Arizona Adventure

The new tattoo, the famous Volkswagen up and running, downtown, home at last.

   Wow, where to start? In April I wasn't even sure we'd make it home Memorial Day weekend, but after some searching we found this ridiculously cheap flight and couldn't pass it up. Michael hadn't seen anyone since we got married, and since I went home last month it was mostly dedicated to him and seeing his friends and family, though I fit in some of my own time, too.

Birthday dessert, frapuccinos at PHS graduation, Tattoo Jacob, The Boys, Devil's Pantry, family time, downtown, ice cream with Julia.

   We flew into an airport in Mesa, not the usual Sky Harbor, which was incredibly strange. Basically once you walk out of the gate you can see the door to the drop off and pick up area. We also got in pretty late. But hey, super cheap flight for a reason. Our schedule was pretty fucked. 

   We spent the night at my dad's and went to breakfast with him, Chris and my friend Julia, where I realized I hadn't sat and laughed with people since the last time I visited. I laugh probably a quarter as often in Oklahoma, and that's just because Michael is ridiculous. Anyway it felt great, and then we were on the road to Prescott.

   It's hard to do as much as we wanted to do in essentially three days, but we certainly tried. When we got into town I had an irresistible urge to get a tattoo. A small one, something for my love of Arizona. Yes I kind of threw together the idea and yes I'm not the only one who has an outline of my state with a heart where my hometown is but I don't give a damn. It's from my artist and it means a lot to me. 

   We went to a cousin's high school graduation, and from there is was pretty much eating, drinking, and being merry. Michael finally had a real 21st celebration with his friends on Whiskey Row, and I had lunch with my mom and grandmother and opened a few little presents for my birthday early. We had a ton of food, spent lots of money and don't regret any of it. 

A Dose of Corgi: WTF Is That Noise?

Toki and Foxy are doing great. We're all pretty much used to each other by now but they never cease to amuse or puzzle us with their reactions to the world. They get over excited/defensive at just about every new thing they experience. They bark at raspberry noises, they bark when we use the punching bags, they get excited when they hear big trucks with trailers going down the road, and just about any other new thing.


The first video is just me messing with them; playing a video from YouTube to see how they would react. Nothing too out of the ordinary.

But woah, whenever we mow the lawn (or our neighbor, borrowing our lawnmower), they think it must be out to get them. As a side note, I put them outside when I vacuum. So this is much noisier than that. 

 They're so funny and cute and ridiculous. We still need to get them adjusted to walks, however. You'd think they'd love it but they get very stressed out. Hopefully one day they'll get used to it.

The Curse

I don't really have an interesting picture for this one, it's just gonna be some rambling on my part.

I've been saying this to myself for a while, but I'm cursed. I'm pretty convinced. And this curse is making new friends; it's been nearly impossible since I got out of high school.

It started in my first semester of college when I was really getting along with some people in my English class. I come to find out that both of them wanted/joined the military, and I really only saw one of them a few times after that class.

Another friend I made that semester joined the Navy and I never saw him again.

Later the next year in my Spanish class, yet another person I got along with was in the Army. That was right around the time Michael decided to join.

It kept happening, I kept meeting people who were in the military or joined and left. Even some friends I had already were thinking about joining. My friend Marc had long since joined and left before Michael.

When I moved to Phoenix I didn't think I'd make any friends. The few I did: a marine, who'd completed his contract (thank god), a guy in the Air Force, and a girl who was thinking about joining the Air Force.

Seriously I don't know what it is about me meeting military related people, or maybe people look at me and think "I should join the military." Somehow I keep running into these people.

And here of course, in a town comprised of 50% military it's obviously hard to throw a rock and not hit someone in the military. But the first non-military friend I made here moved within a week. She'd already planned to when I met her, so perhaps I'm subconsciously choosing people on the run? ...Because...I'm...afraid? I mean, I don't like a lot of people but I'm not completely against making new friends.

Shortly after that (so a few days ago, really) I was working and I met someone who agreed that neither of us had friends here, so we exchanged information. I knew he was a marine, but I figured he was stationed here for a while. Turns out he's leaving very soon. This Saturday.

And lastly yet another person I get along with is leaving in a few days. He's in the Army, but a different class than Michael, so on a completely different schedule. He's just one of those people that I always have good conversations with when we see each other at parties. Closest thing to a friend. So of course he's got to go.

I know I don't repel these people. A lot of the time they're already in the military, or they already have plans to go. I just meet them at the wrong time. All I know is it sucks. A lot. I feel like I'm just not allowed to have new friends. Either they have to go or I do.

It's getting really frustrating. I'm definitely cursed.