wahhhhooooo!

I GOT THE JOB I REALLLLY WANTED! I start on Sept 13th. I'm SOOO stoked. Until then I get to focus on the diet, decorating, poolside, friends and the last of my summer fun! Life continues to be good. I feel like things are falling into a state of permanence.

So I've been doing a lot of mingling, learning, and geeking out this summer. I was hesitant to befriend the hipsters that have invaded our friend circle while I was gone.... but I actually really freakin like them!

New favorite style: hipsterbilly (Yeah, I just made a new type of style)
New favorite CD: Scott Pilgrim Soundtrack
New favorite food: celery soup
New favorite video game: Limbo
New favorite plaything: Jesse's kittens! Kittehs galore!
New favorite place to hang out: San Carlos Hotel for dance parties and adult swim

Here I thought my life would be the same when I got back here.

Any geeks out there (Daddygeekboy, I'm talking to you!) need to check out this clip if they haven't already played the game. Daddygeekboy was at comicon... so it's prob old news to him :-P

I'm in love with it. It's like Mario Brothers style platform, but I feel like Mark Ryden could have helped design it. I'm really hard to impress with video games... and I'm hooked!

Ex-boyfriends have a purpose

I never realized how therapeutic spending time with an ex could be. We discussed all kinds of unresolved issues and made peace. It was strangely freeing. Years had passed, and I had forgotten the anger I harbored towards him. I finally let it go, even though I was unaware how angry I really was all this time it still feels good.

I'm happy for him.... he is in therapy and really working on getting his shit straight. He described his daily life as feeling like he is a dog, trying to pull off being a human. Like, from a distance people can't tell things are amiss, but once they get close they realize he isn't a person after all, and everything is all wrong with him. I can safely agree with this. He is charming and funny and is into cool art and comics and movies.... but once you get close all the little things don't add up. I agree with him that he isn't like a normal person. I told him to try the "fake it 'til you make it" approach. If he fakes being like a normal person for long enough, maybe it will eventually become true. He wants a family, I hope he gets it... as long as he is mentally able to invest and be a good family member. He had no role models growing up, but I still think he knows right from wrong, and that along with some more therapy and he could end up being a good dad.

In turn he gave me some good advice in regards to some of my ex's and unresolved issues of my own. It's funny how someone I haven't spoken to in years can still take a stab at why I'm doing what I'm doing... and be totally right. Am I that predictable? I like to think I'm not the same person I was years ago. I think I've changed.... and this summer is testing that. It's been all to easy to get drunk, dance the night away, and get involved with guys that are horrible for me. I feel like I'm in a "honeymoon" phase with Arizona.... and once I get settled I will mellow out again.

In closing, Max Bratton passed away last night. I want to send my sincere condolences to his sister, and my best friend, Jessica Bratton. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time. May angels lead you in.

Jon hunting is boring

I'm finding little things to do, like update my blog, to avoid job hunting for a little while, haha. It's soooo boring! I've got an interview tomorrow and another Friday.... both are for good jobs, so maybe one will work out! My aunt had dangled a nice job in front of my face while I was still in Korea (part of the reason i left early) and their interview/hiring process is sooooo slow. It doesn't help that my resume was sent to the wrong department and I had to do some evaluations that didn't even apply to me, booo! Way to waste my time :-P

Other than being bored with the job hunt things are still amazzzzzing. My friends threw me a really awesome welcome home party on Saturday night. We went to a new bar (old bar, but new to me) and danced out butts off to some rockin' 80s music. Michael Jackson, Debbie Deb, Teaches of Peaches... YESSSS! A great time was had by all and I got to meet a couple new additions to our friend group. They seem awesome and I'm to be back with my special lady friends! I'll have to post some pics of the party when I'm on my own computer.

Sunday was pretty fun as well, just super busy of course! I went to a BBQ/Pool party at Rick's, which was nice because I missed the summer kick-off this year! I've just gotta say once again how much I love my friends.... it's great coming home to a group of people who really missed me and are making my first days back home so special. After the pool party Becca and I went back to my house to continue the party and have our Hoff roast viewing party. SOOOO funny.... I'm not always a fan of roasts, but this one was funny stuff. The boy I met last week was supposed to come over with the rest of the gang, but he went home early. I couldn't help but feel a little bummed, even though he never promised he'd come. I don't really want to date anyone until I get a job and I'm settled back in... but I just can't resist a big ole beard and shaggy hair. Not holding my breath, but it would be awfully convenient if I date Becca and Amy's boyfriends friend. We can have triple dates!

Speaking of boys.... the most evil of my seven evil ex's (ok, I've got more than that, but I'm obsessed with Scott Pilgrim these days) has been showing his ugly head almost daily since I got back. I went out of my way to not see him or speak to him in years because he has some weird power over me. I knew if I spoke to him, I'd be sucked into his evil web of lies and broken hearts. Well, Amy put me on the phone with him, and now he is coming over tomorrow night to paint my bedroom. He said he likes to feel useful these days..... and somehow I baked his favorite cupcakes today. GAHHHHH! I WILL BE STRONG AND RESIST BEING HIS FRIEND!!

