a lost art

my birthday fell on father's day this year. ahem, correction--father's day fell on my birthday this year, thank you very much! in an effort to celebrate the grand feat of having raised my brother, sister and i for the past 25+ years, i made a concious decision to focus sunday's celebrations on my dad. after all, he IS the most incredible dad in the world, and i love the gosh darn heck out of him...

here's to you, dad...! nmw...

josh, being the ever-so-loving-and-thoughtful-guy-of-a-husband he is, thought it was important we still celebrate my birthday. i didn't push back. shocking--i know. fast forward to the following saturday, a 20-minute westward drive with a quick stop for fancy food-to-go, we pulled into newport harbor where we found a duffy boat waiting for us. yup, for US. josh and me. i didn't know you didn't need a captian on those things! better for us--it was PRIVATE. wink wink.

anywho, josh had planned the boat, the dinner, and obviously the drink selection, because he pulled 2 bottles of my favorite cabernet out of his backpack, along with (plastic) wine glasses and a bottle opener. because that's how we roll :-) i was SO IMPRESSED by his thoughtfulness, and i absolutely adored the surprise factor of it all, but it was what he popped into the cd player on the boat that really stole my heart. leave it up to josh, he made me a MIX TAPE for my birthday boat ride. I LOVE HIM!! :-)

josh is album centric. if you know him at all, or have done a decent job of keeping up with his blog posts, you'll know he is not a "shuffle songs" kind of guy. no way. because that entirely negates any effort put forth by an artist to consciously arrange their music as they wanted it to be heard--as a story, with a beginning, middle, and end. therefore, i can only imagine what a struggle it must have been for him to put multiple songs and artists on one disc, visciously tearing them away from the cozy, assigned spots on thier respective albums. it must have been heart wrenching.

unless.................. unless this was josh's way of creating his own album. and btw, whether it's true or not, this is the story i'm going with. because it's my birthday. and i can.

josh has a library of over 85 days worth of music. 85 DAYS OF MUSIC. we could be stranded on an island together for 2 full months plus a february, eating maggots and drinking salt water, and as long as we had his ipod (and a charger... oh, and speakers, too...) we'd be able to dance to a different song the whole time we were there. it's almost stupid...but it's mostly cute. :-) it also comes in handy when i'm ready for an ipod mix change. i just love that he sat down and intentionally pulled 16 different songs from 16 different albums and 16 different artists and placed them all side by side onto one, single cd. these were 16 carefully chosen songs that made him think of us as a couple, as a family, and as two crazies that love to have a good time. he thought about what songs we'd enjoy on a birthday boat ride at sunset down newport harbor over dinner and drinks, on a night full of cuddling and day dreaming :-) this mix tape was a piece of art--it was wonderful, and it melted my heart. i (un)secretly hope for another one someday (honey...) ;-)


here are a few of my favorite lyrics from the disc, for your artful reading pleasure.

...sailing around the world, please know that i'm yours to keep, my beautiful girl...

...but there ain't nobody that can sing like me, ain't nobody that can sing like me, way over yonder in the minor key....

...that i am, i am, i am the luckiest...

...i wonder everyday as i look upon your face, everything you gave and nothing you would take...

...and then when we get to the ocean, we're gonna take a boat to the end of the world...

...you and me together, we can do anything, baby, you and me together, yes, yes...

...watchin' the fire as we grow...

...ahhhuhh, ahhhuh, ahhhhhuhh...

...happy birthday, beautiful...

look for some of the birthday mix songs on our blog playlist, soon!

oh my, layover!

takeaways from my latest attempt to fly...

1) burbank airport, contrary to popular (/my) belief, is NOT the same distance from orange county as long beach airport. idoit points: 3
2) it does not take 3+ hours to get from OC to burbank. it takes 2. idiot points: 1
3) a 7 person flight does not stop the ticketing counter from boarding in zones. idiot points: 0
4) san fransisco in the summer is moody like a teenage girl. one hour, foggy, the next hour, twice as foggy, the next hour, clear. idiot points: 1
5) "redeyes" are not meant to have connections at various airports throughout the night. idiot points: 3
6) in today's economy, not every freezing cold plane has blankets onboard. idiot points: 2
7) 90 minute customer service lines CAN be followed by 60 minute customer service phone calls. idiot points: 1
8) tea does not have as much caffiene as coffee. idiot points: 1
9) there's no one to chat on the phone with at 3:35am. idiot points: 1
10) when a pilot offers to drop you back off at the gate and stay in town, rather than start your trip, there are times when it'd be smarter to take him up on his offer rather than "just see" how things turn out. idiot points: 7 (that's a biggie, i know!)

it was a rough 20 hours, and in the end, i got nowhere. that's right, nowhere. i can't say i didn't learn anything though! in some states, i'd get college credits for the amount of lessons learned in such a short period of time...

PXX2AMFCSJYY

i will.

one of my goals for 2010 is to start setting goals.

one of my more relevant goals for 2010 is to become less restless. allow me to explain.

in this day and age, it is SO incredibly easy to yearn for "the next big thing", to always want what's on the other side of the fence, and to keep up, if not surpass, the "jones'". you grow up wanting to get to high school, then get to college, then get to the real world. you finally get there and you want to find a great job, buy a house, meet the man/woman of your dreams, get married, have kids, get a bigger house, get a more glorified job, have more kids, etc.etc.

i look at my own life and realize that in every step of the way, i have always want to be a step ahead of myself. this, my friends, is most likely the reason for why you may consider me "prematurely old". sad, huh? now, don't get me wrong, it's important to dream, wish, and work for all these great things to happen, but what happens when your entire focus becomes wanting what you don't currently have?? well, i believe you end up losing sight of the moment in which you stand.

i want to learn, so badly, how to just savor the moment while i'm in it. imagine the excitement!

so, this year i will do the following:
- i will cherish the tens of thousands of laughs i share with the love of my life
- i will utterly enjoy every minute of marriage...without kids
- i will love the moments i get to spend with my June Bug while she's still got the energy of a puppy
- i will appreciate the heck out of the fact that my bro, sis, mom, dad, and in laws all live within 30 minutes of me. that's equal to one episode of "friends"

- i will tell my friends how much i love them
- i will enjoy my little 1100 square foot condo and my tiny balcony
- i will work my butt off to tackle the daily learning curve i'm presented with in my career
- i will learn and retain as many music facts as my husband can tell me
- i will laugh aloud at the smart-ass jokes i quietly tell myself
- i will find a way to enjoy the countless hours spent in my car
- i will enjoy the daily grind as if its a vacation from the norm
- i will stop in my footsteps every so often and just...be
- i will not always be yearning for the next great moment, but instead make each moment great
- i will be...less restless and more at peace

i'm thankful for this life full of wonderful blessings, and i won't let it to go by too fast. you just never know...

Don't forget to pack the dog!

Traveling with a dog is, well, different, than traveling without a dog. HOWEVER, it is SO MUCH FUN! We took June to Colorado with us this past week, and that lucky dog hit 6 states in 8 days! She absolutely loves car rides, and I think she really enjoyed being with Josh and I 24/7. Here's some advice for those that plan to road trip with a dog (we learned a lot and thought we'd share):

1) Definitely get a pet friendly hotel. They may charge a few bucks to have your pup there, but I couldn't imaging trying to sneak a dog into a hotel room.
2) Get two beds in the room. Your puppy can enjoy the other (shhhhh)...
3) Two words: Poop Bags
4) Bring something from home. June really stuck to her routine of "going to her bed" as soon as she realized where we put it. I think it helped keep things consistent.
5) Leave LOTS of space in the car. June had a place to sleep, along with a few areas she could walk around in, if she needed to stretch out. It really kept her from going stir crazy--she lasted about 12 hours a day in the car!
6) Water, water, water, especially in high altitude areas! This pup definitely got a little spoiled this week, but it's a one time thing...

This is how you do it...

Goin' to the Angels' Game: "Josh n Gigi Style"

1) arrive late:

bottom of the 2nd. less traffic, fewer lines.

2) wear maroons and grays

...just in case the guys in bright red don't do so hot...

3) walk in and go straight to your seats

it helps if your tickets are in the diamond club. no stairs, no crowds.

4) order from the waiter

beer brought to you is much tastier than beer you went and stood in line for... (TIP: don't order "non ballpark food" from a ballpark. stick strictly to nachos, hot dogs, and beer.)

5) watch the Laker game

access to a restaurant with a TV showing other (action-filled) games is a must!

6) leave early

sometime before the top of the seventh is a safe time to go. the goal is to make it out sometime before they make you stand up and sing...

______________

don't get me wrong... the game wasn't AWFUL by any means. we had a good time for the few hours we were there. josh and i have been enthralled by the action found in the NBA playoffs lately, so we did feel a bit out of place watching such a slow-paced game. we got these ticket "spur of the moment", so i don't think we were really prepared for the relaxed nature of the evening. next time!

Climbing lessons

I stumbled across this video today from a recent TED conference.  It’s a talk given by Matthew Childs, an avid rock climber, guide, and marketing professional.  He lays out nine life lessons he learned from rock climbing.  As a climber myself I first watched the video to see what climbing taught him about climbing.  Then I watched it again; this time watching to see what climbing taught him about life. It’s nothing brilliant or new; it’s actually quite simple, but it really does say a lot about climbing and about life in general.

 

My climbing career has gone through high’s (ranking first in the U.S. and Canada for my age group; even if it was only for one week) and low’s (two separate occasions of injuring opposite ankles to the point the Dr.’s have recommended, “Next time, break it. It’ll heal faster.”), but through it all the sport has taught me a lot about myself, life situations, and relationships. 

 

Climbing, to me, is about solving problems.  In fact, that’s what we call bouldering routes; problems.  Everything you need to solve the problem is right in front of you, but it doesn’t mean that you are ready to solve it.  Along with the tools that the climb provides, there are certain aspects of yourself that need to be ready in order to utilize the tools effectively.

 

As a newlywed, I have a whole new set of problems in front of me; to keep on with the climbing analogy.  Watching Matthew’s presentation, it reminded me just how fitting the methods I use to get better at climbing are also applicable to how I get better at my marriage.  Here is how I look at Matt's nine lessons in the way they apply to me:

 

Lesson # 1 – Don’t let go

Childs says, “You think about giving up way before your body does.” When Gigi and I were dating there were plenty of times it would have been easier to “let go” of the relationship rather than endure through whatever problem was.  I have learned from climbing that the exhilaration of solving a problem I thought was bigger than I was is always much better than saying I tried, but just had to let it go. 

 

Lesson # 2 – Hesitation is bad

I might re-phrase this to what he says later in the point, “…momentum is good.”  In relationships, just like in climbing, momentum is good.  Keep striving to do things that push the relationship forward.  Get passionate about showing the other person how much you love them and push yourself to constantly get better at it.

 

Lesson # 3 – Have a plan

Before I actually attempt to solve a climbing problem, I always step back and look at the whole problem first.  I look at what kind of holds are there, where my feet need to be, what parts may give me more trouble than others, and where I may land if I fall.  I try to bring this aspect into my marriage as well.  Whether it is a problem that Gigi and I have together, or individually, I try to take a step back and look at the problem itself; what caused it, what is the best way to deal with it now, and what do I/we need to change to prevent it from happening again.

 

Lesson # 4 – The move is the end

When I have taught people how to climb, I notice that everyone wants to solve the whole problem.  Of course the do, that’s the idea!  The problem is that when you are first starting out, it is more important to learn how to use the tools than it is to solve the problem.  Once you have a firm grasp of each of the tools, the solution to the problem becomes a lot easier.  Don’t get caught up in solving the problem the first time.  Look at each step toward solving the problem as a smaller problem solved on the way to solving the larger problem.

 

Lesson # 5 – Know how to rest

A couple of years back one of my standard gym workouts included a 200 foot long traverse. There were some parts of the traverse that were a lot tougher than others, and I would need a rest to keep on going.  I would find a small corner to lean into or a huge hold to pause on to give my hands and feet a small rest, to allow myself to keep going.  With my relationship with Gigi, I have found that rest to be important as well.  There have been times when everything going on in our lives has been overwhelming or stressful.  In those times, we have found that a weekend or a couple of evenings of “our time” helps us rest, regroup, and allows us to keep going.

 

Lesson # 6 – Fear sucks

I remember the problem vividly.  The Elevator Shaft is a problem in Bishop, CA I attempted three years ago.  About 20 feet high, long dynamic moves, and a large boulder directly underneath where I would fall.  I tried that problem about 10-15 times, but the fear of falling on that boulder, well, sucked. I didn’t end up solving it that day.  A year later I went back, pushed through that fear and solved the problem.  In my previous attempts, I was too scared of falling I didn’t realize how big my next hold was.  I didn’t have much to worry about.  That happens a lot in relationships.  Don’t let fear stop you from making the next move.

 

Lesson #7 – Opposites are good

Climbing, and bouldering especially, uses a lot of opposing forces to maintain balance.  Different opinions, interests, habits, aren’t always a bad thing.  Gigi and I certainly have our differences, but we are learning how to use those differences to become better at solving problems that arise.  We are using each others strengths to stay balanced in our relationship.

 

Lesson # 8 – Strength does not equal success

When I was learning about climbing I thought “the stronger you are, the better you are at climbing.”  What I failed to realize is that strength is only part of what makes you a good climber.  Just being strong does not mean you will get to the top.  There are many aspects to climbing, as there are in relationships, in addition to strength that need to be constantly worked on before success can be had.   Getting to the top based on strength alone, is not going to prepare you for reaching the top of the next problem that comes your way. 

 

Lesson # 9 – Know when to let go

About 3 years ago I was working on a problem in the gym.  The problem was harder than I normally climb, but I was doing really well on it.  I was about three moves from finishing it when I heard something in my right ring finger go “SNAP!”  I can actually remember seeing my finger bend just a little bit farther than I had seen it go before. It didn’t really hurt so I thought I might just ignore it and finish.  Then I decided that “SNAP!” isn’t usually a good sound so I should get down and check it out.  Ended up I partially tore a tendon in my finger.  Had I decided to push through it, it was likely I would have torn the tendon completely and needed surgery.  I have learned that there are times in a relationship when you need to let go also.  Compromise is tough, but it’s better than surgery. 

 

So in a very large analogical nutshell, climbing is a lot like relationships.  I am positive that I have volumes more to learn about relationships and climbing, but I also know that I have someone climbing with me who is just as willing to learn how to get to the top as I am.  Together we will make each other stronger, use our strengths to our advantage, help the other get over fears, maintain motivation, figure out the best plan forward, get through each step of the way, and learn how to let go of things that may create bigger problems.

 

Okay, this post REALLY makes me want to get outside and go climbing soon.  Who’s with me?!

TOP TEN things i l.o.v.e. about being married to josh johnson

#10) he 100% supports my yogurtland trips. -- i was truly concerned i'd "lose" this luxury once married. honestly, $3.50 a few (3-4) times a week, spent on frozen milk and crushed candy bars, intended only to satisfy female cravings, on nights i'm already complaining that it's cold outside... and he is TOTALLY cool with it. i didn't expect that one bit! and he doesn't even care for any of the goodness himself, he just watches & lets me indulge :-)
#9) he loves quicken. -- josh thinks tracking finances is the coolest thing since sega genesis. this leaves me with much more free time than i've ever had before. he "suggested over and over" that we switch to online automatic bill pay...brilliant! i just get emails now that say my bills are being paid. i love efficiency!
#8) Two words: Netflix & LOST -- two wonderful new worlds i've been pulled into! netflix used to take the fun out of going to get a movie from blockbuster, but now it's found itself as one of my favorite things to receive in the mail! and LOST...amazing show! i am enthralled by the characters and the unknown. who'd've-thunk i'd ever like a sci-fi show??? i'm tellin ya, marriage is an EYE OPENER!
#7) june. -- oh my june bug! josh did an amazing job at raising june. she is SO SWEET and SUCH A GOOD DOG! and... josh let her enjoy her chewing years in his home with his stuff. so, fast forward 2 puppy years later, and i really got lucky! she is playful and fun, gentle and loving, and is past her chewing stage! in all seriousness--this dog has our hearts and i love loving her WITH josh. its a true treat.
#6) we hold hands. -- i worried that the dating feeling would quickly go away after we got married. i once told josh, "babe, when we get married, are you gonna stop holding my hand?" he said, "never". and i believe him.
#5) he's a human heater. -- for some reason, my body has decided to stop making it's own heat as of 5 years ago. i truly attribute it to traumatizing experience of living in spain during the winter in college, where i was cold and shivering for 60 days straight. anyway, josh is ALWAYS about 15 degrees hotter than i am. cuddling with my husband is right up there on my list of "ways to stay warm in this cold cold world", next to my 82 degree "auto" setting in my car, and my "high" setting on the heating blanket.
#4) "and this is my wife, Angelica..." -- LOVE THAT! we've only gotten a few pieces of mail sent to Mr. & Mrs. Johnson, but i'm really enjoying it...
#3) can you say "slumber party"!?!?!?! -- sleepovers with my best friend seven nights a week? who can complain!? no, really, WHO?! and although josh isn't the most lively in the mornings, he always wakes up with a big fat smile!
#2) he makes me communicate better. -- josh and his oh-so-charming literal analyses of my speech really cause me to think twice about what i'm trying to say. it's annoying at first, no doubt, (especially when i'm frustrated and trying to explain something and when he questions my mixture and abbreviations of words or makes me take the long-cut when i desperately want to take the short-cut to get to my point), but i really do love that he cares enough about what i'm saying to really try to understand me, even if it means taking me SO EXTREMELY literally that i have to really be careful how and what i'm saying. he makes me a better communicator with him and with other people i come across.
AND THE #1 THING I LOVE ABOUT BEING MARRIED TO JOSH JOHNSON... (drumroll, please!!)
#1) he tries hard everyday. -- i KNOW what you're thinking--"you guys have only been married for two months...every day is only 60 days..." BUT if you know Josh Johnson like i know Josh Johnson, you'll know that one of his BEST qualities (which also happens to be my favorite) is his hardworking and loyal efforts put forth in EVERYTHING he does. lucky for me, i'm one of those things... (hey, now...........dirty folks...)

25 random facts (...times 2)

if you're a dedicated "facebooker", you've probably already had a chance to see this. josh and i each filled out our "25 random facts about me" (the most recent facebook trend) and thought it may be fun to share here! literally, these are just 2 lists, one made by josh about himself, the other made by me about myself, with 25 random things you may or may not know about the two of us. maybe you'll see a list of "25 random facts about US" in a few days... it's not like josh and i have anything better to do in the next 18 days.

josh
1. I once had a dream that I was went surfing and hung out with the characters from Saved By The Bell. No, Not The College Years. Why would you even think that it would be?
2. I have always wanted to dive in the shark cage with Great Whites. They fascinate me.
3. I would rather scuba dive than snorkel. When I snorkel, I feel like bait floating on top of the water waiting to be eaten. I’ll do it, but I much prefer to scuba dive.
4. The texture of sushi in my mouth makes me want to gag. I have tried a lot, and like the taste of most, but can’t get over the texture. I stick to rice bowls and beer; it’s pretty hard to go wrong there.
5. Given the opportunity to cook and eat at home or go out, I will choose to go out more often than not.
6. I always have music playing. Even if its just in my head.
7. I am extremely particular about iTunes. I get irritated if I don't have the album artwork, or if I am missing songs from an album.
8. I am way too logical for my own good.
9. Doing laundry might be the worst chore ever. It's never done!
10. When I was a kid I wouldn't eat Jell-O because it jiggled. Bill Cosby convinced me it was okay. Now I love Jell-O.
11. My girl, a pepperoni pizza, and a Laker game is about the best day I can have.
12. I used to know how much wood a woodchuck could chuck, but I forgot.
13. Everything I thought mattered most changed when I met my future wife.
14. Tom Waits explained it best when he said, "I like my town with a little drop of poison."
15. I try to learn something from everyone I come into contact with. Even if it's how not to do something.
16. I love to learn, but I dread being taught.
17. Getting a dog taught me more about relationships than I could have ever imagined. Providing 100% for someone was something I didn't understand until then.
18. When I was a kid, I was a ball boy at major tennis tournaments for a few years in a row.
19. I once shook James Worthy's hand. I've never felt so tiny in my whole life.
20. Going through some old boxes a year ago or so, I found a picture of me with Frank Sinatra. I don't remember it at all, but I am glad I have the picture!
21. I can pack a truck like nobody's business. No. I won't help you move.
22. I once drove from Irvine, CA to Visalia, CA in two hours.
23. I wish I knew how to ride a skateboard like they do in the X-Games.
24. I can suspend my fear of heights as soon as I put a pair of climbing shoes on.
25. I desire to know the people I love most more every day.

gigi
1. call me gigi and you'll get one personality out of me. call me angelica and you'll get another. scary, huh?
2. i find capital letters to be a waste of time. yet, punctuation still has a place in my heart!
3. i'd love to meet the person that crossed peanut butter and chocolate. i'd share a reece's cup with them.
4. i miss playing water polo more than i thought i would. it's refreshing to get back in the pool every so often and have it come back to me so quickly--almost like riding a bike.
5. i feel loved everyday.
6. i was once homesick for 3 months. i had a stomach ache those same 3 months. i never associated the two until this week, when that same stomach ache came around--a friendly nudge from my body telling me to ease up on the stress factor.
7. i officially love mustard. it took a conscious effort over a period of 3 months, but it paid off!
8. sugar always beats salt in my book. or...psalt, as some would put it.
9. i rarely like what the rest of the world considers a "good movie". what really gets me excited is a corny romantic comedy or a lame dramedy.
10. today i almost bought something off an infomertial. i dialed the number and everything, then hung up. "hip-hop abs" looked really fun, though!
11. if it comes in black and white, i like it in brown and cream.
12. i am an atrocious singer. i do it anyway, but not proudly.
13. i've mastered the art of interruption and talking over people. i'm willing to take lessons on losing that skill. i know it's bad.
14. i can't stand to see animals get hurt.
15. i have yet to find my passion in life. i think it has something to do with people and relationships, but either God hasn't revealed it to me, or i've been bad at seeing where He's pointed me to.
16. i watched a scary movie a few weeks ago and covered my eyes for a good 15 minutes of it. that trick still seems to work...
17. the only thing i think about these days is the moment i will see my fiance waiting for me at the end of the aisle.
18. my biggest fear is that i will get "taken away" one day. i blame my older brother and sister for planting this fear in my head. "don't do that, gigi, or someone's gonna come take you away." i still don't like to see white vans with no windows driving by. i don't think i'd have the heart to say no to candy, if offered, even at this age!
19. i liked high school more than college.
20. design and construction fascinate me more than i ever thought they would.
21. i have a "toss and turn routine" i go through every night as i'm falling asleep. if i'm not tired, it takes about 10-15 minutes to get through, but if i'm really tired, i can get through it in 2.
22. june is my favorite dog, and my favorite month. although, february will be a close second starting this year.
23. i can always tell who my real friends are. they are the ones that laugh at my dumb jokes, sometimes just because they know me and my kind of humor. they also know i'm not offended by pity-laughs, but rather cherish them just as much as real laughs. thank you guys.
24. i grew up with my parents telling me "no matter what...we'll always love you". i have yet to doubt that statement, and will raise my children with it. nmw...
25. i look forward to mornings. i think they'll get even better when i get to wake up next to the love of my life.