The Weekend

So, now the main festivities of my birthday are over. But that's cool and other things are happening now. On Saturday, I went to the clinicians seminar for Lesbian Health. How did that come to be since I work at the dental school you are probably wondering? Last October I volunteered with the LHRC (Lesbian Health and Research Center) at the Folsom Street Fair. If you don't know what that is, Google it. I don't really want to describe it here, it's too much. :)
Anyway, That's how I got on the LHRC's e-mail list for classes and other volunteer opportunities for tamer things like Saturday's event. I wanted to go mainly because the first 2 seminars of the day focused on lesbian pregnancy and parenting and I feel that I have to get informed before AG and I take the baby plunge. AG was at work, and I had to be there at 7:30 a.m. because I volunteered to set-up. I chose to volunteer because all of the volunteers get to go to any of the seminars for free, while everyone else has to pay. I learned a lot of really interesting things and got cards and websites for more information. I am very happy. And there was breakfast and lunch. After that, I went home and curled up with AG to watch "In Her Shoes." Between the quietness of the movie and the rainy weather, we both fell asleep. We took a 3-hour nap! We woke up around 7, made dinner, finished the movie and went to bed again around 11. On Sunday, we let nature wake us up and decided to spend some time on the house. We cleaned the room and did laundry, AG vacuumed and I wiped down the bathroom. We did a cat box overhaul (removed all litter and washed it out). Washed the sheets and towels. After all that, we walked to the grocery store. Safeway isn't that far away and we have one of those little push-cart roller things to make the trek back to the house easier. The carts are essential and are impossible to live without when you don't have a car. Especially if you have to carry anything like toilet paper or anything involving a cat (like their food or litter). The only time we went shopping and had not yet purchased the cart was a disaster. We had to stop every minute to rest because we had so much stuff. Then we got the cart. Yay. Then we put on, "The Illusionist." We both fell asleep and slept for about an hour or so, then awoke and made pork fajitas. They were awesome. Then we finished the movie, which was excellent by the way, and watched 60 Minutes, Amazing Race, and Cold Case. Then more sleep. We had a really busy but relaxing weekend. More to come.

Hooray for Everyone!

I had the most perfect birthday of my adult life thanks to my work, AG, my parents, my sister, and my friends (not necessarily in that order). I ended up with 2 cakes. My work had a cake for me called the Princess Cake (I know), and then one of my co-workers got me my own personal multi-fruit cake. I got much love from everyone, including calls from my parents and grandparents, my sister wrote about me on her blog, and when I got home that evening, AG HAD FILLED OUR ROOM WITH BALLOONS!! They were all over the ceiling! It was so cool. They're still up and I will be waiting until the absolute last minute to take them down. The minute they start to wilt and look sad, I'll take them away.
I don't know if I mentioned this before, but AG is holding one of my presents hostage. She says it's to drag out my celebration even more, but I think it's so she can torment me in a fun way because she knows I secretly love surprises. However, she did end up telling me what the gift is because she has a lot of insecurity around giving people presents because her ex is a huge bitch and made her promise never to buy her anything and to just give her the money because she hated all of the presents she gave her. ISN'T THAT MEAN?!?!?!? I love everything and I am really easy to buy for, so my mom always says that I am her favorite person to shop for because I'm so easy.
I'm sure you're wondering what the mystery present is so I'll tell you:
SHE GOT ME A SPA DAY!!! HOORAY!! It's something I've never had and always wanted, so I am really excited. For an undisclosed amount, I get to pick my services for my day of rest and relaxation at one of the Castro's finest spas. Yay!! I have this Friday off from work because it's Cesar Chavez Day and I work for the state, so I might go then, but we'll have to see. I cannot wait!
PS: My youngest sister, Katie (the pregnant one) is a total deadbeat sibling. She didn't even call me on my birthday. SHE LIVES WITH OUR PARENTS, who I spoke with TWICE and she didn't even call! I'm not really broken up about it, but still. My birthday was perfect, and I am really happy about it.

