busy busy work and friends

Started the day by meeting the Gold Line Press staff at school and stuffing/labeling envelopes full of Heather's new chapbook. Ended the day on quite the fun note with (MRB's home town friend) Sarah Engles who was visiting from South Bend, and we all went to the as-always lovely Getty Center and the Venice Boardwalk.

monday monday

After a very socially busy bunch of days, today's Memorial Day was just a day for watching Sherlock Holmes and Battlestar Galactica. I love my boy and our date days.

game night, bitches!

Nothing beats a good game night with friends, playing Apples to Apples and Cranium and getting Stewart Grace cranky when you stop him from berating your boyfriend about red card choices. And especially when there's pot luck involved and the pot luck includes chili, chinese broccoli galette, cheeseburger casserole (on the fly because the cheeseburger pastries didn't work out), orzo, salad, and other deliciousnesses.

the most magical world

Artur, Joanna, Fong, Alexis , Crystal and I were hosted at THE MAGIC CASTLE by the wonderful and magical Ruben Padilla and his lovely lady Carrie Specht, where we spotted my girl-crush Christina Hendricks. After enjoying a lovely dinner and an evening of insane, mind-blowing magic (which was especially mind-blowing for Mouse, who was "upset" because his scientific mind couldn't figure out the tricks), I can now say that the amazing Magic Castle is now tied with the Museum of Jurassic Technology for best place in LA.

the pretty inside the ordinary

Bryan and Mari's wedding was so lovely, especially the delicious organic catering by Auntie Em's and the amazing location (the Smog Shoppe) that looked like an abandoned auto-garage from the outside but inside was an amazing garden setting with living walls full of cacti and succulents. The ceremony was the quickest I ever attended, but heartfelt nonetheless, and I was so happy to hang with my friends, my love, and the always lovely and fascinating Aimee Bender.

terry terry bo berry

It's Terry Winningham's birthday, and we love him, and thus we don't mind dragging ass ALL THE WAY downtown to celebrate at a bar/pool hall where the patrons are patted down by security and which is decorated with mug shots from famous celebrities throughout time. Strangely, though most of the innocuous-looking dudes were frisked, Terry--carrying a pool cue in a case that looked like it held a rifle--was not.

fun wednesday

OMG: Bridesmaids was a really funny movie, and surprisingly had a few pretty slick moments of actual heartstring plucking. Well chosen, Joanna Jaroszewicz, on this substitute Fun Thursday.

ay caramba!

I went to my cousin Mike the chiropractor in the afternoon and I made fish tacos for dinner at night. Artur said they were the best tacos he's ever eaten in his life, and I don't think he was just being nice.

miscellany

I went to yoga and felt strong, then wrote a writing sample for Shmoop, hoping to get a freelance writing gig. At night, Artur and I ate pizza, mooned over each other in the restaurant, saw Diane Lane, and went to the Landmark to eat popcorn and watch "Everything Must Go" with Will Ferrell, which was quirky and heartfelt like I like my movies, but depressing like I don't like my movies.

polish mother's day

It's Polish Mother's Day and Artur's with his family while I catch up on Glee and send my mother flowers in solidarity. I'll be happy to see Muppet Danger Pants (aka Ania) later, though sad we're taking her to the airport to fly DC-ward.

beginnings and no endings

The Meghan Davis and Jason Mercer wedding in Palm Springs was very lovely, very stylish, very hip....hand-crafted cocktails (mmm) and Mexican buffet and a beautiful laced-and-leaf-haired bride and very hot sun and very intimidatingly cool video montages abounded. And while I'm unpleased that Artur and I didn't get to stay in the rented house with most of the USC people, what with the awkwardness of my ex-boyfriend staying in said house...I am EQUALLY pleased that the scheduled rapture / end of the world didn't happen.

weirdest wedding ever

So we went to Artur's sister's godmother's daughter's wedding, and while it was WONDERFUL hanging out, dancing and loving on the Flying Jaroszewicz Family, the whole event was perhaps the weirdest nuptials I've ever attended. The priest kept getting the groom's name wrong during a ceremony in which he constantly talked about how terrible marriage is, then the reception was TINY yet the J family--who is close but not SO close to them--made up a good fifth of the guests, plus the father of the bride basically forced me onto his lap and started playing with my ear until I literally slapped his hand away.

switcharoo

Fun Thursday this week turned into Fun Thursday with Sara Johnson and a homemade lamb stew, which was delicious, and which I made her out of gratitude that she'll be watching Special for a day while I'm away this weekend. In other news, I lost three pounds AND I'm back on track with cousin Mike at the chiropractic center, which is helping my terror-neck get somewhat less terrible.

i get by with a little help...

