Asparagus

This weekend I attended that annual Asparagus Festival in Stockton with my coworkers and it was such a good time.... but you have to like asparagus, hot weather, and the sun. Game on.

First we tested out the Aspararitas, which were good.... not much of a hint of the greenery, but the shards that it did contain inevitably wound up in my teeth. I liked them so much, I had three.

We then moved on to what this place is most noted for - the Fried Asparagus. Now, I know we hype up the 'everything on a stick', but this is a sight to behold. There were three large tents that had hundreds of volunteers dipping the veggies in the frier and the lines to get a basket were long...I think it was worth the wait at least. You could get your own little ranch dressing dip and just sit and enjoy your stalk.

For our dining entertainment, we watched an asparagus eating contest with about 10 contestants. While each had their own strategies, the guy that won the trophy (and hopefully a new gut), ate 8 pounds of asparagus...that's right, eight POUNDS...he did this all in 10 minutes and broke his own record from last year. Way to go Joey... (I bet he didn't smell good today.)

I also had to test out the Tri-tip Asparrito, which was really good. Steak and asparagus rolled into a little tortilla and served hot - why didn't we have these in school?

Next, we moved on to the Asparabeer. Somehow they've made beer that didn't taste so much like asparagus, but the garnish was the best part of it. I mean, how fun is this?!

I'm still full today.

-Gasp-

As the old saying goes, you learn something new everyday.

There is no taco pizza out here....the travesty in it all.

My coworkers and I were talking about our favorite kinds of pizza and I told them that Happy Joe's Taco pizza was the best.... (crickets)...... I thought it was because they don't have HJ's out here, which is understandable.

No, it was because they have never heard of 'taco pizza' and quite frankly, they think it sounds disgusting. I tried to explain the theory behind it with the crunched up chips, lettuce, and tomatoes, but they were not hearing it.

So long to wanting a good piece of pizza when you need it.

Speaking of tacos, have you ever tried Tasty Tacos? :)

Uneventful

it has been 10 years since i graduated from college and let me just tell you, i am not used to this studying stuff... it's for the birds.

for those of you that don't know, i'm trying to study for a licensing exam for work. it is one of the hardest tests that you can take while in the industry and i believe it. the minimum 'study' time that a person should take for this test is 200 hours... minimum...well, 13 down!

needless to say, this week has been very uneventful since all i have been doing is working, coming home, having a bowl of cereal, and studying until bedtime. when i was in college, i would ALWAYS procrastinate before i would sit down to study by cleaning my dorm room. it was inevitable that the room i shared with Amber would be clean as all get out and she would walk in, look around and say, 'you must have a test tomorrow?' some things never change... i have done all i can to keep my little space looking tidy, but when it comes down to it, i need to buckle down and i'm so proud of myself that i have been very diligent this week in doing so. yay for me :)

i thought that i would go to church last night for a little break and during the sermon, i was wishing that i was home. they had a very well known guy come in to talk about his book that took him 13 years to write and i was bored out of my gourd. i wanted to take a picture of this pre-teen kid in front of me because he was sawing logs like you wouldn't believe. his dad kept sticking the corner of his program in his nostril so he would flinch, lick his lips a couple of times, and then roll his head to the other side. this was my entertainment for an hour. don't get me wrong, the dude had some good points, but he was literally talking over everybody's head about why you can't prove scientifically that Jesus did exist and how we obviously have to base what we believe on our faith... um, yeah.... the hightlight was getting free popcorn, too.

after a week of training at work, i am hoping to finally be doing what i should be doing while there now. this will be my 4th week at the jobby job and i can't say as though i've done much except socialize... i really like the people that i sit around and it's such a laid back environment and everybody has a good time at their job... for example, a week and a half ago, this guy called in to take the day off, so his row of cohorts Sanjaya-ed his desk. They cut out 27 pics of the Idol wannabe and taped them in various spots on his desk - in his wedding picture, baby's crib, 100 or so tiny Sanjaya's on his rubix cube, and the kicker is that he still can't find ONE, but they have strategically placed it at the bottom of his recyle bin...which he'll probably never find. Talk about 'Office Space' on a whole new level....

better sign out so i can get back to the grind... have a great week!

