Ribbit

This week, Kamel and I have Alejandro (his cousin) visiting from Mexico. This week we are also sleeping in the new apartment amidst boxes and boxes and bubble wrap and luggage filled with hastily packed clothing. I am, to say the least, a little stressed out. But Alejandro is awesome. He is kind and polite and well-mannered. And if, when I asked him about girls, he didn't respond with "oh, I like all girls!" and then gave me a dashingly devilsh grin, I would try to convince some of my single ladies to pounce on him. That, and his location being in Mexico.

Every day for the last two weeks my days have gone like this: Get up, get dressed, eat breakfast in my car, drive to work, work, come home, make dinner/do laundry, eat dinner standing in the kitchen with kamel, pack/clean/move things to the new apartment, sleep at 10. I want to punch myself in the face/hide from the world for a very long time. And now, because we have guests in town the moving and the packing is being supplemented with outings and entertaining. All while the boxes stay boxes and the dressers stay empty. Did I mention I was a little stressed? And then guess what? Work looks a little something like this:

I know. I am in packing hell. But then on Monday, because Alejandro wanted to check out some apple products at the mall, and there just so happens to be a Brookstone in that mall, and we just so happened to wander into that Brookstone, I now have two pet water frogs.

Here is how that decision went:

Me: OHMYGOD FROGS!!!
Kamel: No. No way in hell.
Me: Oh pleaassse?? They will sit on my desk and I'll feed them and they only take two little pellets a week and they only need to be cleaned 4 times a year and it's only $35.00 dollars and I want frogs!!
Kamel: Ew. No Lauren! they are slimy and gross and ew! They'll be swimming around and I cannot have them in the house!
Me: *Big big big smile* Please?
Kamel: .....fine.... BUT I'M NOT CLEANING THEM! And if they get out it is ALL YOUR FAULT.
Me: YAAAAAAAY!! FROGS!!!!!!!!

Tuesday morning rolled around, the frogs were still swimming around in their tank, being all froggy, and I left for work. 1/2 way through the day I get this text message from Kamel: "BTW the frogs were kinda cute this morning."

I WIN!! I WIN!! I WIN!!

Thank Yous

Today I am grateful for:

-Pillow top mattresses
-Celebratory glasses of champagne
-Clean laundry
-Healthfullness
-Pet frogs that live in a fish tank on my desk
-New jeans that fit
-Managable hair
-Sloowwllyy crossing things off my life list
-Having good stories to write down
-Having things to look forward to

What about you? What makes you happy today?

He Probably Is

Thanks for the headsup, bathroom stall at Lucky 13.

Earthquake Friday

A fairly shaky, but remarkably short-lived earthquake shook the work trailer on Friday. At the HINT of a wiggle waggle in the earth, I, running on pure reflex, dove 1/2 way to the ground. With my butt still in the seat and both hands planted firmly on the ground, I realized the earthquake was over. So I hopped up, looked around asked my co worker, Scott, "was that an earthquake?" his response: "did you just fall to the ground?" No. No I didn't fall to the ground... I dove. Like the earthquake drill practiced Seattlelite I am. Plus I have a healthy respect for the Big Shaky and would much rather be safe under a large round table, than out in the open where the drop ceiling can tumble down upon me. I did, though, sustain a earthquake-fleeing injury. My coworkers, needless to say, did not.

When the big one hits you'll know where to find me.

Lauren Life List: Atwood

How much do I love Margaret Atwood? I love her!! I love her so much that last week I had a dream that she not only designed my wedding dress, but also sold it to me. In my dream I got to hang out with her in her wedding dress shop that had a lot of different types of compost buckets, because if you know anything about Margaret Atwood, you know she is both Canadian AND a huge environmentalist.

Anyways... one of my big goals on the life list is to read the ENTIRE WORKS of Margaret Atwood. And I am chugging away at it. This weekend, thanks to my real life friend Margaret, and her book swapping ways, I finished "Year Of The Flood", the 2nd out of a 3 set post apoclyptic book series. This book could easily stand alone. The characters are rich, and the plot is fresh and engaging without falling into the post apocolyptic cliche realm. Her books remind me again and again what one of my grad school professors used to ...er...profess to us: focus on character and the story will unfold. Atwood's characters are so tangible and unique, even her most bizarre plot twists seem feezable.

For my next reading adventure I need to take a little break from the Atwood, lest I overdose. I'm starting in on (finally) the 2009 Best American Short Stories. I've heard mixed reviews, but it's good to read short pieces when writing short things. It reminds you it's still doable.

Oh My

Well I had high hopes for filling last week with interesting blogs and book reviews (thrilling!) but then my life just spiraled into oblivion and soon I was on a plane to Seattle, napping on Kamel's shoulder.

Saturday involved meeting with the reception event coordinator and the chapel cooridnator from 10-1, becoming remarkably overwhelmed by just how much everything was going to cost and just how much we all needed to do to really prep for this circus wedding. I began to imagine the Big Day as being stacked with a to do list a mile long, all before 230.

After the morning of wide eyes and deep breathing (while kamel bounced around the reception venue saying "I'm excited! I'm excited!"), we - meaning my father - prepped for an extended family BBQ so that my mother's side could finally meet Kamel. Basically, the day was 5 days all crammed into one. Thankfully there was wine and beer at every turn, and we all coped nicely.

Sunday involved packing up my seattle bedroom to ready it for the pod, which arrived Monday morning. And thank god for Kamel, my father, and Claire who waited around for a bajillion hours for the pod man to arrive and then lugged (were currently lugging while I wrote most of this post) all of my furniture and boxes of books down three flights of stairs and into a shipping box. And now we wait until next monday. Ugh!! this whole month of moving thing has been a trial unto itself. My advice to anyone moving - as much as it sucks - do it in a week or less. The slow death of an apartment in favor of another leaves you furniture-less and with no place to sit or eat meals. It makes being home awfully lonely. But next week Kamel and I will really be home! Sitting on our couch! Cooking in our kitchen! And finally sleeping in my amazing pillow top queen sized bed. Oh the naps to be had!

Month 3

Today marks the completion of my third month being 25. The goal of writing every day has now become more like "let's see what we can do this month", because writing everyday - although awesome the first month, didn't really happen the second or third. But you know what I have done? Finished a short story called "Benz" and submitted it to (3) places. Woo hoo! I haven't submitted anything to anyone anywhere in 2 years! But now I have. And so begins the cycle of rejection. Sigh.

This weekend I bundled up my polka dotted computer and headed out to the land of CoffeeShop with Margaret for a writing date. And that is how productivity happens. I'm going to start doing that more - at least once a weekend. It will be easier once I get my desk back (yeah!! shipping all seattle stuff this weekend!), but even then, I think it's important to escape the house and the television and the internet to get some writing done.

You know what other ideas I've come up with? Maybe, possibly, starting in again on my novel. Oh that's right - maybe even getting it ready to submit to agents (she said with enthusiasm).

With running - it ebbs and flows. I've decided (with some encouraging from kamel) to begin running twice a day on days I have time to do so. I'm hoping it happens at least 2-3 times a week. It will help me look great for my wedding and also push me to improve on distance at an accelerated pace. And being outside makes me happy. I'll let you know how it goes.