viernes, febrero 27, 2004
Just another hour!
So I forgot something again today. Don't worry. Nothing as dramatic as the purse but it still annoys me. I forgot to put hair gel in my hair this morning and now my bangs are driving me crazy!!! I wet down my hair as part of my morning routine since it tends to go wacky and stick out all over the place - short hair does that after you sleep on it - and then I throw hair gel in it to keep it somewhat managed. I guess I just completely skipped the hair gel as I got ready today! I didn't notice until my hair started to dry out in the car on the way to work. *sigh* I really am losing my marbles...
Anyhoo - my mood has been lifted today - I'd been in a funk this past week but last night I accomplished a handful of things. Enough things to put my house back in order and to not seem like the rest of my little tasks are overwhelming. A messy house makes for a messy head! But, as of last night, my clean clothes are put away. My dirty clothes are in one pile in the laundry basket, not laying on the floor in the closet, in the bathroom, in the bedroom and across the spa tub. The H-Town Blogs migration from MT to Matt's WordPress (he's a fellow Houston blogger and friend) was given some attention by me so it will hopefully be done this weekend. My site re-design was spur of the moment but quick and easy and fun. I even swept the area rug in the living room. All of this has encouraged me to get the last items on my list done this weekend. I need to tackle the laundry, start work on another site redesign of an older site, clean out my e-mail inbox, tidy up my desk and file paperwork. Not too bad at all! Very do-able! Maybe I'll even clean our bathroom finally...
Oh, and before I leave for the evening a few time wasters for you last hours at work (both found at Claire's site):
The Haggis Hurl
Have a great weekend everyone!
posted at 2/27/2004 03:53:00 p. m.
Happy Friday!!!
I didn't go through my e-mails last night but I did take a few hours to redesign my template... I thought I was going to go darker but then I found the image to the left over at Intuitivmedia and I was inspired to make a lighter, fresher feel in celebration of the sunnier days that are coming. I hope you enjoy it too and that it will brighten your day just a smidgen each time you visit.
In other fun stuff, Hanna had this posted on her site yesterday so I decided to make one myself. I think I sort of look like that - I especially like the lips... Want one? Go make your own!
Oh - and come by later... I found some great time-wasting games perfect for a Friday afternoon. I don't want to post them yet or you'll get nothing done!! Later alligators...
posted at 2/27/2004 09:24:00 a. m.
jueves, febrero 26, 2004
Duct Tape Purses
As promised, a picture of the "purses" I made last night... one is a clutch purse, the other one has my monogram on it. I'm so stylish, aren't I? Wait, don't answer. Someone pointed out at I must have had purses on my mind (as a result of the left purse fiasco). Hmm, maybe...
Wanna see some real duct tape pros? Check out these outfits and accessories. Hell, they even offer scholarships to high school teens for their duct tape fashion!
posted at 2/26/2004 10:22:00 p. m.
I made it home...
Well, since I forgot to ask people before they left last night for a couple of bucks (Kenny made fun of me earlier and called me a beggar) I sheepishly approached my boss - an older computer science professor - and told him my story - I swear I think I saw a smirk cross his face and he quickly handed me $20! Yay!
So I made it to salsa class fine - last night we practiced the move we learned last week, the dile que no, and started to learn elements to do casino rueda style dancing (rueda = "wheel" translated). I'm still enjoying class but I need to start exchanging information with other classmates so we can go practice somewhere outside of class at one of the local clubs. It's one thing to be in the class room environment. It's another thing to be out on the dance floor with the music that never ends and tons of other people. I also found out that it is considered very bad dance floor etiquette to stop and try to teach your partner while you are out there. They say teaching should be done in a class or at home but not at the club since it's discourteous to others including your partner. Hmm, I never thought of it that way but I see their point.
After class I finally got gas and headed over to Tropioca for Cody's Bad Art Night. Tonight's theme was duct tape and although I missed a few people who left before I could get there, I was still able to see Angela, Ted, of course Cody and a few not-so-new and new faces. It seems like we all had a lot of fun and everyone was real creative. No one had a camera on them (shame on you guys) so none of the evening was documented. I still have the purses I made (including a stylish clutch purse) so I'll try to take pictures of that tonight. Maybe Ang can post pictures of her tiara and bra and Kathy can post pictures of her tiara and Tom's hat. In addition, there were several variations of wallets made as well as an ID card lanyard and holder and a duct tape man. It was a great evening and I look forward to the next one!! Thanks for setting it all up Cody!
posted at 2/26/2004 10:41:00 a. m.
miércoles, febrero 25, 2004
Crap, crap, crap...
