Things I want to accomplish this weekend:

• Listen to some music that makes me smile on the inside, laugh on the outside and generally thank a higher power that I’m alive (ala Zeppelin’s Tangerine.)
• Snuggle with my boyfriend, who I’ve seen for a total of maybe 12 hours in the last two weeks.
• Find a really stellar pumpkin bread recipe, bake it and try not to eat the whole thing
• Overhaul my bedroom so it feels inviting again: wash bedding, do laundry, hang up clothes, organize, light candles…
• Read on the couch
• Stick to my pre-Halloween diet
• Figure out my Halloween costume and finagle my mom, once again, to sew it for me

I think those are all pretty feasible. Now, let’s see if I can stay away from large amounts of alcohol, which generally makes me scrape any to-do lists and lie around like a big fat amoeba on the couch.

Currently Feeling: So freakin’ relieved.
Currently Anticipating: Hanging with my besties at Dave’s tonight and a little Big Lawson style and Fremont on Saturday.
Currently Loving: That my apartment is clean and nearly put back together again.

It’s that time of year…yet again

I gathered with some of my best girl friends last night to celebrate Amanda’s birthday–just a low-key night with wine, snacks, games and “Chic chat.” (Sarah taught me a new word.) There was even a cheese ball present; the equivalent to Cheese Whiz frozen and rolled in almonds…don’t see one of those every day.

Last night the weather and gathering with friends reminded of the transition phase that happens each year from summer to autumn–the sun is out, but the air is crisp. Dinner, movies, drinks at bars and “Girls’ Nights” with wine and reality TV start to replace frantically trying to catch the summer heat after work and heading away every weekend for camping, cabins and trips to Eastern Washington. And then, there’s always my favorite topics that crop up around the beginning of September–Halloween costumes and Oktoberfest in Fremont and Leavenworth–a sure sign that fall is in the air, my friends. Time to tuck away those short shorts, mini skirts and tank tops for another eight months and stock away money for new fall boots.

Summer is my very favorite season, so I’m always very reluctant to see it go. But, the transition is a little easier with the onset of my second favorite season. I get a little tingly thinking about pumpkin patches and carving, pumpkin lattes and beer, TV show premieres, cozy apartments and snuggly blankets with Stella, and being perfectly content with soup for dinner and a book after work.

How am I going to spend my fall this year? That’s still in the works… I’ll be living with a new roommate, which will be a change. I’ll therefore be reinstating some sort of weekly dinner ritual (similar to belly dancing and South Beach dinner nights I did last fall) with Sarah since we’ll no longer be roommates. Perhaps I’ll finally go to the yoga class at my gym that I’ve been putting in my calendar every week. More than likely I’ll be reading some great books and planning for the holidays. And as the leaves change every year around this time, I always start to think about the changes I need to make…so I’ll probably be working a little on those too.

All in all, I think I’m okay with the season change this year.

Currently Feeling: A little groggy and crampy.
Currently Anticipating: Mariners vs. Yankees tomorrow with my high school girl friends.
Currently Loving: The brand-new top my coworker passed down to me!

Happy Halloween 2007!!

Halloween is my ALL TIME favorite holiday. Seriously. I’m usually planning my costume for next Halloween on Halloween, and perfecting my plan months before October 31st actually rolls around. But, it’s not just dressing in costume that I love. It’s the scary movies, the decorations, the candy (damn fun-sized candy bars!), all the events and especially the Halloween spirit. I really brought my Halloween obsession to new levels this year.

Sarah and I decorated our apartment to be SUPER SPOOKY. I’m somewhat regretting having to now take down all the SUPER SPOOKY spiderwebs that are on every surface of our house, but whatever. We threw a really fun girly pumpkin carving party with a champagne Witch’s Brew, treats for our guests and lots of laughs with some of my closest girlfriends. Sarah and I carved PARTY CREEPY pumpkins, basically because we like to party creepy. Totally classic. Thanks for all who came:

In the meantime, I’ve been working hard on my Jem costume. The Dolphin Sisters and I decided that I’d be Jem and they’d be The Misfits—Jem’s rival rock band from the 80s cartoon. My mom and I printed out pictures of Jem’s original costume, and then we spent hours at the fabric store, picking out the fabric and patterns to make it exact. My mom couldn’t have done a better job. While she sewed it, I looked at approximately 50 different Web sites, trying to find the perfect wig. I finally found one in white, then had to look-up directions to dye it the perfect light pink. This, of course, ended up in a huge mess and pink spots all over me and Sarah’s white bathroom rug and accessories. Sorry roomie! It’s a tough price to pay to be the perfect Jem for Halloween:

Jem and The Misfits—Pizazz and Stormer—at Damon’s 30th Surprise Party

Jem and her Pirate Wench at Kelly’s Oktoberfest/Halloween party

Pirate Wench stole my microphone—that bitch! She is not truly outrageous!

Jem and Eve and Eve’s Halloween party

Glamour and glitter and fashion and fame…Jem, Jem is my name!

So, friends, it’s been a TRULY OUTRAGEOUS Halloween. I’ve got one more stop tonight at the Underdog Seattle Halloween party, where I’ll try to hide my sniffles and illness in an attempt for one last night in my best costume to date. The only thing that worries me is how I’m ever going to top it next year…

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Currently Feeling: Sick and icky. Blech.
Currently Anticipating: Possibly seeing the Incredibly Sexy Man in Great Jeans during my one last hurrah as Jem.
Currently Hating: Paper and boxes.

Jem is Truly Outrageous!

I just received the wig for my Halloween costume in the mail today at work. I wondered briefly if the mail room guy was wondering why I ordered something from My Wig Store, since obviously my hair is ridiculously, ridiculously full and luscious. (Oh, if only Larisa read my blog. She’d understand the ridiculously joke. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure you all think I’m totally conceited.) Anyhoo. The wig is my final touch on my most creative and possibly most fanfuckingtastic Halloween costume to date…

I’m going to be Jem from Jem and the Holograms. Larisa and Vanessa are going to be two of The Misfits, Jem’s archrival rock band. The three of us are designing our costumes ourselves, which are hopefully going to look as close to the real deal as possible since we’ve taken photos of the cartoon characters from the Internet. My mom—sewing genius that she is—is sewing me a crazy sparkly 80s dress just like the one Jem wears, with a matching belt, etc. I’ve purchased a sparkly microphone, and my wig just needs to be dyed pink, ratted and hairsprayed, and then I’m set.

Be prepared for some pretty funny photos of the three of us singing the Jem theme song:

Glamour and glitter; Fashion and fame…that’s totally me, eh?

“We are The Misfits. Our songs are better…”

Truly Outrageous!

Currently Feeling: Slightly nervous that the power will go out at work because of Weatherpocalypse 2007, and I’ll lose all my work.
Currently Anticipating: Completing the final touches on my costume this weekend.
Currently Excited For: An evening out with Nate and his friends tomorrow.

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

Finally, my most favorite day of the year is here. I love everything about it—the scary movie marathons, new scary movies in the theatres, mini Snickers, carving pumpkins, Haunted Houses, ghost stories, costumes, parties, Hocus Pocus, little kids’ costumes, trick-or-treating and the decorations. What’s not to like? I’m so crazy about Halloween that I bought two costumes this year!
I hope each and every one of you has something fun, spooky or slutty planned. But hey, let’s make it safe, ok?
I love you!
—Jeanna

If I Only Had A Brain…

So don’t laugh, but I’ve decided to be the scarecrow for Halloween. And please take note, THE scarecrow, not A scarecrow.

During our weekly Monday dinner ritual after belly dancing, Sarah, Larisa, Vanessa and I started to discuss our plans for Halloween. I’ve always wanted to do a group theme costume, such as Sarah’s previous Spice Girls group costume, and this year seemed as good a time as any. The four of us started researching and brainstorming ideas—superheros, Disney Princesses…

It wasn’t long after typing “Sexy Halloween Costumes” into Google that a bevy of ideas came our way. It was a toss up between Alice in Wonderland (Alice, the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, the Queen) and a Wizard of Oz theme. The costumes were both cute and slutty (a necessity of course), so we’ve made our decision—Wizard of Oz it is. Sarah will be Dorothy, Vanessa will be the Tin (Wo)Man, Larisa will be the Lion and I will be the Scarecrow. Now, I just have to make sure that all my Halloween plans include these three girls cause I’m certainly not walking around a party by myself dressed as a scarecrow. How would I explain my idea behind that one?

Yeah for Halloween…only 40 more days!

Currently Feeling: Skinny. I don’t know if they were the brand, but I put on a size 28 jean this weekend (previously a size 30).
Currently Anticipating: The two-hour Season Premiere party at my house tonight for America’s Next Top Model!! Oh hell yeah. Fall television, here we come.
Currently Hating: How everyone’s profile on MySpace now is private. I can’t stalk the men I’m secretly in love with anymore.