The More Things Change, the More They Don't..

I hung out with Angela, her mom and her daugher Haley again tonight. We're thinking its going to become a Monday ritual... which would be more than okay with me. Haley and I are pretty much best friends already and I look forward to seeing her just as much as her mom.

It's funny, when Angela and I are hanging out I feel like almost no time has passed. Her parents look and sound the same, Angela and I get along just as well as we used to and it's so familiar it's almost scary.

Sometimes I even forget we're not in middle school anymore.

Oh DEER.

Today was absolute perfection. I went to church with Cousin Holly, grabbed lunch with her, went shopping at Kohls for photo albums, went tanning, napped and just... relaxed. It was such a fantastic day and I was in the best mood ever.

On the way home though, I almost hit an entire parade of deer running across the road. I stopped in time though and was amazed to see six of them all gathered together.

Had I hit even one of them, my day would definitely not have been bad.

When Friendships > God

For a good time, call Matt Adams.

He'll even stop his Grandma from going to church so he can pick you up from work downtown, go to dinner with you in the Southside at Piper's Pub (which was DELICIOUS), and then sit through the Ryan Phillippe-filled movie Stop-Loss. (Which was not AS good as I thought it would be - but still really, really good. Just hard to watch... so heartbreaking at times. So real. So current. I'd recommend it to anyone who needs to see the war through fresh eyes.)

But yes kids, Matt Adams kept Grandma from God in order for us to hang out.
Now that's a damn good friend. Fabulous night, as always.*

*In no way does my use of the word "fabulous" mean to imply that Matt Adams is anything but a 100%, heterosexual, emo-lovin' kid. He just happens to love FABULOUS girls....

Caving

Today, I caved and did something I swore up & down I'd never do.

I went tanning... & to do it, I had to pay to use a tanning bed.

It's really something I'm not a huge fan of but I can't stand how BLAH I've been feeling recently. I'm going to try working out more (Right Annalisa?!), I've been TRYING to eat SOMEWHAT better, and I want my healthy-looking tan back. I want to feel the way I felt when I left Arizona... healthy, alive and happy.

Maybe if I keep working on the physical - the internal will follow.

But the Choosing Was Not

Tonight, I hung out with Matt who was home in the Valley for once. We went to Eat N Park and then I drove him back to Oakland... where he hides out most of the year. But it was nice to catch up, even if the visit was brief (....he was only home for the funeral viewing of his godfather.)

I kept trying to take his picture, but although Matt is a die hard fan of the blog (I love the angry 'Update your blog!' text messages he sends me).... he does not like being featured IN the blog. Lucky for him though...

I've 90% decided on the fact that the blog is going to end a month from today.
It's been 11 months since I started it and really... it's exhausting.

This blog has not ended up where I planned it would go... then again, life never goes as you plan. I never expected to still be in Pittsburgh by this point. Then again, I never expected to become so close to my cousins and their children. Be they in West Virginia, Ohio or South Park. Even in areas of dark disappointment, there are rays of sunshine to help you through. And boy - are those boys (and girl) my rays of sunshine.

I'm still planning on moving... at least, that's the intended destination. So my photo blogging will probably go on hiatus until I actually have definite plans of moving. Right now, I'm hoping to have my credit cards paid off 100% by October at the latest. Then after that... definite plans of saving and moving. Because the longer I stay here, the more I realize I'm meant to wander. I'm still on the path of discovering myself... I'm just taking detours I never expected. And even though I feel lost at times, I know I'm still on my way to something more.

Stop worrying where you're going - move on
If you can know where you're going, you've gone
Just keep moving on
I chose and my world was shaking, so what?
The choice may have been mistaken
The choosing was not
You have to move on...

Babies, Babies Everywhere...

Speaking of babies, even though I have yet to meet him, Gianni Joseph Capane, made his debut March 19th at 1:10 a.m. weighing in at 8 pounds, 3 ounces and 21 inches long.

I won't lie - I kinda feel sad that I'm not working with all of my coworkers who know Rachael and anticipated this baby boy.... but I'm hoping I get to see her (and meet him!) soon enough. But this pix message I received from her today definitely put a smile on my face.

