nuggets of joy

two things happened today at starbucks that made work a little less unbearable.

one: danny from the real world new orleans came in and asked for directions to PCC. he was with paul, his blurred-out boyfriend during the season. i didn't recognize him, but thought he looked really familiar. after i gave him directions lacy asked if i knew that he was danny from real world, and it all came together. i told this to josh on the phone and he said he also had a reality tv star sighting today. one of the tattoo artists from miami ink. i told him mine was better because danny is cooler and i actually spoke to him. he disagreed, but i think we all know who the winner is.

two: a lady found a tooth in her parfait. an f-ing tooth. a black f-ing tooth. it was amazing and disgusting all at the same time. how does one loose a tooth in a parfait and then not say anything? i don't understand. but that is the reason that i only eat muffins at starbucks (that, and the ungodly amount of calories in each goodie). i wasn't at work when it happened, but i saw the parfait and the tooth. the lady had eaten quite a bit before the tooth was found.

fyi

a good way to loose five pounds: stomach virus.

monday night satan took up residency in my stomach and wouldn't leave until everything in my body was flushed down the toliet. i cannot remember the last time i felt that miserable. probably the 12th grade hot dog food posioning incident (and people ask why i'm a vegetarian).

since it's my second week at my new job and i didn't want my boss to think i call in sick for shits and giggles i told myself that, despite not being able to stand upright without throwing up, i needed to go to work. it took me an 45 minutes to get dressed and another 15 to brush my teeth. i got to work, threw up twice, told my boss i was sick, came home, and went straight to the couch and slept.

the upside of this misery was getting to watch two episodes of matlock. tivo has something to do during the days now.

my ghost friend

we are almost through with the 2nd month of the 2006 hurricane season. it's not a big topic here in seatte. we've got our own problems (namely the 90+ degree heat with no air conditioning... it's as we've just been through a hurricane and now there's no power to turn on the ac) and hurricanes don't make the list. but in pensacola, where my parents and board games are, you can't make it one day without the local news giving you tips on how to run genetrators or board your windows. i check the weather channel online daily to stay updated and find out where jim cantore will be next.

my house in pensacola is about 20 miles inland on new haven drive. it's a fun little street with it's very own ghost. yes, it's true. nailed to a telephone pole at the beginning of my street is a little wooden ghost named casper. i don't really know when casper arrived, or what his purpose was, but he's been there for about 4 years and i love him. one of my favorite parts about going home when i was in college was turning onto my street and seeing him there, welcoming me to the neighborhood. i would yell out hi casper and wave to him.

living inland, it's not the storm surge and flooding that cause the damage, it's the wind and tornados that accompany the eye wall that cause all the problems. in 2004 when hurricane ivan hit i was in tallahassee. when i finally got in touch with my mom and she told me that our neighbor's shed roof was in our pool and that our back porch was completely blown away my second thought, after holy shit, was oh god, what about casper? luckily he made it through. in 2005 my casper worries appeared again when hurricane dennis hit. this time me and rents (unnecessarily) evacuated to jacksonville (after ivan my dad said he wasn't staying for another hurricane). while praying for my house and connie to be okay, i also asked god to keep casper safe. as we got closer to my house, i started getting anxious about what i'd see. would my house have a roof? and more importantly, would casper be there to greet us? again, he made it through.

so far this hurricane season hasn't been very active. hopefully we can make it this year without one, but if we can't be so lucky, i hope that casper makes it through another storm.

the curse of the great nicolebino

i forgot how much i really like to watch baseball. i went to the mariners v. tigers game today and just feel in love with the atmosphere. there's a feeling you get when you are walking into the stadium, trying to find your seat. it's kind of unexplainable, but you just know you belong there. sure, what they charge you at the concession stands could be considered rape, but what the hell, you pay it because it's part of the baseball experience. you're not really at the game until you spend $8 on a beer. the meat even smells good at a baseball game.

i love rooting for a team. i could care less about a team before i go to a game, but as soon as i decide who to go for, i'm their biggest fan. i suddenly need know team records and player stats, like my life depends on it or something. that's what i loved most about fsu games. everyone was always so into it and it made you feel good to be part of the crowed screaming "chris rix sucks." today i discovered that i have what i like to call the "the curse of the great nicolebino." every time i go to watch a live baseball game (which has only been three times), the team i'm pulling for looses. tigers v. indians... the indians won. braves v. pirates... pirates won. mariners v. tigers... mariners won. wtf? i thought this last game could break the curse because the tigers had won all 5 previous games against the mariners this season (a little bit of trivia i picked up today), but the curse won out. i bought a tigers hat and everything.

mama knox

my marm came to visit last weekend and i got to show her the greatness that is the northwest.
i picked her up from the airport friday at noon. we came back to my house where she fell in love with my "big ass" living room window. i took her to my fruit stand where we loaded up on fruits and veggies. we came back to my house and played garbage and ate peppers and cucumbers with josh and aimee. after all, what is a visit with my mom without playing cards and eating veggies? that night we went to target, because again, what's a visit with my mom without a trip to target?
saturday was the day o'seattle. we hit up pike's place and that little section of town. then we accidentally snuck into the aquarium. we also went up the space needle, saw the freemont troll, and went to kerry park. i came home and went to bed.
sunday we drove (as in josh drove) to portland to see some family. an uncle who i hadn't seen in 11 years was also there and that was a bit awkward. but portland was fun. we drove to this great lookout point to see the sunset on sunday night and then on monday we took a trip to these really beautiful waterfalls about 30 minutes east of portland. then we drove back to seattle and hung out until i had to go to work.
tuesday i dropped her off at the airport. i cried after she left. i guess i didn't realize how much i missed her until she was here. i had a really good time and i think she did too.