Saturday, we went to pick out some stuff we needed for my daughter’s birthday party. We were looking for CD’s that we could play to sing karaoke. The store we were shopping at did not have a good selection.
My daughter saw a CD she really wanted and begged me to buy it for her. I told her I would get it for her later. We were just picking up stuff we needed for the party. My daughter was like, “Please! I really want this CD!” “Can’t you get it for me as a birthday present?” So of course, I gave in. We paid for everything and left the store.
While on the way home, I was looking at my receipt and realized that I had not gotten charged for the CD. “Oh, no!” Since they didn’t charged me for it, I assumed that it was because they didn’t put in my shopping bag. My daughter kept bugging me, “So you didn’t buy me the CD?”
“I don’t think so.” I said. When she checked the bags, the CD was there. I basically got the CD for free.
This hardly ever happens to me. I always end up being overcharged. Even though I usually try to be honest, I was already home…and there was no way, I was going back to tell them that they didn’t charge me for the CD. In fact, that really made my day!
This morning I stopped to buy bagels for a friend’s birthday. Since I was running late, I didn’t check to see how much I paid for it. By the time I got to work and checked my receipt, I realized that I was overcharged!
Funny, how things work out. I began to laugh…just as I thought I was getting away with it….I end up getting overcharged on bagels which came out to almost the same amount as the friggin' CD! Yada neh!
Monday, February 27, 2006
party...!
My friend’s birthday was on Saturday so we decided to throw a party for her at work on Monday.
Of course, of all days, we woke up late and were running late for work and school. I had a bottle of champagne, which I was going to take for the party and forgot. That meant, I had to buy another one.
I stopped to pick up some bagels and realized that they had overcharged me. I was so upset. And I had been busy over the weekend that I had also forgot to pick out a gift for her.
My day at work ends at 2:00 p.m., but they were nice enough to start the party a half hour before so that I could join them. And lucky for me another friend and co-worker bought a couple of extra bottles of champagne for the party.
There were quite a few people who showed up for the party. We had several snacks and everyone had a glass of champagne. By the second drink, I had to call my hubby and ask him to go pick up the kids from school. There was no way I was going to make it. Lucky for me, he was kind of enough to do so.
I ended up staying an extra two hours at work celebrating my friend’s birthday. By the time I walked to the train station I was feeling mighty happy…!
Of course, of all days, we woke up late and were running late for work and school. I had a bottle of champagne, which I was going to take for the party and forgot. That meant, I had to buy another one.
I stopped to pick up some bagels and realized that they had overcharged me. I was so upset. And I had been busy over the weekend that I had also forgot to pick out a gift for her.
My day at work ends at 2:00 p.m., but they were nice enough to start the party a half hour before so that I could join them. And lucky for me another friend and co-worker bought a couple of extra bottles of champagne for the party.
There were quite a few people who showed up for the party. We had several snacks and everyone had a glass of champagne. By the second drink, I had to call my hubby and ask him to go pick up the kids from school. There was no way I was going to make it. Lucky for me, he was kind of enough to do so.
I ended up staying an extra two hours at work celebrating my friend’s birthday. By the time I walked to the train station I was feeling mighty happy…!
slumber party...
Saturday was my daughter’s slumber party. Since my sister came up with the idea, I told her she should host the party.
She had 12 girls sleep over. Ages were between 7 to 13 years. The back room was set up with a dollhouse, karaoke machine and twister game for the younger group to play with. And in the front living room, music was playing and she had a big screen t.v. to watch movies too.
This slumber party ended up being not only for the girls, but also for the “big girls” too. My sisters and a couple of friends were over. We had a good time having a “girls night out!”
The teens were playing and dancing to their favorite music, the little ones were playing with the dollhouse, singing karaoke and playing the twister game, while the big girls were chatting away and drinking beer.
Later that night, we all ended up watching scary movies!
By 3:00 a.m. my sister had set up two queen size inflatable mattresses for the girls to sleep in the backroom.
I was beginning to get tired. I was thinking of sleeping over, but I really wanted to go to sleep in my own bed. So I left the party.
The morning after, my sister calls me at around 9:00 a.m. sleepy and tired and asked me to go and make them breakfast. “Are you kidding?” I told her. “Why don’t you make them breakfast?” “It’s your daughter’s slumber party, so you come over and make them breakfast!” My sister tells me.
I wasn’t going to go. But after finishing washing the dishes, I started thinking… after all my sisters do for me, I better get my butt over there and make them breakfast. By the time I got there, my sister had already started making pancakes with bacon. “Mmm… ! I’m starving, where’s my breakfast?”
My sister told me the girls went to sleep at around 5:00 a.m. and couldn’t believe that they actually woke up by 9:00 a.m.! When I got there, apparently my sisters and friends also spent the night.
You could tell she very tired. I told her, “now you see why I didn’t’ want to do it at my place?”
“Never, again!” My sister says. Yeah, right, I told her. “If you do it for one, you have to do it for the other.” “You have to start planning on my son’s birthday slumber party!”
Ahhh! She screams! “No Way!”
She had 12 girls sleep over. Ages were between 7 to 13 years. The back room was set up with a dollhouse, karaoke machine and twister game for the younger group to play with. And in the front living room, music was playing and she had a big screen t.v. to watch movies too.
This slumber party ended up being not only for the girls, but also for the “big girls” too. My sisters and a couple of friends were over. We had a good time having a “girls night out!”
The teens were playing and dancing to their favorite music, the little ones were playing with the dollhouse, singing karaoke and playing the twister game, while the big girls were chatting away and drinking beer.
Later that night, we all ended up watching scary movies!
By 3:00 a.m. my sister had set up two queen size inflatable mattresses for the girls to sleep in the backroom.
I was beginning to get tired. I was thinking of sleeping over, but I really wanted to go to sleep in my own bed. So I left the party.
The morning after, my sister calls me at around 9:00 a.m. sleepy and tired and asked me to go and make them breakfast. “Are you kidding?” I told her. “Why don’t you make them breakfast?” “It’s your daughter’s slumber party, so you come over and make them breakfast!” My sister tells me.
