Peppy's Dream Moving Adventure Blog

The reason this is late is because -- once again -- my server was down last night.  This morning -- no problem.  Can SOME computer genius PLEASE explain how it could POSSIBLY be my computer and not THEIR server that has the problem? 

Eric was on his ride in L.A. with Miguel by 8:00am, and I slept until 9:30am!  When I got up I relaxed a little and had breakfast.  Then I went food shopping (with my new cart!) and then did 2 loads of laundry. 

I liked using the cute black cart, except years ago when I used a cart there were “s” hooks to hook it onto the front of the shopping cart at the supermarket.  There were no “s” hooks, because I guess no one uses them anymore.  So, I had to put the cart in the shopping cart, which was a little bit of a pain.  It's pretty small, so I was able to fit groceries around it, but if I was doing a "big shopping" it would have been hard.

When I told Eric, he said I should just ask to leave it in the front of the store, by the cashier.  I don’t know if they’ll like that idea, but I guess I could try next time.

Eric got back around 3:00pm – just in time for us to take a nice nap!  He said he had a great time with Miguel.  They had to drive about a half hour to get to the trail, and they only rode for about 2 hours, but he still said it was a lot of fun, mostly because he was riding with a friend.  I guess he also liked the fact that it was someplace different – and it wasn’t San Diego!  He had done a big tune-up on Miguel's bike for him and got it in great shape.  Eric is so good at that stuff and I'm sure Miguel really appreciated all his help.

So, we woke up from our nap at 5:00pm, showered, dressed and went to El Cajon for dinner and the show.  We ate at the same place as last time – MANGIA BENE.  They have really good food.  I had a bowl of their seafood chowder and Eric had a cup.  Then, I had their Il Greco salad, with olives, sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese.  Eric had the special, which was Chicken tortellini primavera.  He really enjoyed it!  For dessert, we shared a piece of mousse cake.  Yum!

The theatre is just across the street on the grounds of a college or university.  This is the last production they will be performing there.  They’re moving downtown to the Lyceum Theatre on Horton Plaza.  It’s a much smaller venue.  The theatre was only about two-thirds filled tonight and they were offering tickets for $15, so I know they had trouble filling this larger theatre.  They’ll be much better off renting a smaller theatre and selling out.

The production was excellent.  We really enjoyed GUYS & DOLLS and BYE BYE BIRDIE did not disappoint.  The cast was excellent, the sets were great and the costumes were wonderful.  I wore one of my 60s-style party dresses and there were a few worn by the cast that I’d like to get my hands on!

One of my favorite numbers is “Ed Sullivan” when the family finds out they’re going to appear on the Ed Sullivan show.  They had a whole chorus behind them and the voices were fabulous.

The guy who played Conrad Birdie was absolutely gorgeous with a beautiful physique.  He sang well, danced great and really played the part.  Eric and I really enjoyed the whole show – from beginning to end!

If you'd like to see the original trailer to the movie, click here: BYE BYE BIRDIE MOVIE TRAILER!

If you'd like to read all about the original 1960s Broadway production, click here: BYE BYE BIRDIE ON BROADWAY!

When I was a kid, I LOVED that movie.  I loved Ann-Margret and I wanted to be her when I grew up.  That wish was solidified when she made VIVA LAS VEGAS with Elvis Presley.  I ADORE Ann-Margret! 

After the show we came home.  We wanted to watch George Carlin on SNL (he was the first host EVER) but we were too tired, so we’ll watch it tomorrow morning!

Sorry this is late, but I got home at midnight last night, and I was SO exhausted that I couldn’t even think about blogging.  Forgive me!

Yesterday was crazy.  It was POURING on my way to work.  Two days of rain in a row.  I kept calling it a “San Diego Miracle!”  If it wasn’t for the fact that we were going to the concert, I wouldn’t have minded at all, but we were going to the concert!

I was worried about the weather all day, even though I wore sensible shoes and my leopard rain slicker.  I had on several layers – I even brought gloves – but I did not relish the thought of standing in the rain.  I kept telling people, "You're not supposed to worry like this in San Diego!  This is why I left NY!"

There were a lot of people in the firm going to the concert – at least 10 that I knew of – and there were 4 of us in HR alone!

We talked nonstop about the concert all day.  Rosemary had yet to get the tickets.  Believe it or not, they were being Fed Ex’d from Arizona to the ticket broker in Point Loma, which is about 20 minutes from the office.

I told her that I could leave at any time, so we could go pick them up, park the car downtown, eat dinner and then walk over to PETCO PARK, the outdoor stadium where the concert was being held.

It all worked out perfectly!  First of all, by around 2:00pm the sun was shining and it was warming up.  I knew it couldn’t stay dreary for long.  This is San Diego!  It’s paradise!

At 4:00pm we all left.  Rosemary and I both drove our cars to my apartment.  I put my car in the parking lot and got into her car and we drove to the ticket broker.  We got the tickets (she would NOT let me pay – nor do I know how much they cost, because they were prepaid when we got there).

Next, we drove downtown to PETCO PARK and parked in a lot about 2 blocks away.  Then, we walked to a local sports bar (which was right across the street) to get dinner.  There are a lot of great restaurants in the Gaslamp Quarter, but we didn’t want to walk the 5 or 6 blocks each way.  Rosemary wasn’t wearing as practical a shoe as I was!

We had dinner – I had a veggie sandwich, which was delicious, and Rosemary had a burger.  The food was good and the service was great.  The tickets said 7:30pm, so we got there around 7:15pm.  There weren’t many people there at that time, and there’s no opening act, so we wondered when she would start.

We stopped before going to our seats and bought t-shirts – I treated to dinner and bought Rosemary her choice of t-shirt, since she wouldn’t let me pay for the ticket.  I bought a t-shirt, too, which I promptly put on (not only did I look cool, but I figured it would be an extra layer of warmth, even though I didn’t really need it!).

There were big screens on the stage behind the performers and the band and they had gorgeous graphics, or funky pictures (she even used some of Keith Haring's art!).

We hung out, talking and looking for our friends (we found 2!) and we were really impatient for it all to begin.  We were also wondering about the results of the election (even though we were pretty sure of the outcome).

There were two really tall girls standing right in front of me (just my luck!).

Madonna did not start until 9:00pm!!!!  So, we were hanging out for an hour and a half before the concert even began.  The good news is – it was perfect outside – not windy at all, and not a chill in the air.  I had on my layers and I was just fine, but there were a lot of girls walking around half-naked!

The only way I could really see -- and take great pictures -- was to stand on a chair!

There really were a lot of interesting people at the concert, ranging in age from about 7 to 77!  There were a few drag queens completely done up like Madonna in different eras of her career – the bride in “Like a Virgin” and the cone bra from the Blonde Ambition tour.  They looked pretty fabulous!

Finally, it started.  From the moment she came out, the music did not stop – and she hardly had a moment off stage.  She was amazing – dancing, singing, playing the guitar.

She is such an amazing performer.  She may not have the best voice, but she puts her heart and soul into every number and has such enthusiasm.  I always thought Madonna would have an attitude, but she was so sweet and funny.  You could see her playing off of and interacting with all her dancers and you could tell they were friends, or at the very least had a great working relationship.

She was totally stoked because Obama won and she kept saying how happy she was.  She actually did an entire number where everyone was wearing Obama t-shirts, and she had the giant poster (that red, white and blue one, which I love) on three big screens.  She’s totally into Obama and she said it was the happiest day of her life!

I don’t know how it would have worked if he lost, but – hey – we didn’t have to worry about that, did we?  Meanwhile, we didn’t even know who won until Madonna told us and the crowd went CRAZY!  I can say I’m one of a few thousand who found out the result of the election from – Madonna herself!

I felt lucky that I voted by mail, because I didn’t have to worry about running around in the rain – or having to do it before the concert.  I am not a very political person, but I just want to say how thrilled I was that Obama won and what high hopes I have for the future of these great United States.

Anyway, Madonna looked great, even though she’s a little too thin and veiny for my tastes, and her costumes weren’t that exciting.  She wore red gym shorts with sneakers and knee pads, then blue gym shorts, then purple gym shorts.  I was saying, “Enough with the gym shorts!”  Then she wore these weird black pants for a few numbers.  There were a few numbers where she wore a pretty black dress with very colorful ribbons and that was my favorite.

She played a lot of her best hits -- putting a twist on some, so they sounded new and exciting -- and also played a lot of songs from her HARD CANDY CD.  Some of my favorites were VOGUE, BORDERLINE, SHE'S NOT ME, YOU MUST LOVE ME (from EVITA) and LIKE A PRAYER.

She also played RAY OF LIGHT, LA ISLA BONITA and INTO THE GROOVE.  There were 23 numbers all together.

She played for two full hours.  When it was over, the crowd filed out of the stadium in such a calm and orderly fashion.  I was very impressed.  We walked to the car and Rosemary drove me home, dropping me off at midnight.

I came upstairs, washed up, said hello to Conrad, and got right into bed.  I didn’t even open my mail.  I was so tired.  I don’t know how Madonna does it.  We’re the same age, and she was so amazing and energetic.

This was my favorite part of the show -- it was a combination of Greek, Hungarian, Gypsy, and Klezmer!

She sings and dances and she never even seems out of breath.  I was exhausted just watching her for 2 hours!  I love her!

I have absolutely no excuse for not blogging last night, except for the fact that when I got home at 9:00pm I was exhausted!

I had a great day at work.  Elsa’s back from sabbatical, which is great.  I had a lot of projects to keep me busy.

It was the other temp’s last day, since the other woman on sabbatical is coming back on Monday.  Boy, time flies.  It really didn’t seem like a month went by since both girls left, but it has.  I'm a little nervous about my future, because the temp replacing Elsa is gone, and the temp replacing the other girl is gone, and I don't know how much longer they're going to need me.  Rosemary invited me to be her date at the Holiday Party, which leads me to believe I'll be around until the end of the year, but who knows?  They may tell me they don't need me in HR anymore and put me someplace else in the firm, which would be okay, but I LOVE it in HR and I want to stay!

I spoke to Eric a few times today.  He is really doing great.  The package I sent him arrived safely and he really liked the present from the RV guy.  He bought Eric a type of fanny pack that buckles in the front and has two hydration bottles in the back, along with a pouch his phone, wallet, tire kit, etc.  It was really nice, but I wasn’t sure Eric would like it.  He loved it and really appreciated the kindness of a total stranger to think of finding something he would use and enjoy.  It was great!

Anyway, I was so excited all day, because Rosemary and I were going for sushi and she was taking me to a new place a little north of Del Mar.  We were going to try to see W, but it wasn’t playing anywhere at night.  Isn’t that weird?  They only had two daytime showings of that movie!  I guess only seniors are interested!

We looked at the list of movies and saw MADAGASCAR 2 was playing.  I saw the first one and it was really cute.  Rosemary was saying how much she loved the first and that it was one of her favorite animated films.  I said, “If you want to see M2, I’m up for it!”  She was really surprised, but I told her I was always up for a laugh and I knew we’d have fun.

We left at 5:00pm and took her car to Bernardo Center Drive to a place called AKAI HANA.  It’s huge and there are three sushi bars!  We sat at a little table in a big dining room and had miso soup, gyoza, shrimp shumai, a spicy tuna roll and a spicy shrimp roll.  Everything was very yummy and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Rosemary and I have so much to talk about, because we’re still getting to know each other, so we can tell stories of our past for years before we’re all caught up.  She’s really smart and funny and I thoroughly enjoy her company.

After sushi we drove south a few exits to go back to the movie theatre where we saw MAMA MIA with Elsa.  I think we were the only people over 10 who didn’t have kids with them!  It was really funny, but at one point I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open, which hardly ever happens to me.  I had to really concentrate on staying awake until the feeling passed.  By the time we left I felt more awake, but I was yawning a lot and knew it wouldn’t be long before I was asleep.

The movie was really cute and all the regular voices were back – Jada Pinkett Smith, Ben Stiller, David Schwimmer and Chris Rock.  Alec Baldwin played the voice of a “bad lion.”  They even mirrored his facial expressions, so it really resembled Alec!

After the movie Rosemary drove me back to my car and I drove home.  When I got home I didn’t have the energy to start blogging.  I just got undressed, washed up, got in my PJs and got into bed.  I was probably asleep before 10:30pm.  I have absolutely no plans for the weekend, except to relax and craft (and do laundry and food shopping, of course) and I’m really looking forward to it!

I didn’t sleep well on Sunday night, either.  I took more sleeping pills and hardly heard Eric leave for work in the morning.  I had set my cell phone alarm for 8:00am, because I had to leave by 9:00am to be sure to get into the city and park for my 10:30am allergy doctor appointment.

It was really hard getting out of bed.  The pills make me very groggy in the morning.  I did get out on time, drove into the city (what a strange sensation that was, driving into Manhattan for the first time since July 2007!  I went over the 59th street bridge (the only way I ever go into the city) and got there in record time.  I was in the city by 8:40am, and headed downtown.  The doctor’s office is on 22nd street between Lex and Third.

I wanted to try to find a spot on the street, but the signs are SO confusing.  Now, they don’t have meters anymore, it’s all the Muni Meter and I’m not sure how they work.  There would be three signs stacked one above the other.  One had information about street cleaning.  Another said “No parking 7:00am – 7:00pm exept Sunday.”  The third said “Pay at Muni Meter, etc.”  I couldn’t figure out of the spots were legal or not.

