that's Ralph Nader behind me!
Friday, August 11, 2006
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
beautifully stated
V sent this my way... Thanks, chica!
Every good thought you're thinking is contributing to the rest of your life.
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.
~ Eddie Wilson ~
Every good thought you're thinking is contributing to the rest of your life.
As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.
Don't be afraid that your life will end, be afraid that it will never begin.
~ Eddie Wilson ~
Saturday, August 05, 2006
everyone's a star
For sh*ts and giggles, I've been playing with the face recognition software here. Upload a pic and see which celebrity you look like!
Friday, August 04, 2006
love like we do
Edie Brickell reunited with the New Bohemians last week at Central Park SummerStage. Wonders upon wonders, she's still around. In turn, this reminds me of EyeballKid and SGHS... Good times, good yet angst-filled times [sigh].
Two of my favorite song lyrics below... one is downright depressing and the other is a happy, happy tune!
-------------------------
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Circle
Me, I'm a part of your circle of friends
and we notice you don't come around
Me, I think it all depends
on you touching ground with us.
But, I quit. I give up.
Nothing's good enough for anybody else
it seems.
And I quit. I give up.
Nothing's good enough for anybody else
it seems.
And being alone
is the best way to be.
When I'm by myself it's
the best way to be.
When I'm all alone it's
the best way to be.
When I'm by myself
nobody else can say goodbye.
Everything is temporary anyway.
When the streets are wet --
the color slip into the sky.
But I don't know why that means you and I are
- that means you and....
I quit -- I give up.
Nothin's good enough for anybody else it seems.
But I quit. I give up.
Nothing's good enough for anybody else it seems.
And being alone
is the best way to be.
When I'm by myself it's
the best way to be.
When I'm all alone it's
the best way to be.
When I'm by myself
nobody else can say...
Me, I'm a part of your circle of friends
and we notice you don't come around.
Halalalalalala
-----------------------------
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Love Like We Do
Life is better than the days behind. What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. No aggravation that we can't get through. A situation for the lucky few. And every day is just a little more of time together to be happy for. I'm happy even when the times are rough. Cause any time with you is good enough when we love like we do. I don't believe in hatred anymore. I hate to think of how it felt before when anger overwhelms your very soul. It's hard to realize you'll ever know love like we do.
----------------------------
Man, we were such saps way back when! (Okay, who am I kidding? I'm still a sap.)
Two of my favorite song lyrics below... one is downright depressing and the other is a happy, happy tune!
-------------------------
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Circle
Me, I'm a part of your circle of friends
and we notice you don't come around
Me, I think it all depends
on you touching ground with us.
But, I quit. I give up.
Nothing's good enough for anybody else
it seems.
And I quit. I give up.
Nothing's good enough for anybody else
it seems.
And being alone
is the best way to be.
When I'm by myself it's
the best way to be.
When I'm all alone it's
the best way to be.
When I'm by myself
nobody else can say goodbye.
Everything is temporary anyway.
When the streets are wet --
the color slip into the sky.
But I don't know why that means you and I are
- that means you and....
I quit -- I give up.
Nothin's good enough for anybody else it seems.
But I quit. I give up.
Nothing's good enough for anybody else it seems.
And being alone
is the best way to be.
When I'm by myself it's
the best way to be.
When I'm all alone it's
the best way to be.
When I'm by myself
nobody else can say...
Me, I'm a part of your circle of friends
and we notice you don't come around.
Halalalalalala
-----------------------------
Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Love Like We Do
Life is better than the days behind. What's mine is yours and what's yours is mine. No aggravation that we can't get through. A situation for the lucky few. And every day is just a little more of time together to be happy for. I'm happy even when the times are rough. Cause any time with you is good enough when we love like we do. I don't believe in hatred anymore. I hate to think of how it felt before when anger overwhelms your very soul. It's hard to realize you'll ever know love like we do.
----------------------------
Man, we were such saps way back when! (Okay, who am I kidding? I'm still a sap.)
joy
"Joy is a more powerful motivator than fear."
--Dr. Dean Ornish, founder, Preventative Medicine Research Institute
--Dr. Dean Ornish, founder, Preventative Medicine Research Institute
Monday, July 31, 2006
it's in the blood...
Okay, to divert from the horoscopes, here's another "telling" feature... blood type. This is courtesy of a good friend who happens to also be my holistic health counselor... I happen to be blood type B positive (cute, no?).