I went and spent the day at the school I taught at yesterday. It was SO special to see the kiddos and my teacher friends. I had a blast, and it's evident they miss me as much as I missed them! A few of them are dropping hints to my old boss that they should find a position for me... doing something useful! I'm not holding my breath, but you never know what can happen in this crazy thing called life.

Ok, I've wasted enough time.... I better finish this up so I can figure out what to cook for dinner.

I'm HOMEEEE!!

Well hello my little bloggy blog friends. After MUCH ado, I'm finally home! For those of you who aren't my facebook friend (and missed the drama unfolding) it was quite the drive from Texas to AZ!! I stayed in El Paso with one of my best friends from Germany; we had breakfast and I was on the road in time to be home for dinner. Well that didn't happen! About 150 miles from Phoenix I was on the phone chatting away when suddenly my RPM's went from 3000 to 0! I pulled over, turned off the car, then tried turning it back on. No luck. Crap! I'm on the side of the road, its over 100 degrees, my cat is already panting, and I just start to CRY. Not any old cry, hyterical sobs! I don't even care about my car or being stuck at this point, I'm beyond freaking out that my cat is going to die. I end up calling 911 because I can't really figure out where I am or who to call for a tow truck. A cop pulls up a few mins later and says I can't put the cat in the car because he has a K9 unit and he would, without a doubt, eat my kitty. I start sobbing again when he tells me that, only adding to how silly I feel. What feels like an eternity later the tow truck finally pulls up and I run over to put the kitty in the front seat only to find the tow truck has no AC!!! Really?! Ahh! I have to sit and wait, while putting water on my cat trying to make sure he doesn't die right there.

I finally get to this creepy mechanic shop, which wasn't even a shop but a shack in the middle of the desert, which resembles the start of many scary movies I've seen. wonderfullll. The guy comes in to tell me my fuel pump went out and it'd be 400 bucks. Ok, I can deal with that.... not the end of the world. He then informs me it would be a few days before I would be back on the road because he has a vacation the next day! My mom and Amy start calling around to shops in the area seeing if anyone else had the part. After an hour or so they call me back and tell me a tow truck from another shop is on the way and they will have me on the road in the moring. I really didn't want to stay in some crappy hotel in some crappy town, but the morning was looking WONDERFUL compared to waiting for days! The price also dropped to $250..score!

The tow truck comes to get me, drops me at the Days Inn, and hauls my car off. I get my kitty upstairs, cool him and, and cuddle him. Everything seems ok. Until the guy calls me the next morning to inform me it's not the fuel pump, it's the sensor that tells which spark plug to fire. We're back up to $450 and he could still get me back on the road that day! Not great news, but not the end of the world. I called the shop at noon to ensure all the parts came in and I would be on the road within a few hours to find the ENTIRE shop is at court, and they'd "get in touch with me... maybe later." BAD SIGN!!! Hours later after me pestering the lady who is answering their phones the guy calls me and says he is coming to pick me up, my car is almost ready. I get there to discover they replaced other parts without asking/telling me. Great. All in all my 24 hours in Benson, AZ cost me almost $1000, a little bit of my faith in humanity, and my cats sanity. I just gotta say my friends were so great... the outpouring of support and people offering to come help me/pick me up was overwhelming. They say when times get tough you see who your true friends are!

BUT, I came home to my friends and they made everything better. Amy and I went to Becca's and I got my hair done, nails done, good wine, Buck Owens records, and late night cuddle sessions!

I've only been home for a few days and I already got to see Scott Pilgrim, which was AWESOME! I also went to 3 tattoo shops to visit buddies, discussed my next piece, had an amazing date, threw a pool party which turned into a late night dance party complete with champagne and broken glass, painted my bedroom, went on a motorcycle ride with one of my favorite boys, made and consumed jello shots with the hipsters, and got some snuggle time with the kitty!

As fun as Toronto was, I'm sooo happy to be back with my friends, in my house, with my kitty cat. I forgot how good life is here.

I was worried the happiness I felt in Toronto all summer would vanish as fast as the city did in my rear view mirror, but I think it's only getting better.

In Texasssss

I like Texas.... it's no where near as awesome as Canada.... but it's still fun. I also got my kitty back.... it took him like 24 hours to remember me, but he is glued to my side now and just as adorable as I remember. My mom taught him some manners, so hopefully they stick when we leave!

Leaving tomorrow to head back to Arizona. I'm WAY excited to see my friends and family. I miss Toronto a lot, but I WILL be going back ASAP. Still wanting to move there as long as I can hack the winter. As you all probably remember from Korean winter, I'm not really a huge fan of cold weather. Apparently it's not as bad in Canada because you have a CAR for one, and Toronto doesn't get TOO cold because it's right on the lake.

So, not much is new with me... aside from missing some people in Canada. I got to stop and see a few friends while driving cross country. I still have one more to visit in El Paso tomorrow night! Yayyyy for friends. I am also burning 7 CDs as I type with all kinds of new music. Yayyyy for new music!

I've got some job interviews lined up for next week, cross your fingers for me! A few of them are great opportunities. Love fun jobs.

And finally... here are some rad pics from when Rob took me to Niagara Falls, Niagara by the Lake, the vineyard, the botanical gardens, and "the hill" last week. <3