So That Happened

My Friend Is Still Clueless

For those of you playing the 'Catherine's Friend is an Asshole' home game, here's an update.  My friend finally responded to me (via Facebook, mind you) yesterday with the most casual and flippant apology, saying that he had dates mixed up and that he can't wait to see me later this week.  No 'I'm really sorry I ditched you like that,' but rather a 'We waited for hours for the Killers - the wait was worth it,' which, really?  Is THAT how you apologize to me?  By telling me you had a great time?  Am I supposed to be happy for you?

Anyway.

I promptly wrote him a note saying that because I had made plans with him for Monday night, I was all booked up for the rest of the week.  I also said that I didn't really want to see him anyway because I was really mad about being treated so poorly.  So far?  No response.  Because he Just. Doesn't. Get It.

My Life? IS COMPLETE.

Why?  Because there are now monkey waiters in Japan.  JAPANESE MONKEY WAITERS, everybody.  Come on!  I haven't been this excited about a clip since I saw the one of the monkey washing a cat.

In other news, I received my Blackberry Storm yesterday and it is spiffy.  Of course, I have only figured out like .05% of what it can do, but I did set my ringtone so there you go.  In case you were wondering, my ringtone of choice is a gong.  "GOOOOONNNNG."  Heh.  

In other other news, I have a good college friend who does not live near me.  He informed me a few weeks ago that he would be coming to L.A. to visit and asked if we could get together for sushi.  Of course!, I say, because I haven't seen him in years.  Fast forward to yesterday afternoon when I received a post on my Facebook wall from the friend saying that he's scratching our sushi plans so he could go to a TV show taping with a mutual friend.  No apologies, nothing.  I KNOW.  

I was (and as of this writing, still am) pretty pissed, because 1) friends don't do that to friends, 2) he couldn't even call me to tell me this, he had to advise me through FB, 3) it's totally rude and inconsiderate to break plans like that at the last minute because something else better came up, and 4) I made sure my night was free because HE ASKED ME TO IN THE FIRST PLACE.  Not only that, I am also friends with the person he chose to spend his evening with, and I wasn't even asked if I wanted to join them.  I wouldn't have wanted to go anyway, but the offer should have at least been extended as a courtesy, no?  SO RUDE.

A Totally Shameless Promotional Post

Those of you who have been reading this blog know that I've mentioned my best friend/partner in crime/traveling cohort/fellow food fiend/better half Heathyr.  You know how you have that one person you can call at any time day or night no matter what the problem, or even if there isn't a problem at all?  She's mine.  We clicked instantly the moment we met 12 years ago in college, and have pretty much shared the same brain ever since.

ANYWAY.  Heathyr has managed to remain off the interwebs for the most part - that is, until now.  (I'm serious - she wasn't even on Facebook until literally last night, which led me to check if hell had indeed frozen over.)  Earlier this fall she did what most of us dream of doing: she up and quit her job and moved to the Bay area to become a sommelier student.  And she's writing about her adventure here:

Working the Vine

So read her blog, won't you?  I promise you will not be disappointed.  And if you are even just a little bit, I will come over and punch you right in the throat.  Because even though I know what Dionne Warwick & Friends have told me, that's really what friends are for.

Dear Cancer,

SUCK IT.

This week you took the mother of my dear friend, a woman who dealt with your pancreatic ilk for TWO YEARS.  A woman who will not witness the birth of her first grandchild (a girl due in October).  A woman who was kind, smart, funny, open, and had just about the most amazing relationship with her daughter I have ever seen.  

You are also the most unwelcome tenant of my friend, Frank, a man who has, with his partner, adopted the most beautiful baby boy in all the world.  This is a family that has been a long time in the making, and Frank (along with everyone else) will make damn sure you don't get in their way.

I'm done.  For now.  But just know that you are ON NOTICE.

My Party Photo Post

Teresa had a birthday party last week!

There was birthday cake to be had:

Mmm. This goodness was from Vanilla Bake Shop in Santa Monica.

And good friends to share it with:

Peigi, Johnnie and Kate.

Kate, Teresa and Jen.

Jenny, Heidi, Vanessa and Johnnie.

And one bewigged flapper!

Happy birthday, Teresa!

On Beauty

If you have a daughter, niece, or little sister, I implore you to read Faith's missive.  It's really kind of perfect. 

Super Tuesday

Self-portrait taken the morning of November 2, 2004.

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In other news, this is also a big day for my amazingly talented friend Frank and his partner (they are adopting a baby boy and will be bringing him home - yay!), as well as my brilliant girlfriends Heather and Jessica (their new book comes out today!  You have ordered your copy already, haven't you?!)  I'm so excited for them, I can't stand it.  Congratulations all around, my dears!  I shall buy you celebratory martinis the next time I see you. 

Mr. Manfredi and the Old Grey Lady

I am so very proud of Sara's husband and my friend Richard - he will be featured in New York Times article on sports! This is awesome!

I promise actual posts with more than a paragraph of content soon.

For N

I was out of town yesterday - Santa Barbara, to be exact. My dear friend and her family are moving to points east and they held a huge going-away party. Being that we have been friends since kindergarten, it was only natural that I attend. The party was great, their SB network of friends and co-workers is great - it was all in all a wonderful day.

As I was saying my goodbyes to N and her husband, I started to cry. Those of you who know me know that I am a big old sap and will cry over the smallest thing, so this reaction isn't a surprise, but their pending departure hit me more than I expected. Not that I thought I wouldn't be affected by their moving, mind you; I just didn't realize how much so until the end of the night.

To be honest, N and I didn't get to see each other as often as we had liked. Our get-togethers were few and far between because we both have things called lives, but we always talked about my coming up for a weekend, and that? Never happened. I know now, after mulling over my reaction on the drive home, that although we didn't spend a lot of time together, N and I were and have always been close, and I took great comfort in knowing that if I ever needed her, she was just a drive away. And now she won't be. She will now be more than a few hours, a flight and a few hundred dollars away, and that makes my heart ache.

Don't get me wrong - I'm really excited for N and her family as they start a new chapter in their lives. I am just really going to miss my friend, as well as all the opportunities we had over the years to make time for each other but yet did not take. Sigh.

(This can only mean one thing: I will have to make plans for an East Coast Trip now!)

Happy Birthday!

This post is dedicated to my dear friend and one of my knitting senseis, Sara - Happy Birthday!

Now go visit her blog and ooh and ahh over the cute pictures of Baby Vivian in a pumpkin.