I Heart Peanut Butter

Joshua Tree National Park

This seems to be the destination following Coachella. We had decided against hiking down and back up the Grand Canyon, that maybe we are not in shape enough or prepared enough..Next year !!!!!!!!!
Then the thoughts of Death Valley, but honestly there is just no enough to see there, then we thought about Lake Mead, but it doesn’t seem like it is desert enough for Neil even though that is where the Mojave is…So we think some backcountry hiking and camping will make for a perfect California desert trip following Coachella. To me it sounds wonderful and exciting. Been along time since my travel has been adventure based and it is fun, good for you physically and mentally and just plain good quality time with each other.
who knows what else we will see and do but this sounds like a great week off from work to me..
preparation is key for this trip…We are going from where it will be in the 50′s temp wise to the 90′s and 100′s ..So we decided to start tanning in a few weeks to make sure we do not get 3rd degree burns to ruin our trip…I am so white…I am the perfect white girl from New England white…..GURRRR
Back to work…………….

Seems like it is always Monday!!!!!!!!
This had to be one of the most relaxing weekends in awhile , Neil and I didn’t want to over plan our weekend after the last few months of craziness. The weekend involved cocktails, great cooked dinners, puzzle making and Backpack shopping. Finally decided until backpacking becomes out lives and we are doing it at least once a month we can settle for the REI bags. They were 05 closeouts but great. Ordered the 200 dollars bags online and with discounts and free in store pickup we spent a total of 245 dollars on two of them .

This is my bag – the REI- Venus

This one is Neil’s bag…He liked it was black REI- Mars

So now that we got the bags taken care of we just need a new tent figuring I do not want to trek my 4 person dome tent on our fun filled trip and New sleeping bags because we will be in the desert in April/May no need for a -20 bag that I have, I use to use it in Colorado because camping at 13k feet gets very nippy in the evenings..

Then other smaller details that will add up in cost…Trying to figure out after the festival were to do some camping…So far ideas include… Lake Mead, Death Valley, Grand Canyon ( I want to do this, need permit for overnight in the canyon center) or Yosemite….May not have time for Yosemite this trip but any other place would be great fun. Again Vegas looks like it will be in the trip….Does that mean I need to bring dress clothes too..No skirts, shorts, hiking boots and bandanas only……………sighhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Anywho back to work……….

Finally Friday …
Well here I am at work and the drama continues. I am seriously done, done with work..I want a new life a new job a new something. The everyday BS of work and coming in is getting to me. The office politics is ridiculous. At least now it is us against the management and not us against us. My dear friend Jen stopped in front of my office this morning and said hi only to get yelled at by the bosslady. She is not to be out of her office and off of the phone. She calls me and says “please stop me from walking in her office and quitting” “no Jen don’t leave me here with loads of average normal women…..No no no “
Anyway it is Friday and have a nice relaxing weekend with the boy. Tomorrow we have the flower show at the RI Convention Center and then the boxing match we will watch at Jillian’s.
Besides that maybe more looking at new packs and such for our trip..Went to EMS last night and found a couple that seemed good. My boy now wants a Gregory cause they are the best , the best and 300 dollars a piece. I will stick to a lower priced Kelty or Lowe alpine…
Anyway more later…………..

Seems I may need to start taking one more ambien each night before bed. I took mine at 10:40 last night and with a shit load of things on my mind the medicine still didn’t work..I wasn’t even thinking about sleeping until about 12:12am and then at that time a car alarm started to go off across the street for the next 35 minutes.. Needless to say I didn’t fall alseep until the 1am hour..
Then another thing it is not suppose to happen, happened..I dreamed see with Ambien it never lets you get into REM…Well I had quiet the dream last night I think it was somewhat disturbing and somewhat funny.
Seems to be that my sister had come back up for the summer with every intention to get me to move off to Florida with her. In my dream I kept saying what about Neil and it didn’t seem to register with her that I would have to leave everything behind. So in a days time in the dream I had my things packed and in the back of the Jimmy, for some reason my car was in Florida at this time already.I have to say it was the weirdest dream I have had in some time.
So that seemed to end around the 6am hour when I woke up , contemplating staying home or calling and say I needed a couple hours and then would be in late.
After yesturday not feeling good I am sure she would understand.
All I know is I do not feel like being here today….I feel like being somewhere else…. sighhhhhhhhhhh

