Merry 2007!

The puppy and I foresee a very merry 2007 for you all!
Much wealth, health, and happiness to everyone!

Peace

Illustration Friday entry. Topic: Peace
Me: I wanna peace! Or er, piece!
Beans: Ooh, me too, me too! Don't forget me!

The Aftermath

The day after Christmas (think some refer to it as Boxing Day) has always been depressing. That was until last year. Last December, my cousin Jennifer and I began our very own tradition of participating in day-after-Christmas retail madness alongside the rest of America's bored-and-pathetic. Delirious due to lack of sleep (girls like to gab in bed), we took advantange of the early-bird specials at Southcoast Plaza. We had to wake up at 5am in order to pay to save, but boy was it worth it! Unfortunately, this year, Jennifer absent-mindedly scheduled a residency interview with the good folks at Cedar Sinai at 7:30am on the day after Christmas. Fortunately, the hospital is located directly across the street from the Beverly Center (a huge mall for those unfamiliar with Los Angeles), sandwiched between Robertson Boulevard and Third Street (streets filled with boutiques oft featured in the eyecandy publications, USWeekly and People). Unwilling to break our nouveau tradition, we decided it'd be best if I were to tag along with her in the morning. Seeing that a final vacation day spent in the suburbs of LA would have been a bit of a buzz-kill, I did as Jen suggested and tagged along. I kept busy while she interviewed by working on my final business school application at a Coffeebean situated across from the mall; and with the help of two grandes-sized Moroccan Mint tea lattes, I was surprisingly productive. The rest of the afternoon would be spent roaming down Third Street with Jen. Whipping out our credit cards with much glee and little thought, we continued to relish in "tradition." Wishing you a safe trip back to Duke, Jen.

Merry Christmas!!!

Help

Illustration Friday entry. Topic: Help. The one in need of assistance is the cookie...

Tis the Season

For giving and receiving gifts!!!Best gift I've ever given/received is still Beans. He brings such warmth to my life! (Literally. He is, at the moment, sleeping with his head on my lap. Even his head emits heat! Lovely, as my loft has been awfully chilly this past week.) P.S. I recently got a haircut. This explains my character's new hair-do!

Happy Birthday, Crawford!

A little behind. I'm so very sorry! Happy Birthday, Emily!!! XOXO, Debs and Beans

YAYAYAY!

Holidays begin today! On vacation until early-January.

Liars

Anyone who tells me that they don't want a present or presents for Christmas is a LIAR! Who doesn't want a present? Pammy (my best friend) and I LIIIIIIIVE for presents. There's no such thing as a bad present either. So long that there's wrapping paper involved, yay!

Ho-Ho-Ho!

He knows when you are sleeping,
He knows when you're awake,
He knows when you've been bad or good,
So be good for goodness sake!

Santa's kinda creepy, huh?

Uh-oh.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

We're Back!

Oodles of Doodles

Sike! Still working on the b-school application. It's due on the 11th, and I'm in pain! Luckily I've got Beans to keep me company while self-reflecting. See photo above. It's Beans! My cousin Jen took him out for glamour shots with Santa. Hehe. Beans didn't like Santa very much and he conveyed his feelings towards Santa to the camera. (Will post his "who-are-you-what-do-you-want-from-me" photos as Christmas nears.) But look how angelic he is sporting a borrowed holiday-print bandanna. He's a supermodel! Note: Unlike most supermodels, Beans works for food. The intense gaze? Directed at a cookie :)

Giving Thanks

Gave thanks for Beans this past Thanksgiving. Gave thanks for Beans and then some!

Hope everyone had as lovely a weekend as I had. My cousin Cindy and I spent Thanksgiving morning volunteering for San Francisco Rescue Mission. Handed out hot meals to low-income individuals residing in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. In doing so, we were both reward warm fuzzies. The rest of the day was pretty "typical". Three girls (Cindy, Jennifer, me) and three boys (the manfriend, Jeff, Beans) gathered around a television shoveling absurd amounts of food into our bellies. The menu? Cajun turducken, brussel sprouts, yams, corn, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, ice-cream, chips, salsa, biscuits............... Maaaayn, I still feel full.

Spilling the Beans

So much work to finish. So little of it done. Have been admittingly awful at managing my time. Cousin Cindy is in town again along with cousin Jennifer who's staying with me through November and part of December. Three nutty girls and an adorably chubby puppy bunking together results in very low work productivity. Bad, bad, bad. I need a beating!

Currently digging Better Than Ezra's "Juicy". Can't help it. The song's just so damn catchy.

Have a lovely weekend, y'all. Promise to post sketches over the weekend. In the meantime, check out a photo of Beans on his very first walk (last weekend). Like his mama (me), he loves pizza.

So Very Lucky

I have *the* best friends and family in the whole wide world. Was not looking forward to turning 27, but my loved ones helped transform an unwelcome birthday into an incredibly joyous event by throwing a spectacular surprise party for me this past weekend. Will definitely post more about this past Saturday along with photos taken that evening as soon as my schedule clears up. And until then, here's a very recent photo of Beans. Poor lil' pup has been aging alongside yours truly. And just as it is with humans, with age comes weight-gain. But no worries, determined Beans is capable of compromise. His torso may no longer fit under the couch, but yay, his paws still do!

Early Birds

Whoever claimed that "the early bird gets the worm," overlooked the fact that even worms need to sleep.

My nerdy-in-a-good-way cousin Jen, who studies cardiology at Duke, is in town (she will be for a month due to an internship at UCSF Parnassus). The two of us hit Costco yesterday to stock up on "necessities" (gummivites, nutella, dino-nuggets) before her work schedule (and mine) begin to get nutty; Yet upon our arrival at the superstore (a little before 10am), we saw that the store does not open for business until 11am.

GRR!

Have doodles to share with y'all. Unfortunately, my scanner doesn't feel like cooperating with my computer. At least not at the moment. Sorry.

Addiction

I cannot not blog. I will simply have to learn to better manage my time. Pictured above: Shady (Pam's pup) and Beans! They hung out yesterday and got along quite well. So well that they're willing to share a food bowl! Awww.

Ham or Eggs?

Ripped off from last night's "Grey's". When in a relationship, are you the pig or are you the chicken? Are you fully committed (as the pig is to provide ham) or merely involved (as the chicken is to provide eggs)? I'm a pig. Great for others. Crap for me.

Bloggorhea

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be taking a break from blogging (odd, as blogging is what I do when taking a break) for the next two weeks (starting FRIDAY). MUST start and finish my business school applications or I will be feeling very screwed come December. That said, I'm posting as many doodles *now* as possible. Enjoy!

Pictured: smarties, amoeba, and sandwich.

November

What November's all about.

Funny Postcard

The one I spoke of in my previous entry. It's from Pammy, and it's HILARIOUS!

Top 10

1) Beans (Single-handedly brought down the production level of two companies when I brought him to work.)
2) Chewy cookies. (Chocolate chip ones are particularly delicious.)
3) Little Ant & Dec's interview with Posh Spice posted on YouTube
4) Yummy new pair of black ballet flats (Marc Jacobs. Lucky me!)
5) Postcard from Pammy (Was floored upon receiving it.)
6) Shady!!! (Pammy's pup whom I've doodled before. Always hungry.)
7) Neopolitan ice-cream sandwiches (No need for explanation.)
8) Nina Simone's "Feeling Good"
9) New episode of "Grey's"
10) Mini-reunion with summer school mates from Andover. It's been 12 years.

Watercolors

I usually stick with graphite, but watercolors are surprisingly fun.

Wind

Illustration Friday entry. Topic: Wind
My dog was named "Beans" for a reason.

Happy Halloween

Greetings from me and Beans. He's Dogzilla :)
(Blue eyes are due to flash, *not* colored lenses.)

Mr. Big

Alas the day has come. Mr. Beans is no longer able to fit through the rise of my staircase. Able to do so two weeks ago, but as of yesterday? No luck. His belly's gotten too big!

Babysteps

Naughty pup decided to practice stair climbing while I showered. Pictured: Beans stuck on the second step of my stairs. He looks frightened as he obviously hadn't planned on getting himself back down...

New Look

How important is it that my sketches be accurate? Beans is growing at a rapid pace and his face is no longer blockhead-esque. His face is starting to look longer... Should I redesign him or should I continue to depict him as a blockhead?

Lapdog

Weighing in at roughly 20lbs, Beans is anything but a lapdog. He's a retriever! But hmm, I think the puppy's confused. He's been crawling onto my lap lately in hopes of receiving some bellyrubs. Oh no! I've created a monster...

Vroom!

The manfriend bought a new used car and it's pretty snazzy. I particularly like the dash. It's a convertible! Had never ridden one prior to last Sunday. Think Beans would enjoy a ride. Will need to wait until he's fully potty-trained though.

Overachiever

Beans does *this* seven times per day.
I have apparently landed myself an overachieving pup. Oh boy...

Heading On Up

Beans is slowly learning to climb the open-flight stairs in my home. They're very scary for (1) The rise per step is open; (2) They're wooden and are therefore a tad slippery for puppies. Beans has, however, been exhibiting much interest in making the trek up as he notices (1) Debra sleeps up there; (2) Yummy hotdog slices are often mysteriously left sitting along the steps; and (3) Being cooped up in the same old apartment can get dull. See above photo. Beans pressing his nose against the window pane. Awww. Melts my heart. And no, it's not that I'm a mean mommy denying her puppy of the pleasures of the great outdoors. Doctor said he cannot go out until he's fully vaccinated, and I'm just trying to do the right thing. Don't want a sick pup, that's all. I hope Beans understands.

Cherry Blossom

Lonely like me. The manfriend is never around. So lucky to have Beans keeping me company.

Shake It Up

It's Friday, and the weather here in San Fran is looooovely!!! Can't wait to get out!
Digging: Lady Sovereign's "Love Me or Hate Me." It makes me want to boogie.

Can't Wait...

For the weather to get chilly. Back in New York, I always looked forward to the unveiling of ear-flap hats as the winter season came about. Folks look so goofy when they wear them. But they make me smile...

W.Y.S.I.W.Y.G

When it comes to Beans, what you see is what you get. He is incapable of hiding his feelings. It's all in the tail. (He loooooves to chase his waggy tail.)

Love Bites

Despite the title of this entry, I have actually yet to bite Beans. He bites me all the time--but this is only because he's teething. The manfriend, on the other hand, has done so already. He is convinced that this method of training will work. Poor Beans.

Ghost(s)

Illustration Friday entry. Topic" Ghost
Sketch is one of myself with my new puppy, "Beans."
In case you cannot tell, we're ghosts.

Have a Happy Halloween, everyone.
Remember to consume lots of candy!!!

Doc, Beans. Beans, Doc

Beans' first visit to the vet. He was a VERY good boy. I think it was because he had his Froggy as company.

Smelly

Apologies for not posting these past few days. Haven't had much free time as I've been catering to the above-pictured 20 pound blob of fur who's been aptly named Beans. This puppy passes gas all the time! Havea couple of doodles to upload though. All inspired by the puppy, of course. Will try to post these sketches as soon as I get my scanner from the manfriend's place. And until I get my gadget back, enjoy the photos of my new forever-happy-to-see-you flatmate. He's growing at lightspeed!

Hello World

Welcome home, BEANS! The manfriend and I brought home our first choice puppy Thursday evening. Sweet and easy-going... He's so cute I want to eat him.

P.S. Happy Birthday, Madge!

Puppy-Puppy-Puppy

Oh my goodness, the puppy's coming home today!!! I'm soooooooooooooooo excited.

Need to Sleep

Twas a long day. This was all I could come up with. A stripping cupcake.

Smitten

Illustration Friday entry. Topic: Smitten.
I actually do this. Chase the manfriend while screaming "Say you need me! Say you need me!" Creepy? Yeah, I suppose so. But it's only because I care. Or er, because I'm smitten!

Please, Pretty Please

I ask and the magic 8 ball answers. "Better not tell you now." Hmm. I attended an info session for UC Berkeley's Haas MBA program last night. Am wanting to attend the program now more than ever. Will do whatever it takes to get my bottom in the door. Oh wait. I did that two years ago. Got my bottom in the door, was waitlisted, and then rejected. Not good enough. A poor fit. So perhaps I should rephrase? I will do whatever it takes to straight-up be offered admissions. Now if only I can figure out what "whatever it takes" is.

Crackerjack Prize

Beans, Boo, or Batman. The manfriend and I still don't know which puppy will be coming home with us. And we won't be in-the-know until this Thursday when we're picking up the puppy. Bummer? Yeah. The suspense is killing us...

Google Gummy

Pammy and I grabbed dinner together at a Red Robin this past Friday (accompanied by many others) and it was there that she presented me with a cup of worms. Noooo, not the nasty slimey kind, but the yummy gummy kind. But these weren't just any gummy worms. These were smiling! Leave it to Google to stock such cute sweets. Leave it to Pammy to discover them in the employee snack bar... Needless to say, these worms made a smashing debut...

But ooh, one last comment. A bit odd that their eyes and mouths are displayed on the top of their heads as opposed to their sides?

Another "gift" from Pams:
http://www.boratonline.co.uk/

Life is Like a Box of Chocolates

You never know what you're gonna get...

Still waiting to hear back from the breeder as to which puppy the manfriend and I will be assigned. We feel like parents in line for adoption. While we were able to select the sex and breed of our future family member (male english labrador), all other traits were beyond our control.

The reality of the situation is that one of the three baby boys will be going on to be lead the life of a show dog. The remaining two will make up the pool from which our "normal" puppy will be chosen. Having met and seen photos of all three, the manfriend and I have concluded that "Red" (the pup that wears the red collar whom we've named "Boo) will most likely be the one to move on to pageant life. Which means either "Blue (the pup who's been wearing the blue collar whom we've named "Beans") or "Green" (the pup who's been wearing the green collar whom we've named "Batman") will be coming home with us a week from now.

It's a win-win situation, really. Both pups are adorable in their own ways. The two, however, share numerous differences. For starters, whereas Beans is sleek and slim, Batman is "big-boned." Whereas all the other pups boast smooth shiny coats, Batman sports a natural perm. A wild 'fro! Finally, whereas all the other pups are rambunctious and wild, Batman is very chill. Often sleeeeepy. Kind of moody, kind of sad. (See above photo.) The manfriend and I think he has self-esteem issues because everyone's been pointing at him and laughing at him since he was a teeny-tiny baby. Which explains why the manfriend and I have decided to address him by "Batman" if we are assigned him. A super name to boost his super low self-confidence. Will let you you all know who I get as soon as I know myself!