Super Exhausted

...I seriously have no idea how I made it through the week!

Let's recap from last Friday:

Friday...headed into the city to tag along on a birthday invite a friend had for a get together at AsiaSF. This place is the epitome of *alternative* San Francisco nightlife. This is not for everyone but it is fun. I had a good time and stayed out much later than I thought I would...finally getting home about 1am!

Saturday...I mixed my liquors the night before so lets just say I needed a lie-in to recover a bit and even then, I was moving very slowly. I managed to head into the city to meet a new person (possible friend) and have dinner. We tried the new outpost for Pizzeria Delfina which delighted as usual. Since there was a long wait, it was a good opportunity to walk the neighborhood and get to know each other. I think I met someone who eats slower than I do...which is s-l-o-w. The night again ended up later than usual and I ended up at home a little past midnight.

Sunday...Claire and I headed back down to the Gilroy outlets to shop. I need date clothes! Not that I'm dating really but I would like options. My closet is seriously lacking in cute clothes but seems to be abundant in comfy "I like to think I'm college age" clothing. We walked around for four hours shopping in the heat and we still didn't get to all the shops I wanted to. I came out with 5 new tops (4 cute, 1 work), pants and a pair of black heels. I think the shock of the trip was coming away with single digit size pair of pants! Can't remember the last time that happened. The pants have considerable stretch in them though. I wish I could say the same for the size 10s I'm wearing today that are threatening to cut off my circulation at the waist. Anyways, after the shopping, there was a considerable drive home and dinner and by the time I got home, I only had time to check email, stare at the tv and go to sleep. At 130am, I got a terrible scare. My car alarm went off and scared the crap out of me and probably woke up the entire building. After debating with myself whether I should go check, I went down to the garage and all seemed fine. I had a hard time going back to sleep after that.

Monday...dinner plans after work. Reasonable hour but so tired from the night before.

Tuesday...went straight home after work and tried to catch up with my personal computer work...semi-successful.

Wednesday...Dinner and Billy Elliott. It was a fun night! I am glad I got to see Billy Elliott but it made me ask a ton of questions. How young do these kids start with voice/dance/acting lessons to land a child role in a traveling Broadway musical?! Got home at midnight. Late for a school night!

Thursday...my quiet night. Tried to go to sleep early but wasn't too successful. Finally got to sleep at 11pm and at 1145pm, my car alarm went off again! I have no idea why? This time, the doorbell got rang, I had neighbors going downstairs and nasty notes on the car in the morning. I was so anxious about the alarm that I could barely sleep.

Friday...walking zombie and running on fumes. Seriously. I looked terrible; felt terrible. By 9am, I was calling the dealership asking them to have an alarm guy check out the car because one more night of that and I will probably have a nervous breakdown and the neighbors might call the police. So...I used my lunch hour to have that done and I hope that what they did, did the trick. By 5pm, I thought I was going to pass out and so I headed straight home, showered and fell asleep by 6pm. I woke up about 9pm and just rested and finally got to stitching about 11pm. I think I felt that if I was up, I could at least react to the alarm better if it went off. Thank goodness, it didn't. I fell asleep at 2am.

Today...Woke up about 930am. My neighbor down the hall from me is moving today. =( He moved in at the same time I did and we'd greet each other through our kitchen windows. I guess the upside is that I know who will be moving into his unit and she is nice. I won't have to break anyone in. But her current unit is next to mine so hopefully I don't get any loud party person moving in there since the living room has a shared wall. I did neighborhood errands, treated myself to breakfast and decided to go to the Marina Outlets because I wasn't sure if the single digit sized pants really fit best (a little tight at the waist) so I wanted to try on the 10. Well, they only had one size 4 and that was it. So I did a fashion show in my pants to decide and they told me that they will stretch and the 10s will be too big. So I stuck with them and even ordered the same pants in charcoal. And I also found a cute dress (in a single digit size too!) that would be cute for work or a date with a black cardi and some heels. Since it was all 50% off, I figured I was getting a deal! After this though, I am freezing my credit card in a block of ice like Calamity suggested! I am feeling kind of broke after this month of crazed shopping and spending.

I'm feeling a little bit more rested now. I hope the car alarm doesn't go off again as it really sets my nerves on edge. I booked my trip for New York so it's really happening. Now to figure out what I want to see this time around!

I have a lot more to say but I know this is a lot to process and I don't even have pictures for you all. But they are coming! I just want to stitch a little bit more before I show my progress. Thanks for sticking with my randomness and crazy social and barely stitching right now life.

Until next time..

Randomness

*I've reverted back to my bad sleeping habits and I am exhausted!

*I always have lots to say until the minute I sit behind the *new post* screen and it all just magically vanishes from my memory.

*I've apparently been busy since I don't have much stitching to share so I will reserve that for another day.

*I went to the gym for the first time in months last week and I felt great...until the next day...and the day after that. My leg muscles were screaming! I am trying to convince my body it's ok and that the end results are worth it. The pep talk isn't working all that well.

*I just ate a bag of Doritos. Should definitely go to the gym now to work off the 14G of fat and 260 calories. Doritos are evil! They are also so yummy!

*The gym has individual tvs in each exercise machine. Which you have to admit is kind of cool. But can you believe that even with the draw of tv (we all know how much I love it!), the lure of the recliner is so much stronger!?

*Last weekend I went to go see this 80's cover band. I love 80's music and can listen to it til the end of time. I had so much fun singing and dancing and people watching. It was an interesting cast of characters but fun, fun, fun.

*Why is it that when you are trying to not spend money, that is when you suddenly find things that you really like...like sandals and flats and a new red handbag and this and that and and and. It may be time to lock my credit card in a place I forget to remember.

*So far, I've cleaned out 1.25 closets. I am slow. I hate cleaning with a burning passion. I managed to fill 3 trash bags full of clothes I don't want. Unbelievable. How did all that stuff live in my little tiny closet?! And I still have most of another one plus a dresser to clean out. I imagine that may yield another bag or two. Crazy! We won't even talk about the office/storage/stash closet. That's a scary little place right now.

*Since I hate cleaning, I have a cleaner that comes by every 2 weeks. It's a luxury but between working full-time, trying to be social, hitting the gym (hopefully more frequently than I have been) and doing the good daughter duties, the last thing I want to do in my free time is clean. I'd rather stitch. I told my cleaner that I was clearing things out and that she could look in the bags and see if there was anything she wanted, to help herself to it. I may as well have given her a winning lottery ticket! She was so happy and she took the whole lot! Saved me a trip to the Goodwill!

*Why does it seem like every guy I talk to is unemployed? Where are the gainfully employed men?!

*I've made leaps and bounds in the last six months and I'm happy with where I am. It feels good to say that and really feel it too. And I actually really and truly feel ready for a new relationship (although my wardrobe is not ready for dating) but I am happy in the mindset of making new friends, whether they are women or men. Less pressure...more smiles. =)

Until next time...

ETA: Damn Doritos. One nanosecond on the lips = 35 minutes of ellipticaling to burn off 260 calories and go 2.55 miles and deal with neck sweat. I hate neck sweat. How does the skinniest part of my body produce so much?! But I digress...I conquered the Doritos! But you know...I don't think it's worth it. Now if it had been cake...maybe it would be worth it. Doritos are evil! Note to self: take 100 calorie packs of popcorn to work to deal with the salt cravings.

Ow?

The weekend flew by...as usual. I forced myself to relax, stitch and organize. Ok, maybe force is a harsh word. But I kept on thinking up things to do this weekend and then kept on reminding myself, "you're supposed to be mellow this weekend". Yes, I lecture myself sometimes. Don't we all?!

I had a new start! So far, it reads "Ow" but will soon read Halloween. Here is my start on The Drawn Thread's Almost Halloween.

I bought this as a kit back when it was released last year. I thought it was the cutest so I am using the recommended 32 count Wichelt Tumbleweed linen and the DMC/Anchor/Theadworx. Boy is this linen stiff! I hear a little *pop* each time my needle pierces the fabric.

