I know, I know. I haven't posted one single thing since last month's 12 of 12 and now it's the 12th of August and I'm still not going to post anything worth while.  I'm just too tired to upload all my photos, so I promise to do that tomorrow.  As for regular posting, well, I have BLOGGER'S BLOCK.  For reals.

I was sick for awhile so that was sucking the life out of me. And in between sickness and health there was a lot of busyness.  There's still lots of busyness, but I found a few hours this past weekend to catch up with someone.  Someone that some of you do not approve of. Well, that's not entirely true, most of you have never met him.  But I like him and that's all that matters at the moment.  There was much talking and laughing and just all around having a nice afternoon.  Plus there was ice cream. 




I call this one, "Dork with ice cream."  

It's raining in Danville. In July.

I'm sitting outside (under an umbrella) at The Sideboard; just finished eating dinner and now I'm happily reading the last of my book, "She's Come Undone," and I just feel...well, happy. I'm alone, but still happy. Go figure.

I was brought two roses yesterday, a red one and a white one. Just because.

This is a picture of me with my wonderful friend Clair.




Here's a better, close-up shot.

So, I know we both have brown hair, and on occasion I wear my glasses, but as Clair puts it, she's taller than me and I have bigger boobs.  She also kindly doesn't mention, but I don't mind bringing up, that she's a very thin woman, like a size 4 (correct me if I'm wrong Clair) and I'm a very hippy (but HAPPY) size 12.  We DO NOT LOOK ALIKE.

Why do I bring this up?  Well, back in 2003/2004, I met and went out with this guy named David.  We met through the St. Dominic's Young Adult Group after mass one Sunday where I had sung in the choir and obviously caught his attention.  One of the other group members introduced him to me and after a few get-to-know-you-questions he asked me out on the spot for dinner the following weekend.  I think he was rather impressed with the fact that due to my summer internships at the Livermore Laboratory I had a pretty good understanding of what he did for a living (something very scientific that I probably shouldn't go into here...but I knew what the project was that he was a part of and he completely lit up when he realized he wouldn't have to take an hour to explain his job).  Anyway, so David and I went out,  and it was....awkward.  But, this was before I knew what to say to socially awkward boys and before I was a no-nonsense, not going to waste my time on someone that's not right for me, type of girl, so I went on not one but two more dates with him.  I couldn't help it, I was just out of college, a college where I didn't date anyone because it was a college that was 70% female and half of the male population was either gay or joining the seminary.

So each date was more painful than the last.  He kinda reminds me of the character "Crazy Eddie" that Adam Goldberg played so beautifully on Friends. His laugh was more of a snort, and it both annoyed and frightened me.  He would talk about things that he loved and declare them as, "Better than sex!" and I'd sit there and think, "Really, your pesto pasta is better than sex with you? Okaaaaay...."  Not that we were heading in that direction, but it was just another reason to steer clear of him.  He told me that he had only had one good friend in his life, but that he lived far away and they never saw each other.  He told me this on the second date and I had a fleeting thought that maybe this "friend" was weirded out by him too and chose to not visit on purpose.  Ladies, I eventually learned that fleeting thoughts like that one are also known as RED FLAGS.

Anyway, so being a nice girl, I told David that maybe we should just hang out as friends.  So the third "date" was more of a group thing.  It was the night of the Chinese New Year Parade in the City and I invited David to join my roomies and a couple of guy friends for the afternoon festivities and then dinner.  I forget (or blocked out...) some of the specific things David did and said that made every interaction with him awkward and painful, but by the end of dinner I wasn't even talking to him and one of the guys that was with us leaned over to me and whispered, "WHO brought this guy??" obviously unaware that it was me who had invited him and subjected everyone to his winning personality.

After dinner we decide to hit up a new club, and fortunately, David decided that he needed to head back to the east bay on BART, so he shared a cab with us back downtown.  During the drive David started chatting with the cabbie and asking him if he was from Russia, which he was.  David spent the whole 15 minute ride trying to persuade the cab driver to score him a particular type of Russian vodka the next time he went home and bring it back to David.  At the time, one of the other guys said something like, "um, it's illegal to do that." which now I'm not sure if that's true, but at the time I bought it and it made the whole experience even more awkward as the rest of us sat in silence and listened to David pester the poor cabbie about  vodka.  The cab driver tried to be nice at first and just sort of laugh off the request, but then David tried to discuss how much he would pay the driver to do this for him and he kept trying to persuade the cabbie to change his mind.  By the time we got to the club the cab driver was getting pretty angry with David and wanted all of us out.

