Show and Tell

I normally don't post personal pictures on this blog, but I've succumbed to the likes of many other bloggers. Anyone who reads this will be subjected to *gasp* Christmas family photos *gasp*. Trust me, it's probably more painful for me as will be for you; therefore, please feel free to exit my blog anytime you want to.....even now.


So here's the family looking all bright and cheery on Christmas morning. My 17 year old cousin, Hormone Happy Boy (HHB) is the one sitting in front with a black hoodie, leaning against me. My brother, let's call him Fetish King (FK) is sitting atop the stairs, sporting the nice shiny, shaved, bald head. The 19 year old who acts like she's 15, we'll call her TeenyBopper (TB), is the one blowing her cheeks out like a fish, tilting her head. Don't we all look like one big happy family?




Let me introduce my cousins' dog, Mickey, in the midst of the Christmas morning chaos. A lovely bichon frise, but the laziest dog I've ever met. You can usually find him either laying on the floor with all four legs splayed out or lounging around like some little prince on my aunt's leather couch in the living room. An interesting fact about Mickey.....I discovered first-hand that he has a penchant for urinating in my cousin's bathroom floor, right by the toilet. Yours truly blindly stepped on his little mess on the way to do some urinating herself.




The lovely Caesar's Palace Hotel in Vegas. Excessive and incredibly cheesy.


Driving over the Hoover Dam. From this picture's point of view it doesn't look much. But trust me, it's pretty massive.



And here we reach pinnacle of our trip, The Grand Canyon. Magnificent. Spectacular. I am in awe of God's creativity and ingenious work on this place we call earth. Another trip will be made and next time I plan to hike down this canyon. Anyone care to join me? ;)



Dad found this posted at Hermit's Rest, one of the many points surrounding the GC. Quite befitting, isn't it?



One of the many crimson sandstone towers in Sedona, AZ. Absolutely breathtaking.


HHB and TB's poor attempt to imitate the sandstone structures in the background. I'd say it was an effect from ingesting too much refried beans earlier, at the Mexican Restaurant.



Lastly, we've got his highness, Mickey, perched atop his leather throne. I could only wish for a life like that.

So there you have it folks. A pictorial account of our "After Christmas Family Road Trip". For those who actually parused through this particular entry, my thanks to you. Really. From the bottom of my heart. Really.

I would love to blog some occurrences which took place earlier this evening with FK, HHB, and TB. Blogworthy experiences. However, it's 2AM and I really need to hit the sack. Don't worry, what transpired tonight is too good to pass up, so stay tuned.......

Family Road Trip

So the fam (family), which also encompasses my aunt and her family, decided to trek out to see the Grand Canyon, the day after Christmas. The following is an interesting account of our "After Christmas Family Road Trip".

Day 1

The fam decided to drive halfway and spend the night in Las Vegas. What should have been an easy 4 hour drive through the Mojave Desert out to Vegas, ended up being an almost 8 hour drive. My brother, two younger cousins and I drove separately from our parents, who left about 4 hours earlier than we did. Let's just say the trip out to Vegas wasn't much left to be desired. Between my 19 year old cousin who acts like she is still 15, my hormone happy 17 year old cousin, and my brother, who has a penchant for encouraging the 17 year old's "overly active" hormones, I honestly would have happily jumped in front of a fast moving train had I known I was going to be stuck in traffic moving at a snail's pace, literally all the way out to Vegas, with these three characters, two of whom have this tendency to drive me literally off the wall. By the way, did I also mention that I also had to deal with this nasty throat infection, and a horrible cough and cold throughout the trip?

Day 2

So we spent the night in Las Vegas at the Caesar's Palace Hotel on the strip. Trust me people, I don't think it gets any more cheesier than Caesar's Place. As I mentioned earlier, Vegas was our rest stop before we made the rest of our pilgrimage out to see one of the Seven Wonders of the World. I was just in Vegas this past May with some friends and since I was feeling miserable with my cough and cold, I had no desire to peruse through the strip.

After packing up our things and checking out of our hotel, my uncle herded us for the brunch buffet at the Rio Hotel. Come to think of it, a "brunch buffet" in Vegas is truly an understatement. I'd like to call it gluttony in the worst sense. My uncle, the clever man that he is, somehow timed it where we paid for the brunch price about 15 minutes before the lunch prices took in effect. Don't ask me how much I ate. Come to think about it, it was pretty embarrassing.

Day 3

We arrived at the Grand Canyon the night before and spent the night at the lovely Quality Inn. A nice step down from the Caesar's Palace Hotel, but hey, we're talking the Grand Canyon here. Don't expect the Hilton or the likes of the Waldorf Astoria.

The fam wanted to get an early start - after all, this IS "The Grand Canyon". What I found hilarious was that it's not like we would have lost out on the best seats if we had a later start. The Grand Canyon is only about 18 miles wide and 227 miles long. I must honestly say however, that with the misery I was feeling throughout the trip, leading up to this point was almost worth every minute of it. Almost. Everything that people say about the Grand Canyon is true. The place is absolutely spectacular. I would have liked to ridden an ass down the canyon or even hiked down, but unfortunately we only planned to stay for a few hours. There will definitely be a next time. The fam, of course, went crazy with the photo opps. And I, well, had to pee like a banshee the entire time we were there. Sadly enough, there were no bathrooms anywhere in sight. A National State Park and no freakin' bathrooms in sight! I normally have a bladder of steel, but somehow the OJ from this morning's continental breakfast decided to make it's way down at a quicker pace than usual. Desperate times called for desperate measures, and so guess what yours truly did? Yep. I peed behind some of the brushes in front of the Grand Canyon. Let's just say that nature and I had our "moment" together. In fact, it was almost a spiritual moment fertilizing Mother Earth.

After having our fill of the Canyon, the fam and I headed out to Sedona, AZ. A nice tourist trap of a town nestled amongst dramatic crimson towers of sandstone. These towers are actually a climbers' dream. The fam and I had lunch at a lovely Mexican restaurant and then proceeded with the eight hour drive back to San Diego. I ended up driving back with my dad, brother, and 17 year old cousin.

Eight hours with three males in a Toyota Camry.

EIGHT......

LONG........

HOURS.........

The testosterone levels in the vehicle were high enough that by the time we arrived into San Diego, in order to assure myself of my own femininity, it made me want to run to the local spa for a full spa treatment, gorge on chocolate, and hit the local mall for a nice girly shopping spree.

Isaiah's Prophecy

"For unto us a son is born,
unto us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful counselor, Mighy God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne and over
his kingdom, establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever."
Isaiah 9: 6,7

It's Christmas morning and here I sit in my aunt and uncle's living room in San Diego reflecting upon the beauty of why we are celebrating this season and determined not to let the trimmings , presents, and parties replace the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus was born, Hallelujah! And because of His birth we are free from Death. The power in Isaiah's prophesy never ceases to astound me and each time I read it, I see the love, hope, and joy infused in the passage.

Well, the rest of the household is stirring and so I must draw this post to a close. I think family time is deemed to be an important part of this season. ;)

May you all have a wonderful Christmas filled with the joy and peace that only comes from knowing Christ!!

NYC Christmas Dream - Part 1

A few weeks ago a friend of mine from church and I had a conversation about NYC and how we've never gone to the city during the Christmas holidays. As my friend, we'll call her Litgirl, and I marveled about the wonders of the Big Apple, we had this fanciful idea of what it would be like to be out there during the Christmas season. What with the lights, the tree at Rockefeller Plaza, ice-skating in Central Park and the Christmas wonderland in Macy's, how could we not aggrandize what the experience would be like? Therefore we decided to plan a day trip to NYC in order to do the "Christmas thing".

So today, after weeks of waiting and great anticipation, Litgirl and I boarded the train which transport us the 2 hours into NYC. We had a later start in the morning and so we didn't arrive in to the city until almost 1PM. Now, I normally don't do the "touristy" thing when I hang out in the city, however today was an exception because it was the Christmas season after all. Well, our grandiose plans of taking pictures in front of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Plaza, shopping along Fifth Ave., and ice-skating in Central Park, sort of went south as soon as we arrived into the city. What with this being the last weekend before Christmas Eve, it appeared that the rest of the Tri-State area pretty much had the same idea as Litgirl and I. Upon our arrival into the city, we were met with multitudes of people. It was madness, it was insanity. What the hell were we thinking??? Nonetheless we trudged along, determined to arrive at each of our destination. Even if it was going to kill us. Let me put it this way, as soon as we saw the sea of people (and I literally mean SEA of people) in Rockefeller Plaza trying catch a glimpse of the infamous Christmas tree behind the skating rink, we decided that it wasn't worth trying to push our way amongst the crowd just to get a crappy, lopsided picture of the Rockefeller Christmas tree. Litgirl and I decided to walk over into Lexington Ave. to catch the subway down to Union Square's holiday market. Although there were a lot of people at the market, it wasn't as suffocating as it was in mid-town. After perusing though some of the stands, Litgirl and I picked up some prints of the Brooklyn Bridge to give as Christmas presents to our siblings. I decided not to give my brother the usual Gap/Banana Republic type sweater and actually put some thought into purchasing something that may add to the aesthetic faculties to his office or room. Later on we subwayed it further down into Canal Street where we haggled over goods with the ever-so-cheerful merchants. By the time we finished haggling in Canal Street, Litgirl and I were pretty much spent and so we took the subway back uptown to Penn Station, where we caught our train back into Jersey.

