After an eventful Thanksgiving weekend (good and bad), Dan and I have done absolutely nothing today. Well, I lie. I took Louie for a long overdue walk and he's been doing exactly what his parent's have been doing ever since...nothing. I did manage to crochet a bit, but fell asleep during it on the cordurouy chair in the middle of watching a documentary called "The Death Star," on the Science Channel (it wasn't boring, but I have seen it before). I couldn't help it. Dan was fast asleep on the recliner and it's so damn hot in this apartment that it makes you lethargic. We just woke up about 15 minutes ago, and I came over to the computer. Dan is walking around (I'm not sure what he's doing).
Our day cannot be any more perfect! Ever since we've moved in, there hasn't been a day where we didn't have to go someplace or meet someone. I haven't nagged Dan do anything and he's paid me the same respect. Later on, I'll prepare a nice dinner and we'll vegetate some more. Perfect, perfect, perfect!! We need to have more days like these.
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Former US Attorney Defending Saddam?
Ramsey Clark, who was US Attorney during the late 1960's, has decided to join Saddam's defence team. As annoying and nonsensical as I find it to be, I have to say that probably nowhere else in the world can this happen, but in the United States. God the freedoms we enjoy as Americans are incredible. I hate to see what would happen to this guy if he lived, let's say, in Cuba.
Anyway, for those of you that thinks the US sucks, here's a good reason why it doesn't.
Anyway, for those of you that thinks the US sucks, here's a good reason why it doesn't.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Happy Thanksgiving!
I keep a little notebook where I write down things I'm grateful for. There are other things I include in this little notebook, but I enjoy writing the grateful stuff. So, since it is Thanksgiving, I will blog about it instead.
Here it goes:
1. I'm grateful for my family and friends.
2. I'm grateful for having a wonderful husband that I adore in many ways he knows not.
3 I'm grateful for the addition to my family, my little nephew Bryan.
4. I'm grateful for all of the lessons I'm learning that make me wiser.
5. I'm grateful for having lost over 50 lbs.
6. I'm grateful my crochet business is coming along.
7. I'm grateful for all of the gifts I receive (not only the material ones).
8. I'm grateful for the apartment I'm living in.
9. I'm grateful that Louie's demeanor has improved.
10. I'm just grateful.
This list could go on, but I would most likely bore you with it. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Here it goes:
1. I'm grateful for my family and friends.
2. I'm grateful for having a wonderful husband that I adore in many ways he knows not.
3 I'm grateful for the addition to my family, my little nephew Bryan.
4. I'm grateful for all of the lessons I'm learning that make me wiser.
5. I'm grateful for having lost over 50 lbs.
6. I'm grateful my crochet business is coming along.
7. I'm grateful for all of the gifts I receive (not only the material ones).
8. I'm grateful for the apartment I'm living in.
9. I'm grateful that Louie's demeanor has improved.
10. I'm just grateful.
This list could go on, but I would most likely bore you with it. Enjoy your Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
How Does One Overcome Being Gay?
According to the Catholic Church, you can, "homosexual tendencies are only the expression of a transitory problem ... these must be clearly overcome at least three years prior to diaconate ordination." And it only takes three years! Interesting. I'm guessing that the Vatican hasn't taken any science classes. Do they realize that there are five sexes? Not just male and female?
Let me brief them very quickly:
For some time medical investigators have recognized the concept of the intersexual body. But the standard medical literature uses the term intersex as a catch-all for three major subgroups with some mixture of male and female characteristics: the so-called true hermaphrodites, whom I call herms, who possess one testis and one ovary (the sperm- and egg-producing vessels, or gonads); the male pseudohermaphrodites (the "merms"), who have testes and some aspects of the female genitalia but no ovaries; and the female pseudohermaphrodites (the "ferms"), who have ovaries and some aspects of the male genitalia but lack testes. Each of those categories is in itself complex; the percentage of male and female characteristics, for instance, can vary enormously among members of the same subgroup. Moreover, the inner lives of the people in each subgroup¾ their special needs and their problems, attractions and repulsions¾ have gone unexplored by science. But on the basis of what is known about them I suggest that the three intersexes, herm, merm and ferm, deserve to be considered additional sexes each in its own right. Indeed, I would argue further that sex is a vast, infinitely malleable continuum that defies the constraints of even five categories.
(If you would like to read the complete article click here)
The Vatican further condemned homosexuality by releasing a new document:
The new document underlines that church teaching consider homosexual acts "grave sins" and also intrinsically immoral and contrary to natural law, news agncies reported. "Therefore, in no case can they be approved," it says.
I guess they are still missing the part of the five sexes.
Wait, it gets better.
Msgr. Steve Rohlff states:
"It flows obviously from the church's teaching on human sexuality, which has been constant from the First century to the 20th Century -- that homosexuality is an intrinsic disorder. It is a psychosexual disorder."
So, we're still following rules from the first century when science was not anywhere near as prominent as it has been in the modern era.
This is why I reject religion. Who is the Vatican to condemn anyone? Didn't God say not to judge anyone? It's not a psychosexual disorder. Your sex is determined by your chromosomes.
My other question is to the gay men. Why do you want to become priests in a religion that doesn't accept you? Why put yourselves through that torture?
