No Sympathy for this Devil

Many of you have asked me about updates on Stella, so I thought I’d take the time to briefly inform you that I bought the devil cat.
She’s.
Absolutely.
Insane.

Besides the usual running erratically up and down and across the couch, climbing the curtains in my windows and to my bedroom, diving under my TV stand, chasing her tail in circles, running up and biting my hand then running away, attacking her reflection in the mirror, climbing up and down and around and around my pant legs, and making bizarre guttural chipmunk slash Ewok sounds, she also has adopted new strange behaviors. Here are a few of my favorites:

Stella has now learned to stand on her hind legs and reach into the garbage can in my bathroom. While I normally keep the bathroom door closed, I have it open while I’m taking a shower, putting on my make up, getting ready for my day/night, etc. And the whole time, I play a back and forth game with her of putting shit back into the garbage can while she goes back and pulls it out. Her favorite—toilet paper rolls. She picks off the last of the toilet paper and drags it around my apartment. I now consistently have little shards of toilet paper in every corner of my living room. How classy.

In addition to dragging stuff out of the garbage can, Stella likes to trash my apartment while I’m gone. I’m not sure if this is because she’s pissed that I’m home very little—sometimes only long enough to come home from Tre’s to change into work clothes. Lately, she likes to pull down the kitchen towel, drag it across the living room, pull down the jackets off the back of my desk chair, knock over picture frames, and my personal favorite—drag all my thongs out of the laundry basket and leave them strewn in a neat little line across the entrance to my apartment.

A couple days ago, I just discovered that she figured out how to jump up on my desk, and then from there, jump up on my dresser. She previously was too tiny for this. I came home just in time to watch her make the jump. From time to time I leave things up there that I know she can’t access such as plastic bags. Uh oh. This is no longer a safe zone. Then I remembered that I had left a third of a bean burrito I had eaten for dinner one night. In my rush to get out the door, I just left it sitting on the napkin. Gross, I know. Don’t judge.

When I walked over, sure enough, the whole damn thing was gone. Did she really eat the entire leftover bean burrito? I thought it strange for a cat to take down beans, lettuce, tomatoes and whatever else was in there, so I searched below the dresser and underneath—no burrito. I laughed incredulously to myself about a tiny 1-pound cat eating a third of a bean burrito. I mean, really, she already goes through an entire bowl of food in two days. It’s not like I’m starving the poor thing.

So, the next morning I was getting ready and noticed Stella playing with something in the hallway—you guessed it—the petrified burrito heal. It literally was rock hard, and she was kicking it around my piles of clothes. So, I picked it up and put it in the bathroom trashcan, only to have her pick it out again.

Oh, the joys of a new pet.

Currently Feeling: Like my communication skills really excel in some parts of my life and royally blow in others.
Currently Anticipating: A mini vacation from work this week. I need one. I’m feeling really burnt out.
Currently Hating: The ups and downs of dating someone.

Best of Seattle 2006

Remember when I said, “Realogics seems to be real-lucrative”? Well, last night took the cake.

Seattle Magazine hosted the Best of Seattle party last night at the Fremont Studios. Since Sarah’s work (Realogics) hosted it last year, she scored two free tickets—a $60 value—and since Sarah and I are dating (I’m two-timing with her and Tre, but shhh, don’t tell), she took me.

The two of us pulled up to the party around 7 p.m., and it was about as Sex and the City as Seattle is ever going to get—search lights, red carpet, fancy white tents surrounding the entrance, valet parking, and suited men at the door to greet us and take our tickets. The party was an interesting mix of dress attire, which of course is soo Seattle. Some people were wearing fancy cocktail dresses and suits; others were in jeans and t-shirts. Some people were old, some young, and some in the middle. It was a very eclectic crowd, which of course provided for awesome people watching and judging—two of me and Sarah’s talents.

We immediately located the bar where we could cash-in on the three drink tickets we were given. Sky Vodka was hosting the party, and the cocktail list was courtesy of Tini Bigs, one of my all-time favorite martini bars on lower Queen Anne. I started out with a Berry martini and Sarah with a Harvest martini (apples and cinnamon), and we then began perusing the food tables. Oh man. The food was beyond amazing. Every big name and fancy restaurant from Seattle had a table—El Gaucho, Crush, Lark, Union, Waterfront—and most with fancy schmancy food I’ve never tried. I ate crab cheesecake, mascarpone on top of shortcake with crumbled prosciutto, mini braised beef and gorgonzola burgers, foie gras on a stick with mushroom cotton candy, white bean and ham hock soup, smoked salmon with mango and cranberry chutney, gelato, chocolate truffles, fig crusted sponge cake, raspberry and almond tortes… God, it was fantastic.

After wandering our way through the food tables and searching for Sarah’s husband, we finally made our way to the wine tasting area, and pretty much didn’t leave there for the rest of the night. I mean, what do a couple girls need besides a glass of wine, 30 tables with three different kinds of wine each, and men dressed in suits? I certainly wasn’t complaining. Needless to say, we were lit up by the time 10 o’clock rolled around and found ourselves dancing wild and recklessly in the middle of the dance floor.

It’s uber hard being drunk and fabulous, but I think Sarah and I pull it off nicely.

To top it off, we left there with a $25 gift certificate to Union restaurant, a martini glass, chocolates, coffee, and a copy of Seattle Magazines Best Of issue.

I’m thinking me and Sarah should be featured in the issue, cause honestly, does it get any better than us?

Currently Feeling: Like this city keeps getting smaller and smaller…I’m having way too many circles of people overlap lately.
Currently Anticipating: The weekend. Hopefully I’ll get some good girl time, party time and snuggle time.
Currently Hating: Bills, bills and more bills. I can’t effing catch up lately, and just in time for Christmas shopping. Yeah!

I’ll Bet There’s Music Where You Are

Almost a year ago today, a good friend of mine committed suicide.

I would have waited to commemorate him on the anniversary of his death, but the topic has been on my mind all week. Most of you know the story, and I hate to dwell on the sad and depressing, but I will never forget how beautiful Todd was. I didn’t know him for very long, but I loved him. Everything about him. So, it was very shocking, overwhelming and incredibly heartbreaking when I received the phone call that he was gone. Especially since I hadn’t returned his last phone call, and it was on my list of things to do.

Talk about kicking yourself over and over again.

I was slightly consoled when approximately six months after Todd’s death, I received a MySpace message from a random guy. The only thing it said was, “How did you know Todd?”
I had posted a blog with the memorial I wrote for Todd’s service, and had a photo posted of him on my page, so I figured that it was someone else who knew him.
It wasn’t until after a few messages back and forth that he told me he was Todd’s cousin. And sent this to me:

It is by random circumstance that I found you, but in a strange way I needed to and had hoped I would. Rex gave me all of Todd’s journals the week after he died, and as I was reading the later one’s your name appeared. I made a note to myself to find out who you were so that I could tell you that Todd cared and wrote about you often.

I cried when I read that. It was so good to hear that I was important to Todd, even though we knew each other for such a short time. Why couldn’t I have had the opportunity to tell him how important he was to me? He needed to hear it more than I did.
I guess life isn’t fair in that way.

So, Todd’s cousin, Brent, ended up moving to Seattle in September. And he took over the empty position in the band Todd was in—with all of Todd’s best friends—called Coho. I have wanted to meet Brent for some time after our messages to each other, and the opportunity presented myself to me when Coho played at the High Dive last night. Being across the street from where I attended Todd’s wake, and listening to the people who were once close to him and loved him just like I did, made me feel close to him again. For me, his memory exists in music. I don’t believe it’s coincidental that I was given this opportunity a mere couple days away from the anniversary of his death.

Three things I would like to end with are two thoughts of Todd that I took from the videotape of his memorial in San Diego, and lyrics to a song my friend Heather wrote for his candlelight vigil.

Todd, you are forever loved and missed.

Inexplicably capable of loving those who were loved the least

An amazing person, who could so purely love his friends whether poor or rich, could fail to recognize just how truly amazing he was. That he could fail to see how much his love for other people was actually making a difference.

Did the pain go away? Did the voices in your head go from danger and darkness to hope and light instead? Do you finally see how beautiful you are?
Is there music where you are?

I’ll be there’s music where you are. I’ll bet you’re banging out a rhythm on your own guitar. I’ll bet the angels rushed to take you in their arms. I’ll bet there’s music where you are.

Do you know you’re loved? Are you surrounded by peace and love and laughter and no more asking, “Why?” Is the great big heaven filled with bright shiny stars? Is there music where you are?

I’ll bet there’s music where you are. I’ll bet you’re banging out a rhythm on your own guitar. I’ll bet the angels rushed to take you in their arms. I’ll bet there’s music where you are.

When the world around you seemed a mess you never lost your humor and for that we were blessed. Oh I bet you’re entertaining up among the stars. Oh I bet there’s music where you are.

I bet there’s music where you are. I’ll bet you’re banging out a rhythm on your own guitar. I’ll bet the angels have you in their arms.

I’ll bet there’s music where you are.
I bet there’s laughter where you are.
I know there’s peace where you are.

Gasp. The Next Step.

Big updates in Jeanna’s life this weekend—I met the parents.

I think I’m incapable of denying anymore that this “whatever it is” between Tre and I is a little more serious than I’ve been letting on to. The gasp and, “Wow!” accompanied by a, “That’s major!” everyone gave me after hearing my weekend plans is probably pretty indicative to the gravity of meeting someone’s parents. However, I don’t know why…this just felt, different.

I honestly think that meeting a significant other’s parents in one of the top five worst things ever. It psyches me out big time. I’m a social person, I can carry a conversation, and I’m certainly not self-conscious about who I am and what I have to offer to a member of the opposite sex, but it’s just so freaking nerve wracking. Especially meeting the mother. I’ve come to realize that mothers have this incredible attachment and deep under-lying judgment for anyone associated with their sons. Up to this point, I’ve been lucky enough to date boys with wonderful mothers, however, there’s always a first for everything…

So, I headed to Tre’s parent’s house with him on Saturday. This time it was casual, and not a formal “come to dinner to meet my parents,” which was nice. Perhaps this is what made me a little more relaxed about the situation. Tre mentioned Friday night that he was going to go to his parents house on Saturday and asked me if I wanted to come along. Of course I accepted, even though the whole concept freaked me out a little bit. I mean, we’re just barely coming up on the two-month mark. Is that premature?

Maybe I was a little freaked out because it’s been more than five years since I’ve been “that girl.” I remember feeling like my stomach was going to drop out of body when I met Jesse’s parents for the first time. And it didn’t help that I had to drive four hours to do so, analyzing what I was going to say and what they were going to be like the whole time. This time, however, I was a little more nonchalant and relaxed about it, and I can’t really place my finger on why. It did make the situation a whole lot easier to swallow though.

Tre’s parents live in Maple Valley. We headed out the winding country road around 1 o’clock. (Seriously. What is it about me dating these country boys? It was really hard for me to believe that Tre was a product of this environment. He’s a skateboarder/snowboarder/surfer, an artistic photographer, a scruffy, hip-hop loving, trend-wearing city boy. Where did all this originate?)

When we pulled into the driveway, it was, well, different, then what I expected. Maybe it was my misconceived perception about Maple Valley, or the comments Tre has made about not having a good family life, but I was not expecting the beautiful, cozy house with a sprawling, open layout. I wasn’t expecting the huge lawn and acreage, the two dogs, the peacock farm, the garage with a special room for Tre with couches, a drum set and an electric guitar. I think I just expected something different, and what I got, was way nice. I think it allowed me to like him just a little bit more…is that good or bad?!

Unfortunately, Tre had to spend a lot of time working on a photography project in the garage with his dad. So, I was forced to entertain myself for the majority of the day. For a while this included playing darts in the garage, until I broke a tip off in the dartboard and figured I better do something else. Then I played soccer with Tre’s dog for a little while. That’s right. I’m not joking. Apparently, Tre played soccer for 10+ years and used to practice outside, trapping and dribbling around the dog. Well, she got good at it, and can block you, then pushes the ball back to you with her nose, and when you kick the ball in the air, she’ll hit it back to you with her head. I’ve really never seen anything like it, and it’s beyond entertaining.

Finally, Tre’s mom came home, and I sat chatting in the kitchen with her for over an hour. She was super nice and incredibly easy to talk to, so it wasn’t as awkward as I thought it was going to be. Overall, I feel like I made a pretty good impression. At one point, I mentioned that I didn’t get to meet her older daughter in the proper way because I felt like to her I was “just another one of Tre’s girlfriends.” And his mom said, “I don’t know. Tre’s pretty private. He doesn’t bring girls around very often…” Hmmm. Interesting. Here I was the whole time feeling like Tre’s a serial dater, and I’m just another one of the 10 girls he’s brought home to mom and dad—this year. Perhaps I could have been prejudging him just slightly.

Does this mean it’s my turn?

Currently Feeling: Like my life is complete now that I finally saw the Star Wars trilogy for the first time. *sarcasm*
Currently Anticipating: Going to the Coho show tonight with Davie.
Currently Dreading: Driving home in the dark and rain. This weather fucking blows.

GO LUCKY STRIKES!

Tonight is the final tournament night for The Lucky Strikes.
We managed to make it to the playoffs, even though half the time Butter Cream and Cheesecake were drunk, and Sizzle and Tootse could barely stay awake.
Unfortunately, we won’t be playing Nine-Pin tonight for 20+ free beers, but that’s probably a good thing since I drank my maximum in beers last night. However, maybe we’ll come out on top and will be able to sport new Underdog Bowling t-shirts.
Either way, I’m just excited to play Dance Dance Revolution.
D-D-R!!

Currently Feeling: Like I think I might die from back pain.
Currently Anticipating: Pyramid Snowcap party this weekend with the ladies.
Currently Loving: My karaoke serenade from Trebaby last night.

Halloween 2006

I’m too tired and hungover to write anything.
Halloween was a blast this year.
Definitely worth two costumes.

Currently Feeling: Icky, annoyed, skeptical, curious. I’m going through a whole range right now.
Currently Anticipating: A four-hour nap after work.
Currently Wondering: If I should dye my hair black, straighten it and cut it into a bob.
Currently Reading: Or should I say rereading, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius