dance . . .

so i've been watching america's best dance crew on mtv lately. i know, i know . . . it's reality tv but i have been a huge fan of so you think you can dance since the beginning so it's not a stretch. i am just blown away by the talent out there. anywho, i was reminded last night about a guy who auditioned for last season's so you think you can dance that didn't make it but they brought him back for the finale anyway because he was amazing. at this point, i'm bummed because i *know* the next season of so you think you can dance will start while i'm gone. hope mac can figure out how to tivo it for me!

here's the video . . . enjoy. this performance made me fall in love with this song and i think of it every time i hear it!


be sure to tune in tonight to catch the finale of america's best dance crew ... you'll be amazed!

kitchen update #4 . . .

the kitchen is coming along and i'm pleased to be able to see so much completed before i go. here's the next round of pics. the lower cabinets and pantry have been installed and the hardware is on them. the passthrough has been trimmed out from both sides of the opening. it looks great.



last night, mac stayed up till 130a getting a first coat of paint on the walls behind the upper cabinets as they get installed today. the color is fantastic! hopefully, the dishwasher will be in today too. the counter installers were out today making their template so that will go in while i'm gone.

the progress is great. am so excited to see so much done.

today i'm thankful for . . . a great designer/lover who can mix the perfect paint color from what she had lying around. now that's recycling!

kitchen update . . .

so the kitchen is coming along nicely. here are some new pics of the work. the pass through has been completed and just needs trim and the drywall is up where the new cabinets will go. the contractor has run the wiring for the new lights and appliances. i can't believe how quickly so much has gotten done. the cabinets go in tomorrow and then it's gonna start looking real. they come to make the template for the counters on thursday am.



mac and i had a nice weekend. friday my office closed early for the easter holiday so i picked up my taxes and ran some errands. also got the good news that the girl who was interested in my car wanted to buy it. she'll be picking it up today. yay! that takes a weight off of me and puts some cash back in my bank account. phew! i ran by rei to use my dividend on travel stuff and then picked mac up at work for an ikea date. we got a few things for the house and then went home to make dinner. saturday i took her to work and then went home to get some work done on the office. i packed up my computer and spackled some holes in the wall so we can paint . . . or rather she can paint while i'm gone. saturday night we had a date to go see some roller derby. we ran into erock oslama and sat on the floor close to the action. was loads of fun but i'll definitely bring something to sit on next time! we went back to my place afterwards so she could see all the work that had been done and we took a soak in the hot tub. was nice to relax after a crazy week.

sunday am we had the opportunity to sleep in and then made breakfast at home before heading to my place to meet up with sarah to do more electrical work at my house. mac starting painting the trim in the bedroom and then we ran by the store to get munchies before hosting the girls for the last 3 episodes of the l word. last night was the season finale and we had a marathon viewing session. was fun. we finally fell into bed around 130a after cleaning up the kitchen and taking the dogs for a much-needed spin around the block.

woke up this morning rather anxious as the countdown is now down to a week to my departure. so much to do, so little time.

so today i'm thankful for . . . the good fortune i have with a great lover, good friends, and a bright future

tick tock . . .

so the clock is ticking on my departure date and it's starting to get a bit overwhelming. the very thought of being away from mac for 3 weeks seems unbearable at the moment ... and then i have the thought of being away from my dog and it all becomes too much. i know it will be a blast once i get there but, to be honest, right now i don't even want to go.

on the house front, there's lots of activity. the floors have been installed. the orange marmoleum was a fantastic choice. it looks great and will look even better once the cabinets get installed on tuesday. then on thursday they come to make the template for the corian countertops. i won't see them installed before i leave but i'm sure the cabinets will make a huge difference. of course, if this were the only thing going on, the stress level wouldn't be so high but it's not! once we finish my kitchen, we'll be starting on mac's. we're suckers for punishment, i know. but hers needs it badly and we figure we'll be in practice.

the car has gotten some interest on craigslist and a woman came by last night to leave a deposit so she could take it to her mechanic today. am waiting for the phone to ring with her answer. it will be nice to have the $$ for the trip and house stuff. i love rosebud (my neighbor, wilson, named her - it fits) but i just can't justify owning a car when i drive all of 2,000 miles in 9 months . . . and that includes a trip to the coast! besides, the bike will get more action if i don't have a car to fall back on all summer. so keep your fingers crossed that her mechanic gives it his blessing and she buys it!

sunday is the season finale of the l word and the girls are coming over for a 3 episode extravaganza. great timing for me. i was worried i was going to miss the last episode. worked out nicely to move the yard sale to the following weekend. was just going to be too much.

almost forgot, we're going to see some roller derby this weekend. neither mac nor i had ever been so we got tickets and it's our big date night this weekend. should be fun. a full report will follow i'm sure so stay tuned.

been watching some march madness but not sure how much of the tournament i'll be able to see. my brackets are already shot so i'm not too bummed.

so today i'm thankful for . . . an early closure for the easter weekend at work (was a pleasant surprise to find that e-mail this am. gonna go pick up my taxes and run some errands ... lookout! i know how to have a good time!)

so i'm selling my benz . . .

i only bought it about a year ago and i'm selling it. she's a beautiful 1979 Mercedes Benz 240D and i loved having her but i just don't need a car. i've put 2000 miles on it since i bought it last june. seems a bit ridiculous to keep a car for that minimal use. besides, the weather's getting better and it's time for the bike to get ridden. so if anyone knows of someone that might want it, point 'em my way . . .

the kitchen remodel trucks along. today we averted a minor crisis. i had neglected to order the marmoleum for the floors and we got a call at 8a from the floor installer that he'd gone to pick it up and they didn't have an order. oops! so we hustled down to linoleum city & ordered it. luckily, they had it in stock and we were still able to keep the appointment with the floor installer for today & tomorrow. otherwise, we'd have had to wait another 3 weeks to get another appointment. basically, we got lucky!

the cabinets are going in next tuesday and we've started to replace some lighting around the house. on sunday, my friend sarah came over to help me hang the new ceiling fan in the living room and remove that god-awful track lighting that was there. she's coming back on thursday to help replace the front & back outdoor lights. it's all coming together.

we're planning a yard sale next saturday to get rid of some stuff before i leave (which is 12 days from now - yikes!) am starting to look forward to the trip but also so buried that i've barely thought about how much fun i'll have once i get there. for now, seems like *really bad timing*.

so today i'm thankful for . . . the universe bailing me out on the floors and friends who are willing to pitch in & help me get this project done.

more remodel pics . . .

day 2 at the kitchen remodel was productive. the walls came down to the lathe. the opening was cut in the wall (it will actually be bigger than in the pics). we also decided not to install the pantry cabinets in the back hallway and instead buy a nice baker's rack/commercial rack for that area.



today i'm thankful for . . . a great contractor who's willing to do a job right!

update . . .

so last night i met up with my lil bro ryan at the mash tun. it'd been ages since i'd been in so it was nice to catch up and hang at the old bar. we enjoyed some concordia cream ales and had dinner. he's coming over on saturday to buy my kegerator. sadly, i'm getting rid of it because it's just taunting me now that i really shouldn't be drinking beer anymore. i know .... it sucks but it was fun while it lasted.

got home around 930 and set up the cable box and made some granola. i found some gluten-free rolled oats with my food club so it was nice to make it again. mac got home around 1030 after a shopping spree at kohl's with her friend. she found some great towels & accessories for my bathroom now that it's got a whole new color scheme (thanks to her painting it, of course). she found some great stuff for a great deal. we sat and had a cup of tea before turning in for the night.

today i had lunch with ames. we hadn't had a chance to catch up in a few weeks and it was nice to get out of the office. we headed to henry's for the usual (sharing a wedge salad and a sandwich). we have been planning our trip to europe and are looking forward to the wild times i'm sure will happen in amsterdam. yay!

work is busy but good. have my first site launch on the friday before i leave for 3 wks vacation. yikes! i really am enjoying the folks i work with as well as the clients. i'm glad i made the jump. definitely feels like the right choice.

so today i'm thankful for . . . good friends and good co-workers

i blame the parents for this . . .

so my office mate sent me this ridiculous video. while the child is more ridiculous than any i've ever seen, i totally blame the parents for this monster.



so today i'm thankful for . . . having parents that gave me boundaries and made me appreciate gifts!

remodel pics . . .

so all of this got done in one day . . . amazing! now the fun part begins . . . .

the kitchen remodel has begun . . .

so the kitchen remodel officially started today. the contractor is there as we speak tearing out the cabinets & the floors. we had the floor installer come by on saturday am to measure and give us a quote. the cabinet installer comes tomorrow to do the same. the floors have been picked out, the cabinets have been chosen, and the countertops have been ordered. we've got the sink and range purchased and the lighting selected (with some purchased). i need to pick a range vent/fan and order the floors. at some point soon i'll go buy the dishwasher from lowe's but we're a ways out from that.

mac & i spent the weekend packing up my kitchen and getting her house ready for suki and i to descend upon. it's been fun and exhausting. yesterday was our 6 month anniversary and also the first night i'd *moved in*. it was nice serendipity that timing worked out that way. i brought some kitchen stuff over and packed other stuff away for revisiting later. we're planning a yard sale the weekend of march 22nd to get rid of some big stuff as we start to consolidate households. it's fun to plan a home together.

of course adding to all of this stress is that i leave for 3 weeks in, well, 3 weeks. i'm mildly relieved that i won't have to be here to witness/live through the mess but wish i could watch the transformation and feel bad that i'm leaving mac to deal with it all ... but i guess as a designer it's her forté to oversee a project without the client around. am starting to get excited about the trip (although i do wish the timing was better) and finally booked my hotel in rome over the weekend. it was the last straggling part of the itinerary i hadn't handled so i'm relieved i finally did.

work is good. am starting to settle in and am getting excited about my first site launching in late march . . . right before i leave of course. isn't that always the way? speaking of work, it's almost time to head out so i should get a few things wrapped up before i head home to see the house.

i'll post pics when i can so y'all can follow the progress with me.

today i'm thankful for . . . 6 months with an amazing woman who's willing to design my kitchen and put some sweat equity in