Shakers

Visited Shaker Village when I went home for the holidays.

Check them out here:

Shakers

Best and Worst Tattoo

It's the best and worst tattoo...all at the same time...

Fallon Health Care Video

This reminds me of some of my friends. I love it.

Mammograms

Click HERE to give a free mammogram!

Another Kitty Video

I couldn't resist. I had tears in my eyes, I was laughing so hard.


http://view.break.com/388549 - Watch more free videos

Started a photoblog...

So this blog is going to be even more neglected than it already is.

The photoblog will be updated almost daily. You can find it at by going here:

Burbunny 365

Re-Donkulously Adorable!

Cutest Kitten Video...EVER!

Best Book Title Ever

Enough said. Had me laughing all afternoon.

Holy Sh**! I'm 30.

I just turned 30. Technically, since I was born in Korea, I've been 30 for more than a day, but in this time zone, I've been 30 for exactly 1 hour and 13 minutes. I'm not in my 20s anymore. It's weird. I'm fighting a cold, I have a bit of insomnia. What a way to ring in the new birthday. I need to go and try and sleep.

Almost 30

So it's 11 days before I turn 30.

I miss my friends.

30n30...eh...who am I kidding?

Okay, so I know it's lame to blog about a blogger, but this shit is hilarious.


10 Attributes of Lazy People

30n30...um...#4 in 8 days...

Okay, so I'm pretty bad at this blogging thing. (1) I have nothing to really talk about that I think is interesting and (2) I need to think of something to talk about that I think is interesting that you think is interesting...

To blog about my day and weekend, it would consist of this:

Yesterday, Niko and I decided to venture out in Boston and take the T to Cambridge Side Galleria so that we could shop at Banana Republic (there isn't one at the mall near us). We took the orange line to the green line and ended up at the mall and
shopped our little asses off! I also bought Bioshock, which is a great game so far. The only problem is that I'm sort of afraid of puppets, masks and mannequins...which the game has and I think that in the long run, it might give me some nightmares! So, after a nice lunch at Cheesecake Factory, shopping at the mall - we headed home and I played Bioshock. Then we went to our favorite Mexican restaurant in the area called Mexico Lindo. After this, we watched Superman Returns. WORST MOVIE (not ever!) - but it ranks up there. I feel like I was cheated out of 2 hours of my life.

Today, we woke up and went to meet a co-worker of mine (John) for brunch at Stephanies on Newbury. Which was delicious and fun. We got there a little after 11, and it wasn't too crowded. It starts getting crowded after 12, because they aren't allowed to serve booze until then. We ate slowly and then enjoyed some mimosas and beer before departing. Then, Niko and I decided to take a stroll through the Boston Garden and Boston Commons. (Pictures below). We came back here, I started laundry, we went grocery shopping and are now chilling back at the apartment - waiting for my meatloaf that I'm cooking for dinner to be done.

On a diet note, I really have to get back to it. I have no self-control. UGH.


View from brunch at Stephanie's on Newbury



Boston Garden



Boston Garden

Remembering September 11th

I read an entertainment blog called Pink is the New Blog everyday. Today, he chose not share the latest Hollywood goss and do a post, remembering those who died September 11th, 2001. Please visit this link to remember those who lost their lives.

Pink is the New Blog - We Must Never Forget

OMG 30n30 #3 Missed!

My third day into it, I missed the whole 30n30 thing. I got busy, I forgot. However, where does it say that my blog posts need to be daily? So long as I do 30 posts in 30 days, I think that I'm all set.

Traffic has been absolutely horrible. Terrible. Blah-rrible. Bleh. I need to switch up the time that I leave in the morning to avoid all that crap.

Okay, so #3 post is a bit of a cop-out and boring and I have nothing to say. But hey, at least I'm trying to say something.

30n30 #2

Second day. Not much to share. Niko and I went to the mall to do some fall shopping. It's such a switch from shopping in California. A whole new mindset. I can't just fill my wardrobe up with tank tops and open toed shows. It's time to switch to layers, sweaters and boots. Niko needs to get used to shopping with a New England mindset and mix up his wardrobe a bit. We made some progress today...slowly but surely.

