Happy Holidays!
Just wanted to wish ya'll a belated Happy Holidays, Holiday and Season's Greetings, Happy Hannukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, a blessed Christmas, and/or whatever floats your boat and moves you. Whether you're Catholic, Christian, Baptist, or whatever denomination you practice (or don't), this is the time of the year when families get together. It's the time to catch up on family gossip, eat endless plates of food, and watch the lil' ones excitedly open up their gifts. It's funny because our families have grown so huge that no one even has time to get together, even for one day out of the year. Everyone has their own families, in-laws, get-togethers and whatnot that the result of our Christmases aren't as fun as they used to be. 'Course we make the best of the situation and enjoy the company of who shows up, etc, but really, it's not like it was say, 10 years ago. Now, it's an event in itself to watch the kids rip open their gifts with wide-eyed expectations and literally squeal with joy at receiving that toy or game they've been hoping for. For my niece and nephew, the wonder and surprise of getting what they asked of Santa is just the cutest thing. This year, the theme was ballerinas and cars. The Christmas holidays are really for the kids presents-wise. Hubby and I didn't get many gifts this year 'cuz well, WE were the gifts! Hey, these airline tickets during the holidays don't come cheap, y'know. But in any case, I hope and pray that everyone's celebrations were filled with love and joy.
'Tis Good To Be Home
We left da Bay in the midst of a stormy and rainy downpour only to arrive in the Twin Cities during a light snow. The freezing cold 25 degree weather caught me off guard. Surprisingly, it hasn't really been snowing here in MN and from what I hear, they didn't quite have a white Christmas. It was white, but that was leftover snow from before. Well, I'm sure the lil' break was nice for folks, considering that we still have the January and February snow storms to look forward to. Greeeaaat.
Our flight from da Bay was packed. We took an early morning flight which of course meant we had to be up, ready, and at the airport hella early. With the monsoon-like rain, I was sure we would've been delayed, but we left on time. As we were sitting buckled up and waiting, I noticed the guys outside loading up the luggages. I was telling hubby that to be in that kind of rain would be fun-splashing around in puddles, walking under an umbrella cozied up your honey, taking a walk on the beach and watching the crashing waves, or just listening to the raindrops hit the window of your car or the rooftops of your house. As fierce as it is, there's some romance that could be found within. But to be lugging bags, boxes, purple bins (hee hee, that's ours!), and all kinds of heavy containers, etc, and only wearing raingear with matching galoshes, shoot...I wouldn't want to be them. It was like a Cambell's Soup commercial. You see this big guys strip of their wet gear, sit next to the roaring fire, and eat up a bowl of chicken soup. Yum. But 'twas funny 'cuz as we landed in MN, we saw all these guys unloading planes, this time, in the snow! Just like before, there's the whole snowman, snow angels making thang, and the taking strolls all bundled up with that loved one, but what it all comes down to is yes, Cambell's Soup commercial once again! I honestly don't know which I'd rather be stuck in- rain or snow. How about neither?! Dude...in my opinion, that's a tough job. To all the people who talk smack about those who work at airports, boo on you.
Our flight started out way turbulent for my stomach. I was all nervous with the rain and I'm sure there were those saying their rosaries and prayers for a safe journey. But as we ascended higher, it was cool to break through the rain clouds and into sunny skies. Hubby and I slept for most of the trip. We basically had our breakfast (toasted plain bagel with cream cheese and Total cereal with banana), then put our headphones on and dozed the rest of the flight. Just our luck that there was a crying kid on board just a few rows back.
Arrived safely in MN with all luggage in tow, got picked up by a friend, had coffee and snacks, and just as we were going to head home, de ja vu... 'Member how my car had died on me the first night I got back? Well, lo and behold, hubby's car wouldn't start either! What's with our damn car batteries?! It didn't help that the garage that it was parked in was like a freezer. The temps the last few nights had dropped to below zero and I don't think anyone bothered to start the car while hubby was gone. It's all good though. We got it jumped and after being stuck in traffic, finally made it home to Woodbury.
I feel like it's been a long time since I've been back. Though it was great to see family, friends, and eat out at our favorite restaurants, nothing beats sleeping in your own bed. With all the homesickness that I was having for da Bay, I'm good for the next few months. Heck, we just had leftover E Komo Mai (mochiko chicken, kahlua pig, and mac salad) right here in our living room and boy, did we savor the taste or what?! We were spoiled the last few days in da City with the sun and hanging out with our friends, but honestly, 'tis good to be home. Now, it's hibernation time.
Birthday Shout-Outs
Just wanted to wish Chelle a very Happy 31st Birthday! Hubby and I had a chance to hang with the Lapids and future Opianas the day before our flight. It was a Christmas slash birthday celebration. Da Lapids just moved into their condo and are in the midst of a Trading Spaces-While You Were Out makeover. From what I hear...now that they've got their place, a baby may be in the making! Shhh...ya'll didn't hear it from me! (Plus, there's a pool goin' on to see which Hustlerette will be the first to get pregnant...I'm still hoping for Beej!) We went to a Japanese restaurant for some sushi and well, we had to get outta their place 'cuz mine and Clam's allergies to their cat started acting up. It was so bad...the second I stepped foot into their place, I started sneezing! We did go back though for some dessert and Eye Toy...have you guys heard of this latest craze? It's a PS2 game with a camera that captures the player on the screen. No controls required. The camera uses the player's movements to fight, dance, kung fu, or whatever it is the game asks for. Honestly, it's a game for drunken fools! I see the aerobic advantage, but I think I'll stick to the handheld controllers. So what if my thumbs will get sore! Lol! Hubby and I have totally missed hanging with da Hustler crew- our theme parties, our Cranium nights, dinners, and all the get-togethers filled with straight laughter all around. Great friends, great company. In honor of Mr. Royceton, everytime I hear "Stop hitting the girl bunnies!", I'll always think of him. =) Happy Happy 31st Birthday Chelle! Hope all your wishes come true...now go make a baby!
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
Friday, December 26, 2003
They Will!
Just wanted to send out my love and congratulations to Ms. Penny and Stud Muffin on their engagement! Mr. Stud Muffin asked Ms. Penny on Christmas day and will be tying the knot next summer. This has been a long-awaited celebration that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has been waiting for...FINALLY! Her prayers (and ours!) have been answered and they will finally cross over and join the ranks of us married folks. =) I'm so happy for them...now they can "oingo boingo" all they want! Lol!
Just wanted to send out my love and congratulations to Ms. Penny and Stud Muffin on their engagement! Mr. Stud Muffin asked Ms. Penny on Christmas day and will be tying the knot next summer. This has been a long-awaited celebration that everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, has been waiting for...FINALLY! Her prayers (and ours!) have been answered and they will finally cross over and join the ranks of us married folks. =) I'm so happy for them...now they can "oingo boingo" all they want! Lol!
Tuesday, December 23, 2003
Greetings from San Francisco!
Well, it's been a full five days that I've been back in da City and already, I've gone to the beach twice, hit the oh-so-crowded-and-newly-refurnished-trying-to-look-all-shi-shi-Serramonte, visited the old job and even taught an art lesson for some 3rd graders, had coffee and dinner with co-worker friends, eaten at Nations, El Burrito, and had some Mrs. Field's cookies (YUM!), drove up and down the Castro getting lost looking for the hospital, and been waking up at 4:30am PST every morning to go to Simbang Gabi at church. And there's still so much to do! On my list to things to do today includes going to the DMV to transfer the Honda to my name, having lunch with Ms. Penny, whom I've been playin phone tag with...I've been trying to reach her and have been leaving voicemail messages...on her OLD phone! Oops..my bad. Hopefully try to meet up with RyceGirl and roam around Pier 39, and end my day spending the night at my sister's house. Can't wait til tomorrow though...hubby flies in from MN just in time for Christmas.
Spoiled
Now this will be the ONLY time I will ever ever refer to myself as being spoiled. I don't care what anyone else says about being the youngest child. I never supposedly got all that I asked for- on the contrary, people. I had to work just as hard as anyone else in the 80's/my generation. Unlike my younger counterparts today, not everything is served to me on a silver platter. I was one of those kids who envied all the kids at school for having the latest toys or clothes. Yes dammit, back in the day I really wanted that Care Bear and Cabbage Patch Kid (and just for the record, that was the closest I ever got to wanting anything resembling a doll...)! I was one of those kids who always wished that I could go to all the school dances and stay out past midnight like everyone else. I was one of those kids who was always wanting something that the other kids had. Looking back, it was probably a good thing that I never got all those things. It was probably a good thing that my parents were so strict and said "no" to most of the things I asked for. I mean, don't get me wrong here. As much as I believe that it was all for my own good and yes, I do appreciate I didn't become a hoodlum (can you even imagine me like that?!) or a teenage pregnancy statistic, I DID find my ways around things. C'mon now! Do you really think I spent all that time in the library?! Lol! You know what they say about Catholic school girls? Well, sad to say, I will validate the truthfulness in that (wink, wink). I'd like to think that I am not a materialistic person. With all the "no's" my parents gave me, I had to deal with not getting the things I'd probably lose interest in anyways. See, my parents foresaw that. They've got that "palantiri", the "seeing eye" (Lord of the Rings reference, in case you didn't know). That's why I appreciate them now more than ever. At the time, I did go through the "I hate them!" and the "They never let me do anything!" and the "They just don't understand me" stages, but like I said, I respect them all the more for what they did.
But I have to say this...being back in my parents' house brings back memories of that lil' girl who had to deal with not having the cooler things others had. Back in MN with my IT of a husband, I think I am spoiled. Some things just make all the difference and I don't care if some think it to be the newest and latest fad. Just what exactly am I talking about?
I'm talking about high-speed internet, cable, DSL, and wireless connections! Dial-up is a thing of the past (or should be!) and it's killing me that it takes about FOREVER to connect! Can I just say how annoying these pop-ups are?!
See, I'm not really like this with anything else. Really. It's ugly to my ears to hear people complain like that. I do apologize. LOL! If you ask me what I miss about MN besides my hubby? I will have to admit that yes, I do miss our wireless, high-speed connection. What a brat! =)
May The Force Be With You
Like I mentioned, the malls are just way too crowded. You'd be out of your mind to even try, but with all the last minute things, it's understandable. People on a mission somehow lose all courtesy for others, it's unbelievable. If you are one of those unfortunate and procrastinating souls, may you not get bumped by angry and bustling shoppers, may no one cut you in the long ass lines that you WILL stand in, may you not have to fight for that last toy on the shelf, may your cashiers be joyful and helpful, and may all your credit cards get approved. It's going to be a crazy day and I'll be praying for all of you.
As for me, after I hit the DMV, I'm goin to chill at the beach.
Well, it's been a full five days that I've been back in da City and already, I've gone to the beach twice, hit the oh-so-crowded-and-newly-refurnished-trying-to-look-all-shi-shi-Serramonte, visited the old job and even taught an art lesson for some 3rd graders, had coffee and dinner with co-worker friends, eaten at Nations, El Burrito, and had some Mrs. Field's cookies (YUM!), drove up and down the Castro getting lost looking for the hospital, and been waking up at 4:30am PST every morning to go to Simbang Gabi at church. And there's still so much to do! On my list to things to do today includes going to the DMV to transfer the Honda to my name, having lunch with Ms. Penny, whom I've been playin phone tag with...I've been trying to reach her and have been leaving voicemail messages...on her OLD phone! Oops..my bad. Hopefully try to meet up with RyceGirl and roam around Pier 39, and end my day spending the night at my sister's house. Can't wait til tomorrow though...hubby flies in from MN just in time for Christmas.
Spoiled
Now this will be the ONLY time I will ever ever refer to myself as being spoiled. I don't care what anyone else says about being the youngest child. I never supposedly got all that I asked for- on the contrary, people. I had to work just as hard as anyone else in the 80's/my generation. Unlike my younger counterparts today, not everything is served to me on a silver platter. I was one of those kids who envied all the kids at school for having the latest toys or clothes. Yes dammit, back in the day I really wanted that Care Bear and Cabbage Patch Kid (and just for the record, that was the closest I ever got to wanting anything resembling a doll...)! I was one of those kids who always wished that I could go to all the school dances and stay out past midnight like everyone else. I was one of those kids who was always wanting something that the other kids had. Looking back, it was probably a good thing that I never got all those things. It was probably a good thing that my parents were so strict and said "no" to most of the things I asked for. I mean, don't get me wrong here. As much as I believe that it was all for my own good and yes, I do appreciate I didn't become a hoodlum (can you even imagine me like that?!) or a teenage pregnancy statistic, I DID find my ways around things. C'mon now! Do you really think I spent all that time in the library?! Lol! You know what they say about Catholic school girls? Well, sad to say, I will validate the truthfulness in that (wink, wink). I'd like to think that I am not a materialistic person. With all the "no's" my parents gave me, I had to deal with not getting the things I'd probably lose interest in anyways. See, my parents foresaw that. They've got that "palantiri", the "seeing eye" (Lord of the Rings reference, in case you didn't know). That's why I appreciate them now more than ever. At the time, I did go through the "I hate them!" and the "They never let me do anything!" and the "They just don't understand me" stages, but like I said, I respect them all the more for what they did.
