Yes I'm ready to jump.

Well I think i've had one of the best weeks yet in Portland so far.  It all started on Thursday night, I made plans to have dinner with a wonderful friend of Jesse's named Kathryn King. (Jesse calls her KK, and so do I, although i have yet to actually gain her approval in acquiring use of this nickname. but you know your lil jojo loves her some nicknames!) I met KK for the first time on Halloween.  She came to jesse's dressed as Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club.  Even had lip gloss down her chest she could apply like in the movie.  I instantly adored her. This was confirmed later in the evening when she karaoke'd Too Legit To Quit by MC Hammer. Now that requires some chutzpah!  I had been wanting to do lunch or dinner with her since I moved so we met up at American Dream Pizza and had us some pizza pies!  She is really a beautiful person, inside and out, and I feel grateful to have made a connection with her, so fun!  And the pizza is to die for.  We got a half Greek Goddess (i think that's what it was called--- red onions, blue cheese, spinach, and olives) No wait that was the Otis Redding.  ANYWAYS half the pizza was herbed chicken, red onions, artichoke hearts and deliciousness, the other half was the greeky one. Great time!  And the first time i've actually met up at a joint across from my work.  I always think about it on the way home but never do it, and I'm glad I did.

The weekend was amazing, I loved every (well almost every) minute of it. Saturday morning I woke up and Jesse made espressos for Miranda and I while I made some hashbrowns and kielbasa. I have learned to use an iron skillet and i'm not sure I can go back to non-stick.  Those hashbrowns were amazing!  Then Jesse and I just did some organizing and hung out.  He got his new Keureg coffee maker (I have no idea how to spell that, you'd think i would since I stare at it every morning for 45 seconds while it magically makes me coffee.) I cleaned out the Tupperware cabinet, cleaned, scrubbed the kitchen floor. Real exciting stuff people!!

I then went down and met Lisa downtown.  It was so beautiful on Saturday.  Seriously on Wednesday morning it was snowing the biggest flakes i'd ever seen, and Saturday not a cloud in the sky.  I rode the bus, which was such a beautiful way to see the city.

Downtown I had heard from KK there was a flash mob freeze that was happening in Pioneer Square.  This is like a flash mob, except instead of dancing, everyone just freezes for 5 minutes.  It seemed like a really interesting thing to see.  It really wasn't.  I had high hopes too.  I love when people seek out community, and consider it an artform.  But after taking in how underwhelming it was for about 4 minutes, Lisa and I jammed down to The Original for some happy hour.  I had heard of this place through my sister Mary, who had enjoyed a donut cheeseburger.  Which is exactly as it sounds, a cheeseburger except the bun is a delicious glazed donut.  They didn't have that on the menu at the time, so Lisa and I split some appys--- meatloaf sliders, lamb ribs, chili fries, then fries covered in cheese curds and gravy.  Some punch and milkshakes too. It was so delicious.

Sunday was awesome. I woke up around 715 for some ungodly reason.  Decided to get up and shower, then took the bike out.  It was a beautiful morning, rode up to the store for some stuff to make homemade salsa.  One of my favorite things in the world is making fresh salsa while listening to salsa music.  It was really a productive and lovely day.  I had bought stuff to make bacon wrapped scallops but decided to wait til monday night to make them. and they were delicious.  Tuesday night was Cousin Night.  Jesse and I decided with how busy we were we should reserve a night each week just to hang with each other, catch up, go over house issues, and just generally be each other's wing man.  So we went to Uptown Billiards on 23rd.  Really beautiful place, had dinner and played pool.  It was the kinda joint that's in an old building, upstairs, playing louis armstrong with expensive dinner.  We both ordered the 3 course dinner, which is basically just overpriced petite portions on tiny plates. very urban.  I had the White Chocolate and Potato Soup, Arugula and beet salad, and the lamb tenderloins in an au jus sauce with berry sauce over risotto.  It blew my effin mind.  After that we popped across the street to Zupans where jesse got some rib eyes and pork chops. It was such a fun night! Here's some food porn of our delicious meals:

 beet salad on a tiny plate.

lamb and sauces. me like sauces.

Now Wednesday night was really the decadence of the week..... It was supposed to snow but by the time I got home we still hadn't seen anything.  Jesse had the veal chops and pork ready to go.  I was made in charge of the fingerling potatoes which i had never cooked before.  So I added fresh rosemary and thyme, as well as chopped shallots and bacon.  Jesse made a parmigiana with mozz and tomato sauce to put over the pork.  It was so nice to collaborate on a meal together.  We've found out we're pretty good at that.  Check it out:

 the table is set

 mmmmm bacony potatoes

 the master's handiwork

Later after sitting by the fire and smoking cigars (ok jesse smokes real cigars, i smoke little cigarello's because i just don't have the balls for a cuban) it felt like a good time to make a dang cake, so i did.  Yellow cake and we didn't have frosting so I made a cream-cheese and chocolate frosting from scratch.  Not bad:

 the frosting

jesse's rad fire

So i realize that probably anyone reading this has long since lost interest by now.  But you know, it's really good for me to get all this down.  Just so I can capture my own memories, because this experience is so beyond anything I ever dreamed for myself.  It may be boring, but it's mine.  And trust me, it's way more interesting than anything you're doing.  lol.  Seriously though, I talked to my sister (finally!) yesterday and I asked if she read my blog.  She scoffed and said no, but since you're on the phone, why don't you just TELL me about it.  And I was at a loss for words (which i'm sure annoyed her.)  But here's the thing, I literally didn't know where to start.  How do I summarize this life i live.  There is so much stuff on a daily basis that I am experience and learning and I can begin to articulate it.  Even this boring blog doesn't do it justice. 

it's snowing all over the northwest right now.  Makes me miss the snowy stuff happening in Olympia, but it's really beautiful here too.  I'm looking forward to the weekend, I'd really like to go to this jazz club on saturday. i've never been to a jazz club and would love the experience.  My other goal right now is to purchase a guitar so I can start playing again.  But don't you worry, I won't let any of that prevent me from catching up on my TV shows this weekend.  I know you were worried.  Life is good, and i hope the same for all my loved ones too.

What are you like when you get ready for the day??

So i spend alot of time on the bus.  It's actually a highlight of my day.  I basically get to work within 25 minutes of leaving the house, and it's super easy.  I love it.  This has been enhanced by my purchase of music to make my phone like an ipod.  There's nothing better than sitting on the commute and being surprised with some Britney song I forgot i loved, or on a sunny morning (rarely) when "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash comes on. But what intrigues me the most is just watching all of the Portland characters day in and day out.  I try to keep a book in my backpack and read if I can but I'm just so mesmerized all the time by strangers.  Recently however I've realized that what I fixate on is imagining the path of their morning leading them to that particular bus stop.  I picture them doing their hair (or most often, *not* doing their hair).  I imagine their thought process in picking out their clothes.  I picture them looking in the mirror and assessing their satisfaction in the state at which I see them get on.  I try to picture where they live, and where they are going, but most importantly....I also try to imagine what they think of me when i'm sitting there.  lol.

I then pay attention to my judgments on all these things.  I inevitably have my own experiences that leads to me to assume alot of things about people.  And I really have come to see it as a daily practice or meditation in being present.  Not only of being alive in the same confined space for whatever time we are meant to be travelers together, but also being present within myself to recognize my thought patterns and judgments.  Then I at some point envision if the bus was highjacked like in Speed, and how well i would get to know all of these people if we were forced to endure that kind of situation together.  But eventually most get off the bus, more get back on, and I am faced with a whole new experience all over again.

I love it.

I gave up clowning YEARS ago...

Wow i'm really averaging once every week and a half here, I'm disappointed in myself.  Writing this blog is kinda therapeutic in processing my experience here---- and I decided to take the opportunity tonight to get it all down.  Last Sunday was when I wrote last, and the week was pretty normal (if there is a normal, minus the PMS.)  Monday night was good, we had the superbowl party the day before.  It was a weird day....I got a call from my sister Mary that my mom had suffered another seizure, which is always disturbing and uncomfortable because I love her so much.  It was the first "event" happening while I have been gone, but really I was as able to help out here in Portland as when I was in Olympia....which is "not at all, really." That's my quote, not anyone else's. I really miss my family.  Even though I saw them about as often, I feel really disconnected from my sisters, and watching Willow grow up.  And the time they spend together, and just being around, especially if some sort of trauma is going on.  So i came home from work and got to chat with Jesse for quite awhile, which always always helps.  He's really an amazing person to experience life with.  He always has insight that takes me out of my jojo world and makes me look at things logically.  Ha, logically.  what a concept.

