Let the Countdowns Begin!!

I am beyond excited right now.  In T-like 2 hours we will be having our last staff dinner at Fogo De Chao.  There is nothing I love more than food.  Seriously.  And meat, even yummier.  I don’t think I could ever be vegan or a vegetarian.  And we are having our first and last, White Elephant gift exchange.  It’s funny to see everyone’s wrapping skills, or lack there of.  So that makes 1 countdown.

Countdown #2-3 days and it will be 2 years since my dad passed away.  I know this isn’t a happy countdown but none the less December 22nd is a day that will have a significance for the rest of my life, whether I want it to or not.  I can’t believe it’s been 2 years already.  So much has changed since then and I only think that, no matter what my choices have been these last 2 years,  I feel his guidance and love in my heart everyday and that he would be proud of me. 

Countdown #3-5 days from now I will be in the great state of Texas for a 9 day trip for the Holidays.  It’s a bit bittersweet of course since this time bring up a lot of emotions but I’m happy to spend some much-needed time with my mom.  But the best part is that little Bailey will be traveling with me!!  I got her a very cute carrier that she, of course, hates.  My trip will include several food comas, wonderful visits with friends, a play with my amazing mother, running around with my nephew Nyk, and maybe even some shenanigans.

Countdown #4-13 days until the end of 2011!!  Like I’ve said before, this was a tough year, for just about everyone I know.  But though its been a roller coaster, I can’t believe it’s coming to an end.  I feel like it went by so fast and that in another blink of an eye, another chapter ends.  So here’s to 2012 being a better one!!

Countdown #5-39 days until I’ll be in sunny Miami with Ms. Ashley for her birthday.  Now this, is the vacation I’m really looking forward to.  New city, old friend, and fun times are just around the bend.  Hurry up and get here January!!!

Countdown #6-XX days until I get a new job.  Haha, so this one is a bit unknown.  I know that in the next few months, I’ll be putting the job search into full force hoping I find something I (a) would like to do, (b) have room to grow in, and (c) in DC or the surrounding area.

I love countdowns.  They keep you focused and looking ahead on what’s on the horizon, and obviously, I have quite a few things.

End of the Year and Start of Something New

I think everyone can agree that 2011 was one hell of a year, both in a good and bad way.  Yes, many important global events shaped the history books like the Arizona shooting, the earthquake and nuclear meltdown in Japan, death of Osama Bin Laden, and the Occupy Wall Street movement. 

But in the end, personally, this year was a whirlwind.  There has been a lot of ups and down in the road from breakups to vacations to fights with family to getting back in the dating game to finding out that my boss is retiring from his tenure in Congress and I will be out of a job in less than 12 months.  Whirlwind, seriously.  (I actually have a few other choice words for this year but will save that for myself.)

At the end of the year, we have a tendency of assessing our lives and the decisions we’ve made over the last year.  We come to terms with some, vow to never do other, and continue to make the ones that make us happy, whatever they may be.  We become closer with people who were only strangers or unknowns a year ago and fall apart from people who thought would always be there for us.  We live, learn, laugh, and love.

I don’t like to be one of those people who thinks that just because it’s the start of a new year, month, week, day, etc, that it’s going to different.  But I think that with the start of a new year, month, week, day, etc, hope for the start of a new job, love, friend, hobby, etc, resonates in people.  New brings new ambition, dreams, and goals.  It brings out optimism in all of us.  It makes us hope for something better and the idea of humanity.

So with this new year I’ve made a few promises, not resolutions…

I promise to do something I love at least once a week, whether that be cooking or baking or going for a long run.

I promise to make a better effort about keeping in touch with my friends that do not live close by.

I promise to find peace and solace within myself.

I promise to do more things for other that are less fortunate by volunteering at Habitat for Humanity and other organizations I agree with.

I promise to work on my relationship with my brother because one day he will be the only family I have.

I promise to not be so bitchy, selfish, shallow, and a liar.

I promise to be a better person then the one I am right now.

And with that, I will end one year and start something new.  Best of luck to all!!

My Lack of Common Knowledge

I’ve recently come to the realization that I have a lack of common knowledge.  This realization came to me as I Googled the following phrase:

How to make hard-boiled eggs?

Despite of my sometime awesome cooking skills, hard-boiled eggs are a mystery to me.  No joke.  I always forget to put on a timer, thus leaving them boiling for like 25 minutes, instead of the recommended 10.  My bad.  But how to make hard-boiled eggs isn’t the only phrase or words that I’ve recently caught myself searching online for answers.  Here are a few of the other one’s I’ve searched:

Patricia Hurst

Where does ginger come from?  (Turns out it’s a root, thus ginger root.  Never really put those two together…)

Anise

Stockholm Syndrome

Can you half an egg?  (Answer is yes, never would have thought.)

How many miles are in a 5K and 10K?

How to covert a kilometer to miles (I, of course, can’t do this but none the less.)

Zoolander 2 (Turns out the movie is coming out in 2014.)

Water Filtration

Occupy Wall Street

How to cut a butternut squash?

Neil Patrick Harris

Glee

Owls

Normal Chihuahua Weight (for Bailey, of course)

Adele

Plasma Rich Protein

Vegan

Average Temperature for Miami in January

So these are just some.  There are a lot of food related searches, mainly because I LOVE FOOD and like to learn more about it.  But at the end of the day, Google is a life saver and even a verb in the current lexicon.  I say the following example several times at day:

“Go Google it.”

This statement is said to my coworkers when a topic being discussed is unfamiliar to them.  And maybe some of the things aren’t really common knowledge but nonetheless, I don’t know what I or about 90% of people at least would do without Google.

Things I’ve Learned From Traveling

After my most recent trip to San Antonio, I’ve feel like I’ve learned a few things about traveling that even though they are somewhat “no brainers” they are like modern marvels for me.

1) Flying is very susceptible to weather. Because of stupid hurricane Irene, that bitch, two of my flights where cancelled. One of them was even before the hurricane was in the DC area. It wasn’t even raining at the time when my flight was to land at DCA. Thankfully I was able to get the first flight to DCA the following day. Thank you nice lady that I called at Continental.

2) Doesn’t matter how much you don’t care if it’s “window or aisle,” aisle is better if you have the bladder the size of a pea. I have the bladder the size of a pea. You would think that I would learn that this means I should sit my butt in an aisle seat but I still don’t. Yes, I am that person who crawls over the sleeping old man and the grandmother to make it to the “lavatory.” (Why do airlines use the word lavatory? I’ve always wondered this.)

3) This goes in part with #2 and may just pertain to me but I really shouldn’t drink coffee in the morning. I’m not a coffee drinker. It gets me all sorts of jittery and gives me the shakes, no joke, but whenever I have a morning flight I always get a cup of coffee. Yes, I’m fully aware of how stupid that is. Especially since caffeine makes you pee like crazy.

4) There is really no such thing as comfortable clothes on a flight. Doesn’t matter if you’re on a flight for 2 hours or 20, it’s going to suck. My motto is, “Might as well look good doing it” so I’ll be that person other passengers may judge due to my choice of shoes.

5) I’ve become an expert packer. Not to blow my own horn but I really am. Ask any of my friends. I can pack for a 10 day trip with nothing but a carry-on including 3 different pairs of shoes, outfits for every day, and options for nighttime. This is where the OCD in me comes out. I organize, roll, fold, and plan everything out. I’m also a big lover of solids. So from shampoo to conditioner to lotion, everything is in solid form to TSA won’t pitch a fit about the bottle sizes and stuff.

6) Going along with carry-on items, you need to be mindful of where you are sitting in regards to back, front, middle, of the plane when you have a carry-on that will be going in the overhead bins. The last few times I’ve flown, even though I’m in the front/middle of the plane, the overhead bins get full and my bag ends up having to be checked. I know, I get pissed because that totally defeats the purpose of using a “carry-on” suitcase. Also having the upper body strength of an 8-year-old girl doesn’t help on the getting my suitcase in the overhead bin part anyways. This is when I look around desperately for a nice gentleman who will help. I’ve been pretty successful on getting help.

7) Check the stupid seat pocket when exiting the plan. I’ve lost several books this way over the last few years. Most recent was “The Girl Who Played With Fire.” I was greatly upset when I realized I had left my book on my first flight. Mind you, you think I would learn but I haven’t. And my book was getting super good too!! Guess I have to hit up Goodwill in the next few weeks in hunt for my book. Maybe I should stick to magazines?

8) Pack stinken’ snacks, and no candy doesn’t count. I’m a snacker. I can eat all day long. I know this yet, do I pack snacks, no. I end up buying a little bag of candy at the airport, eating that, and then wondering why I still feel hungry. And airplane food sucks beyond belief and totally not worth the $7 for a tiny bag of pretzels and a stick of Slim Jim.

Happy Travels!!

One Year Later

This month, or better yet last week, was my one year mark at my job at the House.  I can’t believe I’ve been here for a year already.  I feel like time’s been flying by, in a good and bad way. 

Over the last year, a lot of things have changed and I’ve learned a lot as well.  About me, about the world, and about what I want out of life.  I can see myself doing things that I would have thought were impossible.

Today I can say I am a much stronger person then I was back then.  I’ve been through some much personally and professionally that it’s hard to see me as anything less than I am now.

In the midst of it all, I’ve also had a lot of ups and a few downs too.  But in the end, today, I can say that I am a better person then I was just one year ago. 

I guess that’s what we all should do, strive for improvement within ourselves and improvement in the world and society will soon follow.  I think that will me my new mantra.   

 

The Lost Art of Letter Writing

The other day I was sitting at my desk cleaning it out when I noticed some notecards that I have.  I started to wonder, “Who in the world actually writes letters anymore?” Now, I mean the old kind of letters.  The ones with a stamp to a friend just because.

Out of nowhere I decided to write a card to a few of my friends.  I’m sure I would have done it to a lot more but I don’t have people’s addresses either.  (Does any have an address book? I know my mom does but she’s old.)

Any who, I got a huge thrill out of writing the cards to my friends.  Letters are personal, unlike email, sentimental, and take time.  They carry an Old World touch.  My friends were able to see it and feel it in their hands.  They are even able to see where I messed up.  I love it.  Now if more people wrote letters, I wonder if that would keep the post office in business?

Sweat Ceiling

So when I moved to the mid-Atlantic almost a year ago I thought I would be greeted by snow in the winter and milder summers than what I’m use to in Texas. BOY WAS I WRONG!!  DC and the surrounding areas have broken records today.  This is how it right now…

Yes, the feels like is 117!!  In case you have never been in that heat, it’s like an oven.  No seriously, it feels exactly like when you open your oven to put in a tray of cookies and you get all that heat in your face.  Just like that.

I have no problem with the 100+ degrees.  Come one, happens all the time in San Antonio.  I worked outdoors for a summer.  I can deal with it.  But living in an oven not so much.

So now, my plans until the Sweat Ceiling is lowered will be to stay indoors with the A/C on the coldest setting ever and cuddle with Bailey on the couch.

Disclaimer: I did not come up with the term “Sweat Ceiling.”  I’m not that creative.  The Washington Post is calling this heat wave that.  You can imagine why…

Taken Back

After being in a few break ups, you know when you are starting to get back on your feet and into the single swing.   You start having a spring in your step again, feel okay with everything that occurred, and start to bounce back.  Of course, this takes time, weeks, months, even years.  But every once in a while, right when you think you are getting back to being you instead of we, something happens that takes you back to that place you were right after it all happened, right after it all ended, right after the breakup.

For me, this happened yesterday.  After making plans and having them fall, I was stuck with torturing thoughts about my last relationship.  It’s never easy.  And every one goes through it.  All those “what if’s…” washed over me like a tsunami and took hold.   It’s hard to get out of that hole once it’s been dug but escape does happen.  Friends help and having a cuddly little fur ball like Bailey lick my face makes all my trouble melt.

In the end, break ups are not easy.  It takes time for you to grieve, to heal, and to get to being you.  I’ve been trying to do all this the last few weeks and even though there are bad moments, there are a lot of good ones too.   And it’s the good ones that help to get you through when there are bad one.

Palm Reading

A few weeks ago while walking around in Georgetown, my bestie Lindsey and I saw a sign for $5 Palm Readings.  So excited we climbed the stairs to the office only to find that they were closed.  We were very disappointed, called the number on the sign and complained that they shouldn’t have the sign out on the sidewalk when they were closed.  Total false advertisement. 

This past weekend, we decided to give it another go since we were in Georgetown again.  To our surprise, not really surprise but whatever, the place was closed!!  But then Lindsey remember of a place up in Dupont Circle that does palm readings.  We were determined to get our palms read so decided to give it a shot.

So we got to Dupont Circle and met with Charley who read our palms.  I only did one while Lindsey did two.  Supposedly, two palm reading let you see a little more into the future.  Any who, Charley told me some very interesting things.  Some of it had to do with my job, others with my future, and one about a previous relationship.  She said I had a good heart and life line even though I’m not too sure what that means.  Oh and that I’ll have two kids.  By this, my initial thought was “Does Bailey count as one?”  I hope she does.  Me and children just don’t get along. 

Afterwards, I took some time looking at my own palm and started to wonder if it really held the truths to my future.  I’m sure it does, to some degree but who knows.  I used this website for a little help even though I think I ended up getting more confused.  Why are there so many lines and stuff?  Can’t this just be simple…

Even though I like to take things like horscopes and palm readings with a grain of salt, it’s always fun to indulge.

Tribute To My Father

On this Father’s day, the second without my dad, I’ve decided to pay tribute to my dad. I think this day has a different meaning for anyone.  Those who are, those who aren’t, those that have lost one, those that have never met theirs.

But no matter what your “relationship” may be, there is someone there that has left a mark on you as a person.  I’m sure there is a lot of people who would call their dad the best dad ever and rattle off things that make their dad the best.

The most important thing my dad taught me was integrity.  I can honestly say my dad helped mold me into the adult I am today.  (I’m sure I’m not the only person who says that.) He showed me strength to survive, to think, to fight for what I believe in.  He showed me what it takes to live a good life.  He made me believe in myself, in the person I am, and who I want to become.

The list of things I love about my dad could go on for days so I’ll spare that for another time.  At the end of it all, days like today make me miss my dad more than usual.  Makes me wish I could just give him to tell him I love, give him a huge bear hug, and have him kiss my forehead.  Just one more time…