“On Monday, February 6th, President Bush announced the Federal government’s budget proposal for the fiscal year that will begin in October, later this year. In that budget outline, the president is proposing to eliminate the AmeriCorps*National Civilian Community Corps, allocating only enough funds to graduate a final corps out of service and close the five campuses.
NCCC is a unique AmeriCorps program that provides substantial benefits to America, not the least of which is providing for trained, rapid-responding, and organized emergency service manpower during natural disasters. This capability has been critical in the response, relief and now the ongoing recovery efforts in the Gulf Region.
AmeriCorps alumni is mobilizing the field of stakeholders who think NCCC is too important for America to be cut from the federal budget. Our coalition includes community beneficiaries, project sponsors, national nonprofit leaders, but most of all the 10,000+alumni of AmeriCorps*NCCC who know first hand the important service this program provides to communities across the nation. The effort to Save NCCC began with the release of the 2007 budget, but will prove to be a sustained effort that will require alumni involvement throughout.”

Well it seems that this may get passed, if I had the 200 dollars to register for the upcoming Boston Alumni conference then I would 100% be there from March 9th until the 11th. I spent 2 years in Americorps NCCC in Denver Colorado. It was the most amazing time of my life. Not only for what I received in this time period as in Personal growth and such. But what I was able to do for others.
During this time I Did over 400 tax returns for low income families in Tulsa, OK with my team we did over 5000 returns and made sure that hundreds of thousands of dollars went back to people that otherwise would not have known. I did Habitat for Humanity in Boulder, Co and Eagle Butte,SD. I worked at an AIDS/HIV camp in Chicago, did disaster relief in South Carolina and Toledo OH. And many more projects some testing my comfort zone such as camping for 7 weeks and some making me realize the strength of just one person as my Project leader in Toledo did. She was battling breast cancer, yet after each chemo treatment she was still able to make it in to be the support we needed in 16 hour days of clearing out peoples homes.
This time in my life is still the most exciting and lesson filled time I have ever experienced and sometimes I do feel funny that I still live on this time. I am always telling anyone I know that is getting out of high school or college that this could be that one thing that can make you find yourself.
I worked with the best 12 people on the planet. My teams dynamics were incredible and we all brought something new to the team. I have since lost contact with a few of them and would do anything to talk, chat or see them once more.
We can not loss the NCCC, it is the one thing in my life that changed my life and I am sure all other Alumni’s and the people we helped.
God I wish I could be at the conference…I so very much believe in the mission of the NCCC and want so badly to stand behind it while it is in jeopardy….

Beth’s baby Girl….

What was I thinking, see this is what happens on the weekends..I don’t eat until the middle of the day and by then I make very very very bad food choices. On the way to Connecticut we stopped in Seekonk to this yummy Mexican place Tito’s Cantina…YUMMY So I then managed to eat Pepper Poppers, a Chicken Chimichanga , chips and Salsa and drank 4 glasses of Sangria.
So needless to say we were stuffed until about 9pm when we meet up with Beth and Mike @ Jillians for Drinks, Chat, Food and some hardcore Air Hockey matches..Which I will say Neil kicked my ass at. But then again I friggen rock and can out beat anyone in SkeeBall….
We then managed to order some boneless wings and Artichoke dip….ummmmm

It was awesome seeing and spending time with Beth last night, since she had the baby it has been impossible because the baby rules there lives, the baby stays awake all night and sleeps all day…So now Beth does too.. It was Beth’s first drinks in 9 months and she had 5 beers I was very much proud of her…..

Today being Sunday Neil and I decided to spend some quality time at the gym to make up for the very bad eating. Then who knows what, it is very cold outside today, sunny but damn cold..

This seems that this could be a seemingly interesting year. Beth and Mike mentioned they are getting married this year, I think it is more on Mike’s need to get married because all of his friends are in the next 6 months. Who knows as long as Beth is happy I am more then happy for her. And between Neil and I who knows what could happen. Things are going great and we get along grandly. I truly never thought it was that easy to be with anyone, but it can be.

For once in my life everything is working perfectly…All my bills are paid, I am in a very healthy relationship, I know who I am and what I want out of life and I have little complaints, well maybe my allergies to the cats rubbing against my legs at this moment..I have to say I have been a trooper…Even with my sinuses feeling like they will explode, me being itchy and eyes burning, and throat feeling like it will close in…I am doing A-Ok with Neil’s folks kitties… Neil is like you were snoring this weekend…Yeah because I CAN”T BREATH !!!!!

After tomorrow things will be a little less crazy and daily blogging will be resumed. Next weekend we are Going to the Rhode Island Flower show at the RI Convention Center, then most likely lunch with my mom following.Then next Saturday night head back to Jillian’s to watch the boxing match….Ahh night of the thugs…Last Boxing match I went to there it was 300 thugs and ME…..Love it…Hennessey Night it will be…

Well here I am signing off for the day…New pics to soon come on my Buzznet page….

Reporting in from Fall River….
Saturday morning in the River of the Falls and I am awake before my boy. I am always awake. I do have to thank him half the time that if I wanted him to get up with me he would and not turn over and go back to sleep. But hell I want a happy boy on my hands.
I have as of late become very much addicted to Ebay…Maybe because of everything I am getting at such a steal.I am a shopper already and for some reason it has taken me this long to really get on and into damn Ebay…Just been busy trying to get all my new accessories for my new Ipod on Ebay verse the damn Apple Store.
This AM it looks gloomy outside and I wish more then anything for it to be sunny and warm….But it will be in the freezing temps this weekend.Even saying tomorrow it will be in the negative 10 degree area in the am…That means stay in and snuggle..No need to venture out.
We are house sitting this weekend…His folks missed the snow of last weekend and the cold weather of this weekend…How lucky..
Today most likely going to head to Connecticut to see my folks for a bit then north it to Worcester to go out for drinks with Beth and Mike. This is Beth’s first time out since the baby was born and goal is to get drunk..I am thinking after no drinking for about 9 months that it will not take much..So we are thinking it will be an early evening and we can head back to Fall River….
Anyway…
I am signing out for now..I have some great pics I will post this week from the Jerkus Circus….

Thursday already…
Well the Thursday Thirteen may have to wait until tonight because I have to much to do today.
Tonight is the Steamy Bohemians show at Ralph’s, can’t wait from the steamies themselves it seems this will be quite the show.
Not much is new in the life of Crystal…That is good and bad. I have a great boy who gave me some very pretty flowers on Valentines day and they make me think of Spring.
I can’t wait until the spring weather appears. This am I was sitting in my living room doing my makeup for work and I hear the birds chirping outside. I love that noise. They know something I do not. The outlook being warm weather soon makes me super happy. It is almost March and here I wait for the days of sun…
I have just a little over 2 hours left at work and then off to the doctors..I swear I am going to die at a young age I always have things wrong with me…I eat well, workout and so on…Why does my body hate me so.
Then two of my coworkers are coming over and taking something I am getting rid of. Which is nice because Neil and I are looking at moving to the downstairs apartment my building because it is bigger then what I currently have. My apartment manager says that I have first dibs on the place once it is finished. So mid to late march I am thinking if we like it then I have to bring all my things downstairs…So the more I can get rid of the happier I will be. The less I will have to PAY someone to move downstairs for me…The only catch to the downstairs apartment is that it has carpeting. With my allergies that sucks….Big time..
Tonight I will make some dinner and then off to the show…My friend Jen at work says she may come also tonight which would be great….She never gets out of the house…
This weekend off to Fall River for the finial weekend in house sitting..Hopefully no more snow to shovel…And no more being trapped in doors all day…Well that wasn’t so bad.
Take some pics, go to the gym and visit my folks….Sounds like a pretty low key weekend in the making….
Toodles for now..