Despite of the insanity of the crowds, I still had a great time. Good company can usually turn a mediocre experience into something unforgettable. Thank God for Litgirl. :D

Chubbs

So my roommate, Iowagirl, rescued a Pitt Bull about a year ago. Iowagirl named this dog Chubbs. Which of course was paradoxical to the state this poor canine was in when Iowagirl found her scavenging through trash in the streets of South Philly.

Chubbs typifies the stereotypical Pitt. But the thing is, she's "special". Special, in the sense that she has "special needs". My other roommate, PAgirl, and I tend to compare Chubbs' behaviors to the foster children we work with. Needy. Attention seeking. Mental health Issues. Developmental delays. Self-harming behaviors, or in Chubb's case it would probably be the opposite. Don't worry, she hasn't bit anyone. Yet. One thing about Chubbs is that she is freakishly protective of our place. Every time the doorbell rings and someone new enters into our lovely abode, the dog goes absolutely ballistic. Although, by the time our visitor crosses the threshold into our home, Chubbs can be seen donning a lovely black muzzle.

Also, if you've ever owned a Pitt Bull, I would assume that the term "pitt-fit" is quite the familiar term to you.

What I find absolutely comical are the things that terrify this "ferocious" canine. Allow me to expound a little bit on the top three items that frighten Chubbs:

1) The kitchen broom - while in use, this quiet, yet harmless piece of stick will have Chubbs' tail between her legs, running for the saftey net of her crate.

2) The vacuum cleaner - so, when the rug is being vacuumed, Chubbs has this tendency to bark a duet along with the vacuum cleaner's melodious sounds.

3) My exercise ball - with great trepidation, Chubbs will slowly walk towards it, push it with her paw, then quickly back up. She'll do this a couple of times until I get tired of watching her push the ball, which then I'll pick up the ball and chase her around the house with it

Tonight, however, I learned of one more thing that may put this poor dog over the edge. Chubbs is completely terrified of paper shopping bags. TERRIFIED. I made this discovery while carrying some Banana Republic shopping bags to my roommate's bedroom to help her pack for her trip home to Northern Ireland. Of course, being the curious canine that she is, Chubbs pranced around me, practically begging to be part of whatever I was going to do. She was annoying me to no end and so naturally, I began to shoo her off with the shopping bag. As soon as I brought the shopping bag down, she bolted out of my way. And it wasn't because I was merely shooing her away from me. With a gleeful laugh, I decided to test out this assumption. I ended up spending the next few minutes waving Banana Republic shopping bags in front of Chubbs' face, while chasing her around the house.

It really doesn't take too much to keep me entertained.

Eros

"To love at all is to vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entangle ments; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in the casket - safe, dark, motionless, airless - it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The only place outside heave where you can be perfectly safe from the dangers of love.....is hell."

C.S. Lewis

And so I quote from C.S. Lewis's "The Four Loves". I read this book years ago and enjoyed it greatly. I mean, how could one NOT enjoy reading Lewis? This book focuses on the four types of human love: storge, philia, eros, and agape - otherwise known as affection, friendship, erotic/romantic, and the love of God. This particular quote has always unsettled me. Why? Because of the four described loves, I am comfortable with three of them: affection, friendship, and God's love. However, I find myself pretty disconcerted with the fourth one. Why? I have my reasons and I would rather not get into the boring, yet almost gory, details. I suppose hurtful experiences with romantic love will do that to an individual though. At least that's what it's done for me. Now, I'm afraid that I've become a cynic with "romantic/erotic" love. It's sad, really. I wish it wasn't this way for me. But it's like how Lewis described it to be, this impenetrable and unbreakable place feels so safe. Perhaps I am destined to remain in this safety box of hell. Or else, maybe, just maybe, I will meet someone who is willing to stay long enough to penetrate through my walls.

Sickly Betty Crocker

Over the last few days I've been fairly sick, thus, neglecting my blog and my few, but faithful readers. I took a sick day yesterday and this morning I went to the doctor's office, where I discovered having a lovely temperature of over a hundred. Consequently, I took another sick day today. Tomorrow morning before heading off to work I plan to go get my blood drawn so my doctor can figure out what's going on with me. The last few weeks have been frustrating because I haven't had much energy to do anything extra such as exercising. It's been almost two weeks since I've gone running and I am afraid that it's going to be torturous once I start up again.

So this past Saturday I had my very own Betty Crocker moment, as my roommate, we'll call her Irishgirl, and I decided to do some Christmas baking. I suppose you can say that this was done in the "spirit" of Christmas giving as the cookies and other baked goods we made are to be given away to friends, co-workers, and family. We literally baked all day.

All.

Day.

I won't bore you all with the details of what was made, however one of the things we made were gingerbread people. Not just gingerbread men, but people. Male and female. Hey, what can I say, I have both male and female shaped cookie cutters for gingerbread people. Yes, it is rather unfortunate that I would actually admit owning these cookie cutters. What's even sadder is that Irishgirl and I spent the rest of Saturday evening decorating these gingerbread people. Our other two roommates (let's call them Iowagirl and PAgirl) entered the kitchen to discover Irishgirl and I bent over our gingerbread people with our makeshift pastry bags, made from zip-loc baggies, filled with icing of a colorful variety. Of course, this resulted in much amusement for Iowagirl and PAgirl for the rest of the evening. The whole set up was so hilarious for them that they decided to capture it all by taking some photographs. Fortunately, most of the pictures were taken by Iowagirl's cell phone camera. Sorry folks, I guess y'all are gonna have to miss out on some lovely photos. :) Needless to say, Irishgirl and I finished decorating our gingerbread people around midnight.

And I wonder why I'm still single.

NPR Nerd

It's late and I had a veeeery long day. Suffice it to say, this post is going to be short. Since my mind is a bowl of mush I probably won't make much sense or sound to eloquent.

Spent most of the day driving to and from Reading, PA, on the PA turnpike, on the 95, etc...you name it, I was there. I am literally sick and tired of driving all over the city and all over the state. Thus is the life of a social worker. On the bright side, however, I was driving the agency car, which boasts a decent stereo system in it. The one in my car was ripped off and I've been too cheap to replace it. Ghetto car. Since the agency car had a stereo system in it, I was able to listen to my favorite station, which I have been deprived from enjoying these past few months: NPR, National Public Radio. I WAS IN NPR HEAVEN ALL DAY TODAY!! Yeah I know, I'm a news geek. I actually enjoy listening to NPR's shows like Radio Times where they discuss the most obscure topics and interview people named Oliver Smoot, who is famously connected to the Harvard Bridge that connects Boston and Cambridge. Smoot's MIT fraternity devised the idea of marking off the bridge in pledge lengths and decided to use Smoot's 5'7 height plus one ear, to measure out the bridge. Smoot's frat brothers literally carried him from one point of the bridge to the other in order to determine how many "Smoots" covered the bridge. And thus instigated a longstanding Boston tradition with that particular Fraternity, marking off the bridge in "Smoot" lengths. These markings have apparently helped millions of area residents and tourists measure their progress along the bridge as they walk or bike to their destination. So one might ask, "How long is the Harvard bridge in Smoots?" Answer: 364.4 Smoots plus 1 ear.

MIT math geeks.

Come to think of it, I am probably the even bigger geek for posting this. I need to get a life.

Time for bed.

Understanding The Limitations of Others

"......I thought I could handle being in a relationship with you. Really. But I can't. Right now we can only be friends." And so was the eminent phrase of the last guy that I thought I was "in love" with. Feeling numb, I slowly hung up the phone (yes friends, he dumped me over the phone) and a green book sitting on my friend's night table caught my eye. It was Henri Nouwen's, "The Inner Voice of Love", his "secret journal" written during the most difficult period of his life. Gee, how befitting. With great consternation I slowly opened this book, which perfunctorily opened to page 13:

Understanding the Limitations of Others

You keep listening to those who seem to reject you.
But they never speak about you. They speak about
Their own limitations. They confess their poverty in
the face of your needs and desires. They simply ask
for your compassion. They do not say that you are
bad, ugly, or despicable. They say only that you are
asking for something they cannot give and that they
need to get some distance from you to survive emo-
tionally. The sadness is that you perceive their neces-
sary withdrawal as a rejection of you instead of as a
call to return home and discover there your true
belovedness.

