Monday night was Brian's office holiday dinner. I met him there after I left my office, enjoyed the company of what I suspected to be the silliest of his co-workers, and some decent food. No alcohol, sadly, but I didn't mind. The drive back to Hollywood from Valencia was long anyway, and although we didn't hit a spot of traffic the whole way home, we had to wait for almost 40 minutes once we got to our own fucking exit, due to the idiots who were waiting to exit there for the Light Festival.
Needless to say, I was murderous by that time, but I did manage to win two tickets to the Laugh Factory for tomorrow night from the radio station I was listening to while I waited, trapped, needing to pee. Fucking Los Angeles. I hate it more and more by the minute.
I got off work at 1:00 on Tuesday, and practically burned rubber out of the parking garage. It was a day filled with tying up loose ends, and that's about it. My boss's dog passed away, so she was emotional and sad about it. I quickly left the office to go and buy her a condolence bouquet and a card and a cute little stuffed wolfie dog to cheer her up. The dog was 16. I know how hard that is.
Brian and I left Hollywod and headed towards Long Beach just after dark. We decided to take in the lights of the Naples canals first, and then grab dinner afterwards. Parking was painless, and the lights were as beautiful and spectacular as they are every other year. I was glad that it was just the two of us. We had time alone without having to worry about whether anyone else was comfortable, or on time, or whiny... Sometimes, I get selfish that way, just wanting time alone together. That's probably the main reason why I don't predict kids in our future. Everyone else thinks otherwise.
After strolling along and filming house after brightly lit house, we headed toward Sushi of Naples and took a cozy seat at the sushi bar. I was more thirsty than hungry so I chugged down a full glass of water and three refills of green tea (damn! that was good tea!), one order of California rolls and one order of Ebi. Brian had everything from albacore to eel to mochi. He loves his sushi.
After that, we headed towards his parent's place, but on the way, I got very weepy and couldn't hold back my tears as I stared out the window at the ocean as we drove along Highway One. I started to think about how much I missed my mom, and how badly I wished we could have been home with her this year. Brian was sweet and he promised me a trip home next year, and tried to cheer me up with funny jokes, and then by quietly taking the extra long way through the neighborhood, just because he knows how much I enjoy looking at the lights. I love that man so much, my heart could burst.
We went to bed early after spending a few moments with his family, and woke up at about 7:00AM on Xmas morning. I made breakfast for everyone, then we exchanged a few presents in the parlour near the tree. The gifts were minimal this year because we asked that no one buy us anything due to the constraints of our budget (the wedding beast is hungry). Things will return to business as usual next year, and I will be the Xmas gift-buying maniac that I usually am once again.
The only gift we bought was one large one for the little nieceling, Lauren (or "LoLo", as Brian calls her). He picked it out himself and he was quite proud of this fact. I was proud of him, too! He got her a big, inflatable play center, the kind you fill with those brightly-colored plastic balls. She loved it. Brian was disappointed with the amount of balls that came with it though, so he bolted for the computer and swiftly ordered up another $100 worth. (700 more balls for the little ragamuffin to play in!)
All of us went out to a very strange and lengthy dinner at The Chart House in lieu of Brian's mom doing the cooking this year. I hate to sound like a bitch, but I'm sort of glad. She wasn't in the most festive of moods anyway, so I imagine her food would have shown it. Food is a love thing, you know? If you're not feeling the love, stay the Hell out of the kitchen! After dinner, we gathered up our stuff, and drive home to take pictures of the big, beautiful, glowing, purple and green house on Los Feliz Blvd. If I can motivate, I'll try to get Brian to post some shots of it here. It really is a "you had to be there" thing. Damn, is it gorgeous.
I did get some nice things for Xmas though, considering how we told people NO GIFTS! I got lots of different candles; a warm, super snuggly, homemade, microfleece blanket in a red and black spotty leopard print; a blank notebook with different images of Death from Sandman on it's cover; a soft cover copy of the Manson bio; and a pretty lariat necklace.
My list of things I actually wanted for Christmas this year is so long that no human being without a million-dollar credit line could make a dent in it. It basically consisted of every Philosophy - Amazing Grace product known to man; a Sony Vaio with all the necessary peripherals; a silver train case filled with MAC cosmetics; piles of Victoria's Secreat lingerie and clothing; my own digital/video camera; all new bedding; and an assload of new clothes and shoes from everywhere I shop. I admit it. I'm a material girl. I just love stuff. Stuff is good. Giant shiny shopping bags filled with stuff. That's what Xmas is all about, right? Giving and getting and giving some more.
New Year's Eve will be spent at a Formal Martini Firelight Party with all you raucous SG bastards and bastardesses. I can't wait for that mayhem. After that, it's strict dieting, nights spent at the gym, and stress stress stress over the wedding. WOO HOO. Bring on 2003!
By this time next year, I'll have been married for 6 months! How crazy is that?
Needless to say, I was murderous by that time, but I did manage to win two tickets to the Laugh Factory for tomorrow night from the radio station I was listening to while I waited, trapped, needing to pee. Fucking Los Angeles. I hate it more and more by the minute.
I got off work at 1:00 on Tuesday, and practically burned rubber out of the parking garage. It was a day filled with tying up loose ends, and that's about it. My boss's dog passed away, so she was emotional and sad about it. I quickly left the office to go and buy her a condolence bouquet and a card and a cute little stuffed wolfie dog to cheer her up. The dog was 16. I know how hard that is.
Brian and I left Hollywod and headed towards Long Beach just after dark. We decided to take in the lights of the Naples canals first, and then grab dinner afterwards. Parking was painless, and the lights were as beautiful and spectacular as they are every other year. I was glad that it was just the two of us. We had time alone without having to worry about whether anyone else was comfortable, or on time, or whiny... Sometimes, I get selfish that way, just wanting time alone together. That's probably the main reason why I don't predict kids in our future. Everyone else thinks otherwise.
After strolling along and filming house after brightly lit house, we headed toward Sushi of Naples and took a cozy seat at the sushi bar. I was more thirsty than hungry so I chugged down a full glass of water and three refills of green tea (damn! that was good tea!), one order of California rolls and one order of Ebi. Brian had everything from albacore to eel to mochi. He loves his sushi.
After that, we headed towards his parent's place, but on the way, I got very weepy and couldn't hold back my tears as I stared out the window at the ocean as we drove along Highway One. I started to think about how much I missed my mom, and how badly I wished we could have been home with her this year. Brian was sweet and he promised me a trip home next year, and tried to cheer me up with funny jokes, and then by quietly taking the extra long way through the neighborhood, just because he knows how much I enjoy looking at the lights. I love that man so much, my heart could burst.
We went to bed early after spending a few moments with his family, and woke up at about 7:00AM on Xmas morning. I made breakfast for everyone, then we exchanged a few presents in the parlour near the tree. The gifts were minimal this year because we asked that no one buy us anything due to the constraints of our budget (the wedding beast is hungry). Things will return to business as usual next year, and I will be the Xmas gift-buying maniac that I usually am once again.
The only gift we bought was one large one for the little nieceling, Lauren (or "LoLo", as Brian calls her). He picked it out himself and he was quite proud of this fact. I was proud of him, too! He got her a big, inflatable play center, the kind you fill with those brightly-colored plastic balls. She loved it. Brian was disappointed with the amount of balls that came with it though, so he bolted for the computer and swiftly ordered up another $100 worth. (700 more balls for the little ragamuffin to play in!)
All of us went out to a very strange and lengthy dinner at The Chart House in lieu of Brian's mom doing the cooking this year. I hate to sound like a bitch, but I'm sort of glad. She wasn't in the most festive of moods anyway, so I imagine her food would have shown it. Food is a love thing, you know? If you're not feeling the love, stay the Hell out of the kitchen! After dinner, we gathered up our stuff, and drive home to take pictures of the big, beautiful, glowing, purple and green house on Los Feliz Blvd. If I can motivate, I'll try to get Brian to post some shots of it here. It really is a "you had to be there" thing. Damn, is it gorgeous.
I did get some nice things for Xmas though, considering how we told people NO GIFTS! I got lots of different candles; a warm, super snuggly, homemade, microfleece blanket in a red and black spotty leopard print; a blank notebook with different images of Death from Sandman on it's cover; a soft cover copy of the Manson bio; and a pretty lariat necklace.
My list of things I actually wanted for Christmas this year is so long that no human being without a million-dollar credit line could make a dent in it. It basically consisted of every Philosophy - Amazing Grace product known to man; a Sony Vaio with all the necessary peripherals; a silver train case filled with MAC cosmetics; piles of Victoria's Secreat lingerie and clothing; my own digital/video camera; all new bedding; and an assload of new clothes and shoes from everywhere I shop. I admit it. I'm a material girl. I just love stuff. Stuff is good. Giant shiny shopping bags filled with stuff. That's what Xmas is all about, right? Giving and getting and giving some more.
New Year's Eve will be spent at a Formal Martini Firelight Party with all you raucous SG bastards and bastardesses. I can't wait for that mayhem. After that, it's strict dieting, nights spent at the gym, and stress stress stress over the wedding. WOO HOO. Bring on 2003!
By this time next year, I'll have been married for 6 months! How crazy is that?
Merry merry, sweetie. Maybe by this time next year I'll have partied with you!
[Edited on Dec 26, 2002]