My roomies and friends ran up to the club and I was stuck there with David who was still talking the poor cabbie's ear off.  I just wanted to get away from him, so I asked him if he knew where the BART station was from there.  He said no, and I pointed and said, "It's over there." pointing somewhere in the direction of the Civic Center (oh yeah, we were down near the Tenderloin, which isn't the best area to be wandering around if you don't know where you're going).  Then I left without another word.  I pointed and left David there in the middle of nowhere, as far as he knew at least, and then I rushed inside the club.  I vaguely remember him calling after me, but I didn't bother looking back.

I remember running into him about a year later while I was waiting for a bus and he asked if I was hungry and wanted to get a bite to eat.  I was with Karl by then and I didn't want to talk to David at all.  Not because I had a boyfriend, but because he WEIRDS ME OUT.  Luckily, for once, MUNI was on time and I was able to make a quick getaway on the bus.

I haven't seen this man since 2005.  BUT, he THINKS he's been seeing me regularly.  You see, he thinks Clair is me.  He goes up to her after mass and will say,"Hi Stephanie!"  She has been on camping trips and to parties where he's also been in attendance and he absolutely cannot figure out that we are two completely different people.  He came up to her at a party this weekend with his new girlfriend and gave her a big hug and told Clair, "It's so good to see you Stephanie."  Even as I type this I can't help but giggle.  He's such an odd duck.

Clair just realized that there's a party we're both planning to attend in the middle of May that David will probably be at.  We think this will be the PERFECT opportunity to go up to him at the same time and just confuse him even more. 

Hey Clair, maybe we should plan to dress alike and I'll wear my glasses and make this even more fun!  hehehehe



 

March Nablopomo has come to an end.  It was fun getting back into the groove of writing every day and for some reason it wasn't as challenging as it was back in November.  I blogged easily for 30 days. Of course March has 31 days, but I blame that one slip up on the fact that I was so sick and doped up on cold medicine that I totally thought I had blogged, but I must have dreamed it because when I went to blog the following day, there was no post.  Too bad for you, I'm sure a doped up blog post would have been mighty entertaining.

I actually touched a little on this month's theme of "Giving (Up)."  There was the Lenten Promise - giving up swearing.  At this point I go through most days without uttering one bad word or even taking the Lord's name in vain (I sound so religious when I write that).  And with two weeks left until Easter, that gives me plenty of time to come up with more euphemisms.  Today I said, "Holy Cow!" in front of my boss and he gave me the, "Did you really just say that?" face.  Also in my arsenal are words like, Dagnabit, FUDGE!, Holy Cannoli, and Ah Geez (said with a midwestern accent, of course).  Giving up the swearing at the beginning was tough, but I think in the long run I'll start sounding like a demur lady.  Or at least I'll come across as a loud-mouth, sassy, dramatic, wannabe diva who doesn't swear.  I'll go for either I guess.

I also attempted to give up dating for awhile.  I did give up online dating for a good month or so, but as soon as I wrote this follow-up post it was like the dating Gods shined all their light upon me and I started getting asked out on date after date and my Match profile blew up after a month of no one even lazy winking at me.  I have a new date on Friday night with a guy that, at least over the phone, talks more than I do.  And tells longer stories than I do.  Either I'll really enjoy this, or I'll scream at him to shut up by the end of the first course.  And THEN I'll try to give up dating again.

Thanks for sticking with the randomness this month...I promise, I have lots more in me.  I hope you don't think I'm blogging too much about the dating life - unfortunately it's all consuming at times and this is the best place I have to vent my frustrations.  I'm hoping to have a new edition of the grammar nazi soon and as always, there are plenty of Shelby photos to share.

Shout Out! to Miss Sarah Nielson who so deserved a little prize and I was happy to oblige, and then she went and linked to me on her blog.  I heart her blog.  If you traveled over here from Sarah's page, Welcome! and I now Heart you as well...but only if you leave some comment love.
:-)

I will TRY to have fun. I will TRY to enjoy myself. I will TRY to be patient and kind and not get annoyed by little things. NO ONE is perfect...even me.

I will TRY to have fun...

