helikedmyshoes | Entries tagged with forever in my heart (friends)

Florida was everything and nothing like I expected, and by that I mean everything that I figured would happen ended up not, and that was both good and disappointing.

We had a lot of fun, and it was wonderful to see my friends, and I am not at all ready to get back to real life. I wish very much that I was still on vacation with nothing to do but drink and laugh.

It will be nice, if a bit lonely, to sleep in my bed tonight.

As if today wasn't weird enough...at the gym I ran into someone who not only went to Purchase, but graduated the same year I did!!!

AND she was a dance major, which means she knew a lot of the same people I knew, including my BFF Jinny! And all the girls I lived with sophomore year who were also dancers.

How crazy. Purchase is a TINY school, most people haven't even heard of it. And for the both of us to end up in Chicago at the same gym...it's a small world, man. Her name is Allison and Jin says she's super nice.

She recognized me cuz I was wearing my old college sweatpants that say Purchase across the butt. Most people ask "how much?" when they see them. Because that joke never gets old.

Anyway, how weird is that? This is the second perso I've run into since leaving school that knows a bunch of people I know. My friend Matt, who I met out here, has a sister who is best friends with one of the dancers I lived with at school, and she also knew all my dancer friends and had gone to some parties that Jin held when she lived above us at the on campus apartments! This girl literally partied above my house and we didn't meet until Chicago. So random.

Anyway, yes, that is my story about Purchase. She teaches pilates, maybe I'll have to go.

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

(I really wish I had a How I Met Your Mother icon for this, must recify that.)

Anyway, we were out on Sunday drinking, and my friend Matt drags my friend Ted by the arm up to this girl and proceeded to play the "hi, have you met Ted?" game! It was brilliant.

Have you met Ted? Barney, you are my favorite.

I have literally done nothing today except sit on my couch. And it was wonderful. Seriously, I cannot tell you how much I needed this. I have not had two days off in a row since before Thanksgiving and I just needed to veg. Decompress. It was so good. I even don't mind the fact that I have to go back to work tomorrow. Much. I know I had things I should have done with my days off, but really, nothing was pressing and I needed to take this time for myself. I need to do that more. For myself. 2009 is 2000-MINE. Hee!

Monday night Adam and I hung out and had a sleepover, and Tuesday Beth, Ambrose and Jermaine came over and we watched Battlestar Galactica 4.0 and drank a lot of wine. I am watching Revelations right now and it is gutting me now just as it gutted me then. I am excited to see the journey end the way it's supposed to but I will miss it so when it's gone.

I also spoiled myself for the final Cylon. I'd spoiled myself for the Final Four too because I didn't watch the Season 3 finale until the show as out on DVD. I was going to go in completely unspoiled, and I will still be unspoiled for the rest of the show, especially the finale. But honestly, I never really cared about who the last one was, I just knew it would be interesting to see it unfold. It's what the final Cylon has to say and what answers we will get from it that I can't wait for. We'll see how it goes. One and a half more days!!!! OMG Work is going to be TORTURE on Friday.

I think I'm going to go read more Sandman and pass out. Back to the real world tomorrow.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah and all that jazz!

I hope you are all surrounded by love and joy and peace on this day. And family. Mine is in another time zone today, but I am spending the holiday the family I have made here and I'm happy and healthy and I made a kick ass lasagna. The sun is shining and everything is merry and bright. As long as I don't listen to Tori's version of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, I'll be okay. That song makes me cry when I listen to it, whether it's at Christmas or in the middle of the summer.

Love to you all!

So my 14 hour days turned out to be 16 hour days, and I still have a cold.

BUT I did get to see my friends last night when I should have gone home and to bed and I only had half a beer and drove a very drunk Adam and Ted home feeling like a soccer mom the whole way because they were in the backseat punching each other. Boys are weird. And then there was a game of dirty Simon Says which was fun! And too little sleep, but not because of *that* kind of fun...because clearly my body still hates me. I go on Yaz next week. Woo!

I have one more five hour shift tomorrow, and then two glorious days off. I need a break. I am drained.

I am watching Planet Earth and OMG baby bears are the cutest things EVER! I want! Maybe I can teach the cats to be as cute as baby bears. Wish me luck.

One day I will make a post of substance that encompasses the last, oh, two months. Oops.

Nabbed this meme from everyone.

Take a picture of yourself right now.
Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair...just take a picture.
Post that picture with NO editing*.
Post these instructions with your picture.

+

In other news. I CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM MY HOUSE will never not be funny to me. God, that sketch was the greatest thing I've seen in a long time.

I am going to be 25 in a week. God.

On Thursday night I couldn't sleep, I listened to 4 BSG podcasts and yelled at the cats for keeping me up, even though it wasn't their fault. Adam got a Blu-Ray player and we watched A Few Good Men, Terminator 2 and Outbreak in blu ray, and let me tell you, it is a great way to look at the world. I want one. I want lots of things. Materialistic? Me? Yeah, I should work on that.

