If You Don't Know, Now You Know
Just had to share real quick. Our new place is in a new development not too far from where we were originally living. I'm always bitchin' how freakin' dark it is at night...no lighted roads anywhere. If you ask me, I'd rather not be out and about in our parts 'cuz it might be a horror movie waiting to happen, know what I mean? Well, everytime we make that left turn into our complex, we always joke that we honestly don't know what is beyond the other bend of the road. We're reminded of that scene in Lord of the Rings when Frodo and Samwise are beginning their journey and leaving the Shire. Sam pauses and says that if he takes one more step, it will be the farthest away he's ever been from the Shire. While we were returning from running errands, hubby was about to make that left turn when I suddenly pointed ahead that we should check out what's beyond our complex. Know what we found?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And this is where we start freaking out, laughing out loud, and realizing just how far into Minnesota country farmland we really are. When hubby and I first drove from CA to MN, he pointed out that if you see silos, you know you're really OUT THERE in boonyville. Well folks, it's official. We live out in the boonies! We proceeded for about 5 minutes and it was nothing but farmland. We saw some cows, some horses, and even some wild turkey, I think! The road twisted and turned and when we finally reached the end, we found ourselves in a small ass town, almost Dawson's Creek-like, but not. To me, it was borderline nice town & nice folks, or small town, white KKK hicks. No jokes. It could've gone either way. After driving on a bit further and seeing the land roll out before us, I decided it was time to turn back for home. It was then I realized all of these mailboxes in the middle of nowhere that made me go hmmmm... I mean, if you have to literally drive out so far just to get your freakin' mail, it makes me wonder just who the neighboring folks are, y'know? Are we living next to some recluse freaks who'll one day be the next unibomber? God, I sure as hell hope not!
Anyways, as close as we are to civilized living, we're not just one step away from the boonies...hell, we ARE in the boonies! Never mind that Target, Sam's Club, and outlet shopping is a hop, skip, and a jump away, we are out there. Holy Shit.
Silos. Cows. Wild turkeys. Oh My!
Friday, December 31, 2004
The End of an Era
Today was D-Day...our last day at the apartment. The last few days have been spent driving back and forth, lugging leftover junk back to our new place just to be piled up somewhere, and cleaning like crazy to make the apt more presentable to avoid any deductions from the nice lil' deposit that we should be getting back. I went ahead of hubby to finish up last minute cleanups and by the time I was done, I had about an hour to kill before the management conducted the walk thru. I guess you could say that I had my last moments with the apartment, my personal farewell to it. I went through each room to make sure we didn't leave anything behind. I did my whole once over glance, heaved my resignating sigh as I recalled certain moments or conversations that took place, and then proceeded to the next room. Of course it didn't take too long, but as I looked around the empty apartment, empty walls, and freshly vaccuumed rugs, I remembered the excitement of moving into a brand new place.
Aside from the whole moving process being a major pain in the ass, memories of moving out of California came rushing back. Although it's been over a year (a year and four months to be exact!), the adjustment has really been tough. Geographically speaking, it's been rough not being able to get in my car and drive an hour to visit my sister, go to my parents for dinner, and hell, even drive that 10 minutes to the nearest Baskin Robbins for that mochablast I'm always craving. I've missed all the many get-together dinners, walk and talks, theme parties, birthdays, weddings, and all the other events that included seeing and hanging out with family and friends. Sure we've made some friends here, but it's just not the same. Plus, of all things, it pains me that we're not anywhere near a body of water..namely a beach.
BUT...it hasn't been all that bad...with the exception of the weather. The weather? Shoot, I can bitch about that all day and all night. In fact, we were having "warm" weather today..if you can call 26 degrees warm. It finally hit me that what I've been muttering as the "crazy Minnesotans" who dress in shorts in this weather really are NOT crazy because hell, after having bouts of negative 15 degree weather, anything above that is, indeed, warm. I actually went out today without my scarf and gloves. On the real though...Minnesota hasn't been so bad as I might've made it in the past. First of all, we've met some cool people from church and second of all, we've been running into fellow Californians who, like us, are moving to MN because of job opportunities. This might seem odd, but it comforts me that we're all in the same boat so to speak. There's that connection that these people know what the world outside of MN is like. It has definitely been a culture shock for me and hubby. In all honesty, I just haven't been around so many white people in my life, is that funny? I do miss seeing fellow brown-skinned folk. You'd be surprised at how diverse MN really is, but really, it just ain't California.
Being away from da Bay has allowed hubby and I to really get to know each other MORE, for better or for worse. Things aren't always peachy keen, but we work through whatever comes our way. Now that our lease to the apartment is finally up and we had just closed and moved into a brand new house, well, gee! This is a huge step for us! Hubby calls it an "end of an era" and yes, in many ways it is. I also like to call it a beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
New Year's is always a time for reflection, isn't it? We all look back at how the year transpired and whether they were all good, bad, happy, or sad, it's time to look ahead to what tomorrow brings. We look back at our mistakes and vow to learn from them. We look at relationships, see how they've grown, and if things have gone sour, look for ways to amend and resolve them. New Year's is really about leaving all the bad shit behind and starting with a clean slate. Although realistically speaking it may not be a totally clean slate, with some changes in attitude, perspective, and heart, one can be on their way to the much needed brand new start that their life has been needing.
I have many hopes and dreams for 2005. My expectations are much higher than last years and I believe everyone should always aspire for more, too. Although we don't know what the future holds for us, we can at least take it one day at a time. With all the devastation, war, sickness, disaster, and hate that is plaguing our world today, we owe it to ourselves to make the best of the coming year. If you have given up on making resolutions because of the liklihood of breaking them, at least make one. It's sounds cliche, but tell family and friends that you love them. Those three lil' words will be the most powerful words you ever mutter, but say them and say them often. You won't regret it.
SOOOOO....what started as the 'end of an era' recollection of our apartment experience in MN, it has ended with an entire New Year's reflection on my part. See how rambled my thoughts can be sometimes! Aiya!
Wishing ya'll a Happy and prosperous 2005! Whatever you do, wherever you are, and whomever you're with, be safe. And if you're silly, short, and superstitious like me, don't forget to jump at the stroke of midnight and make sure you jingle them coins in your pocket....much love always.
*Birthday love goes out to M.Lapid who celebrated her 32nd birthday!*
Today was D-Day...our last day at the apartment. The last few days have been spent driving back and forth, lugging leftover junk back to our new place just to be piled up somewhere, and cleaning like crazy to make the apt more presentable to avoid any deductions from the nice lil' deposit that we should be getting back. I went ahead of hubby to finish up last minute cleanups and by the time I was done, I had about an hour to kill before the management conducted the walk thru. I guess you could say that I had my last moments with the apartment, my personal farewell to it. I went through each room to make sure we didn't leave anything behind. I did my whole once over glance, heaved my resignating sigh as I recalled certain moments or conversations that took place, and then proceeded to the next room. Of course it didn't take too long, but as I looked around the empty apartment, empty walls, and freshly vaccuumed rugs, I remembered the excitement of moving into a brand new place.
Aside from the whole moving process being a major pain in the ass, memories of moving out of California came rushing back. Although it's been over a year (a year and four months to be exact!), the adjustment has really been tough. Geographically speaking, it's been rough not being able to get in my car and drive an hour to visit my sister, go to my parents for dinner, and hell, even drive that 10 minutes to the nearest Baskin Robbins for that mochablast I'm always craving. I've missed all the many get-together dinners, walk and talks, theme parties, birthdays, weddings, and all the other events that included seeing and hanging out with family and friends. Sure we've made some friends here, but it's just not the same. Plus, of all things, it pains me that we're not anywhere near a body of water..namely a beach.
BUT...it hasn't been all that bad...with the exception of the weather. The weather? Shoot, I can bitch about that all day and all night. In fact, we were having "warm" weather today..if you can call 26 degrees warm. It finally hit me that what I've been muttering as the "crazy Minnesotans" who dress in shorts in this weather really are NOT crazy because hell, after having bouts of negative 15 degree weather, anything above that is, indeed, warm. I actually went out today without my scarf and gloves. On the real though...Minnesota hasn't been so bad as I might've made it in the past. First of all, we've met some cool people from church and second of all, we've been running into fellow Californians who, like us, are moving to MN because of job opportunities. This might seem odd, but it comforts me that we're all in the same boat so to speak. There's that connection that these people know what the world outside of MN is like. It has definitely been a culture shock for me and hubby. In all honesty, I just haven't been around so many white people in my life, is that funny? I do miss seeing fellow brown-skinned folk. You'd be surprised at how diverse MN really is, but really, it just ain't California.
Being away from da Bay has allowed hubby and I to really get to know each other MORE, for better or for worse. Things aren't always peachy keen, but we work through whatever comes our way. Now that our lease to the apartment is finally up and we had just closed and moved into a brand new house, well, gee! This is a huge step for us! Hubby calls it an "end of an era" and yes, in many ways it is. I also like to call it a beginning of a new chapter in our lives.
New Year's is always a time for reflection, isn't it? We all look back at how the year transpired and whether they were all good, bad, happy, or sad, it's time to look ahead to what tomorrow brings. We look back at our mistakes and vow to learn from them. We look at relationships, see how they've grown, and if things have gone sour, look for ways to amend and resolve them. New Year's is really about leaving all the bad shit behind and starting with a clean slate. Although realistically speaking it may not be a totally clean slate, with some changes in attitude, perspective, and heart, one can be on their way to the much needed brand new start that their life has been needing.
I have many hopes and dreams for 2005. My expectations are much higher than last years and I believe everyone should always aspire for more, too. Although we don't know what the future holds for us, we can at least take it one day at a time. With all the devastation, war, sickness, disaster, and hate that is plaguing our world today, we owe it to ourselves to make the best of the coming year. If you have given up on making resolutions because of the liklihood of breaking them, at least make one. It's sounds cliche, but tell family and friends that you love them. Those three lil' words will be the most powerful words you ever mutter, but say them and say them often. You won't regret it.
SOOOOO....what started as the 'end of an era' recollection of our apartment experience in MN, it has ended with an entire New Year's reflection on my part. See how rambled my thoughts can be sometimes! Aiya!
Wishing ya'll a Happy and prosperous 2005! Whatever you do, wherever you are, and whomever you're with, be safe. And if you're silly, short, and superstitious like me, don't forget to jump at the stroke of midnight and make sure you jingle them coins in your pocket....much love always.
*Birthday love goes out to M.Lapid who celebrated her 32nd birthday!*
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
House Update
House. Townhouse. Shiet. It's all the same to me! I might've mentioned this earlier, but when we were deciding on our place, I had to ask what the difference between the two were...sorry, I'm not knowledgable like that! So contractor dude says that townhomes share walls, whereas homes do not and are separated. Well if that's the case, the whole city of San Francisco are living in townhomes! Hahaha, I guess they don't take into consideration the earthquaking proof thang...oh well.
Anyways, we've slowly but surely have been settling into our new place. On the day of our big move, Mother Nature decided to give us some bone chilling weather. No snow, mind you, just seriously freakin' cold ass temps that once you step out into the cold, your face freezes up like the Joker. No jokes. And perhaps she wanted to take her sick and twisted joke a bit further, she added some cuts-like-a-knife-through-your-chest wind. Egads! Well, that big move was mainly to get the huge furniture outta the way. What was left at the apartment was a whole bunch of lil' things...things that didn't get packed, things that didn't get sorted...shoot, probably things that'll end up in the trash if you ask me!
Just the other day, the youth group from our church decided to pay us a visit. One of the parents basically dropped them off and they were ours for the day. Yay! First of all, it was just nice to have visitors at our place and second of all, the five extra hands would definitely help us clear out everything else that was left. So on to the apartment we go! Since we didn't have a moving truck this time around, hubby and I had to pack our cars until they couldn't hold anymore. On our first run, we had to leave the three girls behind in order to haul our stuff over. When we got pack to the apartment, we found that they seriously kicked ass and cleaned, cleared, packed, and vaccuumed all that was left. (Thanks you guys! You're totally awesome!)
Aside from the moving thing, I enjoyed hanging out with the girls. Though we've been here over a year (has it really been that long?!), I feel that I haven't really gotten IN with them just yet. But it's all good. I took this time to get to know them a little bit better as they all helped with cooking and cleaning. It was all laughs, all venting, all bitching, all girl talk...and it was good.
Our walk thru with the apartment management is tomorrow. There's still a few things left over there, namely our bikes and some of hubby's computer parts. We have to make sure that it's all clean and tidy, too. Our garage right now is looking how a garage should look- full and packed to the rim! The rest of the house has boxes here and there, some halfway unpacked and some still unopened. We've got the basics down- hubby's office, the other room, the bathrooms, our bedroom, the kitchen, and my library. Ahhhh, my library. When I get a chance, I will definitely post a picture of my beloved sanctuary of books. I gotta say, it looks bomb...thanks to hubby (and IKEA!).
Anyways, that's why I haven't blogged recently. My mind is just focused on getting everything unpacked and put in its place. It already looks like a home and feels like a home, but there's still so much work to be done. Hubby says that it hasn't truly hit him that we're homeowners yet. Wow. HOMEOWNERS! It's due to the fact that we're still going back and forth to the apartment. Well, by January 1st, it'll all be out of our hands. In the meantime, it's back to unpacking and cleaning. Will post pics soon! (like ya'll haven't heard that one before! LOL!)
House. Townhouse. Shiet. It's all the same to me! I might've mentioned this earlier, but when we were deciding on our place, I had to ask what the difference between the two were...sorry, I'm not knowledgable like that! So contractor dude says that townhomes share walls, whereas homes do not and are separated. Well if that's the case, the whole city of San Francisco are living in townhomes! Hahaha, I guess they don't take into consideration the earthquaking proof thang...oh well.
Anyways, we've slowly but surely have been settling into our new place. On the day of our big move, Mother Nature decided to give us some bone chilling weather. No snow, mind you, just seriously freakin' cold ass temps that once you step out into the cold, your face freezes up like the Joker. No jokes. And perhaps she wanted to take her sick and twisted joke a bit further, she added some cuts-like-a-knife-through-your-chest wind. Egads! Well, that big move was mainly to get the huge furniture outta the way. What was left at the apartment was a whole bunch of lil' things...things that didn't get packed, things that didn't get sorted...shoot, probably things that'll end up in the trash if you ask me!
Just the other day, the youth group from our church decided to pay us a visit. One of the parents basically dropped them off and they were ours for the day. Yay! First of all, it was just nice to have visitors at our place and second of all, the five extra hands would definitely help us clear out everything else that was left. So on to the apartment we go! Since we didn't have a moving truck this time around, hubby and I had to pack our cars until they couldn't hold anymore. On our first run, we had to leave the three girls behind in order to haul our stuff over. When we got pack to the apartment, we found that they seriously kicked ass and cleaned, cleared, packed, and vaccuumed all that was left. (Thanks you guys! You're totally awesome!)
Aside from the moving thing, I enjoyed hanging out with the girls. Though we've been here over a year (has it really been that long?!), I feel that I haven't really gotten IN with them just yet. But it's all good. I took this time to get to know them a little bit better as they all helped with cooking and cleaning. It was all laughs, all venting, all bitching, all girl talk...and it was good.
Our walk thru with the apartment management is tomorrow. There's still a few things left over there, namely our bikes and some of hubby's computer parts. We have to make sure that it's all clean and tidy, too. Our garage right now is looking how a garage should look- full and packed to the rim! The rest of the house has boxes here and there, some halfway unpacked and some still unopened. We've got the basics down- hubby's office, the other room, the bathrooms, our bedroom, the kitchen, and my library. Ahhhh, my library. When I get a chance, I will definitely post a picture of my beloved sanctuary of books. I gotta say, it looks bomb...thanks to hubby (and IKEA!).
Anyways, that's why I haven't blogged recently. My mind is just focused on getting everything unpacked and put in its place. It already looks like a home and feels like a home, but there's still so much work to be done. Hubby says that it hasn't truly hit him that we're homeowners yet. Wow. HOMEOWNERS! It's due to the fact that we're still going back and forth to the apartment. Well, by January 1st, it'll all be out of our hands. In the meantime, it's back to unpacking and cleaning. Will post pics soon! (like ya'll haven't heard that one before! LOL!)
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Santa's Gifts
Well, I guess it's official...MnM was a good girl this year! Just wanted to share what Santa brought me this year..and boy, did he spoil me or what?
- Canon EOS Rebel Ti
I still don't know how to use this camera just yet (and no, there's more to it than just point and shoot!), but I'm hoping to read up on some photography books and learn more about taking REAL pictures. I ain't got nothing against digital or anything...just want to learn more about this craft is all.
- white winter jacket; NY&CO sweater and striped collared shirt...yes, Santa has a better fashion sense than I do!
- books for my library: Tuesdays with Morrie, The DaVinci Code, Classics Literature Set, and the Childrens' Classics Set...all individually wrapped, mind you.
Santa was good to hubby, too. He got some black and silver basketball gear: rip-away warmup pants and a top, Meguiar's Cleaning starter kit (for the Lex!), and a nice golf organizer that'll look good in the garage. That Santa sure knows how MnM doesn't like kalat in the garage and this will definitely help hubby stay organized! Yay!
Hope ya'll had a good Christmas and that Santa got you what you wished for! I wish you all a safe and Happy New Year, too! Here's to 2005- a fresh slate, a clean start, and new beginnings. Much love ya'll!
Well, I guess it's official...MnM was a good girl this year! Just wanted to share what Santa brought me this year..and boy, did he spoil me or what?
- Canon EOS Rebel Ti
I still don't know how to use this camera just yet (and no, there's more to it than just point and shoot!), but I'm hoping to read up on some photography books and learn more about taking REAL pictures. I ain't got nothing against digital or anything...just want to learn more about this craft is all.
- white winter jacket; NY&CO sweater and striped collared shirt...yes, Santa has a better fashion sense than I do!
- books for my library: Tuesdays with Morrie, The DaVinci Code, Classics Literature Set, and the Childrens' Classics Set...all individually wrapped, mind you.
Santa was good to hubby, too. He got some black and silver basketball gear: rip-away warmup pants and a top, Meguiar's Cleaning starter kit (for the Lex!), and a nice golf organizer that'll look good in the garage. That Santa sure knows how MnM doesn't like kalat in the garage and this will definitely help hubby stay organized! Yay!
Hope ya'll had a good Christmas and that Santa got you what you wished for! I wish you all a safe and Happy New Year, too! Here's to 2005- a fresh slate, a clean start, and new beginnings. Much love ya'll!
Belated Christmas Wishes!
MnM hopes and prays that ya'll had a blessed and wonderful Christmas!
On Christmas Eve, hubby and I had to find a church to attend 'cuz the church we currently go to didn't have a service. No service on Christmas Eve? That just sounds wrong, doesn't it? I mean, even if there are hella peoples who are only "C and E" attendees (Christmas and Easter), going to church on Christmas is just the thing to do...in my book anyways. So we find one through the newspaper listings called Wooddale Church. First of all, this is one HUGE ass church! Growing up, I've always been used to big, Catholic churches anyways. Coming to Minnesota, I've had to adjust to a much smaller scale church community. I'm not quite sure which I prefer yet, big or small. In big churches, I like the fact that you're just surrounded with a whole bunch of people getting their praise on and such. The downside is that you're just a number. Sure you know people, but in most cases, there are so many that you'll never really get to know-know personally. On the other hand in smaller churches, everyone knows everyone and that in itself can either be a good thing or a bad thing...depends on which way you look at it.
Anyways, I really enjoyed going to this service. They had a full orchestra for what I thought was only for this Christmas occasion, but in actuality, this ensemble plays each Sunday. How totally cool was that? I don't know about ya'll, but I personally dig hearing all the instruments meshing into that one beautiful sound. I'm totally mesmerized by all the instruments, especially the violins. One of my favorite moments is when they all start tuning their instruments. I don't what know it is about it. Technically, it's like a singer clearing her throat before she starts belting out. Even though they're not playing anything specific as they're tuning their respective instruments, it still sounds pretty. In any case, because of how the church was set up, it somewhat felt like we were at a concert instead of a church service. The music totally added to the already Christmas feeling in the air and made for a satisfying spiritual experience.
Compared to a Catholic Mass, Christian services don't have the regular 1st and 2nd readings followed by a Gospel. Usually, we have a praise & worship section and the pastor will deliver a message. In this service, they had what was called a Dramatic Reading. While the orchestra played on, a lady with a headset walked out and in a voice that just wills you to listen, began to tell the story of Christ's birth. Perhaps because it was the way she recounted the story, perhaps it was the accompanying music that made it seem as if the story was happening before our very eyes, perhaps it was a combination of both, and even still, perhaps it was the depth of the story knowing how it all ends in His death on a cross for us...whatever it was, I was teary-eyed at the end. I've heard the story hundreds and hundreds of times, but never like this. 'Twas just beautiful. Simply beautiful.
As the service ended, hubby and I walked out to a winter wonderland. Though it had started snowing as we arrived at the church, we found ourselves in awe at the beauty of the night. How appropriate that Minnesota should have the first snowfall on Christmas Eve! Hubby and I stood in the parking lot for a few minutes, relishing the falling snowflakes as it hit our cold cheeks. It looked like falling cotton from the sky. In my eyes, the snow was symbolic of so many things- among them being God's love pouring down on us from above and also, just a sign of renewal and fresh starts. Even though it was my first Christmas away from home, being with hubby on this Christmas Eve turned out just perfect.
MnM hopes and prays that ya'll had a blessed and wonderful Christmas!
On Christmas Eve, hubby and I had to find a church to attend 'cuz the church we currently go to didn't have a service. No service on Christmas Eve? That just sounds wrong, doesn't it? I mean, even if there are hella peoples who are only "C and E" attendees (Christmas and Easter), going to church on Christmas is just the thing to do...in my book anyways. So we find one through the newspaper listings called Wooddale Church. First of all, this is one HUGE ass church! Growing up, I've always been used to big, Catholic churches anyways. Coming to Minnesota, I've had to adjust to a much smaller scale church community. I'm not quite sure which I prefer yet, big or small. In big churches, I like the fact that you're just surrounded with a whole bunch of people getting their praise on and such. The downside is that you're just a number. Sure you know people, but in most cases, there are so many that you'll never really get to know-know personally. On the other hand in smaller churches, everyone knows everyone and that in itself can either be a good thing or a bad thing...depends on which way you look at it.
Anyways, I really enjoyed going to this service. They had a full orchestra for what I thought was only for this Christmas occasion, but in actuality, this ensemble plays each Sunday. How totally cool was that? I don't know about ya'll, but I personally dig hearing all the instruments meshing into that one beautiful sound. I'm totally mesmerized by all the instruments, especially the violins. One of my favorite moments is when they all start tuning their instruments. I don't what know it is about it. Technically, it's like a singer clearing her throat before she starts belting out. Even though they're not playing anything specific as they're tuning their respective instruments, it still sounds pretty. In any case, because of how the church was set up, it somewhat felt like we were at a concert instead of a church service. The music totally added to the already Christmas feeling in the air and made for a satisfying spiritual experience.
Compared to a Catholic Mass, Christian services don't have the regular 1st and 2nd readings followed by a Gospel. Usually, we have a praise & worship section and the pastor will deliver a message. In this service, they had what was called a Dramatic Reading. While the orchestra played on, a lady with a headset walked out and in a voice that just wills you to listen, began to tell the story of Christ's birth. Perhaps because it was the way she recounted the story, perhaps it was the accompanying music that made it seem as if the story was happening before our very eyes, perhaps it was a combination of both, and even still, perhaps it was the depth of the story knowing how it all ends in His death on a cross for us...whatever it was, I was teary-eyed at the end. I've heard the story hundreds and hundreds of times, but never like this. 'Twas just beautiful. Simply beautiful.
As the service ended, hubby and I walked out to a winter wonderland. Though it had started snowing as we arrived at the church, we found ourselves in awe at the beauty of the night. How appropriate that Minnesota should have the first snowfall on Christmas Eve! Hubby and I stood in the parking lot for a few minutes, relishing the falling snowflakes as it hit our cold cheeks. It looked like falling cotton from the sky. In my eyes, the snow was symbolic of so many things- among them being God's love pouring down on us from above and also, just a sign of renewal and fresh starts. Even though it was my first Christmas away from home, being with hubby on this Christmas Eve turned out just perfect.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Real Quick
- I drove today. Not that it's my first time driving ever, just my first time driving in the snow. To be quite honest, the amount of snow ain't much for me to bitch about just yet. I have this phobia of driving in the snow. Last year, it wasn't anything to worry about because my beloved Honda was still safe and warm in the Bay. If my Honda could talk right now, I'm sure it would yell expletives and other such profanity at how fricken cold it is over here. I actually had a dream that was probably due to anxiety about the snow. I dreamt that I was on this road and practically every car in front of me and in back were skidding out of control. I remember how tight my grip was on the steering wheel and how fast my heart was racing. I think I even started muttering a prayer to help me get to my destination safely. The scary part was that as the cars slid off the road, they ended up in and/or on a lake. If ya'll ever come to visit us out here, you'll notice that everything is surrounded by various bodies of water- lakes, ponds, marshes, whatever. Yes, yes, Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 lakes...in fact, a local had told me that it's really more like 15,000. The way I see it? In the summertime, all these bodies of water are just breeding grounds for the millions of mosquitoes that will attack you no matter how much bug spray you use; in the wintertime, all of the lakes are just hazards and accidents waiting to happen. Idiotic people racing their cars out on the frozen lakes only to fall through thin ice OR one of my worst fears coming true, a car sliding off the road into a lake and breaking through the ice. Maybe it's because I still can't swim for sh*t, but water and me don't mix. Let me rephrase, freezing icy water and me don't mix. Hell no. In any case, although the snow wasn't falling in sheets or whatnot, the fact that there IS snow on the ground and that I was able to suck it up and drive on my own was a very big thing for me.
- My Christmas packages were ready to be sent off to San Francisco today. I was stoked that I was able to squeeze in some holiday shopping amid the chaos of our home, get them wrapped, and even do my ghetto wrapping of the box with brown grocery bags. I suck at wrapping that way. I'm secretly proud that I was able to get everything done before the big deadline- Dec. 23rd. If packages were sent priority mail before then, presents would be delivered Christmas day. Hubby went to send my packages on their way, but called me with some majorly distressing news that if I wanted my gifts to arrive in San Francisco by Christmas, it was going to cost about $90! Holy crap! At this point, if I did regular ground shipment, it would arrive a few days AFTER Christmas, but it would only cost approximately $15. Geez...talk about a downer! Well, it serves me right that I waited so long to shop and take care of business, but damn! 90 bucks?! Goodness gracious me...I think the family will excuse me for not spending so much on delivery and be content with a belated celebration from me. Oh well.
- I drove today. Not that it's my first time driving ever, just my first time driving in the snow. To be quite honest, the amount of snow ain't much for me to bitch about just yet. I have this phobia of driving in the snow. Last year, it wasn't anything to worry about because my beloved Honda was still safe and warm in the Bay. If my Honda could talk right now, I'm sure it would yell expletives and other such profanity at how fricken cold it is over here. I actually had a dream that was probably due to anxiety about the snow. I dreamt that I was on this road and practically every car in front of me and in back were skidding out of control. I remember how tight my grip was on the steering wheel and how fast my heart was racing. I think I even started muttering a prayer to help me get to my destination safely. The scary part was that as the cars slid off the road, they ended up in and/or on a lake. If ya'll ever come to visit us out here, you'll notice that everything is surrounded by various bodies of water- lakes, ponds, marshes, whatever. Yes, yes, Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 lakes...in fact, a local had told me that it's really more like 15,000. The way I see it? In the summertime, all these bodies of water are just breeding grounds for the millions of mosquitoes that will attack you no matter how much bug spray you use; in the wintertime, all of the lakes are just hazards and accidents waiting to happen. Idiotic people racing their cars out on the frozen lakes only to fall through thin ice OR one of my worst fears coming true, a car sliding off the road into a lake and breaking through the ice. Maybe it's because I still can't swim for sh*t, but water and me don't mix. Let me rephrase, freezing icy water and me don't mix. Hell no. In any case, although the snow wasn't falling in sheets or whatnot, the fact that there IS snow on the ground and that I was able to suck it up and drive on my own was a very big thing for me.
- My Christmas packages were ready to be sent off to San Francisco today. I was stoked that I was able to squeeze in some holiday shopping amid the chaos of our home, get them wrapped, and even do my ghetto wrapping of the box with brown grocery bags. I suck at wrapping that way. I'm secretly proud that I was able to get everything done before the big deadline- Dec. 23rd. If packages were sent priority mail before then, presents would be delivered Christmas day. Hubby went to send my packages on their way, but called me with some majorly distressing news that if I wanted my gifts to arrive in San Francisco by Christmas, it was going to cost about $90! Holy crap! At this point, if I did regular ground shipment, it would arrive a few days AFTER Christmas, but it would only cost approximately $15. Geez...talk about a downer! Well, it serves me right that I waited so long to shop and take care of business, but damn! 90 bucks?! Goodness gracious me...I think the family will excuse me for not spending so much on delivery and be content with a belated celebration from me. Oh well.
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Belated Birthday Shout-Outs
Just wanted to send some birthday love out there to some peoples. Even though it's belated, it's better late than never! (and plus, just 'cuz I didn't blog about it, ya'll know that I was thinking of you!)
1: Papa Reyes 32nd- old skool "faboo" ASU/PACEr, anime artist, computer nerd, great friend, and proud papa to a beautiful baby daughter.
3: Raegan's 3rd birthday, my ina-anak #5.
5: Mighty Mom, aka Keyopes turns 31! One of my best friends I met from my State days, political student activist, Disney lover, fellow folk dance diva, and proud mama to two lil' rugrats.
11: Marisa, my lil' cousin turns the big 18! Soon-to-be high school graduate class of '05, aspiring chef, and engaged to the love of her life.
13: Hoezaycuervo turns 20. Currently a SFGator, but in my eyes will always be lil' Jose who rode his bike to my house for choir practice. Awww...he's all grown up now!
15: Tita Baybs, my mom's youngest sis, the coolest auntie ever, lover of Prince and all things purple, hair dresser, and interior designer.
16: Oreo's 13th- hubby's second born, multi-talented chick- can sing, play piano, play drums; soon-to-be 8th grade graduate of class of '05.
16: Butterfl13, last of the Penalosa clan turns 26. Will forever remember her bday 'cuz it always falls on the first day of Simbang Gabi!
16: EastBay, hubby's fellow jokester. I can't seem to remember who's whose sidekick? LOL! Hubby to AI and faithful reader (I think!) of MnM's blog. (Thanks Eastbay!)
Dang...December sure is a busy month for birthdays, eh? Hope ya'll had a great one and may this coming new year bring you all much love and happiness. Hope all of your wishes come true! Much love...
Just wanted to send some birthday love out there to some peoples. Even though it's belated, it's better late than never! (and plus, just 'cuz I didn't blog about it, ya'll know that I was thinking of you!)
1: Papa Reyes 32nd- old skool "faboo" ASU/PACEr, anime artist, computer nerd, great friend, and proud papa to a beautiful baby daughter.
3: Raegan's 3rd birthday, my ina-anak #5.
5: Mighty Mom, aka Keyopes turns 31! One of my best friends I met from my State days, political student activist, Disney lover, fellow folk dance diva, and proud mama to two lil' rugrats.
11: Marisa, my lil' cousin turns the big 18! Soon-to-be high school graduate class of '05, aspiring chef, and engaged to the love of her life.
13: Hoezaycuervo turns 20. Currently a SFGator, but in my eyes will always be lil' Jose who rode his bike to my house for choir practice. Awww...he's all grown up now!
15: Tita Baybs, my mom's youngest sis, the coolest auntie ever, lover of Prince and all things purple, hair dresser, and interior designer.
16: Oreo's 13th- hubby's second born, multi-talented chick- can sing, play piano, play drums; soon-to-be 8th grade graduate of class of '05.
16: Butterfl13, last of the Penalosa clan turns 26. Will forever remember her bday 'cuz it always falls on the first day of Simbang Gabi!
16: EastBay, hubby's fellow jokester. I can't seem to remember who's whose sidekick? LOL! Hubby to AI and faithful reader (I think!) of MnM's blog. (Thanks Eastbay!)
Dang...December sure is a busy month for birthdays, eh? Hope ya'll had a great one and may this coming new year bring you all much love and happiness. Hope all of your wishes come true! Much love...
Time Flies
I hadn't realized just how long it's been since I last blogged until the Firemarshall called me on my cell and asked what I've been up to. Ahh...one of the faithful few who do their duty of checking up on me to see if I'm still alive. Thanks homie!
Since my arrival back to Minnesota, this bum leg of mine had put a major damper in our moving plans. It was a pain, literally, to hobble here and there and pack up our apartment. Moving just downright sucks. We actually had our big move this past Saturday and thank God for some church folks who, out of the goodness of their heart, chose to come out in the below zero degree weather and help out. (Maraming salamat!) From our kalat apartment, we are now in our kalat townhome. All of the boxes and bins lying around are getting on my nerves, but they're not a priority at the moment. We still have hella junk left at the apartment sans the heavy furniture. Plus, we still have to get that place all cleaned up, too. On top of the moving, there is still Christmas to think about! I have to say, I've always been really good about getting my shopping done ahead of time, but this year has got me out of whack. Seeing that this is the first Christmas that I'll be spending away from my family (BOO!), I have to worry about getting their gifts shipped out on time. But wait, I have to have bought the presents first in order to ship them out, right? With everything going down at one time, the past weeks have been nothing short of overwhelming. Because of all the stress and whatnot, it hasn't felt like Christmas at all. I can't believe that it's already three days away.
And So It Begins...
Winter has officially come. In fact, it made its presence known with all the zero degree wind chill factor, but in my eyes, the snow made it official. Snow = winter, right? Um...yah. Sure. Anyways, let me just share a quick MnM moment. On Monday, we had the first snow. Coincidentally, it's also garbage day. As we were getting ready to do some shopping, I saw that our garbage had made its way to our next door neighbor's place. Yes, it made its way there on its own. I take the task upon myself of retrieving it, y'know, just like anyone else would do. Before I do, I make sure that I'm all bundled up. Jacket? Check. Hat? Check. Gloves? Check. Scarf? Check. Imagine getting ready...it's a huge undertaking to put all this crap on! ANYWAYS...I'm standing in our garage, looking at the white ground thinking how pretty it's all going to look and telling myself that hey, we just might get a white Christmas after all. I brace myself for the cold, take two steps out to my driveway, and before you know it, I'm flat on my ass! I swear, I saw it happen in slow motion. It was exactly how you see it in the movies. You're walking when suddenly your feet start to slip from under you. Your arms start to flail, your feet do a funky and desperate dance, and by the time the yell emerges from your throat, your ass has made contact with the concrete. Of course, I did what anyone else would do when they scrub...I looked around to see if anyone witnessed it! LOL! Luckily, as far as I know, no one saw me bust my ass in the driveway. Unfortunately, I seemed to have tweaked my already bad knee during the fall, but honestly, I think I hurt my pride moreso. I suppose I'm lucky that I didn't split my head open or that I didn't break anything. Yes, I can laugh it off now, but y'know what? With my luck, this will be one of many incidents for MnM. Great. Just freakin' great.
Weddings Galore
I feel like that I've just attended a wedding marathon. First there was Ms. Penny's the Saturday after Thanksgiving; the following week was Voodoo's; then the Saturday I returned from the Bay, we attended hubby's co-worker's nuptials. Though each was different and beautiful in their own way, I began to reflect on the institution of marriage as a whole.
It's funny that when people reach "of age," they are constantly bombarded with the "when are you getting married?" question. People are so quick to assume that because a couple has been together for a while that marriage is the next step. But marriage isn't just a thing to do. It's a lifechanging experience that involves not only two people in love, but two lives becoming one. In a nutshell, it's some serious sh*t. And one thing that people often forget about marriage is that it's NOT an easy thing. Marriage is something that must be continually worked on "for better or for worse." Sure there will be lots of wonderful and happy times, but because all things need a balance, there will be many bad times and downright crappy times. I remember learning in one of my psychology classes that conflict in a relationship is healthy. Conflict leads to growth and understanding, whereas if a relationship was perfect all the time, where is the challenge so to speak? On the other hand, if there is too much conflict, well, that ain't cool. There needs to be a light at the end of the tunnel, the understanding that there is a solution to the problem, and that the problem can be tackled by both parties in the relationship. There has to be a give and take, a compromise, that each must make. I think because I am married, I see things in a different light now. I may be one of those people who joke around with non-married friends teasing them that "it's time to tie the knot," but on the real, what's the big rush? Marriage is a HUGE step and a HUGE life decision. Again, it's not just something to do because it's expected.
It's funny how one event can stir up so many emotions. Life is funny that way, isn't it? Kinda reminds me of the movie Forrest Gump and the famous quote: "Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're going to get." It can't get any truer than that.
I hadn't realized just how long it's been since I last blogged until the Firemarshall called me on my cell and asked what I've been up to. Ahh...one of the faithful few who do their duty of checking up on me to see if I'm still alive. Thanks homie!
Since my arrival back to Minnesota, this bum leg of mine had put a major damper in our moving plans. It was a pain, literally, to hobble here and there and pack up our apartment. Moving just downright sucks. We actually had our big move this past Saturday and thank God for some church folks who, out of the goodness of their heart, chose to come out in the below zero degree weather and help out. (Maraming salamat!) From our kalat apartment, we are now in our kalat townhome. All of the boxes and bins lying around are getting on my nerves, but they're not a priority at the moment. We still have hella junk left at the apartment sans the heavy furniture. Plus, we still have to get that place all cleaned up, too. On top of the moving, there is still Christmas to think about! I have to say, I've always been really good about getting my shopping done ahead of time, but this year has got me out of whack. Seeing that this is the first Christmas that I'll be spending away from my family (BOO!), I have to worry about getting their gifts shipped out on time. But wait, I have to have bought the presents first in order to ship them out, right? With everything going down at one time, the past weeks have been nothing short of overwhelming. Because of all the stress and whatnot, it hasn't felt like Christmas at all. I can't believe that it's already three days away.
And So It Begins...
