Pen Pal

the follow up text i received from an out of town friend really made my day today. in recent years, she's blown through town for a wedding or holiday and we barely catch each other if we're lucky. we call ourselves "pen pals" but too much time passes between visits and we forget to write and catch up. i'm especially happy that i got to spend a little extra time with her at this weekend's wedding festivities especially since we barely exchanged a hug and hello at my wedding two years ago.

she continues to crack me up with her dry sense of humor and i admire her so much for becoming exactly who she set out to be 15 years ago. she sticks to her guns, pays no attention to what anyone thinks of her and yet always stays a true and loyal friend. which is why the portion of her text that said, "i don't want to lose you guys" warmed my heart and saddened me at the same time. after all these years and miles apart if she thinks we're going anywhere than she's got another thing coming!

Shame on Me

after a few too many cocktails (or kamikaze shots), i acted like a big jerk last night. fortunately for me, i have a very forgiving husband. sometimes i kinda think i don't deserve him.

he's that good.

but it's those moments that i shower him with cupcakes and hope he'll keep me around a little longer! the lucky girl that i am, he always does.

Here Comes the Bride

the moment you see your girlfriend slip into her wedding dress is my favorite part of the whole event. in a matter of seconds, my mind flashes back to every memory from adolescence to college to our quarter life crisis and finally, our venture into adulthood. that white dress symbolizes so much more than her innocence (yeah, right!). it's a chance for me to remember the girl she was and reflect upon the beautiful woman she's become. it's the calm before the storm and the moment where i get tears in my eyes no matter how hard i try to hold them back.

like i said, it's my favorite part of the whole day.

Same Seat, Different Day

i arrived at the rehearsal for one of my best friend's wedding a little early and decided to enjoy a glass of wine and reflect a little. since she decided to get married at the same location as mike and i this moment of quiet offered a great opportunity for me to remember that wonderful day nearly two years ago.

i chose the exact same chair and table that mike and i sat at right before our rehearsal began and looked out on the ocean with a smile on my face. unlike the last time, i had no butterflies in my stomach, no anticipation for what was to come or fear that someone would show up late. this time around, i got to play a minor role in someone else's big day and let me tell you, it was my pleasure!

Team Maria

i had an all morning meeting with a certain political figure's "people" today to discuss her "walk to end alzheimer's" coming up in the fall. i was a little apprehensive as i drove there simply because others in my department built her entourage up to be pretty intense and overwhelming but i have to say...i kinda liked them.

sure, the woman in charge was a 5-foot tall, 100 pound firecracker who dropped f-bombs like it's her business but nevertheless, in a matter of three hours, they got stuff done. decisions were made, agenda items crossed off and most of all i left feeling like it was a very effective use of my time (which doesn't always happen in meetings i attend).

Trouble Maker

at our memory walk leadership team meeting tonight i sat next to one of my favorite community partners, volunteers and ex-aaoc employees. and, by the end of the night i loved her even more. she's one of those fabulous people who appear prim and proper on the outside but who have a secret evil side to them. between her under the breath comments and handwritten notes, she had me cracking up tonight.

it was all in good fun of course but it livened up what was a typically dull meeting and it was just a great chance to learn something new about someone i already like so much.

Greg and Harry

i was sitting in starbucks today working on my laptop when a couple of “old timers” sat down at the table next to me. after a little while, the one closest to me, who i later learned was named greg, commented on my engagement ring.

one thing led to another and the next thing i knew i was completely engrossed in their life story. i learned that they’re armenian friends originally from jerusalem. they met in kindergarten and continued in school together through college after which they lost touch.

fifty years later and a few months ago, they ran into each other randomly on hollywood blvd. ever since they’ve been meeting at this particular starbucks every other day to remember the good old days.

there were all sorts of other nuggets of greatness in the conversation about loyalty, the beauty of good people and the tragedy of war. what struck me most though was that out of the blue, greg and harry decided to share a part of their story with a young woman typing away on her laptop.

and they actually felt compelled to apologize to me for taking up my time…well, the pleasure was all mine!

The Call

i don’t know if i could’ve handled all the rejection involved in acting but i certainly know that i love the call back! the ring followed by the recognition of familiar digits on your caller idea. the butterflies that follow because you know good news awaits on your voicemail.

ah…

Mall Rats

i think mike and i have been to the mall together all of three times in the history of our relationship and two of those times happened when we were creating our wedding registry.

well today, i had an errand to run that took me to the mall and he wanted to take a peak at nordstrom so he joined me. alas, we found ourselves on a junior high date complete with orange julius!

And Then There Were…2?

the pregnancy trend has taken a hold of my girlfriends lately. amidst a walk on the beach and a cup of coffee this morning i learned that another one of my girls is having a baby!

i love being an auntie more than anything so naturally, i’m ecstatic about the news but seriously, is there something in the water or what?

