Keepin' it real in Longbeach

Sean, Eddie and I took a little trip to Longbeach a couple weekends ago to celebrate our "three-year anniversary."
Sean and I take many trips together, but they usually include camping in a tent, sleeping in a car, or multiple days of driving (i.e. very little time for straight chillin'.)
The only other time we stayed in a hotel for over 12 hours was "Adventures in Lars' Vegas Wedding" two summers ago... but I feel like Vegas doesn't even count because "chillin'" in V-town consists of desperately fending off impending hangovers, lots of walking in the blazing hot sun, and little-to-no relaxation time, (unless laying by the pool surrounded by a million strangers with blasting dub-step counts...?)

AND we almost never get to bring Eddie with us (even when we're camping) because Eddie is an odd-ball and has dicey relationships with other dogs...  

THE POINT BEING, this trip was quite different than any other weekend getaway for us.

We booked an ocean-view condo, where we stayed - IN A BED - for three nights. There was a full kitchen. A fireplace. A deck. And a large, jetted tub. And Eddie got to come! It was perfection.

I realize that to most of the world, this probably doesn't sound like the most exciting vacation of all time (Longbeach in the middle of January is slightly ghost-townish) but for us it was precisely what we wanted.

We relaxed, cooked food, ate food, explored the sites, walked on the beach, read books, took naps, watched TV, and just simply enjoyed each others company without another care in the world.

And here are some pictures from our fairly scenic trip:

This is the view from the bathtub of our pimpin' condo. (I took a bath every day we were there.)

Sean and Eddie at the beach. Because of the aforementioned "dicey behavior" we kept Eddie in a muzzle when other off-leash dogs were roaming the beach nearby.

Crazy dogs need love too! I like to think of Eddie as the fun-loving, furry version of Hannibal Lector.

smooches, pooches!

Eddie very happily enjoying muzzle-free time.

Grey Whale Skeleton!

Buffy and I at Leadbetter State Park

Hazy afternoon at the Ilwaco Lighthouse

Eddie and  I at the Lighthouse. Zoom in to view Ed's hilarious facial expression.

Sean taking a pinhole shot.

More views from Ilwaco.

Ilwaco Lighthouse

Sunset view from our condo.

And, of course, some LOVE! (anniversary post has to have at least a bit of sap, right?)

THE END!

Thanks, Grace!

So I'm generally a pretty happy, easygoing person. 

Don't get me wrong,  I get straight heated when the time is right, but I usually don't just walk around thinking that the world sucks.

But for whatever reason, today I was totally not in a happy mood. 

I woke up normal, and moderately happy.

Then work happend. 

Rain in July.

Got about three disappointing text messages.

And voila! I'm grumpy.

And I really don't like being grumpy.

Being grumpy actually makes me more grumpy because I fixate on how annoyed I am that I'm grumpy, which obviously fuels the fire. 

It's a pretty vicious cycle, really.

So, in order to distract myself, I decided to read my sister's blog , which didn't actually help matters because he content of her latest post is midly depressing and, she has the flu. 

BUMMER.

So naturally, I moved on to my neice Grace's blog, where she had recently shared a few simple things that make her smile.

Not only does Grace alone always make me smile, but so does thinking about the little things that make her smile. 

So, in an attempt to be less bitchy and more smiley, I'm taking a cue from the noble 12-year-old in my life and going to focus on the many, many things that make me happy, instead of the handful of things that don't.

Here goes!

(And these are in no particular order)

First off, Grace 

and her blog

because pretty much everything that she posts makes me smile in some way- whether it be her hilarious, witty or observant rambings, or her always sunny, bright and cheery photos (usually of people that I know and love, which obvi adds to the smile-factor.)

P.S. isn't she freakin' gorg?!

2nd:

Yesterday I picked up my oldest friend Courtnay from the airport. 

I hadn't seen her since April, and she hadn't set foot on the West Coast since January. 

Not only am I super excited to be able to hang with her for the next few days (which includes a whitewater rafting trip in Wenatchee.... whaattt?), the pick-up itself was hilarious and definitely makes me smile!

(Brief recap: we told Court that Taylor had to work so she wouldn't be able to come with me to pick her up. But we lied. Taylor hid in my trunk, and when Court opened the hatch door it was hilarious!)

THREE

My boyfriend's latest Facebook post. (Cheesy, I know.)

But without him even knowing my day wasn't exactly up to par, he sent me a Facebook note saying "Hope yer days goin well shoooga!"

(please ignore the grammatical errors. he sent it from his phone.)

And he's not exactly the Facebook-wall-posting type.

Simply stated, made me smile. 

(Among the many other sweet and hilarious things he entertains me with on the daily.)

four

my dog.

Literally all I have to do is think about his wacky ass, and I'm usually beaming from ear-to-ear, if not completely in stiches. 

Much love.

 Five:

My family, in general.

Not only do I have an intense love for all of my crazy relatives, it makes me smile that I get to see most of them on a pretty regular basis.
From my awesome sister, whom I don't know what  I would do without;

to my sweet and unknowlingly hilarious mom; my goofy, but loving, brother; my even goofier, and equally as loving dad; three impressively adorable/handsome/funny/smart/talented nephews; myriads of unique and enviably talented cousins, aunts and uncles; three out of four grandparents, not to mention all the non-blood-related family members that I hold extremely close - you name it, I got it! 

And I know a lot of people don't. 

Which means I should buck up and smile about it, dammit!

Six:

Nice weather.

Even though we are not experiencing that at the exact moment (see fig. 1 below) when it does pop up (like fig. 1 says it might tomorrow) I know I'll be smiling about it then...

fig. 1

7!

The peanut butter pretzels and chocolate chips I packed for a snack, which I will soon be eating.

AND the hot, homemade soup I am eating currently (I know it's July, but remember, it's RAINING? soup makes sense. and makes smiles).

eight:

the sweet new paint job I gave my bike this weekend

(before)

(after)

nine:

This joke (which I have unofficially dubbed as my 'favorite joke of all time')

What's brown and rhymes with snoop?

scroll to the bottom of this post for the punchline.

10.

It's Thursday, which only means one thing: tomorrow is Friday! 

Which mean's I can bring out the Rebecca Black. 

Saturday comes after that, and then... it's Sunday... and I got no complaints on weekends, people.

So bring it on, pissy mood!

My "things that make me smile list" will totally defeat your sorry ass!

and here's the punchline to number nine:

Doctor Dre, motha effas!

(I know you all wanted to say poop. Don't lie.)

Naked Sundays Round 10!

My Baby.

Eddie is turning FOUR tomorrow, people.

FOUR! 

That mean's he is no longer a puppy, and it's high time he start acting like the mature, reserved, well-behaved adult the age four implies for a dog.
Kind of like how he looks in this photo.



Funny how deceiving photos can be, huh?

FLASHBACK FRIDAY

Baby Ed

Here is Eddie when he was still just a little puppy. 

I still tend to consider him a puppy (especially since he sure as heck acts like one) but he is way huge now.

And he's going to be four this summer... so yea... I guess I'm just living in the past.

Seriously though? He was so cute!

(and honestly, he still is... even if he is an "adult dog.")

Linking this up to Flaskback Friday

I guess this is what teenage rebellion looks like?

Eddie's "clever" alternative to me telling him to "get off the couch."

Linking this up to my sister's Show {off} Your Shot Friday photo challenge.

Here's how I got this shot.

Eddie got on the couch.

I told him to get off.

He jumped on the chair and made himself look rather comfortable.

Took the shot, edited levels for contrast and brightness, upped saturation on chair and background (masked out for the dog- he gets too orange over-saturated) and burned in the ottoman.

Day 365 of the 365 Day Project

Here it is.

The 365th day of the 365 day project I took on 365 days ago.

You may notice a striking resemblance the last photo of the year has to the very first photo of the year.

(I thought a "full circle" approach was the way to go for the big finale.)

I've thoroughly enjoyed this year of taking pictures every godforsaken day. It has been challening. Enlightening. Frustrating and fun.

But at the end of the day, its pretty much just me and my dog in my mud-colored living room. 

So there ya go!

(Sort of anti-climatic, I realize, but we hope you will stick around for what's next....)

What is next?

What is next for this blog, you ask? 

I am not going to take on another year of POTDing... but at this point I plan to continue blogging on a regular basis, sharing photos that I deem worthy of posting on the web -  not just because I feel like I "have to" because another 24 hours has passed.

I  haven't decided yet if I'm going to try out a specific theme, time line, subject, or what (and I am open to suggestions) but in the meantime you can at least expect to see some pictures that I take that I like, coupled with my enchanting wit and over-use of terms like "hells ya!" and "redonkulous."

So, I hope you will continue checking in with "This Is Me, Getting a Life" from time to time and see what I'm up to, and what great directions my blog just might take!

And to all my loyal followers throughout the year (whether official, comment-leaving, or not) your thoughts, support and encouragement kept me going through it all!

THANK YOU!

365 Day Project - Day 341

Lazy Day.

Today was a pretty chill day around these parts. I was stuck home most of the day due to a nasty eye-injury (yes, that is as lame as it sounds). Therefore, much lounging ensued.
Here's Eddie's version. Tucked up in a little ball on his very own doggie bed (i.e. not my couch.)



