And this is the wonder that is keeping the stars apart

Michael Jackson's Memorial Service- We aren't invited

2009-07-06T21:38:00.001-07:00

We kind of wanted to go, because we live so close and because we both know that this is going to be a huge deal and we would have loved to say to future generations that we were there.

But I will say "okay but it is also strange and morbid to enter a raffle to go to someone's funeral." (and then I remember the strange relationship that Michael Jackson had with the public and this kind of also makes sense.)

So we aren't going but we are really really close to the whole circus.

airport stress

2009-06-28T00:38:00.001-07:00

AKA one more reason why I love my blackberry.

I am an absentminded idiot sometimes.

I can't find my mp3 player and in all the drama looking for it, buying a cheap one at radio shack that immediately doesn't work, and then finding a discman... I forgot about ID.

I have ID but my ticket is in my maiden name (I used my passport as ID until I got my license, like 2 years ago and my passport still uses my maiden name because we didn't want to buy a new Chilean visa when the current one is still valid.)

So the guy at security let me go after making me feel pretty guilty for being married 6 years but still flying domestically under my married name. I agree- I think it went to my maiden name by default when I put my miles card in the system, when I bought the ticket.)

I was thinking I'd have more trouble then I did. The guy at the check in counter basically reissued the tickets for my entire trip to match my driver's license. I'm thrilled with the outcome and can say that THIS American Airlines representative was helpful.

I also forgot my car insurance proof, which is only important because I'm driving a rental car with my aunt in Wisconsin. Dennis is sending a scan to my email. He is the best husband ever.

Did I mention I'm going to Wisconsin for a family reunion? (on my mom's father's side) its funny because no one in my family is from Wisconsin. Expect constant updates from twitter.

Friday afternoon in Beverly Hills

2009-06-26T23:28:00.000-07:00

So we've been here in So Cal as a married couple since 2003 (I lived here before but didn't ever do anything interesting so my tourist-y life starts with Dennis). And it took us that long to go to Beverly Hills. I think we wouldn't have even gone but Dennis has a friend from the bank who wanted to do our hair and it was something we couldn't pass up.

We felt like huge tourists. And I felt like I was in the movie "Pretty Woman" (as an extra...)

Here is a red-carpet event with photogs and security... For what looked like Hennessy. The alcohol.

At Tiffany's (well at the doorway...)

As close as I'll ever get...

On Beverly Drive, right before we went to the Gap (which I know we could have found anywhere but they were having a good sale on jeans...)

Dennis on the corner of Wilshire and Rodeo :)

Dennis in front of this mega- Rodeo Sign that I kept zooming in on...

Zooom

Zoom back out...

Wait- What in the world is the woman behind me doing? Is she a mime?

Dennis wanted to have a photo here too...

Hahahahaa! I was sucking my tummy in super hard for this shot and Dennis didn't even get my whole body!!

And we ended up missing the evening traffic on the 405 so it was a nice evening! (I can't say we had anything glamorous for dinner- we had McDonald's, which ended up upsetting both of our tummies).

What I'm thinking about now...

2009-06-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

1. I think it is adorable that my husband toasted a tortilla in our toaster oven because we didn't have tortilla chips for dinner tonight (I ate them in yet another mindless example of how I am incapable of following a truly diabetic diet...)

2. I'm going to Wisconsin this weekend with my Aunt, for a family reunion. I need to get some photos printed to show our family. Should I bring my bathing suit. Should I check in some luggage? I wouldn't except that I hate the rules about liquids. I don't even wear makeup, but I don't want to stress out about whether or not I can put it in a carry on. I just hate that you have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for carry-ons now.

3. Which reminds me that I need to find my mp3 charger...

4. I'm getting obsessed with Twitter.
People who read this blog know I've had twitter for awhile (I got it after I saw it on Cindy's Blog) but the days pop culture events revised my twitter interest.

5. Chilean News article about Michael Jackson. My aunt and I talked about it earlier this evening- we weren't "shocked", just sad for his family.

High School Reunion

2009-06-24T01:29:00.000-07:00

I just got a notice about my ten year high school reunion. Already?? Has ten years already gone by? Were did those years go? (most of them were spent married and all were spent in school, actually). I don't know if I will be able to go to my reunion- I don't think I will be in town.

I'm not against going, in theory. I have a pretty good marriage and I'm pretty impressed with my scholastic endeavors.