I find that spirituality is something you carry within yourself. I do not need an outside source telling me how I should worship or conduct myself. That is between God and myself. Hey, but that's me. If you choose otherwise that's fine by me. Besides you create your own reality and so do I.
To read the article on the Vatican, click here.
Let me brief them very quickly:
For some time medical investigators have recognized the concept of the intersexual body. But the standard medical literature uses the term intersex as a catch-all for three major subgroups with some mixture of male and female characteristics: the so-called true hermaphrodites, whom I call herms, who possess one testis and one ovary (the sperm- and egg-producing vessels, or gonads); the male pseudohermaphrodites (the "merms"), who have testes and some aspects of the female genitalia but no ovaries; and the female pseudohermaphrodites (the "ferms"), who have ovaries and some aspects of the male genitalia but lack testes. Each of those categories is in itself complex; the percentage of male and female characteristics, for instance, can vary enormously among members of the same subgroup. Moreover, the inner lives of the people in each subgroup¾ their special needs and their problems, attractions and repulsions¾ have gone unexplored by science. But on the basis of what is known about them I suggest that the three intersexes, herm, merm and ferm, deserve to be considered additional sexes each in its own right. Indeed, I would argue further that sex is a vast, infinitely malleable continuum that defies the constraints of even five categories.
(If you would like to read the complete article click here)
The Vatican further condemned homosexuality by releasing a new document:
The new document underlines that church teaching consider homosexual acts "grave sins" and also intrinsically immoral and contrary to natural law, news agncies reported. "Therefore, in no case can they be approved," it says.
I guess they are still missing the part of the five sexes.
Wait, it gets better.
Msgr. Steve Rohlff states:
"It flows obviously from the church's teaching on human sexuality, which has been constant from the First century to the 20th Century -- that homosexuality is an intrinsic disorder. It is a psychosexual disorder."
So, we're still following rules from the first century when science was not anywhere near as prominent as it has been in the modern era.
This is why I reject religion. Who is the Vatican to condemn anyone? Didn't God say not to judge anyone? It's not a psychosexual disorder. Your sex is determined by your chromosomes.
My other question is to the gay men. Why do you want to become priests in a religion that doesn't accept you? Why put yourselves through that torture?
I find that spirituality is something you carry within yourself. I do not need an outside source telling me how I should worship or conduct myself. That is between God and myself. Hey, but that's me. If you choose otherwise that's fine by me. Besides you create your own reality and so do I.
To read the article on the Vatican, click here.
Just a Bit Nippy!
There is something I definitely didn't miss about living in the Northeast--walking my Louie in the bitter cold. Man is it cold out there! I'm surprise he wasn't trembling (I know I was). If it weren't so windy, I think I wouldn't mind. This is just the beginning of wintry conditions I can expect to come. I better get used to it. Unless, I could convince Dan that it is his duty as my husband to walk Louie at all times.....yeah that's not going to work. I'm going to have to suck it up.
Identifying Why I've Been Negative
Lately, I've been having a difficult time trying to write on this blog. I am not in a happy mode at this particular time in my life. I've been sick this past week, work is becoming more of a nuisance, and I'm tired. Thanksgiving is also preoccupying my mind more than it should, but that's a whole other story that I do not wish to discuss.
Basically, I've been a bit negative. I normally have a difficult time trying to write positive things on this blog. I truly believe you attract whatever it is that you're feeling. If I start complaining about the mundane stuff that goes on in my life, then I will attract more of it. On that note, what I'm having a harder time with is trying to get back into my positive mode. I've been trying really hard, but for some reason (subconsciously) I'm stuck. I keep on catching myself playing scenarios over in my head that are absolutely negative, almost combative. The more I think about it, the more it plays in my head.
Of course, all of the situations that have been occurring to me this week are due to my state of mind. That's the one thing about creating your own reality: there are no victims. I could play the blame game, but ultimately I know it all points back to me. This is quite liberating because I know that I need to change my frame of mind and I'll get back to my (new) old self.
So what is bringing chaos to my life? My job. Plain and simple. My job is very comforting. I know it well and make decent money. It's a bit hard to walk away from making easy cash. The downfall is the hours. I work nights and sometimes doubles. I'm just tired of it. Now, I don't want you to think that I came back to this job for good because that's not the case. I've just overstayed my welcome; that's all.
It's taken me about a week and a half to realize the main cause of my negativity. It's caused me sickness and now sleeplessness (2:40am). I'm glad I've identified the problem. Since the move, I haven't had much of a chance to job hunt. I have updated my resume and been searching. I know the job I want will come to me as long as my focus is on the new job and not how much my job sucks. I actually received a phone call to set up an interview because this company found my resume. Although it's not what I'm looking for, my focus is on the right direction.
Basically, I've been a bit negative. I normally have a difficult time trying to write positive things on this blog. I truly believe you attract whatever it is that you're feeling. If I start complaining about the mundane stuff that goes on in my life, then I will attract more of it. On that note, what I'm having a harder time with is trying to get back into my positive mode. I've been trying really hard, but for some reason (subconsciously) I'm stuck. I keep on catching myself playing scenarios over in my head that are absolutely negative, almost combative. The more I think about it, the more it plays in my head.
