The No Shame Vegas Trip

I never really went to Vegas when I was younger without my parents or my boyfriend ... who now has become legally bound to me. So when I did go it was always pretty wholesome. Even with the BF. We like to people watch, eat, drink and play. But we didn't like to play big tables, and we really didn't go to clubs or want to interact too much with others. Hahaha. We sound so boring!

Well I just got back from a trip with my sister. We flew out for 2 nights to visit with my Mother and her BFF who were having their annual girl's vegas fun time trip. BFF "C" flew out to Hawaii first to see Moms and the Colonel. He leaves for a business trip and they leave for Sin City.

I called to check on them earlier last week right when they got there. The phone call was like talking to giddy girls on Spring Break:

Mom: Hello? giggle. Hello? Is that you honey?

Me: Yes Mom it's me, how are you guys doing?

Mom: Giggle. OMG C! We are having a great time. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. You HAVE to talk to "C"!

Me: Mom I can barely hear you! What about this weekend are we ....

Mom: Honey the Casino is too loud! "C" can't talk she's talking to her machine. We have to go now bye!

Sister and I had a great time. Our flights were delayed there and back, but aside from small ants in our pants prepared girls used the time productively. I knit, she studied (Chemistry) and in Vegas we gambled some allowance money.

We really had a good time, and we didn't get into any trouble at all. The worst thing we did was take a long time to get ready and go to bed really late (4:50 / 5amish)

Highlights & Happy Moments:
* O show! Duhs I love synchronized swimming, fancy dives even mish mashed with Cirque Du Soleil's french Canadian McCreepy clowns, death, dancing animal spirit things and spooky music.

* Drinking my much needed vegetable servings in Las Vegas via Bloody Mary with "C" playing Community Monopoly.

* Getting over my card table fears and having another go at Twenty One at 1:30 in the morning.

* Walking down the Strip gawking at everyone. Posing for pictures with BumbleBee and Michael Jackson -- for our boys.

* Drinking Sancerre with my sister outside on a perfect weather evening.

* Listening to the world's most polite doucherella in the taxi queue at The Venetian. He was wearing horrible sports jersey with baggy jeans and a Louis Vuitton weekend bag. He was bragging about his expensive drink (that he was drinking out of a plastic cup ... to go), he was bragging about the thousands of dollars he dropped the night before and his friend (on the phone) should know he's "good for it" to have a good time. He also told same friend (girlfriend? escort?) that he was going to spend some money tonight, they were going to have a good time, and not to wear her white house shorts (or something like this) and put on a dress.

Then he turned to me and told me I reminded him of his mother, because I had pulled out a tangerine from my bag (thank you Bellagio Buffet) and ate a half of it. He was waiting for me to finish it. ha. "My Mom always had healthy snacks like that when we were kids. Always had them on her." And then proceeded to ask us all polite like where we were from and if we were having a nice time.

HA!

* Watching my mother wreath balloons together with some thread she happened to have on her person, in her jammies and drinking Duncan Donuts iced (no sugar) coffee. hehe.

* Duncan Donuts

* Knowing that God created the following grown-up video games for me: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Monopoly, Pompeii, Triple Diamonds SLOT MACHINES

* A group of Jersey boys on their way back to New York in the airport recapping their trip. They might've experienced a "little more" shame than us.

* My sister. My mother. A grown up moment appreciating things close and afar.

** Regardless of the fact that when the boys picked me up from the airport my son was unable to pick his head up out of Tintin to say more than a french hand wave of, "Hi" I was happy to see them.

Quick Pick Me Ups for the Superficial

Below is a list of go to make it better items that may or may not have redeeming qualities or may on the other hand display the full-range of my shallow sinful existance. However these items, help prevent the pity party and remind me that lots of things can make you smile, if you do something about it instead of fret.

* Buy a $1 scratcher lottery ticket. hehe. love the sense of reveal. even when nothing matches on the card, the fact it could've or might maybe next time is comforting.

* Soup. Seriously, I can eat it for breakfast and it will make the say seem more promising. I feel satiated, but not overwhelmed.

* Knitting a few rows. Provided I don't screw them up, instant gratification. Productivity and meditation all in one.

* Lipgloss/Chapstick/Lipbalm. Because it reminds me to take care of something small that makes me appear I care without all the self-consciousness of lipstick during the day.

* Earl Grey Tea with Milk & Sugar. Better than any chocolate chip cookie for me when I need something sweet and feels like a hug. (Granted I am not a sweet tooth)

* Fishing for Affection. I am lucky I have a very nice man-friend and a fairly compassionate child. So ... I can call (at an appropriate time) during the day and say hi to Man-friend, and ask him something mundane about dinner plans. Or I can be 15 year old cheezy, "just wanted to say hi." and I'll get my "have a nice day dear, love you". I can fluff The Kid's eternal bed-head and get a squishy hug or say, "Hey! I love you, you know." "i knoooooooow. love you too Mom."

