I can't cram anything else in here!

I had an extremely busy weekend... I just didn't do much. That doesn't really make sense, I guess. How about, 'there wasn't much variety'? That's more like it.

Mike told me last week that M had a soccer tournament this weekend. The plus side? It was going to be held at a soccer park on Coronado. Yay! Weekend at the beach! I visualized myself getting a nice golden tan, swimming in the sparkling blue water and sipping mai tais with the jellyfish. Then reality kicks in: There were 2 games scheduled for Saturday and 1 game for sure on Sunday, with the potential for another 2. Tell me again where I signed up for this??

Usually, when I know we're going to be in San Diego, I try and catch up with my San Diego Crew. They gave me so much shit when they found out I was moving to T-Mec, mostly because I was the one who put together a lot of the happy hours and parties and the like. And I had a place downtown, within walking distance to the bars. And a great view. (Tell me again why I moved?)

Anyway, I dropped my party girl persona when I moved to the suburbs (the party-girl and I, we have occasional reunions every now and then) and became a soccer-mom, er, soccer-potential-step-mom? (I have a hard time with this, every now and then. This whole idea of inheriting kids. Not just kids, mind you, but inheriting teenagers. I missed out on all the cute baby/little kid stuff. And having never had any of my own, I treat them more as my pals and let the adult/child relationship kind of fall by the wayside.) Sorry, got side-tracked. So, since I knew we were going to be down south, I tried to be efficient and squeeeeeeeze every last drop of quality time out of this trip and make plans with a couple of friends in between games. Note to self: This strategy does not make for a relaxing weekend.

The first game we went to was early on Saturday morning. Way too early. Like, up-by-6:00-on-a-Saturday-morning too early. I was tired - I think the girls were too. We ended up losing, 2-4. Seemed like the parents were more competitive than their kids at this point. There were a few we had to tie to their chairs just so they wouldn't run out onto the field and kick for their kids.

After the game, Mike, the kid-let and I, went north to La Jolla Shores to meet up with a girlfriend of mine I had lost touch with. (Backstory: We met at girls' camp when we were 12, introduced by a mutual friend. In high school, bound by both honors classes and religious affiliation, we hung out a lot - at parties, school, etc... After we graduated, we drifted apart, but when I moved into the apartment complex she was managing, we became thick as thieves. I was out with her when she went on her first date with her future husband. I visited her in the hospital when both of her sons were born. We talked over relationship problems. We celebrated successes in our lives. We offered each other advice and a listening ear. She was a bridesmaid at my wedding. Then I got divorced. And while my "X" stayed in the apartment complex, I moved out. I guess part of the divorce settlement was that he got to keep most of my friends. This friend and I made promises to keep in touch, but those fell by the wayside. Outta sight, outta mind, I guess. She was busy with kids and family while I was busy with new boyfriends and then a new life in a house an hour away. We sporadically e-mailed and then she invited me to a picnic held last Saturday.) I went early, so as the avoid the X-factor, and we took an hour or two to catch up. We have a shared history, so we had things to talk about, but it's hard to re-establish a close connection in such a short amount of time. I took some pictures of her twins - born only a few weeks ago - and we promised again to take some time and get together. Hopefully we'll follow through this time.

The rest of the weekend went something like this:

Saturday
Soccer - Win
Party @ Mike's co-worker's house
Sunday
Soccer - Win
Lunch
Soccer - (Semi-finals) Win
Breathe, Pee
Soccer - (Finals) Tie game, go into over-time with penalty kicks, head to head in penalty kicks until after 3 or 4 girls, we lose. Boo.

Got home Sunday night - walked the dog, got aloe for my sunburn (ouch!) and collapsed in a heap on my bed. Didn't move until the alarm went off too early on Monday morning.

There you have it folks! My weekend extravaganza!

Ego Boost Compliments of the DMV

Don't know who out there is reading this, but there is a possibility you don't know me very well. I guess there is a chance we could know each other but just don't see each other/talk on a regular basis. Today's post is dedicated to that just that reason - that people change when you don't see them much.

I got my renewed license from the DMV today in the mail. I dread having my picture taken at the DMV - do they every turn out good? - but then I figure this picture can't POSSIBLY be worst than the last. I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the envelope and out pops my new photo ID. And it wasn't too bad. Not bad at all.

So, I got out my old ID and compared the two. I had no idea I had changed so much. No wonder the bouncers at the door made me jump through all those hoops: in addition to showing them my ID, I have been asked to smile, to show proof of other self on other forms of ID and to have my friends vouch for me. Now I see why.

Without further ado, here are my old and new DMV pics:

Feel-Good Story of the Day

So, here is a little tale that has it all: Tragic Loss, a Harrowing Journey and a Miraculous Discovery at the end makes this the feel-good story of the year!

When Mike came home from HI the other night, he was smart enough to come bearing gifts - several of them in fact. Sarongs, a shell necklace/bracelet set, gold earrings and a pretty gold bracelet. The bracelet and earrings are compliments of Turtle Beach and as such bear the emblem of their namesake. Okay, so that was what? 2 days ago? (Did I ever tell you that I lost the bracelet he bought me in Greece? The only thing I can think of is that we were wrestling on the beach one day - both dove after a football - and I think the clasp broke. Consequently, it has never been seen again. Important to the story.)

So, these earrings, while not necessarily my style (if he ever picks up an engagement ring for me, I am so telling him to talk to my girlfriends first) are in no way, shape or form on par with the Magic Mountain Necklace of Cartoony Doom. They are cute - small and quality. But they are the jangly kind - like the kind my friend lost at Ms. Kitty's in LA with the little Christmas Tree hook type post. Unfortunately, Hawaiians do not feel the need to include the little rubber pieces that make them stay put in one's ear but I wanted to wear them today with my bracelet. So, throwing all voices of caution to the wind (like I usually do) I wore them anyway.

I checked on them once or twice (still there!) and then forgot about them, those friendly little squatters in my earlobes. But, after lunch, I thought about them again and WOE UNTO ME! one of them had been hijacked! Or eloped with my sunglasses (which are still! missing!). I spent 30 minutes, walking the floors of my building. Retracing all my steps. Posting flyers of "REWARD! LOST EARRING! ANSWERS TO THE NAME OF SPARKY!" In the midst of all this, the thoughts kept rushing into my head, "He picked these out for you. He's sentimental. He's going to be upset. That's the 2nd piece of jewelry you've lost. You've only had these earrings 2 days! You'll never get anything nice from him again!" I lovingly laid the remaining earring in a safe place - the cup console in the car. It looked so bereft - sad and alone without it's perfect match.

I decided to retrace my steps further. Although I had only been out of the building once during the day, I figured it was worth a try. The odds were against me, but no attempt was too great. In my grief, I was afraid I would miss it or that someone else stepped on it, picked it up, or put it in their nose. That I would be too late. I started bracing myself for the realization that I would never see it again. Suddenly, on a quick detour through the cafeteria, I saw a shiny yellow glint on the floor! There, he was! My beloved earring of the Island! Still whole, still precious, and although the chances of it being stepped on were high, it is undamaged. Disaster averted!

I went back to my desk and cut up a pencil eraser. Then headed to my car and reunited the pair. Theirs was a joyous reunion. I put them in my lobes, securely in place with the homemade eraser backings.

Safe and Sound.