Add One More Seat to the Dinner Table

i met a middle aged woman with a husband, 3-year-old son and a newly acquired business. the couple recently retired from a very profitable company they owned,  at which point the wife declared she wasn’t ready to stop working. she bought a franchise in home care agency knowing nothing about the business and alas, our paths crossed.

as for the 3-year-old, he was unplanned to say the least. her husband’s cousin found himself in trouble with a lady friend, a lot of drugs and a little boy. rather than continue watching the child live with his parents mistakes, the couple adopted him!

now this is a child who was born addicted to drugs and has since suffered from all sorts of emotional issues. this is also a couple on the cusp of beginning the post hustle and bustle, twilight years of their lives with adult children of their own.

talk about taking on a challenge and making it work. while she seems exhausted, she swears that the new addition to her family is the best thing that ever happened to them.

Terzian Breakfast

i attended the most interesting networking breakfast this morning. i found myself sitting around a hotel banquet room surrounded by ceo’s, financial planners, lawyers and investment brokers and i was amazed at what “good” people they all are.

part of the format involved everyone standing up and giving a three minute infomercial about themselves. we had to discuss the front of our business card (name, title, company) as well as the back (family, hobbies, alma mater). what i discovered was that this group of incredibly established and well dressed individuals also give back to their communities in all sorts of ways. they support american cancer society, boy scouts, working wardrobes, gen next and red cross.

after living in such a cynical world, i cherish moments like these that are shot through with beauty and hope. and my belief that there really are more good people on the earth than evil ones, is reaffirmed yet again.

Familiar Faces

i love the familiar feeling of working somewhere long enough to walk into a room filled with industry folk and recognize half the faces staring back at you. as much as i cherish the challenge of starting new and find myself seeking out a fresh start as often as possible, i still appreciate this reminder that i’ve been somewhere long enough to establish a “reputation” for myself.

The Future’s So Bright, I’ve Got to Wear Shades.

i had the most incredible meeting today. i can’t say more on the subject quite yet but let’s just say i left feeling incredibly excited at the thought of the future.

now that’s a really good day.

Dino Facts

when i started working at fox sports net fresh out of college, my co-worker and very good friend and i had a regular breakfast date everyday. we met in the kitchen, filled our water bottles and added boiling water to our instant oatmeal packets.

one of the highlights of this daily ritual was reading the dinosaur facts on the bag of oatmeal. he’d quiz me one day. i’d quiz him the next. it was a pretty inane activity but one we both thoroughly enjoyed.

i no longer work at fox and unfortunately, my friend and i don’t eat breakfast together on a regular basis anymore but i still eat my oatmeal everyday. and i think of him every time i look down to rip that packet open.

and no, quaker oats has not changed their packaging one bit in the past 10 years! go figure.

Sleep. Beautiful Sleep.

6:30 am: wake up

7:00 am: fall back to sleep

8:00 am – 10:00 pm: repeat

after a memory walk, i can’t think of a better way to spend a sunday.

Remembrance Ceremony

one of my favorite days at work each year is memory walk. one of my favorite parts of memory walk? our remembrance ceremony. it’s a chance for everyone to come together and remember someone they lost to alzheimer’s disease or honor someone still battling it.

i don’t know why but i’m always amazed to see those candles (or flashlights) light up in unison. seeing a group of people together in one place with nothing in common other than the fact that they’ve all been touched by this insidious disease is startling. and inspiring.

Hamachi

i love hamachi or more commonly called, yellowtail sushi. i love the buttery taste that melts in my mouth and i especially love eating it in the company of my husband. it just happens to be his favorite type of sushi too.

we’re so different yet so similar when it comes to the things that really matter – like ordering sushi!

Four Eyes

i love my glasses. an object that was once a huge point of contention for me has grown into one of my most prized possessions. perhaps it’s the fact that this time around i don’t actually “need” them to see. in fact, i can get by just fine without them although they make the glare from the computer screen and the magnitude of my headaches each day much more bearable.

so, i mainly wear them when i’m clickety clacketing away at work but every once in a while when i’m feeling extra professional, i sport them at a meeting. no one else may notice but i swear they give me that, “i’m older and wiser than i look” thing.

Peas. Pods.

one of my most inspiring and inspired friends stopped by for dinner tonight. as usual, we spanned the conversational spectrum touching on topics personal to us as well our shared desire to change the world. we planned, plotted, brainstormed, researched and we dreamed.

we dreamed big.

this is one of my favorite aspects about this particular friendship. we are as different as night and day in style and lifestyle choices but when it comes to leaving the world a little better than we found it, we are as similar as two peas in a pod.

