Summer Plans

Sweet Sixteen Mad Hatter Party
Ok, so I've been a little busy...too busy to make posts in my blog...so we have a lot of catching up to do. I have some pretty exciting events coming up and I cannot be more stoked! First of all, my beautiful little girl just turned 16. 16!!! The years have really flown by! She's already looking at colleges and has her heart set on a school in SD. I tried to tell her that her Aunt Caroline may not be in SD when she graduates, but she's determined to move down there anyway. She even has the ridiculous notion that she can put herself through school while working at Hooters, because of a stupid commercial that they play on tv about these waitresses supposedly becoming lawyers and such. Over my dead body! I have two years to knock some sense into her...I could use some help! (dad!!)



My Bridesmaid Gown
In other news, Madalene's wedding day is fast approaching and I am beyond stressed. According to her, the maid of honor plans the bridal shower, bachelorette party, and also helps with the wedding. I knew about the wedding, but is it true about the other things? AND I foot the bill for the two parties?? Um, yeah I make a decent living but I am a single mom with a teenage daughter who thinks I'm an ATM machine!
I guess I wasn't moving fast enough for her liking, so Howard's mom (AKA Momzilla) decided to take matters into her own hands and plan the bridal shower. This frees me up to continue planning the bachelorette party in (where else?) VEGAS!! Woohoo!!

Southwest was having a special on tickets, $39 one way...so we all got our plane tickets months early! (Vegas trip is in September.) Hopefully the plane isn't a little twin engine POS that has duct tape on the wings...cross your fingers.
I'm still working on an itinerary for us, since I'm pretty sure that drinking and gambling will get old by the first day. There are at least 12 ladies going, so it should be fun! I'm banking on the fact that we are A) a large group of super hot chicks (heehee) B) we are part of a bachelorette party ..to get us into any event free or with a major discount. We've done it before, so it can be done!
I'm also days away from flying to Florida to visit the 'rents. Haven't seen my dad in YEARS...can't wait to see you dad!!

Future Road Warriors


I'm taking my brat and niece Alyssa with me to FL and we'll stay there for a few days. Then it's a road trip back to Cali with the one and only road rage queen, Caroline. I hope we don't get into trouble! I will be sending road trip photos via my phone to Facebook (get an account, Jimmy!!) . And I'm also bringing my beloved Nikon to take
even more pics.

It's going to be a very eventful summer and I'm hoping it takes my mind off of the fact that, come October, I will be the spinster of the family... :(

It's the End of the World As We Know It....

With the way Mother Nature has been acting lately, my superstitious brain has kicked into overdrive. I can't turn on the Discovery Channel (love it!) without seeing some kind of program about the end of the world being broadcast. There's been so much talk about it lately, but it just seems like the media is using this as a cash cow, and raking in the profits.

Do we really need to prepare for the end? Will we be wiped out like the dinosaurs? If the world is going to end, should I forget about buying those Steve Madden shoes that are on sale? Some serious questions here people...should we prepare ourselves??
The recent earthquakes have really made me worry. We haven't felt anything strong here in San Jose, but it's only a matter of time. I have a very real fear of water, and it has just grown stronger as I've gotten older. My worst fear is that I will be somewhere near water (like Pier 39 in San Francisco) when a massive earthquake hits, causing a giant tsunami to come barreling towards me. And what would I do in a situation like that?

Well, my guess would be, after soiling myself and those around me, I would turn tail and run. Running in a zigzag pattern would only work if I were being chased by an animal, so I would probably head straight for the hills. Or if I had access to a vehicle, I would take my chances with that. Either way, I would probably want to be wearing comfortable shoes. Hmmm....sorry Steve, I think I'll pass on those wedges.

Question of the Day

Question: When is it appropriate to make comments to someone about their appearance in public? Comments can sometimes be seen as insulting. Do people forget themselves or do they not realize that what they say can be construed as an insult.
Case in point: A complete stranger walks up to you and says," you look tired. Your eyes are all bloodshot...or do you have allergies?" Do you take offense to this comment and view it negatively? Or do you perceive it as someone making an observation and respond politely? If someone you knew made this comment to you, would your perception be that they are concerned and truly want to know?
What compels a person to make comments about someone's personal appearance in front of others? In my opinion, if something I'm going to say may be taken in the wrong context and I could end up embarrassing the other party, I won't say it. I won't make observations to them like, "you're really breaking out," or "you've gained weight, are you stressed out?". To me, those types of comments are hurtful and unnecessary. I think it would only draw unwanted attention to said person's insecurities.
I've been on the receiving end of comments such as these in the past and, to me, they are NEVER appropriate.

Pictures From My Travels....in My 'Hood

Another photo blog of pics I've taken around the neighborhood and at the Hakone Gardens in Saratoga. I'm currently in search of the perfect cherry blossom tree for one of Caroline's Christmas gifts. The only problem is that they bloom early and shed their blossoms rather quickly. There are plenty of cherry blossom trees where I live, but they surround houses and businesses that take away from the scene that I am trying to capture. I'm looking for an open field or garden that would allow me to take pictures from multiple angles without an ugly building in the way. I went to the Hakone Gardens in the hopes that I would get my shot, but I found that none of the trees were in bloom. I found ONE tree with ONE branch that had a couple of blossoms (see below). The search continues tomorrow....

Lavender Skies (Almaden Elementary School)

Twilight (across the street from my apartment)

Purple Flowers

Rose Cactus

Waterfall @Hakone Gardens

Waterfall II @ Hakone Gardens

Cherry Blossom (color)

Cherry Blossom (black and white)

Garden Path (Hakone Gardens)

Koi Pond (Hakone Gardens)

A Controversial Man

I recently picked up an interesting book about conspiracies in the government. It's called "Behold a Pale Horse" by William Cooper. It's a 500+ page book, not too daunting. It was recommended to me by someone in my company who is a big believer of government conspiracies and secret organizations that control the outcome of our future. The author was in the military and worked with top secret documents, claiming to have first-hand knowledge of alien encounters, the New World Order, and controversial theories surrounding JFK's assassination. His book includes supposed documents that confirm that the government, as well as high-profile people, are involved in a secret plot to eradicate more than half of the population and enslave the rest.
I am 1/3 of the way through and remain skeptical of the author's claims. It does make me wonder though. One of Cooper's theories about the government is that they plan on taking out a large portion of the population through vaccinations..part of their "silent weapons in a quiet war". The government dispensed the H1N1 vaccine to many medical facilities and pharmacies, for FREE. I am affiliated with one of these places that received the H1N1 vaccine, so I know for a fact that we paid absolutely ZERO for it. Given that our country is in dire need of funds, it seems odd that we, along with many other multi-million dollar companies, would not have to pay for a single drop. Food for thought, people.
As for Mr. Cooper, his death was a little suspicious. He was killed in a shootout with local authorities outside of his home. He had claimed that attempts on his life were made several times, resulting in the loss of one of his legs. From what I have read, his wife and children remain in hiding to this day.
If this intrigues you at all, I recommend watching "Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura". It's on TruTV..check your local listings for airtimes.

Rock-a-Bye Baby...

Something exciting happened recently...well, not to me...that would totally interfere with the whole mid-30's angst that I'm sporting. Madalene had her baby...2 weeks early! She was at work in Santa Cruz when her water broke. One of our supervisors happened to be there when it happened. He was petrified. For some reason Madalene decided that she could drive all the way down the mountain to the hospital on her own. Well, thankfully she made it. A few hours later, she welcomed baby Austin into the world. I have to admit that he is the sweetest little baby! So here are some pictures of my little nephew AKA Monkey. Enjoy!!

Cousin Tiana holding Monkey

Looks just like Madalene!

Wakey Wakey!!

Yawn!

Bedtime!

My Issues with On-Line Dating

Ok, I may have said that my new year's res was to make at least one blog post a week, but aren't new year's resolutions made to be broken? Otherwise, it would suck the fun out of everything...can I get an Amen?? So, here's an update on my life so far.
The guy that I thought may have been the one turned out to be the one I should avoid. He is ca-ray-zay!! Which leads me to wonder...if these online dating sites are so thorough in their questionaires, shouldn't the "experts" analyzing them spot a schizo when they see one? Here's my beef with these sites...
1) a full background check should be done on these "potentials", in case they turn out to be..I don't know...psychos or dog killers or something...
(in said background check, it should also be confirmed that the occupation they have listed is legit)
2) the picture on their profiles should not be more than 3-4 yrs. old...color me shallow but a lot can change physically from the time you take it to the time you post it...
3) It should be noted to first-time online daters that what is listed on a potential's "must have/can't stand" list may in some circumstances be qualities that this person is actually guilty of...
Food for thought...chew on it a little.
As far as continuing with this site, I have decided to stick with it for three more months (length of my current membership). Before I got suckered by this current sucker, I was actually having fun dating. It's amazing how small my world is, and being on this site has exposed me to a lot of different people, good and bad, that I would not have met otherwise. I'm actually thinking about putting all of this material into a book....once I finish with my current one. I only have one chapter so far. :/ I think it would make for a great fiction read, and I have plenty of characters to inspire me.
I would also like to note that psycho has been texting me every day like we are still dating and leaving flowers on my windshield at work....just in case something happens, I want it known that his advances were not welcome and I will not acknowledge his communications in any way, shape or form. I'm considering changing my # if it persists.

Picture Blog

Regina, Tiana and I recently went on a mini road trip to Monterey for some yummy clam chowder. On the way, we stopped in Moss Landing and took some scenic pictures. The area was gorgeous and the photo-op conditions were to die for. The water was glassy and reflected the popcorn-like clouds to perfection. It really was a photographer's utopia.
Power plant across from Moss Landing

Closer view of power plant

Boats at rest at Moss Landing (see the seals?)

Closer view of seals...guess they opted out of the trip to Oregon

Reflection at Moss Landing

Glassy bottom

Popcorn clouds at Moss Landing

Eye on the Sun

Tugboat on the Bay (Monterey) Black and White

Tugboat on the Bay (true colors...I did not enhance at all)

A night at Winchester Mystery House

During the holidays, I took Caroline to the Winchester Mystery House. We arrived late in the afternoon so half of the tour was conducted in the dark. We decided to do the regular tour of the house plus the behind the scenes tour, which included a trip into the basement. (cue scary music)







I was pretty bummed to learn that we couldn't take pictures anywhere inside of the house. So, I was limited to exterior shots. By the time we got outside though, it was dark AND cold. So the pictures I took are grainy and shaky (from my shivering), but I have to share them because this house is amazing.









For those of you who live under a rock, here's a little background on the Winchester House and it's eccentric owner. Sarah Winchester was a very superstitious woman. She was obsessed with the spirit world. One day a Boston psychic warned her that the spirits of all the men killed by the Winchester rifle would come back to haunt her, and that the deaths of her husband and child were a way of exacting their revenge.


Upon the advice of said psychic, she bought a farmhouse in San Jose and spent the next 38 years building onto it. She had been told that constant construction on her house would confuse the spirits, keeping her safe. On the day that Sarah died, construction finally stopped. But that's not the weird part.


Mrs. Winchester had designed the house in such a way that behind some doors are brick walls, one opens to a two-story drop, stairs lead to the ceiling, all of the pillars are upside down, etc.
The basement was the creepiest part by far...not only because they made us wear hard hats, but it's easy to imagine ghosts creeping along down there.


Caroline really enjoyed the tour. Hopefully I'll be able to take her back for the flashlight tours next time. Same tour, only they turn all the lights off and you have to navigate by flashlight. The best time for this is Halloween, but Friday the 13th works just as well. =)

Tis the Season....

I know I have been a very bad blogger of late, but hopefully with the holidays behind me, I can make up for lost time. I am making it one of my resolutions to post at least one blog per week. *fingers crossed!*










Another Missed Sunset





The holiday season was a blur for the most part. I was up at 5 AM (mostly) and home at 6 or 7. Needless to say, the sun and I have become distant friends.




Caroline came up from San Diego with her boys, Chunky and Tux. They were sooo cute! Mochi was a little bit of an instigator, and we had to break up a few fights and humping sessions. (EW...do the three dogs not know that they are MALE??)


Chunky and Mochi



I didn't get to spend as much time with Care and the family as I would have liked, but that's retail for you baby! We did go and see Avatar in 3D..I highly recommend going to see it, even if you aren't a sci-fi buff. It was fan-freaking-tastic! We also saw Sherlock Holmes, which was pretty good.




The first night she got here, Caroline, the girls, and I were in her room catching up. My nephew Anthony came in and the dogs immediately got antsy. Anthony got too close to Tux (the mellowest of dogs) and Tux let out a warning growl. Anthony did not heed the warning and therefore got what was coming to him. I kid, I kid...it was really horrible. There was blood everywhere...thank got I got my TB shot...I kid, I kid!!


On Christmas day, we ended up opening our gifts quite late. We had to wait for my niece Alyssa, and Tiana to get home from spending the day with their other families. (The dark-side..haha)
Even the boys (dogs) got into the action. I have to say that secretly the best gift I got was the one I gifted myself...new golf clubs!! More deets about my new gear in an upcoming post...be on the lookout!!

YUM!!

To recap, the food was awesome (I did not cook, although I did contribute a couple of pumpkin pies..thanks Safeway!), the gifts were grand, and the mood was merry. We topped the night off with some board games, and because we are all lame, were out the door and on the way home by 11 PM.
New Year's was another fun-filled evening of board games and watching the ball drop in Times Square via TV. I have to admit, spending time with my sister's is actually good for my soul. I always come away feeling closer to them and being thankful to have them nearby. I just hope Caroline doesn't get shipped off to Afghanistan in the spring. *fingers double-crossed!*

So, let's get to the good stuff...I received a $100 Macy's card from Mom and Dad (thank you!!), a super soft fleece robe from ...uh...one of my sister's (oops, can't remember which one!), a really cute jacket from Tiana (She spent a gift card she received as an early gift to buy it...what a sweetheart!), a very chic glass hurricane tealight holder from Caroline (you can add potpourri or other goodies inside to make it festive, some giftcards, lots of bath boutique toiletries (I LOVE bath products!!), and a crockpot and cookbook from Madalene and Howard. I know just where it will go, right next to my other crockpot in my cupboard until I have time to actually figure out how to use it without burning the place down!! All in all, work aside, it was a very wonderful holiday! =)




Our First Tree!