How is it July already?

I didn't come to post today with any clear plan of what to talk about. I just haven't posted in like weeks and weeks because I've been totally way busy with life and work and travel and, while I certainly can't complain about that, I did miss writing.

I haven't even posted photos over at Double A Photography in forever because I haven't even had time to edit and upload all the images I have dawdling on my computer. I have more photos of nature than I could possibly know what to do with. You're getting some here today. You're welcome.

Anyway, when I haven't written in a while, I start to feel a little manic, a little crazy. I get all cranky because I don't feel right, like I'm not quite in my body. Inevitably, it's because I haven't made time to download my brain in writing. That and I get all social burn out. I totally had that this week.

Two weekends ago, Eminem and I spent the weekend in the Colombia Gorge hiking and eating and wandering and being awesome.

Real live Bald Eagle we saw at a bird show at Skamania Lodge

Then last weekend, we went to Idaho for a wedding, where I learned that 104 degree dry summers aren't exclusive to inland Southern California. We lounged by the pool and drank some drinkies and got just sunburned enough to show our battle scars but not too much that we would be miserable on the flight home. Win! 

At the wedding.
My sunglasses don't fit my face because my *real* sunglasses broke and I had to buy gas station ones.
Sigh.

Then the next day, I had to go white water rafting for "research," as in my company is going to do a corporate trip and it was my duty to see what it was all about. Poor me. I might be totally lucky to have found a job again that lets me do fun things. Knock on wood!

Me on the back left side there. With the slightly sunburned arm.

I have to say, though, by the time July 4th rolled around, I was damned tired. I was also a little sore from rafting. So I was glad to have a mellow day of sitting around and eating food with just my man and I was even a little testy and cranky to him. Poor guy. There just comes a point where I can't talk any more. Not even one word.

I might also have been a bit hormonal because I took my bc pill like way off schedule during all my traveling and so I started my period just the teeniest bit, but enough to remember the uterus crushing horror that are the cramps one gets when her lady parts are a three ring circus run by the animals.

So by Friday night, when most of my friends were enjoying their 4 day weekend with drinks and social social time, I was curled up with my cat in bed, eating junk food, and enjoying the brilliance that is Sherlock. Damn that show is brilliant.

And then Eminem and I spent the weekend not much differently. We ran a few errands and then planted ourselves firmly on our asses and moved only to eat and hydrate. It was glorious. It takes a special man to share an entire weekend of laziness with you. I love that man.

Photo of the Day: Hat on Mount Hood

Some days I’m so happy I live in Oregon.

So this one time, I went to India...

Did you miss me? The reason I was gone for so long, my friends, was because I was in India! What? Yes, yes it's true. I had the amazing opportunity to accompany my aunt on a trip to the Golden Triangle in India. Why? For fun. Just to be tourists. Because why the hell not? Because it's INDIA!

I truly had an incredible time. I took well over a thousand photos, which I guarantee will take me a year to get through and edit and upload. I ate a ton of good food, none of which made me sick, bee tee double you, contrary to what everyone told me (because, you know, I didn't eat food off the street like an idiot).

And I saw people, animals, palaces, mosques, temples, forts, and experienced a new place which I won't even attempt to do justice because travel to a place so different to what you've experienced is really the only way to best understand it. And I have a thousand stories to tell, which I don't even know where to start telling. Also: tiger safari. Tiger. Fucking. Safari. Enough said.

For now, here's a small sampling of photos I took. Many, many, many more to come.

Photo of the Day: Reflection

Market street in San Francisco is chock full of reflective surfaces, a cityscape funhouse of buildings within buildings. 

Up in the Air

Well, kids, I'm here in San Francisco and while the short journey was a little stressful, I'm so glad to be here. After a quick dinner, I'm cozy in my hotel room in Union Square (SO glad I brought my laptop) all ready to relax.

Point to note: I love hotel rooms. I love the cozy beds and the fluffy pillows and the little soaps. I especially love hotel rooms in San Francisco because they always have so much personality. My very fave hotel where I always stay when I come here The Hotel Union Square, a funky modern art-style hotel, was booked (NOOO!) so I'm staying somewhere new. And so far so good.

But most of all, I love the TV. Now, because I talk about my favorite TV shows quite a bit, you probably didn't know that I don't watch television. I don't, at least not on an actual TV. I watch it online, which means the range of shows I watch is very narrow. I don't pay for satellite or cable and the only time my rabbit ears get any use is every weekday at 7-7:30 pm when I watch Jeopardy with my dad. I think the last time I had cable was in like 2002 when I lived with my cousin who was in advertising at the time and wrote it off in her taxes. So watching TV and this whole range of channels (even if there is nothing on) is such a luxury of staying in a hotel.

