Halloween party

Happy Halloween!! On saturday night, I went into Denver to catch up with an old university friend who was having a Halloween party at her house. Being the new kid in town, I was a bit nervous about showing up all by myself to a party full of people who already knew each other...but I figured, I gotta make friends sometime, so this seemed as good an opportunity as any. Since it was a costume party I dressed up as a gypsy (which meant I just loaded on a bunch of strange clothes and jewels from my travels...no need to buy anything...See I am winning at the "budgetting game".) Anyhow, I walk into the house and it is the scene (on a much smaller scale) from Mean Girls, where Lindsay Lohan shows up for a Halloween party dressed as corpse bride (with lots of clothes on) and all the other girls are dressed super slutty....yep, I didn't get that memo...in Colorado, when you go to a costume party, you have to wear a costume from the adult store (complete with garters)...if only I had known...I would have worn something more appropriate....

Getting past the self-consciousness of being "over-dressed" I did have a really great time. My friend is fantastic and hangs out with some really nice people. And other then the guy who thought I was dressed as Maya Angelou (I don't know, where he got that?) most people just thought I was an unemployed psychic friend (which might be my new lie from now on, when people ask what I used to do.)....I guess the most important thing of that night was that I made a whole bunch of new friends (oh god, am I cheesy!!)

Haircuts

Okay, so I admit that I have reached new levels of cheapness. I mean, okay, I know i need to get a job, I'm just really procrastinating. But in the meantime (while I continue to procrastinate) I have been playing the "budgeting" game...which it turns out is way more fun then I ever thought it would be...although, some of my ideas on ways to save cash may not be the most sound....like using Wal-mart for their eye exam services (I mean, what kind of doctors work at Wal-mart?)...I haven't actually used them yet, but they are on my list of people I need to call, as I have run out of contacts, and am feeling uber-geeky wearing my glasses all of the time (even though my best friend tried to make me feel better by calling them "artsy chic). Or chosing a dentist because I recieved a coupon in the mail for this guy...(I've actually scheduled an appointment for him, I'll let you know if it turns out to be super dodgy)....And instead of eating meat I've been eating TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) because a bag of it only costs like 85 cents and lasts for almost a month...and I mean its like tofu, it sucks up the flavor of the sauces....it just looks funny, but you get used to it.

Today, I decided i couldn't deal with my hair anymore...okay it's something I've been thinking about for awhile, because for some reason I have become obsessed with Paris...and want to look like I am a Parisienne (I've yet to actually wander around with a french accent...but I think that will be tomorrow's little adventure, as I deal with the evil contractors who are suppose to work on the house.) I think this is because I have been studied the spring collections for jewelry ideas and have found this Paris designer that I love and am now obsessed with (although, I don't think I will find her clothes in Colorado) Isabel Marant. Anyhow, after a journey to the fabric store to pick out some stuff so that I could attempt to imitate one of her scarves, I wandered into a Cost cutters to chop my hair....on so many levels I knew it was a bad idea....but again, I had a coupon, and I really have been having fun with my little saving money game...so I figured, how bad could cost cutters be? I mean they are every where, and people go to them all the time, so the stylists can't be complete fuck-ups?....of course, on average my haircuts usually cost about 6 times what cost cutters cost...and maybe that is because my normal stylist actually takes the time to work with my hairtype, and quite simply...she has awesome hair....

The stylist at costcutters...was wearing a football jersey and had a bad perm and 80's bangs....you know where she looks like she used an entire can of aqua-net and her whole head shines of gel, giving them whole Wet-look impression....my gut instinct was to turn around and walk out when i saw her...but then I focused on the "game" of saving money and that strange desire to look like a girl that eats pain chocolat for breakfast (but doesn't gain weight), and wears strange Isabel Marant scarves...essential I wanted "i'm too cool to care" hair...so I stayed and gave the stylist very, clear instructions on how to cut my hair....I'm not sure how it happened...actually I do know how it happened...I went to cost cutters, and expected a miracle...when at the end of the day, they don't really know how to do anything except like 3 haircuts...so I walked out of the salon looking not like an artsy girl at a cafe in Paris, but like Rachel from friends....from 10 years ago...when her haircut was awesome.

