Birthday Celebration

On Saturday, I got together with friends and coworkers to celebrate my birthday. We had a great time hanging out and enjoying some cocktails. I have to give it up to Dan's coworkers. Most of them showed up to help me celebrate! Thank you so much guys! Here is the damaging evidence:











As you could see, we had a blast. We stayed out late, which is a first for me in awhile. I'm not use to that anymore. I can't hang like I use to. I actually managed not to get anywhere near drunk or buzzed for that matter. I know, it's difficult to understand, but I didn't want to be hungover the next day. The last time I went out, I was so hungover that it ruined the next day for me. This time around I sipped on some wine (did one shot that Dan got me) and relaxed the rest of the evening. It went exactly how I wanted it to. The next morning--no hangover. I had a great time. Thanks to all those that showed up!

Since You're Wondering...

The GRE went alright. For one thing it wasn't as bad as I had envisioned, but it was still pretty difficult. I did horrible in the math section. I didn't have time to complete it. Math has always been an arduous subject for me. Oh well, it's over with. Now, I have to finish applying to school. Hopefully, once January rolls around, I'll be enrolled in school.

I can't wait for that to happen. I'm a huge nerd and love being in school. I guess I feel that way because I am accomplishing something. When I'm out of school, I don't feel as if much is going on. If I had the money, I'd be getting degrees for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

Once I'm back in school, I plan to go fast and furious, which means I'll be taking a lot of courses at once. I want to get my Master's degree as quickly as possible. Having a Master's is my ticket out of my current profession. Isn't it sad that nowadays having a Bachelor's is like having a high school diploma? I remember when I was a kid having a Bachelor's was a huge deal. Forget about having a Master's! You were some smart cookie. Now, I know people who have Master's and are still waiting tables because they make more money this way than if they were working in their profession. Hopefully, that won't be the case with me.

Little Hiking but....

Man did we have a great time! We didn't hike, but we actually did some mountaineering. It was such a gorgeous day yesterday. The day was crisp and cool, but warm enough that a jacket wasn't always needed. I love being in nature. We went to Bear Mountain State Park, which is a place I hold dear to my heart. My parents would always take my sister and I there when we were kids. We always had so much fun. The park, as you could imagine, is breathtaking and enormous. There is so much to do there.

We ended up on Perkins Drive, which is a long winding road that leads you to a tower. Once you're up by the tower, you see a whole range of mountains. The view is spectacular. I absolutely loved it. All the worries in the world just vanish from your mind when you see how perfect this world really is.



If I could live near a mountain, I would be extremely happy. My ultimate dream would be to buy a home in an area like that. The fresh, crisp mountain air calms me in such a way that is hard for me to explain. I would be able to hike in my own backyard! Someday, it will happen. Until it does, I'll keep going back and take tons of pictures.



Here's me being silly:

Guess What Today Is?

MY BIRTHDAY!! My profile shows the updated age. So, you all could look because I'm not admitting how old I am. After I take my four hour GRE, I'm meeting Dan for some cocktails. Today, I won't be making the drinks, they'll be making it for me. I'm sure I'm not the only one that does this, but I celebrate my birthday for about a week. Sometimes, the celebrations last longer. It depends on the birthday and my mood.

This time around, I started celebrating last night. I got a little pizza party and a yummy Cold Stone Creamery Coffehouse Crunch ice cream cake with my favorite next door neighbors. Tomorrow, I'm suppose to go hiking with Dan (it all depends if he could take off). Saturday, is the real celebration. I'm going out for drinks with my friends. Sunday will be a recovery day. I'm not sure how I'll be when I wake up. Hopefully, I won't be so hungover that I'm out for the day. Anyway, got to go!

Vitamins

When the directions on the vitamin bottle say take with food, make sure you eat before you take the vitamin. Wow! I took my vitamin and immediately began eating my breakfast. I would say about ten minutes later, I was overlwhelmed by nausea. The nausea was so strong that I got up and ran to the bathroom. I had barely made it in when I started vomiting. I didn't even have time to lift up the seat. Thankfully, the cover was already open, which is a good thing because I wouldn't have been able to open it. Needless to say, I had a lot of cleaning up to do. This sucks!

Now, should I take my vitamin again? I'm not sure. Technically, I have nothing in my stomach, not even coffee. I think I'll steer clear from it today. I don't want to get sick again. Yuck.

September

I love September. It's my favorite month of the year. I become completely engrossed in the cooler temperatures that comes along with this wonderful month. I love the scent of autumn in the air, which has such a calming effect on me. This is the time of year that I tend to start working out, planning for the holidays, waiting for my birthday (I love my birthday), and become very savings conscious. I don't know what it is, but that is what September does for me.

September also makes me very sad. I hate it. I hate that now I also have to remember what happened five years ago. September was such a beautiful month for me, but on this day I curse how gorgeous this month could be with the bright blue skies and cooler crisp air. It is so perfect outside today like it was on that dreadful day and it makes me so sad. I can't wait for this day to end.

Desertrae

I was going to do it earlier, but I was busy writing my entrance essay for one of the schools I'm applying to. Desertrae blossomed! Here you are anonymous!



Isn't her flower beautiful? When her other buds blossom, I'll make sure to post more pictures.

Sunday was Great!

The Sun made its presence to the North East (at least NY/NJ area). Although Dan and I got a late start to our day (we were out late the night before), we made the most of this gorgeous day. For starters, I need to show you what I was looking at through my window.



Very different view from the other day? As you all know, I love autumn. Yesterday was a perfect autumn day. We headed out to Jersey, got some gas (this time we spent $36 instead of $45), and went to the Palisades Interstate Park. This park brings memories to me from when my sister and I were little kids. My parents would take us to "el parque abajo del George Washington Bridge." The park was known to us as the park under the GWB.

I guess I was too little to realize how big this park actually is. It goes all the way into New York. Not only is it huge, but it has 30 miles worth of hiking trails! I'm such a dork. I grew up around the area and never knew any of this. What a loser! Now that we've know all of this information, we're going to frequent this place very often.

Since I asked Dan for hiking boots/sneakers for my birthday, I'll be set to hike all the trails in the area. In fact, we made a date to return Oct. 1st because there is a guided hiking tour. You don't understand, I love hiking! I haven't done it in such a long time. We did walk a trail that was about a mile long that stretched along the river. We had such a great time. I regret not bringing the camera along. There would have been a lot of nice pictures.

I was checking out their calendar of events and there are hiking tours pretty much every weekend. There's even a Halloween tour! If you're interested, check this place out. There's plenty to do.

Things of Interest this Morning

I woke up, yet again, to a crummy day. The clouds are so thick and plenty that you see them rapidly moving across the sky. It seems that today we're suppose to get the worst of this weather with remnants of Ernesto. We're expecting torrential downpours. I expect many people are changing their plans for this holiday weekend.

Here's a snapshot of the sky:



Do you see those dark mean clouds? Ughhhh.

On a better note, Desertrae is about to blossom! Unfortunately, there hasn't been any sunlight for her, but it doesn't seem to stop her!



Doesn't she look wonderful?

For All the Bad Tips in the World....

This one makes up for it. Kienow, a bartender at Applebees got a $10,000 tip! Good for her! For all you cheapos out there that don't tip well (15%-20%), take a look at this article. Hopefully, it will teach you a lesson on genorosity. For those that tip well, read this article anyway. You know you're always appreciated. Thanks to you, we pay our bills.

I Know I Asked for Autumn, but

Man, does it have to keep on raining? I don't mind it when it rains. Crappy weather is always a good reason to stay home and snuggle in bed. The problem is how often do you get to stay home when it doesn't stop raining? Not that often! The gray skies are getting to me. I'm not sure if it's a combination of being tired, working way too many hours, and the rain, but I cannot stop sleeping. Last night, I went to bed at 9:45 and woke up at 9:30. Since I have brown velvet curtains in my bedroom, it's dark in there no matter what. I could sleep in for hours.

The only break in the rain forcasted is tomorrow. I took a peak at the 10-day forcast and it will continue raining all into next week. What a drag! Let it be nice and cool with some sun!!! I'm going to need to start making some sweaters for myself if this keeps up. What truly sucks about this weather is that it's cool outside, but inside my apartment is warm. It's so muggy inside that at night we need to put on the ac or we'll sweat to death. To top it all off, there's no breeze coming in. Yuck!

Take a look at what I've been seeing for the last few days out of my window:



I took this picture yesterday morning. Not much has changed since then. See the gloomy sky? Doesn't it make you want to sleep?

I'm Happy Today!

You wanna know why? Because I have off today!! I did a six day work week, which is not a big deal unless five of those shifts are doubles. By Friday, I didn't know what to do with myself. I was so tired. No matter how much coffee or Emergen-C I drank, I couldn't keep up. Even though I probably didn't make any money yesterday, I was so happy that no one was coming in. I vegetated and drank cappucinos all day long.

To show how happy I am, I have pictures of all of my plants. My plants are very special to me. Let me give you a back story. When I was a little girl, I would always get my mom a plant for Mother's Day. The school use to bring tons of plants in and we would get to choose one or two for our moms. I was always very excited about it. Unfortunately, the plant didn't last long. I tried taking care of it, but my thumbs were brown. Years after, Dan got me a beautiful orchid plant for Valentine's Day. It died. I was so sad.

My thumbs turned green when we moved to Florida. Some of you might say that it is easy to grow plants in Florida because of the climate, but what you don't realize is that it's sometimes extremely hot. That type of hot can easily burn the plants. Through my mother-in-law, I learned when was the appropriate time to water them, how much, where to trim, and etc. I had so much fun taking care of the plants that I've now transferred my knowledge to NY.

I have a few plants that I love very much! I watch over them constantly and I even named them. I'll start off with my lucky bamboo plant. He was given to me by my husband's aunt as a house warming gift. His name is Mr. Bamboo.



The next picture is of Luna. She is a grafted moon cactus. I think her colors are wonderful.



The next plant was given to me by one of my coworkers, Judith. She and I would always end up talking about plants. One day she told me about a spider plant she wanted to give me. She was waiting for it not to be cold outside so that it wouldn't go into shock. Once it was nice out, she brought it over and I named her Spiderella.
She has grown tremendously since I got her.



The next plant is of a desert rose. My mother-in-law had a beautiful one when I lived in Florida. I loved that plant so much. It is just gorgeous. This past Mother's Day, the hubby and I decided to stop by Lowes to buy some plants for his two aunts. To my amazement, they had a few desert roses. One of the workers told me that they had gotten the shipment the day before and they were selling like crazy. I bought three. I named her Desertrae.



The last two plants are very special to me. It's some type of sedum and this plant came with me from Florida. Unfortunately, she lost all of her petals from the car ride back to NY. I kept wondering if she would ever grow, which she did. One day while grabbing the pot, I dropped it. I didn't break the pot, but her huge petals fell off. I started crying. How could I do this? I'm so clumsy at times that it infuriates me.

A light bulb flashed in my head and I decided to plant the petals. I read online that it could be done. I figured there was nothing to loose. Guess what? It worked! Not only is this plant growing, but the original sprouted petals everywhere. Now I have two of them. The original is called Rosalita and the other one is called Petalina.

This is Rosalita:



This is Petalina:



I'm heading out to the mall today, which I was thinking of getting a new plant. I want my apartment to be green!! Besides, it's nice to take care of plants. I find it therapeutic.

PS: Here's a better picture of Petalina that I took:

Bye, Bye Church Lady!

After taking a literal interpretation of the bible, the Rev. Timothy LaBouf let go Mary Lambert from her position as a Sunday school teacher that she's held for fifty-four years. The interpretation is that a woman could perform any job outside of the church. She is not allowed to teach men and must remain silent.

Right! I can't believe ridiculous stuff like this still happens in 2006! The woman taught there for fifty-four years! Give me a break. I really hope something good comes out of this.

Here's the AP article: Church Lady

Castro and Adidas??

Even though I still think he's dead (my own conspiracy theory--everyone has one), there's a pic of him after his surgery. Here's a link to the article that you must click on: Castro

Mr. Castro is sporting an Adidas running suit! I'm glad he thinks capitalism is bad and rejects it at its fullest. Someone who hates capitalism so much and has veered his country away from it for the past 47 years sure doesn't mind sporting a company who thrives on capitalism. What a joke!

One Step Closer

I officially signed up for my Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Not only did I sign up, but the earliest date available was my birthday. Happy Birthday to me. I'm giving myself a four hour exam. I've done worse on my birthday. At least, this one is for my future. I also have the application packet for graduate school on my desktop. Little by little, I'm getting closer to entering grad school! Now, I just have to get accepted....

I'm Glad I don't Drive Anymore

It's been three weeks since I've filled up my gas tank and boy was I glad about it. I have a four cylinder car and spent $45 (I used regular)! That's just insane. Imagine I was still filling up my tank every week plus the tolls? I'm glad I'm working in Manhattan. The good thing is that I won't be filling up the tank for another few weeks. I have nowhere to go for the next month. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to afford having a car. I'm sure I'm not the only one that feels this way.

Hot is an Understatement

Wow. That's all I could say about this heat wave. I know I lived in Miami for two years, but damn I can't take it. The thought of having to take the subway today is very daunting. I am trying to do my part in avoiding a blackout. I actually have the windows opened right now (it's already 84 degrees and it's 9:15am!). I'm keeping the ac at 76 degrees. Con Ed wants it at 78, but man, it's too damn hot.

Even poor Louie is feeling the effects of the heat wave. He's been laying on his pillow, which is strategically placed in front of the ac. Yesterday, he did not move from there until Dan and I were having dinner (my little fatso).



Yesterday evening, the water pressure in the building dropped. The super explained to us that normally the water pressure from outside is at 60 (whatever that means). What was coming into our building was only 25. He was pumping it at 75 to compensate. The people that live on the sixth floor didn't have any water. The pressure came back, but the same will probably happen today. Ughhh.

Cuba Libre?

Almost! We can't get excited yet, but that possibility is more attainable than ever. I hadn't heard the news until this morning. My jaw dropped! Personally, I think Fidel Castro has been dead for awhile. It's just another conspiracy theory of mine. We'll see how history unfolds. Right before I jumped into the shower, I thought about renewing my passport and traveling to Cuba in the near future. Going to Cuba has always been a desire of mine, but I never thought of it as a possibility. My father has never returned since he left in 1971. If he hasn't gone and won't go until Castro is gone, then I can't either.

This thought that came to me today was liberating! I'll be able to see my family, where my father grew up, where my grandparents were buried, and everything else I missed out on. I'm sure things will be chaotic once he dies. Raul Castro won't be in control for long. He's not popular with the people that support the revolution. It's only a matter of time.

Six Years and Counting!

Happy Anniversary, Babe!! These six years have been great. I can't believe we've been married this long already. It really just seems like yesterday. Hope you feel the same!! I love you. Now for some celebrating...

Yuck!

Working out just does not seem to be in my future. I ended up with either food poisoning or the food just didn't sit well on Wednesday night to the point that I couldn't get out of bed yesterday. I felt so sick that walking Louie was a hassle. Maybe, I should forget about working out until I truly feel like doing it.

Ok, who's ready for autumn? I am! I am not sure how I dealt with Miami for two years, but I can't take much more of this summer. I actually don't like the summer unless I am living directly on the beach. In that case, summer could last all year round. I love meditating in the water. I could spend all day in it. Being that the only time I went to the beach this summer I had stitches, this summer is not so fun. Another thing about living in Miami is that I've become a beach snob. I can't take how cold the water is up here. It's not fun.

Anyway, my favorite season of the year is autumn. If it could stay like this all year round, I would be in heaven. I love the leaves changing colors. I love that you could throw on a sweater and feel warm. I love the cool air you breathe in. Autumn, please come soon. I am melting away!

Well, I got to go. Now that I actually have energy, I must do some cleaning. How fun!

Ok, Maybe I Really Don't Want to Workout!

Between my toes still being ever so slightly numb and the window guys surprising me yesterday (all new windows are being installed in my building), I haven't worked out! I can't go to the gym today either because I'm watching the window guys install the windows over next door. Maybe, mentally, I'm not ready to workout again.

Then again, with all the walking I've been doing since I started my new job, it's not such a bad deal. With walking, I mean in the job and walking to and from the subway station. Also, over the weekend, our elevator broke. I live on the fourth floor, which is really the fifth floor (the lobby doesn't count as a floor). I've been trekking it up and down the stairs (sometimes with Louie in my arms) several times a day. Actually, now that I think about it, the stop I get off on in Manhattan has three flights of stairs. There you go that's my workout!

To top it off, since the new windows were being installed, the amount of soot that blanketed my apartment was utterly disgusting. It was so bad that Louie's paws were dark grey. My dog is white (with some beige)! After I came home from work, I had to give him a bath, which that in itself is a workout. I just couldn't tolerate looking at his dirty paws. I also had to lather him up four times. The rest of him was also covered in soot, which made the water black. Poor baby! I wonder if he felt gross. You know, I'm kind of tired. I'm taking a nap!

BTW

There will be no working out today. My feet are still way too swollen for me to work out. Even now the bottom of my feet hurt, especially when I walk. My toes continue to be slightly numb. I will have to take it easy.

Weddings are Fun!

My hectic week ended with the most beautiful wedding I've ever attended. I'm very happy for the couple. They are just wonderful people and they deserve all the happiness that comes to them. The bride looked absolutely gorgeous and the groom very handsome. I loved how the bridesmaids were dressed. They were all in black. The dressed that the bride picked flattered each one of the bridesmaids. That's important! Sometimes brides don't think about that.

