Okay, I shouldn’t just mention Lori for bugging me – as I received an email from her today bemoaning the fact that this blog as well as Deana’s have not been updated – but Rona has noted that the quotes of the week lacked her name as well as Deana’s. Had I not arrived so late this morning to work, having just flown in from Texas, I think I would have heard more complaints from Rona. She is very bossy, you know!

In any case, I digress. First, let me quote Rona and Deana, to be applied to last week’s Quotes of the Week:

Rona: “Gina, you are amazingly intelligent.”

Deana: “How can I live without the best friend in the whole world?” referring to – of course – Gina.

Now, a quick recap of my Texas holiday:

~ Eating at Cantina Laredo which was so FREAKING good I want to go back just for more Prime Rib! 11/9 baby! Oh wait, maybe 11/10.

~ Down Under Pub & Grill. It was fun watching the band and the people in Halloween costumes. Sorry I was too tired that we didn’t stay to see who won (and Deana is STILL complaining about it!)

~ Bowling with everyone and beating Deana both games, with game #2 by only 1 pin! Ba ha ha ha.

~ Singing “You’re the One that I Want” from Grease with Josh.

~ Going to church and being amazed.

~ Me ready to fight the lady at Scotty P’s for the table, but instead hearing “I am so very sorry!” Deana, who was running to try to get to me, whispered “Gina, remember you’re in Texas….people are nice here!”

~ Watching Pan’s Labyrinth and Letters from Iwo Jima – both amazingly good movies

~ Looking for the DVD Elizabeth all over town and finding NOTHING

~ Devos with the kids

~ Playing at the park with the kids, including tackling Kenny

~ Getting a free evaluation at a MedSpa with Deana and Stepha, as I drank the free wine and scarfed the free food (SHRIMP baby!)

Here are some thanks for peeps in CA regarding my return:

~ To Liz, who was the first text I received when I turned on my phone as my plane taxied to the gate, saying something that sounded very much like Sophia

~ To Rona, who let me wear jeans to work

~ To Lori, who is bringing my favorite Starbucks coffee to worship practice tomorrow morning!

Okay, that’s it! It’s not that late here (9pm) but I am BEAT!

Ciao!

“Lady, laying like that is very inappropriate.” Sandy, to her dog Lady

“Hey girl, how are you?” Bob the Contractor, to whom I replied “Great, how are you?” before I realized he was talking to Lady.

“You better put a nice quote from me this week.” Liz

As taken from one of my MySpace surveys:
Did you get in a fight with someone today?
Yes, a stupid construction admin person that thinks she is smarter than everyone but she just says blah blah blah. (I stole the blah blah blah part from Liz, who often says that to me when I am abusing her.)

“You are too much sexy” Me, to Pete as I gazed at his cardinal red shirt.

“You should not say that too loud, it’s better to do it under your breath.” Jim, to me regarding my comment to Pete. Jim’s a manager now and hip on sexual harassment prevention! LOL

“Geen, can I get a haircut? My hair is funky.” Sophia, who has it in her mind that I hold her mother’s money. And yes, she got the haircut and I got the credit for it!

“Thanks for the email, Gina.” Liz, who really CAN be nice on occasion!

Conversation in the galley at work:
Wanda (?)- so Ryan, I noticed you were selling a lot of items in Personal Announcements.
Ryan – yeah, well I am getting new things so I am selling the old ones.
Gina- wow it must be nice!
Ryan – well, I’ve had a lot of weddings lately.
Gina (who, btw, is amazingly witty) – oh, I didn’t know you were a polygamist!
(Now, people, do you REALLY think Ryan is a polygamist?!?!!?! Perhaps he is a wedding PHOTOGRAPHER! Anyway, I didn’t want to be in trouble for starting a rumor, but believe me, it was very funny at the time. Even more funny than Rona usually is!)