I think any reservations I have about attending are because I don't want to see certain people I've spent ten years forgetting about. More than people, there are feelings (like feelings of inadequacy) that I want to forget about. High school sucked. Maybe in ten more years... (Plus, hello, they have facebook and myspace so if anyone wants to know what I've been doing all they have to do is google me.)

Some news!

2009-06-22T22:41:00.000-07:00

We are moving to Florida at the end of the year!!!

Dennis is accepting a job at a university in Fort Lauderdale, so we are planning a move to Florida in December/early January after I finish classes! So we are moving from one coast to the other! (Hallelujah, he's got a job!!)

I need to get rid of almost all that we have, because apparently it is ridiculously expensive to move things and we don't have a whole lot that's worth anything so I think I may be having adventures in craigslisting soon. (Seriously, it's like $4000 to move a two bedroom apartment from one side of the country to the other. Ridiculous).

When I first found out that we were moving, I was more afraid of the alligators and bugs than the hurricanes. I'm still worried about the wildlife but I'm glad we are moving to a warm climate. And it's cheaper to get flights to/from Chile to Miami then to Los Angeles so hopefully this means we can invite the girls out and even Dennis's mom.

Surreality via googling my name.

2009-06-02T23:49:00.000-07:00

So I googled my name. This is a legit activity because I realize that other people (i.e. future employers) might also google my name.

I was relieved to find that there isn't much aside from links to my twitter account. But I did think it was strange to find this article about my sister. I don't even know how they got quotes from me about my sister's death but I am glad that they noted how important it was to me that she died because of a drunk driver. I guess the bizarre-factor is that an article was written and I was quoted without my knowledge. In 2007!

Anticipating Summer Photos...

2009-05-30T01:24:00.000-07:00

check out Be Funky for some fun ways to mess with photos and
This page to make photos look old (Japanese site with an english-translation option).

I love this candy.

2009-05-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

It's a green tea flavored candy- not a hard candy that you suck on but not super chewy either. It's just amazing. My Chinese friend gave me 3 bags and I have one and a half left. I love this candy and would love to buy it somewhere. But where? Where oh where can I find this candy?

neither have talent.

2009-05-21T00:19:00.000-07:00

okay. sometimes what kara said was helpful during the season. but srsly, the show didn't need her.

So. American Idol was tonight.

2009-05-20T23:35:00.000-07:00

In case you were under a rock.

Last year, I had time to live blog the American Idol finale and thought Archuletta was going to win until oh snap! David Cook totally won!

And then I heard David Cook on the radio a few times and then totally didn't ever really buy his album or anything.

This year was the first year that my husband and I actually watched AI from beginning to end. Cause there was nothing else on. I liked both of the final 2 guys but in the end, just felt like Glambert was too "jazz hands" meets "glam rock hair band". The dude can sing. He can hit notes that I will never in my life hit, and he has skill. And he is perfectly suited for a Vegas show.

But Kris Allen totally deserved it, if only for his easy appeal. Come on, people. He totally is like every other guy you hear all the time on the radio. And I know that isn't necessarily innovative or anything but if it's already on the radio, it means that people like me (aka the masses) are more likely to buy it. And he did have some great covers.

So, almost 2 hours later, I'm obviously not live blogging this. But I thought I should keep the tradition alive by at least saying "WTG America for voting for the dude who we actually will probably hear on the radio maybe".

Small complaints:

-don't make the entire idol cast wear white ever again. it is not a good color for anyone. I can't find a screen cap/photo so let's see how long this youtube vid of poor quality stays up...

-don't let Kara back. That song was lame and the bikini girl showdown was lame.

Okay. Now time for bed. Sorry Adam Lambert fans.

It's about cheese.

2009-05-19T23:13:00.000-07:00

I love being a hostess and having guests over, but I have learned that I am territorial and immature the longer I have guests over. The last time that we had guests, I secretly freaked out when one of our guests used one of my brand new glasses for soda (one of two novelty glasses purchased at the Coca Cola store in Las Vegas). She had lipstick on and the glasses were brand new. I nearly wigged out because I wanted to be the first one to use the stupid glass.

It's like this: I say "Make yourself at home" and I think "no, but not really..."

So we have this guy visiting from Chile. It's important to me to be a good hostess, because I do care. But Dennis and I are both busy and our guest knows that we aren't going to be cleaning/cooking/entertaining much. Which is cool as our guest is not as much here for tourism as much as he is looking for prospects for when he moves to So Cal.

He's a guest. But he is making himself at home. And Dennis and I are slowly turning into Angie Tempura.

It's about cheese. We bought some expensive cheese tonight because we had an awesome coupon for it. And after I put it in the fridge, I realized I would have to share it. Because we are not going to hide cheese from our guest. But at the realization that I must share, I nearly lost my sh#t.

It's not just about cheese. I mean, last night he delighted in telling me that Jimmy Fallon is doing cocaine because he has bags under his eyes and he can't tell jokes without laughing. Because those are 100% tell-tale signs. I don't even care about the celebrity part, just the smug "you know you are a loser for laughing at the jokes of a drug addict" tossing of information my way. I prefer to be ignorant, thanks.

Or it's about how he asked me if he could help me cook dinner as I loaded three baked potatoes into the oven and then told Dennis "I can't eat potatoes. I have a glandular problem". Dude, why couldn't you have said that before you watched me load three potatoes in the oven? There are only three of us in my apartment. And why are you eating french fries in the biggest possible size at every restaurant we've taken you to then?

Or it's about how you made my husband drive around to fix our other car so you'd have a car to drive around and then you called yesterday from Hollywood and said you took a cab. You drove the car to Hollywood. And then hailed a cab to some place. And then drove home. I don't know why you needed a cab if you have our car, but I'm annoyed.

I really like certain aspects of having guests. I really do. And this guy, now that he has one of our cars, has made himself scarce. I cannot be the only one who regresses to a 2 year old when people come over.

10 Favorite Cities (that I've really been to)

2009-05-18T22:34:00.000-07:00

I have some vents but I really want to blog positive so I think I'll put those in another post.
Instead, a blog meme.

10 Favorite Cities.

1. Santiago, Chile. Obvs. beautiful skyline and you don't have to own a car to live.

2. Los Angeles. Also obvs. I actually miss the rudeness when I've been gone too long.

3. Vegas. We got married here. It's a pretty neat place in small doses.

4. Rio de Janeiro.

awesome shopping, cheap, people walking around comfortable wearing bathing suits when they normally wouldn't.... people in Rio are generally super nice, even when they are robbing you. (I've never been robbed in Rio, note).

5. Hachinohe, Japan. The only Japanese city I know. Some say it's more country than city but they had a downtown. It is a good way to get to know Japan, in my opinion, and hell to the yeah I want to visit Tokyo and the rest of Japan now!!

a country that sells 20oz. cans of Diet Coke Zero earns a lot of stars in my book.

6. Buenos Aires. Best gnocchi, choripan, dulce de leche, and ice cream ever. BA is a brilliant place to eat. (and it's also pretty.)

7. I'm not going to lie. I actually don't LOVE Albuquerque. But we are running out of interesting cities that I love that I've actually been to. I grew up in Albuquerque. They have great Mexican food. And I see pretty in it the older I get. The key to loving Albuquerque is in visiting with money. Which I didn't have growing up. I almost substituted this with Santa Fe. But I have only been to Santa Fe once.

8. Dallas. Another one I don't really LOVE. But there are some good things. I like that everyone is so friendly. I like that they drink Diet Dr. Pepper like water. I like visiting Dealey Plaza with my husband to better understand the mysteries of the grassy knoll. Another city that is full of great food too.

9. Hollywood. It's a great place to people watch. But you have to pay to take pictures with people dressed up like action figures/dolls from horror movies/pirates.

10. Malibu. Oh, Malibu, I will miss you when I have to leave you. It's weird living in Malibu, because Malibu is an unrealistic place even when you have money. But there are things I will miss! Like people leaving their cars ridiculously open and unlocked! Like random celebrities!

Like seeing Barbie doll colored cars parked at the grocery store!! (Honorable mention- that the main doctor at Malibu's Urgent care clinic advertises her skillz in plastic surgery and that the movie theater seats are LEATHA!!)

One more thing we can do because we don't have kids...

2009-05-10T02:07:00.000-07:00

We did Karaoke in Los Angeles's Koreatown tonight to celebrate Dennis's birthday! Some 80's classics and a few Disney songs and even some Spanish and Chinese songs were sung (I have videos that Dennis doesn't want on youtube....we shall see...)

one note regarding Korean food- we had some really good noodles and the guys approved of the Soju but the kimchi... I think it's just too strong. Just say no to Kimchi....

There, I've said it...

2009-05-05T01:14:00.000-07:00

Back to blogging (oh how I missed you!) by saying some things:

1. I like Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

I think he's funny and cute, even though he laughs at his own jokes. There, I've said it.

2. My husband is in Florida, trying to find a job and to take an exam for a second graduate degree. He's only been gone for one night and he's coming back tomorrow, but I think I'd like another night alone. It's quiet and I can eat whatever I want and I don't have to watch Spanish news (even though I do). I wish he would stay one more night. Things have been so stressful with school and lack of full-time employment, and we have been bouncing anxiety and panic attacks off of each other. So, I really miss not having someone to talk to but I also really enjoy the alone time. There, I've said it.

3.
I think Steven Tyler looks like a lady. The aerosmith classic song has come full circle. There, I've said it.

4. This is the Cutest Commercial EVER.

Bonus: link to the song in the commercial. Yessss

Jon Bovi. Best Band Ever.

2009-04-26T00:43:00.000-07:00

(I will try to get Dennis singing Karaoke of "Living on a Prayer"- he's pretty good!)

Anyway, I am blogging. Just not really well. Because I have some mega papers to write. But they are do very soon. And then I want to blog regularly again! And hilarity will ensue!!

G-Rated

2009-04-17T14:18:00.000-07:00

based on the word "steal" found one time :)

What's better than writing a book report?

2009-03-19T20:08:00.000-07:00

I have to write a report for This book. It's a good book. I would just rather do so many more things. (It really is a good book, about women in Greco-Roman history.)

But per the title of this post, what is more fun?

LOL Cats. They are always more fun.

updates!

2009-03-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

I had a good birthday. I turned 27 on Wednesday. It wasn't as traumatic as my 26th birthday- I got a lot of love this year in the form of cards and online greetings and Dennis took me to a really really nice restaurant (Hawaiian fusion!). My Dad actually sent me flowers. They are gorgeous and moved me, considering the fact that Dad rarely even sends me a birthday card (he has a new girlfriend and I surmise that she is pretty awesome). Unfortunately said flowers have given me serious hayfever and allergic reactions. But I love and cherish them and am really really sad that they can't stay in our living room. (They are hiding in our guest room/office right now because I can't throw them away! My Dad bought me flowers!!)

I did break lent for my birthday but I had already decided that you can't blow candles out of an apple. You can't tell from this photo, but it's a chocolate souffle with a candle. And bananas foster on the side. (I can't even just have a little sugar on my birthday.)

On an unrelated note, we are still seriously talking about moving to Monterrey, Mexico. Don't anyone freak out because it highly depends on Dennis getting accepted to the PhD. program that he is applying for. I think he has good chances. Things like this have increased my stress level and I wonder if I might rename my blog to "ERIN FREAKS OUT ABOUT EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME-BLOG!"

So I'm trying to figure out how to get caught up and organized for life. Right now, school is a priority (one reason my blogs are few and far between and always end up like updates!) I need to make a resume. I registered the other day for my last classes in this degree that has taken FOR-EVER to finish and that was kind of a strange feeling. I imagine that I am not done with school yet, as I have started thinking about getting another degree (in what? not sure!).

Can I put LOL-speak on my resume?

Ode to bad wine...

2009-03-07T23:41:00.000-08:00

It's from Argentina, which is good. In my opinion, South American wines are not as spicy as Californian wines. I should have read the label.

It has a hint of tobacco and chocolate. TOBACCO. I tasted this hint last, in the back of my throat and it lingers with you. So the wine tastes like your regular notspicy red wine with an interesting woodsy-definite berry flavor. And a bit of tobacco. I'm not a fan.

What you missed in the photo that I so artfully took with my camera phone, is the can of Pringles and the bottle of diet Dr. Pepper.

The good news is that I've kept to my lent about no sweets. Tomorrow (or today?) is a church potluck day so that will be my real test. Wine doesn't count as a sweet.

I can haz your cheetos?

2009-03-03T23:59:00.000-08:00

It's Lent time again. Last year, some may recall, I gave up Perez Hilton and celebrity gossip. It worked marvelously and by Easter, I was so over it!

This year, I've given up sweets. It's hell. I am hungry for snacks and there is nothing in our house except for a can of tuna and ginger snaps. Dennis bought a box of ginger snaps to celebrate the fact that I'm not eating sweets. This is clearly going to be way harder than giving up celebrity gossip. I have already started reminding myself that sweets are nothing compared to the cross.

(It was either sweets or facebook. I love facebook more than I love chocolate.)

(How much do I love facebook? As much as Dana-->

Have I been just as guilty as her? yes, absolutely.)

Milestones...

2009-02-22T23:15:00.000-08:00

I belong to a forum for diabetics who are women and who are mothers or who want to be mothers. I'm not planning anything right now but it has been motivational for getting my health under control. Anyway, when your diabetes is under control, you tell everyone in the forum and they give you a dancing frog (so under 7.0 A1C). My A1C two weeks ago was a 7.8, which is the best I've ever had. It's a milestone and the forum members awarded me with a tadpole. I've been keeping it on my computer harddrive but I haven't been really keeping up with trying to do better. But posting it here might help me to stay focused (I've caved twice in the past week and had some french fries and I've decided to give up candy and cake, except for Mar.11 bday cake, for lent). I just feel like I have so many goals and things I have to do this year, and I think I've been putting the goal of being healthy on the backburner.

I got this email when I was wasting time on facebook (which very well might steal my soul). I'm going back to Japan so I've been raising money. I've reached my half way point, but I don't know how because I can think of 10 people that I know I need to talk to but that I have put off writing letters too. It's another goal.

I'm also taking Japanese, kind of. I'm sitting in on a class but I'm not really auditing it because I'm not paying for it, because the professor and his department have been really ridiculously graceful and generous. But tomorrow morning, there is an exam. I haven't studied and now I feel like I should talk to the professor and just ask him if I can not worry about this exam? I feel really bad, like I'm already wasting his time and like him grading my exam would be just worse. I feel like a flake.

Which brings me to my 10am midterm tomorrow morning. It's something else I haven't satisfactorily studied for. But I'm paying for this class, and I think I might be smarter if I studied and did well for it. But this is like the story of who I am as a student right now- I'm flaking on my studies and putting things off and hoping that I can just get by. It's not how I want to do things, and I'm probably being too hard on myself. I'm just really tired and stressed out.

Which brings me to my whole life right now. I finish school finally in December. My husband doesn't have a job and the US economy is not providing him with anything. We are talking about moving back to Chile or to another country, in general. Which freaks me out. The thought of moving to another country and changing my life so dramatically all by myself (with Dennis), so freaks me out that I feel like I'm almost paralyzed. It's like I'm sabotaging myself physically, spiritually, and scholastically because I'm terrified of the real world, of moving away, of the very very unknown. It's not that I don't have faith in God or in Dennis or in myself. It's that I'm just so anxious about this that I can't even concentrate properly. Me, who has to two hours early for a flight when they say be one hour early. Me, who has to show up 15-30min. early for a movie just because I want to pick the best seats possible. I turn into Godzilla if we miss one preview. Not knowing, not having a clue, not having any control.

I realize, as I type this, that this is what I'm doing. I'm so freaking out that I'm sabotaging myself. Which is absurd because I, of all people, know how amazing God is and how much things can change in one year. In less!

The Invasion...

2009-02-11T00:22:00.000-08:00

Of the Cold/Flu Bug. Our whole apartment complex/church/community bubble has it. Dennis has been sick for about a week and I'm full of mocos myself. I promise I am trying to wash my hands more and I washed our sheets today to get rid of any germs. Alas, this is a tough bug to beat.
My dear husband, bless him, is consequently unable to sleep at night. He refuses to take benedryl because they make him sleepy. But last night for example, he was on his blackberry or channel surfing or touching my face all night. It was cute, endearing, pathetic, and annoying.
My cure for the cold: cup o' noodles (ramen), liquids (not always good ones but nonetheless we try), and lots of wasting time on the internets (aka facebook games instead of studying).

this is my reason for post- Dennis citizenship ceremony blog hiatus:

*common cold plush doll via Cool Stuff Express
*Passive Aggressive Note about coughing via Passive Aggressive Notes

Dennis became a US Citizen today!!

2009-01-30T00:22:00.000-08:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We are officially done with immigration now!! Woohoo!!

second best site of the week. ever.

2009-01-24T21:34:00.000-08:00

Blingee aka "Seizure-inducing site of the week"

I decided to bling out my Kindergarten picture. Because my 7 year old face needed some glitter and some Kanye West glasses.

And then I thought "what else can I bling?"

Tom Cruise!
(Note: The creator (me) does not want to imagine a world where dancing snoops rejoice as a gun shoots in the general direction of a bunny rabbit wishing the world lots of love.)