A Fun Realization to Have

Since returning from San Luis Obispo, I've realized that I'm a lucky girl. I'm really, really happy right now for a bunch of different and valid reasons. The trip itself was interesting--it's very intimidating to meet someone like your boyfriend's mother and sister on their home turf. It's scary in the sense that you are all on your own with only the boy for backup and you can just hope that he's got your back because it is his family and that's its own set of issues.

Fortunately, Indie Rocker totally had my back in every way and I even got his. His family is large, loud, eccentric and a heck of a lot of fun. There were easily 20 people around both Thanksgiving tables. Not only can I not remember all of their names, I still can't keep which kids belonged to which parents straight. They're all related, right? See? On the bright side, it's very difficult to be really good and nervous when the first thing that happens when you walk into Grandma and Grandpa's house is that Grandpa hands you a margarita. Awesome.

Even the trip down there was surreal. Once I got on the flight to SFO, I was chilling in my seat and watching the other passengers board when I looked up only to see Motoman and his daughter get on the plane, followed by his wife. It was hilarious: "Hi, Motoman!" "Captain? What are you doing here? Hey, Baby, say hi to Auntie Cooper!" I waved to his adorable daughter, and he put her down. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm flying down to SLO to spend Thanksgiving with Indie Rocker and fam."
"Where's he? Why isn' he flying with you?"
"He drove down. I couldn't get the time off. He's been down there all week already." At this point, Motoman's wife has boarded and is just as surprised to see me. Baby is attempting to sit with me, only to be herded back by Motoman.

After an uneventful flight with a hilarious co-captain, I got to sit at SFO for quite some time as the flight was delayed over an hour. Fortunately for me, mom remembered that her sister and fam were flying to Hawaii and I might run into them. Run into them I did, which surprised the hell out of my cousin. It was awesome. I called his name and he just looked at me like I had come out of the ground in a puff of smoke. Awesome! His little daughter is getting so big! My other cousin looks great and none of them even mentioned the chocolate I had on my face that I didn't discover until I got to my mini-terminal. Damned chocolate croissants. Argh.

Anyway, SLO is beautiful, we shopped, saw a few movies (Walk the Line kicked ass. Seriously? Joaquin Phoenix is amazing. Go now.), ate more food than I thought humanly possible and had a kickass bonfire on the beach.

Plus, Indie Rocker and I drove back together yesterday and managed to make it through 14 hours in a car, tons of bad fast food, two snowstorms, and a few musical disagreements. We're definitely still talking and I've really never liked him better. The girls at work today were teasing me about wedding bells. Yeah, like that's going to happen!!!

Quote of the Day: "The heart has reasons that reason knows not of." Blaise Pascal.

Ready to go.

Well, the bag is packed, the carryon is ready, and I've already got a list of stuff that I have to go back to my apartment for tonight.

I'm still nervous, but it's more excited than stressed. I was joking with one of our schedulers today that since everyone's been reassuring me and telling me that Indie Rocker's family will love me, that it's going to be quite the rude shock if they don't. Of course, I'm just going to be myself and all that--if Indie Rocker loves me, his family probably won't dislike me, right? :)

I think this is mostly just the fact that I've never travelled to meet parents/family before. Everyone's always just lived in town. This is totally new to me. Cool, but definitely a new thing.

Oh well. Work's almost over, we've got the sort-of annual pub crawl tonight and mom's driving me to the airport at O'Dark Thirty so that I can catch my flight. So far, so good.

With that, everyone have a fantastic Turkey Day, watch tons of football, take naps from all the tryptophan, and stuff yourselves with mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie. I know I plan to!

Quote of the Day: "My bags are packed/I'm ready to go." Leaving on a Jet Plane, John Denver (although I don't think I've ever actually heard his version. Interesting.).

A wave of ambition

So I actually completed an entire application, with supplemental question, and submitted it to the people I am supposed to. This is a somewhat big deal for me, as I ordinarily just sort of zone out about things like this and don't follow through all the way to submission. I actually started working on this on Friday (it was due today, but I only found the listing on Thursday. So this is good for me!), and when I didn't finish, I actually lugged my laptop over to Indie Rocker's last night and spent a good chunk of the evening slogging through it until I was somewhat satisfied and Indie Rocker had given me some feedback. Yay!

Now we wait. Good thing I have plenty to do. Wish me luck!

Quote of the Day: "The universe is shaped exactly like the earth/if you go straight long enough/you'll end up where you were." Third Planet, Modest Mouse.

A Change of Weather

I think there’s something in the water or something around here—pregnancy is going around like the flu. I’m not, thank God, because that would be akin to a catastrophe, but one of my coworkers just announced that she’s pregnant. Also, one of my docs is pregnant and one of the labrats over in the research lab is pregnant. Two of my friends this week told me that they had dreamed they were pregnant. What is going on?!? Hopefully it’s not contagious—I catch too much stuff these days as it is!

Also, wish me luck. I’m headed down south next week on Thanksgiving morning to spend the holiday weekend with Indie Rocker and his family. I’m even meeting the grandparents! I know it’s going to be great and fun, but it’s daunting from a distance—that’s for sure.

I also think I drank too much coffee this morning. I’m practically vibrating. Ugh.

Quote of the Day: “In the air I’m sensing a change in the weather/In the end the path is clear/Does anyone remember here/Did you all think he’d just disappear/Crazy life.” Crazy Life, Toad the Wet Sprocket.

I'm back!

I'm alive, my sister is alive, we both had a great time and are now both covered in bug bites. Dude, I didn't even know there was such a thing as water fleas. Until one tried to climb up my board shorts. While I was sitting on a surfboard. Yeah, that was fun.

But the trip really was! Costa Rica is a beautiful country, with cool people, fabulous hostels and awesome other visitors. Much fun was had, much rum and beer was drunk, many waves were attempted and surfed, many pictures taken, and exactly no email was checked the entire week. I made two phone calls in 8 days--one to my parents and the other to Indie Rocker. My shoulders released all their tension and as far as I know, I still don't have dengue fever.

More later, along with pictures. Still trying to get all of my stuff in one place. Like my car, for example, which has been parked at Indie Rocker's since the first. At least I finally found my housekeys, which I had apparently had the entire time. Go me.

Quote of the Day: "Are you going to write about me in that journal of yours?" Corey, from Boston, at the hostel.