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| The grass isn't always greener |
| 10.22.05 (9:57 pm) [edit] |
I did it again. I signed up for an account on a well-known blog hosting site similar to Friendster. This was the second time that I signed up and also the second time I canceled. Why? Well, ultimately the reason why I joined was because all of my brothers and sister (and cousins) were on it, and I thought it'd be a nifty way to keep in touch. I dunno, but the thought of random people contacting me out of the blue just brought back old memories of a different site. It made me not want to be on a similar site anymore.
I am so excited - on Wednesday I'm flying up to Spokane to see my friend. I can't wait to see her! It's going to be soooooo wonderful to see her again. Work has just been crazy; I can't believe I have 3 work days before I leave. There's a lot that I have to get done, but everything will be okay.
Well, it's almost 1:00 am and it's way past my bedtime, so it's lights out for now and more news later.
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| Oops, it's been a while |
| 08.24.05 (7:13 pm) [edit] |
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I haven't blogged in over a month because I've been sooooo busy! Hawaii was amazing ... I'll have to write about that later. I haven't developed any pictures yet so I'm quite behind ... it was only two weeks after Hawaii that I finally moved out. So much has gone on since then. My place is great; I'm pretty happy with everything but still adjusting to the transportation situation. Most likely, I will change the tune of this blog ... Anyway, that's all for now, ta ta!
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| 3 days until Hawaii |
| 07.14.05 (8:23 pm) [edit] |
My trip to Oahu is just around the corner. I can't believe it's finally here! I feel like everyone else is more excited about it than I am. Perhaps that's because I've been so focused on work this week, and any spare thoughts I have are usually about my apartment. Tomorrow I start work at 7a, so that means I'll leave the house around 6:15a to catch the bus. My boss is letting me leave at 3P tomorrow but I may end up staying later. Today I was working on a spreadsheet that took up the entire day! I swear, all I did for 9 hours was stare at my little flat panel screen. So, I'm just a little bit behind ...
Back to Hawaii ... another funny thing, my boss forbade me from falling in love with a beach bum and never coming back! I told her she had nothing to worry about. =) Honestly, I hope guys leave me alone - I am going to Hawaii mainly for the tropical atmosphere and culture. I may meet up with a co-worker, but we'll see ... It's a lady in accounting that is very dear to me ... Her husband is going to Hawaii that week and she decided to come with him. She's actually going to be there towards the end of my trip, so we'll see what happens.
I have 3 more weeks until I officially move out of my parents' house. Crazy! I remember making it a goal to move out by September 2005 last year, but for a long time, I doubted it would happen. The place I'm moving into is sooo perfect ... in my apartment search, I kept coming back to this place. There were some negative reviews on it at apartmentratings.com, but I figure every place has had its troubles. Plus, those comments were written before the current management came in. As soon as I move in and get everything situated, I'll post some pics on here. =)
Speaking of moving out ... so my place is going to have a different theme in each room. I've told one of my girlfriends that I HAVE to have a Tuscan kitchen ... so, guess what? That's exactly what I'm doing. Oh yeah, baby. It's all about the country shaped like a boot in my kitchen. My dining area is very small, so it's going to be a continuation of the kitchen theme. My living room will be very basic, yet the furniture and colors will look like something out of Pottery Barn. I'm having a sky-blue accent wall painted in my living room, which will serve as the backdrop for my dark walnut furniture and sand and red upholstery. My bathroom will have a Moroccan feel to it ... I already have this GORGEOUS dark brown iridescent shower curtain that I can't wait to put up. It has beads hanging down the top, and the fabric just shimmers when light hits it ... I've had these sand-colored mosaic votive holders that will also go in the bathroom. Finally, my bedroom will be very simple yet elegant. I have a BEAUTIFUL celedon-colored bed set that I got from Target a year or two ago. Just pretty. I have a canopy to "finish" off the look; now all I need are some dark walnut ledges to create faux bookshelves in my room. I have a dark walnut armoire to put in my room as well - but my place is only 661' sqft, so we'll see if it stays or goes in the living room.
Well, my bed time is in 7 minutes, so I should probably get to sleep. =)
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| Am I the only one with server problems? |
| 07.11.05 (5:16 pm) [edit] |
Today as I was waiting for the 43, a homeless man came up and started to ask me for change. “I only have six cents,” I said to him. “Oh, that’s fine – I’ll take it!” So I gave him the change and then he sat down next to me and started talking about his life. He kept saying how much he liked my necklace – and I kept thinking he was talking about my iPod! So I told him it played music - “It’s an MP3 player?” “Yeah!” but forgot that I was indeed wearing this necklace from Forever 21. I asked him if he was from Portland, but he said he’s actually from everywhere. He went to UC Berkeley as a kid and said he studied history and several languages. He’s been homeless for nine months now, and was once making $1,200 a week. He plays the guitar and drums and left his previous job to start a rock band. He’s also still very bitter about the guy who stole his wife. (I’d be, too.) His name is Mark and he’s a street poet. He showed me a song he wrote about his first love – a lady named Angeline. It was really good – REALLY good. I clapped at the end and told him he had an amazing memory and asked where he wrote all his songs. “In my head, I do all my writing in my head,” he remarked. He also told me that his friend broke his guitar and that he’s out $3,000. asked him why his friend did that, and he told me that his friend was confronted by some people and used his guitar as a weapon. “That wasn’t very nice,” I told him. They are not friends anymore. He showed me this really cool medal that someone had given him recently. I wanted to give him something, too – but the only thing I had that was cool was some Dentyne ice gum. “Want one?” I said to him. “Oh yes, my breath sure stinks,” he answered. I felt bad because my bus was due any minute, but I was really enjoying talking to this guy. I had to interrupt him but he was actually really cool. When I got on the bus, I saw that someone else was keeping him company.
In exactly a week from now, I’ll be wandering the streets of Waikiki trying to find a bite to eat. I feel like I’ve been so preoccupied with moving out that I’ve totally become oblivious to my trip. I hope I get out of this daze before next week … I also hope that the weather is sunny most of the time.
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| I got my first apartment!!! |
| 07.05.05 (9:19 pm) [edit] |
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Today I got the most wonderful news that my application for the apartment of my dreams was approved! No co-signer or extra deposit necessary. I am totally on cloud 9!! Thank you, God!! Everything about it is perfect ... I will be moving in on Friday, August 5th. =)
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| What's going on |
| 07.03.05 (4:48 pm) [edit] |
Stuff for my (future) apartment
This entire moving out situation has been quite an experience. Each paycheck, I’ve been devoting a nominal amount of funds towards things for my place such as kitchen utensils, cleaning supplies, etc. I recently got the most adorable tea kettle from World Market, as well as a rolling pin for $1.29. I’ve been learning that just because something is a dollar, that doesn’t make it the best deal! I was telling my friend Kym last weekend about a deal I got on flatware at Walmart. For $1, you can get 4 forks (or knives or spoons) at Dollar Tree – but at Walmart, you can get 6 pieces instead for the same amount. I got this set of stainless steel mixing bowls tonight as well as a stylish paper towel holder and some glass containers for coffee and sugar.
My brother and the bus
Earlier last week as I was boarding the 94 to work, I was zoning out listening to my iPod when someone sat down next to me. I just happened to glance over and I realized it was my youngest brother, Michael! “Oh my gosh, what are you doing?” I said to him. “Going to school,” he said nonchalantly. Apparently, he had walked right in front of me but I wasn’t paying attention. Currently, he’s been in this summer program with his high school that gives students some experience of the corporate world. He’s been learning about first impressions (i.e., firm handshake, eye contact, dress) and even got some interviewing experience. Friday was his last day.