In opening this book, I did not expect it to speak to me. Little did I know.... In the midst of my shock and grief, God immediately used this as a balm for an unexpected wound, suddenly exposed. Although reading this hurt like hell, it gave me a semblance of understanding at a time when I probably needed it the most. In the midst of my conversation with him, thoughts of "I'm not good enough, I'm bad, ugly, and appalling" swirled through head. Reading this was God's affirmation that it was not me. It was him. There are times, however, that I'd like to beg to differ.

Reading this gave me a semblance of understanding, that knowledge of where he was at and possible reasons for his inability to give back. However, at the same time I just wanted to scream......"WHY THE HELL DID YOU EMOTIONALLY RAPE ME??" But I knew that the bitterness and angst would only reveal my own weakness and limitations.

One year later, after that conversation, I get an email from him........."I met a wonderful woman.......I'm engaged."

I am an Orphan......

....a geographical orphan, that is. I have parents, who are obviously still living, a younger brother, and a whole slew of relatives who almost measure up to the family from that movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, although a somewhat less exaggerated version of it. With that said, I am still a geographical orphan. I understand that it sounds a bit odd, but it's true. Reason being is that five years ago, I decided to venture out on my own and move thousands of miles away from the west coast all the way out to the other coast. I left my parents, my brother, and my whole slew of relatives and good friends, individuals who were closest and dear to my heart, to start a new life in the east coast. The adjustment of course was difficult, how could it not be, especially after leaving a strong and supportive network of family and friends? But gradually, over time, the pain rescinded and thus began the restoration of what I thought I had lost. See, God "called me" to move out to the east coast, to minister to some of the poorest of the poor, and in the course of time, He saw fit to place individuals across my path who have become my "family". What's remarkable is that these individuals, whom I have grown to love and care for, are also geographical orphans. We are a hodgepodge of people, from different parts of the country and the world, brought together for similar purposes. We are Geographical Orphans who created community and now call each other family.

Journal......a shortie

It's late and I really don't have much to say at the moment, but I feel like I really ought to type out an entry. I've really gotten into this blogging groove thing. It's strange because although I can log into my blogger account to read and post my thoughts, I don't think it's as tangible as writing with a pen in a real journal with real paper. However, since I've started blogging online on a more regular basis, my journal has been neglected. It makes me sad.

Time for bed.

Book Whore

At the present moment I am reading this book written by Lauren F. Winner called, "Girl Meets God: A Memoir". It's an amusing and witty narrative of the author's attempts to reconcile both sides of her religious identity: Jewish Orthodoxy and Christianity. The book is an anecdotical account of her decision to become an Orthodox Jew to the circumstances which led to her conversion to Christianity. This woman is ingenious and I only wish that I can become half the writer that she is. Interestingly enough, I recently discovered that she is married to this guy that I had a, let's just say, a summer dalliance with one summer when I was doing an internship with inner-city kids. Needless to say, my summer flirtation with this guy is not the point of this post. Last night as I was reading this book, Winner extracts a quote by author and teacher, Sven Bikerts:

"To read, when one does so of one's own free will, is to make a volitional statement,
to cast a vote; it is to posit an elsewhere and set off toward it. And like any traveling,
reading is at once a movement and a comment of sorts about the place one has left.
To open a book voluntarily is at some level to remark the insufficiency either of one's life
or of one orientation toward it."

This particular quote struck me because, like Winner, I am a certifiable book whore. I LOVE BOOKS. And to make me sound even more neurotic, I prefer reading to watching TV. It's nuts, I know. However, Bikerts quote kind of struck a nerve in me because apart from the many reasons why I love to read (for sheer pleasure, for information, for an increase in vocabulary), I realize that I also read to numb my feelings of hopelessness and despondency. I use reading as this remedy to get me out certain funks. When I'm upset or feeling depressed, I will happily escape into a novel. Probably not the most healthy coping mechanism. With that said, Winner's inferences to her prayer life and how that improved after she gave up reading books for lent one year has unquestionably challenged me. The thought of giving up books for a few weeks scares me. But as I mull it over, the thought of books becoming a barrier between me and my relationship with God, well, let's just say that it scares the shit out of me.

Green Tea.....

......more like Pee Tea. After a weekend filled with gluttonous consumption, I decided to start afresh this week by detoxifying my body from toxins, which I assume were from the hormones injected into the turkey, that I devoured. So this morning before heading off to work I made myself some green tea......organic green tea, mind you........from Trader Joes. I poured the tea into my handy Tim Horton's travel mug and headed off to work. I sipped my green tea on my way to work, which surprisingly lasted until about an hour after I arrived into the office. Well, about a half hour later, this tea started to worm its way down into the recesses of......well, I won't go into the flagrant details, but I'm sure y'all are starting to picture as to where I am going with this. ;) Needless to say, this tea had me running to the bathroom almost every 10-15 minutes for about two hours earlier this afternoon. Let's just say that urinating at every quarter in the hour was a lovely experience. You all should try it one of these days. NOT.

But wait, the story doesn't end there. One would think that I would learn my lesson from this morning, right? Well, tonight I once again decided that I want to get into the habit of drinking herbal tea after supper. So I put the kettle on the stove to heat some water and took out the tin of Jasmine tea that I purchased in Chinatown this past weekend. Now, I love jasmine tea and it has got to be my favorite herbal tea in this world. It leaves of this flowery taste in your palate, unlike that nasty after-taste some teas have. But I digress. After several minutes of letting the tea infuse its floral essence, I parked myself on my comfy chair, located in the corner of my bedroom and started to read through the various blogs that I follow. Like the green tea from this morning, I took my time with this one, sipping and enjoying its jasminey floral flavors. Well, my plans for a "relaxing evening" went down the drain about 15 minutes after I finished this tea. Much like my previous experience from this afternoon, the liquid started to fill my bladder and I started the whole route of visiting the bathroom. But this time, it was worse. There were pockets of time were I went to the bathroom four times in a span of 15 minutes. Let me repeat that.......

I

PEE'D

FOUR

TIMES

IN

15

MINUTES!!!

At this rate, I'll need to purchase a couple of boxes of Depends, especially if I continue with this health kick involving any green teas. Now, please excuse me........I need to pee like a banshee.

Black Friday Madness, Chinatown, and Poverty

My roommate and I must have been the only individuals in this country who did not partake in the Black Friday madness. Thank the good Lord. Why would I want to get up at 5 AM and stand in line, deal with crowded stores and traffic, only to save a few dollars on a cashmere sweater or MP3 player? It's madness I tell ya. Madness. Nope, not me. This morning I took my sweet ol' time rising from bed and then took the dog out for a walk. These last few days I've been on this baking spree, much to the delight of Irish Girl, and so this morning after my walk with the dog, I decided to bake cranberry-orange scones. And can I say that they were absolutely delish? The scones turned out perfectly! They were the savory, melt in your mouth, type of scones which had you moaning as soon as it hit your palate. It was a proud moment for me.

Earlier this afternoon, Irish Girl and I took a jaunt into the Chinatown in Philly where she bought some wedding gifts for a friend. I suppose that's the closest we got to Black Friday shopping. But I don't think that shopping in Chinatown does not really count as Black Friday shopping because 1) we were shopping for wedding gifts, 2) Chinatown consists mainly of restaurants, old curio shops, and masses of stores filled with hanging ducks, frog aquariums, live crabs and dead fish, and 3) Well, I can't think of a third reason. It was a short excursion and a soon as Irish Girl bought her gifts, we hightailed it back to her vehicle before we froze ourselves into oblivion.

So back at home we had our fill of turkey leftovers and it's trimmings. Somehow turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce seem to taste even better the next day. Well, anyhow, at least it does for me. We rented Christmas with the Cranks but never got around to watching it. I ended up balancing my checkbook. As I type that out, I just realized how I have stooped to the lowest level of patheticness. Why? Well........1) I spent my FRIDAY evening, balancing my check book (now who does that on a Friday night?) and 2) I realized that I am literally living just above the poverty level.

Happy Holidays.

Turkey Day.

Well, I'm stuffed and pretty much turkey'd out. We are going to be living on turkey left overs for the next month or so. Turkey sandwiches, turkey chowder, turkey salad, turkey soup, turkey, turkey, turkey! Oh. Joy. I think I will have enough of the bird to last me until next year. Anyways, this is gonna be a short one as I need to leave in ten minutes for my friend's place. We're having desert there! I swear, I must have gained at least 10 pounds just by dinner alone. I'm afraid what desert will do to me. Nonetheless, come Monday it's back to the treadmill at the gym and running at the water front. I'm dead.

