I have technically been working for 11 days straight.

That’s just weird to think about.

It doesn’t feel like it at all.

• Measuring samples from China is probably my least favorite job.
• I look cute today.
• Everything I was just thinking about left my brain.
• One thing that drives me nuts is people who have to swear in every single sentence.
• I refer to everyone who is sensible as being cultured.
• I actually packed a lunch today and it was good.
• Alicia and Claudia are off doing a TV spot.
• I can not stop thinking about sushi at Koi.
• The new purchasing rules in the warehouse are definitely going to detour me from buying as much as I use to.
• If Chad bought me a Blackberry I might actually start Twittering again.
• I no longer chat online during work hours.
• I will be radioactive in one week.
• The girl beside me on the plane ride home was reading ‘Pride & Prejudice & Zombies’. I now must find this book.
• I don’t know why I bother getting my nails painted professionally. They always chip sooner then when I do them myself.
• There are over 45 fabrics on order for Spring so far.
• I was told that the men working on our roof are all ‘bums and criminals’.
• I spent $50 on a book about Grey Gardens.
• Time for Lemon Yogurt and Raspberries.

The past few days I have been consumed with thoughts of death. While in LA I had a dream that both our family dog Benji, and my brother had died while I was away. In my dream, I reacted way more dramatically then I imagine I would in real life, and I felt an immense amount of pain for it only being a dream. Since then, this dream keeps popping back into my head.

Benji turned 15 years old this month and it is very evident to all of us that he is not doing well, and that we should prepare ourselves for his passing. He is basically blind and deaf at this point, and his once spunky personality has changed into a rather depression demeanor.

Now, those who have met Benji know he is a devil dog. He hates everyone except our family and you can not pet him; at all. His behaviour stems from an experience he had as a pup when one of our neighbours had a rather large ghetto garage party and one of his friends came over into our yard, wasted, and attempted to beat Benji. From then on he changed and every time someone went to pet him and got very defensive and would prepare to attack. Therefore, he was a dog you could show no affection to. But despite him having attacked my foot several time in the middle of the night as he slept on my bed and I accidentally kicked him in my sleep, the thought of not seeing him every time I go over to my parents is devastating. The thought of it is actually making me way more emotional then I thought I would be. It’s just so depressing to think about. Now every time the phone rings and its my Mom I fear the news.

I know its coming, but I don’t want to deal with it.

As for my brother, I’m pretty sure hes not going to die. Though he has been horribly sick this year, like depressingly sick this year, I’m hopeful its not anything life threatening. With out getting into too much detail, hes had major stomach problem upon stomach problem and no one knows whats going on and its been extremely frustrating. And while I’m sure death is not around the corner, I’ve been totally jaded by the events of this year and almost expect everything horrible to happen.

I once bought a Beck T-shirt that had fuzzy writing on it that I couldn’t make out. Then I realized it said ‘Everything is Horrible”. I know its sounds SO depressing, but it is so the theme of my year. But its ok, I’m not actually this depressing, I just like to be over dramatic about it all. Just ask Chad. I just think the t-shirt is fitting, in my over dramatic, emo, funny brain. It makes me laugh. It’s especially stupid of me to think about when I look back at last week and the fact that I got a free trip to LA and got to do some amazing things. I’ve just been finding the negative in everything instead of the positive and that’s just not healthy. Name an event and I will tell you what went wrong with it, not what went well.

I just really hope no one dies. I don’t even know why I am so worried about it.

This is the first time in my life that I actually am fearing death and I think its because this year has proven that anything can happen, especially the negative.

Well…that was by far the most exhausting trip I’ve ever been on. I really had no idea what I had gotten myself into, but 12 hours of shopping, and meeting with sales reps, and walking around, and driving from one part of the city to the next almost every day, was more then my little body could handle. I don’t know how Claudia and the boss do this 4 times a year. Though, I have a feeling that now that I’ve done it once, its going to be a regular occurrence. The boss is getting older and already has a calendar full of trips that she takes, so I’m sure she would be more then happy to hand off a few of those to a capable assistant. And since I’ve done it once, and am quite comfortable with the surroundings and situations, I would be happy to go again, even though I WILL complain about how exhausting it all is.

The only celebrity sighting of the trip was Jesse Metcalfe. Lame beyond lame. I’m also 98% sure that while dining at Chin Chin on Sunset, Steve Carell walked by in a plaid fedora and smiled at me as I stared at his face trying to figure out why he looked so familiar. The only reason I didn’t name him as a celebrity sighting was because I didn’t have Claudia to confirm the sighting so it could have just been all in my head. Though I’m 98% sure it was definitely him.