I need to go back to the gym and start running. I am beginning to feel lethargic and I know it's because I haven't worked out. I also need to start on the weight watchers again. I've been slacking on that, and that's bad news bears for me. It's just all the food in New England that I've missed is just waiting for me to eat it! I think I've gotten all the cravings out of my system and I need to have some self-control! Ugh. Why when you get older, you have to eat healthier?!?

OH! I just realized that this 30n30 was started 30 days before my 30th birthday. HA!

30n30

So, no one knows about this blog. I was reading my friend Jesse's blog and he's challenged his pals to do a 30n30 blog...which means for 30 days, I will try to blog at least one sentence! So here goes.

This week was a fun week. Back to the busy-ness at work after a small lull last week. Niko and I also went to a Red Sox game (they won) and had a good time all around. We're trying to unpack those last few boxes and figure out where to put everything. I can't wait until we're all settled.

Long time, no post!

Okay, so I've been crazy busy...and haven't had time to post. Like I've said before, it's not like anyone reads my blog or anything like that.

Started at the new job on August 13th. Love it hear, so far. I can't tell if I like it hear because it's the "new job glow" or because I will like it here in the long term. I think that it's got longevity to it...stay tuned. Niko started his job on August 14th. The day he started, his boss got laid off. That was a bit stressful! But it looks like things will work out for him and he's not going to have to find a job anytime in the near future.

Short post. Will write more later.

1:30AM

It's my last weekend before I start work again. So weird to have not worked since the beginning of July. I've never had that amount of time off before. I'm starting to be "poor" as well. All the money spent on the move and that stuff has drained my bank account. Luckily, I can still pay my own bills...which is nice (vs. having Niko pay them or something like that).

Craziness that I'm starting at this new job. In a new city, with all new people. It's like starting college all over again, except I have way more responsibility. I need to go to bed. I just thought that I would post something to maybe try to clear my head before I try to sleep. I hate anxiety. It just flows through my head and I start thinking about one thing, and move on to the next thing. It's a vicious cycle.

The good part is that our stuff is getting delivered tomorrow. That will make me happy to sleep in our bed and not on an air mattress. It will also make me crazy, because now it's time to unpack and realize that we have WAY TOO MUCH shit to fit in our apartment and we'll have to throw away a lot of stuff, which means more trips up and down the stairs. Exhausting.

On a good note, I've decided to do this training thing called Couch to 5K. So I can start running and actually be able to handle it. Who knows, maybe Melrose has some local 5K in the fall that I will be able to run! It's a nine week program, and I'm pretty excited about exercising and getting healthy. I just hope that job doesn't get in the way of that...But...there are moms out there that balance home and work and still have time to exercise...so I really have no excuse not to do it. I'm going to start it tomorrow morning. I've got the workouts already loaded onto my iPod and everything!

Okay, time to sleep. Big day with movers and the running tomorrow...er...later today...

Food and Rain

Above is a view of our street. As you can see, we live in a village-type of complex. It's comprised of a bunch of buildings. We are really happy here. Happier if we could get our furniture sometime in the near future. I am really getting tired of sleeping on an air mattress (it's as bouncy as a water bed, if Niko moves, I fly up in the air, or vice versa...) Also, since we bought our bedroom set and had it delivered, we have to sleep in the living room, since the air mattress doesn't fit in the bed frame. Argh. I think that Feynman is starting to go crazy as well - or he is getting comfortable in his new home. He's starting to get back to his grumpy surly self.

I've been working out at the gym here. Doing two days on, one day off. Trying to get into some sort of routine before I start work, so I don't feel the need to slack off. I also went back on the Weight Watchers to get back on track for my diet. However, having said that...there is so much food in New England that I have missed like crazy. Food that is not good for my diet. But I guess now that I am working out again, I can work most of it off at the gym or something like that. mmmmm. Chicken fingers and BBQ pork. So gross in California...so wonderful in New England.


Yesterday, Niko and I decided to venture to Kazi Shabu Shabu in Chinatown. We took the T down there and had a good time. It was a bit different from the Shabu Shabu that we are used to in California...but it was good none-the-less. We're going to try to experiment with different restaurants. We still haven't found a korean BBQ place to go to...or at least one that we're feeling brave enough to venture to. So, what does this story have to do with a picture of a rainbow? Well, while we were in Chinatown, it rained in Melrose. When we came back to Melrose on the T, we were treated to the remnants of the rainstorm...which was this purdy rainbow...taken on my iPhone while we were on the T. Can you believe how blue the sky is in Massachusetts? Smog free.

Off to be an official Mass-Hole

Okay, so growing up in Maine, Massachusetts drivers would come up there on holiday and drive like shit. They would cut people off, turn in opposite directions of their blinkers...awful. I grew up calling these people Mass-Holes. Now I am officially becoming one today. Niko and I are going to the RMV (Registry of Motor Vehicles) to get our Massachusetts licenses. I have to take a shower and make myself look pretty.

I hope that when I get my Massachusetts license, I don't become a Mass-Hole.

We have...arrived...

So we made it. We're here (as you can see from my previous posts). When we got the apartment, the woman asked us if having an elevator mattered, and me, being the person I am, quickly said "Nah, we should be fine." This has turned out to be the single worst statement that I have made in this moving process. We are on the third floor. Not just small flights of stairs either...LONG, LONG flights of stairs, 13 stairs on to the second floor, 18 to the third. We have made so many trips up the stairs that I cannot believe I can actually stand. Yesterday, we said that we were going to carry minimal things up the stairs for now on and just pay to have things delivered.

The cable guy came today. He was soooo nice. He told us about a discount furniture place that we went and checked out. Turned out, we got an amazing bedroom set. How exciting! And it's not the cheap Ikea stuff. It's actually real furniture. And a real bed frame! We have never had one before...one with a headboard and foot board. Super exciting stuff! Now we are going to wait until our stuff comes and then figure out what else we need for storage, etc. It's nice to be a bit more settled, but I'm not going to stop worrying until we actually get our stuff delivered! Still waiting to hear from the movers on an ETA, so hopefully we will hear from them soonish!

I'm so glad that I have Niko to move here with. We've been getting along really well (just a few minor tiffs - but you would have them too if you were stuck with someone for 24-7 for more than a week). I think that this move was a positive one and I'm really excited to start my new job and all that fun stuff.

OOOH, we did have our Dunkin Donuts and also some Chinese food. Hopefully, I got most of the junk food cravings out of my system so I can go back on my diet again. Argh! Having said that, the chicken fingers, duck sauce and BBQ Boneless Spareribs were frakkin' delicious. There is nothing like Chinese food in New England. It's soooooo- good and sooooo- bad for your health. I've just been away from it for so long, I just can't believe how good it is! Okay, enough about food. I have to go back on my diet....or else!!!

Anyway...here are a few more pics from our trip. Lots of corn and cows and cats!

Cross Country Driving

Here are some pics from our cross country trek. Our trip took us from Los Angeles, through Nevada, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and then into Melrose, MA...our new home.

Eastward We Go

Niko and I are headed to Boston now. Everything is packed, the movers have picked up our stuff and we just finished day three of our cross country drive.

The first night, we stopped in Richfield Utah. The cat had a minor emergency when his nose started bleeding. Luckily, I have my iPhone and used google maps and found a vet in Richfield, who diagnosed him over the phone. Turns out his nose was dry and he had a little cut. It was scary, but he turned our to be okay. On the way to Utah, traffic was OK, however there was a gnarly accident on the 15...took us about 2 hours to go 2 miles. Other than that, traffic moved smoothly to Utah.

The second day brought us to Sterling CO. Driving from the snow resort areas to Denver proved to be a pain in the arse. Really heavy traffic. Then, as we entered the Denver area, torrential, monsoon like weather hit. And the rains slammed down on us.

It's the third day and we are in Des Moines IA. Truly uneventful ride and we made it here in decent time, no traffic delays or crazy weather. Picture below is a sampling of the flatlands and cornfields that we have driven through. Tomorrow is the corn belt and into Toledo OH.

I miss my friends, but I know that this is the right decision...More later...stay tuned.

Woot!

I got a verbal job offer. The offer is pending my references, and, like the HR / Recruiting Manager said, unless I'm an idiot and put references that could potentially be bad...the job is mine.

I'm so excited. I can't believe that this is falling into place.

Having said that, Niko and I have 12 days to pack everything up and be ready for the movers. UGH! We're going to pick up boxes and packing stuff today, and purging all our shite tomorrow! Craziness!

Book Club Ladies

I went to my last book club meeting with the group that I started in Los Angeles. It was bittersweet. I'm excited to move, but really upset about leaving my friends...my Los Angeles family! The girls were wonderful and threw a party for me...Decorating the conference room with all kinds of pictures from Boston and bringing me chocolate chip cookies...





I went to Paramount for the last meeting, and just my luck - Bumblebee from Transformers was on display. It was awesome-o!

When it rains...

Wild and crazy times! Right now, I'm sitting at my computer, my leg can't be still, I'm nervous, I'm waiting...I'm in flux.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I had contacted a company in MA that I saw THE PERFECT job posting for me. The HR person was very nice, but explained that the position was going to be filled internally. She did mention that there were a few other positions that she thought that I might be a good fit for, and we put the gears in motion setting up a phone interview for me. At this time, Niko and I were supposed to be in MA so that Niko could interview with a couple of companies and we could look for a place to live. Well, I got the stomach flu and then Niko got the stomach flu and we ended up canceling our trip.

We rescheduled our trip for Sunday, July 8th until Wednesday, July 11th. The timing worked out for Niko, as one of the companies that he was talking to wanted him to come in for an in person interview as well as the original company he was going to interview with (pre-stomach flu). This worked out for both of us as company #1 paid for our first night in the fancy hotel and company #2 paid for our last night (and Niko's flight) - so the trip's fee just included my flight and the middle night at the fancy hotel.

In the meantime, my phone interviews were supposed to be on July 3rd at 5PM EST. I knew in my gut that the interview would probably be canceled, because who, in New England, would want to have a phone interview / meeting with someone right before 4th of July? Sure enough it got canceled. I was so bummed, because I prepared myself and wanted to really nail the interview. The company is an amazing company, has a great product and the job opportunity could be great for me - I was worried that I was missing out on the position. The call was rescheduled for Thursday, July 12th.

Niko and I fly out to MA and Niko has his first interview scheduled on Monday from 9:15am - 12:30pm. Then we have an appointment with our broker, Loren, to check out some apartments. This was a priority for us while we were in the area, because if we don't have an apartment, we can't schedule a mover or a time to move. UGH. So, Niko had his interview and then we met with Loren and viewed some properties. We weren't in love with any of the properties, but were pretty desperate to find a place. We settled on the first place that we saw, but scheduled some time with Loren for Tuesday to maybe look at one other place and sign papers on the first place. So, that night - we went to dinner with some friends and went back to the hotel.

10:30PM, Monday, July 9th - My phone rings. The number says unavailable. I answer it anyway. "Hi, this is so and so...the CEO of..." It was the CEO of the company that I really wanted to work for!! I couldn't believe it. I just could not believe it. He used to work at Viacom Consumer Products (my old job) and thought that my name sounded familiar...although I wasn't the person he was thinking of...but we did have really similar names. Anyway, the woman that they were going to promote internally decided that she wanted to spend some time with her kids and gave her notice that morning and my name had been revisited. I explained that I had a call with some people at his company on Thursday, but I was in Boston. He was surprised that I was in Boston and asked if I wanted to come in for an interview on Tuesday! Of course I accepted!

10:30AM, Tuesday, July 10th - Loren comes and picks me up. Niko leaves for his other interview. She tells me that the place we liked fell through, but she was going to take me to another place to check out that she thinks we might like. Oh, rewind...before this, the people from my dream company call me and schedule the interview for 1:00PM that day, and they are sending me a car! So, anyway, Loren and I rush to this place...and the place is PERFECT. Everything that Niko and I had on our "need" list and everything that Niko and I had on our "want" list. Amazing. They put a hold on the apartment and I make an appointment for Niko and I to come on Wednesday before our flight to fill out any paperwork.

1:00PM, Tuesday, July 10th - I'm at my interview. 4 hours of craziness and goodness. I think that it went well and I give my references. The position and company are perfect for me. So, now the waiting game begins.

Back in LA - We are approved for the apartment, pending criminal reports, which I'm sure that we'll pass...Niko got a job offer for the company that he was leaning towards...and me...well, I'm still waiting to hear from my company. The waiting is the worst part. I just want to hear either way, but will definitely be bummed if I don't get the job! The waiting is killing me!

Anyway, crazy timing that we were in Boston at that time...even though we were supposed to be there earlier...Lots of things just fell into place - and for that, I'm grateful!

Boston Bound...

Headed to Boston so Niko can interview and we can find a place to live. I really, really hope we find a place...otherwise we're screwed. We can't plan anything about the move until we actually have a place to move into, so...this is an important trip.

Having all this time off is damaging to the brain. You start to feel useless and like you're not accomplishing anything. However, having said that, it's nice not to have to "dress up" everyday and make yourself presentable. Sitting in your comfortable sweats or shorts with no bra on can be the best thing ever for the psyche. But I want a job. I need a job. I want to work and do something that I lurve. Ugh.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted on the Boston apartment situation. Maybe if you're lucky, you'll get a blog from Bean Town!

4th of July...and still no job!

I prepared for my phone interview, was freaking out...and then that morning, the interview got rescheduled! I'm really bummed, but glad that it was rescheduled (and not just plain cancelled!) So I will go to Boston on Sunday with Niko and have nothing to do. I'll probably meet with some brokers and splurge a teeny tiny bit on myself with a massage at the hotel. Hopefully a broker will find us a good place to live.



Niko and I went to see Transformers. Roman wasn't impressed with the movie (he saw it earlier this week), but I thought it totally rocked. The only thing that I didn't enjoy was the blatant product placement by Hasbro of My Little Pony. GMC must have paid a pretty penny to have their cars used in the movie as well! However, it was a great movie and Shia was amazing. I love him, even tho he's totally jail bait!

Well, that's all for now. Hope you all had a great 4th of July!

Mooooving...

This moving thing is craziness. I mean, we don't even have a place to live yet. We're going to Boston in about a week, so hopefully we will find a place and sign for it. I keep on telling myself that things will fall into place, but I think I'll rest easier once we actually have a place to move to. I think that we're going to go with a place that ships your stuff across the country. It's like $.60/pound and they do the door to door thing. Which is basically they load your stuff up and unload it in our new place. We can't book anything until we actually have a place to live - so everything is basically hinging on that. I think that we will make a trip to Home Depot to buy some boxes and stuff.

Job search is moving. I have an interview at a company where I'm totally jazzed about the job. It's a perfect fit for me. I'm a terrible interview though, so it should be interesting. The phone interview is on Tuesday and if all goes well, an in person one will be for the following week. I really want this job, but I don't wanna get my hopes up because things have ways of not really working out. We'll see. I'm excited and really going to go all out for this opportunity.

I haven't been sleeping well. Anxiety about the move and the fact that I don't have a job is wearing on me.

Disneyland

My friend and I went to Disneyland yesterday. It reminded me how old I was getting. Halfway through, I was tired and sick of waiting in lines. My feet ached, my back hurt. Teenagers annoyed me with their antics. Having said that, overall, I had a pretty damn good time. Here are Steph and I shooting it up in some martian shooter ride. We were competing. I'm not gonna say she cheated, but she was like 7K behind me in points, and all of a sudden shot up to 30K above me in points. As you can see from the picture, we took the competition very seriously!

