Alabama + Graffiti

This weekend, Bennett and I short-tripped it up to Lincolnton, NC for my Grandmother’s 90th (yes 90 years old!!!) birthday party. I owe him big for doing that with me, but we’ll get to more of that later….

This weekend started out horribly, with Friday of course being the worst day. So I wake up and I go to the gym, and I am SOOO proud of myself, because on Friday, for the first time in my life I ran a mile without stopping. I ran the whole thing. I didn’t run very fast (finished the mile in under 14 minutes though, which, is a huge accomplishment for me!), but I did it. I was so super proud of myself, and I was gonna rush home and tell Bennett that I finally did it, and then there is a message from my doc. He’s all like your blood is all messed up, blah blah, but to make a long story short, I had to go get some more blood drawn (my arms look like I shoot up on a consistent basis), and sit in that hospital forever. Then to make matters even worse, Target pissed me off. Which is almost the impossible task, because I LOVE target. But for some reason, their stupid printer isn’t working with the pictures. I am so upset, because I was in a very creative mood and I wanted to start a scrapbook for them.

And on top of all that, I wanted to stop by Caitlin’s new place to say hey,and show her the pictures I do have. Did any of this happen? No. By the time I got done with the blood drawing, and the no picture having, and the getting ready to go to NC, it was 2 o’clock, and time to pick Bennett up. I was in a pissy mood, and driving six hours really wasn’t going to help it. But we got up there and all was ok. Hooray for semi-road trips with Bennett.

Anyway, I knew that this thing was going to be awkward. I haven’t seen half of these people in years, and half of them I had never met. I have more family that I don’t know where they came from than anyone I know, I think. I didn’t recognize anyone, and it was like I was the black sheep. But not really, because Lincolnton, NC isn’t all that of a happenin place. I had second cousins with four kids and no husband. I’m not knockin on them, but it was a pretty big shock to me. Yeah, East Cobb snob turned Birmingham snob.

So now, I’m at work, mad, because if my pictures aren’t ready today, something bad is going to happen. Probably not. I am making another attempt at this running a mile without stopping..

Today’s happy list addition: Cherry Coke Zero.

I’m finding it easier and easier to add to my happy list: I don’t think there’s anything in the world that can make me unhappy right now!

Today’s happy list contribution: my hair straightener.

So tonight Bennett and I are having dinner with Dan and Caitlin; bennett was dan’s best man, and caitlin is super awesome. I’m so glad that they moved up here. They moved up here a couple weeks ago from montgomery, and I couldn’t be happier that they’re here. I finally have a girl to hang out with! And she’s only going to be working a couple blocks away from me, so I’ll have a lunch mate too!

They really are cool people, and I am looking forward to getting to know them better. This weekend, another weekend with something to do, we’re going to my grandma’s 90th birthday party. I don’t really want to drive 6 hours for it, and 6 hours back, but I know it’ll make her happy, so I’m gonna suck it up. And I don’t want her to die without ever having met Bennett. She needs to meet him! wink.

Anyway, that’s all for today. I’m holding down the fort at 28th street, so at least I won’t be here till 6.

Except that sometimes I really think he is a 21!

I was reading through some blogs and absorbing some of the misery that people tend to write about, because most people only write when bad things happen to them, which I am guilty of a million times over. Read the prior xanga blog if you feel it necessary to not believe me. But then I came across this one girl’s blog, and she wrote about how she made a happy list, and writes down something on it every day so she can be a glass-full kind of girl. So my one thing that makes me happy for today…..

Bennett. And I really mean it. I’ve become so mushy lately about him, but I think it’s for good cause. He really and truly makes me happy. How can you go on vacation with someone for an entire week, spending every minute with them, and not be completely sick of them by the time you come back?

But I’m not. In fact, I miss it. When things are slow, we’ll sometimes write emails back and forth to each other at work, mind you, keeping it in moderation so I don’t get in trouble. I am absolutely crazy about this kid. I couldn’t have asked for a better hand!

Oh! I’ll make today’s entry two happy things: John Mayer will be performing in Atlanta for his summer tour. I take back all the nasty things I said about him before his second leg was posted.

I am finally back from my week long vacation of awesomeness. I never knew that I could spend so much time with someone and only want more when I got home.

We left out of Atlanta on the 25th, and went down to the beautiful island paradise of Aruba. Yes yes, the place made famous by a girl who didn’t live too far from where i’m writing this very post. But this is not some crazy crime-ridden island; it could have happened anywhere. I won’t bore everyone with all the little details, but I’ll give some snippets, and possibly some pictures down the road.

Got into Aruba on Sunday, and since most places are closed on Sunday there, we went to this fun little restaurant called Mulligans. It sits close to a golf course and this thing called the Infinity Pool (which I will get to later,) and it was soo good. Went to bed early; everyone was tired from the traveling, but then the next day we were all up by 6. Went down to the beach all day, and had some dinner. Went to a grocery store, where we proceeded to buy the week’s liquor. That night, between the four of us, we drank an entire bottle of tequila in margaritas. Needless to say we would not be getting up at 6 the next day.

So on Tuesday, we went to do some sightseeing. Just a little of it, then it was off to the beach. Then to Jimmy’s for some bar fun. This guy Jimmy, he’s Asian, and he rememberd my dad and step-mom from the last time they were there. We soon became good friends with Jimmy. Ahh, yes, Jimmy and his frozen concoctions. Wednesday, we did a little more sightseeing, and then it was shopping day in downtown Oranjestad. I really wanted to find an inexpensive yellow diamond ring, just for fun, but that didnt’ happen. $6000 was the cheapest, so I said, yeah, nevermind. Didn’t really buy a whole lot, but it was fun walking around.

Thursday….Bennett and Dad played golf, while I hit the beach. Yet again. They joined me later, and then it was followed by Bennett’s and mine cooking day. We made lasagna ( I should say bennett did), and then some more drinking, and then picture taking time on the beach…

Friday…Baby beach. Snorkeling time! This place is well-known for it’s great snorkeling, so that’s what we did. Got back, went to the beach, then off to the casino! Bennett and I won a grand total of $12.50, but at least we didn’t lose anything! We tried to understand the game of three card poker, but it was slightly confusing . Not like I really know how to play real poker to begin with. Oh, I think I got those days mixed up. I think Friday was Soprano’s bar night. It was. Casino night was Thursday. Friday night we went on this thing called the Mi Dushi tour. It’s on an old sail boat, and it was so much fun. Can you say open bar? Then after that, off to dinner, and then to the Soprano’s bar. Fun stuff.

Saturday, Bennett and I went to the Infinity pool. IT’s this gigantic pool with a slide and a swim-up bar. I had never gone to a pool with a bar in it, so I definitely had to check this out. Got a pina colada. yum. And then that night, we went to downtown oranjestad for some late night fun, but it wasn’t really all that fun. We got ice cream and went home.

Ahhh, I miss it already. I want to go back. 🙁

So it seems that God is going to make my last few days before vacation impossible to deal with. maybe that’s His way of telling me to be grateful for the days i’m going to have off, but whatever. there are so many things that are getting me down…mainly these last few days of work. it’s a hard location on your own, and i’m tired of running it without a boss. and i’m not a weenie, i’m tired. I cannot run this place, nor am i paid to do so. And i got myself trapped into doing sales calls tomorrow, and i’m soo not a sales person. all because of stupid joel… MAN.

so then there’s this thing on my finger. It’s not really a wart, because it it were, it would have spread by now. but it hasn’t. I’ve had it there since i worked at ruby tuesday and I blame the hot plates that I carried around there. But bennett has mentioned it more than once, and mind you, this is something that i never really noticed. I mean I knew it was there, but it didn’t really bother me much. I guess it bothered him though. so I’ve been wearing these wart remover things, because you couldn’t pay me to use over-the-counter burn off yourself things. no thanks. but these things aren’t completely painless either. they actually burn sometimes, so i guess the completely avoiding the burning thing can’t happen when you’re using something to take one of these off. i refuse to say it’s a wart, because it isn’t. maybe that’s why it’s not working….

anyway, I, in my musical prowessness, have found a new guy that I actually really like. His name is justin nozuka, and I bought his CD for $8 at some music store a couple weekends ago. i didn’t actually discover him, I found him on VH1’s you oughta know, but he’s really good. his song that’s on there is “after tonight,”. you should check it out on youtube or your song downloading thing of choice.

anyway that’s all. 30 mins and i’m out.