Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Monday, August 29, 2005
Birthday
So yesterday was my actual 24th birthday and it couldn't have been better. Saturday night I was honest-to-God shocked at all the folks that turned up to have a beer (or four) with me at Four Green Fields. (Shaun is right though, it was uber lame that they kicked us out at 1:45, it's no RJs baby, I can tell you that!) Thanks to everyone who surprised me by coming out, especially Matty B and Harold, who I hadn't seen in AGES! Check the link for #24 at the right to see pictures from the party.
Yesterday Shaun and I went to the Comcast company picnic at C.J. Barrymore's in Clinton Township and I actually won a badass 5 disc CD player stereo in the raffle!! It was awesome! By the time they called my number I'd kinda stopped paying attention because I figured my chance of winning was slim to none, and I was just glancing around looking for other people I knew, when I heard my number and Shaun went, "That's you!" How nice of them to rig it for me on my birthday.... ;)
After the picnic we went to go see the absolute WORST movie I've seen in a very, very, very long time, The Brothers Grimm. I was *so* disappointed, and I almost never hate movies like that, but this one was awful. Under no circumstance should you waste your money on it, it was contrived, confusing, and just plain dumb. Two thumbs way down!!
After the movie we had dinner with his mom and his sisters at a cool Italian restaurant called Bucca di Beppo, also in Clinton Township. I was pretty surprised that they had little gifts for me, since it was for his birthday, but his sister Kristina and her fiance, Chad, got me a giftcard to Starbucks (which will be put to good use this week!), and his mom and Jacqueline got some goodies from Clinique -- how they knew that I love Clinique I don't know, but it was great! Shaun got some great gifts from his family too -- check his latest blog entry to read more about that. We had a really wonderful dinner, and even got to blow out candles on a little cake after the meal.
And speaking of Shaun, I just have to say that I don't think a man has EVER gotten me better birthday gifts than he did. He got me a beautiful hardcover book of National Geographic photos that I *LOVE* and on the inside cover there was a gift card to Victoria's Secret. He also gave me a gorgeous pair of turquoise and silver earrings from Banana Republic that I had been hardcore eyeing one day while we were in there shopping. But I put them down and walked away because it was not a day to spend that much money on myself... and he remembered!! Needless to say, I was (and am) very impressed. He liked the gifts I got for him too, and damn does he smell good in his new cologne.
So, thanks to everyone who called (I'm still trying to call everyone back that I missed yesterday), and sent cards or a gift. I love you guys! Thanks for making my b-day a great one!
Yesterday Shaun and I went to the Comcast company picnic at C.J. Barrymore's in Clinton Township and I actually won a badass 5 disc CD player stereo in the raffle!! It was awesome! By the time they called my number I'd kinda stopped paying attention because I figured my chance of winning was slim to none, and I was just glancing around looking for other people I knew, when I heard my number and Shaun went, "That's you!" How nice of them to rig it for me on my birthday.... ;)
After the picnic we went to go see the absolute WORST movie I've seen in a very, very, very long time, The Brothers Grimm. I was *so* disappointed, and I almost never hate movies like that, but this one was awful. Under no circumstance should you waste your money on it, it was contrived, confusing, and just plain dumb. Two thumbs way down!!
After the movie we had dinner with his mom and his sisters at a cool Italian restaurant called Bucca di Beppo, also in Clinton Township. I was pretty surprised that they had little gifts for me, since it was for his birthday, but his sister Kristina and her fiance, Chad, got me a giftcard to Starbucks (which will be put to good use this week!), and his mom and Jacqueline got some goodies from Clinique -- how they knew that I love Clinique I don't know, but it was great! Shaun got some great gifts from his family too -- check his latest blog entry to read more about that. We had a really wonderful dinner, and even got to blow out candles on a little cake after the meal.
