A N N A J O H N ' S D I A R Y

Happy Anniversary, Parent(s).

I love St. Patrick's day, but not for any predictable reason.

Thirty-six years ago today, an 85-lb woman and a 110-lb man were married in a Greek Orthodox church somewhere in California. The bride wore cream, then peacock blue. Her hair was glamorously piled up; his massive collar pointed down.

A year later, the tiny couple would have a suitable 8-lb baby who would grow up to be much taller and fatter than either of them.

The end. ;)

90210 via the 300 in 1992

What I drove to high school, in 1992..., originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

...the one I drove was prettier, though.  :)  Like a silver-bronze, double-color Kanjeevaram. 

Obviously, it was Daddy's wehicle, but since it was bigger, slower and safer (ABS!  Airbag! In the late 80s/early 90s?? Woooo!) my father tended to start this in the mornings, wordlessly vs. my ride, and then hand me the keys, pointedly.  There was no arguing, "but...but...what about...my...fast...car with the booming system??" at that point.  ;) 

Big beats bumpin with the bass in back
All the sophisticated suckers catch a heart attack
Cos they don't understand why I act this way
Pumpin up the funky beat until the break of day
It's because I want attention when i'm ridin by
And the boys be on my kundi cos my system's fly

Um, those are totally the lyrics, btw. ;)

Anyway, I wish it were still alive, but it went to car heaven in 2003, after 360k+ faithful, solid, QUIET miles.  R.I.P. Martin (each of our cars-- except for mine-- was named by either me or my sister after a member of Depeche Mode.  Have I dated myself enough yet?)

As of 11:46 tonight, I am 33-years old [updated]

you must've been a beautiful baby 044, originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

This is a photograph from my fourth birthday party.

My mom is wearing her wedding sari and I'm wearing a floor-length dress with a prominent red velvet bow in my hair. The little girl on the floor, on the other side of my Mom was my then-best friend, Annie. Her father was my father's best friend; it worked out nicely.

Yes, I have a spot of cake on my face; it was one of my favorite birthday cakes of all time, because it had a lemon-filling. My 6-month old sister smashed part of her head in to it, happily. She had just started to pull herself up to a standing position at that age, and the table my cake was on was almost at her eye-level.

There were over 100 people crammed in to our house for this "evening" event, which my Dad lived for; it was his famous "New Year's/Birthday/Christmas bash", which he held annually on the first weekend in January.  I really miss it.  I always felt like such a special girl, because my birthdays were so huge and happy. 

Since 1999, we have not celebrated, because the man who organized it all, who exulted in the merriment, is gone.  To some, I sound oddly petty as a 33-year old lamenting the lack of celebrating but for those who grew up with me, they know.  Twenty years of huge parties created a subconscious expectation of more of them, and to abruptly end such a glittering, fun tradition was brutal, not because I was the proto-type for those twats on My Super Sweet 16, but because it is confirmation that my father is really gone.

One day, when I'm married, I'm going to bring that tradition back. I've felt incomplete without it. Maybe by then, there will be a different little girl, in a similar dress, with ribbons in her hair.  I hope that I can make her feel as loved as I was when this picture was taken, a moment before my mom took the edge of her precious Kanjeevaram sari and gently brushed the frosting off my cheek.

Love, love, LOVE.

I had a HUGE smile on my face by the end of this; you will, too. Thanks D, for sending it my way. :)

to do

mom 002, originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

- $
- mail
- EFAs
- laundry
- water plants
- SD card reader
- find spare iBattery
- change aquarium h2o
- toss both trash + recycling
- three chargers + 2 batts + shuffle
- remember to take orange saltwaters
- clean stupid mineral eye shadow from sink
- play tetris to free suitcase from back of closet
- figure out carry-on (also! pack meds + one outfit)
- drop vacation fish food which looks like sweet tarts
- go home after *13 long months* and hug your mother

:)

I heart Moms on IM.

Mom: you ready to go home or you did go already
Sent at 7:41 PM on Monday

Mom: ok i am going home. love you. bye

me: love you too! bye mommy, sorry I couldn't talk.

Mom: when are you going home

me: in about 5 mins

Mom: ok, don't stay so late. bye

Perspective via arroz, frijoles negros, crema y queso (para llevar)

On my way back from Chipotle, I passed this woman who was just leaving the gym which I am also a member of, though I'm sure she uses it as more than a guaranteed place to pee in two major cities with no "you-must-buy-something-to-use-the-facility"-hassles; she had vertical lines on her abs and an amazingly fit figure. "I remember when I worked out 6 days a week and I looked half as good as that," I muttered to myself.

I almost walked in to a homeless person when I saw her duck in to FUDDRUCKER's for what I can only assume was her post-workout snack. I remember shrugging and then thinking, damn, what a lucky woman.

My GChat status was outdated, so I changed it to

"Yummy yummy yummy I have Chipotle in my tummy",

in part because one of my closest friends lives in the only remaining pocket of Amreeka with NO Chipotle and he regularly craves it-- yeah, I'm kind like that. A few hours later:

kt: how do you eat chipotle and all these good foods and remain so damn stick thin? please tell me the secret.

...and my view changed thanks to this friend whom I rarely see, who is quite a stunner herself.  Suddenly, perspective rested like two reassuring hands on my shoulders, reminding me that we are all constantly looking at someone else, wishing we could eat at Fuddrucker's and still have a six-pack.  Thanks, kt.  :)

Illy is here!

Illy is here!, originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

Beyond being a ridiculously awesome Saturday because the meetup was so spectacular, today was extra blessed and wonderful; I discovered that Illy now has a cafe in DC.  Illy is my favorite espresso, ever, it's the entire reason why I think Greco's cappuccinos are so sublime. 

Illy's space is small but so brightly appealing...all clean lines and elegant design.  I wish they'd expand all over the place.  They don't need to be as ubiquitous as Starsucks, but if there was one near my work...ah, I'd be a blissed out girl, yindeed.  One of my friends was massively amused that something like this could make me sooo happy; they apparently don't know that I've been passionately addicted to coffee since I was 18 months old (according to dear departed Deddy).  Good coffee is totally something to get gleeful over, yes, yes it is.  :)

COOKIECOOKIECOOKIE STARTS WITH C

For Azhagan, who totally asked for it.  (And Cookie Monster owns Doordarshan, as if you didn't know):

What a Beautiful Surprise...

I LOVE THEM!!, originally uploaded by suitablegirl.

...this day gets better and better. :) Azhagan, thank you. I love them. And I haven't had any since my birthday, so this feels extra special. Even more thrilling? All the attention from people in my office (which is 90% male!), who immediately notice them as they walk by...if there's one thing I love about desi men, it's how they aren't afraid to be a teensy bit girly. The three brown guys whom I work with all stopped and declared that they were beautiful, and wasn't it "all soooo sweet", and "now tell us, who sent them?" with the same degree of enthusiasm that the women here showed. :D

From feeling taken for granted yesterday (at work and online) to receiving tulips "just because" today...it is all so delightful and welcome.

I'm a lucky girl. I am, I am. :)