PROM

So, tonight was prom. It was really fun, and I’m glad I went with Jonathan. He actually got a limo! I’d never been in a limo before, so that was cool. I felt like I was in a teen movie or something, with the way he picked me up at my house and put on my corsage, and with our moms and his sisters taking a whole bunch of pictures. Talk about ultimate teen movie moment!

We even popped open a bottle of sparkling cider on our way to Balboa, while we reminisced over elementary school and high school, and even talked about the usual nerdy stuff, like video games and books and movies. We were among the first to arrive at the Hall of Champions, which was actually set up real nicely. When I’d been there before, I thought it was a horrible place to have our prom at, but the decorating job was done perfectly, and the dance floor was really nice with the sparkling disco ball overhead. I told Jonathan straight up that I’m not much of a dancer, and I prefer slow dancing to dirty bumping and grinding, and he was totally cool with that. We talked with friends most of the night, and took advantage of the yummy cream puffs and chocolate-covered strawberries they had at the desert table. We took pictures in front of a big backdrop and everything, which reminded both of us of Beauty and the Beast. We got in a few slow dances, which was really nice, but it’s a shame they didn’t play too many slow songs. Jonathan told me he praciticed his dance moves and everything, and he was a lot better than me, even if it only was in fact slow dancing… no matter what, I think I’ll always have two left feet, haha.

^ Victoria sandwich! (Happy 18th birthday, Vico!)

^ Mendoza Elementary School kids<3

^ LOL @ Xander’s pants splitting open!

^ Prom Queen Codallos :3

Carlos won Prom King, but I couldn’t find him all night!

^ Kinder buddies <3

By the end of the night I was surprised my feet weren’t killing me in the $8 heels I bought at Factory2U, and my hair managed to stay tame in the puppy curls. The limo driver took us over the Coronado bridge, which was really cool, and we listened to random top 40 music on our way home. I kept my corsage on for the rest of the night, even after changing out of my dress and into booty shorts and a wifebeater, and before going to sleep, I pinned it right next to my Audrey Hepburn poster.

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS 2009

Universal Studios 2009 was a success! It was an very bittersweet success. Hard to believe this is the 4th and final Universal Studios trip I’ll be going on in high school. I can’t believe I’ve gone to every single one of these trips since 8th grade. I was getting sort of worried, because when we arrived at the park, Monica was having problems getting the tickets for all of us, but everything straightened out and we were released into the park like the pack of animals we were. The first stop was the House of Horrors, which scared the buh-jeezus out of every single one of us, like always. We all ran out screaming and laughing and came face to face with the lovely Vin Diesel. Photo op had arisen *wink wink*

The second stop was Terminator 2: 3D, which is something we always manage to miss out on every year… except this year! LOL @ “kinves… and stabbing weapons.” I still get a hoot out of that!

Third stop was the much-anticipated Simpsons Ride. I really wanted to see what it was all about, and hot damn. We were all completely blown away! That ride is most definitely a major upgrade from the Back To The Future Ride. You can just tell from the looks in our faces just how much we loved it.

After nom nom noming on some delicious Cinnabon, our entire group (which included Kim, Victoria, Vico, Fernando, Jessica, Yvonne, Ruben, Jeffrey and Ximena) made our way down the never-ending series of escalators to the lower lot… with the pre-Jurassic Park and Mummy ride adrenaline already pumping in our veins.

We had our rounds on the Jurassic Park Ride and the Mummy Ride a few times each, and all with failed attempts to drag Ximena and/or Vico onto Jurassic Park. There was literally one point when we all tried to drag Ximena on Jurassic Park -carrying her and everything- but still a fail. Major props to Yvonne, who is known to be terrified of dinosaurs to toughen up and get on Jurassic Park! Definitely a great Yvonne-moment milestone. Before heading back to the upper lot, we all got some group pictures with one of the most legit-looking Beetlejuice characters I’ve seen.

We hit up the backlot tram tour before getting food from City Walk and heading on back to the bus. Everyone was already pretty drained by the end of the day, and the bus ride was about 3 hours because we got stuck in Friday evening traffic.

FLAMINGOS

Fernando and I finally got our chance to job shadow with Kathy McCurdy! We visited the film set for the new movie, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done? - starring Michael Shannon, Willem Dafoe, and Chloë Sevigny. We were on the set from 12PM-5PM, and it was by far the most unforgettable experience, ever. It seriously was exactly how I pictured a film set to look, and now I can cross that off my list of things to do before I die. The set design was absolutely incredible, and the acting was amazing, especially Michael Shannon. He really embodied his role, and I can’t wait to see the final product of the film. ACADEMY AWARD! Fernie and I came out of this experience silghtly sunburned, and totally star-struck.

“They aren’t flamingos, they’re my eagles in drag.”

BLAME IT ON THE A A A A A A ALCOHOL

^ LOL, I <3 Louie!

^ I called it quits after 2 shots: Blue Raspberry Vodka & Jäger -minus the bomb. I think if I downed a few Jägerbombs, I’d have been sloshed for the rest of the night, but it’s safe to say that I’m glad I stayed sober.

I spent the rest of the night helping Matt clean up & taking care of all the drunk hoes! I was even a “designated driver” to take a particular fuckwad home.

^ Sober @ 1:20 in the AM :]

& LOL @ watching Camp Rock with Robin the next morning. He was totally on the edge of his seat the entire time! *Note to self: edit/upload a picture of Robin watching Camp Rock…*

SKATING ROBIN

The weather was rainy & gorgeous today<3 Went ice skating in La Jolla for Victoria’s (extended) birthday celebration! Drove up there with Victoria, Kim, Robby, Blake & Brian. Met up there with Vico, Ximena, Trey, Zack, Ed, Ruben, Josalle, Jeffrey, Tina, & James. I’m pretty much a wuss when it comes to ice skating. LOL @ holding on to Blake’s hand (& other willing peoples’) for dear life 50% of the time. I only fell once! But that was because Robby & Brian were messing with me, those jerks, haha-! The ice skating music included Wonderwall (first song that was playing), some Miley Cyrus crap, No Doubt’s Just A Girl, Ryan Cabrera, and… I don’t remember what else. Afterwards, we ate at Red Robin (YUMMMMMMMMMMMM). I ordered a bacon cheeseburger… YUMMMMMMMMMMMM. I love Red Robin. Never ending refills on drinks AND fries?! Amazing. Throwing sugar packets and inhaling helium balloons are fun. After that, we all went our separate ways; me, Victoria, Kim, Robby, Blake & Brian went back to Robby’s casa and played with his kickass synth, and watched Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. LOL @ tug of war with Robby’s sock, that’s some pretty intense stuff right there. After THAT, we dropped Kim off and got Taco Bell. Drove to the airplane wing park -AKA Montgomery Waller- and watched people boning in the car parked across from us while nom nom noming on food. T’was a good Saturday indeed. OH YEAH! New game, which is called “chap,” hee hee.

MF PWNS

Medford Falling was amazing last night-! Me and Victoria met up at Val’s casa with Robby, Laura, Jessika, Gina, Kevin, Casey, Moriah (and of course, Val). LOL @ Laura’s holler to that guy as we drove to the back of Soma. Victoria and I met our new “biffle” (LOL) Amantha while everyone was setting up for the show. We had interesting talks in that one dark hallway next to the kite shop. MF’s set was kick-ass, and I’m glad I got to hear my new favorite song by them performed live

After their set, Victoria, Amantha & I went to In-N-Out and sat around talking for about an hour. We drove back to Soma and sat talking in Amantha’s car some more, then eventually met up with everyone else after the show was over.
A bunch of us met up at Casey’s casa for “ghost” stories and hookah fun, wished Victoria a happy 18th birthday at midnight, and around 1:30ish Amantha drove me & Victoria home. I’m hella excited for next week’s MF show in Anaheim!

CHRISTMAS IN JANUARY

007 FINALLY had our Secret Santa gift exchange!
I got Kim the copy she wanted of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest; Kim got Victoria a necklace from Forever 21 and a really cool carved box with an owl on it; Victoria got Tina a few canvases and paints; and Tina got me a new “buddy,” *WINK WINK*
It’s a damn good thing we didn’t have our gift exchange at Luzita’s, like I suggested we should! After the gift exchange we walked to (can you guess-?) Luzita’s. On our way back we made the usual stops: Factory2U, 99 cent store, and Northgate. Tina bought a whole bunch of bread and me & Victoria bought some yummy Oreo cake from the bakery. We all sat in my kitchen, eating and talking like usual… and eventually made it back to my room, only to go into a food coma on my bed, haha.

HAIR CUTS & SUPERBAD

Okay, so today me & Victoria walked to Luzita’s for some California burritos… in matching Twilight hoodies, haha. Ruben took his precious time in meeting up with us, but he made it-! We all sat talking, then walked over to Factory2U, because it’s just standard protocol when coming home from Luzita’s. Victoria bailed on me & Ruben to watch Yes Man, that Judas. I bought a bright pink shirt that says: “FRANKIE SAYS RELAX”, and a really cute zebra print dress for like, $8 (and the shirt was $2). We breezed through Northgate really quick, in hopes of seeing James Franco, but no luck. Ruben and I eventually made it back to my house, where I gave him a haircut in my bathroom, haha. After that, we watched an episode of Maury (sex-crazed, out of control teen girls) and Superbad. Ahh, I love Superbad.

THANKS

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Watching old home movies from when I was a baby really hit a nerve, and I was eventually in tears. Hard to believe I’m that same baby girl… well, not quite so hard to believe, since I stumbled around unsteadily on my two feet even way back when… I guess I’ve always been the same girl, hahah. I’ve really grown up and I can’t believe how much some things have changed. The house looked the same (in some parts) the people looked younger (& LOL@ early 90’s fashion). (And I noticed that I was a Disney freak from the womb. My high chair was Mickey & Minnie Mouse, and I ALWAYS wore a Minnie Mouse sweatshirt.) Kim said that watching those home movies would make me feel thankful, and she was right. I don’t know what else to say, other than thank you… to everyone. My life wouldn’t be the same without any of you, and I love you guys for that. I love my friends. I love my family. I love every curve ball life has ever thrown at me. I never thought I could get so choked up just from watching myself stumble around the same old house in diapers. God… this house. I’ve grown up in it. The tile is still the same, that’s what really gets me for some reason, I don’t know why. I’ve stumbled around on the same old tile for almost 18 years now, and I’m still not the least bit graceful, hahaha.

I don’t know what I’m really getting at anymore, but I suppose that doesn’t matter, because when I read this back a year from now, I’ll remember where my thoughts were when I wrote this, and that’s what matters. This is a rather unconventional “what I’m thankful for” blog, but oh well. I’m an unconventional girl, right?

UPSIDE DAY

This morning I sort of felt like shit, partially because of the phone talk I had last night, and because I was jut flat-out sleep deprived… because that’s how it’s been lately. Sorry if I was such a downer. Everyone has their off days, right? I brightened up for some weird reason towards the end of second period, and felt better – more or less. [There really is no damn point in being upset over something I can't change, as much as I'd like it to. Like the song goes: While truckin' down the road of life, although all hope seems gone, I just move on. When I can't find a single star to hang my wish upon, I just move on, I move on. I got all the closure and clarity in the world, and that's all that matters, really. I think my (very) newly found glee has left me feeling more ready to be forgiving and civil about it all. Call it a random epiphany, if you will. And... new inspiration, can't forget that.]

Anyways, I was seriously trailing off topic… but like I was saying, today really seemed to lift my spirits, for a number of reasons. I actually got into the musical at school. (Oh yeah, I actually did try out, by the way. I sang That Thing You Do! for my audition song.) I can’t believe I’m at least a little good enought to get in. I must say, I’m proud of myself. High School Musical, here we go! Had lots and lots of LOLs with Victoria and Kim after school. “Will you eat my insides, Catherine?” LOL @ burned potstickers. Mad Libs is about a million times more amusing when you’ve got perverted word choices, in MY opinion. *WINK WINK*

About an hour ago, my mom tells me my sister, Ana’s genius plan of having me & a friend (I pick Kim right off the bat, because it’s just a given) meet up with her and my brother-in-law, Don, and niece, Colleen, and nephew, Sean at Disneyland for TWO DAYS while she and him attend to work-related matters. HELL YEAH. Now, I’m listening to Disney music, getting myself really pumped up. Nothing else gives me such a wonderful feeling the way Disneyland does… that’s just how it is with me. Disneyland is my sweet escape, and it really could not have come at a better time.

The last two-ish months of the year are always my favorite, and this year is no exception. I’ve always got so much to look forward to around this time of the year, and I love that. Twilight at midnight with Victoria and a whole bunch of other people on Thursday, Thanksgiving weekend is next weekend, and the weekend after THAT will be Disneyland, and the weekend after Disneyland will be the first week of winter break! You should all know by now know all the things in store for winter break: 18th birthday (which has a bunch of cool sub-plans/events on its own), I’m going back to the Disney Store (or so I’m told) after I turn 18, and then there’s Christmas… AND New Year’s! Whooooooooo. This is a wonderful time for things to be looking up for me. I’m glad. Lord knows I needed it, and for that I’m very thankful

P.S. Better than Jacob Black.