Sam's Blog

Link: http://www.billyidol.com

I am feeling a lot better. I have been trying to recover from the past fun-filled weekend. I didn’t get back from the wedding until 3am Sunday night and I had to work the next morning. I’ve been chilling around the apartment and catching up to TV shows (Six Feet Under was phenomenal even though I knew that they were going to do something drastic in the last couple episodes) and some series that I missed (the Guns, Germs and Steel 3 part series on PBS, based on the book by UCLA Professor Jared Diamond which explains his views about the developmental and technological divide between the many nations of the world) and starting to read the most recent Harry Potter with Josh. We started reading out loud to each other the series a few years ago and it’s a great and fun tradition for us. Josh also got me hooked on the show Rescue Me, with Denis Leary. It really is an awesome show and I hope you guys can check it out when it’s on. I was able to hang out with Lisa and my regular dinner with M was postponed to tonight. Tomorrow I am so excited because I get to watch Wicked. Apparently it’s on its last week here in LA, so I feel very fortunate to be able to watch it.

The wedding was very beautiful and elaborate and very very fun. So many people went that I didn’t expect to be there. It’s not that I was expecting anyone to go really, but I somehow didn’t realize that the families of the bridesmaids and groomsmen were going to be there too. More on that in a bit. The weekend started off with me catching the guys during the “bachelor” party. They went to Carson to hang out and ride go-karts and stuff for the day. I met up with them at Native Foods (surprisingly, a majority of the wedding party were either vegetarian or vegan, or if not, were very veggie-friendly). We headed to Ventura and tried to get Negin (the bride)
to go out one last time before she was married. She really didn’t have anything planned as far as a bachelorette party, so Emily (Shahab’s girlfriend) and I dragged her and Carmen and Tania (Ned’s girlfriend) out for a night on the town. We ended up bowling and had a great time. The guys drank and played poker. A rather tame night overall.

Saturday was the wedding rehearsal and I didn’t go because I wasn’t in the wedding party, but Josh and Wen went along with Shahab, Kurt, Sandy, and Carmen. I was able to hang out with Josh’s mom and it was nice to be comfortable around there. I realize that their home has become like a third home to me and it’s comforting to know that every time I visit. They’re always so nice and it’s so weird to see his little sister grow up so fast. She’s transferring to Cal Poly SLO in September and will be getting her own apartment with Megan, her best friend. It’s so weird to me that she’s leaving for college and is going to be on her own. She’s all grown up now! Anyway, I attended the rehearsal luncheon and went to the beach for some volleyball and a bonfire. It was nice to finally meet all of Greg’s (the groom) friends from school in Texas. I always hear about them. They’re all really nice people and I am glad that Greg has such great support over there, especially being in the middle of his PhD program. I forget how close everyone is in Josh’s circle. They grew up together and have known each other since 3rd grade and to see him and Kurt and Greg run into the ocean water and play around like little kids made it all the more clear. I just wish that we are all able to see each other again frequently. With Greg and Negin being in Texas, Sandy in London, Shahab and Emily in Camarillo, Wen in Corona and Kurt going wherever he decides to go, I doubt we will all see each other together again soon. I guess that’s how life is.

I created a Flickr account for the couple here. There are also pictures on Kurt’s account and Barbara’s account (Kurt’s mom) as well. I accidentally uploaded the pictures 3 times on Greg and Negin’s account, so the upload capacity is full right now. I still have a few more pictures to upload, but not many. I will do it once more space becomes available.

The ceremony was beautiful. The altar was adorned with the traditional Persian items and they had a traditional Persian ceremony with the “priest” reciting things in Farsi, Arabic, and English. It was a great new experience for me. Julia (Kurt’s sister) and I were amazed by all of the gorgeous traditional outfits that the ladies wore. They went all out for the food and open bar. They served us hors d'oeuvres and sushi after the ceremony while we waited for the wedding party to take pictures. Dinner was served really late, around 9:30pm (this was on a Sunday night) and it was a huge buffet full of vegan dishes and Persian food. It was really yummy. They had cake and tons of mini dessert cakes and pastries. It was excellent. It would be really hard for any of us to outdo their wedding. It was so amazing and I had a lot of fun.

