Coffee in a skeleton cup because I brought my Starbucks cup back to LA with me and forgot it up there.
We got our covid and flu vaccines a few weeks ago and it took both my sister and her husband out, but I had zero negative side effects as I usually do with any vaccines or drugs. When Pammie was like, ‘IDK why Mayan never feels anything after vaccines,” Dennis was like, ‘It’s because she’s dead inside.’ I mean, he ain’t wrong ยฏ\_(ใ)_/ยฏ
Welp, I’ve got no kids, and the unsweetened almond milk I put in my cold brew every morning is shelf-stable.
We (just barely) survived the four years Trump was elected before, we’ll survive the next four…
If not, I have a friend and old coworker who’s a digital nomad. She works completely remote (like I have for nearly 5 years now), so has spent the past year living abroad. The only downside is she has to work US (PST) hours, so depending where she is, her schedule could be completely out of wack. I looked into countries with digital nomad visas. Thailand seems the most lucrative with their visa being good for up to 5 years. Being out of the country for the duration of Trump’s entire presidency, plus I get to see Moo Deng??? Win-win โ๐ป
…or me doing an everyday task and thinking about the roadkill I saw on the freeway last week.
me: OMG! That was a dog! Pammie: Are you crying??? me: No ๐ญ Pammie: (trying to make me feel better) I think that was a raccoon… me: But I like raccoons ๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ
After the stroke, I was staying at my sister’s and Christine came by to walk with me. I was still rebuilding my stamina, so we paused on the way back at a bench around the corner. This big ass raccoon came out of nowhere. He looked like Rick from Shirt Tales, and I’m pretty sure he waved at me. I’ve never seen Christine run so fast ๐
Sometimes when I’m sad (all the time), I make myself sadder by watching this video of a raccoon trying to eat cotton candy:
Also, on this one episode of Chopped, one of the secret basket ingredients was a whole ass suckling goat, and when they took that baby goat out of the basket, I changed the channel and cried LOL. I still think about it from time to time and get misty eyed.
But thereโs a place where weโre together
Thatโs what Iโll keep on telling myself
I was supposed to see Kevin Garrett tonight at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. He’s one of my favorite artists and that’s one of my favorite venues. He was the first concert I went to after the stroke and the last concert I went to before everything shut down because of covid. I usually try to catch him whenever he’s in LA, but I sold my tickets, because my cousin who also lives in Redondo got a nose job today and needed a ride to and from the hospital. LOL ok it was a procedure to correct her deviated septum, but still a nose job ๐คช
I took her to the ER once, and we were there till two in the morning laughing and eating vending machine pop tarts. She told me I’m great company, because I took her mind off of being at the hospital.
Anyway, even though I was having a shitty day doesn’t mean that everyone else should have a shitty day. My cousin’s surgery was pushed till after 5pm and she couldn’t eat anything for the whole day before it, so I got her her favorite food from Jon & Vinny’s, her favorite ice cream from Jeni’s, blueberry pop tarts and homemade molasses cookies for when she could eat afterward.
I woke up today to the news of Trump winning, and I got my period, ironically. It’s like my uterus was revolting against Trump’s stance on reproductive rights and abortion. How anyone could vote this convicted felon, rapist, sexist, racist, and misogynistic narcissist back into office is beyond me ๐คฏ
I was driving behind this idiot Trumper last weekend who had the sticker โProud American, Embarrassed Californianโ (among others) on their car. Iโm about to cricut a โProud Californian, Embarrassed Americanโ sticker for my car. So disappointed in America today, but especially you, Nevada, Arizona, Georgia and Pennsylvania ๐
Anyway, I might move to Spain for the next 4 years and work on a sunflower farm, IDK.
I see you want a taste,
But don’t wanna wreck your life
I think you know the game,
So go ahead and take a bite
The stars have aligned, and Chino’s side band, Crosses, announced a show at The Observatory North Park. Crosses’ music is softer than Deftones, but still fronted by Chino ๐ Just bought my tickets this morning. See you next month! โ๐ป
Update: Originally had tickets to the Saturday show, but the bestie wants to have dinner that night, and I haven’t seen her once this year! Just bought tickets to their Sunday show ๐
Just sold my GA floor ticket to the (sold out!) Dia De Los Deftones festival in San Diego this weekend on Stubhub, because I donโt know anyone on this lineup except the Deftones (among other reasons).
I was hoping to catch them on tour next year, especially with The Mars Volta opening (a band I havenโt seen live since 2008 @ SDSU!), but theyโre gonna be in LA the week Iโm in Japan. Pammie has to be back in the US after that first week for a work conference in Scottsdale, but I might extend my trip a few days to go to Thailand to see Moo Deng ๐
Deftones – Risk
I know what to say to take you
Higher, higher
No one else can take you higher
But I will try
The Mars Volta – The Widow
Freeze without an answer Free from all the shame Then I’ll hide ‘Cause I’ll never, never sleep alone
When your sister’s a Potterhead and you love Halloween โก
We always go whenever the Padres have a Harry Potter theme night ๐โพ๐โพ๐โพโค๏ธ
This door cover from Spirit was perfection ๐ฏ๏ธ
It’s a bit much, but so is this house. Also, I don’t half-ass anythingโI always use my full ass ๐
Pammie gave me full creative control over the Halloween decorations at her house, as long as it was Harry Potter themed.
We started it last weekend, but needed to order more supplies, so we finished it this weekend. When I was leaving to go back to LA last Sunday, I was like, ‘Don’t finish it without me!’ and Pammie was like, ‘You had to twist my arm to help you while you were here, I’m def not gonna do it without you’ ๐
We followed this tutorial and it turned out so great!
It’s gonna be a shit show in LA tomorrow, and it’s gonna take a week to fix the gate in my parking garage (though when someone broke into our garage the last time, my car and my mango hi-chews went untouched LOL there were BMWs, Teslas and a Maserati in my garageโnobody was trying to fuck with my Mazda hatchback). I’m driving down to SD tonight and spending the week there anyway.