Of course, all of the situations that have been occurring to me this week are due to my state of mind. That's the one thing about creating your own reality: there are no victims. I could play the blame game, but ultimately I know it all points back to me. This is quite liberating because I know that I need to change my frame of mind and I'll get back to my (new) old self.
So what is bringing chaos to my life? My job. Plain and simple. My job is very comforting. I know it well and make decent money. It's a bit hard to walk away from making easy cash. The downfall is the hours. I work nights and sometimes doubles. I'm just tired of it. Now, I don't want you to think that I came back to this job for good because that's not the case. I've just overstayed my welcome; that's all.
It's taken me about a week and a half to realize the main cause of my negativity. It's caused me sickness and now sleeplessness (2:40am). I'm glad I've identified the problem. Since the move, I haven't had much of a chance to job hunt. I have updated my resume and been searching. I know the job I want will come to me as long as my focus is on the new job and not how much my job sucks. I actually received a phone call to set up an interview because this company found my resume. Although it's not what I'm looking for, my focus is on the right direction.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Warning---Please Read
My sister had a guy claiming to be a Verizon representative knock on her door last night at around 8pm. Her front porch light was out so she couldn't see who was at the door. He claimed that he was there to upgrade her to copper(#1 red flag). It's a promotion going on at the moment. My sister does not have internet or verizon for that matter. He insisted on her opening the door. He had some form of id but my sister couldn't read it. He was also covering some part of the id (#2 red flag). My sister asked him to leave and threatened to call the police. The guy said there was no need to call the police, but to open the door because he couldn't hear her (Then why did he know that she threatened to call the cops? #3 red flag).
She told my nephew to grab the baby and his sister, run upstairs, hide and call the police. She remained downstairs to make sure this guy wouldn't open the door. By the time the cops came the guy was gone. She called Verizon and explained what happened. They said there was a promotion in upstate NY to upgrade to fiber optics (not copper that's what you start off with). They are going to investigate the situation and probably file a report with the police.
This guy showed up at one other house on the block that had a car in the driveway. He also knocked on her door only 30 minutes after she got home. Thank God she realized this guy was not a Verizon rep. So if you have someone claiming to be from Verizon, please make sure that he is from Verizon. Don't open the door unless you could verify it. Scary stuff.
She told my nephew to grab the baby and his sister, run upstairs, hide and call the police. She remained downstairs to make sure this guy wouldn't open the door. By the time the cops came the guy was gone. She called Verizon and explained what happened. They said there was a promotion in upstate NY to upgrade to fiber optics (not copper that's what you start off with). They are going to investigate the situation and probably file a report with the police.
This guy showed up at one other house on the block that had a car in the driveway. He also knocked on her door only 30 minutes after she got home. Thank God she realized this guy was not a Verizon rep. So if you have someone claiming to be from Verizon, please make sure that he is from Verizon. Don't open the door unless you could verify it. Scary stuff.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Wave Hill
Wave Hill is located in the Bronx and offers people a spectacular view. It is filled with gardens, walking trails, and relaxing areas. It is the perfect place to take your family and see exotic plants. Wave Hill is just plain beautiful. This is especially true this time of year where the foliage displays warm autumn colors that capture your heart.
I snapped many pictures, but these two are my favorite. I took them when we were leaving the place. It is not of Wave Hill, but the road that lead to our car. This road amazed me because I felt as if I had stepped into another place and time. If it weren't for the cars that would drive by, I wouldn't have known the difference.
I snapped many pictures, but these two are my favorite. I took them when we were leaving the place. It is not of Wave Hill, but the road that lead to our car. This road amazed me because I felt as if I had stepped into another place and time. If it weren't for the cars that would drive by, I wouldn't have known the difference.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
What's Going On?
I've come to the conclusion that my creative nature is finally squeezing out of me. For the last few weeks, I've been barraged with images of myself painting, making pottery, obviously crocheting, opening my own yarn store, and becoming an amateur photographer.
What's going on?
While growing up, I never considered myself creative. I dreaded going to art class because I knew that I couldn't draw or make anything. Whenever I had to come up with an idea for class, it just didn't happen. I struggled with this to the point of embarrassment. I was always marveled at other kids that would produce beautiful paintings and wondered why I couldn't do the same.
There have only been two times in my life that I ever produced any art work that I was extremely proud of. Once was in either third grade. We had to paint a picture of Goofy. I painted Goofy to perfection. My picture was even entered in my town's art expo and I won third prize! I was so proud of myself. Unfortunately, I can't recall what ever happen to my portrait of Goofy, but I remember it vividly.
The second time I produced anything was in college. I had to take an art appreciation class. We used pastels and I drew a picture of a candle that I have, which features a couple standing next to each other. Dan was impressed by this and kept the picture for me (he's good at keeping things).
I still have my pastels. I will not throw those away. In fact, I want to get myself a canvas and try creating something else that I will be proud of. This feeling I've had for awhile, but lately it's been very prominent in my head. AcMoore offers Bob Ross painting classes, which I'm very tempted to take, but at the moment I can't afford to take them ($55 a class). That's an idea to keep in the back of my head.
Pottery is another one of those things that I've always like to try. Lately, I just see myself making beautiful pottery. I will most likely try to take pottery classes once the holiday season is over and my apartment is fully furnished. I really can't explain what this feeling is.
Crocheting has been part of my life for the last year and a half, and I absolutely love the things I make. I'm sort of obsessed with it. It's just so much fun. It's become such an important aspect of my life that I now sell my stuff. I've been bombarded with orders from friends who want scarves and hats made for them. You could say that I have a second job because when I get home I grab my hook and crochet away.
Photography is something else I want to get into. I guess this urge has been spurred by the fact that I photograph every item I crochet. I like keeping record of the stuff I've made. I took some awesome pictures the other day when I was at Wave Hill. In fact, Dan was impressed by them. This is a hard task because he knows more about photography than I do. He even knows how to develop his own film.
I really don't know what has influenced me to want to partake in all of these activities. I thought stuff like this happened when you were younger (not that I'm old). Maybe it has to do with my crocheting. Maybe it's influencing me to want to delve into other creative projects that at one time I would never dream of doing. I like this sudden urge to open up my life to new experiences.
What's going on?
While growing up, I never considered myself creative. I dreaded going to art class because I knew that I couldn't draw or make anything. Whenever I had to come up with an idea for class, it just didn't happen. I struggled with this to the point of embarrassment. I was always marveled at other kids that would produce beautiful paintings and wondered why I couldn't do the same.
There have only been two times in my life that I ever produced any art work that I was extremely proud of. Once was in either third grade. We had to paint a picture of Goofy. I painted Goofy to perfection. My picture was even entered in my town's art expo and I won third prize! I was so proud of myself. Unfortunately, I can't recall what ever happen to my portrait of Goofy, but I remember it vividly.
The second time I produced anything was in college. I had to take an art appreciation class. We used pastels and I drew a picture of a candle that I have, which features a couple standing next to each other. Dan was impressed by this and kept the picture for me (he's good at keeping things).
I still have my pastels. I will not throw those away. In fact, I want to get myself a canvas and try creating something else that I will be proud of. This feeling I've had for awhile, but lately it's been very prominent in my head. AcMoore offers Bob Ross painting classes, which I'm very tempted to take, but at the moment I can't afford to take them ($55 a class). That's an idea to keep in the back of my head.
Pottery is another one of those things that I've always like to try. Lately, I just see myself making beautiful pottery. I will most likely try to take pottery classes once the holiday season is over and my apartment is fully furnished. I really can't explain what this feeling is.
Crocheting has been part of my life for the last year and a half, and I absolutely love the things I make. I'm sort of obsessed with it. It's just so much fun. It's become such an important aspect of my life that I now sell my stuff. I've been bombarded with orders from friends who want scarves and hats made for them. You could say that I have a second job because when I get home I grab my hook and crochet away.
Photography is something else I want to get into. I guess this urge has been spurred by the fact that I photograph every item I crochet. I like keeping record of the stuff I've made. I took some awesome pictures the other day when I was at Wave Hill. In fact, Dan was impressed by them. This is a hard task because he knows more about photography than I do. He even knows how to develop his own film.
I really don't know what has influenced me to want to partake in all of these activities. I thought stuff like this happened when you were younger (not that I'm old). Maybe it has to do with my crocheting. Maybe it's influencing me to want to delve into other creative projects that at one time I would never dream of doing. I like this sudden urge to open up my life to new experiences.
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Halloween
Halloween was fun and exhausting. This year I decided that since I've been apart from niece and nephew for the past two years (that's what happens when you move to another state) that I would take them to the American Museum of Natural History for some trick or treating. We went with our next door neighbors and met up with Dan at the museum.
My niece was ecstatic, but my nephew ended up being a bit bored. I think he might be too old for this. I didn't realize the crowd would be very young, but he was a trooper. I really enjoyed being there, but have to admit that I was a bit overwhelmed. The place was super packed. I despise being in places that are full of people. It gets me a bit anxious. I think that's something I developed later on in life. When I was a teenager, I use to hit those clubs and not care if I could only take baby steps to move forward because it was so crowded.
Unfortunately, we forgot to charge our digital camera and had to settle for our phones. Here's a picture of JJ, Dan, and Jacque towards the end of the night at the museum.
After we dropped of the kids and returned home, we dressed up our furry son. I bought a costume for Louie. He looked so damn adorable. I couldn't keep it on him for longer than a few minutes because the legs part of the costume were too long for his short legs, which caused him to fall repeatedly. But he did stay still enough to snap some pictures. Here he is Darth Louious as Dan named him.
My niece was ecstatic, but my nephew ended up being a bit bored. I think he might be too old for this. I didn't realize the crowd would be very young, but he was a trooper. I really enjoyed being there, but have to admit that I was a bit overwhelmed. The place was super packed. I despise being in places that are full of people. It gets me a bit anxious. I think that's something I developed later on in life. When I was a teenager, I use to hit those clubs and not care if I could only take baby steps to move forward because it was so crowded.
Unfortunately, we forgot to charge our digital camera and had to settle for our phones. Here's a picture of JJ, Dan, and Jacque towards the end of the night at the museum.
