That’s It

It is officially June 30th and it has been 30 days of complete bloggery from me…and now, I’m done. Wahoo. I know, I know, I can tell you all are completely thrilled. Try to hide your excitement a little better next time, guys. Shesh.

Yes, I understand that it has only been a 30-day exercise, but you have to admit, it has felt a lot longer than that. Haha…maybe that could just be me. Don’t get me wrong, I like blogging, but this blogging everyday business has just been a little too much for me…especially on the weekends. I run out of things to blog about and feel like I have to force something…which I hate doing. So this exercise has been kinda exhausting for me. But, at least, now I can say that I did it and I made it through.

Speaking of making it through, we all have a long holiday weekend coming up. Wahoo. No one can be more excited for the upcoming weekend than me. I can hardly wait. I don’t know why it has seemed like forever since I’ve had a vacation, but having some time away will do me good. I’m clocking out midday on Thursday and plan to stay as far away from work, my computer, my blackberry, and any stressful and stupid people (haha) until Tuesday, at the very earliest. I will be rolling my ass out of town and enjoying some time away from the area for a couple of days. It should be fun. I’m excited.

Peace out.

No More Workout Breaks

With my crazy busy schedule last week, I didn’t have a chance to fit in any time for a workout (none at all)…and I’m paying for it now. I hit the gym yesterday and, shamefully, had to cut my workout in half because I was totally feeling the burn. And, yes, I truly enjoyed having to endure all the heckling that comes with shortening my workout (thanks, guys). Anyway, my core muscles were burning and I just couldn’t take anymore…and today those same muscles are really tight and pretty sore. Sure, it’s a good sore feeling, but still...this just after a week of being away from my regular workout routine is definitely not a good sign.

I’m certainly a routine based person…and when something throws off my routine, I take notice and it pulls me off track and throws everything off. Traveling out of town last minute and being crazy busy at work definitely counts as one of those times. But in this case, I don’t know what I could have done. I mean, I definitely wasn’t planning on being out of town last week or pulling some crazy long hours…but still, I would like to think that if it had been planned, I would’ve been able to schedule in some extra personal time to take care of stuff like that. But let that be a note to self for next time.

Anyway, I have to get myself back on track and work my ass off extra hard during the next couple of weeks. Not to say that my schedule will easily allow that since I’m going to be out of town a little bit here and there…but, I guess, now would be as good as time as any to work on scheduling that personal “me” time that I’ve been talking about.

TV

Last Christmas I spent the holiday with my family at my cousin’s house. My brother, cousin and I sat around, talked and watched some tv. Well, we ended up watching “Silent Library” and “Keeping Up With The Kardashians.” I’m sure you’ve all heard of them, right? OMG…they were pretty funny.

Since then, I’ve only caught a few episodes…at my parents’ house and occasionally at a friend’s place. And holy crap, I couldn’t help but laugh my ass off at some of the stuff they had to go through on “Silent Library” and the stupid shit that they show on “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”...it really is the dumbest stuff on tv.

But along those lines…and on a random side note, my parents recently just got DirecTV. Haha…so I tried to spend this past weekend enjoying the plethora of channels and entertainment that DirecTV is suppose to provide. The key word is…tried. I spent part of the weekend channel surfing and watching as much tv as I possibly could…and I just couldn’t do it. There wasn’t anything of interest on that could hold my attention for more than half an hour. Let me ask you this, how can anyone sit in front of the tv all day long? It baffles me. The shows are just a pointless waste of time. Don’t you just feel your brain rotting away?

Yeah, to tell you the truth, I just don’t think I have the patience for it all.

Fighting Temptation

I have my reasons for not being on Facebook. However, everyone and their mother is on Facebook. And I've never been bothered or more tempted to join Facebook...until now.

Let me lay out the short story for you. Girl is with boy. Girl is not on Facebook. Boy is on Facebook. Boy and his friends make comments about boy's wall on Facebook. Girl is curious (and, to be honest, somewhat jealous) of boy on Facebook. Girl fights temptation to join Facebook to look at boy's wall and friends. Boy reassures girl that his Facebook profile/friends/posts are nothing to be worried about. Girl is at a decision impasse...

I never thought I'd ever be one of those crazy jealous girls who would actually give a second thought about anything that is on Facebook…or anything juvenile like that. I never have before. And you know what? I hate that it's getting to me. I hate that I'm letting it get to me. And I hate that I'm even toying with the idea of even joining Facebook to check up on a dude. Because hello?!?! I never, ever, want to do anything just for a guy. You all have my permission to beat the shit out of me if that ever happens. Seriously, beat me to a pulp.

I mean, I want to trust him...and I do trust him. But it doesn't keep me from being curious...and (hey, as hard as it is, I admit it) jealous. As some of you have told me, joining Facebook would allow me to join the land of the living (yes, I know) and put my fears about him to rest. But on the other hand, is that really the best thing to do? Joining would be giving into an insecurity...giving into something that I've held out for for so long...and I wouldn't be joining for me...but because of him. How horrible would that be? I know, I know…you don’t have to give me that look.

So...I'm holding out and fighting the temptation. I'm having faith and I'm gonna trust. Even if it does kill me.

Annoying Habits

I’ve come to the conclusion that there are some annoying habits that really seem to get on my nerves…so I figure I better just vent here so I don’t completely blow a gasket and rip someone’s head off. Man, see how useful my blog is…provides me with an outlet to go nuts…without causing injury to stupid people around the world.

Excessive Talking - Why do people fall into the trap of droning incessant chatter? Because there are people in this world who will talk and talk and talk and then never stop. Why do people do that? If you have something to say, fine, then say it. And better yet, say what you have to say and then let someone else talk. Other than that, silence can be golden. Because, sometimes, there is just no reason to talk...and that’s perfectly ok. But when you open your mouth and just talk for the sake of talking…don’t be surprised if people start rolling their eyes at you and nod along just to get you to shut your mouth. Trust me, if you've been talking for more than five minutes straight, what you have to say is no longer interesting.

