Thursday
Thursday night was dinner with the baking posse at Fraiche. The company was as always, lovely. And the food was very good. The waitress however, neither lovely nor good; in fact, she was a downright bitch. You can read a more detailed account of what went down and why I won’t be returning to Fraiche over at Jenn’s blog.

Friday
Came home and relaxed then went to sleep early. Exciting, I know.

Saturday
Slept in then went out to the Valley to meet Laura, a college roommate I haven’t seen in over 10 years (!!), for coffee. It was so nice catching up (I still can’t believe she has a seven-year-old daughter!) and we laughed so hard we were nearly in tears.

On my way back to the City, I realized Laura and I have really been through a lot together–a roommate in the dorms who attempted suicide, a roommate in the house who was slipped a Roofie (or what we now believe was a Roofie, as this was years before GHB was all over the news) then consequently raped, and of course, the Northridge earthquake. I know it doesn’t make sense, but that all seems like forever ago, yet it also feels like yesterday. I’m so glad Laura and I are back in touch (thanks to Laura being friends with Julie’s sister-in-law which I was reminded of on Facebook) and I know we will be friends for years to come!

Straight from coffee, I met up with my sister and her friend Ava at Century City mall for a quick bite to eat and to see Sex and the City. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I didn’t cry during the movie at all. I think the two men sitting next to me cried enough for all three of us though.

Sunday
Picked up my Little and headed out to Temescal Canyon for the annual party for all the Bigs and Littles. We had a nice picnic and talked to some of the other matches, then we had the opportunity to do the Ropes Course. Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), time was limited, so it was mostly Littles that did the course. Let me tell you, my Little has no fear whatsoever! The instructors kept commenting on her enthusiasm and they even dangled her from the line a few time. I was terrified, but she really enjoyed it.

Now I’m home and finally doing laundry and cleaning and then intend to plant myself on the sofa for the rest of the night. I’m beat.
- - -
In other news, tomorrow is the first of two Jdates in as many days. Please think good thoughts.

My weekend actually began Thursday night when I met up with Kristin and Tamara (a fellow LA blogger whom I had never read before, but am now so glad I met!) at Edendale Grill in Silver Lake (Silverlake? I never know which way to spell it.) for martinis, martinis, and more martinis. Kristin was in town for business, and after getting to know each other via our blogs for the past four years, it was really great meeting her. She is just as sweet and fun in person as she is on her blog. And as we sat outside sipping martinis in the 50 degree weather on the patio near the heat lamps, Tamara and I in our jackets and Kristin sans one, I couldn’t help but laugh when she called our freezing cold weather “warm and balmy.” But I won’t hold that against her, especially because within her first hour of being in LA, her rental car broke down on the 405 and she had to deal with the asshats on the freeway. What a “welcome to LA” moment; at least things could only get better from there!

Friday I left the office and headed straight to everyone’s dream–a very empty Target. It was so nice to stroll through the aisles and not have kids running all over the place, or have to wait in a huge line to pay. I also happened upon a really inexpensive piece of art to hang in my kitchen. I love it in all of its cheesy glory. After Target, I hung my “art,” had sushi delivered, and scraped wax off of my menorah while watching bad reality TV.

I also had to search my apartment in order to find a piece of paperwork that allows me to make medical decisions for my Little while she is with me. (I was taking her Disneyland the following day, and it was one of those things I felt I should have, just in case. And it is now in my wallet, where it should be.) Aren’t you jealous your evening wasn’t as exciting as mine?

The next morning, I woke up right after the sun, packed some snacks, and picked my Little up and headed off to Disneyland. Amazingly, there was no traffic so the ride there was uneventful, save for me wanting to shoot someone after listening to about half a dozen Kelly Clarkson songs. When my Little is in the car, she somehow gains control of the radio.

Disneyland was a lot of fun, albeit expensive even with free passes (given to me by my airplane friend Hilary): Parking was $11, lunch (burgers and fries and sodas) was $20, dinner (skewers–who knew? and drinks) was also $20, and dessert (ice cream sundaes) was $10. Fortunately, I did a good job of packing snacks so the only extra thing we bought was $3 cotton candy. I don’t know why I felt the need to share that with you, I’m sure you don’t really care. So anyway…

Like I mentioned before, I had not been to Disneyland since college, and I have to say, the fast pass thing is amazing–no more having to wait two hours for rides! Except that Matterhorn didn’t offer a fast pass which ended up being alright since the line was only 30 minutes, but the new submarine ride was two hours and neither of us felt like waiting for that. We also didn’t get a chance to go on Space Mountain because when we arrived at our fast pass time, the ride was closed “for repairs.” Uhh yeah.

To wax nostalgic for just a moment, the minute I walked into Disneyland, I had a flood of emotions. I remembered going to the park in high school with Julie, Marisa, and Josh, all of us wearing high school sweatshirts and having a blast. And I remembered my first visit there with The Ex, and getting caught in a downpour and wearing yellow ponchos and walking around with soaking wet shoes. Then I remembered my last visit there with The Ex, and his horrible fraternity formal and us fighting and breaking up and getting back together. Thankfully, I have new memories, even if they do include a 14-year-old asking me, “Was the Pirates of the Caribbean ride the same back in the day?”

Sunday morning I woke up at 7:30 and couldn’t fall back asleep even though I was thoroughly exhausted. I watched TV then decided to throw some laundry in, and by 11:00 I had already done four loads and cleaned my apartment. I saw my sister briefly, then ran errands. Now my eyes are beginning to close and I’m quickly fading so I think it’s time to take a short nap. I wish I didn’t have to work tomorrow.
- - -
In boy news, The Professor and I are going out next week, The Googler appears to be the latest victim of the The Bus, and there is a possible setup in the near future.

(Sorry about the lag when commenting. I had to activate the goofy plugin again because my site was getting big time spammed. Unfortunately, it causes major slowness when commenting, but it’s either that or have my site down repeatedly because of the spammers.)

I either have super horrible allergies or am fighting off a cold. I’ve had a dull headache for about three days now keep thinking it’s going to turn into a migraine, yet so far it has not. Anyway, another unremarkable weekend. I:

• Started the weekend by tripping over my own two feet in the stairwell of the parking garage at my office building. In front of a cute guy of course, because when I fall, oh I fall. The damage: two skinned knees (one with blood) and a cut pinky finger (not sure how that happened).
• Went to Sit N Sleep (of You’re killing me Larry! fame) and tried out about 15 mattresses. Tried to haggle with the guy but he wouldn’t budge. Went to Leeds on Pico, found a very similar mattress (Sealy euro plush pillowtop or something like that), and got it for way less than both the price tag price and the Sit N Sleep price. It’s being delivered next weekend, I am so excited!
• Talked to a Jdate guy on the phone.
• Had brunch with my sister and aunt at Jinky’s in West Hollywood.
• Got a $40 parking ticket in West LA during the five minutes I was in the mattress store before running back out after realizing I forgot to put money in the meter.
• Heard my neighbor and his lady friend having sex at 2:30 a.m. both Friday and Saturday morning. Maybe she’s a waitress and comes over when she’s done with her shift.
• Ran a million errands, including Bed Bath and Beyond, the market, the pharmacy, and other exciting places.
• Took my Little to the Los Angeles International Children’s Film Festival at LACMA. Did you know that every Sunday they have free activities for kids? We signed her up for a free membership (and she gets to bring an adult along for free) so we’ll definitely be going back.

And that’s it. Now I’m doing laundry and hoping my headache will go away.
- - -
Question for the teachers out there: My Little’s back to school night is this week and I’d like to go. Do you think her teachers will mind?

Thursday
Went to Vinum Populi with Jen. That place rocks! I bought a $10 debit card, and was able to taste three or four different wines, it was awesome. As I was telling Jen about my latest potential Jdate, the guy sitting at the couch about an inch from us began telling the girl he was with how he is over Jdate because of all the bad experiences he’s had. I knew I had seen his profile before, but I can’t find it now. Anyway, it was funny.

Friday
Went to the ENT where I promptly had an endoscope put down my throat so that the doctor could see my vocal chords. Since I have such a horrible gag reflex, the throat option didn’t work, so instead the doctor tortured me by putting it through my nose and down my throat. Yes, it was as pleasant as it sounds. I think he got a new instrument and wanted to try it out or something, because he’s never cared about my vocal chords before. I can’t wait to get my bill in the mail.

After work, my sister picked me up and we headed over to the Cingular store where I joined the rest of the modern world and bought a BlackBerry Curve. It does waaaay more than my Razr ever did, yet I’m still reluctant to give up my paper calendar. Call me old fashioned. After that, we went to California Chicken Cafe for salads while I tried to ward off my buyer’s remorse.

Saturday
Checked my mail and was pleasantly surprised to find a check for $120 from my landlord because he apparently overcharged all of us for some city fees. Needless to say, I was no longer suffering from buyer’s remorse.

I then spent much of the day out in the Valley where I had a manicure and pedicure and got my hair cut and colored. It was a much, much needed day of relaxation. That evening, I cleaned my apartment, went through all the mail that had taken over my kitchen table, and then watched about four hours of Tivod stuff. My head was spinning after watching Ugly Betty–too many story lines to keep up with!

Sunday
I took my Little to the West Hollywood Book Fair. Unfortunately, most of the children and family area was geared toward younger kids and the adult section was um, too adult for her. On our way back to the parking lot, a woman approached us and told my Little how beautiful she is and gave us her card; she’s a talent agent. When the woman left, my Little just shrugged and said that’s happened a few times before, but her mother has never followed through and asked if I would call. I’m debating doing that, because I don’t know if that business is something I would want my Little to go into, especially given the stress and craziness she already has at home.

That afternoon, I ran all over the city looking for a portfolio binder thingy for my writing samples. Did I mention I have an interview tomorrow?

Now I’m deciding between doing laundry or sitting on my butt the rest of the night. I have a feeling sitting on my butt may win. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Thursday
Went to the LA Film Festival screening of Hot Rod at the Ford Amphitheatre with Jen and her husband. The movie was really funny, and the cast was awesome and even included a Groundling alum that I used to see perform back in the day.

Friday
Came home from work with a really unhappy stomach. I put my PJs on and went to bed early, missing out on Marissa’s drinks on the patio get together. Not happy.

Saturday
Fortunately, I woke up feeling much better. I went to WW and learned I am down 2.2 (for a total of seven), but I think that is partly due to switching from evening to morning weigh-ins. Whatever the reason, I’m happy. In the afternoon, I ran errands, including a trip to Pavilions where they have a special buy two 12-packs of Coke products, and get three free. Crazy good deal. Also, I did my walk/run thing, and used my Shuffle for the first time. The headphones kept popping out when I was running, but stayed in OK while I was walking. How do you get them to stay in all the time? I’m wondering if my ears are shaped weird or something.

That night, DG came over and we saw Sicko at the Arclight, went for Hawaiian BBQ for dinner, then came back to my apartment and hung out, playing with the settings on my new camera and stuff. It was fun. Sicko was a great film, yet incredibly sad. It reminded me of years back when I had Cigna insurance (worst company ever), and had to fight like mad to get a doctor-recommended Pap paid for. Cigna repeatedly told me they only cover one Pap a year, regardless if my doctor recommended an additional one following an abnormal result. Yes, seriously. Fortunately, I won the fight and it was eventually paid for.

Sunday
So much for sleeping in. I picked up my Little and took her to Venice Beach for the day. It was fun, but really frustrating at times. She absorbs everything her mother tells her, and doesn’t know what is made up and what is true. It’s sad. I know that’s really vague, but I don’t want to get into specifics here. Anyway, the weather was absolutely perfect down by the beach, and there was not a cloud in the sky.

Frustrated from my outing, I decided to do a little damage at Target. Unfortunately, the place was so packed that I had to wait 15 minutes for a shopping cart. Come on Target, splurge a little on a few more carts. While shopping, I treated myself to the new Jane Green book which I hope won’t be as disappointing as her last few. I also got a pair of sport headphones to try out, which I hope will stay in better than the iPod ones.

Now I have two loads of laundry in the machines, my air conditioning on, and I’m going to unpack my purchases and read. I so wish tomorrow was the holiday because I could sure use an extended weekend right about now.

So this weekend was pretty sucky, in that I’m feeling sorry for myself kind of way.

I decided to try to do a bunch of fix-it things around my apartment, then got frustrated when I realized I needed an additional set of hands in order to complete the tasks.

I then logged onto IM and received a message from a guy I dated many moons ago, and haven’t spoken to in years, asking what was new. I told him not much and asked what was new with him. Turns out he got married two months ago. Not really what I wanted to hear.

This of course made me think about The Ex’s recent wedding and caused me to doubt my decision to not marry him after college. Then I reminded myself of the dinner we had a few years ago, and his lovely display of craziness two years ago. I keep reminding myself I made the right decision.

Today was the annual bowling party for all the Big Brothers/Sisters and Little Brothers/Sisters. In the lane adjacent to ours, I noticed a cute Big Brother wearing a Guster t-shirt. (I happened to be wearing my Guster hoodie.) Anyway, the band’s not very popular on the west coast, so I decided to comment on his t-shirt. We chatted a bit while waiting for our turns to bowl and he mentioned Guster’s playing some special show in a few weeks but you can’t purchase tickets, they’re only available through Hillel (or something weird like that) and we exchanged email addresses in case either of us figures out a way to score tickets.

So, after more talking, we discovered he’s from the same city (Bloomfield Hills) I’m from in Detroit! And he used to live down the street from me in Hollywood! And he’s a lawyer! And (obviously) a Big Brother! The more we talk, the more I think, how cool! Finally, as things begin winding down at the party, I ask why he moved to the westside from Hollywood. His answer? “I moved in with my girlfriend.”

Fuck me.

Lots of stuff going on:

• Went to ENT at 8:00 a.m. Friday morning. The blood work showed no autoimmune diseases which is good news. However, that means I most likely need to get my tonsils removed. The doctor prescribed me a super duper heavy duty antibiotic (800 mg a day for 10 days!) as a last ditch attempt to get to the bacteria inside the tonsils. This usually doesn’t work, but it’s the last thing to try before declaring surgery a must. I go back to him on September 8 and that’s when we’ll make the final decision. But at the moment, all bets are on surgery. Has anyone had their tonsils removed as an adult? From what I’ve heard, it’s way more miserable than having it done as a child.
• I returned to my office around 8:45, and shortly after settling in, received a whispered phone call from a coworker telling me that someone had been let go. Yep, the layoffs were in full force–fifteen people this time, including a friend from my department. Needless to say, it was a sad day and no one did any work.
• This weekend, I had my Little over for a sleepover. I took her to Mulberry Street Pizza for dinner, then across the street to Color Me Mine to paint pottery (she chose a penguin bank, I chose a cupcake shaped container), then to the market to buy ice cream for dessert and pancake mix (I know, for shame!) for the morning. While at the market, I noticed Magic Shell and asked her if she liked it. She told me she’d never heard of it, and after I explained what it was, she responded, “is it from the olden days?” I told her if she wanted chocolate chip pancakes in the morning she’d better quit asking me if stuff was from the olden days. The agreement was going well until she inquired about the song “Gone Daddy Gone” by Gnarles Barkley. I told her that I had the CD by the Violent Femmes, and she said, “huh?”
• My sister stopped by to pick up a messenger bag I loaned (gave?) her to take to NY where she will be for the next month working on a show that shoots out there. I’m so jealous, and I will give her specific instructions on what kind of dragees I want her to bring back to California.
• I made English toffee.
• I’m leaving for Seattle Friday evening. I wish my trip was later in the month though, because a) my throat is horribly sore and b) the antibiotics are doing a number on my stomach.
• Though he’d disagree (I’m working, I want to see you but I’m busy working), I think it’s time to call DG a victim of The Bus.
• Yes I live in Hollywood; no I did not go to Sunset Junction. I suppose that makes me totally uncool. But I did hit the Hollywood Farmer’s Market so maybe that will help up my cred.

