Someone's Old Lady - Tales from a Newly Married Woman...

New Beginnings at A&E

2008-11-12T15:15:00.000-08:00

It's been several months since my last post, and wow, has a lot changed in my life.

I started a new job in the summer working at A&E TV Network in the scripted series department. It's a dream job in a field I have a lot of experience in...and even though I am not getting paid to write scripts of my own, I do get paid to read other people's scripts, watch TV, and then talk to people about what I read and watch, which is pretty cool.

Stay tuned because I miss writing and like working out, it is important to exercise this muscle everyday...

Personal Goals

2008-04-14T21:35:00.000-07:00

I am a Capricorn, and while I don't generally subscribe to Astrology and for the most part, the typical Cap traits don't apply to me, one way that I am true to my sign is that I am a list maker.

Last night I made a new list of things to do over the next few months. These are things I could and should do every day, but I at least need to do them twice a week...or once a day if noted. But if I write them in this posting it's like a public stoning --- other's must hold me accountable for the things I've put forth...and here are those things:

1. Study for the GRE. Do I know what I want to go back to school for? Not exactly, but I know I want a master's degree in SOMETHING. Sure, call it a vanity degree. Call it a love for higher education. Call it whatever you like, but call it the late-20s blues. I am finally ready to have a true niche, and I think grad school sounds fun. The problem is, the in the TV industry, no employer/show runner/network exec. really cares if you have a professional degree. In fact, they are probably more likely to find you annoying if you waltz into a job interview with the attitude, "Hey, I have an MFA in screenwriting from USC, which is a heck of a lot more than your undergrad degree from San Diego State...but hire me anyway and I'll try to steal your job in a few years." On second thought, I am not that kind of person anyway, but seriously, the best way to get TV experience is to work in the biz, which I've done...the best way to get better at writing screen plays, which I am doing...so do I really need to go to school for this? Again, I think it sounds like fun...but is that what a MFA is supposed to be about? So maybe I should got back for a related field or something else entirely that will just make me a better human being...see a vanity degree...

So, whether I go back for a master's in creative writing, journalism, public policy, education or all of the above...I will eventually go back for something.

2. Write for at least an hour a day. I have not decided yet if this blogging counts as part of this hour a day, but let's say for now it does...I have some major revisions to deal with on my pilot script, but for now, summing up my current state on my blog seems more important...if I put my goals on paper, I am less likely to slack off...yeah, right.

3. Go to the gym. This can include going for a run on the tread mill, taking a brisk journey on the eliptical machine, or my personal fave - going to a Cardio Barre class.

4. Pray. For non-religious people, this could also mean do yoga, meditate, etc. Praying helps me stay grounded and realize that though my professional life feels muddled and confused, I actually have a great life and I should feel grateful for what I have...

So, what of these things did I do today?

I went to the gym, (tread mill: 20 minutes), prayed (in the car, on the way to the gym), and wrote...

For lunch, I had home-made tuna salad and Dorito's...which are not as good as Cheetoh's but equally as bad for you.

Friday Night Signs

2008-03-25T15:03:00.000-07:00

It’s another Friday night in newlywed land. My husband and I are tired from a long week of working, but still decide to go out and see a movie. Atonement is playing at 7:10 at our local art-house type cinema. It’s 6:40 when we leave our house and we are both having hunger pains. Not wanting to surrender ourselves to just eating popcorn and other junk at the theatre, we decide to take the high road and go through the drive thru at Carl’s Junior. But a little credit please --- we’re not actually planning to eat burgers and criss-cut fries, although those are supremely delicious. We’re ordering from the “Green Burrito” section of the menu. It’s the first Friday of Lent so we cannot have any meat, a tough restriction when dealing with fast food options.

Our drive-thru trip was quick and painless and as we shoved the food in our mouths while speeding to the theatre, we realized we would barely arrive in time to make the movie.

We wipe the last bit of refried beans from our mouths and finish chewing, feed the parking meter, and briskly walk to the front of the theater, where, oh crap! There’s a long line stretching the length of the side walk!

