Toes in the Sand

This last weekend, I got to spend a much needed weekend in the sun in California.  I've needed a vacation for a while - but more than anything, I've needed some time in the sun.  This winter has been especially rainy and dark and as much as I love Seattle - there is a time when it starts to wear on you.  

I left on Thursday - it couldn't have been more horrible timing with my Grandpa going into the hospital.  I spent a lot of time on the phone with my family trying to decide if I was going to go to Idaho to be with him or keep my vacation plans.  These are, of course, the worst kinds of decisions to have to make as there really is no right choice.  After a conference call with my dad - we decided that I should still go to California.  Although there will some people who would argue that I made the wrong choice - I know that it was the right thing to do for me.  That being said - I probably wasn't the best version of myself on this trip.  

California is where my oldest and longest friend lives.  I have been friends with Diana for as long as I can remember - I literally can't remember a time when we weren't friends.  Her family has been my extended family and I'm glad I got to spend this weekend with them.  They don't care if I'm off my game or a little less social and smiley than normal.  

I headed to California with certain hopes for this trip.  And although I had a blast - it wasn't exactly what I was hoping for.  But... sometimes that's how the chips fall and I'm trying to be okay with it.  While I'm bummed about certain things - I'm thrilled that I got to spend time with Diana and her family, especially while I was going through everything with my own family.  Sometimes, when you can't be with your own family - you get lucky enough to have the next best thing.  

Santa Monica Pier 

At the Getty Villa

Huntington Beach

#letmetakeaselfie

Because wine in the sun is better than wine in the rain.

#letmetakeanotherselfie (but this time I'm wearing a hat) 

The Selfie

Okay guys, it's time that we address a super pressing matter:  the selfie.  For some reason, this phenomenon is sweeping the social media world and it is probably my biggest pet peeve.  For those of you who aren't familiar with what a selfie is (Mom...) - here is the definition according to Wikipedia:

A selfie is a type of self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a hand-held digital camera or camera phone. In August 2013, the term selfie also made its debut in Oxford Dictionaries Online's quarterly update where it is defined as "a photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically one taken with a smartphone or webcam and uploaded to a social media website."

Really?  This term 'selfie' is now in the Oxford dictionary?  I'm embarrassed for my generation.  

Okay.  Back to the point at hand.  There is a time and place for a selfie - and I will not try to imply that I am above taking one.  Here are a few examples of what I consider to be appropriate selfies: 

The 'I'm pretty sure this costume makes me look like I have ginormous love handles - please confirm' selfie

The 'I'm way too excited to be going to Whistler to run in the mud! selfie
(note: only sent to other super excited to run in the mud)

The 'Sitting on the floor of our new house for the first time' selfie

The 'Making fun of Miley Cyrus's tongue' selfie

The 'I managed to fix my own hair AND do my own makeup - I'm good to go' selfie
(I actually sent this to my pet sitter to show to my dog so she didn't forget what I looked like.)

Please note that in all of these selfies - I am fully clothed and also fully aware that I look like a MORON.  I think it's okay to do selfies as long as you are aware that you look idiotic.  I really wanted to post terrible selfies of other people - but something about that just felt wrong - so let's just chat about the terrible types of selfies that there are: 

• The Car Selfie:  I have at least one, probably more like five, friends on Facebook who are CONSTANTLY posting pictures of themselves in their cars.  'Look how pretty I am driving to work!'.  'Look how pretty I am driving home from work!'  'Look how pretty I am driving to the grocery store!'  Stop.  Just stop. (The one car selfie exception?  One picture after you leave the hair salon showing off your fabulous new color.  That is it.)
• The Gym Selfie:  If you are at the gym to work out - WORK OUT.  Stop taking pictures of your abs in the mirror.  'Oh excuse me... just a minute, quick break from my workout to look sexy and take a picture'.  I hate you.
• The Bathroom Mirror Selfie:  Nothing is sexier than a photo of you with a toilet in the background.  
• The Flexing in the Mirror Selfie:  No.  NO.  NO.  

For the love of all things holy - please stop with the pointless selfies.  I don't care what you look like while getting ready for work, or while working out, or while driving your car.  Actually... no one cares.  I am much more interested in seeing pictures of you doing something interesting - selfie while on an awesome hike?  Hell yeah.  Way better than the 'look at me in my undies' selfie that seems to be sweeping the nation. 

