tee-ired

I'm tired. For the second time in 3 weeks, I traveled to Texas and back over the course of a regular weekend. That is just crazy.

My body does not know what time it is or why we are at work. And we caught some sort of ickiness on the airplane home, we think.

That is why the eyes are simultaneously trying to close and pop out of the head.

That is why the nose has decided to run more miles than Mrs. Darling does in an average week.

That is why the throat keeps trying to get the rest of the body's attention, spasming "AHEM" every 30 seconds.

That is why we all want to go home and back to bed, even though we were in bed for 11.5 hours last night.

Bored with the blog...

I'm having blog-envy. I like the lovely templates of my dear blog friends far better than my own. I have scrolled through the few available templates on blogger.com but I don't really dig any of them. Where else can I scour for a new blog template?

And how do I personalize it at the top with a photo?

If you read this, do me a favor and become a "follower" so I gain blog-self-esteem.

And finally, what is Twitter?

There's a new Byrd in da house!

My dear friend Amy (okay, I guess Josh should be mentioned too) just welcomed their first baby, a beautiful girl named Emma Lucille! To follow Emma's adventures, go here!

Dog Posin'

My friend Jenn came over the other night and brought Koda, her adorable Sheba Enu, with her. Sophie and Koda had met once before and romped & stomped like old friends, so we were excited for the reunion.

Sophie

Koda

Many, many attempts at a group photo...

Attempt #1: Lure Koda with a bone

Attempt #2: Lure Sophie with a bone

Attempt #3: Try to get Sophie facing the camera

Attempt #4: Trying to get Koda to face the camera and Sophie to look up

Attempt #5: Simply manhandling Sophie into an acceptable pose, Koda now eyes the bone

Final Attempt: Can't win 'em all, but this was the best shot we got.

Ferry & a Wedding

Two weeks ago, my friend Ashley got married in Poulsbo, WA. To get to Poulsbo from Seattle, you have to take a ferry. This was only my second time to take the ferry (the first being when Christine, Chrissy & I visited Seattle in January 2006 and took a ferry to Bainbridge Island from Seattle), and I quickly remembered how freezing cold it is if you step outside to get a better view.

Chrissy & me on the ferry

Jesse and me (and my super cute new Nine West handbag) on the ferry

The back of the ferry

Ashley has always been unconventional, so it was no surprise that her wedding was held at a campsite. The ceremony and reception happened here, in a large cabin, and it was beautiful.

Ashley's bridal room, just outside the cabin.

You know who these two are...at the wedding.

Following the path of unconventionality, this was the wedding cake...although, apparently this is the new thing so maybe it will become conventional after all. For now, they are key lime cupcake-wedding cakes.

I know Ashley from the church I went to when I first moved to Seattle, so there were a few people from that church I saw again that I hadn't talked to in about a year, including Mark & Vanessa (on the right, above)...a super fun couple who sat with us for the afternoon.
Pictured here: Jesse, Chrissy, Me, Greg (the groom), Ashley, Mark & Vanessa

Breaking the Mold

Randy Itschner died 09/04/2008.

Fay Holmes died 12/03/2008.

Louise Itschner died 03/19/2009.

She was the last of them...all parents and grandparents are gone. I'm tired. I'm also averaging one death every 3 months. I'm a little afraid of June.

My grandmother, Louise Itschner, passed away this morning. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 1992 and went to live at a care facility in Kerrville, TX, in 1993. She was clearly a fighter. I believe the average survival is 7-10 years after diagnosis, so she broke the mold.

She always had broken the mold, though, so none of us were too surprised. She was strikingly beautiful (see below), very much like the actresses of the 1940s. She was nearly the youngest of 13 children, and established her own unique, engaging personality and identity. She established herself in the real estate market in Rockport, TX. She ran a household like no other. She taught me all the manners she could teach to a 10 year old. She raised 2 boys, who were quite the handful, to be responsible, good men and caring fathers.

So, I think my motto for Louise Itschner is "Breaking the Mold."

reunited

I hopped on a plane to Denton and reunited with some precious friends there this past weekend. A few selected highlights:

After indulging in the best sesame chicken on the planet at Mr. Chopsticks, Cookie, me, Uyen, and Angie posed in the parking lot.

Angie, Madame Yoga Master showing us a pose

Angie coaching Cookie in yoga technique. Her coaching went something like this, "Get your legs up! Make 'em straight! STRAAAAAIGGHHHHTTTTT!"

Cookie & Marcy--aren't they beautiful?

Marcy & me--I love this gal, one of the finest friends in the world.

