Weddings, Masquerades, & a Blog Name Change

Hey everyone!

The first thing you may notice about this post is that my blog's name has changed. I decided that instead of trying to keep the same name the entire time I run this blog, I'm alright with it evolving. My time here is evolving me, too, and the blog is essentially about me and my life adventures, so as I change, so will things about the blog. It started out as me being an out of stater-- a total stranger in a state that I've only ever been to once before. Things are changing-- even now. Though I no longer feel like such a stranger here, my mind is still stuck back in Michigan, and I struggle to adjust to a different way of thinking. So prepare yourselves for name changes, because I already have some picked out!

So we've had a busy couple of weekends, and next week will be even busier, so let's recap! On Sunday, October 13th, we were honored enough to be invited to the wedding of our two friends, Peter and Angela. I've never been to a Jewish wedding before, so I was really excited. Plus, as soon as Patrick told me we were invited, I begged him to make sure nothing work related came up so that we could go. I wanted an excuse to get out and be fancy, and fancy we were! Prepare for a drop of some really awesome photos! I mean, honestly, isn't that we all suffer through this text for? ;)

I found a tiny crocheted Yamaka that I'm going to try to make a copy of!

The radiant, stunning Siobhan

I don't look as classy with the bubbles

One of our littlest cast members, Trishalana! She is the daughter of one of our cast members, Diane, and her husband Brian. She is absolutely precious.

Even she has a little hat!

One of our other mini-cast members, Cameron! Cameron is the adorable son of our friends Kelly and Richard! I can't get enough of those cheeks and that smile :)

"Dad, the ladies like the skull and crossbones. You should try it!"

I loved this picture of the happy couple with their parents!

The blushing bride with her new stepson, who had a yamaka with tiny tardises on it (or are they tardi?)

Our ridiculous friends, Master Delfino and Jack

Guys, it finally happened. After a BILLION weddings where I've tried to catch the bouquet with no progress...

I finally caught it! And guess who caught the garter belt...

Trishalana was so tired by the end of the night that she ended up falling asleep in my arms while I sat on the floor. I was so sad when Patrick told me it was time to leave. I love her!

Next up, we had a full work week and two parties that we had to get to on Saturday! Unfortunately, I didn't get off work until almost 3pm, and with the first party being an hour away, it was way unrealistic for us to have thought we could make it. I was really looking forward to seeing Trishalana's adorable face and her wonderful parents and finally getting to get up close and personal with Diane and Brian's PURPLE HOUSE. However, we were at least able to make it to Brook (yes, BROOK! The first Brook I have EVER known without an "e") and Mandy's masquerade! Another excuse to get fancy? I'll take it! 

Patrick booked us a hotel room because the party was almost an hour away and we would definitely not want to drive home after such a long day. We arrived at the hotel and headed out to have some dinner. We stopped at B Dubs (which, for you silly people, is short for Buffalo Wild Wings). Unfortunately, Patrick had no idea what a B Dubs was, so when we went in there, he was quite shocked about the number of TVs that were playing sports games. Patrick also did not know what I was talking about when I wished him a happy Sweetest Day. Apparently it's only a holiday in states like Michigan and Ohio because it was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1921. Look it up, Californians! 

After dinner, we headed to Target for a quick stop so Patrick could get shoes, because he forgot his at home. We headed back to the hotel and discovered that he forgot cuff links, so he headed out again while I got ready. We looked smashing! And Mandy and Brook sure know how to throw a party. The snacks were delicious and their house is awesome! The highlight of the night? Mandy screaming like a little girl when she found a black widow in their bathroom, and then Brook doing the same later when a moth flew at her face. Hilarious! I love those two! We had an awesome time and I really wish they lived closer.

I wore the same dress from last weekend. So what? It's fancy and multi-occasional! But this time I classed it up with some lace tights.

Just look at this delicious spread!

Mini pumpkin pies, Queso de Muerto (which is actually the most delicious soup that I've ever tried that we ate on tortilla chips), stuffed mushrooms, and spider web cookies. Yum!

Master Delfino as... A Cereal Killer. AH!

This is a new development-- since I've lived here, I've actually been learning to talk with my hands. Not on purpose, but just from exposure because Patrick does it. It's something I've never done before and did not notice until I saw this picture. How strange!

Their house was super spooky!

I did not know until I was writing this post that Patrick captured this moment. Just look at Brook coming to Mandy's rescue with her electric bug swatter!

AH! Get me out of California, I didn't know these lived here!

On Sunday, we rearranged the house. Jackie and Dan finally found a really nice place for themselves and were moving all this week. Now that Jackie's room is empty, we got to do quite a few things that we've been itching to do ever since we found out those two were planning on getting a place together. We moved my desk from our room and Patrick's desk from where a dining room table would normally go, plus a large red cabinet and both hamsters. Now I can shut the door on them when they have seeds in their wheels and are making all sorts of noise! So now, we have a spare bedroom/office and where Patrick's "office" once was, we have a reading nook. I love our nook! I adopted it. And as for the room? It's no longer Jackie's room, so we were trying to come up with a new name for it. Patrick was enthusiastic about "The Office" but I chose "Charles." So Charles it is. 

That's all for now, folks. Stay tuned for a gigantic post about the following week... ROCKY WEEK. In addition to a show this Saturday, we also have a show in Reno that we will be doing on Tuesday, a show on Halloween night (Thursday) and then another show next Saturday! Four shows in six days? Pour me a tall glass of energy drink! 

