Stuff and Things

1.  I did not get laid off, but many did and the workload is going to be INSANE.

2.  The doctor thinks I may have "Gastroparesis" which is why I get "sick" so often. Neat. I see a specialist next week.

3.  I was recommended to do a 3-day juice cleanse to detox my system.

4.  I am very frustrated with John, and I don't know what to do. Don't have time to worry about it.

5.  I kept seeing a white line appear and disappear on my ceiling that drove me nuts. Couldn't figure out where it was coming from or what it was, and one night stood on top of my bed and yelled at it. Don't tell anyone, they will lock me up and throw away the key.

That is all for now.

Great Quotes

“Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow.”

-Norman Vincent Peale

“Don’t count the days, make the days count.”

-Muhammad Ali

“Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”

-Abraham Lincoln

If you’re going through Hell, keep going.

-Winston Churchill

“Any guy can love a thousand girls, but only a rare guy can love one girl in a thousand ways.”

-Anonymous

Kids, Disneyland Meetups and My Exhausted Ass

VERY busy weekend, OMG. The kids (I have 3 now you know, Bill, Erica and Robby, who call me "Mama Cheryl".) came over Friday night, Sat, and Sun. I took them to see Apollo 18, they ate me out of house and home (bottomless pits!) and we swam and watched horror movies. Really good to see them, but poor grandma followed after us cleaning most of the time. LOL. She says they like coming to see me because I am "one of them".

Today I had my second "meetup" at Disneyland. The people are great. This meetup thing was at the advice of my new therapist, she wants me getting out and making friends instead of stressing and hanging out in my own head. We met for lunch at the Blue Bayou, then did all our favorite rides. I am getting *really* spoiled with my new friends, I don't have to wait in ANY lines! Someone always has either a VIP Card or a Guest Assistance Pass (for handicaps/illnesses) which gets us right to the front of the line every time. I don't think I can go back to being a normal visitor!!

I am beat.  I have to go back to work to relax!

Me and John

OK so its hard to take cell phone pics when you're drinking. Sue me.

DMV Hell

Did I tell you about the whole mess I had with the California DMV? Where I had to go back, like, 8 times and wait 3 hours because each time some stupid little thing was wrong. Like, for instance my birth certificate says one thing and my old driver's license said another thing and I may have burned my marriage license and my divorce paperwork said I was going back to my maiden name, and so on and so forth. So, then once they MADE me change back to my maiden name and gave me my license, they spelled my name wrong, and I had to go through the WHOLE FUCKING PROCESS AGAIN. It took me 20 minutes to explain to the English-is-my-second-fucking-language government worker that they spelled it CHERLY instead of CHERYL. He did not see the problem. It was like talking to someone who had just smoked an entire joint. THEN, I had to go and RE-DO and re-pay-for my registration to be done in my maiden name because dumb me got that done first before they had a cow that I couldn't prove I had been married.

So, now that I have to change 60 million things into my new name with less than zero time to do it, I figured I would go next to the Social Security office. Fuckers. I had a 5-minute wait, ALL my paperwork, and GUESS WHAT? "I'm sorry, but you need either the original or a certified copy of your divorce paperwork." FUUUUUUCK! The original got lost somehow in the move to California that I had a whole 3 weeks to do, and everything was chaos. So, I had to call my lawyer who has to call the court and now I will have to wait another 3 weeks. And then I will owe my lawyer more money, and they charge like, 50 dollars a minute.

Everything in my life is this way. I will tell you what. I'm keeping this name. If I ever get remarried, (stop laughing), I hope he is an understanding guy because I'M NOT DOING THIS AGAIN!

When someone drives you batshit crazy, does it mean you're in love?

Or should you run like hell?

Holy crap on a cracker. He takes about 8 hours to answer a text. Literally. Sometimes I won't hear from him for like, 2 weeks, and then he seems confused that I am irked. He has a smile that makes me forget my name. He can talk about a subject for 45 minutes non-stop (just him talking) and then, without warning, change the subject to something completely irrelevant and random. For example: Last night we were driving, and he was telling me about his take on the presidential candidates. It was intense, then all of a sudden, we pass a street called "Kitts" and he says, "How do streets get named, anyway?  Who came up with Kitts? Is that someone's name? I want to name a street. How do I do that?" He looks over at me inquisitively, like I have the answer to this. I just blink at him and say, "What?" He is completely serious and waits for me to answer him.  He does this all the time.