Wine & dessert (okay and a little tequila for SOME of us), and loads of laughter at the Grindle house (Cookie's)--Angie, Uyen, Cookie, me, Marcy & Sara.
An aside: Supposedly Marcy & I are both 5'7"...I think she shrank. Also, it's ludicrous how high my waistline is when you look at all of us together like this. Ludicrous.

dream

so for a long time after daddy died, i had nightly nightmares. nightly, as in every night. it was very disturbing. they had not yet subsided when grandma died. so i got new kinds of nightmares. they finally were slowing down a little, and i had been getting better sleep.

last night, i dreamed that grandma had died but was sitting up and talking to our whole family. she was telling us the good things she loved about each of us. then she started saying horrible things to one member of the family. it was awful. i tried to stop her, but she wouldn't.

then you know how in dreams, things will just kind of fast forward and you'll be in another place but still the same concept of the dream is happening? well, that happened and i was lying on a bed with my mom. she looked at me and i looked at her and we said nothing. then we both cried and held onto each other out of grief for losing grandma.

i realize that grandma was a big part of my comfort when mama died. i have had no such comfort this time, and wish that mama was here.

i wonder why God has decided i'm strong enough to handle so much death by age 30.

My favorite time of year...

Girl Scout Cookie Time!

Picasa Collage

I have this fantastic program, Picasa, on my computer now that allows me to create collages really easily. This one for Daddy is my first collage...I'm rather pleased. :)

Happy Fat Tuesday...on Thursday

So, to celebrate Mardi Gras (also known as Fat Tuesday) the Student Services office of the Information School at the University of Washington where I am currently an advising intern, hosted a shindig to give the students a fun study break. These are easily the kookiest folks I've ever had the pleasure of working with. The party consisted of the classic King Cake, lots of other foods, beads upon beads, AND making your own mask! I'm normally the least artistically-oriented person around, but I happened to get inspiration from those around me...

And my fabulous co-workers, Jenny & Marie

PS Kari, here's a link to the traditional King Cake recipe! Really, though, Marie made a delicious one for the iSchool party so you should consider stalking her on her blog to ask for her recipe.

Siskel & Pegs

Confessions of a Shopaholic 3 stars

Having read two of Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series, I was stoked to see this movie. My roommate and I got tickets online the night before, not wanting to chance not being able to get in on opening night. (We learned later that we needn't have worried.)

Isla Fisher is darling as Rebecca Bloomwood, as is the hum-uh-nuh hum-uh-nuh British actor playing the charming Luke Brandon. While quite different from the books (Rebecca is British in the novels and American in the movie), it is still everything a girl could want in a true chick flick. As Rebecca smashes a block of frozen ice that contains her prized credit card, you laugh with her. As she lets go of her precious Denny & George green scarf in order to pay off her debt, your heart is at once proud of Rebecca and breaking with her over the loss such a beautiful accessory.

Go see it, ladies. And take your favorite accessory with you.

He's Just Not That Into You 3 stars

I'm a fan of most movies with more than one storyline, so this one immediately got on my good side. Packed with stars such as Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connolly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Ben Affleck, Drew Barrymore and Scarlett Johansson, this chick flick will make you laugh and cry.

You will likely identify with at least one character, even if you're a dude. Filled with stereotypical characters of both genders, there is the:
--classic idealistic, clingy, needy girl (Ginnifer),
--the girl who hung on to a dead-end relationship hoping he'd change for her (Jennifer A),
--the girl who gets cheated on by her husband yet thinks they can work it out just because he says he wants to (Jennifer C),
--the girl who sleeps with the married guy because she thinks he is going to leave his wife for her (Scarlett),
--the guy who is a complete idiot, getting married because he's too much of a coward to not get married when he doesn't want to just b/c he doesn't want to hurt his college sweetheart's feelings and feels like he "should" after being with her so long (he's been in stuff and he's HOT, but don't know his name),
--and...SPOILER ALERT--DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN IT AND PLAN TO...the guy who says he doesn't want to get married, and then decides he will do anything to make his beloved happy, including getting married.

My problem with this movie is that, if you've read the book, you know the entire point the authors make is that if a guy isn't doing X, Y, and Z, he's just not that into you. Hence the name of the book. The problem is that several of the storylines give you that feel good ending leading you to falsely believe that these fairy tales do come true. Now, I know the book and movie often have major differences, but you shouldn't change the entire premise.

Still worth going to see...though waiting for DVD isn't a bad thing to consider on this one.

"W" (3 stars)

Sliding flashbacks of George W. Bush's life while chronicling his presidency, this movie is probably more for those who are not big Bush fans, which I suppose these days is the majority of you, according to the polls. All the good Bush quotes came out, and I often wanted to cover my eyes or stop the movie for the awkwardness of it all. However, there were some poignant moments where I felt a new kind of sympathy towards W, and that he truly did what he thought was best for the nation.