After we dropped of the kids and returned home, we dressed up our furry son. I bought a costume for Louie. He looked so damn adorable. I couldn't keep it on him for longer than a few minutes because the legs part of the costume were too long for his short legs, which caused him to fall repeatedly. But he did stay still enough to snap some pictures. Here he is Darth Louious as Dan named him.
Monday, October 24, 2005
Pros and Cons
I like making a pros and cons list about everything to see what's working for me and what isn't. Saturday night I asked Dan what he thought was the pros and cons of living in New York. We've found a bunch of pros and only two cons. One of the biggest pros was having the means of public transportation so readily available to us. This we enjoyed very much so as we were meeting with some of Dan's coworkers at a bar in the village. We were both in such a good mood that I can't even explain it. Another pro was that we didn't have to worry on who wasn't going to drink because we weren't driving. Saturday night is one of those nights that I'm always going to refer to in my mind when I'm not feeling happy because the smile on Dan's face made my night. I haven't seen him this happy in a long time.
The two cons: 1. Getting stuck on the bridge while going to work (something that has nothing to do with where I live, but all to do with where I work). 2. Pathmark is a drive (it takes us 20 minutes to get there). I don't like food shopping and I hate having to devote 20 minutes to and fro to driving there.
Not bad right? I'm loving it here more and more each day.
The two cons: 1. Getting stuck on the bridge while going to work (something that has nothing to do with where I live, but all to do with where I work). 2. Pathmark is a drive (it takes us 20 minutes to get there). I don't like food shopping and I hate having to devote 20 minutes to and fro to driving there.
Not bad right? I'm loving it here more and more each day.
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
The Bronx
My big question is "Why is it called The Bronx?" Then I tried saying to myself that I live in Bronx, and it really sounds weird. You could say I live in Manhattan, but for some reason it doesn't correlate when it comes to the Bronx. So, the Bronx it is.
I'm becoming familiar with the area and have to say I love it. I find the architecture pretty and the people are friendly. Everyone is always smiling at me when I'm walking Louie and the neighbors are also friendly. So far, I've been welcomed home and wished good luck. Can't ask for more.
As soon as we get rid of the fourteen more boxes left (there were a total of 37), it will feel more like home. I'm also readjusting to having Dan around, which after three months of sleeping alone it's a nice welcomed change.
What's even a better change is being alone with Dan for the first time in years. No offense to my in-laws, but I love being alone. The first day I got the keys to the apartment, I was going to begin cleaning. I changed into sweatpants and a tank top. Now this tank top I've worn in public before, but if I'm not careful my boobs will make an appearance. After I put on the outfit, I looked at myself in the mirror and thought that I should cover up so that nobody sees me like this and put on the hoody. At that same moment I realized what I had thought and immediately took off the hoody. That is when I concluded how accustomed I've become to being around people. Now I walk around in my underwear all the time and love it (and so does Dan).
So now you know what I've been upto for the last two weeks. If I take long between my posts, please forgive me. I'm still trying to settle in.
I'm becoming familiar with the area and have to say I love it. I find the architecture pretty and the people are friendly. Everyone is always smiling at me when I'm walking Louie and the neighbors are also friendly. So far, I've been welcomed home and wished good luck. Can't ask for more.
As soon as we get rid of the fourteen more boxes left (there were a total of 37), it will feel more like home. I'm also readjusting to having Dan around, which after three months of sleeping alone it's a nice welcomed change.
What's even a better change is being alone with Dan for the first time in years. No offense to my in-laws, but I love being alone. The first day I got the keys to the apartment, I was going to begin cleaning. I changed into sweatpants and a tank top. Now this tank top I've worn in public before, but if I'm not careful my boobs will make an appearance. After I put on the outfit, I looked at myself in the mirror and thought that I should cover up so that nobody sees me like this and put on the hoody. At that same moment I realized what I had thought and immediately took off the hoody. That is when I concluded how accustomed I've become to being around people. Now I walk around in my underwear all the time and love it (and so does Dan).
So now you know what I've been upto for the last two weeks. If I take long between my posts, please forgive me. I'm still trying to settle in.
Sunday, October 16, 2005
No, I Haven't Disappeared
Sorry folks, I only got internet yesterday.
That said, I have lot's of stuff to write about, which will take me a while to do. In the meantime, keep posted. Frankly, I'm quite exhausted from working, unpacking, and shopping around for housewares. If I weren't so sleepy at this moment, I would tell you about how great our apartment is and how much I love it. But, you'll hear about it soon. Talk to you later.
That said, I have lot's of stuff to write about, which will take me a while to do. In the meantime, keep posted. Frankly, I'm quite exhausted from working, unpacking, and shopping around for housewares. If I weren't so sleepy at this moment, I would tell you about how great our apartment is and how much I love it. But, you'll hear about it soon. Talk to you later.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Complaining
Everyone is entitled to have a bitch fest. Life at times throws curve balls at you that are hard to deal with. We've all been there when things just aren't going our way and we don't know how to handle it. Problems seem to work themselves out whether you like the outcome or not and happier times return.