But I have to say this...being back in my parents' house brings back memories of that lil' girl who had to deal with not having the cooler things others had. Back in MN with my IT of a husband, I think I am spoiled. Some things just make all the difference and I don't care if some think it to be the newest and latest fad. Just what exactly am I talking about?
I'm talking about high-speed internet, cable, DSL, and wireless connections! Dial-up is a thing of the past (or should be!) and it's killing me that it takes about FOREVER to connect! Can I just say how annoying these pop-ups are?!
See, I'm not really like this with anything else. Really. It's ugly to my ears to hear people complain like that. I do apologize. LOL! If you ask me what I miss about MN besides my hubby? I will have to admit that yes, I do miss our wireless, high-speed connection. What a brat! =)
May The Force Be With You
Like I mentioned, the malls are just way too crowded. You'd be out of your mind to even try, but with all the last minute things, it's understandable. People on a mission somehow lose all courtesy for others, it's unbelievable. If you are one of those unfortunate and procrastinating souls, may you not get bumped by angry and bustling shoppers, may no one cut you in the long ass lines that you WILL stand in, may you not have to fight for that last toy on the shelf, may your cashiers be joyful and helpful, and may all your credit cards get approved. It's going to be a crazy day and I'll be praying for all of you.
As for me, after I hit the DMV, I'm goin to chill at the beach.
Saturday, December 20, 2003
Goin' Back to Cali
Thursday, December 18th:
The long-awaited day has arrived. I flew out of the Twin Cities area today with the temps in the low 20's. There was still fresh, fallen, and untouched snow on the ground from the night before. I was thinking about the snow and an icy runway at 2:30ish in the morning. I had just barely turned in my B.S. of a research paper and I was wracking my brain to figure out what to pack for that morning's flight. That's so bad. Procrastinating, that is. First, the paper and now, my gear. Dammit. I swear, it all started with that lil' Turkey Day break we were given. I started out fine in the class- I was on top of all my assignments, ahead in my readings, writing what I thought and believed to be "substantive" posts for participation points, and looking for a place to do my observation for my final paper. But the break came and messed up my groove, Firemarshall J came to visit, and by the end of the week, my motivation and discipline got somehow lost in the shuffle of things. It was just two more weeks...two more long, agonizingly, hectic weeks filled with major assignments that I was not mentally prepared for. Great. See, that is the one major reason why I back year-round schooling. Those two and a half to three months summer break is way too long! All the rules and discipline that they were so used to disappears from too much PS2 and YuGiOh. 'Course then, schools wonder why it takes so long for kids to get their flow going. It's 'cuz they have to relearn all the things they forgot, people! I'm all for it, forget summer vacation. Do the year-long thingy and have scheduled breaks in between. The results of clueless kids won't be as alarming this way and everyone will be a happy camper...But anyways, the break messed me up and I stupidly spent the last two weeks cramming my assignments and complaining about some business that just should've been taken care of earlier in the game. Procrastination is terrible and it never benefits anyone. Ever.
Whether or not I travel with hubby, I always get a window seat. As much as possible, I need to exhaust that feeling of claustrophobia. Being able to gaze outside during the flight gives me that sense of progression...progression towards my destination. Oh, and being the camera-happy chica that I am, I like to take pictures as we take-off. Typical MnM, eh? Well, after numerous bouts of turbulence, gliding across a densely white blanket of a country, and a dinky turkey sandwich and baby sized apple, I arrived safely into da City. My pops picked me up and by the time we got home, there was a home-cooked meal of chicken tinola waiting for us. Mmmmmm...'tis good to be home.
Honda...Nations...Guns...Oh My!
As my pops was parking, ya'll can imagine how excited I was to see my car! I was looking forward to about 10pm 'cuz I was supposed to pick up Firemarshall J from his flight in coming from da islands. That meant that I would actually have time to DRIVE! Funny story real quick: Firemarshall J was originally going to pick ME up...til his flight got all jacked, delayed, put off, whatnot. We were both flying into da City the same day with mine coming in first. SWITCH! Yah, Ms. Thang over here had to pick his butt up from the airport. In any case, I was planning on leaving early, hoping to get a coffee at Barnes before heading to the airport. I get into my car and guess what...nothing. Absolutely nothing! Nothing, as in, it didn't-wouldn't-and-couldn't-start nothing! I was SO disappointed, ya'll just don't know! Well, what can I do 'cept go pick homie up with my dad's car. Tres tres tres bummed! Then, when you think things can't get any worse, I realize that homie didn't even tell me which airline he was flying in on-geez! So here I am wandering and wondering where the hell I was supposed to find him. I ended up sitting someplace where this lady was breastfeeding her kid. I ain't hatin' or anything. It doesn't make me feel uncomfortable at all...it was just the way she took her boobies out. It was like she was flashing anyone and everyone who was there, all the while talking hella loud to her husband. What the...?! I heard Martin Lawrence in my head yellin' "Ta-dow! How you like me now?!" 'Course she then had to switch right to left and hello, who are you flashing lady? Doesn't subtlety exist anymore? She might as well announce to the whole airport that her milk juggers were coming out. Sheesh. Turns out that I was in the wrong section of the airport. Great. I finally find homie and we decide to go grab a bite to eat. We head to Nations for lack of knowing what else was open at that time. Nations. Yum, eh? Those are the messiest burgers and ya'll know what that means? The messier, the yummier. We grab a booth near the door, the place is packed, and a rowdy lil' group of high schoolers sit next to us. It's hard NOT to hear what they're saying, even though I was trying to be attentive to Firemarshall J's story of whatnot. So, just to make the evening even more interesting, I tell homie when we leave that the kids next to us were insisting that one dude show them his gun. His GUN. Hello?! What the hell are these high school kids doing with sh*t like that? Well, I hear that and I think, well sometimes kids like to be loud to be intimidating. It's all for show, right? But honestly, the way they were trying to whisper, all the "c'mon, let's see it!" to the "No way, I don't want to get caught here!" made me think that they weren't bluffing or trying to impress anyone. Something tells me that the kids to my right, the kids who were less than two feet from me, the kids who looked no older than sophomores or juniors, the kids who were out on a school night close to midnight, were concealing a deadly weapon. It made me very nervous, but I continued to eat my messy burger. And people wonder why I choose not to teach the older kids. Nah uh, no thanks.
Tomorrow's Agenda
I'm excited! I get to visit the old job, see and hang out with some co-worker friends of mine, and see my kids from last year. I honestly feel this bond with the now 4th grade class. Why? Simply because they were my last class at Cornerstone. Plus, I really had fun with this group and enjoyed being their teacher. Not that I didn't enjoy my other classes, but as young and as needy as last year's kids acted, they were MY kids. I miss 'em all…even the nose-pickin-booger-eating-kids! Hahaha, yah...every class has one! It should be a fun-filled day...plus, no one knows I'm coming! It's supposed to be a surprise....shhhhhhhh. ;-)
Thursday, December 18th:
The long-awaited day has arrived. I flew out of the Twin Cities area today with the temps in the low 20's. There was still fresh, fallen, and untouched snow on the ground from the night before. I was thinking about the snow and an icy runway at 2:30ish in the morning. I had just barely turned in my B.S. of a research paper and I was wracking my brain to figure out what to pack for that morning's flight. That's so bad. Procrastinating, that is. First, the paper and now, my gear. Dammit. I swear, it all started with that lil' Turkey Day break we were given. I started out fine in the class- I was on top of all my assignments, ahead in my readings, writing what I thought and believed to be "substantive" posts for participation points, and looking for a place to do my observation for my final paper. But the break came and messed up my groove, Firemarshall J came to visit, and by the end of the week, my motivation and discipline got somehow lost in the shuffle of things. It was just two more weeks...two more long, agonizingly, hectic weeks filled with major assignments that I was not mentally prepared for. Great. See, that is the one major reason why I back year-round schooling. Those two and a half to three months summer break is way too long! All the rules and discipline that they were so used to disappears from too much PS2 and YuGiOh. 'Course then, schools wonder why it takes so long for kids to get their flow going. It's 'cuz they have to relearn all the things they forgot, people! I'm all for it, forget summer vacation. Do the year-long thingy and have scheduled breaks in between. The results of clueless kids won't be as alarming this way and everyone will be a happy camper...But anyways, the break messed me up and I stupidly spent the last two weeks cramming my assignments and complaining about some business that just should've been taken care of earlier in the game. Procrastination is terrible and it never benefits anyone. Ever.
Whether or not I travel with hubby, I always get a window seat. As much as possible, I need to exhaust that feeling of claustrophobia. Being able to gaze outside during the flight gives me that sense of progression...progression towards my destination. Oh, and being the camera-happy chica that I am, I like to take pictures as we take-off. Typical MnM, eh? Well, after numerous bouts of turbulence, gliding across a densely white blanket of a country, and a dinky turkey sandwich and baby sized apple, I arrived safely into da City. My pops picked me up and by the time we got home, there was a home-cooked meal of chicken tinola waiting for us. Mmmmmm...'tis good to be home.
Honda...Nations...Guns...Oh My!
As my pops was parking, ya'll can imagine how excited I was to see my car! I was looking forward to about 10pm 'cuz I was supposed to pick up Firemarshall J from his flight in coming from da islands. That meant that I would actually have time to DRIVE! Funny story real quick: Firemarshall J was originally going to pick ME up...til his flight got all jacked, delayed, put off, whatnot. We were both flying into da City the same day with mine coming in first. SWITCH! Yah, Ms. Thang over here had to pick his butt up from the airport. In any case, I was planning on leaving early, hoping to get a coffee at Barnes before heading to the airport. I get into my car and guess what...nothing. Absolutely nothing! Nothing, as in, it didn't-wouldn't-and-couldn't-start nothing! I was SO disappointed, ya'll just don't know! Well, what can I do 'cept go pick homie up with my dad's car. Tres tres tres bummed! Then, when you think things can't get any worse, I realize that homie didn't even tell me which airline he was flying in on-geez! So here I am wandering and wondering where the hell I was supposed to find him. I ended up sitting someplace where this lady was breastfeeding her kid. I ain't hatin' or anything. It doesn't make me feel uncomfortable at all...it was just the way she took her boobies out. It was like she was flashing anyone and everyone who was there, all the while talking hella loud to her husband. What the...?! I heard Martin Lawrence in my head yellin' "Ta-dow! How you like me now?!" 'Course she then had to switch right to left and hello, who are you flashing lady? Doesn't subtlety exist anymore? She might as well announce to the whole airport that her milk juggers were coming out. Sheesh. Turns out that I was in the wrong section of the airport. Great. I finally find homie and we decide to go grab a bite to eat. We head to Nations for lack of knowing what else was open at that time. Nations. Yum, eh? Those are the messiest burgers and ya'll know what that means? The messier, the yummier. We grab a booth near the door, the place is packed, and a rowdy lil' group of high schoolers sit next to us. It's hard NOT to hear what they're saying, even though I was trying to be attentive to Firemarshall J's story of whatnot. So, just to make the evening even more interesting, I tell homie when we leave that the kids next to us were insisting that one dude show them his gun. His GUN. Hello?! What the hell are these high school kids doing with sh*t like that? Well, I hear that and I think, well sometimes kids like to be loud to be intimidating. It's all for show, right? But honestly, the way they were trying to whisper, all the "c'mon, let's see it!" to the "No way, I don't want to get caught here!" made me think that they weren't bluffing or trying to impress anyone. Something tells me that the kids to my right, the kids who were less than two feet from me, the kids who looked no older than sophomores or juniors, the kids who were out on a school night close to midnight, were concealing a deadly weapon. It made me very nervous, but I continued to eat my messy burger. And people wonder why I choose not to teach the older kids. Nah uh, no thanks.
Tomorrow's Agenda
I'm excited! I get to visit the old job, see and hang out with some co-worker friends of mine, and see my kids from last year. I honestly feel this bond with the now 4th grade class. Why? Simply because they were my last class at Cornerstone. Plus, I really had fun with this group and enjoyed being their teacher. Not that I didn't enjoy my other classes, but as young and as needy as last year's kids acted, they were MY kids. I miss 'em all…even the nose-pickin-booger-eating-kids! Hahaha, yah...every class has one! It should be a fun-filled day...plus, no one knows I'm coming! It's supposed to be a surprise....shhhhhhhh. ;-)
Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Stressin' Hard
It's that time in my University of Phoenix sessions again...where it's down to the final days and I'm stuck with projects and assignments I've successfully procrastinated until last minute. One of the things that I really dislike about this whole online program is the fact that it's required to work in a learning team. I've done the whole working in groups thang back at State and also in the workplace. In fact, that is the number one reason why we have to do them- because in the field of education, a teacher will have to work cooperatively with another teacher. But working in a team via posting messages is definitely not the same thing! My classmates are from all over the U.S. which means that we're all in different time zones. Sometimes it's literally impossible for us to be online at the same time. Now of course, if a team is well organized and on top of things, you'd think no problems would arise, eh? NOT! Now because of my horrid experiences from my past classes, I've taken it upon myself to be the one to organize the group...be the one to devise a schedule of when things are due, come up with an outline of how a research paper should be, and be the proofreader/editor because I just have this thing about typos ( cannot is ONE word and a lot is TWO!).