I decided to go to a lot.  I pulled in and saw $15.50.  That was more than I wanted to pay, but – hey – beggars can’t be choosers, and I’d rather overpay then get my car towed or get a ticket, because I’m too dim to understand the parking rules.

I walked about 2 blocks to the doctor’s office.  It was actually rather mild out.  It must have been in the 40s, and with the sun shining it didn’t feel bad at all.  It’s always worse at night, when it’s dark.

When I got to the doctor’s office it was completely packed and I thought I’d be there all day, but I was actually out of there in an hour.  Throat looked perfect.  Nasal passages – fine.  He didn’t make me do that really annoying asthma test where I have to blow really hard into a tube until I feel like my head is going to explode.  Wheeee!

I told him I was basically there because my prescriptions had no more refills and I figured since I was in town, I’d see him, and let him see me!  He gave me a new prescription for my Allegra and the Rhinocort Aqua and I was on my way.

Unfortunately, when I got back to the garage the guy asked for $32.  “Thirty-two dollars!,” I exclaimed.  Well, it turns out it’s $15.50 a HALF hour.  What a rip!  It’s more expensive than the Broadway area!  Anyway, I paid the $32 and just figured it wasn’t a bad deal with my $10 co-pay to see a doctor these days for only $42.  At least we have medical benefits!

I wanted to drive around the city and look at everything, but I also wanted to get home ASAP, because I knew when Eric got home we were just going to turn around and go back into the city for BILLY ELLIOT and I wanted to be ready, so he didn’t have to rush.

I drove past the Rockefeller Center tree, but I forgot how early it is and the scaffolding was still all around it, because they’re still putting up the lights.  I remembered that they don’t light the tree until after Thanksgiving.

I drove back over the bridge and was home in record time.  I came back to the apartment and got everything ready to put on after my shower, and then I took a nap.  I decided to wear the exact same outfit I wore on Saturday night, since I thought it looked good and it was very comfortable.  It’s a black-and-white dress with an empire waist that Eric bought me at Anthropologie in the mall in SD before he came to NY.  I love it!

When Eric got home I told him I thought he had time for a nap, so we did lie down together for about an hour.  Then, I showered, and he showered and we got dressed and left at 5:00pm.  We were in the city and parked by 6:00pm.  The show is at the Imperial Theatre (which, by the way, is the same theatre where DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS played, so Greg is back in the same spot he was last year!).

There is a parking lot right next door, so we parked there, I picked up the tickets and then we went to dinner around the corner at a nice Italian place called SOPHIA’S on 46th Street.  We started with baked clams and then both had delicious pasta dishes – Eric had spaghetti with seafood and I had bow-tie pasta with salmon.

We finished with coffee and shared a piece of tiramisu.  It was lovely and we had a great time.  As we were walking back to the theatre we passed the stage door and a guy was standing there with a BILLY ELLIOT jacket on, so we knew he worked there.

I told him that we were coming to see the show tonight and wanted to come backstage afterwards to see two friends who were in the cast, but they had no idea we were there.  I asked him to please let Greg Jbara and Merle Louise know that we were there and would see them after the show.  He kept repeating, “Peppy and Eric Greenberg, Peppy and Eric Greenberg,” so he wouldn’t forget.  He was really nice.

We went up to our seats.  They were really great in my favorite spot – the front mezzanine.  The only problem is that there’s absolutely no legroom, so it was one of those situations where Eric’s knees are practically under his nose.  I felt so bad, but he said he was fine.

Okay, so now I have to try to explain how unbelievable this show is.  How fantastic the cast is.  How brilliant the music is.  How clever the costumes are.  How funny and touching the story is.  How amazing the actors all were.  How unusual and creative the blocking, choreography and sets were.  It was one of the greatest shows I’ve ever seen – and I’ve seen a lot of shows!

Eric and I both cannot recommend it highly enough.  It’s just an unbelievably unforgettable night of theatre.  I have seen Greg on so many TV shows and saw him perform as Andre three times in DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS.  He was also so funny and cute in IN AND OUT (with Kevin Kline), but this is such a drastic change for him – such a challenging and different role.  We were so impressed.

He plays Billy’s father, who is a miner in England.  There’s a one-year strike and everyone in the small town is suffering.  Billy’s mother died and the father is struggling to raise his two sons – one who is grown and is also a miner, and the other who is 11 and has secret dream.

The two stories are intertwined so beautifully – the struggle of the miners on strike and the story of a boy trying to be himself – and if you’ve seen the movie (which was also a big hit) you know how great that was.  Just imagine the singing, the dancing, and the drama of a great orchestra bringing it all to life – live on stage.  It’s an amazing night.

After the show we went backstage and were told by the manager that they were expecting us and we should go stand onstage.  There was another couple waiting there.  The guy looked familiar, but I couldn’t figure out who he was.  I know he was a Broadway star, because someone else was talking to him about a show he was in and what a shame it was that it closed so soon.  I think his name was Frank and he was very tall with dirty blonde hair.  Any guesses anyone?

After a few minutes, Greg arrived and then Merle was right behind him.  Merle is in the ensemble, but is understudying the role Carole Shelley is playing – the grandmother, which is one of the leads.  We hugged and kissed them both and they were both so surprised and happy to see us.  Merle was explaining to Greg that Eric and I decorated her apartment and Eric and Billy built a fantastic custom wall unit in one room.  Greg was bragging to Merle that we had spent New Year’s Eve at his house with his family and friends in Los Angeles.

We talked about the show – and I know I was gushing, but I just couldn’t help it!  I told Greg he was so different in this role, it was such a stretch from the man I know he is – gentle and loving.  The father really has that underneath all the dirt, coal and pain he has experienced losing his wife and struggling to keep his family going.  He was actually scary in certain parts, when he gets angry with his sons.  He was so happy when I told him that, because I know this was a very different kind of part for him.

We got to meet some of the others in the cast, but didn’t get to meet the young man who played Billy Elliot.  He is really the star of the show – he’s in almost every single scene and is constantly dancing.  That’s why they have three young men and an understudy rotating in the role – it’s one of the most demanding on Broadway and they’re only 13!

When it was time to go it was pouring raining, so we offered to drive Merle home to her apartment on  89th and Broadway.  We said our goodbyes to Greg and hurried with Merle to the car.  We dropped her off and drove back to Queens.  By the time we got back into the apartment it was 12:30pm.  I felt SO bad, because Eric gets up at 4:30am!  He kept saying it was worth it, because it was such a great night.  That made me really happy, because I thought so, too!

I was up at 8:00am and my nose was running and I was blowing and sneezing (as usual).  It doesn’t matter where I am in America – my nose runs in the morning.  That’s just the way it is.  Then, it stops, and I am fine pretty much all day.  Until the next morning!

When I emerged from the bedroom, my parents were both sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper.  I had my cereal for breakfast and we talked about what we were going to do today and tonight.

I was determined to buy new sunglasses and a new purse.  Dad was going to a men’s luncheon at the Club House.

Mom and I were dressed and ready before noon.  She took me to a place called CARNIVAL FLEA MARKET, and the first booth we saw had tons of knock-off pocketbooks.  They’re not even TRYING to look exactly like the original designer.  They just look “kind of like” the original.  I don’t care about designer names.  I just wanted a black purse that had all the compartments I need, and wasn’t too big or too small.  It had to be just right.

The style these days is bigger, but I’m too small for those giant purses.  I also travel heavy, so I need it bigger than the small clutch purses they’re showing these days.  It has to be big enough to carry my wallet, sunglasses, camera (I like to have it with me, because you never know when you’ll need to take a picture!), my phone, and miscellaneous items like tissues, lipstick, mirror, compact, and keys.

I found a Brighton knock-off, which was really cute.  It had handles, which I like, so I can just carry it around, but then a detachable shoulder strap, so I can put it over my shoulder if I’m shopping, or need to have two hands.

It’s not too big, nor too small, and had all the pockets and compartments I need.  Perfect!  Sold!
Next we found a sunglass booth.  They actually had some that fit my face.  They were $10 a pair, two for $18, three for $26.  I found two pairs I liked.  One was purple and the other was brown. 

They also had reading glasses – three pairs for $9.  So, I got three pairs of those, too.  The 99 cent ones I got at TARGET are already falling apart.  The pink ones with the rhinestones broke on the bridge – right between the two lenses.  On another pair, one of the stems broke off.  And I’m not even using them all day – they’re just around the apartment to wear if I need to see something small.

Now, I have two pair of sunglasses and three pair of readers.  I’m set for life.  Well, maybe for a year!

We walked around the flea market a little more, but there was nothing else Mom or I were interested in.  Then, we came back.  It was only 1:00pm.  Dad was still at his luncheon.

Mom made us soup and sandwich for lunch and then we relaxed and watched TV!  My mom is as big a napper as I am.  I am her cloney (that’s what she calls me).  That means I am like her clone, because we are SO alike in SO many ways.  It’s really ridiculous how alike we are.  There are too many ways to list, but here’s a few:

When we sweat, the hair at the back of the neck gets soaking wet.
We can both go all day without eating, but snack like crazy people at night.
We both can resist any sweets, except chocolate – anything chocolate.

We LOVE naps!

We both don’t swim well, and hate exercising.  We avoid exercise at all costs.
We’re non-athletic and never participated in sports (I guess that goes with the not exercising!).
We both have allergies and post-nasal drip and are forever clearing our throats in the morning.

A conversation on the phone with my mom before 10:00am sounds something like this:
“Hi, Mom [cough, cough, throat clearing noise].  How are you?”
“Fine, darling [throat clearing, cough, cough].  What’s doing?”

Anyway, Dad came home at 1:30pm and sat down with us, although he didn’t eat because he had lunch at the Club House.  Then, we all took naps.  When we woke up, we had leftovers.  I had Chinese food from last night and my parents had Italian food from Thursday night.  It was just as good the second time around!

At 7:00pm we left the apartment to go to the WILLOW THEATRE to see Patrick Combs in his one man show – Man 1, Bank 0.  It’s the true story of how he deposited a $95,093.35 ‘non-negotiable’ junk-mail check – hoping to spread a little banking cheer to tellers and how it erupted into a staggering and funny David vs. Goliath-like adventure.  Sounded funny!

There was a holiday display at the theatre, which was obviously for kids, since there was a little step stool in the back for kids to stand on when they stuck their heads in the hole for the camera.  That didn't mean we couldn't have some fun!

Turned out to be very entertaining.  The young man is not an actor, but was a great performer.  This is an absolutely true story, documented with receipts, letters, faxes, and photos shown on a big screen behind him as he tells his story with minimal props.

If you care to read more about it, just google PATRICK COMBS.  The event changed his life.  He is now a best-selling author and motivational speaker!

When we got home my Dad made us a treat of ice cream in chocolate soy milk.  So refreshing!  Then, we retired to our separate rooms to watch SNL.  I didn’t get very far.  I was so exhausted I couldn’t keep my eyes open!

I can’t believe I’m leaving tomorrow.  The three days have flown by so quickly.  We did a lot of running around and had a lot of fun.  My parents made sure they kept me entertained, and that I had everything I needed.  They are the perfect hosts.  So accommodating and caring and just wanting everything to be perfect for me.  Who could ask for anything more?

My phone was charging on the counter in the kitchen, so this morning when it rang, I sprang!  Unfortunately, I couldn’t figure out who it was and I quickly lost the call, but when I went and looked at “calls received” I saw that it was Marygrace.

After I called her husband’s cell (by mistake) and then her at home, she finally called me back.  Turns out her phone accidentally dialed me.  I’ve had that happen, too.  We had a great talk and then I had some breakfast.

I was feeling very congested this morning.  Is it the remnants of my cold, or is it my darling Coco Chanel?  I tend to think it’s the latter, but maybe it’s my “dog paranoia.”

The truth is, I’ve stayed at Susan and Andrew’s for over a half hour on many different occasions and never had a reaction to their poodle, Chelsea, but I WAS holding Coco for about 45 minutes, and petting her.  Anyway, I’m glad it’s nothing too serious.

I just relaxed all morning and watched two episodes of HEROES.  I love that show!  I really enjoyed seeing Seth Green and Breckin Meyer.  I think they’re both fun, young actors and you could just see that appearing in heroes was the Best. Day. Ever. For both of them!

At around 1:00pm I started getting ready for the party.  I know that sounds VERY early, but I had to be at Rosemary’s at 4:00pm, so we could go to the hotel early for the pre-party that was held in one of the rooms.  The firm had rooms for $139 and lots of employees decided it would be fun to stay overnight.  There were actually many pre-parties going on, but I was going to the HR pre-party.

If I was going with Eric, I definitely would have gotten a room, too, but since the hotel is just 20 minutes from the apartment and I don’t drink, I’m not too worried about coming home late by myself.

Anyway, a bunch of HR girls got a room and the pre-party started at 5:00pm.  The real party was starting at 6:00pm, downstairs.  The affair was at the Hyatt Regency in La Jolla.  Everyone I talked said it is a fabulous hotel and they were right.  It was very elegant and fancy and I loved the décor.  I know La Jolla is one of the fanciest neighborhoods in San Diego, so I was not surprised.

I drove to Rosemary’s house and hung out in her beautiful home while she got ready.  She has owned the place since 2001, but lived in Seattle for a few years while she was attending law school and she just came back in June, so she hasn’t done much.