Welcome to Blogsville....Where The Fun Never Ends

Don't ask about the title of this particular entry because it has nothing to do with what I am going to write about. It's weird because that title suddenly popped into my head as I was about to start blogging, and of course I had to use it. Don't ask me why. It's probably from the mix of cranberry compote and burned cheesecake residue that I've inhaled tonight. I did some cooking this evening in preparation for tomorrow's thanksgiving dinner. It will just be one of my roommates and I tomorrow evening, but afterwards we will be joining other friends for desert and games. Hence the cheesecake. Well, kind of burnt chocolate chip cheesecake but only a little bit on the sides. The burnt aroma was due to the drips from the cheescake onto the bottom of the oven. Now I know it sounds pretty sad that it will just be my roommate and I for thanksgiving dinner. But this is with good reason. I mean, it's not like there was a lack of invites for Thanksgiving dinner. Seeing that my roommate, let's call her Irish Girl, and I are both aliens in a foreign country (me being from Canada and she, hailing from Northern Ireland), our families are obviously thousands of miles away from us and so clearly there have been quite a few invites. But here's the thing. Thanksgiving dinner has got to be one of our most favorite meals ever and I absolutely enjoy preparing the meal. So tomorrow we plan to spend a better part of the morning/early afternoon cooking and in between the meal preparations, I will most likely be working on the quilt that I plan to give my mom for Christmas (yeah, it'll be my granny moment for the day). A friend from Delaware will be dropping by in the early afternoon and like I shared earlier, in the evening it's game night and desert at my other Northern Irish friends' place. It's interesting because I, as a Canadian citizen obviously living in the USA, will be celebrating this American Holiday amongst other foreign nationals. How ironic is that? I missed Canadian thanksgiving this past October (like I've missed it over the last 5 years) and so I aim to make up for it with tomorrow's holiday. :)

Although I am thankful on a daily basis for what God has blessed me with, in lieu of Thanksgiving, allow me to reflect upon those that I am thankful for.

I am thankful for God's unfailing love and forgiving spirit. Even though I act like a bumbling idiot and can be an embarrassment to Him, I am in perpetual awe of God's consistent and abiding love.

I am thankful for my parents. They have got to be one of my biggest cheerleaders. I don't know where I would be without their love and support.

I am thankful for my brother. *GASP* Did I actually just say that out loud? Even though there are times when he can grate on my last nerve with his chauvinistic tendencies, he is still a great brother.

I am thankful for all the opportunities and doors that God has opened up to me, thus allowing me to have a myriad of enriching experiences.

I am thankful for laughter......"God has brought me laughter, and anyone who hears about this will laugh with me." Gen. 21:6

I am thankful for my best Czech friend, who has seen me through the best of times and the worst of times over the last 12 years.

I am thankful for my roommates of five years. Whom I first saw as strangers and now regard as sisters.

I am thankful for the short drive/train ride out to NYC, where I can hop on the subway to the East Side, satiate myself with frozen hot chocolate at Serendipity3 and then go running at Central Park to burn off all the calories from the frozen hot chocolate I ingested. :-D

I am thankful for the trials and tribulations, and for the hurts and fears, because they have all made me a better person, strengthening my faith in the One who carried me through it all.

I am thankful for this job that God has placed me in. Even with its ups and downs, I believe that God is preparing me for an even higher calling.

And lastly, I am thankful for life, for this trajectory that God is guiding me through and for choosing me to be His.

Happy Thanksgiving to all and may your hearts be filled gratitude during this holiday season with the many blessings and lessons brought before you in this past year.

God Bless you all!

Reality Blogs

Earlier this evening I had a conversation with my 17 year old cousin in San Diego, trying to convince him the intrinsic worth of blogs. This was his response - "You're a loser". Mind you, this was said in jest of course. But it really got me into thinking. Why are we "losers" so obsessed with reading other people's web logs? Individuals who are literally strangers to us? I have a number of blogs that I follow almost religiously (yeah....sad, I know), it's like this twisted addiction where I literally cannot stop. As I was ruminating over this obsession with reading blogs, I had what some would say a "light bulb" moment. This fascination that we have with pouring over pages and pages of blogs can be likened to the reality tv show craze. I mean, think about it. Reality TV pretty much speaks for itself because these shows are designed to convey "real life". But of course we know all about the "magical edit" buttons that the producers of these shows like to toy with. ;) These shows bring us to a new level which allows us to satiate our voyeuristic tendencies which society would normally restrict us. C'mon now, there is no doubt in my mind that we have all at one point had that draw to peer into our neighbor's window (especially if that window was at level with your window), to see what they were up to. However in some cases we don't have a choice BUT to peer through that window. We once had a neighbor who we dubbed "weird naked girl", (kind of like that guy in Friends, whom all the friends dubbed "Ugly Naked Guy") because she had this penchant for prancing around in her birthday suit for all to see. Although, I think I'll talk about that in another entry before I seriously digress. I really believe that blogs provide this same sense of being "in the know", but the difference is, blogs divulge more than what is actually being depicted. Blogs allows us to peer into the thoughts and true feelings of an individual. Now I don't know which is more daunting: this penchant that we have to satisfy our curiosity or this fascination that we have with reading about someone else's actual thoughts.

Stupidity or Living on the Edge?

So, I like to live on the edge. This evening I went to see a musical where my co-worker was part of in Abington, PA and as I was on my way home, I discovered that my gas tank was almost empty.......to the point of where the warning light kept popping up every 10 seconds or so. When I discovered my almost empty tank, I still had about another 25 minute drive home to Camden. My usual route home from the Germantown area in Philly takes me through some sketchy, ghetto areas, which then shoots me off into the Schuykill expressway, onto the Ben Franklin Bridge and into Camden, which I would like to add has been dubbed this year as "the most dangerous city in the nation." Abington is a suburb just outside of Philly and I drove by many gas stations on my way out to the express way. But the cheapo that I am, I decide to wait until I get to Jersey to gas up. Listen, if it's going to save you at east .30 cents less per gallon to gas up in Jersey, then you'll WANT to gas up in Jersey. So I'm on the expressway, it's almost midnight, and my gas gauge reveals to me that I REALLY need to gas up or end up stuck on the Schuykill Expressway. Did I happen to stop and gas up? Nope. I decided to risk it and drive straight home into Camden. It's funny though, because I have this tendency to "risk it" quite often on "almost empty" gas tanks. My lackadaisical attitude should be disconcerting, but it's not. If truth be told, I actually get this twisted rush from driving home on an empty gas tank; it's like this challenge that I need to take on.

So let's recapitulate: in order to save .30 cents less to the gallon on gas, I drive on an almost empty gas tank through the ghetto, risk getting stuck in a very busy expressway, and into the most dangerous city in the US. I would like to call it living on the edge. But in actuality, it's called stupidity at its best.

Beer At PJ's

You know, there really is nothing like good conversation over a pint of beer and nacho chips at PJ's. It only makes the experience, well, more congenial and I am happy to share that tonight was one of those evenings. There is something about beer that makes the comraderie of friends and time spent together more gratifying. I would have to say that it definitely is a contrast to "going out for cofffee". It's not that I don't enjoy going out for coffee either, heck, you'll usually find me at the local Starbucks on a Saturday afternoon with a friend. However, going out for beers at our local haunt obviously takes on a whole new different meaning to "conversation". There is almost this sense of freedom and autonomy where people become more candid, or shall we say, "throw caution to the wind?". Then again, it could be due to their inebriated state, and yes I know that we've all done or said some idiotic things while "under the influence". But nontheless, there are those "responsible" ones who imbibe pleasure from savoring good beer and quality conversation with good friends. Tonight was one of those nights.

Randomness

I think I seriously need to go get a life.

i am: about to go make myself a cuppa.
i miss: having a stereo in my car. (it was stolen)
i want: to go to go to grad school.
i hate: mean, ignorant people.
i have: to go to the bathroom.
i fear: watching horror movies on Halloween. (NEVER AGAIN.)
i play: classical music often.
i hear: the dumb cars going over the Ben Franklin Bridge.
i care: about people, social justice, and chocolate.
i smile: because I spent the day in NYC yesterday.
i wonder: if I'll ever actually go to grad school.
i love: the simple pleasures in life; colorful fall leaves, running along the waterfront, surprise phone calls, and laughter with friends.
i think: about why I'm filling out this dumb thing.
i always: listen to classical music when I'm working from home.
i am not: going to fill out another one of these dumb things.
i sing: because i'm happy
i wish: to live in NYC.
i keep: thinking about living in NYC
i can: tie my shoe laces. ;)
i can't: seem to meet someone who doesn't have issues.
i write: like i talk?
i won: nothing.
i lost: my house keys last spring.
i smell: bacon.
i confuse: myself.
i need: to go running.
i should: stop filling out this stupid thing.

All Hallows Eve

So in lieu of Halloween, my lovely cousin decides to send me this forward of pictures of some people in their Halloween togs. Classy. REEEEAlly classy.


I suppose Wonder Woman really wasn't a "wonder" after all.





Now, can we puleeeaze just KICK Elvis out of the building already?
















And I'm not even gonna comment on this one.




I hope all had a safe one tonight. :)

O The Deep, Deep, Love of Jesus

One of my favorite hymns. Pretty much says it all. How these hymn writers pen down their expressions of God's love simply astounds me.