I was gonna drive down tomorrow morning, but there’s been a company re-org and now the web department reports to someone new and we have a teams meeting in the morning. You guys, I haven’t had a meeting since 2020 ๐ I don’t even know what half my team looks like because they started after the pandemic. Also, I haven’t spoken to any of these people (off Slack or email) since the stroke. I’m not even sure most of them know I even had a stroke! I was sure my boss told them why I was out for 6 months, but I was chatting on Slack with my project manager, and I made this offhanded joke about having a stroke, and she had no idea. I’m like, ‘What did my boss even tell these people about my 6-month absence???’ The higher ups knew and didn’t even send me flowers while I was in the hospital, so IDK why I expected my coworkers to know. It happened right before the superbowl, and my friends saw the big Snoop commercial and were like, ‘They can afford Snoop for the superbowl, but they can’t afford to send their employee of over 10 years flowers in the hospital?!’ Yes, I’m still bitter, and yes, I dried my tears with the raise and bonus they gave me while I was on medical leave.
Anyway, here’s some actual footage of me driving in LA traffic:
When I went to the dispensary to pick up gummies for the gift bags, I was like, ‘I’ll take 7,’ and the guy helping me was all, ‘Do you need something to help you sleep?’ and I was like, ‘Nah, these are for Halloween gift bags,’ and he was like, ‘Fuck! Can I come to your party?’ ๐
Get you a friend who gives you all treats not tricks for Halloween (It’s me. I’m the friend).
All the birthday girl wanted was to throw some clay with us at a pottery class in North Park (@ Teralta Art)
We had coffee at The Dojo Cafe before heading over to the workshop, so all the girls rode in my car. As Chel was putting her stuff in my trunk, she was like, ‘Why do you have a pair of heels back here?’ I was like, ‘Just in case I need them’ and Christine was like, ‘Need them for WHAT? Who you fucking?’
Nobody, damn! ๐ Can’t a girl just keep an extra pair of heels in her car?!
If youโve ever lost anyone to cancer, been in love, or if you have a pulse and are breathing, this movie will make you cry ๐ญ
They showed this trailer for Babygirl during the previews. It comes out on Christmas, but itโs def not a holiday movie Iโll be watching with my family. I will, however, download it illegally and watch it on my projector in the privacy of my own home ๐
โฆor me and Nori after we ate at the same Peruvian resto for lunch for the second time this week (we wouldโve gone yesterday, too, but it was National Pasta Day, so we ate at North Italia ๐) and the guy remembered our order (a Shack Sandwich with an extra plate because we split it, and a side of fried plantains). Papi takes care of us ๐
Cuz it’s you and me Like Sid and Nancy I can barely keep my head up It wasn’t meant to be It wasn’t meant to be It’s only in my dreams Make my bed go to sleep
I first saw them at Outside Lands in 2011. We were waiting for The Joy Formidable to go on, and Phantogram performed and I was blown away. I’ve seen them live several times since then, mostly at festivals and some small shows around LA.
They’re touring next year, but their last show in LA is while I’m out of town. They have an earlier show in SD, but it’s at SOMA (an all-ages, standing room only, non-alcholic converted cinema that I haven’t been to since I was a kid). Hard pass. Mama needs a seat and her alcohol ๐คช
My phone was blowing up with the news of One Direction’s Liam Payne’s untimely death today.
This was like when Prince died and everyone was texting me about it (except Shi, who was sending me corgi videos LOL).
So we play, play, play all the same old games
And we wait, wait, wait for the end to change
And we take, take, take it for granted that we’ll be the same
But we’re making all the same mistakes
IDK if it’s because I’m on my period or because I’m a teenage girl trapped in a 42-year-old’s body, but Jesus, I got emotional listening to this 1D song ๐ญ
We had plans to watch a movie with the girls tonight, but had to reschedule because we thought the movie came out last week, but it was limited release only. I have serious FOMO, so I was gonna stay in SD this week to watch the movie, but when we rescheduled to next weekend, I was like, ‘I gotta go home and water my plants. Plus it’s a full moon this week, so I have to charge my crystals.’ ๐
Anyway, tonight is the biggest and brightest supermoon of the year. Harness that energy, y’all! โจ
I woke up today with a headache. I used to get migraines all the time before the stroke (I would pop Excedrin on the daily!), and I only got one headache post-stroke (when I got covid). I took some acetaminophen, and the headache went away, otherwise I feel pretty normal. I also started my period again today. I just had it last week! I messaged my doctor like IDK what is going on with my body right now. She said go to the ER if the headache persists or if I have stroke-like symptoms again (slurring, double vision, any numbness), but I feel fine.
If you don’t hear from me, call the LAPD to do a wellness check, because I’m likely bleeding out alone in my apartment ๐
Nori and I were sitting outside Starbucks, and I was looking at the bank next door, and I was like, ‘How come nobody’s in there? Are they closed?’ This went on for a few minutes until I saw this big ass sign on the door that they were closed today for Columbus Day.
me: I thought Columbus Day was canceled? Nori: It’s been replaced by another day. In… Indi… Indonesian… me: Indigenous??? Nori: This better not make your blog!
I have trouble pronouncing some words after the stroke (vegetable and adhesive, among others LOL), but I can say ‘indigenous’ ๐คฃ๐คฃ๐คฃ
I have made the decision not to answer your calls ‘Cause I put everything out there and I got nothing at all
Another time, we were talking about both of us having seen Sam Smith live before, and we realized we went to the same show in LA before we knew each other. We were trying to remember who opened for him, and she was like, ‘That guy who sings that one song… Idaho?’ and then I remembered, ‘BUDAPEST! George Ezra.’
IDK how I got ‘Budapest’ from ‘Idaho’ but I got there ๐
Anyway, according to this article, Wal-Mart and Chick-Fil-A are both open today LOL.
Chel has this giant persimmon tree in her backyard that her mom planted when we were kids. Her mom passed away from cancer 20 years ago, and the house is Chel’s now. She doesn’t take care of this tree, but it continuous to flourish year after year. She always offers the fruit to my mom and our family, so we came over to pick some persimmons.
Chel was at Legoland with her kids, but she left the side gate unlocked so we could access the backyard, and some water and ciders in case we got thirsty. Always the hostess with the mostest, even when she’s not home ๐
At Chel’s sister’s baby shower today, Shi and I played a game where I had to bottle feed her like a baby. She couldn’t stop laughing, so she kept choking on the bottle ๐
I usually kill at baby shower games. I once won a dirty diaper game by identifying 10 out of 10 melted candy bars (some without even having to smell them). Just let me have my weird ass flex ๐
I completed another StepBet challenge, but I still have 87 more miles to do by the end of October in this Nike Run Club challenge ๐ We donโt win any money, but bragging rights are enough motivation for me ๐
If you’ve ever messaged me anything in this lifetime, I don’t ever delete shit (my new phone holds 1TB, and my cloud has been full for two years). Anything you’ve said can and will be used against you if you ever betray me. Consider this your miranda warning ๐
Addendum: If your message incriminates me too, Iโll never use it against you ๐
The Padres lost big time at the last two games I attended against the Dodgers (last night in SD and a couple weeks ago in LA). I wonโt be at Fridayโs playoff game in LA, so weโll see if Iโm the problem ๐
Is it me? Am I the curse? ๐
This is the highest I’ve ever sat in this stadium ๐
It’s hard to go back to the 300 level once you’ve experienced padded club seats behind home plate and free food and alcohol at the Home Plate Club ๐
At least I can dry my tears with this souvenir towel they gave away at the playoff game.
When you weren’t anticipating going to a Padres playoff game while you were in SD, so you buy an extra Cricut and customize some gear.
After my dad’s birthday dinner last night, we were watching Game 3 at my parents’ house when my dad decided that he would like to go to a game now. My sister’s husband gave up his ticket, so my dad could go in his place tonight. Don’t give Dennis too many kudosโI bought our tickets, and my sister’s letting him go to Vegas without her this weekend ๐คช
Actual footage of me looking for Game 4 tickets on Stubhub:
Game 3 is on my dad’s birthday, and he already said he had the best seat in the house (on his sofa in front of the TV) and didn’t want to go to the game for his birthday, so I was hoping the Padres would win one in LA and there’d be a 4th game in SD.
Although, I was wearing my Rams shirt when I came home from the game the other weekend, and my neighbor started chatting me up about football in the parking garage. I have lived in this same apartment for 12 years, and he’s lived in this building for a decade, yet has never spoken to me before that night. He was asking if I went to the game with my boyfriend, and I tried to tamp down the urge to roll my eyes. When I was leaving for lunch last week, I ran into him again in the parking garage. He was already in his car, so I didn’t expect to have to chat, but he stopped in front of my parking spot and proceeded to talk to me from his car. I should have told him I went to the game with my boyfriend, but I’m a terrible liar. I don’t shit where I sleep, man (at least I don’t anymore ๐).
Pijja Palace is a sports bar on Sunset 10 minutes from Dodger Stadium, but I went there the night of a Padres/Braves game, so these Angelenos didn’t give a shit. I’m sure it’s much rowdier when there’s a Dodgers game on.
The only other restaurant I’ve been to on here is Guelaguetza, and I can confirm that you can still hear me over the live mariachi band ๐
When your boss’ name is ‘Gaye’ and you have the sense of humor of a 12-year-old boy ๐ I’m the most senior web designer after my director, so she always puts me in charge when she’s out.
Also, is this offensive to the LGBTQIA2S+ community? ๐ I was going to remind the team that Iโm Gaye on Monday, but now Iโm rethinking my approach…
My toxic trait is doordashing iced coffee every morning and not finishing it, then letting the cups accumulate and having to rinse them all out at the end of the week. Relax, I’m not a completely disgusting human being, I recycle ๐
I get my lashes done once a month by this lady who lives in Arizona. She lives part time in Tucson to help out with her grandkids, but she still has a lot of clients in SD, and she comes to my sister’s or Christine’s house so it’s convenient for usโYes, Christine and I have the same Brazilian waxer and lash artist. I’ve even gone to her eyebrow lady when I needed a serious threading in a pinch. If you don’t share the same estheticians, are you even friends? ๐
We were trying to schedule our October appointment at our last session, and I wanted my lashes to be refreshed for my Halloween costume, so I was like, ‘Are you available the week of Halloween? Will you be with your grandkids?’ and she was like, ‘Oh, I don’t celebrate Halloween. I’m Christian.’ ๐ณ
I also finally saw my neighbor today. Everyone else around me is still there from when I lived in the building before the stroke, but my next door neighbor moved in while I was gone. I smiled at her and said hello because I was coming when she was going, but she just grimly smiled at me and kept walking. She probably saw my Halloween decorations and was thinking, ‘Oh, so you’re the witch who lives next door.’ She’s lucky she’s quiet, or else I’d put a curse on her ๐
Champagne for my real friends, real pain for my sham friends
It’s Breast Cancer Awareness month, and today marks the end of Jessie’s treatment, so we are celebrating this weekend! ๐ฅ I am so grateful to have two of my dearest friends still with me after they both survived breast cancer ๐
I got this card from five dot post, who continues to promote cancer awareness after her husband passed away from cancer a few years ago ๐
After we went to the Rams game, we took the bus out of traffic because it was impossible to get a rideshare at the stadium. The last stop was in Playa del Rey, down the street from Chef Brooke Williamson‘s resto, Playa Provisions. We were gonna grab dinner there before heading home, but they had a private event that night and weren’t accepting walk-ins, just reservations! I forgot you either have to make a res or wait in a ridiculously long line to eat at a good resto in LA ๐
Anyway, I would never choose to have Indian for dinner, but I’m also easygoing and down to try anything (except baby animals and Highland cows LOL). I avoided all the lamb dishes, of course, but the malai rigatoni was def something to write home about (@ Pijja Palace)
It was like an Indian take on perfectly al dente vodka pasta. Maybe I like Indian fusion, because I really enjoyed the Tandoori Chicken Poutine at Maneet Chauhan’s restaurant in Nashville, too.
This place was also oddly a sports bar, so I got to catch the Padres playoff game during dinner. They won again and swept the Braves to win the wild card series!
People were asking me if I was gonna go to a playoff game at Dodger Stadium, but the last time I went to a Padres/Dodgers game at that stadium (last week LOL), Padres lost big time, so I don’t wanna jinx them ๐
The series is best-of-five in a 2-2-1 format, so game 3 will be in SD. I’ll be in SD next week, but game 3 falls on my dad’s birthday, so I’m hoping the Dodgers don’t sweep, and there’s a game 4 I can possibly go to in SD.
Also, I might have to go to a game if someone’s able to find me this cute ass Padres jacket Alex Morgan (SD Wave soccer player) wore to a game last month ๐ฅ
Because I’m still in love with you
On this harvest moon
After dinner, we went to Larchmont Village for Jeni’s ice cream and cookies from Levain Bakery, and this guy was playing ‘Harvest Moon’ on the sax on the street. It’s a Neil Young song, but I only know it because Lord Huron did a cover ๐
On the way home, we saw the coolest house decorated for Halloween in Highland Park ๐ค
My cousin from LA went surfing in SD this weekend, so she stayed at my sisterโs last night. We walked to this KBBQ place nearby, partly because she loves KBBQ, but mostly because she loves to get her steps in (@ Sura Korean BBQ)
Whenever people compliment me on my perfectly pulled soft serve, I tell them itโs because I used to work at Mcdonaldโs when I was 16๐ฆItโs just one of my many skillz ๐
When I went to the Dodgers/Padres game, I mused aloud, โThereโs a guy named โMookieโ (Betts) on the Dodgers. Thatโs a weird name.โ My phone mustโve been listening to me, because this popped up on my feed today. Is โMookieโ a common name in baseball? I googled it and both players had different government names, but chose โMookieโ as a nickname.
One time, we had a computer glitch at work, and everyoneโs email reverted to their government names. Mine stayed the same because I use my government name (Marion) at work, but our print producer Nick Nickersonโs name changed on his email. I was like, โWait, Nick isnโt his real name? He chose to be called Nick Nickerson???โ We also had a guy named โRobert Robertsโ at my first job when I was fifteen. Did he choose to be called that, too? Did he know Iโd be blogging about it 27 years later? ๐ (Yes, I was fifteen 27 years ago. Do the horrifying math).
I found this Airbnb in Canada that has Highland cows on the property.
Nori’s been to Scotland, but she didn’t get to see any Highland cows (they’re from the Scottish Highlands) while she was there. I found some places in North America you can see these cute hairy cows, and then I went down the google rabbit hole wondering if they slaughter them here.
I love BBQ (smoked beef ribs are my favorite), and now I feel like I have to ask what kind of cow I’m eating at restaurants like in Portlandia ๐
As a rule, I don’t eat baby animals (lamb, veal or suckling anything)โjust adult animals who have lived a full life LOL. And now I have to add Highland cows (at any age) to that list ๐
Get you a work bestie who makes you shrimp ceviche, and a work bestie’s mom who makes you nopales (cactus) salad ๐ฆ๐ต Yes, I was good and ate it with grain-free tortilla chips, and yes, I’m pretty sure I was Mexican in another life.
I put my Etsy shop on hold after the stroke, because making sales and mailing shit out was the last thing on my mind. When Chel saw my Halloween decor and found out I made the door hanger on my Cricut, she was like, ‘You should sell these!’ I fucking should, huh? There’s gotta be other disturbed people out there ๐
My cousinโs birthday is coming up, and she and my sister both did so much for me after my stroke, so I treated us all out to our first football game at SoFi Stadium, VIP style โจ
Did I just meet my future husband? ๐
Garoppolo is the new Ramsโ backup QB, so he was suited up, but didn’t get to play at all, and McCaffrey (my cousin’s favorite Niner) wasn’t even there because he’s been out with a calf injury since the season started. Oh, well. We were there for the 50-yard line club seats and complimentary food and beer at The Gallagher Club!
The guy at the tri-tip station saw me holding my plate of nachos, so he cubed up the meat and put it on top of my nachos without me having to say anything. I love this silent understanding between me and the tri-tip guy ๐
They not like us
AJ Mclean of Backstreet Boys was at the game, so they featured him on the jumbotron when they did stadium karaoke to I Want It That Way. Lebron James, Dalton Knecht and Chuck Lidell were also at the game.
The Niners were leading up until the final two seconds when the Rams scored a field goal and won. It was such a good game!
Partly because parking was $100, but mostly because our tickets came with free alcohol, we just uberโd there. It was impossible to get a rideshare after the game, so we took the bus (my first in LA!) out of traffic to the last stop in Playa del Rey, and took a 15-minute uber home from there.
We had reservations to go to Pizzeria Bianco in DTLA for my birthday last year, and I texted my cousin who also lives in Redondo and was like, โI donโt think I can make it. I had a stroke and Iโm in the hospital.โ ๐
We ate at the one in Phoenix when we were there for the inaugural Innings Fest, and were so stoked to hear that they were expanding to LA. We finally got to go and it was just as good as I remember it being ๐ Now if only theyโd open a Cornish Pasty Co in LA so we could get our PB&J pasty fix!
Pammie ordered Goblin Snot (an iced matcha with white chocolate cream) and I got Phoenix Tears (passionfruit and mango sparkling refresher with lemonade topped with edible gitter). Phoenix Tears have immense healing powers (according to Harry Potter Wiki) โจ
The cafe was cute, but my sister has better Harry Potter decor in her house ๐ They could definitely work on their marketing and branding. Our iced cups, for example, should have stickers with their logo on it. ‘Snot’ and ‘Tears’ were just scribbled on our cups with a sharpie ๐ My graphic designer eyes are very judgy ๐
The news of Dave Grohl came out that he had a baby outside his marriage. It’s unfortunate for his wife and kids, but it doesn’t make me like the Foo Fighters’ music any less. I think The Strokes frontman, Julian Casablancas, is a total asshole (I’ve been to a couple of their shows where he proved it by walking off the stage early), but I still love The Strokes’ music and his side project band, The Voidz.
I’m not completely forgiving, though. I don’t listen to R. Kelly or Diddy’s music anymore ๐
Said I know that it’s somebody’s birthday tonight somewhere
And I know somebody’s gonna celebrate tonight somewhere
My birthdays haven’t been the same since R. Kelly was convicted of child sexual abuse in 2022 ๐
me: When did we go to that Foo Fighters show in Phoenix? Last year? Pammie: No, two years ago. We didn’t go to Innings Fest last year. me: Why didn’t we go last year? Pammie: Because you had a stroke! me: Oh, yeah ๐
Frozen pierogies from the ‘Meals for One’ section at Target are my new guilty pleasure. Just kidding (they aren’t in the ‘Meals for One’ section. Just because I could eat all of them by myself in one sitting doesn’t mean it’s a single serving ๐ ).
My sister lives in the โburbs, so I felt relatively safe walking around her neighborhood by myself in San Diego. When I walk around my apartment in LA, though, I bring my pepper spray and box cutter and wear my Dodgers hat ๐
A few years ago, my new neighbor hung a letter and bag of candy on everyone’s door introducing himself and his dog to the building. I remember throwing away the candy and thinking, ‘This is LA, man. We don’t do that here.’ LOL. I still don’t remember his name, but his frenchie’s name was Stella ๐
When I made the door hanger on my Cricut, I asked Pammie if she could help me weed it (the vinyl stickers). She was like, ‘I’m already disturbed. Please come in.’ I was like, ‘I know what it says… I said, ‘WEED’ it. Not read it.’ LMAO. I know I sound like a baby sometimes after having the stroke, but I haven’t developed an Elmer Fudd speech impediment. I can say ‘read’ ๐คฃ
Anyway, I hope my Halloween decor thrills all my gentlemen callers doordash delivery guys ๐๐ค
I was woken up today by an earthquake in Malibu. I just went back to sleep, partly because it was 4:22 in the morning, but mostly because the earthquake was only 3.6 (when it comes to earthquakes and boys, I only get up for a 6 or above ๐).
I had to use the stove last night, so I moved my new air fryer toaster oven from on top of the stove to on top of the fridge and pushed the glass canisters of sugar and flour to the edge. ‘They’ll be fine up here as long as there isn’t an earthquake,’ I thought.
This reminds me of the time I moved out of my apartment in La Mesa. Shi and I set my bed frame on its side to see if I could get it out of my bedroom without having to break it down. After finding out it could fit through the door in one piece, we left it propped up against the wall.
This is the conversation that followed:
me: Arenโt you gonna help me put the bed frame back down? Shi: Just leave it. Itโll be easier to move tomorrow. me: What if it falls on me while Iโm sleeping? Shi: Itโs NOT going to fall on you! me: But what if thereโs an earthquake? Shi: Thereโs not going to be a damn earthquake, crazy!
Can you guess what woke me up the next morning? I survived the earthquake, obviโฆ no thanks to you, Shirley May!
I had just eaten my breakfast sandwich and was going to go on a walk to get my steps in and get some iced coffee. Pammie was gonna come with me, but she kept forgetting shit (her sunglasses, her keys) and the house is 4 floors, so I just waited downstairs while she kept going up and down for whatever she forgot. I wear a continuous glucose monitor, and it alerted me that my glucose levels were low. Theyโve never actually been low when it has alerted me before, it usually happens when I put a new device in (every 10 days), and I just have to test my blood and recalibrate it and itโs fine. This time, though, I was sweating (even though the A/C was on in the house) and I felt off, so I tested my blood and my glucose levels were really low. Good thing I start getting ready for Halloween in July, so I had candy on handย ๐ย I ate some and felt way better! I walked to Casa de Otay for iced coffee after and didnโt even break a sweat (I hardly ever sweat, so that also tipped me off that something was wrong earlier).
I have a continuous glucose monitor device that alerts me on my phone if my levels are too low or too high, but there are service dogs who are trained to also alert you. I ignore my phone notifs all the time, but I would never ignore a puppy ๐
Just a friendly reminder to listen to your body! ๐
There were a lot of call backs to the original film, so I loved it. I feel like if you weren’t a fan of the first movie, you wouldn’t like this weird ass sequel.
For those who asked about the shirt I wore to the theater (literally no one), yes, I designed it on my Cricut, and yes, it glows in the dark ๐ค๐
No one commenting on my shirt reminded me of last Halloween when Jess helped me carve a Beetlejuice pumpkin, and Christine thought we were carving Albert Einstein ๐คฃ
Just before my stroke, I was gifted an Our Place Perfect Pot. I forgot how nice it was to cook with quality nonstick pans. My sister has a fancy gourmet kitchen, complete with two KitchenAid ovens, a KitchenAid stove, KitchenAid dishwasher, KitchenAid fridge, KitchenAid wine cellar, and a huge quartz waterfall island (she bought the biggest model home), but, like our mother, she doesn’t cook ๐ Her husband cooks sometimes, but he either uses the gas grill on the rooftop, the pans he got for free from the casino LOL, or what’s left of the Calphalon cookware set we won nearly 15 years ago on Ellen DeGeneres’ 12 Days of Giveaways!
I’m like the jambalaya fairy, because I made extra for Nori & Sachi, Pammie & Dennis, Christine & Francis. Many have eaten my food, few have died. Just kidding. (Not that many people have eaten my food.)
I meal prepped so I don’t fall into old habits (doordashing breakfast and dinner everyday and spending a gazillion dollars on food ๐ ). I still go out to lunch with Nori during the week, though (a bunch of new restos opened in the south bay while I was gone, and I have to try them all).
It was Nori’s dog Kona’s birthday over the weekend, so I brought her some toys. She loved them all, especially the piรฑata stuffie ๐ฅฐ
Nori’s icon status at Nordstrom, so she invited me to join her for a complimentary dinner at Ruscello. We were treated like celebrities LOL!
We were able to find primo parking at South Coast Plaza with my handicap placard, and her mom and sister were like, ‘You’re invited to go out with us anytime!” ๐
Her mom gave me one of her long ass shoe horns when she saw me struggling to put on my shoes ๐ They make slipping on my Vans a breeze ๐ต๐ป
I was gonna buy a new oven a few years ago, because the one in my apartment is tiny and electric. But since I was in the market for an air fryer, I got this Breville Air Fryer Toaster Oven combo. I have zero counter space, though (the kitchen in my studio is smaller than my bathroom at my sister’s house LOL), so I have to set it on top of my oven ๐
The first thing I made in it was a personal pizza.
The power turned off a few times in the 15 minutes it took to cook the pizza, and I had to flip the switch in the circuit breaker a couple times. It probably couldn’t handle the A/C and oven on at the same time, but I was like, ‘Come on… Don’t make me choose between A/C and pizza.’ ๐
Yes, that’s turkey pepperoni and yes, I know I need to calm down on the olives ๐
Jessie sent us this pic of baby boy at his first Padres game. He wears a little helmet to gently shape his head, and Jess found a place that customizes cranial bands, so she got him a Padres wrap ๐ค๐
File under: Reasons I’d want a child (there are very few LOL).
I doordashed breakfast from Urth Caffe this morningโan iced Spanish latte and a Sunrise Pizza. The poached egg that came on top of the breakfast pizza was way overcooked again (the yolk was cooked all the way through!). I went to Urth with Nori for lunch before, and I ordered the same thing. I was like, ‘Get this shot, Nori’ before I cut into my poached egg expecting a runny yolk, but the egg was cooked solid LOL.
I love a good breakfast pizza, and my favorite one is from Big Sur Bakery (I just saw it burned down a few months ago!). I still ate the pizza without the solid ass egg ๐
Another time, I was at brunch with Jessie and we both ordered chilaquiles, but I ordered my eggs ‘over easy’ while she ordered hers ‘over medium’. I was like, ‘WTF is over medium?’ She was like, ‘Where they flip the egg, but the yolk is still runny.’ I was like, ‘Isn’t that over easy?’ She was all, ‘Don’t they not flip it when it’s over easy?’ I was like, ‘Nah, that’s sunny side up.’ She was like, ‘Let’s see how they come out.’ We got our order and our eggs were cooked the same ๐ Apparently, they don’t know the difference between over easy and over medium at La Sabrosita, either!
Here are some helpful charts:
Update: Jessie studied abroad in Spain and is married to a Mexican guy, but she’s the whitest Asian we know ๐
While I was away, they opened a Salt & Straw in Manhattan Beach and a Magnolia Bakery ghost kitchen in Torrance, all within doordashable distance to my apartment. This does not bode well for my blood glucose levels. Or my waistline ๐
And if you have a minute, why don’t we go Talk about it somewhere only we know? This could be the end of everything So why don’t we go somewhere only we know?
Keane – Everybody’s Changing
Trying to make a move just to stay in the game I try to stay awake and remember my name But everybody’s changing and I don’t feel the same
Keane – A Bad Dream
And when will I meet my end? In a better time you could be my friend I wake up, it’s a bad dream No one on my side I was fighting But I just feel too tired to be fighting Guess I’m not the fighting kind Wouldn’t mind it If you were by my side But you’re long gone Yeah, you’re long gone now
Keane – We Might as Well Be Strangers
I don’t know your thoughts these days We’re strangers in an empty space I don’t understand your heart It’s easier to be apart We might as well be strangers in another town We might as well be living in another town We might as well We might as well We might as well be strangers
Keane at The Greek and street dogs. It doesn’t get more LA than this!
Thank you Nori and Sachi for making my first day back so amazing ๐ฅฐ
I bought this portable A/C unit during the Great Heat Wave of 2022, and it’s probably the best decision I’ve ever made (to be fair, I’ve made a lot of bad decisions).
Me: Look, that guy’s wearing a cape! Pammie: That’s not a cape, it’s a robe. Me: Well, that other guy’s wearing an actual robe *points at guy wearing a bath robe* LOL
As Rob Riggle commentated before they started, ‘My heart’s on Kobayashi, but my moneyโs on Chestnut!โ ๐คฃ I knew Joey was gonna win, but I felt bad for Kobayashi and the crying Japanese fans in the audience ๐
The last time I had sangria slushies was at Las Hadas downtown after a Padres game, and Christine was also with me and reminded me of some very bad decisions I made that night ๐ We also ran into Pammieโs brother-in-law that same night and he told her his now infamous line, โTell your sister she was sloppy.โ Although some knee-dropping chismรฉ came out during brunch, none of it had to do with me this time ๐ Ask me again in 10 years ๐
This brunch was way overdue. We were supposed to get together when I came back from Spain, but I caught Covid. Then we rescheduled, but Pammie caught Covid in Vegas. Weโre all healthy now, but work has been stressing us all out while Shiโs over here starting a book club at her work ๐คฃ
I suggested Flama Llama because I saw it on instagram. I love llamas, so liking these fuckers fucked up my algorithm ๐
Everything was so amazing and flavorful. Iโve had Peruvian food before, but this was exceptional. Just ask Shi (she ordered 4 entrees LOL).