And speaking of Shaun, I just have to say that I don't think a man has EVER gotten me better birthday gifts than he did. He got me a beautiful hardcover book of National Geographic photos that I *LOVE* and on the inside cover there was a gift card to Victoria's Secret. He also gave me a gorgeous pair of turquoise and silver earrings from Banana Republic that I had been hardcore eyeing one day while we were in there shopping. But I put them down and walked away because it was not a day to spend that much money on myself... and he remembered!! Needless to say, I was (and am) very impressed. He liked the gifts I got for him too, and damn does he smell good in his new cologne.
So, thanks to everyone who called (I'm still trying to call everyone back that I missed yesterday), and sent cards or a gift. I love you guys! Thanks for making my b-day a great one!
Saturday, August 27, 2005
4GF on #24
Four Green Fields
30919 Woodward Ave.
Royal Oak, MI 48073
(248) 288-2088
Come help me celebrate tonight, Saturday, August 27th, 9 o'clock-ish. The bar is just south of 13 Mile Rd in a strip mall. Bring friends! Call my cell at (248) 885-4007 with questions or if you need more directions -- it's easy to find though!
30919 Woodward Ave.
Royal Oak, MI 48073
(248) 288-2088
Come help me celebrate tonight, Saturday, August 27th, 9 o'clock-ish. The bar is just south of 13 Mile Rd in a strip mall. Bring friends! Call my cell at (248) 885-4007 with questions or if you need more directions -- it's easy to find though!
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Bachelorette Party
So it's over. And thank God! Not only am I dangerously close to being broke, but I just don't think I could've handled one single solitary extra day of partying. It takes effort to be that wasted for that many consecutive hours.The Bachelorette Party weekend came off without a hitch, and everyone had a great time, including and especially Kira, which is all that really mattered to me anyway. Maura's house is AMAZING. It's huge and has about a million beds and a beautifully finished basement with a complete bar, big screen TV, pool table and dart board. Plus it's on a lake that is only shared with three other houses and is just big enough to allow motorized watercraft, so we played on the pontoon boat and jet ski too. The theme for the party accidentally ended up being The Penis, in all its unique and interesting forms. She had a penis shaped cake, penis shaped ice cubes, penis shaped Jello shots, a little fake veil with penises dangling from it (shown above), penis bottle caps, a little rev-em-up penis (similar to a McDonald's Happy Meal toy, only X-rated). One could say it was a penis bonanza. Topped off with a little *surprise* live male entertainment, complete with a bonafide penis (not to be shown, EVER).
I think I am still in disbelief that my best friend is getting married. I mean, holy crap. This actually makes us adults now. I remember when Kira and I only wore flannels and Converse, and cried when Kurt Cobain died, and thought The Cranberries were the greatest band of all time. I remember laying in my neighbor's overgrown grass listening to "Runaway Train" (yes, that ONE Soul Asylum song that was popular for a brief moment in time many moons ago). I remember our country phase, when we loved Tim McGraw's "Don't Take the Girl" and that one good country movie that was released posthumously after River Phoe
nix died and noone ever saw it except us. I remember how when K and I watched "Legends of the Fall" for the first time I cried for 20 minutes after it was over and she laughed her ass off at my sissy butt. I remember us fighting over Branden in tenth grade, and making up after I broke up with him because he was nutty as hell and had a crazy ass mama. I remember Kira always being there for me when I needed her and vice versa -- I remember her coming with me to Nick's funeral in February and holding my hand while I cried my eyes out and telling me that she loved me and that somehow it'd all be OK.Kira once told me that in a conversation she had with her dad, he said something like, "You rarely find great friends in your life. Maria is the gold." It's so wonderful to me that I know that Kira and I will always be in each other's lives. I know that when it comes my turn to get married that she will be right with me every step of the way, shelling out the cash and taking the shit and waking up early and partying her ass off just to make sure that I have the best wedding possible. I know how lucky I am to have her as a friend, and I am even more stunned to sit back and think about how I have lots of friends like her -- Nik, Bec, Steph.... Girls I know that will always be there for me, no matter how far away they are. That makes me damn lucky.
I will still be glad when the wedding's over though. It'll be nice to have my weekends and paychecks free again! Hahahahaha....
In other news I bought a new car, a 1999 Mercury Cougar, which really makes it a used car, but it's new to me. I made a down payment, it's all in my name, yet another step forward into the realm of adulthood! I get to pick it up on Wednesday. Happy birthday to me! Still planning to go to Four Green Fields on Saturday night. Call my cell or email me if you want to come and need directions. The more the merrier!
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Psychic Stranger
So yesterday I am convinced I talked to a psychic woman on the phone at work. She called about her bill and after we had gone over it and I said, "Well thanks for calling and you have a great day!" She replied with, "And you have a happy birthday!"
What?? I was thinking, I didn't mention my birthday to this woman... or did I? So I said, "Did I tell you my birthday is coming up?" And she said, "No, but I know it's two weeks from this past Sunday." Which it is. How odd. So my next question was, "Do I know you?" And she said, "No, but I know things. Like I know your car died last week." Stunned silence on my part. "And you're getting a new one on Friday." Not even 20 minutes before I talked to this woman I had just finalized plans to get a new car on Friday. She reassured me at this point, "Don't worry baby, you gonna get a real good deal on it, 2 for the price of 1!" (Whatever that means.)
Then I had to ask, "How do you know this?" Knowing she had more she laughed and said, "I know you fell and hurt your leg last week." I fell in the shower and bruised the CRAP out of my left knee. "I know you have a round shaped face with prominent cheekbones. And that party you're hosting this weekend, don't worry cuz it's going to turn out fine. Hostess with the mostest!" Kira's bachelorette party is this weekend.
She told me to take a calcium-magnesium-zinc supplement, to help with the charlie horses that I get in my feet (!). She told me to be careful on my birthday, and also to be careful not to intimidate my man. Then she told me to have a nice afternoon, and God bless, and with a laugh hung up her phone.
Needless to say, I was super freaked out. I think I walked over to Shaun's desk almost in tears. It was one of the freakiest things that has ever happened to me, and I was freaked out all day afterwards. Then I almost ate a live bee that somehow managed to sneak its way into my tuna salad that had been sealed in tupperware since I removed it from another sealed container in my refridgerator at home. I was just about to put it in my mouth when it moved its wings. I threw the tuna away, tupperware and all, and went to McDonald's to get a bee-free cheeseburger. Wonder what crazy shit is in store for me today??
What?? I was thinking, I didn't mention my birthday to this woman... or did I? So I said, "Did I tell you my birthday is coming up?" And she said, "No, but I know it's two weeks from this past Sunday." Which it is. How odd. So my next question was, "Do I know you?" And she said, "No, but I know things. Like I know your car died last week." Stunned silence on my part. "And you're getting a new one on Friday." Not even 20 minutes before I talked to this woman I had just finalized plans to get a new car on Friday. She reassured me at this point, "Don't worry baby, you gonna get a real good deal on it, 2 for the price of 1!" (Whatever that means.)
Then I had to ask, "How do you know this?" Knowing she had more she laughed and said, "I know you fell and hurt your leg last week." I fell in the shower and bruised the CRAP out of my left knee. "I know you have a round shaped face with prominent cheekbones. And that party you're hosting this weekend, don't worry cuz it's going to turn out fine. Hostess with the mostest!" Kira's bachelorette party is this weekend.
She told me to take a calcium-magnesium-zinc supplement, to help with the charlie horses that I get in my feet (!). She told me to be careful on my birthday, and also to be careful not to intimidate my man. Then she told me to have a nice afternoon, and God bless, and with a laugh hung up her phone.
Needless to say, I was super freaked out. I think I walked over to Shaun's desk almost in tears. It was one of the freakiest things that has ever happened to me, and I was freaked out all day afterwards. Then I almost ate a live bee that somehow managed to sneak its way into my tuna salad that had been sealed in tupperware since I removed it from another sealed container in my refridgerator at home. I was just about to put it in my mouth when it moved its wings. I threw the tuna away, tupperware and all, and went to McDonald's to get a bee-free cheeseburger. Wonder what crazy shit is in store for me today??
Monday, August 15, 2005
24
Well, today was Joey's 3rd birthday party and I missed it because I had to work. Crummy. But my mom and dad went and said everything was nice and that Joey got a lot of clothes, which he didn't find particularly exciting 
in comparison to the toy chainsaw he got from one of his aunties. Hmmm, toy chainsaw? Or new sweatshirt? Yeah, I'd probably pick the chainsaw too!
But speaking of birthdays, mine is coming up! To celebrate I am going to go to Four Green Fields, which is on Woodward just south of 13 Mile Rd. in Royal Oak. Saturday the 27th, around 8 o'clock or so. Come and share the big 24 with me! I think my parents are coming (crazy, who knew I would one day be going to the bar with my mom & dad?!) and I'd love to see you crazy cats who read this that I haven't seen in forever. So, check out the pic from my very first b-day ever, and then come check out the chick on #24. No gifts necessary, I just want to see your booties there -- they have good beer, good food, and good music.
in comparison to the toy chainsaw he got from one of his aunties. Hmmm, toy chainsaw? Or new sweatshirt? Yeah, I'd probably pick the chainsaw too!But speaking of birthdays, mine is coming up! To celebrate I am going to go to Four Green Fields, which is on Woodward just south of 13 Mile Rd. in Royal Oak. Saturday the 27th, around 8 o'clock or so. Come and share the big 24 with me! I think my parents are coming (crazy, who knew I would one day be going to the bar with my mom & dad?!) and I'd love to see you crazy cats who read this that I haven't seen in forever. So, check out the pic from my very first b-day ever, and then come check out the chick on #24. No gifts necessary, I just want to see your booties there -- they have good beer, good food, and good music.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Workin' It
Man, I just realized today that I will not have a day off of work until August 19th. That is eleven consecutive days of Comcast. How shitty can you get? I am working 14 hours of OT this week and I've only completed 6 so far -- already I want to run my headset over with my piece-o-crap car that is *still* busted. Speaking of my bucket ride, Shaun is saving my ass this week and I cannot thank him enough. Aside from letting me borrow his car EVERY DAY, he's letting me crash at his house, eat his food, and keep him awake by pestering him for kisses when he really needs to be sleeping. I kept trying to give him gas money and of course he kept refusing it, until today, when I snuck his car to the gas station and filled up his tank for him. If he's not careful, I'll do it again. (This is not an idle threat!!)
Talking to Nik tonight I realized how much I am really, really going to miss her when she moves to D.C. (I mean, I knew from the get-go that I'd miss her, but tonight I was thinking, Man, I am going to MISS her.) I am so excited for her, but the selfish side of me wants my friend to stay close so I can still have my favorite shopping partner and co-concert goer within driving distance. Plus without Nik here ALL of my best gal friends will be far away. I am going to have to bust out the little black book and dig out some chicks from the past to avoid turning into a pathetic homebody with no life. No life and ten cats. And a fondness for knitting and eating ice cream straight from the carton.... Eeek!
It's hard for me to feel sometimes like I'm not getting left behind. I always felt like I would do big things with my life, with my brain, with all those freaking A's I got in school, and it seems that all of my friends are packing it up and moving it on and I feel stuck here, chained to my freaking headset, never to escape the crushing weight that are my student loans. Whenever I start to think like this I try to imagine a miniature version of my mom standing on my shoulder; with her hair down and her glasses on and a smile on her face she says, "Maria, you're almost there! Just keep going, a little further and it's all going to get better! Just have some faith, I've been talking to Jude and Joseph, they're on the case!" And then I smile because my mom's always been my best cheerleader. And I know she always will be. Even though I still say that Echinacea is for shit and always will be, give me my Vitamin C and a multi-vitamin any day over that malarky.
Anyhoo, I think that's enough random babbling for today to satisfy you crazy kids who read this thing. (Don't front, you know you check it 5 times a day! Ha ha!) I'll post some pics soon. Joey turns THREE tomorrow (well, today actually I suppose, it's already the 11th) and his party is on Sunday. I'm sure he'll be all pimped out, lookin' like somethin' out of a Baby Gap ad (thanks to his Auntie Maria!).
Talking to Nik tonight I realized how much I am really, really going to miss her when she moves to D.C. (I mean, I knew from the get-go that I'd miss her, but tonight I was thinking, Man, I am going to MISS her.) I am so excited for her, but the selfish side of me wants my friend to stay close so I can still have my favorite shopping partner and co-concert goer within driving distance. Plus without Nik here ALL of my best gal friends will be far away. I am going to have to bust out the little black book and dig out some chicks from the past to avoid turning into a pathetic homebody with no life. No life and ten cats. And a fondness for knitting and eating ice cream straight from the carton.... Eeek!
It's hard for me to feel sometimes like I'm not getting left behind. I always felt like I would do big things with my life, with my brain, with all those freaking A's I got in school, and it seems that all of my friends are packing it up and moving it on and I feel stuck here, chained to my freaking headset, never to escape the crushing weight that are my student loans. Whenever I start to think like this I try to imagine a miniature version of my mom standing on my shoulder; with her hair down and her glasses on and a smile on her face she says, "Maria, you're almost there! Just keep going, a little further and it's all going to get better! Just have some faith, I've been talking to Jude and Joseph, they're on the case!" And then I smile because my mom's always been my best cheerleader. And I know she always will be. Even though I still say that Echinacea is for shit and always will be, give me my Vitamin C and a multi-vitamin any day over that malarky.
Anyhoo, I think that's enough random babbling for today to satisfy you crazy kids who read this thing. (Don't front, you know you check it 5 times a day! Ha ha!) I'll post some pics soon. Joey turns THREE tomorrow (well, today actually I suppose, it's already the 11th) and his party is on Sunday. I'm sure he'll be all pimped out, lookin' like somethin' out of a Baby Gap ad (thanks to his Auntie Maria!).
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Fiesta Weekend
So this weekend was a weekend of parties -- and of my car breaking down. Again. On Saturday Shaun brought me to his family reunion in New Baltimore and I got to
meet a huge part of his extended family. His mom has 13 brothers and sisters, so I was very happy to see that people were wearing nametags! The weather was beautiful and the park was right on Anchor Bay. We ate lots of good food, played catch (well, I caught, Shaun mostly ended up running after the ball because somehow I've forgotten how to throw), I painted kids' faces, and of course we drank.
Saturday night I ended up having to drive Shaun's car home because mine was smoking from under the hood -- never a good sign. Turns out it's my radiator, again, so Dad is going to try to fix it or he'll just end up replacing it for me this weekend. I will be SO happy when Labor Day has come and gone so that I can afford some new(er) wheels!!
Sunday was Kira's Bridal Shower and everything went beautifully. Holy crap did she get a lot of stuff! We took it easy on the Bridal Shower games (yuck!) and just did two, that actually turned out to be pretty fun! Her little sis and I are right in the middle of planning the bachelorette festivities and I am currently awaiting confirmation on the, um, entertainment. Hahahaha! There will be more pics up soon!
meet a huge part of his extended family. His mom has 13 brothers and sisters, so I was very happy to see that people were wearing nametags! The weather was beautiful and the park was right on Anchor Bay. We ate lots of good food, played catch (well, I caught, Shaun mostly ended up running after the ball because somehow I've forgotten how to throw), I painted kids' faces, and of course we drank.Saturday night I ended up having to drive Shaun's car home because mine was smoking from under the hood -- never a good sign. Turns out it's my radiator, again, so Dad is going to try to fix it or he'll just end up replacing it for me this weekend. I will be SO happy when Labor Day has come and gone so that I can afford some new(er) wheels!!
Sunday was Kira's Bridal Shower and everything went beautifully. Holy crap did she get a lot of stuff! We took it easy on the Bridal Shower games (yuck!) and just did two, that actually turned out to be pretty fun! Her little sis and I are right in the middle of planning the bachelorette festivities and I am currently awaiting confirmation on the, um, entertainment. Hahahaha! There will be more pics up soon!
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Man of the Hour
tidal waves don't beg forgiveness
crash, then on their way
father, he enjoyed collisions
others walked away
the snowflake falls in may
and the doors are open now
as the bells are ringing out
cuz the man of the hour
has taken his final bow
goodbye for now
nature has its own religion
gospel from the land
father ruled by long division
young men, they pretend
old men comprehend
and the sky breaks at dawn
shedding light upon this town
we all come 'round
cuz the man of the hour
has taken his final bow
goodbye for now
and the road, the old men paved
the broken seams along the way
the rusted signs, they're just for me
he was guiding me, love, his own way
now the man of the hour
has taken his final bow
as the curtain comes down
i feel that this is just
goodbye for now
words and music by Pearl Jam
from the movie "Big Fish"
crash, then on their way
father, he enjoyed collisions
others walked away
the snowflake falls in may
and the doors are open now
as the bells are ringing out
cuz the man of the hour
has taken his final bow
goodbye for now
nature has its own religion
gospel from the land
father ruled by long division
young men, they pretend
old men comprehend
and the sky breaks at dawn
shedding light upon this town
we all come 'round
cuz the man of the hour
has taken his final bow
goodbye for now
and the road, the old men paved
the broken seams along the way
the rusted signs, they're just for me
he was guiding me, love, his own way
now the man of the hour
has taken his final bow
as the curtain comes down
i feel that this is just
goodbye for now
words and music by Pearl Jam
from the movie "Big Fish"
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Pavement
Tonight while driving home from work I had a flashback to all the nights I spent driving South on Telegraph towards I-96 to head back to Ann Arbor after having been in Southfield for some reason -- whether it was visiting a boy, or visiting Nik, or visiting my mom & dad (and of course, stealing food and doing laundry with my mom's detergent). I started to think about the stretches of highway a person becomes familiar with throughout their life, and how you drive down certain roads with more frequency at certain times in your life than at others. When you have one job you go one way every day, and then you get a new job and have a whole new route to learn. But if you've driven somewhere enough times in your life, you'll always be able to close your eyes and picture turning the corner, or pulling into the driveway, or walking up the steps towards your front door. I think that no matter how much my street changes, whether they widen it or add sidewalks; no matter how my mom alters the gardens in the front yard or the color or siding on our house; I think I will always be able to come home to this house in my head, since I've lived here since I was just three years old. That's a long time to live somewhere....
Anyway, enough of that random BS. I've moved my blog to a different website, it'll be at http://www.riawilliams.com from 8/3/2005 on forward. Shaun bought the other domain for me, and when he attempted to transfer ownership to me the shit got all jacked up. So I just bought a new one, and it'll be there forever, barring total world destruction, or my credit card being turned down. Kidding! Tomorrow I get to have my teeth cleaned by my mama in the morning, and then I am having lunch with Katie to discuss the details of Kira's bachelorette fiesta at 1 o'clock. Got any sinfully good ideas?? Do tell!
Anyway, enough of that random BS. I've moved my blog to a different website, it'll be at http://www.riawilliams.com from 8/3/2005 on forward. Shaun bought the other domain for me, and when he attempted to transfer ownership to me the shit got all jacked up. So I just bought a new one, and it'll be there forever, barring total world destruction, or my credit card being turned down. Kidding! Tomorrow I get to have my teeth cleaned by my mama in the morning, and then I am having lunch with Katie to discuss the details of Kira's bachelorette fiesta at 1 o'clock. Got any sinfully good ideas?? Do tell!
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