As I said earlier, I was able to see everybody’s families again. The MacDonalds (Kurt’s family), The Parmars (Sandy’s family), The Lashkari’s (Shahab’s family), The Morgans (Josh’s family), and of course the families of the bride and groom were all in one place. I realized that over the years, I have gotten to know them all pretty well, a lot more that I really thought that I did. It’s funny because all of Josh’s friends have a sibling and I know them all too: Haady, Parveen, Cynthia, Navid, and Julia. It was awesome to see them and it made the wedding more fabulous because I knew how blessed Josh and I were to know all of these great families. It pretty much gave me a clearer realization of how long it has actually been since Josh and I started dating. It baffles me still. Not that I wasn’t expecting to stay with him for this long, it’s not like that. But it’s more of a “goodness time has really flown by.” Josh’s brother was married a year ago and it’s amazing how many things have changed and how many things have sometimes surprisingly stayed the same. This wedding has given me a lot of insight as to what I want and don’t want at my wedding. I am sure I have a long time to plan it, etc. but it’s good to have that information floating around in the back of my head.

S&TC quote of the day:
Miranda (looking at a bride magazine): Ooh! Cute purse!
Charlotte: No purses! There's no time for purses! This is gown-specific!
Miranda: What's your theme again? A Nazi wedding?

Link: http://www.billyidol.com/

I feel more rested. Work has been keeping me busier than expected today. A lot of changes going on and such so I have to make sure that they don't get all messed up over the weekend. But I'm starting to finish up here. I am looking forward to this weekend because of the wedding. I get to hang out with a lot of old friends that I haven't seen in a really long time. Ever since I've met the couple, they've been together. I've never known them separately. It seems so right for them to get married, especially during this time. It's going to be hot all weekend and sunny as well. It will be beautiful. I have a feeling that I will get a tan because we will be going to the beach tomorrow. Well, I probably won't post until after the weekend. I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend and stay cool, no matter where you are!

Link: http://www.barrynet.com/

Wow. So much time has flown by. I’ve been pretty busy these past few days. I haven’t gotten much sleep either. But I’m chugging along. I don’t think it will let up for a while, especially since the wedding is this weekend and there are so many activities leading up to it. Oi.

The pat few days were a mix of emotions. I went to a funeral on Sunday and though it was a sad occasion, I was able to find some sense of closure and happiness in a weird way. I think that it helps mentally when it’s a long term illness because you are somewhat prepared for it, as opposed to a sudden death. In any case, it was nice to see the other side of my family and especially nice to see my cousin that flew out from Philly. I hadn’t seen her in over 3 years, so it was nice. All of the family on her side grew up so fast. A lot of them are around 16-18 and it’s weird because I knew them when they were like 5 years old. Wow, time flies when you’re in college and such.

On Tuesday night, I enjoyed dinner with M at our favorite Indian restaurant and then we got a manicure and pedicure. I wouldn’t have time to do it before the wedding, so I figured why not. M has a lot on her mind and I hope that she is able to sort things out. It’s really hard to resolve things and make decisions when you have no power over how people feel or think. I am also sad because it’s almost August and she will start school again and I won’t be able to hang out as much and we may have to change our dinner day. But que sera for now…we will see.

Now last night was fun because my team at work went out for an outing. I’m not used to the parties and functions that the industry puts on, but I figure that it wouldn’t be hard to get used to. We (10 of us) went out for drinks, had dinner, and went out for more drinks. [Skybar, Sterling Steakhouse at the Cabana Club (old Sunset Room), The Well, and then Bask (old Deep).] It was a lovely night filled with great food and drinks. I obviously stayed out too late, but my boss was cool and let us all come in later today at work. So that is why I am tired. I realized that it’s becoming a lot easier to drink in front of my coworkers and boss. I also realized that I shouldn’t drink red wine anymore because it makes me somewhat nauseous and sleepy. But it was much fun and I was able to get to know my coworkers a lot better.