So, I'm not the only one that is struggling with the insanity of online dating.  My cute, silly, awesome, former roomie Lindsay joined the speed dating site I tried about a year ago so she could go to a mixer with me and a couple other girls and in the process had to post a profile for herself.  From that, she received a message a couple days ago from a 40-year old in New York that is honestly, quite similar to about a dozen messages I've received in the past.  While it's funny enough to blog about, on the other hand, it's so damn depressing that we have to sort through these frogs for our princes.

This is, word for word, the message she received.  I did not doctor it to make it funnier.  All spelling and grammar mistakes are obviously not mine since you all know what a grammar snob I've turned into.

Loveguard sent you a message:
Hi,i you're really beautiful lady . How about I take you out to your favorite restaurant , then to a movie i realise am kinda just too far to do that right now but nevertheless we can get to work something out.
I'd like to get to know you better I realize that I'm probably not your type, but I thought I'd try anyway.
If you'd give me a chance, I'd show you that I'm the nicest guy you could ever want.
Hello, read my profile and let me know if you're interested....

Your Hot Like Fire


Ribbit...Ribbit...sigh

So I'm frustrated. Burnt out.  I'm tired beyond belief of dating.  I know this is something I blogged about a little while ago, but I have more to say.   BIG SHOCKER.

So THIS GUY refuses to call me.  He'll text.  He'll even text that he'll call me.  But then he doesn't call me.  He texts that he wants to go out again, but he won't call me to set it up.  I have no patience for this.  If I have to remain alone for the rest of my life and adopt thirteen cats to keep me company, I would prefer that than give in to a lazy man and either agree to a date via text or frickin' call him myself.

It's not like I was in a twenty year relationship and now I'm out of the loop when it comes to dating.  There was texting when I started dating Karl.  There were guys back then that wouldn't call. They would email, they would text...I wasn't having any of it.  I can't help but just silently scream (or publically blog) each time a potential date reverts to texting.  WHY WAS IT SO EASY THREE YEARS AGO??????  Why did one date easily turn into a second and then a third and then before I knew it I couldn't imagine my life without him?  Why does no one measure up???  AUGH

I have another date this Friday with someone new.  Of course, there's nothing wrong with this guy (yet).  He actually called to ask me out and has yet to text me once.  This is promising.  But honestly, he's got a lot against him...I'm just too tired to be accomodating or patient. If this date doesn't go well, I'm not just giving up on online dating, but I'm taking a nice, long, indefinite break from accepting any dates from anyone. 

...Except Cory, because he's an awesome friend. Or Justin, because he's gay.

I'm heading out tonight with some singles gals to attend a "singles mixer" put on by the same people I did the speed dating event with. This time it's a mixer where we learn how to make martinis and then mingle with our new drinks.

I was all excited for it until I got this weird sinusy-cold thing that actually isn't too bad except for the bouts of excessive, phlegm-producing coughs. Yeah, sexy. I also have a rather large crater in between my eyebrows. Yes boys, try to not stare at Goliath while I cough and wheeze into your martini. Why don't you want my phone number??

Cupid just hates me.

Sorry to leave everyone in suspense for so long, but I've been taking advantage of having nothing to do today by...well, doing nothing.  I had an interesting evening last night, and yes, as one of you smart readers pointed out, one of my tags said, "dating."  I WAS out on a date last night.

Per THIS post, this wasn't someone that I met online, but funny enough, someone that I met through friends, in person, about a week after I wrote about quiting the online dating scene.

I'm not going to go into what I'm thinking or feeling about this person, simply because it's a little too soon to make any decisions, and he's smart enough to figure out how to find this blog, and really, shouldn't he hear how I feel in person before all of you find out?

What I will say is that it was probably the most original date I've ever been on.  I'm always saying that I don't expect to be wined and dined at the fanciest restaurants, I just want someone to put some thought into what we do on a date, ESPECIALLY the first date.  Nothing against this guy, but I didn't have high hopes.  Maybe I'm just jaded, maybe I'm bitter from too many dates that have said they were going to "surprise me" or that they had something special planned and then I show up and they want me to decide what to do, where to go, what to eat, etc.  So when this guy told me to not worry, he had a great plan and that I'd just have to wait and be surprised, I was sure I was going to be calling my friend Lori from a restaurant bathroom at some point trying to figure out a way to get out of the date.

Considering the date got off to a rough start due to traffic, we actually ended up having quite the adventure from Daly City, to Berkeley, to Oakland, to Castro Valley where we got some pie and then ended up at a bar with dancing and karaoke.  What was even better, was every stop in our date adventure was a place or an activity that neither one of us had tried before.  This one is going to be hard to top.

