I'll Take "Computers For Absolute Morons", Please

I am officially retarded when it comes to computers. :( Oh sure, I'll design aerospace qualified mechanisms all day long, but heaven forbid I try to download a music CD onto my computer ... you'd think I'll was blind chimpanzee trying to perform brain surgery. It’s completely unacceptable. Actual quote from a few months ago…

Luke: “… just open up Windows Explorer…”

Me: “Wait, what’s a Window’s Explorer.”

Take blogging (my new obsession) for instance. My blog is so ugly and boring! I can’t stand it. At first I thought everyone’s blogs was boring… default background, standard font, blah blah blah. Ummmm No. Apparently I am the only person on the planet who doesn’t know the secret password and handshake to make my blog come alive. People are posting pictures and links to other blogs… they’ve got counters and music, they’re changing the font, the format, and *gasp* even the background! Why do I not know how to do these things!!?? Did I miss that day in the life school? Was I out sick, did my mom write me a note – because, darn it, she shouldn’t have. She should have said, “get your lazy butt out of bed and embrace the computer… you’ll thank me one day” (She always adds a “you’ll thank me one day” to the end of her motherly tidbits.)

Seriously folks, can’t someone help me out??

100 Things About Me

1. I’m 5'7” tall.
2. I stopped growing around age 14 and cried, because I knew I would never be tall enough to be a super model. (Ha! Don't you love that I assumed that I otherwise had all the necessary super model requirements!?)
   
3. I look/think/talk like my mom.
4. I love that.
5. I’m getting my Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanfurd.
6. I spell Stanfurd with a "u" because that’s what people from Cal do to offend people from Stanfurd. I’ve never understood why.
7. I hate when I have to clarify that Cal = UC Berkeley.
8. My feet are my favorite part of my body.
9. I have a love/hate relationship with my boobs.
10. I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley, in Los Angeles, California.
11. I say “like” and “ya know” a lot. I can’t help it.
12. I grew up riding horses and playing tennis and piano.
13. I love how snobby that sounds.
14. In fact, my family was really poor – but most of my friends never knew.
15. Very few people have ever seen my house in LA.
16. My dad still lives there - I don't visit him enough.
17. My first kiss was with a boy named Todd. We were 11. It was gross.
18. I am physically weaker than I look.
19. I do not look strong.
20. I am smarter than I look.
21. When I have kids, I intend to be a stay at home mom.
22. I will not home school my children.
23. I *love* presenting information in list form.
24. I have no sense of direction. None. Thank goodness for MapQuest.
25. I like Diet Pepsi, but can’t stand Diet Coke.
26. I am still best friends with a girl I met in kindergarten.
27. My mom and her mom are best friends.
28. My sister and her sister are best friends.
29. I have more than one best friend.
30. I can’t wait for them to be my bridesmaids one day.
31. My sister is my favorite person in the whole world.
32. I traveled in Europe for 6 weeks after I graduated from Cal.
33. I was ready to come home by the end.
34. I learned that the planet is very small. And that, really, people everywhere are pretty much the same.
35. For some reason, this seemed really profound to me at the time.
36. I was in a wicked car accident my senior year of high school.
37. I missed a month of school.
38. It sucked – but now I have a cool scar and a great story to tell.
39. I love having a great story to tell.
40. I’ll do just about anything if it means I’m going to end up with a great story to tell.
41. I always talk with my hands.
42. I’m addicted to meeting new people.
43. I’ve been drinking beer since I was two.
44. I love beer.
45. I’m German, go figure.
46. I love running amok and being ridiculous.
47. I have a secret desire to be a go-go dancer.
48. I think I’d be good at it.
49. My favorite color is green.
50. I believe in miracles and fate.
51. I am totally insecure about my clothing.
52. I am very comfortable naked.
53. I can’t spell.
54. I love college football.
55. I love frat boys.
56. I was never in a sorority.
57. My favorite time of day is dusk.
58. I was raised without religion, but I believe in God.
59. My mom is the wisest person I know.
60. She is also a great cook.
61. I am a terrible cook. I don’t why – all you have to do is follow the directions!
62. I am a perfectionist.
63. Babies always smile when they see me.
64. I think that’s the coolest thing ever.
65. My biological clock is ticking, but my brain’s not done being a little kid yet.
66. It’s very confusing.
67. I want to have my cake and eat it too.
68. I know that that’s impossible.
69. I HATE grilled onions.
70. I love all other food.
71. I like to shop alone.
72. I hate talking on the phone.
73. I love talking in person.
74. I love my two cats and honestly believe that they are the cutest creatures on the planet.
75. I think everyone should have a pet.
76. I’m a very slow reader.
77. I have an excellent memory.
78. I work in the aerospace industry.
79. I have never wanted to be an astronaut.
80. My favorite age was age 5.
81. My second favorite age was 15.
82. My parents got divorced when I was in college.
83. My dad has been married and divorced three times.
84. My mom has been married three times too, but the first one didn’t count.
85. I want to marry my soul mate.
86. I hate scary movies and refuse to watch them.
87. I love being outside.
88. I hate feeling like I’ve missed out on something.
89. I have no hand-eye coordination.
90. I can’t stand the sound of a person breathing, even my own breathing.
91. I think it’s ok to be selfish sometimes.
92. When I’m crying, a glass of water helps calm me down.
93. My dad is the best at calming me down.
94. Political conversations make me uncomfortable.
95. I am constantly dirty, like a little kid. It’s so annoying.
96. My sister is really considerate.
97. I wish I was more considerate.
98. I am very passionate.
99. Forth of July is my favorite holiday – I live for fireworks and the smell of fresh cut grass and BBQs.
100. I love my middle name, Aline, pronounced "AL-EEN". It means happy.

Spring: 1; Me: 0

Ok, so score one for Spring. This temptress of a season kicked my butt this weekend. I wanted to play in the sun - I got a raging sunburn. I wanted to run, childlike, through a park - I got lost and totally separated from my friends. I wanted to wake up to something other than my alarm clock - try waking up to a volcano full of liquor. (Oh ya, 8 am is a GREAT time to start drinking.) I couldn't stand my cubicle (well I still can't) but sitting in a comfy chair all day sure beats the 10 or so miles I walked on Sunday.

Ugh - Bay to Breakers was an absolutely OUT OF CONTROLL day. The floats, the costumes, the naked men, the absolute mayhem - did I mention the volcano full of liquor!!?? Craziness. But I think good times were had by all.

We decided to go Hawaiian style - complete with giant, paper mache, liquor-dispensing, volcano and tiki torches... yes they were lit, yes I managed to survive the day without catching my hair on fire, but just barely. We started at a quarter to 8 and boarded the 19 bus fully decked out in Hawaiian garb, carrying 2 five gallon buckets of jungle juice that would later become our "Hot Molten Magma". Apparently our fellow bus riders didn't get the Hawaiian theme memo... Quote from Christine - "Hey look, those people are dressed as runners!" :) We then got off the bus and were on our way... Unfortunately, pushing a paper mache volcano down the streets of SF is not quite the speedy endeavor we hoped it would be... the guy from Kenya finished the race before we even got our lazy butts to the start line... Quote from Linden "Well, I came to win, we may as well go home now." :) We convinced him to stay and started the race. It was long, it was grueling, it was a blast !!! The vibe was amazing, everyone was in a great mood, the floats were spectacular, all and all an awesome experience. I've never peed in a parking garage, a park, and a stranger's house without permission (twice) all in one day. My only downfall (except for the mass quantities of Magma I consumed) was playing all day in the sun wearing nothing but a bathing suit and a grass skirt and no sun screen... what WAS I thinking???

My friend, AJ, made up a casualty list... I think it helps shed light on the ridiculousness of it all.

Lost: Red Nalgene. Status: Still missing. Anyone happen to end up with it?
Lost: A.J.'s phone. Status: Returned, but destroyed. How kind of them to get it back to me though.
Lost: Kilauea. Status: Last seen as a pile of newspaper after a crash in the Park. Naked chicken wire in Luke's trunk.
Lost: Palm tree. Status: Deflated by random bite. Left in cart on the Panhandle.
Lost: Three tiki torches Status: Tiki torches are flammable. Grass skirts are not.
Lost: Laura. Status: Ditched while peeing. No phone, no money. Found way back to Dave Zazoni's. Kerylyn made her a sandwich, which was better than Dom's sandwich.
Lost: Courtney. Status: Went all the way to the ocean. The rest of us stopped at mile 5. Walked back to Noe Valley from the Ocean. That is far. Massive sunburns.
Lost: Rachel. Status: Still unknown.
Lost: Luke's car. Status: Drove home without Luke. He was busy chatting with random ladies. He made new friends on the bus.
Lost: Luke's phone. Status: Had it in my pocket the whole time.
Lost: Christine's lunch Status: In the bushes somewhere.

*Sigh* What a day! I can't believe I have to wait a whole year to do it again. Pictures to follow...

Ah Spring

Birds, bees, warm sun, fresh air
Trees are blossoming
Spring Time
Hate my cubicle
Wish I were outside
Santa Cruz, Berkeley, San Francisco
Want to sleep in and stay up late
Want to run, childlike, through a park
Want sun on my skin and grass between my toes
Want to wake up to anything but my alarm clock
Want to play
Days getting longer
People getting feisty
Bubbling over
Can’t stay inside on a day like this
Flowers smell good
Breezes feel good
Summer is coming
I can taste it
Sunshine kisses my face when I step outside
Tingles up my spine
Happy, flirty, wonderful Spring
Want to play