So thanks to Kar-Man who informed me of phlixie website that let's you know what's available thru netflix with CC or English subtitles. I was able stumble upon bsessed! Wow this show leaves your jaw on the floor and your eyes glued! As an Intervention junkie this show is fascinating!
Glad Wednesday almost over. Tired & still a little displaced with the whole guest from hell fiasco! I look forward to tomorrow, it means one step closer to the weekend. w00t!Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Buh BYE guest from Hell!
Recently I have had kind of an upsetting past 24 hours. First my guest from hell and I had a major blow-out last night. Frankly I was fed up with her chronic inconsideration to anyone and her warped belief that somehow she is the center of the universe.
First when she asked to stay with me, I only wanted 3-4 days maximum but she talked me into letting her stay a week and would give me $100 which would have helped me out. Then once she arrived last Thursday I did try to give her a spare key because she is here in town for a 1 week conference. I thought it would be best if she had a key to come and goes as she pleases for the conference and also to free me up as well as I have just spent 6 weeks helping my grandmother prepared to move and then helped when she did move the weekend before last. This means I have had very little social life which is fine because family comes first but this past weekend was my 1st "fun" weekend I had in a while.
But my guest didn't want the spare key. Uh ok....then Thurs night we finally got out to meet my friend and go dancing but she ended up yakking away with my friend. Fine, no worries but then she wanted to go home earlier than I did but I figured fine I would have Friday night to play! Plus my guest wanted to meet me at a Deaf event Friday night around 6-7pm and then join us for our plans for the evening which involved stopping by to see my best friend. Then hitting Bar 13, then hitting my favorite club Ceilo! Well my guest text me to let me know she wasn't going to make it to the Deaf event due to dinner plans with fellow conference attendees. Ok I get that, no problem. She says she will meet me at Blondie's home but once I am there she lets me know she is still at the same restaurant. Fine, okay no problem. Now she says she will meet me at Bar 13, uh ok. The at Bar 13 once again she flaked out. Fine she want to meet me at Ceilo ok, I'm cool with that and was waiting for her to let me know she was on her way to Ceilo so me and my friends could meet her there. For 10 minutes I did not check my phone and then next thing I know I have 12 text messages with her freaking out saying she was at Ceilo and we weren't there and that she left and felt like she was in danger. First of all, she's white and in Manhattan and below 96th st. Any NYer will tell you there is no danger. Secondly where Ceilo is located, it is extremely well lit with many bars, restaurants etc etc so how she felt scared I'll never know because it wasn't some dark alley with crackheads shooting up and graffiti everywhere! So me and my friends RUSHED to meet her and she's all upset and my friend who arranged the evening is upset and now Ceilo free admission ended and we would have to pay $25 to get in and none of us really wanted to pay that. Plus my guest tells me she is ready to go home. I am like, wtf? I told her I wasn't and that I had made an effort to include her on 3 different things earlier that evening that I would not be going home for another hour. My friend Goddess Rose said lets take a cab back to Bar 13 where no cover and good music, people dancing. On the way back to Bar 13 I decided to just give my guest my set of keys and crash at Blondies for the night which she didn't mind. But I expected my guest to come to meet me the next day and give me back my keys.
Saturday comes and I had a great time dancing the night before, slept over at Blondies and my phone was DOA because no charger. I contacted my guest through FB since I couldn't text message her and I didn't get any replies. Goddess Rose did me a huge favor and text my guest to let her know my phone was dead and to check her FB messages. When my guest finally checked mid afternoon she informs me she can't read the message and for me to email her directly. So I emailed her and asked that she meet me by dinner time because I am still wearing the same clothes from the night before, no toothbrush and feeling tired and crummy. She doesn't reply and doesn't reply till after 6:40pm and then shes finally on her way to meet me. I am NOT happy now because all of this could've been avoided had she just taken the spare key! She doesn't even thank me for letting her take the keys etc etc and waiting for her all day Saturday! We get back to my apartment and I told her she has to take the spare key as I didn't want more of those kinds of problems. That same night she brings in a bottle of red wine that I had on hand and we had opened the night before. Understand she did not put the cork back in the bottle but brought it out to my living room sans cork and puts it on the coffee table on my off white rug! Somehow I must've hit the table or snagged the bottle and it goes flying all over my rug creating spirals. I jump up to grab cold water and salt to immediately soak up the RED wine off my OFF-WHITE carpet! I was able to get most of it out but there is a spiral stain on my rug that I just can't get rid of completely :( UGH!!!
Sunday comes and she goes to her conference that morning, meanwhile I slept in and worked on my lessons, and cooked 3 different meals to save money this week and to share with my guest. She comes back that afternoon and asks me to let her in the apartment because guess what? She LOST my spare key!!! Huh, wtf?! You're kidding me! How is that even possible and then she had the nerve to ask to borrow my set of keys. I told her NO WAY! If they were lost that's it! Come on you're crazy to even ask me. Then she asked me if I was okay with leaving my door unlocked? Again I am like are you out of your mind, this is the BRONX! Grr, but she offers to replace the key in which I explained that its not that easy or cheap to do. That the keys are specially made through whats called a copy card so without the 'master card' you can't make copies of the keys. Which makes sense in NYC as you don't want a million people being able to make copies of building keys etc etc..I told her at the very least it will be $75 but it can be as expensive as $175! She looked skeptical like maybe I was lying, uh whatever.
She had invited me to join her and fellow conference attendees at Hard Rock Cafe in Time Square last night but I wasn't interested. That is until I found out an old friend of mine who I am very fond of would be there so I felt it would be worth the visit and to show my guest support too. I explained to my guest I will be coming from NJ after eating dinner with Blondie and Red Hots and she was fine with that.
Yesterday morning was Monday and when I woke up to go to work she was on her way out. I went back to my bedroom to wake up some more with my Bastard Kitty Tom before starting my day and lucky for her I felt BANG BANG BANG through my mattress. At first I wondered if it was one of my neighbors blasting music which is quite common but I had a funny feeling it wasn't. I went to my front door to check and lo behold there she was she had forgotten something. I told her she was lucky I felt her banging and hadn't showered yet or else she would have been waiting 30-40 minutes.
Fast forward to late afternoon my guest text me to let me know the plans may have changed and I was to text her when I was on my way? Uh no thank you, I don't want to play tag especially in a car in Time Square. I was already feeling very put out by the whole visit and not at all like I had made a new genuine friend. Finally a few hrs later she says no its still on for Hard Rock Cafe so Blondie and I get there around 1030pm and that's late for me on a Monday. I already told my guest the day before I did not want to stay out late Monday as I work today and yesterday etc etc.. At Hard Rock Cafe it was great to see my friend Rusty and Goddess Rose also joined us there. At a different table there were about 10 Deafies sitting but I didn't know any of them and most were international. Cool, I sit at the 'VIP' table with Rusty, Blondie and Goddess Rose while my guest fluttered around with the others before finally sitting back down at our table with one guy who I will call RR. I immediately did not like RR and got bad vibes off of him. He is one of those arrogant gay men who act like you're trash or beneath them. I didn't really pay one ounce of attention to him nor was I impressed on his master thesis crap. I was ready to go because I still needed to drop off Blondie and get my laptop new battery that had been mailed to her. And I wanted to drop off Goddess Rose as it was on my way home. I indicated to my guest that it was time to leave so me, Blondie and Goddess Rose immediately got up and put our coats on and walked towards the entrance but they needed to use the bathroom. Sure ok but I turn around and my guest and her dick friend RR are not anywhere close so I walk back into the dinning room and they're yakking away! I said again I really need to get home, I work tmw and as soon as the girls were out of the restroom we had to leave. I get back to find both Blondie and Goddess Rose on their way upstairs to exit outside to the street so I waved and informed shithead RR that we got to go, let me guest know because her back was to me. He just looked at me and smirked. Whatever, I go upstairs and outside where my 2 friends are waiting and we wait, we wait, we wait and I shoot back downstairs to find out what is going on?! They're still talking. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I flipped out and said to RR 'why didn't you tell her we left?! why are you such a dick?' then I looked at her and said 'I have to work tmw and I am leaving NOW!' and I stormed up the steps and get outside. Once outside my guest grabs my arm to tell me she thought I went to the restroom and I wasn't having any of it. I told her her friend was an asshole, and that she knew I needed to leave and that she was being extremely rude and inconsiderate. She then wanted me to listen as she 'excused' herself once more which made things worst because then I started firing off on how I never wanted her to stay a week, that I went out of my way to make plans for her that she specifically requested for Friday night and she didn't bother to show up to any of it and instead gives me the runaround for hours! Then I was nice enough to give her my keys and spend the night at Blondies, sit around all day Saturday waiting for her to show up that night after 7pm! Then she lost my key and now tonight she was being an inconsiderate person! Every time she tried to reason why she didn't do anything wrong I looked away. When the 4 of us boarded my car I caught my friend Goddess Rose saying to my guest how we could sit down and have a discussion about what happened and I cut her off and said 'absolutely not, there is nothing to discuss. That my guest had been chronically rude PERIOD. That she owes me an apology and I had every right to get pissed off!"
