This disturbs me very much

RIP #1

A new one, believe it or not.

1. Do you wear a name tag at work?
No need. They all know me in this town.

2. What type of car do you drive?
Bubery, my blueish purple VW beetle.

3. What do you order when you go to Taco Bell?
On the offchance that I am THAT high (maybe once every other year), probably a gordita.

4. Have you ever had a garage sale?
I make the big bucks.

5. What color is your iPod?
Black and silver.

6. What kind of dog do you have?
None, thankfully.

7. What's for dinner tonight?
I just bought a most delicious olive loaf from New Seasons, that I'll probably top with some caprese and make a side of salad. Tomato and roasted red pepper soup is a possibility as well. Much better than last night's dinner which was basically pretzels dipped in nutella with some coffee.

8. What is the last alcoholic beverage you had?
Cranberry vodka, heavy on the vodka.

9. Stupidest thing you ever did with your cell phone/pager?
Booty calls to people I didn't actually want to sleep with. Regretful, for sure.

10. Last time you were sick?
Always.

11. How long is your hair?
It varies.

12. Are you happy right now?
Relatively.

13. What did you say last?
Define happiness.

14. Who came over last?
KC, Blake, Kailyn, Ali, Maggie and Andrei last night for a drinking game to the first season of House and the attack scenes in Home Alone I and II. In other words, awesome.

15. Do you drink beer?
Sparingly, if I can help it.

16. Have your siblings ever said you were adopted?
I'm not.

17. What is your favorite key-chain on your keys?
I don't even have one anymore.

18. What did you get for graduation?
People get things for graduation? My parents let me go to college.

19. What's in your pocket?
Chapstick. Cherry flavored, I believe.

20. Who introduced you to Dane Cook?
Alex Mena. And then we saw him on my 18th birthday.

21. Has someone ever made you a Build-A-Bear?
I've never had the pleasure.

22. What DVD is in your DVD player?
I was watching Planet Earth last. So in love with David Attenborough.

23. What's something fun you did today?
Grocery shopping!! Whooo!!!!

24. Who was the principal of your high school?
I can picture her perfectly, but her name escapes me at the moment.

25. Has your house ever been Tp'd??
No. Our neighbors have always liked us.

26. What do you think of when you hear the word "meow"?
Do you really mean the word or the sound? I think of those singing cats...do you know which ones I mean?

27. What are you listening to right now?
The Lupe Fiasco song Ulrika is obsessed with. I can't get it out of my head, and yet I keep playing it anyway.

28. What are you drinking?
Ice water.

29. What is your favorite aisle at Wal-mart?
I've been in a Wal-mart maybe once.

30. When is your moms birthday?
October 24th

31. When is your birthday?
The day that the polenta I just bought should be sold by.

32. What's the area code for your cell phone?
310. Represennnttt.

33. Where did you buy the shirt you're wearing now?
No clue. Somewhere cheap.

34. Is there anything hanging from your rear view mirror?
I believe that would be illegal.

35. How many states in the US have you been to? Which ones?
It would be annoying to try and count right now.

36. What kind of milk do you drink?
Nonfat, organic if possible.

37. What are you going to do after this?
Make that dinner I described earlier.

38. Who was the last person you went shopping with?
KC Deane, the love of my life.

39. Favorite fruit?
Tomatoes or avocados.

40. What about your favorite dessert
Pumpkin or apple pie, or coffee/caramel ice cream.

41. What is something you need to go shopping for?
Many things.

42. Do you have the same name as a relative?
No way, I am superunique.

43. What kind of car does your sibling drive?
My bug.

44. Do you like pickles
Cornichons especially.

45. How about olives?
Yup.

46. What is your favorite kind of gum?
Orbit Cinnamint.

47. What is your favorite kind of juice?
Tropical.

48. Do you have any tan lines?
I am as white as they get.

49. What hospital were you born in?
Bethesda Oak. I think it's been shut down since then for all kinds of reasons.

50. Do you remember the name of your kindergarten teacher?
Mrs. Nichols. It was especially fun when learning about money. Nickels, get it? Sorry.

