The Random Ramblings of Samm Diep

2011-04-09T15:12:00.001-06:00

Characters, everywhere...

We have moved...

2010-03-11T07:37:00.003-07:00

After five years, Samm's blog now resides at:

http://greeneggsblog.wordpress.com/

Please update your bookmarks and readers (all three of you). ;)

Thank you!

More Randomness

2010-03-06T22:28:00.002-07:00

I love my post-gym sushi lunches at home.

Check out this mutant avocado seed. Have you ever seen such a thing?

The sun and the snow

2010-02-28T13:39:00.003-07:00

I don't get it. If it's so much farther North here in MN and the days are so much longer, then how come it's not warmer when the sun is out?

According to the local folks, when the sun is out here, it's actually colder because the clouds help trap the warmth in the air. What's up with that crap?!??

Anyway, since I've been out here a lot of this month, it seems that it's been snowing in every other part of the country except here. I'm okay with that, even though it's probably still colder here. I guess at least it's not blizzarding...

Testing Bullet Proof Glass

2010-02-24T10:53:00.004-07:00

This is another Carter Classic. He filters all the crap and only sends me the best stuff.

Now, I've heard of taking one for the team, but this is a bit extreme...

What kind of husband would ask this of his wife? On second thought, what kind of wife would agree to help her husband with this???!????

Random Randomness

2010-02-21T12:39:00.005-07:00

I'm supposed to be catching up on some writing today but my deadlines aren't until the 24th and the 28th so what does that mean? Of course, that means I'll be screwing around and doing everything else I possibly can until I absolutely can not wait any longer, which includes updating my personal blog with randomness.

Here are some photos of the giant, mutant shrimp cocktails I made before leaving Denver.

Mike and I actually arrived at the airport with a few minutes to spare so he got his shoes shined. Why didn't I think of that?!?? I have a pair that could use some serious shinin'!

Happy New Year!!!

2010-02-14T02:04:00.004-07:00

Travel & Stuff

2010-01-14T15:19:00.003-07:00

Tomorrow begins the three week non-stop whirlwind that is my life. As tournament season kicks in, the next few months will be pretty jam packed with teaching, competing, and writing. I can't wait!

Tomorrow: Head to Fargo, ND for tournament
Jan 18: Return to Mike's house
Jan 19: Fly home to Denver, teach free pool clinic, teach private lesson
Jan 20: teach two pool lessons and attend pool open house
Jan 21: teach a pool lesson and a pool school in Vail, CO
Jan 22: Fly to Louisville, KY for Derby City Classic
Jan 31: Drive back to MN with Mike
Feb 5-7: Pool tourney in MN
Feb 9: Fly back to Denver
Feb 16: Next pool clinic

I also wanted to announce the return of the Weather Pixie. She is currently set for Mike's neck o' the woods in Minneapolis. No way that jacket is warm enough!

Food

2010-01-12T22:54:00.003-07:00

No matter how hard I try, I will never be a "Eat to Live" person. I "Live to Eat" and I'm proud of it. I love food and all the fun, wonderful ways you can prepare it, serve it, and eat it! Honestly, that's the main reason I work out, so I can eat whatever I want. Why does it matter? I make healthy choices and consume in moderation (usually).

I heart food. It makes me happy.

What I've learned so far this year

2010-01-08T16:45:00.002-07:00

Do not try to hug a drunk pool player at midnight on New Years.
Do not hurry down the stairs when your hands are full and the vacuum hose is in the way.
Breakfast burritos are better with cheese, DUH!
Corduroy pants keep your legs warmer in the winter.
Having sex twice a week 'reduces chance of heart attack by half' - for MEN. Apparently, they "did not examine whether women benefit too." That's crap!

Happy 2010!

Seasons Tweetings!

2009-12-19T23:53:00.002-07:00

Today we took the loafies to get our pictures taken with Santa. They were very well behaved. They sat still the entire time. They even let us put Santa hats on them.

Vegas and I had two takes because of his little tongue, but I kinda like the tongue pic better anyway.

Take One

Take Two

I almost forgot to post these pics from work this year. These were the only two structures I built. They don't compare to last year's fortresses, but it was still fun. Building boxes is so theraputic...

Ghost of Christmases Past...

2009-12-18T13:57:00.006-07:00

Last week, I accompanied Hikle, my current roommate (bff and former co-worker) to his company xmas party. We've been such good friends for so long that we're often each other's stand-in date for the evening when necessary.

Here's us from this year's xmas party (December 13, 2009):

And here is us from the 2001 xmas party (December 18, 2001):

While looking for these photos, I stumbled upon some more pics I thought would be fun to share here.

Winter, 2002 in Vegas

Winter 2003

Winter, 2006

I feel thankful and fortunate to have such faithful friends in my life...

Doin' my part

2009-11-28T18:39:00.002-07:00

It's that time of year again...

For me, that means I hang up my pool cues for a month and work a "real job" during December. I'm really looking forward to it now that I know what I'm doing this year. I filled in for a day last week and it all came back to me.

My mom and I did our part in replenishing our economy by supporting black friday this week. I spent some more money today at Target for Project: Organize the Craft Room so-we-can-get-this-mattress-out-of-the-hallway. I also picked up some snacks for work next week. I'm very excited about it the purchase of four different kinds of snack mixes that I have tossed together: Sweet & Spicy, Fruit & Berry, Tropical Fruit & Berry, and the Zen Party.

Since last I wrote, my BeFriStEnd, Michael, moved in for a few months with his pooch (and Vegas's long-time friend), Mr. Tripp. I'm looking forward to be spending more time with him.

I couldn't wait to get home to start Body Pump 71. When I left town a month ago they were just wrapping up with BP 70. I was going 4-5 days a week and hated to leave. I even downloaded all the tracks and tried doing the exercises at Mike's house. It just wasn't the same. I was glad to see my favorite instructor and work out buddy, Estella, again. I don't really like BP 71 as much or the music really but there's a lot more cardio and my legs have been burning the last couple times I've done it.

The other exciting purchase I made on Friday was the Simple Soups Deck of 50 easy soup recipes. I'm planning to keep a large vat of fresh, homemade soup readily available at all times this month. I think the first one I'm going to try is #12 - Cream of Portabella Mushroom Soup. YUM! I'll share the recipe here if it turns out okay.

Florida "Play"cation

2009-11-14T20:11:00.009-07:00

Ahhhhhh.... I did NOT want to leave......
Mike and I spent a wonderful, relaxing five days in Tampa last weekend.
It was exactly what we both needed.
The weather was perfect!
And I found us a super cheap beachside room for only $55/night! The place was amazing!
It was like a little one bedroom apartment. We had a full kitchen and a little half office.
It was very cute!
The view from the balcony was not too shabby.
Notice the horseshoe court or field or pits or whatever they're called.
\Mike and I made some time to play a couple games.
Man! That game is way harder that I thought! I was even a little sore the next day. I should've known he'd be naturally good at this game too. He even got a ringer!

Mike, pointing out his ringer from the balcony.
We returned to MN on Monday and I drove back to my house in Colorado on Friday, the 13th.
Not before stopping by my favorite bakery in Minneapolis first fr my favorite midwestern goodies!
Mmmmmmm.... Holiday round bread....
I could've eaten ALL of it on the drive back!

VIEW COMPLETE PHOTO GALLERY

Happy PF-ween!

2009-10-31T15:17:00.011-06:00

I don't know what's spookier. How commercial Paul Frank has become now that "the man" is no longer in the picture, or Halloween itself???

This picture was taken at an actual Target, folks. No, I was not at a PF store. I never thought I'd see poor Julius commingling with Sponge Bob and Builder Bob.

(Of course I bought some!)

This one was also taken at Target. I guess as long as they don't hit the W-M we're still safe, right?

I don't care! I still wish I had this shirt:
And I would still make my pumpkin look like this if I were carving one:

The neighbors across the street had a late jump on their haunted house this year. I hope they get it finished in time for the trick-or-treaters.

Let the Flurries Begin!

2009-10-23T12:42:00.003-06:00

Of course, Minnesota couldn't stand the fact that it's been snowing in Colorado and not here. It's been lightly raining this week, but now it's snowing today. There's not enough snow to make one of these guys. It's just flurrying right now but we'll see what happens.

Happy Halloweeny from TJ's!

2009-10-21T16:29:00.003-06:00

I was so happy to return to my favorite store in the whole world yesterday and was greeted with this:

Man! I love that place!!!
Did you know their employees get to sample everything in the store? It makes perfect sense. Then they can talk about it and upsell it. Maybe I should consider a part-time gig there.... Hmmmm...

2009-10-16T14:23:00.005-06:00

I often hear my own words in my head self-narrating the story of my life. I might hear myself say something like...

After 32 blissful days at home, I'm on the road again. According to my 2007 and 2008 travel miles, this has been my longest stint home since December of 2007 when I was home from November 27 to December 30. A close second was the 31 days January 13 to February 13, 2008.

The drive itself was pretty uneventful. I didn't make as good of time as I normally would since I slept horribly the previous night and had to pull over at a rest stop somewhere near Kearney, Nebraska for a 40 minute power nap. [That 89.5 mph was an accident.]

The sky was pretty clear until I hit Iowa. Then, it pretty much rained the whole way. No pictures there since that would be very dangerous.

I miss my boy like crazy. At least we really got some good q.t. together before I left.

My Work Station

2009-10-06T10:21:00.002-06:00

I love my home "office"! What else do I need?

Adventures in Vegasland

2009-10-06T00:49:00.017-06:00

V and I had ourselves a lovely past couple of weekends.

It began last weekend with a trip to the doggy park with our friends Robbie, Steph, and Cassius. Apparently, the recent wet year has led to an evolved trail which now requires us to trek through muddy grounds to come full circle. Vegas and Cassius didn't seem to mind.

These little fuzzies were everywhere!