CrossFit Girl's Guys Guide to Online Dating

So I know that I have pretty much only unsuccessfully experienced the online dating thing... and there is a good chance that I am doing a lot of things wrong.  That being said: here is a whole slew of things that the boys of the online dating world are doing wrong:

• Profile names. Just wrap this into the whole 'first impression' thing.  I would rather have a screen name that is nonsensical than 'VDSeattle' (I don't care what you meant.  Rewind and think about what it sounds like.)  'LuvBelow' (again.  Don't care what you meant.)  'INeedANewChick' (Don't we all?  Isn't that why we are all online dating? Unless you are into open relationships.  Then you fall into a whole different category.)  'TheEmptyVessel' (I get that this is Seattle and we are all emo and shit - but really?!?!?)  
• We all have guilty pleasures that we watch on tv... but we don't need to list them on our online profiles.  If a dude lists 'The Vampire Diaries' and 'Teen Wolf' as their favorite shows - nope.  Not going to happen.
• Selfies - Part 1.  Okay, we've all done them.  We are all allowed one, maybe two, on our profiles.  If ALL of your pics are selfies - you should probably know two things: #1. I'm assuming you have no friends to take an occasional picture of you.  #2.  I can probably see up your nose.  
• Selfies - Part 2. There is no excuse for ever taking a picture in the mirror while you are flexing.  This is not okay and you are a tool.  It is only okay to take pictures of yourself in the mirror when you need outfit approval from your best friend and then you delete them immediately (not that I have ever done that - I can totally dress myself).  
• Selfies - Part 3.  What is with dudes taking pictures in their cars?!?!  I only do this when I have left the salon and again need best friend approval on my new hair cut/color before anyone else sees me.   But seriously.  Why?  Why are so many selfies taken in cars? Is it the lighting?  Is it the angles?  What? I'm confused and it makes me unbelievably annoyed. 
  
• Outdoor pics.  I appreciate an outdoorsy guy, I really truly do.  But I would love to see that you don't live your life on a mountainside dressed in head-to-toe Patagonia gear.  Would you want  to see all of my pics in head-to-toe Lululemon doing CrossFit?  No. I get that you are active and that's awesome - but what else do you do? You probably don't hike Rainier every weekend (and if you do, I apologize, but you are WAY too outdoorsy for me. Turns out, I'm outdoorsy in that I like drinking on patios.)
• For the love of all things holy, please stop lying about your height.  When you say you are 5'11" and we meet and you are shorter than me - it's not because I spontaneously sprouted three inches.  It's because you are only 5'8.  Just own it.  
• 'Hey gorgeous.  Don't you think we'd make a great looking couple? '.  No 'ChiseledChuck'.  I don't.  

Seriously.

15 Things I've Learned Recently

1. The biggest perk of home ownership isn't really equity and owning something.  It's the fact that you never have to deep clean a rental ever again. 
2. Lunges and thrusters will make a three-story townhouse seem like you are doing the Big Climb at the Columbia Tower (for those of you not from Seattle - that's 76 stories as fast as possible). 
3. You know you should work on being more friendly when the neighbor you lived across the street from for almost two years welcomes you to the neighborhood.  Ummm... no, I'm moving out... not in.  
4. I have WAY too many shoes.  I have held on to shoes because no matter how many squats I do - the shoes always fit.
5. I have four pairs of the exact same shoes in different colors - taupe, magenta, black patent and silver sparkles.  Since I hardly ever wear heels, 4 1/2 inch sparkly or hot pink heels are practically out of the question. This may be a bit excessive.

   

   Not pictured?  Taupe.  Sad day for them.

6. I may be a mini-hoarder.  I have SO MANY things.  This is probably only going to get worst now that I've moved into a 'permanent' home.  
7. Hoarding actually runs in my family.  True story.  My dad and I witnessed it firsthand this summer (but that's a story for another day).  
8. I slammed my dog's tail in my car door.  I am the worst pet mama ever.  
9. When you slam your dog's tail in the car door - they get revenge by chewing the face off of one of their toys.  Stuffed animal fluff EVERYWHERE. 
10. Newest obsession?  The Newsroom.  Thank you HBO.  
11. Husky Football?  Awesome.  Went to the home opener last night and it was very cool.  
12. Not so awesome?  Super drunken UW alumni.  At what age are you too old to tailgate all day and arrive at the game a shitfaced mess?  Because I'm not quite 30 and still feel like I'm too old for that nonsense.  
13. Even more awesome than UW football?  EWU football!  Go EAGS!!  We beat Oregon State in our opening game this season... a Big Sky Conference school beating a ranked PAC12 school? We pretty much rock. 
    

    

    Hells yes.

    
    
14.  What happens when everyone at your office is out of town except for you and your IT guy?  These kind of things:

    

    Oh my Godzilla. This is Paige.  She's been one of my best friends since college.  Notice her background involves high powered guns.  Mine involves a messy desk.  This is also our best Miley Cyrus imitation.  You should have seen the twerking video.  Just kidding.  I can't even shimmy. 

15. Always say yes (not like that, you creeps).  I had a great blind date earlier this week.  I should have given a full recap - but let's just summarize it to say: it was fantastic, he seems great, and I'm excited about the idea of a second date.  And I don't want to ruin it by talking about it quite yet. :)