Tunery Tuesday: Willow Smith!

Hey everybody!

I am super excited today because by tomorrow afternoon I will sippin margarita-rita-ritas in sunny, beautiful Cabo San Lucas Mexico! I can't wait! So I will be taking a bloggy-vacation until next week, but I leave you with this:



This is Will and Jada Pinkett Smith's 9 year old daughter Willow! She just got signed to Rocafella Records (Jay-Z's label). Ahh to be young, famous by association, and with the dollas! There are also 2 other versions, one by Rihanna and another by JLo, but I think this version is the best. Enjoy!



Update: I just saw this pic over here and it made me laugh out loud. Cabo here we come!!

Pre-Vacationing

You ever notice how many more chores appear before vacation? Or maybe it just seems that way because in just a few days...

you won't have ish to dooooo except lie on a beach and drink icy fruit-astic drinks with little umbrellas in them, to your heart's content.

**Le sigh...can't wait!**

But until then, it's all rushed. Friday, I started preparing my to-do list at work of things I have to finish up before leaving, even though it's only for 4 days. Yesterday, we picked up luggage from C's parent's house (we have no where to store it in our small apartment) and I picked up my dress for the wedding from the cleaners (we're going to a friend's destination wedding). Today, I have about 3 loads of laundry to fold, and that's from last week. (I had a rough week last week- so I didn't have a chance, or the energy, to fold it.)

Sidenote: why do guys think that putting in 2 loads of laundry and switching them less than a foot from the washer to the dryer is considered "doing the laundry"?! And then they expect a major reward...lol. I was all happy when he told me he "did the laundry", until of course I cam home and found the piles of clothes all wrinkled on a couch waiting for me...and he forgot to mention the load that was still waiting for me in the dryer! But I regress...

Also to do: clean out the fridge, clean the bathroom, get just enough groceries to survive for 2 days, find stuff I want to bring on vacation and throw it in the wash, check the status of travel size shampoo/conditioner/lotion/toothpaste...or find all of those things, vacuum...which I haven't done for at least a month, but now it is suddenly absolutely imperative that I do it before we leave. Obvi.

Notice how none of that mentions the actual packing for said vacation. And the "getting pretty." (Which, I am very excited...I'm get my very first pedicure on Tuesday!) But "getting pretty" in itself is quite an undertaking, especially for a vacation.

So far I have gotten a playlist cued up on the iPod, and found a Sudoku book...

yay.

Oh well....I guess I'll start after the Eagles game :)

The Vacation Curse...Caution: TMI

I love vacations (who doesn't?).

I also really enjoy sex.

And vacation sex is a whole other ball game. It's a new and exciting place...or at least a different place.There are no schedules or routines. It's like a free pass for sex at any and all times!

However, for the last 2 or so years, every time vacation time comes, so does Aunt Flow.

It's really not my fault. I think it started when me and C went to Maui, Hawaii for a destination wedding. But I didn't think much of it, because it was a 2 week trip. So we still got to have some fun. A few months later in October we went to San Juan and Ponce, Puerto Rico for my godson's christening.

I didn't choose the date here people. But alas, She came again.

3 months later we went on a cruise to the Bahamas for a friend's 30th birthday. She came right as we got to the airport. I got physically ill before even boarding the plane. And honestly, no one wants to be in a bathing suit when She comes around. You just feel bloated and generally ick. And that was a short trip, only 3 days. So yeah, no booty that time either.

And now, in just 2 days, we will be heading to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for another friend's destination wedding.

We are very good friends if you haven't noticed.

She was supposed to come on the 15th. But because she was a little late last month, I was already concerned. So I was expecting her yesterday.  She hasn't arrived. I think she's gonna wait until I'm at the airport again.

She is being a real bitch.

Tunery Tuesday: Sophie B Hawkins!

This is a bit of a throwback, circa 1995. Wow, 10 years ago, and I still remember listening it in my room on Z100! For some reason, this one always reminds me of fall...enjoy!

Sophie B. Hawkins - As I Lay Me Down (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: Sophie B. Hawkins

Why do YOU work?