She is anxious for me to help her decorate a few rooms, and I’d love to do it, because the place is so great and has wonderful bones.  It just needs some color.  Right now it’s all very white.

We drove to the hotel, which was only a few miles from where she lives, and went upstairs to the room.  There were about a dozen people partying, and they had a bar set up with lots of liquor.  Everyone got an early start, but I figured I’d wait until I got to the actual party to have a drink, since I’d probably only be having one all night!

After hanging out there for about a half hour, we went upstairs to another room to pick up a bunch more people and then we all headed downstairs to the party.  I am happy to report that I got such a positive reaction to my haircut.  They all assumed I did it in NY, and were surprised to hear I had just done it the night before!

I thought my hair looked great and was happy with it, but it definitely made me feel better when I saw all my friends at the firm and they were so complimentary and enthusiastic about my new look.

I feel bad having to crop the girls out (because they all looked gorgeous), but I just feel funny putting them in my blog without their permission!

The first hour was in a huge hall with three bars set up at the far ends of the room and staff walking around with food on trays.  Eric and I always love the hors d’oeuvres, but I had to listen very carefully, because a lot of them had meat or chicken in them.  They had fabulous little crab cakes with a remoulade sauce and there was also seared tuna with a salsa on tortilla chips.  I didn’t eat too much, and had my one drink for the night – cranberry juice, orange juice, and a touch of vodka.  I couldn’t even taste the vodka – just the way I like it!

We walked around, mingling and saying hello, looking at how beautiful all the girls looked and how handsome all the men looked.  The variety of styles the girls were wearing was very diverse.  There were girls in gowns – real gowns, not just floor-length dresses.  There were girls in gorgeous cocktail dresses.  Some were in fancy pantsuits or dressy outfits, and then there were some who looked like they just left work and headed to the party (even though it WAS a Saturday night!).  I saw one girl in a white sundress with white open-toed mules and thought “Does she know it’s December and this is a holiday party?”  I guess I am too critical, but it just seemed so out of place!

I love looking at shoes and there were some fabulous shoes to be seen at this affair.  I noticed that bejeweled shoes are very big right now.  I’ve been wearing a pair I bought at LORD & TAYLOR on Long Island about 5 years ago and still love them (I wore them to Jessica’s wedding).  For this affair, with my black vintage party dress with the big purple cabbage roses, I wore fabulous black ankle-strap sandals with big black and white flowers on the band going across the toes.  On the flowers are beads, which make them sparkle as you walk.  I love them!

After the cocktail hour, we went into a huge room – I mean it was the biggest ballroom I had ever seen, but there were about 600 people at this event, which is much larger than your usual wedding.  We immediately grabbed two tables right by the stage, so we’d have a great view and would be sure all the HR girls and their dates could sit near each other.

Some, but not all of the tables had a sparkly blue tablecloth.  Ours did!

They had menus on each table setting letting you know what could be found on the buffet tables:

Chilled selections:
Sliced beef steak tomato with buffalo mozzarella (I had some of this)
Two salads: mixed field green and spinach (I had a little of each)
Fresh asparagus finished with tangerine dressing (I picked up a piece of tangerine, because in the dimly-lit room I thought it was a piece of lemon to squeeze on the asparagus.  Imagine my embarrassment!)

Hot selections:
Breast of chicken with sundried tomato pesto and basil beurre blanc
Black pepper crusted roast top round of beef au jus
Shrimp ravioli in a white wine cream (yummy!)
Sauteed mixed vegetables
Yukon Gold potato mash (I could have just had a big plateful of this for dinner and been perfectly happy!)

Dessert and coffee:
Plated trio consisting of mini cappuccino terrine (yum!), mini lemon tart (didn’t touch it) and cranberry swirl cheesecake (had a few tastes).
Starbucks coffee (wheeee!) and tea selections

I really enjoyed it, but didn’t really eat that much, so I didn’t feel stuffed.  Perfect! 

The owner of the company (who was wearing red light-up antlers all night long) made a speech.  I got to shake his hand.  I’m very starstruck by him.  He’s so down-to-earth and such a sweet and kind man who has had such huge success.  He talked about the fact that, although the company was started 34 years ago, they’ve only been having a holiday party for 25 years.  He said that the first few years it was just him, and him, and his dog, and a few family members.  I love this guy!

Then, they gave out raffle prizes.  Each employee got one raffle ticket and could decide to try to win a $500 gift card from BLOOMINGDALES’S, HOME DEPOT, BEST BUY, CRATE & BARREL, or BANANA REPUBLIC.  There were four gift cards for each store, so they gave out $10,000 worth of prizes!  I am happy to report that I knew almost every single person who won!  I’m friends with a girl who won a BLOOMINGDALE’S gift card and I asked her to take me with her.  She said, “Sure!”  Then she turned to the other girls and said, “She’ll hold my packages!”  We all got a good laugh out of that one!

Some of the entertainment they had tonight was a floor show called DANCING ON THE STARS (which sounds a little painful) during dinner.  It was a performance of ballroom dancers, which I love, so I knew that would be fun.  First they had a couple doing the jitterbug.  He was much bigger than her and he was throwing her around like you wouldn’t believe.  They were really fun and did a great job.

Next up was another couple doing a Fred and Ginger-type routine.  Although you could see they were both great dancers, I didn’t feel they were a great couple – it looked to me like they weren’t really partners and had just been paired up for the night.

The jitterbug couple was back in new costumes and did a fabulous tango.  They were really far superior to the other couple and the routine was very sharp and strong – just the way the tango is supposed to be danced.

Lastly, both couples came out and did a mix of dances for a big finale.  I really enjoyed it.  I love couples dancing.  The table had a big discussion about all the dance shows on TV.  I told them I watch them ALL -- SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, DANCING WITH THE STARS, AMERICA'S BEST DANCE CREW.  I have heard about a new dance show starting in January that will have dancers from all over the world in all different styles competing.  I'll be there

After dinner we got on line for the photo room.  They will take your picture and, if you like, put a variety of magazine covers in the background – like ROLLING STONE, COSMO, MAXIM or FORTUNE.  We were on line for almost an hour.  The line was ridiculously long and it took a while, because they would let you approve the picture, print it and put it in a frame while you waited.
I wasn’t even going to get my picture taken.  I was just standing with all the HR girls, because they always take a group picture.  They asked me to be in it, but I felt it wasn’t right, because I had only been there for a few months and wasn’t there anymore.  I took a lot of pictures of them all while they were being posed and took the same picture the photographer took.  I hate having my picture taken anyway, and knew I wouldn’t be happy with it, so why bother?

After that, one of the girls asked me to do the DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION game with her.  It’s a high-tech dueling simulator where you have to follow the arrows and step left, right, back and front.  Although I consider myself to be very coordinated, I could not keep up and also could not stop laughing.  It was hysterical and we had a huge crowd around us, which didn’t help my concentration!  One of the girls told me she filmed the entire escapade.  Can’t wait to see it!

After that, I was ready to sit down, but there’s no rest for the weary.  We got on line next for the Tarot readers and – believe it or not – were there for an hour and a half!  It’s a good thing we were near food and drink (I had a cup of decaf coffee) and were having a load of laughs, because we were just standing around.  I guess they didn’t realize how popular the Tarot readers would be, because they probably should have had four, instead of two!

At one point, while we were on line, one of the Tarot readers said she had to take a break.  It seemed like she was gone for a while and I said, "I wonder where she went!"  One guy said, "She's probably doing DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION!"  I thought that was the funniest thing I heard all night.  Just the image of the psychic -- who was wearing a very gypsy-like outfit with a Santa hat -- on the DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION game was hysterical.

I had my reading, which I thought was pretty accurate, and then we got on line to get a reading from the OTHER Tarot reader, just to see what she would say.  I guess we were gluttons for punishment.

In the BLU lounge – where they had the Tarot card readings, they also had live music (a quiet quartet), foosball and billiards, and the late night dessert buffet!

In the Casino they had Blackjack, Poker, Craps, and Roulette.  They gave you chips and you could play to win gift card prizes.

By the time we were done with our second Tarot reading, it was midnight, and we went back upstairs to one of the rooms where the girls were hanging out.  I was so jealous, because the girls that were staying over were already in their pajamas, and I still had on my tight dress and high heels.  I was ready to get in MY pajamas, too!

At around 1:00am we left.  I dropped Rosemary off at home and got to the apartment before 1:30am.  I got into bed and started watching SNL, but I didn’t last too long.

Tonight was really fantastic.  We hit all the rooms and all the fun!  It was so great to see all my friends again after three weeks away.  I’ve really missed the girls in HR, and some of the other people I had seen on a day-to-day basis for the last 10 months!

It’s always fun to go to an office party and see people dressed to the nines and having fun, instead of delivering mail, or staring at a computer screen in a cubicle.  So, I really enjoyed the whole night.  I don’t know when I’ll get to see them again, or if I’ll ever work there again, but this was definitely the way I’ll always remember them all!

I couldn’t believe it when I heard the rain outside again.  How lucky was I to have a perfect, beautiful, sunny day yesterday for my birthday?  It poured all day Monday, and it poured all day today.  You might think it’s a wonderful thing, since San Diego is so dry and everything needs water, but this much water just causes massive flooding.  Today I heard about a ranch where horses were drowning and some had to be put to sleep because of injuries they sustained.  That makes me SO sad.  People are losing their homes due to this much rain.

I was supposed to have lunch with Tifney today, but when I hung up with Eric at 9:00am, I decided I wasn’t going out in this weather just for lunch! I called Tifney and rescheduled for tomorrow, even though it’s supposed to rain tomorrow, too!  Oh, well.  We’ll see.

I worked on Marlene’s mirror a LOT today – for about 4 hours.  Once I get started, it’s very hard to stop!  I got a lot done, but – as I said before – this is a very challenging project, so I really don’t move too fast.

I stayed in all day, because I knew I was going out tonight with Rosemary to see DANCING WITH THE STARS.  I wanted to get dressed up, but it was so nasty out, so I wore jeans, a leopard velour top, a brown velour cardigan and my black raincoat.  I also wore my practical black maryjanes, although I was tempted to wear knee-high rain boots I still own!  I didn’t bring my snow boots to San Diego, but I DID bring my rain boots.  I wore them a few times while we were in the RV, when it would rain and the campground would get muddy.

I was hoping and praying that the weather would improve by the time Rosemary picked me up, but when she called me from the road at a little after 4:00pm, it was still pouring.  I hate to complain, since – as Eric said – it’s beautiful for about 350 days a year and the two weeks that it rains everyone complains!  It’s true.  But it’s not just the rain – it’s chilly out, too!  I had the heat on all day today!  I figure if I’m going to be this cold – snuggling in my new fleece bathrobe and Dearfoam slippers – I may as well be in NY with Eric!

Anyway, Rosemary picked me up at 4:45pm and we headed to THE OLIVE GARDEN, which is right across the street from the SPORTS ARENA where the show took place.  It was convenient and I really do like their food!

We shared fried calamari and fried raviolis and each had salad and breadsticks (what else?).  I got Eggplant Parmagiana with spaghetti and Rosemary got Steak Toscano (Grilled 14 oz choice center cut Strip steak brushed with Italian herbs and extra-virgin olive oil. Served with Tuscan potatoes and bell peppers).

We were too stuffed for dessert!  I took home most of my eggplant and she took most of her steak!  We got back in the car, drove across the street and parked in the big arena parking lot.  We were lucky it had stopped raining, and it even warmed up a little!  We had good seats and were sitting for about a half hour, when an usher came and let everybody move down to the next section.  I guess the show wasn’t sold out and they figured it was better for the performers to have people in the closer seats.  Now, we were in the SECOND ROW -- right off the floor!!!!!  There were about 70 tables on the floor in a u-shape around the huge dance floor.  There were stairs leading up to a small stage and the band was behind that.

There's Marlee in the opening number!

We were all the way on one side, but I knew we were in a great spot, because all the dancing takes place on the dance floor, and not on the stage.  Turns out, we had FANTASTIC seats, because all the dancers came out and stood right by us, before they went onstage to dance.  At one point, Cheryl Burke (my favorite female professional) smiled RIGHT AT ME!!!!  I was so starstruck!  Rosemary couldn’t believe it either!

These little kids were the cutest of all the amateurs dancing!

Towards the end, Maxim (my favorite male professional) was standing right by us and I waved my hands madly.  He looked at me, smiled, and waved his hands wildly right back.  Rosemary and I were laughing so hard and we both wish we could have caught a picture of that!

Maurice Greene (2-time Olympic Gold medalist) and his partner, Cheryl Burke.

They started the show with an amateur competition, but it was VERY amateur, because they all were pretty bad.  They did one dance, narrowed it to 5 couples, did one more dance and narrowed it to 2 couples.  Then, later on in the show, the two couples did another dance and we had to text to vote.  Neither Rosemary or I bothered.  I’m sure most of the people who voted were the family and friends of the competitors!

The blonde guy is Derek Hough -- such a cutie -- one of the professional dancers!

Then, the show started.  The band was fantastic with two male and two female singers.  They played quite a variety of the latest hits (Beyonce, Rhianna, Jennifer Hudson, and some classics – (Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Sinatra, etc.).

This was an adorable number danced to "Fly Me To The Moon!"

There were 37 dance numbers – yes 37!  They had just as many costume changes.  It was an amazing show.  The stars were Marlee Matlin (from season 5), and Maurice Greene, Toni Braxton, and Lance Bass from season 6.  They all did a great job, but it’s really the professionals that dazzle.  They are such amazing athletes and they do most of the dancing all night.  I’d say the stars were in about 10-12 numbers, but the pros were in at least 20 each!  I don’t know how the girls do it – in their high heels!

Marlee Matlin in a fabulous tribute to Marilyn Monroe -- wearing the exact same outfit she wore in "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend."

Rosemary is not a fan of DWTS and never watched an entire season, so she wasn’t super-enthusiastic to go, but she knew we’d have fun together (we always do).  She told me she had such a great time and was so impressed that she’s going to watch next season!  A new fan!

She loves dancing, and said she’d love to take dancing lessons.  I told her I’ve been wanting to do that again for years, and maybe she and I can do it before I leave San Diego!

Lance did a sexy number with four of the pros to Michael Buble's arrangement of "Feelin' Good."

After the show we walked back to the car.  It still wasn’t raining and I’m hoping it’s gone for good, but they’re saying it could still rain more tomorrow!

When I got home I got undressed and into my fluffy robe and downloaded all the pictures I took.  As you can see, there was no rule against the taking of flash photography!!!  Everyone was taking pictures all night!  I think I really got some great shots!  What a fun night!

Toni Braxton (6-time Grammy Winner!) sang her biggest hit -- UNBREAK MY HEART!

A great shot of Maxim dancing!

Sexy Marlee in another number!

Cheryl and Maurice!

Edyta is famous for her amazing lifts.  Look at those legs!

 There's my boy Lance!  He was my favorite star this season.  I voted for him every week!

I was so excited, because I was going out to dinner and the movies with my girlfriends tonight and I really needed a night out!  I had been in the house, working and just hanging around, for pretty much four days, with only a few trips out of the house.

It was a gorgeous day, so I got dressed and drove to STARBUCKS and then went to KEIL’S for a fast foodshopping before heading up to Del Mar to meet Rosemary and Michelle.  They were getting out of work early, so we were meeting at 4:00pm.

I spoke to Eric a few times and he was happy that I was going out with my friends, and that I was going to see THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, because I had told him I was very interested in the story, and he knows how much I love Brad Pitt!

I met Rosemary at the parking lot of the office, left my car and got into hers.  Then, we drove a few exits north to a shopping center where the sushi restaurant is and met Michelle there.  Unfortunately, it was 4:00pm and the sushi restaurant doesn’t open until 5:00pm, so we walked down a few doors to a Vietnamese restaurant that Michelle recommended very highly.

We all got #59 – Some kind of noodle dish with egg rolls in a big bowl.  Rosemary got chicken in her egg rolls and Michelle and I had vegetarian egg rolls.  They were cut into bite-sized pieces and there was lettuce and other vegetables along with the rice noodles in this big bowl with a lovely sauce to pour on top.  I enjoyed it very much!

After dinner we had plenty of time, since the movie wasn’t until 6:50pm, so we went to BORDERS.  We left Rosemary’s car in the shopping center and drove in Michelle’s car to another shopping center where the store was.  There was so much fabulous stuff there I wish I had a gift card there, instead of BARNES & NOBLE.  There were all kinds of great chatchkas and wrapping paper, shopping bags, journals, and fun stuff.  I could have spent a fortune.  Fortunately, I kept myself in check and just spent $1.25 on a postcard to send to my Mom.  It has a picture of a 1950s woman on the cover who is saying “Oh My God! My Mother Was Right About Everything!”  I just couldn’t resist.  I know she’ll get a big kick out of it when she gets it in the mail!

We got to the movie just as it was starting and sat in the last row.  It’s a very small theatre, so it was just fine for all of us.  I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed the movie.  Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton and Taraji P. Henson.  I was mystified, because I definitely recognized Taraji P. Henson's face, but I didn't know that name at all.  I went and looked at her list of credits and she was in several episodes of ELI STONE and BOSTON LEGAL, both of which are on my "always watch" list, so that's where I've seen her before!  She was fantastic as his adoptive mother.

If you’d like to watch the trailer and some other clips, click here:

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809785152/video/10367223/20081024/160/10367223-300-wmv-s.73952782-,10367223-100-flash-s.73952790-,10367223-700-wmv-s.73952784-,10367223-100-wmv-s.73952776-,10367223-300-flash-s.73952792-,10367223-1000-wmv-s.73952787-,10367223-700-flash-s.73952795-,10367223-1000-flash-s.73952797-,10367224-6800-qtv-s.73952800-,10367224-2700-qtv-s.73952799-,10367224-10300-qtv-s.73952802-

When the movie was over, we talked all the way to the car, and then in the car as Michelle drove us back to the shopping center where Rosemary’s car was parked. We were all so intrigued by the story, which is from a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  We talked about all the actors (especially Brad) and how beautifully they portrayed the characters in the movie.  I really, really enjoyed it!

I have always loved Brad Pitt, not only because he's super-gorgeous, but because he's a great actor, who can be really funny (his episode on FRIENDS is one of my all-time favorites, he's great in THE MEXICAN, and he's amazing in BURN BEFORE READING), and also can bring you to tears (I cried my eyes out in LEGENDS OF THE FALL).  He's one of my favorite contemporary actors and I always enjoy him.

When Rosemary dropped me back off at the office, I got in my car and called Eric as I drove to I-5.  I knew it was late in NY, but he had told me to call him when I got out of the movies, so even though it was just after 12:30pm, I decided to give him a call.  He answered and I could tell I woke him, but I just wanted to tell him I loved him and say goodnight.  He asked how the movie was and I told him it was great, and even though I loved Brad Pitt, I loved him a lot more.  And he said, “And he’s a very loveable guy!”  I got a laugh out of that, and then I told him to go back to sleep and drove home.

When I got home I found out I had “exceeded my bandwidth” again (whatever that means) and I was unable to access my blog.  I typed my entry (I always type it in WORD first and then cut and paste it into the blog), but I’m hoping the blog is “fixed” tomorrow, so I can post this.  So, this is late, with my apologies! 

I woke up around 9:00am and called Eric.  He had just finished a fast ride in  Cunningham Park and was hanging out at “the shop,” which is the bicycle shop he used to co-own, which is still a great success after 10 years.

I called Rosemary at around 11:30am to find out if she was feeling up to going to a movie.  She said she was much better, so we made plans for her to pick me up at 2:30pm and we would go out to eat and then see THE READER at 4:20pm.

We went to a shopping center in La Jolla and ate at a place called BJ’s which, unlike the discount warehouse store in NY, is a great pizza place known for their deep dish pizzas.

We shared a salad and a Spinach and Artichoke deep dish pizza, which was really amazingly delicious. We each took a piece home to have for lunch tomorrow!

THE READER is an amazing movie which takes place in a period of time between 1959 and 1995 in Germany.  It is about a relationship a young boy (15) has with an older woman (Kate Winslet).  It was beautifully filmed, and the acting was wonderful.  There is a young man who plays Michael as a boy (David Kross), and Ralph Fiennes plays him as a man.  I highly recommend it!

After the movies, we drove back to Clairemont, went through the STARBUCKS drive-through and then came back to the apartment.  I gave Rosemary the 5 cent tour, and then we just talked about the movie, and decorating.  Rosemary loved the apartment and all my knick-knacks, the artwork, all the shelves Eric hung, and the apartment itself.

She was impressed with the size of the rooms (they ARE big!) and loved the way I have it decorated.  I told her I was happy she got to see it, before it’s all packed up and gone.  This is a great apartment and I hope Eric and I can find something similar in Queens when I get back in the spring.

After Rosemary left I worked on my typing project.  I felt kind of guilty, because I didn’t work on it all weekend.  There’s no rush on the project, but I feel like I can’t start my craft project until the typing is done, and I DO want to get to the decoupaged box I am commissioned to make, so I need to finish typing!

I’m half hoping/half dreading getting a call from the agencies this week.  I do want to go back to work, but not before I finish all my projects!  I must get busy this week, in case they really do call!

Okay, so I can finally talk about what I’ve been working on this week.  I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure it was a “done deal” and it now seems definite.  One of my girlfriends from work spoke (on Facebook) about a contest they’re having for the Grammy Awards called, “My Grammy Moment.”  They’ve had it for the past couple of years.  Last year, a woman got to play her violin with THE FOO FIGHTERS, which was pretty cool.

This year it’s kind of a rip-off, because you don’t actually get to perform LIVE.  You create a one-minute video singing or lip syncing to I KISSED A GIRL by Katy Perry, which will play during her performance at the Grammy Awards.

Anyway, Stacie said she wanted to do it, but thought they wouldn’t be interested in a mother of two.  I told her that’s EXACTLY why she should do it, because most of the entry videos would be from tweens and teens who would be standing in their bedrooms.

I told her if she was nervous about it, I would direct her!  Elsa volunteered to shoot it with her camera.  The song is three minutes long and Stacie and I agreed that the last minute is the best part.  I blocked (which is like choreography, but it’s movement, rather than dance) the whole portion of the song and we worked on it today.  Elsa filmed us, so she could practice with the camera and Stacie did a great job.  She picks things up fast and moves really well.  She’s also very outgoing.  She should have been a performer!

I was interested in finding the perfect location to shoot the video, so I have been “scouting locations” around San Diego for the past few days.  I just knew we had to do it in an unusual spot – not inside someone’s house.  I found a great place in a shopping center, using an escalator, which I thought would be so interesting, but I went to talk to the management of the mall and they said, “Absolutely not.”  They were very nice about it, and I kind of knew they wouldn’t let us, so I wasn’t surprised.

I ended up finding a much better location in Hillcrest.  I was driving to look at the store window of a store that I thought would be fun, because it’s a vintage store and they have gorgeous mannequins in the window, dressed in vintage clothing.  As I was driving there I saw a young girl painting one of those transformer boxes.  (You may remember that when Eric and I first arrived in San Diego I photographed all the transformer boxes and put them on the blog, because I was so impressed with them.)

Anyway, it was a HUGE one and she was doing a design with black and white checks with a huge red heart in the middle.  In the middle of the heart was a woman’s eye, with long eyelashes.  It was PERFECT!

I took a picture with my cell phone and sent it to Stacie and talked to the artist, whose name is Hillary, and I told her that I was going to shoot a video in front of her work on Sunday.  She was very shy and didn’t say much, but I could see she was flattered and seemed happy.  I gave her my card and told her if she was interested in seeing the video when it was done she could email me and I’d send her the link.

So, today I met Stacie and Elsa at 12:45pm and we just drove over to the parking lot where I used to park my car when I was working in the office and we put the CD into my car and rehearsed for ½ hour.  Stacie has great moves, and she’s gorgeous, and I knew she’d do a great job.

I gave her a “script” which had the lyrics with all the blocking typed in, too, so she didn’t even have to write anything down.  I told her she needed to rehearse it 100 times before Sunday and she said that wouldn’t be a problem.

When it’s uploaded, I will put the link here, so you can all watch it and vote for her.  Wouldn’t it be AMAZING if she won and we all got to watch her video play on TV during the Grammy Awards?  There are going to be three winners.  If you go and watch the ones that are posted so far, they go from bad to worse.  There were only 1 or 2 that I thought were “half decent.”  So, I think she’s got a great chance!

She is going to wear all black with a faux leopard shawl that I lent her (it’s actually corduroy).  Leopard always looks sexy, plus it’s a very vintage look, and Katy Perry is ALL about vintage.  That’s why I like her so much!

After working with Stacie and Elsa I left and drove to a shopping center in La Jolla (where I found the great escalator location!).  It’s right by a DSW shoe store and I had been in there a few times drooling over these purple satin platform ankle-strap shoes I REALLY wanted.  Every time I went, there was just one pair of 6.5 left and I told myself if they were still there today, by golly, I was going to buy them.

I talked to Eric on the phone right as I was parking the car and I told him where I was headed.  He was very happy for me and was glad I was going to purchase them and told me to call him as soon as I left, to let him know if they were still there.  I actually did better than that.  They were still there and I took a picture of one foot wearing the shoe and sent it to him with my cell phone.  He loved it!

After that I came home and put the black ball feet on my decoupaged box.  First, I went to ACE HARDWARE and bought four screws, nuts, and washers.  Then, I came back home and put it all together.  I used hot glue and the screws to apply the ball feet and they came out great and will never fall off.  Those things are on for good!  I was so proud of myself, because that is a part of the job I would always leave to Eric.  He’s so handy and he can fix anything, or put anything together and he always does those kind of projects.

Now, the only step left is to line the inside with black velvet.  That gives it a really finished look, and is also very luxurious!  Kristin is SO excited.  She can’t wait!  It will probably be finished over the weekend and I can give it to her next week!

I have another project to work on.  Elsa gave me some great pictures of her trip to Europe with her husband, Stephen and I’m going to make her a “photo collage.”  I’m actually using a rectangular frame I have.  I’ll glue all the pictures and other decorative paper to the glass and then put it back in the frame.  It’s not going to be reverse decoupage, where you put the pictures on the back of the glass.  I am going to glue the pictures right to the front and then varnish it, so that it will not be covered by glass when it’s done.  I find that unless you have non-glare glass (and this isn’t non-glare) it doesn’t look as good to put the paper on the back as it does on the front.
I’d like to do a project for each of my girlfriends, before I leave San Diego.  Then they’ll always have something to remind them of me!

Tomorrow I’m having lunch with Tifney.  The office has a half day tomorrow and Monday off, so she’s meeting me here in Clairemont at 11:30am.  (They always get ½ day before a day off.  Isn’t that a cool perk?)

I’m not sure where I’ll take her yet, but there are at least 3-4 nice restaurants in the Clairemont Town Square, so we’ll probably go there, unless she wants to go to another neighborhood.  I’m up for anything.  I just love Tifney’s company!

I was up at the unusual hour of 6:45am this morning, so I could get ready for Elsa and Stacie to pick me up at 8:00am.  They were right on time and we headed to Hillcrest to shoot Stacie’s video performing "I KISSED A GIRL" by Katy Perry for MY GRAMMY MOMENT.  We parked the car in a little lot that was right next to the transformer box where we were shooting, so the car was just a few feet away.

I helped Stacie put on her false eyelashes, and then picked out some of her mom’s fabulous vintage costume bracelets for her to wear.  She wore a black shirt and black jeans and sneakers and my vintage corduroy leopard shawl.  She is gorgeous and her red lipstick and blonde hair looked fabulous.

Her husband had put the portion of the song on a CD about 20 times, so we could do take after take.  Elsa set up the camera on a tripod, and we started.  People were driving by and watching us film and they kept clapping and giving us the thumbs up.  They loved it!  I was afraid Stacie would be inhibited by the people, but she wasn't at all.  She's a pro!

Stacie did it over and over and each one was perfect.  I couldn’t believe how great she was doing.  She’s not a performer and except for some shows she did in school years ago, she has never been on stage.  She was a natural!  I didn’t have to give her any tips.  She followed the blocking and choreography I gave her, but added her own twist on a few things and really made it her own.

Elsa did a great job filming.  Stacie did it about 5 times and the last one was absolutely perfect.  I said, “I don’t think we need to do anymore!”  She and Elsa watched it and we all agreed it was great.  We packed up, and went down the block to a deli for breakfast.  We had done it in less than an hour and we were really happy!

We had a lot of fun.  Elsa and Stacie work together, and I was working with both of them in HR for the last 3 months I was at the firm.  I really miss both of them and it was great to do this project, because we got to spend some quality time together.

I told them I was so happy we did it, because after I go back to NY they’ll always remember me.  They said, “How could we ever forget you?” which, of course, made me feel really good!

After breakfast, they dropped me back off at home and I did stuff around the apartment.  Stacie was going to work on getting the video uploaded, so we could start voting!

Stacie wrote me this evening and told me the video had been uploaded and approved and was now ready for viewing and voting.  If you’d like to see her submission and vote for her (multiple times) click here:  STACIE'S VIDEO!

You can vote over and over again, so please do.  You don’t have to watch it every time.  Just click on the link and click to vote!  THANKS!

This afternoon I worked on a couple of projects and took a nap, too (after all, I WAS up early!).  I also photographed my completed decoupaged box, but when I uploaded the photos to my computer, I wasn't happy with the way them came out, so I have to do it again tomorrow.

I wanted to put away the NY Empire State Building hankie I bought yesterday, but it was really wrinkled, so I decided to set up the iron and ironing board and iron it.  I did it and then got one of my three small wicker suitcases that holds my hankie collection.  I have no idea how many hankies I have, but I’d guess it’s around two or three hundred.

Instead of just putting the ironed one in there and putting the suitcase away, I started ironing more, and spent the next four hours watching an AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL marathon (first season – which I had never seen before) and ironing hankies.  As I ironed I divided them up into categories: all-over printed florals, embroidery and lace, subjects other than flowers (animals, geishas, ballerinas, etc.) and graphics (plaids, polka-dots, stripes, etc.).  I ironed every one in the wicker suitcase.  I was exhausted and stopped at around 9:00pm.

I have two other suitcases filled with hankies.  Am I REALLY going to start ironing and categorizing all of them?  Am I nuts?  Maybe.  I do have to completely clean the apartment over the next three days, because Tifney is coming over with her son on Wednesday night.  We’re going to MOUNTAIN MIKE’S across the street for dinner and then they’ll come back here to hang out and have dessert.

I want the apartment to look great and because I’ve been crafting, it’s a big mess again.  So, I have a lot of cleaning to do.  Do I really want another big project – ironing all the hankies?  I have to see how far I’ll get with this before I give up.

After the ANTM marathon, I watched EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION and worked on the computer for a while.

I had a really great morning and it was a lot of fun.  Now, I have to promote Stacie and make sure she gets enough votes to win this thing!!!!

OMG!  How excited was I when I woke up this morning at 8:00am and started voting and saw that Stacie had moved up significantly on the “most watched list?”  I only stopped to call Eric at 9:00am, eat breakfast, and answer emails.  Otherwise, I kept voting.  I voted until 11:30pm last night and knew we only had until noon today to get her into the Top 20.

She kept moving up, and up, and up and ended up 7th in the Top 20.  Voting ended at noon and the Top 20 was announced.  She is SO excited about this, as is everyone else involved.  I kind of think it may be the most exciting thing that’s happened to her in a long time.

Stacie is adorable.  She’s smart, funny, beautiful (as you can see from the video) and she’s a great girl.  She is the mother of 2 young boys and is one of the senior managers in HR.  I have been so impressed by her from the time that I met her.

When she mentioned that she wanted to do this, but thought no one would want to see a 37-year-old mother of 2, I told her that’s EXACTLY what people would want to see, and that I REALLY thought she should do it, and I was willing to direct her, if that would convince her.

The rest of the videos were exactly what I predicted – unprofessional, amateurish, silly, over-the-top, or completely unwatchable.  Only 3 or 4 of the Top 20 are any competition at all.  The problem is that the first step to winning is by votes – so the 20 that got the most votes were in the Top 20 and it had nothing to do with talent.

The further the competition goes, the more the judges are involved and the less it has to do with voting, although we still need to vote until the end.  Anyway, I voted, and voted, and voted some more until noon.

Well, it worked!  The entire office has been voting, along with all my friends, and all Stacie’s friends, and the friends of all our friends in the office.  We have sailors on board ships out to sea voting.  We have parents of school mates voting.  And I’m hoping I’ve got YOU voting!

Now that she’s in the Top 20, we’re voting to get her into the Top 10.  It’s fun.  We email each other, communicate on FACEBOOK, text each other, and call each other.  Jimmy texts me or emails me to let me know he’s voting.  I’ve been getting emails from other friends letting me know they’ve been voting.  I sent an email to 80 friends at the beginning of the voting process, and then sent it out again today, to ask them to keep voting.

After she got into the Top 20, I figured I could relax this afternoon, leave my computer for a while, and go out in the afternoon.  It rained last night, so the ground was wet, but it was a lovely day. First I went to COSTCO, because the other day I just got gas.  This time I went inside and got Kleenex tissues (I had a $3.50 off coupon) and I got chocolate soy milk, too.  I also had lunch!  There was spinach ravioli (super yummy), veggie burrito bites, swiss cheese on crackers, salad with a light Ranch dressing, and 7 layer dip with beans, sour cream, guacamole and salsa on chips.  I could have purchased each thing I tasted, because it was all delicious, but I resisted.  I figure eating it there is okay, as long as I don’t bring it home!

After COSTCO, I went to pick up my dress at the tailor.  She did a beautiful job and it fits perfectly!  Can't wait to wear it!  Then, I went to MICHAEL’S.  I had two “50% off one item” coupons that expire tomorrow.  I walked around trying to find something to buy, but I couldn’t justify anything, so I ended up handing the two coupons to two women waiting on line at the check-out.  They were very grateful!

After that, I hit Starbucks and then headed to KEIL’S.  I was able to get a case of DIET LEMON SNAPPLE, so I picked that up and went back to the apartment.  I carried my drink, my dress and my purse and picked up my mail.  Then, I went back to the car with my cart and brought back the soy milk, case of Snapple, and tissues.  I unpacked everything and called Eric.

I feel so bad, because he has a bad cold.  He told me he was going to rub some VICKS on his chest and take some NYQUIL and go to sleep.  My poor honey.  I hate the smell of VICKS, but he swears that it helps.  I’m kind of glad I’m not there right now, because his apartment is going to stink of Vicks and also he is the biggest baby when he’s sick.  I always say Eric could have his arm hanging by a thread and he’d just ask for a bandaid, but when he gets a cold, or is sick in any way, he just can’t handle it.  I know a lot of men are like that, and I just never understood it!

Anyway, I’m glad he has the weekend to relax and feel better and doesn’t have to get up at the crack of dawn and commute to work with a cold.

When I went through my mail, I saw that I had something that belonged to one of the other tenants.  This has happened before (I often wonder who's getting MY mail).  Anyway, since it was just two apartments down, I decided to walk down there and deliver it.  The door was open, so I knew someone was home.  I rang the bell and a young man answered.  I asked him of the person whose name was on the mail lived there (a woman).  He said yes and I told him that her mail was accidentally put in my box.  Instead of thanking me, he held up the envelope and said, "Is this all of it?"

I was shocked and annoyed.  He realized immediately that he had said something stupid, but before he could apologize, I said, "So you think I brought you some of the mail and kept the rest?"  He apologized and I just shook my head and walked back to my apartment.  People!

I decided to relax for a while.  I watched some decorating shows on HGTV and started falling asleep, so I took a nap.  I woke up at 6:00pm.  Then, my cousin Ilene called.  Talk about adventures!  There are very few people I know who have more wonderful adventures than Ilene. 

First of all, she is a pro at entering contests – all kinds of contests.  Radio contests, magazine contests, TV contests, internet contests – and she usually wins!  I can’t name all the things she’s won, but I know she won an expensive car, tickets to tons of shows, amusement parks, etc.

Just recently she got tickets to see ELLEN and of course she got to go during the "12 days of giveaways" shows that Ellen does at the holidays.  They got all kinds of great electronics, including a big flat-screen TV!  She’s just very lucky, but also knows how to have fun!

She called tonight to tell me that she’s going to be eating dinner in HELL’S KITCHEN tomorrow.  Eric and I LOVE that show.  It’s one of our favorite reality shows.  If you’ve ever seen it, you know that they have an actual restaurant in Los Angeles on the reality show and the contestants have to cook food for customers.  Sometimes it doesn’t turn out very well, because people can wait hours to be served, but most of the time they get great food and it’s free – and the best part is they get so see a show being filmed and meet GORDON RAMSEY!!!  I have such a crush on him!  I told Ilene she has to let me know if he’s as handsome in person as he is on TV.

When Stacie, Elsa and I were rehearsing for Stacie’s video, they said they were having so much fun.  I told them that, speaking from experience (because I’m at least 10 years older than either of them), you have to make your own adventures.  You have to bring some excitement into your life – in any way you can – in whatever way makes you happy.  It could be taking a class, learning a new sport or craft, entering contests, or joining a club.

Everybody’s different and enjoys different things, but if all you do is go to work, go home, and you never vary your day, stir it up, mix it up, or try something new, life will get very boring very fast.

Anyway, Ilene is a perfect example of keeping life exciting.  She is the mother of three and has a very busy job, a bustling home life, and a full schedule, but she always manages to throw some fun in there and keep life exciting.  I love that about her!

For dinner I had more of my lovely salad with salmon.  Fridays are one of my favorites nights on TV, because I love GHOST WHISPERER, MONK, and PSYCH.  I got to watch all of them tonight and enjoyed every minute.

Gena Rowlands guest-starred on MONK and in the show her son was named Paulie.  That made me smile, because she is in one of my favorite movies about a parrot named Paulie.  Then, I realized that Tony Shalhoub is ALSO in that movie and I made the connection!  I know they had the character’s son be named Paulie as a tribute to the movie of the same name, which was made in 1998 and also starred Jay Mohr, Bruce Davison, Cheech Marin and Trini Alvarado!

Tomorrow I’m going to a movie with Tifney and her son, Josh.  She has a friend who stars in an independent film.  It’s really a documentary about a bunch of biker chicks who take off on their Harleys for Graceland, but it’s all for a good cause!

The movie is called TWENTY WHEELS TO MEMPHIS.  I was excited when Tifney asked me to go to the movies, because I had no plans, and she’s so much fun to be with.  Then, she told me what the movie was, and I was intrigued, because I have always loved motorcycles.  Then, when I found out they ride to Graceland, I was even more interested, because Eric and I LOVED Graceland and dream of going back there some day.

We had no idea how much we would love Memphis, and what an impact Elvis’ house and the tour would have on us.  I always loved Elvis Presley movies, but was not a huge fan of his music.  You just cannot go to Graceland without falling in love with Elvis.  Eric and I both felt it.  It’s just an amazing place and a really touching and moving experience.  I recommend it highly.  Memphis is also home to BEALE STREET and was the first place we ever tasted Red Velvet Cake (Elvis' favorite), so it has many wonderful memories!

So, I actually have to get up and out early, because Tif is picking me up at 11:30am.  We’ll go to Encinitas, where the theatre is, and have lunch before the movie.  I’m excited!

I was up late and woke up early again today – way earlier than I needed to be.  I’m really not getting my beauty sleep!