Type B - Balanced
nomad, flexible, creative
Strength: strong immune system, versatile adaptation to changes in diet and environment, strong nervous system, tolerates chaos
Weakness: no natural weaknesses, tendency toward auto-immune breakdowns and rare viruses
Finding out more in tonight's session!
Type B - Balanced
nomad, flexible, creative
Strength: strong immune system, versatile adaptation to changes in diet and environment, strong nervous system, tolerates chaos
Weakness: no natural weaknesses, tendency toward auto-immune breakdowns and rare viruses
Finding out more in tonight's session!
Saturday, July 29, 2006
man, i do a lot of posts that involve horoscopes
... and for someone that claims that it's something that my mom got me into and it's an effect of growing up in Southern California (as is tarot card and tea leaf reading - which I haven't been into since the 90's), it's a strange habit that I check the L.A. Times site every day.
Anyhow, lately, I've been really putting a lot of pressure on myself, and in turn, I've been freaking out a bit. Yes, it could be due to new job jitters and an extensive case of PMS, but I've been a bit more neurotic lately. You see, I've been doing pretty well so far in the month or so of starting the new gig, and seemingly out of nowhere, I've been getting some exposure that I wasn't expecting to get so quickly. My friends seem to say that it's a fantastic opportunity, that this is a good thing. But part of me is petrified.
So going back to why I started this post about horoscopes, there was an item in today's L.A. Times, and it offered this advice to a Capricorn that went through a similar path:
"While I believe I have developed a higher level of maturity this past year, my 20s have seemed like a roller-coaster ride. I often have trouble maintaining commitments (friendships, occupations, education, intimate relationships, etc.) because I get bored easily and want to try new things. I'm truly having fun with life, but I'm missing a sense of security in it."
This is the response, which seems to make sense:
What you're up against now, dear Cappy, is called "Dilettantism." Definition: One who pursues things superficially or for amusement only. Dabbler. Amateur. It's a symptom Capricorns often have, quite frankly, because they can. They're so capable in so many areas that it's easy to claim boredom -- everyone will believe them. To get out of this vicious state (it robs you of any real satisfaction), the remedy is to commit yourself to one goal and don't stop until you have it. For any reason. At all. Recognize that boredom is really your fear of failing, succeeding or changing -- and your unwillingness to try.
I'm really trying to create a healthy balance, meaningful, successful and steady without compromising a sense of personal growth, adventure and fun. I joke around that I'm having a sense of deja vu - flashbacks of how I felt when I first moved to the City over 13 years ago - a lot of excitement, anticipation and the overwhelming sense of purpose and opportunity abound. I've actually been waking up from dreams involving folks whom I was involved with in my 20s, which more than likely has nothing to do with how I felt/feel about the individuals themselves, but it's been a common occurrence this summer [the dreams]. And they are dreams, not nightmares. I'm just hoping that now that I'm a little older and seasoned, that I don't end up making the same mistakes because if I did, the consequences would seem to be much more severe.
Anyhow, lately, I've been really putting a lot of pressure on myself, and in turn, I've been freaking out a bit. Yes, it could be due to new job jitters and an extensive case of PMS, but I've been a bit more neurotic lately. You see, I've been doing pretty well so far in the month or so of starting the new gig, and seemingly out of nowhere, I've been getting some exposure that I wasn't expecting to get so quickly. My friends seem to say that it's a fantastic opportunity, that this is a good thing. But part of me is petrified.
So going back to why I started this post about horoscopes, there was an item in today's L.A. Times, and it offered this advice to a Capricorn that went through a similar path:
"While I believe I have developed a higher level of maturity this past year, my 20s have seemed like a roller-coaster ride. I often have trouble maintaining commitments (friendships, occupations, education, intimate relationships, etc.) because I get bored easily and want to try new things. I'm truly having fun with life, but I'm missing a sense of security in it."
This is the response, which seems to make sense:
What you're up against now, dear Cappy, is called "Dilettantism." Definition: One who pursues things superficially or for amusement only. Dabbler. Amateur. It's a symptom Capricorns often have, quite frankly, because they can. They're so capable in so many areas that it's easy to claim boredom -- everyone will believe them. To get out of this vicious state (it robs you of any real satisfaction), the remedy is to commit yourself to one goal and don't stop until you have it. For any reason. At all. Recognize that boredom is really your fear of failing, succeeding or changing -- and your unwillingness to try.