Tonight was a Network function at the bowling alley that was put on by one of our clients. I met a lot of people that I knew only via email and it was a weird feeling. I guess I had envisioned them looking a particular way and they look the total opposite. There were a lot of young people there as well and it threw me off because a lot of their voices sound older, but they’re not. A coworker and I were leaving the alley when we see 2 Bomb Squad trucks put up near the street and we were wondering what was going on. The police had closed off a huge portion of Venice Blvd. and evacuated the alley. It was scary. I am sure that everything was fine, but it’s still a bit scary and surreal.

I hung out with one of my coworkers after that craziness and grabbed dessert. It was nice to talk to her about the dynamics of the people that we work with now. She’s a great resource and she knows all of the trendy places.

I’m starting to fall asleep and that’s a bad sign. I’m so tired. Sleep time.

Oh yeah, it's been really hot here. Thank goodness it's not humid here. I would die.

Link: http://www.ub40.co.uk/

I've been working a lot, nothing too drastic or anything like that, but I definitely worked more than 40 hours this week. It's not that bad. I have a penchant for wanting to end the day at a spot where I can easily come back to the next day. It's just me trying to get organized, basically. My desk is all set. I have all of my supplies and my setup is awesome. I really do work well with it the way it is now. I just have to organize all of the old files for my own personal use. Anyway, my company has "Summer Fridays" and it's usually casual and laid back and most people leave early or take the day off. It's awesome. But I actually was finishing up a huge report for one of our clients (which I am about 95% confident in, it's just that I am so new and I have been number crunching all week, so I trust all of the figures, but I always have something in the back of my head that doubts me. I hope it goes away once I have been working there for a while). After the report, I was going to do a lot of the little things that I've been putting off, and I did most of them, but one of my bosses was craving Mexican food, so we went with her. The service was slow, but the food was excellent. My other boss went home and was drinking wine and smoking cigars with others. So we went. I'm not a big fan of red wine, but what he had wasn't too bad and I had 2 glasses. Granted, it was 4pm on a Friday and I had to drive home. It was nice to chat with my coworkers and boss in a nonprofessional capacity. It makes them more human and I am starting to feel more comfortable with them all. I was fine driving though, surprisingly. I usually get drunk faster with wine, but this time was okay. It didn't hit me until an hour later. I was at home and totally crashed for a few hours and took a nap. I was supposed to watch Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with some friends, but I woke up too late. I'm a loser, I know. I need to get used to the entertainment industry and their affinity towards cocktails. I was so browbeaten with the policies about alcohol with my old job that it's such a foreign concept to me and feels weird when I do so now. But I guess I have to get over that. Especially since we have a department outing on Wednesday night and we are going to hit up Hollywood and all of its vices. It sounds like fun and I am looking forward to it.

This weekend is up in the air. I had planned on going to San Diego and meeting up with Josh at Comic Con. Josh currently is without his car and he wasn't sure if he even had a ticket through his old job. He mainly wanted to go and see a presentation that his old coworkers from G7 Animation were going to give on He-man, but that was for today and since he couldn't make it today, I think he is lacking motivation to go all the way over there for the rest of the weekend. It's just as well, I suppose, because I would have left early to go to the funeral. I do know a lot of people that are going, so I am sure I will hear about it all soon. Anyway, that leaves me with a pretty open weekend, sans funeral (which I am thinking will take pretty much all day Sunday). I am not a big fan of funerals at all. I don't think anyone is, except of course, for Harold & Maude. I feel so distant from it, sadly. I know that it is a very hard time for his family and my grandma and father are there right now for support. I am going to do my best to support them all as well, but I just don't know how. I am sure I will figure it out once I arrive there. In any case, I wish them all the best during this rough time.

Moving on...I can't believe the wedding is next week already. Yikes!

S&TC quote of the day:
Wade: I know you've heard of Wonder Woman.
Carrie: Ooh, with the bracelets and the tiara. I used to love that even her accessories had superpowers. (Season 3 - Hot Child in the City)

Link: http://www.ericclapton.com/

Shahab made me a copy of Paul Anka’s new album, “Rock Swings,” which is an album of covers of popular rock songs. He adds a little jazzy flavor to the songs and sometime you don’t even recognize them until the chorus. It’s pretty good, especially while driving to and from work. Check it out if you can.

