Questions for Derek

Derek was very stubborn. He refused to play the game on the blogs even when I begged him. So, I interviewed him in person and will post here:

Me: What if you had this choice: either you could never play basketball again, or every time you played basketball you also had to do yoga?
Derek: I would probably never play basketball again.

Me: What is the most annoying restaurant you can think of? Why?
Derek: Either M*utarde or Cafe P*not. M. because it is expensive and pretentious. CP because it was expensive and almost gave us hepatitus.

Me: If you could only go to one restaurant in NY, what would it be?
Derek: D*Fara's

Me: What if you had to lick up cat pee or cat puke. Which one would you lick?
Derek: Dry or fresh?
Me: Fresh
Derek: (sigh) Probably pee.

Me: If you could hang out with a historical figure, who would it be?
Derek: Aristophanes

Me: If you could travel back in time, which time would you want to go to? But wait, you couldn't just go to check it out, you would have to actually live there for a month.
Derek: 5th century bc Athens

Five Questions from Ms. Bri

The game is: Bri writes the questions and I answer them. If anyone else wants to play, then they write in my comments field that they want me to design five questions for them.

1. Do you secretly think I am a terrible, shallow person because I would not follow anyone to Dayton no matter how much I loved them?
Of course I don't think you are a terrible, shallow person. However, though this may invite controversy, I will remind you that when you first started dating Wes you thought you hated NYC and had no intention whatsoever of living there after college. Remember, when I took you to Park Slope for the first time to convince you that it was "sort of" like San Francisco? And we ate in that yucky Mexican restaurant that's probably still there? I guess what I'm saying is that MAYBE if Wes were in a similar situation career-wise (I know, I know, he wouldn't be Wes if he'd consider moving to Dayton) you MIGHT make a similar sacrifice. Plus, it's only for a year. (or two)

2. When you eventually buy a house, what do you most want it to have in it or be like?
Oh, Derek and I have had many many talks about our dream house. To be honest, D's house is sort of my dream house. I would like an old house (maybe a fixer-upper) in a city. I would like it to have hard-wood floors and a front porch that you could install a swing on. I would like to have a back yard with room for a vegetable garden. I would like it to have character.

3. On our first date, Wes thought I was going to be a one-night stand. It was months before he realized this might be it for the long haul. When we met, did you think I was going to be a flirty one-schoolyear stand kind of friend? If so, when did you fall for me and realize it was a forever kind of deal?
Hmmm. When I first met you I didn't think we would be friends at all because I thought you were annoying and bossy. Then we talked at the beach on the All-School-Trip and I thought maybe you weren't so bad. Then you kind of started to pursue me as a friend. You called me on the phone and talked a long time about how annoying your stepmother was and how everything had to be mauve. At that point I liked you and thought you were funny. You invited me over after school a couple of times and we ate celery with maybe cream cheese and a spice thing sprinkled on it, and looked at your baby brother sleeping and talked to the Irish nanny, and you took me to the house on Pine Street which your Dad had just bought and was working on. I didn't realize you were a keeper until the night you slept over and we stayed up realizing that we both "think in stories." That was it, it's been 17 years and counting of white hot passion.

4. Have you ever purchased something over $100 just on a whim?
Hey! My husband reads this blog!
(I think I've done it twice in my life, both only over $100 with tax added, and both when Jenny was in town, influencing me!!!) (it's not going to happen again any time soon, with the one income thing happening in this household)

5. Will you write a NaNo novel with me this year?
Yes! I think I will be unemployed! When do we do it?

Our Trip to Anacapa Island

This weekend (as Eumaios posted) we traveled to Anacapa (one of the Channel Islands), about 12 miles off shore. The island is part of a nature preserve, and while we were there both the Herring Gulls and California Pelicans were nesting. The gulls were dotted all over the island, squawking if we walked too close to their nests. The island was carpeted with wildflowers, as pictured above.

This is one view from the island, which has no sandy beaches, only rocky coves. When you "land" at the island, you have to climb 150 rickety, rusty stairs to get up to the actual land. Derek and I had a picnic overlooking a view similar to this.

As we were leaving, the boat took us around to the other side of the island, where the sea lions like to hang out.

And then, the best surprise of all, as we were traveling back to the shore, the boat came across two frolicking humpback whales, and followed them for awhile. We were close enough to hear them spraying. It was amazing!

Our wonderful weekend with J & M

J & M enjoying Persian ice cream at M*shti M*lone's after a long, hard day at D*sney.

Now we know how Ace responds to children, with utter calm & patience. Bunny Hop was "riding" Ace for hours on end, and he just sat there, looking placid, like in this picture. One night I put M. to bed and while I was reading her a story Ace was rubbing his head against her and cuddling. Then she pet him absent-mindedly as she was falling asleep. (eyes closed) So cute.

The only thing missing from this picture is the Freud doll, which was one of the only toys I had to offer M. Freud spent most of the weekend playing with fluorescent green and orange mice (cat toys).

This picture is what I call "d*sney aftermath." As her mother was packing, M. became crazed and skipped repeatedly around the apt. singing with her golden mouse ears on.

Derek says that M. might be the cutest child in the world. I definitely agree that J. is very lucky, and a wonderful Mom.

The Move

will be to Dayton, Ohio!!! Woo -hoo!!!
The good news is, Ohio is closer to New York than Los Angeles is!
DO NOT feel sorry for me.
1. It's only for one year (two at most).
2. It's a really great opportunity for Derek.
3. I visited there in 2003 (I think) and it's really not that bad. There are so, so many worse places we could go for a year!

I will miss Los Angeles a bit, and I'm glad I got the chance to live here. I actually like it here after all, and I've really gained a lot from the experience, which maybe I'll elaborate on some other time. (not right before I'm about to leave for work)

We don't know the details of exactly when we'll be going, so I'll update later. Meanwhile, those of you in NY, prepare your extra bedrooms. haha.