I'll take it!

Honorable Mentions & Gold Stars

I had some personal improvements that I've been working on that made some progress this week, but nothing that will get me a blue ribbon. On the otherhand, also did some fun things that definitely merit Gold Stars ...

Honorable Mentions
Bagged up clothes and shoes. Kid began a bag in the hallway. Recycle Queen! Can't be gold star with so much more to do!

Scrubbed the private hell out of my fridge. Inside I wiped it down two more times to make up for neglect.

Dented paperwork for various kid functions. No gold star because it's not done.

Went with Man-friend to get The Kid his first bicycle. No Gold Star, because we still need to teach him how to ride it, and my father thinks we should've given him one that he has.

I hit tennis balls against a wall. No Gold Star, because I should've hit with a friend or hit for longer.

Gold Stars
Pioneer Tree Trail Hike at Samuel P. Taylor State Park with the kids. Lame - I forgot my shoes and had to do it in wedge flip flops.

Brunch in San Anselmomomo at L'Apart. Mizuna salad happiness and lemonade with Kennebec fries. Who knew I would like the flavor of pear in my Moules?

Hanging with Madam B. She's so witty and observant and hospitable. Our kids play nice and her husband is nice too. Dangerous when I feel that relaxed at someone else's house I don't know so well. Hope to find some time for an afterschool date.

Going into Michael's craft store and only coming out with the knitting needles I needed.

Shaking off the bad knitting vibe and reknitting the All Day Beret. It still looks like funky. Like I won't gift it to the Good Girl at this point, but I am enjoying the way the pattern feels. I can knit it fast and I will finish it. I won't lie. I'm secretly hoping that it all works out in the end, worn by someone.

Somehow making it to work despite not sleeping well for days. Hmm, maybe this should be an honorable mention.

Knot Again. Knot Now. No.

I went to get D-LUX pedicure with Lu last night after work. She wasn't even at work in the afternoon, and she still was willing to come down to meet me. What a gal! What a pal!

The salon was packed, but we had our chatter and our yarn. Really mellow relaxing time, and she had me laughing. The one that has stuck w/me ...

On her committment issues, "So I say to my sister after she announces her engagement, 'Really? Why would you want to do that? That's like volunteering to eat only vanilla ice cream for the rest of your life. Everytime you walk into the ice cream store, you're surrounded by all these flavors. But now, you only order vanilla."

HAHAHAHHAA.

Okay see -- I didn't get straight to the complaining.

I waited to mention how despite, being soaked, massaged, rubbed, exfoliated and parafin waxed I still can't get a little splinter out my heel.

I waited to mention how when we got our feet waxed we both yelped at how hot it is. And before that as we waited for our polish to dry a little we were admiring my progress on the sweater, when we realized ... I put the hand pouch ... on the back side instead of the front side of the sweater.

We realized I had knit approximately 3 inches ... to frog or backout.

I can't think about it now.

No.

To make matters worse, I'm missing a pair of knitting needles, US 5 16". I discovered this when I tried to salvage the evening knitting with some work on my hat for the good girl. Yes the All Day Beret that needs to be frogged because I knit the yarnovers in a way that did not create a holey effect. Damnit.

Damnit.

No.

Yeah laborday weekend is coming. I must say ... I'm not sure if I'm looking forward to knitting for once. I feel scarred today.

Laborious Days

My self absorbed teenage self is flopping around upside down on the couch, telephone glued to my ear, television on and homework scattered all over the living room floor.

I am complaining about how I never get to do what I want to do.

I can't stand this homework assignment, it's not "interesting".

I'm kind of bored, I need to do something different.

I wish I had some french fries.

WOW -- so much has changed. ha! Okay only maybe the french fries didn't "stick" like they do now. Such a kid I was/am!

This is kind of how I've been feeling. There is plenty of work spread in front of me. It's getting done, bits at a time. But I keep day dreaming about going back on vacation or just fun things on days off.

But then there is this grown up part of me that feels ... guilt. So I think what would the grown up in me tell The Kid. Not just my inner kid, but The Kid. And I think.

Geez, just get it done and stop whining. You would have more time to enjoy yourself, if you just stopped all the fretting. Yeah maybe your idea won't work, but might as well try. If you try and get something done, it will make you feel better. If you just work, you won't waste so much time.

So, this Labor day weekend, we are going to lay low after a great and busy weekend full of School stuff, friend's stuff and another one layer of grime cleaning.

We are going to focus on 2.5 areas each to clean. And then we are going to collectively purge. Only social obligation we'd like to have is seeing my dad and/or sister.