This past weekend, we made some zucchini bread with our friends Dolly & Ben. Ben didn't know what to think of that 7 pound second place prize ribbon zucchini! It was not suitable for the bread but we picked up some new zucchini and we were good to go.

Finally, as a special treat, I went to see the TS & TS2 double feature IN 3-D!!!! with Robert & Summer. Man! I love those movies!!! I can't wait until June 18, 2010!!!

Who knew Scarlett Johansson could sing???

2009-09-27T01:58:00.004-06:00

I caught an interesting interview on NPR today with Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johansson discussing their new duet album. Apparently, he enlisted her for the project without even knowing if she could sing. Good gamble.

It's cute.

"Let me see the li'l potsticker!"

2009-09-24T18:56:00.002-06:00

A cute new show that I saw previews for a few weeks ago. It's called Modern Family.

I've seen worse...

Everything in your life...

2009-09-15T09:40:00.002-06:00

A wonderful quote sent from my dear friend Carter:

"Everything in your life gets better when you get better, and nothing is ever going to get better until you get better."
~ Larry Winget

So, what's so bad about rose colored glasses?

Google Maps "Street View"

2009-08-27T11:52:00.004-06:00

Have you ever checked out the Street View on Google Maps before? In many ways it's quite cool. You can take a virtual tour of the area and the surroundings.

When Mike and I were planning our trip to Jacksonville last summer for a tournament, we decided to make a mini-vaca out of it and stayed at the beautiful Fig Tree Inn. I must have spent every single day the whole before the trip, taking the virtual tour from our front door, down two blocks to the beach. In this instance, it was quite practical and I was happy it was available.

The other day, I was googling directions from my house and decided, "Sure! I'll hit the 'street view' button just out of curiousity." To my surprise I saw a photo of my house with Mike's truck and my car both parked in the driveway.

I couldn't help but to be slightly alarmed and wonder, "When was this photo taken? How come I didn't notice someone in my neighborhood with a big camera?" Then, I started feeling slightly violated.

The functionality is quite cool and realistic, but it's just a little creepy to think that someone just goes through the neighborhoods snapping photos of people's houses from all different angles.

Have you street viewed your house recently?

Here's something you don't see everyday

2009-08-16T12:17:00.002-06:00

We snapped this photo in Grand Forks, ND while en route between.... I don't remember.... somewhere between Minneapolis and Rugby. It was very loud and a little freaky.

Rugby, the Geographic Center

2009-08-12T22:40:00.007-06:00

Sometimes, spending a few days in the "small town" can be quite refreshing. Everyone's smiling and friendly. They all know each other. You have huge family meals with a lot of people and a ton of food. Everything is done manually. And, everything you need is within five minutes of each other.

Mike and I are on a small roadtrip through Northern MN and a couple small towns in ND. We've spent the past couple days doing some work in Rugby, North Dakota. Rugby, in case you didn't know, is very proud of the fact that they are the geographic center of North America.

I used to only come through here once a year, during the coldest time of the year, for the annual Northern Lights Shootout. We've been through twice now this summer and I am amazed at how a town that gets SOOOO cold in the winter time (record low of 60 below in 1936) could be so hot in the summer. It was up to 99 degrees today with about 50% humidity (Yuck!) and I couldn't save my gummies... :(

Our Trip:
A. Minneapolis, MN
B. Alexandria, MN
C. Fargo, ND
D. Rugby, ND
E. Mahnomen, MN
F. Fargo, ND
G. Minneapolis, MN

View Larger Map

Beginner's Ruck

2009-08-09T13:01:00.003-06:00

I played cribbage for the first time ever yesterday with Mike. Before that, I had only played it on the pool table. I've always wondered how it was played. Against my wishes at the time, because I really just wanted to play some pool, Mike really wanted to teach me. Well, we didn't do the pegging part, but I actually enjoyed it.

In our first game, I scored a 14 and a 20. I guess that's pretty good since the highest possible score is 29? Here were a couple of my best hands:

Green Eggs and Me

2009-08-07T13:11:00.001-06:00

Green Eggs and Sam (with one "m") by Dr. Seuss

I am Sam
I am Sam
Sam I am

That Sam-I-am!
That Sam-I-am!
I do not like
that Sam-I-am!

Do you like
green eggs and ham?

I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.

Would you like them
here or there?

I would not like them
here or there.
I would not like them
anywhere.
I do not like
green eggs and ham.
I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.

Would you like them
in a house?
Would you like them
with a mouse?

I do not like them
in a house.
I do not like them
with a mouse.
I do not like them
here or there.
I do not like them
anywhere.
I do not like green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Would you eat them
in a box?
Would you eat them
with a fox?

Not in a box.
Not with a fox.
Not in a house.
Not with a mouse.
I would not eat them here or there.
I would not eat them anywhere.
I would not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Would you? Could you?
In a car?
Eat them! Eat them!
Here they are.

I would not,
could not,
in a car.

You may like them.
You will see.
You may like them
in a tree!

I would not, could not in a tree.
Not in a car! You let me be!

I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I do not like them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere.
I do not like gren eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

A train! A train!
A train! A train!
Could you, would you,
on a train?

Not on a train! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! Sam! Let me be!

I would not, could not, in a box.
I could not, would not, with a fox.
I will not eat them with a mouse.
I will not eat them in a house.
i will not eat them here or there.
I will not eat them anywhere.
I do not eat green eggs and ham.
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

Say!
In the dark?
Here in the dark!
Would you, could you, in the dark?

I would not, could not,
in the dark.

Would you, could you,
in the rain?

I would not, could not, in the rain.
Not in the dark. Not on a train.
Not in a car. Not in a tree.
I do not like them, Sam, you see.
Not in a house. Not in a box.
Not with a mouse. Not with a fox.
I will not eat them here or there.
I do not like them anywhere!

You do not like
green eggs and ham?

I do not
like them,
Sam-I-am.

Could you, would you
with a goat?

I would not,
could not,
with a goat!

Would you, could you,
on a boat?

I could not, would not, on a boat.
I will not, will not, with a goat.
I will not eat them in the rain.
I will not eat them on a train.
Not in the dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! You let me be!
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I will not eat them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them ANYWHERE

I do not like
green eggs
and ham!

I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.

You do not like them.
So you say.
Try them! Try them!
And you may.
Try them and you may, I say.

Sam!
If you will let me be,
I will try them.
You will see.

Say!
I like green eggs and ham!
I do! I like them, Sam-I-am!
And I would eat them in a boat.
And I would eat them with a goat...

And I will eat them in the rain.
And in the dark. And on a train.
And in a car. And in a tree.
They are so good, so good, you see!

So I will eat them in a box.
And I will eat them with a fox.
And I will eat them in a house.
And I will eat them with a mouse.
And I will eat them here and there.
Say! I will eat them ANYWHERE!

I do so like
green eggs and ham!
Thank you!
Thank you,
Sam-I-am!

The Sweet Tea Chronicles

2009-08-05T16:42:00.007-06:00

It is no longer a secret. I have recently developed an unhealthy obsession with sweet tea. I can't recall exactly when I first tried it, but man am I crazy about this stuff! Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) there really isn't any place in MN where you can ask for sweet tea without people looking at you like you're absolutely wacko! Or, my favorite answer is, "We have UNsweetened tea and I could bring you some sugar."

Sugar, schmugar! Give me the SWEET TEA!

Anyway, ever since Ronald decided to add this to their menu, people are now a little more familiar with the words "sweet" + "tea" together but until you've tried the real stuff, in the south, on a hot, sweaty day, you can't truly appreciate it.

This was the best $17.99 investment I've made from Target in a very long time. I have probably brewed at least one fresh batch a week over the last month and a half.

Sweet Tea Reviews (out of a possible 5 Stars):

Lipton (store bought)

McDonalds

Famous Dave's BBQ

Jason's Deli

Chick-Fil-A

Bono's BBQ Pit

Tradewind (store bought)

Red Cherry by LeeAnn Chin

2009-08-02T15:19:00.002-06:00

I'd never even heard of the "Red Cherry" until Mike and I passed this truck yesterday.

Then, on my way to the billiard club last night, my friend Matt asked if I'd like him to pick me up anything from LeeAnn Chin's. I got some shrimp dish and as a special treat, he also picked up, none other than, the Reeeeed Cherry..... SCHWEET!

I got raspberries and kiwi with raspberry frozen yogurt. Mmmmmm.... The food wasn't bad either.
[excuse my chalk-covered hands]

Future of Foods

2009-07-16T16:08:00.001-06:00

I accidentally watched this on Hulu the other day. Great movie, but how can I buy produce ever again?

What were you doing at 12:34:56 7/8/9?

2009-07-08T12:34:00.001-06:00

MN to CO back to MN

2009-07-03T12:03:00.014-06:00

I flew home to Colorado on Sunday where Mike met me a couple days later and together, with the V-dog, we drove back to MN yesterday. We made pretty decent time.
First stop, Chick-fil-A of Brighton for a couple chicken breakfast burritos and some SWEET TEA! I swear, I've developed an unhealthy obsession with sweet tea.
They had the friendliest staff you could ask for and the most organized condiments I'd ever seen. WOW! We couldn't resist snapping a pic! Vickie, the owner, even refilled my sweet tea herself. We'll definitely be making this a primary pit stop on our CO-MN route!

V had the best seat in the house. Check out his many positions.

Mark your calendars!!

2009-06-29T21:08:00.002-06:00

For my Birthday, Mike too me to see Up in 3-D. It was a cute movie, but the best part of it was THIS:

I have been waiting YEARS for this movie to come out!!!!

June 18, 2010 - Mark your calendars!!!!!!

Eye-carumba!

2009-06-26T20:18:00.006-06:00

Yesterday, I took a whack at making some crabcakes with aioli sauce. I've had some duds in the past but I think Mike would smile and eat pretty much anything I make for him. These actually weren't half bad.

He even power-washed the desk so we could enjoy a peaceful lunch on the patio.

This morning, I baked a Cheesy Strada with turkey and mushrooms. I don't think I'll add the turkey to the next one. I think it could've used cubed ham or sausage for sure! It was still pretty good, nonetheless but doesn't does the Eric E Strada from my favorite brunch place in Denver.

It was a beautiful start to a somewhat stressful afternoon for me. Mike has been insisting that I go get my eyes checked for the past few months and he finally took the liberty of scheduling an appointment for me with his eye doctor. I was VERY nervous about it...

As it turned out, the appointment was not nearly as scary as I was anticipating. In fact, Emily was quite patient and friendly. She made my appointment most bearable. Everyone was incredibly thorough and informative. They even mapped my cornea!

And then, of course, came the, "One or two? One or two? Three or four? One or two?" where you have to choose between a choice of two different lens selections that go from looking blurry to a little less blurry.

The worst part was when she put these uncomfortable things in my eye lids to measure the dryness. I had to leave them in for five minutes! Yuck! [I was pointing to the "melancholy" Julius on my shirt]

As it turned out, after a thorough eye examination and Lasik consultation, they said I have 20/20 vision. Seriously? How come I can barely drive at night? WTH!? They did determine that the prescription for my current night-time-driving-glasses are over-correcting so I got a new prescription for that. We'll see if that helps.

As for my eyes, the Doctor said that for what I do, I don't need correction to see the end of a pool table, maybe if it were 500 feet away, but not within 10 feet. Go figure.

Afterward, my very sweet boyfriend did take me to get a boba treat for being so good... :D

Today's Workout

2009-06-23T14:51:00.004-06:00

I'm happy about my quick, yet effective workout today. I sweated my tail off to the following three videos:

Happy Summer Solstice!

2009-06-22T19:56:00.005-06:00

Okay, technically it was yesterday, but good grief! It's 9 o'clock here and it's still super bright outside! [photo was not edited]
I guess that extra 900 miles North really is that much closer to the sun.
How am I supposed to have any sense of urgency or get to bed at a reasonable hour with all this sunlight?!??? Now, if only there were something they could do about this humidity.

Missing Vegas...

2009-06-19T14:43:00.002-06:00

I've got a bad case of missing Vegas today (that's Vegas my pooch, NOT the town).

Don't get me wrong, it's been fun spending so much time in MN, being all domestic and stuff. For instance, today I made a pork roast with steamed broccoli and I always like to keep fresh cut fruit readily available in the fridge. I also whipped up a big vat of my favorite pasta salad for poker night at the club tomorrow.

I just wish it weren't so danged humid here and that, of course, my pooch could be here to join us. I'll be home for a few days at the end of the month to bring him back for the fourth. I'll probably be spending most of the summer out here since I don't really have much planned back home. Let's hope the weather dries up soon.

Wake up!

2009-06-17T09:27:00.006-06:00

What a cute little alarm clock application for your computer. Unfortunately, or fortunately rather, I don't need to be anywhere by a certain time on any same day of the week. But in case you do, check it out:

2009-05-03T02:55:00.001-06:00

Test blog post from my phone

25 Random Things You May or May Not Know About Me

2009-05-02T11:14:00.003-06:00

You know I always post this stuff here when it's requested of me, so if you feel so inspired, post or email me your list of 25.

[in no particular order, guess that's why it's called "random"]

I love fruity gum. I despise minty gum. Yuck!

I secretly like it when people call me "Sammi." I would never introduce myself as such, but it's very endearing to me, especially since that's what most of the pool world refers to me as.

I am Chinese-American. I was born in Vietnam.

My moniker "Cherry Bomb" was given to me by my good friend and extremely talented pool player, Robert Rodriguez.

At age 16, I rolled and totaled my first car (a white 1986 Toyota Corolla hatchback). I only had it for two weeks. I broke the front axle and launched my violin about 20 feet from the car. Amazingly, no one was hurt. Unfortunately, we only had liability on it then. Jerry was not so happy.

Oh yeah, I played the violin from age of 9 until ???. I even taught private lessons for six years after high school. I loved it!

I can't whistle.

I was once in a Video Professor infomercial. Don't ask.

I began playing pool at age 14 while ditching orchestra rehearsals with my friends. Don't tell my mom.

I went through a swing dancing phase where I danced five nights a week for a solid year and half. Man, I was in shape then!

I can only wink with my left eye.

I really like gummy bears.

I keep a cheese blog with my bf, cheesyadventures.com. It's not so up-to-date at the moment. mmmmmmm... cheese.....

I am an only child.

I love the smell of coffee but can't stand the taste of it.

I have a distinct mole on my left eye lid that is usually disguised with make up.

I'm a Kakuro junkie. I started with Sudoku, but I prefer Kakuro's now. It's like Sudoku on vitamins.

I've always been a huge Kenny Loggins fan. In fact, I got to hang out with his band after a concert at the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, CO when I was 20. Still debating on whether or not I should've listed this one.

I'm obsessed with Paul Frank, particularly Julius the Monkey (and most monkeys for that matter). PF is my favorite designer!

Vegas, my awesome, beautiful, very well-behaved 7 year old white lab, was diagnosed with Lymphoma on Thanksgiving. He's since been on chemo and is currently in remission. My ex and I have joint custody and he takes care of him when I'm on the road.

I never liked rice growing up. What kind of Chinese girl was I? My mom would force me to eat it but it's a staple for me now.

I hate onions (green onions, chives, leeks, etc, garlic is okay), sesame seeds, water chestnuts, beans, (except for hummus and edemame, go figure), arugula, peppermint, and...... That's all I can think of.

I had a secret crush on my bf from the day I first met him four years ago but obviously never acted on it since I was engaged at the time. Funny how things turn out.

My Life's Mission: "To inspire." (Thanks, CJ J!)

I spent the last couple weeks intermittently compiling this list in my notebook until I collected the perfect 25 random (or not so random) things listed here. I'm looking forward to reading yours.

Sluggish

2009-04-30T22:26:00.002-06:00

I realized today that, and I can't believe that I actually feel this way, but I don't think I'm ready for summer yet. Yeah, I know. That's totally unlike me. I'm always the first one to have my summer clothes on, WAY before it's time. I'm always the one to complain about it being too cold and not being ready for fall & winter, but I've been feeling so sluggish lately and the more sluggish I feel, the most sluggish it makes me feel.

I'm in no condition to be putting a bikini on right now. :(

I'll get over it once it actually starts warming up.

When will it be spring in Colorado???

2009-04-18T12:43:00.008-06:00

I'm currently blogging from DIA, awaiting my flight to sunny San Diego. I'm so close to warmth.... Yet, so far away. I was originally scheduled for the 8:30 a.m. flight but rebooked on the 12:45p.m. flight (which is now delayed until 2:15 - last I checked)

On the bright side:

I made it here on time.
My mom made it home safely after she dropped me off.
There's free wi-fi at DIA.
Taking a later flight meant I could stay at the pool hall a couple extra hours last night to practice.
I remembered to wear my snow boots today.
I'm warm and comfy at the moment, camped out with my gate in sight.

Some photos from the pool hall last night:

DIA photos:

I Heart Trader Joe's!!!

2009-04-10T11:37:00.003-06:00

Oh Trader Joe's... How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

The only good thing about there not not being a Trader Joe's in Colorado is that I would be there EVERYDAY and spend every single penny I made in that store. I love it SOOOO much!!!! I love everything about it!

I love the selection, the theme, the prices, the greenness, and the employees! I just flat out LOVE IT!!!

So far, I've been to Trader Joe's in:

Las Vegas, NV
Mesa, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
Maple Grove, MN
San Diego, CA
Charlotte, NC

These are some of my TJ must-have's:

the dried tamarinds, most recently the dried/flattened bananas and dried pomelo limes (and all their dried fruits and nuts)
the CHEESE department!
the beef jerky and turkey jerky
white cheddar cheesy poof snacks
Yerba Mate tea
just tried their body lotion which I LOVE!
all their fresh fruits & vegetables
the chicken/apple sausages (and their entire entire meat selection)
the all-natural honey/almost bath soap bar
their wonderful assortment of sauces and seasonings! mmmmm.... to spice up any meal!
these cute little Belgian waffle/molasses cookies (only on special occasions), and of course, their ENTIRE sweets department
basically, EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!!

White on White

2009-03-27T11:45:00.003-06:00

In typical Colorado style, the sun is out and the snow is melting. Here are some more photos of the V-dog enjoying the snow.

Make it stop!!!

2009-03-27T01:02:00.005-06:00

It's twelve hours later and it's STILL snowing. The V-dog and I are NOT happy about this. Well, I'm not, anyway. Just make it stop already...

Brrrrrr!!!

2009-03-26T13:38:00.006-06:00

"Up to 3 inches of snow per hour." WHAT?!???

It's currently 18 degrees outside and I don't like it!

I had to break out my snow boots today! I came home for this?!??? Heck! I could go to Minnesota for this crap!

Vegas doesn't usually mind when it's snowing. He frolics and hops around. But it's so windy out there today that my poor white dog almost got lost in the white out. He couldn't wait to get back in the house.

The Miata wouldn't start yesterday which means I may be not able to get my emissions test and plates renewed before I leave for MN. By the time I get back, they will be expired. Double-crap!

I guess I should've paid attention to Puxatony Phil on his day. Six more weeks of winter?!?? Good grief.

The good news is that I can stay home all day/night to catch up on lots of writing and my fridge is pretty stocked. Now to get the big, white ball of fur to share the space heater with me...

A Little Bunny & A Little Ham

2009-03-16T08:15:00.001-06:00

What a pleasant surprise when I arrived at "Uncle" Joe's yesterday to get my hair done!
How sweet....
No photo of the finished product, but after I was done in the chair, I headed to Greg & Dolly's to help them move. They were pretty much done. Dolly and I made one last trip and went to run some errands before I helped Greg return the moving van. Here's a photo of their new son, Ben. He's so awesome!!!

It MUST be springtime!

2009-03-11T23:06:00.003-06:00

I know spring is in the air because

we set our clocks ahead
I washed the flannel sheets and replaced them with the summer cotton sheets.
and, I must have sneezed 1,000 times today! Ugh...j

This also means that tennis season is just around the corner. SWEET!

And, for anyone that's been wondering, the V-dog has been doin' GREAT! He's still in remission and his energy level is at about 94%. We went to the doggy park this weekend with our friends Robbie, Steph, and Vegas's boxer friend Cassius.

He seemed to get sick of his Chuckit! a little sooner than usual, but for the most part, I think he had a pretty good day.

Personal Life? What's that?

2009-02-16T19:34:00.002-07:00

A recent email from a friend and pool-clinic-regular read, "Your personal blog hasn't been updated since mid January. Guess that means you need a better personal life and a little less pool. I'm sure it must be hard to separate the two."

Well, here's something personal:
Valentine's Day in Vegas with Mike was very special. The entire week was enjoyable and full of our favorite things, including meals at some of our favorite Vegas restaurants:

I did somehow manage to wake up with pink eye on V-day morning, but aside from that, everything else was grand!

I'm currently writing from PHX, "America's Friendliest Airport." I like that they offer free wi-fi here. I could name worse airports to be stranded at for three hours. I get home late tonight and I'm only home for an entire 29 hours before flying out again to SEA.

There, my monthly post. ;)

Being Sick = Totally Spoiled

2009-01-16T13:21:00.002-07:00

Up until just a couple months ago, the V-dog had not so much as had a piece of cheese or lunch meat but as soon as we found out he was sick, all the rules went out the window. Aside from sleeping in the bed with me and getting on the furniture (which he doesn't even try to do because he just never has), he pretty much gets whatever he wants.

This new game of "Let's see what Vegas will eat" has been quite fun. Yesterday, I fed him a couple Mike & Ikes and he seemed to like them. He wasn't quite sure what to think of it at first, but he just chewed up the second and third ones. That was all fun and games until he was fartin' up a storm during the drive home. Apparently, M&I's make dogs flatulent. Who knew?

Today's Iron-Cheffing concoction included cherry tomatoes which I was trying to get rid of. Those didn't go over so well. I honestly dropped one on the floor but thought I'd encourage him to eat some vegetables (or is it a fruit?). He carried it around in his mouth until finally there were splattered tomato seeds in a little pile with a half eaten cherry tomato beside it. It must've surprised him when he bit into it.

I'm looking forward to the peanut butter experiment. I'll have to get my camera out for that one.

Home At Last - Holiday Wrap-up

2009-01-08T13:17:00.009-07:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

After a 15 day road trip to Minneapolis to spend the holidays with my boyfriend and his family, I drove all day Tuesday and arrived home to my V-dog at 10p.m.

Minneapolis, MN to Aurora, CO Trip Stats:
945.4 total miles
75.8 mph moving average
86.6 mph max speed
12:59:00 total travel time
21:14 total stopped time

I desperately need to return to the gym as my fat jeans are now fitting a bit snug. :(

I don't know about V, but I sure was happy to see him.
He's back to his old self again, even jumping into my car on his own. It's been so great having him back!!! We had a vet appointment yesterday for another chemo treatment. This one I've had to administer at home using rubber gloves. Eek!

He's still currently in remission but I got to meet the oncologist and I really learned a lot about cancer cells yesterday. Many of the vets recognized and said hello to Vegas. Everyone was also noticed his new collar from Santa. He's so handsome!

The MN visit was quite eventful and productive. I got to spend time with my friend Hatty who used to live in Colorado and our friend Jeremy.

As well as my new friends Fred & Debbie from Wisconsin.

Since I wasn't able to take Vegas along, Frank graciously filled in for the ride. It made me feel a little less crazy when I talk to myself in the car.

The Charlotte Santa was generous as ever this year!

Some of my favorite gifts this year include (in no particular order):

The travel Mexican Train! (which brought hours and hours of aggravating fun)
The loads of cookies and treats from the Fresh Market!!!
My new monkey pajamas
The 12 Cocoas of Christmas (of which only 4 remain)
A stunning Baccarat Vegas
A new stuffing-free toy for Vegas
An 8-ball rack memo board!!! (eat your heart out)
A custom Cherry Bomb necklace from etsy.com
Mon"keys"
And some great new scarves that I've been breaking in

I also went snowmobiling for the first time ever! It was SO much fun!!! I think I was going about 70 mph at one point. I'd never even seen a snowmobile in real life before this trip.

I'll be working on TY cards this weekend.

Merry Vegas!!!

2008-12-20T17:13:00.004-07:00

V and I got our photo taken with Santa today. He was so well-behaved (Vegas, not Santa). The doggy in line before us wouldn't sit still and squirmed out of there. Santa tried to get on the floor to take the photo with him and he still wasn't havin' any of it. Finally, they just gave up.

When I got up there with V-dog, Santa tried to give him a treat. He sniffed it, but didn't want any food from a stranger. I boosted him up on the bench and sat down beside him. He even let them put a little hat on his head (not shown in this photo). She got back behind the camera, they called out his name and he looked right at them. Snap, and that's how it's done.

"OMG, that was the easiest one we've had all day," they said. Yeah, I know. I'm sure a lot has to do with the drugs, but he's still a good boy normally.

He's almost back to his old self again. The biggest differences now are that his appetite is still slightly suppressed and he's not jumping into the back of my car by himself anymore. He needs a little extra boost, but I don't mind. Besides that, my lover is back.

Remission is grand. Next chemo treatment: 10 days

Happy Christmas (or whatever holiday) & New Year!!!

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 12

2008-12-18T22:06:00.003-07:00

Well, that's a wrap!
It sure has been fun.
I saved my most favorite sweater for last. Why is it that the favoritest one also the itchiest one?
I also built the highest wall of them all before I left.
But not before we cracked open the bubbly (sparkling apple cider) I brought in to celebrate my time. Cheers!
I didn't do it...

And, on one final note...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 11

2008-12-17T23:28:00.002-07:00

One more final day to go tomorrow. Today's sweater was an uneventful light blue hooded sweater for a most eventful day.

Since it was slightly slower today than yesterday, I was able to continue my quest to build the highest structurally unsound towering sound barrier between Mike's and my desk. I think I could quit after today.

Mike, of course, was all nervous that "it's not secure and the entire thing is going to come down on my desk," but it sure didn't , well not until Jaime from the shipping department came and knocked it onto his desk.

I left 15 minutes early tonight (only to get home 15 minutes later than usual, go figure) so I could head downtown for the Neil Diamond concert at the Pepsi Center. It was quite an extravagant display considering Neil's gotta be at least 160 years old by now.
It was entertaining. And, I'm sure any of the 60 year old Jewish women in the audience would not hesitate to tell you what a great time they had. Seriously though, I don't think I want to hear the song "Sweet Caroline" again for a very long time.

I do have to admit that after all these years of singing that song every single night in every single city, he managed to show plenty of enthusiasm and sound as thought it was his first time singing it. I don't think I would be able to do it.

Highlights of the evening:

The taco pizza at Wazee Supper Club before the concert
"Forever in Blue Jeans"

Disappointments of the evening:

Too late for Dippin' Dots
Neil encored with "America" but then sang another odd and less popular song afterwards (spoiled my afterglow)
Horrible accoustics and over proccessed audio. I couldn't understand anything.
Didn't bring my glasses, so I also couldn't see anything.

Most amusing:

The five drunk guys in the row in front of us singing only the choruses to the five songs they knew but dancing and waving their arms to all of them.
Neil's dance moves
All the glitter and wigs

Overall, it wasn't the worst concert I'd ever been to (both were complimentary to me coincidentally). No, I had fun. I always can. I just didn't know as many songs as I thought I might and many of them were very, very slow and lullfull (if you know what I mean).

Quick Vegas update:
Today's chemo treatment went well. We're now working with the oncologist and he's currently in remission. YAY! His next chemo treatment is not for another two weeks. He's slightly lethargic tonight but I believe he'll pick up this weekend. It will be tough for me to leave him for a couple weeks, but I feel better knowing he's in remission now.

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 10

2008-12-16T19:21:00.001-07:00

Woohoo! Day 10 and two more days to go!!!
It's not that I haven't enjoyed my time at PoolDawg, but it just reminded me how thankful I am that I don't do this everyday. How do people get anything else done with a full time job in the way?

Today's sweater is comprised of my two least favorite colors to wear, pink and purple. Do you have any idea how badly pink and purple clash with red/black hair?!?? Orange is a close third. And yes, it's another sweater turtleneck. I had a better undershirt on today.

GLOBAL COOLING
It has been freezing cold recently. The last two days were in the single digits and even in the record-breaking negative degrees. It finally made it into the double-digits today. People always think it's so freezing cold in Colorado but this is quite unusual for us. Even when it snows, the sun still comes out the next day and it's hardly ever bitterly, hurts-my-chest-to-inhale sort of cold.

On Sunday, it was colder in Denver than it was in Minneapolis. Hey! Maybe this weather is just a sad attempt to prepare me for spending the holidays in MN. However, we weren't the only ones to get feel the freeze. Apparently, it even snowed in Sante Fe, NM and parts of Nevada. WTH?!??

Poor V-dog could barely do his bid'ness outside Sunday night because his little footsies were too cold. Poor guy. It's even been too chilly to set my leftover lunch outside the door to refrigerate (because I'm too lazy to walk it back to the fridge in the kitchen).

Two more workdays! Two more sweaters!

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 9

2008-12-15T23:58:00.000-07:00

Before there was cherry red, there was avocado green.
Turtle neck sweaters are overrated and they make my neck itch!
I guess it did come in handy today as the heat was out in part of the office and it was freezing all day! It was so cold, the parking lot was all crystallized. I'd never seen anything like it!
Well, not in Colorado anyway! It was record lows in Denver today and yesterday. I guess it doesn't make xmas in MN look so bad. Even Frank was cold!

On a warmer note, V-dog had a great weekend. He's almost back to his old self again and I was happy to cooperate. This is one of his favorite moves. He starts on his side, then rolls over upside down, then he gets his head cocked on something just right (it never looks comfortable) and the next thing you hear are the greatest dinosaur noises in the world. I rub, scratch, and pat his belly and it's like music to my ears.
I even took him with me to get my hair done yesterday. Uncle Joe also brought his doggy, Shorty. We had a fun time. Vegas was feeling much better this weekend than last weekend and had much more energy.

The "Secret Millionaire" - Is this for real???

2008-12-13T22:46:00.000-07:00

Since I now only have one working channel on my TV (ever since my cable went out months ago and I never turned it back on since I'm hardly home to watch it anyway), I will occasional log onto Hulu to catch an episode of Family Guy or American Dad, or a movie here and there (some better than others).

A couple weeks ago, I stumbled across the Secret Millionaire. I'm not really sure what to think of it. The first episode sucked but the second one was a little better. It just seemed so staged. I had a hard time believing it was truly a reality show.

The premise: A filthy, stinkin' rich millionaire leaves his home for a week and lives on welfare/minimum wage/etc (usually bringing a family member along). They get a taste of living life as a poverty-stricken American and at the end of the week "must" donate $100,000+ to at least one of the inspiring individuals they met. Most give more.

I like the concept but only if it's for real.

Here are the first few episodes:

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 8 1/2

2008-12-12T21:00:00.001-07:00

Today doesn't really count towards the twelve days since it was not one of the originally scheduled work days. I almost didn't even wear a sweater because of that. Instead, I just wore this casual sweater-jeans-tennies combo.

In a fit of rage and (possibly) claustrophobia, Mike knocked down the barrier wall I'd built yesterday. Then, as he was chucking boxes across the room, I was abused by one right on the elbow of my bridge arm. I didn't talk to him for about an hour. Until...

When he finally went to the bank, I left a couple surprises at his desk for him. They made me feel better and I forgave him.

It's so nice to get my boy back tonight!

Speaking of tonight, apparently it's the biggest full moon of the year. Now stick your head out the door and give a good howl.

I miss V-dog

2008-12-12T06:53:00.002-07:00

Since I'll be working an extra day this week, that means I won't get to see my puppy until Friday night. I miss him dearly and self-loathingly watching through some of my favorite home movies of him and weeping like a baby did not appear to help the situation.

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 8

2008-12-11T20:14:00.000-07:00

Fun with layers today.

And more boxes...
Today, I built a sound barrier wall in attempt to block out Mike's voice which carries (and not in the good way either) and only seems to get louder when I'm on the phone. He's in clear denial of this fact but I almost wonder at times if it's a conspiracy. He's still a great boss, but inside voice please, Mike.

I filled my car up before work yesterday for only $15.69!!! Granted, I still had about 60 miles to go on that tank, but I don't think it would've cost more than 20 bucks! The last time gas was so cheap, it was January of 2003 and I was working full time at an office, five days a week. And look at me now, working full time at an office five days this week...

In Honor of my Twelve Days of Sweaters

2008-12-11T06:48:00.001-07:00

Heard this on the radio this morning and it was too cute to not post. Be patient. It's well worth it (especially when they get to the 12th day).

BTW - There will actually be a Baker's Dozen Days of Sweaters as I've agreed to pick up an extra day tomorrow.

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 7

2008-12-10T19:32:00.002-07:00

Today's sweater was another post-holiday good buy from the ON several years ago. I think there's a matching hat too, but I couldn't find it this morning. It's SUPER itchy.

One of the things I enjoy most about my "job" is that when my primary duties are a little slow, there's plenty of other things to do. Such as: today, I assembled 60 cue shipping boxes and built myself a little mini-fort.

Then, I built Frank a dawg house.

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 6

2008-12-09T22:06:00.001-07:00

Today's sweater was pretty boring. It's your typical turtle neck sweater from my turtle neck sweater days. I had to add the scarf and cherry pin for a little flavor.

Please excuse my dirty glittens and unkempt hair.

We were slammed at the office today! I barely had time to get this picture taken.

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 5

2008-12-08T21:33:00.003-07:00

Five... Golden... Sweaters...
Oh, wait.

This is absolutely one of my most favoritest sweaters of all time!!!
The 20% mixed lamb's wool makes it not the world's most comfortable sweater, but the undershirt definitely helps with that. And, I think I got it after the holidays last year from the ON for only 10 bucks or something too. I love the working double buttons on the left shoulder (I guess, in case you have a REALLY big head) and I absolutely ADORE the elbow patches!!!

I was invited to the most lovely meal tonight at the Captain's house with his beautiful famery. It was the perfect evening, I hated to leave but I just rocked out to my xmas jams all the way home through the blizzard. Tomorrow should be a fun drive into the office.

G'night!

Poor Vegas...

2008-12-04T23:24:00.001-07:00

Good news: I got my boy back tonight!
Bad news: He's dying...

It's a horrible thing to write but I came to the realization tonight that he's not going to get better. The reality is the chemo doses and his treatment will give him a better "quality of life" and maybe even tack on a couple months, but he's incredibly uncomfortable right now. It's tough to tell if it's the cancer or the treatment that's making him so miserable.

I feel so bad for him. Dr. Rha said he responded really well to his chemo last week and that the lymph nodes are almost back to normal, but when will my doggy be back to normal? I don't believe he's in pain, but he's so restless. He can't lay still for more than a few minutes at a time without getting up and pacing around and trying to find a new position. His non-responsive stares brought me to tears tonight.

There was very little tail-wagging. He would sit and lay down and sit up again. All the while just sort of wobbling in place like he was about to fall over or something. I rubbed his head like he used to like and laid down on the floor beside him. I whispered my usual, "Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy? You are, Vegas. You are." which always gets a wag or two, but nothing...

My heart is breaking inside.
One powerful thing that I've learned from recently finishing The Last Lecture, is that Randy Pausch was thankful for knowing he had a terminal illness and how long he had left to live so that he and his family could be more prepared for his death. Instead of being in denial about it, he made videos, made "the" lecture (obviously), took lots of photos and just spent lots of time with his family that he'd be leaving behind.

I'm not in denial about Vegas's illness. It's not as severe as it could be and I don't really know exactly how long he has left. We were told best case scenario: three years. I am just going to do the best that I can to prepare for the worst, though we're never actually prepared for death no matter how much we think we are...

In case you haven't seen or read it, here's the inspiring last lecture:

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 4

2008-12-04T21:28:00.002-07:00

I've eaten so many clementine cuties this weekend that my nails are turning orange.

I am happy that I worked out twice this week. I'm almost back on schedule. Except that all I do at my desk is EAT!!!

My good friend Carter from Texas also sent me some more audio books for my commute. I just completed The Last Lecture which I borrowed from him months ago.

This is the new view from my office today.

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 3

2008-12-03T18:26:00.002-07:00

I survived Day 3 unscathed. "That's not a sweater!" Mike (my boss said). Ggggrrrrr!!! Yes it is!!! Touch it! It sure is sweater material!!!
Photo with Mike since he was also wearing a sweater:
This will be it for cutesy sweaters for a while as it's supposed to snow tonight and will probably be much colder the next couple weeks.

Vegas Update:
In case you're wondering, Vegas underwent his second dose of chemo today. Dr. Rha said he did great with his first week of chemo and that his lymph nodes are almost back to normal size. He gets to come back home to me tomorrow. Yay! I came home tonight to find the sweetest card and treats for Vegas from my next door neighbor Kelle. Aaaawww...

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 2

2008-12-02T20:57:00.002-07:00

Today's sweaters was a gift from my Charlotte Mom a couple years ago. She had given me three boxes of cashmere and wool sweaters from her youth. The horsey shirt was hers also and the entire ensemble was only appropriately tied together with my "riding" boots.
I'm really enjoying my time at work. The phones were ringing off the hook today and before I knew it, it was 11:30 and I'd barely had a chance to finish my yogurt breakfast. I even got my own headset today!

The funniest call I received today was someone needing to order a new PoolDawg catalog because his dog chewed up his current one, "Danged dawg!" he said. Very cute...

It sounds corny, but it's really fun being so nice to people on the phone. It's almost like they don't expect it because of the time of year or something. A lot of people just like to call and chit chat about pool and league and their new pool cue and I don't mind, as long as the phones aren't going bizerk.

I helped one guy pick out a $70 cue and even though he didn't buy it yet, he said, "You made my day" before he got off the phone. Another lady thanked me for being so nice when I helped her pick out a pink cue for her grand-niece.

And Keven from the office even asked Mike, "Can we keep her?" This could be my second calling. Awwww.... If I were to ever rejoin the workforce, it would definitely be here!

My workspace even has a window. Here's the view from my desk.

Twelve Days of Sweaters - Day 1

2008-12-01T19:38:00.000-07:00

Today was my first day of work at the Dawg. It was so much fun! I'd forgotten how exhausting it is to work a full-time job though. I barely have enough energy to type up this post. Anyway, above is me at my desk with my Day 1 sweater. Just in case you were curious, of course it's a sweater... (see close-up below)

Vegas handled his first week of chemo as well as can be expected. It's so sad not having him here right now but it's better than him being home alone for 11 hours a day. Even though the traveling already without having to be gone when I'm in the same state. However, it's not even 8 o'clock yet but I could just crash right now. Zzzzzz...

The Twelve Days of Sweaters

2008-11-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

Since I left corporate america and began playing pool seriously about six years ago, I learned that I can not shoot pool in sweaters. They are too hot and bulky and as fun, cozy, and cute as they may look, I just hardly wear them. This is a waste sinceI have so many super cute sweaters. And a couple years ago, my Charlotte Mom also gave me a BUNCH of her old vintage cashmere and wool sweaters from her youth.

So, I'll be sporting at least twelve different sweaters this month for my twelve days of work beginning tomorrow.

My First Day of Work

2008-11-30T20:47:00.002-07:00

Tomorrow morning, I start my first day of work for the next three weeks at PoolDawg. I'll be taking calls in the office there Mon-Thurs. Chisolm and his girlfriend Amanda came over tonight to pick Vegas up. I originally just wanted him to come get him tomorrow while I was at work, but there were so many chemo instructions to go over that I wanted to sit down with them tonight.

I went over all the notes and paperwork with both of them. It was the most words I'd ever spoken to her and I was all prepared to begin with, "Let's put our differences aside and focus on Vegas's best interest," but it didn't need to be said. I was happy with the meeting and I was happy to know that he's in good hands.

There was a time when I didn't want her paws near my dog but I know how much they love him and it would be selfish of me to deprive him of that.

V-dog comes home on Thursday. I'll miss him this week.

A warm sweatshirt, my new laptop, and my pooch

2008-11-29T10:19:00.003-07:00

What else do you need on a snowy fall/winter day? It snowed last night and since I don't have very good insulation in my house, it's a little chilly. If Mike were here though, he'd probably still have the thermostat at 65. Maniac!

Vegas loves frolicking in the snow. He had a little giddy-up in his step this morning when he got near the door and remembered that there's snow outside. It was so cute. I love when he sniffs around and gets a little snow on his nose.
He's so regal!
I've got my huge fluffy green sweatshirt on today with my new laptop in my lap. Well, it's new to me. I recently inherited Mike's old T40p IBM Thinkpad because my A21m is even older and has been pretty sick.
After a new hard drive, replacement battery, a couple tumbles, and countless airport security scans, I sure have had a lot of fond times with my poor 8-year-old laptop and I've definitely gotten my money's worth, but I'm very excited about the new one!

I'm probably just biased, but they just don't make 'em like the Thinkpads these days. Mike could barely part with it and when I asked why he would even let me have it he said, "because you're an IBM kinda girl." Aw, shucks.

And I sure am too. I can't stand touch pads. He even disabled the touch pad so I could just use only the eraser mouse. I LOVE IT!!!!

It's been the highlight to recent macabre days.

Yesterday, my friend Sally asked me what Vegas does when I'm sad and not feeling well. I said that he knows when I'm sad and comes up to love me and tries to make me feel better. She said that I should return the favor.

It sucks so badly because there are so many little subtle things that he normally does that he's not doing. He was so restless last night and couldn't get comfortable. I tried to play one of our favorite games where I hide in the stairwell and surprise him and he does laps up and down the hallway. Last night, I hid, and he just laid down in front of me. It broke my heart.

However, as difficult as this time is right now, I am not giving up hope. I will attempt to stay positive and keep things in perspective. I'll do it for my bestfriend, my loyal companion, my protector, my boy.

Vegas & Me

2008-11-28T22:37:00.002-07:00

This past couple months have been a complete emotional roller coaster ride, from relationship hurdles to tournament upset, a death in the family to winning a tournament. And just when I thought things were picking up...

Mike and I made it back to my house early Tuesday morning after driving through the night Monday from Rugby, ND. CW dropped Vegas off Tuesday afternoon and as soon as I saw him, hugged him, and kissed him, I knew that something was not right (that's Vegas, not CW).

As I was petting him, I could feel that his glands were swollen. He had enormous lumps in his neck about the size of golf balls. They were hard like golf balls too. Immediately, I thought to myself, "Had I just never noticed them before? Had his neck always felt like that?" The lumps were so massive, the fur on his neck was protruding and you could visibly see how swollen he was. Mike noticed too.

I immediately called the vet. They told me to check for any other swollen lymph nodes and I discovered more. In his arm pit, behind his knee, between his legs, and on his chest. He was all lumpy all over. I was completely freaked out. The vet was able to get us in right away that night. Upon seeing him, Dr. Henry immediately suspected Vegas had Stage III Lymphoma, "It's like he has Lukemia." she explained.

We returned the following morning to meet with Dr. Rha. We dropped him and his reindeer off for the day for more blood work and an ultrasound of his abdomen. They later discovered that his spleen was abnormal. Thankfully, his liver and kidneys were okay. But due to the discovery of his fishy spleen, he was now considered Stage IV.

We had to decide whether or not we wanted to proceed with chemotherapy.

I learned that chemo for pets can not be administered the same way as chemo for humans. Since chemo is so incredibly crappy, you can explain to a human that there's a light at the end of the tunnel. You can say to them, "I know this will really suck, but we''ll (hopefully) get rid of the cancer after all of this is over." Unfortunately, you can't really explain that to your dog. They won't understand they you're putting them through h*ll. They simply won't survive it.

Therefore, the chemo doses in pets must be much smaller than in humans. And because of this, the cancer doesn't have a chance to completely go away...

The good news right now is that Vegas doesn't even know he's sick. Though his energy level is low and he's probably pretty confused and overwhelmed, his tail is still wagging and he's still in good spirits. He's such an amazing dog. He doesn't deserve to be in pain.

I ended up canceling all our Thanksgiving plans for the day to just stay home with V-dog. It was his first day of chemo and I wanted to make sure he was okay. And quite honestly, I just didn't feel like being around anyone. Amazingly, his lumps were considerably smaller after less than 12 hours.

So far, he's been doing really well. No upset tummy, just the stinkiest lethal, toxic, radio active chemo BOMBS (as Mike described them) that you could possibly imagine. You can see the toxic cloud of fumes wafting. They singe your eyebrows off and linger for minutes. But I guess if that's the worst side effect, I'll take it.

On Monday, I start my new seasonal job for December so CW will be taking him to his chemo appointments on Wednesdays.

Please keep Vegas in your thoughts...

[p.s. Vegas is the opposite of Marley]

In Loving Memory of Allen

2008-11-12T22:08:00.001-07:00

Allen was my ex-fiancee's step-father, Dr. Albert Allen Wolf. Though my ex and I are no longer together, Allen and his wife known to me as my "Charlotte Mom" & "Charlotte Dad" continued to love me just the same.

Allen was diagnosed with a brain tumor which he had been fighting for the last 18 months. Unfortunately, his condition was worsening over the past couple months and he ultimately passed away on Saturday.

Allen touched my life. He was a brilliant man and I loved being around him.
Here are some of my favorite memories of Allen:

A is for Adventurous eater
Allen enjoyed clearing his plate, literally. That would include cherry stems, lemon rinds, and desserts of course. We've shared our fair share of desserts over the years.

L is for Laughter
Though he was more often the one causing the laughter, his dry witty humor brought me many smiles and I know it did for so many others.

L is for Love
From the first day that I met Allen, we had an instant, special bond/connection and since then, he has been nothing less of loving to me whenever I've called or seen him.

E is for Educated
Allen is one of the most brilliant men you'll ever meet. He was well educated and a wealth of knowledge on so many subjects. Amazingly, he had a great personality to go with it!

N is for Not giving up
Thank you, Allen, for giving us 18 more months of YOU after you were diagnosed with your illness. You will not be forgotten...

You can read his obituary here.

Chasing Pavements

2008-10-28T21:28:00.000-06:00

What a great song & video!

Chasing Pavements
~ Adele

My Sanctuary

2008-10-06T00:26:00.001-06:00

I guess it could be worse.

This has recently become my new sanctuary.
As my one of three self-assigned mandatory daily tasks (along with practicing and writing), I have found it to be quite the getaway. Of course, I don't always feel like working out, but like they say, "It's not how you feel when you get there, it's how you feel when you leave." Who's "they" anyway? I don't know, but I do always feel better afterwards.

Here's where I spend the last 20 minutes of every workout. I like to finish with all my ab/floor work and nice, relaxing stretches. And what a nice view to do it all to.
Yesterday, I made a delightful little curry chicken salad which included fresh red grapes, grated boiled egg, and baby swiss cheese.

This morning, I made myself a knock off of the Starbucks Fruit & Yogurt Parfait that my friend Cristina introduced me to last weekend. The only fresh berries I had were raspberries, which aren't my favorite, but they were on sale. It was still pretty tasty.
I've decided that I'm not going to stop cooking just because I'm cooking for one.

35 Songs for Healing

2008-10-01T14:04:00.007-06:00

Cherry Bomb!

2008-09-18T11:53:00.001-06:00

Cherry Bomb:

The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Better Flirt, a Tougher Chick, and a Hotter Girlfriend -- and to Living Life Like a Rock StarThis wonderful book came as a gift to me from my good friend Michael McCafferty, who graciously hosted me at his place earlier this month.

Since in my other life I'm also known as "Cherry Bomb," he found it only suiting to have the book waiting for me upon my arrival to his Fun House. How sweet...

Ironically, when I read the title of the book to my friend Sally she said, "You could've written that book!" Which only reinforced the fact that Cherry Bomb is clearly the perfect moniker for more than the reasons of my red hair (Thanks, Robert!).

Although, I have skipped a few chapters that don't necessarily apply to me regarding: Absinthe, Apple Martinis, Bottle Service, and I'll probably be skipping the one on Hangovers as well, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the read, especially the illustrations of the Cherry Bomb character who shows an odd, striking resemblance to me.

Anyway, here are some brief excerpts of a couple favs so far:

This is a hilarous PROS and CONS list on Dating Musicians

PROS	CONS
Devilishly sexy	Sexually promiscuous
Mysterious	Mischievous
Skinny	Skinnier than you
In touch with his emotions	Moody
Great hair	Mirror hog
Self-aware	Selfish
Godlike stage presence	Thinks he’s God’s gift to women
Makes you great mixed CDs	Mixes up your name with other girls’
Gets you concert tickets	Gets to sleep until noon the next day while you scramble to make it to work by 9:30a.m.
“Songwriter-sensitive”	Cries at every movie

[HA! That's awesome!!!]

Chapter: Bitchy Broads
"the first thing you must understand when a broad is bitchy to you is that there is usually three main reasons for her bitchiness:

You did something to deserve it, and if so, that's your own fault, so deal with it.
She is jealous of you, of your man, of your job, or how others like you better than her.
She is insecure and only feels better when making others feel like shit."

[how true...]

Anyway, some would argue that I already live life much like a rock star. I can't say that I've really had much trouble in the flirting or being a hot girlfriend department, but a little tip couldn't hurt.

I like to consider myself a pretty independent, tough chick, but who couldn't use being just a little tougher?

Highlights from Camp

2008-09-02T23:19:00.003-06:00

As I knew I would, I had an amazing time at camp! I was fortunate enough to have the same group of campers as I've had for the past two years. I have essentially been following them since they were sixth graders.

There were over 300 campers this year and each group is sort by grade level from kindergartners to high-schoolers. Each grade level is classified by distinct colors such as, daisy, or tangerine, or electric blue, or my personal favorite - "aloe." What?!?? What color is that?!??? Though we were called the "Chocolate" group, there was a goof at the t-shirt shop and only seven of my campers had chocolate shirts. The rest were in "Caribbean Blue" which looked conspicuously more like a turquoise.

I had 28 "ladies" in my 8th grade group with the help of three other counselors, Viki, Jessica, and Teddy. Here's the slideshow:

I made a conscious effort this year to refer my group as "ladies" instead of "girls." I decided that if I expected them to behave like ladies, the least I could do was refer to them as ladies. They were a truly great group this year!

We heard an inspirational speaker, Leon Quan who shared the powerful story of his brother and his life.

We heard from another speaker about an organization for Chinese Adoptees called Bridging Global Girls (who could've learned a thing or two from Leon about public speaking). Her information was good, but she was bridging me right to sleep.

We learned how to make Hun-Tung in Soup, Shredded Beef with Pepper, and Green Onion Pies (except Mia made mine without the green onions). Mmmm...

I, along with feedback from many of my campers, were a little disappointed that there were not more outdoor activities (e.g. last year's canoeing, archery, or zip-lining), but I still enjoyed seeing my "ladies" and their families again.

Already looking forward to next year!

Just arrived at camp

2008-08-29T21:39:00.000-06:00

I just arrived at camp and for the first year EVER, not only do I have cell phone reception, but I also have a (super low) wi-fi connection. SWEET!

When I checked in, the keys to my cabin were gone already and I was the 5th of the 6 counselors to arrive in my cabin (#6 has still yet to arrive). Uh-oh. That usually means I get the dumpiest room or I'm stuck sharing it with a snorer.

When I arrived, two of the girls were here with their friend. It's a very small cabin with only one floor, three rooms, and two beds in each room. Of course, I take the last available room and to my surprise, when I set my things down on the queen bed, I looked around the corner to see a hidden door and MY OWN PRIVATE BATHROOM! SWEET!!!!

Even though DiDi is not here this year, which I'm very sad about, and I forgot to bring a bunch of stuff, it's already starting off great!

A Complete Day

2008-08-24T22:56:00.001-06:00

Today was one of those great days where I got to do everything that I wanted to do.

Play in a tournament? Check.
Take my dog to the park? Check.
Spend time with my mom? Check.
Work out? Check.
Make a nice dinner for myself? Check.
Talk to Mike? Check.

I finally finished my mounds of laundry last week (but still not finished with all my writing). The last time I did laundry was around July 27, BEFORE I left for Jacksonville, FL. Oops...

I got up 'early' this morning to make myself a nice breakfast burrito with swiss cheese and salmon lox (mmmm...) before heading off to a tournament. I didn't cash, but I played really well.

When I got home, I decided to take a lazy V-dog to the park for some fetch with the Chuck-it (one of the best pet inventions EVER!).

Afterwards, I picked up my mom and we headed to the Korean grocery store (where they just assume we're Korean) to stock up on some fresh fruit (cantelope, papaya, nectarines, and pears - YAY!) and while there, I spotted some salmon and yellowtail sashimi. Mmmmmm.... I know you're not supposed to eat fish on Sundays, but I couldn't help it! (and man, it was good!)

Then, I hit the gym for about an hour. Boy, are my legs and abs sore...
I couldn't wait to get home to my sashimi delight and one more fruity (I think it's a fruit???) surprise........... FRESH YOUNG COCONUT!!!! Yummmmmmmmmmm... My favorite!

Heeding my mom's cautions, I even managed to crack the lid off myself without losing one single digit.

What will tomorrow have in store?

A Little Behind...

2008-08-18T19:05:00.001-06:00

I just noticed today that my 2008 Wallace & Gromit wall calendar was still on June.

Well, I can't just flip it straight to August now because then I wouldn't get to see July's picture. So, it's July now. I'm only a month behind.

I did however just notice that there's TWO other 2008 W&G calendars that I didn't know about while I was searching Amazon for this post.

There's the "Official" one:And then there's the "Slim" one:
OMG! I'll be updating my Wish List for next year!
Who knows, maybe I'll be on September by the time 2009 rolls around.

What the?!??

2008-08-13T00:40:00.001-06:00

From the August 11, 2008 Huffington Post via The Guardian:
Spanish Basketball Teams' "Slit-Eyed" Gestures In Olympics Advertisement

It's tough to know what Spain's basketball teams were thinking when they chose to collectively make "slit-eyed" gestures (above a stenciled dragon) while posing for a pre-Olympics advertisement.

The Guardian reports:

It's tough to know what Spain's basketball teams were thinking when they chose to collectively make "slit-eyed" gestures (above a stenciled dragon) while posing for a pre-Olympics advertisement.

Me? Green???

2008-07-24T23:11:00.000-06:00

I have to admit that ever since Mike Fieldhammer-ized my house with recycling bins and systems, I have been more and more conscious everyday.

Lately, I'm pretty proud of myself for not just owning, but consistently remembering to use my fabulous, red reusable shopping bag.

I absolutely love it! It's enormous, but it folds up all cute and compact like and just snaps together. I've just been keeping it in my satchel with me. You never know when you may need a shopping bag!

However, the non-engrish-speaking bagger at the Korean grocery story did give me a strange look today when I whipped it out. Hey, I'm just glad I remembered.

I've also been frequenting the Vitamin Cottage since it's the closest of those sorts of stores to my house. Apparently, they were in a different building but up and decided to move across the parking lot into the former Hancock Fabrics when they went out of business. As most of these stores are, it's super nice and organized inside.

This is not so green, but on my recent excursion, I discovered Applegate Farms Organic Chicken & Apple Sausages.

YUM-MEE! I just grilled and sliced some up tonight for a little snack tossed with some fresh, perfectly ripened avocado. They're slightly high in the sodium department, but it's not like I'm having more than a couple a week. I don't know that I would recommend the avocado combination either. It was interesting, but rather impulsive.

I also found a fun new lip balm there and a great alternative (in a bulk quantity for about the same price) to my new favorite granola.

Life has been grand. What could I possibly complain about?

The Best Sunscreen - Hands Down!

2008-07-17T22:28:00.001-06:00

While I was in Vegas this summer, there was a sunscreen review on the local news (appropriately enough) and their results determined that the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock was the all-around best at protecting again not just UV/B (B = burning), but also UV/A (A = aging) rays.

Being the sucker for great marketing that I am, I immediately went next door to Walgreens and bought some spf 45 to try out for myself.

The results: I LOVE IT! I've been using it nearly everyday since I've been home cruisin' around with the top down. I even have a 70 for super long, hot days! It's not heavy or sticky but it really does protect. I highly recommend it!

Don't just take my word on it, check out the

Sunscreen Reviews

Wanted: Camp Counselors

2008-07-17T16:27:00.001-06:00

As you may already know, I volunteer as a camp counselor each year at the Chinese Heritage Camp in Winter Park over Labor Day Weekend. We are currently in need of some more volunteer counselors. If you or anyone (responsible) that you know might be interested, please click below for more information:

Free Rice

2008-07-10T02:43:00.001-06:00

My new friend Roxanne whom I met on the plane today told me about this fantastic site. Share it with your friends! It's called FreeRice.com and all you have to do is guess the multiple choice definition of the vocabulary word. For each word that you get right, 20 gains of rice gets donated through the UN World Food Program to help end hunger.

Try it yourself:

Careful! It's addicting! My "best vocab level": 37 ( = 420 grains of rice) SWEET!

My New Favorite Site!

2008-07-08T01:31:00.000-06:00

Mike sent me the sweetest email EVER the other day. He sent me the link for a site called Conceptis Puzzles: The art of logic. Since then, I've downloaded and completed 2 1/2 puzzles. I can't stop. It's so great!
I LOVE IT!!! It's not just for Kakuro junkies like me, it's for all logic puzzle lovers. You can play them right there, download them, or subscribe to receive new ones each week. Check it out!

Holy Toledo!

2008-07-06T01:57:00.000-06:00

Residents of the Hunter's Ridge Apartments in Ohio found themselves quite the Toledo Surprise when after hearing a loud boom from fireworks, their apartment complex was engulfed in flames. About 100 people were left homeless but they were thankful to have survived.

Last Monday, there was a fire at my mom's house. Also thankfully, she escaped unscathed and the house was fine. Her fire was suspected to have also been started by fireworks from some children in the neighborhood (whom have yet to come forward).

My mom works the graveyard shift so she was asleep when it happened. THANKFULLY, the neighbors on the other side smelled and saw the fire and immediately reported it and banged on her door to wake her up.

My poor mother, having just fallen asleep merely two hours prior was confused and disoriented. Can you imagine waking up to a blazing fire outside your window? We ended up taking her to the hospital to be treated for mild smoke inhalation but she's fine.

Meanwhile, one neighbor kid told my dad he witnessed the teenage girls playing with the fireworks. When I sent the forensic investigator over there, he backed out of his story. :(

What is this world coming to? Why are parents not keeping a better eye on their kids? Why are these kids playing with fireworks unsupervised?

Anyway, possessions can be replaced. I'm just happy to have my mom.

New Deck

2008-07-05T09:47:00.000-06:00

Who builds a new deck at 8 o'clock in the morning on July 5th?!???......
Answer: my next door neighbors

Ugh...

My new favorite (breakfast) snack

2008-07-05T03:12:00.000-06:00

I'm only still up because I'm waiting for the laundry I'm FINALLY doing to dry...

So, Kashi's marketing ploy worked. Actually, the Summer Berry is the one I love! I love it with my Strawberry Activia yoghurt!
+ = YUMMMMMY!!!

Where do I even begin???

2008-07-04T16:22:00.000-06:00

Here's a good start. Photos from my recent visit to Charlotte:

A Long Day of Travel w/ a Happy Ending

2008-06-07T14:15:00.002-06:00

Friday, June 06, 2008

9:02 a.m.
I went running into Dr. Hamilton’s office for my 9 o’clock appointment.

9:47 a.m.
Stopped at the Latte & Bagel shop (for just that) on my way home. Had a quick breakfast and finished packing and getting things together for trip.

1:08 p.m.
Finally got all packed and the truck all loaded. Unfortunately, my flight didn’t leave until 3:36. I must’ve thought it left at 2:30 or something. I was all checked in, so we had almost an entire hour to spare. Rats!

3:19 p.m.
Boarded plane for Atlanta, en route to Charlotte. We left on time.

8:09 p.m.
Plane lands in Hot-lanta. Surprisingly, we’re early. We weren’t supposed to arrive until 8:33. Sweet!

8:39 p.m.
Still sitting on the runway, waiting for a gate to pull in to. Stinky man beside me begins sweating profusely and stinking even worse. Large college girl in front of me begins relentlessly fanning herself and shaking her leg uncontrollably. My entire seat is trembling. I began wondering if maybe she was claustrophobic.

The pilot came on to tell us it wouldn’t be much longer. Meanwhile, we’d been sitting on the motionless plane for half an hour with no circulation. The stinky man next to me gets stinkier and keeps leaning into to me to look out the window. It’s the worst kind of stinky. It smelled like he hadn’t showered in days but thought he could disguise it by dousing himself with cheap cologne. Quit looking! There’s nothing going on out there!

8:42 p.m.
We finally pull up to gate C-14, 9 minutes late. Whew! One minute later, the seatbelt light turns off and people begin getting out of their seats.

8:43 p.m.
The air is finally turned back on. Wow. Just in the nick of time.

8:47 p.m.
I finally de-board the plane.

9:02 p.m.
I picked up a greek salad from some place called “Victory Lane.”

10:15 p.m.
I’m typing this post. 40 more minutes before I can board my flight to Charlotte.

11:15 p.m.
Still sitting at the gate, on the plane, again, with NO air…

11:38 p.m.
We FINALLY depart 42 minutes delayed. Ugh…

12:52 a.m.
I’m standing at the baggage carousel, waiting for my bag when I realized that the car rental counter closed at 1:00 o’clock.

12:57 a.m.
I got all checked in and picked up my bag. Headed outside to wait for the car rental shuttle.

1:56 a.m.
Pulled up to the house and was greeted by my sweet Charlotte Mom. Ahhhh… It’s so nice to be back in this house again.

3:07 a.m.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

Blogging

2008-06-05T15:30:00.000-06:00

courtesy of Bob

It's nice to be home...

2008-06-02T11:44:00.001-06:00

Even if it is for only five days. After 26 days on the road, it's just really nice to finally be out of Vegas.

Being home for only five days before leaving again for Charlotte & Dallas (for 18 more days), means:

Sleeping in my own bed with my own sheets.
Making my own bed in the morning.
Unpacking and doing massive amounts of laundry only to repack again.
I give Vegas a little break acting up ("acting up" for him means pulling a piece of used tissue from the trash).
Catching up with my neighbors and making sure I'm all paid up for the lawn-mowing.
Collecting and sorting through 30 days of held mail.
(I'll keep you posted...)

2008-05-15T11:56:00.001-06:00

I can't believe I've been in town now for over a week and have still yet to make my way to the PF store. Bugga! Sally and I did manage to get to to the Sephora store yesterday though, FINALLY!

Mike and I also made our way to our favorite special sushi getaway. It's late night and it's ALWAYS fresh! My most favorite secret (well, not-so-secret now) sushi place EVER!
Our sushi chefs, Carlos & Iida (pronounced "EEEE-da").
We ordered:
2 spicy scallop handrolls
yellowtail sashimi jalapeno dish
salmon tartar w/ kizame wasabi creme friache (mmmm...)
2 uni nigiri
spicy california roll
special roll: shrimp / avocado / tuna
special roll: spicy scallop (inside) / salmon / avocado (outside)
spicy tuna handroll

Get outta town! It was the greatest sushi feast EVER!!! I would've taken some photos but that would've delayed the food getting into my belly.

Here's a food pic for you though. This one's the dessert plate (pay no attention to the extra oysters on the half shell) from the Hilton buffet. Someone gave us a 2-for-1 coupon while we were standing in line. Sweet! That's the buffet where I found a partially formed pearl in my oyster a couple years ago.

While I was piling all these sweets on, some guy said to me, "You can only fit so much on that plate." To which I responded, "Oh. I'd better get another plate then, huh?"

It's been pretty cool this year. Haven't made it to the pool once. I'm too busy working.

Random Airport Tangents

2008-05-02T22:13:00.000-06:00

Wow! Today was the latest I've ever boarded a flight!

You know it's not a good sign when you're passing the crew on your way to the plane and they ask, "Are you Sammantha?" Yeah. I was the last on the plane. I hate that!

After missing the 5:07a.m. SkyRide bus at the Park-n-Ride which would've put me at the airport by 5:21, I had to wait around almost half an hour for the 5:35 which didn't get me there until 5:49 for my 6:30 flight to MSP. Yikes! I'm just thankful my bags made it.

I almost made that danged bus too. They were just boarding bus when I pulled into the parking lot. I dumped my bags and found a spot. I ran my tail off just to see it speeding away. I know they saw me. Oh well. It was probably full anyway. That's what I get for staying up all night (minus the one hour nap from 2:30 to 3:30).

So, you know you fly a lot when you are remembered by TSA staff. In December, also on my way to MSP to visit Mike, I remember my carry-ons getting searched because I had brought these two snow globe soap things for his nieces for xmas and he told me snow globes were not permitted (probably because of the liquid rule) but let me go when I explained they were actually soap.

I remembered him because he sounded like he was from New Zealand but when I asked him he said he was from California. I also remember this because I rarely ask people where they're from. This stems from the countless number of times that that's been the first question out of someone's mouth when meeting me. Yeah, before "What's your name?" or "How are you?" or even "Come here often?" It's either "Are you Korean?" or "Where 'you from?" (to which I like to respond, "Denver" because that really gets their panties in a bunch). The more PC attempts of "Where are your parents from?" or "What's your heritage (or nationality)?" are quite amusing as well.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very proud to be Vietnam-born Chinese, but when it's the first thing someone wants to know about me, like it defines who I am, and usually to the style of a trivia, guess-the-Asian game, it can be annoying and depending on the asker, sometimes even offensive.

So, believe me, I'm quite sensitive to that question. If I asked him anything it would've been "Where's your accent from?" because I recall finding it odd when he responded, "Does it sound like I have an accent? Where does it sound like it's from?" followed by, "Are these snow globes?"

So, maybe he too was tired of dumb people playing guess-the-accent and has fun just saying "California." Okay, TSA guy, you got me!

Maybe I should start saying I'm from Portugal or Bosnia or....???

Next tangent - Is there anyone out there that does NOT sleep on a 6:30 flight?

Also, I made bison soft tacos tonight, sub spinach for lettuce and provolone for cheddar. It was a fun little experiment.

We'll spend most of the day tomorrow packing to hit the road early Monday morning to head back to Denver, only for a day, before we leave for Vegas. Sweet!

How funny is this???

2008-05-01T21:35:00.007-06:00

And I thought the weather was bad today?!....

So, fine! It snowed today. It snowed huge, fluffy, blizzarding masses of snow after being 85 degrees yesterday. But that's typical Colorado weather.

What's not so typical is receiving an email from someone complimenting you on your game and attaching photos of someone they THINK IS YOU!!!
This is the blog where I don't have to be as p.c. Mike likes to call me "sweet and salty." Well, here's a little saltiness for ya: WTH?!??? Who does that?!??? I don't look anything like this girl! ESPECIALLY NOT MECHANICALLY!!! What?!?? Because we're both Asian, we MUST be the same person?!?! What a jack-tard! HAHA!

And what does this email even mean?!???
"I saw you playing at Rac em [misspelled "Rack 'Em" by the way] on a Wednesday. I was impressed with your play so when I saw your business card as I was leaving I took one. After looking at your web site I noticed that you didn't have a lot of pictures of you playing pool or of you at all for that matter. I have enclosed a few pics I have taken and I am offering my services as an amateur photographer. Please don't get me wrong I am not trying to barter any free stuff from you or your web site, if you are interested we can discuss my fee later. I hope you like the pictures I am sending. I can do black and white or color. If you already have a photographer I understand. I've always believed, it never hurts to ask."
Yes! I would like to negotiate a fee for you to take photos of not-me please! That's pretty bad.

[.......deep breath after laughing hysterically.......]

Okay. I'm done venting now. On to a brighter note. Today was Dining out for Life day and though it was slow, it was still fun. Here was my dining out contribution:Gotta get back to packing. My flight leaves for MN in 7 hours. YAY! Mike and I will drive back here to my place early Sunday morning, finish packing all day Monday, and hit the road for Vegas early Tuesday morning. YAY!

A Very Small Fortune

2008-04-29T21:27:00.001-06:00

After lunch with my mom on Monday, I cracked open my fortune cookie to discover most of it was missing! Saving a little money???

WHAT?!??? "Frequent conversations...." WHAT??? What about frequent conversations? I'll never know...

So, after I stole the fortune from my mom's cookie (she never reads them anyway), it read: "Your career is moving more and more towards service to others."
Now how in the heck would they know that??