.note.to.self.

i need to remind myself to not go to the dunkin donuts on wabash and adams. they severely water down their coffee. if not water down, then re-use their beans. it used to be good. but the past 3 times i've gone there, i barely taste the coffee. sure, i like my cream and sugar with a bit of coffee, but this is ridiculous. that's almost not a trace of coffee in there. i had heard rumors about them before, but i figured i'd give them 3 tries. and they struck out with each try.

.shopping.
i did a ton of shopping this weekend. A TON. i guess it makes up for not really shopping for clothes for myself for the past year. i've given a bunch away to the salvation army. i need to continue to give clothes away, since i know i don't wear everything that's in my closet. mariza and i went to the aurora outlet mall yesterday. it was disasterous. but at least i have new clothes! and i found a bcbg dress, so i think i'm all set for all the weddings that i'm attending this year. i just have to wear 2 or 3 to all 6 of them. the good news is that different people will be attending almost all the weddings. so i just have to make sure i coordinate well.

.bootcamp.
tonight's my 1st bootcamp class. time to whip my body into shape. i need to supplement it with running on my off days, so hopefully in a few months, i'll be much more toned. thank god mariza is doing this with me too. phew! i'll update how the class was tomorrow. it's every monday, tuesday and thursday nights at 6PM. this will make me get to work early and leave early, AND get all my shit done by 5:15, so that i can leave on time. more discipline, which is what i need.

.s.a.g.
did anyone watch the SAG awards last night. go reese! she's so cute. i feel bad that joaquin didn't win though. the oscars should defo be interesting. i'm partial to walk the line, but i'd be interested in seeing [u]capote [/u]to compare it appropriately. the show itself was actually interesting, but that was probably because it was all categories that the public is interested in. and there wasn't much hooplah over irrevelant topics. that's what the oscars are for...*smirk*

.walk.the.line.


i saw walk the line last thursday. y'all know that i don't listen to country music. so i had no background on johnny cash. i think that's what made me love the movie so much. the storyline was so rich. and the actors, joaquin and reese, played their roles perfectly. i can't imagine anyone else in this movie. their love story was so touching.

my favorite line in the movie was, 'marry me june...you're my best friend...' and it was so true. it was june and her family who got him clean, when everyone else abandoned him. so, so sweet. it's true, he did ask her to marry him on stage, but who knows if that line was verbatim. whatever it was, it fit. the way the movie was written and directed, made it all come together. there were so many other things that happened to cash in his life, so this was defo just a smidgen of it. it was framed perfectly for the hollywood audience.

i think i want to see it again...

but i have some other oscar worthy movies to watch...well, maybe not exactly oscar worthy, but entertaining... the family stone, munich, the constant gardener, pride and prejudice, the producers, syriana...i've already seen brokeback mountain and memoirs of a geisha. both good movies...

when the oscars roll around though, i'll be sad if reese and joaquin both are nominated and lose. it sucks that the oscars categories are for both dramatic and comedy together. stupid...

.boarding.update.
went up to granite peak this past weekend with richie and amy. good times. stayed at archie's parents' house, boarded yesterday, then drove home. it was a nice lil get-away. it also gave me some much needed boarding practice. have to get ready for tahoe! i don't know if i'll be any faster, but at least i have a bit more control and can get my toe edge...cross your fingers for me...

.lots.o.traveling.this.year.

i just booked my flight to tahoe for next month. it got me thinking how much traveling and how much money i need to save this year:

february - 5 days in tahoe for our annual boarding trip
april - 3 days in vegas for my brother's wedding
end of april/early may - b10 vacation?
end of may - mariza and liezl's wedding (2 different weddings, not to each other. dar!)
june - buddy's wedding in chicago
july - shelby's wedding in manhatten beach
september - archie's co-workers' wedding in chicago
november - reneelyn's wedding in chicago

shit, that's a lot.

i need to start planning now...at least a lot of the weddings won't have the same attendees, so i can re-use dresses. woohoo!

.goals.

