Counting down - the Catching up

If you recall I started my third blog in... in late 2011 in hopes of blogging consistently. That did not last very long. Why? Who knows. Actually I know, life caught up with me and passed me by. My days didn't leave much time for blogging - or thought for blogging - or so I excused. Now, I'm not going to stay on this topic long. 

Sitting here on my San Marcos porch with my feet up on a blue chair, hair above my shoulders and just over a year old pup sniffing around - I'm going to count down the catch up - so I can attempt this blogging deal again. Least I can do is try. Most you can do is read. 

But first, you must get caught up - so the count down (of course this will consist only of the memories I find most exciting, important... or, well, i have pictures to document) 

January 2012

I ended the lease of my studio apartment in Camarillo - great "first career - out of college" apartment. Thank you Villa Camarillo (but I don't thank you for charging me an arm and a leg for the so called "paint" and "carpet cleaning" it needed).

February 2012

You may be asking why I ended my lease. Well, I requested a transfer to San Diego and department change to Human Resources. I not only got the transfer, but the new role as Executive of Human Resources; however, they wouldn't give me the transfer until mid February. So, my fabulous friends and their fellow Weimie, took me in for a month. 

While living with them in Ventura, Nick and I planned a weekend vacation to Santa Barbara. Killing two birds with one stone, we got to people watch on State Street, go out for a night on the town, stay at a water front hotel - and attend my friends engagement party. The weekend trip was lovely. 

 And to finish February off right - I packed all my belongings and pretty little pup and moved to San Marcos, California, but this time not alone. Nick and I got a two bedroom condo to share with not only each other but our two dogs - Zoe and Zero. Let the fun continue.

April 2012
I love music and I LOVE dancing. All those who know me well, know this. And if you know me even better - you know that I went to Coachella for my first time in 2011 and out came a group called the Ginger Badgers which has since grown - full of our closest friends and loved ones who fit the mold... of being weird.
In April 2012, I attended my second year of Coachella. This time Nick and I weren't first meeting, we were celebrating our 1 year anniversary (dating of course).
We "Carpool-chella'd" hard. Nick, me, Brandon, Tiffany - 1 car. Alex, Joey, Des - 2nd car. And met with the Marshall's, fish, chip and Taylor - 3rd car.

 Other than a hot yoga class, the only other place I feel more free, able to show my hippie, and feel comfortable barefoot - is Coachella.

 I danced to Kaskade, Swedish House Mafia, The Black Keys, Florence and the Machine AND Snoop, Dre, and the one and only Tupac. I let my hair blow in the wind and the sun shine on my face. 2012 - will not be the last year. Join me :)

May 2012
My one and only brother graduated from CSUN. I'm so proud of him it is ridiculous.

June 2012

Also at Coachella - I watched Santigold perform for the first time (my first time not hers) and completely fell in love. The costumes, dancers, beats... her voice... create an awesome show. So two months later Nick, Alex and I got tickets to see her in Oceanside at the 94.9 concert on the pier. 

Beautiful view, beautiful music, beautiful people.  

 When I first moved to San Marcos, Nick and I decided to be adventurous and roam around Carlsbad looking for new places to eat and hang out. On the main street we found a warm-lit, comfortable wine bistro. In June, a second Relm opened up just down the street from us. To ensure the quality followed with the new location, we of course had to try a bit of wine and cheese (quite a few times). The quality definitely stayed.

 August 2012
August was busy.
My Grandfather passed away. He was my last grandparent alive, last to pass, however you want to look at it. I didn't have the money for an immediate flight to Ohio, so my amazing, wonderful, caring boyfriend Nick too me to the beach - so I could say goodbye to the waves in hopes it would be washed along to him in the bright blue sky.

"Chicago. I'm infatuated and I will visit again." Yes, that is right. I took my first trip to Chicago. Nick and I flew out for a week. The first night we stayed at a luxury antique hotel in the city, got dressed up and took in the town.

For the remainder of the trip we stayed with our friends Len and Melissa in their gorgeous house in the suburbs. Len got us complimentary tickets to Lollapalooza. So Friday, Saturday and Sunday consisted of more music and dancing. Lolla was a completely different experience than Coachella. The venue is at a park right in the middle of downtown Chicago. Saturday, there was a tornado warning so the park was evacuated and hundreds of people filled the streets of Chicago. A memory I will never forget. (side note- I saw Black Keys for the second time in 2012).

Now back to San Marcos. Our condo is a couple streets above Cal State San Marcos. Every Wednesday and Sunday there is a farmers market in one of the smaller parking lots. Mind you, I thoroughly enjoy famers markets and for some reason Nick and I hadn't attended one in the 7 months we lived here. Finally at the end of August, we spent a Sunday tasting homemade salsas, yellow watermelon with salt and buying Sunflowers and pie.

And a week later - I cut off my long lovely hair. Now, it is short lovely hair. Some call is sassy, I'll take that.

 September 2012
September 13th was my 24th birthday. Twenty four... that's almost twenty five. Wow.
My birthday celebrations (not all in one day, more like in the span of a week) consisted of :
1 day- sushi lunch, beers at Stone, night out dancing with the Brackin's and group.
2 day- visiting with the family, enjoying good conversation, food and presents.

3 day- Pretty Lights concert in downtown LA. Oh how I love music and dancing. 

October 2012

I don't mean to be repetitive, but I'm only being honest. Music and dancing started October off right with The Black Keys (for the 3rd time in 2012) at the Sports Arena in San Diego. Nick and I spent the first half of the day checking out neighborhoods we are interested in moving come January - Northpark, Southpark, University Heights. Then we had dinner in the gaslamp district, picked up energy drinks and headed to the Sports Arena. 

I have to admit, the sound was much better at both Coachella and Lolla, but The Black Keys never fail to put on a ridiculously good show. 

"Woah-oh-oh, I got a love that keeps me waiting"

And that brings me to today. I hope that you enjoyed catching up with my life. I also hope that I didn't leave out too many important things. I am sure that I could've chosen to use more description and analysis in the aforementioned activities, but I didn't. 

There are times I tend to either get bored with life or stressed about money issues and then I look back... 

My life is not boring - and - I should know where my money goes. 

Cheers to blogging. Cheers to reading.