Winter has officially come. In fact, it made its presence known with all the zero degree wind chill factor, but in my eyes, the snow made it official. Snow = winter, right? Um...yah. Sure. Anyways, let me just share a quick MnM moment. On Monday, we had the first snow. Coincidentally, it's also garbage day. As we were getting ready to do some shopping, I saw that our garbage had made its way to our next door neighbor's place. Yes, it made its way there on its own. I take the task upon myself of retrieving it, y'know, just like anyone else would do. Before I do, I make sure that I'm all bundled up. Jacket? Check. Hat? Check. Gloves? Check. Scarf? Check. Imagine getting ready...it's a huge undertaking to put all this crap on! ANYWAYS...I'm standing in our garage, looking at the white ground thinking how pretty it's all going to look and telling myself that hey, we just might get a white Christmas after all. I brace myself for the cold, take two steps out to my driveway, and before you know it, I'm flat on my ass! I swear, I saw it happen in slow motion. It was exactly how you see it in the movies. You're walking when suddenly your feet start to slip from under you. Your arms start to flail, your feet do a funky and desperate dance, and by the time the yell emerges from your throat, your ass has made contact with the concrete. Of course, I did what anyone else would do when they scrub...I looked around to see if anyone witnessed it! LOL! Luckily, as far as I know, no one saw me bust my ass in the driveway. Unfortunately, I seemed to have tweaked my already bad knee during the fall, but honestly, I think I hurt my pride moreso. I suppose I'm lucky that I didn't split my head open or that I didn't break anything. Yes, I can laugh it off now, but y'know what? With my luck, this will be one of many incidents for MnM. Great. Just freakin' great.
Weddings Galore
I feel like that I've just attended a wedding marathon. First there was Ms. Penny's the Saturday after Thanksgiving; the following week was Voodoo's; then the Saturday I returned from the Bay, we attended hubby's co-worker's nuptials. Though each was different and beautiful in their own way, I began to reflect on the institution of marriage as a whole.
It's funny that when people reach "of age," they are constantly bombarded with the "when are you getting married?" question. People are so quick to assume that because a couple has been together for a while that marriage is the next step. But marriage isn't just a thing to do. It's a lifechanging experience that involves not only two people in love, but two lives becoming one. In a nutshell, it's some serious sh*t. And one thing that people often forget about marriage is that it's NOT an easy thing. Marriage is something that must be continually worked on "for better or for worse." Sure there will be lots of wonderful and happy times, but because all things need a balance, there will be many bad times and downright crappy times. I remember learning in one of my psychology classes that conflict in a relationship is healthy. Conflict leads to growth and understanding, whereas if a relationship was perfect all the time, where is the challenge so to speak? On the other hand, if there is too much conflict, well, that ain't cool. There needs to be a light at the end of the tunnel, the understanding that there is a solution to the problem, and that the problem can be tackled by both parties in the relationship. There has to be a give and take, a compromise, that each must make. I think because I am married, I see things in a different light now. I may be one of those people who joke around with non-married friends teasing them that "it's time to tie the knot," but on the real, what's the big rush? Marriage is a HUGE step and a HUGE life decision. Again, it's not just something to do because it's expected.
It's funny how one event can stir up so many emotions. Life is funny that way, isn't it? Kinda reminds me of the movie Forrest Gump and the famous quote: "Life is like a box of chocolates...you never know what you're going to get." It can't get any truer than that.
Friday, December 10, 2004
Up With The Good, Down With the Bad
This is the lil' mantra that I've been rehearsing over and over, out loud, and to myself this entire week. Up with the good, down with the bad. Another one is just as similar, "the bad in first, the good one last." Just what the hell does all this gibberish mean?
To update my the mini predicament, ever since the delightful POP of my kneecap, I've been busy trying to get around via my good left side. I'm not down with the whole crutches thang. In fact, I tried it for a day and a half. It's tough. I'm using muscles that normally depend on the left side- right side deal, and because MnM is so out of shape, I'm struggling with the upper body strength needed to maneuver these damn crutches. The nurse talked about getting that pendulum swing action going to move forward, but for some reason, I take a step and somehow get stuck midway. More times than not, I end up swinging back to where I started. I'm such a loser, I know! I thought that all those times playing around with my sister's crutches would've paid off, but nada. The day after my ER appearance, I went to see a regular doctor. According to him, he said to ride out the week first and icing my knee three times a day. If it doesn't get better on its own, an MRI would definitely be in order. My progress thus far? Well, without the crutches, I can move faster. I am even able to drive! When I'm in a regular sitting position, I feel no pain at all. Perhaps a slight discomfort, but nothing major. Walking, I resort to limping. I'm a total slowpoke on stairs and here is where that mantra "up with the good, down with the bad" falls in." You'd think it was obvious which leg I'd use to go up or down, yes? Shoot, maybe I'm special or what, but I'd actually be baliktad and try to use my bad leg first to go up. Honestly, because it's my right leg that's f*cked up, it's normal for me to use that leg first. Well, if you can imagine, as MnM approaches the stairwell, I literally have to remind myself, "up with the good, down with the bad." Saying it really helps. If and when I forget, the lil' twinge in my knee reminds me. The same goes for the "bad in first, good one last." This is for putting on pants. Duh, it makes sense, doesn't it? Considering that my leg is in a brace, I feel so tanga trying to find a way to get my pants on the wrong way!
I definitely have a deeper appreciation for my ability to walk and move normally. In these past few days, I've learned a major lesson in patience. Patience because I simply can't walk to one place to another just like that. Who really thinks about the range of motion on your knee, how high you can lift it, how fast you can run, etc? Since Monday night, it's as if something happened to make me slow down. I'm a true believer that all things happen for a reason. Although I cannot see what possible good came out of this just yet, I'm confident that it happened because it was supposed to. On the surface, it couldn't have happened at the worst time. First of all, we are in the middle of making our move from the apartment to the house. I feel terrible that I'm not able to help transport and carry. I'm still able to pack things away in boxes, but I get easily tired standing around. As I mentioned earlier, I'm basically out of commission. I'm helpless and it sucks. Second of all, because we're moving, our phone and Internet connections were cut off. This means that I was not able to access my classroom and schoolwork. I already lost a day flying home and it didn't help that I spent hella time at the ER. There's simply no way I would've been able to keep up and thus, had to withdraw from my current class. Lastly, the part-time job that I just started in November will have to be put on hold for a bit. In a way I feel bad because during the Christmas rush is when they need people the most and plus, I felt that when I left, there was still so much to learn. At the same time, maybe this knee injury is telling me that I could do better, you know? *Sigh.* All I know is that if I don't analyze and think about any of it, it all falls down to one fact: IT SUCKS!
A quick shout-out to all the people who left a message in my comments. I'm hanging in there and not being the invalid that the nurse at the ER said I'd be. On the real and as far as I can tell, I don't think it's as serious as previously believed. It's still not 100%, but I'm assuming that if I'm moving, then it's cool. And just for the record, this knee injury is NOT due to any booty hopping I supposedly did during the Voodoo-Mango nuptials. There is no evidence that points fingers to any such act no matter what is stated by Mrs. Voodoo and Mighty Mom. LOL! (I just had to get that bit in there!) ;-)
This is the lil' mantra that I've been rehearsing over and over, out loud, and to myself this entire week. Up with the good, down with the bad. Another one is just as similar, "the bad in first, the good one last." Just what the hell does all this gibberish mean?
To update my the mini predicament, ever since the delightful POP of my kneecap, I've been busy trying to get around via my good left side. I'm not down with the whole crutches thang. In fact, I tried it for a day and a half. It's tough. I'm using muscles that normally depend on the left side- right side deal, and because MnM is so out of shape, I'm struggling with the upper body strength needed to maneuver these damn crutches. The nurse talked about getting that pendulum swing action going to move forward, but for some reason, I take a step and somehow get stuck midway. More times than not, I end up swinging back to where I started. I'm such a loser, I know! I thought that all those times playing around with my sister's crutches would've paid off, but nada. The day after my ER appearance, I went to see a regular doctor. According to him, he said to ride out the week first and icing my knee three times a day. If it doesn't get better on its own, an MRI would definitely be in order. My progress thus far? Well, without the crutches, I can move faster. I am even able to drive! When I'm in a regular sitting position, I feel no pain at all. Perhaps a slight discomfort, but nothing major. Walking, I resort to limping. I'm a total slowpoke on stairs and here is where that mantra "up with the good, down with the bad" falls in." You'd think it was obvious which leg I'd use to go up or down, yes? Shoot, maybe I'm special or what, but I'd actually be baliktad and try to use my bad leg first to go up. Honestly, because it's my right leg that's f*cked up, it's normal for me to use that leg first. Well, if you can imagine, as MnM approaches the stairwell, I literally have to remind myself, "up with the good, down with the bad." Saying it really helps. If and when I forget, the lil' twinge in my knee reminds me. The same goes for the "bad in first, good one last." This is for putting on pants. Duh, it makes sense, doesn't it? Considering that my leg is in a brace, I feel so tanga trying to find a way to get my pants on the wrong way!
I definitely have a deeper appreciation for my ability to walk and move normally. In these past few days, I've learned a major lesson in patience. Patience because I simply can't walk to one place to another just like that. Who really thinks about the range of motion on your knee, how high you can lift it, how fast you can run, etc? Since Monday night, it's as if something happened to make me slow down. I'm a true believer that all things happen for a reason. Although I cannot see what possible good came out of this just yet, I'm confident that it happened because it was supposed to. On the surface, it couldn't have happened at the worst time. First of all, we are in the middle of making our move from the apartment to the house. I feel terrible that I'm not able to help transport and carry. I'm still able to pack things away in boxes, but I get easily tired standing around. As I mentioned earlier, I'm basically out of commission. I'm helpless and it sucks. Second of all, because we're moving, our phone and Internet connections were cut off. This means that I was not able to access my classroom and schoolwork. I already lost a day flying home and it didn't help that I spent hella time at the ER. There's simply no way I would've been able to keep up and thus, had to withdraw from my current class. Lastly, the part-time job that I just started in November will have to be put on hold for a bit. In a way I feel bad because during the Christmas rush is when they need people the most and plus, I felt that when I left, there was still so much to learn. At the same time, maybe this knee injury is telling me that I could do better, you know? *Sigh.* All I know is that if I don't analyze and think about any of it, it all falls down to one fact: IT SUCKS!
A quick shout-out to all the people who left a message in my comments. I'm hanging in there and not being the invalid that the nurse at the ER said I'd be. On the real and as far as I can tell, I don't think it's as serious as previously believed. It's still not 100%, but I'm assuming that if I'm moving, then it's cool. And just for the record, this knee injury is NOT due to any booty hopping I supposedly did during the Voodoo-Mango nuptials. There is no evidence that points fingers to any such act no matter what is stated by Mrs. Voodoo and Mighty Mom. LOL! (I just had to get that bit in there!) ;-)
Monday, December 06, 2004
Quick Update
Okay, I know that I haven't updated the Bay Area Diaries (and I've got MUCH to tell!), but now that I'm back in the Midwest, I really had to share about my flight home.
First of all, it was NOT the homecoming that I was expecting.
I was awakened my the sound of my niece's voice leaving a message on the answering machine. Turns out that my alarm didn't go off and if Bina didn't call, I would've definitely slept in. She was on her way to school and wanted to say one more goodbye- ain't she the sweetest?
The morning started off with me feeling rushed to take care of last minute packing. I still had to tape up the balikbayan box (oh yes, i did!) while my mom kept throwing in canned foods. I kept telling her, "Mom, they sell Vienna Sausage in Minnesota...and we have tuna there, too!", but she continued filling the box up. Eh, not a problem. You can never have enough Vienna Sausage! Lol!
Anyways, my dad drops me at the airport, I check in my bags, go through security in no time, and wander around the different shops to kill time. I have time to have a quick conversation with my Ate and before you know it, it's time to board. So far so good, yes? I wait until my row gets called and try to squeeze my way around the idiots crowding the entrance. It's irritating really. They hear rows being called by number and yet, they stand eagerly near the front KNOWING that they won't be called next, but still HOPING that they will, y'know? I hand the dude my ticket, he scans it, and I shuffle behind the others making their way down the walkway to the plane. I am greeted by the flight attendant and continue to find my way to my seat, 37F.
Whenever I travel back to the Bay, I always, always, always get a window seat. For the most part, I'm one of those people who won't get out of their seat for the duration of the flight and just chill reading a book. Because I need to bring my laptop for schoolwork, I usually have two carry-ons when I fly. I don't prefer to put my carry-ons in the overhead bin; rather, I stick them under the seat in front of me. Easy access, y'know? Plus, I'm just too damn short. ANYWAYS...when I get to my designated row, I would normally throw my handbag onto my seat and while carrying my laptop bag in front of me, continue to scoot to my seat. Not today.
I suppose that my laptop was unusually heavy today, not quite sure, but as I tried to scoot towards my seat, I heard a very loud and distinct POP! The next thing I knew, I had lost my balance and collapsed unto the seats. I totally freaked out because it was my knee that gave out. Instinct made me start feeling around my knee, making sure there weren't any bones sticking out or anything like that. After a quick assessment, I didn't see anything wrong, but as I tried to stand up and scoot some more, the pressure of my weight upon my right leg was too much to bear. At this point, my heart was pounding and I'm freaking out. All of these scenarios are going through my head...did I break something? do I need to get some assistance? do I need to get off the plane and go to a hospital? am I going to need to miss this flight home? what the HELL was the popping noise?!
After a few more attempts, I struggle from the aisle seat to the window. I put my bags in place and again, try to decide if anything is swelling or popping out, etc. Perhaps after about a few minutes, I feel myself settling into my seat and I disregard the pain.
Three hours and some minutes later as we're pulling into the Minneapolis airport, I start gathering my junk together and I feel a pain in my right knee. Uh oh. Not a good sign. As we begin exiting the plane, I feel myself limping. And just my freakin' luck, Northwest Airlines just happens to be the farthest from the baggage claim. So I limp, stop, limp, stop, limp, stop the entire way. I even test my right leg and try to put my entire weight unto it. Big mistake. I practically lose my balance, but thankfully, I don't make a fool out of myself in the middle of the terminal. I finally reach the baggage claim, am greeted by hubby (who had flowers for me!), and begin to feel a nagging pain as I walk. It hurt so much that I had to go to the Emergency Room.
ER's are often always long waits. It's to be expected. I went to the triage, filled out some paperwork, got put in a room to wait for a doctor, received an icepack for my knee, and continued to wait for over an hour. By this time, the swelling around my knee was definitely noticeable and I was beginning to feel worried. I was telling hubby that when my sister broke her leg when I was younger, or just whenever she got sick (and it was often!), I'd sometimes wish that it was ME that was injured so that I could get all the attention. Stupid, I know, but it's true. Thankfully, I've never had to stay overnight in the hospital for anything. Sure I've been to the ER for back spasms, but that's about it.
To make a long story short, here's the scoop: turns out that the POPPING noise was my kneecap separating! Because it had popped out, there was fluid in my knee from the trauma causing the swelling and the kneecap was now floating around. Ewwwww!Y'know, I've never been good with anything hospital related, blood especially, but this one has to take the cake for now. I literally had this nauseous feeling in my tummy just thinking of what he was saying. Turns out that I had to get an x-ray just to be sure that nothing was broken. It came back fine, but validated the fluid in my knee. He told me that I'd have to make an appointment with my regular doctor later today to get an MRI. He said that it could be anything from a torn or ripped ligament, to broken cartilage. He couldn't tell me how serious it was, but he wasn't ruling anything out. In the meantime, I would be leaving the ER in crutches. In crutches!!!
As I write this, my leg is wrapped in this knee isolator contrapment. It's really just some foam that they wrap around my leg with velcro to ensure that I do not bend my knee. On the way home, I probably almost busted my ass a few times already. My arms got easily tired and I think I sprained my left foot, too. I will not be able to move around much for the next few days and basically, I'm out of commission. This totally sucks because we're in the midst of moving to our new townhome and now, I'm confined to resting and/or hopping around the house. How so not conducive for me! I feel for hubby who needs to do more for me now, but on top of work and moving, I know he's already tired. Aiya! Talk about a NICE homecoming, eh?
So there you have it. Sorry...MnM has a problem with succinctness and isn't capable of sharing a "quick update." i was going to post a picture of me looking all ka-wawa, but we left it at the house. Stay tuned for a pic later today. I would appreciate the prayers that it's nothing too serious and yes, prayers that I won't bust my ass as I maneuver myself in crutches.
Other than that, the Bay Area Diaries will continue as soon as I'm able to figure out what the deal is. In a nutshell though, I had a GREAT time back in the City. It was awesome to see family & friends and do the whole catching up bit. Most of all, I was honored to have witnessed the marriages of two of my closest friends. More to come later...pray for me ya'll!
Okay, I know that I haven't updated the Bay Area Diaries (and I've got MUCH to tell!), but now that I'm back in the Midwest, I really had to share about my flight home.
First of all, it was NOT the homecoming that I was expecting.
I was awakened my the sound of my niece's voice leaving a message on the answering machine. Turns out that my alarm didn't go off and if Bina didn't call, I would've definitely slept in. She was on her way to school and wanted to say one more goodbye- ain't she the sweetest?
The morning started off with me feeling rushed to take care of last minute packing. I still had to tape up the balikbayan box (oh yes, i did!) while my mom kept throwing in canned foods. I kept telling her, "Mom, they sell Vienna Sausage in Minnesota...and we have tuna there, too!", but she continued filling the box up. Eh, not a problem. You can never have enough Vienna Sausage! Lol!
Anyways, my dad drops me at the airport, I check in my bags, go through security in no time, and wander around the different shops to kill time. I have time to have a quick conversation with my Ate and before you know it, it's time to board. So far so good, yes? I wait until my row gets called and try to squeeze my way around the idiots crowding the entrance. It's irritating really. They hear rows being called by number and yet, they stand eagerly near the front KNOWING that they won't be called next, but still HOPING that they will, y'know? I hand the dude my ticket, he scans it, and I shuffle behind the others making their way down the walkway to the plane. I am greeted by the flight attendant and continue to find my way to my seat, 37F.
Whenever I travel back to the Bay, I always, always, always get a window seat. For the most part, I'm one of those people who won't get out of their seat for the duration of the flight and just chill reading a book. Because I need to bring my laptop for schoolwork, I usually have two carry-ons when I fly. I don't prefer to put my carry-ons in the overhead bin; rather, I stick them under the seat in front of me. Easy access, y'know? Plus, I'm just too damn short. ANYWAYS...when I get to my designated row, I would normally throw my handbag onto my seat and while carrying my laptop bag in front of me, continue to scoot to my seat. Not today.
I suppose that my laptop was unusually heavy today, not quite sure, but as I tried to scoot towards my seat, I heard a very loud and distinct POP! The next thing I knew, I had lost my balance and collapsed unto the seats. I totally freaked out because it was my knee that gave out. Instinct made me start feeling around my knee, making sure there weren't any bones sticking out or anything like that. After a quick assessment, I didn't see anything wrong, but as I tried to stand up and scoot some more, the pressure of my weight upon my right leg was too much to bear. At this point, my heart was pounding and I'm freaking out. All of these scenarios are going through my head...did I break something? do I need to get some assistance? do I need to get off the plane and go to a hospital? am I going to need to miss this flight home? what the HELL was the popping noise?!
After a few more attempts, I struggle from the aisle seat to the window. I put my bags in place and again, try to decide if anything is swelling or popping out, etc. Perhaps after about a few minutes, I feel myself settling into my seat and I disregard the pain.