I've learned my lesson...maybe somethings are too important to be cheap with...and until my hair grows out, I'm wearing it in a very small pony tail.

Stopover #4

My last stop on the roadtrip was to see all of my friends and old colleagues. I spent about 5 days in the valley with 2 of my closest friends, eating all the foods I had missed, spending way too much money (for an unemployed person) and making a big decision...As of January 2006, I will be moving back to LA...I mean, WHY am I in Colorado?

So there you have it..I got everything I needed out of my little roadtrip...inspiration, answers, caught up with my loved ones, and a possible end to the personal limbo I have placed myself in.

Stopover #3

I caught up with my family in the Southbay area, it was great to see everyone. All of my little cousins have grown so much since I last saw them....it's crazy!!!

The strangest part of this stopover was going to my favorite Japanese market. This place is huge, it's like the size of a Sam's club, but only sells asian foods and products....it's like the best place to get a rice cooker in town. Anyhow, i had a few moments of confusion when I realized all the Asian customers were all speaking perfect English, and that the Latino stockboy knew exactly what i was talking about when I asked him where I could find the Okonomiyaki sauce. Of course the packaging is all in Japanese, and i still can't understand the directions of how to make things...but that's nothing new to me at this point. Strangely, being illiterate is kind of comforting right now...I mean, at least i've accepted it and it doesn't feel foreign to me.

Stopover # 2

Apple Valley, California: I think it might really be a valley...but I'm not too sure about the Apple part, as it is in the middle of the California desert.

I spent a few days here with my cousin, her husband, and their new baby (he's one year old!) Oh my goodness,that baby is so cute, but what a ball of energy!! I am not sure he ever stops. And at some point during the trip, I taught him how to be a monster...so now he walks around on his chubby legs, with his hands in the air, growling at people. I like to believe that I have made a lasting impression on his newly developed social skills, as I tend to bring the monster out of most little kids.

Overall, it was fabulous down-home stop in the desert. I will probably spend another night there on my way back home to Colorado.

Road Tripping Part I

I left last week Friday for a week and half roadtrip to the heart of America...LA. I had to get out of Colorado and clear my head. I mean, I've had a month to decompress and i still didn't have any real direction as to what i would be doing with my life. So I figured a little adventure would inspire me a bit. On the way, I made a few stopovers to visit with my beloveds....

Stopover #1: Salt Lake City, Utah.

2 nights' stay with my brother and his girlfriend...I always have a great time with these guys....And they are some of the only people in the world who get me, and don't take offense to my favorite sport: Sightseeing at Wal-mart (if you haven't done it..you definately should try it sometime...grab a cart and start cruising the aisles in search of mullets and rat-tailed people...also seek out people who still own and wear Zubas....bonus points to be had for spotting anyone wearing PJs and fuzzy slippers.)
But I have digressed...Our fantastic weekend was spent going to an SLC house party (which was a strange mixture of 50 somethings and 20 somethings...i felt as though i was getting the opportunity to see what an actual Wal-mart shopper's home was like...yeah, i know I am a bitch.), the Utah-UCSD homecoming game (which was AWESOME...my brother and I got to stand on the field with the players and watch the game from their perspective...which is pretty crazy...I mean, people are screaming and yelling, cheering and booing, and we were in the middle of it....UTAH ended up losing, but for me it was all about having the opportunity to see stuff super up close and personal.)and catching a screening of Elizabethtown (which was a bit slow, but sweet and enjoyable.) Overall, we had an amazing weekend.

Nylon Magazine

I know this will sound like I am completely daft...but I was shopping at Borders today (I am now living in a part of the world that caters to chain-store obsessed consumerism.) and I was SHOCKED to find one of my favorite French/Japanese magazines at the store...Nylon...which I guess I knew they did an American version, but considering I had never actually looked for it in America, and had only read it in Japan (okay i didn't actually read it, i merely looked at the pictures) and had picked up the French version (so that I could read it...the things one had to do to be able to read things while in Japan)....I had no idea the magazine actually came in an English format. And my god...its so much better when one can actually understand 100% of the content. No long do I have to just idly stare at the images, and sift thru the interviews only to learn that I comprehend about 45% (on a good day)...Now if i could find a newstand that sold Madame Figaro in English...I would be in HEAVEN.

