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| Almost the weekend |
| 07.28.04 (8:44 pm) [edit] |
So Friday I have the day off - well, sort of. I have all day to go to DEQ, get my oil changed and stuff like that ... on the bright side, I'm going over to a friend's house afterwards. Today I was looking for gifts for a friend of mine who's getting married next month. She's registered at Target so I decided to go there after work today. Why is it that all the really good gifts were already bought or they were opened/missing/etc.? Now I know why brides-to-be are so busy ... I must have been there forever today. Anyway, I'm not going to say what I ended up getting her, but I will say that it was too big to fit into one of those mountain-sized gift bags. Hopefully she'll really need it - and that no one else got the same thing! To end on a really sweet note, have you tried those caramel Hershey kisses yet? They're so good. Especially in this weather - they're already melted by the time you put them in your mouth. Yay, I love the hot weather. =)
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| Update on WiFi seeker |
| 07.25.04 (2:19 pm) [edit] |
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Kensington has one, it's available at Circuity City for 29.99. Since I'm a nerd, it's only reasonable that I have one of these. It's possible to get a list of hotspots in your area by doing a search; cnet.com has directories for each city. But you have to wonder how often that's updated. Anyway, I'll let you know how it handles.
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| 3 ways to keep cool |
| 07.25.04 (1:44 pm) [edit] |
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Yesterday we drove out to this campground by Multnomah Falls. We brought Julius (our stinky but trusty collie) with us and it was quite the trip. Anyway, our original idea was to go to the beach, but my mom wanted to go to church at 5:00 and we didn't have enough time. There was an icy cold creek that we trampled through and eventually grew bored of in 20 minutes. Back to the city! We then went home to drop off Julius, went to church and then dropped off Michael at his friend's house. Afterwards, we went to this newer restaurant on Beaverton Hillsdale Highway called Sakura Bana. GREAT food and even better, inexpensive. The California rolls were delish and the tempura was really light. How'd I keep cool? Drank Pepsi (they didn't have Coke) and my all-time favorite ice cream, mango flavored Mochi!! Big smiles over here. Then, my last method to keep cool in this oh so wonderful Texas weather was to get a little USB port desk fan. Nifty idea, huh? It's small and while it doesn't employ the kind of turbulent speed as Hurricane Andrew did, its breeze is enough to keep me below room temperature. All that for only $4.99. Gotta love Target! If you're wondering where to pick them up: they're amongst the new dorm fashions in the office products section.
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| That ice cream's gonna have to wait |
| 07.23.04 (11:00 pm) [edit] |
... because I keep forgetting stuff to write. =) This morning on the way to work I visited Torrefazzione and got an Americano (what's new?). They're 5 cents cheaper than Starbucks & your 12th (?) drink is free. Another punch card! I've seen people on laptops there - if they've got WIFI, I'm in love.
Oh, oh, oh and one more thing, speaking of WIFI ... today on my lunch break I was reading my Fortune mag, and came across my favorite section "First Gadget" about GPS, video phones & a WIFI keychain. The latter's what drew my attention. You say wireless, I say yes! The device is small enough to fit on a keychain; it just picks up hotspots and upon doing so, flashes colors. I mentioned it to one of the IS guys at work today, and he mentioned a slight downfall - so you've got the flashing light, but which building is it, and how do you connect? Well, I can add an available wireless network when it pops up on my task pane, that's not hard - and that right there tells me I'm in the right place. Oh - they're $30, not bad.
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| Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Portland anymore |
| 07.23.04 (10:47 pm) [edit] |
Hee hee, I forgot to mention how lovely HOT it is right now in Portland!! It's like Texas, I love it!! Today it was 108 & I think tomorrow it's going to be 99. I'll admit the NW is a beautiful place, but I love hot weather and would take that over the 4 seasons anytime. Seriously, I could live the rest of my life without snow and I'd be a happy girl. I've lived in Seattle & PDX all my life, and frankly my dear, I'm tired of the rain - plus, I just want to try something different than the NW. That's just me, though. When I told a buddy of mine (who snowboards RELIGIOUSLY every year @ Mt. Hood & Bachelor) that a couple years ago, he almost disowned me. When I mentioned my earnest desire to relocate to Austin someday, that got an interesting response from him as well. Why do NWer's detest Texans like they do? I always say, you can tell a true Oregonian by their reaction to the phrase "Gosh darn, I sure wish I was in Texas right now". Try it, the results are pretty funny.