If you follow my blog, you may have noticed that I answer lots of memes. This is because 1. I like answering them, and 2. usually I'm at work (shhh!) and don't really feel like writing a heartfelt post while procrastinating doing whatever it is I'm supposed to be doing.

But something has been on my mind lately, and between a random email I got from an old colleague last week to an article I found today while trolling the Internets, I feel it's time to get it out.

The article I found is called "Why Do You Work?" over here. A simple enough question. My gut reaction? To make money. But while reading some of the comments, I realized that most people work to make a difference, because they love it, socialize, it makes them feel useful, they are "fighting the good fight", etc.

I went to school and paid borrowed a butt-load of money (which I am just now trying to pay back) for a 4-year BA in Psychology from "an accredited university or college." Those were the best years in my life, and a time of huge growth and change. But then I graduated. I knew I wanted to be a child psychologist, but decided I didn't want to go straight to grad school, because I wanted a break from school.

When mom mentioned this was a bad idea, that it may take years before I would or could go back, I swiftly turned away. I hate it when she's right. Of course I didn't realize she was right right away. Nope, I'm realizing that now, 4 years later. Damn.

I have had 5 different positions since graduating, and lived in about the same number of apartments. Now, I am an office manager. I don't love it. The most challenging aspect is some of the people I work with/for, but in general I like my coworkers. My commute isn't the greatest, but I get by. And it pays the bills ( and student loans...ugh). My point is: I don't feel like I'm moving forward. Office management is not a career path by any means.

But as before I had a clear path of what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be, now I'm not so sure. The positions I've held gave me a chance to explore different avenues I wasn't even aware of before. I already knew I loved working with people and I wanted to help people, and make some sort of difference. But now I realized that I also love working with college students- as a recruiter, a student activities coordinator, even something dealing with multicultural activities or events. I also realized that I really like event planning, from the concept, to finding rooms and catering, creating a guest list, sending invites,...and of course attending the actual event, whether it's a corporate party, fundraising event, or gala. And I really like Human Resources, specifically recruiting. Helping people connect to jobs and positions that may suit them.

Those are 3 completely different fields!!!
And I have no idea which to choose, if I should even choose at all. Because this is not the best market, and I have a pretty good thing going where I am- full time, salaried, with health insurance and benefits...what more can you ask for?

Which brings me to the random email. I haven't had any contact with this colleague for about 2 years. She was a recruiter for an agency, and she loved me, but it didn't pay as much as another position I was offered, so I declined. Out of the blue, she emails me about a job opportunity. At first I said no, thanks, but I am happy where I am. But then I gave it a second thought, and heard her out. She quit the agency she was at for 10 years because of ethical issues, and is now at another agency, and was asked to create an HR department. And she wants me to be her right hand man.

Hmmm. So I sent her my resume today, and she talked to her supervisor, and they wanted to see me today. yeah, too soon. So I think I'm meeting them on Wednesday. Did I mention that she just started at this new agency today?!?

So now I don't know what to do. I'm not too thrilled about a full time recruitment job because it's kind of like sales, in that there is a salary but it's also very commission based, and if you don't make your numbers, I feel you could get fired. I don't want that. Also, I was just handed a new (somewhat important) project at work, which gives me some job stability.

I want a change, but what if I fail? I literally can't afford that. And I would hate to give up what I have for something that may or may not be better. And I have no way of knowing until I try.

Monday Minute

1 - Who is your favorite childhood superhero?
Erm. Hmmm....Huh. Don't have one.

2 - List something you have done for pure shock value.
Skydive. Not just for shock value, but that was definitely part of it! That, and I wanted to!

3 - What is the most recent thing someone has said/done to you that left you picking your jaw up off of the floor.
Well, I'm half Puerto Rican, and half Indian. When looking at me, people usually think I'm one or the other. So this one Spanish coworker came up to me while I was drinking Dunkin Donuts coffee. Now, I'm fully aware that this woman thinks that I am also Latina. And I know that lots of DD's (as well as Kwik-E-Marts) are run by Indians. So she comes up to me, and starts saying how much she dislikes DD coffee, because they make it too fast, and it tastes burnt, and they're not really listening or understanding to what she wants and....they put curry in your coffee.
Yes, still picking my jaw off the floor.

4 - Do you have a moment where you gained clarity about your life?
I have had several moments. I'm still learning and growing, so I expect many more.

5 - What are you doing to achieve your biggest dream?
Paying back my student loans/debts.

Sunday Stealing: The Sunday Stealing Player's Meme

I am very excited for this meme because one of my questions was used! Mine was #17. Huzzah! Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. :::sniff, sniff::: Is the dog in the house?
Nope, no dogs allowed here :(

2. What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Time heals most...be patient.

3. What's the worst experience you've ever had involving alcohol?
In short, I went sake bombing in NYC, got really drunk, took a bus home (NJ) but missed my stop because I fell asleep, and wound up in a deserted bus back in NYC. I had to pee so I just went on the empty bus, then karate kicked the plexiglass on the door to get out, forgot my purse so had to go back through my hole in the door to get it, tried to get on another bus home but realized I had no money, so some nice people gave me enough to get on, and went home. But I missed my stop again and woke up at the last stop at around 4AM and had to walk home. It was snowing. I haven't gone sake bombing since.

4. What's the worst thing you've ever done to another person?
Cheated and lied to someone.

5. Who do you think started the concept of memes?
Someone with lots of questions.

6. Give a song title or line that describes how you are feeling right now.
"It's not too near for me/Like a flower I need the rain
Though it's not clear to me/Every season has its change
And I will see you/When the sun comes out again" ~As I Lay Me Down: Sophie B Hawkins

7. What's your favorite search engine? Yahoo!, Google, Ask, Bing? or something else?
Google

8. If Paul is the Cute One and John is the Smart One and George is the Quiet One and Ringo is the Funny One, which Beatle are you?
I don't like The Beatles. But I guess I'd be the Happy-Go-Lucky one.

9. The democratic government decides that, not only do we have to share our money with people who choose not to work, we also have to share our children with those who do not want to ruin their bodies with being pregnant. Which child do you give up?
I don't have any children...and I don't think you could pay me to give one up if I did.

10. When should you procrastinate - now or later?
Both!

11. What is your favorite fast food?
It used to be Taco Bell, for their cheap yet tasty Spicy Chicken Burritos. But since they stopped making them, I have boycotted TB. So Burger King.

12. What was your favourite game as a child?
Not sure which I loved more, either Pretty Pretty Princess or Mall Madness (...wow that explains a lot!)

13. Why terrible twos have to be terrible.
Being two is tough!

14. Describe your favorite family member.
Ummm I have a really small family...next!

15. What does your favorite breakfast consist of?
Scrambled eggs and homefries with ketchup, toast with butter and jelly, coffee, and sometimes a side of crispy bacon. Or pancakes. I love breakfast, though I only eat it on weekends!

16. What food is better the day after it was made?
Pizza.

17. What was your last big purchase?
My all inclusive trip to Cabo San Lucas! I'm so excited... only 8 more days!

18. When was the last time you kissed someone and really enjoyed it?
About 3 minutes ago :) Got a kiss as C left me "to the blogosphere" while he went to do some work.

19. Why are there memes?
Because there are people who will take them!

20. Described yourself using two words that rhyme. (i.e. fuddy-duddy)
funny sunny
21. If you were given the option of a "do-over" in life .. would you take it?
Hmm. No. I wouldn't wanna mess with it. A little too "Butterfly Effect" for me.

22. What movie makes (or has made) you cry? What touched you about it?
The Nutty Professor. I'm serious. It was the first time a movie made me cry. I just felt so bad for him when he was his bigger self, and he was at the comedy club on his date, and the comedian started making fun of him. I felt sooo bad for him, especially with his date there :(

23. What is one big mistake that you did in your life? And what did you do to make it right?
I didn't pay my student loans right after college. I am repaying them now.

24. When Life Gives You Lemons, What Do You Do With Them?
Grab some tequila, and some friends.

25. How different are you in real life as compared to the online identity you have created for yourself?
Not different at all. I write how I talk (well, minus the misspellings), and all the stories are true!

26. Do you know what your parents would have named you if you had been born the opposite sex?
Yup, Daniel.

Getting to Know You: Under the Sea Edition

The Q's.

1. Do you like seafood?
Yes!!! Love shrimp and lobster, love crabs drenched in Old Bay, but not a huge fan of working for my food. Really like a good salmon...mmm...

2. Are mermaids hot?
Ariel from The Little Mermaid was pretty hot...

3. Have you swam in the ocean?
Yes, moreso when I was younger. I don't love swimming at the Jersey Shore, but I like it lots on vacation in the Caribbean, where I can actually see where I'm swimming and what's near me!

4. If you got stung by a jellyfish, would you let a stranger pee on you?
Not sure. I've never been stumng before *knock on wood!* so I don't know how much it hurts. And I would not likely be in the water by myself, so hopefully a stranger wouldn't have to pee on me!

5. Have you ever pee'd in the ocean?
I most certainly have, and depending where I was (like if at a place with no bathrooms nearby) I would dare say I'd do it again

6. Can you make a cute fish face? (Show a pic..if you want)
I don't have a pic, and yes I can make a fish face, but I think they look much cuter on little kids

7. When you see the lobster tank at the grocery store do you just have this overwhelming urge to set them free or cook them up?
Neither. After seeing Julie and Julia I think I would be too nervous about trying to cook one up, and there is no where nearby to set them free even if I wanted to.

8.  Are you afraid of sharks?
I would be if they were in the vicinity. I just heard about a whole bunch that actually came up on shore at one of the beaches I was at this summer! But no, generally speaking I am not afraid of sharks. I actually went swimming with nursing sharks and stingrays once- it was fun!

Sunday Stealing: The Majorly Personal Meme, Part The Last

Cheers to all of us thieves!

41. What are your plans for this weekend?
I don't have any. And I didn't think that would be a problem until I came home from work on Friday and realized I was bored! Today we were supposed to go down the shore, but it's a little chilly. Hmph.

42. Do you think someone might be thinking poorly about you? Why might that be?
I can think of a few people. And 2 of them have told me because they're jealous. Because I don't work 14+ hour days and don't have a child, so more free time.

42. What features don't you have that you would like on your cell?
I want an Android phone. I want to be able to have apps. I like my touchscreen, and the qwerty keyboard, but I like all the apps the IPhone has. Oh, and my phone would be better if I got headphones so I could listen to music and watch tv, because for some reason my phone needs special headphones for those features, which did not come with the phone. Ugh.

43. How many people can comfortably sleep in your bed?
2

44. What are you hoping happens by the end of 2010?
Hmm...I can't think of anything I hope to happen by then! We can't move til next year, we can't get a puppy until we move, and my financial situation will be SO much better by February, I can't start planning to go back to school until the finances are more in order...so I guess I hope things just stay the same!

45. What was the last video you watched on YouTube?
"F*** You" by Cee-lo. Great song!

46. Would you ever agree to an open relationship with someone?
Nope. I'm not a fan of sharing.

47. Is there something that you could never give up?
Yes, coffee. And my laptop/internet access.

48. Would you, (or did you) prefer a small, intimate wedding reception, or a big-scale, over-the-top reception?
I would prefer big, over the top reception....which is good because at least with the person I hope to marry, his family is really big!

49. What’s bothering you right now?
Nothing really. I'm comfortably sitting on my couch, happily fed with pancakes, watching Bridezillas (guilty pleasure!), with C on the couch next to me :) And no work tomorrow!

50. Do you hate anyone?
Yes I can think of 2 people.

51. What were you doing at 12 am last night?
Watching X-Men Origins- Wolverine with C

52. Was this summer a good one? How warm was it where you live?
Yeah it was pretty good. It got up to the 90's where I am.

52. Is the last person you kissed before your current situation mad at you?
My current situation? Umm I guess you mean the person I'm with now, and yes I would assume the ex is mad at me because I kind of didn't exactly end it with him before moving on... I did feel bad about that actually.

53. Can a man and woman be friends without having feelings for each other?
A man and a woman can be friends, but at least on one side I think someone has to have feelings for the other, but not both sides.

54. Do you think long distance relationships work? If you’ve had one, tell us about it.
No I don't think they work. I've been in 2- the first one ended because I went off to college and the guy couldn't deal- honestly, I wouldn't have broken up with him anyway because I wanted to be single going into college. The 2nd one worked because it was only about 5 months before I graduated college and moved back home- which was closer to where he lived. He also came and visited me at college (3 hours away) nearly every weekend. But if it had been much longer, I don't think it would have worked. Long distance relationships take a LOT of trust, and honesty.

55. Do you know why it’s called “Random Boredom“?
I have no idea what that is.

56. Do you think that it’s always the man’s responsibility to initiate sex?
No. I think that's rather boring. And I wouldn't get laid nearly as much if that were the case- Sometimes you have to go get what you want!

57. Have you ever made love while you were in the same room with another couple?
Yes. It's awkward. I only did it once, but I know my ex's roommate did it more often while we were in the room...college dorms suck!

58. Tell us the best thing about your current or most recent S/O.
He takes good care of me all the time, even regardless of whether we're mad at each other or not :)

59. Tell us the worst thing about your current or most recent S/O.
Sometimes he's a bit of a homebody and doesn't want to go out,...or he doesn't want to travel to go out, because most of my friends live in/around NYC, which is almost 2 hours away.

60. Would you write one question in today’s comments so that we could have our followers allow us to steal their questions? We’ll need at least 15.
Sure.

Saturday 9: Half the Man I Used to Be

1. Do you feel that you are essentially the same person that your were ten years ago?
No no no! Ten years ago,  I was still in high school! So living at home, being an honor student, in marching band!, with a complete different set of friends, and was being led around by mom and friends. Now, I'm living with my boyfriend, different friends, working woman, with a voice and mind of my own.

2. Is there something that you have to give all or nothing to?
Yes, fixing my financial situation. It's a battle every payday, and every time I want to buy something or go out!

3. Have you ever gambled? What have you bet on and for how much?
Yes, in Atlantic City, Mohegan Sun (Ct.), and Puerto Rico. I've played roulette and the slots. The most I won was $42, but I hadn't spent anything because I was playing with a (rich) friend, and he had made the bet!
4. Can you sleep anywhere or does it have to be in a bed?
I can fall asleep literally anywhere. Bed, couch, trains, cars, and my personal fave-just because it's so completely random- a techno tent at a music festival! I woke up with a guy spinning glo sticks waaay too close to my head!

5. Tell us about the most disastrous or embarrassing first impression you've ever made on someone.
Nothing too crazy comes to mind. Though I did show up at a job interview really sick, sneezing, coughing, and stuffed/running nose...at a spa. I obviously didn't get the job.

6. Do you have a memorable "ripped clothing" moment in your life? No? How about in someone else's?
I have several, because my booty decided to grow. The first happened in a college class, I got up to leave, and heard the riiiiip! Luckily it was winter, so I had a jacket to cover up. And it was close to my birthday, so my friends wrote wonderful things on them! I still have them somewhere.

7. What's changed on your blog since its inception? ...a redo? ...a change of pace? ...or is it about the same? Everything, except the voice/way of speaking. I've changed the space (livejournal to blogger), the layout, how often I write, amount of memes, and before I included more personal poems and song lyrics, but I haven't written (bad/any) poetry in a long time.

8. If you could travel back in time and whisper something to yourself ten years ago, what would it be? Nothing. The one person I didn't listen to 10 years ago was myself. Plus, my story has ended yet, and many of the issues I have now started around 8 years ago- but if I were to go back to then, I would tell myself to not listen to my mom about getting those credit cards! And to not party so hard my freshman year of college (though it was really really fun!).

9. Okay, let's have it! What's the craziest, most impulsive thing you've ever done?
Probably sky diving. A girl I barely knew- a friend of a friend- was at a girls beach day I went to, and she mentioned going skydiving for her 30th birthday, and I just asked if I could come. And then I did- one week later!

Is It The Weekend Yet?

...No. It's not. And I'm stuck at work, bored outta my damn mind! I thought for sure the bosses would let us out early, but nay. And out of those of us who bothered to come in today, I'm going to say half the staff, people have been trickling out one by one as the day progresses.

I finished my work by 2:30. At 3pm I had a little chair-dance party (headphones, plus unlimited internet access=dancy party!). I had plans to go out with my coworker after work for happy hour, but her boss is out today, so she left at 3:30. Then my gchat buddy left at 4. And C is getting all choked up at home wacthing Rudy and flipping through his cookbook, because he had off today.

The highlight of my day has been ordering office supplies (I guess it's true, I really enjoy any type of shopping), and "unwrapping" ordered supplies...it's like Christmas mornign once a week, I love getting supplies!

Ok...enough self pitying...it's almost time to go home! wOOt WooT!

Wednesday Wickedness: Marilyn Monroe

Just a quick note before we get started- I LOVE all of these quotes! Nicely done Janera!

1. "I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." When are you are at you’re best?

When there is sunshine, I'm having a good hair day, and surrounded by friends!

2. "Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it's better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring." Do you ever think that you are boring?

Just about every time I write on my blog! And when there is nothing new going on in my life- just work and home. I like participating in life, not watching it go by.

3. "A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left." Did you ever break off a relationship because you wanted to be the one to do it?`

I wouldn't say I left because I wanted to do it (before he did), more so because I got bored with the relationship and no longer wanted to be in it!

4. "It's better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone." Do you feel that she is correct?

Yes yes yes! You can choose happiness, and it's easier to do that being detached.

5. "Ever notice how 'What the hell' is always the right answer?" What was the last thing that you didn’t plan on doing but then thought, “What the hell!”?

Oh goodness I do that all the time. I guess the last biggest "what the hell?" moment was when I decided to go skydiving because someone else was for their 30th birthday and invited me!

6. "We should all start to live before we get too old. Fear is stupid. So are regrets." Do you have any major regrets?

I have a few regrets, only one major one though. And it wasn't because of fear or "not living" - I regret not taking care of my student loans and debts when I was younger!

7. "What do I wear in bed? Why, Chanel No. 5, of course." What do you wear to bed?

Sometimes a hair tie ;)

8. "It’s better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what your not." Have you ever pretended to be someone you are not because it was easier?

I don't consider "being someone you are not" easier. And no, I don't believe I've done that.

9. "I am invariably late for appointments - sometimes as much as two hours. I've tried to change my ways but the things that make me late are too strong, and too pleasing." Are you usually on time for events or appointments?

I'm chronically late. However, now that I'm with C I'm not usually as late!

10. "Keep smiling, because life is a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about." What makes you smile?

I just completed a whole month's worth of happiness! But for the sake of convenience- music, sunshine, good friends, good food, good drinks! Oh, and having enough money to pay my bills!

Want It Wednesdays: Watches

I need a new watch. A silver one. Because I have one, but it's brown, and doesn't match half of my outfits. So here are a few very reasonable ones that I like:

This is last silver watch I had. I got it for Christmas 2006, and lost it by February :(

I really like the chain bracelet look, but I could hardly ever tell time on it!

Women's LTP1237D-2A Silver-Tone Blue Dial Analog Quartz Watch. I really like the color on this one, but I'm not a big fan of rectangle faces.

$29.95

Also available in Shell White for $20.76

Casio Women's LTP1191A-2C Silver-Tone Purple Dial Analog Quartz Watch $14.23

In Shell White $20.76, in Pink for $21.88

Seiko Women's Dress Watch $108 at like.com

The Lorus Ladies Link Watch Sliver Tone Metal Round Black Dial Classic Design looks almost exactly like the Seiko above, for only $19.95 at amazon.com! I actually like this one better, but unfortunately can't find a pic...sorry!

Lorus Ladies Watch Blue Dial LR5302, only $12.95! I like it because it's different, with it's blue face. I think this is my fave!

Thoughts?