Weekend Update

This was a good weekend for reflection, if I do say so myself.... Friday night I hung out alone and didn't do much of anything - I needed it. The week was a bit rough as it was the first time that I came close to having the 'first breakdown' since moving out here. I'm still waiting for it, but I have a feeling that the floodgates will open when the time comes...

I had ordered pictures early in the week from my going away party and the last weekend that I was at home when some of my closest friends and family came by to see me. I miss everybody so much right now and feel pretty disconnected from the little community I was so familiar with and accustomed to back home. Looking at the pictures, I saw the love, support, and friendship that has taken years to gain and I wonder if I will ever find it out here. I know I will, but it isn't happening soon enough - patience has never been one of my virtues!

Sometimes I want to tell people that they don't 'really know me' and that it should be some sort of disclaimer when I meet somebody for the first time. You all know me well enough and how I am when I'm around you and at this point, I feel that my true personality isn't coming out yet. Why is that? Maybe it's the fear of being rejected, not fitting in, or not finding the niche that I long to find.... I miss laughing at funny stories that I hear about your kids, I miss hugs that I get when I walk into your house, and I miss just being me. It will come, I know it will, but I just don't feel comfortable enough around these new people to really open up - and when/if I do, nobody listens. This is something that I'm having a hard time getting used to - people out here would rather talk about themselves, interrupt a story that you're in the middle of, or blatantly not pay attention. It's making me want to do the same back to them, but I know that's not right, either.

Aside from that (toot - that's my pity party horn right there!), I was able to go out last night and experience something pretty cool. I went to an Art Walk that happens every 2nd Saturday of each month and went to a little area downtown where one of my coworkers' husband had some photos up for sale. They were amazing - very beautiful and most were taken outdoors. You know which one I liked the most? The up close picture of a chain link fence with ice thick around the wire - it was in black and white and very cool how the sun was reflecting through the little shiny pieces of ice... oh, and a very pretty plate of sushi :)

I left this little cafe and went out to eat with a girl who invited me along in her group, which was very nice. I made 6 new friends last night and they wanted me to call them and hang out more often! Yay for me.... I then met up with some people from the church I attended last weekend and we walked around a bunch of shops (I saw a desk lamp for $575 - it must have done work FOR your or something) - we ended our night at a little restaurant that seemed tucked away and very small from the outside. I was transfixed once we entered and sat down for the show. It was flamenco dancing! There was a guy playing the guitar (he looked like Kerry's husband, Justin), another man singing, and two beautiful women dancing on a very small stage. It was probably one of the most emotional displays of dancing that I've ever seen before - I had no idea what they were singing, but the women had facial expressions and body movements that told the story for us. They would clap in different ways to make the beats flow with the guitar and stomp their feet for added emphasis - I loved it! I wonder if I can join a flamenco dancing club around here? :)

To add more joy to my weekend, I attended a huge church in Granite Bay called Bayside this morning - I think I've found my new home (www.baysideonline.com) . It had the 'big' church feel that I've been missing - there were thousands of people sitting in this auditorium and the message was one that was meant for me after the week I've had.... the title of the sermon was "The 7 Best Decisions You'll Ever Make".

"For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11

This beginning series takes a look at the power of our decisions and how they will determine our future, which is what I'm prayng this decision of moving here is doing for me. How our decisions give us direction which will determine our destiny. Pastor Johnston ran through the 7 notes on our decision making abilities and I was a note taking fool today... I felt refreshed, energized, and very loved once I left the church today and I know that it was no accident that I went there. I realize that after the rough little patch I had this week, that it was and will be for the best. God is refining me through this process of breaking me away from all things familiar and I am thankful that I am to rely solely on Him in order to help me through this transition. I only ask that you would say a prayer for me after reading this that I can receive His strength and guidance as to where He wants me to be in all of this.... this was a good day and the sun and wind reminds me that He's shining down on me and breathing His life into my lungs today...

Rubbernecking

As a side note to the previous blog:

I was on my way home the other night from work when I saw a billowing cloud of smoke ahead of me. I was in the #2 lane and could tell that everybody was slowing down - you know why? Because there was a Mercedes in the opposite lane, going the other way, and it was up in flames. The windshield was melting, the dashboard looked like a piece of taffy, and the poor woman, who I assumed was the owner of the car, was looking at this fiery piece of metal in disbelief. I was rubbernecking big time.

