I Love This Blog

And I don't update it nearly enough.

I transferred to the Napa Rose restaurant on April 11th, started sommelier classes in the beginning of May, picked up a second job at BevMo on June 7th, and am well on my way to becoming a professional alcoholic.

Ryland, Saucy, Joy and Matt at Napa Rose are a great help in discovering all sorts of boozy things that I had, until this point, remained completely oblivious to; while Rafael, Geoff and Jon (even though he's an ass about it) are providing some excellent perspective on the BevMo side of it all.

Pinot Noir

There's a lot of great support around me, and I need to really set aside time to delve into my reading -- I picked up a great book, Karen MacNeil's "The Wine Bible," which seems to be just what I needed in terms of helping me better organize all this new information in my head.

Reisling

I'll be taking the Level I Sommelier Exam in the third week of November, and I am already nervous. If I test well enough to receive one of the top thirty scores, I'll be sitting for the Level II Certification the next day...

Go-ings On

I haven't worked for seven weeks now, and for all the free time I've had, I've got nothing to show for it. I've painted the majority of the interior of my parents' house, read Generation Kill and a couple other books, and neglected the fitness routine I had going. I would have like to have done a couple of paintings, finished Chris's birthday picture and a couple pairs of shoes.

All of this time with "nothing" to do makes me anxious and easily irritated. I've been snapping at Chris and generally feeling disappointed with myself. I'm still waiting to hear from the Napa Rose about my transfer application, Cast Scheduling about changing my status back to Casual Regular, and for Wells Fargo to start interviewing for the position I'm waiting on. [I'm strangely excited about the Wells Fargo gig, it's a really steady starting point (which I could walk or ride my bike to, which will be fantastic for some daily exercise) and a really easy way to start stockpiling some money to replenish the lingering European dent and save up for some Asian adventures this Summer.]

So come Monday, I'm kicking things back into high gear.

• I'm going to start working on a painting for the house from a photo I took in Italy, I'll finish Chris's shoes and start on some for Megan. I've already started my screen prints of Rebecca, and I'd like to start making some big prints of all of my friends -- I think it'd be a really interesting collection. I want to finish the nude model piece from my junior year (shit, that's bad) because she let me take photos of her and wanted to buy it off me... And I'd really love to get into a figure drawing session at San Clemente Art Supply.

• I want to finish Fast Food Nation and Catch 22 before the month is over. March is dedicated to The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I've never read it, for shame.
  

• Launch back in to fitness routine:
• • Weights 3xW, (extra) Cardio and Abs 3xW
  • Walk/run/jog at least two miles a day, to begin.
  • Get a pool key from Santi or Kevin Vessley and start hitting the pool two or three times a week.
  • Cut fast food and soda.
    
  
  
• Chris is off Wednesday-Friday, and we need to take a trip somewhere... San Fransisco would be quick and easy, and we've got people to stay with who could handle the short notice. Big Bear or somewhere with snow would be fun too.

• Create a business plan for Arthouse, mostly just for fun... but it would be a great thing to have to be able to run by people, see what others think of the idea/set-up/profit margin.
  

• It's high time for a baseball (sloshball, if deemed necessary) game at the Talega Barn Park, folks, so I'll start planning that too.

• Miscellaneous things drifting through my consciousness: Wine bottle candles, retro bathing suit, more surfing, curl my hair more often than not, take more photos, make a legitimate toga, cook more, bake more, make a recipe book, stained glass, mosaics, pastel still-lifes (that's correct, btw), driftwood candles, eBay Disney pins, sell old CDs, embroidery, nose piercing (et. all), tattoo, wine cork project?
  

Seriously, if I'm not kept busy, I'll start unraveling the universe.

2009

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

Lived in a foreign country. Spent four months away from all of my friends and family. Smoked legal and illegal substances. Blacked out from drinking at Frulingsfest in Munich. Surfed. Spent a solid amount of time single, something I honestly hadn’t done until that point in my adult life. Slept with a best friend. Learned to cook and really appreciate wine. Saw my parents, specifically my dad, completely relax and enjoy themselves — vivere la dolce vita, as it were.Visited a concentration camp and felt the permeating sorrow of thousands. Felt inexplicably empowered by traveling alone, making the best of weird situations and learning to be more bold in making requests from people and making them explicitly aware of my expectations. Got over working for Disney, and started to think bigger.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don’t remember making resolutions last year, I don’t even remember what I was doing. Some resolutions for this year:

• Take a self-portrait every day for 365 days.
• Document my life a bit better.
• Read at least two books a month.
• Make more art.
• Get back into the exercise routine I had going.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Jordan, on Christmas day!

4. Did anyone close to you die?

High school acquaintances, strange and sad.

5. What countries did you visit?

Italy, France, Germany, England, Ireland, Spain.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?

Financial discipline.

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

• January 27th: I flew to Florence, Italy.
• March 28th-April 11th: My parents came to see me in Italy.
• The week of May 17th: I came home to California, saw The Decemberists, Manchester Orchestra and fun. shows, caught up with all of my friends, Poultry Challenged, dined at Club 33 and graduated from Chapman University.
• September 11th: I hosted the Walt Disney Studios day at the D23 convention; Kermit waved to me, I was less than five feet away from Johnny Depp dressed as Captain Jack, and Tim Burton picked me out of a crowd of tour guides (recognized me from tours past), came over to say hi and share a hug.
• December 31st: Blue Moon with Luna, a perfect night.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I’d say graduating college, but that really wasn’t challenging. I’m really proud of the silver octopus ring I made, and my progression in pastel life drawing.

9. What was your biggest failure?

A stupid multi-night stand choice.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I was pretty sick in the middle of October, and then gave it to Chris. In a funny way it brought us together, as far as I can pinpoint, that was the beginning of the “official relationship,” blah, blah.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

MacBook, plane tickets, Chianti Classico.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My brother; who, while living in a frat house, manages to retain a good balance of dignity, personal boundaries and scathing reviews of skank bitches, when pressed.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Disneyland management.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

Lady Gaga will probably always remind me of Italy, because the clubs would play her shit back to back, but this year I became entirely obsessed with The Format and their album Dog Problems.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

a) happier or sadder? 2009 was easily the best year of my life, so far.
b) thinner or fatter? I don’t fluctuate much.
c) richer or poorer? Oh man, 2009 was an experience in extreme debt.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Made more friends faster at the beginning of the semester in Florence, surfing.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

I did a lot of parading around like a raging bitch at work this year. I’m disappointed in myself for that — there are acute problems, and those who aren’t involved shouldn’t get hit with the shrapnel.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

I spent it at work, exchanged gifts with my family afterwards, did the traditional Bovich Family Dinner, then went with Chris to Harrison’s and spent some time talking and laughing in the jacuzzi with Rebecca and Carson.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009?

Yes, on a mountain.

22. How many one-night stands?

One extended, regrettable one. One best friend one.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

Community is fantastic.

24. What was the best book you read?

Blink - Malcom Gladwell

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The Format, Beirut, Bright Eyes, The Mountain Goats.

26. What did you want and get?

An incredible experience abroad.

27. What did you want and not get?

More Chinese food? To get back from Italy and get out of debt immediately. (Still working on that.)

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Inglourious Basterds, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Princess and the Frog

29. What did you do on your birthday?

Took friends and family to dinner at the SJC train station, had everyone over for drinking and laughing afterwards.

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

I couldn’t ask for anything more, truly.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

“It’s fucking cold.”

33. What kept you sane?

Tumblr, actually. That’s interesting. The Union Line shows, more of a respite than a means to stay sane.

37. What political issue stirred you the most?

Health care debates, specifically involving birth control, abortion and the way women’s reproductive health is thought about.

36. Who did you miss?

I don’t see Megan or Jeff enough anymore.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

Laura Winegardner, Christopher Luna, Bowie, Boston.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009?

Go everywhere, do everything. There is so much love in the world. Educate yourself, no one else is responsible for your intelligence. “Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow…” - Vonnegut

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

“Here is the sound that photographs make
When I see them
When I hear them
I see regions of sharp precision
Over abundance
Over indulgence
Tied together with rope and twine
Stuck together with paste and glue
Two old planks of knotty pine
A couple of nails that poke right through.” - Knotty Pine, The Dirty Projectors

“Take only what you need from it.” - Kids, MGMT

I lack direction.

Surprise!

Things that are So, So Good

• Taco Tuesdays that begin at 4:30pm and (eventually) include Jeff. Generally everything about Fred's.
  
• Champps Thursdays and getting Megan out of Fontana.
• Graeme's new apartment in Narnia.
  
• Barbecuing with the news-team.
• Walks on the beach... and empty lifeguard towers.
• His writing our names in the sand.
  

(!!)

End of Summer

Goodnight Moon

The more I learn about you, the more wonderful this all becomes.