30 Days of Truth (aka Too Much Information)

There's a blogging meme that's been circulating around teh Internets recently and one of my favourite bloggers brought it to my attention.  It's 30 days of writing prompts that lay your soul bare for your audience, so I'm thinking it's pretty safe to do since my readership is miniscule and more or less knows me better than I know myself anyway.


So, here's the list--feel free to co-opt this idea yourself since many other bloggers have already done it so it's not like I'm being original here.


Day 01 → Something you hate about yourself.
Day 02 → Something you love about yourself.
Day 03 → Something you have to forgive yourself for.
Day 04 → Something you have to forgive someone for.
Day 05 → Something you hope to do in your life.
Day 06 → Something you hope you never have to do.
Day 07 → Someone who has made your life worth living for.
Day 08 → Someone who made your life hell, or treated you like shit.
Day 09 → Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted.
Day 10 → Someone you need to let go, or wish you didn’t know.
Day 11 → Something people seem to compliment you the most on.
Day 12 → Something you never get compliments on.
Day 13 → A band or artist that has gotten you through some tough ass days. (write a letter.)
Day 14 → A hero that has let you down. (letter)
Day 15 → Something or someone you couldn’t live without, because you’ve tried living without it.
Day 16 → Someone or something you definitely could live without.
Day 17 → A book you’ve read that changed your views on something.
Day 18 → Your views on gay marriage.
Day 19 → What do you think of religion? Or what do you think of politics?
Day 20 → Your views on drugs and alcohol.
Day 21 → (scenario) Your best friend is in a car accident and you two got into a fight an hour before. What do you do?
Day 22 → Something you wish you hadn’t done in your life.
Day 23 → Something you wish you had done in your life.
Day 24 → Make a playlist to someone, and explain why you chose all the songs. (Just post the titles and artists and letter)
Day 25 → The reason you believe you’re still alive today.
Day 26 → Have you ever thought about giving up on life? If so, when and why?
Day 27 → What’s the best thing going for you right now?
Day 28 → What if you were pregnant or got someone pregnant, what would you do?
Day 29 → Something you hope to change about yourself. And why.
Day 30 → A letter to yourself, tell yourself EVERYTHING you love about yourself


So, starting with Day 1--and for the record, don't expect a post every single day for the next 30 'cause that's just not how I roll--here's something I hate about myself:  I hate my desperate and pathetic need to be the centre of attention.  I like to think I'm a confident person who likes who she is and believes in herself, but my perverse need for attention stands in stark contrast to that perception.  I try very hard to be less of an attention-whore, but I just don't have as much fun socially if I'm not dominating the conversation or having all around me hang on every word of my fascinating stories  Fortunately I'm blessed to have friends who don't seem to care and love me anyway even though I hog the spotlight, but I still feel like a dick the next day when I realize how much of a jerk I was.  I really beat myself up over this but I can't seem to stop.


Well, that was fun!  Let's hope Day 2 can keep this momentum going!

More Pics!

I posted another batch of pics from Cali over at my photoblog.  These ones were taken in Santa Cruz on the wine tour.

California Pics Round One

Alright, hop on over to my photoblog and check out the first batch of pictures...which is actually the last batch I took but screw chronology.

Here's a couple to whet your whistle.

Guy and Kendall's California Adventure Part IV

Our last full day in Cali was spent shopping and eating.  After a late start (cut me some slack--I'm on vacation!) Guy and I had a delicious breakfast at Esther's German Bakery with Jess and then we did a little shoe shopping at DS.  Then we went next door to Rasputin which is a used book and music store where I picked up a few things (ahem).  After that we picked up My Honey and we met his Google friend (who is Jess's beau) and we all had a fabulous lunch at Google's expense.  Guy and I fell in love with a fig and Gorgonzola salad and I had some awesome lamb!  We finished it all off with an It's It ice cream sandwich (first time for Guy and Jess).  They make a special version exclusively for Google that is sweetened with cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup.

Then Guy and I dropped My Honey off at work, Jess off at home and then continued our shopping adventure.  First we hit Target for some essentials (my mascara is half the price there that it is at home) and I picked up a couple of pairs of fall work pants and a birthday gift for my niece.  Then we went downtown and walked Castro street, visiting Therapy and a few book stores where I got a gift for the sucker co-worker who's looking after my cases while I'm away and a "Thank You" gift for Jess for letting us use her car.  Then we went to Trader Joe's where Guy got some Two Buck Chuck and I got some coffee.  After that we dropped by Kohl's where Guy found some pants and I got a shirt for me and a shirt for My Honey.  By that time said Honey was done work so we picked him up and headed home to pack, drink wine and eat pizza.