Jambalaya is like everything I love in one dish: Shrimp? โ Sausage? โ Rice? โ Heat? โ
I followed this recipe and added some Flatiron Pepper Co Four Pepper Blend for extra spice, and it was *chefโs kiss*. Not to be dramatic or anything, but it was only the best thing I’ve ever cooked. Someone make an honest woman out of me already ๐
My sister’s husband requested I make another batch before I go. I have a concert in LA with friends this Thursday, so I’ll be going back to my apartment in LA later this week. It’s been real โ๐ป
Spooky Nugs and tots for dinner. Dennis was like, ‘What are you, five?’ ๐
Um, would a 5-year-old illegally download a PG-13 M. Knight Shyamalan thriller and eat kettle corn out of a Mcdonald’s Boo Bucket??? (Don’t answer that).
Since I started Stepbet last month, Iโve walked a total of 243 miles and won a whopping $25. Sure, the membership fee to join Stepbet was $60, and I spent more than my total winnings alone at Starbucks this week, but at least I walked to Starbucks ๐
When I was 12, I was busy watching My So-Called Life, while other kids my age were watching soft shit like Sailor Moon. This show is the reason I love Jared Leto, men who wear flannel, and Violent Femmes ๐
Thereโs this sharp ass agave plant under the doorbell in front of my sister’s house. When I was installing the Ring, I dropped one of the screws and couldnโt get it because it fell into the plant, so I had to order spare parts. Before the spares arrived, my dad tried to get the screw in the plant even though I warned him the plant was really sharp and it was impossible. He ended up poking himself on one of the sharp ass plant spikes and asking for Neosporin. It’s a good thing my sister’s my father’s daughter, because there was Neosporin and sanitizer in her bathroom. I can guarantee you there’s no Neosporin in my apartment in LA ๐
I go to baseball games for the food and post-game fireworks. Also, on my walk this afternoon, this guy who always says hi to me asked me if they won. I was wearing my Padres hat, but mostly to protect my face from the sun ๐ Just like I only wear my Dodgers hat when I have bedhead, and I never wear my Padres hat in LA and vice versa. Good thing I looked up their stats for this chat string, because I was able to tell the guy that they have a night game today, so they haven’t played yet, but they won their last three games ๐
I had a shitty day at work today, so I took a walk to Starbucks, got my steps in, and got my new favorite drink: an Iced Mocha Latte with no whip and 2 pumps of Cinnamon Dolce Syrup (it tastes just like a Mexican mocha!). I feel so much better, but I might have a menty b later, IDK.
Whenever I’m having a shitty day at work, I just remind myself that at least I’m doing better than the people my sister had to lay off today because of a company re-org, and remind myself how much I’m getting paid to put up with this shit ๐
Even though I used to think he was an asshole ever since he jumped on the cutting board during an Iron Chef battle against Chef Morimoto in 2000 (I was more offended when he yelled, ‘Raise the roof, yo!’ tbh) and he’s since been thrice-divorced, but I kinda like assholes ๐คช
Update: I got the stamp of approval from Pammie, Dennis, and my sister’s brother-in-law, Paul, who dropped by for dinner. They finished the rice! I’m finally redeemed from when Pammie and her husband said my adobo was too salty two years ago. Their hurtful comments still keep me up at night ๐
My dad isnโt handy at all, so Iโve always built my own furniture and put shit together myself.
One time, I got this Article Caliper Shelf delivered to my apartment in LA. It was huge! I had to piece it out in the lobby, because the box wouldnโt fit in the elevator and I live on the third floor. Several of my neighbors offered to help, but I declined them all. As much as I wouldโve loved the assistance, I hate being mansplained even more ๐ Plus, I wanted them to just think of me as โthe nice, quiet girl in 332โ and Iโve seen putting furniture together test too many relationships!
It was worth it in the end, though. Itโs one of my favorite pieces in my studio.
Pammie got a stand-up desk while I was in Spain, so I couldnโt put it together for her. She said it took her five days. When Shi found out, she was like, โDennis didnโt help you?!โ Apparently, itโs Shiโs husbandโs job to do that kind of shit. But my sisterโs husband is even less handy than she is, if you can believe it. Even though I donโt need a man to build furniture for me, I can’t imagine being married to someone who isn’t good with their hands ๐
All that to say, my sister ordered new mattresses and theyโve been sitting in her living room for weeks. Theyโre those adjustable ones where each side can sit up or lie down, so she also bought new bed frames that are adjustable. She has to break down her old bed frame and mattress and remove it, so she can put the new bed in her room. They were gonna get rid of their old mattress, but decided to keep it and put it in the guest bedroom where I sleep. I currently sleep on the full bed that came with the house (my sister got the model home). My feet hang over the end of the bed and I can literally feel every spring in the mattress ๐ฅด My sisterโs old bed is memory foam and king-sized, so all my sleep-related problems would be solved ๐
Pammie hired the community handyman to break down her old bed and set up her new one, but he got sick the day he was supposed to come, then she came back from Vegas with Covid when he was rescheduled to come, and now she and her husband are vacationing in Hawaii.
Partly because I wanted to do something nice for my sister, but mostly because Iโm tired of sleeping on this god awful bed, I broke down her old bed frame, set it back up in the guest room, and set up her new bed up in her room.
This memory foam cali king is nice, but I miss sleeping in my own bed. I have a nice pillow top dream cloud mattress at home, and a bed frame the delivery guys from CB2 assembled in less than 10 minutes.
