From Tough Mudder to Engagementmoon

(warning: this is just a mental dump. Unedited.)

Saturday, September 22, 2012 started out like any normal day. I was headed up to Northstar with my boyfriend to compete in the tough mudder challenge. 11 miles of fire, ice, mud, water, and numerous other obstacles. Totally normal day.

My brother, our friend Sarah, and I started out at 1:20pm. 4 brutal hours later, we finished. I was so banged up. Sunblock in my eyes the whole time. In and out of cold water. But I tried every single obstacle and succeeded on most.

We crossed the finish line, where my man was waiting and taking pictures of thewhole thing. (He actually got to a spot about an hour in and took pictures of the ice bath obstacle. I was so excited to see him, I ran over and gave him a kiss - best morale booster ever).

After some chaos, we finally made it to the surprise he had planned: He got us a little rental condo at a Squaw Valley ski resort. SO PRETTY. I showered for an epic 30 minutes or more, trying to get some of the the muck off of me. I was broken, tired, hungry, and coming down with a cold. Bruises everywhere, swollen eyes.

I got out of the bathroom....to dimmed lights, rose petals, champagne, cheese, and crackers. And a proposal.

Whaa???

He said that I wasn't just his tough mudder, I was the most adorable and fun person he had ever known and asked if he could keep me around forever, if I would like that. To which I said "I would totally love that!"

Just a normal saturday, right? lol

And now, I am sitting in a gorgeous condo on South Padre Island, TX...working (well, obvs right now I am blogging, but I have legit writer's block so I am doing this to get the juices flowing before I go back to my other project). I get to work with a view of the water. Go runningon the beach in the morning. Play in the ocean in the afternoon. And, best of all, I'm spending a week in paradise with my FIANCE.

Best idea ever, to get away right after you get engaged. Judging from the activity on my facebook page, it will be kind of crazy back at the office.

Funny, when I think about where I was in my life not just two years ago. Two years ago, I was engaged to someone else. Someone who turned out to be a total...psychopath. Sociopath? Not sure which one really. He left me, basically at the alter. But not before completely destroying me. I went from being a strong person to being totally dependent on him. I let him cut off my parents and even destroy a friendship before it started because he didn't like the girl (She is totally my best friend now). He left me for a woman I thought was my best friend. I ended up moving in with HER soon to be ex husband because she left him for my betrothed (weird, I know). The bizarre set of circumstances led me to where I am now. Totally happy. I feel like...I don't even know. It was meant to be.

The man I moved in with, whom I had known for years, as we were all friends, turned out to be my soulmate. I was so nervous about the living situation, I had never really  had a roommate before. But I moved in and everything clicked. We talked about everything and helped each other heal. We learned that we like most of the same things, had the same values and beliefs, and we were emotionally going through the same thing. We did EVERYTHING together. I brought him around all of my friends. We went on trips. I made him decorate for Christmas...lol. I found MYSELF. I started to do all of the things I loved. Things for ME that made me happy. I could be a better and happy person. Richard found he could do the same. Those happy, healthy people? We fell in love.

And then. well, we were dating. And living together as a couple.

Two years later. We have a lovely home. Good jobs. Each other. A puppy. and now engagement.

I guess. I guess what I feel is lucky and happy.

So, to my ex: I don't even hate you anymore. I honestly wish you had just left me sooner or I had kicked your butt to the curb so I could have been with my now-Fiance sooner. I feel like I wasted so much time. Richard was always there. I saw him all of the time. I wish I had known he was the one. So, you can keep your crappy memories, and broken home, and slutty wife. I have a shiny new world and I am finally able to be myself again. You were right when you said you were dragging me down. I'm not sure you believed it when you said it, but it was totally truth.

To my fiance: I love you so hard. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you. I never really knew what it was like to be loved until you. You give me strength and I can only hope that I do the same for you. In this next year of wedding planning, I know our relationship will only get stronger. Every day is an amazing new day to be happy and enjoy our lives together. Our relationship grew out of ashes, but sometimes you have to slash and burn to grow the most beautiful things. We were horribly hurt, but we healed each other. We were alone, but we took each other's hand and squeezed it so that we weren't. We started out on a journey together, as companions, partners, lovers, and friends. It's the best journey ever.

