so tell me about this waiter who wants to meet me?
yeah, that was an intriguingly wacky phone call in the middle of the night.

final score
6 fluffy towels (no kidding)...
5 pairs of super fun socks...
4 yummy desserts...
3 long days off...
2 really cool jackets...

...and a partridge in a pear treeeeeee!

merry humbug!
i woke up this morning to elvis crooning me a blue christmas. he's missing me alot, it seems. i immediately sprang from my bed and hauled my still-pajama-clad sleepy self downstairs in a hurry, but i wasn't looking for evidence of a visit from mister claus. acutely aware of the number of dishes to be sprung from our kitchen for our 'potluck' dinner later, i needed to claim counter space. comfortably reciting along with tbs' 24-hour marathon of "a christmas story", i finished with one dish before the first bleary-eyed stumbler came downstairs; i was well into dessert when the rest of them showed up. merry christmas, roomies.

zipping ahead, car packed with food and gifts, favorite seasonal tune of "please daddy, don't get drunk this christmas" twanging on the radio, i headed 'home' to the esco. i decided to stop and get some cider for dinner; looks like i wasn't the only person trying to find an open grocery store. on my 3rd attempt, i found one, grabbed the bottles, and darted to the express: credit/cash lane. too bad i got cut off by a lady and her very packed cart, whipping out her checkbook. umm, merry christmas, lady. as i weighed the wait time at the other registers, my 2 bottles were moved, and another lady and her little son shoved their way up. i mumbled a little 'excuse me?' and was told that she couldn't see me. i found that a little funny since she was actually standing ON TOP of me. 20 minutes later i left the grocery store in search of some coffee... good thing the cops were busting someone at the 7-11 i had to resort to. i felt safe. merry christmas, criminal and police force.

all this, and dinner hasn't even started. dinner with the trozzis... you know there will be stories. merry christmas, y'all.

yeah, that must be it
during an intense and thought-provoking discussion about my relationship status (single) by my 2 favorite "aunties" (val and fiona), with a descriptive and hopeful wish from val for me (extremely hot, extremely intelligent brown-belt who frequently has business in japan where i'd accompany him), fiona came to an interesting conclusion:

"i know! maybe you're just waiting for the right woman to come along!"

we then laughed heartily.

the spirit of giving
transcript from a recent phone conversation:
b: so do you have any ideas on what to get ____ for christmas?
s: oh, i don't know, some iMusic or iNotes or iSomething...
b: like iTunes?
s: yeah, something like that.
b: iTunes? does he want an iPod?
s: eh, he said something about getting one, but what's he going to use it for, too expensive (mumblemumble)... and anyway, i'm saving my money for a facelift.
b: ah yes, there's that spirit of the giving season. nice.
s: what do you mean? that's a present that he can appreciate every day: to gaze upon my beautiful face!

zzzzap!
don't get me wrong, i love the whole 'warm weather in december' concept from those shifty santa ana winds that have cropped up. but i could certainly do without the arm-numbing electro-shock therapy that happens every time i get out of my car. the bloody nose action could give it a rest too.

a la tiendita
britt: may i have 3 pounds of pork for carnitas, please?
meat guy: (surprised) for carnitas?
b: yes please.
mg: you are going to make carnitas?
b: yeah.
mg: (eyebrow raised) YOU are going to make carnitas?
b: (eyes slightly narrowed) yes...
mg: huh. (smiles) good for you.
b: uh, (smiles) thanks.

a story for shannon
apparently i am now taking requests on what i write about...

my commute this morning included a slight diversion from the normal routine, including a need to veer off onto a completely different freeway than where i normally go. because of this, i was in the far right lane before the 5/805 split, minding my slow business, enjoying the change in perspective (i'm usually zooming along in the far left lane). well, it seems that not all of my fellow commuters enjoy the same leisures, as one lady decided to take her big-ass truck up on to the shoulder in order to get ahead all of, what, 2 cars? I slowed down enough to create some space, but the gesture was evidently not kind enough as i immediately saw a gesture of her own come out of the driver's side window. and because of the angle of my little car to her big-ass truck, i could also see the lady's full face glaring in the sideview mirror. lovely.

so i continued to let her in and tooled away down the road. in the meantime, my hand was busy locating my pad of paper and pen i keep in the car expressly for opportunities like this. so i quickly wrote "MERRY CHRISTMAS!" on the pad, bided my time, and when i found a window, pulled up next to ms. big-ass truck. i didn't look at her as i held up the sign, but i have a good feeling that she saw it as i pulled away and looked in my mirror to see her start cutting through traffic and flooring it. as she pulled up next to me again, i happened to have to look over my shoulder (i'm a polite and conscientious lane-changer, you see), and as i faced forward, out came ms. big-ass truck's hand, gesturing quite violently. so i waved back and exited, laughing.

making friends can be fun!

viva: *britt* @ 3:17 PM

in regards to that final...
let's hope that creativity counts for something.

bad news/good news
the bad news is: i had a 6 hour business meeting yesterday.
the good news is: we played with slinkys, silly putty, and barrel o' monkeys the whole time.
the bad news is: my japanese teacher still thinks my name is 'dorothy' (??)
the good news is: the class is over this week.
the bad news is: i have a final today (didn't prep) and a paper due thurs (haven't read the book).
the good news is: the class is over this week.
the bad news is: this week is jammed with the above activities, each seizing another's time.
the good news is: after it's done, i'll have more time to see the people i love, celebrate birthdays, shop for gifts, and maybe update this even!

the hair consipiracy
to the (hair?) gods that be:
i am sorry if i have offended you in some way, but i feel your wrath upon me and i must humbly admit i am not sure what i have done to instigate the recent manifestations of your disapproval. much like any relationship in my life where the other side of the union is upset or angry and i cannot think back to my offence, i cannot help but be hurt and confused by the malevolence that results.
my last foray into the sparkly glamour of the salon/spa world resulted in a haircut that was exactly what i didn't ask for. the complete disregard for any preference i had absolutely boggled my mind; i still can't understand how someone in the 'biz' can blatantly ignore the requests of the customer. however, the recent episode makes me think that perhaps it is me that is cursed to be ignored and shapened at the hands of the enthusiastic, though misdirected, attendants. as i submitted myself to a relaxing facial and my favorite day spa, my tranquility was suddenly cracked by the snipping of scissors and then shattered by the smearing of wax on my brows. the girl wielding the dangerous weapons had just finished gushing about how much she LOVED my brows and despite her begging to "do" them, i politely, but firmly, declined. it appears, however, that once that masque goes on and the eyes are covered, homegirl gets free reign. and not only does she get to do whatever she wants, but apparently she gets to be visibly upset when i explain to her why i didn't want her to do it in the first place (like, for example, my eyebrow comb-over from my non-hair-growing scar).

so please, gods, please bring to light what grievance you have with me so i may change my ways... i don't think the rest of my hair on my body could handle whatever trauma you may have planned.

it's that time of year, y'know
things are brewing here, and stories are soon to be told. but not at the moment... so in the meantime, smooches to you and you and you.
ps to whom it may concern - there is not a boyfriend. long story. inside joke. etc. thank you and goodnight.

reality
Things I would like to do this weekend:
· baby my car with a wash and a 15Kmi check-up.
· make a FABULOUS decadent dessert for my get together sat night.
· karate practice.
· spa day!
· spend time with my loved ones.

Things I will probably end up doing instead:
· run my dirty car ragged.
· buy cookies at the store.
· work.
· work.
· work.