Anyways, our last major team assignment was due today...due at 12 midnight PST...which is 2:00am CST...and the time NOW is 2:22am! Yah, guess who decided to put it on her shoulders? Uh huh. What really sucks is that I knew this would be a biggie project. I tried to get this organized during our 2nd week of class! But did anyone respond or try to get things started? NO! Now, I realize that we all have other projects due in between, but like I said, this was a major one. We had to devise a lesson plan in a subject and grade of our choice. Writing a lesson plan isn't so hard. But we also had to take into consideration the demographics of our class- plus since this is a class on diversity, some of the students we had to make accomodations for were special education learneres, limited English speaking students, ADHD kids, and some who just arrived from eastern Europe. Writing a lesson plan, like I said, isn't hard, but if you've got team members like MINE...man, oh man.
Needless to say, I worked my butt off tonight. I was on the computer for 7-8 hours STRAIGHT just trying to get all our material together. What really bites is that many of these post-graduate students do not know how to write. I'm not talking content wise because anyone can find information from doing research. I'm talking about basic grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc. I'm constantly wondering how I ever got stuck with these people! All I have to say is that we better get a good grade on this project...and if we do, I hope my teammates appreciate all the hard work I put in. Damn.
Return of the King
Finally, it's here! The last segment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy has arrived! I'm so excited...hubby and I even bought our tickets in advance and we're scheduled to see the first showing on Wednesday. According to my sister, the Lord of the Rings hype is HUGE in da City. Turns out that a handful of theaters out there are showing the entire trilogy with Return of the King scheduled to start right at midnight. Can you imagine? That's an entire day at the movies watching nothing but Lord of the Rings?! Hubby and I would SO love to do that! I'm sure that there are many places where die-hard LOTR fans will get decked out in full attire, but I have to honestly say that there won't be any Orcs, Uruk-Hai, or my personal fave, Elves wandering the streets of MN. It probably has a lot to do with the freezing weather we're having! In any case, hubby and I are psyched for tomorrow! It's going to be downright hot...
I'm So Excited!
With all the stress of trying to finish up last minute projects, I honestly haven't had the time to think of going home yet. But I'm flyin' home to the Bay this week! Whoo hoo! It'll be nice to get away from this wintry weather for a bit and man, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing San Francisco, CA! Okay, so I haven't packed yet...details, details.
Birthday Shout-Outs
Just wanted to send my love to BaybieJ who celebrated her birthday on the 15th. To Eastbay, Butterfly13, and Vanessa Carlton-esque maestro...happy happy birthday with love from Minnesota! Hope this birthday brings lots of happiness today and everyday. May your birthday wishes come true! Love, peace, and God bless...
It's that time in my University of Phoenix sessions again...where it's down to the final days and I'm stuck with projects and assignments I've successfully procrastinated until last minute. One of the things that I really dislike about this whole online program is the fact that it's required to work in a learning team. I've done the whole working in groups thang back at State and also in the workplace. In fact, that is the number one reason why we have to do them- because in the field of education, a teacher will have to work cooperatively with another teacher. But working in a team via posting messages is definitely not the same thing! My classmates are from all over the U.S. which means that we're all in different time zones. Sometimes it's literally impossible for us to be online at the same time. Now of course, if a team is well organized and on top of things, you'd think no problems would arise, eh? NOT! Now because of my horrid experiences from my past classes, I've taken it upon myself to be the one to organize the group...be the one to devise a schedule of when things are due, come up with an outline of how a research paper should be, and be the proofreader/editor because I just have this thing about typos ( cannot is ONE word and a lot is TWO!).
Anyways, our last major team assignment was due today...due at 12 midnight PST...which is 2:00am CST...and the time NOW is 2:22am! Yah, guess who decided to put it on her shoulders? Uh huh. What really sucks is that I knew this would be a biggie project. I tried to get this organized during our 2nd week of class! But did anyone respond or try to get things started? NO! Now, I realize that we all have other projects due in between, but like I said, this was a major one. We had to devise a lesson plan in a subject and grade of our choice. Writing a lesson plan isn't so hard. But we also had to take into consideration the demographics of our class- plus since this is a class on diversity, some of the students we had to make accomodations for were special education learneres, limited English speaking students, ADHD kids, and some who just arrived from eastern Europe. Writing a lesson plan, like I said, isn't hard, but if you've got team members like MINE...man, oh man.
Needless to say, I worked my butt off tonight. I was on the computer for 7-8 hours STRAIGHT just trying to get all our material together. What really bites is that many of these post-graduate students do not know how to write. I'm not talking content wise because anyone can find information from doing research. I'm talking about basic grammar, punctuation, capitalization, etc. I'm constantly wondering how I ever got stuck with these people! All I have to say is that we better get a good grade on this project...and if we do, I hope my teammates appreciate all the hard work I put in. Damn.
Return of the King
Finally, it's here! The last segment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy has arrived! I'm so excited...hubby and I even bought our tickets in advance and we're scheduled to see the first showing on Wednesday. According to my sister, the Lord of the Rings hype is HUGE in da City. Turns out that a handful of theaters out there are showing the entire trilogy with Return of the King scheduled to start right at midnight. Can you imagine? That's an entire day at the movies watching nothing but Lord of the Rings?! Hubby and I would SO love to do that! I'm sure that there are many places where die-hard LOTR fans will get decked out in full attire, but I have to honestly say that there won't be any Orcs, Uruk-Hai, or my personal fave, Elves wandering the streets of MN. It probably has a lot to do with the freezing weather we're having! In any case, hubby and I are psyched for tomorrow! It's going to be downright hot...
I'm So Excited!
With all the stress of trying to finish up last minute projects, I honestly haven't had the time to think of going home yet. But I'm flyin' home to the Bay this week! Whoo hoo! It'll be nice to get away from this wintry weather for a bit and man, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing San Francisco, CA! Okay, so I haven't packed yet...details, details.
Birthday Shout-Outs
Just wanted to send my love to BaybieJ who celebrated her birthday on the 15th. To Eastbay, Butterfly13, and Vanessa Carlton-esque maestro...happy happy birthday with love from Minnesota! Hope this birthday brings lots of happiness today and everyday. May your birthday wishes come true! Love, peace, and God bless...
Monday, December 15, 2003
All This Time...
Last week, hubby and I went to see the doctor. We figured that since we're new to the area we might as well find a doctor, dentist, barber, and all of those other must haves over here. It's been a while since our last doctor visit. As I scheduled these appointments last month, the receptionist had asked what the purpose of our visit would be. My response was for a physical checkup. Yah, that sounds about right. You go to the office, check in, hang out in the waiting room for what seems like hours on end, get called in to a room, wait again, doctor comes in to take your weight, height, blood pressure, makes you take in deep breaths as he lays that cold ass stethoscope on your back, makes you say "Ahhhhhh" and then asks if you have any questions. Routine, right? No, no, no my friends. The "physical" part of the checkup is when the doctor gets, well, physical. We basically got "poked and prodded." Now, as good as it is for our health and all, you can't help but leave the office as if you've been somehow violated. It makes you want to crawl into bed into fetal position! Lol! No one..and I mean NO ONE ever enjoys these annual physicals, if you know what I mean. And if you happen to be one of those people who DO, then you are one sick puppy.
Have you ever tried to make conversation with a doctor or nurse? The weather ALWAYS comes up. "So how is it outside?" I'm prepared with the answer I've already been skilled at giving, "Well, it's cold. It's not the same kind of cold you get in California." Of course, this spawns the whole dialogue of why I'm here in Minnesota, how long I've been here, how do I like it so far and I get the "Oh, I've been to San Francisco a couple of times" etc. Still on the topic of the weather, it never ceases to follow with the "Well, if you think THIS is cold, wait until January or February!" Which to that I respond with, "Y'know? That's what everybody tells me!" Yes, I think this is the only small talk that medical practitioners are capable of having. Take me for example. Everytime I'm told to get onto the scale to get my weight, I always make a crack that "whatever the scale says, it's lying." Hey...I think it's funny! But these people just give you that look that says, "Lady, just get on the damn scale already." Geez...I'm just trying to be funny people! Does a smile exist in that cold, icy, exterior of yours?! Then there's hubby. As he was getting a shot, his nurse "missed" his vein. On her second attempt, she continued to wiggle the needle around to find one! Goodness lady, is that what they teach you in medical school?! But here's hubby trying to be O.A. about it, looking up to the ceiling with pained looks in his eyes, fanning his supposed tears away...ya'll know the look I'm talking about? But I have to say, I don't think he was joking that day...he's got this huge bruise where the needle punctured him- ouch! But nurse lady was trying to comfort him saying that he could take it. People- we're trying to be funny! Ya'll just don't get it- sheesh!
Can I just say though, that I was a bit bummed after leaving the doctor's office? After nurse lady measured my height, she told me that I was 5''2 and a half. I was like, "Um, are you sure?" She responded, "Yes ma'am. You are 5''2 and a half." I made another crack about how I thought after all this time I was 5''3 and a half. An inch less? That's a lot! "Oh well," I said. "I'll just round up." And to this, she didnt' even smirk.
5''2 1/2.....after all this time thinking I was taller. That sucks!
Last week, hubby and I went to see the doctor. We figured that since we're new to the area we might as well find a doctor, dentist, barber, and all of those other must haves over here. It's been a while since our last doctor visit. As I scheduled these appointments last month, the receptionist had asked what the purpose of our visit would be. My response was for a physical checkup. Yah, that sounds about right. You go to the office, check in, hang out in the waiting room for what seems like hours on end, get called in to a room, wait again, doctor comes in to take your weight, height, blood pressure, makes you take in deep breaths as he lays that cold ass stethoscope on your back, makes you say "Ahhhhhh" and then asks if you have any questions. Routine, right? No, no, no my friends. The "physical" part of the checkup is when the doctor gets, well, physical. We basically got "poked and prodded." Now, as good as it is for our health and all, you can't help but leave the office as if you've been somehow violated. It makes you want to crawl into bed into fetal position! Lol! No one..and I mean NO ONE ever enjoys these annual physicals, if you know what I mean. And if you happen to be one of those people who DO, then you are one sick puppy.
Have you ever tried to make conversation with a doctor or nurse? The weather ALWAYS comes up. "So how is it outside?" I'm prepared with the answer I've already been skilled at giving, "Well, it's cold. It's not the same kind of cold you get in California." Of course, this spawns the whole dialogue of why I'm here in Minnesota, how long I've been here, how do I like it so far and I get the "Oh, I've been to San Francisco a couple of times" etc. Still on the topic of the weather, it never ceases to follow with the "Well, if you think THIS is cold, wait until January or February!" Which to that I respond with, "Y'know? That's what everybody tells me!" Yes, I think this is the only small talk that medical practitioners are capable of having. Take me for example. Everytime I'm told to get onto the scale to get my weight, I always make a crack that "whatever the scale says, it's lying." Hey...I think it's funny! But these people just give you that look that says, "Lady, just get on the damn scale already." Geez...I'm just trying to be funny people! Does a smile exist in that cold, icy, exterior of yours?! Then there's hubby. As he was getting a shot, his nurse "missed" his vein. On her second attempt, she continued to wiggle the needle around to find one! Goodness lady, is that what they teach you in medical school?! But here's hubby trying to be O.A. about it, looking up to the ceiling with pained looks in his eyes, fanning his supposed tears away...ya'll know the look I'm talking about? But I have to say, I don't think he was joking that day...he's got this huge bruise where the needle punctured him- ouch! But nurse lady was trying to comfort him saying that he could take it. People- we're trying to be funny! Ya'll just don't get it- sheesh!
Can I just say though, that I was a bit bummed after leaving the doctor's office? After nurse lady measured my height, she told me that I was 5''2 and a half. I was like, "Um, are you sure?" She responded, "Yes ma'am. You are 5''2 and a half." I made another crack about how I thought after all this time I was 5''3 and a half. An inch less? That's a lot! "Oh well," I said. "I'll just round up." And to this, she didnt' even smirk.
5''2 1/2.....after all this time thinking I was taller. That sucks!
Friday, December 12, 2003
Keepin' It Real
I'm not one to share details of what goes on in my personal life. This is not reality tv, thank goodness. But it is a blog, an online journal in which anyone and everyone can and will read what I write. I honestly don't put so much thought into what I write. I basically reflect on the day and weed out what I think would be of any interest. I can say that more or less, much of what I blog about is what I'm feeling at the moment. There have been times where I've written something, reread it, edited it, published and posted it, reread it again, then scrapped it altogether. It's this long process of censorship on my part. Censoring what I think might not be appropriate, purposefully taking out phrases or comments that people may find offensive, and basically choosing my words carefully as if my mom or any of my students were reading this. But then again, I think that by doing that, I'm not doing myself or this blog any justice because then, my thoughts and words would not be authentic expressions of how I'm feeling. This is my blog and website, is it not? Why should I tiptoe on eggshells for everyone when this is just my way of expressing myself? Hell, if ya'll don't like what I write, don't read it. Simple as that.