Thanks to Alicias keen eye and fashion skills, she informed us that Target was currently selling a pair of boots that looked exactly like those made by Frye but for only $50. Needless to say, Claudia and I made a stop and both made the purchase! Real leather boots, that look like $300 boots, for 50 bucks. It’s a no brainer.

I also went nuts in Forever 21 and blew my budget on jewellry.

I am also majorly obsessed with the leopard print quilted change purse I got at Marc by Marc Jacobs. Had it not been at the end of the trip and had I not run out of money, I would have bought the clutch too.

Koi was amazing. Clearly the best Sushi I have ever had. No celebrity sightings, but one of the most amazing experiences and meals I’ve ever had the pleasure of partaking in.

The only downside to the whole trip was yesterday.

As we are about to board the plane back to Vancouver, an airline employee happened to take a look at Claudia’s Canadian Residency Visa. While Claudia has lived in Canada for the majority of her life, she still has her Chilien passport and is a landed immigrant in Canada. I don’t really understand all the specifics but as it turned out, her Visa had expired. So there we are, about to board the plane, and Claudia gets taken away and I am left standing there not knowing what the hell is going on. I stand by the gate waiting for her to return, thinking she’ll be back shortly. The entire plane boards and there is no Claudia. I get asked to board the plane as ‘it is not likely my friend will make this flight’. I’m sorry…WHAT!?

I boarded the plane in shock. I had no idea what is going on and I was actually quite panicked. They called me up to the front of the plane, only to tell me that they didn’t know when Claudia would be able to fly back home, but I would have to pick up her luggage in Vancouver as it was already on the plane. Both Claudia’s phone and my phone were dead so we couldn’t even message each other. I was left with no other information. I felt so helpless.

Sitting in the seat, all by myself, extremely worried about Claudia, I realized that there was absolutely nothing I could do so there was no point getting all worked up. I was seconds away from bursting into tears because I had never been on a plane all by myself, and as much as I knew everything would be fine and it wouldn’t be that difficult, I was just so freaked out about everything that has just happened.

The flight was fine and I landed in Vancouver, picked up both our luggage, drove home and immediately phoned the boss. Claudia had left a message on her phone so she was a little bit more in the loop then I was, but not by much. The last she heard was that they were putting her on a plane to Seattle so that she could talk to the Canadian Consulate this morning. Other then that there was nothing anyone could do.

I was basically upset all last night. Here, Claudia and I had had this awesome experience in LA, we had lived together for 5 days and had bonded, and then all of a sudden she was ‘taken away’ with out knowing what was going on. I know that sounds dramatic but its exactly how I felt.

Anyways, I got a txt from her last night around 11 that she had made it home, after 3 flights and $200. I don’t know what happened to her, but I will have to find out this morning.

It was a very dramatic and stressful way to end the trip. Ugh.

Part 2!

Sunday morning started off bright and early with Church, because we are good Catholics. There is only one Church in Whistler and it is very beautiful. I was going to take pictures of it but it was raining like a mofo so I didn’t get the chance.

Since the weather was so crappy and we were so tired we spent the morning being lazy.

Just before lunch we looked outside and saw that the weather was changing, so we made a break for it and ran outside.

It didn’t last long.

We went for lunch at this cute little lounge at one of the hotels in the village.

Chad made things out of the napkin and I spoke in a British accent.

Then we attempted to go for a walk, but it FAILED.

So the logical thing to do was take a nap.

And then go to the hot tub while it poured rain.

Rain drops kept falling on our heads.

That evening we went out for our Anniversary dinner at La Rua.

It was an amazing place and the service was excellent. I have never had a better experience in my life.

The food, sweet Jesus, the food was to die for. They even had a Summer special on which saved us quite a few pennies.

The next morning it was all about packing.

We stored our stuff and went for a walk through the village.

Monday was probably the best day for weather.

Oh…whats that down in the corner?

Me and my buddies!

A path to the Blackcomb side.

This was the restuarant we went to the night before.

Only problem was that we were dropped off at the back so we didn’t see this sign or know how to get in. Plus it was dark and rainy so it was quite the adventure to find it.

Back on the Whistler side we had lunch at Chads favorite pub before heading home.

Bye bye Whistler! We had a blast!

Whistler Anniversary Weekend