Thursday, November 27

I love the holidays! Evites every other day for this party or that gathering. I am oh-so excited!!! Holiday parties are the best! It's time to go dress shopping!

Wednesday, November 26

Happy Thanksgiving

click me!


I leave the office in a few to head down to SoCal to feast with the fam. But I think I will be escaping early to head back home for some much needed down time. Hanging with the sis and kids does not constitute relaxation of any sort. Chances are I'll be back on Friday unless Sunstar and friends convince me to stay for an extra night or something. Well, Happy Turkey Day...

Tuesday, November 25

LIZAPALOOZA

My favorite picture of all of them!

It was a successful evening! Lots of friends, lots of love and no cops this time! I ended up with no band but with 9 great dj's who went on until 6:30 in the morning. People raved of the famous bean dip and all 200 jello shots were goners by the midnight hour. I thank those who came to make my day extra special by celebrating with me. Special thanks goes out to those who gave me the best gift of all... their help! Lizapalooza thanks my mom, Stephanie Walker, Kelvyn, Chris Friend, Melanie, Jessica, Gina, Samantha, Cason, Davlyn and Carrie!

Biggest and best surprise of the night was having these two sweet faces walk through my door...

Aikhong & Adam... great guys from my past. My eyes filled with tears of happiness to be reunited with my old dear friends from Hidden Villa after 7+ years. Oh my happy heart! I felt so very blessed at that moment.

I'll leave you with a few more of my favorite pics of the night. If you want more you can check the whole collection of 160 pics in my photo album.


Friday, November 21

LIZAPALOOZA IS TOMMOROW!!!!

So much work to do! I need to quit blogging and finish my work at the office so I can leave early and do party related stuff. First thing first... off to pick up those turntables from Kelvyn. He's the best. J-shots are made... over 200 with all types of flavors and alcohols... even some with the tough stuff... everclear! Today my focus is making art cake and cleaning/clearing out house. Tomorrow, the day, my birthday, party day, I pickup my 3 kegs (Pyramid Hefenwiezen, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and Coors Light for those who care) and rearrange all the furniture in my house and possibly attempt for a nap and a pedicure, but doubtful because I have another party to make a guest appearance at in the afternoon.

Did you miss the intrenet slander-thon that was posted here yesterday? I've removed all the bad stuff now. Carrie and I went at it yesterday, but it was all in fun. I'm so proud of us that we can talk alot of smack and and dish it out with smiles on our faces and laughter in our hearts and not take offense. Because words are just words and we know we have mad love for each other and that is all that matters. I left the good stuff up. Be sure to check out why she is my girl...

Highlights of the slanderthon-
Me on her: She always takes kitty meow meow's side. She initiated "cap-on-Liz day back in high school. And She isn't coming for my birthday which made me so sad and mad because I'd do it for her and she misses all of the big parties I throw. I thought for a while she might just surprise me but now I know she isn't because she called and asked for my address so I know she is mailing me stuff instead of hand delivering it.
Her on me: I mistreat animals by losing them or forgetting to feed them. I am a pirate that raids homes of all my friends stealing their precious treasures. I can be an ungrateful freeloader. And that I am always obsessing about the bigger and better party across town.
Just to name a few, but the good stuff is still posted below. Read on to see our make up list. I didn't post the one she made. Although it was very good, I just felt like that would be a bit too self promoting for me.

Thursday, November 20

Reasons why my best friend Carrie is the B-E-S-T!!!
*Disney partners in crime... the only worthy opponent out there for Disney trivia.
*She can read my mind... I believe Jackson coined it as an almost visible slightly bluish tinted tube connecting your forehead to mine. Just a look was all it took.
*She sings me songs on my voicemail.
*She digs for info on guys I like and gets them to talk.
*She once broke up with her boyfriend for a week for being mean to me.
*She comes up with the best vacation ideas. We always have a blast.
*She gives me all her candy after every Halloween, Christmas, Valentine's, or Easter.
*She shares her family with me so I have the brother I never had and have grandparents again.
*She makes me sociable. Without her I would know nobody. Half the people I know are through her.
*She knows how to cheer me up. When Pete and I would get in a fight and he'd leave, I would call her and she'd have me laughing in no time at all. This always pissed Pete off because 5 minutes later he'd come back and I would be laughing and smiling instead of crying like he thought I should be.
*She shares her whole life with me... she is my friend who hooks me up the most. It's not why I'm her friend, but she's always cool about getting me an invite too or a trip too because how much fun could it be if we aren't together?