Past Birthdays

As an addition to my previous post, I want to let the world know that when I was a Little Mer, I had incredible birthday parties. This was thanks in large part to my AM (Amazing Mom). My Mommy rules. She is the smartest, most fun, loving, caring, creative and devoted person I know. She has kick-ass parenting skills that I hope to emulate in the near future and has the biggest heart. The only person who even comes close is AG. I can say they are pretty much on the same level regarding the qualities I just listed, but I love them in different ways and for different reasons. I am a very, very lucky girl to have such wonderful people in my life. YAY FOR ME!!

It's My Birthday Eve

In case my faithful readers have not been so faithful lately, my birthday is tomorrow!! I like to stretch the celebrating out as long as possible because I like feeling special. So far I have received the following Mer-Centric presents: 4 cards, 4 magnets, 1 giant bouquet of flowers (from my AG) that smells up the entire house (in a good way), kitty stickers, a beautiful stained-glass wind chime that is multi-colored rainbow, 1 book, 8 pairs of festive socks (in one pack, that are brightly colored and some are stripey), and a musical card that sings, "Celebration." AG is determined to hold my last gift hostage until the real day and my parents and grandparents are holding out until my actual birthday to give me their gifts, and I must say, I have a lot of people around me that love and care about me. I am really, really lucky because I know that I am a rare sort of person to have a loving partner, family, and network of other people encircling me in JOY to make my life truly great. Isn't that what birthdays and holidays are all about? Reflecting on the goodness in your life and being thankful for it?
I have decided to be more thankful on a daily basis for the graces I've been given. After all, after we're gone, don't we want the people we knew in our lives to know that they were loved and appreciated? I'm just saying, it sound like a good idea. I'm going to sound dorky right now but I don't care: Tell someone you love them today and make them feel special. Cookies and milk for everyone!

Yay for Timing!

I must say, my anal retentive attention to the timing of things paid off on Sunday at the much anticipated Dinner Party! A good time was had by all (I hope), and the food turned out really well. We had: Three kinds of crackers (did you know they come in Party Packs?) with herb-vegetable cream cheese, garlic-herb cream cheese, and herbed goat cheese (my personal favorite) for appetizer. For the main course, we had mashed potatoes, corn, buttery rolls, and Havarti chicken. What is that you may be asking yourself? It's chicken breast with a slice through the middle to create a pocket with slices of dill Havarti cheese layered inside. Then you dip the chicken in egg, then flour, pour some water in the bottom of a glass baking dish, and bake until the chicken is cooked through. It's a recipe of my own creation along with the dessert. I took champagne flutes and chilled them in the refrigerator while we were eating. Then, I spooned a ball of Tropical flavor sorbet into each of the glasses, then I added a layer of vanilla ice cream, then another layer of sorbet, then ice cream. A total of 4 layers. I melted apricot preserves in the microwave and spooned the warm preserves over the top of each of the flutes. I must say, it was delicious. I also wanted to try a special drink for this little event: The Flirtini. I am normally a beer drinker, but I enjoy the occasional cocktail. A Flirtini is 1oz. of vodka mixed with 2oz. of champagne and 2oz. of pineapple juice. Very, very tasty. I mixed the alcohol and the juice separately, poured one double shot of the alcohol mix into a frosted martini glass and filled the rest with the pineapple juice. It was really yummy. Everything went well and even the Brown Girl kitty came out to say hi!
I got to meet Katherine's Darcy and they got to meet my Jenn. Jenn really liked both ladies and we hit it off splendidly. I am very happy. So now, the things on my list: continue excitement about my impending birthday (this Thursday!!!!) and eat many, many bagels. Life is beautiful.

