1.1.2011 A New Year

Happy New Year!!!
I started off the year at a beautiful home in Whitefish, Montana had an amazing dinner last night with amazing champagne and a personal firework show at the stroke of 12.
I woke up this morning thinking about new years resolutions, what is going to happen in 2011 and what am I going to do ton make it memorable? The weather was a balmy 5 degrees and the snow was coming down, we had just polished off our cowboy breakfast and it was decision time, to ski or not to ski? I know this is a very easy decision for most of the world, but I am not a skier nor does my body enjoy the snow. I debated in my head for as long as I could and I decided to take the plung and head to the slopes. I went into the lodge and reluctantly signed up for my 2 day pass with lessons. I was totally lost went to the wrong line fumbled all my stuff trying to carry the boots, poles and my skis. I sat on a bench and had a breakdown, I am just not cut out for the cold. I finally decided I need to conquer my fear and give up some control and get out there on the magic carpet. I stood at the yellow marker for my level 1 lesson with 4 other girls. The two hours went by pretty fast and I actually enjoyed myself and I can honestly say I had a smile on my face the entire time. I finished my class and had a peppermint schnapps hot coccoa waiting for me. I may just go back for roun 2 tomorrow.

Obama In My Backyard

I was startled this morning at 6am to what I thought was plane about to fly into my apartment building. I jumped out of bed to go see what all the noise was literally right outside my window. I peered across the street to see dozens of police cars, marked, unmarked, motorcycle cops and secret service agents loitering all down Barrington Ave.
Keep in mind I noticed over the last few days the parking lot was blocked off and there were signs that said no parking from Tues-Thurs and then last night there was a cop sitting at the entrance making sure no one parked in the lot. I thought it was strange but I wasn't sure what was going on.
By now everyone in the building was awake and people began to congregate around the gate that had been disabled so that it was impossible to leave the building. Word staring flying around that Obama was going to be leaving from this undisclosed location sometime in the next hour and a half. By 7:15 the caravan of security began, and within a few seconds Obama and his 2 limos entered the park on Barrington across from my home at Sunset Barrington Gardens. Within a few minutes everyone moved from the vehicle into the helicopters that were on their way to LAX to take Obama and team back to Washington. I even saw the 2 guys dressed in all black with the famous briefcases holding the codes to any nuclear missiles that Obama might need.
The helicopters were warmed up and off they were off. There we 2 because as we all know they don't want you to know which one he is in and then right after the 2 air force one helicopters took off it was followed by 2 snipers (well that is what they looked like to me) took off immediately after. They flew right over the trees in front of my balcony and were off to LAX.
I felt like I was on a episode of 24 this morning it was a very cool experience.

BINGO

BINGO- a fun game of luck with lettered and numbered balls. My parents are frequent casino visitors. Las Vegas used to be the place of choice because that was the only choice, now since they live in San Diego the pool of blackjack and slot machines has grown to all corners of San Diego County. They can go to Barona, Sycuan, Harrahs just to name a few. Now the casinos have ventured into new territories they have BINGO everynight. Bingo is something we as a family used to play when we were little on all the cruises we used to take. I would have never imagined driving to a Casino to play BINGO, but I must say we had a great time.

We arrived to this large Casino in the middle of nowhere and people were filling in as if there was a free buffet that night but no it was a 'special' BINGO night. The buy in was $25.00 which is more than double what is usually is so of course my Dad's face lite up like a kid in a candy store. We sat down he went up to the counter, well only after we all had to get frequent buyer cards for Sycuan Casino (mind you I will never go again). He came back to our aisle seat right in front of the Bingo annoucer with literally 50 Bingo cards. We played BINGO from 6:15 till 10:45 at night.

At one point I ran to the bathroom because you don't have much time between games and as I was sitting there I said to myself please let my dad win tonight. I quickly washed my hands ran back to play another game of four corners, plus 3 bingo lines and a coverall, no win for anyone in our group. Then the next game a random arrow across your card. I was dotting away with my handy dandy dabber that they provide for an extra dollar of course and I looked over at my dads card and said, "dad you only need one more" and before I knew it the next number that was called was G47 I said yell BINGO. He just looked at me and I said yell BINGO then he finally said BINGO not very forcefully but the host came over looked at his card and confirmed BINGO. The majority of the games were paying out $200 dollars but this was as special game he won $1,000 dollars. It was so fun he couldn't stop talking about it and there were over 1,000 people at BINGO that night so it was a real victory. Needless to say we got home after midnight with an extra grand that we showed up with.

Congrats Dad!

A Girl with 2 First Names

So Ashley Lynn is my name which as we all know is 2 first names put together. I actually love my name I think its fantastic...its easy to spell, easy to write, people don't usually get it confused except lately I don't know what has happened. I often get AshleyLynn what is your last name? This doesn't bother me to much as I can appreciate and understand why someone would think that I do in fact think Ashleylynn is sort of cute. I also get Lin when I spell my last name and I can also understand how this happens.
Over the past 48 hours 4 different people of which I have worked with for over a year each at least have addressed me as Lynn. I am really bothered and upset by this for some reason. Three people addressed me as Lynn in an email when my name clearly is Ashley and my signature at the bottom of all my emails clearly states this. Then I received a phone call this morning and the girl who I have worked with forever said Hi Lynn it's blank.....wtf I mean seriously how can you mistake someones name you have known for such a long time. My voicemail says Hi you have reached Ashley Lynn please leave a message. Anyways I am not sure what is going on but I am keeping tabs on this situation. If it happens again I might say something.

Awkward Spinning Experience

I am an avid spinner and spin at least twice a week. I take a lot of the same teachers because of the times I am able to go. I have been wearing these fantastic sports bras (well I thought they were fantastic till last night) They are Champion from Target and they come in many fun colors and have thin straps so I don't feel totally suffocated as most sports bras make me feel.
I was nearly done with my class last night with a teacher who I take at least once a week if not more and apparently my boobs were bouncing more than usual which lead me to the moment. The instructor got off his bike in the middle of the class to come over to me and whisper in my ear "its called a sports bra!!" I was in shock who does that. I am not sure if I am putting off a weird vibe these days, but random things have been occurring lately and I am not sure how I feel about it.

Massage Gone Wrong

So we all have heard massage horror stories, the masseuse getting a little to close to your privates, getting a boob rub, bad breathe or weird noises made by the therapist but nothing prepared me for what I experienced last night. 

I am a frequent visitor to the Massage Place in Brentwood just a short walk from my house, I have been going for years. I just got back from a trip to Cabo and off a stressful week of work I thought a massage would be a great Tuesday night treat. I arrived fifteen minutes early for my 7 o'clock appointment to relax for a few minutes before I was called in. I was passing the time by checking my emails on my Blackberry when I realized it was ten after seven and my name had not been called. Just as I was about to say something my therapist came over and said I am so sorry but my last client has been in the room for over 15 minutes, I don't know what he is doing and I am so sorry. I immediately thought something was fishy, but just went on with my business on my blackberry. Another five minutes went by and the massage therapist asked the manager at the front desk to please go knock on the door and check on the man to make sure he was okay. When the therapist knocked the man said I am putting on my shoes be out soon. Hmmm I thought to myself why does it take nearly 20 minutes to put your clothes back on after a massage a little strange. 

Finally the man emerged looking very discombobulated, confused and disheveled, but nothing out of the ordinary after you get a massage. He looked like a normal guy maybe in his 30's nothing strange about his appearance. The therapist ran in quickly changed the sheets and asked me to come in that she was ready. The Massage Place is a no frills place you go in get your massage and leave. They usually have a few sets of clean sheets on a shelf in the room to make the transition from client to client seamless and quick.

It was time for me to get undressed and get onto the massage bed. I pulled back the sheet and got under the sheets only to find out the sheets were wet. I immediately jumped out of the sheets looked down and there was a circle of wetness on the top sheet that had soaked through to the bottom sheet. I threw my clothes back on and ran out of the room to tell the therapist. She felt so badly because she knew what it was and was as disgusted as I was about to be. The man had rubbed one out and decided to ejaculate his nastiness onto my clean sheets. I laid in a strangers sperm!!! The therapist began to tell me that the man had been upset with her because she stopped his massage early because he was playing with his little friend during the massage. 

I wasn't sure what to do I was in shock. I ended up getting my massage but the first half an hour was ruined by the thoughts of what I had just laid in!!

I got a free massage but it will be hard for me to go back. 

Sunday at the Counter

Sunday at The Counter...where do I begin.

A bit hungover a few of us decided to go The Counter for lunch to provide some grease in the hopes to make us feel a little better.

I have only been to The Counter once before, but I enjoyed my first experience and I thought it would be the perfect place to go on a Sunday afternoon to get some good food. 

For those of you who haven't experienced The Counter it is a place with 4 protein patty choices, 18 cheeses, 30 toppings, 3 bun choices....one restaurant. For those of you like me who like to hand pick all your meals this is the place for you. They give you a sheet sort of how you order sushi, but you pick all your fixins for your burger or burger bowl- it is fabulous.

The restaurant opened at 12:00 but I had to go pick up my car from the night before therefore we didn't arrive till 12:30. This was our first mistake we ended up waiting 45min for a burger because the restauarnt was full by the time we arrived at 12:30. This gave me a lot of time to watch the folks dining and the ones waiting to dine. 

The restaurant is in Santa Monica not the Inland Empire so some of the things I experienced were very strange for me, things you don't see everyday on the Westside. 

1. A five year old with assbergers (which I am sympathetic towards) however he was out of control- running around the restaurant making noises and almost yelling and of course the parents looked like they were inbreed and could have cared less.

2.  A women dressed in a head to toe ROCKY jumpsuit. The bottoms were black with ROCKY printed down the entire leg and the red matching track jacket....I thought I was in Iowa for a second and I had to control the urge to ask her some questions about her choice of clothing. 

3. A relatively attractive guy sitting having lunch with his is significant other. As they got up to leave he had sunglasses that had the American Flag printed on the lens-freaky.

4. I saved the best for last a 3 year old breastfeeding at the table next to us. This child was a boy, had a full mouth of teeth and as he finished breastfeeding...he asked his mom "where are the french fries I am hungry"

Keep in mind once we sat down we were finished in under one hour. It was a very strange day at The Counter and I am not sure where all these weirdos came from today!