Two People...
Doh and MnM. The two people whose lives changed as they met on dancefloor of Polly Esther's in da City. Doh was the one tryin' to get his freak on with the girl he got paired up with- MnM. According to Doh, it seemed that she really wasn't responding to any of his questions, so he decided to impress MnM with his knowledge of musical lyrics and Michael Jackson dance impersonations. MnM, knowing that Polly Esther's played old skool music, was intrigued that this dude actually knew all the lyrics to the music. "Exactly how old is this fool?" she thought.
One Life...
From Polly Esther's to pajammy jam, to having lunch at then Punahele's to "a walk to remember" on the Golden Gate Bridge, so started the beautiful relationship of Doh and MnM. After dating for more than a year, Doh popped the big question with a proposal that will go down in history as one of the most romantic and MnM accepted. Although the original plans of the wedding didn't go through, a ceremony took place at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco and despite all the drama that it took for us to get to that point it was truly a day to remember.
One Love...
It's been four months since we've celebrated our 1st year wedding anniversary. We celebrated by packing up our apartment for our move to Minnesota and by eating our wedding cake that's been in our freezer for the past year. Surprisingly, it wasn't gross or nasty at all. Had a tinge of freezer burn, but that's about it. It's always been said that the first year of any marriage is the hardest. It's a major transition and a huge step. Doh and I have definitely had our share of ups and downs. It's one of those things that's to be expected.
Our marriage isn't perfect- in fact, it's far from it. That's what makes life with Doh interesting and exciting because there's always something new to learn and we're constantly keeping each other on our toes. We do have our fights/arguments/discussions/quarrels, whatever you want to call it, and they're not pretty. In my opinion, relationships without any quarrels are boring. Not to say that couples should constantly be at each other's throats, but that arguments here and there are healthy and important in the growth of the marriage. One thing to remember is that there is always a solution to a problem. It may not be obvious right away, but it's one of those, "where there's a will, there's a way" cases. As terrible as an argument may seem at the moment, it's not the end of the world. That's where you have to know your significant other and understand that they may need some space from you. No talking, no being in the same room with each other, no contact, no nothing. People just need time to cool off and regroup.
So that's what Doh and I did. Fought/argued/discussed/quarreled, whatever you want to call it. We avoided each other the entire day, cooled off, and regrouped. It's true what they say that the first year of marriage is the hardest. But it's also true when they say that the best part is making up. When two people have committed themselves in marriage, it's for forever. In good times and in bad. Two people, one life, one love. Simple as that.
I'm not one to share details of what goes on in my personal life. This is not reality tv, thank goodness. But it is a blog, an online journal in which anyone and everyone can and will read what I write. I honestly don't put so much thought into what I write. I basically reflect on the day and weed out what I think would be of any interest. I can say that more or less, much of what I blog about is what I'm feeling at the moment. There have been times where I've written something, reread it, edited it, published and posted it, reread it again, then scrapped it altogether. It's this long process of censorship on my part. Censoring what I think might not be appropriate, purposefully taking out phrases or comments that people may find offensive, and basically choosing my words carefully as if my mom or any of my students were reading this. But then again, I think that by doing that, I'm not doing myself or this blog any justice because then, my thoughts and words would not be authentic expressions of how I'm feeling. This is my blog and website, is it not? Why should I tiptoe on eggshells for everyone when this is just my way of expressing myself? Hell, if ya'll don't like what I write, don't read it. Simple as that.
Two People...
Doh and MnM. The two people whose lives changed as they met on dancefloor of Polly Esther's in da City. Doh was the one tryin' to get his freak on with the girl he got paired up with- MnM. According to Doh, it seemed that she really wasn't responding to any of his questions, so he decided to impress MnM with his knowledge of musical lyrics and Michael Jackson dance impersonations. MnM, knowing that Polly Esther's played old skool music, was intrigued that this dude actually knew all the lyrics to the music. "Exactly how old is this fool?" she thought.
One Life...
From Polly Esther's to pajammy jam, to having lunch at then Punahele's to "a walk to remember" on the Golden Gate Bridge, so started the beautiful relationship of Doh and MnM. After dating for more than a year, Doh popped the big question with a proposal that will go down in history as one of the most romantic and MnM accepted. Although the original plans of the wedding didn't go through, a ceremony took place at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco and despite all the drama that it took for us to get to that point it was truly a day to remember.
One Love...
It's been four months since we've celebrated our 1st year wedding anniversary. We celebrated by packing up our apartment for our move to Minnesota and by eating our wedding cake that's been in our freezer for the past year. Surprisingly, it wasn't gross or nasty at all. Had a tinge of freezer burn, but that's about it. It's always been said that the first year of any marriage is the hardest. It's a major transition and a huge step. Doh and I have definitely had our share of ups and downs. It's one of those things that's to be expected.
Our marriage isn't perfect- in fact, it's far from it. That's what makes life with Doh interesting and exciting because there's always something new to learn and we're constantly keeping each other on our toes. We do have our fights/arguments/discussions/quarrels, whatever you want to call it, and they're not pretty. In my opinion, relationships without any quarrels are boring. Not to say that couples should constantly be at each other's throats, but that arguments here and there are healthy and important in the growth of the marriage. One thing to remember is that there is always a solution to a problem. It may not be obvious right away, but it's one of those, "where there's a will, there's a way" cases. As terrible as an argument may seem at the moment, it's not the end of the world. That's where you have to know your significant other and understand that they may need some space from you. No talking, no being in the same room with each other, no contact, no nothing. People just need time to cool off and regroup.
So that's what Doh and I did. Fought/argued/discussed/quarreled, whatever you want to call it. We avoided each other the entire day, cooled off, and regrouped. It's true what they say that the first year of marriage is the hardest. But it's also true when they say that the best part is making up. When two people have committed themselves in marriage, it's for forever. In good times and in bad. Two people, one life, one love. Simple as that.
Thursday, December 11, 2003
I'll Stop My Yappin'...
Okay, so it's already been established, one too many times I've been told, that MnM misses the Bay Area. Hella. It's probably good that I don't notice the pathetic-ness in my writing because I would only be discouraged to pen my thoughts down at all. It's only going to be three months that I've officially been here...THREE months! But for someone who has lived her whole life in the Bay, I have to say that I've handled this move and transition quite well. The bouts of crying as I lingered over pictures of family and friends were common occurences in the beginning. So what if I got teary-eyed as I talked to Mom on the phone- hey, I'm allowed! But most, not all of it, is out of my system. Not in the sense of "out of sight, out of mind." No, that's not it at all. It's more in the sense of acceptance. Accepting that I'm here in Minnesota...COLD, COLD, COLD Minnesota...with 5 degree weather with a wind chill factor of negative 18 degrees cold and 6-10 inches of snow cold...without a job...without my beloved car....without any beaches....without E Komo Mai's khalbi ribs and mac salad...DAMN, I'm trapped in Minnesota! What the...?! lol!
Sorry about that...I couldn't resist! Just trying to be drama queen is all! See what happens when you're stuck indoors all day 'cuz the temps outside are way too freezing to go romping around like snow bunnies! They call it "cabin fever." Plus, I've been having a hard time focusing...I lose my concentration easily...LOL! On the real though, this whole move has been tough- I won't lie. But with hubby and all the cool people we've met here, they've definitely made it easier and much more bearable. Minnesota is a nice place. And when I say "nice," it's not with any sarcasm or bitterness in my voice. It's not like when guys say, "Mary? Oh yah, she's 'nice'." Whenever dudes say "nice" in reference to a girl, they usually mean that she's got a nice personality, but there's no follow up to date number two because they're not interested in "nice." Guys like that are only interested in hootchie-mamas. All I gotta say is that I'd rather be a nice girl with a dope personality, the brains to impress and intimidate, and the common sense to know if someone is worth my time. Anyways...there I go again off my tangents! Focus MnM, focus! Ah yes...Minnesota. It definitely takes some gettting used to and it really has its own beauty. They say, "you can take the girl out of San Francisco, but you can't take San Francisco out of the girl." (For some reason, I started hearing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in my head. Probably 'cuz there was this thang on Sports Center on Barry Bonds. Okaaayyy....focus!) As much of that rings true, this is HOME now. Plus, I don't want people to think that I'm unhappy here when just the total opposite is true. It's time to start new chapters in my life and honestly, it shouldn't matter where I am. It could very well be in freakin' Coalinga- inside joke people! Seriously, it doesn't matter where life leads me, as long as hubby and I are together, that's all that matters.
Alright Doh and Eastbay...I'll stop my yappin'...for now! =)
Birthday Shout-Outs
Just wanted to wish my lil' cuz MissyM in Texas a Happy 17th Birthday! Hope all your wishes come true and that this year brings you continued love, peace, health, and happiness. Have fun ice-skating this weekend...and go get your gellato on, girl! Much love...
Okay, so it's already been established, one too many times I've been told, that MnM misses the Bay Area. Hella. It's probably good that I don't notice the pathetic-ness in my writing because I would only be discouraged to pen my thoughts down at all. It's only going to be three months that I've officially been here...THREE months! But for someone who has lived her whole life in the Bay, I have to say that I've handled this move and transition quite well. The bouts of crying as I lingered over pictures of family and friends were common occurences in the beginning. So what if I got teary-eyed as I talked to Mom on the phone- hey, I'm allowed! But most, not all of it, is out of my system. Not in the sense of "out of sight, out of mind." No, that's not it at all. It's more in the sense of acceptance. Accepting that I'm here in Minnesota...COLD, COLD, COLD Minnesota...with 5 degree weather with a wind chill factor of negative 18 degrees cold and 6-10 inches of snow cold...without a job...without my beloved car....without any beaches....without E Komo Mai's khalbi ribs and mac salad...DAMN, I'm trapped in Minnesota! What the...?! lol!
Sorry about that...I couldn't resist! Just trying to be drama queen is all! See what happens when you're stuck indoors all day 'cuz the temps outside are way too freezing to go romping around like snow bunnies! They call it "cabin fever." Plus, I've been having a hard time focusing...I lose my concentration easily...LOL! On the real though, this whole move has been tough- I won't lie. But with hubby and all the cool people we've met here, they've definitely made it easier and much more bearable. Minnesota is a nice place. And when I say "nice," it's not with any sarcasm or bitterness in my voice. It's not like when guys say, "Mary? Oh yah, she's 'nice'." Whenever dudes say "nice" in reference to a girl, they usually mean that she's got a nice personality, but there's no follow up to date number two because they're not interested in "nice." Guys like that are only interested in hootchie-mamas. All I gotta say is that I'd rather be a nice girl with a dope personality, the brains to impress and intimidate, and the common sense to know if someone is worth my time. Anyways...there I go again off my tangents! Focus MnM, focus! Ah yes...Minnesota. It definitely takes some gettting used to and it really has its own beauty. They say, "you can take the girl out of San Francisco, but you can't take San Francisco out of the girl." (For some reason, I started hearing "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" in my head. Probably 'cuz there was this thang on Sports Center on Barry Bonds. Okaaayyy....focus!) As much of that rings true, this is HOME now. Plus, I don't want people to think that I'm unhappy here when just the total opposite is true. It's time to start new chapters in my life and honestly, it shouldn't matter where I am. It could very well be in freakin' Coalinga- inside joke people! Seriously, it doesn't matter where life leads me, as long as hubby and I are together, that's all that matters.
Alright Doh and Eastbay...I'll stop my yappin'...for now! =)
Birthday Shout-Outs
Just wanted to wish my lil' cuz MissyM in Texas a Happy 17th Birthday! Hope all your wishes come true and that this year brings you continued love, peace, health, and happiness. Have fun ice-skating this weekend...and go get your gellato on, girl! Much love...
Tuesday, December 09, 2003
And So It Begins...
The weather reports over here simply kill me. Their choice of words are nothing close to encouraging, fo' real. "There will be a significant snowfall tonight in the Twin Cities area." Significant? Exactly what is so significant about it? "Heavy snow will persist into the night." Persist? Basically it means that during the night and all throughout today, MN should be receiving about 6-10 inches of snow....good Lord! How 'bout just saying, "It's going to freakin' snow in all parts of MN today. There's going to be hella snow everywhere!" Aside from the unbearable cold, it IS beautiful out. 'Tis like a postcard! I didn't have the need to go romp about outside like the first snowfall we had...shoot, we know better now. I'll just enjoy it from the comfort of our nice, warm, and toasty apartment. Hibernation begins...
"And So It Begins...."
If ya'll are die-hard Lord of the Rings fans like hubby and myself, you know that this is the line uttered by King Theodan right before the battle at Helm's Deep against the Uruk-Hai. I mention this because the excitement is rising in the air about the third and last part of the trilogy coming out next Wednesday. Hubby and I already bought advance tickets to the first showing of "Return of the King" at the theater over here...two tix for $8! Whoo hoo! The trailers look dope and we believe that we will not leave the theater disappointed.