I can’t wait for my trip. And even more, I can’t wait for my throat/glands/body to stop hurting.

Friday
This heat is making me lazy. I stayed home and watched TV and talked on the phone all night. My friend Ann-Marie called and said she had a bridal shower baking gig for me–I am so excited! Now I just need to get some business cards designed. Any volunteers?

Saturday
I slept in, ran errands, then trekked out to the hot Valley for a day of pampering. It was 120 degrees in Chatsworth. Insanely hot. Following my mani/pedi and hair cut and color, I came home and relaxed for a bit before getting ready for my date with DG. We had originally planned to get together around 8:00, which turned into 9:00, which turned into 9:15. I later found out he was working nights while he was out of town so his sleep schedule was all out of whack and he was lagging yesterday. Anyway, we went for a late sushi dinner then hung out at my apartment for a while. Dinner was a lot of fun. DG makes me laugh, is quite easy on the eyes, and while we have some silences, they’re never awkward, at least not to me.

Also, while we were hanging out, I asked DG if I could possibly bribe him to go to IKEA with me (he has a large SUV and I want to buy a desk). He responded by saying of course he would go, and a bribe is not necessary. I thought that was sweet. He also mentioned he had his first red velvet cupcake recently and that he loved it. I think I’m going to bake him a batch as soon as temperature outside is lower than that of my oven.

Sunday
Woke up way too early and picked up my Little. We had planned on going to the Santa Monica Pier, but when I picked her up around 11:00 it was hot and humid and lightening outside. I figured the pier wasn’t the best idea so we ended up at the Beverly Center instead. Food court, Wet Seal, and dozens of pictures of ourselves at the Apple store later, we hit Cold Stones then I took her home.

Now I’m going to take a short nap because I got to sleep really late last night and want to be awake to celebrate my birthday tomorrow.

In bullet form, because I’m too tired to write complete paragraphs.

Friday

• En route to the waxer my sister recommended, I saw Nicole Richie being hounded by paparazzi outside Sprinkles.
• Got my eyebrows waxed for $17 and still have all of my skin.
• Freaked the waxer out by telling her my sister and I really do have the same parents. She thinks we look nothing alike.
• Had a lovely dinner with a friend.
• Spoke to a new Jdate guy on the phone and learned he’s in the process of becoming a Big Brother…so cool. Drinks on Tuesday.

Saturday

• Went to WW and am down 2.2 more pounds. Yay!
• Got my hair cut and colored. And my hands and feet done. I’m Not Really A Waitress red of course!
• Received my super secret package consisting of contraband from Ari. Have I mentioned how much she rocks?
• Cleaned out my closet. (Before and after.) Found two interesting items, including an ancient cell phone and a Soup Dragons t-shirt, amid the disaster area.
• Over late night popsicles with a friend, put two and two together and figured out a lot of stuff in my head and was reminded that the company one keeps really does say a lot about that person.
• Was convinced by my friend that I should have a painting party. I’m planning on a making a bunch of snacks and desserts and inviting my friends over to help paint my apartment. Finally. I’ve only been talking about it for years. Let me know if you want to help.

Sunday

• Slathered myself with sunscreen then drove out to the Westside to pick up my Little then trekked all the way out to Camp for the party for all the Bigs and Littles to celebrate our matches.
• Did I mention it was about 100 degrees?
• Chatted with other Bigs (including one cute, single Big Brother) and Littles, had lunch (including plenty of cotton candy and snow cones), played the carnival games, and went on a bouncy bungee thing.
• After sweating outside in the 100 degree weather for two hours, I was informed that my Little and I were chosen as one of two matches (out of almost 200 total) to be photographed and interviewed for PR materials and newspaper articles.
• Had a mini photo shoot and was told I should be receiving a call for an interview shortly. Kinda cool!
• Drove back out to the Westside to drop my Little off, then finally made it back to Hollywood, about an hour and a half later. Traffic sucked.
• After emailing with my cousin, I decided I’m going to visit him in Seattle, hopefully over Labor Day weekend. That way I can catch Bumbershoot, see my aunt and uncle, and see my cousin play live again.

Now I have to tend to adult stuff, like an empty fridge, a messy living room, and brown bananas begging to be made into chocolate chip banana bread.

I ordered some prints on Flickr and chose the pickup at Target option. Somehow, my $1.60 purchase warranted a $1.60 discount. The only thing that could have possibly made that deal any cooler is if last night when I went to Target to pick up my pictures (and other stuff), I wouldn’t have left the photo envelope in the cart in the parking garage. Yes, I’m an idiot. So if you um, have my pictures, email me, k?

- - -And to make my night even weirder, the Orange County attorney I used to date called me out of the blue at 8:00 to say he was spending the night in LA because he has an early morning court appearance in Beverly Hills. He invited me to join him for a drink at the hotel bar but I politely declined–I’m still not feeling well, really needed one night at home, and can’t drink alcohol until today because of my antibiotics anyway.- - -A coworker bought me the Rent DVD as a thank you gift. How cool is that?- - -I decided to start a baking blog. When I have free time (someone please remind me what that is), I’ll actually add recipes to it.- - -Earlier this week my Little called to tell me that she no longer likes KIIS FM. Instead, she’s now listening to STAR. This may not seem like a big deal, but it’s progress–two years ago, we listened only to Radio Disney. I’m hoping to have her tuning into JACK FM by 2007.

In other Big Sister news, my Little and I just passed the two year mark as a match. And to celebrate, we’re having a sleepover. Good times.

- - -And finally, tomorrow is date number four with CL Guy. Hopefully he’ll call this morning to let me know what the plan is, otherwise there’s going to be a major clothing (and why didn’t he call) crisis in the near future.

Things I did this weekend:

• Make a doctor’s appointment. As I may have mentioned before, I have a heart murmur. It’s an “innocent” congenital murmur and nothing to worry about right now, I may need surgery when I’m in my 70s. Anyway, I have to go for an EKG once a year so the doctor can make sure the flow of blood through the valve is still good. Yeah well, apparently it’s been almost two years since my last visit. Whoops.
• Tried to buy Guster tickets only to find out they are sold out. And all because I was a good friend who waited for a friend to ask if the boy she has gone on three dates with got hockey tickets for that same night. Whatever. Anyone have any connections with the Roxy?
• Successfully manage to screw up my blog.
• See a funny play with David and Jamie while Dave fixed my blog.
• Buy $98 dollar jeans at Lucky.
• Return the same $98 jeans, 24 hours later, to a different location.
• Go bowling with my Little, where I was asked the following: Are you going to have a baby? Why don’t you have one soon? Why don’t you have a husband? Don’t you want one? Where will you live after you get married? Will you move again when you have a baby? Can we still go on outings when you get married? Why do black clothes make you hotter than white ones? What are bowling balls made of?
• Go grocery shopping.

Things I did not do this weekend:

• Mail in my jury duty form (to prove I completed my service) from oh, around mid-December.
• Order checks. I am now down to my last two.
• Do the math and figure out if my landlord is charging me the correct amount for my rent increase.
• Gather all of my stuff so I can do my taxes soon.
• Do laundry.
• Go to the dry cleaners.
• Read, write, bake, or do anything creative.

I need a three-day weekend badly.

Friday after work, I hit Off Broadway and got a pair of really cute Nine West shoes–black, pointy toe, low heel. I love them. That night I read some of my homework then caught up a bit on my TiVo’d shows.

Saturday I spent the entire day in the Valley. I started off by shedding my security blanket and had five inches cut from my hair. This was a very difficult thing for me to do, and I am still completely surprised that I didn’t cry. I love the cut, and am trying to get used to the length–I’m sure when I wash it tomorrow morning it will feel even stranger.

Following the chop, I met up with a friend and we hit the mall (I got a purse) then we had dinner. Nice and mellow night, just like I needed. Except for the part where, around 12:30 a.m., I went to sleep to the sounds of my apparently-not-gay-neighbor’s lady friend screaming OhmygodOhmygodOhmygod, OhmygodOhmygodOhmygod, OhmygodOhmygodOhmygod. Ugh.

Sunday I woke up an hour before my alarm, thanks to OhmygodOhmygodOhmygod lady whom I would later see doing the walk of shame in her club outfit, carrying her heels. After that, I picked my Little up from Sunday School and we headed over to Dodger Stadium. Our seats rocked–free infield boxes and preferred parking. [Ed. note: See the blond woman with the kid in her lap in the picture? The guy sitting next to her caught a pop-up. Bare handed.]

The next four hours were spent watching the game responding to questions and statements such as, How many outfits does each player have? Do they throw them away? How much does it cost to wash them? How old is Dodger Stadium? How much could someone buy it for? How much does each player make? What is a contract? What is a free agent? Does he get a raise if he gets a lot of points? Why is it called a run instead of a point? What is that yellow pole? If we caught a ball, how much would it be worth? How many days do the players spend together? Why aren’t there any women? Can I have ice cream? I don’t think it’s fair the Dodgers don’t get to hit again. Yeah, I’ve got four hours worth of those. Right now, I am dying for an adult conversation.

Friday night I decided to forgo the gym and instead baked cookies for a party I would be attending the following night. Aren’t they cute? They’re peanut butter cookies with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups inside. Really now, what could be better than peanut butter and chocolate? Yum! Update: Here’s the recipe.

Saturday morning I woke up at 9:00 (ugh, too early for a Saturday), and dragged my cookie-tasting self to the gym where I saw a guy from Groundlings working out. That afternoon I got my eyebrows waxed, my nails manicured, and hit Target and Trader Joes with the rest of Hollywood. In case you were wondering what people out here do when it’s 90+ in the City–they go to Target in West Hollywood.

After fighting my way out of the parking garage, I finally made it home in enough time to get ready for the shindig then picked up Annabel Lee. [ed. note: The party was hosted by a girl I met at Speeddating (I know, go figure) the same night I met Speeddating Guy.] Anyway, the adventure began when we: a) got stuck in traffic at a drivers license/sobriety check point on Pico near Beverly Glen; then b) almost got creamed by a bus on Bundy; and lastly c) drove around for thirty minutes trying to find a parking spot near the hostess’s apartment. We finally found one, two blocks away.

Once at the party, we bumped into none other than everyone’s mutual friend Evan (who by the way, can help you with your online dating profile should you need some assistance) and his friend. We then plopped ourselves down on the couch where we drank lots of wine and shared witty conversation. It was a fun night.

Sunday morning I slept right through my Weight Watchers meeting (oops) then picked up my Little for our first outing of the summer. We had originally planned to go miniature golfing at that huge place in Sherman Oaks, but the heat won out and we ended up at a super cool, indoor glow-in-the-dark miniature golf place in the City recommended to me by Annabel Lee. [ed. note: Thanks!] My Little had the best time and already can’t wait to go back. It was totally fun, and I think it could make for a fun date night (should I actually have a date sometime soon).

After all that fun and excitement, I headed back home and now plan to do laundry, clean my apartment, then maybe meet a friend for dinner. Then again, TiVo sounds a little more relaxing.

I just got home from a really stressful meeting with my Little’s mom and the case worker. It’s a long story and I don’t want to get into it here but I got really frustrated and when the mom left, I cried. So much craziness. Everyday I consider ending the match but then I think about my Little and the impact it would have on her. I just can’t disappoint her like that.

In other news, Tentative Jdate Guy emailed me saying he noticed I removed my profile from Jdate. Then he suddenly felt the need to set plans in stone. So, we are supposedly getting together a week from Wednesday. Supposedly being the key word.

This must be the most poorly written post in blogging history, but I’m tired and cranky and stressed and anxious for The Amazing Race to start. Please dear god let Rob and Amber lose tonight.

And speaking of blogging, today brought my 50,000 visitor to this here site. Everyday I’m surprised that so many of you continue to read my blatherings because lately I’ve been questioning whether it’s time to put my blog to sleep.

In case you see this blimp in the skies over the U.S., please note that my Little and I helped paint it as part of the Ameriquest Soaring Dreams program. We were invited, along with all of the kids in LA who helped paint the panels a few months ago, to Dodger Stadium for today’s game (Dodger’s lost) and the Soaring Dreams Launch Ceremony. Isn’t the blimp beautiful?

Oh yeah, for those of you in other states, it was about 80 degrees and sunny. Couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather.

My Little called me this morning and said she had a very important question.

My Little: Hilary, what are you?
Me: What am I? What do you mean?
My Little: At your job. You’re a writer, right?
Me: Yes, I’m a writer.
My Little: I want to be a writer when I grow up.
Me: How exciting! What do you want to write?
My Little: Books.
Me: So do I.

How precious is that?

Last night I attended the annual Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters dinner and auction gala at the Beverly Hilton emceed by Brad Garrett of Everybody Loves Raymond. There were two honorees–a very generous volunteer/mentor in the community as well as a Big Brother (he and his Little have been matched for eight years).

The party was beautiful and so much fun! There were amazing items (art work, jewelry, cruises, a Segwey, etc.) auctioned off and a ton of money was raised for the organization. And of course, there was lots of wine, dinner, a band, and dancing.

I was (surprisingly) seated at a table filled with generous donors and board members and their families rather than at a table with other Bigs. The board members were so excited to finally meet an actual Big Sister and asked tons of questions about my Little and our outings. I was thrilled to give them all the details! They even got to see a picture of the two of us when our photo displayed on the huge screen in the room. Nothing like seeing a picture of yourself that just about spans a wall.

I’m so glad I went to the party and am looking forward to becoming more involved with such an incredible organization. It really was a wonderful evening.

For those of you wondering, The Comic left me messages on Sunday and Monday. I called him back Tuesday evening and left a message asking him to call me back. I haven’t heard back from him. I wonder if he found my blog.

My friends and coworkers are going to drive me to put my profile back up on Jdate–they all claim my Jdates provide vital entertainment for them. Hmm. I will not put my profile back. I will not put my profile back.

Regarding shirts that have built in camisoles–why can’t the camisole be attached to the outside shirt via the side seam rather than just a tiny stitch at the shoulder? That would make it soooo much easier to put the damn thing on. Ladies, you know what I mean, right?

Is using the restroom then not washing your hands the new black? I keep seeing people at my office not washing. Gross.

Last weekend my Little and I joined other Littles and Big Brothers/Big Sisters and participated in the Soaring Dreams program. We painted long panels of a special material that will be installed on a blimp which will fly all over the country, and even make an appearance over Dodger Stadium during their home opener. How cool is that?

And lastly, a shameless plug. Don’t forget that my blog is up for JIB’s Best Personal Blog (Group B), so go vote!

As many of you know, I volunteer as a Big Sister to a really cool little girl. She’s turning 11 this month, and I told her we could do something special for her birthday. Well, something special to her means seeing Clay Aiken or someone just as horribly frightening in concert. So here’s my plea…anyone have hookups for concert tickets? I told her the price ($48-$83 each) is a bit steep (read: uh no, I’m not paying $100 to take you to see Clay Aiken), but I would love to be able to surprise her with tickets, so any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Now back to regular blogging.

I’m back as a Big Sister. Spoke to the case worker yet again and we’re giving it another go, at least through the beginning of the school year. Long story. Cross those fingers.

—In other news, tonight is date number two with SpeedDating Guy!—And in even more totally unrelated news, my sister has found a sublet in NY.

Busy busy weekend! Spent Friday night welcoming a friend into a new decade (woohoo, go thirties!). Saturday I treated myself to a manicure and pedicure then ran around like a crazy person trying to get my errands done. Then finally got to relax.

Today I took my little to Shoreline Village in Downtown Long Beach where we walked around the pier then took a relaxing cruise around the harbor where we got to see some seals hanging out on a buoy! The weather was absolutely perfect and the clouds burned off just in time for the boat ride.

—
Tonight, a friend and I saw Garden State at everyone’s favorite theater, the Arclight (only $11 after 6 p.m. on Sunday, who knew?). The movie was great and has a wonderful soundtrack, including a very different cover of The Postal Service’s Such Great Heights performed by Iron and Wine.

Now I must sleep.

Spent a few hours with my little at KidCity in Pasadena today. KidCity is basically a big festival with booths, arts and crafts, and a few sport-type things (Velcro wall, rock climbing wall, etc.). It was well over 90 degrees and way too hot for any type of outdoor activity if you ask me.

Cost of free event:
Parking: $7
Soft pretzel and frozen lemonade: $6
Two drinks later in the day: $6
My little telling me how much she missed me while she was away at camp: Priceless.

I’m sad to report that it looks like my match with my little is coming to a premature end after six short months. The quick explanation–my little’s mom is making things too difficult by intentionally forgetting and canceling outings and the such. The worst part of the early ending is that the person it’s hurting the most, my little, is the one who needs the match the most.

Just got back from my little’s school musical. I think the last time I was at an elementary school was when I was in elementary school. The show was cute, although it was hard to hear the kids on stage because of the parents in the audience shushing everyone. It seems like they had no problem chatting away when other people’s kids were on stage, but when their child was on stage, everyone got shushed. Anyway, I am proud to say my little gave a stellar performance and I am quite proud of her.

In other music related news, I am going to see Guster at the Greek Theater in September. I can’t wait–they are wonderful live!

In non-music related news, I’m not sure what happened, but traffic to my blog seems to have doubled overnight. So, to all my new readers: thanks for visiting, come back soon, and say hi or something!

Took my little to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban at the Grove today. Good thing I bought the tickets online in advance and that we saw one of the earlier shows–when our movie got out at 3:00, there was already a huge line for the 3:45 showing. Insane. Anyway, it appears I am the only person in all of LA to not be in complete awe of this whole Harry Potter thing. I haven’t read any of the books and until today I hadn’t seen any of the movies. And nope, I don’t plan to either.

So now I’m stuck home and bored to tears. While we were watching the movie my plans for tonight somehow got scratched so I’m hunting down other peeps to do something with. Wish me luck, otherwise it looks like a Blockbuster night.

Just got back from an outing to the Grove/Farmer’s Market with my little. It was so cute seeing her face light up when she asked if we could take the trolley from the Grove to the Farmer’s Market. It’s amazing what excites a ten-year-old. Anyway, the weather was beautiful and we perused the shops and finally ended up at the sticker store. (Did you know sticker books were still cool? I had such an awesome sticker book when I was a kid!) I bought her a two dollar sheet of stickers and wow, was she stoked. Then we picked up some food and ate it near the huge fountain in front of the movie theaters. What a fun night–I’m really enjoying being a big sister, especially to such an amazing child.

Just got back from brunch and a show at the Magic Castle. It was really cool–there were 70 Bigs (Big Brothers and Big Sisters) and 70 Littles (Little Brothers and Little Sisters) and it was really neat to see other matches in action. Not to mention, the magic show itself was a lot of fun! Notable moment of the day–another Big asked if I’ve had a lot of people recognize me from Jdate, because I look exactly like my pictures. Glad to hear I really look like my pictures, but kinda embarrassed to be recognized from the website.

In other news, I still feel like crap and am very thankful that DayQuil was invented.

Took my “Little” to this karaoke-brunch place today. We were having a fun time, even though she didn’t know most of the songs in the book. I noticed a song by Paula Abdul, and thinking she’d be familiar with it, asked if she wanted to sing it. Her response? “Paula Abdul from American Idol? I didn’t know she was a singer.” She knows Paula Abdul only as a judge on American Idol, not as a former singer and dancer. Apparently my “Little” wasn’t even a twinkle in her parents’ eyes when that song was on the radio. Ouch again.

While in the car with my “little” on the way to the Aquarium yesterday, we were talking about concert tickets. Specifically, how badly she wants us to get Hilary Duff concert tickets. (In case you’re wondering, uh, no, I’m not a Hilary Duff fan. But I am a really cool Big Sister. A REALLY cool Big Sister.) Anyway, I was reminiscing and telling her how when I was in high school, my friend and I waited in line for hours for concert (I think for Boingo? Am I right?) tickets. I explained to her that we woke up early, sat on the sidewalk, and just waited for our turn. My “little” turns to me with this confused look and says “Why didn’t you just buy them on the web?” If that’s not enough to make me feel old, I don’t know what is.

Took my “little” to the Aquarium of the Pacific down in Long Beach today. It was a lot of fun, and especially cool because we got a behind-the-scenes tour (it’s all about who ya know) and got to feed the sharks from the top of the tanks. Then, I came home and saw The Ex’s phone number on my caller ID–twice. Aaaarrggghhh! Talked to him for about two minutes–mean stuff was spewed and I cried. Don’t think we’ll be speaking again.

As I was driving home from work tonight, my “little” called just to say “I miss you!”. Isn’t that just precious? Unfortunately, I won’t be hanging out with her this weekend as I’m taking a little trip down to San Diego to be with my family for Passover.

Speaking of Passover–since I’ll be down in San Diego with the fam, I’m not sure how much I’ll be posting. I know you’re devastated, so please try to control your disappointment. Look at the bright side–at least you’re not eating matzah…

My “little” is dying to go to a taping of American Idol. Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone at Fox (network) or CBS (where it tapes) that is able to help me snag some tickets. So, if you have any connections and want to help, please email me. Thank you!

Many of you have been emailing me asking what I am referring to when I talk about my “little.” So, to answer your questions–I am a volunteer Big Sister, also known as a “big.” Therefore, my Little Sister is my “little.” Glad that’s cleared up.

On my way home from work I received a phone call from my “little” asking if backstage passes at a concert cost “a lot more or just a little more” than regular concert tickets. I tried to explain that you can’t just go out and buy a backstage pass, but I’m not sure she quite understood what I was telling her. Anyway, I asked her what concert she wanted to go backstage for, and she responded with Hilary Duff or Clay Aiken. Oy. What have I gotten myself into?!

Went to a family fun center with my “little” today. All the “bigs” and “littles” were invited, and I think about 25 matches showed up. It was a lot of fun, and we had these cool wristbands that allowed us to avoid the ticket line and go straight to the thing we wanted to do. Unfortunately for me, my “little” fell in love with miniature golf so we did BOTH courses. There were go-karts that looked like a lot fun, but since she was too short for the big ones she would have to go on the smaller ones. So, we waited in line for the smaller ones, then suddenly she realized they were for kids only and I couldn’t ride, so she said the sweetest thing–”I don’t want to go on those if we both can’t do it. I only want to do things we can do together.” Isn’t that precious?

When I go to pickup my “little,” I always make sure the radio is either off or playing Radio Disney (uh huh, I actually programmed Radio Disney in my car, scary isn’t it?). I do this because I don’t know what the DJs will be talking about or what song may be playing on a regular FM station. She’s only 10, and I don’t know what kind of music her mom allows her to listen to. How fortunate that I have the option to change the station, that DJs are allowed to talk about what they want (yes, I know, only to an extent), and that so many genres of music are played on the airwaves. Help maintain those rights by signing this petition to stop the FCC from tightening their definition of indecency even more. (According to the site’s owner, the e-petition is valid.)

Thanked the DirecTV guy after it took him two hours to hook up my new receiver then immediately dashed over to pick up my little. We headed over to Color Me Mine for some chit-chat and painting. I love that place–I think I had as much fun as she did!

My…legs…hurt. Badly. From roller skating. How sad is that? Had my first outing with my little today and took her roller skating and bowling. I didn’t know ahead of time she skates on a regular basis, so I’m sure I provided much entertainment at the roller rink. Although I do have to brag–I only fell on my butt once. Bowling was a lot of fun, and the only injury sustained there was a broken thumb nail. The only real “ouch” of the day was when another kid asked my little if I was her mom. Yeah, that hurt. And to make it worse, I am old enough to be her mom. Double ouch.

I met my “little” yesterday, and she is so cool! We have our first outing this weekend and are going roller skating. It should prove interesting considering I haven’t skated since I was a kid. Needless to say, I am beyond excited!

So I’m meeting with the social worker, my potential “little sister,” and her mom tonight. If all four of us think it’s a good match, then we’re a go. I’m so nervous and excited, I can’t wait to leave the office so we can be introduced!

Had my final interview today with the Jewish Big Brothers/Big Sisters program, and I was accepted. The next step is matching with me a compatible “little.” I’m so excited!

But seriously–I have now officially begun the application and matching process to be a Big Sister (the mentor kind, not the mom and dad having another kid kind) and I am soooo excited! Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you view it), there aren’t many kids waiting for Big Sisters–most of them are waiting for Big Brothers, so it could possibly be some time before I am “matched.” Just wanted you all to share in my excitement.