If you are not a Bush fan, you might go ahead and see it soon in order to alleviate some of your doubtless frustrations concerning our most recent president. If you are a Bush fan, see it. There's nothing you didn't already know (or think you knew).

The Secret Life of Bees (5,000 stars)

This is my new favorite movie. I watched it twice in 24 hours. That little Dakota Fanning is a fabulous actress. I can't wait to see her career unfold. Queen Latifah, Alicia Keyes, and Jennifer Hudson round out the star-studded cast. My ONLY disappointment was that with so many talented singers in the cast, there was almost no singing in the movie.

However, I decided that perhaps they deliberately had them not sing in order to show us exactly how amazing their acting talent is. This movie allows the audience to peek inside the life of a teenage girl who has to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders during the turbulent 1960s. On a mission to discover her mother, she finds love with the Boatwright sisters and..ahem, a certain young gentleman.

Go see it. Log off your computer and run to the nearest video store.

Grandma's Memorial

The memorial was beautiful, and my trip to Texas was wonderful. I will share more later, but for now I wanted to share the video that my grandma's nephew created. I was able to upload it to YouTube, so please watch & enjoy! FYI, to those new to YouTube, you can click on the icon next to the volume for a full screen view.

Tagged: 4th Folder, 4th Picture

I was recently tagged by my new co-worker and friend, Marie, to post on my blog the fourth picture in the fourth folder on my computer. So, here 'tis...my wonderful Aunt Cynthia. This was taken when we were together last September for Daddy's funeral. I also got to see her briefly while in Texas this past week for Grandma's memorial. She is one amazing woman, and I am VERY thankful for her.

I'm supposed to tag 4 new people...knowing who loves good photography, I choose Kari, Nicole, Marcy Watt, and Kate Borders. Hey Marcy, why did I just find out I'm not able to read your blog? Permission denied...what what?!

Losing Daddy: The Hereafter

I am contemplating a new writing piece, and thought of this title. I always think of titles for things I could/should write, and then often don't write them.

I thought Part I could be "The Here" and Part II could be "The After." In Part I, I could talk about the events leading up to Daddy's death (including some useful history for the reader), and in Part II, I could discuss what it's been like since September 4, 2008 at 2:15 a.m (including my mental meltdown and slow-but-sure recovery). I was wondering, though, when to actually write Part II, given that "The After" will go on for a long, long time.

Anyway, just some thoughts today.

I get on the plane to Texas tomorrow morning bright and early (actually, dark & early, because that's how freaking early it will be). Grandma is going to be excited for her party...on Saturday, we plan to celebrate one great life!

pictures of you, pictures of me...

My second cousin is putting together a slideshow of pictures for Grandma's memorial service next weekend. So I perused and here's just a few that I think I'll submit for the show...

24

Not the tv show.

Jesse's age.

Now quit asking. :)

My First Massage

I have wanted to get a professional massage for months. I think it's bad posture causing awful back pain, and have been wanting to nip it in the bud.

Today, I walked over to New Seattle Massage on The Ave, and they had an available appointment. After informing the receptionist that I would be remaining fully clothed (Miss Modesty, I know), I settled into the chair to wait for my masseur.

When I entered the massage room, I saw the table with the head pad thingy. All I could think of was the Friends episode where Phoebe falls for a hot guy that she massages, and makes sure her feet are perfectly pedicured because when he is getting a massage and has his head on the head pad thingy, all he can see are her feet. And she gets the guy by "feet flirting."

Mr. Masseur had a very soothing voice, and he chatted with me for a few minutes about massage therapy. He encouraged me to consider the non-fully clothed option for a better massage, and I caved. (There was no "feet flirting.")

For the next 60 minutes, all my pent-up stress was beat out of me. Oy. He told me I am "inflammed" in many areas. As if I didn't know that 2008 inflammed me. During the massage, he told me all kinds of stuff about healthful living...yoga, veganism, and Epsom salt baths. I also promised Mr. Masseur that I would set a reminder on my Outlook calendar every 20 minutes to do some conscious deep breathing. Sure, dude. Every 20 minutes, like clockwork.

60 minutes can pass fast when you're having the hell beat outta you. I recommend it, though.

Totally.

Random is back!

The trouble with blogging for me lately is not that I'm bummed out. Because I'm not anymore, much to my relief. I've simply lacked ideas for posts.

Then I remembered the popularity of the Random series, and decided to stick with what works.

So here you are. Privy to my inner monologue. Brace yourself.

