lxforever

“Dance floor pro I know you know / I go psycho when my new joint hit / just can’t sit / gotta get jiggy wit it / Ooh that’s it”

—Will Smith…this lyric describes Jeff, who woke up at 5, went to the gym, then mowed the lawn, then went to work, then will grocery shop…whaaaaat?! He is amazing!

time 10:29 am feeling hungry again already, mostly happy too wearing XXL child jeggings…no really…and a really cool striped shirt from JCrew! reading ?? Bloomberg again? music Led Zeppelin, #callmemaybe, etc. ready for lessening the anxiety next EMAILZ for work

This was not a great week.

Obviously.

And anxiety is slowly building with no end in sight. Which is the opposite of what should be happening…it’s almost summer for God’s sake. Land of Light and Love. So, come on.

Whatever.

But yesterday was rescued by some unanticipated HOT GOSSIP and totally chaotic-but-wonderful PARKS GYMNASTICS. Thanks to Angela (for gchatting me up/knowing we share a love for the gossip) for the HOT GOSS and thanks to Cassie (for being on vacation/asking me to substitute coach) for the PARKS GYMN. Also thanks to Caroline for helping me sub, since poor Diana is very very sick and could not be there 🙁 alas.

And so that brings us to today; which is so far great;
which means…
THINGS TO BE HAPPY ABOUT TODAY:

1) It’s FRIDAY!!! Friday is the best day of the week! Followed closely by Thursday and Saturday. Love love love.

2) Diana may have mono, but she is BACK on CHAT oh yeah!! This is how we communicate(d), all day long, a historical look:
– College (2000-2004): AIM (yep!), as SOON as we had gotten home from practice, where we’d already spent 2+ hours together…hahaha (“let me know when you are done eating your popsicle so we can plan our gymnastics empire” / “hot dog for dinner” days)
– Working world, part I (2004-2008): MSN chat and/or Facebook wall posts (“WHERE THE F*** ARE YOU THEY ARE ANNOUNCING THE TEAM!!!” / “play Scrabble!!”). We would chat all day (work-sanctioned MSN-ing) and that was super.
– Working world, part II (2008-present): Generally Twitter and/or emailing all the livelong day…back and forth and back and forth. Our instant-messaging was sidelined by, well, working…I guess.
And today, GCHAT IS BACK! Holla. Anyway.

3) I just had a wonderful COLD PRESS from Janine’s. YES it is cold out and NO that doesn’t make sense but they posted a pic of it to Facebook earlier this week and I’ve been craving it since. COLD PRESS! I will be buzzing all dayyyyyy yay!

3b) In the process of getting my cold press, the barista and I had a conversation about our upcoming weekend biking plans. Um, yeah…oh Minneapolis and your bike-riding, coldpress-consuming hipsters…self-included. Gah. But cute.

4) Brunch tomorrow!

5) Followed by yoga!

6) Followed by a rainy day that is perfect for laundry, soup, and working on a SEKRET PROJECT of fun.

7) I have a lot to accomplish on this rare weekend at home, but I DO feel productivity surging and hope for HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT on SEKRET PROJECT among other things! Yeah! Yeah art fun!

8) New Grey’s AND new Scandal for me to watch tonight!! (in direct conflict w/ the above…yeah I know) And these are very trashy shows…yeah I know…but, it will work for now

9) Had to be in early for the #s which made me feel like Bond Girl (which I just finished last week which was a GREAT distraction), which is kinda cool. Hah.

10) RCady is back in town next week and we are having lunch!! I can’t even remember the last time I saw him. Sad he is out of work, but happy because it means he gets to visit MSP! Good ol’ RCady…partner-in-crime for many a’HITF adventures (planes/plains, nerf gun, etc.).

11) Obama slow-jamming the news w/ Jimmy Fallon. “I’m President Barack Obama” LOL! I think I like him more as a celebrity/crush than as a president, but, whatever. But come on – gotta love the creative outreach, no? “Barackness Monster” ahahahaha.

11b) Launched v2.0 of our mobile site this week, it looks great, and people are allllll over it aw yeah! GO me/IT.