I wasn’t going to go. But after finishing washing the dishes, I started thinking… after all my sisters do for me, I better get my butt over there and make them breakfast. By the time I got there, my sister had already started making pancakes with bacon. “Mmm… ! I’m starving, where’s my breakfast?”
My sister told me the girls went to sleep at around 5:00 a.m. and couldn’t believe that they actually woke up by 9:00 a.m.! When I got there, apparently my sisters and friends also spent the night.
You could tell she very tired. I told her, “now you see why I didn’t’ want to do it at my place?”
“Never, again!” My sister says. Yeah, right, I told her. “If you do it for one, you have to do it for the other.” “You have to start planning on my son’s birthday slumber party!”
Ahhh! She screams! “No Way!”
Teen angel...!
Last Thursday was my daughter’s 13th birthday. My God, I feel old!
We spent the week watching her baby video clips. I can’t believe it! Time does fly! My little girl is a teenager! Yikes!
We asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday and she chose to go to dinner at Oliver Garden. Why there? Who knows… but that’s where she wanted to go.
We ordered our dinner. But by the time it was served, we were already stuffed with the salad, bread sticks and appetizers!
I had also mentioned to the waitress that it was my daughter’s birthday so by the end of the meal, a few of her co-workers came by our table and sang happy birthday to her. My daughter was enjoying every bit of attention she was getting. My little teenangel!
It was a nice family dinner… she enjoyed it as much as we did.
We spent the week watching her baby video clips. I can’t believe it! Time does fly! My little girl is a teenager! Yikes!
We asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday and she chose to go to dinner at Oliver Garden. Why there? Who knows… but that’s where she wanted to go.
We ordered our dinner. But by the time it was served, we were already stuffed with the salad, bread sticks and appetizers!
I had also mentioned to the waitress that it was my daughter’s birthday so by the end of the meal, a few of her co-workers came by our table and sang happy birthday to her. My daughter was enjoying every bit of attention she was getting. My little teenangel!
It was a nice family dinner… she enjoyed it as much as we did.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
strange people...
While I was on my way to the train station, a man (who happens to be African American) walks past me and starts shouting out, “Goodbye nigga’! Hello white folk!” And laughs out loud as he kept shouting out the same words over and over.
While riding the train, there was another homeless man who kept talking to him self while standing near the doors. He then says out loud, “I better get out of here…too many crazy people!” Just then the doors open and he walks out.
While riding the train, there was another homeless man who kept talking to him self while standing near the doors. He then says out loud, “I better get out of here…too many crazy people!” Just then the doors open and he walks out.
thirteen...!
Today is my daughter’s birthday! She’s officially a teenager! She’s 13! I can’t believe it! Just the other day we were watching her baby videos clips. How time flies! I miss my little baby girl! She’s growing up so fast!
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
what the ....?
Yesterday evening my husband calls me on the phone and asks, “What’s for dinner?”
“I don’t know.” “There’s only chicken legs.” I replied.
“Why don’t you fry them?” To which I respond, “Oh, I don’t know.” “I’m not sure if I know how to make fried chicken.” “Make that with mashed potatoes and corn.” He suggests. “Alright, I’ll see what I can do.” I said without enthusiasm. “Do we need anything from the store?” He asks. “Yes.” I say, “We need milk.”
I’ve never been a good cook. And for some reason, I could never really cook chicken. But I had no other choice. I went to the kitchen and lucky for me I had a can of seasoned breadcrumbs. Good! That’s what I’ll use for the chicken. So I cleaned out the chicken legs, dunk them in the egg batter and rolled them in the breadcrumbs. Easy! Now the hard part is frying them. How can I do that without burning the chicken and myself? Or what’s worse, how can I fry the chicken without leaving it raw inside?
I was trying my best to make fried chicken. I burned one, the other was undercooked and the rest were beginning to look like real fried chicken. Mmmm. Looking good! While the chicken was frying, I proceeded to make mashed potatoes. By that time my husband came home, I had almost everything ready. “Is dinner ready?” He asks. “No, but just about!”
I soon served him a plate of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn. “Where’s my tortillas?” He asks. “Tortillas?” “Don’t you want bread with butter instead?” I responded. “Are you going to toasted it?” He asks. “Yes.” I said. I took two slices of bread and put them in the toaster. In the meantime, I began to wash a bowl in the sink. I don’t know what was going through my husband’s mind but I could tell he was a little agitated. He suddenly raised his voice at me and says, “Why are you doing that?” “How am I supposed to eat this?” He then picks up his plate, puts his face on the plate and begins to eat his food…like an animal.
I was about to tell him that his bread was in the toaster and then realized what he was doing. OH, NO HE DIDN’T!
He was in fighting mood. So it was either:
WTF! So of course, I chose option 3.
He also began to complain because I did not give him a salad with his dinner. How can I not make salads and blah, blah, blah…
I continued washing dishes and completely ignored him. Within a few seconds, the toast popped out of the toaster, I picked them out and set them on a plate and placed it next to him. I don’t know what his problem was, but I wasn’t about to allow him to get to me. Nope! If he wants to act like a jerk, then that’s his problem.
When I finished with the dishes, I turned around and saw that he had stopped eating. He really didn’t eat at all. He had placed his dish aside and was holding his head. I could tell he was pretty upset.
I kept thinking to myself, stay calm…just stay calm. I didn’t allow myself to get angry. It’s just not worth it!
I went downstairs, finished folding my laundry went upstairs and went to bed.
Today, it was as if nothing had happened. What was that all about? I still don’t know. Hmmm, I’m sure I will save this little episode for discussion at some point in time…in the near future!
“I don’t know.” “There’s only chicken legs.” I replied.
“Why don’t you fry them?” To which I respond, “Oh, I don’t know.” “I’m not sure if I know how to make fried chicken.” “Make that with mashed potatoes and corn.” He suggests. “Alright, I’ll see what I can do.” I said without enthusiasm. “Do we need anything from the store?” He asks. “Yes.” I say, “We need milk.”
I’ve never been a good cook. And for some reason, I could never really cook chicken. But I had no other choice. I went to the kitchen and lucky for me I had a can of seasoned breadcrumbs. Good! That’s what I’ll use for the chicken. So I cleaned out the chicken legs, dunk them in the egg batter and rolled them in the breadcrumbs. Easy! Now the hard part is frying them. How can I do that without burning the chicken and myself? Or what’s worse, how can I fry the chicken without leaving it raw inside?
