Stuff I put in storage

So my Mom and Step-Dad are moving and are in the final stages of packing up. The furniture and stuff is gone already, but some last minute things need to be packed up. So I had to go over there last week to go through about 8 boxes of my stuff that had been in their basement since I moved out after high school. There were some stuffed animals and stuff that mice got into and had to be tossed, but for the most part, everything was in good shape. I just had to sort through it and re-pack what I was keeping.

I found...
- Pics from my early trips to D.C., VA and MD (from '89-'92) my trip to Florida back in '87, pics of friends and I in middle school, and stuff from when I was little (camping, etc)
- Yearbooks from pre-school (Peter Pan) through Middle School
- T-shirts my Mom brought me back from their travels through Europe, Mexico, Africa and the Orient
- Baby clothes
- Newspapers/Mags. I collect them from major events and I found the 1989 earthquake, Berlin Wall coming down, the Challenger disaster, Lucile Ball and Bette Davis passing, a mag with Krissy Taylor on the cover before passing, a mag with an interview with River Phoenix before passing, and a bunch of others that I left folded up.
- Letters from the German and Japanese exchange students we had briefly when I was in high school, letters from friends when they moved away, and a few from a friend when she spent time in Iran one summer, etc.
- 6 or so diaries/journals dating from around '86 through'94
- Many other letters, notes passed in school, etc.
- Childhood books, including some signed Zilpha Keatley Snyder books like The Egypt Game, and others.
- Ceramics I made in high school
- Art projects from Middle School and High School
- A ton of school papers from Middle School book reports to High School term papers
- Souvenirs from trips
- And much more

I was in consolidate and pack mode, so I didn't really get to take the time to sit down and read through a lot of the stuff. So that will be really fun to do one of these days. The diaries for sure are going to be a trip. I wrote about everything, and usually daily (at least in my Middle School days) about boys, dances, everything. It'll be a crack up to go back and read.

So long 2009...

This year has had its up and downs…

1. I've been unemployed all year. That’s good and bad. But that’s all I have to say about that.

2. I went back to Juneau this last July with my Aunt to see my parents on their boat. We were popsicles, but had a great time ;-)

3. I started a diet about 3 months back. Lost 25 lbs… gained 2 back (in only 4 weeks of slacking, not bad) and will continue on.

4. Whole heartedly welcomed a new member of the family… my cousin’s fiancée Savannah. She was always family, but it will become official in February. Being there when she found “The” dress, helping with invitations, seeing the venue, etc, has been awesome.

5. Attended the memorial service for Officer John Hege. He was the brother of a close friend growing up.

6. Road tripped down to L.A. with Sarah, and spent a few days down there visiting with friends from all over, going to Disneyland and to a game.

7. Spent a few fun weekends down in San Jose with out of town friends and seeing some games.

8. Spent a few fun days on the coast and got to see a newborn harbor seal be rescued.

9. Saw the new California Academy of Sciences and the Faberge exhibit at the Legion of Honor.

10. It’s been a financially tough year, so here’s to winning the lottery in 2010 :-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

The cold... and my diet...

The weather has changed quite a bit. I started using the heater in my house about a month ago. The weather started cooling down and I thought it was time. But not needed more than in the last few days. Snow all over the Bay Area and lows around 30 degrees. Brrrrr!!! We have these spells every year, and I actually enjoy them. It’s nice to have a change in climate every once in a while. Reminds me of when I lived in Mammoth Lakes, having moved there New Years Eve, having never lived in the snow before. My biggest “cold” memory of that time, was the feeling of first waking up all warm in your bed, and having to walk to the bathroom to take a shower in the morning and shivering like crazy. When I walked into my bathroom earlier I had that thought. I keep the window in there cracked almost year round, and just keep the door closed. But boy if it isn’t 20 degrees colder in there than the rest of my house right now. Seriously. BRRRR!!!

Anyway… my other thought was my dinner tonight. I was craving Taco Bell, sick I know, but true. So I decided to screw my diet for the night and get 3 crunchy taco supremes for dinner. They tasted good at the time, but funny how your system changes after not eating fast food for a while. I wasn’t feeling so hot afterwards and wondered why I did that to myself. Not that I haven’t cheated on my diet here and there, but almost every time, my body know it’s something I shouldn’t be eating. It’s kind of interesting. But regardless of the cheating on my diet a little, I lost 5 lbs last week. And that was the week after Thanksgiving. I was amazed. That was week 8. My weight loss in lbs has been like this over the 8 weeks… 7, 5, 0, 1, 4, 2, 1 and 5. 25lbs in total. I still haven’t really been exercising like I should, so that is just a diet change only. I’m happy about that. This is going to be another tough week however. I am going to dinner with a friend on my Birthday (Wed). Then my Great Aunt is taking me to a Birthday lunch on Thursday. Then I have a friend’s Holiday party on Saturday. In a restaurant, I do my best to order the most sensible option. But at the party this weekend, the food cannot be resisted, so I will indulge.

Anyway, those were just my random thought for the evening.

Very 80's

OK, so I don't know what my deal is. About 2+ months ago I had a sudden urge to buy a jean jacket. And I know you can buy random fashion denim jackets. But I wanted a traditional 80's style (new) one, and they weren't that easy to find. But I found one.

Then earlier this week I was thinking about those jelly bracelets that were all the rage. So I ended up on eBay. From one buyer I bought a set of 5 black ones. Another buyer an assortment of 24 of them, and from a third, an assortment of 50. It didn't cost that much, so I bought that many just because I had no idea of what colors I would get. Well, they arrived today and I was so excited to see them. One of the sellers even sent about 10 child size ones and a handful of jelly rings, in addition. I'm going to my friend's tomorrow and was planning on wearing some to match my outfit. And I'm going to bring the child ones, and rings, to give to her daughter.



During my search for the bracelets, I stumbled upon these 80's plastic charms and had a flashback moment. Do you guys remember those? I placed a bid on some earlier this week... it was just a nostalgic thing. I was outbid though, which is cool because I shouldn't spend the money anyway.

Anyway, just thought I would share that with all of you 80's kids out there.