He took off on Wednesday for a business trip and was gone through the following Sunday---so I got plenty of time to be on my own for the first time in awhile.  I like being alone.  As i've said in previous posts, I've gotten used to being around people all the time down here---- I almost don't know what to do anymore when i'm on my own.  But i always find a way to enjoy myself.  Friday night I decided to cook dinner for Lisa and Charles since he was in town, as well as Thomas.  On the menu was amazing steak, as well as big baked potatoes, I also got fresh shrimp for a green salad, and made lemon infused asparagus with bacon and onion.  It was such a great evening--- it was mentioned that cooking was alot of work after a long week, and I made sure to stress that cooking for me is about the most relaxing and enjoyable thing I could possibly do.  I love cooking, and my guests were really satisfied.  It was a really beautiful evening.

Saturday my friend Janelle decided to visit, and I was happy as a clam to have a hometown friend to share my experience with.  She arrived about noon, so after cleaning and showering we headed out to the Hawthorne district which is rather close to my house.  Hit some second hand stores and ended up at the Bagdad theater which is a McMenimin's.  Went back to the house for awhile and met Lisa and Chazzy at the Low Brow Lounge which is by far my favorite place in Portland so far.  It's in the Pearl District, and reminds me of Olympia which is why I love it.  Nothing fancy, just darkness and trashiness. kinda like me :)  Sunday was pretty amazing--- got up and said good bye to Janelle and then made an amazing omelet with the leftovers from Friday night.  Cut up asparagus and bacon, with homefries made out of the baked potato--- cut up steak thrown in.  Then I went to the store because I had to get Valentines for work the next day, as well as my own special valentines like Jesse, Miranda, my parents, etc.... Although I felt like my weekends are reserved for NON-work stuff so it was a bit annoying I had to put some effort forth.  Well, i guess effort is always annoying lol.

Monday was Valentine's Day, and I really try to celebrate the love of my friends and family that day, and had the opportunity to do some work-related stuff which was nice.  We had a bake auction at work so I bid on and won a chocolate Guiness cake with cream cheese frosting.  It started storming, so after lugging it home in the wind and rain after the bus ride I was soaked and immediately grabbed a fork and proceeded to eat about half of it.  ah well.  Got nice cards from my wonderful papa in the mail, as well as jesse. Then jesse had got me a steak along with the big heart shaped one he got Miranda so we had a nice meal together.  I felt glad to be included.  

Today was not such a good day.  I feel really done with training.  I have basically been in training for the last month and half.  I'm a 30 year old with 10 years of experience.  Working in healthcare is not fucking rocket science at this point.  All I get are rave reviews from my boss and coworkers but i'm doing my best to fit in, and remember all this paperwork bullshit and today I was just done.  I just want to start doing my job, and not think about everything I'm doing every single second.  Because mostly i'm fine, have a few questions here and there but people are so fucking annoying sometimes.  I'm just used to having control over my job, being really good at it, and being so vulnerable to criticism is getting on my last nerve.  Another thing to work on, for sure.

Well, enough about you, let's talk about me some more.  lol.  A highlight right now is all the amazing things happening in the lives of my friends.  It's truly astounding the people we meet and what they end up meaning to us in our lives, even when we don't get to see them that often.  This past week was filled with engagements, actual weddings, engagement pictures, new babies, baby birthdays, regular old birthdays.... I used to be really annoyed by other peoples special events but now I truly celebrate them in spirit.  Guess that comes with age.  And having your own life you love living, it engages you more.

It's not all sunshine and lollipops here in Portland all the time, but what I wanted was a challenge, what I wanted was to scare myself.  And I feel fully accomplished in that.  I'm learning more about myself every day. Some great, some not good, and some just completely uncomfortable.  But all of it necessary, and I'm really grateful.  The most important thing I've come to pay attention to is repeating patterns that I did in Olympia.  You can change a location but you certainly can't expect your interactions in the world to change unless you pay attention.  And life has my full attention right now.  

 I decided to post some pics of a summary of my experience thus far.  Alot of my family is not on the interwebs and refuses to navigate facebook.  This is unfortunate because it'd be a hell of a lot easier to feel connected but I will do what i can to bridge the gap.  Hope this blog finds everyone well, full of joy, and know that I hold you in my lil jojo heart.

 me and jesse

 the view from the back porch, can't wait til summer!

the back of house, it was such a lovely day 

a pic of the park in sellwood a biked to from a blog awhile back 

jesse and his bff andy on new years. love this one. 

 the view of portland on my first day of work, ross island bridge.  my favorite view is at night with gentle music on. such a beautiful skyline.

 my room. i hang my clothes up in a closet now. it's nuts.

the best frozen yogurt i've ever had, from a shop on hawthorne.  all the toppings you could ever want. i think i had heath, butterfinger, peanut butter, marshmallow...yum

 janelle and I on hawthorne

 half the cake I ate on VD. choc guiness

super bowl on the 100 in projection screen. the ONLY way to watch football i've decided. 

 the upstairs super bowl party.

 superbowl feast

 me charles and lisa on new years. the beginning of love

 Miranda, not only an amazing friend but jesse's gf I always talk about

andy, jesse's bff, and his wife sabrina. she has a westie, his name is Brody.  Still waiting to meet him but more reason to love them both.

I spoke too soon (or why happy people suck and i'm not one of them)

So look, I haven't written in about a week and a half. and it's certainly not because i have nothing to say. It's more like, the last week and a half has really thrown me for a loop, and I have been trying to process it without capability of writing about it.

No one wants to hear about PMS. I certainly don't. but it has occured to me that perhaps I suffer far worse than most.  I'd never thought about it before....I mean, I certainly know I can be a bit bitchy at times, but frankly for the last 10 years i've been able to seclude myself when I feel a bit "sensitive" (yeah, that's the word! "sensitive"!)  And perhaps I've been sensitive for the last 10 years.  This is not easy to hide when you not only cohabitate with multiple people, but you have to work like, 8 hours a day with lots of people.  What i'm getting at is that I, honestly, am one irritating lady when i'm PMSing!! you might remember the beginning of this blog when I cried for 2 days my first 2 days of training that seemed a bit over-reactive.  Yup, PMS. there's only one reason I cry for no apparently logical reason.  And that would be it, although I only ever realize it about 3-4 days after it happens.  I think in Olympia though I really didn't have to think about it. The people I was constantly around were just kinda used to me being an irrational crazy bitch. turns out, the people down here aren't.

So it's been a challenge.  i'll be honest about it.  I'm not gonna lie, it's been really hard to navigate, and alot of people wouldn't choose to talk about it.  But I just feel like it's one of those things that I've had to really contemplate as part of my experience here, and i'm not happy that my emotions feel so unmanageable sometimes.  I'm definitely having a great experience here just like I have been.  But work and life have gotten more challenging this past week.  However this weekend made it all better.  Friday I discovered that not only was it payday, I also got my tax return back, so every financial burden that had been weighing me down is now taken care of.  I had some quality time with Jesse that night.  We went to a place in SE portland right on the other side of the river called Produce Row.  Very enjoyable joint that i'd like to go back to, with amazing chicken strips.  Jesse and I got to catch up and talk about what a royal pain in the ass i had been the previous week LOL.  Then I had made reservations at the Portland City Grill, which everyone talks about and I had never been.  It was really beautiful, and I had a nice plate of steak, crab cake and prawns--- with an appetizer of seared ahi tuna with delicious sauce.  Then we went to Gators in Tigard, as that is one of Miranda's favorite bars.  I dutifully sang "Livin On A Prayer" and met some really awesome people so i'd say that was a success.

This morning I had a great time with Jesse and Miranda, made eggs benny for breakfast for us then hung out and prepped for the Super Bowl party Jesse threw.  It was really fun, he made pizza and chili and brats and I made beer dip and bought other pre-made stuff, as well as all the deliciousness other people contributed.  I almost felt like the time spent just prepping with Jesse and Miranda was as good as any party could be.  Just listening to old school hip hop on the house stereo and prepping food.....Such a really lovely day, with a house filled with people who are most loved by all.  So life is returning to normal, while another week looms ahead.  I'm looking forward to happy hour tomorrow with my Liser Maynard--- she surprised me today after I thought she was staying in Oly to watch the game with Charles but ended up showing up at the house this afternoon and really making my day....