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(please disregard Eddie's half eaten ball that I vowed to never post in a POTD again... since it's not the sole purpose of the POTD, I figure it's OK... right?)  

365 Day Project - Day 340

Macheddie in the signature Bloodhunger wolf hat.

(He's an aspiring rockstar.)

365 Day Project - Days 333-334

More of my dog.

I realize this might be considered  "Eddie and his new toy" overkill with three consecutive POTD's, but I wanted to share these two photos because:

A) I think Day 333 (left) makes Eddie look handsome and gentle as he delicately smooches his "tough ball"
B) On Day 334 (right) Eddie was cracking us up as he partied down Saturday night with is "tough ball turned clown-nose get-up"

So there you go. I promise I won't post anymore pictures of Eddie and his tennis ball ever again (which shouldn't be too hard considering the ball is more than half way to its final resting place.)



And for the record, the tough ball cost me a hair less than FOUR DOLLARS.

365 Day Project - Day 332

Eddie got a new toy today.

Want to play with it?

Tough balls.

I'm linking this up to my sister's "Show Off Your Shot" Friday photo challenge. I took this picture because I had given Eddie this new (extra large, extra "tuff") tennis ball today and he was cute playing with it. As far as taking the shot, I tried to get as close as possible, and I picked this one because his facial expression is so funny like "You ain't gettin this ball!"

In photoshop, I used two duplicate layers with soft light and screen blending modes, each at about 50 percent. I took down the saturation about 10 points (I usually do on pictures with Eddie) and used selective color to tone down the reds in his coat, and pump up the "tennis ball yellow" in the ball. Then I cropped.

365 Day Project - Day 318

Do not adjust your monitors! 

This is, in fact, a dog napping on a blanket with a giant picture of his own face on it.

I repeat:

BLANKET HAS GIANT FACE OF DOG WHOM IS NAPPING ON SAID BLANKET!

Possibily the most hilariously adorable Christmas gift of all time. 

 

365 Day Project - Day 307

As always after a long weekend, I spend a lot of time in bed. Usually with Ed.

This picture makes me smile because Ed looks so serious, but he's so totally not.

Silliest. Dog. Ever.

365 Day Project - Day 298

Inter-species twins?

This picture makes me chuckle. 

My start to a wacky, yet relaxing, weekend.

365 Day Project - Day 292

Santa Paws!

This charmingly festive mutt will also be famous be featured in the Tacoma Weekly's upcoming "Last Minute Holiday Gift Guide" insert, accompanying a "Top 10 List for Pets" compiled by yours truly.

Check it out for last-minute shopping ideas this week, and of course, to help Eddie relish in his "15 minutes."

365 Day Project - Day 282

Couch potatoes!

Since I've got the sweet new TV and Blu-Ray player (which enables me to stream unlimited Netflix on "the big screen") I have taken to sitting on my ass a lot more. 

Here you see me and Eddie (asleep) on round 4 of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (year 11).

Good stuff!

And a great way to keep me occupied now that my Boot camp membership has expired.
Trading an uber-active daily habit for a completely sedentary one? 

I don't see any problems with that, do you?

365 Day Project - Day 273

Ed happily cuddling with "Auntie Courtey" during the seriously treacherous snow storm today.

365 Day Project - Day 272

Eddie eats snow for dinner.

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365 Day Project - Day 268

The aftermath of our windstorm this week. 

Please note this gate is completely flip-turned-upside-down (never thought I'd actually use that term in a legit sentence).

And since I always "forget" about this gate because it's on the "other" side of my yard, I failed to notice its new position until I was enthusiastically greeted by Eddie hanging in the FRONT yard today (two days after the storm.)

I have no idea how long he was out for today, but I'm so glad he opted to stay close to home and didn't attack any passersby... that I know of... 

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365 Day Project - Day 260

In this sequence, it is easy to see that Sean's unconditional love for Eddie has blinded him to the obvious fact that Eddie has alterior motives for participating in the following inter-species, embrace.

Here's the play-by-play of Sean and Eddie's "Goodnight Hug:" 

Things seem to be staring off well. 

Eddie looks to be a little high-strung, but that's nothing out of the ordinary...

Next, Eddie makes an effective roll to the left, putting him in the perfect position to take what he is after.

In a matter of seconds, Eddie has accomplished his goal - cinching Sean's favorite trucker hat, completely unbeknownst to him.

If only I could train him to do that with five dollar bills and winning lottery tickets...

365 Day Project - Day 241

Hittin the bottle hard.

Maybe this means I need to get Ed a few more legit dog toys?