I laugh more often now, I cry more often now, I am more me.

Another uproariously busy week! I worked at TNF on Monday (after staying up late the night before) and luckily, it was a pretty good day. They even let me off early to get ready for Sally's. I ended up staying longer so that I could find THE BEST Red Velvet Cake recipe online. Unfortunately, both of my managers got in on the action and started teasing me about making cake for Karl. Everyone at that place knows about him and it's kind of a running conversation topic there, which is actually pretty hilarious. I went to Panera for supper before Sally's and was able to talk to my friend, Erik, for a bit about life. I really miss hanging out with him because he's one of my best friends here, but he's so busy! Bummer.

Tuesday, I left Sal's right away so that I could go work on my cake. I was super excited for this new baking adventure. It's Karl's favourite cake and I was keeping it a surprise for his birthday today! Yipes! I spent the afternoon making, baking, cooling, and frosting the durn thing. The most laughable and tearful part was when I let it cool down in the sink and proceeded to rinse off my hands - ah! Terrible, really. I was able to salvage it though (and did not end up telling Karl - ha). It really turned out spectacularly. *pats back*

Anne and I met everyone at the Lebonese restaruant where I first met the Karl & the guys for dinner a month ago. {Ha. Aw. We're cute.} Karl's dad was there and everything. Such good food and company! Later, we all went to the Goodfoot for some funk music by the ScottPembertonTrio. {Also something Karl and I saw a while back. Cute.} Some of Anne and my friends showed up - Greg and James - it was nice to have all of these guys meet each other. Before Laz and Aaron left, Laz says to Karl, "enjoy your red velvet cake." And Karl jumps up, surprised, and says, "that's my favourite cake!" {I think I win.} After our late night of awesome music and amazing friends, Karl and I went home to grab the cake and he just took a big bite out of it. Haha. *sigh*

Wednesday, I met up with Michelle at Woodburn so that we could go to the Tulip Festival! It was such a wonderful afternoon. We walked around the outlet a bit, buying a bit too much, and visiting my store for a bit. A bit. Then we drove to see the flowers! Oh my - they were amazing. It was a perfect day to go because the sky was a bit stormy looking and made the tulips pop. A bit. I will miss you, Mishka! I made it home in enough time to have taco dinner with Anne, Greg, and her sisters. Yum.

Thursday, I woke up a very unhappy Sally. She appearantly had a horrible day, saying she was dead and refusing to eat. I recieved texts and calls all day from the other caregiver, Julie and her mom. Dang it. This sort of tainted the day and everything was seemingly continuing downhill when Anne said she wanted to cancel our dinner party > luckily, I convinced her otherwise and we spent the day shopping and preparing food. It ended up being a fun night > Aaron, Laz, James, Greg, Karl, Jim and Court showed up at random times for our delicious chicken and rice! (Yes, I'm still a vegetarian) We set up a fire in back, listened to music, ate, laughed, drank and had a jolly good time.

Friday, I went out for sushi with some of my friends from work. I...like...them...a lot. We went cosmic bowling afterwards and had a jolly good time. again.

Today, I slept my life away, had coffee with Anne and James, and went to work! Sally is better for now...

watch me fall like dominos in pretty patterns

Well, it's birthday month apparently. All of a sudden Erik, Aaron, Karl, Kristen and my own mother decide to cosmically spring their birthdays on me - with very little warning, mind you. It has been all good fun though, so I forgive them. To start off the festivities, a bunch of us went to a Moroccan restaurant called Marakesh here in Ptown to celebrate Karl and Aaron's birthdays. The food was cozy and the atmosphere was delicious (or the other way around); all ten of us sat around on cushions, ate our Moroccan feast, laughed over this and that and birthday cards, and sighed in relief as a belly dancer coerced Karl's sister, Daisy, into some locomotion (and thankfully not us). Good times. After that, most of us made our way to a bowling alley a ways away, and had a go at it... All except for Jim, Laz and me. They had no excuse, but I had no socks, so I'm going with that - and not the fact that I don't like games. It was quite enjoyable nevertheless.

(Out of the birthday lineup, it should be noted that) on Thursday I met my friend, Laura, at a coffee shop to sketch and talk about our lives and art. She's truely an amazing person - she rents out a woodshop where she creates spectacular sculptures. She's already a good influence on me. In the evening, the guys played at an open mic again - Karl also joined on the guitar with Laz and Aaron. They are kind of / ridiculously good, so it's always fun to hear them play. After that, Jim, Courtney, Karl and I went to Edgefield to eat a post dinner dinner and play pool. Again, good times.