Stupid Roommates

I have determined that my roommates are some of the stupidest and most inconsiderate alive. If not the most. AG and I are the only ones that do anything around the house, ever. AG is the only one that takes down the trash. Today was trash day and we both had to get up really early for work so neither of us took it out today. (I just forgot, AG had to be at work at 6). Both of the other people who live in the house were home all day. J works from home and is just lazy and entitled. I don't know what his trip is, but he has never lifted so much as a finger to do anything around this house that we all share. CP (Crazy Pants) is just crazy (obviously), stupid, and selfish. She only thinks about herself and where her next drink is coming from. AG and I have devised a plan of action. Not so much a plan that requires any actual doings, but just a map for our future #1 Get married #2 In 2008 (when our lease is up), we will be moving into our very own 2-bedroom apartment in Westlake where we used to live before the unpleasantness happened. #3 Have Baby Mer #4 Live there for 2 years #5 Move to Walnut Creek (Lovely area in the East Bay), #6 Have 2nd Baby Mer, #7 HAPPILY EVER AFTER. Of course, this is all tentative and based around what we want as a couple. The timeline itself is used purely for organizational purposes. I know what you're thinking parents: How can Merlicious be planning her life already? She's only 5! In actual reality, I'll be 24 next Thursday, but in my brain, I feel about 34. I feel like these are the next logical steps for my life. I'm ready to marry AG and start our family. I am very excited to see what happens next!

Dude, Where's My Friend?

Now that I finally have the dinner party date nailed down, I want to try and invite a few more people. I tried to invite my buddy Danica, but I called her and her cell phone mailbox is full. So I texted her and asked her to call me. Should I be worried? It takes a lot of voicemail to plug up a mailbox, which means she hasn't gotten them in a while. AG thinks she's just out of town. This makes sense, but I tend to go a little overboard if I think something bad either has or is happening.
This is how I met Danica: When I first moved to the city, I was staying with a now-former friend. I was supposed to be there for a whole month, but it didn't work out and then I stayed with her brother at his house on their couch. I was sick of feeling unwanted, so I went on Craig's List and was determined to find a 1-Week sublet for less than $100, anywhere non-scary. Lo and behold, I did! That was how I met Danica. She had posted the ad for someone to live in a little, tiny make-shift bedroom off of the kitchen for $75 during the exact time I needed. I had never been happier. She took me to the grocery store, showed me where to do my laundry, and even gave me space in the fridge and bathroom shelves. I had never felt so welcome since moving tot he city. And we've been friends ever since. Every few months, we get together for lunch or dinner, or coffee, stuff like that. The last time I saw her, I helped her jump her car because the battery died in Pacifica, but that was several months ago. I hope I hear from her soon so she can come to the dinner!

In Search of the Perfect Pen (and Bagels!)

I realize what I'm about to say makes me sound like a huge nerd, but I really don't care: I spent most of today going through the Office Max catalog and picking out the things I want Beth (my awesome supervisor) to get for me. I know, I know, you're probably thinking, "who gives a rat's behind about pens and organizers?" I do, that's who. I love it. It's just a giant book of products designed to make people's lives better and easier. For example, I needed to find a specific pen that I really like to use and I was also on the hunt for a desk elevator to put my monitor, desk accessories, and phone on. Beth and I inhabit an area of the 4th floor that used to be a storage area. Once this area was taken over by Pros, it was converted into our office space. Unfortunately, this space is very limited and can barely house the two of us, let alone our stuff. Some creativity is necessary, which is why I need the desk elevator. I am planning on putting my monitor and phone on it, which will technically double my counter-area by pushing everything back at least 6 inches. Now, when I write something, the piece of paper won't be hanging off of the end of my counter! Yee ha!
Also, AG started her new job yesterday. Tired of the drudgery of the elderly and sick (she used to be a CNA), she got a job at Noah's Bagels in the Embarcadero! This is good news for me, as the bagel is one of the most perfect foods ever created, and she gets some pretty serious discounts. Also she works with many, many lesbians. I don't know how she lucked out with that, but we are both pretty happy. She is just getting into the swing of things, but the shop is right next to BART and they are really busy all day, making the day go quickly. I am very happy for her. She was really unhappy at her last job, even though she was there for a long time. Any job where you are around death and crazy old people is really depressing and she had just had enough (it had been 5 years). This is a great new opportunity! AND BAGELS!

Dinner Party

Katherine and I have finally nailed down a date for the dinner party. Sunday, March 18th at 6:30. Yea!! I am very excited and have also received an e-vite to Katherine's Birthday/Housewarming on March 31st! Katherine and I sort of have this weird parallel lives friendship thing happening. Her birthday is March 15th, she is also a lesbian, and she is also in a serious relationship with her partner, Darcy. Slight difference, she and Darcy are married while Jenn and I are not (a situation soon to be remedied). They have a cat (we have 2). It's stuff like that. I became friends with Katherine because we both volunteered at a street fair help every October in San Francisco called the Folsom Street Fair. We met at the thank-you party for all the people who volunteered through the Lesbian Health and Research Center. Friendship ensued. Now it is time for our significant others to meet. AG and I do not have enough lesbian friends. I don't know why, we just don't. But we do know a lot of crazy and horrible people. Our plan is to break away from the crazy and it is my job to scout the normals and bring them in to our circle of friendship.
Something I like about being in a grown-up relationship: We are on the same page about pretty much everything, from take-out orders to our future children and we talk about everything openly, even if it is unfavorable. It is so fantastic! Not everything is a bowl of cherries, boys and girls, it took us a long time to get here. So don't think I am one of those perfect, happy people. It takes time to get to this place. We had to go on a break for a few months and we weren't together and that was really hard. Luckily, all the break did was make us realize that we are meant to be together. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's true. She's my girl. More later...

The Home Syndrome

If any of you are faithful readers to yeahsureright.blogspot.com, you will know that my sister, Betty Lou, blogged about an incident involving a kitchen area and me being a horrible little Mer and Bogarting the toy and acting really, really, bratty not wanting anyone else to touch it. To me, this makes perfect sense. It was my present, after all. Looking back, however, I'm sure my behavior was less than reputable. I make amends now: I am sorry for acting a fool during my birthday party a.k.a. "THE KITCHEN AREA INCIDENT." This brings me to my post for today. Betty Lou also says in her post that seeing me living on my own and in a committed relationship with someone I actually really love is surprising. She says I must have mellowed, except for when I visit Colorado, I just revert back to my old habits: Sore loser, embittered, etc. Admittedly, I will always be a sore loser (no one like to lose), but anyone who knows me in my real life here in the city knows that I am far from angry, mean, or bitter. It's something about "going home again" that makes everyone revert back to their childhood personality. I don't know what it is about being around their parents and siblings, but it happens to everyone. Case in point, Mom. When I visited CO in July, we all (as a family) went to Missouri (or Misery) to visit's AM's (Amazing Mom's) parents. True to this theory, as soon as AM was placed in the presence of her younger sister, she immediately became a teenager again. It just goes to show you, you can be married, have three adult children complete with dogs and a house and the whole bit, but get in front of the people you grew up with, you become a kid again. Whoever said youth is wasted on the young just haven't been visiting their siblings enough.
I have found that in front of my family, I do change, and not in a good way. I have this whole other life in SF, and I am really mellow, calm, and nice. I'm centered and happy. People like me, I'm good at my job, I have friends who care about me. I have AG, who I love more than anything in the world, and who would do anything for me (I'd do anything for her too). But get me in front of my family, I am moody, impatient, and generally annoyed. After about 4 days (1 if there are board games involved), I have had enough and all that great grown-up progress is tossed out the window and I am back in high school. This makes me look really bad, and is basically 20 steps back in my life-long journey of proving to my parents that I am not a screw-up and that I am capable of being on my own and being an adult. I don't know what I am trying to prove, but eventually my CO self will permanently become my SF self (my true self). Maybe after AG and I get married and have a little Mer of our own. Only time will tell. ;)

