sad face

saturday my computer died. dead. won't even turn on. i'm breaking inside because brett's computer crapped out a couple months ago. a weekend without internet is torture. so here i am at work, using my time ever so wisely, researching macs. i'm a mac virgin, but i will be buying one. hopefully this week. until then, miss me.

this must be hell

california is burning bitches! there are fires all over southern california. fortunately, aside from some gnarly air, brett and i are safe. on saturday night while we were driving back to la we saw some 'lights' in the distance. brett asked me, 'is that fire?!' i was like, 'um i don't know. i think it might just be lights...' WRONG! it definitely was fire. which lead me to rant like a crazy person about california. it's not even california that i hate, it's just la. but i was thinking we have a 'fire' season here. fire is not a season! fall, summer, spring... those are seasons. enjoyable times when the weather changes and there is a different mood in the air. fire is something that is really, really scary. i repeat, it is not a season! and while i understand what it means to be contained, i don't understand how they determine the percentage. "this fire is 33% contained." um... is it still burning?! yes! then it is NOT contained! i just don't get it.

i'm pissy today because we're dealing with more nonsense from brett's accident. with the lawyers. regarding hospital bills, shitty car insurance, still the registration bologna.

and now they're f'in with my registration. saying it will be cancelled november 20th if i don't prove my car is insured. i proved that when i registered my car! they first person i talked to said the insurance company had to fax them the proof, which they did. so i called to follow up today and they said now i have to fax the card i carry in my car. omg. why is everything such a hassle?!

i should have known that this would be a frustrating state when i called to inquire about an apartment before we even moved to cali. i call this lady and say, "hi my name is chayna. i'm going to be moving out to california in a few months and just wanted to inquire about a few of your rental properties." her response, "well have you put in your notice?" notice for what lady?! sound the horns i'm moving in! what an idiot. i swear, it's really difficult being the smartest person on the planet and dealing with earthlings. i need to go back to venus.

on a positive spin, i'm very grateful that brett and i are safe. all of the victims affected by the fires and the many brave firefighters are in my thoughts and prayers. i hope soon the fires will be 100% contained, and we can move into earthquake season. is that the order? i'm stumped.

aNoThEr MoNdAy SuRvEy

Is it cute when a boy gives you flowers? it sure would be nice, hint hint boyfriend if you are reading this!
What do you currently hear right now? nurses chatting
Where did you get the shirt you are wearing? my scrub top was from usc uh for nurse's week & my undershirt is from target
What's on your shirt? a symbol with usc uh/usc norris cancer center/nurses week 2008
What are your chances of getting with your crush? i'm with the love of my life, and because i'm a grown up i can only crush on movie stars... so not likely and i'm ok with that
Could you go a day without eating? if i had to, but why would anyone want to?
Do you wish you never dated someone you dated? i don't tend to dwell on the past
Do you know anyone that smokes weed? i know many, i live in california
Have you ever kissed anyone whose name started with a T? many years ago
What was the last thing you drank and when and why? agua because i'm thirsty at work
What was for dinner last night? i just had some chicken tortilla soup, pretzels & peach yogurt
Where were you last night? sleeping for 12 hours after a very long, but actually short, weekend
Do you curse in front of your parents? yes but i really need to work on not cussing so much
Have you ever fell asleep in some one's arms? yes i have
Do you still talk to the person you last kissed? of course i do
Have you ever seen your best friend cry? yes i have
Have you ever played a Wii? yes, brett & i got a wii for christmas last year
Who did you last talk to for longer than 10 minutes on the phone last? my mom
Who was the first person you talked to today? brett
Are you sarcastic? all the time constantly and it drives b wild
Where were you at 2:00 this morning? it is 2am and i'm at work
What color are your eyes? aqua but my right eye is also bloodshot, it's pretty
Do you believe in love at first sight? lust, not love
What was the last pill you swallowed? hmm... tylenol on saturday morning
Are your parents home? i'm sure my mom is fast asleep
Do you currently like anyone? i like a lot of people
How often do you hold back from saying what you are thinking? if i feel like you can handle it, or if i know you well than i'll tell you exactly what i'm thinking
Last serious hug and when and who? brett, sunday
Would you ever dye your hair blond? um no
Is something bothering you? my right eye is annoying me right now
If you could change your eye color, what would it be? i wouldn't ever change my eye color, i love them
Has anyone ever told you that you have pretty eyes? yes, which is why i answered the above question the way i did
What woke you up this morning? probably the fact that i felt quite rested after going to bed at 9PM
Is it hard leaving people behind? it's the most difficult thing i've done i do believe
Do you like to cuddle? yes, what girl doesn't?
What are you excited for? yes i am. it's jay & sonya's wedding <3
At the moment are you more warm or cold? comfortable actually, which is suprising at work
Have you ever kissed someone who's name started with a J? many years ago
How's your life lately? "times are hard, but things are a changin' so i pray to God that we will remain the same, all i got to say is our love don't have to change, no it don't have to change"
If the year consisted of only one season, which would you choose? not FIRE! the midwest fall:)
Do you hate being alone? no i enjoy being alone at times
Is there someone that knows everything or mostly everything about you? yes his name is brett
Who were you with last night? brett, on a three hour drive home from paso
Do you want a hickey? ew.
If you found out you couldn't have kids, would you adopt? yes i sure would
Do you wear eyeliner? occasionally
Do you write notes on your hand? i tend to write morning vitals on my hand because i forget my brain at the desk
How many pillows do you sleep with? 2
If you're being extremely quiet, what does that mean? i'm in a zone
Do you think your last ex will eventually want to be with you again? do you think i care?
Have you ever had a thumb war? many years ago
Do you think you are a good person? i think i'm an exceptional person:)
Is there a person of the opposite sex who means a lot to you? there are a few, i have a lot of males in my family, but brett means the world to me
What's your favorite thing about Sundays? depends if i'm working or not... well not really, i just like to relax and watch tv
Have you ever had a really big fight with a best friend? many
If you were a reasonable age, would you prefer a baby boy or girl? i want both
Do you think you can last in a relationship for three months? well since brett and i are going on 4 years, i would venture to say yes
Would you rather have an old classic car or a brand new car? brand new hybrid
Do you celebrate Anniversaries? just the year anniversaries
Have you fallen out of love lately? nope
Do you dislike any of your friends parents? uh no
Do you have a nickname that only your family calls you? chaynee
Do you like talking on the phone for a long time? i like to talk on the phone when i'm driving, in la that's almost always a long time
Did you have a Valentine this year? mr. brett
Does your house have a porch swing? i wish i had a house and on it, i'd like a porch swing
Do you ever go to your mom or dad for advice? occasionally i ask my mom for advice, but i make most of my life decisions independently with other people's feelings in mind

here's to a great weekend

brett & i arrived back home after an exhausting two day getaway. we were fortunate enough to get out of God's Ant Farm and headed back up to Paradise, also known as Paso Robles. i worked wednesday night and thursday we made the three hour drive to our california home. we got a hotel room, relaxed in the hot tub with a nice glass of wine and went to level 4 for brett's comedy show. it was a very ... interesting show to say the least. this was his first time back on stage after the accident. and he stood on stage for nearly an hour. in pain. although appearing very relaxed. very... tame for brett. i gave him some not so constructive, criticism. i have to realize it's been only 8 weeks since his car accident. he can't just bounce back. i can't expect him to have the amount of energy and swagger he had before. it will come back in time, probably tenfold, but it all takes time. and even though he appears healed, he is nowhere near healed. but all in all, it was a good show and a great turnout!

we saw so many of our lovely friends that we miss so much! we stayed with a friend on saturday night after going out to support our friend noah's band at hoover's live. one of our wonderful friends suggested we drink red bull vodka since brett and i were both very tired. red bull gives you wings for sure! but vodka gives you incredible dance moves, heightened conversational skills, and one hell of a hangover!

saturday we decided to call it a day and head back to the city. brett was achy all over and very tired. we went to lunch and then wine tasted before heading out (i didn't taste as i was responsible for getting us home safely). it was interesting to be back in paso. i really hate la which most of you know, but paso is a lot slower than i remember. it will forever be a special place to brett & i though. it's where we started our lives, where we grew up together. and where we've made so many very special friends. so now it's back to the drawing board to decide where our next move will be. kansas city? nashville? where will this road of life lead us next? only time will tell.

and one other thing: brett and i had lunch with our friends katilyn & eric on saturday. we know eric because he's from paso and we met kaitlyn in la. she's only known the la brett & chayna and i was very surprised by one of her comments. she said, "brett, i've never seen you like this before. you're smiling and giggling." this is a sure sign we are NOT meant to be in la. it sucks the soul right out of you! but i have no regrets, just looking forward to the future.

a few gripes

my mind has been busy lately observing the many things i dislike about la. i'm becoming a bitter little thang the longer we live here. brett & i went to his follow up doctor appointment last week. it's in hollywood. ick. so it is a given that the parking will be limited and all together crappy. we had a few minutes to spare, but lucky me, i found a parking space right outside!! with a FAILED meter. ugh. so i dropped brett off curbside and continued my hunt for a functioning space. after ten minutes of parking, moving, parking, moving due to failed meters, i finally found a road with multiple openings. i'm just wondering... does the city of la provide all of it's citizens with these grey piggy bank things on a stick next to the road? i fed the meter, nothing. the time did not increase, nada. how freakin' annoying! seriously, i'm a fantastico citizen and i actually call the number on the meter to report the ones that have failed. because even if you can't find any other parking, and take the chance, those stupid little parking police WILL get you! grrr.

next, i'm again/still/always will be forever annoyed by the amount of traffic in this joint. my job is 12miles from where i work. why must it take an hour to get there? or anywhere for that matter. the beach, the airport, downtown. you cannot predict the traffic.

not only that, when you are doing the right thing and following the rules, you still get screwed and have to do 500 extra steps to ensure they (cali gov't) doesn't mess it up. situation at hand: brett registered his car. we didn't report to burbank court that he did. car gets in wreck, unable to open glove box with registration. receive notice that he owes $500 because he isn't registered. yes he is! go to court to straighten it out, three times. appear in front of a judge, twice. go to dmv, 4 times! and now have to wait until december 17th for trial because the judge refuses to listen to his story/look at his evidence. oh my grrrr!

i think with the recent events (brett's wreck) and the upcoming holidays i'm just getting homesick. but i really feel like i have had a wonderful journey the last few years, but i'm ready to retire back to the good 'ol midwest. do i love humidity? snow? ice? no. on the other hand, do i love 100 degree days? no rain...ever? being surrounded by millions of morons? not at all. so then, i guess this is the unofficial, official announcement that i am apartment/house hunting in kansas city. come august '09 i plan to think of california as a recent memory and a future vacation.

YES WE CAN!

i can't explain the overabundance of emotion i felt tuesday night when president elect barack obama was announced. coming from a small midwestern town, i feel that i have overcome many obstacles to remain so open minded. i voted for barack obama. i am living my all time favorite quote "be the change you wish to see in the world." i am so ready for change. i do not have false hopes of what will happen in the next six months, one year, four years. i understand the state of our country and that WE as a nation have a lot of rebuilding to do. although barack obama may be a young man, have less experience than some had hoped for, he has the intelligence, grace, and perseverance to succeed. he fills my heart with hope. i couldn't help but tear up during his speech on tuesday night, i know i am not alone. even brett's eyes were tear-filled. please remember that barack obama cannot fix our country's situations alone. this is a team effort, and WE are part of that team. and luckily, WE now have a leader we can look up to with respect.
i'd also like to comment that though i am pro-obama & did my part to vote for him, i do not think john mccain is a horrible human being. i have very much respect for him and what he has done for our country. i do think that choosing sarah palin for vice president really hurt him. i also think if he would have ran eight years ago, i would have voted for him.
americans need change. need to hope. need to value our families. need to value our friends. need to remember the basics in life. i'm already in love with barack obama as a person and i can't wait to be in love with him as our president. WE are the future.

mOnDaY fUnDaY sUrVeY

How old will you be on your next birthday?26
Have you ever seen a live bat? TWICE. ONCE AT MY CHILDHOOD CHURCH & ONCE AT MY MOM'S HOUSE. EW. EW. & EW. A COUPLE OF GUYS CAUGHT IT IN A COOLWHIP CONTAINER AND THEN PLAYED BASEBALL WITH IT. SORRY PETA.
Are you single? NOPE.
Do you like the color orange? I DON'T HATE IT.
Do you find it in your heart to forgive? DEPENDS HOW MINOR/MAJOR THE ACT WAS, USUALLY YES I FORGIVE.
Would you rather not drink [any liquid at all] or not sleep? I LOVE TO SLEEP, BUT I'D RATHER HAVE WATER.
Have you ever seen a real redneck? I AM ONE? AND YES.
Do tattoos and piercings excite you? UH, NO.
What's the meaning of life? THIS IS WAY TOO DEEP FOR A SURVEY. ENJOYING YOUR FAMILY'S COMPANY, MAKING LIFELONG FRIENDSHIPS LAST, & A GOOD GLASS OF WINE.
What's your favorite season? LIKE YOU HAVE TO ASK... FALL.
Do you care if people talk smack about you? NAH.
At what age do you want to get married? 27. HINT. HINT.
How long are you on the phone daily? ON AVERAGE, LESS THAN AN HOUR.
Are you in a good mood? JUST TIRED.
Do you think people will exist forever? I DOUBT IT.
Obama or mccain? OBAMA:) WE'LL BE SURE TOMORROW.
Do you believe in luck? NOT REALLY.
Everything happens for a reason, right? ABSOLUTELY.
Would you rather skydive or bungee jump? SKYDIVE.
Do you like snakes? NO!
Where is one place that you'd like to visit? ST.THOMAS, ARUBA, JAMAICA, MEXICO, EUROPE, AUSTRAILIA, AFRICA AND ALL OF THE STATES THAT I HAVE NOT YET VISITED
Do you like waffles? YEP.
Anything your looking forward to? A NEW PRESIDENT.
Do you have more or less than five best friends? I DON'T REALLY BELIEVE IN 'BEST' FRIENDS. I HAVE MANY GOOD FRIENDS THAT I LOVE TO DEATH.
What would you do if the friend you talk to most stopped talking to you? CALL HER & ASK HER 'WHAT'S THE DEAL YO?!'
Does the number 23 have any significance to you? NADA.
Be honest, do you like people in general? HONESTLY NO.
Big or small dogs? BIG DOGS GENERALLY BEHAVE BETTER & ARE LESS YIPPY. HOWEVER, I LOVED LILY TO PIECES ANS SHE WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
Do you like Big Macs? I'VE NEVER HAD ONE.
Did someone bother you today? HMMM.... WAS I IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC? YES & YES.
What do you think about death? IT IS A NATURAL PROCESS THAT WE ALL MUST GO THROUGH & IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR THOUGHTS ON AFTERLIFE THERE IS NO REASON TO FEAR. HAVING SAID THIS, DO I WANT TO DIE TOMORROW? NO.
Sometimes, do you wish you were someone else? NO.
Does someone love you? I'M SO LOVABLE. A LOT OF PEOPLE LOVE ME.
Do you know anyone named Dave? MY UNCLE & TWO GUYS I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH.
Recently kissed anyone with the name starting with R? MY MOM IN SEPTEMBER (RHONDA).
Has anyone ever mistaken you for a family member on the phone? MI MADRE.
Have you ever tried Gatorade? YES, DUH.
Do you think that Starbucks is expensive? IT'S A BIT OVERPRICED BUT DELICIOUS.
Are you named after a family member? NO, MY MOM SAW MY NAME ON 'KIDS SAY THE DARNDEST THINGS' WHEN SHE WASY PREGNANT. IT WAS SPELLED S-H-A-Y-N-A. SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH THE NAME, MY DAD SAID NO BECAUSE MY 3 OLDER BROTHERS START WITH 'C'. COMPROMISE: CHAYNA.
Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass or fail? PASSISH.
Are you taller than 5' 6"? NO.
Ever seen a dead body? YES, I'M A NURSE.
Do you like the color blue? SOME SHADES OF BLUE ARE PRETTY.
How are you? VERY FULL.
What is one thing your looking foward to? SLEEPING.
Who was the last person to send you a text message? KATIE.
Last restaurant you went to? IN-N-OUT
What is the weather like today? PERFECT! SUNNY & 70S.
How many hours did you sleep last night? CLOSE TO 12, BUT SEVEN SOLID HOURS.
Any upcoming concerts you want to attend? I WOULD LOVE TO GO TO A GOOD OUTDOOR CONCERT ANYTIME SOON. JOHN LEGEND WOULD BE AMAZING TO SEE AGAIN.
Who's the last person that you felt was stalking you? THE CREEPY GUY AT THE SUPERMARKET A COUPLE MONTHS AGO.
Have you ever been on your school's track team? IN JUNIOR HIGH. AND I STILL DON'T GET WHY THE SPRINTERS/SHORT DISTANCE RUNNERS HAVE TO RUN MILES IN PRACTICE.
What clothes are you wearing? SWEATS.
If all your friends went on a road trip would you go too? OH HECK YES!
How much money do you have, in cash? SOME CHANGE.
Do you swear at your parents? NO I'M NOT SIXTEEN.
Is your phone right beside you? YEAH I THINK SO.
Have you cried today? NO.
Last time you cried? I REALLY CAN'T REMEMBER.
Do you think that someone is thinking about you right now? MAYBE BRETT IF HE ISN'T ASLEEP ALREADY.
Do you untie your shoes every time you take them off? I RARELY WEAR SHOES WITH LACES, I ONLY UNTIE THEM IF THEY ARE NEW.
What are the color of your bed sheets? LIGHT BLUE.
Have you ever crawled through a window? I'M SURE.
Are you photogenic? USUALLY.
What's your sign? TAURUS.
Where do you spend most of your money? RENT.
What was the last thing you did? HUNG OUT WITH BRETT, KAITLYN & ERIC.
Do you have any tattoos? NO!
Do you still watch Saturday morning cartoons NO.
Is there a secret you've never told any of your friends? NOT THAT I CAN THINK OF.
Have you ever changed your clothes in a vehicle? YES SIR.
What are you doing in 2009? TRYING TO BE MORE POSITIVE, WORK OUT REGULARLY, VACATION & HAVE FUN!!!
What is your ringtone? GENERIC AT&T RINGTONE.
What were you doing at 2 AM, saturday night? TURNING BACK MY CLOCKS. WAITING FOR BRETT & ADAM TO QUIT PLAYING XBOX.
Are your parents divorced, married, or seperated? WIDOWED.
What are you doing tonight? THE NIGHT IS NEARLY OVER, TIME TO SLEEP.
What are you doing tomorrow? VOTING FOR OBAMA. VOTING YES ON 2, NO ON 4, NO ON H8TE. AND THEN DRINKING WITH BRETT, ERIC & KAITLYN UNTIL WE FIND OUT WHO THE NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL BE.
Who did you last message on MySpace? PROBABLY KAITLYN.
Does it annoy you when someone says they'll call but never do? NOT REALLY BECAUSE I'M GUILTY OF IT.
What did you dress up as for your first Halloween? I THINK A CLOWN.