As did a few others things, but those are hardly blog worthy.... :)

Mac-Ho 2.0

This is the official blog debut of Mac-Ho 2.0
Coming to you in October.

Tonight, I went shopping with Lauren Mac-Ho, who is obviously bursting with baby. I know it feels like they just got married yesterday (was summer really that long ago?) but she's well on her way to being a loud-mouth, sassy mother just like her own.

We had a really fantastic time tonight... buying panties (American Eagle, Victoria's Secret) and purses (New York & Co) and a couple articles of clothing. I needed stuff for work and when I saw a $10 top I loved at Old Navy and $10 pants at New York & Co to match... I couldn't pass it up. I haven't been shopping in forever.

Plus, Lauren's a good shopping partner.
Even when pregnant, she never loses her sense of style.

Reunited & It Feels So Good

Tonight, I spent time with one of my best friends from middle school, Angela.

I really haven't seen Angela much since August, when I accidently ran into her at Blockbuster. But before that - it has been years since I've seen her, let alone spent time with her. So after texting back and forth for a couple weeks, we made some plans -- just to find time to catch up, you know?

So I hung out with her mom and her daughter, Hailey, who I instantly fell in love with. Hailey and I... were BFFs at first sight. That's the only way to explain it. Then again, most three year olds tend to think I'm the coolest thing next to sliced bread... until they grow up and realize I'm not.

I really should just hang out with the under-4 crowd until I raise my self esteem more. Or at least Hailey and Angela, because I felt pretty good tonight when I was with them. :)

Anything-But-Typical Easter

So my Easter was not the typical Easter, but I feel blessed nonetheless.

1) For the first time in my life, I skipped church on Easter Sunday. And yes, I felt bad about it - but not nearly as bad as I expected to feel. I really needed the sleep though - with working pretty much nonstop, I'm starting to get a little drained. I mean, even my day off last weekend was exhausting since I drove down to West Virginia for Gage's birthday. And I worked both days this weekend. So I saw my chance for sleep... and I took it. Sorry, Jesus.

2) I worked 11:30-7:30 today downtown at the theater. Jerome, Alex & I were a little bummed about working on Easter Sunday, but it couldn't have been more fun. We had a mini-potluck dinner and Alex even made Easter baskets out of 6-packs for Jerome & myself! She filled the holes with candy and candles, hit the boxes in the box office, and told us to look for them when we got to work. How cute is that?! Honestly, I am loving my box office job... and the staff I'm getting to know and love there.

3) After work, I drove over to Momma Janita's to hang out with Momma, Melissa & Zurch. Momma Janita (being the amazing woman she is) prepared their leftovers for me to eat... so I was lucky enough to have a real dinner too even though my parents were out of town. :) And it was ridiculously delicious. Nothing beats homemade pierogies, ham, macaroni salad, apple sauce, greenbeans & mushrooms, and baked mac & cheese. Nothing. Except quality time at the Zurenski household...

McFall Madness

Who needs March Madness when Miles is back in town?

Tonight was the only night I was going to be able to see Miles, while he was home for Easter weekend, but it was a night I definitely needed. We just went down to Eat N Park as usual and sat there for three hours, laughing and bitching. Bitching and laughing. Which is usually how it goes when Miles and I are together.

I really wanted to post a list of all the funny things we talked about, but really - the whole night blends together into one night of just... laughing. I vaguely remember him joking/talking about getting a job at Petco after he graduates. And me saying that when you show your ID to the bartender, he should immediately ask for your cellphone to keep you from drunk texting. I realize those two statements are completely unrelated, but thats also why our conversations are so fun.

Oh and this is a photo of him taking a shot of iced tea. Because our waitress brought us out a glass and an extra... cuplette... of iced tea. For no apparent reason.

Miles, graduate and move back to Pittsburgh already. Petco's waiting.

Unreal Naked

Tonight my friend (formally referred to as "Lauren Danek" -- who will now be referred to as "Unreal Naked" since thats what her name basically is if you jumble the letters up a bit) had about 6 of us over to her house for a small potluck & game night. Plus, it was also the night for me to finally be introduced to her boyfriend of two and a half years, Jeff.

