REDO: What did they put in the water?!

**the previous version of this post caused some unwanted and unintended conflict. my apologies to any party who took offense to my own personal opinion. below: the part of the post that DIDN'T cause controversy.


I'm off to the bay area this weekend to spend more time with my best friend BS. :) haven't seen him in a month and almost didn't get to see him this weekend. i love the way we make things work, against all odds. he's great and we're in store for a happy, relaxing weekend. I NEED IT SO BAD!


Have a great weekend, everyone! <3

Th-riday? No, just a regular'ol Thursday...

super BLEH! i'm definitely getting used to my 3-day weekends...and i'm still paying my bills, so the pay cut isn't THAT awful. i'm not going to enjoy going back to 5-day weeks. BOO!


my [parents'] house is up on the market...it's awkward knowing that strangers could be and ARE wandering through our home at any time. i can't help but take stock of everything in my room and it's exact placement to see if any theives come wandering through. can't let theives (or people who go around touching other people's belongings) buy the house. no-sir-ee.


as for me...i'm going to apply to a REALLY nice apartment complex next week. HUGE kitchen, HUGE bathrooms, nice sized living room and decent sized room. you can rent a stackable washer and dryer to have for your very own in your apartment, one of my favorite parts of this complex. it's in elk grove, it's VERY near where i coach and not much further from work than i am now. i hope i get approved...keep your fingers crossed for me!!


TOMORROW NIGHT! so excited, can't even stand it...Method Echo is playing a set in the Concerts In The Park series. it's outdoors, free and goes on every weekend during the summer time at Cesar Chavez Park. they are my absolute FAVORITE band right now. it helps that they're hot local boys! (okay...they aren't "boys", they're grown men...but they're still hot) they are so entertaining and their music is amazing...everyone should check them out!


that's all for today...have a happy Thursday!

Busy Busy Busy!

BEEN...SO...BUSY!

last thursday morning was my cheerleaders' first rally!! there were rough spots and errors only a coach would notice...but overall, the COHS cheerleaders did an OUTSTANDING job! i was SO proud to call myself their coach!

friday was busy...got my oil changed (which took nearly 2 hours =/ ), checked out an apartment complex, and my baby sister got her belly button pierced! she's in quite a bit of pain now, but she LOVES it! then late friday night i got extensions. it was my first time with sewn in extensions...if you get them, be sure to take some advil before to prevent the headache that is sure to come!

Here is a before shot:

and here is an after shot:

they are definitely different than anything i'm used to. alot more hair-maintenance in the morning...i don't think it's something i'd do again. but when it comes to my hair, i gotta try everything ONCE!

Saturday was my day at the fair with my baby sister, my little sister (yes, they are two different people) and my nephew. i had a decent time.

Sunday was a lazy day...had pizza and salad bar with the baby sis then we went to see the new H.P. i do love that series!

if you are in the area tonight, head to The Habit in elk grove for some grub between 4 pm and 9 pm. find a cheerleader in the parking lot, grab a flyer from them and present it to the cashier upon payment. our program will receive 20% of all sales made with the flyers! so go eat! lol.

have a great week, all!

Memories: the Fond and the Frustrating

It's been a day of remembering for me. At times, it's a very fun walk down memory lane with pleasant recollections. Other times, it's a painstaking sprint that leaves you breathless and disoriented. I've been lucky today...

My most recent ex-boyfriend [BS] and I had a really bad ending to a fairy tale beginning. We met in a Jack In The Box drive thru, making late night food runs with our friends. He hopped out of his car and ran up to my window, later telling me that he felt he HAD to be near me. (*sweet sigh*) We talked for hours upon hours over the phone for the following week, living 2 hours apart. Our next meeting would mark our first day as a couple. We spent the next 8 months traveling back and forth, spending every other weekend with one another, enjoying every second. We went to baseball games, shopping expeditions, family weddings, parties, movies, road trips. We had crazy nights out and quiet nights in. We cooked together, we shared our excitements and our disappointments together...

One of my favorite memories of our relationship happened at the California State Fair. It was our 4 month "anniversary". We'd been at the fair all day, browsing the arts and crafts, petting the animals, eating deliciously-bad-for-you foods. As the sun went down, our attention turned towards the Midway. [if you aren't familiar with the fair, the Midway contains all the rides and games] We boarded the ferris wheel, the dark sky illuminated with blinking signs and twinkling lights from the rides below us. The ferris wheel came to a stop, with our car at the top, to allow more riders on. "Everywhere" by Michelle Branch could be heard amongst the bells and whistles of the games below us. The view from the top of the ferris wheel was breathtaking, and then the fireworks began. With the best seat in the house, we watched one explosion of color after another. He turned to me, when the wheel was in motion again, and said "Alright. I believe it now." Asking what he meant, he kissed me and told me "You've always said it was fate that brought us together, and after all that, i believe it." It was something out of a movie and is, to date, the most romantic moment of my life. (another *sweet sigh*)

BS and I came to some intense disagreements towards the end of 2008 and went our separate ways, after trying again and again to make things work, at the beginning of this year. He was my best friend and not having him in my life took a toll on me. I contacted him in April and our communication had been slight until recently. For the first time in 7 months, I saw him again on July 31st. The reunion was everything we'd hoped it would be and more. He's the only person I'm comfortable sharing my every thought with, we laugh 80% of the time that we're with one another, our conversation is endless...the bond that we share is unbreakable and one that means more to me than I ever thought possible. We talk daily, now. I have plans to visit him again. Our friendship is blossoming in a direction we're both very happy with.