I'm really trying to create a healthy balance, meaningful, successful and steady without compromising a sense of personal growth, adventure and fun. I joke around that I'm having a sense of deja vu - flashbacks of how I felt when I first moved to the City over 13 years ago - a lot of excitement, anticipation and the overwhelming sense of purpose and opportunity abound. I've actually been waking up from dreams involving folks whom I was involved with in my 20s, which more than likely has nothing to do with how I felt/feel about the individuals themselves, but it's been a common occurrence this summer [the dreams]. And they are dreams, not nightmares. I'm just hoping that now that I'm a little older and seasoned, that I don't end up making the same mistakes because if I did, the consequences would seem to be much more severe.
Monday, July 17, 2006
the san fernando valley? hip? like, totally!
From the Sunday NY Times...
NEW YORK TIMES
July 16, 2006
By MARC WEINGARTEN
Surfacing
The San Fernando Valley? Hip? Like, Totally!
THE San Fernando Valley has always gotten a bad rap. For years, it has been associated with two dubious cultural phenomena: Valley Girls and pornography. But just as the city of Los Angeles has undergone a process of rediscovery in long-neglected regions like the downtown area, so this suburban outpost across the Santa Monica mountains has also experienced an image makeover.
“A lot of people move from West Hollywood to the Valley when they have kids,” said Mark Frauenfelder, a Valley resident who co-founded the Web site www.boingboing.net. “They still want to go out at night, but they want to stay closer to home, instead of driving over the hill and wasting a half hour of precious babysitter time.”
The velvet rope has come to the Valley in a big way, especially on Ventura Boulevard, around the Studio City-Sherman Oaks corridor, where bar-hopping on foot is possible.
With its Plexiglas barstools and padded white leather walls, Clear (11916 Ventura Boulevard, 818-980-4811) is the Valley’s take on sleek Euro-chic. A rotating cast of D.J.’s spin dance music Tuesday through Sunday, but Saturday is when you might see some single men ogling micro-skirted passers-by, their sunglasses hiding their furtive glances.
A few feet away from Clear is Sapphire (11938 Ventura Boulevard, 818-506-0777), a bar with a clubby, English drawing-room atmosphere — brown leather banquettes, tan wood paneling, low light from table lamps. Sapphire, whose owners also run Daddy’s, an equally dim establishment in Hollywood, was once a well-kept secret. But it’s now a wildly popular after-dinner destination, with the line snaking down Ventura Boulevard on Saturday nights. Best to get there when the bar opens at 7 every night and stake your claim to a seat early.
A short walk east on Ventura Boulevard from Sapphire on a weekend night will land you at an unmarked building with a bouncer in front. This would be Firefly (11720 Ventura Boulevard, 818-762-1833), a restaurant that shares Sapphire’s fusty Anglo décor but also serves entrees like foil-wrapped monkfish ($24) and roasted Muscovy duck breast ($26) in an airy outdoor seating area. The objective for many here is to hang out at the bar first and then pick someone up before dessert arrives.
Several other fine restaurants have opened in recent years. La Loggia, the Studio City Italian restaurant, has opened Next Door Tapas Bar (11814 Ventura Boulevard, 818-985-9222), an intimate space with an extensive Spanish wine list and tantalizing items like lamb stew with couscous ($8) and steak fries with aioli dipping sauce ($4). For heartier fare, there’s the Boneyard Bistro (13539 Ventura Boulevard, 818-906-7427), a barbecue joint that doesn’t scrimp on big slabs of red meat, but also throws in a few curve balls, such as deep-fried macaroni and cheese ($6 for a large portion) and smoked-duck spring rolls ($11).
The Valley is getting downright cosmopolitan, but it’s unlikely the region will ever completely morph into a hip haven. You can still hit the great Dupars coffee shop (12036 Ventura Boulevard, 818-766-4437) for the best pancakes in town, while old-school waitresses feed your caffeine fix and call you “darlin” as they slip you the check. It seems as if urbanity will always rub up against the quaint here.
Link: http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/07/16/travel/16surface.html?8td&emc=td
NEW YORK TIMES
July 16, 2006
By MARC WEINGARTEN
Surfacing
The San Fernando Valley? Hip? Like, Totally!
THE San Fernando Valley has always gotten a bad rap. For years, it has been associated with two dubious cultural phenomena: Valley Girls and pornography. But just as the city of Los Angeles has undergone a process of rediscovery in long-neglected regions like the downtown area, so this suburban outpost across the Santa Monica mountains has also experienced an image makeover.
“A lot of people move from West Hollywood to the Valley when they have kids,” said Mark Frauenfelder, a Valley resident who co-founded the Web site www.boingboing.net. “They still want to go out at night, but they want to stay closer to home, instead of driving over the hill and wasting a half hour of precious babysitter time.”
The velvet rope has come to the Valley in a big way, especially on Ventura Boulevard, around the Studio City-Sherman Oaks corridor, where bar-hopping on foot is possible.
With its Plexiglas barstools and padded white leather walls, Clear (11916 Ventura Boulevard, 818-980-4811) is the Valley’s take on sleek Euro-chic. A rotating cast of D.J.’s spin dance music Tuesday through Sunday, but Saturday is when you might see some single men ogling micro-skirted passers-by, their sunglasses hiding their furtive glances.
A few feet away from Clear is Sapphire (11938 Ventura Boulevard, 818-506-0777), a bar with a clubby, English drawing-room atmosphere — brown leather banquettes, tan wood paneling, low light from table lamps. Sapphire, whose owners also run Daddy’s, an equally dim establishment in Hollywood, was once a well-kept secret. But it’s now a wildly popular after-dinner destination, with the line snaking down Ventura Boulevard on Saturday nights. Best to get there when the bar opens at 7 every night and stake your claim to a seat early.
A short walk east on Ventura Boulevard from Sapphire on a weekend night will land you at an unmarked building with a bouncer in front. This would be Firefly (11720 Ventura Boulevard, 818-762-1833), a restaurant that shares Sapphire’s fusty Anglo décor but also serves entrees like foil-wrapped monkfish ($24) and roasted Muscovy duck breast ($26) in an airy outdoor seating area. The objective for many here is to hang out at the bar first and then pick someone up before dessert arrives.
Several other fine restaurants have opened in recent years. La Loggia, the Studio City Italian restaurant, has opened Next Door Tapas Bar (11814 Ventura Boulevard, 818-985-9222), an intimate space with an extensive Spanish wine list and tantalizing items like lamb stew with couscous ($8) and steak fries with aioli dipping sauce ($4). For heartier fare, there’s the Boneyard Bistro (13539 Ventura Boulevard, 818-906-7427), a barbecue joint that doesn’t scrimp on big slabs of red meat, but also throws in a few curve balls, such as deep-fried macaroni and cheese ($6 for a large portion) and smoked-duck spring rolls ($11).
The Valley is getting downright cosmopolitan, but it’s unlikely the region will ever completely morph into a hip haven. You can still hit the great Dupars coffee shop (12036 Ventura Boulevard, 818-766-4437) for the best pancakes in town, while old-school waitresses feed your caffeine fix and call you “darlin” as they slip you the check. It seems as if urbanity will always rub up against the quaint here.
Link: http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/07/16/travel/16surface.html?8td&emc=td
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Thursday, July 06, 2006
tapestry
"We don't accomplish anything in this world alone ... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads from one to another that creates something."
--Sandra Day O'Connor, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice
--Sandra Day O'Connor, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Friday, June 30, 2006
Friday, June 23, 2006
beauty of the good
"Don't waste yourself in rejection, nor bark against the bad, but chant the beauty of the good."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson, American author, poet and philosopher
--Ralph Waldo Emerson, American author, poet and philosopher
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
a new start
First day at a new job today... Couldn't get much sleep last night (not sure if it's the heat and humidity or the anxiety of the unknown!). Looking forward to getting back to the daily grind (although thankful for the lol time).
Saw this quote and thought that it be appropo:
"Time does not change us. It just unfolds us."
--Max Frisch, architect, playwright and novelist
Saw this quote and thought that it be appropo:
"Time does not change us. It just unfolds us."
--Max Frisch, architect, playwright and novelist
Thursday, June 15, 2006
DC follies
Spent the day in DC today, had a Ralph Nader sighting, and got to shake hands with Al Gore... woo hoo! I immediately called my dad (who's a hardcore, Fox Channel-loving Republican) to break the news and had a good giggle with him. I'm a little bummed, however, that there were no run-ins with Barack Obama (oh well!). Pics to be posted at the end of this week.
Walked around the nation's capital, did some shopping, and headed back to my friends' place in Bethesda, MD. We're going to the theater tonight, and an 8am tee time is set for tomorrow at a golf course.
Only a few more days of leisure left... Trying to make the most of it!
Walked around the nation's capital, did some shopping, and headed back to my friends' place in Bethesda, MD. We're going to the theater tonight, and an 8am tee time is set for tomorrow at a golf course.
Only a few more days of leisure left... Trying to make the most of it!
Sunday, June 11, 2006
maybe being a lol ain't so bad...
The "lady of leisure" thing isn't so bad... This is the most relaxed and happy I've been in quite some time...
Yet another action-packed weekend surrounded by good friends... Friday, as you can see in my previous post, was Girls Nite (including me breaking a heel while running in the pouring rain and seeking sanctuary at Mercury Bar). Saturday started off with brunch in Union Square with the Family Fernandez and Lisa Marie, followed by the sole "touristy" request to visit Ground Zero and hang out in Battery City Park, capped off with an afternoon disco nap, dinner (again) at Paprika, then Boys then Girls Nite... Sunday, we hung out in Apt 4 - I made breakfast for the crew while we watched my Netflix'd "Almost Famous" dvd. Later, Michael and I dropped Lisa off at the airport and made our way to Long Island for Augie's 30th bday lunch which was hosted by his family [which in turn made me miss mine :-( ]. Afterwards, I picked up V and had an impromptu trip to our mecca--- the Westchester Mall. Luckily, we made it back to NYC in the nick of time to catch the premiere of "Entourage". One more week to chill till it's back to the daily grind.
Here are some random pics from the weekend. Enjoy!
Yet another action-packed weekend surrounded by good friends... Friday, as you can see in my previous post, was Girls Nite (including me breaking a heel while running in the pouring rain and seeking sanctuary at Mercury Bar). Saturday started off with brunch in Union Square with the Family Fernandez and Lisa Marie, followed by the sole "touristy" request to visit Ground Zero and hang out in Battery City Park, capped off with an afternoon disco nap, dinner (again) at Paprika, then Boys then Girls Nite... Sunday, we hung out in Apt 4 - I made breakfast for the crew while we watched my Netflix'd "Almost Famous" dvd. Later, Michael and I dropped Lisa off at the airport and made our way to Long Island for Augie's 30th bday lunch which was hosted by his family [which in turn made me miss mine :-( ]. Afterwards, I picked up V and had an impromptu trip to our mecca--- the Westchester Mall. Luckily, we made it back to NYC in the nick of time to catch the premiere of "Entourage". One more week to chill till it's back to the daily grind.
Here are some random pics from the weekend. Enjoy!
Saturday, June 10, 2006
girls nite
One of my lifelong friends from back home, Lisa, is in town this weekend for a visit, so I thought it'd be a nifty idea to get her together with some of my best NYC friends...
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
this is the yankees-red sox...
E-MAIL FROM MY EX-ROOMIE, V:
Lynn, WHAT A GAME! Not only did the Sox's best pitcher get yanked by the 3rd inning, we beat them by 9 runs. Love it! Our friend caught a foul ball and took out a Red Sox fan in the process. Now the only thing about the game that wasn't cool was that Tami isn't as fun going to a game with because she's anti-participating in talking trash. I was sitting in an area that had lots of Sox fans and of course I was joining in the revelry. Remember, these fans are on my turf! But she told me that I was being loud and obnoxious and would cause a fight and "can't we just sit and enjoy the game?" To which I replied, "This is the Yankees - RedSox, if I wanted to sit quietly with my hands folded the whole time, I would've gone to church." I just can't go to a game and be quiet - it's not real tradition then. But the game was still a blast!!!!
Go Yankees! Dude, my friend's hardcore... Gotta love it.
Lynn, WHAT A GAME! Not only did the Sox's best pitcher get yanked by the 3rd inning, we beat them by 9 runs. Love it! Our friend caught a foul ball and took out a Red Sox fan in the process. Now the only thing about the game that wasn't cool was that Tami isn't as fun going to a game with because she's anti-participating in talking trash. I was sitting in an area that had lots of Sox fans and of course I was joining in the revelry. Remember, these fans are on my turf! But she told me that I was being loud and obnoxious and would cause a fight and "can't we just sit and enjoy the game?" To which I replied, "This is the Yankees - RedSox, if I wanted to sit quietly with my hands folded the whole time, I would've gone to church." I just can't go to a game and be quiet - it's not real tradition then. But the game was still a blast!!!!
Go Yankees! Dude, my friend's hardcore... Gotta love it.
lady of leisure
Well, not exactly. I don't think I do the "lady of leisure" thing well.... Pretty pathetic, actually. Knowing me, I'll finally start to relax when it's too late - namely, the day before I start my new job. Luckily, I've put together a list of projects to tide me over until Lisa arrives on Friday for a weekend visit.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
doubts
"Our doubts are traitors and cause us to miss the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt." -- William Shakespeare
Saturday, May 27, 2006
this is supposed to be one of the most stressful times in my life, but...
Life is good, and I'm a bit eager to see how things unfold in the coming weeks. A lot of needed changes are taking place - professionally and personally. I guess the main thing on my mind is wrapping up things at my current job while trying to maintain enough grace/charm/composure to land the "right" next job -- my aspiration is to get an agency role in PR. Some changes have elicited feelings of relief yet at the same time when I tend to think very hard about the future, anxiety emerges.
Luckily, yesterday's kickoff to the holiday weekend provided some respite from the anxiety. Had a very lovely (and rich) lunch with Ben and Jezz over at Artisanal to bid adieu to my favorite intern and send him off in a way befitting. One REALLY good glass of wine and tons of cheese later, and all I wanted to do was nap.... which I did... until I had to get ready to meet up with la familia downtown.
Not since Christmas, had we gathered the East Coast faction of the family together, and it was such a nice experience. Tita Rosemarie is in town for the week to spend time with Chip, Pinky, and Miles. She treated us, including Val and Joseph, to yet another fantastic meal at Paprika (my former lunchmate, Lucy, introduced me to the spot) -- starting with a caprese insalata, mussels, red wine, topped off with some mighty fine non-traditional pasta dishes like fettucine with a light cream sauce, shrimp, asparagus, and grapes (?), lobster ravioli, gnocchi. We then headed over to Veniero's for dessert -- a first for Pinky, Tita Rosemarie, and Val. Miles was one happy almost-three-year-old, jumping around all over the joint, futzing with a security code to a private room, and knocking over stantions. Smart thing that his mommy ordered him sugar-free cookies for dessert!
The rain started up again in the evening, I headed home, had a nice phone chat with Mom, Dad, and Derek (who's recovering back home in Cali), and felt so relaxed (a serene kind of happiness). I'm sure the anxiety about not knowing when and where my next job will be will return shortly, but at least I know that there are people out there who love and believe in me. And with folks like that in your corner, it makes life's challenges - big or small - a heckuva lot easier to handle.
Fingers crossed!
Luckily, yesterday's kickoff to the holiday weekend provided some respite from the anxiety. Had a very lovely (and rich) lunch with Ben and Jezz over at Artisanal to bid adieu to my favorite intern and send him off in a way befitting. One REALLY good glass of wine and tons of cheese later, and all I wanted to do was nap.... which I did... until I had to get ready to meet up with la familia downtown.
Not since Christmas, had we gathered the East Coast faction of the family together, and it was such a nice experience. Tita Rosemarie is in town for the week to spend time with Chip, Pinky, and Miles. She treated us, including Val and Joseph, to yet another fantastic meal at Paprika (my former lunchmate, Lucy, introduced me to the spot) -- starting with a caprese insalata, mussels, red wine, topped off with some mighty fine non-traditional pasta dishes like fettucine with a light cream sauce, shrimp, asparagus, and grapes (?), lobster ravioli, gnocchi. We then headed over to Veniero's for dessert -- a first for Pinky, Tita Rosemarie, and Val. Miles was one happy almost-three-year-old, jumping around all over the joint, futzing with a security code to a private room, and knocking over stantions. Smart thing that his mommy ordered him sugar-free cookies for dessert!
The rain started up again in the evening, I headed home, had a nice phone chat with Mom, Dad, and Derek (who's recovering back home in Cali), and felt so relaxed (a serene kind of happiness). I'm sure the anxiety about not knowing when and where my next job will be will return shortly, but at least I know that there are people out there who love and believe in me. And with folks like that in your corner, it makes life's challenges - big or small - a heckuva lot easier to handle.
Fingers crossed!
Sunday, May 21, 2006
a not-so-lazy sunday
Had yet another lovely weekend (which made up for a horrible week)... Dinner with V in our old neighborhood, then an oddly interesting yet lengthy indie flick with Michael on Friday, and continuing Saturday for breakfast followed by a relaxing walk along the Hudson River (116th Street down to 56th St - Pier 94 - we were pretty impressed!), checked out the NY Culinary Festival alongside the city's foodie crowd, and caught a show at the PIT. Today, I met up with JMac at the driving range and whacked away through a couple of buckets of golf balls until a brief thunderstorm arrived, did some shopping a la Target, treated him to belated bday drinks and a chat over how much we've all changed since college (how much we haven't), then went along on our separate merry ways -- me to do the Sunday roomie dinner and laundry, with Sio quite pleased with the miraculous casa cleaning by our male counterpart, Mig. No Grey's Anatomy nor West Wing tonight (v. sad - guess I'll have to wait till Entourage returns!).
As I was driving around the City College campus in search of a parking spot for Sio's purple car, I noticed how pretty this one particular building was (not sure what it's called, just know it's next to Goethals), so I took the pic below with my camera phone.
Ugh, is tomorrow really Monday????!!!! Hoping to get some good news (or any news) on a particular career development... Fingers crossed!
As I was driving around the City College campus in search of a parking spot for Sio's purple car, I noticed how pretty this one particular building was (not sure what it's called, just know it's next to Goethals), so I took the pic below with my camera phone.
Ugh, is tomorrow really Monday????!!!! Hoping to get some good news (or any news) on a particular career development... Fingers crossed!
Sunday, May 14, 2006
for my favorite Jersey bitch...
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."--Dr. Seuss
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't."--Eleanor Roosevelt
"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got."--Janis Joplin
"Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do and damned if you don't."--Eleanor Roosevelt
"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got."--Janis Joplin
Thursday, May 11, 2006
what a friggin' week...
What a week it's been... Good, bad, and just downright stressful.
Starting last Friday, May 5th until now, it's been action-packed here. May 5th was not only my mom's bday and Cinco de Mayo, but I ended up enduring a 14-inning Mets vs. Braves game with Michael... Good game, but at the end of a work week - that was rough! Next day was Sach's bday dinner. Spent Sunday first having brunch with Su at one of my favorite spots in the Upper West, Cafe con Leche, then hitting the theater with V to catch MI:3. Sio was sweet enough to cook her roommate a nice dinner before we settled into Sunday viewing mode (West Wing, DH, and Grey's). All in all, it was a really nice weekend. And then...
During the middle of Grey's, my phone rings. My dad calling to let me know that my brother got injured during a bombing in Ramadi, Iraq. Suffice it to say, I was no longer interested in watching my beloved Grey's at that moment. Luckily, Sio and Mig were home as my emotions went from happy and content to anxious and devastated. We didn't really know what was going on, and all we knew was that there was an attack of some sort, that D was hurt in the chest and legs. Since it was my mom's bday, my dad, Aunt Aida, and Uncle Jun had gone to Palm Springs for the weekend, only to come back on Sunday to get word that the police was looking for them to break the news about D. No one in my family got any sleep that night. It was horrible. Then lo and behold, Lisa called me from CA to tell me that my brother had emailed her (she called me around 2 or 3am on Monday so I was a bit bleary). I couldn't believe it, but when I checked my email a few hours later, there it was... word from Derek telling me what we had already known, along with a request to keep it quiet from my folks until he gets to a hospital in Germany (too late for that, buddy). Net/net, it looks like he's in a wheelchair at the moment but is well enough to travel back to the States this Sunday to recuperate. :-)
More back and forth, then some stressful moments on the parental and work fronts (good news for my lunch buddy, Lucy, that she got a new gig!), and at this particular point in time, I'm just emotionally EXHAUSTED and THANKFUL that he's fine. A couple of positive developments are coming along career-wise, so keeping my fingers crossed for that along with the hope for yet another lovely weekend ahead!
Starting last Friday, May 5th until now, it's been action-packed here. May 5th was not only my mom's bday and Cinco de Mayo, but I ended up enduring a 14-inning Mets vs. Braves game with Michael... Good game, but at the end of a work week - that was rough! Next day was Sach's bday dinner. Spent Sunday first having brunch with Su at one of my favorite spots in the Upper West, Cafe con Leche, then hitting the theater with V to catch MI:3. Sio was sweet enough to cook her roommate a nice dinner before we settled into Sunday viewing mode (West Wing, DH, and Grey's). All in all, it was a really nice weekend. And then...
During the middle of Grey's, my phone rings. My dad calling to let me know that my brother got injured during a bombing in Ramadi, Iraq. Suffice it to say, I was no longer interested in watching my beloved Grey's at that moment. Luckily, Sio and Mig were home as my emotions went from happy and content to anxious and devastated. We didn't really know what was going on, and all we knew was that there was an attack of some sort, that D was hurt in the chest and legs. Since it was my mom's bday, my dad, Aunt Aida, and Uncle Jun had gone to Palm Springs for the weekend, only to come back on Sunday to get word that the police was looking for them to break the news about D. No one in my family got any sleep that night. It was horrible. Then lo and behold, Lisa called me from CA to tell me that my brother had emailed her (she called me around 2 or 3am on Monday so I was a bit bleary). I couldn't believe it, but when I checked my email a few hours later, there it was... word from Derek telling me what we had already known, along with a request to keep it quiet from my folks until he gets to a hospital in Germany (too late for that, buddy). Net/net, it looks like he's in a wheelchair at the moment but is well enough to travel back to the States this Sunday to recuperate. :-)
More back and forth, then some stressful moments on the parental and work fronts (good news for my lunch buddy, Lucy, that she got a new gig!), and at this particular point in time, I'm just emotionally EXHAUSTED and THANKFUL that he's fine. A couple of positive developments are coming along career-wise, so keeping my fingers crossed for that along with the hope for yet another lovely weekend ahead!
Friday, May 05, 2006
quote of the week
"The possibilities are numerous once we decide to act and not react."
--Gloria Anzaldua, writer, activist
--Gloria Anzaldua, writer, activist
Monday, May 01, 2006
champion idealist
Apparently, that's what this personality test says that I am... A Champion Idealist - eNFp - (better sounding than a "champion chump" - ha ha) is the trait found in 3% of the population. I guess the description below does kinda sorta sound like me???
General: ENFPs are both "idea"-people and "people"-people, who see everyone and everything as part of an often bizarre cosmic whole. They want to both help (at least, their own definition of "help") and be liked and admired by other people, on bo th an individual and a humanitarian level. They are interested in new ideas on principle, but ultimately discard most of them for one reason or another.
The Champion Idealists are abstract in thought and speech, cooperative in accomplishing their aims, and informative and extraverted when relating with others. For Champions, nothing occurs which does not have some deep ethical significance, and this, coupled with their uncanny sense of the motivations of others, gives them a talent for seeing life as an exciting drama, pregnant with possibilities for both good and evil. This type is found in only about 3 percent of the general population, but they have great influence because of their extraordinary impact on others. Champions are inclined to go everywhere and look into everything that has to do with the advance of good and the retreat of evil in the world. They can't bear to miss out on what is going on around them; they must experience, first hand, all the significant social events that affect our lives. And then they are eager to relate the stories they've uncovered, hoping to disclose the "truth" of people and issues, and to advocate causes. This strong drive to unveil current events can make them tireless in conversing with others, like fountains that bubble and splash, spilling over their own words to get it all out.
Champions consider intense emotional experiences as being vital to a full life, although they can never quite shake the feeling that a part of themselves is split off, uninvolved in the experience. Thus, while they strive for emotional congruency, they often see themselves in some danger of losing touch with their real feelings, which Champions possess in a wide range and variety. In the same vein, Champions strive toward a kind of spontaneous personal authenticity, and this intention always to "be themselves" is usually communicated nonverbally to others, who find it quite attractive. All too often, however, Champions fall short in their efforts to be authentic, and they tend to heap coals of fire on themselves, berating themselves for the slightest self-conscious role-playing.
Source: http://keirsey.com/personality/nfep.html
General: ENFPs are both "idea"-people and "people"-people, who see everyone and everything as part of an often bizarre cosmic whole. They want to both help (at least, their own definition of "help") and be liked and admired by other people, on bo th an individual and a humanitarian level. They are interested in new ideas on principle, but ultimately discard most of them for one reason or another.
The Champion Idealists are abstract in thought and speech, cooperative in accomplishing their aims, and informative and extraverted when relating with others. For Champions, nothing occurs which does not have some deep ethical significance, and this, coupled with their uncanny sense of the motivations of others, gives them a talent for seeing life as an exciting drama, pregnant with possibilities for both good and evil. This type is found in only about 3 percent of the general population, but they have great influence because of their extraordinary impact on others. Champions are inclined to go everywhere and look into everything that has to do with the advance of good and the retreat of evil in the world. They can't bear to miss out on what is going on around them; they must experience, first hand, all the significant social events that affect our lives. And then they are eager to relate the stories they've uncovered, hoping to disclose the "truth" of people and issues, and to advocate causes. This strong drive to unveil current events can make them tireless in conversing with others, like fountains that bubble and splash, spilling over their own words to get it all out.
Champions consider intense emotional experiences as being vital to a full life, although they can never quite shake the feeling that a part of themselves is split off, uninvolved in the experience. Thus, while they strive for emotional congruency, they often see themselves in some danger of losing touch with their real feelings, which Champions possess in a wide range and variety. In the same vein, Champions strive toward a kind of spontaneous personal authenticity, and this intention always to "be themselves" is usually communicated nonverbally to others, who find it quite attractive. All too often, however, Champions fall short in their efforts to be authentic, and they tend to heap coals of fire on themselves, berating themselves for the slightest self-conscious role-playing.
Source: http://keirsey.com/personality/nfep.html
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