The wedding was so much fun. I can't believe how much dancing I did! I was in three inch heels and never took them off!! I danced so much that if I hadn't been completely and utterly exhausted (and beginning my hangover), I would have showered when I got home. Instead, I took off my dress and passed out. My feet suffered the most (I wonder why). My toes are numb. Not all of them, but some are. I'm starting to get some feeling back, but it's not a very pleasant experience.

Saturday morning wasn't fun getting up at eight in the morning. Boy, was I hungover! I never got drunk last night, but I did continuously drink throughout. Right after the ceremony, a group of us went to Houlihans for drinks to kill sometime since the reception wasn't for another hour and a half. It all started there! Not to mention the drinking we did during the cocktail hour and throughout the entire reception.

I did, however, suck it up and went to work. By noon, I was fine. I made sure I drank lots of fluids and the headache went away. I am beat up. I don't remember the last time I danced so much. Usually, I'm somewhat shy about dancing. It will take me awhile to get out on the dance floor. Not at this wedding! The minute the music started, I was out there dancing. I think it had a lot to do with my friends. The group of us that were there are really good friends. Give us a couple of drinks and we were all dancing queens! Of course, the men sat out most of the songs. It was just the girls dancing away.

What a fun night! This makes me want to do something really big for when Dan and I renew our vows. Hopefully, we'll be able to pull it off.

Some Catching Up

As of today, I am done with my training. Yay, this means I start making money! Saturday is my first real shift. The people I've met so far are nice. Some are very eccentric, but that goes with the territory. It seems that I'll have a good time working there.

On other news, my finger is doing well. I tried taking pictures of it, but they were not coming out. The finger is still slightly swollen. I do have a lump on the side where the skin was flapped open. I'm hoping in time that will smooth out. The bottom part of my finger does have hard scarring. I think that'll stay the same. I have a similar scar on my pinky from falling when the buckle of my rollerblade snapped off. This happened a year and a half ago. I still have the scar. It's scarring from the inside, which is visible by looking rather white and feeling hard.

Now that I'm going to have somewhat of a normal life, I do seriously want to work out. I know, I keep on saying that and don't follow through. I want to get into it before my life gets hectic, again. I want to be fit by the time I go back to school. So, I have six months to do so. I don't want to go crazy, but I do want to lose twenty pounds. I think that's a very reasonable goal to accomplish in the six month time frame. I would have to lose about 1.5 lbs. a week. That's not impossible.

I want to attempt to go to the gym tomorrow. I don't know if tomorrow is a good day to start because I have a wedding to go to at 4. It may be just a tad too hectic. Nonetheless, I would like to start no later than Sunday. My goal is to go 4 to 5 times a week and burn 700 calories a work out. The 700 calorie goal might be a lot at first, but I don't have a problem reaching it. That will take me a little over an hour to reach.

Ok, now I'm going to sleep. Talk to you soon.

Vacation is Over!

Back to work!!! Actually, I'm starting a new job. Although I hate starting new jobs, I'm ok with this one. Starting today, I'm officially a New Yorker! I will be commuting to Manhattan for this job, which is great. The train I have to take is directly under my building. My stop in Manhattan is only three blocks away. So even when the temperature drops, I won't freeze my ass so much. I have a feeling this job will be loads of fun.

As to my finger, I will definitely challenge it tonight. It's still swollen, but not as much as it was the day I got the stitches out. It is healing very nicely. My scarring will be minimal. To make sure of that, I bought cocoa butter, which helps with stretch marks and wrinkles. It should alleviate the scarring some more. We'll see what happens.

Wish me luck!

No More Stitches!

Thanks to Dr. J, my stitches are all gone! Dr. J came over my next door neighbor's place (you know the best friend that called Dan for me when I stabbed myself). She heard about my finger, took a lok at it, and told me that I should have the stitches removed. After we were done eating, she grabbed a pair of scissors and tweezers (sterilized them, of course) and began taking them out. The stitches on the top of my finger didn't hurt, which makes sense since I have no feeling there. The ones on the bottom part of my finger hurt a bit. I had one stitch that was imbedded. That one did hurt. Dr. J explained that when stitches stay in too long, they become part of your skin. Since they've beome part of your body, removing them is painful.

The scars are looking fine, but my finger is still swollen. I feel as if the swelling increased a little. I am icing it right now, which is making it difficult to type. I could only bend my finger slightly. Dr. J recommended that once it is completely healed, to make sure I massage the area for some therapy. My finger has been stiff for the past week and a half so it's natural that I can't really move it around.

I'm glad I got these removed today. I have a few more days to recover before I begin my new job. Hopefully by then, I'll have more range of motion. We'll see!! Dr. J, thank you so much!!!!!

Superman Returns and Then Some

Dan, his coworkers, Cody and Andrew, and myself went to watch Superman Returns at the Regal Cinemas by Union Square in the East Village. I found the movie to be very enjoyable even though it did have a few holes (that is about as much as I am willing to reveal about the movie). Either way, I found it to be fun and I couldn't stop staring at Brandon Routh (definite eye candy).

The night kept on getting better. After the movie was over, we were standing on the corner of 13th street discussing the movie. At first, I notice the guys acting a bit strange as if they just saw the most gorgeous woman in their lives. Standing right behind me was Gabriel Byrne. I probably would not have realized who he was unless someone pointed him out, but nonetheless it was cool.

We're still chit-chatting when I spot Regis Philbin with his wife Joy. I start saying "Look, it's Regis. Look, it's Regis. LOOK! It's Regis Philbin!" At this point, Regis probably heard me, and so did the guys. Regis, I hope you mention me tomorrow on your show, since I know you heard me! I was very excited about seeing him. Yeah, I was actually star struck. This has never happened to me, but tonight was there just the right amount of stars.

Then as on cue, Cody is looking and says, "No fucking way! It's Tom Hanks!" We all turn around to see Tom Hanks and I'm guessing his family get into a Suburban. That was really cool!! We were all in awe at what was happening around us.

Then we all notice that there's a Suburban still hanging out by the theater. Now, we purposely hang out to see who else was coming out. We guessed that there was some kind of screening going on. It's not possible to see all of these celebrities hanging out in the same spot for no reason.

We waited a few more minutes and to not be disappointed, Jerry Bruckheimer came out chatting it up with his friends. We couldn't believe what was going on! After all the excitement, we decided to hit a bar. We went to Spain Restaurant & Bar, which offered complimentary tapas. Our bill was so inexpensive that we are all returning tomorrow night for some drinks and paella.

Overall, the night was awesome! Out of all the people I saw, I was most excited about Tom Hanks (not that the other ones aren't cool). It seems that Tom Hanks is a pretty nice person and definitely a great actor. I very much enjoy all of his films.

Finger Looking Good!

My stitches don't hurt anymore! I've actually been playing around with them. The swelling has gone down and the green color (from the bruising) is disappearing. It appears to be healing nicely. I don't think I'll have a dent on my finger, either. I'm slightly vain and I was worried that my finger would be disfigured. Even if it is, I'm very lucky that that's the worse thing to happen. The damage could have been worse. The top part of my finger is still numb. Honestly, that bugs me out a bit.

On a different topic, I am changing jobs. No longer will I need to commute to NJ. It's a different restaurant where I will only be bartending. The money is also incredibly better, which I'm psyched about. The downfall is that I will have to work weekends. Either way, I will be saving around $200 a month between tolls and gas. We'll only be using the car on weekends (and rarely). Our car is getting old (it almost has 100,000 miles) and I want it to last us a lot longer. That's one of the wonderful conveniences of living and working in NYC.

Once my stitches are out, I start the job. Another great thing about this new job is that I'll be working under an old friend who is the executive chef. He's a great guy and a pleasure to work with. I have another friend of mine working there. I won't be lonely when I start. The other job is becoming too much of a hassle and the mood is not great there. They just fired one of my friends (a chef) who is expecting a baby in August. That kind of leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Time to move on.

On the school note, I'm more inclined on getting a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies. I could curtail this degree to Latin American and Caribbean Studies, which is what I wanted a Master's in to begin with. I pretty much have it narrowed down to two schools. It'll either be Empire State College, which offers the degree without having to take the GRE, or the Graduate Center at CUNY. I think I'm leaning more towards the Graduate Center. It sounds more appealing and it has more resources. ESC would be completely online, which throws me off a bit. I'm the type of student that likes having interaction with professors and other students. Besides, you end up networking when you have personal contact with others in your field. As we all know, networking is the name of the game (as I demonstrated by my new job).