I tried Eric a few times, but he didn’t answer the phone.  I figured he was in a VICKS and NYQUIL-induced stupor (I was right!).  I DID hear from my friend Marygrace, and we had a great time catching up.  I really miss my friends in NY.  When I talk to them, and then think about going home and actually getting to see them, it really makes me happy.  Hear that, NY?  Peppy’s comin’ home!

I spent at least an hour voting for Stacie (on and off while I answered emails, checked out FACEBOOK, and had breakfast).

I finally talked to Eric and he said he was feeling better, but was still very much “under the weather.”

I started to get ready for my day out with Tifney.  I wasn’t sure what to wear to a biker movie, so I just wore my black jeans, a red camisole with a black sweater over it and my red patent leather sandals.  I also wore a fabric purse I bought in New Orleans which has pictures of skulls and roses all over it.  I figured it was biker-appropriate!  If it wasn’t so hot out, I would have worn my black leather biker jacket (which is really Eric’s).

I needed to get some cash, so I walked across the street to CITIBANK and took out some money.  As I was walking back to the apartment I saw Tifney and Josh pull up.  I had asked all the girls to get me boxes from the office and Tifney brought me three, so we left Josh in the car and threw them in the apartment before heading to Starbucks.

Once we all had our drinks in hand, we headed north on I-5 to Encinitas (about 20 miles).  It was supposed to rain all weekend, but it was such a gorgeous day.  We had a nice drive and got there a little before noon, but the movie started at 1:00pm and we didn't think we had time to eat, so we decided to just hang out with all the bikers in front of the theatre, buy tickets, see the movie, and then eat lunch afterwards.

The historic La Paloma Theatre was built in 1928 and has great character, including Spanish-style architecture, mosaics, tile work, and details.

I got to meet a lot of the Girlz to Graceland – the 10 women who rode their Harleys from San Diego to Memphis and back in order to donate their time and toys to children at a homeless shelter called PRESLEY PLACE.

The movie didn’t start until almost 1:30pm, but it was just an hour long and held my interest the entire time.  I know traveling across the country is an adventure, but doing it on a bike is something I don’t think I could do.  Not only did they ride in 118 degree weather (you should see the “sunglass tans” they all had), but they also rode through thunder, rain, and cold snaps.  At least they slept in nice motels or hotels every night!

The camaraderie and sisterhood they experienced, right from the start, was apparent and was a beautiful thing to see.  One of the girls is ill with cancer and was only able to ride part of the way with them.  Unfortunately, she now has stage 4 cancer and was unable to attend the filming today.  The movie is dedicated to her, and it was very touching.

After the movie the Girlz got on stage and did a Q&A and they raffled off some prizes to raise money for their friend.  Then, we left and went down the block to a pizza place for lunch.  By now, I was starving.  Tifney and I split a salad with grilled shrimp and a “macaroni and cheese with lobster” appetizer.  It was the perfect amount of food and the mac and cheese with lobster was SO good.  Who would ever think to put those two things together?

After lunch we drove back to Clairemont and they dropped me off.  I had a wonderful day and it was another great adventure in San Diego!

Tifney, and her childhood friend, Jett, whose idea it was to drive to Graceland, and who inspired the movie!

When I got back to the apartment I called Eric, but he told me he just took more NYQUIL and was falling asleep, so I told him I’d talk to him tomorrow.  Then, I started watching another reality show I love – PETER PERFECT – where this famous hair stylist, Peter Ishkhans, goes to failing businesses and helps them create an image and style for themselves AND their businesses.  It’s a great show and he’s such a cutie!

The "Girlz to Graceland" after the movie, answering questions from the audience.

Unfortunately (or fortunately – however you look at it), as I was watching my eyes started to close so I took a nap.  I didn’t wake up until afte 8:00pm.  My sleeping routine is so off-kilter right now!

I had a bowl of cereal for dinner (Special K Chocolately Delight) and continued to vote for Stacie.  I have to get up early again tomorrow, because I’m going to the Farmer’s Market in Hillcrest with Elsa and Rosemary, and then we are going to La Jolla for lunch and a movie (Revolutionary Road).  Should be another fun day with friends.  What could be better than that?

I was up at 9:00am and out by 10:00am to go to the Farmer’s Market with Elsa and Rosemary.  First, Elsa came up to the apartment with five boxes from the office.  I now have three from Tifney and five from Elsa, so that should get me started!

Rosemary arrived and took Elsa’s spot in front of my apartment to park her car and jumped into Elsa’s car with me.  We drove to the the Farmer’s Market, which is on Normal Street off University Avenue in Hillcrest.  We got a great spot, because someone was just leaving as we drove up. 

Admission is free, but the prices inside are higher than you’d think.  I guess everything is organic and fresh-picked, so you are getting what you pay for, but you kind of think the prices will be less than the supermarket, and they’re not.  It was a really nice Farmer’s Market with tons of organic produce and lots of other great food to try or buy.

There was all kinds of fresh, organic, no preservative hummus, jams and jellies, cheeses, dips, and salsas, and we sampled them all!  They also had jewelry, crafts, clothing, soaps and decorative items.  I bought a piece of cheese and three grapefruits.

We sat and had “breakfast” – a tamale (mine was sundried tomato) and then had hot chocolate and coffee as we continued to walk around.  When we were done, it was about noon and we had been there for two hours.  Rosemary’s sister and her friend also joined us for a while, so we were a group of five walking around, enjoying the beautiful weather and all the colorful displays.

We got back in the car and Elsa dropped us off at my apartment and went home, but Rosemary and I got into her car and continued on to La Jolla Village Drive and saw REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. 

It was a beautiful movie, but very depressing.  I love the 1950s and really enjoyed the cars, clothing and décor, so that was great.  Kate and Leo did a wonderful job, but it is a sad story.

After the movie we went back to BJ’s Pizza, where we had gone last time before the movie, and we had the exact same lunch – a salad with grilled shrimp and the spinach and artichoke deep dish pizza.  Both were as delicious as we remembered!

Rosemary and I could talk for hours and hours and never run out of stories to tell each other.  I guess when you make friends with someone later in life you can spend the rest of your lives trying to fill each other in on all your adventures, escapades and experiences.  She’s had a very interesting life, and has had many different jobs in many interesting places.  She’s a great storyteller, so it’s always fun to hang out with her.

After dinner she drove me back to the apartment.  The first thing I did was call Eric.  He’s feeling MUCH better and is ready for the work week ahead of him.  I’m so glad his cold is better, because it’s horrible to have to go to work when you’re not feeling well.

Then, I started voting for Stacie again.  Jimmy said I should keep posting the link, so my friends and family can continue to vote (the Top 10 will be decided this Friday!!!), so here it is: http://www.cbs.com/specials/grammys/moment/video_player.php?vid=390.

I would SO appreciate it if you could all continue to vote, and also send the link to your friends and family and ask THEM to vote.  This is a big deal for us, and I’d like to see her go ALL THE WAY!

VOTE FOR STACIE!!!!!
In the “MY GRAMMY MOMENT” VIDEO CONTEST
http://www.cbs.com/specials/grammys/moment/

Then watch her winning video on the
51st Annual GRAMMY® Awards
Sunday, February 8th, 8:00pm!

I woke up at my usual hour and spoke to Eric, voted, showered and got dressed to go to the office to give Elsa her collage, give Stacie the sign I made, advertising her Grammy Moment (see above), and have lunch with Tifney.  I got there at 11:00am.

A funny thing happened: the receptionist (who I am friends with) gave me the pass you need to clip to your shirt in order to gain access to the office.  I didn’t even look at it.  I just clipped it to my shirt.  When I saw Tifney she started calling me “Pepper” and then pointed to the pass.  Instead of “Peppy”, Nancy had typed “Pepper Greenberg.”  Oh, well, it’s just another variation on a theme!

Elsa came upstairs to get me and brought me down to HR.  She LOVED the picture, as did all the other girls in HR.  I keep telling them that I can teach them to decoupage, because it’s so easy, and the big boss said she wants to make it a teambuilding.  The office has teambuilding outings every so often (remember I went to the go cart racing?) and they thought it would be a great idea to learn decoupage.

If you’d like to see more, visit PEPPY'S DREAM CRAFTS BLOG.

After I saw all the girls I went up to see Tifney and also walked all around the floor to say hi to everyone.  One of the guys is always making Mix CDs and has already given me two.  Today he gave me his latest, which includes Kelly Clarkson, Britney, Katy Perry (singing Hot ‘n Cold), Christina Aguilera, Madonna, Rihanna, and Lady Gaga.  It’s really great dance music and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it while I was driving around this afternoon!

Tifney had collected 4 or 5 more boxes for me, so she helped me carry them to the car.  Then she and I went back to RED ROBIN, but this time Tifney and I got onion soup and house salad.  I haven’t had onion soup in a long time.   It was yummy.

I knew the MY GRAMMY MOMENT Top 10 were going to be announced at noon, so I told Stacie to call me.  Suddenly, I got a text, which simply read, “Top 10, Baby!”  I was SO excited!  After lunch we went back to HR and congratulated Stacie.  Everyone was SO happy!  That’s when I gave her the poster I had created and told her to make color copies and give them out to everyone.  I said, “Now’s when the real campaign starts and you’ve really got to sell yourself to get everyone to vote.  Put those up everywhere you can, and pass them out to everyone you see!"  She’s not as outgoing or as self-promoting as I am, so she was embarrassed, but I told her if she wants to win, she’s going to have to do it!

She later emailed to tell me she handed it out to all the teachers at her son’s pre-school and gave a bunch to her mother to bring to the hair salon!

After I left the office I sat in the parking lot in my car and called Eric and then Jimmy.  Then, I drove to La Jolla to see Gili Anna.  I was planning to spend some time hanging out with her, and then drive back to meet Rosemary for dinner, but Gili had everything all over the place and was busy rearranging her stock.  I picked up two bracelets she had re-strung for me, paid her, and left.

I went to the CONTEMPORARY FINE ARTS GALLERY around the corner, which I had been wanting to visit for a while.  They were featuring an artist whose work I greatly admire.  His name is Anton Arkhipov and the first time I saw his work was when I went to the wineries with my cousin, Audrey.  They had some limited edition prints of his for sale in the winery and I was so impressed with the whimsical, colorful nature of his work.  If you'd like to visit his website, and see his work, click here: ANTON ARKHIPOV.

The woman who worked in the art gallery was so nice to me and talked to me at length about his work, his life, and his career.  I was so impressed with his artwork and fell madly in love with one picture that shows a man and a woman on a bicycle.  Of course, I could relate to it, but also loved the colors, and composition.  Too bad it was over $13,000!

After the gallery, I came back to the apartment and relaxed for a while until 4:30pm and then I drove back to La Jolla Village Drive to meet Rosemary at WORLD MARKET where she was going to buy a dining room set.  The set was on sale and the sale ended tomorrow, so we were lucky we decided to go today.  She got a table, with a built-in leaf, six chairs, and a buffet.  The set is really beautiful, in a dark wood with a pedestal table and an X design on the back of the chairs, the pedestal legs and on the buffet doors.  It’s really pretty!

After that we walked in the same shopping center to DAPHNE’S for Greek food.  I had a shrimp platter with rice pilaf, tsatsiki, pita bread, and a Greek salad.  It was so delicious and I emptied my entire plate.  Rosemary had the same plate with calamari instead of shrimp.

Then, we both went home.  I had been out and running around since 10:30am and was pretty exhausted.  I came home and started voting.  I have another whole week of voting ahead of me, and I hope I can count on my family and friends to join in.  This means a lot to me, and I know if something is important to me, it will be important to you.  So, thanks in advance for your support!!!!!

We got up at 9:00am today.  Robin slept in bed with me last night and we both got a great night’s sleep (thank goodness).  We got ready for the gentle yoga class and walked with our yoga mats the mile and a half to the yoga studio.  We had a great (although pretty strenuous) gentle yoga class.  I told Robin if this is their idea of “gentle” yoga, I’d hate to do something more challenging!

After class we walked across the street to Starbucks and got a little something to eat and drink.  Then, we walked home.  When we got back to the apartment we just had enough time to relax a little, take showers, get dressed and leave to drive to El Cajon for the West Coast Swing dance class at 3:00pm and the dance social that follows at 4:00pm.

The social takes place each Sunday at an Elks Lodge.  It was kind of funny, because there was a statue of an elk on the roof of the building, but it wasn’t so funny when I saw the heads on the wall.  I don’t like that.  It makes me sad.

Anyway, Robin and I got in free, because it was our first time, but it’s usually $7 for the class and the social is $5.  They give each person a name tag that you wear on your chest.  Mine and Robin’s had a star on it, which means you’re a first-timer.

They had the whole place decorated for Valentine's Day, and most of the men and women had something red on, but Robin and I didn't even think of that!

I thought that I’d be dancing with Robin, or that maybe we’d all be learning the dance in lines or something, but I had no idea how it works in swing dance classes.  The guys stand in one place in a big circle and the girls rotate, dancing for a few minutes with each guy.  The teacher stands in the middle with her partner (in this case, the instructor was a woman and her partner was her husband -- it was very cute), and teaches the step and we all watch.  Then, you do it with a partner a few times, and then move on to the next guy.  Some guys are great dancers and lead you well and actually help you.  Some guys have no idea what they’re doing and are no help at all!

There were about 20 guys and 20 girls and we kept practicing and rotating and learned 4 or 5 steps of West Coast Swing, which is really fun.  The guy has a much harder job than the woman, because he has to move a lot more than the woman does, believe it or not.  This dance is done on a “track” so to speak, because the woman just goes back and forth in one direction and the guy either pulls her toward him, pushes her back, or steps out of the way to turn her or let her pass.  I found it pretty easy to learn some of the steps when I was working with some of the more experienced dancers, but when I was the better of the two I had a harder time.

Robin was doing great, partly because she already knows the dance, and partly because she picks things up so easily.  She’s always been an amazing dancer.  When the class was over, after an hour, the social began.  People were coming up to us and talking to us, telling us how friendly the group was and that they’re “party people” and if we want to have fun we have to come every Sunday, because they know how to have fun!  Meanwhile, there were only a few people in the entire room that were younger than us.  Most of the people there were senior citizens.  Some were as old as 80!  I really didn't mind, because I told Robin that lately I feel very old when I'm around a lot of young people and I'd actually rather be the youngest person in the room than the oldest!

It didn’t seem to matter, because they were all amazing dancers.  I never saw so many great male dancers in one room before.  I was wishing my Dad was there, because my Dad is a fantastic dancer and he and I would have had the best time learning this dance and then doing it together. 

For the rest of the dance, you either ask someone to dance, or they come up and ask you.  A few guys asked me to dance, but I think they were just being kind, because they’re supposed to ask the people with the stars on their name tag, knowing that you’re a “newbie” and wanting to make you feel included.

Here's Robin dancing with one of the many, many men who asked her to dance tonight.  Please note the poor elk on the wall.  Boo hoo!

Robin got asked to dance almost every single dance and I don’t think it had anything to do with the star.  Every guy wanted to dance with her.  I can’t really blame them – she’s beautiful AND a really great dancer.

This guy looks old, but let me tell you, he could really cut a rug!!!!!

Ann and Frank are a great couple who were like the unofficial host and hostess of this event.  They took me and Robin under their wings and insisted on introducing us to people.  He made me ask one guy to dance and danced with me and Robin multiple times.

Here's another guy who was totally smitten with Robin!

It was a nice crowd tonight at the social.  See the nice mirrored ball?

They told us they have been married 54 years and met when they both worked in SEARS.  He was in vacuums; she was in cosmetics.  And they’ve been dancing ever since!  They have four daughters and 11 grandchildren.  They danced so beautifully together.  It was really sweet and romantic.  All the people in this club come every Sunday to dance, socialize, laugh, and enjoy each other’s company.

Here's Robin dancing with Frank!

At one point they made several announcements and asked Robin to stand up and said she was from New Jersey and asked me to stand and said I was from New York.  I stood and said, “New York is in the house!” and raised my arms up high.  It was pretty funny.

Here's Ann and Frank in their Valentine's Day best.  The cutest couple at the dance!

Here they are in action! 

The dance went on until 7:00pm but by 6:30pm we were ready to go.  We said our goodbyes and left to go get something to eat.  We were both in the mood for pasta, so I said I’d take her to a place Eric and I loved in Little Italy called Spaghetteria.

As we were driving, just a few blocks from the dance, we saw an Italian Restaurant and decided to stop there, but they said the wait was 20 minutes, so I said, “Let’s just go to Little Italy!”  And we did!  We found a spot right around the corner and were seated immediately.

This woman, with the giant strawberry earrings, was playing the spoons and Robin was intrigued.  She tried to teach Robin how to play!

We started with fried calamari and I had the same dish I had last time – Cappellini with vodka sauce.  Robin had penne with tomato, basil and mozzarella.  Both were amazing.  We each had a Cosmopolitan, but it was SO strong that I only had a few sips of mine and gave the rest to Robin.

We were totally stuffed, but we couldn’t leave Little Italy without going to the best gelato place in San Diego – Pappalecco.  So, we drove over there, got some to go, and came home.  We got into our pajamas and saw that the Grammy’s were on.  Since Stacie didn’t get into the Top 3 it wasn’t foremost on my mind and I completely forgot that it was on tonight! I was hoping I didn’t miss Katy Perry singing I KISSED A GIRL, because I had a feeling Stacie’s video would be on – and I was right!

It ends up being a VERY good thing that Stacie DIDN’T get into the Top 3, because the Top 3 were shown, along with many other videos – including Stacie’s – for only a few seconds at a time.  If Stacie had gotten into the Top 3, we would have had every person we ever knew watching and it would have been a MAJOR disappointment.  I called her immediately after and asked if she saw herself.  She said she did and she agreed that it was good she didn’t win, because it was SO disappointing how little screen time each video got.  VERY disappointing.

Anyway, Robin and I enjoyed our gelato VERY much as we watched the Grammy’s.  I got half Nutella and half Mocha.  Robin got half Stratiatella (Eric’s favorite) and half chocolate.  YUMMY YUM YUM!

Robin faded fast, but I got up to blog.  Oh, I forgot to mention that at some point while we were learning the dance, I pulled a muscle in my hip.  Could I BE more lame?  I told Robin and she said it’s very common, because in that dance you’re sitting back on your right hip a lot and it’s not something I’m used to doing.  So, now I’m limping around like a cripple.  I just took 2 Advils and I’m hoping it won’t limit my walking, because we’re planning to either walk around Mission Bay tomorrow, or go to the zoo, or go to Ocean Beach.  Any of those include LOTS of walking!

Robin and I are having a blast.  I haven’t done so much in one day in a LONG time.  She’s really so much fun to be with (as much fun as I remembered) and it’s just one adventure after another with her!  I just hope I don’t pull any more muscles!!!

We had a pretty laid-back day.  I woke up at 9:00am to call Eric, and then worked on the computer until Robin woke up at 10:00am.  Then, we just hung around, had breakfast and talked.

I wanted to do laundry and go to the post office, but Robin wasn’t feeling well, so she stayed home.  I washed her dirty clothes, too, and it was just two loads for both of us.  I threw in the wash, drove through Starbucks, and then went to the post office to mail off some packages.

When I got back I put everything in the dryer for my “steam de-wrinkling” and then left the towels and linens in there and brought everything else up to hang on the line.

Then, I went back out to go to RITE-AID.  I needed more DAYQUIL and NYQUIL and also bought ZYRTEC, since everybody is saying it’s the best allergy medicine, so I thought I’d try that, too!
When I got back I brought up the laundry and we both went inside to lie down.  Robin fell asleep and I read GLAMOUR for a while and then took a nap, too.

When we woke up at around 4:00pm we were starving.  We had a big salad and tuna on Wasa Crisps, which was really delicious.  Then, we just hung around and talked some more.  Robin and I never run out of conversation!  We could talk for hours about experiences we shared, and then talk for hours filling each other in on events in our lives that happened while we were out of touch.

We’ve been friends for 33 years, but were sometimes out of touch for a couple of years at a time.  It was just that we each had busy lives and sometimes time flies and you can’t believe you haven’t spoken for a year or two.  The great thing about Robin is that the second we talk or see each other, it’s like we were together yesterday.  We just fall right back into our friendship.  I’m sure everyone has a friend like that.  It’s so comfortable and easy.

Anyway, at 6:45pm we left to go to the movies.  We were going to go dancing tonight, but since Robin wasn’t feeling that great, and we have a BIG day planned tomorrow (Ocean Beach!), we decided to just go to the movies and get to bed early, so we can get an early start tomorrow.
We saw CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC, which was really adorable.  Gorgeous clothes, great cast, and a fun story.  I recommend it highly!

When we got home we relaxed and had tea.  Then, we got in our PJs and watched MONK.  Robin likes that show, too!

This has been such a fabulous week and I can’t believe tomorrow is Robin’s last day here.  She’s leaving very early on Sunday morning (7:30am), so we have to make tomorrow REALLY count!

I had a bad morning – allergies, headache, generally not feeling good.  I didn’t do much but lay in bed and doze until the afternoon.

I did have one great thing happen this morning: Joe called and said that not only were he and Miguel driving down from L.A. to be with me this weekend, but they wanted me to stay over in the hotel with them, so they got a room with a suite, so they can sleep in the bedroom and I can sleep on a pull-out couch in the living room.  I’m SO excited!  They’re so sweet!  He said Miguel wanted to have another sleep-over, since we had so much fun the last time I stayed over (when I went to my cousin Evan’s Bar Mitzvah!).

The other fabulous thing is that we’re staying downtown, which is someplace I really never go.  I’ve been to Little Italy a lot, and went to eat downtown and saw SPRING AWAKENING with Ilene when she was here, but other than that, I’ve very rarely been in the city.

We’re staying at the SHERATON SUITES AT SYMPHONY HALL!  I’m so excited.  They’re going to pick me up tomorrow afternoon, so I have to pack.  They’re going to laugh at me when I go out to the car with my little pink suitcase on wheels, but if I’m packing my pjs, toiletries, my pillow, and an outfit to change into for the evening, I’m going to need to bring that!

Anyway, at about 1:30pm I finally felt well enough to get out of bed and I decided to call the garage to see if the PT was ready.  They said it would be ready at 5:00pm and they would call me.
I then called Enterprise to say I would be returning the car this afternoon and they told me they close at 6:00pm.

I ran some errands, drove through Starbucks, did two loads of laundry, brought the rest of the wardrobe boxes up from the car, and packed a little bit more, waiting for my 5:00pm call.  It never came.  At 5:09pm I called them.  The girl who answered told me that they “couldn’t find the clips” for the car and to call back in 15 minutes.  I have NO idea what the clips are, but I was assuming it had something to do with attaching the bumper.

I called back in EXACTLY 15 minutes and she said the car was ready and I could pick it up.  It was now 5:25pm.  I told her that I was on my way, but that I had to return my rental first, which is right across the street.  At this point, she tells me that they’re only open until 6:00pm.

I explained to her that THEY told me the car would be ready at 5:00pm.  I was ready at 5:00pm.  It was THEIR fault it wasn’t ready at 5:00pm, and now she’s telling me there won’t be anyone there after 6:00pm?  I asked her if someone could wait until I got there.  She put me on hold, came back on and said “the supervisor” would wait 10 minutes.

By now, I’m in the car and leaving the parking lot of my apartment.  I was totally ready, and started walking while I was still on the phone with her, as soon as she said it was ready.  I didn’t want to get into an accident with the rental, but I was totally stressed, because I knew I had to go back to Enterprise, sign the car back in, and then get a ride across the street and do all the paperwork to pick up my car.  You might ask, "Why do you need a ride across the street?"  It's because it's Balboa Avenue and it's 3 lanes each way with no center divider, so it's REALLY tricky to cross.

Now I live just 10 minutes away, but it WAS rush hour, so there was a lot of traffic on Balboa.  By the time I got there, it was 5:45pm.  I decided to go into the office of the garage first, and tell them that someone BETTER be there when I get back.  I told them that if I returned the rental and came across the street and they had left I would have no way to get home (I could have called several people, but they didn’t know that).

I then drove across the street and returned the car and they brought me back over.  I was back before 6:00pm.  Stan was there to greet me.  I don’t know if he’s “the supervisor” the girl spoke of on the phone, but I told him that I was freaking out because I was afraid they’d close and I wouldn’t be able to get my car.  He told me I shouldn’t have worried, and that he would have waited, and I told him that the girl I spoke to said he would wait 10 minutes – and was very rude about it.  He could see I was “in a tizzy” and told me it was okay and he wanted to show me the car.  He said he would talk to the girl and I said, “Tell her instead of freaking the customers out, she should calm them down and assure them that everything would be okay.”  He agreed.

I explained to him that I have a LOT going on (which he already knew, because I told him I needed to get the car fixed before I move back to NY).  He showed me my beautiful new bumper and then I paid for my portion (I had already received the check from GMAC, so I owed the garage that amount).  It ended up costing over $1,200 and they paid me just over $600, so GMAC picked up the rest directly.  Very cool!

I also had to pay $75 for the rental for the week, which I will get back from AAA the insurance company of the car that hit me.  So, the whole thing ended up costing me $6 – for 3 gallons of gas to fill the car back up.  I only did 50 miles the whole week!

I’m so glad that’s over and I have one less thing to think about!  Now I just have to follow up with AAA to get my $75.

When I got back to the apartment I just had a few minutes to get myself together and then I went to pick up Marti, who lives just down Clairemont Drive (right near Starbucks – who could be so lucky?).  We went to Filippi’s on Clairemont Mesa for a great Italian dinner (it’s one of three family-owned restaurants and now I’ve been to all three.  There’s one in Pacific Beach, the original (in Little Italy), and this one).  I had angel hair pasta with shrimp and mushrooms and Marti had lasagna.

Then, at 9:00pm we went over to THE CARRIAGE HOUSE LOUNGE on Balboa and hung out there until about 12:30am.  I knew the Karaoke hostess (known as a KJ) from a focus group I did months ago, and she was working tonight!  I couldn't believe she remembered me, and she was really sweet.

There were a LOT of people there, and a LOT of singers, but Marti sang three songs and I got to sing two.  Marti has a fabulous voice.  Powerful, yet sweet and clear.  You know she’s got chops because she sang EVERGREEN, a Barbara Streisand song.  If you can Karaoke a Barbara Streisand song, you know you’ve “got it.”

