaaaaa' meals in life where you are just content. Then we played with five little kids who pummelled us with pillows and begged to be tickled. Loved it.

And in not so Oregon Coast news, I decided to go with a bunch of pals to Wet Wednesday at Whoosong and Larry's this past week. Wow, once again, the 'meat' was fresh and terrifying, so I stuck close to the traumatized 25 year old divorced boy and his best friend and eventually just bolted to SE to hang with good friends instead. Skip this event...one person water skiing and getting poisoned by all the toxins in that Willamette water...ugh. Though next week, we may take a boat out instead. That could make it fun.

Last night, I went out to celebrate a friend's 25th birthday. Damn, that made me feel old. I experienced Ringler's for the first time. That place could be fun, but please shoot me if I ever even think that I will find a husband in a place like that. Slimy, slimy. Always take cute friends of the opposite sex to protect you. Also include Voodoo in this. Went there on last Friday as the designated driver nonetheless. Some guy was actually trying to get me to walk over to him by waving me over with his finger. Uhhh, no.

Oh yeah, I finally get to meet Pete next week. He's a good friend of my good friends, and his blog is entertaining, so check it out sometime.

Highest on my list at the moment is tomorrow night. I'm getting together with ten of my good girlfriends from college for the night, and we are going adventuring. My big goal is to drag the married ones out as late as possible. Of course, they could be dragging me instead. Speaking of dragging, I'm tired. So I am going to go take a nap now. Good prep for Friday night.

Portland's Favorite Pasttime?

So, I had my first Portland minor league baseball experience last night. Yeah, it's pretty different from games in other cities. The Portland Beavers are essentially an unamazing team with very few sober fans, as evidenced by the barrage of people packed into the beer gardens for a truer than McFaddens meat market experience (everyone said, "Duh Sarah, it's Thirsty Thursday...you think they come for the baseball?). We had a choice table right in the mid of the beer garden, and though I am still continuing the sober streak I started Saturday morning (okay, one beer doesn't count), I was highly entertained and actually had a lot of fun. Here's why:

The Hot and Tall Metrosexual Boys: This cracked me up. Several crews of very cute tall boys in clean button down shirts, well ironed designer jeans, and loafers stood around in girl-less circles chatting and looking too good for everyone else. I couldn't help but ogle at their beautiful and well groomed faces and haircuts. But come on already, this was a baseball game! Look the part boys.

Wait, am I at McFaddens? So an entire crew of Voodoo Lounge chicks show up in tight black halter tops, mini skirts and cowboy hats. And flocks of females wearing more makeup than I own and those flowy 'make you look pregnant' tops or skimpy halters kept pouring in. Once again, this is baseball girls...a cute tank and jeans will do just fine for drinking cheap beer and watching the one hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The Hot and Recently Divorced 25 Year Old: So this poor guy who was hanging with our big group states that he is traumatized for life because he's already divorced. Makes sense. So I offered to help him scope out his perfect girl, to which he describes his cute little blond ex-wife as he shows me pictures of her on his cell phone, pictures of the cat she still has...did I see a tear in his eye? Damn, he really is traumatized. He tried to help me scope out a perfect guy too, but eventually ended up trying to get me to cruise off and sit in the bleachers alone with him, to which I declined. I've decided that this guy would make a quality pseudo date to hang out with though, so I think I may have to ask my friend to pseudo hook us up. Because I am REALLY done dating boys my brother's age...and scene.

Bastards: While waiting in line to return to the beer garden after a break, I started looking around and actually caught a guy mouthing 'tits too small' about a girl. What an ass! And then there was the 40 year old drunk ass who kept hitting on all of us young girls as he passed us in the wraparound line. Eeeeegh. Who raises their children to turn into these jerks? Shame, shame.

Proof that this really wasn't a baseball game at all: A few things register here. No one came around to our table to try to sell us peanuts. They stopped serving beer at the bottom of the sixth inning and about 75% of the crowd (including us) left. And no one did the wave or sang 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame.'

Besides all of this, I can see myself going back again. You essentially pay a $7 cover charge to hang out in a smokeless bar in the sun and socialize with a laid back crowd and people watch. My kind of summer night for sure.

Songs to Download and Obsess Over

Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie. They used it in an episode of Six Feet Under once, and it worked very well. That was two years ago. Forgot about the song. Found it again. Called and apologized to Mike for hating his music when we were together (because some of the other songs to follow were downloaded by him too back in the day).

Mr. Brightside by The Killers. The teenager in my house played this song the day I picked her up to come live with us. Mainstream, but so good.