I was trying my best to make fried chicken. I burned one, the other was undercooked and the rest were beginning to look like real fried chicken. Mmmm. Looking good! While the chicken was frying, I proceeded to make mashed potatoes. By that time my husband came home, I had almost everything ready. “Is dinner ready?” He asks. “No, but just about!”
I soon served him a plate of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and corn. “Where’s my tortillas?” He asks. “Tortillas?” “Don’t you want bread with butter instead?” I responded. “Are you going to toasted it?” He asks. “Yes.” I said. I took two slices of bread and put them in the toaster. In the meantime, I began to wash a bowl in the sink. I don’t know what was going through my husband’s mind but I could tell he was a little agitated. He suddenly raised his voice at me and says, “Why are you doing that?” “How am I supposed to eat this?” He then picks up his plate, puts his face on the plate and begins to eat his food…like an animal.
I was about to tell him that his bread was in the toaster and then realized what he was doing. OH, NO HE DIDN’T!
He was in fighting mood. So it was either:
- Go along with his mood and get myself agitated and start a fight;
- Get upset and begin to cry; or
- Just plain ignore him!
WTF! So of course, I chose option 3.
He also began to complain because I did not give him a salad with his dinner. How can I not make salads and blah, blah, blah…
I continued washing dishes and completely ignored him. Within a few seconds, the toast popped out of the toaster, I picked them out and set them on a plate and placed it next to him. I don’t know what his problem was, but I wasn’t about to allow him to get to me. Nope! If he wants to act like a jerk, then that’s his problem.
When I finished with the dishes, I turned around and saw that he had stopped eating. He really didn’t eat at all. He had placed his dish aside and was holding his head. I could tell he was pretty upset.
I kept thinking to myself, stay calm…just stay calm. I didn’t allow myself to get angry. It’s just not worth it!
I went downstairs, finished folding my laundry went upstairs and went to bed.
Today, it was as if nothing had happened. What was that all about? I still don’t know. Hmmm, I’m sure I will save this little episode for discussion at some point in time…in the near future!
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
...
On my way home, the train ride was almost empty. There was a lady a few rows down in front of where I was sitting facing me. I turned around and saw another lady sitting two rows down on the other side facing away from me.
The train stops and picks up another lady who sits two rows in front of me. At the next stop, a man walks in and sits where the lady was sitting behind me. I heard him saying something to her, which I couldn’t really hear. I assumed she knew the man because when I turned around he was sitting in the front seat facing her. He was talking to her and smiling. Then I heard him ask, “What’s your name?” But the lady didn’t seem to respond, or more like she was ignoring him.
Next thing I knew, the guy gets up and walks past me. He begins to yell out something like, “Man, you must be on your period or something bitch!” He turns to the lady in front of me and yells out something to her, “Don’t be looking at me bitch” “Y’all bitches!” As he’s getting off the train, he kept cursing and shouting, “Bitches!”
As soon as the guy walks out, the women begin to laugh! One of them turns towards me and says something and kept laughing.
I just smiled. Ah yes! Yet another fascinating train ride…
...
“Here’s regular popcorn and caramel popcorn that’s left over from the party. Why don’t you take some home for your kids… this is expensive popcorn, you know!” As my friend proceeded to tell me exactly how much she spent on the popcorn. “Are you sure?” I asked.
I know my kids love popcorn, so of course, I accepted the bag of popcorn she gave to me.
As I was riding the train on my way home, I saw a homeless man walking slowly down the aisle of the train. Once he got near to where I was sitting, he stops and just stands there. I wasn’t sure what he was up to, so I kept an eye on him. He kept getting closer and closer to me. I soon noticed that he was looking at the bag I was carrying and with a raspy voice says to me “Is that food?”
“It’s popcorn, do you want it?” I said to him. He shakes his head yes. I gave him the bag of the “expensive” popcorn. (I wonder what my friend would say if she knew I had given it to him?) The old man proceeds to walk over to the back and sits down. He quickly opens the bag and I could hear him munching on that popcorn.
After the old man had finished eating his popcorn (I noticed he saved some for later as he puts the almost empty bag in his pocket), he gets up and begins to walk towards the front seats. He approaches another woman who was reading a book. I could tell he was asking her for something. The lady says something back to the old man and then I realized she was giving him her bottle of water.
I know it wasn’t much, but the homeless man looked content in having gotten a little something to eat and drink…
I know my kids love popcorn, so of course, I accepted the bag of popcorn she gave to me.
As I was riding the train on my way home, I saw a homeless man walking slowly down the aisle of the train. Once he got near to where I was sitting, he stops and just stands there. I wasn’t sure what he was up to, so I kept an eye on him. He kept getting closer and closer to me. I soon noticed that he was looking at the bag I was carrying and with a raspy voice says to me “Is that food?”
“It’s popcorn, do you want it?” I said to him. He shakes his head yes. I gave him the bag of the “expensive” popcorn. (I wonder what my friend would say if she knew I had given it to him?) The old man proceeds to walk over to the back and sits down. He quickly opens the bag and I could hear him munching on that popcorn.
After the old man had finished eating his popcorn (I noticed he saved some for later as he puts the almost empty bag in his pocket), he gets up and begins to walk towards the front seats. He approaches another woman who was reading a book. I could tell he was asking her for something. The lady says something back to the old man and then I realized she was giving him her bottle of water.
I know it wasn’t much, but the homeless man looked content in having gotten a little something to eat and drink…
...
Last Thursday, we celebrated a birthday for one of my friend’s boss. We each pitched in to buy munchies and food for the party. My friend also bought a few bottles of champagne to celebrate this special occasion. We arranged everything by his office so that when he showed up, he would be surprised.
Well, the surprise was on us! Later that morning, my friend’s boss calls her to say that he was not going to make it to the office and was not planning on coming in on Friday either.
Too bad… all that food and champagne couldn’t go to waste! Monday was a holiday, so we had no other choice but to party without him! We made a toast, “Here’s to him—Happy Birthday!”
Mmmmm! Champagne and strawberries…delicious!
Well, the surprise was on us! Later that morning, my friend’s boss calls her to say that he was not going to make it to the office and was not planning on coming in on Friday either.