I feel really grateful for alot of things.  It is hard to update this blog with everything that's going on.  Everyday I think about making a list of all the things I experience that I want to share, and I hope to get better at that.  Maybe it's possible now that i'm not under the little stormy rain cloud i've been under for awhile :)  Hope this finds everyone well, I love you all very much and hope your days are filled with as much excitement and the miracles that you all deserve. xoxo jojo

Happy People Suck

ha i was just saying the other day how uninteresting my blogs are to me.  I can't even think of anything funny right now, and it was pointed out to me that perhaps the fact that I had just said how happy people suck would be a good title.  I've certainly never enjoyed being around people who enjoyed their life.  It had nothing to do with them and of course everything to do with the fact that I was totally unfulfilled and mired in unconscious ego-driven destruction. I wanted to tear down their happiness because it threatened me, and I convinced myself they actually weren't that happy.  Probably why I love gossip as much as I do.

 But I truly find peace in most moments of my day.  Even today, after work, I was walking and the sky was so beautiful and I had my sunglasses on and I caught a reflection of myself in a building I was passing.  And I wanted to be me.  This is a foreign feeling that overwhelms me on many occasions through out the day.  I can't believe I did this, that i found something within to up and move and create a new life, but I did, and I am living it with joy.

Work is going really well....I've been working on my own the past few days as it's been a bit short-staffed.  But I get so much positive feedback at my ability and i have such an accelerated understanding of everything and I am constantly impressing everyone around me with my skillz.  There are challenges of course, but there always are.  I'm still in training technically til next Wednesday but then i'm officially on my own.  I'm already sitting at my desk, and have organized it to my liking.  That felt good.  I've never had my own desk.

Tonight was fun.  I'm fighting off a stuffy congested cold-type thing but went to the Broadway Cigar Co tonight with Jesse and Miranda to meet up with my aunt Karen and uncle Jon for some cigar smoking.  It didn't help my congestion, but it sure helped my spirit.  They are really cool people, and it's really a treat to get to know them as adults----they are super fun and great to hang out with.  Karen even brought me her celeb magazines to catch up on.  It's like crack-cocaine to me.  One minute i was engaging in conversation, then the next thing out of my mouth was "OMG Sandra (bullock) and Ryan (reynolds)?? Really?? holy shit"  I don't even know where to begin....

Life is Good

Life continues to be amazing!! I never have a bad day, it is always filled with such interesting sights, sounds, feelings, perceptions, questioning of said perceptions, and peace.  I got done with my work week and met Lisa at the pub by the house called Mickey Finn's for a quick jam session before she headed to Oly.  I got home and since Jesse was out of town, I decided to luxuriate in his big ol whirlpool tub upstairs and listen to music.  I really haven't worked full time in a few years, so that bath after 40 long hard hours was so appreciated.  I woke up Saturday and actually went on a nice long bike ride with my friend Thomas and his son Oliver.  I really am grateful to have such great people here to experience things like that with.  It was SO beautiful in Portland on Saturday.  We biked through a picturesque duck park and into Sellwood.  I finally went to New Seasons Market, which is a coop-esque market all over PDX,  I had one of the tastiest salads from their organic salad bar that i've ever eaten.  Along with some mac n cheese, natch. Grabbed some greek yogurt too that i've been craving, and we hit the road again.  Later I enjoyed a nice evening of sushi and met some new people and spent Sunday in the kitchen. I had gone to the store early in the day, so got to listen to music and chop veggies all afternoon.  I made chili, and a yummy cucumber and crab salad and prepared food for the week.  It was truly a perfect weekend.  And i seriously only watched one half hour of TV the whole time. It's crazy.

Jesse and Miranda had been gone and got home on Sunday night, and have proceeded to do some amazing things to the house in the past few days.  I didn't think it could get nicer or cozier here, and it really has. It's just such a beautiful place to be, and I feel really lucky.  Jesse has put so much work into this house, and I am always so grateful to be here, I just love it.  I also am really grateful that I get to develop such a fun and meaningful relationship with him.  He's really one of my favorite people.

Today at work pretty much knocked my socks off.  It was so busy!! And i was on the phone all day by myself, which is a great sign that i'm doing so well, since i still technically have a week and a half of training left but have really impressed my coworkers with my skillz.  I really needed to prove myself, because it's quite difficult for me to be in a training position.  I have stayed at my few jobs for years, and find alot of comfort in knowing what i'm doing all of the time.  Giving up control of my ability and other people's perception of me is very difficult.  But it's been pretty good, and I really like where i'm at with this job.

I don't really have alot to say actually.  Every moment I spend down here feels "share-able".  I have to stop myself from posting every single thing i'm doing on facebook, and it feels really good to finally be experiencing a life that I want to post from the mountain tops.

LiLo's out of Rehab?? (Or why I don't need to refer to celebrities by nicknames anymore for God's Sake.)

I slapped my hand against my forehead, and let out a *huge* sigh.  Sensing something serious was going on, I was asked if I was alright.  The fact is, I wasn't.  And not for any legitimately good reason.  I am overwhelmed sometimes by how much celebrity gossip I am just out of the loop about these days.  Am I alright?? No, I'm better than alright.  For 10 years I spent at least 4 hours a day (a bit less on days I didn't work, but an overly sufficient amount of time, nonetheless) reading celebrity gossip.  So the fact that I am not full of useless knowledge that NO ONE cares about is just another reason why I'm glad I moved on from my previous existence.  It was seriously disturbing to see Jaime Pressley's mugshot the other day.  She looked like faces of meth and I had no idea what was going on.  Usually I can spot that at least 2 months in advance with all my research.  It was a tough moment.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with knowing what's going on, mind you.  But I prided myself on my celebrity gossip knowledge.  People seek me out and feel proud when they are the first one to break news to me, whether it was MJ dying, or Lindsey Lohan being put in rehab for the 5th time, or my personal favorite--- the day I got 3 calls and 2 texts vying to be the first to inform me that Patrick Swayze died.  (may he rest in peace for shizzle.)

I simply have too much going on to care about celebrity gossip anymore.  And it feels SO GOOD.  I am actually like, living a life that doesn't allow for the obsessive need to fill my life with something more interesting than what i was living.  Having to get up early, I think everyday about how i'm just gonna go home and curl up, get to bed early and get a solid 10 hours of sleep.  But that simply is not possible.  I am so used to being alone, the constant activity of living and loving keeps me engaged every waking second.

I can't even believe I haven't written in this blog in a week!!!! I finally started my new job, which is really quite challenging and full of really nice people.  After training, I will actually have my own desk after sharing desks for the last 10 years.  I can put pictures up of people so it looks like I have friends, I can arrange my shit just the way I need it, And I even have like 3 whole drawers to MYSELF that I can fill with stale crackers and tea i'll never drink--- instead of the one delegated to me for so long (filled mostly with condiments from the hospital cafeteria if you were curious.)

This last weekend was my first completely in Portland---- Friday night I was planning on being low-key but Jesse asked me what I was up to and said it'd be fun to go to a comedy club or some live music.  We ended up at this old mansion called "The Woods" in Sellwood.  It was beautiful, and the music was great.  We also had stopped into the Rusty Hooker....wait, the Rusty..... OH! The Muddy Rudder (had to google it.)  Nice old timey ale house.  Then to somewhere else that isn't really worth mentioning, but rest assured some Shaggy was on the jukebox.

Saturday all day was spent totally relaxing and enjoying spending time with my friend Thomas, then Jesse, Miranda, Thomas and I met up with Lisa and her new BOYFRIEND (!!!!) Charles. tee hee.   Some karaoke was sang (only by me, natch) and then went and ate at a place on Burnside (i think?) called the Hot Cake House... reminded me of East Coast greasy diners in NYC...it was incredible.  then Sunday was a day filled with Giant Projection screen football, coffee, and me cleaning and getting stuff in order for the week. (Read: me vacuuming while Jesse and Bryan attempt to watch football.)  Just last night, after sitting at the dinner table with Jesse and Miranda, Jesse had the greatest idea ever of playing Street Fighter on the big screen downstairs.  For someone who liked to isolate myself for a very long time, I can't begin to tell you how much I truly enjoy the constant activity.  It's really a treat to be surrounded all the time with some of the funnest and funniest people I know, some I am lucky enough to call "family".  

This blog will probably only be interesting to the people who know deeply how I used to spend my time compared to now.  NOTHING made me happier than to lay on my couch and watch endless hours of television.  NOTHING.  I never followed through with plans because quite frankly, catching up on my Bravo TV always sounded way more interesting than anything outside of my house.  I have TV shows I haven't even watched for a few weeks, and although I'm able to DVR stuff now, I just don't.  Not because I don't want to, but the desire to do so diminishes every single day.  If I do have quiet moments, I'd much rather have a talk with Jess, or connect on FB with my long lost peeps, or type on this blog in seemingly endless detail just for my mother :)   At some point, when the sun comes out and the rain dries up, actually going out to explore Portland on my own when not obligated by work or errands will be added to this list.

Hope everyone is alive and well, please know that you are loved. xoxojojo