The New Adventures of Me

I can see clearly....

2008-08-10T17:47:00.000-07:00

I got glasses! Hooray for clear vison! I can see colors, words, street signs-praise the miracle of sight!

Hey Buddy, park it over there!

2008-08-10T17:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday deserved a little adventure, and while gas prices are going down...I still couldn't afford to make it a day trip somewhere cool. So I thought I would go wander through Herman Miller Park, an amazing urban oasis that houses the zoo, some wicked waterways, and the Japanese Botanical Gardens.

I really like the park because I think this is what Central Park might be like. A huge green play land filled with trees and all the other parky stuff right smack dab in the middle of the city. You can hear all the city noises but look at neat nature bits.

The Japanese Gardens are my favorite. Just a small area that you can wander through, and they have tons of purple flowering plants, little bridges over tumbling water, and pagoda's. I even saw a turtle sunning himself on a rock! But he was camera shy.

I would have loved to stay longer, but it was freaking hot out. Definitely an activity for early morning or October.

Run Forest, Run!

2008-08-09T07:03:00.000-07:00

I went running this morning. Yes, that's right. I am a runner. I run. Hey, let's go over there. Why walk? Let's run.

Lately my soul had been having this urge to just take off running whenever I am walking somewhere. Or thinking about walking. I just had this glorious image of me running down the street, pony tail bobbing, and lean muscular legs glistening with dew. But I kept telling myself, "Silly soul...we don't run! You can't have your chunky bits flying everywhere!" But my soul did NOT want to listen.

Instead, it kept waking me up at 6am, urging me to run. "NO!" I would tell it. So last night, I waited up till 1130pm and then finally hit the hay-thinking that I could have a nice relaxing morning with no alarm clock.

HA HA HA HA NO. I was awake at 7am. I layed in bed till 730am then stopped fighting. I got my workout pants, tank top, running shoes, iPod, and headed out the door.

There is a commercial zone right behind me, and I thought that would be perfect since there would be no one there to see me flail about gasping for air like a fish trying to fling its self off of a fishing boat. So I went there, walkted there first, then found a good song on the iPod and took off-I actually made it through a whole song! Then I walked a little, then I ran a little, then walked more, then ran, then tried to make it through another whole song...almost did....then walked, then ran the last little bit back to the light where I had to cross. It was encouraging because there was a lot of construction going on back there and yeah, I couldn't just WALK past the men that I didn't know but I pretended were watching.

I hurt. All over. My legs, my butt, ankles, abs...all of it. But I liked it! It was so nice to be outside! Don't worry mom, I had my cell phone and a wicked right hook in case anyone decided to mess with me. But it was warm and beautiful, I even saw a duck! We quacked for a moment then I headed on.

Bring on the marathons....

Yeah no. :)

Daily Emotion

2008-08-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

Being excited that Diet A&W Root Beer really DOES taste like the original!

Who Ya Gonna Call?

2008-08-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

For those who know me, you might recall that my fascination for things of the "after this life" nature is usually pretty present. I scare myself silly watching Ghost Hunters, and when I am feeling worldly; Ghost Hunters International.I am consistently thinking that at some point in my life, I will have a brush with a "life challenged" being or see something fly across my room.

Last night was no exception.

I come home after a hard day of work and stopping by WalMart. I had bought a toilet brush and some cleaning solution and I was ready to make my tub and toilet shine. So, after some scrubbie scrubbie here, and some scrubbie scrubbie there, I feel that toilet is clean enough, get bored, and toss the brush in the shower-at the VERY back of the tub.

I come in later that night, kill a baby cockroach (stun and flush) that was lounging in my shower, and notice that the toilet brush is pushed ALL THE WAY UP TO THE FRONT OF THE SHOWER. Now, boys and girls, what do you think is my first thought?

Yup, that I had a bathroom ghost. So I immediately call Erin, and tell her the whole story. Lovable skeptic scamp that she is, she asks if it could have rolled there. "NO!" I loudly inform her-the brush is F-L-A-T. Just to prover her wrong, I pick up the brush, drop it down the back of the tub as I had before, and watch it slide...

all

the

way

the

front.

Whoops.

And this is why I am not a Ghostbuster. Who ya gonna call? Not Marissa!

The Creation of Adam

2008-08-05T07:10:00.000-07:00

You know when you have those moments when you look up at the sky, and you are dead sure that a booming voice is about to come out and give you some sort of direction, greeting, or just overall general statement of well being?

I looked up at that sky and waited...but I got nothin.

Next time.

Scary Storm Times

2008-08-04T12:38:00.001-07:00

Wandered out at quarter to eight on Sunday morning and was greeted by an eerie sight... Dark sky above, with a hint of sunrise underneath, no birds chirping, and no one else on the road really.

Nothing scary but the rain, but still seemed a little odd...

Defensive Driving is Hilarious!

2008-08-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

I think the slogan should be "Your driving is so awful...it's funny!"

Oh defensive driving, will you ever not be hilarious?

Barnaby's Cafe

2008-08-02T15:17:00.000-07:00

Lunch today was at the lovely Barnaby's Cafe. Very cute little cafe with a wonderful waiter who let me color!

Who doesn't love coloring?! They have lots of selections-everything from salads to grilled chicken to cold sandwiches to lasagna to burgers. I had a turkey and cranberry mayonnaise.

And they made it into a face!

It's a contemplative sandwich.

It's thinking that I'm going to eat it!

Very good sandwich...moist and yumtastic.

And most importantly, the end coloring product. This is stuff that goes on the fridge people!!

Could it be more perfect?!

2008-08-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

Lookin at the sunshine, having a non fat, sugar free vanilla latte, a little hummus, and playing on the internet on a Friday afternoon....

Nope. :) Happy Friday!

Birds Eye View

2008-07-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

You know you work high up when you see clouds.

This is the view that William Wonderful has of the weather right now-from the 56th floor.

Another Restaurant Review

2008-07-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Another day...another review. How delicious!

Will and I went last night for Indian food. We went to a place called India's and while their service and atmosphere were very good, I felt the food was a little lacking.

Don't get me wrong, it was good. But I keep searching for the Indian food that leaves me saying "WOW". It just didn't seem to have the flavor I was looking for. But, they did get points with me because their billboard said "Currying on the tradition". He he he.

We giggled, we ate, we overall had a wonderful meal (when the company is amazing, you can't but help have a good time!) and then we decided to check out another little place...Crave Cupcakes.

Now seriously, I'm like a shark in shallow water when it comes to cupcakes. I love them. I especially love the mini's. There was a place in West Seattle that shuddered when I walked in because I would get one of each. They are the perfect size for tasting! I think Will got a little concerned when I started humming the Jaws shark music under my breath when we pulled in-but lucky for him...there were no mini's. Only the full size ones and we had a limited selection of 4 kinds...and I still couldn't make up my mind.

Ended up sharing a chocolate on vanilla, and it was totally delish. Very moist, heavy bottom (Hey! You are what you eat!) and creamy frosting. And perfect for splitting. Well..sort of. I could have attacked one alone easily, but I am still showing him I'm a lady.

Post cupcake bliss.

My Restaurant Reviews

2008-07-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

So I have decided that when I try a new place... I need to review it so other people can live vicariously through me. Because let's face it...I do a lot of cool stuff.

Last night, I met a new friend at Cafe Caspian, a Persian restaurant.

What is Persian food you ask?

The Legendary Cuisine of PersiaExperiencing the cuisine of Persia is a delight to the palate as well as a journey through history that takes one back more than 3,000 years into one of the world's oldest and most influential cultures. The origins of most traditional Persian dishes are so old that their recipes had to be inscribed on clay tablets. The enduring appeal of these dishes is legendary, prompting Cyrus the Great to conclude that the ancient Persians could conquer other tribes as much with their cooking as with their prowess.
This was at least partially confirmed some 200 years later when Alexander the Great conquered the Persian empire but was personally won over to Persian cooking. His Macedonian soldiers, on their return home, carried with them into the Mediterranean area the exotic foods of the Persians, enabling the Greeks and later the Romans to enliven their foods with saffron, lemons, pomegranates, and pistachios. After Alexander, Persia crossed paths with other major world cultures - the Oriental in the 13th century with the invasion of the Moghuls, and the European in the 12th and 13th centuries with the arrival of the Crusaders. In the process, Persia not only absorbed food customs from other cultures, but introduced her own into other countries. So as you enjoy Persian food for the first time, be prepared for it to have a surprising familiarity to you. Enjoy the legend!