O The Deep, Deep, Love of Jesus
text: Samuel Trevor Francis

1. O the deep, deep love of Jesus
Vast, unmeasured, boundless free
Rolling as a mighty ocean,
In its fullness over me.
Underneath me, all around me,
Is the current of thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward,
To thy glorious rest above

2. O the deep, deep love of Jesus
Spread his praise from shore to shore
How he loveth ever loveth,
Changeth never, never more
How he watches o’er his loved ones,
Died to call them all his own
How for them he intercedeth,
Watcheth o’er them from the throne

3. O the deep, deep love of Jesus
Love of every love the best
’Tis an ocean vast of blessing,
’Tis a haven sweet of rest
O the deep, deep love of Jesus
’Tis a heav’n of heav’ns to me
And it lifts me up to glory
For it lifts me up to thee

And I Should Learn.......

You Should Learn French

C'est super! You appreciate the finer things in life... wine, art, cheese, love affairs. You are definitely a Parisian at heart. You just need your tongue to catch up...

What Language Should You Learn?

The Neverending Day

If I were to describe the events that have transpired over these last few weeks, I would probably have to resort to using bad language. Really bad language. Since I'd like for this blog to remain pure in the language that I choose to use (yeah right!) and to prevent the fundies reading this blog from having a heart attack, I will try to refrain from actually cussing out loud. Well, I suppose it wouldn't really be out loud because then, no one would hear me. But I supposed you readers get my point. Today was probably one of the $@#7iest day I've had in months. Actually, it started last night and carried over into today.

I won't go into any great detail about what happened last night, but I will say one thing: MEN SUCK. I'll probably get over this in a few days, however, I think I will be needing to nurse my wounds right now. Give me a few days and I think my frustration with guys will rescind.

So this morning before heading out to work, I stopped at the Wachovia ATM machine nearby my place. This particular bank does not have a parking lot, just street parking and so of course, there wasn't any parking out front and so I ended up parking on the corner of the crosswalk. I wasn't even gone for two minutes. So what did I discover when I returned to my car? (Which, by the way, I had my e-lights turned on) A stupid cop writing me a stupid ticket for parking illegally. Now granted, I should have waited until someone left the bank and moved their car but I was running late. I wasn't even two minutes at the ATM machine! After much pleading, which pathetically turned into groveling, the cop did not budge. But do you know what he said??? "I'm giving you the cheaper fine". Gee Mr. Policeman.......I should be oh so grateful. Now, $35.00 later.........

Of course, I ended up driving to work bawling my eyes out. But wait, it gets even better!

So I arrived at the office, ready to finish off some reports, when I get a phone call from a foster parent freaking out on me and essentially telling me that I'm crap and blaming me for the behaviors that her foster child is displaying. Then a few minutes later, our receptionist pages me and informs me that same foster child's birth mother was calling me. I knew this was going to mirror the same conversation that I had with the foster mother and so do you know what I did? I ignored the phone call and let it go to my voice mail. I honestly did not think that I could have taken another client telling me that I was crap. Oh the joys of working in child welfare.

I left the office a few hours early and went home in hopes that I could catch a couple of zzzzz's before heading out to feed the homeless in Philly. But of course, I needed to have a run in with my roommate. Over ice-cream. Talk about being petty. Dear love her..... my roommate had to be the brunt of tension and stress I was feeling all day. I did, however, end up apologizing to her for acting like such a monster towards her. It's nothing short of amazing that she is still talking to me and still considers me one of her best friends.

Although today was crummy, it did end up on a somewhat positive note. Earlier this evening I went to volunteer with the group from my church that feeds the homeless every Friday night in Philly. And you know, it really put things into some kind of perspective for me. Considering that there are people out there who are dealing with homelessness, poverty, mental illnesses, and racism (to name a few....) my life really isn't so bad. God has blessed me with a family who loves me, wonderful roommates who are like my sisters, a great job, a roof over my head, and of course, His Grace. What more could I ask for? Well, maybe there are one or two things that I could ask of Him, but I'm sure that you get my point. I do need to be grateful for this life that God has given me because it could honestly be a lot worse.

I ended my evening with one of my roommates, 10 hot and honey buffalo wings, a Michelob Ultra, and Batman Begins on DVD. Not so bad for a day that started out so crummy, huh?

Chocolate

Presently I'm kind of in a mood tonight. In fact, I was in a mood all day, therefore I kind of gorged on chocolate throughout the day. Of course I paid for it later on this afternooon at work when I crashed from the sugar and caffeine that I ingested throughout the day. Can we say gluttonous at its best? What is it about women and chocolate? Everytime something goes bad or when we're stressed out, we females have this insatiable draw towards chocolate. I know at least for me there is. Reasons for excessive chocolate glutt:

• Bad hair day
• Auntie Flo from the Red Sea is in town for her monthly visit
• Discovery of a zit
  
• Bad date
• Boredom
• One can actually GET chocolate
  
• Anticipating "Dear Jane" letter/email/phone call
• Discovering that jeans are too tight
• Stress
• Being the only "singleton" amongst the "marrieds"
  

I could probably go on and on with this list but I think the point has been clearly made. Is there not another remedy which women could turn to without having to purchase a new wardrobe in view of the fact that we can devour a pound of chocolate in less than five minutes? Anything?

Tired.

What an unbelievably exhausting week! My aunt and uncle, from San Diego, are in town visiting. Actually my uncle is attending a conference for work in Atlantic City, however they flew out a few days earlier so they could spend some time with me and do some sight-seeing out here in the East Coast. They flew in on Friday and we spent this past weekend in NYC. Of course, I played the ever endearing tourist guide for them. Can I just say that this particular visit to NYC was probably one of the most fun I've had at the Big Apple? Now mind you, I've spent many weekends in NYC since it's only about an hour and a half away, however this one trip with my aunt and uncle was especially enjoyable. My cousin who lives in LA was also in NYC for the weekend and so I ended up hanging out with her literally all night on Saturday.......into the wee hours of Sunday morning. Hey, what can I say? NYC is the city that never sleeps! The trip was exhausting, but enjoyable. My aunt and uncle are a hoot and so much fun to hang out with. My aunt is my mom's youngest sister and she is more like an older sister to me than an aunt - she's my favorite one out all my mom's other siblings. My aunt's husband is a perfect fit for her and is pretty hilarious. There was so much laughter over the weekend and I think that is the reason why it was so enjoyable. Oh, by the way.......did I mention that I didn't fork over any money during the entire trip? They were seriously insistent on paying for everything this weekend - hotel, food, and subway tickets. Crazy huh? Yup......I was seriously spoiled.

Date

So I went on a first date tonight with this guy in Princeton. He's got potential and I can see myself really liking him. Scary.

Sunday, Sunday

So I am once again sitting in front of my laptop half-dressed however the difference is that I'm not getting ready work, rather I'm getting ready for church. Therefore this will have to be short seeing that I have about oh, 15 minutes before I need to leave. Story of my life.

Last night I went to see Chris Tomlin and Matt Redman in concert, however we only saw Chris Tomlin and his Passion band perform. We missed Matt Redman entirley since we were about oh, almost an hour and a half late. We got lost on our way out to the concert. It was absolutely miserable. The weather was horrible with the rain pelting down like there was no tomorrow. By the time we arrived at the concert I really wanted to kill someone. Nice attitude to have going to worship concert huh? Nonetheless I felt pretty convicted last night with my attitude soon after I arrived at the concert. Chris Tomlin and his band were great, it was my first "Christian" concert in about 5 years. The last one I went to was somewhere in hicksville PA to see Caedman's call. Now that was one quality concert!

Alright, I better get going here and finish getting ready for church. Happy Sunday!

Misery, Intoxication, and Cars

What a wretched day in the east coast! It started raining last night and it continues to rain. But what is making it absolutely miserable is the humidity. The temperature over these last two days have been in the mid to upper 70's, however it's also been quite humid. It's already October for crying out loud! I want the nice, crisp, cool air to permeate through the city! When will this misery end???

On a lighter note.......It's the weekend and of course I always welcome the weekend. :) Had a friend over for dinner last night and we had a nice girly moment as we rummaged through my room for shoes, shawls and jewelry that she could use to accessorize the dress she plans to wear for her sister's wedding next week. I had a few glasses of Robert Mondavi Pinot Grigio and so I was feeling pretty "happy" last night. I have this tendency to become my roommates' source of entertainment even when I get a little inebriated. Why? I don't know. What? Did y'all think I would actually admit what I'm like even with a small amount of alcohol?

Oh, before I forget, I need to give an update on my vehicle and the whole radiator debacle. So yesterday I decided to take my car to a different garage in Jersey. The first garage I took my car to was in Philly which is located about two blocks away from my office. The Philly garage I've used to get my oil changes and the like. The Jersey garage I've also used a couple times as well. Nevertheless, the Philly garage was the one that quoted me the $525.00 to get my radiator replaced. So yesterday I decided to take my car to the garage in Jersey and do you know what the mechanic quoted me? About $350.00 plus tax!!! Now that's almost $200.00 less than what the Philly garage quoted me! Talk about highway robbery!!! Since I've gone to the Jersey garage before and know of others who go there, I knew that I could trust this mechanic. Therefore I decided to fork over the $$$, with a little help with my dear, generous brother (thanks L!) and had this garage replace the radiator. Now my stress levels have decreased enormously and I can resume with what I like to call my relatively normal life. :)

Alright, I better get going and sign off before today flies by. I need to continue working on the quilt that I plan to give my mom for Christmas. Yes......I'm having a granny moment here. Sue me.

Yay!

I think I've become a certifiable blogger now that a Tag Board is included as part of my blog. Does that mean I've become a blog whore like the rest of the web junkies around the world? Have I conformed to the ways of fellow bloggers? Perish the thought! Actually, it only took me ONLY about an hour to figure out how to add the Tag Board into my template. Thanks to a forum buddy, insaneinthebrain - here's looking at you kid ;) - I would have been tearing out my hair by now. He so kindly gave me instructions on where to place the code. Now, all I need to figure out is how to add links to my favorite blog sites - sad huh? There is definitely something about examining other individual's lives, their thoughts, feelings, and views on life. It's just like our culture's fixation on reality TV shows. We are definitely living in a voyeuristic society which takes immense pleasure in peering into other people's lives. Scary. Really scary.

Shortie

There have been some new developments with what I'd like to call my non-existent love life. Although, come to think of it, at this moment it's actually starting to exist. However, I do not want to make a big issue out of it because I honestly don't know where it will go. If it does go somewhere, the matter at hand will most likely make its way in here. ;)

I'm sitting here half-dressed, getting ready for work and so I'm thinking that I better get going and post some more later on tonight.

Tuesday Blues

So I really need to get on the ball with this blogging thing. I seem to have this habit of taking month long vacations from posting. No wonder why I don't have an audience!

Since it's quite late out here in the East Coast, this entry will have to be short. Today was a stressful day and unforunately it was not work related. *GASP* Now that's a new occurrence for me, since STRESS is what defined my summer. Nope, not work. Definitely not work stress. The stress is, oh, about $525.00 worth.......to get my radiator replaced in my car. Have I shared how much I hate being a grown up right now? As I'm posting this I can feel my anxiety levels start to increase, so I think I better sign off right here.

As my dad would articulate "And this too, shall pass....." I really hope it does.

No Pressure

So, I had a great visit with Comicgirl and Dentalgal. Busy, but nonetheless, we had a wonderful time together. Now, back to my normal routine. Comicgirl left Monday night, while Dentalgal left this past Wednesday morning. When I got home later on that evening I was so exhausted to the point of delirium. Sleep was good that night.

Are we really into September already? It is certifiably insane as to how this year flying so quickly! I am greatly anticipating the fall - the fresh crisp air, leaves changing colour, Central Park in NYC, and of course, sporting new fall attire. Now, if I can only fit into my fall clothes from last year. ;)

I love Saturdays that you have to yourself. Today is one of those Saturdays and I plan to make the most of it. No agenda, not timetable, no pressure to entertain guests........today is all mine!

ComicGirl, DentalGal,and Consumerism

It's been over a week since I've last posted and of course I've missed describing some good blogworthy experiences. Story of my life. Well, moving along.......

So tonight one of my good friends, let's call her ComicGirl, is arriving from Vancouver. Her sister, we'll call her DentalGal, is arriving this Wednesday. ComicGirl's plane was delayed in Houston, TX due to all the storms taking place there - damned Katrina - and so she missed her connecting flight. She was supposed to fly in at 8:45 PM, but now she's flying into Philly at around 12:20 AM. How lovely. Guess who gets to function with less than 6 hours of sleep tomorrow at work? I pity the individuals who crosses my path tomorrow. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled that ComicGirl and DentalGal are visiting this week. It's been about a year since I've seen them both and so I am looking forward to spending some good quality time with them. They were out here last summer and we had a wonderful time. We'll probably do what we did last year, do the weekend in NYC , shop, peruse through art museums, go running at Central Park and eat good food. Last year, ComicGirl and DentalGal discovered the wonderful world of outlet shopping in Lancaster, PA and so they plan to head out there again this week to add to the US economy. Oh the wonderful world of consumerism. It's amazing how some people can truly get caught up in it. Sadly enough, I know I can.

It's been a stressful summer and I am looking forward to this visit with my good friends. It's like the last hurrah of summer until the fall. I welcome fall.

Northern Irish Idiosyncrasies

So my friend Jonny is a seminarian currently matriculating at a Presbyterian Seminary, just outside of Philly. I believe he's studying for his M. Div. and he is presently working in full-time urban youth ministry. He is a really good guy. So all summer, he's been preaching at a church in Queens, NY and has been commuting into NYC every Sunday. My roommate and I decided to tag along with Jonny and his wife today up to NY. As usual, it was of course another one of my many adventures with my European friends. You see, Jonny, his wife and my roommate all hail from Northern Ireland. Need I say more? We've all seen and heard about crude European humor, correct? Well, let me tell you about Northern Irish humor........it's about as un-PC as you could get! So let's picture this: three Northern Irish peoples and a Filipina-Canadian girl. Need I say more??? Jonny and my roommate have no shame in making the most un-PC comments about Asian people in front of me. Reason being is because they get a kick out of seeing me all riled up. All I can do is shake my head, stating "Y'all are just sick and wrong......sick and wrong." But do you know what's crazy? They can actually get away with these un-PC comments with me. However, what's even crazier, is that this church Jonny has preaching at is also an Asian church. Although mind you, he has enough sense to keep his off-color jokes (no pun intended) out of his sermons. Regardless of my European friends' un-PC ways, I must say that they are true friends and I would not trade them for the world.

My Heart.

So this is me and my dear sweet god-daughter, taken last year when I was visiting my family in Vancouver. She's my first cousin's daughter, so I like to think of her as my neice since my cousin is practically like a sister to me. Doesn't she look so cuddly? This little cutie is my heart and she turns two tomorrow. It's unfortunate that I won't be there with her to celebrate because she lives so far away. :( Ah well. Such is life. I still need to shop online in order to send her birthday gift! Leave it to me, the procrastinating queen.

In A Nutshell

I discovered this on a forum friend's blog. As I pored over the names and through each word, I realized that each character and event depicted is the entire summation of God's story: His desire for relationship, Humankind's sinful nature, Jesus' sacrifice, Redemption, and His love. In the end, God still remains. He Is.

Saturday Blues

So I'm working today. It's Saturday.

Sometimes I wished I lived in France where they take 2 hour lunches and truly celebrate the true meaning of taking a break. Hmm......maybe I'll start looking for a job in Paris. After I get back from work. It's Saturday today. Did I mention that already?

HOT!

So there's an excessive heat advisory in effect for today and tomorrow, 96 degrees PLUS high humidity. So really, it will feel more like about 105 degrees. Oh the joys of living in the east coast during the summer months. Let's just say that I am grateful to be stuck in the nice air conditioned office for the day. Well, off to work!

Too long.....

Somehow I knew this would happen. I religiously start blogging and then wham! A few weeks later, er...in my case which is a few months later, all is forgotten. Althought I have to say, I did get in a few amusing stories about my parents visit. Regrettably however, I've had quite a few-blog worthy experiences that my audience of few would have found quite entertaining. Nonetheless, since the moment's over, there really isn't any point posting them. Now on to the next rounds of my crazy adventures! Any takers? From here on end, I vow to blog more consistently so as to keep my readers amused. Ha. Right!

Shoe Whore

I often wonder why I subject myself to sheer torture, not once, but twice. Allow me to share about my day yesterday.

It was a beautiful day in Philly and since I had a court hearing that morning I figured that I better look like a professional instead of looking like a college student who is still purchasing their apparel from the local Goodwill Thrift Store. Now don't get the wrong idea here. I think secondhand shops are great, especially for those yearly Halloween Costumes and for those great finds such as a pair of vintage jeans......but I digress. Somehow I managed to once again veer off -topic. There is a point to this entry. So I decide to dress a little bit more "professional" than my usual "college student wannabee look" and so I donned a nice white button up three quarter length blouse and a grey mid-length A-line skirt. To top off my "professional" look, I decided to try and look cute and slip on a pair of Anne Klein 2.5 inch mules. I felt so grown up. Since the courthouse is about a 15 minute walk away from our downtown office, I decided to park at the office parking lot and walk. The weather was nothing short of wonderful - blue skies and not a cloud in view. Of course because of the beautiful weather one would think that my walk to the courthouse yesterday morning could be described as pleasant, right? WRONG! About half-way to the courthouse my feet started to feel uncomfortable and oddly enough, and I kid you not, it appeared as though my feet decided to expand on their own volition. By the time I arrived at the courthouse, my feet were in so much pain that I was tempted to hobble down to Hahnemann University Hospital which is about a block from the court house and beg the doctors to amputate both feet in order to relieve me from the excruciating pain that I was experiencing. Fortunately, since my supervisor was also at the same court hearing and parked in the parking lot next to the courthouse. She took pity on me and kindly drove me back to the office once the court hearing was over. When I finally took off my heels after I arrived home last night, I could have sworn that I heard my feet breath a sigh of relief. The blisters that formed on my feet would have made a marathoner proud.

But wait. My shoe saga doesn't end there. Today I decided that I wanted to look cute again and so once again I donned another pair of heels - these ones are about 3 inches tall. These heels are my "sit and look cute" heels. I assumed that I would be in the office for most of the day and so I figured that my feet would be safe. Well, after the training I attended this morning, a group of us decided to walk over to the nearest Subway for lunch from our office. I figured that my feet would be okay walking on these particular heels because I surmised that it would only be about a five minute walk from the office. Wrong. It was a fifteen minute walk.

I am a glutton for punishment.

Conclusion: The 'Rent's Visit

My heartfelt apologies go out to my loyal audience (you know who you are!) for my lack of entries over this last week. It was a full-packed week with the 'rents. Was it only a week ago today that we were exploring New York City? It's daunting to see how time flies by so quickly. Anyways, New York City with the 'rents was, let's say, pretty intense. We took the train out to Penn Station and when we exited from the station, I think my mom went into a state of shock. There were people and cars everywhere and mom went into sensory overload. Later on in the hotel room, I overheard her sharing with my aunt on the phone how scared she was when she arrived into the city - the sea of people and cars was nothing short of overwhelming for her. All I can say is, it's a good thing they came in the spring instead of the summer. I think mom would get eaten alive at the Big Apple in the summer time. The subway was an experience for mom and dad. Since the city is so big, the 'rents assumed that it would take a long time to get from one place to the other. As we travelled by subway to various parts of the city, dad kept asking me how many hours it would take for us to get from Times Square to Battery Park. My response? "Ummm, yeah...... dad? Only about 3 minutes." But hours?????? It was amusing to see the 'rents like wide-eyed little children experiencing an amusement park for the very first time. So we did as much of the tourist thing in NYC - Liberty Island, Canal Street, Chinatown, Ground Zero, Times Square, Central Park, shopped on Fifth Avenue, Rockefellar Center, and coffee at the Starbucks located inside Trump Towers. Mom and dad had a comical moment, however, when we decided on a pitt stop at The Plaza, an incredibly bougie hotel which probably charges more than one month of my social worker's salary. Anyways, I've been to The Plaza quite a few times to use their rest rooms because it's the only free thing that I am able to use there. So the 'rents decided to do their business in the restroom, however, what they did not expect was a maid/butler in the bathroom, turning on the faucets for them, squirting soap on their hands and handing them the paper towel. Dad stated that he was surprised that the bathroom butler did not tap for him. My response? I just rolled my eyes at him.

So Washington, DC was on the next agenda with the 'rents. We left early Friday morning and stayed until Saturday afternoon. Dad was thrilled to be in the nation's capital, being the political junkie and history buff that he is. Of course, we had to visit every memorial erected in DC. Mom fell in love with the Tidal Basin's scenery while dad was in his element in DC. I think I learned more about American history during the two days in DC with dad, than the two semesters of American History classes I took in college. Go figure.

The visit with the 'rents was wonderful and we shared many laughs, however, spending all that time together was intense and there were times of frustration - how could there not be? I dropped off the 'rents at the airport this past Monday for their flight back to the west coast. Life for me has returned to normalcy, the tension and stress has eased up and I am back to my regular routine. But here's the thing, why do I feel so empty all of a sudden?

Naked Native American......Alligators........

Took the 'rents to the Philly Art Museum after work today. Mom found the statue of the naked Native American man posed with an alligator quite fascinating. Now this statue was located on the outskirts of another statue that was the main focus - George Washingon in all his glory, mounted on a horse. The naked Native American man was the garnish on the main attraction. But of course, mom had me take her picture while she chose to pose by the naked Native American with the alligator statue. I will not even attempt to figure that one out.

So tomorrow is our big trip up to the Big Apple. Tune in to hear more of my parents' adventures here in the east coast!

Mom and PineSol

Well, the 'rents are still here. They decided this morning that they were to tired from their exciting weekend gallavanting through Amish Country and Atlantic City, therefore they stayed in today to rest up for their big day in Philly tomorrow. Me? Well, I went on my merry way to work.

So I called mom and dad from work at around lunchtime, actually I ended up talking to mom. She decided that she was going to clean our kitchen floor and was in the midst of looking for some kitchen gloves. After explaining to her that the gloves were under the kitchen sink, she also found the bottle of PineSol. Of course, she noticed that we hadn't opened it yet and immediately assumes that we hardly clean. So I tell her that the bottle of PineSol was brand new, that's why it was still full. Heheheh.......little does she know that I bought the bottle about a month and a half ago. Anyways, she bought it and went on her way to clean our kitchen floor. So now, you can actually see the true color of our floor, not this grayish, murky color. The sad thing is, we just cleaned that same floor last Wednesday! Give it a day or two and it'll return to the same greyish, murky pigmentation on the floor. But of course, I won't let mom know that. ;)

Now if mom only knew how much we really cleaned here, I think she would keel over and have a heart attack. I wonder what her reaction would be if I told her that we actually had a cleaning lady coming in once a month to clean our place? Hmmm........I don't think it's worth the risk. It'll be my little secret.

Intercourse, Amish and No Tax

Okay so the title is somewhat risque, others may view it to be somewhat nefarious, but here's the thing: I am no perv. In my earlier entry, I to failed to mention that I took my parents to Lancaster, PA which is about an hour and a half away from where I live here in Camden. Mom and Dad wanted to see Amish Country and seeing the wonderful tour guide that I am, we headed west yesterday for the day. Of course, our trip was a little delayed resulting from my wonderful navigating skills - somehow, I managed to forget which exit to take to get us to our ultimate destination and so we ended up driving for an extra half hour on the freeway. I ultimately relented and humbled myself into stopping at the Lancaster Visitor's Center for directions. Let's just say that I was feeling a tad bit embarassed. The kind old man at the visitor's center then pointed us towards the correct direction and we were on our way. Finally upon our arrival to Amish country we stopped in the town of Bird In Hand at the farmer's market for some fruit and a light lunch. At the edge of the parking lot there was this huge advertisement for Intercourse, PA . I am sure that you can already see where I'm going with this. Ha! After mom and dad saw the ad, the conversation somehow went south. Mom and dad starting coming up with all these dumb jokes pertaining to the town's name - Intercourse. Of course, I was in the car just absolutely mortified with my parents' conversation. They thought it was halarious! Can you believe that??? Of course upon our arrival to the town of Intercourse, mom and dad had to get their picture taken with the "Welcome to Intercourse" sign which was situated on the side of the road. A few minutes later a couple who looked to be around my parents' age, parked their SUV in front of our vehicle, for what I assumed to have their picture taken with the sign as well. N ow you can imagine the jokes they exchanged with my parents. Now myself? All I could do was shake my head and roll my eyes at all four adults. ADULTS I TELL YA!

The excitement over Intercourse (no pun intended ;) ) was soon replaced with the horse-drawn buggies driven by the Amish people on the shoulder of the road. It was halarious watching dad trying to take a picture while I was driving by a horse-drawn carriage! And of course, you can also imagine my parents reaction to seeing real live Amish people walking around the town! Heheheheh! When we were in the farmer's market ordering soup from the Amish girl, my dad actually wanted to take a picture of her behind the counter! Can we say "ULTIMATE TOURIST"? It was nothing short of embarassing!

We ended our day shopping at the outlet centers in Lancaster, which is obviously antithetical to the Amish way of life. After mom purchased a pair of running shoes at the Nike outlet, she discovered that PA does not charge sales tax in shoes and clothing. And so of course, with her halarious experience with Intercourse, the Amish and no tax, PA went up a notch in her books. Go figure.

Saturday Blah.

It's a Saturday and I'm at home working. Damn. Mom and dad arrived last Thursday evening and they are at this moment visiting Atlantic City with friends. I am actually quite happy for this short respite because right now I amn super exhausted. The crazy thing is, this is only their second full day out here on the East Coast. Damn. Actually, it's not so bad. Mom and dad are great and I love them alot. However, as an astute friend said to me the other day:

"Let mom be mom and remember you only need be their child for a week, then you can return to adulthood"

Hmm......wise words.

Three More Days

The parental countdown continues. Three more days until mom and dad arrive. Our place is a mess and my room? Words cannot even begin to describe it's state at the minute. Thank God our cleaning lady is coming out this Wednesday! I think my parents are fairly excited for this holiday, however tonight while I was on the phone with mom, she started her dramatics over the fact that we have a pitt bull as our house pet - she thinks that Chubbs will attack or bite her, or something like that. What I didn't tell her is, that Chubbs does have this fierce protective streak when it comes to me and my roomates in this house. Go figure!