The pumpkin is a little off but I didn't feel like frogging it out and going back to the beginning. Would you have noticed if I hadn't told you?

I think this project will be a quick one.

I can't believe I started yet another project. This isn't like me. I tend to be more of a one at a time project type of stitcher with one in the sidelines in case I get bored with the main focus but I think this makes 5-6 wips now!

I came across a little dilemma with Christmas Rules and just don't feel like figuring things out just yet. I am almost done with the header with the exception of the dark green background on the letters U and E. The green is WDW Bullfrog but my skeins of Bullfrog are more medium green than dark green and it so obviously looks dark green in the photo of the header. I much prefer the look of the photo. I pulled the DMC equivalent and I'm not 100% thrilled with that either and I really prefer overdyed to DMC as it is. I am just too lazy to look for an alternate and I also wonder if I just got some bum skeins of Bullfrog. You know, dyelots and everything. They can be so iffy! What would you all do?
So until I figure out the Bullfrog situation, I am putting Christmas Rules on the back burner.

I did spend some time each evening cleaning out one of my closets. I knew I had a lot of clothes that I haven't worn in years and it was just time to really assess what I have. From that little closet, I have 1.5 bags full for donation, about 8-10 pieces I will try to consign and a couple of things I may set aside for a future garage sale one of my co-workers may put on. Living in an apartment, it's hard to have a sale. One closet down, three more to go!

Getting rid of clothes is hard for me. There's always this feeling of "what if I need it", "what if I lose the weight", "what if I gain weight", "do I really want to get rid of my fat pants". This time, I pulled out things I've saved for years and I don't know what I was thinking. I had things that were too high waisted (hello 90's!), too big, too long (I must have shrunk), too out of style. I had a couple of surprises with pants I thought were too tight which miraculously fit...with room to spare. And there were a couple of things that were a bit too tight which will now be my incentive to get my lazy ass to the gym. Ugh...I hate the gym!

I hung a couple of skirts I like on the door which I never wore because I figured I would lose the 5 pounds easily and I'd be able to wear them. Well, they are still tight. So I will hang them on my door so I can see them.

Maybe it will motivate me and I'll have cute outfits for upcoming dates. Well, none are planned but I'm open to the possibility.

Did I mention I have three more closets to purge. Sheesh...how does one person acquire so much stuff yet wear the same things all the time?! I can at least find work pants and my weekend pants now.

I also took myself to the movies and saw Midnight in Paris. I loved it! It was Woody Allen in true form. Owen Wilson did a fab job although I really wanted to strangle Rachel McAdams. She was a pain in the ass and such a money hungry snob. You'd think for all that attitude, they'd at least touch her roots up to act more the part. But anyways, if any movie is filmed in Rome or Paris. I am apt to watch it. I figure that even if the movie is terrible, I am getting my money's worth in seeing beautiful sites I would love to visit. There are movies I can see over and over which I think are fun but I also watch them to see the backdrop. This was no exception. In 2000, I took me, myself and my broken heart on a 9 day trip to Paris and I walked every inch of that city. Throughout Midnight in Paris, I kept telling myself "I've been there and I've been there". They even showed the Shakespeare and Company bookstore I spent an afternoon in browsing the titles. It made me itch to go back but with a fun someone and not nursing a broken heart. The movie also features an era I love! So seeing the costumes and hearing the music was thrilling! I would totally recommend it if you're into Woody Allen's quirkiness.

Well, that's it for me tonight. Going to see if I stitch for a little bit before bed. Hope you all have a great week!

Until next time...

This and That; Here and There

That's been my life the past couple of weeks. Very social. Very busy. Very tired. I think I need a break from being social and am planning on a hermit weekend. Will save me a little money too as this being social business can be taxing on the pocketbook!

I've been to open to the public brewery night which resulted in a spirits tasting and countless pints of beer. Ok, 3 pints but I kind of lost track because I did that cursed (but yummy) spirits tasting first thing. I had to ask my drinking mate the next day how much I actually drank since things around that second pint got a little fuzzy. Great beer, fun music, great company. It was a great night and I'd do it again. Just need to plan better and make sure I have a big lunch that day...like a burger or a burrito...definitely not a salad! I also have to remember that I can't keep up with the guys...I've gotten a little too old and lightweight to keep up.

I've been to Tales of the City. If you read the Armistead Maupin series, they made a musical out of it and it was fun and fab. It ran a little long and so that made for a really late night on a school night but I survived the next day with lots of coffee.

And I've been to the symphony because I couldn't resist the 2 for $20 deal they offered. So I invited a friend and we went to one of my favorite pre-symphony eateries and had fun cocktails and coq au vin.

I met up with another friend I hadn't seen in almost a year and he taught me how to play chess. I think I've forgotten now. So many rules...these move up and down and those move diagonally, these can move multiple spaces but these only one at a time. I need a cheat sheet! But he was very patient and was nice not to kill my queen right off the bat and we had a nice little game which I of course lost, since I've never played before but I made a valiant effort and want to play again! I just need a cheat sheet. Throughout the years, I've asked many people to show me chess and no one ever did so I was very happy that someone finally took the time to spend an afternoon in a pub with me and teach me chess. We got lots of strange looks at the pub but there's plenty to do in a pub besides drink and watch the game(s).

I went to acupuncture. My earpopping is still driving me nuts so I've turned to modern medicine and am taking claritin for that. It's getting better but still happens. I've never had this happen with summer allergies...it's so strange. My mood is better assuming annoying exs leave me the hell alone but the getting out and being social is hugely beneficial for me at this point.

I met up with an old coworker and his lovely wife one afternoon for lunch at Barbacco. It was nice to just take Bart to the Financial District. It was a glorious day and the food, company and conversation was great. I am having fun reconnecting with all my old friends. I hadn't seen so many in so long it's a shock to see some of them as they seem to have changed. And it was also nice to try a new place...I definitely have to go back to this place. The pork meatballs and lasagna were delicious!

I went to the Fillmore Festival which is my favorite out of all the ones offered in the city. I wandered, people watched, had a margarita or two*, listened to music, ate and caught some rays. It was another scorcher in the city and this meant I had to run to the drugstore to buy sunscreen otherwise, I'd have ended the day looking like a lobster! Thank you Neutrogena SPF70!

I went to the beach and breathed in foggy, misty, salty air and watched the pups run in and out of the surf and chase down their balls. And did a quick lunch with a new friend and had a sweet, buttery, cool crab roll.

So...I've been busy and very little stitching has taken place as evidenced here. I'm on my third week and only have half of the header for Christmas Rules stitched. It's a very sad sight!

I also think that my stitching mojo is fading. I haven't been in the mood to put more than a couple dozen of stitches in at a time. I guess I'm having too much fun being social and running around. If I'm not social, I'm trying to finish reading my book (which is now overdue at the library), watching a bit of tv, spending too much time on the computer or sleeping.

I'm tired!

The TUSAL jar looks about the same except with the bright red, white and green from Christmas Rules. I frogged so there's lots of red in there.

Well, that's about it for me. If you got to the end of this short story, I did want to say that I finally managed to complete my collection of Just Cross Stitch Ornament magazines(yay!). In trying to complete it, I had to buy a small lot and have an extra copy of the 1998 Just Cross Stitch Ornie edition that I would like to sell. This is a hard to find magazine as can be indicated by the current $30 and $65 starting bids on eBay. Those people are nuts! I'm a reasonable person (despite being a total stash hoarder). Please email me if you're interested and we can discuss price. I can take payment via 123stitch gc, paypal or trades. The first person who emails and agrees to price and payment gets the magazine. Easy peasy. (Magazine has been sold!)

Well, I don't have a free night to myself until Friday. I can.not. wait. I'm looking forward to my hermit weekend. Should I watch tv? Stitch? Finally clean out a closet? Organize stash? Hmmmm....

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July and Canada Day! Hope the week has transitioned to an easy one!

Until next time...

*I may sound like a boozer in this post but I usually don't drink that much.