So I moved again

This time, in with the Rad Boyfriend. We are officially living in sin! Woohoo!

To say that life has been hectic lately is an understatement. Work has been absolutely crazy, I've been taking on some other side projects, and moving is..... oh how can I describe moving.... painful (both physically and mentally), time-consuming, and extremely stressful. Do you know that I had a panic attack over a couch two weeks ago? A COUCH! I managed to get myself worked up over an inanimate piece of furniture to the point where I had to please ask Rad Boyfriend to stop talking about the couch. ME. Asking my boyfriend to stop talking about interior design! 

!!

You see, all we'd been doing for 10 days was talk about the couch. It wasn't choosing a couch that make me batty; that part was actually the easiest decision we made: we walked into Ikea and liked the very first one we sat on. Done and DONE. But then came choosing the fabric, aka the pre-made slipcovers that come in 7 different colors and textures and sizes. The fabric that makes you want to pull your hair out when you realize the kind you want is only available for the sofa and not for the chaise you want. THAT FABRIC. 

Internet, you should know something: IKEA LIES. Just because their website says they have something in their store does not make it true. No Ikea from San Diego to Tempe, Arizona has the particular cover for the chaise we wanted. Ikea.com said they had it in Costa Mesa, but they didn't. Then we called a friend who lives in Tucson, who just happened to be driving to Tempe for the weekend, to ask him if he could check the Ikea out there, because the website said they they had it. He called us from the store all, "They have it! Want me to buy it?" To which we responded, "Hell to the yes! We'll pay anything if you can ship it to us!" Immediately following this phone call, and armed with the knowledge that we could get the sofa AND the chaise we wanted in the FABRIC we wanted, we went to our local Ikea. We ordered the sofa, the sofa cover, and the chaise from the helpful salesperson up on the display floor. We went down to the "pick up your stuff here" area, and after Rad Boyfriend's head nearly exploded after a difficult conversation with another salesperson, we got everything we needed. SUCCESS! 

But then.... then. Then we got a phone call from our friend in Tempe who was still at Ikea. He informed us that they did not in fact have the chaise cover we wanted. Our reactions went something like this: 

RAGE FACE!!!!! 

Are f*cking kidding me?

WHAT THE F*CK?

WHY IS IKEA SO G-DAMNED DIFFICULT?!

Silence.

..............

..............

Assurance that this fabric is a new item and Ikea will be getting a new shipment shortly. 

Acceptance. 

So. Now we have a couch in the upholstery we wanted, and a naked chaise lounge attachment thing in a box waiting for its cover. Not that it matters, as we still have a lot of decorating and purchasing to do, and a half-couch is not the biggest of our concerns. What matters is that we have someplace to sit and watch TV. 

So that's the story of the couch that gave me a panic attack. Now let's talk about how the blinds in our east-facing bedroom don't work, causing the sun to shine in at 5:30 every morning (and possibly allowing some neighbors to see me in my birthday suit, not that I really care). 

But I digress. I love our new apartment. I love my walk-in closet, I love the pool and the hot tub and the gated parking and the price of our rent. I'm sure we'll eventually get all the bugs worked, and I'm sure it'll feel more like a home with every personal touch we add.

And you know what I love most about my home? Who I share it with. All the stress and back pain I went through these past few weeks? TOTALLY. WORTH IT =)

Things things things!

Why hello there, Internet! It's been a while, hasn't it?

There are THINGS! going on over here in The City of Awesome, THINGS! that shouldn't be discussed in such a public forum, other THINGS! that are still too premature to even be considered THINGS! No, I'm not with child, and no, I'm not getting married. These are THINGS! that have to do with work and family, aka stuff that shouldn't be broadcast on the internet. I know, I know, BORING. But such is my life =)

What I can discuss is the fact that the Rad Boyfriend and I are moving in together in June! We decided to do this a long time ago, but now that it's almost April (holy crap, where did the time go?) and we'll start to look for apartments soon, I figured it was a good time to let the cat out of the bag.* What does this mean for our relationship? Having all of our contact lens cases and toothbrushes in one place. Also, lots and lots of home cooked meals. You should see Rad Boyfriend in an apron... ;-)

I will eventually explain these other THINGS! to which I allude, but not yet. Certain other, smaller things must happen before these more important THINGS! can be discussed. And that's all I have to say about that.

In the meantime, be well! Be healthy! Love each other, and most importantly, be happy!

*Speaking of cats, we may or may not be adopting one. I really, really want a kitteh, and I know RB does, too. But right now, our priority is finding a livable dwelling out of which he can work and I will get plenty of sunlight. If that place happens to allow cats, fantastic! If not, we'll just have to wait until the next place. And mark my words, that next place will absolutely, positively allow these little guys.

When life hands you lemons, PART 2

So. Valentine's Day plans were kaput. We lamented over the inconsideration of the restaurant for about three minutes, then started thinking about alternative plans. We decided on getting take-out from a local and delicious Thai restaurant and watching a movie at home.

Which, as it turns out, will now be our Valentine's Day tradition from here on out.

The day before, upon learning that our extravagant plans had changed, I went to Target and picked up some things to make the evening more special. I bought a heart shaped plate on which I planned to put cupcakes from our favorite bakery, some candles, and a jumbo package of heart-shaped Reese' peanut butter cups, RB's favorite.

I came over to Rad Boyfriend's apartment early with a plan: get him out of the house to pick up the food and some champagne while I set up my surprise. I set the table with candles and napkins that I'd cut into hearts. I put four irresistible-looking cupcakes on the heart plate and placed it on the coffee table with candles all around it. And then I arranged the 30 individually wrapped peanut butter cups on his kitchen counter to spell out "I <3 YOU" with candles all around it.

As I write this, I can't help but think what a dork I am. What guy appreciates romantic stuff like that? Isn't that stuff better saved on the ladies? What girlfriend goes through all that trouble for a dude? Well Internets, I DO. And let's just say that it was very VERY much appreciated.

Best Valentine's Day ever =)

When life hands you lemons, PART 1

Several weeks ago (like back in January) I made reservations at a romantic Italian restaurant for Valentine's Day. I'd heard good things about this place, and one look at the menu told me we wouldn't be disappointed. It looked romantic, it was decently priced, and the Rad Boyfriend and I had been jonesing for some authentic Italian cuisine since before the holidays. In fact, we'd been jonsing for this particular restaurant's Italian food for quite some time; the only thing that had stopped us from trying it earlier was the fact that they don't take reservations. And if I'm gonna get all dressed up to have a nice dinner, you better believe I'm making reservations!

But, ever the optimist, I called them anyway to see if they were making exceptions to their no-res rule for Valentine's Day--and they were! Hooray! Delicious Italian food! Plans made, we began discussing what we'd order, if we should bring our own wine and pay the corking fee, what we would do afterwards, etc. RB must have mentioned how much he was looking forward to finally trying this place at least a dozen times since I made the reservation. We were stoked!

On Sunday morning (as in The Day Before Valentine's Day), as we leisurely sipped our coffee and talked about how much we were looking forward to this week, I received a call from a strange phone number. Never one to answer calls from unfamiliar numbers, I let it go to voicemail. Upon checking it several minutes later, this is what I heard:

"Hi Danielle, this is Jenna calling from --- ------ confirming your reservation for tomorrow night at 7:30. I also wanted to make sure that you knew about our 5-course prix fixe menu that we're serving for Valentine's Day. It's $70 a person and......" 

I stopped listening at that point. She could have told me it came with a basket of kittens to keep us company during dinner and I wouldn't have cared. Why? BECAUSE NO, I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PRIX FIXE MENU. There was no mention of it on their website, nor did anyone tell me about it when I made the reservation. No way were be about to drop $200 on dinner just because it happened to be February 14th.

I was pissed. Not so much about not having dinner plans, but about someone informing me that I was expected to spend at least $140 the following night whether I liked it or not. There is nothing I hate more than feeling like I'm being taken advantage of. RB and I talked it over, and it was sort of a no-brainer: we canceled the reservation. And in an awesome twist of fate, it turns out it was the best thing that could have happened to us.

[Stay tuned for PART 2 later today]

Thankful

For the truly awesome man in my life. It's not our anniversary or Valentine's Day or the half-anniversary of the second time we kissed, it's just Thursday. And I love him.

Even when he wears his step-mom's 1984 sunglasses

Random Friday Ruminations

Happy Friday Before a Holiday Weekend, everyone! I know it's been a while--I've been busy. Here's a list for you.

• Being alone in the office is about the only time I get to listen to (good) hip hop and rap music. Today I am alone in the office. Connect the dots....
• Living with a vegetarian and a manly man who eats a lot of meat has been a wonderful balance for my diet. Roommate T-money (the veggie) has opened my eyes to so many Trader Joe's items that I don't know what to do with myself. I might explode when she takes me to the Asian market. 
• Speaking of food, I love it. Love it love it love it. There is nothing I mind spending money on less than food. Take me to a good restaurant and I will be content for days, or as long as the leftovers last. That is all.
• It's been a year since I moved to San Diego. How about that. =) 
• Have I ever mentioned that Rad Boyfriend is a carny? I can't remember and I'm too lazy to go through all the posts tagged "boyfriend." So I'll just tell you now (and possibly again) that RB is descended from carny blood. His grandfather worked the fairs all over the west coast and the southwest, and his dad has been doing it since RB was born. Which means RB spent every summer working the basketball hoops, the registers, and doing various other things for his dad's concessions. Is it weird that I find this super sexy? Maybe. But I don't care. I'm getting a t-shirt made that says "My boyfriend is a carny." Swear. 
• So the reason I've been MIA is that I had a bit of a scare last week that brought me to the emergency room. I'm fine, it was likely nothing, but I have a follow-up appointment with a specialist today. Fingers crossed! (And that's all I'm saying about it.) (No I'm not pregnant.)
• The older I get, the more I think I want to live in a small town somewhere in North Carolina. I picture a house on 4 or 5 acres with a spectacular view and so secluded that you can walk out onto your porch naked in the morning to drink your coffee. Doesn't that sound awesome? 
• It's a three-day weekend, you guys!! What do you all have planned? My weekend is going to involve card games, beer, cleaning, decorating, a BBQ, THE WILD ANIMAL PARK!!!!!!!, and lots of sleep. What about you?

Cacti, Coors Lite, and a gun named Diana

I spent my birthday weekend out in Landers, California. Which, if you Google Map, you will find is in the middle of the desert.

We shot some guns.

And watched some amazing sunsets.

And then my rugged bearded man from Maine put on hiking boots and played wiffleball while drinking a beer. Is there nothing this man can't do?!

Thank you to everyone who made the trip. I had an absolute BLAST with you guys =) And many thanks to Jenny for taking the above photos. More to follow!

The 5 best things about dating nerds

Not that Rad Boyfriend is a nerd. I'd call him more of a sexy geek than a nerd, but still. He falls into the category that this blog post describes. (And how.)

The 5 Best things about dating nerds

Living together before marriage: yes or no?

RB and I were invited to a get-together this weekend, but we had to decline because we'll both be moving. When the question of whether we're moving in together came up, and we answered no, we got an interesting reaction: "That's strange."

Hmm....

Now I'm not a traditionalist. I have no problem with living together before getting married or engaged. It makes sense for most people, both economically and practically. (I mean, don't you want to know your significant other's bathroom habits and kitchen-cleaning methods before moving in together? I know I do.) So there are no religious or family-related reasons behind our decision. And it's not that we don't think we'd get along in tight quarters. (We've taken several trips together and have spent many a weekend house-sitting together.) It's not that we have vastly different schedules or dislike each other's sleeping habits. (We probably spend 3-4 nights a week together and sleep just fine.) And it's not that we get on each other's nerves after spending a few days together. (See above.) It really comes down to two factors: 1) we're in no rush, and 2) RB has never lived alone before, which is something I strongly encourage. We already know we're in this relationship for the long haul and have the rest of our days to find that "perfect apartment" together. So "why rush it?" is our thought process. 

So there you have it. Two adults who are in a healthy, committed relationship (and have been for 10 months), who love each other like crazy, and who are choosing to postpone living together. It was the right decision for us. Now what about you guys? Do you live with your significant others? How did you make the decision to/to not live together? Why do you think/not think it's a good idea? Share!

Maybe it was the sake talking... Wait, nope, he's just that awesome

Scene: Rad Boyfriend and I are having dinner at our favorite sushi restaurant.

RB: You know, I was thinking. Your birthday is coming up.
Me: It is.
RB: And you just lost your phone.
Me: I did.
RB: And you're not exactly in a financial position to be buying a new one.
Me: ...yeah...
RB: And this whole you-not-having-a-phone business is really inconvenient for me.
Me: Haha oh is it?
RB: It is. So I was thinking.... what if I get you a new iPhone as an early birthday present?
Me: No way. Are you serious?

A few minutes of "no way" and "you deserve it" and "are you sure" and "of course I'm sure, baby" ensue before I get up in the middle of restaurant, walk around to his side of the table, and hug him and kiss him and tell him how rad he is.

Back to life

Vacations are fun. They're even more fun when you get to do vacation-y type things with your significant other, instead of with your significant other and your dad. But hey--it's not my dad's fault he wanted to spend every free minute with his daughter who he hasn't seen in over a year.

 Hi, Daddy! You're on the internet!

Nor is it my dad's fault that Rad Boyfriend and I left our party clothes at his house in Boca Raton before we left to attend a wedding three hours away in Orlando, causing us to spend our only free day at a mall.

A mall that's near something called "Holy Land Experience." (??)

But you know what? We still had a blast.

Because we were together. (Commence vomiting in 3, 2, 1....)

Why my relationship works

Scene: Rad Boyfriend and I are discussing plans for tonight via the gChat.

RB: I have to help a friend with some computer stuff after work today. So maybe 8pm?
Me, grumbling silently to myself: That's way too late to eat dinner, I'll be starving by 6. No way we'll make it through the whole movie.
Me, to RB: Baby, I would wait forever for you. But if you can make it any earlier than 8, I would greatly appreciate it.

My bearded man

I've mentioned the Rad Boyfriend in passing several times on this here weblog, but I've never gotten into how we met or came to be Rad Boyfriend and Awesome Girlfriend. And I probably won't, not for a while. I am, however, dedicating this post to one of the many reasons why Rad Boyfriend is so Rad.

Several weeks ago, I hurt my back. It's unclear how exactly I hurt it, but I did. And I ignored my body for those several weeks and continued lifting heavy laundry baskets and boxes, and continued to get down on my hands and knees to scrub the kitchen floor. My body didn't like this so much, because I woke up on Sunday morning and literally couldn't move. Every motion of my body, no matter how slight, made me hyperventilate with pain. It hurt to breathe, it hurt to blink, it hurt to lay still. I somehow made it out of bed to use the bathroom, and promptly burst into tears after I laid back down in bed. This was NOT good.

I happened to be house-sitting at the time, and the owner of the house happens to be a helicopter EMT who just happens to have some pretty sweet prescription drugs in the guest bathroom. Quick lesson in whatever sort of back injury I have: PAIN KILLERS DO NOT HELP THE PAIN. Neither prescription-strength ibuprofen nor Vicodin did a thing to help ease my agony. I gimped around all day like a gimpy gimp and it was miserable.

Miserable except for one thing: Rad Boyfriend. I'd been complaining about my back for several days by that point, and he realized the magnitude of my pain when I came back to bed that morning in tears. He immediately took over, and for the next two days, he did EVERYTHING for me. He helped me get dressed, he unloaded the dishwasher, he brought me drinks and snacks, he fed the dog that he's allergic to, he went to the store for me, EVERYTHING. He even went to the airport to pick up a friend for me! If he saw me lean towards the coffee table, he asked what I wanted and got it for me. When I dropped my phone (or glasses or remote control) he picked it up for me. He even spent an extra night with me knowing he'd have to wake up early the next morning to go home and get ready before work. And at the end of that day? He came back with my favorite snacks. He loaded the dishwasher and did the dishes and fed the dog. He had dinner with me, we watched a movie together, and when it was time for him to go home, he checked all the windows, locked the doors, tucked me into bed, and told me to call him in the morning if I needed anything.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Reason Number 970,687 why Rad Boyfriend is so Rad.

It was organic and crunchy

Scene: I'm house-sitting for some friends of the Rad Boyfriend and...me? Myself? Whatever, I'm house-sitting for people we both know. Rad Boyfriend opens up their fridge and pulls out a plastic deli container.

RB: This is the most hippie-looking peanut butter I've ever seen.

How I know my family still loves me even though I moved 3,000 away from them

My mom called me this morning to tell me that I will be receiving a package in the mail. The contents of said package?

"Well, you know your grandmother. Once she gets an idea into her head, there's no stopping her. She wanted to send you an Easter package. She made sweet bread, so she sent you some of that. And a smoked sausage from that deli you like. And two hard-boiled eggs that you may or may not want to throw out by the time you get the package. It's all wrapped in a frilly apron that she bought for you. And when I say frilly, I mean it's frilly. Also, be careful when you throw the box away because she also put $20 at the bottom for you."

You guys, how cute are they?!

So how will y'all be spending your Easter? Church or no church? Dressed up or casual? Are you going to your family's house, or are you hosting? I myself will be going to church in my Sunday best, which will be followed by some day-drinking and dinner at the Rad Boyfriend's family's house. And when your Rad Boyfriend has three teenage step-siblings, one brother and sister-in-law, one 3-year-old half sister, and a bevvy of entertaining relatives that regularly throw each other into the pool fully clothed, your Easter Sunday is sure to be fun =)

A $189 misunderstanding

The Rad Boyfriend and I recently booked a trip to Florida to visit family and attend a wedding. We purchased plane tickets a few weeks ago and we've been looking into hotels ever since. Our main criteria for hotels was (a) cheap and (b) close to our friends. Today I went on hotels.com and found some pretty inexpensive options that were super close to our friends. After emailing back and forth with the bride, I decided on one hotel in particular and gChat'ed a link to Rad Boyfriend:

me: [link to hotel]

$84/night

1.4 miles from that other hotel they were talking about

and it's a 3.5 star hotel

let me know what you think

Sent at 11:10 AM on Tuesday

Sometime after 11:10, I changed my gChat status to "I think I want Burger Lounge for lunch."

Between 11:44 and 11:49, the following exchange took place:

Rad Boyfriend: Mmmm

Do it

me: ok

total is $188.92

for 2 nights

Sent at 11:49 AM on Tuesday

Rad Boyfriend: Haha no wait

Burger lounge I meant haha

me: dude

i just booked it

HE SAID "DO IT"!! Internet, if you asked your boyfriend what he thought about a hotel, and the next response you got from him was "do it," what would you think?


Luckily the hotel is really nice and close to our friends and only $84 per night, which is much less than we were expecting. And most importantly:

me: are you mad?

Rad Boyfriend: Not really

No

Amused a little

So it all worked out. And he's still Rad.

On being in a relationship

Scene: I accidentally used Rad Boyfriend's toothbrush over the weekend, and almost did it again last night. His response:

"Here's how you can tell the difference between my toothbrush and your toothbrush: mine is the normal-looking one, and yours is the one that looks like it's been shoved in a blender."

Why he's so rad

Six months ago, right when we started dating, I mentioned in passing that I'd never had flowers sent to my office before. Thursday afternoon I came back from lunch and found this on my desk.




He is awesome =)