The only drawback is the GRE. I am terrified of taking that exam and not passing it. I tend not to do well on standardized exams. Then again, I won't know how I'll do unless I take it. Once I find out the exact days I'll be working, I'm signing up for it. The worse case scenario is that I don't do well, then I go to ESC. Regardless, I'll come out winning.

BTW: What happens when the hubby tries to throw a piece of chocolate into your shirt? Your stitches end up catching it!! Yup, that's exactly what happened tonight. He threw high and towards my left. I went into automatic and tried catching it, which I would have caught had it not hit my stitches directly! I can't even begin to tell you how painful that was. That hurt more than when I stabbed myself. I dare say that it probably hurt just as much as when I got injected with anesthesia without the burning sensation. Anyway, I had to take my pain killer (which I hadn't taken it since Thursday) to ease the throbbing. Needless to say, Dan felt horrible.

I seriously need to do some long meditation to get rid of all the bad vibe. That'll be one of my goals for tomorrow (besides consolidating my student loans).

Tag, You're It!

5 things in my refrigerator:
1. Iced Tea
2. Grapes
3. Milk
4. Old yogurt (I really need to throw that away)
5. Dove milk chocolate (I need a piece a chocolate a day)

5 things in my closet:
1. pants
2. jeans
3. blouses
4. shoes
5. stuffed animals

5 things in my purse:
1. lipstick
2. vicaden (just in case my stitches hurt)
3. bacitracin
4. gauze
5. bandaids

5 things in my car:
1. phone charger
2. napkins
3. $115 parking ticket I got today
4. cds
5. quarters

I'm Storm! Who are You?

You Are Storm

Exotic and powerful, Storm descended from a line of African priestesses. Emotions can effect your powers, but you are generally serene. Powers: controlling weather, creating winds that lift you into flight, generating lightning

Which of the X-Men Are You?

What Does Your Birthdate Mean?

Your Birthdate: September 20

You are a virtual roller coaster of emotions, and most people enjoy the ride. Your mood tends to set the tone of the room, and when you're happy, this is a good thing. When you get in a dark mood, watch out - it's very hard to get you out of it. It's sometimes hard for you to cheer up, and your gloom can be contagious. Your strength: Your warm heart Your weakness: Trouble controlling your emotions Your power color: Black Your power symbol: Musical note Your power month: February

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Finger Update

I have to say that everyone has been wonderful making sure I'm ok. I've received numerous phone calls and emails, which make me feel special. Thanks! You guys are the best!

I found a hand specialist through our insurance's website. She just happens to work at NYU Medical Center and is the top hand surgeon in the state of New York. Not bad for picking her name out of a website!! She wasn't going to see me yesterday. After I told them what had happened, they figured this was serious enough and squeezed me right in.

Once I got there, the nurse removed my dressing. My finger doesn't look so bad. It's swollen, but the stitches came out nice. I did take pics of the stitches, but I'm sure nobody wants to see that. After touching my finger, the doctor determined that I did indeed cut a nerve. Fortunately, the nerve I cut is very tiny and it's on the top part of my finger. She told me that surgery wasn't necessary. In fact, surgery would probably make things worse.

The numbness will most likely lessen with time. She doesn't gaurantee 100% recovery, but it will repair itself. That's good enough for me! She told me that if this would have happened to her that she wouldn't get operated on. I can't argue with the top hand specialist of the state.

You could say I did a number on myself! Thank goodness that everything will turn out to be fine. I was a bit worried about surgery, but I figured that things will work out on their own. My stitches are staying in until July 10th. So no work for me! I'll end up picking up some hostess shifts to somewhat compensate for my money lost. I'm not worried. Things will work themselves out.

Injuries Run in the Family

After going through a frightening time with Louie, it was my turn, today. I wanted to make a makeshift planter to pot a flower that had fallen off of one of my plants. I found a plastic container and decided to make a tiny hole at the bottom of it so that the water could drain. Tiny is an understatement!! The knife slipped into one side of my left middle finger and out the other (at that moment I only thought I cut myself).

With blood spewing everywhere, I opened the faucet and started washing my injury. I grabbed a bunch of paper towels, wrapped my finger, and applied pressure on it. My stove, sink, and counter top were full of blood. I wanted to call Dan, but was unable of letting go of my hand. If I did, I would bleed profusely. So very calmly, I rang my best friend's door (man do I love that she lives next door) and asked her if she was busy. I knew she was getting ready to leave for school and felt horrible for doing this. I didn't want to upset her on her first day of school. She quickly realized what was going on since there was blood all the way down to my elbow.

I asked her to please call Dan for me because I couldn't. We finally get Dan on the phone and I asked him to come home immediately. Sal wanted to drive me to the hospital, but for some stupid reason I refused. I felt that I had control of the situation. Luckily, her mother-in-law was over and I stayed with her until Dan got home. While talking to Debbie, I felt my blood pressure drop and began feeling queasy. I asked her for some juice, which always works. The queasiness didn't stop until I threw up. My body always reacts in that manner when something like this happens. Afterwards, I felt better.

Luckily, the only pain I felt was when I actually stabbed myself. The whole time I waited for Dan and to be taken to the er, I was fine, which wasn't so bad. Needless to say that when Dan finally made it home, he was very upset that I hadn't gone to the hospital. I don't blame him. My finger was a lot worse than what I had anticipated.

We went to Montifiore Hospital in the Bronx, which luckily is within walking distance of our apartment. We decided to drive over, which turned out to be a disaster since there was no parking. I had Dan drop me off and go back home. Once he got home, he took a cab over. I was in the er for two and a half hours. Not bad! I expected to be there a lot longer. The last time I was in the er for an allergic reaction, I stayed for six hours. Most of the time, I sat there with an oxygen tank on my lap.

Once I was inside and the doctor was checking my finger out is when I learned that I had actually stabbed myself. We also found out that the numbing I had (or still have--I can't tell right now) could be possible nerve damage. A second doctor came in and also took a look at it. They both told me that I need to see a hand specialist to have my finger checked out. I might need surgery to repair the nerve. I definitely wasn't expecting that.

The doctor proceeded to stitch me up. He injected me with anesthesia, which was extremely painful. I did squirm on the bed. After my finger became numb, he stitched me up. I got five stitches on one side and five on the other. He also injected me with a tetanus shot. I got a prescription of antibiotics and vicaden (luckily it's not that strong because I'm only feeling slightly sleepy). I was very happy with the way I was treated at this hospital. Everyone was very nice and helpful.

After we left the hospital, we grabbed a bite to eat and walked over to my doctor to see if she could refer me to a specialist and to write down what happened in my chart. By the time I got home, I was pretty drained. Dan picked up my medicine and I've been relaxing ever since. Tomorrow morning I'll call the specialist. Hopefully, he could see me right away. And hopefully, I won't need surgery!!

Dan took some pictures of me at the hospital. Here's is the picture of the bigger wound:



This one is after I got stitched up:



Well, I won't be working for awhile! I'll know more once I see the specialist. I could only hope for the best. I'll keep you updated.

Happy Anniversary!!

Folks, you've been reading my crap for the past two years. To be honest, I never thought it would last anywhere near this long. I thought that I would stop at some point like I do with many things, but it's been a lot of fun for me. It's a way of keeping in touch with my friends when I seem to be lost in my little world. I hope you've enjoyed these past two years!

Louie's Update:

He's doing great! His bites are healing properly. He has scabs, but they're all dried up. He is finally off the pain killers, but is still taking his antibiotics. He's not drowsy anymore, which has relieved me greatly. He is still not eating as much as I would like him to, but I give him enough food throughout the day like fruits and cheese. I think we'll attempt to bathe him this weekend. It seems that he could handle it.

On a Better Note...

I have pictures of my niece's and nephew's birthday party. These pictures are incredibly adorable and I would like to share them with you.

Bryan smiling for the camera:



Jacquelyn blowing out her candles:


Bryan getting ready to hit the pinata:



Bryan having fun with the pinata:



Last but not least, Jacque and Jose picking up the candy:

Louie's Update

Thankfully, Louie seems to be healing properly. I was afraid that one of the bites on him would become infected. Unfortunately for him, he's out most of the day. The painkillers and anitbiotics are making him very groggy. He sleeps most of the day without wanting to eat much. If I'm cooking or in the kitchen, he does get up to see if he gets any treats. That's his only motivator.

I got more picctures of him from the morning after the fight. These pictures are very clear and you could see how swollen he was.

This picture is so cute that I had to post it even though it doesn't show any of his bites:



You could see how bruised and swollen his neck is in this picture:



Here you could clearly see the bite marks on his back. This picture makes me cringe:



My poor baby!! I'm glad the medication he's on is taking away the pain. I'll keep you posted on his improvements. I can't wait until he's back to his old self.

My Louie!!