Then there is the whole I'm usually right yet he never listens thing.

Phone call:
John: I'm leaving now.
Me:  OK, meet you in about 45 minutes.
John: No, it should only be about 30 minutes.
Me: Oh? Usually, it takes you 45 minutes or so.
John: Not this time of night.
Me: K. (rolling my eyes)

47 minutes later he arrives.

Driving and lost:
John: Uh, I think I did that wrong.
Me: Uh, yep.
John: Isn't 2nd street up to the left?
Me: No, I think you make a right up here, then a left.
John: No, I think it's left first.
Me: I don't think so, the ocean is over there, so it has to be right to get back out on the main highway.
He makes a left.
John: Crap!
Me: (giggling) I told you.
John: Yes, OK, you were right. You are right about lots of things.
Me: Yes, I know. You hate that don't you?
John: No. Yes.

But then at the end of the night (well, usually around 4 am or so) we will be sitting in his car, and he will lay his head on my chest and hold on to me like a lost little boy while I run my fingernails through his hair, and everything that seemed wrong in the world will suddenly seem right and I will feel more peaceful then I've ever felt in my life.

What am I going to DO with him?

We are both emotionally unavailable, yet I think he needs me as much as I need him. We are both commitment-phobes at this point in our lives, yet we keep seeing other. 5 months now? He will completely tick me off, but I will keep it to myself, then he will ironically and spontaneously say something so incredibly sweet it almost doesn't seem real and I have to stop being mad at him. His kisses are so sweet and good it almost pisses me off.

What the hell?

Overwhelmed

I've been feeling a little bit overwhelmed lately. Work is busier than it has ever been, and with the looming layoffs everyone is stressed to the hilt. If I stay, but lose one of my guys, it will be back to 60-to-70-hour weeks for me, and I just don't know how much longer I can run at this pace. I'm tired. I really want a personal life, but I don't see how that will be possible. Yeah, they pay me a lot of money, but is it worth it?  As it is right now, my laundry is piling up, my bathroom needs to be cleaned, my car needs to be washed, I need an oil and lube, I need to return some items to a store, blah, blah, blah. Just thinking about all of it makes me want to take a nap. My back and shoulders hurt from the muscle tension and I'm getting a headache. I hardly ever get to see John which sucks. His long-time business (mortgage broker) is as you can imagine, not doing well in this economy and he is all kinds of stressed out too. Plus, he lives all the way up in LA. Bah! But we are going out tomorrow night and I just want to lay in his arms and forget all this crap.

Where there is a will.

So, I have this Disneyland annual pass, but no one I know has one, and it is quite difficult to get people to spend 100+ bucks a trip more than once or twice a year. SOOOO, someone turned me on to "meetup.com". Fabulous! I just joined two groups for annual passholders; people just like me who want to make friends with other passholders and spend more time at the parks! I go on my first meetup on Monday. I got the day off from work!

FIZGIG!!

So, I was channel surfing last night and ran across the movie "The Dark Crystal". It is kind of a disturbing Muppet movie that is so weird it is AWESOME. My favorite character is Fizgig, the little dog-like pet or something. He ROLLS, that's how he gets around. He is a big fuzzy ball that rolls and growls and throws tantrums. When I throw a fit, thit is exactly what I look like. I have two forms of expression, completely intense, and completely silly. Just so you know.

Lasciare Andare!

Translation: "Let Go" or "Allow to go". These are my "words". In Italian. Because I love everything Italian. So, I watched the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" and despite the bad reviews, I enjoyed it. There was this thing in the movie where everyone needs to choose their "word" or "words" and I thought it was profound, so I thought about and chose mine. In order to be free, you need to "let go" or allow all the things paralyzing you in the present go by the wayside. It is an ongoing practice for me, so Lasciare Andare!

Speaking of Italian, if I get to keep my job (and even if I don't), I have begun to save for a trip to Italy. This time next year, if life allows, I will be blissfully partaking of an experience I have wanted all my life.