My Birthday

Ever since I was a little Mer, I have always loved my birthday. In my head, it is a national holiday and should be treated as such. When you are small, you pretty much get one day, two if you're lucky to celebrate it. By 2, I mean the actual day and the party day. When you get older, however, everything changes to your advantage. Because you don't see your friends all the time like when you are in elementary school , there is a greater opportunity to stretch the celebration of your birth to a month or more. Last year, for example, I had FIVE birthday cakes. Each time your birthday rolls around, small circles of your frinds want to celebrate it with you, but never at the same time. The circle of birthday begins thusly: Girlfriend gives you presents or does something special for you. Family calls you and sends presents. Then close friends host a dinner or take you out in celebration. Then work gives you a present and there is cake. As the days past your actual birthday roll around, satellite friends come out of the woodwork and tell you what a bad friend they have been, and that they owe you a drink or a meal, or coffee (depending what kind of friend you are [the drinking or eating or coffee kind]), and that can lead to upwards of 3-4 extra celebrations.
This is seriously one of the best parts of my journey to that place we call "adulthood." For all you who are wondering what I am doing this year, I'll tell you. AG and I are hosting 2-4 friends for dinner. We're talking full tilt dinner: Fancy drink (The Flirtini), appetizers, dinner, and dessert. I'm excited and have 2 people definitely coming already. We're trying to keep it really small because it's a nice dinner, so the guest list includes my friends Katherine and her partner Darcy, and I'm going to invite my friend Danica with the invitation to bring a date of her choosing. The party actually serves several purposes. I have never met Darcy, AG has never met Katherine, Darcy, or Danica, and we've never gotten together as a group. Also, none of my extraneous roomies will be in town, so I don't have to worry about CP (Crazy Pants) crashing my party, stealing the alcohol, and embarrassing me in front of my normal friends. This is going to be super fun!

Target and Cookies

AG has been friends with Melissa for over 20 years. I cannot even fathom that kind of longevity with someone I have known since high school, especially because people change drastically once high school ends. Melissa and AG are very different people. Sometimes it's hard to believe they are friends at all, but they are. That being said, Melissa came up to visit this weekend and we went to Target. Since I have been car-less for the past month, it has been a bit of a challenge shopping for some of the larger items I need (like cat food and litter [it's really heavy, and hard to carry if you have other stuff]), so when Melissa arrived on Friday afternoon, I asked her if she would please take us to Target. I bribed her with Starbucks to sweeten the deal, and she agreed. AG and I were able to load up on almost everything we had been needing but had not been able to carry (40 lbs. of cat litter, 30 lbs. of cat food, 1 giant storage bin) and stuff like that. That morning I had clipped coupons so we saved even more money above Target's already awesome pricing. As I have said in earlier posts, The SF does not have Wal-Mart so we do the best we can with Target. I also talked to The Youngest (Future Mama) while shopping. She said she and Future Grandma were going to this baby stuff expo and that being pregnant sucks, but I refuse to believe that. I, for one, cannot wait to have a baby.
She asked me when the next time I am going home with be, and I said the second week of July, like always. Side note for my readers: I go back to Colorado twice a year. Once in July, once in December. Mom has a week off in July, that's why I go then. And December goes without saying. If it were up to them, I'd go back once a month. Anyway, got stuff from Target, went home, played with my daughters (the cats) and pretty much did nothing for the rest of Saturday. Sunday rolls around, Melissa leaves, AG and I hang out reading, playing with the cats and watching TV. Afternoon rolls around and I prepare to go to the synagogue for cookie basket making. However, when I arrive, I am severely disappointed. The doors were locked and no one was going in or out! I wait around for about 15 minutes and then go home. I was upset. AG was there to comfort me and she made me dinner. Now I have to find a recipe involving apricot preserves so I can use the jar I bought for cookie making. On a brighter note, my birthday is approaching and I am inviting a few friends over for a small dinner party. I was thinking I could use the preserves recipe at that. More on that later today...