This deserves it's own post! Last night, we received a phone call from Dan's aunt about Louie. She was watching him for us this week. The phone call was something I never expected. Louie was attacked by a pit bull. Needless to say, Dan and I thought he was going to die. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the process of this vicious attack. Dan's cousin, whose ten years old, was the one walking him when the pit bull caught site of Louie. Christopher, trying to save Louie, tried choking the animal by grabbing his collar. When he saw that that wasn't working, he began kicking him (he's in karate).

His mom jumped in and began hitting the dog with the leash that he had ripped off Louie. My poor dog was dragged by the ear from in front of their house to across the street. He was bitten all over. Louie fought back, but to no avail. He couldn't get a bite in. It took about four or five people to get this animal off of Louie. Once they managed to do so, Louie laid on the floor in shock. Lucy scooped him up
and off to the hospital they went.

From the shock, he threw up a couple of times. Once he got to the hospital, they x-rayed him to make sure he didn't have any broken bones. They shaved the areas he was bitten, which was a lot. The vet said that most of the bites are superficial with a few deep ones. They wouldn't give him any stitches because they were bites. Once they got home, they noticed that he wasn't able to walk. He kept on falling on his face. His front right leg and his left hind leg were bitten into the muscle, which made it painful for him to lean on. So, he kept on falling on his face. Poor baby! He fell asleep in Lucy's arms because he couldn't lay on his pillow. He got bit by his penis (yup) and it was uncomfortable for him to lay down.

When we finally got to see him this afternoon, he looked better (I got to see the before pictures; not a pretty sight). He was excited to see us and seemed animated. I'm so grateful that nothing else happened. This situation could have turned horrible. The reason this pit bull got loose was because the eight year old that was hanging out with him, decided to take him out for a walk by herself without a leash. The parents didn't realize she had opened the door. Anyway, the worst is over. Louie is recovering.

He's now knocked out on antibiotics and pain killers. Poor thing is all bruised and cut up. Although the pictures don't do him justice, I'll post them anyway.

This picture is of his back area where he got the worse bites:



Pay close attention to his neck; you'll notice the bruising:




This one is of the bites by his penis:



If you look closely, you'll see the bite on his ear and neck. I couldn't get a good picture of this:




As you could see, we'll have to pay close attention to him for the next few days. I'm glad that he's doing better and that the swelling has gone down. We walked him earlier and he seemed pretty alert. He'll be in pain for a few days. Thank God he's alive!

We're Back!

We're back in the NYC! Our vacation was nice and relaxing. Unfortunately, I don't have pictures (yet!). We never needed to use our digital camera. We did, however, buy a waterproof disposable camera, but left it in Miami. We only took about ten pictures and left the camera to my sister-in-law. Once she's done with it, we'll get our pictures.

The reason we bought the waterproof camera was to use it when we went to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo. There we decided to kayak, which was a first for both of us. We lasted for about an hour and boy were we tired! The sun beaming down on us didn't help either.

We, of course, went to the beach! We normally head out to Key Biscayne, which is not as hectic as South Beach. It does get packed, but I find it to be more relaxing. There we spent a few hours enjoying the water and sun. That was another perfect day, until we saw the dark, grey clouds looming over us. We packed our stuff and left quickly. It was just in time for the downpour. As quickly as it started, it stopped. We ended the day with a few drinks and some great barbeque.

Throughout the week, we went out to eat and have drinks. We hung out with Sandra (my sister-in-law) and her man, Dave, and also my cousin. We had an awesome time. Without a doubt, we enjoyed our stay in Miami. It was a nice change of pace that we both needed. Once I get my hands on the pictures, I'll make sure I post them for you.

Hello Miami!

It's been a bit since I posted, but honestly, I haven't really had anything to post about. The one thing I've been wanting to post about is my trip to Florida. Since it was a surprise, I've had to keep my fingers away from the keyboard.

Today is my mother-in-law's and niece's birthdays!! Happy Birthday ladies!! My nephew's 1st. birthday was on Saturday. Definitely, a celebrating weekend. On Saturday, my sister threw a little party for Bryan and Jacquelyn. It was so cute to see Bryan trying to hit the pinata! I can't believe how old they're getting. Time flies by.

The surprise trip to Miami was for my mother-in-law. And boy did we get her! We surprised her in the backyard. I felt so bad that she started crying! I also felt like a criminal sneaking into the house. My heart was racing so much. Dan and I were like detectives scoping out the area, sticking close to the walls. Sandra (my sister-in-law) was helping us, which made sneaking in a lot easier. She covered her mother's eyes and told her she had a little surprise for her. When she uncovered them, we were standing in front of her. She's very happy that we're here. It was nice.

As for our trip, we're staying here until Sunday. Dan wants to do something we've never done before (especially since we lived here for two years). We haven't figured out what it is, yet, but I'm sure we will. As for the two of us, I think we needed the time off more than we realized. We've been a bit stressed out and the thought of taking it easy this week is very pleasing. We've both been very calm, enjoying ourselves.

As for Miami, with all the construction going on, things look different. We don't miss it, but we didn't miss leaving NJ either when we moved down here. I think Dan and I will adapt to pretty much any living situation as long as it's beneficial to the two of us. Now I must go. It's time to go back to sleep!

People, People, People

Some people get so caught up in thinking that their way of thinking is so right, they forget that sometimes they might actually be wrong. This is especially true when you're going to say it aloud. I'm glad that I've become calm in my old age. I'm glad that shit doesn't bother me as much as it use to. I'm glad that I could laugh at stupid shit and not be offended by it.

As I always say, "You can't control what other people say or do, but you could control your reaction." I do admit that there are certain circumstances that are a bit more difficult to control. We're human. I'm not perfect and neither is anyone else. So that leaves some wiggle room for errors.

Anyway, tonight was one of those post mothers' day shift where not much was going on. Everyone that was going out to eat, went out yesterday. I got sat with these two very affluent older ladies. They were out to dinner for some chatting. One of the ladies mentions that she's from Florida. Now I am going to quote how the conversation went.

Lady: "I'm not use to American cuisine." (this is after I explained the features to them)

Me: "Oh, no?"

Lady: "No, I live in South Florida."

Me: "Oh, really? Where in South Florida do you live?"

Lady: "Key Biscayne. Are you familiar with it?"

Me: "Actually, I am. I lived in Miami for two years."

Lady: "Well, you won't like it anymore."

Me: "Really, why is that?"

Lady: "Because it's full of Latin people."

Me: "Oh."

Lady: "They are everywhere. There are a bunch of restaurants, but not even the waiters know English. Everyone speaks Spanish."

Me: "Oh."

Lady: "I refuse to learn Spanish. They are in this country and they should learn English."

Me: "Hmm, Ok."

If this would have happened to me, let's say, ten years ago, I would have cursed off this lady to no end. To tell the truth, I wasn't offended. I found the situation to be quite humorous. This lady had no clue that I was "Latin." This is not the first time this has happened to me, either.

Even though I wasn't offended, I did have to somehow let this lady know that she should think before she speaks. So, I grabbed one of the bussers and let her in on what this lady told me. We both agreed that we would go up to the table together and try to clear it, which at that point I would speak Spanish. Man did that work! The lady was kissing my ass before the end of the meal. I love it!

To be honest, this table made my night. It was such a boring night that I guess I needed something to spice it up. Not only was I laughing at the situation, but I had all of my coworkers laughing right along with me. So, thank you ladies for being so ignorant! You made my night!

See You Soon!

After spending a week sight seeing and meeting the family, Hector is heading back to Miami. He's not sure if he'll move up here or stay down there. Of course you know that I'm hoping he stays up here. A week is definitely not enough time to get to know your cousin, but I'm so grateful to even have that much time. He seems like a genuinely nice guy, a bit overwhelmed by everything going on. My parents are very sad that he left. I think they quickly adopted him as their own.

Here's one last picture of us:



We were at Foxwoods Resort. He had never been to a casino before. We had a blast! In this picture you could really tell how much Hector looks like my father. It's freaky!!

First Cousin

I grew up with no extended family. My mother's family lives in Spain. I've met my grandmother, my aunts, and my mother's cousins. One of my aunts has a son, which would make him my first cousin. I've never met him. I believe he's a teenager now, but I could be wrong.

On my father's side, I have met all of his cousins that live in Florida, the aunts, which have since passed away, and my grandmother. I actually only met my grandmother for a week when I was around 11. She passed away a few years later from ovarian cancer. My father has a brother, a niece, and nephew in Cuba. He hasn't seen his brother since 1971 and has never met his niece or nephew.

That was until yesterday. My cousin, Hector, just came from Cuba three months ago and has been living in Florida at a friend's house until he decides whether he wants to stay down there or come live with my parents. He came up to meet us all. I can't begin to tell you how happy my father is. He is gleaming and so are we. Hector resembles my father when he was younger. It's just weird to meet someone else that resembles my father besides me.