After I dropped off Blondie, Goddess Rose decided to come with us back to my apt as I had something of hers she wanted returned and I offered if she wanted to spend the night she could. So the 3 of us get back to my home in the Bronx and get out of my car to walk back to the building. Once again she wants to have a discussion and I told her that I am not the kind to hold a grudge, once I've said my piece I am done. But she doesn't take a hint and I then tell her that her best bet is to drop it! The 3 of us get into the elevator and she then tells me I have no respect and that I should be respectful to her which just made me go crazy again and I replied "respect? you don't even know what respect is. I don't give respect to people who treat me like shit!" then she slammed her hand against the wall in frustration that I wasn't going to let her guilt me for telling her off. I didn't call her names, I didn't put her down. I stated the facts and why I was upset that is IT! Don't try to twist it in your favor it will never work!
We entered the apartment and she's fuming, fine. I let her and Goddess Rose talk while I once again clean up after her ass (she never cleaned once, washed any dishes, took out the garbage). All she did was buy some fruit and beer but so did I and I shared my meals with her and used up several packages of meat that my Mom had sent back with me a while ago. Then Goddess Rose and I talked some in my bedroom where she informed me my guest was planning to leave this morning and stay somewhere else. Okay fine by me, see ya! But I forgot I left something in the living room so went back out to get it. I calmly told her that I was sorry things did not work out between the 2 of us and if she wanted to stay at a hotel/motel/hostel whatever that was her choice. I wasn't asking her to leave but I was asking her to be more considerate and aware of other people. That this may be a vacation for her but this is my home and I work and this is my life here. That I don't just sign to see my hands moving (same as hearies when they say 'I don't just talk to hear my voice'). That I was upset by her chronic rudeness then she says 'can I talk?' and I say yes and then she proceeds to tell me she hurt and the reason she's leaving is not because of what I said but the fact I wouldn't allow her to excuse herself in which I started to reply and she says "I am not done talking!" and I said this is not Communism here, we are having a DISCUSSION and I am allowed to add to it! That I am not here for a lecture on how she thinks me telling her off is a form of domestic violence, uh yeah right, okay! Nope then I said "I give up" as now twice I tried to settle the matter and at the very least am owed an apology. But she isn't going to apologize so fine, whatever, SEE YOU, DON'T WANT TO BE YOU!
Woke up this morning and sure enough she's gone but of course she was kind enough to leave me more dirty dishes, my kitchen floor dirty and trash to take out. Well duh I am not surprised, inconsiderate people are usually that way, she's the queen of them. I don't expect she will mail me a check for the keys as she said she would. I have NO desire to maintain any type of contact with this person and learned a major lesson. I learned don't let people stay with you aren't very close with or for more than 3 days. That they should have a spare key to use to come and go and not be clingy to me (I can't stand needy people!).
Now the 2nd bit of bad news is the fact that because tmw is when student registration opens for Fall 2012 classes at one school. And my boss had not been responding to ANY of my emails nor did he bothered to make the changes needed for my classes as requested repeatedly for quite a few weeks. That after stopping by his office again today for the 3rd time I finally asked to speak to someone higher up. Surely this has got to stop! I ended up speaking with one of the dean's administrative assistance about my concerns. First I asked is my boss ok? Has anything changed so maybe that is why he hasn't been responding and she said no. She had just seen him a few days ago and my boss was fine. Then I explained that I had been trying for weeks now to get my schedule straightened out for the Fall and tmw registration begins and I am panicking! I tried my best not to paint my boss out to be a terrible person but did express my frustration in regards to the lack of responses or acknowledgement of my concerns. That working more than one job means I need my boss to check with me for scheduling ahead of time and not just schedule me 1st and then ask me to work those times which almost never are good for me! I also mentioned that I am extremely loyal employee and a dedicated teacher. That I have higher than average reviews on my instruction and course quality at all my jobs and I would very much like to keep working at the school. But I shouldn't have to chase down my boss every semester to play these games of tag. I even told the assistant that I felt very bad to have to say anything at all and it is not my intention to create problems but she wasn't having any of it and asked me to write down what is going on and my contact email etc etc that she would be speaking to my boss or as she liked to say "sometimes you have to yell at them to wake them up." I left feeling really crappy and stopped by the store on my way home to pick up more fruits and veggies. Once I came home I ate lunch and watched some TV then checked my emails. Lo behold I got several from my boss and my boss did apologize and said I had every right to be upset. My boss immediately put in the schedule request which apparently one of the Deans had ordered to do so. Ouch that made me cringe and think oh man I hope my boss doesn't hold a grudge? I'd liked to think this will be the last time this is an issue between the 2 of us for next Spring 2013 schedule. That maybe this did sort of wake him up? Because I don't want this headache every semester anymore!
Now I am enjoying having my living room again. And I am grateful that my guest left this morning because I am tired of playing hostess to someone I really have grown to dislike tremendously but was trying to be a good person. Screw being polite!
First when she asked to stay with me, I only wanted 3-4 days maximum but she talked me into letting her stay a week and would give me $100 which would have helped me out. Then once she arrived last Thursday I did try to give her a spare key because she is here in town for a 1 week conference. I thought it would be best if she had a key to come and goes as she pleases for the conference and also to free me up as well as I have just spent 6 weeks helping my grandmother prepared to move and then helped when she did move the weekend before last. This means I have had very little social life which is fine because family comes first but this past weekend was my 1st "fun" weekend I had in a while.
But my guest didn't want the spare key. Uh ok....then Thurs night we finally got out to meet my friend and go dancing but she ended up yakking away with my friend. Fine, no worries but then she wanted to go home earlier than I did but I figured fine I would have Friday night to play! Plus my guest wanted to meet me at a Deaf event Friday night around 6-7pm and then join us for our plans for the evening which involved stopping by to see my best friend. Then hitting Bar 13, then hitting my favorite club Ceilo! Well my guest text me to let me know she wasn't going to make it to the Deaf event due to dinner plans with fellow conference attendees. Ok I get that, no problem. She says she will meet me at Blondie's home but once I am there she lets me know she is still at the same restaurant. Fine, okay no problem. Now she says she will meet me at Bar 13, uh ok. The at Bar 13 once again she flaked out. Fine she want to meet me at Ceilo ok, I'm cool with that and was waiting for her to let me know she was on her way to Ceilo so me and my friends could meet her there. For 10 minutes I did not check my phone and then next thing I know I have 12 text messages with her freaking out saying she was at Ceilo and we weren't there and that she left and felt like she was in danger. First of all, she's white and in Manhattan and below 96th st. Any NYer will tell you there is no danger. Secondly where Ceilo is located, it is extremely well lit with many bars, restaurants etc etc so how she felt scared I'll never know because it wasn't some dark alley with crackheads shooting up and graffiti everywhere! So me and my friends RUSHED to meet her and she's all upset and my friend who arranged the evening is upset and now Ceilo free admission ended and we would have to pay $25 to get in and none of us really wanted to pay that. Plus my guest tells me she is ready to go home. I am like, wtf? I told her I wasn't and that I had made an effort to include her on 3 different things earlier that evening that I would not be going home for another hour. My friend Goddess Rose said lets take a cab back to Bar 13 where no cover and good music, people dancing. On the way back to Bar 13 I decided to just give my guest my set of keys and crash at Blondies for the night which she didn't mind. But I expected my guest to come to meet me the next day and give me back my keys.
Saturday comes and I had a great time dancing the night before, slept over at Blondies and my phone was DOA because no charger. I contacted my guest through FB since I couldn't text message her and I didn't get any replies. Goddess Rose did me a huge favor and text my guest to let her know my phone was dead and to check her FB messages. When my guest finally checked mid afternoon she informs me she can't read the message and for me to email her directly. So I emailed her and asked that she meet me by dinner time because I am still wearing the same clothes from the night before, no toothbrush and feeling tired and crummy. She doesn't reply and doesn't reply till after 6:40pm and then shes finally on her way to meet me. I am NOT happy now because all of this could've been avoided had she just taken the spare key! She doesn't even thank me for letting her take the keys etc etc and waiting for her all day Saturday! We get back to my apartment and I told her she has to take the spare key as I didn't want more of those kinds of problems. That same night she brings in a bottle of red wine that I had on hand and we had opened the night before. Understand she did not put the cork back in the bottle but brought it out to my living room sans cork and puts it on the coffee table on my off white rug! Somehow I must've hit the table or snagged the bottle and it goes flying all over my rug creating spirals. I jump up to grab cold water and salt to immediately soak up the RED wine off my OFF-WHITE carpet! I was able to get most of it out but there is a spiral stain on my rug that I just can't get rid of completely :( UGH!!!
Sunday comes and she goes to her conference that morning, meanwhile I slept in and worked on my lessons, and cooked 3 different meals to save money this week and to share with my guest. She comes back that afternoon and asks me to let her in the apartment because guess what? She LOST my spare key!!! Huh, wtf?! You're kidding me! How is that even possible and then she had the nerve to ask to borrow my set of keys. I told her NO WAY! If they were lost that's it! Come on you're crazy to even ask me. Then she asked me if I was okay with leaving my door unlocked? Again I am like are you out of your mind, this is the BRONX! Grr, but she offers to replace the key in which I explained that its not that easy or cheap to do. That the keys are specially made through whats called a copy card so without the 'master card' you can't make copies of the keys. Which makes sense in NYC as you don't want a million people being able to make copies of building keys etc etc..I told her at the very least it will be $75 but it can be as expensive as $175! She looked skeptical like maybe I was lying, uh whatever.
She had invited me to join her and fellow conference attendees at Hard Rock Cafe in Time Square last night but I wasn't interested. That is until I found out an old friend of mine who I am very fond of would be there so I felt it would be worth the visit and to show my guest support too. I explained to my guest I will be coming from NJ after eating dinner with Blondie and Red Hots and she was fine with that.
Yesterday morning was Monday and when I woke up to go to work she was on her way out. I went back to my bedroom to wake up some more with my Bastard Kitty Tom before starting my day and lucky for her I felt BANG BANG BANG through my mattress. At first I wondered if it was one of my neighbors blasting music which is quite common but I had a funny feeling it wasn't. I went to my front door to check and lo behold there she was she had forgotten something. I told her she was lucky I felt her banging and hadn't showered yet or else she would have been waiting 30-40 minutes.
Fast forward to late afternoon my guest text me to let me know the plans may have changed and I was to text her when I was on my way? Uh no thank you, I don't want to play tag especially in a car in Time Square. I was already feeling very put out by the whole visit and not at all like I had made a new genuine friend. Finally a few hrs later she says no its still on for Hard Rock Cafe so Blondie and I get there around 1030pm and that's late for me on a Monday. I already told my guest the day before I did not want to stay out late Monday as I work today and yesterday etc etc.. At Hard Rock Cafe it was great to see my friend Rusty and Goddess Rose also joined us there. At a different table there were about 10 Deafies sitting but I didn't know any of them and most were international. Cool, I sit at the 'VIP' table with Rusty, Blondie and Goddess Rose while my guest fluttered around with the others before finally sitting back down at our table with one guy who I will call RR. I immediately did not like RR and got bad vibes off of him. He is one of those arrogant gay men who act like you're trash or beneath them. I didn't really pay one ounce of attention to him nor was I impressed on his master thesis crap. I was ready to go because I still needed to drop off Blondie and get my laptop new battery that had been mailed to her. And I wanted to drop off Goddess Rose as it was on my way home. I indicated to my guest that it was time to leave so me, Blondie and Goddess Rose immediately got up and put our coats on and walked towards the entrance but they needed to use the bathroom. Sure ok but I turn around and my guest and her dick friend RR are not anywhere close so I walk back into the dinning room and they're yakking away! I said again I really need to get home, I work tmw and as soon as the girls were out of the restroom we had to leave. I get back to find both Blondie and Goddess Rose on their way upstairs to exit outside to the street so I waved and informed shithead RR that we got to go, let me guest know because her back was to me. He just looked at me and smirked. Whatever, I go upstairs and outside where my 2 friends are waiting and we wait, we wait, we wait and I shoot back downstairs to find out what is going on?! They're still talking. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I flipped out and said to RR 'why didn't you tell her we left?! why are you such a dick?' then I looked at her and said 'I have to work tmw and I am leaving NOW!' and I stormed up the steps and get outside. Once outside my guest grabs my arm to tell me she thought I went to the restroom and I wasn't having any of it. I told her her friend was an asshole, and that she knew I needed to leave and that she was being extremely rude and inconsiderate. She then wanted me to listen as she 'excused' herself once more which made things worst because then I started firing off on how I never wanted her to stay a week, that I went out of my way to make plans for her that she specifically requested for Friday night and she didn't bother to show up to any of it and instead gives me the runaround for hours! Then I was nice enough to give her my keys and spend the night at Blondies, sit around all day Saturday waiting for her to show up that night after 7pm! Then she lost my key and now tonight she was being an inconsiderate person! Every time she tried to reason why she didn't do anything wrong I looked away. When the 4 of us boarded my car I caught my friend Goddess Rose saying to my guest how we could sit down and have a discussion about what happened and I cut her off and said 'absolutely not, there is nothing to discuss. That my guest had been chronically rude PERIOD. That she owes me an apology and I had every right to get pissed off!"
After I dropped off Blondie, Goddess Rose decided to come with us back to my apt as I had something of hers she wanted returned and I offered if she wanted to spend the night she could. So the 3 of us get back to my home in the Bronx and get out of my car to walk back to the building. Once again she wants to have a discussion and I told her that I am not the kind to hold a grudge, once I've said my piece I am done. But she doesn't take a hint and I then tell her that her best bet is to drop it! The 3 of us get into the elevator and she then tells me I have no respect and that I should be respectful to her which just made me go crazy again and I replied "respect? you don't even know what respect is. I don't give respect to people who treat me like shit!" then she slammed her hand against the wall in frustration that I wasn't going to let her guilt me for telling her off. I didn't call her names, I didn't put her down. I stated the facts and why I was upset that is IT! Don't try to twist it in your favor it will never work!