So Monday Monday Monday…
Maniac Monday…
Well I am at work this week is going to be slight out of control as far as getting things done and what needs to happen.
Tonight is WW and after this weekend of eating bad greasy food I am a little nervous about weighing in..But oh well at least I will hopefully do better this week.
Tomorrow is Valentines Day and Neil and I are going to dinner and then a co worker whom is also a baker is making an amazing Chocolate Torte for me to have for desert. With a glass of wine and a night cap with Disaranno….
Wednesday night I am not planning much maybe go to the gym and clean my house….Thursday is the Steamy Bohemians show at Ralph’s and then Friday night is a show also but I am think Neil and I may say fuck it and just go to Fall River and relax…After this crazy weekend.
I have to say I have the sweetest, most amazing boyfiend in the world who is constantly surprising me with how good someone can be to another. He sure makes me happy.
We bought out tickets to Coachella this weekend and booked the flights to Phoenix, gave ourselves a few more days to just do whatever…Maybe take a side trip to Vegas
I can’t wait to have a week of free time with my boy , April will come soon enough and we will be in out tent after a couple drinks with our smuggled in liqueur…Listening to music and meeting new people…Ahhhhhhhhhhhh 100 degree April weather….In Coachella Valley….

So I got cut off from a very large 18 wheeler this morning..Is that how my day is going to start?
It seems that they do not need to stop when they are pulling out of the parking lot, because they are big they just go….Drive and pull out right in front of you.
Last night I traveled to Chestnut Hill Mall and went to Apple…Oh no..350 dollars later I came out with the Black 30gb Video Ipod, it is so damn pretty. I at one point had a second generation 60 gb Ipod but that was left in an undisclosed location. The only down part is my internet is still not up and most likely will not be until next week. I had a message on my voicemail last night to call and set up a time that a tech can come out and see what the hell the problem is… GOD DAMNIT I just want my internet back up.
So this made getting any music on the New Ipod a tad on the hard side..I was trying to get my CD’s to play and upload onto ITunes and that wasn’t happening and when it was it wouldn’t put the name of the songs on the ITUNES…Meaning I have to manually enter them all…AHHHH does anyone have an extensive kick ass ITUNES library they want to share with me..I prefer it to have Some sick Hip-Hop, electro, downtempo, jungle, and anything else that makes my heart skip a beat..
Anyway…………………
It is Friday and I am sure after my running around after work I will then try my hand at getting more music on the IPOD. Neil has to bring his folks to the airport tonight so he will not be over until about the 9 o’clock hour. But I have more then enough to do tonight to keep me busy then I will get home and fix myself a cocktail and go Ipod crazy… As soon as I have my internet connection back up I will then go download crazy…
This Saturday evening until Sunday afternoon we are expecting some snow..HAAAAA to all the people who thought because we had an unseasonable January that we were not going to get winter weather the rest of the winter. Febuary always snows and is always cold.they say between 8 and 18 inches Saturday night. Neil is housesitting his parents house and that means snow blowing and shoveling for us on Sunday…Snow angels, hot cocoa, movies and cuddling sound great to me. Everyone at work was saying “OH YEAH Snow on Sunday, meaning I do not have to go anywhere” which is the truth.
See last week I mentioned to Neil that we are a lot alike in the sense that we always feel we must be doing something. I will gladly get up at 6 am on a Saturday to go anywhere just to be doing something. And you do not see how important it is to do nothing once in awhile until you are always doing something.So Sunday will be a very relaxing day besides the snow shoveling….
I HAVE NO BOOTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday afternoon at work is always a great day….Not really
Well at home I am without internet till most likely Thursday, they are not sure if it is because of the line between the central location for the servers or my modem, so they have a tech going out either today or tomorrow to see if the DSL connection has been jeopardized and they also sent me a new modem..So overall it should be working fine by Thursday. I think it is my line that is the problem because the home phone is pure static when you pick it up…Good thing I do not use my home phone..
I have a headache and I am tired but here I am at work….Wanting to go home and take a nap.
I was thinking earlier that I wish Neil on his blog , blogged about all the crazy things he says he would blog about…Such as reading Tony Pierce’s blog to the telemarketer that called my house..It had to be the funniest 10 minutes ever …Reading about having sex with some girl as if he was just saying it. The women never knew what to do nor what to say…Or the fact that he made cook and serve pudding and wanted to journal the yumminess of it…or The new men’s Fusion razor..It cracks me up and then I go to see if he does and he doesn’t. So if you are reading this ….Neil….Then start writing about the things that are just to damn funny not to.
It finally feels like winter here in these parts and I am ok with some windy coldness but I just want the sun out and I am good…
Neil and I were talking about a monkey, now I really want one….Even if they tear about my house and I would have to change diapers…I still very much would love a MONKEY..