Bootcamp Kicked

So last night my roommate and I attempted to 'watch' the Boot Camp class at the park and we were strongly encouraged to join in the fun by the instructor and the group of ladies already involved... what a work out! I haven't been this sore since the first day I did FXB years ago -http://www.farrellsusma.com/extreme_bodyshaping.htm

Needless to say, getting in and out of my chair at work is an experience and I have a hard time walking down our stairs at home. The joys of being out of shape :) I was planning on going tonight, but I just got word that it was canceled because of the rain - whew, off the hook.

That's right, it's finally raining today - no sun - just clouds, rain, wind and 61F. I may need to break out the spring jacket... but I doubt it.

Besides studying for my licensing exam for work, I'm also brushing up on my Driver's Handbook for CA. In order to get a new license, I need to take the written test and since it's been so long since I've taken the first one, everything seems to be so new. I'm afraid they're going to nail me on the mountain driving and car pool lanes since we have neither back home. Did you know that when it's snowing in the mountains even cars have to have chains on their tires and not just the semis? I had no clue. And they specifically talk about 'rubber necking' in the book, which makes me laugh every time I read it! Maybe this is why we're at a dead stop for no reason every night after work... seriously, people.

We're halfway through the week and I hope everybody is having a good one so far! It's always so nice to hear your voices on the phone, receive emails, and get letters in the mail - it really means a lot to me! Thank you~

Brrr..

It's only 71F here today and windy - I sat outside in the sun for lunch and watched a group of guys play soccer and a dude fly a kite. It's not every day that you get to see either over your lunch hour!

You know at the beginning of the 'Teletubbies' how they show a picture of a grassy hill? I think it's right outside of our office window. I pointed it out to Ice (his real name is Chris, but we all have nicknames) and now he's a bit weirded out by the hill. If I can ever figure out how to take pictures and upload them in to the blog, I'll include later just so you can see it for yourselves!

I work with a group of guys who have coined themselves the 'Bulls'. Well, now that a girl has joined the ranks, I am now the Bull-ette, but it sounds like Bullet when they walk by and call my name. We had to take a group Christmas picture the other day and they weren't sure what to do with me in it - last year they had a pretty funny 'guy' picture taken and I think they believe they can't be 'funny' with me in it. Little do they know that I take after my mom - we're funny.

There is a program in the park called Sacramento Boot Camp that I'm thinking about joining...rain or shine, they are outside working out Monday through Thursdays for everybody to stop and watch. I've been walking every night (because it's still 80F when I get off of work) for a couple of miles and this has peaked my interest. I picked up a flier last night and it is only $75 per month...however, when I emailed for more information, it's only this price for the month of April, then it goes up to $299 a month. I guess I'll just continue to watch by the tree if that's the case... I've learned that it costs a lot of money to look good out here. All of the gyms are outrageous for monthly fees and personal trainers run around $200 per session. Seriously.... I may need to dust off the Tae Bo tapes and bust a move.

This weekend I'm checking out a new church and I'm so excited. It's called Bayside and it's in Granite Bay - if you're familiar with Lincoln Brewster, he leads up the worship band and is usually at every service....it will be like my own little concert! There are about 10k members that attend on a weekly basis and I'm looking forward to getting back into a 'big' church again. My coworker (nicknamed Dusty Rhoades) attends this church with his family and gave me some directions and info on it, which I thought was nice. I'll definitely have to let you know how it goes because this is something that I've been looking forward to for about a week and a half - I guess their Easter service was phenomenal!

Hope everybody had a great Tuesday and I'll be in touch soon~
Marcie

1st Easter Away

I hope everybody had a nice Easter Sunday with their friends, family, and churches yesterday! I was thinking about you all as I enjoyed a nice spring day in California amidst the palm trees and green grass. I know, I know.... I will keep the weather info to myself until it gets out of the 30's back home! hee hee....

My roommate, Jay, and I went to a new church yesterday called The Gathering and it was a nice little service. I am going to guess that there were about 100 people sitting in the movie theatre that held the service and it really made me miss my Hope family at Wells Fargo Arena- the hype, the kids on pogo sticks, my brother pelting balloons off of my face, the talent of the musicians and the strong message that Pastor Mike always preaches. They did sing all of the songs that I'm familiar with at The Gathering, so it was nice to sing out in praise...

After service, Jay and I went out to run some errands and head up to Natomas for Easter dinner with the same group of people. It was held at a Country Club and it was beautiful there. I still think it was a little bizzarro that people were laying out at the pool in April and not spending time with their families, but as people pointed out, they could have been visiting and tired of their families and this was their getaway spot! It was up to us to bring the pop (excuse me, it's 'soda' here) and all we had to do was enjoy the potluck - great food, great people, and little kids running around the grassy area trying to find Easter eggs filled with Jelly Bellies, M & M's, and chocolates. I might have taken a couple eggs. And just for the record, I passed on the red jello with fruit cocktail - gag.

The highlight of my day was talking to my dad in the afternoon - I haven't heard his voice for almost 3 weeks and after the past week he's had, it was great to be able to talk to him and know that he's doing well and in good spirits! Not to leave mom out, I did talk to her as well, but I have also talked to her every day this week getting updates and it was great hearing her voice, too! :) I missed having homemade chocolate pie for Easter lunch.

I am now in my second week of work in Cali and haven't officially started 'training' yet - if you know me, you know I don't particularly like being idle and this is about ready to drive me nutzo. However, my social skills are really peaking as I have enough time on my hands to visit with, oh, everybody on my floor! I am working with a fun group of people and everybody is super positive and very nice - makes it a little more enjoyable to want to come in to work every day!

On that note, I should probably go ask what else I can do around here. My desk is clean and organized, pictures are up, blog is created. What else is there to do on a Monday?!

I'm Here!

So I'm going to give blogging a try and see how long this lasts... it will probably be how I keep a journal - very sporadic! :) However, if I know I have people waiting in anticipation for the next day of events in my life, then maybe I will be better at it :)

Today my roommate, Jay, and I went to the capital grounds to look around the area - it is beautiful here. There are tons of trees, palm trees, rose bushes, flowers of all assortments, and squirrels running everywhere. Supposedly there are no two plants alike and they have all been imported - most as 'gifts' from overseas. There are several memorials spread over the grounds including tributes to fallen firefighters from all over CA, a WWII - POW site, a Vietnam memorial, and a rose garden promoting 'peace'. It was so quiet, calm, smelled wonderful, and peaceful... I think next time I will take a book and sit on a bench or something.

Once we got into the state house, we toured the area on our own and ended up in the room where they were showing the earthquake in San Francisco back in 1906. You left feeling very surreal and kind of sad. There were 3,000 people that died that day (after a 45 second earthquake) and it made me think back to 9/11 and all of the people who died in a matter of minutes as well... I guess this is when I thought of living life to the fullest and being appreciative of what you have right now.

My two weeks in California have been eventful to say the least! I have lost my wallet, my car has been side swiped in a hit and run, I got a job, found a place to live, got a roommate from Iowa, went to a new church (I was the youngest by 25 years at least!), been out to eat to many new places, seen as many car wrecks here as I have in my entire life in Iowa, and have met some very nice people.

Have I mentioned how great the weather is right now? I'm in a coffee shop (yeah, I'd like a coffee with half decaf and half regular - right, a half caf!) and it's about 70 outside - it has been mostly cloudy today and people are wearing coats as I've been strutting around in a t-shirt. Hello, I've been cooped up all winter, this is NICE, people!

And for the record, can I just say how tired I am of the locals saying, "Boy, just wait until this summer and you will know what 'heat' is really like." Really? Have you ever been in Iowa in late July when you are sweating in the shower because it's so humid outside? They don't get it.

I will do my best to keep you posted on the Days of Marcie's Life so you can follow me through my trials and tribulations as I embark on my new journey out west. I can't thank you all enough for the many prayers, phone calls, emails, cards and letters that I have been receiving... it really means a lot to me that you're thinking of me and I know I think about each of you SO much. I'm going to wear my computer out by looking at old pictures :)

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter and enjoy the time you have with your family and friends - I know I'm going to miss watching my niece and nephew search for Easter eggs tomorrow at grandpa and nana's house :(

He has risen, indeed!