It was so incredibly nice to sit down as a family at my sister's house last night. We watched a video that was sent to him by his parents that showed where my father grew up. My uncle, aunt (his wife), my other cousin (Hector's sister) and her husband took turns talking to us. Each one had a message for everyone of us. It was very touching. It was also the first time that my father sees his home since he left. My father seemed very touched. We laughed a lot and also sat there in amazement watching this video. It was a bit surreal.

Hector had a tough time yesterday meeting all of us. We aren't the only family he has up north, either. He has another uncle that lives in Union City that my father took him to meet. As much as I was nervous to meet him, I could only imagine how he feels having to meet all of us. He really seems like such a great guy. I'm glad that we finally met. It's unfair that we never had the chance to grow up together, but meeting him now is better than later.

I snapped some pictures so you could all meet him.

Here's Hector and my father:



This is of my father, Hector, nephew, Jose, and niece, Jacque:



This one is of the cousins. My sister Amy, Hector, myself, and Jacque:



As you could tell, we're very happy. I really hope that he decides to move up here. I want to be able to spend more time with him. It won't make up for all of those years lost, but it will make a difference.

The Great American Boycott

The Great American Boycott is a pro-immigrant demonstration where supporters will not work, go to school, or purchase anything on May 1st, which is today. This was set up because of recent demonstrations by illegal and legal immigrants nationwide. Illegal immigrants are being targeted because of the lax laws the United States has with border security. According to this article, there's approximately 12 million illegal immigrants living in this country.

Many want them out of the country because they claim they are breaking the law by entering illegally into this country. I say "Who cares?" The majority of these people are entering this country as a last attempt to better their lives and the lives of their families. They are mostly poverty stricken people that are looking for a better life like other immigrants have done in the past. Are they breaking US laws? Yes, but the US is allowing that to happen. There is very little border security. If there was better control of the situation, we wouldn't have 12 million illegal immigrants.

I saw a report the other day, which talked about the problem with immigrants. They don't assimilate to the American culture, they live in bunches, they take jobs that Americans should have, and they don't speak the language. Well, let's discuss all of these points because I find them very interesting.

Illegal immigrants aren't assimilating to the American culture. This is actually an argument that Cuban Americans have posed, but that's a whole other post. Every single immigrant, from Italians, Jews, Irish, Puerto Ricans, and etc. have all retained a part of their heritage. They become completely American by retaining some of their own culture and mainstreaming it into American culture. If that weren't the case, then we wouldn't be eating Italian food, having Matzo, eating pasteles, listening to different types of music, and the list goes on. Cubans wouldn't be Cuban Americans if they didn't offer un cortadito, arroz con pollo, cigars, and etc. We also wouldn't have the influx of latin beats into American music if it weren't for Latinos.

Everything that I just mentioned is what makes America, America. The reason for this is because America is a country based on immigrants. There is no mistake in that when you come to NYC and go to Little Italy and Chinatown. Does this mean that the Italians and the Chinese aren't assimilated? No, it just means that they are bringing a different aspect of being American. Diversity people, diversity.

These illegal immigrants live in bunches. Well, have you tried renting lately? The majority, if not all, of these immigrants are working low paying jobs in which they end up sending money to their families back at home. I can't blame them for doing so. Their families are living in poverty. As you see, they don't have much of a choice. If they live together, then they'll pay less rent and more money will be sent to their families. Again, I can't blame them for doing so.

So the illegal immigrants are taking jobs that Americans should have. Well, if Americans wanted them, then they would have them. Obviously the jobs that these immigrants are taking, aren't jobs that are desirable by Americans. Are they driving wages down? Yes, they are. Again, if more Americans were willing to take those jobs, then that wouldn't be happening.

The language part is my favorite. Now, I'm a big proponent on learning English. You're in this country, you should learn the language. It is in your best interest to do so. The problem is that most of these immigrants work many, many hours. If your main worry is to put food on the table, then you really don't have time to learn the language. I will use my father as an example. My father use to work from about 7 or 8 in the morning to sometimes 8 or 9 at night Monday through Friday. Then on Saturday and Sundays, he would work 12 hour shifts. He did this for many years. Do you think he had time to learn English?

I also challenge all Americans that only speak English to pick up another language. I find that many are very proud of knowing English like if that makes you better than other people. I know two languages. You don't see me boasting about it. In fact, I'm kind of embarrassed that I never fully learned French while I was in college. I know English because I was born here. I know Spanish because that's the language that was spoken in my house, but I never made much of an effort to learn another language. I had a hard time with French and decided to take Spanish in order to write better. Europeans learn more than one language. Why isn't it that important in the US to learn more than one language? The fact of the matter is that learning another language is difficult. English is also a particluraly complex language. It does not make much sense like Spanish, French, and Italian do.

There are many valid arguments on both sides of the spectrum. I happen to think that it is impossible to kick out these illegal immigrants. Grant them amnesty. Let's think about being humans and not Americans and illegals. These people are here just like everyone else that came before them to look for a better way of life. You can't blame them for that. The United States needs to have better control of the border situation. We are allowing them to come into the country. Don't turn around and call them criminals for breaking our laws. We are not doing much to stop them.

To show solidarity with the illegal immigrants and all immigrants, I will not be going into work today. All Americans should participate in this because we were all immigrants at one point. Like it always happens when a new wave of immigrants come into this country, we tend to critise them for being different or for changing the face of America. That's what makes immigrants great. They add a new flavor into this country. For a country made up of so many different cultures, we sure aren't tolerable to new people. What does that say about us?

Dogs are Funny!

My pooch, Louie, has done a remarkable change since we've moved back up north. I think he decided to switch realities or something. Anyway, there are no complaints here. He's a wonderful dog (he's sleeping as I write), and I'm very happy he's a part of my life. Whenever I need comforting, he's right there licking my hand or trying to jump on me. He gets excited when I get home from work and attacks me. He follows me around the apartment, whether it's to the kitchen (especially the kitchen), bedroom, bathroom, or living room. When I walk him, he knows that I'll give him a treat as soon as we walk through the door. So he sits patiently by the entrance to the kitchen with his face slightly tilted. Whenever he needs water, he walks over to the bathtub and jumps right in. That's our cue to fill up his water bowl.

A new thing I've noticed that he's been doing lately is that I think he sleep walks. I'm not entirely sure if it's sleep walking or he just can't focus when he first wakes up. If I want him to leave the bedroom and he's been sleeping, I usually call him and he looks at me. No big deal. I won't be able to get him our of the room without coaxing him with a treat. He'll immediately walk with me. I grab the treat and throw it at him, but it usually just hits his face. Once it hits the floor, he stares at me. Normally, he catches the treat in the air. I then have to grab the treat and put it in his mouth, which by then he's realized what's going on.

I find this to be hilarious! I guess it's the same as when we first wake up that we're a bit disoriented. I feel so bad that I end up hitting across the face with the treat. Poor thing!! I have to remember that next time, I should really wake him up before I throw things at him.

Finally Worked Out

I finally made it to the gym! I was sitting around, quite bored, when a light bulb went off in my head. I felt motivated enough to get dressed and go the gym. My workout was great lasting about an hour. Within that hour, I burned 507 calories, which is not my highest. It is an adequate amount of calories burned, though.

I'm probably not making it to the gym today, but I am having lunch with Dan. I'll probably end up walking around, which will be sufficient. I've already made plans to rollerblade on Tuesday with my friend Darlene. So slowly but surely I am getting out of my funk. It's been so beautiful out these past few days that it's no wonder things are looking up. Hopefully, my mood will remain the same.

Parenting Preview

Last night was a muggy, sticky night. The heat was on for whatever reason and it was making matters worse. We decided to go to bed at around 12:30 and there was no way in hell that we would be able to fall asleep. Dan decided to turn on the ac, which really improved the situation dramatically. The only problem was Louie. He just wouldn't settle down. He kept walking around the room and specifically to Dan's side of the bed. He would sit, shake, and stare Dan down. It was quite funny.

Of course, Dan didn't think so. He desperately wanted to sleep and would get upset. It turned into "Louie go to bed!" every few minutes, which would wake me up (I was in that in between sleep stages that any little noise snaps you right back into reality). Anyway, at one point I became annoyed and told Dan not to yell at him anymore. This turned into a parent fight in which Dan told me to stop babying Louie. I retorted, "I'm not babying him!"

I asked Louie to go to bed, but to no avail. I got up from bed and left the room. Louie followed right along. I filled up his bowl with water. Maybe he was thirsty? Nope, he just stared at me. Then it hit me. The noise of the ac was bothering him. I realized this because he plopped himself in front of the recliner and just stared at me as I walked away. I went back into the bedroom, but he didn't follow. Then we all slept soundly.

And we definitely slept soundly. I was the first one to wake up this morning to realize it was noon!!! I thought it was maybe 9 or 10 in the morning. I guess we needed the sleep. I got up and saw that Louie never returned to the bedroom. I went into the living room and found him on the couch on top of a throw. His ears went straight up when he saw me. I started laughing and got him off the couch. I then woke Dan up.

I can't believe we slept so late! I guess we needed it. I don't particularly care for sleeping in late. I feel as if I waste the day away. Anyway, this is the funniest thing that's happened in the last few days and I had to blog about it. Other than that, nothing has been going on. I've been a bit stressed, but I'm learning how to deal with it (besides my face can't take it anymore).

So there you have it, Dan and I acting as parents. There's the preview. Dogs are like kids that don't know how to speak yet. Although Louie communicates with us all the time, we sometimes just don't catch it. We've had Louie for six years now. I'm guessing we're doing a good job with him. He loves us to death and we do to.

Blank

Sorry about not posting. In all honesty, I haven't had much to talk about. This weekend was pretty dull. Dan was sick with a stomach virus that lasted until yesterday. We stayed home all weekend because of it. Except for me running to the supermarket to get some stuff for him to eat, I did not go out.

This not going out thing has had me lazy. I need to run down the block to get my eye brows waxed and I don't feel like going. I should, I look like a scarecrow. I have to go into work tonight, which I'm not looking forward to at all. But what's new?

As you can see, I don't really have anything to talk about. I'm having writer's block. I hope this ends soon.

I'm Hooked Again!!!

I haven't played video games in a long time. It must be about a good six months (I played this one game, but only for about a day). Anyway, sometime last week, we realized we had a credit at Target for about $20 and didn't know what to buy. We looked for movies, but nothing seem to catch our eye. Well, I saw that EA Sports Big came out with SSX on Tour. I love SSX! I have their other two SSX games, which are loads of fun.

SSX is a snow boarding game where you race others to the finish line, do major tricks to gain points, and you get to dress up your character with different outfits you unlock or buy. This game is loads of fun. I like it because you it's not a role playing game, which I tend to find slightly boring. This is like a very cool Super Mario Brothers where you go through different worlds.

Well, I was playing so much last night that my eyes became totally irritated. They wouldn't stop tearing. My eyes felt as if I had grabbed sand paper and decided to rub my eyes with it. Terrible feeling! Anyway, I recommend the game. It's about twenty bucks (or maybe thirty) and you'll have loads of fun.

Sorry Winnie, Inertia is Still Latched on to Me!

I never made it to the gym last week, and to be honest, I don't foresee it happening this week, either. I'm completely engrossed in my crocheting and job search. The latter being more important. I'm too tired from working nights to wake up any earlier than I do to go to the gym. So, I'll just watch what I eat and hope for rapid changes in the career area.

Crocheting is another big aspect of my daily activities. I love to make stuff. It entertains and relaxes me. Right now, I'm making squares for charity. The squares don't take long to make and they are fun. It's also a nice feeling that someone in need will benefit from this. The squares will be sewed to other squares that people have made to make an afghan or a comfortghan as they are known. As you can see, this takes up my time.

Let's not mention the cleaning I do (and Dan, too) to keep this apartment neat. You know how that works. There's always something to do at home. Right now, I have a huge mound of laundry that needs to be put away. I'm still contemplating whether or not I'll do that today or leave it for Friday, which I have off. This all depends on how much energy I have today before I leave for work.

It didn't help that last week I only had one day off, which turned out to be yesterday. This week would have been the same, but I got my Friday shift covered. The following two weeks I only have a total of two days off. This doesn't leave me with much energy to do anything else to be honest. I guess until I find a job I have to suck it up. Right? Ugh.....

Inertia

It's been three weeks since I've set foot in a gym. The combination of being sick and getting my period (this sometimes knocks me out) were huge deterrents. Now it's Monday and I'm feeling great (except for the fact that I could sleep a little more). I should be getting ready to go workout. Well, not quite so.

I have no urge to get in my car and go out there. I kind of want to hang out here and crochet a bit. Hello?????? What is going on??? Summer is around the corner and my goal is to wear a bikini. This usually happens when I'm going to begin my workouts. Once I get used to going to the gym, then I'm ok. It's that first week back that really gets me.

I still haven't decided if I am going or not, but at least I'm comforted by the fact that I will be going this week. Let's see if my vitamins and coffee kick in today and maybe I'll brave the forces.

Abortion Ban Bill Approved

And it has begun...Abortion bill approved. Now only the governor needs to sign it, which most likely happen. Let's see how many other states follow South Dakota.

This Really Upsets Me

Little by little, they try to take rights away from women. It starts off small so it goes unnoticed. I'm just going to paste the article right on to this post.

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota (Reuters) - South Dakota became the first U.S. state to pass a law banning abortion in virtually all cases, with the intention of forcing the Supreme Court to reconsider its 1973 decision legalizing the procedure.

The law, which would punish doctors who perform the operation with a five-year prison term and a $5,000 fine, awaits the signature of Republican Gov. Michael Rounds and people on both sides of the issue say he is unlikely to veto it.

"My understanding is we are the first state to truly defy
Roe v. Wade," the 1973 high court ruling that granted a constitutional right to abortion, said Kate Looby of
Planned Parenthood's South Dakota chapter.

State legislatures in Ohio, Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee and Kentucky also have introduced similar measures this year, but South Dakota's legislative calendar means its law is likely to be enacted first.

"We hope (Rounds) recognizes this for what it is: a political tool and not about the health and safety of the women of South Dakota," Looby said.

"If he chooses to sign it, we will be filing a lawsuit in short order to block it," she said after attending the afternoon debate at the state capital in Pierre.

Proponents have said the law was designed for just such a court challenge.

The timing is right, supporters say, given the recent appointments of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice
Samuel Alito to the high court. The two conservatives could pave the way to a decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

The high court said on Tuesday it will rule on whether the federal government can ban some abortion procedures, a case that could reveal whether the court reshaped by
President George W. Bush will restrict abortion rights.

In 1992, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the right to abortion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey, the last direct challenge to Roe v. Wade.

The South Dakota law concludes that life begins at conception based on medical advances over the past three decades.

Proposed amendments to the law to create exceptions to specifically protect the health of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest, were voted down. Also defeated was an amendment to put the proposal in the hands of voters.

The bill as written does make an exception if the fetus dies during a doctor's attempt to save the mother's life.

Planned Parenthood operates the sole clinic in South Dakota where roughly 800 abortions are performed each year by doctors from neighboring Minnesota, Looby said.

Two years ago, Rounds vetoed a similar bill, saying it would wipe out existing restrictions on abortion while it was fought in the courts. A rewritten bill lost narrowly in the state Senate.

Some legislators opposed to abortion rights questioned whether it was premature to challenge Roe v. Wade, and said litigation would prove expensive for the sparsely populated state. An anonymous donor has offered $1 million to the state to defray the costs of litigation.

I just don't understand this logic. Who is anyone to tell me that I can't have an abortion? If Roe v. Wade is overturned, what will happen to the countless women who are forced to have unwanted children?

This part boggles my brain: Proposed amendments to the law to create exceptions to specifically protect the health of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest, were voted down. Also defeated was an amendment to put the proposal in the hands of voters.

This is a horrific attack against women's rights. You don't have to have an abortion if you have a moral objection to it, but it's unfair to make other women follow suit. You take away a women's right to choose and you'll start seeing other anti-women laws being passed. I feel we're stepping back in time.

Did Get Some Sleep

I think I fell asleep around 6:30am on the couch. At least that's the last time I looked over at the cable box to see time. I was then awakened by Dan who was gently caressing my feet. That felt so nice!!! I knocked out again and was then awakened by Louie. He came up to my face and sniffed to make sure I was ok.

The rest of the morning, I spent sleeping on the couch until it was time for me to o to the doctor. Just as I suspected, I have a bacteria in my throat, which is causing my coughing, congestion, and headaches. Afterwards, I went to Rite Aid and spent an hour and a half waiting for my prescription, which wasn't completed. They only had one of the medicines I needed. At least I got the penicillin I needed. The cough medicine with codeine could wait. My coughing has calmed down a bit.

I got home and fell asleep for I'm not sure how long and woke up with the worst congestion and headache I've had in days. Nothing some Tylenol and Afrin nose spray couldn't help. I actually had the energy to walk Louie and as you can see I'm now blogging. The only thing I'm hoping for now is that Dan was able to get out of work early. I need him to make me some soup.

I can't return back to work for another two days, which is fine by me. I need the time to rest and recuperate. Hopefully, I'll have some energy tomorrow to crochet.

Insomnia

This cold or flu that I have has now caused insomnia. I'm so uncomfortable sleeping that I had to get out of bed. I have such bad congestion that my chest feels tight, which is beginning to worry me. I think it's time for me to pay a visit to the doctor's office. I've been trying to fight this cold for about a week and a half. I'm having plenty of vitamin c and fluids.

I have now been awake for the past half hour (it's 4:45am), which really sucks. I'm full of energy, which means I won't be sleeping anytime soon. Now that I think back, ever since I moved to Miami, I've been getting sick on a consistent basis. Actually, it began when I started teaching. For a straight school year, I was visiting the doctor every month. Since I've been back, I've been sick twice. This is something new to me because I wasn't a sickly child. I feel that I take care of myself by eating as right as possible, covering myself up when I go out, and now taking vitamins.

I think I need a good meditation session. Hopefully this will balance me out and I'll be able to fall asleep.

The Weekend

I finally uploaded some pics of the weekend. I'm posting my two favorites.

Here's at my friend's, Anna's 30th Birthday brunch:



Here's at my sister's house with my niece and nephew (the birthday boy was too busy playing video games, so I didn't get any pictures of him):

Healthy Eating

Nothing does it like PMS when it comes to feeling fat. Throughout the month, I'm happy about having lost fifty pounds. Although I am not at my target weight, I love how my body looks, how my face looks (no more double chin!), and most importantly, how I feel. I'm not embarrassed about how my body looks anymore (well except in dressing rooms; those lights!!!!). This all goes down the drain when I'm about to get my period.

First of all, I start eating like a pig. Maybe most won't consider it eating like a pig, but I do. I have no control over portions. Even Dan looks at me in bewilderment when I'm eating. For instance, on Saturday we stopped in at a pizzeria when I saw a corner slice of sicillian. I went directly for it. This slice was pretty big. Normally, I would have eaten half of it. Not this time!! I ate the whole thing. Not only did I eat the whole thing, I devoured it. Dan was amazed that I ate it.

Second of all, I am so bloated that I feel as if I'm painting my clothes on. The marks of the buttons of shirts and pants get imprinted on my skin even if it's not actually tight on me. That happened to me yesterday. I wore a blouse and a pair of pants. When I took off the clothes, I had all the buttons of the blouse and pants on my skin.

Lastly, I feel as if I gained weight. Now, I know I haven't gained any fat. I know I'm retaining lots of water, which explains why buttons are part of my skin. Even though I know it's just water retention, I can't help but feel like a fat pig. So because of the way I'm feeling, I decided to put Dan and I on a diet. It's not really a diet, but I'm adding more fruits and vegetables to our diet. Even Dan said he was going to lay off the junk food for at least this week.

I got my hands on green beans, broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, apples, nectarines, plums, granola bars, and etc... My "diets" aren't restrictive at all, but I try to get rid of most of the bad stuff. As long as Dan is game, then the cooking becomes easier. Now if I could only beat this cold, then I would work out. I'm a firm believer that if you're not feeling well, then you shouldn't work out. I know I'm going to beat it because I'm taking vitamins, drinking oj (fresh squeezed when I'm at work), and taking extra vitamin c. I'm actually having some peppermint tea at this moment so that it loosens up my congestion.

My goal is to fit into a bikini this summer and I'm going to. Once the temperature starts warming up, I'm going to rollerblade on a consistent basis. That will definitely help me shed any excess pounds I have. I also want to start hiking, again. I haven't hiked in about three years. After I overextended my hip, I wasn't allowed to exercise for about a good six months, which by the time all was said and done I was down in Miami. As you may not know, Florida is completely flat. It is not conducive to hiking. Although, they do have nature trails, but it's not the same. I just need to get my hands on some hiking boots and off to the trails I go. This is also an activity that Dan enjoys, which is a plus.

I'll keep you posted on how it works out!

Remember How Sleepy I Was?

Well, not anymore! I started taking Women's 1 a day. And can I tell you how much energy I now have? I have to be careful on how much coffee I drink in the morning because if I'm not doing anything, I become very jittery. I haven't had the need for a nap either, which is strange because I love taking naps.

I guess I was lacking in the vitamin department. I love how I feel so much that I went out and got Dan Men's 1 a day. If I'm lacking vitamins and we eat basically the same things (except for lunch), then he's also lacking vitamins. Hopefully, it will have the same effect on him.

The one thing I do find is that when I get tired at night, I pass out quickly. I cannot remain awake. For the past two nights, I've fallen asleep on the couch. Dan stays up later than I do. So when he's ready to got o sleep, he gently gets me out of the couch and helps me to the bed. He finds it cute that I fall asleep on the couch.

There you have it! Next time you're feeling a bit drained, go buy yourself some multivitamins. Maybe that's all you need to get an energy boost. It worked for me and I'm feeling great!

Valentine's Day

I really dislike Valentine's Day. I find it to be a waste of a day. All this pressure gets built up on getting a gift and making sure the day goes perfect that I find it takes away from the enjoyment. Besides, everyday should be Valentine's Day. Seriously, do you need a special reason to buy your significant other a gift?

I also dislike this day when it comes to the restaurant business. Last night I had the pleasure of waiting on couples all night long. We were so busy that we went on a 2 1/2 hour wait. Let me tell about people that go out on Valentine's Day. They never go out throughout the rest of the year. This is the one special occasion to go out and actually spend money. I hate working on this day, not because I rather be home (which I do rather be home), but because I get shitty tips. Ten percent is not an adequate tip people!!!!

Let me make this simple: 15% to 20% is an adequate tip. You ask why? Well for starters your humble server makes 2.13 an hour. Even if we get shafted on tips, we still have to tip the bussers and servers on our sales. So don't be cheap and show some gratitude. And also if your food takes a little longer don't take it out on your server by leaving a cheaper tip. They are not the ones cooking your food. Trust me, they want you to get your food so that they could get rid of you as fast as possible to get another table. And ladies, if you're getting together with your friends and sit for three hours, leave an adequate tip. You're making that sever loose money!!!!!!!

Let's say your bill comes out to $100. 15% of that would be $15. 20% would be $20. Not difficult!!! If you're wallet is tight, than eat less!!!!

Blizzard

Yesterday's blizzard was phenomenal to watch. I haven't seen snowfall like this in a few years. Our super was snow blowing the sidewalk at around 7:30 am (probably earlier considering how much was plowed). Dan and I took advantage and took Louie outside. If he hadn't plowed, I don't know what we would have done with Louie since the snow was already higher than him.

It was snowing so hard that within the 5 minutes (most likely less) we were outside drenched my coat, hat, hair, and scarf completely. Louie looked as if he was wearing a coat and his snout was covered with snow (he was eating the snow). It was way too cold for Louie and we brought him inside so that he would stop shivering (he got groomed the day before so his hair is short).

I had to call out of work (not sad about it) because I couldn't get out of the garage. After we came upstairs, Dan ran (well tried to, it was very windy) to the store to get some stuff. It took him a while to get back home (the store is three blocks away). Needless to say the groceries had snow on them. The rest of the day, we vegetated and occasionally looked out the window.

When it was time to walk Louie again, the ground was so cold that he began to limp (I really need to get him booties). Dan thought he might have stepped on something, but his paw was clean. He did the same thing this morning. He began limping and I had to carry him home. We weren't out for that long either. There's also so much snow around that it distracts him and he takes long to do his necessities.

Anyway, thanks to the blizzard I was able to stay home and do absolutely nothing. I lie, I actually crocheted, but that's about it. I've been craving for a lazy day for a while. I've been working so much that I haven't had time to sit around and do nothing. So thank you blizzard!!

Why Am I so Sleepy?

For the past week or so, I've been plagued by this overwhelming need to sleep. I'm really not sure where this is copming from. At first, I blamed it on rollerblading since I was going at it for nearly two hours, but that was on Monday! For instance, yesterday, I took a three-hour nap (yup) in the afternoon and couldn't stay awake past 11:20 pm. When the alarm clock rang at 7:50 am this morning, it took me a few minutes to actually wake up.

What is going on with me? I'm not sure if I'm not eating right or what, but I bought multivitamins yesterday to see if that'll help me. Anyone have any suggestions on why this is occurring? It is beginning to annoy me. I don't want to sleep as much. I rather be up and working out or something.

"Now" is Working

Focus on the "Now" is what I keep on saying to myself. Well, I'm practicing what I'm preaching. My friend Darlene called me to rollerblade since it was beautiful out. At first, I told her I would let her know if I had the time. After I hung up the phone with her, I realized that I was worrying about being at work on time. So, I picked up the phone and told her I would meet her at one.

Needless to say, I had a wonderful time. We rollerbladed for almost two hours and I even went down hills (I fell once going down hill, and I've been scared ever since). Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the spring like weather we experienced today. If I would have focused on work, I would have never gone rollerblading. As a result, the rest of the day was fun.

See, you could do it, too. Slow down a bit and enjoy what's going on around you. It will make the day much more fun, and you'll probably get more out of the day. Have fun!!