Passive Aggression - There’s no reason to ever be passive aggressive. Over the years, you just realize that it’s much easier to just say what you want to say…and be done with it. Say what’s on your mind. If you have something to say (or, in this case, ask)…just spit it out. Don’t beat around the bush or hint at what you want…just say it, get it out into the open and leave it up for discussion. What do you have to be afraid of? It saves a lot of time and just makes things easier to deal with. I don't know what the big deal is. I hate having to try to infer or put together the puzzle to figure out what you're really talking (or asking) about. It's a waste of my time and energy. So if you have something to say, just say it.

Indecisiveness - There is nothing more annoying than someone who can’t make a freakin’ decision. Ugh. It’s really not that hard. It doesn’t even need to be the right decision…it just needs to be a decision. I mean, I know there are times when you really don’t care and/or have a preference about things. But when a decision has to be made….and that responsibility is placed on you…make a goddamn decision already. Indecisiveness benefits no one.

Fake People - Don't be fake. Fake people are the worst. They are people who have no shame. They tell you what you want to hear and can look you in the eye and let a lie roll off their tongue without a second thought. Trust me, there is no good that can come from being around a fake person. I’d rather be known for being blunt and honest versus being fake. And I know that to some people…that’s called being a bitch...and you know what...if that means not being fake, then I’m all for it.

Hmm…ok that’s it…I do feel better.

Fruits

Yes, I've been known to eat bananas, apples, mangoes and grapes on occasion, but, to tell you the truth, I've really been anxiously awaiting prime fruit season...all my favorites are about to get ripe and ready for harvesting. I can hardly wait.

Strawberries - Yummy. Minus having to deal with eating around the stem, they're sweet and delicious and great to share on a summer’s day. I don't understand why anyone would cut them up and toss them with sugar, it seems like just a waste to me…but I guess, there’s no accounting for taste, huh? Anyway, strawberries are pretty awesome.

Kiwis - Not a very popular fruit among my friends, but kiwis are very tasty. I wasn’t a huge kiwi fan when I first tried it…but it grew on me. After you get used to it looking a little strange and tasting a little funny, it’s actually very good. And I always think it’s kinda weird the way my tongue feels after I eat a kiwi…kinda fuzzy and numb…or is that just me?

Apricots - Who doesn't love apricots? Sure, some of them could be a little on the fuzzy side…but that’s nothing. They’re easy to eat on the go and always very good. I got my first apricot of the season from the farmers’ market, but to tell you the truth, I wasn’t all that impressed, so I may have to wait a little longer to enjoy the apricots. But I do love apricots.

Watermelons - I love watermelon. I know you all complain about eating watermelons with seeds because it can be a little problematic…but that’s literally half the fun. What’s the fun of eating a watermelon without seeds? Speaking of that, the best excuse to get a watermelon is for a big gathering...that way, you have someone to spit the seeds at. Hehe. So for all those upcoming picnics, don't forget the watermelons.

White Peaches – Man, I’m drooling just thinking about ‘em. White peaches are my absolute favorite…not regular peaches, but white peaches. I’d love a crunchy white peach right about now. They are so good...the best summer fruit around. Maybe I like them so much because I don’t eat them that often. Who knows? But I do love white peaches.

Man, it's too early in the morning for me to be this hungry.

Port Tour

I enjoyed a tour of the Port of LA yesterday and took a ton of pictures. I included a couple pics below and will post the rest of them up on my photo page next week.

It’s really amazing to see a port up close and personal. I mean, almost everything you buy in a store makes its way through the port...and it's really not something you think too much about. But when you get to the port and look around, it really is quite breathtaking to see how big everything is. I mean, the containers are ginormous and the boats are absolutely huge. Plus, when I was on the boat and got close enough to see the cranes actually move to lift the containers off the boat, man, it's nuts. I mean, those things really are huge.

Like I said yesterday, I'm a dork because I think it's pretty cool.

The Port of LA.

Cargo.

Moving cargo.

Diamond Bar

I'm in lovely Diamond Bar, California for the next couple of days. Have you ever heard of it? Do you even know where it is? Don't lie. It's ok. I didn't know where it was either until I looked it up. Diamond Bar is roughly 30 - 45 minutes (depending on traffic) outside of LA and the closest big city to Diamond Bar is...Pomona, CA. I know, you're all jumping on the next available flight out here to come check it out. Haha. But you know what? I flew out of Oakland Airport and it was a direct flight to Ontario, CA (about 15 minutes from Diamond Bar), and only about an hour and a half flight. And hey, it’s not too hard to get to LA from here. Not bad, I must say.

The weather down here is absolutely gorgeous. It’s in the high 70s and very nice and pleasant. Sadly, I don’t think I’m going to be able to take advantage of the nice weather and be able to do anything cool and exciting (since I’m here for work). But hey, it beats being in a place with nasty weather, right?

Anyway, Diamond Bar is the mecca of all air districts in California...well, you know, since there are only a few big dogs in the air quality realm of things...the Bay Area being one of them and South Coast being the other. South Coast is headquartered in wonderful Diamond Bar...so here I am. I'm giving a presentation on Thursday and gotta get my game face on. But that's tomorrow. As for today, I'm super excited. After a, somewhat, long day of meetings and conferences, I'm going to be able to get myself on a boat and get a tour of the Port of LA. Wahoo. I'm a dork. I think that's pretty cool and I'm super excited. And if I'm allowed, I'm going to be taking a butt load of pictures. Double wahoo.

Well this post is a little slim…but I’m a little cut for time today.

Spontaneity

As anyone will tell you, I’m not really known for being all that spontaneous. It’s true, you can ask anyone. It really is no secret that I like to be prepared for things and I like to have things planned out. I can seriously spend hours planning something if I have to…if for no other reason than to just make sure that I’m prepared. But expect me to fly by the seat of my pants with no time to plan…and I start to spazz out. Sure, I can do it…but I just don’t like to. But hey, I’m working on rolling with the punches and trying to be a good sport about everything. Case in point…the rest of my week.

My week was turned completely upside in the span of an hour. I was thrown a curveball late yesterday afternoon and now find myself headed to LA for the rest of the week. Yeah, I know, I planned a trip and am picking up and getting ready to leave with less than 18 hours notice…not bad, right? Aren’t you proud of me? I mean, I have a shitload of work that I still have to plow through and a bunch of personal commitments that I’m going to have to reschedule…but who says I can’t be flexible and accommodating, damnit. How I was able to do all that without having a complete mental breakdown is beyond me.

So for all you fools who say that I need to work on being more spontaneous…you can all suck it right about now.

Mentoring

Who, in their right mind, would make me a mentor? Haha. Yeah, I know, right? Me?!?! In charge of molding young minds and shaping our future…who would’ve ever thought possible. But, alas, it’s true. Run, kids…run for your lives!

I’ve got a couple of kids, from various age brackets, who I will be “mentoring” this summer (I put that in quotes only because I think this will be a very interesting time for me and them). Beware kids…Kristina is ready for you. Haha. OK, seriously, I’ve worked with (and have been around) plenty of kids in my day…so that part doesn’t bother me. It’s the mentoring part that makes me scoff. Yeah, I totally laugh out loud at the mere concept of it all.

But I’ve recently met the kids assigned to me and, thankfully, they all seem perfectly normal. They’re annoying, but very entertaining. And they’re kids, but in a grown-up kinda way. Oh, but the thing that I am really happy about is that I seemed to click with all of them right away. Now, I know that this doesn't say too much for how the entire summer will go, but I've already met with each of them about three times and things are going pretty well. I mean, I guess, as well as can be expected, right? And to be honest, I was mildly worried about various things when I signed on to do this project, but so far...I can't complain. Anyway, about the actual kids, the youngest kid I have is in third grade and he's 8. He's a little cutie pie with the cutest little dimples I’ve ever seen. Absolutely adorable. The oldest kid is a junior in high school and she's 17. Haha. Yeah, she's gonna be my problem child this summer. I can feel it already. Not only is she a teenager, but she's a total girly-girl...my absolute favorite, right? :-/ I have two other kids (one in middle school and one in the early stages of high school) that I have to make time for, so I will definitely have my hands full keeping them all busy.

As for me, this is definitely going to be a learning and growing process for me. The biggest, most pressing problem, is that I have quite the...um, shall we say, dirty mouth...so I am definitely going to have to work on keeping that under control. Secondly, I was recently told that kids appreciate my “honest and blunt” approach. Haha…um…yeah, ok sure...whatever you say. But along those lines, I’m probably going to have a hard time catching myself...so my “honest and blunt” approach doesn’t get out of hand in front of these impressionable young minds. Yeah, good luck with all that, right? Oh, what fun lies ahead of me.

Anyway, I don't know how much of this I'm actually going to be blogging about over the next couple months...you know, these tiny little terrors might very well kick the crap out of me...but I am just throwing this out there right now for your enjoyment (I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories to share with most of you...just not in writing). But it should definitely make for a very interesting summer.

Gifts For Parents

Yes, today is Father's Day. What did I get my dad, you ask? Well, I gave him the best present of all, of course. My company! What can be better than that? Haha. Don't answer that.

You know, as I get older...getting gifts for my parents gets harder and harder. I mean, as a kid, I used to be able to get away with scribbling with some crayons and it was considered cute and a great gift. Now...psh, yeah right. I tried that last year and it didn't work. Hehe. Just kidding, of course. But seriously, gifts for my parents? Forget about it. My parents are the hardest people to shop for. Based on my experience, gift giving to parents can be broken down into four categories.

First, as a kid, I remember going through the "school-made parent gifts" phase. I would go to school, all the materials would be provided for me, and basically, all I had to do was write 'I Love You' and color, cut, and glue stuff together. Those were always the best. I would bring it home, give it to my parents and then find it stuck to the 'fridge. Those were the days when I couldn't give a bad gift. And, apparently, since my artistic talents as a child were on par to what the expectations actually were...that was always nice.

And then I remember the "I'll come to the mall with you" phase. I would go shopping with one of my parents to pick out something for the other one. That was always fun. I mean, I didn't know how good I had it back then...getting to pick out a gift that I didn't have to pay for. Haha. You can't argue with that, right? I can't tell you how many times I wish I could go back to those days. Wishful thinking on my part, I know.

Then I moved into the "save as much as I can for a useless piece of crap" phase. I remember saving 'a lot' of money to finally have the opportunity to go out shopping and buy something that I really thought was a great gift. I would get dropped off at the mall with some friends, wander around to find a gift, and go through the trouble of hiding it from my parents...only to look back on it now and know that it really was a useless piece of crap. Yeah, that's the phase when you learn that it really is the thought that counts. Haha.

Finally, there's the "try to figure out what they really want" phase. Shopping for parents, specifically my parents, is so freakin' frustrating. Now that I actually have the money for a good gift, my parents say they don't want anything...and I don't know if that's always necessairly true. I mean, of course, I always hunt for the perfect Hallmark card for them...but aside from that...they don't want anything else. What's up with that? Ugh.

Anyway, gifts for parents...never an easy task.

Toy Story 3

There was no question about whether I was going to see Toy Story 3, it was just a matter of when I was going to see Toy Story 3. And I did end up seeing it in 3D yesterday and, I gotta say, I absolutely love that movie. Absolutely loved it. I would pay to see it again...in 3D...and for full price...because I thought it was just that good. I mean, I really don't think I can say anything bad about Toy Story 3. I love the Toy Story franchise...and I just love Pixar. So I guess, for me, I shouldn't have expected anything short of perfection and I'm glad that I wasn't disappointed.

The movie was super cute and a perfect ending to the Toy Story trilogy. All my favorite toys from the previous movies made their appearance and all had to face off against an evil stuffed teddy bear...and an even bigger terror known as...day care kids...haha. The movie provided plenty of laughs, a variety of action packed sequences, and very effective tug-at-your-heart moments. Towards the end of the movie, I almost found myself in tears (I said, almost, damnit). The movie dealt with...I would say two big topics...separation/moving on and a fear of facing the unknown. Two topics that anyone can relate to. But, I think, the movie was done so well...that it just made it relatable on every level. I don’t think it could have been done any better.

On a side note, for as many goddamn kids that packed the theater yesterday, it was amazingly quiet during the movie. And I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. There is always something to be said about good parenting skills and teaching your kids the proper etiquette when being out in public. It was quite refreshing and much appreciated. That's always the downside of watching a G rated movie...I have no excuse to beat the crap out of some loud mouth kid...they're allowed to be in the theater. Haha.

Anyway, Toy Story 3 gets two thumbs up from me and I will anxiously wait for it on DVD.

Problems

I'm full of problems today. I'm itching and I'm sore.

Let's start with the itching. My sunburn is finally starting to peel...and you know what that means...it means that now I’m in the itching phase. And, boy, does it itch. It's the most uncomfortable feeling. I have to keep myself from scratching...something I've never been good at. Although, it really wouldn't be as uncomfortable if I hadn't gotten sunburned so bad...but hey, it's too late for that, right? :-/ The burns stretch along the top of my arms and the top of my thighs. My arms look a little darker now...a real nasty farmer’s tan if you ask me. But my legs...oh man, it's broken up into literally two sections...red and white. Haha. It's terrible. Hopefully, all the aloe I’ve been using will help with that.

Moving right along...in addition to the itching...I'm also quite sore right now. I'm sure you assume that I'm sore because I've been hitting the gym. And as much as I wish that to be the case...nope, that's not it. I spent most of yesterday lifting, moving, and carrying a bunch of heavy boxes up and down a flight of stairs and now I'm totally feeling the burn. And before you give me that look, I know how to lift heavy things...you lift with your legs. Well, carry heavy boxes up a flight of stairs a million times and, trust me, your legs will start to hurt too. My muscles are really tight and feel like they are on the verge of cramping up every time I move. It’s horrible. I’ve turned to my friend, Mr. Bengay, to get me through the pain.

Well, there you have it. That’s what I have to deal with today…itchiness from my sunburn, sore muscles from multiple heavy boxes, and nasty smells from the aloe and Bengay combination all over my body (trust me, it’s absolutely lovely). Good thing today is Friday.

Road Rage

I have some venting to do. With all the driving that I've been doing lately, I've come to the realization that there are some people on the road who really shouldn't be allowed to drive. As most of you know, one of my biggest pet peeves (I know, I have a lot of them) are people who can't drive. And I don't mean people who don't have a license (at least those people stay off the roads and out of my way), but I mean those people who have a driver's license but really don't know how to drive and shouldn't be allowed near a car. You all know the type of people I'm talking about. So I'm going to provide some helpful tips when taking to the road.

Let's just start off with merging onto the freeway. It's not that hard, people. When you merge onto the freeway, you have to speed up. You can't continue to drive freakin' 30 mph when people on the freeway are going, at least, 65 mph. So speed the fuck up. I was stuck behind this car that was literally going (and I kid you not) 35 mph on a freeway on-ramp. 35 mph!!! Not only did this dude almost cause a multi-vehicle accident, but I almost had a freakin' aneurysm because there was no where for me to go. I mean, I drive faster than 35 mph on city streets much less on the freeway. Ugh. Sir, you just got passed by my grandma and her walker...that means you need to stay off the roads.

Changing lanes is another big one. There are so many issues when it comes to changing lanes. It's like an art form really. It takes a special skill...that apparently not a lot of people have. So let's start with the basics. There is a reason why turn signals come with the cars, people. Use them. When you want to change lanes, use your freakin' signals to let me know you're going to be invading my lane. And once you get into my lane...you need to not slow down. Do not, under any circumstances, move into my lane and then proceed to slow down. Doing that will likely cause me to curse very loudly and shake my fist at you. I was driving along with the flow of traffic and this old man moves his car right in front of mine and then slows his ass down. Are you freakin' kidding me? Hey Old Man, you do that again and you’re going to be missing a bumper.

OK, I’m saving the best for last. The big one…and I do mean the big no no…is when you're in the far left lane and you are that idiot who’s going super slow. There is nothing more annoying than being behind someone in the fast lane who doesn't understand the concept of driving fast in the fast lane. People, if you're going to abide by the speed limit, that's great...just don't do it in the far left lane. The far left lane is for people who want to go faster than 65 mph (well, just a little faster than 65, Officer). So just move your little car over to any of the other number of lanes available and let people pass you. I was behind this lady who was going exactly 65 mph in the far left lane. Seriously, I trailed her for a couple miles just to see if she'd move over (fyi, if you have someone sitting on your bumper and you're going 65 mph in the fast lane, you should move your ass over), and she was going exactly 65 mph the whole freakin’ time. Umm...Mom, what did I tell you about driving in the fast lane? You drive too slow to be in the fast lane!

Ugh. But, phew, that's it. I think I covered everything that I wanted to. So if I happen to run into you on the road and you break any of the above rules...I will not be responsible for my actions. Consider yourself warned.

OK, I'm done for now.

Trainer

For the past couple weeks, I've been meeting with a personal trainer at the gym. As most of you know, I am dead serious about getting myself into tip-top shape…and have been working pretty hard to get myself there. And, yes, I have been working out on my own and with the help (and company) of you all, but I figure it wouldn’t hurt to get in some extra workouts with a trainer as well.

Anyway, during our initial meeting a few weeks ago, I was asked what my physical goals were and I said that I wanted to get myself toned. Cardio, sure, of course…but my main focus right now is toning. Sounds fair, right? I mean, I want to leave the gym, each and every session, soaking in sweat and physically sore from a hardcore workout. I want to wake up in the morning too sore to move...that's when I know that I've really been working myself out. I want to feel the burn, damnit. Well, you know what? My trainer sucks. Seriously, all the exercises that I'm given...are just not cutting it for me and I blow through them with no problem. I do them in half the time it takes, I don’t even break a sweat, and my muscles aren’t even close to being sore...and hello…I have to demand more...heavier weights and more repetitions. I mean, seriously, at the rate I’m going…I sweat more sitting at my desk in front of my computer chatting online than I do working out with my trainer. And after my training sessions, I stay later just to push myself harder so I start to feel the burn. I shouldn't have to do that, dude. Shit. What's up with that? Hello...I'm not feeling the burn over here!

It's so frustrating. I mean, granted, I have been hitting the gym and working out far more than I have before, but still...push me, damnit. I am one of those people who really wants a drill sergeant for a trainer…seriously, I do. I want someone who is going to yell at me, piss me off and force me to do better. There’s nothing I like more than a challenge...but what does my trainer do? I get praised for doing nothing. And I’m totally not kidding…I sit on a stability ball and do a series of sit ups and I get praised for not even breaking a sweat…ugh. Don’t praise me and blow smoke up my ass! Are you kidding me? I can do this in my sleep. My trainer says that I’m a trainers’ dream come true…but hello…what about me? I could use some help over here. My muscles aren't going to tone themselves, man. And it seems like my trainer is more interested in chatting it up and talking than helping me tone…what the hell? Don’t waste my time. I’m not here to chat and talk and be best friends with you…I want to work my ass off, damnit.

So if there is anyone out there who hears my plea…I am in need of a super hard core workout buddy…because my trainer is about to be replaced.

Halfway

I’m halfway through the month and I’m glad to report that I have managed to blog everyday…and, better yet, I haven’t put up any cop-out posts either. I know that some of you have suggested that I could just throw up an interesting link or some random quote/picture of the day (and trust me, that has crossed my mind and I was extremely tempted)…but that would defeat the whole purpose of this month’s exercise for me. I want this month to have a good collection of posts…and know that I have put thought and effort into writing about things that have happened, things that I’ve been thinking about, or random things that I just wanted to share. But, trust me, this process definitely hasn’t been easy for me but I’m determined to do it…if for no other reason than to say that I can.

Like I said before, you people who maintain daily blogs…you all get a big high five from me. It’s tough work. Granted, I’m still not sure that anything that I’ve blogged about these past couple weeks could be classified as interesting to you all (is it?...anyone still out there?)…but damn, it’s definitely hard to come up with something to talk about in a blog every single day. It begs the question as to whether I’m going to even try to maintain this pace after this month’s end. For me, the hardest has been the weekends. I typically try to stay away from my computer as much as possible on the weekends and have had a long standing rule not to blog on weekends…so that has been particularly hard for me to summon energy for. Being able to go back and post two or three times a week…sounds wonderful. But…eh…I haven’t decided yet.

So, anyway, I’ve hit the halfway point and hope that I have enough topics left in me to make it to the end. To my faithful and loyal readers, if you’re still out there...hahaha… what can I say? I’m trying.

Monday Already

Didn’t I tell you Monday was going to be here too soon? Yeah, I did. And here I am, first thing Monday morning, wondering where my weekend went. With an extremely busy week at work ahead of me...I'm already counting down the days to the weekend.

I’m glad to report that I got a chance to work on my tan this past weekend…only to get burned instead (I would include a picture, but it's definitely not pretty). Yeah, I know, there’s no happy medium with me. Haha. Anyway, I was baking at the Giants game yesterday (because it really was an absolutely gorgeous day). But more importantly than the beautiful weather, I am more proud to say that I got myself a bobblehead. Yesterday was a giveaway day at the Giants game. And yeah, it's Lucy, my favorite Peanuts character, all decked out in Giants gear. I sure got there early enough to get one. I mean, the game started at 1 pm, the gates opened at 11 am...and I got there about 9 am. Haha. No joke. If any of you have ever seen the madness that surrounds any of the Giants big giveaways...you'd understand. But hey, I didn't want to leave things to chance and not get a bobblehead. Trust me, there would've been no wrath worse than having to face me if I didn't get a bobblehead. ;-) But it wasn’t too bad getting to hang out and talk for FOUR hours before the game actually started…haha. Yeah, I know, I know...what can I say?

Well anyway, here’s to a good week.

My bobblehead.

Isn't it cool?

Oooh nachos.

I don't care if you are singing the National Anthem, pink does not belong in baseball.

Me and Alvira enjoying the game.

Shopping

I hate shopping. More specifically, I hate shopping for clothes. Well, it turns out that apparently, since I've been working out so often these last few weeks, my favorite pants (yes, that’s right, my absolute favorite pants) don't fit me anymore. They’re just too loose on me. Damnit. I keep thinking that I'm going to bulk up enough to fit back into those pants...but I just can’t seem to put that much muscle on me (and not to say that I want to…I want to tone, but not gain mass muscle). But, either way, it's not looking so good. So what does that mean? That means that I have to find my way to the mall and buy more clothes. Lovely...

There is nothing I hate more than having to shop for clothes for myself. I have no patience when it comes to shopping for clothes. And hey, don’t get me wrong, I can go with the girls to the mall to hang out and shop, but let’s be honest, I’m not really looking for anything in particular and it’s more about the company than anything else…and I have no problem with that. But it’s when I actually need to go shopping to find something that I actually hate shopping. Haha. Because, seriously, whenever I go shopping…that’s when everyone and their mother seems to be out and about trying to annoy the hell out of me. Yeah, it’s the worst. And how do you expect me to have the patience to shop when I have to deal with stupid people? You all know how much I hate stupid people.

Anyway, I don’t know when I’m going to find the time to hit the mall and do some shopping (because I can’t say that I’m all that excited)…but ugh, it’s gotta be soon.

Nice Weather

The weather is going to be absolutely gorgeous this weekend and I can't wait to take advantage of it. I'm so excited. I can finally bring out all my summer clothes and start working on my tan. And not a moment too soon if you’ve seen how white I am. Haha. ;-)

This week I was so busy…but in a good way. It was a combination of me having a lot to do plus trying to do too much on top of that...it left me feeling crazy...but very productive. Haha...if that makes any sense at all. And not to say that I'm going to have that much time to really relax this weekend (I'm getting tired just thinking about it...ugh), but I’m gonna try. You know, I think I just need to have every Friday off...these 2-day weekends are just not long enough for me. Hehe. But still, whatever, I’m excited.

Anyway, you caught me on a good day today. I must say, I'm feeling pretty good about everything in general. Things have been nice and life has been treating me pretty well. And, like I said, despite being super busy and feeling kinda frazzled last week, it was actually a good week for me. I pounded shit out at work (yup, I rocked it last week), I've been very good about seeing all my people (yeah, I don't want to hear any of you complain about not seeing me), and I've made time to hit the gym and keep up with my workouts (yeah, I’ve been working my body into shape). So yeah...things are going really well for me these days and I’ve been really happy. So...I can’t really complain...

Well, I don’t know why I’m wasting time talking right now…I gotta enjoy my weekend and you all should do the same.

Need To Clean

Today is cleaning day in my cube. It’s a good way to end the week and get my desk ready for a brand new work week, don’t you think? And, trust me, nothing is in need of a good cleaning more than my cube right now. I’ve been so busy this week that I’ve been neglecting my day to day tasks of just keeping my work space clutter-free. And I can’t stand clutter…it makes me crazy. I’ve got piles of papers on my desk, boxes stacked up in my cube and just crap everywhere. And I’ve been surrounded by it all week…I just can’t take it anymore.

I’m going to spend most of today cleaning my desk, organizing my papers and files, and just getting rid of all the crap that I don’t need. It’ll be nice to actually see my desk again…I know it’s under there somewhere. And by the time I see it, I’m sure I’m going to need to dust and polish it too. Haha. Seriously, it really has felt like I’ve been minding my own business and working through this week and looked up one day and saw all this stuff around me.

And on top of that, I also need to spend some time going through my many email boxes and purging some of those as well. I need to keep things sorted to make sure I don’t get surrounded by virtual clutter either…that makes me crazy too. My inbox has to be clean and clutter free...and that’s another thing that I’ve been neglecting this past week. I have so much cleaning to do today…where do I even start? I mean, how did I let things get this bad? Ugh.

Well, one thing at a time…pass the Lysol and wish me luck.

2010 World Cup

The World Cup starts tomorrow and I have been frantically working to complete my bracket. Filling it out has been a pain in the ass…since it is a round robin tournament and I have to place the teams myself…it has taken me a lot longer than I thought it would. Plus, I've been toying with it for so long that I think it's about time that I just make a decision and put everything down in writing.

To tell you the truth, I've never been a huge soccer fan (despite playing it for as long as I can remember as a kid and all through high school…), not to say that I dislike it, but it's just hard for me to get into watching soccer. But, hey, you go abroad and soccer is freakin' everywhere.

Anyway, as you can tell from my bracket, I don't have the US doing all that well...haha. Despite wanting to have some pride for the US soccer team, I really don't think they're going to even make it to the second round. But hey, if they do (and/or if there is some other Cinderella story that should happen), I'll gladly eat crow and have my bracket go up in flames. But other than that, I am playing it extremely conservatively… since the Cup has never been played on African soil, some of the field conditions are supposedly quite questionable, and there are a number of key injuries already being reported. I went with the traditional big dogs and hope that there won't be too many upsets. So…we’ll see how well I do.

Amendment

So after my conversation about deal breakers a couple nights ago (see previous post for my partial list), you know what his response was...? And I quote, "Well 4 out of 5 ain't bad..." Hahaha. Are you serious? Hello Dumbass, wait just one second, I wasn't aware this was a negotiation...hahaha...because it's not a negotiation on your part, that's for sure.

Anyway, after a looong discussion...it led to another looong conversation about additional deal breakers that I apparently left off my list…so consider this an amendment to my previous post:

1. Punctuality – Being on time is huge for me. If the dude can’t be on time…I can’t be with him.

2. Together Time – We need to have plenty of together time. I like together time. He needs to make time for me.

3. Sports – He’s gotta like it…we don’t necessarily need to share the love for the same teams (sometimes it’s more fun if we don’t)…but he’s gotta love the game.

4. Travel – He’s gotta love to travel and explore new places. I’m always in the market for a travel buddy.

5. Smoking – I would die alone before ever dating anyone who smoked. Period. End of story.

OK…I think I’m done with my list of deal breakers for awhile. Another topic please…

Deal Breakers

Last night, I was talking to this dude and we got to talking about our deal breakers. Now, we all have deal breakers when it comes to relationships, but I haven’t really thought about mine in awhile. Sure, when dating, there are red flags that can raise your suspicions, but deal breakers are on a whole ‘nother level. So, as a little mental exercise for myself, I thought I’d put (in writing) what some of my most important deal breakers are right now.

1. Baggage – In this point in my life, I can’t deal with a guy who has a lot of baggage. I mean, I have stress and emotional baggage as much as the next person…but I’m talking about serious baggage…prison record, disease(s), a crazy ex-wife, kid(s), etc. It’s all just too much for me to handle. Sure, people say that if you really love someone you can overlook certain things…and you know what? That may be true. But there is only so long that you can overlook a kid…pretty soon they grow up and wind up straight in your line of vision. Ha! Get it? Overlook…grow up…? OK…moving right along.

2. Education – A 4-year college education. College is important and a must-have in this world now. I can’t be with someone who doesn’t, at least, have that foundation to stand on. I once dated a guy who told me he went to Devry University…but he assured me that he received the same education that I did at Cal…and then proceeded to talk nonstop about how the future of the United States government would be run once the checks and balances system is eliminated…um…ok…I don’t remember learning that at Cal in any of my political science classes…but, hey, maybe I missed a day.

3. Financial Stability – Yes, this means having a real job...and I don't mean working at the mall, restaurant or street corner. I mean, a grown-up job. Yes, I know, I'm being picky...but hey, I'm just being honest. Also, I’m not in debt and he shouldn’t be either. Well, ok, let me rephrase that, he shouldn’t have "bad" debt. There is such a thing as "good" debt vs. "bad" debt. The "good" debt doesn’t bother me too much, you know…the dude still has car payments, mortgage payments, student loans…all that kinda “good” stuff that he’s still trying to pay off (and is working to pay off). But I guess I’m talking more about the credit card debt that is constantly mounting due to poor spending habits and decisions. If a dude is swimming in debt, but still insists on surrounding himself with brand names…that’s a problem in my book. I have great credit history, I know how to save money, and I spend my money wisely…someone who can’t relate to that and/or doesn’t practice that…is definitely not a good fit for me. Being able to live happily within your means is an essential skill to have.

4. Passion/Drive/Attitude – He’s gotta have that competitive edge and drive…in a game and in life. This one might not be so easy to spot right off the bat…but it is pretty important. I need to be with someone who understands my competitive spirit and shares the desire to push to be…better. Does that make any sense? I need to be with someone who I can grow with, someone who can push me to be a better person, someone who doesn’t settle for things just being ok…but strives for things to be better. He has to want to get things done and has a drive that always keeps him going. That’s the best way I can describe it. Oh, and on that note, he’s has to have an independent attitude and a passion to explore the unknown…those are must haves too.

5. Strong Family Connection – I’ll be honest, this never used to be that high on my list. I mean, I never used to care if a guy had a strong family connection with his own family...as long as he understood that I have a strong connection with my family. But to tell you the truth, how can I be with someone, and expect them to take part in my family stuff (i.e. those traditional family holiday gatherings, Chinese New Year festivities, cemetery visits, having to listen to all my family drama, etc.), when he may not understand what it’s like to be a part of a family in general? Sure, we all have relatives and family members that we have issues with (I know I certainly do)...but I'm talking more about core family connections. And maybe this relates more on a cultural level vs. a regular family dynamic…I don’t know. But because there are quite a few random traditional things that my family still practices (yeah, thankfully, my mom is a real stickler in making sure we don’t lose sight of our traditional values)…family is important.

Knowing what your deal breakers are up front is very important in any relationship. And sure, there are plenty of other qualities that are important in a guy…but I think this partial list is a pretty good jumping off point for me to keep in mind. And yes, I do admit, that there can be an exception to any rule…although, I have yet to meet anyone I’d be willing to make an exception for…but hey, it’s out there.

Vote Tomorrow

For those of you fools who I have to remind to vote…well, consider this your reminder. Tomorrow is the California Primaries…and, as always, there are some important races, propositions and measures on your ballot. I, for one, already voted so if you want me to help you and/or don’t plan to vote…call me and you can cast your vote my way.

You know, speaking of voting, I will never understand people who don’t vote. There is nothing worse than being totally apathetic to the whole democratic process. No sin worse, damnit. I mean, I’ve always said that I didn’t care if your political beliefs are different from mine (and as much as it may annoy me…I stand by that)…what gets me more upset is if you just don’t care and didn’t vote at all…because seriously, what’s the point in you existing at all and for me even talking to you? You have no opinion and no power whatsoever.

How can people not care enough to vote? Elected officials are the people in charge with crafting legislation, making decisions and voting on our behalf…and people just don’t care?!? And propositions/measures are typically things that allocate fiscal funds and determine how our money is spent…and people still don’t care?!?! How that is even possible…I will never understand. I mean, how can people be citizens, pay taxes, and then just not care who makes their decisions and how their money is spent?!?! It just doesn’t make any sense to me.

And what pisses me off more than anything else…is not only finding out these people who don’t vote…but then to hear these same people complain…omg. Listen, if you don’t vote…you have no right to complain. There is no excuse for not voting…because if you don’t vote, you have no opinion…so, sit down and shut up. Period. End of story. You want an opinion? Go out and vote tomorrow. Damnit.

Killer Weekend

I’m having a pretty awesome weekend. I spent Friday night hanging with some friends. We had a good time just relaxing and catching up (don't worry I'm not posting any pictures…hehe). Yesterday I was basking in the heat in Sacramento. I got to spend some time with the family (what’s up, Carissa?). Today is the last day of my super cool weekend…and I plan to enjoy every second of it. I’m gonna hang out with another group of friends today (yes, don’t worry, I’m leaving my camera at home…why is everyone always so camera shy?!?!) and then I get to see a dude. Hehe. Should be a blast. In the meantime, check out some pics from my Saturday:

Me and my crazy cousin. :-)

Bradford...if you're reading this...sorry, I couldn't help looking at your yearbook. Hehe. ;-)

Stupid Facebook

Amid all the controversy over the privacy settings and the whole Facebook issue that has been coming up lately, I can't say that I'm all that surprised. Don’t look at me like that, I mean, just because I passed on jumping on the social networking bandwagon a long time ago doesn't mean that I don't know what's going on and don’t have an opinion. Shesh. Haha. But seriously people, in terms of those stupid privacy settings, do you really think that anything you put on the web is private anyway? If so, you're retarded and deserve to have your privacy violated. C'mon now. Let’s all just be smart about this.

Now, of course, you guys know that I’ve never been a big proponent of Facebook (or any of the other social networking sites for that matter). I mean, I always thought it was super cool when I met someone who had the same distaste for all that nonsense as well. And believe me, there are more people than you think who turn their backs on social networking sites. It was an instant bonding tool that seemed to serve me well in making good connections…Haha. Go figure, right? Anyway, at some point in time, I have been asked, encouraged, and ordered to join various social websites (i.e. friendster, myspace, linkedin, facebook, etc.) and for those of you who know me at all…would know that I strongly reject, and would fight to the death, before joining any of them (well unless ordered to for work, I guess is my only exception). I was asked to give my reasons ...so I listed the top three below (although most of you know these by now):

1. Personal Website - I have a website. It serves my needs perfectly well. It houses my pictures and my blog. What more can I ask for? I have a domain to call home and see no other reason to slave away at another site. I mean, my site lasted through Friendster, MySpace...and whose to say how long Facebook will last...and I don’t worry about anything else. People know where I am and how to reach me.

2. Artificial Connections – The biggest thing that I hate about all those sites, is the stupid “friend” aspect. There is no need to create the illusion of artificial friendships. Let’s be honest, about this right up front. I hate the artificial "friend" tag. Absolutely hate it. I am not going to put some of my best friends in the same category as the acquaintances I would only interact with and spy on on Facebook. I am confident in who my friends are. I don't need to use Facebook to interact with them, cyber stalk them to know what they're up to and post random artificial crap on me just so they can feel like they know me. It's garbage and I refuse to partake in it.

3. Contact – If people want to contact me...they know exactly how to reach me (and vice versa for that matter). I will look up people I want to contact, contact who I want to and maintain connections that I deem fit. Otherwise…fuck it. There’s no reason to use Facebook for those means. And if, for some reason, Facebook is the only means that people can use to connect…that’s just really sad, in my opinion. And let’s be honest, there are just some people who I have no interest in contacting ever again. So if people didn't have my contact information before Facebook...well there was a reason for that...and I don't see that reason changing anytime soon. Haha. Hey, I’m just being honest.

So hopefully this will be the last time that I ever have to talk about this. I’ve never been a fan of those social networking sites and I don’t foresee that changing anytime soon. Who needs Facebook anyway? Psh. Not me.

Why Worry

You know, despite all my complaining yesterday (and while it’s still all true), I must say I had a pretty awesome day yesterday. I know, I’m pretty surprised myself. Everything just seemed to be going my way...don’t you just love days like that? And I know I have to enjoy it while I can because I looked at my upcoming schedule…and oh man, next week is going to be a killer one for me…it's gonna be absolutely lovely. Ugh. :-/

Anyway, I’m really looking forward to this upcoming weekend. Not only is it a 3-day weekend for me (yeah, sorry, I don’t mean to totally rub it in…hehe), but I have some super awesome plans. I get to see some friends, I get to hang with the family, and I get to see a dude. Yeah, I’m totally excited. Wahoo!

Let me tell you right now, my weekend is going to fly by and come Monday morning, I’m gonna be feeling the burn.

But anyway, that’s it for me. What’s up with you?

Week Almost Over

I realize that I have no right to complain about my week (since I just came off a 4-day weekend and I’m about to wrap up a 3-day work week and I have a 3-day weekend ahead of me)…but I’m going to complain anyway.

This week has been short, but brutal. I totally feel like I got my butt chewed on this week. Things have been so crazy busy at work that I haven’t had time to really stop and think. I’ve been on the go nonstop and I would love some time to just…breathe. With most of my projects on deadline, and more work coming down the pipeline, I’ve been working like mad to keep up without completely losing my mind. On top of that, I’ve been dreaming about work. Yeah, I know, don’t you just hate that? So I haven’t really been sleeping all that well. But shesh…it’s been out of control this week. I would like to think that everything will reset next week and return to normal but…I somehow doubt it. Ugh.

With that said, I was able to find some time yesterday to hit the gym during lunch, which definitely worked to cut my day in half and revitalize my system. And after work, I had to take a jog around the neighborhood to clear my head and relax my system (yeah, I’m turning into your typical gym rat). I was running through the neighborhood, not really paying attention to where I was going and just making random twists and turns through the streets when I came across a park overlooking the Marina side of the City. I decided to take a break…and ended up sitting on the ledge, listening to my music, and just…thinking…for a good half an hour. I enjoyed the view, calmed myself with my music and...just lost myself in the thoughts running through my head and used the time to try to make sense of all the things around me. Personal reflection time is definitely something I don’t make enough time for.

New Exercise

We’re halfway through 2010 (moment to absorb that please) and I’m going to try something new this month. I’m going to do my very best to blog every day. Yup, that’s right, to my loyal and faithful readers out there…you will be hearing (well, reading) a lot from me this month. Yeah, I know, I’m not really sure if that’s a threat or a reward. Haha. I see this as a good mental exercise opportunity for me and a way to just get some of the whirling thoughts in my head down in writing. I don’t know if I’m going to find something exciting to blog about every day…but hey, I’m going to try.

To those of you who actually keep a daily blog…I applaud you because I don’t know how you do it. I can only imagine how much work and thought goes into a daily blog…haha, I have a hard enough time keeping up with mine sometimes. But I mean, seriously, I enjoy reading the daily rants and raves that you people put together (I look forward to reading them and it definitely shows an effort that I hope to achieve)…so I want to see if I can do it too. And to those of you who complain that I don’t post enough updates on myself…well here’s my attempt to rectify that.

So…here we go. Day 2…done.

Weekend Come Back

My weekend went by way too fast. I need more time to breathe and be away from work and the rest of the real world. Considering I was slightly bummed that I didn’t get a chance to get out of town this holiday weekend, I made sure to pack my time with a bunch of things to keep myself busy. I spent my weekend enjoying some good ‘ole baseball (good thing the Giants won), hanging out with all my buds at some bbqs (yes, hugs and kisses all around), and eating some amazing foods (yes, I said, totally amazing). I spent too many nights staying out way too late…and now…I’m just extremely exhausted, mentally drained and emotionally wiped out. I even knocked out last night around 9 pm…yeah, I know, I just had to catch up on some sleep before heading back to work. I could use a couple more days off...Check out some of the random pictures from my weekend:

Yes, I like sausage...why does everyone think this picture is so funny? Haha ;-)

Um...who falls asleep at a Giants game?!?!

Enjoying some fun in the sun.