I realized that it’s been a little over a year since I started posting on this blog. I know that there’s not many that read this, but those that do are very loyal and I’ve been bad about posting lately and they’ve been wondering what has happened. Rest assured, I’m okay and everything is okay in life. I just haven’t had time to sit down and gather my thoughts as much as I used to. I’ve been spending long days at work, long meaning more than the regular 8 hours. I don’t mind at all actually. I’ve been given some long projects to work on and it’s nice to be productive and though I’m sleeping late still, I am getting more sleep than I was when I was working my old job. Go figure. I can’t believe that I have a majority of last year chronicled on this site. I can look back and see what I did this time last year. And see how things have changed or how they have stayed the same. It’s quite interesting and a bit like a diary of sorts. Though my diary never really says what I did on any particular day, its more emotional, but I haven’t even had time to write in it for a while. It’s a shame really, but once I start getting into a rhythm with the job and all, hopefully it will be more stable.

I finally got my new stapler at work today. It’s a red Swingline stapler, like Milton. It makes me so happy that I can be like him.

I had my usual dinner with M today. We went to The Cheesecake Factory and we ordered our usual dishes, except they apparently took the pad thai off of the menu, but it was replaced by something else. Great. Now I need to find a new item from there, but I know that I have a lot of options. It’s too bad though. I liked their pad thai a lot. Though not very authentic, it was good nonetheless. M seemed to be in better spirits and it was nice to talk to her more about her life. I guess it’s true that everything happens all at once (when it rains, it pours). But she is a tough cookie. I realized that I would hate for anyone to go through life alone. I rely on my friends as much as they rely on me and I can’t see how people can go through some things by themselves, sometimes even willingly. Perhaps it’s for clarity or for rationalizing. In any case, I know that I may need people…and I am so glad that they are here for me. I really do appreciate my friends (and Josh too). They are amazing.

Hooray for finally talking to Angela today. We’ve been playing phone tag forever. I miss her. Good luck on your tests!

Oh and Dr. Antonio, I hope your rotations are treating you well. I know you can’t wait to get hands on experience. And I would gladly switch places with you for a year. I’m just wondering if people can sue me if I mess up? Maybe? Would it count because I’m not a real doctor? Hehe.

Ok M, I marked my calendar for Wicked. I am so excited!! Thanks for the ticket!

S&TC quote of the day:
“Samantha is my friend. She's my family. My insides. She will be fine because she has to be fine. That's how important she is to me.” – Carrie (Season 6 – Out of the Frying Pan)

Link: http://www.weezer.com/

The weekend went by fast. I was fortunate enough to have three visitors this weekend. Andrea came back to LA/San Diego for a wedding, Roni came up to hang out with her cousin and me, and Josh’s parents stopped by on their way back home from the OC.

Friday started off with dinner with Shahab and Emily and her cousin Jenny and her husband Derek. We all used to play poker regularly at one point last year, but with Emily in Port Hueneme now, we haven’t been playing much. Derek always has great stories to tell us about life in New Zealand or his summer camp job in Michigan. Much fun with mojitos and Mexican food. Josh and I hopped over to St. Nick’s after dinner and met up with the gang. Andrea loves that place and every time she is in town, we must go there. This time was a bit exciting because her friend from graduate school, Leslie was visiting as well (they were all down here for a wedding of one of their old classmates). We walked in and they quickly alerted me to the fact that David Spade was sitting 20 ft. away from us. Cool. M loves him. I think he’s alright. But I didn’t want to disturb him, especially since he was with a lady friend. It was nice to see the gang and some of Nate’s old co-workers. They’re always fun.

Saturday was spent sleeping and cleaning. I met up with M and Roni for dinner at the new Cabo Cantina in Brentwood. It was actually really crowded and the food was pretty good. It seems like a fun place to go after work. I will remember it for later reference. We then went driving around Hollywood basically. We weren’t sure of where to go at all. We each had friends that were going to be in Hollywood, so we figure that we can just meet up with any one of them. We ended up at Bliss, but then found out that they were closed for 2 months. We then followed Bob over to White Lotus. They were kinda pricey, $20! For having that high of a cover, the club was okay, not spectacular. I liked that there was a dance floor and patio area. But the people there weren’t too interesting and Roni and I decided to go to The Well, where Nate and everyone else was at. It was a few blocks away, so we walked there and left M with her friends. She didn’t mind at all, so I was okay with it. I really like the lounge feel of The Well. Apparently, it’s Thom Yorke’s favorite bar in LA and I can see why. The people are hipsters and are very chill. It’s dark and has nice chairs and cheap drinks. It’s not too shabby at all. Roni is always a hoot to hang out with and we always drink a lot (except this time) when we get together. I am glad that we are better with maintaining our long distance friendship. She is awesome.