Yes, I am a dork. I realize. Moving on.

Back to the stressful part of my trip. My plane was taking off late afternoon, so I left a smidge early so I could eat at the airport so I wouldn't land in Frisco a starving monster. Except nothing (NOTHING) was open at the airport. Not even fast food. One little shop was open that had sodas and candy. No trailmix or sandwiches or any other food I could cobble into some kind of meal. And maybe you're wondering why I didn't take my own food. Well, I didn't think I had to. Also, I'm traveling for work and my dinner would have been paid for. If one had been available. By the time I landed in the Bay, my head was screaming for FOOD! Confirms my life story: I love to travel, but I hate airports.

Someone invent teleportation already.

However, I was fortunate to see one of the most spectacular beginnings of a sunset on the Bay from the plane. It was gorgeous, light glittering on the water, setting the world on fire.

Then, as the plane taxied into the terminal, everyone pulling out their phones and letting their loved ones they'd landed safely, I felt a new wave of sadness. I felt a little like George Clooney in Up in the Air (not that I travel even nearly that much), but I do travel enough for it to be old hat and it's a very solitary life. I have no one to call when I land. No one that would really notice if I did or didn't arrive safely. Sure, my coworkers would notice eventually (especially since I'm here for work) and maybe my online peeps would wonder why I'd been offline. And my close friends would wonder after a week or so why I'd been out of contact. But do I have anyone wondering how I am? If I'd arrived and am safe? Not really, no.

How do I feel about that? Not sure. It's partly my fault, I guess. This is the life I lead. But then I also feel a little sad. Today it's a life of travel and work. But someday maybe I die in my apartment and my cats nibble on my corpse and no one notices until the neighbors smell me. Gross right?

It's also a lot warmer here than I'd anticipated and I admit, I'm disappointed. After 90 degrees in So Cal today, I was hoping for some chilly Frisco air. Maybe it will be cooler tomorrow. Let's hope.

plumb tuckered out

*whew* I. Am. Exhausted! I had a big weekend. And I actually thought I wouldn't post tonight. It's roughly 7:45 yet I could fall into a deep coma right now. But I just posted a photo from my trip this weekend (more to come!) and thought, what the hell?

Soooo, here we are, Internet, just you and me and my sweatpants. And my cozy beanie which I just can't force myself to take off, it's that wonderful. I had a blur of a weekend in San Fran. And for the most part, it was awesome. The city was misty and cold on Friday and (after MUCH craziness getting into the city, so crazy in fact that I can't even recount it here without having little stress convulsions) I wandered around the Union Square area with my cameras (whilst shielding them from the mist of course) and basically soaked the city in.

lovely, isn't it?

It never ceases to amaze me how San Francisco, downtown at least, always hits me with a profound homesickness for Paris. Good god in hell it's wonderful. And despite the word lover that I am, apt words fail me right now. Suffice to say, the combination of weather, city life, food smells, and people somehow combine to remind me of my old home. And it's not exactly a fit, naturally. The architecture is uniquely different and you don't see many Frenchmen following you down the street asking if you like the sex and have you heard of the french kissing. None of that. Thank heaven. But somehow, the energy is similar. And don't foresee a situation in which I'd have the opportunity to live in Europe again, but if I did? I can't even describe the mounds of happiness.

And I always stay in the same, funky, artsy hotel in Union Square. And I usually have a pretty great experience, but this time they put me by the elevator and I'll be damned if I didn't wake up every time that damned elevator dinged. Even through my earplugs. I swear. Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep. And my work event went well, as good as can be expected. And I got to see my friend Mel and good god I didn't realize how much I'd missed her! It was so wonderful to catch up and get to know the amazing woman she is now (she was amazing before, but we all get better with time. usually.). I really enjoyed myself.

Buuut, I'm glad to be home. Weekend trips are always somehow a little too short to really enjoy myself without total exhaustion. And that's how I feel today. Work was fine and I barrelled through, but after therapy this evening, I was just plumb tuckered out (p.s. I might be reading All the Pretty Horses and it might be making me talk like a cowboy.).

And it was hard to sleep last night as my attention-starved cat kept crawling up on me, purring like a muscle car on train tracks. In fact, that's what she's doing right now. Have I mentioned that my cat is totally neurotic? Just like me. That's how you know it's meant to be.

hotter than a whore in hell

IT'S. SO. DAMN. HOT! I am so totally, completely over summer and I am so totally, completely over Southern California weather. I love Fall. I repeat, I love Fall! So, where are you Fall, you fickle bitch? I need you to come back and kick Summer to the curb. It cooled off a bit a couple weeks ago and helena handbasket was it wonderful! But, it was just a tease, like any good woman is. And triple digits just stomped right back.

Now, don't leave yet. I know you're going, is she really talking about the weather? Well, yes, yes I am. But stick with me, I'll talk about myself too. Do you really think I'd disappoint you like that?

The forecast promised me today that it will cool off next week. I for one fell for it and am staking all of my hopes on that damn forecast. If it doesn't cool off, I may sue. Who will I sue, you ask? Who cares? We live in a litigious society, I'm sure my lawyer will figure out someone to litigate. I say that as if I'm one of those exotic people on TV who retains a lawyer. Isn't that always impressive? Any tiny offense and they announce, "you'll be hearing from my lawyer!" I have to admit, that's so uber cool. I'm going to go around threatening a fictitious lawyer from now on. Think of all the people I'll scare. Think of all the free swag I could get! Hell, even if I did have a lawyer on tap like the kind of beer you only drink in pints, I would never have the guts to actually sue someone. Even if someone murdered all my friends and family a la the Massacre at Two Pines, I would probably chicken out and end up paying him for his time and trouble of going through arbitration and possibly trial (Notice how I'm throwing around the legal jargon? Are you impressed? Intimidated? Turned on?), never mind that it would probably be a murder trial. Maybe I'll just hire a kick-ass blond to go on a revenge killing spree instead. That would be hot.

I might be going through some kind of Tarantino withdrawal. Anyone want to see Inglorious Basterds with me? No? Losers.

Or it might be that this insane heat is making me crazy! You know how people talk about cabin fever? I think the same thing happens in extreme heat. It's not like anyone can handle being outside in this for too long! So we all camp out inside, parked in front of the a.c. wearing refrigerated underwear and eating ice. Thaaaat's right. Hold that image in your head for a minute. Are you done? Awesome. But that's not healthy! Humans are supposed to be outside, soaking in life and other people and the crisp autumn air, while tromping through piles of leaves and stopping briefly to re-wrap your scarf or pull on your new knit gloves. *sigh* When will fall get here?

Maybe I should move. I mean, this isn't really an option right now. First, I just moved like 6 or so months ago. Wait, really? 6 months? Has it been that long? Excuse me while I count on my fingers. May, June, July...3, 4 nope. Nope. It's only been like 5 months. Dude, I used to be so good at the math. Nonetheless, I just moved. And moving sucks. I don't exactly want to go through it again right away. And have I mentioned that I love my little house? I love my little house. It's so cute and there is so much left that I want to do with it. There is so much nesting left to be done. And moving away from my current city would take some serious life rearranging which really isn't realistic right now, with my current financial situation and this is current shithole otherwise known as the economy.

On the other hand, I don't know how many more summers like this I can handle. I think I'm nearing my limit. So in the meantime, a girl can dream can't she? Join me in this dream, will you? C'mon in. The water is great!

How about Seattle? (Let's just start at the top and work our way down. I'd say Canada, but dude, that would be filling so many of my ex-pat fantasies which I'm just not sure if I'm ready to confront and if I'm opening up this fantasy, I'd rather move my ass to Europe. I've lived in Paris, so maybe the South of France this time...maybe Cassis or Marseilles. mmmm the Mediterranean. Wait, where was I?) Back to Seattle. I haven't been there in years, but it's so lovely and green and wet and the city is so cool. And what is the temp in Seattle right now? Why it's 63 degrees right now, Internet. Did you hear that? Didja?? 63! Sixty three. That is like 40 degrees less than the pool of lava where I live is right now. And it's already cooled off like 10 degrees from it's hottest. Damn, that's so not fair.

Let's move down a few states, shall we? In San Fran today, it was only 70 degrees and it's only 55 right now. Now, if you ask me, which let's face it, you are, that is some lovely fucking weather. And despite how unbelievably expensive it is in the city, I can't help but love it. Every time I am in Frisco, I wonder why I don't live there yet. That city just so completely suits me. Sing with me now...I left my hearrrrt...Okay, okay, I'll stop singing. But you know you liked it.

I'm getting bored with this game and I know you are too, so let's quickly just go down the coast and see what I'm missing out on. Santa Cruz: 55. Monterey: 55. Cambria: 56. Santa Barbara: 70 (getting hotter, but 70 is still heaaaven). We all know it's miserable in Los Angeles and South Bay and the OC right now, so let's skip those and go to...Oceanside: 73. San Diego: 70.

And what was the point of this exercise you ask? The point was to realize that everywhere else north of south of where I live is exponentially better on like 50 levels. And every summer I live here, the more I realize that. Maybe in a few years I'll have the guts to try to write for a living and that will free up my habitat options. Maybe. Or maybe a random rich millionaire will die and leave me his (or her) entire fortune.

Yeah, and Ryan Seacrest likes girls.