[Super Duper Fantastic] ISFP/INFP. 4w5. World Explorer. Super Hero. Rose-colored Glasses.

I had dinner last night with DH and MC at a Cambodian restaurant in the area that I’d been meaning to check out. Food was excellent! It was no surprise that we polished everything off, even after ordering two appetizers and three entrees [all of which were decently sized].

It seems that no matter how much effort we put into our email communications to meet up, we only get together once a year. Conflicts in schedule, injuries, etc. The last time we got together was at DH’s wedding last summer.

This time, we have moved onto phases of our lives with different news to share. DH and his wife live in a house in the next city over and are expecting a baby girl later this year. MC is planning a move to DC to start a part-time MBA program. I’m in my new house, jaw surgery completed. Yet no matter how much seems to change in our lives, we haven’t really changed all that much in terms of who we are. I mean, we are definitely different from when we were in elementary school, but it feels like since we’ve reconnected in our mid-20s, we’re more or less the same people. We see each other rarely, but our meet-ups are the same comfortable conversations. We’re just old friends who catch up, and it’s not all that awkward. The time in between just gives us more to talk about.

Aside from the two of them, I don’t really maintain friendships with people from those particular years in my life. You know, before the age of 13… I reached out to a few on Facebook today, which I think might be odd, considering I hadn’t sought them out before. Wonder if they will accept the request…

Oh great, now I’m one of those weirdos who adds people on Facebook they knew a long time ago and weren’t quite friends with. Yeah, I’m having Facebook Friend Search + Request regret…

Let’s look at photos of food instead:

Update: They all accepted my request, even the ones who picked on me at some point. Perhaps twenty years later, we can become friends?

It is a rainy Sunday afternoon, and I’m still in pajamas. The music is blasting, and when something fun comes on, I get up off the couch and dance around like a maniac. It reminds me of why I don’t usually pay to go to the gym – I get enough cardio flailing and pumping my arms and legs to the beat. RV is in the office working on a project, and when I feel so inclined, I go in there and drag him out for a dance off.

At one point in my life, I did not want to grow up. I thought that it meant moving away from home and losing out on family time. But now, I realize that it is okay to grow up and have a place of my own in the world. My family is about a mile away, so not even very far. Additionally, I’ve met wonderful people [basically an extended family] to spend time with, celebrate holidays and unholidays with. And now that RV, Sergio, and I have settled in, it certainly feels more like what I would consider “home.”

It’s where the heart is, isn’t it?

Ever since I downloaded a dream interpretation app to my phone [DreamBook - $2.99], I’ve been better about at least looking up the significance of objects/creatures that appear in my dreams. I still don’t remember everything in the dream to document it, but I remember bits and pieces.

The dream interpretation app seems to point at my hesitation on moving into the new house. I think the idea of it being my permanent residence is what brings about those feelings the most. I mean, I shouldn’t mind it so much. It’s close to the parents’ house, and my stuff will all be in one place. On the one hand, I am excited about all this. On the other, I am not certain why I would mind this at all. RV and I get to play house in a house that’s more convenient than my parents’. It’s right off the freeway, walking distance to the market, and definitely easy to get to in terms of public transportation.

It probably has to do with a fear of growing up and getting old. And when I get older, everyone around me does too – family included. It’s been several years since the passing of the last of my grandparents’ generation. As time goes by and as my generation grows up, the generation of the parents also continues to move forward. Not too long from now, my parents will reach retirement, and so on and so forth…

:/

A belated entry to give thanks. I always emphasize that I’m not just thankful on a specifically designated day during the year; I’m grateful every day for what I have and who I’m surrounded by [net friends included]. And often times I lose sight of how lucky I am because I get so me-focused, like in the previous entry.

Anyway, I am thankful for:
- the love/support of family and friends
- the stability/security that work brings
- health/fitness: even though I creak, I know my body is in decent shape.

This Thanksgiving weekend isn’t over yet, but thus far, the weekend has included:
- fun Pilates workout with Chase: I know I complain, but I think my abs are solidifying!
- Thanksgiving dinner with RV’s family
- Thanksgiving night festivities with friends + Death Race 2000
- Black Friday shopping and Cheesecake Factory indulgence with RV and Keane
- Birthday fun with sister [Happy 26th birthday, snotty!] and friends

More to come this weekend that I’m very much looking forward to:
- Pho with RV and sister
- Volunteering at the SPCA
- Family’s post-Thanksgiving party
- Sunday dinner with friends

An update on the 101 in 1001- #2 Go on a week long camping trip.

“RV” in the title of this entry does not refer to the boyfriend nor does it refer to the vehicle in which we traveled for the past week. “RV” in the title refers to the boyfriend’s father who happens to also have the same initials! Apparently, if I can get through a trip with RV, I’m certain I can get through most anything with the boy.

Being woken up at the crack of dawn on a few hours of sleep by a whistle similar to the one he used to call his cat, then ordered around to do this and that, I was already in tears on day one of the trip. All actions taken by the boy or I would require approval by the Board. We were not allowed to hold onto the keys without a thorough explanation because he wanted to know what we were up to or thought we would lose them. Thankfully, we were able to get away from the campsite to do our own thing. Otherwise, I might have called it quits early on.

I jokingly told the boyfriend that he owed me big time for tricking me into coming along for the ride. The boyfriend said to me, “Now you know what I dealt with growing up with the guy.” The man is a character, and it’s no surprise that his sons are creating an animated parody about the man, exaggerating his many quirks. He likes to travel with his entire house, which is why he has an RV. That thing has everything, and he keeps trying to add more.

In summary, despite the initial frustration and upsets, I had a good time. Once we had the DirecTV [Yes, there was satellite television in the RV!] hooked up for RV, he was out of our hair for the rest of the trip because he was busy following the Yankees. I’m still not sure if this counts as camping for a week, but I did stay in an RV for the week at a campground. How and when in the world did an RV/RV campsite get all fancy on us?!

zOMG, check her out: Poo is watching.

An update on the 101 in 1001 list:

092 – Visit Hearst Castle.
This Christmas and the few days before and after, I will be spending time with RV and his family in LA. He brought it up last month, and now that it’s December, the planning must commence. We’re driving down on a day to be determined, and we may stop along the way to check out Hearst Castle. So that’s one potential cross-off from the list! Ticket prices are a bit expensive, and you have to take several tours to cover everything. I think since we’re going to go all low-budget, we’ll just take the night tour that covers a few more areas.

I’ve informed RV of a few of the items on the list, so he may join me in accomplishing them. I know that Amanda‘s commented before on helping out with some of the items too, so YAY!

We don’t really celebrate Christmas in our family, at least not in the “traditional sense” one might have seen on television or in movies. There’s no gathering under the tree on Christmas morning together. In fact, most years it’s just Donna and me, figuring out what’s open and not open. I think last year we went to see a movie. We do get together with family one of the days for a big Christmas party that resembles every other family gathering, such as Thanksgiving. There’s plenty of food and games [Mah Jong, the Wii]… Sometimes we even throw in the occasional White Elephant exchange.

It’ll be interesting to meet some of RV’s extended family and join in on their celebrations.

The wedding has left me pooped! So tired. It was a beautiful day out at Thomas Fogarty Winery and Vineyard in Woodside, California.

I came home and checked the scores for the two exams I recently took. One is out as an advisory score, and the other I am still waiting on. Advisory score on test one is passing, so I am very happy. While it is an advisory score, chances of it changing much is low. It’s not necessarily the highest score… In fact, it is far from it, but all that matters is that it is passing. I can now justify rewarding myself with everything I’ve purchased in the past week!

Tomorrow, my cousin is getting married. We’re the same age, just six months apart. She’s the one on the left in this photo. I’m the one on the right.

Relatives keep asking about who will be next. It most certainly will not be me.

Once in awhile, we gather as a family at the cemetery to pay respects to those gone. Our second uncle since 1997. Various grandparents starting in the early 2000s. It was one of those mornings. At 10am, we drove through the dreary fog of Daly City to Colma, home of more dead than living. Did the usual burning of incense.

I remember the first funeral I’d ever been to. I felt so guilty for not letting the tears overwhelm me. It wasn’t that I didn’t feel sad… I think my body just didn’t know how to react.