I should also be in bed because I got no sleep and then worked 2 doubles and have a splitting headache and have to get up in a few hours to go back to work. I really just want to watch BSG for days. How can something be SO GOOD? I just don't understand. I could write a manifesto about how good that show is. I won't; it's bedtime.

Oh, I got to see Molly on Monday after not seeing her for like 10 bazillion years and we sat around and talked, and then got lunch and talked, and then got margaritas and got tipsy and talked, and then came back to my house and talked, and then napped and I like to think we still talked on a special brain wavelength. Molly, you are and always will be one of my very best BFFs. NOW MOVE TO CHICAGO SO I DON'T HAVE TO MISS YOU ANYMORE.

We played poker at Adam's on Tuesday, AFTER I had 2 margaritas at Chili Macs, and DURING WHICH I drank a bottle of wine and downed a lot of Midol and then was too drunk and nauseous and made Beth watch Spaced with me. I did get to try some of the Blue Label I bought Adam; that stuff is GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. And I don't drink scotch. But it didn't burn on the way down, which is my biggest complaint about liquor. Of course I would have the most expensive taste. No one ever believes me when I say it's expensive to be me. I like nice things. I need nice scotch.

There was something else I wanted to say. There's a bug on the ceiling and the cats are going nuts.

I don't know why, but my Diva Cup has been fucking up for the last few days. I love the thing dearly, and everyone out there who doesn't have one needs to get one. It just needs to start cooperating a little more. I don't like being paranoid about it.

Anyway, sorry for that. Had to get it off my chest. Like I said, the Kids in the Hall show was a blast. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. And it was nice to see the girls again, it's been a while since we've all been together. It might have been too soon to see Adam, I can't really tell. We were fine, and things weren't weird, but I think I need more distance before we can really hang in any capacity other than talking one on one. Maybe I'm just overthinking again. It was nice to see him. I think this whole fight is the best thing that could've happened to us. Maybe we really can be friends after all this.

I think I'm late for work. We finally got our new computer system put in, they've only been promising us for a year and a half that we'd get it. We've had the same system since the company opened in 1977. There is now only one man in the country who can fix them, and he's 70. It was time, no?

Here's my stop.

Apparently, drinking excessively and staying up until well past 6am for two mornings in a row are not good for your health, as I now have the beginnings of a cold.

It was worth it.

Excuse me, I have to sneeze.

I took Adam to see Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. He was not impressed. I loved it even more. I am absolutely going to reread all the books.

Afterwards Anna cut my hair and we had girly catch up time, and then we got in the car and drove around the city discovering neighborhoods we'd never been to before - Chinatown, Greektown. Then we went to the Golden Nugget at midnight and had french toast. We need to have more of these dates.

I am going to bed since I have been running on about 4 and a half minutes of sleep all day.

I went to bed at 2:30 on Friday, woke up at 7:30 when Adam asked me to drive him to work on Saturday, went back to sleep until 9:30, worked a 14 hour day, got home at 2, cleaned and packed then started the new Harry Potter, slept from 4 to 5, got myself to the airport, read on the plane, and hung out and drank with my friends all afternoon and well into the evening.

I don't know how I didn't die of exhaustion, but it was awesome. I hate NYC but I adore my friends. We're off to meet Steve for lunch in Manhattan and then who knows?

There are some days when life knocks you down and then takes out the baseball bat and starts swinging.

Yesterday was one of those days.

Besides the HOTEL and its various indiscretions, I got to work to find out one of my coworkers had passed away on Tuesday. I had just worked with him Monday and everything had been fine, but Tuesday he became unresponsive and then passed away sometime in the afternoon. There is speculation as to what happened (blood clot, drugs) but we won't know anything until they do an autopsy. His name was Ryan Gardner. He was 26 years old. He was a wonderful, funny, sweet guy, and will be missed terribly.

So work yesterday, as you can imagine, was not fun. We were all just kind of walking around in a fog because really, how can one care about burgers and chicken when one of our own DIED. Simply, you don't. At all. But we made it through, and I was all set for an afternoon off of going to the movies and then drinking with Anna and Julia. But Jess got sick, and I was the only person who could cover her shift. So I worked and made no money (really, that pales in comparison to death considerably, but it still sucked) and was cranky and bitchy and got an elbow in the eye for my troubles.

But then I got home and there was white wine waiting and Anna and Julia cheered me up. The day was one big circle, starting and ending with key lime pie.

The snow tonight is like the kind in fairytales. It feels magical.

Adam and I saw Pan's Labyrinth yesterday. Fantastic. I highly recommend it. It was devastating and uplifting, rocking betwen war and imagination, a beautiful, haunting film that was stunning and horrifying yet soothing. They are marketing it as an adult fairytale, which obviously cannot be as wholesome and sweet as a children's fairytale - the gore was all the more awful because it has no place in my perception of a fairytale. But all fairytales are about hope and bravery, and this certainly has its share. Go see it. It's incredible.