I sang TO SIR WITH LOVE and then, a few hours later, I wanted to sing WIDE OPEN SPACES by the DIXIE CHICKS, but when the song started, I couldn’t remember how it went!  It was embarrassing!  Just because they give you the lyrics doesn’t mean you’re automatically going to know how the song goes!  I used to sing that song years ago, but I haven't sung it in a long time and I couldn't, for the life of me, remember the beginning!

Anyway, the KJ immediately put on my third choice was AT LAST by Etta James, which I’ve sung so many times I definitely can’t forget it.  By the time I sang this it was after 11:00pm.  Although there’s no smoking in the bar, the patio where there IS smoking is about 10 feet from where I was sitting and I was breathing in cigarette smoke all night, and talking above the loud music, so by the time I sang my second song my voice was cracking and didn’t sound too good.  Oh, well, at least I tried!

Everyone there was SO friendly, which is very unusual.  Usually Karaoke Bars are filled with "regulars" who are very click-y, but we made some friends, and we promised to go back in two Wednesdays (Marti will be out of town next Wednesday – in San Francisco).  Nicole, the KJ, told us that Wednesdays are very quiet and we can sing a lot more.  We were there for three hours and I only got called up twice.  That’s how busy it was!

Marti is a great girl and she's really fun to be with.  I feel bad that we didn't get to go out a lot more before I left, but we're going to make the best of the next four weeks!

When I got home I blogged and I’m going to bed soon, because I have a big weekend ahead of me.  I am SO excited to spend the weekend with Joe and Miguel.  We’re going to have so much fun!

When Rosemary called yesterday to move our dinner and movie date to this afternoon, she said it was supposed to rain and she thought that was a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.

So, because I wanted to go to the arts and crafts fair this morning, before she picked me up at 3:00pm, I decided that going to bed early was necessary.  I started to feel tired at around 8:00pm, but I knew that if I went to bed that early I’d only wake up later.  I finally shut off the TV at 10:00pm and expected to sleep through the night.  No such luck!

I woke up at midnight (my usual 2 hours after falling asleep).  I got up, made myself some sugar-free hot cocoa I had left in the cabinet and took two TYLENOL PMs.  I figured even though it was midnight I’d still get up at a decent hour.

Cut to my phone ringing at 11:00am and waking me up.  It was Eric.  He laughed when he realized I was still sleeping, but I explained the situation.  I’m so frustrated by my messed up sleeping habits, but he assured me that when I get back to NY I’ll get back into a normal sleeping pattern.  I sure hope so!

Anyway, I got up and started doing stuff around the apartment and then got showered and dressed to bring the bicycle box to the bike store.  They told me they opened at 1:00pm.  I went at 1:30pm and stopped at Starbucks on the way there.  Then, I came right home and started taking all the stuff off the shelves in the dining area and taking down the shelves.  I was able to get everything down except one screw on one bracket.

I proceeded to lay down drop cloths and spackle all the holes (except the one where I can’t get the screw out of the bracket!).  I still have four shelves in the bedroom.  Two are too high for me to reach (they’re above the closet doors and I only have a step stool) and the other two I just couldn’t get the screws unscrewed!  I guess I’ll ask Bret to help me, but I hate to ask him for anything, because he’s not very enthusiastic about it, even though I’ve given him $50 both Christmases!

I took some pictures this afternoon of the state of the apartment, which – as you can clearly see – is a mess!  I don’t know what’s going to happen when I finally get everything in boxes.  I’m going to be living in a warehouse!  Bret is doing his “final inspection” next week, but he’s certainly not going to be able to get a good look at the carpets or walls the way everything is covered up.  Not that there’s anything to hide.  This place is – if anything – in better shape than the day we moved in.  That’s thanks to our meticulous nature and our slightly obsessive cleanliness!

Anyway, when I left the apartment to bring the bicycle box to the bike shop, it was overcast and you could see that it had rained, but it wasn’t raining anymore.  It was windy and chilly.  As I drove up to the window at Starbucks to collect my venti decaf nonfat mocha, the sun broke through.  By the time I drove home from the bike shop the sun was out, even though it was still a little chilly and windy.  I realized that life in San Diego is different from anyplace else I’ve ever known (not that I’ve known that many places), because the sun ALWAYS breaks through.  The only time it has been completely overcast is when it rains all day, which has only happened once or twice in over a year.

The truth is, it’s nice to have a gloomy day, an overcast day, a day with no sun shining down on you, because then when the sun comes out it’s just that much sweeter.  That’s the secret to life, too.  There are always going to be bad days, problems to overcome, obstacles, or just dreary days with no sun.  When you get through them, and things get better, you realize how sweet life can be.  You appreciate everything more, because you know it can be different.  You also know you have survived something you might have been afraid to face.  My life now seems so much sweeter, because I have gone through such a hard year, because I have faced so many fears, obstacles, and because I survived – and feel stronger and better than ever.

While I am typing this (and while I was unscrewing and spackling), I listened to A CHORUS LINE.  I am excited about the documentary coming out on April 17th entitled EVERY LITTLE STEP.  I had not even heard about it until Jimmy sent me the information.  If you'd like to watch the trailer for this new film, click here: http://www.sonyclassics.com/everylittlestep/

When I watched the trailer for the documentary, I got chills.  It's like that music is in my DNA.  I first saw A CHORUS LINE when I was in high school and listened to the album (yes, album!) all the time.  Then, I saw it several times with college friends.  It was definitely a show that everyone in the theatre related to.  It’s everyone’s story, in one way or another.

Here's the dining room wall with all the shelves down and all the hole spackled, except for the one screw still holding up the bracket!

I saw the original production for the last time in the early ‘80s with Eric before it closed.  Then, last year I saw the revival with my friend Stephen.  It always thrills, and breaks your heart.  It is one of the scores that definitely helped shape my life.

Rosemary picked me up at 3:00pm and we drove to the Clairemont Square Shopping Center and had an early dinner at Chili’s.  We started with an appetizer of Spinach and Artichoke Dip and we each had a salad with grilled shrimp.  It was very satisfying.

Next we drove over to the other side of the shopping center and I used the passes Joe and Miguel had given me to get us into the movies for free!  I was wishing I had not eaten so much after a few minutes of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.  Although it is a fabulous movie, it is another stressful story (just like so many I have seen recently) and I was getting upset from the story.

It was a great film, so deserving of all the awards it won, and I’m sure I will be thinking about it for days to come.  After the movie, Rosemary drove me home and helped me bring up a bunch of boxes she had brought for me.  She has already given me about a dozen great file boxes, which have the lids attached that flip back, and have the cut-outs on the side, which make them easy to carry.  She brought me six more of those and three other regular boxes.

I am determined to use up all the boxes this week and just live amongst the packed boxes for the next few weeks.  I am keeping the bedroom clear and since that’s the room where I spend most of my time, it will not be so bad.  In this apartment I’m either watching TV in bed or working at the computer.  I don’t have a TV in the living room anymore, so I don’t hang out there unless I’m sitting at my desk.

After Rosemary left I got undressed and ready to relax for the night.  It was only 7:30pm, so I did some organizing, but I wasn’t going to do any packing tonight.  I settled in and watched some of the Sunday Night Line-up – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives (SUCH a good episode!), and The Celebrity Apprentice.

Tomorrow I will do several loads of laundry and continue packing.  It’s now less than 3 weeks until I leave, but I still feel like I’m ahead of the game.  Let’s see how long that feeling lasts!

Here's a picture of my baby, Conrad, who has been moulting lately and is growing a lot of new feathers on his cute little head.  I don't know if you can tell, but he's got a bit of a mohawk going on!

I woke up at 9:00am, spoke to Eric, and then started packing.  I watched DANCING WITH THE STARS (I haven’t yet watched the elimination show, but I heard it was Denise).  Then, I watched the finale of RuPAUL’S DRAG RACE.  I was so happy Bebe had won (I had already heard that, too!).  After that I went out for a while.  Eric had gotten a post office box for us in Whitestone and I wanted to change my address, but I wasn’t able to do it online, so I got dressed and drove to the post office (stopping at Starbucks first, of course!).

The guy told me that the post office box wasn’t yet in the system, which was why I couldn’t do it online, so I just have to wait a few days and try again.  It’s always something, isn’t it?

I came back to the apartment and continued packing.  I got a lot done today, but it seems the more I pack the more I find.  I still have SO much that needs to be boxed up.  I’m not yet out of boxes, but it doesn’t look good.  What happens when I run out and no one has anymore?  I’ll end up buying them at STAPLES, which to me is just a huge waste of money.  What about recycling – reducing – reusing?

I took another shower and got dressed at around 6:00pm and left the apartment a few minutes before 7:00pm to pick up Marti, who lives just 1.5 miles away.  We went to an Italian place on Balboa called GIOVANNI’S because I had a coupon for one free spaghetti meal when you purchased one spaghetti meal.  Marti and I are into economizing and having fun on a budget.  Since Karoke is free (you just throw the KJ a few bucks and maybe buy one drink), it was going to be a cheap night.  Just my style!

I got penne with tomato sauce with mushrooms.  Marti got spaghetti with meat sauce.  We each got an iced tea.  Each dish came with two pieces of toasted garlic bread.  The check was $16 and change.  We left $11 each.  Not bad for a delicious meal!

It was only 8:00pm and since Karaoke doesn’t start until 9:00pm, I convinced Marti to go to Starbucks with me (not my usual place, but very close by).  We went inside and I got a tall (which is the smallest size) Mocha.  We talked and I drank and then we went to the bar.

It was pretty empty when we got there, but Nicole the KJ was there.  She was happy to see us!  We looked at the song lists and put in our requests.  It was a lot quieter than Friday night, but there were still a LOT of people singing.  Our friend from last time, Tony, came by.  He’s such a nice guy.  He’s a great singer, too.

I sang DIFFERENT DRUM (originally performed by Linda Ronstadt, but written by Mike Nesmith (of the Monkees!).  I also sang LET’S GIVE THEM SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT by Bonnie Raitt, and Marti and I did a duet of TIME AFTER TIME by Cindy Lauper.

Marti is amazing with harmonies.  She likes to sing along with every performer, singing perfect harmony.  She’s got a gorgeous voice, and should always be singing lead, but she prefers backup harmonies!

She sang I CAN’T MAKE YOU LOVE ME, by Bonnie Raitt, and did a duet with Tony – YOU DON’T BRING ME FLOWERS (Streisand/Diamond).  She also sang another few songs, but I can’t remember now (and I only had one drink!).  Marti bought me a Greyhound, which is vodka and grapefruit juice   It was sweet and went down real easy!

There were a lot of good singers tonight, and some not-so-good singers, but they’re all very entertaining.  They sing the songs you hear on the radio today, and songs from 40 or 50 years ago.  It’s all fun!

There was a young guy named Manny who had a very high voice.  He sang the song from TITANIC (My Heart Will Go On?).  It sounded okay, but it was just such a weird song for a guy to sing and it was a little too high at the end when it modulates.  I thought of a song I thought would be great for him and I looked it up in the book – DUST IN THE WIND, by Kansas.  I asked him about it, but he never heard of it, so I told him I’d sing it with him.

He was such a quick learner and picked it up so fast that by the second verse he was singing along perfectly.  He really sounded great and he loved it!  I told him to keep singing that, because it was a much better song for him.  I told Nicole (the KJ) that I should be a producer.  She said, “I think you should be a Karaoke Hostess!

I actually WAS a Karaoke Hostess – a long time ago – for one night only.  I don’t even remember how I got the gig, but it was downtown, near Wall Street.  They didn’t start until 8:00pm, so I didn’t have enough time to go home and come back, but I had to kill 3 hours from the time I finished work until the time I started working at the bar.  There was a guy who “ran the show” and my gig was to get the people singing (and drinking) and take their song requests.

I remember it was REALLY smoky (this is before the smoking ban in NY bars) and it was killing me, because of my allergies and asthma.  I sang a few songs, which was fun, but mostly it was about talking to people over the music (which was hard on my voice), breathing in the smoke, and getting people to sing and buy drinks.   At the end of the night Eric came to pick me up.  I think they paid me $40 for the night.  Eric and I were both hungry, so we went someplace and I think it cost us the entire $40 for dinner, and we got home late and both had to work the next day, so I decided it was not going to be a big career move for me and I told the guy I couldn’t do it anymore.  And that was the beginning and end of my big Karaoke career!

So, anyway, tonight we listened, performed, clapped, sang harmony, and supported everyone until midnight and then I had had enough.  Marti got an offer from Tony to drive her home and even though SHE had work tomorrow and I am unemployed, I left and she stayed!  I came home, got undressed and started blogging.  I had to throw all my clothes in the hamper, because they smelled of smoke, even though there’s no smoking in the bar.  The “enclosed patio” is right through a door that is 5 feet from the karaoke area, and since everyone stands right outside the door to smoke, the smoke comes right back in and it really bothered me.

Nicole asked us to come back next Wednesday.  I know Marti really wants to go back, and I guess I can deal with it one more time before I head back to NY.  She’s a lot of fun, and really sweet, and it WAS a fun night.  I just wish there was no smoking!!

It’s now after 1:00pm and I know I’m going to be up late, because I always need to watch some TV and unwind before I can fall asleep.  I don’t have any plans tomorrow, except more packing, so I guess it’s okay.  I had a great night and I want to make as many San Diego memories as I can before I head back to NYC!