I'm going to be the flower girl in their wedding someday, so we figured it would be a nice night to announce it to him. He took it pretty well. As he should. I'd make one kickass flower girl, even at 23 years old.

Here Comes the Sun

Hello, Spring! It took you long enough to get here.
Winter was far, far too cold and lonely.

The First Time I Kissed You, I Lost My Legs...

Tonight I had a really, really, really good date. Really good date.

As much as I despise dating in general - the different guys I've come to know this year have really taught me a lot about myself and what I might want out of a partner someday. (Aka - they've taught me what I DON'T want... haha.) I still can't imagine myself getting so lost in someone that I lose sight of who I am as a person, nor do I ever want to put my goals and my dreams aside so that I can be in a relationship. I don't see why you can't have it all - but if I have to choose, part of me still prides myself on the fact that I think I'd still choose dreams and goals and myself. I want to grow and change, yes, but I want to hold onto me. Because no matter who comes and goes, I'm stuck with myself. So I better treat myself okay.

I don't know. Maybe that's bitchy. At least, it comes off a lot more selfish than I mean it... but what I liked about getting to know Ed tonight, was that I saw so much of my same ideals & beliefs in him as well. Yet he's not afraid to have fun, not afraid to be close, not afraid to speak his mind. Not afraid to dream.

Plus the fact that he was tricked into buying me a rose by some bum off the street made the night more eventful as well. It was quite the evening, that's for sure.

But whatever happens, happens. I do 100% believe though that at least tonight I had the opportunity to meet an incredible individual. Someone who, I can already tell, has so much to teach me.

Josephine Brown

So the branch I've been working at has been working out pretty okay so far. Like I've said before -- it's literally five minutes from my house, which helps with gas, and the ladies I work with are nice to me. Since it's a smaller branch, I'm getting to know some of the customers a lot better than I was when I was a pool teller which makes it easier on me.

Plus, I get some pretty awesome stories from the branch. Like my favorite customer -- Josephine Brown -- who talked to me for 20 minutes one day all excited about her Easter trip to New York City to see her grandson, and who just raved about her trip to Ireland her daughter took her on last year. On and on and on she went - about these great trips her daughter gives her as a Christmas gift every year. When I commented on how nice her daughter must be to give her such nice trips as a present, she inched closer to me and said, "And every year she also gives me a check for a THOUSAND dolalrs! ....And NOTHING says 'Merry Christmas!' like a THOUSAND DOLLARS!" ...Honestly, she made my day. Haha

Then there are other not-so-favorite-customers. Like the fat guy (excuse me... disabled guy) who called me a "F*cking c*nt" because I wouldn't cash his check without ID. It's not my fault that he's a) not a customer, b) forgot his ID in the car, c) never comes into our branch, therefore I didn't recongize him and d) that he was so lazy that he refused to go back to the car for the ID.

But overall there tend to be more Josephine Browns than "F*cking-c*nt-callers" so I guess I can't complain. :)

A Conversation with Lauren Danek

Tonight after work (and a nap!) I met up with Lauren Danek at Eat N Park, who is home on her spring break from law school at Ohio State. I just adore Lauren Danek sometimes... the way she tells stories just cracks me up. Especially when it's so easy to relate to her. And especially when she uses her hands to reenact a conversation/heavy discussion with her boyfriend, Jeff.

LD: It's one of those times when you can just see yourself outside of your own conversation being overdramatic and ridiculous and you just want to yell to yourself, "SHUT UP! Stop talking! Just stop!" But you can't. You just can't. You just keep going. It just keeps coming pouring out of you, no matter how ridiculous you realize you're being.

Later on Melissa joined us and we just sat there chatting, talking to our favorite waitress Kathy, and coloring Easter pictures they pass out to the kids at Eat N P. I can hardly believe it's almost Easter... and I can hardly believe I'm working all weekend either.

Beautiful Disaster

Rory is getting a little tired of being featured in the blog.
But since I just LOVE featuring him in my LIFE...
In the blog he shall stay. :) Haha!