Weirdness

I got into my car this morning to drive to work. (Yes I still have a job.) I rolled the window down partly. A spider crawled in and onto my hand. I looked down and saw the spider and just stared at it walking around on my skin. I did not let out a blood curdling scream, I did not smash my hand into the dashboard or fly out of the car jumping up and down, all things that would normally occur given the circumstance. I did NOTHING. No fear, no reaction, nothing.

HOLY GOD IN HEAVEN WHAT IS HAPPENING???

I have arachnophobia. Bad. Usually. I have hurt myself on a number of occasions trying to get away from spiders that are smaller than lady bugs. What happened today totally, completely and utterly shocks me. It cannot be explained. Something is going on with me.

Monkeys Say, Monkey Do

They are doing big layoffs at my company, so we are hiring our own replacements.

Regret

I would rather regret the things I've done than the things I haven't done.

Dating is Weird

 O.M.G., I found this blog today LOVE IT! http://datingisweird.blogspot.com/

One particular post sent me into hysterics, especially this post:

Dating Is Weird: An Open Letter to the Love/Hate Boyfriend

Horse Racing and Other Random Things

So, I went to Los Alamitos Racetrack last Saturday night, and it was really super fun! The horses are so beautiful, and I kept winning!  Woo! Then I lost.  LOL. Also, I BBQ'd carne asada, took a pic of Mags doing her platypus stance, and had my nails done black and tan. How is that for random? I know my last post was rather cryptic, I didn't mean it to be. I received a letter that was written in a way that really made me really think about some things in my life. In particular, it made me reflect on my recent status with John. Although I really like him, I may be letting him get away with behavior I shouldn't.

Am I Crazy?

I'm not so sure about this recent boyfriend thing. It's not fear, it's something else. I read something tonight from someone I can't disclose that made me really stop and think. It was the most incredibly written letter, written in a way I cannot even describe. It was beautiful but so different. Intelligent yet hilarious. It ignited something in me that I thought was burnt out forever. Hmmm. Crazy. I wish I could share, you would see what I was talking about.

What's on your bucket list?

I have had a "bucket list" since I was about 15, way before the movie came out. Over the past couple of years, I have been able to cross a few things off like "Go to NY", "Own a pool", "Reach a [specific] salary goal", etc. Whenever I cross something off, I add something new. Today I added "Go to Italy", "Fly a helicopter" and "Drive a race car". The pic is me jumping out of an airplane (hanging from the strut) which was the very first item I got to cross off my list way back when. Tell me something on your bucket list, and if you don't have one, make one now!

Life in Cali is Rough

Moving here to start my life over was the best decision I have EVER made. Things are going so well in every area of my life that it is starting to make me nervous!

So, Johnny said he is going to take me to Vegas. My second mom is actually there right now visiting her son and she has been telling me about her adventures on the New York New York rollercoaster, kayaking, zip-lining, etc. It sounds so fun! It was funny when I had the "Where have you been around here?" conversation with John.

John: "You've NEVER been to Vegas?!?"
Me: "Nope."
John: "OMG"
John: "Palm Springs?"
Me: "Nope."
John: "Santa Barbara?"
Me: "Nope."
John: "Please tell me you've been to San Diego."
Me: "Not since I was a little girl."
John: (with his hands on his head) "Holy crap, woman! We have some traveling to do here!"
Me: "Yes we do!"

Cheers!

The Captain

I splurged and bought a box (OK, two boxes) of the best cereal that ever existed. Captain Crunch! I loved it as a kid, and I still love it! No other cereal even comes close to being as awesome as Captain Crunch. Even the name is awesome. Crunch Berries! And you know what? It isn't as many calories or as high in sugar as I thought it was! Justification! Wheee! I remember my mouth hurting after eating so much of it as a kid. I'm much tougher now. I also just discovered the best restaurant. Oh. My. God. I had the Filet Oscar and it literally melted in my mouth. It was a culinary orgasm. It has been a really good week.

Off the Market?

John kept me out until 3 am. On a work night. I kept telling him, "I gotta go, I gotta go!" and he kept saying "10 more minutes". Yeah, he is hard to resist. The status of our relationship was confirmed last night when I asked him to "define" what he meant by saying I was "his girl". He declared that it meant he had no desire to see or be with anyone else but me, and that he would be a "fucking idiot" to let me get away. That statement coupled with his earlier statement of how I am "such a good woman" and he did not believe a good woman existed in Los Angeles, and, well, how do you say no to that? And he is such a good kisser. LOL! So yeah, he wins. He is totally cool with my guy friends; in fact he said, "Be friends with who you want, flirt with who you want, I just want to be the guy you're with at the end of the night."

So, there you go, I'm taken. Off the market.

I'm on my 6th cup of coffee. It's not working.

A Mom Story

A mom story for you. So it wasn't until my father passed away in late 2007 that my mother was willing to get a cell phone like a normal person. It took her awhile to warm up to it, but I can even get her to text occasionally now. I still can't get her to buy a smart phone with a qwerty keyboard or internet access, but at least she's workin' what she's got. What is funny is that she used to make fun of me who won't even go to the bathroom without my phone, and now SHE is THAT attached to hers! Last night I am watching TV and she comes downstairs from being on the computer. She walks into the kitchen, and I hear her start to giggle. I look up to investigate and she is holding my wireless mouse in her hand. She thought it was her phone.

Not much else going on except I'm hanging out with John tonight. He just texted me saying "See you tonight Honey". Honey. We've been seeing each other for a while now, but I'm still not used to that. I'm a walking issue.

Crazydogmama's Favorites

I’m always getting asked about my favorite this and my favorite that, so without further ado, here is a random list of all my recent fav’s! I am picky about everything, but when I find something I like, look out!

FOOD AND BEVERAGE

Crow’s Cocktails – Long Beach, CA
John introduced me to this dive bar on our second date. We LOVE it and usually at least stop by every time we go out! The perfect mix of interesting people, the music is not too soft/not too loud, the bartenders are VERY entertaining and attentive, they pour good drinks, and if you need a cigarette, you go just outside the front door and you will meet some real characters. If you can get a seat at the bar, you will be in people-watching heaven; as this place is standing room only by 10 pm. John and I like to try and guess what’s going on with the people we see, like, “WOW, desperate housewife” or “He is going to break up with her tonight, look at their body language!” Also, it's a great place to make out.

Tantalum – Long Beach, CA
This place is AMAZING. The décor, atmosphere, view, food, everything! I was so impressed. Best calamari I’ve ever tasted, and OMG, they have a “Meat Lover's Bloody Mary" which is a combo of tomato nectar, beef jus, Absolut Peppar, beef jerky, bacon & blue cheese olives”. My coworkers introduced me to this one.

5 Guys Burgers and Fries – Huntington Beach, CA
YUMMY! Cajun Fries! Raw Jalapeños! James took me here on Saturday, then I told my mother about it and we went on Sunday. Not good for the diet, but good for the soul!!

STUFF

Brighton Collectibles – Irvine, CA
Some really cool and unique accessories! (Jewelry, purses, wallets, etc.) Pricey, but good stuff. I want the heart necklace and the silver ballet flats!

Smashbox Cosmetics – Online or Sephora
I have tried every type of makeup you can think of, and Smashbox ROCKS all of them! My favs include: Full Exposure Mascara, Halo Hydrating Perfecting Powder, Limitless Eyeliner and the Nude Lip Pencil.

Bliss Hand Cream - Sephora
It smells good and it works! ‘Nuff said!

Jessica Simpson Shoes – Online or at DSW
Don’t cringe. These are some seriously cute and comfy shoes!

ACTIVITIES

LA Boxing – Lake Forest, CA
Great people, great workout, great fun! For those of us who would rather stick bamboo up our fingernails than walk on treadmill.

Lobster

Not the kind you eat! I spent all day at Huntington Beach yesterday with my friend James and holy hell, my face and chest are blistered, and there is a small section of my tummy that is beat red. I look completely retarded. The pain! I don't want to take a picture of myself because I'm afraid the flash will hurt! It's also very itchy. Stupidity.

The Bowlers

I took the kids bowling. Bill bought an old bowling pin, and we all signed it to commemorate the day. Good times. Erica and I went to get a mani/pedi for girl-bonding time. :-) Surviving 3 kids (young adults) for a long weekend is like surviving the apocalypse. LOL.

Hangin' out by the pool.

So far, the weekend has been great fun! Perfect weather, good food and relaxation. The kids had fun goofing off in the pool, my friend James came and hung out, and my two moms told me that if I put their picture on the internet, it would be "my last conscious act". LOL!

Big Changes!

The first couple of photos are the old kitchen and family room, with popcorn ceilings, an olive-green tile countertop, a hanging wicker light, grass wallpaper, wood paneling, dirty carpeting, an ancient television, furniture that has seen better days, gold picture frames, plastic panel lighting over the kitchen, and appliances from the 60's and 70's.

In the rest of the photos, you'll see a much-needed remodel with a new leather couch, an electric fireplace, a big HD Smart TV, new paint, crown molding, recess lighting, laminate flooring, black granite countertops, and a new sink/gas stove/dishwasher/faucet. It turned out beautiful!

Stress Less, Weigh Less

I've been focusing more on peacefulness and happiness rather than just straight weight loss. Honestly, I think it is half the battle. Holly Mosier agrees with me. I picked up this book at Costco, but I've actually met her. She owns the boxing gym I go to here in LA.  A very gorgeous 49-year-old woman.

Yes, eating right and working out hard is necessary too, but if you are all stressed out and unhappy, you get nowhere. TRUST ME. When I first moved here, my cortisol levels were through the roof!  It has taken me a year to fix my thinking and chill out, and a bunch of weight fell off. Not all of it, but a good start.  When you are happy, people gravitate to you, too. I just talked to John who is all stressed at the moment and the first thing he said was he wished he was here with me because he doesn't feel stressed when he is around me. I think it was our third date when he hugged me, laid his head on me and said, "I just wanna BE with you."  It made me feel so good. Probably why I like him so much.

Anyway, it is a process, and it doesn't come naturally, but it does work if you keep trying. I played with a Cairn Terrier puppy yesterday. My mom thought it would wig me out and make me start crying, but it didn't. Puppies are good for the soul! Then I went to see "Super 8". Fun flick! I took some pics of the new kitchen and family room. I will post them later.

3 Men and a Crazydogmama

OK, it's kinda 4 men now, but then the title wouldn't be so brilliant. An explanation? No, I'm not a Ho. Well, I guess if I slept around I would be, but I don't. So there!

John is great. I am incredibly attracted to him. He is totally sweet and fun. One problem. He is kinda AWOL between dates. Not much communication. I don't know what he is up to and I don't ask, but my intuition tells me he is a bit of a playboy. I could be wrong, but I haven't been yet so I listen to myself. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt for now because he is, well, a GUY, and he has had car trouble lately (apparently), but the whole "boyfriend/girlfriend" thing was never truly discussed soberly so I'm not closing down my inbox just yet. and WOW. As soon as you start dating someone you are really into, the pheromones start pumping out through the top of your head, and all the dogs come running to sniff, I tell ya!

Joe is back in my life (kinda). James won't give up. And, Mike, he be the new guy. My mom said, "Are you in some kind of love triangle?" to which I replied "Uh, no, it would be a love pentagon."

Never in ALL my life did I EVER think any kind of scenario even REMOTELY close to this was possible for me! Wheeeeeeee! :-)

Thank GOD I live with my mother.

I know there are women out there balancing a career, children, a household and a social life, and quite frankly I don't know how you do it! I am only balancing a career, a social/dating life and occasionally I do stuff around the house like a load of laundry. I am busy ALL THE TIME and there is no way in HELL I could do it alone. I don't know how I did it when I was married. Well, I didn't, really, that was all an epic failure as you can read about the archives.

Mom, thank you for all you do! She does the grocery shopping, most of the cleaning, the watering, and is managing the house remodel and takes care of the dogs. She is also my receptionist, counselor and event coordinator. I am not embarrassed to admit any of this, because it is just the plain truth.

My mother is an amazing woman and I love her so much! Go mom!

Yes ma, I'll clean my room. :-)

Out with my peeps.

Mailbag

I thought I would take the time today to share some of my responses to emails of late.

Question: "Wow! You get a lot of dates! What is your secret to attracting so many men? I am recently divorced also, and I think I'm pretty, but I hardly ever get asked out."

Answer: "Hi, thanks for emailing!" I have to admit, this question shocked me! I see my love life and experiences with men as a disaster from the word go, and to think that someone feels I have a "secret" when it comes to men is such a compliment, so thank you! I guess I would have to say this is what is working for me: Be happy with exactly who you are and exude that confidence. Have a busy life full of things YOU want to do, don't wait around and pine for men. Have no expectations, enjoy each moment for what it is; not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Smile A LOT and have fun *consistently*, men hate moody women. Don't be a man-hater. Men are great! They are a lot of fun and they have emotions and feelings just like women. DO NOT ASK MEN OUT, AND DO NOT CALL THEM, EMAIL THEM OR TEXT THEM UNLESS IN RESPONSE. LET THEM PURSUE YOU. (This is a really important one that I learned the hard way.) Look the best you can each day but do it for yourself. I am not thin. I am not the prettiest girl out there. I don't have the most expensive clothes or jewelry, but I think I get asked out because I know who I am, am laid back and friendly, and I'm not desperate or needy. NO DRAMA! A nickel's worth of free advice: If you don't get called, or asked out again, it isn't rejection, it is simply that he didn't feel a "connection". It isn't his fault OR YOURS, it just wasn't meant to be. I hope this helps!! Good luck!"

Question: "I just read through quite a few of your blog posts and see that you have truly been thru a lot of crap! You have (are) handling it so well (it seems). How did you cope with so much so gracefully?"

Answer: "Hi, thank you so much for the nice compliment, and thanks for writing! Well, honestly, it hasn't all been so graceful on my part. I had some pretty major meltdowns, and some days it was an effort just to get up and breathe. I was in intensive therapy for about a year, and I had the BEST therapist EVER. He helped me so much. I tried to focus on the fact that no one is out to get me. I am not cursed. Life just happens. There is nothing wrong with me, and I'm not unlucky. I've made mistakes and so what, everyone does. I've learned from them. Life is too short to be angry or jaded or depressed because I truly believe all the people who have crossed my path blessed me in some way. I am the person I am today because of ALL the things in my life. I have no regrets. I honestly hope my ex is happy, I miss all my loved ones who have passed away, but I know they are no longer in pain, and they have left me with love and good memories. I have all the reasons in the world to be happy and hopeful about the future and I am continuing to better myself in some way on a daily basis.

Oh, you wanna know how the date went, dontcha?

I know you are all on pins and needles, well, because my life is just so damn interesting. Ha!

Well, we watched the sunset AND the sunrise. ;-) Yes, it was a very nice and romantic evening to which my heart fluttered every time he kissed me and touched my face. The beach was beautiful and quaint. I am enjoying every minute of this and not letting myself get wrapped up in any expectations. I don't spend time analyzing what his intentions with me are, and I'm not asking. There is no hurry; if it works out, it works out, if it doesn't, it doesn't, although I do really like him and have incredible chemistry with him. He is a very good looking, successful 46-year-old man who says all the right stuff, does all the right stuff, who has never been married and has no kids, so being certain that he is my knight in shining armor would be a little unrealistic and stupid on my part, I think. I am not even 100% certain of our status as a couple, and that's OK. He keeps calling me, he keeps asking me out, and apparently, he thinks of me as a "goddess".

As we were checking out the beach scene, a group of VERY attractive women walked by us.

Me: "WOW."
John: "Yeah, they're hot, but you're a goddess."
Me: (smiling) "A goddess? Uh huh, yeah."
John: "Don't kid yourself. I'm a guy, and trust me, you are incredibly sexy. That, along with intelligent, successful, fun and a total sweetheart."
Me: (Somewhat speechless) "Um, well, thanks. I've been called a lot of things; Goddess is a first."
John: "Well, you are."
Me: "OK, let's go with that."
John: (laughs)

So, although it sounds like I blog every detail of my life, that is not accurate, there is soooo much more. Lots of stuff going on in my life. Sorry, but some things are just mine to keep. ;-)

Damn Damn Damn Damn Damn!!!

John is still having car issues. Crap! I have to wait until Saturday now to see him, but at least we can spend all day together then. I am so impatient, though. Arg! It was cute when he called, he is impatient too. ;-) And he is too gentlemanly to ask me to do the driving. He kept telling me how much he missed me. I think he is going stir crazy without his vehicle. He has his own business and works at home, but he is stranded. I'm all dressed up, too. Bah! Figures.

