G. Bunny

Show us your favorite spring bloom.

Tulips are my favorite.

I've met a large dog named Brock. He belongs to my cousins. He's a German shepherd, and, still a puppy (he's a little over a year, I think), shows his excitement without jumping! That's what I'm talking about.

I take a different flavor of coffee creamer to work every week, and this week was International Delight's chocolate caramel. I took it yesterday, and my coworkers and I decided it was good enough to drink. Now, I am just in love with my coworker Josh. Josh (or anyone else for that matter), if you are reading this, please know that it is a platonic love, nothing more. And I promise I'm not trying to take you away from your girlfriend. But honestly, he's one of my favorite people in the world and this just makes me think even more highly of him. When I got to work today, he approached me and said that there was only a little creamer left and that he hid it in the fridge for me. How beautiful is that? Maybe it's not that big of a deal when you read this little anecdote from my day, but it sure made me smile.

I mean, think about it. We live in a world that's so rush rush rush, and at my job we are definitely a good example of chickens with their heads cut off. It's a restaurant where our clients are pretty well off, and we bust our butts and bend over backward to get them what they want when they want it. My friend Joshua took a little time out of his day to think that I might want some coffee creamer this morning, and actually made the effort to help me out with it. Again, maybe not a huge deal. But it still warms my heart nonetheless. I don't need diamonds. I don't need riches. Little things like that make me happy. Thanks, Josh.

Are you going to tune in to today's Super Bowl game? If so, where and with whom will you be watching? Who are you rooting for?

Let me first say that I have no malice or ill will toward any Super Bowl fans. I just want that to be clear, because I always feel like I'm being blasphemous when I say that I can't think of anything that interests me less than football. I have only ever tuned in to the Super Bowl once--in 2004--and I don't remember a thing about it, except that it was the year of Janet Jackson's wardrobe malfunction, and I don't even remember that part. I only remember the big deal it became in the days following. 

Having said that, it's been a really good day. You can assume by now that I am not going to tune in to the game. In fact, it's probably on right at this very minute. But even though I am not watching, I was a part of a festive environment. At the country club where I work as a server, we had a tailgate party for our members. I was not scheduled to work the party; I was at my regular spot in the restaurant for breakfast and lunch, but my manager gave all the food/bev staff a little Super Bowl bling (plastic bead necklaces with footballs on them) to wear for the day, and we helped with the preparations for the party. The festive air, along with my coworkers who are always fun to be with, made the day a success. And I am in the know enough that I can report which teams are playing (The Cardinals and the Steelers, thank you very much), which is not always the case. That's good enough for me.

Show us something you can't resist.

Yum

What do you do when you get a crush on someone?
Submitted by Desi.

Oh man. Of course this question would come up now, just as I am thinking about the people I have crushes on. Here's the thing. I pretty much always have a crush, and it's not unlike me to have more than one. I think I've hit a record right now, though. At 23 I've never had a boyfriend, and school was pretty much my life up until just a few months ago. I graduated and got a new job, one where there are several young men around my age. I've never really had an easy time of talking to people, especially boys, so maybe I'm just overwhelmed by all the testosterone in the air. Either way, there are a few guys I can think of who, if they asked me out on a date, I would say yes. But on to the question at hand.

I am a pretty quiet person, and when I have a crush, guess what? I'm still quiet. I think it all depends on how the crush develops. One of the people on my list is absolutely gorgeous, and I thought so from the very first time I saw him. So when I'm around him and I'm thinking about how beautiful he is, I tend to clam up. Yesterday I was at work and he happened to be nearby, and I was doing my thing, struggling very hard not to grin like an idiot. Other times, though, and I've noticed that this is the case when the conversation is impromptu and I haven't had time to think of a way to seem cool, I find it much easier to make conversation. Thank goodness for that.

All of the other people on my list are people I've grown to like after having spoken to them first, and there are varying degrees of "crush-hood," if you will. A couple of them I can say right out that I want them to want to hang out with me (I would not, however, be the type to see both at once, so don't worry about that. I'm not a jerk.). To the others, I would say yes if asked on a date, but if they never get around to it, it's no biggie. With all of these people, I don't really act very different from my normal self. They're easy to talk to, and I don't feel awkward around them. Again, thank goodness for that.

I really think all of this is just me learning to be comfortable with myself. The more I feel okay with my quirks (and believe me, I have a few of them), the more comfortable I'll be with talking to people and especially potential mates. I am kind of a late bloomer in the social arena, so I've got some catching up to do. But to all you boys out there, and especially to the ones with whom I work, don't be afraid to look my way. Even if we end up as friends and nothing more. Yes, I'm quiet, but I think you've got potential to help me break out of my shell.

Show us what you're working on right now.
Submitted by yygall.

Most Recent

This is just a little note to say thanks.

But first, a little history (don't worry, I won't make it too long): until December of last year, school has been my life. My routine had been to wake up, get ready for school, go to school, come home, do homework, then get ready to do it all over again the next day. I was and am kind of socially awkward, and have never had an easy time making friends or opening up to people. It's not something I necessarily like about myself, but I've come to accept it more or less, because I don't think it will change any time soon. I'm a person who likes to have a plan and who likes stability, and this is the first time that I don't have a concrete, step-by-step goal for my life. I don't have academics to carry me anymore, and after college I decided on applying for this job to improve my social skills and maybe become a little more comfortable with simply being myself.

I know I've (half) joked about hating people. The truth is, it's just hard for me to talk to them sometimes. But after having been hired at Spanish Hills, I've come to realize that I love my job. And while I enjoy talking to members and wedding guests, its my coworkers who really make me love what I do.

Sometimes I feel kind of prudish and uncool about the fact that I'm not a huge party girl (however, to Malibu and cranberry, I say bring it on!) and that I am "fragile," as Collier so kindly put it today. I've always had a difficult time feeling like I fit in, and I just would like to say thanks for making me feel like I belong. My life was by no means terrible when "student" was my only title, but I'm having such a better time without it. I go to work in a good mood because I know I'll get to see you, and I come home happy that I get to spend so much time with fun, radiant people. I hope this doesn't all sound too corny, but since I am a sap I figure a little corniness is to be expected. The truth is I love you all and want you to know it.

Thank you for helping me feel accepted; it's not something that happens to me very often, and I want to express my gratitude.

Thank you for being part of what makes my life beautiful.

What fictional character do you relate to most and why?

When I read Shopgirl, I felt like I could relate to a lot of what Mirabelle, the main character, felt. She and I are about the same age. The difference between her and me is that she was actually in a relationship while I, on the other hand, have never had one. However, her significant other was older, and I've previously thought to myself that I won't be completely surprised if I am ever in a relationship with an older man. I read this book a couple years ago, and I like to think that I am at least slightly more confident now than I was then, but every so often I do get to thinking about her and how she and I are a lot alike.

I have a journal where I keep memorable passages from books I read. Here are some of the ones from Shopgirl that I related to most:

"She knows she needs new friends but introductions are hard to come by when your natural state is shyness."

"In spite of her depression, Mirabelle likes to think of herself as humorous. She can, when the occasion calls, become a wisecracker and buoyant party girl. This mood, Mirabelle thinks, sometimes makes her the center of attention at parties and gatherings. The truth is that these episodes of gaiety merely raise her to normal, but for Mirabelle the feeling is so exceptional that she believes herself to be standing out."

"A girl who is willing to give every ounce of herself to someone, who could never betray her lover, who never suspects maliciousness of anyone, and whose sexuality sleeps in her, waiting to be stirred [...] What Mirabelle needs is some omniscient voice to illuminate and spotlight her, and to inform everyone that this one has value, this one over here, the one sitting in the bar by herself, and then to find her counterpart and bring him to her."

"By appealing to his absolute worst side, Lisa eventually dominates him, and later the Artist/Hero is seen taking her phone number. Mirabelle is not affected by a man's failure to approach her, as her own self-deprecating attitude never allows the idea that he would in the first place."

"Catherine collapsed, then fought, then resurrected the marriage with a quiet power and sophistication that had not shown at any other time in her life or has ever shown again. The one who was broken, who did not recover, who did not understand, and who saw the image of her father crack and shatter, was Mirabelle."

"Mirabelle's mind blackens. The blackness is not a thought, but if it could be pressed into a thought, if a chemical from a dropper could be dripped onto it causing its color and essence to become visible, it would take the shape of this sentence: Why does no one want me?"

"The sky broke like an egg into full sunset and the water caught fire." -- Pamela Hansford Johnson
Show us a self-taken picture of the sunset.
Submitted by Connie.

Pacific Coast Highway

In college I drove PCH regularly on my way to and from school, and the sunset above is one of the reasons I loved the commute. I had to stop on the side of the road this day to take a picture.