Another Important Announcement

Jake is now Julie.

Just so you know.

Some friends

I just really REALLY love.

Some are consistently disappointing but I like them anyway.

But the ones that I love, I love madly. You know who you are. I just thought you needed a reminder.

The rain, the gloom, the Portland winter

So I'm back. Just settling in, and getting used to my apartment again. It's sort of strange without Malka here, but I guess I've spent a lot of time alone here anyway.

I've got to make a list so that my days here aren't spent sleeping and more sleeping.

Laundry
Restock fridge with groceries
Unpack and reorganize things
Get rid of things I don't need
Get mail
Go to Sports Center
Do yoga in apartment
Set up workout routine, do it everyday
Print photos and do something fun with them
Cook fun new things!
Actually go to a Paideia class for once
Go to buffalo and buy skinnyjeans and maybe some new boots

Three cheers for getting skinny!

Ava had me try on a pair of her pants yesterday.

AND THEY FIT.

Needless to say, I'm pretty ecstatic.

Surveytime (continued)

What is your best friend's Mom's name?
Which best friend?

Where is the weirdest place you have a mole?
Underground?

What body part do you wash first?
My face. I think. I'm not sure I really have an order, surprisingly.

Do you have any piercings?
Four.

Do you have an innie or an outtie?
Nobody really has outties, do they?

What's your favorite flavored Pringles?
Sour cream and onion of course

Have you ever been tied up?
Only in bed...

Do you parallel park or drive around the block?
It depends how long I have been looking and generally how frustrated I am with life.

Which shoe do you put on first?
Almost always the left.

Have you ever been to a gay bar?
Who hasn't?

Is there one thing all of your ex's have had in common?
They were all the same person.

Did you french kiss before you were 16?
I believe so. But calling it french kissing seems so juvenile. It's just kissing.

Have you ever been cow-tipping or snipe-hunting?
Just because I was born in Cincinnati does not mean I am retarded.

Have you ever had a poem or a song written about you?
I think so. Or he just told me that to get in my pants.

When is the last time you played the air guitar?
I've always had trouble with that.

Have you ever peeked in the opposite sex's locker room?
Oh, Palihigh. It was the same as the girls' but dirtier and smellier.

What's the weirdest thing you have done while driving?
Painted my nails?

Have you ever bitten your toenails?
Gross.

How do you normally eat your cookies?
I'm not sure I understand the question. I like them warm and chewy.

When working out at the gym, do you wear a belt?
Do people do that?

How many drinks does it take before you get drunk?
It varies.

How often do you clean out your ears?
I literally just did it. Is that weird?

Do you scrunch or fold your toilet paper?
Scrunch. More surface area. Clearly the smarter choice.

About how many times a day do you pick a wedgie?
Never?

Have you ever been dared to do something you totally regretted?
No, I usually stay away from doing things I know I'l regret.

Do you want to bring sexy back?
Oh, it's been brought.

Does the number of people a person's slept with affect your view of them?
Definitely. Although only if it's an inordinately high number.

Are you a good tipper?
Better than I can afford.

What's the most you have spent for a haircut?
I think it was $95 but not usually more than 60.

What song do you want played at your funeral?
Something not depressing.

Would you tell your parents if you were gay?
I think they would figure it out first.

What would your last meal be before getting executed?
I'm getting executed?

Beatles or Stones?
I know that Stones is the expected hardcore answer but really, the Beatles are more brilliant than the Stones could ever wish to be.

If you had to pick one person on earth to die, who?
Just one?

Do you walk around the house naked?
Sometimes. But only when no one else is home. I hope you got a really great mental image from that.

If you were an animal what would you be?
Some kind of exotic wildcat. Probably a snow leopard.

Hair color you like on someone you're dating?
That's probably the least important thing that comes into play. And I'm not trying to sound non-superficial, because clearly looks are important, but hair color? Who cares?

Would you rather be blind or deaf?
A combination would be fun. Although if I had to choose, deaf.

If you weren't straight, what person of the same sex would you do?
I despise that this survey is assuming that the survey taker is straight. Just for that, I'm not going to answer. I can't choose between all my hot girl friends anyway.

Do you sing in the shower?
Only if I am convinced that no one will hear me/judge my showersinging.

Would you ever get plastic surgery?
If it were reconstructive surgery, yes. For vanity reasons, no.

Have you ever caught a fish?
I hope so.

Do you like pickles?
Yes.

Prefer to know everything about your significant other, or be regularly surprise.
Know everything. This applies to everything and everyone.

What were you doing at midnight last night?
I probably shouldn't disclose. Watching Elizabeth II or whatever it is called, among other activities.

Who did you see in concert first?
Bjork. I was eight.

Would you make a fool out of yourself in public if it meant you were making your partner laugh?
I would probably be too shy.

Would you prefer the lights on or off during sex?
Always off.

Do you judge people solely by their musical preferences?
Completely.

Would you ever start a relationship with someone who was still living with an ex for financial reasons? I can't answer this, the question is too convoluted. It totally depends, although probably not.

Do you need to know everything about someone's past?
I would like to.

It is more worthwhile and satisfying to improve the world or appreciate the world?
Probably appreciating it but I'd rather try and improve it anyway.

Do you believe that dreams can be messages from a "higher level"?
Don't ever ask me such a dumb question again.

Would you rather have a great friend you could share everything with or a great lover you can't really talk to?
Friend friend friend!!!

Is the male or female body the closest to perfection?
Neither. Although women are much more aesthetically pleasing.

Should a child who's caught masturbating be punished?
That would imply that masturbating is a bad thing.

Do you like kissing in public?
I actually don't have much experience with that.

Did America really put a man on the moon?
Haha. Noooo.

Would you date someone significantly (9 years or over) older than you?
Depends how old I am at the time.

How well do you handle criticism?
Not.

When fooling around with someone, do you sometimes have sexual fantasies about other people?
It's happened.

Is it possible for full-figured women to be equally attractive as thinner women?
If not more.

Would you have a 'Happy Button' installed on your body, connected to your brain, which would instantly make you very happy whenever you pressed it?
If you mean a catheter that would inject whatever preferred drug into my body on command, that can't be very healthy. No.

We are all human, do you judge someone for a past indiscretion?
We all judge.

What is sexiest on a woman or a man?
Depends on the person.

Do you consider yourself sexually open minded?
To an extent.

Would you rather marry a virgin or someone experienced?
What would make you think he'd still be a virgin by the time we married?

Have you ever had a true one-night stand?
What is a true one-night stand, as opposed to an untrue one?

Would you prefer if good things happened, or interesting things?
Why not both? If I have to choose, interesting. Good can get boring.



Sorry this one is so long. Your problem for reading it, I guess.

What is in your bedroom?

Found this survey. Thought it might be fun. I'm answering about my Reed apartment bedroom, not back-in-LA parents' house bedroom.

Condoms: Plenty
Cell phone: If I am in my bedroom, yes
Book shelf: It doubles as a random things shelf, but it certainly holds books along with the cans of playdough and photo albums and clothes.
Couch: If only there was enough room.
Futon: No thanks.
Computer/laptop: My desktop stays on the desk in my room and my laptop occasionally comes with me downstairs if I want to internet in bed.
Pictures: Everywhere. Not enough in frames, however. I should work on that when I get back.
Mirror: It's embarrassing how many of those are in my room.
Skateboard: No.
Bed: Is this question really necessary? Yes, my bed is in my bedroom.
Clothes on the floor: I try not to, but it happens from time to time.
Surfboard: In Portland. Totally.
Smoke detector: I honestly have no idea.
Piano/keyboard/Guitar/bass/drums: I almost wish so.
Locking door: No need for that, silly.
Bottle of water: No, those stay upstairs.
Blacklight: Umm no.
Lava Lamp: Yes, but unfortunately it's broken.
Medals/ribbons: Haha.
CDs: Upstairs as well.
Flag: Of what? No.
Stop sign/any sign: Sorry, I am not in a frat.
Paintball gun: Refer to last question.
Real Gun: You must be joking.
Cigarettes: Possibly.
Pot: Not currently.
Any drugs: Nope.
Alcohol: Nah.
Books: Many.
Gum: Tons of it, mostly orbit.
How many windows do you have in your room: One. And it's sort of underground.
What is the color of your walls? White
Do you get ready for the day in your room or the bathroom? Both, but mostly my room.
What's on your walls? A dried red rose, and zebra/breakfast club posters.
Has the opposite sex been in your room before? Yesss.
Has the opposite sex been on your bed? Yesss.
Has the opposite sex slept in your bed? Yesss.
Ever had sex in your bed? Yesss.
Who usually sleeps in your bed other than you? Just me!
Do you like your bedroom: Love it.

Obamaaa

Yup. Iowa caucus down, just the presidency to go!

Also, I just registered to vote. Good job Aline, you are a real American now.


Also also,
I've finally got a plan or getting back to Portland. I'm flying (so no car, sadly) on Thursday the 10th arriving at 12:30pm. If you want to pick me up from the airport, that would be lovely. I'll even buy you lunch or something.

Pouncie baby, why do you hurt me?

I love my kitty, but after a couple weeks home, I really start to feel my allergies. I think the Claritin has stopped working. I just want to lie in bed all day and sniffle. Oh how I wish I could breathe.

Also, doing yoga on your own yogamat is 100% more gratifying than on someone else's yogamat. It's been proven.

I just read that orgasm reduces cramps.

Nice to know.

So, finally, when I got my mom to talk about things rationally, we worked out a possible plan. We may drive up to Portland together on January 6th and then shop for important things in the next few days until she flies home the 10th. I think a road trip together might actually be a lot of fun and I'd much rather do that than take a flight to Portland the same day.

In celebration of the holiday season:

Another Merry Fucking Christmas

So the big surprise was that my dad bought my mom a spanking new pimped out Prius. And while I think that having a Prius is great, of all the cars to choose from, I'm not sure the timing was right for this. While I'm taking out loans to pay for college and our house is a wreck (the floor is mostly splotchy concrete and the roof leaks, to give only a couple examples), I don't really see how we can afford an I-don't-even-want-to-tell-you-how-expensive new car. And then I try to talk to the parents about possibly bringing one of their FOUR cars up to Portland so that I have some sort of transportation (and a way to get there!) and they shoot me down. They won't even talk about it. Because it totally makes sense for three people, only two of which have licenses, to have four fucking cars. It seems a bit excessive. So now I'm stuck in Los Angeles with parents that are impossible to get along with unless I pretend I have no personality until some unknown date that I somehow get back to Portland. I waited until after my mom got the car to try and figure out my way back to Portland, hoping that there would be a chance of driving up North, but apparently even getting a new car won't put you in a good enough mood to discuss these things with your daughter.

I want to go home.

At the moment

I am watching old home videos with the family. All I have to say is that Ava and I were damn cute way back when.

Some things since I left Portland:
Cruised to Ensenada, Mexico and back. Figured out that Baja, California is in fact in Mexico and not California.
Haven't yet worked out since I've been home. No gym. It's rough.
Saw some old friends, want to see more.
Hung out with Serena for a few days and actually got some Christmas shopping done.
Visited Ulrika in the LBC with Birte
Finally got my beloved In'n'Out
Went with dad to get a large and surprising gift. I won't reveal what it is until Christmas in case someone important stumbles upon this page and spoils the surprise.

Coffee!

Just now, I made coffee all by myself for the first time ever. Truly an accomplishment. I think it's a bit strong but oh well.

Today is my last day in Portland before going back home tomorrow morning and then going on a cruise to Baja.

I'm not going to see Jake for SIX MONTHS. Not cool.

Some call it procrastination

Others call it a much needed break.

1. What bill do you hate paying the most?
Tuition. 'Nuff said.

2. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner?
Houston's with Birte and Alex.