In other news, I'm now planning a Vegas trip! Woohoo! I've never been there, so this should be fun! A friend of mine (Annie!) turns 40 at nearly the same time I do, so us and a big group of friends are thinking of celebrating in Vegas. Viva Las Vegas, baby!

Teach Me A Lesson

That's what my co-worker (friend) Connie ("Con") said to me the other day. She started with "What in the hell is up with you? You're acting like you just won the lottery or something, so who IS he?" So, I told her about John. Mario was listening of course, so I had to tell him too. Mario said, "Well, at least this one doesn't look like an axe murderer." to which I glared at him. Con asked me if I wanted to borrow her 5-inch stilettos. Jay, one of my direct reports said, "Cool, my boss is getting some action!" I smacked him. Con then gave me her ruler to smack John with. While I was busy texting (Johnny of course) my mother asked, "So how is lover-boy?" Lover-boy? So yes, this is the shit I get when I tell people about my love life.

John's car should be fixed by Wednesday night, and in his text today he wrote, "I will call you the SECOND I get my car back because I need to see you. I miss you." So sweet. Purrrr.

Are you nauseated yet? Don't roll your eyes too much, this is MY love life we're talking about here. Anything and everything can (and usually does) happen, and I am quite aware how full of shit guys can be. BUT, this is why I am probably feeling so laid back and happy right now, I am just enjoying the moment for what it is without thoughts of the past or the future. I have a new favorite saying, "It is what it is." LOL, so true.

He said he wants to spend Thursday evening on the beach, walking along with the sunset. Time has almost come to a complete stop for me. I can't remember looking forward to ANYTHING as much as I am looking forward to this and the minutes are draaaagggging along! AAAH! Thursday night may as well be in 2016! I am almost 40 and never once in my whole entire life have I ever had a romantic walk on a beach at sunset. Ever. It may sound stupid and cliche to you, but if you were me, it would sound a whole lot different, I promise you. I've never really experienced romance. So here I am, trying this again. 388th time is a charm!

Shopping Spree, Johnny, and Me!

HOLY CRAP! I spent a small fortune this weekend on MYSELF. Clothes, shoes, makeup, jewelry, lingerie, bath stuff, coffee, DVD, and hair stuff. It is sad when you spend more on girlie stuff in just a few hours than your boyfriend (pictured) did on getting his transmission fixed! I can do some damage when I want to. But I've got to look good for my new man, right? Gotta love Sephora! Jewelry is from Chico's. Shopped with Mom 1 and Mom 2, and went to "Islands" for lunch, then got an iced coffee. Ah, life is good. Finally. Time for a swim.

Nightstand

I couldn't fall asleep last night. I tossed and turned and finally decided to read. When I was stuck at the Austin airport, I went into the little airport bookstore and tried to pick out something interesting to pass the time. Nothing really caught my fancy, so I decided to pick out a book based on the cover. Stupid, I know, but sometimes I do silly, spontaneous things. The book on the nightstand was the one I chose. "Hold Still". When I discovered it was a "young adult" novel I was disappointed, but the disappointment didn't last long, this is simply a GOOD READ. The author tells the story with a lot of emotion, and I am really enjoying it. It is very well done, and I am impressed.

Kind of a Boring Ass Week

I slept all day on Monday (not getting home until 6 am will do that to you, HA), had a boring work day Tuesday, went home early on Wednesday because work was slow and I was tired, Thursday was uneventful except for talking to Johnny on the phone, but I'm bummed because the transmission in his car is acting up and he has to get it fixed and I don't know if I can see him this weekend, and now it's Friday, and BLAH! OH, WAIT! I got my driver's license, FINALLY. Yeah, I've lived here a year and just now got it and let me tell you how much I HATE THE CALIFORNIA DMV. They want every piece of documentation from my birth to my divorce and they wouldn't let me keep my married last name (not that I want to, but it is such a hassle to change everything) and made me change back to my maiden name because my birth certificate says one thing and WA license says another, and I *may* have had a bonfire to which my marriage certificate may have fallen into, and my divorce papers say I am switching back, and FUCK now I have 5 billion things I have to change.

The wood flooring is being put in at home as I type. It has been concrete for a week. I just took a pic of my desk because I'm caught up at the moment with my projects. I will be slammed again on Monday, but I'm in limbo right now.

I just realized that I haven't been sarcastic, bizarre or cheeky lately. I'll have to fix that. How about this. I sneezed hard earlier, peed a little in my panties, and since I didn't want to sit in my own pee the rest of the day, I took my panties off and now I'm going commando. Yup. That's how I roll.

Boyfriend?

Okay, it seems weird to even SAY that word! I haven't had a "boyfriend" since I was 21 years old! So, here is my sappy little story.

I have been seeing this guy named John. I don't know what it is with the "J's". My ex's name is Jim, and the last few guys I've dated have been Joe, James and now John. SHEESH! John and I hit it off right away online, then on the phone, and we had sparks on the first and second dates. Our recent date on Sunday was quite a night! He took me to Long Beach where we spent, well, pretty much all night. We settled in a little tiny (and very crowded) bar where we talked for literally HOURS. He had to sit very close to me in order for us to hear each other well and that set the stage for a great night of chemistry. We laughed and actually talked with other people in the bar we didn't know. When he had to order more drinks at the bar, he leaned far over and never let go of my hand. I KNOW!

Being that neither of us wanted to leave, we kinda kept drinking. A little bit too much. So, when the bar kicked us out at 2 am, we agreed we would sit in the car until we both felt sober enough to drive and be able to pass the .08 law. We were in the car until 5 am (even though I felt completely sober by 3 am). Now for the good part. So somewhere in the wee hours of the morning, the conversation got intense. If this was a line, I have to say he is the master. He said that all of his life (he has never been married) he has looked around (grocery stores, beach, restaurants) and seen couples, you know the ones, where you can tell they have that "connection". He said he would always say to himself, "Why can't I find that? I really want that." THEN he said, "but tonight, everyone in that bar wanted to be us. I was finally on the other end." Then he kissed me. :-) He definitely earned it. WOW.

After that he invited me to meet his family on the 4th of July and said he wanted to introduce me as his girlfriend. Dude.

Out Having Fun

Went out to a bar with my moms tonight. Did a little little dancing and a little karaeoke. LOL!

Got another date tomorrow with the same guy I went out with on Thursday. John. He seems to be very into me. we'll see. I'm just having too much fun!

Huge Slacker

OK, yes I know I have been a huge blog slacker lately. I will try to be better. I have been incredibly busy the last few months with an out of state vacation, work deadlines, the boys, men, friends, everyday chores and general laziness.

The house remodel is coming along great, and as soon as the granite counter tops get installed in the kitchen and the wood flooring goes in, I will take updated pics. It is looking SOOOO good! My mom has also been working in the back yard putting in flowers, palms, etc. People say coming to our house feels like a vacation in Hawaii! Nice! CrazyDogMama's Oasis! :-)

So, I was wrong, I didn't have a date on Sunday, I have one tomorrow night. Sunday, Thursday, whatever, LOL! I have been talking to him for a little while now so I'm excited to see how this goes. I have no expectations anymore, so it is less stressful. I just go out and have fun and see what happens.

Invaded by Teenagers

Bill and Robby came to visit me this weekend. I went up to LA last week to see Bill's play and they begged to come eat real food. LOL. We've been swimming and watching horror movies, and I made them my famous "Cheryl pasta". Bill's girlfriend Erica, who I love, is moving down in June. I can't wait! Not much else going on, work is crazy busy and I'm talking to two different guys. I think I have a date tomorrow.

Receiving a lot of crap at work.

So while I was in Texas, my friend Mario was staying with friends there, but had to stay with me one night at the hotel because they could not accomodate him that night. The hotel was gracious and brought him up a rollaway bed to sleep in as a guest, but when he called the front desk for something, they referred to him as "Mr. Wyatt", assuming he was my husband. LOL! We got a good laugh about that, and I called him by that name the rest of the trip. Well, Mario works for me, I am his boss. Work caught wind of this story and have now changed his name plate accordingly. OMG, the director of my department was laughing her ass off this morning, especially when I said, "Yeah, he is really my bitch now."