Drunken Winter Romance

It's officially Winter once again. We just began celebration of this nation's most highly anticipated season by eating turkey and potatoes and getting drunk with family and loved ones. It's now time to break out the winter coat and scarves. Time for the ladies to put away their gladiator sandals and squeeze on their boots.

The opening of the Winter season also calls for love. I watch it year after year, and even if you have not noticed this cycle before, you will now.

I watch my friends fall in love at bars and bonfires. The youth get drunk trying to fight the cold nights that us Angelenos forget every Summer. They pack into bars because there aren't the usual outdoor activities to do. It's something about the briskness of the outdoors that makes people lean into each other a bit closer when talking at the bar. It's dreading coming home to your cold apartment that makes you go home with someone, or have a companion come back with you. You find comfort in the shared warmth and fall in love because that is what this season promotes... love, warmth and togetherness.

I watch these drunken Winter romances bud every year. It's the comfort of being warm and not being alone during the holidays, and it's a constant state of drunk on love & scotch.

Then April comes... and the dew starts drying up, and the sun starts coming out after sleeping for so many months. Winter jackets get put back into storage and the gladiator sandals come back out. As the layers of clothes shed, so does the drunken state of lust. Skin starts coming out to feel the sun and your attentions redirect. It's no longer love and warmth that you seek, it's skin and more skin, sun and adventures. And fun you will have until Thanksgiving next year.

i did.

Sometimes it is just so unreal. I have to actually take a step back and look at it from a distance and realize... wow I am married, I am a married woman.

Being a bride is such a beautiful wonderful experience that you probably won't get or really even recognize until afterward. I feel fortunate that I savored the feeling, for the most part. My turn to have all of the planning, dress shopping, choosing flowers, colors, cakes, and making crafts is done. And I'll never ever feel that again. I cherish the year I spent being the bride.

Being a wife is a beautiful feeling as well. And to be my husbands wife is an honor, I count my blessings everyday. I now get to cherish the idea of trying to get used to being a newlywed, for someday that will be a memory as well.

Strongest Dad Alive

I grew up my entire life fully believing that my dad was the strongest man alive. I remember even getting into fights with other kids at the playground arguing, "My dad is stronger than your dad!" To me this wasn't just a things that kids say. My dad could pick anything up no matter how big. He could carry me, my brother and my sister all at the same time! He would protect our family against any robber, bad guy or monster bare handed. He truly is the strongest man alive.

Yesterday at work a client was telling me how her father is was once the strongest man alive. I instantly reverted back to being the girl in the school yard. I actually got offended that she would make up such a lie. I mean, obviously, that wasn't true... because my dad is. I stumbled over my words for a minute and replied something to this effect, "uh uh um, well, err, i mean, how does one gauge or judge that?" She told me he competed in a world wide contest, totally legit.

It quietly broke my heart. Her dad is stronger than my dad. :(

Yesterday was the mark of the 27th year that I have been alive. I'm very happy to have made it thus far and intend on keeping that going for quite some time. I wasn't really feeling at all in the birthday celebration mode. Considering this year alone I have had an engagement party, bridal shower, bachelorette party and wedding. That is a hell of a lot of celebrating me and my life. I just basically felt a little drained on, well... me.

I tried to keep my birthday quiet - I didn't tell anyone at work that my birthday was coming up, and I never set up plans or spoke of having a birthday party. Somehow though, I came into work yesterday and I received flowers, cupcakes, cards and endless praise and endearing sentiments. Devin also set up a birthday party for me at the neighborhood strip club and we and about 12 of our friends came out for some decent bar food, drinks and boobs.

Both legs of the day were very unexpected and wonderful. Although sometimes I might not feel up to celebrating me, it's nice to feel loved and give love back - no matter what the occasion.

and she waits for me to get home everyday...

LA vs SD (a battle of my two homes)

Devin (my husband) and I just spent a weekend away in San Diego. We go down there often - both of our parents live down that way. But, we never really get or take the opportunity to travel and cruise through proper San Diego. This weekend we did. We dropped off Berkeley (the pooch) at my parents place and head down to stay at the Pearl Hotel in Point Loma. The hotel was great - fun and had amazing decor. It felt nice to park my car on the street and not have to read 42 parking signs about when I can and can't park there. It also just felt good to breathe the air, so fresh, crisp and with a hint of salt from the ocean.

We spent the weekend walking and taking our time exploring the San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach and Mission Bay. It brought back a lot of great memories for both of us (we both grew up down there.) And really made us start comparing the two vastly different lives between being a San Diegan or an Angelino.

In Los Angeles we have made a home for ourselves. For the most part, everything we know and love is up here. All of our friends, brothers & sisters, our house in the hill, our neighborhood shops and restaurants, walking paths, secret spots, memories of dating and being friends, shows, art walks and list goes on...

In San Diego we'd be starting all over. I feel like we'd have to go out to bars again at night to try and meet friends. It's like dating but creepier. Who wants to be friends with the creepy married couple that's paroozing around night spots looking for new friends. We could easily replace our walking paths and neighborhood stores and shops with probably nicer, cleaner and safer spots. We'd be able to go jogging outside without coming home with the black lung. We'd be around chill laid back people that don't honk their horns and yell when driving. It wouldn't take us 45 minutes just to drive to the grocery store because of traffic. But we'd be doing it all alone.

It's a big scary decision, but I guess there's no rush. When we're ready, we're ready. Until then, enjoy some photos from our weekend.