So we started off with the hummus platter. Umm...hummus YUMMUS. It is a really light and flavorful dish, and they serve it with feta cheese (yes please) and sweet onions. Served with their homemade flat bread I don't think I let my dinner companion eat much of it. I would growl every time she made a move for the hummus.

I then had the chenjeh (check out my pronunciation), which was chunks of marinated and grilled beef with different spices, white rice, and grilled tomatoes. Amazing, so good. Not heavy at all, and a nice light flavor.

I am contemplating going BACK for lunch and spending $18 just to have it again....

Over all.... A+. Cute little place, not busy at all, and...present wait staff. Wouldn't call them attentive but I really didn't care. I got nervous when people would come near the hummus.

It All Ties Together

2008-07-22T06:33:00.000-07:00

So this morning, I stop by and get the mail at work before going up. And to my delighted surprise, I have a mom card! Made me giggle and I loved the line. I will use that in the future!

And then I check my horoscope:

Today's Gemini Horoscope: Jul 22, 2008
Take advantage of this bright sunny day, dear Gemini, and have fun. There are plenty of reasons to get out of the house and explore the world around you. Although getting up and going out may seem like a great deal of effort, you will be incredibly glad once you do. A good time is not likely to fly though the window and land on your lap; you need to get out there and find it for yourself. Getting out is much easier when you have a partner in crime.

I loved the connection. Hmm...where to?!

Hey...it kinda looks like someone lives here....

2008-07-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

Well my online family...I have been making my little apartment a little more homey. And it's been really fun! After moving several times in my life I have finally heeded the advice from my mother and have begun to LIVE SIMPLY. While I have gotten a few decorations, I have remained true to the credo that less is more. While I have survived in my place with only a bed...it is time for me to no longer survive, to thrive.

So where do you go when you need cheap stuff?! IKEA! Oh yes. The Ikea here is two stories, and well, Sarah and I found out that we can only go twice a year. While everything there is super cheap, it's not when you buy cartloads of it. It's an amazing place...from the revolving door that you walk in, to the carts with 4-count 'em FOUR-turning wheels so you can screech around corners, Ikea is a super center in every sense of the word.

So I stock up, for $122.57 I got:

coffee/tv table with shelf below it
bedside table

3 piece saucepan set

5 knife set

16 piece silverware set
2 plates
2 bowls

1 frying pan
4 glass wine glasses
1 large cutting board and one mini
1 framed tri-picture of black and white New York scenes

4 unframed mats of black and white scenes in Paris

So what does that lead to? Putting together your furniture yourself! Hooray! I got one table together, and put it next to the bed and got it all set up with my alarm clock, candles, and pictures. Alright...cool. I am woman, I put together furniture. Well, then I let the other table sit in fear in the packaging for a week.

Hey, I need a couch. I need something to sit on. Well, Craigslist is the only reasonable place to go for quality furniture at a dirt cheap price. So...I am no longer allowed to buy furniture by myself anymore. While the couch will totally do until I can buy something that is better...everyone picture the first couch they bought. It especially helps if that couch was in the 1970's...because I have it. (And if I find pot, I am going to be disappointed in you all!) I got a sleeper sofa that is a little scratchy, but has some serious potential. Updates to come.

But now I have a couch, I have tables, I have art...it's time to put it all together.

I spend two freaking days on that table. I can't get the legs to screw in right. And what do you do when you have a problem like that? You call a man (or you throw it out and cry about your loss, but I called a man.) Better then that, I called MY man. And he shows up, drill in hand, ready to bend that table into submission.

And I of course have to add my assistance. I use power tools...grr.....

Work it...work it....The new face of drills and power tools everywhere.

Finally I hear an exasperated sigh and "honey, can I use that now?"

Oh, yeah.

But alas! He does it! And now look at what I come home to!

Living room....
Bedroom...

Vanity area....where I am oh so vain.

And the bathroom.

I only have a couple things left to do. I am going to paint one wall, because I can, and it will be a light color. I have learned while dark brown and orange may look nice-painting 5 coats over them to return them to the right color when you move out is NOT fun.

And I need a tv. I need to be able to watch DVD's and steal cable.

But there's my place! The Love Shack as I like to call it... Or the Bunny Ranch.

Daily Emotion

2008-07-14T11:42:00.001-07:00

Slightly bitter that the crappy soup you brought for lunch because you have nothing else in your cupboard is not a hamburger with fries:

Daily Emotion

2008-07-09T13:02:00.001-07:00

Realizing you misread your tiny little clock on your computer wrong and it's not 4:00pm, it's 3:00pm.

Food for Thought-Texas Style

2008-07-09T12:50:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you have a monkey on your back?

Yehaaw little guy. Yehaaw.

Hunka Hunka Tasty Wine

2008-07-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

What is missing from most classy wine bars today?

If you said Mexican fake Elvis singing to guests, you would be dead RIGHT.

Hey, don't be cruel. Get Melvis a Riesling! Well thank you, thankyouverymuch.

Emotions are the sweet candy shell of Life

2008-07-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Fun new website. http://www.emotioneric.com/

Thanks Erin! It's pretty darn hilarious. It shows one random man acting out different emotions. One of my favorite was "finding out you bought the wrong fabric softener". So with that-I think I need to display more emotions in MY blog.

Stay tuned... :)

Happy Endings

2008-07-03T06:38:00.000-07:00

So....I was sent this by my father...and I don't know if it's because of the music in the background, or because I love animals, or what...but I cried. Big time.

It's the cutest thing EVER.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

Hope you like it too. Maybe not enough to cry, but enough to understand. :)

Whoa Nellie

2008-06-26T12:36:00.001-07:00

And yet another thing to make yesterday the best day ever...I saw a car get pulled over by a policeman on a horse!

He actually gave the guy a ticket. I looked hard, but I could not see where he would have put those lights and sirens. Maybe they are a team..."Hey there Cupcake-how much should his ticket be for?"

Oh So Zesty...

2008-06-25T14:44:00.001-07:00

Today one of the best things ever happened-Zesty Jenny read my blog.

I've been reading Jenny's blog for a while now, ever since Sarah introduced me to it, and it is truly the epitome of what I want my blog to be. She's super cool, really funny, and I idolize her bloginess. She's my celebrity of blogs. Blogrity. Something like that. She's a local Tacoma girl, and I love that I can keep up on the "City of Glass" and the antics of some of the friends we have in common.

So anyways, I've been reading her blog, laughing along yet admiring from afar. Until today, I was inspired to leave a comment. And on a whim, I left my blog address. And guess what-not only did she read it....SHE COMMENTED! I really can't tell you how excited I am. She has inspired me to do the birthday goal list, to create categories for my posts, to basically become cooler in my every day life. And they were real comments. Not like "Hey kid , nice strung together words in blog-like form..." She read them and responded to the content "Hush about the 80 degree weather, it's not even summer here yet....Cool England pictures-makes me want to go back....Hey, you're amazingly cool, let's be best friends and have dance contests..." Stuff like that!!

It's fun because bloggers support other bloggers. Please check out hers and continue to "live your life as zestfully as possible..."

www.zestyenterprise.com

Aww....

2008-06-23T13:38:00.001-07:00

Daily dose of adorableness!
We got all dressed up for church. Too bad the best part was the brunch we had afterwards. Next!

GoodNight Moon

2008-06-23T13:34:00.000-07:00

Saw a great view from my favorite bar the other night. Watched an orange moon rise.Goodnight moon, goodnight brush. Goodnight lady who might be a lush.