Life Lessons, Cats, & The Cheesecake Factory

Happy October, everyone! So I just wanted to interject a little bit here with a different subject. Normally, my blog is about my life here in California (which is super awesome!), but I was faced with something last week that I really wanted to address. This actual situation may not apply to some people, but the lesson is still the same, and I think that we can all learn from it. And then after my little tangent, we can return to your normal programming (my life).

Please feel free to skip the following section if you don't want to read words of wisdom and would rather see pictures of blue hair and cats. 

When I was in high school, there was a boy that I knew that was bullied relentlessly for no reason. Eventually, the bullying became so bad that there were reasons that people bullied him for (reasons that were caused by the bullying; defensiveness, anger, fighting, and obvious signs of depression). He was a brilliant person -- one of the smartest people I have ever met, but although he would participate in class, his school work suffered because he would spend class trying to ignore everyone. He rode my bus, so when I would board in the morning I would make sure to sit in the spot next to the aisle so that I could slide over when he boarded, that way he would have someplace to sit. Because even though I was too afraid to stand up for him, I could at least try to help by preventing the inevitable argument that would happen when he found no place to sit and no one would move over for him to sit down. For years after I graduated, I felt guilty. One of the best things I have ever done was messaging him on Facebook later and apologizing for never standing up for him. Yet, instead of being angry, he was also apologetic, telling me that he was sorry for never noticing my efforts to help him. At the end of our conversation, he told me that he held no grudge against me, and that the best thing that I could do for him now was to forgive myself and learn from everything that happened. His message rang loud and clear: "Take pride in what you have and what you've done, and worry less about what you didn't do and what you missed out on." I took that to heart and I let myself forgive myself for never standing up.

I had a great sense of pride in what I had done. I had righted my wrongs and I felt better. Then, recently, I was posting old pictures from middle school, and someone messaged me out of the blue, telling me that they had been wanting to tell me something for a while now and hadn't found the guts to say it. I was a little worried with where he was going with that, when he continued to apologize for being so outright rude to me in high school and that he knew I never deserved that kind of misdirected anger. It was funny, because until right then, I didn't even remember that he was ever unkind to me. But, apparently, it tormented him just as my situation tormented me. I let him know that there was absolutely nothing to worry about and that all was (literally) forgotten, and I passed on the message: "Take pride in what you have and what you've done, and worry less about what you didn't do and what you missed out on." It was a statement that was not meant for this situation, but still, the message of forgiveness was clear, and I added on my own bit: Just be a better person, and focus on the fact that you're a different person now. We all have a past. We all have regrets, whether we admit it or not. The best thing that we can do is move on, right our wrongs, and continue on to be great people and do great things.

AND NOW ON TO YOUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING!

So lately I've just been working a lot and spending time with Patrick! I love my job, truly I do. Cats have always been my favorite animal and I am thrilled to finally have a job that fits me so well as a person. 

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Sahib just cannot sit still for pictures. He would rather sniff me.

But I love spending my breaks with him! He won't stop rubbing all over you and demanding to be paid attention to :)

The least-blurry picture I could find of the fuzzy buddy

Everyone meet Stormy! He's ultra fluffy. 

And this is Donner, Stormy's brother. We love them! Everyone's favorite thing is to carry one in each arm and just be surrounded by fluffiness. 

Recently, I was having a really bad day right from the moment I woke up, so while I was at work and Patrick was on his lunch break, he went and got me a bit of a care package to remind me of how much he loves me! It was super sweet.

My favorites :)

Gorgeous!

The next night, we went out to dinner (which was supposed to be my treat). Patrick chose The Cheesecake Factory! I know he wouldn't normally have chosen that place, but for my sake, he did. We usually go to someplace that he likes and find something that I will either tolerate or try. But that night, he chose for us to go someplace that he knew I would enjoy. It's someplace that I've wanted to try since I started watching The Big Bang Theory (Penny, the main female character, works at one of these restaurants). Our dinner was alright (there were way too many choices to pick from, and I feel like I was cheated out of an awesome dinner because I couldn't even decide. I ended up with Fish N Chips, something I could get anywhere!), but our dessert was phenomenal! I loved my Kahlua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake. We decided that, afterwards, we were going to go to Build A Bear. So Patrick picked up the dinner tab and we went to build our furry friends!

Finally!

The ridiculous menu

Mmmm

Coffee Cocoa Kahlua Cheesecake

Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake

My bear, Sassy! She's a rainbow bear and she smells like cotton candy :)

My bear and Patrick's monkey, which he named Butt (Butt Monkey, get it?). Butt smells like Chocolate Mint :)

Then, this week, we went out for a little adventure (we went to Wal Mart, which I haven't been to since I left Michigan!). While we were there I picked up some hair dye, and afterwards we stopped at Cold Stone. 

Pumpkin and Cheesecake flavors mixed together? Yes please!

When we got home, I bleached some of my hair and dyed it blue! I've been planning on a color for a while, but the blue was a last second choice. I really like it and it's awesome to finally have a job that allows me to do what I want with my hair. 

I'm blue dah ba dee dah ba dii. Eifel 65, anyone?!

This weekend, we have a Rocky show. Unfortunately, it is our MC Dano's last show, so it's bound to be a sad/fun night. I'm sorry if this post isn't super informative, but nothing huge has happened lately, so this is what you get! I miss everyone back home and I hope you're all getting along without me alright (ha!). More os soon to come once we have more than everyday life events going on (hint: think Great America and attending a wedding)! :D

And for anyone who wonders how I'm doing here in California, YES, I am being well taken care of. JUST LOOK AT OUR FREEZER! The only thing I'm at risk of is losing a toe when one of these frozen solid things jumps out at me and attacks! Ahh!