Congrats!

A big congrats to:

Rebecca for graduating with a master's degree this week.
Heather for her recent promotion to the big office.
Mark for starting a new job at a new location.

Weekend scribe:

Friday was a good day and stressful day. I got the FPP's wrapped up with one minute to spare. Phew! Traffic was a bitch though to and fro TKD and by the time I got home, I had just over an hour to eat and get ready for the Vogue but not enough time to complete my homework. I threw in the towel and decided to hand it in on Sunday and take the dock in grade for less stress. Went to the Vogue via Nick and Jacob - it's not often that Dane and I don't have to worry about driving home, so we took advantage of the opp and drank some more drinks than normal. LR was dancing at the Vogue and looked absolutely fabulous. She had had too much partying at the Noc Noc the night before and left not long after her performance. Since we had already watched a dude stick nails in his head, sew a coconut to his stomach, lay on a bed of nine inch nails, lay on a bed of broken glass, and industrial staple money to his chest, back, ass, cheeks, and nipple plus a tribal belly dance and burlesque performance, we figured we could reasonably move on to the next bar having received our money's worth of entertainment. The wind blew us to a lesbian bar called Wild Rose, though we didn't know it to be that when we walked in. By the time we figured it out, we couldn't just walk out, so we decided to stay. We actually had a blast in the beer garden talking to all different shades of people, gay and straight alike. It's been a while since Dane and I have gone out on our own - it was kinda nice. Though I only had 3 glasses of wine, a Mac n Jack, and strong vodka diet in about the space of 3.5 hours, I felt fairly good. Nick and Jacob picked us up and I passed out for the ride home. Something about going out on Fridays tuckers me out these days. I imagine it wont be long before I can no longer do it without a) taking a nap first, or b) going home earlier. Gone are the club days and closing bars down. We did close the Wild Rose though, mostly because we had to wait for our ride than because we wanted to stay.

Saturday we went to the finance picnic and had fun playing Swedish games, playing on the playground, and talking in catty clicks. After the picnic we went to go see Beerfest with RB, TJ, MR, and HG. It was a good time, good movie. After that we went back to the Huish house and played games, drank beer in silly hats, poked fun at each other, and celebrated. Soon it was hot tub time because I felt a back ache come on. In real life I had actually pulled/pinched my syatic (I have no idea how to spell that - that's the phonetic spelling) nerve.

I woke up Sunday morning early courtesy of Dane. He and MR went four wheeling while HG and I stayed home and looked through pictures, did laundry, homework, and napped. We got some spring roll paper at the local Asian market so I can make fat free lunches. I also got some salmon sashmi. Then we ate lunch at the Teapot - I love that place. By then, the men were home dirty, hungry, and tired.

I was supposed to go to the nudey beach with LR today, but my back hurt so bad I just wanted to stay home. Plus I had HG over. I'm such a flake. Oh well.

I'm looking forward to this week. It will be busy, but fun. Lots of TKD and BD (if my back allows) and the Noc Noc. We are going camping this weekend. That should be lots of fun.

OMG - I just realized that a year ago today I was loading up a van to move up to Seattle. I can't believe I've lived here a year now. Wow. I'm sitting here soaking that in. A year. It seems like I just got here. A whole f*cking year is gone. Like that. Let's recap the first year in Seattle:

I've quit smoking.
I've gained 15 pounds (somehow related to the above I think).
I've colored my hair back to brown.
I've made a slew of new friends.
I've kept my old friends in touch.
I've started something new - TKD.
I've stopped doing yoga. :-(
I started BD again.
I've cut back on drinking.
I haven't gone to a club to dance and drink in over 8 months.
I have gone to bars for brews instead.
I've grown exponentially in my career and attitude.
I'm engaged!
I'm a foster momma for kitties.
I've helped my parent's move across the country.
I flew south of the border for the first time!
I spent my 26th b-day in Hawaii.
I took some time off from school, though not by choice.
I was in the Fremont Parade for the second year.
I didn't party hard on New Years.
I spent my first Christmas without family of any kind other than Dane.
I didn't go to church on Christmas or Easter for the first year of my life.
I learned to tell direction without using mountains as my west point.
I purchased a hookah.
I don't wear make up anymore unless the situation calls for it.
I tried sushi and discovered I love it.
I bought a hot tub.
I rediscovered my love for Mr. Man.
I spent the first year of my 5 year relationship with Mr. Man all alone, with no roommates!
I've spent only a matter of minutes on a motorcycle this season. :-(

Wow I'm sure I could go on for days. What an amazing year it has been. I wonder what this next year has in store for me. Of course, the obvious is the wedding, graduating with a bachelor's, starting a master's program, continuing the friendships I've started, perfecting TKD and BD, and hopefully incorporating more painting and yoga into my hectic schedule.