I met up with

_venus_ and her friend Keri for lunch today. Jessie and I finally met after meeting 7 years ago online. It's strange, all of you people who know me so intimately that I have never ever met. A lot of times that makes it easier to confess, because you are real but really only on paper because I don't know how your laughter sounds or even what you sound like when you speak or how tall you are when you stand next to me or what it's like to give you a hug involving arms and torsos and not 0s and 1s. But I know a lot of secrets, a lot of fears, a lot of hopes. I dare say I know you all better than most of my friends - I am proud to say it.

Anyway. Tangent. I met them downtown and we went to Miller's Pub for lunch, which was packed with Bears and Saints fans when we arrived but quickly thinned out. Jessie is adorable and crazy for wearing heels in Chicago in the middle of the winter.

ashley, she took a picture for you but I don't know how well it came out, hopefully I look like my hot self in it. ;)

I had the Bears/Saints game on while I studied, and I couldn't help but root for the Bears even though I hate football. I got caught up in the excitement of it all, I guess, I couldn't help hoping that the Bears would win, being the home team and all that. A part of me wanted the Saints to win, to bounce back after Hurricane Katrina and a 3-13 record and go to the Super Bowl the very next year, but I think making it to the championship game was not too shabby either. Adam and I talked about having a Super Bowl party, given the enormous TV and all. It will be different than other years, cheering for a team that I am constantly surrounded by support for. I still don't care, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy myself.

I am in the midst of studying my 140 page binder for my upcoming training week at Bandera. I have two tests every day of my training (there are 6 days), tests on the seating chart, the computer abbreivations, the appetizers, the soups, the sides, the entrees, the desserts, the liquor, the red wine, the white wine, the artwork on the walls and then I get to serve the GM and take a final written and verbal test.

I understand the need for such thoroughness, especially considering how much they pride their service and how big a part of the dining experience is it. Still, can we say overkill? None of the ingredients are listed on the menu, so I need to know EVERYTHING in case of food allergies or just for general questions, and each dish has between 6 to 12 ingredients. And there are about 40 dishes. THAT IS A LOT OF FOOD IN MY BRAIN. Plus the wines, plus the ARTWORK (wtf?). Yikes. No playing for Serena this week.

And now I am going to get back to work. I feel like I'm at Purchase again, though with less distractions. And by distractions, I mean blowing off work to drink with the boys. Sigh. Miss you. See some of you in two weeks!

I ODed on History Channel 9/11 documentaries on Tuesday. Seriously, there were about 6 hours of them and I was just transfixed. Finally Adam had to put on Scrubs so I could take a break. It was eerie.

I officially start work tonight. I go in at 7 and the press party for the grand opening starts at 7:30. I am beyond nervous. I will just keep going over my sheets, the menus and the drink menu, until I get this stuff down. Everybody's going to be new and unsure too - I just have to keep reminding myself of that. I'm also working tomorrow and Saturday, hopefully, as I'm only scheduled for Tuesday next week. I'm hoping to get at least 3 shifts here, but I've begun entertaining the notion of finding another job to supplement. Maybe a lunch shift somewhere so I can have some nights free to hang with the peeps.

Time to go meet Molly for lunch!!

torchthisnow: you popped out of your mom's birth canal clutching a bottle of beer, girl

reeni928: No, I popped out naked and I keep trying to live up to that

torchthisnow: you're doing admirable work

I was hungover for a good part of the day, and of course we were super busy. That always happens to me! To be honest, though, I'd rather be busy and hungover than standing around thinking about how hungover I am. Danielle, Aimee and Anna were all there suffering with me so it wasn't that bad, and it was just a madhouse today so it took my mind off it. I sold $2000 on the bar, which is crazy. Thank God, I finally made good money which is so what I needed with only 5 shifts at Rusty's remaining. I worked 9 and a half hours total, with no breaks for bathroom or food. I am exhausted.

Last night was a lot of fun though. I'm not a club person, but the place was really nice and the music was great and we all looked hot. I figured out I had 4 shots, 3 beers, and 3 Ciroc/Red Bulls. And no dinner. No wonder I was so trashed. I don't even remember getting into the car or most of the ride home, just puking out the window with the wind blowing in my face as we drove down Hollywood. I'm so classy, seriously. And then I puked on the neighbor's steps when we got home. My girls put me to bed and I didn't move until I woke up. Crazy.

Know what else is crazy? I only have a week and a half left. It still hasn't hit me, but I'm starting to get apprehensive. New town, new job, new friends. God, I'm going to miss my girls.

Okay, I'm totally out of it and my nose is running and I have to work tomorrow morning. It's bedtime. With maybe an episode of Rescue Me first. Or BSG. I have to finish S2 before S3 starts.

Oh, and I am so totally loving Snow Patrol's Chasing Cars. Seriously. Where have these guys been all my life?

I love this icon.

Don't look now, but I'm on my way to a club frequented by the likes of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Orlando Bloom, and Tommy Lee.

I KNOW.

Me at a club? Who are we kidding here?

The things I do for my friends.

Molly came over last night, and we watched the Battlestar Galactica miniseries and ate pizza and decided they should make a show called Battle Creek for all the melodrama that goes on on BSG and the tagline could be "Love is a Battlestar."

Just think what would've happened if we'd been drinking Rories.