What I find useless is complaining about minute things. I, myself, use to be guilty of this travesty. Nowadays, I find it quite annoying (although I'm working on not letting it bother me). This ordeal tends to happen often at work. Since we live off of tips, the types of tables we get are very important. Nobody likes waiting on cheap people. For example, I had two ladies that sat for two hours at my table and left me $5 on a $38 check. Number one, they sat for two hours. Number two, that's not even 15%. Now, I could have made a big deal about it, gotten upset, and let it ruin my night. But why? These ladies were going home to relax ignorant of the fact that they offended me. What kind of satisfaction would that have brought me? None, absolutely none.
What I was happy about, was that I waited on a couple, which there bill totaled $57 and left me $15. That's over 25%!! Now out of the two tables, which one should I concentrate on? The one that left me a horrible tip or the one that took care of me? It's obvious to me that the one that took care of me is the winner. Let me tell you, that I made little money yesterday. That one table made the day worth it. I refuse to concentrate on the negative. At times, it is a difficult task to accomplish. It takes a lot of effort to step outside of the situation and look in.
There's a guy that works with me who is nicest guy you could ever know. If you ever need anything, he's right there to help you out. He's a great team player and just plain nice. His downfall--complains way too much. He finds fault in everything to the point that I sometimes walk away. I refuse to surround myself with that negativity. Let's be honest. Waiting tables is not the best job in the world. Don't make it worse by complaining about it.
I keep on telling him that he should concentrate on better things than what kind of shitty tables he's getting or if the kitchen is taking too long with his food or that he's not getting sat (BTW, I'm not the only one that tells him that). His response is that he's very positive with his tables. My response is "Well you're not being that positive if you stand around and complain about it." At which his response is "I don't need to hear that I'm being negative." At which I respond, "Well then stop complaining."
I know he gets annoyed with me and the other people that tell him the same thing. He doesn't seem to understand that by complaining about every little thing that goes wrong, he's annoying others. Waiting tables is the kind of job that if you become cranky, you cause a domino effect. Once the dominoes begin falling, it is very difficult to stop them. You know what? It's affecting his pocket. He doesn't make much money. The days that he does make money, I don't hear a peep out of his mouth.
Maybe next time he starts complaining about the little stuff I'll remind him that on days he does make decent cash, he's not complaining. Maybe, just maybe, he'll see the connection, which will change his outlook. I work on seeing the good out of every situation, whether it's a good situation or a bad one. There are times where stepping out of the situation is impossible to do because of the heat of the moment. As long as you try your best, I guarantee you will feel better.
What I find useless is complaining about minute things. I, myself, use to be guilty of this travesty. Nowadays, I find it quite annoying (although I'm working on not letting it bother me). This ordeal tends to happen often at work. Since we live off of tips, the types of tables we get are very important. Nobody likes waiting on cheap people. For example, I had two ladies that sat for two hours at my table and left me $5 on a $38 check. Number one, they sat for two hours. Number two, that's not even 15%. Now, I could have made a big deal about it, gotten upset, and let it ruin my night. But why? These ladies were going home to relax ignorant of the fact that they offended me. What kind of satisfaction would that have brought me? None, absolutely none.
What I was happy about, was that I waited on a couple, which there bill totaled $57 and left me $15. That's over 25%!! Now out of the two tables, which one should I concentrate on? The one that left me a horrible tip or the one that took care of me? It's obvious to me that the one that took care of me is the winner. Let me tell you, that I made little money yesterday. That one table made the day worth it. I refuse to concentrate on the negative. At times, it is a difficult task to accomplish. It takes a lot of effort to step outside of the situation and look in.
There's a guy that works with me who is nicest guy you could ever know. If you ever need anything, he's right there to help you out. He's a great team player and just plain nice. His downfall--complains way too much. He finds fault in everything to the point that I sometimes walk away. I refuse to surround myself with that negativity. Let's be honest. Waiting tables is not the best job in the world. Don't make it worse by complaining about it.
I keep on telling him that he should concentrate on better things than what kind of shitty tables he's getting or if the kitchen is taking too long with his food or that he's not getting sat (BTW, I'm not the only one that tells him that). His response is that he's very positive with his tables. My response is "Well you're not being that positive if you stand around and complain about it." At which his response is "I don't need to hear that I'm being negative." At which I respond, "Well then stop complaining."
I know he gets annoyed with me and the other people that tell him the same thing. He doesn't seem to understand that by complaining about every little thing that goes wrong, he's annoying others. Waiting tables is the kind of job that if you become cranky, you cause a domino effect. Once the dominoes begin falling, it is very difficult to stop them. You know what? It's affecting his pocket. He doesn't make much money. The days that he does make money, I don't hear a peep out of his mouth.
Maybe next time he starts complaining about the little stuff I'll remind him that on days he does make decent cash, he's not complaining. Maybe, just maybe, he'll see the connection, which will change his outlook. I work on seeing the good out of every situation, whether it's a good situation or a bad one. There are times where stepping out of the situation is impossible to do because of the heat of the moment. As long as you try your best, I guarantee you will feel better.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Names
Dan and I began talking about names we might like for our kids (if we have any and no, we are not trying). I told him that I would love to name our daughter "Xiomara." He was quite surprised by my response. I love my name. The older I get, the more I like it. I admit that when I was young, I wasn't that pleased with it. Most people would mispronounce it by pronouncing the "x" first. It's like someone saying the name Daniel, Dee-Daniel. Ridiculous, but none-the-less they did (and still do). The thought of putting any child of mine through that pain has made me stray away from that thought. But I just love my name.