Jed's Other Poem by Grandaddy. Annoying intro, but then wow. And a good line about 'trying to sing it funny like Beck.'

Think (Let Tomorrow Be) by Sebadoh. I have this acoustic. Don't know if it's the only version. Damn good song.

Tomorrow by James. How did I avoid this song for years? What happened to this dude?

In the Sun by Howie Day. My version is an acoustic download. He sings that semi okay mainstream song Collide. He's got some good lungs.

Running for Home by Matthew Good Band. Be depressed for 4 minutes. It's good for you.

Not a song but, Bed and Breakfast, which is a three minute comedy bit I have on my computer by the late Mitch Hedburg (a funny comedian who recently died of a not so funny heroin addiction). Did you ever see him perform? He stared at the floor the entire time. He was a truly odd and funny man.

SUPPORT THIS CAUSE!!!

Hey all...Ashley is a friend of mine from college, and this is a very great campaign they have created to help her little brother who is quadriplegic from a pool accident. Following is the email that my friend Trina wrote and sent out to a bunch of us...sums up the situation well. So read this, go visit www.helptravis.org, and show your support:

Hi everyone,

My friend Ashley and her family are asking for your donation or support
for her brother Travis. Two summers ago he was playing in an above ground
pool and attempted a belly-flop,but ended up hitting his head and became
paralyzed. Currently he is quadriplegic and needs aid constantly. He is
now attempting to raise funds to allow him to travel to South America for
a spinal surgery and therapy to possibly give him movement and control to
his upper body ( I think they are saying a full recovery of all body parts
would be a longer process than this first attempt). So please check out
www.helptravis.org and at least write a note of encouragement. They
also are selling for their fundraiser those popular wrist bands (like
Lance Armstrong)...and who can resist those.

So, for me this really hit home actually knowing someone and their family
are dealing with this tragedy. (not like watching Christoper Reeves on t.v)
Please send this web site to your friends too...

Thinking positive thoughts for you all,
Trina

Happy Fourth Y'all...Here's the Goods

GOOD

As promised, I followed up the meat market experience of Friday with trips to The Belmont Inn and the Horse Brass on Saturday night. Yes, pool and darts with a bunch of laid back guy friends is much more fun than hyped up ogling ughs. And both these places are really cool. You could spend hours just staring at all the random stuff on the walls at the Horse Brass. And as additionally promised, I drank water the entire night.

It is pretty odd that every time I am out with my friend Brian from AK, we run into my friend Marcus from AK. He was chillin at the Horse Brass after work, so we got to catch up. We also had another random Alaskan in our group who even knew Marcus's sister and went to his high school. Small little world we live in.

Yesterday, Jess, Bill, and I decided to hit the city park trails that wind through the Pittock Mansion, the Japanese Gardens, and the Hoyt Arboretum. We cleared six miles, and I must say it helped to clear my mind too. I'll be hitting these trails again for sure. Much better than going into the gym, and dog friendly, nice.

Free day off from work. Paid too. Can't ask for much more than that.

BAD

Okay, this past week held many irritating moments for me, but what's the point in rehashing them? I'm still in that learn as I go mode when it comes to balancing my life out. As much as I'd like to see the teeter totter hit an even keel, I don't think I'll be there for a while. I'd love to be, but it just doesn't always work that way. So stay tuned. I'll get there.

Ogle Fest

Last night, I had my first 'meat market' experience since college. We hit McFaddens in Ptown with a crew of fifteen for a free Parrott Bay drinking promo. I'll start by saying that the rest of the weekend will be water for me, thanks. Today, I am going to the Blues Festival, so I hope it doesn't hurt my head. Eegh.

Meat market bars are an interesting experience. The boys are bold, slimy, frat boy carbon copies and they stare you up and down with no class. Mmmm, what a wonderful experience it is to be paraded every time you stand up and walk. I had Adam with me (don't ask), so I luckily just got to watch as my friends got bombarded by awkward weirdos who had a hard time standing up and an even harder time delivering smooth lines. At the points where I was off by myself though, I just felt the slime oozing from the eyes of boys, including one moment where three stood directly behind me in a group all beaming smiles from six inches away as they looked me up and down. Ewww.

Remember The Peacock in college? Forty year old men would stand on the perimeter of the dance floor, drink in hand, hoping that a spritey young college girl would flock their way. I always wanted the bouncers to drag their asses out by the balding hairs on their heads, but they just stood and ogled.

So McFaddens, I had fun...but I think I will stick to the pubbish road for the majority of my outings.