Wonder Woman

For the first time in over a week, I didn't have to be awake at the ass-crack of dawn to lug tons and tons (literally) of grapes. I got to... **gasp!** ...sleep in! It's an exciting prospect for me.

This vineyard has been such a...strange turning point for my life. All positive experiences, for sure, but it has really made me stop and reexamine so much about everything I've done up to this point. The weirdest bit has been the fact that, every step I take in this vineyard, or in the quaint little towns nearby, are all so very very reminiscent of times and places I thought I had left behind long ago. It's like, I know I'm in northern California. But I drive to Healdsburg to shop, and I'm back in Brunswick, ME. I walk in the cabins up in the vineyards and I'm revisiting Asheville, TN, during Thanksgiving 2012. I drive the roads up the mountain and I'm back in the north Georgia mountains, just back in July. It's so bittersweet. All of those beautiful memories,  but they feel like they are cluttering the way for the newer, amazing memories I'm creating now. Especially as I have been turning into the woman I've been wanting to be ever since I got here.

I've been told for a while that I am a strong,  independent young woman. Which was fine and dandy. But I'm only now feeling like I've got a backbone. When I got to California,  I swore I was done being what I saw as a weak woman. And I've been kicking ass at it. I've negotiated a higher pay rate for myself at the winery, and when interviewing for jobs, I maintained a "take - no - prisoners" attitude, both for my job title and desired pay rate. And it's been paying off in spades. It's like, the knowledge that I don't have a reputation here has made me fearless. It's what I've been needing.  It has also made me take a good, hard look at what I'm doing,  though, and what makes me happy.  I have a very good idea of it now. It was a smidge surprising,  but ultimately I am sure it will work out in the end.

Beso, caro~ ♥

Connective Tissue

As I type this, I'm sitting watching Star Wars: A New Hope on VHS and drinking a beer that's gradually getting warmer. I smell like baking cake and fried chicken. It's been a good day.

I do a lot of things for odd reasons. For example, I only have this movie because I have a deep appreciation for nostalgia. I also happen to enjoy Star Wars, back when Han shot first. Memories, history- it all cycles around and makes me feel closer to people around me. Like today, I spent hours with a good friend of mine, baking a cake and making homemade fried buffalo tenders. We drank, reminisced, and made fantastic new memories over stupid YouTube videos. Hell, a big part of why I continue to cook is days like today- food gives me an excuse to invade people's lives for brief periods. I love cooking for my friends, and having theme parties that let me experiment with different menus rock my world. The cake I baked today is going to be for my birthday party on Sunday- it's sparkle themed. I can't wait to have all of my friends gather around, decked in all sorts of glitter and shiny shit, while we cook out and makes asses of ourselves in public. I'll have pics to share with y'all, promise! :)

...on a quasi-related note, WHY THE FUCK DON'T ATLANTA CULINARY SHOPS CARRY FONDANT?! I seriously called 7 different stores in this damn city before one of them was kind enough to tell me that Michael's, the CRAFT STORE, carried it. That is all kinds of fucking stupid, in my mind. Yeesh.