Everything I say is fascinating.

A Moment of Honesty

I am twenty five. This year I will have been out of college four years, the same amount of time I was actually in college. Scary. I still don’t know what I am doing. Since I graduated I have had three jobs none of which have been linked together. First one I worked for a medical company. I got laid off because there wasn’t enough money in the company. My boss told me this as he was picking out a new decorating scheme for his office. Bastard. My second job was in New York where I worked for the devil in advertising. No really. I was the fifth person in said position since January. I started in August. I lasted till December. I could have pressed charges for what he said to me. I now work at a church in their preschool. Something I never thought I would be doing. Kids? Me? Never again after this year.

I’m wandering. I’m tired of wandering. I have decided to get my real estates license. I hope this works out. People tell me, “Oh you are going to be so good at that!” I want to tell them; well what else you are going to tell me, “You are going to suck at that!” Sometimes I’m excited about this, other times I feel like it is a nail in a coffin. I’m just tired of drifting. I need to move out of my parent’s house because everyday it’s like a little piece of me that has grown up is dying on the inside. You try living seven years on your own and then having to move back. Not to mention that when I go to work my parents have said when will you back from class… as if I am still in high school. It sucks let me tell you.

I was looking at a friends pictures and he has been all over the world. He has worked in Korea, and Costa Rica. He has traveled all over and I find myself so jealous! Here I am doing exactly what I said I wouldn’t. I am living in the same city I grew up in. I have been toying with applying for this fellowship that involves working in London for a year. I guess I have been scared to do it. And to be really honest I don’t want to leave my cat. I know, I know, I know. What a HORRIBLE EXCUSE! And so pathetic too. The chances are slim but I will never know if I don’t try. I’m tired of being scared.

twentysomething

I am 25 about to be 26 in a couple of months and I was reading this article in Jane magazine called 69 great things about being in your 20's and it really resonated with me.

I'm going to name my top 10 from the article... feel free to post your own.

1. You can still say you are going to Cancun for spring break with a straight face (even if you've been out of college for 5 years.)

2.Frankly, I'm a free agent so I can do whatever the hell I want (like move to another state on a whim) as long as it doesn't kill me or inspire my friends to sit me down for an intervention.

3. All additional inappropriate behavior can be chalked up to a twentysomething "phase."

4. having a glass of wine at night is soothing. You don't drink just to get drunk.

5. When you experience normal aches and pains you don't get all paranoid like an old grandma and think, "Oh my God, I'm having a stroke."

6. Partying with your friends picking up boys, dumping them and then making fun of them with your pals while eating pie.

7. Trying different careers; I had seven different jobs in my 20's. I only got started on my "real" path when I was 26.

8. I can blow my rent money on shoes and purses and no one has to know but me.

9. You can make a big long list of all the books you want to read in your lifetime and still think you have a good shot at finishing it.

10. All of the 'I can do anything with my life' freedom and none of the 'what the hell am I doing with my life?' guilt.  (I'm struggling with this as you will see in my next post.)

classic melissa

Who buys all the ingredients but forgets to bring the recipe to the place that she is supposed to cook dinner? Me. So then someone else has to cook dinner because I don't know how. Perhaps not so stupid after all.

P.S. I have an all new 100 things on my about me page.

I think you should know...

My hair and I have had some ups and downs. It all started when I was about 10 years old and  I decided I needed a perm! My mother being the good mom that she was said no. I begged and pleaded and I think she almost stabbed her own eye out with a pencil just to get me to shut up about it, so in the end she said yes.  Before the perm I had super straight shiny model hair after the perm I think I looked like  the dude from Young Einstein. And don't pretend you haven't watched it because you know you have! Now in a young girls life this of course was devastating and I'm sure the first words out of my mouth were to my mother saying "How could you have let me do this?" Well obviously the only decision was to let my hair grow out and boom pretty hair once again! Only it never grew out! Since then I have had curly hair! And then in a fit of protest about two years later I decided to just perm my bangs. JUST THE BANGS!!! I looked like I had a birds nest sitting on my forehead. You want pictures don't you? I will try to find some but I think I probably burned them all.

It was in high school that I found out about straighteners! What? It's like a curling iron only it straightens your hair? I bow down to the man who made these and I would happily give him my unborn children. Soon I had it down to a science the whole hair straightening thing. And then came the whole decision of maybe I just put some highlights in it. We won't discuss the aftermath of that unfortunate incident. You would think I would learn from past mistakes, but about every three years I go through a cycle. I color may hair for a couple of months and then I dye it back to its original color. I think, that's it I will never color my hair again! Then three years later after it has grown all out and looks healthy and shiny I think perhaps I should give coloring a go again. This is where I am at now, month 2 of the highlights process and already thinking about going back.

I should also tell you that I buy shampoo solely based on the fact of will this make my hair smell pretty? I just purchased a new shampoo didn't even really look at what it does till I was in the shower today and that is when I noticed it said energizing! Now I have heard of hydrating and voluminous and these terms I understand but energizing? Is it going to do a little dance? Make a little love? Get down tonight? All I know is I'm going to a dinner party tonight and if it outshines me I'm going to be pissed!

Hot Zone Part 2

Well the pink eye episode is over, BUT there has been an outbreak of chickenpox now! Luckily I have already had it, but seriously the kids just had spring break how does this happen? The good news is none of the kids were in my classroom, but that is also the bad news because if all the kids in my classroom get it I would get a double spring break! Can you tell I love my job?

Always a Bridesmaid...

Yesterday I purchased my ninth bridesmaid dress. Yes ninth. That means that if Lori's brilliant idea was for real my next dress will be FOR FREE! Of course I am honored, hear that HONORED, to be asked but at this stage in the game when they ask me I just want to say what style number and what color because I probably already have it. Would you like a run down? I thought so.

1. A lovely red dress that I got to pick out! Very nice.

2. A  2 piece black  dress where I felt like was going to a funeral not to mention it was one size to small and I vomited right before we walked down the aisle.

3. A beige dress that made my boobs look way bigger then they are... that's not a good thing.

4. A dress that was hand made BUT they made it wrong! The top was to short and you could see my flesh! I had to hike the skirt up to my ribcage and safety pin it so that when I walked down the aisle with my escort I wouldn't show any skin. Needless to say I got rid of this one right after I took it off.

5. A lovely purple dress nothing flashy and I can still wear it so that's good.

6. Another black dress with some beading at the top. I liked this one as well.

7. A hot pink dress with black lining. I felt like a Mexican Barbie.

8. A very nice two piece with a silver top and black bottom. It made me feel skinny and really that's all that matters to me.

9. And finally yesterday I bought another purple dress with some beading at the top and it gathers at the side.

At least with this last dress it was my normal size, with dress number eight I had to buy it 3 sizes larger then my normal size.  I almost had a heart attack when I saw her write down the size on the order form.  I think she saw the look of horror on my face and she quickly said Oh don't worry honey this designer is known to make these dresses very small. I would like to write him a letter and tell him thanks for contributing to my eating disorder!

Green Shirts are for PIMPS!

Oh  my goodness I don't think my body has recovered from celebrating my Irish Mexican heritage, what you didn't think I was going to celebrate my fake Irish heritage?  Oh how little you know me.

Come on! A GREEN SOMBRERO!!! I wish I could say I wore it all night long but I didn't, because it wasn't mine.

It was his. Don't ask his name because I don't know. I'm lucky to remember I took that picture.

So we went to Sherlocks and it was fun till it got so packed I was started to get nervous. I mean wouldn't you in this crowd?

But It was a lot of fun and there was green beer which Jenny seemed to LOVE.

But the best part of the night was when we saw this guy and i mean we HAD to take a picture with him.

We were at sherlocks for about 2 hours before we decided it was time to hit another bar. And that is when things got really crazy. You would have thought we had never seen a camera before by the amount of pictures we took. We might have gotten a little out of hand.

Jenny apparently thought she was watching football what with her touchdown pose and all.

After this great night Jenny and I dragged ourselves out to the lake. 

where the weather was crummy but made for some good picture taking... i might have be having a love affair with my camera

There was a group of about ten of us and I'm not sure how the boys talked us into it but they convinced us  to get out on the "party boat" and go for ride in 50 degree weather!

Emily's idea was to drink a bottle of wine to combat the bad weather.

Patrick just tried to cover up

After this wonderful boat ride we went to dinner and then we went dancing at a place called Pardners. No not partners but PARDNERS! I am not exaggerating  when I describe this place to you as the dance hall from footloose. You know the one, where all the people are wearing flannel and the men are big and have huge mustaches. YES THAT ONE! We stayed 30 minutes and then left.