Now I'm REALLY going to get that ice cream.
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| Glade plug-ins are cool |
| 07.21.04 (10:08 pm) [edit] |
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I just got one today at Target for my car. Depending on which part of the country you live, it's around $3.99. The fragrance is called "Jasmine Mist" and smells divine. Now my car smells pretty!
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| Yay, tomorrow's Wednesday |
| 07.20.04 (9:09 pm) [edit] |
Today as I was trying to get home from work, every route I took was backed up for blocks. Well, people just wouldn't let me in, either. Anyway, I was near Lloyd Center (which is NOT in the direction of home) and noticed that the time was like 5:55 or something. I instantly remembered that I wanted to go to Gen Church, hopefully by 6:30. Even though I didn't think traffic was going to get any better, I vowed I'd make it because I really want and need to go. And guess what? Traffic southbound on I5 was a breeze!! Talk about providence ... I actually had enough time to go home, chill a little, and then head out. Ever since City Bible started their westside service, I've always told myself I'd go there instead of the one out by Gateway. I just kept putting it off. Well, with recent events in my life plus this undeniable need for direction made it unthinkable to go anywhere else BUT there tonight.
It was great, got to see the youth pastors (whom I probably haven't seen since September) and a friend. Met a few people and got to hear some kids talk about their recent mission trip to Romania and Austria. It seemed like a wonderful experience. Anyway, I left tonight feeling more encouraged; I always do after GC.
Completely off subject, but I just had to say that I totally broke my #2 home improvement rule. Yes, I cut up and pulled out carpet last Saturday WITHOUT GLOVES!! That was dumb because I ended up not getting very much done. Lesson of the story: don't forget your life lessons.
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| Nice weekend |
| 07.18.04 (3:34 pm) [edit] |
This has been a great weekend. I got to hang out with my best friend on Friday night (and see her for a little bit on Saturday). We saw "A Cinderella Story" with her sister who just came back from a missions trip to Romania. Still need to get more details on that. Today after church we drove to Stevenson, WA and ate at this little restaurant by the river. We then went to the Grotto, where they had their annual "bless the animals" day, so you can just bet how many dogs and cats were there. As we drove through the parking lot, I was trying to impress my mom with my Donald Trump impersonation but she wasn't feelin it.
Here's a sample of the conversation:
Me: Welcome to my most FABULOUS creation, where only the MOST RICHEST people go. I got HUNDREDS of construction workers to build this place in TWO DAYS, which is RECORD TIME.
Backseat: (giggles by sister & strange side glances by deyellowsnow)
My mom: Okay, be quiet now you guys, there's people.
Me: As you can see, the WORLD's LARGEST trees grow here. NASA reports said they can see my trees all the way from the planet MARS!! They said my FINEST, TALLEST buildings show up, too!!
My mom: Sshh, I'm trying to pray!
Now outside walking: (giggles & dirty looks)
Me: Well, I've got the BIGGEST and MOST IMPORTANT prayers out of ALL OF YOU! God ALWAYS answers MY prayers!
Mom: Maria, that's enough.
She wasn't too amused at the Donald's trademark usage of superlatives and self-praise. But that's okay, she sometimes watches the Apprentice marathon with my sister and I, which is my favorite reality show on TV.
Well, to end on a more serious note, I just have to mention something really beautiful that I saw today. Not the miles of rolling green hills cascading along the Columbia; not the beautiful outdoor church at the Grotto or tens of healthy dogs waiting for a blessing, but rather, a simple sign of love from a little boy to his older brother at church. A couple rows ahead of us was a couple with their 4 little boys. The oldest one, who was probably in 4th or 5th grade, displayed some characteristics of a neurological disorder. Every now and then, he would cry out and hit himself in the face. His mother would instantly rub his back and speak softly to him, always with a smile on her face. It just touched me to see his younger brother (probably 2nd or 3rd grade) gaze up at him lovingly and rub his back until he stopped moaning and hitting himself. I thought it was so beautiful, because the whole time in church, his mother had just the most sweetest, peaceful smile on her face - as if she didn't care what the people all around her thought, and that her son was no different than anyone in that room. There was this lady sitting several rows in front of us that would turn around and scowl at the family; I got so mad because she had no idea what this kid's condition was. But then, I couldn't be mad for long because I've done that, too - get upset over something only to learn the real situation. Amazing how everything in life cycles full moon, huh?
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| Don't forget your punch card |
| 07.13.04 (8:39 pm) [edit] |
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Don't you hate it when you're going somewhere, and forget to bring your punch card? I went to Bibo's next to Pizza Schmizza on 11th & Glisan on my lunch break today (they make the best smoothies) and forgot my punch card AGAIN!! I'm always asking to start a new one because I leave 'em at work. Just so this stops happening, I'm going to leave a card in my wallet from now on. I have a few Java Vivace (23rd & Pettygrove) cards lying around, too. Since I haven't frequented the place since school, it always slips my memory to bring a punch card when I actually meet friends there. Moral of the story: to get a free drink once in a while, get a punch card & keep it in your wallet @ all times.
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| Thoughts |
| 07.11.04 (9:56 am) [edit] |
Last night after reading a couple responses to an article on christianitytoday.com, I began to question myself. Is it possible I’m too independent? Am I still trying to be self-reliant? While I’m working out my work/life balance, don’t I still obsess over work? Is ambition and success selfish, even if my innate desire is to please God? Do I really measure up?
I’ll admit, I am a career-driven young lady and I like success. Is there anything wrong with that? Of course, if it consumes my soul and actions. Lately, I can’t help thinking about work and career all the time – partially because I’m trying to get out of debt, and partially because I want desperately to be successful. When I say successful, I mean doing things my way, loving what I’m doing, being compensated fairly and most importantly, being fully confident that I am using all the skills/ideas/talents that God has given me. It causes me grief to think I’m sitting on talents. But then I start to think about the long road, and how success doesn’t happen overnight. After quiet moments and inner struggles to see things through God’s eyes, I come back to my senses and realize that you know what, I am successful – I have a hilarious, supportive family, I am doing a great job at work, I have the best friends anyone could ask for, for once I can admit that I love Portland for its beauty and uniqueness (I still want to move to Austin someday), I always accomplish life goals (getting my B.S. in 4 years, passing the PHR) and most importantly, I know that my life without the Lord would be a very empty life.
So what’s next? I guess you could say I need to recharge my batteries – I think I need a fresh perspective. Whenever I have these thought-provoking questions about why I’m here, what the heck I’m doing, I love to get away for a few hours – especially on a gorgeous day like today. And what better timing, my mom just asked if I want to go to the store with her – guess that’s my cue to get going.
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| GAVIN DeGRAW |
| 07.10.04 (2:02 pm) [edit] |
One last blog for the day. Thanks to one of my coolest friends for burning his CD - this guy is wonderful!! If you haven't heard of Gavin DeGraw, I implore you to visit his [b][url=http://www.gavindegraw.com]site[/url] [/b]. You can sample some of his most popular songs such as "Chariot", "Follow Through" and "Just Friends".
A+ for beautiful, personal lyrics and creative fusion of guitar, piano and passionate vocals.
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| Saturday |
| 07.10.04 (1:48 pm) [edit] |
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Today Mikey and I went to Binyon's to pick up my glasses (I had my Rx rejected 2x) for medium-distance, and then we went to Guitar Center so he could learn how to change his strings. I was surprised we were there for 2 minutes; usually I always come in after a crowd and end up waiting forever. I saw the most beautiful colored Squire there. It's this pearly minty green color. Of course, I can't get it because of everything going on right now, but it's nice to dream sometimes. Afterwards, we headed for the library because I want to pick up a couple CDs/books on learning Italian. It is one of the most lovely sounding languages I have ever heard! There are tons of free sites out there, but I'd like to get a CD that I can just listen to in the car, ya know? Well, I think the library was closed so we headed back towards home. We ended up going to Red Robin by Washington Square for bottomless steak fries. It was a cheap lunch, for both of us the tab came to $3.49. I'm not a RR person because their burgers are kinda spendy & they don't have happy hour; however, I do believe they make great all American food. I told Mike it was our little secret that we went to RR - after all, I did promise him we'd go someday just for the fries. =)
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| Actually |
| 07.09.04 (6:23 pm) [edit] |
... I forgot to mention that I found the coolest soap today on my lunch break. Yep, you heard right: soap. On 11th & Glisan there's this cute store called Dig, where you can pick up stuff like outdoor decor & stuff to accent your living room. Anyway, as I was leaving I noticed these colorful cylinder-shaped items wrapped in cardboard. When I got closer, I noticed gift tags that said "Soap Log". Basically, they were sheets of soap rolled up like an 8" x 2" jelly roll. And did I mention they smelled divine? The best ones were lavendar & cucumber. If you're interested, they run at $20 each but the owner gift wraps 'em.
One more thing - I went to 77, because, hee hee hee, that's right by my work, too (12th & Glisan) and asked how much it'd cost for highlights. The girl at the front desk had to look at their brochure to tell me the answer! Yeah, I didn't notice it at first, but you'd think the receptionist would know something like that ... anyway, it'd start at $50 but you know, I'm just pipe dreaming. Ever since that accident I had last month, all these plans to go places came to a screeching halt. Yes, a pun was intended there. *sigh* Fortunately, I budgeted enough to go somewhere for a week in August. It looks like it's going to be Vegas, which is pretty cool. I don't gamble & neither does my friend; we plan on just walking around, soaking up by the pool, and catching free (or inexpensive) shows. I wonder if you can see ANYTHING there for under $10?
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| All smiles |
| 07.09.04 (6:12 pm) [edit] |
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Not much to say - just that life is wonderful. =)
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| Review of "The Terminal" |
| 07.06.04 (6:10 pm) [edit] |
Here's my review after watching it yesterday:
Tom Hanks plays Viktor Navorski, a transatlantic sojourner that finds himself in an indispensable situation. With only minimal English vocabulary, Viktor comprehends little of the complicated sentences that are thrown at him 1,000 miles an hour yet his emotions are quick to respond to war-stricken images of his country as they are flashed on multiple TV screens. Talk about imperfect timing - as other passengers are allowed to cross into the open doors of America, the ill-fated timing of Viktor's homeland causes a delay in his eagerly anticipated arrival. As if an insurgent militia's actions weren't enough to thwart Viktor's plans in perusing the streets of New York City, the basic laws that enable foreigners to visit the States were working neither for nor against Mr. Navorski. Since his country was no longer considered a "country", the customs department would not grant him access beyond JFK's international terminal.
Viktor finds himself in an unimaginable jam. He soon realizes the consequences of his language barrier, and purchases two books: one in his native Russian dialect, the other in English. He familiarizes himself with common phrases and even discovers an unconvential method to earn money. Ultimately, it is his carpentry skill and ambition to fulfill a loved one's dream that allow him to endure the spasmodic antics from fellow terminal employees and countless rejections towards obtaining his visa.
Stanley Tucci does a great job portraying Frank Dixon, the overhead guy with an intent to remove Viktor from the premises. Kumar Pallana plays Gupta Rajan, a mischievious (or just plain vengeful) janitor who delights himself in watching passers-by slip on wet floors. Catherine Zeta Jones plays Amelia, the flighty (no pun intended) attracted-to-men-with-dra ma type whose primary job is a flight attendant and secondary job is mistress/love object. Does she love him, or does she not? While not exactly a commitment-phobe, she does exude the air of a truly unattainable woman.
In my opinion, Tom Hanks was able to fabricate a genuine-sounding Russian accent. I've had the pleasure to work with people from all over the world, and his accent sounded as genuine as the bonafide Russian and Ukrainian co-workers I've had. Kudos to him. In his dialog with another eastern European man, his expressions and demeanor were clearly not those of a Western man. However, since English is a language that's butchered by slang (listen to how I write when I'm not doing a movie review) constantly, and our nuances and expressions change from sarcastic to sweet sometimes faster than our brains can process, I highly doubt someone in Viktor's situation could have understood all of the comments his character portrayed to have understood. One of my favorite moments was the first breath of snowy, cool air that Viktor felt as he finally reached his destination. That moment seemed to have lasted an eternity for him; each snowflake must have fallen as if it had decades before touching the ground. It's more than obvious to see him feeling overwhelmed with this accomplishment.
Overall, this was a very interesting movie and I recommend it if you like Tom Hanks or your own family immigrated to the States.
After we saw the movie, we went to Edgefield Manor, a property now owned by McMennamin's. It sure was beautiful! Here's a picture:
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| Manzanita on Independence Day |
| 07.05.04 (8:07 am) [edit] |
Speaking of best-kept secrets ... did you know Manzanita (a small community in the Nehalem/Wheeler coastal area) had a 4th of July parade in its streets? I'm assuming it's an annual event because of how excited everyone was. Yesterday, Katie and I drove to Manzanita beach. As we entered onto Manzanita drive, we noticed all of these decorated cars and floats. There were tons of lawn chairs sprawled against the streets and eager kids running around. We ate at this place called the Malt Shop - since I am a little piggy, I got a 14" pesto pizza thinking 14" in their terms was actually 7" - oh no, they weren't jesting me. So I had plenty of left overs.
We walked to the beach and found refuge against the winds by some driftwood. The sun began to break through the crowds, and we eventually headed back to the city. By that time, the parade was going on and it was so cute! People in the cars/floats were throwing candy at the viewers ... who in turn threw candy back at the floats and little kids across the street. Yes, you bet I got some candy. This little kid was practically running towards me to make sure I didn't grab every piece that fell my way.
After Manzanita, we went to Cannon beach & got salt water taffy. The drive home was beautiful, of course. We listened to Gavin DeGraw (one of his song's is One Tree Hill's theme song) and yes, his CD is on my list of CD's to get this summer.
When I got home, only my dad was there. Everyone came home about an hour and a half later, and we watched everyone's fireworks. The dog was barking hysterically and Sammy ran away; I was trying to watch "Faking It" but kept getting interrupted. My dad ate some pizza and was like "Did you eat this on the beach?" and I said "Yes .... " and he remarked "Because there's a lot of sand in this thing" and I said "There should only be a little" and he said "There's a lot!" and then went back to the garage. I was like, oops.
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| Saturday Market - PDX's premier best-kept secret? |
| 07.05.04 (7:50 am) [edit] |
This has been the best 4th of July weekend so far. On Saturday, my good friend Katie and I went to Saturday Market. In case you haven't been there before, it's located under the Burnside bridge & beyond (the MAX will drop you off there). Think Telegraph Ave meets county fair minus the rides & petting zoo. It's almost like First Thursday in that many of the regular FT artists set up & display their work. Katie and I both got these cute little cloth wallets for $5 and I got Sammy a little scarf for $5 (which my mom quickly removed from him & hid). The food was great; I got Pad Thai and an elephant ear smothered in nutella - I felt so sick afterwards. Overall, I'd have to say that was the coolest thing I've ever seen in PDX. And to think of all the years I passed it up ...
Afterwards, we walked on the waterfront - well, about as close to the waterfront as we could - but the Blues Festival was going on, and we didn't have canned food. We then went to Pioneer place & saw the movie "Saved!", of which I have mixed emotions about. There were definitely some funny parts, but I was also a little offended at how they portrayed every single christian in that movie. It seems like the writer must have had some bad experiences or something, because overall it felt like they gave a disservice to christians. I love sattire but I'm pretty sensitive when it's my faith ... Oh well ...
We went to my all time favorite happy hour venue, the Pilsner Room! It is in one of the most prettiest places downtown and I love the $1.95 food. I also love being carded every time I ask for a Coke or Shirley Temple - I don't feel so old. Honestly, I know 24 isn't old - it just brings new meaning to the phrase "life is short".
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| Love & relationships |
| 07.03.04 (10:11 pm) [edit] |
Okay, I've been dying to blog about this because it's one of my favorite subjects:love and relationships! If you're one of my friends, chances are we've spent a great deal of time talking about our beliefs on love and our level of faith that God has that awesome guy/gal that He created just for us. I love to talk about love. I love counseling (and receiving it, too from) my friends when they're heartbroken or feeling lonely. Most importantly, I love to see people be honest with themselves and do the right thing (such as you Katie, I commend you, girl!).
Nicole asked me yesterday: Why can't people refrain from hooking up all the time? That is a very good question, Nicole. Even though we discussed it yesterday in the food court, I thought I'd do a blog on it.
I believe there are many reasons people stay or get into relationships that probably aren't the best thing for them (and these are just examples).
Many factors behind the human need for love stem from our most basic needs, such as safety and belongingness (think Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs)
1) To feel needed and wanted
2) To obtain and give affection
3) To feel secure
Many other reasons are rooted in one's perspective on the relationship, now that they have those basic needs met. Usually, these factors are intrinsic in nature and sometimes unbeknownst to the individual, are aiming towards self-actualization:
1) The other person completes/fills the voids in one's life
2) The other person makes him/her a better person
3) Love is an expression of gratefulness that isn't tied to security-issues, such as money and material things
Everything in life balances out. As human beings, our more primitive nature is constantly in battle with our spiritual side. You have to admit, pretty things are nice. You notice a beautiful person (beautiful in your own standard) before the other people in the room. And there is nothing wrong with that. However, the problem is when we stop thinking sensibly once the other person reciprocates interest in us. No matter how cute or funny or whatever adjective you'd like to coin that person, you really have to know yourself and what you want before getting involved. Too many of us fall victim to those "safety" and "belonging" needs. It's hard to admit, but think of how many people stay with someone who yes, is absolutely gorgeous, but is untrustworthy, has different goals and wants in life? I hate seeing my friends get hurt by someone they thought was such a catch. But I can't stand it even more when they keep making the same mistake. At some point, we have to really ask ourselves what we want. Some people prefer playing the field and have no intention on settling down. Some folks want something deeper and more meaningful - something that has a purpose to its existence. If that's the case, then a thoughtful inventory of one's intrinsic needs should be taken into account. How does one start there?
Reflect on all the things you love to do; think about your life goal; think about your best attributes and the ones you're improving on. What is your opinion on raising kids? How do you like to tackle a problem? Are you the type who likes to talk things out, or do you keep to yourself and solve the problem on your own? These are important things that matter to you and make you who you are. If you know what matters to you, and if you are ready to settle down with someone, then the presence (or lack of) these factors will be good indicators of someone who is truly compatible with you.
Sometimes, we have to deny those safety/security/attention needs because they oftentime don't lead anywhere. Our safety, security and attention needs ideally are satisfied by God, no matter the size. So I guess to answer Nicole's question, until that premise can be accepted, folks will always seek/stay in relationships for the purpose of finding safety/security/attention .
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| Another great day with Nicole |
| 07.03.04 (9:03 pm) [edit] |
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Yesterday I saw my good friend Nicole. Normally whenever I visit her, we either hang out at her place or go shopping, eat out or sometimes see a movie. Anyway, I always have such a nice time seeing her because she's just a very encouraging and wonderful person. Last week, I was thinking a lot about my future, and the person who's going to be in that future for the rest of my life. I prayed about it, and I kept getting that I really need to make sure God completes me instead of someone else. If I can't be content with only God, then I'll never be content with someone else since that's such a huge part of my life. So anyway, I wrote this letter - basically, a love letter from God to myself - to remind me that I already have Someone who loves me so much. I thought about Nicole because she's in a similar stage in her life, so I changed the name and a couple other minor details and was amazed at how similar we are. Just the type of struggles we've had and what we love to do. It was so interesting that I had to email her ... By the way, if you are reading this Nicole, I changed your name for your privacy. =) Love ya!
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