The weather reports over here simply kill me. Their choice of words are nothing close to encouraging, fo' real. "There will be a significant snowfall tonight in the Twin Cities area." Significant? Exactly what is so significant about it? "Heavy snow will persist into the night." Persist? Basically it means that during the night and all throughout today, MN should be receiving about 6-10 inches of snow....good Lord! How 'bout just saying, "It's going to freakin' snow in all parts of MN today. There's going to be hella snow everywhere!" Aside from the unbearable cold, it IS beautiful out. 'Tis like a postcard! I didn't have the need to go romp about outside like the first snowfall we had...shoot, we know better now. I'll just enjoy it from the comfort of our nice, warm, and toasty apartment. Hibernation begins...
"And So It Begins...."
If ya'll are die-hard Lord of the Rings fans like hubby and myself, you know that this is the line uttered by King Theodan right before the battle at Helm's Deep against the Uruk-Hai. I mention this because the excitement is rising in the air about the third and last part of the trilogy coming out next Wednesday. Hubby and I already bought advance tickets to the first showing of "Return of the King" at the theater over here...two tix for $8! Whoo hoo! The trailers look dope and we believe that we will not leave the theater disappointed.
Sunday, December 07, 2003
Paskong Pilipino
This was like a mini-mini Fiesta Islands-Christmas gathering of sorts that was held in a school cafeteria of a middle school. We had heard of this event through some newfound friends of ours and decided to check it out. Don't mind the cold 36 degrees- heck, that's 4 degrees warmer than yesterday (and YES, you CAN feel a difference, believe it or not!). The last major Filipino event that hubby and I attended was the Pistahan down at Yerba Buena in downtown San Francisco. If ya'll have been there, you know that it's jam-packed with Pinoys, the smell of barbecue and lumpia in the air, and vendors trying to sell everything from videos, posters, barrel men, books, music to downright pinoy conscious clothing and anything alibata. Paskong Pilipino was nowhere near that, but still cool nonetheless. Turns out that the majority of active Filipino organizations in the Minnesota area were there- all 15 of them. Hubby and I met the acquaintance of many new faces, most wondering who the heck WE were! 'Course, these same people and organizations basically work together and know each other in one way or another. For hubby and I to walk up in there, you definitely know who the newbies are. But we DID know some people...fellow dancers from CSFA, the Philippine Students Association (PSA) crew at University of MN, and fellow Cutting Edge-r, Ibalik. Food-wise, there were some yum food AND it wasn't the $7.00+ that we'd pay back in da City...no, no, no. For a mini-plate of palabok and two lumpia, we paid only $3.00! Then again, there was a table who was selling tiny leche flan for $5...man, imagine if Mare DeJesus started up her catering service- she'd make mucho! For entertainment, they had a talent show of lil' kids...these are the kids whose proud parents like to thrive on attention. Not to be mean, but there was nothing American Idol-ish up there nor was it that cute to have preschool age kids supposedly bopping to the beat...'twas more like jumping up and down! Then there was a Santa giving out gifts that took forever! In any case, there was a choral group with two of Ibalik's kaibigans getting their Temptations-style moves on. Hubby and I did get to meet more people...lol, okay, we did get to meet more people OUR AGE!
Minneapolis Nightlife
Hubby and I got ourselves invited to one of Ibalik's friend's early birthday celebration. We were to meet up with them at this Thai place called Swatdee for drinks. While we were looking for parking, there was a definite "get-yo'-freak-on" vibe in the air, er, winter air. We saw all these hootchified ladies with mini-mini skirts, sleeveless dresses, no jackets, and you just know they're freezing their asses off! How can you not?! It's freakin' 30 degrees! Pshhhhh....I don't care how cute they think they look, but I'm not about to get pneumonia wearing backless, sleeveless attire. Too crazy! All the bars and clubs that we passed had lines full of people, windows all fogged up by all the groovin' bodies within, valet guys working hard to accomodate what we thought were probably football players (we saw the "bling, bling!"), and we even saw two security police on horseback. Dayamn.
Met Ibalik's group of friends...very cool people. Birthday boy was busy downing his share of gifts of whiskey sours. After the drinking, some (um okay, just Wendel!) wanted to move the party elsewhere to a club so they could get their dance on. Now the people back in da City would probably freak when they hear that most clubs and bars DO NOT have a cover! If they do, it's nothing more than $5-10. We were originally supposed to go to "The Empire" (bring 5 people and drink free all night!), started heading to "The Local" (but was way too far to walk to in the cold), and ended up at "The Imperial." 'Twas a teeny tiny place full of, as hubby put it, a bunch of frat boys. Hubby and I didn't stay long and plus, it was getting past our bedtime....NOT! lol! It was cool to meet more new people and it was great to finally see what the nightlife of downtown Minneapolis had to offer. There was a quick moment that made it seem like San Francisco downtown...as we were walking, some dude started asking, "Hey my Asian brutha and sista, you got a dolla?" Dude...we're NOT Asian. LOL! Aahhh....just like home! In all seriousness, I wouldn't mind heading downtown again. It was lively, it was bumpin', it was cool.
This was like a mini-mini Fiesta Islands-Christmas gathering of sorts that was held in a school cafeteria of a middle school. We had heard of this event through some newfound friends of ours and decided to check it out. Don't mind the cold 36 degrees- heck, that's 4 degrees warmer than yesterday (and YES, you CAN feel a difference, believe it or not!). The last major Filipino event that hubby and I attended was the Pistahan down at Yerba Buena in downtown San Francisco. If ya'll have been there, you know that it's jam-packed with Pinoys, the smell of barbecue and lumpia in the air, and vendors trying to sell everything from videos, posters, barrel men, books, music to downright pinoy conscious clothing and anything alibata. Paskong Pilipino was nowhere near that, but still cool nonetheless. Turns out that the majority of active Filipino organizations in the Minnesota area were there- all 15 of them. Hubby and I met the acquaintance of many new faces, most wondering who the heck WE were! 'Course, these same people and organizations basically work together and know each other in one way or another. For hubby and I to walk up in there, you definitely know who the newbies are. But we DID know some people...fellow dancers from CSFA, the Philippine Students Association (PSA) crew at University of MN, and fellow Cutting Edge-r, Ibalik. Food-wise, there were some yum food AND it wasn't the $7.00+ that we'd pay back in da City...no, no, no. For a mini-plate of palabok and two lumpia, we paid only $3.00! Then again, there was a table who was selling tiny leche flan for $5...man, imagine if Mare DeJesus started up her catering service- she'd make mucho! For entertainment, they had a talent show of lil' kids...these are the kids whose proud parents like to thrive on attention. Not to be mean, but there was nothing American Idol-ish up there nor was it that cute to have preschool age kids supposedly bopping to the beat...'twas more like jumping up and down! Then there was a Santa giving out gifts that took forever! In any case, there was a choral group with two of Ibalik's kaibigans getting their Temptations-style moves on. Hubby and I did get to meet more people...lol, okay, we did get to meet more people OUR AGE!
Minneapolis Nightlife
Hubby and I got ourselves invited to one of Ibalik's friend's early birthday celebration. We were to meet up with them at this Thai place called Swatdee for drinks. While we were looking for parking, there was a definite "get-yo'-freak-on" vibe in the air, er, winter air. We saw all these hootchified ladies with mini-mini skirts, sleeveless dresses, no jackets, and you just know they're freezing their asses off! How can you not?! It's freakin' 30 degrees! Pshhhhh....I don't care how cute they think they look, but I'm not about to get pneumonia wearing backless, sleeveless attire. Too crazy! All the bars and clubs that we passed had lines full of people, windows all fogged up by all the groovin' bodies within, valet guys working hard to accomodate what we thought were probably football players (we saw the "bling, bling!"), and we even saw two security police on horseback. Dayamn.
Met Ibalik's group of friends...very cool people. Birthday boy was busy downing his share of gifts of whiskey sours. After the drinking, some (um okay, just Wendel!) wanted to move the party elsewhere to a club so they could get their dance on. Now the people back in da City would probably freak when they hear that most clubs and bars DO NOT have a cover! If they do, it's nothing more than $5-10. We were originally supposed to go to "The Empire" (bring 5 people and drink free all night!), started heading to "The Local" (but was way too far to walk to in the cold), and ended up at "The Imperial." 'Twas a teeny tiny place full of, as hubby put it, a bunch of frat boys. Hubby and I didn't stay long and plus, it was getting past our bedtime....NOT! lol! It was cool to meet more new people and it was great to finally see what the nightlife of downtown Minneapolis had to offer. There was a quick moment that made it seem like San Francisco downtown...as we were walking, some dude started asking, "Hey my Asian brutha and sista, you got a dolla?" Dude...we're NOT Asian. LOL! Aahhh....just like home! In all seriousness, I wouldn't mind heading downtown again. It was lively, it was bumpin', it was cool.
Friday, December 05, 2003
Friendships Come and Gone
The past few days have got me reveling to some flashbacks of back in the day. I recently found out that a friend of mine just got engaged. A "friend" of mine. Gosh, how that term would've seemed like a major understatement about 8 years ago! Back at State in '94, it was more like best friend, sista, confident, homegirl. Ya'll hear stories of friends coming in and out of your lives, and well this is a prime example. No need to go into details of how things went down in our friendship, but needless to say, it hasn't been the same ever since. I've constantly told myself over and over like a broken record that things are as they should be. Everything happens for a reason. Yet, through it all, I'll never forget the lessons I've learned about friendship from Voodoo Child and the rest of the gang and all the good times (and bad times!) we all had.
I've always kept "da girls" on my buddy list, but the whole saying 'hello' and 'what's up' were a rare occurence. That's why I was surprised when I got an IM from Ms. Voodoo herself last night. 'Course she was excited about her upcoming marriage and was in the "gotta-share-my-good-news-with-everyone" mode. Can't blame her- 'tis a huge step in one's life! We chatted for a bit- talked about the weather, her engagement, her plans, her hopes of avoiding drama, and the task of trying (or not!) to please everyone. She commented that as she thought about these very things last night, I came to mind. Yes...I am QUEEN of drama when it came to my own nuptials! Lol! Girl, just elope and go to Hawai'i! All joking aside, it was straight cool to just talk...talk like we would have as if nothing has changed. I remember when all our drama went down for the wedding and I had my bridesmaids and friends around, I turned to Ms. Voodoo. At that time, we hadn't talked much or hung out at all. 'Course we conversed through AIM, but still, a part of me was comforted by her sympathy and genuine concern . Da girls ended up coming to the wedding and it was GREAT to have them there, but like I said before, things have changed. Now I'm in no way expecting to even be invited to this shindig, but I am happy for her and her man. Although it'd be awkward to refer to her as one of my best friends now, there was a time when I felt the closest to her among our lil' group. We were close like sisters. I know so much of the drama in her life and all the obstacles thrown her way, but like a dakilang pilipina that she is, she always stood tall. She deserves all the happiness and my love and congrats go to her.
Looking back, da girls were a major part of my life. They all touched my life in one way or another that I'll always remember. But as I went my separate path from theirs, I never imagined it would be like this. The anger and bitterness has now faded and as much as I'd hate to admit, it's only sadness I feel when I think back to how we all were inseparable. But life goes on. Friends come in and out of our lives, but not without leaving a footprint.
California Dreamin'
Perhaps it's because I miss San Francisco, my family and my friends that have me in this melancholy state of being. Hubby and I are thankful for the many people we've met here in Minnesota, but it really isn't the same. I'm looking forward to going back to da City for the holidays. I can't wait to drive my Honda, see my mom and pops, my sister and family, friends and co-workers, and most especially the beach! If I could, I'm going everyday I'm back! As much as hubby and I are "enjoying/surviving" our white Christmas over here, we're both feening for good ole' California to welcome us home for a bit. It'll definitely be nice to get away from MN's cold, see more Pilipinos, eat Hawaiian food, drink Alhambra water, have homecooked meals that I haven't mastered yet, see rolling hills, real beaches... I want to take a drive to downtown San Francisco, see the skyline and all the lights and decorations. I'd even like to go to Justin Herman Plaza to go iceskating 'cuz there's no way in hell that you'd get me on a frozen lake over here! Basically, I'd just like to immerse ourselves in whatever we can to hold us over until our next visit. Gosh, and to think we've only been gone since September...
The past few days have got me reveling to some flashbacks of back in the day. I recently found out that a friend of mine just got engaged. A "friend" of mine. Gosh, how that term would've seemed like a major understatement about 8 years ago! Back at State in '94, it was more like best friend, sista, confident, homegirl. Ya'll hear stories of friends coming in and out of your lives, and well this is a prime example. No need to go into details of how things went down in our friendship, but needless to say, it hasn't been the same ever since. I've constantly told myself over and over like a broken record that things are as they should be. Everything happens for a reason. Yet, through it all, I'll never forget the lessons I've learned about friendship from Voodoo Child and the rest of the gang and all the good times (and bad times!) we all had.