I walked out of the house without my purse today. I was carrying a bag with some clothes to change into for tonight's salsa class and I didn't even notice I didn't have my purse.
I didn't notice till I was on the freeway and I couldn't turn around. Plus, I would have been late to a 9 AM meeting.
I thought about it and decided that I could survive without my cell phone and my PDA. I could even survive without my much needed lipstick and lip balm (I have a lip balm in my desk here at work to tide my poor chapped lips over) but I kind of need my wallet. Firstly, I'm driving without a license and secondly, without ANY money. This sucks because I really need gas. I don't have enough to make it everywhere I need to go tonight (salsa class, Tropioca and then home). I'll have to actually borrow from a co-worker so I can get a few gallons of gas.
Kenny works way too far away for us to meet so I let him off the hook. I'll just drive carefully and borrow some money before I leave tonight. Only good thing - in my bag with my clothes I packed my lunch. Yay! Also, I already had the duct tape I need for tonight's Bad Art Night.
So, yes, before you guys reprimand me, I will go get some cash this week and stash away a $20 bill in the glove compartment for emergencies like this.
posted at 2/25/2004 11:10:00 a. m.
martes, febrero 24, 2004
Random snippets
I had some random things to post about...
--> This does not surprise me but I am saddened and angered by the news. What century are we in? And why does the far feel the need to to exercise this type of power over our lives? If my marriage is threatened by a gay marriage, then I already had marital problems.
--> Restarting my computer two times didn't get my PDA's hot sync connection to work. Plugging the cable back in did. Hey! Give me credit for figuring it out on my own!
--> This local news story had me and Kenny cracking up!
--> I actually cooked last night and it turned out great! I have my own variation of Cuban-style breaded steak - instead of flank I use thin turkey breast steaks. With a side of long-grain and wild rice it was a relatively healthy meal (I used spray on olive oil in the frying pan) and I have leftovers for today and tonight.
--> I still haven't done laundry. *sigh*
--> I need my paycheck bad!! One more week though (I get paid the 1st of the month)...
posted at 2/24/2004 12:38:00 p. m.
Today's Weekly Meme
Back in July I made a loooong list of places I want to visit but it is definitely longer than ten so I guess I'll pick my favorites from the list (or add new ones) for this week's Ten on Tuesday...
Ten Places You Want to Visit:
1. Cuba
2. Alaska
3. Vermont (foliage tour)
4. Denmark
5. Costa Rica
6. New Zealand
7. Japan
8. Ireland
9. Morocco
10. New Mexico
posted at 2/24/2004 10:14:00 a. m.
lunes, febrero 23, 2004
Good weekend, bad Monday...
This weekend went by too quickly, like all other weekends. Kenny flew back in from Atlanta Friday and since he was a) pretty tired and b) had a flight scheduled first thing Saturday morning he came home after pool and we just stayed in and ordered pizza. We caught up on some TiVo and just relaxed.
Saturday: Kenny flew solo to Lufkin - he has to start accumulating solo flight hours to get his license - and when he returned around noon we got ready to head out to The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts to go see the matinee performance of The Producers. It was an excellent show and afterwards we met up with EJ & Sherry who also went (but had better seats). The four of us had a lovely double date. We had dinner at The Dancing Marlin and then walked to The Twelve Spot for some cocktails.
Updated 4:45 PM: I was re-thinking that night and realized that actually, I was a bit tipsy after cocktails at the Twelve Spot and wanted to stay out a little longer so Kenny and I headed over to Saba's for the infamous mojitos. We had a good time talking there and hung out for another hour or so before heading home... where I think I crashed soon after.
Sunday: We woke up late and headed out to run a couple of errands (er, shopping). I had very good intentions of getting some stuff done around the house too, especially in terms of spending some quality time in front of my computer but alas, the couch, the dogs and the TV called my name yet again and I became their slave. My e-mail, web-site redesign, filing and laundry can wait another day I guess... *sigh*
I wasn't completely useless this weekend though! I did create a plant inventory and organized my garden files (yes, I have a card file listing the plants I've planted both indoor and out) and I also re-organized the messy cabinet under my sink. Plus, Kenny did our taxes last night (on his laptop in the recliner while we watched TV) so at least that is out of the way.
Well, we have a huge meeting here at work in less than an hour and I need to run and help get ready for it. Hope you guys have a good day...
posted at 2/23/2004 12:42:00 p. m.
viernes, febrero 20, 2004
T.G.I.F.
Since Hanna posted a "Happy Dance" guy for today, I thought I'd steal the idea and do the same. I didn't really have interesting to say today plus work was busy so I'll leave you with the "Happy Hamsters"... Have a great weekend everyone! I know I am looking forward to it! All I have planned is to attend the matinee show tomorrow of The Producers with EJ & Sherry and then dinner afterwards. Other than that, the weekend is all mine! Yippee!
posted at 2/20/2004 05:12:00 p. m.
jueves, febrero 19, 2004
Interesting quiz
I never read this book but I might have to. I have seen the movie. It was wierdly enough my first boyfriend's favorite movie.
You're Watership Down!
by Richard Adams
Though many think of you as a bit young, even childish,
you're actually incredibly deep and complex.
You show people the need to rethink their assumptions,
and confront them on everything
from how they think to where they build their houses.
You might be one of the greatest people of all time.
You'd be recognized as such if you weren't
always talking about talking rabbits.
Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.
(Found it at Robin's who found it at Natalie's...)
posted at 2/19/2004 01:46:00 p. m.
I'm a dancing queen...
Last night's salsa class (my second) was fun! I enjoyed myself more than in the first one because I think I was more relaxed. Joan, the female instructor, gave me some good tips on how to stand in relation to my partner (I need to lean somewhat forward) while Raul (the male instructor) pointed out that I need to stop shuffling (he says I'm trying to rumba, not salsa). I also learned to relax and follow my partner a little better, even if they weren't doing everything correctly. All in all, we worked up a sweat since it's still cool outside and the small community center where we meet had no fans or a/c on. My classmates also made it fun. The guys are trying so hard and everyone is very laid back. There is a light-hearted spirit so you don't feel like an idiot when you mess up.
Last night we continued working on a move we learned last week called "dile que no" (translated it means "tell her no") which is when the man changes directions and the woman has to step forward and turn around to face them again (what they also call a cross-body move). In addition, we started learning the twirl. Here the man raises his arm in such a way so that the woman knows to step out, complete a 360 spin and return. It sounds easy but it has to be timed right and the woman has to get the right foot combination to fall back into step correctly with the lead and keep the timing smooth.
Joan told me to go to one of the Monday classes (intermediate) and make up a class since I started a bit late in the month. This way I can get my money's worth since she has to charge me per month at the minimum. Maybe I'll go next week. I'm looking forward to going out to practice my new moves in a club! Now if I could only get my elbow to stop flailing all over the place!
posted at 2/19/2004 09:58:00 a. m.
miércoles, febrero 18, 2004
Happy Hump Day!
It's halfway through the week and I only wish it were actually Thursday instead of Wednesday! That's OK though. I am surviving the week. The weather is finally cooperating and the skies are blue. It has been a good week at work despite frying my keyboard yesterday when I spilt water on it (it worked OK for a few hours then it went haywire).
Last night was especially fun. I had a mini girls' night and had Hanna and Kathy over. We had take-out pho and watched a movie. The dogs enjoyed the company and so did I! Thanks for coming over girls... Whose house is it at next?
In other news, today I ran into Matt on campus which was such a pleasant surprise! We were both at the food court so we were able to catch up. His weblog publishing application WordPress is doing really well and I have asked him to convert H-Town Blogs over to it.
Tonight I have my second salsa class. I'm looking forward to it although I am so sleepy now. I hope I can muster the energy!
Well, I need to go back to work now... later!
posted at 2/18/2004 03:47:00 p. m.
martes, febrero 17, 2004
Valentine’s Weekend Update
As promised!!
Friday: The Friday Gaggle has grown rather quite so the evening was low key. We had sushi with friends then came home and watched Lost in Translation. I must say that this is Bill Murray’s best role yet. It suits him perfectly and the dynamics between the two characters could hot have been more natural.
Saturday: We weren’t necessarily celebrating Valentine’s but we were making time for each other this weekend so we spent the afternoon shopping. I stocked up on Pocky, went to Barnes & Nobles where I got a few gardening books I wanted and eventually hit the mall and Target. Kenny even bought me a lovely and unexpected Valentine’s gift – a beautiful “fragrance effusion lamp”. He had seen them at Christmas but wasn’t sure what color bottle to buy me so he let me pick one out. I got a pretty green and blue one. Tired from our day of shopping, dinner was take-out Panera’s. Entertainment for the evening was TiVo.
Sunday: We slept in and then did a few mundane things around the house like change the air filters and hang my garden tool rack that arrived earlier that week. Kenny also helped save some of my potted herbs by drilling drainage holes in the bottom of the decorator pots. With all the rain we had these last couple of weeks, the plants were drowning!
Sunday night: Kenny and I had a wonderful evening at The Capital Grille. We enjoyed a steak dinner with excellent service. It was nice to be a bit decadent – and since it was our first time there, the waiter threw in a complimentary crème brulee that we had to try. We capped the evening off with cappuccinos sweetened by rock candy. A lovely way to end the Valentine’s weekend!
I hope all of you had a great weekend as well, whether you shared it with someone or not. Although it was a simple celebration, I really enjoyed the time with Kenny. With our hectic work and social schedules that don't always pair us up, it was a relaxing way to spend time with each other. As I type this, Kenny is on the plane to Atlanta for another business trip so you can see how appreciative I am of having 2 full days with him! He’ll be back Friday but he is still missed!
posted at 2/17/2004 04:52:00 p. m.
Ten on Tuesday
Ten Celebrities That Annoy You:
1. Britney Spears
2. The entire Jackson family
3. Paris Hilton
4. Justin Timberlake
5. Ashton Kutcher
6. Russel Crowe
7. Cameron Diaz
8. Sara Jessica Parker
9. Kelly & Jack Osbourne
10. Whitney Houston
Who annoys you? List your top ten and join the meme!
posted at 2/17/2004 11:39:00 a. m.
Sorry...
I've been busy and have been wanting to make work a priority so my daily blogging is suffering but I will *try* to catch up at lunch time. I did want to send my warmest congratulations out to one of my best friends and blog buddies since I didn't get a chance to yesterday...
Congratulations
on your engagement!!
posted at 2/17/2004 10:01:00 a. m.
lunes, febrero 16, 2004
Manic Monday!!
Whew! I have had nooooooooo time to get in here to say hello! I had a manic Monday already and the week is going to remain so.
What made it manic? Well, I was lazy and left my car our in the driveway last night. That meant that there was moisture on the windows and in order to see through them I had to roll the windows down. I knew my passenger side window was sticking but thought nothing of it until it refused to go back up! Ack! No amount of pulling or pushing could get the window up (even with Kenny's help) so I stopped by my mechanic on the way to work since there was no way I was going to leave my car with the window open out in large university parking lot that was a five-minute walk from my office.
An hour later with a completely taken apart door, the window was up. I made it to work an hour late and have another appointment at 7 AM tomorrow with the mechanic to replace the broken part. Ugh. It shouldn't take too long and at least he was able to order the part today so he'll be ready first thing in the morning. What sucks is that it is a $250 repair. *sigh*
I'll post about the Valentine's weekend later tonight when I am at home. I don't want to take up work time right now to chat... I will say it was a good weekend full of fine dining and shopping and quality time spent with the hubby. :D More later...
posted at 2/16/2004 01:55:00 p. m.
sábado, febrero 14, 2004
viernes, febrero 13, 2004
Pre-Valentine's Surprise
Oh, wow!! I just received a gorgeous bouquet of roses from Kenny - they are a deep yellow with reddish tips! The picture below taken with my Palm doesn't do it justice - they look too washed out... I'll have to take a better photo when I take them home.
Anyway, I was very surprised!! Kenny sends me flowers at work occasionally but not a regular schedule. I've gotten them for my birthday, for our anniversary, for Valentine's and even "just because". It averages out about once a year but since he is not consistent, I'm always surprised!
Thanks honey - they are gorgeous! I love you and thank you!! You made my day!
posted at 2/13/2004 02:39:00 p. m.
Happy Friday
Hi everyone. Thanks for the thoughts and comments regarding my Grandmother's death. She was almost 89 and lived a full life. She will be missed but it is somewhat of a relief that she is finally at peace. She never recovered emotionally from losing my Grandfather a couple of years ago and had lost her will to live. Her health had been declining and her short-term memory was essentially gone. I knew when I visited her in August that it was probably the last time I would see her. She couldn't remember that we had visited the day before and her appetite was growing less and less.
She is in a much better place now with Abuelo and I am just grateful that I took the time to fly to Miami last fall to see her. Now I need to work on re-connecting with my half-brother. He was always there for my grandparents and recently we have been able to get acquainted via e-mail and IM. We never had much of a relationship (my father - his father - refused to acknowledge him and his two sisters when they immigrated to the US from Cuba due to a heated drama with his ex-wife) but our love and concern for our grandparents have brought us together and I think that I will plan a trip in late spring/early summer to visit him.
I don't want to dwell on her death but instead I'll leave you a few pictures and me and my Abuelos.
September 2000 on Abuelo's 90th Birthday
posted at 2/13/2004 11:03:00 a. m.
jueves, febrero 12, 2004
Rest in peace Abuela...
April 9th, 1915
to
February 12th, 2004
posted at 2/12/2004 12:45:00 p. m.
Salsa anyone?
Well, last night was my first salsa lesson. I didn't know what to expect! It takes place in a small neighborhood community center (that got a bit warm by the end of the night) and although I feel like I could probably be OK in intermediate, I have decided to stick with the beginner's so I can formally learn the steps.
I watched the instructor with the music and he doesn't dance as formally as he is teaching but I also don't want to assume my dance form is good just because I think so. I need to learn where my feet should go instead of where I think they should go. So far, my instinct has been right but I'll go ahead and stick with this class.
I also need to learn to follow, which I am not good at if the poor guy doesn't what he is doing. I can follow really well if the guy is a good dancer but I struggle to take over when the guy is just learning, which was every one of the men in this class. I mess up my own steps and walk all over the guy, frustrated that he isn't completely on the beat or that he got the steps messed up. Hopefully I'll learn some patience while I learn to follow and my own form will be more solidified.
As for the people, they made me feel comfortable. There were two instructors, an older American woman and a younger Panamanian man (the owner). They worked well together as each one pointed out different things about the steps. I want to say there were about 20 students in all, almost 50/50 men and women with a couple of extra women. When we paired up, both instructors took a girl and there was only one left without a partner but not for long as we switched every few minutes.
The students themselves were a combination of Hispanic and white with one African-American girl. A couple of the guys only spoke Spanish. I think there was one actual couple there (I saw them in a private lesson before class started) and everyone else was on their own. The guys were all super sweet and seemed very determined to learn the steps. Dancing with several of them I could see each of their strengths and weaknesses. I could also tell who was wearing the most cologne (he did smell nice though)!
I think I was most surprised by the number of guys that seemed to be doing this on their own. They all seemed genuinely interested. No one was icky or pushy or rude or arrogant. They all just seemed like good guys with an eagerness to learn. And being married, I also did not feel like I wan in uncomfortable situation when I danced with these guys. They were all "professional" in the sense that I didn't feel like anyone was there to pick up a date, at least not during class.
So, that was my first lesson. I'll keep you posted on my further salsa adventures!
posted at 2/12/2004 09:56:00 a. m.
miércoles, febrero 11, 2004
OK. The city is soggy enough.
Usually I like cruddy days. But over 2 weeks straight of cruddy days sucks! We had one sunny, blue day (last Saturday) and that it's! Ack! For the sake of my new plants - who are starting to drown - and for the sake of my sanity, please bring back the blue skies!
The forecast predicts no rain but overcast tomorrow then rain once again till Saturday, some sun on Sunday then rain once again till Wednesday!! Aaaaaaaaaah!! This is probably one of the reasons I don't really love London like I do Paris or Barcelona!
OK, I must admit, rainy days are actually great - IF I get to stay in bed. Unfortunately, I can't stay in bed for a month straight just because it's rainy so yeah, it starts to suck. *sigh* Are there any ant-rain dances out there for me to try?
posted at 2/11/2004 01:30:00 p. m.
A day late
Oops! I forgot to answer yesterday's Ten on Tuesday meme! Well, better late than never...
Ten Favorite Restaurants and Locations (in no particular order):
1. Café Piquet (Cuban) – Houston, TX (owned by family friends)
2. Mikados’ (sushi) – Houston, TX (love the “crunch rolls”)
3. Houston’s (chain) – Houston, TX (love the ribs & could OD on the string fries)
4. Freebirds (burritos) – Texas chain (this originated in my college hometown)
5. Pho Vang 2 (Vietnamese) – Houston, TX (neighborhood pho place)
6. La Madelaine (French) – chain (love the quiche lorraine)
7. Fuddrucker’s (burgers) – chain (best burgers)
8. Empire Café – Houston (great atmosphere)
9. Baba Yega’s – Houston (great brunch)
10. Café Express – chain (good lunch menu)
posted at 2/11/2004 07:16:00 a. m.
martes, febrero 10, 2004
One more observation...
...You know it's a rainy day when you get on the elevator and the floor is covered with little dribble spots resulting from everyone's wet umbrellas.
posted at 2/10/2004 04:10:00 p. m.
Five Random Observations
1. I am wearing a fuzzy sweater. It sheds. I am fighting flying sweater fur attacks as I type this. The sweater is even a little itchy. But it looks so darn cute with my charcoal gray skirt. What we do for beauty. *thpftt* Excuse me as I pick sweater fur from my lips.
2. Plastic pants are funny. They make that “swish, swish, swish” sound as the wearer walks down the hall. Despite the guy’s good looks and his obvious attempt to stand tall as he walks down the hallway, I can’t help but crack a smile at how stupid he sounds.
3. The bathrooms in my building have the standard liquid hand soap dispensers. Underneath some of these there are also built in powdered soap dispensers. No one seems to use these except me. The ones on my floor still have powered soap in them and I like to combine the liquid with the powder for that gritty feel. I think I must be the only one who still uses that powdered soap. That’s fine. It will last longer that way since I don’t think they’ll refill it when it’s gone.
4. My wedding band is “in the shop”. Actually, it’s at the jewelers having a couple of tiny sapphire stones put in. I am left only wearing my engagement ring. It’s lonely. I miss my wedding band. *sniff*
5. They recently painted the hallway outside my office door blue. A pure, solid, blue. I love it.
posted at 2/10/2004 01:56:00 p. m.
Weekend Gardening
Sorry I didn't get back here last night. I was busy cooking a yummy Cuban dinner for some lovely guests - Robert, his fiance Flavia and his brother Oskar. I didn't get a chance to get back on the PC before it was time to get ready for bed but I promised you an update of my garden so here it is!
For Christmas Kenny gave a large gift certificate to my favorite nursery so this weekend I went up there and bought myself a whole bunch of herbs for the potted herb garden I've wanted to start. Between that nursery and another one down the street, a trip to Marshall's for decorative mosaic pots and the trip last weekend where I returned with a whole bunch more indoor plants, I had lots of re-potting to do!!
As I said earlier, Saturday was a gorgeous day so I was hoping it would stay that way Sunday but alas, the gray skies stayed instead and the sun never came out to take the chill out of the air. Still, I had to get the planting done so I threw on some sweatpants and a sweatshirt and got to work. It will be easier to just tell you what I planted and where so here is my list:
pineapple sage (really smells just like pineapple - weird)
dill (2 varieties)
silver thyme
parsley
cilantro
oregano (2 varieties)
chives
rosemary
I also planted a dainty yellow miniature rose in a cute mosaic pot
and an unknown plant in a cute frog container that I hung on the fence.
Planted in the garden bed:
dianthus
gazania daisy
dandenong daisy
Indoor plants I repotted:
3 African violets (given to me by my friend last weekend)
dendobrium orchid (I bought this one I sale)
sedum palmeri (nice yellow flowers)
snake plant (also given to me by my friend)
ivy (already had it but bought a decorative pot for it)
Oh, and as promised, here are the pictures (click for larger image):
posted at 2/10/2004 09:59:00 a. m.
lunes, febrero 09, 2004
What a wonderful weekend!
Wow! I had a great weekend and have lots to tell... I guess I should just do a weekend re-cap like I usually do!
Friday night: Me up with a small part of the Friday Gaggle - including EJ and Kathy - and had Greek for dinner then headed to Prive's for some yummy chocolate martini's. Kathy and I had a "Pearl Necklace" (Stoli vanilla, cream de cocoa, and Bailey's) and I also had "The Godfather" (Godiva Cappuccino, Mezzulina vodka, and a hint of espresso, finished off with Hershey's chocolate).
Saturday: The weather finally cleared up so Kenny was able to go on his 1st "cross-country" (over 50 nautical miles away) solo flight. He flew to College Station and back without incident. I am so proud of him.
I took the day and ran a bunch of errands... went to the post office, dropped some stuff off at the jewelers for repair, pass by the pharmacy, went to the pet store for supplies and hit a few nurseries. OK, the nursery visits got out of hand but more on that in the next post, later today. By the way, the day was abso-friggin' gorgeous!!
Saturday night: Kenny and I had an impromptu date. No one was around so he and I headed out to dinner and a movie alone. I didn't feel like going to the mainstream theater and fighting the scary teeny bopper crowds so I was able to find a movie that interested Kenny over at the local independent film theater. We headed out there, had sushi nearby and thoroughly enjoyed the movie, The Triplets of Belleville. It was a French-Canadian animation that can't be described... you just have to see it! The dog in the film was a perfect combination of our two dogs and although innocent animated frogs were harmed during the filming of the film, I couldn't help but laugh out loud as they were! An added treat - seeing Salvador Dali and Walt Disney's long-lost animated collaboration, Destino.
Sunday: Since I had hadn't had a chance to sleep in late in a while, I took this opportunity and still in bed till almost 1 PM. Then I got to work... Remember the various nursery visits? Well, Sunday was the day I planted all the plants I bought! I worked in the garden all day, despite the chilled overcast weather... Again, my next entry will detail more of my endeavor, complete with pictures. Kenny was out doing his own thing so I was able to be more productive than usual. By the end of the day, after planting and re-potting all afternoon, I also managed to do a load of laundry, cleared off my desk, and cleaned up the kitchen.
Today I am a bit sore from the gardening but not too bad. I really will share more of my gardening project but I *must* get back to work right now. Later guys!
posted at 2/09/2004 01:41:00 p. m.
jueves, febrero 05, 2004
Hi everyone...
Yes, I'm still here. I've just been feeling rather quiet lately. Down in some respects, upbeat in others. I've also had an on-going headache the last 2 days that finally made somewhat of a disappearance today. I am more upbeat today - finally. Maybe that's because the sun came out today after being hidden behind clouds all week?
So I'm down because my weight is up. I keep reading everyone's success stories - a pound here, five pounds there... people's perseverance and determination are helping them shed their pounds. I just sit here, completely lacking the motivation to get moving. The Pilates DVDs gather dust next to the TV, the weather is just a tad bit too chilly to start those walks in the park, and the couch and dog combination in front of the TV is too comfortable. I sit there, my mind screaming at me to get up but the couch ensnaring me in its comfort. My tired body and soul don't resist. I waste the evening, getting a crick in my neck from the angle I have to have to see the TV. Let's not even get into my poor food choices...
Then I ask myself, why am I tired? Why do I have no energy when I get home? My work is not stressful or exhausting. I have no kids to run after. The simple truth is because I'm fat and lazy and don't exercise. It's a catch-22. I'm too tired to exercise because I don't exercise in the first place. *sigh* What will it take to get me going? I know I will do it, eventually. I just need to get off the couch. I have faith in myself... I think...
But... I do have things to look forward to and they do counteract my down time. I have a wonderful husband. He and I are doing well and he even picked out the restaurant we will be going to to celebrate Valentine's (we'll go on Sunday, the 15th to avoid the crowds).
He also has been supportive of my new endeavor - salsa dancing! Yes, I am finally following through on a little desire of mine. Being Cuban, the love of Latin music like salsa and merengue is in my blood. Although I love all types of music, Latin music is the only one that consistently gets me moving. I just can't resist! I have always wanted to take lessons and get my steps down because honestly, I've been told I'm a natural and I think I would be pretty good at it. My hips just move that way.
I have resisted though because I knew Kenny wasn't interested and I wasn't sure he would be too thrilled if I took classes without him. It's been on the back of my mind though and seeing how much Kenny loves his hobbies (billiards and flying) I became jealous and finally got the gumption to bring up the subject. He saw my desire and told me to do it. He would support me and come out to the dance clubs with me to watch my moves. Yay! He knows I do not do this seeking anything out of it other than a love for the music. I don't see it as a sexually enticing dance nor am I doing this because I am bored with our marriage... not at all! Our marriage is fine - this salsa passion has always been in my heart and I just want to follow through so I don't regret not doing this when I am older. I just want to dance salsa! I want to shine on the dance floor and move like I know what I am doing! It helps too that we have close friends of mine who took lessons and formed a tight knit dance group. Everyone dances with each other and it's very fun and platonic since everyone is married or in a long-term relationship. They all dance for the same reason I do, for the love of the music. Kenny is very comfortable with these friends and I think it reassures him. So... my 1st lesson starts next week! I am really looking forward to it.... maybe this will give me some energy to get motivated on the rest of the exercise routine!
posted at 2/05/2004 05:39:00 p. m.
miércoles, febrero 04, 2004
Outraged...
I read an article this morning in the local newspaper and I am outraged! How dare
I am still incredulous that a pharmacist would do such a thing. Eckerd has stated that they have taken disciplinary action - I should think so!!! No matter whether or not you think it's moral, you have absolutely no right to deny anyone their legally prescribed order. What high moral horse did this pharmacist think they were getting on???? The audacity, the lack of professional integrity and the arrogance showed by the pharmacist is baffling!!
Here is the full story:
Update: I found a more detailed article in the Denton newspaper (you have to register to read it but it just requires an e-mail and a password, nothing else). The article says it was actually THREE pharmacists, not just one!
A quote from the article: "A pharmacist came to the window and said, 'I understand this is under the most dire of circumstances, but I can't allow you to have this pill,'" said the victim's friend, who was trying to pick up the prescription for the victim. "I was thinking it was some sort of health thing, and he said, 'I can't give it to you because it ends life.'"
The friend said he couldn't believe the response and asked for one of the other two pharmacists on duty but was told they were all in agreement with not filling the prescription.
He eventually had the prescription filled across the street at Walgreens, he said."
posted at 2/04/2004 09:22:00 a. m.
martes, febrero 03, 2004
I had to find out the significance behind today's cool-looking Google banner (above)... and it seems that it celebrates the birthday of Gaston Julia, the mathematician who conceptualized fractal geometry. Neat, huh?
posted at 2/03/2004 04:22:00 p. m.
Ten On Tuesday
Time for today's meme, Ten on Tuesday...
Ten Things I Wish I Knew How to Do:
1. Ride a motorcycle.
2. Scuba-dive.
3. Speak German or Russian or some other language besides a Romance language.
4. Sew.
5. Make stained glass art.
6. Drive stick-shift.
7. Change the oil in my car.
8. Create my own jewelry.
9. Read Braille.
10. Flamenco dance.
posted at 2/03/2004 12:20:00 p. m.
lunes, febrero 02, 2004
On the road again...
Well, Houston survived the Super Bowl and I'll save you a long-winded commentary on the Janet-Justin debacle and just say that despite my very liberal views on sexuality, prime time is not the time and the place for such a display, especially when you know families will be sitting around the TV watching together. As for it being "accidental" I have one word for you: bullsh*t. OK. enough said on all of that...
So Kenny and I were some of the few that did no Super Bowl related events this weekend. Instead we hit the road both Saturday and Sunday. Here is my usual weekend summary:
Friday night: Met up Kenny and another couple for dinner. Headed back home afterwards and feel asleep in front of the TV.
Saturday: Headed up (without Kenny) to College Station to visit with my old college roommate (that black spot in the middle is her dog Darbe). She is unfortunately having to move back home to Arkansas after being unable to find a job 6 months after being laid off. It was a last minute decision for her and it was not an easy one so, she asked me to come and visit one more time before she heads home this coming weekend. I happily obliged and we had a wonderful day together! We went shopping, had sushi and gabbed for several hours.
At 9 PM I finally got up to go and she filled my car with plants and pots that she was going to be unable to take with her. I came home with 3 African violets, an aloe vera plant and two hanging baskets plus half a dozen terra cotta pots which will come in handy for the potted herb garden I want to start this month. She even gave me a small off-shoot from a dendrobium orchid she had since I told her I was interested in learning how to grow those as well. She set me all up with an orchid pot and the growing substrate as well and yesterday I bought a book on orchids. We'll see how it does! It's only a couple of inches tall right now...
I got home at 10:30 PM and watched Assassination Tango with Kenny...
Sunday: We got up relatively early and headed to Austin to visit with Kenny's great-aunt. We spent the entire day with her, chatting for hours. We had a nice time and we look forward to the next time. We finally left Austin (after a quick stop at 9:30 PM our favorite local book store) and drove up to the house around midnight.
As you can see, we were on the road a lot but both visits were worth it. Now if only Kenny would hurry up and get his license so we can make these trips in a plane instead of a car!!
posted at 2/02/2004 01:27:00 p. m.
