It’s been a long long while since I wrote about what’s been happening, which isn’t much.

I know that I posted a long entry yesterday about the Italy trip, but that happened a month ago.

There’s been a few that happened since then, quite a few things that happened.

M’s is probably on a plane back from Vietnam now and should be flying back to the PNW tomorrow night.

During these past couple of weeks since I got back to LA and the time spent writing about Italy, I went to Chicago for work.

It was good, easy, and long.

Sure, there were some minor issues, but nothing major that caused any delays. I did put in a lot of hours, but that comes with the job and what I was doing.

I did get time to explore the city and enjoy it.

I explored parts of town that I never went to before, like North Chicago…Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Uptown, amongst others. It was great exploring a city I love and learn more about it.

Just awesome.

I finally published my Italy pictures. It took a good two weeks to go through and process them out. Out of the 6800 pictures I took, I ended up with about 4700 and posted about 700 or so. Not bad. It’s on par with my usual output.

* * *

We’ve finally hired a developer for SharePoint.

He’ll start Tuesday and I’m excited. I’m excited not because he’ll be helping me out and taking over all of the SharePoint stuff, but I’m more excited that he’ll have the talent and the knowledge to build better tools for SharePoint that I just don’t have.

I have ideas and I know that there are things that SharePoint is good for, but I just don’t have coding background knowledge or the help to make it happen.

Hopefully he’s good and is able to just take control and help us get these ideas off the ground.

I’m optimistic that it’ll be a good thing.

Hoping.

* * *

The second half of my year has definitely gone quite a bit smoother and low key than the first half of my year, with work, vacation, and life.

Everything is status quo in the sense of the pace that I wanted.

Work is work, busy but not busy at the same time as I’m the IT Project Manager for the new cafe along with my other duties.

The two vacations that were planned for the second half of the year had come and went with success and there’s nothing for me to look forward to until the holidays.

I’ve already purchased my plane ticket home. I had to think real hard to remember the last time I was back home and it was last Christmas break.

I haven’t seen mom since then, so it’ll be a good thing.

Family.

I haven’t seen much of family this year, besides my brother whom, I went on two vacations with. It’ll be good.

Let’s keep this up.

Let’s keep it going.

No more stress, please.

No more drama.

Easy peasy.

* * *

Happy Hour.

Alcohol.

I’ve touched upon my drinking problem here and there in this little void of mine.

It’s not out of control. I’m not an alcoholic, but I do have an issue with it, especially when I use it as a crutch to deal with stress.

I’ll stress drink and stress eat, and this year has been a trying time for me.

Relish.

Work.

Chutney.

Relish.

Life.

It was rough, I drank, and there were times that I blacked out.

Knowing this, I’m trying to, or at least make an effort to drink a little more responsibly.

It’s still a work in progress, but I didn’t totally make a fool out of my self the last social outing that I had.

The All Agency Meeting is coming up soon and hopefully I won’t do a repeat.

Hopefully.

Let’s get this under control.

* * *

A happy hour.

Not about liquor or my drinking, but more about the last social outing that I had.

It was someone’s going away happy hour and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

It was Kendall’s going away and with trying to live by the whole Year of Yes thing again, I went. I had no reason not too and I actually do genuinely like that group, even though I give them shit all the time.

I had no idea what the plan was but I left my night open. I didn’t know when I would bail or how late I would stay.

It stared out like any other happy, where I went down with Geoffry and got our drinks at the go-to Happy Hour spot, the DG (Daily Grill).

I’m trying something new, especially with my liquor issue; Rocks. Getting my liquor on the rocks. It slows me down a little bit, especially with it being diluted and a little more liquid to finish. It helps and maybe I’ll just do the whole neat thing on special occasions or when things are fully fucking rough.

Trying something new.

The party got going as more people showed up and Kendall showed up. I bought drinks for a few of the ladies and then it was time to get up from the bar and mingle and find buffers, people that I know, and to get away from the crowd.

I found my crowd next to the Take-Out pickup section. There I just chilled with some of the HRM team and got to know a little bit more about my BFF.

She’s from the PNW and I told her I was from Seattle and was like…no wonder we get along.

Then Ms. Goodbar showed up and we started to chat.

We talked about vacations, camping, hiking, national parks, and the places that we all need to visit, especially for those who love the outdoors like BFF.

As the night progressed and people left, we found ourselves at a table while some disappeared.

One of the funniest things that I remember from that night was when I first sat down at one of the long tables, and Phillips Philips sat down across from me, I asked her, “What’s your story? I don’t know anything about you.”

She started to say something, and then an intern came, sat down next to me and introduced himself to her and that was it. That was the end of the conversation. He just hijacked everything and all I could do was like..hmmm..okay, and left to the table behind me.

Some media planners were sitting there, Court and Kay and we just chilled and chatted.

I had a great time with them, especially when they both were having a bad time. Court couldn’t find a date to her sister’s wedding and Kay’s car broke down and not to mention that she was one of the person that got her shit stolen.

Things were winding down and we decided to get more drinks at Santa Monica Brewery.

I never been but always wanted to. I walked over as the ladies drove and it was pretty chill.

As expected, it was douchey hipster, but overall, it wasn’t bad. I had a great time there with the both of them and I didn’t realize how much of a firecracker Court was. Cute and feisty. It was a totally different side of her.

Had a great time with the two of them.

Finished with our drinks, I walked over to the last place for the night, where everyone else went, the Gaslight on Wilshire for some Karaoke.

I of course, did not sing. I didn’t know how long I was going to stay or what the fuck I was going to do, since that’s usually not the type of place I would go.

I had a great time and it was because I hung out with Ms. Goodbar. Things were a little…..flirty between us. Very playful.

I learned that her boyfriend is older than I am. Fuck. I had a great time and she made the time there enjoyable.

It was getting late, well, late for me, around 10:30, so I left. I made my short rounds to say goodbye and was surprised that BFF rushed over for a goodbye hug. I have her one of my big ones that I normally give out to people I like.

It was a good night. It was an unexpected night.

I have no expectations of what was going to happen and just let things happen.

Glad to have experienced it and glad to have it be a part of the good half of the year.

Till the next one.