“This is my mom.” Kirstie, to her friend Tasha, as we were eating sushi. Do you know that I LOVE sushi and Kirstie is a regular at the place we were eating????? COOL! We even had edamame I have no idea if I spelled that right, but it is soy beans. Per Wikipedia, edamame is a preparation of immature soybeans in the pod commonly found in China and Japan. The pods are boiled in water together with condiments such as salt, and served whole. Very yummy. I think I am addicted.

Okay, I am in Phoenix now waiting for my connecting flight to Dallas and we are about to board. I am posting these but will try to add more later……I need to remember something Deana and Rona said.

PEACE!

I like Joey Fatone very much. Not like Justin Timberlake, which is a superficial lust but PASSIONATE, but I think Joey is a good guy. Not only is he cute, but I have met him and he is not pretentious or a snob. Not sure why I brought that up other than his face is in the paper that is right next to my laptop.

Life is good for me – weird, but good. It’s still surreal that I don’t have homework at night. I fill my time alone with the computer, reading, chatting with friends…..and that’s about it. Weird. It’s also weird that I am alone. Not to be pity partying or anything – coming from a big family, getting married at 20, and having kids a couple of years later…..I don’t think I’ve EVER been alone! So it shouldn’t seem strange that I have a hard time getting my arms around this change in my life…..right? It’s cool. I am keeping busy. I will also have the next three weekends jam packed with fun – I go to Texas this weekend (yeah!), Deana is in California the next weekend (whoop whoop) and then I go back to Texas the following weekend (right on!). So the weeks will not be entirely tough for me, and for that I am grateful.

Otherwise, I have nothing new to blog about!

You know, little things in life can make a huge impression on you. Here are some examples, at least as they rumble randomly through my brain:

~ To hear a baby’s gurgling as she wakes up, looks at you in amazement, then has the loudest screaming cry you’ve ever heard! Torie I love you!

~ To see an elderly couple hold hands lovingly as they shop in the supermarket.

~ Hearing an observation from a friend that is random yet very encouraging.

~ Just hanging out and being lazy with no homework!

~ Talking to your Dad, who seems kind of down. You ask how his day at work was (as a Funeral Director) and he shares it was a hard day. With true sorrow in his voice, he shared that he had a funeral for a 2-year-old girl that day and said, “sometimes they are really hard” and you can hear it for the truth that he is sharing. While it is sad to hear, you are blessed that such a tough man has feelings and a heart such as this.

~ Having mundane conversations with your best friend and realizing your day would not be the same without it.

~ Surprising your daughter by going to her work and she shows true joy in seeing you.

~ Hanging out with a new mom/friend/family member as she is just doing life and enjoying the simple interactions at a level that should be nothing but touches your heart so much.

~ “Borrowing” Sandy’s dog, who seems to enjoy sleeping with me, and feeling less lonely. I love you Lady!

~ Touching base with an old friend and feeling as though no time has passed at all.

Okay, that’s it for me now. Feel free to comment cool moments in your life!

Okay, here is this week’s installment:

“You made me laugh so much, I am sweating.” Jim U.

“Don’t give us reason to question your orientation.” Pete to Liz, who was saying that Elvis wasn’t good looking.

Interchange with Rona:
R: You haven’t done your quotes for a while.
G: Yes I have, I did it last week.
R: oh, well it doesn’t count if I’m not in it.

“I want liver and onions.” Austin, 3 (and repeating his Amie)

“Shut your face, poopy head.” Liz (see, she CAN be mean! Martin was right!)

“I passed my second test!” Deana, referring to her credential testing.

I am too tired to think of more because I didn’t save them correctly this week. So I will update it Saturday morning!

The above picture was taken by my friend, Gregg, who is apparently not scared of sharks!

Sharks represent a good symbol for Mondays! Mondays are intimidating, intense, and something you really don’t want to see when you’re going about your day!