Another really annoying and unsuccessful round of dress shopping led me to beg Danielle for help, and she lent me three great dresses....but all of them are black, of course, despite my desperate attempt at integrating colors into my wardrobe. In news of my home life, Special has been a little allergic and upchucky, and Artur is my heart.

crash and earn

Every time I hang out with Josh Rivkin, I'm happy that I did. I'm proud of myself for convincing my tutoring client's parents that three hours driving around LA with their daughter and taking photographs for her final project is good use of their money, since it'll actually be fun.

spare

It's weird not having a schedule and being lazy on a Monday. Luckily I we at least went to yoga and took care of some errands.

who

Shopping for a dress with Jessica (Who) Ettman was cool, except for that whole not finding a dress thing. Also, Artur and I went to the Unitarian Universalist church to find some not-god spirituality, which was interesting--if not as hip as I'd hope--and plan on going back.

not a good money day

Artur got fired from his restaurant server job by his douchebag boss who screams and curses in the kitchen, which is so uncool. Also, four weddings to attend in one month is an unacceptable ratio, especially when three of the weddings will have many of the same attendees, thus necessitating new dresses.

friday the 13th

It's Friday the 13th, an all around bad day. Artur has a hangover, bad...one of those migraine type things, I'm worried about Lisa's marriage, and Jessica (Who) Ettman didn't pass the California bar.

all around thursdays

Fun Thursday was even more fun because Joanna, Artur ate one of my favorite fish dishes for dinner and then went to see the Groundlings (and I love their all improv shows on Thursdays.) Afterwards, Joanna and I watched America's Next Top Model while Mouse went drinking with his buddy.

hump

Im not looking forward to going to the vascular surgeon tomorrow, is all I'm saying. So I'll drown my sorrows in watching Veronica Mars, wishing there were more books of the Hunger Games series and eating healthy, WW approved meals and snack....which doesn't really sound like drowning anything, when you think about it.

aftermath (subtraction)

Kris called me about losing the Malibu money, and I'm upset about it, true, but not at him and Josh....they tried their best and it all just came up suck. Eun Jee came over sad, though, and we had better things to do than worry about money because she needed some relationship cheering up in the form of heavy drinking and dinner (which was fish again, but this time with fennel and olives.)

growing up is expensive

I suppose you're not really an adult until you and your family lose $25,000 and get fucked by a local government all in one sitting. Fuck you, City of Malibu.

sundays are for relaxing and not for traffics

Driving back from Elizabeth's wedding in San Diego, I was struck by several things, including that she looked lovely in her vintage wedding dress and that listening to Moth podcasts and TED talks while driving are potentially the most dependable ways I know to feel like a smart, good person. I also realized that when I'm away from Special for more than 24 hours (ok, honestly 12 hours) I miss him like crazy, if Artur and I have children we intend on teaching them at least as much (if not more) than the education system does, and that I really like traveling with my Mouse because we have fun everywhere.

CANCOX!

Elizabeth Wilcox got married today, and I'm so happy for her and Chris Cantwell. Our trip to (almost) San Diego to attend the wedding went well, even though we shared a room with a very drunk--though characteristically awesome--Terry.

solvang problems

Today Artur and I went on a day trip to Solvang, which should have been a two hour drive but--since we meandered and back-tracked and scenic-viewed--actually took five hours. Luckily, it was awesome driving with him, and awesome hanging out with the tattooed winery chick, and awesome eating an ice cream sampler and generally awesome being in love.

the return of Fun Thursdays

I'm so glad Artur's sister Joanna is back from Poland so we can resume Fun Thursdays, during which we do things like watch America's Next Top Model, drink copious amounts of Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc and cook sauteed rock cod over spiced broth and jasmine rice. Also, it was Artur and my six month anniversary, and I love him a lot...which is why we're kind of officially moving in together soon.

world's largest violin

I have post-exam confusion, which includes not knowing what to do with myself and worrying too much about everyone else's worries. Also, I miss my dad like crazy tonight: damn Biggest Loser episode with a proud father and his daughter, like, ruined me.

telling...

The Young Storytellers Foundation Big Show at Beethoven Elementary school was a startling success, not in small part due to the awesome actors who came out....but mostly because one kid ended his play with this lesson: "Never help a girl unless you know what her problem is." On the down side, though, the whole experience kicked my ass, and hard.

The good with the bad

Osama Bid Laden is dead, and people are acting like hateful, war-mongering fools...inviting retaliatory attacks.

Also: ABD!

Desire

I've given up starchy carbs and sugar for a while, and am only craving starchy carbs and sugar, which isn't a shock. Tomorrow I want to be able to post a Facebook status update that simply says: ABD.