I've always kept "da girls" on my buddy list, but the whole saying 'hello' and 'what's up' were a rare occurence. That's why I was surprised when I got an IM from Ms. Voodoo herself last night. 'Course she was excited about her upcoming marriage and was in the "gotta-share-my-good-news-with-everyone" mode. Can't blame her- 'tis a huge step in one's life! We chatted for a bit- talked about the weather, her engagement, her plans, her hopes of avoiding drama, and the task of trying (or not!) to please everyone. She commented that as she thought about these very things last night, I came to mind. Yes...I am QUEEN of drama when it came to my own nuptials! Lol! Girl, just elope and go to Hawai'i! All joking aside, it was straight cool to just talk...talk like we would have as if nothing has changed. I remember when all our drama went down for the wedding and I had my bridesmaids and friends around, I turned to Ms. Voodoo. At that time, we hadn't talked much or hung out at all. 'Course we conversed through AIM, but still, a part of me was comforted by her sympathy and genuine concern . Da girls ended up coming to the wedding and it was GREAT to have them there, but like I said before, things have changed. Now I'm in no way expecting to even be invited to this shindig, but I am happy for her and her man. Although it'd be awkward to refer to her as one of my best friends now, there was a time when I felt the closest to her among our lil' group. We were close like sisters. I know so much of the drama in her life and all the obstacles thrown her way, but like a dakilang pilipina that she is, she always stood tall. She deserves all the happiness and my love and congrats go to her.
Looking back, da girls were a major part of my life. They all touched my life in one way or another that I'll always remember. But as I went my separate path from theirs, I never imagined it would be like this. The anger and bitterness has now faded and as much as I'd hate to admit, it's only sadness I feel when I think back to how we all were inseparable. But life goes on. Friends come in and out of our lives, but not without leaving a footprint.
California Dreamin'
Perhaps it's because I miss San Francisco, my family and my friends that have me in this melancholy state of being. Hubby and I are thankful for the many people we've met here in Minnesota, but it really isn't the same. I'm looking forward to going back to da City for the holidays. I can't wait to drive my Honda, see my mom and pops, my sister and family, friends and co-workers, and most especially the beach! If I could, I'm going everyday I'm back! As much as hubby and I are "enjoying/surviving" our white Christmas over here, we're both feening for good ole' California to welcome us home for a bit. It'll definitely be nice to get away from MN's cold, see more Pilipinos, eat Hawaiian food, drink Alhambra water, have homecooked meals that I haven't mastered yet, see rolling hills, real beaches... I want to take a drive to downtown San Francisco, see the skyline and all the lights and decorations. I'd even like to go to Justin Herman Plaza to go iceskating 'cuz there's no way in hell that you'd get me on a frozen lake over here! Basically, I'd just like to immerse ourselves in whatever we can to hold us over until our next visit. Gosh, and to think we've only been gone since September...
Island Blues
Sitting alone in a candle lit room
I close my eyes and inhale deeply
holding it momentarily before exhaling
releasing more than just a breath of air-
the soothing melody of island music gradually drowns out
the quite hum of the refrigerator
the crying infant next door
and the whirring of my laptop.
The sounds of the ukulele strumming
accompanied by various stringed instruments
performed so skillfully and rhythmically
present a solitary and calming retreat
Not quite understanding the lyrics
but appreciating the beauty of not knowing them
and letting the harmony pacify my worries to bliss
lure me into the serene.
The mesmerizing vocals singing of aloha
are like haunting, yet persuasive chants to the gods to
transport me back to the land of paradise
leaving behind the cold winter nights of Minnesota
to the white sand beaches of Maui
lined with luscious green palm trees
under a pink and velvet night sky.
MnM 11-15-03
Maybe it's because we checked out that jazz club and opened our ears to some spoken word....maybe it's because Firemarshall J brought some sun from da islands with him to Minnesota....or maybe it's because it's so terribly cold and white outside. Whatever the case may be, I wrote this about a month ago, but just thought it was fitting for today.
Sitting alone in a candle lit room
I close my eyes and inhale deeply
holding it momentarily before exhaling
releasing more than just a breath of air-
the soothing melody of island music gradually drowns out
the quite hum of the refrigerator
the crying infant next door
and the whirring of my laptop.
The sounds of the ukulele strumming
accompanied by various stringed instruments
performed so skillfully and rhythmically
present a solitary and calming retreat
Not quite understanding the lyrics
but appreciating the beauty of not knowing them
and letting the harmony pacify my worries to bliss
lure me into the serene.
The mesmerizing vocals singing of aloha
are like haunting, yet persuasive chants to the gods to
transport me back to the land of paradise
leaving behind the cold winter nights of Minnesota
to the white sand beaches of Maui
lined with luscious green palm trees
under a pink and velvet night sky.
MnM 11-15-03
Maybe it's because we checked out that jazz club and opened our ears to some spoken word....maybe it's because Firemarshall J brought some sun from da islands with him to Minnesota....or maybe it's because it's so terribly cold and white outside. Whatever the case may be, I wrote this about a month ago, but just thought it was fitting for today.
Thursday, December 04, 2003
Continuation...
We got our day started sometime after our brunch of spam, eggs, and rice. Day one of Firemarshall J's stay ended pretty late and guest or not, I wasn't about to get up at 9:00am. Sorry. 'Twas cool of hubby to have taken the day off so he could play chauffeur. We decided to head out to see St. Anthony's Falls of the Mississippi River. Let me just say here that whoever comes to visit us is going to see this place. It's like taking all the out-of-towners to see the Golden Gate Bridge in da City. It doesn't really equate in beauty, but it's just as famous in my opinion. There is one bridge of many that goes over the mighty river that is perfect for anyone's kodak moments. St. Anthony's Falls is, well, a bunch of falls. I just thought it'd be this one huge body of water that just runs up, down, and through the U.S. Blew my mind when I heard that some people, foolish foolish people, have actually tried to do the whole Huckleberry Finn trek up the river- our first week here, two high school students did just that and one drowned.
The weather outside was just plain freezing, literally. 32 degrees. "And I want to see this river how badly?" Lol. I figure, Firemarshall J was going to miss the snow flurries, let him at least experience the chilling wind factor of 11 degrees. Needless to say, the three of us were frozen and chattering icicles after about 15 minutes out the car. It wasn't even funny. It felt like my ears were going to snap off the sides of my head and I swear, even my eyeballs were cold!
We headed into Minneapolis to check out the downtown. We wanted Firemarshall J to see the walkways that connect most of the buildings. It's like the Embarcadero in the da City...ya'll know how they connect from one through four? It's just like that. But the downtown skyways are enclosed and heated. That way, people can get from place to another in the wintertime without ever stepping out into the frigid air. Honestly, it makes you feel like a guinea pig. That was only my second time walking through and it's just a bunch of signs and arrows pointing in this direction and that. But the cool part is that the skyways are lined with shops galore! You can literally go from one end of downtown to the other. It's also connected to some major restaurants, hotels, and upscale shopping venues. We made our way to the 5-Star hotel, Le Meridien. This hotel is where the celebrities would probably stay, yet hubby stayed here once in what they called the cheapest room. Yes, the cheapest room that had a plasma tv in the room and a 15-inch plasma in the bathroom. It's all art deco and wouldn't even make it on a Trading Spaces episode. Hubby wanted to at least show us the registration and lounge area of the hotel. The lounge area next to the bar looked similar to what you see on MTV as they follow the stars' birthdays as they party and drink up. Now as upscale and uppity as it was, us commonfolk were bundled up in sweatshirts and jeans and honestly, I so felt out of my element. Firemarshall J and I were itching to leave, especially when some the people who worked there kept eyeing us, but there was hubby getting all comfortable in a chair. It was sweet, I won't lie. Must be nice to be able to afford such accomodations. Anyways, as we started our trek, there's a definite change in the people. In a matter of a few blocks, we went from corporate world business power suits to Nellyville hoodlums. Aahhh...reminds me of back home. LOL! Well, we did our tourist thang and snapped some pics. Hopefully hubby will get them up on the site soon.
Mall of America...part II
Our lil' adventure downtown took its toll on our tummies and so we headed back home for a quick dinner. Dinner, Chris Rock's "Bring in the Pain" dvd, some PS2 Madden. We hit MOA about 45 minutes before closing and were on a mission for Firemarshall J to buy some pasalubong. It was so dizzying with all the Christmas lights as we turned corners upon corners searching for that store that one of them saw the night before. Sheesh, ya'll know it's not like Serramonte or Stonestown...it's more like 10 of those malls and then some! We finally found the store we wanted and Jon got what he needed. With the last 10 minutes or so, we ventured on the 3rd floor and was surprised at the myriad of other stores that Doh and I hadn't seen yet. Whoa! Plus, there's that whole string of clubs on the 4th floor. I hear one can purchase a $5 pass and you can go hopping from club to club. $5! We got excited when we saw what we thought was a Hawaiian restaurant. Checked out the menu and our bubbles popped. 'Twas basically a menu of food with a pineapple on the side. Nothing like E Komo Mai back home. Boo. Although we never got the chance to ride the rollercoaster and the other rides with Firemarshall J, we did find Krispy Kreme! lol!
Jazzmine's
Hubby had been talking about this jazz club he went to downtown. On Tuesdays, they have an open mic night and so we headed there for some spoken word. By the time we got there, it was crowded, but we found a lil' table behind this huge pillar. The place had a tiny stage, but the poets that were out and about were off the hook! They were mixing up the whole lyrical thang with some music, rap, and/or beatbox. I have never been to a real spoken word event before. It was a bit intimidating 'cuz everyone and anyone had journals with them and man, everyone LOOKED like a poet. We were lucky 'cuz they announced that this was going to be their last night before they go into hibernation. Haha, hibernation, hiatus, whatever. Like I said, I never really been to something like this prior. The closest I've gotten is by reading various writers' blogs. To hear them speak so soulful and passionate was awesome. There were some thought-provoking pieces and others were just full of anger and bitterness. In my opinion, there is ironic beauty in that. Finding the words to captivate and convey the bottled feelings within to express yourself and open yourself up for others to hear. Talk about being inspired to write again...
Successful Visit- yay!
Although it was only a couple of days, it was nice to have a friend from back home come out to visit us. It gave hubby and I the chance to play tourist, but overall, the time spent hanging out was cool. Up until Firemarshall J came, Doh considered him more of my friend. Hahaha, makes me think back to how we became good friends. He was part of ASU and I was in PACE. We had an Asian American Studies class, but when lecture got boring, we'd bust out writing notes in class to crack each other up. We kept in touch through the years and I became his personal shrink. LOL! Damn, if I charged him for everytime we talked about drama about this and that, I'd be one rich woman! =) (just keepin' it real!) During his time here, he got to hang out more with hubby. I'm glad that they get along so well and Doh was just happy that he got to kick some ass in Madden! On the real though, Firemarshall J is one of my bestest buds and we appreciate that he came all the way out to see us. Thanks to the pseudo-Filipino for coming out- you'll always be known as our first guest! Whoo hoo! Much love from the both of us!
We got our day started sometime after our brunch of spam, eggs, and rice. Day one of Firemarshall J's stay ended pretty late and guest or not, I wasn't about to get up at 9:00am. Sorry. 'Twas cool of hubby to have taken the day off so he could play chauffeur. We decided to head out to see St. Anthony's Falls of the Mississippi River. Let me just say here that whoever comes to visit us is going to see this place. It's like taking all the out-of-towners to see the Golden Gate Bridge in da City. It doesn't really equate in beauty, but it's just as famous in my opinion. There is one bridge of many that goes over the mighty river that is perfect for anyone's kodak moments. St. Anthony's Falls is, well, a bunch of falls. I just thought it'd be this one huge body of water that just runs up, down, and through the U.S. Blew my mind when I heard that some people, foolish foolish people, have actually tried to do the whole Huckleberry Finn trek up the river- our first week here, two high school students did just that and one drowned.
The weather outside was just plain freezing, literally. 32 degrees. "And I want to see this river how badly?" Lol. I figure, Firemarshall J was going to miss the snow flurries, let him at least experience the chilling wind factor of 11 degrees. Needless to say, the three of us were frozen and chattering icicles after about 15 minutes out the car. It wasn't even funny. It felt like my ears were going to snap off the sides of my head and I swear, even my eyeballs were cold!
We headed into Minneapolis to check out the downtown. We wanted Firemarshall J to see the walkways that connect most of the buildings. It's like the Embarcadero in the da City...ya'll know how they connect from one through four? It's just like that. But the downtown skyways are enclosed and heated. That way, people can get from place to another in the wintertime without ever stepping out into the frigid air. Honestly, it makes you feel like a guinea pig. That was only my second time walking through and it's just a bunch of signs and arrows pointing in this direction and that. But the cool part is that the skyways are lined with shops galore! You can literally go from one end of downtown to the other. It's also connected to some major restaurants, hotels, and upscale shopping venues. We made our way to the 5-Star hotel, Le Meridien. This hotel is where the celebrities would probably stay, yet hubby stayed here once in what they called the cheapest room. Yes, the cheapest room that had a plasma tv in the room and a 15-inch plasma in the bathroom. It's all art deco and wouldn't even make it on a Trading Spaces episode. Hubby wanted to at least show us the registration and lounge area of the hotel. The lounge area next to the bar looked similar to what you see on MTV as they follow the stars' birthdays as they party and drink up. Now as upscale and uppity as it was, us commonfolk were bundled up in sweatshirts and jeans and honestly, I so felt out of my element. Firemarshall J and I were itching to leave, especially when some the people who worked there kept eyeing us, but there was hubby getting all comfortable in a chair. It was sweet, I won't lie. Must be nice to be able to afford such accomodations. Anyways, as we started our trek, there's a definite change in the people. In a matter of a few blocks, we went from corporate world business power suits to Nellyville hoodlums. Aahhh...reminds me of back home. LOL! Well, we did our tourist thang and snapped some pics. Hopefully hubby will get them up on the site soon.