Sunday

It was a perfect spring day today, the weather was around the 70's, the sky was a perfect blue, the sun was out, the cherry blossom trees in ful bloom and people starting to crawl out of the woodwork! Driving into church this morning there was a myriad of activities taking place in center city Philly, especially around the art museum area. I'd say that spring is definitely in full bloom (pardon the pun ) ;)

During the worship service at church, I was very antsy and distracted. However, it wasn't until a friend of mine whom I was sitting beside pointed out the obvious. I was sitting in the midst of a freakin' nursery! I was surrounded by infants, babies, and toddlers! Over this past year there has been an enormous baby boom at my church and what's even more insane is that I know at least three other women at the same church who are expecting this year. *Sigh* My biological time-clock has been going in overdrive lately and so it's difficult when I'm at church surrounded by young families and babies. Sometimes I wonder if it will ever happen. *Sigh* At times I feel like my worth is measured by my singleness. Yes, it's a silly notion, however there are many times when I feel that this external factor - being single - is a measure of my worth as a person. Why am I still single? Am I not lovable, attractive, intelligent, witty or charming enough? Do I have to be perfect? As I contemplate all these thoughts, I am reminded of the sermon today at church which was based on Galatians 1:10 - 2:10. Our Pastor, Steve, talked about how Paul devestates and exposes two of the false gospels that we all fall for:

• We are the product of external forces.

• We determine our fate

Convicting huh? Steve went on to talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ and the fact that our identity is determined by God. So in my case, not in the fact that I'm still single. I was once again reminded in today's sermon that I am more sinful and more wicked and more wretched than I would every admit to anyone else. But because of Christ, I am far more loved, cherished and forgiven than I could ever imagine. So at this point, all I can do is ask God for a transformation of my heart and to embrace the fact that God has already forgiven me, and most importantly, loves and cherishes me more than any individual on the planet, especially that of the male species.

Parental countdown: 4 more days until my parents arrive! I await with great trepidation! ;)

That's Amore!

"In Napoli,

Where love is king,

When boy meets girl,

Here's what they say...

When the moon hits your eye

Like a big Pizza pie

That's amore

When the world seems to shine

Like you've had too much wine

That's Amore"

That song has been playing over and over again in my head all evening! Tonight my roomate (who also works in the same office as me), and I went out to celebrate three co-worker's birthdays at Buca di Beppo which specializes in immigrant southern italian dishes served family style. Can I just say YUM??? Anyway this particular song was playing in the background, which was befitting to the restaurant's atmosphere. The food was delectable and the shared company? Priceless.

Am I Bored?

I really need to get out more.........

1). YOUR PORN STAR NAME - (NAME OF FIRST PET + STREET YOU LIVE ON):
Dakota Linden
2). YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME - (GRANDMOTHER'S FIRST NAME + FAVORITE SNACK FOOD):
LEONORA CHIPS
3). YOUR FASHION DESIGNER NAME - (FIRST WORD YOU SEE ON YOUR LEFT + FAVORITE RESTAURANT):
MEMORY SERENDIPITY3
5). YOUR SOCIALITE NAME - (SILLIEST CHILDHOOD NICKNAME + FIRST TOWN WHERE YOU PARTIED):
JOYCEY VANCOUVER
6). YOUR "FLY GIRL/GUY" NAME - (FIRST INITIAL + FIRST THREE LETTERS OF YOUR LAST NAME):
J JOP
7). YOUR DETECTIVE NAME - (FAVORITE ANIMAL + NAME OF HIGH SCHOOL):
DOG NORTH SURREY
8). YOUR BARFLY NAME - (LAST SNACK FOOD YOU ATE + YOUR FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK)
COOKIE CHARDONNAY
9). YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME - (MIDDLE NAME + STREET WHERE YOU FIRST LIVED):
LONZON DUMFRIES

10). YOUR ROCK STAR NAME - (FAVORITE CANDY + FAVORITE MUSICIAN'S LAST NAME):

SKITTLE GROBAN

11). YOUR "POPULAR" NAME - (FAVORITE CELEBRITY'S FIRST NAME + BEST FRIEND'S CITY NAME):
MEG LANGLEY
12). YOUR OPPOSITE SEX NAME - (NAME OF [OPPOSITE SEX] FRIEND + CELL PHONE COMPANY YOU USE):

JONNY SPRINT

I suppose I ought to post something with more substance, especially since I've been sporadic with my posts, but to be honest, I really don't feel like it. The better part of today was spent sitting in front of the computer typing out an assessment for a family I'm working with and my eyes are practically bugging out of their sockets. After work I decided to do some pilates, which I haven't done in almost a month. Of course, I struggled since I haven't kept it up. I run 3-4 miles every second day and on the weekends I run about 5-6 miles. You'd think that I was in pretty good shape. YEAH RIGHT! After today's pilates session, I'm not so sure. BRING ON THE PILATES MAT!!! I'M TAKING YOU ON!

Friday

It's been one of those weeks.

Hmm.....where to start? The week started out okay but then eventually started to go south.

• Missing out on an all staff retreat Wednesday because I had to attend a meeting at the Department of Human Services, which by the way, ended about 3 hours later.
  
• Thursday, I had to endure a foster mother yelling at me on the phone for about 15 minutes. (Didn't y'all know? Social Workers are the most loved beings in this city! *rolls eyes*)
• Today I put on my blue jeans and guess what? The were tight! Plus, given the fact that I felt greasy all day because I haven't washed my hair since Tuesday.
  
• I've got this huge zit on my chin
• And of course, the best thing to end the week with? Auntie Flo from the Red Sea has decided to visit me for the next few days. Bring on the bullets!

Now, I suppose I shouldn't end this entry on a negative note and so I will share my highlight of the day. As I walked through Center City Philly this afternoon, I ran into an old co-worker who is doing an internship at the DA's office. She's working with the homocide unit, supporting families in court and putting into place support services for families who've experienced having a family member murdered. In the elevator, on our way up to her office, there was this guy with two detectives on handcuffs. Made me wonder.........

Anyways, I just got back from a run with my room and her pitt bull (Chubbs) and so my endorphins have kicked in and I'm feeling pretty happy - inspite of this insane week.

Thank God it's Friday.

Quickie

Arrrggghh! I just accidentally erased the entry that I almost finished typing and now I have to start over again! Ticks me right off! It was a short one, but now I need to recall what I wrote. Grrr!

Anyways, this is going to be a short entry. I'm heading out to Philly in a few minutes with my friend Laura to check out this art exhibit at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. They have this exhibit - In Full View: American Painting and Scupture (1720 - 2005) which is the most extensive exhibition of the Academy's collection ever. Should be an eventful afternoon.

It's been a while since I've blogged. I seem to recall a statement I made about being a "lazy ass blogger". Looks like I'm living up to that statement huh?

Friday Night and Wired

Okay, so I've resorted to filling out one of these dumb surveys. Happy reading!

LAST MOVIE YOU SAW IN A THEATER:	Hitch
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW:	The Catcher In The Rye (for the third time)
FAVORITE BOARD GAME:	Scrabble
FAVORITE MAGAZINE:	Newsweek
FAVORITE SMELLS:	Fresh baked bread
COMFORT FOOD:	Potato chips and dip
FAVORITE SOUNDS:	Pitter-Patter of rain
WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD:	Despair
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING:	"Hey God....."
FAVORITE FAST FOOD PLACE:	Wendy's
FUTURE CHILD'S NAME:	Hmm.....Humphrey or Sunshine.......NOT!
FINISH THIS STATEMENT: "IF I HAD A LOT OF MONEY, I WOULD":	Donate chunks of it to my favorite charities; help my parents retire comfortably; pay for my brother's student loans and my student loans; and then attend grad school in New York City!
DO YOU DRIVE FAST:	C'mon now......I work in Philly. Does that answer your question?
DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL:	No comment.
STORMS -- COOL OR SCARY:	Cool
WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CAR:	Toyota Tercel '89
FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK:	Michelob Ultra and Robert Mondavi Chardonnay
FINISH THIS STATEMENT,'IF I HAD THE TIME, I WOULD LOVE TO':	travel through every continent in the world.
DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI:	Yup
IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR, WHAT WOULD YOU CHOOSE:	Purple with blond highlights.
GLASS HALF-EMPTY OR FULL:	right now it's half-empty.....but on good days it's half full. ;)
HOW MANY CITIES/TOWNS HAVE YOU LIVED IN:	7
FAVORITE PLACE TO RELAX:	Right now it's the Jersey shore.
FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH:	Hockey
WHAT IS UNDER YOUR BED:	A tent; a shoe box full of cd jackets; fleecy blanket; odds and ends box; and a Ten Thousand Villages bag.
TOILET PAPER/ PAPER TOWEL--OVER OR UNDER:	Over
CREATE YOUR OWN! - or - GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS!