one day at a time...

Oregon

2006-06-16T14:38:00.000-04:00

CLU 2006 Vacation Pictures!!

back again!

2006-01-18T01:41:00.000-05:00

Wow... what a long break! For 2006 I hope to keep up with this blog as much as I can... it might not mean much, but we'll see. I had a nice Christmas back home in Cali and then spent a wonderful New Years Eve in Times Square. I just got back from the National Communion and Liberation Diaconia in Boston, and next week I begin my second semester of graduate school. Things are moving fast, and it is tough, but I love NY and what I am doing here. I also realized this past weekend that I have wonderful friends here and my future in NY has much potential.

Let's see how technlogically advanced I can become in the next few months. I dont have much time to update this blog, but i'll do my best. With the availability of a new digital camera (my first ever!!) I will be able to use this site to share with everyone my recent activities. I'll write more soon, and post some links. I have much to say about the Diaconia that you may find interesting... oh, and many stories of the past weeks.

Charlie Brown!

2005-11-27T10:13:00.000-05:00

for the grown-ups!

I have a picture of Dora too, but I thought this would be better. My first year in NYC and i jut had to go see Macy's parade. it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be with crowds, etc... in fact, i might even go back next year! i's nice to feel like a kid again!

did i mention i love the holiday season?!?!

working on a few papers. writers block sucks!

supposed to snow soon... i'm excited and ready, but at the same time i am not sure if i "really" am ready!

it's a tough life.. but i'm surviving... AND STILL loving the city!!

chapter 1

2005-10-16T12:19:00.000-04:00

since i've waited so long in posting anything substantial... here is a letter i just sent out to many friends and family. its a thing i used to do a lot during my travels/ education, and again, it has begun! chapter 1...

Hello everyone!

Here it is… some of you are familiar with my once in a while updates, and some of you are new to the list… in that case, congratulations! I've been meaning to write this for a while now, and finally am able to. I must apologize for having waited so long to send out this e-mail. But, of course, it really only hurts me because I have too much to say, and while you can easily scan and delete the e-mail, I have to sit here and type it all up. ;) I apologize also for not being able to write you all individually… but it's taken me long enough to have the time to sit down and do this, could you imagine how long it would take to write each and every one of you? Sorry also for the potential length as well… I will try and cut out the small talk. Ok… Where shall I begin?

After a quick trip to Boise to visit my aunt and uncle (quick as in 1 day… I wanted to get back to attend a good friend's mother's memorial service), I found myself on a plane with a one way ticket to begin a new life in the Big Apple. I just realized a few minutes ago that I have been here now for 2 months to the day. I arrived August 16th. I began school two weeks after the move, and I must say I am having a great experience. All the waiting, rejections, and GRE attempts paid off… I love NYC, my school is great, the teachers are wonderful (and very nice!), and I am really enjoying my classes. I am taking a heavy course load this semester (which I will NEVER do again!), 4 classes… Modern Art, Modern Sculpture, a course in Realism/ Impressionism/ Post-Impressionism (focusing on the art from 1850-1900), and Classical Greek Art. Exciting, huh? I love it! The only thing I do not like is that I have to once again come to face the reality of being a student… writing papers, not procrastinating, and being able to do things at the rate/quality that is expected at the graduate level. That, for me, is an education in itself… and I can honestly say that I am struggling in the process of learning to do it all.

I am still unemployed at the moment. I've sent out many resumes, had a few interviews, and in the meantime I have experienced complete… well, let's just say I was flat broke for a while! The school decided to wait until early October to release my financial aid check, and for a good month I didn't know how I was going to get by. Things are better now (I have my money in the bank), but I'm still on a very tight budget considering that even though I took out the highest loan amount possible, after tuition/ fees I only came away with about $2,000 to live on until I get my check for next semester (hopefully, but no guarantees, in February). I'm sure we can all recognize that that is not nearly enough to live on… and therefore I MUST get a job and hope it does not interfere to much with school. For the meantime I'm trying to use my free time well and enjoy myself while I can. I've had a few great opportunities, but none have gone through. This past week I had interviews with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) to work in the human resources department doing payroll (which was what I've done for the past two years in Sacramento), and at the Frick Museum as a coat-checker. I think I am in the top running for the coat check position (I signed a background check waiver on Friday which indicated they were going to offer me a job), and even though it may not be an ideal job (and pays not as much as I'd like at $9.85/hr), it has many plusses. First, I'll be working in a museum. If you know me well, you'll know this is a step in the right direction career wise (I can always work my way up). Second, it is part-time and I'll most likely be working weekends which means I will have all week free to study an get my work done on campus (or at the various research libraries around the city). This position will give me a FREE pass to ALL of the New York City Museums (that's a money saver right there, as well as a great opportunity for my studies), it is a small collection housed in an old 5th Ave. mansion along Central Park so it is a very warm/upscale atmosphere, and like I just mentioned… it is right across from Central Park!! During the fall/winter I can see the weather changes, the snow, and when it becomes warmer again (if I am still working there) I can take my breaks and eat lunch on the grassy areas or the benches that line the many paths. Could I ask for anything better?!?! The Frick (www.frick.org ) is further away from Rockefeller Center than the MoMA which is only a block away, but if I took a short bus ride down 5th Ave, past Trump Tower, Tiffanys, and all the other overpriced/ high fashion stores, I could be there to see/ go to mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral, see the Christmas Tree and ice rink (which they just set up) and enjoy my first winter in NYC. I may have an opportunity working with the diocese but I will only pursue that if there is something much better that comes up and if I do not get the job with the Frick. The only bad ting is if I do get the job, I'm going to have to work out my vacation schedule… and hope that it will allow me the time to go home for Christmas. If not (and I am really hoping it will), then I guess I will have to experience my second Christmas without the family… but I'm not going to think about that until I absolutely have to! Wish me luck!

As I said very early on… I am loving NYC. Even though I live in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, I am constantly at awe with the environment/culture the city has to bring. I still feel after two months that I am still a tourist, and even though I've walked just about everywhere, I feel I haven't nearly seen enough. This place is wonderful, unique, beautiful, and so much more. My roommates and I wish that we had more money so that we could live in the city or in the Brooklyn Heights/ Park Slope areas of Brooklyn. But we're satisfied here for now. In short, my favorite places so far are… Central Park, 5th Ave/ Rockefeller Center, Columbus Circle/Lincoln Center, East Village, Upper West side, SoHo/TriBeca, Chelsea galleries, the Met, the MoMA, and well… I'm pretty much in love with it all!!! Every day I will either see something new, or see something I that I see on a regular basis, but it will still take my breath away. I can't believe I am here. I've been given such a wonderful opportunity, and I am definitely blessed to be here. Someone is definitely watching out for me and taking care of me! While I miss California and all the wonderful people there, and while NY is not comparable on any level to CA, I am happy to be here… I may even be able to make a life out here… who knows what will happen! Weather wise… well, it rained for the past week, and it is starting to cool off. Looks like winter is just around the corner… all I need to do now is buy a warm jacket and some boots and I will be good to go!

I think I did pretty well on this letter considering how long it's been since I've sent an update. Again, I apologize to many people for not being able to write individual letters. Than you also to those who have written me and put up with my non-responses (I promise it's not intentional). My internet connection at home is horrible (we steal from a neighbor) and sometimes I am nowhere near a computer long enough to send even a quick note. This is something I need to work harder on (same with the phone calls too!). The rest is laziness, and well… we all can be lazy sometimes, no? I hope this letter finds everyone well. Feel free to drop me a line anytime… I will always try my best to respond!

Ciao!

oy veh!

2005-10-14T00:03:00.000-04:00

the jews have gotten to me! nah, thats not too nice of me, but i guess i'm just not used to walking 10 blocks in the pouring rain, getting all soaking wet, and winding up at the store i really wanted to go to (and have been waiting because i've been busy and last time i tried to go it was closed), to find out that it AGAIN is closed. Damn it!! I actually am very intrigued by the Jewish culture there is in Brooklyn and the city, but I'm not used to my schedule being changed so freakin' much because of their holiday. I cant keep my life straight with a day off here, and a day of there, and then that day (you know columbus day) there is no class but because of that monday classes will be tuesday so you have monday off, do mondays schedule on tuesday and then you have wednesday and thursday off... blah blah blah... it's so damn confusing!!!

next monday things will be back to normal, i hope... except i'll still be behind in my work, and it'll still probably be raining. i hear its about 80 in CA right now.. damn them bastards.. but i think i'm STILL having more fun... in fact, i know i'm having more fun here than i would be in CA (wish the friends would xfer over though.. thats the only sucky part).

so yeah, life is good. i love NY! still need to get the hang of being back in school, and i REALLY need to pay attention to the workload i have (since i took on too much and am beginning to sink). still jobless but i think theres a good possibility i will have a job next week. i'll keep you posted wth the plusses and minuses of it!

right now it sounds as if i'm on a cruiseship and the water is banging aginst the window.. yes, its raining that hard. i'm off tomorrow to buy some galloshes or some other similar plastic boot so me feet aren't wet after walking for only 10 minutes (must get used to this weather). anyway... heres a quick list so i dont have to write a book again...
NYC... duh.. it's wonderful
school... great, just a lot to do
home... couldn't be better.. oh wait.. it could be if we lived in the city!
jenn's birthday on Sat... sweet! but it just reminds me how old I am getting
rain... SUCKS!!
potential job across from central park... awesome
possible free museum entrances throughout city... so awesome
getting to go shopping for warm coat and boots... yay
NY public library (42nd St.)... cold and hate it... but wonderful collection
Chelsea art galleries... so neat... gotta go back
Wilhelm Lehmbruck... awesome sculptor... lets find out more (paper topic!!)
Ms. Pepper... yet another new name for this rockin' chick i'm in the program with (always finding out new things about her)
NY Subway scares... can't let it ruin my life!!
CBGBs and Coyote Ugly outings this weekend... right on!!
Salty Dog.. still across the street
french reading comprehensive exam... failed... sweet! (really though, i laugh at this!!)
CLU... couldn't be better... here's to the St. Francis SoC in a pub! ;P
winter in NYC... Can't wait! give me the tree in Roceffeler and i'll be complete!
parents coming in Nov.... hurry up...!!
uh... long list... gotta stop now, really... it's not that great!

write more later, for sure! thanks for reading even though i can't keep up!
ciao!

new beginnings

2005-08-22T23:39:00.000-04:00

Okay… I’ve finally returned! After a long hiatus from blogworld, and some friendly requests, I’ve finally decided to come back. The last few weeks have been crazy, indeed. As you can probably tell from my last entry, I’ve moved. It’s official… I now live in New York City… well, Brooklyn, actually.

Two weeks ago now, I managed to finish up everything at work, and clear my desk free of all the crap I acquired within the last two plus years. Then, I spent a good few days packing up all the crap I acquired within the last 23 years… and I left my apartment for what I thought was good on Tuesday night (thanks to my mom’s Toyota highlander which I drove for the first time and ABOLUTELY LOVED!!!). Next, a trip to Boise to see my aunt.

Okay, now I liked Boise, and I obviously love my aunt because I wouldn’t drive that far through nothingness for many other people. Yes, I mean absolute NOTHINGNESS. The drive was fine through Reno but soon after… I saw nothing but yellow grass and brown hills (at a distance)…a good 7 hours worth (and that was because I was driving super fast… thank god for speed on that trip!! Oh, and I can’t forget to tell you that I finally figured out where those half houses on trucks come from... yeah, that’s right… Idaho… I saw at least 8 complete houses pass by on the highway (that’s 16 halves). Boise reminded me a lot like Chico (which I didn’t like very much when I was there without a car, but I know deep down it was a good city). Boise, however, seemed much better. There was more to do, and the river that passed through the nice city was definitely better than the little Chico creek. The only thing I didn’t really like about it was that for miles and miles, there is nothing around it. If you couldn’t tell by now, I’m not a fan of desolation. I’m a city girl… for sure! My aunts house was really nice though. Her and my uncle always treat me so good (I spent a lot of time with them when I lived in Italy because they were living in Germany at the time… my uncle is in the Air Force). Back to their house… only about 3 streets behind them lies the Oregon trail. How cool is that? I’ve always been a fan of those people who moved west and their story, and for a long time as a child I had wanted to go see the trails… and I was sooo close. It was great!!

Now, I am crazy, but I have a huge heart. I love my friends so much!! So, I drove to Boise on Wednesday, was there all day on Thursday, and drove back on Friday in order to attend a friend’s mother’s funeral. I had wanted to go so badly, and I knew if I missed it I’d regret it for a really long time, so the long drive (and the speeding ticket on the way back) was well worth it. I arrived back in Sacramento around 4pm for the service at 630 (not to forget that I won $5.00 at a small hotel casino on my gas stop in Winnemucca, NV… I just love saying that name… Winnemucca… he he). I got home late that night after the service, went to a mass in honor of my friend’s mother the next day, and then spent a majority of that day cleaning up the apartment that I had thought I left for good. No bog deal… I was happy to help my roommate help.

That whole weekend I was running around doing last minute stuff for the move (last minute packing/ shipping/ etc.)… it went by really fast. The Monday I left, I had coffee and a good talk with Jen at Starbucks, and then my friends Mary and Katie (everyone else was up in Tahoe) came with me to dinner and took me to the airport. They are great… I had a really good last night in Sac… which made me hate leaving even more. The flight was good, and I am happy and excited for me new beginning here.

NEW YORK: Arrived feeling sick from lack of food and liquid after having the large margarita at Chevy’s. Got my oversized bags on the cart okay, got a car service okay, and arrived at my apartment and was locked out. It’s a long story… I had lent my keys to a friend when he came to drop off some bags for me, and he left them here. No big deal, okay… the people he left them with were supposed to get them to my current NY roommates and never did (they had like a month to do so).. The plan was I was going to call on of these guys when I got off the plane and he would meet me at the door when I arrived. I called, his phone was off… I got here… still no answer. UGH!! What a lovely beginning, no?!?! So luckily, another friend who is working on finishing his thesis heard my message, came to find me, put my bags in his car, we went to mass together, had lunch, and I hung out at his place with his roommate (another friend) for a few hours until one of my roommates came home to let me in. I arrived in Brooklyn around 1100am and I got into my apartment around 7pm, and my bags were delivered to me around 8pm. ;P Had dinner at Nathan’s (famous hot dog place), got ice cream, and watched a movie together. It actually turned out to be a very nice evening!

I don’t want to write a novel, so I will keep it short and fill you in later. I’ve been waiting in my apartment until about 200pm every day for my boxes to arrive. I’ve received 6 from my first set of 8, and my next set of about 7 should start coming in tomorrow sometime. Never an early day for me so far... I just want them to come and I will be happy. Been to SoHo/ NoHo twice just wandering the streets, wandered through the villages, up towards Broadway, checked out where the Letterman theater was (I know it’s not called that) and fund the Happy Deli (you know, Rupert’s deli around the corner from Letterman? I’ll be going back to buy a T-Shirt for Katie when it is open, for sure!!). Saturday my roommates and I checked out the Met, watched a movie. Sunday was pretty laid back as well… mass, brunch, movies, Target, and back home. Today I got up, sent off the check for my speeding ticket (walked about 15 blocks), came back, waited for packages... nothing arrived. Had lunch, experimented with the bus routes to school, got my student I.D (so I can actually enter campus), walked 20+ blocks from the bus stop home so I could see what else was around me, ate dinner, went to keep my friends company while they had dinner at a restaurant, called some friends while going on a nice evening walk around my apt., and here I am…. Updating my blog for you all who read it!!

Tomorrow, I have graduate orientation in the evening, and that’s it. Later this week, I will go to Ikea to look for a bed, and maybe hit up another museum or so or maybe check out the Lincoln center?). There’s a lot to do, I’m not worried. I am loving NY so far. I miss my friends, and the comforts of California, but I love walking places, I love the city, and I also love the people I know here. God definitely is taking care of me!

Here’s to a new life! School starts next Monday.

Veni Sanctus Spiritus, Veni per Mariam

p.s... Rude Cactus and Fish... congrats on your new baby girl, Mia! I've been following along, looking at your pictures and reading your experiences. I am so happy for you guys!

2005-07-22T17:46:00.000-04:00

Well, It's final! I bought my ticket to New York... after, however, waiting about 20 minutes to press "complete transaction" on this ONE WAY TICKET. I can't turn back now, the date is set. In less than a month my apartment will be empty, and all of my bags/ boxes will be completley packed.

2 more full weeks of work, 2 more SoC's in Sacramento, and then off for new beginnings.
Isn't life wonderful?!

Veni Sanctus Spiritus, Veni Per Mariam

Unbelievable!

2005-07-15T17:29:00.000-04:00

Now, i'm sorry, but this I just do not understand!?!?!? You don't have to believe in Mary, You don't have to believe in transubstantiation., You don't have to believe in all of the sacraments, or any of the other Catholic practices... But give me a freakin' break! If someone walks into an adoption agency wanting to save a childs life, let them... there's more people out there making these babies that they can't or won't care for than there are those willing to take them into there homes and give them a loving family. Wake up and practice what you preach! i dont get it.. i really dont. what is society coming to?

Christian adoption agency snubs Catholics
Friday, July 15, 2005; Posted: 4:49 p.m. EDT (20:49 GMT)

JACKSON, Mississippi (AP) -- A Christian adoption agency that receives money from Choose Life license plate fees said it does not place children with Roman Catholic couples because their religion conflicts with the agency's "Statement of Faith." Bethany Christian Services stated the policy in a letter to a Jackson couple this month, and another Mississippi couple said they were rejected for the same reason last year.

"It has been our understanding that Catholicism does not agree with our Statement of Faith," Bethany's state director Karen Stewart wrote. "Our practice to not accept applications from Catholics was an effort to be good stewards of an adoptive applicant's time, money and emotional energy."

Sandy and Robert Steadman, who learned of Bethany's decision in a July 8 letter, said their priest told them the faith statement did not conflict with Catholic teaching.

Loria Williams of nearby Ridgeland said she and her husband, Wes, had a similar experience when they started to pursue an adoption in September 2004.

"I can't believe an agency that's nationwide would act like this," Loria Williams said. "There was an agency who was Christian based but wasn't willing to help people across the board."

Bethany, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has 75 offices in 30 states, including three in Mississippi. The offices are independently incorporated and are affiliated with various religions, spokesman John Van Valkenburg said from the agency headquarters. He couldn't say whether any were Catholic-affiliated.

He said the Jackson office is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church of America.

"They included this practice of not including Catholics," Van Valkenburg said Friday.

Stewart told the Jackson Clarion-Ledger that Bethany's board will review its policy, but she didn't specify which aspects will be addressed.

The agency's Web site says all Bethany staff and adoptive applicants personally agree with the faith statement, which describes belief in the Christian Church and the Scripture. It does not refer to any specific branches of Christianity.

"As the Savior, Jesus takes away the sins of the world," the statement says in part. "Jesus is the one in whom we are called to put our hope, our only hope for forgiveness of sin and for reconciliation with God and with one another."

Sandy Steadman said she was hurt and disappointed that Bethany received funds from the Choose Life car license plates. "I know of a lot of Catholics who get those tags," she said.

She added: "If it's OK to accept our money, it should be OK to open your home to us as a family."

Bethany is one of 24 adoption and pregnancy counseling centers in Mississippi that receives money from the sale of Choose Life tags, a special plate that motorists can obtain with an extra fee.

Of $244,000 generated by the sale of the tags in 2004, Bethany received $7,053, said Geraldine Gray, treasurer of Choose Life Mississippi, which distributes the money.

"It is troubling to me if they are discriminating based on only the Catholics," Gray said.

The Bethany spokesman, van Valkenburg, said the offices in Mississippi do not receive any public money, but that some offices in other states do, for example, because they are involved in foster care.

2005-07-07T12:55:00.000-04:00

i feel a little like her today

2005-07-07T12:24:00.000-04:00

[In Short]
just over a month until i move... ;)
just under a month until i get to leave my day job... ;)
possibly one more night of my evening job... ;)
exercising more and not always so tired... ;)
potentially leaving car in Cali... ;(
potentially no cross- country road trip... ;(
thoughts on decorating new room & getting new furniture... ;)
good friend's mom dying of cancer... ;.(
wonderful friends and family... ;)
terrorist attacks in London... ;(
Olympics in London and not NY... ;I
green tea... ;)
Quarterly reports... ;(
new beginnings!... ;)

Hail Mary, Full of Grace, The Lord is with Thee, Blessed Art Thou a Young Woman, and Blessed is the Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus, Holy Mary Mother of God, Pray for our Sinners Now and at the hour of our Death, Amen.

I'm It!

2005-07-07T12:19:00.000-04:00

Erin-Go-Blog tagged me with the lifetme meme:

10 years ago: LET’S SEE… 23-10 = 3! I was probably eating play doh and watching Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers.

5 years ago: first year of college! Plotting my future.1 year ago: one year after graduating from college, waiting to be accepted to grad school. Working at job I’d never wish to do for a lifetime, starting to pay off loans…

Yesterday: worked two jobs, almost fell asleep (well, did) at desks, saw friends at coffee shop, watched movie and went to bed.

Today: Working as usual! My second job might end today… yay!

Tomorrow: still working, but it will be Friday, so I’ll be happier!

5 snacks I enjoy: Cheese-it’s, popcorn, raspberries, tortilla chips, roasted garlic table water crackers.

5 bands/ people that I know the lyrics of MOST of their songs: Norah Jones, Dave Matthews, The Killers, Celine Dion, and others but I’m drawing a blank!

5 things I would do with $100,000,000: 1) pay off my debt (credit card and student loans); 2) set aside money for rest of education; 3) put some into my nephew’s school fund; 4) buy a new car, bigger apt., give some to parents/ sister; 5) start a travel account and put large amount in for multiple trips.

5 locations I’d like to run away to: Italy, Austria, Some Island (small or large), South Pacific, Somewhere in Mts.

5 bad habits I have: Biting/ ripping nails, staying up too late, procrastinating, throwing things in piles (unorganized messes), not eating breakfast.

5 things I like doing: spending time with friends, traveling, listening to music/ watching movies, going to gym, reading.

5 things I would never wear: super-mini skirts, leather anything (except maybe jacket), overly tight or skimpy clothes, lederhosen ;), clothes that my 3nd grade teacher would’ve wore.

5 TV shows I like: Everybody Loves Raymond, ER, anything reality (well, most things reality), design shows, travel shows

5 movies I like: Something’s Gotta Give, Little Princess, You’ve Got Mail, Beautiful Life, Coyote Ugly, 10 Things I Hate about You

5 famous people I’d like to meet: Bono, Prince William, Pope Benedict, (dead people) Fr. Giussani, Pope John Paul II, a Saint.

5 biggest joys at the moment: Graduate school, moving to NY, Nathan (my nephew)& my wonderful friends, anticipation of getting my evenings free again, that I’m healthy!

5 favorite toys: laptop, my car, (that I would like to have...heehee) iPod or other mp3 player, digital camera, teleportation device.

Consider yourself invited to do the same thing...

2005-06-28T11:49:00.000-04:00

So, I think I did something wrong! I tried going to the gym after work last night (that is, after my second job which ends at 1030pm). Late nights usually aren't a problem for me, but when I have to get up and be at work at 730 the next day, it becomes a MAJOR problem. 3 days a week is better than none, I guess, so I decided to try it. I went straight from work and after I got there, I realized I didn't have my running shoes. DAMN! It's ok though, I was wearing my puma's (the green ones!) and I figure those were much better than having nothing at all... so on to the treadmill I went. A little more that I had forgotten was remembering that I am just getting over a cold, and therefore something else that was running besides me was my nose, and the cough that I still do have... oh... that was pleasant. I did a very short 5 minute run... 2.5 jogging and the other 2.5 sprinting. I would've done more, but I was already tired from the long day, and I just really wanted to go home and sleep. Hey, at least I went... I'll have to figure something better out... oh and remember my shoes. But here's where the problem lies... I got home and I COULDN"T FALL ASLEEP. I knew that was going to happen, but I thought I'd try something new and listen to my friends and maybe something would be different... maybe I'd magically be more awake in the morning and refreshed... WRONG!!! So, you ask... why don't I just go in the mornings? Well... tried that... no matter what I do and how early I go to bed, I have a problem with getting out of bed before a certain time. I've tried it... I've tried almost everything... setting my alarm early, putting it all the way across the room, everything. If I dont have to be up, I won't get up (it's like there's a force keeping me in bed and taking away all thought until the clock reads a certain hour)... as it is I only leave myself 10 minutes to get ready in the morning. It's not like I want that... sure, I'd love to get up and make a cup of coffee and take time picking out my clothes, and watching the morning news, and maybe cook breakfast, but it doesn't work for me. So, what can I do.... I am SO INCREDIBLY TIRED this morning, but I want to work out, I like working out, and I need to work out... but ugh... if I'm always going to be this tired, is it really worth it?!?!?! I get to leave my second job in 2 weeks, so at least that will help (I'm not quitting, and I'm not being fired... it's just that the project I'm working on will be over and everyone gets to leave until another comes along). So, Anyway... for now I just want a bed!

Ode to Mayela

2005-06-28T11:25:00.000-04:00

So... my friend Mayela is the BESTEST! I just read her blogie blog... (i'll get over it, but what is with my crazy way of speaking this morning?!?!...whatever!) which she has done a way better job than I on, by the way, and I just have to come away with the ultimate love for this girl.
She's A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! Now, I hardly ever talk to her (even though I probably should), and when we actully do see eachother (like once or twice a year on a vacation), we don't really even talk then... go figure!! (but then again I don't talk all that much, so that doesn't help!) A hug here, a hug there, the classic "take care of yourself". But you know when you see something great in someone, and everytime you hear about this person, you just want to smile because they are great (which happens with a lot of people, ... yeah), but one in particular is Mayela... GREAT! A very good friend, who, by the way, was the first to laugh at my stupid early-80's cellular telephone joke in the NYC subway (you had to be there!!). Christ radiates through her! I pitty the person who can't see how wonderful she is! So, Mayela... if you ever do actually read this... You're great! Thank you for always being able to make me happy!

more up to date info...

2005-06-23T14:09:00.000-04:00

okay.. and now, this is what i'm up to...

working 2 jobs... yeah, you heard me.. two! 730 am to 430 pm and then 530 pm to 1030 pm M-F. so, needless to say i'm very busy (even though i dont have much to do at my day job). My expected last day here is Aug 5th, and then I go to NY!!1 I am getting really excited, and hoping thigs will work out. I might not take my road trip... it all depends on if my roomie can go with me. we'll see what time brings! what else... oh.. new favorites... green tea, spinach salad with dill-ranch (whatever it's called) at La Bou, popcorn (an old favorite, but craving it a lot lately), Y&R, myspace.com, and.. um... let's just leave it at that!

2005-06-23T13:30:00.000-04:00

okay... so I haven't really written in a long time. i've been busy, ok? Well, actually that's not the complete truth. I've just been too lazy. About Utah... it was good... and not too hot at all. my friend Mayela from the wondy city explains more on her blog, which I will just nicely lift from here (thank you beautiful for your experiences!!) and add a few comments...

It was 4 p.m.
I am back and all I can say is THANK YOU, JESUS for choosing me, pushing me forward and being a presence that can be recognized through an expectant heart that searches for beauty.
Almost a week in Orderville, Utah. In the midst of Zion National Park and 1 hr. and a half from the majestuous Grand Canyon. 88 persons. 4 Italian visitors. People from all over the United States: from New York to California, from Texas to Boston, from Chicago to Kansas. Our testimonies that are "those of a life in urgency".
The days started with a racing heart, with the desire that my life changes, because once Tommy told us that saying YES to Christ requires your freedom because if at the end you dont believe that in one moment, in one instant, your whole life can be changed, it doesn't really matter. And I arrived like this, first excited, with butterflies in my stomach to see my friends... then when the butterflies dissipated all i could feel vibrating through my body was: but what will be of me? What awaits us?

The drive to Clear Creek Ranch from Las Vegas airport was long, too long in fact [it was 3 hours from Vegas... us Californians drove a full 7 hours before that]. My friends consoled the pain because not only were there new faces that had been struck by this Fact, but also because my friends kept pointing out things on the road. Like the stars [i arrived earlier and saw one of the most beautiful sunsets through Zion Canyon]. About a billion, if I am correct. A true starry night that was eternity itself, an eterny that witnessed our destiny. And at a certain point I exclaimed as I looked out the window: I must fall in love in this vacation! Everyone laughed. But it was true. How could you not experience such open, clear, radiant sky with someone else? This was all made for us, like Albacete said.
The house where the girls stayed was called "the stables" and the name does not represent what it was. [true, but not. the stables looked like stables, with small stable-sized rooms, just made nicely into a hotel-like atmosphere]. It was rather luxurious! The opening to our room was like that of a stable..where they put the horses. The heavy sliding door that hid behind a queen size bed with a huge mirror, a small closet, two small tables and air conditioner. Royalty, even if in the middle of nature's wonders (or Mormonsville) can not be left without the little treats of life. We dropped everything off and immediately headed to the barn where the secretaries were registering people and where the assemblies were gonna take place.
Here we go! Let's look for this place, but it's so dark and so cold and the road may have snakes! Matt, can you give us a ride? Thanks! We arrive to the barn, thank God we drove! It's hidden like a national treasure. When I enter my heart leaps with joy...like Elizabeth when Mary goes to visit her! I am in front of a place that holds a promise, a place where the Lord reveals himself...and I read: "It was 4 pm". The time when John and Andrew met Jesus for the first time. The precise time written at the end of the passage in the book of John. For what? To point to a fact in history. At 4 pm. an event, a story happened. And like Albacete [google this name.. you might find some great instuff...] kept repeating throughout the vacation: it's something so unexpected (Christianity) that at 3.59 pm there was nothing and at 4.01 pm a newness had been introduced into our lives through the modality of the encounter. WHY ARE YOU HERE? WHAT HAS HAPPENED?- Albacete's voice resounds throughout the room as he says this. Look at your experience (without reducing it to sentimentalisms)-he adds later. The answer has been given: Because what constitutes me is a desire. A desire that carries within this restlessness. The desire that my life becomes a fulfilled promise. Too bad we, poor earthlings, often settle for less.

We sing "oh when the saints" and as I traditionally do, I screw up. When Illinois comes up I dont get up since I am used to hearing Chicago, instead of Illinois. We have grown in this past year! And though my clumsiness gets on the way I am happy for this. Everyone laughs, but it's ok, they are all my friends, and then again, I have a reputation for making people laugh. [California kicked ass on this one... for once we are beginning to overcome the NY'ers...] The fun part is yet to come! The slide show begins with pictures from all the USA CLU communities with small written testimonies of what it's been like during this past year. It's impressive, a miracle I should say, this unity of ours. This unity given to us by Someone else and that is characterized by this desire to belong to a history larger than ours. At the end, there is a picture of a few of us with Fr. Giussani that reads what he so eloquently and fervently told us on that occassion: Pray always to Our Lady to understand what she has given you (Christ). The slide show ends with his face and the phrase: In the simplicity of my heart, I have gladly given you everything.

The emotion rises as we see Rich get to the front! The introduction to the games is about to begin! There are 3 teams this year. Gosh, do i want to know how we will deal with those that get hurt! Each team carries the name of the conceptual theme from the last three vacations. Gangs of New York (aka The Best!) [ I believe these were the Gays], Matri-X-Men (aka the Gay Men) [the matress men] and Ring Wars (aka the Ring Worms). We kick off with the introduction mini-movie from "CL TV" (). It's a Surreal Life episode in which the characters of each of the above mentioned movies live together. They stop being polite and start getting real when they run outta booze and cigarretes. To alleviate the matter and release some of the tension that keeps building up, they decide to start a spelling-bee contest. Little by little, the contestants start dropping outta the game and thus get kicked outta the house. Who will win? Who will stay? It's up to us at the vacation to defend our team's honor!

I will include the things that we heard and the testimonies later on.
What a day...what a night...what a week. It was 4 pm.

What we do in life echoes in Eternity
The first morning here and we are exhausted. We gather at 9 am for morning prayer at the barn. We carry our song books and book of hours along with a pen and a small notebook. Classical music [there is a musical series of classical music we listen to called Spirito Gentil.. it's awesome stuff!!] is on and we are told where to sit. In silence, always in silence. I read on Jackie's [It's a he, and it's Giachi] t-shirt the phrase "What we do in life echoes in Eternity". I smile thinking: THIS for sure, will echo. Don Gius' life echoes louder now more than ever. His simple YES has reached me today. After the hours and a few songs, the assembly begins. We are invited to share what has happened during this past year in our communities. The risk is enormous, it is the fruit of a place that has nourished us, generated us:
"I got rejected over 15 times from Grad school. I had bad grades. Here I have been really taught to look at my studies, at reality. To be humble in my situation...I finally gave it my all because of the gaze of a person...I got accepted to a university in NY!" [that's me!!!!!... but the bad grades statment is false... it's wasn't bad gades, because goody tooshoes me was on the dean's list my last two years of univ. It was my GRE scores that sucked!!!]
"When I met Fedi, she invited me to the Saturday night dinners in Brooklyn. I saw something wonderful...I was curious. Then I started doing school of community and this is what has brought me here. Something more important than my inertia. I would like to have the confidence that what I encounter is inseparable from me. Sometimes I want to reject it all"
"Either I am a fuck up or there is something else that has the power to change me. But I know I am not alone in it because it was 4 pm. There is a fact."
"We base our relationship with Christ on good feelings. But we can easily water down all these feelings, "4 pm"! Our experience requires a judgement that requires reason."
After many of these interventions, Don Pino (aka Fr. Pine) says: I have to thank you for what I have heard. It's the fruit of a life in urgency. I was very struck by what Lorenzo said: "we cant follow Christ for a feeling" The desire, the question is a fact. The answer is a fact. Carlo finishes: thanks to your expectations I can live mine.
At the end of the day we have a presentation by Chris Bacich, History High School professor [from NY, but really, born and raised in CA]on Dante Allighieri's "Purgatory" (from The Divine Comedy). Though I snoozed a few times, it was beautiful! He is such an expert. Then we sit around the boys lounge and start singing. Our hearts already receiving but still expecting. Still saying HI to people. Still remembering names. I look out the door: what a clear starry night! [his presentation was awesome... maybe someday i'll pull out my notes and share!]

The Problem of Our Life is a Problem of Attention...
The third day. So many things have happened. My memory starts to vanish and my notes come to my aid. The third day. The GAMES.
After breakfast we all get ready for some major whoop-ass. I am so scared of the turn out of the event. We'll we fight a lot? We'll we make fools out of ourselves? We'll we get wet and dirty? Yes, indeed, all of the above. Even though I have butterflies in my stomach during the explanation of the games, i feel relieved when I notice who I have on my team: the coolest ones. Para muestra falta un boton: Don Pino, Jonathan Fields, Tommy, Carlo, Michele, and...all the rest. So, even if we lose , who cares? The best are on the "Gangs of New York"! Davide get's really upset as he hears me say this. The tension starts to build up. [actually, as it turns out the Matri-x-men.. my team... was the best!!! gangs of new york lost almost every challenge, and in the end.. my team won overall, so not to toot my own horn or anything, but WE ROCK!!! for once i'm proud to wear my shirt around and say i won (i've lost the last two years!!)]
The first game is rather nice, clean and simple: passing balloons from one person to the other in a zig-zag fashion. If it bursts, you have to start all over. We accomplish the task the fastest and start bragging. We celebrate and I start singing "we are the champions" by queen. 10 min. later they told us it was a tie among the 3 teams!! My face: PRICELESS.
Long story short my team gets the lead followed by the the ring worms. Then falls behind when the matri-x-men pull off great stunts during the triangular "steal the bacon". Jenny starts hitting people (that's my girl!), Fedi steals one ball but afterwards gets knocked out and Riro has to carry her in her arms. We all go like: aaawww! . Jennifer gets on top of Irene and myself, therefore we lose. Margie gets a swollen lip. Aubrey gets bruises. [aubrei was on my team.. none of the others were.. see.. who's the one who got hurt.. my team.. who was doing the beatings.. .the other 2 teams... GOSH!!! and we still kicked ass!!] And the girls in my team are darn nervous they might have to run against Katie and so, decide to switch numbers among themselves...but no one is brave enough! ooh Mary Kroetz comes to the rescue! So, yeah, pretty much a typical day of games.

Assembly with Albacete. Notebook, song book and a sharp pencil. We already prayed the hours in the morning. Among the many things he says:
"Fr. Giussani said that all the movement wanted was to redefine, rediscover, the constituent components of Christianity and nothing more...The movement begins to help us to guide our attention at that experience, in doing that it's already doing its work."
"events are grasped by experience. Today we ask: What's happening? We try to find ways in which to propose it and confess it, like at the assembly. We are directed to look at our experience and this is already the movement at work."
"Our problem is distraccion and badness, so life is not a problem of intelligence, but of attention. We are here to be able to realize that he's here. Something has happened in order for us to be here!! Otherwise, why in the hell are we not in Las Vegas, now? Or why did we stay at the 4H Hotel? What is here is what happened to John and Andrew and is what sustains us. Only understanding this experience can we start to deal wit the questions that arise in our hearts."
"The Christian event happens with and because of an intense desire. There was an atmosphere of expectations, people wanted for soemthing to happen, a manifestation of the mistery. The baptist expected an event like those that shaped the history of Israel."

[and that's all she has.. and even though it's a lot, it's not all... here's a short list of what else happened, maybe someday i'll explain in more detail, but really.. doubt I ever will!!]

-first full day hike in Zion... to a lookout point.. the hike was only like 1 mile
-trip to grand Canyon to lookout point.. never made it to the visitors center, the most beautiful parts of the canyon, but thats ok for me because i've been a few times before. ate lunch and had mass there.
-presentation on book Fr. Joe by Rich and Jen.
-more testimonies/ questions
-more games.. relay race that ended in a beer chugging... classic ;)
-discussion with Don Pino
-last night assemble with 'silly' songs, a slide presentation of our trip, and friezes (aka.. skits making fun of things that happened.... go Brian for making perfect fun of Carlo... love it, love it.. always will!!)
-mass and final assembly on last day
-drive back to Vegas to see everyone off and then back home to Sac

2005-06-23T13:27:00.000-04:00

You're Brigitte Bardot!

What Classic Pin-Up Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla

2005-06-23T13:20:00.000-04:00

Take the quiz: "What Disney Princess Are You?"

Ariel
You can swim, flip, dive and be one with fish...WHY DO YOU WANT MORE?

2005-06-09T15:44:00.000-04:00

Whenever I do little quizzes like this one (and i do them quite a bit), I am always curious to what the outcome will be, and if that outcome will be right. Most of the time it's pretty darn close, others... far far from who I really am. An example of this? Well, I did a Victoria Secret model one (hehe... wishful thinking, huh?) but I was expecting at least to get someone with dark hair and white skin (which resembles me the most), I got the dark hair but do you really wanna know who I resemble most? I believe it was Tyra Banks. I could be wrong, but I am so far from being black, it's not even funny! I mean, that's like calling a grape a watermelon. I might just have to do that quiz over again to see if it gives me Tyra again!

Anyway... this one below seemed pretty freakin' accurate! ;)


	Your travel type: Travel Yup The Travel Yup likes exotic and adventurous travel, but prefers big cities with fast paced life. He has a keen interest in other cultures and always brings home a few souvenirs. Shopping in Bangkok, getting a tailor made suite in Kuala Lumpur, that's the kind of thing the Travel Yup is into. Even though he likes to get away, he prefers his travels to be comfortable.
	top destinations: Paris New York Beirut	stay away from: North Korea Ciudad Perdida Darien Gap

get your own travel profile

vacation!

2005-05-26T14:08:00.000-04:00

Going on vacation! Let's hope the 110 degree weather in southern Utah won't kill me.. i mean, California gets hot... but usually not that hot... ugh! I will be back next Friday... maybe! Have a good week!

I belong where??

2005-05-24T12:49:00.000-04:00

You Belong in New York City

You're an energetic, ambitious woman.
And only NYC is fast enough for you.
Maybe you'll set yourself up with a killer career
Or simply take in all the city has to offer

What City Do You Belong in? Take This Quiz :-)

2005-05-24T12:48:00.000-04:00

The PJ's You Are Most Like: Comfortable PJ's

You're a bit conservative, traditional, and tend to follow conventions
You have an understated, easy sexyness that men love
People instantly find comfort in you, and you're a "best friend" to many.

What Kind of PJ's Are You? Take This Quiz :-)

2005-05-24T12:46:00.000-04:00

You Should Honeymoon in Europe!

You are a traditional romantic at heart...
With a taste for fine wine, muesums and beautiful walks.
You and your sweetie should get romantic in a cafe in Paris
Or get a Eurail pass - and see as many cities as possible!

Suggested destinations: Paris, Venice, London, Greece

Where Should You Go On Your Honeymoon? Take This Quiz :-)

2005-05-24T12:45:00.000-04:00

Your Style is Classy

You've got class, and you know how to put together a guy
catching outfit
You're more likely to shop at Bloomie's than bebe
For you style is looking like a million bucks…
And you're always do with your fantastic yet feminine wardrobe

What's Your Date Fashion Style?
Classy, Sassy, or Trashy? Take This Quiz :-)

2005-05-24T12:43:00.000-04:00

Your Celebrity Sisters Are Jessica and Ashlee

Beautiful, feminine, and stylish.
Who care's if you're a bit of a daddy's girl?

Who Are Your Celebrity Sisters? Take This Quiz :-)

Star Wars Character?

2005-05-24T12:42:00.000-04:00

i'm sorry!

2005-05-23T11:26:00.000-04:00

To all those who actually do visit my site~

I am sorry! I'm very sorry for my increased laziness and for my lack of communication to all who have showed interest. I've been fine. I don't have a good reason for my neglect... it's just that I wanted to write something really good about my trip to NYC and I just never felt the creativity... but here's something now.

My trip was good. I saw my new apartment which is really awesome. My roomate did an excellent job at furnishing it, and I really am excited to be able to move into it in August when I get to New York. The place is close to most of my NY friends, and it is across the street from a Starbucks, as well as a restaraunt where firemen seem to eat lunch at on a daily basis... I got lucky too because though my room is tiny, my window looks right out onto the street!

the living room... to the right is our kitchen and a bedroom, to the left two other bedrooms.

My room... actual size! This will be fun to furnish!

As for the city, I walked around a lot, and after the first day of walking though pouring rain,it became sunny and we took a stroll through lower Manhattan... SoHo, NoHo, Little Italy, The Village... and I learned all the in's and outs about what these "nicknames" mean... SoHo (South of Houston Street), NoHo (North of Houston), NoLiTa (North of Little Italy), TriBeca (Triangle below Canal streets). Now, i'm pretty excited about knowing this stuff...
The second day, I developed really bad blisters (even with my good shoes).. so i walked aorund in pain, and I managed to get lost in China town (which I never want to do again) and make my way up towards the Upper East Side to pick a friend up from work. However, I managed to walk right past the Chrystler Building and not even notice it... funny! I really didn't care at that point. I wanted to see stuff, but at the same time I really didn't care... i did not want to be walking. I can't wait to move there so I can explore much more.

What else??? Oh, I got a second job for the summer. I figured I could use a little extra money and that since I dont do anything after I get home from work, it would be a good use of free time. It pays $10.50 and hour, five days a week for five hours a night. good right? well, yeah, and I'm excited... but remember, I also work a full time day job. This means that I will be working from 730am-430pm and then 530pm-1030am. My social life, I would say, is over beginning June 6th when I start this crazy schedule.

On Friday my friends and I are going on a Vacation to Utah! It is the 2005 national CLU (Communion and Liberation- University) vacation where many students from around the country... NY, Boston, Indiana, Illinois, Texas, CA, etc... come. It is always a whole lot of fun. The setting this year is at Zion Canyon, in the south of Utah. We will meet up in Las Vegas, and take a side trip to the Grand Canyon, among other fun activities including games with a soapy tarp. The soapy tarp is a must! ;) Last year we had it at Yosemite, and the years before it was in New York. I am really excited to see all of my friends. This just means that I will be once again inactive for another week... I get back on the 2nd.

The Graduate!!

My roomate graduated on Saturday... go her! She's worked hard for the past (i think 7) years. AND, she is the first of her family to receive a bachelors degree... another great accomplishment! I can't even say that... I mean... I was the first between my sister and I, but my parents both have degrees so it doesn't count. She had a nice outdoor ceremony and then we had a party afterwards. Everything was nice! I'm very proud!

oh... and to rudecactus and SoTheFishSaid... Welcome back from vacation... us workers missed you! ;)

New York

2005-04-29T14:58:00.000-04:00

New York City!

I'm off! Well, I still have to get through the rest of the day, but then I am off! I'm heading out to New York for 5 days in order to 1) see my new apartment and begin to get ideas on how to decorate it when I move in; 2) go visit my new school and meet up with two professors there who will give me a tour of the campus and help me figure out which classes I should take to begin my graduate program; 3) buy a new sweatshirt (there's nothing better than a new college swaetshirt... oh they are so soft and fuzzy when they are new!); 4) see my many other friends that live in NYC (it's wierd that for once I am not going solely to see them and the city, but instead to do my thing... sleep in my own apartment, go to my own school, etc... wierd!); 5) check out this place jalled J.J. Bubbles that my friends always seem to go to for cheap beer and entertainment; 6) HAVE FUN!! and 7) whatever I feel like I want to do... GOSH!

This is great... if only this headache would go away! Have a great weekend... be back Wednesday, sometime!

an e-mail i sent today...

2005-04-28T17:46:00.000-04:00

so, obviously I have plenty of time on my hands due to the amount of posts i've made today. however, funny how also it's been a semi- busy day already, and I've done a lot more today than I have in the past 3 days! anyway... here is a funny story i'd like to share with you fuys.. it's an e-mail I wrote my two friends who help my get through the day by e-mailing one another... (but it actually happened)...

So I’m walking out of my office to get some of the project managers to code extra invoices that came in today and I FELL!!

Aha… no j/k… but wouldn’t that be funny?!?!?!

Really though… I was walking out and I heard this gigantious belch… and then someone said “excuse me”. I thought it was my boss’s son, Rob (who’s like in his 30’s), and I almost turned around and said something like “oh, come’ on!!!”, and then I heard it again.,.. even louder… so I thought.. here’s my chance.. hehe.. funny me!… and when I turned around (and thank god I did!), I noticed it wasn’t my boss’ son, but it was my BOSS!!! Aaaggghhhh! Thank God I didn’t say something! I would’ve been red like a cherry… how inappropriate! ;) *deep breath, deep breath* that was a close one!

Waste of Time?

2005-04-28T16:34:00.000-04:00

So... in order for me to be able to register for classes for the Fall, I need to fill out a bit of paperwork, you know, stating that I will attend, and that I understand that I will be charged out- of- state tuition... but also informing the school that I am healthy and up to date with all of my shots (which I am). So was it worth it to be on hold for 10 minutes to get an appointment, drive all the way down to the doctors office, pay .50 cents for parking, pay another $35.00 as my co-pay, have to tell the lady at the desk that just because the guy I named as my emergency contact happens to have the same last name as me, it doesn't mean he's my husband but my father, again have to correct her because they were billing me again under my parents insurance instead of my own (like I said... having the same last name doesn't mean a thing!!), wait 10 minutes to actually see the doctor, have to be weighed (ugh!), get my blood pressure taken (at this point it was high anyway from all the stress they already put me through), just so the doctor could come in, read the shot record that I provided (it's a new doctor, so my file at their office is tiny), and sign a piece of paper stating that I indeed HAVE recieved all of my shots?!?!?!

now really... was all of that necessary?!?!?! I think not... but at least I can now register with no "medical" problems stopping me!

Administrative Proffessional

2005-04-28T11:36:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was Administrative Professionals Day... who would've thunk'it? Not I! Oh, but wait... I don't even consider myself an administrative professional, but I guess that is what I am... I do administrative work, and well, I guess I could be considered a professional...

Nothing special happened around my workplace for this "special" day. I'm not sad... in fact, I was sort of happy to not have someone celebrate me for being in this job that I just sort of got stuck in while waiting to to get into graduate school. Last year my boss took us to the Sutter Club, a social club that was established in 1889 right across from the state capitol for men to go eat, smoke cigars, pipes, talk, and do whatever men do. Anyway, it was a nice lunch with awesome wine, in a room that reminded me a lot like a 15th century Florentine palace dining room. I guess I celebrated too early because, well, even though we didn't get anything special yesterday, he's going to take us there again this year. While I squirm at the fact that I will be sitting uncomfortably at a table with two other co-workers (he takes us out in threes) and my boss, I am a little excited too. Maybe this year will be a lot more comfortable than the last... after all, I'll have more to talk about than I did last year, and I know these people better. Oh.. and the wine... yum... my boss isn't one to go cheap... he knows what he likes and he buys it, and we do not suffer! ;) I'll let you know about it next week when we go.

So, I guess I should say happy belated Admin. Professionals Day to those others who are Admin. Professionals... I don't see anything really special in this day, though, except that there is a day to celebrate me and what I do. I guess that is good enough, no??

2005-04-26T19:26:00.000-04:00

Oppenheim object, 1936

I'm feeling a little un-normal today!

life and travel and health

2005-04-26T18:33:00.000-04:00

I'm back, and trying to survive!!

My friends and I always go out on Friday nights, and this week we decided to have an ice cream at Coldstones after dinner. There were 5 of us sitting around a small two person table talking about things... Pope Benedict XVI, Graduation (for some of my friends, this is a very important occasion!!), etc... when the topic of 'Blogs' came up. Jokingly, under my breath, I mentioned to them that I have a blog (I had only told one person... because at one point in time, I felt ashamed that I actually owned a blog. Now, I know differently...) So anyway... they laughed, and then slowly began to realize that I wasn't joking. They laughed some more... and this time I was laughing with them because they were so stunned and had completley no idea. It was like I had a secret life they didn't know about, and I was finally sharing it with them. My good friend Matt still didn't believe me... obviously he missed the point where I told everyone that I was serious. No big deal though. What I find to be even funnier, was that he went home that night and created his own. Original Matthew it is called, and you should really check it out! ;) He's working on figuring how things work, but so am I, so please be patient.

So that's that! My friends and I travelled down to Santa Barbara this weekend to hang out with our friend Jennifer who goes to Brooks Institute of Photography. It was actually for another Jenn's party. My future roomate in NY graduated, and we went to help celebrate. While there, I also went to visit my grandfather's grave. I have never met the guy, he died before I was born, but something inside of me just wanted to go see it... after all, if it wasn't for him, my dad would not be here, and neither would I. It was nice, I cleaned the dead grass off of it, and payed my respects. All in all this weekend, I had a great time. On the way home we stopped in Solvang, a small Dutch village on the 101. It was one of those things that you pass so often that your interest gets peaked, and finally you just have to cave and go see what it is all about. It was actually really cool... reminded me a lot of Germany with the small colorful buildings. It was just like we were transported into a different world. We also stopped in San Luis Obispo (we'd never been there either), and finally continued on our way back home to Sacramento. It was a long drive, but it wasn't too bad.

So, now I am actually home sick. I left work early because I was getting the chills. While all my co-workers were wearing short sleeves and sandals, I was in my sweatshirt freezing like I was sitting naked in the snow. Well, not quite.. but I was cold. My dad (he's my semi-boss)told me to go home, and I couldn't complain, so I did. I do not get sick that often, but when I do, I feel miserable. I hope I get better soon because I am flying to NY this weekend to catch up on some stuff regarding graduate school and our new apartment in Bay Ridge.

That in itself is a story. After struggling to pursuade the landlord that just because we are three girls who happen to know eachother and are picking up and moving from CA to NY, we are responsible and serious about our move, we FINALLY got the apartment. Seriously though... this guy didn't trust us... we had guarrantors, two of my roomates have good jobs, and I currently have a job and am going to grad school in the Fall... we didn't see any reason why he didn't want us to have this place. Plus, he had kept us waiting for two weeks to make a decision, and by the end of this month if one hadn't been made, my two roomates would have been homeless. The apartment is supposed to be a beauty. My friend Michelle is picking up the keys tonight and signing the lease and it is ours. It is a 3 bedroom on the third story above a store. Wood floors, lots of windows and storage space, recenty remoddled and rand new appliances in the kitchen. It is close to many friends, and we also might get the roof access.... hooray! Last night when we were actually supposed to get the key, we ran into a problem regarding a dog. We have a dog, and even though the advertisement listed dogs welcome, and even thought the person who showed the apartment said dogs were welcome.. they really weren't and we almost lost it. Jenn decided to just keep her dog at home for the year... so it is definitely our apartment. Thanks Jenn...we owe you BIG time!! We weren't going to make her leave her dog, we were in process of looking for another place, but she decided to just do that, and so we are all happy that the stress of finding and getting THIS apartment is done! SO, this weekend when I visit, I get to stay in my very own apartment... it's almost like a vacation home!!!

So that's it.. I better get some more rest so I feel better by the time I leave on Friday. It's not fn flying when you can't breathe normally!!

Pope Benedict XVI

2005-04-19T15:47:00.000-04:00

Pope Benedict XVI

And here we have it, our new Pope! I don't know much about the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, but I can not wait to find out. He was one of the cardinals that I was hoping would be elected, and I believe that he will follow in John paul II's footsteps faithfully. I am happy and excited for this new beginning.

“Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the cardinals have elected me — a simple, humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord,” he said. “I entrust myself to your prayers. The fact that the Lord can work and act, even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers. I entrust myself to your prayers.”

And the words from Julian Carron, successor of Don Guissani as leader of Communion and Liberation.

"Dear Friends,The simplicity with which the new Pope Benedict XVI has presented himself to the Roman people and the entire world demonstrates the truth and humanity of his faith and his proposal: Christ!Together with the entire Church, we accompany him, as he has asked us, entrusting ourselves to Mary, "who is on our side.""

Free time and reflection

2005-04-17T16:41:00.000-04:00

Minne- Fountain of Kneeling Youths

Today just feels like a day of reflection (Besides the fact that it is Subday). I would like to include a passage written by Msgr. Luigi Giussani in his text on the meaning of Charitable work.

"In order to understand it is not enough to know, it is necessary to do, with the courage of freedom. Freedom is the adherence to that Being which is seen in our lives, that is, to the truth. If the law of existence is living in communion, then we must share everything, every instant. This is the supreme maturity, which can also be called humanity or sanctity. It is much more difficult to educate ourselves to this ideal if the motive of our action is a scene of obligation because of external circumstances ("duty" in the normal se of the word).
It is the free time that I have which educated me: that which gives the exact indication of my availability to others is the use of that time which is mine alone, with which I can do whatever I want. By choosing to use our free time in this way, we form a mentality, and almost instinctive way of conceiving all of life as a communion.
The small amount of free time redeems all the rest... It should be noted that the number of actvities and the quantity of time that one dedicates is not important. It is important that in our lives and in our conscience the principle of sharing be affrmed at least through some gesture, even minimal, as long as it is systematic and brought to realization..."

Off to use my day wisely... remembering these words of Don Gius!

Dance!!

2005-04-15T21:31:00.000-04:00

Degas- Dancers Bow

It's Friday- Put on your little dancing outfit and dance! Pretend like the stage is yours and you are dancing for you... for the beauty and the happiness and the joy that life has put in your hands. Be alive! "The glory of God is man fully alive"

Beautiful London

2005-04-13T11:38:00.000-04:00

Andre Derain- London Bridge, 1906

He was a French painter, born in Chatou, near Paris. A leader in several avant-garde art movements of the early 20th century. He abandoned his early engineering studies to pursue an artistic career. In 1905, he became a member of the Fauvist (wild beast) group, along with Henri Matisse. The group was so named because of the savage nature of the bold and unrealistic color used by the artists. Most of Derain's works of this period were landscapes and cityscapes, such as London Bridge. They show the typical Fauvist characteristics of raw color (often squeezed onto the canvas directly from the tube), choppy brushstrokes, frenzied composition, and lack of concern for perspective or the realities of a scene. After 1908, Derain began to experiment with other styles. The influence of Paul Cezanne led him to prefer quieter colors and more controlled compositions. His great Bathers (1908, location unknown) represented an attempt to combine the innovations of previous painters, such as Claude Monet and Cézanne, in a single all-encompassing synthesis. In 1910, Derain produced highly geometric, cubist-influenced works such as The Old Bridge at Cagnes. His late work, after 1912, showed the influence of many styles—including classical French art and African sculpture—and tended to become increasingly traditional and derivative, characterized by muted color and fussily elaborated technique. Derain also designed woodcut book illustrations and, in 1919, he designed set decorations for Sergey Diaghilev's Ballets Russes.

Material taken from http://www.mcs.csuhayward.edu/~malek/Derain.html.

First to arrive

2005-04-11T13:22:00.000-04:00

Vroom!

My future roomate left early this morning for New York. She is there to work for the New York marathon, and begins her job on Tuesday. Until then she is looking for a place for us to live in Bay Ridge near many of our other friends. I am really excited... moreso for her because she is able to begin this New York experience and I still have to wait until August. Our other roomate will be leaving in 2 weeks after she gradautes from photography school down in Santa Barbara. I will be the last to arrive ;(

I can't belive everything that is happening. It is great, and I am certainly blessed for everything that has been given to me. "Start spreading the news..."

One of the best bands, if not the best!!!

2005-04-11T12:47:00.000-04:00

I knew I loved Bono, but it takes at least one concert to realize exactly how much!

Yesterday I went to my first ever U2 concert. Must I say it was amazing?!?! My friends and I drove from Sacramento to San Jose to spend the day at another friends house, and then go to the concert together. I had such a great time.

This man pictured above, Bono, is amazing. He is not afraid to speak out on injustice, poverty, religion in fear of losing fans. He does not conform to others beliefs, but he holds strong to his own identity and lives that within his music, within his career. This is what the world needs... more Bono!

During the beginning of the show, Bono told the story about when he went to visit Pope John Paul II, and that while together, the Pope told Bono that he wanted his glasses... so of course Bono gave them to him, and in return the Pope gave him a white rosary... which he then held up for all of us to see... (and then he later closed the show by hanging it solo on the microphone). Beautiful! He then dedicated the song 'Miracle Drug' to all those who were sick, and dying. "Of science and the human heart- There is no limit- There is no failure here sweetheart- just when you quit... I am you and you are mine- Love makes nonsense of space- And time... will dissapear- Love and logic keep us clear- Reason is on our side, love...". Miracle Drug is one of my favorite songs on the Vertigo album, along with 'City of Blinding Lights' and 'Yahweh'. The tribute made tears come to my eyes. Sounds sort of stupid, I know, but the whole stadium became so quiet and attentive to what Bono was saying, and everything was just so awesome... the ambiance (I dont have any better word), the fact that I was there... with my friends, and that this beautiful tribute was being made... to a man whom I also greatly respect. I could've stayed at that venue all week just listening to him play and sing. Unfortunately, they stopped after about 2 hours of playing.

I love that man... I want to go to another concert... it was just so awesome... and even though we were sitting behind the stage, I think that we had better seats than some of the people who were sitting and standing in front of the round stage. I could see his face so clearly. U2 rocks!

Insanity

2005-04-08T14:15:00.000-04:00

ok, so I am insane. I knew I was, but I always have to prove it to myself. That is why last night I stayed awake to watch the funeral service for the great Pope John Paul II. Well, I stayed awake for most of it... all but the last 40 minutes or so... that was when I fell asleep on the couch (with three alarms surrounding me) so I could wake up and be at work by 7. For all you non-mathematicians... that is only about 3 hour later So, needless to say, I am not all with it today.. a bit tired (ok.. so a lot tired), I have a tiny headache, and I think that I may just be asleep in an hour. I thought I missed those all-nighters that I had in college working on an assignment I procrastinated on only to get it finished 20 minutes before class, but I really don't. I love sleeping! Oh and back to the insane part... I knew my mom was going to tape it for me, so why did I stay up? I'm telling you, something is seriously wrong with me.

The funeral was beautiful though... it was really good to see that there are so many people who believe in the same thing I believe in. It is a part of history... our history... and what a great man Pope John Paul II was... to live with this "yes" in front of Christ. WOW!

I am looking forward to this weekend... why you ask? Well, a good friend is flying in from Chicago to visit, but also to come to the U2 concert with us in San Jose. Yeah, that's right.... 16 of us... going to U2... I am so excited! I missed the last tour because that was the year I went to Italy. My friends went without me. But now...!!!!

I'm sorry I'm not putting many pictures up anymore. I want to, but I'm always looking for just the right ones... and sometimes I just dont want to deal with them!

oh... I've decided on Brooklyn College... and I'm working on getting a place to live in Bay Ridge with some friends, and near some friends. Fun stuff!

check out http://beingornothingness.blogs.com for some cool posts about the Pope and transcripts from a good friend's (Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete) CNN interview.

2005-04-01T17:20:00.000-05:00

Pope John Paul II

"This evening or this night, Christ will open the doors to the Pope," said Angelo Comastri, the vicar of Vatican City, in a rosary service at St. Peter's Square, where up to 70,000 people were holding vigil, and stood in the chilly night. Wrapping themselves in blankets, many tearfully gazed at John Paul’s third-floor windows, where the lights remained on early Saturday.

"Be Not Afraid"- the first words as Pope John Paul II on the day of his oridnation in St. Peter's. Words that I have and will continue to live by.

Our Father, Who Art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who tresspass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

decisions

2005-03-30T19:01:00.000-05:00

Brooklyn or Queens? Brooklyn or Queens? HHMMM??? I can't decide. Can anyone help me? I'm going insane!

i can't believe it...

2005-03-28T11:19:00.000-05:00

i can't believe it.. well, actually i can. my NCAA picks are horrible. why can't the good teams just win once in a while... what is this? i only have teams teams left in the tournament. that is, Illinois and North Carolina. this sucks! i wanted that money... i wanted that feeling of success... i wanted to think that i actually knew what i was doing when making my picks. oh well. i've lost now. there's no way i can win with just these two teams left. most likely they'll lose too... or maybe not... but i don't care about them anyway. RIP Duke, sorry I trusted you.

i have a dentist appointment today. do i really have to go? because i dont wanna!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-03-25T16:11:00.000-05:00

NY Way of theCross, 2005

Good Friday... one of the best days of the year! Why? Because today is the day Jesus Christ died on the cross... for ME! He will rise again on Sunday... yes, Easter. That's the true meaning of Easter.

I just got back from the Way of the Cross. The one in Sacramento is not as big as the one in New York, but it doesn't matter. Have any of you seen or heard about it? Mayor Bloomberg of NY made a proclamation that today be the "Way of the Cross over Brooklyn Bridge Day". We've been noticed. There were about 65 followers in Sacramento. This event (the Way of the Cross) put on by Communion and Liberation is happening all over the world today... All over Italy and the rest of Europe, Canada, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento, Chicago, Evansville, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC, and many other locations. It is great!

So with this, Happy Friday, Happy Good Friday, and Happy Easter!

It's about time!

2005-03-24T12:03:00.000-05:00

It's official! 15 applications, 4 GRE's, 5 GRE books, one long GRE class, 12 teacher recommendations, 30 copies of transcripts, more than 10 versions of a personal statement, 13 trips to the Post office, a year of unpleasant work that I wasn't planning on doing, MANY trips to the mailbox, many drinks of dissapointment, many words of encouragmeent, many moments of wondering what I was going to do, many moments of worrying, many congratulations on working hard, many prayers, a lot of support from friends, and much much more...

I have officially been accepted into the Art History Graduate Program at Brooklyn College! And get this... they were very impressed by my application! Go me!! All I have to do is get a B+ or better in my first three classes, and I'm good to go! That shouldn't be a problem, but then again, I have been out of practice for a little over a year now... we'll see... I'm not afraid!

I am still waiting to hear back from two more schools... Queens College and Cal. State Northridge, but I am just happy that finally someone appreciates my hard work and effort and realizes that, yes, I can be a good candidate for a MA degree in Art History. This also means that I may be packing up my bags, and taking a long awaited road trip cross- country to NY where I will begin my new life and career. Let's see what happens!

Hooray for the possibilities! Hooray for life! Hooray for happiness! Hooray for me! Hooray for not ever giving up and following dreams! Isn't God Great?!?!

A new beginning

2005-03-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

Rubens, The raising of the Cross, 1620-1621, Louvre

A new morning, a new day, a new week. A chance for a new beginning! Here's what i did this weekend (besides not sleep)...

Saturday: went to visit a friends work... a slaughterhouse. interesting, but surprisingly very clean and sane (it caters to the Muslim faith, so things are on a certain level of cleanliness... and we only saw goats... i was afraid at first, but i got my own little anatomy lesson. i am glad i went, it was an experience). it was raining so my friends came over to my parents place (i was house-sitting) and we did the classic rainy-day activities together there.. movie, food, tv, play games, etc.

Sunday: insanely woke up at 730 and couldn't go back to sleep. palm sunday mass at 10 (they ran out of palms so i didn't get one), brunch at Denny's, charitable work at a elderly care center (there's some really cool people there), coffee with friends, home for comedy night (Jeff Foxworthy's Roast and Eddy Izzard) and bed.

things i've discovered: FEED Terri!! it's not a damn breathing tube for heaven's sake... let her eat! if she can smile, she's there... God Bless!; even though i'm currently winning the office pool, certain NCAA teams were really dissapointing; pancakes are just as good as i remember them to be.

things others have finally discovered: (current article in March 21, 2005 issue of TIME that I still need to read) Mary, Mother of Jesus, is an important in the Christian faith.

Things I look forward to (no specific order): vacation with nationwide friends in May, acceptance into a graduate program, Holy Week.

My deepest apologies...

2005-03-18T14:38:00.001-05:00

okay... so thanks very much to RudeCactus for getting a song stuck in my head. i hate when this happens. it semi-ruins my day until it decides to just pop back out like songs usually do. that's okay though... i'll forgive him sooner or later. unfortunately, though, due to this minor mishap, i must share the pain with everyone. isn't it weird how this phenomenon works? certain songs will just stick, and others you can't remember even if your life depended on it. and ususally, when the songs do stick, they are either really annoying, or if not annoying, you only go through a few lines and cant move on to the rest of the song. and even worse, is when it is a song that has hand or body movement and not only is your mind going through the song over and over again but your body wants to do the movements as well. my only reply is HELP!

remember the weebles? i do... now! i googled them because the song that came into my head is a current tune... and i couldn't paint a picture in my head about the old weebles. but now, remember... and i remember i loved playing with them... Rude Cactus has an interesting little story today about this... can't say i had the same experience, but who knows?!?! It could have happened to me, it could've happened to us all.

"weebles wobble but they won't fall down,
weebles are around,
dont fall down,
weeble wobble, weeble wobble, weeble wobble, weeble wobble,
weeble wobble, weeble wobble,
don't falldown"

singing this song over and over again in my head sucks... but just when i thought it was bad, an even worse annoying song stuck in my head. remember Lambchop? yes, yes, i am so sorry... but share the pain with me, please!

"this is the song that doesn't end, yes it goes on and on my friends... some people started singing it not knowing what it was, and they'll continue singing it forever just because this is the song that doesn't end, yes it goes on and on my friends... some people started singing it not knowing what it was this is the song that doesn’t end, yes it goes on and on my friends, some people started singing it not knowing what it was and they’ll continue singing it forever just because...

okay, okay, i will stop!

i know an annoying song, an annoying song, an annoying song, i know an annoying song and it goes just like this… i know an annoying song, and annoying song...

do you know that one?... where the hell did i learn it?

well, i think that venting helped a little bit. the song is not stuck in my head anymore... or at least not for the moment. i have some good plans for this weekend! my friends and i are thinking about taking our friend from New York to Carmel for the day so he can see the Pacific and really admit to liking CA better (he's already started admitting a bit from the weekend in Tahoe.. it was the first time he has seen many snow-capped mountains in one place). it was beautiful. hopefully it doesn't rain this weekend like the forecast says, but even if it does, it should be fun anyway! Have a good one!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

2005-03-17T11:20:00.000-05:00

Okay... are you having a Happy St. Patrick's Day? Wearing green, eating green, doing all things green? Unfortunately my luck isn't going so well because I just lost my really long post that explained what St. Patty's Day is, and I had given you some links to recipes, songs, etc. I'm not going to write it all over again (it took me almost an hour to write). I'm sorry! But I will give you some.

I was wondering how many people actually know why today is a holiday? Who knows who St. Patrick was? This day, like many other Christian holidays, has lost its full meaning and has been 'Americanized', so to speak. So, who was St. Patrick?

St. Patrick was born in Kilpatrick, Scotland in 387. At age 16, he was carried off to Ireland as a slave and worked as a shephard until he excaped six years later and went back to Britain. While a slave in Ireland, though, he lived his life devoted to God, praying daily. When he returned to Britain he decided he wanted to live his life in a spiritual path, and therefore he entered the monastery of St. Martins in Tours where he was guided for many years under St. Germain, where he lived as a missionary. At one point in his life, Patrick was commissioned to be Pope, but someone else was chosen, instead. Patrick then moved back to Ireland to convert the Irish people to Christianity, and it was there where he set up many churches and schools. Patrick was arrested several times, but escaped each time. His mission in Ireland lasted for thirty years. After that time, Patrick retired to County Down, and he died on March 17 in AD 461. That day has been commemorated as St. Patrick's Day ever since.

Much Irish folklore surrounds St. Patrick's Day. Not much of it is actually substantiated. Some of this lore includes the belief that Patrick raised people from the dead. He also is said to have given a sermon from a hilltop that drove all the snakes from Ireland. Though originally a Catholic holy day, St. Patrick's Day has evolved into more of a secular holiday. One traditional symbol of the day is the shamrock. And this stems from a more bona fide Irish tale that tells how Patrick used the three-leafed shamrock to explain the Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a shamrock on his feast day. The holiday, March 17th, is marked by parades in cities across the United States. The largest of these, held since 1762, is in New York City, and draws more than one million spectators each year. In Ireland, it is a religious holiday similar to Christmas and Easter.

For more info on St. Patrick and St. Patrick's Day, go to The Catholic Encyclopedia, and also The History Channel. Also, you should Google St. Patricks Cathedral to get some more pictures... it's a beautiful Cathedral. I was there almost 4 years ago. And while you're at it... look at other pictures of Ireland, Dublin and all. I would really like to go back someday... a beautiful country it is!

For more fun, go here, maybe try to find some songs, drinking, etc., recipes, whatever you can.... these Irish people know what they're doing! ;) They know how to throw a party!

So... here's to Leprachauns, Shamrocks, pot o' golds, parades, green beer, Guinness, corned beef (yum!), the color green (yay!), whatever I am forgetting, and most of all... Here's to St. Patrick!! Thank you for all you have done! Cheers!

"Hail, Glorious Saint Patrick, dear saint of our isle

On us, thy poor children,

bestow a sweet smileAnd now thou art high in the mansions above

On Erin's green valleys look down in thy love."

Prayer of St. Patrick

I take for my surities:

The power of God to guide me,

The might of God to uphold me,

The eye of God to watch over me,

The ear of God to hear me,

The word of God to give me speech,

The hand of God to protect me,

The way of God to go before me,

The shield of God to shelter me....

Christ be with me,

Christ before me,

Christ behind me,

Christ within me,

Christ beneath me,

Christ above me,

Christ at my right,

Christ at my left,

Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,

Christ in the mouth of every man who speaks to me,

Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

-St. Patrick

20th Anniversary

2005-03-16T18:59:00.000-05:00

tomorrow is my office's 20th anniversary... YAY! well, sort of... i mean... yay that it didn't go bankrup a long time ago, and yay that my dad was able to keep his job and yay that i was able to get a job after i graduated from college, and yay that we are doing good. and actually, the date was really last week, but we had to postpone the celebration because the boss was out (how nice of us, right?!) i knew that my dad had been here for a large part of my life... i mean, i dont exactly remember what else he did when i was a baby, but this company began when i was only three years old and it has been the only company i knew... most of the same people are here too which makes it a little awkward because of those days where i used to come in and sleep under my dads desk... or for all the stories they've herd about my childhood. so anyway, we are going to have a potluck tomorrow.. st. patty's day... that's a good way to celebrate it... i just have to figure out if i can make my pasta salad green without being disgusting... or if i just want to make it the "normal" colors. hmm?? that's what i'll be doing tonight!

i've picked my NCAA picks! now that i have, i will be a lunatic following the scores of every game, even though i could've cared less before. thats not so bad though... i like basketball. i used to play it and follow the NBA, but i gave that up when life got busy and i concentrated more on other things... also when i went from a pretty decent starter/2nd string spot to a full-time bench warmer. so, lets see if i picked the right ones... ;) and in case all y'all are wondering... i think it will be Illinois and Duke in the end with a wind by Illinois. but remember, this is only a guess from absolutely no knowledge of recent college basketball history. and a few other teams i'm rooting for are Wake Forest, Washington, Oklahoma, Kansas and Utah... oh, and Georgia tech (i've heard good things about them!)

my last and final grad. application went in the mail today.. horray for me! it was complete and i've been carrying it around for two weeks now. it's about time i let it go.

just remember... the week is almost over!!!!

black and blue

2005-03-14T18:43:00.000-05:00

sorry... no picture today... but you will get plenty of them another time. pictures convey so many emotions and feelings and they are just nice to look at. i had a great weekend in Tahoe... the weather was beautiful... warm, but beautiful. it could have been much worse, and i am glad it wasn't. the sledding was fun... however i cut two of my knuckles on the first ride down and they stung so bad from the ice cold that i decided not to go down again... yeah, i know... wimp! its okay... i wasn't sad... one of my friends tore up her arms trying to stop and another... well, lets just say he cant sit down properly at the moment. he was using a really cool old school sled and gained air many times going over the bumps... but i guess when you land with a wood sled on hard ground, something has to get messed up. me.. luckily i came away with only cut knucles, a bruise on my knee the size of a tennis ball, and an aching upper back. i'll get over it! we had an awesome snowball fight... and race... someone got buried in the snow (that was part of the race), and then we had lunch overlooking the lake. like i said... it was so beautiful (the picture from my last post says it all!)!

i am still waiting to hear back from grad schools... patience is key! also... i am going in on my office's NCAA bracket and know nothing about the teams... it will be awesome if i win.. but i really dont think i will.

Snow

2005-03-11T10:58:00.000-05:00

Heavenly, Lake Tahoe, CA / Seefeld in Tirol, Austria

Another Friday, and I can't wait to get out of here... that is, my office. I get to leave early today because i am going to South Lake Tahoe for a ski weekend. Tahoe is going to be really beautiful... it usually always is. I will not be skiing, though. I dont ski, I really never have. The only time I've had ski's attached to my feet were when I was in Seefeld in Tirol, Austria with my aunt and uncle. It was cross-country, and might I say, I was terrible. Not everyone is meant to be able to ski, and I am one of those people. I fell so many times, and couldn't get up, and then after only going about a quarter of a mile, I gave up... I just was not getting it. So, instead, I sat out on a multi-tiered deck looking over the ski area, drank some yummy hot apple cider, and relaxed in the sun as my aunt and uncle continued for about an hour. I was so much happier on that deck than I would have been on those ski's.

So, this weekend, I say "no" to the ski's... and hand over those sleds! Yes, I am going sledding... and I am going to have so much fun! I can not wait!

On a side note.. I took this quiz this morning from QUIZFARM.COM... It says I am 96% Christian. I consider these results good because, well, I am... I am Catholic, actually... I wonder where that other 4% is? Islam was the second runner up. I'd have the results posted, but I tried it and doing so only screwed up my blog format.

I took a few more quizzes and found out that I am Goofy's side-kick and some latin singers (whom i dont know), as well.

Have a great weeknd!

new posts

2005-03-09T20:33:00.000-05:00

okay... i knew i'd get tired of this eventually, but i never imagined it to only last a week. not that i am tired of reading blogs, etc., but i dont always have anything fun to say, or really, anything at all so i have a problem posting to mine. i think this is a little funny because i get upset at other people who do not provide new information on a daily basis. i am such a hypocrite, especially because i post at the end of the day instead of the beginning making everyone wait a whole extra day to read my new addition. so, to all of those who, for some reason, have saved my page to their favorites, or whatever, i must say i am sorry... i am just too boring.

Gustav Klimt, The Kiss ...Egon Schiele, Self Portrait ...Gustav Klimt, Mother and Child

i am currently working on a scrapbook from the year i lived in Italy and traveled throughout other European countries. It has taken me forever to begin, and it seems like whenever i do i need to stop for something, and it takes a while to begin working on it again. i came back almost 3 years ago, and have had my pictures in a box ever since. i don't know what's better... a box or multiple albums and scrapbooks. anyway, last night i re-visited austria and remembered how much i love that country. it is so beautiful, and there is a lot of great art there (klimt and schiele, for example). by the way, i study art history, so this is important for me. i enjoy working on my scrapbook because it is almost like i am revisiting the museums that i've been to through all the postcards i've collected. These aren't just ordinary postcards, but the art ones. instead of buying a really expensive book and carrying it around in your travel backpack, postcards are the way to go... they're cheaper and lighter, and i have tons of them!!! this project is going to take a really long time. tonight i get to finish vienna and then begin to work on budapest and prague. have you ever been there? those are two really beautiful eastern european cities... i suggest going.

thinking about travel... (one of my favorite things to do)... i should really begin talking more about it. maybe... i'll think about it! maybe i'll tel you more about my year on later days.

congrats to RudeCactus and his baby on the way... i'm still waiting to find out whether its a boy or a girl. like it's any of my business... i dont know them, they dont know me... but it's exciting and the info should be posted by tomorrow for sure... i hope (the family needs to know first... i understand!) i predict a boy, but aparently 55% predicted a girl. like i said, i dont know them, so my prediction really is just coming out of nowhere.

;)

eyes wide... shut?

2005-03-08T19:14:00.000-05:00

so, i have been sitting at my computer all day long trying to keep my eyes open. i am so tired, and i dont really know why because i had an extra hour of sleep than usual last night.. hmm.. go figure!

Rosie O'Donell has a blog... don't know what to think about this one! visit WONKETTE for more information. anyway, time to go home...

Oscar vs. Puma

2005-03-04T03:45:00.000-05:00

Thank You... it's Friday! the checks are printed, signed, and in the mail... and it's only noon. I'm good! No papercuts either from stuffing envelopes, what more can i ask for? i forgot my radio today, i am a little bummed. i thought about going home and getting it during lunch, but i might be better off just going without it for a day and getting something yummy for lunch. Since it's Friday, and it's Lent, I can't eat any meat... not that I eat meat on a daily basis anyway, but still. fish tacos anyone? yum!

It's a friends birthday today... last night i went to go buy her a pair of shoes that she has been wanting. black and white puma's. i never really knew if i liked puma's before, i'd always look at them on the shelf, make the comment that they were either cute or ugly, and then walk out wondering if i would ever buy a pair. Well, ladies and gentleman... i finally bought a pair last night with the help of my friend Jennifer who came with me. it is a good thing because i needed a new pair of shoes. the ones i'd been wearing were very old and the soul was ripping off. anyway, i probably wouldn't have bought them, but they just looked so cute sitting there on the shelf, that i just had to. they are green with silver. i am in my green mode lately. everything green... well, not everything! and not all greens, a certain kind of green. see, i have a green sweater from the GAP that i love, my laptop is green (thank you DELL!!), i have a green blanket, green pillows, i just threw out a green toothbrush, i like pesto, brocolli and a lot of other green veggies like artichoke, zucchini, green beans, spinach...and now i have green shoes. green is just such a nice color. it is so earthy and natural and calm. maybe thats why i like it so much. i used to love blue, i still sorta do, and then purple... but a girl can never really get out of her pink and purple stage. i still do love purple... purple sheets... well, more of a light lavender. purple flowers are nice too.. especially with white and some yellow. if only they had green flowers?!?! would i like them as much? i dont know about that one. Jennifer liked the icyblue and orange ones...she is in an orange stage right now, which is pretty cool. orange is a nice color... i dig it. i liked those shoes too... thought about getting them, but wait... they weren't green!

my roomate said last night that she though my new shoes were ugly and they reminded her of Oscar the Grouch. I was sad and tuned her out because i was so excited about my new shoes, but then i realized that she is right. now that i think about it, they are sort of ugly and they do remind me of Oscar the Grouch because the green is nice and fuzzy. but that makes me like them even more! *Oh, happy day for my new green shoes!*

What do you think about my new shoes?

at work...

2005-03-03T14:47:00.000-05:00

Lady of Shalot, by Waterhouse

at work today... like normal... every day i get up about ten minutes before i have to leave, come in, turn on my computer, sit down, get my cup of tea, and do what i need to do. today is about the same, however i dont have anything to do. for the last week i have had about 1 hour of work for the full 8 hour day. i wouldn't mind so much, and actually, i really don't, but if only you knew what my office is like. i get to sit in the back room of a warehouse-made-into-office-building. i have no windows and i get to look at a wall all day. my back faces the door so people are constantly sneaking up behind me... sometimes scaring the crap out of me... other times just annoying me. i feel almost like i am 3 again sitting in a corner for pulling some other girl's ponytail.

lucky for me i have my computer and the internet all day long. not that it will completely satisfy me, but it is better than nothing. my boredom has led me to create this blog, which i did yesterday. i dunno if i will write daily or not... probably not, i can try. as usual, i will keep up for about a month maybe and then just stop and come back in a year. who knows?

Today i came to work about 10 minutes late but it doesn't matter since i am not doing anything productive anyway. i began to do my normal routine of viewing the daily For Better or For Worse strip, CNN News, Kristin's BLOG, and then I decided to look through other people's blogs, since, you know... I have time. Next thing I knew it was 9:20. DAMN! I missed the opening segment of REGIS & KELLY. I dont watch it (hello, I'm at work!!), but I listen to it. see, i bought this cool walkman thing that plays the three main television stations. lucky for me, it now takes the spot of listening only to the radio for a straight 8 hours. it's nice for a change. i get to listen to Regis and Kelly, then THE VIEW, then i get my daily dose of Y&R, listen to part of the DON and MIKE SHOW, go to lunch, ELLEN at 2, half of OPRAH, and then I am free! it makes the day go by so much faster. hooray for electronics!!

what am I going to do for the rest of the day? this sucks! I can start with this game that I found on Sweet Tea's blog...

Game Time Fun...
Meme from Snarky and Anna Banana

Instructions:
1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that “cool” or “intellectual” book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.

okay... funny how the nearest book to me is an intellectual one... i didn't mean to, i swear... here we go... from Why the Church? by the late Luigi Giussani.
page 123... beginning of Ch. 6 The Human Factor
5th sentence... "Surely he is one of us," they said, "one whose background we can trace, whose identity we can check, as we can anyone else's." Moreover, the height of the scandal was the fact that not only did his identity present nothing mysterious at first- he was a carpenter, the son of Joseph- but that his human personality displayed a disconcerting openness towards all sectors of the population. He did not hold back from the most unworthy of them, the lowest of the low, those most open to criticism. (and for the rest of the paragraph)... On the contrary, he clearly leaned towards them: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" (Mark 2:16b). And such a man dared to say: "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me" (John 14:6), daring to involve God with his own person to the extent of identifying himself with him.

There you go. check out the CL link to the right if you have greater interest in this write, book, etc.

Welcome!

2005-03-02T12:20:00.000-05:00

"The only joy in the world is to begin. It is beautiful to live because to live is to begin, always, and every instant"- Cesare Pavese

Ciao! and Welcome to my blog. I don't know why I created it, but I did, and well, here we are. I will post to this site whenever I feel like it and whenever I think of it. Feel free to post as well!

one day at a time...

Oregon

back again!

Charlie Brown!

chapter 1

oy veh!

new beginnings

Unbelievable!

I'm It!

Ode to Mayela

more up to date info...

Your travel type: Travel Yup

top destinations:

stay away from:

vacation!

I belong where??

You Belong in New York City

The PJ's You Are Most Like: Comfortable PJ's

You Should Honeymoon in Europe!

Your Style is Classy

Your Celebrity Sisters Are Jessica and Ashlee

Star Wars Character?

i'm sorry!

New York

an e-mail i sent today...

Waste of Time?

Administrative Proffessional

life and travel and health

Pope Benedict XVI

Free time and reflection

Dance!!

Beautiful London

First to arrive

One of the best bands, if not the best!!!

Insanity

decisions

i can't believe it...

It's about time!

A new beginning

My deepest apologies...

Happy St. Patty's Day!

20th Anniversary

black and blue

Snow

new posts

eyes wide... shut?

Oscar vs. Puma

at work...

Welcome!