Worship band
On Monday night, I went to my friend’s church for worship practice. He’s been playing bass for a while now, and has been playing with his church’s worship band. I didn’t think they would make me play with them, but it was a real practice for me! That’s the first time I have ever played with other instruments. We played a few songs that I hadn’t heard of before; I’m sure the worship leader is still traumatized by it. =) Fortunately, the week prior I had downloaded a bunch of sheet music with songs that I’m familiar with. I was able to play a couple of them, which the band got right into. We played “Still” and “Lord, I Give You My Heart”. It was sooo awesome … I’m not sure if I’m ready to make that kind of commitment yet, so we’ll see what happens.
My dream
Several nights ago I had the worst dream about Hawaii! It was a TRUE nightmare. My trip is coming up in just a couple weeks, so I’m excited but a bit anxious … Anyway, in my dream, I had just boarded the airplane and was sitting in my seat. I turned on my iPod and suddenly realized a shocking truth: “Oh my gosh, I didn’t fully charge my iPod!” I remember exclaiming. “What am I going to do?? What am I going to listen to for five hours????” I remember feeling panicky and totally freaked out. So I got off the plane, called my mom and asked her to pick me up so I could go home and charge my iPod. When I got home, I was charging it for a LONG time – but when I got back to the airport, the plane was still waiting for me. I got on the plane and then everything was okay. When I woke up the next morning, I just had to laugh: the only two things that have ever scared me about going to Hawaii were being in the air for such a long time and seeing cockroaches. When I told a co-worker of mine the story, she suggested that I was sure attached to my iPod … I guess so!
Black hair
Lately, it seems like everyone has made a comment about how dark my hair is. Seriously. Everyone. “Is that your natural color?” “Your hair is really black!” “Did you color your hair lately?” It seems my hair appears much darker to people than they can reckon. I think it’s rather funny that these comments are happening all at once, by people from various parts of my life. Best friend, co-workers, church folk … Strange.
Dancing with the Stars
Thank goodness for family-friendly reality shows such as “Dancing With the Stars”. I am totally addicted to that show! It’s because Joey McIntyre is so darn cute. I was sooo depressed that he didn’t make it to the next round. Oh well, it’s still such a fun show to watch – it’s made me interested in learning ballroom dancing one day!
Ruining my other brother’s special moment
The other day ago when I was parking in front of my house, I spotted my other brother and his girlfriend talking in her car. I came up to his window and started talking to them, and then whispering something about the neighborhood and then leaving. Joey looked somewhat embarrassed, which is a sign I have officially become old in my sibling’s eyes. Actually, that moment came when I overheard my sister and Michael talking about all these bands I had never heard of before. Gulp …
Maude
I have a co-worker whose name rhymes with Maude, who I promised I would write about in my blog. He is the director of photography at the ad agency I work at, and he is a very nice middle-aged man. He always jokes about giving him a salary increase or at least extra money on his next paycheck. I then shake my head in disappointment and change the subject. Several months ago, I brought up blogging and I found out that he had never seen a blog before. Sure, he tried to cover it up by saying “Oh, I think I know what you’re talking about” but everyone within a mile’s radius could tell he didn’t know. I told him that blogging is an extremely popular, effective and well-used communication tool that has seriously influenced pop culture. Thanks to the virtual blogosphere, everyone is a pundit whether their weapon of choice is politics or their cat Sammy’s lame tricks. Blogs are a modern-day solution to grassroots organizations or other individuals that need a communication channel but don’t have the bucks for corporate advertising campaigns. I also told him blogs are being used by companies to keep their ever-vigilant consumers and other stakeholders up to date. Maude seemed somewhat amused, but more concerned about getting some air time on my blog. So, this one’s for you, Maude – you will never see this blog because it’s kept top secret from all of my co-workers so you’ll just have to take my word that I posted it.
Where’s George?
Thursday, June 30th I got extremely lucky Cost Plus as I was returning the tea kettle I mentioned earlier (found a similar one at Fred Meyer for $4 less). One of the bills that the cashier gave me was registered with wheresgeorge.com! I remember reading about this in the paper but never thought I would come across such a bill. Basically, this website tracks registered bills and even gives fun little statistics such as average miles traveled per day. The $1 that I got was last reported in Murrieta, CA. Since I’m a huge dork, I only plan on giving this dollar to an equally cool person who will actually participate. You don’t have to log in to the website to report the bill’s serial number, but if you plan on getting reports on its future status (yes, I really have nothing better to do) you do have to set up a free account.
HITCH
On Friday, July 1st I hung out with my BFF – we went to Clackamas town center, then went to Taco Bell for something to eat. Since I had only a slice of pizza that day, I was completely ravenous at TB. I devoured four tacos and two apple pies – if it hadn’t been for the pies, I probably would have eaten more. We rented the movie Hitch and totally loved it! It was really funny and cute.
I MIGHT BE MOVING NEXT MONTH!!!!!!!!
This is so cool, it deserves its own separate blog. Please scroll up …
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| Weekend update |
| 06.18.05 (8:17 am) [edit] |
This has been an interesting week so far. I don't know if I mentioned earlier, but I am hoping to move out in the next few months. The place I want to move to is perfect in so many ways - except for the fact it's not in the lovely Pearl! It's all good, I can only take so much Pearlies anyway. =)
Anyhoo, on Monday the 13th I had a dentist appointment in Lake Oswego. The dentist was someone my mom had worked with before, so it was nice going to someone familiar. And you know what? He didn't hurt me like all the other dentists have! So I definitely plan on going back. Only problem is that the cavities that PDD found last year are very much real cavities, because this Dr. found them and some additional ones as well. I'm so upset. I had to laugh - while I was talking to the doctor and a dental assistant (who also knows my mom) - the dentist was surprised at some of the things I knew about benefits/general insurance information. He was like "You could work out there [at the front desk]! How do you know all this stuff?" "'Cuz I deal with this stuff on a weekly basis!" I exclaimed. My boss would be so proud.
After my dental appointment, I went to the apartment complex that I keep going back to - this one that has unbelievably GORGEOUS views and all the amenities I need (full-size W/D, dishwasher, microwave, walk-in closet, tons of closets and storage space, very close to major bus lines and grocery shopping/gas/video rental stores). If I move there, I'd have to pay $25 a month to have my own carport, as the uncovered spots are unassigned. I had talked to someone from the apartment before and she was extremely nice and helpful. The two gals I met on Monday were exactly the same way! I got to see a one bedroom that was on the 2nd floor and it was soooo perfect! Too bad someone else was moving in there the very next day. Next weekend I plan on putting in my application. Pray for me that all goes well - aka, I can move in without needing a co-signer and a bigger security deposit. One of the ladies asked for my contact information and what my preferences were, so she could call me when a one bedroom opened up. Yesterday, she actually called and left a message that one opened up - it didn't match my search criteria, but I thought it was awesome that they thought of me.
Let's see, what else ...
My dad is outside with this strange man tilling the backyard. Tilling grass, that is. Strange.
Tonight I'm going over to my BFF's (best female friend) house. A friend of ours that moved to New Mexico is visiting for a week and a half, so she's holding a little get together for her. My job is to get maraschino cherries for Shirley Temples ... I LOVE maraschino cherries! I want my drink to be filled half-way with them. They are soooo goooooood ...
I'm going to go now, I have to go to the Dollar Tree out in Beaverton to see if they have anymore of the dishes that I bought. Great place. You would be shocked what simple household items you can get there.
Wait, one more thing: I'M GOING TO HAWAII IN EXACTLY A MONTH!!!!!!!!! WOO HOO!!!!!!!!! I've been so preoccupied with moving out that I haven't thought about Oahu as much. But you know, I'm not too worried anymore because I got all of my trips booked (like kayaking, horseback riding, Paradise Cove Luau and a dinner cruise) ... The only thing I'm confused about is the amount of money I was planning on spending on food and shopping for my family. You see, I am sooo filipino when it comes to getting gifts for your family ... last year when Kym and I went to Vegas, that's where a lot of money went to (even though the items were small) because I didn't bring enough. I want to get everyone something, but at the same time, I'm now thinking about things like ... a new bed ... a chaise lounge sofa for my living room ... yeah.
