That was a long nap.

Well well, basically two years later.

What’s up world?

Christmas is in a week! Less than a week, so that’s pretty exciting.  I’m headed to see the fam.  We are going on a big trip in January to London, so although the Christmas visit will be short we will be reunited in another land, and several time zones over.

We went to London in high school, I’m sure not much has changed.  It will be fun to see the sights, maybe take a river cruise.

Watching The Intern right now, pretty good movie.  It’s a little depressing here and there.  Strange roles for Robert Dinero and Anne Hathaway, but an all-around good one.

I can’t wait to see Star Wars!  Me and B are going to watch it at this sweet theater neither of us have been to.  I’ve seen a couple of the old ones, so I should probably brush up, aye?  Oh!  And, we’re going to tour a brewery, it’s pretty much or thang.  Now that I like beer.  I hated it my whole life, but since moving to Denver I’ve really tried to branch out.

Half day at work tomorrow, wahoo!

Coldplay

1.  Go to Walmart.

2.  Buy the new Coldplay album.

3.  Enjoy.

4.  You’re welcome.

The new Coldplay album, Ghost Stories, is amaze.  It’s very chill, like their usual tracks, I’m sort of in love with their song, “Magic.”  It’s a tad overplayed on the radio, but it’s a good one.  Yesterday I went to the lake and listened to the whole album while relaxing and writing a letter.  It’s the feel-good-album of the summer, fo real.

On another note, you should probably download the 8tracks ap.  It’s pretty cool. You can search genres or song names/artists and it will come up with mixes similar to what you searched.  You can also make your own playlists. It’s pretty awesome.

Vanilla

So how do you know when you’re in a vanilla relationship?

I think we’ve all been there but maybe not realized until it’s too late, or over that it was vanilla.  It’s just kind of boring, stagnant….and lame.

I’ve been seeing this guy I met a bit ago, it’s been almost four months, and I don’t know hardly anything about him.  Learning about his family, hobbies, anything is like pulling teeth.  And I ask, if you don’t want to share/open up, why are you dating?? Or, if your’e not ready, then just tell me and save us both the time.

It’s not like I”m at the point where I need to freeze an egg or anything, but I am pushing thirty.  Like, at the doorstep with my hand on the knob, pushing.  I am truly not trying to rush anything, but I honestly don’t have two years to try and crack that shell. If you’re not ready, I can move on.  I’m at the point where I know what I want….and I think a couple months should be enough to kind of figure out if you can see a future or if it’s not what you need.

Maybe it’s him, maybe it’s me.  But I do know that when you’re dating, you make time for each other, and you start opening up.  You should feel that deep down need to see them and be around them.  And I don’t.  Which is crazy.

I’m usually the friend who’s like mooooove on girrrrlfriend, boot his ass.  But when you’re in that vanilla, you can’t really think or see clearly… When you realize you’re in the thick of it and need to cut ties, you don’t want to be rude, but you also want to explain what you are thinking.  It always seems to go sour though. So maybe a clean cut, a just, um goodbye would suffice??

I want certain things, and I’m not willing to budge.  I can compromise on a lot, but a man meeting my needs is not one of them. I’m like any girl, I want to feel special, I want little surprises – a note, or a sweet comment.  I want to be needed, be heard, and have someone genuinely care about where I”m going in my life, and wanting to meet those needs.

And though I am not the best cook, hate laundry, and don’t know how to fix…..anything really….I bring a lot of other things to the table.

Another thing is traveling.  That I am not willing to budge on. Ever! Love love traveling, and if my man doesn’t have a wanderer’s heart, I can’t do it.

I think the bachelorette gives women kind of a jaded view of love.  That and Disney movies. Puh-lease, no relationship is like princess land-esque.  I get it.  Buuuuut some days you should feel like a damn princess!

Greetings World

It’s been quite some time since I’ve written. I think we all have busy lives and forget to sit down and take a breath sometimes.

2014 has been a whirlwind so far.

I made a bucket list recently, and one of the things on the list was to quit social media for a year.  So I’m now wondering….does a blog count? Technically I’m not interacting with anyone…but then it occurred to me that avoiding a blog for a year was just simply lazy.

SO, this is my year to quit social media.  I have deactivated my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and the like.  And I have an overwhelming feeling of peace with it, I may just go on after 2014 without social media.  It is definitely less drama, and it makes the friends who are real count that much more.  I’m kickin’ it old school with letters, texts, emails, and phone calls.

I made a list of 100 things for my bucket list.  A few of the others were:

Drink vodka in Russia

Yodel in the Grand Canyon

Go on a mission trip

Acts of random kindness

Wave at tiny little people from a hot air balloon

Several others, and I am looking forward to completing them!  I carry the list with me at all times in case the moment strikes me and I jump into a hot air balloon on a whim.  You know, people do that quite frequently, sooo.

I was recently fishing and met a nice man. Well, ok I was on Plenty of Fish….the dating site…and met a guy.  But the story goes, is that we were fishing, and met.  Anyhow, he’s from Michigan and moved out to San Diego for a job.  He seems like a really nice boy, good to his family, polite, and likes to travel, like me.  With our ship’s schedule we don’t get to see each other all that much, but I do enjoy spending time with him.  It’s hard to know early on if it will get serious or not, but I’m seeing where it goes.  Funny thing is that we started talking on Valentine’s Day, so that’s a good sign, right?

I am having an affair….

….is what I would be telling my sig oth if I had one.

I am head over heels with falltime.  Unfortunately, I live in a place that doesn’t observe the season of fall.  I can’t really complain, as it is warm all year round(ish).  However, when I do get the chance to go home in Oct-Nov timeframe, I am absolutely in love.  The colors, the crisp wind that bites your cheeks ever so slightly, the smell of leaves, the sound of them rustling about the ground, pumpkins stacked everywhere.  The list is endless.  So many colors, sights, and sounds!

We went to the Maple Leaf Orchard in Woodville yesterday.  They have an orchard there where they grow nearly 20 different kinds of apples, they have grape vines, a field of pumpkins, and much much more.

It was fun to pick out the exact apples we wanted, and we got to traipse through the pumpkin field and even high five a scarecrow.   They also had some apple cinnamon doughnuts that were to die.  If you live in the area, I suggest you check it out.

After the orchard we drove around town to find some leaves to dip in wax.  We collected several beautifully colored leaves and even plucked a couple off of neighborhood trees!  Leaves in hand we headed home with our wax to dip them to use for a cute decoration.

They turned out beautifully…but we didn’t know what to do to decorate, so we ended up placing them in one of the plants at the house. Looks pretty cool =) There’s probably something on Pinterest about it!

Today it is rainy and 50…

Cheers to falltime!

Chapters, My

I’ve noticed in my nearly 30 years on this earth that our lives are made up of chapters, much like a book.

For most of us, it is outlined by major events in our lives.  For the military folk it is broken into their tours, as one tour ends, so begins a new phase in their lives.

I would say that I have had the usual ups and downs and life events in each chapter of my life.  High school and into the Navy was the first chapter, the longest, and maybe one of the most important.  It made me who I am today, and it is what shaped my values and codes.  However, the events since then have transformed me into so much more.

When I joined the Navy I was a completely different person.  I think I had always sought that structure in life, everything having a place and a recognized order.  This is what the Navy provided.  After boot camp, where I learned to just keep your mouth shut and follow directions…sometimes blindly, I went to school in Florida.  This is where I continued to learn how to not always speak my mind while I sometimes learned the hard way and rarely saw the “bigger picture” that everyone always talked about.  I just thought the military would be a four year job, and I could learn about myself, and start my college fund.  This is what I kept in mind for four years.  When I arrived in Hawaii to my first duty station, I was picked up for ceremonial guard where I performed in several burials and retirements.  This is where my sense of history and heritage began, meeting all kinds of people, all with individual stories and deep respect for what the Navy had provided them.  After a few months I headed up to my actual job.  It was not what I had hoped for, and did not prove to be as rewarding as I had hoped.  I was junior ranking, and I was so hungry for responsibility and the chance to lead people that I became discontented with my position and people telling me that some goals were just not possible.  I had some terrible leadership, and it is from them that I learned what not to do with my future Sailors.  I made a few long-lasting friends and got to explore Hawaii’s islands and also see Japan and the Philippines.

My second tour brought me to the middle east; the tiny island of Bahrain in the Arabian Gulf.  Yes, I actually had to google the place before agreeing to take on the orders.  Here I had an extremely rewarding tour and learned many leadership traits from several leaders who were in and out of the command, as it was a one year billet.  Although we worked our asses off and had many a 16-18 hour day, I wouldn’t go back and change a thing.  The work we put in was worth the dividends…but I did learn that when accepting high stress billets you need to be prepared.  I also learned how to live alone and depend on myself, so I came out much stronger on the other end.  I had time to start blogging and also get into fitness. For my next duty station, I knew it had to be a ship, in order to ensure my transition into the next higher paygrade, and also broaden my experience.

My most recent chapter brought me to the mighty sea….where Sailors belong, right?  My very first PCS tour afloat.  By far this has been the most rewarding tour yet.  I have learned so much from my chain of command as they have supported me in every move and decision I have made.  I have found my place in the Navy and they have empowered me to move forward with my career, which is what I will pass on to my Sailors.  The feeling I had when I was in Hawaii and I wanted so much to be the one making things happen and having those Sailors in my charge depending me was finally here.  It is unfortunate, but in the military you have to attain a certain rank to be put into positions of leadership.  Maybe I wasn’t ready in Hawaii, who knows, but I was  able to grow into the shoes that my previous mentors had left for me.

Through my travels in the Navy I have tried to date but never really made it work…some of the relationships bled over from one chapter to the next, but I could never force myself to choose my personal life over the military.  Which sounds pretty sad when saying it out loud.  Many a person has asked me what will be there for me after the Navy……the military or my family?  We all know the answer, however the military has yet to let me down as some of the men boys I have encountered….whether by simple incompatibly or pure self destruction.  Maybe the next chapter in my life will bring prince charming but for now I will stick with my Navy life and travels.  I am definitely open to any suitor that can handle this!

Raspberries

Who put a “p” in the middle of this word? Does not make sense.

So I was strolling through Costco yesterday and saw some raspberries on sale.  Due to the gov’t shutdown I was able to stroll freely into the store with my military ID and feel like I belonged in there mingling with paying members bulk buying consumers.

The raspberries…it was like two dollars for a huge tray of them…Deal. Bought.

So I get home and as I’m washing them off I am wondering why there is always that weird diaper thing in the bottom. They don’t put it in the bottom of strawberries…so why raspberries??

Does anyone else get paranoid about the inside of the berries? I have to check every single one to make sure there isn’t anything hiding in there. What if there’s a worm? Or dirt? Or fertilizer or something.

Raspberry paranoia.

These little guys are seriously delicious and underrated.

Lows and Highs

I was home this week for originally my sister’s birthday party. A couple days before my flight, my mom called and told me my grandpa’s health was declining quickly and to be prepared for what might happen.

Gpa had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s several years back, probably seven years ago. He had been off and on medications to help with uncontrollable movements and decline in overall mental and physical health. It was hard to witness and I’m certain even more difficult to live. He was in a few nursing homes and my family in MO would visit him frequently. He had recently been put on morphine for the pain and had been unable to eat.

My sister had planned a birthday celebration last Saturday and had put a lot of time into organization. I am not able to come home frequently so it was also a perfect time to see everyone. So, we decided to go ahead with the party. It was a lot of fun and so nice to see everyone! It was themed “Stache Bash,” so we had mustache party favors, decorations, an even a mustache piñata. There’s something so comforting about catching up with old friends, meeting new ones, and yard games.

The next morning Gpa passed away at 3am. And as it turns out, it was really good timing for something terrible to happen because I was home, my mom was home because she knew I would be there over the weekend, and a few other family members were randomly in the area. Sometimes it takes a death to make you realize what your goals are and what is important in life. Family is everything, but in times of work stress or general life milestones I sometimes forget my roots. Family and friends are there for you regardless of your success or failure.

We banded together this week and accomplished what is normally a difficult thing for families to go through. I believe Gpa is in a better place and not suffering anymore. I also got to learn a lot about him, through his former athletes, friends, and family. Funny stories, weird quirks, and the legacy he left behind as a leader and coach for 26 years. He was so respected and those he coached were brought to tears remembering the lessons he instilled in them.

We went to visit the school he coached at; a new gym was built about seven years ago and they named it after him. They had his state titles hanging, and we asked about how they have been doing since he retired over 20 years ago. The principal told us their students had won exactly one state title since Coach Samson ran the athletic department!

I would like to remember Gpa how those he trained remember him. Though I never personally watched him coach, he did teach me and my sister how to play a mean game of cards, and helped me with my golf swing and endless games of trivial pursuit.

We went out to eat before my trip back to CA, and as I wait on my flight, I am focusing on the positive. I am returning refocused and backed by the love and support of my family and friends. So nice to be home and celebrate loved ones past and present!

Was he the one?

So, have you ever been in that situation that you miss your ex?

It happens to me more than not with this one. You are on and off…and eventually you realize that maybe he’s the one. And you gave up too soon without trying.

Time away makes you remember the good times, and how he was there for you, accepting your flaws and insecurities when 99% of the population wouldn’t.

You want to tell them everything. So much all at once, but how?  You don’t know where they are at or if you will make a fool out of yourself. Or if they have moved on and are on a completely different road.

OR, maybe it’s just one of those times where you are lonely and just remember the good things and forget all the annoying little things and reasons you couldn’t be with them in the first, second, or third place.

I think as you get older you begin to appreciate the little comforts, quirks, mannerisms of your partner. And you just need them. Someone who is there for you no matter what, thick and thin. You realize that’s the only thing that really matters, the most important thing. And everything else you can work on. I think you focus on the foundation and learn that everything else will fall into place.

…but how do you tell them?

El Hombre

I have been longing for a new hairstyle lately. I debated on shaving a part of my head…kind of like Ellie Goulding. Look that crap up, pretty badass. However, not so sure I could successfully pull it off and also not positive I would retain my enlistment in the Navy. SO, thus came the “the hombre.”

I got a Groupon a few months ago for a salon named Zina G in Hillcrest. It was $50 for highlights, haircut, and deep conditioning.  I showed up and the client before me ran about 20 minutes late, which was fine. I’m sure it happens a lot.  When I sat down, Zina herself was the stylist, and I explained to her I knew the Groupon was for highlights, and asked if I could just pay more and get an hombre (dye on top and blonde foils on bottom). She said she didn’t have time for that but would do what she could. Before the pic on the left up there I had blond hair, so what she ended up doing was dying the top 2/3 light brown…but what happened was the dye seeped down into the bulk of my hair and I ended up having just plain brown hair. Which, was not what I wanted. Also, she charged $20 for  “longer hair,” which she had disclosed when I called for the appointment. But If she only dyed the top 2/3 of my hair, what did the long hair factor really matter??

ANYWHO. Long story short (too late), it was misadvertised and don’t tell the client something you can’t follow through with. And if it doesn’t turn out like you said, you should offer a refund or re-do and probably not charge $70 for a simple color.

I was in desperate need for a SHAZAM! hairdo, so today I ended up going to Fantastic Sams in Santee.  This is a rarity, as I rely on Groupons or specialized boutiques for my hair. I am scared going to Great Clips or any walk-in hair salon because I feel like they are all brand new stylists that don’t have experience. However, I should probably just eat my words, because they did a perfect job! I went in and they were able to get me in after about 20 minutes. A girl named Shantel has done the hombre before, and took on the challenge. It took about an hour and a half and she was able to foil the ends and make them perfectly blond, with a nice blend, and also great conversation! I will most definitely go back to her and also suggest her to my friends.

1.  Moral of the story…don’t judge a salon by it’s cover.

2.  Hombre is the new blond!!

Love,

~Girl With a Curl~