3. Do you regret losing your virginity to who you lost it to?
Not a bit.


4. If you could go back and change one thing what would it be?
About losing my virginity or life in general? I would have been more adventurous. You decide which one I am answering.

5. Name of your first grade teacher?
Mrs. Nakano.

6. What do you really want to be doing right now?
Riding a rollercoaster. I know that's random but it popped into my head, so it must be true.


7. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
Let's see. A superhero, a cowboy, a chef, a firefighter. Then I realized I could be all of these and more.

8. How many colleges did you attend?
One so far. This one.

(I'm in this picture...can you find me?)

9. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now?
I found it last night and thought "It's been awhile since I wore a plain white shirt" and so this morning I decided it was time for a change.

10. What are your thoughts on gas prices?
I am not excited to drive when I get back to LA. This Friday, by the way!

11. If you could move anywhere and take someone with you where would it be?
I've always wanted to buy my own island.

12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning?
I didn't set my alarm.

13. Last thought before going to sleep last night?
OK, so the slow stress response starts when the PVN of the hypothalamus releases corticotrophin-releasing hormone into the anterior pituitary which in turn releases adrenocorticotrophic hormone into the bloodstream and makes the adrenal cortex release corticosteroids (like cortisol), which mobilizes the body's resources and repairs stress-related damage. The fast stress response, on the other hand, primes the body immediately starting with the hypothalamus stimulating the adrenal medulla which releases epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Yes it is finals week.

14. Favorite style of underwear?
Comfortable.


16. What errand/chore do you despise?
Toilets. I just can't do it.

17. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer?
No question. I mean, I volunteer even when I DO have to work.

18. Get up early or sleep In?
It depends.

19. What is your favorite cartoon character?
Bugs Bunny.

20. Favorite thing to do at night with the opposite/same sex?
Go bowling. Just kidding.

21. Have you found real love yet?
Oh, who knows.

22. When did you first start feeling old?
Never.

23. Favorite 80's movie.
Breakfast Club!


24. Your favorite lunch meat?
Filet mignon. No one ever said it wasn't a lunch meat.

25. What do you get every time you go into Costco?
Vitamin water. Tons of vitamin water.

26. Beach or Lake?
Please. I'm from Los Angeles.


27. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual?
I have a lot of problems with the institution but I still dream about wedding dresses.


28. Do you own property?
An island, remember?

29. Favorite guilty pleasure?
Cheese. That and ice cream.

30. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about?
I'll never tell.

31. What's your favorite drink?
Piña coladas. (And getting caught in the rain)

32. Cowboys or Indians?
The hot black cowboy in Blazing Saddles. Or John Wayne when he was hot and I mean only in Stagecoach.




33. Cops or Robbers?
Robbers. Duh.

34. Who from high school would you like to run in to?
Benke!


35. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now?
Car?

36. Norm or Cliff?
Yeah I don't get it. Before my time.

37. 'The Cosby Show' or 'The Simpsons'?
Simpsons.

38. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back?
Faking an orgasm. Never again.

39. Do you like the person who sits directly across from you at work?
Depends which job. Generally, yes. Unless you mean LIKE like. In which case, no. Although I would give anything to be Jim & Pam.



40. What famous person would you like to have dinner with?
Marilyn.


42. Have you ever crashed your vehicle?
Hells no.

43. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its actual purpose?
Yes! It was for introchem, admittedly, but it was still pretty fun.

44. Last book you read for real?
Stumbling on Happiness by Dan Gilbert. Recommended. Not a self-help book, I swear.

46. Strangest place you have ever brushed your teeth?
...

47. Somewhere in California you've never been and would like to go?
This is a tough one. Molly's apartment in Long Beach next week.

48. Do you go to church?
Not since I came out as an atheist.

49. At this point in your life, would you start a new career?
I'd like to start a career.

50. Just how old are you?
Twenty.

Just one thing

The coldness outside and warmness inside is extremely conducive to napping. Also, I think my tolerance to caffeine is getting a bit ridiculous. I just drank two cups and fell asleep.

He told me I was gorgeous.

My mood has been permanently uplifted. Or at least for today.