We entered the apartment and she's fuming, fine. I let her and Goddess Rose talk while I once again clean up after her ass (she never cleaned once, washed any dishes, took out the garbage). All she did was buy some fruit and beer but so did I and I shared my meals with her and used up several packages of meat that my Mom had sent back with me a while ago. Then Goddess Rose and I talked some in my bedroom where she informed me my guest was planning to leave this morning and stay somewhere else. Okay fine by me, see ya! But I forgot I left something in the living room so went back out to get it. I calmly told her that I was sorry things did not work out between the 2 of us and if she wanted to stay at a hotel/motel/hostel whatever that was her choice. I wasn't asking her to leave but I was asking her to be more considerate and aware of other people. That this may be a vacation for her but this is my home and I work and this is my life here. That I don't just sign to see my hands moving (same as hearies when they say 'I don't just talk to hear my voice'). That I was upset by her chronic rudeness then she says 'can I talk?' and I say yes and then she proceeds to tell me she hurt and the reason she's leaving is not because of what I said but the fact I wouldn't allow her to excuse herself in which I started to reply and she says "I am not done talking!" and I said this is not Communism here, we are having a DISCUSSION and I am allowed to add to it! That I am not here for a lecture on how she thinks me telling her off is a form of domestic violence, uh yeah right, okay! Nope then I said "I give up" as now twice I tried to settle the matter and at the very least am owed an apology. But she isn't going to apologize so fine, whatever, SEE YOU, DON'T WANT TO BE YOU!
Woke up this morning and sure enough she's gone but of course she was kind enough to leave me more dirty dishes, my kitchen floor dirty and trash to take out. Well duh I am not surprised, inconsiderate people are usually that way, she's the queen of them. I don't expect she will mail me a check for the keys as she said she would. I have NO desire to maintain any type of contact with this person and learned a major lesson. I learned don't let people stay with you aren't very close with or for more than 3 days. That they should have a spare key to use to come and go and not be clingy to me (I can't stand needy people!).
Now the 2nd bit of bad news is the fact that because tmw is when student registration opens for Fall 2012 classes at one school. And my boss had not been responding to ANY of my emails nor did he bothered to make the changes needed for my classes as requested repeatedly for quite a few weeks. That after stopping by his office again today for the 3rd time I finally asked to speak to someone higher up. Surely this has got to stop! I ended up speaking with one of the dean's administrative assistance about my concerns. First I asked is my boss ok? Has anything changed so maybe that is why he hasn't been responding and she said no. She had just seen him a few days ago and my boss was fine. Then I explained that I had been trying for weeks now to get my schedule straightened out for the Fall and tmw registration begins and I am panicking! I tried my best not to paint my boss out to be a terrible person but did express my frustration in regards to the lack of responses or acknowledgement of my concerns. That working more than one job means I need my boss to check with me for scheduling ahead of time and not just schedule me 1st and then ask me to work those times which almost never are good for me! I also mentioned that I am extremely loyal employee and a dedicated teacher. That I have higher than average reviews on my instruction and course quality at all my jobs and I would very much like to keep working at the school. But I shouldn't have to chase down my boss every semester to play these games of tag. I even told the assistant that I felt very bad to have to say anything at all and it is not my intention to create problems but she wasn't having any of it and asked me to write down what is going on and my contact email etc etc that she would be speaking to my boss or as she liked to say "sometimes you have to yell at them to wake them up." I left feeling really crappy and stopped by the store on my way home to pick up more fruits and veggies. Once I came home I ate lunch and watched some TV then checked my emails. Lo behold I got several from my boss and my boss did apologize and said I had every right to be upset. My boss immediately put in the schedule request which apparently one of the Deans had ordered to do so. Ouch that made me cringe and think oh man I hope my boss doesn't hold a grudge? I'd liked to think this will be the last time this is an issue between the 2 of us for next Spring 2013 schedule. That maybe this did sort of wake him up? Because I don't want this headache every semester anymore!
Now I am enjoying having my living room again. And I am grateful that my guest left this morning because I am tired of playing hostess to someone I really have grown to dislike tremendously but was trying to be a good person. Screw being polite!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
It just doesn't get any better than this!
FIONA's Sizzling Hot Deafrobics!!! I laughed so hard I cried. I am VERY impressed and that's hard to do ;-]
Its not hard to be nice
and in my opinion a LOT more fun! Someone paid me a nice compliment tonight and said I'm very likeable. *sound of ego inflating* I think the secret really is to be honest and relatable. Afterall we're all humans with ups and downs to deny so creates inequality. Besides I am such a LEO! We thrive on compliments a way a cat does to a loving laps and lots of attention! We PURR to being fawned over, meOw!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
'No permanent position'
aptly describes my employment as an instructor we do not have any stability and at times it can be quite stressful. I have made my 'career' this way but I really wish to have more stability because I give 110% to my students and classes, I'd like to be appreciated for it. Instead of treated like a 2nd class citizen with NO rights. I am fortunate because one of my schools is WONDERFUL to me and makes the effort to grant me my scheduling preferences and classroom locations. But that's not to say I didn't have to nudge them a lot in the past to get these things. I am very persistent and like a dog with a bone, I usually don't let go till I get my way. I mean if I am not being given health insurance and other benefits I could at least have a decent classroom to teach out of and a schedule that is appropriate for my lifestyle. It is frustrating these days to not know if I will even earn enough to pay my rent this summer or next fall? With the good school I am secure and happy. But with the 2nd one is always touch and go. How disappointing to have to keep jumping through these hoops every couple of months! I am bummed about this right now.
meanwhile the move last weekend went as smooth as to be expected. Both Baba and I were worn out but more so her because of a recent fall that left her more than just banged up. It hurts me to see someone I love in pain and I really hope the pain lessens for her as each day passes. And that she is adjusting to her new home favorably?
overall life is good with the exception of the above rant about work, I can't complain even tho I did :]
meanwhile the move last weekend went as smooth as to be expected. Both Baba and I were worn out but more so her because of a recent fall that left her more than just banged up. It hurts me to see someone I love in pain and I really hope the pain lessens for her as each day passes. And that she is adjusting to her new home favorably?
overall life is good with the exception of the above rant about work, I can't complain even tho I did :]
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
A little Valentines day decor
Just because I am single doesn't mean I despise Valentines day! As a matter of fact I am a hopeless romantic at heart and why not encourage more romance and LOVE in the world! And LOVE comes in all shapes and sizes and TYPES :-}
Happy Early Valentines Day to everyone, everywhere!
Happy Early Valentines Day to everyone, everywhere!
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
Teak On The Hudson
Teak On The Hudson restaurant/bar aesthetics are unbelievably GOOD!, I am so glad Red Hots took these photos!
Seriously I guesstimate the fish tank that holds numerous Koi fishes to be ya-30 to 40 feet long and probably at east 5 feet from top to bottom!
A magazine worthy shot taken by Red Hots :]
The decor is BEAUTIFUL! Sorry this shot do
Red Hots + Me = *sizzles!*
Blondie and Me, as cute as can be for Besties!
Seriously I guesstimate the fish tank that holds numerous Koi fishes to be ya-30 to 40 feet long and probably at east 5 feet from top to bottom!
A magazine worthy shot taken by Red Hots :]
The decor is BEAUTIFUL! Sorry this shot do
Red Hots + Me = *sizzles!*
Blondie and Me, as cute as can be for Besties!Monday, January 30, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Fed up with 'doing the right thing'
So now I am torn between a major decision on whether or not to accept a 3rd job that would add 2 more classes to my work load of 5 already existing classes. Plus I would be taking an approximate $15 an hour pay cut from my current minimum hourly earnings which is making the job offer a LOT less appealing. Toppled with the fact I have to once again give up my evenings and for the 1st time in years I have my evenings back except for 1 night a week, which is tonight. The commute will be hell too...
BUT
It would be serious extra income and help me to pay off bills especially my state taxes which in a double edge sword kind of way could actually make worse....Plus its the responsible thing to do, take the job.
I just am torn and not at all enthusized with being paid less than I deserve :/ DO-DO?
BUT
It would be serious extra income and help me to pay off bills especially my state taxes which in a double edge sword kind of way could actually make worse....Plus its the responsible thing to do, take the job.
I just am torn and not at all enthusized with being paid less than I deserve :/ DO-DO?
Monday, January 23, 2012
Club Photos!
Me and Goddess Rose enjoying the 1st snowfall for NYC 2012 after a fun night!
Celebrating Phil Jean's bday! The Gays always bring the glitz and glam!
Me and Goddess Rose with Phil & F13!
Look out Boy George, you can't top this!Gotta love NYC dance crowd, seriously some of the nicest people you ever want to meet!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Self-pity need not apply here
There are two kinds of people in the world; those who make do and those who don't but sit around and complain about it. I prefer to be in the company of the 1st group. The type that deals with the hand they're dealt and can still find an ounce of happiness somewhere in their day. The 2nd group I avoid like the plague! The self made victims who whine about their woes and snarl at others when they are smiling or being kind. Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to say one should go through life with denying the truths of the world out there no matter how ugly. But you don't have to sit and marinate in it either.
For those who chose to be victims and not do ANYTHING to help yourself I want you to know, you certainly won't win awards for the countless hours spent pouting or being sullen. The only person who's truly suffering is yourself or the other people around you who put up with it just because they love you. You don't grow old and think back in to your life and feel proud of the days wasted being miserable. As a matter of fact you probably won't grow old because misery is stress to your body and more than likely you'll die sooner rather than later. You won't suddenly one day be happy because this happened or that happened because happiness doesn't come from the outside. It has to come from you and your insides, how you FEEL about YOU? And if you don't like how YOU FEEL then there are countless ways to change who you are or the life you are living. Books, religious or community mentors, friends, family, counseling, medication, exercise and a personal favorite of mine altruism. Helping others helps you. You learn humility, compassion and the common ground you share with another living person or being (pets, wildlife, plants). Doing GOOD feels GOOD.
I know I know! how did I get to here from there (seriously last fall was a tough time for me, still reeling from the breakup, leaving school, financial woes, etc., etc..read any post from Sept '11-early Dec '11) I truly thought this is it for me. I won't recover from this, I couldn't even smile much anymore. But time passes and I made choices and stuck with those choices. Its hard to be disciplined when you're depressed, I know its hard for me too. But if you stick to your resolve to change things, it happens quite slowly at first and then all of a sudden a snowball effect occurs and you're suddenly where you want to be. This is how I feel these days. I feel like I am in such a great place in my life.
I started off healing my wounds with those cheesy self inspirational quotes that I wrote on post it notes and places in random places in the apartment. I admit when I saw them in other peoples homes I always thought to myself how lame! But which is lamer? Looking dorky to a couple of people who you trust? Or being the debbie downer, the stick in the mud at every gathering? So did I look at these quotes everyday? No, not really as a matter of fact I stopped seeing them and occasionally forced myself to stop and re-read them. But what I did find myself doing was thinking about these quotes in my head at one part or another of my day and it slowly changed my mindset. Then sometimes when I went back to re-read these post-its, some of them were no longer applied to me. Because either I already incorporated the sentiment/mindset or it simply served just to boost me up and I no longer needed the pep talk. It felt good to crumble the post it notes into a ball and throw it away. Like I had mastered it or no longer needed the little pick-me-up crutch.
During my active attempt to heal and feel better, I generally reach out to my friends and family and shared with them my feelings (good or bad). Baba probably gave me the best piece of advice which was don't be so hard on yourself and just give yourself time to heal. You need to heal first. See here the key point is to give yourself TIME to HEAL. Not TIME alone, you don't need more time doing nothing or more of the same, you need TIME to HEAL (CHANGE) which means making a commitment to yourself to do just that. For me that meant finally making my apartment into a home because this is your sanctuary, your escape from the world when you're too tired or beaten down. On those days where everything has gone wrong, one should be able to come home and feel good, relax and calm and if possible, happy too? It took a LOT of time to make my apartment into a home for me and Tom. And thanks to Blondie being there for me and helping me on 3 separate occasions while I worked on the place in between her visits, I now PAH have the 'ahhh' feeling when I walk in the door. Plus I love sharing my home with Tom aka my Bastard Kitty, I actually make sure to come home every night to sleep in my bed and be with my Tom Tom. I joked recently on FB after I uploaded a photo of Tom Tom that he's all the man I need! I no longer allow a TV, computer or phone in my room. The only electronics in there is my alarm clock and that's just because I can't wake up on my own. My bedroom is now a place of rest, sleep and reading. Which also helps with feeling like this is my perfect little home! So finally being able to enjoy my apartment has added tremendously to my overall well being and I try not to take it for granted.
I also decided to heal myself by changing how I eat. I have been since last fall adding more and more healthy food to my diet on a day to day basis. I already love fruit but have been working on adding more veggies and I stay away from a lot of the process food I used to eat (not 100%) like I still use an occasional pasta mix from a box but things like snack foods/desserts (junk food) I have stopped buying for the most part, including chocolate which I used to eat EVERYDAY but only in the past 3 weeks have I broken that habit. I also just have become more fussy about what I am willing to eat. I won't eat something just to please someone else or go with the herd mentality. I only eat if I LOVE it and I feel it does something good for my body such as fruit I know is rich in so much that I feel GOOD when I consume it. I am still quite a meat eater that will never change but the amount and frequency has. I also pay close attention to water and have drastically reduced my diet coke intake which used to be less than a half a can a day but now I drink it every few days. I mostly drink water (sometimes with a lemon), seltzer water, cranberry juice and occasional diet coke or ginger ale. I still love Chinese food but do not ordered it very often because the kind I like to eat is not under a diet menu anyways.
I have not lost as much weight as I would like but I suspect that is due to the lack of muscle tone which is on my next "to do" list once I am settled into my work routine. Muscles always burns more calories and honestly looks a lot more attractive then fat. Having discovered the love of dancing, I know that at least I am getting my cardio sometime. But weights must be added soon for muscle resistance. What I love about dancing is once you've been dancing for a while you just get lost in the music and find your 'zone' and let go. Its almost meditative when you let your body just take over and basically stop thinking! And just BE! Exhilarating!
For those who chose to be victims and not do ANYTHING to help yourself I want you to know, you certainly won't win awards for the countless hours spent pouting or being sullen. The only person who's truly suffering is yourself or the other people around you who put up with it just because they love you. You don't grow old and think back in to your life and feel proud of the days wasted being miserable. As a matter of fact you probably won't grow old because misery is stress to your body and more than likely you'll die sooner rather than later. You won't suddenly one day be happy because this happened or that happened because happiness doesn't come from the outside. It has to come from you and your insides, how you FEEL about YOU? And if you don't like how YOU FEEL then there are countless ways to change who you are or the life you are living. Books, religious or community mentors, friends, family, counseling, medication, exercise and a personal favorite of mine altruism. Helping others helps you. You learn humility, compassion and the common ground you share with another living person or being (pets, wildlife, plants). Doing GOOD feels GOOD.
I know I know! how did I get to here from there (seriously last fall was a tough time for me, still reeling from the breakup, leaving school, financial woes, etc., etc..read any post from Sept '11-early Dec '11) I truly thought this is it for me. I won't recover from this, I couldn't even smile much anymore. But time passes and I made choices and stuck with those choices. Its hard to be disciplined when you're depressed, I know its hard for me too. But if you stick to your resolve to change things, it happens quite slowly at first and then all of a sudden a snowball effect occurs and you're suddenly where you want to be. This is how I feel these days. I feel like I am in such a great place in my life.
I started off healing my wounds with those cheesy self inspirational quotes that I wrote on post it notes and places in random places in the apartment. I admit when I saw them in other peoples homes I always thought to myself how lame! But which is lamer? Looking dorky to a couple of people who you trust? Or being the debbie downer, the stick in the mud at every gathering? So did I look at these quotes everyday? No, not really as a matter of fact I stopped seeing them and occasionally forced myself to stop and re-read them. But what I did find myself doing was thinking about these quotes in my head at one part or another of my day and it slowly changed my mindset. Then sometimes when I went back to re-read these post-its, some of them were no longer applied to me. Because either I already incorporated the sentiment/mindset or it simply served just to boost me up and I no longer needed the pep talk. It felt good to crumble the post it notes into a ball and throw it away. Like I had mastered it or no longer needed the little pick-me-up crutch.
During my active attempt to heal and feel better, I generally reach out to my friends and family and shared with them my feelings (good or bad). Baba probably gave me the best piece of advice which was don't be so hard on yourself and just give yourself time to heal. You need to heal first. See here the key point is to give yourself TIME to HEAL. Not TIME alone, you don't need more time doing nothing or more of the same, you need TIME to HEAL (CHANGE) which means making a commitment to yourself to do just that. For me that meant finally making my apartment into a home because this is your sanctuary, your escape from the world when you're too tired or beaten down. On those days where everything has gone wrong, one should be able to come home and feel good, relax and calm and if possible, happy too? It took a LOT of time to make my apartment into a home for me and Tom. And thanks to Blondie being there for me and helping me on 3 separate occasions while I worked on the place in between her visits, I now PAH have the 'ahhh' feeling when I walk in the door. Plus I love sharing my home with Tom aka my Bastard Kitty, I actually make sure to come home every night to sleep in my bed and be with my Tom Tom. I joked recently on FB after I uploaded a photo of Tom Tom that he's all the man I need! I no longer allow a TV, computer or phone in my room. The only electronics in there is my alarm clock and that's just because I can't wake up on my own. My bedroom is now a place of rest, sleep and reading. Which also helps with feeling like this is my perfect little home! So finally being able to enjoy my apartment has added tremendously to my overall well being and I try not to take it for granted.
I also decided to heal myself by changing how I eat. I have been since last fall adding more and more healthy food to my diet on a day to day basis. I already love fruit but have been working on adding more veggies and I stay away from a lot of the process food I used to eat (not 100%) like I still use an occasional pasta mix from a box but things like snack foods/desserts (junk food) I have stopped buying for the most part, including chocolate which I used to eat EVERYDAY but only in the past 3 weeks have I broken that habit. I also just have become more fussy about what I am willing to eat. I won't eat something just to please someone else or go with the herd mentality. I only eat if I LOVE it and I feel it does something good for my body such as fruit I know is rich in so much that I feel GOOD when I consume it. I am still quite a meat eater that will never change but the amount and frequency has. I also pay close attention to water and have drastically reduced my diet coke intake which used to be less than a half a can a day but now I drink it every few days. I mostly drink water (sometimes with a lemon), seltzer water, cranberry juice and occasional diet coke or ginger ale. I still love Chinese food but do not ordered it very often because the kind I like to eat is not under a diet menu anyways.
I have not lost as much weight as I would like but I suspect that is due to the lack of muscle tone which is on my next "to do" list once I am settled into my work routine. Muscles always burns more calories and honestly looks a lot more attractive then fat. Having discovered the love of dancing, I know that at least I am getting my cardio sometime. But weights must be added soon for muscle resistance. What I love about dancing is once you've been dancing for a while you just get lost in the music and find your 'zone' and let go. Its almost meditative when you let your body just take over and basically stop thinking! And just BE! Exhilarating!
Friday, January 20, 2012
FB Drone
Seriously, I have become another FB drone!!! I love chatting with various people from all parts of my life from the past all the way to yesterday! I think its amazing how technology has shorten the gap for communication between people geographically. Recently I have been trying a few fun apps like one tells you what your NAME says about you. They hit the mark pretty well!
Last night I learned something new. I can love one of my favorite club here in NYC but I won't always love the music or the DJ playing. I can't enjoy repetitive and slow music or feel the desire to DANCE! Live and learn, I am really a ROOTS fan!
In other news I am sooooooooo excited that next weekend Baba and Uncle David will visit me and bring me some furniture as well. But more importantly FAMILY is visiting ME :) How lucky am I?
Last night I learned something new. I can love one of my favorite club here in NYC but I won't always love the music or the DJ playing. I can't enjoy repetitive and slow music or feel the desire to DANCE! Live and learn, I am really a ROOTS fan!
In other news I am sooooooooo excited that next weekend Baba and Uncle David will visit me and bring me some furniture as well. But more importantly FAMILY is visiting ME :) How lucky am I?
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
2012!!!
Pah! My 1st post for the new year :)
I must say my New Years this year was one of the best ever! I rang in the NYE with my best friend Blondie along with Red Hots, Little Orphan Annie and some other cool folks. The gays outnumbered the straights. FUN! It was exactly what I was in the mood for a HOUSE partay with an Omega backyard too.
Here's me and Red Hots *sizzle!*
Chasity & Red Dog!
They'd make a handsome couple if they were straight but instead they make a sexy Gay couple!
On New Years Day I dance my tush off with Goddess Rose and her man.
Here I am at Pier 94 along with probably 5,000-10,000 other folks dancing away
and having a grand old time!
Me with Goddess Rose who made New Years Day possible!
And infected me with the dancing bug! Thank you, I am loving it!!!
And we got to meet Dean Winters! Yep the hottie from OZ!
Dean was so nice and a real sweetheart! I liked that he was down to earth and just vibing with everyone else. I HEART NYC!!!
I am sooo excited to be dancing near Dean Winters! Of course when he was looking I played it all cool like 'oh I rub elbows with famous peeps all the time! ~ Yeah Right!'
New Years Day that night I changed up my makeup and apparently this is the look I should go for more often! Got a lot of compliments on FB, nice ego boost!
Today was my 1st day back to work and I am glad I only work today and am off the rest of the week. I am still on vacation mode. For fun I included several slides in my powerpoint in which I told students 2 truths and 1 lie. For example I did one where did I ever get a nose job? Did I get LASIK done? Did I wear braces? Of course my nose is au naturel! The one I thought was so interesting was the question where I asked which of these 3 actors have I met? JC Chasez? Johnny Galecki? Dean Winters? In both of my classes today more people thought I had never met Dean Winters compared to the other two. I guess everyone wants to meet the man who played O'Reilly! It was fun to show them the next slide with Dean's photo and JC Chasez from back at MSSD days I think 1991 or 92?
I just dig meeting celebrities, my goodness I've met quite a few like Henry Wrinkler the FONZ, Cynthia Nixon, David Blaine, and many supporting actors too. I think its inevitable if you live in a big city like this one! I even shook hands with Richard Nixon who having shook many other Deafie's hands during a field trip to the capitol was shocked when I replied "I am doing well!" Cuz as he shook hands with each student he say the same thing "how ya doing?" then shake the next hand and most of my peers didn't verbally respond till I did ;P They weren't exaggerating his nose in those cartoons I kid you not!
Also Blondie, god bless her helped me get my apartment all squared away finally! I can't ever thank her enough for all of her help. I was living in a literal pit of despair for 8 months and now my apartment looks like a HOME! I even arranged my books by color as suggested in one article on how to make your bookcase look less cluttered. I've been reading up on feng shui apartment living too. I want one of those zen water fountains as water symbolizes abundance and prosperity. Been scanning on ebay for one that stands out to me and screams BUY ME! You see this year for 2012 I have 2 mottoes
1st motto is "it's all about me baby!" after years of putting everyone ahead of myself, I've decided to give myself the same attention I give others :]
2nd motto is "if I don't absolutely LOVE it, I won't eat it, buy it, wear it, use it..." etc., etc..and so far its working! So until I stumble across my dream water fountain and have the dough to buy one (I don't want anything terribly expensive or large but soothing and pleasing to the eyes).
Now my dream WANT is a product made by a company called CONMOTO which makes a product called RollFire! A portable fireplace but the price tag on this starts at about $3700! I want I want I want!
Seriously how cool would that be to have in your home? So sleek and trendy and best of all FIRE my favorite element! I guess being a fire sign and having a deep respect for FIRE both its ability to destroy as well as create to me is just inspiring! No worries I am not a pyromaniac :-] According to Feng Shui FIRE symbolizes energy and passion. And it is suggested it not be used too much in the bedroom as it is a place of rest but if properly situated it can bring romance to your life. Right now I am boycotting men and romance in favor of my 1st motto this year. Perhaps in 2013 I'll want to date but right now I am enjoying my life too much to play house again anytime soon!
Okay I've yammered on enough. Hopefully things will keep going well as they have been and I have to say I haven't been this happy and content in so long its nice to be back! As Baba used to say a Shakespeare quote "to thy own self be true" and baby I am doing that!
I must say my New Years this year was one of the best ever! I rang in the NYE with my best friend Blondie along with Red Hots, Little Orphan Annie and some other cool folks. The gays outnumbered the straights. FUN! It was exactly what I was in the mood for a HOUSE partay with an Omega backyard too.
Here's me and Red Hots *sizzle!*
Chasity & Red Dog!They'd make a handsome couple if they were straight but instead they make a sexy Gay couple!
Here I am at Pier 94 along with probably 5,000-10,000 other folks dancing awayand having a grand old time!
Me with Goddess Rose who made New Years Day possible!And infected me with the dancing bug! Thank you, I am loving it!!!
Dean was so nice and a real sweetheart! I liked that he was down to earth and just vibing with everyone else. I HEART NYC!!!
I am sooo excited to be dancing near Dean Winters! Of course when he was looking I played it all cool like 'oh I rub elbows with famous peeps all the time! ~ Yeah Right!'
New Years Day that night I changed up my makeup and apparently this is the look I should go for more often! Got a lot of compliments on FB, nice ego boost!Today was my 1st day back to work and I am glad I only work today and am off the rest of the week. I am still on vacation mode. For fun I included several slides in my powerpoint in which I told students 2 truths and 1 lie. For example I did one where did I ever get a nose job? Did I get LASIK done? Did I wear braces? Of course my nose is au naturel! The one I thought was so interesting was the question where I asked which of these 3 actors have I met? JC Chasez? Johnny Galecki? Dean Winters? In both of my classes today more people thought I had never met Dean Winters compared to the other two. I guess everyone wants to meet the man who played O'Reilly! It was fun to show them the next slide with Dean's photo and JC Chasez from back at MSSD days I think 1991 or 92?
I just dig meeting celebrities, my goodness I've met quite a few like Henry Wrinkler the FONZ, Cynthia Nixon, David Blaine, and many supporting actors too. I think its inevitable if you live in a big city like this one! I even shook hands with Richard Nixon who having shook many other Deafie's hands during a field trip to the capitol was shocked when I replied "I am doing well!" Cuz as he shook hands with each student he say the same thing "how ya doing?" then shake the next hand and most of my peers didn't verbally respond till I did ;P They weren't exaggerating his nose in those cartoons I kid you not!Also Blondie, god bless her helped me get my apartment all squared away finally! I can't ever thank her enough for all of her help. I was living in a literal pit of despair for 8 months and now my apartment looks like a HOME! I even arranged my books by color as suggested in one article on how to make your bookcase look less cluttered. I've been reading up on feng shui apartment living too. I want one of those zen water fountains as water symbolizes abundance and prosperity. Been scanning on ebay for one that stands out to me and screams BUY ME! You see this year for 2012 I have 2 mottoes
1st motto is "it's all about me baby!" after years of putting everyone ahead of myself, I've decided to give myself the same attention I give others :]
2nd motto is "if I don't absolutely LOVE it, I won't eat it, buy it, wear it, use it..." etc., etc..and so far its working! So until I stumble across my dream water fountain and have the dough to buy one (I don't want anything terribly expensive or large but soothing and pleasing to the eyes).
Now my dream WANT is a product made by a company called CONMOTO which makes a product called RollFire! A portable fireplace but the price tag on this starts at about $3700! I want I want I want!
Seriously how cool would that be to have in your home? So sleek and trendy and best of all FIRE my favorite element! I guess being a fire sign and having a deep respect for FIRE both its ability to destroy as well as create to me is just inspiring! No worries I am not a pyromaniac :-] According to Feng Shui FIRE symbolizes energy and passion. And it is suggested it not be used too much in the bedroom as it is a place of rest but if properly situated it can bring romance to your life. Right now I am boycotting men and romance in favor of my 1st motto this year. Perhaps in 2013 I'll want to date but right now I am enjoying my life too much to play house again anytime soon!Okay I've yammered on enough. Hopefully things will keep going well as they have been and I have to say I haven't been this happy and content in so long its nice to be back! As Baba used to say a Shakespeare quote "to thy own self be true" and baby I am doing that!
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
My mini-vacation
Blondie and I escaped the concrete jungle clutches recently and headed upstate to a bed and breakfast (B&B) called Mariaville Lake B&B located close by to Schenectady. I found a good deal for this B&B on Lifesta, a website for people who want to re-sell their groupons, living social or other online deals previously brought. Unfortunately I brought it in early November and it was to expire by 12/31/11 which did not give me much time to pick a date when and all the weekends were already booked. After much thought and back and forth with Blondie we decided to go on Sunday 12/18 & Monday 12/19 for those 2 nights.
We met up on Sunday early afternoon and loaded up the car, got on the road and the trip itself took less than 3 hours! Beautiful drive along I-87. We arrived and the owner of the BB name Rick was there to greet us with crinkly eyes and a huge grin, such a nice man. He welcomed us and gave us a tour of the B&B.
Blondie looking regal as usual ;P
We talked for hours and then went to bed. The next day we got up for the 1st breakfast and then went back to bed till 1 or so. After we got up and ready we had discussed the night before about where we wanted to go or do? We both need new threads and I came up with the idea of thrift shopping. Plus we asked Rick where people like to go when shopping in the older parts of the city? Like in DC there's Georgetown, in NYC there's so many places like St. Marks, Union Square and in Schednetcdy its called Jay street. Before we left we snapped some photos by the front of the B&B
Reindeer!
First we went to three stores all in the same location. 2 were really nice, young hipsters consignment shops and another was just a discount store. I found a 2 tops and Blondie found a really nice sweater. After that we headed to a large Goodwill where again I scored 2 shirts and Blondie found some antique ornaments. Then we headed to Jay street which was in the same area we had drove around in the night before for the Thai place. And lucky was right around the corner from Bomber's Burritos Bar which we already planned to eat at and drink Margaritas! Jay street was cute most of the shops and cafe closed at 6 so we didn't really do any shopping there, that's ok there wasn't anything I saw that disappointed me and its very small strip of shops. We headed to Bombers with our Holiday antennas. We decided to share a pulled pork burrito and wings and each got a margarita, mine san salt. Oh my god, the burrito was the best I EVER HAD! I kid you not! I was just so surprised at how good it was and the place was really cute set up and people looked like they were having fun. We enjoyed Bombers a LOT. Then we headed back to the B&B and asked Rick if we could have 1 more fire? He said no problem and set it up for us and Blondie drank wine and we gabbed till very late!
I learned that using my phone camera mode to take a self portrait works only if you have good lighting because while the phone camera has a flash, its only on one side. For self portraits no flash.
I thought this was a nice shot of me and Blondie, 2 women on a night on the town!
More Fire
Yeah we look tired from staying up too late but damnit, it was FUN!
We met up on Sunday early afternoon and loaded up the car, got on the road and the trip itself took less than 3 hours! Beautiful drive along I-87. We arrived and the owner of the BB name Rick was there to greet us with crinkly eyes and a huge grin, such a nice man. He welcomed us and gave us a tour of the B&B.
The view from the front of the house
The dinning room where we ate breakfast the 2nd morning
This here was a small patio facing north I suppose? but this picture doesn't do the room justice, I should've taken this picture again yesterday when it wasn't so cloudy for better lighting. Here is where we ate breakfast cooked and served by Rick himself. By the way the 1st breakfast on Monday morning was so damn delicious! Rick started us off with a small plate of cut up strawberries and pineapple. Along with some kind of filo pastry topped with maple butter mixed with large dried cranberries/cherries I don't know what it was but damn I was loving every small bite I took! Then he served us I think it was a souffle or perhaps quiche along with a few strips of bacon and mango juice (which for me was too sweet but I had tea to help quench my thirst). The 2nd breakfast I did not care for but that was a personal preference not because what he made wouldn't be tasty for other folks. I think next time if I go back I will simply ask for a regular breakfast because Rick did ask us if we had any food allergies and probably we could've told he what we would prefer to eat but we didn't think of it at the time. We thought we would be given a choice for breakfast but no matter live and learn.
The view from the patio on the 1st morning but it was cloudy that day so again this photo doesn't really accurately show how beautiful the area really is!
The staircase that leads to the front door of the B&B. On the left is the dinning room with the huge mirror. On the right is the living room with the fireplace where Blondie and I spent our evenings at.
Upstairs 2nd floor where the guest rooms were. The first entrance by the step was the hallway that lead to the back of the house. This hallway is kind of long with several bends and turns. I joked to Blondie as Rick led us through the maze where our room was that I would need a map to find my way around. In the picture above the next entrance lead to the Vineyard room. And where I am standing taking the photo is where the Lakeview room is.
We were told we were the only guest for the night and we had the whole place to ourselves. We got to see the rooms and I was glad I picked the Country room because it had a single bed and a queen size bed as well as a mini fridge and tv (sadly no CC for that tv but the common area downstairs with a tv did have CC if we wanted to use it but we never did). My other top choices included the Lakeview room but decided against it because it faced east and I did not want to be woken up at the crack of dawn bombarded by sunlight. But still a magnificent room don't you think?
My other top room choice was the Vineyard room (or as Blondie and I called it the Lavender room) absolutely gorgeous and girly too!
When Blondie and I saw this room we both gushed how pretty it was and how much we liked the room but I am glad we didn't pick this one as its really good for either 1 person or a couple in love and on top of each other ;)
The Vineyard room also faced East or the front of the house and was across the hall from the Lakeview room.
Our room was called the Country room, a bright yellow room with almost an L shape design. There was a ceramic bunny on the desk in our room that I thought could use a holiday makeover. What do you think?
After we settled in with our bags we knew that on a Sunday night it would be pretty low key all around. We chose a Thai restaurant located I guess what is downtown Schenectady not far at all from the B&B. Since it was night time it was a pretty drive away from the Maria Lake passing all residents houses with holiday decorations. We found the place thanks to the GPS Baba had given me a while back and to our surprised as we walked in the place looked like a redneck bar or a bar you find in my hometown and Blondie at first thought we went into the wrong place! But I told her no its the Thai place where there's a bar when you first walk in and the dinning area is adjacent to it. I think we both we're expecting an Asian theme decor from the way the menu looked but I guess we forgot we're no longer in our urban city. Suffice to say the food was DELICIOUS! YUM YUM! After we ate we found a convenient store and brought some alcoholic beverages like Mike's Hard Lemonade. I personally really liked Mike's Classic Margarita Raspberry flavor, while Blondie stuck with Mike's Hard Pink Lemonade. Before we left Rick offered to set up the fireplace in the living area so when we got back we could hang out by the fire which we did :) 
Me enjoying our 1st night :)
Here's Blondie laughing at my dry sense of humor and enjoying the warmth from the fire
Fire
Blondie looking regal as usual ;P We talked for hours and then went to bed. The next day we got up for the 1st breakfast and then went back to bed till 1 or so. After we got up and ready we had discussed the night before about where we wanted to go or do? We both need new threads and I came up with the idea of thrift shopping. Plus we asked Rick where people like to go when shopping in the older parts of the city? Like in DC there's Georgetown, in NYC there's so many places like St. Marks, Union Square and in Schednetcdy its called Jay street. Before we left we snapped some photos by the front of the B&B
Reindeer!First we went to three stores all in the same location. 2 were really nice, young hipsters consignment shops and another was just a discount store. I found a 2 tops and Blondie found a really nice sweater. After that we headed to a large Goodwill where again I scored 2 shirts and Blondie found some antique ornaments. Then we headed to Jay street which was in the same area we had drove around in the night before for the Thai place. And lucky was right around the corner from Bomber's Burritos Bar which we already planned to eat at and drink Margaritas! Jay street was cute most of the shops and cafe closed at 6 so we didn't really do any shopping there, that's ok there wasn't anything I saw that disappointed me and its very small strip of shops. We headed to Bombers with our Holiday antennas. We decided to share a pulled pork burrito and wings and each got a margarita, mine san salt. Oh my god, the burrito was the best I EVER HAD! I kid you not! I was just so surprised at how good it was and the place was really cute set up and people looked like they were having fun. We enjoyed Bombers a LOT. Then we headed back to the B&B and asked Rick if we could have 1 more fire? He said no problem and set it up for us and Blondie drank wine and we gabbed till very late!
I learned that using my phone camera mode to take a self portrait works only if you have good lighting because while the phone camera has a flash, its only on one side. For self portraits no flash.
I thought this was a nice shot of me and Blondie, 2 women on a night on the town!
More Fire
Yeah we look tired from staying up too late but damnit, it was FUN!
Funny the next day we headed down to Albany for lunch and to see the other "must see" spot called Lark Street. There was another Bombers Burrito Bar here and I thought their window display was quite cute!
We walked up and down Lark Street which was mostly tattoo shops, head shops, cafes and gift shops. In one really funky gift shop I spotted a cool "Day of the Dead" type skull that I brought as a souvenir of my trip upstate. Outside this shop was a xmas tree which I thought was cleverly designed!
Monopoly money, what a brilliant idea! And a good fit for these hard economic times!
And the Bingo card man cut outs, too adorable!
I also spotted 2 signs that I had to snap!
They say you can take the girl out of Lancaster but well you know the rest....
I know I know this is for but as a sci fi geek of Battlestar Galatica I just this was frakking cool!
We found an Indian place that had a lunch buffet and the food was excellent! The waitress there was kind enough to explain some of the key ingredients or flavors used in Indian dishes and wrote them down for me.
Once we finished lunch we ambled back to the highway and headed back to NYC. It was a wonderful mini vacation and if I hadn't needed to return by dinner time to give my students their final exam we would've stayed longer. I just really enjoy visiting a new place and getting out of the city was very much needed. It gave me and Blondie time to really talk and take stock of our lives, what we've done and what we hoped to do. I highly recommend this B&B to anyone visiting the Albany or Schenectedy area.
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