For the first month I worked at NSCC, I thought I was a bad omen for the college. I worked there a mere week (part-time, mind you) before everything went to crap.
1. I got sick. I rarely get sick so when I do, I get SICK.
2. My first day to return, a freaking blizzard hit Seattle. Okay, maybe not a blizzard, but it was the worst winter storm since 1996. The school was closed for inclement weather for several days.
3. My first day to return, I came into the office just as everyone was sent home because a water main had broken and the school was without water. We closed for 2 days.
4. My first day to return, I walked down the hall to the Advising Center. I entered my office. I sat down at my desk.

And the fire alarm went off.

Are you serious.

So, we evacuated. After waiting approximately 15 minutes in the below freezing temperatures, we were allowed back in the building and carried on with the day.

Me. Bad. Omen.

I started an advising internship with the Information School (iSchool) at the UW last week.

Last year, during The Job Hunt of 2008, I was repeatedly told that I finished second because someone who was 1. Internal (usually at the UW) or 2. had WA state experience beat me out. So, I am concurrently holding positions that should nix that problem.

I love eating bread with peanut butter and jelly. Not pb&j sandwiches. I like a single piece of bread (not toasted) with jelly and then peanut butter on top.

I am currently watching the American Idol auditions in Kansas City, and a lovely girl named Jessica just made it to Hollywood. Jessica lives with her 93-year old grandma and they showed a few minutes of video of her & her grandma...Grandma is hard of hearing and Jessica had to yell things a few times. She also had to help walk her around the house. I cried. I go home next week for Grandma's memorial service.

Facebooking is not like riding a bike. I got on facebook and tried to surf it for the first time in who knows how long. I got overwhelmed and quit. I have forgotten how to facebook.

I found a new Michael Cera movie I need to see (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist). I have this Mary Kay LeTourneau habit of having crushes on baby boys. Or more like guys with baby faces. Topher Grace was first. Then Jesse. Now Michael Cera. If you don't know who Michael Cera is, don't ask because I will be very disappointed in you for not knowing. But ok, here are some hints: Arrested Development, Juno, Superbad.

Jesse surprised me tonight with a 9-month anniversary present of a Starbucks Gold Card. This means I will enjoy 10% off every purchase. Basically, 30-ish cents per visit. The card costs $25 annually, so I will make up the difference (had I paid in the first place) in approximately 3 days. That's how much Starbucks I inhale.

Thus, tomorrow, I intend to sleep in until 10:00 (Tuesday & Thursday, I don't go in until 11) and go to Starbucks where I will purchase my tall non-fat chai latte for only $2.80. Then, I will go to my UW advising job. My, my, my. I like the sound of that.

Snowed In!

Seattle had a snowy December. With the most snow since 1996, we accumulated enough to sled, build snowmen, and fall on our rear ends. NSCC closed several days, as did the University of Washington (who hadn't closed for inclement weather since a 1/2 day in 2003 but closed for 3 days this year). Here are some highlights:

Jesse & me-oh wait, you probably knew that by now

Jesse scraping my back windshield so we could try to drive to a coffee shop and recover from our cabin fever.

Snow so pretty...and can you see my very cute boots? I bought them to be mainly rain boots, but with REI's guarantee that they would be 100% waterproof and warm, I thought they would help me survive any snow we might get. The boots were true to their word and I never got wet or cold feet.

Kerri & Kristi Carter are friends from high school. Kristi actually lives in Seattle, but I didn't know it until Kerri came to visit a couple of weeks ago and we got together. It was great to see them again, reminisce (I was exposed to Alanis by Kerri's friend, Sarah), and catch up.

Jesse & Kristi's husband, Mack, kept each other entertained while the girls chatted.

This was the second time within a week the snow fell. So we got out for a walk...we lasted approximately 20 minutes before deciding we were crazy.

"The Look" I gave Jesse when he threatened me with a snowball.

Jesse threatening me with the snowball. Okay, he had actually threatened and thrown it before this picture, but this was me having him re-enact the snowball-throwing for the blog.

The hill that is Jesse's street. We went sledding with the neighbors on plastic mats and inner tubes.

Ginger & me on our walk. Ginger seemed to really likes the snow, despite the face she's making in this picture.

So-cute Ginger.

The third separate instance of snowfall within a week. Unheard of. Here's the outside of my place, so now you've seen inside and out. Leah & I live on the second floor.

My street, all snow-covered.

Fremont Avenue, the street around the corner from mine. This particular street is beautiful no matter the season.

I spent Christmas with Jesse, Joe & Maggie. It was really fun to spend the holiday with them...Maggie made a Moroccan stew for Christmas dinner, which was AH-mazing. Of course, we also partook of the classic "A Christmas Story."