out

Normally I avoid this whole topic of posting, but: today at work we had a server out. Which means no email. Which means basically everything comes to a grinding halt. And this is where you find me, my friends. Helpless and alone, sobbing into a tissue at my desk while debating how to make my microwaveable lunch more exciting, and hoping that somebody somewhere gets their act together and FIXES MY EMAIL. Oh and everyone else's in this building. With 37 floors. And many many people on each floor. Thanks.

Today is my last day at work for almost a week, and then I have a week off to celebrate my big 2-4 tomorrow, and generally have some time off to relax. In the sun. Because I will be leaving this city (and my magically delicious husband, SOB) while I can, to escape what Mark Twain rightfully labeled "the coldest summer", aka my personal hell. Sunshine and pools/rivers/paradisaical oasis, here I come.

weddink

2 hours into our drive home last night, I was silently thanking God for giving someone somewhere the idea of coffee, and simultaneously thinking that driving home right after Tim and Chelsea's wedding may have been one of the worst ideas Nolan and I have had. Thankfully, we made it home...at 4:30am. Needless to say, we came in and dumped our stuff on the floor, fed Milo, and then slept deeply until about 1pm. Happy Sunday.

The wedding went off without a hitch--complete with grandma telling the happy couple (while kissing) to "keep going all night", the bride's little brother dancing barefoot on the dancefloor at the zoo while pounding back a bottle (of Martinelli's), and a rousing rendition of Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" that involved the entire wedding party and crowd swaying and holding each other.

I think I was a bit too rushed to honestly enjoy being in SoCal for the weekend. We were rushing around getting last-minute stuff done and trying to survive the heat while Lisa's AC went out just in time for the ceremony. Sweet. It's no small miracle that our makeup didn't sweat off. Our bouquets on the way to the reception weren't as lucky. Nolan and I also decided that being in the wedding party is way better than just going to a wedding. Not only do you get to stay busy and get to be in all the fun pictures, but you get first pick of everything...like food. And seating. And everyone lets you cut to go to the bathroom.
Not to mention quality time with the bride and groom:


Congrats, Tim and Chels!

Today after waking up, I had to run to the store for more catfood, and feed Milo again, since he probably didn't ration the food we gave him for the weekend and has been starving since Friday. Sigh. He was pretty excited about his new food:

...and he still tried to steal our corn on the cob at dinner. Shame.

driving!

We're off to SoCal to enjoy weddings and sunshine! Hooray! Hopefully the drive down with go quickly...

nothing

Today I will be attempting to hook another reader into my twilight love-affair. My learner needs to start a new book to help her reading, and I thought immediately of the captivating and easy-to-read Twilight. Hhhhhhaaaaaa hopefully she'll love it and I can continue the obsession! In other news, I think I'm going through free-time withdrawals--I've been literally spending hours clinging to Nolan on the couch or just laying, spreadeagle, on the bed with Milo and staring at the ceiling because I feel like in those times, I can really just do nothing, and enjoy relaxing. GASP. I've forgotten how to relax! I crowd my schedule with things, and then deny myself just time to sit around and do nothing...which Nolan highly encourages for my sanity. Maybe it' time I start listening. Tonight's date night: a good opportunity to test out my relaxation skills!

plus and minus

As we've realized our errors (cost-wise) in booking tickets to Europe, and how we could have done it much better, N spent hours on the phone with the airlines, and we concocted a plan to save money and have more time to enjoy Europe, with less cost and less travelling. This plan also involved us dropping Scotland from the picture (and therefore our friends, the new Campbells, SOB!), but included the adding of Amsterdam (Holland) and, if time allows, Brussels (Belgium). So we'll see what pans out, but other than finding places to stay and things to do, the Caldwells are pretty much planning on going to Europe in October the same way we did to Costa Rica in 2007--by the seat of our pants, with no restrictions or hard dates. Ahh, the freedom. We also gain more luggage room by taking the train everywhere. Now accepting requests for French wine...

I feel like updating everyone with recent activity would be a huge bore, so I think I'll skip it this time, and just apologise for the lack of posts, and also say that I am counting down the days til Thursday when I get off work to head to So-Cal with my beloved for a long weekend. Lots of sun, friends, wedding, ahhhhh. Also I have a two-day work week next week, so who wouldn't be looking forward to that! More to come...

Graduating

Alarm goes off, door flies open and Nolan comes running to bedside: 6am

A: Hghghhgck. Go away!
N: Wake-up time! Starts loudly singing Pomp and Circumstance while peeling back the covers.
A: Ugh! Stop singing! Flails fists at N.
N: What! I am singing you the marriage song! It's sweet!
A: Stops. That's not the marriage song, that's the graduation song!
N: Oh. Well...congratulations on graduating from bed!

hallo?

As it turns out, the US really jacks up prices for Americans wanting to travel, and turns a profit on yet another item. Who would have guessed (sarcasm). I can buy plane tickets to travel within the UK from American websites for $300, but can get them on British websites for $100. I guess America's just trying to replace all the money they threw in the giant money pit in the desert last year (more sarcasm, followed by a bitter sob). Or maybe the US is just being the US. Figures.

Maybe we'll move to the Netherlands afterall.

two birds

Since Nolan got his motorcycle gear and actual bike, I have been longing to have my own stuff. So we ordered a jacket to keep my torso from being burned off if we crash, and a helmet, to keep my brains all in one convenient location, in case the coroner wants to test the gray matter for rabies.

Pardon the cheesy self-portraiting. That's the best I can do when I'm here with nobody to take the picture for me. I have a half day here at home, because several coworkers and I are going to Sacramento later to see our DC there. Fun times! It just means that I won't be home 'til around midnight...hence the early post here.

ps-Nolan is a good driver and I don't really think he is going to kill me :)

Also in the background of that picture you can kind of see our new down comforter that we got...not that something like that is normally worth writing about, BUT: we got it at while on our Costco date last night (heh), and not only is it super oversized and keeps us SUPER warm with a lot less bulk on our already-huge bed, but it comes in a lot of colours AND was only $26. I feel like I stole it at that price. Point being, it's worth looking into for those of you who have large beds and want the world's most amazing comforter.

Down

This has been a terribly exciting, and exhausting weekend. Be ready for way more pictures than I usually post, but not enough to fully capture everything. Let's begin with Jennie's wedding. I got there early early on Friday morning to do makeup and help out the bride, and pick up the groom and bring him to his wedding (haha), since he's a Scot and doesn't know the roads. Here's our girl wrapped in her sheet to protect her dress, right before we put on the veil and she became Mrs. Campbell (EEE!). Gorgeous!:

Other than her promising me that she hid "akinisaho" somewhere in their giant wedding crossword puzzle at the reception and me never finding it in there, I'd say the day was lovely and perfect. Congratulations, Ross and Jennie!

Needless to say, after that, Sam and I relaxed a bit, and I had some of my wedding champagne while I washed the car and generally decompressed:

What can I say, that's how I roll ;)

Then this morning we woke up early and drove to Lodi for some SKYDIVING! w00t w00t! Me and my dad and Nate all jumped out of a plane tandem with an instructor, and plummeted towards the earth from 13,000 feet (almost 2.5 miles!), at 120mph. My cheeks were flapping in the wind all the way down! Here are a couple pics:



More big news: when I looked in the mirror this morning, I saw this:

GASP. If you can get past how greasy my hair looks, you will see a GRAY HAIR. If you can't really tell that it's silver, just TRUST ME. Now I'm positive who's genes I got. PANIC.

We capped off the weekend by celebrating my mom's 50th birthday at Joe's Crab Shack with the family (minus Nolan and plus my bro's gf). I can't believe the old girl's...old. Haha, just kidding mom ;)

Proof that she's eligible:


All in all, a fabulous few days, but I am ready to see Nolan and not drive for a little while :)

cherry potter

Smmmmhhh! The fruits of the season, fresh from the farmer's market across the street from work:

I sucked on these all afternoon while preparing for my long weekend in Pville for Jennie's wedding! Tomorrow at 7:30am, I will be there in the middle of all the getting-ready hubbub. Man, I remember that. Having my cousing blowdry my hair that morning because I couldn't do it fast enough, cramming into the bathroom with 6 or 7 other girls all getting ready, forgetting to eat breakfast, trying to avoid the camera in my face every 2 seconds. Good times.

Sad to say, the only pic I took from the bachelorette last weekend was this one:

...and as you can see, it proves nothing except why my mother's plants are all wilting.

Nolan asked that Milo stay with him this weekend, so I guess they've been bonding behind my back? Or he wants a chance to murder him before I get home. Hmm. I'll call frequently >:-)

I discovered this site today, and I would highly recommend it when you have too much free time (heh), as it has gems like this:

"Guess God had the first mobile phone

Was only to be expected that he would have the first mobile phone. Guess this is what he sent to Moses to tell to the people. Got to be honest with you though I still don’t understand it. Ain’t up for the whole text, or txt, speak. LOL.

1. no1 b4 me. srsly.

2. dnt wrshp pix/idols

3. no omg’s

4. no wrk on w/end (sat 4 now; sun l8r)

5. pos ok - ur m&d r cool

6. dnt kill ppl

7. :-X only w/ m8

8. dnt steal

9. dnt lie re: bf

10. dnt ogle ur bf’s m8. or ox. or dnkey. myob.

M, pls rite on tabs & giv 2 ppl.

ttyl, JHWH.

ps. wwjd?"

Status Updates

Anneliese is:

...loving that the sun just went down...at 9pm.

...relaxing after a fancy schmancy dinner with coworkers.

...wondering why people take 'roids.

...excited for the long weekend and Jennie's wedding!

...hating people who steal other peoples' FedEx packages.

...thinking that Milo may be mentally retarded after all. He purrs when I clean the sink and when I put on my earrings. Both of which have nothing.to do. with. him.

...waiting for her husband to get home so she can spoil him...he makes her day <3

...

scuttling

I'm in the middle of one of those dangerous battles, where my body tries to tell my brain that I should probably just go home and play with Milo and Nolan instead of hitting the gym first, but my brain says that I'll have more energy and feel better about myself if I run for awhile. Also, concludes my brain, being in better shape means a viable end to the walk of shame, when I gallop to catch the muni, and can't quite make it fast enough. Even when I do make it, I sit down and huff for awhile and try to catch my breath. I'm sure drinking less coffee could only help with this. Sad, pitiful, weakling me.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEurope!!!

I can now officially say what our other plans are: We're going to Europe in October for 12 days! My wonderful husband bought our tickets yesterday, and we'll be taking a 12-day jaunt to Scotland, possibly Ireland, England, and France! EEEEE! Expect a lot of updates as I plan out the details and go buck wild exploring Europe via the internet.

Milo finally came home to us this weekend, and was so depressed that he cried all the way home in the car, and slept the entire day AND night when he got here. This may be a good thing, as the incessant meowing finally met its match in his severe depression.

A Vending Machine Journey

I often take a mid-afernoon break and walk myself down to the break room, wherein lives a vending machine. I put in the few quarters I have, and then take a few moments to painstakingly decide on the one item I will choose to keep my engine going throughout the day. Then I enter the numbers and OH MAN is this nerve-racking, because what if I type them in wrong, and end up with a bag of stale cookies? Or worse yet, GLAZED PEANUTS. I think this situation is pretty common for my life as a whole; putting in money before I've made my decision and then freaking out about maybe not putting in the right combination to get what I want, and what would I do with freaking glazed peanuts anyway, figuratively speaking? Then I spend days and weeks and months waiting for the repercussions of that decision, and of course even if the right item is in the works, what if it doesn't work out? What if it is too far back and doesn't fall off the rack? Or the most dreaded: what if it gets stuck on the hooks. And I know this happens because once I got two bags of Doritos because some sucka had his bag get stuck on the hooks, and mine pushed it off along with the one I paid for. I gave it to the guy behind me, though, because a.) if you pick up money off the ground, you shouldn't keep it, and b.) nobody should eat two bags of Doritos in one sitting. Then lo and behold, what happens next is glorious, when I know I have picked the right combo to get what I wanted, and can spend a few delicious minutes savouring my victory. I was pondering all this while I waited for my snack today.

And then I sighed, reached into the drop box, grabbed my bag of baked cheetos and walked back upstairs.

Coffee Idolatry

Officially I am ready to retire, and go travelling all the time and build sandcastles in the summer and eat fresh berries and sit with my feet in the river...

...but for now I am doomed to another 40 years of wandering in the corporate desert. There had better be more than manna, yo.


This weekend I am heading up to Pville again to have a last hurrah with Jennie, as she gets married next weekend (holy crap!). I would expound on the wonderfulness that we are going to experience, but all she knows so far is that we're picking her up on Saturday, and that she should bring her swimsuit...because the forecast right now says there will be lightning storms.

Mad World

Finally joined the elite club last night of Donnie Darko fans...not only am I afraid to be alone now in case I either hallucinate a giant rabbit or time-travel, but I can't stop singing "Mad World", and have secretly re-developed a crush on Adam Lambert's voice, since I have had his rendition of it on repeat pretty much all day.

...even with the intense and lingering feeling of "wtf" following watching the movie, I already can't wait to see S. Darko!

My motorcycle jacket came today! And I look awesome in it, but will wait to post pics until I get my helmet...ugh.

Tonight I made Milo's Casserole for dinner, a dish I invented the first week we moved here, and had limited ingredients in our kitchen, heh. It's actually pretty delicious, so let me know if you want the recipe...you know, in case you also only have rice and cream of mushroom soup in your kitchen and need to impress someone. For dessert I tried to make Northwestern Passage, a mix of apple cider, butter, and brown sugar...which sounds awesome in theory, and smells awesome, but somehow I think the butter just reminds me of popcorn when it's going down, and I feel greasy afterwards.

Murphy's Law

I guess it makes sense that I would be so excited to get my motorcycle gear, only to find out that one of the items is on backorder, and it just so happens to be my helmet--that which I ACTUALLY LEGALLY NEED to ride on the back of Nolan's bike. I guess until that finally is shipped, I'll just parade around the house in my motorcycle jacket wistfully.

Nolan is winding down with his dreaded rotation that he is on right now, and has been desperate to get more sleep and be able to spend a day working on a new rotation. He usually vents by either cocooning himself in our covers, or by sitting on the counter and whining, or like this morning, singing every sad rap song he can think of loudly, complete with dance moves while he gets dressed. This morning as I was putting on my makeup, I heard a building verse from "Gangsta's Paradise" getting louder and louder until the bathroom door swung open and Nolan pointed the airsoft gun (unloaded; I hide the ammo because of these such instances) at me, still singing the chorus. Hhhh. Hospital, I implore you.