Kitty friend

I took Feynman to the vet. It was very traumatic for him, but he met a little friend. Above is a pic of her checking Feynman through his little carrier.

MTV Angers and Delights...

I used to be obsessed with this show, but I think being unemployed makes me angry. I can't believe these spoiled little brats. Yes, and I will be honest...I'm a bit jealous - but overall, disgusted. These kids treat their parents like crap and then their parents spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on their birthday parties. That's college tuition. That's...ugh!

However, my new favorite show on MTV is:











Best show ever. Kids getting married because they are in lurve. So precious.

Kitty

Here's a pic of my kitty feynman. He has a vet appointment tomorrow and we're gonna talk to them about sedating the cat because he doesn't like car rides...

Kenny at the Troubadour

My friend's band played at the Troubadour last weekend. I remember sitting with him in the studio of our college and listening to him play. For him to be playing at the Troubadour years and years later is amazing.

Day has been filled with playing world of warcraft and watching television. I'm trying not to panic about the job situation, but if I don't get positive response soon, I'm probably gonna lose it!!

Anyway, congrats to me on my first moblog...

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there. Happy Father's Day to my dad, my mom's husband, my two brothers and my boyfriend's dad, especially. Kudos to all of you.

Can't believe about the Duke Lacrosse scandal DA getting disbarred. Good for him. What a shady individual. I hope that they do bring charges against him. I can't wait for this to be a Lifetime for Women movie of the week.

Another random observation...but it really brings the rage out in me...the Outback Steakhouse Father's Day jingle that's on TV and the radio. Whomever wrote that stoopid jingle...I want to punch in the effing face...

Happy Place

A picture before bedtime of my happy place...I want to spend my period of unemployment there...

2:30 AM Ramblings

It's 2:30 AM. I'm tired, but I can't sleep. Today, well, actually yesterday, was my first official indefinite day off. I got laid off. Corporate mumbo jumbo. I'm so sick of thinking about it, but I can't seem to stop obsessing about it. Wasn't performance based. It was because of ... argh. I'm so sick of talking about it. My friends mean well, but they treat me like someone died. Calling and checking in on me. Making sure that I'm OK. Am I bummed? Yes. Am I distraught and suicidal? No. But let's examine WHY I'm bummed. It's not because I loved my job so much and can't seem to live without it. It's because of the way things went down. It's because I had to fight so hard for that extra week of severance. It's because I'm moving across the country with my boyfriend and I don't have a freaking job. It's because I'm a hypochondriac and don't have health insurance. All normal reasons (aside from the hypochondria). But I feel like I'm a strong person and I will get through this. However, like I said, while my friends mean well - it's just too much. I don't like being treated like a victim. Worse things happen to people all the time. My friend Joe told me to take this next week off and not look for a job. Just chill and kind of settle into not being employed. In theory, I believe that this is a great idea. In practice, not so much. I mean, wouldn't it be human nature to look for a job? He and my boyfriend are the only ones that kind of "get it." OH, and don't even get me started on the morons that want all the gossip about what happened even though I haven't talked to them in months and months and months. There are some people that are sincere and concerned, and there are some people that see my being laid off as sensationalistic. It drives me insane. I don't know if this post is even making sense.

I went to Hawaii with my gal pals and my friend said a crazy sentence. "Do you guys...is who is was?" She was referring to some famous Hawaiian singer named Izrael or something like that...but the sentence just didn't come out right. I figured that was a proper name for my blog, as a lot of this will just be me rambling. I've got a big couple months ahead of me. Moving across the country, losing my job and having indefinite time off for the very first time in my life and I turn 30. Holy shit. I turn 30 years old. I don't think that anyone will be reading my blog, so I guess this is my DEAR DIARY...

must sleep...must sleep.....