All in all it was a great weekend but I'm glad it's over. I'm not in college anymore but Spring Break 2006 is over; till next year when I act like I am still in college.

Kiss me... I'm Irish?

Okay so I'm not Irish but that is not going to stop me from celebrating this wonderful day. Green Drinks? Who can say no to those? You? I didn't think so. So a big group of friends and I are going to our local Irish pub Sherlocks where there is sure a good time to be had. I should tell you that I haven't gone out for St. Patty's Day since I was in college but that story is for another day. But I have thought it out correctly if I encounter another Ardell then I know exactly what to do. When the man in question asks me what my job is I have a good reply on hand. I will tell them either A. I work at Sonic or B. I work at Porter Louring which is a mortuary. I am confident that I have seen enough episodes of six feet under to bluff my way through this one. So bring on the Ardells of this world I'm ready!Now if you will excuse me I need to find something to wear to celebrate my Irish Mexican heritage.

Spring Break?

Last night i went out! ON A TUESDAY! I haven't done that since I was in college, but Jenny  (who is a teacher and is on spring break) talked me into going out and lets just say I didn't regret it. I'm not quite sure what is about the three of us girls (pictured below) that screams if you are nerdy and a big dork PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE come hit on us.

Jenny, Hilary, and I

At one point this guy whose name was Ardell (what kind of name is that anyway) came up to talk to my friend Hilary and then out of the blue turned and started CARESSING JENNY'S CHEEK! I wish I could explain or have captured  on film  the look of complete and utter horror on her face. Priceless I tell you. Ardell who I am not lying at all looked like Dwight from the office, and had the same personality as well. I wanted to take his picture too but I didn't want to encourage him for fear he might want to caress my face.

AND THEN out of the blue this guy comes and drops a full beer in front of Jenny and
says I'm just going to keep the drinks coming. Didn't even introduce himself just dropped the beer off and he looked like he could have been related to Kevin Federline. Say it with me gross.

The one and only... Dooce

Have you ever tried to explain blogging to someone who doesn't know what a blog is? Or have you ever tried to explain why you are diving an hour and half to meet someone who blogs? Because let me tell you how that conversation goes

Me: Oh I won't be here tomorrow because I am going to Austin.

Them:  Why are you going to Austin?

Me: Umm... well there is this famous blogger that I want to meet.

Them: A what?

Me: Well its a person who writes their thoughts and experiences on the Internet.

Them: On the Internet? So you are going to meet someone from the Internet?

Me: Uhh... yes?

Them: I don't get it.

Or it goes something like this

Me: I'm not going to be here tomorrow because I'm going to be in Austin.

Them: Why are you going to Austin?

Me: There is this writer I want to meet.

Them: Oh that's cool. Who is it? What do they write?

And then you are back to square one.

I had this conversation so many time on Sunday and the best one was with my friend Vanessa. Picture the conversation above and then my friend Vanessa saying you are such a nerd! And then she says in a quiet voice, " are you going alone?" And then I whisper "yes."  And she starts laughing hysterically.

So yesterday I drove an HOUR AND HALF to meet the infamous Heather Armstrong also known as Dooce. Her husband Jon was there, as well  her cousin George! It was the tight posse of famous bloggers. I met my friend Sarah in Austin and I dragged her with me. She was at loss to this whole thing, she just DOESN'T GET IT. I will slap some sense into her don't you worry.

I was one of the first ones there because I'm a nerd like that and I just kinda hung back and tried to get the courage to say hello. Before I knew it this long line had formed and I realized that I better get in the line or else I might be there for an hour just standing in line to say hello!

Sarah looking at the line clearly not "getting it."

So then I get to meet her and in a rare moment where I didn't sound like idiot we took a picture.

Yes that is a glass of wine in her hand... at noon on a Monday. I might love her a little more.

I got to talk to her for about 5 minutes and it was very nice and lovely. I should also mention that she had awesome earrings.

While I was waiting this man from CNET asked to interview me and of course I said yes. I might be famous. Actually I came out sounding like a huge dork but whatever. I feel that I have totally lost all my cool points with post.

It really was a great day in Austin and to top it off I got to meet up with my friend Colin who I haven't seen in almost 4 years! He now works for a very very very high powered real estate firm and sells multimillion dollar homes. I still see him as the guy who would call out my name and I would look over and he would then moon me. I fell for this EVERY TIME! I miss him.

But he told me he still moons people so not much has changed and that makes me happy.