So it’s been a while since I’ve written, and I have received some major grief about it. You know who you are! 😉 It actually makes me feel pretty good knowing my friends and family kinda miss me. So I suppose I have a lot of writing to do today in order to get everything caught up. Here goes.
I left off on December 14th, in San Francisco. I had gotten to my beach, driven over the Golden Gate and checked into my hotel in Pleasanton. It was a pretty awesome day! The next morning I had a horn demo to do for work. I had never done one. Just so you know what the heck I am talking about, the company I work for designs and installs quiet zones and wayside horn systems (only one of many things they do). Basically it’s a horn that is aimed directly toward road traffic to sound for the train as it approaches a crossing. This directs the sound of the horn blowing to the vehicles needing to stop, rather than having the train blow his horn as he comes into town, generally blasting homes and businesses with a high number of decibels and plain old noise. So this takes some coordination with the railroads and towns and contractors. I was a bit nervous to say the least, but it turned out to be an amazing experience. Not only did I get to meet and work with some great people, it was incredible seeing the people who lived in the town come out to hear the demo. It was greatness! And I totally understand! I lived pretty much under an airport, and you get used to that, no problem, but I couldn’t imagine trying to live next to a set of tracks hearing that train horn multiple times a day. I have been miles away and could still hear that damn whistle. It’s faint, but it’s still there.
Anyway, enough about that. I was told I needed to stay through that Tuesday. The demo was on Monday. I had nothing to do that next day. I asked my boss what he wanted me to do. His response was to have fun. My idea of fun was driving to San Jose. I was excited. I had never been there! The buildings were quite pretty, but I’m a sucker for those lovely, blue windows. This city looked nice. I should have a good time here right? Wrong! What the F was I thinking?! San Jose sucked!!!! After walking around to grab something to eat and explore the city a bit, let’s just say I was less than impressed. What a shit hole! I would have been better off sleeping in and watching a movie. So I decided to drive back up to San Fran! At least there are things to do there. Besides, I was hungry! Really effing hungry!
On my way up to SF, I got to drive by the ballpark. I should have stopped, but I was on a mission for sustenance. I made it back over to Pier 39. At the end of the pier was a sushi place! Mouth was a watering! I ordered up some sushi, a bottle of nigori sake, and enjoyed my view overlooking the bay. It was quite nice. After perusing the shops on the pier, I decided to head back over to Pleasanton. I had a super early flight the next morning, and I needed to get back to pack and get some sleep. Everyone else seemed to want to leave the city too! At the same, effing, time!!!!!! Awesome!!! I will never live in a big city unless I never plan to drive out of it! Ridiculous!!! I was engulfed in stupidity, and I couldn’t get out!!!!!! I was talking to my mom on the phone, hands free of course, and she got to hear the frustration. Sorry mom. It was like being thrown into some lawless, Mad Max society, where no traffic laws truly existed and the only way to get out was to just be a jerk driver. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! So I did! Took me two hours to get back to the hotel. Two. Hours!!!!!!!! It was only supposed to be a 45 minute drive. It could have been worse, I know, but still. Stupid!
So blah blah blah, I flew back home, worked a couple hours that day. Worked all day Thursday. Dentist appointment on Friday. Missed the company Christmas party due to being on Vicodin and recovering from twilight anesthesia. Anyone who knows me knows I am not a fan of dentists. After having multiple teeth pulled as a child and years of bad braces experience, I get nervous. I don’t do well with hands and needles and drills in my mouth, so it’s either nitrous or twilight. I prefer the twilight. I don’t want to know what’s going on. I can’t cry if I’m oblivious. Seriously. I don’t cry cry. Just the tear streaming thing. Like crying when I’m super mad. I can’t help it. I know I’m fine, but they just start flowing. I’m prepared for that whole zombie apocalypse, bring it on. But any dental work will have to be done after someone hits me over the head with a rock or something. So now you know my anxiety caused by dentistry. Yea!!!!
This brings us up to the week of Christmas. My birthday is two days before that. I get taken out for my birthday on Monday by my dad and second mom and my mini-me and her step-brother. It was a good evening. Had some great Mexican food at Los Asaderos. I had never eaten there, and I must say it was quite delicious. Those were some good margaritas! We headed back to their house for an early Christmas. They weren’t going to be in town and wanted to give gifts early, and it was a great feeling getting to unload the gift I had bought two months prior for my stepmom. Finally!!! Yea!!!!!!!!! My dad will get his after he gets back from Missouri. He wouldn’t have been able to put it to good use before heading out of town anyway. Went to work the next day (my b-day) and had a birthday lunch with my buddy José and wiring mentor, Tina (she taught me how to wire and read prints and a lot of other cool things). Hadn’t seen her in a long time, so that was pretty awesome! Got back to the office to see that they decided to close at noon. Noon! There goes my getting stuff out that day. Oh well. I have next week. It was still a good day though. Got to drag my munchkin with me to the office. Got some great b-day calls. Drove down to my mom’s for birthday lasagna made by mom, and pumpkin bread and cream cheese icing made from scratch by my sister. Mmmmmmmmm… One of my best friends drove an hour to give me my birthday gift on my birthday. So that made my b-day even better! All in all, I had a great day!!!!!!
So Christmas was a day away. I needed to do some last second shopping and run a couple errands. My big Christmas gift to myself was getting in touch with my old trainer and meeting up with him. I’ll be starting my training after the new year with a new trainer named Kyle. My old one is now a club manager and no longer trains others. 😦
The past couple of years I have been going downhill. I sit in front of a computer at work, pretty much all day, and I am so tired from doing nothing, that I pretty much stick with that routine for the rest of the day. It’s almost as if I’d lost my zest for living. The lazier I got, the less I wanted to get out and do the things I loved. It’s gotten to the point where I have shut out most of the outside world. Not a good place to be. I may not like being around people very much, but I need to spend time with friends and family and get out. Yes. I have gotten to travel and get out and explore, but it’s been alone. It’s lonely trying to have fun by yourself. I am no social butterfly, and I have no problem eating out or having a drink at a bar alone, but it’s always nice being able to share experiences with others. If I keep it up, this blog may be the only way I’ll really share anything anymore. Pretty pathetic, huh? On top of all that, numerous studies show you can extend your life by having a good sense of community and friendships with others. Then I get overwhelmed trying to find a group to join to maybe at least make some buddies and get out more. It’s stupid! Anyway, enough about my ridiculous self-pity moments. It’s a vicious cycle!
My mom’s Christmas gift was Italian beef ordered from Portillo’s in Chicago, and damn that was good!!!! Madi had never had an Italian beef sandwich before. My sister had never experienced Portillo’s. That was some damn good food!!!!! I think we started a new holiday tradition!!! I am totally down with it! Screw traditional dinner! Portillo’s!!!! Yeah!!!!!
So now I bring you up to today. A cold front came through. It be chilly! Still hanging at my mom’s. We are going to make it a movie day and head out this afternoon, but for now we’re all just lounging around. It’s nice. Cali is keeping my toes warm. 🙂 Harley is keeping the mini-me warm. Baby Kitty is off somewhere being her ADD self. Trust me. She is the most easily distracted creature I have ever seen! I love my hairy kids, and I love the half version of me currently sitting in the living room. 🙂
I won’t be in my car for a while. I’ll be adding a bunch of miles this week to it, but there won’t be much sleeping in it until mid January. I’ll continue writing and attempting to keep you entertained. I hope everyone had a great Christmas with their loved ones!! I’ll talk to you soon! Ciao!
-B
Bonnie’s Beach 🏖 