As off the grid as I can manage

I've had a nice little zen retreat in my everyday life, thanks to TMobile's stupidity. Russell J & I decided to get fancy new phones. So we switched to TMobile from Sprint. Our phones get here today. Our service, however, was switched on Thursday. I've been cell-phoneless (and all-phoneless) for five days. I'm partying like it's 2003.

(Apologetic Girlfriend Note: He has been begging me for months to get these phones. I kept ignoring him, thinking that he was just being gadget-obsessed. I was wrong. This phone is really cool. I may never go back to having an obsolete phone.)

Thank you, TMobile, for freeing me from the tyranny of other's peoples' Facebook posts and Twitter mentions. It's SO NICE to be present, on vacation in Phoenix, able to move about my day without having to know that somewhere in the world, a distant cousin is fighting with her mom.

I am in Phoenix for another two days. I love it. If the Wonder Dog weren't still in Houston, I would never, ever leave.

Boyfriend & I have been putting in a lot of time of the gym. I had this crazy brilliant idea to sign up for a triathlon because they give you mimosas and cupcakes at the finish line. So we're both in training for triathlons, like active people. He went to a yoga class with me, which was one of the harder classes I've been to recently. Whoops. I ran 3 miles yesterday and am finally feeling like I'm almost kind of a runner.

And we tried to swim.

I'm going to drown. In the lazy river. At a resort hotel.

I haven't swam laps in, oh, probably 15 years. And even then, I was no Ryan Lochte/Michael Phelps/Missy whoever/I don't know any female Olympic swimmers. I don't like to put my face in the water. Even with goggles on, I think that I'm drowning. Thank goodness for a patient, ex-competitive-swimming boyfriend. He recommended a paddleboard. And I'm seven years old again.

We were supposed to go to 2 spring training games over the past 2 days, but decided to take afternoon naps instead. Please don't tell Coco and Yoenis, but the naps were totally worth it. Plus, we're going to see them at their Spring Training home & buy lots of prezzies for the fam, so I hope they'll forgive me.

Goodness gracious, do I miss the 90's

I loved the nineties. Glitter. Capri pants. Spaghetti strap tanks. USHER. I have to come clean and admit that this moment of nostalgia is completely brought to you by the movie She's All That. I also miss Rachael Leigh Cook.

I ran ten miles this week. And by "ran", I actually mean that I ran intervals. But at least I completed ten miles on my own legs.

Russell J was here for five days and it was GREAAAAAAAT! We ate delicious Greek and French food, got a couples massage, went to the gym, and threw a Super Bowl party. Bad news: We've figured out that by the time we finally get to relocate, we'll have bought 2 engagement rings worth of plane tickets. Good news: only 16 more days until I get to fly out to Phoenix for Spring Training and boyfriend time.

I went to the gym today. Gyms are not my thing. They remind me of picking up my brother (and his grimy little friends) from wrestling practice and forcing them to roll down all the windows so they wouldn't stink up my car. I also have a ton of anxiety about gyms. Are people looking at me? Do I look cool? Am I working out hard enough? I did 20 minutes on the elliptical today and then made myself so nervous that I started feeling pukey. My hatred of the gym: I'm working on it.

It. Is. COLD. In. Houston. White Christmas? Not interested. Leaves changing colors? Couldn't care less. I want sunshine, 80 degree weather, frozen yogurt, and t-shirts all year long. There is California blood flowing through these veins and there always will be. The Wonder Dog and I will spend this week snuggled up, drinking tea, and eating oranges to keep all the germs away.

I am obviously an adult-lescent.

At work, I do really badass things like save lives and supervise fifty people. But at home, I do really lame things like set off the smoke detector by cooking a pizza. In my defense, the pizza is not burning. There is no smoke in this apartment. Honest to God, I don't even need to set a timer because the smoke detector goes off right before the pizza is finished. My apologies to my neighbors; I've taken care of the problem. My apologies to my firefighter dad; I've hidden the smoke detector in my closet again.

New year, new stories, new goals. I'm a relief charge nurse. I'm still in Texas, though I'd like to move again soon. Russell & I are still racking up frequent flier miles. Our Christmas vacation included going to the movies three times, eating all the junk food we wanted, taking long naps, and spending a lovely New Year's Eve at home with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin.

New Year's Resolutions? Sure.
- Stop gossiping (mostly at work)
- Stop swearing so much (mostly at work)
- Learn how to like exercising. I've started working out with these girls.
- More yoga
- More veggies. More dinners that aren't made by Lean Cuisine.
- Read more, write more.
- Be sweet to my cute boyfriend.

audition

i am beautiful/i am talented/and i am calm
i am beautiful/i am talented/and i am calm

I'm at a job fair that feels much more like a casting call. We're sizing up everyone else in line, lined up like cattle. Ten years ago, I was accustomed to this type of rapid-fire rejection. Today, I am uncomfortable. I'm fidgety. I would rather be anywhere else.

This job fair feels like the only option, even though I've got other applications out. I can never manage to convince myself that if I don't get hired, if I don't get the part, I'll still be alright. This is the only job. This is the only part. This is the only chance I'll get. This is the only time I'll be able to make a first impression.

god, i hope i get it
i hope i get it
how many people does he need?

After waiting in line for over an hour, I have a three minute conversation with a recruiter. I'm qualified, but they don't have any open positions. They'll call me if any positions open up. They'll e-mail. I'll be in the system now.

And I'm fine. Because I know the drill, and I'm well acquainted with not fitting the part. Some days, I'm almost twenty-five and some days, I'm still fifteen.

all the things, part 2

On living alone with your dog:

all the things

On having curly hair:
I firmly believe that when you've got a full head of curly, Mexican hair, hair salons are a total scam. No, I do not want golden highlights. No, I do not want short layers. No, I do not want a style that needs to be straightened to look its very best and while I appreciate that you took all of this time to blow it out and straighten it, it's never going to look like this again. It's like the episode of Sex and the City based on The Way We Were:

Miranda: "Robert Redford is madly in love with Barbara Streisand, but he can't be with her because she's too complicated and she has wild, curly hair. So he leaves her and marries this simple girl with straight hair."
Carrie: "Ladies, I am having an epiphany. The world is made up of two types of women: the simple girls and the Katie girls."

I am a curly girl. And a Katy girl. And I am desperately seeking a great (maybe Middle Eastern?) hair salon in the Houston area.



On crying in the supply room at work:
I'm a little over a month from being 25 and I'm finally finding my stride as an RN. I'm getting a lot of experience orienting new RNs to the adult and pediatric sides of our floor. I'm comfortable taking on six patients. I'm fine with blood draws and IVs and NG tubes and straight caths and all kinds of other unpleasant procedures on tiny little people. I can handle parents and family members who are upset. But sometimes, I'm still overwhelmed and frustrated. And every once in a while, I cry in the supply room for a couple minutes until I can regain my footing. I'm learning a lot. I'm teaching a lot. I might be ready to move into a new job sooner than I expected, but this has been a positive experience overall.



On being a single girl with a boyfriend:
I am certain that my dad has been my biggest fan since the first moment he laid eyes on me. When I am lonely and depressed and homesick, he always tells me, "You are living on your own, far from home. Not everyone can do what you're doing." I miss Phoenix. And I miss California. And I miss lunch dates and happy hours and favorite restaurants. I'm still not ready to go to the movies alone and I don't like only seeing my boyfriend a few days a month. I am so happy that I have a sweet, little (sometimes tick-infested) dog who is always happy to see me and never lets me sleep alone.