11c) GChatting with my boss about slowjams, roof replacements, and of course, work-related things while he is working at home = always amusing. He is a pretty cool dude!

12) HOT GOSSIP from Angela…she knows what we need! For some reason it reminded me of this, from many years ago: I got in to work (HITF daze), discovered a disturbing email, and promptly went over to b*tch someone out (someone senior to me, that is…hmmmm). Since our office is small, many people overheard this exchange, however, Angela, who always protected me, had not yet arrived at the office. When she arrived we began our customary MSN chat “hello dear!” / “hello honey!” / “where have you been all my life?”, to which she responded “apparently not when you needed me most” to which *I* responded “WTF?!?!?!!! This JUST happened! How did you KNOW THIS??” (knowing she was referring to my earlier exchange w/ senior designer) and she just laughed. Amusing in multiple ways.

13) LJ friends…they are so nice. And other friends. LIKE Jenny AND my Mom, AND Kristin, among others. OH and Katy (“pants!”). Yeah.

14) Wearing a really cool new shirt…oh yeah! Stripey. I feel coooooool. Ha ha ha.

15) GYMNASTICS! Wednesday night was great, and the kids were terrific, ESPECIALLY in the second (= favorite) class; GOSH I love Coco (new), Chloe, Madeleine (“she’s obsessed with you” -Jeff; true), Isabella, Lauren (new) and Anna. Super adorable, super funny, super smart and pretty darn talented, too. And WAY into gymnastics! OH yeah! I love leaving coaching feeling competent like that, and love DURING coaching because I can literally think about NOTHING else – there just is no space! They are terrific. I knew coaching was right all along. AND Jeff came to watch which made my night!! It was so cool to look up and see him there, and have him get to know my favorite kids (2nd class) 🙂 at least, what they look like, anyway.

Then last night went extremely well at Cassie’s Parks meet which was great. I was a little soft on them (vs. Cassie who is [rightly] strict), and they were a little freaked out, but mostly it was GREAT and I am grateful to my 19- and 17-year-old ‘coworkers’ (heh) who helped (Caroline and Lia). Caroline is really cool. The gymnasts were really cool and hilarious, especially Marlena, Shawney, Jayden, Cathy, Angel and Maisie. OH YEAH! Super fun to be able to handle all that and have time fly. YES!

16) Hanging out with Jeff all weekend = THE BEST!! Because he is THE BEST! And he is such a hard worker and makes our house run so smoothly and be in such good shape. Not to mention he is the cutest. Among other things. YAY JEFF!

OK…work time.

ETA: #17) Just got sanctioned to spend the day creating a jingle in GarageBand. I love my weird work life!

“from the back of your big brown eyes
i knew you’d be gone as soon as you could
and i hoped you would
we could see that you weren’t yourself
and the lines on your face did tell
it’s just as well
you’d never be yourself again”
-Magic, Ben Folds

“If your life was bad to you / just think what tomorrow will do”

—Fleetwood Mac…not sure if that’s supposed to be a good or bad thing, that quote

“Met a man on the roadside crying / without a friend, there’s no denying / you’re incomplete, they’ll be no finding / looking for what you knew”

—Led Zeppelin, Friends

11 days later and tears again. This time not in a Toys R Us parking lot, but while stretching at the gym, even better. Classy, shameless crying in public places, just another one of my specialties I know you must all be so jealous of.

How many more times will this happen? How much of this can one person take? Jesus. Why can’t I be tougher? And I have all these good things and I take them for granted. I wish I could punch myself in the face.

Whatever.

And Also.

How are some people so GOOD and know what to say, what to do? How are some people so NOT GOOD? Sympathy, empathy, checking in, and then the opposite. I guess all you can do is sequester yourself from those who disappoint you, and be ever-so-grateful, ever-so-happy and aware of those who don’t. Lean on them. Etc.

In other words….
F*CK the HATERS!
LOVE the LOVERS!

I need less anxiety. I need more optimism. I need…JEFF (since he is THE BEST!).

But hope, it scares me these days. I don’t trust it. I don’t know.

Ugh. So tired.

Hungry hungry readers…I see you.

Happy happy birthday…to the dearly beloved Jenny Jane, my original JJ!

Beware beware…the Ks.

But for today I get an A.

We’ll see if that can last. I hope hope hope.

I’d like to show you what this all looks like but I just can’t. It’s really quite a show.

Surprise lunch date at Dandelion Kitchen with sick sick Diana today. Poor gal. But a great chat and sandwich (in the most beautifully sunny day no less). Gotta take advantage before she ships out to TNC in July.

Good news for good people. Tricky tricky though.

Also mystery YouTube embed fails.

Also Bond Girl.

Tonight: MIOBI and fish and Hanging Out with the one and only Jeffrey J! My other beloved JJ.

Last night: impromptu DATE NIGHT (“Date night! / Malt Shop!“) w/ Jeff at…THE MALT SHOP. Oh yeah. Yay us :).

Last weekend: The shower, which was a smashing success all around! Everyone loves Jenny (as they should). Yet no time for more on that, sorry. Gotta skedaddle.

HAPPY 29 JENNY!!!

OMG you guys.

(^ stolen from Waning)

Today was…A DAY. Just, wow. Things were just out of control, all-around. Luckily someone brought donuts. But yeah. Total zaniness. I had to throw down at least twice, yet this meant people complimented me on my leadership skills and amazing kickass ability to ‘work under pressure’??

OK. If those’re the rules…I’m SO in. Heh heh heh.

Anyway. So in conclusion I kick ass in the professional sense and I will Make Things Happen any ol’ day. (Dear Mr. Akervik, Signed, an Anonymous Applicant.)

Now I am working on some things for the upcoming weekend and Jeff is playing Deus Ex. He is wearing his videogame headphones and randomly yelling out “Mt. Cats!!” and “GFY!”

Well, I am too. (Not the videogame headphones.)

I understated(?) my apprehension about Madison. Too many people. I might wear a disguise. But other than that aspect, I am very much looking forward to the weekend. To JENNY!!!

Out.

“Well, Amy hit the atmosphere / caught herself a rocket ride out of this gutter / and she’s never coming back I fear / Anytime it rains she just feels a lot better / and that’s all that really matters to me // We’ve waited so long / for someone to take us back home / It just takes so long / and meanwhile the days go drifting away / and some of us sink like a stone / waiting for mothers to come”

—Counting Crows

The word I am looking for to describe the quality which gives me the utmost irritation is this:

DISINGENUOUSNESS.

This makes sense, since (see what I did there?!) I am known for my extreme candor.

Anyway. That’s what I’m hating on. Disingenuousness.

—
I meant to do this earlier. EOTD 4/13/12 (FRIDAY the THIRTEENTH!):
Woke up at 5:01. Gathered my packed bags and was in the car on my way to SLP by 5:30. Still managed to be the last person to arrive for Pure Barre’s free 6AM intro-day class, but luckily Diana saved me a spot. Filled out a paper form (much to my annoyance; I’d already filled that out online, you jerks!), did whatever I was supposed to do with my things and sat on the carpet.

Class began. It was much more difficult than I had anticipated and I was semi-annoyed by the frou-frou women who attended. I mean, this is what we get at yoga in Edina, BUT we also get decently yoga-interested folks and MEN too. So. Anyway. Also the instructor was not the greatest. But it was a really good workout and Diana and I kept looking at each other cracking up. New experiences!

Stood outside after class in the hefty wind summarizing our thoughts. Drove to the office to shower where I discovered I had forgotten my comb, my makeup, my face soap, EVERYTHING. Made do w/ plastic yellow comb from Devil’s Lake circa 1985. Yep. Whatever. It’s Friday. To my desk to work on iPad3 upgrades. Along with other things. I had sent a disappointing email to some professional contacts the night prior and I was anxious about it. However, I got some very positive feedback back from them and that made me happy. NAILING IT.

Called Pete and discussed weird freelance opportunities. Maybe…? I would like a Desigual fund, anyway. It was fun to catch up, even if he’s a big bad lawyer now.

Back to work to finishing up some Things, and I also decide to take the afternoon off. OH YEAH!! Jeff arrives and we hit up the gnocchi bar. That guy really takes pride in his work! Lots of gnocchi and a very nice lunch date of course :). It was gray, faintly rainy, and very chilly and windy, and this was the perfect antidote.

We set off downtown for our errand. It went extremely well and I am always grateful to find an open, honest, smart, helpful, kind professional. We left feeling smart! We also took a peek at the hotel in the Foshay. Very interesting. Moving along. Back along Nicollet and back to the cars. Drop mine off at our car place whom we adore. Bye bye Civic! Gotta make sure it’s ready for all this traveling.

On to Edina YET AGAIN. We are spending waytoomuch time in Edina lately but…it’s convenient. So sue me. (Sue!) Apple store. We knew exactly what products we were in there for but we took our time moseying around. I guess we just like Apple stores. Finally made the purchase. WHITE WHITE WHITE. iPad3! Oh yeah! Also upgraded my Touch OH YEAH. Too much cash. But, tradeoffs. If you can’t have one thing…

On our way out we also acquired two new shirts for me. WHITE. And cute. And Jeff-approved (JK). I plotted to wear one that very next night at TRIPLE BOOKED SATURDAY EVENING (note: first event flaked so it was only double-booked). Anyway. Home. We cleaned up and then ordered a WHITE pizza. Happy Friday the 13th! Settled in with RED wine WHITE pizza GREEN salad and a new show. Hilarious! Then we just hung out for a long time…doing our own thing. I passed out, got crabby, then went to bed for real.

A wonderful day of being together. Lovers! Jeff…the BEST!

I was feeling so so so good all week which was both good and a Sign. Good to have the Goodness stored up, but also a Sign of impending doom. But. The 13th was a wonderful day :).

—

Super excited for Jenny’s shower. Just a few more days!!!

“I found myself thinking that if I could do it all over again I’d dedicate my life to becoming a ballet dancer / But those kind of thoughts always cross my mind anytime I see something inspiring”

—Trike…this is me to a T

2012 travels:
Chicago
San Francisco
Madison
Chicago
Atlanta
Madison
Madison
Chicago? Nahhhhh…
Northern WI?
Madison
St. Paul (ha)
Northern MN/East Coast/Europe?! (probably not)
(Planes planes planes)

Mattress. Pillows. iPad. WHITE shirts WHITE everything WHITE WHITE WHITE.

Green liqueur. Basil. Lemon Basil DEVILed Eggs. Setain! Satan.
Happy Tax Day!
Ex-gymnasts. Current preschool teachers. Adorable eyes.

Here’s my number? / Call me maybe? Hey I just met you.

“Then we’ll just DRINK!” / “I love you for this!”
Text text text tweet tweet tweet all the live long day. What would I do without you?

Pure Barre, “in your highest stilettos” your WHAT?? Weird laying in the dark. Legs dying. Frou frou women everywhere.

“Well hellooooooo Dolly!”

“Jeff I got you. / Goodbye Akerviks!” Nikki Nikki.

Something you want. want
Something you’re grateful for. Jeff

Yophoria? / Frotopia? “I’m preparing for winter” while drinking this beer… “You’d like Charlotte! / Ferarri McDonald’s! / I knew they were three different Ferraris because one was red, one was white, and one was blue.”

Can’t touch this!

Swim swim swim. 50m long. Little girls on the high dive, getting scared, peeking down. Sisters. Old old swim workout written in red pen in a college dorm many years ago. Another artifact from the past unearthed in 2011.

2011.

Beware the Ks.

Sake.
Tequila.

Ks Ks Ks.

Long chit chat, long catch up. Lots of excitement. That could be me? Coming clean; it happens eventually. Old friends, old old friends, nearly 13 years ago we met. First frustrated, then genuine happiness.

First frustrated is OK.
Genuine excitement is better. It just takes a bit.

Toys R Us. “Maybe we’re related?” That Awkward Moment When…you can’t make the comment you were going to without seeming racist.

Tongue tied. (Never.)

On a high. (Stunted.)

The Universe keeps testing me.
But my grades keep getting better.

—

Happy belated birthday to my Mom! (yesterday)

“Bright light almost blinding / black night still there shining / I can’t stop, keep on climbing / looking for what I knew”

—Led Zeppelin, Friends

“Your brother brought me silver / your sister warmed my soul / but now I laugh and pull so hard / and see you swinging on the Gallows Pole”

—Led Zeppelin, Gallows Pole

“I gave two presentations in preschool yesterday!”

—Chloe from gymnastics

“Hmmmmmm…’on the same team’….that could be interpreted in different ways…”

—Susan from gymnastics, re: me and Diana…fairly true, LOL

time 10:17 am feeling good wearing maroon sweater my Mom got me…my mom basically dresses me, yeah reading nothing music Zeppelin ready for coffee? no! next HD images!

Yesterday was awesome. I <3 Parks/gymnastics/kids/Diana. A new session of Parks classes started yesterday and it was LOVE! SO great to see Chloe/Isabella/Madeline/Anna again, SO great to meet new kids (Lauren! Coco, who did an amazing cartwheel out of nowhere [quickly moved her up to the advanced class]!), and so nice to have girls return to our beginner class (Amy! Kylie!) and meet new adorable ones. They were pretty well-behaved...mostly...and could DO stuff. Oh YEAH! Super psyched. Madeleine jumped into my arms for a big hug at the end, and Chloe verrrrry shyly/adorably said "it was nice to see you" to Madeleine at the end, too, which is AWESOME to see because Chloe is so shy. YES! Then picked up sushi and Izzes and went to Diana's for a long loooooooong great chat about life and work and all of that. "What were we thinking 5 years ago? What happened to us?” “We got smarter…” Ha. (“They are ollllld…aren’t you guys, like, 25?!” -Isabella)

Then home to Hang Out with Jeff!

We saw American Reunion, as noted, on opening night on Friday (SIDE NOTE, YES I DID see the original American Pie movie on opening night, I can’t decide what’s worse: the fact that I REMEMBER this from *1999* OR the fact that I can ASCERTAIN this via various sources. WTF. Anyway), we both loved it. We are losers. But it was (a) a great nod to the previous movies/characters, which let’s face it, we are suckers for [nods to old characters in any form, that is] (b) a great nod to the ACTUAL reality of a 13(12)-year-reunion and all of the things that still exist/persist/remain, yearssssss later. I can’t explain it, and it was extremely cheesy/shallow, but TRUE, too. Heh. Anyway.

In other news, I am ON the agenda for a conference in Atlanta in May. OK then! I guess I am presenting! (Might have to snag gymnastics-Chloe to help…heh.) Should be pretty cool.

In other other news, Pepito’s tonight!

In other other other news, incredible busy-ness ahead.

In other other other other news, welcome to the Future!

In other other other other other news, next weekend is Jenny’s shower!!

In other other other other other other news…drat. I forgot. Happy Thursday!

“Bright light almost blinding, black night still there shining,
I can’t stop, keep on climbing, looking for what I knew.

Had a friend, she once told me, “You got love, you ain’t lonely,”
Now she’s gone and left me only looking for what I knew.

Mmm, I’m telling you now, The greatest thing you ever can do now,
Is trade a smile with someone who’s blue now, It’s very easy just…

Met a man on the roadside crying, without a friend, there’s no denying,
You’re incomplete, they’ll be no finding looking for what you knew.

So anytime somebody needs you, don’t let them down, although it grieves you,
Some day you’ll need someone like they do, looking for what you knew.

Mmm, I’m telling you now, The greatest thing you ever can do now,
Is trade a smile with someone who’s blue now, It’s very easy just…”

—Led Zeppelin, Friends

Good morning and happy Friday!

Happy morning and Good Friday.

(Play on words credit Ali On The Run.)

Desigual now has shoes.

We are seeing American Reunion tonight. It will be terrible, but, seeing as we both saw American Pie on opening night 13 years ago…it had to be done. Plus…we ONLY see movies on opening night.

Si.