Tuesday, November 18

Back to Work
I think I am out of my work slump! I have had 2 consecutive productive days and today I was able to actually stop and look back at what I've overlooked and catch up. I am currently staying late to organize these 4 huge piles of papers that have been a permanent fixture on my desktop for over 4 months. I usually don't have time or energy to file anything or organize my work space, but really it's a necessity for me to be happy.

My current company whines obsessively about my hours so I have to be sly about staying late or coming in on weekends for my big organizational projects. I would be a much happier employee if they would just stop trying to protect me from being a work-a-holic and let me do my thing. Then I probably would stop dreaming of a new job that gets me out of here. I really do like my job. I just need the flexibility to do it my way.

Back at UBS PaineWebber they never cared that every few days I would stay a few hours later than I should just to organize. There were many days when I would organize my office into the wee hours of the night. Just me and the janitors and occasionally Jonathon Schiff, a broker who was also fond of the late shift. And I would always end up getting locked out of the office when I would break for the restroom because I didn't have the security access to be there that late. And maybe this sounds a little obsessive to you, but that doesn't matter. I was happy. I wasn't drowning in paperwork like I am at Marriott. Ok, that's my rant for the day. Ironically, I think I started writing this one with intentions to go back to glorifying my job. Whatever.

Monday, November 17

Looks like I maybe choosing church afterall. It is One o'clock in the morning and I just finished making 3 batches of jello shots and writing out a checklist of chores to be delegated to my mother.

Church or Cake?
So I have been evaluating my "to do" list and seeing if I can somehow balance escaping work and party preparation to slip away to a conference my church wants me to go to for Emerging Leaders Initiative. And just about everything could be rerouted if I delegated and didn't sleep. The only hitch is the cake. I can't premake that. It has to be a Friday night/Saturday thing. No way around it. I wish I had Sherry around to make my cake. She makes art cakes all the time. She made a beatiful cake for my cousin's wedding. Check out her other cake designs. I think I'll have to choose cake this time around and hit up the conference when it hits Portland or Seattle. It just would be better to go this time with other people from my church because next time I'll be by my lonesome and I get so quiet around strangers and all. But my birthday only comes once this year and if I over exert myself I will be sure to pass out at the party and it won't be from drunkeness... just pure exhaustion... but Carrie will tell everyone I was drunk off my *ss regardless.

Don't forget! It's almost my birthday!
This Saturday night, come out and enjoy "kegs and cake"
while checking out some of the area's best music.
Look forward to seeing you all there!



Saturday, November 15

Love Actually
Perhaps a bit corny but I dig these English comedies and anything with Hugh Grant is right up my ally. However, I lusted way more over the gorgeous guy from the office. Perhaps, a little ironic I admit. But I respected this movie because it's been a while since I was able to walk away from a love story flick without that aftertaste of longing and jealousy and need for fantasizing a romance where I'm the star. It left a taste of cheer and hope and happiness in your brain. I think the difference was that this was a well rounded love story focusing on all forms of love... the love of family, love of friends, love of life and learning how to love and how love makes you feel and how love makes you stupid and how you are better for having loved. So many absolutely stunning views of love all portrayed in one holiday feel good movie. It is impossible not to be able to identify with at least one of the characters. Love beautifully. And I'm happy tonight because rather than being reminded that I am alone (and seeing the perfect date flick with my mother and her friend) I am reminded of all the the love I have in my life... and the people I love... and the experiences of love that I've had and am having everyday of my life. And I for this moment I feel so alive like my emotions are worth trying to capture, as if my words could be the thoughful rambling of a movie scene.

Friday, November 14

I have been so busy with the party preparation I have had no time to write... And still no time to properly catch you all up right now, but soon... But still I just completely booked myself for the weekend with trips to the city. Remedy tonight and a big group outing for Saturday night. When am I going to work on my house and get it party ready? Luckily my mom isn't working next week and I can delegate almost everything to her. Chris came by this morning and looked at my hot tub. He is going to get it up and going for me. That will be so nice! Hmmm.... but not until after the party. I can only focus on one project at a time.

Sunday, November 9

The garage is practically cleared for the band. The spare room/ closet expansion/ sewing area is set up in the next room. I think I am going to have a hard time going back to renting out my "office" again. It is so nice to have extra project space. So phase 1 of party preparation is almost complete. The high of the weekend... hearing a ton of my favorite band, Switchfoot, on the radio. If you check out their website, you can hear snipets of my favorite songs off their Beautiful Letdown Album. My favorites are 1, 5, 6, 7. They may be getting big now but I actually had all their albums long before Channel 104.9 ever heard of them.

cuddle and a kiss
Apparently my affection type is cuddle and a kiss on the forehead - "You like to be close to your special someone and feel warm, comfortable, and needed."

What Sign of Affection Are You?
Quizilla

Saturday, November 8

Bed Day. I woke up and did some writing (in bed) and then went back to sleep. Then I woke up and watched tv (in bed) and now I really just want to go back to sleep, but I think it's a little unhealthy to sleep so much. Later I'll probably go to the gym, come home and shower, and crawl back into bed. Morning Bed Activities: drafting a letter to my neighbors to apologize in advance for the noise disturbance of the Lizapalooza party and plead with them not to call the cops on me and then watching "When Harry Met Sally" for the very first time. Such a good movie. Of course it left me a little sad and longing. Like I wasn't already fairly unsatisfied with the rest of my life... all I needed was to watch a sappy love story to zero on in my lack of a love life.

Last night was a night with no plans to just kind do whatever came up. Michael took dibs so we headed out to my 2 usual bars... Tres Gringos and San Jose Bar & Grill. Ran into friends and had a good time. Ended the night with some late night grub at Cardinal and some good conversation. Michael is a good guy. He surpised me with an unexpected apology (a sign he actually stopped to listen to me and see my point of view). I was impressed.

Friday, November 7

What I think I should really be doing in Life...
This is my list of fantasy jobs, not just fantasy jobs but things I think I would be really good at and happy doing if I could ever get to these places...
*Night Club Owner *Party Planner *Assistant to the Stars *Director of a Homeless Children Shelter *Ice Cream Shop Owner *Wardrobe Coordinator for a sitcom or soap opera *Personal Shopper *Professional Home Organizer *Rich Housewife *Efficiency Expert *Band Manager/ Agent *Ad Developer

Hopefully I will figure it all out soon. I really want to go through this aptitude testing to try and figure out what I should be doing with myself, but it's a $600 testing so I think for now I'll just by the book and try more self analysis.

Thursday, November 6

Candy! Yeah!
Mike just came in and gave me a huge bag filled with all his kid's Halloween candy! What a good day! And Cindy is diabetic now so I don't have to share. It's mine! All mine! Yeah!
Note to self... make dentist appointment for next month.

Sheila's Dreaming Big For Me
Sheila, one of my invisible roommates I never see emailed me this today:
"I had a dream about you and Mel last night. I dreamt that you bought a new house and it was hella huge. I moved in with you and I loved my room so much and I was so happy too. You had a huge master bedroom. So big that the room had others rooms in it. I kept telling you to find more roommates so it can be a big party."
GO SHEILA! I love your dreams! She's moving out this weekend to move in with her boyfriend, but I wish Sheila & her Brian the best and hope all her dreams come true- especially when she dreams big things for me.

Wednesday, November 5

Quotes from the OC...
Last weeks- "It's pronounced 'Tijauna (Te- Ha-Wana)', mom! You are so white!"
This week- not so many funny quotes. Only one that caught my ear was:
Summer- "I may vomit." Seth- "I like those odds."
This show makes me like Newport Beach. When I lived there last year I wasn't so fond. I'm going back to the OC over Thanksgiving. "Newport Beach- where everything just appears to be casual."

Tuesday, November 4

Superhero themed sales events downstairs for gm's, dos's and sae's of the western region. Unfamiliar faces linger in the conference room. So this is what I was working on until 9:40 last night. I listen hard for a familiar voice and search the crowd for a nametag I know. Such is my life of interacting in the this company's global world. My favorite people at this job are identified by caller id or an automatic email signature. I think to myself "I know he's here. Which one is he? I wonder if he's cute?" I have 5 minutes to search through the masses and make a proper introduction. I can't even find the people I should recognize in this crowd.

Saturday, November 1

Halloween Hoopla
Last night we were at Remedy/DNA lounge... lucky me. This combines my 2 worlds of friends... my river rafting DJ crew and my O'Connor & Associates crew. I can't tell you how much I love walking into a place filled with 40 of my closest friends ready to party. And we had some of the best costumes in the club... Malibu's Most Wanted, Bill Lumberg (from office space), Christina Aguilara, Top Gun crew, Frieda, Sponge Bob Square Pants. Although my costume wasn't very original, I do believe I was the best "Naughty School Girl" in the crowd.