Isn’t it Ironic

i popped in the alanis morisette acoustic album on my way to work this morning and immediately flashed back to a late night many years ago. a good friend and kindred spirit and i were driving back from a long weekend at the orphanage – pre husbands and kids. we were talking incessantly about our love for alanis and how she just “understands” all of the insecurities and emotions that naturally flow through a woman’s body so well.

we got so fired up that we had to detour and find a target to buy a jagged little pill album since we didn’t have one in the car. we spent the rest of the trip singing at the top of our lungs – full on lilith fair style. it was one of those silly yet empowering moments that i really can’t explain well now. the great thing is, i texted said friend this morning and simply wrote, “acoustic alanis…thinking of you.” and she immediately knew what i was talking about.

One Down…

day one down of what will be a very long and busy week.

baby steps.

Succulent Mama

my mama has picked up a new hobby, gardening, and she’s recently taken a class on all things succulent. i can’t decide what made me happier today, seeing how excited she is about her newly developed talent or taking home the beautiful arrangement she made special for me. i think it was the first but i can’t lie, i really love how the arrangement looks in the center of my patio table.

The Perfect Snooze

i took a nap in the most comfy chair today with a nearly perfect bedmate. it was facing the wall of open glass doors at my parents house overlooking the pacific ocean. the sun was shining brilliantly and a light breeze blew on my face. bella (my parents’ maltese) lazily dozed at the top of the chair near my head. at one point, i opened my eyes slightly and she was looking back at me.

and in that moment, i knew we were thinking the same thing.

heaven.

Music to my Ears

mike and i had a typical friday night “in” tonight and it was glorious. we (i) typically end up a little tipsy, dancing around the house to my favorite songs but not tonight. i recently lent my ipod to a friend and since mike’s playlists consists of more workout tunes than dance songs, we had to get creative.

so, we surfed the music channels of our directv. the themes are brilliant. everything from Be-Tween to the Boombox, Coffee House Rock and Reality Bites. as we were traveling down memory lane to our junior high years and the days of grunge, i flippantly said “i really want to hear paul simon’s ‘you can call me al’” – a favorite song of ours ever since we were awoken in the middle of the night to a car full of friends dancing in the middle of san francisco’s chestnut street three years ago.

not five minutes later i flipped the channel to Classic Hits Blend and guess what i heard…you got it! and it was the beginning of the song. is there anything better that that?

Hands on Me

for the past month, i’ve been going to physical therapy to correct what years worth of bad posture has done to my neck and shoulders. i’m learning some really great stretches and exercises to strengthen my back but i can’t lie…my favorite part is the massage!

over the course of my weekly appointments, i’ve made friends with the guys (physical therapists and their aides). i’ve learned about their girlfriends, roommate problems and alma maters. well, i realized that we may have become better friends than i thought because my hour long appointment lasted nearly two hours tonight!

i may have noticed that the massage was longer than normal and i admit it…i didn’t say a word. instead, i just kept my mouth shut and silently encouraged them to continue talking (and massaging).

Let’s Get Physical

sometimes i have to drag myself to the gym and other days i find myself speeding down the freeway to get there. today was one of those days when i all i needed was the chance to sweat it out.

and damn, it felt good!

This is My Town

i went to my first dodger game of the season tonight. they got their tushies kicked but i had a great time nonetheless. it’s been a really long time since i’ve gone to a game with just my parents. typically, there’s always a fourth; usually mike, my sis or uncle tris. while i clearly love their company it’s fun to get my mom and dad all to myself once in a while and tonight, i soaked it in.

New Friends

i have made two amazing friends at work and one of them brought a smile to my face today without even trying. she’s typically the pinnacle of calm and class; qualities we all admire in her.

but not today. today she got a little fired up.

i love that we’ve become close enough for her to trust me with the “other” side of her personality. and between you and me, while i respect the calm and class, i kind of adore the feisty side of her a lot!

I Left My Heart in San Francisco

i was reunited with my old city today and it felt really good. a little sad but really good nonetheless. after spending two weeks a year there growing up, five years in college across the bay and a year and a half living in the heart of the city, it’s become my home away from home.

every time i drive over the bridge a rush of memories come flooding back. childhood days spent sleeping under the desks at the sf furniture mart, extended stays at the park 55 and villa florence, dinners with my parents at the house of prime rib, sorority parties at sinbad’s, lazy afternoons with friends at sam’s….and then there’s mike.

it’ll always be our town. the place we fell in-love. the city we hope to return to someday. in the meantime, we’ll have to settle for the occasional visit.

Why Is It Great To Be a Girl?

because we get to host bachelorette parties for our friends.

seriously, many of my favorite memories originated over bachelorette weekends. the laughter, the drama, the fun, silliness, dance parties, gifts. altogether they make for an unforgettable couple of days.

it doesn’t hurt to see someone i love take center stage either especially when she’s always the first in line to celebrate everyone else. ah, how i adore this bride-to-be!