Paul Said to Peter, You Gotta Rock Yourself a Little Harder

I made shortcakes this evening. I also purchased strawberries (grown in California, even though I prefer those grown in Michigan) and will be putting them together at some point this evening to make one of my favorite desserts. I am very excited. Sometimes I can't get over how delicious strawberries are, you know? I have been known to clean a quart and have them gone (into my stomach, obviously) in a matter of hours. It's true. I'm hoping some will at least make it to the tops of my shortcakes. Haha.

I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird right now. I haven't read it since high school and so far, so good. It's nice to go back to the things that you started from. Know what I mean?

You Are Not Alone; I Am Here With You

I just painted my toenails a color called Times Square Tangerine Creme. It is nice and summery. I don't really have much else to report (it is sad that my nail polish is the only thing I can think of that is exciting).

I'm listening to The Essential Michael Jackson right now and it makes me both happy and sad. It is very sad that he died so young. Very, very sad. I was at the movies with CLRG when I found out for sure and I really hoped that it was a false report. What an icon, you know? And then to also lose Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett as well? Tragic, really.

In other news, CLRG and I are going out tonight to celebrate his friend's birthday at some beer place in the South Side. I'm sure it will be a quality time. I don't have to work tomorrow (amazing!) and we got free tickets to the Pirates/Royals game from his sister, so I think it will be a nice day. Woo!

I'm Picking Up Good Vibrations

Oh holy crap. This is one of the best videos ever. I was scared when I saw it, and then really excited.

Side note: I wish I knew how to embed videos in my blog.

Dynamite with a Laser Beam

Ughhhh. People make me so angry sometimes. Today, I was at work and everything was pretty standard- I was making many sandwiches for a catering order- and then something snapped in me and I got very angry. The new kid had no idea what was going on and that pissed me off. One of the girls left and handed him her slips for kitchen orders and then, when he gave people the wrong food and asked me what had happened, I could do nothing but stifle a scream. And THEN... this woman came up to me when I was coming back from taking an order out or something and informed me that our bathroom was revolting. REVOLTING. Did we have another she could use? I told her that, no, we did not because the women's room has been out of order since the storm and she got mad at me and said that our bathroom was more revolting than those in New York in the summer (is this supposed to mean something to me?) and she shouldn't have to take her children in there. Honestly, what could I do? I said I was sorry, that it was not my job and that I would attempt to look into it. I used that bathroom today. It was not bad. It's an old bathroom. It gets cleaned with some regularity, so I'm sure she was overreacting. However, I am willing to bet that she doesn't use bathrooms in gas stations and other public places and probably hasn't experienced something as gross as a port-a-john or something. Lord. I was annoyed. It made me even more angry when I found out that she had asked someone else about it who then yelled at my friend. RAWR. I wanted to punch the woman in the face, but I did not.

Anyway, I am working all weekend and I am sure that it will be fun times. CLRG and I are going to his parents' house one afternoon, which will be fun. We have to give them the souvenirs we picked up for them on vacation! Definitely.

All the Birds were Humming, the Bees were Buzzing in the Trees

Well, CLRG and I have returned from our vacation. We had a long day of travel yesterday, which was super fun. We left my parents' house at midnight (Mountain Time) and traveled to Salt Lake, arriving at 3:30, to wait until the TSA people were there to do security things before going to the terminal to wait. We had to almost run through the terminal in Detroit to make our connecting flight, which was fun... But then we made it safely home. The gatos were pleased.

The vacay was excellent. We didn't do a ton of stuff, but just enough. We had time to just relax, which was what we both wanted, and to hang out with the family. We went to Yellowstone, to the museum, to the zoo, we hit up the used book store more than once, checked out a local diner, played games and watched movies. It was a quality time.

While in Yellowstone, we met up with some family friends that were vacationing there. We hung out in Mammoth and had our picnic lunches together. Here we are, all together (CLRG took the picture, because he is a nice boy):


I took a lot of other pictures, of course, throughout the trip. Elle asked me if I had taken any couple-on-vacation shots and, indeed, there were a couple. I like this one. Don't tell CLRG it's posted here, please, though. Haha. We are both looking pretty decent. That makes me happy. He actually smiled!

I'm glad to be home, but I wish the fam were closer. I'm glad CLRG and I were able to take this trip. I do feel bad because, at my mom's surprised birthday party the other day, people she knows were interrogating him and there was nothing I could do. He handled it well, as expected, and all is well. Jackers really liked him, too, which was happy times. Haha.

Now, it's back to the grind. I have internship stuff and work and all of those normal things this week. I am soooo excited... Or not. Can I just be on vacation forever?

Remember Singing the Whole Way Home/About an Indian Summer So Long Ago

I feel like it is necessary to pinch myself sometimes. I am living such a lovely life (and, apparently, an alliterative one) here in the Burgh. I have good friends, a marvelous boyfriend, a cute apartment (come August), a job (yes, it sucks, but it's a job) and am generally happy. One of my coworkers came up to me the other day and said that he had been talking with his therapist and they decided he needed to ask me how it was possible for me to be so cheery at work all of the time. It's a good question, and the answer is obvious: I don't really have anything to be down about. I don't think it's necessary to let stupid customers or little annoying, pointless things bother me. For the first time, I really feel like I know what I am doing. I know where I'm going and I have future thoughts and plans. I'm comfortable with the way I'm turning out. It's a big step for me, one that should be acknowledged, because I'm second-guessing myself less and less and am not as concerned what others think of me as I have been in the past. It's a good feeling. :oD

The countdown to Idaho is down to three days. Yesterday, CLRG and I went to the Waterfront to find him some new shoes. We also went to the bookstore to get some reading material for the plane and such. I purchased two books. He did, too. Hip, hip hooray!! Now I just have to pack. Hahahahahahahahahahahaha.

Hockey tonight. Game 3. GO PENS.