Honestly though, I can't imagine him moving away from Pittsburgh.
It breaks my heart. And he thinks I'm kidding when I tell him that.

"He's magic and myth - as strong as what I believe.
A tragedy with more damage than a soul should see.
And do I try to change him? So hard not to blame him.
Hold on tight.... baby, hold on tight.
Oh and I don't know - I don't know what he's after.
But he's so beautiful - such a beautiful disaster.
And if I could hold on, through the tears & the laughter,
Would it be beautiful? Or just a beautiful disaster."
--Kelly Clarkson

Thomas the Tank Enginge Burger King Birthday Bash

As exhausted as I was, as much as I wanted to sleep all day and forget the world, as much as I couldn't fathom getting behind the wheel at 9 a.m. and driving to West Virginia with my Great Aunt Betty.... I am so glad I went down to be there for the afternoon...

And that I was present for Gage Michael's Thomas the Tank Engine Burger King Birthday Bash. Besides, you only turn three once and since I met him the night he was born -- it's only fair that I get some cake out of the deal. ;) Especially when it's Thomas the Tank Engine cake.

It was just so, so good to see the kids - who I surprisingly haven't seen in two months. That's the longest I've gone without seeing them since the beginning of summer and I'm shocked at how quickly time has slipped away from me. But with the second job, traveling to Ohio for Presidents Day Weekend and other things going on - I just didn't have the chance to go down. But with the weather changing, that needs to change because I completely ached when I saw how big they have gotten without me. And when I swooped Gage up in a hug when I saw him, he completely melted my heart.

Me: Gage I missed you.
Gage: (kisses me on lips) Oh I missed you sooo much Cuzin Kahwee!

I couldn't get enough of Laken, Liam and Quinton either. I kept grabbing Baby Liam every single time he walked/ran/waddled past me, tickling Laken the second he wasn't smiling and hugging Quinton every time he glanced at me. I dreaded the end of the party... but sadly, all parties end.

Right before it did though, I took some time to lay down on the floor next to Gage (right there in Burger King!) and let him show me some of his new Thomas toys he had gotten for his brithday.

Matt's Friend Across Room: (as he was leaving) Hey Gage can you come...
Gage: (Yells) WAAAAAAAAAAIT! I'M PLAYING WITH KAHWEE HOLD ON!

By this point in my life though, I'm pretty much convinced I'll never find anyone I love as much as I love this little boy (and his equally loveable cousins.) I just can't imagine it's possible.

As I was getting ready to leave, they were all getting in the car to go get their pictures taken with the Easter Bunny after the party. But Betty and I were heading home so I couldn't go with them. Had I been by myself, I would have gone with them and just gotten home later -- but since Betty was with me I figured we needed to head home. So home we went...

Though my heart is still definitely in West Virginia.

Long Days Should End with Beer

I worked from 8 til 6 today, attended a church/speaker thing ("A Night of Hope" with Joel Osteen) downtown with my parents at Mellon Arena from 7:30-10:30 and then headed out to the bar for a couple hours for my last night with La.

We took our friend from high school, Kevin, around to see a couple bars in the area we hang out at on occassion, since he's never been. It was a fun night out (as usual) but I was so overly exhausted from my late nights this week, issues at work and over-socialization that I kept dreaming of hitting my pillow... hard.

This picture definitely makes me giggle though.

S'mores = Love

La, Dana & I just hung out at her house tonight, roasting marshmellows, making s'mores, eating mini-weenies, talking, laughing, watching Princess Diaries 2, playing Wii and enjoying just hanging out.

Nights like tonight don't make my feel very adult (in fact, its quite the flashback to high school days) but they do make me ridiculously happy.

Which is what I need during such a transitional time in my life.

When Two Worlds Collide

Let's sum up my day, shall we?

I was called a "fucking cunt" before 9:30 a.m. this morning by a bank customer, completely screwed up when I was working the night show downtown at the theater (RIGHT before the show started, with a big subscriber and in FRONT of the Artistic Director...) & then I left my parking ticket behind in the machine when I was paying to leave the downtown garage. AHHHH.