Painting the garage floor

I was garage sale-ing a couple of weekends ago and stopped by this guy's place who had a painted cement floor. His garage was immaculate (this is not something i had ever considered, prior to "settling down".), the floor was beautiful. So I started asking him questions about who had done it, how long ago did he paint the garage floor, was it difficult? Well he did it 10 years ago, by himself, it wasn't hard, and I should go and see the good people at Home Depot for help. So I went to the store, got hit on by a scary middle-aged clerk (I may have to start whipping out the Bali engagement ring for shopping trips to the hardware store in Colorado), bought the stuff (it comes as a complete package with cleaner and instructional DVD) and headed home.

The whole process of cleaning the floor wasn't so hard...although the acid that I had to use did really burn my hands. But, overall it was pretty easy. Then the epoxy sealent/painting process began...oh my god, I so didn't think this all the way thru. I mean, I was smart enough to realize i would need things like paint brushes, paint pans, and rollers...but things like paint thinner and masking tape...yeah I know, so obvious, but so not something i even considered....I mean in hindsight at least I was smart enough to remember to open a side door so that I could get back into the house.

The thing with epoxy sealant is that once you start painting, there is no stopping until you are done...So about halfway through, when my body was aching from bending over with the roller (I know, one could attach a broomstick to the roller so one does not have to bend over...but scary guy at home depot connected the broomstick to a brush head, and wound it so tight in his excitment to ask me out, that I couldn't get it pulled apart...hence the need to do the entire garage on my knees.) I was unable to stop.

And as I got closer to finishing, I had two horrible thoughts...1) oh my god, the paint roller thing is stuck to my hand (the glue had begun to solidify and I hadn't realized it)....2) I have managed to get paint all over my body...including my feet. How am I going to get back inside the new house? And worse, how am i going to get to the shower once I am in the house?

After finally finishing the job, I realized the only solution to my dilemna was to lay in the grass and wait for the paint to totally dry on my body, so i wouldn't track it thru the new house. Man oh man the things I do to keep my parents' house clean.

Life in a retirement community

So it isn't enough that I have moved to a whole new environment, but also I have moved into a retirement community. I know, it's wierd...although I think at this moment it is also strangely hip...so i am right up there with the rest of my contemporaries. I mean last year there was a book released by a 20 something comedy writer who retired from Hollywood after his show was cancelled and moved to a retirement community in Florida...he wrote a book about it...I didn't read the book, but i saw the reviews in People (I am so literate)...then last spring, the guys on the OC hung out at a retirement community in Florida for an episode (Seth played shuffleboard...it was like so poignant) and now Cameron Diaz moves into a retirement community in her new movie "In Her Shoes"...so i figure..yeah, I'm hip again.

Anyhow, I'm hanging with the old folks (alright i don't actually "hang" with any of them...mostly they just drive by slowly and stare at me...their dogs all seem to love me, many see me and pull their owners over...but usually my presence just flusters the old men, and women are freaked out by me..) whatever...so I am sitting outside on the stoop, chatting on the phone with an old friend, and "cinnamon" from across the street drags her owner over to meet me. Keep in mind that I am ON THE PHONE...and this adorable dog decides to crawl into my lap and her owner does nothing, but stands there happily watching his dog as i continue my convo. I finish talking, close my phone and put on my best "international relations" smile (something i was forced to hone during my time spent in Japanese police stations)....Introduce myself to the man and make pleasant small talk. I figured there is obviously a reason the man came over, (and I am hoping it isn't, "would you mind walking my dog for me?") I was just trying to get him to the point a bit quicker. Anyhow, his wife appears across the street and he says, "that's my wife, ellenmay...actually i was wondering if you could do me a little favor." (uh-oh here goes...strangers asking favors) I of course say, "sure, why not?" And he surprises me by saying..."My wife has alzheimer's, and she has a tendancy to wander. If you see her, could you bring her back to our house?"
"Yes, of course." I say...and he pulls Cinnamon away, takes his wifes hand, and leads her back to their house.

i sat there for awhile wondering, "what just happened?" I mean the whole thing was so strange, yet beautiful and sad at the same time. I guess there really are things, even in this sleepy retirement community, that can really surprise me.