Being back in contact with him has flooded back so many happy memories. Life is too short and fleeting to be bogged down with memories of the fights. We've grown and matured and our ability to maintain a healthy friendship speaks volumes about us as people and about our relationship with one another. (*happy sigh*) I've spent alot of today thinking about the good times that were, and the good times we hope to be.

BS, if you're reading this, you are my best friend! Thank you for being back in my life! <3

Shout Out to Method Echo...and other weekend happenings!

This is my nephew. He is the light of my life. This weekend, he went out of town with his mom (my little sister) and on their way home, she sent me this picture message and said "he says he wants to see you". When I pulled up to their house, I got a big grin and a squeal of "AUNTIE DOO!" (which is the nick name he bestowed upon me). He turns 3 soon, which is astonishing to me because I remember when he was itty bitty and now he carries conversations with me! I will frequently post about his antics...like the time we were driving and he was acting up in the back seat. I said "Do you want me to pull this car over???" and in total seriousness, with SO much excitement, he says "YES!" I couldn't help but laugh and he continues with "Please pull the car over! I want to get out..." Yeah, he's insanely cute, we know.

Cheer pics were this weekend, cheerleaders all dressed up in their uniforms. I like setting up my team photos...the photographers weren't great at it and I came in and balanced out the tall girls, fixed arm positions...it was fun for me! After, we had a BBQ. Tasty hot dogs, sodas, chips, salads, and the most AMAZING chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter frosting I've ever tasted! Thanks to TM for making those...still looking for that recipe! :)

I went and saw my favorite local band with my little sister. Method Echo played a free show at Crawdads last night. You can find them on myspace, facebook and twitter. They have a great sound and are FANTASTIC live. Check them out, let them know I sent ya!

Have a great week, everyone!

P.S. - we found a home for Lana. She will be well taken care of!

Happy Th-riday, state workers!

Meet Lana. She's a 3-4 month old Pit/Lab mix. She's playful, quiet (I've never heard her make a peep), and very very sweet (she loves to cuddle).

Her original owners had 2 older, bigger pit bulls who bullied her badly, left her with cuts and such. She needed to be saved!

I was recently in the process of renting a house with a friend [we'll call him "CH"] who said he wanted her. We found her a foster home until we could get approved for the house...then plans fell through. We are no longer going to rent a home and the foster mom's landlord asked her to get rid of Lana.

My little sister is currently playing foster mom, though her very large lab Duchess isn't fond of Lana. I need to find her a home! If you know of anyone interested in a very mild-mannered, affectionate addition to their family, please let me know asap!

In other news: I've had a busy week, and it's not slowing down any time soon.

I've been cleaning the house for a Realator's visit this afternoon. Keep your fingers crossed for my papa to sell quickly!

Coaching has been...eventful...this week. School starts on Monday for my girls, so we've been trying to get them ready for their first performance in front of their peers, trying to review cheers for football season (which starts in a few weeks) and are anxiously trying to figure out if we're going to Florida or not! (that's another story for another day!) We've also had a 4th member of our coaching staff go MIA after being scheduled to start on Monday. Big question of the day: will she show up tonight?

I'm meeting up with an old friend tonight [we'll call her DP] for the first time in almost a year. I'm kinda nervous, as ridiculous as that sounds. We got REALLY close last March, REALLY quickly and under some very strange circumstances. (also another story for another day) I'm really anxious to see her again. :)

Have a happy Thriday, be jealous that I'm off tomorrow! *giggle*

A Dictionary Debacle

I pride myself on being rather well educated in the world of spelling and grammar. This includes knowledge of REAL words vs. FAKE words that are used as REAL words (example: conversate is NOT a word. "I want to have a conversation with you. Let's conversate." NEGATIVE! the word you are looking for is CONVERSE. When you have a conversation with someone, you CONVERSE with them.)

Yesterday, much to my surprise, I was...I can't say it...*pouty lip*...I was...WRONG! For those of you who don't know me...I HATE when I'm wrong. I've caught myself arguing a point I KNEW was incorrect so I wouldn't have to admit to being wrong. Sad, I know. I'm working on it. But back to grammar...

The word in question? OBSERVATIVE. I've never in my life used that word. I don't ever see myself using that word. But an actual word it is. My word of choice? OBSERVANT. Same definition, according to Dictionary.com. And since I publically humiliated the user of said word, I must now publically humiliate myself and admit my error. Not looking forward to doing that... =/

Hope everyone has a happy Wednesday...the week's half way over! (unless you work for the state, then tomorrow is your Friday! which, here in DJJ Headquarters, we call Thriday!)

Social [networking] Butterfly!

So...I'm an avid follower of SEVERAL blogs on this website as well as the author to one. (for the high school cheerleading program I coach for) I finally gave in and created a personal one...and I've decided that my love for "social networking" has gotten a bit out of control. OH WELL! We all need an outlet, right?!

I began my own amateur photography blog here, as well, but to date have not posted any photographs on it. hehehe...I'm hoping to be better about THIS blog. :]

I can also be found on Myspace [REVISED: I am no longer on myspace], Facebook [ www.facebook.com/imhisbird ] and Twitter [ www.twitter.com/melissacalderon ]. See? Out of control!

For today~ here are a couple pictures of some of my favorite people in the world: my cheerleaders!

JV & Varsity in an amazing pyramid.

Me (bottom center) and my lovlies, the JV squad.