Towards the end of the night I asked him why he would plan such an elaborate date with so much travel time that would require us to be stuck in a car talking when he barely knew me.  I asked him, "What would you have done if we had nothing to talk about and then you were stuck with me?   How did you know you'd like me?" and he said that he really didn't know, but he had an idea that we''d be fine.  "Plus," he said, "you give me the business." 
I had no idea what that meant, and he said, that it meant that he liked how I give him a hard time.  That's a first.  I've never heard that as a compliment before.  I mentioned this to my friend Brian tonight, and he said, "Guys like a girl that's mean to him. We love it!"

Maybe my Lenten promise is hindering me - maybe I should start being meaner....just something for me to think about.

I've got some stuff going on tonight - not sure what's going to happen, but I thought I'd blog now and keep you in suspense just in case I don't get a chance to blog before midnight.
Hehe

I meant to post this back on Valentine's Day, but there have been musicals (www.roltheatre.com) and birthdays and baby shower shopping going on, and I didn't have enough time to really get all my thoughts together.  There aren't many of you who read this that aren't my mom, so I apologize for the lack of content lately.  The shininess of Facebook is waring off, so I'm sure I'll have more things to say soon that take up more than a couple of lines.

Anyway, back to the story that's been brewing in my head. 

So Friday night I got an email from a guy that I had been out with only a couple of times, but it was a good start and I was genuinely excited about the prospect of going out on a third day.  So far he'd done everything right.  He asked me out via the phone, and NOT text message.  He planned both dates quite nicely; he even asked for suggestions for a good date place in the city from co-workers instead of waiting till we met up to ask me what I wanted to do or what I recommended.  He was a gentleman; he opened doors, picked up the check, made sure I got home okay.  It was nice to be doted on a bit.  He even paid me a few compliments. 

I know none of this is AMAZING.  But I've been on SOOOOOO many bad dates lately that even just the simple things, like telling me he's going to call and then ACTUALLY calling, have totally started to separate the clueless boys from the men.

Anyway, so here it is, the day before Valentine's Day and I haven't heard from this guy in almost a week and he said he was going to call on Monday.  So unlike him.  I talked it over with girlfriends and coworkers and none of us could make any sense from it.  Being the type of girl that doesn't dwell on guys that obviously aren't interested, meaning, the ones that don't call, this made me pause.  Was I mistaken?  Maybe I dreamed up how fantastic our two dates had been?  Maybe all his friends that he introduced me to on our second date thought I was lame and they were just being nice to me to my face?  Maybe he'd been in an accident on his way home from a business trip on Monday when he said he was going to call and he was in the hospital and couldn't use his cell phone?

Of course none of that was the case.  He HAD been a on a business trip that ended up lasting a few extra days and he told me that he honestly hadn't brought along his phone charger and he had no battery left to make any phone calls...and it's not like he has my number memorized.  I'm choosing to believe that.  But in the same email he said that he'd been thinking that although he loved the time we spent together that he thought we lived too far from each other to consider a romantic relationship. 

Sigh.  I guess I knew that it could be an issue.  We live more than an hour from each other and are both very busy.  There's no easy mutual location for dates.  Sigh.  But still, I thought I would be worth the little extra effort of driving into the east bay.

I'm bummed, but I'm fine.  This whole thing just kind of reminded me that this isn't the first time I've been dumped the day before Valentine's Day.  The first time was in fifth grade.  I was "going out with" Nick* for about a couple of months.  We were the equivalent of the prom king and queen of my fifth grade class.  We sat next to each other in class.  During the reading period where the whole class read aloud from a novel, we would scoot our desks together and read from the same book.  We never held hands.  We definitely never kissed.  It was a fifth grade romance.  He passed me a note that asked if I liked him and I checked the box yes.  We were happy. 

Until the day before my first Valentine's Day with a "boyfriend" when Nick's best friend came up to me at recess and said, "Hey, Nick doesn't want to be your boyfriend anymore."  And that was it.  I went from having a boyfriend in the morning and then no boyfriend after lunch.  We spent the rest of fifth grade in the same class and you could cut the tension with a spork.

The only thing that makes me feel better about this story is that Nick came crawling back in the 8th grade and I got to happily reject him.  But I digress...

So, two times I've been the dumpee pre-Valentine's Day.  It's tough.  I think I'm pretty cool. A good catch.  I might not be the hip, city girl I once was, but I'm usually up for most parties or activities.  Maybe my problem is that I've been trying way too hard lately.  Every single guy becomes a prospective date.  It's too much pressure on the guys and on myself.   I met Karl on a whim; a complete fluke while I was trying to fix Laura up with a date.  I wasn't looking, i wasn't trying, I wasn't even putting my best self forward.  The more I think about that, the more I figure that's going to be the way I meet my next significant other.  It's going to be when I'm not looking.

I've been a bit secretive about trying out online dating.  I've tried it and it has been a disaster to put it lightly.  Everyone tells me that i should try it (not knowing that I all ready am) because it's the BEST WAY to meet a lot of available guys.  Besides the main issues I run in to the most - no guys in my area, no guys in my area that are under 40, no guys in my area that are under 40, have a job and like to do something besides camp or play video games.  Besides those issues the main reason the online dating stuff kind of weirds me out is that on the flip side to meeting a lot of people all at once is that i'm being rejected by dozens of guys ALL THE TIME.  Online dating is just one big rejection after another.   Guys take a look at my profile and don't think I'm cute enough or whatever enough to write or even send a lazy ass wink.  Guys email me, i email back, they email, I email back and then NOTHING.  They don't ask for my number, they don't ask if we can meet, they just fade away.  OR, I meet a great guy, he asks for my number, he asks to go out, he asks for a second date before the end of the first, and then a week after the second date he decides he likes everything about you except that you live too far away in the wrong direction.

It. Is. Exhausting.  And Frustrating.  My heart still hasn't fully recovered from the non-closure of my relationship with Karl.  All the first and second dates over the past two years have just worn away what pieces of my heart I was able to put back together before jumping back in the dating scene.  I think I just need to be done for awhile.  I think I'm going to log off of all these dating sites and just go back to what I was doing - nothing.  This doesn't mean I won't date (mom, don't have a heart attack, and don't call me for a mother-daughter talk either, I'm fine), this just means I'll only be accepting dates from guys I meet in person or guys my friends set me up with.  The online dating world just isn't for me right now.

I've got plenty to focus on right now anyway.  I'm going to Vegas this weekend for a friend's birthday.  I have the Europe trip in April and I'm still in the process of learning Italian for that.  My room is a disaster; I really need to clean, organize, purge junk, buy adult furniture, etc.  I have to watch the first season of Lost so I can send back the DVDs to Cap't Dave instead of having a constant reminder of him sitting on top of my TV.  I also need more shoes and purses.  Really, I have plenty of things to do and focus on that having a boyfriend, or even a dating life at the moment will just hinder all my plans.

I still believe in Love.  I know it's out there.  It has just been kicking my ass a little too much lately, so I'm going to sit out a few rounds and try to get stronger and wiser before jumping back in the ring.

*Names have been changed**

**Except his name really was Nick.  I just couldn't come up with another name that sounded believeable.

UPDATE as of 11:19pm:  I have to add that another reason I'm hating online dating is because a majority of the guys that do email me CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH.  I'm not talking about bad grammar, I mean they DON'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.  I'm not dating someone that I can't talk to or only wants to date me in hopes of a green card.  And the bad grammar drives me nuts as well.

I'm sitting here in the foyer of the SF Olympic Club in the most fantastic dress (thanks mom!) and everyone is complementing me on my dress and my hair and my voice and I'm sitting here alone.

LAME

Guess I'll go have more beer and dance to Tainted Love (the band, not the song)...

I went to my favorite Chinese place tonight for a little lemon chicken and chow mein and of course, a fortune cookie. Tonight's fortune said, "The love of your life is right in front of your eyes."

At the time I read that, I was watching Jon & Kate plus 8 on TLC - little Aaden and little Joel were both on the screen. Of course, they're adorable, but I think it's highly inappropriate for either of them to be the love of my life.

So when a certain captain calls out of the blue after months of silence my first instinct is to answer the phone and yell at him. How dare he think I'm just waiting around for him to grace me with his presence? But instead I sent the call to voicemail, ignored the second call and am sitting here stewing.
You know that book, "he's just not that into you?" I haven't read it, but I'm sure if I asked the author, "so there's this guy that likes to pop in and out of my life, string me along and then disappear just as soon as I start to trust him again, do you think he'll ever change, ever be serious about me?" I'm pretty sure the answer is obvious.

So why am I stewing?

8:34am - Remembered it was the 12th and immediately took a picture of what I was doing.  Reading Bossy.



8:35am - Then I took a picture of my little collection of post its and notes and Cal things.  The block letters say MATH.  Although sometimes they say HAWT or WHAT depending on my mood.



8:36am - My MP3 player sucks.  The battery won't stay charged and it often tells me that it's memory is full when i KNOW there's still room left.  The only thing I still like it for is the FM tuner so i can listen to the Sarah & Vinnie Morning Show on Alice.



1:27pm:  Long meeting made me take a late lunch at my desk.  But at least it was yummy tomato soup.  Also looking at Pioneer Woman's Flickr page.



4:12pm - The sun sets so early now.  Gorgeous skyscape from our conference room; too bad I couldn't get the glare from the office to go away.



5:30pm - Walked over to Chipotle at Market and 2nd to help one of the analysts get the office dinner.  Mainly it was so I had an excuse to get out of the building for the first time since I arrived there in the morning.  They also scored me a burrito bowl.  Sweet



7:14pm:  Returned a call from a guy that I met on Halloween and we decided to go meet up in North Beach so he could eat dinner and I could get dessert.  This was at the corner of Clay and Sansome on my walk from my office to Columbus and Jackson.



7:58pm:  mmmm, polenta.



7:58pm - hadn't been to Caffe Macaroni since Kelly, April, Lindsay and I went there in college and discovered the bar/club Kell's across the street.  That's how I met Captain Dave.  When my date suggested this place it made me laugh at the memory of us four girls splitting bottles of wine and then somehow dancing with sailors by the end of the evening.  I think I've mentioned that story a few times here - I guess it's just a fun memory.  :-)




8:58pm - mmmm, gelato.  This place was so cool.  They encouraged us to try everything.  Plus, they put cool items in the gelato tub so you know what it is.  Pumpkin = pumpkin.  Coconut = coconut.  Get it?  Ok, just checking...


9:44pm:  Barting it



11pm:  Home and getting my Top Model fix.



11:01pm:  Maybe not...I'm soooooo sleepy.


OKAY, just in under the wire today for Nablopomo.  Hope you enjoyed 12 of 12, even if it is late (so I threw in a 13th shot for being late).  Check out Chad's link HERE for other 12-ers.

Just in case I don't get home in time to post my 12 of 12, I thought I'd get something down.

Long day at work is turning into a great and spontaneous evening. :-)

I had an outing tonight where I got to talking about travels and adventures.  You could say I'm a late bloomer when it comes to traveling outside of California, or even just the Bay Area.  I was born and raised here, my extended family is here, I went to school here, I work here, I don't have any plans to uproot myself, but I have an ever growing urge to travel.  Besides always wanting to experience New York, I was never unsatisfied with the life I grew up with.  I didn't want for anything.  Nothing seemed boring or mundane.  In fact, it was quite comforting knowing where I was and that I belonged.  Maybe I would feel differently if I grew up in a place I felt like I didn't belong in.  But I've always lived by the motto - "Bloom where you're planted."  I guess some people could argue that there's no need to stay in a place that you dislike, but I interpret that motto to mean something more along the lines of, "I can thrive anywhere."

Anyway, with that being said, and now that I have finally traveled to New York, I guess it's time to determine my next dream trips.  I still keep thinking that I should explore my own country first, but I'm beginning to realize that while I'm still young and allowed some wild oat sowing, that maybe I should think a little bigger.

Even before NY I had thoughts of taking a road trip up the west coast, stopping in Portland, Seattle and British Columbia.  I'd still like to visit D.C., New Orleans, Chicago (Oprah, anyone?), Hawaii, and maybe I'd even give Florida another try if it meant I could layout on a beach somewhere.  There are places I once dreamed of with others - Argentina, Paris, Amsterdam.  I would definitely go back to the Yucatan in a heartbeat.

Boomie and I are now talking about traveling to Italy and Spain sometime next spring.  It's exciting and scary to me the thought of going to Europe, but I know it's a dream trip and who better to take it with than my best friend? 

But I can pretty much guarantee (although I'd never say never) that I'll always come home to Northern California.  It's wonderful here and the more I travel, the more I enjoy having the Bay to come back to.  Maybe it's because it's familiar, or maybe it's just because I know where I belong, so why even try to resist what my heart wants.

So frickin' hot - it was only supposed to be in the mid 70's. WTF.