• another goal this year is to run the chicago marathon again. i gotta remember to start training off slow, so i don't re-injure myself. i signed up for the shamrock shuffle in april, so i'll have a good idea then of how training will be in the summer...
• i was also thinking of taking that photographer class that i've been eyeing for the past couple years. i need to bite the bullet and just take it, instead of waiting...what am i waiting for? more money, so i can buy a nice srl camera? that day will most likely not come, so i better get off my ass and do something about it now.
• finish up those thank you cards! my goal is to finish that up this weekend. i just need those $.02 stamps to finish them off...

.annoying.people.on.the.L.

there were some really annoying people on the L this morning. you know those loud, obnoxious riders who talk, actually shout, to their friend across the aisle, like they're the only people on the train? yeah, those people. do they really think everyone cares about which bitch said what and to whom? the morning ride into the loop is usually silent in most L cars. and i've come to realize just how much i love it. it's my quiet time. when i get my mind in order for what i need to get done that day. or it's my time to catch up on my reading. hopefully, in silence. so needless to say, i wasn't a happy camper when i got into work. i felt like disorganized, discombobulated (sp?)....oh, who am i kidding, i'm always disorganized at work.

.back.to.writing.test.scripts.

work has finally slowed down and i'm stuck this week writing test cases for our next quarter release. this has got to be the boring-est thing to do. yet, it's so damn important, otherwise, we'll end up with another hellish december type month.

at least i'm trying to better my organizing/task management skills. that doesn't mean that i'm getting better. it just means i'm working on it. and i've realized that i need A LOT of work on it...

i'm going to see memoirs of a geisha tonight. woohoo! i just finished reading the book a 2nd time, and i loved it. i know i'll be disappointed in the movie, since people who loved the book hated the movie; so i have to remember to keep an open mind and take the movie for what it is: not a complete interpretation of the book, i'm sure, but maybe just a good movie. i hear the colors are so visually stimulating, so i'm excited about that...

yesterday at work, they had a employee promotion/recognition reception...it was basically a thing where the people who were promoted were an audience for the people who were 'recognized' by our company. by 'recognized' i mean, people who got bonuses for being excellent employees in 2005. i know it was meant to be a special thing for people who were promoted too, but it just felt like we were merely invited to act as an audience, since they couldn't afford to invite the whole company. can you feel the cynicism in my words? is cynicism even a word? anyways, i tried to enjoy and be happy for the people who were recognized, because they defo did a good job (well, most of them, not ALL of them...ahem). but it just felt wierd. i didn't feel like we were really needed there...

anyways, so that's how it's been. don't get me wrong, i'm grateful that i was promoted, but to see someone up there who you've worked with for a while, be recognized by people who don't really work closely with her, when you fully know that they're not as "great" as the higherups think they are....well, excuse me for being bitter. i think it's time to move on.

ok, break over. back to work...

.sucked.into.the.bachelor.

so, i let it happen again...i'm watching the bachelor this year. but how can i help it?? this guy is H. O. T. seriously. he's 1 hot mofoe. the best bachelor around, by far. and he's an ER doctor. not that i'm materialistic or anything, but that kind of translates into him being smart, and he does seem to have a good bedside manner. granted, he probably knows he's hot as hell, and i'm sure he's in some ways cocky. but shit, he's smart!

ok, anyways, i can't really remember the last time i've watched a show with my jaw wide open, in shock at how hot the guy on tv is...

okok, really, that's it. anyways, i was supposed to start this bootcamp class today...it started last week, but i wasn't sure if i wanted to take it. it's actually called a wedding bootcamp class, and obviously it's targeted for brides who want to get in shape for the big day. but that doesn't mean other people can't join too...anyways, i called today and they said that it's too late, and the next session begins on jan 30th. so in the meantime, i need to start going to ballys more often and start running...the marathon is another goal this year. hopefully i don't get injured. i signed up for the shamrock shuffle today too, so i'm committed. i just need to start slow, so i can make sure i don't hurt myself too early.

but really, the goal is to lose this weight that i've let myself gain. it's ridiculous. i'm surprised my pants still fit me. i've turned into 1 of those cliches, who's new year resolution is to lose weight...ugh. not that there's anything wrong with that, but i need to concentrate on changing that part of my life, where i'm not yo-yo-ing anymore...

just for kicks, here's another one of my favorite wedding pics: