suntawrites

March Madness!!!! :)

2010-04-03T21:05:00.008-05:00

March brought visitors to my little world in Florida.
My cousin, Michael, drove from New Jersey, all the while texting me despite my Aunt & I telling him not to text and drive. I was very happy to have him stay with me, while I bored him to tears with my rants on school and life. He, the typical Italian, took over my kitchen and cooked for me while he was here. It was soo delicious! :)
Despite my school work, and not being able to take off from work, it was an extremely fun visit!

The following week, to my delight, PJ flew in from Maine - with weather and a connecting flight - to Orlando, FLA to spend his spring break with me! :) After a very long year without seeing him, to say he was a sight for sore eyes is the cheesiest cliche ever, but it totally fits. He provided the perfect ending to an incredibly insane month.
In between school work (poor guy had to hear me on conference calls for school!) we had an awesome time going to theme parks, Tampa, Lakeland, and driving all over the place (um, that'd be because Miss Bene Fit lacks a GPS).
It was an amazing vacation. PJ knows me so well it is a bit scary. Love him like a brother. Love his honesty, his ability to say what he means and how he always asks for what he wants (even if it's Taylor Ham, Egg & Cheese late at night), his attitude, his intellect, his technical genius, his flexibility, his laugh, his sense of humor, his wit, his point of view on EVERYTHING (how he always makes me say, "Wow, I never really thought of it that way"), his insane addiction to Tyra Banks' ANTM, his kindness, his patience, his listening skills, his taste in music/ movies/ television/ books, his wanting to sugar coat the most brutal facts of my reality - but, yet, he never needs to - I can take it!, how he loves food almost as much as me, how he doesn't think I am weird for absolutely adoring Bollywood or Indian music, but most importantly... I love his friendship - and what being PJ's friend means to me. I am so lucky to have him in my life.

See our entire photo album here.

We all have a cherished garden we tend -
It is planted with love of family and friends.
The memories and dreams we treasure and share
Are like beautiful roses found blooming there.
The comfort and care on which we depend
Is given with love between family and friends.
The sunshine of laughter and rain of a tear
Only make our love grow with each passing year.
We may all be ourselves with no need to pretend
Because of the love of family and friends;
They notice the rainbows and weather the showers.
They overlook weeds and praise all our flowers.
The most valuable thing is the time that we spend
Tending this garden with family and friends.
When counting our blessings, we know from the start
That family and friends come first in our heart.

Family & Friends © Jill Wolf

It's all becoming a blur...

2010-03-13T12:43:00.006-06:00

Since I last wrote, Graduate School has truly been making my life a joyous blur! As I write, I have 8 weeks left & am in the last stretch of a hell-bent class called "Capstone" in lieu of a thesis. It's incredibly time consuming, confusing, & draining! But in the end it will all be worth it.
At the end of January, I had the great pleasure of joining colleague & friend, Ashley, to Tsunami for sushi with a large group of her friends before going to Polk County's Shiner's Ball. It was a night of much laughter & a few "WTF" moments! I am so glad Ashley invited me because it was certainly an event you had to see to believe. It's outdoors, overlooking a lake, with live music and tons of people all wearing black-light clothing.
In February, I took a much needed vacation as my parents from New Jersey & my two cousins from Italia came to visit for one week. We split the week: half in Disney & half on Marco Island. It was freezing cold, but we had the most perfect visit. It was my cousins' first trip to the States so I was so happy to be with them to experience Disney for the very first time. I loved seeing my family in my new home - we ate a lot, laughed a lot, & hugged a lot. It was heartbreaking to see them leave.

Here's my cousin, Frank, & I in space during our visit to Spaceship Earth in Epcot: Click here to see the whole album.

One work highlight worth mentioning was that I, along with three other employees, were chosen to appear in an informative (yet funny) customer service internal "commercial". During the taping, we were all so gitty & silly, that my sides actually hurt from laughing so hard. We had a great time filming it. The vignette was released on the company's website the week of February 15th - I truly thought I came off like such a clown - but regardless, it was a terrific experience.

Towards the end of February, I wento a beer festival in the town of Lakeland, the town I lived for 13 months & adored! Since moving, a hookah place has opened up, so after the beer fest, I went there, enjoyed a hookah, fabulous conversation with my friend & watched belly dancers perform. So cool! Who knew Lakeland would have such a great place to go hang out at!?!

March, half over as I pen this, has been insanely hectic with school & work. Luckily, my cousin, Michael, will be visiting next week, & the week after, BFF, PJ will come to town. So happy!

I know I am truly blessed with an amazing family & friends. A year ago, I had no idea why I was here. It still has not been revealed to me. But, I am happy, I am satisfied, & I am doing the best I can to enjoy my life even though I am still trying to figure it out...

Life is raw material. We are artisans. We can sculpt our existence into something beautiful, or debase it into ugliness. It's in our hands. - Cathy Better.

A request for prayers...

2010-01-31T18:19:00.002-06:00

Please pray for my friend, Michele, her son, Ian, & their entire family. Michele's son, Myles, passed away in a tragic car accident Tuesday.

We have a beautiful new angel in heaven, Everyone - and his name is Myles Masek Donnelly.

Yahweh, I know you are near,
Standing always at my side.
You guard me from the foe,
and you lead me in ways everlasting.

December 13th - January 13th

2010-01-13T18:54:00.010-06:00

My friend, Bob, a colleague of mine from back in my Learning & Development days in NJ, sent me the following e-mail :

Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 2:13 PM
To: Assunta Marino
Subject: December 13? (Or 18?)

That’s the last posting on your blog! I’m interested in your continuing adventures!
Nice car!

Well, it’s been one month since my last post, and it’s mostly because I thought my life had been very boring & I didn't think y’all would wanna hear about it on a weekly rant so I waited until I actually had something decent to write.

After receiving Bob's e-mail - it made me realize that at least one reader out there did wanna hear about what's going on! LOL. And, as I began to pen a post wrapping up a month's activities, it made me sure that my life is not boring at all!

The last month has been very busy. As y’all know, I have a nice list of “to do” items, that, slowly, one by one, I have been able to check off:
1) Move
2) Get a new car
3) Grad School
4) New cell phone
...Etc etc

I am pleased to report that the new apartment & Miss Bene Fit are both working out fine. I’ve been lucky enough to have amazing friends to help me transition & to help furnish the place (Tanya awesomely gave me some of her unused furniture!!!).
Speaking of Tanya, we spent Christmas day together at her home, where she made the most fabulous baked ziti. The next day, she & I took a Christmas road trip in an effort to break in my new vehicle.
We drove about 3 hours to South Beach, an island off of Miami, & spent the day window shopping, walking on the beach, had a nice lunch outside, & stopped at Starbucks twice. It was the perfect way to end a most tumultuous year. Bene did great, & I am proud to announce that I was able to parallel park her without issue, despite her being a boat in comparison to Gabby the Cabby. LOL.

Did y'all get that? :)
We ate OUTSIDE the day after Christmas. We were on the BEACH the day after Christmas.
Florida-life can really be quite grand!

The past month will also mark the month that I learned how to shoot a gun. Thanks to Rick & Lynda, they along with Katie & Vickie, joined me on my first trip to the shooting range. Monday nights are free for the ladies in Lakeland, Florida. Gotta love that!!! Rick teaching me: Katie, Lynda, & Vickie: My "person":
This month, I also began my much anticipated 2nd to last class of Graduate School after my 4 ½ year sabbatical. It is exhilarating and exhausting.

Oh, AND, I chopped my hair, again, into an edgy mid-length uneven cut. Please excuse the wacky photo, I could've at least put on some make-up for it. Haha! (But, in the background you can see the television & one of the sofas Tanya gave me - the sweetheart she is!).
It looks a little crazy when I wear it curly - or maybe it's just this shot of me, who knows? And, really, who cares? :)
I must close now, though, as I still have that never-ending to-do list on my mind. Thank you all for reading.
Wishing a wonderful 2010 to each of you.

It only seems like others have it all figured out; that their challenges are simpler, their friends are jollier, and their grass is greener. But, you should hear how they admire you. And perhaps, whatever others have figured out, it's because they get to have you as one of their jolly, green friends.... - The Universe

Introducing Miss Bene Fit!

2009-12-13T15:56:00.004-06:00

Here she is in all her glory - Miss Fit, you may call her "Bene" once you meet her in person. :)

It took me about a week to get used to her & begin the much hesitated process of falling in love. It did help once I added SHU decals:

The first grocery shopping trip with her was extremely comforting. For once in 12 years I didn't have to pile groceries in the front & back seats, AND the trunk. Everything fit perfectly in the hatch...

All the print ads on the Fit picture it with a surfboard in it; for the first time I own a vehicle that fits a surfboard. This may be just the excuse I need to finally learn how to surf, something I've always wanted to do!

I realize I had a hard time letting go of my Gabby, but I have the feeling Bene Fit is gonna work out just fine. And for that, I am forever grateful.

You can't always get what you want. But if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need. -Rolling Stones.

In Memory Of Gabby the Cabby 09/27/1997 - 12/04/2009

2009-12-06T09:08:00.010-06:00

Is it normal to be completely attached to your vehicle?
As I say goodbye to Gabby the Cabby, my trusty VW of over 12 years, I am happy to recall the memories we shared (LOL).
The many road trips to LBI with the top down & the sun warming us.
The road trips to Maine to visit PJ & upon moving to Maine many years later, the road trips home to NJ.
The way she was capable of zipping in & out of Manhattan & the simplicity of parallel parking there in the tightest of spots.
The many business trips to Long Island, Brooklyn, Pa, & NYS, since I refused to take a company car.
The many friends that stuffed into little Gabby & the many laughs we shared.
How Zoe dog would eagerly get into the back seat - and even once, as Mary as my witness, jumped into the trunk - cuz Zoe was a little crazy! :)
How Kismet would stand on the passenger seat paws stretched onto the dashboard as if he owned the streets.

Gabby the Cabby moved 7 times with me. I learned how to pack her like it was an art!
The many times I got completely lost, whether in NJ, SI, Maine, or Florida, before & after the incarnation of nav systems (yes, I still don't own one!). She never minded that I completely do not have any sense of direction. It seemed fitting that Thursday night, after choosing a replacement vehicle, we got totally lost in Lakeland due to a Christmas parade & roads being closed - I swear, I had no idea where the detour led me. It was pitch black, pouring rain, & her & I had a nice 2 1/2 hour travel home. Perfect for our last evening together.
After many years of good driving, she, as you know, began completely falling apart in Florida. With much hesitation, on Friday, I had to leave her, sadly, in a big parking lot of a car dealership in Lakeland where she will be transported to an auto auction. :( My poor car!!

I must purchase SHU alumni stickers immediately for the new car. LOL.
Here she is next to her replacement vehicle: a 2009 Honda Fit Sport.
Oh, Dear Gabby, I already miss you! :(

The car has become a secular sanctuary for the individual, his shrine to the self, his mobile Walden Pond. - Edward McDonagh

Third Time's A Charm...

2009-11-08T18:43:00.008-06:00

The third move within Florida since moving to Florida in June 2008.
If I never move again, I would be 100% fine with it.
Moving is incredibly stressful & painful - especially when you're moving from a 3rd floor apartment home to a 2nd floor apartment. Haha!
First off, Stray Cat had way more fun than I did with the move...

After everything was out of the Lakeland apartment, I took a day off to clean it like a crazy person & have the carpets professionally cleaned. It was a grueling 8 hours, but hopefully, time well spent to get back the security deposit in full.
So... I went from this awesome vaulted ceiling'd kitchen that I truly appreciated to... This tiny older styled kitchen (as in countertops & appliances aren't new or anything fancy & the floor is not tile, but linoleum):

From this 30X22 dining/living room space:

To this:

From a 13X11 master bedroom with lotsa light:

To this miniature version of a master bedroom with a mini window to boot :) :

But the second bedroom, which will be used as both a guest room & home office (upon the purchase of a much needed computer desk) has a bigger window:And, although, the new apartment's balcony isn't as big or open as the old one, Stray Cat adores it just the same, & if he's happy here, I know I will be:
This was a very smart move. It's closer to work. It's a lot less money per month. The savings will allow me to get a new car soon, as well as fulfill the long-list of household necessities like a microwave, a bed, a new cell phone, and... and... the list keeps growing & growing.
A new year is fast approaching, a new outlook has been required of me, & with that, I am forever grateful for what I do have & what I have learned along the way.

**In way more exciting news, my dear friend, Tanya, got married on November 7th, I was honored to be included in the celebration. I have created a web-album of the beautiful day. The weather was perfect for an outdoor wedding - breezy, sunny, & cool. A mere 75-78 degrees in Orlando, Florida. Simply perfect. Congratulations Tanya & Carl!

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be - The Beatles.

"Freedom comes when you learn to let go"

2009-10-11T19:01:00.006-05:00

Music is a huge part of my life.
In my head, there is a soundtrack to my life, which includes artists like Tori Amos, Pearl Jam, U2, Ani DiFranco, John Lennon, Alanis, and many others.
You know how songs can just SPEAK to you? Or, it’s as if the writer has stolen a story out of your life & has created a song that you alone could have written so easily? Well, over the past few days I have been unable to stop listening to two of Madonna’s songs, “Frozen” & “The Power of Goodbye”. They are so poignant & they completely have a new meaning for me than when they were originally released.
You see, I have been carrying around something for many years. It’s something called hope & I just realized there is none of it left. I have come to the conclusion that hope is merely just delayed disappointment. Problem is, I have been hopeless all of my life. Hopelessly romantic. Hopelessly wishing all of the time. Hope hope hope.

Yesterday, my colleague, Sheri, who is currently on maternity-leave wrote the greatest thing on my FB page, “Keep smiling! I miss seeing your smiling face! You make everyone around you happy Assunta!”.

I walk around all day with a huge smile on my face, appearing to not have a care in the world. For a long time, I have proudly worn the nic-name, “Susie Sunshine” and have made it fit me. Despite any adversity I may face, I constantly look for the good, hope for the best, pray for guidance & I smile. Despite what may be going on in my world, or in my head, I am always smiling. Always finding a reason to laugh. Always wanting to laugh.
So, yes, I travelled the road less travelled & gained some valuable lessons. Since moving to Florida, I have lost 40 pounds, and cut off a foot and a half of my hair. Lost some other stuff too, but rather talk about what I’ve gained. No need to focus on what’s lost.

New haircut, bangs could be a little straighter, darn Florida humidity. My natural hair colour is practically back!

Since my preteen years, I have had the propensity to over analyze everything causing chaos. Causing undue stress, undue worry, countless tears. My brain never used to shut off, think think think think. It’s my most annoying feature and something I’ve battled with.

Since 2001, I’ve been practicing yoga & meditation. This has helped greatly with my mind antics. But I am entering a new stage of my life.
And it will be simple.
No analyzing.
No over thinking.
Just be.
It just is.
It is what it is.
I have declared no more delusions of self.

And about what it is I have been hoping for & longing for for so many years, I have learned that the other side hasn’t been doing the same – for them, these years brought reflection, healing, & getting over it all, once & for all.
So I shall do the same.

Frozen - Madonna
You only see what your eyes want to see
How can life be what you want it to be
You're frozen
When your heart's not open
You're so consumed with how much you get
You waste your time with hate and regret
You're broken
When your heart's not open
If I could melt your heart
We'd never be apart
Give yourself to me
You hold the key
Now there's no point in placing the blame
And you should know I suffer the same
If I lose you
My heart will be broken
Love is a bird, she needs to fly
Let all the hurt inside of you die
You're frozen
When your heart's not open
If I could melt your heart

The Power of Goodbye - Madonna
Your heart is not open, so I must go
The spell has been broken...I loved you so
Freedom comes when you learn to let go
Creation comes when you learn to say no
You were my lesson I had to learn
I was your fortress you had to burn
Pain is a warning that something's wrong
I pray to God that it won't be long
Do ya wanna go higher?
There's nothing left to try
There's no place left to hide
There's no greater power than the power of good-bye
Your heart is not open, so I must go
The spell has been broken...I loved you so
You were my lesson I had to learn
I was your fortress
There's nothing left to lose
There's no more heart to bruise
There's no greater power than the power of good-bye
Learn to say good-bye
I yearn to say good-bye
There's nothing left to try
There's no more places to hide
There's no greater power than the power of good-bye
There's nothing left to lose
There's no more heart to bruise
There's no greater power than the power of good-bye

Morris County New Jersey Girl Exiled To Polk County Florida

2009-10-04T13:35:00.014-05:00

Making decisions as a responsible adult can be very tedious.

I never had financial concerns until I owned my own business & the economy crashed. Seemingly, I have been confronted with my present reality multiple times upon living in Florida for 16 months.

It is pretty clear I need to purchase a new vehicle. Not the vehicle I want, like a Pontiac Solstice or a Jeep Wrangler. Nope, I must be a responsible adult & buy the vehicle I need – like someone else’s beater car or an economy car like a Hyundai or Kia. Need & want have never been two polar opposite words in my lifetime.

With age comes wisdom, or so the cliché claims.

Yet, I can’t help but feel like I am living my live backwards - - - having been able to drive a new car at 17 & being able to buy a new car 7 years later when that first car was totaled in an accident, to fast forward to 12 years later & I can’t just go into any car dealer & buy whatever the heck I want.

Reality hits like a ton of bricks & I realize the errors of my ways.

Economy schonomy. Could’ve would’ve should’ve & here I am today.

Thinking about buying a Hyundai or a Kia. In addition to this predicament of my baby, Gabby the Cabby, falling apart literally at the seams… my apartment lease ends on November 11th.

I can’t write enough good things about where I live. I love it here. It is luxury living with lots of amenities. A beautiful layout – huge, clean, safe, so quiet with a great view from the balcony… Stray Cat & I are very happy in our place of rest & relaxation.

It is located 40 minutes from work – being from the Northeast, it is not out of the ordinary to have a 40 minute commute. I do not mind the drive at all – my drive in pumps me up & prepares me for the day ahead –my drive home allows me time to decompress from the day’s events…. Thing is, it is $50/month in tolls & a ton of gas (currently, it’s $2.50/gallon). Plus, the rent. It is too much for just me & Stray (considering he doesn’t bring home any bacon!).

Again, this situation lends itself to me feeling I am living life in reverse. Prior to moving to Florida, I had not lived in an apartment since 1999 (that was the scary store front dump in Pompton Lakes my father flipped out about); from there, I moved into an amazing old Vic in Stirling, NJ, right on the main street which I adored. From Stirling, I moved to Searsport, Maine, into a stupid-big old farmhouse. Well, wait a second, after Maine I lived in the husband’s friend’s guest room - - - so maybe... maybe I am not going in reverse.

I went off on a diatribe about this whole debacle over the phone to a friend in New Jersey, who made me feel so much better by declaring a “DO OVER” for my life, rather than seeing it as “going backwards”. Yet, I can’t help but be overwhelmed by this mind-numbing decision making – one thing at a time – first, a new less expensive apartment closer to work - - - once that’s decided upon & the move is made, then, second will be the new (to me) vehicle purchase.
There you have it.

That’s my life as it is NOW. I can do anything temporarily. Clearly, I’ve survived far worse.

One of the many buildings in the complex: My kitchen:

(Stray is not allowed on the counter - but i had just finished mopping the floors & his food bowls were up on it - so of course, he helped himself!).

My living room:

My dining room:

Hallway leading to the second bed & bath: The second bedroom is currently packing quarters:

One of the reasons I liked this place so much was these really cool "nooks" for stuff in both bedrooms. Oddly enough, as cool as they are, I never used them the way I antcipated for plants or decorating or the like... haha!

Sliders lead to a balcony: This is the view:

Maybe the sun will shine today. The clouds will roll away. Maybe I won't be so afraid. I will understand everything has its plan. Either way. - Wilco

"Chunk it!"

2009-09-20T13:55:00.004-05:00

Golf.
I live in Florida.
Golf is a favorite pass time.
Being that my father has been doing work for years for the USGA Museum in New Jersey, I have been exposed to all-things-golf since childhood. Other than miniature golf & occasionally going to the range to shoot a bucket, I've never had the desire to play on a course - although, I've been extremely fortunate to visit some of the most beautiful courses in the Northeast & I have quite the collection of clothing sporting the USGA emblem (thanks Mom & Dad!).
During the past 16 months of living in Florida, I have been asked countless times to come play. Dare I admit that although I absolutely will play any sport, I am not very good at anything other than basketball & tennis - liking to play any sport doesn't actually equate to being good at any of 'em. Plus, I am extremely competitive & I get frustrated easily. Hence why golf was never a first choice sport for me to learn.
My brother-in-law, Mike, really enjoys playing - insists it's addictive & insisted that while living in Florida I should at least try it once. I've been told that if I hate it, I'd never have to go back - - - but that the funny thing about golf is that even if you initially hate it, ya' wanna try again to see if you fall in love with it...

Luckily, I have met through work the most wonderful person, Vickie, who happens to be an avid golfer. She's been playing since she was 5, played in high school & competed in tournaments for years. She, due to the kindness of her heart & not due to insanity, offered a while ago to teach me how to play. My first "lesson" was on Saturday. Our mutual friend, Wendy, who also has never played, joined us for the outing at a local country club.

(Vickie & Wendy)

We practiced at the range first thing in the morning, before getting into our golf carts to complete 9 holes.

Vickie is an amazing instructor, her knowledge & expertise were a huge help to me. First thing I've been doing wrong all these years? I have been holding a golf club my entire life similar to how I hold a baseball bat - oops - sorry, grew up in a huge baseball playing & baseball loving family... haha!

It turned out to be an exceptionally hot September day, but despite the heat, we truly had a marvelous time. I tried very hard to not take it too seriously & the three of us really had a lot of fun playing together.

Vickie generously told us two newbies that we did extremely well for our first time out on a course. We played only 6 holes (due to timing & the heat), I scored a 47, while Vickie scored a 30 & Wendy scored a 40. Of course, I came in last, I was not surprised - haha! :)

My two favorite things about my first golf course experience: driving a golf cart (I had entirely too much fun driving it) & the use of the phrase "chunk it!" (golf lingo describing a poor shot where the player hits the ground behind the ball and moves the earth to a greater extent than the ball itself - um, I proudly am extremely good at this!).

(Vickie)

(That's me in my new favorite ride)

Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle - Author Unknown.

Holy $hit! I'm 36!!

2009-09-13T11:52:00.012-05:00

Unfortunately, I must start this post with sad news. I was notified the week of Kismet's death that dear Zoe girl, the German Shepherd I used to live with was diagnosed with cancer. Without going into personal melo-drama on the blog site for the whole wide world to read, it is worth mentioning that she hasn't lived with me for a while. It is with deep sadness to report that she had to be put down on August 23rd. She was a loving & wonderful dog. Incredibly gentle & kind. I am grateful that she was in my life for the short period that she was, she brought great laughs to my heart & soul. Memories that will last the rest of my life. Stray Cat absolutely adored Zoe.
The Friday of my birthday weekend, I went to Maryann's, where she blew out my hair phenomenally, in a way I can never do in the Florida humidity - or maybe it's because my straightener is a piece of crap & I need to invest in a really good expensive one. She took this photo of me there, proof that I always have way too much fun with her... LOL.

The Saturday of my birthday, my cube-mate, Lynda, invited me over for dinner at her house to celebrate. Lynda & Rick are my friends that saved me when my car battery died in the beginning of August. It never matters where you move to, whether you like the area or not, as I am convinced you make your own happiness despite any adversity you face & I believe you will always be blessed with angels. Lynda & Rick are two of mine.

They surprised me by inviting two of my girl friends & their families to join us for dinner. So instead of it just being the 3 of us, Lynda & Rick prepared a huge feast for the 9 of us. It was a beautiful evening of conversation, sangria, delicious food, & of course birthday cake.

This year Disney's theme is Celebrations. Anyone who registers their birthday at Disney's website will get a certificate to get in the park of their choice for free. If you remember, all I wanted for my birthday last year was a day at Epcot Center. You may also recall, that while living in Maine, it was pretty much a pre-requisite for me to be convinced to move to Florida. Haha! Well, I never did get to go last year on my birthday, so this year, I am thrilled to tell you that I did indeed get to go!

I happily spent five hours of the day at Epcot completely alone. I had no idea how I would feel about that - I was unsure if I would be uncomfortable or self-conscious. Gratefully, I was just happy. It was quite liberating to get to the front of ride lines and proudly declare, "ONE" when asked how many in my party. Ya' know the song, "One is the loneliest number"??? I disagree, cuz, sometimes it's just f'n fabulous.
Mid-afternoon, I met up with Dawn & her adorable daughter, Katie. Dawn & I have known one another since childhood & have reconnected due to FaceBook. It was so great to hang out with her & Katie for the remainder of my birthday at Epcot. Her & I haven't seen one another since H.S. graduation day in 1991, so it was so cool to catch up & we all had such a fun time together at Epcot.

We even got to meet Princess Jasmine! Hehee:

And we all ate one of these crack pretzels from Norway - delicious!!!

Two days later, I was on a plane to NJ. A very awesome birthday gift from my parents, very spontaneous.
Since I had not been to my parents shorehouse since the summer of 2004, my parents wanted the whole family to spend the Labor Day weekend there. This trip was the longest amount of time I have spent in NJ since moving in 2005. Typically, I only visit for 2-3 days & I drive my mother crazy by being a "social butterfly" seeing my friends. Bringing me to LBI would eliminate that worry - haha! :)
Of course, the first night in NJ, my SHU-gals came to my parents' house, & we all went out to celebrate. It was the coolest thing in the world to see them - this was the first time in 13 years that all 6 of us were together.
I look horrible in this picture, but they all look friggin' beautiful so I had to share it:

(L-R back row: Stacey, Me, Cheryl, Jeanette; L-R front row: Denise & Corinne)

The following day, my sister Tina Maria & her family could not join my family on LBI, so she & I & her two children, Emma & Tyler, spent the day in Manhattan. It was a fun-filled day trip, where we walked around Times Square, went to Toys R Us, Hershey's, the M&M store, Starbucks, & ate lunch at Junior's. We took the train in & stopped in Summit to visit my Uncle at work. It was a stupendous day - no exaggeration.

The next morning, I was off to Long Beach Island with my parents. It was a glorious weekend down the shore. It was a happy time spent with my parents, my sister, Marcella & her family.

In this post, I have only included a select few of the tons of photos taken during the trip, if you are not on FaceBook & you would like to see my entire photo album please e-mail me & I will send you a link to view the photographs.

It was great to be home, to see the SHU-girls, to spend time with my family. Unfortunately, I was unable to see the rest of you all while I was there. It was a very quick visit & there wasn't a lot of time beforehand to plan anything. The next trip, I will know well ahead of time so that we can plan to see one another.

"I lived a million miles of memories on that road. With every step I take I know that I'm not alone. You take the home from the boy, but not the boy from his home. These are my streets, the only life I've ever known, who says you can't go home" - - - "It doesn't matter where you are, it doesn't matter where you go. If it's a million miles aways or just a mile up the road. Take it in, take it with you when you go, who says you can't go home" - Bon Jovi.

Miscellaneous updates, well overdue...

2009-08-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

On June 27th, I had a bunch of my hair cut off & had it bleached blonde. A shade I used to always go to in the summer - but it's been a long 4 years without it & a much needed change.

Come fall, I'll go to a more of a brownish hue...

I dunknow if you can tell by the above photo, but I have finally reached my goal weight. What I always termed as my "fighting weight"; ya' know, the weight I was when I entered SHU in 1991! A weight that I have been on & off, but mostly off, since gaining that dreaded "Freshman 15!". It's a weight that I have never stayed at for longer than a month or two... until now. I was determined that in my 35th year of life, I'd finally quit smoking & once again be my "fighting weight" - a weight I plan to stay at for the rest of my life, give or take 5lbs. :)

Here is a before photo. It's not very pleasant - so use caution...

Yes, I am at a Pizza Hut, of all places - not by choice, it was for a church fundraiser, I swear it! I am very proud to report that I am 40lbs lighter since I moved outta Maine.

On July 2nd, this "karma" balloon was given to me by a colleague. I need all the happy karma available at this juncture in my life. Love it!

On August 7th, which happens to be my SHU-Gal, BFF, Corinne's birthday, the darndest thing happened. Gabby the Cabby did not start in the parking lot. AGAIN. She did not start on August 1st, & luckily, my friend's husband installed a new battery for me, & Gabby started working again great! But, then, less than a week later, I am trying to leave work to start my weekend, & she doesn't wanna budge!
I got to the Auto Body Shop around 5:30 that evening. They assumed it was the alternator, I was adamant that it was not! The mechanic called three car rental places for me - only one had a rental left. He drove me to a the car rental place, and it is much too long & boring of a story to write here.
But know this - the body shop swore my car would be ready by 1pm the following day (which was the day I had scheduled to cremate my dear sweet Kismet). And the car rental place closes at 12 on Saturdays, & they are not open on Sundays.
The only rental they had available for me was, get this, a Dodge Dakota. Me, in a Dodge Dakota. A girl that drives an itty bitty convertible, in a Dodge Dakota.
Well, for over $60 a day, I gladly pull out of the car rental place, in hopes of only needing it for ONE day.
Here the Dakota is in all it's glory:

The damn thing actually drove beautifully, but I am not a girl in a pick-up truck, by any means. I am way too in love with itty bitty Gabby to ever be purchasing one for my daily usage.
The following day, was something I was dreading all week long. To cremate my nonjudgmental companion of nearly 15 years.
The crematory was really fabulous, & the owner handled Kismet & I with such empathy & compassion. I can't even begin to express my gratitude.
While I was at the crematory, the mechanic called me to advise that it was Gabby's ignition switch, that it would cost close to $400 & he assured me she would be done by 1 so that I could return the Dakota by 12 without an issue.
So, my rental was returned by 12, the rental guy drove me to the body shop. And, there I was, at the body shop until nearly 7pm. They could not get Gabby fixed. They kept running into all sorts of technical issues.
Luckily, the mechanic drove me home that evening, & picked me up Monday morning to drive me to work.
But I was car-less for a weekend since there wasn't a car rental place open.
I was furious.
But, happily, I got Gabby back on Monday evening, & she is running like a champ again. Just in time to start driving me to car dealerships, because, Friends, it seems it is time to be buying a new car. She's been good to me for 12 years, I can't ask for anything more from her...

On a sad note, August 8th, my dear Kismet's ashes were presented to me in this way:

The scroll is his death certificate with his actual paw print on it, accompanied by a lock of his hair tied in an adorable little bow. His name is engraved with his dates of life on the plaque on the urn. So, now, not only is he forever in my heart, but wherever I move to next, he will be coming with me.

On August 19th, I got his name & dates of life tattooed on my left side. I chose my side because that's where he always was. The crown represents his nickname of "The King", because he was the king of any house we've ever lived in.
I considered getting his paw print tattooed on my left foot, since during the last 3-4 weeks of his life, he had lost a lot of his sight, & he would step on my left foot daily. This was adorable to me. But it being an exposed tattoo caused me some second thoughts on it - so I am keeping the idea on the "back burner", for now.

Lastly, on August 20th, I am so thrilled to report that Corinne & her family were in Florida!! We all went to Animal Kingdom. It was a phenomenal time, & so good to see them!!! Since I do not (yet) have permission to post photos of all of us, I will leave you with these two.
Here is a statue that was in the park. Maybe I just have a dirty mind or something, but it didn't seem appropriate or child friendly (to me). LOL!

There is always something to learn, every day, & here was something for me. While living in Maine, I would always see signs for "Bat Houses For Sale" & I never researched what it was all about, but was always curious to the "WTF" factor of "why would one need a bat house, exactly?".

Well, give it up to Disney to answer my question!
While in the "bat sanctuary", there was this poster that taught me why people need bat houses. It is a natural way to save farmers' crops, rather than using insecticides, bat houses promote using bats to save crops. Who knew this?? Anyone??

Lifetimes are catching up with me, all these changes taking place, I wish I'd seen the place, but no one's ever taken me. Hearts and thoughts they fade, fade away... - Pearl Jam's "Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town" (one of my top 5 favorite PJ songs, but if you had me to list them all, the list would be way too long, because practically every song of theirs is a favorite, btw!).

Kismet 12/31/1994 - 08/02/2009

2009-08-07T20:22:00.008-05:00

My dear sweet Kismet’s health began to deteriorate rapidly since the end of June – he could no longer jump onto my bed to sleep, which of course, depressed me to no end. I would carry him on to the bed, and he would stay only for a little while, and fuss to let me get him down or jump down on his own worrying me to tears if he hurt himself. I built a little “staircase” for him to climb – but that was fruitless, because he never even tried to use it. Instead, he claimed the living room floor under or by the coffee table as his new sleeping area.

This is how a beautiful relationship began and sadly ended:

On New Year’s Eve, 1994, dear Kismet came in a box without a top from my college sweetheart. We spent New Year’s Eve canoodling this little itty kitten, which my college sweetheart thoughtfully had named, Kismet.
Kismet is the French word for “fate”; and it was indeed fate that the little kitty was found sitting on top of my boyfriend’s tire when he went to leave to come to my parents’ house in Millington, New Jersey.
Kismet was a stray cat born on Staten Island, New York. I reminded Kismet often of this, so he knew I knew he was a very tough cat from the streets of Staten Island!
A year after his arrival, he moved in with Corinne & I in Madison, New Jersey. Here, he drove our downstairs neighbor nutso by rolling a tiny ball up and down the long hallway throughout the day. It was here that Kismet’s affection for window perches began, as well as, Corinne’s unknown allergy to cats! Kismet moved back in with my parents for about 6 months before I moved to Pompton Lakes, New Jersey.
While living in Pompton Lakes (1997-1999), in a street front apartment, he escaped a few times and trotted down the street thinking he was the King of the Neighborhood. It was at this apartment that his life-long habit of waiting for me to get ready in the morning began. He hated it if I closed the bathroom door and insisted on being right next to me whether in the shower (he'd sit at the edge of the tub!) or at the sink. He had an amazing talent of being able to open any door I closed without locking.

In 2000, he & I moved in to a beautiful old vic on the main street in Stirling, New Jersey, where he once again became an indoor/outdoor cat. Only allowed outside once I got home from work. He loved being outside tormenting birds, and he was also found multiple times walking the sidewalk as if he was a pedestrian. He thought he was a very smart cat.
While living in Stirling, he got into a very bad cat fight with a raccoon – he had multiple stitches and had to wear one of those Elizabethan collars for the remainder of his recovery. From that day forward, he wasn’t very anxious to get outside to play, and became a predominant housecat.
In 2005, he moved with me again, this time to Maine. Where we drove together from New Jersey in a very packed Ford F150, all the while he sat on my lap, with infrequent leg stretches where he’d perch his front legs onto the door so he could look out the driver side window. Adorable!
Upon arriving to our new home, an enormous farm house, he was thrilled to explore! He would run the length of the house and go up and down the steps as if it was some kind of cardio workout. He liked having so much space. His constant habit of sleeping in my bed began to dwindle as he had so many rooms to choose from! He’d start the evening with me, but within a ½ hour or so, he’d be gone to explore or sleep elsewhere. He especially liked being allowed in Abbracci after-hours to explore it and to sneak up to the extremely large attic where there was always stuff to amuse him.
While living in Maine, he started to vomit after eating, each and every time. His once chubby self, started to get frail. The vet gave him 7 months, tops, to live and diagnosed him with hyperthyroidism.
This was in April of 2007.
Right after his diagnosis, Stray Cat was added to the family, and I was overly concerned that Kismet thought he was being replaced already (because at this point I officially turned into the crazy cat lady)!
From Maine, he took the treacherous journey to Florida in June 2008, that you all read about here.
Since he was already ill at this time, I was especially concerned on how he’d handle the long trip. Also, with the addition of a nutty kitty named Stray Cat, there was that alpha male cat fight always ensuing.
Kismet lived in Ocala, Florida for four months, and he had lived for 10 months in Lakeland, Florida. He was incredibly flexible and resilient.
Without going into personal baggage on my blog sight, there was a lot of tension at home that I know Kismet and Stray Cat could feel. I know he knew I needed him just as much, if not more, than he needed me. So, I truly believe that low and behold, he hung on as long as he did for me.
Last week, I thought for sure it would be the end – I even spoke hours on end about it over the phone with my sister, Tina Maria, and my mother.
I kept telling Kismet stories about his life, as if I was a crazy person. I am quite certain he was thinking, “Mom, I didn’t lose my memory!”
This past weekend was the first weekend ever that I was out every night. I was barely home at all.
Saturday, August 1st began my official Birthday Month Celebration, and I started it right by going to the pool for the first time in a long while. After coming back in from the pool, I spent very little time with Kismet, as I had to shower for that evening’s plans.
Saturday night, I had planned to go to a church service in Winter Haven with Lynda & Rick, and when I went to leave, my car wouldn’t start because my battery died. I immediately felt it was a sign that Kismet was going to die too. I do not know why I felt this way, but it was a gut reaction I felt.
I called Lynda, and she quickly came up with a solution. Her husband saved me by installing a new battery for me – yeah, the blessings in my life. They drove that night, in any case, and from the beautiful church service, we spontaneously went to a local bar for a karaoke contest that her 23 year old son was going to be in. I had told the kitties that I’d be home early to hang out – latest 9. Not knowing that my evening would be extended to a local bar, and that I’d arrive home around 11pm.
I had an excellent day & evening, it was a fantastic start to my birthday month. I was exhausted upon arriving home, and Kismet was sleeping near the coffee table. I had pet him for a bit and told him I was too tired to hang out and how I wish he’d stay in bed with me cuz I hated leaving him alone in the living room for what was now turning quickly into a month!
He didn’t seem to have a care in the world, and he was purring beautifully. He has a purr very different from that of my previous cats or of Stray. His purr can become extremely loud – like insanely loud, and it is adorable. I also promised him that I’d clean him the following day.
I have these cat/dog wipes I use to clean him up since he couldn’t clean himself anymore.
The next morning, I woke up early to do laundry, clean, and do yoga. While running around in the house, he was still in the same spot as the last evening, and it was the first day he didn’t holler at me for food. This was a clear sign that things were not going to get any better for him.
I basically forced him to come into the kitchen and try to eat, but he only had a tiny bit, when normally he eats like a house in one sitting. He hid under the baker’s rack, which made me all but crazy and I pleaded with him to come out. Once he did, Stray attacked him feverishly, and I was at my wit’s end scolding Stray Cat.
This was the second day in a row that Stray tormented Kismet and it broke my heart. I scooped up Kismet and held him for a long while, talking with him about what an awesome cat he was for the past nearly 15 years. What a kindred spirit he truly was, and I thanked him for his constant companionship, attention, and love. I told him I was sorry that Stray Cat kept tormenting him, I explained that Stray didn't realize he was sick and all Stray wanted to do was play with him.
Kismet looked at me like I was nuts, like he was saying, “No, Ma, Stray knows I am dying – he’s done playing with me”.
I left both cats, sitting quietly under the kitchen table, to go food shopping. An hour later I returned, and Kismet was laying, sleeping under the coffee table. I was only home for ½ hour when I had to meet my friend, Wendy, for a movie. I kissed them both goodbye and told them I’d be home soon and that we’d hang out more later. I told Kismet I’d clean him and pamper him once I returned. They seemed content with this.
Around 5, I arrived home, and immediately sat on the sofa, leaning over to pet and chat with Kismet who was still laying under the coffee table. Anneliese left me a message while I was out, and I returned her call within minutes of getting home, while petting Kismet. A few minutes passed, and I moved from the living room to the bedroom.
I was on the phone for probably over an hour, when I went into the kitchen to make something to eat. When I walked by Kismet, he was still under the coffee table, his eyes were open, I can’t remember if I patted his head when I walked by (I typically do), but I fear I didn’t because I was just gonna grab something real quick and go sit on the sofa again to be next to him while I ended the phone call.
While at the kitchen counter, speaking with Anneliese, I had this horrible gut instinct to go check on Kismet. I walked back into the living room, and he was not there, I ran into the bedroom, and found he was laying on his side under the bed, with only his bum and tail hanging out for me to see. He was motionless.
“Kismet just took his last breath”, I said to Anneliese in a complete state of shock and disbelief.
I hurriedly hung up with Anneliese, and took Kismet into my arms.
He passed away while I was talking on the phone.
I feel so guilty and sorry that he died while I was on the phone. I feel horrible that I never got to bathe him like I told him I would.
I worry that he thought I didn’t need him anymore or that I didn’t care anymore.
Neither are true.
My heart is truly broken over this.
It seems really stupid to write it. But it’s true.
I have a daily calendar at work with quotes that was given to me in 1992 by my friend, Monny. When I got to work on Monday, I checked Sunday’s quote, and it was, “Never put off until tomorrow the hug you can give today".
How poignant.

I have way too many memories over the 15 year relationship to just mention a few would be ludicrous. But in a vain attempt to shut up at this point, here are “just a few”:

He had an incredible meow, I sometimes swore he was saying, “Ma”. My father would make fun of me for talking to Kismet like a human, but when Kismet would respond to me, my father would laugh and say, “That sucker talks back to you!”. Towards the end of his life, he had an intense appetite. As soon as I arrived home, he would yell/meow at me to feed him. You see, he could only have soft food this past year, and could no longer digest hard food. So the soft food, if left in a bowl for him to graze on would get eaten up by the Stray Cat. Kismet was hysterical to me, if I went in to the kitchen at any time, other than the last week of his life, he would incessantly follow me there – at my feet yelling for food.
If both cats were asleep, and me starting to walk to the kitchen awoke their appetites, Stray Cat would ZOOM by frail little Kismet, nearly knocking him over in the race to the kitchen. Kismet would look at him with this “scared cat” face, with a hint of complete annoyance, as if to say, “You’re gonna get old too, Bucko!” Yet, he’d keep his gait at a slow and easy pace, and I’d always wait for him, to give him a loving pet, and a thoughtful word – never ever feeding Stray Cat first.
Kismet, he always made me laugh and smile.
Some of my favorite memories of Kismet include when my grandmother, Nonna Frances, would hold him and pet him. My grandfather, Nonno Frank, would tell her to stop fussing over the cat because cats cause diseases. I know that my grandparents are taking good care of Kismet in heaven now.
If I was over visiting my parents while Kismet was living with them, Kismet would meow at my father for food and my father would tell him, “See? You know who takes care of you now!!!”
When my sister, Tina Maria, would take Kismet to the vet where she worked and they would all tell us what a handsome and good boy he was. How Tina Maria helped me learn so much about cat-care and how amazing a caregiver she was to him. She was the first person I called after his passing, and she gave me calm directions of how to care for my sweet boy. She also let me wail for a long time as I couldn’t contain myself.
Before my sister, Marcella, & her husband, Mike, cat sat for me, Mike insisted my cat “sucked” because he didn’t like anyone else but me. But then, Kismet stayed with them for a week while I was on vacation, and Mike & Kismet bonded – Mike kept repeating what a cool cat Kismet was. And even started all of us singing, “Kizzy Kizzy Cocoa Puff”. Which helps me smile to this day.
How while living with Corinne, I was still training Kismet and how Corinne would make fun of the way I scolded Kismet by saying, “BOLD” in a stern voice. I think this still makes Corinne crack up.
How sweet Kismet would fall asleep on my chest, and while living in Stirling, if I didn’t wake up to the alarm clock, he would pat my face ever so gently with his paws. This was the cutest thing ever and I always wished I had it recorded. He would always fall asleep on me, mostly on my chest, belly or feet, and if I moved throughout the night, he would follow where I’d go, remaining on me the entire time – he had excellent balance, and was extremely loyal to staying with me throughout the night.
Hilarious to me, not so hilarious to any bed partners.

For all of you who had the pleasure of meeting my wonderful Kismet, thank you for the love you afforded him, even if you (like PJ and others) would insist, “Your cat sucks!” cuz he only “liked” me… haha! He was a tough cat, born with a heart murmur, which caused him to be incredibly “jumpy”, just like me, his mother…
He was the perfect perfect son, friend, and he was an incredibly handsome orange tabby with the most beautiful green eyes.
He was my one and only, Kismet. He will live in my heart forever...

May he rest in peace.

“If love alone could have saved you, you never would have died.”

Almighty God,
I was fortunate to receive the gift of Kismet from You
Now that he has left this life, please help me cope with my loss with strength and courage.
I know that my beloved companion no longer suffers, and will live on in many fond memories.
He has enriched my life, and I pray that I may enrich the lives of others.
Amen.
Basilica and Shrine of Our Lady of Consolation Click here to view web album...

Your prayers worked before - - -

2009-06-14T10:00:00.001-05:00

Hello Everyone!
My dear friend, Julie, had to have an emergency heart surgery & C-section this past weekend. Luckily, she & her baby are recovering nicely at a hospital in NYC. PLEASE keep her & her family in your prayers.
Please welcome Maxwell Jules (a great strong name for such a strong boy)!

A couple of days later, my colleague, Vickie, had her first child, also a boy. She & her husband named him Jackson (another strong & awesome name!). I am thrilled for her & her family. PLEASE say a prayer for them as well.

In other news of the week, I did "repair" as best I could Gabby with the canvas boat cover repair kit I bought.
My colleague, Lynda, said it looks like duct tape - dear Lord, isn't that wonderful? I don't want to be judged by the way my vehicle looks, but now, I am quite certain there are a lot of people out there thinking I am a total dirt bag.
Humph.

While walking Zoe this week, I found this amazing little frog! Adorable.

And, the cat play house purchased months ago, is finally being used... Here is Stray Cat enjoying his new view... Too cute!

Ten months ago, I had requested your prayers for a friend - please know he has recovered phenomenally and is doing excellent.
Your prayers for him worked, so I am confident they will be powerful for Julie & her family and Vickie & her family.
Thank you.

Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at that time. - Oswald Chambers, Minister, 1874 - 1917

From NJ to Florida Via Maine: One Year in Florida, A Review.

2009-06-06T19:00:00.013-05:00

June 6th marks the one year anniversary of our arrival in Florida.
Guess I can no longer consider myself new here.
Do you recall the trials experienced getting here? My posts of one year ago seem like a lifetime ago. Here are the highlights of the past year:

1. On June 2nd, 2008, we left our big farmhouse in Maine practically empty - with the exception of some bakery cases left in Abbracci.

On that rainy day, we began our trek to Florida with the F150 packed to the hills.

2. We made it to NJ safe & sound & enjoyed a quick visit with my family & three of the SHU-gals.

3. We stopped in NC after NJ, for another great family visit before heading to our final destination. Of course, we had truck trouble, which caused us to stay in GA before completing our journey.
Upon arrival to Ocala, Florida, things were not as we had hoped... including the devasting disaster of our ABF Rental Truck - where nearly all of our belongings were damaged during the move.

And, of course, the shipment of my VW didn't go free-of-issues, either.
But I refuse to digress...

4. After we got settled in, during that first month we did get to site-see a bit, which included Daytona, Clearwater (off of Tampa), & Universal Studios.

5. In between working for the folks we were living with & writing articles for an online paper, I got a job at the local mall, where, fortunately, the people I worked with were absolutely fabulous - making my "shifts" bearable.
All the while I continued interviewing for that much needed full-time job. Dunknow if you all recall but the one I thought that was "in the bag" with my previous employer fell through.

6. Thankfully, people like to visit Florida, so I had some great visits over the year. My Aunt & Uncle, Cheryl, Josetta & her family, Marcella (my sister) & her family, Anneliese & Laura, & BFF PJ.

7. Luckily, I got re-hired by my prior employer (1995-2005) & began my new career as an Auto Insurance Underwriter in late October.

8. I successfully completed a 5 month training course for this new job, while becoming friends with the wonderful employees I was training with.
Maria, the fashionista I posted about previously who introduced me to delicious Chipotle & pampered me with a pedicure at Christmastime; Lisa, she always makes me laugh, & she can read my thoughts just by looking in my eyes (scary!); Chad, the gregarious singer who will be getting married by year's end; Ben, the best dressed employee - he has the smarts of a future Forbes lister with a girlfriend who is just as smart & sweet; Ashley, the perky one I competed with at the "group" interview, luckily she has been recently placed on the team I am on; Brian, he teases me for all of SHU's failing sports - he drives a Hummer, although he looks more like he should drive a BMW or a Mustang (sorry! That's just what I think!).
And our beloved teachers, Jeanne & Terry. Of course, you can never judge a book by it's cover - Jeanne, at first came across downright mean to me but ended up being just the sweetest woman ever; Terry, who not only helped me with my Underwriting training but has greatly assisted me in my weight loss goals (he aspires to be a Fitness Trainer).
I wish I had a group shot of all of us, as I would include it here (with their permission).

9. I live in an absolutely beautiful apartment complex with lots of lux, including a gorgeous pool area.

10. I have had some crazy hair-raising issues, to say the least...

11. Recently visited Sandy Key Park Beach off of Tampa & it was just glorious. I adore living close to so many different beach areas...

12. Found two awesome ice cream shops: Bruster's & Cold Stone Creamery (c'mon, you didn't actually think this list would not include food!?). Bruster's has an awesome saying, "It will make your tongue jump out & slap your brains"!!!

13. Looking forward to the year ahead & grateful for all the past year taught me.

Be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful. -Buddha

P.S. If you noticed, #10 is missing. It is: "I have had some crazy hair issues, to say the least" - but I've wasted too much time trying to get it to post correctly with the photos & all... For some nutso reason my spacing is all weird on this post & #10 is mysteriously missing... Ugh! Sorry folks! :)

I just want a cupcake!!!

2009-05-31T09:43:00.006-05:00

One of the things I miss about NJ, of course, has to do with food. Whether it is specific restaurants I miss, or certain groceries I used to buy which are somehow unavailable here in Florida.
Case in point.
For two weeks I have been craving like nutso Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes. Ya' know the kind with the cream inside & the squiggly decorative white icing on top? You must know what I am talking about?
Well, at most Gas & Sips in NJ (the little shops adjacent to gas stations), they carry small packages of these delightful cupcakes. You get two for under a dollar or something like that, when I was a kid, they were like 50 cents. Do you know what I am talking about?
So, since I've joined Gold's Gym, I have been eating like crazy. Dunknow what that is all about but I was determined to treat myself to a f'n Hostess Chocolate Cupcake. I stopped at a local convenience store, a CVS, & a gas station market. To my utter disbelief, no one carried the small Hostess pack I was craving.
WTF?
On my way home from Gold's, I stopped to get gas, I went inside the market (of course) in hopes to find what I had been looking for for TWO weeks.
They didn't have Hostess, but they did have a Spanish version.

Looks exactly the same, right?

When I got home I opened it in anticipation of devouring the yummy chocolate cupcakes. They were totally identical to Hostess.

Except... in taste... one bite... and I was running to the nearest garbage can.

Um, may look the same, but didn't taste the same. Dry, hard, & the chocolate tasted like chalk.

I guess I wasn't meant to have a cupcake after all. Had to settle for an apple.

Humph.

No day ends if it makes a memory. -Jackie Erickson

Where Did The Week Go?

2009-05-24T18:09:00.007-05:00

As desperately as Florida needs rain right now, I am just about sick of it - it rained all week long & most of last week, too. We've been hit with insane thunderstorms & lightening like I've never encountered. Horrible driving conditions.
Speaking/Writing about driving & rain. Here is an update on the status of a 1997 VW Cabrio, known as Gabby the Cabby.
The storms have not been kind to dear old Gabby.
The rip that was somewhat harmless at last post about it has turned into a full blown catastrophe...

Um, yep, you can stick your hand right through the roof & get into the back... Lovely! See that there blue towel? It is attempting to catch the rain in a futile way to protect the leather backseats... Um, not working all that great - with all the rain we've been having, the towel gets soaking wet & I have to change it every day. Great!

I called multiple shops to figure out if this is fixable, of course, I've been told by all that it is not. I called a local upholstery shop for a quote on replacing just the exterior cover, & when the man got back to me with a price, he said, "Only $850".
Hmmm...
So, instead, I have recently ordered a canvas cover repair kit from Bass Pro Shops, it's for boat covers & the yard of canvas only comes in one colour - gray! Fabulous. Looking forward to the UPS man to deliver it in hopes of not letting Gabby suffer too much longer.

In brighter news, I recently got a raise at work! Wahoo!

Since there will be a wee bit extra money in the ol' paycheck, I have broken down & joined a gym.

I went 5 times this week & attended a few classes. My favorite being Zumba, the instructor was amazing - so full of energy. The music was great & my dancing, well, a little rusty... but oh, so much fun! :)
For some reason, I shied away from taking photos inside the gym, but did take this one of the woman's locker room. Haha!
It is quite a nice gym, with a woman's only section, a cinema room with cardio machines (where you can watch a movie while you work out!), a large weight lifting / cardio room, sauna, tanning beds, a juice bar, & of course, a merchandise area where they sell items like tanks, t's, shorts, etc.

I'll keep you posted on how I do. Since I kicked my exercise routine up a notch by going to a gym, I somehow can't stop eating - so, I didn't lose 1 pound this week... growl... I am very close to my "goal" weight, but fear I may eat all the way back up the scale... LOL.

Has this ever happened to you before?
Every week I purchase a Sunday paper, mostly in part because of the coupons. For $1.25 for the paper, I get approximately $5-$10 worth of coupons each week. Today, I bought the paper - & oddly, there were no coupons. Not one flier. Annoying.

Have a great week, Everyone!

Give me such courage and I can scale the hardest peaks alone, and transform every stumbling block into a stepping stone. - Gail Brook Burket, author.

My First Introduction to Downtown Orlando

2009-05-17T18:36:00.011-05:00

Yesterday, I went to Downtown Orlando for the very first time. Being relatively new to Florida, anytime anyone mentioned "downtown" to me, I foolishly assumed they meant "Downtown Disney". Oops! My bad! Honestly, I had visited Florida over a dozen times before moving here, & I only knew the "tourist" Orlando & never realized there was a "Floridian" Orlando.
For those from New Jersey, think Summit. Think the Ironbound section of Newark. For those of you in Maine, think Portland.
Maria, & I volunteered to work at the Florida Music Festival. Our day started off with lunch at that wonderful burrito shop she introduced me to in January. Chipotle. Yum.
Then, off to the festival.

I saw some cool buildings:

Our employer had a booth set up at the entrance where we were giving away Ipod speakers, & entering folks into a contest to win an Xbox or a Macbook. For those of us not working the booth, we walked around as a "Street Team". It was a fun event to volunteer for. In the background played some wonderful local bands with awesome names like Shady People, & Don't Forget to Feed the Kids.
We had the Xbox hooked up at the booth so people could play...
Maria:

Our duties started at 2 & ended after 10pm. But the event was to go on well into the evening...
We were so busy I didn't take many good photos. Although, Kate texted me & requested I take a self-portrait to send her. Here it is with all my frizzies out from a 103 humid day.

Of course, there was something there to remind me of home & my SHU-Gals.

We ate dinner at a sandwich shop called Jimmy John's, where I had my first Italian sub since Abbracci, well, Jimmy John's doesn't put pepperoni on their's - but it was good nonetheless.

They had a great sign I really appreciated:

Totally reminded me of that line in "You've Got Mail" that Meg Ryan says "People are always telling me that change is good. But all that means is that something you didn't want to happen has happened".
Isn't that a fantastic line?

So, all-in-all, it was great night, with great people, at a great event. And now I can say, "I've been to Downtown Orlando"... and it's not Disney's.

We cannot change our past. We cannot change the fact that people act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. - Charles R. Swindoll (American Writer & Clergyman)

My first introduction to the Florida love bug.

2009-05-13T18:09:00.010-05:00

I am not talking about the Jonas Brothers' song here.
I am also not talking about the 1968 movie with the Volkswagen Beetle.

I am talking about a bug that swarms during the month of May in Florida.

Have you ever seen these things?

I had my very first introduction on Saturday.

As I happily walked to the pool, towel & book in hand, I imagined myself relaxing on my comfy soft towel, & upon getting too hot taking a nice swim in the pool's cool water.
To my utter excitement, there was absolutely no one at the pool.

It was 10:30am, a balmy 90 degrees, very little wind, & lots of humidity.
Humph I think to myself. What are all those little flies doing? They were all swarmed in one area by the lounge chairs.

Odd, I think.
I walk over to a chair, get myself all set up, when suddenly I am surrounded by a swarm of these little flies as I am shooing them away from me, another woman walks into the pool area, & says simply, "Love bugs - they don't bite - they are just annoying".
She calmly opens her towel, places it on the lounge chair she has chosen, & lays down. Her eyes are closed, & the love bugs follow her. They are on her legs, her arms, her face, her belly. She doesn't even twitch.
In total amazement, I say to her, "How do you do that?"
She says, "I ignore them."
She lifts her head up & places her sunglasses on her forehead, inspecting me.
I have bugs on my legs & I am trying to take photos of them for you all to see.
With quiet assuredness, she speaks again to me, "You aren't from here, are you?"
I shrug my shoulders & ask, "Is it that obvious?"
She then sits up & explains it's Love Bug Season & they'll go away soon. They'll come back again come September.

Oh Joy.
With that, I decided to go swimming & forego sunbathing until the Love Bugs retreat.

Since I am determined to have a nice tan, this love bug encounter is making the tanning salon look more & more attractive to me!

Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year. But eventually, it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. - Lance Armstrong.

I am copying Jules...

2009-05-02T19:06:00.006-05:00

You all have heard me speak about my awesome friend, Jules, well, she just blogged about a website where you can have fun with photos. And I couldn't resist sharing it with you all because it is hilarious!
I was planning to just post about Florida-life with some new Florida photos - but these are way more comical...
I couldn't resist:

Never thought I'd see a corny tattoo of me on anyone!! Haha!

Check out the website, PhotoFunia, to create masterpieces using your own photographs.

Happy May, Everyone!

There is hope for the future, because God has a sense of humor, and we are funny to God. -Bill Cosby.

Hairy & Weighty Updates...

2009-04-26T14:21:00.008-05:00

I will start this delayed post with a funny bumper sticker I saw.

Hilarious!
Update on my hair situation, here I am the night before my haircut:

The fabulous Maryann at Salon 04 was correct. I dyed it myself each month brown, & now, at the fourth month it is brown. I finally have all that icky black out of my hair. Yet still, every time I see a woman with black hair, I want it. Especially if she has those funky magenta red highlights in it - but now I know full-well that that is not a look for me!
So, here I am today, with brandy new highlights professionally done (for the very first time). Maryann cut off about two inches & framed my face with fringes, only trimming my bangs because I want them to grow out. Come summer, the humidity here will not permit me to straighten them every day...

Who knows what it will look like curly!?! Haha!

Update on a weighty issue:
I have made a contract to myself to be at my goal weight by June 5th.
I have put photographs of Shape Models on my bathroom mirror for inspiration.
Since I can't afford to join a gym I have been intentionally exercising five times a week, plus walking the dog, plus swimming on the weekends.
Of course, since I absolutely have an addiction to all foods with absolutely no nutritional value, I am eating cautiously, only allowing one "cheat" a week. Which totally sucks, to say the very least.
Since moving to Florida, I have lost 20lbs & have 17 more to lose. It is disgusting to me that I gained a total of 40lbs while living in Maine. I know how it happened & why it happened & I proclaim to never let it happen again.
Praying to God for willpower, for it is something I have struggled with my whole adult life.

You have to stay in shape. My grandmother, she started walking five miles a day when she was 60. She's 97 today and we don't know where the hell she is. -Ellen Degeneres

Top Ten Reasons Easter is My Favorite Holiday

2009-04-12T00:00:00.002-05:00

1. Jesus.

2. Spring.

3. The colours of Easter - the pastels of yellow, purple, & green.

4. Russell Stover Strawberry Cream Eggs (also available at Valentine's in the shape of a heart). These are a holiday addiction that began years ago, when I worked at Jason's Hallmark in Warren, NJ. I used to eat one of these every single day during the Easter season, and in February, during the Valentine's season. They are absolutely heavenly. (They are also available in Raspberry, and are equally as yummy!)

5. Russell Stover Pectin Jelly Beans. These jelly beans always bring a huge smile on my face. Great memories of working at Jason's Hallmark, where, oddly, bags of these delicious jelly beans would somehow always "break" - causing me & all of those working to have to eat them! If you have not had these incredible jelly beans, go, go by a bag right now - they are truly the best jelly beans on the planet.

6. Childhood memories of three bright coloured Easter baskets lined on top of the fireplace hearth. My sisters and I would dig through the plastic grass to be sure we got every jelly bean and mini chocolate egg!

7. My mother's Easter feast - all scrumptious: Prosciutto, Cheese, Sausage & Salami and the mouth watering Pizza Gain (also known as "Easter Pie" or "Pizza Piena" -an Italian tradition, prepared only for Easter) as appetizers. Then on to the courses: Italian Wedding Soup, Pasta & Meatballs, Lamb, Salad, Green Beans, Mashed Potatoes, Bread, Wine, Fruit and an insane array of desserts - some of which are only baked at Easter. Making us all wait all year for special Easter cookies and cakes. Mmm Mmm Good!

8. Cadbury Mini Eggs. I was working at Video Junction in Warren, NJ the first time I ate these hard candies filled with soft chocolate. Video Junction also sold those really salty ripple potato chips. Well, in April 1991, I realized that those really salty ripple chips tasted amazing alongside Cadbury Mini Eggs. Seriously, try it - buy a bag of Ruffles (which are not nearly as salty as the cheap 25 cent no-name brand bags sold at the video store!) and buy Cadbury Mini Eggs. Eat them together and you will be amazed at how good it is! Do it soon, as Cadbury Mini Eggs are only available at Easter. Just one more reason Easter is my favorite holiday.

9. Bunnies.

10. The symbolism of the egg. Easter eggs not only symbolize rebirth, and rejuvenation, but immortality as well, particularly due to the resurrection of Jesus, who rose from a sealed tomb just as a bird breaks through an eggshell. In the early Christian calendar eggs were forbidden during Lent. This made them bountiful and exciting forty days later. Decorating eggs with bright colors was originally done to honor this celebration.
Certainly, even a non-believer would think these facts are cool - wouldn't they?

Happy Easter, Everyone!

Easter is the demonstration of God that life is essentially spiritual and timeless. ~Charles M. Crowe

Why is life getting too busy to post?

2009-03-27T17:51:00.012-05:00

Hello Friends - My last post was entitled "A Week Late" as posting each week is getting harder & harder, unfortunately. The new job requires me to be on the computer 8 hours a day, so once I get home, it's the last place I want to be. Sorry!
Sadly, not only is it negatively hampering my posting here, but my writing articles at Associated Content, & let's not forget the awesome novel in my head that I haven't worked on in nearly 5 months! Yikes!
Any home computer time is currently spent searching for a PT job as my FT job is not really allowing me to make ends meet. Ugh! I see a glimmer of light @ the end of the tunnel, but it's just not close enough for me to go out & get anything other than necessities. Needless to say, I detest living like this, as it's been going on since Abbracci.
Ugh, I want to delete this whole post as it is not as bright & sunny as usual.

I will leave you with this: Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of going to John's Pass, a sweet fishing town. It was a typically phenomenal Florida day - a day made for enjoying the sunshine...

Go Pirates!

I enjoyed browsing through a puppet store. When I was little, my sisters & I used to put on puppet shows with the neighborhood children & force our parents to watch - all of the time.

The little red head looks a bit like me when I am dancing, right PJ?

I dig the little orange head's t-shirt: "God is awesome!"

I do believe this here bird put on a show just for me:

P.S. Yes, I did dye my hair again two weeks ago, & it doesn't look any lighter or different! GROWL! Hopefully, within the next month or so, I will get to go back to the salon & get pampered & get it fixed professionally.

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

A Week Late...

2009-03-14T08:03:00.002-05:00

I skipped last week's blogging because there wasn't much to post. No news is good news, right?
After my phenomenal February, it was time to hunker down come March.
March is the month that marks the end of my "new" job training. It marks the month where I will eventually leave my cozy comfort zone of being on the "training team" & be part of a new team come the 19th. I can not believe how long it sounded when the trainers first told us "newbies" that it was a 20 week training period. And, now, oddly, the 20 weeks are coming to an end. Five months had never gone so fast in the past & here I write to you on the cusp of the last few days of being in my "training unit".
As you know, I am one of five employees new to the Underwriting Department. Most of our training was spent in a classroom, where our two esteemed teachers taught us the details of the job. Towards the end of the training, we got to perform our duties at our temporary cubicle (pictured in a previous post pre-decorating & the arrival of a computer), with the great comfort of having our two teachers available for constant interruption with our many questions.
These fellow employees have been a great source of laughter in my life. I am so saddened that these are our last days working together as a team. We will soon be separated as each of us are assigned to different managers & units.
My luck is a blessing as the manager I have been assigned to is an ex-Northeast Zone employee who used to work in Learning & Development (the Department I worked in prior to moving out of New Jersey). For this I am grateful.
This weekend, I plan to relax by the pool after all the laundry & cleaning is done. I also plan on dying (gasp!) my hair, in hopes to get back to a normalcy of brown I have not known since December! LOL.
Stay tuned, I am hopeful my next post will be a thrilling one! :)

I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen. - Frank Lloyd Wright

Visiting with friends from away...

2009-02-28T10:00:00.001-06:00

February has certainly become the month of friends visiting.
It has been a true delight to do touristy things in my new state & to spend quality time with friends.
Anneliese & Laura came to visit from Maine. Back in Maine their driveways are filled with snow, the heat is on full blast in their homes, & they wear layers & layers of clothes. They arrive in Florida to bright, warm sunshine, & a low temperature of 60 degrees, but a high of 80. It is wondrous.
Our visit began in Tarpon Springs, Florida. A Greek Community of sponge diving boats, soap making & Greek cuisine galore. We walked the streets, & chatted away, we window shopped, & filled our bellies with authentic Greek cuisine.
It was an incredible day.
Here are some highlights:

In a Greek Bakery, I found Plain Kok:

Chocolate Kok:

And... if that wasn't tempting enough, there is also Double Chocolate Kok:

Imagine my disappointment to learn the Greek word for pastry, "kok", is pronounced "coke"...

Our visit continued the next day, at the Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa. The warm sunshine heated our cheeks, the hot pavement aided our weary feet as we walked all day long admiring all the beauty of the zoo's landscape & the array of animals living there.

Our girl talk was filled with laughter, tears, & the excitement of gitty teenagers.

It is without a doubt, between my visit with Cheryl from SHU, & the Ladies of Maine, that I am truly blessed with amazing women in my life.
I am so very fortunate to have such strong women to call my friends. And, am so glad I have moved to a state where so many people want to come visit me! :)

Here are the photos of our days together, I created a web-album of the weekend... beautiful memories.

Maine Girls In Florida...

We need only travel enough to give our intellects an airing. - Henry David Thoreau

A sight for sore eyes...

2009-02-23T17:56:00.010-06:00

It was on a brisk Sunday in February that I filled the tank of my VW, bought a granola bar & bottle of water & began to drive a two hour journey to a beachy touristy town I had never been.
One thing is for sure - Florida is flat. These photos were taken every 1/2 hour of my journey:

My girlfriend of over 17 years came to Florida from New Jersey to visit her parents - as they live in Boynton Beach.
I can't get over that it has been 17 years since we met as freshman @ Seton Hall University.
She is one of the 4 SHU-Gals I write about often - we 5 all met freshman year as we all lived in the same wing of the dorm - we have been friends ever since. One of the main reasons I miss NJ so much is because of the monthly get-togethers I no longer get to take part in. They are a tradition we started many years ago. The visits are always filled with hilarious reminiscing of our college days as well as catching up on new things life brings us. Each of us live very different lives, but always, always, we will be friends, no matter where life leads us. I am so grateful because my moving to Maine, & now to Florida has not changed the friendships at all - just a little distance between us - but our foundation remains solid & steadfast.
We both drove halfway to meet at an outlet mall - it was fantastic to just hang out, catch up, & walk around "window shopping" as no actual spending occurred - an anomaly for both of us!
Here are some photo highlights of our visit - the fashion here is quite different than the Northeast...

Check out this lovely "nightgown" - cough cough:

The sticker on these pants reads "Feel Inside" - we were tempted to purchase the pants just to wear them without removing the sticker!!

It is after days like this that I know I am one of the luckiest girls in the world. Thank you, Cher, for a remarkable visit - I love you!

Good friends are like stars.... You don't always see them, but you know they are always there. - Author Unknown

I HEART LAKELAND!

2009-02-15T15:28:00.004-06:00

On a glorious Saturday afternoon, I found myself with absolutely no plans... It was 83 degrees & sunny in Lakeland, Florida - without a cloud in the sky. I contemplated going to the pool since my tan has faded. But, instead, I opted to explore my new town - first stop Lakeside Village - an outdoor mall. All my favorite stores in one place, surrounded by beautiful landscaping. When I have the money to spend, I will gladly be coming back to shop for real!

Can you read that sign, everybody?
Hello? J.Jill, Ann Taylor Loft, & Bath and Body Works all on one sidewalk - yes, this certainly is a wonderful place!
Then, there is my "ol' pal Victoria" which couldn't make me any happier!

Then, I went off to the Public Library, which overlooks a most beautiful lake, if I had taken more photos, certainly I would include them. I was so awestruck at the beauty, that I was annoyed at myself for not bringing my Pentax. All I had was my camera phone, & alas, only one photo to share with you all. Not the best, obviously:

The library is gargantuan! I spent nearly three hours exploring, & happily took out 4 books.

It is official, I HEART Lakeland!

This week concluded my involvement in the Fitness Study I wrote about previously.
Here are the end results: I lost 1 3/4 lbs, 1.3 body fat, & my BMI went down .4 - not too shabby for not changing my diet at all.
So, this week starts the real deal - nutritionally changing my lifestyle & kicking up my exercise regimen a notch. There is a fitness center on the property where I live that I work out 3x/week, & I will continue to do yoga every day like I have been - but, I am now considering joining a gym.
We'll see!

Happy Valentine's Day everybody!

I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon. ~Author Unknown

Update #2: Curves & Hair.

2009-02-07T10:25:00.010-06:00

CURVES:
I completed my second week at Curves - the fitness trainer is phenomenal. I have learned so much about cells & exercise - it has been extremely fun for me.
Plus, I feel great.
It is doubtful that I will join Curves once the fitness study ends. I enjoy classes & doing yoga much more than the circuit-training that Curves offers.
They weighed me in 4 weeks ago (when I had went to see if I qualified for the fitness study I wrote about previously). I am exactly the same weight. Exactly. Not one pound lighter.
But, I do believe I have lost inches. I believe this because I fit into two different pairs of pants that I haven't been able to wear in nearly 4 years! I am not saying I looked good in them, nor do I remotely look like I looked 3-4 years ago when I wore them all of the time - but at the very least, my wardrobe is slowly expanding & I haven't bought any new clothing!

HAIR:
Thanks to all of you who voted in my reader's poll.
Personally, I was teetering between: "Do it yourself" (put in a toner & dye over it) or Every 4 weeks dye it brown, & in three months, finally have brown hair.
I went to Maryann's salon on Thursday.
She didn't think my hair was in that bad'a'shape, & she also calmed my nerves about going bald - insisting my hair wasn't thinning at all.
I did not have her dye it or put highlights in it. Instead, I just got a really good cut. She cut off 4 inches of dry damaged hair & gave me fabulous advice about how to get it back into good condition since I hadn't been taking care of it for so long while living in Maine. (One pro haircut in 3 years is actually not good for your hair at all - if you have long hair like mine, it is recommended to get it cut every 2 months to keep it strong, thick, & healthy).
Maryann is sincerely an Angel On Earth. I am so fortunate to have randomly popped into her salon - she is so sweet, very generous with her time, & very talented. She charged me significantly less than the amount suggested on her salon menu.
For as long as I live in the Winter Haven area, she has a customer in me. That is for sure!
This was my hair before the wonderful haircut:

Straggly, clearly unhealthy. And, oh, BTW, that's what color it is now - a very mousey black.

Here it is after the cut... she blow-dried it straight for me - - one reason I like getting haircuts is because I can have straight hair for a day or two - - a nice change & a great treat for me! And, something at this length I leave the pros to do:

How can I control my life if I can't even control my hair? - Author Unknown.

Update #1: The slow death of a 1997 VW Cabrio...

2009-01-31T09:36:00.006-06:00

Yes, I am the original owner of the vehicle I currently drive.
I purchased it quite spontaneously after someone rear ended me on September 11, 1997, & totalled my 1990 Pontiac Sunbird - which, BTW, still had some major gitty-up to it. I hadn't planned on buying a new vehicle at that time, but after the accident, I had no choice.
So, on September 27, 1997, I brought my purply blue baby girl home - I named her Gabby. Gabby the Cabby.
Cuz, I am a dork...
[If I still had a computer scanner I would insert 4 adorable photos here that BFF PJ took of me on that beautiful September day that we brought home Gabby. It is very cool to have these photographs of me standing in between my two cars - the :( crashed :( Sunbird & the newly purchased VW.]
My father had always taught me that vehicles are not good investments - that they are a necessity. This is very true. We all know this as a fact. Hence, why I am 35 & I have only owned two cars...
He thought I was crazy to buy the VW, he thought it was such an expensive car, & was unhappy that I didn't go with an American Company. But, obviously, I bought it anyway.

I finished paying off the VW 8 years ago. EIGHT YEARS AGO.
In 2001, I had a great paying job, lived in a beautiful house in Stirling, NJ, & clearly, would have been able to purchase a new car & be able to pay a car payment without issue. But, there was no reason to buy a new car then - Gabby ran great - she was mechanically sound - & she was PAID FOR. At that time, I, instead, set automatic withdrawals out of my paycheck in the same amount as my car payment & put it into a savings account - thinking that when Gabby decided to stop, there'd be money available to buy a new car...
Fast forward to 2008 - past all the insanity of leaving said job in 2005, leaving that home in NJ, & driving said VW to Maine. Where I would then live for 3 years & own a business (which is where all $$$ went to - so previously mentioned savings account is currently non-existent). Where the VW would barely be used. Until June 2008 when she was put on a huge car-transporter to be shipped to Florida.
That's when the S began to hit the fan.
Remember how she arrived to me w/ bald tires? Then the door handle broke off?
I use the VW all of the time now, driving it 19 miles one way to work M-F (I found a shortcut that cuts off 3 miles!).
It all started with a small rip @ the seam of the convertible top - remember? But, as the weather changed & winter in Florida came with a vengeance - it got bigger...
Off to Advanced Auto Parts. 1... 2... 3... 4... times.
Nothing I buy seems to work...
First try: glue - which made a horrible mess...

Then, electrical tape & duct tape - neither worked at all...
I went back for a final time to the parts store - looking for 100 mile tape or a fabric fix kit - not finding either.
I will have to call around to see if there's anyone in town who does this type of repair.
Final try will be the salvage yard to see if I can buy another top & replace this one.
I need this car to keep going, darnnit!
Despite looking like total white trash with no moldings, a ripping interior, a broken handle, & now a ripped top, Gabby the Cabby still runs like a champ.
Thank you, God.

The car has become... an article of dress without which we feel uncertain, unclad, and incomplete. ~Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media, 1964

Readers Poll - Your Opinion Matters! :)

2009-01-24T16:34:00.007-06:00

Well, since this was a slow-event week, I really have no new news to report. Which brings me to my latest indecisiveness - what to do with my hair!?!

On Thursday, I stopped at that salon in Winter Haven that I mentioned in a previous post, & the owner, Maryann, suggested I make an appointment for a really good hair cut. It is true, it's been well over a year since I had my hair cut professionally.

But, what I really want help with is what to do with the actual colour of my hair.
I am teetering between 2 options. But, I will share with you all of the choices...

Currently, my hair is a very mousey black - with crazy reddish roots coming in.

According to Maryann, putting a toner in it to lift the black out would be extremely damaging as I would have to dye it immediately after. She said it would take approximately 3 years for the damage I would cause by doing this "double process" to grow completely out (that is, if I want to wear my hair as long as it is now).

Now, dear readers, I have been wearing my hair halfway down my back for a long time - over 4 years - so maybe it's time for a change. I cut bangs last winter for a little change, but maybe I need more of a change...

Maryann also said another option would be to just dye it brown every four weeks, & in about 3 months, I'd finally have brown hair...

Alternatively, I could just bleach my hair blonde (which I typically like doing for the summer, although, I haven't done it since 2004), which wouldn't be as damaging as doing the "double process" with the toner lift & dye over. In any case, other than leaving it alone, the other choices would force me to cut a huge chunk of my hair off, to cut off all that damaged hair (I wouldn't go shorter than a chin length bob, although, I would be more inclined to cutting it shoulder length).

So, readers, I ask you your opinion... and... I thank you for voting on it!

All we see of someone at any moment is a snapshot of their life, there in riches or poverty, in joy or despair. Snapshots don't show the million decisions that led to that moment. -Richard Bach (American Writer)

A Week Of Blessings...

2009-01-17T07:07:00.009-06:00

It has taken me a bit longer than I would have wanted it to – but things at work are starting to click in my brain, whereas my focusing skills are finally working again.
The beginning of my training was rough, most days I would be in a classroom, with an attention span of zero, & my sleep deprivation causing me to have huge issues with remembering the simplest things. As excited as I was to get back into Corporate America, I soon realized that owning a business & all the stress of everything that had occurred over the past three years made my brain, quite possibly, turn into mush.
Since I have great expectations of myself, I felt that I wasn’t meeting these challenges at my new job with the vigor required to be successful at it. This past week was an epiphany of sorts – everything was coming together – finally. It had been accumulating at a very slow pace since Christmas, & I, of course, continued to beat myself up wondering what could be wrong with me. My brain? Can stress make you stupid? Ya’ can’t fix stupid!
Our trainers had other obligations, so our classroom learning had to be postponed until the 19th. So, since the 5th we newbies have been working all day at our desks. The goal is production numbers – working tasks in queues – ya’ know the saying “counting widgets”? Well, I am living it. And because things are finally connecting for me & making sense, the new job is working out to be just fine.
Thank you, God.
I got this postcard in the mail over the weekend.

I called to find out what it was all about… very nondescript gym information & I had wondered if it was a circuit training type place like the Curves Chain. I had never been to this type of gym, as I am much more interested in classes: yoga, kick-boxing, aerobics, dance. In addition to weight lifting on my own.

Regardless, because of my timorous tendency, I didn’t even ask the woman on the phone if it was Curves… she didn’t answer the telephone “Curves”, so per usual, I assumed it was a different type of woman’s fitness center, like a typical gym.She explained that the gym needed 50 volunteers for a 21 day fitness survey – as long as I was qualified to participate – I would be required to meet with a personal trainer 3x a week for a 30 minute workout, and over the course of the 21 days I can use the gym as much as I like, with all the benefits a paying member would be entitled to.
Sounds awesome, right? I instantly made my first appointment to meet the woman, fill out paperwork, get measured, weighed, & let it be determined if I qualify for the study.
On Wednesday night of this week, I happily rushed to change into comfy gym gear at work, and drove nearly an hour to the stated gym. Upon arriving to the strip mall where it was located, low & behold, it was a Curves.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
According to the health chart on their wall, I am within my recommended weight for my height & age, so I worried I wouldn’t be able to be part of the study group. But, alas, I am 24.9% body fat (LOL), so, yes, I do indeed qualify. As if by looking in the mirror I had any doubt!!
During the hour & a ½ at Curves, I learned all about the 30 minute workout, & how it exercises every major muscle group and burns up to 500 calories. You get what you put into it, & like anything else in life, if you don’t work hard, you won’t get results. It is a proven program of strength training, cardio and stretching.
That night, I completed the workout & was pleasantly surprised that it did kick my butt! I still would prefer an aerobic class over it, but heck, for 21 days, I would be glad to be doing something like this – free of charge! The circuit is made up of resistance machines that work every major muscle group, & the trainer explained it’s about exhausting the muscle, not tearing it the way a weight lifter would… the whole thing was very intriguing to me – so, of course, I agreed to be part of the study.
Initially, I thought I would have full use of the gym for 7 weeks, since they declared on the postcard that it was a “21” day survey / “3x” a week… possibly this error on my part is proof of my atrocious math skills – but they meant it is 3 weeks long 3x a week; you can use the gym all 21 days of those 3 weeks.
Humph, that was a bit disappointing, but not enough to damper my spirits about the idea…More on this as it progresses. My three weeks begin on January 26th… stay tuned!

I ended this beautiful week with a slice of Heaven found in Orlando, Florida. Thanks to my new colleague who is in the training unit with me, Maria. Maria is a young spitfire, with great fashion sense, a strong spiritual attitude, & the singing voice of an angel. For Christmas, she treated me to a night at a fabulous spa where we both had a Hot Stone Pedicure.
OMG. I don’t even know where to begin.

The place was gorgeous.
For those of you in the Orlando area, who are in need of some pampering, check it out here.
We had the most luxurious pedicure ever – it included a paraffin wrap that was spectacular.
I chose a happy & bright orange polish, while Maria chose a deep brown – our nails came out beautifully.
It has been so very long since I pampered myself like this, & I appreciate so much Maria’s generosity & thoughtfulness.
As I get my life back on track, I can’t wait to get to the point where I can have a spa day at least once a month – whether for a massage, a pedicure, or just to get my hair done by a professional – these little things are not to be taken for granted. We must all pamper ourselves once and a while – it is imperative to have some “ME” time logged in to the schedule. To meditate, to reflect, to sit back & enjoy life’s pleasures.
Heaven in Orlando, Florida can also be found at Maria’s favorite burrito shop…
Where we gorged ourselves on a burrito bowl & a burrito, jam packed with rice, corn, sour cream, guacamole, beans, cheese, and spicy seasoned steak. Holy God, it was so delicious. I can’t wait to go there again! Go there if you haven't already: Chipotle Mexican Grill.
Made me miss Charlie’s Bay Wrap in Maine - But otherwise, a completely fantastic find.
Thank you Maria 100x, thank you!

Reflect on your present blessings, of which every man has many; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some. -Charles Dickens, English novelist (1812 - 1870)

I really live in Florida??

2009-01-11T13:24:00.009-06:00

It is past the ½ year mark of living in Florida.

I have compiled a list of the joys of living here – thus far.

1. Amusing signage – sometimes more amusing than the ones I created at Abbracci.

Yep, that really says, "HUMP"...

2. Living 5 minutes away from one of the most beautiful parks- Lake Hollingsworth. Next to Florida Southern College & a gorgeous yacht club.

3. Being able to wear my favorite sandals in January; sandals that never saw the light of day while living in Maine!

4. Living an hour away from Disney’s Theme Parks… YES!
5. Having a plethora of sushi restaurants nearby (again, none compare to the fabulous Haru in NJ, so sushi restaurants are way more expensive in Florida – but I am happy as my diet lacked sushi while living in Maine!). This photo was taken this weekend at Sumo Sushi in Lakeland… delicious!
6. Putting the convertible top down more than ever – as the weather here in the fall & “winter time” are perfect for it… Plus, I actually got to see flamingos!

7. THE LAST IS THE MOST IMPORANT: The RETURN OF TAYLOR HAM!
Whenever my parents or sisters came to visit me in Maine, they came with a huge cooler filled with Taylor Ham. A NJ staple. Thank goodness BFF PJ was also able to hook me up on my addiction when my families supply depleted - as he actually befriended the Taylor Ham MAN, because when PJ moved from NJ to Rockland, Maine, his neighbor, Bill, had business in NJ with Taylor Pork Roll.
Proof God exists.
Florida grocery shopping is Publix - & now I know Publix is a great grocery store because...

Taylor Ham is sold at Publix. My weekend ritual of fried egg, pork roll, on a buttered English Muffin can now resume... three years in Maine without Taylor Ham consistently in my life was truly troubling...
Is it obvious I have an addiction to food? :)

Before I close this post, here is a hair update for those that wanna know! ;)
It is one month since I dyed my hair that horrendous black. I have been told by many beauticians that I must “lift” the black out of my hair using toner / bleach/ ammonia. As soon as I do this, I should dye over it brown or any other colour I wish… But, since it has been a month, I figure, it’s faded some & I can just dye over it, so, I ignored the suggestions of using a toner first as I knew that would damage my hair greatly, & I honestly thought that dying over it now would be fine, since it has been a month.
On my sister’s recommendation, I bought Garnier’s Chocolate Caramel dye. I won’t even waste space by adding a photo of my hair here since, really, other than me cutting two inches off of it myself, it looks no different as the Chocolate Caramel didn’t take at all.
Now, I guess I will have to wait another month to do the toner & dye right over it immediately – & buy some Rogaine for Women just because I am ruining my hair!

Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviors. Keep your behaviors positive because your behaviors become your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.
-Gandhi

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T12:43:00.009-06:00

2008 had quite the rocky start - but ended perfectly.

Christmas Eve was fantastic as I drove to Orlando to meet with my fabulous friend, Josetta, and her family for a few hours as they were visiting from Georgia. We had a great time reminiscing about our days in NJ (she moved in 2003!).
I am so thrilled that she & her beautiful family carved in a few hours out of their vacation to see me. She is one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to know. She is funny, courteous, considerate, intelligent, omg, I can't write out all the adjectives that would describe her for you to understand fully how beautiful she really is. In the five years we have been living apart, she has consciously made superb effort for us to keep in touch - which is so difficult for anyone as lives tend to "get in the way". Do you all know what I mean?
She greeted me with such a compliment, asking how I've kept my weight off - despite the fact that I am no-doubt 20lbs heavier. Oh, how distance makes us forget! Right? Haha! She & her family are just sweethearts! I was so happy to see them...
I can't believe it, but it's been over two months since I started working in Corporate America & things are going smoothly... The Company put up a gorgeous tree & there was even a concert put on by the Company Chorus - I didn't even knew they had one - how cool is that? The week of Christmas my sister, Marcella, her husband, Mike, & their two children, Allegra & Michaella came to Florida for vacation. I felt so lucky to get to spend quality time with them. Although we didn't spend Christmas day together, we did spend Friday, Saturday, and a few hours on Sunday.
I drove down to Orlando Friday morning, Mike had plans to play golf with his brothers, so just us girls went to Disney's Animal Kingdom. It was a gorgeous sunny day & we had so much fun. I took a lot of photographs but my sister has asked me not to put them in my blog! :( So here are a few of the animals - haha! The first is from the petting zoo, which was the sweetest, & the second is from the safari ride. Animal Kingdom has a roller coaster now, so if you go, definitely check it out - it is so worth the wait!!! I slept over Friday night, & the following morning we went to Disney's Hollywood Studios - which was so great. About ten years ago, Mike & I went on the Tower of Terror for the very first time, & as soon as we got off of it, we got back in line to ride again. This year, Mike & I couldn't wait to go on it again - what a riot that ride is - & like everything Disney does, it's perfect, they don't miss one detail... Ahhhh.... the magic of Disney! I love it there! :)
What a perfect end to 2008 - spending quality time with my family.
My nieces are getting so tall & are such little ladies now, at 9 & 10. I hadn't seen them in over a year - so I was very excited to catch up with them. I would love to share with you all the adorable pictures I took of the two of them - but I promised my sister I wouldn't! :(
I am so very lucky because Marcella met this perfect guy when she was a freshman in college. Since they started dating when I was eleven, Mike has truly become an older brother to me. I can't write enough about how wonderful it was to see them all.

And to ring in the New Year, I celebrated with Becky & Mike, their family & their friends at their beautiful wedding... Congratulations to the Newly Wed! Here's to a lifetime of happiness, laughter, & love! Thank you so much for letting Husband & I share in your day! So from a rocky start to a spectacular end - out with 2008 and 2009 is IN.

Wishing all of you a really beautiful & happy season of joy & prosperity. P.S. My hair is still very black... but I am getting used to it. I was planning on dying over it this weekend since it has been three weeks since I dyed it. But apparently, I can't just dye over it (yet), it's a whole process - including putting a hydrogen peroxide "lift" in it which may in fact damage my hair even more. I even considered purchasing at Sally's Beauty Supply one of those "take the colour out" kits for like $12, but you have to dye it immediately after using it because your natural colour doesn't come back - essentially, according to the employee there, it just strips your hair colour completely leaving you with no pigment (?). Hmmm... I think I'll wait to see how this continues to fade on it's own & grows out - right now I have roots showing, & it's totally nuts, because they look blonde compared to the black... so it's all very funny to me. Thankfully.

If there is anything praiseworthy -- meditate on these things. - Philippians 4:8

"What did you do to your hair?" is not a compliment...

2008-12-19T17:45:00.004-06:00

It has been over one year since I had my hair professionally dyed & cut. Prior to that, it had been nearly three years.
Anyone who knows me personally knows that I used to dye my hair seasonally, & always enjoyed sporting different colours. All throughout college & for many years after I had a standard of shades: blonde in the summer, light (champagne) brown in the fall, dark brown in the winter, and red in the spring. Once I moved to Maine, this dying habit, well, died. Here is a photograph of me from last December prior to getting a much deserved & needed hair & dye job... this is my natural colour & curl.

At Abbracci, we had a lovely customer named, Angela, who opened a beauty shop in downtown Searsport where I made an appointment. I told her that I wanted black hair with magenta streaks similar to that of Lacey from Bret Michael's Rock of Love 2 but without so much red - more like highlights - not a two layer hair coloring like hers:

(Photo courtesy of VH-1)

Angela thought I was nuts - said it wouldn't look natural, although, I didn't think or say it would! She also insisted that it would look so bad that if someone asked where I got it done & I answered "Angela Austin Hair Studio" she potentially could lose customers & she didn't want her name attached to a bad hairdo. Understood. She insisted I had to stay within my "colour range" so that it would never look unnatural. Since she only knew me as the owner of Abbracci, she had never seen me with my hair dyed like I used to pre-Maine... man, the photos I could show her - she would be horrified at some of the things I've done to my hair! LOL!

When I left her studio, this is what my hair looked like - mind you the photos of me above are taken the very same day... please brace yourself as this is one bad picture of me!

This was the darkest red she'd agree to put on me. She also cut in layers, which is something I hadn't worn since circa 1996 - & boy, as soon as I let my hair go naturally, they looked awful + the long bangs she framed my face with made me look like Orphan Annie when I wore my hair curly. The Lord knows I don't have patience to straighten my hair everyday at this length, it was a long & awkward growing out phase & I am glad it's over!

In the beginning of October, I dyed my hair Auburn Brown; well, at least that's what the box said - it came out a shimmering brassy red... ridiculous. Actually, hilarious. Luckily, I dyed it two weeks before starting my new job, so by the time I got there, it didn't look so awful. By last Saturday, it was practically back to my natural hue, just a little more orangey:

I decided I still wanted black hair - so I went & bought a box of it at the local CVS, with the intention of purchasing a magenta hi-lighting kit from a beauty supply shop. But when I went to Sally's Beauty Supply they were out of stock of the colour I wanted, which may have been a blessing in disguise, because the black, well...
it came out like this:

I suddenly was no longer upset with Angela in Maine not wanting to dye my hair this colour - it did look completely unnatural!

As you can see from the first photo at the top of this post I barely have any eyebrows, & what I do have they are very light brown/red... with this black hair, it's obvious I have to wear more make-up (although the lipstick shown here may be a bit too much) which includes, penciling in my eyebrows, otherwise it would just look comical if I didn't:
That picture is so wacky, & it makes me despise my nose even more than usual - lol!

I had sent photos to BFF Corinne & BFF Jules, Corinne wrote back, "That looks crazy!" & Jules wrote, "It looks funky!" The reaction at work on Monday was mixed. And I was more self-conscious than usual (if you can even imagine that!). But, I think my trainer put it best when he genuinely said, "It looks good, but I like your natural colour better. There's good, and then, there's better".

I wanted to fix what I had done, & I washed it two times a day for the first 6 days. One day during the week, I stopped at Salon 04, on my way home. I have never been there, & was curious how much it would cost to get it professionally fixed. When I walked in, a beautiful woman greeted me. She had the exact black hair I had wanted - with one difference, hers was natural!

Her name is Maryann, & she is the owner of the shop, here's a bit of our conversation:

Me: "Can you see what I've done to my hair?"
Maryann: "You permed it?"
Me: "No, the curl is natural, I dyed it..."
Maryann: "I would have never known, it looks completely natural on you."
Turning to another hair dresser, she asks, "Don't you think her hair looks good?"
The woman looks me over & answers, "Yes! It matches your eyebrows perfectly."
Me: "I've penciled them in!"
Woman: "You fooled us - we would have never known!"

I continue to explain that it is too dark - that it has blue in it. She confers that blue is the base of black, & reminds me that everyone referred to Elvis' hair as "Blue Black".

In any case, without hesitation, she instructs me how to get rid of it if I don't like it. Instead of trying to sell me on getting it professionally "stripped", which would cost a pretty penny, she instead honestly tells me to use Dawn dish washing detergent or a clarifying shampoo to help fade the colour faster. She doesn't recommend dying over it for at least three weeks. She tells me to just wash it as often as I can stand...

I explain how I originally wanted magenta streaks - but thought now against it. She insists that would look really cool & that she'd be happy to do it for me - but again, I'd have to wait at least three weeks because she would have to strip the black out of sections of my hair, bleach it, and then put the magenta over it.

I am astonished at Maryann's generous honesty & kindness. She definitely has gained a customer for life. I am so glad that I stopped in & met her. For anyone in the Winter Haven, Florida area looking for a good salon - I trust that Salon 04 is an excellent choice!

With all the crazy hair cuts & colours I have worn throughout my life, I am fully aware that the comment, "What did you do to your hair?" is not a compliment!

When I was 17 years old I dyed my hair black - but, somehow, I forgot why I never dyed it black again. Today is one week since I dyed it & I will never forget again...

The opposite of bad is not good... it’s simply not bad. - Marcus Buckingham

Could've... Would've... Should've...

2008-12-12T20:42:00.013-06:00

Everyone I know has something in their past that they wish they could take back or do differently. You hear people all of the time saying, "If only I had...", "I could've...", "I would've...", "I should've..."
That stupid old saying of, "If I knew then what I know now..." is annoyingly true in some cases.

I refuse to digress by creating a list of my own regressions here. When I was 16 years old, someone told me there was no point in doing something if you were just gonna regret it after... so from then on, I promised to live a life of no regrets - - problem is, the life you create is the sum of the results of all of your choices - - & sometimes, those choices don't turn out to be so great... mistakes maybe, learning lessons maybe, regrets... never.
But then there is this...

In April of 2005 I was two years into earning a Master of Business Administration in General Management.

I was to "walk" in the May graduation ceremonies, but scheduled to complete my courses in August. Because of life, & the choices I made, I did not take those last two courses (one-an elective, the last-my thesis)... but I refuse to bore you with the specifics...

Here I am today, over 3 1/2 years later, & I want to finish my degree.

I am in the process of getting my life back in order. Or so I think.
Upon calling the College to register, they tell me I have an outstanding balance of nearly $1K left over from July '04. WTF? May I just scream, "THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I AM HEARING ABOUT IT!!! WHY IS THAT???" It's not like I was running away from anything - I've always had a forwarding address...
I am adamant that they HAVE to be wrong.
I've been fighting this out with them for over a month now.

My employer has a really wonderful tuition aid reimbursement benefit for their employees. You get the class approved by your manager, pay for your class, you earn an "A", & they reimburse you in full for the pre-approved course. It's that simple.
Awesome, right?

I've checked with them about this '04 class, & they have documentation it was an approved course, but none regarding me paying for it or them reimbursing me for it.
O, dear God, crap on a cracker... WTF!?!
And... to make it an even happier story, because it is well beyond their policy guidelines (over 6 months since date of course) they can not reimburse me for it now, nor are they willing to pay it directly to the College - I know, you think I am nuts for asking, but it was worth a shot - -
Needless to say, I can't register for my other classes without paying off this outstanding balance upfront...

I have no idea how it slipped through the cracks... none... no recollection whatsoever - completely astonished that this is happening... but, it is what it is, right? That saying certainly comforts me (can you hear my sarcasm?).

Now, it's all about the money. Needing $1K more than originally thought is gonna be a huge issue - so I went to the Credit Union - wondering if they'd ever consider loaning me the money. Realizing, truly, in today's economy & with what happened with Abbracci & my personal finances, that that would be a fat chance... but worth a shot... & they tried to bend a rule or two considering it would be reimbursed once I earned an "A" - but, a day later I learned it was a solid "NO".

So, sadly, although I really had hoped to graduate this May, I will have to hold off a little longer than I originally planned... But I can't hold off too long, there is a statute of limitations on the classes I have completed, & if I wait another year I am gonna have to start re-taking courses... now that would just be terrible - & if that happens, I am gonna have to admit to all of you that I do have one regret -

Makes much more sense, to live in the present tense. -Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam

Thanksgiving in Florida...

2008-12-02T18:47:00.025-06:00

I have never been the hugest Thanksgiving fan - seriously. I am not big on celebrating how pilgrims broke bread with Native Americans & then decided to steal their land, of course, only after the Native Americans taught the pilgrims everything they needed to know about harvesting on the land... now, this post won't be a history lesson based on my humble opinion, or about how wonderful Harvest Home festivities once were - when they were based on gratitude to God & had a lot more to do with a spiritual/religion based feast rather than football!
No, I am not the hugest Thankgsiving fan - I could blame it on my youth, since I missed out on celebrating Thanksgiving with my family for many years, as I was a cheerleader & cheered at the Thanksgiving Football games... Or, maybe it's because when I was in undergrad I worked (at a video store) on Thanksgiving Day.
Once we moved out of my family's homestate to Maine - & we opened our own business there, I didn't miss Thanksgiving much at all - since I rarely had Thanksgiving at home anyway, being in Maine for the holiday was all right by me. After all, I don't really like turkey that much... & need I remind you all that I am not a big fan of pies either?
But, the idea of not even having the option to go home to NJ for the holiday was a bit dismal to me...
The weather throughout November was unreal - 40s in the morning & evening - & mid 70s in the day. Thanksgiving Day was no different - it was absolutely glorious out: I even got to see a cute turtle hanging out in the canal - can you see him on the log? :)
Here is the view from the convertible... seriously! Haha! Thanksgiving, just like the gorgeous weather, ended up being perfect.
The best news ever, Friend, Becky & boyfriend, Mike, announced their engagement!!!
Congratulations, Becky & Mike, soo very happy & excited for you two!
Yeah! Here's just Zoe, we had to take a nice long walk on Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving in Florida was quite lovely.
I hope all of you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving with your family & loved ones...

I just have one question: Does Santa wear a different outfit in Florida at Christmastime?
Just curious...

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?"
- William A. Ward, author (1921 – 1994)

Florida: 41 degrees at 6:45am on a Thursday in November.

2008-11-22T07:49:00.000-06:00

Typically, I go to sleep pretty early, as my body has not yet become accustomed to my new office schedule. My alarm clock is set for 5:25am, and I must get out of bed by 5:45 in order to get to my car by 6:45 to commute 22 miles to work.

On Wednesday night, I finally got to catch up with my sister over the phone. We chatted and chatted until after 11pm. Our conversation took a wacky turn as we began to list all the things we’ve done to disappoint our father. We began to compete over which of our disappointments were worse – was it my awful grades first semester freshman year of undergrad? Was it her going on a motorcycle with a boy at the mere age of 17? I, honestly, thought I’d be the clear winner, being I am the youngest, the one more rebellious; to her, being the oldest (which as a family, we typically assumed she was the “golden” child). In any case, the conversation was hilarious at best, and oddly enough, we neglected to add to the list my multiple piercings and tattoos – thankfully, my sister reminded me to add ‘em right before we ended the call… causing much laughter on both of our parts.

Before I continue on, for those of you that have not had the pleasure of meeting my very fabulous father, let me give you some background. He is brilliant - seriously, he is extremely smart. He is very talented – he built the house I grew up in, and his expansive mastery of carpentry can be seen throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and even Washington D.C..

He is courageous – one example, clearly, is how he left his country by himself at 17 to come find a better life in the United States, without knowledge of the language or much about the culture here. He is hysterical (hence, why I am so very funny!), he loves to sing and dance (hmmm… the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it?), he is quite a talker, and will start a conversation with anyone & somehow always find a commonalty with them, he is completely loveable, generous to a fault, has a comforting smile, & a strong handshake (it practically matches his opinions). He can be very stubborn (cough cough, damn apple!). He had extremely high expectations of his children, and had very strict rules while we grew up under his roof…

So with all that being said, I bestow a portion of the list for your reading enjoyment (in chronological order of course!):

1. I was born a girl (obviously!)
2. I hung out with people he & my mother did not approve of… bad influences in their eyes (11 - 13)
3. I snuck around behind their backs with a boy 3 years older than me, um, that they did not approve of (13 - 15)
4. I wore makeup despite them wanting me to wait until I was 16 (14)
5. I got in trouble at school (12 – 16)
6. I pierced my ears way too many times (16)
7. I insisted on dating a boy they didn’t think was a good influence on me (17-19)
8. I kept telling my father I was “kicking butt” my freshman year of undergrad, not knowing that the grades would go directly to my parents (18) 9. I kept driving to a different state to see a boy, & my father insisted “that bum” should drive to NJ to see me (20 – 23)
10. I got my first tattoo, um, my second, third, & um, fourth tattoo (21 – 26)
11. I bought a VW (24)
12. I moved into [what my father considered was] a dumpy apartment in Pompton Lakes (24)
13. My father admits, finally, that I am a smoker (25)
14. I got married & divorced (26 - 27)
15. I got my nose pierced (29)
16. I got engaged after a four month courtship (31)
17. I got married in Vegas to a man my father barely got to know (31)
18. I quit a stable & secure job of ten years to open my own business (31)
19. I opened that business in Maine, leaving NJ (31) 20. I closed that business & moved to Florida (34)

The morning after the fun phone conversation with my sister, I awoke to what felt like a freezing Florida morning. I was shocked to arrive at my car to find literal frost on the convertible top, & ice on the back shield. ICE. In Florida. In November.It was radiant, & an inconvenience I did not think I would encounter in Florida. It made me laugh, so much so, that I had to take photographs. Not like you can tell what it is or anything. While causing myself to run late (wouldn’t matter as the car had to warm up a little anyhow – it was COLD inside it!), I found another astonishing & equally annoying thing – a tear in my convertible top. WTF? Are you kidding me here? What could I do? I was freezing outside (I sold my winter coat at the garage sale back in Maine) & now a tear in the convertible top – questions raced in my mind… if it rains will it flood my car? Can I just duck tape it? How white-trash can my car truly look? Who invented liquid soap & why? (Sorry I couldn’t resist the blatant opportunity to quote from Sure Thing!).
I started laughing at my Sure Thing quote, & got into my car to begin my short commute to work… which of course, I was totally gonna be late for… And upon entering my VW, a warning light blinked clear as Poland Spring water…
Yep, when I just thought I had found humor in every mishap I’ve had, I get another thing to laugh at cuz there’s not much else you can do… Too funny, really, my anti-freeze is low in Florida. Go figure.

When I got to the office, I was assured by multiple Floridians that it is typically “never this cold” & that this weather is “extremely unusual for this time of year”… um, how odd, 41 degrees didn’t feel this cold in Maine. So, what am I b*tching about exactly?

Winter is not a season... it's an occupation. - Sinclair Lewis, American Writer (1885-1951)

Keeping faith in tomorrow...

2008-11-16T16:09:00.007-06:00

Another week has passed, & I actually do not have much to report...
The new job is going well, as a few hours each day I go to my cubicle & do "tasks" - making the day go much quicker, & it helps me feel like I am accomplishing something!
Thank you all for your comments & e-mails regarding my new job, I appreciate your encouraging words.
The apartment is starting to feel like home!
Check out the bathrooms:

:)

There can be no progress unless people have faith in tomorrow. - John F. Kennedy

Marco Island... a great place to visit...

2008-11-08T19:26:00.014-06:00

On a cloudy Saturday afternoon, with fear of rain in the forecast, my VW took me on a three hour journey to a beautiful island called Marco. Where my fantastic Uncle & Aunt have had a condo for the past ten years. A condo I have heard them speak of often, but have never had the pleasure of seeing. Now, I live in Florida, so a trip out to the island was absolutely in order as my Aunt & Uncle were visiting from NJ for two weeks.
Marco Island has one of the prettiest beaches I have ever seen. We went out to lunch at a great place Capt. Brien's - I had the most amazingly huge salad ever! They showcase comedy in the evenings, so I definitely will have to take a trip back to Capt. Brien's one weekend night to see a show. Our waitress, Allison, was so nice & funny, making our dining experience all-the-better.

We drove around the island so I could take it all in - the sites of gorgeously huge mansions, tropical themed roadways, businesses, & lovely landscapes. I was so glad to see some of my family - sometimes, it can be difficult living so far from home... ya' know?

It was a fantastic day - it just went way too fast.

The drive home was glorious - with a venti Starbucks in the cup holder, with a mixed cd my sister made me playing & the rain that threatened all day deciding to come on another day!

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. -Desmond Tutu

A Two Week Review... Part 2

2008-11-01T12:42:00.002-05:00

As I was saying...

When I left Corporate America, I was a Corporate Trainer, working originally under Human Resources until my Unit became it's own Department, Learning & Development.
To be responsible for consulting other departments & finding the most effective way to succeed in their current role or aid them in getting into a new role, all the while helping with the transitioning that may occur. To be a teacher, a facilitator, a "trainer" (for lack of a better word), you are an educator. I taught classes - some small - some huge - and I taught them all over the tri-state area.
I absolutely had a great passion for my job. I originally went to undergrad to BE a high school teacher, for goodness' sake, my previous position was THE PERFECT FIT.

A lot of you readers have asked me "What IS your new job?"

Well, I have been hired as an underwriter. Plain & simple: we are the backbone of the Auto Company.

3/4 of the job is production/clerical work, 1/4 is the agent's advisor/consultant.

I, along with 4 other newbies, are being trained in a 20 week classroom setting to succeed in this role.
The definition/duties were given to us in our interview - so we knew what to expect.

You all know about my experience the last time I "trained" for a job - & how I felt my training went.

Now I have great expectations because nothing could ever be that bad.

The two trainers are subject-matter experts, having done the job for 11 years & 38 years. This is a good start. One is a teacher by trade, the other, an underwriter, having taught this underwriting course 9 other times.

During the first two weeks of training, we began learning the application & the background of our role. The training tends to jump around a lot since there is so much to learn, we aren't really learning any one thing in its entirety at one time, so sometimes it can be very confusing. I am hopeful that as the training progresses it will make more sense to me & everything will be fine in the end.

The first duty of a human being is to assume the right functional relationship to society -- more briefly, to find your real job, and do it. - Charlotte Perkins Gilman

A Two Week Review... Part 1

2008-10-31T07:57:00.000-05:00

The new job.

I find that summing up the past two weeks in one post may be boring as heck. So, let this be "part 1" - - -

First day, October 20th, it took me 45 minutes to drive to work because I had no clue where I was going & kept looking at the Mapquest directions.

Upon arriving at my new job, I parked really far away from the visitor's entrance, & it took me a startling 7 minutes to walk from my car to the door.
Once in the lobby, I announced my arrival to the security officer in a window, & I was told to enter the security "booth" - I did as instructed, all flustered, sweaty, hair-blown all a-mess... flustered, I made small talk & cracked jokes with the two very nice security officers.
Before I knew it, a photograph was being taken for my ID badge .
Needless to mention, the photograph came out disgusting. Horrible, in fact. I've never looked so fat or bad in a photograph, & now this one is a picture that will be put onto an ID that I have to wear each & every day of work.
Oh, gosh, this is not the way I wanted to start my first day at work!

I went back into the lobby to sit & wait for an HR representative to get me & the other new employees. Luckily, a very nice person (also a new employee) was already in the lobby, so small talk ensued calming my nerves.

I am grateful to be back in an office environment, to have a JOB, with a stable/secure paycheck, & benefits... I am definitely thinking of a brighter tomorrow.

The first day was weird, to say the least, no office-tour was given, so I felt quite lost in my new surroundings. Us newbies were told that the dress code was "neat, modest, & clean" - which is a switch from what was "business attire" to what turned into "business casual" during the ten years I had worked for this Company. In the halls I saw people in shorts, t-shirts, & sneakers. Very casual indeed. I am still of the frame-of-mind to dress for the job I want, not the job I have, so I think I'll stick with "business casual" & throw in a pair of jeans once a month, once I lose weight & can actually fit in the ones I own! LOL.

The first day was filled with surprises: no access to the computer system, no milk in the cafeteria for the coffee!, no muzak on the overhead speakers, no refrigerator in the breakroom (?), and the realization that it was a 20 week classroom training period...

I like to think of myself as a people-person, someone anyone can get along with. I am funny :), smart, open-minded, & find the good in every person I meet.

I do not want to ever come across as a "know-it-all", pretentious, or be thought of as that "re-hire from New Jersey!".

So, in the first two weeks back to the office, I tried desperately to not make any comparisons to the offices I worked in back in NJ/NY/Pa. I also was determined to be a complete sponge in the classroom, determined to learn everything that I can to excel in my new position, & not allow anyone to ever have any regret in re-hiring me...

On the first day, they told us that we were not hired for the position they've given us, we were hired because we showed potential to move up & be a leader. Who knows if they say this to every new person. I was one of 40 other candidates for this position, & so I am just glad I was chosen.

Here is my new cubicle - without a computer system (yet). The grounds are gorgeous! And there is some really cool wildlife on 'em -I know I could write a pro-con list of being self-employed vs. working for the man. It was my choice to leave this Company & pursue a lifelong dream, & I am happy I did it. After over three years of not working for 'em, I am just happy to be able to come back.

Content... satisfied... relieved....
...to again be part of Corporate America's pack.

There's great freedom in living your life without fear of the unknown. - Tim Robbins, as quoted in Men's Journal magazine (November 2008).

One Sunday Afternoon in October...

2008-10-26T14:54:00.005-05:00

Last Sunday, the 19th, I had a heck of a time trying to relax to prepare for my first day back working in an office environment...
Then, I realized, there is a pool on the property. A pool...
A pool overlooking a lake...So, there I sat, for three hours, the day before my first day back to work. And it was perfect.
Just living is not enough... One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. - Hans Christian Andersen

Saying "Bye" to Ocala... and "Hello" to Lakeland, Florida...

2008-10-20T18:08:00.009-05:00

Goodbye crazy guy at the corner! I will miss passing you each & every day & reading your political signs that change almost daily... Seriously...
Goodbye beautiful houses...
With beautiful horse farms...
I will miss seeing these horses on my way to my part-time job at the mall...
Goodbye stuff I couldn't fit... I'll pick you up someday soon... I hope! Hello three flights of steps that I swore will not be the death of me, yet!

Hello new entranceway, the first door on the left enters the apartment, the second is a very convenient storage closet... Here's the first load of stuff... it was 70 boxes total - to go three floors up! Hello new kitchen! :) Hello new living area... Hello new master bedroom...Hello balcony with a view! Yahoo! A walk-in closet! The closet space in Maine was completely limited so I am thrilled with my new closet!
Here's the kitchen in total disarray... basically, whatever got unpacked was put anywhere. If it was a wall hanging, grab a nail & hammer & it went up - not as organized as I would like (yet!), but it will be perfect with time, I am sure. Thank goodness for that outside storage unit... needed it! The first run to the new place was on Saturday the 11th, mostly boxes & clothing. Slept in Ocala that night, & went back with friends on Sunday to move the furniture. Sunday night was a great night's rest in a new home.

Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to. - John Ed Pearce

A taste of Brazil in Ocala, Florida...

2008-10-16T21:28:00.006-05:00

My posts are going to be a bit behind due to the move... but in order to go in order... here is something from a wonderful evening out a few days before I moved...

Anyone who knows me knows I love Iberia in Newark, NJ. Okay, maybe not everybody, but you all know I love food. Food food food!
Well, at Iberia you can get tons of food, & it's all good, & then you get it all down with awesome sangria.

I know you're thinking, "You're in FLORIDA, what the F about this post about Newark, NJ?"

Well, I get homesick, & I brag about the culinary world in the tri-state area that I miss so! (After, of course, complaining about missing my friends & family!!).

I gotta tell you, I've lived in Maine for three years, & now Florida for 4 months, & there is no NO no comparison in regard to FOOD. Ya' never realize how spoiled you are, how fortunate you are to live in the tri-state area where it is a melting pot of different cultures & FOOD! Authentic, traditional, home-made, REAL FOOD!
But I digress...

So, back to me bragging about the amazing foods/restaurants in my ol'-neck-of-woods...

The people I was living with in Ocala told me about a Brazilian Rodizio restaurant very similar to the Iberia I had described.
Is it possible?
Would it be as good?
Could it be as good?
Well...
I went. And I was AMAZED. All I have to say is, of course, of course, I find this restaurant 5 days before moving out of Ocala.
It is Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse. Any readers out there near Ocala, you must go. If you visit near Ocala, you must go. It is amazing. The service is top-notch, the decor beautiful, the food amazing. Amazing. Delicious. Bountiful. You will leave FULL FAT & HAPPY. It is worth every penny.

And, for those of you in the tri-state, go to Iberia if you are near Newark. Trust me. You'll love it. Oh... & don't forget to order the sangria... delicious!

I will most definitely be writing a review for Associated Content, so be sure to keep your eye out on that one! ;)

Food is the most primitive form of comfort. -Sheilah Graham (1904-1988)

Moving out & moving on...

2008-10-03T08:00:00.003-05:00

The next phase of the Adventures in Florida will soon begin... October 6th will be 4 months of living in Ocala, & on the 11th it will be onward to Lakeland as I begin my new job in Winter Haven on the 20th...
I was thrilled to find the most fabulous lux apartment. Here is the model they show, & it's what it could look like if I had the nice trimmings seen here:
So, from a cute home in NJ to a big old farmhouse in Maine, to a guest room at someone's house in Florida to now this:
Back view, balcony overlooking a canal:
The canal: Lake view was $30/extra a month so I opted "no thank you!": But the property is indeed gorgeous. A nice place to come home to with many amenities like vaulted ceilings, an open floor plan, full size washer & dryer in the unit, dishwasher, & on the property: wifi, pool, clubhouse, fitness center, car care center, business center, gated entrance, tennis & basketball courts (YIPPEE FOR ME!):

Who knows where life will lead you if you just follow... but my path unknown to me, I am looking forward to where it goes...
Looking forward to beginning a new job, having a new place, & I am grateful for everything in between.

Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. -Maria Robinson

Odds & Ends...

2008-09-30T19:21:00.005-05:00

While shopping at the new Publix grocery store - I found the Assistant Meat Manager's name funny...
Stray Cat has found a new place to hang out while I work on the computer:

One thing I will not miss about living in Ocala - the strange man that hangs out on the corner every day proclaiming his political views on a sign... This one says "McCain Save Us" - last week he had the nerve to write "Keep the White House white"...
With time comes changes... like saying goodbye to the restaurant equipment. It sold extremely quickly with the use of craigslist.com. I will miss most my awesome Rancilio Espresso Machine:

On this bakery prep table I must have prepared & decorated over 1,000 cakes & pies the past 3 years, seems so strange to sell it...

The key to change is to let go of fear. -Rosanne Cash

About writing online...

2008-09-26T16:59:00.006-05:00

I am having a great time submitting articles on associatedcontent.com ...

In the beginning of this month I received a "Thanks for the article" e-mail with the following photograph attached, in response to my article about the great restaurant in town named Pulp Kitchen.
Being a huge John Travolta fan, I was very excited!

Then, last night, while online, I received a new comment on my most recent article, a review of that sushi restaurant I went to for my birthday... the writer commented that I had a pen of poison - I found that to be incredibly curt & obnoxious so I deleted it, maybe too soon, cuz I should have left it up so you can all read how ludicrous it was!

So, do me a favor, read the article found here.

Then, tell me what you all think of this - not only did the upset reader write a comment online, but also, sent me the following e-mail:

Assunta, I have lived in Ocala for 15 years and we are so happy to have a place like Yamato open that far be it, a part of our agenda to be over-critical. You who are new to the area may be ruining things for us who have had to suffer through the lean times when there was nothing, NOTHING, here. Your review seemed rude and you came off as a greedy pig.

What a joke, sincerely, because nothing I wrote would ever imply I was a greedy pig - I know all of us work darn hard for money, &, personally, when I spend it, I would rather not have it feel like I just threw it down the toilet which is exactly how I felt after going to Yamato!! Do you know what I mean?

Thought it was all so random that I had to share it! :)

Don't let the opinions of the average man sway you. Dream, and he thinks you're crazy. Succeed, and he thinks you're lucky. Acquire wealth, and he thinks you're greedy. Pay no attention. He simply doesn't understand. - Robert G. Allen

Okay, maybe now's a good time to get outta Ocala...

2008-09-18T15:30:00.008-05:00

Husband & I have been living in Ocala since June 6th.
I got a part-time job in July, while we both continued our full-time job search. Husband & I moved to Florida so that he & his friend could open a business. There has been much planning for it, & last month, there was talk of it opening on October 1st.
But then, I went on an interview on September 3rd.
The very next day, I was given a contingent job offer, & this week, I received a formal offer... I am THRILLED to say the very least. It's with the Company I worked for before moving to Maine, & I am so glad they'll have me back. This is the 7th position I applied for with them, & my third interview! Jeez! Talk about no loyalty to awesome NJ employees! LOL! It's in a different department, which is awesome for me, as I will enjoy learning somthing new. I begin my new job on October 20th... so in a few weeks, I will no longer have to work at the department store for $6/hour + a very minimal commission.
Who knew that our paths would lead us here... & now husband & his friend are postponing renting a space for Abbracci Pizzeria, since we will now have to move 2 1/2 hours south as I will be employed in Winter Haven. (Don't worry! We will keep the dream alive!).
Husband & I were just getting to the point of "we can't do this anymore" regarding being here in Ocala... so, the news came at the most perfect time...

At my part-time job I have become fast-friends with a wonderful woman, Hilda, & in honor of my news, Husband & I went out on the town with her & her husband...

We went bowling!
It was the third time I played in my life!

I was kicking their butts until the end - when Husband ended up beating all of us with a 113. I guess none of us are especially good. But it was a ton of fun... & who knew a large iced tea for $2.50 would be this gargantuan!? Bonus!

Afterwards, we went to the Ocala Square to walk around & chat. It was a gorgeous Florida night. But the crazies were out apparently.
Within a few minutes, a very drunk man came up to Hilda telling her how pretty she was, he wouldn't shut up until her husband insisted he leave us all alone. It was very creepy.
Then, there were three wacky old guys screaming & yelling.
Right when we were checking out the painted horses (they're all over town), a man

claiming he was homeless & needing $3 more to get a room, offered to play us a song on his guitar for money.

His name is Gerry, & he played 2 1/2 songs (one of his strings broke during the third), he was actually very good, & we gladly came up with $3 for him.
It was a very interesting night, a little reminiscent of NYC, if I could be so bold as to compliment Ocala with such an overstatement!
But, I do think, yes, maybe now's a good time to get outta Ocala!
It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. - Theodore Roosevelt

The problem with working in a department store...

2008-09-15T15:30:00.001-05:00

As you know, I took up a part-time job in July in the electronics department at a department store in the local mall.
But don't worry, I am not going to bore you with a huge list of what I dislike about working there... I am not going to go off on a tangent about how much I despise wearing a football jersey every Saturday: Or how rude some of the people I deal with are... oddly, it's never the customers! No, no, no, none of that...
This post is basically a photo-blog-wish-list.
My major problem with working at the department store is I see all the things I wanna buy! For instance:
The dream of new furniture - even if this stuff may be made like crap, I don't care since now we barely have any! All of our stuff was ruined while being transported here - remember?

Ahk! My DVD collection has seriously been ignored since my move from NJ to Maine and now from Maine to here... I haven't bought a movie in so long. Lucky for me, we sell 'em, & next week, Sex and the City comes out! Can't wait!

This is the department I am in... oh, the wish-list is huge! But now you all can see where I do laps all day long since my shifts are long and the amount of customers is so slim... sad...

I was walking through the housewares department and stumbled on these cuties... aren't they adorable?

Too bad I think they are made for kid's and not big people! Oh, the idea of a new vacuum! Husband thinks I am too violent with vacuums as we are constantly replacing 'em - I think it's just because we buy really cheap ones at Wal-Mart!

There is hope in dreams, imagination, and in the courage of those who wish to make those dreams a reality. - Jonas Salk, microbiologist

7 days ago...

2008-09-07T19:28:00.008-05:00

When we moved out of Maine, I thought for sure, that by my 35th birthday we’d have good jobs and our own place.

When we got to Florida, I thought for sure, that by my 35th birthday we would be financially stable enough to spend the entire day at Epcot Center. That is all I wanted for my 35th birthday – to go to Epcot Center – and have dinner at one of the nice restaurants in one of the countries there.

We are still living with Husband’s friends, and we are still not gainfully employed. So, all I wanted for my birthday changed to sushi and a movie. A pretty simple request.

Husband made reservations at a new Japanese restaurant. I was thrilled. We have had sushi only one time since moving here and it was at a really great restaurant named “Tony’s Sushi”. We went out in the afternoon to catch a movie, unfortunately, nothing was playing that either of us wanted to see. Typically, I’d see anything, just to be at a movie, but when you’re on a shoestring budget, skipping a movie seems more important than just seeing anything at all.

But here’s an oddity: at the movie theatre, you can give blood and get a movie pass. Too bad Husband and I can’t give blood!

We showed up at the new restaurant, Yamato, 10 minutes to our reservation time. Actually, I’ll bore you with details and just give you a timeline:
6:50 announce our arrival to host
7:00 our reservation time
7:15 told our intimate dining table was inadvertently given to other patrons, and we were asked if we’d mind sitting at the sushi bar, or would we like to wait!
7:20 we are seated at a narrow, closed-in (wall in front of us & behind us) sushi bar - this photo is very deceiving as it looks way bigger in it...7:30 our order is taken
7:50 our appetizers arrive at room temperature8:05 a part of our sushi order arrives. The sushi is loosely rolled and is not above average by any means.8:10 the rest of our sushi order arrives8:20 while we are still eating, the waitress asks us if we would like dessert. Anyone who has ever dined with me and has witnessed this happening knows that this is a huge pet peeve of mine. How can wait staff ask me / us if we want dessert when we are still chewing our dinner/lunch/meal??? Hello? Does this annoy anyone else?
8:25 despite us answering, “not yet” to the dessert question, we are given our check, and by the way, we were still eating our meals! Okay, so it’s a new restaurant, so I’ll give them a break, and possibly give them another chance, but Husband insists “no way”; so maybe not…

The whole experience made me wish we went to Tony’s Sushi down the street – or better yet – I just wanted to be back home at my favorite sushi place in the world, Haru.

So, there you have it, that is what we did on my 35th birthday last Sunday. It was actually quite comical, and we definitely made the most of it. Afterwards, we stopped at a local martini bar to meet friends for a drink. Thank goodness BFF Corinne suggested a pineapple martini, cuz that was the perfect nightcap, happily call it a pappletini! Yum! And, the bartender had never made one before, but made me three perfect ones that night!
A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age. - Robert Frost

Ya' say it's your birthday...

2008-08-31T00:00:00.001-05:00

This post is written in honor of my father and mother, Toni & Tony Marino - Thank you, mom & dad, for giving me life. I thank you for all of your support, encouragement, and love.

You say it's your birthday...It's my birthday too--yeah...They say it's your birthday...We're gonna have a good time...I'm glad it's your birthday - Happy birthday to you. - Paul McCartney / Beatles

Happy Anniversary, M&M!

2008-08-27T21:17:00.000-05:00

Today is my sister, Marcella's, anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, Marcella & Mike!

Visiting my ol' pal Victoria...

2008-08-25T10:00:00.001-05:00

This may be a sensitive topic for some, so you may wanna skip this post if the word BRA embarrasses you.
Honestly, I haven’t bought a bra in geez, 4 years. That sounds crazy, really, since I have always been a shopaholic, and bras are no different than shoes to me – you can’t have too many!
My part time job has a dress code that is really unattractive on me (with what clothing I own to choose from to wear that fits in the “code”). Dress code is as follows: black or white shirt, tan or black pants/long skirts. All in solids. No patterns allowed. I soon realized that out of the twenty bras I do own, YELP!, none are white! How could this possibly be? Granted, I haven’t worn any of my white shirts since pre-Abbracci, but how is it that I don’t have the necessary undergarment to wear with 'em?
Despite it, during the first 3 weeks of working at my new part time job, if I wore a white shirt, I would wear, with utter pain, my wedding bra. Understand this, it is a strapless backless contraption that would make a magician shriek.
My first pay day was Friday, August 15th, and although it wasn’t a whole lot of money (less than ¼ of what I was previously paid for the same amount of hours at my previous employer! OMG!), I felt it not only necessary but a requirement to use some of the money to purchase a white bra.
Working in a department store, I get a 10% discount on hardwares, and a 20% discount on softwares. I immediately thought I would be able to purchase an extremely inexpensive bra where I work + be able to use my associate discount. I was ecstatic to be able to be a thrifty shopper.
An interesting thing happened at the market…
Seriously, I work in a department store. Department stores have departments in them. Where they sell items in groupings/categories. Right?
Here is the “intimate apparel” department of the store I work in:

Simple, right? Tons of racks of bras. And I was in store to buy one. ½ hour into looking at the racks, it was to my utter disbelief and confusion that I could not locate one white bra in my size. After a completely exhausting search I located a sales woman in the aisle and I asked her why I couldn’t find my size. The sizes literally went from small to gargantuan, with nothing in between. She looked at me with such a plain look of total indifference that I was completely taken back. She responded with inapprehension, and simply stated that the store does not carry my size. I questioned her, my rudeness matching her lack of interest in my need, “How could this be?” She then said, and I kid-you-not, “That is a very unique size.” Forgive me for being so bold as to tell all of you readers that I have worn the same size since the 8th grade and have never, ever had any trouble finding my size.
I must have had a huge question mark on my face because she continued to say, with a smile on her face, “You have unique tatas!”.
Tatas? Are you kidding me here?
When I relayed this story to my sister, she made a good point: I live in a senior community where the tatas are either small or gargantuan with no in between, so compared to the other bearers of tatas, mine may be indeed unique.
I quickly left the department store to go into the mall and visit my old friend, Victoria. What a relief to visit my ol’ friend, after way too long of an absence… I really like their bras, selection of fabrics/styles, and their staff! The staff is always so helpful, friendly, and of course, perky! Thank God for Victoria: I ended up purchasing a fabulously comfortable and pretty beige-peach bra. Apparently, this color wears better under white clothing as it more closely blends in with pale skin; who knew that the white under white actually shows up more prominently? Okay, don’t answer that, I bet a ton of my girls out there reading this know that already – but sorry, I am a slow learner! I never wore white tops that often before so it didn’t matter anyhow!

I was the first woman to burn my bra - it took the fire department four days to put it out. –Dolly Parton

Goodbye Guest Room...

2008-08-21T14:00:00.000-05:00

Anninmaine will be happy to know that tonight is the first evening my husband & I will be sleeping in the garage apartment.
It is complete now, with cable hook up & all! Wahoo!
So here is my official Ba-Bye to the guest room. Never thought we'd be here longer than a month - as you can see by the following photos, we 5 were extremely cramped!
One thing we will miss for sure, though, is the lanai access off of the guest room. This has been quite a treat for us & the animals!
So "Hello Garage Apartment"... Of course, we just moved in today, so things aren't very well organized, yet! But I am happy to have taken some of our belongings out of the detached garage & bring 'em into the new living space. It was very difficult having our entire life in the detached garage & having only our necessities in our little guest room. After over two months of living in the guest room, we started to feel quite unorganized & suffocated by the small quarters.
I am especially excited to have a computer monitor again - it was getting old using the laptop only, & even when we hooked up the computer tower/motherboard to the awesome flat screen our friends' lent us for television viewing, it wasn't comfortable standing at the dresser to type! We had no choice as the wireless keyboard & wireless mouse wouldn't work from the bed! Wacky!
Here is our new space, we installed the floors, we painted it, Hubby built the recessed shelves (the ones painted white on the sides of the long wall), installed the window AC, & he just finished doing all the electrical & cable lines.
Gosh, do you all remember what it looked like when we moved here?

I long, as does every human being, to be at home wherever I find myself. - Maya Angelou

More August Birthdays... A Quick Post! :)

2008-08-20T18:27:00.005-05:00

August 9th was my friend, Jules' husband's, birthday! Happy Birthday Peter... (such an adorable couple!):

Yesterday was Josetta (ahk! I don't have a photo in my computer - darn it!) and Jamie's birthdays... this photograph is of Jamie (in the middle). He is photographed with his partner, Peter, on the right, and on the left is Danny (BFF Corinne's husband, whose birthday was August 15th). Happy Birthday Josetta & Jamie!
Today is BFF Corinne's sister's birthday - Happy Birthday, E!!! Here she is photographed with their brother, Ricky! :)
Isn't August GREAT? :) So many awesome and special people to share my birthday month with!

Buon Onomastico!

2008-08-15T21:53:00.007-05:00

Today is my name day.

My mother’s due date in 1973 was August 15th, which is a Holy Day of Obligation for Roman Catholics. It is the observation of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Hence why my mother named me Assunta, regardless of me not wanting to come out and arriving 16 days late!

The celebration of name days has been a tradition in Catholic and Orthodox countries since the Middle Ages, and my fantastic mother has just recently sent me a gift in honor of mine.

Working at the department store has been killing my feet. I generally work 6 – 8 hour shifts on my feet the entire time. (How did I last working at Abbracci 20 hours a day on my feet? - Oh yeah, I remember, I had better shoes, and fatigue mats!!! Plus, I owned the place, so I could sit and take a break if it got to be too much!!) Since I began working, I have been complaining about my shoes and my feet to my mother – and today, I am the proud owner of (GASP!) Crocs. They are cute, black Mary Jane style ones, called "Alice". I plan to wear them tomorrow and test ‘em out on a crazy Saturday.

Thanks, Mom!

Interesting fact: my mother’s parents met in Picerno, Italia, at the Chiesa dell'Assunta (Church of the Assumption). I took the following photographs there during my last visit:Told ya’ August is awesome! Today also marks BFF Corinne’s hubby’s birthday, and my brother-in-law, Rob’s birthday. Happy Birthday Danny & Rob!!

Names are an important key to what a society values. Anthropologists recognize naming as 'one of the chief methods for imposing order on perception.' ~David S. Slawson

Birthday Wishes From Florida To New York City...

2008-08-14T07:30:00.001-05:00

I have a fab friend in NYC. We met in 1987 at field hockey try-outs. We have been friends ever since...
Please join me in wishing Lisa a very Happy 35th Birthday! :)

Photo Bloggin...

2008-08-13T13:51:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures that I finally got developed...

The garage apartment is near it's completion in this photo. It now is done, with wonderful bookshelves that Husband built. I am thinking it is really time to move into it at this point... we were really procrastinating, thinking we'd have good jobs by now, & would able to get our own place. Oh well!

At the end of July, Husband & I took a little road trip / a "dry-run" to Tampa to find the office where I had an interview. These photos are of Clearwater, just past Tampa.

We ate at Crabby Bill's - took photos in hopes to do a review of it for Associated Content. But, honestly, I would call Crabby Bill's Crappy Bill's because it was some of the most awful food I have ever eaten. Poorly fried, & very salty. So, I won't be doing a review as clearly it wouldn't be a good one! LOL.
How could I resist adding this adorable photo of Stray Cat & Kismet eating? :)
Hope all is well with all of you. Thank you for reading, & for your comments!

You can live with your problems, complain about them, let them drag you down. Or you can get up, do something about them, and free yourself for more positive and productive pursuits.

- Ralph Marston

Happy Birthday & Happy Anniversary!

2008-08-11T19:00:00.001-05:00

Told you August is a great month to celebrate!
Here is wishing my beautiful niece, Michaella, a very happy birthday!
And, to Tom & Jeanette - Happy Anniversary...
:)

7th day of August... survived the 7th day of training...

2008-08-07T16:24:00.000-05:00

We sold our scanner/printer/fax combo at one of our yard sales back in Maine. So please excuse the camera phone picture of my latest artwork: Now, what are you looking at, exactly? How ridiculously non-ergonomically correct the workspace is. The pathetic folding table is the exact width of the huge computer. The mouse (I've mentioned before, I bring my own pad in for the mouse for goodness sake!) is so uncomfortable to use on the table, that if I was to sit "properly" to use it, my face ends up literally an inch or two away from the computer screen. See my example in the drawing.
Most of the time, I put the mouse pad on my thigh, & click from there!
I finally found a computer chair, although, it can't be adjusted, & the padding is worn thin, completely no longer existent. At least, it is better than the folding chair I was using before. There is no foot-rest under the table, so, today, after 6 days of completely annoying leg fidgeting, I found a box that I am now using for a foot rest. The headset is missing an ear-foam-pad & is very painful to wear. I am now bringing in my own headset from home.
I need not mention that I have found multiple spelling errors & typos within the simulations...
Today was my 7th day of computer-based training. I take tests after each computer course & LOL when I answer a question correctly,I am told by the narrator in an oh-so-peppy exclamation, "Good Job", "Nice", "Faaaantastic", "You got it!", "That's correct!", "Smaaart Choice", "You're GOOD!", "That's right!", "Suuuuper!". When I get an answer wrong, it tells me, "Not quite", "Try again"; it's very humorous to me.
The training room is actually used for meetings, so on more than 5 occasions thus far, my concentration is completely interrupted by loud meetings, sometimes with 10 other associates holding a meeting. With videos playing loudly, & discussion not even acknowledging that I & other trainees are in the room attempting to complete the computer based training! It's absolutely the most ridiculous experience I have had & validates how spoiled I was at my prior employer.
I haven't met many other associates, & when I pass one in the hall or bump into one in the ladies' room, I am astounded at how painfully unfriendly they are, without any greetings or even a smile of acknowledgement.
I also have been discouraged at the lack of direction we are given as trainees. Actually that is an overstatement to say "lack" - more correctly, there is NONE. We come in, clock-in, & go into the training room to begin. If a computer is not set up or ready for us, there is no one around to assist - as not once has anyone even come in to check on us or to just say "Good Morning!". We just are figuring things out by trial & error. It is so annoying. Did I mention that?
Today, I heard a real gem during a meeting that was being held while I was there.
"If we improve more everyday. Basically, we'll be better every day." - Isn't that brilliant? :)
***In other news, I broke down & sold my gold yesterday for cash. Here's the stash I no longer own.
Pathetic, really, but we've borrowed money from the people we are living with two times already just for gas - so I figure, we needed a little cushion to get us through 'til I get paid on August 15th. Sad to report I am no longer the proud owner of a nameplate necklace or honking nameplate ring declaring "SUSIE".
I share my birthday month with some very important people in my life. Today is the 35th birthday of my BFF from SHU, Corinne. Here is a photograph of her & her youngest daughter taken a few years ago on New Year's Eve.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CORINNE!

The happiest moments my heart knows are those in which it is pouring forth its affections to a few esteemed characters. - Thomas Jefferson

Request for your prayers...

2008-08-02T14:41:00.001-05:00

My dear friend was hospitalized two weeks ago today, and is now beginning rehabilitation. I am asking anyone who prays to please include Eric in your prayers.

Thank you.

Heavenly Father, watch with us over your child Eric, and grant that he may be restored to that perfect health which is yours alone to give; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Heavenly Father, giver of life and health: Comfort and relieve your sick servant Eric, and give your power of healing to those who minister his needs, that Eric may be strengthened in his weakness and have confidence in your loving care; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

O Lord, your compassions never fail and your mercies are new every morning: We give you thanks for giving our brother Eric both relief from pain and hope of health renewed. Continue in him, we pray, the good work you have begun; that he, daily increasing in bodily strength, and rejoicing in your goodness, may so order his life and conduct, that he may always think and do those things that please you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Part Time Job Update...

2008-08-01T21:02:00.001-05:00

My pee test must've came back with flying colors, because yesterday I had the pleasure to begin the training at my new part-time job at a department store in the local mall. Can you hear the excitement in my words? :)
I took a bunch of photos with my cameraphone, sadly, I am not allowed to post them here, because if I get "caught" it would be grounds for immediate termination.
Hmmm... should I go ahead then & post 'em?
Here's the thing. I worked in Corporate Training for over four years. A job I absolutely loved, & excelled at. So, now the tables are turned as I am a student in someone else's corporate classroom - & I promised myself to not criticize every inch & moment of it. But, the heck with it, isn't that what blogging is for?
First, the room is completely unorganized, as if they were not ready for a training class to be there. It is also filthy, as in just dingy & dirty.
Second, the "training room" is adjacent to the employee break room, where they play music &/or have a television blaring, not to mention the employees themselves talking, laughing, farting, yelling, & so on.
My first day was yesterday, 1pm - 5pm, an orientation presented by the head of Human Resources. This was actually not bad. But, it was only the first day.
Today, was my second day, the first 5 hours of 41 hours & 15 minutes of computer based training.
Did you read that?
41 hours & 15 minutes of e-learning.
For all my friends reading this from L&D, & my to my friends & family that are teachers - can you hear where I am going with this one?

How is that going to be effective?
For those of you not in the Corporate Training/Education field: it is a fact that learners, regardless if they're adult learners, require multiple forms of coursework in order to be effective. Not just reading. Not just lectures. Not just e-learning. Not just one thing... it's due to attention span. It's due to boredom. It's due to many many things, but it is proven, it is fact that learners need a varied curriculum in order to learn.
This goes hand in hand with all the different learning styles. Some people learn best by reading, others learn best by viewing films/presentations, others learn best listening to lectures, & so on... you get the point.

Before I digress any further. Today was my second day, 9am - 2pm. I am scheduled at this time for the next 7 shifts to train. In the dingy dirty training room. Let me tell you about it: it has 5 computers, one of which is broken completely, another doesn't have speaker capability (most of the e-learning has voice-overs & videos you must hear in order to get the point), one has a broken mouse, another works perfectly fine but doesn't have "cash register capability", then, there is ONE just ONE computer that has everything necessary to do the training.
And, I am not the only student.
???????

The computers are set on folding tables. We sit on folding chairs. None of the computers have mouse pads (I brought mine from home today - hello? Loss prevention, people!), the keyboard and monitor sit on the same level, & the monitor is literally right up against your face, because you are sitting at a folding table that has the same width as the actual monitor.

Our computer training was interuppted by a woman, a manager trainee, from loss prevention. I literally cracked up when she was explaining the store layout to us, & she said (& I quote), "Mostly no one ever needs to go into the warehouse, you will never need to go in there, unless you have a reason & need to be there".

Her presentation was 15 minutes long, where she read the policy straight from the handout she gave us, which was a good thing, because anytime she said something that wasn't on the handout she didn't make sense. See example above. When she was done, she literally just got up & left without even saying "bye".

This is definitely going to be interesting...

I will keep you posted on our job search. I am still seeking a full-time job that I can make into a career. I have recently applied to two jobs with my previous employer with hopes that something will come up.
For those of you that knew about my interview this past Monday in Tampa, sadly, I wasn't selected for that position. But I am trucking along. Head up.

Here is a cute photo of Kismet sleeping. Had to at least put one picture in this post, despite it not being a representation of my fantastic training experience! LOL!

I know the price of success: dedication, hard work, and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen. - Frank Lloyd Wright

It's My Birthday Month! Wahoooooo.....

2008-08-01T21:01:00.000-05:00

Ya' Gotta Find Humor In It... Somewhere...

2008-07-29T19:10:00.000-05:00

As previously expressed in a prior post, my interior driverside door handle broke in the VW. Okay, here's some background info - the exterior driverside door handle was broken for nearly a year, and we had it replaced a week prior to moving to Florida... after a year of me entering from the passenger side. Now, living in Florida for over a month, it breaks. It just stops letting you get out of the driverside. See photo #1: Because it's jut too sad and pathetic to even cry about - Husband decides to take apart the whole interior of the driverside door to see if he can fix the handle. The handle mechanism under everything else is just plastic, and upon further inspection it is cracked... Here comes the Gorilla Glue to the rescue!

Despite Husband's best efforts, this is what he rigged up for me so that I can get out of the car!

See photo #2:
You think that is funny? How's this last tid bit for you? When we first moved to Maine, Husband backed into my beautiful VW denting the license plate - so for nearly three years, I drove around Maine with a very dented front plate. As you all know, I just recently had my VW registered in the state of Florida. And this state does not require a front plate. So, gladly taking off my Maine front plate, to my utter repulse underneath it was a very obvious dent in the bumper.
Ya' gotta be f'n kidding me with what's going on here?? It is way worse than photo #3 depicts:

Thankfully, we keep it all in perspective - things could be a lot worse. We still maintain a positive and upbeat attitude - and all we can ever do is laugh. Laugh. Laugh.

Hold your head up... keep your head up... Move it on. - Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams”