Boy, do I have some Tales to Tell...
Friday, December 26, 2008
What does one do when you end up spending X'mas in New York City rather than head out to Philadelphia as was planned? You take advantage of the sales on Boxing Day.
The husband was too ill to travel.
I did have a fine X'mas Day. As I have said before, I am not a fan of this Holiday Season, so I was fine with not traveling and certainly fine with not being part of the mayhem. I called my sister, who was supposed to go to Philly with us, and scheduled a day of shopping. So, we headed out early and took advantage of the retail desperation. It wasn't too bad but by 1:00pm, the crowds had arrived and I was done. Along with a pair of corduroy pants, I got the fabulous jacket above. It's by K-Swiss. The hood strings are purple and the zipper is supposed to be asymetrical. LOVES IT!!! And all for a whopping $130. I pay that much for one pair of shoes!
The husband ventured out to meet us for lunch. Did a quick jig at the farmer's market. Then headed home and back out to do some cardio at the gym. And now, after all this gloriously restful time, I am eating a salad while blogging.
I do have one more gloriously restful day without plans tomorrow. Which makes it three days in a row of doing not-so-much. It kinda makes up for the fact that I have to work Sunday morning. Not bad. Should be quiet. But I may leave early since some relatives may come into the City for the day. We'll see. Maybe, I'll just leave early to check out what else is on sale. Later.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Besides me, did anyone else in Liverpool, New York, listen to freestyle in the mid-80's? Somebody else probably did. My guess is that they were not in my high school.
Back in the day. That's how I describe those days. I was the new kid who just transferred from somewhere in West Africa. Nigeria, specifically. People would ask me why I wasn't black. I was different to begin with. It didn't help that I didn't listen to bands like Van Halen. Or Def Leppard. Or Meatloaf. To this day, I am not sure what that Meatloaf song is the boys sing, then the girls, then the boys again. Whatever.
I was into Freestyle. I listened to Show Me by the Covergirls. And Point of No Return by Expose. But it wasn't until I started buying my own 12-inches (oh the irony) that I really started listening to some amazing stuff. Full Circle by Company B. Come Into My Arms by Judy Torres. Summertime, Summertime by Nocera. I Won't Stop Loving You by C-Bank. Like A Child by Noel. Why Did You Have To Change on Me by Cynthia. Boy, I've Been Told by Sa-fire. I would comb the inner city record stores for some of the most amazing music. The only 17-year old Filipino in the store. I'm sure some people did a double-take.
I still love hearing these songs on the dance floor. Once in a while, I'll be on some dance floor where the DJ will take a chance and play a freestyle song. Almost certainly, I will be one of a handful of people dancing. I didn't care then. I don't care now. As I type this, I am jamming to one of my favorites. Judy Torres. Considered by some to be the Queen. Me included.
I don't miss much from my high school years. But this type of music, yes. This discovery of it. The freedom I felt listening to it. I miss that. Later.
Back in the day. That's how I describe those days. I was the new kid who just transferred from somewhere in West Africa. Nigeria, specifically. People would ask me why I wasn't black. I was different to begin with. It didn't help that I didn't listen to bands like Van Halen. Or Def Leppard. Or Meatloaf. To this day, I am not sure what that Meatloaf song is the boys sing, then the girls, then the boys again. Whatever.
I was into Freestyle. I listened to Show Me by the Covergirls. And Point of No Return by Expose. But it wasn't until I started buying my own 12-inches (oh the irony) that I really started listening to some amazing stuff. Full Circle by Company B. Come Into My Arms by Judy Torres. Summertime, Summertime by Nocera. I Won't Stop Loving You by C-Bank. Like A Child by Noel. Why Did You Have To Change on Me by Cynthia. Boy, I've Been Told by Sa-fire. I would comb the inner city record stores for some of the most amazing music. The only 17-year old Filipino in the store. I'm sure some people did a double-take.
I still love hearing these songs on the dance floor. Once in a while, I'll be on some dance floor where the DJ will take a chance and play a freestyle song. Almost certainly, I will be one of a handful of people dancing. I didn't care then. I don't care now. As I type this, I am jamming to one of my favorites. Judy Torres. Considered by some to be the Queen. Me included.
I don't miss much from my high school years. But this type of music, yes. This discovery of it. The freedom I felt listening to it. I miss that. Later.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Well, the holidays are almost done. And I am coping quite well. Thanks.
Normally, I don't think much about the month of January. There is this one thing that always happens for me in that month. After the fifth one, I basically barely acknowledged it. I'm not sure why. One day, I will spend a bit trying to figure out why I really don't think of my day of birth any more than I think of any other day.
Last year, was an interesting year because I was in the middle of a big meeting when my co-workers walked into the room with a buche de noel, while singing happy birthday. I actually loved it. Especially since I love buche de noel. It was great. But that was all I did in terms of any celebration.
For 2009, the man asked me if I wanted to do something special. Mostly, we do dinner. I told him I would think about it. I thought about what the best birthdays were for me. I thought about what made me feel happy during all my birthdays. And it occured to me, besides the great buche de noel previously mentioned, my other wonderful birthday was the fifth one.
My mom's friend, who was an amazing baker, baked me a cake and created a clown head out of cake and icing. As a child, I was floored. I didn't want to cut it but my mother told me that everyone, all 35 kids there, wanted a piece. So, we cut it and I remember thinking how great it was to have a delicious cake made for me. I didn't care that all these people attended. I was just happy that someone made me a delicious cake.
And so, this January, I told the husband that I wanted an amazing cake. That's it. Nothing more. I may cook brunch for a few very close friends. And make the cake the centerpiece of the day. But I want an amazing cake. I just have to figure out where I am going to order it from. I've gotten some suggestions. I will be trying some samples. But I want awesomely, fantastically, delicious cake with some tantalizingly amazing frosting.
That should make it a good birthday. Later.
Normally, I don't think much about the month of January. There is this one thing that always happens for me in that month. After the fifth one, I basically barely acknowledged it. I'm not sure why. One day, I will spend a bit trying to figure out why I really don't think of my day of birth any more than I think of any other day.
Last year, was an interesting year because I was in the middle of a big meeting when my co-workers walked into the room with a buche de noel, while singing happy birthday. I actually loved it. Especially since I love buche de noel. It was great. But that was all I did in terms of any celebration.
For 2009, the man asked me if I wanted to do something special. Mostly, we do dinner. I told him I would think about it. I thought about what the best birthdays were for me. I thought about what made me feel happy during all my birthdays. And it occured to me, besides the great buche de noel previously mentioned, my other wonderful birthday was the fifth one.
My mom's friend, who was an amazing baker, baked me a cake and created a clown head out of cake and icing. As a child, I was floored. I didn't want to cut it but my mother told me that everyone, all 35 kids there, wanted a piece. So, we cut it and I remember thinking how great it was to have a delicious cake made for me. I didn't care that all these people attended. I was just happy that someone made me a delicious cake.
And so, this January, I told the husband that I wanted an amazing cake. That's it. Nothing more. I may cook brunch for a few very close friends. And make the cake the centerpiece of the day. But I want an amazing cake. I just have to figure out where I am going to order it from. I've gotten some suggestions. I will be trying some samples. But I want awesomely, fantastically, delicious cake with some tantalizingly amazing frosting.
That should make it a good birthday. Later.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Why does someone who insists he will never join Facebook, join anyway? Because he wants to see who from his high school class still looks good. That's why.
And how does he avoid his relatives, who he barely talks to, from finding him? He uses a fake name. But that does not really work when you become friends with other people they know.
So, you go ahead and accept them and think, "Maybe, I will start talking to them and be the adult that I am. Let the past be the past." Here's to hoping.
And, by the way, the cute one's from high school, well... didn't remain that way. And some of the one's you don't even recall... HAWT. Later.
And how does he avoid his relatives, who he barely talks to, from finding him? He uses a fake name. But that does not really work when you become friends with other people they know.
So, you go ahead and accept them and think, "Maybe, I will start talking to them and be the adult that I am. Let the past be the past." Here's to hoping.
And, by the way, the cute one's from high school, well... didn't remain that way. And some of the one's you don't even recall... HAWT. Later.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
A few years ago, the husband declared that we were not doing enough "cultured" things. I said, "Well, get tickets to something and I'll go." So, he got tickets to the Handel's Messiah. And we went. With a couple of his co-workers. Apparently, this was something they did on a regular basis.
When we got to Carnegie Hall, there was a huge crowd. I was beginning to get excited. Certainly, something with this big a crowd had to be exciting. After three hours of sitting, we said our goodbyes to our friends. Got into a cab and headed uptown. The husband turned to me and said, "Well?" I turned to him and said, "Yup. We won't be doing that again." He said, "Uh, let's stick to what we know. Like TV and movies."
Later.
When we got to Carnegie Hall, there was a huge crowd. I was beginning to get excited. Certainly, something with this big a crowd had to be exciting. After three hours of sitting, we said our goodbyes to our friends. Got into a cab and headed uptown. The husband turned to me and said, "Well?" I turned to him and said, "Yup. We won't be doing that again." He said, "Uh, let's stick to what we know. Like TV and movies."
Later.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
I'm going through a phase. I won't judge it. But it is a weird phase.
I wasn't feeling 100% on Saturday, so I texted my friend to cancel out on her always-fantabulous holiday party. In the past, only being bed-ridden would have prevented me from going. But I am still recovering from a cold and, along with the frigid weather, I wasn't feeling it. Some weird phase.
My apathy continued to this morning when I lay in bed until 10:00am. I was going to get my hair cut but who really gives a crap if I look like a Chia Head? Not me. Reluctantly, at the encouraging of my husband, I got out of bed. We made plans with my sister and Janice to have some awesome Japanese comfort food at Ramen Setagaya and catch Milk. I cried intensely toward the end of the movie. I told you something is up. Some weird phase.
Then, at the season finale of The Amazing Race. I cried hard for the second place finishers. I can't remember when I cried this much because of screen entertainment. My eyes still feel swollen. And to top it all off, I didn't care that people saw me crying. Not that I ever have. But I just let it all go. Some weird phase.
I wonder why. Later.
I wasn't feeling 100% on Saturday, so I texted my friend to cancel out on her always-fantabulous holiday party. In the past, only being bed-ridden would have prevented me from going. But I am still recovering from a cold and, along with the frigid weather, I wasn't feeling it. Some weird phase.
My apathy continued to this morning when I lay in bed until 10:00am. I was going to get my hair cut but who really gives a crap if I look like a Chia Head? Not me. Reluctantly, at the encouraging of my husband, I got out of bed. We made plans with my sister and Janice to have some awesome Japanese comfort food at Ramen Setagaya and catch Milk. I cried intensely toward the end of the movie. I told you something is up. Some weird phase.
Then, at the season finale of The Amazing Race. I cried hard for the second place finishers. I can't remember when I cried this much because of screen entertainment. My eyes still feel swollen. And to top it all off, I didn't care that people saw me crying. Not that I ever have. But I just let it all go. Some weird phase.
I wonder why. Later.
Saturday, December 06, 2008
With the sad state of the economy, we are inundated with news reports and stories about people looking for a bargain. Or a way to get that material possession for a bargain price. I was watching one of the morning shows where they had some person online looking for a bargain for someone who wanted a Wii and a laptop. Seriously? How about saving your money for something really important? Like food. Or getting out of debt. Or rent. I hear people complaining that they don't have enough money to buy gifts this year. Yet, there they are in front of the Wal-Mart trampling and killing people to get a bargain on some item that the person they give it to will probably consider obsolete in six months. Makes sense, eh?
Here's a thought, America: rather than worry about getting your kids some toy-of-the-moment, how about using this opportunity to teach them how to give back to the world? Instead of exacerbating their need to consume, how about teaching them the rewards of appreciating what you do have? Too hard? Ok, how about teaching people that when you have no money, you don't get things? Maybe that way, the mortgage debacle won't happen again.
I have, once again, taken myself out of the gift-giving insanity that people pass as Christmas. Years ago, I told my family that I did not want to exchange presents anymore. Somewhere, that stopped. Probably because my "in-laws" do it. So, this year, I have told them that going forward I no longer want any type of material present. If they really want to spend money on me, then they can donate it to a charity of their choice.
I cringe when I hear people base the worth of the holidays on whether they can afford gifts.
If you can put food on the table and spend time with friends, then the holidays are a success.
If you can stand on your own two feet and not be a burden to anyone, then the holidays are a success.
If you can wake up on December 25 and look into the eyes of a loved one, then the holidays are a success.
If you can teach someone that the true meaning of "goodwill to all" is sharing your precious time with them, then the holidays are a success.
And nothing in a big box that is bright or shiny can do any of that. I wish America would realize that. Because it feels more and more like they don't. Later.
Here's a thought, America: rather than worry about getting your kids some toy-of-the-moment, how about using this opportunity to teach them how to give back to the world? Instead of exacerbating their need to consume, how about teaching them the rewards of appreciating what you do have? Too hard? Ok, how about teaching people that when you have no money, you don't get things? Maybe that way, the mortgage debacle won't happen again.
I have, once again, taken myself out of the gift-giving insanity that people pass as Christmas. Years ago, I told my family that I did not want to exchange presents anymore. Somewhere, that stopped. Probably because my "in-laws" do it. So, this year, I have told them that going forward I no longer want any type of material present. If they really want to spend money on me, then they can donate it to a charity of their choice.
I cringe when I hear people base the worth of the holidays on whether they can afford gifts.
If you can put food on the table and spend time with friends, then the holidays are a success.
If you can stand on your own two feet and not be a burden to anyone, then the holidays are a success.
If you can wake up on December 25 and look into the eyes of a loved one, then the holidays are a success.
If you can teach someone that the true meaning of "goodwill to all" is sharing your precious time with them, then the holidays are a success.
And nothing in a big box that is bright or shiny can do any of that. I wish America would realize that. Because it feels more and more like they don't. Later.