Back to the birthday events: Kristen's birthday was on Saturday, but Michelle and I did an early birthday celebration with her on Friday. We went to WA park in Ptown, drank wine, and ate cheese, bread and chocolates in the rose garden. Oh my goodness! it was lovely. Then they came over to mi casa for a bit and met my roomie Anne and our friend, James.

I worked all of Saturday at the NorthFace and into the night with Sally. She and I have been really smack talking each other - in a funny way. Ha.

Sunday, I went over to Laz's house and we walked around Gresham looking for stores to display his photographs (which are amazing). We had some Thai with Aaron and then drove downtown to visit an artist who's going to paint on one of Laz's guitars. Then, they got a chance to see mi casa (this being the second time this week that I was car-less at my own house. ha.), meet my other roommate Carrie and our curmudgeon of a cat, Rocco. We ended up hanging out in my room while Laz was nice enough to draw out some Arabic script for me and Aaron played some blues on the guitar. So random and fun. Then Laz and I went to watch "The Book of Eli" c. 930... sort of late... but I really enjoyed the movie (despite certain graphic scenes). It ended up being a late night considering I had to still go back to Laz's to get my car, but I really enjoyed hanging out with those guys.

Today I worked at TNF again - it was sort of an odd day again there. At the end of my shift, both of my managers came in the back room and helped me print out a recipe for red velvet cake (for Karl's bday tomorrow) and I ended up staying an hour later to finish that up and chat with Jory about sushi and Adam about my mysterious and secret liking of hip hop music. Ah, they are so funny.

Tomorrow: Karl's birthday. Will consist of making and eating Red Velvet Cake - never made it before, but I used to make regular cake all the time... *crosses fingers*, wrapping ma present to him - which is awesome, and meeting him and Aaron for some musico at the Goodfoot. Should be grand (like grain and sand colliding).

Wednesday: TULIP FEST WITH MICHELLE. excitement.

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.

And there went the weekend! Eh?

Saturday was unexpectedly interesting. I went to my friend, Laz's, new house. He moved in with Karl's dad actually whose house is about 100 years old and in awesome condition. We talked politics, religion and relationships over some delicious Lebanese cuisine. He lived in the Middle East for 8 years and has the most intense story... It's surreal sitting across the table and looking into the eyes of someone with such a different upbringing, while still connecting over shared interests, emotions and ambition.

I drove down to Salem on Sunday to share in the festivities of the King/Thompson family Easter. It was unlike a typical Easter Sunday, mind you. And it was AWESOME. I love my Miche and her family. We went to my favourite coffee place, the French Press, and to the Book Bin, watched Capitalism: A Love Story, and enjoyed some veggie soup around the dinner table with some heavy wine and lighthearted laughter. Let's do that again!

Today I woke up to the blare of dance music coming from the kitchen. Anne and our friend, James, were cooking up a storm! A typical occurrence... I helped them out and by stirring the eclectic mix of greens, beans and spices. Periodically during the mix, we all busted out our best karaoke lines and dance moves out on the kitchen floor. Another typical occurrence... After our wonderful meal, we trotted down the street to the coffee shop, arms linked, laughter unconcealed and sporadic dance moves at the ready. The rest of the afternoon was spent moving my things to a bigger room in the house! I'm really excited about it because it definitely has a vaulted ceiling and a larger window. Success. Pictures to come...

Currently, I'm in my room at Sally's apartment sippin' some peach juice and eating buttered bread. I picked an early shift this week so that I could have Wednesday off - it's Aaron and Karl's birthday celebration! Tonight went well with Sally. She's a goof and I love 'er to bits.

Sigh. That is all for now.

time has passed and you have gone with it

So, my dearest friends and family, it is already time for a new blog. Odd how small decisions change the course of one's life - I decided to move to Portland, keep my NFace job, fall into a new core group of friends and open my arms to the grandeur of this new chapter.

I'm still madly in love.

In love with this city and this state. In love with my friends old and new. I'm riding a high this year and the view is unexplainable. :) I don't know how to describe the riot of happiness. *sigh*

My jobs are going really well lately. I had an employee review a few days ago and my boss who I normally despise was thoroughly happy with my work over the past year and I got an minuscule raise! Success! My favourite day at work was this last Wednesday - we all goofed around, had dogs in the store, ran outside in the rain, and came up with date ideas in Portland. Sally is getting so much better - almost back to normal. We've had some really good "chats" lately and I'm remembering why I wanted to do this job in the first place.

I've kept busy since I moved here with my dear friends - most recently - coffee with Laura, dinner with Erik, lunch and scrabble with Lazarus, and jazz clubs, dinners etc. with my new amigos, Jim, Karl, Aaron, and Laz.

Exciting times.

Lesson to be learned: how to keep up when there's more people to keep up with.