Too bad… all that food and champagne couldn’t go to waste! Monday was a holiday, so we had no other choice but to party without him! We made a toast, “Here’s to him—Happy Birthday!”
Mmmmm! Champagne and strawberries…delicious!
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Twister...
One day, out of the blue, there was a rabbit laying on the grass on our side yard. My husband looks at it and yells out. “There’s a rabbit on our yard!” The rabbit didn’t even budge as my husband got close to it. He picked it up by the ears and brought him inside the house. “Guess what?” He said to me. “We have a new pet, it’s a rabbit!”
Of course, the kids immediately fell in love with it and named him Twister. When we let him run around the back yard, he would run, stop, jump, twist and do summersaults. He was the cutest thing.
Last night I let our pets, Coque & Chiquis, out in the backyard to pee. Since it was too cold, I didn’t stick around to keep an eye on them. Instead, I went inside the house to do something. I had forgotten that my husband had let Twister out in the backyard too so that he can stretch out its legs.
When I came back out to let the dogs in, I saw Chiquis carrying Twister by the neck. Twister looked like a rag doll. I totally freaked! I kept calling Chiquis to let go but she dragged Twister even more. The rabbit is a little bigger than she is so she kept having a hard time bringing him towards the door. She finally let go and I managed to grab Chiquis and got her inside the house.
In the meantime, poor old Twister was lying on the floor as if dead. It was still breathing but it wasn’t moving. “Oh, no, not again!” “Is it going to die?” “Was I too late?” Twister survived summer, rain, cold and Beau and now I may lose it to Chiquis! Unbelievable! This can’t be happening!
The top of its head was missing fur and you could tell it had two puncture wounds from Chiquis’s bite. It also had another small wound by its ear. Me and my animals…!
The kids and I took him to the vet this morning. Thank goodness… looks like Twister is going to make it. He gave me an antibiotic cream to apply on its wounds every day. Twister will be fine after all. I have to take him back for a check up on Monday.
I also mentioned to the vet that Chiquis was getting a little vicious, especially around Coque. He recommended that I get her spayed. Yep, she’s going in on Monday morning.
So the animal saga continues…
Thursday, February 16, 2006
...
When I first got my digital camera, I didn’t take pictures right away. I continued to use my disposal camera. My son, who is also taking an interest in photography, asked me if he could borrow my camera. I showed him how to use it and explained the features it contained. He took a couple of pictures and even figured out how to do video clips. He was excited! Of course, he now wants his very own digital camera. He and I took several other interesting pictures.
When our pet, Beau, got sick, I took pictures of him days before he passed away. My daughter also made a video clip of him with my digital.
Now, I come to find out that my son had taken my camera (without my permission) and somehow ended up erasing all the pictures. I can’t believe it! I’m so upset!
He was wrong in taking my camera and I told him so. But it is my fault for not taking better care of it and for not having the pictures downloaded before something like this could happen. I kept telling myself to do it but I would either forget or kept leaving it for another day.
It’s so typical of me, whether it’s my camera, clothes, food, or anything else. Always waiting until the last minute and that’s why things like this happen. The other day, I bought some fruits and vegetables so that I can eat them instead of junk food. Every time I saw the apple or salad, I would think to myself, “I’ll eat it tomorrow”. Well, tomorrow never came, because by the time I actually wanted to eat one, it was already spoiled!
Last night, I was folding my clothes and found a five-dollar bill. I knew if I put it down, I’d probably forget about it so I put it in my pocket instead. Later, and of course forgetting that I had in my pocket, I put my pants in the wash. Fortunately, I found the $5 again in the washing machine. Since it was wet, I picked the bill out of the wash and, I thought I set it down to dry, but then again, I thought I put it back in my pocket. Well, as of yet, I still can’t find it….! That’s what I get for not taking the time in doing things the right way.
I hate doing things in a rush. But it seems like I’m always rushing. I have a hundred things running through my mind and I'm not really paying attention to what I'm doing.
As far as my pictures go, I know they were just pictures but it hurt to lose the little memories I had of my beloved Beau!
Pues ya ni modo!
When our pet, Beau, got sick, I took pictures of him days before he passed away. My daughter also made a video clip of him with my digital.
Now, I come to find out that my son had taken my camera (without my permission) and somehow ended up erasing all the pictures. I can’t believe it! I’m so upset!
He was wrong in taking my camera and I told him so. But it is my fault for not taking better care of it and for not having the pictures downloaded before something like this could happen. I kept telling myself to do it but I would either forget or kept leaving it for another day.
It’s so typical of me, whether it’s my camera, clothes, food, or anything else. Always waiting until the last minute and that’s why things like this happen. The other day, I bought some fruits and vegetables so that I can eat them instead of junk food. Every time I saw the apple or salad, I would think to myself, “I’ll eat it tomorrow”. Well, tomorrow never came, because by the time I actually wanted to eat one, it was already spoiled!
Last night, I was folding my clothes and found a five-dollar bill. I knew if I put it down, I’d probably forget about it so I put it in my pocket instead. Later, and of course forgetting that I had in my pocket, I put my pants in the wash. Fortunately, I found the $5 again in the washing machine. Since it was wet, I picked the bill out of the wash and, I thought I set it down to dry, but then again, I thought I put it back in my pocket. Well, as of yet, I still can’t find it….! That’s what I get for not taking the time in doing things the right way.
I hate doing things in a rush. But it seems like I’m always rushing. I have a hundred things running through my mind and I'm not really paying attention to what I'm doing.
As far as my pictures go, I know they were just pictures but it hurt to lose the little memories I had of my beloved Beau!
Pues ya ni modo!
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Exercise Part 3
Monday night, my sisters came over, again, to get me to exercise. This time, I didn’t complain, made any excuses and completed an hour and 20 minutes of exercising.
It’s hard! By the time the hour is up I’m struggling to keep up! My legs begin to feel wobbly and I am tired. The feeling of soreness doesn’t come until two days later. And man do I feel sore!!!
I think it's a good idea for me to begin keeping track of my exercise routine, even if it's minimal. I ask myself, how much exercise do I really get during my day? This is what my day consist of:
1. In the morning’s, I’m usually running late. By the time I get to the train station, I end up running down the ramp to catch my train. I consider that a quick cardio. When I get downtown, I have to walk a few blocks to get to the office. (it’s usually a brisk walk, not only because I’m running late but also because it’s too damn cold!)
2. At work, I’m on the computer…too busy and not enough time to get up and move around. So I need to learn to take a couple breaks even if it’s just to stretch my out legs.
3. In the afternoon’s, after work, I have to walk back to the train station (which is about a 10 minute walk). When I get off the train, I have to go up the stairs to get to street level. Today, I counted to see how many steps I had to make and counted a total of 40 steps. So that should count for something right? What I have noticed is that now I can quickly go up those steps and still keep my steady breathing. Before, I had to hold on to the railing and by the time I made it to the top, I was panting and out of breathe.
4. At home, I’m usually washing dishing, sweeping, doing laundry (which requires me to go up and down the stairs to the basement).
I appreciate my sisters for trying to help me and keeping me motivated. I know the hard part is getting started and I have to make a BIG effort to do more. But I also have to make an effort to eat well too, instead of eating fast foods, sweets, junk food, bread, and pasta… Mmmmm….
I mean, no, no, no! Must STOP thinking about food!
But I'm definitely NOT going to go on a diet! That has NEVER worked for me. What I WILL do is TRY to continue making an effort of keeping active and to eat in moderation.
Monday, February 13, 2006
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Ejercisio parte 2...
Thursday night, my two sisters came over to my house. They came over to get me to exercise. Apparently, they’ve been exercising everyday. “Come on fatty, let’s get to it!” My sister AC tells me. “I’m still sore from last time!” I exclaimed. “Oh, come on!” says my sister GC. “Girl, please!” “Quit over exaggerating!”
“O.k. o.k. fine!” My sister GC brought an exercise video with her and some 5 lbs weights. “This video workout is really good. It’s called “The Firm”.
Since it wasn’t a DVD video, we tried hooking up the VCR. But for some strange reason it wasn’t working. “Well, it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to workout.” As I thought to myself, “Yes!”
“Oh, this sucks!” AC said. “We should just go over to my house to work out.” “No, Gris has the Demand channel and we could choose any exercise video we want.” GC explains to AC. “Oh really?” “You mean you had this all along and you didn’t do anything with it!”
“Well”… as I begin to try to make up an explanation, “I guess, I don’t like to exercise alone.” “You could have told us!” “We could have been exercising all this time!” AC yells at me.
We started with the 10-minute workout. AC said, “That’s nothing!” “That’s not going to do anything for you.” “That’s what you think, just watch”, said GC. After 20 minutes into it, AC says, “Shit” “You weren’t kidding!” By then, all of us were breathing hard.
At one point, we had to raise our leg and keep it there for a minute without losing our balance. None of us could do it. We finally held on to each other to be able to keep our balance. We looked like three hippos trying to do the “Can-Can”. It was so hilarious! Glad no one was around to take a picture.
“O.k. o.k. fine!” My sister GC brought an exercise video with her and some 5 lbs weights. “This video workout is really good. It’s called “The Firm”.
Since it wasn’t a DVD video, we tried hooking up the VCR. But for some strange reason it wasn’t working. “Well, it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to workout.” As I thought to myself, “Yes!”
“Oh, this sucks!” AC said. “We should just go over to my house to work out.” “No, Gris has the Demand channel and we could choose any exercise video we want.” GC explains to AC. “Oh really?” “You mean you had this all along and you didn’t do anything with it!”
“Well”… as I begin to try to make up an explanation, “I guess, I don’t like to exercise alone.” “You could have told us!” “We could have been exercising all this time!” AC yells at me.
We started with the 10-minute workout. AC said, “That’s nothing!” “That’s not going to do anything for you.” “That’s what you think, just watch”, said GC. After 20 minutes into it, AC says, “Shit” “You weren’t kidding!” By then, all of us were breathing hard.
At one point, we had to raise our leg and keep it there for a minute without losing our balance. None of us could do it. We finally held on to each other to be able to keep our balance. We looked like three hippos trying to do the “Can-Can”. It was so hilarious! Glad no one was around to take a picture.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
I so proud of my baby...!
This school year, my daughter has been struggling. The reason…she’s having trouble with taking tests.
We had her try different study methods, but nothing seemed to work.
A couple of months ago, we met with her teacher. He went over her tests with us and discussed different ways in which we could help her. In the end, we both had a better understanding as to why my daughter might be having difficulty with tests.
Last Thursday she had a major exam. I knew she needed time get ready and prepare herself. My husband’s approach was to write the Q&A from a study guide several times to improve her ability to memorize and learn what she was studying. I thought that was an excellent idea, but one which was not as effective. She definitely required more than that. She worked so hard in studying and yet her grade only improved a bit. It was not enough to give her a boost in confidence that she desperately needed. I could tell she was getting very frustrated to the point that she was beginning to dread over it when it came down to it.
One day, I saw her watching a TV show from her favorite channel. She began to repeat word for word the conversation that the two characters were having and I soon learned two things:
I began to work with her and took a different approach in helping her study. First, while reading the chapter, she went through each paragraph and discussed what the paragraph was about. She then filled out the study guide. Once she completed the study guide, she wrote the Q&A’s down a couple of times. Finally, She read the Q&A’s out loud. She did this several times. This required her to listen to herself speak, which meant she was also memorizing and having a better understanding of what she was talking about.
Friday, came and she was ecstatic. She said, “Mom, you’re not going to believe this!” I know she had been working real hard these past few days. And by the tone in her voice I knew she must have gotten a good grade. “You got a C on your test?” I asked. She cried out, “Better than a C, mom! I got an A!” She’s practically screaming in my ear, “Yes, mom and A!”
Wow! My daughter did it!
“You see!” “You can do it!” “I’m so proud of you!”
Maybe she was not using the proper method of studying. Maybe she was not giving herself enough time to study. Maybe she was just too insecure (probably gets that from me!). Or maybe…it was because I spent more time with her.
But the fact of the matter is that she passed… and with an A. And it proved to her that she CAN do it.
I’m SO happy for her! I know that grade was more… way MORE than she expected and one that gave her a new self-assurance. I believe now she finally has a different outlook in the way she approaches studying and taking tests.
We had her try different study methods, but nothing seemed to work.
A couple of months ago, we met with her teacher. He went over her tests with us and discussed different ways in which we could help her. In the end, we both had a better understanding as to why my daughter might be having difficulty with tests.
Last Thursday she had a major exam. I knew she needed time get ready and prepare herself. My husband’s approach was to write the Q&A from a study guide several times to improve her ability to memorize and learn what she was studying. I thought that was an excellent idea, but one which was not as effective. She definitely required more than that. She worked so hard in studying and yet her grade only improved a bit. It was not enough to give her a boost in confidence that she desperately needed. I could tell she was getting very frustrated to the point that she was beginning to dread over it when it came down to it.
One day, I saw her watching a TV show from her favorite channel. She began to repeat word for word the conversation that the two characters were having and I soon learned two things:
- She’s watching way too much TV; and
- In order for her to be able to learn and memorize everything, she had to use her ability to listen and learn.
I began to work with her and took a different approach in helping her study. First, while reading the chapter, she went through each paragraph and discussed what the paragraph was about. She then filled out the study guide. Once she completed the study guide, she wrote the Q&A’s down a couple of times. Finally, She read the Q&A’s out loud. She did this several times. This required her to listen to herself speak, which meant she was also memorizing and having a better understanding of what she was talking about.
Friday, came and she was ecstatic. She said, “Mom, you’re not going to believe this!” I know she had been working real hard these past few days. And by the tone in her voice I knew she must have gotten a good grade. “You got a C on your test?” I asked. She cried out, “Better than a C, mom! I got an A!” She’s practically screaming in my ear, “Yes, mom and A!”
Wow! My daughter did it!
“You see!” “You can do it!” “I’m so proud of you!”
Maybe she was not using the proper method of studying. Maybe she was not giving herself enough time to study. Maybe she was just too insecure (probably gets that from me!). Or maybe…it was because I spent more time with her.
But the fact of the matter is that she passed… and with an A. And it proved to her that she CAN do it.
I’m SO happy for her! I know that grade was more… way MORE than she expected and one that gave her a new self-assurance. I believe now she finally has a different outlook in the way she approaches studying and taking tests.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
exercise...
Man! Do I feel like a stiff board!
My sister came over to the house the night before. Since the kids were doing homework, her and I decided we should do something instead of sitting around doing nothing.
“Why don’t we exercise?” My sister suggests.
“Exercise?” Ugh! I hate exercising! But after giving me this look, I say, “O.k., I guess we should.”
Oh, oh! I can feel them coming…. Yep, here they come…!
“Our old treadmill broke so we got rid of it.” “The stationary bike is downstairs in the basement but it’s too cold and too boring!” “I don’t know where any of my exercise videos are.”
“Boy you are full of excuses aren’t you?”
“Well, I do have cable.” “They have exercise programs on “Demand” channel.” Me and my big mouth!
I flipped to the channels to look for a good exercise video. We came across “10-minute workouts”. My sister says, “Let’s try that!” “10 minutes sounds good to me! That should be easy!” I said. We moved our living room couch and the table aside and began with our 10-minute workout.
Before the end of the 10 minutes, I was ready to give up! “Come on!” “Stop being a wimp!” She yells at me. “Alright!” “Alright!” as I’m huffing and puffing. We finally finished the 10 minutes. “That was the longest 10 minutes ever!” I said, barely breathing. My sister just shakes her head.
She suggested we do another 10 minutes. This time we worked on our “abs” (or more like our big guts!) I hated seeing those skinny girls on t.v. But hey, they work at it. What do I do? Nothing!!!!
“Stop hating and keep moving!” My sister again yells at me. Gosh! What’s gotten into her?
We finished that part of the routine and continued on to the next. We did a 10-minute work out on our “buns” (or more like our wide loads!) Man, why does it have to be so hard!
And just as I started getting into the routine, my sister begins to complain. I can tell she was getting tired but it was my turn to yell at her. “Oh, no you don’t! You’re not giving up on me now! You started this. Now let’s finish it! And after this, we’re working our arms!”
I couldn’t believe that we actually completed 40 minutes. I checked the channels and we came across belly dancing. We looked at each other. Hey, why not?
So here we were trying to do a belly dance. We had to move our hips in the form of an eight. Then we had to thrust our hips and bellies back and forth and every time I tried doing that, my butt would giggle like Jell-O. No, not J-Lo, Jello! We kept looking at each other and couldn’t stop laughing. In the end, it was quite a work out. I was amazed at how much effort it takes to do a belly dance.
And for the grand finale… we did 10 minutes of yoga. My sister was not too comfortable doing this part of the exercise. I thought it was great. In fact, it felt good! I was completely relaxed. I need to start practicing yoga!
Yesterday, I was beginning to feel a little sore and my husband told me I should exercise. So… I ignored him.
Today, I’m having a bit of trouble moving. Every time I try getting up from my chair, I feel like an old lady. Ay! Ay! Ay! It hurts! I could actually feel muscles that I didn’t know I had in my stomach and butt! Ouch!
You would think I get my big butt to exercise today. Hell no! I’ll have to put it off until tomorrow.
Yeah, let’s see…
My sister came over to the house the night before. Since the kids were doing homework, her and I decided we should do something instead of sitting around doing nothing.
“Why don’t we exercise?” My sister suggests.
“Exercise?” Ugh! I hate exercising! But after giving me this look, I say, “O.k., I guess we should.”
Oh, oh! I can feel them coming…. Yep, here they come…!
“Our old treadmill broke so we got rid of it.” “The stationary bike is downstairs in the basement but it’s too cold and too boring!” “I don’t know where any of my exercise videos are.”
“Boy you are full of excuses aren’t you?”
“Well, I do have cable.” “They have exercise programs on “Demand” channel.” Me and my big mouth!
I flipped to the channels to look for a good exercise video. We came across “10-minute workouts”. My sister says, “Let’s try that!” “10 minutes sounds good to me! That should be easy!” I said. We moved our living room couch and the table aside and began with our 10-minute workout.
Before the end of the 10 minutes, I was ready to give up! “Come on!” “Stop being a wimp!” She yells at me. “Alright!” “Alright!” as I’m huffing and puffing. We finally finished the 10 minutes. “That was the longest 10 minutes ever!” I said, barely breathing. My sister just shakes her head.
She suggested we do another 10 minutes. This time we worked on our “abs” (or more like our big guts!) I hated seeing those skinny girls on t.v. But hey, they work at it. What do I do? Nothing!!!!
“Stop hating and keep moving!” My sister again yells at me. Gosh! What’s gotten into her?
We finished that part of the routine and continued on to the next. We did a 10-minute work out on our “buns” (or more like our wide loads!) Man, why does it have to be so hard!
And just as I started getting into the routine, my sister begins to complain. I can tell she was getting tired but it was my turn to yell at her. “Oh, no you don’t! You’re not giving up on me now! You started this. Now let’s finish it! And after this, we’re working our arms!”
I couldn’t believe that we actually completed 40 minutes. I checked the channels and we came across belly dancing. We looked at each other. Hey, why not?
So here we were trying to do a belly dance. We had to move our hips in the form of an eight. Then we had to thrust our hips and bellies back and forth and every time I tried doing that, my butt would giggle like Jell-O. No, not J-Lo, Jello! We kept looking at each other and couldn’t stop laughing. In the end, it was quite a work out. I was amazed at how much effort it takes to do a belly dance.
And for the grand finale… we did 10 minutes of yoga. My sister was not too comfortable doing this part of the exercise. I thought it was great. In fact, it felt good! I was completely relaxed. I need to start practicing yoga!
Yesterday, I was beginning to feel a little sore and my husband told me I should exercise. So… I ignored him.
Today, I’m having a bit of trouble moving. Every time I try getting up from my chair, I feel like an old lady. Ay! Ay! Ay! It hurts! I could actually feel muscles that I didn’t know I had in my stomach and butt! Ouch!
You would think I get my big butt to exercise today. Hell no! I’ll have to put it off until tomorrow.
Yeah, let’s see…
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
taking pics...
I hadn’t realized until now how much I love taking pictures.
The problem….
For one, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not good at it! In fact, I know I have to admit… I suck!
Everyday, I run into something that I think would make a great picture. But what my eyes see and what my camera captures are totally different.
The reason… could it be my camera? I have been using a disposable camera since they first came out. Sometimes, I’ve gotten one or two good pictures out of them. But most of the pics would have definitely been better if taken with a good camera. I recently bought myself a digital camera. As of yet (since my computer doesn’t recognize the camera and I can’t download my pictures to my computer), I haven’t taken my digital camera to Walgreens to download them to a CD. I don’t know how well those pictures are going to come out.
I would like to invest on a good camera. But I think to myself, what for? My pictures aren’t that good anyway! When I see the beautiful and creative pictures that people have taken, I admire them and wish I had that kind of creativity and eye for it.
And yet I come across another little problem…I’m very insecure about myself. What does that have to do with taking pictures? Well, just today for instance, I wanted to take a picture of this huge tractor taking a pile of dirt up a dirt hill in the middle of downtown. It looked like it would make an interesting picture. So I pulled out my little disposable camera and just as I’m about to try and take the picture, I turned around and saw that someone was looking right at me! That’s all it took…I felt stupid and embarrassed and I put my camera back in my purse and left. Another time, I saw a couple of luggage on a window display. It just so happened that the sunlight hit the window in a certain way and created a shadow of the word “travel” stretched across both bags. I thought that was pretty cool. But again, I was too embarrassed to stop and take the picture.
I see many people (whether they are tourists or not) taking pictures every day. So why do I feel uncomfortable doing what I like to do? Maybe I’m embarrassed of my little disposable…I don’t know.
Then again, I guess it’s just me!
The problem….
For one, I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not good at it! In fact, I know I have to admit… I suck!
Everyday, I run into something that I think would make a great picture. But what my eyes see and what my camera captures are totally different.
The reason… could it be my camera? I have been using a disposable camera since they first came out. Sometimes, I’ve gotten one or two good pictures out of them. But most of the pics would have definitely been better if taken with a good camera. I recently bought myself a digital camera. As of yet (since my computer doesn’t recognize the camera and I can’t download my pictures to my computer), I haven’t taken my digital camera to Walgreens to download them to a CD. I don’t know how well those pictures are going to come out.
I would like to invest on a good camera. But I think to myself, what for? My pictures aren’t that good anyway! When I see the beautiful and creative pictures that people have taken, I admire them and wish I had that kind of creativity and eye for it.
And yet I come across another little problem…I’m very insecure about myself. What does that have to do with taking pictures? Well, just today for instance, I wanted to take a picture of this huge tractor taking a pile of dirt up a dirt hill in the middle of downtown. It looked like it would make an interesting picture. So I pulled out my little disposable camera and just as I’m about to try and take the picture, I turned around and saw that someone was looking right at me! That’s all it took…I felt stupid and embarrassed and I put my camera back in my purse and left. Another time, I saw a couple of luggage on a window display. It just so happened that the sunlight hit the window in a certain way and created a shadow of the word “travel” stretched across both bags. I thought that was pretty cool. But again, I was too embarrassed to stop and take the picture.
I see many people (whether they are tourists or not) taking pictures every day. So why do I feel uncomfortable doing what I like to do? Maybe I’m embarrassed of my little disposable…I don’t know.
Then again, I guess it’s just me!
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Age gauge...
These events occurred and these songs were topping the charts when my age was:
32 years old at the time of the 9-11 attack on America;
30 years old on the first day of Y2K;
28 years old when Princess Diana was killed in a car crash;
25 years old at the time of Oklahoma City bombing;
24 years old when O. J. Simpson was charged with murder;
23 years old at the time of the 93 bombing of the World Trade Center;
21 years old when Operation Desert Storm began;
20 years old during the fall of the Berlin Wall;
16 years old when the space shuttle Challenger exploded;
14 years old when Apple introduced the Macintosh;
13 years old during Sally Ride's travel in space;
11 years old when Pres. Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr.;
10 years old at the time the Iran hostage crisis began;
6 years old on the U.S.'s bicentennial Fourth of July;
5 years old when President Nixon left office; and
2 years old when Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace was shot.
Me and Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin: 1;
ABC TV premieres In Concert: 3;
Time in a Bottle, Jim Croce: 4;
I Shot the Sheriff, Eric Clapton: 5;
Silly Love Songs, Wings: 6;
Elvis Presley Dies: 8;
Do Ya Think I'm Sexy, Rod Stewart: 9;
Another Brick in the Wall, Pink Floyd: 10;
John Lennon is shot to death: 11; MTV makes its debut: 11;
Who Can it be Now, Men at Work: 13;
The recording of We Are The World: 15;
Walk Like an Egyptian, Bangles: 17;
Didn't We Almost have it all, Whitney Houston: 18;
Back In The U.S.S.R. is released exclusively in Russia: 19;
Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O'Connor: 20;
Emotions, Mariah Carey: 22;
Fleetwood Mac perform at Bill Clinton's inauguration: 23;
The Sign, Ace Of Base: 24; and
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opens: 26;
These movies were released in the U.S. my age was:
The Godfather: 2;
American Graffiti: 3;
Jaws: 5;
Star Wars: 7;
Animal House: 8;
Star Trek: The Motion Picture: 10;
ET: 12;
The Terminator: 15;
Top Gun: 16;
Planes, Trains & Automobiles: 18;
Steel Magnolias: 20;
Home Alone: 21;
Wayne's World: 22;
Jurassic Park: 23;
Forrest Gump: 24;
Fargo: 26;
Saving Private Ryan: 28; and
Toy Story 2: 30
http://www.frontiernet.net/~cdm/age1.html
32 years old at the time of the 9-11 attack on America;
30 years old on the first day of Y2K;
28 years old when Princess Diana was killed in a car crash;
25 years old at the time of Oklahoma City bombing;
24 years old when O. J. Simpson was charged with murder;
23 years old at the time of the 93 bombing of the World Trade Center;
21 years old when Operation Desert Storm began;
20 years old during the fall of the Berlin Wall;
16 years old when the space shuttle Challenger exploded;
14 years old when Apple introduced the Macintosh;
13 years old during Sally Ride's travel in space;
11 years old when Pres. Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr.;
10 years old at the time the Iran hostage crisis began;
6 years old on the U.S.'s bicentennial Fourth of July;
5 years old when President Nixon left office; and
2 years old when Alabama Gov. George C. Wallace was shot.
Me and Bobby McGee, Janis Joplin: 1;
ABC TV premieres In Concert: 3;
Time in a Bottle, Jim Croce: 4;
I Shot the Sheriff, Eric Clapton: 5;
Silly Love Songs, Wings: 6;
Elvis Presley Dies: 8;
Do Ya Think I'm Sexy, Rod Stewart: 9;
Another Brick in the Wall, Pink Floyd: 10;
John Lennon is shot to death: 11; MTV makes its debut: 11;
Who Can it be Now, Men at Work: 13;
The recording of We Are The World: 15;
Walk Like an Egyptian, Bangles: 17;
Didn't We Almost have it all, Whitney Houston: 18;
Back In The U.S.S.R. is released exclusively in Russia: 19;
Nothing Compares 2 U, Sinead O'Connor: 20;
Emotions, Mariah Carey: 22;
Fleetwood Mac perform at Bill Clinton's inauguration: 23;
The Sign, Ace Of Base: 24; and
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum opens: 26;
These movies were released in the U.S. my age was:
The Godfather: 2;
American Graffiti: 3;
Jaws: 5;
Star Wars: 7;
Animal House: 8;
Star Trek: The Motion Picture: 10;
ET: 12;
The Terminator: 15;
Top Gun: 16;
Planes, Trains & Automobiles: 18;
Steel Magnolias: 20;
Home Alone: 21;
Wayne's World: 22;
Jurassic Park: 23;
Forrest Gump: 24;
Fargo: 26;
Saving Private Ryan: 28; and
Toy Story 2: 30
http://www.frontiernet.net/~cdm/age1.html
Friday, February 03, 2006
...
"If you want to get anywhere, open a new path. Don't walk down the path that already exists. Everybody does that."
--R. Baker
--R. Baker
Thursday, February 02, 2006
...
“There are no bad days only bad moments in the day, so enjoy each day and be happy and grateful.”
Author unknown
Author unknown
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
just another day...
This morning I woke up with a sore throat and a stuffy nose. I didn’t feel like getting up to go to work, but I knew I had to. It sucks!
The sun was out and the sky was blue with lots of cotton ball clouds. It looked very pretty actually…I got the feeling that it might be a nice day.
But later that afternoon, on my way home from work, the sky completely changed. It was gray…. and it looked gloomy! Ugh! Looked exactly how I felt! What happened to the blue sky? These past few weeks have been gray, cold and drizzling. Oh, how I wish Spring was here…!
As I was looking out the window from the train, I kept hearing two teenage boys playing and goofying around. They were a few rows down from me. They kept getting up from their seat and began punching each other in a playful manner. You know how that goes…the play fight could become real…
They started getting a little too loud and a man, who was sitting behind them, got up and came to sit across from me. I’m sure he too was afraid that he was going to get hit as the play fight continued…it sure was getting a little too rough.
Another lady got up and moved further away from them. After each stop, the train became almost empty, which is pretty unusual even at that time of day. The boys were still playing around. I was beginning to think that I was going to be stuck alone on the train with those two and began to get a little worried. But luckily for me, a few more people got on at the next stop.
About five months ago, I was on the train sitting next to the doors and having a conversation with a friend of mine. There were kids on the train goofying around. As they were getting ready to get off the train, one of them punched me on the face and ran out the doors. I never saw who did it. It happened so quickly…I got scared but at the same time it pissed me off! Thank God, he didn’t hit me too hard. Otherwise I would have gotten a big bruise on my cheek.
So I knew I had to keep an eye on these two clowns. Finally one of them had to get off. While he was waiting for the doors to open, the other boy got up and pulled out a lighter. He lit what looked like a cigarette (which turned out to be a joint). The older kid gave it to the younger kid and the kid inhaled. As the doors opened he walked out and kept trying to inhale. When the doors closed, the older kid yelled out to the younger kid, “Keep taking a hit! Don’t let it go out!”
I can’t believe it. They looked no older than 13 –15 years of age.
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