And so now I'm home, getting ready to head off to work.  It's always hard for me to come home from Cali but Guy's experiencing withdrawal for the first time today.  It's gonna be difficult for him to go back to paying LCBO prices for wine and Zehr's prices for cheese, not to mention no Rasputin!  Poor Guy...he just might have to move there.

Guy and Kendall's California Adventure Parts II & III

So much to tell you about! We went to Santa Cruz on Sunday and brought along my new bcf (Best California Friend) Jess who is like if Guy and I had a baby and she was raised in the States but was a closet Canadian. She is so much like the two of us it's eerie. She showed me she can handle her alcohol Saturday night at Bossa Nova by helping to drain the better part of a pitcher of watermelon mojitos (and I do mean drain) so I had a pretty good idea a silly little wine tour would be no challenge at all for her. I was right.

We had an awesome time--the wines were delicious and the panoramic vistas from these mountain wineries were absolutely beautiful (pics are coming, I promise!) We bought a few bottles at the second one we visited but really I was holding onto my money for Bev Mo (my Mecca). After the wine tour, we checked into our hotel, had a wee nap and then headed out for downtown Santa Cruz. Jess and I found an adorable little sock store where we had no choice but to buy a few cute pairs, then we hit a store that sold Chinese silk clothing, purses and decor accessories and I (of course) bought a purse and picked up a little something for Katie who's looking after Jax for me while I'm out here.

We had dinner at a fascinating place--it's part lounge and part restaurant and the lighting was so dim I had to use my flashlight app on my phone to read the menu! It vaguely reminded me of New Orleans, despite never having been there. The food was spectacular and we had a couple of cocktails that were delicious and unlike anything I've every had before. We finally stumbled back to the hotel and quickly called it a night as we had to get the working folk back to town in the morning at a reasonable hour.

Yesterday, Guy and I took a road trip to Carmel by the Sea and Jess very generously (and perhaps foolishly, depending on whom you ask) loaned us her Cooper Mini which I now love with every fiber of my being. It was so fun to drive! My favourite memory of yesterday will be zooming up the Pacific Coast Highway in Paolo (that's what we named him) with the windows down, the sunroof open and the late-afternoon sun reflecting off the ocean.

We wandered around downtown Carmel a bit then had a nice picnic down by the beach. We frolicked in the surf and took a tonne of pictures (I promise!) and generally had a fantastic day. I could go on and on, but the pictures will speak for themselves.

When we got home we all went out for sushi and then drank wine in the hot tub. What a life!

Guy and Kendall's California Adventure Part I

After a long but uneventful flight, Guy and I arrived at SFO at about 10:45pm Pacific time, were met by my Honey and (after a very long lineup) retrieved our rental car.  We made our way into San Francisco and went to a club called DNA where we saw the DNA Lounge where we caught the last half of the Hubba Hubba Review, a burlesque show that runs there once a month.  The show was pretty good--we all agreed our favourite act was the fan dancing routine by the Twilight Vixen Review.  It was a long night (we didn't get back home until 3am) and I could barely keep my eyes open long enough to drive home. 

Today we had a fun-filled day in San Francisco, visiting Fisherman's Wharf and the Mission.  We obviously had to see the famous sea lions at Pier 39 and although we didn't get a chance to ride a cable car we did catch a glimpse of a few of them.  We also did a little shopping at the Sketchers store on Mission and the Rasputin music store on Powell. 

You may not know this, but finding parking in San Fran can be challenging.  I was able to find good parking pretty much everywhere we went and this was just about the best part of the whole day for me.  We ended the day by hooking up with friends and grabbing dinner at Bossa Nova, a great little Brazilian tapas restaurant on 8th St.  We just got back and we're all exhausted.  No rest for the weary, though--tomorrow we're off to Santa Cruz for a wine tour!

Kendall and Guy's Adventures in California

After work today, Guy Hosenpeter and I are heading off to the Sunshine State to visit my Honey and paint the town various shades of red.  Over the next few days I'll try to find the time to regale you with tales of our adventures--tonight we're taking in a burlesque show!  Future plans may include (and by no means are limited to) Fisherman's Wharf, Carmel by the Sea, and a wine tour in Santa Cruz.  We may even pay a visit to crazy Sarah Winchester and take a gander at her amazing house. 

Stay tuned!