Sent My Caffeinated Doggy to The Groomers

I rolled out of bed this morning, thinking I would get an hour or so of work done before I took my 11-month-old puppy to the groomers. It is a real fancy place. Fancier than me. My dog gets more regular fancy cuts than me. Not to say that when i do get my hair done, I don't go to the best, because I really do. Just to say that Sierra gets her hair done every 5wks at a fancy-pants doggy salon.

Anywho, that isn't the point. The point is that I logged onto my work computer at the coffee table (one of my favorite places to work in the house). I grabbed a glass of iced tea with some sugar and a splash of milk. Set that down next to my computer. Walked away (there's my first mistake) to go pull my hair back and put on respectable working from home clothing (a Hamlet t-shirt and running tights).

That is when I hear it "clink clink clink." Crap. I rush out to the living room, "Sierra, LEAVE IT!" She looks at me, like "what, mom?"  She was half on the coffee table, half on the couch DRINKING MY ICED TEA. She drank half of the glass, no joke. She just walked casually away like nothing had happened. I got a new glass, and she eyeballed it the rest of the morning. Dammit. You never EVER introduce your puppy to caffeine and sugar.

So. Long story long, I feel really bad for the groomer.

Magical Items and Skeletons who drop the golds

Diablo III is out, folks. Well, officially for what, a week already now?

I have to say, I love this game. It combines like, four of my favorite things: Money grubbing, loot grabbing, monster thrashing,and co-op. Srlsy, I'm AWESOME at dungeon crawlers. I still remember playing the first one...all locked away in my dark bedroom with only the soft, evil glow of the computer screen to light up my mesmerized face.

Of course, I don't know how fun I am to play with. My boyfriend thinks I'm adorable, but I imagine my game tomfoolery probably just annoys the hell out of everyone else. BF seems to like my annoyingness (this is a word because I said it is). Most people run around killing things and silently gather their gold and loot, saving mention for when we go back to town to sell or trade. "Who needs a magical staff of plus 10 mutation?" Or something of the like. Me? Oh, no. I'm super excitable. Everytime a monster drops gold I squeal with glee, "MONIES!" And I mean, every time. Items? Almost as bad. If they are magical items, I definitely make people wait while I clear my inventory so I can pick them up. Cause, there is another thing, I COLLECT EVERYTHING TO SELL. Because, even 2 gp is worth my effort. mwahahahaha

I am really good at collecting shit and killing monsters, just sayin.

This saturday is beer and diablo day. We tried for last saturday, but we stayed up too late (5am) the night before playing rockband. I felt less than human on saturday. I think we got in maybe 4 hours of play total. One of my friends commented, "isn't it just the worst when your video game playing time gets in the way of your video game playing time?" I think he broke my brain.

MONIES!

Note the moment in time I lose my mind

I had to leave work early today to be home while our windows were getting screens. I had to continue working (technically I still am, I just needed a "holy crap I've lost my mind" break). I'm carrying on a conversation with my boyfriend to make sure he knows what is going on, and at the same time trying to help the workers, all while trying to update a report database/edit stuff. Please do note the actual point in the conversation in which I lose my mind.

 silly:  nice!

cheaper that way I assume

hell, we could've done that in that case, but what do they charge?

 Sent at 3:02 PM on Wednesday

 me:  eh don't know. too lazy to worry about it to be honest. I have to edit this report. considering how long we have put off making screans I have no faith in us actually doing it

 silly:  yeah, that's fine. I want it done. especially that one.

had we known, we probably could've gotten that done a long time ago. actually putting the screen in is easy.

 me:  well, we need to rescreen the sliding screen door.

 silly:  yeah, just have to either get anti-pet screen or a metal thing first

otherwise she's just going to eat it again

 me:  we also need someone to fix the springs in the windows...did gordon ever call you back about that?

 silly:  nope.

I need to call him, just have to find time. ugh.

and need to figure out the fan control situation.

 me:  we also need the part for the door and the part for the floor

 silly:  yep.

 me:  i think there were more

 Sent at 3:06 PM on Wednesday

 silly:  think that's all that was left for him for now. we also have that fan we could try to put in the guest room, though there's a small chance I could do it without dying.

 Sent at 3:07 PM on Wednesday

 me:  I was rhyming. I'm not listening unless it rhymes with "floor, door, and more," you whore

At this point my boyfriend catches on and plays along...

 

 silly:  you are very mean and your games are a bore .

 Sent at 3:11 PM on Wednesday

 me:  only because when losing you're sore

 Sent at 3:17 PM on Wednesday

 silly:  as can be attested to by many volumes of lore.

 Sent at 3:25 PM on Wednesday

 me:  do these volumes account for the fact that when you sorely lose you roar?

 Sent at 3:27 PM on Wednesday

 silly:  I think you are confusing that for when I sleep - I snore.

 Sent at 3:29 PM on Wednesday

 me:  are you sure that's not the sound of wild boar?

 Sent at 3:36 PM on Wednesday

 

Then he just stops...

In case of zombies, wear good shoes

I bought a pare of Merrell Barefoot casual shoes from REI not too long ago. I don't often feel the need to justify an expensive shoes purchase because, well, I'm a woman and shoes are just a necessary item.

Anyway, I wear these shoes almost every day. Not only are the cute; They are functional. In case of zombocolypse, you can rest assure that I will have good footwear.

I mean, the zombocolypse is not likely to happen at a convenient time. It will probably happen while I am at work. Or shopping. Definitely not while I am in the comfort of my own home.

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that I be wearing good shoes at the time. Shoes that are cute, comfortable, and will withstand the test of time: ZOMBOCOLYPSE TIME.

Funny, the one time my boyfriend didn't need me to justify a shoe purchase. Ah well.

Ideas from a Salon

I went to get my hair done with my boyfriend's mom on Sunday. We had a lovely time. As per usual the conversations tend to center around food and cocktails, as the three of us love cooking and drinking. We were talking about the stuffed chicken breasts I had cooked for dinner that week, which turned to me saying "I really need to get a mallet so I can pound the chicken out and roll it." Saul, our phenomenal hair guy, busts up laughing. "You should really get a mallet and just giggle every time you pound the chicken...it will freak Richard out."

I am so doing this.

the Dragon is laid to rest

My dog, Sierra, has this pink dragon. This has been her toy for most of her 8-month puppy life. This dragon inspired stories of the Sierra Monster, burninating the countryside and terrorizing peasants. She loved it so. Of all of her toys, this one lasted.

Sierra was always so tender with the pink dragon. She carried it gently in her mouth instead of ripping and chewing as she did with some of her other stuffed toys. When she decided that it was not proper to have spines, she helpfully removed them from the dragon. Such a loving puppy.

That dragon must have done something to displease the Sierra Monster. Her once gentle and tender care toward the stuffed toy turned first to rambunctious play, then to vigorous chewing, and finally, the ferocious hunt. First shaking the toy from side to side then eviscerating it. She sliced open the back and ripped out the stuffing.

All that is left is a pink dragon skin, which she now so tenderly cares for.

Dead Island - best game to play with my boyfriend EVAR

So, I have this inexplicable obsession with zombies. Pretty much the entirety of my adult life I have loved zombie movies. If you count adult life from like, 19 or 20. I think it started with my never ending quest for a truly horrifying horror movie - thing is, no horror movies are actually THAT scary, so I will always be able to continue said quest (although some of the Japanese ones are pretty good). At some point I stumbled upon some of Romero's stuff and it was ON. Actually, I think I can trace the exact time. I was 20 years old and Romero's remake of his own Dawn of the Dead was out. At that point I had already gotten into the resident evils, but it was really Romero.

Anywho, that isn't the point. The point is, by awesomesauce boyfriend is well aware of my zombie addiction. Even before we were really seriously dating. Shortly after we became roomies, he got me a dismember me zombie as a stocking stuffer for Christmas.

Anyway, off topic. So, my dude found this game called "Dead Island" on steam. We finally started playing. It is just...awesome. You can totally exterminate zombie scourge by kicking them. <3 It is coop and RPGish in that you have skill trees you can build. Also, you have to use your resources wisely. I'm serious. You have to repair weapons. You also scavenge. The setting is a tropical island resort. It is open world.

You basically choose one of four characters. They each have a back story. My guy and I are playing both the female characters. BA chicks, lemme tellya. Anyway, you go around the island trying to help save a group of survivors. You have side quests, for example, finding missing people and directing them back to their loved ones who survived, or, bringing medical supplies to help the wounded, or, finding insulin for the diabetic. I'm such a hero, yo.

It is just... play it.