So this morning I am chatting online with Deana and she is telling me there is this horrible storm in Texas, rain pouring down very hard, thunder and lightning abound, but “she is not scared”. I start getting ready for work and think, “I better dress warm because it’s raining.” Then I get sad because, yes, it’s Monday AND raining. So I begin to hate the day even more and whine about having to work and look at Lady and think “why can’t I stay home with you?” and then kick myself for being a wimp. I get my sweater out (don’t want to get rained on) and then I realize – I AM NOT IN TEXAS, DUH! Slight consolation was that is WAS misting outside. But aren’t I a dork!

This picture better reflects what I’d rather be doing – singing psychedelic songs with mi amigas.

So, it wasn’t too bad of a day really. Got some work done, finished reading Wicked (which is not much to do with the stage musical!), and came home to this blog. Yep, the lifestyles of the rich and famous!

Have a great night!

I almost feel like Seinfeld!

Just to warn you, this post might feel like I am complaining or sad – but I don’t feel these emotions!

Today is a strange day for me. This is the first weekend in YEARS when I don’t have any homework! I woke up at almost nine am (hallelujah!), made coffee, got my computer out, and……well…….wondered what to do! Usually, I go over the “projects” I created for the multiple classes I had to determine the order of homework I would do, or get my mind focused on the essay I was in the middle of, etc. THIS NEED IS NOW GONE and it feels a little weird! So, instead I am putzing around the internet, drinking my coffee, sending emails to friends, reading blogs……pretty much nothing! And it feels WEIRD!

It’s rainng today so I don’t feel anxious to get out and about. Maybe since I’ve been sick today will be a day of laziness. Staying home in sweats, watching more episodes of 24 Season 2, maybe reading a bit more FOR FUN, and not much else. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a lazy day like that. Maybe my body needs it today and therefore makes it okay.

I DON’T like being so alone, though. I wish I could have my family here to share this new part of my life. It is kind of strange to be sitting in an empty house with no need to even vocalize……strange, but again – maybe good for me today. No pressure to interact, no need to be goofy. So it is what it is.

So on a serious note – there is an ongoing debate amongst a few of my friends – perhaps YOU can be a part of the debate as well! Some suggest I should begin the process of getting my MBA. Others insist I am better wired to get a law degree. In fact, one friend (who shall remain nameless) has already suggested I begin studying for the LSAT! (Hello, let me have a WEEKEND! LOL!) Actually, both sound interesting and – truth be known – I want to get into something before my student loans come of deferment! LOL So feel free to post a comment and let me know your thoughts as well!

It seems strange that we’re already in October! Pretty soon the fall will be here “officially” (I say that because Deana already lit her pumpkin candle, which is a fall thing). But I like the fall, and I like Thanksgiving so much, and Christmas is always a blessing……it’s just weird. Oh, and then there’s my 40th birthday – looming its ugly head so scandalously……..sigh.

Okay, that’s all I got!

Okay, not much to say this week, but I am trying my best!

“I am easy.” Jim U.

“Auntie Geen! Get in your car and come to Texas! I miss you!” Sophia

“Does it hurt?” Stepha questioning me as I got my newest tattoo. The answer was YES!

“…the Wizard needs some agents. He requires a few generals. In the long run. Some people with managing skills. Some people with gumption. In a word, women.” Madame Morrible, from Wicked (the novel)

Exchange with Rona and Gina in a taxi in Vegas as a song by Justin Timberlake is playing:
G: Shhhhh! Stop talking! Do you NOT know who this is?
R: Yes, I know who it is and he is NOT dating you! (or some such nonsense, at which point the taxi driver starts busting up. grrrrr!)

“Don’t be sick Friday. Don’t be sick Friday.” Liz, who is capable of being nice on occasion…..seriously!

“Oh no!!!!” Wanda, who sent a joke email to the wrong Mark…..

That’s all I have this week peeps!

I JUST FINISHED MY LAST ASSIGNMENT FOR SCHOOL!!!!!!!

SERIOUSLY!!!!

I don’t even know what to think!

Pray that I can get what I need quickly enough for Biola to process my graduation request.

Wow, after so many years (over three years of non-stop) school and I AM DONE!!!!!