Sunday was one of my regular brunch days. I changed the venue and I think that it’s better than where we usually go. At least the ketchup is so much better. The food was yummy and I as glad to hang out with some of the gang. I was particularly glad that Lisa came. She will be super busy starting with session 101 of Orientation today. Yikes! It’s gonna be a long summer for her. But anyway, we went shopping and got manicures. It was awesome to finally hang out with her again. She is always fun and a great storyteller as well. I never really noticed it before, but she always has something funny and great to tell me, even if it’s about people I don’t really know. I got home after buying wineglasses and Josh’s parents were at the apartment visiting. We grabbed a quick dinner with them. They just got back from South Dakota and seem to be doing well. They were discussing Josh’s current car situation (since he really doesn’t have one right now because it’s being fixed by his brother) and about his future. The normal parent talks and whatnot. But it was lovely to see them. It seems like I hadn’t seen them in a really long time. I feel kinda disconnected from their family because of it. I totally forgot that his sister was in the Ukraine and little things like that. But his parents caught me up to the family news and such.

Today was fabulous at work. We had a breakfast function in Century City, where another branch of our company is located. I met the president and external vice president of our company. It was an honor because they have done so many great things to the company. It was my first social function at work and I realized that I lack social skills in things like that, which makes me believe that I cannot schmooze very well either. I know that I will learn and be more comfortable. It’s just a matter of time and having good memory skills. We had a “Burgers and Beer” Bash for lunch. It still feels weird for me to drink beer or any kind of alcohol during lunch and work hours. I grabbed a beer and a cheeseburger and sat back and watched the burger eating contest. One of our interns was representing our department, but he tied for third in the end. I had a lot of work to do, so I started on a lot of things and finished them throughout the day, except for some things. But work is going great and I am happy.

I had dinner with M tonight because she wanted to talk about a lot of things in her life. She is doing very well considering the craziness that is her life. But I am glad that we can hang out so spontaneously and that she relies on me at times. It’s a good feeling and I try as best as I can to be there for her. I hope you feel better M! Don’t think and overanalyze too much about your future. It’ll all work out! Appreciate the present time!!

My sister called and told me that my “fake” cousin’s grandfather just passed away this morning. I was really close to my cousin while growing up. But we have grown apart since college and I don’t see her or her family as much. I am really saddened, but it was expected in a lot of ways. His health has been declining over the last few years. I hadn’t seen him in over 3 years and I feel bad for not making an effort to see him more recently, but I didn’t know that his situation was that bad. I just wish his family the best and RIP Grandpa.

S&TC quote of the day:
Big: I never really thought about it.
Carrie: Oh come on. Everybody wonders what happens after you die.
Big: I'm too busy wondering who's dinging my car in the garage. (Season 2 – Four Women and a Funeral)

Link: http://www.theclashonline.com/

I was saddened to hear about the attacks in London this morning. I woke up and Josh rolled over and told me about them because they occurred before he went to bed, so he was watching the coverage for a while. I had a feeling that he didn't want to upset or worry me in the middle of the night, so he didn't wake me. It's such a horrific situation for any country to go through, but I am so sad because I know that we are mainly to blame. I mean "we," as in the US. I feel bad for Tony Blair and I am devastated for those that lost loved ones in this tragedy. It's been almost 4 years since 9/11 and you would think that we could somehow have prevented this from happening as frequently as it has been. Maybe if we changed our foreign policies after 9/11 this wouldn't have happened? Or maybe if Blair back down his support? Who knows for sure really, but it just makes me sad. I will write more about this when I have a clearer head.

Link: http://www.systemofadown.com/

I had a FANTASTIC weekend. It was a perfect balance of mellowness and busyness throughout. It was crammed with a lot of events, but it didn’t feel that way. I had to forgo some events due to scheduling and car issues, such as Negin’s bridal shower in Ventura and Dan’s (director of the Animation Workshop at UCLA) annual 4th of July bash. So I am bummed about missing those events, but I was fortunate enough to be able to attend other ones throughout the weekend.

Work was nice on Friday. I was able to leave at 1pm and I was so happy because I could do all of my errands that I hadn’t had any time to do. I got my brakes fixed, a new bathing suit, mailed gifts and letters, returned a few things, and went to happy hour at Islands. We all haven’t been to Island’s in a really long time. I kinda missed all of the waiters there. There were a few new ones, but our regular waiter was working a different area this time. Josh and I later hung out with Régis and Donna and grabbed some yummy frozen yogurt. They’re a fun couple and it’s always nice to chat with them.

Saturday was very relaxing and just what Josh and I needed. We finally were able to enjoy each other’s company during the day for once. That night, M and I were going to go out with a few of her friends. We picked up a friend from the airport, but the baggage claim took a really long time and by the time we got back, the guest list closed at The Highlands (a club in Hollywood that tries to be cool). So we were forced to stand in line because of that, but we waited for a long time and the guys at the door were being jackasses and were very rude. I didn’t want to go there in the first place, but half of our group was already inside and there was a $20 cover. I hate paying covers. So after a while, some of us left and went to The Arsenal instead. It was a totally different scene and much more calm and less pretentious. It suited us better.

Sunday, Josh and I went to Michelle’s parent’s house for her annual BBQ. Her mom makes excellent Korean BBQ and Michelle likes to grill it even though she’s a vegetarian. Met some cool people and went swimming and hung out mainly with Lindsay (whom I haven’t seen in a really long time). It was lovely and the weather was perfect, even for Arcadia.

I went to Matt’s BBQ on Monday. It was a small and intimate get together and I had great fun. Josh went to Dan’s party instead. I was sad that I missed it because I had been going to it for the last two years, but I will probably go next year. I am glad that Nadja and her brother made an appearance. I hardly see her nowadays. Some of us climbed to the roof of Matt’s building in Hollywood and watched a fireworks show. It was a bit far away, so I didn’t bother taking any pictures of it. I met more people there and it was nice. I like getting to know my friend’s friends. It’s always fun and safe and almost natural. The circle slowly gets bigger every year. It’s a nice thought.

I had to attend an official orientation today. It wasn’t too bad. I learned a lot about my company and its corporate partners and such. It’s nice to be a part of a huge family and to know that the company will take care of me. I realized that I had my first goof at work. It was partially my fault, but it was correctable. They’re cool because they know that I am still learning and gave me a break. I basically started off in sink-or-swim mode, so I guess it’s expected. There is another new girl on the New York side, so between both of us, there were things that were supposed to happen that didn’t. But I was able to fix it with some help. I am glad that it was taken care of. I just need to learn the nitty-gritty before I become more comfortable in my job. But I like it and I like going in everyday thus far.

For dinner with M tonight, we spiced it up a bit since she had visitors in town. We went with a few of her friends to Versailles, a lovely Cuban restaurant near my apartment. They have the best garlic chicken that will leave your mouth tasting like garlic for a few days (I kid you not). Anil is leaving back to Miami tonight, but Juan Julio will be here for a few more days. I am glad that I am getting to know some of M’s friends better. They are mostly all very swell people and they have a lot of patience and understanding (you have to be or else you cannot be M’s friend, she’ll drive you crazy! Hehe).

And the countdown starts for the arrival of Andrea from Denver. She will be back this weekend and she already has all of her days planned out. She’s good like that. (And this is for you Andrea: I saw Michael Madsen in a Coffee Bean the other day, on Olympic and Bundy. It’s been kinda slow with celebrity sightings lately.)

And as requested, I added a link to my Flickr account to the left side, on the menu bar. I hope that helps! Enjoy!

S&TC quote of the day:
“The only thing that I have ever successfully made in the kitchen is a mess. And several little fires.” – Carrie (Season 4 – Sex and the Country)