Okay, I really have to go this time. Next update will happen when it happens!
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| Parting is such sweet sorrow |
| 06.09.05 (6:47 pm) [edit] |
Last weekend I helped my friend Kym and her family move to Spokane. It was really fun but a little sad, too! I stayed the night on Friday the 3rd and got to experience Kym’s favorite dish – her mom’s curry. It was a combination of red and green curry and it was completely divine! Normally, red curry is my favorite and green is my mom’s – I think we could both be happy with this one. =)
Aside from the blankets and pillows, her room was so bare. It was pretty surreal to think I had been there just a few weeks ago and everything was up. We got up early on Saturday morning, and started to head out in our caravan (which consisted of Kym’s car, her brother’s car and the U-Haul) at 6:00 am. The drive was absolutely beautiful and scenic. I was so excited when we got to her apartment – so excited that I just started taking pictures of the whole place! I didn’t get a chance to take the “after” pictures, but there’s always a later day for that. We moved all her stuff in – I got to be one of her employees that weekend. =)
On Sunday the 5th I drove back with Kym’s family and came home before 5:00 PM. I am so proud of my friend – she has come so far and is going to be so successful!! I wish her the best of luck and opportunities her way. =)
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| Operation Save Sammy |
| 05.23.05 (8:33 pm) [edit] |
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When I came home today, my mom gave me some really annoying news. Apparently, my next-door neighbor (whom my brother and sister and I like to call Flanders) complained to my mom about our pets. He told her that our two cats have been roaming in his yard and that he's especially close to getting rid of Sammy. He told my mom that there's some city ordinance about not allowing cats to be outside by themselves, and she totally bought it. Is that true? I found an affidavit about animals and it only mentioned dogs. My neighbor said that he doesn't want cats in his yard because he's trying to create a bird sanctuary. So now my mom is telling me we have to keep Sammy and Lucy inside the house 24-7. Come on. I think that's too much to ask for. Maybe I'm wrong - correct me if I am - but I think my neighbor is being a bit extreme. He's the only neighbor that has complained about Sammy; in fact, Sammy usually gets compliments for being cute and friendly. Heck, he even has his own blog! Poor little Sammy ... I have to keep extra tabs on him now ...
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| So much for the daily blog ... |
| 05.22.05 (7:32 pm) [edit] |
So I'm listening to Howie Day on my sister's iPod (and yes, I'm using my own earbuds) and trying to think of all the events that have happened since my last blog. Right now I'm feeling reminiscent and hopeful just because of how life is beautifully working itself out. The weather in Portland has been interesting, to say the least. I think the most popular small talk item for me is the weather, especially when it's clear and warm one moment, and a grey deluge of rain the next. Perhaps the old adage will soon change to "May showers, June flowers" ...
Updates, updates, updates - there are a few major ones. But first off, I have to say thank God I take the bus everyday. Drivers in the Pearl are some of the most impulsive people in this city. Perhaps their driving abilities are due to the fact they may be out of state visitors or loft-dwelling hopefuls; who knows, but you gotta keep your eyes on them. This lady almost backed into me twice trying to park her BMW; this was after she had a 2 minute conversation with a driver from on-coming traffic on 13th & Glisan. Fortunately, I caught my emotional reaction before it could turn into a spoiled-brat outburst, and just tried to calmly remind myself that I've probably committed the same annoying (yet terribly petty) act at least once in my life.
Tuesday, May 17th: One of my closest friends picked me up after work and took me out for dinner and lunch. When she arrived at my work, I gave her a brief tour of the office and then we headed to Saucebox for dinner. We ate delicious tuna rolls, green curry, tapioca chicken dumplings and chicken satay at this elegant little pan-Asian bistro on Broadway. Talk about a diamond in the rough! This venue is one of the swankiest places I've been to, with well-dressed clientele and modern art to match. How many places do you know that offer sparkling water to start off your evening? That was definitely a nice touch, although I did feel rather silly requesting "normal water" (a juxtaposition I never thought I'd utter) when the sparkling O2 seemed to aggravate the spicy curry in my mouth. The presentation was perfect and lovely and the food outstanding. Don't let the seemingly-small bowl of curry deter you from ordering it - it truly is enough to share. Here are some pictures of Saucebox that night:
Afterwards, we headed off to Pix Patisserie off of SE Division for dessert. Quaint and cute, this little dessert shop churns (no pun intended) out its own unique pastries in delectable, ladylike servings. My friend got hazelnut-flavored cake and I opted for pistachio and mixed fruit cake. I will definitely head back to Pix again!!
Wednesday, May 18th: Today I got my hair cut at Bella Tocca during my lunch break. I've always had this secret desire to get bangs, but have always shied away from the notion whenever it became close to materializing. Well, my best friend really wanted me to do something different, so she arranged for me to get it cut as a birthday present. This was my chance to finally do it and it actually turned out pretty well!! The ladies at work said they thought it was cute and looked good, but the best comment I got was more of a back-handed compliment. Someone asked me "Maria, did you change your hair?" to which I responded "Yes" and he said "Oh. It looks much better." I didn't know some people thought my hair looked that bad before!! LOL ...
Thursday, May 19th: Apparently, I didn't claim a certain exemption on my taxes, so I got a check for $151 from OR state. That was a nice gesture, considering the fact I had just purchased a digital camera from Circuit City for $200. You would think someone like me would have jumped on that band wagon a long time ago, but for some reason, digital cameras didn't entice me like notebook computers and flash drive devices. For the last several years I've relied on disposable cameras to capture those special moments, if I had a camera at all! Well, my upcoming trip to Waikiki in a couple months has suddenly changed my perspective on digital cameras so for the past week I had been online trying to find a cheap camera for under $150. My dad has won several gift certificates from Best Buy and offered $60 worth to me, which was very kind. I ended up getting a 512 memory card with his gift certificates and finding the camera of my dreams elsewhere. I got a Kodak LS543 - it's a 5 megapixel camera with a TON of features and an extremely easy user interface. I've already printed pictures and I must say I'm quite the happy camper. The only downside to this camera is that the rechargeable battery is so incredibly inefficient. Or, maybe it's just me. I just thought it would last longer than 2 days ...
Saturday, May 21st: I ran errands as usual, since every Saturday that's basically my routine. Then, I got lost trying to find my friend's graduation party in Vancouver. The directions told me to take I5 North, then take the WA 500/Orchards exit and turn left on NE Fourth Plain. Well, on SR 500 I haven't gone farther east than NE Andresen, so I freaked out and took that exit. From there I took Fourth Plain but noticed the building numbers were totally off. I tried to drive around as long as I could, because I have this little issue where I get too proud to stop and ask for directions, but eventually I just pulled into a Barnes & Noble parking lot and called the restaurant. The hostess said they were on 117th & Fourth Plain; I was on 77th & Fourth Plain. Well, I get to 117th, but the restaurant is no where in sight!! I couldn't believe it. So I'm driving around again, still trying to figure it out on my own, when my friend calls. She told me exactly where the restaurant was and fortunately everyone was still eating. It was really nice - her family and fellow colleagues from school were there. Her parents and other family members sang songs and danced the night away!! Sadly, there is no rythym in me, so all I could do when I was mercilessly pulled onto the dance floor was just stand there. You know how cats have a tendency to wander up to people who don't like cats? It's as if they can almost sense it and it attracts them. Well, there are also people who can just sense a young woman with no rythym, and their primal instinct is to start dancing with them - whether or not their leading is solicited! Yep. The singer grabbed my arm and basically started to twirl himself under my hand and do dance moves that would make Britney Spears blush. It was so hilarious!!! Afterwards, everyone got to take pictures with my friend before heading home. I can't describe how proud and happy I am for her and even just how giddy I am about the experiences she is about to embark upon. I feel like it's my own kid growing up and going off ...
So that's about it for now. Well, except for the occasional body aches. One of the corners on my upper right wisdom tooth is starting to protrude through my gum and it's killing me. Patience ... I'm just waiting for it to erupt so that I can have all 3 taken out at once. Getting my first wisdom tooth out was such an awful experience, I don't want to have to go back a third time! Speaking of, I should take some advil now. Until then ...
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| Aloha |
| 05.16.05 (9:04 pm) [edit] |
Guess what?? I'm going to Waikiki this summer!! I am soooo stoked - it's all I can think about in my spare time. =) I plan on getting plenty of beach time, but I also want to go to at least 1 luau, go sailing, hike Diamond Head and go kayaking. What's even cooler is that I'm going by myself and plan on taking the bus everywhere. This will not only be my first time going to Hawaii, but also on a trip outside of Oregon / Washington / California by myself. I'll gush more on that subject later ...
Hmm, so where did I leave off? Here's what's been happening since my last blog:
Friday, May 6th: My sister's 20th birthday. Woo hoo! I found the funniest card for my sister at World Market. On the front, it had a replica-Star Wars theme: "Once upon a time, in the universe long, long, long, ago ... " and the inside read "you were born. Happy Birthday!" I couldn't stop laughing. Fortunately, she wasn't offended.
Saturday, May 7th: I went to a reception for a girlfriend of mine who had recently returned from her honeymoon. She and her husband went to New Zealand for a couple weeks and now they're back to the wonderful world of reality. It was awesome seeing her. She gave out sunflower seed packets as wedding favors, which I thought was really cool. I also got to see pictures of their wedding day.
Sunday, May 8th: Mother's Day, of course. I ordered my mom this beautiful vase from teleflora.com; it actually won't arrive until Saturday, May 21st. Later in the evening, my sister and I went to see Keane. They were awesome. I haven't seen a keyboardist rock like that before, it was so tight. He rocked harder than any rock guitarist or drummer I've ever seen. Here are some pretty lame pictures I took of the lead singer Tom Chaplin:
When my sister and I were walking up to the Roseland, there were already people haggling us outside. This big, tall linebacker kind of guy asked my sister if she had any spare tickets, to which she firmly said "No". As we walked past him, he yelled to my sister "Oh yeah? Well can you sing an Alicia Keys song in falsetto?" and my sister and I were both like "What the heck is he talking about??" It was so hilarious ...
Wednesday, May 11th: My 25th birthday!! I have the most wonderful people in my life. I know this will be an awesome year - I'm so excited to just be here.
Friday, May 13th: Booked my 5-day trip to Waikiki in the morning. Hung out with my best friend today after work. She took me shopping, then we went to see Monster In Law after getting something to eat. Great time as always.
Saturday, May 14th: Ran errands all stinkin' day. That's usually how my Saturdays are. Then, I went to my friend's house and talked with her and her friend from L.A. until very late in the morning. Her friend was visiting from California for the weekend; it was so nice to meet him - he was a really intelligent and funny guy. I got to spend the night at my friend's house, which was really cool, because I hadn't done that before. We were up talking until 2:00 am and had to wake up a few hours after that. Suffice to say, I knocked out when I got home the next day.
Sunday, May 15th: Attended my friend's graduation. She got her MBA this day and I can't describe how proud I am of her!! Here are some random pics of Willamette:
After her graduation, I went with her and her family and we ate pho. It's been such a long time since I had pho! When I got home, I was so tired that I knocked out face down on my sister's bed for several hours. When I got up, it was 7:00 PM and I was supposed to go to church at 5:00. Right ... Well, that's about it for now, I'll blog some more later. =)
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| Time really does fly! |
| 05.03.05 (7:10 pm) [edit] |
So, what's been going on in my life the past couple of weeks? First of all, I am amazed at how fast time flies - I'm weirded out that it's May already. Let's see ... what has happened ...
Friday, April 22: I hung out w/my best friend after work this day. We actually broke out of our usual routine a bit (well, almost) and got Thai food for dinner and Coldstone for dessert. We went to this place called Thai BBQ off of Sunnyside Road and it was good! Of course I just had to have Thai iced tea - one of my favorite things to drink. When we got to Coldstone, I wrote down my recipe and handed it to one of the crew members. He looked at me funny and said "You want me to mix all of this together?" and I responded with "Oh, yeah!!" I don't think I posted my recipe yet, so I'll have to do it later. It involves cake batter and coffee ice cream. ;)
Sunday, April 24: I had small group this day and as always, it was a pleasure. I am sooo happy that I'm finally back in a small group!! I prayed for quite a while for God to open that door for me again. There was a time when I went solo for a while, but I had been yearning to get connected with other people my age in my church. Fellowship is a must ...
Friday, April 29: My co-worker invited me to hang out with her and her friend after work. I totally dig these gals, even though I'm obviously the baby of the group. We went to Gustav's by WA Square and ate such great food. Afterwards, we went to Barnes & Noble my co-worker and I were jesting each other with quips from the books we were looking at. I told her that she has to get "He's Just Not That Into You" because it sure liberated me in some regards! Sure, I haven't dated anyone in three years and the book is from a secular point of view, but it is so blunt that you can't help but admit all the times you settled for the wrong guys. I should probably give a more thorough $0.02 on that book later. Then we went to Cost Plus and just wandered around. All of a sudden, we found ourselves in the candy section and I just about fainted when I saw these giant-sized Lindor truffles:
Saturday, April 30th: This day I did a couple errands; I bought my May bus pass, got more stamps, put $15 worth of gas in my car, went to Trader Joe's and got lunch food and then went to Cost Plus to get some Izze sparkling pear pop. I also got my sister and cousin their birthday cards there. I have to tell you, there were some hilarious cards!! I was cracking up ... Then I went home and worked on my review. Yep, review time again.
Sunday, May 1st: This morning I went to church with my mom and brother. There was a reception afterwards but my brother and I knew my mom would be talking to people for a while. So we decided to walk to Red Robin on Grand. At first, we couldn't tell which direction Grand was, but fortunately MLK was right behind us. We were the second group of people that got to RR; it was 10:54 am when we showed up. We shared clucks & fries and called my sister. My brother and I got paranoid a couple times, because we speculated if my mom would ditch us. Fortunately, as we were walking back to the hall, she was ready to go! Talk about perfect timing.
And that's it, that's all for now ... I have some funny pictures to upload, so I'll try to put them up soon.
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| Ramblings |
| 04.18.05 (8:29 pm) [edit] |
Right now I'm watching "How Do I Look?" and it has Alex, the fiancee of Super Size Me's Morgan getting a makeover. I love those kinds of shows ...
So I had a great weekend. Obviously, Friday was opening night at PGE Park - and my cousin visited me from Washington Saturday morning. We ran some errands, and then I took my friend out for her birthday.
We went to Bartini and had some awesome food!! You can check out the menu at http://www.urbanfondue.com. Definitely going back there again. For dessert, we had cheesecake, pound cake, cookie dough, marshmallows, strawberries and apricots ready for dipping in a warm pot of chocolate. I ordered rose-flavored soda and oh my goodness was it sweet. The service was really good and the ambiance was hip yet cozy.
On Sunday, my cousin and I went to City Bible's west campus. This was my first time going there for Sunday service and I'll definitely be back again. I went there for Gen Church once and also for Connections back in February.
Back to the Style channel ...
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| Opening night for the Portland Beavers |
| 04.15.05 (10:33 pm) [edit] |
So tonight was my first time ever going to PGE Park. It was soooo cool! I was in total awe. I was also cold as heck - I could barely sit through the 2nd & 3rd innings, so I left before the 4th inning began. It was okay - the Beavs were already up by 5 when I left. =) Anyhoo, here are some pics of PGE Park ... one day I'll have a better camera (for now, we're sticking w/my camera phone) to capture moments like this.
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| I'm baaaaaaack!! |
| 04.14.05 (6:47 pm) [edit] |
I'm back, tblog!! So, I kinda went to MSN Spaces for a while. I liked how easy it was to upload pictures and display lists, but I guess I stopped blogging there because I'm not HTML savvy enough to customize my page. Oh well! Anyway, SOOO much has happened - good and not so good. I'll focus on the good, because I believe everything that happens is a learning experience and an opportunity to grow.