But I made it to Mt. Washington for La's first experience at Redbeards.

We met up with Rory, his friend Jenya and his other friend Eric... to enjoy a buttload of wings, AMAZING PROVOLONE LOGS & drinks. We had a pretty good time (who doesn't have a good time when wings are involved?) and I think Rory truly began to understand why I am the way I am... because of friends like La. I REALLY wish they had had their wing-off, but they both refused to attempt 75 wings each. Which was a huge disappointment.

I ended my day with a smile on my face though, so I broke even.
...Despite the start to my day. lol

Bullshit Blog #2*

Oh what? 8:17? Really?
Guess I'll end up being early for work today.

I have to admit, living five minutes away from work is kickass.

*Definitely, definitely unexpected surprise to my week. Who knows what will come of it, if anything, but for now it's a nice little bit of sunshine in my sometimes overly cloudy life.

A Bullshit Blog

When I don't really want to blog about a particular day or event or person
...I make up a bs post about something else I did during my day.

I'm being trained to take care of the ATM at work. It's annoying & boring but I'd rather learn how to do it so that Karen doesn't have to do it anymore... because she loathes doing it. Which means I'll probably loathe doing it, but I'm more flexible.

But learning the ATM was definitely not the highlight of my day.
Something/someone else completely unexpected was...

Where Mah Girl's At

Yes. It's true. She's back. And just as amazing as ever.

I finally got the chance to see LaLa tonight, after two failed attempts. The weather was too bad for us to hang out last night, but tonight more than made up for it when we went to Eat N Park and had an exceptionally satisfying experience. It's Ginormous, after all. And though you can't see it in the picture... La is definitely pointing to where it says "actual size." Oh La. How my blog has missed you.

Although our favorite waitress wasn't there... we were quite enchanted with another waitress we hadn't had before. Who ended up being our favorite waitress' cousin. Who loves & has been to Tucson. WHO HAS BEEN TO THE MEET RACK. I mean... the night was just one ridiculous discovery after another. Then we realized she was the mother of one of the girls we had been in choir with in high school... and Lauren and I just couldn't stop laughing.

I knew right then that this week was going to be ridiculously crazy.... but insanely fun.

Workaholic? Without the...work?

So I definitely can't complain that much. I love my Box Job at the theater.
This would be Alex. Playing games while working before the show.
But it was so ridiculously slow today that we were almost bored to tears...

Extreme Disappointment

So this is what tired looks like.
This is also what extreme disappointment looks like as well.

Although I had planned on seeing LaLa tonight, she was getting into town much later than expected, the roads aren't that great and I have to work early tomorrow. Life suckssssss. It needs to be filled with more LALA.

Soccer Mom Jenn

Tonight, after probably a year of not seeing her, I met up with one of my old coworkers from the Waterfront, Old Navy Jenn for drinks & dinner. It was so, so, so good to see her. I really do miss my friends I had when I worked at Old Navy and even though pretty much all of us have moved on to other jobs I still genuinely long for how well we all got along. Tonight was perhaps the best hour and a half of my week... and its an hour & a half I hope we can repeat MUCH more frequently, since I miss having her in my life. God, does she make me laugh.

We always teased Jenn and called her "Soccer Mom Jenn" - she has three kids, drives a big white van but hardly acts like a mom at all. She's recently divorced too - and she had some great dating stories for me over dinner. Though when it came to taking a photo for the blog, of course none of that "coolness" came across in the photo.

Instead, this picture just looks like it should be captioned...

(In a very stern/annoyed Mom voice:)
"Kari Anne stop embarrassing me! Put that down!"

:) Better photo next time, Soccer Mom. Promise.

Idolized

After taking last year off, I've become addicted to American Idol again.
(Basically what brought me back was the writers strike & lack of new shows.)

The guys are particularly AWESOME this season. Though overall, I'm generally lovin' David Castro (pictured), Syesha Mercado, Asia'h Epperson, Michael Johns & David Cook.

I'm picking David Archuleta as this season's American Idol though.
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE! That boy.

Monday Madness

We have a tiny parking lot at the branch I work at.... TINY.
It's even smaller when there's a huge crane parked in it all day.