This is great, except I think it might be too sedate for The Kid. Hmm. I should see what I can drum up. Oh well there's soccer practice and ... uh oh ... here we go again.

Knot so Successful

When I was a kid my mother used to have this plaque up in her kitchen it read:

I'm not a slow cook.
I'm not a fast cook.
I'm a half-fast cook.

I think it wasn't until I was 11 till I got the play on words.

I think I am half-fast at everything.

Examples:
Clutter/Housework (which unfortunately is one and the same for me and my "lifestyle")
Knitting - Cant focus on one project have to have not 2 or 3, usually 4. I excuse myself for this, b/c I think all but 2 projects have become FOs, it just takes longer and!! I am improving and like it! just ... painfull slow.
Office Work - ugh, my documentation and organization has got to get stronger! No work talk. Sorry.
Family - Love them all. Never feel like I am doing the best for them. I feel like I am constantly letting them down.

If I am such a good family person why is it so hard for me to do things that will be better for EVERYONE? Why am I so selfish? Why can't I practice what I preach? The Kid is going to be taught bad habits by me. Being messy, lazy. The Kid is going to be so overwhelmed by his mother the hypocrite he will be writing sad novels until he's 45!

The Man-friend works very hard is very patient and treats me like an equal, however I am pretty bratty and entitled, and can't seem to shake my old "Only Child" behavior. (Hey! what can I say! I was alone 8 yrs before Sister came along!)

Anyways, Knot so Successful Girl is trying to learn things. I know, I am inspired, I am self-aware. I just fail on execution which is why I'm also "Half-Fast" Girl.

Whirlwind Weekend

Amazed at how capable I am of packing so much into a weekend, especially when I moan all the time that I'm tired, spread thin or just disorganized.

You know what would have me complaining even more? Missing out on fabulous things with fabulous people that also have VERY busy lives and weekends.

This weekend was a whirlwind and it was full of specialness and some awkward moments. However if there weren't some awkward moments in there, the weekend/experiences probably wouldn't have been mine ...

HIGHLIGHTS
* Dinner for Man-friend's birthday, sitting at the Bar at Salt House slurping down tastes like the sea oysters, and foie gras cured/sauteed with these crunchy bits of peaches and tea smoked duck. the plate was displayed as a lovely trio of flavorful goodness. Man-friend was unimpressed with my crispy shrimp with crispy (not fried, just blanched right) haricot verts with mesclun, serrano ham, almonds and harissa vinaigrette. However he is a snob. He wasn't very hungry, so I may have to return to investigate the pork belly.

*Visiting with SIL at Le Central for a glass of wine and meeting an interesting lady. We had ANOTHER glass of wine, some steak tartare and talked about weird kids, wine and Asia. It became a little muddled towards the end.

*Sleeping in my bed alone.

*Walking the city streets with my husband at night downtown, my kid during the day in the sunset and on my own, anywhere.

*Girls Night with the OK Club. Snoopy made a lovely pound cake with a fresh strawberry coulis, served with champers. The Good Girl brought a lovely selection of cheeses with an excellent description of each of them. She had me at "ice cream of cheeses." Hands down the favorite, triple cream of course! There was some thought we might knit. We just went for old fashioned chatter as it was, and it was lovely. Yosh with her pal would come out and parade or entertain us every now and again, with a story or a twirl.

*Fantastico Birthday Luncheon with the In-Laws. Sometimes it's almost too easy with good and close family. My Brother in Law was the Uncle who fell asleep on the couch while the kids watched Scooby Doo. My sister in law and I chattered on with their mother drinking wine, while the birthday boy scooted around and did Laundry. Hmm. That wasn't very nice of me was it. Anyhow, I guess I got an extra girl time in there. The kids played nice, and the food was as always tasty: Clean Seasoned Tri-tip, Grilled Chicken, Mashed creamy potatoes, heirloom tomato salad, cucumber salad, beet salad, Big GREEN salad mmm. plum tarte with creme fraiche. ahhh.

AWKWARD
*grumpy commentary after too much wine

*unable to sleep after girls night, we actually didn't drink very much, I think I was just wired from socializing. I stayed up till 2:30 to finish A Handful of Dust, by Evelyn Waugh.

*repeating oneself.

*shamed by restaurant owner because my child wasted so much Pho. He refused to share a bowl, and there was a lot leftover. He politely told The Kid that there were children and people starving and less fortunate. He then told me the story that he took his Kids to Vietnam and they cried at the poverty. They do not waste now. (Arent so greedy).

*shamed that Kid did not listen to me like 4 times when I said it was time to go after slumber party. I hate being ignored. (Isn't that obvious?) People tell me he's good at their house. But I wonder. I don't trust you know? Besides these are people that know how to play politely.

*overtired and sleepy at social functions. acting like overtired sleepy, chatty, brat child.