We arrive at the ticket counter at about 7:15, only for the salesman to break the sad news to us that Atonement is sold out.

Partially relieved because I hate being that person to walk into the theatre late, we chuckle to ourselves about how the hastiness of our meal was now unnecessary and realize we were not destined to see a movie. Everything else showing around the same time were flicks we’d already seen.

Luckily, the local independent Pasadena bookstore, Vroman’s, was next door, open and inviting. As we walked through one of the entrances, my husband immediately cycles through the list of books that he wants to buy in his head and is already off on a mission to find them, and I stop dead in my tracks next to a Valentine’s display when I hear a loud voice coming from upstairs. Is it the voice of God himself calling to me?

For months and months I have been praying for a sign about what I am supposed to do with my life. (In truth, I’ve really been praying for this my entire life, but it’s been a more consistent plea in recent months.) I will sit in church and listen to the priest talk about using your God-given talents to do “good” in the world and I agree that this a noble cause, but the problem is, I don’t know what exactly my God given talents are. I know what I like to do, but I haven’t quite yet figured out what special things I am adept at, and which path I am supposed to follow…)

Signs are probably everywhere and all around us, without us even realizing they are there, calling to us. Last night, as I walked into the bookstore, I am standing next to my husband and I tap his shoulder. “Do you hear that?”

“No. What are you talking about?” he said.

“That manly voice, coming from upstairs. He is talking about story structure and character arc. He’s talking about creative writing.”

“Well, go check it out.” Kiko says casually, not realizing what a brilliant and foreign suggestion this seemed to be.

“But who is it behind this voice? Who is the main behind the curtain? Is anyone allowed to listen? I haven’t signed up for anything? What does this all mean?” I thought to myself.

I slowly walk up the stairs and the voice gets louder and louder, and I am holding on to every word, like it was God himself giving me instruction. “I am not a good writer. I am a hard worker. And I am vigilante rewriter.” the intelligent-sounding voice said.

I turn the corner at the top of the stairs to see about 30 chairs set up in front of a podium, with bodies occupying about half of the spaces. This man mentions something about his students, and I am fearful only for a second that all these people know each other and this is somehow a class field trip of sorts.

I forget my fear and boldly plop my little behind down in direct eye level with the speaker.

It’s a Friday night. I am a young newlywed. And I am listening to a lecture about writing at the local bookstore.

Brilliant.

He talked about how writer’s block doesn’t exist. He talked about the essential things that every good story needs, and that the most important thing you can do is to give the main character a tangible goal.

My personal goal, as I strive to find an occupation that feels meaningful to me, is to figure out what direction I am supposed to take in my life.

Do I believe in signs? Yes. I now think they are everywhere and perhaps sometimes I do not notice them.

But last night, my sign could not have been more prominently dropped in my path. Of course, the best revelations come when and where you least expect them. So why not at a bookstore on a Friday night?

I did buy the speaker’s book. I felt it only right to do so, since he helped me realize I truly am meant to be a writer and I will some day have him to thank for pointing me in the right direction.

At the end when he was signing my book, he says to me “So you’re a screen writer. Well, you’re going to make a hell of a lot more money than I ever do, so make sure you send some of that to me.”

You bet. And someday, I’ll tell him Atonement ends.

Home Alone

2008-01-25T11:56:00.001-08:00

I am a big wimp. I admit it. I don't think I like staying home alone. When I was a kid, staying home alone was a thrill. I could consume all the Cool Ranch Doritos and Cream Soda I wanted! In high school, I spent a lot of weekends home alone as my parents went to watch my brother play in the NCAA College Baseball tournament. I wasn't a bad teenage girl, but certainly would have a few friends over to keep me company...

During and after college, when I lived in apartments with roommates, when they would all be out of town at the same time, while lonely at times, it was relaxing to have some me-time...I could watch whatever I wanted on TV (probably Bev. Hills, 90210) and walk around in mis-matched PJs or a mud-mask and not have to worry about who a roommate might be bringing home.

Now that my husband and I have our own house and I've lost the security of an apartment building, (that either came from having lots of people around or being on the second floor,) I get so nervous staying home by myself.

It is a fear that I am aware of and dealing with because it seems a little ridiculous...why fear something like that? We have an alarm system and a dog and neighbors close by who are always home and ready to step in if necessary...with various weapons, we are told...

Still, it's more of a personal comfort-level issue. No matter in my head how safe I know I am, I still feel uneasy when my husband is gone for the night. Last week, I even booby trapped the front door using the dog crate, skis and several duffel bags. This would have severely slowed down an intruder; I am convinced. I also made sure to have a baseball bat and a Japanese Kendo sword nearby, just in case someone got past the booby trapped front door and tried to rumble with me.

I am now used to having my husband sleep beside me and I feel the feminist inside me trying to keep me from saying this...but yes, I do feel safer when he is around. Damn it. I am sorry. It's true. I like having a man around the house.

Of course, there are those moments when he's gone when I can blast the Flashdance soundtrack and leap around the house, or eat Oreos for breakfast without someone giving me the stink eye. But in general, I am happier when he's around...

And this is after 7 months + of marriage...we'll see if I still feel the same a year from now...(wink)

First Christmas as a Mrs!

2008-01-19T11:11:00.001-08:00

I love Christmas...I love everything about it...I love the lights, the decorations, the shopping (I even don't mind the lines), baking Christmas cookies, going to church and watching the decorations for the Christmas services gradually appear throughout the month of December, the chill in the air, (even in Southern California), the wider smiles on people's faces because they can't deny the infectious holiday spirit...I pretty much love it all!

But I have to say my first Christmas as a Mrs. brought some new elements to my holiday...splitting time between my family and my in-laws. Ugh! What a pain! My husband and I dated for over 6 years before we got married, and while we sometimes would stop by each other's family's houses for Christmas, we never actually spent the entire holidays together. His parents are divorced and we are fortunate that his dad and stepmother live only 30 minutes from my parents, so we can easily combine gatherings or see both families in one day. But his mother lives in Northern California and it is quite a drive which makes sharing the holidays very difficult!

Luckily, everything worked out pretty well, but we just ended up feeling exhausted. It's almost like you need a vacation after your vacation because you spend the whole time travelling and trying to squeeze as much quality time in with everyone you forget to rest and enjoy the time off work.

Still for me, there is that persistent Catholic guilt that makes me feel like we spend too much time with my family and not enough time with his...but when he doesn't put up a fight to make plans with his family, what can I do but acquiesce with the plans my two brothers have already made with my parents.

I just can't wait till we have our own kids and we are forced to stay and have Christmas with them in our home and everyone can come to us!

As you can see, I am quite behind in my post and one of my new year's resolutions is to write more about my newlywed experiences...

Happy New Year!

Details, details...

2007-09-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

It's all in the details...Since I am a newlywed, I think it is quite appropriate for me to share details of my wedding with my blog readers...

I had such a great time planning the wedding, and then it was all over. It was such a special day for Kiko and me and I love looking back at the photos of all the details I worked so hard to plan, then really didn't get to appreciate at the event because I was too busy making the rounds.

Above is a photo of our white peach sangria that fit in beautifully with our Southern-Latin Fusion theme...and apparently was quite potent and tasty. (I stuck with wine and champagne.)

Our caterers, Pure Joy, were outstanding. They were so attentive and such great listeners from even my first phone call with one of their event planners, that I knew I had to hire them! More on them and my other great vendors to come...Seriously, if you or someone you know is getting married in the Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara or somewhere nearby, all my peeps were superlative!

Things I Love About My Husband - Part 2

2007-09-25T08:36:00.002-07:00

Did I say I was going to post something I love about my husband daily?

Shame on me. I did. Perhaps if I actually looked at my blog daily, then I would do this...

How about if I post things I love about him frequently? I certainly hope that I make him feel loved daily, but as far as posting things I love about him, let's settle for "often."

Today, what I love about him is his "intention" for romance. We both work...a lot...and at times, between our work schedules, social calendars, and other responsibilities, it seems like we don't get near enough QT (quality time). But Kiko is great about recognizing when we need a date, whether it's just a night where we get take-out and watch a movie, or better yet, where we actually go out to a restaurant, theatre, or bar, etc.

And if he doesn't think of a date night first, all I have to do is tell him I am feeling disconnected and he'll drop everything to make time for me.

How great is that? As we grow in our marriage, we need to make a pact to have at least one date night a week for the rest of our lives. I can only imagine that spending QT together gets increasingly more difficult after the offspring come around and more and more responsibiliy. Ai yai yai...

Things

2007-09-25T08:36:00.001-07:00

Football Season...

2007-09-24T20:36:00.000-07:00

Ah, husbands and the NFL. The perfect marriage. I do love football season. I love that every Sunday, I can promise you what my honey will be doing and I know I can have a guilt free day to do whatever I want by myself as long as he has time to watch his football. And maybe he'll even fold some laundry while he plants himself in front of the tube all day...

RIP Football Season...

I can't wait till you resurrect yourself next fall...

What's in a Name?

2007-09-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

Let's get one thing clear before we dive into this post: I do consider myself a feminist. I am pro-women's rights and think women all over the world should be treated equally. I believe if a woman wants to stay at home and raise her children instead of punching a clock, she is no less intelligent, driven, or worldly than other working women and mothers, it's just the choice she's making. I believe if a woman chooses not to become a mother, not to do housework, and not to paint her nails, wear a lipstick or a bra, then these things are all entirely her decisions and she should not feel judged or less-than because of her convictions.

So the feminist in me may be rearing her alarmist head at the moment, but I am having some issues with the newlywed name change. I never thought I was opposed to changing my name until it was actually staring me in the face. Maybe it's the laziness taking over of not wanting to change all the credit cards, bank accounts, licenses, etc. Or maybe it's just that it is a big change and I need to test the waters before diving in the deep end.

(Note: My name change issues have nothing to do with the way I feel about being a wife...this is purely a superficial issue of what name do I go by...)

Okay, I am not opposed with the idea of changing my name, I guess I am just more "uncomfortable" with using the new name than I thought. And I'll get there, I will get there...I want our future children to have one family name, and really my last name sounds pretty lousy hyphenated with my husband's: Klein-Ochoa. Sounds like a disease I may or may not have our children vaccinated for. (can you believe all this controversy over vaccines causing autism...thank goodness I have a few years before I'm a mother and have to wrestle with these even bigger decisions...)

For now, the only decision on my plate is when will I get off my butt and officially change my name? Until recently, I fully intended when I got married to take my husband's name with pride. But when the reality sunk in of all the habits that would have to change it just doesn't seem so easy. I can't believe millions of women have done it before and made it seem effortless.

For over two decades, the world has known me as Susan Klein, and now all of a sudden, after one glorious day and a fantastic party (if I do say so myself,) I am supposed to be someone new? I don't think so...I do think my husband makes me a better person. He is strong, loving, and I can't imagine my life without him. But also he loves me for who I am and who he's been dating the past 5 years - and that is Susan KLEIN...

I know a name is really just a label and changing it doesn't change ME, but gosh, it is quite the adjustment walking into a restaurant to put my name in and saying "Susan Ochoa." Writing it is much easier than actually saying it. I look at my new name in calligraphy on beautiful invitations and think it looks nice, but when someone asks me my name, I am just not trained to say something other than what I've been saying for, well, my entire life!

A good friend was married about 4 months before me, and she still hasn't changed her name, though she plans to, eventually, just like I do...Until my wedding day, I thought she was crazy. What's the big deal, I thought? It's just your name.

And then it happened to me. The sudden reality that you're no longer a "Miss." You are a "Mrs." Formally people might not even include your first name on invitations anymore, but rather you'll be "Mr. and Mrs. New Husband, Jr". Now that is strange...what about ME? What about the beautiful name my parents gave me? Why is it just about the man's name?

I used to tell my fiance before we got hitched in the Catholic church, that unless I became famous before June 9, I would whole heartedly take his name. We joked about a morphed version, "Klochoa," which though it doesn't have a great ring to it, seems a bit more fair...but ultimately, I know I am proud to be an Ochoa. I am also proud to be a Klein, but for the sake of my children and for the sake of acquiescing with tradition, I suppose, I will eventually grown accustomed to my new married name.

Susan Ochoa. Susan Ochoa. It does have a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

And working in the entertainment industry and being one of few Catholics, my maiden name lead everyone to believe I was Jewish, and unless directly questioned about it, I did not protest this label...

So now we joke that I'll stop trying to play the "Jew" card and instead, go for the Mexican card with Ochoa...

What's wrong with me? Am I the only one to feel like this? I know I'll change it, but gosh, it just seems like a big pain in my bony Ochoa butt...
Susan Ochoa...

Our 30th Wedding Together

2007-09-09T11:11:00.000-07:00

My husband and I go to a lot of weddings. It is sort of a joke amongst our friends. Since we've been dating, we've attended, wait let me check the latest tally...30 weddings together. Wow!

It's a good thing we love champagne, dancing, rice pilaf and speeches. Actually, that's not fair. No cynicism allowed - we really do love weddings. And it's a good thing we do, because it is our most commonly practiced weekend hobby.

Last night was our milestone 30th wedding together - and it was a Megino wedding, which makes it even more memorable.

The Meginos are my husband's mom's family, and let me tell you, there is something that changes in your relationship with his family when you're actually married. When you're dating someone you look at your boyfriend's family and you think "aren't they nice?" Then when you get married, you look at that same family and think "Oh my gosh, there are so many of them!" But they are wonderful! They are even more wonderful to me now that we're married because I think they realize "she's really not going anywhere, is she?" Yes, the Meginos are many, but they are warm, friendly, and they like to have a good time!

The male cousins love to take shots of tequila while the female cousins like to encourage the men to keep drinking. His grandma makes sure everyone is eating and his elderly uncle keeps putting back the wine, trying not to vex his wife too much since he has a tendency to get drunk quickly.

The Megino Family has a history of being late - to everything. One Megino wedding invitation actually had printed on the invitation a start time that was 45 minutes before the wedding was actually supposed to start to account for the fact that they are always "fashionably late..."

I could write about all the different fun and funny things about each of the 30 weddings we've attended together over the past 5 years, but I'll save that for another time.

But I will say that since being married myself, we have attended 3 weddings, and it is a totally different experience once you are married. You understand just what the bride is feeling as she waits with anticipation to walk down the aisle. You know the butterflies and light-headed feelings that come over you right before you take that first step, and you remember the warmth that envelops you as you step down the aisle and feel so many loved ones watching you. You know what it's like to feel like you want to talk to everybody but then feel like you don't actually get to have meaningful conversation with anyone. Everyone always looks so pretty and you want the night to last forever...until you realize you've been wearing high heels for 10 hours!

Other People's Weddings

2007-09-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

My husband I go to a lot of weddings. It is sort of a joke amongst our friends. Since we've been dating, we've attended, wait let me check the latest tally, (I'm a Capricorn. I like to make lists.)

1. Diane and Andrew

2. Brian Barela

3. Tiffany & James

4. Matt & Elinor

5. Ale & San

6. Emily and Brandon

7. Monica and Chris

8. Mike & Becky

9. B Rocca & Rianne

10. Biz & Liz

11. Gina and Ryan

12. Our Own

13. Jennifer & Peter

14. Kris & Myra

15. Adriana & ?

16. Lisa & Kevin

17. Teresa & Danny

18. Jon & Hilaree

19. Luke & Leah

20. Justin & Kelly

21. Cindy & Steve

22. Naomi & Cameron

23. Brooke & Rob

24. Christine & Alan

25. Christian & Cindy

26. Joe & Gayle

27. Julian & Lindsay

28. Tara & Aston

29. Diane & Will

30. John & Christi

couldn't attend:

31. Bronwyn

32. Christin

33. Rachel

34. Scott Sterling

35. Mike Marks

36. Amy Minardo

Weddings that I went to alone - since knowing Kiko:

1. Jess & Jimmy

2. Blair

Kiko went to alone:

1. Asher

2. Nathan

Wow...so we've attended at least 31 weddings together, and we've bought gifts for all or most of these people, and if you figure that we at least spent $100 on each gift, then we've invested over $3000 on weddings, not to mention all the money spent in travel expenses, etc. This is not a complaint by any means, I just think it seriously justifies our wedding habit as a legitimate hobby. This is more money than we've invested in any other hobbies by far...think of all the golf gear Kiko could have acquired!

No, but there is NOTHING more important to us than our friends and family, and if you have friends and family who are in love and want to share their love through great parties, we are there!

And we do really love to dance, so don't invite us to a wedding if you'll be offended at how sweaty we'll get or that we do the "game show host" dance.

First Post as a Married Woman & A Homeowner...

2007-08-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's been a long time since I've written. Planning a wedding leaves little time for blogging...or at least that's what I liked to tell myself. Is it weird that I am spending my first Saturday night as a married woman post-honeymoon on the computer blogging while my husband watches the Dodgers and plays his Play Station Portable (PSP, as I will refer to it from here forward) in the den? Or, is it perhaps weirder to think that this afternoon we attended a matinee showing of the new Disney Pixar flick "Ratatouille" and we don't even have children yet? Ahh...married life.

No, but seriously, I couldn't be happier. Nothing is better than waking up on a Saturday morning with a moderate hangover from chugging the leftover bottle of wedding champagne outside of the Greek theatre before hearing the fabulous music Alison Kraus and Union Station... then tasting some fresh squeezed OJ that was made from oranges that grew in your very own backyard. Fabulous! After a very satisfying breakfast prepared with love using newly gifted appliances (a secret materialistic perk of getting married - getting lots of great gifts, like electric juicers and waffle irons), we took our dog, Coconut on a long hike in the San Gabriel Mountains. By 10:00 AM it was 80 degrees and the sweltering sun and dry and thirsty chaparral landscape was still beautiful despite the occasional graffitied rock or plastic soda bottle littering the trail....

But what's most amazing as that as I sit in my house overwhelmed with all the changes in my life I truly can't stop thinking about that concert. Was I born in the wrong era? Were we the only ones under 40 in the audience? Perhaps...but while many girls my age may have been sauntering their way around Area or some other hip Hollywood hangout, I was sitting under a semi-starry sky in Los Angeles listening to the intoxicating voice of Alison Kraus and fantasizing about quitting my job and dedicating myselt to the dobro. That instrument speaks to me...it's does to your ears what the smell of homemade cornbread baked in a cast iron skillet does to your nose...makes you feel like you're in the deep south and everything is just....as it should be. I knew the rest of the crowd was digging the music, too, when the elderly woman sitting in front of me with the teased white hair and taut face-lifted cheeks decided after the third song that it was safe to take her ear plugs out and groove along with her husband, who was already dancing and enjoying every note that poured from the stage... When the show was over, I serioulsy felt sad, like I wasn't ready for it to be over... Just for fun, here's a review of the show that we saw, only because I really loved it and I would encourage the three people that read my blog, if you like bluegrass or country music even a little, check out Alison Kraus...you might not want to run out and sign up for dobro lessons but I guarantee you won't want to insert ear plugs... http://backtorockville.typepad.com/back_to_rockville/2007/06/concert_review__8.html

Things I Love About My Husband

2007-08-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me that due to the fact that this blog is about being a newlywed, and that occasionally, it may seem like I am poking fun at my beloved for the sake of having tales to tell, that perhaps I should share one great thing about him everyday...not even because he is reading this....in fact, is it bad that he doesn't know about this? Hmm...most marriage counselors would probably tell me harboring secret blogs in a relationship is bad...Shoot...Well, he does KNOW about this but I just don't necessarily encourage him to read it.

My point is this: any flattery directed towards Kiko is strictly for my own edification and also because I do feel quite lucky to have found such a wonderful guy...even if he does like to spend more time in the bathroom than he does conversing with me...

So, the thing today that I love about my husband is his thoughtfulness...

For example, today, he knew I was probably feeling sad that our dog, Coconut, is not with us this week. She's visiting my parents for the week because we're going to be out of town this weekend and we'd rather her stay with them then send her to a kennel. She's a very spoiled dog. We like to think of her visits to my parents' house as "doggie summer camp" because she loves to run around on their property, play with their 3 dogs, and eat graham crackers every night before bed...that's my dad's special treat for the dogs.

Anyhow, so today, Kiko emailed me a picture of Coconut that made me smile, and it was just I needed to push me through my afternoon at work. This particular photo was taken after she found the pacifier that our neighbor's 2 year old had dropped on our floor...

Secret hideout in the can?

2007-08-01T09:35:00.000-07:00

One of the adjustments of married life is getting used to certain "habits" practiced by you or your spouse...

Now, I thought prior to marriage we'd spent a lot of time together, yet somehow there are still many daily surprises in married life. Who knew?

Married Life Surprise of the Day:

1. Men spend a lot more time in the restroom than women do.

I am almost convinced that my husband uses the bathroom as a way to avoid me. It's not a thing of cruelty, but when we both get home from work, and I want to talk about our day, vent to him about things that happened to me, and hear about his incidents, all he wants to do is grab his Harry Pottery Book or his Play Station Portable (PSP heretofore) and retreat to the guest bathroom.

It's always the guest bathroom, never our bathroom. Now I get needing some down time, but he spends most of his alone time in the can. I don't get it...

I've never spent more than 10 minutes in the restroom and that's only if I'm throwing up (I don't do this regularly. I mean throwing up because I've got the stomach flu or eaten something that disagrees with me,) or in the shower...but my husband can spend what seems like decades in there...the other night, I watched an entire episode of ACE OF CAKES while he was doing his business in the john.

This doesn't bother me, exactly, so much as fascinate me. Why do men like to read in there? What is it about this activity that makes them feel the need to become relaxed or entertained? Do they retain information better while they're sitting on the John Crapper (that's who invented the commode, if I'm not mistaken...) Is his hand-eye coordination suddenly stronger thus making him dominate his PSP game? It remains a mystery.

Maybe I am missing out on a very rewarding activity of life? What would I even take with me to amuse me while I use the restroom? Vogue Magazine? My Ipod so I can play solitaire? No, it just doesn't interest me...I like to get in and get out.

What is really strange is that I am still convinced that Kiko knows everything about me, yet I am still learning new things about him daily...and this bathroom ritual, as gross and personal a topic as it may be, is married surprise #1.

Wedding Photos...6/9/07

2007-07-31T22:26:00.000-07:00

What better way to kick off this blog than by showing pictures of our actual wedding? The one above was taken in the industrial wine barrels at the Firestone Winery, at the main part of the vineyard. Luckly, our clothes didn't get too dirty when we were leaning on them during this series of shots.

Our exit from Old Mission Santa Ines. The throwing of the rose petals didn't work as splendidly as we'd hoped, but we still got a few cool shots with the colorful petals cascading on either side of this. Oh well. No "take twos" when you're walking down the aisle.

Month One of Marriage

2007-07-31T18:22:00.000-07:00

Few things in life have been better in life than getting engaged...Things that were equally as exciting and as impacting to me as getting engaged were:

1. Learning to ride a 2-wheeler. Mind you, I didn't actually ride a 2-wheeler completely on my own, (that means without my dad sneakily jogging behind me and grabbing that semi-circle handle on the back of my pink floral banana seat when I start wobbling too unsteadily...) until I was 6. Now call me slow, but I do think this was late in life to learn to ride a bike.

2. Luckily, I got my driver's license the day after I turned 16, because my sweet sixteen happened on a Sunday and the DMV was closed. I passed my driver's test and scored 100% on the exam. Fortunately, I'd learned a lot about wheel control by the time I got behind the steering wheel of an automobile.

3. Going to college. Ahh...Freedom. Real world freedom in pretend, college Utopian society. Nothing was better in my life than college. Friends with open minds and open hearts all around you. Music, art, sports all at your finger tips. Greasy, all night food establishments. Lecture halls where they don't take attendance but on topics that you really love like the Beatles, Air Pollution, and Shakespeare, and California History.