And because the last few months have been such a fabulous time, I'll re-post my blogs from MSN Spaces here even though the dates/times will obviously be wrong. =)
I am so excited. I am SOOO excited! I am just happy right now. Nothing too big or small - I'm just really trying to chill and let God take control. Do you ever have days when you realize your self-esteem wasn't at its usual level, and all you wanted was some encouragement from the Lord? Well, He is truly faithful - when He says "Seek, and you shall find, ask and the answer will be given to you" He means just that. When you need encouragement, He's there to deliver - whether it's that indescribable peace that forms after a tear-filled conversation with the Lord or an article about God's faithfulness, He's always been there to lift me up.
Well, Sammy just came into the living room - I haven't seen Sammy in a couple days. If you've forgotten who Sammy is, well, he's my snowshoe cat. I absolutely LOVE Sammy! He's my little friend. Sadly, he doesn't like to be picked up very much - so I'm limited in my affections towards him. Right now he's ignoring me - but that's okay, I'm going to sneak up behind him and give him a big hug! Ta ta ...
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| Pearly update |
| 09.20.04 (7:33 am) [edit] |
Race for the Cure was awesome!! It was a great experience and I'm so glad I finally made it. My friend and I had a great walk and want to do it again next year. Yesterday, the announcer estimated about 23K people were there. This morning the Oregonian estimated about 37K people were there. Pretty incredible! It was amazing and very encouraging to see that many people show their support for breast cancer research, care, the deceased and survivors.
Well, unfortunately I got sick this weekend - last Friday morning, the hair dryer was broken so I went to work with wet hair. Now, some of you probably do that on a daily basis - but for me, if I don't dry my hair, at least 80% of it, I get the shivers, especially since my hair is long now. Then on the way home from work, it was raining cats and dogs while I walked from the bus stop to my house. Halfway between the two, my wool pants were totally drenched - I couldn't wait to change. Saturday night was when I started to feel the sore throat - I couldn't sleep very well Saturday night. I woke up at 3:00 and again at 4:00 (which wasn't pleasant, considering I had to wake up at 5:45 to get ready to meet my friend before the race). I begged God to just give me the grace to endure it, and sure enough I was okay enough. The walk was only an hour; I thought it'd be 2 or even 3. Fortunately, we grabbed some food from the vendors and I had my Halls strawberry creme throat drops.
Guess what time I went to bed last night? 9:30!!! The last time I went to bed at 9:30, I must have been 10 years old. No, I'm just joking. It's been a while. I got up at 6:40 to get ready for work, but you know, I still feel crumby and thought "Why put myself through work? What am I trying to prove? I thought I was over that phase ... " so I left my boss a message at 7 and also emailed her. Sure enough, I still feel crappy and just want to lie (grammar?) down and drink chamomile tea. Yes, I am even feistier when I'm sick.
My sister got a kitten several days ago. Her name is Lucy and she's a calico cat with a super long tail. Interesting, huh. She already hates Sammy and is scared of Julius. My mom was trying to tell her that it wouldn't work out, but I think she was just looking for an excuse to get rid of the kitten. Obviously, anytime you bring a new animal home, most likely there will be friction - which is what happened with all of our animals - and eventually they get used to each other.
This month, I'm paying off 2 credit cards - I'm so happy! My next card to pay off is Best Buy. I'm really sad about it, because I absolutely love Best Buy, but if I don't get it paid off by March 5, 2005 I'll have to pay $200 worth in deferred finance charges.
Update on stress action plan: I've been doing a lot better. I recently got a couple books about women and business, my favorite "What it Takes" by Amy Henry from last year's Apprentice. That's not exactly the focus of the book, but it is dealt with in the chapter about emotions. There's no denying I'm a really emotional person (heck, I'm a chick) but it's just learning to handle emotions that in turn reduce stress. The way I'm trying to see things now is primarily through God's eternal timeline: what seems like a huge mistake or embarrassing moment for me is just a speck of dust in the timeline of my life. There's no use in fretting over it, because ultimately He uses everything in our lives for good. No one ever said life would be easy and predictable. It's how I handle those unexpected turns that define my spiritual (and emotional) maturity.
Well, I think I'm done typing for now ... my nose is running and there's no more tissues by my laptop.
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| My brothers are crazy |
| 09.09.04 (8:28 pm) [edit] |
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So I've been taking the bus to work lately and it has been such a blessing. I know what you're thinking: bus and blessing in the same sentence? Pishaw! Seriously, I really think it couldn't have happened at a better time. I'm really working on just taking it easy and trying to enjoy my work days more. Anyway, everything about taking the bus is a blessing. My bus stop is the last stop in zone 2 before becoming zone 3. This means that I pay $49/month instead of $60, which is the fare for travel within all 3 zones. The bus I take goes along one of my favorite routes in Portland - John's Landing, the Water Tower, Taylors Ferry ... even though I still bring that book I borrowed from the chapel, I always end up gazing out the window because of how beautiful everything is. When I drove I obviously didn't have that luxury. Funny how your interests change with time ... I remember when I was 16 and 17, and I rode the bus without a second thought. Then when I got a car, taking the bus was NOT an option. Now, the thought of someone else driving around (plus saving $100/month) is joyous. I get more time to think about what I need to do for the day. Most importantly, I get more undivided time to pray. Pretty neat ... Of course, I'm only taking the bus to work, because going to Clackamas to see my best friend isn't necessary ... Today when I came home, I had to go to Old Navy - so as I was driving off, I could see my youngest brother and our dog chasing my car down the street. He was flailing his arms like he was drowning and I think he might have been screaming. I was just laughing at him the whole time, because he likes to do that for kicks. Our neighbors thought we were crazy a decade ago, so it doesn't matter what they think ... Then tonight, after the Apprentice, which I'll mention in just a second, my dad came into the living room and demanded to know where the salt was. My other brother mumbled something like "Uh ... the last time I saw it, it was under the couch ... " Sure enough, there was the salt - under the couch. Yep, that's my family for you. Apprentice 2: This will be a very interesting season. The Apprentice is my all-time favorite TV show and I swear it's educational for anyone with any degree of business experience, whether it's strictly from the classroom or from years of experience. This season's candidates are more argumentative, sassy and vocal at this point in the game than the first season's. They're almost borderline insubordinate, if you ask me - Mosaic members cut off The Donald and his associates on more than one boardroom occasion. Here's my tip: Assertiveness is necessary in that it articulates to others you're confident, but utilize caution when you're caught up in a heated discussion. You may be the brightest and the most skilled, but eventually people choose to surround themselves with individuals they like and can relate to.
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| Countdown to Race for the Cure & Intro to Tiny Dancer |
| 09.05.04 (4:46 pm) [edit] |
2 more weeks until Race for the Cure. Or in my case, walk for the cure. I'm going with one of my really great girl friends, and we're going to do the 5K walk. I'm so excited to finally do this!! Having the breast cancer checks is not enough ...
Anyhew, my other cousin is visiting me this weekend with her hubby - I'm so glad he came. My family has been pining for him for quite some time now.
Church was good today - I got my answer on how to devise a new perspective on handling stress. Can't really articulate it right now because I'm thinking of this banana cream pie that I bought ... It's really funny because every time I go to my mom's church, I always see several little kids totally fascinated with my younger brother Mike. Not sure if I mentioned it before, but he's a dead ringer for Harry Potter - althought the resemblance is played down when he gets a haircut. The little kids - they're usually anywhere from 2 - 8 years old probably - gawk, gaze and stare until they make eye contact with him. But it still continues. There's this one kid that we christened "Tiny Dancer" that we're always on the look out for. Tiny Dancer is this frail, dark-haired little pixie girl that dances in the pews and anywhere else her twinkle toes happen to fall on. I'm guestimating that she's probably no more than 3 or 4 years old. Her hair is cut boyishly short; but her bob only enhances her flair for the ultimate girlie dresses and poses. Tiny Dancer loves to show off her new moves; recently they appear fresh off of a Nutcracker show. Today she was standing up in the pew the whole time and fortunately didn't distract anyone by falling down again.
Well, suddently I've grown bored of toddler tales and now I think I'll go check on that banana cream pie ...
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| Giving our troubles to the Lord |
| 09.04.04 (12:01 am) [edit] |
A few nights ago I went with my mom to the chapel to pray. Before we entered the sanctuary, I noticed a bunch of books outside the room and a bulletin board with postings. I was thumbing through the books and came across one called "Live Passionately" and thought it looked interested. Sure enough, I was immersed in the book before realized I hadn't entered the chapel yet. So I brought it in with me and later asked my mom if I could borrow it. "Sure," she said. "As long as you return it."
I've been reading it since then and I have to tell you this book was meant to be read by me. There's so much basic spiritual points that I really need to focus on, especially lately. All these things have gone wrong and instead of putting my trust in God, I've been dwelling over them and agonizing about how the heck I could have made such stupid mistakes. Fortunately, God also speaks to us through others - if I was in a fellowship group right now, I probably wouldn't be feeling as behind. I've talked to some co-workers on how to deal with stress better and they've all given me great advice.
So my mission for this weekend is to come up with a stress action plan. My fight or flight response needs to be analyzed and through God's grace (and a few epiphanies that'll probably happen when I least expect) I'll learn what things are out of my control, and for the ones that aren't, I'll learn how to deal with them without feeling so guilty.
If you are feeling especially stressed or just beating yourself up for something you did, let me know and I'll pray for you, too. You don't even have to send me a message - I'll just pray for you anyway. God bless!
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| Weekend update |
| 08.31.04 (9:45 pm) [edit] |
Last weekend my cousin and her boyfriend came to visit. It was so nice to see them, because it’s been a while since she’s come down here.
On Saturday morning, I woke up at 6:30 am to hear massive snoring. It sounded like someone was blowing their nose into a microphone next to my ear. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn’t go back to sleep. So I purposely set off my alarm to wake her up or at least temporarily deactivate her snoring, which was on auto-pilot. So I made my alarm go off on my cell phone, and sure enough, after a few polyphonic choruses of “Yeah” she started to move around and the snoring ceased. I’m brilliant, what can I say? So I turn off the alarm, but she starts snoring again after a few minutes. So much for that … I can’t remember what time I got up, but I do remember that I wanted to pick up my car that morning. Since my mom is such a nice lady, she dropped me off at the place even though it was pretty early for a Saturday morning. I had to laugh at my mom, though. She was wearing one of those scrub uniforms that nurses and dental assistants wear. It was bright orange and I said to her “Hey mom, do you realize you look like an inmate?” I forgot what she said …
Well, turned out that my car wasn’t ready after all but my mom had already left. So the car shop drove me home and they promised to deliver it to my house on Tuesday. Later that morning, my cousin, her boyfriend, my younger brother and I headed out to the shopping outlet in Woodburn. I got this little violin magnet that annoyed everyone, and my Seattle visitors got some new clothes for work. My brother and I hid in a treehouse from them for a while, and then we got bored. Here’s what it looked like:
We went to the coolest McDonald’s ever, only because it had a TV and a guitar-shaped table. Not quite Hard Rock café, but close enough for us …
I realized at the outlet mall that I couldn’t find my license, and it bugged the heck out of me. I felt really bad later on, because I couldn’t stop thinking about finding my license and I think I may have hurt my cousin’s feelings. Oneswtladee206, if you’re reading this, I’m sorry if I freaked out about my license. =( I really, truly loved having you guys down here and I can’t wait to see you again.
We went to Lloyd Center and then to Old Navy out in Beaverton. I thought my cousin was in the dressing rooms, so I waited outside for a few minutes. I think I called her name a few times but didn’t hear her. So I got a little ball out of the machine and was tossing it up in the air. Two little boys, about 3 and 7, were watching me with their mom and infant sibling. I overheard one of the little boys say he wanted a ball, too – so I gave it to the littlest one, whose eyes got really big and a slow, wide grin swept across his face. His mom said “Now what do you say?” and he said sheepishly “Thank you!” then I started to wish I had one again …
On Sunday, we went to the rose gardens and took pictures.
My cousin looked all pretty and beautiful and I of course was uber casual in a Roxy t-shirt, Abercrombie khakis and $3 flip flops from Target. She wanted to dress up, but honestly, I don’t like dressing up. Maybe I should have been more submissive since the day before WAS her birthday … We were venturing over to the Shakespeare garden – by the way, off subject, but you can buy a nice hardbound set of Shakespeare’s plays and poems at Costco for only $12 – when all of a sudden, I got stuck in some smelly mud! It totally reeked of sewage and even worse, my feet were soaked in it. Fortunately, there was a fountain right where it happened, so I tried to clean off there. This family was taking pictures and I think I may have tainted some of their memories of the rose garden. When we got home, my mom took us for a drive through Ladd’s Addition to show my cousin the rose gardens. In case you haven’t been through Ladd’s Addition, it’s just a neighborhood in SE Hawthorne area that has 4 or 5 gardens in between the major streets. We actually used to go to church around there a few times when we missed earlier services. It was really nice. She then treated us to my favorite, Coffee People. If there was a CP closer to my office I would go there.
Yesterday I got a replacement license yesterday before work. I was thinking it’d cost 35 – 40, but it came out to only 21. On the bright side, even though I have no recollection of where the heck my license could be – at least my new one is a lot cooler! When I came home, the car shop had delivered my car a day early – woo hoo! I am so happy to have it back. I’ve driven the van for too long and it’s just not the same. Only thing is my car smells really weird from being in a shop for over 2 weeks. My dad told me to drive it around and see how it drove. So I decided to drive around the block with Sammy, my cat. I put the windows down for him to breathe which ended up being a pretty dumb idea. As I was driving around the block, Sammy had one foot on my shoulder and was peering out my window. All of a sudden, he sprang from my seat and jumped out the window! At first I panicked; I didn’t run over him but I didn’t see him in my rear view mirror. I was probably going 15 – 20 mph. Then I started to laugh. Can you imagine that? A car driving through your neighborhood, and all of a sudden, a cat leaps out the window … Speaking of Sammy, I’m sitting here typing and Sammy is appearing in the window (which mind you, is 3.5’ from the ground with nothing for a cat to stand on) with a bb gun pointed towards my youngest brother and me. It happened about 10 more times. My other brother was picking him up and making it look like Sammy was trying to shoot us. How nice, huh.
Well, today started off really bad but ended pretty nicely. One of my co-workers left me some orange Gerber daisies and chocolate on my desk; another bought me an Americano and gave me a hug. It was so sweet of them because I felt so terrible this morning. I don’t want to get into details, but I will quote what one of the ladies said:
“If we didn’t have those days we just might believe we really don’t need God when we do!”
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| Why I need to wear glasses |
| 08.23.04 (8:27 pm) [edit] |
#1 At the Las Vegas airport, we were waiting in line to get checked in. There were two large lines of people and we were in the left line. The check in area was about 20' away from where we were standing when I overheard people reading off the city names on the wall. I could make out "San Francisco" and only recognized "Orange County" because I heard someone mention it. Then, I saw our city. "Look! It says 'Portland, Oregon'!" I exclaimed to my friend. "Where?" she looked over. "See? 'Portland, Oregon'!" I said. Then she said "No, that says 'Position Open'". I felt pretty dumb after that.
#2 At my friend's wedding on Saturday, the servers were bringing over a tray with white plastic bowls filled with purple-striped food. "Oooh! Ice cream!!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands together. Then they put it on the table. It wasn't ice cream. It was purple cabbage salad that the girls said tastes similar to American coleslaw.
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| She's all grown up now |
| 08.23.04 (8:08 pm) [edit] |
On Saturday, my friend came over and we drove to our friend's wedding at the Philadelphia Romanian Pentecostal church (that might be out of order). She got married in Romania, but still had to perform the ceremony here in the States. It was such a beautiful ceremony. Many of the her friends and family sang or performed; there was a lot of singing. The best part was when her soon-to-be-husband sang a song for her that he wrote and composed. It was kinda funny, because I guess all the girls were sighing during the song since his lyrics were, in their words, very deep and romantic. My friend and I were probably the only non-Romanian folk in there, so while we didn't understand a word except for multumesc (thank you) and cu placere (you're welcome), we were still pretty blown away by how sweet that was. Then afterwards, we ate lots of cabbage rolls and then, all of a sudden, the love of my life appeared through the reception hall's kitchen doors. In plastic packages were 5 pieces of cake and a cream-filled roll; each person got one of those love packages. I was a very happy camper. That wasn't even including the wedding cake.
We took pictures and visited with our friend's family and girl friends; then it was time to go home. Honestly, I was rather melancholy for the latter half of the ceremony. No, I wasn't jealous or feeling alone; I was feeling a little blue because my friend was gone. Sure, she's going to stay here in Portland, but once someone gets married to the person they've been praying for and dreaming about all their life (and the other person has been doing so as well) the chances of "just hanging out" go from slim to really slim. I think if I was closer to her I probably wouldn't feel as disconnected. I had so many opportunities to hang out with her and all my other friends during times that I instead decided to allow work and my schedule take higher priority. And now, I can't go back and it really burns. It just seems like all my friends are meeting people and getting married. These aren't just acquaintances that you meet at college and drop after graduation; these are ambitious, funny, unique and conversation-loving individuals with a special calling in this world.
To end on a positive note, her story is just another testimony of God's faithfulness to those who love and live for Him.
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| A Vegas Story |
| 08.22.04 (10:32 pm) [edit] |
Ah. The sweet smell of smoke-free air. I must admit, Portland does have its qualities that seal the deal for the undecided. Those were the first thoughts that went through my mind as we entered the PDX gates. No flashy slot machines, no smoky residue; just another beautiful sunny day in Portland. Vegas was a great trip. I think the last time I had that much exercise was back in my freshman and sophomore years at Jesuit as a reluctant P.E. student. Of course, that’s like comparing apples and oranges. In high school, I dreaded that awful mile and counted the minutes until 3rd period was over. In Vegas, I just wanted to relax in the moment because it was vacation.
So on Sunday, my friend picked me up and we headed to PDX. We talked about our Vegas plans to this young guy that sat next to us on the plane. I gave him all the tips my other friend’s mom gave me, despite any real experience on my part. When we got into LAS, I was overwhelmed by how many slot machines there were! I know it’s Vegas, but still … the shuttle picked us up and took us to the Sahara, which is where we stayed the entire time. Can I just say how crazy the shuttle drivers are? A couple of them flew over speed bumps and practically anything else that was upright in the road. Refuge lanes suddenly were game for driving; pedestrians beware. Did you know the law in Vegas is that you have to yield to the shuttle? Watch out – you could just get run over. The first night we were there, we decided to walk down the strip and pretty much see how far we could walk. From the Sahara, we went to Riviera where I won a bunch of quarters. A bunch to me is 50 or 60 quarters. We then walked up to Cathedral Ave by the Frontier and then headed back north, passing Stardust and going into Circus Circus. If you haven’t been to Circus Circus before, I have to warn you that the personnel there are … well … kind of scary. The kids’ section is a lot of fun, but we went to that casino just to walk around and play a couple slot machines. I needed two $1 bills for shuttle money so I went up to the nearest cashier to exchange my quarters for bills. There was a petite older Asian woman behind the counter that had a strange dual resemblance to my grandma in Seattle and Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs. Here was our conversation:
Me: Hi there, I need two $1 bills please.
Lady: (Looks at me with a scowl on her face, and puts a plastic bucket in front of me) Poot the monee in the bawket.
Me: (Perplexed look on my face) No, I don’t want to gamble. I just want bills.
Lady: (Flustered, raised voice and crazy look in her eyes) Poot the monee in the bawket!!
Me: (Getting irritated, and wanting to leave) I don’t want more quarters! I just want two dollars!!!
Lady: (Practically screaming) POOOT the MONEE in the BAWKET!!!!
So, keep in mind I am not into gambling and I’m not familiar with casino etiquette. I figured that since she was so teed off that she must have been right, so I just tossed the quarters in and hoped she wouldn’t keep them. She then put them in the change machine and produced my precious one dollar bills. When I thanked her, she didn’t even look at me. What a mean lady, huh? Every other casino I ended up visiting never asked me to do that. While she didn’t straight out say “PUT THE LOTION IN THE BASKET!!” she sure did a great impression of Buffalo Bill. Then after that, my friend and I were walking out of the casino when another scary incident happened. Have you ever seen those guys that push around safes that look like miniature armored-truck-type paraphernalia? Have you noticed how their grey one piece outfits resemble inmate uniforms? Anyway, we were walking out of the casino and one of those guys was pushing a safe past our way. He had a peculiar resemblance to an older Henry Winkler from his Happy Days stint. As soon as he saw us, he stopped dead in his tracks, let go of the safe, and just stared at us as we walked by with this crazy, I’m-gonna-kill-you look on his face. Maybe it was youth or the smoke tainting my common sense, but I made the mistake of making eye contact with Freaky Fonzie. And let me tell you, those weren’t disco lights in his eyes, but rather sharp daggers and murderous intent. He was probably dating bucket lady and wanted to protect her honor. How sweet.
On Monday, we hit the pool in the late morning/early afternoon and afterwards ate at the buffet. The best food were the scrambled eggs, hash browns, pizza, lasagna and banana cream pie. The coffee was watery so that obviously needed to be fixed. We then got ready and went downstairs. We passed by the Casbar lounge, and an Elvis impersonator was performing with two dancers. We decided to catch his act, and sat ourselves on the far right of the lounge. His last song was Viva Las Vegas, and at that point in his act, he left the stage with his dancers and went into the audience for participation. I knew there was a good chance he could embarrass us, so I whispered audibly enough to my friend “Let’s leave now while we still have a chance!” I swear, a minute later, he turned around from the across the room and pointed at us and exclaimed “Look, it’s the Dixie Chicks!” even though till this day, I can’t see the connection. I felt myself already turning red. Elvis and his entourage then sauntered over to our table, and would not leave until we sang the chorus. It was so embarrassing! He then went into the casino area and chased someone down that he referred to as “Ludacris”. That was funny, too. We then took the shuttle to New York New York. I’ve been to that casino before and it’s still my favorite one because of the immense creativity and variety of features. Anyway, we walked through the casino part to the upstairs area and looked at a couple shops. We went to Coyote Ugly but there was only one coyote there, so we left. All of a sudden, the heavens opened and a Starbucks came into view. Curse capitalism when it’s vacation time. My $1.65 americanos were $3.00 at NYNY, but fortunately thanks to Deming and his 14 points, they taste the same. Hold up, standardization was one of Deming’s TQM darlings, wasn’t it? Goodness, this is what happens when you’re out of school …
We then walked over the skybridge to Excalibur and hit up the gift shops and kids’ arcade. I got one of those princess hats that’s a flower wreath with ribbons flowing in the back, and thought I’d be an embarrassment to society and wear it for the remainder of the evening. We played that one game where you throw the ball into the holes and your horse advances depending on which hole you throw it into. We both won a couple times; I got a stuffed tiger and a strawberry shortcake doll. The reason why I didn’t capitalize that last item is because I’m embarrassed to admit that I still have it in my room. I plan on giving it to a friend’s 4-year old little sister. Honestly! We got our picture taken with the huge purple dragon that greets visitors at the front entrance.
Luxor was our next stop. When I went to Vegas 4 years ago, Luxor was one of the many casinos that I hadn’t seen. Of course, I was 20 so I was confined to the arcades with my pipsqueak cousins and siblings. Sorry guys, I know you’re not young’uns anymore. I was amazed at the pyramid – at how the walls actually housed hotel guests. We walked through the pyramid and ventured to the top, where we had our caricature done by an artist with a color deficiency syndrome. I say that fondly because he made us laugh while I tortured him with avant-garde yet true names of colors, such as burnt sienna, bark, celery, ebony and lilac. Hey, I forgot to tell him to make the sand color yellow ochre!! He also got us to laugh by telling us he was really old, so I asked him if he used to watch Mork & Mindy reruns, and he told us he was actually old enough to watch the sitcom in its original season. I was telling my friend that we probably traumatized him for life; he’ll probably think twice now before asking people what color their eyes are. After our caricature sitting, we walked over to a Photo Magic booth where folks get their head shot inserted into a template featuring all kinds of people, such as Vegas showgirls to race car drivers to those dreadful, everywhere-you-look Chippendale guys. And you know they’re everywhere when you type Chippendale on your word processor and the red squiggly line doesn’t show up underneath. See, even Webster’s dictionary recognizes the guys as an integral part of society. Yeah right! That’s more like the decay of society … Anyway, there were a ton of templates featuring really buff guys in body-builder type poses. As we were standing there watching someone get her picture taken, this elderly man, who was probably 80 years, said to us as he walked by “I told them to stop using my picture without my permission!” it was so hilarious.
After Luxor, we ventured over to Mandalay Bay. I wanted to see the aquarium, and by the time we got there, we found out it wasn’t free. That was okay, because we had a nice time just walking through there. In one of the halls, there is a huge mural of the sea that extended from the bottom of the floor to the ceiling. I had this crazy idea to pretend like I was swimming in the ocean, so I had my friend take a picture of me on my stomach, pretending to do the butterfly stroke. My tummy hurt a little after moving around on the marble floor, but that’s what you get for trying to be stupid. No, not too many people saw me – darn! We ate at the Rainforest Café and enjoyed the routine weather changes …
On Tuesday, we went to the pool again and ate at the buffet. Sadly, they had no more banana cream pie. I was devastated. That is, until the shuttle picked us up and we were looking at more casinos and attractions. I don’t remember the order that day, so I’ll try to list things in order of how they happened. We went to M&M World and it was so adorable. There were 4 floors filled with various types of M&M merchandise. We got lucky and caught a free tour and 3D show. I also got my picture with the yellow M&M. We then went to the Coke Store, and got our picture with the giant polar bear. He was really cute. I got a water bottle shaped like a glass Coke bottle and a nostalgic pill box. I love Coke; it’s my favorite drink in the whole world, so that obviously was really cool. We went to the Hawaiian Marketplace where my friend and I got our first fashionable purchases. She got this really classy green purse and a glamorous crochet poncho. I got this maroon & blue VonDutch hat and the lady gave us both toe rings.
We went to Monte Carlo and then over to Aladdin, which had this amazing illusion over the mall area. The ceiling was painted like the sky, and it was done so precisely that you would think you were truly outside. The Venetian has the same illusion in its shop area as well. We went to Caesar’s Palace and my friend was haunted by a hologram Caesar slot machine. After that, we went to Paris and eventually found ourselves in Bally’s. We walked over to Bellagio and toured the building. I must say, Bellagio was extremely beautiful and swanky – the live jazz music that was playing in one of the restaurants was a nice alternative to the contemporary music heard elsewhere. We got to see the conservatory; that was beautiful as well. We watched a couple water shows and then headed back to the shuttle again. I forgot to mention, every night our feet were killing us earlier and earlier into the day, even though we took the shuttle.
On Wednesday, we passed up the pool and buffet and went to the Fashion Show Mall. When we were in the Fossil store, some random guy asked me which of the two watches he was wearing was better. I told him watch #2 because it was more traditional-looking than #1, which I told him and his wife was way too punk-rocker-I’m-going-t o-smash-my-Fender-in-a-co ncert look. We went to this Hawaiian-theme store, and I overheard the two cashiers freaking out over some video footage of the store that morning. At approximately 6:00 am that day, a lady was seen on the tape walking amidst the store, and apparently the two girls recognized who it was. I heard them call the owner (?) and gush about what they had seen. That was interesting. As we left the store, a loud bell went off, and all of a sudden, a stage protruded through the floor and runway lights and music flooded the mall. We got to see a back to school fashion show, which ran for about 5 – 10 minutes. After that, we went to the Venetian and saw the Grand Canal shops. I’d have to say the Venetian was the most beautiful to me, partly because I have a secret obsession with almost anything related to Italy, and mostly because of how beautiful the hotel and shops were. We saw the statue guy on the platform; I didn’t want to waste a dollar on him to see him move, because odds are someone else was going to drop a dollar. Sure enough, a little boy placed a bill on the platform, and the statue moved. We then headed over to Treasure Island to see Mystere by Cirque Du Soleil, a gift from my friend. If you have never been to the show, here are some tips: arrive no earlier than 5 – 10 minutes before the show, make sure you have bought popcorn, and you must give your tickets to the man in the tux with crazy white hair. He’ll help you. (Insert mischievous giggle). That show was absolutely wonderful; I won’t spoil the rest. It is a production definitely worth seeing due to the creativity and talent. Afterwards, we saw the Sirens of TI (the pirate show) and that was interesting. Earlier we had taken the tram to the Mirage, where we got to see the white tiger exhibit. Lo and behold, there was an actual tiger this time.
Thursday was bittersweet; I didn’t want to leave, but at the same time, my lungs were pleading for nicotine-free air. So I’m back now obviously, pictures are still at Costco and tomorrow’s my first day back at work. I feel like I’ve been gone for a month! Not really looking forward to it, but I have to be thankful because it’s from God and it keeps me solvent. =)
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| Off to Vegas we go |
| 08.15.04 (12:44 pm) [edit] |
So it's 1:36 PM on Sunday and in 3.5 hours, my friend and her brother are going to pick me up and go to PDX. We are so excited to leave!! We really need to get away. Anyhew, I just checked the weather in Las Vegas and the weather report showed scattered thunderstorms. Please pray that we get into LV safely. Weather and turbulence (along with random thoughts of terrorists) make me nervous on a flight until I start thinking about something else.
I packed some junk food for our trip since we are oh-so-poor. Wait, I think I mentioned this already. Nevermind! Oh, I did find a tasteful one-piece at Target - and I found some decent-looking shorts on clearance at Fred Meyer. =)
Friday was the day from hell. I wanted to leave work at 3:00, but projects I was working on (plus, waiting for a vendor to get back to me) were taking longer than expected. Didn't leave till almost 6, but overall the day was rather comical. I went over to my best friend's house afterwards, and her mom gave me all these tips about Vegas. She's such a cute lady.
Yesterday, my mom, sister and youngest brother went to Little Mexico (aka Hillsboro). Earlier in the day we dropped off my SUV to get fixed ... I'm hoping for smoother driving experiences from now on.
Well I have to get going now - my dad needs help with his resume again.
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| IE alternatives & Lotus Notes |
| 08.12.04 (10:08 pm) [edit] |
I forgot to mention, but recently I've been testing alternative web browsers other than internet explorer and netscape. I've been using Mozilla since Tuesday, and just dl'ed Opera tonight (both on download.com). Right now I'm using Opera and the banner ads on top are barely noticeable. Mozilla so far has been great with the pop up control. Not sure who, but one of the regular tech blogs mentioned security issues with IE. Not too shabby of an investment if you're trying to prevent instances such as identify theft.
Lotus Notes, Lotus Notes ... why did thou get invented? How my heart longs for Outlook again, albeit its monopolistic creator. *sigh* Oh well, the next upgrade we get at work includes a version of Notes that with instant messenging capabilities. Productivity will never be higher! Or was that sarcasm ...
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