Years ago, I went searching for my name to find out the origin and meaning. I came across a book that stated my name was Greek and it stood for "hospitality to strangers." At the time I thought it was comical that my name stood for that since I was waiting tables. Great, I'm meant to wait tables for the rest of my life! Not really, but there are a lot worst meanings out there. After the conversation I had with Dan, I was inspired to once again look-up my name. I was pleasantly surprised to find a different origin and meaning to my name. My name has a Spanish origin and it means "ready for battle."
I cannot begin to tell you how fitting that name is for me. Now I don't take as literally ready for battle, but as ready for anything that comes my way. I think that describes me very well. My closest friends might agree on this, also. Now more than ever, I would love to name my daughter, Xiomara.
Just for kicks, I also decided to look up the name, Xia (since everyone calls me that anyway). Xia originates in China and means "glow of the sunrise." How pretty is that? It is also very fitting because I love nothing more than to look at sunrises. I love how the sky, especially when it's full of clouds, has beautiful pink and purple colors right when the sun is coming out. It fills me with a blessed peace that just makes me love the world. On another website, I found that "Xia's" origin is Greek and it's a nickname for "Xenia."
"Xiomara" just became cooler. I'm glad my parents decided to give me this name. It's not common, which makes it more appealing to me. Something to keep in mind if we ever decide to take that step.
Years ago, I went searching for my name to find out the origin and meaning. I came across a book that stated my name was Greek and it stood for "hospitality to strangers." At the time I thought it was comical that my name stood for that since I was waiting tables. Great, I'm meant to wait tables for the rest of my life! Not really, but there are a lot worst meanings out there. After the conversation I had with Dan, I was inspired to once again look-up my name. I was pleasantly surprised to find a different origin and meaning to my name. My name has a Spanish origin and it means "ready for battle."
I cannot begin to tell you how fitting that name is for me. Now I don't take as literally ready for battle, but as ready for anything that comes my way. I think that describes me very well. My closest friends might agree on this, also. Now more than ever, I would love to name my daughter, Xiomara.
Just for kicks, I also decided to look up the name, Xia (since everyone calls me that anyway). Xia originates in China and means "glow of the sunrise." How pretty is that? It is also very fitting because I love nothing more than to look at sunrises. I love how the sky, especially when it's full of clouds, has beautiful pink and purple colors right when the sun is coming out. It fills me with a blessed peace that just makes me love the world. On another website, I found that "Xia's" origin is Greek and it's a nickname for "Xenia."
"Xiomara" just became cooler. I'm glad my parents decided to give me this name. It's not common, which makes it more appealing to me. Something to keep in mind if we ever decide to take that step.
Louie
Let me start off by saying that my doggy, Louie, has always been somewhat of a grouch. He doesn't like people petting him, he hates kids, and will growl at you if you're bothering him. When he does something wrong and I discipline him, he answers back by barking really loud. Once left alone, he lays around and pretty much sleeps. It's not that he's super mean or anything like that. He's a loner.
Well, a twenty-five hour road trip changed that real fast. He's just a doll. When he sees us, he runs upto us and puts his paws on our legs so that we could carry him. He gets along with the other two dogs that are in Dan's aunt's house (this is where we're staying momentarily while we wait for the keys to the apartment). He still barks at strangers, but he calms down much quicker. I even left him unleashed last night (which I never did because he would purposely pee on the floor if left unsupervised) and he stayed on his bed all night. No messy floors to clean up this morning.
Dan and I are amazed. We're not sure if this will be a momentary change, but I hope it becomes permanent. I think the fact that he doesn't have to compete with his brother is another factor to his behavioral change. He must also be a bit scared about the move. Unfortunately for him, we haven't settled in yet. I hope this goes quickly for him.
Well, a twenty-five hour road trip changed that real fast. He's just a doll. When he sees us, he runs upto us and puts his paws on our legs so that we could carry him. He gets along with the other two dogs that are in Dan's aunt's house (this is where we're staying momentarily while we wait for the keys to the apartment). He still barks at strangers, but he calms down much quicker. I even left him unleashed last night (which I never did because he would purposely pee on the floor if left unsupervised) and he stayed on his bed all night. No messy floors to clean up this morning.
Dan and I are amazed. We're not sure if this will be a momentary change, but I hope it becomes permanent. I think the fact that he doesn't have to compete with his brother is another factor to his behavioral change. He must also be a bit scared about the move. Unfortunately for him, we haven't settled in yet. I hope this goes quickly for him.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Slight Delay
After all was said and done, we finished everything at about 4:30pm. At that time, we decided to leave tomorrow morning, probably before dawn. We're exhausted from finishing up all of the miscellaneous stuff and it wouldn't be smart to start driving while you're already tired.
Intermission: I saved this as a draft because Dan needed to go online. It's been an hour since that, and I just woke up. Definitely good idea not to leave today.
The good news is that we're all packed up. All we have to do in the morning is shower and jump into the car. Our renewed plan is to leave around 5:00am. This will give us plenty of driving time for the day. Since we're not planning to stop at a hotel, we should arrive early on Sunday. So, talk to you soon.
Intermission: I saved this as a draft because Dan needed to go online. It's been an hour since that, and I just woke up. Definitely good idea not to leave today.
The good news is that we're all packed up. All we have to do in the morning is shower and jump into the car. Our renewed plan is to leave around 5:00am. This will give us plenty of driving time for the day. Since we're not planning to stop at a hotel, we should arrive early on Sunday. So, talk to you soon.
Off We Go
As of probably 1:00pm, Dan, Louie, and I will be off to our new lives. We still have a few things to do like change the oil in the car, get a new headlight, finish the laundry, and bathe Louie (the groomer never came to the house because of Rita). We pretty much finished all the packing except for the miscellaneous stuff. And that's about it.
The thought of leaving Miami behind has been a blessing that has kept me going while we've been packing (especially in this heat). We're excited about being back north. I think this time around we'll appreciate the more mundane things that go on in NJ/NY like knowing that it's already autumn by the scent of the air. I've been noticing other things as well that I never paid any attention to that I'll blog about in the future.
Well, that's it. Goodbye Miami!
The thought of leaving Miami behind has been a blessing that has kept me going while we've been packing (especially in this heat). We're excited about being back north. I think this time around we'll appreciate the more mundane things that go on in NJ/NY like knowing that it's already autumn by the scent of the air. I've been noticing other things as well that I never paid any attention to that I'll blog about in the future.
Well, that's it. Goodbye Miami!
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Made it!
Positive thinking attracts goods stuff. As I always repeat to myself when the going gets tough,"Like attracts like." I proved it this morning. I got to the airport around 6:00am (after finding a flight that went into Ft. Lauderdale leaving at 7:35). I asked to be on standby for this flight. Well, without having to pay a cent, I was given a boarding pass. After the flight being delayed for about twenty minutes, the captain came out and said that he was going to try his best to get us into Ft. Lauderdale as best as possible. Worst case scenario, we would end up in West Palm Beach.
Once I situated myself on the plane, I said to myself, "We're going into Ft. Lauderdale." I kept on repeating this until I fell asleep. The flight went fine except for some turbulence (which was expected) and we landed in Ft. Lauderdale at 10:50. This is the best birthday so far because I got what I wished for--Dan. Now, we're going out to celebrate!!!!
Once I situated myself on the plane, I said to myself, "We're going into Ft. Lauderdale." I kept on repeating this until I fell asleep. The flight went fine except for some turbulence (which was expected) and we landed in Ft. Lauderdale at 10:50. This is the best birthday so far because I got what I wished for--Dan. Now, we're going out to celebrate!!!!
Monday, September 19, 2005
Rita, Rita, Rita
After flipping out about my flight possibly being cancelled (Sal you're the best--thank you sooooooo much), I've decided to start celebrating my 30th birthday with a Corona. The flight has not been officially cancelled. My hopes are to see Dan on my birthday. I'm going to sit back, relax, and enjoy my beer. I'm not going to stress out about this anymore.
The malls in South Florida have closed for the day. Families are boarding up their windows. That's exactly what Dan is doing at this moment. He told me that he would speak to me in a few hours. Oh my dear, you won't have to worry about these damn hurricanes any more. Come to think about it, Dan has been doing a lot for the last few days between packing and now preparing for a possible hurricane.
Corona #2 even better than the first one. Dan and I have plans for tomorrow. Originally, we were going to the beach right after I landed. Obviously that won't be happening. Afterwards, we are going out to dinner. The rest of the week is going to be chaotic between finishing up any last minute packing and driving up with our dog Louie. Hercules (our other dog) is staying in Miami. He gets along great with his sister Xena (incest is best) and hates Louie. Besides, Louie is a loner. He likes laying on the couch and watching tv. Reluctanctly, I agreed to the whole ordeal.
Before I know it, all of this will be over with. Dan and I will be sitting on our brand new couch, sipping a Gewurztraminer or a Riesling (Dan likes white wines), and chuckling about our move back north. I plan to be chuckling about this very soon!
The malls in South Florida have closed for the day. Families are boarding up their windows. That's exactly what Dan is doing at this moment. He told me that he would speak to me in a few hours. Oh my dear, you won't have to worry about these damn hurricanes any more. Come to think about it, Dan has been doing a lot for the last few days between packing and now preparing for a possible hurricane.
Corona #2 even better than the first one. Dan and I have plans for tomorrow. Originally, we were going to the beach right after I landed. Obviously that won't be happening. Afterwards, we are going out to dinner. The rest of the week is going to be chaotic between finishing up any last minute packing and driving up with our dog Louie. Hercules (our other dog) is staying in Miami. He gets along great with his sister Xena (incest is best) and hates Louie. Besides, Louie is a loner. He likes laying on the couch and watching tv. Reluctanctly, I agreed to the whole ordeal.
Before I know it, all of this will be over with. Dan and I will be sitting on our brand new couch, sipping a Gewurztraminer or a Riesling (Dan likes white wines), and chuckling about our move back north. I plan to be chuckling about this very soon!
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