tess, the ex-tetris junkie

Things to say yes to:

New music - I recently discovered M83. the song Up! from their Saturdays=Youth album is what I model my own voice after. Starting now.

New food - sometimes it's really gross like the Mole Poblano and you've wasted your money on a vomitous dish. But sometimes (in my opinion, more often than not) it turns out to be something you like. Even love. A few days ago we went to a fusion restaurant we found and I tried a coconut shrimp roll. Then I ordered another one. My new favorite food.

Thrift stores - basically, a $2 shirt is almost always better than a $40 shirt. Almost. It's worth digging for. Today conrad got a new shirt at Community Thrift store. He's giddy!

Risking your dignity on a rockband song, and doubling it - it's always scary (at least for me) to let go and belt out a few choruses of Are You Gonna Be My Girl, but when you end up sounding awesome and having fun, it makes you feel like a million bucks.

Craigslist - easy.

Walt Whitman - sexy. outrageous. controversial. delicious.

Strangers - despite what your mom and teachers told you, most strangers are as normal as you (interpret how you wish).

Things to say no to:

Crack

Gonorrhea

Road rage (unfortunately, I say yes to this a little more than i'm proud of)

Phone tetris - don't get me wrong, I love this game. I can proudly say that I've actually won it (yes, for the skeptics out there, it's possible), several times. But it's addicting, and doesn't really help with social skills or anything else. I got to the point where whenever I would close my eyes, I would see the blocks falling. Even when I slept. And blinked.

Altoids - Couriously is not the same thing as Deliciously.

The favorite shoes. Just say no.

Conrad-isms and the Awkward Poke

So, I live with this guy. We're married and all, which means he gets to call me whatever absurd [non-offensive] name he wants, and I have to answer.

It started simple. Babe. Dear. Baby. and such.

He got more creative. Sweet, Sweetness, Sweet Bottom (that one's actually one I use more).

The longer we're together, the weirder the names get. I learned this while we were engaged. He started calling me "Sauce" and "Sauce-Bucket."

The most recent collection: Variations of Goose [Goose, Baby Goose, Goosling, Goosy], and Goat (no variations, just goat, really, and baby goat). Also Boo.

Don't be confused. The old names don't go away. The list just gets longer. I have probably 100 names that I answer to.

He never really gets frustrated, so he doesn't have anger expressions, but he does giggle at certain words. "Vessel" is one that really gets him going.

He pokes me if he hears something funny, and I laugh, not because I find it funny too, but because I think he's outrageous.

Something we share fondly is "The Awkward Poke" (not to be confused with a normal poke), started by me and Lacee. Occasionally (actually, very regularly), someone will say something that is less than socially appropriate. When this occurs, so does the POKE.

For example: The librarian at my church is one sweet, yet completely insane lady. At a dinner party, she burped and farted at her own will, then continued to tell how her sister had committed suicide 45 years ago. Can someone explain to me how this story is relevant at a Christmas party? This one gets a poke.

Another example: this same lady stood up in the front row one Sunday in the middle of the Relief Society lesson, and shared how 30 years ago, her husband was excommunicated and they've been married ever since. Awkward punch me please.

Another example: in a public setting, when someone tells a joke that falls flat, please poke someone.

I would love to hear poke-worthy stories and funny nicknames. Please share.

all in all...

Conrad surprised me with a trip to Laguna Beach for Valentine's Day. Totally romantic. He called my boss to get work off and everything. He is my first real valentine. We got Indian food for dinner, then for breakfast the next morning, we rode our bikes to a French restaurant and got a Monte Cristo and Croque Monsieur. we stayed at a hotel (more like a lying motel that called itself a four star resort) for one night - hourly rates anyone? - and had a pretty fantastic time watching Julie and Julia.

Quick side note: Conrad and I have become huge fans of Meryl Streep. Can't get enough.

All in all, the best Valentine's Day I've ever had. By far. Plus, the excitement builds as we approach our one-year anniversary.

Today was the first day of school (my twentieth first day of school, actually). I'm already feeling the weight of the amount of reading I'm going to have to do this semester. Who convinced me to take more than one English class? (Oh, who am I kidding, I totally love it)

All in all, it will be a fun, very loaded semester. Not only will I be in school full time, but I will also be working 30+ hours a week, giving my 3, soon to be 4 new-member families a lesson once a week, and planning activities on the relief society board.

Conrad got all the classes he needs to graduate! You may think, oh, big deal, but he's really lucky, considering the growing amount of students and all of the professors and classes that have been cut due to funding. He will definitely graduate in June!! He's had one interview so far, and hopefully more come. We've been discussing graduation gift candidates: for him, a new pair of glasses. For me: a dog. Don't be telling me I'm ridiculous for getting a gift on my husband's graduation.

All in all, I'm looking forward to the month of June. Graduation, moving, dog.

I've been in manic moods of really wanting to cook, and really not wanting to cook. Unfortunately for this family, both moods cost money. either we have to go buy outrageous ingredients for my crazy new concoction, or we have to spend money eating out because I refuse to set foot in the kitchen. Our solution: hamburger helper. I don't love it, but its fast, filling, and cheap.

All in all, I hope these moods settle down and I go back to cooking normal food.

I want to go to there

I wish I was in Dublin. I want to see the old churches and castles and landscapes. Ireland invented green. I want to smell rain where I think it would smell the best.

I wish I was in 1920's Los Angeles. And New York City. I want to wear fringe dresses and thick makeup and listen to jazz at a speakeasy. I wish men wore suits all the time.

I wish I was on a short beach on the east coast. I want to lay close to the warm Atlantic water on a warm day. I want to wear a cozy sweater and fall asleep at the foot of a lighthouse.

I wish I was in an old Hollywood theater or playhouse. Or in an opera house from the 40's. I wish people still dressed up for entertainment. I wish women still wore dresses everywhere and wore red lipstick.

I wish I was the Bond Girl and Conrad was Bond and we fought crime and corruption and saved the world and looked smokin' hot all the time. Oh wait...thats my life already.

I wish I was an amazing ballroom dancer and piano player and poetry reciter. And French and Italian speaker. And escape artist and cellist and ukulele player.

I wish I lived in a house that I designed and decorated with my husband. I want high ceilings, hardwood floors and an amazing garden.

We're workin hard to make our dreams come true. Please share your own wishes!