There’s an episode of Friends where Rachel and Monica lock themselves out of their apartment. It’s a thanksgiving episode. On their way out the door Monica says 'got the keys?' but Rachel interprets it as 'got the keys.' (no question mark). So the turkey burns, and Rachel misses her flight, and it’s the 'worst thanksgiving ever.' Well, apparently life does imitate art. ;)

Kim and i decided last nite about 6 to go run a few miles on the beach. It was a perfect evening, we felt great afterward, and headed home to find some dinner, clean the house up a bit, and relax. Kim drove us down to the beach, so i'd left my keys at home. She thought i had house keys so she just grabbed her car keys, that was it. We came home to find ourselves totally and completely locked out! Josh was gone at a soccer game until after 9.

We tried picking the locks, but a large screwdriver and a bobby pin weren't really the right tools. We tried opening a basement window, but then figured the basement door was probably locked, so all that would get us is locked in the basement. After getting tired of the strange looks from the neighbors, we drove around a bit, ending up at thriftway where (yay for technology) i used my fingerprint to buy us some dinner at the deli, since neither of us had a wallet, either. After leaving Josh a message to call us when he got home (he needs a wireless phone! augh!) we headed to Fremont, where Jason and Julia were kind enough to take us in (you guyz rock!). We played ps2 and ate ice cream with them (still in our workout clothes) until Josh finally got home about 9:30. Btw, breyer’s mint white chocolate - really good.

So that was our little adventure last night. Kim’s pretty sure she'll never live it down, and i'm pretty sure i'm going to drive next time we go to the beach. :D

In other news, Annie D gets here tonite to visit for a few days from portland - sweet! We're gonna party it up in Seattle all weekend, it’s gonna be great! Then Danielle will swing through town on monday nite for a job interview at Alaska Airlines (good luck, kid!). Once again, i'm running a bed-and-breakfast, but at least this time i have the extra room! :)

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Busy, busy week last week, but can't believe i was so busy i didn't have time for you'all. Seriously, what kind of a friend am i? ;) It’s monday morning and am back at work after a great yet disturbingly short weekend. I brought my BitCharG RC car to work today (i'll get a pic for ya and put it here tonite) and my plan for the morning is pretty much to drive that around the office and avoid doing any work. But i guess i can take a break from terriorizing the hallways to fill you in.

Worked like crazy last week, a few hours late most nights, a good chunk of overtime. We've been installing new computers in our offices all over the state, which makes for a lot of heavy-travel days. It’s been good, tho, as everything’s gone very smoothly and Ron, Caleb and i have been traveling together, which is funner (yes, 'funner') than traveling alone. Long days, tho.

So i rewarded myself with a completely fun weekend where i did nothing productive. ;) Took a great roadtrip to the Oregon coast, stopping in Tillamook for fresh cheese and pepperoni, and then on to Cannon Beach and Seaside. It was a bit rainy and more than a bit cold, but still nice enough that Libby was able to do her yoga on the beach. The drive back was a bit rainy and dark - sure glad i have those new tires, thanx Mom & Dad! A great trip tho, and i have a couple cool souveniers i'll get pics of for ya, plus i'll get the roadtrip pics up in the gallery this week (promise!). And Patrick, i have your block of sharp cheddar, as requested. ;)

Sunday was spent in my home-away-from-home, Ian’s garage. Matt installed his custom ground wire kit on my car - it came out great, he’s a real pro - and i finally fixed that stupid taillight wiring. I've been embarassed to use the brakes cause i was missing a brakelight and i think that’s so tacky, so i've been gearing down a lot and finding other creative ways to slow down (holding my hands out the window? jake brake?). It’s much easier to just use the brakes, so i'm glad they're working 100% again… Also changed my oil (third time i've done it myself, i'm starting to get the hang of avoiding the mess) and collected a sample to send to Blackstone Labs for engine condition analysis.

The other big project for the weekend was actually a co-project with Patrick, deciding on a name to put on our business license application. We've narrowed it down to two, i'll keep you posted on the progress…

I'm purposely not saying anything about any current events items as the whole thing pretty much creeps me out. I will say that i'm really annoyed by hypocritical protesters - i don't know how someone can carry a sign proclaiming that capitalism is evil when they're wearing an eddie bauer jacket and nike’s and their picket sign is made from office supplies. Also, for all those anti-petroleum protesters who keep scowling at me in my car from their rainy street corners - we use petroleum for more than just making gasoline, ya know. Like making your shoes, and your picket signs, and your 'environmentally friendly' bicycle… and keeping hospitals sterile, and food fresh. And i'm sorry, Cameron Diaz, but we'd have to turn off a lot of lights to save the energy consumed by your 10,000sf home and your 8000lb Escalade. So if you're gonna protest, get your facts right and walk your talk.

So, that’s my dish for the weekend. Have a great monday, peeps!

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Happy st paddy’s day out there! Being not irish myself, i chose not to drink myself into oblivion today, although i did meet Patrick for a decidedly non-green pint and a happy hour burger at Canyons. I was in the bothell office for the afternoon, right in his neighborhood, and his last final of the semester was today, seemed a fitting time for a little celebration. Speaking of celebration (and beer!) Kim’s last day of work is tomorrow, before she starts her new job at Argosy Cruises. Also being $2 pint tuesday at the Pyramid alehouse seemed too coincidental to pass up, so that’s where we'll be after work!

Sitting at home now, listening to 'monday madness' on C89 and making fun of Clint on the web forums. ;) Oh, and eating girl scout thin mints. I prefer the coconut-y ones (samoas?) but after helping my houseguests finish off all three of Josh’s boxes last week, i bought him another box sunday and i'm not touching it!

It was sunny and incredible today - Danielle and Miguel missed all the good weather by a week! - and i took advantage of that and a slow day at work to cruise Lake City Wy from the U district up to bothell, along lake washington. Other than a few snobby luxury car drivers, everyone seems in a good mood today out there in the emerald city, likely on account of the weather. Either that, or because the UW girls' track team was running around campus today… or maybe i was the only one who followed them for 3 blocks? ;) Only real downer was blowing 22 bucks on a part for my car after venturing halfway to Canada in search of campbell-nelson Nissan. But at least my new 'Hella' horns totally rock, and i got to wash the Max on friday nite, and it’s still pretty clean today. That, and i still totally love driving it more every day, even on this, our 3-year anniversary together (Yes, that’s right! Already!). So, no complaints! :D

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Okay, so it’s sunday morning… well, that’s not entirely true. It’s sunday afternoon. I've just only been up for a couple hours, so it still feels like morning. ;) Don't get all thinkin that i'm lazy now - i stayed up late last nite posting photos of yesterday’s bbq and watching bad movies with Josh. (Btw, never rent 'Pluto Nash', it’s terrible. I don't know what we're going to do with it for 4 more days…) And i ran a couple miles on the beach this morning before breakfast… so there! Anyway, Danielle and Miguel are both home safely now in their respective montana towns. It was a great week with them here, and i really hope Danielle can make it out here more often (like on, oh, a permanent basis! hint hint!). I'll get pictures of their adventures up soon. So many pics to edit this week!

Perish the though i get any rest - Annie D should be in town any day now for her spring break, another week of fun with an out-of-town friend! And a quick shout-out to Christian (my most out-of-town friend ;) - i noticed you reading the site this morning. So why didn't you call me, you slacker? My learn-German-in-10-minutes-a-day book shipped from Amazon on friday! Only 6 more months…

Gotta jet now tho, gonna meet Steph in madison park for some lunch and a walk around the neighborhood, cause it’s a beautiful spring day in Seattle!

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Well, what a week!

Let’s go in reverse chronological, just for kicks. Northwest Nissans BBQ was today at Golden Gardens park in north Seattle. Excellent turnout, great food (Breezy, Aaron, you guys rock!), incredible cars (Clint, if you ever need someone to babysit…) and of course i have pics for your enjoyment. ;) Great time had by all, organizers much appreciated, mild weather also extremely welcome! Oh, and if i didn't already really-really-really want a 300z, i do now. Clint is no help, either.

So, moving back to saturday morning, Danielle and Miguel headed back to montana today. It was great having them here, i hope they can come back again soon! Our last evening together was spent hosting a birthday party for Kim friday nite, which i have some great pics of, as well. I'll get those up for ya, soon. Now it’s really early in the morning (or, late, or whatever) and i'm heading to bed. More later… i'm really tired!

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Julia, Jason and I had a rollicking (good word, huh?) good time last nite at Watertown - too bad all you slackers who said you were going to show, didn't - you would have, too! Stopped by their great new apt afterward for some gamecube and ghetto screwdrivers - thanx guys, we need to make time more often! Meanwhile, Danielle and Miguel were at home sleeping - apparently their couple days in canada wore them out. ;)

Kim’s birthday party is still on for friday nite, and saturday is the first huge Maxima bbq of the season (pray for sunshine!), and it’s only wednesday… but on the other hand, it’s already wednesday!

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Danielle, Miguel and I tore the city apart this weekend, clubbing sat nite, a roadster show in SoDo, oriental junk food from Uwajimaya in a park with a view, and a nice italian dinner and a movie with the ever-adorable Julia. So far, we're spending waaay too much $ and having a great time! ;) Kim’s just getting home from a ski weekend, and Josh is out on his third date of the weekend - so we're all enjoying our days off! I'm working on pics, stay tuned…

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Two words: NO CAVITIES! :D

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Hey all, just another random tuesday on a sunny-yet-cold spring day. Went to puyallup for work, always a little crazy down there, but at least stuff seemed to work ok. Always breaks after we leave, tho, right about when we're over halfway home. ;)

Have a dentist appt tomorrow, hate those, i always dread hearing how much more it’s going to cost me. I don't even care about the pain anymore - i really think i'd take a longer, more painful option if it was free. I have like 38 more monthly payments until my fillings from last spring are paid off… last thing i need is more! Wish me luck on that…

Work is getting a little frustrating just cause we have so many things to do and so little organization, and i keep getting roped into projects that i don't have the authority or control to do right, but people get frustrated with me anyway. So that’s annoying… but whatever, it’s not insurance. ;)

It’s Grama Frances’s birthday today, so i need to remember to call her tonite. This friday is Kim’s birthday, but she'll be gone skiing with her dad in utah, so her party’s scheduled for next friday, the 14th. Which works great, cause that’s when Danielle and Miguel will be here. Btw, anyone who’s reading this, drop me a line or call if you wanna come, i'd love to see ya. Assuming, that is, that you live in the area - wouldn't want anyone flying in just for hummus and heinekens. :D

Steph and Libby and i had tacos and zingers for dinner and discussed our various frustrations and headaches, career-wise and otherwise. We were all just in one of those moods, where you have fun no matter what and everything seems funny. The best kind.

So work’s a little stressful, and money’s a little tight, but at least it’s sunny, and i have some good friends to spend the time with (who don't mind that i'm broke), so life is good!

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