Mall of America...part II
Our lil' adventure downtown took its toll on our tummies and so we headed back home for a quick dinner. Dinner, Chris Rock's "Bring in the Pain" dvd, some PS2 Madden. We hit MOA about 45 minutes before closing and were on a mission for Firemarshall J to buy some pasalubong. It was so dizzying with all the Christmas lights as we turned corners upon corners searching for that store that one of them saw the night before. Sheesh, ya'll know it's not like Serramonte or Stonestown...it's more like 10 of those malls and then some! We finally found the store we wanted and Jon got what he needed. With the last 10 minutes or so, we ventured on the 3rd floor and was surprised at the myriad of other stores that Doh and I hadn't seen yet. Whoa! Plus, there's that whole string of clubs on the 4th floor. I hear one can purchase a $5 pass and you can go hopping from club to club. $5! We got excited when we saw what we thought was a Hawaiian restaurant. Checked out the menu and our bubbles popped. 'Twas basically a menu of food with a pineapple on the side. Nothing like E Komo Mai back home. Boo. Although we never got the chance to ride the rollercoaster and the other rides with Firemarshall J, we did find Krispy Kreme! lol!
Jazzmine's
Hubby had been talking about this jazz club he went to downtown. On Tuesdays, they have an open mic night and so we headed there for some spoken word. By the time we got there, it was crowded, but we found a lil' table behind this huge pillar. The place had a tiny stage, but the poets that were out and about were off the hook! They were mixing up the whole lyrical thang with some music, rap, and/or beatbox. I have never been to a real spoken word event before. It was a bit intimidating 'cuz everyone and anyone had journals with them and man, everyone LOOKED like a poet. We were lucky 'cuz they announced that this was going to be their last night before they go into hibernation. Haha, hibernation, hiatus, whatever. Like I said, I never really been to something like this prior. The closest I've gotten is by reading various writers' blogs. To hear them speak so soulful and passionate was awesome. There were some thought-provoking pieces and others were just full of anger and bitterness. In my opinion, there is ironic beauty in that. Finding the words to captivate and convey the bottled feelings within to express yourself and open yourself up for others to hear. Talk about being inspired to write again...
Successful Visit- yay!
Although it was only a couple of days, it was nice to have a friend from back home come out to visit us. It gave hubby and I the chance to play tourist, but overall, the time spent hanging out was cool. Up until Firemarshall J came, Doh considered him more of my friend. Hahaha, makes me think back to how we became good friends. He was part of ASU and I was in PACE. We had an Asian American Studies class, but when lecture got boring, we'd bust out writing notes in class to crack each other up. We kept in touch through the years and I became his personal shrink. LOL! Damn, if I charged him for everytime we talked about drama about this and that, I'd be one rich woman! =) (just keepin' it real!) During his time here, he got to hang out more with hubby. I'm glad that they get along so well and Doh was just happy that he got to kick some ass in Madden! On the real though, Firemarshall J is one of my bestest buds and we appreciate that he came all the way out to see us. Thanks to the pseudo-Filipino for coming out- you'll always be known as our first guest! Whoo hoo! Much love from the both of us!
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
"Toto, We're Not In Kansas Anymore..."
Firemarshall J flew out back to da City today. The past two days have been filled with touristy activities that hubby and I are just exhausted! Don't get me wrong- we were definitely glad to have him here. It was filled with movie nights, PS2 matches, Quizilla tests, Mall of America laps, and walks in the freaking cold so we can take pictures of the mighty Mississippi. Having him here and showing him around was just another excuse for hubby and I get outta the house and be tourists ourselves. Plus, it was so cool to have someone from CA visiting us. Makes us feel special. =)
Homie arrived on Monday afternoon and was welcomed by 34 degree weather. He called from his layover in Chicago and was freaking out how cold it was. Dude...this ain't Hawai'i! We were waiting outside the arrival gates for this totally lost looking dude who was like a fish out of water. I swear, you couldn't miss him...PLUS, he wouldn't have missed US waiting for him. We were the only two brown skinned people there! Hahaha, Firemarshall J was experiencing a case of culture shock. He was like, "There are so many white people here!" Yah, well, this IS Minnesota...
From the airport, we brought him to our place to chill. The whole ride, Jon kept trippin' on how flat it was here. Sorry, no rolling hills, no city long blocks, nothing like da City. Hubby and I did our best to point out some of the features of Minne-snow-ta: the myriad of water towers bearing the name of the city that welcomes you, the 55 MPH speed zones, the multiple lakes we drove by or across, the neverending sea of leafless trees, and of course, the snow covered streets. Since it hasn't snowed for a few days, much of the beautiful white snow had been converted to black, mushy, dirty slush. Not too visually appealing, but snow nonetheless. We had to point out the Target and Bestbuy Headquarters simply because those are places worth mentioning. =) Firemarshall J was in a state of shock. This is the farthest east he has gone since he was a kid and the whole change in geography was too much to take in. He kept muttering that line from the Wizard of Oz that I now find totally hilarious, "Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore." Nope. Sorry. Woodbury, Minnesota is where you at now, homie.
Mall of America...part I
After chillin' at Casa de Manimtim for a while, we decided to head out to Mall of America (MOA). That was part of our To Do list for Tuesday, but we figured that MOA cannot be done in one day. There is really no way anyone can...even if you wanted to. Anyways, all we did was take laps. We kept trying to figure out which way we wanted to go. All Firemarshall J could do (and WOULD do the entire time he was here, dammit!) was shrug his shoulders and say, "I'm cool. Whatever." Man, ya' took too much island with you here. Decide dammit! Lol! (just keepin' it real, dude!)
Once again, Jon was in a state of shock. He had to keep pulling his jaw from off the ground 'cuz he couldn't take in how huge MOA was. First of all, it's four levels. That doesn't include the Aquarium on the bottom floor, a campus university, the chapel (for those who want to tie the knot in the mall!), the multiple full-sized restaurants, and of course, Camp Snoopy. Camp Snoopy is the mini-theme park in the center of MOA complete with rollercoaster, ferris wheel, water ride, and other rides and games. Now we're not talking Six Flaggs or Great America type of rides, but still. Ain't no other mall has what MOA has and sheesh, it's just a hop, skip, and a jump from where we live.
We ended up eating at MOA at this really nice restaurant, Twin Cities Grill. The food is so yum over there. The three of us were eating Filipino style...no, not with our hands, but the whole letting each other try our dishes thang (grilled salmon, beef tenderloin tips, and the grilled shrimp special). Now what happened next was so NOT supposed to happen. The FIGHT. Ya'll know what fight I'm talking about. The fight for the bill. I tried my best to get the check (as hubby was too busy trying to unstuck his wallet from his jacket), but my grip wasn't good enough. I barely got two fingers on it, but it slipped away. Firemarshall J was just too quick and like the sucker that he is, he paid for dinner. Dude! That's against the rules- "thy guest shall not payest for dinner." But we'll let that one go. As much as it wasn't cool Firemarshall J, hubby and I are most gracious.
We walked off our dinner with more laps around MOA, browsing in and out of some, but not doing any real shopping (did I mention that there is NO TAX on clothes over here?!). We stayed until almost closing time. Had to take some quick pics of the sign that greets you at the door: "Minnesota Law bans guns on these premises." Yes people, you read that correctly. Guns are legal here. Legal in the Midwest. Pshh....and people wonder WHY certain things happen out here in the supposed best place to raise your kids...yah, whatever.
Movie Night
Got home, the night was still young, and plus homie was running on either California or Hawai'i time. We decided to watch "Better Luck Tomorrow." It's that movie by director Justin Lin. It came out earlier this year. Now this is what we've all been waiting for. It was a movie by an Asian, about Asians, starring Asians, BUT nothing like the played out issues of the PCN's back home. It was just like any other movie 'cept the only thing different was that the main characters weren't white. It did focus on some of the typical stereotypes like being an overachiever and model minority, but damn, this movie takes it to a different level altogether. The main character, Ben Manibag, is Filipino, but he's played by a Chinese actor. It's all good though. For what these high schoolers in an L.A. suburb get themselves into seems so beyond my imagination, but maybe that attitude stems from my private school upbringing. As crazy as I thought something was, hubby and Jon were agreeing and making comments like, "yah, reminds me of this guy I once knew." If that's the case, well damn, that only validates why I choose NOT to teach any grade higher than 4th! Too damn scary. Oh yah, besides all the other "unknowns" that sorta look familiar, the movie also stars the "MILF" guy from the American Pie movies. Know who I'm talking about? Hahaha, sorry, I don't know his name. In any case, if ya'll haven't had a chance to see it, go see it. It's different, it's fresh, it's something that the world has been waiting for. We need more movies like this one.
Man, Mall of America, movie night, and PS2...and it's just the first day...
Firemarshall J flew out back to da City today. The past two days have been filled with touristy activities that hubby and I are just exhausted! Don't get me wrong- we were definitely glad to have him here. It was filled with movie nights, PS2 matches, Quizilla tests, Mall of America laps, and walks in the freaking cold so we can take pictures of the mighty Mississippi. Having him here and showing him around was just another excuse for hubby and I get outta the house and be tourists ourselves. Plus, it was so cool to have someone from CA visiting us. Makes us feel special. =)
Homie arrived on Monday afternoon and was welcomed by 34 degree weather. He called from his layover in Chicago and was freaking out how cold it was. Dude...this ain't Hawai'i! We were waiting outside the arrival gates for this totally lost looking dude who was like a fish out of water. I swear, you couldn't miss him...PLUS, he wouldn't have missed US waiting for him. We were the only two brown skinned people there! Hahaha, Firemarshall J was experiencing a case of culture shock. He was like, "There are so many white people here!" Yah, well, this IS Minnesota...
From the airport, we brought him to our place to chill. The whole ride, Jon kept trippin' on how flat it was here. Sorry, no rolling hills, no city long blocks, nothing like da City. Hubby and I did our best to point out some of the features of Minne-snow-ta: the myriad of water towers bearing the name of the city that welcomes you, the 55 MPH speed zones, the multiple lakes we drove by or across, the neverending sea of leafless trees, and of course, the snow covered streets. Since it hasn't snowed for a few days, much of the beautiful white snow had been converted to black, mushy, dirty slush. Not too visually appealing, but snow nonetheless. We had to point out the Target and Bestbuy Headquarters simply because those are places worth mentioning. =) Firemarshall J was in a state of shock. This is the farthest east he has gone since he was a kid and the whole change in geography was too much to take in. He kept muttering that line from the Wizard of Oz that I now find totally hilarious, "Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore." Nope. Sorry. Woodbury, Minnesota is where you at now, homie.
Mall of America...part I
After chillin' at Casa de Manimtim for a while, we decided to head out to Mall of America (MOA). That was part of our To Do list for Tuesday, but we figured that MOA cannot be done in one day. There is really no way anyone can...even if you wanted to. Anyways, all we did was take laps. We kept trying to figure out which way we wanted to go. All Firemarshall J could do (and WOULD do the entire time he was here, dammit!) was shrug his shoulders and say, "I'm cool. Whatever." Man, ya' took too much island with you here. Decide dammit! Lol! (just keepin' it real, dude!)
Once again, Jon was in a state of shock. He had to keep pulling his jaw from off the ground 'cuz he couldn't take in how huge MOA was. First of all, it's four levels. That doesn't include the Aquarium on the bottom floor, a campus university, the chapel (for those who want to tie the knot in the mall!), the multiple full-sized restaurants, and of course, Camp Snoopy. Camp Snoopy is the mini-theme park in the center of MOA complete with rollercoaster, ferris wheel, water ride, and other rides and games. Now we're not talking Six Flaggs or Great America type of rides, but still. Ain't no other mall has what MOA has and sheesh, it's just a hop, skip, and a jump from where we live.
We ended up eating at MOA at this really nice restaurant, Twin Cities Grill. The food is so yum over there. The three of us were eating Filipino style...no, not with our hands, but the whole letting each other try our dishes thang (grilled salmon, beef tenderloin tips, and the grilled shrimp special). Now what happened next was so NOT supposed to happen. The FIGHT. Ya'll know what fight I'm talking about. The fight for the bill. I tried my best to get the check (as hubby was too busy trying to unstuck his wallet from his jacket), but my grip wasn't good enough. I barely got two fingers on it, but it slipped away. Firemarshall J was just too quick and like the sucker that he is, he paid for dinner. Dude! That's against the rules- "thy guest shall not payest for dinner." But we'll let that one go. As much as it wasn't cool Firemarshall J, hubby and I are most gracious.
We walked off our dinner with more laps around MOA, browsing in and out of some, but not doing any real shopping (did I mention that there is NO TAX on clothes over here?!). We stayed until almost closing time. Had to take some quick pics of the sign that greets you at the door: "Minnesota Law bans guns on these premises." Yes people, you read that correctly. Guns are legal here. Legal in the Midwest. Pshh....and people wonder WHY certain things happen out here in the supposed best place to raise your kids...yah, whatever.
Movie Night
Got home, the night was still young, and plus homie was running on either California or Hawai'i time. We decided to watch "Better Luck Tomorrow." It's that movie by director Justin Lin. It came out earlier this year. Now this is what we've all been waiting for. It was a movie by an Asian, about Asians, starring Asians, BUT nothing like the played out issues of the PCN's back home. It was just like any other movie 'cept the only thing different was that the main characters weren't white. It did focus on some of the typical stereotypes like being an overachiever and model minority, but damn, this movie takes it to a different level altogether. The main character, Ben Manibag, is Filipino, but he's played by a Chinese actor. It's all good though. For what these high schoolers in an L.A. suburb get themselves into seems so beyond my imagination, but maybe that attitude stems from my private school upbringing. As crazy as I thought something was, hubby and Jon were agreeing and making comments like, "yah, reminds me of this guy I once knew." If that's the case, well damn, that only validates why I choose NOT to teach any grade higher than 4th! Too damn scary. Oh yah, besides all the other "unknowns" that sorta look familiar, the movie also stars the "MILF" guy from the American Pie movies. Know who I'm talking about? Hahaha, sorry, I don't know his name. In any case, if ya'll haven't had a chance to see it, go see it. It's different, it's fresh, it's something that the world has been waiting for. We need more movies like this one.
Man, Mall of America, movie night, and PS2...and it's just the first day...
Monday, December 01, 2003
Quizzilla Rocks!
Okay, so I'm a lil' addicted to these quizzes. Check these out...tis cool. =)
What Type of Soul Do You Have ?
brought to you by Quizilla
You are naturally born with a gift, whether it be
poetry, writing or song. You love beauty and
creativity, and usually are highly intelligent.
Others view you as mysterious and dreamy, yet
also bold since you hold firm in your beliefs.
What Sign of Affection Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
cuddle and a kiss on the forehead - you like to be
close to your special someone and feel warm,
comfortable, and needed
Okay, so I'm a lil' addicted to these quizzes. Check these out...tis cool. =)
What Type of Soul Do You Have ?
brought to you by Quizilla
You are naturally born with a gift, whether it be
poetry, writing or song. You love beauty and
creativity, and usually are highly intelligent.
Others view you as mysterious and dreamy, yet
also bold since you hold firm in your beliefs.
What Sign of Affection Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
cuddle and a kiss on the forehead - you like to be
close to your special someone and feel warm,
comfortable, and needed
Turkeyed Out
Ahh....can I just say how YUM our lil' Thanksgiving feast was?! Hubby worked so hard in the kitchen on Thursday while I basically just chilled. Nice. We even got out of our pj's to dress up as we were having guests over. That lasted up until dessert! Hahaha! Hubby was like, "Um, can I change now?" Yah, okay, it was my idea...BUT it was nice for the time being! After our first round of food, hubby and I played PS2 for the rest of the night. While some people may not think much of our UnThanksgiving (as they called it back at SF State!), it was nice and quiet for the both of us. We both have so much to be thankful.
Hubby and I both called home to our respective families back in CA. Got to talk to my parents, my sister, and my Apu (grandma). Apu is just one of the cutest ladies ever. You know when you ask someone, "How are you?", it's supposed to be one of those rhetorical questions that people are obligated to say, "Fine thanks. You?" Then you say "I'm good!" And it ends with the other person saying, "Good" as you go your separate ways. Am I right? Well, anytime someone talks to Apu, you will not get the expected "fine thanks." Instead, you WILL hear how she's doing. LOL! I mean, I'm not making fun of my grandma, but it's just funny how she'll be honest and true in her response. She'll go into how her feet are swollen from gout, how she's not been feeling well lately, or like how her stomach was hurting from medication. 'Course I don't find all that humorous at all, but Apu is a strong lady. She gave birth to 12 kids, survived the Japanese occupation in the Philippines, outlived her husband and 4 children, and made it from P.I. to the States. She hasn't been the strongest healthwise, but she did survive the open heart surgery that no one thought she'd make it through, she's been in and out of the hospital too many times I can't even recall, has hella medication prescriptions, and she's taken a lot of sh*t from some asenine people in our family, but she's overcome them all. She is a true example of a dakilang pilipina.
As much as Thanksgiving is supposed to be a festive time for family and friends to gather together, for some, it's a sad time. I just talked to my sister today and she told me that there are two funerals that she'll be attending after the holidays. One is that of their friend's father who was the victim of a hit-and-run incident in San Francisco. This man was 90 years old and he was out taking his morning walk in the Sunset with a friend. Some car ran a red light and hit him and another teenage kid. The other funeral is that another friend's father as well. Why do these things happen around the holidays? We really don't know why tragic things happen to innocent people, but to have them happen during the holidays make it even more devastating as it already is. For the families, the following holidays each year won't be as happy, but a sad reminder of the death of a loved one. Yet as heart-breaking as it is to lose a loved one, we just have to trust that God knows what is best for us. There's a time and season for everything. During these sad times, it's hard for those to see that their loved one is already in a better place in heaven and that they are fulfilling and living their higher purpose. My heart and prayers go out to these families as they take comfort in knowing that He will be watching over them.
Movie Night
Hubby and I have been having "movie night" a lot lately. We dig it 'cuz we do the whole popcorn thang and junkfood as we turn out the lights and turn up the surround sound. Yes, I can totally appreciate the whole sound system thang that I originally thought was part of man's toy collection. Hahaha. Friday night as we ate, (yes, you guessed right!), turkey, we watched "Finding Nemo" and "X-Men 2." I was proud to say that I went throughout "Finding Nemo" without shedding a tear...until the end. If ya'll have seen this movie, then you know which part I'm talking about. Okay, okay, so I'm a sap for corny stuff like that, but hey, that's me. We also bought the Lord of the Rings: Twin Towers special edition. Now if you don't know, now you know- hubby and I are HUGE Lord of the Rings fans. We seriously cannot wait for the last part of the trilogy, "Return of the King," to open in theaters. The special edition is so dope. It's got all these extended scenes that really open up the characters' background and explains in further detail more about the story itself. Honestly, these deleted scenes should've been left in the movie and personally, I would not have minded watching a 4-hour movie. Yah, I love long movies, too. Remember "Titanic?' Three and a half hours baby! Hubby and I are both excited and sad for the "Return of the King" to come out. What'll we look forward to (besides the dvd) when it's all over???
Birthday Shout-Outs
Just wanted to extend my birthday wishes to RobotSushi! RobotSushi is a good friend from my SF State days and for the longest time, I didn't even know he was Filipino! He was always hangin' out in the ASU office, aka: PACE's other hangout when our own office was full. After graduation, we all lost touch, but we were supposed to meet up at each other's weddings. Turns out we couldn't go to his, and he couldn't go to mine. But dammit, we'll meet up again one of these days, I just know it. I haven't seen this dude in hella long time, but if you're reading this blog, hope you have a FABOO 31st birthday!
Our First Guest!
Today's the day when Firemarshall J comes to town- whoo hoo! 'Twas so funny 'cuz he just called from his stop-over in Chicago- says he's freezing over there! Dude, it ain't much different here in MN! Hubby and I are excited...our first guest from California. Firemarshall J is only staying a few days, but we all get to play tourist! Hubby is planning on taking us to a jazz club, Jazzmines, tomorrow. Turns out they have an open mic night for spoken word on Tuesdays...let's see if we can twist his arm to recite some of this stuff! =) Other things on our To Do list includes going to Mall of America, St. Anthony Falls to see the Mississippi River, and downtown Minneapolis. We'll probably have a movie night, PS2 with Madden, and definitely lots of food. Aside from the cold, the next few days should be fun, fun, fun!
Hey Marshall J- at least you can save your long-distance minutes for someone else!
Ahh....can I just say how YUM our lil' Thanksgiving feast was?! Hubby worked so hard in the kitchen on Thursday while I basically just chilled. Nice. We even got out of our pj's to dress up as we were having guests over. That lasted up until dessert! Hahaha! Hubby was like, "Um, can I change now?" Yah, okay, it was my idea...BUT it was nice for the time being! After our first round of food, hubby and I played PS2 for the rest of the night. While some people may not think much of our UnThanksgiving (as they called it back at SF State!), it was nice and quiet for the both of us. We both have so much to be thankful.
Hubby and I both called home to our respective families back in CA. Got to talk to my parents, my sister, and my Apu (grandma). Apu is just one of the cutest ladies ever. You know when you ask someone, "How are you?", it's supposed to be one of those rhetorical questions that people are obligated to say, "Fine thanks. You?" Then you say "I'm good!" And it ends with the other person saying, "Good" as you go your separate ways. Am I right? Well, anytime someone talks to Apu, you will not get the expected "fine thanks." Instead, you WILL hear how she's doing. LOL! I mean, I'm not making fun of my grandma, but it's just funny how she'll be honest and true in her response. She'll go into how her feet are swollen from gout, how she's not been feeling well lately, or like how her stomach was hurting from medication. 'Course I don't find all that humorous at all, but Apu is a strong lady. She gave birth to 12 kids, survived the Japanese occupation in the Philippines, outlived her husband and 4 children, and made it from P.I. to the States. She hasn't been the strongest healthwise, but she did survive the open heart surgery that no one thought she'd make it through, she's been in and out of the hospital too many times I can't even recall, has hella medication prescriptions, and she's taken a lot of sh*t from some asenine people in our family, but she's overcome them all. She is a true example of a dakilang pilipina.
As much as Thanksgiving is supposed to be a festive time for family and friends to gather together, for some, it's a sad time. I just talked to my sister today and she told me that there are two funerals that she'll be attending after the holidays. One is that of their friend's father who was the victim of a hit-and-run incident in San Francisco. This man was 90 years old and he was out taking his morning walk in the Sunset with a friend. Some car ran a red light and hit him and another teenage kid. The other funeral is that another friend's father as well. Why do these things happen around the holidays? We really don't know why tragic things happen to innocent people, but to have them happen during the holidays make it even more devastating as it already is. For the families, the following holidays each year won't be as happy, but a sad reminder of the death of a loved one. Yet as heart-breaking as it is to lose a loved one, we just have to trust that God knows what is best for us. There's a time and season for everything. During these sad times, it's hard for those to see that their loved one is already in a better place in heaven and that they are fulfilling and living their higher purpose. My heart and prayers go out to these families as they take comfort in knowing that He will be watching over them.
Movie Night
Hubby and I have been having "movie night" a lot lately. We dig it 'cuz we do the whole popcorn thang and junkfood as we turn out the lights and turn up the surround sound. Yes, I can totally appreciate the whole sound system thang that I originally thought was part of man's toy collection. Hahaha. Friday night as we ate, (yes, you guessed right!), turkey, we watched "Finding Nemo" and "X-Men 2." I was proud to say that I went throughout "Finding Nemo" without shedding a tear...until the end. If ya'll have seen this movie, then you know which part I'm talking about. Okay, okay, so I'm a sap for corny stuff like that, but hey, that's me. We also bought the Lord of the Rings: Twin Towers special edition. Now if you don't know, now you know- hubby and I are HUGE Lord of the Rings fans. We seriously cannot wait for the last part of the trilogy, "Return of the King," to open in theaters. The special edition is so dope. It's got all these extended scenes that really open up the characters' background and explains in further detail more about the story itself. Honestly, these deleted scenes should've been left in the movie and personally, I would not have minded watching a 4-hour movie. Yah, I love long movies, too. Remember "Titanic?' Three and a half hours baby! Hubby and I are both excited and sad for the "Return of the King" to come out. What'll we look forward to (besides the dvd) when it's all over???
Birthday Shout-Outs
Just wanted to extend my birthday wishes to RobotSushi! RobotSushi is a good friend from my SF State days and for the longest time, I didn't even know he was Filipino! He was always hangin' out in the ASU office, aka: PACE's other hangout when our own office was full. After graduation, we all lost touch, but we were supposed to meet up at each other's weddings. Turns out we couldn't go to his, and he couldn't go to mine. But dammit, we'll meet up again one of these days, I just know it. I haven't seen this dude in hella long time, but if you're reading this blog, hope you have a FABOO 31st birthday!
Our First Guest!
Today's the day when Firemarshall J comes to town- whoo hoo! 'Twas so funny 'cuz he just called from his stop-over in Chicago- says he's freezing over there! Dude, it ain't much different here in MN! Hubby and I are excited...our first guest from California. Firemarshall J is only staying a few days, but we all get to play tourist! Hubby is planning on taking us to a jazz club, Jazzmines, tomorrow. Turns out they have an open mic night for spoken word on Tuesdays...let's see if we can twist his arm to recite some of this stuff! =) Other things on our To Do list includes going to Mall of America, St. Anthony Falls to see the Mississippi River, and downtown Minneapolis. We'll probably have a movie night, PS2 with Madden, and definitely lots of food. Aside from the cold, the next few days should be fun, fun, fun!
Hey Marshall J- at least you can save your long-distance minutes for someone else!
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