Really, HOW long does it take to change parking signs?
Surely not 8 hours.

And I doubt all the noise they made was really necessary either.

Locked Out

....If last night's commute home wasn't enough, I got into Pittsburgh early (hit EVERY single green light possible) and was outside the Box Office around 9:15, which was 15 minutes earlier than I was scheduled. I knew I'd be the first one there, since Alex tends to be late so I went to punch in my code -- and it didn't work. And didn't work. And didn't work. I punched in my code AND my boss' code (just in case) and neither worked.

And Alex didn't show up - and didn't show up - and didn't show up. She also works late at a bar some nights, so that's why she's usually running late. I doubt I'd want to get to bed at 3 or 4 a.m. and be at the box office by 9:30.

Finally - RIGHT before ten (when we're supposed to open) Alex showed up. We called our boss and tried and tried and tried.... we fought with the keys we had, to see if we could get one to work and finally we were able to get one to work that didn't work the first time, so we got in. But I was FREEEEEEEEEEZING after being outside for 45 minutes. FREEZING. Luckily, it wasn't raining today. And since I drove downtown today (I wasn't trusting the T!) I figured at least I knew when I left work at the end of the day... I'd actually get to leave right away.

A 3 Hour Life Lesson

My commute home tonight was just... ridiculous.

To make a long story short, I got off work at the Box Office (early!) and headed to the T. I figured I must have JUST missed my train, because it didn't come & so I settled in to wait another half hour for the next one. The other trains came and went... came and went... and eventually I had waited (with a few other people) for an HOUR with no L train.

That's when we realized no other trains were coming either.
Finally, after an hour of twenty minutes of waiting - alarms started going off in the tunnel and police filed down the stairs. We were told the lines were shutting down & we should just go "catch a bus." WHICH of course, is impossible for me. So even though my parents thought I had left almost an hour and a half ago... I had to call my dad and ask him to come downtown to pick me up. It took him an hour to get down there to get me (he HAD to take the "back way to avoid traffic. Uh huh.) and then 45 minutes for us to get back to my car at the T parking lot.

So by the time I got home.... I had been trying to get home for over three hours. While waiting though I had... quite the encounter.

This crazy man came up to me and started talking while I was waiting... it was one of those conversations you have because you know you JUST can't get out of them. I honestly thought he was a crazy, drunk, homeless man. He reeked of alcohol (brandy, he told me) and rambled on and on about so many things. He said he hasn't been on vacation in over 30 years. I asked him where the last place he traveled was and he told me he honestly can't even remember. I told him maybe it was time to take one - even a small one - and he waved his hand at me and told me he'd rather "give back to the North Side." Then he started telling me how he had these gardens and art all over that area; that's where his money goes. Dave Matthews Band even stopped in to visit him one time. On and on he rambled... then, before he hopped on his train he shook my hand and told me to look him up online. "Randyland in Pittsburgh" he kept saying.

Yeah, sure buddy. Whatever. Dave & Co stop by to visit me all the time too - when Madonna isn't over for lunch, that is.

....Well apparently he wasn't just a drunk idiot - I'm the idiot. I had never even HEARD of Randyland. But here it is... right before my internet stalking eyes. Completely, 100% legit. And that's him in the photos.

Also, from another online article/interview with him:

"Randyland" is filled with sculptures, plants, and 40-foot-high murals you've painted with clouds and castles. How do people react to it? Thousands of people come from all around the world to the [nearby] Mattress Factory [art gallery]. The Dave Matthews Band came by about two months ago. They jumped out of the van and took pictures. Mayor Murphy was jogging by one day. I said, "You want to see my alligators?" He said, "Randy, you're not allowed to have alligators in the city." I said, "You want to see them?" He's in his Spandex or whatever. So I showed him Randyland, and after he saw the cement alligators he laughed.

Who would have imagined that for once - the crazy, drunk guy at the T station wasn't homeless but in fact... this artist. Who actually PRODUCES something for the community? So while it took me over three hours to get home tonight... I really did learn you can't judge a book by it's cover - even if it reeks of booze.