I also set up Pammieโs Ring Video Doorbell that’s been collecting dust in her closet for 2 years. I’m only the best sister there ever was ๐
I wanted it to be a surprise when she came back from Hawaii, but I didn’t know where she kept the Ring or where the tools were to disassemble the bed. I was like, ‘Do you know where the 3/16-inch short arm hex key is? Also, what is a short arm hex key?’ ๐
I’m babka tired now, though… The first and only time I made babka, it turned out sooo good. But I didn’t realize how time consuming it was going to be (the dough has to rest and rise twice!), so I didn’t start till 11 at night. I was up at 3 in the morning tired as fuck and near tears (just kiddingโI was openly sobbing). So whenever I’m exhausted now, I just say I’m ‘babka’ tired and Pammie knows I’m not fucking around ๐ด
Anyway, I just doordashed a pizza, so I’m gonna eat it and sleep for a gabillion years โ๐ป
A good way to insult me is to say I look darker LOL, and I have never once been mistaken for a local in Hawaii. I’m too fair-skinned and much too loud ๐ (my Cali vernacular screams tourist vibes).
Also, I should clarify that I only got drunk in Christine’s pool because she and her husband were there watching the kids. I don’t drink when I’m watching children (mostly because people never leave their kids with me).
Ever since I repotted our coin plant, most of the leaves have fallen out and it has been slowly dying. My sister texted me this photo of this luscious coin plant at her hotel in Hawaii, and it’s a full moon tonight, so I’m charging my crystals on the rooftop and put the coin plant next to it so it can receive its energy LOL.
It would’ve been my grandma’s 93rd birthday this weekend, so we had a potluck at the cemetery. She would’ve loved these treats I brought. She was diabetic and always sneaking sweets ๐
From the last birthday we celebrated in 2020 with grandma ๐
What, your family doesn’t celebrate dead people’s birthdays with food at the graveyard? ๐
Today I walked to Mcdonald’s to get my steps in and say hi to all my dog friends, made cookies for my grandma’s party tomorrow, drove by myself (for the first time since the stroke and didn’t kill anybody!) to Christine’s club pool, and went swimming with her, Francis and the kids. They brought beer and seltzers, and I was way too drunk to drive home, so Christine drove my car home while Francis followed, all the while Dylan was screaming in the backseat, ‘Thank you for the cookies, Auntie Mayan!!!’
You have a secret lover for five years and no one ever lets you forget it ๐
My dog friends:
My sister and her husband are vacationing in Hawaii for the week. Partly because I didn’t want to schlep all my work shit to my parents’ house (I have to bring my gigantic work-issued desktop, because IT won’t let us access the server from our personal laptops anymore), but mostly because I’m a grown ass woman who doesn’t need supervision, I’m staying at my sister’s house by myself.
No secret lovers here! But I will be walking around in my chonies ๐
When I was trying to eat ‘healthy’ before, I’d order a wrap from Chick-Fil-A, but still get a side of waffle fries and wash it down with a large sweet tea ๐ Nowadays, I don’t drink drinks with calories (unless it’s alcohol or iced coffee, so no soda or juice).
We watched It Ends With Us at the theater, and I didn’t read the book or watch the trailer beforehand, but Justin Baldoni directed and starred in it, and I’ll watch anything he’s in. If you don’t know who Justin Baldoni is, he was Raf in Jane the Virgin and the love of my life.
I’m just gonna leave this here ๐
This movie def made me cry, but Christine was crying throughout the entire movie, even the parts that weren’t sad LOL. She was already crying before the movie started when they showed the trailer for We Live In Time. To be fair, I also cried during that trailer.
Christine loves Justin Baldoni, too, so I asked if she’s seen Five Feet Apart, another movie Justin directed but did not star in, and I sobbed through in 2019. She found it streaming on Prime, watched it alone at home, and has been crying all day ๐
When Jessie suggested this restaurant, we thought it was at the mall across the street. I’ve been practicing driving, so Pammie had me drive to the mall, but it was closer than we thought. We could’ve walked there ๐
I should’ve walked because I ordered a mimosa flight thinking I would share it with the table, but Jessie and Pammie had cafe de olla and Christine drank all day yesterday and is done for the weekend (or possibly forever), so I had to polish off the mimosa flight by myself ๐
This StepBet challenge is finally over. In 6 weeks, Iโve walked 162 miles and won $11.56 ๐ The number of steps I had to do increased by 2% every week, which I didnโt think was a lot when I signed up, but man, am I bad at math ๐ 2% of thousands of steps is a lot!
When I was walking back from Vons last week, someone kept honking at me as I crossed the intersection. It was my right of way (I always use the crosswalk because people always blow through stop lights hereโIโve almost gotten hit!), so it wasnโt because I was crossing when I wasnโt supposed to. A ton of people I know live in this area (including an ex), but I feel like they wouldโve texted me after if it was someone I knew. I wasnโt wearing anything cute (just my Michael Myers shirt, black leggings, and a Padres hat), so it wasnโt a catcall (and if it was, I donโt respond to such advances LOL). I just turned up my Deftones playlist in my earbuds and sipped on my Starbucks iced green tea and went on my way. So if you see me walking around and think I’m ignoring you, I am ๐
Shi read that I was in a mood on my blog, so she offered to come down and walk around the neighborhood with me this morning! She never fails to lift my spirits ๐
I haven’t seen Shi in a couple months. We were all supposed to go to lunch when I came back from Spain, but I got Covid. We rescheduled to last weekend, but Pammie had Covid ๐ท This was long overdue!
Of course she drove down at an ungodly hour while her kids were still sleeping so I was up earlier than I wake up for work ๐
Me: What in the death metal band is this shirt? Shi: They’re Klingons ๐๐ป
Sometimes I forget how much of a Trekkie this b is ๐คฃ She got this shirt at a Star Trek pop-up at Comic-Con one year.
I can’t wake up this early on a Saturday and get my steps in without rewarding myself with an iced Mexican mocha (@ Casa de Otay)
The last time I saw the Foo Fighters was a couple years ago at Innings Fest just a month before their drummer died. Jessie asked me if I wanted her extra tickets, but I’ve been in a mood. If I would’ve known she had a suite, I would’ve snapped out of my mood real quick ๐