Three hours and some minutes later as we're pulling into the Minneapolis airport, I start gathering my junk together and I feel a pain in my right knee. Uh oh. Not a good sign. As we begin exiting the plane, I feel myself limping. And just my freakin' luck, Northwest Airlines just happens to be the farthest from the baggage claim. So I limp, stop, limp, stop, limp, stop the entire way. I even test my right leg and try to put my entire weight unto it. Big mistake. I practically lose my balance, but thankfully, I don't make a fool out of myself in the middle of the terminal. I finally reach the baggage claim, am greeted by hubby (who had flowers for me!), and begin to feel a nagging pain as I walk. It hurt so much that I had to go to the Emergency Room.
ER's are often always long waits. It's to be expected. I went to the triage, filled out some paperwork, got put in a room to wait for a doctor, received an icepack for my knee, and continued to wait for over an hour. By this time, the swelling around my knee was definitely noticeable and I was beginning to feel worried. I was telling hubby that when my sister broke her leg when I was younger, or just whenever she got sick (and it was often!), I'd sometimes wish that it was ME that was injured so that I could get all the attention. Stupid, I know, but it's true. Thankfully, I've never had to stay overnight in the hospital for anything. Sure I've been to the ER for back spasms, but that's about it.
To make a long story short, here's the scoop: turns out that the POPPING noise was my kneecap separating! Because it had popped out, there was fluid in my knee from the trauma causing the swelling and the kneecap was now floating around. Ewwwww!Y'know, I've never been good with anything hospital related, blood especially, but this one has to take the cake for now. I literally had this nauseous feeling in my tummy just thinking of what he was saying. Turns out that I had to get an x-ray just to be sure that nothing was broken. It came back fine, but validated the fluid in my knee. He told me that I'd have to make an appointment with my regular doctor later today to get an MRI. He said that it could be anything from a torn or ripped ligament, to broken cartilage. He couldn't tell me how serious it was, but he wasn't ruling anything out. In the meantime, I would be leaving the ER in crutches. In crutches!!!
As I write this, my leg is wrapped in this knee isolator contrapment. It's really just some foam that they wrap around my leg with velcro to ensure that I do not bend my knee. On the way home, I probably almost busted my ass a few times already. My arms got easily tired and I think I sprained my left foot, too. I will not be able to move around much for the next few days and basically, I'm out of commission. This totally sucks because we're in the midst of moving to our new townhome and now, I'm confined to resting and/or hopping around the house. How so not conducive for me! I feel for hubby who needs to do more for me now, but on top of work and moving, I know he's already tired. Aiya! Talk about a NICE homecoming, eh?
So there you have it. Sorry...MnM has a problem with succinctness and isn't capable of sharing a "quick update." i was going to post a picture of me looking all ka-wawa, but we left it at the house. Stay tuned for a pic later today. I would appreciate the prayers that it's nothing too serious and yes, prayers that I won't bust my ass as I maneuver myself in crutches.
Other than that, the Bay Area Diaries will continue as soon as I'm able to figure out what the deal is. In a nutshell though, I had a GREAT time back in the City. It was awesome to see family & friends and do the whole catching up bit. Most of all, I was honored to have witnessed the marriages of two of my closest friends. More to come later...pray for me ya'll!
Monday, November 29, 2004
Bay Area Diaries
Day 2:
Was up before anyone else in the house this morning. The wind and pouring rain actually woke me up. I hoped that the weather would clear by the afternoon to give Ms. Penny and Stud Muffin a beautiful day.
I dropped off my mom down Mission to get her hair done and headed to visit my Apu. It's funny because everytime I drop by, for some reason I answer the door with a nice and loud "Trick or Treat!" Don't ask. Anyways, I visited with my grandma for a bit, hung out and got the latest tsismis, and got to eat some yummy pasalubong treats from P.I. It was so nice to see my Apu all smiles and such. Being the typical grandma, I was offered all kinds of merienda stuff, all kinds of soda (it's too early for Sprite, Apu!), and any other foods that she could pull of the fridge. Of course, I had to oblige...because you just HAVE to.
Picked up mom and proceeded to get ready for the wedding. Thankfully, the skies cleared up and it was nothing but blue. Yay! By the time my sis and her family got to my parents, it was all rush, rush, rush. I forget how "excited" my dad could be when it comes to big events. He likes to be there early and likes to leave when he says so. It got to the point where all us gals were cramped in the bathroom doing last minute stuff to our hair and faces and had to keep yelling, "We're coming! In a minute! Hold on!"
I forget how beautiful Epiphany church is. I remember wanting to walk down that very aisle for my own wedding. The church was decorated in a simple fashion, but as in most cases, simple = classic beauty. Aside from the white runner, there were orangy flowers every couple of pews and the lighting backdrop to the altar was in pink. The choir, which was a combo of Creed and St. Patrick's, were decked out in barongs and if you can believe it, they truly sounded like angels. I was looking forward to hanging out with Creed because it's been a while since we were all together...the O.G. peoples anyway. The music selection and direction under Francis definitely set the tone for the ceremony.
As the procession began, everyone stood and had cameras at the ready. Something different that I haven't seen before was that Ms. Penny walked out solo and met her parents halfway down the aisle. The sight of her in that amazing dress got me all teary-eyed! She looked so pretty and I had one of those "she's-all-grown-up" moments. The rest of the ceremony was standard wedding stuff and being the goofy couple that they are had their laughs here and there. At the end, the bride and groom kissed amid the applause of the congregation.
The reception was held at a restaurant in Chinatown in downtown Oakland. For me, this has been the wedding that everyone's been crossing their fingers about for so long and we're just all happy that it's finally happened. The way I see it is that it was definitely worth the wait. Ms. Penny and Stud Muffin are both well into their careers, they've got their own place, and well, they just had to make it official now. The 7,8,9, or 10-course meal (I lost count!) was yummy and her cake was simply melt-in-your-mouth de-lish. The favors were these lil' red ceramic apples with a gold leaf that had their names and the date on it. Very appropo, don't you think? Staying with the Chinese tradition, Ms. Penny changed outfits twice. The first was in this spectacular red, sleeveless and sequined Chinese dress and the second outfit was traditional filipino. Even Stud Muffin wore a barong tagalog! After making toasts and taking pics at all the tables, they had the money dance. This is where things got all freaky deaky! Lol! It's not unusual anymore for group dances, men with the groom, and women with the bride, everyone getting their freak on. Creed choir got together to dance with Ms. Penny and we had this huge group hug, too.
It was a nice reunion of sorts because there were so many of us who grew up together, but who have lost touch somewhere along the way. This was one of the first times where we were all together in one room, but unfortunately, we couldn't manage a group pic. It's funny to see how we've all grown up, to see where we are in our lives, careers, and own families, and to see how much we've changed or stayed the same aside from the physical. Lots of hugs, lots of updates, lots of pics. All in all, I have to say that the Gee's had THE perfect wedding on a perfect day.
Much love and congratulations to the Gee family. May God bless your union and fill your lives with much love and happiness. Love each other and take care of each other always. OINGO BOIGO TIME!!!!
Day 2:
Was up before anyone else in the house this morning. The wind and pouring rain actually woke me up. I hoped that the weather would clear by the afternoon to give Ms. Penny and Stud Muffin a beautiful day.
I dropped off my mom down Mission to get her hair done and headed to visit my Apu. It's funny because everytime I drop by, for some reason I answer the door with a nice and loud "Trick or Treat!" Don't ask. Anyways, I visited with my grandma for a bit, hung out and got the latest tsismis, and got to eat some yummy pasalubong treats from P.I. It was so nice to see my Apu all smiles and such. Being the typical grandma, I was offered all kinds of merienda stuff, all kinds of soda (it's too early for Sprite, Apu!), and any other foods that she could pull of the fridge. Of course, I had to oblige...because you just HAVE to.
Picked up mom and proceeded to get ready for the wedding. Thankfully, the skies cleared up and it was nothing but blue. Yay! By the time my sis and her family got to my parents, it was all rush, rush, rush. I forget how "excited" my dad could be when it comes to big events. He likes to be there early and likes to leave when he says so. It got to the point where all us gals were cramped in the bathroom doing last minute stuff to our hair and faces and had to keep yelling, "We're coming! In a minute! Hold on!"
I forget how beautiful Epiphany church is. I remember wanting to walk down that very aisle for my own wedding. The church was decorated in a simple fashion, but as in most cases, simple = classic beauty. Aside from the white runner, there were orangy flowers every couple of pews and the lighting backdrop to the altar was in pink. The choir, which was a combo of Creed and St. Patrick's, were decked out in barongs and if you can believe it, they truly sounded like angels. I was looking forward to hanging out with Creed because it's been a while since we were all together...the O.G. peoples anyway. The music selection and direction under Francis definitely set the tone for the ceremony.
As the procession began, everyone stood and had cameras at the ready. Something different that I haven't seen before was that Ms. Penny walked out solo and met her parents halfway down the aisle. The sight of her in that amazing dress got me all teary-eyed! She looked so pretty and I had one of those "she's-all-grown-up" moments. The rest of the ceremony was standard wedding stuff and being the goofy couple that they are had their laughs here and there. At the end, the bride and groom kissed amid the applause of the congregation.
The reception was held at a restaurant in Chinatown in downtown Oakland. For me, this has been the wedding that everyone's been crossing their fingers about for so long and we're just all happy that it's finally happened. The way I see it is that it was definitely worth the wait. Ms. Penny and Stud Muffin are both well into their careers, they've got their own place, and well, they just had to make it official now. The 7,8,9, or 10-course meal (I lost count!) was yummy and her cake was simply melt-in-your-mouth de-lish. The favors were these lil' red ceramic apples with a gold leaf that had their names and the date on it. Very appropo, don't you think? Staying with the Chinese tradition, Ms. Penny changed outfits twice. The first was in this spectacular red, sleeveless and sequined Chinese dress and the second outfit was traditional filipino. Even Stud Muffin wore a barong tagalog! After making toasts and taking pics at all the tables, they had the money dance. This is where things got all freaky deaky! Lol! It's not unusual anymore for group dances, men with the groom, and women with the bride, everyone getting their freak on. Creed choir got together to dance with Ms. Penny and we had this huge group hug, too.
It was a nice reunion of sorts because there were so many of us who grew up together, but who have lost touch somewhere along the way. This was one of the first times where we were all together in one room, but unfortunately, we couldn't manage a group pic. It's funny to see how we've all grown up, to see where we are in our lives, careers, and own families, and to see how much we've changed or stayed the same aside from the physical. Lots of hugs, lots of updates, lots of pics. All in all, I have to say that the Gee's had THE perfect wedding on a perfect day.
Much love and congratulations to the Gee family. May God bless your union and fill your lives with much love and happiness. Love each other and take care of each other always. OINGO BOIGO TIME!!!!
Sunday, November 28, 2004
Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving dinner the night before was off da hook! Hubby took care of everything, from the dinner to the dishes. How dope is that? I think it's safe to say that we both ate to our hearts' content. Considering that it was just the two of us and that I would be heading out to da Bay the following morning, there was plenty of leftovers to go around for days. While hubby worked in the kitchen, I was busy trying to pack for my 11-day stay in the City. On top of that, I wanted to make sure the laundry was done, the place was vaccuumed, and that the house was in semi-decent order before I left. Out of all the visits I've made home to CA, this is one of the longest in a while and so I had the hardest time figuring out what to pack. To add to the stress of all of that, my body decided it was best to give me a sore throat as a going away present. Tight.
Bay Area Diaries
Day 1:
The day I left MN, the weather was wet and rainy. The forecast called for snow any day now. Compared to last year, the snow is late. I figure it's almost a 100% guarantee that by the time I return, everything will covered in white.
I actually woke up early on Friday, sore throat and all, because I knew hubby wanted to try to hit some Thanksgiving sales before dropping me off at the airport. That didn't happen. Shiet. In a way, I was glad we didn't go because I wasn't in the mood to be among crazy ass shoppers on a mission. I would have rather spent my time with hubby..even though I was running around trying to get ready and pack last minute stuff.
To my surprise, the airport was busy. Not busy-busy, but busy enough. I guess that whole theory of people staying throughout Thanksgiving weekend goes out the window! My flight was full, yet fortunately and thankfully, the middle seat in my row was empty. Aisle seat chick and I were cool with that and we made use of the space quite nicely and comfortably. After a quick lunch (Turkey sandwich, Frito chips, an apple, and cranberry juice), I settled in to read, but ended up falling asleep. I woke up about an hour away from our destination and buried myself into "The Five People You Meet In Heaven."
I won't go into detail about what the book is about, but the premise is that after you die, there are five people you will meet in heaven who will explain and make sense of your life. It's such an intriguing interpretation of what heaven might be like that I'm hoping that it comes close to the real deal. Suffice to say, the tears were flowing by the end of the book. Of course I was trying to hold back the sobs and tears, but shoot, ya'll know that only makes it worse. In any case, if you are looking for a new read, this is it. It's not even that long, which kinda pissed me off. It's too short. I wanted more. In fact, I'm planning on re-reading it again. It's that good! It definitely gets the two thumbs up recommendation and if anything, hopefully it will get you thinking about what happens after we pass.
I arrived in da City on time. It was so great to walk through the sea of people and see four familiar faces in the crowd. My sister and family were there to greet me and just like the last time they picked me up, I was met with the biggest bear hugs from Bina and Nico. It trips me out at how big they always seem to get! August was the last time I was home and man oh man...Bina is taller than ever and Nico is talking (in full sentences!) more than ever! With the excitement of being home, it's no wonder that there are so many different conversations going on in the car. Plus, I don't think I've heard the word "Ninang" so many times in such a small period of time. As a pasalubong for Nico, I bought him THE softest stuffed toy ever. He has this obsession with Christmas and Santa and when I saw this Gund Santa, it was on. I purposefully didn't pack it in my luggage 'cuz I didn't want to squish him and once I gave it to Nico, his eyes totally lit up! Oh, the cutest thing. Throughout the entire ride and night, he would come up to me, Santa in his clutches, and hug me and tell me, "Ninang, I've missed you. Thank you for the Santa" or "Thank you for the Santa, Ninang, I've missed you." Talk about melting my heart! I feel so loved.
Got to my parents and had a quick meal. My sister and I headed to Epiphany for Ms. Penny and Stud Muffin's wedding rehearsal. Even though they were all busy, we did get our hellos and hugs in. We stayed for a bit, talked story with some peoples...I finally got to see pregnant Em, and gee, talk about looking GOOD at 8-months! Seeing people at the church was just a teaser of a reunion of sorts that would come tomorrow. There's so many people that I haven't seen in ages (DJ Rod and Lil' Richard) and I know that it's just going to be THE perfect day for the future Gee's.
Well, seeing that my body is on Minnesota time and that I still had my sore throat, I ended up crashing in bed by 7:30pm PST. And guess what time I woke up the following morning? 5:30am....CST.
Anyways...stay tuned for the Bay Area Diaries. There's lots of people to see and much to do. I've got a list of pasalubong to get and pictures to take.
Thanksgiving dinner the night before was off da hook! Hubby took care of everything, from the dinner to the dishes. How dope is that? I think it's safe to say that we both ate to our hearts' content. Considering that it was just the two of us and that I would be heading out to da Bay the following morning, there was plenty of leftovers to go around for days. While hubby worked in the kitchen, I was busy trying to pack for my 11-day stay in the City. On top of that, I wanted to make sure the laundry was done, the place was vaccuumed, and that the house was in semi-decent order before I left. Out of all the visits I've made home to CA, this is one of the longest in a while and so I had the hardest time figuring out what to pack. To add to the stress of all of that, my body decided it was best to give me a sore throat as a going away present. Tight.
Bay Area Diaries
Day 1:
The day I left MN, the weather was wet and rainy. The forecast called for snow any day now. Compared to last year, the snow is late. I figure it's almost a 100% guarantee that by the time I return, everything will covered in white.
I actually woke up early on Friday, sore throat and all, because I knew hubby wanted to try to hit some Thanksgiving sales before dropping me off at the airport. That didn't happen. Shiet. In a way, I was glad we didn't go because I wasn't in the mood to be among crazy ass shoppers on a mission. I would have rather spent my time with hubby..even though I was running around trying to get ready and pack last minute stuff.
To my surprise, the airport was busy. Not busy-busy, but busy enough. I guess that whole theory of people staying throughout Thanksgiving weekend goes out the window! My flight was full, yet fortunately and thankfully, the middle seat in my row was empty. Aisle seat chick and I were cool with that and we made use of the space quite nicely and comfortably. After a quick lunch (Turkey sandwich, Frito chips, an apple, and cranberry juice), I settled in to read, but ended up falling asleep. I woke up about an hour away from our destination and buried myself into "The Five People You Meet In Heaven."
I won't go into detail about what the book is about, but the premise is that after you die, there are five people you will meet in heaven who will explain and make sense of your life. It's such an intriguing interpretation of what heaven might be like that I'm hoping that it comes close to the real deal. Suffice to say, the tears were flowing by the end of the book. Of course I was trying to hold back the sobs and tears, but shoot, ya'll know that only makes it worse. In any case, if you are looking for a new read, this is it. It's not even that long, which kinda pissed me off. It's too short. I wanted more. In fact, I'm planning on re-reading it again. It's that good! It definitely gets the two thumbs up recommendation and if anything, hopefully it will get you thinking about what happens after we pass.
I arrived in da City on time. It was so great to walk through the sea of people and see four familiar faces in the crowd. My sister and family were there to greet me and just like the last time they picked me up, I was met with the biggest bear hugs from Bina and Nico. It trips me out at how big they always seem to get! August was the last time I was home and man oh man...Bina is taller than ever and Nico is talking (in full sentences!) more than ever! With the excitement of being home, it's no wonder that there are so many different conversations going on in the car. Plus, I don't think I've heard the word "Ninang" so many times in such a small period of time. As a pasalubong for Nico, I bought him THE softest stuffed toy ever. He has this obsession with Christmas and Santa and when I saw this Gund Santa, it was on. I purposefully didn't pack it in my luggage 'cuz I didn't want to squish him and once I gave it to Nico, his eyes totally lit up! Oh, the cutest thing. Throughout the entire ride and night, he would come up to me, Santa in his clutches, and hug me and tell me, "Ninang, I've missed you. Thank you for the Santa" or "Thank you for the Santa, Ninang, I've missed you." Talk about melting my heart! I feel so loved.
Got to my parents and had a quick meal. My sister and I headed to Epiphany for Ms. Penny and Stud Muffin's wedding rehearsal. Even though they were all busy, we did get our hellos and hugs in. We stayed for a bit, talked story with some peoples...I finally got to see pregnant Em, and gee, talk about looking GOOD at 8-months! Seeing people at the church was just a teaser of a reunion of sorts that would come tomorrow. There's so many people that I haven't seen in ages (DJ Rod and Lil' Richard) and I know that it's just going to be THE perfect day for the future Gee's.
Well, seeing that my body is on Minnesota time and that I still had my sore throat, I ended up crashing in bed by 7:30pm PST. And guess what time I woke up the following morning? 5:30am....CST.
Anyways...stay tuned for the Bay Area Diaries. There's lots of people to see and much to do. I've got a list of pasalubong to get and pictures to take.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Thank You, Enrique!
No, I ain't talking as in Iglesias...it's more like Enrique, the maintenance dude. Hubby and I had to endure a couple of THE coldest nights ever in our apartment. The temps have been in the mid-20's in the daytime and you can imagine how cold it gets at night. Because handy dandy maintenance dude couldn't come in for a couple of days, hubby and I had to layer it: hooded sweatshirts, sweats, thermals, and socks. Heck, I got to the point of wearing triple layer shirts! Since we're going to be moving soon, I kidded hubby that we should lay off using the heater to save on our bills. I mean, when we were both growing up, it had to be really cold for the moms to okay turning up the heat. Lo and behold, the moment that it got too cold for us to handle, the damn thing wouldn't start up. Great. Perfect. If any of ya'll can remember, this very thing happened to us last year. It was the motor that got jammed. The cause? Muddaubers. Ewwww! I mean, they were dead and all, but its nest clogged up the motor. When Enrique showed it to me, my body instantly felt like there were hundreds of creepy crawlies on me. Not cool! I would totally suck at Fear Factor, people! Well, after a few chilling nights, the heater got fixed. Thank God and thank Enrique. So what that handy dandy Enrique didn't speak much English and that every question I asked was a timid yes. He fixed it. We're warm. It's all good.
Stressed Out
I was reading sista friend Rycegirlie's blog the other day and I could help but laugh. She was stressing over a school assignment and not that I thought that was funny, but it was more of a "that'll be in in a couple of days." Ever since I started working part-time, I've just been coming home exhausted. As pathetic as it may sound, I really got used to the whole not working thang this past year. My daily routine, aside from the usual cooking and cleaning, was schoolwork in the morning, er, afternoon, and schoolwork in the evening. I'd take TV, eating, reading, and blogging breaks, but other than that, I basically did schoolwork all day. Now that I'm working, I'm having the hardest time adjusting to the juggling act that I somewhat mastered while I was working full-time at Cornerstone. On top of all the papers that I had to correct and lessons to plan, I still found time (in the early mornings) to do my readings and write up assignments. Looking back, I don't know how I did it. Eh, I did it because I had to. In any case, I got off work today at 2pm-ish, unwound at home and watched "Elf" with hubby (ended around 5:30pm), watched the special features on the dvd, and at 7pm got to working on the THREE assignments due at midnight. Five hours seems like a lot of time, but in my world, it's not. When it comes to reading, I can zoom through books in a flash. But books for school is different. In order for me to really understand the concept, I have to read it a couple of times over. Needless to say, I turned in the 3rd assignment by 11:40pm-ish. Score!
Of course now, the coffee that I originally took 4 hours ago to help keep me awake is slowly kicking in now. Shiet.
Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!
Today, hubby is head chef today. He has this whole feast set up for us again. This year, we decided on a smaller turkey 'cuz last year was way too big for just the two of us. Today's menu includes:
- Turkey
- Ham
- Mashed potatoes and gravy (from scratch)
- Stuffing
- Green Bean casserole
- Pumpkin pie (for hubby) and French silk pie (for me)
Coincidentally, today is RyceGirlie's 25th birthday! Happy birthday, sista friend! It's funny and I know that she must be sick of me saying this, but I've always considered her to be a lil' sis to me and now that she's all grown up, I can't help but feel that sense of pride at the young and beautiful woman she's become. I'm thankful that we've remained friends through the years and I'm grateful for how our friendship has developed. Wishing you a happy and blessed birthday! Much love...
Thanksgiving Agenda
It seems that there's just tons of things to get done today. Thankfully, I won't be anywhere near the kitchen...that's hubby's domain for today! Because I'm leaving for da City the day after Turkey Day, here's a list of MUST DOs for today:
- do laundry
- vaccuum
- prepare bills for mailing
- start packing for San Francisco
- start packing the house for the move
- get a manicure/pedicure (hey, there are weddings to attend!)
- call the folks and loved ones
- eat, eat, and eat
- spend time with hubby
Seems like a long list, but now that school is outta the way for a week, I can focus on these things. I'm looking forward to my trip to the Bay. Two of my dearest friends are getting married and I would NOT miss their special day for the world. Unfortunately hubby will not be accompanying me, but hopefully on my return, he'll have moved some of our stuff into our new townhome. This trip back home will be special in more ways than one because it will basically be the last time I visit CA until May. Hubby and I will be spending Christmas here in MN...our 1st Christmas holiday without my family. Hmmm...again, the whole nostalgia was kickin' in and maybe that's why I was crying my eyes out during "Elf." Yes, I cried during "Elf!" Well, considering that I'm likely to cry at any movie, the whole spirit of Christmas really got to me. Aiya! Anyways...let's focus on one holiday celebration at a time, shall we? Hope ya'll have a great Thanksgiving...gobble, gobble, gobble!!!
No, I ain't talking as in Iglesias...it's more like Enrique, the maintenance dude. Hubby and I had to endure a couple of THE coldest nights ever in our apartment. The temps have been in the mid-20's in the daytime and you can imagine how cold it gets at night. Because handy dandy maintenance dude couldn't come in for a couple of days, hubby and I had to layer it: hooded sweatshirts, sweats, thermals, and socks. Heck, I got to the point of wearing triple layer shirts! Since we're going to be moving soon, I kidded hubby that we should lay off using the heater to save on our bills. I mean, when we were both growing up, it had to be really cold for the moms to okay turning up the heat. Lo and behold, the moment that it got too cold for us to handle, the damn thing wouldn't start up. Great. Perfect. If any of ya'll can remember, this very thing happened to us last year. It was the motor that got jammed. The cause? Muddaubers. Ewwww! I mean, they were dead and all, but its nest clogged up the motor. When Enrique showed it to me, my body instantly felt like there were hundreds of creepy crawlies on me. Not cool! I would totally suck at Fear Factor, people! Well, after a few chilling nights, the heater got fixed. Thank God and thank Enrique. So what that handy dandy Enrique didn't speak much English and that every question I asked was a timid yes. He fixed it. We're warm. It's all good.
Stressed Out
I was reading sista friend Rycegirlie's blog the other day and I could help but laugh. She was stressing over a school assignment and not that I thought that was funny, but it was more of a "that'll be in in a couple of days." Ever since I started working part-time, I've just been coming home exhausted. As pathetic as it may sound, I really got used to the whole not working thang this past year. My daily routine, aside from the usual cooking and cleaning, was schoolwork in the morning, er, afternoon, and schoolwork in the evening. I'd take TV, eating, reading, and blogging breaks, but other than that, I basically did schoolwork all day. Now that I'm working, I'm having the hardest time adjusting to the juggling act that I somewhat mastered while I was working full-time at Cornerstone. On top of all the papers that I had to correct and lessons to plan, I still found time (in the early mornings) to do my readings and write up assignments. Looking back, I don't know how I did it. Eh, I did it because I had to. In any case, I got off work today at 2pm-ish, unwound at home and watched "Elf" with hubby (ended around 5:30pm), watched the special features on the dvd, and at 7pm got to working on the THREE assignments due at midnight. Five hours seems like a lot of time, but in my world, it's not. When it comes to reading, I can zoom through books in a flash. But books for school is different. In order for me to really understand the concept, I have to read it a couple of times over. Needless to say, I turned in the 3rd assignment by 11:40pm-ish. Score!
Of course now, the coffee that I originally took 4 hours ago to help keep me awake is slowly kicking in now. Shiet.
Gobble! Gobble! Gobble!
Today, hubby is head chef today. He has this whole feast set up for us again. This year, we decided on a smaller turkey 'cuz last year was way too big for just the two of us. Today's menu includes:
- Turkey
- Ham
- Mashed potatoes and gravy (from scratch)
- Stuffing
- Green Bean casserole
- Pumpkin pie (for hubby) and French silk pie (for me)
Coincidentally, today is RyceGirlie's 25th birthday! Happy birthday, sista friend! It's funny and I know that she must be sick of me saying this, but I've always considered her to be a lil' sis to me and now that she's all grown up, I can't help but feel that sense of pride at the young and beautiful woman she's become. I'm thankful that we've remained friends through the years and I'm grateful for how our friendship has developed. Wishing you a happy and blessed birthday! Much love...
Thanksgiving Agenda
It seems that there's just tons of things to get done today. Thankfully, I won't be anywhere near the kitchen...that's hubby's domain for today! Because I'm leaving for da City the day after Turkey Day, here's a list of MUST DOs for today:
- do laundry
- vaccuum
- prepare bills for mailing
- start packing for San Francisco
- start packing the house for the move
- get a manicure/pedicure (hey, there are weddings to attend!)
- call the folks and loved ones
- eat, eat, and eat
- spend time with hubby
Seems like a long list, but now that school is outta the way for a week, I can focus on these things. I'm looking forward to my trip to the Bay. Two of my dearest friends are getting married and I would NOT miss their special day for the world. Unfortunately hubby will not be accompanying me, but hopefully on my return, he'll have moved some of our stuff into our new townhome. This trip back home will be special in more ways than one because it will basically be the last time I visit CA until May. Hubby and I will be spending Christmas here in MN...our 1st Christmas holiday without my family. Hmmm...again, the whole nostalgia was kickin' in and maybe that's why I was crying my eyes out during "Elf." Yes, I cried during "Elf!" Well, considering that I'm likely to cry at any movie, the whole spirit of Christmas really got to me. Aiya! Anyways...let's focus on one holiday celebration at a time, shall we? Hope ya'll have a great Thanksgiving...gobble, gobble, gobble!!!
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Christmas is in the air!
If you have visited any of the local malls recently, I'm sure you couldn't help but be bombarded by the elaborate and festive Christmas decor. I actually wasn't prepared because hello, it's not even Thanksgiving yet. But I have to admit, seeing all the lights, the poinsettias, the snowflakes, and yes, even Santa, has put me into the holiday spirit. I even had to pull out my Christmas music so I could bop to NSYNC's holiday cd! Last week at Target, hubby and I even bought our first fake-assemble-it-yourself-and-use-it-again-and-again-every-year tree. I was excited! It comes all perfectly packaged in a slim, narrow box that will never ever, as much as I try, look the same after it's opened. As long as I can remember growing up, our Christmas tree (which I'm betting is as old as I am!) included a color-coded assembly. It's a totally old-school tree, but honestly, it's something that I've wanted for ourselves. During our first Christmas together after our wedding, hubby and I got a real tree. A real, live, pine shedding, make your whole house smelling, don't forget to water or else it turns poopoo brown color, tree. It was SO cool! In all my years at my parents, I remember only one instance where my Ate insisted that we get a real tree. Forget the fact that we never had to take care of one before and had no clue as to HOW to do so. Oh, and it didn't help that each year's location of the tree was always in the same place...in front of the living room window....which is directly in front of the heater. The heater. Yes, our poor Christmas tree that year practically died as soon as we got it! Lol! Well, we learned our lesson...and plus, all the damn needles were major annoyances anyways. But it was nice while it lasted...the same goes for hubby's and my first Christmas together. I say, get a faux Christmas tree and buy the Christmas tree spray or candle to achieve that semi-authentic tree smell. It may not be the same thing, but hey, save the trees!
I've been feeling somewhat nostalgic lately. I guess because Christmas is in the air and knowing that this is going to be THE FIRST time I won't be with my family. Hubby and I will be spending the holidays, hopefully, in our brand new townhome. Plus, it's going to be our first white Christmas! Yes, it will be sad to be away from the folks, but just because we're not together doesn't mean that they're not in my heart, thoughts, and prayers always. Corny, but true. Also, we're hoping hubby's parents and kids will be here to spend Christmas with us. That will definitely be a nice gift!
Thanksgiving
Well, Turkey Day is almost upon us. A time for when people take the day off to spend with family, cook up a feast, eat until they can't eat anymore, and give thanks for the blessings in their life. Some will think that it's odd that there's only ONE day out of the year designated to give thanks...just like there's ONE day of the year to celebrate Christ's birth....ONE day out of the week to go to church, etc. Of course, many of us do all of these things everyday, but I guess I was just reminded of my SFState days where we would celebrate the "Unthanksgiving." By the way...Christopher Columbus didn't discover shiet. Aside from the textbook version we learned in school...why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? Why celebrate when the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock? I mean, we often forget that they took over the land already inhabited by the Native Americans. They brought with them sickness and disease, destroyed all what the Native Americans deemed sacred, and went about trying to colonize the "savage people." Ah yes...the story of colored people everywhere! If ya'll don't know the facts about the actual event, I suggest you do some research and see for yourself that it's not all cracked up to be everything you once believed.
ANYWAYS...I digress. Despite the history behind it, I still love this holiday. I mean, we all get a day off of work and we all get to eat until we can't eat anymore. Turkey, gravy, and pie, oh my! Plus, how about all of them turkey leftovers??? Lol! On the real, I love that people take the time to be with their families on Thanksgiving. People have their own celebrations and their own traditions. What it comes down to is spending quality time together. In this world that we live in today, quality time isn't something on everyone's priority list. It SHOULD be. We often take our loved ones for granted and it almost always takes an unfortunate event for us to realize just how much they mean to us. Do yourself a favor...don't wait until that moment. Be thankful for your blessings each and every day. I know I do.
If you have visited any of the local malls recently, I'm sure you couldn't help but be bombarded by the elaborate and festive Christmas decor. I actually wasn't prepared because hello, it's not even Thanksgiving yet. But I have to admit, seeing all the lights, the poinsettias, the snowflakes, and yes, even Santa, has put me into the holiday spirit. I even had to pull out my Christmas music so I could bop to NSYNC's holiday cd! Last week at Target, hubby and I even bought our first fake-assemble-it-yourself-and-use-it-again-and-again-every-year tree. I was excited! It comes all perfectly packaged in a slim, narrow box that will never ever, as much as I try, look the same after it's opened. As long as I can remember growing up, our Christmas tree (which I'm betting is as old as I am!) included a color-coded assembly. It's a totally old-school tree, but honestly, it's something that I've wanted for ourselves. During our first Christmas together after our wedding, hubby and I got a real tree. A real, live, pine shedding, make your whole house smelling, don't forget to water or else it turns poopoo brown color, tree. It was SO cool! In all my years at my parents, I remember only one instance where my Ate insisted that we get a real tree. Forget the fact that we never had to take care of one before and had no clue as to HOW to do so. Oh, and it didn't help that each year's location of the tree was always in the same place...in front of the living room window....which is directly in front of the heater. The heater. Yes, our poor Christmas tree that year practically died as soon as we got it! Lol! Well, we learned our lesson...and plus, all the damn needles were major annoyances anyways. But it was nice while it lasted...the same goes for hubby's and my first Christmas together. I say, get a faux Christmas tree and buy the Christmas tree spray or candle to achieve that semi-authentic tree smell. It may not be the same thing, but hey, save the trees!
I've been feeling somewhat nostalgic lately. I guess because Christmas is in the air and knowing that this is going to be THE FIRST time I won't be with my family. Hubby and I will be spending the holidays, hopefully, in our brand new townhome. Plus, it's going to be our first white Christmas! Yes, it will be sad to be away from the folks, but just because we're not together doesn't mean that they're not in my heart, thoughts, and prayers always. Corny, but true. Also, we're hoping hubby's parents and kids will be here to spend Christmas with us. That will definitely be a nice gift!
Thanksgiving
Well, Turkey Day is almost upon us. A time for when people take the day off to spend with family, cook up a feast, eat until they can't eat anymore, and give thanks for the blessings in their life. Some will think that it's odd that there's only ONE day out of the year designated to give thanks...just like there's ONE day of the year to celebrate Christ's birth....ONE day out of the week to go to church, etc. Of course, many of us do all of these things everyday, but I guess I was just reminded of my SFState days where we would celebrate the "Unthanksgiving." By the way...Christopher Columbus didn't discover shiet. Aside from the textbook version we learned in school...why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? Why celebrate when the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock? I mean, we often forget that they took over the land already inhabited by the Native Americans. They brought with them sickness and disease, destroyed all what the Native Americans deemed sacred, and went about trying to colonize the "savage people." Ah yes...the story of colored people everywhere! If ya'll don't know the facts about the actual event, I suggest you do some research and see for yourself that it's not all cracked up to be everything you once believed.
ANYWAYS...I digress. Despite the history behind it, I still love this holiday. I mean, we all get a day off of work and we all get to eat until we can't eat anymore. Turkey, gravy, and pie, oh my! Plus, how about all of them turkey leftovers??? Lol! On the real, I love that people take the time to be with their families on Thanksgiving. People have their own celebrations and their own traditions. What it comes down to is spending quality time together. In this world that we live in today, quality time isn't something on everyone's priority list. It SHOULD be. We often take our loved ones for granted and it almost always takes an unfortunate event for us to realize just how much they mean to us. Do yourself a favor...don't wait until that moment. Be thankful for your blessings each and every day. I know I do.
Thursday, November 18, 2004
So Many Things, So Little Time
I swear, there are not enough hours in the day. Today is my day off and I plan on being as productive as possible. Here's my To Do list items for today and tomorrow in no particular order.
- Address Christmas cards. Yes, I have this "thing" where I like to have my cards addressed BEFORE Turkey Day. Call it being anal on my part, but I feel that if they're not done prior to my Thanksgiving deadline, they'll never get done. When I was younger, the day after Thanksgiving was always, always, always THE day to set up our Christmas tree and decorations. It's tradition. If I don't get my cards done, this sense of urgency sets in and I feel rushed to do too many things at once. I can gladly say that I'm halfway done with this project...considering that I have over 80 people on my card list!
- Buy stamps. Yet another anal aspect...I am VERY picky about what kind of stamps go on my personal mail. Hubby couldn't really care less, but I don't like to settle for the generic, plain, $.37 flag stamps. Yes, yes, it's all good to be patriotic especially in the times we're living in, but I have my preferences. The last stamps I got was the Disney collection. Too cute. I always ask for the LOVE colllection, but since the holidays are upon us, I'll have to check out the Christmas ones.
- Hem pants. Ahhhh...the curse of being short. In any other case, I could easily hem up my own pants, but I just bought this Addidas nylon running pants and I don't want to screw 'em up. Maybe it's because we're in Viking territory, but none of the clothes I've been buying fit me perfectly. Back in the day, if something was too long, all we had to do was peg them. Yes, PEGGED pants was totally in! Lol! Other remedies: using rubberbands, pinning, and stapling. Talk about GHETTO!
- Buy LOTTO. We could ALL use the money, can't we??? And why is it that the lucky bastards who always win are some young'uns who don't know what a real working day feels like. Shiet.
- Buy Hard Rock Cafe shot glasses. The soon-to-be-Mrs. Gee has special requested some shot glasses from the Hard Rock over here. Back in college when I got to drinking age, I admittedly got into that hobby of collecting shot glasses. I haven't bought any as of late. The whole drinking thing? I'm over it. Blame it on a night at Miyakes and Q's...ugh. Let's not go there.
- UOP. My new class starts today. It's an 8-week course, but I just learned that we get scheduled breaks for Turkey Day and Christmas. Yay! That means that for most of my stay in the Bay won't have to be spent with late nights on assignments. WERD!
- Dress/Skirt/Shoe shopping. It's about a week before the weddings and I've seriously don't have a thing to wear! I've been on a mission for about a month now, but it's time to buckle down and get something already. If finances are good, I'll be able to get two new outfits for both weddings. If not, well, I may have to wear the same outfit! Is that bad???
*Let's see just how much I get accomplished today.*
I swear, there are not enough hours in the day. Today is my day off and I plan on being as productive as possible. Here's my To Do list items for today and tomorrow in no particular order.
- Address Christmas cards. Yes, I have this "thing" where I like to have my cards addressed BEFORE Turkey Day. Call it being anal on my part, but I feel that if they're not done prior to my Thanksgiving deadline, they'll never get done. When I was younger, the day after Thanksgiving was always, always, always THE day to set up our Christmas tree and decorations. It's tradition. If I don't get my cards done, this sense of urgency sets in and I feel rushed to do too many things at once. I can gladly say that I'm halfway done with this project...considering that I have over 80 people on my card list!
- Buy stamps. Yet another anal aspect...I am VERY picky about what kind of stamps go on my personal mail. Hubby couldn't really care less, but I don't like to settle for the generic, plain, $.37 flag stamps. Yes, yes, it's all good to be patriotic especially in the times we're living in, but I have my preferences. The last stamps I got was the Disney collection. Too cute. I always ask for the LOVE colllection, but since the holidays are upon us, I'll have to check out the Christmas ones.
- Hem pants. Ahhhh...the curse of being short. In any other case, I could easily hem up my own pants, but I just bought this Addidas nylon running pants and I don't want to screw 'em up. Maybe it's because we're in Viking territory, but none of the clothes I've been buying fit me perfectly. Back in the day, if something was too long, all we had to do was peg them. Yes, PEGGED pants was totally in! Lol! Other remedies: using rubberbands, pinning, and stapling. Talk about GHETTO!
- Buy LOTTO. We could ALL use the money, can't we??? And why is it that the lucky bastards who always win are some young'uns who don't know what a real working day feels like. Shiet.
- Buy Hard Rock Cafe shot glasses. The soon-to-be-Mrs. Gee has special requested some shot glasses from the Hard Rock over here. Back in college when I got to drinking age, I admittedly got into that hobby of collecting shot glasses. I haven't bought any as of late. The whole drinking thing? I'm over it. Blame it on a night at Miyakes and Q's...ugh. Let's not go there.
- UOP. My new class starts today. It's an 8-week course, but I just learned that we get scheduled breaks for Turkey Day and Christmas. Yay! That means that for most of my stay in the Bay won't have to be spent with late nights on assignments. WERD!
- Dress/Skirt/Shoe shopping. It's about a week before the weddings and I've seriously don't have a thing to wear! I've been on a mission for about a month now, but it's time to buckle down and get something already. If finances are good, I'll be able to get two new outfits for both weddings. If not, well, I may have to wear the same outfit! Is that bad???
*Let's see just how much I get accomplished today.*
Updates
I swear, there are simply not enough hours in the day.
Ever since I started this new job of mine...part-time, mind you...I've been bitching and whining about how exhausted I am at the end of my shifts. Honestly? It's all the standing that I do. After the store finally opened last Saturday, it hasn't been really busy. Considering it is a teacher resource supply store, you know it ain't gonna be bustling with teachers during regular school hours. In the mornings, we usually get a lot of parents and daycare educators. There's about 4-5 of us on duty and there's only so much help "Is there anything I can help you find?" going on, know what I mean? And egads...the straightening. Our store has to be THE neatest in that whole shopping complex. Except for last Tuesday.
Tuesday morning, a lady came in with her young daughter. The kid must've been no older than 2 years old. It still surprises me how parents allow their kids to roam freely around a store. Okay, so it wasn't busy with lines up the ass, but the lady was 2-3 aisles down and the little girl was in the section where she could've easily inserted small objects in her mouth and choked. Well, insert she did, but luckily I was there to supervise her. She was the cutest thing. She'd take balls, one by one, and hand them to me. Before I knew it, the floor was littered with balls rolling here and there. After her mom paid for her purchases, she just told the kid, "okay, time to go." No thank yous for watching her kid. No "I appreciate ya'll for babysitting" 'cuz babysitting we were while the lil' rugrat tore it up. Lol..it wasn't so bad 'cuz she was adorable and we were bored, but still...
I've been having second thoughts about this whole retail thing. The last time I worked retail was at Carlton Cards at Stonestown! And egads, that was 10 years ago!!!
(Whew! Give me a sec to let that sink in...) The setting up of the store was cool. I'm a sucker when it comes to seeing all the new merchandise. It's like Christmas or a birthday where you get to open up all these boxes and see the goodies inside. Sure it was tough, laborious work, but when you walk into the store and see how awesome it looks, there's a certain pride that wells up. They keep telling us that we'll always be different from all the other people who are hired later on simply because we were there from the very beginning when there was no store. When it's slow and we have no customers, we're encouraged to "go play" with stuff. That's the only way we'll get to know the product, etc, and as a former teacher, I tell you, it's educational heaven. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've commented, "Ohhhhh, I could SO use this in my classroom!" I was seriously comtemplating ditching the whole retail experience, but not only does it give me something to do besides online school and get out of the house, it seems like the closest thing to a real classroom that I'm gonna get to. Plus, the discount will kick in after 30 days. I feel like I do have this slight edge over some other people having been in a classroom for 5 years and can confidently suggest something that'll work, but some of these young'uns are just better sellers than I am. Retail sure ain't for me, but in the meantime, it'll do.
If you're curious as to what kind of store I work in, click the link.
I swear, there are simply not enough hours in the day.
Ever since I started this new job of mine...part-time, mind you...I've been bitching and whining about how exhausted I am at the end of my shifts. Honestly? It's all the standing that I do. After the store finally opened last Saturday, it hasn't been really busy. Considering it is a teacher resource supply store, you know it ain't gonna be bustling with teachers during regular school hours. In the mornings, we usually get a lot of parents and daycare educators. There's about 4-5 of us on duty and there's only so much help "Is there anything I can help you find?" going on, know what I mean? And egads...the straightening. Our store has to be THE neatest in that whole shopping complex. Except for last Tuesday.
Tuesday morning, a lady came in with her young daughter. The kid must've been no older than 2 years old. It still surprises me how parents allow their kids to roam freely around a store. Okay, so it wasn't busy with lines up the ass, but the lady was 2-3 aisles down and the little girl was in the section where she could've easily inserted small objects in her mouth and choked. Well, insert she did, but luckily I was there to supervise her. She was the cutest thing. She'd take balls, one by one, and hand them to me. Before I knew it, the floor was littered with balls rolling here and there. After her mom paid for her purchases, she just told the kid, "okay, time to go." No thank yous for watching her kid. No "I appreciate ya'll for babysitting" 'cuz babysitting we were while the lil' rugrat tore it up. Lol..it wasn't so bad 'cuz she was adorable and we were bored, but still...
I've been having second thoughts about this whole retail thing. The last time I worked retail was at Carlton Cards at Stonestown! And egads, that was 10 years ago!!!
(Whew! Give me a sec to let that sink in...) The setting up of the store was cool. I'm a sucker when it comes to seeing all the new merchandise. It's like Christmas or a birthday where you get to open up all these boxes and see the goodies inside. Sure it was tough, laborious work, but when you walk into the store and see how awesome it looks, there's a certain pride that wells up. They keep telling us that we'll always be different from all the other people who are hired later on simply because we were there from the very beginning when there was no store. When it's slow and we have no customers, we're encouraged to "go play" with stuff. That's the only way we'll get to know the product, etc, and as a former teacher, I tell you, it's educational heaven. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've commented, "Ohhhhh, I could SO use this in my classroom!" I was seriously comtemplating ditching the whole retail experience, but not only does it give me something to do besides online school and get out of the house, it seems like the closest thing to a real classroom that I'm gonna get to. Plus, the discount will kick in after 30 days. I feel like I do have this slight edge over some other people having been in a classroom for 5 years and can confidently suggest something that'll work, but some of these young'uns are just better sellers than I am. Retail sure ain't for me, but in the meantime, it'll do.
If you're curious as to what kind of store I work in, click the link.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Exhausted
That is how I've been feeling for the past week. I started my part-time gig last Friday. For someone like myself who hasn't been part of the work force for a bit over a year now, it was a major shock to my system physically. Lakeshore is basically starting from scratch- brand new space, brand new employees, brand new everything. Most of what my job entails is putting up fixtures, unloading a 50-foot truck full of a sh*tload of merchandise in heavy ass boxes, putting them on a handtruck or dolly, moving them to a designated area, opening the boxes, taking out the millions of packing peanuts (which have somehow found their way into my pockets!), sorting the items according to section, arranging them onto the shelves according to a "plannogram" or picture, packing the overstock in boxes that have been already broken down that must be retaped, loading them up on the handtruck again, wheeling it through the maze of boxes and bodies, and figuring out exactly where the hell everything goes. Sounds like FUN, eh? (riiiiigghhht...)
On my first day of work, the many muscles that have been dormant were rudely awakened and put to strenuous physical labor at once. I honestly thought that we would have one of those get-to-know-each-other exercises, but from the getgo, the managers and visiting managers from other states were basically like, "Okay, grab a dolly and let's start unloading the truck!" Us workers got to know each other by the many "You got that? Are you okay? Need some help?" to the passing comments of sarcasm like, "And we're getting paid HOW MUCH to do this crap?! What time is our break? You expect me to carry THAT?" All the new hires come from different walks of life. You've got the high school graduates, the college folks, the laid-off, the mothers whose kids just started school, and the grandmothers. Grandmothers. These aren't the typical grandmas who spend the day in the kitchen or garden..no sir! These grandmas are feisty lil' ole ladies with mouths like a sailor or trucker! You always hear 'em complaining about one thing or another, but rather than it being annoying, it's really just hilarious to hear what comes out of their mouths because it's just so unexpected. And why is it that it's always the older women who bitch about needing a smoke? Lol! It's one of those, "Helllloooo? Don't you know smoking is bad for you?" As if I would be the one to say anything....they might kick my ass! lol!
Although it's a lot of work, it really isn't that bad. If Motrin can fix it, then I'm all good. I've been dead-tired each day, got cuts and bruises everywhere, and am in dire need of a back, foot, and hand massage, and using muscles that I don't think have existed for the past year. Man, with all the blood, sweat, and tears (okay, no tears....but blood and sweat, yes.), I better be losing some weight or something 'cuz it's for damn sure that I'm NOT in this job for the money! On the real, my paycheck would be good for groceries, a trip to Target or BestBuy, or on one pair of really nice shoes and a bag. On the plus side, this job thang has pushed me into the much needed routine that I've been bitching and whining about. I actually eat three meals a day, I head to bed no later than 10:30pm, and I'm usually up by 6:30am. Wow, huh? AND, I get home by 5:30pm-ish, eat dinner, and still have time to watch my must-sees on the WB...haha, I planned it that way. I'm sorry, I don't think I"m willing to give up Gilmore Girls and Smallville for this part-time job. Not worth it. (btw: VH-1's Bands Reunited is back! Check it out!)
Other Things
- Elections are over. I have this need to keep a close eye on how the Bush administration will operate for the next four years. This election "inspired" me to be more aware of what's going on. Yes, I realize that I shouldn't need a reason to be inspired to be in the know politically, but hey, it's something that I was never and truly interested in until now. I do believe that we're headed for a major decline in more ways than one and the focus on the blue state-red state issue intrigues me still. We're more of a divided country than we are united. I don't doubt that the president's job is difficult. I mean, c'mon, he's the leader of the free world! BUT, as someone in the position to make changes for our country, it has to be made with two steps forward, not back. In any case and as hubby puts it, no one's got a right to complain unless you did your duty and voted.
- Dress shopping, or rather, 'Mission Impossible.' Why is it that whenever we head to the mall in need of something, we can never find it? It's like there's this invisible force that quietly and discreetly hides that perfect dress or pair of shoes from our viewing pleasure and/or gives the person in front of us the same inkling and desire for it and snatches it just a second before we do. It's a sick and twisted cycle. I even try and psych myself out and try to get into the frame of mind that I don't need anything. But sure enough, the sick and twisted cycle continues. Shiet. This is THE major reason why I don't like to go shopping. Shopping for books, fine. Great. But for clothes? Forget it. Argh.
- This is one of those "you just had to be there" moments. When my sister and her family came to visit MN this summer, my niece and nephew brought this McDonald's fun pack that included lil' plastic replicas of all Mickey D's foods imaginable. You had the big mac, filet fish, quarter pounder, french fries, icy coke, milkshakes, sundaes, and apple pie. Hee hee...did you sing that? No? Okay, it's just me. ANYWAYS, before they left back to CA, the kids were making sure that they had all the pieces. Sure enough, they didn't. Among the missing pieces was a sunny-side egg...y'know, for the big breakfast meal. WELL, I recently brought my Honda to the carwash and whenever they vaccuum, they just leave whatever on the floor on top of the seats. Just yesterday, I decided to put my window screen in the trunk 'cuz, well, I won't be needing that anymore. Sitting right underneath the screen, lo and behold, was the plastic egg! It was THE funniest thing! Lol! Ha, I guess ya'll just had to be there.
- Belated birthday shout-outs to my lil' cousin Anthonette who turned 23 yesterday. Okay, so she's not so little anymore..literally. She stands at a nice 5'7 and was the tallest of my bridesmaids. Sure, it didn't help that she still wore heels! Anyways, hope you had a blast girl! Love and hugs to you always!
That is how I've been feeling for the past week. I started my part-time gig last Friday. For someone like myself who hasn't been part of the work force for a bit over a year now, it was a major shock to my system physically. Lakeshore is basically starting from scratch- brand new space, brand new employees, brand new everything. Most of what my job entails is putting up fixtures, unloading a 50-foot truck full of a sh*tload of merchandise in heavy ass boxes, putting them on a handtruck or dolly, moving them to a designated area, opening the boxes, taking out the millions of packing peanuts (which have somehow found their way into my pockets!), sorting the items according to section, arranging them onto the shelves according to a "plannogram" or picture, packing the overstock in boxes that have been already broken down that must be retaped, loading them up on the handtruck again, wheeling it through the maze of boxes and bodies, and figuring out exactly where the hell everything goes. Sounds like FUN, eh? (riiiiigghhht...)
On my first day of work, the many muscles that have been dormant were rudely awakened and put to strenuous physical labor at once. I honestly thought that we would have one of those get-to-know-each-other exercises, but from the getgo, the managers and visiting managers from other states were basically like, "Okay, grab a dolly and let's start unloading the truck!" Us workers got to know each other by the many "You got that? Are you okay? Need some help?" to the passing comments of sarcasm like, "And we're getting paid HOW MUCH to do this crap?! What time is our break? You expect me to carry THAT?" All the new hires come from different walks of life. You've got the high school graduates, the college folks, the laid-off, the mothers whose kids just started school, and the grandmothers. Grandmothers. These aren't the typical grandmas who spend the day in the kitchen or garden..no sir! These grandmas are feisty lil' ole ladies with mouths like a sailor or trucker! You always hear 'em complaining about one thing or another, but rather than it being annoying, it's really just hilarious to hear what comes out of their mouths because it's just so unexpected. And why is it that it's always the older women who bitch about needing a smoke? Lol! It's one of those, "Helllloooo? Don't you know smoking is bad for you?" As if I would be the one to say anything....they might kick my ass! lol!
Although it's a lot of work, it really isn't that bad. If Motrin can fix it, then I'm all good. I've been dead-tired each day, got cuts and bruises everywhere, and am in dire need of a back, foot, and hand massage, and using muscles that I don't think have existed for the past year. Man, with all the blood, sweat, and tears (okay, no tears....but blood and sweat, yes.), I better be losing some weight or something 'cuz it's for damn sure that I'm NOT in this job for the money! On the real, my paycheck would be good for groceries, a trip to Target or BestBuy, or on one pair of really nice shoes and a bag. On the plus side, this job thang has pushed me into the much needed routine that I've been bitching and whining about. I actually eat three meals a day, I head to bed no later than 10:30pm, and I'm usually up by 6:30am. Wow, huh? AND, I get home by 5:30pm-ish, eat dinner, and still have time to watch my must-sees on the WB...haha, I planned it that way. I'm sorry, I don't think I"m willing to give up Gilmore Girls and Smallville for this part-time job. Not worth it. (btw: VH-1's Bands Reunited is back! Check it out!)
Other Things
- Elections are over. I have this need to keep a close eye on how the Bush administration will operate for the next four years. This election "inspired" me to be more aware of what's going on. Yes, I realize that I shouldn't need a reason to be inspired to be in the know politically, but hey, it's something that I was never and truly interested in until now. I do believe that we're headed for a major decline in more ways than one and the focus on the blue state-red state issue intrigues me still. We're more of a divided country than we are united. I don't doubt that the president's job is difficult. I mean, c'mon, he's the leader of the free world! BUT, as someone in the position to make changes for our country, it has to be made with two steps forward, not back. In any case and as hubby puts it, no one's got a right to complain unless you did your duty and voted.
- Dress shopping, or rather, 'Mission Impossible.' Why is it that whenever we head to the mall in need of something, we can never find it? It's like there's this invisible force that quietly and discreetly hides that perfect dress or pair of shoes from our viewing pleasure and/or gives the person in front of us the same inkling and desire for it and snatches it just a second before we do. It's a sick and twisted cycle. I even try and psych myself out and try to get into the frame of mind that I don't need anything. But sure enough, the sick and twisted cycle continues. Shiet. This is THE major reason why I don't like to go shopping. Shopping for books, fine. Great. But for clothes? Forget it. Argh.
- This is one of those "you just had to be there" moments. When my sister and her family came to visit MN this summer, my niece and nephew brought this McDonald's fun pack that included lil' plastic replicas of all Mickey D's foods imaginable. You had the big mac, filet fish, quarter pounder, french fries, icy coke, milkshakes, sundaes, and apple pie. Hee hee...did you sing that? No? Okay, it's just me. ANYWAYS, before they left back to CA, the kids were making sure that they had all the pieces. Sure enough, they didn't. Among the missing pieces was a sunny-side egg...y'know, for the big breakfast meal. WELL, I recently brought my Honda to the carwash and whenever they vaccuum, they just leave whatever on the floor on top of the seats. Just yesterday, I decided to put my window screen in the trunk 'cuz, well, I won't be needing that anymore. Sitting right underneath the screen, lo and behold, was the plastic egg! It was THE funniest thing! Lol! Ha, I guess ya'll just had to be there.
- Belated birthday shout-outs to my lil' cousin Anthonette who turned 23 yesterday. Okay, so she's not so little anymore..literally. She stands at a nice 5'7 and was the tallest of my bridesmaids. Sure, it didn't help that she still wore heels! Anyways, hope you had a blast girl! Love and hugs to you always!
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Kodak Moments
This was taken in downtown Minneapolis on our way to the Metrodome. The bright yellows are just one of the beautiful colors among many that have been showing up all over MN during this fall. Ain't it purty???
Here's a shot of the Metrodome, home to the Twins and Vikings. It was interesting to watch an indoor game. Surprisingly, it was still freakin' cold because they had the a/c cranked up...retail ploy to get people to buy merchandise, no less. Check out how packed it is!
Okay, so the Vikings got their ass whooped, we were still there to cheer them on nonetheless. GO VIKES!
My first thought during halftime: "Damn, that's a sh*tload of cheerleaders!" Again as I mentioned before, it wasn't at all impressive. I'm not too big of a fan to cheerleaders, although I did enjoy watching "Bring It On." Throughout the game, we watched them do their routines, exchanged looks that said, 'WTF was that?', and rolled our eyes as they did the harlem shake and the like. In any case, this was a good shot of the packed purple and gold stadium.
This didn't quite come out as clear, but the blue gives it an eerie kind of feel. Last year, we took a pic with a Skeletor kind of character, but this werewolf was happy to oblige this time around.
We did our civic duty yesterday. Because we weren't officially MN residents in terms of getting our picture ID, it was quite an obstacle for us to ensure that we were able to vote. I have to say that this has been the first presidential campaign where I found myself glued to the TV. It was tense throughout the night as the votes poured in and somewhat confusing as various channels projected the different electoral votes. It was SO close and I was keeping my fingers crossed. Ultimately, the results came in and much to my disappointment and chagrin, Kerry lost. I just finished watching Kerry's concession speech and I have to admit, there was a sadness welling up inside of me. Well, we're in for another challenging four years and let's just hope that everything fares well for the country.
This was taken in downtown Minneapolis on our way to the Metrodome. The bright yellows are just one of the beautiful colors among many that have been showing up all over MN during this fall. Ain't it purty???
Here's a shot of the Metrodome, home to the Twins and Vikings. It was interesting to watch an indoor game. Surprisingly, it was still freakin' cold because they had the a/c cranked up...retail ploy to get people to buy merchandise, no less. Check out how packed it is!
Okay, so the Vikings got their ass whooped, we were still there to cheer them on nonetheless. GO VIKES!
My first thought during halftime: "Damn, that's a sh*tload of cheerleaders!" Again as I mentioned before, it wasn't at all impressive. I'm not too big of a fan to cheerleaders, although I did enjoy watching "Bring It On." Throughout the game, we watched them do their routines, exchanged looks that said, 'WTF was that?', and rolled our eyes as they did the harlem shake and the like. In any case, this was a good shot of the packed purple and gold stadium.
This didn't quite come out as clear, but the blue gives it an eerie kind of feel. Last year, we took a pic with a Skeletor kind of character, but this werewolf was happy to oblige this time around.
We did our civic duty yesterday. Because we weren't officially MN residents in terms of getting our picture ID, it was quite an obstacle for us to ensure that we were able to vote. I have to say that this has been the first presidential campaign where I found myself glued to the TV. It was tense throughout the night as the votes poured in and somewhat confusing as various channels projected the different electoral votes. It was SO close and I was keeping my fingers crossed. Ultimately, the results came in and much to my disappointment and chagrin, Kerry lost. I just finished watching Kerry's concession speech and I have to admit, there was a sadness welling up inside of me. Well, we're in for another challenging four years and let's just hope that everything fares well for the country.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Weekend Happenings
Saturday: Had a meeting with the loan officer to discuss the impending closure on our townhome. It's all completed and done! All we have to do is wait for everything to be approved, sign our autographs on the paperwork, and start moving in. One killjoy moment was when we learned that the original guy we were supposedly working with lagged on his end of the paperwork and so our closing may be delayed a week or so. Sucker. Hopefully all goes well and in a few weeks, we should have our new place.
It's been a rainy and blah weekend over here. Makes you just want to sleep in until noon and stay underneath the warmth of the blankets. Oh wait! I already do that! LOL! On the real, I'm trying to improve my sleeping habits. They are so screwed and it's taking a toll on me both physically and mentally. Because of the school stuff I have going on, it's not unusual for me to NOT leave the apartment and to lose all sense of what day of the week it is. It's terrible. Now that school is temporarily over, it's the perfect time to venture out. Hubby and I hit a mall on Saturday to escape the blahness of the day. We don't really have a usual mall that we go to, in fact, there was a point when hubby asked me, "Do we like this mall?" and I had to stop and think about it. Oh the deep things we ponder. Ha. For the rest of the night, we made it a Blockbuster night and just chilled at home.
Sunday: Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants. Hubby and I went to a football game! Now, I don't consider myself to be a huge football fan, but I was psyched to finally get into the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. It's a trip to be indoors for a sports event like this. I found myself looking up a couple of times thinking it should be the sky instead. The place was packed: approximately 64,000 in attendance. An endless sea of purple and gold, people wearing Viking helmets complete with horns and blonde braids, and still others who were pimped all-out in purple from their head to their toes. Literally. Maybe they were trying to be Prince impersonators? It WAS Halloween after all.
Unfortunately, the New York Giants kicked ass. I honestly didn't care either way if the Vikings won or not. Hubby and I kept ourselves entertained by all the hardcore fans and all the freaks were who yelling obscenities to the field. While we enjoyed our hotdog and nachos, everyone was on their feet chanting, yelling, and pumping their fists in their air and doing the referee signal for '1st down' accompanied by the blast of a Viking horn battle cry that sounds oddly like a foghorn. Not being a Viking fan, I had no idea what these people were doing. Then there's the Viking song that everyone sings. Did I tell you about all the beer and alcohol that was consumed during the game? There was a distinct smell in the air, but when the hordes started their drunken serenades, it was just plain hilarious. The Vikings were getting their asses kicked early in the game that by halftime, people started leaving. And they were pissed. By the 3rd quarter, there was a major exodus from the previously mentioned packed stadium. It makes you feel bad for the team. I mean, it's obvious that they didn't have a prayer, but must the fans kill their already crushed spirits? Some hardcore fans were bitching, too, "Y'know, they're gonna come back in the 4th! You're missing a great game!" Well, they didn't and oh well. I want to say that some only stayed to check out the team cheerleaders jumping around and squealing in their skimpy ass fits. Being that it was Halloween, they were all dressed in different costumes. It must've said on the memo: "chosen costumes MUST show as much skin as possible, baring the midriff section, and be skin tight. NO EXCEPTIONS." Don't get me started on the cheerleaders. The entire halftime featured cheerleader squads from different high schools. Whoopee. I'm sorry. I've inherited quite a negative impression of the whole pom-pom waving world. Blame it on the fact that I had to endure my high school years being pumped up by cheerleaders who I just couldn't take seriously. But I digress...
Hubby and I stayed until the very end. By the beginning of the 4th quarter, the stadium wasn't completely empty, but scarce enough. The very few New York Giants fans were really rubbing it in and getting in some peoples' faces. I'm surprised that they didn't get beat. Overall, it was cool to just attend. We got into the game, doing the "oooohhhh-ing" and boo-ing and all that other good stuff. For my second football game ever, I enjoyed myself. My first time I went was with my Dad via his company ticket. It was cool 'cuz we got to hang out in a sports bar before getting shuttled over to Candlestick Park. I don't remember who the 49ers were playing against and I don't even remember who won. It was dope though...not only because it was my first football game, but it was also one of the first times I got to hang out with my Dad.
On a sidenote, we had noticed that event parking is mucho expensive out here. For a baseball game, parking is about $10. For a football game, it can run anywhere from $15-$30. WTF? No way did we ever pay for parking at Pac Bell in the city, there was no way we were going to pay that much to see a team that we don't even love, know what I'm saying? Hubby has a parking permit at one of his client sites and we sucked it up to walk the 6-8 downtown blocks to the Metrodome. Thankfully, it hasn't snowed yet (forecasted for this Thursday, btw) and the walk wasn't so bad. Our legs and thighs were sore by the end of the day though, but I will just consider that as part of my exercise regimen for the day. Ha. The day was not wasted after all! Lol!
Oh well Vikings...maybe next time!
Halloween Tradition
Last year, hubby and I tagged along with Mare and Pare DeJesus to a glorifyingly, or should I say "gorrifyingly" and disturbingly horrific put together haunted house. I compare this house to the efforts put forth by the South San Francisco community that decorates their homes for Christmas. Considering how huge this front lawn is, the family make it into a maze that you have to walk through...complete with fantastically gory scenes, spooky music, eerie fog, and actors dressed up as nightmarish material that can be easily mistaken as something fake and right when you pass by, they charge at you to give you the best heart jumping moment for the night. Now when we went last year, we went at the prime time when it was crowded. The groups of people ahead of us helped us figure out with their screams which were real or fake, but not last night. We went around 9:30pm and there were only small groups left. The night was already foggy and misty, but I have to say, even though I KNEW it's all fake, it scared the bejeezus outta me! Okay, so what if I was the only one screaming. I've got a very vivid imagination. I can't help it if I'm a scaredy cat. The people in charge were probably like, "Hey, watch for the girl...she's a screamer. Make the head pop out. Signal the moving hands. Jump out and reach for her when she passes. You know the drill." In any case, it was a good scare. This house gets bigger and bigger in their gore fest and they've become THE place to go on Halloween. We didn't take too many pics this year, but we got a good one with a werewolf. Maybe next year if I'm brave enough, I'll get one with the dead, white faced lady who growled. She was definitey gives you the willies freaky. Maybe, just maybe. Though we didn't give out any candy (sorry kiddies, the chocolate is mine!), we have found our annual Halloween tradition. How wonderfully boo-tiful!
Stay tuned for the pics.
Saturday: Had a meeting with the loan officer to discuss the impending closure on our townhome. It's all completed and done! All we have to do is wait for everything to be approved, sign our autographs on the paperwork, and start moving in. One killjoy moment was when we learned that the original guy we were supposedly working with lagged on his end of the paperwork and so our closing may be delayed a week or so. Sucker. Hopefully all goes well and in a few weeks, we should have our new place.
It's been a rainy and blah weekend over here. Makes you just want to sleep in until noon and stay underneath the warmth of the blankets. Oh wait! I already do that! LOL! On the real, I'm trying to improve my sleeping habits. They are so screwed and it's taking a toll on me both physically and mentally. Because of the school stuff I have going on, it's not unusual for me to NOT leave the apartment and to lose all sense of what day of the week it is. It's terrible. Now that school is temporarily over, it's the perfect time to venture out. Hubby and I hit a mall on Saturday to escape the blahness of the day. We don't really have a usual mall that we go to, in fact, there was a point when hubby asked me, "Do we like this mall?" and I had to stop and think about it. Oh the deep things we ponder. Ha. For the rest of the night, we made it a Blockbuster night and just chilled at home.
Sunday: Minnesota Vikings vs. New York Giants. Hubby and I went to a football game! Now, I don't consider myself to be a huge football fan, but I was psyched to finally get into the Metrodome in downtown Minneapolis. It's a trip to be indoors for a sports event like this. I found myself looking up a couple of times thinking it should be the sky instead. The place was packed: approximately 64,000 in attendance. An endless sea of purple and gold, people wearing Viking helmets complete with horns and blonde braids, and still others who were pimped all-out in purple from their head to their toes. Literally. Maybe they were trying to be Prince impersonators? It WAS Halloween after all.
Unfortunately, the New York Giants kicked ass. I honestly didn't care either way if the Vikings won or not. Hubby and I kept ourselves entertained by all the hardcore fans and all the freaks were who yelling obscenities to the field. While we enjoyed our hotdog and nachos, everyone was on their feet chanting, yelling, and pumping their fists in their air and doing the referee signal for '1st down' accompanied by the blast of a Viking horn battle cry that sounds oddly like a foghorn. Not being a Viking fan, I had no idea what these people were doing. Then there's the Viking song that everyone sings. Did I tell you about all the beer and alcohol that was consumed during the game? There was a distinct smell in the air, but when the hordes started their drunken serenades, it was just plain hilarious. The Vikings were getting their asses kicked early in the game that by halftime, people started leaving. And they were pissed. By the 3rd quarter, there was a major exodus from the previously mentioned packed stadium. It makes you feel bad for the team. I mean, it's obvious that they didn't have a prayer, but must the fans kill their already crushed spirits? Some hardcore fans were bitching, too, "Y'know, they're gonna come back in the 4th! You're missing a great game!" Well, they didn't and oh well. I want to say that some only stayed to check out the team cheerleaders jumping around and squealing in their skimpy ass fits. Being that it was Halloween, they were all dressed in different costumes. It must've said on the memo: "chosen costumes MUST show as much skin as possible, baring the midriff section, and be skin tight. NO EXCEPTIONS." Don't get me started on the cheerleaders. The entire halftime featured cheerleader squads from different high schools. Whoopee. I'm sorry. I've inherited quite a negative impression of the whole pom-pom waving world. Blame it on the fact that I had to endure my high school years being pumped up by cheerleaders who I just couldn't take seriously. But I digress...
Hubby and I stayed until the very end. By the beginning of the 4th quarter, the stadium wasn't completely empty, but scarce enough. The very few New York Giants fans were really rubbing it in and getting in some peoples' faces. I'm surprised that they didn't get beat. Overall, it was cool to just attend. We got into the game, doing the "oooohhhh-ing" and boo-ing and all that other good stuff. For my second football game ever, I enjoyed myself. My first time I went was with my Dad via his company ticket. It was cool 'cuz we got to hang out in a sports bar before getting shuttled over to Candlestick Park. I don't remember who the 49ers were playing against and I don't even remember who won. It was dope though...not only because it was my first football game, but it was also one of the first times I got to hang out with my Dad.
On a sidenote, we had noticed that event parking is mucho expensive out here. For a baseball game, parking is about $10. For a football game, it can run anywhere from $15-$30. WTF? No way did we ever pay for parking at Pac Bell in the city, there was no way we were going to pay that much to see a team that we don't even love, know what I'm saying? Hubby has a parking permit at one of his client sites and we sucked it up to walk the 6-8 downtown blocks to the Metrodome. Thankfully, it hasn't snowed yet (forecasted for this Thursday, btw) and the walk wasn't so bad. Our legs and thighs were sore by the end of the day though, but I will just consider that as part of my exercise regimen for the day. Ha. The day was not wasted after all! Lol!
Oh well Vikings...maybe next time!
Halloween Tradition
Last year, hubby and I tagged along with Mare and Pare DeJesus to a glorifyingly, or should I say "gorrifyingly" and disturbingly horrific put together haunted house. I compare this house to the efforts put forth by the South San Francisco community that decorates their homes for Christmas. Considering how huge this front lawn is, the family make it into a maze that you have to walk through...complete with fantastically gory scenes, spooky music, eerie fog, and actors dressed up as nightmarish material that can be easily mistaken as something fake and right when you pass by, they charge at you to give you the best heart jumping moment for the night. Now when we went last year, we went at the prime time when it was crowded. The groups of people ahead of us helped us figure out with their screams which were real or fake, but not last night. We went around 9:30pm and there were only small groups left. The night was already foggy and misty, but I have to say, even though I KNEW it's all fake, it scared the bejeezus outta me! Okay, so what if I was the only one screaming. I've got a very vivid imagination. I can't help it if I'm a scaredy cat. The people in charge were probably like, "Hey, watch for the girl...she's a screamer. Make the head pop out. Signal the moving hands. Jump out and reach for her when she passes. You know the drill." In any case, it was a good scare. This house gets bigger and bigger in their gore fest and they've become THE place to go on Halloween. We didn't take too many pics this year, but we got a good one with a werewolf. Maybe next year if I'm brave enough, I'll get one with the dead, white faced lady who growled. She was definitey gives you the willies freaky. Maybe, just maybe. Though we didn't give out any candy (sorry kiddies, the chocolate is mine!), we have found our annual Halloween tradition. How wonderfully boo-tiful!
Stay tuned for the pics.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
Free As A Bird
Today was the last day of my online class and I gotta tell ya'....it's like a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders! Since that all-nighter I pulled the other day, I told myself that I would NOT stress out over the final paper. I did more than my share of the project and feel pretty damn good about the content quality. My partner claimed that she's been having technical difficulties. Any other day, I would be the first to sympathize, but when there is a deadline looming above our heads, hmmm, I don't know. I took it as the opportunity to "take one for the team" and suck it up and just do the damn thing myself. I always tend to bitch when I do things like this because it seems like a curse that will forever haunt me as long as I'm in this program. Nevertheless, she redeemed herself with a good conclusion. Not as kick-ass as I hoped, but it'll do. I've got myself a mini three-week break until the next class. Got lots of things on my plate, but for the next couple of days, I just wanna chill.
Like Twins
I was talking to my sister the other day. Whenever we get on the phone, we spend a good deal catching up on each other's week with updates about the family, the kids, the weather, etc. From there, we usually tend to go off on tangents about everything and nothing. One of the recent things we discussed was hobbies. I started my spiel about how I've been wanting to get into photography. Not as in being camera happy all the time, but to really develop an eye and capture great shots. I shared that I'm not a huge fan of digital cameras. Horrors, I know. I mean, they're great because you get instant results and I do love the fact that they can be downloaded on the computer in a flash. But I like to have developed pictures. I like the feel of the real deal. Perhaps it's 'cuz I'm not as computer savvy and on top of that, I don't have the patience to sit in front of the screen to try and manipulate the size, coloring, and all that other stuff. A couple of weeks ago, I bought some black and white film to experiment. I took a lot of outdoor shots, which by the way is ironic seeing that the great changing of the leaves thang is going on and black and white pics won't do them justice. I have yet to get them developed and to see if there's any hope that this may be something new to pursue.
So I'm telling my sis all of this and there's a pause. She told me that I was either weird or eerie, I can't remember which. Then she starts to explain that about six months ago, she started looking into classes at the local community college...for photography! We hadn't talked about this prior so I didn't even know she had any interest in it at all. How funny! People may think it's all a coincidence, but I'm set on the theory that as sisters, we're just so linked together. Some have mistaken us for twins in the past (really? you're NOT twins? and you're 7 years older?!), and yes, we do have similar likes and dislikes, but it's times like this that validates that theory even more for me. Going on a tangent really quick... when my sister was in college, she tore a knee ligament while playing volleyball and had to have surgery. I was in high school at the time, but I vividly recall that on the day of her surgery, I was feeling major pain in my left knee. Coincidence that it was my sister's left knee that was being operated on? It's been referred to as sympathy pains, but why, eh? Again the theory makes sense here. We're connected. We'll forever be connected and honestly, I'm cool with that.
Today was the last day of my online class and I gotta tell ya'....it's like a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders! Since that all-nighter I pulled the other day, I told myself that I would NOT stress out over the final paper. I did more than my share of the project and feel pretty damn good about the content quality. My partner claimed that she's been having technical difficulties. Any other day, I would be the first to sympathize, but when there is a deadline looming above our heads, hmmm, I don't know. I took it as the opportunity to "take one for the team" and suck it up and just do the damn thing myself. I always tend to bitch when I do things like this because it seems like a curse that will forever haunt me as long as I'm in this program. Nevertheless, she redeemed herself with a good conclusion. Not as kick-ass as I hoped, but it'll do. I've got myself a mini three-week break until the next class. Got lots of things on my plate, but for the next couple of days, I just wanna chill.
Like Twins
I was talking to my sister the other day. Whenever we get on the phone, we spend a good deal catching up on each other's week with updates about the family, the kids, the weather, etc. From there, we usually tend to go off on tangents about everything and nothing. One of the recent things we discussed was hobbies. I started my spiel about how I've been wanting to get into photography. Not as in being camera happy all the time, but to really develop an eye and capture great shots. I shared that I'm not a huge fan of digital cameras. Horrors, I know. I mean, they're great because you get instant results and I do love the fact that they can be downloaded on the computer in a flash. But I like to have developed pictures. I like the feel of the real deal. Perhaps it's 'cuz I'm not as computer savvy and on top of that, I don't have the patience to sit in front of the screen to try and manipulate the size, coloring, and all that other stuff. A couple of weeks ago, I bought some black and white film to experiment. I took a lot of outdoor shots, which by the way is ironic seeing that the great changing of the leaves thang is going on and black and white pics won't do them justice. I have yet to get them developed and to see if there's any hope that this may be something new to pursue.
So I'm telling my sis all of this and there's a pause. She told me that I was either weird or eerie, I can't remember which. Then she starts to explain that about six months ago, she started looking into classes at the local community college...for photography! We hadn't talked about this prior so I didn't even know she had any interest in it at all. How funny! People may think it's all a coincidence, but I'm set on the theory that as sisters, we're just so linked together. Some have mistaken us for twins in the past (really? you're NOT twins? and you're 7 years older?!), and yes, we do have similar likes and dislikes, but it's times like this that validates that theory even more for me. Going on a tangent really quick... when my sister was in college, she tore a knee ligament while playing volleyball and had to have surgery. I was in high school at the time, but I vividly recall that on the day of her surgery, I was feeling major pain in my left knee. Coincidence that it was my sister's left knee that was being operated on? It's been referred to as sympathy pains, but why, eh? Again the theory makes sense here. We're connected. We'll forever be connected and honestly, I'm cool with that.
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Freakin' All-nighter
I honestly didn't think I was capable of these anymore. Staying up until the break of dawn and being stuck in a "zone." I went to bed at 7:30am this morning. I probably could've kept going like the Energizer bunny had I not noticed the light coming through the blinds. I got up to open the blinds and just like that, the exhaustion washed over me. As if on cue, my eyes suddenly lost their power to stay open, my head began to ache, and my heart was pounding on overdrive. Plus, I always know when I've been up too late when my stomach starts hurting as if to tell me, "Okay, time to hit the sack. You will begin de-energizing in zero minus five minutes." And if I'm lucky, I could go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, and wash my face before I end up collapsing next to my snoring hubby. On the real, I can't be doing sh*t like this at my age. Let's face it, I'm not as young as I was before and pulling a stunt like this just screws up any chance of developing a healthy regimen and sleeping routine. I'm so screwed.
My final paper is due tomorrow at midnight. The gal that I'm working with is in CA, so yes, it gives me an extra two hours to make our paper bomb-diggidy. I have to say though, that I put partial blame on her for my staying up late last night and into the morning. I've been trying to get this assignment started since last week and she's been no help. I take the initiative, but only up to the point of not being overly controlling. I hate people like that. I wanted to make this assignment what it was- a partner project. In any case, we only decided our topic, Bilingual Education, last night and so I spent the rest of my time researching information. I came across this website that featured a book that looked vaguely familiar. It took a minute to click in my head that I had that very book! I found it and thank goodness 'cuz it had the exact info that I was looking for.
While I was scanning the pages, it turned out to be quite an interesting read. The idea of bilingualism in the United States has a fascinating history. Contrary to popular belief, bilingual education isn't an invention of the Civil Rights era. In fact, it dates all the way back to the late seventeenth century. Of course when you think about all the immigrants coming from Europe into the New World, it makes sense. Then you've got your period of turmoil as the building of the country took place followed by the rebuilding from the result of war. Add to that the push to "Americanize" language minority students and the stab of discrimination of non-AngloSaxon people and well, you've got yourself quite the cocktail and the primary reason why puti people so sucked back then and still continue to suck today.
Needless to say, I've learned quite a lot during my early morning "nerding session" as Rycegirlie would say. It reminded me of the Asian American Studies classes I took at State and to relearn all this history now, for some reason, resonates with me even more. It's all about perspective and seeing it through older and wiser eyes. In any case, I'm confident the paper will be kick-ass, but not without the stress of finding the right words to make it so. Wish me luck ya'll...just one more day.
I honestly didn't think I was capable of these anymore. Staying up until the break of dawn and being stuck in a "zone." I went to bed at 7:30am this morning. I probably could've kept going like the Energizer bunny had I not noticed the light coming through the blinds. I got up to open the blinds and just like that, the exhaustion washed over me. As if on cue, my eyes suddenly lost their power to stay open, my head began to ache, and my heart was pounding on overdrive. Plus, I always know when I've been up too late when my stomach starts hurting as if to tell me, "Okay, time to hit the sack. You will begin de-energizing in zero minus five minutes." And if I'm lucky, I could go to the bathroom, brush my teeth, and wash my face before I end up collapsing next to my snoring hubby. On the real, I can't be doing sh*t like this at my age. Let's face it, I'm not as young as I was before and pulling a stunt like this just screws up any chance of developing a healthy regimen and sleeping routine. I'm so screwed.
My final paper is due tomorrow at midnight. The gal that I'm working with is in CA, so yes, it gives me an extra two hours to make our paper bomb-diggidy. I have to say though, that I put partial blame on her for my staying up late last night and into the morning. I've been trying to get this assignment started since last week and she's been no help. I take the initiative, but only up to the point of not being overly controlling. I hate people like that. I wanted to make this assignment what it was- a partner project. In any case, we only decided our topic, Bilingual Education, last night and so I spent the rest of my time researching information. I came across this website that featured a book that looked vaguely familiar. It took a minute to click in my head that I had that very book! I found it and thank goodness 'cuz it had the exact info that I was looking for.
While I was scanning the pages, it turned out to be quite an interesting read. The idea of bilingualism in the United States has a fascinating history. Contrary to popular belief, bilingual education isn't an invention of the Civil Rights era. In fact, it dates all the way back to the late seventeenth century. Of course when you think about all the immigrants coming from Europe into the New World, it makes sense. Then you've got your period of turmoil as the building of the country took place followed by the rebuilding from the result of war. Add to that the push to "Americanize" language minority students and the stab of discrimination of non-AngloSaxon people and well, you've got yourself quite the cocktail and the primary reason why puti people so sucked back then and still continue to suck today.
Needless to say, I've learned quite a lot during my early morning "nerding session" as Rycegirlie would say. It reminded me of the Asian American Studies classes I took at State and to relearn all this history now, for some reason, resonates with me even more. It's all about perspective and seeing it through older and wiser eyes. In any case, I'm confident the paper will be kick-ass, but not without the stress of finding the right words to make it so. Wish me luck ya'll...just one more day.
Sunday, October 24, 2004
They're Baaaaaack!
New Edition. Yah, you read correctly- NEW EDITION! I happened to catch the ending of the Steve Harvey show and it took me a second to realize that these bruthas dancing around in matching suits were indeed them. Of course, no Bobby Brown was in sight and the Bivins brother was home sick. But their voices and their moves were an awesome flashback, it's like they got better with age, and what makes it even better is that they're back.
Their album, "Buy It or Die," comes out November 9th. Don't know about you, but I think this would definitely make a good addition to any cd collection.
Quick jump to Charmed episode that's on...they just found a witch in The Mission. Ha, I thought that was funny!
New Edition. Yah, you read correctly- NEW EDITION! I happened to catch the ending of the Steve Harvey show and it took me a second to realize that these bruthas dancing around in matching suits were indeed them. Of course, no Bobby Brown was in sight and the Bivins brother was home sick. But their voices and their moves were an awesome flashback, it's like they got better with age, and what makes it even better is that they're back.
Their album, "Buy It or Die," comes out November 9th. Don't know about you, but I think this would definitely make a good addition to any cd collection.
Quick jump to Charmed episode that's on...they just found a witch in The Mission. Ha, I thought that was funny!
Friday, October 22, 2004
Waste of Time
We decided last minute to go watch a movie tonight. Because it's been such a stressful week in terms of work, school, and whatnot, we weren't particularly in the mood for any serious drama. I've been wanting to watch "Taxi" 'cuz it just looks damn funny, but it wasn't showing at the theater near our place. 'Twas a toss up between "Surviving Christmas" or "Team America: World Police." We went with the latter.
Now, we'd been curious as how the whole puppet thing would work out. The puppets, the string...it almost seemed worth it to spend six bucks to see it. Wrong. Within the first five minutes, you start to hear the curse words. And boy oh boy, do they curse up a storm! I somehow forgot that the film was done by the creators of "South Park." Back in da day when I was in college, it was THE thing to watch. It was crude, it was sick, it was twisted, and it was everything that appealed to the crude, sick, and twisted minds of us college folk back then. Honestly, everything seemed funnier when all the filthiness was bleeped out. Watching it tonight was tough on the ears. I don't know what it was...was it because it was on the big screen? Was it because there were some young'uns in the theater? I think what it comes down to is that we're sitting there watching a movie with puppets and when I think of puppets, I think of little kids. Well this movie was definitely, 100% inappropriate for kids! It did have its moments, we chuckled, we laughed and guffawed here and there, but mostly hubby and I were more like, "Dayamn!" or "Ewwww!" or "They did NOT just show that!" or "I can't believe they just said that."
The movie was weak. For us, anyways. I'm sure there are rave reviews from "South Park" followers, but y'know, we're over it. I will say one last thing though. If you've been hearing all the hoopla about the sex scenes that made it an R-rated movie and wondering just what's so bad about it....go see it for yourself. I see the producer's point about them being puppets and all, but still. I'd almost say think Kama Sutra, but it's leaning more towards the porn side. Also, there is one majorly gross scene that many of you, in your stupid college or post-college years, may have experienced. For me, it just takes one word "Miyakes." That's all I gotta say about that.
Needless to say, hubby and I felt cheated out of a good movie night. When we got home, we felt a sudden need to salvage what was left of the Friday night movie experience. We popped in "Alladin" and it worked. This definitely makes my top three faves of Disney movies. It's just so romantic and sweet and never fails to leave you with that good feeling when it's done. Movie night wasn't a waste after all!
*Have a good weekend ya'll! Oh, and if you're going to make it a movie night, choose wisely. Much love...*
We decided last minute to go watch a movie tonight. Because it's been such a stressful week in terms of work, school, and whatnot, we weren't particularly in the mood for any serious drama. I've been wanting to watch "Taxi" 'cuz it just looks damn funny, but it wasn't showing at the theater near our place. 'Twas a toss up between "Surviving Christmas" or "Team America: World Police." We went with the latter.
Now, we'd been curious as how the whole puppet thing would work out. The puppets, the string...it almost seemed worth it to spend six bucks to see it. Wrong. Within the first five minutes, you start to hear the curse words. And boy oh boy, do they curse up a storm! I somehow forgot that the film was done by the creators of "South Park." Back in da day when I was in college, it was THE thing to watch. It was crude, it was sick, it was twisted, and it was everything that appealed to the crude, sick, and twisted minds of us college folk back then. Honestly, everything seemed funnier when all the filthiness was bleeped out. Watching it tonight was tough on the ears. I don't know what it was...was it because it was on the big screen? Was it because there were some young'uns in the theater? I think what it comes down to is that we're sitting there watching a movie with puppets and when I think of puppets, I think of little kids. Well this movie was definitely, 100% inappropriate for kids! It did have its moments, we chuckled, we laughed and guffawed here and there, but mostly hubby and I were more like, "Dayamn!" or "Ewwww!" or "They did NOT just show that!" or "I can't believe they just said that."
The movie was weak. For us, anyways. I'm sure there are rave reviews from "South Park" followers, but y'know, we're over it. I will say one last thing though. If you've been hearing all the hoopla about the sex scenes that made it an R-rated movie and wondering just what's so bad about it....go see it for yourself. I see the producer's point about them being puppets and all, but still. I'd almost say think Kama Sutra, but it's leaning more towards the porn side. Also, there is one majorly gross scene that many of you, in your stupid college or post-college years, may have experienced. For me, it just takes one word "Miyakes." That's all I gotta say about that.
Needless to say, hubby and I felt cheated out of a good movie night. When we got home, we felt a sudden need to salvage what was left of the Friday night movie experience. We popped in "Alladin" and it worked. This definitely makes my top three faves of Disney movies. It's just so romantic and sweet and never fails to leave you with that good feeling when it's done. Movie night wasn't a waste after all!
*Have a good weekend ya'll! Oh, and if you're going to make it a movie night, choose wisely. Much love...*
Thursday, October 21, 2004
Flashback
October 17, 1989. The weather was unusually dry that day. Too dry for San Francisco. It was always such a bitch to wear the damned wool uniform skirt on days like these. VirgoCapri, Mish, CC, and I were headed to 6th period Geometry with Mr. Frezzo. As we headed into the coolness of Herbst Hall, I vividly recall the exact words that came out of my mouth "..this is earthquake weather."
Aside from the heat, the day was like no other.
I don't remember the bus ride home from school that day. I don't remember changing out of my uniform or getting a drink of milk. I do remember heading downstairs to the basement of the house to play "Dark Castle" on our MAC computer. The computer sat on top of the liquor bar and I situated myself on one of those bar stools, the same ones that we used to lie on our tummies on and spin around and around endlessly until you felt like throwing up when we were kids. Haha, simple pleasures. Anyways, everyone in our family always flocked to the basement on warm days because the temperature was just comfortably cooler. In fact, of the thirteen steps it takes to go downstairs from the top floor, you feel the shift in temperature at about the seventh or eighth step down. Sitting in the stairwell could often bring relief to those hot Indian summers.
I remember hearing the garage rumble open. Dad was home. He always came home through the garage. I didn't even have to look at the time because Pops came home around the same time everyday: 5pm-ish. I'm assuming that we exchanged our hellos and while I continued my quest to retrieve the elixir of life, my Dad continued upstairs to get dinner started. Approximately five minutes later, it happened.
Through the many earthquakes I've experienced and no matter how small they were, they never failed to leave my heart pounding afterwards. Aside from the actual shaking, it's the sounds that scare me. As an earthquake begins, you hear this deep rumbling sound and you're not sure, at first, where it's coming from. Then, you start to feel the ground below you move and it almost reminds you of that rickety bridge you have to walk across on playgrounds. And while the reality of what's going on has yet to hit, you're standing still, perhaps frozen in fear, watching everything around you move to and fro. Usually, many don't realize it was an earthquake until it's over. Many times, it'd last but a second or two. Some miss them it altogether.
I remember the view from my stool. We have this huge bookcase downstairs that is filled with picture frames, vases, trophies, and plants...all of which were losing its place. The leaves of my mom's plants were trembling just as my knees started to shake. I thought to myself, "Okay, it should be over any second now." But it didn't stop. All of a sudden, I heard my Dad calling my name. His voice sounded urgent and panicked. I've never heard his sound so scared before. Whatever happened to that unspoken rule about not panicking front of the kids?! I figured that I had to get myself upstairs and man, that was an obstacle in itself. Thank goodness for the handrail because I don't know how I ever made it upstairs. I was being knocked right and left and could have easily lost my balance. When I finally reached the kitchen, the manner in which I found my Dad is something that we can all laugh about now, but at the time, my dad was bracing the counters so tight that I'd probably be able to see the white of his knuckles. After about another few seconds, the shaking stopped. Immediately after, it seemed like the whole neighborhood came out to check up on each other. Perhaps it felt safer to be outside with others than to be alone inside. My dad and I surveyed the damage around the house. Nothing major. Lots of fallen items. The huge mirror above the piano fell, but miraculously held on by the other hook. The weight of it left a dent mark in the wall that's still there today.
My sister didn't come home and spent the night at UC Berkeley. My uncle, who happened to be on the Bay Bridge, had to turn around and stay at our house to calm his nerves. He wasn't too far from where the section fell. My mom who was waiting at the BART station said she literally saw the streets roll like waves. We lost power and throughout the night, we endured endless tremors of aftershocks. I wouldn't get any sleep that night because as each aftershock came, I'd either bolt upright in bed and debate in my head whether or not to head for the door or just freeze with the covers over my head praying that it'd be over quickly.
A 7.1 earthquake rocked da Bay. The World Series between the Oakland A's and the San Francisco Giants was interrupted. The Marina District was up in flames and I could clearly see the rising smoke from my bedroom window. A section of the Bay Bridge collapsed and much to everyone's horror, two freeways buckled instantly killing and trapping people in their cars as they headed home to their loved ones. All this in a matter of fifteen seconds.
Even though it's been 15 years, I always take the time to remember the events that took place on that fateful day. It'll be a day that I'll remember for the rest of my life.
October 17, 1989. The weather was unusually dry that day. Too dry for San Francisco. It was always such a bitch to wear the damned wool uniform skirt on days like these. VirgoCapri, Mish, CC, and I were headed to 6th period Geometry with Mr. Frezzo. As we headed into the coolness of Herbst Hall, I vividly recall the exact words that came out of my mouth "..this is earthquake weather."
Aside from the heat, the day was like no other.
I don't remember the bus ride home from school that day. I don't remember changing out of my uniform or getting a drink of milk. I do remember heading downstairs to the basement of the house to play "Dark Castle" on our MAC computer. The computer sat on top of the liquor bar and I situated myself on one of those bar stools, the same ones that we used to lie on our tummies on and spin around and around endlessly until you felt like throwing up when we were kids. Haha, simple pleasures. Anyways, everyone in our family always flocked to the basement on warm days because the temperature was just comfortably cooler. In fact, of the thirteen steps it takes to go downstairs from the top floor, you feel the shift in temperature at about the seventh or eighth step down. Sitting in the stairwell could often bring relief to those hot Indian summers.
I remember hearing the garage rumble open. Dad was home. He always came home through the garage. I didn't even have to look at the time because Pops came home around the same time everyday: 5pm-ish. I'm assuming that we exchanged our hellos and while I continued my quest to retrieve the elixir of life, my Dad continued upstairs to get dinner started. Approximately five minutes later, it happened.
Through the many earthquakes I've experienced and no matter how small they were, they never failed to leave my heart pounding afterwards. Aside from the actual shaking, it's the sounds that scare me. As an earthquake begins, you hear this deep rumbling sound and you're not sure, at first, where it's coming from. Then, you start to feel the ground below you move and it almost reminds you of that rickety bridge you have to walk across on playgrounds. And while the reality of what's going on has yet to hit, you're standing still, perhaps frozen in fear, watching everything around you move to and fro. Usually, many don't realize it was an earthquake until it's over. Many times, it'd last but a second or two. Some miss them it altogether.
I remember the view from my stool. We have this huge bookcase downstairs that is filled with picture frames, vases, trophies, and plants...all of which were losing its place. The leaves of my mom's plants were trembling just as my knees started to shake. I thought to myself, "Okay, it should be over any second now." But it didn't stop. All of a sudden, I heard my Dad calling my name. His voice sounded urgent and panicked. I've never heard his sound so scared before. Whatever happened to that unspoken rule about not panicking front of the kids?! I figured that I had to get myself upstairs and man, that was an obstacle in itself. Thank goodness for the handrail because I don't know how I ever made it upstairs. I was being knocked right and left and could have easily lost my balance. When I finally reached the kitchen, the manner in which I found my Dad is something that we can all laugh about now, but at the time, my dad was bracing the counters so tight that I'd probably be able to see the white of his knuckles. After about another few seconds, the shaking stopped. Immediately after, it seemed like the whole neighborhood came out to check up on each other. Perhaps it felt safer to be outside with others than to be alone inside. My dad and I surveyed the damage around the house. Nothing major. Lots of fallen items. The huge mirror above the piano fell, but miraculously held on by the other hook. The weight of it left a dent mark in the wall that's still there today.
My sister didn't come home and spent the night at UC Berkeley. My uncle, who happened to be on the Bay Bridge, had to turn around and stay at our house to calm his nerves. He wasn't too far from where the section fell. My mom who was waiting at the BART station said she literally saw the streets roll like waves. We lost power and throughout the night, we endured endless tremors of aftershocks. I wouldn't get any sleep that night because as each aftershock came, I'd either bolt upright in bed and debate in my head whether or not to head for the door or just freeze with the covers over my head praying that it'd be over quickly.
A 7.1 earthquake rocked da Bay. The World Series between the Oakland A's and the San Francisco Giants was interrupted. The Marina District was up in flames and I could clearly see the rising smoke from my bedroom window. A section of the Bay Bridge collapsed and much to everyone's horror, two freeways buckled instantly killing and trapping people in their cars as they headed home to their loved ones. All this in a matter of fifteen seconds.
Even though it's been 15 years, I always take the time to remember the events that took place on that fateful day. It'll be a day that I'll remember for the rest of my life.
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